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Verification Log

Last updated:

Read this first: the rules, fines, fees and hours on this page come from the sources linked next to them, and the date we read each one is not confirmed on this page. This is not legal advice. They can change, so check the current rule with the town, county, park or agency named before you rely on it. Anything not shown here is not confirmed: ask that town or park.

This is the running record of our fact checks: which published figures we rechecked, on what date, against which source, and whether anything changed. Prices, dates and rules change. We would rather show you when we last looked than let a “last updated” date do the talking.

Admission prices, parking fees and festival dates are rechecked every quarter against the operator’s own page. Hours and seasonal opening dates are rechecked twice a year, and pet and accessibility rules once a year. Errors we find in our own pages go on the corrections page.

October 30, 2026

  • Fort Gordon Turkey Trot 5K (listing updated): Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, 9:00 a.m. start at Engineer Field near the Dog Park, Fort Gordon; registration is free for the 5K and the 1-mile fun run/walk. Sources: RunSignup race page for the Fort Gordon Turkey Trot 5K and gordon.armymwr.com (both read Oct. 30, 2026). The Army MWR page does not list a fee and names Brainard Avenue near the Dog Park as the location, so the two sources differ on the start spot; we show the race page’s Engineer Field. Our calendar now says free instead of “price not published.” Updated, not a correction.
  • Okefenokee Agricultural Fair (Waycross): “November 3-7, 2026”; Tuesday–Friday 5–11 p.m., Saturday 1–11 p.m.; walk-around (no rides) $10, general admission with rides $25 presale through Nov. 2 and $30 at the gate Wednesday–Friday, free walk-around Saturday 1–3 p.m. Source: waycrossfair.com/hours (read Oct. 30, 2026). No change: our calendar’s $0–$30 matches. The page does not mention parking.
  • HauntFest: Harvest of Horrors (Elberton): Nov. 6–7, 2026 at Bobby Brown Park; $20 presale or at the door per event day, $10 for the Saturday Dead Man’s Party only, haunted trail add-ons $15–$20; parking $5 per car. Source: hauntfest.net (read Oct. 30, 2026). No change.
  • A Mighty Fine Beer Festival (Duluth): Nov. 7, 2026, 1–5 p.m. at Duluth Town Green; general admission $55, VIP $75. Source: goodwordbrewing.com (read Oct. 30, 2026). No change.
  • Winter WonderLights (State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Athens): season premiere Thursday, Nov. 12, 6–9 p.m., listed at $75 (the page does not say who the price applies to); public nights Nov. 19–29 and Dec. 3–6, 5:30–9:30 p.m.; regular-night prices not published. Source: botgarden.uga.edu (read Oct. 30, 2026). No change.
  • Wild Rumpus (Athens): Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, parade at 8:00 p.m. sharp on West Hancock Avenue beside Creature Comforts, ending on West Washington Street with a street party until 11 p.m.; the page lists no admission price (a wristband is required in the Festival Zone, price not stated). Source: wildrumpus.org (read Oct. 30, 2026). No change.
  • Fantasy In Lights (Callaway Resort, Pine Mountain): the resort’s page (read Oct. 30, 2026) gives no 2026 opening date, closing date or ticket prices, so our Nov. 13 start and price range are not re-confirmed today.
  • Duplicate listing removed: Rock City’s Enchanted Garden of Lights was on the calendar twice; it is now one entry (calendar 280 events).

October 28, 2026

  • Elberton 12 County Fair: “October 22 – November 1, 2026”; general admission $5 per person per day (children under 36″ tall free with a paying adult); onsite parking $5. Source: elbertonfair.com tickets page (read Oct. 28, 2026). No change: our calendar’s $0–$5 matches, and this closes the “not re-confirmed” note from Oct. 26.
  • Enchanted Garden of Lights (Rock City, Lookout Mountain): “Nightly from November 13, 2026 – December 31, 2026,” closed December 24, 10:00 a.m.–10:30 p.m.; adults $31–$49, children 3–12 $21–$39, price varies by date and entry time, tickets online only. Source: seerockcity.com (read Oct. 28, 2026). New on our calendar.
  • Tybee Seafood Fest: restaurant celebration Nov. 8–15, Oyster Roast & Lowcountry Boil Nov. 13 at Hotel Tybee, Seafood Festival Nov. 14, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. at the Tybee Island Pier & Pavilion; the site states no ticket prices. Source: tybeeseafoodfest.com (read Oct. 28, 2026). No change.
  • Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival ticket (price changed): the park’s own booking page (read in Chrome Oct. 28, 2026) shows “From $31.99 – 49.99”; for Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026 it lists Adults $31.99 (12+), Children $31.99 (3–11), Adult VIP $49.99 and Child VIP $46.99. Earlier we showed $39.99 adult and $36.99 child. Prices vary by date and only Oct. 30–31 were on sale; we confirmed Oct. 31 only. Our pages now say “from $31.99, varies by date.” Not re-checked: the Stone Mountain Christmas ticket, which carried the same earlier pair. Source: stonemountainpark.com (FareHarbor booking page). Updated, not a correction.
  • Cherokee Heritage Day at New Echota: ran Oct. 24, 2026 as listed; removed from the upcoming calendar now that it has ended.

