Table of Contents. Craftsmen's Fair October
The October Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair is in its 51st year. It fills the Convention Center from October 8 through 28, 2026, daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. That window sits right as mid-elevation color usually arrives, which is why we treat it as a downtown half-day inside a leaf trip, not a standalone reason to skip the park.
Two hundred-plus juried booths. Live music at noon and 3. $12 adults. Kids free with a paid adult. Book the cabin on this site. Pay the fair at the door.
What the October fair is
This is the large indoor craft show at the Convention Center, traffic light #8, downtown Gatlinburg. It is juried. It is daily for three weeks. It is not a street festival you wander through for free. You buy a ticket, you walk aisles, you watch makers, you carry bags back to the car or the trolley.
What to expect inside
Give it two to three hours if you like to look. Give it a full afternoon if you are buying furniture-scale pieces or waiting on a maker. Wear shoes you can stand in. The building is indoor and climate controlled, which makes it a smart October rain day.
If you only have one downtown day, pair a morning at the fair with a late lunch and skip stacking Anakeesta on the same feet. Save the mountain for tomorrow.
Stay 8 minutes from light #8
Book a Phoenix Landing cabin, then walk or trolley to the Convention Center.
Check AvailabilityDates, hours, and tickets
Verified from the official October fair page
- Dates: October 8 to 28, 2026.
- Hours: daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Venue: Gatlinburg Convention Center, downtown, light #8.
- Adults: $12.
- 17 and under: free with a paid adult.
- Payment: cash or card at the door (official site).
- Multi-day pass: free at the office on aisle 500 with a photo ID.
Live music at noon and 3 p.m.
- Oct 8 to 14: Dennis Lee Band
- Oct 15 to 16: Misty River
- Oct 17 to 20: Mountain Highway
- Oct 21 to 22: Misty River
- Oct 23 to 24: Mountain Highway
- Oct 25 to 28: The Po' Ramblin' Boys
If a specific band is the reason you are going, build the day around noon or 3 p.m. and eat after the set, not during it.
Door, parking, and pacing
Local tip
Open the doors at 10 a.m. on weekends. Convention Center parking and the closest garages fill. If you sleep in, go after 2 p.m. when the first wave leaves with shopping bags.
Grab the multi-day pass on aisle 500 if you are staying long enough to return. It is free with a photo ID. That is the official process. Do not pay a second $12 because you forgot.
Nearby pairings
- A leaf morning, then the fair. Use the fall color stay guide for drives.
- Anakeesta Bear-Varian is at light #5, close, but still a second outing.
- Shopping and crafts if you also want the Arts & Crafts Community on Glades Road (different from this fair).
- October context: visiting Gatlinburg in October.
Which cabin to book
- Serenity for a quieter house after a crowded indoor day.
- Million Dollar View or Dream Big for a sleeps-8 family that wants a deck at dusk.
- Big Sky Lodge or Funky Bear Lodge when grandparents, kids, and shopping bags all need space. Funky Bear is the celebration pick.
Primary action: book the cabin here. The fair takes cash or card at the door. We do not sell fair tickets.
