The scheduling is much better this year for AutumnFest, Avondale Estates big arts and music festival.

Last year it was held the same weekend at the ever-popular Decatur Craft Beer Festival. The two events didn’t draw the same crowd, but there was still competition. People can only have so much fun in one weekend.

AutumnFest will be held Saturday and Sunday across from the city hall and admission is free. The festival is adding two new events this year.

AutumnEats. Rusty Bowers of Pine Street Market and Layne Whitehead-Lee of Sweet n’ Sinful Bakery will run a chef demo area and show how to cook with local food and make wine and beer parings An apple pie contest will be held, too. What could be more American!

Art for a Weekend. As the festival says, “Sculptor Jeff Mather will lead volunteers to create a one-of-a-kind, temporary work of art throughout AutumnFest weekend. Members of the community of all ages will come together to build, photograph, and eventually dismantle improvisational, 3D structures produced with low-cost recycled materials. … Interested in participating? Contact the Avondale Arts Alliance at [email protected] to be a part of the project.”

The festival includes more than 100 local and regional artists and these bands: Sharkfighter, The Bonaventure Quartet, My Homework Ate My Dog, Megan Jean and the KFB, Tone Star and Cruis-O-Matic.

On Saturday night, the headliner band, The Whiskey Gentry, performs what NPR calls “high-energy countrified bluegrass punk music.”

As usual, Southeast Snake Encounter will be there.

For details, go to www.avondalearts.org or visit the event Facebook page: AutumnFest Arts & Music Festival.