The Top Five Art and Craft Events in Asheville

If you visit Asheville you shouldn't miss seeing some of arts and crafts this area has to offer. The top on most peoples lists to do and see in the area are the Biltmore Estate, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and touring the shops. Downtown and Biltmore Village in particular have many beautiful galleries full of local art and crafts that are truly special. Its a treat to be in town during one of the big festivals or studio tours, where you get to see the artists in action and ask them questions.

These are really in no particular order, though the Southern Highland Craft Show is the biggest of the year and probably deserves the number 1 spot.

Southern Highland Craft Show: this event happens twice a year; July 15th-18th and October 21-24th at the Asheville Civic Center. This is the largest craft display in the Area, with two full floors of crafts on display. Artists come here from all over the Blue Ridge, including Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. You will notice a particular abundance of jewelry, fiber art, mountain pottery, and woodwork, which are plentiful in this area.
Weaverville Art Safari: this is an open studio event for artists living in or near Weaverville, Barnardsville, and Alexander, communities just north of Asheville. The event happens during the last weekend of April and the first weekend of November. Its a beautiful drive during that time of the year, so it makes a good excuse to get out on a Sunday. Don't forget to visit the studio of Lee Davis, where he has been creating hand painted mountain pottery for longer then he'll admit. He's quite a character.
Toe River Studio Tour: If you are interested in a longer trip up into the Blue Ridge north of Asheville, then this studio tour is a great option. The dates vary a bit from year to year, one in the summer and one in the fall. This tour is centered around Spruce Pine and Burnsville and offers some real out-of-the-way travel in the mountains. This area is home to the Penland School of Crafts and features hundreds of artists.
LEAF: Lake Eden Art Festival in Black Mountain. Though a bit pricey, over $100 for a ticket, the beautiful venue and multitude of quality music and craft displays is worth the price, especially if you can make it for the whole weekend. Price includes a camp site for two nights; first come, first served. This festival happens in May and October, with fall being the bigger of the two.
Bele Chere: It's hard to even include this festival known more locally for its libellous revelry, but there is no doubt that many local artists participate in the event. Its fun to get to walk around the streets of Asheville without any traffic. The sheer size and amount to do at Bele Chere makes it worth the fight for a parking space.