The arts take over the Courthouse Square at the Decatur Arts Festival, which i just one of many ways to celebrate the long Memorial Day weekend. On Monday, many communities will honor our country's fallen service members.
FAIRS, FESTIVALS, ETC.
Georgia Renaissance Festival. Through June 7. $22; $10 ages 6-12; $20 ages 60 and older; free ages 5 and younger. 6905 Virlyn B. Smith Road, Fairburn. garenfest.com.
"Bruce Munro: Light in the Garden." A British artist famed for using light as an artistic medium, Munro will create six site-specific installations around the Atlanta Botanical Garden and its conservatories, some set to music. It will be a nighttime experience, running through Oct. 3. $22.95, $15.95 ages 3-12 on Fridays-Saturdays; $19.95, $13.95 children on Wednesdays-Thursdays and Sundays. 1345 Piedmont Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-876-5859, atlantabotanicalgarden.org.
Atlanta Bachata Festival. May 21-25. 4-day passes $185; single day passes $15-$99. Grand Hyatt Atlanta, 3300 Peachtree Road N.E., Atlanta. atlantabachatafest.com.
TimeGate 2015. Billed as Atlanta's premiere Doctor Who and British media convention. May 22-24. Weekend passes sold at the door are $60. Marriott Atlanta Century Center, 2000 Century Boulevard N.E., Atlanta. timegatecon.org.
Atlanta Carnival. Gates open 10 a.m. May 23; parade 1 p.m. Kensington MARTA station, 3350 Kensington Road, Decatur. atlantacarnivalbc.com.
Atlanta Caribbean Carnival. Parade, live music, festival village. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. May 23. $15-$20. Historic Fourth Ward Park, 680 Dallas St. N.E., Atlanta. atlantacarnival.org.
Marietta International Film Festival. 10 a.m.-11 p.m. May 23. $10-$15. Earl Smith Strand Theatre, 117 North Park Square, Marietta. 770-293-0080, www.marietta-film-festival.org.
Marietta Memorial Day flag placement. The Atlanta Area Council Boy Scouts of America Foothills District places flags on the more than 18,000 graves of U.S. military veterans in the Marietta National Cemetery. 8 a.m. May 23. Free admission. Marietta National Cemetery, 500 Washington Ave. N.E., Marietta. www.foothillsbsa.org/memorial-day-flags-information.
Atlanta History Center's 'Military Timeline' event. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. May 23. $16.50 adults, $13 students and seniors; $11 children 4-12. Members and children under 4 are free. Visitors with military ID are admitted free. Atlanta History Center, 130 W. Paces Ferry Road, Atlanta. www.atlantahistorycenter.com.
Bark In The Park. Two-legged and four-legged friends mix and mingle. Pet companies will be on hand to give out treats and goodies. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. May 23. Free. Brookhaven Park, 4158 Peachtree Road, Brookhaven. 404-637-0512 , www.brookhavenga.gov.
Decatur Arts Festival. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. May 23, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. May 24. Free. Decatur Square, 101 E. Court Square, Decatur. decaturartsfestival.com.
Salute the Troops at Stone Mountain. All active and retired military personnel will receive one free Adventure Pass with valid ID and will save up to 30 percent off per person for immediate family members. Military personnel also will receive 20 percent off food and merchandise. Stay for a special patriotic fireworks salute in the evening after the Laser Show Spectacular. 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. May 23-25. Stone Mountain Park, 1000 Robert E. Lee Blvd., Stone Mountain. www.stonemountainpark. com.
Alpharetta Memorial Day Tribute. 8:30 a.m. May 25. Free admission. Brooke Street Park behind City Hall, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta. www.alpharetta.ga.us.
City of Woodstock Memorial Day event. The city of Woodstock joins forces with the American Legion, Marine Corps League, and other local veterans groups to honor those who have fought and those who have fallen in the service. A special service of remembrance includes the East Cobb New Horizons Band. 10 a.m. May 25. Free admission. The Park at City Center, 101 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock. 770-517-6788, www.woodstockga.gov.
Milton memorial service. 10 a.m. May 25. Free admission. Freedom Park, 13200 Deerfield Parkway, Milton. www.cityofmiltonga.us.
Hapeville Memorial Day Observance Service. 10 a.m. May 25. Hoyt Smith Center, 3444 N. Fulton Ave., Hapeville. www.hapeville.org.
Roswell Remembers - 2015 Memorial Day Ceremony. 10 a.m. May. 25. Roswell City Hall, 38 Hill St., Roswell. 770-640-3253, www.roswellmemorialday.com.
Dacula Memorial Day parade. Parade begins at Hebron Baptist Church, 202 Hebron Church Road, and proceeds down Dacula Road, turns right on Second Avenue, and ends at Dacula High School. 10 a.m. May 25. 123 Broad St., Dacula. www.daculamemorialday.com.
Henry County's Memorial Day Service. 11 a.m. May 25. Free. Veterans Wall of Honor in McDonough's Heritage Park, 101 Lake Dow Road, McDonough. www.henrycounty-ga.org.
