Things to do in Marietta this month: October 2026

Last checked Oct. 7, 2026. This page is rebuilt each month; the November edition replaces it on Nov. 1. Every listing links the organizer, the city or Visit Marietta’s event calendar. Confirm with the organizer before you go. For this weekend’s picks, see things to do this weekend; for galleries, theater and concerts, see arts and exhibitions this month.

October in Marietta centers on the Square and the city’s HarvestFest on Oct. 17. The Marietta Cobb Museum of Art’s Chalktoberfest, set for Oct. 10 and 11, was canceled because of the weather forecast. Halloween brings film nights at the Strand and after-dark tours at the William Root House, and November opens with the Veterans Day parade on Saturday, Nov. 14.

Who to call

• HarvestFest and city events: Marietta Parks and Recreation, 770-794-5601; special events office, 770-794-5606; or see the HarvestFest page
• Chalktoberfest: Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, 770-528-1444, 30 Atlanta St. SE
• Farmers market: 770-499-9393
• Visitor information: Visit Marietta

All month

• Marietta Square Farmers Market, every Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon, 41 Mill St. Year-round, with an average of 64 vendors, the market says. Market site. More in our farmers markets guide.
• Marietta Square Artisan Market, Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the Square, according to Visit Marietta. Market site.
• “Legendary Georgia Musicians” by Jackie Dorsey, Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, through Dec. 13. Exhibitions.
• Marietta History Center, 1 Depot St., Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; free on the third Saturday of the month. History Center.
• Comedy on the Square, every Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., The Alley Stage, 11 Anderson St. Alley Stage.
• Early voting for the Nov. 3 general election runs Oct. 13 to 30 at sites across Cobb County, including the elections office at 995 Roswell St. NE. See our voting guide.

Week of Oct. 5

• Thursday, Oct. 8, 7:30 p.m.: Lumiere Lounge Jazz Talks with Trey Wright, Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre, 117 N. Park Square. The Strand.
• Friday, Oct. 9, 11 p.m. to midnight: Midnight Wake VIP Experience, William Root House, 80 N. Marietta Parkway NW. $50, advance only, ages 12 and older. Cobb Landmarks.
• Saturday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 11: Chalktoberfest, canceled. The Marietta Cobb Museum of Art called off the festival because of the weather forecast, according to the festival’s home page. It returns in 2027. Details: our Chalktoberfest page.
• Saturday, Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m.: Georgia Symphony Orchestra, “American Tapestry,” Bailey Performance Center, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw. $15 to $49.50. Georgia Symphony Orchestra.
• Saturday, Oct. 10, 8 p.m.: Movies Under the Stars, “E.T.,” Church Street Park. Free, according to Visit Marietta.

Week of Oct. 12

• Tuesday, Oct. 13: early voting opens for the Nov. 3 election, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays.
• Tuesday, Oct. 13, 7 p.m.: “Strandemonium: A Halloween Spectacular,” Strand Theatre. $19, according to Visit Marietta. The Strand.
• Friday, Oct. 16, 8 p.m.: Marty Manous in concert, Strand Theatre. The Strand.
• Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: HarvestFest, Glover Park on the Square. The city’s fall festival has an arts and crafts show, Touch-A-Truck, Scarecrows in the Square, a costume contest, a pie eating contest and a kids Halloween festival, the city says. The full schedule and contest rules are in our HarvestFest guide.
• Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Cherokee Heights Arts Festival, Freyer Drive. Free. Visit Marietta listing.
• Saturday, Oct. 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Pop In for Family Fun, “Haunted History,” Marietta History Center. Free. History Center.
• Saturday, Oct. 17, 8 p.m.: Strand Ole Opry, “Bluegrass Roots,” Strand Theatre, with a second show Sunday, Oct. 18. The Strand.

Week of Oct. 19

• Tuesday, Oct. 20, 11 a.m.: Toddler Time, Marietta Cobb Museum of Art. $7. Visit Marietta listing.
• Friday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 24, 5 to 9 p.m.: Victorian Funeral Flashlight Tours, William Root House, 80 N. Marietta Parkway NW. $10 in advance, $15 at the door; arrive by 8:30 p.m. Cobb Landmarks.
• Friday, Oct. 23: GPG Presents A Celebration of Pink Floyd, Strand Theatre. The Strand.
• Sunday, Oct. 25: silent film, “The Phantom of the Opera” (1925), Strand Theatre. The Strand.
• Sunday, Oct. 25, 5 to 7 p.m.: Open Draw, Marietta Cobb Museum of Art. $12. Visit Marietta listing.

Week of Oct. 26 and Halloween

• Thursday, Oct. 29, and Saturday, Oct. 31: “Halloween” (1978) and “Hocus Pocus” (1993) at the Strand. The Strand.
• Friday, Oct. 30: last day of early voting.
• Saturday, Oct. 31: Halloween. Trick-or-treat times, trunk-or-treats and safety tips are in our trick-or-treat guide and Halloween events page.

Early November

• Sunday, Nov. 1: First Free Sunday at the Marietta Cobb Museum of Art; admission is free to everyone. Happenings. Daylight saving time also ends that morning.
• Tuesday, Nov. 3: Election Day. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. See our voting guide.
• Friday, Nov. 6, 5 to 9 p.m.: Marietta Square Art Walk, local artists in shops, galleries and restaurants around the Square, every first Friday. Art Walk.
• Saturday, Nov. 7, 6:30 p.m.: “Houdini: The World’s First Superman,” a lecture at the William Root House. $30. Cobb Landmarks.
• Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day.
• Saturday, Nov. 14: Veterans Memorial 5K at 7:30 a.m. and the Veterans Day parade at 10:40 a.m., from Roswell Street to the Square, with a noon ceremony in Glover Park. Route, times and parking: our Veterans Day page.

More this fall

• GMDT’s and The Georgia Ballet’s Nutcrackers at the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre, from Nov. 27: our Nutcracker page.
• The Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour, Dec. 4-6: dates, tickets and shuttles in our Pilgrimage home tour guide.
• Pumpkin patches, corn mazes and fall festivals nearby: our fall festivals and pumpkin patches guide.
• Marietta High School football on Friday nights: our Friday night football guide.
• Parks and the Mountain to River Trail: our parks and trails guide.

Send us your event

Running something in Marietta? Email hello@mariettatoday.com with the date, time, venue, price and a photo. Listings are free.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Marietta Veterans Day parade?

Saturday, Nov. 14. It leaves Roswell Street Baptist Church at 10:40 a.m., reaches the Square at 11:11 a.m., and is followed by a noon ceremony in Glover Park.

What is happening in Marietta this weekend in October?

The city’s HarvestFest is on the Square on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Chalktoberfest, set for Oct. 10 and 11, was canceled because of the weather forecast. The farmers market runs every Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon.

Is Chalktoberfest still on?

No. The Marietta Cobb Museum of Art canceled the Oct. 10-11 festival because of the weather forecast and says it returns in 2027.

When is HarvestFest in Marietta?

Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Glover Park on the Square, with an arts and crafts show, Touch-A-Truck, a costume contest and a pie eating contest.

Is the Marietta Square Farmers Market open in October?

Yes. It runs year-round on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon at 41 Mill St., just off the Square.