Heritage Crafts Weekend, a celebration of Southern Appalachia traditions, will be held Sept. 25 and 26 at The North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville.

The event, now in its fifth year, features craft demonstrations and juried crafts vendors, plant sales and musical performances from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days in the Heritage Garden, Baker Exhibit Center and Education Center.

Vitally important to the Western North Carolina’s craft heritage is the close relationship between crafts and the plants used in their production. Much of the fiber, color and artistic expression of mountain craft is inspired from the character and nature of plants.

The Heritage Garden showcases plants used in the multimillion-dollar craft industry of Western North Carolina, including those used for handmade paper and brooms, baskets and dyes.

Visitors can explore the many plants that support crafts, understand how they are grown, prepared and used, and appreciate their value to the industry.

They will have a chance to explore the new Green Garden Shed, a demonstration exhibit that provides real-world and affordable examples of how to infuse sustainable practices into an existing shed structure.

Admission to Heritage Crafts Weekend is free for members or with the parking fee of $8 per personal vehicle.

Crafters and musicians interested in participating in The N.C. Arboretum’s Heritage Crafts Weekend may email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for an application form.

www.ncarboretum.org or 828.665.2492.