Events and Festivals
Four seasons of celebrations await you in Townsend, Tennessee! Our festivals and special events showcase the natural and cultural heritage of this beautiful area. For more information, please call the Townsend Visitors Center, 865-448-6134 or 800-525-6834. Interested in our workshops and classes? Find out more!
March-December: Arts and Crafts Demonstrations in the Visitor Center, and Calendar of other area activities.
Volunteer Opportunities: We rely upon the terrific talents of community volunteers to make our events successful. Join in the fun!
Many of our event photographs are taken by Mary Grace McCaffery, one of our Visitor Center volunteers.
Are you a conservation-minded visitor? See the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau's special green website for low impact vacation ideas: http://www.lowimpactvacation.com/ and click here for a few eco-tips for your visit.
(Please use the inside scroll bar on the right to view more events below.)
2008 Events:
Click here to view our new Smoky Mountain Festivals website!
Summertime Music: Bluegrass, Old Time, Dulcimer, Celtic and more! Jam Sessions and performances at Rocky Branch Community Center on Friday nights; Concerts at Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center Friday nights; Concerts at Wood-N-Strings' Pickin' Porch, Saturday nights.
Townsend Farmers Market: Fresh produce, baked goods, and plants for sale every Tuesday from 4:00pm--7:00pm outdoors at Trillium Cove Shopping Village. For more information, call 865-448-8700. The market will run through October.
Fall Heritage Festival and Old Timers' Day: September 26-27, 2008. Bluegrass Music, Storytelling, Appalachian demonstrations, Arts and Crafts booths, Antique Tractor Show, great food. Download the Fall Festival Brochure (current as of 8/15/08): 
Heritage Fest brochure
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Coming in 2009: The 75th Anniversary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park! The Townsend area and other gateway communities will have many activities to honor the birth of the Park, such as:
Winter Heritage Festival in the Smokies: February 5--8, 2009. A community-wide celebration of the human history,natural beauty, and cultural traditions of Townsend, Cades Cove, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Call 865-448-6134 or 800-525-6834.
Townsend Spring Festival: Friday, May 1--Saturday, May 2, 2009. Bluegrass music, BBQ, Antique Cars, Arts and Crafts, Wildflower Walks, and Appalachian demonstraitions. Call 865-448-6134 or 800-525-6834.
Trout Fest: May 15-17, 2009. A special event to highlight Smoky Mountain streams, fishing, and conservation. For details, click here:
Or call Little River Outfitters at 865-448-9459.
Smoky Mountain Pottery Festival: Saturday, June 6, 2009 9:00am--5:00pm. A juried all-pottery show with the region's fine potters selling their wares and demonstrating their skills. Call 865-448-6134 or 800-525-6834.
For more information about these and other events, please call the Townsend Visitors Center, 865-448-6134 or 800-525-6834.
Click here to find out about Volunteer Opportunities
Interested in other community services, businesses, and organizations?
See the Blount County Chamber of Commerce.
Click here for a calendar of events at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center.
Past Events:
Click here for details: Smoky Mountain Pottery Festival: Saturday, June 7, 2008
Marion Schlauch at work during the Fall Festival. See her beautiful wares at the Pottery Festival!
Download a pdf of the Smoky Mountain Pottery Festival flyer: Pottery Festival Flyer
Click here for details: Townsend Spring Festival and Old Timers' Day: Friday, April 25--Saturday, April 26 and Friday, May 2--Saturday, May 3, 2008
Download the Spring Festival brochure: Spring Festival brochure
Click Here for Details:Herb and Wildflower Day: Saturday, April 5, 2008 Townsend Visitor Center
Download a .pdf of the Herb and Wildflower brochure, as of 2-6-08: Herb and Wildflower Call 865-448-6134 for updates.
Winter Heritage Festival: Thursday, February 7--Sunday, February 10, 2008
Programs and Presenters 2-1-08 This booklet describes the Winter Heritage Festival programs and presenters, as of 2-1-08. Please call 865-448-6134 for updates, as there may be last minute changes. Note that this document is in booklet format, to be printed front to back, so please just follow the page numbers!
Winter registration form Download and complete this registration and send to info@smokymountains.org or mail to Townsend Visitor Center, 7906 E. Lamar Alexander Pkwy., Townsend, TN 37882.
New!!! Guitar Workshop February 15--17, 2008 with 3-time guitar flatpicking champ Steve Kaufman! In the Townsend Visitor Center. Call to register: 865-982-3808 or email steve@flatpik.com Enrollment limited to 20.
Workshop Brochure: Kaufman Workshop flyer
Book-signing with fishing guides Ian and Charity Rutter: February 16, 11:00am--3:00pm. Townsend Visitor Center. Featured is their new book, Rise Rings and Rhododendrons and Ian's other books will also be available: Great Smoky Mountains National Park Anglers Companion and Tennessee Trout Waters, Blue Ribbon Fly-Fishing Guide.
Townsend Love Affair Weekend, Appalachian Fun Programs & Music: February 15--17, 2008
Tremont Scavenger Hunt: Saturday, March 8, 8:00am--5:00pm. This is an all-park scavenger hunt in support of the educational programs at Great Smoky Mountains Institute. Teams will have the opportunity to interact with our national park in an educational, in-depth, meaningful and family-friendly way. Registration is $50 per team. As it is illegal to remove items from the park, one (1) digital camera with a flash memory card will be required per team. Call 865-448-6709, or go to www.gsmit.org/hunt.html
