Atlanta, GA
Festival guide for metro Atlanta and Georgia | 2024
ATLANTA – The following is a list of festivals that are taking place in metro Atlanta and other parts of the state in 2024. This list will be updated as new information is received. If you would like to submit information to be added, send an email to joyce.lupiani@fox.com.
MARCH
The Spring Into Main Street Market is happening in Fayetteville from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 9. There will be shopping, live music, food trucks, and beverages.
The Atlanta Brunch Festival is happening on March 9 at Atlantic Station. Unfortunately, if you don’t have tickets, it is SOLD OUT. There will be brisket breakfast tacos, bourbon wings, Cajun rasta pasta, and much more for those who are attending.
The Forsythia Festival is taking place on March 9-10 in Forsyth. There will be arts and crafts, a 5K, sporting tournaments, mouth-watering foods, and activities for the whole family.
The Yule Forest Tulip Festival in Stockbridge is taking place on March 9 and 10. The festival features giant tulip fields, farm animals, food trucks, an artisan market, educational exhibits, and more.
The Fitzgerald Wild Chicken Festival is happening on March 15 and 16. The festival celebrates Fitzgerald’s Famous Wild Burmese chickens with a 5K run/walk, a crowing contest, live music, arts, crafts, food, and more.
Scottish Heritage Days are happening on March 15 and 16 in Darien. Visit Fort King George and witness a variety of Scottish living history demonstrations.
The International Cherry Blossom Festival in Macon is taking place on March 15-24, featuring multiple events including a dog show, sea lion splash, a performance by Nerveless Nocks, hot air balloon rides, and more.
The Lake Oconee Food & Wine Festival is happening on March 15-17 at The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, featuring more than 200 wines from around the world, creative chefs, culinary talent, live performances, and more.
The 16th annual Memories in Monroe Car Show is happening on March 16 in downtown Monroe with dozens of classic cars on display.
The Suwanee Beer Fest is happening on March 16 at the Town Center, featuring beer, games, food, and live entertainment.
The Fire Ant Festival is happening on March 22 and 23 in Ashburn. The festival is known for its wacky and off-the-wall activities, including a fire ant calling contest and the infamous Manty Hose contest.
The Georgia String Band Festival takes place on March 22 and 23 in Calhoun with performances by Hubby Jenkins and the Gordon County Fiddlers Convention.
The Georgia Food and Wine Festival in Marietta is happening on March 22-24, featuring wine, beer, spirits, live music, cooking demonstrations, an artisan market, and more.
The Wayne County Arts Council Dogwood Festival is happening on March 23 at the fairgrounds in Jesup with handmade crafts, food vendors, and activities for children.
The Taste of Suwanee will take place on March 23 with 25 local restaurants participating, a kids zone, artists market, and live entertainment starting at 11 a.m.
The Sweet Tooth Festival in Madison is happening on March 23 with a cake bake-off, cake sampling, arts and crafts, praise dancing, food, giveaways, and more.
Madyson Square Gardens in Jefferson is hosting Spring Fest ’24 on March 23 with small business vendors, food, live entertainment, raffles, and more.
The Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival at Blackburn Park is happening on March 23 and 24, featuring live entertainment, arts and craft vendors, a kids’ zone, food, and beverage vendors.
The Wing & Rock Fest in Canton is happening at Etowah River Park on March 23 and 24, with more than 60 types/flavors of chicken wings, a wing eating contest, live music, and more.
The Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival is happening on March 23 and 24 with multiple food courts, cultural performances, live music, unique arts and crafts, and a children’s play area.
The Sandy Springs Artsapalooza Spring Arts Festival is happening on March 30-31 with up to 125 arts and crafts participants, a children’s play area, interactive art stations, local musicians, food, and more.
APRIL
The Cherokee of Georgia annual Spring Powwow is happening on April 4-6 in St. George with children’s activities, demonstrations, flute players, storytellers, cultural displays, traders with arts, crafts, and supplies.
The 20th annual Swampfest is taking place on April 5-6 in Waycross with performers like Austin Lane, The Pine Box Dwellers, and Derrick Flowers.
