2016 Great Smoky Easter Arts & Crafts Show
With the help of websites like Etsy and Pinterest and the increase of DIY shows and even the addition of a DIY Network, our love for all things handmade is making a strong comeback. We’ve come to realize the hard work that goes into handcrafted gifts and homemade recipes, and we’ve come to appreciate the care and originality poured into these off-the-assembly-line products. Now we’re looking for places where we can get more.
This spring, Gatlinburg has just the event for your to feed your arts and crafts craving. The Great Smoky Easter Arts & Crafts Show is one of the largest assemblies of local crafters and artisans in the Southeast, and this March they will be demonstrating and selling a wide variety of their handcrafted gifts for all Smoky Mountain locals and visitors to check out. We’re talking everything from watercolor paintings to wood carvings to handcrafted jewelry to all-original birdhouses. Whatever kind of unique and handcrafted item you’re looking for, you’re sure to find it at the Great Smoky Easter Arts & Crafts Show.
To help you plan your visit to Gatlinburg this March so you can join all the fun and catch all of the action, we’ve answered your top questions about this event below. If you have more questions, be sure to check out the official website of the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community. And when you’re ready to book for Gatlinburg cabin for March (which we recommend doing soon—Easter is a popular time to visit the Smokies!), be sure to call our representatives at 1-800-684-7865. They are available 24/7 to assist you and help you find the perfect cabin for your springtime getaway to the Smoky Mountains!
What is it?
The Great Smoky Easter Arts & Crafts Show is exactly what it sounds like—a large arts and crafts show featuring handmade gifts made especially for Easter! Featuring springtime colors and a wide array of blooming flowers, this event is the perfect way to embrace the changing of the season and boost your spirits after longs months of drab wintertime weather. Bring your spouse, a group of friends, or your whole family to enjoy the paintings, carvings, and craft demonstrations offered at this unique Gatlinburg event.
When is it?
The Easter Craft Show will take place from Thursday, March 24, 2016, through Saturday, March 26, 2016. The show hours are as follows:
Thursday—10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday—10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday—10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Keep in mind that this show is one of three hosted by the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community each year. There will also be a Thanksgiving Craft Show in late November and a Christmas Craft Show in early December. So stay tuned to our Cabins For You blog when the holidays roll around, and we’ll provide you with more information about exciting craft shows later in the year!
Where is it?
The Great Smoky Easter Arts & Crafts Show will take place at the Gatlinburg Convention Center in downtown Gatlinburg. This venue provides more than 148,000 square feet of space, providing plenty of room for your group to walk around as you explore the dozens of different arts and crafts booths! And the Convention Center provides easy access to other exciting attractions and delicious restaurants in Gatlinburg—you can actually walk to several that are located nearby. So plan on sticking around for a while even after you finish at the Great Smoky Easter Arts & Crafts Show.
What’s the cost?
It’s free! That’s right—this Gatlinburg event is one that every family can afford because it’s absolutely free for guests of all ages! Your only cost will be the money you spend on handcrafted items you decide to take home.
What is the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community?
The host of the show—the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community—is actually the largest group of independent artisans in North America! This community contains more than 120 working artists and craftsmen who, at all other times of the year, can be found in an 8-mile loop just a few miles outside of downtown Gatlinburg.
So even if you can’t make it for the Easter Craft Show, you can still check out the wide variety of Smoky Mountain arts and crafts this group creates. Some of the original creations you can expect to see from the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community include candles, baskets, brooms, quilts, pottery, jewelry, dolls, ceramics, scrimshaw, silver, leather goods, stained glass, clothing, photography, paintings, and wood carvings.
These craftsmen continue the tradition of Appalachian arts, sometimes to the third and fourth generations. So a visit to the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community is not only a chance to see and appreciate handmade items, but it’s also a chance to glimpse the rich history of the surrounding Smoky Mountains and the pioneers who called them home hundreds of years ago!