THE WORKS TO HOST SIXTH ANNUAL UPPER WESTSIDE PUPFEST

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/25/26

Tickets are now on sale for the tailgate-themed event benefiting the Atlanta Humane Society

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 19              

             2 to 5 p.m.

WHERE: The Works’ Camp Street

               1259 Chattahoochee Ave NW

               Atlanta, GA 30318

WHO: The Works is hosting its sixth annual Upper Westside PUPFEST on Sept. 19 from 2-5 p.m.

WHAT: This year’s Tailgate theme celebrates football and game day culture. At PUPFEST, guests can enjoy a curated market of dog-friendly vendors, live music from DJ Steve and the UGA Redcoat Alumni Band, college football on a big screen, photo opportunities with their pups, and more. Guests and dogs are encouraged to dress in their best game day attire for the Pup Rally Contest, where the most spirited duo will win a prize from The Works and ultimate bragging rights. Afterward, refuel with tailgate-inspired food and beverage specials from participating restaurants. The celebration continues with The After Paw-ty at Fetch Park. All dogs must be current on vaccinations to enter the park.

A portion of ticket sales benefit the Atlanta Humane Society and animals in need. Early bird tickets are available for $12 through August 23, with general admission increasing to $16 beginning August 24. Tickets are available at The Works website. Follow @theworksatl on Instagram or visit our website for updates and announcements.

GLUTEN FREEDOM FESTIVAL ATL RETURNS TO MONDAY NIGHT GARAGE

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/25/26

Sunday, Sept. 27: Monday Night Brewing’s “Gluten Freedom Festival ATL” Returns to Monday Night Garage

Second Annual Celebration Moves to Larger Venue with More gluten free Vendors, Food, Beer, Craft Beverages, and Community

Monday Night Brewing is raising a glass once again to Atlanta’s gluten free community with the return of Gluten Freedom Festival ATL on Sunday, Sept. 27 from Noon – 6 p.m. Now in its second year, the free, family-friendly festival will bring together even more gluten-free beer, bites, local vendors and fun. This year’s event will move to the larger Monday Night Garage in Atlanta’s historic West End. 

Hosted for the second year in collaboration with Gluten Free Atlanta (Facebook group), the 2026 Gluten Freedom Festival ATL is building on last year’s momentum with a larger venue, more vendors, and an expanded celebration at the Garage. Monday Night’s gluten free menu will be featured, which includes GF beer, pizza (including a vegan cheese option), wings, dips, and more. This will be offered alongside a dedicated gluten-free food lineup from local vendors, restaurants, bakeries, and shops. 

The return also reflects Monday Night Brewing’s continued commitment to creating more options for gluten free guests. Since last year’s festival, the brewery has expanded weekly Gluten Freedom programming across all taprooms, including dedicated gluten-free pizza offerings, and events featuring gluten free beer, cocktails, and zero-proof drinks.

“Last year’s festival showed us how meaningful it is for people to walk into a gathering and feel like the experience was created with them in mind,” said Monday Night Brewing Co-Founder and CEO Joel Iverson. “This festival is personal for us because gluten intolerance touches both my own family and our brewing family. It’s our way of toasting the incredible gluten free community that’s supported us.”

“The response to the first Gluten Freedom Festival made it clear that Atlanta’s gluten free community was ready for something like this,” said Gluten Free Atlanta Founder Stephanie Pardue. “We’re excited to bring the Gluten Freedom Festival to Monday Night Garage, reconnect with familiar faces, and introduce even more people to the local businesses and products helping make gluten free living feel less limiting and more celebratory.”

The Gluten Free Atlanta Facebook group was founded 16 years ago by Pardue out of what she refers to as “necessity and desperation.” The group, now with more than 6.5k members, has become a go-to for the gluten free community in Atlanta. 

Iverson added: “We can’t wait to welcome everyone to The Garage for this event, and we are delighted to again host the Gluten Freedom Festival ATL in collaboration with Stephanie and the community she has helped build in our city.”

Admission to the Gluten Freedom Festival ATL is free. Food, beverages, and gluten free products from all over Metro Atlanta will be available for purchase. Free tickets are now available on EventBrite. 

