The Taste of Smyna is an annual food festival that takes part in downtown Smyna located in between…read morethe Smyrna Public Library/Smyrna Community Center/Smyrna City Hall. When coming here I recommend parking in front of the First Baptist Smyna church. Parking is completely free. This is our second year coming here, this year was better than last here. There was a huge turn out this year as viewers can see from the pictures, the weather turned out to be completely beautiful and there was such a great selection of food. The Taste of Smyna is a free event to visit and guests can walk along Village Green Circle and try out samples from over 30 restaurants, each sample ranges anywhere from 1 to 4 dollars. They had live music from the Scott Thompson Band this year. For kids, they have plenty of activities, the Atlanta Braves had a tent setup for young kids to practice hitting a ball (3 times) and afterwards they could get their face painted by a local airbrush artist with different brave logos. They also had a great selection of blowup houses for kids to jump around, slides, rock climbing, bungee cord lift (goes about 20 feet) and they had this really cool thing where kids are put into a huge ball, it is filled with air and then they float around inside a pool like environment. Checkout the pictures so you know get a better idea. What is also cool about this festival is that the festival sponsor gives out awards to one restaurant for four categories; this includes the best Entree, Dessert, Decorated Booth and Food Presentation. There are also gift giveaways and free balloons for kids. I am very impressed with the way Jrm Management Services puts on this event, they also run the tastes of Forsyth/Kennesaw/Acworth. Even though this year was extremely crowded, there was still plenty of room to get around. This is definitely a food festival that is worth checking out and that is coming from someone who drove 50 miles one way to come to The Taste of Smyna. I highly recommend this festival. [Review #207]

Really enjoyed myself this year I went alone and met so many People. The food options were…read morereasonable but delicious. I even took some samples to go. Parking was free and I feel the organizers did a great job with the setup of everything. I will be going back next year, because I absolutely enjoyed this event

This is probably the largest and best festival in the state of Georgia and well worth visiting. The…read morefestival spans multiple closed streets around the park. It's also conveniently right off the crosswalk from the Inman Park MARTA station - don't bother looking for parking as there is very little. You can also walk to the festival using the Beltline. The vendors are mostly craft and include original art, pottery, handmade bags, the list is huge. There's also plenty of food vendors for even the picky eater. Make sure to bring plenty of filtered water or stick with beer. This is a must-attend show.

Did you know Inman Park was Atlanta's first suburb? That's why there's a Trolley Barn. The two-mile…read morecommute (in the 1800's) was more easily handled by trolley. (#publictransportation, ahem!) Since the 1970's, The Inman Park Festival is something of an Atlanta tradition. There's a tour of homes, a 5k run, a parade, and (of course) a big street market featuring all sorts of colorful, local arts and crafts, beauty & skin care, foods and spices, home accessories, woodworking and ceramics... This year, I picked up a few items to gift to my friends. There are hosts of things to try and do, including activities for kids, and a really cool Dance Festival where you'll see stellar dance expositions from Atlanta's best dance companies. The food scene is pretty much what you'd expect. All the standard offerings from frozen lemonade to corn dogs, funnel cakes to pretzels, all the "regulars" are there. Sometimes I wonder if there will ever be a way to make the street-fair food scene innovative and not just regular. Still, this is among Atlanta's best run, and well-organized Festivals. See you there next year.

This cool little festival is fun for the whole family. Most people think the "Jonquil Festival"…read morehappens in the Spring. Well, there's this Fall one, too. It follows a twenty year tradition of family fun and entertainment for the whole family. The festival features tons of local and home-grown entertainment, arts, crafts, and food. Lots of food. Granted, most of it is "Festival Fare." All the standards are there (cotton candy, pizza, ice cream, sausage, chicken sandwiches, crab cakes...). This is very much a pet-friendly event, and there were lots of friendly dogs (and maybe a ferret or two) walking about. There's plenty of stuff for the family: big inflatables, costumes, puppet shows... The arts and crafts are from artisans who turn out some stellar paintings, clothing, furniture, jewelry, and a variety of knicks and knacks from all over the southeast. Definitely worth checking out. Holler if you want some company.

Good food, good atmosphere! I had the chicken & waffles & the hubby had a hot chicken wrap w/fries…read more The chicken was extremely good, juicy & tender & the breading was very good. The waffles were fluffy & extremely fantastic. The tray had granny smith sautéed apples & maple syrup I had 1/2 of my hubby's had Nashville chicken wrap the next day & it was awesome & heated up very well. The meal came out to 42 & change which considering how good the food was it was worth it. The atmosphere was very good you have to get in line to order then you get to sit at a table, there is full service waitress from then on. The service was great & we even had a waitress keep someone from taking our table! Highly recommend if you are in downtown Marietta.

This was my first Taste of Marietta! I had a wonderful time…read moresampling all the food at the many different restaurants. Now I have some kind of idea of how much fun this festival is.

SHADE on a hot day..It's dangerous to have to sit in the direct sun..how is that having concern for…read morepeople..

