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The Asheville art scene is booming. Each year, more artist studio tours, events and art shows appear. Here are our favorite annual Asheville art events. Plan your next trip around one of these! AmericanStyle Magazine names Asheville as the Number Two Small City for Arts in USA
Asheville Art Events Guide for 2009
For art any day of the year (along with special openings and shows), see our Asheville Gallery Guide or get the Craft Heritage Trails Book. Or visit the Folk Art Center.
February 20-22, 2009: Arts & Crafts Antique Show and Conference
For the past nineteen years Arts and Crafts enthusiasts - including new collectors, veterans, curators, craftsperson, authors, builders, architects, designers, editors, and bungalow owners - have traveled to the Blue Ridge Mountains and The Grove Park Inn for this show. Admission.
Read more about the Arts and Crafts Conference
April 3, 2009: Center City Art Walk
Galleries stay open Friday evenings four times a year to showcase new shows and artists. Walk to 30 galleries downtown. Free.
Go to the Downtown Asheville Galleries Web site.
April 15-19, 2009: Asheville HATCHfest
Don't miss the inaugural creative artist festival. Read more about Asheville HATCHfest.
April 25, 2009: Fire on the Mountain Blacksmith Festival
Held in Downtown Spruce Pine from 10am-4pm featuring vendors, live demonstrations, hands-on tent with rotating teachers and visiting blacksmiths from around the region and country.
April 25-26, 2009: Weaverville Art Safari
Weaverville, 10 miles north of Asheville, is the home and workplace of many of the area artists. The core activities of the Weaverville Art Safari are self-guided driving tours of the various artists' studios, tucked away in the countryside communities of Weaverville, Barnardsville, and Alexander. Free.
Go to the Art Safari Web site.
May 2-3, 2009: E.A.S.T. (East of Asheville Studio Tour) Spring Tour
Artists of the Black Mountain, Swannanoa, and East Asheville area, present the East of Asheville Studio Tour. The studio tour takes place twice a year - Spring and Fall. Everyone is welcome to visit any or all of the studios during the tour, whether they are serious art patrons or just browsers of beautiful and interesting works. Saturday & Sunday, 10am - 6pm.
Go to the EAST Web site.
May 8-July 5: ECO-ART Show: Artists Respond – Reclaim, Reuse, Recreate
Artists featured recycle, reclaim and reuse materials, reduce their energy needs, recreate the spirit of alchemy and revitalize outdated artwork. Over 50 local and regional artists working in most mediums will be represented. Hand in Hand Gallery is partnering with Environmental and Conservation Organization of Henderson County (ECO) to raise awareness and funds for their local efforts.
Go to the Hand in Hand Gallery Web site
May 7-10, 2009: Lake Eden Arts Festival
Celebrate Music, Discover Community, and Experience Culture at LEAF in a beautiful lakefront setting near Black Mountain (about 12 miles from downtown Asheville). 5 Stages of Folk & World, Bluegrass, Blues, African, Celtic, and jams with headline performers. Handcrafts, folk art, dancing, Poetry SLAM, healing arts workshops, water recreation, and camping. Admission.
See our LEAF Guide.
May 16, 2009: Montford Arts and Music Festival
Free family-oriented festival featuring music by Snake Oil Medicine Show, Pure Fiyah Raggae and 6 other bands. Juried art show as well as art and crafts for sell, plus clogging and other dancing. Delicious food from local restaurants. All of this set in the National Park Service-designated Historic District of Montford. 11 AM-7 PM. Free.
Go to their Web site.
May 16, 2009: Madison Celebrates Art
Main Street in Historic Downtown Marshall, just 25 minutes from downtown Asheville, will be transformed into an open-air art market and pedestrian mall with over fifty booths of Madison County artists selling their fine art, crafts, and botanicals. There will also be a fine art exhibit on display at the Arts Center. 10 am to 4 pm. Free.
May 22-August 23: Asheville Art Museum Exhibit
Tradition/Innovation: American Masterpieces of Southern Craft & Traditional Art, a special exhibition at the Asheville Art Museum, is a combination of contemporary craft and traditional art that offers visitors the opportunity to compare the approaches of traditional and contemporary artists. Works by 58 master traditional artists and contemporary craftspeople from nine southern states will be accompanied by a rich array of artist interviews, stories and background information on the artists and their processes.
May 30, 2009: Burnsville Spring Arts Festival
Food, live music and handmade crafts from 10 am to 4 pm on the Burnsville Town Square. Free.
