Cool Things to Do in November in Atlanta

By Allison Ramirez

Last Updated October 21, 2026

November shows off a slightly slower, cozier side to the city, but there’s still plenty happening around Atlanta. The calendar is packed with chili cook-offs and wine festivals, live music and comedy, theater and dance, cultural celebrations, football, races and plenty of ways to get outside before winter sets in. Here are some of the best things to do around Atlanta this November.

Monthly Highlights 

• Nov. 1: Day of the Dead Fest + final day of Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival
• Nov. 6–8: Chomp & Stomp weekend, High Frequency Friday, Chastain Park Arts Festival and Decatur Wine Festival
• Nov. 7–15: Atlanta Opera presents Silent Night
• Nov. 8: Afternoon in the Country celebrates its 20th anniversary at Serenbe
• Nov. 14: Atlanta Chili Cookoff + American Ballet Theatre Studio Company
• Nov. 14–15: A Christmas Carol kicks off at the Alliance Theatre
• Nov. 17–22: A big week for concerts, including Doja Cat and Death Becomes Her
• Nov. 20–21: Bob the Drag Queen, Jack White, The War and Treaty and Jonathan Van Ness
• Nov. 26: Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon, 5K and Mile

Fall Food and Drink

Cabbagetown Chomp & Stomp

Cabbagetown’s annual Chomp & Stomp is everything you want in a November neighborhood festival: chili, bluegrass, local vendors and plenty of people-watching. More than 100 amateur and restaurant teams compete in the chili cook-off, while the festival also features an artist market, food vendors, live music and the Romp & Stomp 5K. The festival is free to attend, but you’ll need to purchase a tasting spoon if you want to sample the chili.

Details: November 7; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Cabbagetown Neighborhood

Atlanta Chili Cookoff

If one chili cook-off isn’t enough, we have another just one week later. The Atlanta Chili Cookoff brings more than 50 chili recipes from amateur cooks, restaurants and caterers to Brook Run Park in Dunwoody. Come hungry, sample your way through the competition and vote for your favorite.

Details: Nov. 14, Brook Run Park in Dunwoody

Decatur Wine Festival

Spend an afternoon sipping your way around Decatur Square at the 24th annual Decatur Wine Festival. With wine tastings, food and the lively atmosphere of downtown Decatur, it’s an easy pick for a fall afternoon with friends. 

Details: Nov. 7, Decatur Square

Afternoon in the Country

Make a day trip of it with Afternoon in the Country, the annual food-and-wine gathering at the Inn at Serenbe. The event celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, bringing together chefs, winemakers and food lovers for an afternoon in Serenbe. 

Details: Nov. 8, The Inn at Serenbe

The Atlanta Hawks Forkside Seats

State Farm Arena is hosting a culinary event featuring bites from Atlanta restaurants. Forkside Seats is happening Nov. 1 kicking off with four-course experience in a private club space with cocktails, wines and bites from around the city. The evening continues with a curated dinner served on the arena floor. Beyond enjoying delicious food, Forkside Seats supports Giving Kitchen’s meaningful work for food-service workers facing crisis.

Concerts, Comedy & Live Music

Live Jazz

Jazz is always on the menu in Atlanta, and that means November, too. Pop into Burle’s Bar on Tuesdays or head to Side Saddle in Boulevard Heights on Thursdays for live music, wine and prime people-watching. On November 4th head to Duluth, where Jazz Legacy Project pays homage to legendary jazz musicians. This month it’s a tribute to Sonny Rollins. 

Details: Various dates/times

Disney’s Hocus Pocus in Concert with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

If you want one last bit of Halloween-season fun, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performs Hocus Pocus live to film, with the movie accompanied by a full orchestral score. Since the run extends through Nov. 1, it’s a good bridge between October and November. 

Details: Through Nov. 1, Atlanta Symphony Hall at Woodruff Arts Center

Atlanta Opera presents Silent Night

Atlanta Opera brings Silent Night to the stage in November. The opera, inspired by the true story of the World War I Christmas Truce, offers a more dramatic option for a fall night at the theater.

Details: Nov. 7-15, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre

Jonathan Van Ness: Hot and Healed

Jonathan Van Ness brings their new live show, Hot & Healed, to Atlanta for a night of stand-up, storytelling and that signature JVN energy. The show combines comedy and candid stories around joy, healing and self-expression. 

Details: Nov. 21, Center Stage Theater

Arts, Books & Theater

High Frequency Friday

Happy hour meets art party at the High Museum on Nov. 6, the first Friday of the month. From 6 to 10 p.m., DJs curate an after-hours museum experience with art, drinks, food and plenty of opportunities to explore the galleries. 

Details: Nov. 6, High Museum of Art

Fall Fling Renaissance Festival

For a dose of costumes, medieval-themed entertainment, food and shopping, the Fall Fling Renaissance Festival in Fairburn continues into November. It’s tons of fun for families, locals and visitors looking to experience something a little different.

