This place is a great alternative for local Gwinnett residents to see some pretty holiday lights…read moreinstead of traveling elsewhere like Atlanta. Granted, it is a lot smaller but they packed a lot of lights in there for a $10 entry. ($10 is the online price, $12 at door) It is in a random residential area with a gravel driveway so you might miss the entrance, especially in the dark (We had to make a U-turn) but the GPS does take you there, just follow it carefully. It turns out this festival is on some farmland. It has a gravel parking lot and you walk through dirt/grass...so wear comfortable flat shoes. There are different light themes throughout. You first enter the "Under the Sea" theme. Other themes scattered around are Christmas, Chinese, etc. It is a quick walk through, but if you stop to take perfect Instagram worthy pics like I did, you can easily be there for an hour or 2. There's also a few fire pits, a little makeshift ice skating area, some farm animals, and a food/vendor tent. Inside the tent is where we saw the huge panda mascot! It was dancing and brought great energy to the crowd. I'm a HUGE panda fan so obviously I had to take a picture and even made it dance with me. Hehe. Everyone loved the panda and it truly made our visit. That pretty much ended our night, so we headed back to the car after an hour and a half. This place is only operational until Jan 1, 2022 so I would go before it closes!

No one goes to the fair to save money. That being said if you're looking forward to the rides, get…read morethe unlimited pass. Considering how much the tickets cost you'll be saving money. LOL Though a lot of the rides have minimums and maximums and my 280lb, 6'2", 17yr old football player brother couldn't get on most the rides.. Lots of food vendors. Definitely look around and make sure they have their prices listed because you will be hustled. I was charged 10 for a corndog that others were charged 8. Didn't realize it till after the fact because I was told by another customer. Game prizes aren't worth it but it's really for the experience. You pretty much pay for your prize if you get one. We spent almost 200 for my boys to get a couple stuffed animals. Another game was a little better only spending 20 because my 7yr old is a good shot. The attendant was surprised but that made obvious the fact that the cans were glued on, or something, because they were NOT falling over. We played a water gun game and my son won a small stuffed animal. To get a bigger animal you would have to pay more and win a couple more rounds.. Practically paying for a bigger prize. Most of the attendants and vendors were very nice. There were a few that did have nasty attitudes for no reason we gave them. But overall we had a good time. Would recommend going as soon as the fair opens, 5pm, and on a weekday to avoid the crowds. Cash is also good to have since cards are "taxed".

The police at the fair decided that my daughter's cousin wasn't actually her cousin and denied her…read moreentry after they had paid, over $100 for tickets, and cleared security. The polic officer proceeded to tell my daughter she was stupid when he realized she was recording the encounter. I understand the need for an adult legal guardian to accompany minors, but do not understand why the police are allowed to pick and choose who can get in, insult children and take our money.

