9 essential Atlanta arts events this weekend
Each week, ArtsATL curates a selection of the most exciting arts and culture events happening in Atlanta this weekend, highlighting nine must-see experiences.
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Thursday
The third annual event comes to Pullman Yards from October 1 through October 4 with an expanded lineup of installations, performances, talks and programming presented alongside works from leading galleries across the South and around the globe. This year’s Fair will host more than 70 galleries from far-reaching places, including Korea, Spain and Uganda.
Hosted at Grant Park’s Enspire Mercantile (259 Milton Ave. SE) from October 1 through October 4, the inaugural Atlanta edition offers a four-day art adventure for first-time art buyers and seasoned collectors alike. You’ll experience the work of 100 independent, emerging artists representing 19 states and six countries.
This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing
Head to Theater Emory for four performances at the Schwartz Center Theater Lab, October 1 through October 4. The run is followed by a local school tour in partnership with Alliance Theatre. See our preview of the production.
See the world premiere of this smart comedy blending Southern manners with queer culture at Actor’s Express from October 1 through October 25. It’s directed by Lydia Fort, who was one of ArtsATL’s Ones to Watch for 2026.
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra season opener
As for music, Atlanta’s stages will offer a wide variety of genres. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra kicks off a busy fall with the beginning of a season-long homage to Johannes Brahms. Starting with an audience favorite, the ASO welcomes the young violin hotshot Johan Dalene for Brahms’ impassioned Violin Concerto. After intermission, the Orchestra takes on Brahms’ thundering Symphony No. 1. The program opens with the Overture to Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks. Performances are on October 1, October 3 and October 4.
Friday
Hip-hop fans will want to check out this acclaimed two-person off-Broadway musical that uncovers a hidden chapter of American history — when thousands of enslaved people fled across the Rio Grande to freedom in Mexico. It’s making its Atlanta debut at the Alliance Theatre October 2 through October 16.
Saturday
The ensemble will give the world premiere of Tristan Schulze’s Thought in Scales, Op. 123, a new quartet written for them, along with Brahms’ Piano Quartet in C Minor with guest pianist Rachelle McCabe. Catch it at Cannon Chapel on the Emory University campus. Read our preview of the performance.
This one-night-only, experimental, contemporary art festival transforms the entire 12-acre Goat Farm campus into an immersive art experience with artwork from roughly 40 artists and live music.
Sunday
Vocalists Robin Latimore and Lori Williams, along with flautist Ragan Whiteside and saxophonist Antonio Allen, will perform at Spivey Hall at 5 p.m. on October 4. The Jonesboro High School Jazz Ensemble, which will perform at the Rose Bowl in January, will get the event under way. A portion of the proceeds will support their efforts.
More things to do this weekend and beyond
The Atlanta Indian Film Festival has been bringing some of the finest voices of Indian cinema to Atlanta since 2018, and it returns this year from October 2 through October 4 at the Tara Theatre … The Atlanta Horror Film Festival turns 20 in 2026, marking two decades of screening films in front of local crowds who love horror. It runs October 1 through October 4 at 7 Stages … Atlanta’s beloved Indigo Girls will be back in town for a night at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on October 2, the same night TLC appears with Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue at Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park … The Rialto Center for the Arts presents Gospel Music Hall of Fame a cappella sextet Take 6 on October 2, back by popular demand following the group’s 2024 Rialto show.
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