The 2024 Great Tennessee Yarn Tour kicks off on August 3. While some of you have been counting down the days since last year's Yarn Tour, others might be wondering, "What's a Yarn Tour?" Wherever you land, we want to make sure everyone is ready for this awesome adventure, so we thought we would answer a few frequently asked questions about the Great Tennessee Yarn Tour.
What is the Great Tennessee Yarn Tour?
A Yarn Tour - also called a yarn crawl or shop hop - is a dedicated event that encourages people to visit businesses that have a similar focus (in this case, local yarn shops) in a designated geographic area over a set period of time.
The Great Tennessee Yarn Tour (GTYT) is a self-guided Tour, where Tourists can explore local yarn shops and related fiber destinations based in Tennessee throughout the month of August.
When is the Great Tennessee Yarn Tour? The GTYT will take place August 3 - 31, 2024.
Is this a group tour, like a bus tour? Is transportation provided?
The GTYT is a self-guided Tour, so Tourists are responsible for providing and arranging their own transportation. Tourists can visit shops at their own pace and schedule.
Touring is more fun with friends, so we suggest traveling with friends or family. If you are looking to arrange "meet ups" or caravans with other Yarn Tourists, try joining our 2024 Tour Group to meet other Tourists online and make plans!
Is this a virtual event?
No, this is an in-person experience. At the GTYT, we want to raise awareness of and support for brick-and-mortar shops, so this event encourages you to visit them in person!
How do I participate?
Your first step is to buy a ticket! When you purchase a ticket for the GTYT, you will be designated as a "Tourist" and have access to everything the GTYT has to offer!
Why do you do tickets?
When we first started planning the Yarn Tour, we realized that sometimes during "shop hop"-type events, people aren't able to get to the shops in time to get their tote bag or other event-related merch. Conversely, sometimes participating shops end up with too many tote bags or event-specific items that never get purchased.
To make sure that everyone who wants this year's Tour items gets this year's Tour items - and to help out shops by making sure they don't spend precious funds on products that may not sell - we decided to sell tickets in advance of the event.
This also means that you don't have to worry about keeping track of a passport, stamps, or turning anything in. Once you buy your ticket, you can just enjoy the journey!
What's included with my ticket?
We all love a good tote bag, but your ticket comes with so much more! Your ticket guarantees you an official 2024 Travel Pack that includes: commemorative tote bag, printed Guidebook with map and all shop info, printed Pattern Book that includes 6 new patterns just for 2024, and some other fun surprises!
Each participating shop will be featuring an exclusive mini-skein of fingering weight yarn, acquired or created just for this year's Tour! You must have a Yarn Tour ticket to be able to purchase a mini-skeins. You can use these mini-skeins and the 2024 Patterns to create one-of-a-kind Tour Mementos.
Throughout the Tour, participating shops may offer special deals, giveaway, or promotions just for Tourists! You will need a Ticket to be able to advantage of these great specials!
Last but not least, when you purchase a 2024 GTYT ticket, you are automatically entered into the Triple Grand Prize Drawing at the end of the Tour. This is not based on how many shops you visit; it is automatic. Each Grand Prize Basket is chock-full of yarns, notions, and fun goodies from our generous donors.
How much do tickets cost?
2024 tickets cost $20.
How long are tickets available?
Tickets are available through June 15. Because we want to make sure that all Tour items are available the day the Tour starts (August 3), we need time to order, print, and distribute everything to the participating shops.
Where do I buy a ticket?
Tickets must be purchased at the Great Tennessee Yarn Tour website. Click the button below to buy tickets for this year's Yarn Tour!
OH no! I forgot to purchase a ticket! What do I do?
Some shops may be purchasing extra tickets that will be available after June 15. However, this is not guaranteed. To ensure you get the full Tour experience, be sure to buy your ticket before June 15!.
Why do you call it a Road Trip?
The Great Tennessee Yarn Tour is a month-long opportunity to drive around and visit local yarn shops all over the state. We encourage you to make the best of this journey - take time to hang out in the participating shops, get to know other yarnies, eat local, and just have fun being a Tourist in the great state of Tennessee. This is one road trip where the journey can be just as much fun as the destination!
Where does this take place?