Gluten Freedom Festival ATL (Full details HERE)

Sunday, Sept. 27 | 12–6pm | Monday Night Brewing, The Garage 

933 Lee St. SW | Atlanta’s Historic West End | Atlanta, GA 30310

  • Admission is free, with GF food and drinks available for purchase.
  • Free parking is available onsite.
  • Exclusive gluten-free beers from Monday Night, including the re-release of its Gluten Free IPA, ‘Big Idea,’ along with perennial favorite, ‘Placebo Pils.’
  • For this event, Monday Night Garage’s entire kitchen space and prep areas will be cleaned and converted for dedicated GF preparation to avoid cross-contamination.
  • All-gluten-free food lineup will include: GF wings, salads, dips, sweets, custom pizza, and more.
    • Dedicated gluten free pizza truck onsite.
    • gluten-free beer battered onion rings (Made by Monday Night’s team in collaboration with Disco Chicken using their signature batter recipe and MNB’s own gluten free beer).
    • Two burger tents serving gluten-free burgers and hot dogs, wings and more.
    • Additional on-site gluten-free vendors (listed below)
  • Packaged gluten-free beer, Yacht Water, and other GF beverages will be available for purchase to-go.
  • Live music, lawn games, and a family-friendly outdoor vibe.

GLUTEN FREEDOM FESTIVAL ATL VENDORS TO INCLUDE*:

  • Argentis gluten free Bakery (Formerly 2BWhole)
  • Botánico Cocina
  • Disco Chicken
  • Heavenly Cakes by Pharez
  • Hell Yeah Gluten Free
  • Hoagie Brothers
  • Love It Gluten Free
  • The Local Graze
  • Valley’s Bakery
  • More to be announced.

* Full list of vendors available at www.mondaynightbrewing.com

ATLANTA COMMUNITY FOOD BANK DONATIONS

Attendees of Gluten Freedom Festival ATL are asked to consider bringing a gluten free canned or dry goods to donate to the Atlanta Community Food Bank. This will help them and their partner agencies provide food assistance to those with food security needs, including gluten free diets.

HOLY CHICKEN SANDWICH AT HORIZON THEATRE

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/25/26

Horizon Theatre Serves Up Wildly Theatrical Comedy HOLY CHICKEN SANDWICH

Aug. 21–Sept. 19, 2026

Atlanta playwright Kira Rockwell mixes sharp humor and chicken-fried chaos

“A cleverly funny show with a lot of heart. A clucking good time!”
The New England Theatre Geek

Horizon Theatre Company presents HOLY CHICKEN SANDWICH, a wildly theatrical new comedy by award-winning Atlanta playwright Kira Rockwell, running Aug. 21–Sept. 19, 2026, with a press opening Aug. 28. Directed by Horizon Theatre Co-Artistic Director Lisa Adler, the comedy gathers 100 zealous fans of the fictional fast-food chain Holy Chicken Grail for an overnight parking lot campout and the chance to win a year of free fried chicken combos. But as the night unfolds, it becomes clear there’s a fox in the chicken coop. Loyalties are tested, sides are drawn and the flock begins to fracture—with a lot more at stake than free chicken.

On the eve of Holy Chicken Grail’s highly anticipated grand opening, devotees arrive with tents, sleeping bags and plenty of enthusiasm, ready to camp overnight for the ultimate prize. Newly appointed store manager Jade is charged with keeping the crowd happy and the event under control. But strange disruptions and unexpected revelations soon turn a carefully orchestrated corporate celebration upside down. As tensions rise among campers, employees, influencers and YouTubers, Jade races to uncover the source of the chaos before the night spirals completely out of control.

Fresh, funny and topical, HOLY CHICKEN SANDWICH combines whip-smart humor, a shape-shifting ensemble and an absurd pantheon of chicken gods with a cheeky satire of our increasingly divided world. As the celebration unravels, loyalties deepen, opposing camps emerge and everyone becomes increasingly certain that the other side is the problem. Through the chicken-fried chaos, Rockwell takes a sharp, playful look at how our beliefs and values can bring us together—or send us scrambling to opposite sides of the parking lot. At the heart of it all: What is really in the secret sauce of devotion?

Horizon’s relationship with Rockwell began through its New South Young Playwrights Festival, where she served as a lead mentor and teacher for college student writers. Horizon Co-Artistic Director Lisa Adler then discovered Rockwell’s HOLY CHICKEN SANDWICH and immediately wanted to bring her distinctly Southern theatrical voice to Horizon audiences. “I loved the play’s humor and heart, and the way it finds comedy and humanity in the divisions we see all around us today,” explains director Lisa Adler.  “It felt like a perfect fit for Horizon—hilarious, smart, timely and ultimately about how we connect with one another.”

“My theatrical Southern roots stem from a background in Charismatic Pentecostalism, where I first encountered the power of communal storytelling through ritual and performance,” Rockwell said. “I explore themes of belief, values, group dynamics and the fine line between faith and fanaticism.” HOLY CHICKEN SANDWICH takes those ideas into the absurdly familiar world of a fast-food grand opening. A workshop production presented as part of the Boston New Works Festival earned praise from The New England Theatre Geek, which called the play “a cleverly funny show with a lot of heart” and “a clucking good time.”

