April 6, 2026
Annual Events and Festivals in Cobb County Worth Planning Around
Cobb County Has a Calendar Worth Showing Up For
One of the questions I get most from buyers relocating to the area is some version of: “What is there actually to do here?” People who are used to city living sometimes assume the suburbs mean trading a vibrant social calendar for a quieter, more isolated life. In Cobb County, that assumption is wrong.
I have lived and worked in this county long enough to know that the community events calendar here is genuinely impressive — not impressive “for a suburb,” just impressive. The Big Shanty Festival alone draws over 50,000 attendees. Chalktoberfest has become a regional destination event. Marietta Square lights up in December in a way that people make special trips to see. And week in, week out, the farmers markets in Marietta and Smyrna keep a steady rhythm of community connection going throughout the season.
This guide walks through the events and festivals I think are worth planning your calendar around. Whether you are already a Cobb County resident or you are considering a move to the area, this is a glimpse of the community fabric that makes living here genuinely enjoyable. If you want to see more of what daily life looks like here, give me a call — I am happy to make the case in person.
Spring: The Season That Gets Everything Started
Spring is when Cobb County’s event season kicks into high gear, and the energy is unmistakable. The weather cooperates, people are ready to be outside, and the county’s outdoor gathering spaces come alive.
The Big Shanty Festival in Kennesaw is the flagship spring event and one of the largest community festivals in the entire metro Atlanta area. Held in April on Main Street in downtown Kennesaw, Big Shanty draws more than 50,000 attendees over its two-day run. The festival celebrates Kennesaw’s history — named after the famous Great Locomotive Chase of the Civil War, which began in Kennesaw and is commemorated at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History just steps from the festival grounds.
What makes Big Shanty special is its combination of scale and genuine community character. The event features live music across multiple stages, a large arts and crafts vendor market, carnival rides and kids’ activities, food vendors representing a solid cross-section of local restaurant culture, and a parade. For families, it is one of the best two days of the year. For anyone considering a move to Kennesaw, the Big Shanty Festival is a masterclass in what this community values and what it does well.
Marietta Art in the Park brings fine arts and crafts vendors to Glover Park on Marietta Square in the spring. This is a juried arts festival with a real emphasis on quality — you are not going to find the same mass-produced vendor goods you see at every suburban street fair. The Square provides an excellent backdrop, and the combination of gallery-quality work and the Square’s restaurant scene makes for a genuinely pleasant afternoon.
Taste of Marietta is one of the county’s most anticipated food events, held annually on Glover Park in Marietta. Local and regional restaurants set up booths, and attendees work their way through the Square sampling dishes that range from barbecue to international cuisine. It is part food festival, part community reunion. Live music runs throughout the event, and the Square’s pedestrian-friendly layout makes it easy to circulate and explore.
Taste of Acworth and the Acworth Bike Ride are held in the spring and reflect the character of that community — an emphasis on outdoor recreation, community gathering, and the relaxed energy that comes from living near Lake Allatoona. The Bike Ride draws cyclists from across the region, with routes that show off the scenic roads around the lake.
Summer: Fireworks, Concerts, and Lake Days
Summer in Cobb County has its own rhythm, anchored by Fourth of July celebrations and a calendar of outdoor concerts that make the most of the season’s long evenings.
Fourth of July at Marietta Square is one of the county’s signature summer events. The fireworks display over Glover Park is excellent, and the crowd that gathers on the Square has the kind of warm, community energy that reminds you why you chose to live here. Get there early — parking and seating spots go fast.
Fourth of July at Acworth on the Lake is the other major Independence Day celebration worth knowing about. The city of Acworth holds its fireworks display over Lake Allatoona, with viewing areas at Cauble Park and along the shoreline. Watching fireworks over water is simply better, and the Acworth celebration has a dedicated following from across the county.
Kennesaw Old Timey Days embraces the city’s historical identity with a festival that leans into the community’s Civil War and railroad history. The event features period demonstrations, historical reenactments, local vendors, and the kind of small-town festival charm that is increasingly rare in the Atlanta metro.
Concerts at Kennesaw State University run throughout the summer and academic year. KSU — with its enrollment of more than 45,000 students — has the infrastructure and budget to bring in quality performers across genres. The university’s concert and arts calendar is open to the community and represents one of Cobb County’s most underutilized cultural assets.
Summer Farmers Markets deserve their own mention here. The Marietta Farmers Market runs on Saturday mornings at Glover Park through the growing season, and it is one of the best weekly community rituals in the county. Local produce, prepared foods, baked goods, flowers, and the kind of casual neighborly conversation that builds a real sense of community. The Smyrna Community Farmers Market runs a parallel schedule and serves the southern end of the county.
Fall: Chalk, Cider, and Community
Fall is my personal favorite season for Cobb County events. The weather turns, the crowds feel energized rather than sweaty, and the calendar delivers some of the county’s most distinctive festivals.
Chalktoberfest in Marietta is one of those events that people drive from across the metro to attend, and it earns every bit of that regional reputation. Held annually at Glover Park on Marietta Square, Chalktoberfest is a street art festival where professional and amateur chalk artists create large-scale temporary works directly on the pavement. The scale and quality of the art is genuinely impressive — this is not sidewalk chalk drawings. The works cover the entire Square and range from realistic portraiture to surreal landscapes to abstract compositions.