October 26, 2026

  • Helen Oktoberfest: “The 2026 Helen Oktoberfest runs from September 10 through November 1”; adults $10 Monday–Thursday and $15 Friday and Saturday, Friday/Saturday pass $25, children 6–12 $5 or $7, under 6 free, Sunday free. Source: helenchamber.com (read Oct. 26, 2026). No change.
  • Native American Festival & Pow Wow (Stone Mountain Park): “October 29 – November 1, 2026”; Thursday and Friday 9 a.m.–3 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; festival-only tickets “$15.99+ tax per person.” Source: stonemountainpark.com (read Oct. 26, 2026). No change.
  • Columbia County Fall Fair: Nov. 5–15, 2026; gate admission $10 per day, children 6 and under free, advance online tickets $7 through Nov. 4. Source: columbiacountyfair.net (read Oct. 26, 2026). No change.
  • Elberton 12 County Fair: “The 2026 fair will be held October 22 – November 1.” The page links to a tickets and hours page that we did not re-read; the gate price on our calendar is not re-confirmed today. Source: elbertonfair.com (read Oct. 26, 2026).
  • Savannah Porchfest: Nov. 7, 2026 in Baldwin Park; free; the main page lists no start or end time. Source: savannahporchfest.com (read Oct. 26, 2026). No change.
  • Big Pig Jig (Vienna): “November 6 & 7, 2026”; the dates page lists no admission price. Source: bigpigjig.com (read Oct. 26, 2026). No change.
  • Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival: “Sept 19 – Nov 1, 2026”; the page lists no ticket price and says the day and night activities are included with a Daily Attraction Ticket or Mountain Membership. The $36.99–$39.99 range on our calendar comes from the park’s ticket booking pages and was not re-read today. Source: stonemountainpark.com (read Oct. 26, 2026).
  • Jekyll Island Shrimp & Grits Festival: ran Oct. 23–24, 2026 as listed; removed from the upcoming calendar now that it has ended.

October 23, 2026

  • Mountain Moonshine Festival (Dawsonville): the organizer’s page reads “59th Annual Mountain Moonshine Festival October 23-25, 2026 RAIN OR SHINE!” Hours, admission and parking are not listed on that page. Source: kareforkids.org (read Oct. 23, 2026). No change.
  • Jekyll Island Shrimp & Grits Festival: Friday, Oct. 23, 4–9 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m.–9 p.m.; “Admission for the Jekyll Island Shrimp & Grits Festival is free.” Source: jekyllisland.com (read Oct. 23, 2026). No change.
  • Native American Festival & Pow Wow (Stone Mountain Park): Oct. 29–Nov. 1, 2026; festival-only tickets “$15.99+ tax per person” at the park. Source: stonemountainpark.com (read Oct. 23, 2026). No change.
  • Big Pig Jig (Vienna): the festival’s dates page lists November 6 & 7, 2026; it gives no hours or prices. Source: bigpigjig.com (read Oct. 23, 2026). No change.
  • Wildlife Arts Festival (Thomasville): Nov. 20–22, 2026; the Fine Art Show & Artisan Market is listed as “Free entry,” Saturday 10–4 and Sunday 12–4. Source: thomasvillearts.org (read Oct. 23, 2026). No change.
  • Garden Lights, Holiday Nights (Atlanta Botanical Garden): the calendar now shows $19.95–$199, taken from the Garden’s own 2026 price chart (Night Light adults $19.95 up to Premium+ adults $199). Source: atlantabg.org (read Oct. 22, 2026). Updated.
  • 2027 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl: added to the calendar for Friday, Jan. 1, 2027, a College Football Playoff quarterfinal; the Peach Bowl’s own announcement says its quarterfinal is on New Year’s Day. Source: chick-fil-apeachbowl.com (read Oct. 23, 2026). Added.
  • Victorian Christmas (Thomasville): added to the calendar for Dec. 10–11, 2026, 6–9 p.m. each night in downtown Thomasville; the page does not say whether it is free. Source: thomasville.org (read Oct. 23, 2026). Added.

October 21, 2026

  • Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival and Stone Mountain Christmas: the park’s ticket page lists the Pumpkin Festival & Attractions Ticket (Sept. 19–Nov. 1, 2026, select dates) at “$36.99 child, $39.99 adult” and Stone Mountain Christmas (Nov. 7, 2026–Jan. 3, 2027, weekends and school holidays) at the same prices. Parking is not priced on that page. Source: stonemountainpark.com (read Oct. 21, 2026). No change.
  • Garden Lights, Holiday Nights (Atlanta Botanical Garden): “shines nightly Nov. 14, 2026 – Jan. 10, 2027”; Night Light tickets (after 9:30 p.m.) “start at just $19.95 for adults”; the main price chart is an image, so other prices stay unlisted. Source: atlantabg.org (read Oct. 21, 2026). No change.
  • Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon, 5K, Mile & Dash (Atlanta): the race page lists the half marathon at $135 now, $140 through Nov. 16 and $150 at race-number pickup, and the 5K at $50 through Nov. 20 and $55 at pickup. Our calendar’s top figure for the half is now $150. Source: atlantatrackclub.org (read Oct. 21, 2026).
  • Added to the event calendar from organizers’ own pages: Holly Jolly Jekyll (Nov. 27, 2026–Jan. 3, 2027, jekyllisland.com), Rock City’s Enchanted Garden of Lights (Nov. 13–Dec. 31, 2026, seerockcity.com; ticket price not listed), Madison Holiday Tour of Homes (Dec. 4–5, 2026, visitmadisonga.com; no price listed) and the Season of Celebration tree lighting in Alpharetta (Nov. 21, 2026, 5–8 p.m., awesomealpharetta.com).

