East Atlanta Strut: 16 things to do this weekend around Atlanta

Members of the Seed & Feed Marching Abominable Band thrill the crowds lining the streets as they kick off the 2012 East Atlanta Village Strut Festival.

Credit: KELLY J. HUFF/SPECIAL

Credit: KELLY J. HUFF/SPECIAL

Members of the Seed & Feed Marching Abominable Band thrill the crowds lining the streets as they kick off the 2012 East Atlanta Village Strut Festival.

It's finally fall.

Even though the weather feels more like summer, you'll still find plenty of events to help you ring in the new season this weekend.

Whether you enjoy pets, classic cars or arts and crafts, counties all around the Metro are brimming with fall festivals and family-friendly fun.

RELATED: The ultimate guide to Atlanta's fall festivals

Let this event lineup help you celebrate the coming of cooler weather:

Cobb

General 100 Relay. Noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23. $90 per runner, free to watch. 2829 Cherokee St. NW, Kennesaw. general100relay@gmail.com. www.general100.com.

Come out to witness (or take part in) a truly unique relay race. The General 100 Relay follows 100 miles of stunning terrain stretching from Kennesaw to Ringgold, running parallel to the "Great Locomotive Chase" route. Proceeds from the race benefit the Evitt Foundation to promote education and child welfare.

Fall Tree and Plant Sale at Smith Gilbert Gardens. 9 a.m. to noon. Saturday, Sept. 23. $7 for adults, $6 for seniors, KSU students and military, $5 for children ages 6 through 12, free for children ages 5 and under, free for members. Smith Gilbert Gardens. 2382 Pine Mountain Road, Kennesaw. 770-919-0248. www.smithgilbertgardens.com.

Don't miss the tree and plant sale taking place at Smith Gilbert Gardens this Saturday, with unique and rare specimens that you can't find at national chain stores.

Engineer Gary Cullen drives the restored 1948 General Electric 5 ton locomotive during its dedication at the museum's Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, GA Saturday, June 11, 2016. STEVE SCHAEFER / SPECIAL TO THE AJC

Credit: Steve Schaefer

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Credit: Steve Schaefer

Smithsonian Museum Day. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23. Free. Marietta Museum of History. 1 Depot St. #200, Marietta. 770-794-5710. www.mariettahistory.org.

Visit the museum for free this Saturday as part of the Smithsonian Museum Day. You'll see not-to-miss exhibits, including More Than Planes, Shoppin' Southern Style and One Upon a Playground.

Museum Day Live: 39 Georgia museums are free Saturday

Top Dogs Paw Festival. 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24. Free. Top Dogs Pet Boutique. 2615 George Busbee Parkway NW, Kennesaw. 770-218-0602. www.topdogs.net.

Bring your best dog along to the 7th Annual Top Dogs Paw Festival, where you'll both enjoy free samples, shopping from vendors, a pet fashion show, dog training demonstrations, contests, a raffle and more.

DeKalb

East Atlanta Strut. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23. Free. East Atlanta Village. Flat Shoals Ave. and Glenwood Ave., Atlanta. eavstrut@gmail.com. www.eastatlantastrut.com.

Join the community for the 2017 East Atlanta Strut this Saturday. This free festival truly has it all, including live music, an artists' market, the Strut Parade, grown-up games and a kid's village.

Build Your Own Walking Machine. 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23. $85 for members, $100 for non-members. Decatur Makers. 605 West Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur. Contactwww.decaturmakers.org.

Learn how to make your own walking machine at part one of a special 2-day event hosted by Decatur Makers. Working with a 3-D printer, a laser cutter and basic electronics, guests ages 14 and up will get hands-on instruction on how to make a functional DIY machine that moves.

Atlanta Hungarian Festival. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24. Free. Agnes Scott College. 141 East College Ave., Decatur. 404-471-6000.www.hungarianfestival.wixsite.com.

