Sandstone cliffs, secluded beaches, whale sharks and riverboats! Find them all in Georgia, where you can also hike to waterfalls and build sandcastles in one day. Or dive into Atlanta’s multicultural scene of fashion, art, science, and tech. Famous for that sweet and fuzzy fruit, the Peach State celebrates everything from books to roots and peanuts to wings with 686 annual events. The Georgia National Fair, Atlanta Pride Festival and Macon, Georgia's International Cherry Blossom Festival may be the biggest but you owe it to yourself to check out the rest of Georgia’s Festivals, Art Shows, Music Festivals and Craft Shows!
Georgia is teeming with a lively mass of music festivals that keep locals and tourists dancing throughout the year. The Peach State offers world-class talent at music festivals that show off the region’s iconic venues and historic neighborhoods. From newly launched events to perennial favorites, these music, food, and wine (or beer!) festivals are hot tickets every year.
Georgia Peach Festival, Fort Valley and Byron
This festival is as unique as it is delicious-sounding. Attracting over 10,000 visitors, the Georgia Peach Festival splits events between two cities (Fort Valley and Byron) and two weekends, which doubles the delectable fun. The legendary culinary masterpiece – The World's Largest Peach Cobbler – is presented by a team of volunteer bakers on the final Saturday morning of the festival. It’s truly a thing of beauty at 11 feet long and 8 inches deep. Getting a bite out of this sweet treat is reason alone to visit the event.
Atlanta Jazz Festival, Atlanta
Not looking to spend hundreds of dollars on a music festival this year? Make your way to this absolutely free jazz festival, which attracts tens of thousands each day. The main part of the festival falls on Memorial Day weekend, but concerts take place throughout May at restaurants, museums, galleries, and even rooftops as part of the “Summer of Jazz” series.
Shaky Knees Music Festival, Atlanta
This renowned rock music festival features musicians like Death Cab For Cutie, My Morning Jacket, Nine Inch Nails, Billy Idol, Green Day, and many more. Over 60 bands delight festival goers with rock n’ roll tunes over the course of three days. They have a pretty diverse lineup ranging from up-and-coming artists to world-renowned acts.
And unlike most music festivals that don’t pay a lot of attention to food, Shaky Knees has the most extensive menu you’ll ever see at such an event in Atlanta, GA. Whether you’re a vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, or just a picky eater, you’ll find multiple food trucks catering to your every whim. If grabbing Atlanta’s favorite local bites is on your bucket list, attending the festival is a must.
Plus, you’ll find official festival merch, fun photo booths, cell phone charging stations, and screen prints of your favorite bands here as well. This is why a lot of festival goers say that Shaky Knees is more than just a music festival.
Watermelon Days Festival, Cordele
Some of the biggest, sweetest watermelons in the world come out of the South Georgia community of Cordele. To celebrate the fruit’s harvest in June, Watermelon Days features a whole day of fun activities, like the watermelon seed spitting-and-chucking contest, parades, games, and more.
Candler Park Music Festival, Atlanta
Southern music reigns at this festival in the large park near Atlanta's Little Five Points. It’s held in the summer and proceeds from the event go toward neighborhood charitable organizations, Atlanta’s parks, and Atlanta Contact Point, an organization that hosts free play days in the local parks every year.
SweetWater 420 Fest, Atlanta
SweetWater 420 Fest always features some of the biggest musical talents such as Snoop Dogg, The String Cheese Incident, Trey Anastasio Band, and Ft. Oysterhead. Presented by the Atlanta-owned SweetWater Brewing Company, the festival hosts beer tastings, brewing experts, workshops, and an artist market. They also have a comedy stage featuring local talent.
Imagine Music Festival, Rome
This is one of the most awaited dance music festivals in the US, bringing a diverse lineup of some of the world's biggest artists in house, EDM, and more. It’s usually held in September at Kingston Downs, near Rome, Georgia. You can stay at nearby hotels or camp onsite amid the untouched woodlands and rolling hills. Since it’s an aquatic-themed music festival, you can play in the pool, go forest bathing on nature trails, or go tubing on the river.
Festival goers describe Imagine Music Festival as an immersive aquatic fairy tale experience and we agree. The world-class lighting production and sound on multiple gigantic stages is incredible. Adding to the dreamy atmosphere are mind-bending circus performers, art installations, sea creatures, mermaids, vendors, and more.
Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, Atlanta
The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival is your chance to eat, drink, and enjoy the southern delicacies. There are tasting tents, intimate dinners, and public demonstrations where skilled chefs showcase their culinary talent. The festival combines over 20 events held over 4 days in September.
Music Midtown, Atlanta
As one of the largest Georgia music festivals, Music Midtown plays host to about 50,000 music lovers every September. Music Midtown offers an extensive list of acts in the weekend line-up covering many genres and singers such as Machine Gun Kelly, Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Maroon 5, Megan Thee Stallion, and 21 Savage. It’s held at Atlanta’s beautiful Piedmont Park in September.
More than 30 artists perform across four stages. From EDM to pop and hip-hop to rock and roll, Music Midtown features all kinds of music to delight fans of all ages and tastes. They also have a variety of local bites – from good old corn dogs to vegan tofu cutlets – making sure your soul and belly stays full throughout the event. Oh, and did we mention the giant Ferris Wheel that offers beautiful views of the city’s skyline?
Wire and Wood Songwriters Festival, Alpharetta
Nationally recognized singers and songwriters descend to Alpharetta every October for Atlanta’s premier festival for artists. You can get a behind-the-scenes look at the stories that inspired your favorite bluegrass, Americana, blues, rock, and country songs. Featuring local up-and-coming talent as well as veteran songsmiths, this musical arts festival turns the streets of downtown Alpharetta into mini concert stages! In addition to music, there will be food from food trucks and local restaurants. The best part? Admission is free to partake in over 30 performances.
Oktoberfest, Helen
Tucked in the mountains of North Georgia, you will find a little slice of Bavaria and the longest-running Oktoberfest in the US in the picturesque town of Helen. German beer, food, music, and dancing attract thousands of beer and music lovers to this charming shindig each winter.
Savannah Music Festival, Savannah
This is hands down the most distinctive cross-genre music festival in the world. It runs for 17 days and includes every genre from jazz to folk to blues to classical orchestral. More than 500 of the world’s finest musical stars perform at SMF every year. Proceeds from the festival support free musical arts education for youth and budding performers.
AthFest, Athens
AthFest is an annual free, 3-day festival that celebrates the creative culture of Athens, GA. It’s not just music; AthFest brings local artisans, craftsmen, and food vendors together to the streets of historic downtown Athens. If you want to mingle with the locals while live music fills the air and fun, food, and art fill the streets, this is the place to be. After the outdoor stages have closed, the festival also includes ticketed Club Shows at two of Athens’ most iconic venues: the Georgia Theatre and the 40 Watt Club.
Georgia Mountain Fair, Hiawassee
Visit the North Georgia Mountains in Hiawassee and enjoy a week of fun for the whole family! The Mountain Fair is held at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds and allows you to stay at one of their 189 gorgeous campsites on the banks of Lake Chatuge. Since Hiawassee is known as the country music capital of the state, you can expect to hear some of your favorite artists in this natural setting.
The festival runs for 9 days every August and features the Miss Georgia Mountain Fair Beauty Pageant, a fantastic lineup of musicians, live demonstrations and shows, mouthwatering fair food, arts and craft vendors, and exciting rides that both children and adults can enjoy.
St. Marys Seafood Festival, St. Marys
Seafood in Georgia is always something to celebrate on the coast, and St. Marys does just that every October with the Seafood Festival. What makes this festival different is that you can participate in two marathons here as well: a 5k and a 10k run. The morning parade includes giant floats, tractors, fire trucks, and more.
Rhythm & Ribs BBQ Festival, Tifton
This is a fairly new barbecue festival in Georgia that only started a couple of years ago, but has quickly become a state staple. After all, who doesn’t love a good BBQ? Local bands play at the festival while arts and crafts vendors display their handmade goodies that make for unforgettable souvenirs. There are a ton of free entertainment activities for children too.
Shrimp & Grits Festival, Jekyll Island
As the name suggests, this one honors one of Georgia’s most famous dishes and its several interpretations. If you’ve ever wanted to try, say, a French version of shrimp and grits, or maybe a shrimp and grits sandwich, this is your chance. The festival is held every November and includes live music, an artist market, craft beer, and family-friendly entertainment.
