Lantern Parade’s Chantelle Rytter Returns to the Beltline for New Installment of "Where the Weird Things Are"

For the past 15 years, Chantelle Rytter and her puppet creations have illuminated the Beltline trail, drawing thousands of spectators and hundreds of community participants around her annual Atlanta Beltline Lantern Parade. In 2023, Rytter and her Krewe of Grateful Gluttons introduced "Where the Weird Things Are,” a special Halloween experience that brings together local folklore, giant mythical creatures and their stories.The immersive, participatory experience offers much of the same whimsy and fantasy of the Lantern Parade but with a twist. “Where the Weird Things Are” takes on a reverse parade format where parade participants are stationary and spectators are invited to walk around them. Attendees will stroll around the pond of Historic Fourth Ward Park to experience the puppet line-up or, as with the Lantern Parade, may join in with their own “weird” creations. 

“Where the Weird Things Are” will feature live music, provided once again by Atlanta-based marching band the Black Sheep Ensemble, alongside new elements like shadow puppetry by artist Damon Young and “weird music” by Klimchak.

Four "pay-what-you-can" “Weird Thing” workshops will be held beginning Sept. 21. The full workshop schedule and details, as well as at-home ideas, can be found here.

EVENT DETAILS: 
WHO: Atlanta Beltline Art, Atlanta Beltline's arts and culture program, in collaboration with event creator and curator Chantelle Rytter and her Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons

WHAT: Atlanta Beltline Art’s “Where the Weird Things Are”
A special Halloween-themed experience dedicated to conjuring the mystical creatures who live in the wild places of our imaginations and along the Atlanta Beltline to appear, dance and speak their tales! Unlike a typical parade, this "upside down parade" hosted by Chantelle Rytter and the Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons, will be stationary. Attendees are invited to stroll around the pond and through the parade — or create their own weird thing and join the upside down parade. Guests are also welcome to pack a picnic and have a seat at the amphitheater to catch the entire experience. 

WHEN: Saturday, October 4, 7:30 - 9:30 PM

WHERE: Amphitheater at Historic Fourth Ward Park (Atlanta Beltline Eastside Trail)
680 Dallas St NE, Atlanta, GA 30308

WHY: 

• “To conjure and celebrate the mystical creatures who live in the wild places of our imaginations, and along the Atlanta Beltline! We long for the tales of mystical creatures from here. We want for campfire stories set where we live, affirming that here is an oddly unique place in the world. Georgia leans its back against Appalachia and soaks its feet in the coastal south. This is where the weird things are. Once a year, we will turn a parade upside down to call them, invite them to dance and sing with us, and listen to their tales!” - Chantelle Rytter

• For the past 15 years, since the inaugural Atlanta Beltline Lantern Parade, Chantelle Rytter’s partnership with Atlanta Beltline Art has set the tone for what arts and culture could look like as a tool for community engagement and activation, exemplifying how public infrastructure can become a canvas for civic participation and artistic engagement. 

For more information, visit Where the Weird Things Are.

"Where the Weird Things Are” is made possible through the generous support of the Power for Good Foundation and Jill and Ben Klang.

The 2025 Atlanta Beltline Art exhibition and programming are sponsored by Delta Air Lines and Norfolk Southern at the Gold level; Northside Hospital and Ponce City Market at the Silver level; and Cox Enterprises at the Bronze level, with additional philanthropic funding from the Atlanta Foundation. 

This program is supported in part by the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. Funding for this program is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. This program is supported in part by Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Council for the Arts also receives support from its partner agency – the National Endowment for the Arts. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.

About the Atlanta Beltline
The Atlanta Beltline is the 22-mile rail-to-trail project that is transforming Atlanta’s neighborhoods, one mile at a time. The Beltline’s vision is to be the catalyst for making Atlanta a global beacon for equitable, inclusive, and sustainable city life. With an additional 11 miles of connector trails, the Atlanta Beltline is one of the largest, most wide-ranging urban redevelopment programs in the United States. In partnership with local communities and organizations, the Beltline is building a more socially and economically resilient Atlanta through job creation, inclusive transportation systems, affordable housing, vibrant public spaces, and community-focused programs that promote health and wellness, resident retention, volunteerism, and advocacy along the corridor. Atlanta Beltline, Inc. is the official implementation agency for the Atlanta Beltline and collaborates with Atlanta Beltline Partnership, the foundation that raises private and philanthropic funds and delivers community programs that are fully supported by donor contributions. For more information, please visit www.beltline.org or follow on social media at @atlantabeltline.

About Atlanta Beltline Art
Atlanta Beltline Art is the largest temporary public art exhibition in the history of Atlanta. It showcases the work of hundreds of visual artists, performers, and musicians along the Atlanta Beltline corridor. This spectacular project places working professionals alongside emerging artists, and draws residents and visitors into some of the most unique public spaces in the City of Atlanta, providing powerful new perspectives on the city and its vibrant neighborhoods. The exhibition showcases how art strengthens and beautifies current and former industrial areas and creates signature spaces exemplifying the transformation of the city through the Atlanta Beltline. Atlanta Beltline Art touches almost 20 intown communities. Stay abreast of Atlanta Beltline Art announcements and events at beltline.org/art, or follow on social media @atlantabeltline and with #beltlineart. 

Media Contacts:
Atlanta Beltline, Inc. Office of Communications and Media Relations
100 Peachtree Street, NW, Suite 2300, Atlanta, GA 30303

Keona Swindler, Communications & Media Relations Manager
404.477.3550, kswindler@atlbeltline.org    

Sigele Winbush, PR Consultant
404.862.2081, sigele@sigelewinbush.com