5 Can't-Miss Summer Music Festivals
It's hotter here. But so is the music! Georgia is where the festival season lasts year-round. From the heat of the night to the dog days of summer, music never sleeps in this state. So use these summer days to fill your odometer with miles of music festival experiences.
Juneteenth Atlanta Parade & Music Festival
1. Juneteenth Atlanta Parade & Music Festival in Atlanta
Join family and friends to mark the Juneteenth holiday in Atlanta's Piedmont Park with a parade, music, art, food, and celebrations of Black culture. The free, two-day Juneteenth Atlanta Parade & Music Festival features music performances on six stages. Check the festival website for the complete lineup of performers. June 14-15, 2025.
AthFest in Athens, Georgia
2. AthFest in Athens
The three days of AthFest is a perfect homage of Athens progressive rock-and-roll past using music of the present and the future. The underlying cause AthFest supports – to bolster music and arts education in Athens area – is the heart of the festival, and it shows throughout the weekend. There's a KidsFest, an arts festival and an artist showcase throughout the weekend while an eclectic collection of regional acts play it loud and proud for festival-goers. June 20-22, 2025.
Bragg Jam in Macon, Georgia
3. Bragg Jam in Macon
There is not a better way to experience the past, present, and future of Georgia's eclectic music heritage than Macon's concert crawl, Bragg Jam. Named for a late pair of brothers who left their friends too soon, Bragg Jam is not only an homage to musicians but doubles as one of the city's largest and charitable events. Major regional acts are scattered around Macon’s premiere venues, giving festival-goers the chance to not just see music, but to experience one of the South's most important music town's progressive past and present scenes. July 26, 2025.
The Oak Ridge Boys will perform at the Georgia Mountain Fair in Hiawassee, Georgia, August 23, 2024
4. Georgia Mountain Fair in Hiawassee
The late governor and senator Zell Miller famously said that everything he ever did, he did on his way back to his beloved home, the quaint Choestoe Valley. This venue and signature summer music festival event is a testament to why North Georgia's most famous son felt that way about his home.
The Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds sit in the shadows of the beautiful foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Hiawassee. This midsummer, weeklong Georgia Mountain Fair is a perfect family getaway for those looking to escape the heat and those who are ready to discover Georgia's rich mountain music heritage. August 15-23, 2025.
Grant Park Summer Shade Festival in Atlanta, Georgia
5. Summer Shade Festival in Atlanta
Join the free, two-day Summer Shade Festival near the end of summer in Atlanta’s historic Grant Park neighborhood, featuring music, an artist market, a food market, and a 5K. Benefitting the Grant Park Conservancy, the August festival celebrates and supports the conservancy’s mission to restore, beautify, and maintain the historic park. August 23-24, 2025.
