Fall Guide · 2026
Fall festivals and farmers markets across Northeast Georgia
Fall in lake country means festival Saturdays, farm stands, and the last warm weeks of the farmers market season. This page rounds up the 2026 festivals and market schedules across the towns Michelle Lynn Jones serves, from Flowery Branch to Hartwell and from Lake Lanier to Lake Hartwell. Everything below was checked against official event and market listings in late September 2026; anything not yet confirmed for 2026 is marked "check for dates" rather than guessed.
A note on the season: schedules are seasonal and change year to year. Where a date or time is confirmed it is listed here; where a 2026 date is not yet published, that is said plainly. When in doubt, call ahead or check the linked official page before you load the car.
Section 01
Fall festivals, weekend by weekend
Northeast Georgia's small towns clear the trucks off Main Street, hang the lights, and invite everyone out. Here is the 2026 calendar, month by month, starting with the last weekend of September. Festival dates are confirmed listings; two events that had not published 2026 dates when this page went live are listed below with a "check for dates" note.
Late September
Two main-street festivals close out the month, one on each end of the lake-country corridor.
- SEP 26
Flowery Branch Fall Festival
Downtown Flowery Branch, Main Street and Railroad Avenue
Saturday, September 26, 2026
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The 18th annual edition, hosted by BSA Troop 228 with free admission.
Event page - SEP 26
Lavonia Fall Festival
Downtown Lavonia at the gazebo by the depot
Saturday, September 26, 2026
All day; vendor hours on the event page
Lavonia's traditional last-Saturday-of-September street festival.
Event page
October
The big month. Fair season, festival weekends, apple country, and ghost stories, one after another.
- OCT 2
Hoschton Fall Festival
Downtown Hoschton
Friday, October 2 through Sunday, October 4, 2026
Friday 3 to 10 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Three full days of vendors, music, and small-town fall atmosphere.
Event page - OCT 8
Cumming Country Fair and Festival
Cumming Fairgrounds, 235 Castleberry Road, Cumming
Thursday, October 8 through Sunday, October 18, 2026
Monday to Thursday 4 to 10 p.m., Friday 4 p.m. to midnight, Saturday 10 a.m. to midnight, Sunday 12:30 to 9 p.m.
The fairgrounds' big annual run of rides, food, and livestock shows.
Event page - OCT 9
Mule Camp Market
Midland Greenway, midtown Gainesville
Friday, October 9 through Sunday, October 11, 2026
Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday noon to 5 p.m.
The Gainesville Jaycees' long-running arts and crafts festival, one of the region's most popular fall weekends.
Event page - OCT 9
Judy Harris Memorial Ghost Walk
Georgia Racing Hall of Fame, Dawsonville
Friday and Saturday, October 9 and 10, 2026
Evenings; tickets on the event page
A guided evening history walk around the Racing Hall of Fame grounds.
Event page - OCT 10
Georgia Apple Festival
Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds, 1729 South Main Street, Ellijay
Two weekends: October 10 to 11 and October 17 to 18, 2026
Saturdays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sundays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Georgia's classic mountain apple festival, up in the North Georgia mountains and a favorite day trip from lake country.
Event page - OCT 17
Gold Rush Days
Historic Public Square, Dahlonega
Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18, 2026
All day on the square; schedule on the official page
Dahlonega's gold-rush heritage festival, held on the third full weekend of October.
Event page - OCT 23
Mountain Moonshine Festival & Car Show
Downtown Dawsonville, Main Street Park and the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame
Friday, October 23 through Sunday, October 25, 2026
Classic cars, music, and food all three days; free admission
The 59th annual edition of Dawsonville’s heritage festival of classic cars and moonshine history.
Event page - OCT 24
HartOberFest & Depot Day
Downtown Hartwell at the depot
Saturday, October 24, 2026
Daylong street festival; vendor hours on the event page
Vendors, crafts, live music, and the HartOberFest beer garden on the depot streets.
Event page - OCT 24
Braselton Antique & Artisan Festival
Historic Downtown Braselton
Saturday and Sunday, October 24 and 25, 2026
Both days; vendor hours on the show schedule
The fall edition of Braselton’s antique and artisan market weekend.
Event page - OCT 31
Fall Fest 2026
Amicalola Falls State Park and Lodge, Dawsonville
Saturday, October 31, 2026
Noon to 4 p.m.
