Upcoming Events
America 250 - Pioneer Heritage Festival
The Shelton House is honored to host the Pioneer Heritage Festival for America’s 250th anniversary on our grounds! Admission to this event is free. On the museum grounds you will be able to enjoy live demonstrations, family-oriented events, food trucks, and exhibits. For more information on this incredible event, click here!
Thank you very much to the Haywood County America 250 NC Committee for this opportunity!
Blue Ridge Heritage Weekend
Welcome to Blue Ridge Heritage Weekend!
The Blue Ridge Heritage Weekend (BRHW) Arts & Crafts Fair 2026 (August 8th and 9th) takes place just three blocks from downtown Waynesville on the scenic Shelton Campus, nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The campus features the historic Shelton House – Museum of North Carolina Craft and History, the Shelton Barn, an on-site Airbnb, the Haywood Historic Farmers Market, and the nearby HART Theater, creating a vibrant cultural destination for visitors and artists alike.
Now in its 8th year, Blue Ridge Heritage Weekend serves as a fundraiser for the Shelton House and celebrates the rich craft traditions of Western North Carolina. The outdoor event features a juried selection of artists and craftspeople, live craft demonstrations, local musicians, and a variety of food trucks. Because the fair is held outdoors, participating artists must provide their own tents.
The Shelton Campus is also part of several regional cultural tourism routes, including the Blue Ridge Heritage Trail, Blue Ridge Craft Trail, Blue Ridge Mural Trail, and the Historic Quilt Block Trail, making the event a natural stop for visitors exploring the region’s creative heritage.
Throughout the weekend, artists, crafters, and volunteers will have access to complimentary refreshments and restroom facilities in the Shelton Barn. On Saturday morning (9:00 am–12:00 pm), the Haywood Historic Farmers Market takes place on the back portion of the campus, offering fresh local produce, meats, dairy products, baked goods, and other regional specialties. Because the market draws a strong weekly following, the arts and crafts fair will open at 9:00 am on Saturday to welcome the market crowd.
This year, we are excited to announce that we are adding a Haywood Market for Haywood County Artists, which will allow local artists offering handcrafted work a space to showcase their work. The Haywood Market will provide a dedicated space for artists living in Haywood County to showcase and sell their work during the festival. The market will be located in the Shelton House barn, and vendors who apply for a space here will be offered individual booth spaces at a reduced fee. Applicants for the Haywood Market are encouraged to apply early, as we only have approximately 12 spaces available.
For full guidelines and eligibility, click HERE
150th Anniversary Fundraiser
For the Shelton House’s 150th anniversary, we are hosting a one-night fundraiser with speakers, cocktails, and dinner!
For tickets, click here: DONATE & TICKETS
Click VIEW EVENT below for more details about this incredible event opportunity!
Appalachian True Heritage Festival
We are pleased to be involved in this two-day celebration of mountain heritage!
Celebrate the traditions of Appalachia with a weekend full of culture, crafts, and music! Main Street will be closed to traffic, creating a festival atmosphere featuring live music, vendors, demonstrators, and more.
The Shelton House Museum of North Carolina Craft and History will present a special exhibition of quilts and coverlets during the Appalachian True Heritage Festival on April 18, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission to the festival is free.
This featured display will complement the numerous historic and contemporary textile examples currently on view at the museum, further highlighting the rich quilting traditions of our region. In addition to selections from the museum’s own collection, the exhibition will include works by community quilt guilds and quilters, showcasing both time-honored patterns and contemporary interpretations.
The exhibition will be held at the Ministry Activity Center at First Baptist Church on Main Street in Waynesville. The Shelton House itself will also be open during the festival, where additional quilts and coverlets from the museum’s collection will be on view, offering visitors an expanded opportunity to experience the artistry, skill, and heritage of Appalachian quilting.