Get Lost in a Corn Maze

Get lost in one of the many corn mazes in Georgia! It's a fun way to spend a beautiful fall afternoon. Most of the locations offer much more than corn mazes. You can spend the day enjoying hayrides, food, cider, petting zoos, pumpkin picking and more! If you think you've got the skills to tackle a corn maze at night, remember to bring a flashlight! Here's a list of some of the corn mazes in Georgia for you to check out.

Uncle Shuck's Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch is a well known North Georgia favorite located in Dawsonville. They offer a a variety of activities including a corn cannon and a haunted maze. They also stay open until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays through November 22nd.

Kackleberry Farm offers a 7 acre corn maze each year that runs through November 8th. This farm also offers a number of additional activities. Kackleberry Farm is located in Louisville about an hour southwest of Augusta.

Buck's Corn Maze is another well known maze located in Dawsonville. The maze is 12 acres and is open through November 15th.

Connell Farms in Hollonville has a 7 acre maze for you to explore until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays through November 21st. Hollonville is about 40 minutes southeast of Peachtree City.

Colonel Cobs Corn Maze is a 7 acre maze located on Mitcham Farm in Oxford. The maze is open through November 15th. Oxford is about 40 minutes east of Atlanta.

The Carlton Farm corn maze is a 5 acre maze offering a haunted maze at night. The maze is open through November 7th and is located in Rockmart which is a little over an hour northeast of Atlanta.

Cagle's Corn Maize offer you two different mazes to get lost in. They have a 10 acre maze in Hickory Flat and a 30 acre maze (wow!) in Resaca. 10 acres of the 30 acre maze is a haunted maze. The Resaca maze is open through November 7th and the 10 acre maze is open through November 15th.

Ghosts, Ghosts and More Ghosts!

If you've not yet taken a ghost tour, and even if you have, this is the perfect time of year to do so! It's a great way to celebrate Halloween! There are many ghost tours in the Atlanta area to choose from. Here's a list of the ones I know of and I'm sure there are more.

Darkside Tours / Ghost Tours of Atlanta
Ghost Tours Atlanta
Roswell Ghost Tour
Ghosts of Marietta
Norcross Ghost Tour
Lawrenceville Ghost Tours
Spirit Stroll, Newnan
City Segway Tours "Legends and Lore Tour", Atlanta
Decatur Ghost Tour

Many, if not all, of the tour companies listed above require reservations to attend a tour. Most of the tours above are walking tours but a few conduct the tours from a trolley and if you're really adventurous, you could try taking the tour via a Segway! Check out each of the tour companies' websites listed above for details about the tours they offer as well as dates and times.

Goblins in the Garden

Another great Halloween event for children and families is the Atlanta Botanical Garden's "Goblins in the Garden" from 1pm to 4pm this Sunday, October, 25th. Dress the kiddies in their Halloween costumes and head out to the Garden for fall fun. There will be a costume parade, pony rides, trick or treating, story time and more! While there, explore the Scarecrows in the Garden. There are more than 100 wacky and creative scarecrows throughout the children's garden and the Southern Season's garden. Goblins in the Garden is free with the cost of general admission which is $15 for adults; $12 for children 3 to 17 and free to children under 3. For more information, visit the Atlanta Botanical Garden's website at www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org.

Chili Cook-Off on the Square

The McDonough Fall Festival and Chili Cook-Off on the Square is this Saturday, October 24th. The McDonough Square is one of those cute, old, downtown squares found in many small Georgia towns with fun shops, antique shops, cute little restaurants and some great grand old homes. The annual fall fair starts at 12pm and ends at 8pm with the chili sampling taking place from 1pm to 3pm. There's not a lot of information out there about the event, but I imagine there will be arts and crafts vendors and live entertainment and is probably free. www.mcdonoughga.org

