Hello, local readers! Hot off the press is this week’s edition of our weekend guide, filled with the best things to do in and around Atlanta this Thursday through Sunday. Don’t forget to add our tips to your Foursquare To-Do list, and as always, be sure to add anything we missed in the comments section. Enjoy your weekend!!
Corks and Forks at the 2011 Summer Shade Festival
Historic Grant Park. Saturday and Sunday, 1-5pm. Tickets: $35 in advance/$45 at the gate.
Enjoy an upscale food experience in Atlanta’s oldest park. Over 20 of the city’s finest chefs will be on hand to indulge your inner foodie. Sample the best craft beer, ale and wine picks for 2011. Complementary wine tasting and selection workshops top off this lively event.
More info and directions
Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival 2011
Adams Park. Friday, 5 p.m. – 11 p.m. Free.
Nothing says summer in Georgia like peaches and home-cooked BBQ. Watch as teams compete for over $14,000 in cash and prizes at the largest barbecue championship in Georgia. Enjoy delicious food, live music, kid-friendly entertainment and even an aerial display by Fort Benning’s Silver Wings Paratroopers.
More info and directions
German Bierfest Atlanta
Woodruff Park. Saturday, 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. $30 in advance.
Head to Woodruff Park this Saturday to find out why people often cite German beer as some of the best in the world. Attendees can try pours from Beck’s to more unique brews and everything in between. The event also features live music and a kid zone, making this the only family-friendly beerfest in Atlanta.
More info and directions
Decatur ARTS Live
4/5 Academy at Fifth Avenue. Saturday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. $10 for adults, $5 for children, or $20 for families.
This fun-for-the-whole-family event features a variety of performers including jugglers, mimes, singers, storytellers, dancers, and more. All performers are part of Young Audiences, Woodruff Arts Center, an organization dedicated to sharing the arts with young students and all proceeds go to the 4/5 Academy Parent Teacher Organization.
More info and directions
ONE Musicfest
Saturday, August 27. 12PM. Park Tavern. $37.
The second annual ONE Musicfest is joining forces with Park Tavern’s annual Crab & Shrimp Festival for what promises to be a day-long feast for all five senses. Performances by artists Anoop Desai, Anthony David, The Cool Kids, and others, an X Box gaming station, mixology lessons, henna artists, massage chairs, and a Tweet Up are just a few of the entertainment options at this event.
More info and directions
Sixth Annual Atlanta Midtown Restaurant Week
Saturday, August 27 – Sunday, September 4. Various locations. $25 or $35.
Dine at some of Midtown’s most luxurious restaurants without breaking the bank! Participating restaurants are offering a $25 and $35 prix fixe dinner menu (not including tax and tip), comprised of an appetizer, main course, and dessert. Restaurants involved in the event include 4th & Swift, Abattoir, Ecco, Gordon Biersch, Livingston Restaurant + Bar, Rosa Mexicano, South City Kitchen Midtown, Steel Restaurant & Lounge, Veni Vidi Vici, and many more.
More info
Kohl’s Cares for Kids Healthy Back-to-School Fair
Kohl’s Woodstock. Saturday, 10:30 a.m. Free.
Keeping kids healthy and happy is every parent’s goal. Kohl’s has joined forces with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to help parents learn health-benefiting tips and tricks to help their children stay healthy this school year. Fun for the whole family, the kids can stay active while enjoying games, crafts, face painting and bouncing on the school-bus shaped moonwalk.
More info and directions
V.A.M.P. –Vintage Apparel Market Place
Scott Lowden Photography Studio. Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission: $5 at the door.
Get your shopping fix at the first Vintage Apparel Market Place (V.A.M.P.). Fifteen vendors will sell their coveted wares from the 1920s through the 1980s. Music by D.J. Zano, and a visit from the Good Food Truck round out this unique shopping experience. The first 100 customers will receive a V.A.M.P. tote bag designed by the elusive artist Catlanta!
More info and directions
Photo credit: kthread on Flickr