Seasonal · Georgia
Festivals in Georgia.
The statewide festival guide, organized by season: the verified festivals, fairs, and seasonal events this site already covers, from spring arts shows and July 4th traditions to the October calendar and the holiday season. Every card names the city, the dates, and links to its own page on the guide; nothing here is invented.
Presented by Rob Dietrich · Updated as festivals are verified each season
Seasonal guides
Festivals pair with the weekend feed and the holiday hub: the confirmed events for the coming weekend, and every verified Christmas guide in one place.
Winter
The holiday season
Georgia's winter season is the holidays: tree lightings, immersive shows, Santa photo sessions, and the winter light displays the guide verifies each year. The full winter set lives on the Christmas hub.
Statewide
Christmas in Georgia
The 2026 holiday season
The holiday hub: every verified Christmas guide, event, and lights display already on the site, from Christmas at Callanwolde to Santa photos, tree lightings, and the winter lights displays worth the drive.
Open the guideDahlonega
Dahlonega Tree Lighting
Friday, November 27, 2026
The Lighting of the Square and the 30-foot Christmas tree at 6:00 PM on Dahlonega's Historic Public Square, with live holiday music before the lighting, free to attend, the mountain-town centerpiece of the season.
Open the guideJefferson
Jefferson Holiday Market
November 6-8, 2026
The one-stop holiday shoppe at the Jefferson Civic Center: more than 100 vendors, photos with Santa, food trucks, and live music, with admission good for the entire weekend.
Open the guideHelen
Lighting of the Village
Friday, November 27, 2026
The alpine village lights its 20-foot tree at Riverside Park at 5:00 PM, with musicians, Santa and Mrs. Claus, and the season lights on through February. Free, verified against Explore Helen.
Open the guideBlue Ridge
Holiday Express train
November 27 through December 24, 2026
The hour-long holiday ride from the Blue Ridge depot with Santa, hot cocoa, carols, and a reading of The Night Before Christmas, on set operating days; tickets from $46.99, reservations recommended.
Open the guideAtlanta
Christmas at Callanwolde
December 5, 2026 through January 3, 2027
The immersive holiday experience at Atlanta's historic Callanwolde mansion: a five-act theatrical production, live music and performance, immersive characters, and the Winter Wonderland Light Forest on the grounds.
Open the guideStatewide
Christmas Lights in Georgia
November through January
The verified drive-through and walk-through light displays for the 2026 season, from the Atlanta metro and Lake Lanier to the mountain squares, Athens, Savannah, Macon, and Callaway.
Open the guideMetro Atlanta & North Georgia
50 Best Santa Photo Experiences
The 2026 season
The verified Top 50 Santa photo directory for Christmas 2026: prices, dates, session lengths, and what each package includes.
Open the guideSpring
Spring festivals
The spring calendar opens with the juried arts shows and the semi-annual market circuits. Dates move year to year, and each card links to the page that carries the current detail.
Suwanee
Suwanee Arts Festival
Each spring; recent editions on the April weekend
The city's juried fine-arts show at Town Center Park, run by the nonprofit Suwanee Arts Center: two days of painting, pottery, photography, jewelry, glass, and fiber work, with live music on the lawn. The arts center's page posts the exact dates.
Read the guideBraseltonOne to watch
Braselton Antique & Artisan Festival
April and October
A semi-annual market with more than 250 vendors filling Historic Downtown Braselton and the old square, in its April and October editions.
On the city guideGainesvilleOne to watch
Gainesville Spring Chicken Festival
Spring, downtown
The poultry city's signature festival, a knowingly fun nod to its chicken heritage, staged downtown in the spring.
On the city guideDecaturOne to watch
Decatur Arts Festival
May, returning 2027
A May tradition of artists, performances, and the Friday-night ArtWalk, paused for 2026 while downtown renovates.
On the city guideSummer
Summer festivals
The summer list is still growing. Summer dates are announced by each city and verified here as they land, so check back as the season is updated.
DemorestOne to watch
Demorest July 4th celebration
July 4, annually
One of Georgia's longest-running July 4th celebrations, at Demorest Springs Park in the foothills: the spring-fed park, the playground, the walking path, and a community tradition that has run for generations.
On the city guideRoom to grow
The season fills in as events are verified
Summer community festivals across the covered cities go on the calendar as their official dates are confirmed, the same way the fall list was built.
