Spring has officially sprung, and with it comes the start to Atlanta's festival season.
From spring's oldest standby, the Dogwood Festival in Piedmont Park, to live music everywhere and all the grilled cheese you can eat, these are the top festivals to enjoy in Atlanta this April.
Credit: Courtesy of Mike Gerry of OpenEarsMusic.net
Credit: Courtesy of Mike Gerry of OpenEarsMusic.net
WREKtacular. 9 p.m. April 5. $12, Free for GT students with valid Buzzcard. The Bakery. 825 Warner St. SW, Atlanta. www.eventbrite.com
Georgia Tech's student-operated radio station, WREK, is taking its annual WREKtacular festival into another dimension with experimental electronic, modular synths, and a whole lot of dancing. The festivities take place at The Bakery, a multi-faceted arts complex complete with good vibes and good times.
Food-O-Rama Grant Park Food Truck Festival. Noon to 6 p.m. April 6. Free admission. Historic Grant Park. 840 Cherokee Ave. SE, Atlanta. www.facebook.com
Food-O-Rama will park more than 35 food trucks from across the Southeast at Historic Grant Park. Beyond the tasty dishes, live music and local artists will be on hand, along with craft beers and cocktails from six local bars.
Big Stupid Parking Lot Carnival. 1-6 p.m. April 6. $10-$55. Dad's Garage Theatre. 569 Ezzard St. SE, Atlanta. www.dadsgaragecarnival.com
For those wondering what happened to BaconFest, look no further. The folks at Dad's Garage have decided to change things up a bit with a "Dad's Garage Big Stupid Parking Lot Carnival." Attendees can expect to produce a whole lot less food waste while enjoying a Hobo Wine Tasting, a Wheelchair Obstacle Course and more carnivalesque things like rides and an "Exotic Petting Zoo."
83rd Annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival. Noon to 11 p.m. April 12, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. April 13, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 14. Free admission. Piedmont Park. 500 10th St., Atlanta. www.dogwood.org
For the last 83 years, the Atlanta Dogwood Festival has given Atlanta fine art, live entertainment and the first large-scale festival of the year. The Dogwood Festival is the third oldest fine arts festival in the country and Atlanta's longest-running festival of any kind. From artist markets to live music, entertainment from around the world, festival foods and midway rides, the Dogwood Festival is truly Atlanta's annual spring kickoff.
Credit: Courtesy of Atlanta Grilled Cheese Festival's Facebook Page
Credit: Courtesy of Atlanta Grilled Cheese Festival's Facebook Page
Atlanta Grilled Cheese Festival. 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. April 13. $32. Atlantic Station. 1380 Atlantic Drive NW, Atlanta. www.atlantagrilledcheese.com
It wouldn't be a grilled cheese festival without grilled cheese sandwiches from some of the best restaurants and food trucks in the city. Low-Co Motion, The White Bull, Char Korean Bar & Grill, and Calyroad Creamery will make your mouth water for ooey, gooey, cheesy goodness. There will also be an excellent selection of craft beers, a lineup of live music, and access to the Adult Game Zone and Bloody Mary Garden.
Atlanta Spring Wine Festival. 1-5 p.m. April 13. $45 advance, $50 after April 6, $60 day of the event. Historic 4th Ward Park. 665 North Ave. NE, Atlanta. www.atlantawinefestivals.com
Located in Historic 4th Ward Park, the Atlanta Spring Wine Festival will feature more than 50 wines. And it shouldn't just be the wine that attracts you to this festival, there will be beer, cider, live music and delicious food trucks like Roti Rolls, D.B.A. Barbecue, Dominic's NY Pizza and others.
Credit: Yvonne Zusel
Credit: Yvonne Zusel
SweetWater 420 Festival. Noon to 11 p.m. April 19, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. April 20, Noon to 10 p.m. April 21. $154 General Admission 3-Day Pass. Centennial Olympic Park. 265 Park Ave. W, NW, Atlanta. www.sweetwater420fest.com
It's Sweetwater 420 Fest's 15th anniversary, and they are going big. Widespread Panic is playing two nights and four sets along with other amazing bands such as The Claypool Lennon Delirium, The Avett Brothers, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Rebelution, Moon Tax, and so many others. You can check out the full lineup here. The music isn't the only solid thing about this festival though. Sweetwater Brewing Company will have local art, stand-up comedy, food trucks, craft beer tasting and a 5k.
Inman Park Festival and Tour of Homes. 11 a.m. April 26-28. Admission to all festival events, except the Tour of Homes, is free. Inman Park. MARTA, Beltline or biking is strongly suggested. Inman Park/Reynoldstown MARTA, 1055 DeKalb Ave. NE, Atlanta.
Inman Park is one of Atlanta's oldest neighborhoods, and today it is one of the city's most desirable locations. The Inman Park Festival and Tour of Homes will showcase the Victorian homes of the neighborhood, mostly built in the late 1800s, along with a costumed 5k run, a parade, live music, ballet and modern dance, local art, food and more.
Smyrna's 17th Annual Crawfish Boil. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. April 27, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. April 28. $8 for day pass, $12 for weekend pass. Atkins Park Smyrna. 2840 Atlanta Road, Smyrna. www.freshtix.com
Baked, boiled, or cooked into a delicious etouffee, crawfish is one of the tastiest foods around -- especially if Zac Brown's Executive Chef and the 2017 Food Network Finalist on "Next Food Network Star" Rusty Hamlin is boiling them. Hamlin is not only boiling them to perfection, but the crawfish will also be shipped directly from New Orleans. There will also be live music and fun for everyone.
Taste of Marietta. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Apr. 28. Free admission. Marietta Square. 99 S. Park Square NE, Marietta. www.tasteofmarietta.com
The Taste of Marietta is worth going OTP for -- over 70 different restaurants, caterers, and food trucks make it a great way to sample what delicious foods Cobb County has to offer. In addition to great food, there will also be live music throughout the day, fun and games in the Kids Alley, a food judging competition and local unique shops and museums that are always present on the Marietta Square.
