Atlanta Things To Do category interest

Published October 10, 2024

The weather has cooled off and Atlanta is ready to embrace the fall with new exhibits, fashion shows and festivals — lots and lots of festivals. October always brings Atlanta Pride. Prepare with our Pride Survival Guide. Hispanic Heritage Month continues through Oct. 15.

The Lion King

The Regions Bank Broadway in Atlanta series starts up again and leads with the very popular “The Lion King” Oct. 2 through Oct. 20 at the Fox Theatre. “The Lion King” toured North America for more than 22 years, and during that time welcomed more than 23 million theater goers, making it North America’s longest-running and most-attended Broadway tour. This lavish production features a score by Elton John, Tim Rice and additional songs by Lego M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taylor and Hans Zimmer. “The Lion King” is sure to dazzle theater lovers of all ages.

Jazz it Up

An exciting weekend of jazz will take place at the Hammonds House Museum as trombonist Wycliffe Garden and pianist Eric Scott Reed perform Oct. 5 and present a workshop for musicians and jazz lovers on Oct. 6. A veteran member of the Wynton Marsalis Septet and an original member of Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Gordon has had an impressive career touring the world performing hard-swinging, straight-ahead jazz while receiving great acclaim from audiences and critics alike. Eric Scott Reed has been a vital force in jazz for more than 25 years, excelling as a leader, composer, producer, educator, sideman and member of the Marsalis’ Septet and Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.

Get a Room

Atlanta has amazing hotel rooms — something for everyone — and a few more hotels just opened. Hotel Granada, across from the Arts Center MARTA station and the Woodruff Arts Center, was built in 1923 and fell on some hard times. But it has been lovingly reimaged with contemporary Southern flair. At the heart of the 120-room hotel is Pom Court, an open-air oasis that is perfect for hotel guests, locals and museum goers (the High Museum of Art is nearby) to sit on the patio and enjoy a cocktail or quick bite.

The Forth Hotel just opened by the Beltline in the Historic Fourth Ward. The hotel features 157 guest rooms and suites as well as 39 residential suites, elevated restaurants and bars. Guests will enjoy an outdoor pool and state-of-the-art wellness amenities, including a 20,000-square-foot fitness center, sauna, steam room, leg compression sleeves, massage guns and vibrating massage balls, and foam rollers.

In November, the Origin Hotel Atlanta will welcome guests to its ’50s-era office building-turned-boutique hotel. The hotel features 122 guest rooms and suites plus Butter + Scotch restaurant and bar, a local retail store front and event space. The Wyndham Hotel is located on Pryor Street, just steps away from the Georgia World Congress Center, Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Centennial Olympic Park.

There’s Renoir, Degas, Monet — and More

“Tonight with the Impressionists” is a virtual reality exhibit coming to the Eclipse Centre that will take you back to 1874 to meet the famous painters of that period. Created in collaboration with the renowned Musée d’Orsay in Paris and in honor of the 150th anniversary of the first-ever Impressionist exhibition, the 45-minute journey transports you back to 1874 when a group of artists broke away from traditional academic painting, focusing instead on capturing light, color and atmosphere in new ways. Known as the Impressionists—Monet, Renoir, Morisot, Degas and others—they depicted everyday life and outdoor scenes with spontaneous brushstrokes and vibrant colors. The exhibition runs through December.

Little Five Points Parade

Yes, we’ve all seen Halloween parades, but you really haven’t seen a Halloween parade until you venture down to Little Five Points. The bohemian neighborhood sponsors a Halloween Festival on Oct. 19 and 20 that features live music from the city’s best underground acts, an art and vintage market, ghost tours, a skate park, and food and drink vendors. But it’s the parade — the biggest and spookiest in the Southeast — that makes it a signature fall event. Don’t believe us — a number of national publications such as Country Living and Fodors — have named it among the best Halloween parades in the country. For more Halloween happenings in Atlanta check our Spooktacular Guide to Halloween in Atlanta and our Grown-Up Guide to Halloween in Atlanta.