The Williamson Wisteria Festival is happening on April 5-6 with arts and crafts, home decor, antiques, delicious baked and fried goods, other food and drinks, inflatables, ponies, and more.
The State Banana Pudding Festival of Georgia is happening on April 6 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Irwinton with a 20-mile Puddin’ Pedal, individual pudding contest, car show, banana carving contests, vendors, and a puddin’ path.
The Toccoa Ritz Bluegrass Festival is happening on April 5-7 in the Historic Ritz Theatre in Toccoa with various performers.
The Ball Ground BBQ and Brews Festival is taking place on April 6 with live music, food, and vendors.
The L5P Fest is scheduled for April 6 in Little 5 Points with multiple vendors, live entertainment, a hot dog eating contest, and more.
The Americus Hot Glass Craft Beer Festival is taking place on April 6 with craft beer, live glassblowing, live music, food, and more.
HauntFest 2024 is happening on April 6-7 at Southern Brewing Company in Athens with live music, art vendors, themed entertainment, and other activities.
The Spring Festival on Ponce is happening on April 6-7 at Olmsted Linear Park with more than 125 fine arts and crafts booths, a children’s area, and local food and beverages.
The Georgia Mountain Storytelling Festival is happening on April 12-13 at The Ridges Resort on Lake Chatuge with featured storytellers.
The Rhododendron Festival is happening on April 12 through May 12 at Hamilton Gardens in Hiawassee with food trucks, dessert vendors, ice cream, a wine and mimosa bar, musical performances, and more.
The 88th annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival is happening on April 12-14 at Piedmont Park with a juried Fine Artist Market, food, beverages, kids village, Mimosa 5K, Disc Dogs, and live entertainment.
The Amplify Decatur Music Festival is scheduled for April 13 with performers including Melissa Etheridge, Dawes, Blind Boys of Alabama, Run Katie Run, and many more.
The Wolf Creek 8th Annual Spring Festival is happening on April 13 at Wolf Creek Plantation in Americus with local food vendors, arts and crafts, wine and wine slushies, and more.
The Tallapoosa Dogwood Festival is scheduled for April 13 with music, food, arts and crafts, and a parade.
The National Grits Festival featuring a grits-eating contest, parade, corn shelling contest, live entertainment, food vendors, and arts and crafts is happening on April 13 in downtown Warwick.
The Summerville Spring Market is happening at Jr. Dick Dowdy Park in Summerville on April 13 with arts and crafts, jewelry, baked goods, body & hair care products, wooden items, food, live plants, live music, and more.
The Taste of Mableton is happening on April 13 with food trucks, arts and crafts, local business booths, and more.
The Perry Dogwood Festival is happening on April 13-14 with food trucks, an adult zone with beers, wines and cocktails, a kids zone, arts and crafts, and more.
The Acworth Art Festival will take place on Main Street on April 13 and 14 with multiple arts and crafts vendors, food trucks, and more.
The Georgia Renaissance Festival in Fairburn is happening on April 13 through June 2 with themed weekends, entertainment, multiple food vendors, an artisans market, and more.
The Alpharetta Wine Festival is scheduled for April 14 on the Town Green with wine samples from participating restaurants and businesses.
Taste of Camden 2024 is happening on April 21 at Orange Hall with seafood, BBQ, and more.
Lemonade Days is scheduled for April 17-21 at Brook Run Park in Dunwoody with carnival rides, live entertainment, and more.
The Thomaston Art & Soul Festival will take place on April 18 and 20 with music, art, food trucks, arts and crafts, a film festival, a spoken word competition, a photograph competition, and more.
The Valdosta Blueberry Festival at the Unity Park Amphitheater in Valdosta is happening on April 19 and 20 with live music, brews, and blues.
The Georgia Mountain Needle Arts Festival is taking place on April 26-28 in Ellijay with multiple vendors.
Music + Makers ’24 is happening on April 20 in downtown Washington with live music, food trucks, arts and crafts vendors, boutique shopping, and more.
The 41st National Mayhaw Festival in Colquitt is happening on April 20 with food, fun, music, exhibits, children’s activities, a parade, and more.
