The summer is slowing down, and school is back in session, but there is still plenty of time to soak up some fun in August.
»RELATED: Browse the full AJC festivals calendar for more things to do in Atlanta
Atlanta and the surrounding areas are filled with festivals throughout the month to keep you satisfied. From beer and bluegrass to all-out sci-fi, there's a festival for everyone this month. Mark your calendars and get ready to have fun with these 7 festivals:
Decatur BBQ, Blues & Bluegrass Festival. 2-9 p.m. Aug. 11. $20 per person. East Lake Drive and Harmony Park. 630 East Lake Drive, Decatur. www.decaturbbqfestival.com.
Now in its 18th year, the Decatur BBQ, Blues & Bluegrass Festival brings the sights, sounds and tasty traditional southern BBQ of summer, along with 7-plus hours of blues and bluegrass music from Kate Coleman, Chris Duarte and many other talented artists. It's fun for the whole family and kids 12 and under get in free.
Dames and Dregs Beer Festival. 1-6 p.m. Aug. 11. $35-$45 per person. The Masquerade and Underground Atlanta. 75 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SW, Atlanta. www.damesanddregs.com.
The Dames and Dregs Beer Festival is an Atlanta-based experience built to empower the community by celebrating and supporting female contributions in brewing. Each ticket includes samples of up to four different beers from a mix of local and out-of-state breweries, access to 30-plus local female artist and women-fronted craft booths, and a portion of each ticket sale will be donated to the International Women's House.
Credit: Courtesy of Piedmont Park Arts Festival's Facebook page
Credit: Courtesy of Piedmont Park Arts Festival's Facebook page
Piedmont Park Arts Festival. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 18, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 19. Free admission. Piedmont Park. 1071 Piedmont Ave., Atlanta, Ga. www.piedmontparkartsfestival.com.
Calling all art lovers - there will be more than 250 painters, glassblowers, sculptors and crafters are taking over Piedmont Park mid-August. There's lots of fun to be had across Atlanta's most celebrated green space with food, live acoustic music and artist demonstrations. A children's play area will also be set-up so you can bring the whole family with you.
BronzeLens Film Festival. Various times. Aug. 22-26, 2018. Prices vary per pass. Atlanta Marriott Marquis. 265 Peachtree Center Ave. NE, Atlanta. www.bronzelens.com.
Since its founding in 2009, The BronzeLens Film Festival has dedicated itself to bringing national and worldwide attention to Atlanta as a center for film and film production, specifically for people of color. This five-day festival is a perfect combination of screenings, workshops and networking to enrich the next generation of filmmakers.
Red Bull Music Culture Clash. 7 p.m. Aug. 24. $20 per person. 787 Windsor St. SW, Atlanta. www.redbullcultureclash.com.
Red Bull Music Culture Clash, the innovative live music experience celebrating sound system culture, is set to return to Atlanta this August. The Culture Clash's massive battleground will take place over four stages with four different crews, all competing to take home the title of Red Bull Music Culture Clash champion. The crews bring out exclusive music, special guests, surprises and more to win the crowd's support. The event drew in several special guests last year including Ludacris, Pusha T, Rae Sremmurd and Jermaine Dupri. This year's Clash will be hosted by Angela Yee, radio personality for the Power 105.1 national morning show, The Breakfast Club.
Credit: Jonathan Phillips
Credit: Jonathan Phillips
Grant Park Summer Shade Festival. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Aug. 25, 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Aug 26. Free admission. Grant Park. 840 Cherokee Ave. SE, Atlanta. www.summershadefestival.org.
This two-day festival, which celebrates the end of summer, has been going on for more than a decade. It kicks off Saturday morning with the 5K Run for the Park, and throughout the two days features nom-worthy food trucks, a kids zone and live music. The festival also has an artists market, where you can expect to see the crafts (ranging from jewelry to handmade soap) of more than 200 artists on display.
Credit: Courtesy of Dragon Con's Facebook Page
Credit: Courtesy of Dragon Con's Facebook Page
Dragon Con. Various times. Aug. 30-Sept. 3. Prices vary per pass. Atlanta Marriott Marquis. 265 Peachtree Center Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-669-0773. www.dragoncon.org.
On Labor Day weekend one of the largest cosplay extravaganzas will take place in Downtown Atlanta. Dragon Con has been a long-standing staple since its first year in 1987, growing momentum ever since. This year, the expected 80,000-plus attendees will take over five hotels and the AmericasMart buildings No. 1 and No. 2. The weekend-long festivities will include cosplay, gaming, panels, celebrity appearances from the likes of Jon Heder (AKA Napoleon Dynamite), and so much more.
RELATED: What to expect from Dragon Con 2018 in Atlanta
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