It is time to kiss the last remaining bits of summer goodbye and head straight into fall. But, don’t worry, there is still lots of fun to have as we kick off fall, and September!

The Lantern Parade on the Eastside of the BeltLine. A beautiful Atlanta tradition. Photo by Christopher T. Martin
September 3-October 10, 2014: Bull Durham at the Alliance Theatre
One of baseball fans most beloved stories, the cast of Bull Durham takes to the stage in the theatre version loosely based on Ron Shelton’s life both on and off the baseball field. The perfect date night for any baseball loving fan! alliancetheatre.org
September 6, 2014: Lantern Parade and Opening of Art on the BeltLine
A beautiful and magical Atlanta experience, the Lantern Parade kicks off Art on the BeltLine each September. The radiant procession of light, music and color travels from the beginning of the Eastside trail and ends in Piedmont Park. Art on the BeltLine, a collective instillation by a selection of artists, runs from September through November. art.beltline.org/lantern-parade
September 6-14 2014: Midtown Restaurant Week
Join one of Atlanta’s best dining neighborhoods for the 9th annual Midtown Restaurant week. Area restaurants will be open for brunch, lunch and/or dinner and will showcase pre-fixed meals at $15, $25 or $35. 4th & Swift, ecco, Bantam & Biddy, Atlantic Grill, STK, Serpas and many more are included. mrwatlanta.com
September 7, 2014: Falcons vs Saints
Rise up! The regular season kicks off with the Saints coming to the Georgia Dome in this classic Southern city rivalry. www.atlantafalcons.com
September 9, 2014: Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon rocks their way into Atlanta and Lakewood Amphitheater www.ticketmaster.com
September 13-14, 2014: Atlanta Arts Festival
Located in Piedmont Park, Atlanta Arts Festival features over 200 artist from all over the country and right here in Georgia. With an emphasis on visual arts, this two-day festival features an artist market, artist demonstrations and classes, a cooking stage and a children’s area. www.atlantaartsfestival.com
September 13, 2014: Malts & Vaults at Oakland Cemetery
One of Oakland Cemetery’s newest walking tours, Malts & Vaults tells the story of Atlanta’s long and colorful history of beer. And while beer is not provided on the tour, your ticket is redeemable for $5 off at Six Feet Under or Tin Lizzy’s, both located just across the street. www.oaklandcemetery.com
September 13, 2014: Walk to Defeat ALS
To raise money for the fight against ALS and to raise awareness of the tragic disease, the Georgia chapter of the ALS association hosts the Walk to Defeat ALS. The walk is a team event and takes place in downtown Atlanta. And it certainly promises to be far less cold in comparison to the ALS ice bucket challenge that is taking the Internet by storm! webga.alsa.org
September 14: Atlanta Meatball Festival
Hosted by chef, and FACES of Atlanta, Linda Harrell, the first annual Atlanta Meatball Festival is a “battle of the balls” tasting event benefitting the nonprofit Open Hand. The top three winners, selected by both the audience and judges, of the event will go on to compete at the final challenge of Taste of Atlanta in October. www.atlantameatballfestival.com
September 18, 2014: Taste of Buckhead
Enjoy “tastes” from some of Buckhead’s best restaurants and 50 wine and beer pairings from some of the most popular mixologists at the 10th annual Taste of Buckhead. For the evening’s entertainment, there will be celebrity chef demonstrations and a live auction. Proceeds of the live auction benefit Livable Buckhead and the Buckhead Heritage Society. tasteofbuckhead.org
September 19-27 2014: Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood
Guaranteed to be a country crooning good time, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood swing into Atlanta for a string of concerts. A small selection of tickets remain on Ticketmaster but they are also available via Stubhub. www.ticketmaster.com
September 20, 2014: Whoopi Goldberg at the Cobb Energy Center
Whoopi Goldberg comes to town for an evening of stand up comedy followed by an audience Q & A. It is sure to be a belly laughing evening! www.cobbenergycentre.com
September 20, 2014: Marietta Street Fest
A full day of fun at the Marietta Street Fest! There will be 75 artists showcasing arts, crafts and antiques, a variety of classic cars and motorcycles on display and the Marietta Grassroots Festival will keep the tunes floating through the air all day long. www.mariettahistory.org
September 20 & 27, 2014: Teal Trot 5K for Ovarian Cancer
September is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness month, and to honor women who are battling the disease and educate women about the risks, the Georgia Ovarian Cancer Alliance and Northside Hospital are hosting two 5K races. One is in Winder, GA, on September 20th and the other in Alpharetta on September 27th. secure.e2rm.com
September 23-28, 2014: Mamma Mia!
This lively show featuring songs you know by heart comes to Atlanta and the Fabulous Fox Theatre. www.atlanta-theater.com
September 26-28, 2014: Outkast
Outkast comes home to Centennial Olympic Park for three shows. Rumor has it that multiple special guests — Usher, Ludacris and Jermaine Dupri have all been mentioned — will make an appearance. www.ticketmaster.com
September 27-28, 2014: Dahlia Society Show at The Atlanta Botanical Garden
A special addition to the Atlanta Botanical Garden this weekend, the Dahlia Society Show will feature over 750 breathtaking dahlias. atlantabotanicalgarden.org
For evening more September Happenings, check out our Atlanta Happenings page!
We hope you have a fabulous September!