Fall Festiveness

It's Fall!

Despite the "official" start to Fall still being a few weeks away (Sept. 23), this morning we Atlantans woke up to a cool, rainy morning with highs only expected to reach around 70. What a treat! While I know that we will in all likelihood have another Indian summer like we usually do, I am mentally switching over to Fall-dom today. The clothes will soon get swapped out for the darker, heavier fabrics, and at least I can pretend that they are functional to wear while I am still indoors with the A/C.

Forever and ever, I have wanted to celebrate Fall in Atlanta with more seasonal activities. Sure, college football game days are a serious piece, but I have always wanted to head up north and check out the fall fairs and festivals, go apple picking and take a hayride out to a pumpkin patch. This year is THE YEAR. I am not letting any busy Fall social calendar mess with these priorities this time :)

Cumming County Fair lights up the sky

We did some research, and here are some of the top results that I think we may check out. What are your favorite go-to Fall events around town?

Cumming County Fair
Just a bit north of downtown, this is one of the best local county fairs I found that has it all - the rides, the food and the music. The Charlie Daniels Band will be highlighting on Thursday, Oct. 13, but other smaller bands are featured throughout the festival. Me? Stick me on that tilt-a-whirl and hand me a fried pie, and I just might be in Southern Fair Heaven :)
Open Oct. 6-16, 2011. Monday - Thursday 4-10PM, Friday 4PM - Midnight, Saturday 10 AM - Midnight, Sunday 12:30- 9PM

Apple Pickin' Jubilee
My family spent many Falls outside of Richmond in the Blue Ridge Mountains picking apples. I have such great memories of those trips, and can't wait to recreate them here in the North GA mountains. This festival up near Ellijay costs only $6 a person and features wagon rides, fried pies and BBQ.
Open September 10-11, 17-18, 24-25 and each weekend of October, 9-6PM

GA Apple Festival

Berry Patch Farms is kid- and
adult-friendly winner

I think I actually attended this many years ago while in high school - and I remember it being really fun! This festival has food, crafts and music and is right in the heart of Ellijay, an area known for the apples. I think it could be fun to combine this $5 festival with the Apple Pickin' event to make a day of it all up there in the mountains.
Open October 8-9, 15-16, Saturdays 9-6PM, Sundays 9-5PM

Pumpkin Patches
Even after digging around a bit on this, it's hard to tell which nearby patches are pick-your-own or just a huge supply of preharvested pumpkins. Either way, I think that if I can go on a hayride with hot cider and walk around tons of pumpkins to find my perfect one, it would be a great outing.
Berry Patch Farms, Arnold Mill Rd. in Woodstock. Open weekends, October 2-30 from 10-7PM, weekdays October 1-27 9:30-3:30PM
Burt's Farm, North GA by Dahlonega. Open daily 9-6PM through October.