6 Things to do in Atlanta in January 2026
Just because it’s January doesn’t mean you have to be bored at the house. There are plenty of January events, shows, and other forms of entertainment in Atlanta.
Don’t worry, I did not include them all: I hand-picked the events that seem the most entertaining for art, design, culture, and history enthusiasts.
All these events (except for one very special option) are inside the perimeter.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2026 at the Atlanta History Center: Monday, January 19 from 10am - 4pm
Image provided by the Atlanta History Center
This is Atlanta History Center’s annual King Day program, and this year it will expand on Atlanta’s role in the Civil Rights Movement.
The AHC pulls out all the stops when they celebrate an important day like this one. While I’ve been to the Center for other commemorations (like Juneteenth), this will be my first MLK Day celebration, there. I’m especially interested in hearing the Pullman Porter Descendant talk at 1PM, and because I’m a know-it-all, I’ll definitely be competing in the Family Trivia over Civil Rights History from 12-1PM.
The Goizueta Children’s Experience is for children 0-8, and I’m excited to see it as well: they have a mini-Fox Theatre and a mini-Mighty Mo! Plus a ton of other fun, interactive, educational experiences that you can see by clicking the link in this heading.
And if you can’t make it on MLK Day because you’ve already committed to volunteer, the AHC’s History on the Rocks event this month is on January 14, and it’s about the ’96 Olympics!
The Dragon King at the Center for Puppetry Arts: January 14 – 25
Image provided by the Center for Puppetry Arts.
I adore the Center for Puppetry Arts. I’m a member there, so I try to catch most of their shows… I even did so before I had a child. That to say, even though many of their performances are geared toward children, adults will enjoy them, too. The production value as a whole is outstanding.
The Dragon King is put on by a visiting troupe, Tanglewood Marionettes of Ware, MA. Follow a fearless grandmother to the bottom of the ocean in this folkloric quest to discover why the Dragon King is withholding “life-giving rains.” An all-inclusive performance ticket includes the show, admission to the interactive puppet museum, and the Create-A-Puppet™ Workshop… which you can grab to-go if you’re getting close to nap time.
I have not seen this show yet, but I’m sure I will be dazzled when I do!
Carnival of the Animals at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Goizueta Stage for Youth & Families:
Image provided by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
Sunday, January 18, 1:30 +3 PM
Sunday, January 25, 1:30 +3 PM
Saturday, January 31, 10:30AM + 12PM
Sunday, February 1, 1:30 +3 PM
This 45-minute suite is part of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Music for the Very Young, meaning it is designed for children, specifically between the ages of 3-8.
I’m taking my toddler, though, so let’s hope that range is more of a guideline. My baby has one of these books that plays snippets of various movements in Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals. She loves dancing to it (especially the Fossils), and because children are encouraged to dance to “the beat of their own drum” and “join the parade” in this interactive performance, it sounds promising to me!
Jane Austen's 250th Birthday Ball at Brawner Hall, 3180 Atlanta Rd Se, Smyrna GA on Saturday, January 10, 2026 from 6-9PM
This event does take place outside the perimeter, but it seems so special that I had to include it anyway. I mean… it’s a ball. Everyone wants to go to a ball!
The Jane Austen Society of North America Georgia Region and Atlanta Historic Dance hosts this ball in honor of Austen’s 250th birthday. The event includes period dance performances and provides beginner dance lessons. They’re also supplying Regency-era desserts and games, and there’s an opportunity to learn more about Jane Austen and her writings through a short lecture, as well.
I’m assuming this event is not meant to be attended by the very young, but if your kid is old enough to read Jane Austen, I’d say they’re definitely invited.
Here’s my favorite detail in the event copy: “Please wear Georgian, Regency, Regency-inspired, or semi-formal wear. Flat or low-heeled shoes are recommended. If your dress has a train, please bustle it up before dancing.” That is my kind of dress code—SUPER CLEAR.
LUZIA by Cirque du Soleil at Atlantic Station now through January 25
I can’t oversell Cirque du Soleil—no one can. They’re the gold standard of the circus experience. Seriously, this is where retired Olympians showcase their hard-earned skills. I’m not even joking.
LUZIA is themed around the folklore and mythology of Mexico. I have not YET seen the show, but like I said, Cirque always delivers. LUZIA runs through January 25.
I don’t think this show is designed for children specifically, but it’s a circus! How could I not take my child to the circus? Even if I hadn’t promised God I would take my child to the circus every time it came to town, I would still do it. That said, she’s 17 months old, and… I’ll let you know how it goes.
Viktor&Rolf. Fashion Statements Visiting Exhibit at the High Museum of Art now through February 8
Installation view, Viktor&Rolf. Fashion Statements, High Museum of Art, Atlanta, 2025, organized by the Kunsthalle München, photographed by Alphonso Whitfield.
The works of Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren live in the space between haute couture and visual art. This is their first dedicated exhibit in the US, and it “features more than one hundred of Viktor&Rolf’s most daring and avant-garde works, alongside videos, sketches, dolls, and photographs that bring their process to life.”
I’ve been wanting to see this exhibit since it arrived in November. You can tour Viktor&Rolf with any High Museum entry, including the Museum Pass and the UPS Second Sunday—which is a way to visit at no cost at all. You just have to RSVP.
The High Museum welcomes children, and they have a children’s play area as well. The Victor&Rolf exhibit is not geared for children, though.
If I missed an event that you think should definitely rank among January’s most interesting in Atlanta, let me know on IG! And come follow me there, regardless!
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