Weekend event brings overnight campers to ‘Atlanta’s backyard’

ATLANTA - Nothing heralds the arrival of summer like a campout — and this weekend, Atlanta’s backyard will host families looking for a memorable night out under the stars.

This weekend, The Home Depot Backyard and REI Co-op will host the second annual GreATL Backyard Campout, welcoming nearly a thousand campers to spend Saturday night on the 11-acre space right next to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The event begins with check-in from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at The Home Depot Backyard, and continues with activities including storytelling and a movie screening. The next morning, food trucks will begin serving breakfast at 6 a.m. — and yes, coffee will be available —  followed by yoga and meditation, a run, and a hike.

And as you can probably guess from the location — right next to the big, beautiful stadium — campers won’t exactly be "roughing it" during the event. Organizers say it’s more of a "glamping" experience, but the idea is to inspire people to explore the great outdoors and hopefully plan even more camping trips on their own. That’s where specialty outdoor retailer REI comes in, of course, offering not only the gear needed for outdoor adventures, but also guided experiences and events.

The GreATL Backyard Campout truly is a unique opportunity for those taking part, and we didn’t want to miss out on the fun! So, we spent the morning at The Home Depot Backyard getting a special preview of this year’s big event. Click the video player in this article to check out our morning doing a little early morning "glamping."