Decatur Square comes alive with art during Decatur Arts Festival

Since 1988, the Decatur Arts Festival has been a beloved tradition, bringing artists and community together in the streets of historic Decatur Square. The Festival was founded with the intent to showcase the artistic talent of Decatur residents and provide an opportunity for economic development through the arts. It’s a goal that the Decatur Arts Alliance has certainly met and exceeded.

“I am excited that we have more artists, [including] some newer, young, emerging talent this year,” said Decatur Arts Alliance Executive Director Angie Macon. 

One-hundred-fifty artists were selected by a jury to participate in the robust Artist Market that will line the streets alongside the square. The Festival weekend kicks off with a citywide ArtWalk on Friday, May 2, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., offering a free stroll through 18 ArtSpots that offer film screenings, art exhibitions, performances, artist demos and more. 

Festivities continue throughout the weekend with live music, dance, comedy, theater, exhibitions, an artist market and the Little Shop of Stories’ Children’s Book Festival running concurrently at the Decatur Square. 

At the Historic DeKalb Courthouse, musical and theatrical performances will take place from Friday through Sunday, and the LOL Tent returns for the second year with comedy standup and theatrical performances taking place on Saturday and Sunday. The New Dance program, co-presented by Beacon Dance, adds yet another element of artistry to this already varied art festival experience. 

“I really hope that by changing the footprint of the Festival, we can get families here and the general audience here and then they stay all day,” Macon said. Visitors can enjoy food and drinks from Decatur’s many award-winning local restaurants or visit food trucks and beverage vendors stationed on East Court Square.

One of the don’t-miss elements of the weekend is Decatur Arts Alliance’s 36th Annual Fine Arts Exhibition, themed “Cat & Mouse,” which will be on display on the fourth-floor gallery at the Decatur Library. This year’s theme prompted artists to consider the concept of struggle as it applies to historical, political and moral situations. Looking ahead, you can meet the participating artists during a closing reception on Friday, July 13. 

New additions to Decatur’s art scene include Cat Eye Creative gallery, which recently opened on West Ponce de Leon Avenue. Macon described Adam Crawford, owner and founder of Cat Eye Creative, as “just lovely,” adding that his participation in the ArtWalk and the gallery’s accessible downtown location has been invigorating for the city as a whole. 

“Cat Eye Creative is ecstatic to be a part of the Decatur arts community,” said Crawford. “Decatur Arts Festival is one of the many great events the Decatur Arts Alliance hosts. We look forward to welcoming guests all weekend long!” Crawford shared that they have some exciting surprises in store which will be unveiled throughout the weekend-long festival. 

The 2025 Decatur Arts Festival official poster design was completed by none other than Rory Hawkins, AKA Catlanta. Hawkins was inspired by the iconic city of Decatur logo when working on his design and says he wanted to incorporate that bold graphic style in his submission.

“I included a few ‘Easter eggs’ for Decatur locals, like the roof of the gazebo in the square or glimpses of a MARTA train in order to connect the artwork back to the location and provide elements for people to discover upon multiple viewings,” said Hawkins. 

“It’s an honor to create a design for this fest and be a small part of their long history,” he continued. “I hope this design inspires some new attendees to the event and gets regular visitors excited for the festivities to come!”

The 2025 Decatur Arts Festival will take place Friday through Sunday, May 2 through May 4. For more information, including maps of the artist market, parking details and a full lineup of art, music and experiences, visit the Decatur Arts Festival website.

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Isadora Pennington is senior editor of art + design and dance. An experienced writer and photographer with a deep love for the arts, Isadora founded the Sketchbook newsletter with Rough Draft Atlanta in 2022. She is also president of the Avondale Arts Alliance and director of the Avondale Arts Center.