Neighbors Gather for Cherokee Heights Arts Festival in Marietta

MARIETTA — More than 50 vendors selling various forms of art gathered along Freyer Drive for the 16th annual Cherokee Heights Arts Festival Saturday.

From Etowah Drive to Chicasaw Drive, hundreds perused through dozens of tents selling crafts from pottery to crochet animals.

Cherokee Heights is a National Historic Register neighborhood built in 1924 just a mile north of Marietta Square.

The festival originally began as a invitation-only art show among Cherokee Heights neighbors to show off their skills. In 2009, organizers moved the show outdoors and opened it to the public.

The free, one-day-only event is produced by dozens of volunteer neighbors. The festival also featured two stages hosting performances from local musicians.

This year’s lineup included Marietta-based west African drumming group the Emerson Drummers, Atlanta-based rock band the Palace Mirrors and others.

This was Marietta resident Patty Terrell’s first time visiting the festival. She said community events like this help bring neighbors together.

“We need that real badly,” Terrell said. “It’s a neighborhood thing and it’s helping people out.”

Other forms of art sold at the festival included original paintings, woodwork, photography, jewelry, metalwork, textiles and baked goods.

Carolyn and David Johnston of Kennesaw sell homemade soaps and pottery items through their business, Project Mountainside. Carolyn Johnston said the items are inspired by their environment.

“We like to theme around nature, birds and fish,” she said. “What we make changes as our interests change.”

On the far south end of the block, Nevin Marshall, owner of punk-rock record label IFB Records, set up a tent selling classic and contemporary records. Among their inventory included albums from the Monkees, Fleetwood Mac and Def Leppard.

Marshall attends local arts festivals for extra income and to express his passion to his customers.

“I sell used records to help pay for the record label because it’s a big money dump,” Marshall said. “I have what I find. ... I get to sit here for eight hours every day and nerd out about music. Sell some records, make some money and nerd out about music.”