Handmade wreaths, pottery, jewelry and jars of homemade jam will fill the Oak Ridge Civic Center on November 20 and 21, as the Pilot Club of Oak Ridge sets up its long-running Arts and Crafts Fair. Doors open at 10 a.m. on the 20th and run until 7 p.m., then reopen at 9 a.m. the following day and close at 5 p.m.
According to WYSH AM 1380, the club is calling this year's event its 49th annual fair. That count isn't uniform across every local listing, however: an Oak Ridge city calendar entry describes it as the 48th annual fair and lists dates running November 20 through 22, while a separate city calendar listing pegs the Civic Center event to November 19 through 21, 2026. Shoppers planning a visit may want to confirm the exact schedule before heading out.
A Club With Roots Going Back to 1958
The Pilot Club of Oak Ridge was chartered in 1958 and began its Arts and Crafts Fair in 1977, per the station's report. The club operates as a local branch of the Tennessee District of Pilot International, which the same report describes as a worldwide nonprofit organization focused on brain health and safety and on caring for those who care for others.
Vendor tables at the fair have traditionally covered a wide range of handmade goods. The station notes that this year's offerings include paintings, baskets, candles, jewelry, photography, homemade jams, pottery, wreaths, homemade soaps, seasonal items and woodcrafts — a lineup that stretches from fine art to practical holiday gifts under one roof.
A Fixture of Oak Ridge's Holiday Shopping Season
The fair has been a recurring stop for area shoppers looking to get a jump on holiday gifts. Coverage of the 2023 edition from My Courier News described that year's fair as the club's 46th, held over two days at the Civic Center, and noted that proceeds from the fundraiser would be used toward community projects. That same report counted more than 80 booths at the event.
A separate account of the 2023 fair from Yahoo News detailed a similar mix of crafts, including silk and burlap wreaths, jewelry, pottery, woodworking, jams, jellies, natural goat's milk soaps, photographers' work and Christmas crafts. That year's event ran free to the public, with hours of 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the Saturday — a schedule that closely mirrors the hours set for this year's fair at the Civic Center.
