The Return of Summer Shade (and Everything We Love About It)

There are festivals that pop up. And then there are the ones that anchor the season. The Grant Park Conservancy Summer Shade Festival is the latter—a ritual, a rhythm, and a rite of passage for anyone who calls Atlanta home when August begins to wilt.

Returning August 23–24, 2025, for its 23rd year, Summer Shade isn’t just an excuse to sprawl across the grass with a cold drink—it’s a full-on cultural collision tucked into one of the city’s oldest parks. Free to attend, the two-day affair unfolds across Grant Park’s lush, 131-acre sprawl with art, food, music, and a few unexpected thrills along the way.

There’s live music on two stages all weekend long. Artists and vintage vendors—more than 140 of them—turn the shaded paths into a curated market of style, sound, and texture. Deep South Wrestling brings the spectacle. Face painters and bouncy houses bring the joy. And the Milledge Fountain, recently restored, serves as the festival’s gleaming centerpiece and a subtle reminder that this is more than a party—it’s a fundraiser with roots.

Because behind the music and markets stands the Grant Park Conservancy, the nonprofit that keeps this historic green space thriving year-round. From ecological restoration to trail maintenance, their work is what makes moments like these possible. The Summer Shade Festival is their biggest event of the year—and one of the most beloved in the city.

It all kicks off Saturday morning, August 23, with the  Adams Realtors Run for the Park 5K, a neighborhood run that loops through the historic streets and directly supports the Conservancy’s mission. By the time the stages light up and the beer starts flowing, the park becomes what it was always meant to be—a place for everyone.

This isn’t just the end of summer. It’s the best of it.

To learn more, donate, or get involved, visit www.gpconservancy.org. For updates on the festival, visit www.summershadefestival.org or follow along at @grantpark.atlanta on Instagram and Facebook.com/SummerShadeFestival.