The 53rd annual Mountain Moonshine Festival is upon us at last. Anticipation for the festival is growing, both among those who live in Dawson County and those who don’t. And soon, locals will begin to see preparations and setup for the yearly event all around Dawsonville. 

But before the weekend kicks off, here are some of the most important pieces of information that you should know. 

When and Where 

The Mountain Moonshine Festival will be held at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame and Dawsonville Main Street Park on Friday, Oct. 23 through Sunday, Oct. 25. 

The festival, car show and swap meet will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. all three days. The Moonshine Run will depart from Bearden Funeral Home at 9:30 a.m. on Friday. The parade will take place at 9 a.m. on Saturday, and opening ceremonies will be on Saturday at 10 a.m.

Parking

Official K.A.R.E for Kids parking will be at Robinson Elementary School, the old Board of Education Building on Allen Street, Lanier Technical School, Hightower Academy, Dawson County Junior High School, the Dawson County library, the health department, Grace Presbyterian Church and the Dawson County Board of Education building. 

Safety regulations and what not to bring 

There will be added safety regulations this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Attendees are encouraged to wear face masks or coverings, and social distancing will be required. Masks will be provided at the K.A.R.E. for Kids official tent for attendees who don’t have their own.

There will be no pets allowed other than service animals, and golf carts are prohibited. 

Other useful information 

K.A.R.E. for Kids Executive Director Tiffany Buchan said that, because roads in the city will remain open during the festival this year, the organization is stressing how important it is for both drivers and pedestrians to be aware. 

“I wanna stress to please be careful because all the roads will be open,” Buchan said. “So don’t try to park in places and run across [Hwy. 53]; use the crosswalks and use the sidewalks.” 

Another thing for community members, especially those with children, to remember is that beginning on Thursday afternoon vendors will be beginning to set up booths at Main Street Park so the playground will still be open for use, but the car entrance to the park will be blocked. 

“The playground area will be open, but come Thursday afternoon you will not be able to drive down into the park,” Buchan said. “We’ll be setting up for the festival with all the vendors, so those roads will be closed.”