Craft Shows & Country Fairs in Tennessee

Tennessee has one of the most layered craft traditions in the United States. From the Appalachian highlands of the east — where woodcarvers, potters, and weavers have worked the same traditions for generations — to the urban maker markets of Nashville and Memphis, the state offers a craft event for nearly every kind of shopper and visitor.

Tennessee Craft says its fall Tennessee Craft Fair in Nashville is ranked in the top 25 of premier craft art fairs in the country. The Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community in Gatlinburg, founded around 1937, calls itself the largest independent organization of artisans in the United States.

What to Expect at Tennessee Craft Shows

Tennessee's craft events range from intimate juried shows with a few dozen artists to multi-day festivals drawing tens of thousands of visitors.

The Tennessee Craft Fair at Centennial Park in Nashville runs twice a year — a spring edition (the 55th annual in 2026) and a fall edition (October 9–11 in 2026). The fall fair is free and features about 200 juried artists. Artisans work in ceramics, glass, fiber, jewelry, wood, leather, and mixed media — all handmade, all selected by jury.

The Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair fills 150,000 square feet of the Gatlinburg Convention Center. The fall run lasts about three weeks (October 8–28 in 2026) with 200+ booths; the 2026 July run (July 10–19) was billed as "the last July for a while." Artisans demonstrate at their booths, so you can watch the work being made before buying it.

The type of event you find depends as much on which corner of Tennessee you're visiting as on the time of year.

Country Fairs & County Fairs in Tennessee

Tennessee has a long county fair tradition rooted in the agricultural exhibition circuit. County fairs typically run July through September and include:

• Livestock shows and agricultural competitions
• 4-H and FFA exhibit halls
• Carnival rides and midway games
• Competitive handmade divisions — quilts, needlework, food preserves, woodworking, fine art

The Appalachian Fair in Gray (late August) is one of the region's largest annual events and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2026. It draws 200,000+ visitors a year; the 2026 fair ran eight days (August 22–29) and combines the agricultural fair format with music and craft demonstrations rooted in the Appalachian highlands of Northeast Tennessee.

The Tennessee State Fair is now combined with the Wilson County Fair in Lebanon (August 13–22 in 2026), with Tennessee State competitions alongside livestock shows and 4-H and FFA competitions.

The Appalachian Craft Heritage

Tennessee's identity as a craft destination is inseparable from its Appalachian east. The craft revival that took hold in Gatlinburg in the 1930s — supported by TVA programs and Arrowmont School — established a foundation that has carried through nearly a century.

Many working artisans in Gatlinburg, Sevierville, and Jonesborough are second- or third-generation craftspeople whose families learned their trades in that era.

The Southern Highland Craft Guild, which began in 1930, now represents more than 800 juried artisans across nine states. Tennessee-based members work in pottery, wood, fiber, glass, metal, leather, and natural materials.

Traditional Appalachian crafts still made in Tennessee:

• White oak and honeysuckle basketry
• Hand-woven coverlets and rugs
• Split-face dulcimers and mountain instruments
• Hand-carved wood figures and utensils
• Functional stoneware pottery
• Mountain-pattern quilts and pieced fiber art

These exist alongside contemporary fine craft — studio jewelry, sculptural ceramics, architectural glass — in most of the state's major shows.

Popular Cities for Craft Events in Tennessee

Nashville

Nashville hosts the Tennessee Craft Fair twice yearly at Centennial Park — the state's flagship juried event; the fall fair is free to attend. Year-round, the city's East Nashville and 12South neighborhoods support independent artisan retail, and maker markets like Porter Flea keep the handmade community active between major shows.

Memphis

Memphis anchors the West Tennessee craft scene with the Pink Palace Crafts Fair (September; at the Pink Palace Museum & Mansion in 2026) and the Memphis Crafts & Drafts series at Crosstown Concourse — a landmark converted 1927 Sears warehouse that now houses working studios and creative businesses alongside the market itself.

Knoxville

Knoxville offers the Dogwood Arts Festival each spring. Market Square hosts a twice-weekly farmers market May through October, and The Maker City Knoxville initiative connects independent makers to audiences year-round.

Chattanooga

The Chattanooga Market is held at First Horizon Pavilion on the Tennessee River waterfront. The market's Sunday events are free to attend. The North Shore and Southside neighborhoods support year-round independent artisan retail.

Gatlinburg

Gatlinburg operates at a different scale. The Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community along the 8-mile Glades Road / Buckhorn Road loop puts 80+ artists and craftsmen within reach year-round. The Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair adds a large indoor show each October (and ran in July through 2026). Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts brings studio artists from across the country for residential workshops each summer and fall.

Pigeon Forge

The Old Mill — a historic 1830 gristmill with Pigeon River Pottery and other shops — anchors Pigeon Forge's year-round artisan scene. Dollywood's Harvest Festival each fall adds seasonal programming at the theme park; check Dollywood for current craft demonstrations.

