Return of the Food Fests

Yes, it is that time of year again in Georgia. This also marks a year that I have been down here. I truly cannot believe my time here has been going this fast.

I meant to share this a little earlier, but some traveling plans got in the way. I decided to showcase this food festival list not only for my own pleasure of sharing information, but also to make it as sort of a reference if you want to know what is going on the world of food festivals in the state. I was quite impressed to see what I could find, and I ended up with a lot more festivals than I thought to the point where I felt overwhelmed. I did not even know there is a Sorghum Festival in Blairsville, Mayhaw Festival in Colquitt, and a Venison Cook Off in Monticello.

Hopefully, this list will help me be a little more prepared this time around rather than aimlessly searching the state for where things are. Please note that these food festivals are food related rather than festival related, and specific dates are not noted for all events.

Line Up

National Mayhaw Festival April 16-18th

Colquitt, GA

Celebrating the tart fruit, through parade, music, arts and crafts, everything.

Reported where some of the best jelly is made in the South from the tart southern fruit.

 Taste of Marietta, April 24th

Marietta, GA

Local food vendors and restaurants strutting their stuff for its usual 70,000 visitors.    

Georgia Strawberry Festival April 23-24th

Reynolds, GA

Dinner in the park, gospel music, cook off, all the elements of a small town food festival.

  

Barnesville Annual BBQ and Blues Festival, April 23rd-24th

Barnesville, GA

BBQ and Music. Who could ask for anything else in the south? BBQ sauce contest, community cooking contest, and local vendors.

Taste of Toccoa, April 24-25th

Toccoa, GA

Foods from local restaurants, entertainment, exhibits that draw approximately 8,000 visitors a year.

                          

Woodbine Crawfish Festival April 23-24th

Woodbine, GA

Celebrating the crawfish through their parade and then a nonstop list of vendors offering specialties such as crawfish broil and etoufee.

May

Ocmulgee Wild Hog Festival, May 8th

Abbeville, GA

Wild Hog Baying on Ocmulgee River Contest (how well dogs can bay a dog).

The BrewMasters Open, May 15th

Alpharetta, GA

Beer brewing contest. Enough said.

Taste of Alpharetta, May

  

June

The 36th Annual Official Georgia Blueberry Festival June 4th-5th

Alma, GA

Classic all American summer festival with cooking contest, food eating contest, beauty pageant, street dances, vendors and races.

Georgia Barbecue Classic, June 4-5th

Cartersville, GA

Annual backyard cook off fundraiser for Good Neighbor Homeless Shelter.

The Fine Wine Festival, June 5-6th

Dahlonega, GA

Festival where local vineyards and restaurants team up to showcase their finest offerings at BlackStock Vineyards.

The 51st Annual Putnam County Dairy Festival, June 5-6th

Eatonton, GA

Georgia Peach Festival, June 11-19th

Fort Valley and Byron, GA

Concerts, parade, food and ice cream, dancing, fireworks, arts and crafts, home to the world’s largest peach cobbler.

July

Watermelon Days Festival, TBA

Cordele, GA

Annual Heirloom Tomato Festival, Third Weekend in July

Glen-Ella Springs, GA

Homemade Ice Cream Festival July 3rd

Newnan, GA

August

Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival, August

Atlanta, GA

Where farmers and restaurants team up to offer creative  tomato dishes sponsored by Georgia Organics.

September

Annual Catfish Festival, Labor Day Weekend

Kingsland, GA

The Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival, September 17-19th

Jekyll Island, GA

Festival celebrating the southern favorite, shrimp and grits.

Plains Peanut Festival, September 25th

Plains, GA

Festival celebrating the peanut.

The Boss Hog Cook Off, September 25th

Thomaston, GA

Annual local barbecue cooking showdown.

October

Taste of Atlanta, October 23rd-24th

Atlanta, GA

The annual city-wide food showcasing event, presenting some of the region’s top food vendors.

Sorghum Festival, 3rd or 4th Weekend in October

Blairsville, GA

Festival celebrating one of the country’s most popular cereal grains.

Georgia Apple Festival, October

Elijay, GA

Local orchards come together to celebrate their local apple.

Shalom Y’all Jewish Food Festival, October

Savannah,GA

Home of the oldest Jewish Congregation in America celebrates Jewish cuisine.

Oktoberfest, October

Helen, GA

One of the largest Oktoberfests in America, this month long festival celebrates the art of beer, American style.                                      

November

Big Pig Jig, November 5-6th

Vienna, GA

Barbecue cooking competition with winners advancing to the International Championship in Memphis, TN.  

Annual Deer Festival and Venison Cook Off, November

Monticello, GA

A local celebration for Georgia venison.