BEST "COTTON PICKIN" FESTIVAL THIS YEAR!…read more Well, I was off to explore yet another festival this weekend and it was a blast! The Cotton Gin Festival was started back in the late 80's as a fundraiser to save the historic Agnes Hotel. It proved to be very successful and now occurs annually. The drive to the town of Bostwick was great because it is very scenic and quaint. We love the things that we saw on the way: baby goats playing in a front yard like they were little kittens, horses,cows and awesome cotton fields . I love cotton and I am just fascinated with touching raw cotton and borrowing samples from certain museums. My husband thinks it's like stealing a Van Gogh but I only grabbed a little to put in my pocket. However, I am happy to say that today I was actually able to PURCHASE my very own sample. Our favorite experience at the festival was touring the historic cotton mill. We were able to tour the mill and see that awesome gin at work. We actually saw the cotton vacuumed into the machine and transported throughout where it was cleaned, de-seeded, compressed and packaged for transport. It was the coolest thing ever!! Every single bale has a sample removed and sent to a government agency where it is inspected and evaluated. This tour was not just about seeing a cotton gin, it was a great opportunity to educate the public about the cotton industry. This festival is a great event for the entire family. Along with tours of the cotton mill, there was also an early morning race and a parade. The festival featured various vendors selling, clothing, jackets, jewelry, handmade soaps, wood crafts, winter accessories and more. I found a great hooded wool poncho that was handmade and super warm. It was sold by a Native American vendor who had great outerwear, bracelets, necklaces, hand puppets and more. Unfortunately he did not have a business card or the name of his business posted. This is not uncommon but it causes these small businesses to miss out on getting recognized with a Yelp review. I really like being able to "shine the light" on these small businesses so that they get the attention they deserve. In addition to vendors, there was a parade of various antique tractors and a few classics. It was incredible because there were so many tractors that it was just dizzying! Some of them were very rustic while others were beautifully restored. It was just great to see so many classic vehicles still loved and appreciated. Love it! Every festival has to have good food and great music and this one did not disappoint especially when it came to the music. I do not know the name of the band but they were so professional and so good that I would absolutely pay to hear them play again anywhere. They kept everyone thoroughly entertained. As we actually sat down to watch them, we noticed that we were sitting under a pecan tree. So we had fresh pecans to snack on while we jammed to the music. Perfect! For lunch we actually had some deliciously smoked ribs which is one of our favorite festival foods and a slice of buttermilk pie. In addition to all of the activities and businesses to interest adults, there was also a petting zoo and a huge play area for the kids. This festival absolutely had something for everyone and is highly recommended for all. ***Now to the issues that need to be addressed: During the festival, one should never run out of water and soap. This is just unacceptable. One should also never, ever run out of tees so early in the day, especially when it comes to the larger sizes. Additionally, tees should be designed to fully embrace the tractors and the cotton gin theme as in prior years and be available in complimentary colors. It is really not that difficult. I look forward to attending next year and having a great time! Just have my t-shirt ready please. PS If you are a vendor who sells clothing, outerwear or accessories, please consider bringing a mirror along so that customers can conveniently see themselves in the items they are wanting to purchase (instead of trying to rely on their phone). Thank you!

its the first weekend in nov. every year good food,music , tractors ,ex. very good festival to go…read moreto. see ya there

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 is probably the worst fair that I had to pay money for. Nothing compares to the Minnesota…read moreState Fair. They take it seriously up there. In Georgia, there's at least three fairs. The Georgia National Fair in Perry is the actual good one but kind of far from Atlanta. I have not been to the North Georgia State Fair. Have you ever been to a fair on in a grocery store parking lot such as Plaza Fiesta I'm Buford highway? This is similar except slightly larger. There's a lot of carnival rides and overpriced food. My problem with this fair was that none of the ticket people knew anything about the chainsaw juggling act and couldn't point me in the right direction. Nobody knew anything about the wrestling either. I eventually found the wrestling but it was hidden behind some ferris wheel. The only thing that's worth watching is the circus performance. It's definitely not Cirque du Soleil quality but it's good for the kids. Would I come here again? No. I don't think it's worth the hour drive for me.

Was visiting worth my time?! No…read more The drive was far. You had to pay for admissions and then parking. There were more rides than actual shows. And even with the advertised shows, we could not find anyone to tell us where a particular show was. They sort of pointed us in a random direction. And the shopping area was sort of sad tbh. I have seen local festivals selling a lot more variety of things.

We had such a great time here! The best part is that it's dog friendly so you can bring the pups!…read moreWe saw the farm animals, did the corn mazy, the hay ride and enjoyed taking lots of pictures. I would definitely come here again with friends and I totally recommend it. Great place for a family day or if you want to have a little photo shoot. We came here on a Sunday and it was great! The lake when you go on the hay ride is beautiful! Staff was very friendly and helpful! We bought lots of pumpkins.

Fun Fall Festival:) a great experience for a family with children. Great variety of pumpkins and…read morefun kids activities.