The Pondtown Festival is taking place on April 20 in Rhine with a street dance, Miss Pondtown Pageant, a festival, a car show, a parade, and a cook-off.
The Wings & Things Festival and Fly-In is happening on April 20 at Douglas Municipal Airport in Coffee County with antique military vehicles, food trucks, vendors, a car show, a hot wing cook-off, live entertainment, airplanes, and more.
The Flowery Branch Spring Festival is happening on April 20 in downtown Flowery Branch with food trucks, live music, vendors, games, and more.
The Old Fourth Ward Arts Festival will take place on April 20-21 with fine arts and crafts, a children’s area, local food and beverages, live music, and more.
The Bear on the Square Mountain Festival in Dahlonega is happening on April 20 and 21 with food, music, an artist market, and more.
The Sweetwater 420 Fest at Pullman Yards on April 20 and 21 will feature performances by Beck, Slightly Stoopid, Big Gigantic, Black Pumas, Gov’t Mule, Trombone Shorty, and many more.
The Big Shanty Festival in Kennesaw on April 20 and 21 will feature live music, food and beverages, over 250 arts and crafts booths, and more.
The Vidalia Onion Festival from April 25 to 28 features an air show by the Blue Angels, a concert, a carnival, and more.
The 37th annual Woodbine Crawfish Festival will take place on April 26 and 27 at the Satilla Waterfront Park with food, arts and crafts, live bands, a children’s area, and more.
The Georgia Strawberry Festival is happening April 27 in Reynolds. There will be a strawberry patch, antique tractor show, parade, 5K race, food vendors, arts and crafts, petting zoo, and more.
Madison Fest at Town Park in Madison is happening April 27. There will be more than 80 arts and crafts booths, garden plants, 6 live bands, festival food, icy cold beer and more.
The Kingston Spring Fling on Main Street in Kingston will feature arts and craft vendors, food trucks, music and more.
Spring in the Valley Festival in Rome is happening April 28 at the Coosa Valley Fairgrounds. There will be local bands, craft vendors, children’s activities, food and more.
The Atlanta Seafood Festival is happening April 27 at Atlantic Station. There will be seafood, beer, wine, mimosas, live music and more. Cost is $50 in advance.
Canton’s Upriver Music Fest & 5K is happening April 27 at The Mill on Etowah. There will be a 5K run/walk followed by a festival with local live music and fun for the whole family.
The Yellow Pollen Festival is happening April 27 in downtown Hampton. There will be artisans, homemade goods, food trucks, live music and more.
The Hornyhead Fish Festival and Tournament in Newborn is happening April 27 in Newborn. There will be homemade crafts, food, a car show, music and fishing tournament.
The Blue Ridge Trout & Outdoor Adventures Festival in Blue Ridge is taking place April 27. There will be multiple exhibitors offering wildlife art, outfitter gear, guide services/information and more; craft beer and food; and live entertainment.
The Cedar Valley Arts Festival is happening April 27 and 28 in Cedartown. There will be arts and crafts, food vendors, a 5K and 10K, and more.
The 9th annual Georgia Tiny House Festival is happening April 27 in Madison at the Lion’s Club Fairgrounds. There will be tiny houses, skoolies, vardos, DIYs, professional builds, and private-home owners.
The Summerville Porchfest in Augusta is scheduled for April 28. Local musical talent will play on some of the finest, historic porches in town.
The annual Taste of Marietta is taking place April 28 at the Historic Marietta Square. Multiple local restaurants will participate in the yearly event. There will also be live entertainment.
The Sassafras Artisan Market is taking place April 27-28 at the Rabun County Pavilions in Clayton. The market will feature the finest art and artisans of the region offering unique and original works of art.
The rest of the year is coming soon!!
Atlanta Hawks (46-36, sixth in the Eastern Conference) vs. New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference)
New York; Monday, 8 p.m. EDT
LINE: Knicks -5.5; over/under is 216.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Knicks lead series 1-0
BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks host the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference first round with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Knicks won the last matchup 113-102 on Saturday, led by 28 points from Jalen Brunson. CJ McCollum led the Hawks with 26.
The Knicks are 35-17 in Eastern Conference games. New York has a 9-4 record in one-possession games.