Franklin

The Franklin Makers Market at Westhaven features over 150 curated vendors at its 2026 holiday edition (November 14). The Franklin Main Street Festival each April draws 120,000+ visitors. The Factory at Franklin — a converted former stove factory — hosts a Saturday farmers market and year-round shops.

Jonesborough

Tennessee's oldest town (founded 1779) hosts the National Storytelling Festival each October (October 2–4 in 2026, its 53rd year) and the Made Around Here Market craft show in November. The Appalachian Fair in nearby Gray runs each August.

Seasonal Guide to Tennessee Craft Shows

Peak season for Middle and East Tennessee. Tennessee Craft Fair opens early May. Dogwood Arts Festival runs in late April in Knoxville. Franklin Main Street Festival draws 120,000+. The Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community opens with full hours as Smoky Mountain visitation picks up.

The Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair held a 10-day July run in 2026 (July 10–19), billed as the last July fair for a while. Smaller markets and outdoor vendor fairs run across the state. The Appalachian Fair in Gray (late August) marks the transition to fall fair season.

The most varied season. Tennessee Craft Fair returns to Centennial Park in October. The October Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair runs nearly three weeks. The Pink Palace Crafts Fair returns to the Pink Palace Museum & Mansion in Memphis (September 25–27, 2026). County fairs wrap across the state. Fall foliage peaks in East Tennessee mid-October, driving massive visitation to the Smoky Mountain corridor.

Holiday markets are a growing category in Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga, and Franklin. Gatlinburg's Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community holds Thanksgiving and Christmas arts and crafts shows (November 24–29 and November 30–December 6 in 2026). Jonesborough's Made Around Here Market brings craft vendors to the historic town in November. Prime season for handmade gift shopping.

Types of Events You'll Find

• Juried craft shows — Tennessee Craft Fair (Nashville), Pink Palace Crafts Fair (Memphis), Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair
• Maker markets — Porter Flea (Nashville), Memphis Crafts & Drafts, Franklin Makers Market
• County and agricultural fairs — Held across the state; competitive handmade exhibit divisions alongside livestock
• Neighborhood festivals — Cooper-Young Festival (Memphis), Franklin Main Street Festival, PumpkinFest (Franklin)
• Permanent artisan communities — Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community (Gatlinburg), Old Mill Square (Pigeon Forge), The Factory at Franklin
• Heritage and cultural fairs — Appalachian Fair (Gray), National Storytelling Festival (Jonesborough), Smithville Fiddlers' Jamboree
• Holiday markets — Growing November–December category across all major Tennessee cities

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Spring (April–May) and fall (September–October) are the peak seasons. The Tennessee Craft Fair runs in both May and October at Centennial Park in Nashville. The October Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair runs almost three weeks and coincides with peak fall foliage. For county fairs with handmade exhibit divisions, August and September are the prime months.

Are there country fairs with handmade vendors in Tennessee?

Yes. Many Tennessee county fairs include competitive exhibits where handmade crafts, quilts, needlework, and food preserves are judged. The Appalachian Fair in Gray (August) and the Wilson County - Tennessee State Fair in Lebanon (August 13–22 in 2026) are two of the largest events combining agricultural fair format with significant craft content.

How do I find craft shows near me in Tennessee?

Use the CraftShow Events search and filter by Tennessee or by specific city. You can also filter by date range for upcoming shows. Tennessee Craft (tennesseecraft.org) maintains a calendar focused on fine craft events. For county fairs, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture publishes an annual fair schedule.

Are Tennessee craft shows free to attend?

Many are. The fall Tennessee Craft Fair at Centennial Park in Nashville is free. The Franklin Makers Market, the Chattanooga Market, and many neighborhood festival markets charge no admission. The Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair charges $12 for adults, with children 17 and under free with paid adults (2026).

What types of crafts are popular at Tennessee fairs?

Functional and decorative pottery, hand-turned wood, studio jewelry, hand-woven textiles, hand-stitched quilts, blown and fused glass, leather goods, and fine woodworking. In East Tennessee specifically, traditional Appalachian crafts — white oak basketry, dulcimers, hand-carved figures, and mountain-pattern quilts — appear alongside contemporary studio work.

Is there a craft school or training center in Tennessee?

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg is one of the most respected residential craft schools in the country — a full-time arts and crafts school since 1945 (founded in 1912 as a settlement school), intensive workshops in ceramics, fiber, wood, metals, and more. Tennessee Craft and the Southern Highland Craft Guild both offer member programs and educational resources for working artisans.

Discover Events in Tennessee

CraftShow Events lists craft shows, handmade fairs, artisan markets, and country fairs across all of Tennessee's cities and counties. Search by location and date, or browse any of the cities above to explore what's happening near you.