2019 Blue Ridge Trout Fest Is April 27

The Blue Ridge Trout Festival & Outdoor Adventures event—the Official Trout Festival of Georgia—gathers fishermen, river sports enthusiasts and allied outdoor recreation fans and their families in Blue Ridge for fun, education, food, entertainment and services while increasing the public’s knowledge of trout and the conservation ethos associated with Trout Unlimited.

This year the annual event is Saturday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The 2019 Blue Ridge Trout Festival & Outdoor Adventures event is presented by the Fannin County Chamber of Commerce and Blue Ridge Mountain Trout Unlimited. The Festival is located in the heart of downtown Blue Ridge. Just 90 minutes north of Atlanta, and 60 minutes from Chattanooga, Blue Ridge features an historic district and downtown city park, flanked by shops for home/cabin decor, clothing, jewelry, gifts; galleries; craft breweries and fine restaurants; and the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway. Surrounded by the historic downtown district, the Festival stretches across City Park, bounded by Depot and Summit streets (north and south) and by West Main and East Main streets.

For information about sponsorships, vendor applications, event details and more, please visit the BRTF website at BlueRidgeTroutFest.com, or search for the Facebook page.

From the inaugural Blue Ridge Trout Fest in 2016, the event has been a big success. This year is expected to be even bigger and better.

By resolution in 2005 of the Georgia Legislature, Fannin County was named the Trout Capital of Georgia. In 2016, state lawmakers further resolved to designate the Blue Ridge Trout Festival and Outdoor Adventures event as the Official Trout Festival of Georgia, a public event that benefits local cold-water environments supported by the conservation, education and outreach programs of Blue Ridge Mountain Trout Unlimited Chapter 696.

The Festival celebrates trout fishing and recreational activities in the Toccoa River watershed—as close as the city limits of Blue Ridge and stretching deep into the draws and valleys of the Chattahoochee National Forest. Trout fishermen throughout the Southeast recognize the Toccoa River and its tributaries, both above Lake Blue Ridge and along the tailwater downstream from Blue Ridge Dam, as serious trout water. For almost 50 miles, the Toccoa flows south to north, heading up in western Union County before bisecting Fannin County. Along its way, the river collects many high-elevation creeks and streams that support wild populations of rainbow and brown trout, as well as indigenous brook trout.

The Toccoa River watershed and its geography also supports camping, hiking, kayaking/canoeing, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, private lodging options, lake watersports and more.

Blue Ridge Mountain Trout Unlimited (BRMTU) is the official local organization (chapter 696) of the acclaimed national organization dedicated to cold-water fisheries. TU is dedicated to protecting critical habitat, reconnecting degraded waterways and restoring populations to cold-water fisheries. All funds raised or donated to BRMTU are applied right here in the north Georgia mountains for conservation and stream restoration efforts, for stream cleanups such as Rivers Alive, and for education and outreach programs. Sponsored programs include Trout in the Classroom in local schools, the Trout Adventure Trail, Boy Scout and Girl Scout conservation education, Project Healing Waters for wounded veterans, Casting for Recovery for breast-cancer survivors, Georgia Trout Camp and Mercier Orchard Family Fishing Days. For more information, please visit BlueRidgeTU.com.

The Fannin County Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau is the place to visit to find out information about the entire Georgia mountain region. Visit the new Fannin County Chamber Visitor Center on Orvin Lance Drive in Blue Ridge, and for more information, visit www.BlueRidgeMountains.com.