Want to get out and about this weekend in Atlanta? Several towns, including Marietta and Suwanee, are hosting community festivals with vendors, activities and music. And you’ll also find three popular annual events - Gwinnett County’s Fair, Six Flags’ Fright Fest and Stone Mountain Park’s Pumpkin Fest - getting underway this weekend.
Check out the following 16 of the most fun things to do in metro Atlanta this weekend:
Cobb
Marietta Streetfest
9 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18 and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19. Free admission. Marietta Square, 1 Cherokee St., Marietta. mariettastreetfest.com.
Visit Marietta Square to shop at vendors in Jewelry Row and Artist Alley, let the kids play in the Kids Area and Tiny Tot Town, see a classic car show, hear music and more.
Six Flags Fright Fest
Credit: From sixflags.com
Credit: From sixflags.com
Noon-11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18 and noon-10 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19, with select dates continuing through Oct. 31. $39.99 Saturday and $34.99 Sunday. Six Flags Over Georgia, 275 Riverside Parkway SW, Austell. sixflags.com.
Get in the Halloween spirit with family-friendly activities during the day and haunted attractions, scare zones and more at night. Masks are recommended if you’re not fully vaccinated.
College Football Saturday in Smyrna
3 p.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18. Free admission. Village Green, 200 Village Green Circle SE, Smyrna. Facebook.
Hang out in downtown Smyrna and watch college football on a large LED screen in the Village Green or at a Market Village restaurant. The Boogie Down Band will perform from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. at the fountain.
John Mulaney: From Scratch
7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 16, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17 and Saturday, Sept. 18., 7 p.m. Sunday, with additional dates. $69 and up. Coca-Cola Roxy, 800 Battery Ave. SE #500, Atlanta. 470-351-3866. Cocacolaroxy.com.
Laugh along with popular comedian John Mulaney at the Coca-Cola Roxy. You’ll need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have received a negative test with 72 hours of the event. Masks are encouraged. This is a cell phone-free event, so you’ll need to be willing to place your phone in a locked pouch that you keep throughout the performance.
DeKalb
History Alive: Secret Atlanta: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful and Obscure
9:30 a.m.-11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 18. Donaldson-Bannister Farm, 4831 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody. $10 non-members, $5 members. 770-668-0401. Dunwoodypreservationtrust.org.
Atlanta writer Josh McDonald shares some of Atlanta’s cool secrets, including where you can experience a midnight costume party or get your hair cut at a museum. He’ll even answer the perennial question, “Why are there so many streets named Peachtree?”
Pumpkin Festival
Credit: Stone Mountain Park.
Credit: Stone Mountain Park.
Saturday, Sept. 18.-Sunday, Oct. 31. $34.95 (ages 3-11, $29.92, ages 2 and under are free). Stone Mountain Park, 1000 Robert E. Lee Blvd., Stone Mountain. 800-401-2407. Stonemountainpark.com.
Enjoy park attractions and special fall entertainment during the day and a parade, glowing displays and other themed events after dark.
Monarchs & Margaritas
5:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18. $100, including unlimited cocktails and dinner. Dunwoody Nature Center’s lower meadow, 5343 Roberts Drive, Dunwoody. 770-394-3322. Dunwoodynature.org.
Dine outdoors and enjoy an open bar as you bid on trips, local experiences and other packages. All proceeds go to the Dunwoody Nature Center.
Screen on the Green and Entrepreneur Expo
4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18. Free admission. Fairington Park, Phillip Bradley and Fairington Drive, Stonecrest. 770-224-0200. Stonecrestga.gov.
Bring a lawn chair and listen to music from a live DJ, let the kids try some activities and watch a movie at dusk.
North Fulton
Back to Your Roots Farm Fair
Noon-4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19. Included with admission of $6-$10 (free for members). Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell. 770-992-2055. Chattnaturecenter.org.
Get back to your roots at the farm fair celebrating the fall harvest. Meet live farm animals, explore the Unity Garden, visit booths and play lawn games.
Comedy Night with Hank Denson & Friends
Credit: From blackandwhite-productions.com
Credit: From blackandwhite-productions.com
8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17 and 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18. $50 and up with two drink minimum. The Hotel at Avalon, Autograph Collection, 9000 Avalon Blvd., Alpharetta. 470-588-1075. Blackandwhite-productions.com.
Catch Atlanta-based comedian Hank Denson’s show, where he’ll be joined by Scotty K and Areshia McFarlin. You can also help area school kids by bringing school supplies or gift card donations for the non-profit group Kimberly’s Teachers.
European Market
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18 and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19. Free admission. Under the big tent at 50 Canton St. at the corner of Canton Street and Milton Avenue, Alpharetta. Europeanmarket.weebly.com.
Shop and buy wares from some of the best artisans and gatherers in the area who sell everything from artwork to vintage home decor and furniture.
Imagine Main Street
5 p.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18. Free admission. Outside of Johns Creek City Hall, 11360 Lakefield Drive, Johns Creek. 678-512-3200. Calendarwiz.com.
Share in the vision of the soon-to-be completed Town Center Master Plan for Johns Creek as you watch college football, listen to music, try specialties from several food trucks and let the kids play in a bounce house.
Gwinnett
Gwinnett County Fair
Credit: From gwinnettcountyfair.com
Credit: From gwinnettcountyfair.com
Thursday, Sept. 16-Sunday, Sept. 26. Admission free on Thursday, $10 for ages 12-64, $5 for seniors 65 and older and youth age 6-11, children 5 and under free. Free parking. Ride tickets are $1.25, with rides taking between 3-6 tickets each. Tickets to ride all the rides are available for $20 and up, depending on the day and time. Gwinnett County Fairgrounds & Expo Center, 2405 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville. 770-963-6522. Gwinnettcountyfair.com.
Visit the Gwinnett County Fair for the rides, fair food, games, livestock exhibits, music and more.
Suwanee Fest
9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18 and noon-5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19. Free admission. Town Center Park, 370 Buford Highway, Suwanee. Suwaneefest.com.
Celebrate Suwanee with over 200 vendor booths, on-stage entertainment and a Saturday morning parade.
Blake Shelton: Friends and Heroes 2021
7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18. $29 and up. Gas South Arena, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth. 770-813-7500. gassouthdistrict.com.
Catch country singer Blake Shelton’s show along with his guests Lindsay Ell, Tracy Byrd, Martina McBride and Trace Adkins.
Lawrenceville Neighborhood Night Market
5 p.m.-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17 and 2 p.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18. Free admission. Lawrenceville Lawn, 147 Luckie St., Lawrenceville. Downtownlawrencevillega.com.
Bring a lawn chair or blanket to watch a performance by Uptown Funk — a Bruno Mars tribute — and enjoy a variety of food, music and activities.
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