Spring has officially sprung in Northeast Georgia, and there are plenty of ways to get out and enjoy the start of the season.
Here is this weekend's list of events:
WEEKEND EVENTS MARCH 21-23
FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS
Event Name: Mutts on Main, Gainesville
Event Date & Time: Saturday, March 22, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Event Location: Gainesville Square
Event Details: Join us on Saturday, March 22, 2025 for the 11th annual Mutts on Main, where downtown goes to the dogs! This pet expo highlights adoptions and fostering at the Hall County Animal Shelter. Bring your pup pals downtown for a tail-waggin’ good time! You can win “Best in Show” for “Best Dressed,” “Best Trick” or “Look Alike” contests. Pet-related vendors and pet adoptions will all be available. Find a full list of the day’s schedule at https://www.exploregainesville.org/mutts-on-main/.
Event Name: Sweep the Hooch, Gainesville
Event Date & Time: Saturday, March 22, 9 a.m.
Event Location: Various Locations Around Lake Lanier
Event Details: Sweep the Hooch is an annual watershed-wide trash clean up that brings together hundreds of volunteers each year at dozens of access points along the Chattahoochee River. Last year 32.5 tons of trash were removed and 2.25 tons were recycled! Sign up to volunteer, and get details, at the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper website: chattahoochee.org/sweep-the-hooch/
Event Name: John Ferris Regatta, Gainesville
Event Date & Time: Saturday, March 22
Event Location: Lake Lanier Olympic Park, 3105 Clarks Bridge Rd., Gainesville
Event Details: Come enjoy watching this event sponsored by the Lake Lanier Rowing Club. Lake Lanier Olympic Park served as the competition site for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games rowing and sprint canoe/kayak. Over the past 25 years, the Lake Lanier Olympic Park has hosted many regional, national and international competitions including the Champion International Collegiate Rowing Regatta, ACRA, and NCAA Women’s National Championship. Find all the details on this college rowing event at www.lakelanierrowing.org.
Event Name: Atlanta Speed Tour, Braselton
Event Date & Time: Friday, March 21 – Sunday, March 23
Event Location: Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, 5300 Winder Hwy., Braselton
Event Details: The Atlanta SpeedTour featuring the Trans Am Series returns to Michelin Raceway at the end of March for a weekend of pure Americana with a touch of nostalgia. American muscle cars in all four classes of competition will roar around the 2.54-mile course as they contest Round Two of the 2025 Trans Am schedule. Get details and tickets at www.roadatlanta.com.
Event Name: Spring at Sautee Contra Dance Weekend, Sautee
Event Date & Time: Friday, March 21 – Sunday, March 23
Event Location: Sautee Nacoochee Cultural Center, 283 Hwy 255 N., Sautee
Event Details: Spring at Sautee Contra Dance Weekend returns for its third year at the Sautee Nacoochee Center. Beginning Friday, March 21, through Sunday, March 23, dancers are invited to welcome the spring through 3 days of jubilee! From workshops to swing dance, waltzes and contra, this weekend will be jam packed with joining hands and connecting with fellow dance lovers. Live bands Toss the Possum and The Dog Walkers will bring the melodies while Warren Doyle and Claire Takemori will call the moves. To celebrate Spring at Sautee’s third year, we have partnered with Uhuburg Castle to end the weekend with extravagance. The added “Castle Package” will grant weekend dancers access to a waltz and contra dance held at Uhuburg. Find a full schedule of events at https://helenga.org/events/spring-at-sautee-contra-dance-weekend/.
Event Name: Beach Bash, Helen
Event Date & Time: Saturday, March 22, 1 p.m. - Dusk
Event Location: Unicoi State Park and Lodge Beach, 1788 Hwy. 356, Helen
Event Details: Spring Break Beach Party with brews, bands and bonfires. Your $5 admission will give you access to concessions, bar, s’mores, volleyball, cornhole and more fun on the beach. Find details at www.unicoilodge.com/adventures/unicoi-beach.
Event Name: North Forsyth Ag Day, Cumming
Event Date & Time: Saturday, March 22, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Event Location: Warbington Farms, 5555 Crow Rd., Cumming
Event Details: Join for a day full of agricultural education and fun! Over 20 vendors will be highlighting all areas of local agriculture. All ages welcome! The event is presented by North Forsyth High School Ag Program and will feature educational expos, livestock presentations, and an opportunity to support local, family-owned businesses. Some admission may be required for some vendors but all fees go to support the school’s program.
Event Name: Forsyth County Resource, Volunteer and Job Fair, Cumming
Event Date & Time: Saturday, March 22, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Event Location: 3185 Dahlonega Hwy., Cumming
Event Details: Hosted by Forsyth County Communication Connection, you can connect with over 25 resource partners in the community, as well as discover various volunteer and employment opportunities. Get details at www.eventbrite.com.
Event Name: Recreation Expo, Cumming
Event Date & Time: Sunday, March 23, 3 – 5 p.m.
Event Location: 2300 Keith Bridge Rd., Cumming
Event Details: Come learn about current and upcoming programs, activities and opportunities that can be found at any of your favorite Forsyth County Parks! FREE food will be provided by Tacos & Tequilas. Don’t miss vendor giveaways, kids activities and games, membership raffles and more! Get details at www.parks.forsythco.com.
