Marietta Square Artist Market Debuts on Saturday

Essential Marietta happenings for this weekend:

1. If the Marietta Square Farmers Market wasn’t enough for a Saturday morning, the downtown merchants there have added the Marietta Square Artist Market to run concurrently. The Artist Market, which will be open from 9 a.m. to noon, is an open-air market and cultural event that will be held on the second Saturday of each month through November. The market is a student-only, fine art juried event that will be located on Mill Street from Church Street to the railroad tracks.

2. Leadership Cobb 2011 is holding its annual concert and silent auction from 6:30 to 11 p.m. Friday at the . The event will benefit the Center for Children & Young Adults Inc. The Fabulous Classics will provide the music. A cash bar and concessions will be available.

Tickets are $25 per person. To purchase tickets, call either Pamela Manning at 678-427-3630 or Christal McNair at 770-656-2641.

3. Marietta Tree Keepers on Saturday tackle a quaint little park at 144 Lemon St. near Zion Baptist Church. Volunteers will plant annuals and replacement shrubs as they maintain Hill Pocket Park.

Hill Pocket Park is a pretty little park that was transformed from a once-vacant lot just a few blocks off the northeast corner of Historic Marietta Square.  The park was dedicated to the memory of Willie Hill, deacon of Zion Baptist Church.

Volunteers are asked to arrive at 8:30 a.m. to enjoy donuts and hot beverages before digging in to work.  All ages are welcome to the family-friendly event.  Dress appropriately for the weather.  Tools and gloves will be provided.

In case of bad weather, call 770-424-4664 for weather updates and rain date.

4. The will hold a special wine tasting to benefit Adopt a Golden Atlanta, one of the Southeast’s most active rescue groups for dogs. The event, with the theme “Dog Day Afternoon,” will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. at the store located at 18 Powder Springs St.

The tasting will feature a sampling of Auka Wines from Argentina and complimentary hors d'oeuvres. There is a $10 requested donation per person, with all proceeds going to Adopt A Golden Atlanta.

Call 770-919-1574 for information.

5. The Georgia Street Rods, one of the oldest street rod associations in the country, will hold its 16th annual swap meet from 8 am. to 4 p.m. Saturday at . Call 770-517-6701 for information.