"This is a free event that's fun for the whole family," said Danielle States, who is organizing the Marietta Community House Children's Festival with Audrey Kushner Pombo. "It's geared toward school-age kids."

The festival will be held at the Marietta Community House, 264 W. Market St., on Saturday, June 3, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will include a variety of events and activities, said Pombo. "We will have live music from Nick DiSanto, a one-man band," she stated, adding that magicians Mr. Sneakers and Alex Iverson will present a magic show at 1 p.m. Pony rides will be offered by Chateau Ponies, and additional activities will include a bounce house and face painting. Free food and drinks will be available as well. A variety of games, including a bean bag toss, cornhole and a fishing game, will be featured, with prizes.

As States explained, the Children's Festival was created by Marietta Community House board member Kathy Lehman in 2019 with the goal of making it an annual event. The pandemic put a pause on the festival for a few years, but States noted she and Pombo are excited to bring the community event back.

All activities will be held outside, but restrooms will be available inside the building. Also inside, visitors can pick up information on Marietta Community House membership. With a history dating back hundreds of years, Marietta Community House has played a central part in the town. Originally a private home, it became a sanitarium at the turn of the 19th century and a soup kitchen during the Great Depression. Today, it's a nonprofit dedicated to promoting and supporting Marietta through community events. For more information on Marietta Community House, visit https://mariettacommunityhouse.org or search for "The Marietta Community House" on Facebook.