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While most East Tennesseans are thinking about strawberries and roses, folks at Rose Center have pumpkins and mums on their minds as they prepare for the 46th Mountain Makins Festival.

On the fourth weekend of October, the historic 1892 Rose School building and grounds are filled with the sights and smells of the harvest season.

Organizers of the event invite makers, artists, and crafters to apply for exhibition space.

June 15 is the deadline for artisans to submit their applications. Booth space is limited, and a selective crafts jury will review the entries. “An effort is made to include a wide variety of arts and crafts, from very traditional to modern interpretations of traditional crafts. Each year between 25% and 40% of our crafters are new,” states Beccy Hamm, Director.

Work should exhibit excellence in technique and concept, and show imagination and the mark of individuality. All work must be original to and made by the exhibitor.

Mountain Makins Festival, a celebration of Appalachian culture, draws several thousand visitors from throughout the region. In 2016 and 2019 it received Best Festival in the Southeast awards by the Southeast Festivals and Events Association. It has been designated a “Top 20 Event in the Southeast” three times by the Southeast Tourism Society, and was voted “Best Festival in East Tennessee” by readers of Tennessee Magazine.

The 2023 festival will be held October 28-29, with a special Preview Party on Friday, October 27. Applications are available online.

The festival takes place in and around historic Rose Center, located at 442 W 2nd North St in Morristown.