Top Things to Do in
Metro Atlanta This Week.
Your weekly guide to what's happening across Metro Atlanta, October 16 through 18, 2026. Festivals, farmers markets, live music, family activities, outdoor adventures, and cultural events worth your time this weekend.
October 16, 2026
Metro Atlanta has a way of filling every week with something worth showing up for, and this third weekend of October is no exception. The Little 5 Points Halloween Festival and Parade takes over the east side, the Stone Mountain Highland Games bring pipe bands and athletes to the mountain, and pumpkin season is in full swing from Buford to Powder Springs.
This is the weekly roundup of what is worth your time, the events, markets, live music, family activities, outdoor spots, and cultural happenings across Metro Atlanta that I would recommend to anyone looking to get the most out of life here, October 16 through 18.
Featured Events This Week
Little 5 Points Halloween Festival & Parade
One of the biggest Halloween celebrations in the country takes over Little Five Points this weekend. More than 100 art vendors, live music, skate ramps, and costumes fill the neighborhood both days, and the legendary Halloween Parade steps off Sunday at 1 PM with the theme "Cryptids, Creatures and Community Legends." Free to attend and family friendly by day.
Stone Mountain Highland Games & Scottish Festival
The 54th annual Highland Games bring pipe bands, athletic competitions, highland dance, and clan gatherings to Stone Mountain Park for the weekend. Friday events run at the host hotel, and the main Games take over the park Saturday and Sunday. A colorful, family-friendly celebration that pairs well with the pumpkin festival already running on the mountain.
Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival
BBQ teams from across the region compete at this long-running festival in Downtown Kennesaw, which moved to October this year. Live music, a kids' zone, and plenty of slow-smoked food fill Depot Park and the United Bankshares Amphitheater, and it pairs perfectly with a walk through the historic downtown.
Atlanta Falcons vs Chicago Bears
Sunday afternoon football returns to Mercedes-Benz Stadium as the Falcons host the Bears. The stadium district around Centennial Olympic Park opens early on game days, so it is easy to make a full downtown outing of it before or after kickoff.
High Museum Centennial Block Party
The High's centennial year wraps this weekend with a free block party on and around the museum's campus, with live music, art activities, and the new fall exhibitions on view. A strong pick for families and anyone who has not been to the museum in a while.
Atlanta Gladiators Hockey Season Opener
Metro Atlanta's ECHL hockey team opens its season at home against the Norfolk Admirals. Fast, affordable, and family friendly, it is a lively way to spend a Saturday night in Gwinnett without the downtown crowd.
Live Music & Entertainment
Atlanta's live music scene is one of the most underrated in the country, and this weekend runs from an indie band backed by the full symphony to a stadium-sized hip-hop bill at Lakewood. From the Roxy to the Tabernacle to the Masquerade, here is what is on stage:
$uicideboy$: Grey Day Tour 2026
Friday through Sunday, Oct 16-18. The New Orleans duo headlines the Grey Day Tour with Destroy Lonely and more, a stadium-sized hip-hop bill on the outdoor amphitheater south of downtown.
Guster with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Friday, Oct 16 at 7:30 PM. The beloved indie band joins the ASO for a night that pairs decades of alt-rock hits with a full orchestra behind them.
MercyMe, Jeremy Camp, Tim Timmons & Sam Wesley
Friday, Oct 16. The Christian music bill brings four headliners to one arena night in Gwinnett, a big sing-along crowd for the whole family.
Ali Siddiq: The Custom Fit Tour
Friday, Oct 16. The comedian brings his Custom Fit Tour to the arena for a night of storytelling and stand-up, a strong way to start the weekend downtown.
Atsuko Okatsuka
Saturday, Oct 17. The comedian headlines the historic Tabernacle with her sharp, crowd-pleasing stand-up, one of the funniest rooms in the city.
Trap Karaoke
Friday, Oct 16. The crowd-sings-along hip-hop party brings its karaoke night to the Roxy, a bright and danceable way to start the weekend at The Battery.
Quadeca
Friday, Oct 16. The boundary-pushing artist plays the intimate Heaven room at The Masquerade, a close-up show for fans of experimental hip-hop.
