Fall is arriving in NW Metro Atlanta, and the communities we serve are busy. This month's roundup covers Labor Day weekend celebrations, new restaurants, trail and park progress, and school news across all seven cities. We track these stories because they tell you what a community is really like to live in right now.
If you are exploring a move, a city's food scene signals its economic energy. Its parks and trail investments reveal its priorities. And its school and council decisions shape home values and daily life for years. Here is what is happening as we turn the calendar to September.
Marietta: Art in the Park Turns 40, a Late-Night Coffeehouse, and a Trail Milestone
40th Annual Art in the Park Lands on Labor Day Weekend
Marietta's signature arts event returns to Glover Park on the Square September 5 through 7, 2026. The 40th annual edition fills the park with juried artists, live music, and food vendors, all free to attend. It is one of the best weekends of the year to experience the Square and a great excuse for prospective buyers to wander the neighborhood.
Terminus 72 Opens for the Late-Night Crowd
Terminus 72, a late-night coffee bar open from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., launched in Marietta in August 2026. A dedicated late-night coffeehouse is rare for the area and gives the city's evening scene a new reason to stay up. It is another sign that downtown Marietta's mix of ages and uses keeps growing.
More Dining Changes Around the Square
Antika, a new food concept, is preparing to open at 34 Powder Springs Street near the Square. And Willie Rae's x Pisano's reopened on July 31 after renovations, giving the Square back one of its most popular gathering spots.
Rottenwood Creek Trail Moves Forward
The city broke ground in June on Phase 1 of the Rottenwood Creek Trail, a roughly $17 million project that will tie together key trails across Marietta. It is one of the largest greenway investments in the region and will connect more neighborhoods to the Square, parks, and the Mountain to River system as it builds out.
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Acworth: Taste of Acworth Returns and City Barbeque Is Proposed
Taste of Acworth Set for October 17
One of Acworth's favorite traditions, Taste of Acworth on Main Street, returns Saturday, October 17, 2026 with 40-plus restaurant booths and two live stages. It is a great day to sample the city's lakeside dining scene all in one place, and a highlight of the fall calendar.
City Barbeque Proposed Along Cobb Parkway
A City Barbeque is in the works for 3574 Cobb Parkway NW, a roughly 3,400-square-foot restaurant with an outdoor patio. The popular barbecue chain is still in the proposal phase, so we will update this page once permits and opening dates are confirmed.
Henry's Louisiana Grill Passes to New Owners
Longtime Acworth favorite Henry's Louisiana Grill welcomed new owners Brian and Taylor Cowart this year after a January ribbon cutting. The downtown fixture continues to serve its award-winning Cajun menu under the new chapter, keeping Main Street dining varied and strong.
Park Improvements Land
Cauble Park Phase I improvements are complete, including better access, connectivity, and community uses at Acworth's beloved lakeside park. Meanwhile the Dallas-Acworth Highway corridor improvement project is moving through design with the help of an $875,000 ARC grant, a project that will ease travel toward Paulding County.
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Kennesaw: Portillo's Opens, Barrett Corners Gains New Spots
Portillo's Opens Its First Georgia Location
The Chicago-born Portillo's is now open at 790 Cobb Place Boulevard NW, in the former On the Border building near Town Center. Classic Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches give Kennesaw's dining scene a new icon, with seating for 125-plus and a patio.
Barrett Corners Fills Out
The former LA Fitness property at 1185 Ernest W. Barrett Parkway is becoming Barrett Corners Phase III, with City Barbeque and Poke House planned there. Along Barrett Parkway near Barrett Lakes Boulevard, Raising Cane's and Salad & Go are also planned, continuing the corridor's transformation into a go-to dining and shopping strip.
Pigs & Peaches Returns October 17
The Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival returns to downtown Kennesaw on October 16-17, 2026, bringing barbecue pits, live music, and one of the community's best fall parties. If you are shopping for a home in the city, mark the calendar: it is the weekend Main Street shows off.
Growth on the City's Edges
Kennesaw approved a 182-unit apartment community near Barrett Parkway, and Eastpark Village, billed as the city's largest land assemblage ever at roughly 65 acres with about 850 residential units and 300,000 square feet of retail, office, and commercial space, continues to move forward. The city also received an Atlanta Regional Commission grant to study the Cobb Parkway corridor for future trail and entrance connections to downtown.
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Woodstock: A Landmark Hotel, a Big New Park, and Pizza in the Depot
Landmark Hotel Planned Opposite the Amphitheater
The city signed a letter of intent with Southern Ventures, the master developer of Woodstock City Center, for a six-story, 130-room landmark hotel directly across from the Northside Hospital-Cherokee Amphitheater, with food and beverage venues and a spa. A downtown hotel of this scale would be a first for Woodstock and a strong signal for visitors and developers alike.
