It's the first weekend of October! Here's what events you can find around Northeast Georgia:
Weekend Events October 4-6
FESTIVALS
Event Name: Hoschton Fall Festival, Hoschton
Event Date & Time: Friday, October 4 – Sunday, October 6
Event Location: Downtown Hoschton
Event Details: Come enjoy the largest festival in Jackson County. Live bands will kick off the event on Friday night at 5 p.m. Live entertainment will be happening all weekend long. Don’t miss the parade on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. through downtown. It will be three days of live music, a kids’ zone, over 200+ vendors, food trucks and more. For a full schedule of events, visit www.cityofhoschton.net.
Event Name: Suwanee Taste of BBQ & Music Festival, Suwanee
Event Date & Time: Saturday, October 5, 10 a.m.
Event Location: Town Center Park, Suwanee
Event Details: Come enjoy BBQ, listen to local bands, play in the kids area or visit the artist market. Vote for the best BBQ in town! This is a free event that is fun for everyone! Tickets will be sold to sample the BBQ. This is a fundraiser that will benefit Project Green, a local kids non-profit that helps sponsor kids to summer camps and school excursions. For details, go to www.aliveexpo.com/festival.
Event Name: Food Truck Friday, Dawsonville
Event Date & Time: Friday, October 4, 5 p.m.
Event Location: City Hall, Dawsonville
Event Details: Come join us at City Hall in Dawsonville for Food Truck Friday!
Event Name: Spooky Art in the Park, Dahlonega
Event Date & Time: Saturday, October 5, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Event Location: Hancock Park, Dahlonega
Event Details: Trick or treat art lovers! Fall is approaching and it’s time to get ready for the season with hand crafted jewelry, ceramics, paintings, photography, wood gifts, live entertainment, and so much more from local artists across North Georgia. Bring your candy bag and enjoy trick or treating from the local artists.
Event Name: NAMI Walks, Gainesville
Event Date & Time: Saturday, October 5, 10 a.m.
Event Location: Rock Creek Veterans Park, 223 Northside Dr., Gainesville
Event Details: NAMIWalks is a celebration of mental health advocacy, community, and hope. Whether you walk for yourself or a loved one, your presence makes a difference. It’s free to participate. Funds raised will support NAMI Hall County to provide free mental health support groups, educational programs and presentations. Registration and sign in begins at 10 a.m. There will be a welcome and speaker and the walk will begin at 11:15 a.m. Walk 3.1 miles (1 lap) around the Rock Creek Greenway. Dogs are welcome so bring your furry friends!
Event Name: A Haunted Lake Lanier Experience
Event Date & Time: All Through October, Various Times
Event Location: Lake Lanier
Event Details: Lanier Boat Charter Presents, “A Haunted Lake Lanier Experience.” Enjoy a tour by boat with all the spookiest details that the lake has to offer. For tickets, go to www.lanierboatcharter.com.
Event Name: Sautee Art Affair Reception, Sautee
Event Date & Time: Saturday, October 5, 6 – 8 p.m.
Event Location: Sautee Nacoochee Center, 283 Highway 255 North, Sautee
Event Details: Make plans to attend with only a $10 admission fee. This is a dressy casual event open to anyone. Meet the artists and enjoy an evening admiring art. The Toccoa Jazz Band will be there and light bites will be served. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks will be available to purchase. Participants can enter raffles to win art items and mystery boxes. You can purchase fine art and support the local artists while also supporting the work and mission of the Sautee Nacoochee Community Association. There will also be an online art auction going on through October 9.
THEATER PRODUCTIONS
Event Name: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, Gainesville
Event Date & Time: Friday, October 4 – Sunday, Octdober 6, Various Times
Event Location: Brenau University, Pearce Auditorium, 202 Blvd. NE, Gainesville
Event Details: When the big, bad wolf takes the stand in PIggsylvania’s Trial of the Century, he finally gets his say. Come find out if he gets a fair trial in court. Enter the jury box and decide the wolf’s fate in this musical adaptation of the hit children’s book. Recommended for all ages. Presented by Gainesville Theatre Alliance, a collaborate ensemble uniting the theatre departments of the University of North Georgia and Brenau University. Get your tickets at www.gainesvilletheatrealliance.org.
Event Name: Shakespeare Bits and Bites, Braselton
Event Date & Time: Friday, October 4 – Saturday, October 5, 6 p.m.
Event Location: Braselton Civic Center, 27 E Lake Dr., Braselton
Event Details: Join us for a dinner theatre experience! Enjoy a delightful mix of Shakespearean humor and drama with familiar characters like Romeo, Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth and more. Show tickets can be purchased separately and dinner is not required, however, no outside food will be allowed in the Civic Center. Dinner is catered by Leather and Lace Coffee Company. This is perfect for a date night or for the whole family for a fun evening of entertainment. For tickets go to www.explorebraselton.com.
MUSIC
Event Name: First Friday Concert, Dahlonega
Event Date & Time: Friday, October 4, 6:30 p.m.
Event Location: Hancock Park, Dahlonega
Event Details: It’s the last Friday night concert for 2024. Rock out with Kurt Thomas. Enjoy downtown shopping and dining options, play some games and enjoy fantastic live music!
Event Name: 90’s Night Bash, Gainesville
Event Date & Time: Friday, October 4, 7 – 11 p.m.
Event Location: NoFo Brewery, 434 High Street SW, Gainesville
Event Details: Come have fun with a DJ Dance Party, glow necklaces and a 90’s outfit contest. Come get jiggy with it and bring your friends!
Event Name: Departure, a Journey Tribute Band, Buford
Event Date & Time: Friday, October 4, 8 p.m.
Event Location: Sylvia Beard Theater, 2200 Buford Hwy., Buford
Event Details: This band has been together 16 years, giving you the most authentic sounds and feels of the original 80’s rock group, Journey. You’ll hear all the hit songs that everyone knows and loves. Get your tickets at bufordcommunitycenter.com.
Event Name: Trotline, Cumming
Event Date & Time: Friday, October 4, 7 – 9 p.m.
Event Location: Lou Sobh Amphitheater, 423 Canton Rd., Cumming
Event Details: Trotline is a popular country/southern rock band. It originated from South Georgia in 1997. The concert has free admission and free parking. No outside food or alcoholic beverages. Friendly dogs on-leash are welcome! Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets to sit on.
PET FOCUSED
Event Name: Yappy Hour, Gainesville
Event Date & Time: Sunday, October 6, 2 – 4 p.m.
Event Location: Midland Greenway, Gainesville
Event Details: Bring your best buddy to the Midland Dog Park and NoFo Brew Co for a party in their honor. The festivities will be outside on the Greenway and inside NoFo. This year there will be Dog Yoga at 2:30 p.m. Dog Yoga will feature adoptable dogs from The Humane Society of Northeast Georgia. Of course you can try it with your own dog as well. Dogs will be available for adoption. The event is free unless the humans want to have a drink! For details, visit www.exploregainesville.org.
