THE ATL’S BEST BETS: Atlanta’s most well-attended events fundraisers, parties, and festivals

ATLANTA’S best bets

There’s no end to what you can do out and about in Atlanta, but the city’s home to several events each year, LGBTQ and otherwise, that are worth planning a trip around. We’ve rounded out some of Atlanta’s most well-attended events, fundraisers, parties, and festivals — start filling up your calendar now!

Piedmont Park Arts Festival

August 20-21, 2022 Enjoy art, live music, and familyfriendly fun while basking in the summer sun at this two-day festival. Up to 250 painters, photographers, sculptors, and other visual artists will be featured at one of Sunshine Arts Magazine’s Top 100 Arts Festivals. PiedmontParkArtsFestival.com

Black Gay Pride

September 2022 What began as informal house parties grew into the largest Black Gay Pride celebration in the world. Join fellow Black LGBTQ folks for a weekend full of partying and community! AtlantaPrideWeekend.com

Pure Heat Community Festival

September 2022 This free “day of unity” is a gathering of Atlanta’s LGBTQ minorities and allies, organized by Atlanta Black Pride. The event is hosted at the Piedmont Park Promenade and Fountain this year and will be equipped with market and food vendors, live celebrity and local performers, entertainment, dance competitions, live hair battles, educational forums, prizes, and giveaways. A portion of proceeds benefit homeless LGBTQ youth and those impacted by HIV/AIDS. PureHeatCommunityFestival.com

Dragon Con

September 1-5, 2022 Sci-fi and fantasy lovers, this one’s for you! At Dragon Con, you’re sure to see some of the biggest names in scifi and fantasy, some of your favorite characters in the form of cosplay and costumes, and so much more. DragonCon.org

Peach International Tennis Championships

September 3-5, 2022 The Peach International Tennis Championships is hosted by the Atlanta Team Tennis Association, the city’s LGBTQ league, at the South Fulton Tennis Center. It draws players from throughout the region

Joining Hearts Weekend

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for competition in men’s and women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles in as many as four divisions. Atta.org

Yellow Daisy Festival

September 8-11, 2022 Travel a bit outside the perimeter to historic Stone Mountain Park for this festival. The 54-year-old awardwinning festival connects families and friends with shopping, live music, delicious food, and oodles of fun. The Yellow Daisy Festival is a big show with a small-town feel, perfect for those of all ages. StoneMountainPark.com

Heart of Hearts – “Fall Back in Love”

September 10, 2022 This fundraising event will feature music from Roland Belmares and will benefit Joining Hearts, an organizing raising awareness and funds to support prevention, care, and housing assistance to those impacted by HIV/AIDS. JoiningHearts.com

Atlanta Food & Wine Festival

September 15-18, 2022 Historic Fourth Ward Park AtlFoodAndWineFestival.com

Music Midtown

September 17-18, 2022 Held in Piedmont Park, Music Midtown is one of Atlanta’s best music festivals. This year’s headliners are My Chemical Romance, Future, Jack White, and Fall Out Boy. MusicMidtown.com

North Georgia State Fair

September 22 – October 2, 2022 There’s nothing better than a classic state fair. Great rides, free concerts, live-action and death-defying events, and all the trimmings that come with the annual state fair abound once again in Jim R.Miller park in Marietta. NorthGeorgiaStateFair.com

Out On Film

September 22 – October 2, 2022 You’re invited to attend the 35th annual Out On Film LGBTQ film festival! A slew of movies will hit the big screen in various theaters across the city as part of this epic event, many of them documentaries or never-before-seen indie films. OutOnFilm.org

Atlanta Greek Festival

September 23-25, 2022 For over four decades, Greek Orthodox Cathedral has opened its doors to host one of Atlanta’s landmark cultural events, The Atlanta Greek Festival. Come experience warm hospitality, exuberant dancing, sumptuous wines, unique artisan jewelry and apparel, rich history, deep faith, and some of the most delicious food in Atlanta! AtlantaGreekFestival.org

