The Old Fourth Ward Arts Festival returns June 20–21, 2026, to Historic Fourth Ward Park, offering two days of curated artist booths, live music, and community celebration. But the festival is more than an art show—it is a testament to a neighborhood that shaped Atlanta in ways many do not know.
Morris Brown College, the only institution in Georgia founded by, completely funded by, and created exclusively for African Americans, was established in the Old Fourth Ward in 1881. As Dr. Kevin E. James, president of Morris Brown College, noted, "Our journey from the historic Old Fourth Ward to the Atlanta University Center is not simply a change of address—it is a testament to the enduring spirit of an institution that has never wavered in its mission." The neighborhood also gave Atlanta its iconic street name, Ponce de León Avenue, named after natural springs discovered in the late 1860s. Historic Fourth Ward Park now sits near those springs, its two-acre lake anchored to the same water table that drew Victorian-era visitors.
After the Great Atlanta Fire of 1917, the area reimagined itself around the Ponce de León Ballpark and an amusement complex, drawing crowds that led Sears, Roebuck & Company to build its Southern Regional Distribution Center on Ponce de León Avenue—now Ponce City Market. The phrase "Old Fourth Ward" emerged informally after Georgia legislators restructured Atlanta's ward system in 1937, and the name stuck even after the ward system was abolished in 1954. This makes O4W one of the few Atlanta communities to outlast the governmental structure that created it.
Public art has long been part of O4W's identity, predating the BeltLine's 2012 opening. Artists like HENSE, whose large-scale abstract works have attracted clients from Apple to the High Museum, began their public art careers on O4W's walls. The neighborhood's relationship with art is so deep that it didn't just host art—it became art.
The festival itself is free, all ages, and dogs welcome, held at Historic Fourth Ward Park, 592 N. Angier Ave. NE. Hours are Saturday, June 20, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, June 21, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors can explore paintings, photography, ceramics, glass, jewelry, and woodwork from curated artists, enjoy live DJs, and partake in food and drinks. For more information, visit oldfourthwardparkartsfestival.com.
The festival is organized by Shawn Morgan, a luxury residential specialist with Compass Atlanta, who brings a deep understanding of Atlanta's neighborhoods. Morgan, who spent more than 30 years at Unilever before entering real estate, combines market intelligence with a passion for intown communities. His involvement underscores the festival's role in connecting residents and visitors with the area's rich heritage.
The Old Fourth Ward Arts Festival is not merely an event; it is an invitation to explore a neighborhood that has been a canvas for creativity and a crucible of community for over a century. From its role in African American education to its transformation into a hub for public art, O4W continues to inspire.
