White County is home to seven wineries, the most of any
county in Georgia. The Cottage Vineyards & Winery, CeNita
Vineyards & Winery, Kaya Vineyard & Winery, Serenity Cel-
lars, Sylvan Valley Cellars, Yonah Mountain Vineyards, and
one of the state’s longest-established wineries, Habersham
Vineyards & Winery, all offer tours and tastings throughout
the year as part of the Unicoi Wine Trail.
Visitors can sample the dishes appropriately paired with
Georgia’s fine wines to bring out the subtleties of the fla-
vors. Additionally, food producers and food trucks will
offer prepared foods and regional favorites, such as small-
batch hand-crafted jams from award-winning Unicoi Pre-
serves, tasty local honey from Honey on the Hill, plus
fresh-from-the-farm dairy products and ice cream from
Mountain Fresh Creamery. Abby J’s Gourmet brings its
Field-to-Fork Pickles, which received the 2016 Flavor of
Georgia Award, along with gourmet condiments and ac-
companiments.
“Our festival is a kaleidoscope of diverse tastes, versatile
libations, trademark Georgia sounds, and one-of-a-kind
works from artists and craftsmen who all capture the
unique flavor of our region,” says Cindy Bailey, president
of the White County Chamber of Commerce, which is or-
ganizing the event again this year. “Our area is known for
so many popular attractions and points of interest that it’s
a top travel destination for visitors from across the coun-
try.”
With the Alpine Village of Helen, the Georgia Folk Pottery
Museum of Northeast Georgia in Sautee Nacoochee and
its exhibits of renown potters, BabyLand General Hospital
and its Cabbage Patch Kids, Unicoi State Park and more
than 20 cascading waterfalls within a short drive, this re-
gion offers a blend of history, culture, outdoor adventure
and diverse culinary choices made with local ingredients.
Artisans in the juried fine arts and crafts show will offer Geor-
gia made pottery, jewelry and paintings. Non-stop entertain-
ment featuring Georgia musicians fill the air with the sounds
of bluegrass, rock and jazz. Singer-songwriter Tommy Joe
Conner’s Americana style blends rock, country, blues, folk
and bluegrass. Currently touring with her Mockingbird Blues
album, Heidi Holton performs definitive Delta blues and
charms audiences with her trademark sound.
Accommodations range from picturesque bed and break-
fasts to rental cabins, state park lodges and franchise hotels.
See below for information about lodging.
White County is nestled in the heart of the mountains of
northeast Georgia, an easy drive from Atlanta (90 miles),
Greenville, SC (100 miles), Asheville, NC (130 miles), and Chat-
tanooga, TN (135 miles).
Admission to the festival is free. Tasting tickets will be sold
for food and beverage sampling; bottles of wine, beer and
cider will also be available for purchase. The Facebook page
is www.facebook.com/spiritofappalachia/. For more informa-
tion, visit www.WhiteCountyChamber.org or call (706) 865-
5356.
Spirit of Appalachia Food, Wine & Art Festival:
www.whitecountychamber.org.
Alpine Helen/White County CVB:
www.helenga.org/.