Cool Things To Do in December in Atlanta

By Mary Welch

Published November 14, 2023
Last Updated December 2, 2024

December is a great time to be in Atlanta. The list of cool things to do seems endless. There’s unparalleled shopping, great themed entertainment, holiday light displays galore and wonderful restaurants where you can enjoy a cocktail and relax for a minute or two.

College Football: Three Big Games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium

SEC Championship

Set your alarms for 4 p.m. Dec. 7. That is kick-off time for the SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Georgia Bulldogs face the Texas Longhorns. Yes, tickets are expensive, but fans can get in on the excitement at the pre-game Dr. Pepper SEC FanFare. Three-time Grammy Award-winning stars Dan + Shay will headline the T-Mobile SEC Championship Concert ahead of the game. Dan + Shay, whose No. 1 hits include “Tequila,” “Speechless” and “10,000 Hours, will take the stage in Building B of the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. The concert kicks off at noon. The Marty & McGee Show will be broadcast live from noon until 1 p.m. SEC Nation Live will be broadcast from 1 until 4 p.m. Pep rallies begin at 1:15 p.m. More events include: a 40-yard dash, an opportunity to kick a field goal, a photo op with the championship trophy and plenty to do in the gaming area.

Cricket Celebration Bowl

The Cricket Celebration Bowl, which features the the South Carolina State Bulldogs of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and champion of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), kicks off at Mercedes-Benz Stadium at noon on Dec. 14. Ahead of that, there are lots of events and activities. On Dec. 11, Coca-Cola will host a welcome reception and dinner for the teams and coaches, and the teams will attend a Coca-Cola Taste of Atlanta reception. On Thursday, there will be a Champions Circle Showcase Dinner Reception at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame. On Friday, there will be a swim clinic at Morehouse College, a Guardian of the Games Awards Dinner honoring women leaders in sports; a SWAC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and a Band of the Year event. On Saturday, there will be an HBCU swim meet at Morehouse College, the Coca-Cola Fan Experience at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and a high school band jamboree.

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

The Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl kicks off at 1 p.m. New Year’s Day. On New Year’s Eve, Georgia Aquarium plans Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Fan Night. Fans are invited to explore all the aquarium’s galleries and attend a mini-pep rally that will feature each team’s cheerleaders and mascots. The cafe and cash bar will be available from 4 until 6 p.m.

Cirque du Soleil Performs at Fox Theatre

“’Twas the Night Before” by Cirque du Soleil graces the Fox Theatre stage during the first two weeks of December. Presented by Regions Bank Broadway in Atlanta, the performance is Cirque du Soleil’s first Christmas show, and, of course, is based on the classic poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” about a jaded young girl who rediscovers the magic of Christmas. A festive flurry of love and cheer created especially for families, “‘Twas the Night Before”’ features thrilling acrobatics performed by a cast of 26 artists hailing from all over the world. 

Anime Weekend in Atlanta

Anime Weekend in Atlanta is set for Dec. 12-15 at the Georgia World Congress Center. There will be video games, tabletop games, the video art track and an expansive manga library. Also look for concerts, costume contests, dances, a fashion show and a formal ball, karaoke, panels and workshops.

The Butcher and the Baker. . .

Atlantans take the farm-to-table movement seriously and that includes our protein. There are several butcher shops around town with the newest being Frazie’s Meat & Market in the developing neighborhood of Riverside. Mark Frazie has worked in some of the city’s best restaurants and now he sources his meats, such as certified Angus beef and Georgia Grown Wagyu, from the best local sellers. His shop also specializes in artisanal market goods, many of which are produced in the neighborhood, such as Fulton Street Creamery Ice Cream. Make sure to stop in and order Frazie’s homemade sandwiches with sides and “meat boxes.”

Other great butcher shops include: Kinship Butcher & Sundry in Virginia Highland, Buckhead Butcher Shop, Spotted Trotter in Kirkwood,and Evergreen Butcher and Baker in East Atlanta — where they really do have a butcher and a baker — but no candlestick maker.

Happy Hanukkah

Hanukkah begins on Dec. 25. Davis Academy presents L’l Shabbat: Hanukkah Around the World for young children and their families on Dec. 7. There will be Shabbat songs and stories followed by a “world tour” to learn how families in different countries celebrate Hanukkah.

Atlanta Municipal Market Turns 100

Atlanta’s only publicly owned market, The Municipal Market, turned 100 and it’s still going strong. The market has acted as a small business incubator for new food industries entrepreneurs and helped launched the careers of Atlanta restaurant icons Tom Murphy of Murphy’s Restaurant, Alex Bronstein of Grindhouse Killer Burger, Matt Hinton of Bell Street Burritos and Lisette Hernandez of Arepa Mia.

Started in 1918, farmers would bring their food and produce to sell under a huge tent and the market thrived on historic Auburn Avenue. Today more than 30 merchants provide fresh produce, meats, seafood and speciality items for shoppers and restaurants.

