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36th annual Hornyhead Fish Festival & Tournament set for Saturday in Newborn
Hornyhead festival
Vendors representing area farms and crafts makers filled the front lawn of the Historic Schoolhouse as Newborn hosted the annual Hornyhead Fish Festival & Tournament in 2022. - photo by Tom Spigolon

NEWBORN, Ga. — A little fish is about to be celebrated in a big way in the small town of Newborn in eastern Newton County.   

On Saturday, April 29, the 36th annual Hornyhead Fish Festival and Tournament is scheduled for the Historic Newborn Schoolhouse at 4326 Hwy. 142 in Newborn.   

The day’s events will include a car show, music, food, kids activities and over 50 vendors sharing their wares. 

All that is required to enter the fishing tournament is a cane pole, hook and a bit of worm for bait. 

Registration can be done at 7 a.m. at the festival site or online at https://www.hornyheadfishfestival.com/. Winners will be announced at noon. 

The judging has a grading system: one point for each ounce, six points for each inch and one point for each horn. A YouTube video titled “It’s a Horneyhead” shows how the fishing is done.   

A local postal carrier, Albert “Junior” Ozburn, and his friend, Buddy Rowe, started the festival in 1988. Originally, they thought it would be a great event for kids. As the years went by, it turned out that more adults registered for the event each year.

For more information, visit https://www.hornyheadfishfestival.com/.

Hornyhead fish
Hornyhead chub fish (Nocomis biguttatus). - photo by Special Photo