Loved it! Man they have every kind of fried country fair food you can thing off and let's face it…read morethe only reason people go to home town festivals is for the food....and this one has it!

The weather was not kind to the festival Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning. Winds and rain…read moreyesterday grounded balloons, and wind this morning kept balloons from flying high. Risk was too great to go up. But last night the balloonists fired up their rigs in a ring & it was a sight to see! They could control the rigs on the ground even though they couldn't control the weather. This morning volunteers dried tables and chairs that were soaked by Saturday night rains. Vendors and food trucks prepared for the public opening at noon. The portable bathrooms were cleaned and stocked for use today. The sun is shining, and if Mother Nature cooperates, balloons should rise at dusk. We could not stay for the entertainment, but at least four acts were scheduled Sunday afternoon. A static antique tractor display was by the food trucks. If you want to eat good food and are looking for something fun for the whole family to do on a Sunday afternoon, this is the place to be!

We went last year and it was amazing! So many different kinds and shapes of the balloons! They have…read moretethered rides or unteatherd rides with the latter being more expensive than the tethered one was $20 last year! I have walking problems and they have golf carts for older people and they came right to our truck and when we got ready to leave they brought us back to our vehicle! There was a wide array of different food trucks and vendors selling crafts and wares! We loved it and are planning on going back this year! The "Glow" is a beautiful sight to see at dusk!

MOUNTAIN HERITAGE FESTIVAL…read more This is a small annual festival that takes place on Labor Day weekend in Blairsville, GA. Blairsville is approximately 1.5 hours from Alpharetta on Highway 400/19. The artisans and vendors out today were selling jewelry, colorful gourds, wind chimes, clothing, jams/jellies, beautiful handcrafted wood items and more. There were many items that are perfect for enhancing your fall and Christmas decor and for giving as holiday gifts. The most popular items today were foods in jars. Although I am familiar with certain fruits and vegetables being prepared and stored, I was surprised to see, greens, zucchini, beans and other unusual items pickled and packed in jars. This must be a mountain tradition because I have not seen it in other places although I attend various festivals and was raised in the south. For me, the highlight of the festival was seeming the historical Mock house which was built in 1906 and restored in 2006 and the John Payne cabin built in 1861. The John Payne house was actually moved from it's original location and actually placed next to the Mock house. The Mock house was a small two bedroom home decorated in the style of the day with all antique furnishings and appliances. There was a quilting demonstration going on in one of the bedrooms. It is interesting how small the bedrooms were and I think the largest bed they had is what is known today as a "full size" bed but would only be appropriate for one person. Also, I love that the only fabric used at this time was just natural cotton which was used for EVERYTHING! That old GE refrigerator actually worked and had food in it! Wow! The rear of the home had a nice porch and an old well right next to it. The well was covered and no longer in use. The Payne cabin is located just a few feet from the Mock house and is the home of one of the area's prominent citizens. John Payne and his wife raised seven children in this one room cabin that also included a loft. I quickly realized just how blessed I am to live in this time, under current circumstances. Ms. Wanda was on hand churning butter from raw milk, it took her two hours and she mentioned that she had not done so in 60 years. She explained the process of extracting the butter from the milk and preparing it to be used at the dinner table. One of the other tour guides, provided a history of the home and its occupants and was actually making Brunswick stew in the fireplace using a cast iron pot. She was also planning to make cornbread as well but we did not get to see this part of the demo. This was such a great experience and a really important lesson for teaching children appreciation and what hard work really entails. DO NOT EXPECT IT TO BE COOL UP THERE AS IT WAS HOTTER THAN THE SUN AND THERE WAS NO DETECTABLE BREEZE! SURPRISE!

Honestly, save your time and go apple picking at a specific farm instead. This fair was much more…read morecraft-oriented and the number of actual apple products was severely lacking. Food was fine, but was primarily just fried foods you can get at any fair (not specifically apple-y). Only a few stands were selling fresh apples, and of those, only one had apple cider! Very crowded, and admission did not feel worth what we got.

After seeing the apple festival on Instagram, I knew it would be the perfect fall activity for me…read moreand my friends. We headed up north and had a relatively easy time with parking. We parked at the school for $5 and were easily able to get in and out. The festival had over a hundred vendors available for browsing, with lots of unique handcrafted items, interactive activities, and yummy food. You can get everything from tacos to barbeque to ribbon fries. We opted for some tacos, street corn, a pretzel, and some apple dumplings and all the food was great! The apple dumpling and the pretzel were personal highlights for me. The event itself does get really crowded, so be prepared to wait in lines for a good portion of your experience. Many of the vendors are cash only, and the day we went the credit card system was offline, causing a reliance on Venmo or other online payment options. Just like every other fair, the prices will be a bit high, so bring a decent amount of cash so you can enjoy your time. One thing I would hope to see in the future is more participation from local orchards. There was a lot of variety with vendors, but I was hoping to see more of a focus on apples as the star of the show. Overall, the festival was a fun experience I could see becoming a yearly tradition for our friend group.

