02/27/2027
Get DirectionsStep back into Smoky Mountain history at the 2027 Winter Heritage Festival on February 27 at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend. Enjoy traditional Appalachian demonstrations, storytelling, live music, historic artifacts, children’s activities, and hands-on experiences for the whole family.
2027 Winter Heritage Festival
Saturday, February 27, 2027 | 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center | Townsend, Tennessee
Experience Appalachian history brought to life during the 2027 Winter Heritage Festival at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend, Tennessee. This family-friendly Smoky Mountain event invites visitors to step into the past with hands-on demonstrations, traditional crafts, storytelling, live music, and activities inspired by the lives of early Appalachian settlers.
Throughout the festival, living historians and skilled demonstrators will showcase the resourcefulness and traditions that helped shape life in the Southern Appalachians. Guests can see demonstrations of blacksmithing, spinning, quilting, open-hearth cooking, and other historic skills while learning more about the region’s mountain heritage.
The festival also features historic artifacts and firearms, including the famous Walker Rifle, along with storytelling from the Davis Family and the Smoky Mountain Storytellers Association and a storytelling panel presented with the Cades Cove Preservation Association.
Families traveling with children will find activities and games designed especially for younger visitors, making the Winter Heritage Festival a fun way to introduce kids to Smoky Mountain history and culture.
Event Highlights
• Hands-on pioneer and Appalachian heritage demonstrations
• Blacksmithing, spinning, quilting, and open-hearth cooking
• Historic artifacts and firearms, including the Walker Rifle
• Activities and games for children
• Davis Family storytelling with the Smoky Mountain Storytellers Association
• Cades Cove Preservation Association storytelling panel
• Live music
• Living history and traditional mountain crafts
Event Details
Date: Saturday, February 27, 2027
Time: 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Location: Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center
Address: 123 Cromwell Dr., Townsend, TN 37882
Suggested Admission Donation:
Adults ages 13+: $15
Children ages 5–12: $10
Make It a Smoky Mountain Getaway
The Winter Heritage Festival is a great reason to plan a late-winter escape to the Smoky Mountains. Spend the day discovering the history and traditions of Southern Appalachia in Townsend, then enjoy even more of the area from your Bear Tracts vacation cabin.
Bear Tracts Vacation Cabins offers vacation rentals throughout the Smoky Mountains, giving you a comfortable home base for exploring Townsend, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and the many attractions throughout the area.
Find Your Happy Place and start planning your Smoky Mountain getaway with Bear Tracts Vacation Cabins.