America’s Best Craft Fairs

Hundreds of fine art shows and craft fairs spring up across the United States every year. But, thanks to gorgeous venues, exceptional artworks, and lots of area attractions, some stand out just a bit more than others.

Here are 10 of America’s Best Craft Fairs. 

1. Gatlinburg, Tennessee

The small mountain town of Gatlinburg is home to one of the nation’s largest communities of independent artisans. A scenic loop on the edge of town, the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community Trail, has over one hundred galleries, studios and shops. The Gatlinburg arts community holds several craft fairs throughout the year, drawing large crowds and often including juried guest artists from across the country, with an emphasis on handmade articles highlighting the area’s Appalachian heritage. Shows in the spring and fall, as well as at Christmas and Thanksgiving, offer a chance for visitors to meet the artists, shop, or commission custom artwork. Through all the seasons, the Smoky Mountains are always a top vacation destination, with numerous luxury Gatlinburg cabins in the hills around town to book for a stay.

2. Old Town Art Fair, Chicago

Held in Chicago’s quaint Old Town Triangle neighborhood, the Old Town Art Fair brings in some of the most diverse and highest quality art from all over the U.S. The fair attracts as many as 250 nationally acclaimed artists and over 30,000 visitors each year. Along with thousands of works, the fair features live music and some of Chicago’s most popular food vendors. The beautiful architecture and the many historical buildings in the Old Town Triangle neighborhood provide the perfect backdrop.

3. Park City Kimball Arts Festival, Utah 

Park City’s beautiful mountain setting makes it a great place to visit any time of year. Its annual three-day arts festival takes place on the city’s historic Main Street over the first full weekend of August. Roughly 1,000 professional artists from all over the country compete for space in the fair. A blind jury selects which craftsmen win spots to showcase their work.

4. Des Moines Arts Festival, Iowa 

One of the world’s most respected festivals, the Des Moines Arts Festival attracts over 200,000 people each year to its downtown location in the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park. A multi-year winner of the Grand Pinnacle Award from the International Festivals and Events Association, the festival draws almost two hundred of the nation’s top artists selected using a competitive jury process. Over 800 volunteers pitch in to make the end-of-June event one of the highest rated art festivals in the country.

5. American Craft Exposition, Glencoe, Illinois 

One of the country’s most highly regarded events for fine crafts is the annual American Craft Exposition in Glencoe. This expo features high-end, museum-quality artwork. Over 140 of the top weavers, jewelers, ceramicists, and woodworking artisans gather for this event. Uniquely individual pieces include glass, furniture, jewelry, leather goods, and lots of hand-crafted items. Proceeds from the charity event benefit the NorthShore University HealthSystem. 

6. Long’s Park Art Festival, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 

The Long’s Park Art Festival takes place in Lancaster every Labor Day weekend. With the support of sponsors and donors, the festival helps to raise money for the Long’s Park Amphitheater. Set in a gorgeous, tree-lined park, the festival features a wide variety of functional and decorative art in almost every price range. The event brings thousands of art lovers and over 200 juried exhibitors from all across the country. 

7. Smithsonian Craft Show, DC

Held at the beautiful National Building Museum in Washington, DC, the two-week celebration of fine American craft happens every year in mid to late October. The event features a wide range of high quality works by skilled artisans from all over the United States. The Smithsonian Institution runs the charity event to help with ongoing museum operating costs. As with some other events mentioned here, this show switched to virtual for 2020. The artisan spirit cannot be stopped, however, in this creative country of independent entrepreneurs, and regardless of the venue, arts and crafts will no doubt continue unabated across the land.

8. Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival, Florida

The Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival is one of the oldest and most extensive arts and crafts fairs in the country, and an acclaimed outdoor festival in its own right. It began as a community project to bring local Winter Park artists and art lovers together in March of 1960. The all-volunteer production attracts over 350,000 visitors each year. More than two hundred of the nation’s top artisans line both sides of the town’s Park Avenue to display their work. Warm temps, great food, and live bands add to the popularity of the event.

9. Geneva Arts Fair, Geneva, Illinois 

Located in Geneva’s beautiful historic district, the Geneva Arts Fair comes around each year in late July. The juried show transforms downtown Geneva into a venue for over 150 world-class artists. The fair features an impressive selection of media and styles and draws more than 20,000 visitors annually. Easy access from Chicago and Naperville by Metra train makes the Geneva Arts Fair one of the most popular shows in the area.

10. St. James Court Art Show, Louisville, Kentucky

Held in the heart of historic Old Louisville amongst one of the country’s largest collection of Victorian homes, the St. James Court Art Show features a wide variety of artworks in all price categories. Over 600 artisans from around the country gather in the River City the first weekend of October every fall. Great food, live music, and a historic venue bring a huge number of visitors to the free, three-day event.