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 Devils

The highly anticipated 4K restoration of the director’s cut of Ken Russell’s delightfully unhinged 1971 film arrives at the Plaza Theatre on October 15. In 1634 France, charismatic Father Urbain Grandier becomes the target of a sexually obsessed nun’s witchcraft accusations, which corrupt church and state officials are all too happy to exploit. Screenings continue through October 20.

A Conversation on Jessye Norman and the Black Women of Opera

On October 15 at the Southwest Arts Center, experience this discussion being held in conjunction with Discovering Jessye Norman, an exhibition celebrating the life, artistry and continuing influence of the Augusta-born opera legend. The exhibition continues through November 8, and on October 23 there will be an evening of music and dance performances honoring the late soprano, who died in 2019 at age 74.

Friday

Russell Gunn

Grammy-nominated Atlanta trumpeter, composer, arranger and producer is a revered musician in the jazz world. His latest album, Russell Gunn and Blackhawk’s Afrikan Amerikan Book of the Dead, is out on October 16. He’ll celebrate the release with shows at The Velvet Note in Alpharetta, with sets at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on October 16 and October 17.

Afterglow

Cat Eye Creative presents its latest group show with a lineup of artists that includes Brooke Reid, Christina Kwan, Codi Maddox, Cyril Bailleul, Elizabeth Hautau, Evereman, Freako, Gabi Anderson, George F. Baker III, Honey Pierre, Vanna Black, VAYNE, Wonderbox and Zach Wolfe. The show opens with a reception from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on October 16 and will be on view through November 1.

Saturday

All Night Marathon Spooktacular III

With five films in total, this marathon will span four decades of horror cinema from around the world, with two films being presented on 35mm film. Like last year, all titles will remain a secret until they hit the screen. It begins at 8 p.m. on October 17 at the Plaza Theatre.

Little Five Points Halloween Festival & Parade

It’s the biggest Halloween celebration in the Southeast, and it’s something everyone should experience. The two-day event, which takes place from noon until 7 p.m. October 17 and October 18, will welcome more than 100 artists and vendors, along with live music, wrestling and more. The big event is the annual parade, which happens at 1 p.m. on Sunday, October 18.  

Stone Mountain Highland Games

One of the premier Scottish festivals in the United States, the event takes place on October 17 and October 18 in Stone Mountain Park. It will feature colorful pipe bands, Scottish athletics, piping and drumming competitions, Highland dancers and much more.

Spirited Away

In Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved film, a young girl becomes trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free her family. As part of Studio Ghibli Fest 2026, there will be screenings at the Tara Theatre beginning on October 17, marking its 25th anniversary.

Sunday

The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Spooktacular Tour

Join the original Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) and Columbia (Nell Campbell) for a full screening of the unedited movie with a live shadow cast performance, a spooktacular costume contest and more! Every ticket purchased includes a bag of props for audience participation throughout the event. For safety reasons, no outside props will be permitted. The event begins at 6 p.m. on October 18 at Symphony Hall.

More things to do this weekend and beyond

ATLAnime Fest is a celebration of anime, music, gaming and culture in the heart of Atlanta hosted by Trap Sushi. It happens October 15 through October 18 at Underground Atlanta … Vulture calls Houston’s Ali Siddiq “stand-up comedy’s most prolific storyteller,” a skill he developed in prison, where storytelling was survival, currency and community. He’s among the top-viewed comedians on YouTube year after year. See him at 7 p.m. on October 16 at State Farm Arena … The Buckhead Theatre hosts Kathy Griffin’s New Face, New Tour at 7 p.m. on October 18 … Black Violin’s Be Free Tour is a high-energy, genre-defying experience that merges the duo’s classical training with the pulse of hip-hop, creating a performance that is both powerful and deeply inspiring. The Grammy-nominated duo will bring their boundary-breaking music to Symphony Hall on Monday, October 19 … Pianist Alan Woo made his Lincoln Center debut at Alice Tully Hall, performing with the Juilliard Orchestra under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguin. He’ll bring a dynamic program of virtuoso piano music to Emory’s Cooke Noontime Series at noon on October 16 in Ackerman Hall at the Michael C. Carlos Museum … Atlanta Photography Group’s next Eyes on Atlanta exhibition is Subverting the Gaze, a group show curated by Georgia State University’s Charlotte Woolf. It opens with a reception from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on October 15 and will be on view through November 6.