Southern Highland Craft Guild

10/19/2026

What a great group, and what a wonderful time!
A huge, heartfelt thank you to the 8 talented emerging artists for bringing all of their good energy and enthusiasm to the Fair and the Guild’s Emerging Artist Program. Our long-time juried members loved the fresh vibe they brought to the arena! The program ended on a high note for 2026, helping us connect with the next generation of makers and navigate the complexities of becoming professional artists. We cannot wait to see what they do next.

This program truly takes a village. Huge thanks to Mountain BizWorks , Craft Your Commerce , Laura Wood Studios , and The Path Forward Foundation for helping make it happen. And a special shoutout to our hard-working SHCG team, Caren, Susan, and Elizabeth for putting so much love into this initiative.

Watch this space for the 2027 EAP application, available in January!

10/19/2026

Today 10/19 through Wednesday 10/21 Southern Highland Craft Guild member Noël Yovovich will be demonstrating jewelry making at the Folk Art Center in Asheville 10a-4p!

Noël Yovovich is a professional jewelry artist, educator, and juried member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild who designs intricate, narrative fine art jewelry from her studio at Pink Dog Creative in Asheville, North Carolina. After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts from the University of Chicago and spending over two decades working in pottery and drawing, she transitioned her creative focus to metalsmithing. Yovovich specializes in mixed-metals fabrication, combining hand-pierced sterling silver, gold, and copper overlays with the carefully controlled heat-anodization of titanium and niobium to create vibrant color gradients and miniature landscape vignettes. In addition to exhibiting at events like the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands, Yovovich teaches jewelry-making and metalsmithing workshops nationally.

10/18/2026

Good morning, Asheville! The doors open at 10:00 AM for the fourth and final day of the 79th Annual Fall Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands.

Our hearts are completely full as we look back on the incredible energy, laughter, and deep community connections that have filled Harrah's Cherokee Center - AVL this weekend. From the inspiring conversations on the Arena floor with our wonderful cohort of Emerging Artists to the reunions with our long-time juried members, this fair has truly been a testament to the beautiful bond between maker and collector.

There is still one final day to explore the fair before we close the doors, and our makers are ready to welcome you. Come spend your Sunday with us, stroll the aisles, and meet the faces behind the craft. This is your last chance to find that perfect, one-of-a-kind piece, share a story with an artist, and support their small businesses. Let’s fill the aisles one last time and end this weekend on a high note!

Location: Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville
Hours: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Admission: $12 (Children under 12 are free)

10/17/2026

10/17/2026

The Fall edition of the 79th Annual Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands is underway at Harrah’s Cherokee Center-Asheville. Be sure to visit the booths of our Emerging Artists in the 400 section downstairs!

The featured emerging artists are Anna Bryant, Dani Easley, Melanie Risch, Anna Leigh Hunt, April Bonasera, Meghan Korol, Andrea Connolly, and Ethan Katz.

The Emerging Artist Program is a professional development initiative designed specifically for early-career regional makers with under seven years of professional sales. The program bridges the gap into the professional marketplace by helping these artists turn their passion into a sustainable business. It equips them with crucial entrepreneurial skills by providing specialized business education through Mountain BizWorks’ Craft Your Commerce initiative, which covers budgeting, pricing strategies, and profit margins. Additionally, participants receive essential financial assistance through heavily discounted booth fees at the craft fair, targeted marketing support, and direct professional development opportunities. Visitors can find their booths on the Arena level this weekend to experience their work and support their businesses.
Location: Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville
Dates: October 15–18
Hours: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily
Admission: $12 (Children under 12 are free)

10/17/2026

Thank you WLOS ABC 13 for featuring the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands!

From handcrafted pottery and jewelry to woodcarvings and furniture, the 79th Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands is underway.

10/17/2026

10/17/2026

It’s Day 3 of the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands and the doors are open! 🎉✨

Make your way down to the Harrah's Cherokee Center - AVL and see the work of 100+ juried guild members, guests and emerging artists! There will be live music today and tomorrow, don’t miss out on the fun! 🎻🎶

Open 10a-5p
Admission is $12 or free for children under 12.

10/17/2026

Today 10/17 through Tuesday 10/20 you can see Peter Werner demonstrating at the Folk Art Center 10a-4p.

Peter Werner is a Black Mountain, North Carolina-based craft artist and a juried member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild since 2008. Following a career as a university professor, he dedicated himself to heritage Appalachian crafts, refining his skills in traditional basketry and broommaking. Working with organic materials and hand-gathered river driftwood handles, Werner crafts functional, sculptural pieces ranging from intricate hearth brooms to precise kitchen tools like turkey wing whisks and pot scrubbers.