2024 Marks the 27th annual Catawba Valley Pottery and Antiques Festival. Its goal is to showcase the history of Catawba Valley alkaline glazed stoneware and the potters who continually produce this traditional utilitarian ware. Historically most potters utilized wood-fired kilns at home sites and relied on word-of-mouth sales. Thus, the CVP&AF provides an annual sale where pottery made in Catawba Valley can be purchased. Over the years, development and growth have allowed the Festival to include potters from across the state and the South, as well as dealers offering historical pottery and antiques and providing a context for understanding the history and use of pottery in the South.

The festival is a juried event, and will be held on Friday, March 22nd & Saturday, March 23, 2024, at the Hickory Metro Convention Center in Hickory, NC. 

The CVP&AF is a non-profit event which benefits the Historical Association of Catawba County in Newton, NC and the North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove, NC. More than $500,000 has been donated to these institutions over the past 20+ years. 

Below, see Steve Abee building pots. Foothills Digest ADORES Steve Abee, and we like to feature his work in our pages. Video below is by 2023 photography students at CVCC with the help of instructor Clayton Joe Young.  This is a great chance for you to meet him! His table is right next to the Foothills Digest table.