The Big A List

Metro Atlanta’s Best

Calendar: Search the complete list by date, location, category and keyword at events. accessatlanta.com.

FAIRS, FESTIVALS, ETC.

Cumming Country Fair & Festival. Through Oct. 14. $7; ages 10 and younger free; parking $5. 235 Castleberry Road, Cumming. cummingfair.net.

Atlanta Pride Festival. The largest Pride festival in the Southeast returns to Piedmont Park and other intown venues for a weekend of live entertainment, exhibits and vendors, plus the Pride Marketplace. Pride Parade at noon on Sunday. Oct. 12-14. Free. Piedmont Park, Atlanta. www.atlantapride.org. Georgia Mountain Fall Festival. This nine-day event features a flower show, big name performers (Mickey Gilley, Pam Tillis, Lorrie Morgan, Aaron Tippin, to name a few), arts and crafts vendors, a pioneer village, the “Wolves of the World” attraction, food and drink and more. Oct. 12-20 (see website for daily schedule, hours). $12, free for ages 12 and younger. Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, 1311 Music Hall Road, Hiawassee. www.georgiamountainfairgrounds.com.

Oktoberfest Atlanta. 5-11 p.m. Oct. 12; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Oct. 13; noon6 p.m. Oct. 14. $38. Historic Fourth Ward Park, 680 Dallas St., Atlanta. www.oktoberfestatl.com. Oakhurst Porchfest. More than 200 acts are anticipated to perform in a similar number of neighborhood yards and on porches, while also enjoying similar sorts of pop-up stops selling refreshments, arts and crafts around the community. Noon-7 p.m. Oct. 13. Free. Decatur’s Oakhurst neighborhood (see website for all participating locations). www.oakhurstporchfest.org. Historic Dallas Fall Fest. Sponsored by the Paulding Fine Arts Association, it’s a chance to enjoy arts and crafts, a wide array of entertainment on two stages, food trucks, oodles of kids activities and more in a picturesque setting. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 13. Free. Main Street and Courthouse Square, Dallas. www.pauldingfinearts.org. Chalktoberfest Chalk and Beer Festival. Sidewalk artists chalk the streets, great food and music abound and craft beer and wine are available for sampling in this benefit event for the Marietta Cobb Museum of Art that takes place in and around Marietta Square. General festival: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 13 and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 14. Free. Craft Beer and Wine Festival: noon-5 p.m. Oct. 13 only. $40-$45. 30 Atlanta St., Marietta. www.chalktoberfest.com Taste of Acworth. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 13. Free. Main Street, Acworth. www.acworthtourism.org. Georgia Apple Festival. Oct. 13-14, Oct. 20-21. $5; under age 10 free. Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds, 1729 S. Main St., Ellijay. www.georgiaapplefestival.org.

Owl-O-Ween Hot Air Balloon Festival. Enjoy this family-friendly event featuring live entertainment and roving performers, tethered balloon rides, food trucks and more. 6-11 p.m. Oct. 19; 4-11 p.m. Oct. 20. $9-$19; free for ages 2 and younger. Tethered balloon rides: $15. Kennesaw State University Sports and Entertainment Park, 3200 George Busbee Parkway, Kennesaw. www.owl-o-ween.com.

Taste of Atlanta. More than 90 restaurants will offer up delectables, chefs and hospitality experts will demonstrate on three separate stages and lead classes and the ongoing Barcraft Competition culminates in the naming of the winning mixologist. Kickoff Party 6:30-11 p.m. Oct. 19; event happens noon-6 p.m. Oct. 20-21. Kickoff Party (ages 21 and older only) $85 plus fees; $25 and $75 (plus fees) Oct. 20 and Oct. 21. Historic Fourth Ward Park, 680 Dallas St. NE, Atlanta. www. tasteofatlanta.com.

Little 5 Points Halloween Festival and Parade. An outrageously fun parade winds through L5P’s streets and a backdrop of food vendors, an artist market and more. Noon-11 p.m. Oct. 20 (parade at 4 p.m.). Free. Little Five Points (Moreland and Euclid avenues), Atlanta. Free. www.l5phalloween.com. Chastain Horse Park Fall Family Spectacular. Spend the day at the horse park in the heart of Buckhead and enjoy guided barn tours, pony rides, a horse costume parade and horseback archery demonstration and other equine activities. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 20. Free. 4371 Powers Ferry Road, Atlanta. www. chastainhorsepark.org.

