Annual Events
Cherokee County hosts an array of events throughout the year including the favorites listed below. Contact each city directly for more information.
Ball Ground
Fireworks and fun at City Park downtown held Saturday in June prio to the 4th of July.
Native and Heirloom plants for slae exclusively at the festival. Local vendors, music, food/beverages, and more. Enter raffle to win prizes and plants. Free admission. Tour the garden.
Ball Ground, GA
Parade featuring special characters and a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus! Benefitting Toys for Tots and held the 1st Friday in December. 7pm.
Ball Ground, GA 30107
Outdoor concerts at Downtown City Park with special themes on select Saturdays.
Annual festival BBQ, craft beer, vendors, eateries, and live music in downtown Ball Ground.
Ball Groud, GA 30107
Walking tours for the downtown areas and other self-guided tour information available onlilne.
View over 3000 Japanese maples and 200 maple varieties at Gibbs Gardens! These ornamental trees display beautiful color throughout the Fall. Check website to see color updates and additional images.
Ball Ground, GA 30107
Live music at Gibbs Gardens on select dates. Featuring local and regional cover bands from the days of dance clubs, drive-ins, and prom nights.
Ball Ground, GA 30107
Canton
Parade, entertainment and fireworks at RiverStone Shopping Plaza.
Two-day event with wine tasting and shopping stops throughout Historic Downtown Canton.
The Canton Optimist Club and The City of Canton present a Christams Parade in Downtown Canton. The parade fun starts at 6 p.m. and will feature classic cars, carolers, and floats! Don't miss this holiday extravaganza!
Downtown Block Party - a family friendly fun night filled with live entertainment, extended shopping hours, restaurants, Kids Zone, food and beverage vendors along Main Street, and a CRUISE IN! Don't forget your chair and dancin' shoes! 1st Friday, May - October
Enjoy a 2-day festival with food trucks, beverage vendors, children's area, and concerts. 3rd weekend in July.
Carnival rides, livestock exhibitions, entertainment and more. Held in September at the Canton Fairgrounds.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year — and Christmas at The Mill is back for another magical weekend of holiday fun!
Join us for two days full of festive cheer, family-friendly activities, shopping, and seasonal surprises. From twinkling lights and local vendors to special moments with your favorite North Pole guests, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Vendor details, special experiences, and event times will be announced in August — but for now, save the date and make plans to kick off the season with us at The Mill on Etowah!
Canton, GA 30114
Celebration for the young, old and all ages inbetween. Enjoy a visit with Santa, wagon rides, petting zoo, face painting, balloon artist, s'mores station, inflatables, and a decorated cookie station while you shop in Downtown Canton.
Annual Kentucky Derby Day to benefit Cherokee County History Center. Food and fun watching the Kentucky Debry at The Mill on Etowah in May.
Afternoon of shopping and chocolate in Downtown Canton! Visit your favorite shops and sample chocolate provided by our downtown businesses.
Walking tours for the downtown areas and other self-guided tour information available onlilne.
The Mill on Etowah hosts the annual Etowah Wildlife Expo in the spring celebrating Georgia’s vibrant outdoor recreation scene and wildlife. Located in the heart of Canton, Georgia, this event offers an immersive experience for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. Explore diverse exhibits, engage with wildlife experts, and enjoy thrilling demonstrations alongside shopping, food, music, and endless fun. Come join the celebration of Georgia’s natural beauty and outdoor adventure!
This event features free admission.
Canton, GA 30114
Live music on the Event Green rain or shine every Friday from April to November. Monthly and weekly events such as:
WildLife Expo
UpRiver Fest
Denim Fest
Christmas at the Mill
The Rink on the River
Canton, Ga
Featuring handmade art, flowers, and plants in downtown Canton's Cannon Park.
Two-mile drive thru light show featuring light tunnels, amazing animated Christmas displays and over 1 million lights that benefits local charities during December/January.
Experience Native American entertainment, arts and crafts, music and food. Mother’s Day weekend at Boling Park in Canton.
1200 Marietta Hwy
Canton, GA 30114
Sample food and learn about the cultures of more than nine different countries. FREE!
Rated #1 Haunted House in Georgia. May your screams be loud and your frights many.
International film festival at the Canton Theatre in the spring.
Annual arts & crafts 2-day festival with over 130 exhibitors, entertainment and more. Held the last weekend in September at Etowah River Park in Canton.
Enjoy a $1 movie every Thursday in June and July at the Historic Canton Theatre.
Canton, GA
2-day one-of-a-kind event with live Southern music, food, and fun at the Etowah River Park in October.
24+ restaurateurs promote their unique cuisine to the greater community, and attendees get a delicious "Taste of Canton".
