ATLANTA — Thousands of people packed into Piedmont Park for the third and final day of the Atlanta Jazz Festival.
Andre 3000 of OutKast fame and singer Lizz Wright were set to perform at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., respectively. The two Georgia natives are making their mark on the jazz world.
"Jazz Fest is like the epicenter of Atlanta Culture to me," attendee Kip Darden said. "It brings out every family, every age, every type of person. I really think it's one of the best events that goes on in the park."
Darden showed up around 10:30 a.m. on Monday morning to claim a spot for him and his friends. Dozens of tents quickly surrounded his camp, including one with brothers Phillip and Michael Meredith.
"It's a music experience. Music is good for the whole soul, so it takes you another level," Michael Meredith said. "It's our city; it's a beautiful day and a day that the Lord has made, so we're happy about that too."
Tyler Lanier lives in Ohio but returned to her hometown to celebrate her birthday at Jazz Fest. She said she couldn't miss this year's performances.
"I just feel like it's the start of the summer," she said. "You know summer has started and begun when Jazz Fest happens, so it's just the kickoff to the summer."
Organizers said the Atlanta Jazz Festival is one of the largest free jazz festivals in the entire country. It typically draws around 200,000 people each Memorial Day weekend, they said.