Chalktoberfest is off. Friday isn't.

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What's up, neighbors!

Bad news first. Chalktoberfest is canceled. The Marietta Cobb Museum of Art called it off Wednesday because of Isaias, which is expected to hit the Gulf Coast as a hurricane late Friday and send heavy rain, strong gusts and a chance of tornadoes our way Saturday into Sunday. Saturday's Craft Beer Festival is canceled too, and the museum says it will contact ticket holders directly.

We had our whole Saturday planned around coffee and chalk murals on the Square. Pain.

So Friday is our night out, since it's our best shot at a dry evening. We're starting at Round Trip's Oktoberfest for the polka set and the 6:30 stein holding contest, then carrying our chairs out to the Plaza at Avenue East Cobb for The Rents at Avenue Live. I'd bet half of East Cobb has the game plan, so get there early.

Saturday we're staying in. Board games, a big pot of chili, and the Georgia game if it still kicks off Saturday night. Before the rain starts, we'll bring in the patio furniture and move the cars away from the trees.

If Sunday clears up, Round Trip's Oktoberfest keeps going with two more stein holding rounds that afternoon.

Scroll down for a Michelin-recognized BBQ spot in Cobb, the pickleball plan for the old Olde Mill Walmart, and Cassie, a mellow beagle mix who isn't a fan of storms either.

- Andrew

If your home or auto insurance has been on autopilot for a while, this is a good reminder to take another look. Peachy Insurance is a local Atlanta agency, just a short drive from East Cobb. Our reader Carol took advantage of this offer and saved $2,100! Fill out their form online and complete a quote with a licensed agent and they’ll send you a $10 gift card to Chick-fil-A.

Round Trip Brewing East Cobb
4475 Roswell Road, Suite 1600, Marietta, GA 30062
Friday, October 9 to Sunday, October 11, 2026
Polka Fri 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM | Stein holding Fri 6:30 PM, Sun 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM
Free entry; stein holding requires a full liter

With Chalktoberfest off, our plan B is Oktoberfest at Round Trip, aka polka, pretzels and grown adults holding a liter of beer straight out until their arms give up. Round Trip turns its Avenue East Cobb taproom into a Bavarian beer hall Friday through Sunday, with its Märzen and an oak-aged Oktoberfest on tap, German food and raffles.

Friday is the night to go. It's our best shot at dry weather, the polka set runs 4:30 to 6:30, and the first stein holding contest starts right after. The Rents are playing Avenue Live on the Plaza that night too, so you can watch the steins wobble and then take your chairs outside.

Round Trip bills itself as kid and dog friendly, so it works for an easy family dinner. If Saturday's storm keeps you home, Sunday brings two more stein holding rounds at 1 and 5 PM plus a costume contest.

It all wraps Sunday night, and the next one is a year away.

See Round Trip's Oktoberfest schedule

Heirloom Market BBQ on Akers Mill Road is a tiny, no-frills spot that shares a building with a liquor store. There's basically one communal table, but nobody comes here for the ambiance.

Co-chefs Cody Taylor and Jiyeon Lee blend Southern smoke with Korean flavors, and the MICHELIN Guide gave it a Bib Gourmand in 2025. Order the spicy Korean pork sandwich with kimchi slaw, the brisket, or the gochujang-rubbed ribs, and try the Korean sauce on everything.

It's open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 AM to 8 PM, and closed Sunday and Monday. The room is small and popular items sell out, so earlier is better.

Barbecue Restaurant | 4.7★
Hours:
Sun - Mon Closed
Tue - Sat 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM

🚗 See directions to Heirloom Market BBQ Google Maps

If your house has a bin of LEGO that nobody has touched since summer, there's a store on Shallowford Road that will take it off your hands.

Bricks & Minifigs buys, sells and trades LEGO, and only LEGO. Walk in and you'll find new boxed sets, retired sets that are hard to track down, and long tables of loose bricks you can dig through and buy in bulk. There are thousands of minifigures, too, or kids can build their own from loose heads, torsos and legs.

When you bring in old LEGO sets or loose bricks to sell or trade, the staff looks them over on the spot and offers cash or store credit. That's a pretty good way to clear out a closet before the holidays and come home with something new.

Parents in the reviews keep saying the staff takes time with kids. One wrote that two employees gave the family a quick tour and were patient with a family brand new to collecting. There's a party room for LEGO birthday parties, and no entry fee to come in and look around.

