Marble Festival Information

Featured Stories, Festivals

The 31st Annual Marble Festival October 1st and 2nd, 2011 5K Run/Walk Road Race

The weekend activities begin early Saturday morning with a 5K Road Race and a 1 mile Fun Run. The Road Race is sponsored by the Jasper United Methodist Women. Proceeds go to fund the ministries of the Dorcas Circle. Call (706) 253-2100 or visit the church’s web-site for more details and entry forms.

Georgia Marble Festival Parade

The Marble Festival Parade down Jasper’s Main Street starts at 10:00 a.m. The parade starts with a beautiful opening statement courtesy of Polycor Georgia Marble and the roar of motorcycles. Local businesses, civic organizations, ball teams and various children’s groups work on their floats and routines for weeks prior to this festival opener.

Arts, Crafts & Food Vendors

There are many arts and crafts booths on hand to display the works of local artisans. All Arts & Crafts are handmade, and there are a large variety of artists available, from wood workers, marble sculptors, handmade clothing, to homemade jams, jellies and nuts. Also on hand will be food vendors serving up a delicious mixture of foods and sweet treats.

Inside Festival grounds, over 120 artists and artisans participated in last year’s Arts & Crafts area. Our exhibitors must exhibit handmade, homemade or natural products. Here, you are able to find marble vases and tiles, handmade clothing and accessories, paintings, fine-honed crafts and jewelry and a variety of household and novelty items.

Juried Fine Arts Competition

The Chamber of Commerce Community Room will play host to the 29th Annual Georgia Marble Festival Fine Arts Competition. The competition includes marble sculpture, three-dimensional arts, two-dimensional arts and photography. This competition draws the finest artists throughout the region. Cash Awards of Excellence totaling over $5,000 will be given for the Jury’s top three selections in each category, plus an award for Best of Show. Part of the fine arts competition is a Sponsors/Artists Reception at which the winners are announced. This year, the Reception will be held on Thursday evening, October 1st. The reception is by invitation only and is always a great evening – make a donation to the Marble Festival Fine Arts and you too can get one of those invitations!

Our Fine Arts Competition is part of a county-wide festival celebration of Pickens County’s unique natural resource, Georgia Marble. Visitors to the festival may view the exhibit in the Community Room inside the Pickens County Chamber of Commerce Building which is adjacent to Lee Newton Park.

Georgia Marble Quarry Tours

RED TOUR
Polycor-Main Quarry (Original)
Marble Museum
Blue Ridge Marble & Granite*
Marble Hill Baptist Church/Fitzsimmons Cemetery
Tate Family Cemetery

*walking tour of facility

Red Tours are offered:
Saturday – 10:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm, 2:30pm

Sunday – 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm

BLUE TOUR
Polycor – Main Quarry (Original)
Marble Museum
Blue Ridge Marble & Granite**
JM Huber – By-products manufacturer
Marble Hill Baptist Church/Fitzsimmons Cemetery

**walking tour of facility

Blue Tours are offered:
Saturday – 10:00am, 11:00am, 1:00pm, 2:00pm, 3:00pm
(Saturday only – & only for overflow)

Sunday – 10:00am, 11:00am, 1:00pm,, 2:00pm***

***2:00pm tour on Saturday and Sunday are handicapped accessible tours – advance reservations for handicapped tour preferred

Cost for Blue and Red Tours:
(includes entrance (same day) into festival)

Adults ~ $10.00
Children 5-18 ~ $7.00
Under 5 are Free

GREEN TOUR
Semi-blue tour with lunch included at the Tate House
Offered at 11:15am on Saturday only – with Lunch at The Tate House

Cost is $45. for adults, $35 for Children 5-18 (per person). Children ages 5 and under are not recommended for this tour. (This fee includes lunch, tour and admission (same day) to the Marble Festival.

Lunch at Noon on Saturday at the Tate House without the Blue Tour is available. Participants must provide their own transportation. Cost is $25 per person no matter the age. This does not include entrance into the festival.

Menu for the Tour is Buffet Style Lemon Pepper Chicken, Linguine Pasta with Basil Crème Sauce, Field Green Salad with Dried Cranberry pecans and goat cheese balsamic vinegarette. Foccacia bread. Blueberry Cheesecake, Iced Tea and water.

Semi Guided Tours
(without lunch) of the Tate House will be offered

Saturday at 2:00pm, 3:30pm, 5:00pm
Sunday at 12:00pm,1:30pm, 3:00pm

Cost is $10.00 per person no matter the age.
(This does not include entrance into the festival.

If you park at one of the festival shuttle locations (Tech School or Ingles Parking lot) it will drop them off at the Senior Citizen Center where they can check in for their Quarry Tour. They need to check in at least 15min in advance for their tour. Buses will leave at designated tour time to maintain schedule agreed to with venues.

Live Music and Entertainment

A wide variety of local and regional acts and bands will be on hand to entertain you at the park pavilion beginning after the parade on Saturday and afternoon on Sunday. Saturday Night at 6:00pm in front of the marble courthouse on Main Street featuring CC Morgan Band. A free event, so bring your lawn chairs and get ready to dance!

Children’s Area

A special area will be set aside for children’s entertainment. Attractions last year included a petting zoo, rock wall, obstacle course, giant slide, trackless train, Car Racing, and free arts and crafts by the staff of the Pickens County Public Library. Children will have much to do and the Festival experience will be a favorite memory.
Our children’s area expands each year with additional activities. Many local businesses sponsor activities for the children to participate in for a nominal fee. Rock climbing, euro bungy, train rides and participant arts & crafts are but a few of the fun things to do.

Directions/Parking and Shuttle Locations

From Atlanta: Take 1-75 North from Atlanta, Exit #268 to I-575 North Follow I-575 North to 3rd traffic signal – Highway 53 East (Interstate ends and becomes Highway 515 – Zell Miller Mountain Parkway, at the Pickens County Line) Turn right on Highway 53 and proceed to Lee Newton/Pickens County Chamber of Commerce Building, approximately one mile on the left across from the Jasper Middle School.

From Dahlonega/Dawsonville: Take 53 West all the way to Tate. At 4-way stop in Tate take a right, continuing on 53 West into Jasper. Cross Main Street in Jasper and continue about 1/2 mile. Festival grounds are on right across from Jasper Middle School.

Parking & Shuttles: Shuttles run throughout the day between parking areas and festival grounds

Ingles – located on Highway 515 where you turn onto 53

Jasper Middle School – located across from festival grounds on Highway 53

Chattahoochee Technical College – Burnt Mountain Road

Downtown Jasper Area

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