What an absolutely packed weekend that showcases Atlanta as a premier destination for music, culture, and community celebration. Shaky Knees Music Festival is taking over Piedmont Park with incredible headliners like Deftones, My Chemical Romance, and Blink-182, while JapanFest celebrates two decades of our Sister City relationship with authentic performances and cultural ceremonies. Add in the Buckhead Arts Festival with 100+ artists, comedy legends Jimmy Carr and Nikki Glaser hitting our stages, plus the crucial Atlanta Dream playoff game against Indiana Fever—there's truly world-class entertainment happening across every corner of our metro.

Atlanta continues making significant progress in housing development with Legacy at East Lake adding 149 senior units and major projects like The Bowery at Old Fourth Ward showing our commitment to thoughtful growth. Our dining scene reflects constant evolution with September bringing closures like Lure Saltwater Kitchen & Bar after 14 years, while exciting new openings include Elise at Woodruff Arts Center bringing museum dining to a new level and The Grove at Monday Night Brewing offering 30 draft beers along the BeltLine.

From Rivian's groundbreaking $5 billion manufacturing hub creating 7,500 jobs to the Fox Theatre's impressive fall lineup, this weekend captures Atlanta's momentum as a city that balances honoring its roots with embracing bold innovation. Whether you're ready to experience indie rock legends, explore Japanese culture, cheer on the Dream in their playoff push, or join us for our 5th Annual Fall Festival at El Tesoro on October 19th (RSVP by October 6th), Atlanta continues proving why our dynamic blend of music, culture, and community attracts people from around the world.

Ready to explore what's happening in the ATL?

🎵 Blue Ridge Blues & BBQ Festival - Blues performances with BBQ vendors and Appalachian flair.
📍 Downtown Blue Ridge 📅 Wednesday, September 18 - Friday, September 20

🎸 Shaky Knees Music Festival - Atlanta's premier indie/alternative rock festival featuring headliners like Deftones, My Chemical Romance, Blink-182, Lenny Kravitz, Sublime, and Cage The Elephant.
📍 Piedmont Park 📅 Thursday, September 19 - Saturday, September 21

🇯🇵 JapanFest 2025 - Taste of Japan - Cultural celebration marking the 20th Anniversary of the Atlanta-Fukuoka Sister City relationship with Japanese performances, food, vendors, martial arts, anime, and cultural ceremonies.
📍 Gas South Convention Center 📅 Saturday, September 20 - Sunday, September 21

🎨 Buckhead Arts Festival - Two-day outdoor festival with about 100 artists across multiple mediums.
📍 Peachtree Road, Atlanta 📅 Saturday, September 20 - Sunday, September 21

🏛️ Fall Festival at Atlanta History Center - Family-friendly festival with historic demonstrations, garden activities, games, and food.
📍 Atlanta History Center 📅 Saturday, September 20

🎉 Communidad ATL Block Party - All day dance party with DJ Skooter, good food, ice cold drinks including margaritas, and community celebration.
📍 Communidad ATL 📅 Sunday, September 21

🎃 Pumpkin Festival - Fall celebration with glowing pumpkins, fairy tale exhibits, parades, shows and fireworks.
📍 Stone Mountain Park 📅 Through Saturday, November 2

🎵 Shaky Knees Musical Festival📍 Piedmont Park 📅 All weekend Long!
😂 Jimmy Carr: Laughs Funny (Comedy)📍 The Tabernacle 📅 Friday, September 20
😂 Nikki Glaser: Alive and Unwell (Comedy)📍 Fox Theatre 📅 Friday, September 20

🏈 Georgia Bulldogs vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets – Thursday, September 19
🏀 Indiana Fever at Atlanta Dream – Friday, September 19 (3rd game of Round 1 Playoffs!)
⚽ Atlanta United vs. San Diego FC – Saturday, September 20
🏈 Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers – Sunday, September 21

🏡 Atlanta hits a major affordable housing milestone. Legacy at East Lake's ribbon-cutting adds 149 senior housing units (ages 55+) with income-scaled rents, funded through public-private partnerships including Truist Bank and Atlanta Housing, plus on-site preventive care services through Matter Health.

