Five things to do in the Athens area the weekend of March 27-29, 2026

Though there’s never a shortage of festivals, markets, concerts, and other cultural happenings in the Classic City, we’ve chosen to spotlight these events for the weekend of March 27-29, 2026.

Each week, the Banner-Herald will publish a list of five options for things to do in the Athens area. Please note that the events in this list are subject to rescheduling, cancellation, or tickets selling out.

Chess & Community Conference

WHERE: The Classic Center (300 N. Thomas St.)
WHEN: Saturday, March 28 at 9 a.m. (Free admission)
DETAILS: The 13th annual Chess & Community Conference is a free, family-friendly event that reaches beyond the game to train the leaders of tomorrow. In addition to the chess tournament, this youth-led event features hands-on robotics and new technology exploration. For details, visit chessandcommunity.org/conference.

Blacklight Student Film Festival

WHERE: Morton Theatre (195 W. Washington St.)
WHEN: Saturday, March 28 at 3 p.m. (Free admission)
DETAILS: Now in its fifth year, the Backlight Student Film Festival is a nonprofit event that showcases and celebrates talented film students in Georgia, featuring a day of screenings, filmmaker Q&A sessions, and interactive panels. For tickets and a full schedule of events, visit backlightfilmfestival.com.

Jam in the Streets

WHERE: Downtown Athens (Washington Street)
WHEN: Saturday, March 28 (Free admission)
DETAILS: The massive “Jam for Cam” music festival drew more than 15,000 to downtown Athens last year in support of melanoma research and to honor UGA student Cameron Fearon, who passed away in 2018. For festival area access tickets, to make donations, and to learn more about the event, visit jam4cam.com.

Savor the State

WHERE: The Classic Center (300 N. Thomas St.)
WHEN: Friday, March 27, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. ($20 adults, $10 UGA students, free for kids 12 and under)
DETAILS: Presented by UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the annual Flavor of Georgia contest highlights innovative, market-ready, or commercially available food products developed by Georgia-based developers. Fifty businesses will be giving away samples and selling their products.

Birding with Technology

WHERE: Sandy Creek Nature Center (205 Old Commerce Rd.)
WHEN: Friday, March 27, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. (Free admission)
DETAILS: This nature program introduces attendees to digital tools that enhance bird-watching skills and offers a blend of outdoor exploration and modern tech education. As an option, guests may download Merlin Bird ID or Audubon Bird ID apps before the program to be able to utilize them along the walk.

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