Photo by Science North
Through 2/12
I See a Story: The Art of Eric Carle
Where: High Museum of Art
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Tuesday through Thursday, Saturday); 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Friday); 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Sunday)
Cost: Free with admission ($14.50 ages 6 and up; free for kids 5 and under)
What: Even if your kid is too young to read, he or she would likely still recognize the distinctive hand-colored collages of children’s book author and illustrator Eric Carle, best known for The Very Hungry Caterpillar. See 80 original artworks from 15 of Carle’s most popular books in this career retrospective.
Through 2/15
Atlanta Jewish Film Festival
Where: Various
When: Various
Cost: $13 for adults, $11 for students
What: The 17th annual festival will include screenings of three family-friendly flicks: Abulele, the E.T.-like story of a grieving child who befriends a furry monster; The Children of Chance, a coming-of-age drama set in a children’s hospital in Nazi-occupied France; and Fanny’s Journey, about a 13-year-old girl who leads a group of young orphans to safety during WWII.
Through 2/26
Snow Mountain
Where: Stone Mountain Park
When: Various
Cost: $28; free for kids ages 2 and under
What: Make it a white Christmas (er, New Year) at Stone Mountain’s annual winter wonderland, with tons of trucked-in snow for sledding, tubing, and snowman making. Work up an appetite for warm drinks and roasted marshmallows.
Through 3/12
The Adventures of Mighty Bug
Where: Center for Puppetry Arts
When: Various
Cost: $20.50 ($10.25 for members), free for kids under 2
What: In this comic book-style show, Mighty Bug must rescue the citizens of Bugville from the villain Scorpiana. For ages 4 and up; attendees can also make a lightning bug rod and string puppet.
Through 5/7
Wild Weather
Where: Fernbank Museum of Natural History
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Monday through Saturday); noon to 5 p.m. (Sunday)
Cost: Free with admission ($18 for adults; $16 for kids 3 to 12; free for kids 2 and under)
What: Have you ever wondered about the forces that create severe weather events like tornadoes or hurricanes? In this interactive exhibition, you can whip up your own storm and learn how scientists are learning how to better predict extreme weather.
2/1-12
Le Petit Prince
Where: 7 Stages Theater
When: 8 p.m. (Friday and Saturday), 3 p.m. (Sunday)
Cost: $27.50 for adults, $18.50 for students
What: For decades readers of all ages have loved the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry story of a pilot who befriends a mysterious child. Atlanta’s Francophone theater company Théâtre du rêve will stage the play entirely in French—but don’t worry, there will be subtitles projected onto a screen.
2/1-28
Roswell Roots
Where: Various
When: Various
Cost: Various, though many events are free.
What: Roswell’s monthlong festival of black culture and history includes concerts, plays, storytelling, living history demonstrations, a poetry slam, and more.
2/2
Timothy Tyson
Where: Atlanta History Center
When: 8 p.m.
Cost: $10 ($5 for members)
What: Tyson, a senior research scholar at Duke University, discusses his new book The Blood of Emmett Till, about the brutal 1955 murder of Till, a 14-year-old African American boy accused of violating racial norms by engaging in an exchange with a white woman named Carolyn Bryant. The book includes the only interview ever given by Bryant, and is a powerful way to introduce teens to Till’s story and talk abut the region’s history of racial violence.
2/2-4
Game-O-Rama
Where: Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center
When: Open gaming runs 10 a.m. Thursday through 11 p.m. Sunday. Events take place throughout the weekend.
Cost: $50 for a three-day pass. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
What: Bring your gaming nut to this three-day convention dedicated to board games, miniatures, card games, and roleplaying. Events include game demonstrations, workshops, and championship matches.
2/3-5
Groundhog Day Jugglers Festival
Where: Yaarab Shrine Center
When: 5 to 11 p.m. (Friday), 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. (Saturday), 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Sunday)
Cost: Daytime events are free for spectators
What: Watch as jugglers, unicyclists, yoyo-ists, and hula hoopers show off their skills, then pick up some new tricks at one of the many workshops.
2/3-26
The One and Only Ivan
Where: Synchronicity Theatre
When: 7 p.m. (Friday), 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. (Saturday), 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. (Sunday). There will also be some weekday matinees for school field trips.
Cost: Various
What: This kid-friendly production (for ages 5 and up) pays tribute to Ivan, a real gorilla who lived at Zoo Atlanta from 1994 to 2012, with a story loosely based on his life and adapted from a Newberry Award-winning book by Katherine Applegate. Show up on Fridays, and the kids can wear their PJs and snack on cookies and milk while watching the show.
2/4-26
Too Heavy For Your Pocket
Where: Alliance Theatre
When: 7:30 p.m. (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday); 8 p.m. (Friday and Saturday); 2:30 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday)
Cost: $35 to $42 for adults, $10 for teens
What: This world-premiere play, recommended for ages 13 and up, takes place in rural Tennessee during the peak of the Civil Rights movement. The story follows a college student who joins the Freedom Riders—and whose fight against racism in the South takes a toll on his personal relationships.
2/5
Super Museum Sunday
Where: Various
When: Various
Cost: Free
What: As part of the Georgia History Festival, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources offers free admission to a number of parks and historic sites throughout the state—including some not normally open on Sundays. Participating sites include Andalusia Farm, the Dahlonega Gold Museum historic site, the Marietta Museum of History, the Millennium Gate Museum in Atlanta, and SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion and Film.
