Sunshine, turkey legs, and laughter swept through Fairburn this weekend as the Georgia Renaissance Festival wrapped up its 2025 season with flair. But just a few miles away, Atlanta and neighboring counties were grappling with a string of unsettling headlines — from a police shooting to storm recovery. The contrast was impossible to ignore.
The festival grounds, set on 32 acres off Highway 74, saw thousands of people walking through cobblestone paths and cheering at jousts. Some wore corsets and chainmail, others shorts and Crocs. Vendors shouted over crowds. Kids danced to lute songs. It was, for many, a moment of escape from the week’s headlines.
For some, it was more than that — a brief refuge from grief, tension, or uncertainty just beyond the festival walls.
Cobbled Streets and Crowded Tents: A Season Ends
This year’s Georgia Renaissance Festival ran from April 13 to June 2, with the final weekend pulling the biggest turnout yet.
One vendor said they saw more foot traffic this weekend than any other day this spring. Another joked they’d sold more flower crowns than they did in all of May combined.
Ticket holders sprawled across the grass eating smoked meats and sipping from mead mugs, while knights clashed in choreographed battles on horseback. People came from as far as Tennessee and the Carolinas.
The event wrapped up Sunday evening with a booming “huzzah!” from the main stage.
Just Miles Away: A Teen Clings to Life After Tornado Throws Him from His Home
While revelers were watching jesters perform, Malachi Chaney was opening his eyes in a hospital bed.
The Henry County teen, who turned 19 on Sunday, spent his birthday in the ICU — alive but badly injured after being thrown hundreds of feet by a tornado that ripped through his family’s neighborhood days earlier.
His home was obliterated. A miracle, his relatives called it.
Just hours south of Fairburn, family members tried to shift his focus from trauma to celebration. “We got him a little cupcake,” said his sister. “He couldn’t blow out the candle, but he smiled.”
Piedmont Park Becomes a Prideful Scene Despite Fewer Sponsors
On the same morning that the Renaissance Festival gates opened for their final day, another crowd was gathering in Piedmont Park.
This time, it was for the 2025 Pride Run ATL.
Despite a noticeable drop in corporate sponsors, the event saw its largest turnout ever. Organizers estimated more than 5,000 runners and supporters showed up, many wearing rainbows, tutus, and signs reading “Run for Love.”
Midway through the 5K, the crowd paused to honor LGBTQ+ youth in crisis. “We don’t need big checks to show up for each other,” said one speaker. “We just need each other.”
One line from a volunteer stood out:
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“You can sponsor a race, but you can’t sponsor love. This community’s going to show up either way.”
Southwest Atlanta Police Shooting Sparks GBI Investigation
While parts of Fulton County celebrated community and costumes, a heavier scene was unfolding just before dawn on Sunday.
According to Fulton County police, an officer fatally shot a person during an encounter in southwest Atlanta, claiming self-defense. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has opened an inquiry.
Not many details have been confirmed. Officers said they responded to a call about a suspicious person. What happened next is under review.
As of Monday morning, no bodycam footage had been released publicly.
Residents in the area, near Campbellton Road, voiced frustration. Some say they’ve heard too little, too late.
The officer involved has been placed on administrative leave.
A Body Found Burned Atop Stone Mountain: Ruled a Suicide
Just 30 minutes outside Fulton County, a grim discovery was made over the weekend at the top of Stone Mountain — a burned body, initially prompting a flurry of speculation.
Park police now say it was a suicide.
The person, whose identity hasn’t been made public, was found early Saturday morning. Investigators say the evidence ruled out foul play, though no further details were released about the victim’s age or gender.
News spread fast, with some visitors to the park unaware until being stopped by yellow tape or redirected trails.
From Medieval Merriment to Modern Headlines
Back at the Georgia Renaissance Festival, some attendees said they hadn’t heard about the police shooting or the burned body on the mountain.
Others had — and said it made the escape feel even more necessary.
“There’s so much hurt out there right now,” said Tammy Reyes, who drove from Macon with her son. “We needed this. Just a day where we don’t think about hospitals or bodycams or broken homes.”
A few tents down, a man juggling flaming torches cracked jokes to a sea of laughing kids. Somewhere nearby, a woman in elf ears sipped beer and kissed her girlfriend on the cheek.
Not far off, the loud thud of a jousting lance echoed into the air.
