It’s a wonderful time to visit Georgia’s Rome; where the foothills of the Appalachian mountains and our lazy rivers create a colorful backdrop for events. The fresh air and natural beauty make our classic, yet sophisticated city a destination for fun! Plan your getaway around these great events:
September
Rome Shakespeare Festival on the Town Green
Mamma Mia! – Historic Desoto Theatre – Sep 13-22
ABBA’s timeless songs propel this enchanting tale of love, laughter, and friendship, creating an unforgettable show; plus you’ll love seeing the show in Rome’s beautiful Historic Desoto Theatre!
Rome Shakespeare Festival – Downtown Rome – Sep 19 – 29 Free shows
The only Shakespeare Festival in the state of Georgia – offering free performances so all audiences can enjoy!
Beatles’ Abby Road – Rome City Auditorium – Sep 22
50th anniversary of Beatles’ hits performed by Kenny Howse and Friends with live strings and horns from Rome’s Own Musical Ensembles.
Schnauzerfest Rome – Town Green – Sep 27-28
Fear the beard and be a part of history! We will attempt the Guinness World Record of the largest dog walk of one breed ever in an official parade led by a German Polka Band down Broad Street in downtown Rome!
Cave Spring Pigout & Cruise-In- Rolater Park, Cave Spring – Sep 28
This bbq cooking competition brings teams from around the region to compete in pork, ribs and beef categories. Taste samples of them all to pick your winner for People’s Choice. Enjoy arts, crafts and the car show too.
Rome Symphony Orchestra presents Star Wars Suite by John Williams – Rome City Auditorium – Sep 28
Come dressed as your favorite Star Wars character and experience the magic and grandeur of the entire Star Wars saga in one magnificent concert!
October
Fiddlin’ Fest Between the Rivers
Going Caching Mega Event– Downtown Rome – Oct 2-6 Free
Experience the 3rd largest geocaching Mega-Event in the US! This year’s pirate themed geocache event will send you hunting for treasure around secret locations in the city of Rome, Georgia.
Haunted on Broad Tours – Downtown Rome – Oct 4,5,11,12
Relive some of Rome’s haunted history with local historians, paranormal investigators and costume interpreters for a night of spooky fun!
Milestones – Rome City Auditorium – Oct 8
NW GA Winds performs music honoring auspicious anniversaries: the founding of Rome, Georgia; D-Day, the Moon Landing; first trans-Atlantic flight; and others.
Fiddlin’ Fest Between the Rivers – Downtown Rome – Oct 12 Free
This block party style festival along Broad Street in Historic Downtown Rome is a fall celebration complete with bluegrass music, artisan vendors, car show, and hay rides.
Georgia Mushroom Festival – Rolater Park, Cave Spring – Oct 12-13
Participate in mushroom forays in Rolater Park and on the Pinhoti Trail; engage in workshops and meet renowned mycologist Alan Rockefeller.
John Wisdom Wagon Train & Bill Puryear Ride – Rome, Oct 18-20
Saddle up for the final year of the John Wisdom Wagon Train and Billy Puryear Ride! We celebrate 40 Years of revisiting the heroic path of John Wisdom, known as “Georgia’s Paul Revere”.
Road Warriors Comedy Show – Forum River Center, Oct 18
WWE Hall of Fame member Road Warrior Animal will be putting on his one man show as part of Superstars of Wrestling Fan Fest Weekend! Animal will share hilarious stories of life his life on the road with legends Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes and Road Warrior Hawk.
Superstars of Wrestling – Forum River Center, Oct 19
See some of the biggest names in wrestling including Road Warrior Animal, Raven, Molly Holly, Barry Windham, Jimmy Hart, and Tony Atlas.
Chiaha Harvest Fair – Ridge Ferry Park – Oct 26 – 27
A toe-tappin’, cider-sippin’, fun-for-everyone arts festival.
November
Rome International Film Festival
Rome Beer Fest – Heritage Park – Nov 2
Rome Beerfest is an annual celebration of the art of beer and attracts craft breweries from around the country.
Rome Symphony Orchestra presents The Planets and the “Jupiter Symphony” Holst and Mozart – Rome City Auditorium – Nov 2
Holst’s “The Planets” is a work that everybody should hear in person at least once in their lifetime. Accompanied by a mesmerizing video of the planets and outer space curated by a NASA scientist, this is an evening not to be missed.
Rome International Film Festival (RIFF) – Rome City Auditorium & DeSoto Theatre – Nov 6-10
Celebrating 16 years of bringing films from around the world is rolling out the red carpet for you! RIFF was selected as one of MovieMaker Magazine’s “top 20 festivals worth the submission fee and is the premiere film event in Northwest Georgia.
Iron Butterfly Concert – Forum River Center, Nov 14
Enjoy the music of the Official Iron Butterfly Band; performing all your band favorites!
Downtown Rome Holiday Open House – Downtown Rome, Nov 16
Kick-off the holidays with free trolley rides down Broad Street with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Enjoy eating and shopping in historic downtown and viewing the holiday displays.
Unforgettable – Rome City Auditorium, Nov 16
The fabulous Clock Tower Jazz Ensemble performs jazz greats and a tribute to nat King Cole’s 100th birthday.
Forum On Ice – Forum River Center, Nov 17 – Jan 6
The Forum River Center transforms into a winter wonderland with indoor ice skating and a 100 foot ice slide!
December
Forum on Ice
Rome Christmas Parade – Broad Street – Dec 3 Free
The parade announces the official start of the holiday season in Georgia’s Rome. Enjoy the sights and sounds of local bands and performers as we celebrate the joy of the season! The parade will also be broadcasted live on the Georgia’s Rome facebook page.
Welcome Christmas – Rome City Auditorium – Dec 5
Rome’s Own Musical Ensembles performs a Christmas performance featuring The Grinch and Holiday Cabaret.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever – Historic DeSoto Theatre – Dec 6-15
This charming family show is adapted from the best-selling book and has become a holiday favorite full of mayhem and fun.
The Messiah Handel – Rome City Auditorium – Dec 7
Handel’s holiday masterpiece performed by the Rome Symphony Orchestra and the Three River Singers.
Winter Art Market – Rome Civic Center – Dec 7 – 8 Free
Find the perfect gift for your loved ones or yourself with over 60 artists and craftsmen! Shop jewelry, wood-turned crafts, folk art, and much, much more!
Small Town Christmas in the Country – Rolater Park, Cave Spring, Dec 7-8 Free
Celebrating 16 years, this annual arts and crafts festival offers holiday shopping and treats from local artisans.
Looking for more events? Check out our event calendar!
About the Author
Our Georgia's Rome tourism team works hard to curate content to help you discover and explore our beautiful town! We want to ensure our content is up-to-date and accurate; so please let us know if we ever overlook an important detail! This post was originally written by Kristi Kent and is updated by staff.
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