Join in the celebration of Caribbean culture at the Atlanta Caribbean Carnival. Bright costumes, music and parades are a large part of this festival, along with Caribbean food, arts and crafts, and other live entertainment. The festival is celebrated right before Lent, and is somewhat of a "last hurrah" before the observation of the Catholic tradition.
Art connoisseurs and crafty people from all around have made the Atlanta Dogwood Festival a tradition in the city for the past 70 years. The festival takes place in Piedmont Park every spring, and features a variety of art forms. While strolling through the festival, you'll see booth after booth of sculptures, paintings, pottery, jewelry, photography and plenty more - including food. Don't miss out on live music, good food, and plenty of opportunities to buy and create art.
Fans of film, mark your calendars for the Atlanta Film Festival. The annual international film festival presents a wide range of independent films, from a variety of genres. Hustle & Flow and 500 Days of Summer are just a couple of movies that have been featured at the festival. Be sure to bring your autograph book - you'll never know when you're going to run into a celebrity. Josh Brolin, Margaret Cho, Eddie Vedder, and Jeff Foxworthy are some of the stars that have attended the Atlanta Film Festival.
Bring your appetite and get ready to feast at the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival. The festival showcases Southern cuisine prepared by area experts - pit masters, chefs, and local growers who are essentially masters of their craft. You won't go thirsty at this event either; there are plenty of fine wines, beers and other beverages to wash your food down with and quench your thirst.
Take pride in a true American, Southern art form at the Atlanta Jazz Festival. The jazz genre has deep roots in the South, and Atlanta has celebrated those roots for the past thirty years. The Paul Mitchell Trio, Art Blakely, Don Cherry, Freddie Hubbard, John McLauglin, Herbie Hancock, and Miles Davis are just a few jazz legends who have played at the ATL Jazz Fest.
Take a trip back in time to 16th century England and relive the renaissance era at the Georgia Renaissance Festival. The festival has been a Georgia tradition since 1985, and features a variety of shows with jugglers, musicians, storytelling and jousting - all performed by characters of the royal court. Feel free to dress up for this event and feast like Knights of the Round Table while you shop over 150 artisan booths. With rides, games, and a petting zoo, the Georgia Renaissance Festival provides high-quality entertainment for all patrons.