Crush Fest

Crush Fest is an annual harvest wine festival held at Yonah Mountain Vineyards in North Georgia — a day-long Labor Day weekend tradition that has run continuously since 2010. Hosted on the 200-acre family estate at the southeastern base of Yonah Mountain in the Dahlonega Plateau wine region, the festival brings together wine tastings, live music, food trucks, an artisan market, and a traditional barefoot grape stomping in a single outdoor event.

Crush Fest is grounded in the harvest season and the estate wines produced on Yonah Mountain Vineyards' 20 planted acres. The vineyard grows Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Petit Manseng, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot — a range that spans both Bordeaux-style reds and aromatic whites well-suited to North Georgia's sandy soils. Festival attendees can taste current releases alongside new releases, making Crush Fest one of the earlier public opportunities each year to sample wines from that growing season. The barefoot grape stomping is a signature activity that distinguishes this event from standard winery tastings.

Crush Fest takes place over a full day during Labor Day weekend, typically in late August or early September. Specific dates, ticket prices, and tier details for the upcoming edition had not been published at the time of this writing — check the official festival page at yonahmountainvineyards.com/crushfest for current availability. The winery employs over 40 staff and operates a full events calendar year-round, so the grounds are well-equipped for larger gatherings. Visitors coming from outside the immediate area should plan accommodations in advance, as Labor Day weekend draws significant regional interest.

Yonah Mountain Vineyards sits within the Dahlonega Plateau American Viticultural Area, a high-elevation appellation in the Blue Ridge foothills of North Georgia recognized for producing structured reds and crisp whites. The estate was established in 2005 when owners Bob and Jane Miller planted their first vines, and the winery has grown to over 40 employees in the years since. Crush Fest, running since 2010, reflects the vineyard's broader identity as a working farm winery that opens its harvest season to the public each year.