The Georgia Apple Festival has filled the Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds every October since 1971. It is a juried arts and crafts show at heart, with handmade goods, apple-everything food and a whole town turned over to the harvest for two weekends. The 2026 festival was billed as the 55th, which makes 2027 the 56th.
This guide pulls together what is known for 2027 and what has held true in recent years. We will update it when organizers publish the official details.
When is the 2027 Georgia Apple Festival?
Official 2027 dates have not been announced yet. The festival is held on the second and third full weekends of October, according to the New Georgia Encyclopedia, and the 2026 festival followed that pattern (October 10–11 and 17–18).
In 2026, storms canceled the first Saturday (Oct. 10); the festival reopened Sunday, Oct. 11.
If the pattern holds, the 2027 festival would fall on:
- Saturday and Sunday, October 9–10, 2027
- Saturday and Sunday, October 16–17, 2027
Treat those as expected dates, not confirmed ones. Check the official festival site or the Gilmer County Chamber before you book a room.
Hours and admission
These are the 2026 figures. They have been stable for several years, but 2027 prices may change.
| 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Saturday | 9 a.m.–6 p.m. |
| Sunday | 9 a.m.–5 p.m. |
| Admission | $10 per person |
| Children | 12 and under free |
| Parking | Separate fee at most lots, set by each lot |
Tickets
The official site sells tickets online and says tickets are always available at the gate, so there is no need to buy weeks ahead. Buying online can save time in the entry line on a busy Saturday. Parking is paid separately at each lot. The festival is held rain or shine, and it is outdoors.
The festival is a joint venture of the Ellijay Lions Club and the Gilmer County Chamber of Commerce, and the Chamber lists more than 250 vendors.
Where it is
The main festival is at the Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds, 1729 South Main Street, Ellijay, GA 30540. Ellijay is about 90 minutes north of Atlanta via I-575 and GA-515, depending on traffic, which on festival Saturdays can be heavy.
At the same time, a separate Apple Arts Festival runs downtown at the Downtown Ellijay Welcome Center, 10 Broad Street. It keeps the same days and hours, it is free and it is pet friendly, which makes it a good stop if you have your dog along.
Parking and shuttles
Parking near the fairgrounds is limited, and most lots are run by local schools, churches and community groups as fundraisers. Fees vary by lot and cash is preferred. Free shuttle buses (school buses) run from several lots to the fairgrounds.
Shuttle lots (2026):
- Downtown Ellijay, Hipp Street
- Gilmer County Head Start, 305 Calvin Jackson Drive
- Mountain View Elementary, 350 Calvin Jackson Drive
- Gilmer High School, 408 Bobcat Trail
- Larry Walker Education Center, 1860 South Main Street, with accessible parking and an accessible shuttle
Walking-distance lots (2026):
- Ellijay Lions Club, with accessible parking on a first-come basis
- Gilmer County Parks & Recreation, 2150 Old Highway 5
- Gilmer County Civic Center, 1561 South Main Street
- Parks & Recreation, 1361 South Main Street
- River Gate, Soccer Field Road, East Ellijay
Lot list and locations can change from year to year. Check the Chamber’s parking page before the festival.
Festival rules worth knowing
- No pets at the fairgrounds. Service animals are allowed, but animals are not allowed on the shuttle buses. In 2026 there was no kennel service.
- No alcohol and no weapons. The fairgrounds are smoke free.
- No wheelchair or scooter rentals. Bring your own. Accessible parking is first come, first served.
- Everything for sale is handmade. Vendors must make, craft or grow what they sell, and the artist has to be in the booth.
Tips for a better festival day
- Pick the right weekend. Both weekends share the same format. The second sits closer to peak fall color, which in recent years has arrived at the highest elevations in late October.
- Arrive at opening. Traffic on South Main Street builds through the morning. Arriving at 9 a.m. means easier parking and the best pick of baked goods.
- Bring cash. It is faster for parking and some vendors.
- Wear walking shoes and bring a bag. The fairgrounds are large and you will probably carry purchases back to the car.
- Plan the orchards for another time. Highway 52 East, where most of the apple houses are, gets crowded on festival Saturdays. Friday or a weekday visit is calmer.
- Book lodging early. Cabins and hotels in Ellijay and nearby Blue Ridge fill well ahead of October weekends. Our where to stay in Ellijay guide sorts them by area.
- Have a weather plan. The festival is outdoors, and a day can be canceled for storms, as the first Saturday was in 2026. Check the official site or the Chamber’s fall page the morning you go, and keep the other festival weekend or an orchard visit as a backup.
Common questions
When is the Ellijay apple festival? The second and third weekends of October. For 2027 that is expected to be Oct. 9–10 and 16–17, but the organizers had not confirmed it when we last checked.
Is there an apple festival in Blue Ridge? The big one people mean is in Ellijay, about 30 minutes south of Blue Ridge. If you are staying in Blue Ridge, it is an easy drive down GA-515. See our Blue Ridge town guide.
Can I pick apples at the festival? No. The festival is a craft show and food fair. U-pick is at the orchards outside town; see our apple picking calendar and orchard guide. For U-pick farms across the region, see apple picking in North Georgia.
Are there other fall festivals nearby? Yes. Our North Georgia festivals calendar lists them by month. In Helen, Oktoberfest runs nightly through October; see our Helen Oktoberfest guide. In Hiawassee, the Georgia Mountain Fall Festival runs on the same October weekends. For events in Ellijay the rest of the year, see our Ellijay events calendar.
Selling at the festival
Vendor applications have opened in January with a March 31 deadline. In 2026 the application fee was $25, and booths cost $300 for one weekend or $500 for both. All work must be handmade by the vendor. Contact the organizers at events@gilmerchamber.com for current details.
Make it a weekend
Two days is the right amount of time. Use one for the festival and one for the orchards, a waterfall or the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway. Our fall weekend itinerary lays out a plan, and the apple treats guide tells you what to eat when you get there.
This site is an independent visitor guide and is not affiliated with the Georgia Apple Festival, the Ellijay Lions Club or the Gilmer County Chamber of Commerce.
Sources and further reading
Facts in this article were checked against these sources on October 31, 2026. Hours, fees and seasons change, so confirm before you go.
