Piedmont Park 'blossoms' with art during 88th Dogwood Festival
ATLANTA - With its eye-popping murals, trend-setting music scene, vibrant theater community, and booming film and TV industry, Atlanta is a true arts city. And that's never more apparent than during the city’s longest-running festival.
The 88th Atlanta Dogwood Festival begins today and continues through Sunday, filling Piedmont Park with art, music, dance, and food. And no, that number is not a typo: the first Dogwood Festival was held way back in 1936, created as a way to celebrate the blooming of the city’s dogwood trees. It’s now not only the longest-running festival in Atlanta, it’s also the third-oldest fine arts festival in the country — and the annual event has grown into a celebration of the arts, with a juried Artist Market featuring the work of more than 250 world-class artists at the heart of the festival.
Music and dance are also highlights of the weekend, and organizers say this year features the return of the much-loved International Stage in addition to the Coca-Cola Main Stage. Another highlight — especially for the Good Day Atlanta team — is the Atlanta High School Art Exhibition, which showcases some of the city’s top high school artists and awards prizes and scholarships. We’ve covered the AHSAE several times in the past, and never fail to be amazed at the young talent on display.
This weekend’s packed schedule includes other popular festival events including the ticketed Party in the Park VIP area, Saturday morning’s Atlanta Dogwood Festival Mimosa 5K, Sunday’s exciting Art Throwdown, and midway rides. For a full listing of events and attractions, click here.
Of course, we couldn’t miss another morning hanging around Piedmont Park, getting a sneak peek at this year’s festival and chatting with event organizers about what’s in store for the weekend. Click the video player in this article to check it out!