Cool Things To Do in August in Atlanta

By Luz Castillo

Last Updated June 18, 2026

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Summer isn’t over yet. As we head into fall, there is no shortage of cool things to do in Atlanta during August.

Festivals

Piedmont Park Arts Festival

Piedmont Park Arts Festival, Aug. 15 and 16, is held annually in, natch, Piedmont Park. Ranked among the top arts festivals in the U.S, it features roughly 250 visual arts from painters, photographers, sculptures, jewelers and glassblowers.There will be live acoustic music, DJ sets and artist demonstrations. There’ will be designated children’s play area alongside various festival food and beverage vendors. 

Atlanta Underground Film Festival

The 23rd annual Atlanta Underground Film Festival will be held at 7 Stages Theatre Aug. 6-9. Located in the Little Five Points neighborhood with a diverse lineup of independent, genre-blending and experimental films as well as short features and documentaries. The festival traditionally features daily screenings, Q&A sessions with directors, filmmaker mixers and after parties

Grant Park Summer Shade Festival

The free two-day Grant Park Summer Shade Festival in Grant Park occurs Aug. 22 and 23, featuring music, an artist market, food market and a 5K benefitting the Grant Park Conservancy. The festival celebrates and supports the conservancy’s mission to restore and maintain the historic park. 

Atlanta Totally Rad Vintage Fest at the Atlanta Expo Center 

The Totally Rad Vintage Fest will return to the Atlanta Expo Center on Aug. 15, bringing vendors specializing in ’80s, ’90s and Y2K fashion, nostalgic toys, retro home goods and vinyl records. 

Third Annual Bloody Peach Film Festival 

The Third Annual Bloody Peach Film Festival celebrates indie films at Moving in the Spirit on La France Street Aug. 28 from noon until 7 p.m. The awards ceremony occurs Aug. 30.

Community Health Festival

The C.T. Martin Natatorium is the site of a community health festival Aug. 1 from noon until 6 p.m. There will be vendors, mental health professionals, personal trainers, food, DJs, raffles and giveaways.

Special Events

Glow Nights at Georgia Aquarium

Glow Nights at the Georgia Aquarium takes place nightly through Aug. 9. it begins daily at 4 p.m. and runs until closing. Gow Nights highlight glowing corals, jellyfish and radiant marine life. There are performances from aerialists, jugglers and unicyclists., and guests can get glow in the dark temporary tattoos, take themed photos, and try special glowing food and beverages. For adults age 18 and older, the aquarium hosts a separately ticketed after hours cocktail party from 7:30 until 10:30 p.m. Those age 21 and older may consume alcohol, and there are non-alcoholic mocktails for guests not yet 21.

See Tesla vs. Edison at Center for Puppetry Arts

The Center for Puppetry Arts presents Tesla vs. Edison Aug. 5-23. Two brilliant inventors square off in the most famous rivalry of the industrial age. Thomas Edison, an entrepreneur and master showman, faces Nikola Tesla, the visionary dreamer with lightning in his imagination. Told through striking large-scale puppetry and special effects — including a live Tesla coil on stage, the performance  transforms science into theatrical magic. The performance is for ages 18 and older.

Sports

TOUR Championship Returns

THE PGA’s TOUR Championship at the East Lake Golf Club returns Aug. 26-30. The TOUR Championship is the dramatic season finale of the PGA Tour where the top 30 golfers compete for the prestigious FedExCup trophy and a multi-million dollar grand prize.

MEAC/SWAC Game Kicks Off College Football Season

The Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff is an annual college football game sponsored by Cricket Wireless, that serves as the official start of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) football season. It matches up a top team from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) against one from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) on neutral turf at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta. The 2026 game is set for Aug. 29. This year’s game pits Howard University (MEAC) against Alabama A&M University (SWAC). The high-profile matchup opens the college football season in “Week 0” and is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. The game is celebration of HBCU culture, pride and community. The Battle of the Bands, a world class halftime performance from the marching bands, adds to the excitement. The weekend includes official tailgates, fan festivals, corporate networking events and concerts.   

MLB

Atlanta Braves Home Games at Truist Park:

Atlanta Braves vs. Washington Nationals – July 31 – Aug. 2

Atlanta Braves vs. Miami Marlins – Aug. 4,5 and 6

Atlanta Braves vs. New York Mets – Aug. 10, 11 and 12

Atlanta Braves vs. Arizona Diamondbacks – Aug. 14, 15 and 16

Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers – Aug. 25, 26 and 27

Atlanta Braves vs. Colorado Rockies – Aug. 28, 29 and 30

WNBA

Atlanta Dream Home Games at Gateway Center

Atlanta Dream vs. Las Vegas Aces, Aug. 3

Atlanta Dream vs. Phoenix Mercury, Aug. 5

Atlanta Dream vs. Toronto Tempo – Aug. 10

Atlanta Dream vs. Portland Fire – Aug. 28

Atlanta Dream vs. Minnesota Lynx – Aug. 30

Atlanta Dream Home Games at State Farm Arena

Atlanta Dream vs. Indiana Fever – Aug. 16

MLS Atlanta United Games at Mercedes Benz Stadium:

Atlanta United vs. New York Red Bulls – Aug. 15

Atlanta United vs. Sporting Kansas – Aug. 23

Atlanta United vs. Charlotte FC – Aug. 29

Music

Fox Theatre

Mon LaFerte, Aug. 2

Cortis, Aug. 8

Squeeze, Aug. 22

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Chris Stapleton, Aug. 21

ACDC, Aug. 27

State Farm Arena

Mumford & Sons, Aug. 4

Olivia Dean, Aug. 22

R&B Lovers Tour, Aug. 29

ASAKE, Aug. 3

For things to do in Atlanta anytime, check in with our calendar of events.

Luz Castillo is a public relations strategist with more than a decade of experience leading award-winning communications campaigns for tourism destinations, hospitality and food and beverage brands globally. As a contributing writer for Discover Atlanta, she combines her expertise in storytelling with her passion for food, dining and travel to highlight the city’s best attractions from a local’s point of view.

Originally Published June 24, 2025