Things To Do In Buford

On this week’s agenda: art in the park, celebrity basketball, cooking with children, and music from Tori Amos, William Green, and Kipper Jones. As always, check Groupon for even more great things to do in Atlanta. Piedmont Park Arts Festival Midtown | Saturday, August 16, 10 a.m.–6 p.m., and Sunday, August 17, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Atlanta's largest public park is outdoing even itself with the fifth annual Piedmont Park Arts Festival, which will feature up to 250 painters, photographers, sculptors, jewelers, and other crafters. Sorting through the dizzying array of artistic disciplines is only part of the fun—live acoustic music, a bustling street market, and (of course) fried festival foods round out the weekend's bill. (1215 Piedmont Ave.; free) Atlanta Celeb Fest's Celebrity Basketball Game Sylvan Hills | Saturday, August 16, noon Atlanta Celeb Fest has drawn some of the biggest names in entertainment and sports to Georgia's capital, and its celebrity basketball game promises to be a sloppy—er, star-studded—affair. The game will tip off at noon inside Atlanta Metropolitan College. General-admission seating will let fans scoot close enough to the action to cheer on their favorite celebs and get whiffs of their paparazzi repellent. (1630 Metropolitan Pkwy. SW; $25+; buy tickets here) Eat a Georgia Rainbow at Imagine It! The Children's Museum of Atlanta Downtown | Sunday, August 17, 1 p.m. The Children's Museum of Atlanta has always been known for its hands-on activities, but Eat a Georgia Rainbow takes it a step further by adding food to the mix. This seasonal program features fruits and vegetables harvested in Georgia, and kids aged 8 or younger will be able to cook up a dish using local produce. As for the parents? Well, they're the brave souls who have to eat it. (275 Centennial Olympic Park Dr. NW; $12.75+; free for children younger than 1; buy tickets here) Tori Amos Cumberland | Tuesday, August 19, 8 p.m. Tori Amos has been a musical force of nature since the mid-1980s, but the singer-songwriter and classically trained pianist looks to be just getting started. She released her first classical music album in 2011 and seemed to be heading down an entirely new path, but her latest effort, Unrepentant Geraldines, marks a return to pop rock. Wherever she goes next, Amos is bound to find a captivated audience. (Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Pkwy.; $42–$67; buy tickets here) Fabulous Fridaze Concert Series with William Green and Kipper Jones Mableton | Friday, August 22, 7 p.m. The latest installment in the Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre's Fabulous Fridaze series features a pair of acts who have been doing this music thing for a while now. Keyboardist William Green has been playing since he was a child, and his talents have led him to appear alongside Curtis Mayfield and Jennifer Holliday. Joining Green will be Kipper Jones, who trained as as Motown singer at the age of 15 and has penned hits for everyone from Chaka Khan to Brandy. (5239 Floyd Rd. SW; $15+; buy tickets here)

