Siblings Matthew, left, and Emma Parker play on tractors at last year’s Prater’s Mill Country Fair.FESTIVALS OPENING THIS WEEKENDOct. 9-12• Arts in the Park: Downtown City Park, Blue Ridge, Ga., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, $5 adults, children free, sponsored by Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association. 706-632-2144.• Back to the Earth Handcrafts Fair: Unitarian Universalist Church, 324 Navajo Drive, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, admission is donation of nonperishable food for Chattanooga Area Food Bank, herbal soaps and creams, Waldorf dolls, jams and jellies and other handmade items for sale. 423-624-2985.• Craft Fair: Brainerd United Methodist Church, 4315 Brainerd Road, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, free. 423-698-2030.• Fall Bazaar: First United Methodist Church, 3425 Ocoee St., Cleveland, Tenn., 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, free admission, homemade soup and sandwich lunch available for purchase. 423-476-4504.• Fannie Moffitt Autumn Stomp: Downtown Altamont, Tenn., 10 a.m.-10 p.m. CDT Saturday, free, music, most elaborate hat contest, cruise-in and crafts. 931-692-3879.• Georgia Apple Festival: Ellijay Lions Fairgrounds, 1729 S. Main, Ellijay, Ga., 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, $5 ages 11 and up, $2 parking. georgiaapplefestival.org.• Holiday Craft Show: Community Complex at Cumberland County Fairgrounds, 1391 Livingston Road, Crossville, Tenn., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. CDT Thursday-Friday, free. 931-456-8590.• New Salem Mountain Festival: New Salem Community Center, 12477 Highway 136 between Trenton and LaFayette, Ga, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, $5 ages 12 and older. 706-398-1988.• Oktoberfest: Knights of Columbus Fairgrounds, 2892 Highway 70, Crossville, Tenn, 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Saturday (all times Central), $7.50 ages 15 and older, $10 German dinner. crossvilleoktoberfest.com.• Pottery/Craft Sale: John A. Patten Youth and Family Development Center, 3202 Kelly Ferry Road, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, free, sponsored by Scenic City Clay Arts. 423-260-0255.• Prater’s Mill Country Fair: Prater’s Mill, 5845 Georgia Highway 2, 10 miles northeast of Dalton, Ga., 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, $7 ages 13 and older. 706-694-MILL.• Pumpkinfest: Downtown Chickamauga, Ga., merchants, 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturday, free, children’s games, pumpkin carving and decorating contests, music and silent auction to raise money for Al Millard’s Stocking Full of Love children’s Christmas fund. 423-605-6158.• Pumpkintown: Downtown Athens, Tenn., 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday, free. pumpkintownfestival.com.• Taking It to the Streets: Bi-Lo, 6951 Lee Highway, 5-7 p.m. Sunday, free family event sponsored by Hickory Valley Christian Church with carnival games, inflatables, live band. 423-902-4585.Oct. 9-26• Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair: Gatlinburg Convention Center, 234 Historic Nature Trail, Gatlinburg, Tenn., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays, $6 ages 13 and up, showcase of almost 200 regional craftsmen. craftsmenfair.com.Oct. 10-18• Georgia Mountain Fall Festival: Georgia Mountain fairgrounds, Highway 76, Hiwassee, Ga., 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, $12 ages 13 and up, includes admission to music shows, free parking. georgiamountainfairgrounds.com.Oct. 15-19• Oktoberfest: Chattanooga Market, First Tennessee Pavilion, 1829 Reggie White Blvd. Annual Sunday market event expands to five days, Wednesday-Sunday, with ticketed dinner on Thursday night. chattanoogaoktoberfest.com.
The festival circuit peaks this weekend with a season-high 17 events opening between today, Oct. 9, and Wednesday, Oct. 15.
Whether you are looking for brats and beer at an Oktoberfest, the country charm of a rural mill or homespun fun in a small town’s downtown, there is something on the list to suit every whim. Here are three top choices.
• If it’s the second weekend of October, it’s time for Prater’s Mill Country Fair. This 40-year-old celebration of Southern culture and handmade crafts has been recognized as a Local Legacy of American Tradition by the Library of Congress.
Shuttle buses drop visitors off right at the entry gate, where entering the fair is like stepping back in time to an era when listening to pickers and fiddlers while cloggers danced was good family entertainment. Tour the historic grist mill, shop from more than 200 artists or admire the skill of Appalachian craftsmen demonstrating blacksmithing, chair-caning, weaving, woodcarving and hand-tufting.