Hosting Events at Day Hall in the Atlanta Botanical Garden

Planning a meeting, retreat, or special event in Atlanta and want something more memorable than a typical hotel ballroom? Day Hall at the Atlanta Botanical Garden offers one of the city’s most distinctive event settings, blending indoor comfort with lush garden surroundings in the heart of Midtown.

This guide walks you through what Day Hall is, what types of events work best there, what to expect for logistics, and how Atlanta planners typically make the most of this unique space.

Where Day Hall Fits in the Atlanta Event Landscape

In a city full of hotel conference rooms and corporate venues, Day Hall stands out because it sits inside the Atlanta Botanical Garden, at:

Atlanta Botanical Garden – Day Hall
1345 Piedmont Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30309

You’re right next to Piedmont Park and minutes from Midtown’s major office towers, MARTA access points, and major highways. For many Atlanta-based teams and visiting clients, it strikes a balance between:

• Convenience – close to downtown, Midtown, and Buckhead
• Escape – surrounded by greenery, water features, and seasonal displays
• Flexibility – can work for corporate, nonprofit, and social events

What Is Day Hall?

Day Hall is one of the Garden’s primary indoor event and meeting spaces, designed to accommodate business functions as well as celebrations. It typically features:

• A large, open main room
• High ceilings and garden-facing windows (depending on configuration)
• Access to adjacent terraces or garden areas, often used for receptions or breaks
• Professional event infrastructure: power, lighting, AV support options

While the exact capacity and layout can vary by setup, people in Atlanta often use Day Hall for:

• Corporate meetings and retreats
• Conferences and seminars
• Networking receptions
• Fundraisers and galas
• Awards ceremonies
• Holiday parties
• Wedding receptions and rehearsal dinners

If you need a single, flexible room that can transition from morning presentations to an evening reception, Day Hall is often one of the Garden’s go-to options.

Why Atlanta Planners Choose Day Hall

1. Central Midtown Location

For teams scattered across the metro area—Alpharetta, Decatur, Marietta, Stockbridge—Midtown is often the most workable compromise. Day Hall’s location:

• Is easily reached via I-85, GA-400, and the Downtown Connector
• Is a short drive from major Midtown hotels and offices
• Gives visiting guests quick access to nearby landmarks like the High Museum of Art and Colony Square

For events drawing attendees from across Atlanta, this can significantly cut down on commuting frustration.

2. Indoor Comfort + Garden Access

Many Atlanta venues are either fully indoor or fully outdoor. Day Hall blends both:

• Indoor climate control – crucial in Atlanta’s summer humidity and unpredictable thunderstorms
• Garden access for breaks or photos – guests can step out to stroll selected paths, enjoy seasonal blooms, or take group photos with Skyline Garden views or the iconic Canopy Walk nearby (access may depend on your rental agreement and timing)

For long meetings, this “step-outside” option helps keep energy high and makes the event feel more like a retreat than a standard workday.

3. Memorable Impressions for Clients & Donors

When hosting:

• Out-of-town clients
• Donors and sponsors
• Executives from other cities

An event at the Atlanta Botanical Garden signals that you’ve put thought into their experience. Day Hall’s setting tends to feel elevated but not stiff, which is especially useful for:

• Donor appreciation dinners
• Nonprofit galas
• Product showcases with a lifestyle or sustainability focus

Types of Events That Work Especially Well

Corporate Meetings and Retreats

Atlanta companies often use Day Hall for:

• Quarterly strategy sessions
• Off-site leadership or board retreats
• Staff appreciation events

Typical format:

1. Morning – presentations or workshops in a meeting layout
2. Afternoon – breakout sessions or team-building in the Garden
3. Evening – reception or dinner back in Day Hall

The garden setting helps teams disconnect from the office grind while staying in the city.

Conferences, Seminars, and Trainings

For conferences under a certain size (varies by setup), Day Hall can serve as:

• The main plenary room
• A training room for professional development events
• A venue for continuing education programs hosted by associations or universities in Atlanta

Add-on spaces within the Garden might be used for breakout sessions, depending on availability and your rental arrangement.

Receptions, Galas, and Fundraisers

Nonprofits across metro Atlanta often look for inspiring, donor-friendly venues. Day Hall supports:

• Cocktail receptions with passed hors d’oeuvres
• Seated fundraising dinners
• Live auctions and paddle-raises
• Program segments or short presentations

The botanical setting can also tie in well with themes related to environment, conservation, health, or community.

Social Events and Weddings

While this guide focuses on business and meetings, many people also consider Day Hall for:

• Wedding receptions
• Milestone birthdays and anniversaries
• Rehearsal dinners

Knowing this can help business planners anticipate availability—prime weekend evenings are often in high demand for weddings and social events.

