First festival weekend kicks off Oct. 8
As the 51st annual Georgia Apple Festival approaches, the Gilmer Chamber and Ellijay Lions Club will soon build an event resembling a small city on the Lions Fairgrounds.
As with most building projects today, inflation and price increases are impacting the festival set for Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 8-9 and 15-16.
The most notable change for festivalgoers is a higher admission price, up from $5 in past years to $10 per person this year. Children 12 and under will be admitted free.
“The price (for ages 12 and up) has increased, but ages 12 and under are now free. It was 10 and under before,” said Natalie Knight, chamber events manager.
Admission prices go toward paying for the current year’s festival, Knight noted. “Any money the festival makes is split equally, because it’s a nonprofit event (and a fundraiser for the Lions Club),” she added.
The cost of putting on the festival has nearly doubled from last year with an increase of $40,000 or more, Knight confirmed. Festival amenities like ATMs and shuttle buses, which are rented for the event, are among the logistics costs that have increased between last year and now, she added.
“(There are also) gas prices, but every single logistics vendor we have (including) security and internet has gone up. We have 24-hour security,” Knight said.
Live entertainment will return to the festival this year, and festivalgoers will be able to sit and enjoy the music from the covered Lions Club Pavilion, Knight noted.
“We’re still going to have everything we’ve had before, but we’ll be adding live entertainment, which is one of the things we’re doing to make the increase in price worth it,” she added. “We’ve added vendor booths, and there will be quite a few more vendors this year. We’ve also started doing some things that aren’t necessarily arts and crafts. One of the weekends, ax throwing will be there. We’re trying to update it a little bit and make it an experience where people can do more than shop.”
The Apple Festival’s downtown Ellijay sister event, Apple Arts (also chamber-presented), will be held both weekends. It, too, is shaping up to be a bigger event than in past years, Knight noted.
“There’s going to be some good (Apple Arts) vendors this year,” she added. “It’s a free admission event and pet-friendly, but the Apple Festival (allows) service animals only.”
The Apple Festival Parade, which, last year, was held on the Friday before the first event weekend, moves back to Saturday this year. It will begin at noon, Saturday, Oct. 15. The parade theme is “Mountain Life,” and Joe Sewell, the chamber’s longtime festival setup coordinator and information specialist, will be the grand marshal.
“People generally stayed downtown and experienced Apple Arts a bit more (on Saturday). That’s why were moving the parade back to where it used to be,” said Knight.
Also on the calendar are two more of the festival’s sister events.
The Apple Festival 5K road race will be run prior to the parade the morning of Saturday, Oct. 8. The Apple Classic Car Show, presented by the Apple Country Auto Club, will be held at a new location, Victory Christian Center, also on Saturday, Oct. 8.
“There’s a lot more going on that’s involved around (the actual festival),” said Knight.
The chamber is still taking applications for the parade and 5K, Knight confirmed. Anyone interested in volunteering to work the Apple Festival also has plenty of time left to sign up.
“We’ll always take more volunteers,” Knight said.
Inquiries about volunteering and requests for parade or 5K applications can be addressed to events@gilmerchamber.com.