36 of the best events for Atlanta families in April

Kid-friendly musicals, Pete the Cat, YA authors, and egg hunts galore
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Atlanta family events April
Artwork from children's book author Ashley Brown is on display at the High Museum

Photograph courtesy of the High Museum of Art

Through 4/1
Two Boys Kissing 
Where: Druid Hill Presbyterian Church
When: 8 p.m. (Friday and Saturday), 2 p.m. (Saturday only)
Cost: $12.50 to $30
What: The Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus performs a new work based on the critically-acclaimed YA book of the same name, which follows the interlocking stories of gay teenagers.

Through 4/2
White Woman in Progress 
Where: 7 Stages Theatre
When: 8 p.m. (Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday), 5 p.m. (Sunday)
Cost: $22.50 for adults, $15 for students
What: After Atlanta actress Tara Ochs played the role of civil rights activist Viola Liuzzo in the film Selman, she was inspired to create this one-woman show that tackles issues of privilege, race, and social justice. Teens may find inspiration in message, which stresses the power of the individual to spur change.

Through 4/2
International Cherry Blossom Festival 
Where: Macon, Georgia
When: Various
Cost: Various
What: Did you know that one of the world’s largest cherry blossom festivals is in…..Macon, Georgia, whose streets are lined with more than 300,000 of the pink-blooming trees? Make the trek, and you’ll find concerts, amusement rides, puppet shows, a butterfly encounter, an open-air market, pink pancake breakfasts, and more. The 35th annual (free) cherry blossom parade kicks off at 4 p.m. on March 26.

Through 4/9
Dinosaur! 
Where: Alliance Theatre
When: 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. (Tuesday through Saturday); 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. (Sunday)
Cost: $10 for adults; $5 for kids ages 6 to 17; free for kids 5 and under
What: Developed in collaboration with Fernbank Museum of Natural History, this world premiere production gently introduces kids to the giants of the prehistoric world.

Through 4/9
Cinderella and Fella
Where: Alliance Theatre
When: Various
Cost: $32 for adults, $18 for kids
What: Janece Shaffer is known for writing plays that feature strong female characters, and this world-premiere musical is no exception. Expect a spunky take on the classic fairy tale, in which Cinderella is a high-tops wearing gal ready to join her new best friend (aka the prince) in fun and adventure.

Through 4/16
Grease
Where: Serenbe Playhouse
When: 8 p.m. (Wednesday through Sunday)
Cost: $30 to $35
What: Introduce your tweens and teens to the original high school musical. The always-inventive Serenbe will evoke a vintage drive-in theater—complete with VIP hot rod—in this open-air staging.

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.

4/1
Spring Fling
Where: Skyline Park at Ponce City Market
When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: $10, free for kids under 3 (games and putt-putt require tickets to play)
What: Kick off the season at PCM’s rooftop carnival. In addition to the usual putt-putt, games, Heege Tower and giant slide, Skyline Park will host face painting, balloon artists, bubble machines, and a live DJ.

4/1-2
18th Century Colonial Market Faire
Where: Fort Yargo State Park in Winder, Georgia
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Saturday), 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sunday)
Cost: $5, free for kids under 12 (park admission is an additional $5)
What: Each year, the Fort Yargo Historical Society hosts this event to teach kids about frontier life in 1700s Georgia. There will be demonstrations from craftsmen and women, frontier camps, a trading post, 18th century music, and children’s activities.

4/1-1/21/18
Painter and Poet: The Wonderful World of Ashley Bryan
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: The High continues its series of picture-book exhibitions with this show highlighting the work of 93-year-old Ashley Bryan. Taken together, his books—many of which draw on the black oral tradition—are a timeless celebration of African American experiences. Visitors can see over 70 works of art from 20 of Bryan’s books (all displayed at kid-height) and stick around for storytelling.

4/2
Back to Your Roots Farm Fair
Where: Chattahoochee Nature Center
When: Noon
Cost: Free with admission ($10 for adults, $7 for students ages 13 to 18, $6 for kids ages 3 to 12, free for kids 2 and under)
What: Cozy up to nature in advance of Earth Day. Get up close with farm animals, explore a working vegetable garden, and go home with some native plants of your own. Plus: face painting and outdoor games.

4/4-5/28
Pete the Cat
Where: Center for Puppetry Arts
When: Various
Cost: $20.50 ($10.25 for members), free for kids under 2
What: This world-premiere show based on the children’s book series will feature everyone’s favorite blue cat, who skateboards, surfs, and (of course), sings.

