100th Annual Centennial Indian Fair begins this week

October 2-6    100th Annual Centennial Indian Fair   Part carnival, part art exhibit and agriculture show, the 100th annual fair features artwork, traditional Cherokee food, nightly musical entertainment, rides and games, and of course, fireworks.
You’ll find Cherokee white oak baskets, pottery and beadwork, and you’ll marvel and the traditional Cherokee contests and competitions like the infamous Cherokee Stickball games. While you’re on the Ferris wheel, be sure to take in the gorgeous fall foliage that engulfs the Great Smoky Mountains this time of year.

Register for classes at Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center

October Jack Wall Hanging

Saturday, October 6

10 am - 3:30 pm (with half-hour lunch break). Tuition: $40. Instructor: Patti Simpson.

Instead of dealing with messy slimy pumpkins seeds and sharp knives, you can make this Jack o’Lantern with squares and triangles of fabric. We will piece, layer & quilt this 14” x 18” wall hanging. Some beginning quilting experience needed. Don’t have a sewing machine to bring to class? The Textile Studio has several available for you to use. Just let us know if you need to use one of our machines when you register.

A supplies & materials list will be provided when you register.

 

City Market Basket 

Wednesday & Thursday, October 10 & 11

Two-day class. 10 am - 2 pm each day. (with half-hour lunch break). Tuition: $60. ($35 plus $25 kit). Instructor: Renee Acord.

The city market basket is designed for a beginning to intermediate student.  Renee will introduce using fillers in the bottom of the basket and a color pattern design. The basket is 8” X 12” with a 12” handle. Bring your lunch or eat at the Schoolhouse Café and plan on leaving with the finished basket! Minimum 4 students; maximum 6.

Get details and REGISTER HERE.

The Stecoah Valley Center is located at 121 School House Road in Robbinsville NC.

The Blue Ridge Fiber Show begins tomorrow at the North Carolina Arboretum

September 29 - January 2  Blue Ridge Fiber Show: Into the Gardens  at the North Carolina Arboretum.  An international, biennial celebration of fiberarts Sponsored by The Western North Carolina Fibers/ Handweavers Guild, Inc. Opening Reception October 2 in the Education Center 2nd Floor Gallery

Market on Oak Announces Book Signing

October 13, 11 AM - 2 PM at The Market on Oak, 262 Oak Avenue in Spruce Pine NC - Author Ann B. Ross, popular author of the Miss Julia humorous suspense series, will be doing a book signing of her newest release Miss Julia to the Rescue.

The book signing will coincide with the Mineral City Heritage Festival events in Spruce Pine.

Art on the Island

September 29   Art on the Island   Art, food and music on Blannahassett Island in the middle of the French Broad River just across the bridge from historic downtown Marshall. This is a FREE and family friendly event.

Art on the Island Includes a special performance by the Brothers Harrell and their Rural Academy Theatre staging their innovative performance in their first stop on a month-long tour. They travel in horse-pulled wagons stocked with a bicycle-powered silent cinema and and Appalachian-Balkan-brass-klezmer-dixieland string quartet.

Get local information on the Mars Hill NC Visitor Guide

Curb Market Old Timey Day this weekend in Hendersonville

September 29   Curb Market Old Timey Day   The Henderson County Curb Market is one of the South's most unique Markets. This special event includes music, sausage & ham biscuits cooked on a old timey wood stove, antique displays and more. All items sold at the market must be either handmade or locally grown Henderson County.

Mountain Heritage Day at Western Carolina University

September 29   Mountain Heritage Day  Heritage Day at Western Carolina University (WCU) is a combination old fashioned mountain Fair and showcase for authentic Southern Appalachian folk arts. Mountain Heritage Day also offers a variety of fun contests and demonstrations of authentic mountain folk arts and skills.

Visitors are encouraged to visit the university’s museum of Appalachian culture and history, the Mountain Heritage Center, to view its exhibits and displays, including the “Journey Stories” traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution.

Flux Cuts: Experiments in Film new Exhibit at the Asheville Art Museum

September 25 - January 27, 2013 - The Asheville Art Museum, 2 Pack Square in Asheville NC presents  Flux Cuts: Experiments in Film at the New Media Gallery.

Fluxus, meaning “flow” in Latin, is a group of artists organized in 1962 with artist George Maciunas as its founding member. The Fluxus movement included independent international, multi-disciplinary artists inspired by the Dada movement of the 1920s.

A central idea for the Fluxus movement is the element of chance, including performance art, avant-garde music and found objects. Learn more HERE.

30th Annual Quilt Show in Asheville

September 28 - 30   30th Annual Asheville Quilt Show  Over 200 quilts will be on display vying for $7,000 in prize money. 20+ vendors, a Guild Gift Shop and quilts are for sale. There will be daily demonstrations of different quilting skills. Free parking and lunch purchase available. 

This year's Show is held at The WNC Agriculture Center, 1301 Fanning Bridge Road in Fletcher NC (Just off I-26, across from the Asheville airport)

West Jefferson Antique Fair Today

September 22   West Jefferson Antique Fair   Backstreet, Downtown West Jefferson will be filled with antiques, collectibles, beautiful furniture, advertising items, hand-made items, live entertainment and food vendors. Featured entertainers are the Southern Gospel Group The Bledsoes.