October 19, 2026

  • Helen Oktoberfest: Sept. 10–Nov. 1, 2026. Admission “$10.00 per person” Monday–Thursday, “$15.00 per person” Friday and Saturday (a Friday/Saturday pass is $25.00), “Free Admission” Sunday; kids 6–12 pay about half and under 6 are free; the page notes prices are “Subject to change.” Source: helenchamber.com (read Oct. 19, 2026). Parking is not stated on that page. No change.
  • Native American Festival & Pow Wow (Stone Mountain Park): Oct. 29–Nov. 1, 2026; festival-only tickets “$15.99+ tax per person.” Source: stonemountainpark.com (read Oct. 19, 2026). No change.
  • Georgia Apple Festival (Ellijay): Oct. 10–11 and 17–18, 2026; “$10 per person and children 12 and under are free.” Source: georgiaapplefestival.org (read Oct. 19, 2026). No change. Both weekends have now passed.
  • Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival: Sept. 19–Nov. 1, 2026, Friday–Sunday; the park’s page prints no dollar price (“included with an Attractions Ticket”), so the ticket figure on our guide was not re-read today. Source: stonemountainpark.com (read Oct. 19, 2026).
  • Past dates rewritten as history: the fall festivals roundup (weekend counts) and the Blairsville and Hiawassee guide (Sorghum in the Mountains weekends of Oct. 10 and 17) no longer present those weekends as upcoming. The events calendar dropped Dahlonega Gold Rush Days (Oct. 17–18) now that it has ended.

October 16, 2026

  • Elberton 12 County Fair: the fair’s own site says “The 2026 fair will be held October 22 – November 1.” Source: elbertonfair.com (read Oct. 16, 2026). This settles the date question open since Oct. 14; the home page lists no admission price, so the price on our calendar stays as the fair’s tickets page shows it. No change to the dates.
  • Columbia County Fall Fair (Grovetown): Nov. 5–15, 2026; gate admission “$10.00 every day – 6 And Under Free Admission”; the “GATE $7.00” figure sits on the advance online sales line. Source: columbiacountyfair.net (read Oct. 16, 2026). No change.
  • Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair (Statesboro): Oct. 19–24, 2026; “$12 Advanced Online / $15 at the Gate”; children 5 and under free. Source: kiwanisogeecheefair.com. No change.
  • Georgia-Carolina State Fair (Augusta): Oct. 16–25, 2026; “$5 ADMISSION SPECIAL” on Oct. 16, Oct. 19 and Oct. 25; kids 12 and under free every day. The page prints no regular adult gate price, so our calendar keeps it as “See event site”. Source: georgiacarolinastatefair.com.
  • Georgia Peanut Festival (Sylvester): Oct. 16–17, 2026, “Admission is free!” Source: gapeanutfestival.org. No change.
  • Dahlonega Gold Rush Days: “October 17 & 18, 2026.” Source: goldrushdaysfestival.com. No change.
  • Stone Mountain Highland Games: the games run Oct. 16–18, 2026; Friday events are at the Hilton Northeast Atlanta, Saturday and Sunday at Stone Mountain Park. Stone Mountain Park’s own listing shows Oct. 17–18 at the park. Source: smhg.org. No change.
  • Savannah Porchfest: Nov. 7, 2026, Baldwin Park, “a free, one-day event.” Source: savannahporchfest.com. Changed: our event calendar now says free (it said “See event site”).
  • Christmas Made in the South (Savannah): Nov. 13, 14 & 15, 2026, Savannah Convention Center; adults $10.00 at the door, children 12 and under free. Source: madeinthesouthshows.com. Changed: our event calendar now shows $0–$10.
  • Winter WonderLights Season Premiere (State Botanical Garden of Georgia): Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, 6:00–9:00 p.m., $75. Public nights run Nov. 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 27, 29 and Dec. 3, 4, 5, 6; the page prints no price for them. Source: botgarden.uga.edu. Changed: the premiere price is now on our event calendar.
  • Savannah Southern Half: Nov. 14, 2026, starting from Forsyth Park. Source: southernhalf.com. No change.
  • UGA home football: Auburn Oct. 17, 3:30 p.m.; Missouri (Nov. 14) and Georgia Tech (Nov. 28) are still “TBA”. Source: georgiadogs.com football schedule. No change.
  • 30-year mortgage rate (cost-of-living guide): “The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 7.40% as of , unchanged from last week.” Source: Freddie Mac (freddiemac.com/pmms). Changed: the source date on our Atlanta cost of living guide moved from Oct. 8 to Oct. 15; the rate and the monthly figures stay the same.
  • Event calendar: the calendar now lists 70 events (it listed 57); the added rows come from our Athens and Savannah November guides, a Big Pig Jig duplicate was merged into one listing, and the downloadable CSV was updated to match.

October 10, 2026

  • Fall Arts in the Park (Blue Ridge): the organizer’s own page says the festival is cancelled for Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, and goes ahead on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. Source: brmaa.org/event-item/arts-in-the-park/ (read Oct. 10, 2026, 8:00 a.m. Eastern). Changed: our fall festivals guide and events calendar now show Oct. 11 only for Fall Arts in the Park, and the weather update says so.

