The Brief The 2025 Georgia Apple Festival will take over the Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds this Saturday and Sunday (the 11th and 12th) and next Saturday and Sunday (the 18th and 19th). The annual event serves as a celebration of Gilmer County’s place as Georgia’s “Apple Capital,” with orchards throughout the region producing nearly two dozen varieties of the popular fruit. Aside from all the weekend action at the Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds, local orchards and other businesses also see a major boost in business during the annual Georgia Apple Festival.

We’re just days away from the start of this year’s Georgia Apple Festival — which means Gilmer County businesses are stocking their shelves with enough apple-themed goodies to keep doctors away for decades!

The 2025 Georgia Apple Festival will take over the Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds this Saturday and Sunday (the 11th and 12th) and next Saturday and Sunday (the 18th and 19th), continuing a tasty tradition that stretches back more than 50 years. The annual event serves as a celebration of Gilmer County’s place as Georgia’s “Apple Capital,” with orchards throughout the region producing nearly two dozen varieties of the popular fruit. The festival launches with the Georgia Apple Festival Parade, which steps off at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 11th and travels through downtown Ellijay, and continues with weekend activities including live entertainment, great fair food, and hundreds of vendors selling handmade goods.

Loading Video… This browser does not support the Video element. Georgia Apple Festival happening this weekend The Georgia Apple Festival is happening this weekend and next weekend in Ellijay. Paul Milliken is giving us a sneak peek at the festivities.

Aside from all the weekend action at the Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds, local orchards and other businesses also see a major boost in business during the annual Georgia Apple Festival. And this morning on Good Day Atlanta, we stopped by four of those businesses for a firsthand look at how they’re preparing for the rush of visitors: Roo Mountain Vineyards, The Roof Ellijay, Reece’s Cider Company, and Aaron’s Family Orchard. And trust us, each one made sure we didn’t leave hungry or thirsty!

Hours for this year’s Georgia Apple Festival are 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays and 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sundays, and admission is $10 per person (children 12 and under are free). For more information on this year’s event, click here.