Welcome to September! Fall begins this month, but the weather is still warm and pleasant. It’s time for apple orchards, corn mazes, woodland walks, county and state fairs, and plenty of weekend festivals!
Are you looking for things to do this September around metro Atlanta?
Below, you’ll find an overview of September events, plus activities that are free, cheap, or discounted. Sometimes we throw in a splurge alert item that we think is especially notable.
Please remember to verify every event before you head out! That’s why we provide so many links. We try to keep up with weather cancellations, but we don’t catch every one.
You may also be interested in:
- Fall Festival Guide: Things to do from Labor Day weekend thru November
- Corn mazes, pumpkin patches, and hayrides
- Apple festivals and you-pick apple orchards
- Complete list of FREE outdoor concerts
- FREE outdoor movies: enjoy a night under the stars
- Free & cheap things to do this weekend
- Guide to fall farmers markets
September in Atlanta: top things to do
REMINDER:
Before making plans for a restaurant, special exhibit, concert, trampoline, or spa treatment, make sure to check Groupon for a deal! You can often save 50% or more.
Below these spotlighted events, you’ll find a rolling day-to-day calendar listing of July events.
♦ Enjoy FREE museum days in September
• All month long in September, children get FREE admission at 15+ venues, through the Kids Play Free program — which is hosted by the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Note that you still must buy an adult ticket to get the free child ticket.
But in some cases, as with the GA Aquarium, a free youth admission offers amazing savings.
See all the venues and get details.
• The Georgia Aquarium offers you FREE admission on your birthday — so all of you September babies are in luck!
Details on the Aquarium offer
Can’t go for free? Check out this Groupon deal!
• The Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA) is hosting FREE Fridays in September. General admission is free for everyone. Advance reservations are recommended but not required.
Details here
• The Marietta Cobb Museum of Art hosts a monthly FREE day on the first Sunday of each month, which is September 6, 2026. Details here
• The Carlos Museum is holding its FREE Sunday Funday on September 6, 2026.
Details here
• The High Museum of Art hosts its Second Sundays FREE day on September 13, 2026.
Details on Second Sundays
• The High Museum also hosts its FREE Access For All program on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 — you need to register in advance for this one.
• The Museums On Us program offers FREE admission to Bank of America cardholders at SEVEN metro-area museums on September 5th and 6th. This includes the High Museum, Tellus Museum, Atlanta History Center, Center for Civil & Human Rights, and more — click the link below for the full list!
Details on Museums On Us
• The Marietta History Center hosts its FREE monthly Family Fun Day on Saturday, September 19, 2026.
• The Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville hosts its Free Family Thursday each month on the second Thursday, which is September 10, 2026. The free hours are 4 to 8 p.m.
♦ Celebrate Labor Day Weekend
Friday, September 4 to Monday Sept. 7, 2026
Are you looking for something to do on a long holiday weekend?
From festivals to outdoor concerts to free museum days, we have you covered!
Browse our Labor Day weekend list of things to do
♦ Plan a family outing to an attraction with FREE entry for kids
Here’s a really great promotion that was pulled together by the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, called Kids Play Free September.
They’ve coordinated with over 15 local venues to offer FREE admission to children during the month of September. In most cases, the free kid ticket requires the purchase of a regular-price adult ticket.
Venues include the Georgia Aquarium, Tellus Science Museum, LEGO Discovery Center, The Children’s Museum, Smith Gilbert Gardens, and many more.
Find a FREE kids admission offer
♦ Get in some great people-watching at Dragon Con
Labor Day weekend, downtown Atlanta
Dragon Con is Atlanta’s premiere Labor Day weekend event — featuring the quirky and iconic Dragon Con Parade on Saturday morning.
Grab a MARTA train and head downtown for the best people-watching you’ll find all year.
The streets and hotel lobbies will be lined with cosplayers!
Get details on the Dragon Con Parade
♦ See the Classic Lasershow, back at Stone Mountain for a limited time — for FREE!
Stone Mountain will bring back the Classic Lasershow that you remember so well — and it will be FREE to attend (but you still have to pay for parking).
It will run all of Labor Day Weekend, plus Sept. 12th.
More info on the Classic Lasershow event
♦ Take your dog for a dip in a pool
Doggy swim days are held at public swimming pools around metro Atlanta in late summer — just before the pools are drained and closed for the season.
