Smoky Mountain Heritage Festival

Townsend , Tenn. , a gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park , hosts a series of
yearly events to preserve and promote the heritage, history and culture of Appalachia in order to educate and entertain visitors and locals alike. For more information about any of the events, please visit www.smokymountains.org or contact Jeanie Hilten at the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-525-6834 or (865) 448-6134.

Winter Heritage Festival: February 4-7, 2010
To share its heritage and natural beauty, preserve its history and allow visitors and locals to
experience and celebrate the culture that is authentic to Appalachia and East Tennessee , the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau, along with its partners host the Winter
Heritage Festival each year. The festival includes classes, exhibits, music, hikes, tours and demonstrations to provide first-hand experience and insight in the Great Smoky Mountains , Townsend area, and Cades Cove community. The award-winning event has been recognized as one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast and with an Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History.

WHEN: February 4-7, 2010
WHERE: The four-day event will be held at various locations throughout Townsend , Tenn.
CONTACT: For more information, please visit www.smokymountainfestivals.org or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134

Winter Heritage Classes: Various dates from Jan. 9—March 27, 2010

For those interested in learning a new skill, developing a hobby or simply learning about a craft and creating a unique work of art, the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau (SMCVB), will offer classes taught by local artisans during January, February and March 2010. The classes will showcase the many gifted and talented artisans and musicians in the area, as well as informing others of the traditional crafts and skills used in the Smokies. Participants can learn about basket-making, pottery, sewing and appliqué, rug hooking, and mandolin and flatpicking guitar.

WHEN: Pottery: January 9 and 23, and February 21, 2010.
Mandolin Workshop: February 12-13, 2010
Flatpicking Guitar Class: February 19-20, 2010
Basket Making Class: January 16, 21, 28 and 30, February 4, 18 and 27, and March 6, 25 and 28, 2010
Wool Applique: March 13, 2010
Rug Hooking: March 24 and March 27, 2010
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For more information, please visit www.smokymountains.org or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134.

Smoky Mountain Fiber Arts Festival: March 19-20, 2010
Hosted by the Townsend Artisan Guild and Fine Arts Blount, this interactive fiber arts event connects the community with fiber arts activities. The festival will include fiber animal exhibitions, sheep to shawl contest, an arts exhibition, fashion show, workshops, educational demonstrations of fiber processes, spinning, weaving, needlecrafts, dyeing, hands-on projects with children and adults, Fiber Arts Market and more.

WHEN: March 19-21, 2010
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For more information, please visit www.smokymountains.org, http://www.smfaf.org/ or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134.

Herb and Wildflower Day: April 3, 2010
The Smoky Mountains are home to more than 1,500 kinds of flowering plants, with a show of blooms beginning in March and running through October. The Herb and Wildflower Day at the Townsend Visitors Center is a great way to learn about these wildflowers and herbs, as well as their many practical and traditional medicinal uses. Participants can also buy locally grown plants, delicious baked goods and hand-made pottery.

WHEN: April 3, 2010 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For more information, please visit http://www.smokymountains.org/info/herb_wildflower.html or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134.

Spring Festival and Old Timers Day: April 30-May 1, 2010
Take the time to stop and smell the flowers, learn a little about Appalachian culture, experience a bluegrass jam session or performance, enjoy the Young Pickers Talent Contest, taste some authentic Southern barbeque, listen to a story or two, and get your fill of arts, crafts and mountain heritage—and do it all for FREE at the 18th Annual Spring Festival and Old Timer’s Day in Townsend. The event celebrates the unique and enduring heritage of Townsend, Blount County and the Great Smoky Mountains .

WHEN: April 30-May 1, 2010 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For more information, please visit www.smokymountainfestivals.org or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134

Smoky Mountain Pottery Festival: June 4-5, 2010
The Smoky Mountain Pottery Festival brings together potters from around the region in a juried event to exhibit, sell and demonstrate their craft. The festival emphasizes the finest pottery available in Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains , providing an opportunity to educate others about the long-time tradition of pottery and the various styles and methods used by potters in the past and present. The 2010 festival will have 35 pottery booths, an education and children’s tent, and Cynthia Bringle will be the featured potter.

WHEN: June 4-5, 2010
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For more information, please visit http://www.smokymountains.org/pottery-festival.html or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134

Trout Fest: May 14-16, 2010
Troutfest is a yearly fly fishing exposition and fundraiser. Fly tyers will demonstrate their skills for many types of fly tying, such as trout, bass, panfish and saltwater. The event also features southern food and live bluegrass music. Fly fishermen will offer free seminars and share their expertise, and National Fly Tackle Manufacturers will have gear on site. Fly shops, artists, non-profit organizations and government fish and game agencies will also exhibit. Proceeds from this event are donated to Great Smoky Mountains National Park Fisheries Department, Friends of the Smokies Fisheries Scholarship Endowment or other youth educational conservation projects.
WHEN: May 14-16, 2010
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For details, call Little River Outfitters at (865) 448-9459 or visit www.troutfest.org.
Christy Fest: June 16-20, 2010
Christy Fest is an annual event, held in Townsend , Tennessee , to celebrate the character of
“Christie”, the TV series, movies and classic novel by Catherine Marshall. Cast members,
producers, writers, directors and crew from both productions come to Christy Fest to share
memories, mingle with fans, and enjoy the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains , where the
television series was filmed.

WHEN: June 16-20, 2010
WHERE: Townsend, Tenn.
CONTACT: For a schedule of events, or to register for Christy Fest, please visit www.christyfest.org.

Fall Heritage Festival and Old Timers Day: September 24-25, 2010
The 18th Townsend Fall Heritage Festival and Old Timers Day will include a wide array of Appalachian experiences for guests—everything from bluegrass music and clogging, to an antique tractor and engine show, storytelling, children's activities, crafts by local artisans, great food and demonstrations of a variety of traditional skills such as basketry, spinning, weaving, sorghum molasses, apple butter making, lye soap, beekeeping and blacksmithing. The two-day festival is free, and it celebrates Southern Appalachian Mountain culture and heritage. It has been voted several times as one of the top 20 events in the Southeast.

WHEN: September 24-25 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For more information, please visit www.smokymountainfestivals.org or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134