Arts & Crafts Community in the Smokies
Sevier County has a thriving and historic arts and crafts community. Our residents pay tribute to the rich past of the pioneers by creating Smoky Mountain folk art, quilting, and crafting homemade items.
The historic Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community is the United States’ largest concentration of artisans and craftspeople since 1941.
When planning to visit the Smoky Mountains, be sure to make the Gatlinburg Art Tour part of your itinerary. The beautiful peaceful craft crawl is home to a plethora of specialty shops, most of which are designed with a rustic, mountain theme in an area known and cherished by locals as the Glades Area. This historic 8-mile loop has been designated a Tennessee Heritage Arts & Crafts Trail. The artisans along the trail create original collectibles and folk art such as candles, baskets, quilts, trolls, brooms, pottery, jewelry, dolls, ceramics, oak and willow baskets, scrimshaw, silver-smithing, leather, stained glass, wearable fashions, sculpture, lithographs, fine photography, frameable art, oils and watercolors.
Gatlinburg hosts various craft fairs throughout the year. The two largest Gatlinburg craft shows are the Easter Arts & Crafts Show and Christmas Craft Show, where Gatlinburg pottery and Gatlinburg art reign amongst the varied booths.
The heart of Smoky Mountain arts and crafts in Pigeon Forge is Old Mill Square, which has been home to Pigeon Forge pottery making for over forty years. The area’s heritage is also being preserved through a variety of crafts that are practiced at the nearby shops of The Old Mill Square. Pigeon Forge woodworking and Pigeon Forge jewelry are among the the most sought after items for locals and visitors alike.
Pigeon Forge is home to various craft fairs throughout the year, the largest being A Mountain Quiltfest. Quilters flock to Pigeon Forge every spring for quilt classes and to enter their quilt creations. Others cluster to view the display of quilts crafted by novices and experts from all over the country.
Sevierville inherits the artisan history as well as part of the Smoky Mountain arts and crafts community. In downtown, one will discover Sevierville’s art galleries, Sevierville pottery shops, and handmade furniture and saddles.
Various crafts fairs and art shows are found in Sevierville all year long. Sevierville art gallery openings, the Sevierville Craftsman’s fair and the Fall Craft Festivals are among the various events.
Whether it’s Pigeon Forge’s Quiltfest or Dolly Parton’s “Coat of Many Colors,” you can explore the history and future of the Great Smoky Mountain Arts and Crafts Community on your next visit to Sevier County, Tennessee.
Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community of Gatlinburg
Check out this visual tour of the thriving Smoky Mountain Arts & Crafts Community. Here you can enjoy Smoky Mountain folk art, quilting, and crafting homemade items, such as brooms, pottery, jewelry, dolls and more. The Smoky Mountain arts & craft community is the perfect way to experience the history and culture of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville, TN.