This fall, the busiest address in downtown Cartersville is the old train depot at 1 Friendship Plaza. The Founders Oak corner of Public Square is closed for construction until 2027. That leaves the Depot, home to the Downtown Development Authority and the Depot Welcome Center, as the base for October. You pick up pub crawl punch cards there, and the Halloween festival happens out front. Across town, the museums have stacked their biggest fall days onto the same two Saturdays.
If you know which Saturdays those are and where things start, it's easier to plan the next six weeks.
Why the Square Isn't the Starting Point This Year
The City of Cartersville broke ground on its new City Hall at the end of February 2026. City Manager Dan Porta told the Daily Tribune News the job would take about 13 months, weather permitting. He estimated the building would be done in April 2027 and the whole campus, including demolition and the remaining work, in July 2027.
Here's what that means for getting around downtown. The City's construction notice says the parking lots and the part of Public Square next to the current City Hall are closed during the work. City Hall itself stays open, with limited 15-minute parking and the interior drive-through lane still running. That notice is from February. We didn't find a later update on the work zone, so check the City's site before you count on any particular parking spot.
You've already seen the effect if you went to the Saturday market this year. The Cartersville Farmers Market spent its 2026 season in the Tabernacle Baptist Church parking lot at 31 Douglas St. because its usual site was under construction. That season ended September 26. Neither the market nor the City has announced an off-season schedule or a date to move back.
The fall calendar has moved too. The October events are organized from the Depot.
Saturday, October 17: The Plaza and the Hill Share a Day
The first busy Saturday falls on October 17.
Downtown. BBQ, Brews, & Boos runs from noon to 8 p.m. at Friendship Plaza. It's listed as a free, family-oriented Halloween festival. The DDA's 2026 downtown calendar has it on the same date.
Tellus Science Museum, 100 Tellus Drive. The Tellus events calendar has three programs that day. Solar Sky Watch runs from noon to 4 p.m. Specimen ID Day, from 1 to 4 p.m., is the one for anyone with a mystery rock or fossil on a shelf. Ghoulish Game Night follows from 6 to 10 p.m.
The schedules overlap, so you'll need to choose. One option is an early afternoon at Tellus, then the plaza before it wraps up at 8 p.m. Another is lunch on the plaza, then the game night on the hill. If you want an earlier Tellus visit, Evening Sky Watch is Friday, October 9, from 8 to 11 p.m.
Weekend of October 24: Four Events in Two Days
The second weekend is busier. Saturday, October 24 is the most crowded date on the fall calendar, the events are spread across town, and the Mounds add one more on Sunday.
| Event | Where | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halloween Pub Crawl, day two | 13 downtown locations, cards from the Depot | October 23 or 24 | $60, ages 21+ |
| West Fest | Booth Western Art Museum, 501 Museum Drive | Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | See Booth |
| Cartersville Fall Festival | Dellinger Park, 100 Pine Grove Rd. | Saturday, 4 to 8 p.m. | Free |
| Atlatl Throwing | Etowah Indian Mounds | Sunday, October 25 | See state parks |
The times line up well. West Fest at the Booth Museum ends at 4 p.m., which is when the Fall Festival opens at Dellinger Park. The festival listing includes live music, inflatables, carnival-style games, children's activities, food vendors, and arts-and-crafts booths. There's also a Trick-or-Treat Trail run by local businesses and organizations, and an outdoor family movie to close the night. The listing doesn't say who organizes it.
For adults, the pub crawl is the downtown option for that weekend. Since it runs both Friday and Saturday, you can do the crawl Friday night and keep Saturday for the family events.
How the Pub Crawl Works From the Depot
The Downtown Development Authority's pub crawl page, updated in mid-September, lays out the steps:
- Buy a ticket online for $60. It covers one drink at each of the 13 participating locations. The first 150 tickets come with a limited-edition event cup.
