26 Oct Georgia’s Fall Festivals and Apple Picking
As the temperature cools down, apple and festival season heats up in Georgia. From the mountains to the beach to the cities, here are the state’s signature fall events that the entire family will love.
Taking place at the Helen Festhalle on Edelweiss Street, the annual Oktoberfest celebration continues through October 29. Visitors from near and far will love the German food, beer, music, and dancing. Dogs are welcome in the beer garden, so you can even bring your favorite four-legged friend along to enjoy the smells of bratwurst and maybe even a few scraps under the table. Oktoberfest is an all-ages event, so you can bring your family. However, IDs are checked at the door for anyone looking to partake in this delicious German beer.
Decatur Wine Festival, Decatur
The November 4th festival features nearly 500 wines at 70 tables for you to taste. Taste wines from around the globe and enjoy music at metro Atlanta’s largest outdoor wine festival. Proceeds benefit the Decatur Arts Alliance, which produces the Decatur Arts Festival and many other arts events, free to the community each year.
Savannah Food and Wine Festival
Fall in Georgia just wouldn’t be complete without this weeklong festival celebrating culinary artistry by showcasing some of the city’s best chefs and favorite restaurants. If you’ve been looking for an excuse to visit Savannah, this is the reason! With events ranging from the Grand Reserve and Silent Auction to the casual River Street Stroll and Taste of Savannah, the Savannah Food and Wine Festival is not something you’re not going to want to miss.
Rome International Film Festival, Rome
Rome, Georgia that is. RIFF, one of the outstanding film festivals of the Southeast, is known for its screenings of independent films. This year marks the 14th anniversary or the Festival and the 40th anniversary of the Georgia-filmed Smokey and The Bandit. Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner Burt Reynolds will be a special guest at the celebration screening of the 1977 film on Saturday, November 11. RIFF is held November 9-12.
Rock City’s Enchanted Garden of Lights, Lookout Mountain
See Rock City – all lit up! This award-winning light extravaganza features more than 30 holiday scenes and nearly a million LED lights that transform the gardens’ natural daytime splendor into a nighttime fantasyland. Visit with St. Nick and his elves! Enjoy gingerbread cookie decorating, hot cocoa, Sugar Plum Fairy makeovers and nightly entertainment in the North Pole Lodge. Enchanted Garden of Lights is November 17 – January 6.
Georgia may be known for its peaches, but when fall arrives, it’s apple picking time. Pack up your family and head to north Georgia (home to several apple orchards) for a fun day of apples, sweet treats, and cider.
Visit Red Apple Barn on the weekends to pick apples as long as the apples hold out. (There’s also a pumpkin patch.) It’s a fun place to bring the family out for a wagon ride out into the orchards to pick the apples that look most delicious to you. You-pick times are Saturday from 10:30 am – 5:00 pm and Sunday from 1:00 – 4:00 pm and costs $4-12 depending on how many apples you pick.
If you want to shop for apples, cider, and delicious baked goodies, stop by Panorama Orchards. This family farm was established in the 1920s and now has over 20 varieties to sell. Now is peak time for Granny Smith, Fuji and Pink Lady apples. Stop by any day of the week this fall from 9 am to 6 pm.
Mercier Orchard is a fourth generation, family-owned and operated orchard with apples, Bakery & Deli, and Market Store. If you’re looking for adult beverages, their delicious hard ciders and wines are available year round. They are currently the only apple orchard in Georgia that grows, presses, ferments, and bottles their own product.
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