Experience ‘Fantaween’ at Pemberton Place

Experience “Fantaween,” in Centennial Olympic Park, Saturdays and Sundays Oct. 5-27, from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. You will journey through haunted grounds filled with eerie illusions and spooky surprises. You’ll find photo ops around every corner, and you may encounter a ghostly friend. Visit Georgia Aquarium and World of Coca-Cola in order to enjoy a limited-edition spooky FANTA Frightful Fizz beverage served in a collectible cup from Bottle Cap Cafe. This is a ticketed event.

Friday Vibe at Centennial Yards

Centennial Yards is a 50-acre urban revitalization project expected to transform underutilized property in the heart of downtown Atlanta. While developments are ongoing, Centennial Yards is already in the holiday spirit. Check out their first ever Friday Vibe Fall Fest. It’s happening Oct. 25 from 6-9 p.m. on the Carrie Steele Bridge. There will be face painting, pumpkin decorating, caricature art, food trucks and candy to enjoy. The best kids’ costume will win four tickets to the Children’s Museum of Atlanta. The first 100 guests will get a free box of popcorn, thanks to the local Boy Scouts of America.

Dragons and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

DreamWorks’ “How to Train a Dragon” comes to the Woodruff Arts Center Oct. 4 and 5, with a captivating and original story that combines humor, fire-breathing action and epic adventure. Hiccup is a young Viking who defies tradition when he befriends one of his deadliest foes –a ferocious dragon he calls Toothless. Together, these unlikely heroes must fight against all odds to save both their worlds.

“How To Train Your Dragon”–In Concert features this acclaimed film presented in HD, with composer John Powell’s Academy Award-nominated score performed live to picture by a full symphony orchestra.

Also, don’t miss the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s performances of Haydn and Mendelssohn Symphonies Oct. 17-19 and the return Georgia native Roderick Cox who will dig into the rich sounds of the ASO string section for Barber’s soul-stirring “Adagio.” He follows with music from John Adams’ white-knuckle opera “Doctor Atomic” and concludes with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra going full throttle in Rachmaninoff’s seductive orchestral romp “Symphonic Dances.”

Let’s Brunch a Bunch

The weather is cooling off so it’s a perfect time for brunching with friends. Several restaurants are offering brunch options. Ela offers a Mediterranean twist with Turkish hash or souvlaki and eggs. Snooze offers a fall menu that includes pumpkin pecan pie pancakes, pumpkin martinis and a jalapeño and cheddar omelet.

Indaco started a weekend brunch with dishes such as breakfast pizza, ricotta toast and eggs in purgatory. The Flying Biscuit always offers a great bunch menu; fall items include cinnamon roll pancakes and a bacon jam burger bowl.

Stylin’

Atlanta Fashion Week (ATLFW) makes a highly anticipated return Oct. 2-7, bringing together a global array of designers and brands to celebrate fashion, art, culture and creativity. This year’s ATLFW promises to be a truly international affair, showcasing renowned talents from Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Senegal and New York, to name a few. Throughout the week, fashion will take center stage for immersive experiences, complete with pop-up showroom displays, brand activations and runway shows.

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Corn Dogs, Rides and Whack a Mole

The Atlanta Fair brings the best of a traditional fair to Atlanta with everything from cotton candy, a Ferris wheel, fishing for goldfish, a tilt-a-whirl and a carousel. The fair, located across from the Georgia State University Stadium, will be in town Oct. 4-Nov. 3.

Pickleball Tournament

It’s Pickle Palooza. The Collective Learning Academy of Atlanta is sponsoring a fund-raiser that promises an evening of pickleball action for players of all levels. Taking place Oct. 1 at the Atlanta Pickleball Center, the round robin matches will begin at 6 and go until the knockout round around 9 p.m. There will be light appetizers and beverages. Want to get tournament ready? Head over to Painted Pickle for a few practice rounds.

Nando’s African Diaspora Art Comes to Atlanta

A world-class exhibition curated from Nando’s art collection, “If You Look Hard Enough, You Can See Our Future,” is making a stop in Atlanta. The world-class exhibition will feature nearly 30 pieces at the African Diaspora Art Museum of Atlanta (ADAMA).

Open Sept. 20 through Nov. 2, the exhibition will feature the works of African artists including Zanele Muholi, Portia Zvahera and Mbongeni Buthelizi.