Continuing for three days in Atlanta's Piedmont Park, this is a gigantic art festival and music…read morestage. I went through on Friday for about three hours. It's amazing how many different artists are here. At least 200 tents set up along the concrete pathways of the park. Jewelry, paintings, sculptures, each one completely unique. I saw some neat wrist straps made from machine badges, sculptures made with lunch boxes, glass works that looked so beautifully delicate, amber necklaces and bracelets, coffee cups and mugs mde from clay, landscapes and portraits. One artist's format uses insects (not actual insects, reproductions) and the beautiful purple butterflies fill a 3-foot by 5-foot picture frame. That one was for sale for $5000! Food vendors included barbecue, pineapple drinks, noodles, turkey legs, Ben & Jerry's, chicken strips and "meat on a stick." Credit card payments accepted. The festival is free to enter and there was some security. An Atlanta police officer idled by on his motorcycle a couple of times. It started off crowded and then the rain seemed to chase a few people away but by early afternoon, the crowds were back. We parked on a side street in a completely legal space. Free. There is paid parking nearby. Note that pets are NOT allowed in the park during the festival and Atlanta regulations prohibit smoking in the park, too. [Review 19535 overall - 591 in Georgia - 505 of 2023.]

This was a return, after not attending the past several years. The food was great! I had the Lamb…read moreBowl and my wife had the Greek Lemon Chicken Bowl. We had a Coke and a bottle of water to drink. Later, we had Almond Crescents and Baklava, which we shared after a dance program. The chicken dish was so very enjoyable that my wife used the internet to find a similar dish that she could prepare at home, it was both healthy and tasty - a rare combination. All that we had to eat was quite tasty. We chose well.

We had a great time Saturday. It was very organized with several stations from food to live music…read moreto face painting to an artisan shop. We enjoyed the food thoroughly. I recommend it. It has been going on for over 30 years.

We had a fun time at the North Georgia State Fair! There's a lot to do, so I'd recommend going…read moreearly. All the shows are included with admission, but food, games, and rides cost extra. Food isn't cheap either, with prices around $8 -$25. Parking took a while because there were so many cars. At least it's free, but be prepared to walk since some of the lots are a good distance from the fair. Still a great outing with family or friends. Tomorrow, October 4, is the last day if you're hoping to go! If you do go, 5 pantry items will get you in for free.

40+ MINUTES IN LINE JUST TO BE TOLD "I DON'T CARE"…read more Phones falling during rides!! A bird that appeared to to be dying, along with horrible treatment from staff. The fair itself felt extremely unprofessional. Earlier that night, we witnessed a bird from the exhibit fly down, hit the ground, and remain motionless with its legs in the air. It appeared to be dying. When my brother picked it up, it couldn't even lift its head. The employee had his back turned to the exhibit, so I had to speak to him from behind to get his attention. When I first told him what happened, he did not seem concerned. He eventually turned around and saw my brother holding the bird near the exit, where he could clearly see that the bird was completely motionless. He then took the bird, left the exhibit unattended, and returned without the bird as if nothing had happened. But the ride-line incident was ultimately the final straw for me. My younger brother is 11 years old and urgently needed to use the restroom, but he didn't know where one was. Why would an 11-year-old be expected to walk through a dark crowded fairground alone to find a restroom? So my adult brother took him to find one while I stayed in line and held our place. One of my other adult brothers also had a dead phone, so they had to find him as well especially with how easy it was to get separated or lost in a crowd that large. My brothers eventually returned together, and the employee saw them come back and rejoin me but said nothing. We continued waiting as the line moved closer to the ride. It wasn't until we got closer to the barricade leading to the ride that he stopped my brothers and told them they had to go to the back. We explained what happened and even showed him the dead phone. I had remained in line the entire time. My brothers weren't trying to cut in front of strangers -- they were returning to the family member who had stayed in the same spot in line. The employee then addressed the people behind me as though they would have a problem with my brothers returning. Instead, they said they had no issue with it and confirmed they had seen me remain in line the entire time. They were actually frustrated with the employee because they disagreed with how he was handling the situation. After they spoke up, he dismissed their input and said, "I don't care." He then ordered my brothers to the back. What made this even more frustrating was that my coworker had left the line in this same employee's view, sat at a nearby bench because his legs were hurting, returned to the line, later left to throw something away, and came back -- and was never told to go to the back. I also told the employee that I was an Animal Control Officer with Cobb County and was there with my family trying to enjoy our time together using the free admission provided through my job. He responded in a snarky tone, "you paid," and still ordered us to leave the line. As we were walking away, he smiled. Moments before we were told to leave the line, a group of girls who appeared to be unattended began looking around the ride area for a phone that had fallen during the ride that had just finished. There was a clear no-cellphone policy. The ride workers eventually began looking as well. This raised a serious safety concern, as someone could have been seriously injured. If you're planning to ride the Mantis, please be aware. The employee pictured in this review is the employee who was managing the Mantis ride line -- the green-and-purple roller coaster. He was extremely rude and dismissive throughout this interaction. Phones MAY NOT be secured!!! Fair staff directed me to the sheriff's officers to report the incident. I did, but no name or contact information was taken and I wasn't given a report number. I'm disappointed. I would not recommend this fair to anyone even as someone who works for the community.

