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Welcome to 2026! We hope you had a restful and peaceful holiday season. We’re excited to be back at it over here at Your Real Atlanta & Vesta Consulting Group. We’ve got a ton of exciting updates and changes coming your way this year and we want to thank you for being along for the ride!

Atlanta's cultural landscape is poised to transform this year with five beloved arts venues undergoing major upgrades: Actor's Express moving to a $38 million Pullman Yards campus, 7 Stages renovating Little Five Points, The Bakery relocating to a 20,000-square-foot Adair Park warehouse, Out Front Theatre opening a new 200-seat space on 14th Street, and Horizon Theatre renovating its 1920s building. The world-class bike park at Shirley Clarke Franklin Park breaks ground January 22 with an $8 million Chestnut Family Foundation grant, creating 2.25 miles of trails accessible via MARTA's Bankhead station.

Our dining scene evolves as Farm Burger in Virginia-Highland closed end of December with Kinship Butcher's team taking over for a new concept, while Ponce City Market welcomes Whiplash Comedy (summer 2026), Okiboru and NoriFish replacing Ton Ton and Miso Ko this spring, and Wild Heaven Brewery reviving beloved Eats restaurant in March. From Out on Film's 39th annual festival accepting submissions to Lavender Fest applications open through February 15, this week captures our momentum.

As always, we want to remind you that we are here for all of your Real Estate related needs: renovations, updates, contractors, buying, selling, investing, or just checking in on your home value.

Winter Wonderland: Celebrations and Traditions Around the World | Seasonal exhibit with decorated trees and displays representing global holiday traditions
📍 Fernbank Museum of Natural History | 📅 Sat, January 10 - Sun, January 11

Atlanta Boat & Sport Show | Large consumer boat and outdoors expo
📍 Georgia World Congress Center | 📅 Sat, January 10 - Sun, January 11

Hot Chocolate Run Atlanta Festival | Post-race festival with chocolate treats and music
📍 Centennial Olympic Park area | 📅 Sat, January 10 - Sun, January 11

From Civil War to Civil Rights Private Tour | Guided city history tour focusing on Civil War and Civil Rights sites
📍 Grant Park | 📅 Sat, January 10

AJC Polar Opposite Peachtree Road Race | Winter version of Atlanta's famous Peachtree Road Race
📍 Peachtree Street | 📅 Sat, January 10

Atlanta BeltLine Outdoor Art Walk | Guided or self-guided tour of extensive outdoor art collection
📍 Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail | 📅 Sat, January 10 - Sun, January 11

Piedmont Park History Walking Tour | Guided tour exploring the history and nature of Atlanta's premier park
📍 Piedmont Park | 📅 Sat, January 10

Atlanta Beadshow | Specialty bead and jewelry-making supply market with multiple vendors and workshops
📍 Gwinnett County Fairgrounds | 📅 Sat, January 10 - Sun, January 11

Freedom Farmers Market | Year-round Saturday farmers market with local produce and artisanal goods
📍 Carter Center | 📅 Sat, January 10

Grant Park Farmers Market | Neighborhood market with local produce, baked goods, and crafts
📍 Grant Park | 📅 Sun, January 11

Twelfth Night | Atlanta Shakespeare Company classic production with live music
📍 Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse | 📅 Sat, January 10 - Sun, January 11

Hell's Kitchen by Alicia Keys | Alicia Keys' Broadway musical reimagining her upbringing in NYC
📍 Fox Theatre | 📅 Sat, January 10 - Sun, January 11

Dreamscapes: Cosmosis Exhibition Opening | Showcase of over 70 Atlanta artists by 404FoundATL collective emphasizing accessibility and supporting artists without traditional gallery representation
📍 Binder's Limelight Gallery | 📅 Fri, January 10

Inner Views: Artists at Home | One Contemporary Gallery's one-year anniversary exhibition featuring ten artists exploring themes of domestic life, family, and personal narrative
📍 One Contemporary Gallery | 📅 Thu, January 16

Big Mike Geier's Elvis Royale📍 Variety Playhouse | 📅 Sat, January 10 Coucheron + The Four Seasons📍 Atlanta Symphony Hall | 📅 Sat, January 10 Inzo & Mersiv – Digital Night Drive📍 The Eastern, Reynoldstown | 📅 Sat, January 10 - Sun, January 11 District Atlanta DJ Night📍 District Atlanta | 📅 Sat, January 10 Live Music at Smith's Olde Bar📍 Smith's Olde Bar | 📅 Sat, January 10 - Sun, January 11

🏀 Atlanta Hawks vs Denver Nuggets – Friday, January 9 (Away)
🏀 Georgia State Panthers Womens vs. James Madison Dukes – Saturday, January 10 (Home)
🏀 Georgia State Panthers Mens vs. Marshall Thundering Herd – Saturday, January 10 (Home)
🥍 Georgia Swarm vs. Colorado Mammoth – Saturday, January 10 (Home)
🏒 Atlanta Gladiators vs. Savannah Ghost Pirates – Saturday, January 10 (Home)
🏀 Atlanta Hawks at Golden State Warriors – Sunday, January 11 (Away)
🏀 Atlanta Hawks at Los Angeles Lakers – Tuesday, January 13 (Away)

🎭 Atlanta's cultural landscape is getting a major upgrade in 2026-2027 with five beloved arts venues undergoing renovations or building brand-new spaces. Highlights include:

These moves are a sign of growing investment in the arts and long-term creative community building across Atlanta.

