The Old Fourth Ward Arts Festival, now in its 14th year, will take place June 20-21, 2026, at Historic Fourth Ward Park along the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail. The free, all-ages event features curated artist booths, live DJs, food, and a children’s area, with dogs welcome. But beyond the art, the festival underscores the neighborhood’s pivotal role in Atlanta’s history—a story many newcomers may not know.
According to Dr. Kevin E. James, president of Morris Brown College, the Old Fourth Ward was home to the first institution of higher learning in Georgia founded by, funded by, and created exclusively for African Americans. Morris Brown College, established in 1881, began at the intersection of Boulevard and Houston Streets. As the college celebrates its 145th year and projects 20 percent enrollment growth for 2026-2027, Dr. James emphasized: 'The Old Fourth Ward is where our roots took hold, and those roots run deep.' The neighborhood also anchors the Sweet Auburn Historic District, a center of Black commerce and civil rights activity.
The area’s influence extends beyond education. In the late 1860s, a physician named local springs 'Ponce de León Springs,' inspiring the iconic street name. Historic Fourth Ward Park now sits near those springs, its two-acre lake tapping the same water table. After the Great Atlanta Fire of 1917, the neighborhood rebuilt around Ponce de León Ballpark and an amusement complex, later attracting Sears, Roebuck & Company to build its Southern Regional Distribution Center—now Ponce City Market. The phrase 'Old Fourth Ward' emerged informally after a 1937 ward restructuring and persisted even after the ward system was abolished in 1954.
Public art has long been part of O4W’s identity, predating the BeltLine’s 2012 opening. Artists like HENSE, whose large-scale works now appear for clients including Apple and the High Museum, began by painting O4W’s walls. Sol LeWitt’s permanent installation 54 Columns and Living Walls murals further cement the neighborhood’s reputation as a canvas.
The festival, organized by Compass luxury residential specialist Shawn Morgan, aims to connect residents and visitors with this layered history. Morgan, who spent over 30 years at Unilever before transitioning to real estate, brings a deep understanding of Atlanta’s neighborhoods, having written an MBA thesis on the city’s 242 distinct areas. 'The Hunt Is Over' is his promise to clients seeking homes in intown communities like O4W, West End, and Midtown.
For more information about the festival, visit www.oldfourthwardparkartsfestival.com. To learn about Shawn Morgan’s real estate services, see www.shawnatl.com.
