Cool Things To Do in June in Atlanta
Published May 10, 2023
Last Updated May 9, 2024
Summer is gearing up so get out your calendars because there are plenty of cool things to do in Atlanta in June.
Lettuce Enjoy the Summer
Yes, it’s bathing suit weather and there are plenty of restaurants around town that offer great salads to help maintain your sleek physique for the summer. Try out Fresh To Order (our favorite is the Super Greens Mediterranean), and the salad nicoise at Bistro Niko in Buckhead. Also, try the chopped salad at Falafel Nation, the Cobb salad at By George in the Candler Hotel and the arugula salad at Lure. For a more exotic salad, try the spiced watermelon salad or the chaat chicken salad at NaanStop, the rucola salad at Serena Pastificio’s, the wedge at the Americano, the falafel salad from Rina or the kale Caesar at Atrium.
Hot Time in the City
Yes, one of Atlanta’s favorite summer festivals, the Virginia Highland Summerfest, goes into gear June 7 and 9 with more than 200 fine art booths, live music, a 5K fun run, kids fest and food trucks. Rimming the festival are some great restaurants such as Moe’s & Joe’s Tavern, George’s, Murphy’s, Highland Tap, Fontaine’s and La Trattoria.
It’s Golden at Mellow Mushroom
Mellow Mushroom, which serves stone-baked piazzas in more than 160 locations across 17 states, started in Atlanta 50 years ago. Dubbing its pizzas a “Higher Order of Pizza” Mellow Mushroom has a loyal and cult-like following thanks to its secret dough, red sauce and counterculture attitude. To celebrate its anniversary, Mellow Mushroom is bringing back a mix of fan favorites and new menu items for a limited time. These includes Super Pepp Pizza and Chop To It Salad.
In addition, Mellow Mushroom is toasting the big 5-0 with the launch of a pop-up happy hour set to take place across various Mellow locations throughout summer and fall.
Juneteenth Celebration
Celebrate Juneteenth and cheer on the parade at the Juneteenth celebration in Piedmont Park June 21-23. The June 22 parade starts at the King Center and ends at Piedmont Park and features dancers, bands, floats and a flyover by the Tuskegee Airman. Other activities include concerts, a 5K Freedom run and a Battle of the Bands.
See ‘Les Misérables’ at Fox Theatre
The acclaimed production of Boublil and Schönberg’s Tony Award-winning musical phenomenon, “Les Misérables,” comes to the Fox Theatre June 4-9.
Set against the backdrop of 19th century France, “Les Misérables” tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption — a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. This epic and uplifting story is one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history. The score of “Les Misérables” includes the songs “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Bring Him Home” and “One Day More.”
Action! — Kid Style
The 17th annual Atlanta Children’s Film Festival takes place at various locations June 7-23 with two-and-a-half weeks of eye-opening and exciting activities, including film screenings and workshops for children, teens and industry professionals. Showcasing films produced by youth and adult independent filmmakers from around the world, the festival promotes positive, educational and entertaining children and family-oriented independent programs.
A Rocking Good Time
Taste of Atlanta does it again with Food That Rocks, which brings some of Sandy Springs’ best restaurants together for food, beverage and decadent dessert tastings. The popular event takes place June 6 at City Spring. Add live music from Oxford Soul to the menu and you are guaranteed a rocking good time. In addition to the unlimited tastings there will be cooking demonstrations and an array of interactive experiences. Food That Rocks is a “Party with a Purpose” in partnership with Community Assistance Center and Second Helpings Atlanta.
Float Like a Butterfly
On June 1-2, the Chattahoochee Nature Center (CNC) kicks off the 25th annual Flying Colors Butterfly Festival that celebrates all pollinators and the grand opening of the CNC’s most popular seasonal exhibit, the Butterfly Encounter. Get up close and personal with native butterflies while learning about them from the CNC’s staff and naturalists. Make sure you take part in the Migration Game as well as enjoy tasty food and live entertainment.
