Weeks after temperatures in the 90s hit Atlanta, summer has officially arrived. Here, we don’t let those muggy, sweltering days keep us from having a good time. We’re just sure to cool down with a ride on a water slide or an ice cream cone from time to time.
If you’re looking for fun festivals to fill your weekend days over the next few months, check out some of our favorites.
Red, White, & Brew
This Fourth of July, indulge in fine food, mouthwatering beer, and top-tier entertainment at Atlanta’s Red, White, & Brew Festival. Enjoy live music, a delicious dinner catered by Wolfgang Puck, and unlimited beer samples while marveling at the majesty of the beluga whales, manta rays, and whale sharks at the Georgia Aquarium. When the Centennial Olympic Park fireworks show starts crackling, you’ll have one of the finest views in the city from the aquarium’s parking deck rooftop.
Atlanta Street Food Festival
Food trucks are a big deal all over the country, but their popularity in Atlanta runs especially deep. The festival is home to more than 80 fully outfitted food trucks serving everything from burgers to Japanese rice bowls to Georgia Peach caprese salads. Sixty of these trucks will participate in the Atlanta Street Food Festival, scheduled to take over Piedmont Park from noon to 10 PM on Saturday, July 11, 2015. Great food, live music, an idyllic setting, and a great cause make this annual festival such a hit.
Ticket to Ride Benefit Horse Show
Are you an equestrian at heart? Lovers of horses from throughout the Atlanta area will congregate at the 14th Ticket to Ride Benefit Horse Show at Wills Park Equestrian Center in Alpharetta. Free classes will be held on training and jumping. Some 200 horses will face off in various competitions. Live music, a children’s carnival, and food and drink vendors will be available for your entertainment. Proceeds from this year’s festival, taking place the weekend of July 17, 18, and 19, 2015, will benefit the University of Georgia’s Eventing Team.
Slide the City
Tickets to Slide the City sold out in a hurry. If you’re itching to attend, keep your eyes peeled as event coordinators are working on opening more spots. Even if you don’t manage to get one, you may want to head out to Decatur Square on Saturday, July 25, 2015 between 10 AM and 7 PM to witness the event.
A 1,080-foot water slide will be set up on West Ponce de Leon Avenue, where ticket holders will slip and slide their way from the Old Courthouse at Clairemont Avenue to Ponce de Leon Place. Food and drinks will be available for purchase at the event, which is part of Decatur’s annual Beach Party event. The Decatur Business Association, the event’s sponsor, is going all out this to celebrate its 30th anniversary.
Atlanta Ice Cream Festival
If you don’t want to watch others on a slide you couldn’t score tickets for, head to the Atlanta Ice Cream Festival in Piedmont Park for a tasty treat, local vendor browsing, and live entertainment. An ice cream eating competition will be held, and talented local artists will take to the stage to keep energy flowing through the air. Health advocates will also be present to discuss how ice cream can have a place in a health-conscious lifestyle. The 5th Annual Atlanta Ice Cream Festival on July 25, 2015 from 11 AM to 6 PM.
Imagine Music Festival
Do you like Chromeo, The Crystal Method, Dada Life, The Glitch Mob, or Lil Jon? If you do, and you thrive in the presence of live dance music, why not try to snag tickets to Imagine Music Festival on August 29 and 30, 2015? Held at the popular venue, The Masquerade, Imagine Music Festival is a two-minute walk from AMLI Ponce Park, a three-minute walk from AMLI Old 4th Ward, and a 10-minute walk from AMLI Parkside.
Atlanta Meatball Festival
If you’re crazy about meatballs, do all you can to clear a few hours on Sunday, August 30, 2015 for a visit to the 2nd Annual Atlanta Meatball Festival. Held at Belle Island Square in Sandy Springs, the event will feature mouthwatering meatball dishes hand-crafted by more than a dozen successful chefs. The three chefs that you, other attendees, and event judges deem the winners will face off again in The Taste of Atlanta’s Meat Brawl Marathon. The event, a 15-minute drive from AMLI Lindbergh, takes place from 1 to 5 PM.
Summer sees a higher concentration of festivals in Atlanta than any other season. Don’t let it pass you by without getting in on the action. Get our of your apartment and indulge in an activity you enjoy or gain exposure to local talent by attending a festival that appeals to you.
What are your favorite Atlanta summer festivals?
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View All Posts by Jason Ernst