The Cotton Pickin’ Fair, now billed by its organizers simply as The Cotton Fair, returns to Gay, Georgia for its fall edition October 3-4, 2026, with gates open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.
Held twice a year, on the first weekends of May and October, this arts, crafts and antiques fair fills the historic Longleaf grounds in the small Meriwether County town of Gay, 39 miles south of the Atlanta airport according to the fair. This guide covers what’s confirmed for the October 2026 dates, what it costs ($15 general admission, children 10 and under free, free parking), and how to plan a day trip with kids.
Gay is a small Meriwether County town; the fair puts it 39 miles south of the Atlanta airport and 50 miles north of Columbus, at 18830 GA Hwy 85.
Most visitors come down GA Hwy 85, and the fair publishes two back-road detours off it (via GA 362 and Mount Carmel Road, or via Massengales Mill and Clark roads) that are a few miles longer but can save time on busy days. If you’re looking for other fall festival options, see our guides to the Georgia Apple Festival and Dahlonega Gold Rush Days, both in North Georgia rather than south of Atlanta.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| When is it? | October 3-4, 2026 (Saturday-Sunday), gates 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. This is the fair’s fall edition; a separate spring edition runs in May. |
| What does it cost? | $15 ages 11–64; $10 seniors 65+ and military with ID; children 10 and under free; $10 after 3 p.m. Parking is free (fair info page, checked ). |
| How long should we budget? | Half a day (3-4 hours) covers a thorough walk through the vendor grounds; a full day if you’re combining it with lunch on-site and browsing every building. |
| What is it, exactly? | An arts, crafts, and antiques fair with live music and food, held since 1972 among restored historic buildings (a cotton warehouse, the old cotton gin, a peach packing shed) on the Longleaf grounds. It is not a carnival or ride-based festival. |
| Is it stroller-friendly? | Partly. A brick pathway winds through the fairgrounds; off it the ground is grass and dirt, which the fair says can be hard to maneuver and changes with the weather. Some of the original buildings may not be accessible. |
| Are dogs allowed? | No. The fair allows no animals except service animals (fair info page, checked ). |
| Is there food on-site? | Yes. Local clubs, churches and nonprofits run many of the food stands, and Towerhouse Farm Brewery has an on-site taproom. Outside food and drinks are not allowed; small coolers for breast milk or medication are screened at the gate. |
What is the Cotton Pickin’ Fair?
The Cotton Pickin’ Fair (The Cotton Fair since its current owners took it over) is an arts, crafts, and antiques fair held twice a year, on the first weekends of May and October, in the small Meriwether County town of Gay.
The Gay family started it in 1972 as an invitation-only showcase for the county’s talent, and the Summerour family acquired the fair and its grounds in 2020. Unlike a midway festival built around rides, this is a browsing-and-shopping event: artisans selling handmade crafts, art, antiques, and collectibles, plus live music and food, spread among the historic buildings of what is now called Longleaf.
They include a pre-1910 cotton warehouse that houses the Antique Center, the old cotton gin, a peach packing shed and the 1911 J.R. Gay & Company building.
Dates and hours for October 2026
The fair’s own site confirms October 3-4, 2026 for the fall edition, with gates open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday; the parking lots open before 8 a.m. The fair runs on the first weekends of May and October, but always confirm dates at thecottonfair.com. The spring edition isn’t covered by this guide.
What admission actually costs
The fair’s own info page lists these prices for the fall 2026 fair (checked ), with tickets sold at the gate only: $15 general admission for ages 11–64, $10 for seniors 65 and over and for military with ID, and free for children 10 and under.
Two discounts also run: $10 entry after 3 p.m. on either day, and $10 if you wear a Cotton Fair T-shirt from a previous fair. Parking is free in all Cotton Fair lots.
For a family of two adults and two children aged 10 or under, that is $30 at the gate, or $20 if you arrive after 3 p.m. Questions go to the fair director, Joe Nash, at 706-538-6814.
Is it a good fit for kids?
It depends on what your kids enjoy. This is fundamentally a shopping-and-browsing event for adults (arts, crafts, and antiques rather than rides, games, or kid-focused attractions), so it suits families who enjoy a slower-paced wander more than families looking for a high-energy day out.
Older kids who like handmade goods, old buildings, or antiques can genuinely enjoy it, and there is live music on the grounds; toddlers and preschoolers may tire of vendor browsing faster than at a festival built around them. Outside food and drinks aren’t allowed, so plan to buy snacks on site.
Getting there and what to expect on-site
Put the fair’s address, 18830 GA Hwy 85, Gay, GA 30218, into your GPS rather than just “Gay, GA.” Parking is free and first come, first parked, and handicapped parking is limited. On the grounds, a brick pathway winds through the fairgrounds; off it, expect grass and dirt that the fair says can be difficult to maneuver, especially after rain.
Closed-toe shoes beat sandals, and a stroller with larger wheels will cope better. Motorized scooters are allowed, but some of the original buildings may not be accessible.
Weather and what to pack
Early October in this part of Georgia is usually mild to warm during the day and can still bring an afternoon shower, so a light layer and a compact rain plan are both worth having, since much of the fair is outdoors. Sunscreen and a hat help for a midday visit, and cash is worth carrying as a backup for vendor purchases, since card acceptance at an individual craft or antiques booth isn’t guaranteed.
Best time to go
The fair’s own advice: on Saturday, come early. Crowds are heaviest in the middle of the day, gates open at 9 a.m., and the lots open before 8. Sunday mornings are typically less crowded, with lighter traffic into Gay and closer parking, and the fair holds a drawing for a $200 shopping spree at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday (you must be present to win).
Planning the rest of the trip
Gay sits within a reasonable drive of other Middle and West Georgia small towns worth combining into a longer day trip, though we haven’t yet published dedicated guides to that immediate area. Check back, or see our Fall in Georgia month-by-month guide for what else is happening across the state this season.
The fair now publishes its full price list, which puts it on the right side of the gap our Georgia Attraction Transparency Index tracks.
Dates, prices, parking, pet and accessibility details in this guide come from thecottonfair.com, checked .
How we checked this guide: Dates, hours, admission and parking prices, and access details were verified against the official sources listed below on . Operators change schedules and raise prices without notice, so confirm anything time-sensitive before you drive. The figures in this guide also feed our Georgia Attraction Transparency Index and Family Day-Out Cost Index.
Sources
- The Cotton Fair: home page (fall 2026 dates, gate hours, food stands, on-site brewery)
- The Cotton Fair: Cotton Fair Info (tickets, parking, directions, location, pets, accessibility, outside food)
- The Cotton Fair: About (history since 1972, May and October schedule, the historic buildings)
Hank Whitlock is the pen name of the It's Georgia editor. Every guide is built around the questions a busy family actually asks before a trip: how long is the drive, what does parking cost, can the stroller make it, are dogs allowed. Details are checked against official park, city, and venue sources, and each guide shows the date it was last updated.
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Cite this page: It's Georgia, “Cotton Pickin’ Fair (Gay, GA): October 2026 Dates and What to Expect”, itsgeorgia.com/events/cotton-pickin-fair-gay-ga/ (updated ). Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page.