Concerts & Events in Atlanta, Georgia

Downtown and Midtown together hold most of Atlanta's biggest venues. State Farm Arena sits at Centennial Olympic Park Drive for Hawks games and arena tours, the Fox Theatre is six blocks up Peachtree for Broadway tours and theatrical concerts, the Tabernacle is two blocks off the park on Luckie Street, and the Coca-Cola Roxy is technically in The Battery up in Cobb but anchors the downtown-circuit booking flow. MARTA's red and gold lines run straight up Peachtree through Five Points, Peachtree Center, Civic Center, North Avenue, Midtown, and Arts Center stations, so transit between these venues is straightforward. Restaurant density is heaviest along Peachtree and the side streets off Crescent Avenue.

Buckhead, north of Midtown along Peachtree, is the older and more upscale nightlife district. The House of Blues nearby hosts touring rock and blues bills, and Tongue & Groove on Piedmont is the long-running hip-hop and dance club that has been a Buckhead staple for decades. The rooftop bars along East Paces Ferry and Pharr Road fill weekends with after-work and pre-club crowds. Restaurant reservations on Friday and Saturday around the Buckhead Village shops book a week ahead. MARTA's Buckhead Station on the red line drops you within a fifteen-minute walk of most of the strip. Parking is paid garage at most venues; rideshare is the easier move on weekend nights.

West Midtown, anchored by the Westside Provisions retail and restaurant complex on Howell Mill, has emerged as one of the most active corridors in the city. Terminal West, a converted 1910s steel foundry, books indie rock, hip-hop, and electronic shows in a 600-cap room with industrial bones. The Goat Farm Arts Center programs experimental theater, music, and visual art in a sprawling former cotton-gin facility. Restaurants along Howell Mill and 14th Street fill before and after shows. The neighborhood is car-and-rideshare friendly — no direct MARTA rail station, so plan accordingly. Parking is mostly free in surface lots, which is rare in Atlanta.

East Atlanta Village, the small commercial strip at Glenwood and Flat Shoals about three miles southeast of downtown, is the indie rock and dive-bar heart of the city. 529, a sticker-walled basement club on Flat Shoals, books punk, metal, and indie shows almost nightly. The Earl, around the corner, runs a 350-cap room that has hosted everyone from Drive-By Truckers to Of Montreal across two decades, with a kitchen that serves until 1 am. Smaller bars along the strip — the Graveyard Tavern, Argosy, and the Midway Pub — run karaoke, DJ nights, and trivia through the week. Cover charges run between free and fifteen dollars. The neighborhood is a quick rideshare from downtown.

Edgewood District is the weekly nightlife engine of Atlanta. Running along Edgewood Avenue from Boulevard out to the Krog Street Market, the strip clusters Edgewood Lounge, the Sound Table, Joystick Gamebar (a bar-arcade with vintage cabinets), and the Hard Rock Cafe within a few blocks. Friday and Saturday after 10 pm, the sidewalks pack with the under-35 crowd moving between three or four spots on foot. Krog Street Market at the eastern end runs late-night food. The neighborhood is east of downtown — MARTA's King Memorial Station on the blue and green lines is the closest rail stop, and rideshare is the standard move late.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium sits on the western edge of downtown, just off the Gulch, hosting Falcons games, Atlanta United matches, and the biggest stadium tours that come through the Southeast. The retractable-roof eight-petal design lets shows run rain or shine. The Battery up in Cobb County is Truist Park's surrounding mixed-use district — restaurants, bars, the Coca-Cola Roxy concert venue, and a fountain plaza that fills before and after Braves games. The Battery is twelve miles north of downtown via I-75 and the only practical way in is car or rideshare. Game-day traffic on I-75 northbound starts heavy two hours before first pitch.

The College Football Playoff National Championship lands at Mercedes-Benz Stadium when Atlanta is in the rotation, drawing the biggest single-game college crowd of the year. The Peach Bowl played at Mercedes-Benz on New Year's Eve leads into January bowl season. The Hawks are in the middle of their NBA home schedule at State Farm Arena. MLK Day on the third Monday brings the King Center commemorative march and free community programming citywide. Restaurant Week mid-month runs prix-fixe menus across more than a hundred spots.

Black History Month programming runs across the city, anchored by events at the King Center, the Center for Civil and Human Rights, and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. The Atlanta Auto Show fills the Georgia World Congress Center. Hawks home games continue. Valentine's Day weekend books up restaurants on Peachtree, in Buckhead, and along Howell Mill. Theater is mid-season at the Fox and the Alliance.

