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
Alliance Française and Goethe-Zentrum team up with the consulates of 12 European countries for the fourth edition of this Festival, from May 13 through May 16 at the Plaza and Tara theatres. See films from Bulgaria and Belgium, Italy and Ireland and many more.
Big Screen 2: Return to Reason
The Big Screen, Film Love’s 2025 program of dazzling artists’ films in 35mm, sold out the Plaza Theatre. At 7:30 p.m. on May 14, Film Love founder Andy Ditzler and scholar of handmade cinema Gregory Zinman present another night of historic psychedelia, animation and avant-garde films. While much of cinema’s avant-garde is associated with “small-gauge” formats — 8mm and 16mm film, videocassettes and phone cameras — there is a lesser-known history of artists using 35mm and 70mm film and even IMAX. This will be a rare opportunity to see these historic and contemporary large-format visions presented at full cinematic scale.
The 17th annual celebration of shorts will take place May 14 through May 16 at 7 Stages in Little 5 Points. This year’s festival features 96 short films and 69 attending filmmakers from around the world, along with filmmaker Q&As, networking events, comedy, horror, animation, documentary and experimental film programs.
Friday
The Atlanta Jazz Festival’s month of music continues with free jazz performances in Atlanta city parks — the Campbell Middle School Jazz Combo, directed by Olivia Kesler, along with La Silhouettes, DJ Professor X and Lavahi on May 16 in Grant Park; and the Kennesaw State University Jazz Combo, directed by Trey Wright, with La Silhouettes, DJ Professor X and the Sabor Brass Band on May 17 in West Manor Park.
The High Museum of Art will host the national tour for Amy Sherald’s acclaimed mid-career retrospective, which is the largest exhibition of her work to date. Featuring a broad range of paintings made from 2007 to 2024, the presentation will include many of Sherald’s most iconic works, along with rarely seen paintings spanning her career. Born in Columbus, Georgia, Sherald has deep ties to Atlanta and to the High. She trained as a painter in the city and graduated from Clark Atlanta University. In 2018, the High awarded her its annual David C. Driskell Prize in African American Art and Art History. The exhibition opens May 15 and continues through September 27.
Join Rampant Gallery from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on May 16 for the opening reception of a solo exhibition by Chidiebere “Udo” Udogwu, an Atlanta-based Nigerian American multimedia artist and creative director originally from Columbia, South Carolina. The show continues through June 27.
Saturday
Virginia Highland will host its annual Porchfest in the area adjacent to the intersection of North Highland and Virginia and south to around Drewry Street. This year, the festival is going to a ticketed format, with advance tickets at just $15. Get them before you go, because they’ll be $20 at the gate. A hundred bands and solo artists will perform on neighborhood porches on May 16, but there will be pre-festival events, too, beginning on May 13 at Neighbor’s Pub, Atkins Park and other local businesses.
The orchestra wraps up its season with Tango for Two, as violinist Alice Hong joins for a Latin-inspired version of The Four Seasons by Vivaldi at Union Hill Park in Alpharetta on Saturday, May 16. The evening also includes a new composition by pianist/composer Julio Cesar Barreto that combines dance elements from styles of Afro Cuban, Afro Peruvian, Argentinian, Mexican and Brazilian music.
Explore the underground world with this new kids’ musical with lyrics by Christian Albright and music by Christian Magby, on the Alliance Theatre’s new Goizueta Stage for Youth and Families beginning May 16 and running through July 5. The show is from the same creative team behind the hit Alliance Theatre show The Incredible Book Eating Boy.
More things to do this weekend and beyond
The annual Marietta Greek Festival, which happens May 15 through May 17 at Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church, will offer music performances along with dance performances and, of course, plenty of tasty Greek food … A Cappella Books presents an evening with Kathryn Stockett, author of The Help, to celebrate the launch of her long-awaited new novel, The Calamity Club. The author will appear in conversation with Peter Biello, host of All Things Considered, at the Garden Club at Wild Heaven West End on May 14. Each ticket includes a signed first edition of The Calamity Club … The Kirkwood Spring Fling spotlights the historic homes of the neighborhood, along with a 5K race, wing-cooking contest, artist market, food trucks, children’s activities and more on May 16 at Bessie Branham Park … In addition to more than 80 artists, the Duluth Spring Arts Festival will offer artist demonstrations, live acoustic music and dance performances on May 16 and May 17 at Duluth Town Center … Check out the blend of Southern rock, blues and soul from Greenville, South Carolina’s Marcus King Band. King and his band bring their Darling Blue Pt. 2 Tour to the Fox Theatre on Saturday, May 16 … Foodies will enjoy a chat with food media personality, cookbook author and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s new food editor, Monti Carlo, and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Kim Severson at The Book Bird in Avondale Estates on May 17 … And you can spend An Evening with David Sedaris at the Cobb Energy Centre on May 19. The National Public Radio contributor, humorist and author will be live onstage following the release of his new children’s book, Pretty Ugly … The Atlanta Blues Society’s next Gathering & Jam happens from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on May 17 at Napoleon’s in Decatur. The host band will be Red Sugar Blues … Sherri Shepherd brings her Make It Make Sense Tour to the Buckhead Theatre at 7 p.m. on May 16 … Belle Esprit presents a staged reading of Northanger Abbey, adapted from Jane Austen’s posthumous 1817 novel by playwright Claire F. Martin, at 7:30 p.m. on May 17 at the Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse.
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