- Pick up your punch card at the Depot Welcome Center, 1 Friendship Plaza. Pickup started September 22, and the Depot is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Visit the locations in any order on October 23 or 24. There's no set route.
There are a few practical details. You have to pick up the card in person during Depot hours, so a Sunday or Monday trip won't work. Participants must be 21 or older. Hours vary by location, and the DDA suggests checking each spot's social page while you plan. All ticket money is split evenly among the 13 participating businesses.
The 13 stops:
- Drowned Valley Brewing Co.
- Jefferson's
- Elevate
- Maine Street Coastal Cuisine
- Mellow Mushroom
- Old Havana Cigar Bar
- Olive Tree & Vine
- Shipfaced Pub
- Table 20
- The Local Bar and Grill
- Mule House
- East End Social Club
- City Cellar
East End Social Club at 4 S. Tennessee St. held a Chamber ribbon cutting on September 1. The Cartersville-Bartow Chamber listed it as the club's one-year anniversary, not a new opening. We didn't find any new downtown restaurant openings since early summer. The pub crawl list is the same group of downtown spots, all on one ticket.
The Last Week of October Moves to the Mounds
After October 24, the calendar heads to the Etowah River. Etowah Indian Mounds has Atlatl Throwing on Sunday, October 25, and the Etowah Fall Nature Hike on Saturday, October 31, according to the Georgia State Parks events listing. Neither event is downtown, and that's part of the appeal after two crowded Saturdays. A Halloween-morning hike also leaves the afternoon open for trick-or-treating.
What's Inside the Museums Through Winter
The Booth has three new exhibitions, and they run long enough that you don't have to see them in October. Arnold Friberg is on view from September 19, 2026, through January 10, 2027. Ed Rode's Nashville photography and "The West in Focus: Scenic Vistas" opened September 26 and run through April 18, 2027, according to the Booth's current exhibitions page. A quiet weekday in January would work just as well.
November Starts Back at the Depot
On the DDA calendar, November starts the way October did, with a downtown event. Holiday Open House is November 5. That calendar was last updated in the spring, so check the date again closer to the event.
The museums fill most of the rest of the month:
- November 7 and 8: Bank of America Museums On Us weekend at Tellus
- November 11: Veterans Day at Tellus
- November 12: A conversation and book signing with author Craig Johnson at the Booth, plus the opening of the 23rd Annual Kids Cowboy Up! Exhibition
- November 14: Scoutacular Science at Tellus, and the member opening for "30 @ 30" at the Booth
- November 21 and 22: Sensory Friendly Mornings at Tellus
The Grand Theatre hasn't posted a fall schedule yet. Its River City Bank Entertainment Series page said "More details coming soon" as of September 30.
What the Fenced Corner Turns Into
The construction fence went up for City Hall, but the corner will also become a park. On September 3, the Cartersville City Council hired Playworx Playsets, LLC to design and install a playground in a redesigned Founders Oak Park, at the corner of Public Square and Cherokee Avenue where the original Founders Oak stood. The details are in the City's September 4 announcement.
The playground's centerpiece is a tall, tree-shaped tower honoring the old oak. Children climb it on mat-style ramps instead of interior steps. A separate area is planned for younger children. The plans also list an inclusive swing, a spinner, interactive panels, poured rubber surfacing, shade, seating, and fencing around the play area.
The original oak was nearing the end of its life and was removed for safety during the City Hall project. The park plan includes benches made from wood saved from that tree, a new fountain area, and a new oak planted on the block.
Park construction starts only after the new City Hall is finished and City departments have moved in. With City Hall estimated for April 2027, the playground won't be ready for this fall's events. Until then, downtown events will keep running out of the Depot.
I love watching downtown Cartersville work around a project this size, and I'm happy to talk through any part of it, whether that's parking near the Square during construction or what a future pocket park could mean for your block. If you're in the area for the pub crawl or West Fest this month and want to talk about your own plans, Kelley Lowrimore is easy to reach. Let's Connect.
