April 17, 2023
CONTACT: Bonnie Buckner Reavis
Marietta Arts Council
bonnie@zenithdesigngroup.com
770-365-1847
MARIETTA - Immerse yourself in art and fun at this year’s M2R TrailFest on Saturday, May 13. The sixth annual public arts festival of 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, live music, and visual installations can be enjoyed along the trail, which stretches from Lewis Park near WellStar Kennestone Hospital, trackside along the Marietta Square, ending at the pedestrian bridge near Brown Park.
Sculptures in Atherton Square debut during the festival, along with additions to the existing mural program, free art drops, and scavenger hunts. The popular M2R Fence Art Gallery featuring photography and original artwork will stretch nearly a mile alongside the trail and will be on display along the trail for sixty days before embarking on a yearlong, countywide tour.
New this year is the 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 noon. Staging begins at 10:30am with a parade start at 11am.
Opening Ceremonies will be held at 12pm in Atherton Square (behind Cool Beans and the Marietta Welcome Center), the center point of TrailFest. Live music continues through 6pm at Atherton Square, while dancers and aerialists perform throughout the afternoon at the Marietta Station Stage, just north along the trail. Festival goers can choose their path North or South along the trail, passing sculpture installations and brightly colored murals along the way. The much beloved bridge installations from 2020 are returning this year at the pedestrian bridges over the North and South 120 Loop. Local artist Donna Barnhart invites the public to be a part of the art and help create her mural “Our Town” which will be installed at 26 Powder Spring Street. A fundraiser for the Marietta Arts Council will be at the Marietta Wine Market from 2-4pm.
The 2023 M2R TrailFest is presented by SA White Oil. A limited number of sponsorship opportunities remain, including artist and installation pairings. Funds raised are used to produce M2R TrailFest and support the Marietta Art Council, whose mission is to enrich the artistic and cultural landscape of the City of Marietta through advocacy, education, and public art. For more information on the festival, visit M2RTrailFest.com . TrailFest is free to attend and open to people of all ages.
About the Marietta Arts Council
The Marietta Arts Council is a volunteer-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the artistic and cultural landscape of the City of Marietta through advocacy, education, and public art.
About the Mountain to River Trail
More than 15 years in the making, the Mountain to River (M2R) trail stretches from Kennesaw Mountain, continues through the Marietta Square, and ends at the City limits on Atlanta Street. It serves as the backbone for future growth of Marietta's planned trail system which will connect residents, pedestrians, and cyclists from across the City of Marietta.