These doggy swim days are about the only time your pup will be welcomed into a municipal pool to splash, paddle, and play fetch.
Find a doggy dip day near you
♦ Visit “Dinoverse” for an epic journey to the Jurassic
Dinoverse: An Epic Journey to the Jurassic is a family exhibition where kids and adults can explore giant skeletons, interactive dino zones, and creative activities. Step through a time portal with a thrilling Virtual Reality experience and snap epic dino photos!
Get tickets
More info
Location:
Exhibition Hub Atlanta Art Center
5660 Buford Hwy NE
Doraville, GA 30340
♦ Have a blast at a fall festival
September festivals include the iconic events listed below.
Click thru the links for complete details on each one — OR, just browse our complete guide to all the 2026 fall festivals and fairs.
- Reynoldstown Wheelbarrow Festival
- Taste of Smyrna
- Around the World in the DTL
- Gwinnett County Fair
- Pup-a-Palooza in Johns Creek
- Taste of Snellville
- Sandy Springs Fall Arts Fest
- Alive in Roswell
- Atlanta Greek Festival
- Adair Park Porches & Pies Festival
- Stone Mountain’s Pumpkin Festival
- Atlanta Streets Alive
- Coweta County Fair
- North Georgia State Fair
- Chamblee Chalk Walk & Artist Market
- Buckhead Fine Arts Festival
- Suwanee Fest
- Shakerag Arts & Crafts Festival in Peachtree City
- Japan Fest
- Georgia State Fair
- Cumming Art Fest
- Roswell Fall Arts Festival
- Peachtree Corners Festival
- Taste of Canton
- Blue Stone Arts & Music Festival (Sandy Springs)
- Oakland Cemetery’s Sunday in the Park & Tunes from the Tombs
- East Atlanta Strut
- Riverfest in Canton
- Old 4th Ward Arts Festival
- Callaway Gardens Butterfly Festival
- Sweet Auburn Music Fest
- Duluth Fall Festival
♦ Attend a Deep South Wrestling match — it’s FREE!
Deep South Wrestling puts on live shows that are completely FREE to attend (other than parking fees and concessions).
According to the website, Deep South Wrestling shows are family-friendly.
As far as sports go, this is probably a more intimate experience than you’re used to. You’re sitting close to the ring, and the wrestlers often interact with the audience.
Typical venues for pop-up shows are breweries, festivals, parks, and mixed-use developments.
Get more info + see the Sept. schedule
♦ Cheer on the Gwinnett Stripers at Coolray Field
It’s still baseball season! If you’ve never been to minor league game, make time this Labor Day weekend to visit Coolray Field and cheer on the Gwinnett Stripers, the triple-A affiliate team to our Atlanta Braves.
A Stripers game is an affordable outing for families, and a perfect cheap date — with tickets starting at just $9 and special promotion days that bring added value. Everything about the experience is less expensive than a Braves game at Truist Field. Plus, you’re sitting much closer to the action.
View the schedule and get tickets
♦ Get lost in a corn maze
The Buford Corn Maze was named one of the top 25 corn mazes in America by Country Living — so it’s highly recommended!
But that’s not all!
We have a huge list of corn mazes all over metro Atlanta, so you can find one in your neck of the woods. Some of them also feature farm markets, hayrides, haunted attractions, and more.
Find a corn maze
♦ Don’t miss the glowing pumpkin attraction at Stone Mountain
Opens September 19th, 2026!
The theme is “Play by Day; Glow by Night” and we recommend being there at dusk for the light-up attractions. Walk thru storybook scenes and enjoy a special Pumpkin LaserShow with fireworks.
Details & discounts for Pumpkin Festival
♦ See a planetarium show for just $6
Did you know the Fernbank Science Center is one of a handful of ALWAYS FREE museums around metro Atlanta? You can check out the exhibits at no charge any time it’s open. (Don’t confuse the Fernbank Science Center with the flashier Fernbank Museum of Natural History!)
More info
And if you want to spend a few bucks, get advance tickets for a planetarium show for just $6, thanks to a special deal.
Get the Groupon deal
♦ Have some thrills at a fall fair
Who doesn’t love a day at the fair?
