From AJC
FRIDAY
Festival: The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival takes over Midtown through May 13. Day passes start at $180; 3-day passes start at $500.
Festival: Grab a bite at the North Cobb Rotary Smoke on the Lake BBQ Festival in Cauble Park on the shores of Lake Acworth. The fest happens May 11 and 12.
Festival, stage: Atlanta Fringe Festival’s mission is to “bridge the gap between the fine and the performing arts by showcasing nontraditional works that push audiences to gain new perspective on diverse and multicultural artistic expression.” The fest takes place at various venues around Atlanta through May 13. See our story on the festival.
Stage: In Dad’s Garage’s “Winner, The Story of You,” an audience member is selected to be the star of the show, a scripted/improvised hybrid that will tell the story of their life from infancy to adulthood and even into the future. It continues through May 19.
Stage: “Xanadu” is a musical based on the giant hunk of celluloid cheese from 1980 that shoehorned Gene Kelly and Olivia Newton-John into an insanely over-the-top blend of roller-disco and Greek mythology. The show previews May 10 and 11 and opens May 12. It continues through June 16 at Actor’s Express.
Comedy: Ghanaian-American actor and comedian Michael Blackson has been called the “African King of Comedy.” He’ll perform at 8 and 11 p.m. May 11 at Center Stage.
Stage: Snellville’s New London Theatre presents John Cariani’s romantic comedy “Almost Maine.” The show opens May 11 and runs through May 27.
Stage: Horizon Theatre Company stages the world premiere of “The Waffle Palace: Smothered, Covered and Scattered 24/7/365,” a new play by by Larry Larson and Eddie Levi Lee. It opens May 11 and runs through July 1.
Stage: “Doubt, A Parable” is the latest production from OnStage Atlanta in Decatur. The show opens May 11 and continues through June 2.
Stage: “The Story Of My Life” is a musical about the power of friendship. The Atlanta premiere is presented by Centerstage North and opens May 11. The show runs through May 19 at the Art Place-Mountain View in Marietta.
Festival: The Sweet Auburn Historic District reflects the history and heritage of Atlanta’s African-American community. This weekend brings the Sweet Auburn Springfest to the area. The event, happening May 11-13, is one of two yearly festivals that take place along Auburn Avenue.
Stage: The Atlanta Shakespeare Company takes a break in its chronological run through the Bard’s comedies to take on “Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales.” It runs through May 27 at the New American Shakespeare Tavern.
Stage: Aurora Theatre in Lawrenceville stages Ken Ludwig’s country club-set farce “The Fox on the Fairway.” It runs through May 27.
Stage: The lives of a young couple take a sharp turn when the husband is diagnosed with a terminal illness and the wife, desperate for money to pay for his care, devises a clever scheme that goes horribly awry in “Bonneville Love,” a dark comedy by local playwright Raymond Fast. the Polk Street Players production continues through May 19 at St. James Episcopal Church in Marietta.
Stage: The North Fulton Drama Club presents a steampunk take on the Bard’s sea-centric “The Tempest.” It continues through May 12 at Barrington Hall in Roswell.
Stage: Michael Frayn’s Tony Award-winning play “Copenhagen” was inspired by a meeting between physicists Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg in 1941. It runs through May 20 at Academy Theatre in Avondale Estates.
Stage: Center for Puppetry Arts presents a new take on “Peter Pan” adapted and directed by Michael Haverty. It runs through May 27.
History, visual arts: “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition” is an updated version of an exhibit that had an earlier run at the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center. It features more than 200 artifacts recovered from the wreckage of the ill-fated ocean liner. See our preview of the show, which is on view at the Premier Exhibition Center at Atlantic Station.
SATURDAY
Festival: The third annual Dunwoody Art Festival will be a visual feast that offers a wide variety of arts and crafts along with musical entertainment. It happens along Chamblee Dunwoody Road (between Mount Vernon Road and Dunwoody Village Parkway) May 12 and 13.
Festival: It’s a pet party in the park as Star 94’s Woofstock comes to Suwanee Town Center Park. There will be inflatables for the kids, live music, pet adoptions, vendors and much more. It happens Noon-7 p.m. May 12.
Kids, family: Kids can learn what it takes to stage an opera, including a lesson in stage combat, at the Atlanta Opera Family Day. It begins at 10 a.m. May 12 at the Atlanta Opera Center.
Festival: Spring flowers combine with sparkling glass, paintings, photography, captivating jewelry, whimsical sculptures and a wide array of original arts and crafts at Roswell’s Colors Festival of Arts. It fills Roswell Town Square May 12 and 13.
Festival: Experience two days of Native American art, music, dance, food and culture at the Cherokee County Indian Festival & Mothers Day Pow Wow. It takes place May 12-13 in Boling Park in Canton.
Festival: Join the fun at Belle Isle Animal Hospital’s Second Annual Block Party, which will offer a kids fun zone, pet adoptions and prize giveaways. It happens noon-4 p.m. May 12 at the Sandy Springs veterinary office.
Festival: The Riverfest 2012 Music & Art Festival marks the transition from a neighborhood fundraiser to a regional music and arts festival. It will benefit Riverwalk Atlanta, a proposed new regional park along the Chattahoochee River in the City of Atlanta. It takes place noon-10 p.m. May 12.
Festival: Sample more than 150 brews at the 11th annual Dunwoody Beer Festival. The beer is flowing 2-7 p.m. May 12 at Perimeter Mall.
Music: “The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses” is a video game-themed concert featuring a four-movement symphony, arranged by Zelda Symphony music director Chad Seiter and showcasing the work of Nintendo composer and sound director Koji Kondo. The concert begins at 8 p.m. May 12 at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.
Music, festival: Siempre Flamenco’s Festival de Cante Flamenco celebrates the fiery music and dance of Spain. It’s happening at 7 p.m. May 12 at the Melia Hotel.
Stage: Garrison Keillor brings his beloved radio show “A Prairie Home Companion” to the Fox Theatre at 5:45 p.m. May 12.
Comedy: It’s a full night of comedy with Lavell Crawford, Arnez J, Sheryl Underwood and MC Lightfoot at the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center. The show starts at 8 p.m. May 12.
Stage: Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta’s Company J presents the family-friendly musical “A Year With Frog & Toad.” It runs through May 13.
SUNDAY
Music: Sandy Springs’ Concerts by the Springs series presents ’60s rockers the Swingin’ Medallions at 7 p.m. May 13 on the Sandy Springs Heritage Green.