Originally from the heart of Texas, Kira Rockwell is an Atlanta-based playwright and educator whose work has been developed and produced across Atlanta and nationally. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre performance from Baylor University, a Master of Fine Arts in playwriting from Boston University and was recently featured in American Theatre magazine as an artist to watch. Atlanta audiences may know her work from Actor’s Express’ acclaimed 2023 production of Oh, to Be Pure Again, for which she won the Gene-Gabriel Moore Playwriting Award from Atlanta’s Suzi Bass Awards. She currently teaches playwriting and screenwriting at Kennesaw State University.

HOLY CHICKEN SANDWICH features an ensemble cast of Atlanta comedic actors who transform rapidly among Holy Chicken Grail devotees, employees, influencers, YouTubers and even chickens.  Leading the cast is Cara Mantella as plucky new store manager Jade, shepherding her flock of 100 devoted “Grailers” through the night-long campout.

Surrounding Jade are the mysterious “Chicken Gods”—Wing, Tenderloin, Gizzard, Thigh and Drumstick—played by five actors who shape-shift through the many characters Jade encounters over the course of the night. Marcie Millard (Horizon’s Hot Jambalaya and Dog Mom) returns to the Horizon stage for her third show this year, playing main god Wing who takes on the roles of a reluctant momma “Grailer” who does not understand her daughter’s devotion, a middle-aged ASMR YouTuber, a Pentecostal widow and a mysterious “beggar woman.” Alejandra Ruiz (Kira Rockwell’s Oh, to Be Pure Again at Actor’s Express and Twelfth Night at the Atlanta Shakespeare Tavern) plays the god Tenderloin who becomes the enthusiastic Daughter, thrilled to be first in line for special treatment tonight, as well as a newlywed on a strange journey and a sunny influencer.  Brad Raymond (Horizon’s Wild with Happy and many Alliance Theatre productions) is the god Gizzard who takes on the roles of a Grandpa out for fun with the Cha Cha Slide, Parchesi and extra chicken tenders, Jade’s mentor and corporate leader Mr. True, and viral YouTuber Tik Tok Pops.  Myles Evans (The Hot Wing King, Alliance Theatre) is the god Thigh who transforms into Husband, a passionate Original Grailer and also Kevin, the popular “Holy Chicken Disciple” YouTuber, banished when he reveals something rotten in the company sauce and is here tonight to win back his former friend Jade. Alexander Anderson (KSU theatre student) plays the god Drumstick and Nicky, the brand new employee and young trans man, brimming with excitement for this special night. 

Director Lisa Adler (recently – Horizon’s I Carry Your Heart with Me, Roe) has led dozens of new works as a director or dramaturg for Horizon’s New South Play Festival, including The Waffle Palace, Waffle Palace Christmas, Third Country and many more.  Here she orchestrates the crazy world of HOLY CHICKEN SANDWICH with Horizon’s multiple Suzi Award-winning resident designers Isabel and Moriah Curley-Clay on scenic and Mary Parker on lighting. The creative team also includes Horizon newcomers costume designer Stephanie Dixon and sound designer John Michael Hoke (The Hobbit, Atlanta Shakespeare Tavern) and Horizon’s returning props master, Annabel Sapp. The production’s ensemble staging, rapid transformations and reality-bending plot bring big theatrical energy to a comedy with thought-provoking ideas simmering beneath the surface.

Performances begin Aug. 21, with a press opening Aug. 28, running through September 19.  Performances are on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sunday at 5 p.m.; and Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $40* on Wednesdays and Thursdays and $45* for Friday nights, Saturday nights and weekend matinees. Prices will increase as performances fill, so patrons are encouraged to order early for the best pricing and availability. Group pricing is available for parties of 10 or more. Groups of 10-24 receive $5 off the general admission ticket price. Groups of 25 or more receive $7 off the general admission ticket price. Students under 25 can purchase $20* tickets with valid student ID. *7.5% sales tax/fee is added to all ticket orders. Single ticket seating is general admission, with a reserved seating section for season subscribers. There is limited accessible seating for patrons needing accommodation, and it must be reserved by phone.  For tickets and more information, visit horizontheatre.com or call the Box Office at 404.584.7450.

For full actor and creative team bios, visit horizontheatre.com/plays/holy-chicken-sandwich.