October 9, 2026

  • Chalktoberfest: the Oct. 10–11, 2026 festival in Marietta is cancelled for inclement weather. Source: chalktoberfest.com (the Marietta Cobb Museum of Art’s announcement). Changed: marked cancelled on our fall festivals list, event calendar and this weekend list, and in the calendar dataset (status EventCancelled).
  • Lilburn Daze: the Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026 festival is cancelled. Source: lilburndaze.org. Changed: the same pages and dataset as Chalktoberfest.
  • Georgia Apple Festival: Oct. 10–11 and 17–18, 2026; the festival says it is going ahead rain or shine and will post updates if conditions change. Source: georgiaapplefestival.org. No change.
  • UGA home football, Athens: Auburn on Oct. 17 kicks off at 3:30 p.m.; Missouri (Nov. 14) and Georgia Tech (Nov. 28) are still TBA; Georgia–Florida is Oct. 31 in Atlanta at 3:30 p.m. Source: UGA Athletics’ 2026 schedule. Changed: the kickoff table and FAQ in our Athens guide.
  • 30-year mortgage rate: 7.40% for the week of Oct. 8, 2026 (7.28% the week before). Source: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. Changed: our Atlanta cost of living guide now uses 7.40%: principal and interest on the median-priced home about $2,368 a month (was $2,340) and the full ownership line about $2,943 (was $2,915); the family-of-four subtotal still rounds to about $4,400.
  • College Football Hall of Fame: adults $38; children 7–12 $27; 6 and under free; seniors 65+ and students $33. Source: the Hall’s ticket page. Changed: our things to do in Atlanta table said the $27 child price covered ages 3–12.
  • Georgia Aquarium: dated tickets from $54.99; Anytime ticket $69.99. Source: the aquarium’s tickets page. No change.
  • Georgia Forestry Commission Leaf Watch: no new report since October 7, 2026. No change.
  • Atlanta Pride Festival: Oct. 10–11, 2026, Piedmont Park; free. Source: Atlanta Pride’s FAQ. No change.
  • Sorghum in the Mountains, Prater’s Mill Country Fair, Mule Camp Market, Tybee Island Pirate Festival: organizers still list Oct. 10–11 and 17–18 (Blairsville), Oct. 10–11 (near Dalton), Oct. 9–11 (Gainesville) and Oct. 8–11 (Tybee Island). Sources: each organizer’s site. No change.
  • Georgia Peanut Festival, Andersonville Encampment, Sandy Springs OktoberFEAST, Mountain Moonshine Festival: Oct. 16–17 (Sylvester, free), Oct. 17–18 (10 a.m.–5 p.m.), Oct. 17–18 (3–7 p.m., free) and Oct. 23–25 (Dawsonville). Sources: each organizer’s site. No change.
  • Georgia Mountain Fall Festival: the Oct. 8 preview night has passed. Changed: wording on our Blairsville and Hiawassee guide.
  • Atlanta Pride Festival: all Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026 programming at Piedmont Park is cancelled for severe weather; the Sunday, Oct. 11 festival and parade are expected to proceed, weather permitting. Source: atlantapride.org news post of October 9, 2026 (“The cancellation applies to Saturday, October 10, ONLY”). Changed: our fall festivals list now shows Oct. 11 only for Atlanta Pride and says so in the weather update.

October 8, 2026

  • Georgia National Fair: Oct. 8–18, 2026. The advance online sale ended Oct. 7; during the fair adults (11 and up) pay $15 by card or $20 cash at the gate, or $16 online with fees included; children 3–10 $5; seniors 60+ $10 at the gate. The $41 Mega Pass is no longer sold; ride armbands are sold on site for $30 or $35 plus a $2 fee on set days. Source: the fair’s ticket, pricing and armband pages. Changed: our Georgia National Fair guide, fall festivals list and Macon guide no longer describe the advance prices as current.
  • Cumming Country Fair & Festival: Oct. 8–18, 2026; $10 at the gate, 10 and under free (the $7 advance price ended Oct. 7). Source: the City of Cumming’s ticket page. Changed: the advance price is gone from our fall festivals list.
  • Georgia Forestry Commission Leaf Watch: the October 7 report puts leaf change at 6% above 3,000 feet and 3% below in north-central Georgia, and 3% above and 5% below in northeast Georgia; northeast peak expected around the end of October to the first of November. Source: the Commission’s October 7, 2026 report. Changed: our fall color timing page, North Georgia foliage guide and Fall in Georgia.
  • Chattahoochee Nature Center Halloween Hikes: Oct. 23–25, 2026; public ticket sales opened Oct. 8; $25 advance, $30 day-of. Source: the Center’s event page. Changed: wording on our Halloween for kids guide and Fall in Georgia.
  • Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon, 5K, Mile & Dash: Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026, 7:45 a.m., Center Parc Stadium, Atlanta; half marathon $135 and 5K $50 through Nov. 20. Source: Atlanta Track Club. Changed: added to our event calendar.
  • Helen’s Annual Lighting of the Village: Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, 5–7 p.m., Riverside Park. Source: Alpine Helen/White County CVB. Changed: our event calendar now lists it once, with the venue and the bureau’s event page.
  • SEC Championship Game: Dec. 5, 2026, Mercedes-Benz Stadium; gates and start time TBA on the stadium’s page. Source: Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Changed: added to our event calendar.
  • Tybee Island Pirate Festival: Oct. 8–11, 2026. Source: the festival’s site. No change.
  • Georgia Mountain Fall Festival: Oct. 9–11 and 15–17, 2026, Hiawassee; $10, 12 and under free. Source: Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds. No change.
  • Gold Rush Days: Oct. 17–18, 2026, Dahlonega. Source: the festival’s site. No change.
  • Stone Mountain Highland Games: Oct. 16–18, 2026 (Friday at the host hotel, games Saturday and Sunday in Stone Mountain Park). Source: smhg.org. No change.

