Fall is officially here and that means it’s time for Festival season! September & October are jam packed with exciting festivals & events that visitors from across the country attend every year. And there’s no better backdrop for these wonderful events than the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in the fall. See what’s in store for you this fall in the mountains:
Kick off the start of festival season at the Blue Ridge Blues And BBQ Festival! The fun runs all weekend long with a kick-off party on Thursday, September 17th at the Blue Ridge Farmer's Market where there will be food, drinks, and tons of fun! Then enjoy a special Blues Train on Friday, September 18th. This scenic train ride through Blue Ridge will include beer, wine, and light appetizers and then when you return to the pavilion there will be live music, dancing, and a picnic style dinner. And Old Toccoa Farm will be hosting a pre-festival event as well, at their on-site restaurant the Tavern! Your ticket will include a bbq dinner, live music, a raffle ticket, festival t-shirt, a VIP Custom Badge, and admission to the festival the following day. 
Bring your pup to Grumpy Old Men Brewing on October 4th for their annual Barktober Fest! Have lots of fun with your furry friend and human friends as you enjoy Grumpy Old Men Brewing’s specialty beer for the event, along with live music, bbq, a raffle and silent auction. Come on out to this FREE event from 12:30pm-6:30pm.
This wonderful fall festival at the Old Epworth School takes place on October 3rd and will be filled with craft vendors, good food, music, raffles, games, bounce houses and more. Entry is free but donations are welcome!
The Indian Summer Festival is a fun fall festival that takes place every October at Georgia’s smallest public school. There will be vendors selling pottery, quilts, jewelry, homemade goods, leather crafts, furniture and so much more; as well as live music and food vendors. This year’s event takes place October 3rd & 4th, don’t miss out! 
Head just over the state line to John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC for some fall fun! This year’s event will feature a wide variety of craft vendors, demonstrations, live music & dancing, delicious food, and family fun! The fun runs October 3rd & 4th from 10am-5pm. 
This year Jasper, Georgia celebrates it’s 44th Annual Georgia Marble Festival! Join in the fun October 3rd & 4th where there will be live music, a kids zone, fun runs, live demonstrations of marble & granite sculpting, delicious food, arts & crafts, a parade, and so much more! The event will take place in Veterans Memorial Park on Saturday from 10am-6pm and Sunday from 10am-4pm.
Every fall in Hiawassee the Georgia Mountain Fall Festival comes to town! This year’s Fall Fest takes place at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds from October 9th-11th & October 15th-17th. There will be carnival rides, craft vendors, delicious food, musical performances, a cowboy show, educational demonstrations, and so much more!
The Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds also puts on the Appalachian Brew and Music Festival every year. This awesome event takes place October 24th and you can expect great craft brews from local breweries, delicious food from local vendors, and lots of Americana and Bluegrass music! You won’t want to miss these great events at the Fairgrounds!
Blue Ridge Marching Band Festival
If you love the sounds of a marching band this is the event for you! Over 2,000 marching band members will be in attendance so the Fannin County football field will be filled with the sounds of music! The bands will range in size from 40 members to 150+ members. Join us on October 10th for all the fun!
One of Blue Ridge’s most favorite events is back this fall on October 10th & 11th for Fall Arts in the Park. Take in beautiful art, great live musical performances, and delicious food. Plus, you’ll get a chance to admire the stunning and colorful fall trees that surround Downtown Blue Ridge and Veterans Memorial Park. Adults are $5 a person and children 12 & under are free!
Ellijay is the Apple Capital of Georgia, so fall brings around their amazing annual Georgia Apple Festival! With over 250+ vendors, live music, demonstrations and so much more it’s sure to be a blast! Visit the Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds on weekends October 10th & 11th and October 17th & 18th to have an ‘apple’lachian good time! Admission is $10 a person. And happening at the same time in Ellijay is the Georgia Apple Festival’s sister festival,the Apple Arts Festival. This festival hosts a variety of food & craft vendors in Downtown Ellijay and is completely free! You can even bring along your pup for all the fun!
See some of the most spectacular homes in North Georgia showcased at this great annual event! Admire these incredible homes and get an idea for your dream mountain home October 16th thru October 18th.
Pay a visit to Talking Rock, GA for the Annual Heritage Days Festival. Arts & crafts, antiques, live music, great food, a rubber duck race, and kid-friendly fun await you October 17th & 18th from 9am-5pm. 
Formally known as Paws in the Park, the Humane Society of Blue Ridge will be hosting Pawsfest on Saturday, October 17th in Downtown Blue Ridge City Park! There will be pet vendors, food trucks, a pet parade, costume contest, pet photos, blessing of the animals, live music, and so much more! Tickets are $5 a person and children 12 & under are free!
Celebrate Dahlonega’s 1828 discovery of gold at Gold Rush Days Festival, October 17th & 18th in downtown Dahlonega. Take in 200+ food and craft vendors all weekend long! This HUGE event always features amazing craftsmen, fantastic musicians, and has been voted as one of the Top 20 Events in the southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society.
Head to the stunning Vogel State Park this fall for beautiful scenery and a fun Fall Festival on October 31st! There will be food & craft vendors, hayrides, a duck race, live music, storytelling, and even trick or treating at this year's Festival! The fun runs from 9:30am-8:00pm at Vogel State Park. A $10 daily park pass or an annual park pass is required for entry. 
If you love moonshine and cars then Dawsonville’s 59th Annual Mountain Moonshine Festival & Car Show is for you! Happening at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame October 23rd-25th there will be hundreds of vintage cars, live music, great food & drinks, a Moonshine Run, and over 300+ vendors! You can even meet legendary race car drivers at this awesome event that is one of the largest car shows in the Eastern U.S.!
Follow our event calendars posted monthly for more information. And for Halloween fun check out our Halloween events blog: https://www.escapetoblueridge.com/blog/spooky-fun-in-the-mountains