Annual Events in Atlanta, Month by Month
Date Published
At a glance
- Where: Across Atlanta, Georgia: Midtown, Inman Park, Buckhead, Virginia-Highland, Cabbagetown, Downtown and the Westside
- When: February through January; the busiest stretch is April through November
- Cost: Mix of free (Streets Alive, Jazz Festival, Inman Park Festival) and ticketed (Garden Lights, Dragon Con, Orchid Daze); check each official site
- Dates: Usual months only here; each event announces exact dates on its own site
The biggest annual events in Atlanta are the Atlanta Dogwood Festival and Inman Park Festival in April, the Atlanta Jazz Festival in May, the Peachtree Road Race on July 4, Dragon Con at Labor Day, and Garden Lights, Holiday Nights at the Atlanta Botanical Garden from November into January. This calendar lists 14 events that return every year, each with its usual month and a link to its official site.
An Atlanta year runs from orchids under glass in February to chili and string bands on Cabbagetown porches in November, with a 10K through the middle of it on the Fourth of July.
We give the usual month, not exact dates, because organizers change dates year to year. Click through to the official site for the current schedule, prices and any ticket lottery before you plan a trip.
How we chose
Every event here has a current official page that shows it still running, and every one takes place inside the City of Atlanta. We left out events that no longer run or that we could not confirm on an official site, and we skipped any month with nothing verified rather than pad it. August has no entry for that reason.
We also did not include sports seasons or concert tours, since those are not one-off yearly traditions. For what is on right now, see the Atlanta events page.
February: what is the best annual event for winter?
Orchid Daze at the Atlanta Botanical Garden is the winter pick, and it usually opens in February and runs into spring.
Orchid Daze at the Atlanta Botanical Garden (Midtown)
You walk through orchid displays in the Fuqua Conservatory, the Atrium and the Orchid Display House at 1345 Piedmont Avenue. The garden also keeps a permanent orchid collection of about 2,000 species, so even the off-theme corners are worth a slow look. You need a garden ticket, so book on the garden's site. Each year has its own theme, so check the official Orchid Daze page. Our tip: weekday mornings are calmer in the humid glasshouses. Neighborhood guide: Midtown.
March through November: is there a free event that lets you walk in the street?
Yes. Atlanta Streets Alive closes routes to cars on several Sundays between spring and fall, and it is free.
Atlanta Streets Alive (rotating routes)
People bike, walk, skate and dance on car-free streets on Sunday afternoons, and Atlanta Streets Alive is run with the City of Atlanta. The route changes each Sunday. Past routes have included Peachtree Street, MLK Drive, West End to Grant Park, and Howell Mill Road. Find the current route map and dates on the Atlanta Streets Alive site. Bring a bike if you have one, but walking works fine.
April: which Atlanta festivals happen in spring?
April is the heaviest month on the calendar, with two flagship neighborhood festivals and a film festival.
Atlanta Dogwood Festival (Piedmont Park, Midtown)
The Atlanta Dogwood Festival is a juried fine arts festival in Piedmont Park, held in April. Its official site lists 260 artist booths across 12 categories, a Main Stage, a Kids Village and a Mimosa 5K. The festival was free for decades, but it now sells general admission tickets online, and the Party in the Park VIP Experience is a separate upgrade. Check prices and dates on the Atlanta Dogwood Festival site.
Inman Park Festival and Tour of Homes (Inman Park)
The Inman Park Festival is free and takes over the historic Inman Park neighborhood in late April, with a parade, arts and crafts markets, a Kids' Zone and Theatre Night. The separate Tour of Homes lets you step inside private houses and is ticketed; the official site lists $35 presale and $40 on event weekend, so buy ahead and confirm the current price. Our tip: this neighborhood is walkable and parking is tight, so take MARTA or a rideshare. See the official festival site.
Atlanta Film Festival (citywide)
The Atlanta Film Festival, run by the Atlanta Film Society, typically runs from late April into early May, with in-person screenings followed by a virtual window. It has film and screenplay competitions, industry panels and the IMAGE Film Awards Gala. Badges are sold online, so access is at least partly paid. Screenings and venues are posted each year at the Atlanta Film Festival site.
May: what is free on Memorial Day weekend?
The Atlanta Jazz Festival is free and fills Piedmont Park on Memorial Day weekend, and Sweet Auburn Springfest is free in the same month.
Atlanta Jazz Festival (Piedmont Park, Midtown)
Three days of outdoor performances happen on the Design Essentials Stage in Piedmont Park. The festival is produced by the City of Atlanta Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs. A few add-ons, such as the Late Night Jazz Jam and the Jazz 101 workshops, are ticketed. Bring a blanket and plan to stay for the evening sets. Official page: atljazzfest.com.
Sweet Auburn Springfest (Sweet Auburn, Downtown)
Sweet Auburn Springfest takes place around Mother's Day weekend along John Wesley Dobbs Avenue and Irwin Street NE in Sweet Auburn. The official site lists music stages, food and a market, parades, and art and history tours, and the event is free. Its own site bills it as Atlanta's largest free multicultural outdoor festival. More at sweetauburn.com. Area guide: Downtown Atlanta.
June: is there a neighborhood festival in summer?
Yes. Virginia-Highland Summerfest is a first-weekend-of-June neighborhood tradition.
