One of the best things about the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts at Emory is that many…read moreperformances are open to the public and completely free, even parking (at certain times). Check out the Emory arts calendar for a schedule of upcoming performances at http://arts.emory.edu/calendar/index.html. You can park for free in the Fishburne parking deck which is conveniently located right next to the Schwartz Center. Parking rates apply, Monday-Friday, 7am-5pm, but the deck is free otherwise. On October 20, 2017, I attended the world premiere of the short film "In Her Image" (2017), written and directed by Emory alumnus Nikoloz Kevkhishvili. What was unique about this premiere was it took place in the Schwartz Center's Emerson Concert Hall (seating capacity: 825) and the Emory Wind Ensemble played the musical soundtrack to the film live as we watched it on a projected screen above the stage. The score for the movie was composed by Emory's director of orchestral studies, Richard Prior. I've been to independent film festivals and independent movie screenings/premieres before and In Her Image (official website: https://www.inherimagefilm.com/ | IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt7483328/) was better than I expected. If you're a fan of high quality, well-made, and well-acted short films, it's worth checking out. The premiere was preceded by three arrangements performed by the Emory Wind Ensemble and an additional arrangement after the premiere. They were: 1. Four Scottish Dances (1957) by Malcolm Arnold (1921-2006) 2. Aria Della Battaglia (1567) by Andrea Gabrieli (1510-1586) 3. Suite from Mass (1971) by Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) - Film Premiere - 4. Zion (1994) by Dan Welcher (b. 1948) I was impressed with the quality of the performances. They were outstanding. They were conducted by Paul Bhasin who is Emory's director of wind studies. My favorite arrangement was the Suite from Mass which was written for the opening of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. It sounded magical like a John Williams score from a Steven Spielberg movie. Five brass soloists from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra joined the Emory Wind Ensemble for the suite. They were Stuart Stephenson (trumpet), Michael Tiscione (trumpet), Jaclyn Rainey (horn), Samuel Schlosser (trombone), and Michael Moore (tuba). The entire program, including the movie, lasted only about 1.5 hours. As for the Schwartz Center itself, it is very nice. It opened in February 2003. For comparison, the Ferst Center for the Arts at Georgia Tech opened in April 1992 with a 1,155-seat auditorium. The concert hall is two stories and features a 45-pipe organ. There were staff members on the first and second level concourses greeting attendees and handing out descriptive programs. Seating was general admission. The seats were comfortable and there was not a bad seat in the house. Every seat seemed to have good to great sight lines and viewing angles. The acoustics were terrific. Along with the concert hall, the Schwartz Center also has a dance studio, theater lab and observatory, rehearsal hall, and classrooms. Outside, there is a courtyard with beautiful tree lights. The Schwartz Center is located on the southern end of Emory's campus. It's just a stone's throw away from Emory Village which has several great dining options like Double Zero, Falafel King, Keba, Rise-n-Dine, and Wagaya.

A beautiful venue that showcases some wonderful music groups throughout the year. Many concerts are…read morefree, so check it out for sure! The seats are comfortable and the acoustics are good. Nice bathrooms and overall a high quality feel to the venue. It is part of Emory University. Parking can be a pain if the deck next door fills up.

This intimate theatre is always a joy to attend. The performances are always top notch and you are…read morenever overwhelmed with a huge crowd. I believe Horizon Theatre has around 175 seats. Every seat has a great view. When I lived in Atlanta, I would see shows here often. Now that I live out of town, I try to get back to The Horizon Theatre whenever I am back in Atlanta. I look forward to seeing shows again here soon!

I ws part of a group of 12 to see "Hot Jambalaya". The general consensus was that it was very good…read more It was a combination of musical, murder mystery, and a whole lot more. It was fast paced and actors were excellent. The Theatre is part of an old school and has an intimate feeling. We are tallking about coming back for the next Play.

It's a small space with only about 10 games (mostly pinball) or so but it has great vibes! It's not…read moretoo expensive - we spent $10 and played for about 30 mins. While enjoying a margarita. I wouldn't tell you to go out of your way, but if you're in the area and feel like playing pinball, it's pretty fun!

Great spot to take your kid or grab a drink. Take the wife to go shop around the avenue and swing…read morein a for some fun and drinks. Place has enough games to have fun for a bit.

The Atlanta Theater is a great event venue. They are a theater passionate about presenting amazing…read moreshows for the community and offering a unique space for everyone who wants to host an event or go see a show. Google Maps guided me from behind the theater. Use WAZE if you've never been to this area. Plenty of street parking in front of the venue. Entrance is clearly visible. Concessions are plentiful. Theater has comfortable seating. Been here for a musical show which was great.