Ceremony
Friday through Sunday, Oct 16-18. The California punk mainstays bring their tour through The Masquerade's Purgatory room for three nights of heavy, high-energy sets.
Food & Drink Events
Fall is peak food-festival season around Atlanta, and this weekend runs from competitive BBQ in Kennesaw to a free art-and-beer festival in Lawrenceville. Here is what is on the menu:
Not Your Mother's Art Fest
A free community art festival at the brewery with local artists, live music, and the taproom flowing. A relaxed, low-key way to ease into the weekend with the family.
Uptown Market Atlanta
A free weekly food market with more than 20 rotating food vendors, live music, and kids' activities running into the evening. The vendor lineup changes every week, so check the organizer's page for this Saturday's lineup.
Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival Food Stalls
The main event for eaters this weekend. Competitive BBQ teams fire up the smokers along Main Street and Depot Park in Kennesaw, with festival staples and a kids' zone to round out the day. See the featured section for the full rundown.
Family & Kids Activities
Halloween season officially kicks off this weekend, which means the family calendar is suddenly full. Between Boo at the Zoo, Goblins in the Garden, and the pumpkin patches, there is a lot to choose from. Here is what to check out:
Boo at the Zoo
Opens Saturday, Oct 17 and runs through Oct 31. Kids trick-or-treat along the animal habitats with keeper talks and family-friendly Halloween activities every weekend. Book ahead, because the Halloween weekends sell out.
Goblins in the Garden
The garden's Halloween programming kicks off this weekend and runs through late October, with a glowing, family-friendly trail of costumes and critters among the plants. Pair it with the scarecrow displays for a full day in Midtown.
Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival
Runs through Nov 1. Play by Day family attractions and the Glow by Night light show after dark, plus the park's hiking and Summit Skyride views any time of day. This weekend you can pair it with the Highland Games happening on the same grounds.
Sleepy Hollow Farm Fall Fest
Open Wednesday through Sunday through Nov 1. Tractor rides, a corn maze, farm animals, a kids' play area, and a pumpkin patch make this a full afternoon out west of the perimeter.
Buford Corn Maze
Open weekends through the season. One of North Georgia's biggest corn mazes, with fall farm attractions, a pumpkin patch, and plenty of space to get pleasantly lost. Worth the drive up I-85.
Outdoor & Nature
The mornings are finally cool enough that getting outside is a pleasure again, and the mountain and river trails are at their best. Here are the outdoor picks:
Chattahoochee Nature Center
Open all weekend with 127 acres and six wooded trails along the river, including an ADA-compliant boardwalk. Mid-October is a sweet spot for the leaves and the wildlife, and it is an easy drive from most of North Fulton.
East Palisades Trail & Bamboo Forest
A favorite hike inside the perimeter. Follow the river through the bamboo forest and along the bluffs with water views, then cool off at the riverside beach area. Best visited in the morning before the day warms up.
Piedmont Park & the BeltLine Eastside Trail
A classic no-ticket day: walk the Eastside Trail from Piedmont Park toward Old Fourth Ward, stop for coffee, and loop back. With the Little 5 Points Halloween Festival two neighborhoods over, the whole east side of the city feels alive this weekend.
Stone Mountain Park Trails & Skyride
Beyond the festival crowds, the mountain's 15-plus miles of hiking trails and the Summit Skyride give you the best view of the metro on a clear fall day. Go early to beat the Highland Games crowds and get the trails to yourself.
Grant Park & the Southside BeltLine
A fall-morning favorite: walk the oak-lined paths in Grant Park, stop by the new Southside BeltLine segments opening up south of the park, and wrap up at the Grant Park Farmers Market on Sunday. Layers are the move this time of year.
Arts & Culture
Atlanta's fall arts season is in full swing, and this weekend runs from major new exhibitions at the High Museum to a horror film festival wrapping its run. Here is what to catch:
High Museum: Martin Puryear "Nexus"
The major fall exhibition runs through January 17, 2027, alongside "Photography as a Way of Life: Minor White, Aaron Siskind, and Harry Callahan," which opened earlier this month. Catch both, then join Sunday's free centennial block party on the plaza.
Atlanta Horror Film Festival
Final in-person screenings this weekend as the festival wraps its fall run. Independent horror, cult classics, and filmmaker Q&As make it a fun pick for fans of the genre, with plenty of showtimes across the weekend.
