The Big Shanty Festival: Then and Now

This weekend, the City of Kennesaw will host its 35th annual Big Shanty Festival. The two-day celebration will showcase local businesses, entertainers and more against the backdrop of historic downtown.

Local vendors will set up shop, while re-enactors patrol a Civil War encampment nearby, reflecting both the history and progress of Kennesaw over the years.

The festivities begin Saturday, April 16, at 9:30 a.m. with a parade featuring decorative floats, high school bands, over 1,000 young marchers and special guest , teenage star of the Nickelodeon show "Victorious." The parade route will start in , then continue up Main Street.

The festival, which attracted over 55,000 people last year, is a collaborative effort between the city, the Kennesaw Business Association, JRM Management and an extensive team of individuals, businesses and organizations.

As one of north Georgia's largest events, the Big Shanty Festival has grown since its humble beginnings in 1975.

According to Robert Jones of the Kennesaw Historical Society, the event was originally called "Trade Days" and started out as a small local festival that promoted businesses in the downtown area.

The first event included a total of 36 booths.

In contrast, this year's festival will include over 200 artisan and vendor booths, 30 food stations, live entertainment and a Civil War encampment.

"The Big Shanty Festival has always been linked to the rich Civil War heritage of Kennesaw, with the Big Shanty Museum, now the, being a central part of the festival," said Jones.

"Starting in the late 1970s and continuing through the rest of the 20th century, Civil War re-enactments were a major attraction at the festival. The open area between the Depot and Big Shanty Road was often used for the re-enactments," he said.

Jones said the tradition started up again in 2006 with a staging of the Battle of Kennesaw led by Harper Harris, lead interpreter at the Southern Museum.

According to Harris, over 1,000 re-enactors participated, and more than 5,000 tickets were sold that weekend.

"As a city, we look forward to this event every year as it showcases our downtown, and our pride and a bit of our history as a city," said Laurel Fleming, the city's Events Coordinator.

Fleming said organizing the event "involves knowing the big picture of what this event is, and knowing the scope of work needed to accomplish such a goal."

Fleming's duties include getting communications to all city departments, starting with the city's Events Committee, then to the city's governing bodies, and on to various departments, such as Public Relations, Parks and Recreation, the Police Department, Public Works, and the Downtown Development Authority.

"I know that an event of this size and popularity is a labor of love that takes all year to prepare for, with meetings, planning sessions, achieving multiple businesses being involved and hundreds of giving individuals that put out their efforts and time to make this event happen," said Fleming.

"I am just one small part of this event which includes a parade, entertainment, arts and crafts booths, food, fun, a Civil War encampment, kids activities and loads of spring time fun."

Admission to the festival is free, and hours are Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

J.O. Stephenson Avenue/Cherokee Street will be closed from Dallas Street to Big Shanty starting Friday at 5 p.m. to allow for setup. Streets along the parade route will be closed from 9 until 11 a.m. Saturday.

Be sure to check in at Patch for coverage of the event. Are you a vendor, or a performer in the festival? Share the information with the community in our comments section below.

You can also share your photos and videos from this year's festival, and festivals past, by clicking on the "Add your photos & videos" link beneath the main photo.