Fall
Fall festivals
The big season. The October calendar runs from the mountains to the county fairs: apple country, arts and crafts weekends, hometown days, and the harvest runs, each checked against its official source before it ran.
Blairsville
Sorghum in the Mountains Festival
October 10-11 and 17-18, 2026
Blairsville's beloved Appalachian heritage tradition, now in its 55th year at Meeks Park: sorghum syrup made on site, mountain crafts, live music and clogging, and the downtown parade at 10:00 AM on Saturday, October 10. Admission is $5, ages 12 and under free.
Read the guideCherry Log
Cherry Log Fall Festival
October 3-4 and 10-11, 2026
The mountain arts and crafts festival at the Cherry Log Community Clubhouse near Blue Ridge: crafts, homemade biscuits and fried pies, and bluegrass, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily with breakfast from 7:00 AM.
Read the guideCornelia
Big Red Apple Festival
Saturday, September 26, 2026
Cornelia's oldest and longest-running festival, the 38th annual edition in downtown Cornelia: hayrides, a car show, a kids zone, and historic downtown tours.
Read the guideWinder
Winder Spooktacular
Friday, October 23, 2026 (concluded)
The City of Winder's free family Halloween festival in downtown: trick-or-treating, stage entertainment, costume contests, DJs, inflatables, and food trucks, 5 to 9 PM. The 2026 edition has concluded; it returns next October.
Read the guideJekyll Island
Jekyll Island Shrimp & Grits Festival
Friday and Saturday, October 23-24, 2026 (concluded)
The popular annual food festival in the Jekyll Island Historic District: shrimp and grits and other food offerings, listed by Explore Georgia and GoSouthSavannah for October 23-24. The 2026 edition has concluded; it returns next fall.
Read the guideAuburn
AuburnFest 2026
Saturday, October 24, 2026 (concluded)
The small-town fall festival in downtown Auburn, listed by Explore Gwinnett for Saturday, October 24 at Downtown Auburn. The 2026 edition has concluded; it returns next fall.
Read the guideToccoa
Toccoa Harvest Festival
Saturday October 24 and Sunday October 25, 2026 (concluded)
Downtown Toccoa's fall celebration on Doyle Street: 160+ craft and food vendors, live music, and family-friendly activities. The 2026 edition has concluded; it returns the last weekend of October next year.
Read the guideDawsonville
Mountain Moonshine Festival & Car Show
Friday October 23 through Sunday October 25, 2026 (concluded)
The 59th annual festival at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame and Main Street Park in downtown Dawsonville: 300+ craft, artisan and food vendors, a classic car show, the Saturday parade at 10 AM, and live music. The 2026 edition has concluded; it returns next fall.
Read the guideLilburn
Fall Festival at Church on a Hill
Saturday, October 24, 4-7 p.m. (concluded)
The free family-friendly festival at 5255 Lawrenceville Highway in Lilburn: games, food, kids activities, and fall fun for the community, hosted by Church on a Hill, 4 to 7 p.m. The 2026 edition has concluded; it returns next fall.
Read the guideLoganville
Loganville AutumnFest
Saturday, October 17, 2026
Loganville's biggest day, a free October Saturday on Main Street: more than 175 vendors, live music, food trucks, and the Battle of the Bands.
Read the guideSnellville
Snellville Fall Festival
An October Saturday at the Towne Green
The city's free October festival in front of City Hall: crafts, food, live music, costume contests, and a paid kids zone, hosted by the City of Snellville.
Read the guideLawrenceville
Georgia Food Festival
October 17-18, 2026
Georgia's largest food-focused festival: 50-plus vendors, live DJs, and family entertainment inside Gwinnett Field; admission from about $12, kids 5 and under free.
Read the guideSugar HillOne to watch
Sugar Rush Arts Festival
October 17-18, 2026
More than 100 juried artists and vendors, live music on two stages, food trucks, and family activities along West Broad Street in downtown Sugar Hill, with a free kick-off concert Friday evening.
On the city guideGainesville
Gainesville Chicken Festival
Saturday, October 17, 2026
Georgia's official chicken cook-off at Lake Lanier Olympic Park: cook teams, People's Choice voting, live music, a wing-eating contest, and family games, 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Read the guideEllijay
Georgia Apple Festival
Second and third full weekends of October
The Ellijay Lions Club's fall festival in the apple capital at the county fairgrounds: hundreds of arts and crafts vendors, apples and cider by the flat, food, and mountain music.