The store is open 11 to 7 Monday through Saturday and 1 to 6 on Sunday.

Price: $$
Hours:
Mon – Sat 11 AM - 7 PM
Sun 1 PM - 6 PM

🚗 Get directions to Bricks & Minifigs Marietta on Google Maps

5 Beds
5.5 Baths
5,494 sq ft
0.97 acre lot

A) $1,850,987

B) $1,975,987

C) $2,100,987

D) $2,200,987

The Marietta Cobb Museum of Art canceled Chalktoberfest, including Saturday's Craft Beer Festival, because of the forecast for Isaias. The storm formed in the Gulf on Wednesday and is expected to hit the central Gulf Coast as a hurricane late Friday or early Saturday. Organizers say they'll contact ticket holders, artists and vendors directly.

For metro Atlanta, forecasters expect rain and gusty wind to arrive Saturday and hang around into Sunday, with 1 to 3 inches of rain, gusts of 30 to 40 mph and a chance of isolated tornadoes, mainly Saturday night. Friday looks mostly dry.

Bring in patio furniture and trash cans, clear leaves off storm drains, and check before you head to any outdoor event this weekend.

Source: Marietta Cobb Museum of Art | Atlanta News First

The empty Walmart Neighborhood Market at Olde Mill Shopping Center, on Roswell Road at Old Canton Road, could become The Pickle Pad and Crave Social Eatery. The plan calls for 12 indoor pickleball courts, four golf simulators, an arcade and bar games, private cabanas, and a fast-casual restaurant with a bar, open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

The applicant asked to rezone the site, but county staff recommends keeping the current zoning and adding a stipulation that allows the indoor sports use. The Cobb Planning Commission hears the case today, Oct. 8, and makes a recommendation; commissioners get the final vote. The franchisee is aiming for a January opening if it's approved.

Source: East Cobb News

Gov. Brian Kemp suspended the state fuel tax from Sept. 29 through Oct. 29 under a state of emergency, with Georgia's average at $4.19 a gallon. That takes 33.3 cents off every gallon of gas and 37.3 cents off diesel, about $5 on a 15-gallon fill-up.

Relief at the pump can lag a few days, since fuel already in distribution was taxed at the full rate.

Source: Cobb County Courier

The Cobb County School District posted a record 90.9% graduation rate for 2026, up from 89.2% last year and well above the state average. East Cobb's high schools: Lassiter 98.5%, Pope 98.4%, Walton 97.8%, Kell 95.5%, Sprayberry 92.6% (up three points) and Wheeler 90.2%.

Harrison led the county at 98.9%, and 13 of Cobb's traditional high schools cleared 90%.

Source: East Cobb News

This is Cassie's second time through Mostly Mutts. She got adopted a few years back, and it worked for a while. Then her family had a baby on the way and a move coming up, and a house that busy was more than she could handle. Now she's 7, a 34-pound Beagle and Spaniel mix, and hanging out with a foster in Kennesaw while she waits for a calmer second chance.

She's mellow most of the day, right up until you grab the leash. Then she dances. Walks are her favorite thing, and she loves fetch, especially when she can make you work a little to get the toy back. She already knows sit, down, stay, come, drop it and place. And if she thinks she's in trouble, she rolls over for a belly rub, which is a pretty solid strategy.

She's shy with new people at first, men especially, so she needs a patient household that lets her warm up on her own schedule. She'd do best as your only dog, with no cats and kids 15 or older. Storms and loud noises make her nervous, and she's dug out of a yard before, so stay outside with her until you know she won't. A quiet home with someone who wants a walking buddy and a couch companion is exactly her speed.

She's spayed, microchipped and current on vaccines, and her adoption fee is $299. Every Mostly Mutts dog also comes with free training classes for life. Since she's in foster care, read Cassie's full profile, then fill out the Mostly Mutts adoption application for Cassie, and they'll set up a time to meet her. The rescue is at 3238 Cherokee Street in Kennesaw.

Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue & Adoption
3238 Cherokee Street, Kennesaw, GA 30144
(770) 272-6888
Mon-Sat 10 AM to 3 PM; adoptions by appointment

🌀 Isaias heads-up: Rain, gusty wind and a chance of tornadoes are in the forecast Saturday into Sunday. We pulled the outdoor events most likely to get called off. For everything else, check the event's page or social accounts before you leave the house.