Boo at the Zoo

Boo at the Zoo is this Saturday, October 24th and Sunday, October 25th and Saturday, October 31st at Zoo Atlanta. This is a great Halloween festival for children and families. There will be treats, costumed characters, a costume contest, the "Monster Mash Disco" and arts and crafts in additional to all the normal fun of Zoo Atlanta. Boo at the Zoo activities take place from 10am to 3pm and are free with general admission and to Zoo Atlanta members. If your children are 6 and older, you might want to consider attending Zoo Atlanta's "Boo at the Zoo NightCrawlers" which includes trick or treating, pumpkin carving and storytelling. The NightCrawlers activities are on Saturday, October 24th and Saturday, October 31st starting at 6pm. For more information on the events and to purchase tickets online, visit Zoo Atlanta's website at www.zooatlanta.org

Sorry for the delay

Hi all! I've basically been without internet access since last Friday which is why I've not posted the weekend info yet. We're working on getting the issue resolved and I hope to start posting like mad real soon!

Run Like Hell

I don't usually write on fund-raising events but I'm going to make an exception for the 2nd Annual Run Like Hell 5K benefiting Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta. The 5K is Saturday, October 31st at 9am at Oakland Cemetery. I met the organizers at the Sunday in the Park event at Oakland earlier this month and learned the story on this fundraiser. This lovely, fun couple wanted to help Oakland Cemetery raise money to help restore this historic property after it sustained serious damage from the tornado that roared through downtown Atlanta. So they created Run Like Hell which was extremely well received. The 5K takes place Oakland and in the adjacent historic Grant Park neighborhood. They are encouraging costumes and will be holding a costume contest after the race. And I love this: the awards being given out for the race will be "cemetery themed". Fun and quite unique! If you don't feel up for the 5K, you can opt to participate in the 1K. For more information and to register, visit Oakland Cemetery's website at http://www.oaklandcemetery.com/run.html

Atlanta Airline Collectible Show and Sale

Got a thing for airplanes? You might want to check out the 23rd Annual Atlanta Airline Collectible Show and Sale this Saturday, October 17th from 9am to 4pm at the Delta Air Heritage Museum in Atlanta. There will be lots of vendors selling aviation related merchandise and this is the only Saturday out of the year that you can tour the museum without an appointment. Admission is $5 for adults and children under 12 get in free. For more information about the event, visit the museum's website at deltamuseum.org

Chastain Park Arts Festival

I don't have a whole lot of information on this festival. It seems to be new. However, it's an art festival and it's at Chastain Park in Atlanta this Saturday, October 17th and Sunday, October 18th. And it's free! There's supposed to be over 100 artists in different mediums showing at this festival as well as live entertainment. For more information, visit the festival's website at www.chastainparkartsfestival.com

Rock N' Rib Festival

The 2nd Annual Rock N' Rib Festival is this Saturday, October 17th on the square in downtown Lawrenceville from 1pm - 9pm. The Rock N' Rib festival features barbeque from local area restaurants, caterers and cooking teams as well as live entertainment. There will also be a children's area, arts and crafts and a beergarten. You can also catch some college football in one of the tents and if you're game, enter a rib eating contest. Admission is free. For more information, visit the festival's website at www.rocknribsfest.com

Spooky Storytelling

Callanwolde Fine Arts Center in Atlanta is hosting "Family Storytelling: Spooky Stories" this Friday, October 16th at 7pm. Callanwolde will be showcasing some of Atlanta's best stories, storytellers and storytelling traditions by a diverse group of professional and student storytellers. Children are welcome to wear costumes for a costume parade and contest, and festive snacks will be served. Tickets will be sold at the door and are $3 for adults and $1 for children. For more information on the event, visit Callanwolde's website at www.callanwolde.org/events