June 5, 2009: Center City Art Walk
Galleries stay open Friday evenings four times a year to showcase new shows and artists. Walk to 30 galleries downtown Asheville. Free.
Go to the Downtown Asheville Galleries Web site.
June 6-December 31, 2009: Outdoor Sculpture for the Garden Exhibition
Grovewood Gallery's 2nd annual invitational, outdoor sculpture exhibition features large-scale, contemporary outdoor sculptures from nationally recognized artists from around the country. Sculptures will range from playful pieces suitable for the home or garden, to works for public spaces and corporate settings. This event is open to the public and free of charge. Located behind the Grove Park Inn.
See our Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit Guide.
June 12-14, 2009: Toe River Studio Tour
About an hour north of Asheville, tucked in the lush green mountains is one of the finest collections of artists and craftsmen in the world and the acclaimed Penland School of Crafts. A unique blend of contemporary and traditional cultures. More than 100 fine artists and crafts people in every medium open their studios for a free, self-guided cultural adventure. Free.
Go to the Toe River Arts Web site.
June 13-14, 2009: River District Artists Studio Stroll
The Studio Stroll is your chance to tour the studios, meet with the artists and purchase artwork. Within just a few blocks are dozens of eclectic mix of creative artists - from traditional to cutting-edge. Near downtown Asheville. Free.
Read more about the River Arts District.
June 13, 2009: Bluff Mountain Festival in Hot Springs, NC
This free, family-friendly festival features great old-time and bluegrass music, ballads, clogging and square dance, and a silent auction and raffle of regional art work, local crafts, vacation packages, and more. The festival produced by Madison County Arts Council, begins at 10am, offers an array of delicious foods and ends with a square dance until dark.
Go to Madison County Arts Web site.
June 20, 2009: Dillsboro Arts & Music Festival
Traditional & contemporary mountain crafts, fine art, live music, dance and storytelling. Front Street is lined with tents featuring all kinds of art and fine crafts including basketry, pottery, weaving, quilting, woodworking, jewelry, stained glass, painting, photography and more. Free.
Go to the Dillsboro Web site.
July 10-December 6, 2009: Cherokee Carvers
Asheville Art Museum Exhibit, Cherokee Carvers: Tradition Renewed. Read more.
July 16-19, 2009: Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands
The Craft Fair, held in the Civic Center in downtown Asheville, has been an eagerly anticipated event in the mountains since 1948. The fair showcases work by members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, with over 900 members throughout the mountain regions of nine states. Members' work must be juried and accepted by a committee of peers, based on quality, design and craftsmanship. Admission.
See our Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands Guide.
July 25-27, 2009: Bele Chere
Many artists display at the largest free outdoor street festival in the Southeast.
See our Bele Chere Guide.
August 1-2, 2009: Village Art & Craft Fair
Held on the grounds of the Cathedral of All Souls in Biltmore Village near the entrance to the Biltmore Estate, the fair hosts 125 artists from 20 states representing the full spectrum of craft media - jewelry, ceramic, wood, fiber, metals, two-dimensional art and more. Free.
Go to the Village Art & Craft Fair Web site.
August 7, 2009: Center City Art Walk
Galleries stay open Friday evenings four times a year to showcase new shows and artists. Walk to 30 galleries downtown. Free.
Go to the Downtown Asheville Galleries Web site.
August 7-8, 2009: Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair, Downtown Burnsville
The streets of this "Norman Rockwell" town come to life for this special festival, named one of the Southeast Tourism Society's Top 20 Events for the summer of 2009. Quality crafters will display hand-made furniture, wrought iron, blown glass, beaded jewelry, locally-made quilts, home-made jams and jellies, and a wonderful collection of food vendors. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. Free.
Go to the Yancey County Chamber of Commerce Web site
August 8, 2009: Wood Day
Wood Day is an event that brings together the woodworkers of the Southern Highland Craft Guild to demonstrate a wide range of woodworking techniques and skills. This event takes place at the Folk Art Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free.
August 15-16, 2009: Leicester Studio Tour
Take a self-guided tour to the studios of 22 artists in Leicester, a community nestled in the mountains near Asheville.
Go to the Leicester Studio Tour Web site.
August 21-23, 2009: Goombay! Festival
Goombay! brings a variety of entertainment, from Steel Drums, African-America Dancers, local Gospel Groups, and Contemporary Rhythm Bands, the activities are geared for families. The Festival-goer can enjoy an authentic Caribbean Meal at "Island of Delight" Caf and see vendors line the streets with everything from ice cream to Third World Crafts. Free
Go to the Goombay! Web site.