🏛️ CCPL Celebrates America250: Civil War in Cobb County - Sewell Mill Library | 2051 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta, GA 30068 | 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM | Free, registration on the event page | More: cobbcounty.gov
The Marietta History Center walks through Civil War history as it played out right here in Cobb County, part of the library's America 250 series, at Sewell Mill Library at lunchtime Friday.

🧱 Lego Free Play - Switzer Library | 266 Roswell Street, Marietta, GA 30060 | 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Free-build Lego time for kids ages 5-12 on Friday afternoon. No structured activity, just a table full of bricks and an hour to see what they come up with.

📖 Library Storytime at Mabry Park - Mabry Park | 4466 Mabry Park Road, Roswell, GA 30075 | 10:30 AM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Mountain View Regional Library staff bring storytime outdoors to the Mabry Park playground for ages 0-5 and their grown-ups. Bring a towel or blanket; it's canceled if the weather turns bad.

👶 Playtime for Littles - East Cobb Library | 4880 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta, GA 30068 | 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM | Free, drop-in | More: cobbcounty.gov
Drop-in play and socializing for ages 1-5 with an adult caregiver on Friday morning, an easy unstructured hour for toddlers to move around and meet other kids.

🌶️ 3rd Annual Chili Cook Off - Oak Street Bottle Shop | 75A Oak St, Roswell, GA 30075 | Starts 1:00 PM | $10 per person, $25 per family | More: roswellkiwanis.org
Historic Roswell Kiwanis hosts its third annual chili cook-off. Taste the entries, vote for People's Choice, and come early for door prizes and hourly giveaways.

🧶 Crocheting & Knitting Class for Teens - Switzer Library | 266 Roswell Street NE, Marietta, GA 30060 | 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM | Free, registration on the event page | More: cobbcounty.gov
Teens ages 12-17 learn crochet and knitting basics on Saturday. All skill levels are welcome and all materials are provided.

💃 Joy in Motion: A Family Dance Experience - Switzer Library | 266 Roswell Street, Marietta, GA 30060 | 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
A monthly drop-in family dance session led by Ms. Nimisha Shah, open to all ages and abilities. No dance experience needed.

🖼️ Marietta Square Artisan Market - Mill Street, Marietta Square | Marietta, GA 30060 | 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM | Free to browse | More: mariettasquareartisanmarket.com
Local artists and makers set up along Mill Street every Saturday with handmade work, right across from the farmers market.

🍅 Marietta Square Farmers Market - Marietta Square Farmers Market | 41 Mill Street, Marietta, GA 30060 | 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM | Free to browse | More: mariettasquarefarmersmarket.com
Local produce, fresh flowers, honey, breads and plants every Saturday morning on Mill Street. Get there early on a festival weekend.

🎭 Scribbles and the Journey Home - East Cobb Library | 4880 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta, GA 30068 | 10:30 AM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Discovery Stage Company performs a family show where siblings Avery and Jesse and their magical guide Scribbles turn cardboard into adventures. Best for ages 5-9 with an adult.

🎃 Trick or Treat Totes Family Workshop - Roswell Visual Arts Center | 10495 Woodstock Rd, Roswell, GA 30075 | 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM | $32 to $48 per registration, one adult included | More: app.amilia.com
Kids ages 4-8 and a grown-up design a trick-or-treat tote with glow-in-the-dark paint, puffy stickers and Halloween decorations. City of Roswell registration closes Friday.

🎲 Second Sunday Game Day - Switzer Library | 266 Roswell Street NE, Marietta, GA 30060 | 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM | Free, optional registration | More: cobbcounty.gov
Drop in for board and card games from a big library of options, or bring your own. A low-key Sunday afternoon for the whole family.

😂 Comedy on the Square - The Alley Stage | 11 Anderson St, Marietta, GA 30060 | Fri and Sat 8:00 PM (doors 7:30) | Ticketed, two-drink minimum; 18+ | More: alleystage.org
The Alley Stage brings a lineup of handpicked comedians to its small room just off Marietta Square on Friday and Saturday night. General admission, 18+ only.

🍲 Ladle and Loaf: A Cozy Fall Cooking Night - Mise en Place Cooking Studio | 603 Atlanta St, Roswell, GA 30075 | 6:00 PM to 8:15 PM | From $110 | More: misenplacestudio.com
A hands-on Friday night class making three fall soups (potato leek and bacon, butternut squash and apple, chicken and wild rice) plus jalapeño-cheddar cornbread and cheddar-chive biscuits. Classes cap at 12-16 students.

