Mountain Artisan Summertime Art and Craft Show this Weekend

June 30 - July 1   Mountain Artisan Summertime Art and Craft Show at WCU Local art and crafts from 10 AM - 5 PM held in the Ramsey Center in climate-controlled comfort. Contemporary art and crafts as well as heritage crafts including quilting, pine needle baskets, blacksmithing, clay art, folk dolls, corn shuck flowers, broom corn brooms, carved spirit sticks, and primitive furniture.

Western Carolina University (WCU) is located in Cullowhee NC, just North of Sylva

NC Fall Leaf Event: The Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands

October 20 - 23   Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands   One of the largest and most notable craft fairs in the southeast, held twice annually at the Asheville Civic Auditorium.  Enjoy exhibitors, demonstrations and entertainment. The fair showcases the rich diversity of original crafts created by members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, a non-profit organization with over 900 members throughout the mountain region.
This year's demonstrations include:

Asheville Bookworks:  Variety of bookmaking techniques including a letter press.
Charlie Patricolo:  An interactive demonstration of cloth doll making with a variety of dolls in various stages.
Dede Styles and Cassie Dickson:  natural dyeing and spinning.  Dede Styles of Swannanoa, NC and Cassie Dickson of Sylva, NC will demonstrate their traditional craft outside the Civic Center.
Gary Clontz:  Raku Pottery.  Gary will demonstrate all aspects of raku firing outside the Civic Center, from glazing the pot to firing it.  Raku is a ceramic firing process which uses fire and smoke to create unique patterns and designs.

Live mountain music will be performed all three days beginning at  11 AM.

Get a link for the
Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands
and other Asheville NC events, lodging and visitor information HERE.

NC Arboretum hosts Heritage Crafts Celebration

Sept 24-25  Heritage Crafts Weekend The North Carolina Arboretum celebrates Southern Appalachian traditions during Heritage Crafts Weekend. The event, now in its fifth year, features craft demonstrations, plant sales and musical performances in the Heritage Garden, Baker Exhibit Center and Education Center.
Vitally important to the region’s craft heritage is the close relationship between crafts and the plants used in their production. Much of the fiber, color and artistic expression of mountain craft arises from the character and nature of plants.

The Arboretum's Heritage Garden showcases plants used in the multi-million-dollar craft industry of Western North Carolina, including those used for handmade paper and brooms, baskets and dyes. Visitors can explore the many plants that support crafts, understand how they are grown, prepared and used, and appreciate their value to the industry.

Mountain Heritage Festivals this weekend

Sept 16-18 in BRYSON CITY the 10th Annual Railfest   A celebration of Railroading in North Carolina and preservation of Mountain History. Ride on a visiting steam locomotive! Listen to a wonderful blend of Bluegrass and Folk Music and enjoy the Mountain Craft Fair, Children's talent competition and 20 + vendors. The visiting locomotive Lehigh Valley Coal Co. engine # 126 will be providing special Caboose train rides throughout the weekend.

Sept 17 in  YADKINVILLE (near North Wilkesboro)   35th Annual Yadkin Valley Harvest Festival  All-day family festival featuring live music - country, rock, gospel, bluegrass and pop - on two stages, agricultural displays, a farmers' market, artist demonstrations, blue ribbon competitions, a petting zoo and relay races for the kids, art, crafts and food vendors, carriage rides and more. Don't miss the popular Yadkin "Idol" competition!

Sept 17 in SPARTA  the  17th Annual Mountain Heritage Festival Craft and food vendors line Main Street in celebration of mountain heritage in craft and music. This year's entertainment features Wayne Henderson and Helen White. With demonstrations of the skills of local ancestors and music that mixes local heritage with modern influences, there is something for everyone. Dancers and the Possom Queen contest and Crowning.

Sept 17 - 18  in ASHEVILLE the  31st Annual Heritage Weekend   A free festival sponsored by the Southern Highland Craft Guild features traditional music and dancing, storytelling and heritage craft demonstrations. A highlight of the weekend is the 30th Annual World Gee Haw Whimmy Diddle Competition.

Blue Parkway's Folk Art Center Annual Wood Day in Asheville

August 13 - Wood Day at the Folk Art Center in Asheville is an annual celebration of wood crafts including live demonstrations. One of the highlights of the event is the Eleventh Annual Carve-Off Competition from 1 PM - 3 PM. The Folk Art Center's auditorium will be filled with lathes, sawhorses, wood tools and the master craftspeople who know how to use them.

