It’s an historic year for Dawsonville’s Mountain Moonshine Festival, which is now celebrating its 50th year. Thousands will descend upon the small town in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains this weekend to sample all that north Georgia craftsmen have to offer. From homemade goods and furniture to delectable food and fun for children, there is something for everyone at the festival that started half a century ago under the direction of Dawsonville resident Fred Goswick. From its humble beginnings as the fall festival in 1967 to when the Jacyees took over in 1970 to when Gordon Pirkle helped start the StarBright Foundation, what is now known as K.A.R.E. for Kids, in 1993, the festival has grown and enriched the lives of those who live in Dawsonville and the surrounding area.