FRIDAY

Festival: Nophest demonstrates the diversity of sound in the South. In addition to the music, Eyedrum will also host art, films, crafts and more 8 p.m. July 23; noon July 24-25.

Music: Vermont-based band Grace Potter & The Nocturnals plays Variety Playhouse in Little Five Points at 8:30 p.m.

Stage: The Bard sings as the Atlanta Shakespeare Company does “Hamlet! The Musical!”, set in Purgatory and rife with rock ‘n roll attitude, at the Shakespeare Tavern in Midtown. Through Aug. 8.

Fair: It’s the first weekend of the annual Georgia Mountain Fair in Hiawassee. In addition to all the rides and other attractions, Brenda Lee performs July 23 and the Bellamy Brothers play July 24 (and if you happen to make it on Monday, July 26, they’ll have country legend Ray Price).

Stage: Say “Good Morning Baltimore” as the Atlanta Lyric Theatre presents “Hairspray.” July 23-Aug. 8 at the Earl Smith Strand Theatre in Marietta

Performance: Dance troupe gloATL offers a free outdoor performance piece called “Roem” in the Sifly Piazza at the Woodruff Arts Center in Midtown. 8 p.m. July 23-24.

Festival: Though July 22 marks the actual anniversary of the Battle of Atlanta, B*ATL: 146th Anniversary of the Battle of Atlanta sees the eastside Atlanta neighborhoods that stand where the battle took place commemorating the event through the weekend. They’ll have van, bike and walking tours, musical entertainment, living history exhibitions and more. July 23-25.

Music: Rocker Melissa Etheridge is back on the road with a new studio album. She’ll play at 7:30 p.m. at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Atlanta.

Kids: The Center for Puppetry Arts demonstrates that “Everybody Loves Pirates” in a production from Maine’s Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers. Through Aug. 1.

SATURDAY

Stage: In “Qualities of Starlight,” a successful young astronomer brings his wife home to the north Georgia mountains and the simple country household in which he grew up – and where his parents are addicted to crystal meth. Performed in repertory as part of the Essential Play Festival through Aug. 6. At Actors Express, Atlanta.

Visual art: “Murmurs: New Work by Kimberly Dean and Denise Wellenstein” opens with a reception 7-10 p.m. and the show continues through Aug. 14 at the Seen Gallery in Decatur.

Sports: Catch the all the brawlin’ and rollin’ fun at the Atlanta Roller Derby, as the Atlanta Rollergirls appear in the next-to-last bout of the season at the Yaarab Shrine Center in Midtown.

Music: Athens-spawned party band the B-52s is still going strong after more than 30 years together. The quartet plays Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater in Peachtree City at 7:30 p.m.

Music: Speaking of party bands, Georgia is still a prime producer and Noot d’ Noot is one of the best. Check them out at 9 p.m. at the EARL as they celebrate the release of a new CD called “From Ever Since.”

Music: California crooner and actor Chris Isaak is always a favorite with the crowd at Chastain. He brings along talented opening act Marc Broussard. The show starts at 8 p.m. at Chastian Park Amphitheatre, Atlanta.

Music: Cowboy Junkies distinctive sound owes much of its beauty to the lovely vocals of Margo Timmins. The Canadian outfit hits the stage at 8 p.m. at Variety Playhouse in Little Five Points.

SUNDAY

Music: Singer-songwriter John Hiatt brings his catalog of award-winning tunes back to Atlanta Botanical Garden, where he played to a sold-out crowd two years ago. Webb Wilder opens the show at 8 p.m.

Stage: Four young noblemen swear off love to focus on scholarship in Shakespeare’s “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” part of this summer’s repertory at the Georgia Shakespeare Festival at Conant Performing Arts Center on the Oglethorpe University campus.

Music: Brazil’s Seu Jorge is among the new generation of musician bringing samba in to the 21st century. Let the tropical heatwave commence at 8 p.m. at the Variety Playhouse in Little Five Points.