CLARKESVILLE, GA — Downtown Clarkesville will come alive with arts, crafts, music, food and family activities Saturday as the city hosts the 64th Annual Mountain Laurel Festival and Parade.
The longtime community tradition, recognized as the area’s longest-running festival, will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout downtown Clarkesville and is expected to feature more than 100 arts and crafts vendors.
“We have over 100 vendors, arts and crafts,” Clarkesville Main Street Director Rosie Cantrell said.
RELATED: It’s time to give a duck
The Mountain Laurel Parade, hosted by the Clarkesville Lions Club, will begin at 10 a.m. through downtown. This year’s parade theme is “USA 250 Red, White and Blue,” tying into the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States. Now Georgia will live stream the parade this year on our social media channels.
Cantrell said visitors will notice additional patriotic decorations around downtown this year, including American flags and red, white and blue wreath displays created by downtown businesses.
“We have our traditional pink and green for Mountain Laurel, but you will see an extra element of red, white and blue,” Cantrell said.
Festival organizers also introduced a new look for the annual Mountain Laurel Festival T-shirt. Traditionally blue or green, this year’s commemorative shirt is red and features a mountain scene, mountain laurel blooms and an American flag design celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. Shirts will be available for $20 at the City of Clarkesville tent during the festival.
One of the biggest changes this year will be the location of the food court. Instead of being set up on Jefferson Street, food vendors will be located in the parking lot beside the gazebo.
“We’ll also have a stage next to the gazebo,” Cantrell said. “There’ll be a tent with chairs, but people are more than welcome to bring lawn chairs if they want to come hang out by the gazebo and listen to some music.”
Live music and entertainment will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the stage beside the gazebo and will be within walking distance of the food court.
Traditional arts and crafts vendors will fill the downtown square and surrounding parking areas throughout the day.
Festivalgoers are encouraged to plan ahead for parking and street closures. Cantrell said parking will be available behind the historic Mauldin House, at the police department parking lot and in portions of the courthouse parking area. The section beside the gazebo will be closed for the food court, and downtown streets around the square will also be closed for vendors and festival activities.
Family activities will move to Pitts Park from noon to 2 p.m. during the Family Fun Fest sponsored by Volunteers for Literacy. The event will include bounce houses, games and children’s activities.
The popular Duck Race on the Soque River will begin at 2 p.m. at Pitts Park. Cantrell said duck race tickets will still be available for purchase Saturday morning at the Volunteers for Literacy tent on the square.
Visitors can also explore local history throughout the day. The Historic Mauldin House and Gardens will offer tours of the 1880s farmhouse, millinery shop and 1820s cabin.
The Old Clarkesville Cemetery will also offer guided tours every half hour from noon to 3 p.m. Organizers are also launching a new interactive cemetery app during the festival.
Cantrell said the app uses geofencing technology to provide information about notable individuals buried in the cemetery as visitors walk through different sections of the grounds. Docents will also be available for visitors who prefer guided tours or want additional historical information.
The festival will take place rain or shine.