Chalktoberfest has live music, food, and the usual festival energy, but the art is the undeniable centerpiece. Even people who do not think of themselves as art enthusiasts tend to be struck by what talented artists can do with chalk and concrete. It is one of the most visually distinctive events on Cobb County’s calendar and one of the best arguments I know that this community has real cultural vitality.
Smyrna Fall Jonquil Festival is a beloved annual tradition in Smyrna, celebrating the city’s identity as “the Jonquil City.” This community festival in the fall features arts and crafts vendors, food, live music, and a general air of neighborhood pride that reflects how tight-knit Smyrna’s community culture is. If you are considering the Smyrna / Vinings area, this festival is a good way to experience the community before you commit.
Acworth Turkey Trot is one of a number of community races that have developed strong followings in Cobb County. Held around Thanksgiving, the Turkey Trot draws runners of all ability levels and has the relaxed, festive energy of a community event that people return to year after year.
Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour is a fall-into-winter tradition that opens historic Marietta homes to the public. This is one of those events that gives you a genuine sense of the architectural heritage and community character of historic Marietta. The homes on the tour are typically in the Marietta National Register Historic District and range from Victorian-era residences to early 20th-century bungalows.
Winter: Lights, Community, and the Square at Christmas
Winter events in Cobb County are anchored by Marietta Square, which transforms into one of the most genuinely beautiful holiday destinations in the entire Atlanta metro.
Marietta Square at Christmas is simply wonderful. The Square is decorated with lights, a large Christmas tree anchors Glover Park, and the combination of the Square’s architecture, the holiday lighting, and the activated restaurant and retail scene creates an atmosphere that people come back to every year. There is a reason Marietta’s Christmas Square shows up on regional “best of” lists consistently — it delivers.
Kennesaw Christmas Tree Lighting on Main Street in downtown Kennesaw is a community-scale winter tradition with the warmth that comes from a smaller gathering. The downtown businesses participate, the tree lighting ceremony brings families out together, and the evening has the kind of unhurried charm that bigger city events cannot replicate.
Lights of Life at Life University in Marietta is one of the county’s most spectacular winter light displays. The university’s campus is transformed into a large-scale walk-through light installation that draws families from across the region. It is a genuinely impressive production and one of the better holiday light experiences in the Atlanta metro.
The Marietta Farmers Market returns for holiday markets in November and December, with seasonal vendors, holiday gifts, and the social warmth of a community that genuinely knows each other.
Weekly Events: The Farmers Markets That Anchor Everything
I want to give the weekly farmers markets their proper credit, because they are not just a source of produce — they are the connective tissue of community life in Cobb County.
The Marietta Square Farmers Market on Saturday mornings is the county’s anchor market. Regulars develop routines around it — coffee from a Square cafe, produce from their favorite vendors, a slow walk through the stalls with no particular urgency. It is the kind of thing that makes a place feel like home.
The Smyrna Community Market serves the southern end of the county with a similar model. Kennesaw has its own seasonal market presence as well.
These markets also support the local restaurant scene — many of the independent restaurants I highlight in the best restaurants in Marietta and Kennesaw guide source ingredients directly from the same farmers market vendors. That local food economy loop is something worth understanding when you are thinking about what community membership actually looks like.
Why the Events Calendar Matters to Home Buyers
I always tell my clients: you are not just buying a house, you are buying into a community. The events calendar is one of the most honest reflections of what that community values and how it spends its time together.
Cobb County’s calendar says that this is a place that values outdoor gathering, arts, history, food, and the particular kind of civic pride that shows up when 50,000 people turn out for a local festival. That is not nothing — that is a lot.
Whether you are looking at neighborhoods in Marietta, Kennesaw, or Acworth, the community calendar around each of these areas will shape your experience as a resident. I would love to help you find the neighborhood where you will want to show up for all of it.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Big Shanty Festival in Kennesaw?
The Big Shanty Festival is held annually in April on Main Street in downtown Kennesaw. It typically runs over a weekend and draws more than 50,000 attendees. The festival features live music, arts and crafts vendors, food, carnival rides, and a community parade. It is one of the largest community events in the entire metro Atlanta area and one of the best ways to experience what Kennesaw’s community culture is about.
What is Chalktoberfest?
Chalktoberfest is an annual street art festival held at Glover Park on Marietta Square. Professional and community chalk artists create large-scale works directly on the Square’s pavement. The event draws visitors from across the region and is one of the most visually distinctive events on the Cobb County calendar. It is held in October (hence “Octoberfest” + “chalk”) and runs alongside live music and food vendors.
Where can I see Fourth of July fireworks in Cobb County?
The two best options are Marietta Square (fireworks over Glover Park) and Acworth on the Lake (fireworks over Lake Allatoona viewed from Cauble Park). Both are excellent. The Acworth display has the added appeal of fireworks over water, which many people prefer. Both events draw large crowds, so arriving early for a good viewing spot is strongly recommended.
Is the Marietta Farmers Market open year-round?
The Marietta Square Farmers Market runs from spring through the holiday season, with its most active period from late spring through fall. A holiday market edition runs in November and December. The market is held Saturday mornings at Glover Park. Check the Marietta Square website for the current schedule — dates and vendor rosters vary by season.
What other community events happen at Marietta Square throughout the year?
Marietta Square hosts events throughout the year beyond the major festivals — outdoor concerts, movie nights, community gatherings, holiday celebrations, and periodic special events tied to the restaurants and businesses on the Square. The Square’s event calendar is consistently active from spring through the holiday season. It is one of the most reliably programmed public spaces in the county and a genuine community asset.