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Memorial Day honors members of the armed forces who lost their lives in service to the United States. The weekend leading into the federal holiday also represents the unofficial start of summer and is packed with events around Atlanta.

Atlanta Jazz Festival: Saturday, May 27 – Monday, May 29 

One of the largest free jazz festivals in the country, the celebration of music and culture returns to Piedmont Park for its 46th iteration. Fifteen artists will perform during the three-day event, which runs daily from 11 a.m. ­to 11 p.m. Along with musical acts, the festival features local artists and entrepreneurs in a vendor market, and food trucks will be set up around the park.

For a full schedule, .

Brew at the Zoo: Saturday, May 27, 6 – 9:30 p.m.

Zoo Atlanta’s Brew at the Zoo event offers after-hours access to the facility with beer and wine samples from 20 different breweries, live music from three different bands throughout the exhibits, discussions with zookeepers, and yard games. General admission and VIP tickets are available, with proceeds benefiting the zoo’s conservation efforts. 

For more information, .

Stone Mountain Memorial Day Weekend: Friday, May 26 – Monday, May 29

Beginning Friday, Stone Mountain will host its annual Memorial Day weekend event. Every evening will feature a musical salute to the troops with an extended fireworks finale following the attraction’s new Music Across America Light Show. The show features immersive lighting, flames, lasers, and 250 color-changing drones synchronized to music.

Along with a flag-folding ceremony, the Air National Guard Band of the South will perform Saturday through Monday.

For more information, .

Alpharetta Arts Streetfest: Saturday, May 27 – Sunday, May 28, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

With over 100 vendors, activities, and street performers, the Alpharetta Arts Streetfest – located at the Grove at Wills Park – is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday with a parking lot full of food trucks and vendors at the Alpharetta Community Center.

For more information, .

Memorial Day Classic 5K: Monday, May 29, 8 a.m.

The fourth annual Atlanta Memorial Day Classic 5K begins in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward, and the route will be lined with photos of fallen heroes. Participants receive a finisher’s medal.

For registration information, .

Memorial Day Family Canoe Day: Monday, May 29, 9 a.m.

Enjoy the outdoors and start your summer with a relaxing paddle on the Chattahoochee Nature Center’s Beaver Pond. This event is a beginner-friendly canoeing experience with CNC guides going over basic techniques and leading races and games. All equipment, including a canoe, paddles, and personal flotation devices, is provided.

For more information, .

The É«»¨Ìà Renaissance Festival: Saturday, May 27 – Monday, May 29, 10:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Typically open Saturday and Sunday, the festival located in Fairburn will remain open on Memorial Day, with veterans, active duty military personnel, and first responders getting in free on Monday. In its 38th year, the festival offers daily entertainment with jousting tournaments, live music, and more, along with traditional fair food and beverages. A vendor market is also open daily.

For more information, .