After multiple stormy weekends in a row, it looks like sunshine may finally return to Northeast Georgia this weekend. There will be plenty of ways to get out and enjoy as well!
Here is this weekend's list of events:
WEEKEND EVENTS May 16-18, 2025
EVENTS AND FESTIVALS
Event Name: Food Truck Friday, Gainesville
Event Date & Time: Friday, May 16, 5 – 9 p.m.
Event Location: Lake Lanier Olympic Park 3105 Clarks Bridge Road, Gainesville
Event Details: On the third Friday of every month in the spring and summer, come enjoy the sunset from Lake Lanier Olympic Park’s Northeast Georgia Health System Plaza with friends and neighbors! Food Truck Fridays include live music, food trucks, beer & wine tents, and retail vendors. Entry to the plaza and concert is free and open to the public! Get more details at https://www.exploregainesville.org/food-truck-friday/.
Event Name: Art & Wine Festival, Dahlonega
Event Date & Time: Saturday, May 17, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday, May 18, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Event Location: Downtown Dahlonega
Event Details: Artists will present this exciting event for the 10th year in the historic downtown square and adjacent Hancock Park. The focus is on featuring high quality arts and crafts, fine regional wines and craft beers, and terrific jazz performances to entertain our visitors for this truly cultural event. Eighty or more carefully selected artists and crafters will display creative products for purchase during the two-day event in downtown Dahlonega. Find more details at https://www.chestateeartists.org/arts-and-wine-festival.php.
Event Name: Spring Arts Festival, Duluth
Event Date & Time: Saturday, May 17, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, May 18, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Event Location: Duluth Town Center, 3167 Main St., Duluth
Event Details: This event will feature approximately 86 painters, photographers, sculptors, metalwork, glass artists, jewelers and more! The festival will also offer artist demonstrations, live acoustic music, plus gourmet food trucks with healthy alternatives and music and dance performances. More details are online at https://www.duluthartsfestival.com/.
Event Name: Luminocity’s Dino Safari Festival, Buford
Event Date & Time: Now Through June 15
Event Location: Mall of Georgia, 3333 Buford Dr., Buford
Event Details: LuminoCity’s Dino Safari Festival is returning to Atlanta! You are invited back into an awe-inspiring prehistoric world, bringing life-sized, roaring dinosaurs to life with vibrant light art. The festival combines cutting-edge animatronics featuring over 70 life-sized dinosaurs, along with hundreds of stunning light sculptures. Interactive Dino-themed attractions include the Dino Bounce House, Dino Speedway, a Safari Train Ride, and much more. Aspiring paleontologists can dig for fossils and treasures in the Safari Dig and Fossil Hunt. Adults and children can enjoy delicious food truck offerings amid the convenience of our Food and Relaxation Zone. Visit https://www.luminocityfestival.com/ to reserve your tickets.
Event Name: Mirth & Mischief, Helen
Event Date & Time: Now Through May 31, Weekends
Event Location: Uhuburg Castle, 571 Ridge Rd., Helen
Event Details: Mirth & Mischief is more than just a night out; it’s an unforgettable, immersive journey that will ignite your imagination and keep you dancing into the wee hours! Don’t miss this immersive show with breathtaking performances, spellbinding dragons and grand adventures you can be a part of. Friday and Saturdays are for adults only. Sunday is family day. Enjoy castle tours, themed activities, an artisan mini village, and themed entertainment at family-friendly fairy frolic on Sunday afternoons. Find details and tickets online at https://mirthandmischief.live/.
Event Name: Hot Rod Exhibition, Cumming
Event Date & Time: Friday, May 16, 3 – 9 p.m.
Event Location: Cumming City Center
Event Details: HOT ROD EXHIBITION at Cumming City Center on MAY 16TH from 3-9 PM. A collection of Traditional Hot Rod, Customs, and Period Stockers from several states. Don’t miss it! More details are online at https://cummingcitycenter.com.
MUSIC
Event Name: Venue Jazz Orchestra, Gainesville
Event Date & Time: Saturday, May 17, 8 – 11 p.m.
