Community Events

Spend the night at Zoo Atlanta for a nocturnal adventure you won’t soon forget!

When the last guest leaves for the day, we invite you to stay! Come find out what really happens when the sun goes down. Which animals stay up late and how do others settle down for the night? And in the morning, how do animals greet the day? Join us as we explore these questions and more on an overnight adventure designed for families with children ages 6+.

Participating families will spend the majority of the evening outdoors walking around the zoo with an educator as their guide, stopping along the way to observe the nocturnal behaviors of the animals that call the zoo home. During the evening, participants will have the opportunity to use night vision scopes and engage in fun activities.

After an evening of exploration, participants will sleep in indoor, climate-controlled rooms with sleeping bags brought from home. And then rise and shine for more fun! Enjoy a catered breakfast from Proof of the Pudding, a ride on the Endangered Species Carousel, an up-close Animal Encounter with some of Zoo Atlanta’s small Ambassador Animals, morning activities and more visits to see how animals start their day.

Participating families are invited to stay and enjoy the zoo at their leisure at the completion of the program.

WHAT SHOULD YOU EXPECT DURING A NIGHTCRAWLER?

• Rain or shine. This program happens rain or shine, and much of the program is outside. Please plan for the weather and dress accordingly.
• The zoo is made for walking! Most of this experience is spent walking around the zoo, and many of the areas that we visit are not wheelchair accessible. Plan to spend up to 5 hours on your feet touring the zoo.
• Come with a full belly. While we will take a break for a snack in the middle of the evening, please eat dinner before you arrive. And remember to bring your water bottle with you.
• Embrace the dark. It’s called a NightCrawler for a reason. Explore the zoo by the light of the moon and our educators’ red-light flashlights. Guests may only use flashlights at bedtime.
• Rustic camping meets the zoo. All sleeping locations are in climate-controlled buildings with a restroom either in the building or nearby. Don’t forget to pack your sleeping bag!
• Stay awhile. At the completion of your program the following morning, you are welcome to stay and enjoy the zoo at your leisure.
• Have fun! This unique experience is unlike anything that you can do in Atlanta. We look forward to hosting you for an upcoming program!

SPRING 2025 DATES:

March 22, April 25, May 17

TIMES: 6 p.m. until 9:30 a.m. the next morning

COST: $100

MEMBER COST: $90

AGE RANGE: 6+

All children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. 

No creature looms larger over the savanna than the African elephant, and you’ll agree when you come face-to-trunk with one at Zoo Atlanta! Meet Tara or Kelly while learning why they are such important ambassadors for their species.

During this Wild Encounter experience, you will learn about elephants with a Zoo Educator before heading behind the scenes to meet up with members of the Elephant Care Team and find out more about elephant care at the Zoo. Of course, no Elephant Wild Encounter would be complete without the opportunity to hand-feed one of the “girls” an afternoon snack.

• Meet at the Zambezi Elephant Center 15 minutes before the Wild Encounter. 
• Please note that availability is limited for all Wild Encounters.

Days Available: Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday at 2 p.m. 

Member Cost: $117 | Non-Member Cost: $130 + Zoo admission

Age Range: 4 and up

We can’t plan a trip to Madagascar for you, but we can help you meet one of its most iconic native species. Experience our Lemur Wild Encounter!

Meet and feed some of the amazing primates that make the island of Madagascar one of Earth’s richest and most dynamic natural ecosystems, and learn what you can do to help one of the most endangered groups of mammals on the planet.  

• Meet outside the entrance to The Living Treehouse 15 minutes before the Wild Encounter.
• Please note that availability is limited for all Wild Encounters. 

Days Available: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 11 a.m. beginning March 28

Member Cost: $41 | Non-Member Cost: $45 + Zoo admission

Age Range: 4 and up

We welcome you to the wild world of warthogs! Come explore what it takes to care for these charismatic creatures and their neighbors in the African Savanna.  

Do warthogs really have warts? Get an up-close look and see! Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at Zoo Atlanta’s African Savanna and give the warthogs a favorite treat. You’ll also meet members of the Zoo’s Animal Care Team and find out what goes into the care of warthogs and other savanna animals.

• Meet outside the warthog habitat near the SweetWater Beer Garden 15 minutes (at 12:45) before the Wild Encounter to check in.
• Please note that availability is limited for all Wild Encounters.
• This encounter is not ADA accessible.
• All guests must wear closed-toed shoes on this encounter.

