Craft Shows & Country Fairs in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has one of the deepest craft show traditions on the East Coast. With 67 counties, a centuries-old Pennsylvania Dutch heritage, and a thriving contemporary maker scene in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, the state offers something for every kind of craft shopper — from small-town vendor fairs to nationally recognized juried shows.

The variety here is real. A nine-day folk festival in a Berks County borough. A sleek holiday craft market on a former steel campus in Bethlehem. An indie maker fair inside a Pittsburgh convention center. A multigenerational agricultural fair in Allentown that draws thousands every Labor Day weekend. Pennsylvania's craft event calendar runs year-round, with a pronounced peak from September through December.

What to Expect at Pennsylvania Craft Shows

On the fine craft end, the Philadelphia Museum of Art Contemporary Craft Show is among the most prestigious events of its kind in the country. Now in its 50th year in 2026, it runs November 6–8 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, featuring 195 artists across 13 categories. A Preview Gala opens November 5.

The PA Guild of Craftsmen — one of the largest craft organizations in the nation, founded in 1946 — runs two annual juried fairs:

• Summer Fine Craft Fair at Foundry 48, Lititz — June 20–21, 2026; 65+ artists
• Fall Fine Craft Fair at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, Oaks — October 24–25, 2026; 80 artists

At the community end, church bazaars and school craft fairs draw neighborhood vendors selling handmade jewelry, baked goods, fiber arts, and home décor. These are common across suburban Philadelphia, the Lehigh Valley, and central Pennsylvania.

In between sit events like the Heart of Lancaster Arts and Crafts Show (Labor Day weekend, 200 artists) and the Bellefonte Arts & Crafts Fair (August, downtown Bellefonte) — midsize juried shows with strong regional followings.

Indoor and outdoor formats are both common:

• Outdoor shows: Long's Park (Lancaster), Mellon Park (Pittsburgh), Rittenhouse Square (Philadelphia) — spring and summer
• Indoor shows: Fairgrounds buildings, convention centers, church halls — fall and winter

The Lititz Craft Show, one of the largest on the East Coast with 700+ crafters, takes place in early October.

Country Fairs & County Fairs in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's county fair system is extensive. Nearly every county runs an annual agricultural fair, typically in July or August. These events blend 4-H livestock competition, harness racing, carnival rides, and home arts exhibits — which often include quilts, baked goods, woodcarving, and needlework made by local community members.

Notable county fairs include:

• Great Allentown Fair (est. 1852) — Labor Day weekend, Allentown Fairgrounds; one of the oldest and largest in the state
• Berks County Fair — Leesport; traditional Pennsylvania German agricultural fair
• Erie County Fair — Wattsburg; the anchor fair for northwestern Pennsylvania
• Centre County Grange Fair — Centre Hall; one of the last fairs in the country where fairgoers live in tents on the grounds

Handmade vendors are part of the fair landscape, too. County fairs with strong home arts competitions showcase quilts, pottery, preserves, and fiber arts made by local community members.

Popular Cities for Craft Events in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia

Philadelphia anchors the southeastern Pennsylvania craft scene. The PMA Contemporary Craft Show in November is the flagship. The city also hosts the Rittenhouse Square Spring Fine Craft Show (May), Manayunk Arts Festival (June), and the Christmas Village at LOVE Park. Explore Philadelphia craft shows →

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh's independent craft community is one of the most active in the state. Handmade Arcade expanded to a year-round schedule in 2026 with a new Modern Craft Market (March) and its December Holiday Show. I Made It! Market runs pop-up events across Shadyside, Lawrenceville, Strip District, and South Side. Explore Pittsburgh craft shows →

Lancaster

Lancaster County is Pennsylvania Dutch Country — craft culture runs deep. The Lititz Craft Show (700+ crafters, October) and the PA Guild Summer Fine Craft Fair at Foundry 48 (June) are the headliners. Lancaster Central Market, in continuous operation since 1730, runs Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday year-round. Explore Lancaster craft shows →

Bethlehem

Bethlehem's Christkindlmarkt (34th annual, 2026) runs six weekends from mid-November through December 20 at the SteelStacks campus. More than 150 artisans. Glassblowing demonstrations. One of the top Christmas markets in the US. Explore Bethlehem craft shows →

Kutztown

Harrisburg

State College

The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts (July 8–12) ranks among the top juried art fairs in the country. The Bellefonte Arts & Crafts Fair (August 7–8, 12 miles north) complements the summer season. Explore State College craft shows →

Allentown

The Great Allentown Fair (Labor Day, since 1852) and the Lehigh Valley Fiber Festival (September) both run at the Allentown Fairgrounds. The fiber festival draws 75+ artisan vendors. Explore Allentown craft shows →

Reading

The Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen runs juried festivals with a strict handmade-only standard. The Berks County Fair in Leesport brings county fair tradition to July. Explore Reading craft shows →

