This fall’s big arts and entertainment events feature some of the city’s most beloved recurring festivals as well as some creative collaborations, more than a few ambitious undertakings and at least one fantastical display of whimsy. From movies, music and art to theater, food and books, here are 12 events you won’t want to miss out on this season.
“Fiddler on the Roof”
The Alliance Theatre and the Atlanta Opera kick off their 2025-26 seasons with a collaborative production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” a musical about a poor Jewish milkman living in a Russian shtetl trying to marry off his five daughters during the Russian Revolution of 1905. The Tony Award-winning production debuted on Broadway in 1964 and has had multiple successful revivals, as well as a 1971 Oscar-winning film adaptation. Itzik Cohen, from the Israeli TV series “Fauda,” co-stars with Tony and Grammy Award-winner Debbie Gravitte. Tomer Zvulun of the Atlanta Opera directs. Sept. 4-Oct. 5. Alliance Theatre. 1280 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta. 404-733-4600, alliancetheatre.org, AtlantaOpera.org.
Credit: Courtesy of Rafterman Photography
Credit: Courtesy of Rafterman Photography
Atlanta Food & Wine Festival
This four-day culinary extravaganza celebrating the chefs and cuisines that make Atlanta’s food and beverage scene so delectably varied has a new home at The Home Depot’s Backyard. In addition, a fourth day of tasting tents has been added to the lineup. Also new this year is Whiskey & Fire, a collaborative food and beverage pairing event with Heritage Fire and Whiskies of the World. Other events include food demonstrations and intimate dinners. Sept. 11-14. The Home Depot Backyard, 1 Backyard Way, Atlanta. atlfoodandwinefestival.com
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Shaky Knees
Atlanta’s cherished rock and indie music festival is back with a new location this year. The three-day outdoor event takes place at Piedmont Park for the first time in the festival’s 12-year history. Headliners include Blink-182, Deftones and My Chemical Romance. But even second-tier offerings are big-name acts like Lenny Kravitz, The Black Keys, Cage the Elephant, Vampire Weekend and Alabama Shakes. The lineup, which also includes Devo, Public Enemy and “Weird Al” Yankovic, is nothing if not varied. Sept. 19-21. Piedmont Park, Atlanta. shakykneesfestival.com
Credit: Brian Ferry, Co
Credit: Brian Ferry, Co
“Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy”
How an art installation of amusement park rides designed by artists including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Salvador Dalí, Keith Haring and Roy Lichtenstein gets warehoused and forgotten is a mystery. What matters is it’s been reassembled, restored and began touring the United States in 2023. After stints in Los Angeles and New York, it comes to Atlanta’s Pullman Yards in September. Although the rides are functional, you can’t actually ride them, but you can admire the artistry and whimsy that went into making them while immersed in a multisensory environment featuring new music by André 3000, David Byrne, Jamie XX, Philip Glass and Saya Gray. Opens Sept. 24. Pullman Yards, 225 Rogers St. NE, Atlanta. lunaluna.com.
Credit: Out on Film
Credit: Out on Film
Out on Film
The 37th annual LGBTQ film festival presents more than 140 films at two venues this year. The full lineup hasn’t been released, but among the films selected is “Exit Interviews,” writer-director Garrett Abdo’s feature debut filmed in Atlanta about a man who interviews his ex-boyfriends for a documentary to figure out what went wrong in their relationships. Also filmed in Georgia, “We Are Pat” features trans and nonbinary comedians reimagining the “It’s Pat” sketches from “Saturday Night Live.” Sept. 25-Oct. 5. Midtown Art Cinema, 931 Monroe Drive NE, Atlanta, and Out Front Theatre Company, 999 Brady Ave. NW, Atlanta. outonfilm.org
Art fairs
The Atlanta Art Fair returns to Pullman Yards in September for its second year, displaying artwork from 60 galleries all in one place. In addition to lots of metro area galleries, participants include international art spaces in Dublin, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Tehran, South Korea and Moscow. Atlanta Art Fair, Sept. 25-28, Pullman Yards, 225 Rogers St. NE, Atlanta, theatlantaartfair.com.
Atlanta Art Week, founded by local curator and art adviser Kendra Walker, is more like a long weekend than a full week this year, but it will continue its mission to highlight local artists and galleries with special events throughout the city in October. Atlanta Art Week, Oct. 3-5, multiple venues, atlantaartweek.co
Credit: Decatur Book Festival
Credit: Decatur Book Festival
Book festivals
The 20th anniversary Decatur Book Festival kicks off the first Friday in October with a keynote event featuring National Book Award-finalist Saeed Jones and continues the following day with dozens of author events on multiple stages throughout downtown Decatur for all ages and interests. Participating authors include Angie Thomas, Jason Mott, Charlie Seabrook and Stacey Abrams. Decatur Book Festival, Oct. 3-4, multiple venues in Decatur, decaturbookfestival.com.
Spanning 16 days in November, the Book Festival of the MJCCA hasn’t released its lineup of big-name authors yet except for this tantalizing teaser: Cookbook authors Dorie Greenspan, Niki Russ Federman and Josh Russ Tupper will discuss their new books on cakes and appetizers. Book Festival of the MJCCA, Nov. 1-6, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Atlanta. 678-812-4000, atlantajcc.org
Credit: Akili-Casundria Ramsess/Eye of Ramsess Media, Chris Pizzello/Associated Press, Robb Cohen for the AJC
Credit: Akili-Casundria Ramsess/Eye of Ramsess Media, Chris Pizzello/Associated Press, Robb Cohen for the AJC
One MusicFest
Atlanta’s premier festival for Black music and culture is officially back for its 16th year. It returns to Piedmont Park in October with headliners Future, Doechii, Ludacris and The Roots featuring Mary J. Blige and Busta Rhymes. The two-day event also includes a special Dungeon Family reunion that will pay tribute to hip-hop producer and Organized Noize cofounder Rico Wade, who died in April. Oct. 25-26. Piedmont Park. onemusicfest.com
Credit: Photo by Rand Lines
Credit: Photo by Rand Lines
Beethoven project finale
In January, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and its music director Nathalie Stutzmann launched an ambitious project performing Beethoven’s entire oeuvre of symphonies, as well as his Triple Concerto and the “Missa solemnis,” in a single year. That project culminates this fall in a program that begins with two pieces by Bach, “Concerto for Oboe and Violin BWV 1060″ and “Cantata BWV 56,” and ends with Beethoven’s thunderous “Ninth Symphony” featuring the ASO Chorus. Nov. 13-16, Symphony Hall, 1280 Peachtree St., Atlanta. aso.org
“The Outsiders”
“The Outsiders” and its tale of friendship, loyalty and grief among young toughs in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is a major cultural touchstone that spans generations. It began in 1967 as a book by S.E. Hinton. Then it became a 1984 film, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Tom Cruise, Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze. Now a new generation has been introduced to Pony Boy, Sodapop and Johnny with the Tony Award-winning musical adaptation that debuted on Broadway last year. When the first North American tour strikes out this fall, it stops at the Fox Theatre in November. Presented by Broadway In Atlanta. Nov. 25-30. Fox Theatre. 660 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 404-881-2100. foxtheatre.org. atlanta.broadway.com
— DeAsia Paige contributed to this article.
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