January
Jan. 31-Feb. 2: Winter Heritage Festival in the Smokies. An event celebrating the human history, natural beauty, and cultural traditions of Townsend, Cades Cove, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Guests can enjoy a variety of presentations, storytelling, music, walks, exhibits, and tours—at the Visitors Center, Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tremont, and other businesses and organizations around Townsend. Townsend Winter Heritage Festival
February
Feb. & April: Basket Making with Karen Kenst. Join Karen as she instructs on the fine art of basket making. Check out the schedule and register.
March
March 1-16: Smoky Mountain Quilt Show
March 17-31: Woodcarver’s Show
March 22-24: Smoky Mountain Quilter’s Road Show
April
April 15-20: Smoky Mountain Fiber Arts Festival. Hosted by the Townsend Artisan Guild, Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center, and the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau. This interactive fiber arts event connects the community with fiber arts activities. The festival will include Border collie sheep-herding, sheep-shearing, classes and workshops, arts exhibitions, educational demonstrations of fiber processes, spinning, weaving, needlecrafts, dyeing, hands-on projects with children and adults, Fiber Arts Market and more. Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center and Smoky Mountain Visitors Center in Townsend.
May
May 4-5: Townsend Spring Festival and Old Timers Day. A heaping helping of your favorite bluegrass music, a Young Pickers Talent Contest, arts and crafts, Appalachian skills, wildflower walks and garden tours, storytelling, BBQ and other good food at the town’s annual Spring Festival and Old Timers Day. Townsend Spring Festival and Old Timers Day
May 9-10: BTA Class (Information coming soon)
May 14: Tourism Reception (Information coming soon)
May 17-19: Smoky Mountain Highland Games. Maryville College. A celebration of Scottish Heritage at the foot of the Smoky Mountains with traditional games, a gathering of the clans, Scottish dance, music, and athletic contests. Smoky Mountain Highland Games
May 28-June 2: H.O.G. Rally
June
June 3-30: Smoky Mountain Photographer’s Showcase (Information to come)
June 9-15; 16-22: Steve Kaufman’s Acoustic Kamps and Concert Series – Steve Kaufman’s workshops in flatpicking guitar, fingerpicking guitar, mandolin, Old Time Banjo, Bluegrass Banjo, Old TIme Fiddle, Bluegrass Fiddle, dobro, Mountain dulcimer, Songwriting, Vocal class and Bass. At Maryville College.
July
July 4-6: Red, White & Blue Show (Information to come)
July 12-14: Smoky Mountain Classic slow pitch softball tournament
September
Sept. 27-28: Townsend 21st Annual Fall Heritage Festival and Old Timers Day. The fall version of Townsend’s spring classic featuring some of your favorite bluegrass music, clogging, arts and crafts, sorghum molasses making and other Appalachian skills, artisan demonstrations, family activities, and good food. Fall Heritage Festival and Old Timers Day
October
Oct. 11-13: Foothills Fall Festival in Maryville
November
Nov. 4-5: BTA Class (Information coming soon)
December
Dec. 6: Smoky Mountain Visitors Center Holiday Open House
For more information about each of the Townsend events and festivals contact Jeanie Hilten at the Townsend Visitors Center at 865-448-6134 or 800-525-6834.