If you’re looking for something to do this weekend in metro Atlanta, you’ll find three days of celebration with a huge parade, parties and more as part of the Atlanta Pride Parade and Festival. And if you’re ready for some pre-Halloween fun, choose from several events, including a Spooky Spirits 5K complete with some boozy rewards.
Check out these 15 things to do in metro Atlanta this weekend:
Intown Atlanta
Atlanta Pride Parade and Festival
Friday, Oct. 11, through Sunday, Oct. 13. Various intown Atlanta locations. 404-382-7588.
The Atlanta Pride Festival officially kicks off with a party at Georgia Aquarium and continues with lots of events over the weekend, including a parade that’s Atlanta’s largest.
8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12. $68 and up. State Farm Arena, 100 Centennial Olympic Park Drive NW, Atlanta. 404-878-3000.
See Jeff Lynne’s ELO, the modern incarnation of the iconic band Electric Light Orchestra, in its farewell Over and Out Tour.
Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12. $10. National Center for Civil and Human Rights, 100 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd., Atlanta. 678-999-8990.
Celebrate Hispanic heritage by watching historic dance performances, creating traditional crafts like Guatemalan Worry Dolls and more.
Cobb
11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12. Free admission with food samples costing $1-$10. Historic downtown, 4835 N. Main St., Acworth. 770-974-8813.
Taste your way through offerings from more than 150 local restaurants and businesses, and see live entertainment on two stages. Kids will have plenty of their own activities, such as inflatables and quad bungee.
Chalktoberfest Chalk and Beer Festival
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12 Chalktoberfest; noon-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct 12, Craft Beer Fest. Chalk Festival free, Beer Festival $50 in advance, $55 day of event. Marietta Square, 99 S. Park Square NE, Marietta.
Watch professional chalk artists at work, enjoy live music and sample craft beers and food at this combination chalk/beer festival.
11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12. $5-$10, kids 2 and under free. Southern Museum, 2829 Cherokee St. NW, Kennesaw. 770-427-2117.
Take a family friendly tour of a Civil War aid station and ask questions of the historian, look through the galleries, and hear fun and spooky Civil War ghost stories.
DeKalb
7-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11. $10 nonmembers, $5 members. Dunwoody Nature Center, 5343 Roberts Drive, Dunwoody. 770-394-3322.
Form a team or make new friends as you answer trivia questions for horror and history buffs and compete for fun prizes.
Friday, Oct. 11, and Saturday, Oct. 12, plus additional dates. Adults $13 in advance, $17 at the door; kids 12 and under $8, with $20 park entrance fee; $6 for a souvenir boo box. Stone Mountain Park, 1000 Robert E. Lee Blvd., Stone Mountain. 770-469-1105.
Hear Southern ghost stories from six professional storytellers as you walk along lantern-lighted paths.
11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12. Browns Mill Recreation Center, 5101 Browns Mill Road, Stonecrest. 770-224-0200.
The third annual Stonecrest Fall Festival offers food, beverages, art, games, face painting, live music and more.
North Fulton
10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12. Free admission. Roswell City Hall Complex, 38 Hill St., Roswell. 770-645-6844.
See exquisite cars, boats, bikes and more with automotive and art-themed vendors, with registration fees benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Coffee, snow cones, a photo booth and face painting are also available.
2-9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12. $30 “unlimited” wristbands for nonmembers, $25 for members. Autrey Mill Nature Preserve, 9770 Autrey Mill Road, Johns Creek. 678-366-3511.
Enjoy spooky activities such as meeting the paranormal team who investigated historic buildings on the preserve and then taking a tour of each of the buildings. Younger guests can play carnival games, hear spooky stories and more, and concessions will be available for purchase.
Wire & Wood Songwriters Festival
6-11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12. Free admission. Several stages in downtown Alpharetta.
Attend a showcase of nationally and locally recognized musicians who will perform and tell stories that inspired their songs.
Gwinnett
2-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12. Town Green, 3167 Main St., Duluth. 770-476-3434.
The spirit of Oktoberfest comes to Duluth with beer, music, food trucks, a costume contest and games, including pretzel eating, sausage tossing and beer stein holding.
11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 12. $60-$70, with prices increasing after Oct. 11. Town Center Park, 330 Town Center Ave., Suwanee.
Dress in a costume if you’d like and run a 5K with a 12-ounce cocktail as a reward when you finish, or choose to sip five 3-ounce samples along the route plus a 12-ounce cocktail at the end.
Noon-6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13. Free admission and parking. Gas South Convention Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth. 770-813-7500.
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