Event Name: Sunday Funday, Braselton
Event Date & Time: Sunday, March 23, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Event Location: Town Green, 9924 Davis St., Braselton
Event Details: A joyful celebration of community, games, music, laughter, and springtime fun. Explore a lively marketplace filled with unique vendors, enjoy live music, indulge in delicious treats, and take part in games and activities that will bring smiles to all ages. Get details at www.explorebraselton.com.
PERFORMANCES
Event Name: The Little Mermaid Ballet, Gainesville
Event Date & Time: Now through Sunday, March 23, Various Times
Event Location: Pearce Auditorium, Brenau University, Gainesville
Event Details: Ariel is making waves thanks to the Gainesville Ballet Company. Enjoy mesmerizing dance and music as the classic Disney story is told. Get your tickets at https://gbcdance.com/box-office-information.
Event Name: Special Talents of Forsyth, Cumming
Event Date & Time: Saturday, March 22, 3 p.m.
Event Location: Lou Sobh Amphitheater, Cumming City Center, Cumming
Event Details: This is the 2nd Annual talent show for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Those participants will show off their talents in a live show where they will entertain you with music, songs, comedy, magic and more!
Event Name: Gods of Comedy, Lawrenceville
Event Date & Time: Now Through April 12, Various Days/Times
Event Location: Lawrenceville Arts Center, 125 N. Clayton St., Lawrenceville
Event Details: Experience the uproarious mayhem of Ken Ludwig's The Gods of Comedy at Aurora Theatre from March 20 – April 13, where high-stakes academia meets hilarious divine intervention! What do you do when you lose the most important ancient manuscript in existence? Well, if you’re in Ken Ludwig’s The Gods of Comedy, you call on the Greek gods for help—and immediately regret that decision. Aurora Theatre is bringing the legendary playwright’s latest farce to the stage from March 20 – April 13, and if history (or mythology) is any indicator, audiences are in for an epically funny night at the theater. Get tickets at www.mylvilleartscenter.com/overview/138853.
Event Name: Harlem Globetrotters, Athens
Event Date & Time: Saturday, March 22, 2 p.m.
Event Location: Akins Arena at the Classic Center, Athens
Event Details: The Harlem Globetrotters are an American exhibition basketball team. They combine athleticism, theater, entertainment, and comedy in their style of play. Come enjoy the fun! Get tickets at www.ticketmaster.com.
CONCERTS
Event Name: Sam Bush Concert, Gainesville
Event Date & Time: Friday, March 21, 7:30 p.m.
Event Location: Boot Barn Hall, 312 Jesse Jewell Pkwy, Gainesville
Event Details: Sam Bush is more than just a musician—he’s a legend in progressive bluegrass, a festival headliner, and a mandolin virtuoso who continues to push boundaries. Known as the “King of Telluride,” his high-energy performances and genre-blending style have made him a favorite among bluegrass and jam band fans alike. But before he became the icon he is today, Bush was a Kentucky teenager who changed the course of bluegrass forever. Get tickets at www.bootbarnhallga.com.
Event Name: Power of Love, Huey Lewis and the News Tribute Band, Cumming
Event Date & Time: Friday, March 22, 7- 9 p.m.
Event Location: Cumming City Center, 423 Canton Rd., Cumming
Event Details: The Power of Love is a group of masterful, extremely talented musicians performing the greatest hits of one of the most beloved and iconic acts in music history. The Power of Love will have you on your feet or dancing in your seat. If you love the timeless hits of Huey Lewis and the News: The Heart of Rock & Roll, Hip to Be Square, The Power of Love, Workin’ for a Livin’, Back in Time, Do You Believe in Love and more, the POWER OF LOVE band will have you movin’ and groovin’. Admission and parking are FREE. No coolers, outside food, outside alcoholic beverages, cans, glass bottles, or smoking allowed. Friendly dogs on leash are welcome!
Event Name: Mad Hatters, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Tribute Band, Cumming
Event Date & Time: Saturday, March 22, 7 – 9 p.m.
Event Location: Cumming City Center, 423 Canton Rd., Cumming
Event Details: Formed in late 2020 in Atlanta, The Mad Hatters, while touring extensively, have quickly become the premier Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers tribute act. Comprised of rock veterans from the Georgia Satellites and other national and regional touring acts, The Mad Hatters deliver a pulse-pounding sound and stage show that could only be matched by Tom Petty himself. FREE admission & FREE parking. No coolers, outside food, outside alcoholic beverages, cans, glass bottles, or smoking allowed. Friendly dogs on leash are welcome! BYO lawn chairs or blankets to sit on. Tents are not allowed.
Event Name: Slippery When Wet, Bon Jovi Tribute Band, Hartwell
Event Date & Time: Friday, March 21, 7:30 – 10 p.m.
Event Location: The Station of Hartwell, 210 Railroad St., Hartwell
Event Details: Slippery When Wet – The Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute was formed in 2003 by Jason Morey after many noticed he looked just like the original rockstar. Food and drinks are available from 5:30 pm. Tables are Reserved Seating close to the stage. General Admission has seating that is available on a first come first serve basis and is directly behind the Reserved Seating Tables. Come early grab a bite and save your seat. Get details at www.thestationofhartwell.com.
Event Name: Departure, Journey Tribute Band, Flowery Branch
Event Date & Time: Friday, March 21
Event Location: Branch House Tavern, 5466 McEver Rd., Flowery Branch
Event Details: This group, Departure, covers the best from Journey. Get your tickets at www.branchhousetavern.com.
