Depending on where you live in Georgia, you’re likely already seeing the advertising. NO, I’m not talking about ads for the upcoming Georgia political races — because I’m already tired of those!
Rather, these ads are for the Georgia State fair. But don’t be confused if you see similar-sounding promotions for events in different parts of the state. That’s because Georgia is home to five major fair events that often are confused based on their names, and all deliver traditional state fair fun.
Fall is prime time for all five of the Georgia big state fair events, each featuring lots of entertainment, carnival games and rides and that (in)famous state fair food selection. Each state fair is a separate entity, and they are each set in different parts of the state.
Find a Fair
So when and where can you find a Georgia “state fair?” Here’s the 2025 list:
- North Georgia State Fair in Marietta opens the fall fair season, running September 18 – 28, at Jim R. Miller Park.
- Georgia State Fair is open September 26 to October 5 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton.
- Georgia National Fair operates October 2 – 12 at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter in Perry, GA.
- Georgia-Carolina State Fair in Augusta is October 17-26, 2025
- South Georgia State Fair, celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2025, runs Oct. 23 to Nov. 2 in Savannah.
Regardless of the time and location, these huge events are fan favorites, with Georgians traveling long distances to sample the farm displays, frivolity and fun. And of course, each fair features some unique food that attendees can’t stop praising in their pictures and posts.
At the North Georgia State Fair in Marietta, long-standing favorites include as roasted corn on the cob (served by Boy Scout Troop 757 for decades) and lemonade (noted for being “round, robust, and sweet”). And a Thrillist report includes outrageous must-tries that included The Bird Dog (chicken fingers + nacho cheese + bacon in a hot-dog bun), the Waffle Dog (hot-dog enrobed in waffle batter), and Fried Kool-Aid hush puppies.
For fairgoers at the Georgia State Fair in Hampton, fried foods are the fantastic favorites, according to a Reddit thread of fair-going experiences. Those include fried peanuts in the shell, fried turkey legs, and fried Snickers.
Taking it to a different level, the Georgia National Fair included in 2024 a “Fair Food Fight,” in which food vendors competed to be named among the fair favorites in savory and sweet categories. Emerging as the savory winner was Gillette’s Pizza’s “When Pickled Pigs Fly,” featuring pickles, ranch, mozzarella, and bacon. The Sweet Winner was Polar Bear Ice Cream, with a S’More Magic Ice Cream Sandwich, a decadent treat with chocolate-covered graham crackers, ice cream, marshmallow, and drizzle.
And not to be outdone, popular items at the Georgia-Carolina State Fair in 2024 included Korean Corn Dogs (“K-Dogs”) — hot dogs and mozzarella on a stick, dipped in donut batter, deep-fried, then rolled in creative toppings like Takis, hot-Cheeto dust, or fried potato cubes — and deep-fried cannoli on a stick.
Now, before you head to any of the fairs for the foods described, remember those were offered in 2024. And while we expect most of the famous favorites to return, foods and vendors change each year.
