SEPTEMBER FESTIVALS IN THE NORTH GEORGIA MOUNTAINS
Blairsville’s Mountain Heritage Festival is held every Labor Day weekend. Their theme is “Preserving Yesterday for Tomorrow.” This celebration of the rich Appalachian history and culture of our area features: live performances by talented musicians on autoharp, mandolin, guitar, and fiddle; high-quality arts & crafts; and traditional handmade soaps, candles, preserves, ham, beef jerky and locally produced honey. Heritage skills such as quilting, spinning, caning, whittling and basket weaving will be displayed along with many animals common around the South before the Civil War. There will be many hands-on activities that will make this family event both fun and educational. The festival helps to tell the story of life in the rugged land a century ago, giving us a glimpse of the inventive, hardworking and self-sufficient mountain people who settled in this area. The Mountain Heritage Festival is free and held at the Mountain Life Museum, located at 25 School Street, Blairsville, GA 30512. Come between 10:00AM and 5:00PM on September 3rd and 4th.
The Blue Ridge Blues & BarBQ Music Festival is September 10, 2011, in the downtown Blue Ridge City Park from 3-10PM. Admission: $5
The sounds of Blues music and the sweet smell of BBQ will fill the air as families and friends gather to enjoy North Georgia’s premier music and food festival in the mountains. Come hungry!
At The Mountain Music Arts & Crafts Festival at Vogel State Park you can expect to hear some of the best in Appalachian, bluegrass and gospel music along with true hand-
crafted mountain arts and crafts. There will be demonstrations on blacksmithing, spinning and bowl carving. This beautiful park is the perfect setting for an early fall day. Come to Vogel on September 10th from 10AM to 5PM. There’s a $5 parking fee and admission is just $5 for adults and $2 for children.
There will be jamming all around town on Sept. 16th-18th when fiddlers come out to play. Stage performances will take place at the Courthouse, City Hall and the Mt. Life Museum. Local arts & crafts vendors will be on hand.
If you grew up loving a Cabbage Patch Doll, you’ll enjoy the Fall Fest at the Babyland General Hospital in Cleveland, Georgia, on September 17, 2011. Get there between 10AM and 4 PM to participate in carnival games, have your face painted, win prizes, meet costumed characters and dance to the DJ’s music. There’s even a drawing for a hand-stitched Cabbage Patch Kid. Address: 300 NOK Drive, Cleveland 30528
Come to Mineral Bluff’s Ride the Rails Festival on September 17th and 18th. Just up the road from Blue Ridge, turn left at Hwy 60 and proceed to the quaint tiny town of Mineral Bluff. Turn left on Railroad Avenue and you’ll arrive at the Old Depot. The main event is a 5-mile round trip by railroad motor car, traveling through the Iron Bridge over the beautiful Toccoa River, then returning over the bridge back to the Depot. Hourly trips are scheduled from 10 to 3 on Saturday and from 11 to 2 on Sunday. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children 2-12. There will be a Motor Car display area, model trains, vendors and games for the kids. Be sure to check out the large “HO” gauge model railroad based on the “Old Line” that ran from Atlanta to Etoway, TN—passing through Mineral Bluff and Murphy, NC. Country music will be provided by Ralph Baker and the Stateline Band.
On September 24th and 25th, Hiawassee is holding its Summer’s Last Kiss, An Affair with the Arts. Don’t you just love that title?? What you will find is a town square brimming with art exhibits, live music, dancing, theater, poetry recitation, crafts, children’s activities and of course, festival food. Free admission and parking. What a lovely way to spend an autumn weekend.
For six weeks each year, the Alpine village of Helen, Georgia, hosts the biggest party in the Southeast, the Oktoberfest. It runs every day from September 22nd to October 
30th. The whole town will be jubilant with lots of German music, merry dancing and fabulous food, not to mention a whole lot of beer. The Oktoberfest Parade is at noon on Saturday, September 24th. Come join in the fun. “Oompah” music is hard to resist. The Helen Festhalle is located at 1074 Edelweiss Strasse, just one block from downtown. Make your reservations early and expect traffic jams.
