M2R TrailFest

Immerse yourself in art and fun at this year’s M2R TrailFest on Saturday, May 9th. This annual public arts festival on the Mountain to River Trail will feature the debut of numerous art installations, as well as performances that can only be enjoyed during the festival. Art performances, professional chalk art, live music and visual installations can be enjoyed along the trail, stretching from Lewis Park near Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, trackside along the Marietta Square, ending at the pedestrian bridge near Brown Park.

Sculptures along the trail debut during the festival, along with additions to the existing mural program and free art drops. The popular M2R Fence Art Gallery featuring photography and original artwork will stretch nearly a mile alongside the trail and will be on display for sixty days before embarking on a yearlong, countywide tour.

This year’s festival will also include the fourth annual Fur Folly Pet Parade. Pets and their owners are encouraged to dress in costume and celebrate in their own artful way. The folly will travel along the M2R trail from Lewis Park Dog Park to Atherton Square in historic downtown Marietta (approximately one mile) in advance of the Opening Ceremonies at 11am. Staging begins at 9:30am with a parade start at 10am.

Opening Ceremonies will be held at 11am in Atherton Square (behind Cool Beans and the Marietta Welcome Center), the center point of TrailFest. Dancers, musicians and aerialists will perform in Atherton Square and along the trail. Festival goers can choose their path North or South along the trail, passing sculpture installations and vibrant murals along the way. Brightly colored lucite bridge installations, a tradition since 2020, will once again return to the pedestrian bridges over the North and South 120 Loops. This year, the bridges once again feature the design work of students from KSU’s College of Architecture and Construction Management, fostering professional development for the creative placemakers of the future.