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.

We made a trip to one of my favorite stops when visiting my family's cabin in Ellijay…read more The place is huge with a vast selection of fresh fruits, bakery items, wines for tasting, and plenty of cute souvenirs to browse. The wine slushies was honestly one of the highlights for us. It was so good, we each had 2 before we left lol ! They have u pick seasons with a variety fruit so make sure you check out their website ! Beautiful place, friendly atmosphere, and definitely worth visiting if you're in Blue Ridge

Mercier Orchards was easily one of the highlights of our trip to Blue Ridge and is absolutely worth…read morevisiting. The U-pick apple experience was a blast, and the orchard is beautiful, well organized, and family-friendly. We spent hours here between picking apples, browsing the market, and sampling drinks. There is an incredible selection of local products, baked goods, jams, cider, wine, fresh produce, gifts, and souvenirs. Everything looked fresh and high quality, although many of the items are definitely on the pricey side. We also tried both the hard cider and wine flights, which were reasonably priced and a fun way to sample several of their offerings before deciding what to take home. Most of the staff we encountered were friendly and welcoming, and despite the crowds, the overall operation ran smoothly. Unfortunately, what should have been a five-star experience was overshadowed by one concerning incident. After returning from the U-pick orchard on the tractor, we noticed a family parked a couple of spaces away from us. The adults removed a younger child from the vehicle, and it appeared there may have been another child, approximately four years old, still inside the parked vehicle. We fully recognize the seriousness of making that assumption and cannot say with certainty what the circumstances were. However, with temperatures well above 90 degrees, we felt it was far better to report what we observed than ignore a situation that could potentially put a child at risk. What disappointed us most was the response. We informed staff of our concern, yet there seemed to be little to no sense of urgency. Even if it ultimately turned out to be a misunderstanding, I would have expected someone to immediately check on the situation or at least acknowledge the concern and verify that the child was safe. When it comes to a potential child safety issue, I'd much rather see staff respond quickly to a false alarm than risk overlooking a genuine emergency. Despite that experience, Mercier Orchards is still a wonderful destination. The U-pick experience, shopping, cider and wine tastings, and overall atmosphere make it a place I'd recommend to anyone visiting the Blue Ridge area. My hope is simply that management reinforces the importance of treating potential safety concerns with the urgency they deserve. Had it not been for that interaction, this easily would have been a five-star review.

River Maze is a great place to take the whole family! The…read morecorn maze is huge! It has a fun twist to it that engages the whole family. The property is very stroller friendly. Good quick food, ice cream, and drinks. The pumpkin patch was the highlight for our family. You are taken to it on a hay wagon, and are able to roam through a big field of multiple varieties of pumpkins on the vine. The prices are low in my opinion, $1-$5 ish depending on size. Super nice and helpful staff, and many activities. We drove from Blue Ridge, which made for a beautiful scenic drive along Ocoee River. We will make this trip again.

Absolutely LOVE this place! If you are looking for a place that your kids can play outdoors (and…read morehave a blast)with beautiful scenery and wonderful, friendly staff then this is it. We love going here every year, it's a highlight for my kids, my youngest constantly talks about going back ALL year long. There are tons of activities for the whole family, great food (especially the homemade icecream) and they are continuously making improvements. We love the great opportunities for pictures, and they even have a Sunflower field(when in season) where you can have pictures made. We highly recommend this place and look forward every year to returning. You have to remember you're also supporting a local, beautiful family who truly care about your experience and are always willing to listen and accommodate. We HIGHLY recommend!!

The experience got better and better as the nite went on…read more We arrived around 8, and was delayed by poor management. Bottleneck problem at the parking lot and will call box. They should have had 2-3 people working the parking lot and collect payment. I prepaid my parking and had to wait in line for all the other drivers. Same with Will Call box.. had to wait for queue jumpers..ugh..rude people Upon entrance, we were first greeted by the arts and craft vendors. It was a huge letdown to just see these vendors, until I discovered the area next to the vendors. Now it got much more interesting.. yeah, there were corporate vendor stands, but they also had some of the food trucks there and large open area with picnic tables and lights strung up. Quite festive, .. think OctoberFest. We got us a few things and enjoyed out dinner under the stars and lights. The food is overpriced, but that is to be expected at any festival. We eventually found the main stage and enjoyed a few performances. It was windy out and the balloon show was delayed. We left when it was too cold to be outside. Its a lively festival and lots of folks were dressed up. Very kid friendly and tons of security folks around to prevent the drunk college kids. A well managed festival once you get inside. Pro tip : Wear Layers to stay warm. If you have kids, come earlier to hit up the stand and grab swag and candy.

Me and my family had a great time attending Owl-o-ween. Reading past reviews made us nervous but it…read morewas not that bad since we arrived at 7pm. Purchased our ticket on Groupon(big money saver). Pros: Because of past reviews on parking issues, we paid for parking upon arrival and did the walk up for $15. The lines to get in to the parking lot were long but moved pretty quickly. The walk to the field was also not bad. Upon arrival were a bunch of hot air ballowns. The event was separated into several sections. The first field had a couple of hot airballowns with different vendor stalls. The kids recieved a gift bag at the entrance and were able to trick or treat to each booth and airballoon. The treats were pretty big so we were pleased. We didn't wear costumes but many people and kids did. We saw many creative costumes around the area and they also featured a stage cat walk for everyone who bought a costume. Watching the kids were amazing. 3 different stages with musical performances. To ride the hot air balloons were $15 and the line gets long. Thatnshould be the first thing to do once you get there, its pretty awesome. They also had pumpkins near the kids stage to take home and a silent music party which i found interesting. Con: My only argument would be the food. Many food stalls don't provide straws for drinks, so it wasn't the greatest experience with my 4 year old and their were many fried options, than healthy ones, so not really kid friendly when it comes to food.

