Imagine Music Festival: Status, History, and Future

Imagine Music Festival has been one of the Southeast’s most ambitious electronic music festivals for more than a decade, blending large-scale EDM lineups with immersive art, wellness programming, and camping-focused festival culture. As of now, no dates or location have been announced for a 2026 edition, and the festival’s future remains uncertain following a multi-year hiatus.

The festival was last held September 14–17, 2023, after organizers announced plans to pause operations while searching for a new long-term home. Since then, official updates have been limited, leaving fans wondering whether Imagine will return — or remain a defining chapter in Atlanta’s festival history.

Festival Status: 2026

At this time, Imagine Music Festival has not announced plans for a 2026 event. The festival skipped 2024 after organizers stated they intended to return in 2025, but no further confirmations have been made. Creative Loafing will continue to update this page if new information becomes available.

What Imagine Music Festival Was Known For

At its peak, Imagine Music Festival stood out as one of the Southeast’s most immersive electronic music experiences. Known for its aquatic-themed production, multi-stage setups, and emphasis on community and creativity, Imagine blended major EDM headliners with underground electronic artists, interactive art installations, and late-night performances.

The festival regularly featured more than 100 artists across multiple stages, alongside wellness programming that included yoga, meditation, flow arts, workshops, and consciousness-focused experiences. Visual art, live painting, cirque-style performances, and interactive installations helped define Imagine’s reputation as more than just a music festival.

Kingston Downs and the 2023 Edition

In 2023, Imagine relocated to Kingston Downs, a 5,000-plus-acre property near Rome, Georgia, situated along the Etowah River roughly 45 minutes north of metro Atlanta. The venue’s mix of woodlands, open fields, nature trails, and river access marked a significant evolution for the festival’s camping and immersive elements.

While the 2023 edition showcased one of the festival’s most ambitious lineups and production builds to date, it would ultimately become the most recent installment before the festival entered its current hiatus.

A Brief History of Imagine Music Festival

Imagine Music Festival began in 2014 as a much smaller event in Atlanta’s Historic Fourth Ward Park. Over the years, it grew into a nationally recognized EDM destination, expanding in both attendance and scale while remaining independently operated.

The festival later found homes at larger venues around Georgia, including the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, before ultimately relocating to Kingston Downs. Founders Glenn and Madeleine Goodhand frequently cited independence as a core value, allowing them to shape Imagine’s signature “Aquatic Fairytale” identity year after year.

Creative Loafing’s Coverage of Imagine Music Festival

Over the years, Creative Loafing covered Imagine Music Festival as it evolved from a local electronic music gathering into a nationally recognized EDM destination. Our archive coverage reflects how the festival shaped Atlanta’s electronic music culture and contributed to the region’s festival landscape.

Imagine’s Place in Atlanta’s Music History

Whether or not Imagine Music Festival returns, its impact on Atlanta’s electronic music and festival culture is undeniable. For nearly a decade, Imagine served as a gateway festival for EDM fans in the Southeast and helped position the Atlanta area as a viable destination for large-scale electronic events.

This page serves both as a current status hub and an archive of Imagine Music Festival’s role in the city’s cultural history. If new announcements are made, Creative Loafing will update this guide accordingly.

Imagine Music Festival Archive Coverage

Over the years, Creative Loafing covered Imagine Music Festival as it evolved into one of the Southeast’s most ambitious electronic music events. The archived stories below capture our on-the-ground reporting from past editions and are preserved as part of Atlanta’s cultural and music history.