You can enjoy everything from thrilling carnival rides, to midway games, animal displays, great entertainment, and your favorite indulgences — whether it’s cotton candy, fried oreos, corn dogs, kettle corn, or whatever.
Fall fairs that open in September include these favorites.
Click thru not just for the details, but for all the DISCOUNTS & FREE admission days we have dug up for each fair.
♦ Save the date for Atlanta Streets Alive
Sunday, September 27, 2025
During Streets Alive, for four glorious hours, miles of Atlanta roads are closed to cars — and open for people to stroll, roll, bike, and play!
This fall, the route will be along Peachtree Street, from downtown to midtown.
Can’t make it? No worries!
Streets Alive will repeat in October.
More info on Streets Alive
♦ Visit an orchard to pick apples (or buy them)
Many of the North Georgia orchards open for apple-picking and fun farm days in September — and continue into October.
Want to take a fun, day-long excursion to Ellijay and the apple region?
Take a look at our handy guide to apple festivals and u-pick orchards.
♦ Celebrate National Cheeseburger Day
Friday, September 18, 2026
Restaurateurs and retailers really roll out the freebies and deals on these made-up food holidays!
We always have tons of deals to share for National Cheeseburger Day.
Find one here
♦ Find FREE craft and DIY workshops in September
Take advantage of one of these FREE crafting events — just click through for details and to register.
In many cases, supplies are provided — but some events require a small purchase.
♦ Celebrate National Coffee Day
Tuesday, September 29, 2026
Find out where to get a FREE cup of coffee on this food holiday!
National Coffee Day deals & freebies
♦ Enjoy FREE outdoor concerts in September
The free outdoor concert series are still going strong, with something going on every weekend.
These events cover the extended metro area, including the suburbs.
Browse our special calendar for FREE outdoor summer concerts
♦ Take in a movie under the stars
There are FREE outdoor movies all month long, all over the extended metro area! You’ll find them at parks, shopping malls, town centers, and more. Some of them even include FREE popcorn!
Most of these series focus on movies that are rated G or PG, although you might occasionally find a PG-13 thrown in, so parental discretion is advised.
Browse our special calendar for FREE outdoor movies on the lawn
♦ Wander through a pumpkin patch
It may be a wee bit early to start thinking about Halloween decor — but the pumpkins are ready in the fields and calling to you, Come take us home!
Find a pumpkin patch to visit
♦ Experience the magic of a Candlelight Concert
Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations around metro Atlanta. These are live performances in intimate venues, lit by flickering candles. The concerts range from iconic classical music to tributes to pop artists like Adele and Queen.
More info and tickets
♦ Celebrate Oktoberfest at a local brewery
It may still feel like summer, but Atlanta’s breweries are gearing up for season of Oktoberfest celebrations, starting each year in late September.
We’ve put together a list of some of our favorite Oktoberfest events — take a look and raise a glass!
♦ Immerse yourself in Bubble Planet
This is an immersive experience in which you’ll surround yourself with bubbles like never before! Step into a planet beyond your imagination with VR technology, themed rooms, and fantastical landscapes. Jump from one immersive space to the next and explore them all with your five senses!
Get 1-day tickets
Get a 6-month pass
Location:
Exhibition Hub Atlanta Art Center
5660 Buford Hwy NE
Doraville, GA 30340
♦ Visit an autumn farmers market
There is a farmers market happening somewhere on every day of the week in September. Check out our full schedule of markets, organized by day of the week and location. We also let you know which markets double EBT dollars.
Find a farmers market near you
♦ Get outside for some woodland walks and easy hikes
Enjoy the cooler, less humid days on one of these easy trails.
• Here’s a short list of some of our favorite shaded walks to do on your own:
♦ Take a scenic drive
Get away from the bustle of the city without going far from home. The South Fulton Scenic Byway has been called the loneliest road in metro Atlanta — and it is so gorgeous, you won’t believe you’re still in Fulton County.
Get the route details
♦ Play in these splash pads, spraygrounds, & interactive fountains
No matter where you live in metro Atlanta, there is most likely a park with a water feature near you — and most of them are FREE.
The splash pad season goes through September at most locations. We’ve put together a handy list of splash pads, spraygrounds, and interactive fountains. The list is organized by county.
Find a splash pad or sprayground near you
The day-by-day September calendar:
This is a rolling list that includes events for the next two week.
