No UGA football game this weekend. So check out these five Athens festivals

Andrew Shearer, Athens Banner-Herald
·2 min read
Artist Daelynn White signs a piece of her work bought by Stacey Smith and Blake Greene during the Athens Black Market, hosted by the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement, on Saturday, June 26, 2021. The Athens Black Market is designed to support minority business owners and artists and will be held every other month for the remainder of year, providing a marketplace that promotes culture and diversity in downtown Athens.

During University of Georgia football season, arts-related events typically steer clear of home game weekends to avoid issues with parking and traffic. As a result, the local calendars are jam-packed with fun things to do whenever The Bulldogs are off.

For folks who are looking to get out of the house and enjoy the fall weather, here's a look at five festivals happening in Athens Friday through Sunday as Georgia players rest up on the bye week.

Awesome in autumn: A look at fall festivals and Halloween events in the Athens area

Athens Black Market Fall Festival

WHERE: Ciné (234 W. Hancock Ave.)

WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 22 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. (Free admission)

DETAILS: Hosted three times a year by the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement (AADM), this pop-up event is a vibrant celebration of Black culture, art, music and business in the Classic City. Expect a wide variety of vendors including food, fashion, visual art and jewelry accompanied by live performances.

Athens Improv Festival

WHERE: work.shop (160 Winston Dr.)

WHEN: Friday, Oct. 20 and Saturday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. ($15-25 admission)DETAILS: This first-year event will kick off with Athens favorites Flying Squid Comedy and continue through the weekend with such acts as Brunch After Dark, Made Up Movie Night, Improv Athens, the 1992 Honda Civics, Detroit Style Jam, Village Theater, Yearbook Committee, Tipsy Zone and more.

DanceAthens 2023

WHERE: Morton Theatre (195 W. Washington St.)

WHEN: Friday, Oct. 20 at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 21 at 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. ($13-16 admission)

DETAILS: Long-running Athens company DanceFX will be joined by dancers visiting from from Alabama and South Carolina for this celebration of dance and community in the Southeast. For tickets, visit mortontheatre.com/list-of-events/2023/10/20/danceathens23.

Marathon this: AthHalf charity race features bands, beer and a run through UGA's football stadium

Northside Athens Fall Festival

WHERE: Northside Baptist Church (825 Danielsville Rd.)

WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 21 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. (Free admission)

DETAILS: Looking to start Halloween early? Check out Northside Baptist's third annual fall festival for games, food, inflatable attractions, prizes, and more candy than you can shake a broom at. This is a free event for the community, so you and your family don't have to be members of Northside Baptist to attend.

VHS Fest

WHERE: Athentic Brewing Company (108 Park Ave.)

WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 22 at 11 a.m. (Free admission)

DETAILS: For the second year in a row, tapeheads from Athens and beyond will gather to buy, sell and trade videocassettes with VHS vendors, collectors, film makers, and what the organizers describe as "analog-loving geeks." Be forewarned, not everything is available on streaming, and sometimes for good reason.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Five Athens festivals to check out this weekend on Georgia bye week