That's a very useful tip to include because the parking price difference is significant. I'd add it…read morenear the end like this: I recently visited Center Stage Theater on two separate days for the Claressa Shields vs. Kaye Scott fight events--Thursday for Media Day and Friday for the official weigh-ins--and the venue was a great setting for both. Center Stage has a really cool atmosphere that works especially well for an event like boxing. It feels intimate enough that you're close to everything happening, but still has the professional feel you want for a major media event. From a media perspective, I appreciated being able to experience the venue on back-to-back days and see how well the space transitioned between Media Day and the weigh-ins. The staff was welcoming and professional, and everything felt organized throughout both visits. With fighters, trainers, promoters, photographers, videographers, media, and guests all moving around, organization can make a huge difference, and the venue handled the activity well. I also really liked the character of the theater itself. It doesn't feel like a generic event space--it has its own personality and creates a great backdrop for photos and video, especially during something as energetic as a boxing weigh-in. One tip I would definitely give anyone planning to visit is to check the parking apps before paying at the kiosks. I was able to find parking for $21 for the entire day through an app, while paying directly through the parking kiosk was $14 for only three hours. If you're going to be at Center Stage for several hours, especially for an event, using a parking app can save you quite a bit of money and keep you from having to worry about your time running out. Being there for the Claressa Shields vs. Kaye Scott Media Day and weigh-ins gave me the opportunity to experience Center Stage Theater in a completely different way, and I came away impressed. Two days, two different events, and a great experience both times. Definitely a venue I would be happy to return to for another boxing, entertainment, or media event.

Staff was very friendly when we came in. Everyone helped us find the location of our seats…read more Bathrooms were clean, the venue was nice and clean. The bartenders were top notch and very funny!! Would definitely come back to an event here in the future!

What a wonderful time going to a play at this hidden gem right at ATL's midtown!…read more This place is charming, relaxed and casual. I love that you can pretty much choose the experience you want to have... wants some drinks and food while enjoying the play? You got it! You want just to sit down and have a good time, you go it! You want to hang out with friends and have fun, you got it! All the staff have an amazing attitude and they're helpful with any questions you may have. I really enjoy the show this afternoon, they're great and all of us had a great time!

I had no idea this place existed until one of my friends found this spot for our monthly book club…read moremeet up. Since we read a Shakespeare inspired book, we decided to come by and watch Romeo and Juliet. Parking was easy to find since the Emory parking deck was right across the street. Upon entering, you could order a drink before heading inside the theater. We had balcony seats so went up to pick our seats and then came down the kitchen to order food. Food was pretty good as they had a variety of options and already made prior to ordering. I got one of the bread baskets which came with pumpkin bread, garlic bread, zucchini bread and a couple of other pieces. The garlic bread was absolutely delicious and super flavorful while the pumpkin bread had the right amount of sweetness. During intermission, I got the raspberry sorbet which was a huge portion size for the price and tasted delicious! The play itself was really good as all the actors did well and could tell how passionate they were through the act. I also enjoyed that they added some humor. I do recommend getting there early especially if you book a balcony seat so that you can get a good seat. Overall, a pretty cool spot in the city and would recommend to anyone wanting to watch a Shakespeare play!

I was invited to a free Zumba party on a Sunday afternoon by someone who was going to be starting…read moreup regular lessons. I knew it was in Decatur Square so I walked around till I found it- it's right new to Raging Burrito. I first tried to go into the office space. But more than likely you want the studio space if you are going for a class or showcase. There are various parking options nearby: street, paid lots, Courthouse deck, and other decks. We were using the downstairs studio space. There is also one upstairs. The studio space had mirrors along the front so we could watch ourselves. There were only a few of us so the room provided plenty of space. We did have to position ourselves so that we would not run into the columns. The temperature was nice inside. I took a class schedule with me on the way out. There are a number of different classes that cater to different groups. Examples include various dance classes, capoeria (for both kids and adults), childbirth classes, musical theater, drumming, etc. You can reserve the space for an hour block of time.

I attended a free dance class night for a Yelp review event. The teacher didn't really instruct and…read morejust started dancing. The class was really full and it was hard to see what she was doing and it was very hard to follow. A few songs she would just walk off mid dance. I am a beginner level dancer so it could have been my lack of knowledge but it was very confusing and I left feeling like I didn't know any more about the dance than when I started. It's possible it was challenging because there were so many people there and that paid classes are much better since this was a free event.

What a cool spot for a large event. Apparently it is used…read morefor co-working space and members can come there and get to know other business owners and inspiring on entrepreneurs. I attended for a Civic organization munchen recognizing members of their community for their years of service. Food was good. They had a bit of a problem with people getting water cuz they didn't know that there was a water station to go to. Very efficient given they do the catering themselves on premise. Ample parking, although because of the construction in the area it can be a little tricky getting to the right spot

Parking:Free I have…read moreattended several events at the Gathering Spot and they have all been nice. Its a place that you can rent out for events and they also have some type of monthly membership where you can utilize the space for internet usage, meetings and other stuff. I attended the event for a Holiday Mixer this go round where they used the entire space for entertainment, food, djs, coat check and they even have outdoor space. Definitely go check them out.