Craft Festival at the Old 1886 Mill this weekend

June 18 -  Craft Festival at the Old 1886 Mill   Artists from all over the Southeast will gather to demonstrate and sell their hand crafted works. See a variety of media including Cherokee Indian stone carvings, wood carving, Cherokee gourd art, blacksmithing, jewelry design, plus Appalachian crafters and authors.
The 1886 Historic Mill is real Indian Trading post, #90, and located on the edge of the Cherokee Reservation at 3082 US 441 N.  Open Monday - Saturday in season and Saturdays only during the winter. Goods include Handmade Soaps, Candles, Antiques, Moccasins, Cherokee Crafts, Cornmeal, Grits, Honey, Country Ham, Jams, Cheese, Pickles and Orchard Fresh Cider, gold, diamonds and American Indian made Jewelry.

Featured NC Art and Craft Galleries: The Folk Art Center

The Folk Art Center in Asheville NC is home base for the Southern Highland Craft Guild. the Center is the hub of traditional and contemporary mountain art and crafts for the Appalachian region. With changing exhibits in both the focus gallery and the main gallery and the permanent exhibit, all styles are displayed. Demonstrations and educational opportunities as well as special events are scheduled regularly. The members shop is visited by thousands of tourists and locals annually with very good reason. It is a remarkable place and an essential center for the heritage of mountain craft heritage. Visit the ONLINE SHOP or Asheville facility at Milepost 382 Blue Ridge Parkway.

NC Aboretum Hosts Heritage Crafts Weekend

Sept 25 and 26 - It's Heritage Crafts Weekend at The North Carolina Arboretum. Celebrate Southern Appalachian traditions with craft demonstrations and juried crafts vendors, plant sales and musical performances from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days in the Heritage Garden, Baker Exhibit Center and Education Center. Learn how the NC botanical diversity has contributed to its amazing craft heritage.

Heritage Weekend at The Folk Art Center

September 18 - 19 at The Folk Art Center holds its 30th Annual Heritage Weekend  The free festival is sponsored by the Southern Highland Craft Guild and features traditional music and dancing, storytelling and heritage craft demonstrations. Learn from area experts about beekeeping, canning and preserving, coopering, heritage toy making, blacksmithing, natural dyeing, spinning, quilting, whittling, basket weaving and folk pottery.

A highlight of the weekend is the 30th Annual World Gee Haw Whimmy Diddle Competition on Saturday, 2:00-3:00pm. Joe “Colonel Buncombe” Bly will emcee the Whimmy Diddle Competition. What is a Whimmy Diddle? A whimmy diddle is an Appalachian mountain toy made from two sticks of wood. Notches are carved into one stick and a propeller is attached to the end. The other stick is rubbed against the notches, causing the propeller to spin either gee (to the right) or haw (to the left).

The Folk Art Center is located at Milepost  382 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville NC.

Could you, Wood you...in a Folk Art Center?

Tomorrow, August 7,  The Folk Art Center in east Asheville will host its annual celebration of wood crafts, Wood Day. The festivities include live demonstrations and the Tenth Annual Carve-Off Competition from 1 to 3pm. Admission to Wood Day and the Folk Art Center is free. The Folk Art Center is located at milepost 382 on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville North Carolina.

Last "2nd Saturdays" Showcase NC Heritage and Arts

The last 2nd Saturday of the year  takes place on August 14th from 10 AM - 4 PM. 2nd Saturdays combine arts and heritage with food and fun at all 37  north Carolina museums and Historic Sites. Art and craft demonstrations and work for sale from local artists perfectly compliment heritage and family fun events. Venures in the Western North Carolina Mountains include:

Mountain Gateway Museum and Heritage Center, 102 Water Street, Old Fort
Produce and natural products such as cheese, jam, soaps and soy candles will be offered at this event along with traditional folk arts including woodcarving, pottery, basket weaving and more.

Thomas Wolfe Memorial, 52 N. Market Street, Asheville
Paper, Pen and Paint: The Art of Creative Expression: Museum staff will focus on Thomas Wolfe’s artistic medium of the drama and narrative prose as his preferred method of creative expression. Visual artists such as painters, watercolorists, calligraphers, paper fabricators, bookbinders, writers, photographers and others will complement the event’s creative theme.

Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace, 911 Reems Creek Road, Weaverville
Harvest from the Farm: Highlighting the agriculture heritage of a 19th century mountain farm. Artisans will showcase products from the farm, foods, candles, textiles and other handmade items related to farm life.

For additional locations in all areas of North Carolina visit the  North Carolina Department of Culture

Memorial Day Weekend Events: Heritage Festival in Bryson CIty

May 28-29  Bryson City  North Carolina.  Heritage Festival   Two day festival features local musicians offering old-time gospel, classic country and bluegrass, a highlands pipe and drum corps and high energy "newgrass". Family activities, crafts and food will also be included.