MomoCon 2015. Animation, gaming and comic convention. May 28-31. Four-day pass $65; single day passes are $25-$40. Georgia World Congress Center, 285 Andrew Young International Boulevard, Atlanta. www.momocon.com.
Atlanta Food & Wine Festival. May 28-31. Day pass, $185; $700 connoisseur. Three-day pass, $575; 3-day connoissseur, $2,000. Tasting tents: $100. Dinners and events: $45-$300. Loews Atlanta Hotel, 1065 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. 404-474-7330, atlfoodandwinefestival.com.
Georgia Craft Beer Fest. 1-6 p.m. May 30. $45; $75 VIP (noon entry for VIPs). Red Brick Brewing Company, 2319 Defoor Hills Road N.W., Atlanta. georgiacraftbeerfestival.com.
10th Annual Wing and Rock Fest. Noon May 30-31. Free. Woodstock City Park, 101 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock. www.wingandrockfest.com.
PERFORMING ARTS
"Paul Bunyan and the Tall Tale Medicine Show." Through May 24. $16.50. Center for Puppetry Arts, 1404 Spring St. N.W., Atlanta. www.puppet.org.
"King of Pops: The Post-Apocalyptic Musical." The origin story of Atlanta's beloved frozen treat vendor, with music. Through May 30. $12.50-$22.50. 7 Stages Theatre, 1105 Euclid Ave. N.E., Atlanta. www.dadsgarage.com. Read our preview "King of Pops: The Post-Apocalyptic Musical" here.
"Die, Mommie, Die." Through May 23. $13-$23. OnStage Atlanta, 2969 E. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur. www.onstageatlanta.com.
"Crazyanity." Through May 24. $15-$25. West End Performing Arts Center, 945 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. S.W., Atlanta. 404-500-7243, www.risingsagetheatre.com. Read our review of "Crazyanity" here.
"The Merchant of Venice." Through May 24. $15-$36. Atlanta Shakespeare Company at the New American Shakespeare Tavern, 499 Peachtree St. N.E. 404-874-5299, www.shakespearetavern.com.
"Hands on a Hardbody." A musical based on the 1997 documentary about 10 contestants trying to win a truck in Texas. Through May 31. $30-$50. Aurora Theatre, 128 East Pike St., Lawrenceville. www.auroratheatre.com. Read our review of "Hands on a Hardbody" here.
"The Whale." Through June 14. $26-$45. Actor's Express at the King Plow Arts Center, 887 West Marietta St., Suite J-107, Atlanta. www.actors-express.com.
"Sylvia." Through June 7. $15-$30. Stage Door Players at North DeKalb Cultural Center, 5339 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road, Atlanta. www.stagedoorplayers.net.
"Shadows and Light." A musical revue featuring the music of Joni Mitchell, Carole King and Carly Simon. Through May 30. $17-$25. Out of Box Theatre at Artisan Resource Center, 585 Cobb Parkway S., SuiteA-1, Marietta. www.outofboxtheatre.com.
"Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike." Through June 26. $25-$38. Horizon Theatre, 1083 Austin Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-584-7450, www.horizontheatre.com. Read our review of "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" here.
"Shakespeare, Unscripted." Through June 13. $12.50. Highwire Comedy Co., 3041 N. Decatur Road, Scottdale. www.highwirecomedy.com.
MUSIC
Darius Rucker with Brett Elredge, The Brothers Osborne and A Thousand Horses. 7 p.m. May 21. $24.50-$69.50. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, 2200 Encore Parkway, Alpharetta. www.vzwamp.com.
Diana Ross. 8 p.m. May 22. $46-$76. Chastain Park Amphitheatre, 4469 Stella Drive N.W., Atlanta. 404-233-2227, www.chastainseries.com.
Hackensaw Boys. The Jugtime Ragband opening. May 22. Smith's Olde Bar – The Music Room. $17 in advance. Smith's Olde Bar, 1578 Piedmont Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-875-1522, www.smithsoldebar.com.
Jessica Meuse. Jessica Cayne opening. May 23. Smith's Olde Bar – The Music Room. $10 in advance. Smith's Olde Bar, 1578 Piedmont Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-875-1522, www.smithsoldebar.com.
Rush. 8 p.m. May 26. $40.50-$149.50. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, 2200 Encore Parkway, Alpharetta. www.vzwamp.com.
The Tallest Man on Earth. 8 p.m. May 26. $32; $28.50 in advance. The Buckhead Theatre, 3110 Roswell Road N.E., Atlanta. www.thebuckheadtheatre.com.
The Psychedelic Furs. 8 p.m. May 26. $27.50-$30. Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave. N.E., Atlanta. www.variety-playhouse.com.
Purity Ring. 8 p.m. May 27. $23-26. The Buckhead Theatre, 3110 Roswell Road N.E., Atlanta. www.thebuckheadtheatre.com.