Virginia-Highland Summerfest (Virginia-Highland)
Run by the Virginia-Highland Civic Association, Summerfest lists art, a run, music, a beverage garden and a KidZone. The site does not say whether admission is free, so confirm before you go. Details at the Virginia-Highland Civic Association. Area guide: Virginia-Highland.
July: what happens in Atlanta on the Fourth?
The Peachtree Road Race, a 10K, is the Fourth of July tradition in Atlanta.
Peachtree Road Race (Buckhead to Midtown)
The race is run by the Atlanta Track Club, and its official page calls it the Northside Hospital Peachtree Road Race. It starts at Lenox Square in Buckhead and finishes in Piedmont Park. Registration is by lottery and opens in spring, so you cannot simply sign up the week before. If you do not run, the route is a good place to cheer. Find the lottery details on the Atlanta Track Club page.
September: what are the big fall weekends?
Labor Day weekend belongs to Dragon Con, and the Atlanta Food and Wine Festival follows later in September.
Dragon Con (Downtown Atlanta)
Dragon Con fills Downtown Atlanta over Labor Day weekend in early September. Dragon Con has run since 1987, and its official site lists gaming, programming tracks, a parade, an art show, a Comic and Pop Artist Alley, the Walk of Fame, the Dragon Awards and celebrity guests. Entry is by paid membership, and the site starts selling next year's memberships soon after the convention ends. Official site: dragoncon.org.
Atlanta Food and Wine Festival (next to Mercedes-Benz Stadium)
The Atlanta Food and Wine Festival is a ticketed, four-day, 21-and-over festival with walk-around Tasting Tents at The Home Depot Backyard, 1 Backyard Way, Atlanta, beside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The official site lists more than 200 chefs, plus a Whiskey and Fire event. See the festival site.
October: where is the best neighborhood fall fair?
The Candler Park Fall Fest is a long-running October fundraiser for the neighborhood.
Candler Park Fall Fest (Candler Park)
The Candler Park Neighborhood Organization has run Fall Fest since 2001. It has an artist market, food trucks, live music, a kids' area and a 5K, typically over a weekend in early October. The official page does not state whether admission is free. Check the Candler Park Fall Fest page.
November: which Atlanta event has chili and porch music?
The Cabbagetown Chomp and Stomp is the first-Saturday-in-November answer.
Cabbagetown Chomp and Stomp (Cabbagetown)
The Cabbagetown Initiative organizes a chili cook-off with more than 70 individual cooks and 20 restaurants, three music stages, Food Truck Row, an Artist Market, the Cabbage Games and Porch Jams around the mill village. Proceeds go to neighborhood parks and the community center. The main stage is in Cabbagetown Park. Our tip: wander the side streets for the porch sets. See the official Chomp and Stomp page. Area guide: Cabbagetown.
November to January: where do you go for holiday lights?
Garden Lights, Holiday Nights at the Atlanta Botanical Garden is the long-running holiday light show.
Garden Lights, Holiday Nights (Midtown)
The show runs from mid-November into early January at 1345 Piedmont Avenue. The Atlanta Botanical Garden bills its Garden Lights centerpiece as the world's largest curtain of light and sound, and the choreography changes from year to year. General admission tickets are for a set date and time slot, are not sold on the day, and the garden says the event sells out frequently, so book ahead. Tickets and hours: Garden Lights, Holiday Nights.
How do you plan a full year of Atlanta traditions?
Pin this nine-step plan and you will hit every season once.
- February: Orchid Daze at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.
- March to November: pick one Streets Alive Sunday.
- April: Dogwood in Piedmont Park, then the Inman Park Festival later in the month.
- May: Jazz Festival, then Sweet Auburn Springfest.
- June: Virginia-Highland Summerfest.
- July 4: the Peachtree Road Race, as a runner or a spectator.
- September: Dragon Con, then Food and Wine.
- October: Candler Park Fall Fest.
- November: Chomp and Stomp, then Garden Lights.
Weather and timing
Summer heat can be intense at outdoor events, so see the Atlanta weather guide for what to expect before you go.
Last verified: November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What are the biggest annual events in Atlanta?
The Atlanta Dogwood Festival and Inman Park Festival in April, the Atlanta Jazz Festival in May, the Peachtree Road Race on July 4, Dragon Con in early September, and Garden Lights at the Atlanta Botanical Garden in winter are the best known. Check each official site for current dates.
What month is the Atlanta Dogwood Festival?
The Atlanta Dogwood Festival is usually held in April in Piedmont Park. Its official site, dogwood.org, posts the exact dates each year.
When is the Peachtree Road Race?
The Peachtree Road Race is held on July 4. It is a 10K from Lenox Square in Buckhead to Piedmont Park, and registration is by lottery that opens in spring through the Atlanta Track Club.
Which Atlanta events are free?
Atlanta Streets Alive, the Atlanta Jazz Festival, Sweet Auburn Springfest and the Inman Park Festival are listed as free on their official sites. The Inman Park Tour of Homes is separately ticketed.
When do the holiday lights open at the Atlanta Botanical Garden?
Garden Lights, Holiday Nights usually opens in mid-November and runs into early January. It is ticketed and popular nights can sell out, so book ahead on atlantabg.org.
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