Little 5 Points Annual Halloween Festival and Parade

I love Halloween celebrations and one of my favorites is the annual Little 5 Points Halloween Festival and Parade in Atlanta. Little 5 Points is already known for being an eclectic neighborhood and entertainment district and this festival confirms that! The festival starts Friday evening, October 16th, with live performances and movie screenings. On Saturday, October 17th, Finley Plaza in the middle of Little 5 becomes an entertainment hub with children's activities, tarot readings, bands and all sorts of eclectic entertainment. The highlight of the day is the Halloween Parade which begins at 4pm. There will be beverage vendors set up in parking lots throughout the area. There is no admission fee but expect to pay for parking. There are several lots in the area and they all charge for parking for the event. Street parking may be available but very limited and some streets will be closed. I wish I had a picture to share from last year's parade but to see some great photos and learn more about the event, visit the Festival's website at www.l5phalloween.com

End of Harvest Celebration at Wolf Mountain Vineyards

The 7th Annual End of Harvest Celebration and Bluegrass Brunch is happening every Saturday during the month of October at Wolf Mountain Vineyards in Dahlonega. What a great way to experience a fall Saturday in the north Georgia mountains and sample the fruits of a regional vineyard! Wolf Mountain Vineyards offers their Harvest brunch buffet and live bluegrass music for $30 per person. Wine is purchased separately by the glass. For more information, visit their website at www.wolfmountainvineyards.com

Oktoberfest in the North Georgia Mountains

For many years now Helen, GA has been the place in North Georgia to enjoy a German style Oktoberfest complete with beer, bratwurst, bands and more! The annual Oktoberfest in Helen starts in September but enjoys its largest crowds in October. The festival occurs daily through November 1st. If you haven't yet visited Helen, Oktoberfest is a great time to get a feel for this little mock German Alpine town on the Chattahoochee River in the North Georgia mountains. Be prepared for a bit of traffic though! Admission on Saturdays is $9 per person but FREE on Sundays! helenchamber.com

Candler Park Fall Festival

So sad that so many of the events I'm writing about for this weekend can be affected by the potential rainy weather! But the Candler Park Fall Festival is a good one if you live in Atlanta and want to stay in town this weekend. The festival is this Saturday, October 10th and Sunday, October 11th at Candler Park in Atlanta. There's usually a good number of vendors offering a variety of goods including folk art and photography. There will be plenty of food choices available, live entertainment, fun for the kids and the Candler Park Tour of Homes which is a great opportunity to see some of the fabulous old homes in the area. Expect some great local musical artists including the ever eclectic and entertaining Kingsized. Admission if free. Parking is tricky though as the park is in a residential neighborhood so you might want to consider taking MARTA. www.candlerparkfallfest.org

A Few More Fairs and Festivals for this weekend

Here are a few more fairs and festivals happening this weekend. Thankfully most of them are continuing past this weekend in case you want to hold out for better weather.

Georgia Mountain Fall Festival. October 9th through October 17th at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in Hiawassee. Quite the lineup of well know country artists performing at this festival. Arts and crafts and such. $9 admission and $2 for parking. georgiamountainfairgrounds.com/fallfestival

Coweta County Fair. October 8th through October 17th at the Coweta County Fairgrounds in Newnan. Arts, crafts, midway rides, food, live entertainment, beauty pageant and such. Hours of operation vary. $5 admission; free for children under 6. www.cowetacountyfair.org

Cumming Country Fair and Festival. October 8th through October 18th at the Cumming Fairgrounds in Cumming. Midway rides, petting zoo, mini circus, arts, crafts, food, live entertainment and so on. Charlie Daniels Band is performing and I'd bet you'll get a little "Devil Went Down to Georgia". Admission is $7 for adults; $3 for children age 5 to 18; free for children under 3. $3 parking. www.cummingfair.net

5th Annual Rice Festival. October 10th from 11am - 5pm at the Peachtree Hill Shopping Center in Duluth. Asian traditional dance, music, performers, food and vendors. Free admission. aarc-atlanta.org

Disc Dog World Finals

The Disc Dog World Finals is this weekend, October 10th and 11th at Dellinger Park in Cartersville. If you like dogs, have dogs, especially dogs who can catch and compete, you'll like this event. There will be players from 16 different qualifiers from around the world. There will also be events that you and your dog can participate in such as agility, toss and fetch and herding. Admission is free. For more information visit the USDDN's website at www.usddn.com.

