How To “Do” Seagrove, the Pottery Capital of the USA 

Seagrove, NC is known as the Pottery Capital of the United States. With around 100 working potters in a 20-mile radius, the community is home to around 50 shops, studios and galleries that are open to the public. Some potter families have lived here as potters for nine generations. Others have relocated from across the United States or other countries for internships or to get off the “show circuit” and immerse themselves in this creative, pastoral community. Even the mayor of Seagrove is a potter! 

Read more about the history of Seagrove’s pottery tradition here 

 

Pottery Blog

 

Visitor tips:

  • Where is Seagrove, NC? It's a rural crafts town located in #TheHeartOfNC, an hour and a half north of Charlotte and an hour and a half west of Raleigh. Seagrove is 45 minutes south of Greensboro. Asheboro, the largest city near Seagrove, an easy 20-minute interstate drive. The nationally ranked golf community of Pinehurst sits 40 minutes southeast of Seagrove.
  • What is the Pottery Highway? N.C. Highway 705 is known as Pottery Highway. Pottery studios, shops and galleries are located along this highway or just off of it.
  • How do I find the pottery studios? Grab a Map - Pick up a Pottery Map at the I-73/I-74 Heart of NC Visitor Center in Seagrove, the NC Pottery Center or one of the pottery shops. Or download it here.

Hwy Sign

  • What kind of pottery will I find here? Search online or on social media sites with these hashtags on the #SeagrovePotters or #SeagrovePottery to get a feel for the diversity of shapes, styles, colors and selections. 
  • When is a good time to visit? Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday offer the easiest access for the public with the MOST shops open. If it’s convenient, ask the owner to go behind the scenes and see the kiln. Some shops are open daily. Check hours and find a list of shops that are open to the public here. Need more help? Call the I-73/I-74 Visitor Center in Seagrove at 800-626-2672. Call ahead if you plan to visit on other days of the week as most shops are family-owned, operated and staffed. 
  • Visit The NC Pottery Center to start your pottery quest at the official State pottery museum that showcases the history and pottery from the mountains to the sea with rotating exhibitions and one area devoted specifically to Seagrove work. It’s especially helpful if you’re trying to decide what potters you’d like to see.
  • Where can I stay? We have great options...

Lodging in Seagrove:

​Seagrove

 

 

 

Wine And Dine in Seagrove:

  • The General Wine & Brew is a wine and beer bar. Potter-owned, it is known for its trademark glass bar that showcases the family’s collection of political, humorous, and historic buttons. The bar offers light snack foods. Food trucks are often visit here. (Check their Facebook page for the latest.)
  • Fresh Cuts Butcher and Seafood Market is the place to grab sandwiches, pimento cheese, chicken salad and NC-made pickles for a picnic on a pottery shop’s front steps. This purveyor of wine, beer, and groceries offers a hot bar and deli. Known for their country breakfasts and weekend specials, the team here is known for their hospitality and friendly nature.

Seagrove Cafe Tiffany and Ross Lackey, owners of the Seagrove Cafe, welcome you

  • Seagrove Cafe was born from a desire to care for people and serve the community. They offer coffee and tea, specialty beverages, house-made pastries and ready-made sandwiches, salads, and sides
  • Plus More Nearby

 

Events & Festivals in Seagrove:

Check DiscoverSeagrove.com for pottery events. To see additional potter kiln opening and what’s happening across Randolph County and in nearby Asheboro (20 minutes away), visit our calendar of events

Seagrove signature pottery events include:

  • Celebration of Seagrove Potters Fall Festival and Studio Tour is the weekend before Thanksgiving

    • Includes a pottery show and demonstrations at Historic Luck’s Cannery

    • Includes a studio tour of multiple potters in their studios, welcoming guests with occasional demos and events in the studios

    • The gala on Friday night offers dinner and a thrilling evening as the public can bid in person and online for collaborative pieces between potters.

    • Learn More

  • Seagrove Pottery Festival (Also the weekend before Thanksgiving)

​Hosted at Seagrove Elementary School. It’s the oldest pottery festival in Seagrove. Last year, a few Seagrove potters exhibited here, and craft artists and potters came from other areas of the state and South Carolina. Learn More

  • Celebration of Seagrove Potters Spring Studio Tour

Occurs annually in April with 40-plus potters participating. While almost every day is a studio tour in Seagrove, these events draw excitement and excellent potter participation with many potters revealing new work. Learn More

  • Tea With Seagrove Potters

Eight potters invite you to a tea-themed studio tour with teapots, mugs, tumblers and tea pitchers as well as home decor. Enjoy refreshments from The Table, and yes, tea, from the Carriage House Tea in Asheboro. Enjoy hot tea in March and cold tea in August. Held yearly on the second Saturday in March and the second Saturday in August. Learn More

  • Seagrove Wood Fire NC Studio Tour

Held in June, the group of potters featured in the book Controlled Burn and others in the pottery community fire their kilns with wood (versus gas or electricity). They host a studio tour that showcases their latest wood-fired pottery in a celebration of the old-school tradition that requires additional work, skill, and staying up multiple nights feeding wood to the kiln. Learn More

  • Stepping Into The Craft

​Weekends in July and August, potters offer hands-on classes, host kiln openings or special demonstrations. Events vary by potter. Learn More

  • Potters Pumpkin Patch

​Saturdays in October, six highly recognized women-led studios host a studio tour. Find seasonal ceramic pumpkins, gourds, autumn leaf pottery, woodland creatures, scented candles, and refreshments (in addition to their “regular” work). Learn More

Expand Your Trip:

  • After your visit to Seagrove, consider spending a full day or afternoon at the North Carolina Zoo, the largest natural habitat zoo in the world in Asheboro, NC. An AZA-certified destination, the zoo leads animal and field conservation programs in more than 10 countries. Encounter 1,800 animals along a five-mile walking trail, take a spin on the endangered species carousel, tackle a ropes course, hop on the ZooFari tour or feed a giraffe. Walk through the seasonal butterfly garden and gardens made for kids. The outdoor art and sculpture collection is worth zoo admission alone.
  • Carolina Bronze Sculpture and Garden in Seagrove offers tours by appointment. Established in 1990, the bronze foundry casts sculptures for a global list of clients. Tour the foundry, and visit their sculpture garden.
  •  Seagrove Orchids is a working orchid nursery, cultivating and offering nearly 220 different species of orchids. You can tour this working orchid nursery on Fridays and Saturday. All other days by appointment only. Seagrove Orchids has quickly established itself as "the orchid nursery" in North Carolina.

 

For more information, call the Heart of North Carolina Visitors Bureau at 336-626-0364, or visit https://www.heartofnorthcarolina.com/ for a detailed list of Seagrove Potters and their events! 

 

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