October 5, 2026

  • Stone Mountain Park parking: $25 for a daily vehicle pass, $40 for an annual pass. Source: Stone Mountain Park’s parking page. Changed: five of our pages still said $20 a day; see the corrections page.
  • UGA home football: the Oct. 3 Vanderbilt game has been played; remaining home games Oct. 17 (Auburn), Nov. 14 (Missouri) and Nov. 28 (Georgia Tech), kickoffs TBA; Georgia–Florida Oct. 31 in Atlanta, 3:30 p.m. Source: UGA Athletics schedule. Changed: our Athens guide now lists three home games left.
  • Georgia Apple Festival: Oct. 10–11 and 17–18, 2026, at the Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds; $10, 12 and under free. Source: the festival’s FAQ. Changed: the second weekend now shows the fairgrounds as its venue in our event calendar.
  • Cotton Pickin’ Fair: the fall 2026 edition ran Oct. 3–4; 2027 dates are not posted yet. Source: the fair’s own site. Changed: our Cotton Pickin’ Fair guide now describes the fall fair as past.
  • Georgia National Fair: Oct. 8–18, 2026; online advance prices through Oct. 7 are $15 adults (11 and up), $5 children 3–10, $27 two-day pass, $97 season pass, $41 Mega Pass. Source: the fair’s ticket page. No change.
  • Capturing the Spirit of Oakland: Oct. 15–18 and 22–25, 2026; $45 adults 13+, $30 children 3–12. Source: Oakland Cemetery. No change.
  • Helen Oktoberfest: nightly Oct. 1–Nov. 1, 2026; $10 Monday–Thursday, $15 Friday or Saturday, $25 Friday/Saturday pass, Sundays free, under 6 free. Source: Helen Chamber of Commerce. No change.
  • Jekyll Island Shrimp & Grits Festival: Oct. 23–24, 2026, Historic District. Source: Jekyll Island Authority. No change.
  • Georgia Forestry Commission Leaf Watch: the October 1 report is still the only 2026 report posted. Source: the Commission’s Leaf Watch page. No change.
  • Past dates: the Cotton Pickin’ Fair, Candler Park Fall Fest, North Georgia State Fair and Maysville Autumn Leaf Festival weekend (Oct. 2–5), the St. Marys Seafood Festival (Oct. 3) and Augusta’s Sept. 26 Harvest Moon cruise and hike are now described as past on our fall festivals list, Cumberland Island guide and Augusta guide.

October 2, 2026

  • Athens parking, dogs and museum days: Visit Athens’s press office reviewed our Athens page by email. It confirmed that the first-hour-free parking rate applies to the College Avenue and Washington Street decks ($2 an hour after that), told us leashed dogs are welcome on UGA’s campus though they may not be permitted inside campus buildings, and pointed out that some museums and attractions are open on Sundays, including the Georgia Museum of Art and the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. Changed: our Athens page now names the two decks, adds the campus dog rule and no longer says museums are “Tuesday through Saturday”; the campus dog rule is also in our Athens guide and weekend getaways from Atlanta.
  • Georgia Forestry Commission Leaf Watch: the first 2026 report (Oct. 1) puts leaf change at 2% above 3,000 feet and 1% below in north-central Georgia, 1% in northeast Georgia, canopy still mostly green; peak usually late October to early November, no dated forecast. Source: the Commission’s Leaf Watch report for October 1, 2026. Changed: our North Georgia foliage guide, fall in Georgia and the foliage timing data page now cite the first report instead of saying Leaf Watch had not begun.
  • Garden Lights, Holiday Nights: Nov. 14, 2026–Jan. 10, 2027; tickets on sale to everyone now; member premiere Nov. 12; nightly until midnight, last entry 11 p.m. Source: Atlanta Botanical Garden. Changed: our Garden Lights guide and fall festivals list no longer describe the Oct. 1 public sale as upcoming.
  • Chattahoochee Nature Center Halloween Hikes: member presale opened Oct. 1, public sales open Oct. 8; $25 advance, $20 member presale, $30 day-of. Source: the Center’s event page. Changed: wording on our Halloween events for kids and fall in Georgia pages.
  • 30-year mortgage rate: 7.28% for the week of Oct. 1, 2026 (it was 6.76% the week of Sept. 10, the figure we used). Source: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. Changed: our Atlanta cost of living guide now uses 7.28%: principal and interest on the median-priced home about $2,340 a month (was $2,221), the full ownership line about $2,915 (was $2,796), and the family-of-four subtotal about $4,400 (was $4,280).
  • Cotton Pickin’ Fair: Oct. 3–4, 2026; $15 general, $10 seniors 65+ and military, 10 and under free, $10 after 3 p.m.; free parking. Source: the fair’s own site. No change.
  • Candler Park Fall Fest: Oct. 3–4, 11 a.m.–7 p.m., free. Source: the festival’s own site. No change.
  • Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival: Fridays–Sundays, Sept. 19–Nov. 1, 2026; attractions from 2 p.m. Source: Stone Mountain Park. No change.
  • Tybee Island Pirate Festival: Oct. 8–11, 2026. Source: the festival’s own site. No change.
  • Cumming Country Fair & Festival: Oct. 8–18, 2026. Source: the fair’s ticket page. No change.
  • Georgia Mountain Fall Festival: Oct. 9–11 and 15–17, 2026; $10, 12 and under free, free parking. Source: Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds. No change.
  • Mule Camp Market: Oct. 9–11, 2026. Source: Gainesville Jaycees. No change.
  • Prater’s Mill Country Fair: Oct. 10–11, 2026. Source: the Prater’s Mill Foundation. No change.
  • Chalktoberfest: Oct. 10–11, 2026, Marietta Square, free. Source: Marietta Cobb Museum of Art. No change.

