Festivals this weekend and beyond
SEPT. 29-OCT. 1› Blue Ribbon Country Fair: Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center, 123 Cromwell Drive, Townsend, Tenn., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, $5; crafters, home and garden events, photography contest. www.gsmheritagecenter.org.› Craft Market: Morris Hill Baptist Church, 1804 Morris Hill Road, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, free, 3o vendors in fundraiser for church's Live To Serve Ministry. 423-596-5134.› Culture Fest: Chattanooga Market, First Tennessee Pavilion, 1829 Carter St., Chattanooga, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, free; art, food, music and dance representing Chattanooga's cultural diversity. www.chattanooga.events/calendar.› Fall Fest: Candler Park, 1500 McLendon Ave. NE, Atlanta, noon-10 p.m. Saturday, noon-9 p.m. Sunday, free; fine arts and crafts show with tour of homes and 5K race. www.fallfest.candlerpark.org.› Fall Fest at the Hermitage: The Hermitage, 4580 Rachel's Lane, Nashville, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday (all times Central), free; art, music and history at the home of Andrew Jackson. www.fallfestatthehermitage.com.› Fall Festival: Kristopher's Kingdom, 475 Black Track Road, Graysville, Tenn., 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, free; Graysville Park and Recreation sponsors baking contest, dog show, crafts. 423-775-9242.› Fall Market: Maryville College, 502 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, Tenn., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, free, artist village with 30 vendors. www.facebook.com/East-Tennessee-Makers-Market.› Fire on the Mountain: Hannah Pickett Park, 16 Dixie Lee Ave., Monteagle, Tenn., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. CDT Saturday, free admission, $5 chili; car show and chili cookoff with arts and crafts, music. www.monteaglechamber.com.› Great Locomotive Chase Festival: Adairsville Public Square, 116 Public Square, Adairsville, Ga., 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday, $3 ages 7 and older on Friday and Saturday, free on Sunday; carnival rides, craft and food vendors. www.cartersvilleevents.org.› Mistletoe Merchants: Tennessee State Fairgrounds, 500 Wedgewood Ave., Nashville, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday (all times Central), $8 one-day ticket, $12 two-day pass, children 12 and under free; 150 merchants at holiday market that benefits Kidney Foundation. www.themarketshows.com.› Rock Spring Show and Sell Arts and Crafts Show: Rock Spring United Methodist Church, 3477 Peavine Road, Rock Spring, Ga., 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, free; 48th year with more than 75 arts and crafts booths, kids’ zone, music, tractor show. 706-764-1404.› Walker County Ag Festival: Walker County Ag Center, 10052 N. Highway 27, Rock Spring, Ga., 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, free, demonstrations, poultry contest, exhibits, music. 706-375-7702.SEPT. 29-OCT. 28› National Southern Gospel and Harvest Festival: Dollywood, 1359 McCarter Hollow Road, Pigeon Forge, Tenn., 10 a.m.-9 p.m. daily, $68 ages 12-59, $55 ages 4-11, $63 ages 60 and older; craftsmen and daily gospel concerts included in admission. www.dolly wood.com.SEPT. 30-OCT. 28› Rotary Club Craft Fair: Patriot Park, Pigeon Forge, Tenn., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, admission by donation to benefit Pigeon Forge Rotary Club’s philanthropic projects; 75 to 100 craftsmen. www.mypigeonforge.com.OCT. 1-30› Rocktoberfest: Rock City, 1400 Patten Road, Lookout Mountain, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, $22.95 adults, $12.95 ages 3-12; celebration of German music and food, with polka lessons, specialty beer and costumed characters. www.seerockcitycom/rocktoberfest.
It's not unsual for a large arts and crafts show to draw visitors over multiple decades, but it certainly is for a church fair.
The Rock Spring Show and Sell marks its 48th year on Saturday, Sept. 30. It's held rain or shine at Rock Spring United Methodist Church, 3477 Peavine Road, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Show and Sell has built from its grass-roots start to a community event with more than 75 crafters, a tractor show, music, hayrides, and lots of festival foods from fried pies to funnel cakes.
* Chattanooga Market will be full of pageantry on Sunday as ArtsBuild, city of Chattanooga and Hamilton County, in partnership with Chattanooga State's International Community Outreach Office, co-host CultureFest, a celebration of the diverse cultures that make up this city.
CultureFest is Sunday in Chattanooga Market.CultureFest will be held during regular market hours of 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at First Tennessee Pavilion, 1826 Carter St.
Featured activities and entertainment will include live performances from local cultural groups, a Parade of Nations, multicultural displays from several countries, dance contest and an art exhibition.
* Dollywood is decked out for fall and opens this weekend for its Southern Gospel and Harvest Festival. New this year is LumiNights, when thousands of carved, illuminated jack-o-lanterns are featured decorations in Timber Canyon of the theme park. It's the largest addition ever made to Dollywood's fall festival.
Nearly three dozen craftsmen will be demonstrating and selling their work at the Pigeon Forge theme park, including Gregory and Sylvia Warren of Dunlap, Tenn., and Susan Parry of Signal Mountain.
- Compiled by staff writer Susan Pierce