16 things you can do around metro Atlanta for final weekend of spring break

ATLANTA — As spring break comes to an end for most Atlanta-area schools, why not take the family to a fun local event? Warmer weather means festivals are in full force, with everything from art to wings for sale.

You'll also find several pet-themed events and 5K runs among this weekend's events.

Check out the following 16 things to do in metro Atlanta this weekend:

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Cobb

Spring Native Plant Sale. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, April 6. Free admission. McFarlane Nature Park, 280 Farm Road SE, Marietta. https://gnps.org/.

Improve your landscaping by choosing among thousands of native perennials, ferns, shrubs, azaleas, vines and trees at the Georgia Native Plant Society's biggest sale of the year. Members will be on site to answer questions.

Acworth Art Fest. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, April 6 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, April 7. Main Street Historic District, downtown Acworth. https://acworthtourism.org/.

Artisans from around the country will have booths offering paintings, pottery, metalwork, folk art, glass, jewelry and more. Kids will have their own play land to enjoy, and a food court will sell treats.

For Pets' Sake. 1-5 p.m. Sunday, April 7. Free admission. Olde Towne Athletic Club, 4950 Olde Towne Parkway, Marietta. https://www.facebook.com/events/863565694033944/.

Browse and buy work from over 25 artists and take a chance to win a prize basket by buying a $5 ticket. The event benefits local pet non-profits.

Strand Ole Opry: Music of Simon & Garfunkel. 8-10:30 p.m. Saturday, April 6. $18. Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre, 117 North Park Square, Marietta. 770-293-0080. https://earlsmithstrand.org/.

Enjoy a blast from the past as others perform the iconic music of Simon & Garfunkel.

DeKalb

Spring Festival on Ponce. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, April 6. and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, April 7. Olmstead Park: North Druid Hills, 1451 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta. http://festivalonponce.com/.

Enjoy a spring festival among a gorgeous landscape designed by Fredrick Olmstead Sr. Fine arts and crafts, folk art and outsider art will be featured, in addition to a children's area and local foods and beverages.

Family Color War. 3-5 p.m. Sunday, April 7. $25 MJCCA member family, $40 community family. MJCCA-Zaban Park, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. https://www.atlantajcc.org/pldb-live/family-color-war-41534/.

Your family will be assigned a color before this Marcus JCC Atlanta event so you can come dressed out and ready to compete in lots of family-friendly competitions.

Brook Run Park Art and Plant Sale. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. art sale and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. plant sale. Friday, April 5-Sunday, April 7. Free admission. Brook Run Park, 4770 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody. https://www.discoverdunwoody.com

Enjoy this annual Dunwoody rite of spring as you browse through original artworks and meet the artists. You'll also be able to choose from among thousands of plants.

Avondale Estates Farmers Market. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday, April 7. Free admission. 22 N. Avondale Road, Avondale Estates. https://www.facebook.com/avondaleestatesfarmersmarket.

The Avondale Estates Farmers Market opens for the first time this season with favorite vendors as well as new ones including Feed the People Farms and Simple Bread Company.

North Fulton

Easter Cupcakes Decorating. 1 p.m. Saturday, April 6. $49 per seat. Sur la table, 1082 North Point Circle, Alpharetta. https://www.surlatable.com/.

Parents and kids age 8 and up work together to bake and frost Easter-inspired cupcakes, customize them and make edible carrot decorations.

Choate Construction Run the River. 7:30 a.m. 10K run, 7:45 a.m. 5K run, 7:50 5K walk and 7:55 one-mile fun run. Saturday, April 6. $15-$45. Starts at St. Andrew Catholic Church, 675 Riverside Road, Roswell. https://homestretch.org/choate-construction-run-the-river/.

Run or walk along the Chattahoochee in this fast, flat USATF-certified course. You should plan to arrive at least 45 minutes before your event starts. Funds benefit HomeStretch, which helps homeless families, and kids, pets and baby strollers are welcome.

Night Hike and Campfire. 8-10 p.m. Friday, April 5. Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell. $12 general public, $10 CNC members. 770-992-2055 ext. 237. https://www.chattnaturecenter.org/.

Hike through the forest at night with expert naturalists as you learn about bats and the calls of owls. You'll finish up the evening with an animal encounter and roasting marshmallows over a campfire.

Slingin' Wings Festival. Noon-7 p.m. Saturday, April 6. $20 general admission, $35 wing lovers' ticket. Sandy Springs Heritage Museum & Park, 6110 Blue Stone Road, Sandy Springs. https://www.slinginwingsfestival.com/.

Restaurants will sling wings, and you'll also be able to enjoy live local music, contests and activities and more. A portion of event proceeds will benefit Releash Atlanta, a non-profit group that works to rescue dogs from high-kill shelters.

Gwinnett 

Superhero 5K. 7:30 a.m. registration, 8:15 race, 9 a.m. fun run, 9:15 a.m. awards. Saturday, April 6. $25. Tribble Mill Park, 2125 Tribble Mill Way, Lawrenceville. https://www.active.com/lawrenceville-ga/running/distance-running-races/superhero-5k-2019.

Be a superhero as you run, jog or walk at this family-friendly event to benefit Gwinnett County students. Music, balloons, face-painting, raffles and costume awards will also be offered.

Gwinnett Stripers vs. Norfolk Tides. 7:05 p.m. Friday, April 5. $8-$9. Coolray Field, 2500 Buford Drive, Lawrenceville. 678-277-0300. https://www.milb.com/gwinnett/.

Check out the Gwinnett Stripers on their opening weekend, and in addition to baseball, you can add on a Southern crawfish boil before the game and stay for fireworks afterward.

Chill'n the Ville. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, April 5. Free. Lawrenceville Lawn, 210 Luckie St., Lawrenceville. https://www.facebook.com/events/567057953796833/.

Bring the kids out to the Touch a Truck event, which is the first in a summer series of fun.

Atlanta Pet Expo. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, April 6 and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, April 7. $4-$6. Gwinnett County Fairgrounds, 2405 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville. 1-800-220-5520. http://www.atlantapetexpo.com/.

Bring your pet to this event, where you can both score giveaways and earn prizes and check out live demonstrations, the latest pet products and more. Your pet can also get a free nail trim and discounted vaccinations. Online tickets get a $2 discount with #feedthepets and a pet food donation, and tickets at the door receive the discount with a pet food donation.

This article was written by Mary Caldwell, for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 

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