Tis the season of thanks and there are so many things we are thankful for: The mountains, a wonderful town and community, an exceptional team and staff that go above and beyond, and guests that make the work we do so worth it. We’re also thankful to have so many wonderful events and dining options to look forward to Thanksgiving week. We’ve comprised a list of where to eat or grab take out from, things to do, and where to gather for the perfect family Thanksgiving in Blue Ridge.
*Cover Photo Courtesy of Karen Anne
Thanksgiving marks the start of the holiday season, and we know this time of year can be busy. Luckily Blue Ridge and the surrounding areas have no shortage of festive family fun events that will get you in the Thanksgiving spirit and start off the Christmas season with a bang!
November 21st
Location: Fainting Goat Vineyards
It's almost turkey time! Join us in a fun celebration of the season at Fainting Goat Vineyard's Tail Feather & Turkey Bingo! This adult's only bingo night will feature prizes, fall fun, and a festive turkey inspired cocktail. This fun and festive event runs Saturday, November 21st from 6:30pm-8pm. Admission is free!
November 20th-January 3rd
Location: Blue Ridge Farmer’s Market
Have some family friendly fun in between all the holiday prep with ice skating at the Farmer’s Market! This fun outdoor ice-skating rink will appear at the Blue Ridge Farmer's Market, next to the Swan Drive In, November 20th through January 3rd, with special hours Thanksgiving & Christmas. For just $15 you can skate to your heart’s content! After your skate, warm up with hot cocoa and other sweet treats from the concessions stand.
Mountain Barksgiving & Food Drive
November 22nd
Location: Blue Ridge Adventure Dog
A dog-friendly event that supports those in need? Count us in! Blue Ridge Adventure Dog's Mountain Barksgiving & Food Drive brings together playful pups, dog-safe seasonal treats, and gives back to animals in need. From November 1st-25th Blue Ridge Adventure Dog will be collecting donations of canned dog and cat food, blankets, and other much-needed shelter supplies. Those who donate will also receive free entry to their off-leash dog park! Bring your pup and come on down to Blue Ridge Adventure Dog to help out this great cause!
November 22nd
Location: Grumpy Old Men Brewing
Enjoy a few beers and bring a dish to share the Sunday before Thanksgiving at Grumpy Old Men Brewing. It's a fun way to bring the community together and kick off the Thanksgiving week ahead!
November 26th
Location: Downtown Blue Ridge City Park
Get your workout in Thanksgiving morning to prep you for all those carbs at holiday dinner! Come on out for the Blue Ridge Turkey Trot! Walkers & runners welcome! Registration begins at 7am and the race starts at 8am; and don’t worry you’ll have plenty of time to make it back for your Thanksgiving feast!
November 26th
Location: Meeks Park
Come on out for the Thanksgiving Gobble Wobble- a family fun 5K race! The race starts at 8:30am and feel free to walk or run the race. Tickets are $40 and first 50 there get a turkey hat! All the proceeds go towards “Beyond the Vineyard Program” to benefit youth programs in Union County.
November 27th
Location: McCaysville
The start of the holiday season in Blue Ridge and McCaysville kicks off with Light Up events on both Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. On Friday, November 27th McCaysville will light up their beautiful town on the river to symbolize the start of Christmas. There’s plenty of shopping, dining, and holiday fun as well as pictures with Santa. The festivities start at 5pm, with the tree lighting to follow at sunset.
Light Up Blue Ridge Festivities
November 27th-November 28th
Location: Downtown Blue Ridge GA
Blue Ridge’s event is 2 days of family fun starting on November 27th. Black Friday is known as Blue Friday here in Blue Ridge which entails great discounts from our local shops, Christmas entertainment, food vendors, and more! Then the following day is when the real fun begins! Downtown Blue Ridge will be filled with Christmas cheer, food vendors, more Christmas entertainment, and pictures with Santa in the gazebo at the park. At 5:30pm the Christmas Parade will march through town, down East Main Street from Church Street to Mountain Street, down Mountain Street and back up West Main Street to Depot. And the lighting of the great tree will follow immediately after the parade at 7pm sharp! Both Light Up Blue Ridge and Light Up McCaysville are such fun ways to kick off the holiday season; the whole family will have a blast!