Easter event
4/7
Acworth Egg Hunt
Where: Acworth Sports Complex
When: 6:30 p.m.
Cost: Free
What: Watch as the Easter Bunny arrives by parachute, then switch on your flashlights for this evening hunt. In addition to 50,000 eggs, there will be face painting, balloon animals, and inflatables.

4/7
Pajama Concert
Where: Carlos Museum
When: 7:30 p.m.
Cost: Free
What: It’s pajama party time at Emory’s Carlos Museum, as the Vega Quartet performs musical stories. Cozy up and listen with a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows.

4/7-9
Atlanta Dogwood Festival
Where: Piedmont Park
When: Noon to 11 p.m. (Friday), 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Saturday), 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Sunday)
Cost: Free to attend; wristbands are $12 in advance and $15 at the door for unlimited rides (see below)
What: This arts and music festival also includes a kids village packed with carnival rides and inflatables. Show up on the 7th for Family Friday, when you can purchase a wristband for unlimited rides, and catch a special African dance workshop. Stick around for opening night fireworks!

4/8
Sheep to Shawl
Where: Atlanta History Center
When: 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Cost: Free with admission ($16.50 for adults, $13 for students, $10 for kids ages 4 to 12, free for kids 3 and under)
What: Learn how wool becomes cloth with sheep shearing, wool dyeing, spinning, and weaving demonstrations.

Easter event
4/8
Easter Eggstravaganza!
Where: The Rock Ranch
When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: Free (Rides are $3 plus tax)
What: The Truett Cathy–founded farm opens its doors for free to celebrate Easter. Take pics with the Big Bunny and scour the grounds for more than 40,000 eggs (there are three age-specific hunts throughout the afternoon). Note: There will also be a telling of the Biblical story of Easter. Afterwards, take a whirl on the carnival rides, including a locomotive train, carousel, and inflatable jumping pillow.

Easter event
4/8
Spring EGG-stravaganza
Where: Fernbank Museum of Natural History
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Cost: Free with admission ($18 for adults; $16 for kids 3 to 12; free for kids 2 and under)
What: There will be baby animals for petting, giant bubbles for popping, paper baskets for coloring, and eggs for finding. Afterwards, burn off your candy high with a spring hike in Fernbank Forest.

4/8-9
Meet the Holidays: Passover
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: Learn about this eight-day Jewish spring festival with a reading of Tomie dePaola’s My First Passover plus singing and crafts (where else can you make your own Red Sea in a bottle?).

4/9
Free Family Festival
Where: Woodruff Arts Center
When: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: Free; prior registration required
What: Among the many activities on deck this Sunday afternoon: Performances of the Alliance Theatre’s Cinderella and Fella and Dinosaur! (see descriptions above), a docent-led family tour of the High Museum, a dance performance by Moving in the Spirit, a ukulele workshop, and a family dance party.

Easter event
4/10
Magic Monday: Egg Hunt on the Farm
Where: Atlanta History Center
When: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Cost: $6.50 for adults, $5.50 for kids
What: Comb the historic Smith Family Farm for colorful eggs and participate in Easter-themed games like the Peep Toss at this event for toddlers and preschoolers.

4/11
Becky Albertalli
Where: Little Shop of Stories
When: 7 p.m.
Cost: Free
What: The award-winning local YA author (her 2015 coming-of-age novel about a gay teen, Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda, is now being made into a movie) stops by the Decatur bookstore to launch her newest book, The Upside of Unrequited.

Easter event
4/14
Easter Egg Hunt at Smith Plantation
Where: Smith Plantation in Roswell
When: 10 a.m.
Cost: $5
What: BYO basket and spend the morning filling it with candy-filled eggs. The Easter Bunny will also be available for photo ops.

4/14-16
Braves vs. Padres
Where: SunTrust Park
When: 7:35 p.m. (Friday), 7:10 p.m. (Saturday), 1:35 p.m. (Sunday)
Cost: Various
What: It’s opening weekend for the Braves in their new home: SunTrust Park. Opening day attendees will get commemorative tickets, while on the 16th kids can line up to run around the bases. And yes, there will be fireworks.

Easter event
4/15
Taste of Forsyth
Where: Cumming Fairgrounds
When: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Free
What: This annual foodie event includes a free Easter egg hunt with more than 30,000 of the plastic suckers. The hunts are staggered by age group: ages 3 and under fill their baskets at 11:30, 4- to 7-year-olds at 1:00, and 8- to 10-year-olds at 2:30. There will also be live music and a kids play area.

