Spring festival season in Athens is in full swing, and the Human Rights Festival is the torchbearer of the bunch. Now in its 37th year, the stalwart downtown gathering aims to spotlight free speech and human rights issues in Athens and beyond; its activist bent attracts progressive-minded attendees from around the region. Speakers include the prolific and much-honored local writer Phil Williams, ACC Commissioner Melissa Link and members of the Undocumented Students Alliance, Freedom University, the Lambda Alliance, Georgia Conflict Center and more. Music comes courtesy of local bands Dangfly, Breathlanes, The Squalls, MrJordanMrTonks and many others.

10 a.m.–11 p.m. (Saturday), 2–10 p.m. (Sunday). athenshumanrightsfest.org

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

Saturday, May 2

10:00am – 11:20am: Montessori Performers with Mary Wooten and the Woopets
11:30am – 1:00 pm: Girls with Guitars
1:00 pm: Music: Craig Rafuse
1:40 pm: Speakers: Casa de Amistad, Peace Corps, Freedom University
2:05 pm: Music: Battle of the Bands Winner
2:35 pm: Speakers: Undocumented Students Alliance
3:00 pm: Music: Benjamin Simpson
3:30 pm: Speakers: ULEAD, Colors of Connection
4:00 pm: Music: Tongues
4:30 pm: Speakers: Georgia Care Project, Habitat for Humanity
4:55 pm: Music: MrJordanMrTonks
5:25 pm: Speakers: Millard Farmer, Activist Attorney; Deb Beacham, My Advocate Center
5:45 pm: Music: Let it Rip
6:45 pm: Speaker: Professor Emeritus Eugene Wilkes, UGA Law School
7:00 pm: Music: Shadow Executives
8:00 pm: Music: Reverend Tribble and the Deacons
9:00 pm: Speakers: Lambda Alliance; Open Mic
9:10 pm: Divas
10:00 pm: Speakers: LGBT Community Center
10:10 pm: Music: Jerry Garcia Band Cover Band

Sunday, May 3

1:30 pm: Repent at Leisure
2:00 pm: Welcome; Music: Art Rosenbaum
2:30 pm: Speakers: Interfaith Hospitality Network, Jubilee Partners
2:50 pm: Music: Battle of the Bands Winner      
3:20 pm: Speakers: Community Connection, Family Connection; Open mic
3:40 pm: Music: To Be Announced
4:10 pm: Speakers: Georgia Conflict Center, Economic Justice Coalition
4:30 pm: Music: Breathlanes
5:00 pm: Speakers: Melissa Link, ACC Commissioner; Women in Black; Project Safe
5:20 pm: Music: Dangfly
6:00 pm: Speakers: Athens-Clarke Co. NAACP, Life the Griot
6:20 pm: Music: Squalls
7:10 pm: Speakers: Athens for Everyone  
7:20 pm: Music: Ralph Roddenberry
8:15 pm: Featured Speaker: Philip Lee Williams, Author; Ed Tant, Columnist, Athens Banner-Herald
8:45 pm: Music: Abbey Road All-Star Revue