Marietta Grassroots is celebrating community by getting back to basics with a free community concert showcasing local talent. A dynamic group of up-and-coming musicians with perform at the first annual Marietta Grassroots Music Festival on Saturday from 2 to 8 p.m. in Glover Park at the Marietta Square.

Marietta Grassroots is an outreach program created to provide safe, family friendly events and activities with a special focus on showcasing local talent from the diverse cultures present in Marietta and surrounding communities.

Marietta Grassroots’ vision is to build upon and strengthen the foundation of community pride present today and encourage a pay-it-forward attitude.

For more information, visit www.mariettagrassroots.org.

The featured music talent at the festival will include bands and solo artists such as The Ali Doodle Band, Bob “Stitch” Stewart, Vacant House Band, Ali Bartlett, Catherine Kimbro & Shoal Creek, Tim Walker, No Parachute, Jessica Fine and Acorn Ridge.

***In an effort to join the battle against childhood cancer, Sanders Elementary School students and staff hosted an Alex’s Lemonade Stand on Oct. 1 at Sanders Elementary School Fall Festival and Bike Ride at 1550 Anderson Mill Road in Austell. The students were inspired to get involved after hearing the book “Alex’s Amazing Lemonade Stand” read aloud on the Sanders Superstar Morning News Program. After hearing the story and finding out how easy it was to get involved, they decided to open a lemonade stand of their own.

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation emerged from the front-yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of volunteers across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. To date, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) charity, has raised more than $45 million toward fulfilling Alex’s dream of finding a cure, funding more than 200 research projects nationally.



Sally Litchfield is a longtime Marietta resident. She formerly practiced law in Marietta and now stays home to raise her two children. Send Sally news at sallylit@bellsouth.net. Call Sally at (770) 425-8106.