Fall in Helen: Oktoberfest, Foliage and Harvest Events
Nightly Oktoberfest through November 1, art shows, haunted hikes and the farms and festivals worth the drive
Fall in Helen, in short
Fall 2026 calendar
What is still ahead as of October 8, in date order.
| Date | Event | Time | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nightly through Sun, Nov 1 | Helen Oktoberfest (56th) | Mon-Thu 6-10 PM; Fri 6-11 PM; Sat 1-11 PM; Sun 1-7 PM | Helen Festhalle | See the admission table below |
| Sundays in October | Growers and Makers Market | 10 AM-2 PM | Nacoochee Village, just south of Helen | Free |
| Oct 9-11 and 15-17 | Georgia Mountain Fall Festival | Gates 10 AM-7 PM; concerts 7 PM | Hiawassee (about 35 min) | $10; 12 and under free |
| Sat, Oct 10 | Stein Holding Competition (3rd annual) | 6-8 PM | Helen Festhalle | Saturday admission |
| Sat, Oct 10 | Second Saturday guided hike: fall color | 10 AM | Smithgall Woods State Park | Reservation required; $10 parking |
| Oct 10-11 and 17-18 | Sorghum in the Mountains | 9 AM-5 PM | Meeks Park, Blairsville (about 50 min) | Check the festival site |
| Daily through Sun, Nov 8 | Harvest Celebration and Corn Maze | October: Mon-Thu 10-5; Fri 10-7; Sat 9-7; Sun 10-7 | Jaemor Farms, Alto | $19 Mon-Thu; $21 Fri-Sun |
| Sat, Oct 17 | Halloween Haunted Hike | 5-7 PM | Smithgall Woods State Park | Reservation required; $10 plus parking |
| Sat, Oct 17 | Fall Fest | 5-7 PM | Tallulah Gorge State Park (about 1 hr) | Parking fee applies |
| Fri, Oct 23 | Halloween Scavenger Hunt | 2 PM | Unicoi State Park visitor center | Reserve online |
| Sat, Oct 24 | Night hike (State Park After Dark) | Evening; reserve online | Unicoi State Park | $10 per person |
| Sat-Sun, Oct 24-25 | Art-Oberfest Arts and Fine Crafts Festival | Sat 10 AM-5 PM; Sun 10 AM-3 PM | Helen Arts & Heritage Center, Chattahoochee Strasse | Check the center |
| Sat, Oct 24 | Mountain Farm Celebration | 10 AM-4 PM | Hardman Farm, Sautee Nacoochee | $8; 5 and under free |
| Oct 29-31 | The Haunted Village | 6:30-9:30 PM | Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, Hiawassee | $5 advance; $7 at the gate; ages 6 and up |
| Sat, Oct 31 | Oktoberfest Halloween costume party | Regular Saturday hours | Helen Festhalle | $15 adults; $7 ages 6-12 |
| Sat, Oct 31 | BOO-nicoi Halloween Family Fun Night | 6-8 PM | Unicoi State Park | Free |
| Sat, Oct 31 | Fall Fest | Noon-4 PM; storytelling 6:30 PM | Amicalola Falls State Park (about 70 min) | Reserve online |
| Nov 6-8 | Northeast Georgia Arts Tour (fall) | 10 AM-5 PM | Artist studios across the region | Free |
Weekend Uhuburg castle day visits also run on select Saturdays and Sundays through December (Saturdays 10 AM-3 PM, Sundays 11 AM-3 PM, tickets online). For anything not listed, filter the events calendar by your dates.
Oktoberfest, the main event
The Helen Oktoberfest is in its 56th year, and the Chamber calls it the longest-running Oktoberfest in the United States. It's open nightly through Sunday, November 1 (September was Thursday through Sunday only). The Festhalle, at 1074 Edelweiss Strasse, is a beer hall with long communal tables, live German bands and a menu of wurst platters, giant pretzels, sauerkraut and red cabbage.
| Day | Hours | Adults | Kids 6-12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday-Thursday | 6-10 PM | $10 | $5 |
| Friday | 6-11 PM | $15 | $7 |
| Saturday | 1-11 PM | $15 | $7 |
| Friday + Saturday pass | $25 | $12 | |
| Sunday | 1-7 PM | Free | Free |
Under 6 is free, and active and retired military are free with ID (veterans get a discount). Prices are subject to change. All adults are ID-checked at the door, the hall is smoke-free, and pets aren't allowed (trained service animals are). There are no advance tickets except for groups of 25 or more. Bands rotate through the season; the Chamber posts the band schedule online. If you want a calmer evening, Sunday is free and ends at 7 PM, and weeknights are quieter than Saturdays.
The parade that opens the festival already happened (Saturday, September 12). Next year's Oktoberfest opens Thursday, September 9, 2027, with the parade on Saturday, September 11 at noon. Our complete Oktoberfest guide and Festhalle guide cover the rest.
Fall color: when and where
Color starts on the highest ridges and moves downhill. The Forest Service's rule of thumb is that peak drops about 1,000 feet of elevation each week, and the Georgia Forestry Commission's weekly Leaf Watch reports expected peak in northeast Georgia around the end of October to the first of November in 2026, give or take a week. In 2025, color above 3,000 feet peaked from about October 22 and low-elevation oaks held until around November 6.
For views, try Brasstown Bald (Georgia's highest point, 4,784 feet, about 40 minutes away; $10 per adult), the paved trail to Anna Ruby Falls ($6 ages 16 and up) or the 2.5-mile Lake Trail at Unicoi State Park ($10 parking). The full plan, with drives and timing, is in our fall color guide.
Pumpkins, corn mazes and harvest days
Two farm events fit a fall weekend. Jaemor Farms in Alto has a corn maze (a Dolly Parton tribute this year), a pumpkin patch, hayrides and farm games. Closer to Helen, Hardman Farm's celebration is a day of old-time skills and cider pressing. For apples, Ellijay is the region's main picking area, roughly 45 to 60 minutes west.
| Event | When | Cost | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaemor Farms Harvest Celebration, Alto | Daily through November 8 | $19 Mon-Thu; $21 Fri-Sun | Flashlight Nights Oct 23 and 24 keep the maze open until 9 PM |
| Mountain Farm Celebration, Hardman Farm | Saturday, October 24, 10 AM-4 PM | $8 | Skills demonstrations, hand-cranked cider press, hayrides, gem mining, open house in the 1870s mansion |
Is there a balloon festival in fall?
No. The Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race is a June event; the 53rd race ran June 4-6, 2026, and 2027 dates haven't been announced. See our balloon race guide.
The holiday season follows right behind: the Lighting of the Village is Friday, November 27, 2026, 5-7 PM at Riverside Park. See Christmas in Helen.
