Marietta October Guide: Zombies, Scarecrows and More

1. Oct. 20 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visit Marietta Square for the 36th annual Harvest Square Festival. The Fall arts and crafts festival features a wide variety of unique handmade items from a local artist and craftsmen as well as Fall fun for the entire family.

The event also includes Halloween Happenings for children ages 10 and younger. The event takes place as part of Harvest Square and includes games, candy, prizes and a costume contest for children 12 and under. There is even a costume contest for pets. No registration is required for the costume contests.

Scarecrows on the Square winners will be announced. The Pumpkin Patch with pumpkin decorating for the kids will be held.

2. Sunday, Oct. 21: The 5th annual Boxerstock Music Festival takes place on from noon to 6pm at Jim Miller Park. The event features live music from both national and local acts in a variety of genres. Boxerstock is a family and dog-friendly event, welcoming well-behaved dogs of all breeds.

3. Oct. 18 at 6:30 p.m.: STRANDelicious, a progressive dinner through the historic theater with food from 15 restaurants on Marietta Square. Guests will enjoy live entertainment on the rooftop terrace and a tasty tour of the theatre as the progressive dinner makes its way through the grand auditorium and special event rooms of The Strand.

4. Oct. 20 and Oct. 21: “Smoke on the Mountain” will be performed at the Strand Theatre. The ensemble cast is accompanied by three bluegrass virtuoso "cousins" on fiddle, bass, guitar, and mandolin as they perform over twenty of the best gospel tunes ever written. They will delight you with: Church in the Wildwood, Wonderful Time Up There, No Tears in Heaven, Jesus ls Mine, There is a Fountain Filled with Blood, Bringing in the Sheaves, Smoke on the Mountain, and numerous others.

5. Oct. 21 from 1:45 to 4 p.m.: Youth Track or Treat: The run at the Marietta High School will benefit the YWCA of Northwest Georgia’s Domestic Violence Shelter. 

6. Friday, Oct. 26 through Wednesday, Oct. 31: Strandemonium: The Strand Theatre will be presenting the rock and roll spectacular Strandemonium Halloween weekend. There will be music for all ages and blood types with classics like “Monster Mash”, “Purple People Eater”, and “Love Potion #9” to current Halloween hits including “Dead Man’s Party”, “Zombie Prom”, and “Bring on the Freaks.” Friday and Saturday, Oct. 27 at 8 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 28 at 3 p.m. and Wednesday, Oct. 31 at 7 p.m.

7. Oct. 27: Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K is the American Cancer Society’s premier breast cancer event. Registration starts on Marietta Square at 7 a.m. and the run begins at 8 a.m.

8. Saturday, Oct. 27: Marietta Zombie Walk takes place in Marietta Square. Marietta is set to welcome the return of pumpkins, candy, scarecrows and zombies. Carnival of Doom, in association with Marietta.com, The Strand, Zenith Design Group and Johnnie MacCracken’s Celtic Pub are sponsoring the second annual Marietta Zombie Walk benefiting MUST Ministries. The Infestation (gathering) starts at 5 p.m. in Glover Park and the Feeding (Zombie Walk) starts at 6 p.m.

9. Every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. The Marietta Square Farmers Market gathers an average of over 60 vendors, offering a variety of fresh, locally grown, seasonal produce, and garden products.

10. Fall Festival of Fun: Cobb County Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department along with Cobb County Public Safety, Safe Kids Cobb County and Cobb County 4-H are hosting the 13th Annual Fall Festival of Fun on Wednesday, Oct. 31at the Cobb County Safety Village. The event will begin at 4 p.m. and end at 7 p.m. This event will provide the children of Cobb County a safe alternative to the traditional Trick-or-Treat in their neighborhoods.

The festival will include arts and crafts, games, inflatable rides, Police and Fire activities, costume and coloring contests, a photo booth and other surprises. Parking, entrance to the park, games, candy and contests are free (there is a fee for concessions and inflatable rides). Come wearing your Halloween costume and be sure to bring a bag to carry all of your candy!