The blue skies and cotton candy sunsets of summer don't end when school starts back. Georgia weather tends to be at its best during crisp, cool fall afternoons, and there's no better way to spend them than witnessing an eye-popping circus spectacle with cotton candy in hand or screaming as the breeze zips through your hair on a lightning-fast coaster. There's only one place to find that much action, excitement and adventure in metro Atlanta: The North Georgia State Fair!
Presented by Superior Plumbing, from September 19 through 29, the North Georgia State Fair returns to Marietta's Jim R Miller Park for 11 days of delectable fair food, captivating entertainment, thrilling rides and fun for the whole family. The Cobb County Fair Association, a nonprofit of 24 Cobb County residents, and partner Drew Expositions will bring the festivities to life with the theme "Let's Ride" for the fair's 92nd year.
While it's known to draw crowds of over 300,000 people from across the State, that hasn't always been the case. The Cobb County Fair was the first to come to Cobb County in 1924. It was met with great success, and as a result, the Cobb County Fair Association was created in 1927. Each year, without fail, the aromas of funnel cakes and flashing neon lights filled the space across from the Glover Machine Shop until World War II abruptly halted the festivities.
But almost a decade later, the fair prevailed. It came back to life in 1950 with a new name: The North Georgia State Fair. Then, it underwent a series of exciting changes: moving to its current 115-acre property in 1966, extending from 6 to 10 days in 1986, and hosting big names in entertainment like Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton and more starting in 1989.
Today, instead of live music, you and your little ones can find family-friendly entertainment at the Carriage Kia Grandstand Series almost every night. The series features a boutique circus, demolition derby, monster trucks and bull riding. Plus, three top-tier attractions—the Mega Slide, the Georgia Mountain Lift and the Wildcat Roller Coaster—will be back. The North Georgia State Fair has made history as the only fair in the country to offer all three of these iconic, adrenaline-pumping rides, so make sure they're on your itinerary!
Beyond these, Drew Exposition promises all-new rides and ground acts. The lineup includes a thrill ride, three kid-friendly rides, and a host of new performers, including hypnotists, comedians, puppetry artists, flamethrowers and more.
But the fair is more than just 11 days of yummy food and thrilling rides. Its impact runs deep throughout the Cobb County community all year long. This year, the North Georgia State Fair awarded $5,000 scholarships to seven deserving Cobb County students. These talented individuals, selected from a pool of over 70 other applicants, were honored at a Charitable Donations Dinner hosted by the fair on June 9. In addition, the fair made four $15,000 donations to local charities (10 Women of Hope, Waymark Foster, The Dave Krache Foundation and Marietta Mentoring), a $40,000 donation to the Cobb Veterans Memorial Foundation, and a $375,000 donation to the Cobb County government for capital improvements at Jim R. Miller Park.
“The Superior Plumbing presents North Georgia State Fair takes great pride in giving back to the community it calls home," said fair president Colin Meaders. "It was a tremendous honor to be able to put over $500,000 back into our community. We look forward to building on this tradition for many years to come.”
northgeorgiastatefair.com
Pull quote for page 4: “We try to create an experience that families will want to enjoy for generations to come.” - Tod Miller, Fair Manager