Fest-of-Ale Thursdays

The Atlanta Botanical Garden hosts the Fest-of-Ale event every Thursday from 5pm-10pm in October. It's a wonderful opportunity to enjoy some seasonal brews and live music in the gardens as well as a "beer school". Bring a flashlight to explore the Scarecrows in the Garden and Moore in America exhibitions at night. Admission to the gardens is $15 per person. www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org

Taste of Atlanta

The 8th Annual Taste of Atlanta Festival is this weekend, October 10th and 11th from 11am - 6pm in Midtown Atlanta at 5th and Spring Street. Sample food from more than 80 Atlanta restaurants, beer and wine tastings and cooking demonstrations from national and local celebrity chefs. There will also be a Farm to Festival Village showcasing the local sustainable movement with live cooking demonstrations and a farmers market filled with locally grown products. And as with most festivals there will be live entertainment. This is an outdoor event and we are looking at a rainy forecast for this weekend so you may want to plan accordingly. Tickets to the festival are $25 in advance and $30 at the gate. There is also a $65 per person VIP package. For more information, visit the Taste of Atlanta website at tasteofatlanta.net.

Tybee Island Pirate Fest

The 5th Annual Tybee Island Pirate Fest is this weekend, October 8th through October 10th on Tybee Island, of course! There will be a lot of pirates, a Buccaneer Ball, a parade, fireworks, costume contests, live entertainment, children's activities and a "thieves market". This festival sounds like a whole lot of fun. And it's on one of the barrier islands! Great idea for a weekend getaway! For more information on the fest, visit their website at tybeeisland.com/tybeepiratefest.

Georgia National Fair

The Georgia National Fair starts this Thursday, October 8th and runs through October 18th. This huge fair is being held at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry. There will be a variety of performing acts from national acts such as Montgomery Gentry to puppeteers. There's a midway full of rides, a circus, a shopping area, a petting zoo, pony rides, fireworks and much, much more! Admission to the fair is $8 and children under 10 are free. For more information on the fair, visit their website at www.georgianationalfair.com.

Sunday in the Park

Sunday in the Park is a Victorian Street Festival at historic Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta and is happening this Sunday, October 4th from 12pm - 6pm. There will be live entertainment, storytellers, living history demonstrations, an artist market, a scavenger hunt and in the children's area, the Teddy Bear Tea. Guest are encouraged to participate in the Victorian costume contest and the photography contest. Food will be available from an array of local restaurants including The Varsity and Six Feet Under. There will also offering free walking tours of the cemetery as well as carriage tours and the opportunity to enter some of the mausoleums. The suggested donation is $3 per person and parking is free. It's a fantastic opportunity to spend an entertaining afternoon at historic Oakland Cemetery. www.oaklandcemetery.com/sundayPark

More Events Worth Mentioning

Here is a list of a several more events going on this weekend that I think are worth mentioning. Have fun!

The Big Red Apple Festival in downtown historic Cornelia is this Saturday, October 3rd from 10am - 5pm. There is not a lot of information on this festival on the internet but one can assume that there will be the usual festival activities with food, music, arts and craft vendors, activities for children and...apples. Cornelia is about an hour and a half drive north of Atlanta. It's a probably a good excuse to head up to the mountains this weekend!

