Festivals and Expos

Photo by Jefferson Ellison, courtesy of LEAF Global Arts @ leaf_global_arts LEAF Downtown

No matter what month you get here, you can take part in Asheville’s eclectic spirit of celebration. Below is a sampling of what to expect each month.

For a complete look at what’s happening when you’re here, consult Mountain Xpress’ online calendar of events at avlcalendar. com, the area’s most comprehensive guide to what’s going on in Asheville — from town hall to music hall.

January

• Big Band Swing Dance Weekend Omni Grove Park Inn

• Asheville Fringe Arts Festival Downtown Asheville

• Asheville Restaurant Week Asheville area

• Ginseng Gathering & Auction Warren Wilson College

February

• Asheville Designer Toy Expo Highland Brewing Co.

• Annual Cajun Cook-off Salvage Station

• Arts & Crafts Conference Omni Grove Park Inn

• Asheville Mardis Gras Downtown Asheville

• Bluegrass First Class Festival Crowne Plaza Resort

Asheville Mardi Gras

Photo by Jennifer Bennett @jenbenmedia

March

• Southern Conference Basketball Tournament Harrah’s Cherokee Center, downtown Asheville

• Organic Growers Conference Mars Hill University

• Celebrate Zelda (Fitzgerald) Various locations

• Asheville Amadeus Festival Downtown Asheville

April

• Weaverville Art Safari Studio Tour Weaverville area

• Asheville Wordfest Downtown Asheville

• Asheville Orchid Festival N.C. Arboretum

• Carolina Cheese Fest Highland Brewing Co.

• Mini Maker Faire Kimmel Arena, UNCA

May

• Asheville Bread Festival New Belgium Brewing

• Waynesville Ramp Festival American Legion Field

• Mountain Acoustics Luthier Invitational Burnsville Town Center

• LEAF Spring Festival Black Mountain

• Asheville Beer Week Various locations

• Fiber Weekend Folk Art Center

Anything That Floats Parade

Photo courtesy of RiverLink

June

• Carolina Bonsai Expo N.C. Arboretum

• VeganFest Pack Square Park

• Hola Asheville Celebration Pack Square Park

• ASAP Farm Tour Various local farms

• Old-Fashioned Picnic on the Lawn Smith-McDowell House Museum

July

• Big Crafty Pack Square Park

• Folkmoot International Dance & Culture Festival Waynesville

• Shindig on the Green Pack Square Park

• Southern Highland Craft Guild Fair Harrah’s Cherokee Center, downtown Asheville

• LoveShinePlay Festival (formerly Asheville Yoga Festival) Downtown Asheville

• Anything That Floats Parade River Arts District

August

• Cherokee World Games Cherokee Tribal Fairgrounds

• East End Valley Street Community Heritage Festival Martin Luther King Jr. Park

• LEAF Downtown Pack Square Park

• Mountain Dance and Folk Festival UNC Asheville

• Fungi Fest Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa

• Come to Leicester Studio Tour Leicester area

Community Heritage Festival

Photo courtesy of the East End/Valley Street Neighborhood Association

September

• N.C. Mountain State Fair Ag Center, Fletcher

• Chow Chow Asheville Food Festival Downtown Asheville

• RADfest The Grey Eagle

• Asheville Van Life Rally Fletcher

• Tour de Fat New Belgium Brewery

• Blue Ridge Pride Pack Square Park

• Goombay Downtown Asheville

October

• Asheville Oktoberfest Downtown Asheville

• Bascom Lamar Lunsford Festival Mars Hill University

• WNC Garlic Fest Sow True Seed

• LEAF Fall Festival Black Mountain

• Hard Lox Jewish Festival Downtown Asheville

• Ciderfest Carrier Park

• Southern Highland Craft Guild Fair Harrah’s Cherokee Center, downtown Asheville

November

• Asheville Holiday Parade Downtown Asheville

• Weaverville Art Safari Studio Tour Weaverville area

• Taste of Asheville The Venue

• Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival Asheville Outlets

• River Arts District Studio Stroll River Arts District

December

• Festival of Lights Lake Julian Park and Marina

• Christmas at Connemara Carl Sandburg Home NHS

• The Big Crafty Harrah’s Cherokee Center, downtown Asheville

• Biltmore House (Christmas tree, Candlelight Evenings and festivities) Biltmore Estate

• Lindy Focus Crowne Plaza Resort

• Victorian Christmas Smith-McDowell House