Gold Rush Days questions and answers
Short answers to what people ask before the weekend. Each one links to where it came from.
By the Gold Rush Dahlonega Editorial Team. Updated .
The short answer
Gold Rush Days 2026 is Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18, in downtown Dahlonega, Georgia. It opens at 9:00 AM both days and the parade is Saturday at 3:00 PM, rain or shine. Downtown streets are closed to cars from Friday evening to Sunday night, so park outside and walk in. The answers below go into each of those.
Dates, hours and the basics
When is Gold Rush Days 2026?
Gold Rush Days 2026 is Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18, 2026. The festival is always held on the third full weekend of October. goldrushdaysfestival.com
What time does Gold Rush Days open and close?
The festival opens at 9:00 AM on both Saturday and Sunday. The organizer’s standing hours for booths are 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM. The 2026 schedule itself does not print a closing time. goldrushdaysfestival.com
Where is Gold Rush Days held?
On and around the Public Square and through the historic district in downtown Dahlonega, Georgia. The 1836 courthouse in the middle of the square is the Dahlonega Gold Museum. goldrushdaysfestival.com
Is Gold Rush Days cancelled if it rains?
The parade goes ahead rain or shine, according to the organizer. No rain policy for the festival as a whole is published, so check the organizer’s site on the day if the weather looks bad. goldrushdaysfestival.com
Who runs Gold Rush Days?
Gold Rush Days Festival, Inc., a volunteer organization of people who live or work in Lumpkin County. It says the festival is its only fundraiser of the year and that all proceeds go back to the community. This guide is not the organizer. goldrushdaysfestival.com
How long has Gold Rush Days been going?
The organizer bills 2026 as the 72nd annual festival, and its list of Kings and Queens begins in 1954. goldrushdaysfestival.com
What does Gold Rush Days celebrate?
The Georgia gold rush, which began in 1829 when thousands of prospectors poured into what was then the Cherokee Nation. Dahlonega grew out of it, and a United States branch mint struck gold coins there from 1838 to 1861. The organizer’s own pages give both 1828 and 1829. georgiaencyclopedia.org
How far is Dahlonega from Atlanta?
About an hour north, by the visitors bureau’s reckoning. Take GA 400 north to its end, turn left onto GA 60 and US 19, and it is about 5.5 miles to the square. dahlonega.org
When is Gold Rush Days 2027?
The organizer has not announced it. The festival is always the third full weekend of October, which by the calendar would be October 16 and 17, 2027. Treat that as a calculation until the organizer confirms. goldrushdaysfestival.com
Is this the official Gold Rush Days website?
No. This is an independent visitor guide published by Gold Peach Realty. The official site is goldrushdaysfestival.com, run by Gold Rush Days Festival, Inc. goldrushdaysfestival.com
The parade
What time is the Gold Rush Days parade?
The parade is Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 3:00 PM. The organizer says it goes ahead rain or shine. goldrushdaysfestival.com
What is the Gold Rush Days parade route?
The organizer publishes the route as a map, not a list of streets. It shows the parade starting on the east side of town, passing around the Public Square and ending at the University of North Georgia drill field. goldrushdaysfestival.com
Parking and roads
Where do I park for Gold Rush Days?
Outside the closed downtown streets, then walk in. The University of North Georgia parking deck on South Chestatee Street is normally open to the public on weekends, but nothing published confirms it for festival weekend. As of October 12, 2026 no festival parking plan or shuttle has been published. dahlonega.org
When do the roads close for Gold Rush Days?
The organizer’s vendor schedule says downtown streets close to the public at 6:00 PM on Friday and reopen at 8:00 PM on Sunday. No traffic is allowed through the festival area during the day. goldrushdaysfestival.com
Is there a shuttle to Gold Rush Days?
We could not find one. As of October 12, 2026 neither the organizer, the city nor the visitors bureau has published a shuttle for the festival. If one is announced, it will be added to the parking page. goldrushdaysfestival.com
At the festival
How many vendors are at Gold Rush Days?
The organizer says over 200 art and craft exhibitors and food vendors. The visitors bureau says over 300. Neither figure is dated to 2026. goldrushdaysfestival.com
Do Gold Rush Days vendors take credit cards?
The organizer does not say, and it does not list an ATM. Bring cash so you are not caught out. goldrushdaysfestival.com
What contests are at Gold Rush Days?
The 2026 schedule lists a pie eating contest, a beard growing contest, apple bobbing and hog calling on Saturday, and a cross-cut saw competition and an arm wrestling tournament on Sunday. goldrushdaysfestival.com
Is there a race during Gold Rush Days?
Yes. The Gold Rush 5K, sponsored by the Dahlonega Rotary, is at 8:00 AM on Saturday, an hour before the festival opens. goldrushdaysfestival.com
Who are the Gold Rush Days King and Queen?
They are chosen each year from nominations by neighbors, friends and family, and must be over 60. The 2026 coronation is Saturday at 2:00 PM. The organizer’s list of past Kings and Queens goes back to 1954. goldrushdaysfestival.com
Can I pan for gold in Dahlonega?
Yes. Consolidated Gold Mine and Crisson Gold Mine both offer gold panning, and Consolidated also runs an underground mine tour. Check each mine’s site for hours and prices. consolidatedgoldmine.com
How do I become a vendor at Gold Rush Days?
Through the organizer, not this guide. Vendor applications for 2026 closed on May 1, 2026. Watch the organizer’s website for next year’s application. goldrushdaysfestival.com