Duluth Fall Festival celebrates 40 years of family fun

DULUTH, Ga. - It’s the last weekend of September, and in Duluth, that means one thing: time to celebrate!

The 40th annual Duluth Fall Festival takes over the city on Saturday (9 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and Sunday (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), filling the downtown streets with a parade, live entertainment, hundreds of vendors, and even a 5K race. And yes, you read that correctly: it’s the 40th annual festival, which means the first was held way back in 1983. Since then, it’s become a "last weekend of September" tradition for families here in metro Atlanta, and was named as one of the 24 top Fall Festivals in the country by U.S. News and World Report. 

Special events include tomorrow morning's parade (stepping off at 10 a.m.) – organizers say more than 3,000 participants are expected, including local sports teams, businesses, dance groups, and musicians. The parade is followed by an Opening Ceremony, which then leads to a day of live entertainment and shopping. Sunday begins at 8 a.m. with the Duluth Donut Dash 5K — a Peachtree Road Race qualifier — and continues with a worship service hosted by Duluth First United Methodist Church on the Town Green. Then…more entertainment and shopping!

And the best news of all? Admission to the 40th annual Duluth Fall Festival is free! For more information on events, parking, and shuttle service, click here. And click the video player in this article to check out our morning in Downtown Duluth, chatting with organizers during setup for this year’s big event!