What the Georgia Mountain Fair Is
The Georgia Mountain Fair is a nine-day summer fair on the shore of Lake Chatuge in Hiawassee, built around mountain music, handmade crafts, old-time demonstrations and a carnival midway. The 77th annual fair runs Friday, August 13 through Saturday, August 21, 2027, with gates open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The 76th fair ran August 14-22, 2026.
It began in 1950 as a weekend project of the local Lions Club and Towns County officials. Herbert "Tall" Tabor, the Lions Club president, and E. N. Nicholson, the county extension agent, started it for local residents. About 2,000 people came that first year. By the mid-1950s it was a weeklong celebration with an opening parade, a beauty queen contest and country, bluegrass and gospel music, and attendance reached about 40,000 in 1956 and more than 60,000 by 1965. The fair spent its first 27 years at Towns County High School and moved to its permanent lakeside grounds in 1978. Crowds have reached about 100,000 in recent years.
What You Will Find
- Arts and crafts: craft booths run through the fair's two weekends.
- Music: live entertainment acts and concerts at the Anderson Music Hall, which has hosted cloggers, Nashville musicians and string bands.
- Pioneer Village: a relocated one-room schoolhouse, a smokehouse, a gristmill, a working blacksmith shop and a country store. Demonstrations have included rail splitting, shingle and basket making, hominy cooking and lye soap making.
- Fair museum: canned goods, handmade quilts, needlecraft, and farm and logging tools.
- Food: fried apple pies, cider, smoked trout, beef jerky and home-cooked vegetable plates have long been fair favorites, alongside food vendors on the grounds.
- Carnival: midway rides run every day of the fair.
How the Fair Week Works
| Dates in 2027 | What is open |
|---|---|
| Friday, August 13 to Sunday, August 15 | First weekend: carnival, arts and crafts, entertainment acts and Anderson Music Hall concerts |
| Saturday, August 14, 11 a.m. | Fair parade |
| Monday, August 16 to Wednesday, August 18 | Carnival only |
| Thursday, August 19 to Saturday, August 21 | Second weekend: carnival, arts and crafts, entertainment acts and concerts |
The parade, a fair tradition since the early years, steps off Saturday, August 14 at 11 a.m. Gates open at 10 a.m. and close at 10 p.m.
Admission, Tickets and Rules
- General fair admission is $10. It covers the grounds, carnival area, entertainment, arts and crafts, food vendors and music.
- Children 12 and under are free.
- Carnival ride tickets and wristbands are sold separately.
- Every concert requires a concert ticket. A concert ticket bought in advance includes fair admission.
- Buy tickets only from the official fairgrounds website or box office. Third-party tickets are not guaranteed valid and will not be honored or refunded. Bring a valid photo ID, the card used to buy, and your ticket confirmation.
- All tickets carry processing fees and taxes and are non-refundable.
- Parking is free.
- Pets are not allowed inside the gates, and the clear bag policy is strictly enforced.
- Concessions accept cash, credit and debit cards.
Where
Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, 1311 Music Hall Rd., Hiawassee, GA 30546, on Lake Chatuge. The fair is run by Georgia Mountain Fair, Inc.; mail goes to PO Box 444, Hiawassee, GA 30546.
Questions
Is the fair free for kids?
Children 12 and under get in free. Carnival rides are still ticketed separately.
Do I pay to park?
No. Parking is free.
Can I bring my dog?
No. Pets are not allowed inside the fairgrounds gates.
Do I need a concert ticket as well as fair admission?
Yes, every concert needs its own ticket, but an advance concert ticket includes fair admission.
Who do I call?
The fairgrounds office at (706) 896-4191.
Official Links
- Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds events: 2027 dates, hours, admission and rules
- Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds tickets: ticket policies and seating
- New Georgia Encyclopedia: Georgia Mountain Fair: history and features
Georgia County Fairs and Youth Livestock Shows: The Essentials
Georgia's youth livestock season runs from January jackpots to the Georgia National Fair in Perry, which ran through October 18 in 2026, per WTOC. The top show is the Georgia Junior National Livestock Show in Perry: lambs and goats October 7 to 11, 2026, and hogs, beef, heifers, ewes and does February 17 to 20, 2027, per Georgia 4-H.
Who can show
Georgia 4-H and FFA members who have not finished high school. Grade minimums run from 1st grade for lambs and goats to 4th grade for beef.
Tags and papers
Market lambs and goats need state ear tags by August 1 and hogs by December 5. Livestock need a veterinary inspection certificate.
Next steps
Ask your county Extension agent or ag teacher for the fair book and entry dates.
Rules differ by fair.
Read the full guide: Georgia County Fairs and Youth Livestock Shows
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Hiawassee Pro Rodeo
Professional rodeo with bucking horses, bulls and contestants on May 29-30, 2027 at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in Hiawassee; gates open at 6 p.m. and the rodeo starts at 8 p.m.
1311 Music Hall Rd., Hiawassee, GA 30546 | (706) 896-4191 | Organizer: Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds Official event details - Blue Ridge Cattle Classic
Two-day junior cattle show at the Union County Agricenter in Blairsville, part of the Georgia 4-H and FFA winter show circuit.
Blairsville, GA Official event details - Rockin The Ridge Market Hog Show
Market hog show for 4-H and FFA exhibitors at the Fannin County Ag Facility in Blue Ridge, run by the county FFA Alumni.
- Syrup City Harvest Classic Cattle and Pig Show
Three-day cattle and pig show in Cairo, the Syrup City, scheduled for November 13-15, 2026. Held each year as part of the fall youth livestock circuit.
Cairo, GA Official event details - MAC Attack Cattle Show
One-day junior cattle show held in the MAC Building in Hazlehurst, Jeff Davis County, on the Georgia 4-H show calendar.
Hazlehurst, GA Official event details
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.