🎤 Las Alucines: USA Tour 2026 - Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre | 2800 Cobb Galleria Pkwy, Atlanta, GA 30339 | 8:30 PM (doors 7:00) | Ticketed through Cobb Energy Centre; parking $20 | More: cobbenergycentre.com
The Latin American comedy duo mixes stand-up, music and audience interaction in stories about everyday Latin life. This is the rescheduled date for the May 12 show.

🕯️ Midnight Wake VIP Experience - William Root House Museum | 80 N Marietta Pkwy NW, Marietta, GA 30060 | 11:00 PM to midnight | $50, advance purchase; ages 12+ | More: roothousemuseum.com
A candlelit guided tour of the Root House covering 19th-century embalming and funeral customs. It ends at midnight with a reading of the poem about death Leonard Simpson wrote in 1839, and space is very limited.

🌴 Noche Tropical at El Super Pan - El Super Pan at The Battery | 455 Legends Pl SE, Suite 862, Atlanta, GA 30339 | Fri and Sat 11:00 PM to 2:00 AM | No cover; pay as you go; 21+ | More: batteryatl.com
A late-night DJ, dancing, tropical cocktails and late-night bites at El Super Pan on Friday and Saturday, going until 2 AM.

🍺 Oktoberfest at Round Trip Brewing - Round Trip Brewing East Cobb | 4475 Roswell Rd, Suite 1600, Marietta, GA 30062 | Fri to Sun; polka Fri 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM; stein holding Fri 6:30 PM, Sat 7 PM, Sun 1 PM and 5 PM | Free entry; stein holding requires a full liter | More: roundtripbrewing.com
Round Trip's Avenue East Cobb taproom turns into a Bavarian beer hall all weekend, with its award-winning Märzen, an oak-aged Oktoberfest, German food, raffles, and men's and women's stein holding contests.

🎼 Ragtime: The Musical (closing weekend) - Theatre in the Square | 11 Whitlock Ave SW, Marietta, GA 30064 | Fri and Sat 8:00 PM, Sun 3:00 PM | From $24.50 | More: mariettatheatresquare.com
The Tony-winning musical follows three families whose lives collide at the dawn of the 20th century. The run ends Sunday, so this is your last chance.

💧 Rain Barrel Make & Take - Cobb County Wildlife & Rain Garden | 662 South Cobb Dr, Marietta, GA 30060 | 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM | Free, registration required; 18+ | More: cobbcounty.gov
Build your own rain barrel in a one-hour Friday lunchtime workshop. It's for Cobb residents 18+ who haven't taken the class before, one barrel per household.

📷 30th Annual RPS Open Juried Photography Exhibit - Roswell Visual Arts Center | 10495 Woodstock Rd, Roswell, GA 30075 | 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM (closed Sat and Sun) | Free | More: roswellphotosociety.com
The Roswell Photographic Society's 30th juried show, judged by MCMA curator Madeline Beck, fills the gallery with award-winning landscape, travel, people and abstract work through Nov. 12. Friday is your weekend window.

🎸 Two Door Cinema Club - Coca-Cola Roxy | 800 Battery Ave SE #500, Atlanta, GA 30339 | 8:00 PM | Ticketed through Ticketmaster (from about $84) | More: batteryatl.com
The Northern Irish indie-pop band plays the Roxy at The Battery on Friday night.

🪩 After Dark at Punch Bowl Social - Punch Bowl Social | 875 Battery Ave SE, Suite 720, Atlanta, GA 30339 | 9:00 PM to 11:30 PM | Free entry with Eventbrite RSVP | More: batteryatl.com
A monthly Saturday night of 90s and 2000s R&B DJ sets (Aaliyah, Usher, TLC) with board games, hourly raffles, and $3 Red Bull and Liquid Death.

🏈 Game Day at Glover Park Brewery - Glover Park Brewery | 65 Atlanta St SE, Marietta, GA 30060 | 12:00 PM to midnight | Free entry; pay as you go | More: gloverparkbrewery.com
Watch Duke at Georgia Tech and Georgia at Alabama a block off the Square, with pizza from Fusco's food truck. The SEC is watching Isaias, so check kickoff times before you head over.

