Marietta HarvestFest returns to Historic Marietta Square on Saturday, October 17, with eight hours of fall activities packed into the center of town.

The family-friendly festival runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Glover Park and around the Square.

Arts and crafts, children’s activities, trucks, costumes, games and seasonal contests make this much more than a simple vendor market.

HarvestFest is the kind of event where different generations can find different reasons to stay.

The HarvestFest Arts & Crafts Show puts handmade goods and regional makers at the center of the shopping side of the festival.

Touch-A-Truck gives children a closer look at vehicles they normally see only from the curb or highway.

Halloween Happenings adds inflatables, games and seasonal fun for younger visitors.

Then there are the traditions that turn a community festival into something people remember, including the costume and pie-eating contests.

Scarecrows in the Square adds another visual layer to the downtown setting and reinforces the event’s October atmosphere.

Live DJ entertainment keeps activity moving throughout the day.

October 17 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. gives families enough time to choose a few favorite activities without feeling rushed.

Early arrivals can take advantage of cooler morning temperatures and potentially easier parking.

People most interested in the costume contest or other scheduled activities should confirm times before heading out so they do not miss registration or staging windows.

Because the festival occupies one of Marietta’s most popular gathering places, the surrounding downtown businesses become part of the day too.

Restaurants and shops give visitors options when they need a break from festival activity.

That is one of the advantages of holding a fall celebration on a historic square rather than in an isolated event field.

Glover Park sits at the center of the action at 50 North Park Square NE.

Visitors should expect heavier pedestrian and vehicle traffic around downtown as the festival reaches its busiest hours.

Comfortable shoes, layers and a little parking patience are practical additions to the day.

HarvestFest succeeds by giving families many small experiences instead of asking one attraction to carry the whole event.

Browse handmade goods, climb around a truck, enter a costume contest, watch someone tackle a pie and enjoy the Square in full fall mode.

For North Atlanta families looking for a classic October community festival, Marietta has built a full Saturday around it.

One week earlier, Chalktoberfest transforms the same downtown area with large-scale street art.

Do not miss the shorter activity windows

The official HarvestFest schedule lists Touch-A-Truck from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., even though the wider festival continues until 5. The costume contest begins at 2 p.m.; contestants should obtain a number at the stage between 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The pet costume contest follows at 3 p.m. Choose arrival time around the activity your household most wants to see.

The city’s downtown parking map is linked from the event page. Look at it before driving and follow current signs rather than assuming a nearby space is available. For children interested in Halloween Happenings, the organizer describes the activities as intended for ages 12 and younger.

Pair this outing with our Chalktoberfest guide for the previous weekend, or our Paint the Town guide for Alpharetta later in the month. Facts were verified October 3, 2026. Confirm contest registration requirements with the city, and revisit the schedule before travelling to a particular timed feature.