CREATIVE TEAM

Playwright – Kira Rockwell
Director – Lisa Adler
Scenic Designers – Isabel and Moriah Curley-Clay
Lighting Designer – Mary Parker

Costume Designer – Stephanie Dixon
Props Designer – Annabel Sapp
Sound Designer – John Michael Hoke
Stage Manager – Tara Patterson
Assistant Stage Manager – Clarissa Mullig

CAST

Alexander Anderson (Drumstick, Nicky)
Myles Evans* (Thigh, Kevin, Husband, Secretary)
Cara Mantella* (Jade)
Marcie Millard (Wing, Mother, Widow, ASMR YouTuber, Beggar Woman)
Brad Raymond* (Gizzard, Grandpa, Mr. True, Tik Tok Pops)
Alejandra Ruiz (Tenderloin, Daughter, Wife, Influencer, Secretary)

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association

LIKEMINDS EXTENDS ITS RUN AT THE KROG DISTRICT THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/22/26

The Pop-Up Concept Continue With Fall Football, DJ Sets, Barbecue, Brunch, Food Pop-Ups, and More

ATL Shuck Boyz Fuel Monday Service Industry Nights

 LikeMinds is sticking around. Following an enthusiastic response to its opening and a packed World Cup run, the Krog District concept has extended its stay through the end of the year. Originally planned as a limited 120-day pop-up, LikeMinds is now fully embracing its sports bar status and setting up to be Atlanta’s fall football headquarters. The venue’s massive 16-by-9-foot screen, the largest along the Beltline’s Eastside Trail, will be tuned into the season’s biggest matchups and special events with full sound, including Atlanta United, SEC football, Atlanta Falcons, the World Series, and more. Music will remain a major part of the mix, with DJ Skooter on Fridays and DJs in regular rotation throughout Saturday brunch.

All that action calls for something substantial, and LikeMinds is answering with an expanded menu, including barbecue plates and an assortment of new appetizers created by Chef Julian Hower of Phoe Cue. While keeping plenty of LikeMinds favorites in play, including smoked wings, Korean barbecue egg rolls, Rockabilly Blues Meatballs, and Frazie’s Meat & Market sandos, LikeMinds is also adding new classics like Mr. Pink with Verlasso salmon, southern-style coleslaw, applewood smoked bacon, tomato, and sriracha in a warm spinach wrap.

On weekends, LikeMinds flips the record, serving up ‘Funk Brunch’ Saturdays and Sundays from 12 to 4 p.m., with barbecue plates, Southern brunch favorites, Cinna Guys cinnamon rolls, brunch cocktails and a soundtrack of funk, soul, and boogie through the afternoon. Menu highlights include the Fancy Biscuit & Gravy topped with pulled pork and egg and the $12 Hollar with bourbon maple sausage, egg, cheddar, and house peach jam.

The bar will continue to keep up with the expanded food and programming, with draft cocktails like the signature LikeMinded and Beltline Confidential, beer and wine, canned cocktails and wine, spritzes, NA beers, and THC beverages. Guests can also take advantage of The Turn at LikeMinds golf simulator lounge, billiards, and bar games throughout the 14,700-square-foot indoor and outdoor space.

On Mondays, LikeMinds teams up with ATL Shuck Boyz for Service Industry Night from 5 to 10 p.m., featuring oysters shucked to order, Southern-inspired plates, vinyl, and industry perks. The menu includes Southeastern raw oysters, Oysters Magic City, Okonomiyaki Hush Puppies, Blue Crab Pimento Cheese Dip, and more. Industry guests can show an ID or recent pay stub to take advantage of the night’s rotating perks.

LikeMinds will be located at 112 Krog Street NE, Atlanta, GA in the former BrewDog space. For more information about LikeMinds or to inquire about private events and sign up for the newsletter, visit 

LikeMindsATL.com. Follow along on Instagram @LikeMindsATL for progress updates and details on all our programming. 

ATLANTA’S BIG PEACH SIZZLER RETURNS LABOR DAY WEEKEND

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/18/26

Atlanta’s Big Peach Sizzler Returns Labor Day Weekend with 10K & 5K Benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Community.

The streets of Atlanta will once again come alive on Labor Day as the Big Peach Sizzler 10K & 5K returns Monday, September 7, bringing runners and walkers together for one of Atlanta’s favorite end-of-summer traditions while raising critical funds for the cystic fibrosis (CF) community.

Now in its 16th year, the Big Peach Sizzler is the signature fundraising event of BreatheStrong CF, an Atlanta-based nonprofit dedicated to advancing physical and mental wellness for people living with cystic fibrosis (CF) and their families.

The 5K will begin in Brookhaven at 7:00 a.m., followed by the 10K starting in Chamblee at 7:30 a.m. Both races will finish in Buckhead at 1 Buckhead Loop, creating a unique point-to-point experience for participants. Complimentary race-day shuttles will help participants return to their starting locations.

“Big Peach Sizzler is so much more than a race,” said Shawna Gray, Race Director for Big Peach Sizzler and Director of Programs & Events at BreatheStrong CF. “It is a celebration of community, movement and the ability to make a difference. Every registration, donation, volunteer and sponsor helps us provide programs that directly support people living with cystic fibrosis. And we have a great post-race party!”

