Short answer
We confirmed 2026 dates for 36 Georgia fall festivals, fairs and seasonal events running between September 19 and November 29, and nine of them charge nothing at the gate. The busiest weekends are October 10–11 and 17–18, when 12 and 10 confirmed events overlap, including the Georgia National Fair in Perry, the Georgia Apple Festival in Ellijay and Gold Rush Days in Dahlonega.
Each table below covers one Saturday–Sunday weekend. Every date and price comes from the festival’s own page, the organizing club or the host city (checked ; eleven organizers re-checked ); the festival name links to that page, and “our guide” links to a longer It’s Georgia guide where we have one.
“Not published” means the organizer does not list an admission price, not that the event is free. Events that have not posted 2026 dates are listed separately below, and we have not carried last year’s dates forward. The same events feed our searchable Georgia Festival & Event Calendar.
Which fall festivals are in each part of Georgia?
- North Georgia: Helen Oktoberfest, Maysville Autumn Leaf Festival, Mule Camp Market in Gainesville, Georgia Mountain Fall Festival in Hiawassee, Georgia Apple Festival in Ellijay and Sorghum in the Mountains in Blairsville, Prater’s Mill Country Fair near Dalton and Fall Arts in the Park in Blue Ridge, Gold Rush Days in Dahlonega, Mountain Moonshine Festival in Dawsonville, and Helen’s Christmas Market.
- Metro Atlanta: Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival, JapanFest in Duluth, Duluth Fall Festival, North Georgia State Fair in Marietta, Candler Park Fall Fest, Cumming Country Fair, Chalktoberfest in Marietta and Lilburn Daze (both cancelled for weather in 2026), Atlanta Pride, Stone Mountain Highland Games and Sandy Springs OktoberFEAST, the Native American Festival & Pow Wow at Stone Mountain, the Renaissance Festival’s Fall Fling in Fairburn, and the November holiday light shows.
- Middle and South Georgia: Cotton Pickin’ Fair in Gay, Georgia National Fair in Perry, Georgia Peanut Festival in Sylvester, Andersonville Encampment, Big Pig Jig in Vienna and Swine Time in Climax.
- Coast: Tybee Island Pirate Festival, Jekyll Island Shrimp & Grits Festival and Holly Jolly Jekyll.
Which Georgia festivals run all season?
Three events run across many weekends, so they are listed once here and not repeated in every table.
| Festival | Where | 2026 dates | Admission | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helen Oktoberfest (our guide) | Helen Festhalle, Helen (North) | Sept. 10 – Nov. 1 | $10 adults Mon–Thu, $15 Fri or Sat; Sundays free; under 6 free | Thu–Sun Sept. 10–13, 17–20 and 24–27, then nightly Oct. 1 – Nov. 1 |
| Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival (our guide) | Stone Mountain Park (Metro) | Sept. 19 – Nov. 1 | $39.99 adult, $36.99 child; park parking extra | Fridays to Sundays; attractions 2–10 p.m. |
| Georgia Renaissance Festival Fall Fling | Fairburn (Metro) | Oct. 31 – Dec. 5 | $34.88 adult (13+), $17.28 child (6–12), fees included; 5 and under free | Saturdays 1–9 p.m., plus Friday, Nov. 27 |
What’s on the weekend of Oct. 3–4?
This weekend is over: the events below ran Oct. 2–5, 2026, and stay here for reference. For what’s on next, see the weekend of Oct. 10–11.
| Festival | Where | 2026 dates | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton Pickin’ Fair (our guide) | Gay, Meriwether County (Middle) | Oct. 3–4, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. | $15 at the gate (ages 11–64), $10 seniors 65+ and military; 10 and under free; free parking |
| Maysville Autumn Leaf Festival | Maysville, Banks County (North) | Oct. 2–5* | Not published |
| Candler Park Fall Fest | Candler Park, Atlanta (Metro) | Oct. 3–4, 11 a.m.–7 p.m. | Free |
| North Georgia State Fair (final weekend) | Marietta (Metro) | to Oct. 4 | $15 at the gate; 10 and under free |
*Maysville’s 60th Autumn Leaf Festival dates are printed as “October 2nd–5th, 2026” on the city’s vendor application; October 5 is a Monday, so check the city page before planning a Monday visit.
