The short answer: we looked for an official downtown parking map, list of public lots, time limits or fees from the City of Ellijay and the Downtown Development Authority, and found none. We will not guess, and we will not tell you parking is free when nobody official says so.
What is known
- Festival weekends: the one downtown lot named officially is “Downtown Ellijay, Hipp Street,” a paid shuttle lot during the Apple Festival (Gilmer Chamber). Festival lots are run by community organizations, fees vary, cash is preferred and lots fill quickly (Gilmer Chamber).
- Accessible festival parking: the Larry Walker Education Center lot, 1860 South Main St., has handicap parking and an accessible shuttle (Gilmer Chamber).
- The farmers market, when it last ran in 2023, used the Gilmer County Courthouse parking lot on Sand Street (City of Ellijay). That is not a statement about everyday parking there.
What is not known
- Whether street parking around the square is time-limited or free.
- Whether a lot behind the Welcome Center at 10 Broad St. is public (one visitor review says so; nothing official confirms it).
- What became of the Downtown Development Authority’s discussion of River Street and roundabout parking; we have not found a council decision.
Who to ask
Ellijay City Hall, 197 North Main Street, (706) 635-4711, Monday to Friday 8 AM to 4:30 PM (City of Ellijay). City Council meets the third Monday of each month, with time for public comment (City of Ellijay), and the DDA meets the second Tuesday at 5:30 PM (City of Ellijay).
Getting here
Ellijay is about 90 minutes north of Atlanta, by the Chamber’s description (Gilmer Chamber), with GA 515 bypassing the town through East Ellijay (Wikipedia). The planner page has the distances we could source.
Parking questions
Is the Ellijay farmers market running in 2026?
No 2026 season has been published. The last city schedule was the 2023 season: Saturdays 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM, May to September, in the courthouse parking lot on Sand Street.
Source: City of Ellijay
Where do you park for the Apple Festival?
Paid lots around Ellijay, run by community organizations, with a free shuttle. The shuttle lots include Downtown Ellijay (Hipp Street), Gilmer County Head Start, Mountain View Elementary, Gilmer High School and the Larry Walker Education Center.
Source: Gilmer County Chamber
Is Apple Festival parking cash only?
Fees vary by lot, and cash is preferred. Lots fill quickly, and traffic patterns may change without showing up in map apps.
Source: Gilmer County Chamber
Can I rent a wheelchair at the Apple Festival?
No. The festival does not rent wheelchairs or scooters, and handicap parking is first come, first served.
Source: Georgia Apple Festival
How far is Ellijay from Atlanta?
The Gilmer Chamber says Ellijay is 'just 90 minutes north of Atlanta'. We have not found a more exact sourced drive time.
Source: Gilmer County Chamber
Where do you park in downtown Ellijay?
No official downtown parking map, fees or time limits are published. For everyday parking, ask City Hall at (706) 635-4711, weekdays 8 AM to 4:30 PM.
Source: City of Ellijay
Is downtown Ellijay parking free?
No official source says either way, so we won't claim it is free. The only downtown lot named officially, Hipp Street, is a paid shuttle lot during the Apple Festival.
Source: Gilmer County Chamber
Where do you park for the downtown Apple Arts Festival?
No organizer lists parking for the downtown festival. The nearest officially named lot is the paid Hipp Street shuttle lot used for the main festival.
Source: Gilmer County Chamber
Dates, hours and fees change. For anything official, the city has the final word: City of Ellijay official site