Funds raised through the Big Peach Sizzler help BreatheStrong CF provide Exercise Grants, critical-needs assistance, wellness programming and opportunities that encourage physical activity and overall well-being for the CF community.

The organization awarded more than $350,000 in Exercise Grants in 2025, helping people with cystic fibrosis across the country access fitness equipment, gym memberships, and other resources that support an active lifestyle.

In addition to the traditional in-person races, BreatheStrong CF has Sizzler on the Go!, a virtual opportunity allowing members of the CF community and supporters from across the country to participate regardless of location.

A Labor Day Tradition with a Purpose

The Big Peach Sizzler has become a Labor Day tradition for Atlanta-area runners, walkers, families and community groups. Participants can run or walk the 5K or 10K while enjoying a festive finish-line celebration in Buckhead.

The event also offers opportunities for individuals, businesses and community organizations to get involved through sponsorships, volunteering, fundraising and community partnerships.

Registration is currently open at runsizzler.com.

DRAGON CON CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF POP CULTURE REVELRY

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/18/26

More Than 75,000 Fans Will Party on Peachtree for Five Days of Celebrity Guests, Eye-Popping Cosplay, Acres of Gaming, and Gloriously Geeky Awesomeness That Only Happens at Dragon Con

More than 75,000 pop culture fans are expected to pack downtown Atlanta over the five-day Labor Day weekend as Dragon Con, the internationally known pop culture, science fiction, fantasy, and gaming convention, celebrates its 40th anniversary.

Fans come from all 50 states and several foreign countries to meet their favorite actors, artists, authors, creators, and experts, show off their latest cosplay, make new friends, and revel in the awesomeness that is Dragon Con.

Dragon Con runs from Thursday, Sept. 3 through Monday, Sept. 7 with events and activities across five host hotels – Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Westin Peachtree, and Courtland Grand – plus AmericasMart Buildings Two and Three.

Guests – Oscar-nominated actor Edward James Olmos will lead a Battlestar Galactica cast reunion while Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk, stars of the fan favorite Firefly television series, anchor an only-at-Dragon Con mash-up of casts from Firefly, Castle, Resident Alien, and Tucker & Dale vs. Evil to meet fans, lead panel discussions, and sign autographs.

They will be joined by The Goonies’ Sean Astin, Stargate’s Richard Dean Anderson, Game of Thrones’ Lena Headey, Smallville’s Tom Welling and Erica Durance, Wednesday’s Evie Templeton and Isaac Ordonez, The Amazing Digital Circus’ Michael Kovach, Lower Decks’ Jack Quaid and Tawny Newsome, legendary comics creator and co-founder of Valiant Comics, Bob Layton, best known for his definitive, industry-revitalizing work on Marvel’s Iron Man, plus author Matt Dinniman and voice actor Jeff Hays, the creative duo behind the massive multi-media franchise Dungeon Crawler Carl. 

Fans of the 1990s cult classic Starship Troopers will get a chance to meet Denise Richards, Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Jake Busey, and Michael Ironside.

In addition, Dragon Con will host approximately 300 authors, artists, game designers, puppeteers, scientists, engineers, and other experts to lead panels and talk with fans across 38 programming tracks, from high fantasy to hard science.

Gaming – Dragon Con, one of the largest gaming conventions in the nation, offers more than three acres of gaming at AmericasMart Building Three, plus additional gaming and game-related programming in the nearby Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel.

Dragon Con offers the full array of games, including PC and console games, miniatures, role-playing games, collectible card games, social deception games, LARP games, and a basement full of familiar and rare board games. All gaming is free to Dragon Con members and begins Thursday, Sept. 3 at 4 p.m.

Fans can explore traditional arcade cabinet favorites and imports from across the Pacific in the ever-popular Japanese and Asian arcade, all of which are free to play. Atlanta’s own Joystick Game Bar returns with a pop-up version of its retro arcade in Peachtree Center Mall.

Programming highlights include game designer and astronaut Richard Garriott, a guest at Dragon Con’s first convention in 1987, discussing his efforts to regain control of his pioneering video game Ultima, while game designer and Origins Hall of Famer David “Zeb” Cook will draw on his 18 years’ of designing Dungeons & Dragons campaigns to lead fans in discussions of game design.

Celebrity Dungeon Master Mark Meer will lead a new D&D Live featuring the cast of Hades II, including Amelia Tyler, Erin Yvette, Jason Marnocha, Judy Alice Lee, Becca Q. Co, and Ashley Barrett; Final Fantasy XIV voice actors Peter Bramhill, Sena Bryer, and Javier Prusky will be on hand to talk about their experiences creating the game; and popular Twitch streamer AnEternalEnigma returns to perform his Silent Hill speedrun showcase.

