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5/16/25 - By Elsa Simcik

Get hyped for summer festivals in Atlanta as more fun events are announced every day! From yummy food and live music to bouncy houses and parades, there is something to keep every family member happy at these fun-in-the-sun summer festivals near you. We picked our faves to add to your summer calendar...don't miss the delicious Atlanta Ice Cream Festival, as well as lots of Fourth of July events, and the always popular Dragon Con, as well as Summer Shade Festival and Virginia-Highland Summerfest. 

For more ways to stretch your summer fun, check out our Atlanta Summer Activities Guide, including ideas for Swimming Lakes and Beaches for Georgia Families and the Ultimate Summer Bucket List! 

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Summer Festivals in Atlanta: June

Georgia Renaissance Festival

Fairburn
Weekends through June 1, 2025
Huzzah, the Georgia Renaissance Festival is here! Time for turkey "legges," jousting, games, rides, and the artisan market. READ MORE

Old Fourth Ward Arts Festival

Old Fourth Ward - FREE
May 31 & June 1, 2025
This popular arts festival includes fine arts, arts and crafts, a children's play area, local food and beverage concessions, and live music at Historic Fourth Ward Park.  READ MORE

MJCCA Pool Party

Dunwoody - FREE
Sunday, June 1, 2025
The Atlanta JCC hosts a free pool party that is open to the public to kick off summer! Guests can check out their fabulous resort-style aquatic center and enjoy swimming and splashing plus music, lawn games, giveaways, and more.  READ MORE

Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race and Festival

Helen - FREE
June 5 - 7, 2025
The South's oldest balloon event and the United States' only long distance hot air balloon race begins (weather permitting) with a mass ascension of around 25 bright and colorful hot air balloons in Helen.   READ MORE

Chattahoochee Nature Center Butterfly Festival

Roswell
June 7 & 8, 2025
Kids can enjoy all things butterflies at the Annual Flying Colors Butterfly Festival, which runs for two days. Serving as a fundraiser for the Chattahoochee Nature Center, the festival includes live butterflies at the butterfly encounter, pollinator experts, games, food and entertainment. READ MORE

Virginia-Highland Summerfest

Virginia-Highland - FREE
June 7 & 8, 2025
An Atlanta favorite, Va-Hi Summerfest kicks off with a 5K on Saturday. Visitors to the popular event will hear live music, shop for art, and eat yummy food. Kidsfest is both days and is located near the sand volleyball courts. Children enjoy games, crafts, and activities.  READ MORE

Decatur Beach Party

Decatur - FREE
Friday, June 13, 2025
Decatur Beach Party is back! The city is bringing the beach to downtown Decatur — there will be sand, sunshine and all the summer vibes. Bring your shovels, your friends and family and come kick off in the Decatur Square!  READ MORE

The Atlanta Hot Air Balloon Festival at Atlanta Motor Speedway

Hampton
June 13 & 14, 2025
Everyone is invited to The Atlanta Balloon Festival at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton for two days of fun, including a kids zone with rock walls, a bounce house, trains, and more. Visitors can opt to take a tethered hot air balloon rides for $35 per person and see hot air balloon glow/laser show.  READ MORE

Juneteenth Atlanta Parade and Music Festival

Downtown - FREE
June 14 & 15, 2025
All weekend long Atlantans have the opportunity to celebrate Juneteenth, which commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. Families can view the parade, which starts at noon on Saturday, from The King Center on Auburn Ave NE to Piedmont Park.  READ MORE

Big Tigger's Beltline BikeFest

Atlanta - FREE
Saturday, June 14, 2025
Created by the entertainment legend, Big Tigger, BikeFest reflects his passion for biking and his commitment to giving back to the community. Free to the public, the event features a group ride with Big Tigger's celebrity friends, bike and helmet giveaways for students and neighborhood groups, and a family-friendly festival with live music, food trucks, and free health checks.    READ MORE

Concert on the Green: A Juneteenth Celebration in Acworth

Acworth - FREE
Saturday, June 21, 2025
The City of Acworth hosts a special concert in celebration of Juneteenth.  READ MORE

Southern-Fried Gaming Expo

NW Atlanta
June 20 - 22, 2025
Gaming enthusiasts flock to Renaissance Waverly Hotel for the Southern-Fried Gaming Expo (SFGE). The three-day fan convention boasts over 300 full-sized arcade games, pinball machines, and console systems, along with tabletop gaming, vendors, special guest speakers and tournaments. They even have wrestling!  READ MORE