My husband and I frequented the winery because we lived in Hiawassee. The ambiance was absolute and…read morethe wine excellent. I'm talking 20 years ago. it has changed for the better, although I am still in love with how it was when we first discovered it. Many fond memories of our dinners there. I recommend it to all. Cheers, Marilyn S.

This was truly an amazing location to come to, grab a nice bottle of wine, a few bites & just sit &…read morewatch the amazing scenery! Friendly staff & even friendlier patrons!

This is the third time in a row , every year during Fall. We love visiting this farm. A lots of…read morebeautiful types of pumpkins. And usually they have a bigger pumpkin that maybe you never see it before. They also have a BBQ stand, lemonade stand, and some cakes too. The staffs are nice and friendly. They also sell a lots of produce and products. I ate once their pumpkin brownie cake, delicious. No ticket fee and free parking. You just need to pay $6.50 for hayride around the farm. Absolutely need improvement on the rest room. With what they have now, a literally hold me not to use it.

Cool place to hang out and do some pumpkin shopping. They have a cool shop where you can buy…read moreseasonal decorations and all kinds of jellies, jams and butter. I saw some of the biggest pumpkins I've ever seen whilst we were there.

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

The 57th Annual Great Locomotive Chase Festival typically celebrates the historic Civil War event…read moreknown as the Great Locomotive Chase of 1862, where Union spies attempted to sabotage Confederate railroads. The festival usually features a variety of activities, including parades, reenactments, live music, craft vendors, and family-friendly events. Attendees can expect to enjoy historical exhibits that provide context about the original chase, along with activities aimed at engaging the community. Food vendors often play a significant role, offering local cuisine and festival favorites. Community participation is a highlight, with locals often dressing in period costumes and taking part in reenactments. The festival serves not only as an educational experience but also as a way to foster community spirit and celebrate local heritage. If you're looking for specifics about this year's events, attendance numbers, or standout moments, those details might depend on local news or festival updates.

IT'S FALL FESTIVAL SEASON!…read more Festival season is now underway and this year I have decided that we will attend a new crop of festivals that we have never attended. Our first fall festival happened to be the The Great Locomotive Chase Festival in Adairsville. The festival commemorates the great chase of "The General" after it was stolen, (by a group of Union soldiers), during a layover at the Kennesaw Depot. It traveled through Adairsville before being abandoned near Tunnel Hill. This festival features carnival rides, arts and crafts booths, food vendors, entertainment on a couple of stages, a parade and fireworks. It takes place over three days, (full days Friday and Saturday and half of a day on Sunday). Saturdays are always the biggest days and have the greatest amount of attendees so this is obviously the best day to attend. Admission is only $3 and allows you to attend all three days. Parking was only $3 and less than a block away from the festival. Festival day is very important so you start preparing the night before. Get that uniform ready, get a good night's sleep, have a plan for breakfast and make sure you have all of the pertinent information regarding time, place and weather. You want to leave early so that you can get there early because the vendors will. Many of the items such as jewelry and art are "one of a kind" so you definitely want first choice. This is the ultimate Yelping opportunity because it allows you to "shine the light" on small businesses that otherwise go unnoticed. Many of the vendors will offer unique items and this is the perfect time to start thinking about Christmas gifts. Adairsville was the perfect town to host this festival because of its historic roots, small town status and community spirit. Small towns really make the best festivals because of the "warm" people, family friendly atmosphere and great parking. Also, you not only get to experience the festival, you also get to explore the town, its history and local shops. This festival while not as large as other festivals was perfect for us. It was held at the center of Town along the Public Square with the town's historic buildings as the backdrop. The vendors were nicely spaced and there was a separate food court that including picnic tables for sitting and eating. During many festivals, you have to either stand and eat and find your own limited seating. We actually ate before arriving so did not purchase food from the court. When you travel to the smaller towns, you always encounter interesting groups like SOC, (Sons of the Confederacy,) and Georgia Carry, (Second amendment restoration). Don't presume to know what these groups are about. Step up to the table and ask them about their group or cause because they don't bite. These guys have always been very courteous and very informative while providing plenty of written information. Whenever possible, go to the source for your information instead of allowing others to interpret it for you. You will definitely be enlightened. I was happy that they started the music at the start of the festival (instead of hours later like some festivals). Browning Automatic was the group that performed this morning and they were great. I loved the classic rock tunes and was surprised at how talented these guys are, they really surprised me. We were able to sit on the bleachers to listen to them and enjoyed hearing them while we walked around the square. Today's festival included a parade which was the typical small town parade. It included the local sheriff and local community based sport teams and their little cheerleaders. It was cute to see all of these little athletes following along behind the high school football players. The parade route went right through the square, (no barriers) so it not only allowed everyone a close view, but made for great photos as well. The biggest surprise of the day was the local high school band which obviously spends a great deal of time practicing with a talented director because they could compete with any college band! They were great!