Days Available: Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday at 1 p.m. beginning March 29

Member Cost: $41 | Non-Member Cost: $45 + Zoo admission

Age Range: 4 and up

Get ready for another round of "Tales from the Altamaha" seen through Sybil's "Judge-colored glasses."

This unique folk-life play brings to life the writings of Colonel T. Ross Sharpe, a local attorney whose essays, originally published in The Lyons Progress in the 1950s and 60s, reflect the rich culture and colorful personalities of the Altamaha River region.

Join us this April and May for a fresh set of captivating stories that continue to celebrate our community’s heritage, featuring local talent and the beloved “The River Rat Review Band.”

We look forward to seeing you there!

Come support Georgia Tech Baseball all season long as the Jackets take the field at Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium! 

Purchase your tickets today at the website below. 

Calling all art and garden enthusiasts! Mark your calendars for Madison Artists Guild's gARTen Market, a flourishing showcase of art for the outdoors happening from March 27-May 10.

Find everything you need to transform your outdoor space, from whimsical birdhouses and bird baths to enchanting chimes and sculptures.

MAGallery is open Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Visit the Steffen Thomas Museum of Art from Jan. 25-June 28 for their Special Exhibition From Tears to the Sea and Other Works, featuring Alexandra Huynh.

More details to follow.  Please call or visit their website for the most up-to-date information on this and other events hosted by the Steffen Thomas Museum of Art.

The Steffen Thomas Museum of Art is open Tuesday-Saturday, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Developed in collaboration with the Georgia Writers Museum, the upcoming will feature the art of painter Raven Waters, potter Senora Lynch (Haliwa-Saponi Tribe) and Steffen Thomas.

This environmentally-focused exhibition will explore, with artists and writers and audience, our place in the natural world: do we exist as a part of nature? Or outside of nature, experiencing the environment as a tourist or a consumer?

The title is a play on the internet phrase “touch grass” or “go touch some grass” that is said as a criticism to someone that they have been online too much and are disconnected from reality/the real world.

The museum is open Tuesday-Friday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
 

Bear on the Square Mountain Festival kicks off on Friday night with a special concert by the Becky Buller Band. Among her many awards, Becky is the only female to win Fiddler of the Year from the International Bluegrass Music Association. Her band features an amazing group of pickers and singers, including Ned Luberecki, a member of the Banjo Hall of Fame.

Tickets are $30 each (includes tax & fees). Seating is general admission and there are a limited number of tickets.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; music starts at 7:30 p.m.

Remember putting on an album and listening from start to finish? Relive that moment with a live concert experience unlike any other as The Black Jacket Symphony recreates "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes" – note for note – plus a full set of Jimmy Buffett’s greatest hits. It’s a fun night of rock and roll magic, plus a visual experience unlike any other.

The 1823 Artisan Guild is hosting an "Everyday Life" themed art show beginning Saturday April 5, at 1 p.m.

Come see art pieces that exemplify different perspectives on what "Everyday Life" means, and take a stroll around the guild to see all the treasures they have on offer! 

Celebrate Spring in the CSRA with the annual Sacred Heart Garden Festival!

While the private gardens and community rebuilds after Hurricane Helene, join us for two days at Sacred Heart with a vendor market, guest speakers and family friendly activities. Shop exclusive vendors, learn tips on restoring gardens, get inspired by and celebrate as we shine a spotlight on public gardens of the CSRA in need of community support.

Vendors will be inside the Great Hall both Friday and Saturday, and plant vendors will be outside on just Saturday. Sacred Heart will also be hosting the Pendleton King Park Plant Sale on Saturday.

The Southeastern Quilt and Textile Museum will open three exhibits that will run from April 15 through July 12. Each of these unique exhibits will take a different approach to reimaging textile art forms. 

The Hubbard Gallery will display Korhogo of West Africa Textiles collected by Beth Ann St. George. Korhogo cloth is a West African textile made by hand painting designs on hand woven and hand spun cotton fabric. The paintings are done using a specially fermented mud-based and natural vegetal pigment that darkens over time. Beth Ann St. George is a Folk Artist, who uses Korhogo cloth as central pieces of her modern textile art. She uses these pieces to educate people about the meanings of the symbols of the Korhogo cloth.

Myrtie Cope’s embroidered photographs entitled Nature Embroidered will be on display in Gallery II.

As a quilter and photographer, Myrtie Cope has found ways to incorporate photography into quilting and embroidery. Her embroidery adds texture and interest to landscapes and nature photos and, on some photos, creates an abstract image. In addition to the ongoing exhibit, the public is welcome to meet Cope and learn more about her work on Saturday, April 26, starting at 2 p.m., with brief artist remarks at 2:30 p.m. 