Wood Day demonstrations include flute making, wood turning, broom making and furniture design and construction. There will be activities specifically for children conducted by Southern Highland Craft Guild members Sandra Rowland and Jan Morris.

Wood Day Participants include:
Will Hines -  coopering
Lyle Wheeler -  chair making
Derek Hennigar -  furniture
Bill Henry -  whittling
Don Duncan -  treenware
Jim McPhail -  wood turning

WNC Woodcarvers  include:
Walt Cottingham -  birdhouses
Friendswood - Brooms
Alan Hollar -  wood turning
Helen Gibson -  carving
Carolyn Anderson -  carving
Dana Hatheway -  chair making
Eddie Howard -  carving
Lee Entrekin -  flute making
David Crandall -  boxes
Sandra Rowland and  Jan Morris - kids activities

The Folk Art Center is located at Milepost 382 on The Blue ridge Parkway

in Asheville North Carolina.

The Smoky Mountains offer an Old-fashioned Christmas Experience

Head for the Smokies for an Old-Fashioned Holiday Experience

Bring the whole family and experience the magic of The Polar Express as the train makes its round trip journey to the North Pole till December 23. (Plus special Christmas Eve run.) Meet Santa and enjoy caroling, hot cocoa & for those who believe, a special memento from Santa for each child. Wear your pajamas! More info

This Saturday night enjoy a local holiday tradition - caroling, photos with Santa, and the lighting of our town Christmas tree. Starts at 7 pm at Bryson City Bicycles parking lot on Everett Street.

Enjoy the magical lights of Whittier, NC (Exit 72 off Hwy 19/74). It doubles as the North Pole with the little church and homes lit up from top to bottom.

The old Appalachian Toymaker has set up shop across the street from the depot at The Storytelling Center. Watch him make traditional wooden toys and you might hear a story or two!

Enjoy our community theater's production of Little Women, Louisa May Alcott's classic story of the March sisters of Massachusetts. Performances at 7 pm on December 10, 11, 12, 13. 30 Main Street. More info

Christmas At The 1886 Old Mill. December 10-11 & 17-18. . Jewelry, native crafts, Cherokee baskets, candles, and more. 3082 U. S. 441- 1 mile south of Cherokee. 828-497-6536. More info

Music at the Performing Arts Center in Franklin. December 11 - Newsong featuring the Newsboys and Kerrie Roberts. December 17 - The legendary Oak Ridge Boys. More info

Arts & Crafts Show - December 11 in Stecoah. The Stecoah Gallery features the work of over 120 local artisans, and more than 20 local artisans will have displays on site. 10 am - 5 pm. Free activities for children ages 4 and up will be available from 11 am to 4 pm. More info

December 18 - A Holiday Homecoming at the outdoor Mountain Farm Museum. Demonstrations of old-fashioned crafts, live music, refreshments, and walking tours. Cherokee entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

And For New Years Eve ...

Fontana Village Resort New Year's Eve celebration featuring music, dinner, fireworks and a midnight toast. More info

Cherokee Fireworks Display The festivities kick off at 8 pm. Located at the Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds. More info

New Year's Eve Gala Dinner Train First class seating in candlelit dining cars and delectable three-course dinners are a perfect match for the evening's entertainment, scenic vistas and starlit skies. More info

Visit Little Switzerland and the Historic Orchard at Altapass

Live Music and More - the Historic  Orchard at Altapass  is a favorite mountain tradition for both locals and visitors. Every week from Wednesday through Sunday you'll find live music and mountain dancing, storytelling and hayrides, monarch butterfly raising, naturalist tours and birding walks, arts and handwork demonstrations, book signings and more. The Orchard is located on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 328.3 near Little Switzerland North Carolina.

Woodworking Featured at Today's 2nd Saturday in Weaverville

July 10 Weaverville North Carolina - 2nd Saturdays -Vance Birthplace: "Traditions in Woodworking" 19th century woodworking traditions. Featured artists including Bob Bradley, woodturner from Weaverville; Bob Weisgerber, furniture maker from Burnsville and Barry Russell and Charles Farrar, wood turners from Kannapolis who will provide both traditional and contemporary woodworking pieces.
The Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace is a North Carolina Historic Site located at 911 Reems Creek Rd.
Weaverville, North Carolina.