The Mill on Etowah is a historic mixed-use destination in Downtown Canton, Georgia featuring unique retail shops, local artisans in the Cotton Mill Exchange, diverse restaurants, craft brewery experiences, family-friendly entertainment, live music, makers markets, seasonal festivals, community events, and outdoor gathering spaces along the banks of the Etowah River. With an events green and stage for concerts and expos like the Etowah Wildlife Expo, The Mill on Etowah is a top destination for visitors seeking things to do, shopping and dining in the Canton GA area.
Canton, GA 30114
Ice skating rink at The Mill on Etowah, November to January.
Enjoy a day full of entertainment, painting, delicious food, and an abundance of art at the West Main Arts Festival. Don't miss out on the fun!
Canton, GA 30114
Unique setting with large open-air spaces where groups can gather and enjoy live entertainment! Bring your own food, beer, and wine. Enjoy the sunset one Friday each month from March-November for an incredible lineup of talent.
Cumming, GA 30028
Great tasting chicken wings and rockin' music at the beautiful Etowah River Park venue for a 2-day festival. Voted one of the Top 10 Food Festivals in the Southeast. Free family friendly event offers food and beverage vendors, wing eating contests, kid zone, and live music.
Holly Springs
Parade and holiday festivities in downtown Holly Springs the 1st Saturday in December.
Waleska
Bluegrass and Newgrass 2-day festival held at Reinhardt University includes a jam session, kids corner, food and craft vendors, plus meet the artists.
Official kick-off to the holiday season with a tree lighting and holiday festival in Downtown Waleska held the 2nd Friday in December.
Woodstock
Loal artists around North GA gather in downtown to display art which includes paintings, mixed media, photography, and hand-crafted jewelry.
Woodstockt, GA
The City of Woodstock’s Annual Christmas Jubilee and Parade of Lights is a festival and parade in Downtown Woodstock. Visit with Santa in the gazebo, see the Mayor light the official city Christmas tree and present the awards for the best parade floats, and enjoy holiday music by a DJ, as well as festive foods by local vendors. Families can enjoy games, inflatables, and a reading of the Polar Express with artwork displayed on a 16’ screen at 8 pm (presented by the Sequoyah Regional Library System). Don't forget to bring a monetary or nonperishable food donation to the collection bins in the park for Never Alone. Drop your letter to Santa in the mailbox at the gazebo – include your address and you may receive a personalized letter back!
Join us on Sunday, December 6 for the 2026 events!
GA
Walking tours for the downtown areas and other self-guided tour information available onlilne.
This walk-through light display features more than 2 million lights and benefits the Anna Crawford Children’s Center.
2026 Dates and Hours:
November 28 - December 30 (Closed December 24 and 25)
Sunday - Thursday | 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Friday - Saturday | 6:00pm to 10:00pm
2026 Costs: Each visit is $10 per person. Visitors under the age of 12 are free. Season Pass is $25 and is valid for every night
Woodstock, GA 30189
Magic of Lights, a unique and dazzling drive-through holiday lights experience, is bigger and brighter than ever with more than a mile of spectacular light displays that bring to life your favorite holiday scenes on the track at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock.
Woodstock, GA 30189
Taste of Woodstock returns on Thursday, September 10, 2026, on the beautiful Woodstock Arts Event Green in Downtown Woodstock. Over 20 restaurants and eateries will be waiting for you to sample and vote for your favorite!
Enjoy free concerts in The Park at City Center on September Thursdays from 12 pm to 1 pm. Bring a chair, pack a lunch, or enjoy a meal from one of their great downtown restaurants!
This family-friendly event is free to attend and offers activities for all ages! Get ready to trick-or-treat throughout the park and participate in carnival games, mini golf, crafts, pumpkin inflatables, live music, food vendors, giant bubble making, and much more.
Hosted at Northside Hospital-Cherokee Amphitheater from 4 to 8 pm on October 31, 2026.
Celebrate America's birthday with the 29th Annual July 4th Spectacular in Woodstock! Start off the day with a Spectacular Parade starting at 10:00 am, then head over to The Park at City Center for food, DJ Ronnie, carnival games, a foam party, craft, and more! Fireworks will conclude the day at dusk behind the Lowes shopping center (Hwy 92 and I-575). There will also be a 5K Race at 7:00 am.
Woodstock in getting invaded by scarecrows! Enjoy hundreds of decorated scarecrows along the downtown district throughout October.
Woodstock Summer Concert Series 2026 Season, hosted at the Northside Hospital-Cherokee Amphitheater, is a mix of music genres. From metal to grunge, from familiar chart-toppers to honky tonk anthems, the 2026 Season has something for every music fan! Shows are free to attend and you can bring your own chairs!
Woodstock, GA 30188
Cherokee County, GA
Cherokee County
Chamber of Commerce
3605 Marietta Highway
Canton, GA 30114