7 Homegrown Events in Atlanta this April

Atlantans love their spring festivals, and these three are loved the most. The Sweet Auburn Springfest ranked in the top three in our annual poll. Also in the top three was the Inman Park Festival. The Inman Park Festival is known for its parade. But the top vote-getter this year just happened. Once again, the Dogwood Festival came out on top, grabbing 40% of the votes.

The month of April is heating up in Atlanta, and for the first time in a long time, in-person events are beginning to re-emerge from a year in quarantine. From indie markets, live music and more, here are seven live events to help you cautiously return to life in a society.

Don’t expect complete normalcy or capacity just yet. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have listed a guide for attending and hosting large events and gatherings, please attend events after considering the level of risk.

AFTM at From the Earth Brewing Company

8 p.m. Apr. 9, From the Earth Brewing Company, 1570 Holcomb Bridge Rd, Roswell, www.ftebrewing.com.

Since Athens-based band AFTM formed in the spring of 2017 as a southern rock act playing relentlessly through the University of Georgia college town, the five-piece band has developed an Atlanta following and a reputation as a fun-loving band with unforgettable live performances.

AFTM brings their band on the road to Roswell, for a socially distant show at the Earth Brewing Company. Tickets are good for up to four guests each, and the show starts at 8 p.m.

Mystic District Marketplace: The Herbal Edition

8 p.m.- 2 a.m. Apr. 17, The Basement, 1245 Glenwood Ave. SE, Atlanta, www.eventbrite.com.

For something a little witchier, check out the Mystic District Marketplace at The Basement, an indie pop-up market brought to you by Frankie & Marley Productions. At the underground night market, attendees can expect to shop vendors, bop to sounds by Ralo, enjoy special drag performances and participate in a raffle to win a ton of great, local Atlanta prizes. All while supporting @tender, the Atlanta aid project that helps bridge the financial gap for “single mama’s living on the margins in Atlanta.” The event is 21-and-up and is still seeking volunteers to help put on a show.

Atlanta Indie Market Events

#CHIME - Noon to 5 p.m. Apr. 17, Cascade Heights, 2343 Cascade Rd, Atlanta.

#AIM - Noon to 5 p.m. Apr. 24, Best End Brewing Company, 1036 White St, Atlanta.

www.atlantaindiemarket.com.

With more than 100 small and creative businesses from Atlanta’s growing grassroots community, the two April events from the Atlanta Indie Market offer an unparalleled independent shopping experience; a “day-long sesh of shopping, chilling, and reckless creativity.”

The two marketplace’s features a curated selection of locally-based, independent artists, shops and grassroots organizations, including offerings from visual artists, street apparel vendors, food trucks, local growers and more.

LOLO (Laugh Out Loud Outside) Comedy Series

Weekly shows through Apr. 22, RoleCall Theater, Ponce City Market, 675 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE, Suite E186, Atlanta, www.simpletix.com.

What better way to celebrate surviving a global pandemic than to take in RoleCall’s LOLO (Laugh Out Loud Outside) comedy series, at the Ponce City Market amphitheater. The show goes on each and every weekend through April 22. You can bring your own drinks and snacks, along with comfy chairs and blankets. LOLO is an outdoor event, so prepare accordingly, and please remember masks are required upon entry.

Bar Racho

5 p.m. to late, April 21 and 22, Petit Chou, 662 Memorial Dr. SE, Atlanta, www.instagram.com.

If you’re in need of an interesting dinner option after that year locked in the house, then the pop-up events from Bar Racho are your new friend, where each month the group takes on a different theme. What started as a mobile craft bartending service has since evolved into something more refined.

“We started doing pop-ups in response to the lack of events due to COVID and also as a way to activate restaurant spaces that were sitting idle during the pandemic,” say Bar Racho co-founders Raymond Scott and Cooper Creel. “We are passionate about serving innovative, yet unpretentious food and craft cocktails, and our pop-ups are unique events, curated each month. People should expect a casual, yet refined experience, with some sexy vibes.”

In April, the Bar Racho crew will serve up Italian flavors at Petit Chou, with La Dolce Vita, “Two Days in Italy,” featuring handmade pasta, modern takes on traditional Italian cocktails, and more.

Atlanta Film Festival

Various events scheduled, Apr. 22 through May 2, Virtual event, www.atlantafilmfestival.com.

For a virtual option in a re-emerging spring, the Atlanta Film Festival’s 45th-annual event is set to take place online this year. Long considered the region’s preeminent celebration of cinema, the 20,000-attendee festival is one of only two dozen Academy Award-qualifying events in the country, and a showcase for 200 of the 9,300 films submitted from around the world.