🚴 A new world-class bike park is set to begin development in Shirley Clarke Franklin Park, thanks to an $8 million grant from the Chestnut Family Foundation. This project aims to provide an outdoor space for cyclists of all ages, easily accessible via MARTA's Bankhead station, promising to redefine metro Atlanta’s biking experienceing to breathe new life into a key historic section of the city nestled near several HBCUs.

🍔 Farm Burger in Virginia-Highland closed at the end of December after five years, with the space being taken over by Chef Myles Moody and sommelier Rachael Pack of neighboring Kinship Butcher & Sundry for a new restaurant concept. Co-founder George Frangos says they've known the Kinship team since 2021 and decided to support their vision with a full renovation planned. Five other Farm Burger locations remain open in metro Atlanta including Midtown, Decatur, and Dunwoody.

🍽️ Atlanta's culinary scene continues to evolve as a new pop-up restaurant is set to launch this month, bringing innovative dishes and local flavors to the heart of the city. The exciting initiative aims to showcase the talents of emerging chefs and is part of the city's vibrant food culture, making it a must-visit destination for food enthusiasts.

🍽️ After 45 years of ownership, Tom Murphy is passing on Murphy's Restaurant in Virginia-Highland to executive chef Matt McCarthy and his father Gregg, continuing a family tradition of culinary excellence. This transition marks a new chapter for the beloved eatery, where the McCarthy family has deep roots in the restaurant’s history, ensuring that favorites like the Guinness-braised brisket will remain on the menu.

💫 Vesper ATL introduced Lucia Trattoria, their new Italian eatery, now open across the street, offering a delightful menu and romantic ambiance. Experience and indulge in a taste of Italy in the heart of Atlanta.

🍽️ Sagra is set to open its doors in East Atlanta bringing a cozy 76-seat dining experience managed by seasoned sommelier Eric Di Nardo. The restaurant's expected operating hours will provide ample opportunity for locals to enjoy what promises to be an exciting addition to the Atlanta food scene, with more details to be revealed in the new year.

🍣 Ponce City Market welcomes the additions of Okiboru and NoriFish, two highly anticipated Japanese restaurants, replacing Ton Ton and Miso Ko this spring. With NoriFish's focus on premium sushi and Okiboru's acclaimed ramen, food enthusiasts can look forward to a fresh culinary experience as part of the market's vibrant dining scene.

🍽️ Wild Heaven Brewery revives the beloved Eats restaurant, set to reopen this March at their West End taproom, complete with original decor and menu favorites. As the Mexican restaurant El Tesoro makes way, enthusiasts can look forward to reliving the Eats experience, including its much-missed pasta dishes.

🎤 Ponce City Market announced Whiplash Comedy, a two-showroom comedy club from Marshall Chiles (founder of Laughing Skull Lounge), opening summer 2026 at the corner of Glen Iris Drive and North Avenue. The club features Main Squeeze seating 130 people and Side Piece for 44 guests, plus a 2,500-square-foot outdoor patio with nightly stand-up from national touring acts. The announcement comes amid tenant changes with Ton Ton, Miso Ko, La Metro, and Sugar Shane's closing, while 2025 saw arrivals including Catbird jewelry, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, and Necessary Purveyor.

🎥 Submissions are now open for the 39th annual Out on Film festival, celebrating LGBTQ+ cinema from Sept. 24 to Oct. 4, with key deadlines for filmmakers approaching soon. This Oscar-qualifying festival promises to spotlight impactful works from the LGBTQIA+ community, including a screenplay competition with cash prizes and exposure at the festival.

🎭 Applications for season three of Lavender Fest, Atlanta’s LGBTQ+ performing arts festival, open until February 15, seeking a variety of queer-themed performances that align with this year's theme, Unerasable. The festival will occur from August 5-9, 2026, at Out Front Theatre Company, featuring a box office split favoring productions and providing marketing support; to participate, submit your performance application now.

📍 A Georgia legislative committee urges expanded loan forgiveness for rural cancer care specialists and increased funding for mobile screening units to tackle the shortage of oncology providers in rural areas. This initiative seeks to enhance access to essential cancer screenings for underserved communities, highlighting the ongoing disparities in healthcare access across the state.

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