Cherokee County NC Blog

(Asheville, NC)

(PRWEB) February 1, 2006 - The Asheville art scene is booming. Each year, more galleries and art shows appear. Artists continue to flock to this area, and it’s now has one of the largest concentration of artists in the United States. The top 2006 events to see regional arts and crafts have been named by RomanticAsheville.com, an online guide to Asheville in the Blue Ridge Mountains. For all the details, go to www.romanticasheville.com.

February 17-19, 2006, Arts & Crafts Antique Show and Conference: For the past nineteen years, arts and crafts enthusiasts (including new collectors, veterans, curators, craftsperson, authors, builders, architects, designers, editors, and bungalow owners) have traveled to the famous Grove Park Inn resort for this show.

April 7, June 2, August 4 and October 6, 2006, Center City Art Walk: Dozens of galleries in downtown Asheville stay open late on these Friday evenings to showcase new shows and artists. Stay for dinner at one of the 50+ restaurants downtown.

April 29-30 and November 4-5, 2006, Weaverville Art Safari: The charming village of Weaverville, 10 miles north of Asheville, is the home and workplace of many artists. This self-guided driving tour takes you to artists’ studios, often tucked away in the scenic mountain valleys of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

May 12-14 and October 20-22, 2006, Lake Eden Arts Festival (LEAF): Celebrate music, discover community, and experience culture in a beautiful lakefront setting near Black Mountain (about 12 miles from Asheville). Enjoy five stages of music, purchase handcrafts and folk art, dance, listen to the Poetry SLAM, attend healing arts workshops and camp onsite.

June 10-11 and November 11-12, 2006, River District Artists Studio Stroll: Tour the studios, meet with the artists and purchase artwork. Within just a few blocks is an eclectic mix of creative artists, ranging from traditional to cutting-edge.

June 10-11 and December 2-3, 2006: Toe River Studio Tour: Tucked in the lush mountains about an hour north of Asheville is an amazing collection of artists and craftsmen and the acclaimed Penland School of Crafts. More than 100 fine artists and crafts people in every medium open their studios for a self-guided cultural adventure.

July 20-23 and October 19-22, 2006: Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands: This show, held in the Civic Center in downtown Asheville, has been an eagerly anticipated event in the mountains since 1948. The fair showcases work by members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, with over 900 members throughout the mountain regions of nine states. Members’ work must be juried and accepted by a committee of peers, based on quality, design and craftsmanship.

July 28-30, 2006, Bele Chere: Hundreds of artists display their creations at the largest free outdoor street festival in the Southeast. The streets in downtown Asheville are filled with 300,000+ visitors enjoying eight stages of music and plenty of food and art. Arts Park features fifty of the region’s premier artists.

August 5-6, 2006, Village Art & Craft Fair: Held on the grounds of the Cathedral of all Souls in Biltmore Village near the entrance to the Biltmore Estate, the fair hosts 125 artists from 20 states representing the full spectrum of craft media, including jewelry, ceramic, wood, fiber, metals, two-dimensional art and more.

For more details on these events and art galleries in the Asheville area, go to www.romanticasheville.com/Art_Guide.htm.