Atlanta Dogwood Festival 2018 Set For April 13-15

ATLANTA, GA — It may be winter now, but one of Atlanta's biggest rites of spring is already in the works. The 2018 Atlanta Dogwood Festival is set for April 13-15 in Piedmont Park.

Now in its 82nd year, the Dogwood Festival is the nation's third-oldest fine arts festival and the longest-running festival in Atlanta, drawing roughly a quarter-million people every year.

It features an artists' market, live entertainment, outdoor activities, food and more.

In 2018, the juried artist market will feature more than 260 artists, showing works that will include drawing and painting, jewelry, fiber arts, mixed media, sculpture, glass, metal, wood and photography. More than 200 performers will take the International Stage, which will feature entertainment "from the many communities that make Atlanta a cosmopolitan city."

The festival also will feature Cultural Exchange Pavilions — "edutainment" booths designed to broaden cultural understanding with fun activities and offerings.

On the main stage, musical acts performing this year will include Jason Damico, Stolen Rhodes, Jake Bartley, Dave Fields, Caroline Keller, North of Mason-Dixon, Stone Senate, Hillbilly Vegas, Dave Fields Band, Wesley Pruitt, Jeremy Bar-Illan Band and Johnny Boogie Long. More acts are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Food lovers can enjoy Backyard Bites & Brews, a ticketed food and drink experience featuring local restaurants, chefs and breweries on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Tickets for the tasting go on sale Feb. 1 at the Dogwood Festival website and are expected to sell out.

The festival also will feature the Atlanta High School Art Exhibition, a Kids Zone and Midway with rides and activities, Friday night fireworks, a Disc Dog competition and will kick off with the Atlanta Dogwood Festival Mimosa 5K.

Named as one of the nation's Top 10 Spring Festivals by the Society of American Travel Writers, the Dogwood Festival is run by a nonprofit organization and is dedicated to providing an annual springtime celebration of arts and entertainment.

In 2013, the Art Fair Sourcebook ranked the Atlanta Dogwood Festival in its list of Top 25 Fine Art Festivals in the country and it has earned significant recognition for the success of its Green Festival Initiative, which in 2011, 2012 and 2013 received a Gold Award for Best Festival Environmental Program from the International Festivals & Events Association.

More details about the festival can be found at its website and you can keep up with the Dogwood Festival on Facebook and on Twitter.

Photo courtesy Atlanta Dogwood Festival