Marietta is opening its Fourth of July weekend a little early this year. Independence Eve is set for Friday, July 3, 2026 with Atlanta band Drivin N Cryin taking the stage from 7 pm to 9 pm at Glover Park on the Marietta Square. The City of Marietta is billing the concert as a free kickoff to its 2026 Fourth in the Park celebration and part of the city’s observance of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs for the evening concert. The city has also noted that there will be no table or VIP reservations for Independence Eve, so this one looks built for lawn-chair planning, strategic parking, and maybe claiming a good patch of grass before the first guitar hits.
Drivin N Cryin has been part of Atlanta’s music story since the band played its first show at the 688 Club in October 1985. The group, led by founding members Kevn Kinney and Tim Nielsen, went on to release four full-length albums on Island Records and one on Geffen, building a long-running career that has included a gold record, nine full-length albums, and induction into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2015.
That history makes the booking a strong fit for a Marietta event built around hometown flavor and a summer holiday crowd. Drivin N Cryin has been on the road for decades, so the band knows how to handle an outdoor concert setting.
Independence Eve lands the night before Marietta’s annual Fourth in the Park celebration on July 4. The July 4 event begins at 10 am with the Let Freedom Ring Parade, followed by a full day of festival activities, concerts, and fireworks after dark.
Full details for Independence Eve are still rolling out, though the city has already confirmed the concert date, time, and headliner. For now, the basics are in place: free music, a marquee Atlanta band, and a solid reason to head to the Square before the parade floats and fireworks take over the next day.
Date:
Friday, July 3, 2026
Time:
7 pm to 9 pm
Admission:
Free
Address:
Glover Park at Historic Marietta Square
50 N Park Square NE
Marietta, GA 30060
For more information, please contact Marietta Parks and Recreation at (770) 794-5601 or email specialevents@mariettaga.gov.