October 1, 2026

  • Atlanta Dogwood Festival 2027 admission: the festival’s press office (Launch Atlanta) told us by email that general admission will be free in 2027, with a requested donation. In recent years the festival charged $5 to $15 for ages 13 and up. The festival’s ticket page still showed those older prices when we checked the same day. Changed: our Dogwood Festival guide, the event calendar and its CSV, and our Georgia travel questions page now say admission is free, with a donation requested. The Family Day-Out Cost Index and the Day-Out Cost Calculator count a place as free only when the operator’s own page says so, so they will change once the festival updates its site.

September 30, 2026

  • Georgia Aquarium September offer: “Buy one general admission, get one kid (ages 3–12) free” is listed for all of September, online only. Source: Georgia Aquarium. Changed: our Atlanta guide now says the offer ran through Sept. 30.
  • National Center for Civil and Human Rights kids-free offer: the September offer (12 and under free with an adult) is no longer promoted on the Center’s home page. Source: the Center’s own site. Changed: our Atlanta guide now says it ran through Sept. 30.
  • T.R.R. Cobb House, Athens: tours by appointment, Tue–Fri 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; no tours Sept. 14–30, 2026, and no pause listed after that. Source: the Cobb House’s own visit page. Changed: our Athens guide now describes the pause as Sept. 14–30 only.
  • UGA home football, Athens: remaining home games Oct. 3 (Vanderbilt, 12:45 p.m.), Oct. 17 (Auburn), Nov. 14 (Missouri) and Nov. 28 (Georgia Tech), those three kickoffs still TBA; Georgia vs. Florida is Oct. 31 at 3:30 p.m. in Atlanta. Source: UGA Athletics’ 2026 schedule. Changed: our Athens guide no longer lists the past Sept. 26 game and gives the Oct. 3 kickoff.
  • Callaway Gardens Blue Morpho and Butterfly Festival: Sept. 1–30, 2026. Changed: our Pine Mountain and Warm Springs guide now says it ran through Sept. 30, and drops the past Sept. 25–27 Pumpkins at Callaway price.
  • Fox Theatre tours, Atlanta: the Haunted History Tour dates (Sept. 21–28) have passed; Ghost Tours are listed from Oct. 4. Changed: our Atlanta guide leads with the Ghost Tours.
  • Georgia State Parks Leaf Watch: the Leaf Watch 2026 page is live. Source: Georgia State Parks. No change to our fall foliage page yet.
  • Georgia National Fair: Oct. 8–18, 2026. Source: the fair’s own site. No change.
  • Stone Mountain Highland Games: Oct. 16–18, 2026 (Friday events at the host hotel, Saturday and Sunday in Stone Mountain Park). Source: the Games’ own site. No change.
  • Helen Oktoberfest: Sept. 10–Nov. 1, 2026, nightly from Oct. 1. Source: Helen Chamber of Commerce. No change.

September 28, 2026

  • Georgia Apple Festival admission: the festival’s FAQ says admission is $10 per person and children 12 and under are free; dates Oct. 10–11 and 17–18, 2026. Source: the Georgia Apple Festival’s own FAQ page. Changed: our Apple Festival guide, Fall in Georgia month-by-month guide, fall festivals guide and events calendar said the price was not published; our two Ellijay pages said “under 12” instead of “12 and under.” All now match the festival (see Corrections).
  • Georgia National Fair: Oct. 8–18, 2026; adults $20 cash at the gate, children 3–10 $5, 2 and under free. Source: the fair’s own pricing page. No change.
  • Stone Mountain Highland Games: Oct. 16–18, 2026; Saturday and Sunday adult gate $25, $22.50 in advance, children 12 and under free. Source: the Games’ ticketing page. No change.
  • Helen Oktoberfest: Sept. 10–Nov. 1, 2026, nightly from Oct. 1; adults $10 Monday–Thursday, $15 Friday or Saturday, $25 Friday+Saturday pass, free Sundays, under 6 free. Source: Helen Chamber of Commerce. No change.
  • Dahlonega Gold Rush Days: Oct. 17–18, 2026. Source: the festival’s official site. No change.
  • Anna Ruby Falls admission: $6 for ages 16 and up, 15 and under free. Source: FIND Outdoors, which runs the site for the U.S. Forest Service. No change. The Sept. 26 National Public Lands Day fee-free day has passed, so our Helen and Blairsville–Hiawassee guides no longer mention it.
  • Cumberland Island: NPS entrance pass $15; the ferry’s fall schedule (Oct. 1–Nov. 30) returns from the island at 10:15 a.m. and 4:45 p.m.; the remaining 2026–27 managed hunts are Nov. 3–5, Dec. 1–3, Dec. 19–20, Jan. 5–7 and Jan. 26–28. Sources: the National Park Service and Cumberland Island Ferry. Changed: our Cumberland Island guide’s “next hunt” note and a line about last week’s hunt were updated.
  • Tallulah Gorge water releases: remaining 2026 aesthetic releases Oct. 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23 and 31, then Nov. 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21 and 22; whitewater weekends Nov. 7–8, 14–15 and 21–22. Source: Georgia State Parks. Changed: our Tallulah Gorge and stroller-friendly waterfalls guides no longer list the past Sept. 26–27 dates.
  • State Botanical Garden of Georgia: open daily 7 a.m.–7 p.m. except UGA holidays, free admission; the Sept. 21–23 construction closure is over. Source: the garden’s own site. Changed: our Athens guide now describes the closure as past.
  • Savannah St. Patrick’s Day 2027: the city still lists only the March 17, 2026 parade; no 2027 date announced. Source: City of Savannah. No change.

