Decatur WatchFest ’26 to show 60-plus World Cup matches on the Square
Decatur WatchFest ’26 has received approval from FIFA to show more than 60 World Cup matches on three large screens on the Decatur Square between June 11 and July 19.
At least one match will be shown on the Square each day, including all U.S. Men’s National Team games in the group stage and beyond. The opening match, Mexico vs. South Africa, screens June 11, and the World Cup Final will be shown July 19. All 104 tournament matches will be shown at participating Decatur pubs and restaurants.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 runs June 11 through July 19, with eight matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Decatur is connected to downtown Atlanta by MARTA.
The festival will also feature a concert every day of the tournament. Three ticketed shows feature Big Boi, The War and Treaty and Indigo Girls; the Big Boi and Indigo Girls concerts are already sold out. Thirty-one additional concerts are free and require no tickets.
Click here for match and concert schedules.
— Derek Prall
Local feature and festival favorite ‘Color Book’ headed to Netflix
David Fortune’s Atlanta film “Color Book” is headed to Netflix on June 19, after its sold-out screenings at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre during the 2025 Atlanta Film Festival.
The filmmaker described “Color Book” as a “love letter to Atlanta.” It tells the story of a father learning how to raise his son with Down Syndrome as a single parent after his wife’s journey. The duo go on a journey to an Atlanta Braves game, complete with paths on foot and MARTA trips.
It is Atlanta-based director David Fortune’s debut feature film. It premiered at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival, and went on to earn awards at the Boulder International Film Festival, Oxford Film Festival, Austin Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival and an NAACP Image Award.
“Color Book” will drop on Netflix in time for Father’s Day weekend. On social media, Atlanta Film Society Executive Director and theater owner Chris Escobar said “with any luck” it may return to the city’s local independent theaters.
— Delaney Tarr
Paddle Georgia’s weeklong river trip returns in June; registration closes May 31
Paddle Georgia, an annual weeklong canoe and kayak camping trip, will run June 14-20 along a 95-mile route through North and Northwest Georgia. Registration for the event is closing May 31.
More than 300 participants are expected for the 21st edition of the excursion, billed as the largest of its kind in the country. The journey begins on the Cartecay River in Ellijay and follows the Coosawattee, Oostanaula and Coosa rivers before ending in Rome. Paddlers will navigate Class II whitewater, stretches of flatwater and seven rivers in all, with a portage around Carters Dam.
The trip is organized by Georgia Rivers as an environmental-education adventure for families. It features evening programs, children’s activities, a river cleanup and the chance to become certified as a volunteer water monitor.
Most participants register for the full seven days, though two-, three- and four-day options are available. Adult fees range from $160 to $460 and cover camping with showers, shuttle and guide services and river maps. Catered meals cost extra, and participants must supply their own boats.
Since 2005, Paddle Georgia events have drawn more than 7,000 people and raised over $1 million for river protection. Click here to register.
— Derek Prall
Sweet Auburn Barbecue hosts second annual Good Luck Smoke Show on May 20
Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn Barbecue will hold its second annual Good Luck Smoke Show on Wednesday, May 20, a one-night tasting event and block party aligned with Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
The event features more than 15 chef tasting stations, cocktails from Minhwa Spirits, beer and wine, lion dancers, live music and a rooftop DJ. The 2026 lineup includes Michelin-recognized and James Beard-nominated chefs from Atlanta and beyond, among them Eric Huang of Pecking House in New York and Vish Mayekar of ELEM in Vancouver. A portion of proceeds benefits We Love BuHi, which supports small businesses along Buford Highway.
The event runs 5 to 9 p.m. at Sweet Auburn Barbecue, 656 N. Highland Ave. NE. General admission starts at $85, with VIP options up to $115. All tickets include unlimited select food and beverages.
— Derek Prall
Atlanta History Center reopens children’s experience with sports theme on May 23
The Atlanta History Center will reopen its Goizueta Children’s Experience with a new “Atlanta Sports” theme on May 23, featuring the Atlanta Hawks, Braves, Falcons, Dream and Atlanta United.
The 5,000-square-foot gallery, designed for children, uses games, activities and storytelling to explore how the city’s professional teams have shaped Atlanta’s identity. Each team created training videos showing how players prepare to compete. Highlights include an immersive projection wall, a scent station modeled on the broadcast booth at Truist Park, a time machine climber and a toddler area inspired by the Dream.
The gallery introduces a new theme each year. Its first, “Our Great Big City,” focused on local landmarks. The experience is designed for three developmental groups spanning ages 1 to 8 and offers bilingual content for English- and Spanish-speaking visitors.
The reopening is one of six new exhibits launching in 2026 as the Atlanta History Center marks its 100th anniversary. The center also offers family activities including the historic Smith Farm, outdoor playhouses, a locomotive and regular programs such as Toddler Story Time.
— Derek Prall
Atlanta Opera to premiere ‘Water Memory’
The Atlanta Opera, in partnership with Georgia Tech Arts, will present the world premiere of “Water Memory (Jala Smriti),” a one-act opera, on June 12 and 14 at the Ferst Center for the Arts at Georgia Tech.
The chamber opera follows Janani, a South Asian woman in the early stages of dementia, and her adult children. Set in a hydrangea garden, it weaves a story of memory and family with questions about the role of artificial intelligence in daily life. Though the work engages with AI, it was created entirely by human artists. Composer Kitty Brazelton and librettist Vaibu Mohan drew on consultations with specialists in gerontology and memory assistance through Georgia Tech research institutes.
The opera is part of the company’s NOW Festival, which also includes the 96-Hour Opera Project competition showcase on June 13. A free talk-back panel follows the June 14 performance, which falls during Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month.
Tickets are $35 per event, with $50 festival passes available. Discounts are offered for students, young professionals, veterans and groups. Tickets are available here.
— Derek Prall
