The best events in Atlanta in 2022

When: August

As the birthplace of famed golfer Bobby Jones, Atlanta is a golf city, and we get to flex our muscles each year when the PGA Tour Championship comes to town. Held annually at East Lake Golf Club, the PGA’s top 30 golfers come to town to play one more tournament to determine the FedEx Cup champion. The winner then takes home the coveted (and quite large) silver, goblet-esque trophy.

When: September

Held each September, often during record heat, humidity, and sometimes torrential rain, Music Midtown is arguably Atlanta’s pinnacle musical celebration. Thirty artists across four main stages perform for an estimated 125,000 total concert-goers over two days in centrally located Piedmont Park. The weekend-long music festival has featured legends like Bob Dylan and Lenny Kravitz, along with hometown hero Ludacris.

When: September

If you don’t escape to the nearby sandy beaches for the long Labor Day weekend and choose to stay in town instead, you’ll be treated to throngs of gaming, science fiction, and fantasy fans living their best lives at Dragon Con. The three-day event hosts roughly 80,000 people annually and includes a variety of happenings like celebrity autograph sessions, guided workshops, an over-the-top parade, and, of course, lots of costumed fans.

When: October

Atlanta’s annual Pride event features celebrity guest appearances, community-nominated grand marshals, and a whole lot of proud festival-goers, supporters, and allies. Atlanta Pride is one of the country’s longest-running celebrations and among the largest events in the Southeast for and in honor of the LGBTQ+ community. The glittery, larger-than-life, triumphant parade is its marquis event and returns to Peachtree Street each October.

When: October

One of the top Halloween parades in the U.S., the Little 5 Points Halloween Parade is festive fun for boys and girls young and old. The small, culturally curious, and artistically diverse neighborhood welcomes tens of thousands of people annually to its streets for one of Atlanta’s best fall festivities. Make a hair-raising day of it and creep through the accompanying artists' market, then shake your bones to live music.

When: November

Quaint Cabbagetown is filled with chili fans the first weekend in November year after year. Their mission? To slurp spoonfuls of savory chili until they burst or until it’s gone—whatever happens first. The day begins bright and early with a 5K through the ’hood, then wraps up with an epic chili cookoff featuring celeb chefs and amateurs alike. Race participants receive free admission to the cookoff, while chili fans must purchase an all-important spoon for $10.

When: December

There is no finer competition than an SEC rivalry on the gridiron, determining a final champion. What’s more valuable than the trophy itself, however, is a year of bragging rights awarded to the winning team and, usually, a trip to the CFB playoffs. Since Atlanta has long been the landing place of post-grads throughout the South, friendly competition among peers and coworkers is inevitable, and there’s always hope of seeing your team play at Mercedes-Benz each December.

When: February

Beyond being named the largest Jewish film festival in the world as of 2015, the Atlanta Jewish Film festival attracts nearly 40,000 film fans, showcases over 50 works on film, and runs for more than 20 days throughout the greater Atlanta area. The annual event usually takes place in late winter, making it an ideal opportunity to avoid frigid temperatures and take in some area art and culture.

When: April

Inman Park is among Atlanta’s most scenic, history-laden neighborhoods. With a backdrop of stately Victorian-era homes, the festival — one of the city's oldest — is considered the unofficial start of summer. Artists and food vendors take to the streets with their wares while musicians set up shop on everything from stages to porches. Don’t miss the self-guided tour of homes for a peek behind the hood’s stained glass windows and solid wooden doors.

When: April

Welcome spring to the city during this two-week event celebrating Atlanta’s gorgeous dogwood trees. The trees bloom all over the city in April, and the festival was hosted in various neighborhoods at one point, but now it’s held in Piedmont Park to accommodate its ever-growing popularity. Enjoy live music, cookoffs, a 5K, rides, games, family-friendly activities, an artist market and more.

When: May

Watch as Atlanta’s Westside BeltLine lights up as paraders meander down the former railroad corridor with homemade lanterns of all shapes, sizes, and colors in hand. The parade made a splash with more than 1,200 participants and spectators in its first year, and the event has since grown to accommodate tens of thousands of participants. The rules are simple: anyone with a lantern (or some other glowing object) can participate. 

When: June

North Highland Avenue and Virginia Avenue are closed to traffic during the first weekend of June. In place of cars, booths and stages go up as throngs descend on the neighborhood to celebrate summer. Artists from all over the Southeast present their homemade crafts, art, jewelry, clothing, and more. The weekend also features live music, a children’s area, a 5K race, a Tot Trot for the little ones, and plenty of food.

When: July 4

The fourth of July might be synonymous with star-spangled songs and booming fireworks in most cities, but for Atlantans, it means one thing and one thing only: the Peachtree Road Race. Often shortened to simply “The Peachtree” by locals, the event draws national attention and has been dubbed “the world's largest 10K”, as 60,000 sweaty participants and 150,000 sweaty sideline cheerleaders convene on Peachtree Street for the occasion.