MAY
Theater: Candide shop
The Alliance Theatre and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra co-produce a concert staging of the Tony-winning musical “Candide,” directed by Susan V. Booth with music by Leonard Bernstein.
“Candide.” May 9-20. Atlanta Symphony Hall, Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree St. 404-733-4650. Alliancetheatre.org
Festival: Sweet truth
Celebrate Mother’s Day weekend at one of Atlanta’s largest outdoor festivals with the Sweet Auburn SpringFest. For 34 years, the event has turned the historic neighborhood into a block party full of food, music and family fun, as well as respect for the city’s heritage.
Sweet Auburn SpringFest. May 6-8. Historic Sweet Auburn District. sweetauburn.com
Theater: Miranda writes
Writer/composer Lin-Manuel Miranda took a biography of America’s first treasury secretary, Alexander Hamilton, and created a hit hip-hop musical set in the 18th century that feels firmly in the 21st. The touring production includes several Atlanta natives, including Chris De’Sean Lee in the dual role of Lafayette and Jefferson.
“Hamilton.” May 22-June 10. Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. 404-881-2100. foxtheatre.org
Convention: Pop pageantry
While Labor Day weekend’s Dragon Con gets more attendance, Momocon offers comparably enthusiastic fan creativity but feels less crowded and more kid-friendly. If you enjoy animation, gaming, comics and similar media — or you just want to see some cool cosplay — check out the Georgia World Congress Center over Memorial Day weekend.
Momocon. May 24-27. Georgia World Congress Center, 285 Andrew Young Blvd. Momocon.com
Music: Queen of landó
Nicknamed “The Tina Turner of Peru” and a standard bearer of the polyrhythmic Afro-Peruvian “landó” style, Eva Ayllón brings her spirited stage presence to the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts.
Eva Ayllón. May 25. Rialto Center for the Performing Arts, 80 Forsyth St. 404-413-9849. www.rialtocenter.org
Festival: Art beat
Artistic even on ordinary days, downtown Decatur flourishes with creativity during Memorial Day Weekend with the Decatur Arts Festival. Following the Friday night Artwalk, the event includes music, dance, stand-up comedy and theatrical performances, as well as its signature artists market.
Decatur Arts Festival. May 25-27. Downtown Decatur Square. decaturartsfestival.com
Music: The women of jazz
For the first time in its history, the Atlanta Jazz Festival, held May 26-27, devotes an entire day to female musicians. All three of its stages on Saturday will host the likes of Camille Thurman, Jazzmeia Horn and Tia Fuller.
Atlanta Jazz Festival. May 26-27. Piedmont Park. atlantafestivals.com
Festival: Taking it to the eats
On the menu at the eighth annual Atlanta Food and Wine Festival is a lineup of food from Atlanta and the Southeast, including tasting tents, classes, dinners and other events.
The Atlanta Food and Wine Festival. May 31-June 3. In and around Loews Atlanta in Midtown. atlfoodandwinefestival.com
JUNE
Performance: Fringe on top
Look out for the likes of dancers, clowns, storytellers and more at the sixth annual Atlanta Fringe Festival, held in venues around the city. Local acts include Thimblerig Circus, Puppets Playing Pretend and festival founder Twinhead Theatre.
Atlanta Fringe Festival. June 6-10. Various locations. 678-281-1816. atlantafringe.org
Comedy: Father figure
Following his popular Atlanta-filmed special “Father Figure,” “The Daily Show” correspondent Roy Wood Jr. brings his irascibly funny but surprisingly warm take on contemporary America to the Punchline.
Roy Wood Jr. June 8-9. The Punchline, 3652 Roswell Road. 404-252-5233. punchline.com
Opera: A little off the top
Baritone Michael Mayes sings the title role in “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” by Stephen Sondheim. Maria Zifchak makes her Atlanta Opera debut as Mrs. Lovett, baker of “the worst pies in London.”
“Sweeney Todd.” June 9-17. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta. 770-916-2800. cobbenergycentre.com
Festival: Celebrating summer
In its 35th anniversary year, Virginia-Highland Summerfest showcases the Midtown neighborhood with a 5K race, a tot trot, an artists market and plenty of festival food.
Virginia-Highland Summerfest. June 9-10. North Highland and Virginia avenues. vahi.org/summerfest.
Music: Garden and Woods
The Concerts in the Garden series hosts folk/blues band the Wood Brothers, whose formative years included time in Atlanta. Instrumentalist Jano Rix joins upright bassist Chris Wood and guitarist Oliver Wood for music steeped in Americana.
The Wood Brothers. June 15. Atlanta Botanical Garden, 1345 Piedmont Ave. 404-876-5859. atlantabg.org
Festival: Free admission
Harking back to June 19, 1965, as the official end to both the Civil War and American slavery, the three-day Juneteeth festival at Morris Brown College includes a black history parade, speakers, step teams, dancers, drummers, music and more.
Juneteenth Atlanta. June 15-17. Morris Brown College, 643 Martin Luther King Junior Drive. 404-753-4555. juneteenthatl.com
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