Springtime in Helen, Georgia
Fasching costumes, trout season on the Chattahoochee and wildflowers on the waterfall trails
Spring in Helen, in short
Spring dates at a glance
Confirmed dates, plus what's still to be announced
| Date | Event | Time | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 22-23, 2027 | Fasching restaurant parties and Huttengaudi pub crawl | Evenings | Varies by venue | Cowboys & Angels Jan 22, Hofbrauhaus Jan 23; the pub crawl starts Jan 22 |
| Sat, Jan 30, 2027 | Faschingsverein sidewalk parade and party | See helenga.org | Varies | Party at the Helendorf River Inn |
| Sat, Feb 6, 2027 | Fasching party at the Festhalle | 6-11 PM | Entrance fee to be announced | Costume prizes; food and cash bar |
| Feb 13-14, 2027 | WinterFest Arts Tour | 10 AM-5 PM both days | Free | About 175 artists at four venues, including the Helen Arts & Heritage Center |
| Sat, Mar 27, 2027 | Helen Trout Tournament | 6 AM-2 PM | $25 entry | Fish the Chattahoochee; tagged trout worth up to $1,000; weigh-in at the Festhalle |
| Sat, Mar 27, 2027 (expected) | Easter egg hunt at Unicoi State Park | Morning, dates to be announced | Free | Usually the Saturday before Easter; Easter is March 28, 2027 |
| Apr 16-17, 2027 | Corvair Springfest | See event page | Varies | Car show, autocross and swap meet at the Festhalle and downtown |
| Late April 2027 (TBA) | Alpine Helen Songwriters Festival | Dates to be announced | To be announced | The 2026 festival was April 24-26 |
| Sun, Apr 25, 2027 | Tour of Georgia Gran Fondo | Gran and Medio start 8 AM; Piccolo 10 AM | Registration from $120 | Bike ride starting and finishing in downtown Helen |
| Sat, May 29, 2027 | BavarianFest at the Festhalle | 6-11 PM | Military and a guest free in 2026 | Memorial Day weekend; oompah band, dancing, wursts |
| Early June 2027 (TBA) | Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race | 7 AM mass ascension on Thursday | See balloon race page | 54th race; dates not announced |
Use the events calendar for updates as organizers publish dates. Events that older listings still show but that are no longer held: Spring Bierfest (last held in 2023) and a Helen St. Patrick's Day parade.
Fasching: Helen's German Mardi Gras
Fasching is the pre-Lenten carnival, and it's the town's best winter-into-spring party: costumes encouraged, live music, dancing. The Chamber's Festhalle party is Saturday, February 6, 2027, 6 to 11 PM, with prizes for best female, male and couples costumes. Hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecue and pretzels are sold, with a cash bar for beer and wine. The season ends on Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2027.
Before that, Cowboys & Angels (January 22), the Hofbrauhaus (January 23) and the Heidelberg (January 29) host their own parties. Our Fasching guide has more.
Trout tournament, Easter and the river
On Saturday, March 27, 2027, anglers line the Chattahoochee through downtown for the Helen Trout Tournament. The Chamber stocks the river with more than 400 pounds of trophy trout and Georgia DNR stocks it too. Tagged fish are worth cash prizes, with up to $1,000 for the top fish, and the event is open to all ages (a Georgia fishing license and trout stamp are required). Entry is $25.
Easter Sunday is March 28, 2027. Unicoi State Park's Friends group has held a free egg hunt on the Saturday morning before Easter, and the 2027 details aren't posted yet; check the park's calendar. For tubing, the daily season at Cool River Tubing starts Memorial Day weekend, with some April and May weekends if weather allows. Call ahead.
Wildflower season
A rolling bloom from March to June
| When | What to look for | Where |
|---|---|---|
| March to early April | Bloodroot, trout lily, violets | Moist creekside trails such as Anna Ruby Falls and Smith Creek |
| April to May | Trillium, pink lady's slipper, flame azalea | Shaded coves and trails; Raven Cliff Falls trail, Smith Creek Trail |
| May to June | Mountain laurel and rhododendron | Streamside slopes and ridges across the Chattahoochee National Forest |
Bloom times shift with the weather, and the higher you go, the later the flowers. For species and more trails see our spring wildflowers guide and the spring planning guide.
Trails to pair with the blooms
| Trail | Distance, fee and drive |
|---|---|
| Anna Ruby Falls | Paved 0.4-mile trail each way, with steep sections, to twin falls; $6 ages 16+, 15 and under free; about 20 minutes from downtown |
| Smith Creek Trail | About 4.6 miles each way (the park map says 4.8) between Unicoi State Park and Anna Ruby Falls |
| Raven Cliff Falls | 2.6 miles each way into the Raven Cliffs Wilderness; $5 per vehicle; creek crossing can run calf-deep; about 15 minutes away |
| Dukes Creek Falls | 2.2 miles round trip; $4 per vehicle per day; about 15 minutes away |
Spring rain makes the falls run strong, and trails get muddy. Helen averages about 5.8 inches of rain in April and 5.6 in May. Sosebee Cove, in the national forest near Vogel State Park, is known for spring wildflowers. Vogel's own lake loop and waterfall are closed for dam repairs.
Hardman Farm in spring
Hardman Farm State Historic Site sits just south of Helen in Sautee Nacoochee, on the old Unicoi Turnpike. You can walk the grounds and see the Sautee Nacoochee Indian Mound, and guided house tours show the 19th-century Italianate mansion. Leashed pets are allowed on the trails but not in buildings. Hours change with the season, so check the park page. It's also one stop on the WinterFest Arts Tour, February 13-14.
Frequently asked questions
When is spring in Helen?
March through May. Average highs climb from 61°F in March to 77°F in May, and freezing nights are rare after early April (NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Helen).
When is the Helen Trout Tournament?
Saturday, March 27, 2027, from 6 AM to 2 PM. Entry is $25, anglers need a Georgia fishing license and trout stamp, and weigh-in ends at 2 PM. The Chamber stocks more than 400 pounds of trout, with tagged fish worth up to $1,000.
When can you tube the river in spring?
The daily tubing season starts Memorial Day weekend. Cool River Tubing says it opens some weekends in April and May, weather and staff permitting, so check its booking calendar and call ahead.
Is there a Fasching event in 2027?
Yes. The Chamber's Festhalle party is Saturday, February 6, 2027, 6-11 PM, with live music, dancing and costume prizes. Restaurant parties and a sidewalk parade run in late January.
