We’ve had some beautiful thunderstorms, with that classic “bowling alley” effect of the thunder rolling through the hills, and afternoon temperatures have remained moderate on the deck.
A few upcoming events:
The Georgia Mountain Fair is on from July 18-26 in Hiawassee. If you’ve never been, it’s worth going for the exhibit halls, the vendors, and the music. There are some amazing things in the exhibit halls, and the exhibits include a complete historic one room school. The real claim to fame is the music venue, which has now been air conditioned. (A lot of us remember just how hot it was in there on a summer evening.) The offerings skew heavily toward country music, of course, and over the course of the festival the artists include Aaron Tippin, the Gatlin Brothers, Joe Diffie, and Mel Tillis, among others. July 24 is Bluegrass Day, with Bobby Osborn & Rocky X Press, the Gibson Brothers, and the Traveling McCourys.
July 20 is the Escape to Blue Ridge Triathlon. Starting at the marina, the race features a swim in Lake Blue Ridge, biking around the lake, and a run into the old downtown along the old highway. The finish is in the Blue Ridge City Park, where Lisa Jacoby’s band, Steel String Session, is scheduled to play.
On July 26, the Green Bean Festival is scheduled for the Union County Farmer’s Market. Over 100 vendors are expected for this event, which has a bit of a “county fair” atmosphere. By the way, the market is worth visiting just for the produce. It is located in the vicinity of the Home Depot in Blairsville.
The Downtown Blue Ridge Market is also open Saturday mornings in front of the Court House, and of course, the Mennonite farmer’s market off Hwy 411 in Delano (just north of the Hiwassee River) is open six days a week from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. At this point, their wonderful bi-color corn is the highlight.