The Welcome Home and Savannah Stewart with Dylan Russell. 8 p.m. May 27. $8-$10. Vinyl, 1374 W. Peachtree St., Atlanta. www.centerstage-atlanta.com.
Georgia Solo Artist Awards. Presented by Bridging the Music. Early show. May 27. $10 in advance. Smith's Olde Bar, 1578 Piedmont Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-875-1522, www.smithsoldebar.com.
Ben Miller Band. May 28. $10 in advance. Smith's Olde Bar, 1578 Piedmont Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-875-1522, www.smithsoldebar.com.
Cigar Store Indians. The Bitteroots opening. May 29. $15 in advance. Smith's Olde Bar, 1578 Piedmont Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-875-1522, www.smithsoldebar.com.
Abbey Road Live. 8 p.m. May 29. $16-$20. Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave. N.E., Atlanta. www.variety-playhouse.com.
Lisa Lampanelli. 8 p.m. May 30. $36.75-$46.75. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta. www.cobbenergycentre.com.
Dave Matthews Band. 7 p.m. May 30. $40.50-$85. LN.Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood, 2002 Lakewood Ave. S.E., Atlanta. 404-443-5090, aaronsamphitheatre.net.
Flow Tribe. Seth Winters opening. May 30. Smith's Olde Bar – The Music Room. $10 in advance. Smith's Olde Bar, 1578 Piedmont Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-875-1522, www.smithsoldebar.com.
Joe Fletcher. Mitch Haney opening. Early show. May 30. Smith's Olde Bar – The Atlanta Room. $10 in advance. Smith's Olde Bar, 1578 Piedmont Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-875-1522, www.smithsoldebar.com.
VISUAL ARTS
"The Art of John Lennon." Noon-8 p.m. May 29-30; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. May 31. Ann Jackson Gallery, 932 Canton St., Roswell. www.annjacksongallery.com.
"Purr: Dreams of Everyday House Cats." Paintings by Tom Zarrilli. Through June 13. Decatur Arts Alliance Gallery, 113 Clairemont Ave., Decatur. decaturartsalliance.org.
Paws & Play Art Show. A benefit for the Atlanta Humane Society. Through May 31. Mud Monkey on Peachtree, Peachtree Battle Shopping Center, 2385 Peachtree Road, Atlanta. 404-812-1750, www.mudmonkeyonpeachtree.com, atlantahumane.org.
"Los Trompos" ("The Spinning Tops"). An installation from Mexican designers Ignacio Cadena and Héctor Esrawe featuring more than 40 three-dimensional, larger-than-life tops/rides in a variety of colors and shapes. Through Nov. 29. Free. Outside the High Museum of Art, 1280 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. www.high.org.
"Wifredo Lam: Imagining New Worlds." Through May 24. $12-$19.50. High Museum of Art, 1280 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. www.high.org. For more about this exhibit, go to the AJC's Arts & Culture blog.
"Imagining New Worlds: José Parlá and Fahamu Pecou." Through May 24. $12-$19.50. High Museum of Art, 1280 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. www.high.org. For more about these exhibits, go to the AJC's Arts & Culture blog.
"The President's Photographer: Fifty Years Inside the Oval Office." Through June 7. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays (until 8 p.m. Thursdays), 1-5 p.m. Sundays. $10, $8 age 65 and up, $7 students with an ID, free age 12 and under. Booth Western Art Museum, 501 Museum Drive, Cartersville. 770-387-1300, www.boothmuseum.org.
"Bobby Jones: The Game of Life." Through Nov. 30. Free. Schatten Gallery at the Robert Woodruff Library, Emory University, 540 Asbury Circle, Atlanta. web.library.emory.edu.
"African Cosmos: Stellar Arts." Through June 21. $6-$8. Emory University's Michael C. Carlos Museum, 571 S. Kilgo Circle, Atlanta. 404-727-4282, www.carlos.emory.edu. Read our review of "African Cosmos" here.
"A Painter's Profile: The High Celebrates Romare Bearden." Through May 31. $19.50; $16.50 ages 65 and older and students (ID required); $12 ages 6-17. High Museum of Art, 1280 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. 404-733-4444, www.high.org.
"Where the Wild Things Are: Maurice Sendak in His Own Words and Pictures." The exhibition returns to Atlanta with new content and a focus on literacy. Through July 5. $4-$12. William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum, 1440 Spring St. N.W., Atlanta. 678-222-3700, thebreman.org.
"Gordon Parks: Segregation Story" and "Leonard Freed: Black in White America." Through June 7. $12-$19.50. High Museum of Art, 1280 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. www.high.org.
"Two of Each: The Nippur Deluge Tablet & Noah's Flood." Through July 24. Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University, 571 S. Kilgo Circle N.E., Atlanta. www.carlos.emory.edu.
"Bodies … The Exhibition." Ongoing. $16-$24. Premier Exhibition Center at Atlantic Station, 265 18th St., Atlanta. 866-866-8265, www.atlanticstation.com.