UGA Nightlife Guide: What's Happening in Athens
Where UGA students go at night in Athens, GA: downtown music venues, breweries, trivia and karaoke, campus shows and games, and how to see what's on tonight.
Athens is a music town with a university in the middle of it. Downtown Athens sits right next to UGA's campus and is packed with venues, bars and breweries. Some of the most famous small venues in Southern music are a short walk from class. This guide covers where UGA students go at night and how to see what's on before you leave.
Happening around UGA this week
Live- Piano Bar Happy HourMon 5:00 PM · Hendershot's
- General TriviaMon 7:00 PM · Athentic Brewing Co.
- Nosferatu 16mm Screening + Live ScoreMon 7:00 PM · Flicker Theatre & Bar
- Cousin Clem + Harlow + The Unbelieving Dog + Orion DeRevereTue 6:00 PM · Hendershot's
- Rock 'n Roll TriviaTue 6:00 PM · Athentic Brewing Co.
- Wes Parker + Terminally PhilTue 8:00 PM · Flicker Theatre & Bar
- Normal Bar Open MicTue 8:00 PM · Normal Bar
- $10 Taster WednesdayWed 3:00 PM · Terrapin Taproom
Pulled from TONIGHT's UGA wall, which is checked against each venue's or school's own listing. Times and covers can change, so check the event before you go.
See everything at UGA →Live music: the heart of Athens nightlife
If you only do one thing in Athens, see a show. These are the venues that come up on TONIGHT's UGA wall week after week:
- Georgia Theatre: Athens' best-known downtown venue, booking touring bands, country acts, comedians and dance nights.
- 40 Watt Club: a legendary small club for indie rock, local bands and touring acts, plus comedy and themed nights.
- Flicker Theatre & Bar: a small downtown bar with local and touring bands, film screenings, open mics and a weekly karaoke night.
- Live Wire Athens: a live-music bar with plenty of jam, jazz and roots acts on its calendar.
- Hendershot's: a coffee bar and venue on Prince Avenue with live music, a weekly piano bar happy hour and a Latin dance social with a lesson before open dancing.
Flagpole, Athens' alt-weekly, has a full local music calendar. TONIGHT's UGA wall pulls from it and from the venues' own calendars.
Breweries, trivia and karaoke
Not every night needs a ticket. Athens' breweries and bars run weekly events that are easy to drop into:
- Athentic Brewing Co.: trivia, open mic nights, karaoke, movie nights, game meetups and line dancing on its calendar.
- Terrapin Taproom: Athens' Terrapin Beer Co. brewpub, with weekly specials and live music.
- Creature Comforts Brewing: downtown brewery that also hosts community events, including the Athens Farmers Market on Wednesday evenings this fall.
- Normal Bar: trivia nights and an open mic.
Campus nights
Some of the best nights are on campus:
- Stegeman Coliseum hosts basketball and volleyball. The fall calendar includes preseason basketball and volleyball promo nights.
- The UGA Performing Arts Center (Hodgson and Ramsey Concert Halls) books concerts and touring performers, and presents shows at the Morton Theatre downtown.
- The Georgia Museum of Art on campus runs evening events like studio workshops.
- UGA Recreational Sports posts a semester of group fitness classes: HIIT, cycling, yoga and more.
Bigger shows at the Classic Center
The Classic Center downtown is Athens' convention and performance center. Its theatre and Akins Ford Arena host comedy tours, concerts and, starting this season, the Athens Rock Lobsters pro hockey team.
Game days
When football is at home, game day takes over Athens. Downtown and the area around campus fill up hours before kickoff. When the team is away, watch parties at downtown bars and breweries are the move. TONIGHT lists the ones posted publicly.
Tips for a night in Athens
- Most of downtown is walkable from campus. Plan your ride home anyway.
- Ages and covers vary by venue and show. Some are 18+, many bar nights are 21+. Check the listing and bring ID.
- Buy tickets early for big shows at the Georgia Theatre and 40 Watt; popular ones sell out.
- Check live reports on TONIGHT: people at a venue can post how busy it is, the line and the cover.
Find tonight's move in Athens
The TONIGHT UGA wall shows what's happening around campus and downtown Athens right now. Filter by Going Out, Free or the hour, see where your friends are going, and share any event with the group chat.
More guides: How to Find Things to Do Tonight Near Your College Campus · Best Ways to Discover College Events Near You
Your night starts with TONIGHT
TONIGHT is a live campus board for 13 colleges in Florida and Georgia. It shows what's happening right now and later tonight: shows, games, free campus events, food deals, fitness and nights out. Every listing has the time, the place and a link back to where it came from.
- See what's on right now. Filter by "go out", "meet people", "free" or the hour, and see what's starting soon.
- See where your friends are going. Add friends and see the plans they choose to share. Never their location.
- Know before you go. People who are there can post how busy it is, the line, the cover and the music.
- Decide together. "What's the move?" lets your group chat vote on where to go.
Browsing is free and needs no account. Students with a verified school email can post their own events.
