Craft Shows & Fairs in Kutztown, Pennsylvania

Kutztown is a small Berks County borough with a long place on the craft calendar. For decades it hosted the Kutztown Folk Festival, a nine-day celebration of Pennsylvania Dutch craft and culture that was cancelled in 2025 and has not returned. Today the Kutztown Fairgrounds hosts the Eastern PA Homestead Festival and the Kutztown Fair, and Kutztown University runs a Pennsylvania German cultural heritage center.

The Kutztown Folk Festival

• Dates: Nine days around early July; the last edition was held in 2024
• Location: Kutztown Fairgrounds, Kutztown PA
• Status: Founded in 1950 and billed as America's oldest continuously operated folklife festival; organizers cancelled the 2025 festival citing low attendance and financial losses
• Artists: Traditional folk artists and craftspeople
• Quilts: A large sale of Pennsylvania Dutch quilts was a festival signature

• Pottery
• Woodcarving
• Weaving
• Tinsmithing
• Scherenschnitte (German paper cutting)
• Fraktur (decorative calligraphy)

Other Kutztown Events

• Dates: the 2026 edition (its second year) was held July 2–5
• Location: Kutztown Fairgrounds
• Focus: Homesteading, traditional skills, craft demonstrations
• Organizers describe it as paying homage to the Kutztown Folk Festival

• The 2026 fair was the 155th (August 3–8)
• Traditional agricultural fair at the Kutztown Fairgrounds
• Livestock, carnival, community exhibits

• Seasonal cultural programming, exhibitions, and a research library
• Traditional PA German crafts: scherenschnitte, fraktur, sgraffito pottery
• Tours of the open-air folklife museum must be scheduled in advance

Best Times to Visit Kutztown for Craft Events

Plan ahead:

• Accommodations are also available in the Lehigh Valley and Reading areas
• Book well in advance if traveling from out of area
• The Eastern PA Homestead Festival (2026 edition July 2–5) is held at the Kutztown Fairgrounds

Kutztown University's Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center offers seasonal programming for traditional craft enthusiasts.

Nearby Cities for Craft Shows

• Reading, PA — ~15 miles southwest; Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen festivals; Berks County Fair at Leesport (July)
• Allentown, PA — ~16 miles east; Great Allentown Fair (Labor Day), Lehigh Valley Fiber Festival (September)
• Bethlehem, PA — ~25 miles northeast; Christkindlmarkt (November–December, artisan vendors at SteelStacks)
• Lancaster, PA — ~45 miles southwest; Lititz Craft Show (August), PA Guild Summer Fair (June)

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened to the Kutztown Folk Festival?

The Kutztown Folk Festival ran at the Kutztown Fairgrounds from 1950 through 2024. Organizers cancelled the 2025 festival, citing low attendance and financial losses, and it has not returned. At its peak it featured:

• Traditional folk artists and craftspeople
• A large sale of Pennsylvania Dutch quilts
• Craft demonstrations: pottery, woodcarving, weaving, tinsmithing, scherenschnitte
• Pennsylvania Dutch food and entertainment
• Today, the Eastern PA Homestead Festival runs on the same grounds

When do craft shows happen in Kutztown?

The Eastern PA Homestead Festival runs in early July (July 2–5 in 2026). The Kutztown Fair follows in August (August 3–8 in 2026). The Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center at Kutztown University has programming throughout the academic year.

Are there country fairs near Kutztown?

The Kutztown Fair is the borough's own agricultural fair (the 155th fair was held in 2026). The Berks County Fair at Leesport runs in July (~11 miles southwest). The Great Allentown Fair (Lehigh County's agricultural fair, ~16 miles east) is also accessible.

Is there a handmade market scene in Kutztown?

Since the Folk Festival ended, the Eastern PA Homestead Festival, with its craftsmen and vendors, is the town's main handmade market. Kutztown University's Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center keeps traditional craft culture active.

Find Events in Kutztown

Search CraftShow Events to browse craft shows and folk festivals in Kutztown and throughout Berks County, Pennsylvania.