The Marietta Museum of History and City of Marietta staff canceled the 29th annual Marietta Streetfest due to continuing concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Museum explained its decision in a news release, but also offered family-friendly alternative options for Marietta residents.

The entire news release is reprinted below:

The 29th annual Marietta Streetfest which celebrates arts, crafts, family fun, live music and classic cars in the historic Marietta Square and was scheduled for September 19 & 20, 2020, has been canceled due to concerns regarding Covid-19. The festival, which was founded in 1991, draws more than 25,000 each year and has been honored as a Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Event multiple years. 

As a destination for Family Fun the festival features Artist Alley, Jewelry Row, Kids Korner, and Tiny Tot Town. A festival favorite is the Hubcaps and History Classic Car Show, which is the largest car show on the Marietta Square and was set to celebrate its 16th year. The Marietta Streetfest also partners with the Marietta Grassroots Festival which provides musical entertainment during the afternoon and evening. 

The Marietta Museum of History and City of Marietta staff with thoughtful consideration has made the decision to cancel Streetfest 2020. As much as everyone had hoped that the festival could proceed as planned, it is in the best interest of the festival staff, festival guests, and citizens to cancel.  Streetfest has survived heat, cold, winds, rains, and floods, but it will survive a pandemic and be back in 2021.

 On a brighter note, the staff of Streetfest and the Marietta Museum of History has put together a special offer for festival patrons and citizens that is full of Family Fun! At Streetfest 2019, the staff launched the History Rocks program by placing painted rocks in City of Marietta Parks. These rocks could be “found” and returned to the Marietta Museum of History for free admission. The program was so much fun that the staff wants to do it again, but with social distancing in mind. The City of Marietta Parks and Recreation Staff will place painted rocks in select City Parks. The public’s job, is to find the rocks, take a picture (be sure to use #artparkshistory when posting on social media), bring the rock to the Marietta Museum of History, and enjoy FREE admission to the Museum! (The rocks will have instructions attached so that those finding them will know what to do.)

Marietta History Rocks will be “hidden” in the following City of Marietta Parks: Elizabeth Porter, Gant Park, Henry Park, Kirby Park, Laurel Park, Lewis Park, Merritt Park, Tumlin Park, Victory Park and Whitaker Park. Hunting for rocks starts Monday, September 21, 2020. 

Proceeds from the Marietta Streetfest benefit the Marietta Museum of History and is the largest fundraising event for the Museum. Located in the historic Kennesaw House, the Marietta Museum of History uses ordinary objects to tell the extraordinary stories of Marietta and Cobb County. Galleries and exhibits cover topics such as military history, home life throughout the centuries, technology, and local businesses from our past. Current temporary exhibits include: The Man with the Camera: Photographs by Raymond T. Burford, Made by Her Hands: The Beauty, Warmth and Stories of Local Quilting, and Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence.

The Marietta Museum of History located at One Depot Street, Marietta, GA 30060. The Museum is open to the public Tuesday thru Saturday, 11am till 4pm. For more information about the Museum visit www.MariettaHistory.org, for the festival visit www.MariettaStreetfest.com. Look for both on Facebook and Instagram.