ATLANTA — Atlanta is gearing up for a busy Labor Day weekend as it welcomes a plethora of popular events to the city for what is expected to be a very crowded weekend downtown.
The upcoming holiday weekend offers Atlantans and visitors alike an opportunity to experience a taste of the culture and entertainment the city has to offer.
Here are some of the notable events happening downtown:
Atlanta's largest multi-genre and pop culture convention returns to the city for its 35th year and is expected to bring in at least 60,000 fans of cosplayers, gamers and pop culture enthusiasts for a celebration of fantasy, sci-fi and gaming. Dragon Con begins Thursday and runs all the way through Monday with activities happening at five hotels -- Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Westin Peachtree, and Sheraton Atlanta -- in addition to AmericasMart buildings two and three.
There will be multiple events celebrating Atlanta's Black LGBTQ+ community for their annual celebration. The event begins on Thursday with Mayor Andre Dickens speaking at the opening reception, followed by additional nightlife events in several Midtown venues. Atlanta Black Pride weekend continues through Monday, and is highlighted by the Pure Heat Community Festival at Piedmont Park on Sunday with appearances by many special guests from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. It will also feature its first ever "Black Excellence Influencers Dinner" that will showcase the successes of organizations, leaders, and influencers assisting the LGBTQ+ community.
This year, fans of both college football rivals will get to experience the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, as the annual series will host two games this weekend featuring matchups that include both the Dawgs and the Jackets. On Saturday, Georgia will take on the Oregon Ducks at 3:30 p.m. at The Benz, while Georgia Tech will battle the highly-ranked Clemson Tigers on Monday at 8 p.m. Expect to see a lot of red and black and white and gold displayed by fans on Labor Day weekend.
Transportation methods:
Parking will not be easy at any of these events and you are strongly encouraged to take public transportation.
MARTA will be assisting attendees throughout the weekend to and from the events. MARTA sent out the best destinations for each stop on your way:
- Dragon Con – Peachtree Center
- Atlanta Black Pride Parade – Midtown
- Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game / UGA vs. Oregon – Mercedes-Benz Stadium/GWCC/CNN
- Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game / Georgia Tech vs. Clemson – Mercedes-Benz Stadium/GWCC/CNN
The Atlanta Police Department delivered a message to visitors of the city attending these events this weekend.
"We want to remind our visitors to remove valuables from your vehicles, not to leave your cars unattended while running and take your keys with you when you park your car," Atlanta Police Zone 5 Major Schiffbauer said. "We'll have a lot of extra police officers patrolling the streets this weekend, so if you need assistance, ask one of our officers or call 911."