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    The Masters every April · New Augusta Arena due in 2027

    The Masters fills Augusta every April; the rest of the year, the Bell Auditorium, downtown theaters and a new arena on the way carry the calendar.

    By the Good Seats editorial teamUpdated How we research
    Downtown Augusta, Georgia as seen across the Savannah River, on the Fifth Street Bridge
    Photo: c_live_lee, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Upcoming events in Augusta

    Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.

    Augusta's event scene: the Masters and everything else

    For most visitors, Augusta means one week: the Masters, played at Augusta National Golf Club during the first full week of April and bringing more than 200,000 visitors to a city of about 202,000. The rest of the year, Augusta is a regional entertainment market in a period of change. The old James Brown Arena closed on May 31, 2024 and was demolished, and a larger New Augusta Arena is rising on the same downtown site, with completion targeted for 2027. Until it opens, the Bell Auditorium and the downtown theaters carry most concerts and comedy.

    • Golf: The Masters, the only major championship run by a private club rather than a national golf body.
    • Concerts and comedy: the Bell Auditorium on Telfair Street, plus the Imperial Theatre and the Miller Theater on Broad Street.
    • Minor League Baseball: the Augusta GreenJackets, a Single-A Carolina League team, at SRP Park across the Savannah River in North Augusta, South Carolina.
    • Hockey (coming): a revived Augusta Lynx in the ECHL, awarded to the city in 2025 and scheduled to begin play in the new arena in 2027.

    Masters week in Augusta

    The Masters, first played in 1934 as the Augusta National Invitation Tournament, is unusual among the four major championships in how access works. There is no box office at the gate. The club sells practice-round and tournament-day tickets in advance through an annual lottery, and four-day series badges go only to patrons on a long-closed list. That structure is why the resale market is how most fans without a lottery win or a patron connection get in, and why demand peaks for the weekend rounds, when the leaderboard is set and the final groups go out.

    • Practice rounds (Monday to Wednesday): generally the easiest days to get into and the most relaxed days on the grounds. Wednesday includes the Par 3 Contest on the nine-hole par-3 course.
    • Tournament rounds (Thursday to Sunday): devices for calls, texts, email and recording are strictly prohibited on the grounds. Check the club's current device and camera rules for each day before you go.
    • Parking: the club provides free spectator parking off Washington Road.

    For badge types, the practice-round versus tournament-day trade-off and where to watch on the course, see The Masters page.

    Where Augusta's shows play now, and what changes in 2027

    Bell Auditorium

    The Bell Auditorium at 712 Telfair Street reopened after a renovation of about 20 million dollars timed with the old arena's closure, and it is the city's main room for touring concerts, comedy and Christian music until the new arena opens. Its fall 2026 calendar includes Morris Day and The Time with the S.O.S. Band (October 9), Jay Leno (October 17) and Martin Lawrence (December 4).

    New Augusta Arena

    The replacement for the James Brown Arena broke ground on June 25, 2024 and is funded by a half-cent local sales tax approved by Richmond County voters in November 2023. It is listed at about 10,500 seats for concerts, 10,300 for basketball and 8,720 for hockey, compared with roughly 8,000 to 9,000 at the old building. A passageway will connect it to the Bell Auditorium. As of July 2026 the steel superstructure was complete, and officials were targeting a partial opening for 2027 graduations and full completion in June or July 2027. A naming-rights partner had not been announced as of the latest reports, so check before you buy for the final name.

    Imperial Theatre and Miller Theater

    The two historic downtown theaters on Broad Street book concerts, touring productions and comedy in rooms far smaller than an arena, so even rear seats stay reasonably close to the stage.

    SRP Park

    Opened in April 2018 in North Augusta, SRP Park seats about 4,782 (roughly 5,000 with standing room) and anchors the Riverside Village development of apartments, a hotel and restaurants beside the Savannah River.

    The Augusta event calendar

    • April: Masters week. Hotels across the region are booked far ahead, and downtown restaurants and bars fill with golf visitors all week.
    • Spring and summer: GreenJackets baseball at SRP Park through the Minor League season.
    • Fall: a full slate of concerts and comedy at the Bell Auditorium. The city's other annual draws include the Ironman 70.3 Augusta triathlon and the Arts in the Heart of Augusta festival.
    • Winter: comedy tours and Christmas concerts at the Bell Auditorium and the theaters.
    • From 2027: arena concerts and Lynx hockey return downtown once the New Augusta Arena opens.

    Getting around Augusta

    Augusta sits on the Savannah River about 150 miles east of Atlanta and 74 miles west of Columbia, South Carolina. Augusta Regional Airport has flights to Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas-Fort Worth and Washington, D.C., though seats and fares tighten sharply around the Masters; many golf visitors fly into Atlanta or Columbia and drive. A car is the practical way to get around: Augusta National is on Washington Road in the west part of the city, several miles from downtown, while the Bell Auditorium, the new arena site, the Imperial Theatre and the Miller Theater are all within a short walk of one another downtown. SRP Park is a short drive across the river from downtown.

    Neighborhood notes and visitor tips

    • Downtown and Broad Street: the theaters, the Bell Auditorium and the arena site sit here, along with restaurants, the Riverwalk along the Savannah River and the restored James Brown statue honoring the singer who grew up in Augusta.
    • Washington Road: the corridor around Augusta National holds many of the chain hotels and restaurants closest to the course; expect heavy traffic during Masters week.
    • North Augusta: Riverside Village around SRP Park has a hotel and restaurants within walking distance of the ballpark.
    • Plan Masters trips early. Lodging and flights are the hardest parts of the trip to secure, often harder than the ticket itself.
    • Leave the phone behind on tournament days. The club's device rules are strictly enforced, so plan meeting points with your group in advance.

    Every GoodSeats order is backed by a 100% guarantee, including guaranteed entry. Check current event details at augustaentertainmentcomplex.com.

    Frequently asked questions

    When is the Masters held?

    The Masters is played during the first full week of April at Augusta National Golf Club, with practice rounds Monday through Wednesday and the tournament Thursday through Sunday.

    What happened to the James Brown Arena?

    The James Brown Arena closed on May 31, 2024 and was demolished. A new arena of about 10,500 seats is being built on the same downtown site, with completion targeted for 2027.

    Where do concerts play in Augusta while the new arena is built?

    Most touring concerts and comedy shows play the renovated Bell Auditorium on Telfair Street, with smaller shows at the Imperial Theatre and the Miller Theater on Broad Street.

    Can you bring a phone to the Masters?

    Not on tournament days. Augusta National prohibits devices for calls, texts, email and recording; check the club's current policy for each day, including practice rounds, before you go.

    Does Augusta have a pro sports team?

    The Augusta GreenJackets, a Single-A Minor League Baseball team, play at SRP Park in North Augusta, South Carolina. A revived Augusta Lynx ECHL hockey team is scheduled to begin play in the new arena in 2027.

    Sources