Helen's Festivals, Season by Season
From winter Fasching to the end of Oktoberfest, with dates, hours and costs
Helen's festival year, in short
Fall and winter 2026
Still ahead this year.
| Date | Event | Time | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Through Sun, Nov 1 | Oktoberfest (56th) | Mon-Thu 6-10 PM; Fri 6-11 PM; Sat 1-11 PM; Sun 1-7 PM | Helen Festhalle | Mon-Thu $10; Fri/Sat $15; kids 6-12 $5/$7; Sunday free |
| Oct 24-25 | Art-Oberfest Arts and Fine Crafts | Sat 10-5; Sun 10-3 | Helen Arts & Heritage Center | Check the center |
| Nov 27 | Lighting of the Village | 5-7 PM | Riverside Park | Free |
| Nov 28-29 | Mistletoe Market Arts and Fine Crafts | Sat 10-5; Sun 10-3 | Helen Arts & Heritage Center | Check the center |
| Nov 28-29 and Dec 5-6 | Helen's Christmas Market (19th) | 10 AM-5 PM | Marktplatz and Unicoi Hill Park | Free |
| Dec 12 | Lighted Christmas Parade | 6 PM | Main Street | Free |
| Dec 31 | Dropping of the Edelweiss | 8 PM-midnight | Helen Festhalle | $30; ages 6-16 $15; under 6 free |
Oktoberfest is billed by the Helen Chamber of Commerce as the longest-running in the United States. Every adult is ID-checked at the door, and under 6 and active or retired military (with ID) are free. For the whole fall lineup, including nearby harvest days, see our fall festivals guide; for the holidays, Christmas in Helen. The Christmas Market's final weekend is December 5-6; see the Christkindlmarkt guide.
Winter 2027: Fasching and WinterFest
| Date | Event | Time | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 22 | Huttengaudi pub crawl and scavenger hunt | Pick up a card at a participating business | Downtown Helen | Check the Welcome Center |
| Jan 22, 23, 29 | Restaurant Fasching parties (Cowboys & Angels, Hofbrauhaus, The Heidelberg) | Set by each restaurant | Downtown Helen | Set by each restaurant |
| Sat, Jan 30 | Faschingsverein sidewalk parade and party | Check the Welcome Center | Downtown; party at Helendorf River Inn | Spectators welcome |
| Sat, Feb 6 | Fasching costume party | 6-11 PM | Helen Festhalle | To be announced |
| Sat-Sun, Feb 13-14 | WinterFest Arts Tour | 10 AM-5 PM | Arts & Heritage Center, Sautee Nacoochee Center, Hardman Farm, Unicoi | Free |
Fasching is the German Mardi Gras, and Ash Wednesday (February 10, 2027) ends the season. Costumes are encouraged, not required; February nights are cold, so layer up. Everything is in our Fasching guide. Couples planning around Valentine's Day can see the Valentine's guide.
Spring 2027
| Date | Event | Time | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Mar 27 | Helen Trout Tournament (38th) | 6 AM-2 PM; weigh-in by 2 PM | Chattahoochee through downtown; Festhalle for registration | $25 entry |
| Apr 16-17 | Corvair Springfest | See the organizer | Helen, Festhalle swap meet | See the organizer |
| Sun, Apr 25 | Tour of Georgia Gran Fondo | Gran and Medio start 8 AM; Piccolo 10 AM | Starts and finishes in Helen | Registration from $120 to $170 through Jan 11 |
| Late April, dates to be announced | Alpine Helen Songwriters Festival and Volkswanderung | Volksmarch registration 7:30-10 AM | Around town | Check the organizers |
| Sat, May 29 | Bavarianfest | 6-11 PM | Helen Festhalle | Military and a guest free with ID in 2026 |
The trout tournament stocks the Chattahoochee through town with more than 400 pounds of trophy trout, including tagged fish worth up to $1,000; a Georgia fishing license and trout stamp are required. Bavarianfest opens with a military Color Guard, then a live oompah band, dancing, beer, wine and wursts. BINGO also returns on Tuesday and Friday nights at the Festhalle in spring and summer (dates for 2027 to be announced; $12 in 2026).
Summer 2027
| Date | Event | Time | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 3-6 | Biker Nation Reunion Rally | See the organizer | Helen | VIP packages sold; vendors and music open |
| Early June, dates to be announced | Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race (54th) | Flights around 7:30 AM and 6 PM | Launch field at the end of Chattahoochee Strasse | $20 per car in 2026; $1 per walker |
| Sat, June 12 | Shriners Parade | Noon | Downtown Helen | Free |
| Sun, July 4 | Fireworks (confirm closer to the date) | Dusk, about 9-9:30 PM | Behind Alpine Village Shoppes and the Welcome Center | Free |
| Early August, dates to be announced | Helen Import Day | Opened at noon in 2026 | Helen | $15 online; $20 at the gate in 2026 |
The balloon race is the South's oldest balloon event and the only long-distance hot air balloon race in the U.S. (helenballoon.com). Our balloon race guide and Fourth of July guide have the details.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| 2026 race (53rd) | June 4-6, 2026; 7 AM mass ascension on Thursday |
| 2027 race (54th) | Expected early June 2027, dates to be announced |
| Local flights | Around 7:30 AM and 6 PM; no ballooning mid-day |
| Dahlonega July 4 | All-day celebration, 11 AM-10 PM in 2027; a short drive away |
Fall 2027 and nearby festivals
Oktoberfest comes back in September 2027, and there are good festivals within a drive of Helen, including the Georgia Mountain Fair. Use the trip-dates filter on the events calendar to see what overlaps your visit.
| Event | When | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oktoberfest 2027 | Opens Thursday, September 9, 2027 | Helen Festhalle | Parade Saturday, September 11 at noon; closing date not announced |
| Gold Rush Days | October 17-18, 2026 | Dahlonega, about 45 minutes | 2027 dates not confirmed here |
| Georgia Mountain Fall Festival | October 9-11 and 15-17, 2026 | Hiawassee | Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds |
| Georgia Mountain Fair | August 13-21, 2027 | Hiawassee | See the fair guide |
| Georgia Apple Festival | Mid-October each year | Ellijay | Confirm dates with the organizer |
