Make the most of every weekend in the ATL by checking out these amazing weekend happenings in the ATL! Whether you’re searching for the best bar, the coolest event, or you wanna be in the know at the office on Monday… we’ve got your weekend plans right here. Keep scrolling for the full weekend roundup!
Get a jump on holiday shopping with original work from 155 artists while enjoying food trucks, demos, and live DJs. Add this award-winning, two-day outdoor arts festival to your weekend plans in Chastain Park, where 155 artists and artisans showcase fine art and crafts alongside live artist demonstrations, children’s activities, live DJs, and local food trucks.
Ping Ping and Fu Shuang make their public debut at Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove on November 6, 2026. If seeing giant pandas is on your weekend bucket list, head to Zoo Atlanta for the public debut of Ping Ping and Fu Shuang and the grand reopening of the newly renovated Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove on November 6, 2026. The $6 million renovation expands dayrooms, adds climbing structures and pools, and aims to improve panda welfare and guest experience.
Looking for a can’t-miss art stop this weekend? See over 200 works by Banksy in an immersive Atlanta exhibition.
If you’re looking to add some thought-provoking art to your September plans, don’t miss this immersive exhibition in Atlanta showcasing more than 200 works by Banksy, including originals, prints, sculptures and large-scale installations.
If you’re looking for a truly iconic ATL event to check out this weekend, head to the Cabbagetown Chomp & Stomp and Chili Cook-Off!
With a massive market, live music, delicious local food, and of course, the incredible chili cook-off, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at the Chomp & Stomp!
Try the state’s best cinnamon roll at Atlanta Breakfast Club. If you’re in the mood for a sweet weekend treat, Business Insider (using Yelp reviews) names Atlanta Breakfast Club as the spot for the best cinnamon roll in Georgia; the bakery makes them fresh every morning. The cafe is located near downtown Atlanta and serves breakfast daily with extended weekend hours.
Experience live jousting, themed weekends, artisan shoppes, and Yuletide revelry at the Georgia Renaissance Festival Fall Fling! If you’re in the mood for a weekend adventure with full-on Renaissance flair, the Georgia Renaissance Festival returns to Nottingham Village for a Fall Fling featuring six themed weekends, live jousting, 15 stages of entertainment, artisan vendors, medieval games, and a season-long Robin Hood vs. Sheriff rivalry. Events run Saturdays from Oct 31 through Dec 5 with an added Black Friday weekend, daily hours 1:00 PM–9:00 PM.
Don’t miss the world premiere of Like Father at the Alliance Theatre! If you’re looking for a standout theater pick for the weekend, Like Father is a coming-of-age musical world premiere at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta that follows 17-year-old Chris after her father’s arrest; the production runs from October 8 to November 15, 2026.
Get a jump on the holiday season with Stone Mountain Park’s Christmas festival!
Take a trip to the North Pole without ever having to leave the ATL! Step into a world of over two million dazzling lights, festive music, and spectacular holiday shows, all adding the Christmas spirit to family-friendly park attractions, like the Scenic Railroad.
Get all the details on for Stone Mountain Christmas on the park’s website, here!
Step behind the camera and see iconic stop‑motion puppets and sets up close at the Center for Puppetry Arts.
If you’re looking for a fun, museum-style outing this weekend, the Center for Puppetry Arts presents Frame by Frame: The Art of Stop‑Motion Animation, a hands‑on exhibition featuring puppets and production elements from beloved stop‑motion films and series. The show runs through December 27, 2026, at the Center in Atlanta with regular museum hours and last admission at 4:30 p.m.
Family-friendly fun, new rides, and unlimited-ride armbands make the Atlanta Fair a can’t-miss autumn outing! If you’re looking for an easy, all-ages pick for your weekend lineup, the Atlanta Fair runs from Friday, Oct. 9 through Sunday, Nov. 8 at Center Parc Stadium, offering rides, classic fair games, and a wide selection of food vendors. Daily hours vary by day of week with special ride armbands and single-ticket options available.
Experience life-size mammoths and elephants, interactive science stations, and cultural artifacts at Fernbank this fall. Fernbank Museum’s exhibition ‘The Secret World of Elephants’ explores elephant evolution, anatomy, behavior, cultural influence, and conservation through life-size models, hands-on interactives, and cultural artifacts. The exhibit runs from October 10, 2026 to January 3, 2027 at Fernbank in Atlanta.
