Fresh off the 40th year of Atlanta Pride comes another gay favorite festival and parade with the Little 5 Points Halloween celebration Friday and Saturday.

The fest opens Friday from 5-10 p.m. with live music, outdoor beverage vendors as well as promotions from neighborhood restaurants and stores.

An organizer of the event, Brian Baj, who is openly gay, says this year is especially queer friendly and includes “tranny sensation” Jayne County performing on Saturday.

The fest opens at noon on Saturday and goes until 10 p.m. with live music on three stages: the L5P Music Center on Colquitt Avenue, Findley Plaza at the corner of Euclid Avenue and Moreland Avenue, and the Star Bar stage located in the parking lot behind the Star Bar. There’s also an artist market on Colquitt and dress your best — as most people tend to do — to enter into the Halloween costume contest.

Of course, the highlight of the entire weekend is the infamous L5P Halloween Parade that begins at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Baj says to make sure to be on the look out for the return of the giant skeleton puppets, the Tikki Terror float and performers inspired by Cirque du Soleil. This year’s grand marshal is the band Unknown Hinson who will play a show at the Variety Playhouse later that night.

There will also be the regular lineup of spooky characters and the cheerful marching bands in a parade that is family-friendly.

What else makes the L5P Halloween fest a unique experience in Atlanta is the artwork. From a press release about the fest:

“The artwork for the 2010 Little 5 Points Halloween Festival & Parade
was created by well-known Atlanta artist R. Land. Land has made a
career out of bypassing traditional art institutions and conventions,
finding new and unique methods to infiltrate the world around him and
 reach a much broader and varied audience.

“From large format paintings and public installations to street art campaigns.  R. Land’s work defies easy categorization. His work has spread far and wide through
art showings across the country, licensing of his signature characters and designs, illustrations and a host of other media projects that continue to pop up throughout the landscape.”

The fest is free and open to the public. For more information call 404-577-4212 or visit www.L5Phalloween.com.

The music lineup for the weekend:

Friday, Oct. 15 in Findley Plaza:

5 p.m. Cinetrope
6 p.m. the Gazelles
7 p.m. Blue Eyed Goodbyes
8 p.m. Walk From The Gallows
9 p.m. the Pinx
10 p.m. Prentice Suspension Group

Saturday, Oct. 16 in Findley Plaza:

12 p.m. Shathouse Rats
1 p.m. L5P Rockstar Orchestra
2 p.m. Stovall
3 p.m. the Luchagors
4 p.m. Halloween Parade
5:30 p.m. Uncle Daddy and the Kissin' Cousins
6:45 p.m. Parade Awards Presentation
7 p.m. Grinder Nova
8 p.m. Young Antiques
9 p.m. AM Gold
10 p.m.Fire performances by the Hot Toddies and special guests.

Starbar Outdoor Stage:

2 p.m. Abby GoGo
3 p.m. Blair Crimmins & the Hookers
5:15 p.m. All Night Drug Prowling Wolves
6:15 p.m. The Booze
7:15 p.m. The Biters
8:15 p.m. The Evils
9:15 p.m. Jayne County

L5P Music Center Stage:

12 p.m. Amy and Me
1 p.m. Steven Kilgore
2 p.m. Sundrop Synthesis
3 p.m. Community Music Centers of Atlanta Monsters of Jazz, including
the Watermelon Men
4 p.m. Parade
5:30 p.m. Greg Thompson Jazz Trio
7 p.m.  Roots and Old Time Music Jam, featuring Leah Calvert and friends
8 p.m. Duet for Theremin and Lap Steel : Frank Schultz and Scott Burland
9 p.m. The Fourth Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra
10 p.m. Boo Bash, featuring Community Music Centers of Atlanta Punk,
 Rock & Friends

Photo: 'Tranny sensation' Jayne County performs Saturday at the Little Five Points Halloween Fest. (Photo courtesy Myspace.com)