Prater’s Mill Country Fair
Prater's Mill 5566 Highway 2, Dalton, Georgia 30721
Lively entertainment at Prater’s Mill Country Fair coming up Saturday and Sunday, October 13 & 14 will offer Appalachian-style cloggers and musicians on stage, as well as dulcimer and rhythm bones players on the Mill porch. Our 2018 program is available online at pratersmill.org/fair/program.
The Prater’s Mill Country Fair, begun by volunteers in 1971 to raise funds to restore the 1855 mill and surrounding buildings, offers continuous entertainment, pony rides, petting zoo, face painting, kid's train ride, southern cooking, living history exhibits, handmade crafts and original art of 165+ talented artists and artisans. 40+ new exhibitors & 30 food vendors. Visitors can take self-guided tours including the water powered grist mill, Shugart Cotton Gin, the Prater's Country Store ,Dr. Lacewell's Office and the Westbrook Barn.
This is an invitation-only show where all the exhibitors must hand-make their items out of only natural materials. We have the best Southern food this side of Heaven, most prepared by local groups. Historic Prater’s Mill is owned by the people of Whitfield County but operated and maintained by the Prater’s Mill Foundation. As a non-profit volunteer group, the foundation relies heavily on the revenue from the annual Country Fair. This is our primary fundraising event. All proceeds go back into maintaining the site. The mission of the foundation is to protect, preserve and present the heritage of the Prater’s Mill Site for future generations. Become a friends member at pratersmill.org/park/friends.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Visitors are urged to dress casually and wear comfortable shoes. Fair admission is $7.00 cash for adults; children 12 and under, free; military with ID, free; parking & shuttle service, free. If you don’t have cash, we now have an advanced card option HERE..
Prater’s Mill is located at 5845 Georgia Hwy 2, ten miles northeast of Dalton, about 30 miles south of Chattanooga, TN. Interstate travelers should take I-75 to the Tunnel Hill-Varnell exit #341; drive north 4.5 miles to the intersection with Hwy 2 at Varnell; turn right and continue 2.6 miles to the mill, a total distance of 7 miles from I-75. Or just follow the signs. For more information, call 706-694-MILL (6455) or visitpratersmill.org/fair/program and download the complete program.