What’s on the weekend of Oct. 10–11?
The busiest weekend of the season: 12 confirmed events, including both big fairs. Weather update, October 9, 2026: Chalktoberfest and Lilburn Daze are cancelled for inclement weather, per their organizers, and the Georgia Apple Festival says it is going ahead rain or shine.
Atlanta Pride has cancelled all of its Saturday, Oct. 10 programming for severe weather, per Atlanta Pride’s own news post of Oct. 9, 2026. Its Sunday, Oct. 11 festival and parade are expected to go ahead, weather permitting. The Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association says Fall Arts in the Park is Sunday only, Oct. 11, per its own page of Oct. 9, 2026. Check the organizer’s page before you drive.
| Festival | Where | 2026 dates | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia National Fair (our guide) | Georgia National Fairgrounds, Perry (Middle) | Oct. 8–18 | $15 adult (11–59) at the gate by card ($20 cash) or $16 online; $5 child (3–10); 2 and under free; ride armbands $30–$35 extra on set days |
| Cumming Country Fair & Festival | Cumming Fairgrounds (Metro) | Oct. 8–18 | $10 at the gate; 10 and under free |
| Georgia Apple Festival (our guide) | Ellijay (North) | Oct. 10–11 and 17–18 | $10; 12 and under free |
| Sorghum in the Mountains | Meeks Park, Blairsville (North) | Oct. 10–11 and 17–18, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. | Not published |
| Georgia Mountain Fall Festival | Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, Hiawassee (North) | Oct. 9–11 and 15–17 | $10; 12 and under free; free parking |
| Prater’s Mill Country Fair | Prater’s Mill, near Dalton (North) | Oct. 10–11 | $10 cash; 12 and under and military free; free parking |
| Mule Camp Market | Midtown Greenway, Gainesville (North) | Oct. 9–11 | Not published |
| Fall Arts in the Park | Downtown Blue Ridge (North) | Oct. 11 only (Saturday Oct. 10 cancelled) | Not published |
| Chalktoberfest | Marietta Square (Metro) | Cancelled (was Oct. 10–11) | Free (the Saturday beer festival was ticketed) |
| Atlanta Pride Festival | Piedmont Park, Atlanta (Metro) | Oct. 11 only (Saturday Oct. 10 cancelled) | Free |
| Lilburn Daze | City Park, Lilburn (Metro) | Cancelled (was Oct. 10) | Free |
| Tybee Island Pirate Festival | Tybee Island (Coast) | Oct. 8–11 | Free |
What’s on the weekend of Oct. 17–18?
| Festival | Where | 2026 dates | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Rush Days (our guide) | Public Square, Dahlonega (North) | Oct. 17–18 | Not published by the organizer (street festival on the square; our guide covers parking) |
| Stone Mountain Highland Games (our guide) | Stone Mountain Park (Metro) | Oct. 16–18 (games Sat–Sun) | $25 at the gate, $22.50 in advance; 12 and under free; park parking extra |
| Georgia Apple Festival (second weekend) | Ellijay (North) | Oct. 17–18 | $10; 12 and under free |
| Sorghum in the Mountains (second weekend) | Blairsville (North) | Oct. 17–18 | Not published |
| Georgia Mountain Fall Festival (second run) | Hiawassee (North) | Oct. 15–17 | $10; 12 and under free; free parking |
| Andersonville Encampment | Andersonville (South) | Oct. 17–18, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. | Not published |
| Georgia Peanut Festival | T.C. Jeffords Park, Sylvester (South) | Oct. 16–17 | Free |
| OktoberFEAST | City Springs, Sandy Springs (Metro) | Oct. 17–18 | Free |
| Georgia National Fair (final weekend) | Perry (Middle) | to Oct. 18 | $15 adult (11–59) at the gate by card ($20 cash) or $16 online; $5 child (3–10); 2 and under free; ride armbands $30–$35 extra on set days |
| Cumming Country Fair & Festival (final weekend) | Cumming (Metro) | to Oct. 18 | $10 at the gate; 10 and under free |
What’s on the weekend of Oct. 24–25?