The Hawks are 27-25 in Eastern Conference play. Atlanta is third in the league scoring 18.1 fast break points per game. McCollum leads the Hawks averaging 5.0.
The Knicks are shooting 47.8% from the field this season, 0.4 percentage points higher than the 47.4% the Hawks allow to opponents. The Hawks are shooting 47.4% from the field, 1.4% higher than the 46.0% the Knicks’ opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds for the Knicks. Brunson is averaging 19.9 points over the last 10 games.
Dyson Daniels is scoring 11.9 points per game and averaging 6.8 rebounds for the Hawks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is averaging 21.3 points and 2.9 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 6-4, averaging 110.4 points, 40.7 rebounds, 26.2 assists, 8.4 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.9 points per game.
Hawks: 5-5, averaging 117.2 points, 43.5 rebounds, 27.7 assists, 8.4 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.0 points.
INJURIES: Knicks: Tyler Kolek: day to day (oblique), Mitchell Robinson: day to day (ankle), Karl-Anthony Towns: day to day (elbow).
Hawks: Jock Landale: out (ankle).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks prediction, pick for Game 1 of 2026 NBA Playoffs first round
Sean Barnard details his preview and prediction for Saturday’s Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks matchup in the NBA Playoffs.
The NBA playoffs are officially underway with a loaded opening round. Taking place in the No. 3 vs. No. 6 matchup in the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks will take on the New York Knicks.
You can check out the full series preview on DraftKings Network here.
Looking at the odds for the series opener, the Knicks enter as 6.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Hawks are +205 underdogs with the game total set at O/U 218.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for the Eastern Conference series opener.
Hawks vs. Knicks prediction, preview
The Atlanta Hawks went through a midseason transition, moving on from Trae Young after he headlined the production for the franchise for the past eight years. The Hawks have not missed a beat amid the major midseason shakeup, finishing as the sixth seed in the conference with a 46-36 overall record. On the season, Atlanta has gone 44-38 against the spread, and the game total has gone 41-41 to the over/under.
Jock Landale is the only player set to miss the matchup tonight. Jalen Johnson headlines the production, posting averages of 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game. Nickeil Alexander-Walker has had a breakout season in a new location, adding 20.8 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game. CJ McCollum adds 18.7 points and 4.1 assists across his first 41 games with the organization, while Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu, Jonathan Kuminga, and Zaccharie Risacher also play notable roles.
Quin Snyder’s group scores 118.5 points per game, which ranks sixth in the NBA. The Hawks also rank 14th in offensive rating, 13th in field goal percentage, and fifth in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 116.0 points per game against Atlanta, which ranks 18th in the league. They also rank ninth in defensive rating, 18th in opponent field goal percentage, and 12th in opponent three-point percentage.
The New York Knicks entered the season with legitimate title aspirations. They have had some notable ups and downs, but now face this opportunity. New York finished the regular season with a 53-29 record and sit in third place in the East. The Knicks have gone 44-39 against the spread, and the game total has gone 38-45 to the over/under.
The Knicks enter this matchup with a clear injury report and a large sample size of the team playing together. Jalen Brunson headlines the production with 26.0 points, 6.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds, while Karl-Anthony Towns pitches in 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists of his own. OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are responsible for the production at the wing positions, while Josh Hart sets the tone for this team from a hustle standpoint. New York also did an impressive job building out the bench unit this season, with players like Jordan Clarkson, Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet, and Tyler Kolek capable of serving as X-factors off the bench.
As a team, the Knicks are scoring 116.5 points per game, which ranks 10th in the NBA. New York also ranks third in offense rating, 11th in field goal percentage, and fourth in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 110.1 points per game against the Knicks, which ranks fifth in the league. They also rank seventh in defensive rating, fifth in opponent field goal percentage, and 20th in opponent three-point percentage.
Hawks vs. Knicks pick, best bet
These are two teams at different stages of their timeline, but neither will be afraid of this playoff spotlight. The Knicks pushed their chips in around this core and are hoping to be rewarded for it. They fell to the Indiana Pacers in the Conference Finals last year and have made the postseason in four consecutive seasons. Atlanta missed out on the playoffs in back-to-back years and turned a new page direction with Jalen Johnson now leading the charge. Without Trae Young, the Hawks now lean on more of a defensive-minded identity and have a roster loaded with athleticism.
