Ellijay is a city in Gilmer County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,584 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Gilmer County. Ellijay lies where two rivers, the Ellijay and the Cartecay, come together to form the Coosawattee River. The city holds an annual Apple Festival and Gilmer County is known as the 'Apple Capital of Georgia'. The Apple Festival is held yearly in October. The town has a pop cultural reference on an Adult Swim animated show Squidbillies, where it is the site of a fictitous town called Mountain Squids, Georgia.