Gold Rush Days 2026 schedule
Every act, contest and start time for Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18, typed out so you can read it on your phone.
By the Gold Rush Dahlonega Editorial Team. Updated .
The short answer
Gold Rush Days 2026 opens at 9:00 AM on Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18 in downtown Dahlonega. Saturday starts with the Gold Rush 5K at 8:00 AM and builds to the parade at 3:00 PM. Sunday has the cross-cut saw competition at 11:15 AM and the arm wrestling tournament at 3:00 PM. Booths close at 5:30 PM, the organizer’s standing closing time.
Saturday, October 17
Gold Rush 5K
Sponsored by the Dahlonega Rotary.
RaceFestival opens
Booths open around the Public Square.
Historic Holly Theater Presents Dahlonega's Got Talent
Nealy Webster
Pie Eating Contest
ContestGainesville Ballet Company
Historic Holly Theater Presents Dahlonega's Got Talent
The Raven Welch Band
Beard Growing Contest
ContestGrand Marshal Announcement
The parade’s grand marshal is announced.
Apple Bobbing
ContestHog Calling
ContestKing and Queen Coronation
The King and Queen are nominated by neighbors and must be over 60.
The Oak Grove Boys
Gold Rush Parade
Rain or shine. The parade ends at the University of North Georgia drill field.
ParadeRadford Windham and Step Back Cadillac
Booths close
The organizer’s standing closing time for booths.
Sunday, October 18
Festival opens
Booths open around the Public Square.
UNG String Band
Historic Holly Theater Presents Dahlonega's Got Talent
Team Bell and Friends Gospel
Cross-cut Saw Competition
ContestSam McDuffie
Gold Country Squares
Sniffy & The Lips
Arm Wrestling Tournament
ContestBooths close
The organizer’s standing closing time for booths.
Start times are transcribed from the organizer’s published 2026 schedule at goldrushdaysfestival.com. The closing time is from the organizer’s vendor page. Check the organizer’s page on the day. Last checked October 12, 2026.
How to read this schedule
The organizer, Gold Rush Days Festival, Inc., publishes the schedule as a picture. We typed it out line by line so it can be searched, read aloud and opened on a slow connection. The wording of each act is the organizer’s.
Two things are not on that picture. It does not name a stage for any act, and it does not give a closing time. The 5:30 PM close comes from the organizer’s vendor page, which lists 9:00 to 5:30 as the hours booths are open on both days. Treat it as the standing rule.
The schedule image was posted on September 9, 2026. If a time matters to you, check the organizer’s schedule page that morning.
The contests, in order
These are the old-time contests on the 2026 schedule. The organizer does not publish entry rules for them online, so ask at the festival if you want to take part.
- Pie eating contest. Saturday, 10:15 AM.
- Beard growing contest. Saturday, 12:50 PM.
- Apple bobbing. Saturday, 1:15 PM.
- Hog calling. Saturday, 1:45 PM.
- Cross-cut saw competition. Sunday, 11:15 AM.
- Arm wrestling tournament. Sunday, 3:00 PM.
Where these facts come from
We link the organizer and other primary sources so you can confirm anything before you travel. Checked October 12, 2026.