🏗️ The Bowery at Old Fourth Ward is moving forward minus the supermarket. The mixed-use development will feature 273 apartments, 12 townhomes, and 10,000 square feet of retail facing the local dog park, with construction beginning late fall and completion expected in early to mid-2028.

🚒 Midtown's getting a towering upgrade. A proposed 21-story mixed-use tower over Fire Station #15 will include a modernized fire station at its base, 231 residential units (one-third affordable housing), and 224 parking spaces in a $155 million project scheduled for 2028 delivery.

🏘️ Benteen Reserve is finally delivering homes. After years of delays, the townhome development near Grant Park and the BeltLine is offering three-bedroom, 3.5-bath units starting at $419,900 for the Norris plan and $483,990+ for the larger Knollwood model.

🌳 Amsterdam Walk's affordable housing component gains approval. The 11-acre site adjacent to Piedmont Park and BeltLine will deliver 135 units in phase one for households earning 50-80% of Area Median Income, with studio rents starting around $1,000/month and a 2028 opening target.

🍽️ Atlanta's dining scene saw major changes this month with several notable closings. Midtown's Lure Saltwater Kitchen & Bar ended its 14-year run on August 30, J. Christopher's closed after 19 years in downtown Decatur, and Sandy Springs' Pig-N-Chik BBQ shut down after 24 years, while Socks' Love Barbecue in Cumming sold to new owners and beloved Filipino spot Kamayan ATL is relocating to a new space by early 2026.

🍕 September's restaurant openings are bringing exciting new flavors across Atlanta. Highlights include Elise at Woodruff Arts Center offering French-Italian seafood in a chic museum setting, The Grove at Monday Night Brewing with 30 draft beers and pizza ovens on the BeltLine, Bar Oscar from former Root Baking Co. owners serving handmade pastas in Covington, Northern China Eatery's second location on the Eastside BeltLine, plus Voicebox Cocktail Lounge bringing 90s vibes to Peoplestown and The Americano reopening after a March kitchen fire.

🍰 Michelin-starred Lazy Betty is going full dessert mode. The restaurant launched a dedicated 4-course sweet tasting menu for $65 featuring passionfruit crémeux and chocolate soufflé, plus they're offering a custom cake program for birthdays and celebrations—now that's how you end a meal in style.

🎭 The Fox Theatre just dropped its loaded fall lineup. Broadway hits like "Back to the Future – The Musical" and "Hadestown," big-name concerts including My Morning Jacket and John Fogerty, plus comedy stars Desi Banks, Nikki Glaser, and Hasan Minhaj with Ronny Chieng—there's truly something for every taste.

📚 Marietta is getting a welcoming new literary space. Lavender Bookshop will focus on identity-affirming literature and provide space for events, discussions, and community building, adding an important voice to the local queer literary scene.

🎡 Ponce City Market's newest addition is all about elevated commuting. The Belt Hub is now open with high-end electric bikes, well-designed station amenities, and boutique retail—perfect for BeltLine users looking to combine errands with style.

🚧 Midtown commuters, plan accordingly. Major sewer repair work is starting on 10th Street with expected traffic impacts during peak hours, so allow extra time or consider alternate routes while the work is underway.

🚗 Rivian just broke ground on a massive $5 billion manufacturing hub near Social Circle that's expected to create 7,500 jobs and begin producing new electric vehicles by 2028, marking a significant investment in the state's automotive future.

🍂It's time for our 5th Annual Fall Festival at El Tesoro 🎃

🗓️ Sunday, October 19 | 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM
📍El Tesoro in Edgewood

Join us for professional family photos, pumpkin patch, tacos, and more!
🎉Mark your calendars and invite your friends—this is the fall tradition you don’t want to miss.

👉 RSVP here by October 6th: www.vestaconsultinggroup.com/fall-fest