September 25, 2026

  • Jimmy Carter National Historical Park hours: the National Park Service now publishes a specific schedule for the park — the Plains High School visitor center and museum, Carter Gardens, the Boyhood Farm and Plains Depot are all open daily 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Source: the National Park Service. Changed: our Andersonville, Plains and Providence Canyon guide previously said Plains building hours “change seasonally — check before you go”; it now gives the published schedule.
  • Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area parking fee: $5 per vehicle per day, $40 a year, cashless (America the Beautiful passes accepted). Source: the National Park Service. No change.
  • Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area pets: leashed on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, including in the water; owners must clean up after their dogs, and dogs may not be left unattended. Source: the National Park Service. No change.
  • New Georgia resident driver’s license deadline: 30 days to apply for a Georgia driver’s license after becoming a Georgia resident. Source: the Georgia Department of Driver Services. No change.
  • New Georgia resident vehicle registration deadline: vehicles must be registered with the state within 30 days of the date you moved to Georgia. Source: the Georgia Department of Revenue. No change.
  • Event calendar: re-harvested from all event guides and organizer pages; the confirmed list is unchanged at 43 events, 13 free, 15 with no admission price published. No newly announced dates found for the festivals this task tracks.

September 23, 2026

  • State Botanical Garden of Georgia: closed for construction September 21–23, 2026, reopening Thursday, September 24. The grounds are otherwise open daily 7 a.m.–7 p.m. except UGA holidays. Source: the garden’s own site. Changed: our Athens guide now gives the reopening date instead of describing the closure as current.
  • Cool River Tubing, Helen: the daily season ended September 21, 2026; tubing now runs Friday to Monday “until it’s too cold,” with no closing date published. Prices are unchanged at $14 Monday–Friday and $16 weekends and holidays. The operator also warns that low water means walking on the long ride. Source: Cool River Tubing. Changed: our Helen guide no longer describes the daily season as still running.
  • Georgia Aquarium: 9 a.m.–6 p.m. on September 23, 2026. The aquarium says hours vary daily and that it is open 365 days a year. Source: Georgia Aquarium. Changed: our Atlanta guide now carries the current date and notes that hours vary.
  • Georgia State Parks pet rules: pets are welcome if leashed on a leash no longer than six feet, and are not allowed in park buildings, lodges, yurts, group camps, swimming areas, beaches or some trails. Source: Georgia State Parks. No change.
  • Cumberland Island pets: the ferry does not carry pets, so dogs must come by private boat; pets may visit for the day only, are not allowed in campgrounds, and are barred from the wilderness area covering most of the north half of the island. Source: the National Park Service. No change.
  • Golden Isles beaches: animals are prohibited on the St. Simons beach from Memorial Day through Labor Day between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Jekyll Island requires a leash no longer than 16 feet. Source: the Golden Isles beach FAQ. No change.
  • Blue Ridge Scenic Railway: still publishes no fares. Its FAQ says pricing varies by ride and coach and sends visitors to the booking step. Source: Blue Ridge Scenic Railway. No change to our “not published” note.
  • Cotton Pickin’ Fair, Gay: October 3–4, 2026, gates 9 a.m.–5 p.m. No admission price is published. Source: the fair’s own site. No change.
  • Dahlonega Gold Rush Days: October 17–18, 2026. No admission price is published. Source: the festival’s own site. No change.
  • Savannah St. Patrick’s Day parade: the city still lists only the March 17, 2026 parade. No 2027 date has been announced. Source: the City of Savannah. No change.