September 6, 2009: Lexington Ave. Arts and Fun Festival.
This fantastically fabulous, freaky jam-packed day will showcase the many diverse talents that Asheville has to offer. Three blocks of downtown will be lined with all local art, food, beer and street performers. Three stages and two courtyards of music and performance. 11am – 10pm on N. Lexington Ave between College Street and the I-240 overpass in downtown Asheville. Free. Read more details about LAAFF.
Go to the LAAFF Web site.
September 11-12, 2009: Carolina Mountains Literary Festival
Readers and writers alike will love this literary festival. The weekend in Burnsville will provide intimate settings for novice writers and fans to listen to panel discussions, converse with authors, participate in workshops, and have books signed. Admission.
Go to the Literary Festival Web site.
September 19-20, 2009: Heritage Weekend
This is the Southern Highland Craft Guild’s weekend to celebrate heritage crafts of the Appalachian Mountains. Guild members and other traditional craftspeople show craft techniques with hand tools, native materials, and lots of ingenuity through demonstrations in the native arts. In addition to crafts, several other traditional aspects of Appalachian life will be featured, such as traditional music and storytelling. Don’t miss the 26th Annual World Gee Haw Whimmy Diddle Competition on Saturday, 2:00-3:00pm. This popular autumn tradition brings mountain toys, live music and wacky fun to the Blue Ridge Parkway’s Folk Art Center. Free.
September 19, 2009: Art in Autumn
Downtown Weaverville street festival with more than 100 juried artists and craftspeople, along with an exciting array of food and live music. 10am-5pm on Main Street. Six miles north of Asheville. Free.
Go to their Web site.
October 2, 2009: Center City Art Walk
Galleries stay open Friday evenings four times a year to showcase new shows and artists. Walk to 30 galleries downtown. Free.
Go to the Downtown Asheville Galleries Web site.
October 10-11, 2009: East of Asheville Studio Tour (E.A.S.T.)
Self-guided tour of artist studios in the Black Mountain, Swannanoa, Fairview and East Asheville area. Many will have demos and art raffles!
Go to their Web site.
October 15-18, 2009: Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands
The Craft Fair, held in the Civic Center in downtown Asheville, has been an eagerly anticipated event in the mountains since 1948. The fair showcases work by members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, with over 900 members throughout the mountain regions of nine states. Members' work must be juried and accepted by a committee of peers, based on quality, design and craftsmanship. Admission.
Go to the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands Guide.
October 15-18, 2009: Lake Eden Arts Festival
Celebrate Music, Discover Community, and Experience Culture at LEAF in a beautiful lakefront setting near Black Mountain (about 12 miles from downtown Asheville). 5 Stages of Folk & World, Bluegrass, Blues, African, Celtic, and jams with headline performers. Handcrafts, folk art, dancing, Poetry SLAM, healing arts workshops, water recreation, and camping. Admission.
See our LEAF Guide.
November 7, 2009: Western North Carolina Pottery Festival
A juried event in Dillsboro with approximately 35 potters from across the Southeast, including members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. Includes demostrations and Raku firings, as well as featured national potter John Fulwood of New Jersey. Annual highlight is the midday opening of the coffin wood kiln at Tree House Pottery.
See our Pottery Festival Guide.
November 7-8, 2009: Weaverville Art Safari
Weaverville, 10 miles north of Asheville, is the home and workplace of many of the area artists. The core activities of the Weaverville Art Safari are self-guided driving tours of the various artists' studios, tucked away in the countryside communities of Weaverville, Barnardsville, and Alexander. Free.
Read more about the Weaverville Art Safari.
November 14-15, 2009: River District Artists Studio Stroll
The Studio Stroll is your chance to tour the studios, meet with the artists and purchase artwork. Within just a few blocks are dozens of eclectic mix of creative artists - from traditional to cutting-edge. Near downtown Asheville. Free.
Read more about the River Arts District.
December 4-6, 2009: Toe River Studio Tour
About an hour north of Asheville, tucked in the lush green mountains is one of the finest collections of artists and craftsmen in the world and the acclaimed Penland School of Crafts. A unique blend of contemporary and traditional cultures. More than 100 fine artists and crafts people in every medium open their studios for a free, self-guided cultural adventure. Free.
Go to the Toe River Arts Web site.
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