The NCAA Tournament occasionally brings rounds to State Farm Arena or Mercedes-Benz Stadium, including the Final Four in rotation years. Atlanta United opens its home MLS schedule at Mercedes-Benz. Spring training wraps and the Braves return to Truist Park in late March for the home opener. The Atlanta Film Festival kicks off late March into April. St. Patrick's Day parade fills downtown on the weekend nearest the 17th. Wildflowers begin and the BeltLine fills with foot traffic.

The Atlanta Film Festival runs into early April with screenings at Plaza Theatre and the Tara Theatre. The Braves home season is in full swing at Truist Park. Sweetwater 420 Fest at Centennial Olympic Park brings three days of music and craft beer on the weekend nearest April 20. The Hawks NBA playoffs typically begin mid-month when the team qualifies. Cherry blossoms peak around the Carter Center and Piedmont Park.

Shaky Knees Festival fills Central Park the first weekend of May with three days of indie rock, alternative, and emerging acts. Atlanta Jazz Festival at Piedmont Park over Memorial Day weekend is free and one of the largest jazz festivals in the country. The Braves are deep into home stretch at Truist Park. Atlanta United continues at Mercedes-Benz. Patios across Midtown, West Midtown, and Buckhead are at peak. Music Midtown sometimes drops early-bird passes for September.

Atlanta Film Festival residual screenings continue. The Atlanta Dream WNBA season runs at Gateway Center Arena. Braves home stretch through June at Truist Park. The Atlanta Jazz Festival residual programming continues at Piedmont Park into the first weekend. Free outdoor concerts at Centennial Olympic Park and Atlantic Station run most weekends. The Decatur Arts Festival on Memorial Day weekend extends into early June. National Black Arts Festival programming begins mid-month at multiple venues.

Independence Day on July 4th brings free fireworks and concerts at Centennial Olympic Park and Lenox Square. The Peachtree Road Race — the world's largest 10K — runs Independence Day morning from Buckhead to Piedmont Park with 60,000 runners. The Braves are in their summer stretch. Atlanta Dream home games continue. Free movies in the park run at Piedmont and at Atlantic Station. Restaurant Week mid-July runs prix-fixe menus across the city.

Falcons preseason home games start at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta United continues. Braves home stretch through the dog days at Truist Park. Black Music Month residual programming continues. Drag Con and Decatur Book Festival both run on Labour Day weekend, with the Decatur Book Festival being the largest independent book festival in the country. Dragon Con begins to descend on downtown for Labour Day weekend.

Dragon Con over Labour Day weekend brings 80,000 cosplayers and sci-fi/fantasy fans to five host hotels around Peachtree Center — the parade up Peachtree on Saturday morning is one of the most photographed events of the Atlanta year. Music Midtown returns to Piedmont Park mid-September with two days of hip-hop, rock, and pop. ONE MusicFest, the largest urban festival in the Southeast, anchors late September. Falcons NFL regular season opens at Mercedes-Benz. Hawks training camp begins.

A3C Festival in early October runs hip-hop showcases, panels, and industry events across multiple venues citywide. Atlanta Pride takes over Piedmont Park for the second weekend of October with the parade on Sunday — the largest Pride event in the Southeast. The Hawks NBA regular season opens at State Farm Arena late in the month. Falcons home games continue. Halloween events fill clubs and bars in Edgewood, Buckhead, and Midtown the weekend closest to October 31st.

Falcons and Hawks are both deep into their home schedules. Atlanta Christmas Lights begin at Centennial Olympic Park, the Atlanta Botanical Garden's Garden Lights at Piedmont Park (one of the biggest holiday light installations in the country), and Stone Mountain's Stone Mountain Christmas. The Macy's Great Tree at Lenox Square lights on Thanksgiving night. Restaurant reservations book up around the SEC Championship Game in early December (held annually at Mercedes-Benz Stadium).

SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the first weekend of December packs the Southeast college football fan base into downtown. Atlanta Botanical Garden Lights run nightly through the end of December. Stone Mountain Christmas continues. The Peach Bowl on New Year's Eve at Mercedes-Benz is the year-end bowl game. The Nutcracker by the Atlanta Ballet plays at the Fox Theatre across the month. Hawks home games continue. New Year's Eve at Underground Atlanta and the Peach Drop is the city's signature countdown party.