Amplify Decatur Music Festival
April 13
Get ready to groove to an all-star lineup of musical artists, including Mavis Staples and Jeff Tweedy. Rock out knowing that ticket sales support efforts to prevent and alleviate homelessness through Decatur Cooperative Ministry. Bottom line: great tunes for a great mission. For more information and tickets sales, check out AmplifyDecatur.org and Eventbrite.com.
Atlanta Film Festival
April 4 to 14
Celebrate all things film—whether you’re a filmmaker, industry professional or film lover. This festival is one of only two dozen to qualify for an Academy Award. Grab a ticket and your popcorn - who knows, maybe you’ll rub elbows with a celebrity or two. Find details at atlantafilmfestival.com.
Druid Hills Tour of Homes & Gardens
April 12 to 14
One of the longest running and premiere tour of homes in the nation, the 2019 Druid Hills Tour of Homes & Gardens celebrates its 51st year with six homes and one garden that feature the work of master architects, interior designers, general contractors and landscape designers. This year’s tour has “gone green” with homes close together and very walkable. To that end, there will be no trolley service. Visitors are welcome to walk, ride bikes, scooters or drive.
Individual and discounted group tickets may be purchased in advance at druidhillstour.org. Proceeds from the tour benefit the Druid Hills neighborhood, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Easter Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 13
11 a.m.
Hop on over to the annual Decatur Business Association Easter egg hunt. The Easter bunny arrives at 10:30 am, and the hunt begins at 11 sharp for all age groups. Stick around after your baskets are filled for arts and crafts by Treehouse Kid & Craft, story time with Little Shop of Stories, and snacks from Steel City Pops and First Baptist Church of Decatur.
Front lawn of First Baptist Church of Decatur, 308 Clairemont Ave.
Concerts on the Square
Saturdays, May 4, 11, 18, 25
7 p.m.
Evening concerts on the Decatur square are always a treat. Stop by one of the city’s beloved restaurants ahead of time, and bring a blanket and a friend to enjoy a musical escape.
Blue Sky Concerts
Wednesdays, May 1, 15
Noon
Midweek blues getting the best of you? Blue Sky Concerts will be sure to clear them. Bring a sandwich or stop by your favorite lunch spot on the way to the downtown square in Decatur. Concerts begin at noon and are sure to brighten up your week.
Decatur Lantern Parade
Friday, May 10
9 p.m.
Light up the night! Kick off Arts Month and celebrate the start of summer with the Decatur Arts Alliance and Decatur Education Foundation at the lantern parade. Gather at Color Wheel Studio after 8 p.m., then parade to the downtown square.
Make your own lantern at home or attend a lantern-making workshop where supplies and guidance are provided. Sign up for all sorts of lantern making workshops including lantern hats, illuminated parasols, globe lanterns and more. These will be hosted by Color Wheel Studio in the two weeks preceding the parade.
For more information and lantern making resources visit decaturlanternparade.com. Color Wheel Studio is located at 508 E. Howard Ave.
Atlanta Jazz Festival
May 25 to 26
Relax and enjoy live jazz music from various local and national jazz artists against the Atlanta skyline in Piedmont Park. This jazz festival is the country’s largest free jazz festival. So grab a blanket and picnic basket and head to the park for some moving music. Find details at atlantafestivals.com.
Decatur Arts Festival
Friday, May 24
5 p.m.
Saturday, May 25
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday, May 26
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The 31st Annual Decatur Arts Festival will be a celebration of the arts that includes a juried artists market, children’s festival, new dance, literary arts, performing arts stage and a concert on the square. There will also be a fine arts exhibition. The ArtWalk opens the festival on Friday evening.
Discover new artists and festival favorites as you explore more than 150 artist booths lining Ponce de Leon Avenue. The annual market is full of high-quality artwork and attracts artists from all over the Southeast and beyond. Eat lunch or a cool treat in front of the bandstand and enjoy a full-line up of dynamic, high-energy live stage performances.
Details are available at Decaturartsfestival.com.
The Secret Gardens of Avondale
Saturday, June 1
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Have you ever wondered what’s behind those well-manicured front gardens of the homes in Avondale Estates? The Avondale Estates Garden Club is reinvigorating the once popular Avondale garden tours of the past with the debut of the Secret Gardens of Avondale Tour. Plein-air artists will be working on site in the six featured gardens which range from well-established to emerging landscapes.
Tickets are $15 if purchased before the tour and $20 the day of. Children under 12 are free, though strollers and pets are not permitted.