Sweet Auburn Music Festival

September 23-25, 2022 This festival, deemed the most exciting urban music festival in the U.S., draws in thousands of people to the Sweet Auburn District to experience good food, good music, and tons of fun. From upcoming hip-hop acts to timeless R&B, gospel stars, rap veterans, and alternative greats, the Sweet Auburn Music Fest has it all. SweetAuburnMusicfest.com

AIDS Walk Atlanta

September 24, 2022 Atlantans and tourists are encouraged to register as individuals or teams to run or walk in this 5K course to raise money for critical HIV/AIDS research. AIDAtlanta.org

East Atlanta Strut

September 24, 2022 The East Atlanta Strut is a free, oneday extravaganza that showcases the hottest in-town neighborhood in Atlanta, East Atlanta Village. More than 10,000 folks from the Atlanta metro area join the Strut as paraders, shoppers, eaters, drinkers, and players. EastAtlantaStrut.com

Old Fourth Ward Arts Festival

October 1-2, 2022 Head out to Historic Fourth Ward Park to celebrate community and tradition and enjoy fine arts and crafts, a children’s play area, local

DragonCon

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food and beverages, and live acoustic entertainment. This festival is presented by the Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces. OldFourthWardParkArtsFestival.com

Big Ol’ Slice of 100% Atlanta Gay Pride

October 6-10, 2022 Come party with thousands of men from around the country for this ultimate circuit party experience! This year’s DJ lineup includes Rosabel, Paulo, Nina Flowers, Cindel, Ana Flor, Alex Acosta, Tony Moran, Deanne, Micky Friedman, Martin Fry, Ed Wood, Seth Breezy, Jess Montanez, Karlitos, and Phoenix. GaBoyEvents.com

Atlanta Pride Festival

October 7-9, 2022 For more than 40 years, Atlanta Pride has been the most powerful reminder of the city’s LGBTQ progress. An estimated 300,000 attendees come to the weekend of festivities and to support local businesses and organizations at the market. The festival is one of the largest Pride celebrations in the country and continues to bring locals and visitors alike to Piedmont Park and the parade down Peachtree Street. AtlantaPride.org

Festival on Ponce October 8-9, 2022 Olmsted Linear Park FestivalOnPonce.com

Stone Mountain Highland Games

October 14-16, 2022 Stone Mountain Park Smhg.org

Little 5 Points Halloween Festival & Parade

October 22-23, 2022 Each October, over 35,000 people flock to Little 5 Points to experience the signature Halloween festival in the Southeast and one of the top ten Halloween events in the country. Come enjoy great food and drink, live entertainment, and the best Halloween parade in the South! L5PHalloween.com

Anime Weekend Atlanta

October 27-30, 2022 Renaissance Waverly Hotel and Cobb Galleria awa-con.com

Macy’s Great Tree Lighting Show

November 2022 TBD Lenox Square Mall

Chomp & Stomp Chili Festival

November 2022 TBD Cabbagetown Park ChompAndStomp.com

Chastain Park Arts Festival

November 5-6, 2022 Chastain Park ChastainParkArtsFestival.com

Atlanta Veterans Day Parade and Festival

November 12, 2022 Downtown Atlanta GeorgiaVeteransDay.org

Garden Lights, Holiday Nights

Nightly November 12, 2022 – January 14, 2023 Atlanta Botanical Garden AtlantaBG.org

Toy Party

December 2022 TBD One of the most poignant signs of LGBTQ Atlantans’ commitment to their city and neighbors is the mound of toys on display each December at the annual Toy Party. The event, presented by For the Kid in All of Us, has grown into one of the largest social events of the year. ForTheKid.org