Event Location: The Smithgall Arts Center, 331 Spring St., SW, Gainesville
Event Details: The Venue Jazz Orchestra is a sizzling modern ‘big band’ Made up of twenty of the finest musicians in Northeast Georgia, the VJO not only brings back those memories of the Golden Age of Jazz, but also performs popular hits from throughout the decades, including the best in jazz standards, Latin jazz, contemporary commercial music, and the greatest hits from the American Song Book. This is an outdoor concert on the lawn. Bring your lawn chair or picnic blanket. Get tickets at https://theartscouncil.net/events/summer-music-series/venue-jazz-orchestra-2025.
Event Name: Music Festival, Cornelia
Event Date & Time: Saturday, May 17, 4 – 10 p.m.
Event Location: 107 Grant Pl. Cornelia
Event Details: Come join us in downtown Cornelia for a night of entertainment, food, and fellowship. This is a free event for the community! We will be featuring plenty of local talent. Be sure to stay until the end where we will feature our main act Legendary Country Music Hall of Famer Marty Stuart! Food trucks and other vendors will be on site. Find more details online at https://cornelia.city/events-2/.
Event Name: Interstellar Echoes, Pink Floyd Tribute, Cumming
Event Date & Time: Friday, May 16, 7 – 9:30 p.m.
Event Location: Lou Sobh Amphitheater, 423 Canton Rd., Cumming
Event Details: Interstellar Echoes pride themselves on accurately reproducing the legendary catalog of Pink Floyd. Obsessed with the sounds, sights, and lore of this global music icon, Interstellar Echoes goes to great lengths to provide a meticulously researched, fully immersive live experience consisting of classic staples, as well as deep cuts that will please even the most diehard Pink Floyd fan. This is a free concert. Just bring a blanket or lawn chair. Get more details at https://cummingcitycenter.com.
Event Name: Nashville Nation, Cumming
Event Date & Time: Saturday, May 17, 7 – 9 p.m.
Event Location: Lou Sobh Amphitheater, 423 Canton Rd., Cumming
Event Details: Nashville Nation from Atlanta is the ultimate country party band, bringing the hottest country hits of the last 25 years to the stage! Covering chart-toppers from Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and more, this high-energy group delivers an authentic Nashville sound that keeps the crowd singing and dancing all night long. Admission and parking are FREE. 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. Details are online at https://cummingcitycenter.com/events/.
Event Name: Frankly Scarlet, Grateful Dead Tribute, Dahlonega
Event Date & Time: Saturday, May 17, 7:30 p.m.
Event Location: Holly Theater, 69 West Main St., Dahlonega
Event Details: Frankly Scarlet, a band of seasoned musicians from Atlanta, GA, brings the music of the Grateful Dead to life with their own unique interpretation. As lifelong Deadheads, the band members view this music as more than just songs—it's a lifestyle that has shaped their lives in profound ways. Frankly Scarlet is honored to share this magical experience with their fans, creating a powerful energy between the band and the audience at every show. Get tickets at www.hollytheater.com.
Event Name: Simply Sinatra, Sugar Hill
Event Date & Time: Sunday, May 18, 4 p.m.
Event Location: The Eagle Theater, 5029 W Broad St., Sugar Hill
Event Details: Joe Gransden and His Big Band Return to The Eagle Theatre! On Sunday, May 18, at 4 p.m., experience Simply SINATRA, a tribute concert featuring Joe Gransden and his 16-piece big band. Enjoy all your favorite Sinatra classics, capturing the swing and style of the Rat Pack era. It’s an unforgettable afternoon of timeless music and big band energy. Get your tickets by visiting https://www.eagleatsugarhill.com/events/simply-sinatra-with-the-joe-gransden-big-band/.
Event Name: Dolly Parton Tribute, Lawrenceville
Event Date & Time: Friday, May 16, 7 – 10 p.m.
Event Location: Lawrenceville Lawn, 210 Luckie St., Lawrenceville
Event Details: Join us for the ultimate FREE summer concert series at Lawrenceville Lawn, featuring live music, tasty food trucks, and great vibes! Get all the details at https://www.downtownlawrencevillega.com.
