Festivals, harvest celebrations coming this fall
Head to the hills or lakesides for banjo pickin’, hot air balloons, greased pole climbing, salsa dancing and more this fall at seasonal festivals around Lake Lanier and the headwater mountain towns. Here’s a sample of fall festivals and family activities coming up through November:
o 56th Oktoberfest, Helen. Bavarian-themed music, food, dancing, drinks, Thurs.-Sat. Sept. 10-24, nightly Oct 1 through Nov. 1; 6-10 p.m. Mon.-Thurs., 6-11 p.m. Fri. & Sat; 1-7 p.m. Sun. $10 Mon.-Thurs., $15 Fri. & Sat; $25 Fri./Sat. pass; Sundays free; half price children 6-12; free to children younger than 6; free to active/retired military with ID. See website for hours: www.helenchamber.com, 706-878-1619.
o Equality Fest, Gainesville. Music, art, performances, vendors celebrate LBGQT+ and minorities, 2-9:30 p.m. Sept. 12, Midland Greenway, 682 Grove St., www.equalityfestga.com.
o Hot Air Balloon Festival, Buford. Colorful hot air balloons launch over Lake Lanier, plus balloon rides, laser light show, live entertainment, family activities, 5-10 p.m. Sept. 18 & 19, Lanier Islands Resort, 7000 Lanier Islands Pkwy. $12.14 children, $22.75 adults, free to children ages 5 and younger; additional cost for VIP and balloon ride tickets. www.lanierislands.com.
o Clermont Days. Parade, arts & crafts, food, entertainment, family activities, Sept. 18-19, Downtown Clermont. Vendors open 4 p.m., live music 7 p.m. Sept. 19; Sept. 20 activities include 9 a.m. opening ceremony, 10 a.m. parade, plus food, vendors, cake walk, kids’ activities, live music, 9 p.m. fireworks. www.clermontga.com.
o Cumming City Center Fall Market. 100 artisans, children’s activities, live music & entertainment, food trucks & more, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 19, Cumming City Center, 423 Canton Rd. www.cummingcitycenter.com.
o Mountain Music Day Festival, Blairsville. Live music, porch pickin’, food trucks, arts & crafts, Sept. 19, Vogel State Park, 405 Vogel State Park Rd. $10 parking. 706-745-2628.
o Hurricane Shoals Arts in the Park, Maysville. Arts, crafts, 5K run (8 a.m. Sept. 20), living history village, kids’ activities, bluegrass music, historic gristmill milling corn, living history encampment & more, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 20 & 21, Hurricane Shoals Park, 416 Hurricane Shoals Rd. www.hurricaneshoalspark.org.
o Flowery Branch Fall Festival/Block Party. Crafts, children’s activities, blacksmithing and scout skill demonstrations, live music, food trucks, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 26, Main Street, Downtown Flowery Branch. www.troop-228.com.
o Latino Festival, Gainesville. Celebration of Latino culture, food, art, music & dance, 3-9 p.m. Sept. 26, Midland Greenway, 682 Grove St. www.latinofestgvl.org.
o Lula Fall Festival. Folk art, pottery, crafts, children’s activities, entertainment and more, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 26, noon-5 p.m. Sept. 27, Rafe Banks Park/Lula Ball Park, 5831 Athens St. www.cityoflula.com.
o FallFest, Gainesville. Celebrate Scarecrows in the Garden exhibit with interactive garden learning, local venders, live entertainment, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 3, Gainesville Garden of the Atlanta Botanical Garden, 1911 Sweet Bay Dr. $5-$15. www.atlantabg.org.
o Foxfire Mountaineer Festival, Clayton. Traditional music and crafts, greased pole climbing, sack racing, longest beard contest, crosscut saw contest, children’s activities, food, and demonstrations of rail splitting, team plowing, and quilting, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Oct. 3, Clayton Civic Center, 201 W. Savannah St. $10 ages 16 & older, $5 ages 6-15, free to children 5 & younger. www.foxfire.org.
o Indian Summer Festival, Suches. Crafts, food, and music, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 3 & 4, Woody Gap School (smallest public school in Georgia), 2331 Ga. 60. $5 age 13 and older, $3 ages 7-12, free to children 6 and younger. www.indiansummerfestival.org. 706-747-2401.
o Cumming Country Fair & Festival. Carnival rides, live music, bull-riding, petting zoo, doggie sports, sea lion show, human cannonball, chainsaw carving, haunted attraction, and heritage village, Oct. 8-18, 4-11 p.m. Mon.-Thurs.; 4 p.m.-midnight Fridays, 10 a.m.-midnight Saturdays; 12:30-10 p.m. Sundays; Cumming Fairgrounds, 235 Castleberry Rd. See website for ticket information: https://cummingfair.squarespace.com.
o 55th Georgia Apple Festival, Ellijay. Apple treats, food trucks, crafts, demonstrations, music, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays Oct. 10 & 12, 17 & 18, Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds, 1729 S. Main St. No pets or firearms. $10, free to children 12 and younger. www.georgiaapplefestival.org, 706-635-7400.
o Mule Camp Market, Gainesville. Food, arts & craft vendors, carnival rides, live music, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Oct. 9 & 10, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 11, Midland Greenway, 682 Grove St. See website for updates. www.gainesvillejaycees.org, 770-532-7714.