Summer Festivals in Atlanta: July

Fantastic Fourth Celebration at Stone Mountain Park

Stone Mountain
July 1 - 7, 2025
Visitors to Stone Mountain have seven nights to choose from to see this popular fireworks display.  READ MORE

Red, White and Boom! Norcross

Norcross - FREE
Thursday, July 3, 2025
Folks head to downtown Norcross and Lillian Webb Park for a huge Fourth of July block party. Families enjoy food, activities (like face painting) and later, fireworks.  READ MORE

4th of July Celebration in Marietta

Marietta - FREE
Friday, July 4, 2025
Starting with a parade at 10am on the 4th of July and continuing with a festival and a fireworks finale, Marietta residents and friends can celebrate all day.  READ MORE

AJC Peachtree Road Race

Midtown
Friday, July 4, 2025
Spectators line up from Lenox Mall to Piedmont Park to watch this historic 10K tradition on the 4th of July.  READ MORE

Dunwoody 4th of July Parade

Dunwoody - FREE
Friday, July 4, 2025
Georgia's largest Independence Day Parade, the Dunwoody 4th of July Parade, is a treat for the entire town. Spectators cheer on marching bands, floats, clowns, animal units, and local celebrities.  READ MORE

Midsummer Kids' Festival in Peachtree Corners

Peachtree Corners - FREE
Saturday, July 19, 2025
Kids get to just be kids at this free event at Peachtree Corners Town Center. Head to the Town Green for interactive inflatables, rock climbing, face painting and more.  READ MORE

Atlanta Ice Cream Festival

Midtown
Saturday, July 26, 2025
Kids and parents all scream for the Atlanta Ice Cream Festival! Head to Piedmont Park to taste LOTS of different flavors of ice cream in different forms (cones, cups, on a stick) and enjoy music and kids' activities like bounce houses.  READ MORE

Summer Festivals in Atlanta: August

Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival

Kennesaw - FREE
August 15 & 16, 2025
Families attend the Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival in Kennesaw for music, a kids' zone and of course, yummy barbecue.  READ MORE

Piedmont Park Arts Festival

Midtown - FREE
August 16 & 17, 2025
At this annual event in one of Atlanta's favorite parks, visitors peruse hundreds of paintings, photographs, sculptures, glass art and jewelry. Kids like the children's play area, acoustic music and food trucks.  READ MORE

Cobb County International Festival

Marietta - FREE
Saturday, August 23, 2025
Families head to the Jim R. Miller Park Event Center for local and international music and art, eclectic dancing, delicious culinary options, imaginative crafts, beautiful jewelry, and a kids’ corner.  READ MORE

Summer Shade Festival

Grant Park - FREE
August 23 & 24, 2025
Atlanta residents flock to Grant Park on the last weekend of August to say goodbye to summer. The festival benefits the Grant Park Conservancy and includes art, music, food and a kids' zone. Residents can also run in the 5K race prior to the festival.    READ MORE

Dragon Con

Downtown
August 28 - September 1, 2025
Fans of comics descend on downtown Atlanta Labor Day weekend, costumes and all. But it's not just about comics; Dragon Con is a huge multi-media event focusing on science fiction & fantasy, gaming, music and more. Kids especially enjoy the parade which will be held on Saturday.  READ MORE

Labor Day Hot Air Balloon Festival Weekend at Callaway Gardens

Pine Mountain
August 29 - 31, 2025
Callaway Gardens is holding its annual Hot Air Balloon Festival. Explore the Balloon Glow and nightly fireworks for the weekend. READ MORE

Pioneer Days

Cartersville
August 29 - September 1, 2025
Parents and kids head to Sam Smith park in Cartersville for this super family-oriented festival. Kids especially love the carnival rides, games and food.  READ MORE

Marietta Art in the Park

Marietta - FREE
August 30 & September 1, 2025
Families flock to Glover Park on the Marietta Square for Labor Day weekend's Art in the Park. Visitors check out hundreds of artist vendors, food trucks and the children's art alley.  READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Cool River Tubing (launch field across the street)
Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel and Convention Center
United Bankshares Amphitheater
Callaway Resort and Gardens

About the Author

Elsa Simcik
Elsa Simcik has been freelance writing for 20-something years, covering a hodgepodge of fields--health & fitness, human interest stories, and even dating. After becoming a mom she segued into writing for local magazines and websites, focusing on parenting, fun things to do with kids, and travel. The travel part is fun, but not as glamorous as it sounds, because it's traveling with kids. Still, she'll take it.
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