🥁 Gov't Mule & Ziggy Marley - Coca-Cola Roxy | 800 Battery Ave SE #500, Atlanta, GA 30339 | 7:00 PM | Ticketed through Ticketmaster | More: batteryatl.com
The "Dreaming the Same Dread" tour pairs Gov't Mule's Southern jam rock with Ziggy Marley's reggae, with Yola opening.

🎻 Georgia Symphony Orchestra: American Tapestry - Bailey Performance Center, Kennesaw State University | 488 Prillaman Way, Kennesaw, GA 30144 | 7:30 PM (free Maestro Talk 6:30 PM) | $15 to $49.50 | More: georgiasymphony.org
Conductor Timothy Verville leads Copland, Bernstein, William Grant Still and Joan Tower, including Copland's Lincoln Portrait narrated by Condace Pressley.

🥞 Jazz Brunch at C. Ellet's - C. Ellet's at The Battery | 2605 Circle 75 Pkwy, Suite 400, Atlanta, GA 30339 | Sat and Sun 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM | Menu pricing; reservations 678-996-5344 | More: batteryatl.com
Southern fried chicken, Pancake Paloozas and mimosas with a live jazz band on Saturday and Sunday.

🎵 MARVIN: The Marvin Gaye Musical - Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre | 2800 Cobb Galleria Pkwy, Atlanta, GA 30339 | 3:00 PM and 8:00 PM | Ticketed through Cobb Energy Centre | More: jecaryous.com
A stage musical about Marvin Gaye's rise at Motown, his relationships and his personal battles, told through his hits. Two Saturday shows.

🎶 Dueling Latin Tenors - Roswell Cultural Arts Center | 950 Forrest St, Roswell, GA 30075 | 4:00 PM | From $17; free parking | More: roswellcac.showare.com
Tenors Adelmo Gimenez and Jose Luis Bracho, with pianist Dr. Jose Manuel Garcia, sing opera and Latin favorites as part of Viva Roswell's Hispanic Heritage series.

Every Friday from spring through October, the Plaza at Avenue East Cobb turns into the neighborhood's front lawn. There's a live band, chairs everywhere, and a crowd of people you probably already know from carpool. With only a few shows left in the 2026 season and Isaias due Saturday, Friday is your best shot at a night outside this weekend.

What it is: Avenue Live is Avenue East Cobb's free outdoor concert series on the Plaza, running every Friday night from April through October. This week The Rents take the stage. There are no tickets and no registration, just show up with a chair.

Plan it (arrive around 5:30): Bring tailgate or camp chairs, since seating is first come. Coolers and outside drinks aren't allowed, so plan on dinner or drinks from the Avenue restaurants, and Round Trip Brewing's Oktoberfest is running right there all weekend. Boll & Branch hands out free sparkling water and treats from 4 to 8 PM.

During the show (6-8 PM): Kids are welcome to dance on the Plaza but not on the stage. Scooters and bikes stay off the Plaza, so leave them in the car.

Logistics: Free, with plenty of surface parking off Roswell Road and eight Tesla Superchargers. Leashed dogs are welcome under the center's code of conduct; clean up after them. Restrooms are inside the shops and restaurants, and the center's phone is 770-971-9945.

Heads up: Weather cancellations are posted on Avenue East Cobb's social media, so check before you leave. Kids under 17 need a parent with them after 8 PM.

🚗 Get directions to The Plaza

Isaias should reach metro Atlanta as heavy rain and gusty wind Saturday into Sunday. You can't stop a tree from falling, but you can make the cleanup and any claim a lot less painful.

Start with your phone. Walk every room and record a slow video, closets and garage included. Then do the outside: roofline, gutters, fence and your cars. If something gets damaged, that video shows what you had and what shape it was in.

Next, pull up your declarations page and find your deductibles. Some home policies carry a separate wind or hurricane deductible, and it can be a percentage of your dwelling coverage instead of a flat dollar amount. Better to learn that number Thursday than Sunday.

Two gaps catch people off guard. A standard homeowners policy doesn't cover flooding, and new flood policies usually come with a 30-day waiting period, so a policy bought this week almost certainly won't cover this storm. For cars, flood and fallen-tree damage usually fall under comprehensive coverage, if you carry it. Park away from big trees and low spots that hold water.

If damage does happen, take photos before you clean up, stop more damage if it's safe (a tarp over a roof hole), and keep every receipt.

Have a Peachy agent walk you through your deductibles