Voices of Note Holiday Concert

December 2022 TBD VoicesOfNote.org

The Children’s Christmas Parade

December 3, 2022 Choa.org

“Love is a Gift” Fundraiser for Joining Hearts

December 11, 2022 JoiningHearts.org

Atlanta Jewish Film Festival

February 2023 TBD Ajff.org

Cupid’s Undie Run

February 2023 TBD Cupids.org

Atlanta St. Patrick’s Day Parade

March 2023 TBD AtlantaStPats.com

Atlanta Dogwood Festival

Spring 2023 TBD Piedmont Park Dogwood.org

Atlanta Film Festival

Spring 2023 TBD Various theaters AtlantaFilmFestival.com

Atlanta Jazz Festival

Memorial Day Weekend 2023 Piedmont Park AtlJazzFest.com

AIDS Vaccine 200 Bike Ride

May 2023 TBD Each year, dozens of bike riders gather for a 200-mile fundraising ride from Emory University to Rock Eagle 4-H Center. The ride raises money for HIV/AIDS research at the Emory Vaccine Center and other LGBTQ nonprofits, while celebrating the memories of lives lost to the disease. ActionCyclingAtl.com

Big Peach Softball Tournament

May 2023 TBD Hosted by the gay Hotlanta Softball League, the Big Peach draws hundreds of players from dozens of teams around the country for a weekend of softball competition in multiple divisions, plus plenty of socializing. HotlantaSoftball.org

Decatur Arts Festival

May 2023 TBD Downtown Decatur DecaturArtsFestival.com

Peach Party Atlanta

May 2023 TBD Atlanta’s premier circuit party weekend brings in the hottest DJ talent from around the world! Thousands of the hottest men from around the world converge in the metro to dance the night away to the

best beats in the Southeast. PeachPartyAtlanta.com

Atlanta Comic Con

Summer 2023 TBD Embrace your inner nerd at Atlanta’s #1 family-friendly comic convention. Head to the Georgia World Congress Center to enjoy a weekend of comic books, cosplay, panels, celebrity appearances, and more! AtlComicConvention.com

Decatur BBQ, Blues & Bluegrass Festival

Summer 2023 TBD Head to Legacy Park to sing the blues and chow down on the best BBQ metro Atlanta has to offer! This delicious festival proudly benefits the Community Center of South Decatur by supporting educational programs, community events, and providing grants to other non-profit groups in the city of Decatur. DecaturBBQFestival.com

HRC Atlanta Gala Dinner & Auction

Summer 2023 TBD Raising about $400,000 annually for the Human Rights Campaign, the Atlanta HRC dinner is a standardbearer throughout the nation. The annual black-tie affair, which will celebrate its 33rd year, features leading activists and entertainers advancing gay rights and honors local LGBTQ leaders and allies. HRCAtlanta.com/gala-dinner

Joining Hearts Weekend

Summer 2023 TBD An extra dose of “fun” is added to “fundraising” each summer during the Joining Hearts party, which uses 100 percent of proceeds to provide housing for people with HIV. This year, which celebrates the organization’s 35th anniversary, will feature music from DJs Liza Rodriguez, Mauro Mozart, and Manny Lehman. JoiningHearts.org

Atlanta Pride Run

Early June 2023 TBD The Atlanta Pride Run & Walk is an annual 5K race and walk organized by the Front Runners Atlanta running club. Proceeds from the registration and other fundraisers are donated to a local charity that supports the LGBTQ community in Georgia. FrontRunnersAtlanta.org Historic Fourth Ward Park AtlantaSummerBeerFestival.com

Flying Colors Butterfly Festival

June 2023 TBD Chattahoochee Nature Center ChattNatureCenter.org

Southern Fried Queer Pride

June 2023 TBD This homegrown version of Pride puts the spotlight on queer and trans Southerners, offering an inclusive atmosphere at each of its parties, potlucks, pop-ups and workshops. SouthernFriedQueerPride.com

Virginia-Highland Summerfest

June 2023 TBD VaHiSummerfest.org

Peachtree Road Race

July 4, 2023 PeachtreeRoadRace.org

Taste of Atlanta

Fall 2023 TBD Historic Fourth Ward Park Taste of Atlanta is an annual festival celebrating the best restaurants and dishes in Atlanta. Purchase “points” and use them to get samples from 30+ of the best restaurants in the city. TasteOfAtlanta.com