39th Annual Folk School Fall Festival

	October 6-7, 10 AM - 5 PM at the John C Campbell Folk School, 1 Folkschool Road in Brasstown NC.
	Old-time woodworking demonstration One of the largest and most popular regional events of its type, Fall Festival celebrates our rich Appalachian heritage. Over 200 craft vendors will showcase their work for sale. Musicians and dancers will grace the two stages with lively performances. Children's activities and delicious festival food make this event fun for the whole family! Daily admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 12-17, and free for children under 12. Parking is free. See the entertainment schedule at folkschool.org.

Hendersonville Hosts Open Studio Stour

September 22-23  Open Studio Tour   This free self-guided tour features fine art and craft studios throughout Henderson County. Artist’s studios will be open for visits with plenty of new artwork to view and purchase. Several studios and galleries will have guest artists as well.

Original works in paintings, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, fiber arts, metal arts, woodworking and glass will be offered by 40 participating artists. The Art League of Henderson County is the Tour sponsor. Get a link for details and a schedule of the Studio Tour on the Hendersonville NC Visitor Guide.

Art on the Mountain in West Jefferson

September 22  Art on the Mountain   Pottery, paintings, photography, quilting, knife making, leather crafts, barn quilts, jewelry, baskets, fiber, knitting, felting, spinning, rug hooking and more! Unique art for sale and Artist demonstrations. Door prize drawings each hour. The Gary Poe Show will broadcast live from the Arts Center, featuring the Garden Variety String Band.

The events is held on the Ashe Arts Center grounds from 9 AM to 3 PM, is FREE to the public with door prize drawings every hour. Get local information on the Jefferson and West Jefferson NC Visitor Guide.

Blowing Rock Art and History Museum Third Thursday

September 20,  4 PM at The Blowing Rock Art and History Museum - The "Third Thursday" program series this month features archaeologist Dr. David Moore, co-director of the Berry site.  The Berry archaeological site, located in the western Piedmont region of North Carolina, contains remains of a large Native American town occupied from 1400 to 1600 A.D. and is thought to be one of the largest Native American town in North Carolina.

The Hernando de Soto expedition visited the site in 1540, as did the Juan Pardo expeditions from 1566-1568, proving that the Spanish did in fact travel throughout South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Dr. Moore will be discussing his excavation and exciting, ground breaking discoveries for BRAHM’s Third Thursday lecture.

A wine reception will follow the lecture. The program is free for members and $5 for the public.  

Aboretum Celebrates NC Heritage Crafts

September 22  Carolina Craft Day at the NC Arboretum   A day to celebrate Southern Appalachian traditions as they come alive at The North Carolina Arboretum. The event, now in its seventh year, features craft demonstrations and juried art and craft vendors and plant sales at the Arboretum's Education Center.

Burnsville hosts Glass in the Mountains

September 20-23   Glass in the Mountains A Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Studio Art Glass. Events activities include private visits to well known glass artists studios, glass demonstrations and exhibitions. private tour of Harvey Littleton studio and a Gala Event at Town Center.

The Toe River Valley, home to the father of studio glass Harvey Littleton and over 50 other glass artists, will celebrate by hosting a weekend of events happening in and around Burnsville, Spruce Pine, Bakersville, Micaville, and Penland, North Carolina.

Learn about this remarkable glass community and take studio tours, watch glass blowing demonstrations, enjoy a gallery hop of glass exhibitions, including A History of Glass in the Toe Valley exhibit at the Toe River Arts Council in Spruce Pine, and attend a gala evening featuring a lecture and book signing of A Life in Glass by author Joan Falconer Byrd at the Burnsville Town Center.

Heritage Weekend at the Folk Art Center

A whimmy diddle is an
Appalachian mountain toy
made of two wood sticks

September 15 - 16  at the Folk Art Center, Milepost 382 on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville NC - Heritage Weekend is a two-day celebration of traditional crafts and music.

The 32nd free festival is sponsored by the Southern Highland Craft Guild and features traditional music, dancing and heritage craft demonstrations. A highlight of the weekend is the 32nd Annual World Gee Haw Whimmy Diddle Competition on Saturday, 2:00-3:00 PM. Joe “Colonel Buncombe” Bly will emcee the competition.

Apple Chill Cloggers

During Heritage Weekend, visitors learn from area experts about beekeeping, rifle making, coopering, heritage toy making, natural dyeing, spinning, quilting, whittling, print making and furniture making. Other highlights include sheep shearing demonstrations throughout the day on Saturday. The entertainment schedule is jam-packed with regional musicians on both days.

18th Annual Mountain Heritage Festival includes Mountain Crafts

September 15     18th 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 will be kicking up their heels and  the  Possum Queen will be crowned.

Traditional Mountain Crafts at the Macon County Fair

September 12-15   59th Annual Macon County Fair  An authentic agricultural fair featuring crafts, farm animals and festival foods. Held on the Macon County Fair Grounds in Franklin.

