Visit the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands October 19–22 at Harrah’s Cherokee Center

By Abbey Prevost

The 76th annual Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands will be returning to Harrah’s Cherokee Center-Asheville from Thursday, October 19, through Sunday, October 22. More than 100 artists will be filling the two-story venue with a variety of works. Visitors can expect to see many different media for sale, including pottery, sculpture, furniture, jewelry and apparel. In addition to the sale of crafts, the fair will feature live, interactive demonstrations by craftspeople, as well as performances by local bluegrass musicians. Attendees will also have the chance to enter a raffle to win a handcrafted item made by an exhibitor; all proceeds will benefit the educational mission of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. Doors will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Tickets for adult attendees are $10 and can be purchased on site or at craftguild.org. Children under twelve are admitted for free.

Vickie Vipperman is a fiber artist and regular exhibitor at the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands. “I’ve been weaving full-time for over 35 years, showing at art fairs around the southeast,” she says. “My favorite shows are the Craft Fairs of the Southern Highlands. The quality of work, the venue, the relationships with other artists and the knowledgeable customers are all extremely amiable to me.” Vipperman developed an interest in crafting during her childhood, producing pot holders and making her own clothes. She decided to pursue weaving in college when she took her first fiber arts class, which ultimately led to her graduating with a BFA in fabric design. Her textile works will be available for sale during the Craft Fair.

All of the crafts showcased at the fair have been produced in the Southern Highland region by members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, a prestigious nonprofit organization representing the finest artisans in the Appalachian region since 1930. Makers representing nine states, from Maryland to Alabama, come together in an effort to preserve and celebrate the storied history of handicraft in the southern mountain region. The Craft Fair allows the Guild to have the funding to achieve its goal of shared resources, education, marketing and conservation for artists in the area. The festivities are enjoyed by over 11,000 people from all over the country, and nearly a million dollars is spent on the purchase of craft over the four-day event.

Harrah’s Cherokee Center-Asheville is located at 87 Haywood Street in downtown Asheville. For more information, contact info@craftguild.org, call 828.298.7928 or visit CraftGuild.org. Abbey Prevost is a senior at UNC Asheville and a fall intern with The Laurel.