Decatur Craft Beer Festival. Spend the afternoon enjoying live bands and a DJ and unlimited sips from over 80 breweries. You must be 21 or older to attend. Noon-5 p.m. Oct. 20. $50 (limited number of $100 VIP tickets available). Decatur Square, Decatur. www. decaturbeerfestival.com.

Festival on Ponce. This festival features some 125 exhibitions of arts and crafts, folk and outsider art; a children’s area and a wide variety of food and drink offerings. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 20; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 21. Free. Olmstead Linear Park, 1451 Ponce de Leon Ave., Atlanta. www.festivalonponce.com. Brookhaven Arts Festival. More than 140 artists working in painting, photography, glass, jewelry, mixed media and other specialties will show their work. There’s also a juried art show, a classic car show on Sunday, food and drink vendors, live musical performances and kids’ activities. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 20; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 21. Free. Apple Valley Road behind the Brookhaven MARTA station, Atlanta. www. brookhavenartsfestival.com.

PERFORMING ARTS

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” The Tony-winning Alliance Theatre begins its 50th anniversary season with an outdoor presentation of Shakespeare’s comedy. Through Oct. 21. $19.18-$69.18. Atlanta Botanical Garden, 1345 Piedmont Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-733-5000, alliancetheatre.org. “Lawrenceburg.” Through Oct. 13. $17.50-$32.50. Dad’s Garage, 569 Ezzard St., Atlanta. 404-523-3141, dadsgarage.com.

“Henry IV, Parts I and II.” Atlanta Shakespeare Company presents these two Shakespeare histories in repertory. Through Oct. 21. $15-$42. Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse, 499 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 404-8745299, shakespearetavern.com.

“Be Here Now.” Cynthia Barrett (“Stranger Things”) plays Bari, a woman in a perpetual funk, miserably returning to the town she abandoned years ago. Through Oct.

21. $20-$50. Aurora Theatre, 128 E. Pike St., Lawrenceville. 678-2266222, auroratheatre.com. “Nomad Motel.” Through Oct. 21. $25-$35. Horizon Theatre, 1083 Austin Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-5847450, horizontheatre.com.

“A Red Plaid Shirt.” Through Oct.

14. $15-$33. Stage Door Players at North DeKalb Cultural Arts Center, 5339 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody. 770-396-1726, stagedoorplayers.net.

“The Sleepy Hollow Experience.” Through Nov. 4. $30-$43. Serenbe Playhouse, 10950 Hutchesons Ferry Road, Chattahoochee Hills. 770463-1110, serenbeplayhouse.com. “Waiting for Godot.” 7 Stages cofounder Del Hamilton (who retired as artistic director in 2012) and Don Finney reprise their roles from its 1992 production of the Samuel Beckett play. Through Oct. 14. 7 Stages Theatre, 1105 Euclid Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-523-7647, 7stages.org. “Nell Gwynn.” The true story of the celebrated 17th-century English actress (and royal mistress). Through Oct. 21. Synchronicity Theatre, 1545 Peachtree St. (in the Peachtree Pointe complex), Atlanta. 404-4848636, synchrotheatre.com.

“Nina Simone: Four Women.” A musical revue. Through Oct. 21. True Colors Theatre Company at the Southwest Arts Center, 915 New Hope Road, Atlanta. 1-877-7258849, truecolorstheatre.org. “Nick’s Flamingo Grill.” Local playwright and composer Phillip DePoy’s post-World War II jazz musical. Through Oct. 28. Alliance Theatre Company’s studio space, Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 404-733-5000, alliancetheatre.org.

“Evil Dead the Musical.” Through Oct. 20. $35-$45. Out of Box Theatre at the Artisan Resource Center, 585 Cobb Parkway S., Marietta. 678-653-4605, www.outofboxtheatre.com.

