The 84th Annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival will be held from April 17 through April 19, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia.
84th Annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival is presented by Bank of America
Every spring, the Atlanta Dogwood Festival returns to Piedmont Park in Midtown and welcomes tens of thousands of attendees each day. The event brings visitors from the metro area, nearby states and even farther to enjoy the three-day outdoor arts festival and support nearby neighborhood businesses. Fine art, live entertainment, family activities and blooming dogwood trees have made the festival an annual favorite for more than eight decades!
A gorgeous white dogwood tree in full bloom.
The 84th Annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival, presented by Bank of America, is expected to draw 200,000+ attendees. It’s the city’s largest and longest-running fine arts festival and the third oldest in the country. The festival’s nonprofit organization supports the arts and educational programs in more than 75 high schools in metro Atlanta.
FESTIVAL
Dense white dogwood flowers!
The Atlanta Dogwood Festival is a fine arts festival that includes live music, international entertainment, amusement rides, a 5K run, children’s activities, youth art events, many food and beverage options and the beloved disc dog competition. Entrance to this annual springtime tradition is FREE!
WHEN and WHERE
Red Dogwood flowers
84th Annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival is held at Piedmont Park at Charles Allen Drive and 10th Street, Atlanta 30309 Friday, April 17 through Sunday, April 19, 2020.
ARTIST MARKET
The artists booths seen through the dogwood trees.
Art Glass Vase by featured artist David Russell
A seascape by Plein Air painter Brian Murphy
The juried, fine art Artist Market at the Atlanta Dogwood Festival welcomes artists from throughout North America. As one of the first major outdoor arts festivals in the country each year, it showcases the latest and best work from participating artists. Media include painting, jewelry, sculpture, photography, fiber arts and more.
HIGH SCHOOL ART SHOW
White Dogwood flowers delicately tinged with pink edges.
One of the festival’s vital initiatives, the Atlanta High School Art Exhibition (AHSAE) offers Atlanta-area high school students the chance to take part in a renowned artist competition during the festival. From hundreds of submissions each year, a panel of professional artist judges selects the top 100+ works to be included in the onsite show. The exhibition is held in the Piedmont Park Community Center at the 12th Street – Piedmont Road entrance. Sponsored and supported by the Atlanta Dogwood Festival, the AHSAE provides nearly $40,000 prizes and scholarships for top submissions.
ENTERTAINMENT
Pink Dogwood Flowers
Throughout the weekend, the festival offers a variety of live entertainment. On the award winning Bank of America International Stage, performers representing countries and cultures from around the world offer a glimpse of the city’s global community. The Coca-Cola Main Stage lineup features bands and performers in many genres from recognizable names to up-and-coming talent.
MIMOSA 5K
Mimosa 5K
What beats hitting the pavement on a cool spring morning? The festival welcomes 1,500+ runners and walkers to the Atlanta Dogwood Festival Mimosa 5K for an exhilarating run through historic Midtown, ending with a refreshing mimosa in Piedmont Park. Registration is available at https://dogwood.org/events/mimosa-5k/.
WORLD TOUR
The festival celebrates the many global communities that call Atlanta home with the Bank of America International Village. Featuring educational booths hosted by local consulates and organizations, this important festival initiative works to bridge nations and grow intercultural awareness and understanding.
ART THROWDOWN
This fast-paced competition has become a not-to-miss aspect of the festival! At the Art Throwdown, teams of high school artists sketch, paint and create in a public, timed setting for the chance to take home top honors. Taking place on festival Saturday afternoon, the Throwdown brings out the competitive and collaborative aspects of marking art in a sports style atmosphere.
VIP and TICKETED
In addition to mingling among the energizing crowds, festival attendees can party like VIPs in the VIP Tent overlooking the Main Stage. From evening cocktail seating to afternoon food tastings, this area offers an upgraded way to experience the festival. Tickets for all of the VIP events have been available at www.dogwood.org since February.
KIDS and FAMILIES
Families love the Atlanta Dogwood Festival! In addition to all of the fun features to experience and tasty food to eat, the festival includes two areas dedicated to children. The Visit Tallahassee Kids Village offers entertainment and hands-on activities for young attendees, while the Midway includes a variety of rides and inflatables. There is something for everyone of every age at the festival.
DISC DOGS
A festival staple for nearly three decades, the annual disc dog competition hosted by The Greater Atlanta Dog and Disc Club takes place in the Meadow and amazes onlookers with the feats of super talented canines. This USDDN World Finals Qualifier has grown to be one of the most prestigious competitions in the world today and definitely a favorite with festival attendees.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA DOGWOOD FESTIVAL
A gorgeous white dogwood tree in full bloom.
The city’s longest-running festival, the Atlanta Dogwood Festival is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing the annual springtime celebration of arts and entertainment. The Society of American Travel Writers has named the Atlanta Dogwood Festival as one of the Top 10 Spring Festivals and Sunshine Artist magazine named the festival the 8th best in the country in 2017. The Art Fair Sourcebook has ranked the Festival as one of the Top 10 Spring Festivals and Sunshine Artist magazine named the festival the 8th best in the country in 2017. The Art Fair Sourcebook has ranked the Atlanta Dogwood Festival in its list of Top 25 Fine Art Festivals in the country.
The festival has also earned significant recognition from the International Festivals and Events Association for the overwhelming success of its programs. These included the Green Festival Initiative, which received a Gold Award for “Best Festival Environmental Program” for three successive years. Other programs receiving multiple Gold and Silver awards have been the International Stage for “Best Community Involvement” and the High School Art Exhibition for “Best Educational Program.” For more information about the 84th Annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival go to http://www.dogwood.org.
Are you going to the 84th Annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival? Let us know in the comments. If we can get the RV renovations done in time, The Traveling Locavores will be there. If not we will plan to attend the 85th event next April!