Explore the Blue Ridge mountains on a motor-assisted rail bike for a relaxing 11-mile, 90-minute adventure! If you’re up for a quick weekend escape from Atlanta, Blue Ridge Scenic Railway offers motor-assisted rail bike tours departing from the historic Blue Ridge depot.
The 11-mile round-trip is a leisurely 90-minute excursion through streams, vineyards and Georgia pines, running seasonally in spring, summer and fall.
Celebrate 30 years of Black women’s art at Spelman’s major new exhibition. If you’re looking for an inspiring museum stop this weekend, Between Here & Infinity celebrates 30 years of the Spelman College Art Collection, featuring nearly 70 works by Black women artists across media and archival materials documenting the museum’s first three decades.
The exhibition opens September 9, 2026 at the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art galleries.
Thrillz Atlanta is finally open, bringing giant slides, drop towers, VR and more under one roof.
If you’re looking for a high-energy weekend activity, mark your calendar: Thrillz Atlanta, a massive first-of-its-kind indoor amusement park in Atlanta. The park features 35-foot mega slides, a 40-foot Drop Tower, VR attractions, trampolines and 20+ total attractions.
Cuddle mini Highland cows Hiccup & Hooch in a private Snuggle Speakeasy! If you’re looking for a cute, low-key weekend adventure just outside the city, head to The Good Place Farm—a 15-acre family farm in Chattahoochee Hills offering animal experiences, including the Highland Cow Snuggle Experience in a private ‘Snuggle Speakeasy’.
Classic one-hour visits are $55, with a limited Highland Happy Hour option at $75.
If a sunny morning stroll (and a great snack) is your kind of weekend plan, the Peachtree Road Farmers Market is here for the season with 70+ local vendors, live music, chef pop-ups, a children’s play area and more.
This awesome market runs every Saturday from 8:30am–12:00pm through December at The Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta.
One of the world’s 100 best buffets is right outside Atlanta. If your weekend plans include eating well, Gohan Buffet in Duluth, GA, was ranked #72 on a global list of best buffets and serves a wide array of Asian seafood, sushi, and other favorites, open seven days a week.
If you love a good weekend treasure hunt, check out one-of-a-kind rescued ceramics priced at just $4 per pound at this Atlanta shop.
Olaria is an Atlanta ceramics shop that rescues slight-seconds and surplus pieces from independent European potteries, selling them in-store by the pound. Each artisan ceramic is $4 per pound; pieces are food-, dishwasher-, and microwave-safe and available only at the shop.
Grab brunch at one of Atlanta’s yummy brunch spots
Sundays are the perfect time for a delicious brunch with your gals, pals or S.O.! And thankfully, Atlanta is FULL of yummy brunch spots! So whether you’re looking for a mouthwatering southern breakfast or bottomless mimosas, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at brunch in the A!
Atlanta ain’t known as the City in a Forest for nothing! Take a hike through some of the city’s most beautiful nature trails and hikes. You’ll get to see the changing leaves, explore new parts of the city… and maybe even stumble across a cool spot you’ve never seen before! (Uh, have we mentioned ATL has a whole BAMBOO FOREST in the city??)
If you’re looking for the perfect spot for drinks this weekend, let us help you out! Whether your vibe is high-end and classy craft cocktails or something a little more casual and low-key… there’s the perfect bar in the ATL for everyone to enjoy!
From your favorite Romance tropes to literary fiction, it’s the perfect weather for cozying up with a nice book, drinking some warm coffee or tea, and staying in this weekend! But, of course, you need the perfect book to do so!
See a flick at the Plaza Theatre
Looking for the perfect way to spend your weekend? See an artsy, impactful film at the Plaza right here in the heart of our city! And you’ll be supporting small theaters while you enjoy an amazing film, so it’s a total win-win!
Take a trip back in time into the world of the dinosaurs during this amazing 30-minute walking Virtual Reality adventure!
Enjoy face-to-face encounters with these awe-inspiring creatures, explore the grand Dino Hall (showcasing over 20 remarkable fossils, including a giant Apatosaurus femur), dive deeper with hands-on learning stations, uncover fascinating dino science, and let your creativity run wild in the interactive dino coloring zone.
Get your tickets today for DinoVerse in Atlanta!
Happy weekend, Atlanta! If you end up taking our weekend advice & checking out one of these awesome activities, make sure to tag us in your posts on Instagram, @secret_atlanta!