Hawkinsville Harness Festival Brings Community Together

Annual event features horse races and family activities, reviving local traditions.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 3:04pm

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The Hawkinsville Harness Festival in Georgia drew crowds on Saturday for a day of horse harness races, family activities like face painting and a dinosaur show, and a chance for the community to come together. The festival has been a long-standing tradition in the town, with locals and newcomers alike enjoying the races and other festivities.

Why it matters

Harness racing is a historic sport in Hawkinsville, with a local training center that draws participants during the colder months. The festival helps preserve this tradition and provides a community gathering space, bringing together longtime residents and new arrivals to the area.

The details

The festival featured qualifying races in the morning to determine which horses could compete for prize money in upcoming events. Donna Kerr, who cares for 12 horses in the barn, said the races can be unpredictable, with some horses behaving well and others not. Around the festival grounds, families enjoyed activities like face painting and a dinosaur show. Grantson Martin, who has attended the festival since childhood, said he doesn't know much about harness racing but enjoys watching the races. His wife, Sarah, was attending for the first time after moving to the area two years ago.

  • The Hawkinsville Harness Festival took place on Saturday, April 5, 2026.
  • Qualifying races were held in the morning, with the main races scheduled for the afternoon around 4:30 p.m.

The players

Donna Kerr

Caretaker of 12 horses at the festival, who has been around horses her entire life.

Grantson Martin

A longtime attendee of the Hawkinsville Harness Festival who recently moved back to the area.

Sarah Martin

Grantson's wife, who was attending the festival for the first time after moving to the area two years ago.

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What they’re saying

“'You never know what you're going to get. Some of them behave and some of them don't. We've got five in to qualify-- three of them should be all right-- two of them, I don't know what they're going to do.'”

— Donna Kerr, Horse caretaker

“'I don't know much about harness racing. I just like to watch the races and see which one goes the fastest. I think most of our community is that way. We don't know a ton about it, but we just enjoy watching it.'”

— Grantson Martin

The takeaway

The Hawkinsville Harness Festival serves as an important community gathering that preserves the town's local traditions around harness racing, while also providing family-friendly activities that appeal to both longtime residents and newcomers. The event highlights how sports and cultural events can bring a community together and foster a sense of shared identity.