| Festival | Where | 2026 dates | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jekyll Island Shrimp & Grits Festival (our guide) | Historic District, Jekyll Island (Coast) | Oct. 23 (4–9 p.m.) and Oct. 24 (10 a.m.–9 p.m.) | Free; $5 surcharge on daily and weekly island parking passes |
| Mountain Moonshine Festival | Downtown Dawsonville (North) | Oct. 23–25 | Not published |
What’s on the weekend of Oct. 31 – Nov. 1?
It is the last weekend for Helen Oktoberfest and the Pumpkin Festival, which both close Nov. 1. On Saturday, Oct. 31, Georgia plays Florida at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta (kickoff 3:30 p.m.), so expect heavy downtown traffic that afternoon; see our Georgia vs. Florida 2026 guide.
| Festival | Where | 2026 dates | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native American Festival & Pow Wow | Historic Square, Stone Mountain Park (Metro) | Oct. 29 – Nov. 1; weekend 10 a.m.–5 p.m. | Included with an Attractions Ticket, or $15.99 plus tax for a festival-only ticket at the park |
| Georgia Renaissance Festival Fall Fling opening day | Fairburn (Metro) | Oct. 31 | $34.88 adult (13+), $17.28 child (6–12), fees included; 5 and under free |
What’s on the weekend of Nov. 7–8?
| Festival | Where | 2026 dates | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Pig Jig | Vienna, Dooly County (South) | Nov. 6–7 | Not published |
| Stone Mountain Christmas (our guide) | Stone Mountain Park (Metro) | Opens Nov. 7 (select dates to Jan. 3) | $39.99 adult, $36.99 child |
| Georgia Renaissance Festival Fall Fling | Fairburn (Metro) | Nov. 7 | $34.88 adult (13+), $17.28 child (6–12), fees included; 5 and under free |
What’s on the weekends of Nov. 14–15 and Nov. 21–22?
By mid-November the harvest festivals are over and the holiday light shows take over.
| Festival | Where | 2026 dates | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Lights, Holiday Nights (our guide) | Atlanta Botanical Garden, Midtown (Metro) | Opens Nov. 14 (nightly to Jan. 10) | Not published on the event page; tickets on sale now |
| Magical Nights of Lights | Lanier Islands, Buford (Metro) | Opens Nov. 20 (to Jan. 3) | Priced per vehicle; standard-car price not published |
| Georgia Renaissance Festival Fall Fling | Fairburn (Metro) | Nov. 14 and Nov. 21 | $34.88 adult (13+), $17.28 child (6–12), fees included; 5 and under free |
What’s on Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 28–29?
| Festival | Where | 2026 dates | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swine Time | 100 E. Broad St., Climax (South) | Sat., Nov. 28 | Not published |
| Helen’s Christmas Market (our guide) | Helen (North) | Nov. 28 – Dec. 6 | Free admission, per the chamber’s 2026 market page |
| Holly Jolly Jekyll | Jekyll Island (Coast) | Nov. 27 – Jan. 3 | Varies by event |
| Georgia Renaissance Festival Fall Fling Royal Market Days | Fairburn (Metro) | Nov. 27–28 | $34.88 adult (13+), $17.28 child (6–12), fees included; 5 and under free |
Thanksgiving Day itself (Nov. 26) has races in Atlanta and Marietta, and Helen lights the village on Nov. 27. See Thanksgiving in Georgia 2026.