‘The Nutcracker’

What says Christmas more than “The Nutcracker?” Yes, Tchaikovsky’s magical score puts visions of sugar plums and dancing toy soldiers in our heads. Luckily for Atlantans there are two versions of this amazing ballet performing this year, both at the Fox Theatre. The first, “Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet,” takes place Dec. 19-20, and features world-class dancers with towering puppets, dazzling costumes and breathtaking acrobatics. The second, the “Hip Hop Nutcracker,” is a contemporary dance spectacle that features a supercharged cast of all-star dancers, a DJ, violinist and MC Kurtis Blow, one of hip-hop’s founding father.s The show takes place Dec. 26 and brings the audience on a journey that celebrates love, community and the magic of the holiday season.

Sorcery of Sustenance

The Atlanta Contemporary presents Masud Olufani’s A Sorcery of Sustenance, a collection of recently completed sculptures that trace the cultural retentions of the African diaspora through food. The exhibit runs through Feb. 2, 2025, and examines food production within the Black community as a means of satisfying the body as well as the spirit.

The connection between the physical and the metaphysical is a belief deeply imbedded within many indigenous cultures around the world. In this exhibition, traditional African American food sources such as grain, yams, black-eyed peas, okra and rice are reinterpreted in sculptural forms inspired by Olufani’s travels throughout West Africa. Masud Olufani, Atlanta based multidisciplinary artist, is also an assistant professor of art and visiting arts fellow at Morehouse College.

Feast of the Seven Fishes

You don’t have to be Italian to celebrate the Feast of the Seven Fishes, which takes place on Christmas Eve — just go to one of our amazing Italian restaurants such as Pricci, Amore e Amore, Davio’s or Capolinea in the Signia by Hilton Hotel.

Atlanta is All Aglow

Atlanta celebrates the holiday season with good cheer — and lots and lots of lights. Many of our buildings and plazas, such as Peachtree Center, Colony Square, Lenox Square, and Phipps Plaza get in the holiday spirit with lights and festive decorations. But, if you want to be truly bedazzled, check out the several light shows including the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Garden Lights, Holiday Nights, with more than 265,980 sparking lights. Other light shows can be enjoyed at Atlantic Station, Stone Mountain Park, which has more than two million LED lights and a show featuring 250 drones lighting up the sky, and Margaritaville at Lake Lanier. Getting a little tired of the holiday themes? Then Zoo Atlanta is for you. IllumiNights at Zoo Atlanta where there is a mile-long path of lanterns of animals throughout Atlanta. Here’s Where to See Holiday Lights in Atlanta.

Tiny Tim Returns to Alliance Theatre

The Alliance Theatre has delighted audiences with its annual “A Christmas Carol” for the past 35 years, and, it’s back again.!Tiny Tim, who helps Ebenezer Scrooge find the real meaning of Christmas, is there along with Mrs. Cratchit and the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Future.

Shoppers Gotta Shop

We all know that we the real meaning of the holiday is to spread love and spend time with families. But, let’s face it, we want to shop. Those stockings need to be filled, and don’t forget about presents under the tree! Atlanta has a shop for everyone whether you want to buy a custom hat at B.M. Franklin & Co., a party dress at Lenox Square or a unique item at neighborhood boutiques in Virginia Highland, East  Atlanta or the Westside.

Toast the Season with a Mocktail

Mocktails are popular, and Atlantla’s amazing mixologists are creating out-of-this world drinks so delicious that you don’t even miss the spirits. Try the Pineapple Dream at Azotea Cantina at Atlantic Statio, or the Jungle Bird with Seedlip agave, pineapple, lime and bitters over at Tiny Lou’s in the Hotel Clermont or, frankly, anything on the menu at The Sober Social Bar where, not only are the cocktails alcohol free, but so are the wines and beer. Find out Where to Get Zero-Proof Cocktails in Atlanta.

Stop in at Painted Park

Painted Hospitality opened its newest concept, Painted Park. Located in the former Brasserie and Neighborhood Cafe at Parish space in Inman Park on North Highland Avenue, Painted Park is a recreational place of assembly, green space and a private events venue.

Located in the once-abandoned 1890 Atlanta Pipe and Foundry Company terminal building, the space includes two interior bars, a dance floor, a floating DJ booth, a new addition overlooking the Eastside Beltline Trail, a lower-level gaming parlor, two covered patio, and an underground tunnel that connects to a Beltline frontage namesake “Park” with a gazebo bar, beach and lawn games, outdoor TVs and firepits.

The menu focuses on stackable “shareware” including salads, bowls, sandwiches and weekend brunch, while the bar program highlights “coastal” staples and classic cocktails, local and craft beer, and artisanal wines.

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

Journalist Mary Welch writes business and lifestyle stories for local and national publications.