Buford at a glance
- CountyGwinnett County
- Population, 2020 Census17,144U.S. Census Bureau
- Elevation1,176 ftUSGS elevation at the town centre
- From downtown Atlantaabout 48 minby road, no traffic
What to know about Buford
- The Town of Buford was incorporated by act of the legislature on August 24, 1872, and renamed the City of Buford in 1896. City of Buford
- Buford is named for Algernon Sidney Buford, president of the Atlanta and Richmond Air-Line Railroad. City of Buford
- Bona Allen, Inc.'s shoes, saddles and harness made Buford known nationally as "The Leather City." City of Buford
- Buford is in northern Gwinnett County, 25 miles north of Atlanta on the southern shores of Lake Lanier. City of Buford
- The city highlights Buford Dam as a major power source and Lake Lanier Islands as a premier recreational development. City of Buford
- Historic downtown Buford's turn-of-the-century buildings now house art galleries, boutiques and restaurants. Explore Gwinnett
- Tannery Row Artist Colony downtown has open studios and a gallery for woodworking, pottery, stained glass and oil painting. Explore Gwinnett
- The Mall of Georgia in Buford has more than 2 million square feet of shopping and entertainment. City of Buford
- The Museum of Buford is in the Buford Community Center at 2200 Buford Hwy., Suite 108. Museum of Buford
- The Town Park Amphitheatre at the Buford Community Center has terraced seating for up to 1,800 and lawn seating for up to 10,000. Buford Community Center
- Lanier Islands Resort, at 7000 Lanier Islands Parkway in Buford, covers 1,200 acres with beaches, water slides and golf. Lanier Islands Resort
Coming up in Buford
Songwriters Festival
Organizer date for 2026Three-day weekend of live performances by songwriters at Lanier Islands Resort. Performers play their songs and tell the stories behind them.
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Source: Lanier Islands Resort, checked 2026-10-19
Magical Nights of Lights
Organizer date for 2026Drive-through holiday light show at Lanier Islands Resort, with miles of animated light displays viewed from your vehicle. Tickets are priced per vehicle and can be bought in advance or at the gate. Coca-Cola and Georgia Power are the sponsors.
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Source: Lanier Islands Resort, checked 2026-10-19
Holiday Market at Game Changer
Organizer date for 2026Holiday market held at the resort's Holiday Headquarters inside Game Changer, with gifts from local artisans, makers and retailers. It runs on select dates from Thanksgiving weekend through December 23.
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Source: Lanier Islands Resort, checked 2026-10-19
Santa's Magical Arrival
Organizer date for 2026Santa and his helpers arrive at Game Changer by fire truck on the day after Thanksgiving to open the resort's holiday season. Santa returns to Game Changer on later December evenings, and tickets are required for those visits.
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Source: Lanier Islands Resort, checked 2026-10-19
Buford Holiday Festival & Parade
Organizer date for 2026Downtown Buford's holiday parade, which steps off at 9 a.m. from Tannery Row, is followed by a festival with vendors, food tents and trucks, stage performers and a dog costume contest. The Buford Business Alliance runs it, and it has been held for more than 10 years.
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Source: Buford Business Alliance, checked 2026-10-19
Family Friendly New Year's Eve
Organizer date for 2026Kid-friendly New Year's Eve party at Game Changer with arcade games, a live DJ, face painting and confetti. The family countdown and sparkling cider toast happen at 7 p.m. Entry is free, and games, food and activities are charged separately.
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Free Source: Lanier Islands Resort, checked 2026-10-19
New Year's Eve Celebration at Lanier Islands Resort
Organizer date for 2026Adults-only (21+) New Year's Eve evening with cocktails, a buffet dinner, dancing and a midnight champagne toast. It is sold only as an overnight package that includes New Year's Day breakfast and late checkout. Pricing is by phone at 770-945-8787.
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Source: Lanier Islands Resort, checked 2026-10-19
Every North Georgia event in the finder
How far is Buford?
Drive times by road
| Town | Atlanta | Alpharetta | Marietta | Lawrenceville | Athens | Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buford | about 48 min39 mi | about 36 min20 mi | about 58 min46 mi | about 22 min13 mi | about 1 h 6 min46 mi | about 2 h 44 min142 mi |
Computed 2026-10-19 with the OSRM router on OpenStreetMap data, town centre to town centre. free-flow driving time, no traffic
For the Tannery Row Artist Colony and the rest of downtown Buford, read Downtown Buford.
Towns near Buford
- Suwanee about 6 mi straight-line
- Flowery Branch about 6 mi straight-line
- Cumming about 10 mi straight-line
Dates, times and rules can change. Each listing links the organizer or local government page it came from, with the date we checked it; confirm there before you go.