During the regular season, these teams faced off three times. They split the first two matchups, which took place on December 27th and January 2nd. New York picked up a narrow 108-105 victory in the most recent game, which took place on April 6th. Both sides were aware that this was a potential postseason matchup, and this game had some major seeding implications. It was an evenly matched game in which neither team was able to extend a lead beyond 10 points, and the rebounding battle was separated by just one board. The biggest discrepancy came with the Knicks shooting 50% compared to the Hawks shooting 40%, and New York outscoring Atlanta 52-34 in the paint.
While there are higher expectations for this Knicks team in the postseason outlook, the Hawks stack up fairly well in this matchup. Jalen Brunson will be at the heart of the offensive attack for New York. But his biggest weakness is when he is guarded by high-level athletes with a size advantage over him. The Hawks have built out a roster loaded with this archetype of player, and there is not a clear matchup for Brunson to hunt in most lineup combinations.
Brunson has enough experience and savvy to will settle in over the course of the series. But expect some growing pains in the early parts of this matchup, and for this to be a huge hurdle for this Knicks team. I am backing the Hawks to cover the 5.5-point spread and would not be shocked if they steal the opening game. This is a series in which neither side should be expected to pull away by major margins throughout. Count on Atlanta to have defense success and have a clear gameplan for limiting the impact of Brunson. Expect this matchup to come down to the wire and take the points in the series opener.
Best Bet: Hawks +6.5 (-112)
Atlanta child hunger rates rising
The Atlanta Community Food Bank is launching a retail fundraiser to combat a 70% surge in local food insecurity caused by rising inflation.
ATLANTA – One in six children in Atlanta will go hungry tonight, according to data from the Atlanta Community Food Bank.
The organization, which provides food for nearly 300,000 households every month, reports that the need for assistance in the community is both significant and expanding. Greg Sims, a representative of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, said the pantry network has experienced a 70% increase in visitors over the last four years.
What they’re saying:
“Neighbors, kids, seniors, hard-working adults that are struggling to make ends meet and afford enough food,” Sims said. “We have seen 70 percent increase in neighbors visiting our pantry network over the last four years.”
Rising costs have forced many local families to make difficult financial trade-offs. Sims noted that inflation has played a major role in the growing demand for food assistance, as families often prioritize fixed costs over their grocery budgets.
“It’s easiest in budget to cut food you can’t cut utilities you can’t cut your rent, so what gets left off is food,” Sims said. “Parents may go skip meals so kids can eat that often-common coping.”
Local perspective:
To combat these rising numbers, the food bank is participating in the annual “Fight Hunger, Spark Change” campaign through May 3. The initiative raises funds when customers round up their totals or purchase specific products at Walmart or Sam’s Club locations. Officials confirmed that every dollar donated through the program stays within the local community.
“Last year’s campaign generated almost 400K to support our work, which in the end, abled us to provide more than a million meals to our community,” Sims said.
The Atlanta Community Food Bank currently partners with approximately 700 food pantries throughout the state to distribute resources. Sims emphasized that food insecurity can affect anyone, regardless of their circumstances or appearance.
“Folks all different backgrounds are dealing with food insecurity, and you may not know it looking at a person standing next to you in the shopping aisle,” Sims said. “We are here for you, and we have resources available to you.”
By the numbers:
- 1 in 6: The number of children in Atlanta who will go hungry tonight.
- 300,000: Households served by the food bank every month.
- 70%: The increase in pantry visitors over the last four years.
- 700: The number of food pantries throughout the state that partner with the food bank.
- $400,000: The amount generated by last year’s campaign to provide millions of meals.
What you can do:
The organization added that it is also in constant need of volunteers to support its daily operations. Learn more at https://www.acfb.org/
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Atlanta Community Food Bank, which provided data on local hunger rates and campaign details, as well as Greg Sims, a representative for the organization who spoke about the impact of inflation on Georgia families.
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