Georgia’s fall season runs from the first week of September to the first week of November, and it stacks in a predictable order: apple u-pick and pumpkin patches open first (late August into mid-September), Helen Oktoberfest and the Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival carry September, the Georgia Apple Festival and Halloween own October, and mountain leaf color peaks mid-October high up and late October to early November lower down. Almost everything is over by November 10, when Burt’s Pumpkin Farm closes.
This page is the map. It tells you what is happening in which month, roughly when and where, and then hands you off to the guide that has the prices, parking costs, dog rules and stroller notes for that specific thing. The deep guides are where the detail lives; this is where you decide which weekend to spend.
One caveat up front: a handful of operators still had not posted 2026 dates or prices when we checked in September — Buford Corn Maze, Southern Belle Farm and most city Halloween calendars. Where that is true, this page says “not published” rather than quietly reusing last year’s numbers.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| When does fall actually start in Georgia? | Late August. B.J. Reece opened apple u-pick on Aug 29 and Burt’s Pumpkin Farm opened Sept 1, 2026. |
| When do the leaves peak? | Typically mid-October above 4,000 feet, and late October to the first of November below 3,000 feet. No 2026 forecast exists yet. |
| Cheapest fall outing? | Burt’s Pumpkin Farm — free entry, free parking, Sept 1–Nov 10. You pay only for the pumpkin. |
| Biggest single event? | Helen Oktoberfest, Sept 10 – Nov 1, 2026 at the Helen Festhalle. $10–$25 adult, free on Sundays. |
| Best weekend for one trip? | The third weekend of October — Apple Festival, Boo at the Zoo, Halloween Hikes and high-country color all overlap. |
| What ends first? | Pumpkin patches. Sleepy Hollow and Cagle’s close Nov 1; Uncle Shuck’s and Washington Farms Nov 8; Burt’s Nov 10. |
| What is still unannounced? | Buford Corn Maze’s calendar, Southern Belle Farm’s fall season, and most city Halloween events. |
What is on in Georgia, month by month?
Read this table as a calendar, not a ranking. The left column is the month the thing starts or peaks; the date column is what the operator itself has published for 2026.
| Month | What’s on | 2026 dates | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | Apple u-pick season opens | B.J. Reece Aug 29; Hillcrest Sept 1; Mercier lists Aug–Oct | Ellijay and Blue Ridge | $12–$48 a bag; $12.75–$22 admission |
| September | Pumpkin patches and corn mazes open | Burt’s Sept 1; Uncle Shuck’s, Washington Farms and Sleepy Hollow Sept 19; Cagle’s Sept 25 | Dawsonville, Bogart, Powder Springs, Holly Springs | Free at Burt’s to $21.95 a head |
| September | Helen Oktoberfest | Sept 10–13, 17–20, 24–27, then daily Oct 1 – Nov 1 | Helen Festhalle | $10–$25 adult; free Sundays; under 6 free |
| September | Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival | Sept 19 – Nov 1, Fridays to Sundays | Stone Mountain Park | $39.99 adult, $36.99 child, plus $25 parking |
| September | Haunt season opens for teens | Six Flags from Sept 12; Netherworld from Sept 18 | Austell and Stone Mountain | Netherworld $25–$41; Fright Fest bundles from $69 |
| October | Leaf Watch begins | Oct 1, 2026 (Georgia Forestry Commission) | Statewide reporting | Free |
| October | Georgia Apple Festival | Oct 10–11 and Oct 17–18 | Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds | Gate price not published |
| October | High-elevation color peaks | Typically mid-October above 4,000 ft | Brasstown Bald, Black Rock Mountain | Brasstown $8 per person 16+; $10 ParkPass |
| October | Dahlonega Gold Rush Days | Oct 17-18, 2026 — the third full weekend, as always | Dahlonega Public Square | Free admission; parking is not free |
| October | Family Halloween events | Scarecrows in the Garden Oct 1 – Nov 1; Monster Mash Oct 17 and 24; Boo at the Zoo Oct 17, 18, 24, 25, 31; Halloween Hikes Oct 23–25 | Midtown, Grant Park, Roswell | Free with admission to $30 |
| November | Low-elevation color peaks | Typically end of October to the first of November | Amicalola, Tallulah Gorge, Cloudland Canyon | $10 ParkPass per vehicle |
| November | Tallulah Gorge water releases | Whitewater Nov 7–8, 14–15, 21–22; aesthetic Nov 1 plus those weekends | Tallulah Gorge State Park | $10 ParkPass; gorge floor permit free |
| November | Patches close, tree farms open | Patches end Nov 1–10; most tree farms open Sat Nov 21 | Statewide | $10 per foot at Bottoms; most farms publish no price |
Where does apple season actually happen?