Livin’ on the Fringe
Since 2012 the Atlanta Fringe Festival has provided a week of live theater, comedy, storytelling, puppetry, dance and fun. This year there will be 28 productions and 112 performances in various venues from June 3-9. Among the touring artists will be the Imaginary Podcast Network, a comedy improv group, Spotlight Exchange, a performance ensemble from Taiwan and Hong Kong, and the Speakeasy Sirens, a monster burlesque comedy group. There also will be two days of free programming for kids age 18 and younger. Venues include 7 Stages, The Marianna at Wrecking Bar Brewpub and Limelight Theater.
Music, Music, Music
A celebration of music as art will take place June 8 in Cabbagetown, one of the city’s historic neighborhoods. All of the profits will go to musicians in an effort to support and build a more vibrant music community in the city. Among the musicians will be Kenny Banks Jr., CC Sunchild, The Ayah Drummers and Leah Calvert.
The Place for Pickleball
The Painted Pickle is a high-end pickleball “compeatery,” gaming and entertainment venue at Armour Yards between Buckhead and Midtown.
The 32,500-square-foot space houses an indoor pickleball courtyard with eight boutique individually hedge-contained courts with permanent nets and several original 36-foot-long industrial doors to make the courts “al fresco.”
Separate from the courtyard, in the food, beverage and gaming space, guests can enjoy a stage for live music and other competitive pub games and social amenities including an indoor putting green and gaming lawn, Ping-Pong, bucketball, subsoccer tables, cornhole, table shuffleboard, darts, strategy and board games, beach and lawn games and other competitive gaming options.
Sneaker Stories
The Museum of Graffiti, the first of its kind art museum, will bring its traveling exhibition, Sneaker Stories, presented by Modelo, to Ponce City Market May 31-June 2. This free experience explores the historical ties and evolving relationship between graffiti art and sneaker culture. Presented in the style of a sneaker store, the immersive exhibition highlights the many crossover collaborations between graffiti artists and global commercial brands like Nike, Adidas and Reebok. Guests will also be able to experience Museum of Graffiti’s world-class gift shop, a complimentary sneaker customization bar and panel discussions by some of the artists throughout the weekend.
Get Messy — Artfully
Want to have fun painting but not worry about going outside the lines? Well, Atlanta has some places for you. Try out the newly opened Spin Art Nation Atlanta where you can choose from several packages and create art, get messy and have fun. Try the Bicycle Spin Art option, for instance, where you create while riding a bike (really) or you can spread the paint on a canvas or on the wall. No one told you that you might have a bad day, week or even a year? Then take it out at Spin Art’s rage room where you can throw things, destroy items and smash whatever you feel like.
Another fun place to go is The Splatter Studio in Virginia Highland where you — or a group of friends — put on a poncho, grab some paint and channel your inner Jackson Pollock.
However, if you want to be the canvas, head over to Buckhead and the Sloomoo Institute Atlanta where you can go to Sloomoo Falls and have Sloomoo slime rain down on you. Don’t worry, you get a protective poncho.
Give Dad a Break — or Brunch
Fathers deserve special recognition, and several restaurants are rolling out the red carpet for dads. The Four Seasons Hotel is hosting a Father’s Day brunch, with all fathers or special men to be gifted with custom engraved (with their name) rum glasses if reserved by May 25. Brunch will feature the Diplomático rum tasting bar, golf simulator, carving stations, raw bar featuring Maine lobster and gourmet chef dishes.
The City Winery is featuring a Father’s Day Jazz Brunch featuring Antoine Gibson, a saxophonist and recording artist. The Americano, located in the InterContinental Hotel, honors dad with live music and house-made favorites such as steak and eggs and Wagyu beef cheek. Don’t forget the tableside Bloody Mary cart to make the day more festive. Located in Colony Square, Serena Pastificio, a coastal Northern Italian restaurant, has a brunch menu that features pollo e waffle and benedetto al prosciutto.
Pasta fun
Bellina Alimentari offers hands-on pasta making classes year-round at the Ponce City Market. The Pasta 101 class ($55 per person) is great for beginners who want to learn the art of pasta making. The Filled Pasta class ($67 per person) allows attendees to discover the art of forming, cutting and stuffing fresh pasta dough. Participants in both classes will get to try their own pasta creation and take some home.
For even more things to do in Atlanta, check our calendar of events.
Journalist Mary Welch writes business and lifestyle stories for local and national publications.
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