This was my very first time coming out for the festival. It does remind me of going to Marietta…read moreSquare where there are vendors and local owned businesses. The location was cool but could be on the dangerous side due to the train still running. Not many places to park and the places you can park they were charging $10. If you plan on eating any food from the trucks make sure your prepared to spend some money. There were three different stages with many local schools performing and also dance schools. Unfortunately it rained all Sunday so we did not get to catch any of the performances.

THE KID IN ME The…read morekid in me loves a big festival in a small town. Kennesaw is the perfect backdrop for this annual festival that features a parade, musical performances, food and arts and crafts. I was determined to get to the festival regardless of the weather. As always, we arrive early, just after 8:30 so that we can get the lay of the land and take it all in. Parking was great, very close, well-staffed with attendants and only cost $5. Can't beat it! The parade usually precedes the beginning of the festivities. I did not get to see the beginning of the parade because I was distracted by one of the jewelry vendors and was too busy purchasing items. We did however get there before all was done. Every parade is unique, but audience participation is essential if you really want to have a good time. This parade is not as open as others. The streets are very narrow, so gates are used to contain the crowds. They don't throw candy from floats because they don't have them. They actually walk along the route and politely put the candy into the hands of the kids. If you yell out "Hey! I want candy too , they will give you some. If you yell out to the square dancers to "do-si-do", they will comply. The Steampunk group was one of my favorite as the fashion is just so cool and their sign read something like: Steampunk gun club and sewing circle, (interesting combination). That Harrison High School Band was the bomb! They sound so professional! After the parade, we continued to check out the various vendors. Some of my favorite vendors are the jewelry vendors that travel around with their wares. Stones to Wear is my favorite as I love sterling silver and big bold pieces. Phil and Sharon are like family and we always stop by and visit with them. The Panjo guy was unique. He took kitchen pans, (cake, brownie, heart-shaped etc) and made banjos out of them. He actually did a demonstration which was very cool. If you like dulcimer music, then you would appreciate this. I want to give a special shout-out to Superior Plumbing who provided superior toilet facilities complete with sinks and running water. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!! If you decide to go, be careful as the ground is very wet and muddy. I wore sport sandals that can be easily cleaned and are quick to dry. If you don't want to eat typical carny food, eat before you go or eat afterwards because the only healthy vendor we saw was the Smoothie vendor. We wanted something more substantial so we just ate after we left. We had a great day and it was made even more special because of the train that frequently runs right through the festival! Love it!

This is one of the best festivals around!! There's so much homemade stuff by some talented people!…read more Make plans to see this festival every time they have one! April and Oct are huge

BRASLETON ANTIQUES AND ARTISAN FESTIVAL!…read more The Antiques Festival is a semi-annual affair that is in its 13th year. It is a free festival that takes place in downtown Brasleton with approximately 150 vendors participating . Parking is free and convenient if you arrive early. The festival starts on Friday afternoon and continues through Sunday evening, (Oct 21st-23rd). You will find a variety of items here including vintage, repurposed, farmhouse, handmade, home décor, pottery, furniture, collectibles, art and so much more. If you are looking for something very specific or just wanting to browse for things you don't need, this is a great opportunity to do so. This festival is perfectly timed for those looking for holiday décor or fall accents. In addition to the vendors, there were food trucks and a play area for kids. We arrived 30 minutes before the event started and were able to purchase items during this time. I love being able to get first pick because the bracelet that I purchased was one of a kind. My husband also purchased a unique item. During this time, we were able to spend time talking with vendors, taking photos and learning more about the products. Attending these festivals is a great way to support small businesses and Yelping helps to shine the light on some businesses that would otherwise go unnoticed. I could not photograph all of the items of interest because some of the items cannot be photographed due to a fear of being "hi-jacked" which I certainly understand. One such vendor had unique sculpted items that were absolutely beautiful but since she only presents once or twice per year, her items are not often seen. She is very low-profile and her items should definitely be put on display for all to see. Although there were several food trucks, no one was serving breakfast which was a missed opportunity. Also if you wanted to get something to eat, there was no designated dining area for those who prefer to sit and dine. I also missed having a bit of music while I shopped. Never the less, I had a nice time and was just glad to get out and enjoy the weather, vendors and fellow shoppers on such a beautiful day!

