Centennial Block Party
October 18, 2026 | 12–5 p.m.
Location: Peachtree Street between 15th and 16th Streets, in front of the High Museum of Art
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Everything outdoors is free, including free Coca-Cola products. [Museum admission adds the galleries, the Museum Shop, and the bars inside where The Ramp beer is poured.]
Members, keep an eye out: we're giving away a limited run of custom swag you won’t want to miss.
The High is taking over Peachtree Street to throw a 100th birthday bash you won’t forget. Join us for a free Block Party featuring live music, DJs, art-making, food vendors and special surprises. Bring the whole family, your friend group, your neighbor or your work bestie and come celebrate 100 years of the High.
Block Party access is free, rain or shine, register to help us plan for the day.
Schedule
Emcee all day: Algebra Blessett
| Time | Where | What |
| 12:00 p.m. | Main Stage | DJ XZACT: classic R&B, hip-hop, 80s and 90s, deep house, Afrobeats |
| 12:30 p.m. | Sidewalk Stage | A Worley Brown Boys & Girls Club Performance |
| 1:00 p.m. | Main Stage | DJ LV: dancehall, Shatta riddim, hip-hop, house, reggae, old-school classics |
| 1:30 p.m. | Sidewalk Stage (in front of the Memorial Arts Building) | All Smiles, Theatre for the Very Young: a sensory-friendly show about the many ways we smile, for newborns to age 5 and their grown-ups (about 30 minutes) |
| 2:00 p.m. | Main Stage | Official welcome kicked off by Atlanta Hawks Drumline, Dancers and Harry the Hawk
With Rand Suffolk, Director, High Museum of Art; Adriane Jefferson, Executive Director, Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs; Mayor Andre Dickens; and Killer Mike, High Museum of Art Board Member |
| 2:00 p.m. | Hawks activation | Harry the Hawk and friends |
| 2:30 p.m. | Main Stage | The Biological Misfits: a band born at a birthday jam session, playing ours. Soul, funk, hip-hop, acid jazz |
| 2:30 p.m. | Sidewalk Stage | Dance Canvas open rehearsal: watch choreographers shape work premiering in March 2027 |
| 3:00 p.m. | Sidewalk Stage | Bautanzt Here open rehearsal: Atlanta’s only purely site-specific dance theater company at work |
| 3:00 p.m. | Hill Auditorium | Panel: 100 Years of Art in Atlanta
Same price as the Block Party + Museum Admission ticket: free for Members, $23.50 for Not-Yet-Members. Registration required |
| 3:30 p.m. | Main Stage | Come Together dance party with DJ Kemit and Salah Ananse, until 5:00 |
| 3:30 p.m. | Sidewalk Stage | Brenau Dance Performance |
| 4:00 p.m. | Sidewalk Stage | Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra string quartet |
| 5:00 p.m. | Block Party ends |
Open rehearsals are drop-in. Watch for a minute or the whole set.
All day, noon to 4:30 p.m. on the block
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- Birthday hat making, chalk, and bubbles: Stop by and make a birthday hat to celebrate the High’s 100th! These hats are inspired by artwork in the museum’s collection. Nabil Nahas’s Peekaboo (2013, acrylic on canvas) and Ettore Sottsass Jr.’s Wardrobe (Superbox) (1968, wood and plastic laminate) use lines, vibrant colors, and patterns to make these unique designs.
- Reflections by Dash Studio: Step inside an immersive kaleidoscope experience featuring the same artwork debuting on the Atlanta Beltline October 2, seen up close for the first time.
- Soccer activations on the front lawn by Atlanta United and Atlanta City FC
- Atlanta Hawks Flight Crew will be doing stunts and bring the energy from the stadium to the street
- Trap Music Museum Pink Car
- Community Partners: LaAmistad, MODA, Midtown Alliance, the Alliance Theatre, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
Food & Drinks
Free: Coca-Cola products while supplies last. Everything else is for purchase.
Vendors, all day:
- Bomb Biscuit Co.: sweet and savory biscuits by Michelin Bib Gourmand local restaurant.
- The Giant Quesadilla: larger-than-life quesadillas on homemade tortillas.
- Sweet Auburn BBQ: traditional barbecue with an Asian twist, from the family behind Tio Lucho’s and Lazy Betty.
- Poppin’ Stop: specialty flavored popcorn, with varieties ranging from Cherry Cheesecake to Hotlanta.
- just add honey: loose-leaf tea, 18 hot flavors and 3 iced, plus flavored simple syrups.
Coffee, cocktails, and beer:
- The Ramp, our custom HIGH x Wild Heaven Belgian IPA, brewed with Grains of Paradise and Honeysuckle will be available at the bars inside the museum (museum admission required).
- Refuge Coffee Co., is serving 2 custom drinks: The Centennial Blush (Hibiscus Raspberry Refresher) and Hattie’s Harvest (honey cinnamon latte). Members get a discount. In Memorial Arts Building, to the left of the ginkgo tree.
- CJ’s Cafe, in the museum lobby. Snacks and drinks.
- Elise, on the main campus Piazza, for an elevated cocktail or meal.
Public Conversation
100 Years of Art in Atlanta
Hill Auditorium, 3–4 p.m. | Separately Ticketed
Julia Forbes, the High’s Associate Director of Institutional Research, joins Katherine “Katie” Jentleson, PhD, Senior Curator of American Art and the Merrie and Dan Boone Curator of Folk and Self-Taught Art, for a conversation on the High’s history and its place in Atlanta, moderated by Wendy Corona of WSB-TV. This ticket also includes Block Party access and museum admission.
Exclusive Member Lounge
Celebrate 100 years of Art in Atlanta with a members-only VIP lounge during the Centennial Block Party. Enjoy a cash bar, centennial-themed activities, and a special time capsule just for members!
Check in at the main museum entrance to receive your wristband, then make your way to the lounge in the High Cafe. Once you’re checked in, you’ll be able to move freely from the lounge straight to the block party outside.
Member Exclusive! We collaborated with Bitter Southerner to bring free custom Centennial garden flags for our members only, make sure you grab yours in the VIP lounge.
Members will receive a 15% discount in the Museum Shop, a 20% discount at Refuge Coffee, and discounts at on-campus dining.
Keep the celebration going with members-only Centennial tours throughout the month. Learn More
Plan Your Visit
- Getting here: We strongly recommend using rideshare or MARTA because parking in the Woodruff Arts Center garage is limited and may reach capacity before you arrive. Find out about other parking options here.
- Street closure: Peachtree Street is closed between 15th and 16th Streets from 9am to 5pm, MARTA is strongly encouraged; if using Rideshare, dropoff closer to Colony Square will get you closest to the event entrance.
- Don’t forget to swing by the Museum Shop for new centennial merchandise! You’ll even spot our new coffee and cocoa collab with Jittery Joe’s.
- Rain or shine.
Presenting Centennial Sponsor
Related Events
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Join us as we celebrate our Centennial year with an exclusive tour just for members! With the help of a High Museum of Art docent, we will dive into the American Art collection in the recently re-installed galleries and explore what it means to be an American artist. Including many new acquisitions and old favorites, there is something for everyone to enjoy!
Designed for new members, or any members looking to get a fresh perspective, this leisurely tour offers an hour of looking and learning led by a High Museum of Art docent. Stools and assistive listening devices will be provided.