Your Guide to North Georgia’s Fall Events

In North Georgia, the months of September and October bring in the welcomed change of slightly lower temperatures, apple picking, hay rides, and many events that allow the community to get outside and create new experiences with family and friends. 

At Path & Post, we love exploring in our backyard and seeking adventure in the communities we serve. You will often see us around town at neighborhood events, walking the trails, and enjoying local festivals. With this in mind, here are some of the North Georgia community’s most well-loved events, including event dates and a short description. 

Georgia Mountain Fall Festival: This 9-day event takes place annually at the fairgrounds in Hiawassee, Georgia, and features arts & crafts vendors, educational demonstrations, food vendors, and live musical performances. 

At a Glance: October 7-15th at the Hiawassee Fairgrounds. Visit the website for attraction information, tickets, and more.  

Georgia Apple Festival: Ellijay / Gilmer Oct 8-9, 15-16 

Often referred to as the “Ellijay Apple Festival,” this festival offers two weekends of autumnal celebration and features over 300 local vendors from around the Ellijay area, offering delicious food, hand-crafted items, and on-site demonstrations of how specific items are made. There’s also a parade, an antique car show, and a 5K. 

At a Glance: October 8-9th, 15-15th at the Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds. Visit the website for more details. 

Annual Cumming Country Fair & Festival: This family-friendly event is in its 28th year of celebrations and boasts 10 days of finger-licking fair food, heart-stopping and hair-raising amusement rides, and never-to-be-forgotten concerts and attractions, which include a petting zoo, human cannonball, world-class bird of prey show, and more. 

At a Glance: Oct. 6-16th at the Cumming Fairground. Visit the website for tickets, pricing, and more details. 

North Georgia State Fair: 2022 marks the North Georgia State Fair’s 89th year and brings all the rides, games, shows, and excitement (plus some brand new attractions) from years past to Jim R. Miller Park in Marietta. This fair attracts around 300,000 people annually, entertaining visitors for generations. This year’s event is expected to feature more than 40 amusement rides and carnival-style games courtesy of the Great James H. Drew Exposition. Attendees can also expect a variety of delicious fair food vendors and live musical performances. 

At a Glance: September 22-October 2 at Jim R. Miller Park in Marietta, Georgia. Visit the website for ticket information, deals, and directions. 

Oktoberfest: The longest-running Oktoberfest in the United States, Helen offers a celebration complete with German-style food and drink, music, and dancing. Festivities begin at the Helen festhalle on September 8th and run Thursday-Saturday until September 29th, when visitors can raise their steins to beer & brats daily through October 30th. 

At a Glance: Weekends from Sept-8-28, daily from Sept. 29-Oct. 30th. Visit Helen’s Chamber of Commerce site for more details. 

A Few More Favorites in our Own Backyard 

River Fest: For the last 38 years, the Service League of Cherokee County has hosted the Riverfest Arts & Crafts Festival at Etowah River Park in Canton. This family-friendly, two-day festival draws over 25,000 patrons, over 150 arts and crafts exhibitors, 10-15 concessionaires, and a variety of local entertainers. A children’s area also features games, bouncy houses, a petting zoo, and miniature train rides. 

At a Glance: Sept. 24-25th at Etowah River Park. Visit Service League of Cherokee County’s website for tickets, vendors, and more. 

Cadence Fair: A day of music, beer, and fun for the whole family, Cadence Fair is hosted by Reformation Brewery, and this year makes nine full years of celebration for this north Georgia-based brewery. Cadence Fair features live music, local vendors, delicious food, and of course, cold beer. Plus, experience fire-breathing performers, aerial stunts, and stilt walkers from The Inverted Circus! 

At a Glance: October 22nd at Reformation’s Downtown Woodstock location. Visit the event website for more details and special release beer information. 

Denim Fest: A fun-filled weekend for the whole family, Denim Fest is a tribute to The Mill on Etowah’s rich history as a denim factory before it became a mixed-use development for shopping, dining, and entertainment. The event offers a family night (Friday) with trick-or-treating, a costume contest, live music, and more. Saturday’s events include the Georgia/Florida game on the big screen, an adult denim jacket contest, BBQ, and live music from Guardians of the Jukebox. 

At a Glance: Oct. 28-29th at The Mill on Etowah in Canton. See the full event schedule and more details by visiting the website. 

Bonus: If a slower pace to welcome the fall months is more your speed, this Fall Foliage Map from the Great Smoky Mountains is an incredible visual planning guide to the annual progressive changing of the leaves. Meant to be used as a guide to help travelers time their trips, the map is updated each year with the help of a community of fall color-chasers who note changes as the leaves do. 

If your foliage-chasing extends into the Ellijay area, R & A Orchards is a family-operated roadside market and farm that offers farm tours and fresh apples, homemade apple butter and cider, and more. 

No matter where your path may lead this fall, we hope you make some wonderful memories!