DALTON — The annual Liberty Tree Festival makes its return to downtown this weekend.

Georgia’s Liberty Tree is a descendant of America’s last original colonial-era Liberty Tree, a symbolic gathering place of the Sons of Liberty during the American Revolution. In 2006, 14 descendant saplings were planted, with one going to each of the original 13 colonies and one to Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home. Dalton was selected to be the home of Georgia’s Liberty Tree. The tree is next to City Hall on the Selvidge Street side.

The festival features a number of local and national bands, including the New Binkley Brothers, Tiller’s Folly, Chatham County Line and Spatial Effects.

In addition, the festival features plenty of barbecue from numerous local and regional cookers, activities and inflatables for children, and a beer garden for those 21 and older. Downtown restaurants will be selling food during the festival to provide more variety for those seeking something other than barbecue.

The festival kicks off at 11:30 a.m. today, and the music starts at noon. The festival resumes at noon on Sunday, with music starting that day at 12:30 p.m.

The festival will be in Dalton Green Park, next to the Whitfield County Courthouse on Selvidge Street. Tickets for the entire weekend are $5 for adults. Children 12 and younger are free.

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