The Old Fourth Ward Arts Festival returns to Historic Fourth Ward Park on June 20-21, 2026, offering two days of free, family-friendly art and community celebration. But the festival is more than just an event—it is a testament to a neighborhood that has shaped Atlanta in ways that are often forgotten.
Before the BeltLine transformed the city's landscape, before breweries and lofts defined its identity, the Old Fourth Ward was already a crucible of history and culture. Known globally as the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the neighborhood's significance extends far deeper, as revealed in five lesser-known facts that underscore its importance.
First, the Old Fourth Ward was home to Morris Brown College, founded in 1881 as the only institution of higher learning in Georgia established by, funded by, and created exclusively for African Americans. Dr. Kevin E. James, President of Morris Brown College, noted, 'The Old Fourth Ward is where our roots took hold, and those roots run deep.' As the college marks its 145th year with projected enrollment growth of 20 percent in 2026-2027, its legacy from the neighborhood to the Atlanta University Center remains a powerful narrative of self-determination.
Second, the neighborhood gave Atlanta its most iconic street name: Ponce de Leon Avenue, named after natural springs discovered by a local physician in the late 1860s. Historic Fourth Ward Park sits near those springs, its two-acre lake drawing from the same water table that once attracted Victorian-era Atlantans.
Third, after the Great Atlanta Fire of 1917, the area reimagined itself around the Ponce de Leon Ballpark and an amusement complex. This drew crowds that led Sears, Roebuck & Company to build its Southern Regional Distribution Center on Ponce de Leon Avenue—now Ponce City Market.
Fourth, the phrase 'Old Fourth Ward' technically emerged only in 1937, when Georgia legislators restructured Atlanta's ward system. Residents informally adopted the name, which stuck even after wards were abolished in 1954, making O4W one of the few communities to outlast the governmental structure that created it.
Fifth, the neighborhood has been a canvas for public art long before the BeltLine opened in 2012. From Living Walls murals to Sol LeWitt's 54 Columns, artists like HENSE—whose works have attracted clients from Apple to the High Museum—began their public art careers on O4W's walls.
The festival, now in its 14th year, embodies this creative spirit. Curated artist booths will feature paintings, photography, ceramics, glass, jewelry, and woodwork, accompanied by live DJs, food, drinks, and a children's area. Admission is free, and dogs are welcome. The event runs Saturday, June 20, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, June 21, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Historic Fourth Ward Park, 592 N. Angier Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30308.
For more information, visit www.oldfourthwardparkartsfestival.com.
