Dragon Con, and its 50,000-plus attendees, is rolling back into town beginning Sept. 4. It's a huge event that will affect a relatively small part of metro Atlanta: just a few blocks downtown.
Should you want to avoid it in favor of other weekend events, here are some ideas.
If you live ITP ...
10th annual AJC Decatur Book Festival: Kicks off on Sept. 4 at 5 p.m. at Decatur High School Performing Arts Center and lasts through Sept. 6. Hey bibliophiles, this is something you don't want to miss. Over 600 authors are coming to downtown Decatur for Labor Day weekend including keynote speaker Erica Jong, author of 1973 novel, "Fear of Flying" and Roxane Gay, author of "Bad Feminist." The fest is free and open to the public. Event details at decaturbookfestival.com
Iron Chef Cat Cora Book Signing: Sept. 4 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Emory Point. Food Network star and Iron Chef Cat Cora will be a part of this year's Decatur Book Festival as she promotes her soon-to-be-published memoir, "Cooking as Fast as I Can." Enjoy a welcome reception at the courtyard between Marlow's Tavern and Tin Lizzy's before you head to the book signing at Strippaggio. The event is free and open to the public, but you must RSVP by contacting Strippaggio. Event details at strippaggioevoo.com/events/iron-chef-cat-cora-book-signing-september-4-2015/
Midtown Restaurant Week begins: Sept. 5-Sept. 13 at various restaurants. More than 40 restaurants are on the list to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Midtown Restaurant Week. Signiature menus from some of Midtown's best restaurants are exclusively priced at $15, $25 and $35. Savor the dates for this annual event! Event details at mrwatlanta.com
2015 Affordable Old School Concert Series: Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. at Wolf Creek Amphitheater. Kick it old school style with 112, Jagged Edge, Silk and more for this explosion of musical throwbacks. General admission tickets are $35 in advance and $40 day of show. Event details at events.accessatlanta.com/atlanta_ga/events/2015-affordable-old-school-concert-series-featur
Word is Born Poetry Open Mic: Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. (doors); show at 8:30 p.m. at Apache Cafe. Bring a date or friend for a night of inspiring spoken word. General admission is $10, but for guaranteed table seating, purchasing table tickets is recommended. You must be 18 years of age to attend, but will be charged an additional $5 if you are not 21 years or older. Event details at events.accessatlanta.com/atlanta_ga/events/word-born-weekly-poetry-o
Chick-fil-A kickoff game: Sept. 5 at 2:30 p.m at the Georgia Dome.. This is the closest you should probably venture to Dragon Con, but it's worth it for football fans who want to see the Auburn Tigers square off against the Louisville Cardinals (if you can score a ticket from a secondary market; the box office is sold out). Event details here: http://events.accessatlanta.com/atlanta_ga/events/chickfila-kickoff-game-/E0-001-085038254-2
If you live OTP ...
Lawrenceville ghost tour: Sept. 4 at 8:30 p.m. at the Lawrenceville Square. This 90-minute walking tour of the metro area's oldest city includes a guide in full period costume and "titillating" details about poplar legends and the paranormal, including the story of the night the dead strolled down the town's main street. Cost is $6. Event details here: http://events.accessatlanta.com/lawrenceville/events/lawrenceville-ghost-to-/E0-001-070560249-4@2015090420
Marietta Square Art Walk: Sept. 4 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Marietta Square. This monthly amble brings residents together with visul and performing artists as well as local vendors, including a beer garden. Event details here: http://events.accessatlanta.com/marietta/events/marietta-square-art-walk-/E0-001-083428857-4@2015090417
Gwinnett Braves take on the Charlotte Knights: Sept. 5 at 7:05 p.m. and Sept. 6 at 2:05 p.m. at Coolray Field. Tickets start at $7.50 Event details here: http://events.accessatlanta.com/lawrenceville/events/charlotte-knights-gwinnett-braves-/E0-001-079505285-8
If you want to leave Atlanta ...
Sky High Hot Air Balloon Festival: Sept. 4 to Sept. 6 at Callaway Gardens. The 17th annual event includes beach activities, a car show, a pyrotechnic skydiving demonstration and a 5K and traithlon, among other events. The centerpiece of the weekend, weather permitting, will be the giant hot air balloons themselves, which will fill the sky. The baskets will also be available for a ride. Admission is per person, per day. Rides are an additional $10/person. Event details here: http://www.callawaygardens.com/HAB