Parade – Atlanta’s most colorful and always popular Dragon Con Parade steps off on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 10 am. The parade is free and open to the public.

The parade route remains the same as in past years. Beginning at the intersection of Peachtree Street and Linden Avenue, the parade will head south on Peachtree, east (left) on Andrew Young International Boulevard and north (left) on Peachtree Center Avenue. It will end on Peachtree Center Avenue between John Portman Boulevard and Baker Street, in front of the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

The route is convenient to three MARTA stations – North Avenue, Civic Center, and Peachtree Center. Parking downtown is expected to be tight. Dragon Con encourages parade spectators to ride MARTA.

The 2026 parade will be televised live on CBS Atlanta, with live coverage starting at 10 am and will remain on air through the entire parade. 

There are a number of live streaming options. DCTV will broadcast the parade live on a closed circuit to the convention’s host hotels, with rebroadcasts throughout the weekend. Parade coverage will also stream on dragoncon.tv, subscription required.

Cosplay – Dragon Con is well known for the quality of its cosplay and that tradition will certainly continue. The nation’s top cosplayers will show off their best work during the show, participating in costume contests every night of the convention and promenading throughout the five host hotels and the streets of downtown Atlanta.

Cosplay competitions remain a mainstay of Dragon Con. This year, there will be ten different contests, including the queen of competitions, Dragon Con Masquerade, the oldest continuously run competition in fandom; the craftsmanship-focused Friday Night Costume Contest; and the low-key and fan-voted Hallway Costume Contest.

Official Charity – Hope Atlanta, the state’s longest-standing nonprofit committed to preventing and ending homelessness,is Dragon Con’s official 2026 charity.

Combating homelessness is one of Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens’ signature priorities, supported by $60 million in public funding to drive a historic public-private investment in dignified housing and supportive services. The city tapped Hope Atlanta to provide one-on-one assistance to individuals and families seeking housing and other basic needs.

This year’s effort follows a landmark 2025 campaign, which generated $325,000 for mental health advocate NAMI Georgia through auctions, exclusive merchandise, special events, and a dollar-for-dollar match from the convention. Dragon Con has raised more than $2 million for Atlanta-based charities since 2012. 

In addition to fundraising, Dragon Con conducts the largest convention-based blood drive in the nation. Each year, some 3,000 fans donate more than 6,000 units of blood and blood products in the annual Robert A. Heinlein “Pay It Forward” blood drive, benefiting LifeSouth, which serves more than 40 hospitals in the Atlanta area and 110 hospitals in the Southeast.

GOLD COMES TO LIFE WITH AU ROOM AT PULLMAN YARDS, AUGUST 27 – OCTOBER 11, 2026

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/18/26

Produced by Pink Puma, Creators of Sold Out After Dark Cabaret Experience,

AU Room Features World-Class Aerialists, Choreography, Immersive Visuals, Music, and More

All Ticket Levels On Sale Now

All that glitters is gold with the Atlanta premiere of AU Room Show at Pullman Yards launching Thursday, August 27, and running for a limited time through Sunday, October 11. Inspired by humanity’s centuries-long fascination with gold, AU Room Show explores the beauty, power and temptation tied to it throughout history. Produced by Pink Puma Inc., in partnership with BucketListers and Pullman Yards, the 100-minute production blends World-class aerial performances with powerful music and contemporary choreography inspired by humanity’s relationship with gold and wealth—spectacular LED visuals and a rich theatrical atmosphere transform the stage into immersive worlds where story, music, movement, lighting, and design create an unforgettable evening. 

AU Room Show is created and produced by Polina Volchek, a former Cirque du Soleil soloist, four-time World Pole Sport & Artistic Pole Champion, world record holder and Master of Sports at the International Level. Volchek also produced the sold-out AfterDark Show, which made its Atlanta debut at Pullman Yards earlier this year.

“Gold has inspired civilizations for thousands of years. AU Room isn’t about luxury. It’s about our relationship with one of history’s most powerful symbols,” says Volchek. “We wanted to create a world where audiences don’t simply watch a performance; they step inside a living work of art.’

“Polina brings an extraordinary artistic perspective to AU Room, shaped in part by her Russian roots and a strong appreciation for theatrical storytelling, discipline, and visual artistry,” says Maureen Meulen of Pullman Yards. “Her talent to transform movement into emotion and create these breathtaking, immersive worlds is truly remarkable. Atlanta audiences are going to experience something remarkable, an artist at the height of her craft bringing her vision to life in a way that feels both timeless and completely original.”

