Discover 14+ fun Atlanta Labor Day weekend activities and ideas! This year, Labor Day is on Monday, September 5, 2022. Make the most of it with the ideas in this post!
A few of our favorite Labor Day activities in Atlanta:
Read on for more details on these events, and other activities!
- Explore sci-fi and fantasy at Dragon Con
- Celebrate Atlanta Black Pride
- Attend an outdoor Pink Floyd-inspired concert
- See a hilarious Shakespeare performance
- Taste your way through Atlanta’s best restaurants
In this guide, you’ll find:
- Unique Labor Day Atlanta activities and events
- Labor Day events in Atlanta for foodies, music lovers, sports fans, and more
- Atlanta activities for Saturday, Sunday, & Monday of Labor Day weekend
- Labor Day festivals, concerts, sporting events, and more
- Labor Day ideas for families, couples, friends, and solo activities
Watch the Video: Labor Day Weekend Ideas in Atlanta!
Festivals & Events on Labor Day Weekend
1. Explore Other Worlds at Dragon Con
September 1-5, 2022
This can’t-miss festival draws tens of thousands of attendees each year. That’s because Dragon Con is “the largest multi-genre and pop culture convention focusing on science fiction & fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film in the universe!” Additionally, Dragon Con is a fascinating people-watching experience, as many attendees show up in cosplay attire.
Dragon Con began in 1987, and it’s become a beloved Atlanta Labor Day tradition. The event includes a massive parade, celebrity panels, performances, workshops, contests, an art show, vendors, and so much more. Explore Dragon Con and purchase your tickets!
2. Attend the Atlanta Black Theatre Festival
September 1-4, 2022
At this festival, you’ll find world-class plays, engaging panel sessions, film screenings, master classes, staged readings of new works, food vendors, a Black art expo and marketplace, and so much more.
This festival is a fantastic opportunity to be entertained as well as to make connections and network. Plus, don’t miss the Renaissance Jazz Brunch! Learn more and get your tickets.
3. Eat through Atlanta at the Food-O-Rama Festival
September 3, 2022
Taking place in Grant Park, the Food-O-Rama Festival is a “must” for Atlanta foodies! This festival is filled with food trucks, featuring dishes to purchase from some of Atlanta’s best restaurants and vendors.
Additionally, you can buy craft beers and cocktails, visit a marketplace with local art and vendors, see live music, and more! Get the details here.
4. Celebrate Atlanta Black Pride
August 31, 2022 – September 6, 2022
Join the largest Black Pride in the country! This festival aims to unite the LGBTQIA+ communities along with friends, families, and supporters. At this week-long celebration, there will be 25+ events, a variety of workshops, celebrity hosts and performances, a comedy show, brunches, and much more! Learn more here.
5. Attend Marietta’s Art in the Park Event
September 3-5, 2022
This annual Labor Day festival takes place in historic Marietta Square. More than 45,000 guests will gather to enjoy and celebrate art in all its forms. Browse a spacious artist market with works by more than 175 artists from across the U.S. You can also enjoy artist demonstrations, the Children’s Art Alley, a Chalk Spot street display, and more.
Proceeds from the festival support Marietta City Schools and Cobb County Schools. Moreover, this event is consistently recognized as a “Top 20 Event” by the Southeast Tourism Society! Get the scoop on Art in the Park here.
Concerts: Labor Day Weekend in Atlanta
6. Experience The Australian Pink Floyd Show
September 2, 2022
Head to the outdoor Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park for a chill evening featuring the sounds of Pink Floyd! This show is described as “the biggest and most spectacular Pink Floyd Show on the planet!”
The Australian Pink Floyd show has sold more than four million tickets to concerts across 35 countries. In fact, they’re so talented that David Gilmour (the voice and guitar behind Pink Floyd) even booked this act to perform at his 50th birthday celebration! Learn more and get tickets here.
7. Get Your Ska On with Streetlight Manifesto
September 4, 2022
Streetlight Manifesto’s ska punk music will amp you up in the best way! They’ll play on Sunday, September 4 at The Eastern – GA. This hip concert venue is located right off the Atlanta Beltline, in the Reynoldstown neighborhood of Atlanta. View tour details.
8. Have Fun at a Musical Summer Surf Party
September 3-5, 2022
Groove to the smooth sounds of The Beach Boys and other surf music! You’ll have “Fun, fun, fun” during this concert at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center! This concert is part of the Vibrant Voices Cabaret Concert Series. You’ll also hear the sounds of The Drifters, Chuck Berry, Jan & Dean, and more. Learn more here.
Atlanta Sports Games During Labor Day Weekend
9. Catch a Braves Game at Truist Park
September 1-4, 2022
You can’t end a summer in Atlanta without seeing a Braves game! Head to Truist Park to cheer on the home team. While you’re in the area, there are plenty of shops and restaurants to visit nearby at The Battery. Browse Braves tickets here.
