FRIDAY, MAY 15

Northwest Georgia Balloon Festival

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Warner Bros. Record

Mastodon will play Center Stage in support of their album ‘Crack the Skye.’

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The sky around the town of Menlo will be ablaze with color as the fest launches many big bright balloons, including the special shape balloon the Purple People Eater. There will also be a carnival with rides, vendors, live music and tethered balloon rides.

• Noon-10 p.m. May 15; 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. May 16-17. Free. Tillotson Field, Highway 48, Menlo. 706-413-1552, www.nwgballoonfestival.com.

Marietta Greek Festival

There’ll be festive and fun dancing, but it’s sure to be the food that rules.

• 3-11 p.m. May 15; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. May 16; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. May 17. $2; ages 10 and younger free. Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church, 3431 Trickum Road, Marietta. 770-924-8080, www.mariettagreekfestival.org.

Mastodon

The Atlanta quartet — already one of the most thoughtful, complex heavy rock bands ever — takes things further with this year’s monumentally metallic new album “Crack the Skye.” Kylesa and Intronaut open for the Grammy-nominated band.

• 8 p.m. May 15. $19. Center Stage Atlanta, 1374 W. Peachtree St. N.W., Atlanta. 404-885-1365, www.centerstage-atlanta.com.

Pam Tillis

The country singer-songwriter and daughter of country music legend Mel Tillis is best know for hits such as “Maybe It Was Memphis” and “Shake the Sugar Tree.”

• 8 p.m. May 15. $37. The Strand Theatre, 117 North Park Square, Marietta. 770-293-0080, www.earlsmithstrand.org.

Xperimental Puppetry Theater

Most of the Center for Puppetry Arts’ programming is very kid-friendly, but every once in a while they like to do things just for the grown-ups. The Center’s Xperimental Puppetry Theater employs the vast menagerie of styles within the art of puppetry to explore the edges of the art. Ages 18 and older only. Beer and wine cash bar Friday and Saturday.

• 8 p.m. May 15; 8 p.m. May 16; 5 p.m. May 17. $12. Center for Puppetry Arts, 1404 Spring St. N.W., Atlanta. 404-873-3089, 404-873-3391, www.puppet.org.

“Zanna, Don’t!”

The Actor’s Express’ production puts a twist on the “High School Musical” phenomenon. The musical, set at Heartsville High, is a place where gay is the norm and things go all topsy-turvy when a boy and girl fall in love. The outcast teens get help from Zanna, the school’s resident magical matchmaker, in their battle against heterophobia.

• 8 p.m. May 15-16; 5 p.m. May 17; 8 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays. May 20-June 20; 5 p.m. May 24; 2 p.m. May 31; 5 p.m. Sundays. June 7-14. $20-$35. Actor’s Express at King Plow Arts Center, 887 W. Marietta St. N.W., Suite J-107, Atlanta. 404-875-1606, 404-607-7469, www.actors-express.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 16

Avondale in Bloom Garden Walk and Marketplace

Six local gardens are featured on the tour. There is also a farmers market with garden experts, specialty nurseries and children’s activities. Sponsored by Avondale Arts Alliance.

• 10 a.m.-6 p.m. May 16; noon-5 p.m. May 17. Garden tour: $15; children younger than 12 free. Avondale Estates Downtown, Covington Highway and Clarendon Avenue, Avondale Estates. 678-923-1378, www.avondaleinbloom.org.

Atlanta Downtown Neighborhood Festival

Visit the heart of downtown Atlanta at the festival. The historic Fairlie-Poplar district will pulse with music, an artists’ market and a youth art exhibit. On May 16, teams will compete for cash prizes in a scavenger hunt ($25 per person for teams of two).

• 11 a.m.-6 p.m. May 16; noon-6 p.m. May 17. Free. Fairlie-Poplar District, Broad Street at Walton Street, Atlanta. www.atlantadna.org.

Mideast Food Festival

Take a culinary journey without leaving Atlanta. Cuisine includes vegetarian items, pastries and a la carte items. They’ll even have take-out available. Also, church tours and presentations, music and folk dancing.

• Noon-9 p.m. May 16. $2-$15 per item. St. John Chrysostom Melkite Catholic Church, 1428 Ponce de Leon Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-373-9522, www.stjohnmelkite.org.

Petapalooza

Do something nice for animals and get an evening of entertainment to boot at Star 94’s event, which benefits nonprofit and rescue groups. They’ll have performances by Atlanta quartet State of Man and other local bands. The pets will show their stuff, too, with dog agility, Frisbee and flyball demonstrations, and there’ll be pets available for adoptions. Keep the kids entertained at a children’s corner with inflatables. Animals are welcome, but they must be on a leash.

• 6 p.m. May 16. Free. Suwanee Town Center Park, 370 Buford Highway, Suwanee. 770-945-8996, www.star94.com.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus

Robert Spano conducts Mozart’s “Requiem.” With soprano Nathalie Paulin, mezzo-soprano Stacey Rishoi, tenor Chad Johnson and bass Gus Andreasson. The orchestra also will perform Stravinsky’s “Symphony of Psalms.”

• 8 p.m. May 16; 3 p.m. May 17. $16-$73. Atlanta Symphony Hall, 1280 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. 404-733-5000, www.atlantasymphony.org.

SUNDAY, MAY 17

Festival Singers of Atlanta

The group will offer a program of choral music by Palestrina, Aichinger, Pinkham, Byrd, Rutter and other Renaissance and modern composers.

• 3 p.m. May 17. Free. St. Mark United Methodist Church, 781 Peachtree St., Atlanta. 404-872-0195.

Celebrate Israel Festival

Mark Israel’s Independence Day and Tel Aviv’s 100th anniversary. The folks at the Marcus Jewish Community Center plan to recreate the sights, sounds and scents of Tel Aviv at Zaban Park.

• Noon-6 p.m. May 17. $7; $4 ages 2-13; younger than 2 free. Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. 678-812-4000, www.atlantajcc.org.

Sons of Norway’s Norwegian Independence Day Parade and Festival

May 17 is Norway’s Independence Day, and you can get a taste of Scandinavia right here in Georgia.

• 2-6 p.m. May 17. Free. St. Luke Lutheran Church, 3264 Northside Pkwy., Atlanta. www.vennekretsen.com.

Atlanta Baroque Orchestra

The orchestra brings a bit of Britain to Atlanta with “Songs From Albion’s Shores, Music From the English Baroque Masters.” Featuring guest director and violinist Elizabeth Wallfisch.

• 3 p.m. May 17. $15-$25. Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, 3180 Peachtree Road N.W., Atlanta. 770-537-3974, www.atlantabaroque.org.

Coldplay

The band’s expansive rock is arena-sized, and it needs a space as big as its soaring choruses. That’s what they’ll have at Lakewood Amphitheatre. This year, Chris Martin and his bandmates added a fourth album to their catalog. Entertainment Weekly proclaimed “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends” the band’s best album and the single “Viva La Vida” became the Brit quartet’s first U.S. No. 1.

• 7:30 p.m. May 17. $79.50-$97.50; $35 lawn. Lakewood Amphitheatre, 2002 Lakewood Way, Atlanta. 404-443-5090, 404-249-6400, www.livenation.com.