Tickets for AU Room Show are on sale now, including Diamond and Platinum levels, which include one complimentary signature cocktail, wine, beer, champagne by the glass, or a non-alcoholic beverage. Performances will take place Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 8:30 p.m., and Sundays at 6 p.m. at Pullman Yards, located at 225 Rogers St. NE in Atlanta. All ticket levels and additional information are available online at auroom.show. AU Room Show is an all-ages show, but recommended for guests ages 12 and older.

Visit www.PullmanYards.com for the most up-to-date information on this and all experiences on the Pullman Yards complex. Pullman Yards is located at 225 Rogers Street NE, Atlanta, Georgia.

SUMMER SHADE FESTIVAL UNVEILS 2026 MUSIC, FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT LINEUP

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/17/26

Live Music, Deep South Wrestling, a New Kids Village, 140+ Artists and Makers, 

Vintage Finds, Local Eats and More Takeover Grant Park

Free to Attend and Benefitting Grant Park Conservancy 

Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 23, 2026

The annual Summer Shade Festival is just around the corner, returning to Grant Park on Saturday, August 22, and Sunday, August 23, for its 24th year. The free two-day festival will once again fill Atlanta’s oldest park with live music across the Main Stage and Gazebo, more than 140 artists and makers, vintage vendors, local food, family programming and the return of Deep South Wrestling. Presented by and benefiting the Grant Park Conservancy, Summer Shade takes place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday’s Main Stage lineup includes Yes Ma’am Band, Vanille Noire, Superstar, Predawn Pours, Sweet Melissa’s Blues Revue, James Hall and the Steady Wicked, KJ and the Funk Maysons,The Higher Choir and The Veldt. Over at the Gazebo, festival goers can catch BOLO BOYS, Questionable at Best, Crooked Roots, False Hearted Lovers, Bonemeal Baker and PeetMidnite and the Back Taxes. 

On Sunday, Happy to Be Here with Sonnie, Jarvis Taylor, Dave Franklin, Ghost Riders Car Club, Das Kaiser and Bully take the Main Stage, with Chasing the Light, Flat Tired, Bradley Cole Smith Band and Moonchild at the Gazebo. Yoga Poses Daily opens Saturday’s Main Stage programming and Sunday will also feature a Tree of Life Dojo demonstration.

Deep South Wrestling returns with four family-friendly matches throughout the weekend, taking place from 1 to 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 5 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 to 3 p.m. Sunday. The new Kids Village will also be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days near Loomis Plaza. With Musicologie’s Instrument Petting Zoo, gymnastics activities from The Little Gym of Grant Park, robotics with Sim2Real Academy, and toys, coloring and soft play for younger festival goers from the Grant Park Parents Network.

Food is also getting plenty of room at this year’s festival, with a mix of new and returning vendors serving everything from tacos, banh mi and burgers to barbecue, Korean corn dogs, gyros, noodles, crepes, pretzels, frozen treats and more. New additions include Argentine Eats, Banh Mi Chi Em, Big Softie, Cultured South, Dolce Tropical, El Ponce, Fair on Wheels, Not Your Nonna’s, Pretty Little Tacos, Bangin’ Burgers and Buns and Top That Chocolate. Returning favorites include Bun & Bites, Carbart’s K-dogs, Coffyn Pyes, Different Twist Pretzel Co., Gumbowl, Gyro Chef, Island Noodles, King of Pops, Lisa’s Creperie, Ms. Pearl’s BBQ & Soul Food, Repicci’s Italian Ice, The Pickle Food Truck, Williamson Bros. BBQ and YOM Ice Cream, among others.

Beverage options will include SweetWater beer, Climbing Kites THC beverages and Creature Comforts Sunglow vodka seltzers.

Throughout the weekend, more than 140 artists, makers and vintage vendors from across the Southeast will fill the park with handmade goods, original artwork, jewelry, vintage clothing, home décor, specialty foods and small-batch finds, Over in the Vintage Area near Milledge Fountain, Grant Park neighbor Port Royal will DJ throughout both days. Festivalgoers will have plenty to explore between sets, matches and bites.

The Grant Park Conservancy Summer Shade Festival (800 Cherokee Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30315) is produced by and benefits the Grant Park Conservancy, the non-profit organization committed to the restoration, maintenance, and beautification of historic Grant Park. For the most up to date information about this year’s Summer Shade Festival, visit www.summershadefestival.org. Stay connected on Instagram at @grantpark.atlanta and Facebook at facebook.com/SummerShadeFestival. 