Gilmer County — Ellijay, and Blue Ridge 20 minutes further north. B.J. Reece Orchards publishes the clearest figures: $12 a half peck, $24 a peck, $48 a half bushel, open seven days a week through September and October, leashed dogs welcome in the orchards. Mercier has the widest variety range but publishes no u-pick price and sells admission on site only. Hillcrest’s own pages give two different Apple Pickin’ Jubilee windows — worth a phone call before a 90-minute drive.
Our guide to apple picking in North Georgia compares six orchards on bag price, hours, dog rules and how stroller-hostile the terrain is. If you want the festival rather than the picking, the Georgia Apple Festival in Ellijay runs Oct 10–11 and 17–18, 2026 — and note that pets are not allowed and highway 52 backs up badly on those four days.
Which pumpkin patch should you drive to?
It depends entirely on whether you want a pumpkin or an afternoon. Burt’s in Dawsonville charges nothing to enter or park and sells you a pumpkin; Washington Farms in Bogart charges up to $21.95 a head and gives you a full activity list. Sleepy Hollow in Powder Springs is the shortest drive at roughly 35 minutes. Every farm we checked bans pets.
The pumpkin patches near Atlanta guide has all seven with hours, admission, parking and closing dates. Two are still blank for 2026: Buford Corn Maze has posted a ticket price ($18.52 plus tax) but no calendar, and Southern Belle Farm has posted neither. For a theme-park version with a drone show instead of a hayride, the Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival runs Fridays to Sundays from Sept 19 to Nov 1.
When do the leaves peak, and where do you go?
There is no 2026 peak-color forecast, and anyone publishing one in September is guessing. The Georgia Forestry Commission’s Leaf Watch does not begin until October 1, 2026. What the archived reports do establish is a reliable elevation pattern: above 4,000 feet, typically mid-October; below 3,000 feet, typically the end of October into the first of November.
That pattern is the planning tool. If you can only go one weekend, drive the 40-mile Russell–Brasstown National Scenic Byway, which crosses several elevation bands at once so something is near peak whichever week you pick. Our North Georgia fall foliage guide covers eight viewpoints with fees, dog rules and one closure that matters this season — Lake Trahlyta at Vogel State Park is drained for dam repairs, so the flat lake loop and waterfall are closed.
What are the big fall festivals?
Three carry the season. Helen Oktoberfest is the largest and the longest: weekends from Sept 10, then daily from Oct 1 to Nov 1 at the Festhalle, $10–$25 for adults, free on Sundays, no pets. The Georgia Apple Festival takes the second and third October weekends at the Ellijay fairgrounds. Dahlonega Gold Rush Days runs Oct 17-18, 2026 on the Public Square, free to attend — the third full weekend of October, as it is every year. Those dates are on the festival’s own site; the CVB page still shows 2024.
How do you match Halloween to your kid’s age?
By reading the operator’s own age language, which is unusually blunt in Atlanta. Netherworld publishes a minimum age of 7. Six Flags says Fright Fest is “not recommended for children under 13.” Boo at the Zoo says “be merry, not scary” and runs in daylight, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Those three sentences sort most families.
