Top 9 Things To Do in Marietta This April

Connie's Top 9 Things To Do in Marietta This April

By Connie Carlson | Carlson Orange Team | carlsonorange.com

April in Marietta is my absolute favorite time of year. The azaleas are showing off, the Square is buzzing, and for the first time since fall you genuinely want to be outside all day. We have lived in this community for over two decades now and April always reminds me why we built our home here -- the energy is just different when spring arrives in downtown Marietta.

This month is stacked. We have got the 31st annual Taste of Marietta, the 50th anniversary of the Big Shanty Festival over in Kennesaw, the very first Glover Park Concert of the 2026 season, new exhibitions opening at the Cobb Museum of Art, and a Las Vegas-style benefit show at Theatre in the Square that honestly sounds like nothing else happening in metro Atlanta right now. Here are my top picks -- and I'm saving the best for last.

🎭 Joey Thurmond & The Select Orchestra | April 1 (12pm), April 3 (8pm), April 4 (2pm & 8pm), 2026

Marietta-based entertainer Joey Thurmond brings a full live orchestra and high-energy Las Vegas-style production to Theatre in the Square this April -- four performances featuring big-band classics, show tunes, and contemporary favorites. Proceeds benefit ALS Georgia, an organization that was deeply personal to Thurmond after his mother passed from ALS. This is a night where you will laugh, feel the music in your chest, and leave knowing your ticket made a difference.

🌸 Marietta Square Art Walk | Friday, April 3, 2026

Every first Friday of the month, the Square comes alive for Art Walk -- a free, self-guided evening stroll through galleries, restaurants, and outdoor art displays. Pick up a glass of wine, wander into the Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, duck into RobertKent Galleries, and let the night take you wherever the music leads. This is what living near the Square actually looks like, and it never gets old.

🎤 Jazz & Jokes at Theatre in the Square | Thursday, April 9, 2026

The Theatre in the Square Jazz & Jokes series continues with an evening featuring powerhouse vocalist Karen Bryant, known as "The Voice." Raised on country, R&B, and soft rock influences, Bryant brings soul-stirring music and undeniable stage presence to this intimate Marietta Square venue. A perfect date night just steps from dinner on the Square.

🌺 New Exhibitions Open at Marietta Cobb Museum of Art | Opens Saturday, April 11, 2026

The MCMA flips its galleries on April 11 with two completely new exhibitions opening across all five gallery spaces through late June. This is one of the most slept-on gems on the Square and a brand new show is always the best time to walk in. The building alone -- a stunning renovated 1909 post office -- is worth the trip. Bring out-of-town guests, they will be blown away every single time.

🌱 Cobb Master Gardeners Plant Sale & Expo | Friday April 17 & Saturday April 18, 2026

If you have any outdoor space at all -- patio, yard, a single planter -- this event will have you walking out with armloads of plants you did not know you needed. Over 79 specialty vendors from across the Southeast bring perennials, native plants, ornamental trees, ferns, herbs, yard art, wood and glass crafts, locally sourced honey and sauces, and so much more. Free kids corner (the Bloom Booth), free parking, and Master Gardeners standing by to answer your questions. This is one of the best spring days in Cobb County.

🏛️ Pop-In for Family Fun: Mountain to Marietta | Saturday, April 18, 2026

The Marietta History Center hosts its monthly Pop-In for Family Fun event on the third Saturday of every month -- free, no registration, just show up and explore. This April the theme is Mountain to Marietta, celebrating the connection between Kennesaw Mountain and the city at its feet. Interactive crafts and activities for kids, engaging exhibits for grownups, and all of it completely free thanks to local sponsors. This is the kind of thing that makes living here feel really special.

🎸 Big Shanty Festival | Saturday April 18, 2026 (10am to 6pm) & Sunday April 19, 2026 (12pm to 5pm)

The Big Shanty Festival turns 50 this year and they are going ALL OUT to celebrate. This beloved Kennesaw tradition brings more than 250 arts and crafts booths, 25 food vendors, two entertainment stages, kids activities, a beer garden, and a Saturday morning parade featuring high school marching bands from all over the area. Over 60,000 people show up across the two days -- and with this being the golden anniversary, it is going to be bigger than ever. Just 10 minutes up the road and absolutely worth it.

🎵 Glover Park Concert Series -- Season Kickoff | Friday, April 24, 2026

The Glover Park Concert Series is back for its 2026 season and April 24th is the first night. This is my personal happy place in Marietta -- a free outdoor concert in the park, under the stars, surrounded by some of the best people you will ever meet. Bring your lawn chairs and a blanket, stake out your spot after 4pm, and prepare to not want to be anywhere else in the world. The series runs last-Friday-of-the-month through September and each show is free.

🍽️ Taste of Marietta | Sunday, April 26, 2026

I have been to this festival more times than I can count and it still gets me every year. The 31st annual Taste of Marietta takes over the entire Square on the last Sunday of April with over 50 restaurants and caterers, celebrity chefs at the cooking stage, live music across multiple stages including a sunset concert in Glover Park, a Kids Alley with inflatables and games, food trucks, and the best people-watching in Cobb County. Admission is free. This is the anchor event of April in Marietta -- plan your entire day around it.

There is genuinely no shortage of things to do in Marietta this April. Subscribe to my My Marietta Event Calendar at carlsonorange.com/calendar and every single event syncs straight to your phone -- free, updated every month. I will see you out there.

Because nothing feels better than bringing you home.

Connie Carlson | Carlson Orange Team | Real Broker LLC | carlsonorange.com