Best Festivals of 2023
Get in on the action — from apple picking to food sampling — at some of Georgia’s signature events.
Take the opportunity to get away for long holiday weekends and festivals that capture the best of each season at these events from Savannah to the North Georgia mountains. Mark your calendars, book your rooms and be among the first to get your tickets to these best festivals of the year!
St. Patrick's Day in Savannah, Georgia
Savannah St. Patrick's Day Parade
March 17, 2023 - Savannah is home to the biggest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the South (and second largest in the country), a high-stepping event that dates back to 1824 and is the pinnacle of the weekend-long celebration. Wear lots of green (and some good walking shoes), raise a pint, and dance a jig to the sound of bagpipes on the city’s cobblestone streets.
International Cherry Blossom Festival in Macon, Georgia
International Cherry Blossom Festival in Macon
March 17-26, 2023 - Usher in springtime with this magnificent display of nature at Carolyn Crayton Park in the heart of Macon. The town is awash in cotton-candy pink as 350,000 Yoshino cherry trees bloom, making Macon the Cherry Blossom Capital of the World.
Liam's Cheese Shoppe decorated during the Thomasville Rose Show & Festival
Thomasville Rose Show and Festival
April 28-29, 2023 - Held in downtown Thomasville for more than 100 years, the Rose Show and Festival in April offers a visual feast, as spectacular floral displays take over the town. Restaurants get in on the fun, too, as they incorporate the flower into dishes and drinks (think rose sangria and macarons), making it a truly multisensory experience.
Georgia Mountain Fair in Hiawassee, Georgia
Georgia Mountain Fair in Hiawassee
Aug. 18-26, 2023 - It’s yesterday once more at this fun-filled fair held every August on the shores of Lake Chatuge in Hiawassee. Delight in vintage carnival rides, stroll the 1800s mountain village, and check out demonstrations of pioneer crafts, from moonshine making and cider squeezing to quilting and blacksmithing.
Callaway Resort & Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia
Hot Air Balloon Glow in Pine Mountain
Sept. 2-4, 2023 - With more than 2,500 acres of gardens to explore, Callaway Resort & Gardens in Pine Mountain is a scenic wonderland all year long. Each Labor Day weekend, it becomes even dreamier as dozens of glowing hot-air balloons take to the sky at sunset, followed by an extraordinary fireworks show.
Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival
Arts in the Heart of Augusta
Sept. 15-17, 2023 - This September extravaganza draws art lovers from far and wide to Augusta’s historic downtown. In addition to a juried fine arts competition and crafts market, the festival features live jazz music, a beer garden with Southern brews, and a wide variety of international eats.
B.J. Reece Orchards in Ellijay, Georgia. Photo by @justthekings
Georgia Apple Festival in Ellijay
Oct. 14-15 & 21-22, 2023 - Apples are the stars of the show at this October celebration in Ellijay, known as the Apple Capital of Georgia. Come for the fresh-picked apples, and stay for the parade, vintage car show, and abundance of sweet treats — from apple butter to apple fritters to apple cider slushies.
Gold Rush Days parade in Dahlonega, Georgia
Gold Rush Days Festival in Dahlonega
Oct. 21-22, 2023 - Crisp mountain air and peak fall foliage set the stage for this October festival. Thousands gather to celebrate the anniversary of the 1828 discovery of gold in Dahlonega by panning for gold, mining gemstones, attending the annual parade, and purchasing local art.
Oktoberfest in Helen, Georgia. Photo by @floridadonny
Helen Oktoberfest
Sept. 7-Oct. 29, 2023 (various dates) - Follow the sound of oompah bands to Helen, the Bavarian-inspired town where revelers don lederhosen and dirndls and celebrate this traditional folk festival from September through late October. Raise a pint in the Festhalle, chow down on bratwursts and kraut, and dance along to traditional German tunes.
Find many more music, food and arts festivals on the Explore Georgia Calendar of Events.