Our Halloween events in Atlanta for kids sorts nine events by scare level with 2026 dates and prices. It also flags what has not been announced: Alpharetta’s Scarecrow Harvest, the City of Roswell’s 2026 Halloween programming, Gwinnett County parks, and the specific operating nights inside the Six Flags window. Municipal calendars usually post in early October.
What should you do in your situation?
| If you… | Do this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Only have a Saturday morning | Sleepy Hollow Farm, Powder Springs | Roughly 35 minutes out and $12–$15 a head; you can be home for lunch |
| Have a toddler | Burt’s Pumpkin Farm on a weekday morning | Free entry means nothing is wasted if the visit lasts 20 minutes |
| Are bringing the dog | B.J. Reece Orchards, or the Brasstown Bald and Tallulah rim trails | Five of the seven pumpkin patches we checked ban pets or allow service animals only, and the other two publish nothing; these three publish a leashed-dog policy |
| Have a 6-year-old and a 14-year-old | Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival, then split for Netherworld | Ten minutes apart, and the age gap is genuinely unbridgeable |
| Are on a tight budget | The Russell–Brasstown Byway plus a $10 ParkPass | The drive is free and the pass then covers any state park you add that day |
| Want to avoid crowds | Any weekday, and skip Apple Festival weekends in Gilmer County | Washington Farms is $13.95 midweek against up to $21.95 on a weekend |
| Are going in early November | Amicalola, Tallulah Gorge or Cloudland Canyon | Lower ground holds color after the 4,000-foot summits have dropped their leaves |
How does fall hand off to the holidays?
Faster than you would expect. Stone Mountain Christmas opens Nov 7, 2026 — six days after the Pumpkin Festival ends. Garden Lights, Holiday Nights at the Atlanta Botanical Garden opens Nov 14 and runs to Jan 10, 2027. Most Georgia Christmas tree farms open Saturday, Nov 21, which is the weekend before Thanksgiving, not the day after.
If you are already thinking past Halloween, start with our Christmas in Georgia hub, which has a what’s-on table by category and a booking order for the things that sell out. From there: Georgia Christmas tree farms, holiday train rides in Georgia, Christmas markets in Atlanta, Christmas towns in Georgia, Christmas in Helen, ice skating in Atlanta and Georgia’s Christmas lights displays.
FAQ
When is the best weekend to visit North Georgia in the fall?
The third weekend of October stacks the most: the Georgia Apple Festival’s second weekend (Oct 17–18), Boo at the Zoo, Chattahoochee Nature Center’s Halloween Hikes (Oct 23–25 is the following weekend) and typical peak color above 4,000 feet. The trade-off is traffic — Highway 52 through Gilmer County is genuinely slow on festival weekends.
When do the leaves change in North Georgia?
Typically mid-October above 4,000 feet and the end of October into the first of November below 3,000 feet, based on archived Georgia Forestry Commission Leaf Watch reports. There is no published 2026 forecast — Leaf Watch 2026 does not begin until October 1, 2026, so any specific peak date you see before then is speculation.
Is apple picking or a pumpkin patch better with a toddler?
A pumpkin patch, usually. Burt’s Pumpkin Farm is free to enter and the hayride is the whole attraction, so a short visit costs nothing. Apple orchards involve uneven ground — B.J. Reece explicitly warns that some terrain is difficult with strollers — and a longer drive to Gilmer County.
What are the 2026 dates for Dahlonega Gold Rush Days?
October 17-18, 2026, a Saturday and Sunday — the third full weekend of October, the festival’s permanent pattern. The dates are published on goldrushdaysfestival.com; the Dahlonega CVB page states the pattern but still shows 2024 dates. Admission is free; parking downtown is not.
Which is cheaper, Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival or a pumpkin patch?
A pumpkin patch, by a wide margin. Stone Mountain’s Pumpkin Festival and Attractions ticket is $39.99 adult and $36.99 child, plus $25 per vehicle for parking. Burt’s Pumpkin Farm charges nothing to enter or park, and the most expensive patch we found, Washington Farms, tops out at $21.95 a head.
