The Georgia Apple Festival is an annual festival in

Ellijay, Georgia Ellijay is a city in Gilmer County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,619 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Gilmer County. Agriculture is important in Gilmer County, known as the "Apple Capital of Georgia." The city h ...

. The festival has been held every October since 1971 and offers handmade crafts, live music, and apples. An annual parade and antique car show are also held in conjunction with the festival.

History

After the

boll weevil The boll weevil (''Anthonomus grandis'') is a beetle that feeds on cotton buds and flowers. Thought to be native to Central Mexico, it migrated into the United States from Mexico in the late 19th century and had infested all U.S. cotton-growing ...

came through and destroyed Georgia's

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus ''Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor perce ...

crops in the 1920s, Gilmer County's economy was bolstered by its

apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...

orchards. A festival to celebrate the apples and what they did for the county during the hard times created by the loss of the cotton crop was first held in 1971. The only cancellation occurred in 2020.

Apples and Attractions

There are over 300 vendors and exhibitions. The vendor booths include candles, homemade hats, woodwork, crafts, food, and blacksmith and glass blowing exhibits. Apple fritters, pies, and other apple treats are the face of the Georgia apple festival. The hundreds of booths feature craftsmen and artisans from throughout the Southeastern United States.

References

External links

* Festivals in Georgia (U.S. state) Food and drink festivals in the United States Tourist attractions in Gilmer County, Georgia Festivals established in 1971 October events Apple festivals 1971 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) {{Food-festival-stub