Read the guideHelenOne to watch
Helen Oktoberfest
October 1 through November 1, 2026
The 56th annual Oktoberfest fills the Festhalle and the village with German music, food, and beer through the fall.
On the city guideLawrenceville
Gwinnett County Fair
September 17-27, 2026; 2027 dates announced later
The county fair at the fairgrounds on Sugarloaf Parkway: carnival rides, free concerts, livestock shows, and contests. The 2026 run has concluded; the 2027 dates are announced later on the fair's official site.
Read the guideDahlonega
Gold Rush Days
October 17-18, 2026
Hundreds of craft and food vendors, live music, gold panning, and Appalachian traditions across historic downtown Dahlonega, with the Saturday parade at 3 PM.
Read the guideClarkesville
Clarkesville Fall Festival and History Harvest
Saturday, October 17, 2026
Arts and crafts vendors, food trucks, live music, hayrides, and history tours at the Mauldin House on the downtown grounds of Clarkesville, 10 AM to 5 PM, free admission.
Read the guideDuluth
Duluth Fall Festival
September 26-27, 2026
The town's festival weekend on the historic green and the streets around it, the biggest weekend of the year for Duluth's festival calendar.
Read the guideFlowery Branch
Flowery Branch Fall Festival
Saturday, September 26, 2026
The downtown fall festival on the Flowery Branch grounds, sharing the late-September Saturday with its neighbor towns.
Read the guideHoschton
Hoschton Fall Festival
Early October
The fall festival on the Jackson side opens the month, part of the October calendar the fall roundup lays out.
Read the guideBraselton
Braselton Antique & Artisan Festival
October 24-25, 2026
The semi-annual market with more than 250 vendors closing the month out on Historic Downtown Braselton, right after Petit Le Mans weekend.
Read the guideSugar HillOne to watch
Taste of BBQ & Music Festival
Early October
The city's biggest weekend at The Bowl: barbecue, live music, and the Taste of BBQ crown, each October on Sugar Hill's event lawn.
On the city guideSuwanee
African American Culture and Arts Festival
Early October
The culture and arts festival at Suwanee Town Center Park, one of the early-October anchors on the county calendar.
Read the guideLawrenceville
Big Green Egg EGGtoberfest
Early October
The kamado cookout festival in Lawrenceville, sharing an early-October weekend with the town festivals around the county.
Read the guideGainesvilleOne to watch
Mule Camp Market
October
One of the biggest regional fall festivals in Northeast Georgia, on the Midland Greenway downtown.
On the city guideSuwanee
Suwanee Wine Fest
November
Wine tasting tents on the Town Center lawn: the festival that closes Suwanee's year on the same green that hosts the spring arts festival.
Read the guideAtlantaOne to watch
Little Five Points Halloween Festival & Parade
One to watch: 2026 dates to be confirmed
Intown Atlanta's free Halloween block party: music stages, costumed vendors, and the Little Five Points Halloween Parade stepping off Sunday at 1:00 PM.
On the city guideBrookhavenOne to watch
Brookhaven International Festival
Dates to be confirmed
The city's free, family-friendly celebration of global cultures at Brookhaven Park: live music headliners, international food, and kids' programming across the weekend.
On the city guideFall Guide · Field note
Fall festivals across Gwinnett and nearby counties
The county fair, the town festivals, and the corn maze and pumpkin runs, from late September through late October.
Read the roundupThe Calendar · Field note
What's on this weekend in Gwinnett County
The dated Halloween weekend slate across the county for October 30 - November 1: the Trail of Terror, Suwanee’s Trek and Treat Fest, the Día de los Muertos festival in Norcross, the Braselton PathParade, and the honest rule that dates move.
Read the roundupPresented by Rob Dietrich
CityGuideGA is presented by Rob Dietrich, a Georgia REALTOR with eXp Realty and the friendly neighborhood Super Intelligent Agent behind the guide. If a festival weekend makes you wonder about living here, he is happy to talk it through.
Book a chatBefore you go
Every festival on this page is verified on the site: the dates, times, prices, and venues come from the official source and may shift without notice. Confirm with the organizer before you attend. The hub is updated as more festivals are verified each season.