Nando’s, whose restaurants serve South-African flamed-grilled Peri-Peri chicken and Peri-Peri sauce, owns one of the world’s largest collections of Southern African contemporary art and design. The work is displayed in its restaurants globally, including in Atlanta.

Holographic Theater Comes to Ponce City Market

A new augmented reality experience, Verse Immersive, is open at The Roof at Ponce City Market. The only holographic theater of its kind, Verse Immersive uses AR visors to bring 3D characters and stories to life. Verse Immersive offers guests an immersive experience of interactive tales. Guests can expect a 30-, 60-, or 90-minute immersive journey during which AR visors will put them at the center of an interactive and engaging story. AR, unlike virtual reality, allows guests to roam freely throughout the room while still seeing and interacting with their surroundings. Five experiences are offered at Verse Immersive and all are appropriate for ages 7 and older.

Festivals, Festivals and More Festivals

Fall is the perfect time to explore neighborhoods, hear local musicians, purchase the works of artists and have fun. Yes, it’s festival time and no matter which direction you go, there’s a festival. Among our favorites are the Fall Festival on Ponce, Candler Park Fall Festival, Old Fourth Ward Arts Fest and the Scottish Festival and Highland Games at Stone Mountain Park. ONE MusicFest turns the sound up in Piedmont Park Oct. 26 and 27 with its brand of urban progressive music. Among the performers will be Cardi B, Earth, Wind and Fire, T.I. and Keyshia Cole. OYE Festival on Oct. 6 provides an opportunity to continue celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. It is a day filled with music, art installations, food and interactive experiences in the heart of Atlanta in Old Fourth Ward. Oct. 13 brings Latinx Art Exhibit to the Decatur Arts Alliance Gallery.

A Gamer’s Dream

DreamHack comes to Atlanta Oct. 4-6 with a weekend full of esports, cosplay, creator-led activities, table top, special guests, panels, workshops, IRL loot stores and, oh yes, gaming. Among the fun will be Brennan Lee Mulligan’s DandD One Shot, the Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship and a cosplay contest.

Happy Anniversary

Let’s blow out the candles as several of our favorite hotels and restaurants celebrate another year of pleasing visitors and locals with great food and hospitality. Celebrating first years are Yakitori Kona, an intimate izakaya cocktail bar offering grilled skewers in Virginia Highland, and Verdure, a Midtown restaurant that fuses the flavors and diverse cooking techniques of western and African countries.

Krog Street Market, the acclaimed food court, celebrates its 10th anniversary while the Hotel Clermont takes the cake with its 100th anniversary. Here’s to many more.

Light up Cancer

The Leukemia andamp; Lymphoma Society’s Light The Night brings light to the darkness of cancer by supporting lifesaving research, advocacy and services for people battling blood cancer. Join family and friends on Oct. 5 at Piedmont Park to celebrate, honor or remember those affected by blood cancers. Registration is free, but participants are encouraged to raise funds to support the mission. All registered participants will receive an illuminated lantern. In addition to the walk, the evening will be filled with music, fireworks, a kid zone and empowering ceremonies honoring survivors and remembering those lost.

Take a Stroll

Atlanta Streets Alive welcomes walkers, skaters, bicycle riders and cartwheel turners to Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard and Georgia Avenue from 1 until 5 p.m. Oct. 20 when the streets will be closed to vehicular traffic and open to pedestrians. Walk on, Atlanta.

It’s Fall: Time for College Football

Fall sports mean one thing in particular in the South: college football. Whatever your alma mater, chances are there’s a bar in Atlanta where you can join like-minded fans to cheer on your team. Find out Where to Watch College Football in Atlanta.

Fashion Forward

FashionFest, which takes place Oct. 11-13, is an immersive ever-evolving platform giving attendees an insider’s look into the world of urban and pop culture by combining elements of a festival and an exhibition and bringing together diverse aspects of the business fashion world.

FashionFest offers attendees the opportunity to engage with and learn from some of the most fascinating brands and business minds in urban and pop fashion culture, while enjoying live musical performances, exploring the curated marketplace to shop limited edition goods and experiencing cutting-edge technology and sourcing while learning business principles to grow and expand your fashion brands.