15 things to do this weekend in metro Atlanta: Día de los Muertos festivals, ONE Musicfest and more

Día De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead in English) is one of the world’s most misunderstood holidays. Simply because it’s celebrated within range of Halloween, and features an assortment of macabre imagery and costumes, some people assume it’s just “Mexican Halloween.” The multi-day holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and help support their spiritual journey. The Day of the Dead is often celebrated with ofrenda, altars hono

If you’re making your weekend plans in metro Atlanta, you’ll find several Día de los Muertos festivals on the calendar, including one at the Woodruff Arts Center and another with a parade in Decatur. To hear some big-name urban progressive musicians, head to ONE Musicfest at Piedmont Park for performances by Janet Jackson, Kendrick Lamar and more.

Check out the following 15 things to do in metro Atlanta this weekend:

Intown Atlanta

ONE Musicfest

Noon-11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 and noon-10 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29. $169 and up. Piedmont Park, 1071 Piedmont Ave. NE, Atlanta.

Head to the Southeast’s largest two-day urban progressive music festival to hear performers including Janet Jackson, Megan Thee Stallion, Kendrick Lamar and Brent Faiyaz.

Atlanta Hawks season opener and giveaway

7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27. $37 and up. State Farm Arena, 1 State Farm Drive, Atlanta.

The Hawks tip off their home game opener against the New York Knicks, and all fans in attendance will receive a free Hawks T-shirt courtesy of State Farm.

Día de los Muertos Festival

Noon-5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29. Free admission to festival, concert tickets start at $15. Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 404-733-4200.

This family-friendly festival features live music, a mariachi performance, Ballet Folklórico, stilt walkers, face painting, altar exhibition, traditional Mexican games, and traditional food and drink. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will perform two ticketed Día de los Muertos concerts at 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Cobb

Smyrna’s Spooky Festival

6 p.m.-9 p.m., 7 p.m. movie. Friday, Oct. 27. Free admission, haunted house $5. Taylor-Brawner Park, 3180 Atlanta Road, Smyrna.

Celebrate Halloween with a haunted trail, carnival vendors, the original “Ghostbusters” movie and a haunted house.

Anime Weekend Atlanta

Continuing Friday, Oct. 27-Sunday, Oct. 29. $50 and up. Cobb Galleria Centre, 2 Galleria Parkway, Atlanta.

This four-day celebration of Japanese culture, animation and manga is the largest anime convention in the Southeast.

Nightmare on Main 5K

6:30 a.m. race day packet pickup and day-of registration, 7:30 a.m. 1-Mile Fun Run, 8 a.m. 5K, 8:55 Tot Trot, 9:15 a.m. awards ceremony. Saturday, Oct. 28. 5K $35 through Oct. 27, $45 day of race. $20 1-Mile Fun Run, $5 Tot Trot. downtown Kennesaw, 2829 Cherokee St., Kennesaw. 770-422-9714.

Wear a costume if you’d like to and hit the ground running in this final race of the 2023 Kennesaw Grand Prix Series.

DeKalb

Trick or Trivia

7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27. $10 per person, $5 for members. Dunwoody Nature Center, 5343 Roberts Dr., Dunwoody. 770-394-3322.

Join in a spooky trivia event where the winning team will win gift certificates to local businesses and other treats.

S.U.D.S.

Noon VIP access, 1 p.m. general admission. $75 general admission, $95 VIP. Saturday, Oct. 28. Legacy Park, 500 S. Columbia Dr., Decatur.

Join in the fun of an afternoon of curated craft beer tasting with options from over 25 breweries, live music and local food options. All proceeds from ticket sales will go to the organizer’s non-profit partners.

Haints and Saints and Day of the Dead Parade

6 p.m.-8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29. Free. starts at Decatur Cemetery, 229 Bell St., Decatur and ends at the square in downtown Decatur.

Wear your best cultural appreciation outfit or costume and participate in or watch the parade, followed by festivities on the plaza.

North Fulton

Shakespeare in the Park: “Hamlet”

7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 and noon and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, plus additional dates. Free. Brooke Street Park, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta. 770-663-8989.

Watch a performance of Shakepeare’s “Hamlet,” considered one of his most popular and puzzling plays.

Día De Muertos Festival

2 p.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28. Roswell City Hall, 38 Hill St., Roswell. 770-641-3727.

Enjoy Mexican food, crafts, entertainment, dancin and face painting and visit a traditional altar honoring family and friends who have passed.

A Birthday Party for Bob Ross

3 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27. $16 for residents, $24 for non-residents. Roswell Visual Arts Center, 10495 Woodstock Road, Roswell. 770-594-6400.

Take a Bob Ross-style painting lesson and enjoy refreshments in honor of the iconic artist’s birthday.

Gwinnett

Howl on the Green

6 p.m.-10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27. Free. Duluth Town Green, 3167 Main St., Duluth. 770-476-3434.

Howl on the Green will host family-friend activities including trunk or treat, laser tag, a zip line, a costume contest, and a live show featuring fire dancers, gravity-defying aerialists and cirque-style performances.

Flick or Treat

3 p.m.-5 p.m. trick-or-treating and activities, 5 p.m. movie. $2 per person in advance, $5 day-of. Saturday, Oct. 28. Coolray Field, 2500 Buford Dr., Lawrenceville. 678-277-0340.

Come to Coolray Field for trick-or-treating, games, candy, prizes and a screening of the movie “Monsters Inc.”

Deutsche Klassic All-German Autoberfest

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28. 11 Thrasher St., downtown Norcross. 908-581-8962.

Admire German-marque vehicles that are at least 25 years old, sample German food and beer, and listen to music.