Which festivals haven’t confirmed 2026 dates?
- Hogansville Hummingbird Festival: the city says only “the third weekend of October”. 2026 dates are not posted on the city or festival site as of Sept. 19, 2026.
- SCAD Savannah Film Festival: news reports give October 24–31, but SCAD’s own site blocked our check, so the dates are not confirmed here.
- South Georgia State Fair (Savannah): the fair’s website does not show 2026 dates.
- Atlanta Greek Festival: paused until September 2027 because of construction at the cathedral. A Greek Feast drive-through ran September 25–27, 2026 instead.
- Folk Pottery Festival (Sautee Nacoochee): the Sautee Nacoochee Center holds it on Labor Day weekend, so it has already happened this year.
- Blairsville Sorghum Festival: that festival’s own site still shows 2024 information. The October festival at Meeks Park is now listed as Sorghum in the Mountains (above).
Which festival fits your situation?
- On a budget: Go on October 10–11, when the Tybee Pirate Festival is free and Atlanta Pride is free on Sunday, Oct. 11 (Atlanta Pride cancelled Saturday, Oct. 10, for weather; Chalktoberfest and Lilburn Daze were cancelled too). Helen Oktoberfest is free on any Sunday.
- With kids under 11: The Cotton Pickin’ Fair and the Cumming and North Georgia State Fairs let children 10 and under in free, and the Highland Games do the same for 12 and under.
- With a dog: Leave it at home for Helen Oktoberfest (service animals only) and the Cotton Pickin’ Fair (no animals except service animals). For a dog-friendly fall day, see our apple-picking guide, which lists each orchard’s dog rules.
- For the leaves: Pair a mid-October mountain festival with our North Georgia fall foliage guide, which explains when color usually peaks at each elevation.
- For one big day out: The Georgia National Fair costs $15 per adult at the gate by card ($20 cash), and ride armbands ($30–$35 plus a $2 fee) aren’t sold on Saturdays or on Sunday, Oct. 11.
- For a pumpkin patch instead of a festival: see our pumpkin patches near Atlanta guide, or fall in Georgia, month by month.
For just the coming Friday to Sunday, see what’s on in Georgia this weekend, which updates itself every day from our event calendar.
FAQ
What festivals are on in Georgia the weekend of Oct. 10–11, 2026?
It is the busiest weekend of the season, with 12 confirmed events. The Georgia National Fair in Perry and the Cumming Country Fair & Festival both run Oct. 8–18.
The Georgia Apple Festival in Ellijay ($10, 12 and under free), Sorghum in the Mountains in Blairsville, Prater’s Mill Country Fair near Dalton ($10 cash) are on Oct. 10–11, Fall Arts in the Park in Blue Ridge is on Sunday, Oct. 11 only (Saturday was cancelled for weather), and the Georgia Mountain Fall Festival in Hiawassee runs Oct. 9–11.
The Atlanta Pride Festival (Sunday, Oct. 11 only; Saturday was cancelled for weather) and the Tybee Island Pirate Festival (Oct. 8–11) are free; Chalktoberfest in Marietta and Lilburn Daze (Oct. 10) were cancelled for inclement weather, per their organizers. The Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival and Helen Oktoberfest both continue through Nov. 1.
What are the biggest fall festivals in North Georgia in 2026?
The Georgia Apple Festival in Ellijay (Oct. 10–11 and 17–18), Gold Rush Days in Dahlonega (Oct. 17–18), the Georgia Mountain Fall Festival in Hiawassee (Oct. 9–11 and 15–17) and Helen Oktoberfest (Sept. 10 – Nov. 1), according to their organizers’ pages.
When is the Maysville Autumn Leaf Festival in 2026?
The City of Maysville’s 2026 vendor application gives the dates of the 60th Maysville Autumn Leaf Festival as October 2–5, 2026. The city does not publish an admission price.
Which Georgia fall festivals are free in 2026?
