The Edible Book Festival coincides with this weekend's AJC Decatur Book Festival. Among last year's winners was this tasty take on "Where the Wild Things Are." The entries will be on view 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at the Art Institute of Atlanta-Decatur, just west of the Old Courthouse Square in downtown Decatur.

Stage: “Singin’ in the Rain” is a romantic comedy based on the classic movie musical with familiar songs such as “Fit As A Fiddle,” “Good Mornin’” and “Make ‘Em Laugh.” This is the show’s final weekend with performances at 8 p.m. Sept. 3, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Sept. 4 and 2:30 p.m. Sept. 5 at Aurora Theatre in Lawrenceville.

Festival: The AJC Decatur Book Festival runs Sept. 3- 5 with loads of author appearances, live entertainment, cooking demonstrations, kids activities and more. It’s free, but tickets are required for some events. At various venues in and around the Old Courthouse Square, 101 E. Court Square, Decatur. Check out our guide to some of the highlights.

Festival: The annual popular culture convention known as Dragon*Con takes over downtown on Labor Day weekend, putting the spotlight on science fiction, gaming, comics, film and television. Don’t miss the parade (a free event) which starts at 10 a.m. Sept. 4. It’s a people-watching treat. The three principal cast members of  “I Dream of Jeannie” will also make an appearance at the convention.  For more highlights, see Rodney Ho’s Radio & TV Talk blog post on the event.

Festival: It’s just a short jaunt to a sky full of colorful balloons at Pine Mountain’s beautiful Callaway Gardens and the Sky High Hot Air Balloon Festival. Sept. 3-5. $25; $12.50 ages 6-12; children five and under free.

Convention, festival: The Atlanta Black Gay Pride Celebration is another Labor Day weekend tradition. The opening ceremony is at 8 p.m. Sept. 3. Most of the events are centered at host hotel Loews Atlanta Hotel Sept. 3-5.

Stage: Check out the world premiere of Tom Key’s adaptation of John Kennedy Toole’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “A Confederacy of Dunces.” The Theatrical Outfit production continues through Sept. 12 at the Balzer Theatre at Herren’s, downtown Atlanta.

Stage: “Stealing Dixie” is Phillip DePoy’s dramatization of the Great Locomotive Chase, which began in Kennesaw (then known as Big Shanty). Andrews’ Raiders, a band of Union soldiers and sympathizers who pulled off a daring scheme to steal The General, a Confederate locomotive. It runs through Sept. 12 at Theatre In the Square, Marietta.

SATURDAY

Festival: Johns Creek’s Arts on the Creek will have arts and crafts galore, but you’ll also get live entertainment, including music, dance and theatrical performances. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 4; 1-5 p.m. Sept. 5 at Perimeter Church.

Music: Switchfoot headlines the Celebrate Freedom Concert, sponsored by 104.7 the Fish, that also includes Big Daddy Weave and Point of Grace. 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Sept. 4 at Marietta’s Jim R. Miller Park. The concert is free, but tickets are required (available at Ingles and Outback Steakhouse); parking $5.

Festival, food art: Literacy Volunteers of Atlanta and the Art Institute of Atlanta invite enterprising chefs to unleash their imagination and culinary talents for the 7th annual Edible Book Festival, creating food with a literary theme.  The creations will be on view 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 4 at the Art Institute of Atlanta in Decatur.

Music: The striking beauty of Goapele is enhanced by the silky, smoky sultriness of her voice, which delivers a distinctive blend of R&B, jazz and hip-hop. She’ll perform at the Loft in Midtown on Sept. 4.

Festival: Art in the Park is Marietta’s yearly gathering of arts and crafts, which begins Sept. 4 and continues into Labor Day. At Marietta Square.

Festival, music: Stone Mountain Park’s Labor Day Celebration begins Sept. 4 and continues through Labor Day. One of the highlights is Saturday’s  Last Blast of Summer Concert with Jerrod Niemann (just nominated earlier this week for the Country Music Association’s best new artist award) and country hitmakers Jaron and the Long Road to Love, led by local singer-songwriter Jaron Lowenstein. The concert begins at 5 p.m. with Eden’s Edge.

Music: Things will get loud at Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood as the Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival rolls into today. The lineup includes Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold, Stone Sour, Halestorm, Hell Yeah, Airbourne, Hail the Villain and New Medicine. The musical assault begins at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 4.

History, museum: “With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition” has its opening day celebration 10:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Sept. 4 at the Atlanta History Center in Buckhead. The show continues through Nov. 6.

SUNDAY

Sports: The Emory Healthcare 500 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton will begin at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 5, but the festivities start much earlier. The gates open 2 p.m. and there’s a pre-race concert by Foreigner at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $19-$135.

Festival: Things are sure to be tasty at the Atlanta Caribbean Jerk Festival, which gets going at noon Sept. 5 at Panthersville Stadium in Decatur. Tickets are $10; ages 12 and under free.

MONDAY

Festival, music: At WRFG’s 25th annual Labor Day Blues Barbecue, tasty ribs and tasty guitar licks come together to benefit the non-profit radio station. The fest’s musical headliner is former Atlanta resident Motor City Josh. 1 p.m. Sept. 6 at Park Tavern, on the edge of Atlanta’s Piedmont Park. Tickets are $15; $12 advance; ages 12 and under free.

Music: This edition of Joe Gransden’s Big Band Night, which takes place every first and third Monday of the month, is a little different. Trumpeter/vocalist Gransden will bring along beloved local musician Big Mike Geier as a special guest. At 8:30 p.m. Sept. 6 at Cafe 290 in Sandy Springs. Cover is $8.

For more music, check out our Live Music Picks in the Atlanta Music Scene blog. And, as always, this is just a small sampling of the Atlanta-area events happening this weekend. Feel free to add info in the comments below about any events we might have missed.