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SUMMER SHADE 2026 MUSIC LINEUP

Saturday:

Main Stage:
11:00 a.m. – Yoga Poses Daily
12:00 p.m. – Yes Ma’am Band
12:50 p.m. – Vanille Noire
1:55 p.m. – Superstar
2:50 p.m. – Predawn Pours
3:50 p.m. – Sweet Melissa’s Blues Revue
4:45 p.m. – James Hall and the Steady Wicked
5:50 p.m. – KJ and the Funk Maysons
7:00 p.m. – The Higher Choir
8:30 p.m. – The Veldt

Gazebo:
12:00 p.m. – BOLO BOYS
1:00 p.m. – Deep South Wrestling
1:30 p.m. – Questionable at Best
2:30 p.m. – Crooked Roots
3:45 p.m. – False Hearted Lovers
4:30 p.m. – Deep South Wrestling
5:00 p.m. – Bonemeal Baker
6:00 p.m. – PeetMidnite and the Back Taxes

Sunday:

Main Stage:
12:00 p.m. – Happy to Be Here with Sonnie
1:00 p.m. – Jarvis Taylor
2:05 p.m. – Dave Franklin
3:10 p.m. – Ghost Riders Car Club
4:00 p.m. – Tree of Life Dojo Demonstration
4:35 p.m. – Das Kaiser
5:45 p.m. – Bully

Gazebo:
12:00 p.m. – Chasing the Light
1:00 p.m. – Deep South Wrestling
1:30 p.m. – Flat Tired
2:30 p.m. – Deep South Wrestling
3:00 p.m. – Bradley Cole Smith Band
4:00 p.m. – Moonchild

COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME FOOTBALL FEST & FREE DAY

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/17/26

College Football Hall of Fame to Officially Kick Off the 2026 College Football Season with Football Fest & Free Day, Presented by the Peach Bowl 

Annual celebration offers free admission, interactive experiences, family-friendly activities and appearances from some of Atlanta’s biggest sports organizations 

The Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame is officially kicking off the 2026 college football season in Atlanta with its annual Football Fest & Free Day, presented by the Peach Bowl, on Saturday, August 22. Fans of all ages are invited to enjoy FREE admission throughout the day while experiencing everything the Hall has to offer, and a few surprises unique to the Capital of College Football. 

Guests can experience the Hall’s world-class interactive exhibits alongside appearances and activities featuring some of Atlanta’s biggest sports organizations, including the College GameDay Bus Built by The Home Depot, representatives from the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Vibe and Clark Atlanta University cheerleaders, as well as local marching bands, mascots, live entertainment and more. Football-themed activities and family-friendly games will take place throughout the Hall and extend outdoors onto Marietta Street. 

Visitors will also get a first look at the dedicated display honoring the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame Class. Football Fest & Free Day offers fans a chance to celebrate the return of college football while experiencing the energy, traditions and personalities that make Atlanta the Capital of College Football. 

WHEN: Saturday, August 22, 2026 

10 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET 

WHERE: Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame 

250 Marietta St., N.W. Atlanta, GA 30313 

ALTATORO INTRODUCES NEW WEEKLY PAELLA DATE NIGHT EXPERIENCE EVERY WEDNESDAY

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/11/26

 AltaToro, Atlanta’s modern Latin restaurant in Midtown, is giving guests a new reason to look forward to Wednesdays with the launch of Paella Date Night, a weekly dining experience pairing shareable paella with a bottle of wine for just $50.

Beginning this week, guests can visit AltaToro every Wednesday from 5–10 p.m. to enjoy a shareable paella paired with their choice of a bottle of red, white or sparkling wine. Designed with date nights in mind, the weekly experience is equally suited for dinner with friends, celebrations or anyone looking to turn an ordinary Wednesday into a night out.

Guests can choose between two signature paellas:

Paella Mixta features shrimp, mussels, calamari and chicken with Dacsa rice, bell pepper, onion, tomato and chicken stock. The paella is served to share and is gluten-free.

Paella de la Tierra combines flat iron steak and chicken with Dacsa rice, bell pepper, onion, tomato and chicken stock. The dish is also served to share and is gluten-free.

“Paella is meant to bring people together,” said Ayman Kamel of AltaToro. “We wanted to create something that feels special enough for a date night but approachable enough to become a weekly tradition. Pairing our shareable paellas with a bottle of wine at $50 makes Wednesday night an easy excuse to gather around the table.”

Located in the heart of Midtown Atlanta, AltaToro celebrates the flavors and spirit of Latin America through a modern dining experience, vibrant atmosphere and shareable dishes. Paella Date Night continues that philosophy by putting an interactive, communal dining experience at the center of the evening.

Paella Date Night at AltaToro
Every Wednesday | 5–10 p.m.
$50 per shareable paella + one bottle of wine
Choice of red, white or sparkling wine
Free validated parking

For more information or to make a reservation, visit AltaToro or follow AltaToro on social media.