On Sept. 29, Historic Oakland Foundation will welcome visitors to its 41st annual Sunday in the Park festival, a free event that celebrates the local communities that make Oakland what it is today and explores how historic Oakland Cemetery, surrounding neighborhoods, and the city of Atlanta have changed over time.
From noon to 6 p.m. there will be living history theater performances, performances by the Atlanta Opera, Big Bethel AME Heaven Bound choir and others, cemetery tours, food trucks, live music, storytelling, a kids’ zone, a historical costume contest, and more. The event also includes a market with one-of-a-kind wares from local artists.
“This year Sunday in the Park features a variety of new highlights, including the grand opening of the cemetery’s newly restored Women’s Comfort Station and an impressive lineup of author meet-and-greets,” said Mary Margaret Fernandez, Special Events & Volunteer Coordinator at Historic Oakland Foundation. “These experiences, combined with the return of our children’s play area, tours, musical performances, and costume contest make for a fun and family-friendly event that is not to be missed!”
Oakland’s fall event season begins with its Fall Plant Sale, held Sept. 27 and 28.
After Sunday in the Park, the cemetery hosts its 10th annual Run Like Hell 5K on October 12, followed by two weekends of the acclaimed Capturing the Spirit of Oakland Halloween Tours, which sold out in July.
“Sunday in the Park is our longest-running event and every year we find new ways to explore Oakland’s amazing history and welcome thousands of visitors to the cemetery for free. We’re so excited about the Atlanta Opera being a part of our fall festivities as we combine two distinct Atlanta institutions and bring new life to Oakland Cemetery,” said Richard Harker, Co-Executive Director at Historic Oakland Foundation.
Thirty percent of historic Oakland Cemetery has been restored in the Foundation’s 43-year history. Proceeds from Sunday in the Park and other fall events benefit the preservation efforts.
For more information, visit oaklandcemetery.com/SIP.