The Georgia Apple Festival
The Official Georgia Apple Festival is presented by the Ellijay Lions Club and the Gilmer County Chamber of Commerce. It is held in October each year in the City of Ellijay. There are over 300 vendors and exhibitions. The vendor booths range from candles, crafts, woodworks, food, and art to wildlife, blacksmith and glass blowing exhibits.
The festival is held the second and third weekends in October each year. It takes place at the Ellijay Lions Club fairgrounds on Old Highway 5 South. Admission is $5, kids under 10 are FREE. Parking donation is $2 (Goes to Boy Scouts). No pets are allowed.
The number of exhibitors is too great for a single day visit. Plan on staying the weekend. We recommend getting the full enjoyment of the visit by renting a North Georgia cabin. This will give you time to enjoy the food and the hundreds of exhibits without rushing and missing the hidden treasures.
Why do we celebrate apples? In the early 1900's cotton was a large part of the Georgia economy. In the '20s the evil weevil known as the boll weevil came through and messed that up. The apple orchards saved the day for Gilmer County Georgia. In the early '70s we started celebrating the Apple and what it did for the local economy during the hard times created by the loss of the cotton crops.
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Georgia Apple Festival