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical
November 27th-December 20th
Location: Blue Ridge Community Theater
Catch a show Thanksgiving weekend at Blue Ridge Community Theater! The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical runs Thursdays-Sundays, November 27th-December 20th. This hilarious musical twist on a beloved Christmas play will have you roaring with laughter and will be a treat for the whole family!
November 27th
Location: Downtown Ellijay
Kick off the holiday season in Ellijay! Downtown Ellijay will be transformed into a festive wonderland on Friday, November 27th with decorated storefronts, unique vendors, delicious seasonal treats, a dazzling holiday parade, photos with Santa, and the lighting of the great tree. All the fun kicks off at 11am and runs till 7pm.
Mountain Country Christmas Lights
November 26th-December 31st
Location: Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds
Plus see the Christmas lights reflecting off the waters of Lake Chatuge at the Georgia Mountain Fair’s Mountain Country Christmas Lights! There will be Christmas music, arts and craft vendors, holiday food, hot chocolate, sea lion shows, pictures with Santa, and beautiful lights around the grounds. The event runs every Thursday, Friday, & Saturday 6pm-9pm from November 26 - December 12th and then nightly December 17th thru December 31st *closed Christmas Day.
November 21st-December 22nd
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association
Looking for a one stop shop for gifts? There’s plenty of holiday markets in town to check out! The Arts Center Holiday Market runs from November 21st-December 22nd. You can support local artists and get some great deals by checking out their handmade wares. From artwork, jewelry, pottery, candles, and more the Holiday Market has it all! Open Tuesdays-Sundays from 10am-6pm at the Art Center.
November 21st & November 28th
Location: Downtown McCaysville
Come join us at the Twin Cities Farmers Market in Downtown McCaysville for a special Holiday Market! There will be unique handmade crafts, delightful treats and festive joy. Come get some shopping done and support the local community! Special Christmas Market dates are Saturday, November 21st from 10am-3pm and Saturday, November 28th from 10am-2pm!
November 27th
Location: Paradise Hills Winery
Black Friday shop while drinking a refreshing glass of wine! Paradise Hills Winery will be having great deals on wine and gifts and offering holiday free wrapping! You won’t want to miss it!
Christmas Market at Kerith House
November 27th & 28th
Location: Kerith House Winery
It's Christmas time at the winery! Kerith House will be hosting their annual Christmas market on Thanksgiving weekend. This festive event will feature local vendors selling holiday treats, handcrafted gifts, and unique goodies. Pair your shopping with some of Kerith House's signature wine and make a day of it!
Christmas in the Mountains Marketplace
November 28th
Location: Agriscience Center
Blairsville has no shortage of Christmas markets to attend this time of year! Visit the Agriscience Center at 22 Lovell Drive Blairsville, GA on November 28th from 9am-4pm for the 4th Annual Christmas in the Mountains Marketplace. There will be over 100 talented crafters and vendors with goods to sell. Shop for the perfect holiday gifts, take photos with Santa, and enjoy food & drinks from local food trucks. Admission is $1 a person and parking free!
Christmas Market at Cate Farms
November 28th
Location: Cate Farms
Come on down to Cate Farms for a fun Christmas market on Saturday afternoon! There will be Christmas themed vendors, hot chocolate, and Christmas music at the farm on Saturday, November 28th from 10am-4pm.
Part of Thanksgiving is sharing a good meal around the table with friends and family. But we know the pressure of preparing a multi course meal on your own can be a lot, especially when you’re meant to be enjoying your mountain vacation. We’ve provided a list of restaurants & food services offering both dine in and pick up options for Thanksgiving dinner, so you have one less thing to worry about on the big day!