During Labor Day weekend 2022, the Atlanta Braves will play home games on:
- Thursday, Sept. 1 – vs. Colorado Rockies
- Friday, Sept. 2 – vs. Miami Marlins
- Saturday, Sept. 3 – vs. Miami Marlins
- Sunday, Sept. 4 – vs. Miami Marlins
10. Cheer on the Dawgs or Yellowjackets in the 2022 Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Games
September 3 & 5, 2022
On September 3, watch the University of Georgia Bulldogs take on the Oregon Ducks in the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It’s a great time to be a Dawgs fan! That’s because Georgia claimed the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2021.
Then, on September 5, the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets will go up against the Clemson University Tigers, also at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Whether you’re rooting for the Dawgs or the Yellowjackets, both games are sure to be a fun Labor Day weekend activity for the family! Learn more here.
Unique Labor Day Weekend Ideas
11. Get Outside with a Walking Tour of Atlanta
September 1-4, 2022 on Labor Day Weekend (tours offered several days per week year-round!)
Play “tourist” in your hometown (or entertain guests) with a walking tour of Atlanta! Unexpected Atlanta offers two tours to choose from. On the Grant Park Past & Future Food Walk, you’ll taste 9 Southern-inspired dishes at 3 local food stops. Along the way, you’ll make new friends as you explore one of Atlanta’s most beautiful and historic neighborhoods! This tour includes 1.2 miles of easy walking, including a stroll through Historic Oakland Cemetery.
Alternatively, choose the King Historic District Tour to get an in-depth look at the people and locations that inspired Martin Luther King, Jr. There is no doubt that the labor movement is intertwined with the struggle for Civil Rights and the ongoing fight for equity. On this tour, you’ll be inspired to take action to continue Dr. King’s incredible legacy. Named by Conde Nast as one of the 16 best things to do in Atlanta.
12. See the (Abridged) Complete Works of William Shakespeare
August 20-September 4, 2022
Head to the Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse to catch a “hilarious, high-speed romp through all 37 of the Bard’s plays (and 154 sonnets) in two hours!” During the performance, three talented actors will tackle a wide variety of roles while taking you on a wild theatre journey.
Don’t forget to arrive early! That’s because food and drinks are available for purchase at the tavern starting 75 minutes before each show (but refreshments close 10 minutes before showtime). Get your Shakespeare tickets here!
13. Take a Day Trip Someplace Unexpected
A day trip isn’t the most unique Labor Day idea in the world. But, why not skip the crowds and visit someplace a little more off-the-beaten path?
Day Trip Ideas from Atlanta
- Providence Canyon – hike around “Georgia’s little Grand Canyon!”
- Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden – explore this folk art destination for the day – or extend your day trip with a stay in one of their on-site suites.
- Columbus, GA – bike or stroll along the river walk, or take on a whitewater rafting adventure! Grab a cup of coffee at Iron Bank Coffee Co. and head to the Columbus Museum for a taste of art and history.
14. Be Mesmerized by a Hot Air Balloon Festival at Callaway Gardens
September 3-4, 2022
Light up your Labor Day by heading to Callaway Gardens for a hot air balloon festival! During this fun, weekend-long event, hot air balloons will light up the sky of Robin Lake Beach. Then, a fireworks display will dazzle the family.
Additionally, Callaway Gardens offers putt-putt golf, waterfront fun at Robin Lake Beach, a floating obstacle course, a butterfly center, “Birds of Prey” show, and more! Learn more and buy your ticket.
A Brief History: What is Labor Day?
Before you celebrate, learn the history of this holiday. According to the U.S. Department of Labor:
“Labor Day is an annual celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers. The holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being.”
The first Labor Day parade was held on September 5, 1882, in New York City (pictured above, via Wikimedia Commons). That’s when thousands of workers marched in a parade from City Hall to Union Square to advocate for safer and more fair working conditions. The day’s events also included a speeches, a concert, and a picnic.
More than a decade later, Labor Day became a federal holiday on June 28, 1894. That’s when Congress passed an act to make the first Monday in September of each year Labor Day.
Labor Day is a fun holiday to enjoy – but it’s important to remember its origins, too. For hundreds of years, organized labor unions in the U.S. have fought for more livable wages, reasonable working hours, safe working conditions, and protections for workers.
Each year, many Americans celebrate Labor Day with parades, picnics, and parties. In recent years, there has been a growing movement to use the holiday as a time to consider steps toward unionization and collective bargaining. (For more information on this, check out the Economic Policy Institute’s unionization data!)
Lastly, Labor Day is often thought of as the unofficial end of summer – even though fall officially begins a few weeks later, on September 22, 2022.
We wish you a safe and fun Labor Day weekend in Atlanta! For more ideas to explore our city, check out our regularly-updated blog page!
