The Old Fourth Ward is not just a neighborhood in Atlanta; it is a historical cornerstone that has shaped the city's identity. This June 20-21, 2026, the 14th Annual Old Fourth Ward Arts Festival will take place at Historic Fourth Ward Park, offering free admission and a celebration of the area's rich cultural heritage. The festival, set along the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail, features curated artist booths, live DJs, food, and a children's area, welcoming all ages and dogs.
To understand the significance of this festival, one must delve into the neighborhood's past. The Old Fourth Ward was home to Morris Brown College, founded in 1881 as the only institution in Georgia established by, funded by, and created for African Americans. Dr. Kevin E. James, President of Morris Brown College, notes, 'Morris Brown College was established on January 5, 1881, by the Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Atlanta, Georgia—born in the heart of the Old Fourth Ward, at the storied intersection of Boulevard and Houston Streets.' The college's legacy continues as it marks its 145th year with projected enrollment growth of 20 percent for the 2026-2027 academic year.
The neighborhood also gave Atlanta its iconic street name, Ponce de Leon Avenue, inspired by natural springs discovered in the late 1860s. Historic Fourth Ward Park now sits near those springs, with a two-acre lake connected to the same water table. After the Great Atlanta Fire of 1917, the area reimagined itself around Ponce de Leon Ballpark and an amusement complex, which later attracted Sears, Roebuck & Company to build its Southern Regional Distribution Center—now Ponce City Market.
The term 'Old Fourth Ward' emerged informally in 1937 when Georgia legislators restructured Atlanta's ward system, and the name stuck even after the ward system was abolished in 1954. The neighborhood's identity outlasted the governmental structure that created it, making it one of the few Atlanta communities to do so.
Public art has been integral to the Old Fourth Ward since long before 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 captured in installations like Living Walls murals and Sol LeWitt's permanent piece 54 Columns.
The festival itself is a testament to this layered history, offering two days of discovery in a park that embodies the community's spirit. For more information, visit www.oldfourthwardparkartsfestival.com.
The festival is organized by Shawn Morgan, a luxury residential specialist with Compass Atlanta, who brings deep market intelligence to intown neighborhoods. Compass, the largest residential real estate brokerage in the U.S., supports the event. Learn more about Compass at www.compass.com.