SOUTHLAND JUBILEE FESTIVAL…read more The Southland Jubilee Festival in the town of historic Greensboro is now in its nineteenth year. It features arts and craft vendors, entertainment, a classic car show and community service groups and businesses. It was a great way to spend a very comfortable Saturday morning. We arrived early and started with the classic cars. Gorgeous! Oh my gosh, those classics are incredible and it is always nice to speak with the owners and hear the story of their prized possession. Sometimes you go to a festival and you really can't see the town for the festival. However, this was not the case in Greensboro because many of their historic buildings were on full display and prominently featured. For example, the historic jail was open and available for touring while the former school auditorium is now their Festival Hall which held an art display and puppet show. That huge courthouse was at the center of it all because it was not easily missed and was prepared with tables so that we were able to sit, enjoy a cool breeze and great conversation with other attendees. When you visit the downtown shops you immediately notice the brick walls, wooden floors and other cool historic details. This festival had a cute little stage with straw bales for seating. We enjoyed sitting on the bales and watching the young dancers, Sole Momentum. They performed a Philippine folk dance using sticks and an American Folk dance featuring clogging and drumming. They created a very positive and contagious energy which totally engaged the audience. Although there were other performances, we did not see many because we were too busy exploring the town and other elements of the festival. When it came to the food, there were a variety of options from traditional fried options to barbecue options with sides. We decided to go "old school" so we targeted the non-descript tent with a simple white sign. As we looked around, we saw this huge group of people in matching tees, just chilling in chairs and listening to old school R and B while they monitored two huge smokers. This was the food I wanted to eat. I decided to go with the smoked wings because when eating out, I tend to just keep it simple and clean. These wings were delicious, perfectly smoked and seasoned. There were so good that I had to take an additional order to go. Yes! For our special treat, we decided on a large bag of kettlecorn. Although we love kettlecorn, we have not purchased it in a while because it suddenly became too salty for our taste. However, we found a vendor, Blueberry Gardens, who prepared a special bag just for us with no added salt. It was delicious and perfectly seasoned without the added salt. Winning! Thank you Greenboro for hosting such a lovely festival and making us feel so welcomed. We had a very nice time and look forward to seeing you again next year!

We drove to the Mule Day Festival at Calloway Plantation on a whim and we had a great time. The…read morehome was open for tours and there were lots of craftspeople demonstrating lost arts from years gone by. This suburban girl really enjoyed seeing the mules too!!

While driving Hwy 78 from Athens, GA to Augusta, Ga I was looking for a tourist stop. My GPS found…read moreme the Callaway Plantation. Has 56 Acres of History. Modest cost of $4.00 with a docent to talk about the history of the plantation. Has picnic grounds available so take your time.

A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT A SMALL BUSINESS AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY!…read more Well, it is Saturday in Georgia and that can only mean one thing: Festival time! Today we headed over to the small town of Grayson to check out the Grayson Day Festival. This is an annual festival that occurs on the last Saturday in April. It is a great time for the community and visitors to come out and provide support to local businesses and for local businesses to educate the community regarding their services. We arrived very early this morning just before 9am and had time to make the rounds and check out the vendors prior to the start of the parade at 10am. Vendors included food, crafts, businesses, and churches. Although the music was pumping early when we arrived, I was disappointed to know that the performances would not start until 11:30. We were actually done an hour before this time and would have had to stand around for an hour and that just was not practical. I really love it when the entertainment begins earlier in the morning. By the time the parade ended at 10, we were ready to go as we had seen it all and it suddenly started to get warm. Attending festivals is the ultimate way to support small businesses. Listen up Yelpers! When you find a good festival vendor or happen to eat a good meal, shout it out! Get a name, take some photos and create a Yelp page to show support. It is a great way to help a small business get recognized and it is effortless. I actually met a vendor, (from Marietta), who made her own delicious English toffee. It was so good that I had to create a Yelp page and write a review. Well, her friend saw the review and told her about it so when I happened to just be strolling through an art show in Decatur, she recognized me and gave me a big hug. She was so appreciative and this was such a "feel good" moment that she made MY day. I later learned that she only does indoor shows and festivals. This is the only way for her to offer her chocolate because chocolate and heat spell disaster. Think about it and think about writing a review the next time you find a worthy vendor. *** Grayson won a live work play city award in 2017. This means that the city embodies well-rounded communities that benefit residents and businesses alike and that officials in these cities have demonstrated advanced problem-solving, exceptional management and teamwork to increase the overall quality of life for all residents. Congratulations Grayson!

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.

This is a Main Street take over type festival. They have a few things for the kids sprinkled around…read moreand the focus is on food, fun, and commerce. Yes there are a number of vendors selling home made wares and even a few wholesalers of various items but nothing out of place for a small town festival. Some features for the kids: pony rides, face painting (pro), bungee jumps, and just about any kids food you can imagine. I would recommend a wagon or comfy stroller for those still adjusting to walking as the pavement is nice but still a scrape hazard with a few lumps and dips along the curbs. For adults there are a number of eating options price appropriately for a festival. This year they had not one but two Caribbean eateries attending serving Jamaican and Virgin Island dishes. You will have to eat something the smells wafting up and down the street cannot be ignored! Overall while a simple and smaller festival it is a great day out with the kids and a good way to stretch the legs while seeing local and traveling businesses of Georgia.