The Elisha Winn House and the Gwinnett Historical Society are celebrating its 200th Anniversary…read moreSaturday, October 6th, thru Sunday October 7th just off Dacula Road near the Apalachee Farms Golf & Tennis Community. Admission is $3 for 12 and older and free for those under that age. This home was built in 1812, about 6 years before Gwinnett County was first established in 1818. The county was named after Button Gwinnett, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. This particular area of the county was once part of Jackson County. The home quickly became an important part of the history of the county because much of the early planning for the county was performed here. Many of the very first functions of the new county government were carried out in the rooms of this home, including the first elections (held in the parlor) and early sessions of the Superior Court held in the barn (believe it or not). The 1st Gwinnett County Jail was built on the property but was demolished in 1933. The current jail on the property was built in Lawrenceville in the 1920's and donated to the Gwinnett County Historical Society in 1986. It is believed to be of similar size and construction as the original. Interesting construction of the jail shows hundreds of nails were imbedded in the wood to keep prisoners from being freed by their gangs from the outside. Strong iron beams also wrapped over the roof of the building and back into the ground to keep it from being moved. (see pic) In 1819, the first 5 judges of the Inferior Court were commissioned, one of which was Elisha Winn. He served from 1820-1825 and was a state senator for Gwinnett from 1830-1837. The Winn House was EXTREMELY important to Gwinnett County until the seat of government was relocated to the newly created city of Lawrenceville in 1820. The Winn House Fair highlights the buildings remaining on the property and the main house. Other fun things include re-enactments of cannon shootings, Historical Society representatives in period clothing and local businesses with a variety of goods for sale. I bought some awesome natural lotion from one vendor and some incredibly tasty boiled peanuts from another. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/7HzQ1igipDBlJBz7YyV1oA?userid=JjXuiru1_ONzDkYVrHN0aw#bYynOpeeGXXaaL4XPt2nvQ Hot dogs, burgers, music and crafts give you reason to stay a while as well as demonstrations of what it must have been like to live here back when this house was in it's heyday. Photography is not allowed in the main house, but I managed to get some fantastic shots of the other building on property which include: * Barns http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/7HzQ1igipDBlJBz7YyV1oA?select=afWKVBqjGMhHDtVkWwGt4g#G0QaXfPLS34x-P2J4Eblgg * Blacksmith Shop http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/7HzQ1igipDBlJBz7YyV1oA?select=afWKVBqjGMhHDtVkWwGt4g#pS5ANF-VIyb5MZEosze8dQ * 1875 School House http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/7HzQ1igipDBlJBz7YyV1oA?select=afWKVBqjGMhHDtVkWwGt4g#5vwe70LfeViYjKm3iwDhIg * Outhouse http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/7HzQ1igipDBlJBz7YyV1oA?select=afWKVBqjGMhHDtVkWwGt4g#vpeppNFAKlc7fo4f98iLZA * Jail http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/7HzQ1igipDBlJBz7YyV1oA?select=afWKVBqjGMhHDtVkWwGt4g#ZXsWABg0qlDgtO0wXH7hJw * Cotton House * Log Cabin Nearby there are also many archaeological sites for Indian burial grounds as well as dinosaur fossils (or so I've been told)... but the locations are secret. ALL in all it's a fun was to spend a beautiful weekend day with your kids learning a little history. Some of the names associated with the building give clear definition to local names of streets, parks and trails... which makes history come alive.

My review will equal Richards. Hey! My photos equal Richards!…read moreRichard beat me to the first review punch! Buy he sure did save me a lot of posting time. A great morning so close to home!

Shoutout to the Gwinnett Fairgrounds for providing the surrounding citizens with a variety of…read moreexperiences. This is no different. The Winter Lantern Festival is a unique shindig with a combination of interesting light sights and sounds. Because we chose a later slots to tour the grounds, we were not able to get the full experience. There is a multi-faceted program if you go at the right time. It would be a wise venture for the parents out there to take a couple hours out and carry the kids down to see the sights.

Great Dachshund Event for Little Paws Dachshund Rescue. 14 years. Family fun! 14 years and still…read moregoing!

Rock 'N Ribville is a annual festival held in Lawrenceville,GA for one day only in either…read moremid-September or early October. This year (2016) it happened to fall on September 17th. THE EXPERIENCE The biggest negative about any BBQ festivals is that every vendor looks and smells awesome! But you really don't know who's good and who's not until you buy it and try it. I reall wish they all had a 1 or 2 bone option. I've been to the Rock 'N Ribville festival now four years straight and even places that normally have GREAT BBQ just don't taste that great at the festival. Maybe they are in too big a rush to mass produce their product for a one day financial windfall of sales. Maybe they just get tired after so much prep work that they relax their standards. Whatever the case, I have yet to be impressed with any BBQ at these fairs, even from places I normally enjoy! What I WAS impressed with were the gyros! We reluctantly bought one at the request of my youngest and it was surprisingly tasty. I loved having cucumbers with my gyro, because it hearkens back to my earliest memories of first falling in love with this sandwich at a festival in Chicago. If your gyro doesn't have the flavor of cucumbers & feta cheese, it's just missing that extra little something something! Today may have been one of the most perfect gyros I've had in a long time and I found it at, of all places, a BBQ festival. We also tried the fresh lemonade @ Squeeze King and it was gawd awful! You pay 6 for a 32oz container and your purchase comes with a refill ticket (don't loose it). The lemonade was so bitter that my kids asked "why are you going back for a refill?" Typical fatherly answer: Because I paid for it, that's why! You know daddy is cheap and I'm not about to give them my refill." Aside from food and drinks, there is live music, a kid's "Riblet" play zone and yes, there is an actual Kansas City Style BBQ competition going on during the festival. Unfortunately, the competition foods and ONLY available for the judges to taste :-( FINAL THOUGHTS Probably the best BBQ will always be served to those who make it to the event first. These grill-masters get out there and begin cooking many times the day before the event. I can imagine they are pretty worn down by the time the event begins, so it's a good idea to get the food they began cooking while at their peak of ripeness! Overall, the BBQ this year (just like previous years) was not that great. However, I love festivals, I love live music, I love being outside on a nice day, I love seeing people enjoying themselves, and I love spending time with my family. So with that in mind I still score this event 4 stars and I will certainly be back again next year! 2016/106

This is my 3rd year in a row to go to this event, and I must say it was only great back in 2016…read more They had amazing bbq places come to compete in 2016, and none of those places are around anymore. The food this year & last year was okay; meats were dry and a lot of the meat we ordered was mainly fat with minimum meat. They should offer more places with shade because every year this event is 90+ degrees outside with NO shade anywhere, making people leave earlier than they would if shade was provided.

