Gilmer County orchards prepare for another busy Georgia Apple Festival

ELLIJAY, Ga. - Last year, a certain member of the Good Day Atlanta team was featured as Grand Marshal of the famed Apple Festival Parade. We’re not going to name names, but he’s handsome, talented, and the author of the article.

So, of course, how could we turn down the chance to head back up to Ellijay and celebrate the 51st anniversary of the Georgia Apple Festival?

This morning, we spent some time up in Gilmer County to help celebrate the return of the Georgia Apple Festival, taking place over the next two weekends. At this point, we probably don’t need to explain what the festival is all about — but just in case you’ve never been, it’s a collaborative effort of Gilmer County, the Gilmer County Chamber of Commerce, the Ellijay Lions Club, and the cities of Ellijay and East Ellijay, and brings hundreds of vendors to the Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds to serve up food, arts and crafts, and more. Other big events include the Apple Classic Auto Show and Apple Festival 5K Road Race on Oct. 8, and the parade on the 15th.

So, who’s ready for a bite out of the action? This year’s Georgia Apple Festival is happening October 8th, 9th, 15th, and 16th at the Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds, located at 1729 South Main Street in Ellijay. Admission is $10 for adults and free for kids ages 12 and under, and hours are 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays and 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sundays. For a full list of events and more information, click here.

Gilmer County is known for its apples, and we never turn down the chance to spend a morning exploring some of the area’s best orchards. Click the video player in this article for a peek at our morning picking…and sampling!