🦅👁️ Eagle Eye Digest
The Weekend Eye
Your Henry County Weekend Guide
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Henry County gets its own film festival this weekend. The inaugural McDonough Storytellers Film Festival takes over the historic square Friday and Saturday with panels, screenings, and a Friday night gala. Saturday, the 3rd Annual McDonough International Gospel Festival takes over Alexander Park West with live music, local vendors, and a free all-day celebration of faith and community. And Sunday night, Southern Roots closes the weekend with a Prince and Morris Day tribute nobody is ready for. Three days. All local.
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⛽ Gas prices are rising. This week we’re keeping every pick within 30 minutes of home.
This Weekend
Weekend Lineup 🦅👁️
Friday, June 5
⭐ Friday Spotlight
Film · Culture · McDonough Square
McDonough just got its own film festival. The inaugural McDonough Storytellers Film Festival takes over the historic square for two days, anchored at Story on the Square inside the beautifully restored 1910 Masonic Lodge. Friday is packed: panels led by industry professionals, an acting intensive, a sync placement session for musicians, and a pitch-your-film workshop with only 25 spots. The day wraps with a semi-formal Gala at 6 PM for networking with film professionals over small bites and drinks. This is McDonough showing up for the creative community.
📍 Story on the Square, 19 Griffin St, McDonough
🕘 Starts 9:30 AM
🎟 Day Pass $25 · Gala $75
🎬 Panels, Screenings, Workshops
McDonough
Every song you knew every word to. The Mostly 80s Band covers the arena hits that defined a generation. Come for the riffs, stay for the memories.
~25 min
Start Friday morning right. Expert naturalists lead a guided hike through Arabia Mountain, covering local ecology, human history, and the granite outcrop landscape that took 400 million years to form. Free and open to all.
Stockbridge
Stockbridge Main Street brings back outdoor movie night under the stars. Zootopia 2 on the big screen, fresh air, and the whole family. One of the easiest free Friday nights of the summer.
The weekend starts early on the Square. DJ Jada Byrd brings the energy every Friday night with food, flowing drinks, and a vibe that carries. Call ahead to confirm cover.
Saturday, June 6
⭐ Saturday Spotlight
Gospel · Community · McDonough
Seven hours of faith, worship, and community right here in McDonough. The 3rd Annual McDonough International Gospel Festival takes over Alexander Park West with live music, inspiring performances, local vendors, and a spirit that carries. Bring your lawn chairs, bring the whole family, and come ready to feel something. It’s free, it’s all day, and it’s exactly the kind of Saturday Henry County does right.
📍 Alexander Park West, 110 Jonesboro Rd, McDonough
🕐 1–8 PM
✅ Free
🎶 Live Music · Local Vendors
Saturday brings screenings, awards, and more panels spread across the square. Venues include Story on the Square, Queen Bee Coffee, Macon Street Tacos, and Southern Roots. Pick up your wristband at Story on the Square from 8:30 AM.
Multiple homes, multiple finds across the Parkside of Eagles Landing neighborhood. Furniture, tools, home décor, clothing, and more. Come early for the best picks.
Locust Grove
First 100 Henry County pets get the full package: exam, rabies, microchip, and more for just $20. Food trucks, free pet food, and spay/neuter vouchers on site while supplies last. Register ahead at helpspayneuter.org.
Three decades of radio hits in one night. Stereo Superstar covers everything from disco to grunge to early 2000s jams. The kind of show where every song triggers a memory.
~25 min
Authors Brigette Jones and Jeff Dingler lead a guided walk-and-talk through the nature preserve discussing their new book Images of America: Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. Register at arabiaalliance.org before heading out.
Kulture Car and Bike Show
Worth the Trip
Conyers
Cars, bikes, community, and culture. The Kulture show brings out Henry County’s neighboring Rockdale community for a full afternoon of custom rides and good energy. Close enough to make it a half-day trip.
Blue Arbor Farms at Covington Farmer’s Market
Worth the Trip
Covington
Blue Arbor Farms is a Newton County blueberry farm and artisan bakery. Their blueberries are coming into season right now, and they’ll be at the Covington Farmer’s Market this Saturday with sourdough breads, scones, and fresh blueberries. The kind of Saturday morning errand that feels like a whole experience. Call ahead to confirm picking availability at the farm: (770) 634-0124.
Sunday, June 7
⭐ Sunday Spotlight
R&B · Soul · McDonough
The Purple Madness comes to Southern Roots. This tribute covers the full Minneapolis sound: Prince, Vanity 6, and Morris Day and The Time all in one show. If you know what “Jungle Love” sounds like in a packed room, you already know what Sunday night looks like. Do not sleep on this one.
📍 Southern Roots Tavern, 15 Griffin St, McDonough
🕖 7–9 PM
🎟 $36–$237
~25 min
A Sunday morning on the mountain before the heat sets in. Guided hike with Arabia naturalists covering the ecology and history of one of Georgia’s most unique landscapes. Free, open to all levels.
~25 min
A 1.25-mile hike along the Watershed Trail looking for salamanders, amphibians, and macroinvertebrates in Panola Creek. Educational, hands-on, and genuinely surprising for kids and adults. Wear shoes you don’t mind getting wet.
Where to Eat
Henry County at the Table 🍽️
Summer weekends are made for dining out. Whether you’re looking for a proper night out or a quick bite before the show, Henry County’s table has a seat for you.
🍽 Restaurant Spotlight · Stockbridge
Slow-Smoked BBQ · Blues-Infused
Texas-style BBQ done right, right here in Stockbridge. Disruption BBQ slow-smokes their brisket, ribs, and pulled pork the way it’s supposed to be done. Careful preparation, quality cuts, no shortcuts. The Sampler Plate is the move for a first visit, but the brisket is where the real story is. Come for the food. The communal tables and modern rustic space make it worth lingering. Henry County has no shortage of BBQ spots. Disruption is one of the best.
McDonough
Dominican and Italian fusion done right. Stewed oxtail, empanadas, fried plantains, natural juices alongside pasta and Italian plates. Cozy, hip, and seriously underrated. One of McDonough’s most beloved spots.
McDonough
This issue’s sponsor and a genuine Henry County staple. New York-style pies with the real fold, proper crust, and toppings that hold up. Big slices, cold beer, and a room worth sitting in.
McDonough
McDonough’s most talked-about dining room sits right on the historic square. Pandora blends Southern soul and Lowcountry heritage into something that feels elevated without losing its roots. The kind of spot that reminds you why eating local matters.
Stockbridge
Twenty-five years in Eagles Landing and still the top-rated restaurant in Stockbridge. Wood-fired pizza oven, pasta, fresh salads, and a casual family vibe that never gets old. The kind of local institution worth a standing Friday night reservation.
Stockbridge
Open since 1999, Serafino’s is a neighborhood staple in the Eagles Landing community. Authentic Italian pasta, salads, lunch specials, and wine. The kind of spot locals have been returning to for over two decades.
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“Three good days. All within reach.”
The Eagle Eye Digest. Henry County’s weekend guide since day one.