Awesome atmosphere and attitude provided by staff (which are primarily volunteers). Excellent brews…read moreavailable, as well as many ciders that provided an unique Beerfest experience. It was all held at The Brave's Coolray field and despite the raining weather, it was an experience of a life time. We're looking forward to next year with great expectation!

THE EVENT Great way to spend a Saturday with my best buddy!…read moreThe Rock n' Rib Fest is a annual event held in the City of Lawrenceville Town Square, which are the four streets that surround the Historic Gwinnett Courthouse. Part rock concert and part foodie paradise, there is a little something for everyone. Aside from the event vendors, all restaurants located on the square are open for business. Several of them were also competing for the best ribs. $24 = 8 tickets and each ticket was good for two ribs or two sides. The ticket girls were ready with tickets... but not cash to make change (duh) and we had to wait a while for them to build up enough change. As a small reward for our patience, they gave us 2 additional tickets for the wait. Wanting to save room in our bellies, IF we didn't like the taste, we threw it away after just one bite. Here's how the BBQ stacked up: --------------- - - - - - THE VENDORS * LOCAL REPUBLIC - It's no secret I love this place! They don't serve ribs on their regular menu (although they should), so remember that if you decide to go for a visit. Scott who is Head Chef & brilliant Grill Master, took first prize last year and will likely do the same this year. His ribs hands down were the best of the competition. But if I'm being honest (which Scott appreciates), they were nowhere near as good as the ones I bragged about in my last review of Local Republic: http://www.yelp.com/user_details_review_search?userid=JjXuiru1_ONzDkYVrHN0aw&q=local+republic THOSE ribs were amazing, best ever, slap yo momma til she passes out then slap her back awake again GOOD! Today's ribs I would only rate about 3.5 stars. * PAPA CHUCK's - The only other ribs in this competition worthy of purchasing. However, that being said, they were only a 3 at best. I'd be willing to try them at their Lawrenceville location to see if the taste is any better there. * McCRAY's - Was 'meh' ok, but not a rib that would draw me into their doors. They were small baby backs and relied heavily on the BBQ sauce. They didn't deliver that good BBQ flavor we hoped. 2.5 stars. * SPICED RIGHT served a delicious looking Brunswick stew, but looks can be deceiving because the flavor was about 2 stars. Two bites and it went into the trash... not good! * OYSTER BAY - These ribs were our least favorite of the group @ 1 star. The conch fritter I managed to negotiate as part of my meal was more dough than conch. We vacation in the Caribbean Islands almost every year and conch is my favorite seafood while there. I eat it practically every meal, so I know conch. This was not good. Many of the competitors (I believe) used a brine to soak their ribs. If you don't brine properly you'll taste the salt water on the ribs, giving them a strange flavor. We sampled every competitor with the exception of three. The three we didn't sample looked like amateurs. The ribs had no char or spices visible and by the looks of their meat, it appeared to be boiled or maybe oven baked... so we took a pass! Other food vendors included Texas Roadhouse, Hawaiian shaved ice, a Cuban food truck, lemonade stand, beer, Mexican, chicken nuggets, fried potatoes, sweets and a few others. The Mango-Strawberry lemonade was very good. You got a huge cup for $5 +1 refill. Some of the sweets were very creative, like the cupcakesicles. There were also plenty of things to do for kids like jumpers and races. Courthouse grounds had picturesque large oaks for plenty of shaded seating. --------------- - - - - - THE VERDICT I love festivals and outdoor family events!!! I expected competition BBQ to be much better in flavor than I experienced, but it wouldn't stop me from coming back next year. Hopefully they will draw better competitors and make Scott work hard for a win. If you missed it this year, get here early next year. It was packed with people and will likely continue to gain popularity each year :-) In my humblest opinion, most of the BBQ we sampled was not worthy of being called competition BBQ, but we had a great time anyway. Excellent weather, music, beer, BBQ and friends... how could you not have a great day?