If willing to bear the occasional rain shower, you’ll have your pick of food and music this weekend from soul and country to rock ‘n’ roll.
Household names in music such as Dolly Parton, Frankie Beverly & Maze and Gladys Knight will hit separate metro Atlanta stages this weekend.
Knight is scheduled to join Frankie Beverly & Maze on the Chastain Park Amphitheatre stage at 7 p.m. Friday.
Parton's concert is set to start at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Infinite Energy Center.
And as far as food goes, more than 250 chefs, sommeliers, mixologists, pitmasters and artisans from Texas to the District of Columbia will flood Midtown for the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, featuring Southern cuisine and a "pop-up vineyard and event space."
Before you hit the road, review the list of weekend lane closures and detours from the Georgia Department of Transportation.
Northwest Corridor express lanes project
I-575
One southbound lane will close between Barrett Parkway and the I-75 interchange from 8 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday.
Another southbound lane will close between Alabama and Bells Ferry roads each night until Monday morning from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
One northbound lane will close between Alabama Road and Ridgewalk Parkway each night until Monday morning from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Trying to access I-285 eastbound or I-75 northbound from the I-285 eastbound ramp? Be prepared for a detour from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Saturday. Drivers traveling from the ramp will have to take the I-75 southbound exit ramp to Cumberland Boulevard. From there, drivers will turn left on Cumberland Boulevard and make another left to access I-285 eastbound or I-75 northbound.
Southbound drivers on I-75 who want to access I-285 eastbound will run into a similar problem. From 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Saturday, drivers will be asked to continue south and exit at Cumberland Boulevard to access I-285 eastbound.
South Metro express lanes
I-75
One northbound lane will close between Bill Gardner Parkway and North McDonough Road. A second northbound lane will close between Jonesboro Road and Jodeco Road. Both lanes will close from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Saturday.
Drivers along Jonesboro Road and Hudson Bridge Road are in for the long haul as lane closures don’t end until Sunday morning. One northbound lane will close each night from 9 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m.
Expect delays between Hudson Bridge Road and the I-675 Interchange when one northbound lane closes from 9 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday.
No lane closures will take place, but drivers can expect some delays along Lake Spivey Parkway. The southbound ramp onto I-75 will narrow while crews work on overhead signs from 9 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday.
Other roadwork
I-75
One northbound lane and two southbound lanes will close between the I-285 interchange and Windy Hill Road from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Saturday.
I-285
Two southbound lanes between Atlanta Road and Washington Road will close each night until Monday morning from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Ga. 400
One northbound lane will close between Peachtree and MacFarland parkways continuously from 9 p.m. Friday to noon Monday.
And it doesn’t get better heading northbound as another lane will close between Lenox Road and Holcomb Bridge Road from 9 p.m. Saturday to 5 a.m. Sunday.
Drivers heading to and from Encore Parkway are in for double the trouble as two northbound and two southbound lanes will close from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday.
I-20
Think about leaving early to avoid closures on two eastbound lanes and the shoulder between Fulton Industrial Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The lanes will close continuously from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday.
Expect a long commute between the I-285 interchange and Thornton Road. Two westbound lanes and the shoulder will close continuously from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday.
If you thought you were getting out of taking your little cousins to Six Flags, think again.
Road closures along I-20 westbound won’t happen until after the park closes. Westbound exit ramps to Six Flags Drive and Riverside Parkway close for resurfacing.
Exit 46B (to Six Flags Drive) will close at 10 p.m. Sunday and will not reopen until 5 a.m. Monday. Exit 46A (to Riverside Parkway) will close 10 p.m. Monday and will not reopen until 5 a.m. Tuesday.
Other state routes
One northbound and one southbound lane will close between the I-285 Interchange and Key Road along Moreland Avenue for deep patching.
On Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, one northbound and one southbound lane between North Shallowford Road and Club Drive will close from 8 p.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday.
Nighttime delays should last two nights along Old Milton Parkway with one eastbound and one westbound lane closing. Lanes will close between South Main Street and Brookhollow Trail from 8 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday and again from 8 p.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday.
On Woodstock Road, two lanes will close between the Cobb County line and Alpharetta Highway from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Saturday and again from 9 p.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday.
» For updated traffic information, listen to News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB and follow @ajcwsbtraffic on Twitter.
Stormy weather this weekend
High pressure sitting north of metro Atlanta will keep storms at bay — with a few short-lived exceptions Friday afternoon. However, the pressure is expected to move out the area and lead to a wet and cool weekend.
There is a 40 percent chance of rain Saturday and a 70 percent chance Sunday, when storms could turn severe, according to Channel 2 Action News.
Scattered showers are expected to begin Saturday afternoon, ramp up that night and last through Sunday afternoon.
“And Sunday is the day to be weather aware,” Channel 2 meteorologist Katie Walls said. “Some storms could be strong or even severe.”
After 90-degree highs this week, temperatures are expected to reach 89 degrees Saturday and 83 degrees Sunday.
» Check the full forecast and track changes
A weekend for food and music
Food and drink lovers, brace yourselves.
The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival is in town.
Watch one of the two-hour Masterclasses on topics such as rare bourbons and wine pairings Saturday or enjoy a Sunday brunch with menu items from more than 15 chefs and mixologists at Loews Atlanta Hotel while listening to live music at noon.
This year’s festival also boasts a “pop-up vineyard and event space,” inspired by McGuigan Wines Dublin City Vineyard.
Just don’t come if you haven’t turned 21 years old yet.
Available tickets range from $45 for Sunday brunch to $1,500 for a three-day VIP pass.
If you would like to spend a bit less and also listen to some tunes, try the Candler Park Music & Food Festival.
It will boast an entertainment lineup featuring Galactic, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, The Revivalists, Yonder Mountain String Band, Keller Williams' Grateful Grass, Lee Fields & The Expressions, Blair Crimmins & The Hookers, King Baby, Great Peacock and Webster.
This year’s event will start Friday and continue Saturday at Candler Park and also feature more than 20 food trucks and vendors as well as an artist market.
Gates open at 4 p.m. Friday and noon Saturday, and tickets are $20 for general admission and $60 for VIP tickets. Tickets are required for everyone older than 16 years old.
About the Author