Experience the Hungarian culture in the heart of the South at the Atlanta Hungarian Festival, which takes place at Agnes Scott College this Sunday. You'll enjoy traditional dancing, Hungarian food, heritage music, a shopping marketplace and more.

Puppet Palooza. 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24. $10 for adults, $5 for children. Clarkston Community Center. 3701 College Ave., Clarkston. 404-636-0022. www.atlpuppetguild.org.

Celebrate puppetry and find out how to make your own handmade puppet at the Clarkston Community Center this Sunday. Watch performances by the Atlanta Puppetry Guild and take part in workshops sponsored by the Center for Puppetry Arts at this hands-on event.

Gwinnett

Duluth Food Truck Friday. 6 p.m. Friday, Sept 22. Free. City of Duluth City Hall. 3167 Main St., Duluth. 770-476-3434.  www.duluthga.net.

Eat to your heart's content this Friday at Duluth Food Truck Friday. It all takes place at the Duluth City Hall, and includes a wide array of local food trucks, live music and entertainment.

Homeschool Day at Medieval Times. 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22. $28.50 per person. Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament. 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway, #517, Lawrenceville. 770-225-0495. www.medievaltimes.com.

Step back into time and let your homeschoolers enjoy a lunch they'll never forget at Medieval Times Friday. This special educational event features a 90-minute presentation, Junior Knight Training for the first 80 students, medieval jousting and lunch.

Goosebumps at the Library. 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 23. Free. Gwinnett County Public Library Lawrenceville Branch. 1001 Lawrenceville Highway, Lawrenceville. 770-978-5154. www.gwinnettpl.org.

Find out what it takes to put together a stage production with a behind-the-scenes glimpse from the Aurora Theatre. Along with examples of scene models and costume design, guests will also enjoy a reading by professional actors from R. L. Stine's "Phantom of the Auditorium."

Gateway International Food and Music Festival. 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept.23. Free. Lillian Webb Park. 5 College St., Norcross. www.aplacetoimagine.com.

This multicultural showcase takes you on a journey around the world with cultural music, food, dancing, performances and crafts from the diverse communities found in Gwinnett.

North Fulton

15th Annual United Way Car and Bike Show. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23. Free. GM Georgia IT Innovation Center. 2010 Warsaw Road, Roswell. www.carshow.unitedwayatlanta.net.

The United Way Car and Bike Show hits the GM Georgia IT Innovation Center this Saturday with an array of rare cars and motorcycles, live music, kids activities and food.

27th Annual Sandy Springs Lightning 5k/10k. 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 23. $35 to $40 per racer, free to watch. 6110 Blue Stone Road, Sandy Springs. www.runsignup.com.

Get running this Saturday at the Sandy Springs Lightning 5K/10K. This Peachtree Road Race Qualifier kicks off under the water tower at the First United Methodist Church, and welcomes runners, walkers and strollers alike.

The Sandy Springs Festival brings more than 20,000 people together for live entertainment, 10K and 5K races and a pet parade. This year’s festival will be held Sept. 23-24. CONTRIBUTED

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32nd Annual Sandy Springs Festival. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23 and 24. Free. Heritage Sandy Springs. 6110 Blue Stone Road NE, Atlanta. 404-851-9111. www.heritagesandysprings.org.

It's time for the Annual Sandy Springs Festival, which takes place all weekend at Heritage Sandy Springs. There's a little something for everyone at this two-day event, with an arts and crafts market, a car show, kids activities, pet parade and live music.

Alpharetta Wedding Showcase. 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24. Free. The Metropolitan Club. 5895 Windward Parkway, Alpharetta. 678-297-2811. www.awesomealpharetta.com.

Start your wedding planning off right by attending the Alpharetta Wedding Showcase. This all-in-one event features over 40 vendors to help you plan the perfect event, featuring gowns, wedding cakes, DJs, invitations, photographers, flowers and more.