2/11
Malpaso Dance Company
Where: Rialto Center for the Arts
When: 8 p.m.
Cost: $31.21 to $62.64
What: See this young Havana-based dance troupe, which blends ballet, modern, and Afro-Cuban styles.
2/11
Culture Through Rhythm and Movement
Where: Center for Civil and Human Rights
When: Noon to 3 p.m.
Cost: Free for kids under 18; $18.25 for adults
What: Kids can learn how today’s popular music and dances are inspired by African culture and traditions in this month’s SPARK Saturday event.
2/11-12
Snow White
Where: Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center
When: 2 p.m.
Cost: $10 to $51
What: Each year the Atlanta Ballet presents a one-hour, family-friendly performance in the month of February, offering young arts lovers an opportunity to experience the beauty and drama of classical dance. Designed for kids 12 and under, this year’s production of Snow White will have special appeal for Disney fans.
2/12
Champion Tree Tour
Where: Fernbank Forest
When: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: Free with admission to Fernbank Museum ($18 for adults; $16 for kids 3 to 12; free for kids 2 and under). Advance reservations required.
What: Celebrate Arbor Day with this guided hike through Fernbank Forest (for kids ages 8 and up). You’ll visit and learn to identify some of the city’s largest, most impressive trees.
2/12
Fancy Storytime
Where: Little Shop of Stories
When: 3 p.m.
Cost: Free
What: It’s fancy day at the beloved Decatur bookshop. Don your finest dress-up clothes, and settle in for some fancy tales and fancy snacks.
2/13-14
Love Stories of Oakland
Where: Oakland Cemetery
When: 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Cost: $16 for adults, $10 for students
What: Learn about the romantic pasts of some of Oakland’s “permanent residents” in this guided tour.
2/15-19
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Where: Fox Theatre
When: 8 p.m. (Wednesday through Saturday); 2 p.m. (Saturday only); 3 p.m. (Sunday only)
Cost: $25 to $90
What: African American choreographer Alvin Ailey, who grew up during segregation and would have turned 86 this year, was a pioneer in the modern dance world for his socially conscious works and diverse troupe of dancers. Decades after their creation, many of his most famous pieces—including the extraordinary Revelations—continue to resonate deeply with audiences.
2/15-20
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Where: Philips Arena
When: Various
Cost: $15 to $225
What: In January, the nearly 100-year-old Ringling Bros. announced that this spring’s tour will be its last, making this your last chance to see the spectacle before it closes permanently in May. Infinite Energy Center will also host Circus XTREME later in the month.
2/18
Sweet Honey in the Rock
Where: Rialto Center for the Arts
When: 8 p.m.
Cost: $38.56 to $73.44
What: For more than 40 years, this Grammy-nominated all-female group has combined a capella singing and American Sign Language interpretation to create powerful, uplifting performances.
2/19
Vanilla Sunday
Where: Atlanta Botanical Garden
When: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: Free with admission ($18.95 for adults; $12.95 for kids 3 to 12; free for kids two and under)
What: Did you know that vanilla comes from an orchid? Taste a vanilla ice-cream sundae, and learn about the process by which vanilla beans are turned into vanilla extract. Then stop by the conservatory to marvel at the Garden’s annual ode to orchids.
2/21
Founders Day
Where: Callaway Gardens
When: All day
Cost: Free
What: Each year, visitors can explore Callaway Gardens’ beautiful grounds for free on November 6 and February 21—the birthdays of its founders. Stop by the Ida Cason Callaway Memorial Chapel between noon and 4 p.m. for special organ concerts.
2/21-3/19
Exit Strategy
Where: True Colors Theatre at Southwest Arts Center
When: Various
Cost: $20 for adults over 30, $10 for those age 30 and under
What: Recommended for teens ages 15 and up, this play explores the neighborhood tensions that arise when a Chicago public high school is slated for closure.
2/22-3/5
The Phantom of the Opera
Where: Fox Theatre
When: Various
Cost: $30 to $125
What: “Sing once again with me our strange duet” when this new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s gothic musical—including updated special effects, staging, and choreography—hits the Fox.
2/25
National Tell a Fairy Tale Day
Where: Children’s Museum of Atlanta
When: 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Cost: Free with admission ($14.95; free for babies under 1 year)
What: See Atlanta Ballet dancers perform excerpts from Snow White, meet Cinderella, listen to Anansi and The Magic Stick, and learn to dance the minuet.
2/27
Black History Month Parade
Where: Downtown Atlanta, beginning at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site
When: 1 p.m.
Cost: Free
What: Last year’s parade drew everyone from the Atlanta Dream to marching bands, cheerleading squads, and Girl Scout troops. In 2017, the event will pay homage to the late Earl Little, a community leader who launched the city’s first Black History Month Parade in 2011, and will end with a post-parade ceremony at Woodruff Park.
2/28
Mardi Gras Fun
Where: Children’s Museum of Atlanta
When: 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Cost: Free with admission ($14.95; free for babies under 1 year)
What: At this G-rated celebration, kids can make their own glittery masks and then don them for a Mardi Gras parade.