The Great Tennessee Yarn Tour takes place in various locations across Tennessee, specifically at shops that are participating this year. We have 18 local yarn shops participating in the 2024 Great Tennessee Yarn Tour.
What yarn shops are participating?
This year, we have 18 local yarn shops participating - stretching from Kingston Springs (west of Nashville) to Johnson City, Kingsport to Chattanooga and everywhere in between! Every shop is completely "ewe"nique, with its own personality, focus, and favorite products.
You can view a full list of shops here: Shop Info
What hours are the shops open?
Each shop chooses their own hours during the GTYT. We will list their hours for the GTYT on the Shop Info page and in the Guidebook. Be sure to follow your favorite shops' social media accounts for updates closer to the Tour.
Do I have to visit every shop?
Nope! You can visit as many or as few shops as you like. The Great Tennessee Yarn Tour is about enjoying the adventure - whether that takes you to 18 shops or to 1. Everyone who buys a ticket is automatically entered to win in the Triple Grand Prize Giveaway regardless of how many shops they visit.
Do I have to visit shops in a certain order?
Nope! You can visit shops in whatever order you like.
If you need help planning your route, MapQuest offers a Route Planner, where you can add multiple destinations, and it will provide options for travelling between those stops. Just click on this link to try it out: https://www.mapquest.com/routeplanner/
Do I have to visit every shop in the first weekend?
We say that the GTYT is a Tour, not a race. We purposefully planned the event to last several weeks (basically, the whole month of August) so that Tourists can travel at their own pace and schedule. If you want to visit all the shops as soon as it starts - go for it! If you want to spread it out and visit shops throughout the whole month - go for it!
Shops may be having different events or special throughout the entire Tour, so you may find yourself coming back to a shop more than once!
This seems like a lot of driving...
We don't call it a road trip for nothin'!
Tennessee is very blessed with a variety of yarn shops in a variety of locations, each offering a different experience. From bustling metropolitan areas to quiet country roads, our participating yarn shops traverse the state. Most of this year's yarn shops are within an hour's drive of another participating yarn shop, giving Tourists a chance to visit multiple shops in day, if they so choose. However, if you are trying to visit all of the shops, you will be covering a fair distance - 600 miles at least!
Please remember that the Great Tennessee Yarn Tour is not about running yourself ragged - it's about crafting a journey that you enjoy taking!
Where do I pick up my Travel Pack?
During the ticket buying process, you will be asked to choose a Pick-Up location. Your Travel Pack will be waiting for you there!
What if I forget my pick-up location?
We will be sending out emails leading up to the Tour reminding Tourists of where their Travel Packs are.
When do I pick up my Travel Pack?
Your Travel Pack will be ready for pick up starting August 3. You can pick it up any day during the Yarn Tour that your designated pick-up location is open.
Please note that you may not pick up your Travel Pack before August 3!
Do I need to show my Ticket during the Tour?
When you purchase your ticket online, you will receive an email confirmation and will have the option to save or print out your ticket. You can also access a digital version of your ticket via the Great Tennessee Yarn Tour app. You will need to show either a digital or printed version of your ticket to pick up your Travel Pack.
You may be asked to provide confirmation that you are a Tourist/have a ticket throughout the Tour, so it's good to have a copy handy!
Do I have to have my tote bag to start the Tour?
Not necessarily. If you have a copy of your ticket, this is verification that you are an Official Tourist. If you don't have your tote bag, you can use your ticket to access Tourist-only specials at participating shops and purchase any Tourist-exclusive items, such as mini-skeins.
What if I buy a ticket, but am not able to pick up my Travel Pack?
If you buy a ticket and are unable to pick up your Travel Pack during the Tour, please reach out to your Pick-Up Location as soon as possible to make arrangements. The Great Tennessee Yarn Tour and participating shops are not responsible for shipping Travel Packs.
Your Pick-Up Location will hold your Travel Pack up to 60 days after the 2024 Yarn Tour Ends. If you do not make arrangements with the shop to retrieve your Travel Pack within 60 days after the Yarn Tour, then you forfeit the Travel Pack and all of its contents
We hope this helps answer any questions you may have about the Great Tennessee Yarn Tour! If you have more, comment below or write us at info@greattennesseeyarntour.com !
Are the stores typically open on the weekends? Specifically Sunday?