Layouts, Capacity, and Setup Options

Exact numbers can change, so it’s best to confirm with Garden event staff, but Day Hall typically supports common event layouts such as:

Things to clarify with the venue:

• Maximum guest count for your preferred setup
• Whether you can flip the room (e.g., theater-style day, banquet-style night)
• Available staging, podiums, and microphones
• Placement of registration/check-in tables
• Access to terrace or garden spaces during your event time

Audio-Visual and Technical Considerations

Atlanta business events often rely heavily on AV. When discussing Day Hall, ask specifically about:

• In-house AV capabilities

  • Screens or projectors
  • Sound system and microphones
  • Wi-Fi access and expected reliability

• Outside AV vendors

  • Whether you can bring your own
  • Any preferred vendor list
  • Power availability and load limits for lighting, streaming, or live recording

If you’re streaming content to remote participants (common for hybrid meetings), confirm:

• Internet speed options
• Camera placement and lighting
• Where AV techs can set up their control stations

Catering, Food, and Beverage

The Atlanta Botanical Garden typically works with approved or preferred caterers for Day Hall. When planning:

• Check whether you must choose from a specific list
• Ask about menu flexibility for dietary needs (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, religious restrictions)
• Clarify bartending and alcohol rules, including:
  • Who provides the bar staff
  • Whether you can supply your own alcohol
  • Any city or venue policies on service times

For Atlanta-based planners, it’s helpful to compare these details to more standard hotel packages to see where you might gain or lose flexibility.

Parking, Transportation, and Guest Access

Midtown traffic can be intense at certain times, so plan guest access carefully.

Parking

Most Garden events involve on-site or nearby parking access, but specifics vary by:

• Time of day
• Day of the week
• Other events happening at the Garden or in Piedmont Park

Ask about:

• Parking arrangements for your rental
• Whether you can reserve or validate parking for guests
• Any overflow parking options if you expect a larger crowd

Rideshare and Transit

Day Hall is convenient for:

• Rideshare pickups/drop-offs along Piedmont Ave NE
• Attendees using MARTA rail or buses, especially Midtown or Arts Center stations paired with a short rideshare or walk

Consider adding transportation details to your event invitation so Atlanta locals and out-of-town guests know the best routes and parking expectations.

Booking Day Hall: How Atlanta Planners Typically Proceed

When you’re ready to explore renting Day Hall, a typical process looks like this:

1. Initial Inquiry

   • Share your preferred date(s), time frame, estimated guest count, and event type.
   • Ask whether Day Hall specifically is available, since the Garden has multiple spaces.

2. Site Visit

   • Walk through Day Hall and any adjacent patios or garden access points.
   • Note entrances, restrooms, AV locations, and room proportions.
   • Picture registration, buffet lines, and seating arrangements.

3. Proposal and Contract

   • Review rental fees, including:
     • Room rental
     • Security or staffing fees
     • After-hours Garden access (if applicable)
   • Confirm set-up and tear-down windows and any overtime charges.

4. Vendor Coordination

   • Select your caterer from any required list.
   • Arrange AV, décor, and entertainment if needed.
   • Confirm what the Garden provides (tables, chairs, linens) vs. what vendors must supply.

5. Final Details

   • Provide final guest count by the deadline.
   • Confirm timeline, including arrivals, presentations, meals, and breakdown.
   • Share parking and arrival instructions with your attendees.

When Day Hall Is a Good Fit (and When It’s Not)

Day Hall tends to be a strong choice for Atlanta events when:

• You want a central city location with a retreat-like feel
• You’re aiming to impress clients, donors, or executive teams
• You need indoor reliability plus optional garden access
• Your event benefits from a beautiful backdrop for networking and photos

It may be less ideal if:

• You require very large capacity well beyond a single-room setup
• Your schedule is extremely tight and hotel-package simplicity is more valuable than uniqueness
• You need heavy-duty staging or complex technical builds better suited to a convention center

Practical Tips for Hosting at Day Hall

A few Atlanta-specific tips to keep your event smooth:

• Mind the weather and seasons

  • Spring and fall are popular, especially during peak bloom times. Book early if targeting these months.
  • Summer heat means your guests may prefer indoor-heavy agendas with short outdoor breaks.

• Build in garden time 🌿

  • Even for serious business meetings, a scheduled 15–30 minute stroll or guided walk can re-energize participants and highlight the uniqueness of the venue.

• Communicate clear dress expectations

  • If you expect guests to spend time outside on garden paths, mention comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate attire.

• Plan for Atlanta traffic

  • For weekday events, avoid starting too close to rush hour if possible.
  • Include directions and transit options in event communications so guests can plan ahead.

Hosting your business event at Day Hall in the Atlanta Botanical Garden gives you more than just a meeting room—it creates an experience that reflects the best of Midtown Atlanta: accessible, vibrant, and surrounded by natural beauty. For many local companies, nonprofits, and visiting groups, that combination can turn a standard agenda into something guests actually remember.