September 21, 2026

  • Georgia State Parks ParkPass: $10 per vehicle per day, $70 a year (50% off for seniors 62+, 25% off for active military and veterans). Source: Georgia State Parks. No change.
  • Jekyll Island parking fee: $10 a day ($15 over 8 feet), $100 a year, plus $5 on special-event days such as the Shrimp & Grits Festival. Source: Jekyll Island Authority. No change.
  • Tybee Island parking: $4 an hour, or a $25 day pass, enforced 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. year-round. Source: City of Tybee Island. No change.
  • Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: $5 a day, $40 annual pass. Source: National Park Service. No change.
  • Dahlonega Gold Museum: $10 adults, $7.50 seniors, $7 ages 6–17, $3.50 children; Monday–Saturday 9 a.m.–4:45 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.–4:45 p.m. Source: Georgia State Parks. No change.
  • Savannah St. Patrick’s Day 2027: the city’s parade page still lists only the 2026 parade. The 2027 date is not announced yet. Source: City of Savannah.
  • Southern Belle Farm hours: the farm’s fall page now lists the market and pumpkin patch as open Wednesday–Friday 9–5, Saturday 10–7 and Sunday 1–7, with public activities on weekends only. It also still shows an older “Fall 2025” block. Updated on our pumpkin patch guide.
  • Maysville Autumn Leaf Festival: the city’s festival page lists no dates in its text, so the vendor application’s “October 2nd–5th” (October 5 is a Monday) is still unconfirmed. Our fall festivals guide still says so.
  • New data page: Georgia weather by month, read unchanged from NOAA’s 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals for 13 stations.
  • Event calendar: 26 festivals added from our fall festivals guide (dates and prices checked on organizers’ pages September 19, 2026). The calendar now lists 43 events.
  • Seven new guides, every figure checked today on official pages: Atlanta, Helen, Dahlonega, Jekyll Island, Cumberland Island, the Okefenokee Swamp and Pine Mountain and Warm Springs.
  • Name change applied: Stephen C. Foster State Park became Okefenokee State Park on September 1, 2026 (per gastateparks.org). Updated on eight guides and data pages.
  • Four more guides, every figure checked today on official pages, with anything we couldn’t confirm disclosed on the page: Blairsville and Hiawassee, Tybee Island, Augusta and Columbus.
  • Fantasy In Lights prices: our Pine Mountain guide now marks the $15.99–$39.99 per-person prices as not confirmed by a second check.

September 19, 2026

September 18, 2026

  • Free all-terrain wheelchairs at Georgia State Parks: 17 locations (14 state parks and 3 historic sites) on the Georgia State Parks TrackChairs page. Matches our guide. No change. Some news coverage still gives older counts from earlier phases of the program.
  • Georgia State Parks pet rule: pets on a leash no longer than six feet, and not allowed in buildings, lodges, yurts, group camps, swimming areas or beaches (Georgia State Parks park rules). No change.
  • Tybee Island beach dog ban: no dogs or other pets on the beach or its structures; certified service animals excepted; $300 fine (City of Tybee Island). No change.
  • Golden Isles beach dog rules: Jekyll Island allows leashed dogs on a leash up to 16 feet; on St. Simons Island dogs are not allowed on the beach from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. between Memorial Day and Labor Day (Golden Isles beach FAQ). No change.
  • Cumberland Island pets: the ferry does not carry pets; leashed pets may visit for the day by private boat, but not in campgrounds or the wilderness area (National Park Service). No change.
  • Andersonville National Historic Site hours: grounds 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; National Prisoner of War Museum 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (National Park Service). No change.
  • Blue Ridge Scenic Railway: no pets except certified service animals, and strollers allowed if folded at boarding (railway FAQ). No change to those rules. We added the railway’s fall 2026 fares from its booking page to our Blue Ridge guide: coach seats cost $61.99 (13 and up) and $49.99 (ages 2–12) on the 2-hour ride, and $76.99 and $59.99 on the 4-hour ride. See the corrections page.
  • Fantasy In Lights at Callaway: November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027; adult tickets $15.99 to $39.99 depending on the date; children 3 and under free (Callaway Resort & Gardens). Added to the event calendar.
  • Savannah St. Patrick’s Day 2027: the date is still not announced (City of Savannah). No change.
  • Broken source links: the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway’s old web address and a Blue Ridge restaurant’s old address no longer work, so we replaced them with the current official sites. Coker Tree Farm’s current status is not confirmed, so in our Christmas tree farm guide we removed the details that only that site supported and kept its Georgia Christmas Tree Association listing. The Georgia School Grades site moved; see the corrections page.

September 17, 2026

Prices and fees rechecked, no changes

  • Georgia State Parks ParkPass: $10 a day, $70 a year (gastateparks.org ParkPass page).
  • Tybee Island parking: $4.00 an hour; $25 day pass; $175 for 7 days (City of Tybee Island). Matches our beach parking table.
  • Jekyll Island parking: $10 a day, $15 oversize, $100 a year (Jekyll Island Authority).
  • Cumberland Island National Seashore: $15 per person for a 7-day pass, $45 a year (National Park Service).
  • Dahlonega Gold Museum: $10 adult, $7.50 senior, $7 youth, $3.50 child (Georgia State Parks).

Event dates rechecked

  • Stone Mountain Christmas: November 7, 2026 to January 3, 2027, confirmed on Stone Mountain Park’s event page. Added to the event calendar. Admission is not published.
  • Stone Mountain Highland Games: the organizer (smhg.org) lists October 16–18, 2026. Stone Mountain Park lists October 17–18 because the Friday events are at the host hotel. We follow the organizer. No change.
  • Garden Lights, Holiday Nights: November 14, 2026 to January 10, 2027, confirmed. Public tickets go on sale October 1; prices are not yet published.
  • Savannah St. Patrick’s Day 2027: not yet announced.
  • Callaway Gardens Fantasy In Lights: could not be checked (not confirmed with the official site). Not added to the calendar until it can be.

Date sweep

Every date across all guides was scanned for events that have already happened. Every past date is written as history, so nothing was out of date.

Cite this page: It's Georgia, “Verification Log”, itsgeorgia.com/verification-log/ (updated ). Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page.