Now that Atlanta's beloved Labor Day Weekend "Clusterfest" is upon us, MARTA is advising throngs of visitors and city residents to let the transit system do the driving to events today through Monday. 

This year, those include Dragon Con, the Aflac Kickoff Classic, Atlanta Hip Hop Day Festival, and more. 

MARTA officials say the system will provide extra rail service on Saturday and Sunday and deploy additional staff and police officers to locations expected to see high ridership. 

MARTA doesn’t have the strongest track record this year with large-scale events, following mishaps and crowd issues related to Shakira and Beyoncé concerts downtown, and during the Peachtree Road race in early July. Under new leadership now, the transit agency hopes to bounce back. 

The scene downtown at Dragon Con 2016. Shutterstock

According to MARTA, safety measures this weekend will include more MARTA police, staff, and crowd-metering a high-ridership stations, with barricades and signs deployed to remind riders to keep their distance and board escalators one at a time. Along with more EMS for potential emergencies, additional personnel at key stations will include “load and go” teams on station platforms to help with unloading and boarding, and escalator and elevator teams. 

Here's a snapshot of events in coming days and brief MARTA instructions for getting there: 

Dragon Con
Thursday, Aug. 28 – Monday, Sept. 1
Downtown Atlanta
Take MARTA to Peachtree Center Station

(The storied Dragon Con Parade on Peachtree Street through Midtown and downtown steps off at 10 a.m. Saturday) 

Aflac Kickoff Classic / Syracuse vs. Tennessee
Saturday, Aug. 30 at noon
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Take MARTA to GWCC or Vine City Stations

Aflac Kickoff Classic / Virginia Tech vs. South Carolina
Sunday, Aug. 31 at 3 p.m.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Take MARTA to GWCC or Vine City Stations

Atlanta Hip Hop Day Festival
Saturday, Aug. 30 – Sunday, Aug. 31
Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark
Take MARTA to Inman Park/Reynoldstown or North Avenue Stations

Pure Heat Community Festival
Sunday, Sept. 1 at noon
Piedmont Park
Take MARTA to Midtown Station

Big Peach Sizzler 10K and 5K
Monday, Sept. 1 at 7:30 a.m.
Peachtree Road (Brookhaven/Chamblee to Buckhead)
Take MARTA to Chamblee, Brookhaven, or Buckhead Stations

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