Events, Programs, and Festivals

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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.

Coming up Next: Townsend Fall Heritage Festival and Old Timers Day
Friday, September 24 and Saturday, September 25, 2010

Bring your lawn chair and enjoy bluegrass music, clogging, Appalachian skills demonstrations, arts and crafts, storytelling and great food. Don't miss it! Spend the weekend with us and have fun at all the "Townsend Days" events, including the Blue Ribbon Country Fair, Railroad Days, and Nawger Nob Crafts Show. Click here to find: Townsend lodging and camping.

Great Music Year-round

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Rocky Branch Community Center and Music Row jam sessions and
stage performances
Concerts at The Pickin' Porch, Wood 'N Strings Dulcimer Shop, Townsend
Concerts at The Palace Theater in Maryville
Sunset Music and other concerts at Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center, Townsend
Concerts and Dances at Laurel Theater, Knoxville
Concerts and other arts events at Clayton Center for the Arts, and
Blount County Library, Maryville, TN and Mary Tippitt Memorial Library in Townsend, TN.
Traditional music and announcements of concerts on the radio: WDVX and WUOT.
Knoxville Area Dulcimer Club: Meetings 4th Sundays at 2nd United Methodist Church, Knoxville.

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2010 Events Calendar

Winter Workshops and Classes: Arts, crafts, and music classes from January--March.

March-December: Arts and Crafts Demonstrations in the Visitor Center, and Calendar of other area activities.

Townsend Farmers Market: Thursdays from 4:00pm--6:30pm in the summer months. Next to Heartland Wedding Chapel and Miss Lily's Cafe in Townsend, TN. shop for fresh produce and other seasonal local goodies. Call 865-448-9895.

Winter Heritage Festival in the Smokies:
February 4-7, 2010, Townsend, TN.

Music Row Benefit Concert for the Young Pickers Talent Contest: March 13, 2010, 2pm--5pm, Maryville, TN

Smoky Mountain Fiber Arts Festival: March 19-21, 2010, Townsend, TN.

Smoky Mountain Quilt Show: March 19-21, 2010, Maryville, TN.

Herb and Wildflower Day: Saturday, April 3, 2010, Townsend Visitors Center, Townsend, TN.

Ralph Stanley and Cherryholmes Concert: Thursday, April 29, 2010 at Clayton Arts Center, Maryville, TN

Townsend Spring Festival and Old Timers' Day: Friday, April 30 and Saturday, May 1, 2010, Townsend Visitors Center, Townsend, TN.

Trout Fest: May 14-16, 2010, Townsend, TN.

Hugh Bailey Presents Pottery, Thursday, May 27, 2010, 6:00pm--8:30pm. Knoxville potter Hugh Bailey will give a talk and demonstration at the Sharon Lawson Room of the Blount County Library, Maryville, TN. Pottery exhibits are on display at the Library this month. For more information, call 865-448-6134

Smoky Mountain Pottery Festival: Friday, June 4 and Saturday, June 5, 2010. A juried, all pottery show at the Townsend Visitors Center. The Featured Potter is Cynthia Bringle. Plus there will be raku firings by JoeFrank McKee and Peter Rose, the Children's Tent with Carol Ware, Knoxville Potter Hugh Bailey, and 35 potters booths.

Kaufman Acoustic Kamps and Concert Series: June 13-19, 2010 and June 20-26, 2010. Steve Kaufman's workshops in guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, dobro, dulcimer. Fantastic concerts by the instructors each evening, held in the Clayton Arts Center. Maryville, TN.

ChristyFest: June 16-20, 2010, Townsend, TN.

Black Bear Expo: Saturday, June 26, 2010, 9:00am--5:00pm. Townsend Visitors Center. An educational and fun day for bear appreciation, management, and conservation. Hosted by Appalachian Bear Rescue.

Nawger Nob Arts and Crafts Show: Saturday, June 26 and Sunday, June 27. All day long at Nawger Nob Craft Settlement, Townsend.

Independence Day Celebration: Sunday, July 4. 8:30pm festivities and 9:45 fireworks. Sponsored by Bank East and the city of Townsend. On the field below Highland Manor.

Books to Go, New and Used Book Sale: Friday, July 16 and Saturday, July 17, 9 am--4 pm. To benefit the Mary E. Tippitt Library. Behind BankEast, near the Townsend IGA. Book-signing Saturday morning by Dr. Bill Bass: The Book Thief.

Townsend Farmers Market: Thursdays, starting July 15, from 4:00pm--6:30pm. Next to Miss Lily's Cafe and Heartland Wedding Chapel. For more information, call 865-448-9895.

Friday, August 27 and Friday, September 10--Special Demonstrations: Woodturning by Monty Walker and Roy Lindsey. In the Pavilion behind the Visitors Center. 10am--4:00pm. Call 865-448-6134.

September 10-12, 2010: Dancing Bear Bicycle Bash, Dancing Bear Lodge, Townsend, TN. Beautiful weather, the Trek Demonstration trailers, awesome food, hilarious bike games and 100 cyclists made for another great Dancing Bear Bicycle Bash. On line registration is available at www.dancingbearlodge.com; or call Melanie at 865-448-1999

Fall Heritage Festival and Old Timers' Day: Friday, September 24 and Saturday, September 25, 2010.
(Part of "Townsend Days" with the Blue Ribbon Country Fair, Railroad Days, and Nawger Nob Crafts Show.)

"The Coming of the Civil War" Symposium: Friday, November 12 and Saturday, November 13, 2010. Nashville, TN. A kick off for programs to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. This is a free event with speakers, living history, and musical performances. To reserve: Vionne Williams at vionne.williams@tn.gov or call 615-741-2159. To find out more about the Tennessee Civil War Sesquicentennial, visit www.tncivilwar150.com
Download the flyer: Civil War symposium

Save These Dates for 2011:

February 4--6, 2011: Winter Heritage Festival
March 18 & 19, 2011: Smoky Mountain Fiber Arts Festival
April 2, 2011: Herb and Wildflower Day
May 6 & 7, 2011: Townsend Spring Festival and Old Timers Day
June 3 & 4, 2011: Smoky Mountain Pottery Festival

Other Events and Places of Interest:

The Cades Cove Loop Road reopened April 24, 2010 with new pavement and pulloffs. Take a special guided tour of this scenic and historic area with Smoky Mountain Discovery, 865-448-8838. Enjoy the Cove, and click here to explore many other interesting places nearby: Discover the Smokies Beyond Cades Cove.

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.

Check out the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend for a variety of events throughout the year!

Townsend Artisan Guild:
Gallery Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 10 - 5, Sunday 12 - 5. 7277 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Townsend, TN 37882. Phone 865.448.8018

Many resources and programs are available at the Blount County Library, #865-982-0981.
Click here for their Calendar: Aug library calendar

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.

Traveling to other places in our beautiful state? See Tennessee's Sustainable Tourism website: www.tnsustainabletourism.com

Click here to view our new Smoky Mountain Festivals website!

Special summertime tours:

Enjoy beautiful Cades Cove with a special tour! Want to have the entire family together, learn as you go, enjoy the wildlife, scenery, and history, and let someone else do the driving? For a fun and educational trip led by a knowledgable guide in a comfortable, fuel efficient 19 passenger van, take the Cades Cove Heritage Tour, departing from the Townsend Visitors Center. To make reservations, call 865-448-8838.