Where the Weird Things Are

Where the Weird Things Are takes over the Historic Fourth Ward Park amphitheater on Saturday, October 24, from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM. It's a night dedicated to conjuring the mystical creatures that live in the wild places of our imaginations and along the Atlanta Beltline, coming out to caper, dance, and speak their tales. The whole thing is hosted by Chantelle Rytter and the Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons, and it's staged by Atlanta Beltline Art as part of the Beltline's public art program.

The evening turns the idea of a parade on its head: instead of floats passing the crowd, the parade stays put, and the audience wanders around the amphitheater pond to interact with the art. The park fills with live music, fantastical cardboard beasts, and community merriment. Anyone coming along is invited to make their own Weird Thing and join in, or simply pack a picnic and take in the scene.

The program runs in three parts. It opens with Why the Weird Things Are Here by Chantelle Rytter from 7:30 to 7:35 PM. That leads into the Vortex Opening Ceremony with Black Sheep Ensemble, which runs from 7:35 to 8:45 PM. The night closes with an All-Creature Dance Party from 8:45 to 9:00 PM.

It's free to attend, and the whole thing runs from 7:30 to 9:00 PM at the Historic Fourth Ward Park amphitheater, 680 Dallas Street Northeast.