August in Atlanta is still plenty hot — almost too hot to trek outdoors without the promise of something to drink or eat. And, what about those grandkids? They still need fun things to do even as school beckons them back.
As summer fun winds down, grab your grand-kiddos, or a group of friends, and head out to any of these August events.
Beer and wine festivals
German Bierfest
1 p.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20. $45-$54 per person in advance, $60 at the door. VIP tickets: $110 in advance, $120 at the door, if available. Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark, 830 Willoughby Way NE, Atlanta. gaccsouth.com/en/events/bierfest
For those who can appreciate German beer — and German snacks — German Bierfest lets you have your fill. The ticket price includes access to over 50 varieties of beer and wine, authentic music performances, and beer-themed activities. You can purchase German cuisine like brats, pretzels, sauerkraut and schnitzel for an additional price. You’ll also walk away with a souvenir-tasting glass at no additional cost.
Atlanta Summer Wine Festival
12 p.m.-4 p.m.; 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13. $50 per person, $60 at the door. The Eastern, 777 Memorial Drive SE Building C, Atlanta. atlantawinefestivals.com/summer
If beer isn’t your favorite, but you don’t want to miss doing a little sun-soaked drinking, make plans to attend the annual Atlanta Summer Wine Festival. Here you can sample a wide variety of wine, cider, seltzer and beer. Try more than 50 varieties of adult beverages, all while listening to live music. Food is also available for an additional cost.
Credit: Curtis Compton
Credit: Curtis Compton
Food festivals
Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival
6 p.m.-10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20. Free admission. Adams Park, 2600 Park Drive, Kennesaw. kennesaw-ga.gov/pigsandpeaches
Attracting an estimated 30,000 barbecue lovers each year, the Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival started as a simple cook-off for a small group of grillers. Now a competitive team cooking event, the festival attracts grillers of all kinds along with food vendors selling their delicious barbecue. A family-friendly event, you can watch great grilling take place, sample some eats, grab a cold beer and get an earful of nonstop music.
Miss Mary’s Ice Cream Crankin’
2 p.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28. $7 for individual tickets, and $20 for a family four-pack. First Baptist Roswell, 710 Mimosa Blvd. Roswell. thedrakehouse.org
Established as a fundraiser for The Drake House, which provides support to homeless women and children in North Fulton, Miss Mary’s Ice Cream Crankin’ lets you cool off in the August heat. You can try over 100 different ice cream flavors — some of which you may have never heard of. There’s also live music and ice cream eating contests, and ribbons handed out in a variety of flavor categories. It’s a perfect event for the entire family.
Kid-friendly entertainment
The Tortoise, The Hare & Other Aesop’s Fables
Wednesday, Aug. 10-Sunday, Sept. 18; times vary. $15-$22 per person. Center for Puppetry Arts, 1404 Spring Street, NW, Atlanta. 404-873-3391. puppet.org/programs/the-tortoise-the-hare-other-aesops-fables
Part of the Theater for the Very Young series, this performance caters to children ages 2 and up. See the animals of Aesop’s Circus take the stage for an upbeat, interactive puppet show. Children will hear a variety of fables, centered on that well-known race between the tortoise and the hare. Your show ticket also includes the ability to make your very own tabletop puppet in the Create-A-Puppet Workshop.
Movies in the Park Presents “Sing 2″
7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug.19. Free. Old Ivy Park, 519 Old Ivy Road NW, Atlanta. livablebuckhead.com/summer
Watch “Sing 2″ and meet some of the coldblooded cast members. A few special reptiles will be on-site to visit before the movie plays at 8:30 p.m. Part of the Summer Event Series from Livable Buckhead, the pre-show entertainment kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Although admission is free, you’ll need to RSVP to reserve a spot.
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