Another event happening in the mountains this weekend is the Indian Summer Festival in Suches, Saturday, October 3rd and Sunday, October 4th from 9am - 5pm. Suches is about a 2 hour drive north of Atlanta and is between Dahlonega and Blue Ridge. Clogging, mountain music, festival food and arts and crafts. This festival also boasts having lots of pies as well as an archery demonstration and a country square dance Saturday night. $4 admission and parking is free. suches.com/festival

The Andersonville Historic Fair is also this weekend, Saturday, October 3rd and Sunday, October 4th in Andersonville. In addition to mock civil war battles, this festival boasts old world craftsmen at work, "extensive" activities for children, a parade, arts, crafts, antiques and live entertainment. www.andersonvillegeorgia.com

It's the last weekend for the Rockdale County Fair which ends on Sunday, October 4th. The fair is being held at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers. www.rockdalecountyfair.com

It's also the last weekend for the North Georgia State Fair ending on Sunday, October 4th. The fair is being held at Jim R. Miller park in Marietta. www.northgeorgiastatefair.com

Wine and Food in Midtown Atlanta

The 6th Annual Harvest Midtown Festival is this Sunday, October 4th from 1pm - 5pm at the newly renovated historic Georgian Hotel . Sample food from some of the most celebrated Atlanta chefs paired with wines from around the world. For your entertainment, there will be live jazz, art displays, dance performances and a fashion show. Sounds divine. General admission tickets are $45 in advance and $55 at the door. For details, address and more information visit the Harvest Midtown Festival website at www.harvestmidtown.com.

Hotoberfest

The 2nd Annual Hotoberfest is this Saturday, October 3rd at Glenwood Park in Atlanta. Hotoberfest is described as “an environmental fundraiser with craft beers and celebration of live music, featuring Beer Tasting in our OctoberFest-style Beer Garten.” There will be well over 100 beers available for tasting, live music, a children’s area and artist market. Admission fees vary. For details on the event visit the Hotoberfest website at www.hotoberfest.net.

Oh So Many Events!

There are so many festivals and events this weekend in Georgia as is common for the beginning of Fall. In the interest of giving as much notice as possible, I’m listing several events in this post.

The Cotton Pickin’ Fair in Gay is this Saturday, October 3rd – Sunday, October 4th. Art, antiques, crafts, demonstrations and live entertainment. $5 admission for adults and $3 for children ages 4 – 12. www.cpfair.org

The American Indian Festival is this Saturday, October 3rd – Sunday, October 4th at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds in Lawrenceville. Gates open at 10am each day. Admission is $7 for ages 13 and up; $4 for children 5 – 12; children 4 and under are free.
vitwind.com

The Atlanta Greek Festival is this Friday, October 2nd – Sunday, October 4th at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral on Clairmont Road in Atlanta. Lots of food and lots of fun. The event starts at 11am on Friday and Saturday and 12pm on Sunday. $3 admission for adults and $1 for children under 12 but does not include food. Opa! www.atlantagreekfestival.org

The Coweta up in Smoke BBQ Cook-Off is this Saturday, October 3rd in Newnan at 10am. I haven't been able to find a lot of information on this event on the internet but there seem to be a lot of competitors. Here are two websites with some info.
www.coweta.ga.us/Index.aspx?page=380&recordid=6696
www.cowetabbq.com

The Georgia Marble Festival is this Saturday, October 3rd – Sunday, October 4th in Jasper. Arts, crafts, food, car show, parade, entertainment, children’s area, street dancing and more. Whew! $5 admission for adults; $3 for children 6 and up; free for children under 5 years. www.pickenschamber.com/Marble-Festival

Field of Greens Festival

The Fourth Annual Field of Greens Festival is this Sunday, October 4th from 11am – 6pm at Whippoorwill Hollow Organic Farm in Walnut Grove. Tickets are $15 for adults and children 12 and under get in free. The admission includes small plate tastings of locally grown food prepared by 15 talented Georgia chefs. 5 Seasons Brewing, Restaurant Eugene, Rosebud, Woodfire Grill and Leon’s Full Service of Decatur are just a few of the restaurants participating. New this year is the Three Not-So-Little Pigs Cook-off, where three chefs prepare three pigs raised by three different farmers. This three-by-three BBQ cook-off, also included in the admission price, will be served up at 3pm. I had problems opening the actual event website (www.fieldofgreensfestival.com) but you can visit the Whippoorwill Hollow Farm website for their address and directions.