Atlanta’s summer festivals offer bands, booths and bites
For the AJC
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Summer officially begins June 21, making this the perfect month to begin celebrating. And with Atlanta’s festival season in full swing, there’s no shortage of ways to do just that. Here’s a look at some of the festivals taking place around town this month:
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Casting Crowns will be part of the Atlanta Fest lineup at Stone Mountain Park.
Virginia-Highland Summerfest
Taking place in one of Atlanta’s quaintest neighborhoods, Summerfest has become the unofficial beginning of summer for many. And like the surrounding neighborhood, this festival celebrates music, art, food and family fun.
Festivities begin early Saturday morning with the 5K run and Tot Trot through neighborhood streets. The rest of the weekend is filled with notable local bands such as Cowboy Mouth, Ponderosa, the Constellations and Manchester Orchestra. And the artists market has a reputation for being one of the best places in the Southeast for paintings, sculptures, crafts and other pieces from more than 200 juried artists.
For those who can’t wait for the weekend’s events, a kickoff party of sorts takes place Friday night with the Wacky Hat Parade, with prizes such as tickets to the Georgia Aquarium and gift certificates to local restaurants. And the Kidsfest features clowns, face painting, music and more.
Free (donations to the Virginia-Highland Civic Association are encouraged). June 5-7. Virginia Avenue between North Highland Avenue and Park Drive, Virginia-Highland. 404-898-8986, www.vahi.org/summerfest.html.
Atlanta Fest
Featuring some of the top names in contemporary Christian rock, rap and pop, Atlanta Fest is a three-day music festival at Stone Mountain Park. The event, which won the Gospel Music Channel’s fans’ choice for Festival of the Year, features many Dove Award-winning artists, such as New Artist of the Year winner Tenth Avenue North, Group of the Year Casting Crowns and KJ-52, who won the Best Rap/Hip-Hop Recorded Song award for “Do Yo Thang.”
Aside from being the only place that this many Dove winners can be seen in one weekend, Atlanta Fest also features plenty of other acts for almost any musical taste. Atlanta’s own crunk punk band Family Force 5, Orlando rock act Fireflight, the ska antics of Skillet and other metal, punk and pop bands are on the bill.
In addition to three stages of music, Atlanta Fest also features Christian vendors, a talent search where artists compete live for a recording contract, free camping, Bible studies and the Prayer Path, a multimedia lesson on the history of Christianity.
$42-$90. June 17-20. Stone Mountain Park, U.S. 78 East, Exit 8, Stone Mountain. 800-965-9324, www.atlantafest.com.
Avondale Estates Art-B-Que
This event, in its second year, showcases the galleries and studios that lie on the outskirts of Avondale Estates near Decatur. With more than 100 artists and performers taking part, this year’s event is sure to be an even bigger spectacle than last year.
The day is filled with performances by bands such as It’s Elephant’s, Heather Luttrell, the Floating Coats and local Van Halen tribute band Van Heineken. Food will be available from local eateries, including Our Way Café, the James Joyce Pub and Smoker and the Bandit barbecue. Alcove Gallery, which will be hosting the first solo show in the United States by Barcelona artist Sergio Mora, will have a kickoff party the previous night with a performance by local goth rock veterans Liers in Wait.
Free. 10 a.m.-11 p.m. June 13. Between East College Avenue and Franklin Street, Avondale Estates. 404-663-0159, www.alcovearts.com.
AthFest
Taking over the streets of downtown Athens each year, this four-day festival has grown in its 13 years from one that focused on the city’s legendary music scene to one that also includes visual arts, film screenings, kids activities and other attractions.
Music, however, is still at the heart of AthFest, with several downtown venues and clubs scheduling shows just for the event for the club crawl. And the two outdoor stages are dominated by mostly local acts such as the Black Lips, Dead Confederate, Nappy Roots and Patterson Hood & the Screwtopians.
The art market features ceramics, paintings, jewelry, photography, sculptures and other mediums from regional artists, while TeenScreen shows films by teens from Athens-area schools. AthFest also includes theatrical presentations, music panels, the Flagpole Music Awards and KidsFest, which includes carnival games, a petting zoo and musical acts.
Free for outdoor stages, art market and KidsFest. $15 in advance; $20 during the festival for club crawl wristbands. June 25-28. W. Washington St. between Lumpkin and Pulaski streets, Athens. 706-548-1973, www.athfest.com.
Rock ‘N’ Roll Monster Bash
With scorching bands, vintage horror movies, pinup hotties and tricked-out hearses at Atlanta’s only remaining drive-in theater, the Monster Bash has become a rowdier way for Atlanta’s hipsters and subculturalists to kick off the summer.
Taking place the first Sunday in June, this year’s event features such underground monsters of rock as Big Foot, Courtesy Murder, the Crank County Daredevils and a reunion of the Pits. Daytime fangstivities also include dunking booths, haunted attractions, hot rods, motorcycles and the Miss Monster Bash competition.
Once the sun goes down, horror classics “The Howling” and “Tales from the Crypt” (the 1972 original) will be shown on the big screens. The event is hosted by Professor Morte and the cast of the Silver Scream Spook Show, who will provide horror show host antics and vaudeville skits between bands.
$15. Gates open at noon; bands begin at 2 p.m.; movies begin at dusk. June 7. Starlight Six Drive-In Theatre, 2000 Moreland Ave. S.E., Thomasville. 404-627-5786, www.rockandrollmonsterbash.com.
