Spend a day in the most beautiful part of North Georgia - Hiawassee and the stunning Hamilton Gardens. This magical botanical garden is filled with native wildflowers like trilliums, shooting stars, and trout lilies, and more than 1,500 rhododendrons and native azaleas making it the largest collection in the Southeast!

During peak bloom time we will be celebrating our beautiful native flowers with a Rhododendron Festival. Enjoy crafters, live music, food, drinks, a plant sale, daily seminars and more!

Live music every Saturday from 12pm - 3pm!

Saturday, April 15 - Matt Royal

A seasoned musician playing the bass for the Riverstones and bringing his sweet harmonies to compliment A. Lee Edwards, Matt Royal is branching out as a solo artist and you are going to be blown away by his talent!

Saturday, April 22 - Austin Coleman

A singer-songwriter born and raised in western North Carolina, Austin Coleman grew up to the sounds of southern rock, classic rock, and folk-country music. His inspirations span from classic artists such as the Eagles, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Bob Seger to a more modern variety such as Jason Isbell, Ryan Adams, and Band of Horses. With expressive melodies that mirror his genuine style of writing, Coleman aspires to move listeners through heartfelt messages with a delivery that appeals to lyrical enthusiasts.

Saturday, April 29 - Wyatt Espalin

Entertaining audiences in his hometown of Hiawassee, Georgia as early as age eight, Wyatt's passion for music was obvious, even from the music barn stage built by his grandfather on the campground where Wyatt was raised. He and his brother Matt were known as “The Fiddling Brothers.” While Matt hung up his fiddle and bow after high school, Wyatt was just getting started. Performing solo or traveling with a revolving set of talented musicians as Trees Leave, Wyatt Espalin has found a way to continue writing and performing these songs that have longed to be free; to be pardoned, like the river

Saturday, May 6 - Alma Russ

Alma (say it like Alamo) is a vocalist, songwriter, and musician out of Western North Carolina. She plays patchwork music: country, folk, and Appalachian roots sewn together to make something unique. When she's not on the road, she lives in Whittier, North Carolina. Songwriting is cheaper than therapy, and old songs make her happy. She started taking fiddle lessons around age 12, practicing old-time tunes outside because of the dying-cat noises, and then she went on to learn clawhammer banjo and guitar. She learned about songwriters like John Prine and Townes Van Zandt, and she fell in love with the art of songwriting. She's played in lots of bands, but she's mostly a solo act these days. She spends a lot of time on the road playing in bars, listening rooms, restaurants, cafes, and the occasional street corner. Her musical influences include country gold, bluegrass, folk, old-time, and americana.

Saturday, May 13th - Troy Underwood

A seasoned musician and conscious songwriter from Murphy, NC will sing his heart out for you with his soulful Americana tunes!

Date:

April 14 - May 14, 2023

Hours:

10am-5pm on Friday & Saturday and 12pm-4pm on Sunday

Location:

Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds,
1311 Music Hall Road,
Hiawassee, GA 30546

Cost:

Free Admission to the Festival!
Tour Hamilton Gardens: $6 per person

Interested in being a vendor at the Rhododendron Fesitval? Applications can be found HERE.

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