At Educational exhibits you can learn how to grow vegetables or keep bees. Traditional crafts shuck as corn shuck dolls are found along with pottery, jewelry, tole painting and more. Booths with baked goods, flowers, house furnishings, craft demonstrations and more are a part of this popular fair.

Bob Timberlake Celebrated this Weekend

September 14-16   A Weekend with Bob Timberlake  An event presented by UNC-TV. celebrating seven decades of art and design with North Carolina's most financially successful living artist, Bob Timberlake. Special entertainment provided by David Holt. Event participation available through lodging and event packages, which include a Gala reception at Timberlake's exhibition at Blowing Rock Art and History Museum, accommodations, and special gift from Bob Timberlake.

Mountain Heritage Pow Wow Celebrates Native American Crafts

September 14-16   Mountain Heritage Pow Wow The 7th annual event held this year at the Mountain Heritage Expo Center (621 Micaville Loop) in Burnsville NC. An exceptional opportunity to learn about the history and culture of the Native American People. 

Activities include dancing, drumming, singing, a lodge, demonstrators, story tellers, music, hand made craft vendors, and Native American food. Hours are Friday 8 AM - 9 PM, Saturday 9 AM - 9 PM and Sunday 10 AM - 5 PM. Admission is $5 for Adults and $2 for Children. Friday is Kids Day and children are FREE with their schools.

Friday will be Kids Day and activities will be geared to teaching the children a variety of things about Native American people.

NC Craft Event: Ashe County Quilt Fair in West Jefferson

September 14 - 15   10th Annual Ashe County Quilt Fair   This year's Fair theme is " Our Journey: Celebrating a decade of quilting". Events include the Guild Shoppe and Guild Boutique with quilts for sale, a fund-raiser quilt, vender village and small quilt silent auction. The Fair is held in Jefferson Station.

Gallery Crawl this Weekend in West Jefferson

September 14   West Jefferson Gallery Crawl  Stroll the streets of an historic mountain town, enjoy the cool mountain breeze while listening to the sounds of street musicians and "popping" in and out of West Jefferson's many galleries. Open House in more than 15 art galleries and studios.

Find additional NC art and Craft events and information on the NC Art and Craft Visitor Guide.

Second Saturday Today at the River Arts District

Saturday, September 8th

Second Saturday in the River Arts District is today . Here are some of the highlights happening on Roberts Street:

• "Leave Your Mark" A collaborative painting experience at Drakon Studios inside the Wedge Building from 10am-5pm.
• Join Grace Carol Bomer at 140D Roberts Street for a cold wax and oil painting demo from 12:30-3:30.
• Hot Glass, Cold Beer at the Asheville Glass Center from 6-10pm; glass demonstrations, live music, food, beer & wine. 

• Enjoy a brew and a flick; E.T. at the Wedge Brewing Co. at sunset [bring a lawnchair!]

Check out the RADA calendar for more Second Saturday events and everyday happenings in the district...

27th Annual Sculpture Celebration in Lenoir

September 7-8   27th Annual Sculpture Celebration   The 27th Annual Sculpture Celebration features a Blue Jeans Preview Party Friday evening and a competition Saturday featuring over 70 sculptors from several states east of the Mississippi River.

The Celebration is held at T.H. Broyhill Walking Park, 945 Lakewood Circle in Lenoir NC.

Murphy Art Walk this Weekend

September 7,  5:00 PM - 8:00 PM   Murphy Art Walk  - Held the first Fridays from May through November. Stroll through historic downtown Murphy for an exquisite visual, culinary, and performing arts experience with more than 20 businesses participating. Enjoy Art Galleries, Music, Fine Dining, Live Demonstrations and Performances.

Art in the Park this Weekend in Blowing Rock

September 8    Art in the Park    A juried arts and craft show featuring 90 artists held in the picturesque downtown Blowing Rock park once a month from May to October.

Some of the best local and regional artists and craftspeople showcase their handcrafted jewelry, pottery, fiber, glass, photography, painting and more. Prices for objects, from a handmade postcard to a large piece of furniture, range from $5 to $5,000.

Waynesville Art After Dark this Friday

September 7    Art After Dark   Downtown Waynesville art galleries and studios remain open until 9 PM.  The evening features special openings, demonstrations, artist receptions, and music.

Labor Day 2012

Labor Day Weekend Show continues today in Maggie Valley

September 1-2    Maggie Valley Labor Day Weekend Craft Show   Artists and crafters from throughout the Southeast will present a variety of unique handmade crafts and jewelry. Food vendors will be available to the public.

Ooh La La Curiosity Market Today in Asheville

September 1  Ooh La La Curiosity Market   An outdoor market in Pritchard Park  featuring works by local painters, leather smiths, jewelry makers, potters ,up-cycled crafters, and other curious delights, all beneath the colored canopies of large market umbrellas. In addition to the artists, the market will also feature live local music with up three musical acts performing each Saturday and will include everything from a solo saxophonist to folk, blues, acoustic, and jazz acts.