July 16-19 » Asheville
The Southern Highland Craft Guild was founded in 1930 with the goal of preserving fine craft, supporting working artists, and keeping Appalachian craft traditions alive and thriving. This nationally recognized craft fair, produced by the Guild, invites more than 100 select craftspeople to exhibit their traditional and contemporary works in clay, wood, glass, metal, fiber, leather, jewelry, and more. The craft fair stands as one of the Southeast’s premier showcases of juried contemporary fine craft, and each participating artist must undergo a rigorous process to be selected for the show. The festival first began in 1948 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and has grown dramatically in size, with nearly 12,000 people attending over the four-day span in recent years. Browse the vendor market, meet artists first-hand, and acquire works directly from the makers. The event also boasts live demos and music. » Harrah’s Cherokee Center, 87 Haywood St.; Thursday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; $12, free for children under 13; (828) 298-7928; www.southernhighlandcraftguild.org