Explore the Outdoors: Cannon Park
Cannon Park, in the heart of Downtown Canton, is not a park in the “playground” sense. But it is a park in the “center of activity” sense. Known for its iconic and old-fashioned, green-roofed gazebo, Cannon Park is named for Canton resident, World War II veteran, and former Mayor James Cannon.
Home to the iconic Canton gazebo, Cannon Park serves as the center of all things Canton all year long. From the city’s popular First Friday concert series each May through October to annual seasonal events such as Garden in the Park, Love Lights a Tree, and Christmas in Canton, Cannon Park promises a “Lifetime Movie feeling” each day of the year. While you may or may not fall in love while strolling through Cannon Park, odds are you will witness a small-town style wedding or find googly-eyed local teens taking Homecoming and Prom pictures in this idyllic setting.
Put your name in at one of Canton’s many award-winning restaurants in walking distance of Cannon Park, and then take a seat under the gazebo or on any of the numerous benches around the park while you wait for your table. Don’t forget your to-go drink – Cannon Park is at the center of Canton’s Entertainment District. Purchase a drink to carry at any downtown dining/drink establishment and enjoy all the shops and outdoor space while you walk.
A stone’s throw from Cannon Park’s quaint one acre, visitors will find the newly renovated Jones Mercantile building, home to the second location of Thrive Coworking and the delicious POPS restaurant. While the historic backdrop on the North Street side of Cannon Park is the old marble courthouse and Cherokee County’s active Frank C. Mills III Justice Center, the Main Street side of the park includes the Canton Theatre, Branchwater restaurant, Greenline Brewery, B.Loved boutique, The Salty Mule restaurant, Goin’ Coastal Seafood, and many other area favorites. Plus, guests won’t want to miss Local Color Studio, just a few steps from Cannon Park, where pro and aspiring artists can enjoy live music, make pottery, and sign up for creative classes of all kinds.
If you’re seeking a people-watching, people-living kind of park, Cannon Park will not disappoint. Beautifully landscaped and filled with fun, Cannon Park offers a family-friendly, small-town vibe that’s simply hard to beat. In this spot where people love life, parking is typically easy. Surrounded on three sides with free public parking, visitors will also find two parking lots – one off North Street and another, Canton’s newest parking deck, just a block south on the corner of Church and Archer Streets across from History Cherokee.