o Georgia Mountain Fall Festival, Hiawassee. Big name country and blue grass performers, pioneer village, daredevil and cowboy circus, carnival rides, flower show and crafts exhibits, Oct. 9-11, 15-17-18, hours vary, Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, 1311 Music Hall Rd. $10 general admission, additional cost for rides and concerts. Free to children age 12 & younger. No pets. www.georgiamountainfairgrounds.com.
o Sorghum in the Mountains, Blairsville. Vintage mule-run sorghum mill, sorghum “biskits,” crafts, mountain music, dancing, pioneer demonstrations, biskit eating contest, hatchet throwing, and old timey games, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 10 & 11, 17 & 18, Meeks Park, 490 Meeks Park Rd. Parade 10 a.m. Oct. 10. See website for schedule, cost. www.sorghuminthemountains.com, 706-400-0720.
o 21st Annual Gainesville Chicken Festival. Fifteen-plus teams compete in chicken cook-off, plus kids’ zone, venders’ market, wing eating contest, egg spoon race, live music and more, 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Oct. 17, Lake Lanier Olympic Park, 3105 Clarks Bridge Rd. $6 wristband for 10 chicken samples, $25 for 5 wristbands. Cook teams apply on-line. Off-site parking with shuttle: New Horizons Lanier Park, 675 White Sulphur Rd. Limited dock space and on-site parking. www.exploregainesville.org, 770-531-2664.
o Gold Rush Days, Dahlonega. Parade, crafts, food, plus panning for gold, hog calling, buck dancing, gospel singing, and blue grass music, Oct. 17 & 18, Public Square/Downtown Historic District. See website for hours. www.goldrushdaysfestival.com.
o Mountain Farm Celebration, Sautee Nacoochee. Old fashioned country fair with pioneer skills and exhibits, traditional craft vendors, mountain music, biscuits baked in wood-fired antique stove, old timey games, plus first floor tour of historic mansion, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 24, Hardman Farm Historic Site, 143 Hwy. 17. $8, free to children 5 and younger. www.gastateparks.org, 706-878-1077.
o 59th Annual Mountain Moonshine Car Show/Festival, Dawsonville. Huge car show, race car parade (9 a.m. Oct. 24), moonshine still, free moonshine samples, crafts, games, kids’ rides, music, and more, Oct. 23-25, Dawsonville Municipal Complex, 415 Hwy. 53 E. See website for updated information. www.kareforkids.org. 706-216-5273.
o Vogel’s Fall Festival, Blairsville. Food trucks, music, crafts, cake walks, duck races, storytelling, hayrides, bonfires, cottage/tent decorating contest, trick or treat in campground, Oct. 31, Vogel State Park, 405 Vogel State Park Rd. $10 parking. 706-745-2628.
Corn Mazes and Harvest Celebrations
o Uncle Shucks Corn Maze/Pumpkin Patch/Dark Rows Haunted Trail, Dawsonville. Corn maze, pumpkin patch, gem mining, kids’ activities, wagon rides, bonfire and more, Sept. 19-Nov. 8. Sept. & Nov. hours: 4-10 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sun. October hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sun.-Thurs., 10a.m.-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Nighttime Haunted “Dark Rows” Trail Fri. & Sat nights Oct. 2-31, 125 Bannister Rd. $18-$29, free to children 4 and younger. www.uncleshucks.com, 770-772-6223.
o Jaemor Farms Harvest Celebration & Corn Maze, Alto. Farm extravaganza with corn maze, hayrides, apple cannon, pumpkin train, farm games, duck race, and more, September-November. See website for hours and admission cost. 5340 Cornelia Hwy, Ga.365. www.jaemorfarms.com, 770-869-3999.
o Kinsey Family Farm, Gainesville/Cumming. Families plan a traditional fall pilgrimage for buying pumpkins, fall decorations, farm animal feedings and farm products. Oct. 1-31, hours to be determined. 7170 Jot Em Down Rd, www.kinseyfamilyfarm.com, 770-887-6028.
o Burt’s Farm, Dawsonville. Pumpkins galore, scenic hayrides, pumpkin pies and seasonal decorations greet patrons at the Burt family farm near Amicalola Falls. Pumpkin patch & store 9 a.m.-6 p.m. September & October, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. November. See website for hayride information. Burts Farm Rd. No pets or firearms. Hayrides $10 per person, free to children 2 and younger. www.burtspumpkinfarmgeorgia.com, 706-265-3701.
o Buford Corn Maze. Maze, hayrides, kids’ farm fun, pony rides, farm animals, through Nov. 17. Sept. hours 6-11 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-11 Sat. 10-10 p.m. Sun.; Oct. hours: noon-8 p.m. Mon.-Thurs.; 6-11 p.m. Fri; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Sat.; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Sun. Nov. hours: 6 p.m.-11 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Sat., 10 a.m.-10 Sun. See website for Haunted Forest hours. 4470 Bennett Rd. $18.52–$32.41. www.bufordcornmaze.com. 678-835-7198.
o Bradley’s Pumpkin Patch, Dawsonville. Pick your own pumpkins plus gourds, Indian corn, cider, honey, apples & more at country store, 25 Lawrence Dr. 770-380-3636.
Photo: by Vicki Hope