Can we bring the dog to fall events in Georgia?
Rarely. Every pumpkin patch we checked bans pets, the Georgia Apple Festival allows service animals only, and Helen Oktoberfest is a food-service venue with no pets. The exceptions are B.J. Reece Orchards (leashed dogs in the orchards), Brasstown Bald (leashed, outside the visitor center) and Tallulah Gorge’s rim trails.
How much does Helen Oktoberfest cost in 2026?
Adult admission runs $10 to $25 depending on the day, Sundays are free and children under 6 get in free. The 2026 run is weekends Sept 10–13, 17–20 and 24–27, then daily from Oct 1 to Nov 1 at the Helen Festhalle. Parking is separate and there is no free public downtown parking.
What Halloween events in Atlanta are not scary?
Boo at the Zoo (Oct 17, 18, 24, 25 and 31, daylight hours, free with admission), Goblins in the Garden (Oct 18), Monster Mash at the Center for Puppetry Arts ($20, free for members) and Six Flags’ daytime Tricks and Treats, which the park bills as “all fun, no fear.” All four publish no-scare language on their own pages.
When do pumpkin patches near Atlanta close?
Between November 1 and November 10, 2026. Sleepy Hollow and Cagle’s finish Nov 1, Uncle Shuck’s and Washington Farms finish Nov 8, and Burt’s runs latest at Nov 10. Buford Corn Maze and Southern Belle Farm had published no 2026 calendar at all when we checked, so call before driving to either.
Do I need to book fall activities in Georgia in advance?
Mostly no — apple orchards and pumpkin patches are walk-up, and B.J. Reece states there are no advance or online tickets. The exceptions are Washington Farms, which sells activity tickets online only and does sell out, and Chattahoochee Nature Center’s Halloween Hikes, where tickets go on sale Oct 1 for members and Oct 8 for the public.
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
- Georgia Forestry Commission — Fall Leaf Watch, 2026 season start date
- Georgia State Parks — Leaf Watch viewing guidance
- Georgia State Parks — $10 daily ParkPass and $70 annual pass
- Tallulah Gorge State Park — November water-release dates and rim trail dog policy
- Vogel State Park — Lake Trahlyta drawdown and lake loop closure
- US Forest Service — Brasstown Bald fees, hours and elevation
- US Forest Service — Russell–Brasstown National Scenic Byway route
- Burt’s Pumpkin Farm — 2026 season dates, hours and free admission
- Uncle Shuck’s — 2026 dates, maze and haunted trail pricing
- Washington Farms — weekday and weekend admission pricing, 2026 calendar
- Buford Corn Maze — 2026 ticket price (no season calendar published)
- B.J. Reece Orchards — u-pick bag prices and farm activity pricing
- Mercier Orchards — apple u-pick months, hours and availability caveat
- Red Apple Barn — dated variety ripening chart
- Helen Area Chamber — Oktoberfest 2026 dates, hours and admission tiers
- Georgia Apple Festival — 2026 dates, pet policy and shuttle information
- Gold Rush Days Festival — official site, Oct 17-18, 2026
- Stone Mountain Park — Pumpkin Festival 2026 dates and attractions
- Stone Mountain Park — $25 daily parking pass
- Zoo Atlanta — Boo at the Zoo 2026 dates and hours
- Netherworld Haunted House — minimum age 7 policy and ticket tiers
- Six Flags Over Georgia — Fright Fest dates and age guidance
- Chattahoochee Nature Center — Halloween Hikes dates, pricing and on-sale dates
- It’s Georgia — Pumpkin patches near Atlanta: hours, prices and what to expect
- It’s Georgia — Apple picking in North Georgia: orchards, u-pick dates and prices
- It’s Georgia — North Georgia fall foliage: when color peaks and where to see it
- It’s Georgia — Halloween events in Atlanta for kids, by age and scare level
- It’s Georgia — Christmas in Georgia: lights, markets, trains and festive towns
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.
