FRIDAY
Festival: The AJC Decatur Book Festival kicks off Friday night with a sold-out keynote address from Pulitzer Prize-winning U.S. poet laureate and Decatur resident Natasha Trethewey. Events continue Sept. 1 and 2 in venues all around Decatur.
Festival: Atlanta’s biggest pop culture celebration, Dragon-Con takes place in several hotels and other venues around downtown Aug. 31-Sept. 3. The parade, always a highlight, begins at 10 a.m. Saturday on Peachtree Street.
Music: Celebrating the beginning of college football season, the Downtown Touchdown Concert will have performances by Phillip Phillips, Lonestar and Cody Webb starting at 5 p.m. Aug. 31. Smash Mouth, Sister Hazel, Heidi Newfield and the Lost Trailers will play beginning at 2 p.m. Sept. 1. The free event happens in Centennial Olympic Park.
Festival: Pioneer Days offers carnival rides and games, arts and crafts, live entertainment, fireworks and much more at Sam Smith Park in Cartersville Aug. 31-Sept. 3. www.pioneerdaysga.com.
Stage: The Renaissance Project presents Thornton Wilder’s tale of small town life “Our Town” Aug. 31-Sept. 15.
Fair: Fayette County Fair continues through Sept. 3 at the Kiwanis Fairground in Fayetteville.
Stage: Born into a Hasidic family in post-World War II Brooklyn, Asher Lev’s artistic genius threatens to estrange him from his parents and his observant Jewish community in Theatrical Outfit’s “My Name is Asher Lev.” It continues through Sept. 16 at the Balzer Theater at Herren’s. Take a look at our review of the show.
Stage: In the Polk Street Players’ fantasy farce “Dream Lover,” a “football widow” dreams up a Latin lover. The show continues through Sept. 8 at St. James Episcopal Church in Marietta.
Stage: Actor’s Express presents the musical version of “Kiss of the Spider Woman.” The show continues through Oct. 7 at the King Plow Arts Center. Check out our review of the production.
Stage: The Atlanta Shakespeare Company offers an updated take on “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged).” It continues through Sept. 2 at the New American Shakespeare Tavern.
Stage: Aurora Theatre in Lawrenceville offers a fresh take on “Sweet Charity,” the classic musical best known for the songs “Big Spender” and “If My Friends Could See Me Now.” It runs through Sept. 2.
Stage: Revisit a slew of childhood favorites with the Center for Puppetry Arts’ take on “The Tortoise, the Hare and other Aesop’s Fables.” It continues through Sept. 9.
SATURDAY
Music: Celebrate Freedom Atlanta brings a full day of contemporary Christian music to Jim R. Miller Park in Marietta. The line-up includes Amy Grant, Switchfoot, Jeremy Camp, Jars of Clay, Kutless, Hawk Nelson, Jason Castro and many more. The event begins at 8 a.m. and continues through 11 p.m. Sept. 1.
Festival: Celebrate fine arts from all over the country as well as those from local artists in Marietta at the26th annual Art in the Park, which happens in Glover Park Sept. 1-3.
Music: Lynyrd Skynyrd performs after the Braves game (which begins at 4 p.m. Sept. 1) at Turner Field. The concert is free (general admission seating) with game ticket. Separate passes for field access are $25.
Festival: Carnival rides, live entertainment, food and work by a long list of artists and craftspeople are all part of the 42nd annual Powers Festival, which happens Sept. 1-3 at Powers Pavilion in Newnan.
Festival: You’ll find more than 150 arts and crafts vendors, 30 food vendors, live entertainment and a large kids zone at the Love the Lake Festival in Acworth. The fest begins with a parade at 10 a.m. Sept. 1 and continues until 6 p.m. at Cauble Park on Lake Acworth. The fest will also be open noon-6 p.m. Sept. 2.
SUNDAY
Festival: Nibble and Noshfest offers Jewish food and fun and includes live music and comedy, arts and crafts vendors and more. It happens 11 a.m. Sept. 2 and3 at Temple Kol Emeth in Marietta.
Festival: Things will probably get spicy at the Atlanta Caribbean Jerk Festival, which takes place at Panthersville Stadium in Decatur noon-10 p.m. Sept. 2.
Festival: The Drive Invasion celebrates movies and music, this year the movies are “Big Trouble in Little China,” “Blade Runner” and “Blacula.” The music lineup includes the Black Lips, the Subsonics and Webb Wilder. Gates opens at 10 a.m. Sept. 2 at the Starlight Drive-In on Moreland Avenue. The music starts at noon and the movies begin at 9 p.m.
MONDAY
Music, festival: The WRFG Labor Day Blues Barbecue is a fundraiser for the community radio station. This year’s event pays tribute to local blues musician Chicago Joe Jones and includes Claudette King (daughter of B.B. King), Stoney Brooks and more. The music starts at 1 p.m. Sept. 3 at Park Tavern.