Easter event
4/15
Northeast Cobb Community Egg Drop
Where: Sprayberry High School
When: 10 a.m.
Cost: Free ($7 per child for unlimited rides)
What: It’s the Big Kahuna of metro Atlanta egg hunts: 90,000 eggs and pieces of candy, dropped from a helicopter on to Sprayberry’s athletic field. The mad rush begins at 11:30 a.m. with the toddler egg hunt (there are two more hunts for older children, and the helicopter takes another pass to drop more treats before each one). Kids can also enjoy inflatable rides, face painting, and a comedy circus act.

Easter event
4/15
Eggstravaganza Easter Egg Hunt
Where:
Callanwolde
When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Cost: $4 in advance, $8 at the door
What: Meet the Easter bunny and search for his candy-filled eggs—then hit the kids dance floor, build a LEGO creation, or get your face painted. There are three egg hunts for kids of various ages: newborns and toddlers start searching at 11:15, preschoolers at 11:30, and elementary schoolers at 11:45.

4/15-7/15
Ribbit the Exhibit
Where: Atlanta Botanical Garden, Gainesville
When: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Tuesday through Sunday)
Cost: Free with admission ($8 for adults; $5 for ages 3 to 12; free for kids 2 and under)
What: The Gainesville branch of the ABG hosts an exhibition of 23 large copper frog sculptures from North Carolina metal artist Andy Cobb.

4/18-23
Matilda
Where: Fox Theatre
When: 7:30 p.m. (Tuesday through Thursday), 8 p.m. (Friday and Saturday), 2 p.m. (Saturday only), 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. (Sunday only)
Cost: $33.50 to $128.50
What: Based on the book by Roald Dahl, this Tony-winning musical tells the story of a precocious little girl with beastly parents who befriends her kindergarten teacher, Miss Honey.

4/20-23
Disney On Ice Presents “Worlds of Enchantment
Where: Infinite Energy Center
When: 7:30 p.m. (Thursday and Friday), 10:40 a.m. (Friday only), 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday)
Cost: $18 to $98
What: Disney fans will go ga-ga for ice-skating theatrics featuring characters like Lightning McQueen, Woody and Buzz Lightyear, Anna and Elsa, and Princess Ariel.

4/22
Atlanta Steeplechase
Where: Kingston Downs
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (no admittance after 2 p.m.)
Cost: $32 for general admission (includes parking); free for kids under 12
What: Pull out your big brims for this annual spring festival, featuring all things horsey (racing, Budweiser Clydesdales, pony rides), but also too-cute Jack Russell Terrier races, bagpipers, skydiving, and—you guessed it—a fancy hat parade.

4/22-23
Atlanta Arab Festival
Where: Alif Institute
When: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Saturday), noon to 6 p.m. (Sunday)
Cost: $5; free for kids under 12
What: Immerse yourself in the cuisine and culture of the Middle East at this annual event. Browse the offerings at the Arab food court, shop in a bustling “souk,” and enjoy live music, dance, and poetry performances. There will also be plenty of standard kid fare like carnival games, face-painting, and bouncy houses.

4/23
Atlanta Streets Alive
Where: Ralph David Abernathy Blvd./Georgia Avenue
When: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: Free
What: One of the biggest Streets Alive events of the year stretches through seven neighborhoods, from Westview to Grant Park. Show up with your skates, strollers, or scooters for a car-free afternoon.

4/23
Musical Animals
Where: Carlos Museum
When: 4 p.m.
Cost: Free
What: Lois Reitzes—the voice of WABE—narrates two classic children’s stories: Ferdinand the Bull and Peter and the Wolf, with piano accompaniment by Elena Cholakova and William Ransom.

4/29
National Independent Bookstore Day
Where: Little Shop of Stories
When: All day
Cost: Free
What: Celebrate the indie spirit with a day’s worth of events: make your own Little Golden Book, meet YA authors Laura Silverman (Girl Out of Water) and Ashley Poston (Geekerella), and party like Timothy Failure.

4/29-30
Inman Park Festival
Where: Throughout Inman Park
When: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: Free (except for the Tour of Homes, which requires tickets)
What: The beautiful Victorian neighborhood hosts a seriously quirky festival, with bands playing across three stages, dance performances in the Trolley Barn, an arts and crafts market, and a showstopping Saturday afternoon parade. A self-guided tour offers a glimpse inside some of those historic homes.

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