Woodstock's Largest Park Is Coming
The city announced the new 110-acre Little River Park, which will be Woodstock's largest park. Pair that with the planned Noonday Creek Trail extension connecting Woodstock to Cobb County, and the outdoor story in Cherokee County's fastest-growing city keeps getting stronger.
Fire & Stone Opens in the Historic Train Depot
Fire & Stone Italian Pizza Kitchen is opening in Woodstock's historic train depot, which reopens after a year-long closure tied to the new road alignment. The Neapolitan and New York style pies follow the menu that made its Peachtree Corners original popular, and the depot setting makes it one of the more charming dining rooms in the region.
Streetscape and Mill Work Continue
Construction began on the Streetscapes VI project along Towne Lake Parkway, adding sidewalks, crosswalks, lighting, and landscaping. Near I-575, the Woodstock Mill District, an 11-acre Publix-anchored mixed-use project, is under way and is set to become a new gateway to downtown Woodstock.
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Canton: Riverfest Coming, New Flavors at The Mill on Etowah
Riverfest Returns September 26-27
Riverfest, Canton's arts and crafts festival at Etowah River Park, returns September 26-27, 2026. The two-day event draws 25,000-plus visitors and fills the park with artisans, food, and live music. It is a picture-perfect weekend to see why the river park is the heart of Canton.
New Dining at The Mill on Etowah
Barrel Downs Tavern and the new venture Blue Jean Barbecue are landing at The Mill on Etowah, joining the revitalized riverside district's restaurant lineup. Tumi Peruvian opened on Main Street earlier, and Canton's dining scene now spans Peruvian, barbecue, and tavern fare within blocks of one another.
Etowah River Trail Grows
The Etowah River Trail is being extended to link Heritage Park, Etowah River Park, and Boling Park, including a planned pedestrian bridge in the River Mill District. Walkable riverfront connections like these make Canton attractive to families, runners, and buyers alike.
North Street Revitalization Advances
Canton approved an agreement with the Downtown Development Authority and Cherokee County for a new county building, parking deck, and mixed-use project along North Street, the latest chapter in downtown Canton's transformation.
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Cartersville: Another Chick-Fil-A, Mountain Biking Trails, and Bridge Work
A Third Chick-fil-A Is Coming
A third Chick-fil-A is planned at 2000 Highway 20 across from the Savoy Automobile Museum, with an opening targeted for 2026. The location joins the existing Cherokee Place and Old Allatoona Road restaurants, a quiet but telling mark of growth along the Highway 20 corridor.
Wilderness Camp Trails Open
The Wilderness Camp mountain bike trail system opened with roughly eight miles of trail across its first two phases, with a third phase planned to bring the network to 11 to 12 miles. For a county that already loves outdoor recreation, it gives Cartersville residents big ride options without leaving town.
Trail Bridges Get Replaced
The city approved replacing pedestrian bridges on the Pettit Creek and Pine Mountain trails, keeping two of Cartersville's most-loved walking routes safe for years to come. Culver's is also under construction along Highway 20, adding another quick-service option to the corridor.
Manufacturing Momentum Continues
Rivulet Energy started producing solar panels at its Cartersville factory, and Anheuser-Busch invested about $9.2 million to upgrade its brewery equipment. Industrial growth like this supports the local economy for every family and employer in Bartow County.
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Dallas: A New Downtown Neighborhood, More Schools, and Growth Signs
The District @ Dallas Is Taking Shape
District @ Dallas, a 280-unit mixed-use development with four-story residential over retail and a central green space, is moving forward with the Dallas Downtown Development Authority. Anchoring the revitalized downtown, it is the clearest sign yet that Dallas's small-town center is growing up.
More Dining Options En Route
A new McDonald's is under construction at Ridge Road and Bakers Bridge Road in south Paulding, a new Hardee's has celebrated its grand opening in Dallas, and the Silver Comet Trail trailhead improvements continue to make the county's signature pathway easier to access and enjoy.
School Capacity Keeps Pace With Growth
Crossroads Elementary opened for the new school year, and another new elementary school is expected to come online soon, with Paulding County proposing an attendance boundary realignment for seven elementary schools. For growing families, that is the practical headline behind Paulding's popularity: new neighborhoods are being matched with classroom capacity.
Melt Yard Heads Downtown
Melt Yard, the Marietta restaurant, bar, and retro arcade concept, is heading to a former car dealership on West Memorial Drive in downtown Dallas. It is the kind of addition that makes a small town feel like a destination.
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Why This Matters for Buyers and Sellers
The buildings, businesses, and trails coming to a community tell you where it is headed. A new trail opening says a city is investing in quality of life. A restaurant boom says people are choosing to live, work, and play there. A school boundary realignment tells you growth is real, and so does a council decision to approve new homes. Those signals matter for your resale value and for your day-to-day happiness.
That is why we track these stories every week. Our clients rely on us to know the numbers and the nuance, what is under contract and what is under construction. If you are thinking about a change, we would love to sit down and share what we are seeing in the community that fits your life.
Have a great day.