The BeltLine is an ongoing project Atlanta is proudly creating to bring energy, creativity and community to its citizens. This progressive city connection spans over thirty-three miles through the city’s most eclectic and naturally beautiful spaces. The BeltLine is broken down into four main trails, all of which are ready for exploration. Arguably the liveliest sector of the BeltLine, the Eastside trail runs from Piedmont Park on 10th and Monroe, down to Old Forth Ward and Inman Park. The smooth, 2.25 mile-long path encourages walking, jogging, bicycling, skateboarding, rollerblading and more. The trail itself is filled with children, pets and Atlantans of all types. From students reading their favorite books on one of the many trailside benches, to young families sharing the experience of the BeltLine with their loved ones, the Eastside trail welcomes all walks of life. In addition to simply enjoying the beautiful outdoors, the BeltLine offers several unique experiences along the Eastside trail. A great way to start a day at the BeltLine is by renting a bicycle at Atlanta Beltline Bicycle in Old Forth Ward.  At only $15 per bike for the day, the price can’t be beat; plus, it’s located right at the southern end of the Eastside trail, making it a great starting spot. (Be sure to ask for a bike lock in case you want to stop to eat and/or shop.) Starting from the southern tip, the trail begins with an art installation that flows with the wind, creating beautiful color patterns. A series of vertical strings hold together several multi-colored triangle pieces, creating the illusion of floating ‘colors of the wind’. The Eastside trail of the BeltLine boasts several more art instillations along its path. Continuing north reveals several housing complexes with lovely balconies studded along the trail. One can only imagine the spacious, yet cozy loft space that must exist inside. On Sundays, The BeltLine Shed at Ponce City Market (a large retail, office and resident space opening in 2014) hosts Food Cart Sundays. With a great selection of different types of foods and drinks, including delicious iced coffee, this stop along the BeltLine is a great choice to please everyone in your group. If you’re more of the sit-down type, just around the corner is Inman Park. Right off the BeltLine, this lovely neighborhood has tons to offer, including Fritti, an Italian restaurant, well-known for its pizza, and Pure Taqueria, an Atlanta couple’s “sophisticated and fun” take on the authentic Mexican taqueria. For a quick treat, an incredibly popular choice is the local favorite, King of Pops. There are three places along the 2.25 mile-long stretch of the Eastside BeltLine to buy the creatively flavored popsicles, but if you’re looking for the most flavor options, head to their headquarters in Inman Park. Just a few feet off the BeltLine, this place offers almost all (due to limited quantities, some flavors sell out) of their tasty flavors from blackberry mojito to banana pudding and sea salt chocolate. Finally, for shopping, stop by Paris on Ponce for a well-curated warehouse space filled with over 30 unique boutique shops featuring local creators of all types. Find a home décor steal at the Parisian inspired Objet booth or get crafty with Terraria and make your very own terrarium. Paris on Ponce carries all kinds of items—from furniture and antiques to clothing and gifts—the variety is exceptional with its hodgepodge of beautiful, one of a kind goods. Overall, the Eastside trail of the BeltLine is a wonderful way to spend a leisurely, yet lively day taking advantage of wonderful local establishments. With ample eats, treats, and goods, the 2.25-mile span from Old Forth Ward & Inman Park to Monroe & 10th is a fun trip with lots of opportunities for friendly encounters. Photos by Johnny Cheng Photography | Explore more things to do in Atlanta

It's time to break away from your normal weekend schedule and explore all that the city has to offer.  Time for an adventure in your own city! Atlanta has several places to explore that won’t break the bank (To save even more, check out all of our things to do deals). Piedmont Park An adventure day doesn’t have to be filled with skydiving or bungee jumping. One of the cities oldest outdoor parks is the perfect place for an in town adventure. During the daytime the park is filled with people running and walking along the surrounding trails. You will also find activities like intramural sports and roller skating going on throughout the park. Skyview Ferris Wheel Skyview Ferris Wheel is Atlanta’s newest attraction located in Centennial Olympic Park. Riders can view the entire downtown skyline from the top at 20 stories high. Each Gondala can hold up to six people and has central air conditioning, keeping passengers cool during those hot summer months in Georgia. Atlanta MotorSpeedWay Driving School Head 30 miles south of the city to the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Want to be a Nascar driver for the day? The Atlanta Motor Speedway offers several different driving experiences for speed enthusiasts to test out their driving skills on the track. ZipLining Head north to Rome, Georgia for an adventure in the air at Daredevil Ziplines. Daredevil Ziplines offers zip lining and obstacle courses. Adrenaline junkies can get their adventure thrill sailing through the air on a zipline at a speed up to 40mph at 600 ft high. SkyDive Atlanta Skydiving is the ultimate thrilling seeking adventure. Take a chance to soar like bird with the diving experts from Skydive Atlanta. Skydive Atlanta is one of the cities popular and most trusted companies for Skydiving. You will be paired up with a Skydiving instructor as you jump out of an airplane from 14,000 feet.