Know before you go: Dogwood Festival April 16-18

Atlanta's Dogwood Festival is one of the biggest events of the year, but it's just one of several things going on this weekend. Between the Dogwood, SweetWater 420 Fest, Braves games at Turner Field, two Freaknik-inspired events and dozens of other races, concerts and family activities, getting around will be tough. Here's a map of some of the weekend activities going on.

This guide, at least, will fill you in on some of what the Dogwood Festival has to offer.

What you'll see

Most Dogwood Festival activities are free, so expect to see 80,000-some people. It offers a constant stream of music, kiddie activities, art sales and live demonstrations. For more information, check out www.dogwood.org.

There are a few special events, some of which cost money:

• Home Grown Comedy Binge Finale presented by Laughing Skull Lounge. 8 p.m. April 16. $12. Piedmont Park
• Friends of Dogwood Pavilion. 1-5 p.m. April 17 and 18. $10-$45. Piedmont Park Greystone facility.
• Movie on the Meadow screening of "Psycho." 9 p.m. April 17. Free. Piedmont Park meadow.
• La Fête Internationale. 7-10 p.m. April 16. $25 online, $35 at the door. Piedmont Park Greystone facility.
• Adventure Base 100 traveling museum and family activity space to celebrate the Boy Scouts of America 100th anniversary, noon-9 p.m. April 16, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. April 17, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. April 18. Free. Piedmont Park.

What to bring, what not to bring

Most important: Do not bring dogs. Atlanta law does not allow dogs at events with more than 10,000 attendees, and the Dogwood Festival in Piedmont Park is much larger than that.

A few others: There's no outdoor cooking allowed, so leave the grills at home. Tents and canopies are prohibited, as are the stakes, posts and poles required to set them up. No motorized vehicles, skateboard riding or roller skating. No portable radios or musical instruments.

Do bring some cash to buy food or water -- drinking fountains will be available, too -- and to shop. ATMs are located near the park entrances and in the center of the festival.

How to get there

Wear your walking shoes, because there's a lot of ground to cover. Remember, too, that festival planners recently revised their plans to close part of 10th Street, so it will be available to cars, but probably packed.

Here's a festival map that shows the stages and locations for different activities.

Now, to get to the park …

• By car: As with any event at Piedmont Park, you can take a car, but parking won't be easy, even in the Campanile Parking Deck on Juniper Street or in the SAGE Parking Facility near the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Expect street or lane closures, spaces blocked in the neighborhoods around the park and high prices for lots and garages nearby. Weekend paving on the Downtown Connector was canceled, but there still are enough events going on to keep traffic heavy.
• By taxi: Taxis are advised to do drop-offs at the festival entrance at Piedmont and 12th Street.
• By train: MARTA is always the easier option to get to Piedmont Park during a big event. The nearest stations are Midtown and Arts Center. Here's a map that shows the walk from the station to the park. It's not a bad walk, but a shuttle will be running between the MARTA stations and the park on Saturday and Sunday.
• By bike: There are bike racks located throughout the park and a bike corral at the 14th Street entrance, but there won't be a bike valet service. (Look for that service at SweetWater 420 Fest in Candler Park this weekend, though!)

How to stay in touchAtlanta Dogwood Festival is on Twitter @DogwoodFestival, and on Facebook.

Want to go? Atlanta Dogwood Festival. Noon-9 p.m. April 16, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. April 17, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. April 18. Free. Piedmont Park, 1071 Piedmont Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-817-6642, www.dogwood.org.