*Photo Courtesy of Fine Dining Chefs
As we approach the holiday season and family reunions it's important to start planning out your holiday meals. Our friends at Fine Dining Chefs can help! They'll prepare a beautiful table setting at your cabin, delicious grazing boards, and meals perfectly catered to you and your guests.
Looking for something quick and easy? Fine Dining Chefs sister company, Chef Eatz offers incredible Heat & Eat meals for Thanksgiving and has so many delicious options to choose from. Simply pick it up from their Blue Ridge storefront or get your meal delivered straight to your cabin. Let Chef Eatz handle the meal prep so you can enjoy more time with family & friends, surrounded by the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.
Check out their menu and get your Thanksgiving order placed at https://chefeatz.bottle.com/ Orders will be available for pickup on November 24th and 25th.
Good Samaritans Thanksgiving Lunch
Don’t have a Thanksgiving meal planned? No problem, the Good Samaritans of Fannin County will take care of you! Head to Fannin County High School’s cafeteria on Thanksgiving from 12pm-4pm for good food & fellowship. They’ll be offering smoked turkey with all the fixin’s and takeout meals are available as well.
Southern Charm will be open on Thanksgiving Day from 10am-5pm with a special menu featuring turkey and ham, delicious sides, and pumpkin pie. Reservations will not be accepted on Thanksgiving, seating is on a first come, first serve basis.
The Waterfront Bar & Restaurant
The Waterfront Bar & Restaurant in Copperhill, TN will be open all day from 11am-7pm for take out or dine in. There will be a full buffet & bar, and NFL games playing all day long! Enjoy Thanksgiving on the heated patio and take in the views! Reservations recommended for dine in.
*Photo Courtesy of Southern Charm
As well as being open on Thanksgiving, Southern Charm is also offering a to-go menu for those wanting the deliciousness of Southern Charm’s classic southern style cooking from the comfort of home. The to-go menu features oven roasted turkey, sweet brown sugar ham, tasty side dishes, and dessert. Preorder your dinner online and pick up at the restaurant downtown on Wednesday, November 25th between 11am-5:30pm.
A bbq style Thanksgiving? Sounds good to us! Carroll’s Barbeque is offering pre-orders for Thanksgiving. This year’s offerings include smoked turkey breast and gravy, green beans, mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, cornbread dressing, dinner rolls, and apple or pumpkin pie. They even offer a Whole Smoked Turkey if you need a whole bird. Preorder on their website before Thanksgiving and pickup on November 25th.
A Blue Ridge staple is offering all of your Thanksgiving favorites for pickup! Harvest on Main asks guests to preorder online by November 20th and pick up their meals at their Downtown restaurant November 23rd-25th from 11am-6pm.
More bbq coming your way from Jim’s Smokin’ Que. They’ll be serving up delicious Thanksgiving options off their a la carte menu like whole smoked turkey, classic sides, and pecan pie. Preorder your meal by November 22nd and pick up on November 25th from 11am-4pm.
Blairsville favorite, The Sawmill Place will be taking Thanksgiving preorders as well! They'll be serving up turkey, ham, biscuits, delicious sides, and both pumpkin & pecan pie. Place your preorders online and pick up on November 25th from 8am-3pm.
Looking for the perfect Thanksgiving dessert? Mona Lisa’s Dessert House has got you covered! Call 706-946-4040 to place a Thanksgiving Whole Dessert by November 16th and then pick up before Thanksgiving.
Plus, Blue Ridge’s Walmart is offering a holiday meal kit to help you easily prepare your holiday feast from the comfort of your cabin.
*Photo Courtesy of @korikwissmann
Spend your Thanksgiving in the mountains with the friends and family who mean the most to you. Select a fabulous cabin, cook up a delicious meal in our fully stocked kitchens (or order ahead from the local restaurants listed above), take in the mountain views, and gather around the table for a great meal made with lots of love!
Take full advantage of the beautiful weather and great events happening this fall in Blue Ridge. There’s nothing quite like fall in the mountains!