“The Royale.” A look at the segregated world of boxing during the early 1900s. Through Nov. 4. Theatrical Outfit at Balzer Theater at Herren’s, 84 Luckie St. NW, Atlanta. 678-528-1500, theatricaloutfit.org. “The Ghastly Dreadfuls.” The spooky season favorite returns with short stories and seasonally appropriate musical numbers. Through Oct. 27. $25. Center for Puppetry Arts, 1404 Spring St. NW, Atlanta. www.puppet.org.

Dance Theatre of Harlem. 8 p.m. Oct. 13; and 3 p.m. Oct. 14. $35-$91. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, A tl ant a. www.cobbenergycentre.com.

#IMomSoHard. 8 p.m. Oct.

18. $46.75-$36.75. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta. www. cobbenergycentre.com. “Newsies.” Atlanta Lyric Theatre’s co-production with Aurora. Oct. 19Nov. 4. $38-$63. Jennie T. Anderson Theatre (at the Cobb Civic Center), 548 S. Marietta Parkway, Marietta. 404-377-9948, atlanta lyric theatre. com.

“The Toxic Avenger.” Rock musical tells the story of a man with a dream to save the world, but faces a tragedy that ultimately helps him in the long run. Oct. 19-Nov. 3. $25. Marietta Theatre Company at the Lyric Studio on the Square, 12 Powder Springs St., Marietta. mariettatheatre.com.

MUSIC

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: “Vive la France.” Works by Berlioz and Ravel. Philadelphia native Giora Schmidt makes his Atlanta Symphony debut in the Concerto No. 5 by Henri Vieuxtemps. 8 p.m. Oct. 12. $25-$44. Bailey Performance Center, 488 Prillaman Way, Kennesaw. 470-578-6650, arts.kennesaw.edu Maxwell. 8 p.m. Oct. 12. $40-$173. State Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park, 4469 Stella Drive NW, Atlanta. www.chastainseries.com. Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: “Vive la France.” Works by Berlioz and Ravel. Philadelphia native Giora Schmidt makes his Atlanta Symphony debut in the Concerto No. 5 by Henri Vieuxtemps. 8 p.m. Oct.

13. $22-$98. Symphony Hall, 1280 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 404-7335000, www.atlantasymphony.org. Emory Gamelan Concert. For this 21st anniversary concert, the Emory Ensemble will feature Gamelan Master Darsono Hadiraharjo (Cornell University). 4 p.m. Oct. 13. $10. Cannon Chapel Sanctuary, 515 Kilgo Circle, Atlanta. arts.emory.edu. Atlanta Master Chorale: “Making Sense.” 8 p.m. Oct. 13. $25-$30. Emerson Concert Hall, Schwartz Center for Performing Arts, 1700 N. Decatur Road, Atlanta. 404-7275050, arts.emory.edu.

The Breeders. 8 p.m. Oct. 16. $30-$35. Buckhead Theatre, 3110 Roswell Road NE, Atlanta. www. thebuckheadtheatreatl.com.

Good Charlotte. 7 p.m. Oct. 17. $38.50-$53.50. Tabernacle, 152 Luckie St., Atlanta. 1-800-745-3000, livenation.com.

Josh Groban. 8 p.m. Oct. 18. $55.50-$205.50. Infinite Energy Arena, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth. 770-626-2464, infiniteenergycenter.com.

The Yacht Rock Halloween Spook-tacular. 8 p.m. Oct. 19. $30-$40. Buckhead Theatre, 3110 Roswell Road NE, Atlanta. www. thebuckheadtheatreatl.com.

Chris Stapleton. 7 p.m. Oct. 19. $169-$295. Verizon Amphitheatre, 2200 Encore Parkway, Alpharetta. www.vzwamp.com.

Death Cab for Cutie. 8 p.m. Oct.

19. $39.50-$47. Coca-Cola Roxy, 800 Battery Ave., Atlanta. 1-800-7453000, www.cocacolaroxy.com.

Ru Paul’s Drag Race. 9 p.m. Oct.

19. $54-$64. Center Stage, 1374 W. Peachtree St., Atlanta. www. centerstage-atlanta.com. Incognito with Maysa. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 20. $33-$86. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta. www. cobbenergycentre.com.

Hanson with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. 8 p.m. Oct. 20. $39.50-$125. Symphony Hall, 1280 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 404-7335000, www.atlantasymphony.org.