This festival was a blast! If you love Bluegrass you must…read moreattend this next year. The festival runs from a Friday to sunday. Friday evening you check in at the main stage tent. For 5.00 you get a bidding paddle for live and silent auction. All the food you can eat, this year provided by Bourbon Street. Shimp, cornbread, deserts. Fab! All the wine you can drink. Yes you read that correctly! Plus you can purchase your Bear on the square tshirt! Bid on wonderful items! Listen to live music. I got to meet Ugly Cousin! Definitely go to the festival on Sunday. This is when the gospel music is until around 1pm Then, this year headlining the event was Becky Buller. Amazing song writer, singer and fiddle player. I got to meet her also and she signed all my stuff! Food, food, and more food. Everything you want. I got a gyro. It was awesome. A bit pricy but it's a festival. Basically if you enjoy Bluegrass go to this festival. You will get to meet some amazing artist that are very willing to speak with you and appreciate that you are a fan. Definitely going back next year.

WHERE IS THAT BEAR?…read more This is the twentieth year for the "Bear on the Square" Festival and I thought that it would be interesting because of the emphasis on Appalachian music and culture. We love all genres of music and enjoy being able to hear something different and speak with the various artists. Storytelling, workshops and demonstrations were also featured. This festival is a huge favorite of the locals and the highlight on a Sunday morning is the gospel jam which is held in a tent overflowing with attendees. This jam should have been held in the local park because of its size and the interest that it generates. During the Gold Rush Festival, the Sunday service is held in the park and it is wonderful and accessible to all. As a rule, we always attend the festivals on opening day (Saturday), because it has a fuller and more varied schedule. On this day, many of the acts were not scheduled to perform until later in the day around 1pm but since we were there at 9 am, we would love to have seen musical acts performing at that hour. The cool aspect of this festival was being able to talk to artists such as the resident weaver who were working this very sophisticated weaving machine that was making cotton wash cloths. She had been weaving since the age of seven and had definitely discovered her passion. I also enjoyed talking to the dulcimer artist who carefully constructed custom dulcimers one or two at a time. The craftsmanship was impeccable and it usually takes a minimum of three months to create one from beginning to end. You get to totally customize your own design and whatever you want, he will make an effort to execute it. There were plenty of vendors who were showcasing personal wares such as jewelry, pottery, leather, wood products, instruments, clothing, food items and more. This was just a beautiful day to walk around, explore and mingle with vendors and visitors. It was also a great way to cap off the weekend after spending all of Saturday working in the yard. Next year we will be sure to arrive on Saturday so that we can take advantage of the full schedule.

Attempted to go there as it was advertised but they apparently posted the wrong dates as when we…read morearrived nothing was there.

Great family fun look forward to attending each year...great food and wide variety of vendorsread more

Loved this each time we've been there, but parking is atrocious unless you're willing to arrive…read morethree hours before it opens. I'm serious about it because we tried that once. Bathrooms are poorly maintained port-a-potties and there aren't nearly enough.My biggest problem is there's no where to go to escape the sun. Got a terrible sunburn there once. Delicious food from multiple vendors.

Super fun local festival. Great family fun, lots of good and booths to shop from! Looking forward…read moreto it next year again.

Because Dacula Fall Festival is one of the best festivals in Georgia. Check out the Charm Booth…read morenear the jump up kids area. September 30th

DACULA FALL FESTIVAL!…read more This festival is just a big mystery to me because I could find no information regarding its start or its age. It is as if today was the first day that they held this festival. For every single festival I have ever attended, their is some on-line documentation about the festival regarding the date and circumstances, number of attendees the previous year, vendors etc. This festival offered nothing! Let me just say this: If you aren't excited about your festival and don't "shout it out", how will people know to attend? Be proud and represent your festival to the fullest! When we arrived, we realized that this is a very small community festival. It is held in the center of town at Old Mill Park which is a really nice venue with outdoor seating and a performance stage. This seemed to be a festival designed more for the locals than visitors because of the limited vendors and lack of festival information. Although there were no food trucks, there was food offered from a local restaurant and from other vendors. Unfortunately much of what was offered was hotdogs, burgers and sandwiches. I would have appreciated more options. There was one table that interested me because it was obvious that the treats were homemade and there were samples. I sampled the apple pound cake and it was delicious! It was made from quality ingredients, the flavors were balanced, the apples were fresh and not canned and there was a beautiful baked topping that just made the cake sing. I have never purchased a cake because I prefer to bake them myself. However, I was happy to buy two servings to go but I had to get into mine right away! It never made it back to the car. Yes!! If you just want to get out of the house, chill and meet some people in a quiet setting, this is your festival.