Free festivals this season include the Duluth Fall Festival (Sept. 26–27), Candler Park Fall Fest (Oct. 3–4), Atlanta Pride (Sunday, Oct. 11 only; Saturday was cancelled for weather) and the Tybee Island Pirate Festival (Oct. 10–11; Chalktoberfest and Lilburn Daze were cancelled for weather), the Georgia Peanut Festival and Sandy Springs OktoberFEAST (all around Oct. 17–18), and the Jekyll Island Shrimp & Grits Festival (Oct. 23–24).
When is the Georgia National Fair in 2026 and what does it cost?
The Georgia National Fair runs October 8–18, 2026 in Perry. Adult admission (ages 11–59) is $15 at the gate by card, $20 in cash or $16 online; ages 3–10 are $5, and children 2 and under get in free. Ride armbands ($30–$35 plus a $2 fee) are sold separately on set days.
Which weekend has the most Georgia fall festivals?
October 10–11, 2026, with 12 confirmed events, including both state-size fairs (Perry and Cumming), the Georgia Apple Festival, Atlanta Pride (Sunday, Oct. 11 only) and the Tybee Island Pirate Festival. October 17–18 is next with 10.
Is the Atlanta Greek Festival happening in 2026?
No. The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral has paused the festival until September 2027 because of construction on its campus, and held a Greek Feast drive-through on September 25–27, 2026 instead.
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
- Helen Chamber — Oktoberfest 2026 (dates, hours, admission)
- Helen Chamber — Upcoming events (Christmas Market)
- Stone Mountain Park — Pumpkin Festival
- Stone Mountain Park — Tickets
- Stone Mountain Park — Native American Festival and Pow Wow
- Stone Mountain Park — Stone Mountain Christmas
- Georgia Renaissance Festival — Fall Fling
- JapanFest Atlanta — Tickets
- Duluth Fall Festival — 2026 event page (Eventeny, hosted by the festival)
- Duluth Fall Festival — FAQs (admission)
- North Georgia State Fair — official site
- North Georgia State Fair — tickets and gate prices (BigTickets)
- Cobb County — North Georgia State Fair 2026 details
- Cotton Pickin’ Fair — Fair info (dates, tickets, parking, pets)
- City of Maysville — Maysville Autumn Leaf Festival
- City of Maysville — 2026 Autumn Leaf Festival vendor application
- Candler Park Fall Fest 2026
- Georgia National Fair — Tickets
- Cumming Country Fair & Festival — Tickets (City of Cumming, BigTickets)
- Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds — Fall Fest hours and admission
- Georgia Apple Festival — FAQs
- Sorghum in the Mountains — 2026 schedule
- Prater’s Mill — Country Fair visit page
- Gainesville Jaycees — Mule Camp Market
- Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association — Fall Arts in the Park
- Chalktoberfest — Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art
- Atlanta Pride — FAQs
- Lilburn Daze
- Tybee Island Pirate Festival — 2026 press release
- Gold Rush Days Festival
- Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Visitors Bureau — Gold Rush Days
- Stone Mountain Highland Games — Ticketing
- Historic Andersonville — Events
- Georgia Peanut Festival
- City of Sandy Springs — OktoberFEAST
- Jekyll Island Authority — Shrimp & Grits Festival
- KARE for Kids — Mountain Moonshine Festival
- Big Pig Jig — Upcoming dates
- Atlanta Botanical Garden — Garden Lights, Holiday Nights
- Lanier Islands — Magical Nights of Lights
- City of Climax — Swine Time 2026
- Jekyll Island Authority — Holly Jolly Jekyll
- City of Hogansville — Hummingbird Festival
- South Georgia State Fair
- Atlanta Greek Festival
- Sautee Nacoochee Center — Annual events
- Blairsville Sorghum Festival
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, “Georgia Fall Festivals 2026, Weekend by Weekend (Sept 19 – Nov 29)”, itsgeorgia.com/events/georgia-fall-festivals-2026/ (updated ). Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page.