The 13th Annual WNC Pottery Festival returns to the Western North Carolina town of Dillsboro on November 4, 2017 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Named one of the “Top 20 Southeast Arts Events” by the Southeast Tourism Society, registration for this year’s event quickly filled, promising attendees top-tier craftsmanship from 43 master potters.

Jackson County’s own Joe Frank McKee of Tree House Pottery co-founded the festival. “This is always a top-notch festival with unique, original work that can’t be compared to past years. We are more and more impressed with the potters and the several thousand aficionados of pottery who attend each year.”

In this juried event, all potters compete for slots and this year’s event welcomes 13 new potters. Two student booths will be in attendance, along with the other 43 exhibitors. Dillsboro’s Front Street will be lined with tents that showcase some of the best handmade pottery in the country.

“All pottery events are unique, but the WNC Pottery Festival brings some of the most professional potters from across the country to one venue to highlight their work,” says McKee. “With Dillsboro’s central location in the Southeast, this is the once-a-year chance for pottery fans to see a national representation of artists from 15 different states.”

Throughout the day, visitors can watch firing demonstrations in a variety of techniques by some of the participating potters. Among the demonstrators will be this year’s featured potters, husband and wife team Jim and Shirl Parmentier. These talented hand-builders from Asheville roll out slabs of clay and assemble them to create incredible pieces of art. McKee will also be demonstrating his raku, red raku, horse hair and black on black firing techniques throughout the day in front of Tree House Pottery.

At 11 a.m., the festival will reveal the opening of a soda kiln. This unique style of pottery is fired with soda ash to make a glassy, shiny glazed surface. The fired pots will be available for sale throughout the day.

Admission to the WNC Pottery Festival is $5 per person. Children under 12 receive free admission. For more information, visit http://www.wncpotteryfestival.com/.