East by Southeast Festival of the Arts
Friday through Sunday, Oct 16-18. The annual celebration of arts and cultures fills the Clarkston center with live performances, visual art, food vendors, and workshops. Free and welcoming, with a strong community feel.
LIKE FATHER (World Premiere)
Runs through Nov 15. The world-premiere musical explores family and legacy on the Alliance's main stage. Catch it on its first month of performances.
Little 5 Points Halloween Festival Vendor Village
The festival's vendor village is the best free art market of the fall, with more than 100 makers, oddities, and local crafts lining the streets both days. Great people-watching and costumes even before the parade on Sunday.
Stone Mountain Highland Games Clan & Dance
Beyond the athletics, the Highland Games' clan tents, highland dance competitions, and pipe band performances are a full cultural program in their own right. An easy add-on to a day at the park.
Weekend Market Guide
Weekend markets are one of the best ways to experience a neighborhood, and Metro Atlanta runs some of the best in the Southeast every Saturday and Sunday. Here is the lineup for this weekend:
| Market | When |
|---|---|
| Marietta Square Farmers Market | Saturday, Oct 17 · 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM |
| Decatur Farmers Market | Saturday, Oct 17 · 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM |
| Alpharetta Farmers Market | Saturday, Oct 17 · 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM |
| Brookhaven Farmers Market | Saturday, Oct 17 · 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM |
| Cumming Farmers Market | Saturday, Oct 17 · 8:00 to 11:00 AM |
| Acworth Farmers Market | Saturday, Oct 17 · 8:00 to 11:00 AM |
| Druid Hills Farmers Market | Saturday, Oct 17 · 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM |
| Grant Park Farmers Market | Sunday, Oct 18 · 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM |
| East Atlanta Village Farmers Market | Sunday, Oct 18 · 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM |
| Smyrna Fresh Market | Sunday, Oct 18 · 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM |
Metro Atlanta has no shortage of ways to spend a weekend, and this one is a good snapshot of why. Between the Halloween festival in Little Five Points, the Highland Games at Stone Mountain, BBQ in Kennesaw, and pumpkin season everywhere, there is a reason to explore a new neighborhood every few hours.
If you are thinking about making the move to Metro Atlanta, or you are already here and thinking about your next home, I would like to help. I have been navigating this market for over 20 years, and I know what makes each neighborhood tick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which events this week are free to attend?
The Little 5 Points Halloween Festival is free both days, the High Museum's centennial block party on Sunday is free, and the Stone Mountain Highland Games are free with park admission. The farmers markets are free to walk into, and the East by Southeast Festival of the Arts in Clarkston is free as well. The concerts, Boo at the Zoo, and Goblins in the Garden need tickets, and some free events charge for parking, so check each listing before you go.
What are the best family-friendly picks this weekend?
Start with the Little 5 Points Halloween Parade on Sunday at 1 PM, then add Boo at the Zoo and Goblins in the Garden, both of which open this weekend and run through Halloween. The Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival with the Glow by Night show after dark, Sleepy Hollow Farm, and the Buford Corn Maze cover the rest of the day. Saturday market mornings work well for younger kids because the pace is loose and easy to leave early from.
Which events need tickets or reservations in advance?
$uicideboy$ at Lakewood, Guster with the ASO at Symphony Hall, MercyMe at Gas South Arena, Ali Siddiq at State Farm Arena, Atsuko Okatsuka at the Tabernacle, and the Falcons game all need tickets. Boo at the Zoo and Goblins in the Garden sell in advance and fill up on weekends, and festival parking near Little Five Points fills early. Anything at a venue with capacity is worth reserving, even when entry is free.
How should I get around for downtown events?
For anything near Little Five Points, the Falcons game, or the Tabernacle, MARTA beats parking on price and time, and the Edgewood and Inman Park stations put you steps from the festival. For Stone Mountain, Kennesaw, and Duluth, arrive early because the lots fill fast. Ridesharing has surge pricing on event nights, so weigh it against the garage rates before the big shows. And with fall weather in the forecast, it is always worth checking an outdoor event's page before you head out.
Living in Metro Atlanta means there is always something happening.
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