What Events and Exhibitions Does Atlanta Botanical Garden Host?

Atlanta Botanical Garden runs a year-round calendar of seasonal events, annual festivals, and permanent art collections across its Atlanta and Gainesville locations. The Garden is open Tuesday–Sunday, 9 a.m.–7 p.m., and most events require a ticket or member reservation. Below is what the Garden itself lists, organized by type, plus how to confirm what's running during your visit.

Annual Events and Exhibitions

These recur on a predictable schedule and are the Garden's largest draws:

Note that the Garden's own listing shows Orchid Daze, Atlanta Blooms!, and Summer Party dated to 2027, which signals these are planned as recurring annual fixtures rather than one-off programming.

Seasonal Events

Beyond the annual anchors, the Garden runs shorter seasonal programming:

• Cocktails in the Garden — Thursdays through September (listed as May 14 – Sept. 24). Cocktails and live music while you explore the grounds and current exhibitions.
• Scarecrows in the Garden — October 1 – November 1. A fall display of creative scarecrows throughout the Garden.
• Great Pumpkin-Carving Festival — October 22. A single-day autumn event.
• Fest-of-Ale — October 2 – October 30.

Because these run on fixed windows, check the events calendar before you go if a specific one is your reason for visiting.

Art Exhibitions and Collections

The Garden maintains ongoing art programming rather than only temporary shows:

• Chihuly Collection — permanent glass sculpture works by Dale Chihuly, listed under Art Collections.
• Niki de Saint Phalle works — referenced in the Garden's Cocktails in the Garden listing as a current exhibition to explore.
• Sculptures and Water Features — separate browsable collections within the Art Collections section.

Art Collections, Sculptures, Water Features, and the Chihuly Collection each have their own page under Plan Your Visit, so you can preview what's on display before arriving.

Exhibits and Plant Collections

The Garden's exhibition side overlaps with its horticulture programming. Current exhibit and collection areas include:

• Indoor Gardens — Fuqua Conservatory, Tropical Rotunda, Orangerie, Desert House
• Special Collections Exhibits — Fuqua Orchid Center
• Outdoor Gardens — Conifer Garden, Conservation Display Garden, Storza Woods, Skyline Garden, Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, Lou Glenn Children's Garden, Anne Cox Chambers Garden
• Nationally Recognized Collections and the International Plant Exploration Program

Seasonal bloom tracking is handled through the What's in Bloom page, which is the most reliable way to know what's actually flowering during your visit rather than relying on a fixed schedule.

How to Check Current and Upcoming Events

The Garden's site organizes this in a few places:

1. Events & Exhibitions — the main listing for what's running now and next.
2. Atlanta Garden Calendar — dated programming for the Atlanta location.
3. Gainesville Garden — separate events and exhibitions for the Gainesville location, so don't assume Atlanta programming applies there.
4. Tickets & Information — where you confirm entry requirements for a specific event.

For anything ticketed or premium — such as the Holiday Hideaway Premium Plus Package mentioned for Garden Lights season — member tickets may go on sale before general admission, so check the membership and tickets pages if a date matters to you.

Practical Notes

• Two locations, two calendars. Atlanta and Gainesville run separate event schedules. Confirm which garden your event is at before buying tickets.
• Seasonal events sell around fixed dates. Cocktails in the Garden, Scarecrows, and the pumpkin festival all have defined start and end dates, so a visit a week earlier or later can miss them entirely.
• Some programming is drop-in, some is ticketed. The Garden references "drop-in family programs" alongside ticketed events like Garden Lights, so check the specific event page rather than assuming one model applies.
• Hours apply to all visits. Tuesday–Sunday, 9 a.m.–7 p.m., with the Garden closed on the day shown in the site's "Closed Today" notice — always verify the current day's status before traveling.