Great Depression Quilts from the permanent collection of the Southeastern Quilt and Textile Museum will be on display in Gallery III. Each of the quilts on display will provide a different look into the times and lives of people who lived and quilted during the Great Depression. 

Along with these unique exhibits SQTM will offer a variety of community programming and classes. A full list of upcoming classes and programs can be found at sqtmuseum.org/events. 

For the 2025 installment of its annual event, the Marine Trade Association of Metro Atlanta (MTAMA) invites attendees of the Lake Lanier Boat Show to Unplug, Explore, and Enjoy. Stroll the docks of Margaritaville at Lanier Islands, where row after row of the latest boat models will be anchored. In addition to the chance to shop boats at exclusive boat show pricing, this not-to-be-missed event will include chances to climb aboard available boats, ask questions of industry experts, attend fishing seminars, listen to live music, visit “lake life” vendors, take part in kid-friendly activities, enjoy tasty food and ice-cold beer, stroll the beach and more. Above all, guests can expect an effortless boat-buying experience. 

On Saturday and Sunday, live music performances include Rick Stone from 3-6 p.m. on 4/26 and Black Cat Moon from 1-4 p.m. on 4/27.

Tickets are $15 per person. Resort gate access, parking, taxes and fees are included with the purchase of a Boat Show ticket. Tickets for children ten years and under are $8 per person, and children 2 years and younger will be admitted free of charge. All tickets are non-refundable.

Margaritaville at Lanier Islands is located at 7650 Lanier Islands Pkwy in Buford. To learn more and purchase tickets, Atlanta-area adventurers can visit www.LakeLanierBoatShow.com.

The Autism Awareness Festival, held on the last Saturday in April in Forsyth, is a day of promoting community awareness, inclusion and education about disability, while providing a place to foster friendships and show families facing developmental disability love and support. The event lasts from 8 a.m- 3 p.m. and includes a 5K trail race and other family fun.

Join the Animal Care Team and one of our talented animal artists, meeting either the Zoo’s “VanGoat” or “Baaahlo,” and take home a unique work of art in this unforgettable experience.

Learn about the positive reinforcement training process of becoming an animal artist. See firsthand the ways this enrichment activity fits into high standards of care for animals at the Zoo when you meet a goat or sheep and see their art creation in action. Please note that we cannot guarantee a specific animal for your program.

- Meet at the Petting Zoo area of Outback Station 15 minutes before the Wild Encounter start time. 
- Please note that availability is limited for all Wild Encounters. 
- Includes one (1) take-home canvas per registered group.

Days Available: Saturdays at 3:15 p.m.

Member Cost: $67.50 | Includes one painting per group of four people.
Non-Member Cost: $75 per group of up to four people, + individual Zoo Admission | Includes one painting per group of four people.

Age Range: All ages

Friends of Gilmer Animal Shelter (FOGAS) is sponsoring the number one, family-friendly, pet party of the year.

Woofstock 2025
Downtown Ellijay Georgia
April 26, 2025
10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Attractions: Dog dock diving, live music, vendors, pet parade, pet contests, dock diving dog raffle, dog demonstrations, canine agility arena, pet adoptions and so much more.

All proceeds to benefit the pet related community projects of FOGAS, a North Georgia, all-volunteer, donation-funded 501(c)(3) charity.

Get ready for another round of "Tales from the Altamaha" seen through Sybil's "Judge-colored glasses."

This unique folk-life play brings to life the writings of Colonel T. Ross Sharpe, a local attorney whose essays, originally published in The Lyons Progress in the 1950s and 60s, reflect the rich culture and colorful personalities of the Altamaha River region.

Join us this April and May for a fresh set of captivating stories that continue to celebrate our community’s heritage, featuring local talent and the beloved “The River Rat Review Band.”

We look forward to seeing you there!

Bowling and pizza. Name a better duo!

Five Star Lanes is partnering with Dominos to bring back Pizza Bowl! Grab your friends and family and enjoy an afternoon of throwing a strike or two. For those new to the game, bumpers are available!

Receive two games of bowling, one shoe rental, two slices of pizza, and a soda for $15 per person. This event is open to the public so tell your friends.

Want to attend but don't have a DoD ID, register for a pass https://pass.aie.army.mil/steps/branch_selection.

Call Five Star Lanes at (706) 791-3446 with any questions.