Aaaaaalllllllll aboooooooard! The Big Shanty Festival is coming back to Kennesaw this weekend.

In its 41st year, the free festival will feature more than 200 crafters and artisans along with live entertainment, inflatables for kids and 40 different types of food.

And what is a Big Shanty? The city's website explains: "The abundance of water and high ground adjacent to the railroad led to the construction of worker's shanties near present day Kennesaw."

In that spirit, there will be a Civil War encampment in Depot Park.

There will also be escape artist Kristen Johnson (or Lady Houdini), "professional Frisbee dog entertainment" show K-9s in Flight and a 12-foot-tall man named "Walking TreeMan."

The festival kicks off with a parade down Main Street Saturday at 9:30 a.m. and will feature local high school bands, floats and more than 2,000 marchers, according to the city.

Many roads will be closed starting at 6 p.m. Friday until 8 p.m. Sunday and then there's also construction near city hall to work around, so check out those closures here.

The festival hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Parking will be available at Adams Park. Shuttle buses will take you to the event from Swift-Cantrell Park and Kennesaw Crossing Shopping Center on Cobb Parkway at North Roberts Road.

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