Fall activities at the state park and lodge: games, hayrides, pumpkin painting, crafts, and a campfire evening.
Event page
November, already peeking at the holidays
The festival calendar hands off to holiday markets before Thanksgiving.
- NOV 6
Jefferson Holiday Market
Jefferson Civic Center
Friday, November 6 through Sunday, November 8, 2026
Vendor hours on the event pages
The first of the holiday markets, a chance to shop local before the season gets busy.
Event page - NOV 1
Day of the Dead Celebration
Midland Greenway, 682 Grove Street, Gainesville
Sunday, November 1, 2026
4 to 7 p.m.
A free community Dia de los Muertos celebration from Gainesville Parks and Recreation, with live music, performances, and food vendors.
Event page - NOV 14
Fall Festival at Genesis Farm
Genesis Farm, Cumming
Saturday, November 14, 2026
Hours not yet published; check the listing before you go
Fall festival at the Cumming farm, listed in the 2026 Georgia festival guides.
Event page - NOV 14
Christmas Arts & Crafts Festival
Forsyth Conference Center at Lanier Technical College, 3410 Ronald Reagan Boulevard, Cumming
Saturday, November 14 and Sunday, November 15, 2026
Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The 23rd anniversary holiday arts and crafts shopping festival from the Cumming Arts Center, with free admission.
Event page - NOV 21
Celebrate the Holidays Parade & Festival
Historic downtown Braselton and the Town Green
Saturday, November 21, 2026
10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (parade begins at 10:30 a.m.)
Braselton\u2019s holiday parade and festival, with the parade stepping off at 10:30 a.m. and a full day of festivities on the Town Green.
Event page - NOV 20
Flowery Branch Christmas Tree Lighting & Lantern Parade
Downtown Flowery Branch
Friday, November 20, 2026
6:30 to 9 p.m.
Kick off the holiday season with the annual Lantern Parade down Main Street and the community tree lighting (hosted by the City of Flowery Branch).
Check for dates
Great fall traditions awaiting 2026 dates
-
Big Hart Farm Harvest Festival, near Hartwell
Usually runs early October; the 2026 dates had not been published when this page went live, so check for dates.
-
Fall Festival at the Mall of Georgia, Buford
Returned in recent falls (last held October 25, 2025); the 2026 date was not yet announced, so check for dates.
Section 02
Farmers market schedules, town by town
Every town listed below runs at least one market between spring and fall, and most keep selling deep into autumn. Days, times, and locations below come from city and market listings current for the 2026 season. Markets are seasonal, many shut down for winter, and a few move sites between years, so the "check for dates" notes below are worth reading.
- Most markets run on cash-and-local produce; several also take cards or SNAP.
- Saturday and Thursday are the big market days across the region, so plan around them.
- The season's last Saturday markets can be the best: pumpkins, honey, and second-crop greens.
-
Braselton
Braselton Farmers Market
- Fridays, 4 to 7 p.m.
- Weekly May through September; a special fall market runs Friday, October 16, 4 to 7 p.m.
- Braselton Town Green, 9924 Davis Street
The 2026 weekly season opened May 1. During off-season months the market returns on the 3rd Friday.
Market page -
Cumming
Cumming Farmers Market
- Every Saturday, year-round
- Fall and winter hours are Saturday mornings, with recent listings at 8 to 11 a.m.; summer adds Wednesdays, 6:30 to 11 a.m.
- Cumming City Center, 423 Canton Road (Vision Parkway lot)
Hours shift with the seasons; the City Center posts the current week’s time on its listing page.
Market page -
Dawsonville
Amicalola Regional Farmers Market
- Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., or until sold out
- Runs late April through mid-October, usually ending on the third Saturday of October; an occasional Wednesday afternoon market runs in June and July.
- Farmers Market Pavilion, Allen Street, downtown Dawsonville
Run with the Dawson County Chamber and UGA Extension, so the produce is local by design.
Market page -
Flowery Branch
Flowery Branch Farmers Market
- Thursdays, 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.
- Weekly May through October; the winter market returns November through April on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays.
- Market Pavilion, 5210 Railroad Avenue, Old Town
Local bakers, artisans, and regular live music keep the Thursday crowd coming back.
Market page -
Gainesville
Hall County Farmers Market
- Tuesdays, 1 to 3:30 p.m., and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon
- The 2026 season runs June 6 through October 31, carrying well into fall.