Virginia Highland Summer Festival is pretty cool, though honestly if you are like me, if you been…read moreto this festival, you have been to them all. The majority of the festivals in Atlanta have the same vendors and the same food trucks. The food here was very limited and located at the very end of the street. We did see some cool things for sale at the festival that were unique, but most of it was the same. We purchased a very cool Hammock Chair called the Oakweave by a company called Twin Oaks. I have never seen anything like this, so it is super cool. The festival is completely free to attend, just make sure you park down the street near the homes, from as there is nowhere to park off Virginia Ave. [Review #383] (29th Review of 2016)

A very well attended event (read: crowded) that features maybe a little more art vendors than do…read moremost other street festivals. Fewer food trucks. Still, plenty of stuff to buy and eat. Island Noodles rocks.

This was my very first time coming out for the festival. It does remind me of going to Marietta…read moreSquare where there are vendors and local owned businesses. The location was cool but could be on the dangerous side due to the train still running. Not many places to park and the places you can park they were charging $10. If you plan on eating any food from the trucks make sure your prepared to spend some money. There were three different stages with many local schools performing and also dance schools. Unfortunately it rained all Sunday so we did not get to catch any of the performances.

THE KID IN ME The…read morekid in me loves a big festival in a small town. Kennesaw is the perfect backdrop for this annual festival that features a parade, musical performances, food and arts and crafts. I was determined to get to the festival regardless of the weather. As always, we arrive early, just after 8:30 so that we can get the lay of the land and take it all in. Parking was great, very close, well-staffed with attendants and only cost $5. Can't beat it! The parade usually precedes the beginning of the festivities. I did not get to see the beginning of the parade because I was distracted by one of the jewelry vendors and was too busy purchasing items. We did however get there before all was done. Every parade is unique, but audience participation is essential if you really want to have a good time. This parade is not as open as others. The streets are very narrow, so gates are used to contain the crowds. They don't throw candy from floats because they don't have them. They actually walk along the route and politely put the candy into the hands of the kids. If you yell out "Hey! I want candy too , they will give you some. If you yell out to the square dancers to "do-si-do", they will comply. The Steampunk group was one of my favorite as the fashion is just so cool and their sign read something like: Steampunk gun club and sewing circle, (interesting combination). That Harrison High School Band was the bomb! They sound so professional! After the parade, we continued to check out the various vendors. Some of my favorite vendors are the jewelry vendors that travel around with their wares. Stones to Wear is my favorite as I love sterling silver and big bold pieces. Phil and Sharon are like family and we always stop by and visit with them. The Panjo guy was unique. He took kitchen pans, (cake, brownie, heart-shaped etc) and made banjos out of them. He actually did a demonstration which was very cool. If you like dulcimer music, then you would appreciate this. I want to give a special shout-out to Superior Plumbing who provided superior toilet facilities complete with sinks and running water. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!! If you decide to go, be careful as the ground is very wet and muddy. I wore sport sandals that can be easily cleaned and are quick to dry. If you don't want to eat typical carny food, eat before you go or eat afterwards because the only healthy vendor we saw was the Smoothie vendor. We wanted something more substantial so we just ate after we left. We had a great day and it was made even more special because of the train that frequently runs right through the festival! Love it!

Chalktoberfest https://www.chalktoberfest.com/ is an annual weekend festival in Marietta square…read morethat features over 85 artists using various mediums including chalk. What it is...is they basically shut down the square and paint the streets! It's been going on since 2013 and every year it gets bigger and bigger. This year they're expecting well over 100,000 people over the two day weekend. It's basically a neighborhood block party with beer, food, ice cream, live music by local bands and lots of dogs! It's a family friendly event and it's free for everyone. If you're coming here I suggest you get here early. The Saturday events usually starts at 10 AM but there were people there even earlier like 7AM. There are plenty of parking spots but because this is a "special event" all the parking spots were charging $10 per vehicle which is a bit steep for Marietta. I suggest you park either at the "Lawrence St" parking deck https://goo.gl/maps/exq8BR2cFC7g7viT9 or across the street at the Cobb/Waddle Parking Deck which is attached to the court house. It's not listed on Google but if you type in 120 Cherokee St. Marietta, GA 30060 into your GPS it should take you there... This year (2019) it rained on Sunday so we were glad we went the day before so that we got to see some of the awesome work that these talented artists do. It's super crowed but people are pretty friendly and the Marietta police presence were everywhere...safety first! Cool event. Hope you can check it out next time it rolls around.

This is such a great event!!…read more It's free, you just find parking or park in paid lots. This is in the huge Marietta square and it takes up the entire thing. These artists are so talented & the completed works are so cool to behold. There's a ton to do, you'll spend all day for the whole family. Tons of businesses selling and giving things out. Lots of food options from restaurants to trucks, breweries & bars