Atlanta’s official kick-off to spring, the 79th Annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival takes place in Piedmont Park in Midtown Atlanta Friday through Sunday, April 10 – 12, 2015. Presented by PNC Bank, the festival will welcome more than 260 fine artists and hundreds of thousands of visitors to a three-day weekend of live music, international performances, gourmet and festival fare, midway rides and games, the popular disc dog competition and more under the always anticipated blooming dogwood trees.

ART MARKET Each year, the Atlanta Dogwood Festival features a juried fine art Artist Market with more than 260 artists selected from over a thousand entries. Works included range from painting to jewelry, from fiber arts to sculpture and other artistic disciplines.

5K RUN Festival attendees will now have a chance to run off that funnel cake by hitting the pavement at the first-ever Atlanta Dogwood Festival 5K. Held Saturday, April 11, 2015, the run will include the 5K and a 1-mile Fun Run through the beautiful neighborhood and park on a crisp spring morning. Registration details are available at dogwood.org.

INTERNATIONAL Since 2010, the Atlanta Dogwood Festival has presented an award-winning International Program comprised of an International Stage and the International Village Cultural Exchange Pavilions. Welcoming hundreds of performers from the many countries making up Atlanta’s multicultural community, the International Stage provides exciting entertainment, colorful costumes and the chance for spectators to develop a broadened cultural understanding.

FOOD EVENTS In addition to the festival fare located throughout the grounds, the Atlanta Dogwood Festival offers the ticketed VIP food and drink experience Backyard Barbecue & Brews on Saturday and Sunday. This event sold out last year because attendees loved this special taste of the South! Ticket can be purchased at www.dogwood.org.

LIVE MUSIC Blues, rock, country, R&B – the Atlanta Dogwood Festival features these styles and many more! Live music fills the air throughout the entire weekend on the Main Stage.

ECO-VILLAGE The Atlanta Dogwood Festival has brought home top honors for its green event program, and each year the festival strives to improve upon this initiative. The festival recycles all cooking oil, requires vendors to use only compostable serving ware and hosts the Eco-Village where guests can meet “green” companies, learn about taking eco-friendly practices home and find out about the latest green developments.

YOUTH ART The Atlanta Dogwood Festival gives high school artists an opportunity to compete, exhibit their work and earn prizes such as scholarships and art supplies. The Atlanta High School Art Exhibition is a juried competition and exhibit drawing upwards of 700 entries each year. The high school art exhibit is one more vital way the non-profit festival’s funds are used to benefit the community.

KIDS & RIDES The much-visited Kids Zone is situated in the Mayor’s Grove close to the children’s playground and a variety of rides can be found in the Piedmont Park Meadow. Children and adults can spend hours having fun, jumping on the inflatables, riding the merry-go-round or opting for something a little scarier.

FAMILY FRIDAY In 2015, the festival will offer families a special package for a night on the town by putting together a deal with ride tickets and discounts.

DISC DOGS A festival favorite, the disc dog competition takes place on Saturday and Sunday during the festival each year. The competing canines amaze and astound as they literally fly through the air. (Other than competing dogs, no pets are allowed in the park during the festival, per a City of Atlanta ordinance.) Competition registration information is available at http://www.dogwood.org/Disc_Dogs.