Gatlinburg Easter Craft Fair © William Britten use with permission only

Excitement builds for the first craft fair of the season at the Convention Center here in Gatlinburg.  The Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community puts on this show every year during Easter week. This year the fair starts Wednesday, April 20 and goes through Saturday, April 23rd, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm daily.

For the community of artists and crafters, each show starts with a blank canvas, an empty space in which each of us must create a temporary art gallery.

Setting up for the Craft Fair © William Britten use with permission only

It all starts with a van-load of stuff dumped on the floor of the Convention Center in downtown Gatlinburg.

Gatlinburg Craft Fair © William Britten use with permission only

Then the panels go up, the lights are hung, and the bins and boxes of Smoky Mtn photos unpacked.

Smoky Mtn photos © William Britten use with permission only

Finally, after about 5 hours of work, we’re ready for the fair!

Smoky Mtn photos © William Britten use with permission only

For me, I love the feeling of community about the fair and all the preperations. Most of us know each other, and many of us have shops along the Arts and Crafts Loop in Gatlinburg. It’s nice to all join together in creating this four-day art and craft fair.

The William Britten Gallery will remain open during the fair, and many of my customers drop in at both the fair and the gallery to see the complete collection of Smoky Mtn photos that I offer. If you are in the Gatlinburg area, it’s a great time for you to find a Smoky Mtn memory to take home.