Things to Do in Smithville, Tennessee
The best things to do in Smithville, Tennessee, are Center Hill Lake, the Fiddlers’ Jamboree and the Appalachian Center for Craft. Smithville is the seat of DeKalb County, a town of 5,004 people about an hour east of Nashville.
The town was founded in 1838, incorporated in 1843 and named for Samuel Granville Smith, a local politician. It even gets a line in the 1949 John Wayne film Sands of Iwo Jima.
Center Hill Lake
Center Hill Dam on the Caney Fork created this lake in the 1940s, and it’s the reason most visitors come. The county counts more than 400 miles of shoreline, nine marinas and seven recreation areas. Boating, fishing, swimming and lakeside camping are the main events. Three good ways onto the water are below: the state park, Hidden Harbor and Pates Ford.
★ Good to know DeKalb County’s tourism office counts about 4 million visitors a year to the county and lake.
Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival
The first Jamboree, in July 1972, drew 714 musicians from 16 states and about 8,000 people. It now draws more than 100,000 and is the official jamboree and crafts festival of Tennessee. Old-time music and dance competitions fill downtown, alongside juried, handmade crafts and food vendors. Opening ceremonies are held in Evins Park.
★ Good to know It’s free and held on the weekend nearest July 4 each year; competitions start early on Friday and Saturday mornings.
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech runs the state’s largest craft school on the Highland Rim above Center Hill Lake. Students and artists work in clay, glass, metals, wood, fibers and blacksmithing. It’s part of the university’s College of Fine Arts and hosts a yearlong artist-in-residence program. Its gallery sells work by more than 150 regional and national artists.
★ Good to know The gallery is free and open to the public; adults 18 and up can sign up for community workshops through the year.
Edgar Evins State Park
This 6,300-acre park on the lake’s northeastern shore was dedicated in 1975. It has 34 cabins, a campground and a 300-slip marina. The visitor center’s observation tower looks out toward Center Hill Dam.
★ Good to know The park is named for James Edgar Evins, a Smithville businessman and state senator who pushed for the dam.
Hidden Harbor Marina
This family-owned marina has been renting boats on Center Hill Lake for more than 30 years. The fleet includes houseboats, pontoons, deck boats and fishing boats with fish finders. It also has cabins, campsites and a store.
★ Good to know Renters born after January 1, 1989, need a boater’s license to drive a rental boat.
Fishlipz Resort & Grill at Pates Ford Marina
On the southern end of the lake, Pates Ford pairs a marina with a restaurant and bar. Weekend live music keeps it busy. You can also rent cabins, RV sites, houseboats and pontoons.
★ Good to know You can pull up by boat or drive in to 6323 Jefferson Road.
Paddling the Caney Fork River
Below Center Hill Dam, the Caney Fork runs cool and clear all year because of dam releases. It’s stocked with about 100,000 rainbow and brown trout a year. Canoe the Caney, near I-40 at Silver Point, rents canoes and kayaks.
★ Good to know Canoe the Caney runs trips April through November; check the dam generation schedule before you launch.
The Burlap Room
This outdoor venue bills itself as Tennessee’s largest beer garden. Expect live music, food trucks, fire pits and a kids’ play area. It hosts songwriter nights and crawfish boils too.
★ Good to know It also books private events, so check the calendar before you go.
Also in town
Button Willow General Store & Coffee Shop on West Main Street, for local pottery and coffee; the Justin Potter Library; Green Brook Park’s free disc golf course; and Evins Mill, a guests-only resort on a state natural area with its own waterfall.
When is the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree?
It’s held on the weekend nearest July 4 every year, and it’s free. It has run for more than 50 years.
How big is Center Hill Lake?
It has more than 400 miles of shoreline, nine marinas and seven recreation areas, according to DeKalb County’s tourism site. About 4 million people visit the county and lake each year.
Can you visit the Appalachian Center for Craft?
Yes. The gallery is free and open to the public, and adults can take community workshops in clay, glass, metals, wood, fibers and blacksmithing.
What is Smithville, Tennessee, known for?
The Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Center Hill Lake, mostly. It’s also home to Tennessee Tech’s Appalachian Center for Craft. For more ideas, see our small towns in Tennessee.
Where to find them
- Center Hill Lake Website Directions
- Smithville Fiddlers' Jamboree and Crafts Festival downtown Smithville Website Directions
- Appalachian Center for Craft 1560 Craft Center Dr, Smithville, TN 37166 Website Directions
- Edgar Evins State Park Website Directions
- Hidden Harbor Marina 2685 Casey Cove Rd, Smithville, TN 37166 Website Directions
- Fishlipz Resort & Grill at Pates Ford Marina 6323 Jefferson Road, Smithville, TN 37166 Website Directions
- Canoe the Caney 17055 Smithville Hwy, Silver Point, TN 38582 Website Directions
- The Burlap Room 175 Hurricane Ridge Road, Smithville, TN 37166 Directions
Plan your trip: for events and current visitor info in Smithville, see Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce →
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Where to stay in Smithville
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