It’s Festival Season in Savannah, Georgia
When the weather begins to cool off in late September, Savannah’s Festival season begins. It’s the perfect time of year to head outside for gatherings and find your tribe. What better way to meet new people with similar interests?
If you’re thinking about moving to Savannah, this is also the best time to visit and get to know Savannah’s people. Our city is known for its hospitality and neighborliness, and these community gatherings really showcase what we’re all about.
We’ve created the ultimate list of local festivals and happenings this fall. Scroll to see what events you should attend in the coming weeks and months.
Oktoberfest
If you like beer and wiener schnitzels, you’ll find a good time at one of the many local Oktoberfests happening around downtown Savannah. The most well-known, longstanding Oktoberfest is the series of events that take place on River Street at the Plant Riverside District featuring wiener dog racing, German foods, polka dancing, and more!
September 24, 2022 – October 29, 2022
Enjoy Cultural Experiences & Traditions
Grab homemade koulourakia and partake in traditional Greek dancing at the annual Greek Festival, an event that celebrates with food, dancing, a marketplace, and fun activities. The event always takes place at the Hellenic Community Center.
October 6th – 8th, 2022
Head over to Hilton Head for the day to enjoy the annual Latin Music Fest. The event includes food, dance, and an eclectic array of latin music. Join at Shelter Cove Community Park to celebrate the area’s diverse Hispanic heritage.
October 16, 2022
Have you ever participated in a grape stomping contest? You can at Hilton Head’s Italian Heritage Festival! Enjoy authentic Italian foods and live entertainment at the Coastal Discovery Museum of Honey Horn. And, if you’re feeling ambitious, sign up for the pizza-eating contest.
October 22, 2022
Shalom Y’all Jewish Food Festival
Challah, kugel, matzah ball soup, and latkes are just a few of the tasty foods available at Savannah’s Jewish Food Festival. Thousands attend each year to try homemade foods from members of the Congregation Mickve Israel.
November 11, 2022
Artistic Sights & Sounds
SCAD Film Festival
During the SCAD Film Festival, Hollywood comes to Savannah. The red carpet event features big names in cinema and this year’s event is no exception. 2022 “Honored Guests” include Ron Howard, Janelle Monae, Miles Teller, and Sadie Sink to name a few. In addition to the star-studded red carpet walk, guests can watch the student films competing in the festival, sit in for panel discussions, and attend live screenings of acclaimed productions and conversations with their creators and actors.
October 22 – 29, 2022
For those of us who love soulful sounds, the Savannah Jazz Festival is a must-attend event. This free music festival happens over the course of a week each fall at different venues throughout downtown Savannah. The festival ends with afternoon and evening performances at Forsyth Park on Saturday. Attendees bring their blankets, a bottle of wine, and settle in for smooth sounds arising from the amphitheater.
September 20th to 25th, 2022
Phil the Park is a free, one-day event at Forsyth Park featuring performances from the Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus. Attendees pack full picnic spreads for this family-friendly evening event that brings together the at-large community.
October 8, 2022
Isle of Hope Art & Music Festival
Spread along “The Bluff” in Isle of Hope, the island’s Art & Music Festival features makers and artists from all over Savannah selling handcrafted goods. The festival also includes food trucks and live entertainment with lots of fun for the kids.
October 22, 2022
Savannah Tattoo Arts Festival
Savannah’s first-ever Tattoo Arts Festival is set to take place at the Savannah Convention Center. Highlights of this traveling event include special celebrity artists from the reality show Ink Master, a tattoo contest, and live entertainment.
October 21st – 23rd, 2022
Quirky and Niche
Argh!!! Grab your best pirate attire or maybe just your family and friends and head east to Tybee Island for a three-day event featuring the Buccaneer Ball, pirate performers, live entertainment, and a special Saturday Pirate Parade. You won’t want to miss this long-standing tradition unique to Tybee Island.
October 6th – 8th, 2022
BeerFest Games
Richmond Hill is home to the annual BeerFest Games hosted by Debellation Brewing. Up to 20 teams compete in beer relays, paddle pong and more for the championship prize of a giant trophy, beer tabs, and swag!
October 7th – 8th, 2022
For Fido
Trick-or-treating isn’t just for kids…dogs can participate too! Over the years, the Renegade Paws Rescue fundraising event has morphed into an entire spooky season for pups. This year’s event features “costume pack walks” on Oct. 8th and 15th, “A Toast to Wag-O-Ween” on the Oct. 13th, and Wag-O-Weekend from Oct. 22nd to 23rd. During Wag-O-Weekend, participating pets can walk from store to store in the downtown Savannah area collecting dog treats.
Celebrate Pride
The Savannah Pride Festival is run by First City Pride Center and is the organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year. With multiple events throughout the city, there is something for everyone including an open mic night at The Sentient Bean (Oct. 25th), a masquerade at Starland Yard (Oct. 27th), a Pride Parade (including a youth parade viewing party), and more!
Food-centric
Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival
Hosted by the Richmond Hill-Bryan County Chamber of Commerce, the Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival brings together over 25,000 people for a three-day-event filled with amazing food booths.
October 14th – 16th, 2022
Savannah Food and Wine Festival
Savannah’s exquisite and delectable culinary scene has truly blown up over the last decade with some of the best chef’s in the world living and working here in the city. The finest food establishments and bars in Savannah participate in the Savannah Food and Wine Festival, which happens over the course of a week.
November 10 – November 15, 2022
Hilton Head Oyster Festival
Do you like oysters? If not, you should still plan to attend this festival, which features, low country boil, BBQ, and more.
November 11th – 12th, 2022
Fall Fairs
Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair
Each year the Kiwanis Club of Statesboro hosts the Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair to bring together Bulloch and surrounding counties to raise funds for the community. The agricultural fair features local booths and vendors, livestock, rides, games, food and more!
October 17-22, 2022
South Georgia State Fair
Run by the Exchange Club of Savannah, the South Georgia State Fair (formerly the Coastal Empire Fair) is a long-standing event in the Savannah area. This annual event features carnival rides and foods as well as live entertainment like Magic Marc, the 5 Star Petting Zoo, and Master of Chainsaws.
October 27 – November 6, 2022
Get Ready for the Holidays
Christmas Made in The South is the first official holiday event to take place in Savannah. The traveling festival happens over three days in the fall at the Savannah Convention Center and features handmade goods that will help you check off items on your holiday shopping list.
November 18, 19, & 20, 2022
For our full list of Savannah’s festivals and parades, visit our page here.