Cancelled: 43rd Church Street Art & Craft Show
Downtown Waynesville, NC | 2026 Show Cancelled Due to Hurricane Weather and Concerns for Safety
The 43rd Church Street Art and Craft Show scheduled for tomorrow on Main Street in Waynesville has been cancelled.
Town leaders have been closely watching the weather for days and holding to a strict rain or shine policy but decided this morning to cancel the festival considering the latest forecast surrounding Hurricane Isaias. Recent reports call for steady rain beginning early Saturday until Sunday morning, as well as strong wind gusts.
“Those conditions pose huge challenges for both vendors and the guests that vendors rely on,” said Downtown Waynesville Commission (DWC) Executive Director Beth Gilmore. “Numerous craft vendors have withdrawn from the show citing concerns for safety and the risk to their products caused by rain and wind. We certainly understand those concerns, as well as the inconvenience of canceling the show. It’s not a decision we take lightly. But the conditions have worsened to the point that the Town feels like it’s unsafe for vendors and less likely that guests will turn out.”
Since the Church Street Art & Craft Show started 43 years ago, it has only been cancelled once in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in 2024.
“Those not-so-distant memories weigh on the minds of many vendors, residents and Town leaders who experienced that catastrophic storm just two years ago,” Gilmore said. “Those memories are still fresh.”
The Downtown Waynesville Commission will consider options for rescheduling the 2026 festival during a board meeting on October 20. In the meantime, vendors have been given the option of transferring fees for this year’s show to the 2027 Church Street Art and Craft Show on October 9, 2027.
We apologize for any inconvenience this causes, but we look forward to welcoming guests to next year's show. To explore other upcoming Downtown Waynesville events, please explore our events page HERE.