- 734 East Crescent Drive, near I-985 Exit 24
The biggest regular market in the Gainesville area, listed among community farmers markets with the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
Market page -
Hartwell
Check for datesHartwell Farmers’ Market
- Saturdays, 7 a.m. to noon
- Season runs roughly from the third Saturday of April through the first Saturday of December.
- 2026 listings place it at 500 East Howell Street, in the city parking lot across from the new City Hall
The market moved sites between recent years (the Hartwell Sun lot on Benson Street hosted the 2024 and 2025 seasons), so check for dates and the current corner before you go.
Market page -
Hoschton
Hoschton Farmers & Art Market
- Second Saturday of the month, March through November
- Noon to 5 p.m., downtown at 4272 Highway 53.
- Downtown Hoschton, 4272 Highway 53
Saturday-night markets run in August and September.
Market page -
Jefferson
Check for datesJefferson Farmers Market
- Tuesdays, 3:30 to 6 p.m.
- The 2026 season ran May 26 through August 25, rain or shine; it closes for the season by late August.
- Gordon Street lawn, downtown Jefferson
Closed for the season by late August each year; it returns every spring, so check for dates.
Market page -
Lavonia
Lavonia Farmers Market
- Wednesdays and Saturdays, 7 to 11 a.m.
- Runs roughly April through October.
- Downtown Lavonia at the gazebo by the depot, 1269 East Main Street
Sellers ring the gazebo on both mornings; arrive early for the best pick.
Market page
At the lakes
Lake Lanier
No market sits on the shoreline itself; the town squares are minutes from the ramps. Flowery Branch's Thursday market serves the south end near Lake Lanier Islands, Gainesville's market covers the north end near the Olympic park, and Cumming's Saturday market rings the Forsyth County shore.
At the lakes
Lake Hartwell
Hartwell's Saturday market and Lavonia's Wednesday and Saturday markets are both a short drive from the water, and Tugaloo State Park's ramp near Lavonia makes it easy to tuck a market morning into a weekend on the lake.
Section 03
Christmas & Holiday Events
The festival calendar hands off to the holidays, and Northeast Georgia's downtown squares fill with parades, tree lightings, and holiday markets. Dates below come from official city and event listings; each event is noted with its town, date, and location so you can plan the season.
- NOV 21
Dawsonville Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting
Downtown Dawsonville (City Hall)
Saturday, November 21, 2026
2 p.m.
A free community Christmas parade and tree lighting downtown.
- NOV 24
Lavonia Christmas Tree Lighting & Market
Downtown Lavonia (gazebo)
Tuesday, November 24, 2026
5 to 7 p.m.
Annual tree lighting with a Christmas market downtown.
- DEC 5
Buford Holiday Festival & Parade
Buford Community Center, 304 East Main St.
Saturday, December 5, 2026
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Parade, live performances, food trucks, vendors, and a holiday dog contest; free.
- DEC 5
Jefferson Christmas Parade & Stroll
Downtown Jefferson
Saturday, December 5, 2026
Parade at 11 a.m.
Parade plus live music, inflatables, and hayrides downtown.
- DEC 5
Lavonia Indoor Christmas Market
Downtown Lavonia
Saturday, December 5, 2026
Indoor holiday market downtown.
- DEC 6
Christmas on Green Street
Downtown Gainesville
Sunday, December 6, 2026
3 to 7 p.m.
Parade of antique cars, holiday floats, and marching bands, with the Rotary Tree lighting at about 5:30 p.m.
- DEC 12
City of Cumming Christmas Parade
Forsyth Central High School to the Cumming Fairgrounds, 235 Castleberry Road
Saturday, December 12, 2026
5 to 6:30 p.m.
Annual lighted Christmas parade.
- DEC 13
Hart County Christmas Parade
Hartwell
Sunday, December 13, 2026
4 to 6 p.m.
Annual community Christmas parade (location TBD).
Event dates from official city and event listings, as of October 2026. Please confirm with organizers before attending.
Ready when you are
See you at the market, on the square, or on the water
Fall is the best season to fall for a lake-country town: the festivals bring everyone out, the markets put dinner on the table, and the first cool mornings make every back porch look its best. If a town, a neighborhood, or a shoreline catches your eye this season, Michelle would love to show you around.