Gettysburg

Craft shows in Gettysburg reflect the town's heritage tourism identity. Multiple shows cover antiques, fine craft, and handmade goods throughout the year, with the Adams County Fair anchoring the summer. Explore Gettysburg craft shows →

Erie

Seasonal Guide to Pennsylvania Craft Shows

• March: Handmade Arcade Modern Craft Market, Pittsburgh
• May 8–10: Rittenhouse Square Spring Fine Craft Show, Philadelphia
• May 23–25: Artsfest, Harrisburg Riverfront Park (free admission)

• June 20–21: PA Guild Summer Fine Craft Fair, Foundry 48 Lititz
• July 4–12: Kutztown Folk Festival, Kutztown Fairgrounds
• July 8–12: Central PA Festival of the Arts, State College
• August 7–8: Bellefonte Arts & Crafts Fair, downtown Bellefonte
• August: Centre County Grange Fair, Centre Hall

• September 4–6: Long's Park Labor Day Art Festival, Lancaster
• September (Labor Day): Great Allentown Fair; Heart of Lancaster Arts and Crafts Show
• September: Lehigh Valley Fiber Festival, Allentown
• September 11–13: A Fair in the Park, Mellon Park Pittsburgh
• October (early): Lititz Craft Show (700+ crafters)
• October 24–25: PA Guild Fall Fine Craft Fair, Greater Philadelphia Expo Center

• November 6–8: PMA Contemporary Craft Show, Pennsylvania Convention Center (Philadelphia) — Preview Gala November 5
• November 13 – December 20: Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem (six weekends at SteelStacks)
• November: Erie Holiday Craft & Gift Festival, Bayfront Convention Center
• December (first weekend): Winter Craft Market, State College
• December: Handmade Arcade Holiday Show, Pittsburgh

Types of Events You'll Find

• Juried fine craft fairs — PA Guild events, PMA Craft Show; curated, vetted artists
• Folk and heritage festivals — Kutztown Folk Festival, Eastern PA Homestead Festival
• Community craft and vendor shows — church bazaars, school fundraisers; common statewide
• County agricultural fairs — 67 counties; most include home arts exhibits and craft vendors
• Holiday markets — Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem, Christmas Village Philadelphia, Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market
• Outdoor art and craft festivals — Artsfest Harrisburg, Central PA Festival of the Arts, Rittenhouse Square show
• Indie maker markets — Handmade Arcade, I Made It! Market, Creatively Lancaster
• Fiber arts festivals — Lehigh Valley Fiber Festival; strong statewide fiber community

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to find craft shows in Pennsylvania?

Fall is the most event-dense season, running from Labor Day through mid-December. September brings outdoor festivals, October brings juried indoor shows, and November–December brings the state's biggest holiday markets — Christkindlmarkt in Bethlehem and the PMA Craft Show in Philadelphia. Spring (May) is the second peak, with shows in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Pittsburgh.

Are there country fairs with handmade vendors in Pennsylvania?

Yes. Nearly every Pennsylvania county holds an annual agricultural fair, and most include home arts competition in categories like quilting, pottery, woodcarving, canning, and needlework. The Great Allentown Fair, Berks County Fair, Erie County Fair, and Centre County Grange Fair are among the larger events with strong craft traditions.

How do I find craft shows near me in Pennsylvania?

Use the CraftShow Events search to filter by city or region within Pennsylvania. You can narrow results by month, category, or event type to find shows in your area or within driving distance.

Are Pennsylvania craft shows free to attend?

It varies. Community craft shows and county fairs typically charge a small admission. The PMA Craft Show has ticketed entry (Preview Gala tickets are sold separately). Artsfest in Harrisburg and A Fair in the Park in Pittsburgh are free. Always check individual event listings for current admission details.

What types of crafts are popular at Pennsylvania fairs?

Pennsylvania has strong traditions in:

• Quilting — especially Lancaster County Amish quilts; Kutztown Folk Festival displays 2,500+
• Pottery — Pennsylvania German earthenware traditions; Berks and Lancaster counties
• Woodcarving and furniture — Amish craftspeople in Lancaster County
• Scherenschnitte (German paper cutting) and fraktur (decorative calligraphy)
• Fiber arts — weaving, spinning, needle felting; Lehigh Valley Fiber Festival
• Glasswork — Bethlehem Christkindlmarkt glassblowing demonstrations and Hot Glass Experience

Does Pennsylvania have nationally recognized craft events?

Several:

• Philadelphia Museum of Art Contemporary Craft Show — 50th annual in 2026; national artist competition
• Kutztown Folk Festival — oldest continuously operated folklife festival in America (since 1950)
• Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem — regularly cited among the top Christmas markets in the US
• Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts — one of the top-ranked juried art fairs nationally

What is the PA Guild of Craftsmen?

The Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen (pacrafts.org) was founded in 1946 and is one of the largest craft organizations in the nation. It runs two juried fine craft fairs annually: Foundry 48 in Lititz (June) and the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks (October).

Discover Events in Pennsylvania

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