How brave are you? Find out by visiting Haunted Marietta. The spooky attraction will be held at Union Meeting House, 82 N. Waterford Ave., Marietta, on Friday, Oct. 21, and Saturday, Oct. 22, and will feature a walk-through haunted house. The event will run from 6 to 9 p.m. on both evenings. From 6 to 7 p.m., the attraction will be presented in a less-scary format for younger children and anyone who might easily be frightened. A scarier version will operate from 7 to 9 p.m. each night.

Haunted Marietta is free, but donations will be accepted to support Marietta Restoration Associates (MRA). As MRA volunteer Rebecca Carroll Baltozer explained, a Marietta resident named Willis Boyles created a Halloween attraction in his backyard for many years, inviting the community to attend free of charge. "It was a really neat event," she stated. "I went to him about collaborating on making it even bigger." Relocating Haunted Marietta to the Union Meeting House also meant the event could take place no matter the weather.

Boyles and his family will be on-site for Haunted Marietta, and Boyles does all the design and creativity for the haunted house, Baltozer said. New features are added regularly, including a "swamp room" this year.

This year, MRA decided to expand Haunted Marietta beyond what the event has traditionally featured. "We're adding food trucks and haunted 'spooky' vendors that will be in the field adjacent to the house," Baltozer remarked. "They'll have Halloween merchandise and other fun things to buy."

Proceeds from the event will benefit MRA and the organization's mission to preserve the cultural and architectural heritage of Marietta. Among the group's ongoing projects are restoration and upkeep of the Union Meeting House and the Old Town Hall building on Walnut Street, which houses the Marietta Museum.

Baltozer encourages everyone to come out for Haunted Marietta, noting that the event has received positive feedback over the years. "Don't let the fact that it's free fool you," she said. "I've heard lots of people say it's a quality haunted house."

For more information on Haunted Marietta, search for "Haunted Marietta Vendor Market & Haunted House" on Facebook.