Details: Every Saturday until Dec. 5, Georgia Renaissance Festival Fairgrounds

American Ballet Theatre Studio Company

The junior company of American Ballet Theatre brings rising ballet stars from around the world to Atlanta for a program spanning classical, neoclassical and contemporary works. 

Details: Nov. 14, Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University

A Christmas Carol

Experience the timeless magic of A Christmas Carol at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre. Dickens’ beloved holiday classic comes to life with beautiful live music, memorable characters, and a richly imagined world that captures the spirit of the season. 

Details: Nov. 14 – Dec. 27, Alliance Theatre

Culture & Community

Day of the Dead Fest

Celebrate Día de Muertos at Plaza Las Américas in Lilburn with traditional altars, Catrina contests, live performances and cultural programming. The event is free to attend. 

Details: Nov. 1; 12 to 8 p.m., Plaza Las Américas

Wontanara’s Roots to the Future

Close out the month with Roots to the Future, a celebration of African diaspora dance, music and heritage at Southwest Arts Center Oct. 30 through Nov. 1. Expect dance and drum workshops, live DJs, a marketplace featuring food and artisans, a cultural museum experience and a Saturday night concert. 

Details: Oct. 30-Nov. 1, 915 New Hope Road SW

Fernbank After Dark: Amazing Animals

Fernbank goes adults-only on the second Friday of the month with after-hours access to the museum, music, drinks, science demonstrations and WildWoods after dark. November’s theme is Amazing Animals, making this a fun option for anyone who’d rather spend Friday night with dinosaurs and wildlife than at a bar.

Details: Nov. 13, Fernbank Museum of Natural History

Now Clap! Bob the Drag Queens on Tour

Bob the Drag Queen brings Now Clap! to Atlanta for a night of comedy, performance and larger-than-life drag.

Details: Nov. 20; 7 p.m., Center Stage Theatre

Blooms Chinatown Market

Spend part of your Thanksgiving weekend browsing shopping, food, and local vendors at Blooms Chinatown Market in Chamblee.

Details: Nov. 28,Atlanta Chinatown, 5383 New Peachtree Road in Chamblee

Winter House will be open Nov. 29 and 30, Dec. 4 through 7 and Dec. 11 through 14.

Outdoor Activities

Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival

You can squeeze in one final weekend of fall at Stone Mountain Park’s Pumpkin Festival. The seasonal celebration combines daytime attractions and entertainment with the park’s Glow by Night experience, making Nov. 1 the final chance to catch it this year. 

Details: Through November 1, Stone Mountain Park

Georgia Nature Fest

Spend Saturday evening celebrating Georgia’s great outdoors at Georgia Nature Fest. From 4 to 8 p.m., the Georgia Conservancy takes over Monday Night Garage along the Atlanta Beltline Westside Trail for an evening of Southern flavors, local craft beverages and live music. The event is also a fundraiser supporting the Georgia Conservancy’s work to protect Georgia’s lands, strengthen communities and expand access to the outdoors.

Details: Nov. 7, Monday Night Garage

Invesco QQQ Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon

Start Thanksgiving morning with a run through Atlanta. The Invesco QQQ Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon, 5K and Mile gives runners several ways to get moving before turkey and football. 

Details: Nov. 26, Center Parc Stadium

Neighborhood and Street Festivals

Native American Fest & Pow Wow

Experience Native American dance, music, storytelling, crafts, cooking traditions and cultural demonstrations at this four-day celebration at Stone Mountain Park. The festival runs Oct. 29 through Nov. 1 and features intertribal dance and drum competitions, an artists’ marketplace and hands-on cultural experiences. 

Details: Oct. 29-Nov. 1, Stone Mountain Park

Chastain Park Fall Arts Festival

Spend a fall weekend browsing paintings, photography, jewelry, ceramics and other handmade work at the Chastain Park Arts Festival. Stop for a coffee and a pastry at THE CHASTAIN on your way there. 

Details: Nov. 7 and 8, Chastain Park

Atlanta Sports

Atlanta Hawks

Come support the Hawks at State Farm Arena during their November home games:

Washington Wizards, Nov. 6

Brooklyn Nets, Nov. 7

Los Angeles Lakers, Nov. 9

Charlotte Hornets, Nov. 20

Detroit Pistons, Nov. 22

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons have one home game in November vs. the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 1:00 p.m.

For things to do in Atlanta any old time, check in with our calendar of events. Find out Atlanta Attractions Open on Thanksgiving Day or discover Things to Do Over Thanksgiving Weekend in Atlanta.

Allison Ramirez is an Atlanta-based freelance journalist with over a decade of experience writing for publications like Travel + Leisure, the Daily Beast, Eater, Thrillist and others. Her recent work spans art, architecture, travel, and food & beverage stories, focusing on diversity within those spaces in the South and beyond. 

Originally Published October 8, 2026