This Weekend in Asheville

Pack Square Park

Boomtown Arts & Heritage FestAVL

Friday - Sunday, September 4-6, various times
Pack Square Park

Discover Asheville’s creative spirit and rich history during three days of free festivities at Boomtown Arts & Heritage FestAVL. Pack Square Park comes alive with music, art, storytelling, workshops, and exhibits exploring the people and traditions that have shaped the city.

Downtown Art District’s First Fridays

Friday, September 4, 5 - 8 p.m.
Downtown Asheville

Explore downtown Asheville’s creative side during the First Friday Art Walk, when galleries, studios, and cultural spaces stay open late with new exhibitions, artist encounters, and special happenings. Wander at your own pace and discover the work of artists throughout the Downtown Arts District.

Late Summer Stargazing

Friday, September 4, 9 - 10:30 p.m.
Hickory Nut Gap

Look to the skies during a late-summer stargazing evening at Hickory Nut Gap with astronomer and storyteller Stephan Martin. Spot Saturn, the Summer Triangle, Scorpius, Sagittarius, and the first autumn stars while hearing the stories behind the constellations.

Twilight in the Treetops Summer Night Climbs

Saturday, September 5, 7:45 - 9:45 p.m.
Adventure Center of Asheville

Take your outdoor adventure into the evening during Twilight in the Treetops, when the Adventure Center of Asheville’s aerial courses stay open after dark. Climb, swing, and zip through the trees as colorful lights illuminate the course for a unique summer night experience.

Sound Bath in the Gardens

Saturday, September 5, 10 - 11:30 a.m.
The North Carolina Arboretum

Unwind among the gardens of the NC Arboretum during a soothing 60-minute sound bath hosted by Asheville Wellness Tours. Settle in as unique instruments create a relaxing soundscape designed to offer a peaceful pause from the day.

Symphony in the Park

Sunday, September 6, 7 - 9 p.m.
Pack Square Park

Enjoy an evening of music under the stars as the Asheville Symphony returns to Pack Square Park for Symphony in the Park. Award-winning vocalist Erica Gabriel joins the orchestra for this free outdoor concert presented as part of Boomtown FestAVL.

Recurring Events

Luminere

Friday - Sunday, September 4-6, 4:30 p.m. - Nightfall
Biltmore

Experience Biltmore after dark as light, sound, and storytelling transform the estate into an immersive nighttime spectacle. Wander through illuminated gardens, glowing landscapes, and atmospheric installations that reveal a completely different side of America’s Largest Home.

Live Music, Comedy, Dance and Theatre

Eulogy at Burial Beer

Friday, September 4:

• Asheville Drum Circle at Pritchard Park, 6 p.m.
• Sunset Series - Live Music at Hemingway's Cuba, 6 p.m.
• Sit a Spell |Traditional Music Jam at Ginger's Revenge, 6 p.m.
• Asheville Drum Circle at Pritchard Park, 6 p.m.
• An Evening with Eric Congdon at Hilton Garden Inn Asheville South, 6 p.m.
• The JLloy MashUp at Sierra Nevada Brewing, 7 p.m.
• Don't Tell Comedy South Slope Asheville at Wicked Weed Funkatorium, 7 p.m.
• TJ Stacy & Team Awesome at RAD Brewing, 7 p.m.
• Live Music - Virtuous at The Radical, 7 p.m.
• Writers in the Round – Lillie Syracuse and Amanda Anne Platt at White Horse Black Mountain, 7:30 p.m.
• Romeo and Juliet at Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, 7:30 p.m.
• CLUB SLAYYY at Eulogy, 9 p.m.

Saturday, September 5:

• Sirius B at Sierra Nevada Brewing, 2 p.m.
• The Curious Savage at Asheville Community Theatre, 2:30 p.m.
• Acid Bath at Hellbender, 3:30 p.m.
• All Crawfish Go to Heaven at Wheelhouse, 6 p.m.
• Watkins at Sierra Nevada Brewing, 6:30 p.m.
• The Neurologues II at Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, 7 p.m.
• Skunk Ruckus at Bear's Back Alley Bar, 7 p.m.
• Falsettos at Asheville Performing Arts Academy, 7:30 p.m.
• Twitty & Lynn – Evening Show at White Horse Black Mountain, 7:30 p.m.
• Comedy: Chris Porter at Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, 8 p.m.
• Eyes Up Here Comedy: Fall of the Patriarchy Edition at Ginger's Revenge, 8 p.m.
• Miami Nights - Latin Dance at Hemingway's Cuba, 8 p.m.
• Witching Hour, Dark and Dirty Comedy at Eda Rhyne Distilling, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, September 6: 

• Jazz Brunch at French Broad River Brewery, 11:30 a.m.
• Suns of Stars at One World Brewing West, 2 p.m.
• The Feels at Sierra Nevada Brewing, 2 p.m.
• Jazz Jam Sundays at Ginger's Revenge, 2:30 p.m.
• Reggae Sunday with Chalwa Roots at French Broad River Brewery, 3 p.m.
• Red Clay Revival at Sierra Nevada Brewing, 6:30 p.m.
• Symphony in the Park at Pack Square Park, 7 p.m.
• Totally Radical Comedy at The RAD Brew Co., 7 p.m.
• Eat A Peach w/ Trouble No More at Orange Peel, 9 p.m.

Tailgate & Specialty Pop-Up Markets

Shop local at the Asheville area's numerous farmers, tailgate, and craft markets. Here's a look at some of the places you can shop this weekend:

• Asheville City Market at 52 North Market St., Sat. 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• Swannanoa Market at The Hub, Sat. 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• Ooh La La Curiosity Market at Pritchard Park, Sat. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• Hominy Gatherin' Market at Ruby Ranch, Sun. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
• WNC Farmers Market at 570 Brevard Road, open 7 days a week, year-round, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.    

Visit an art studio or art exhibition 

Blue Spiral 1 Gallery

Asheville is home to hundreds of artists, galleries and studios making creative expression a way of life here in the mountains. Here is a look at some of the current art exhibitions in the city:

• Art Opening: Artist Elliott From at Artbeat Gallery & Lounge, Fri. 5 - 8 p.m.
• Art Opening: Familiar/Impossible: Surreal Images of Women at Asheville Gallery of Art, Fri. 5 - 8 p.m.
• Black Mountain COLL(A)GE at Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center, through Sep. 5
• Interplay: Exploring the space between structure & movement at UpMarket Gallery, through Sep. 6
• Electric Garden: An All-Ages Interactive Art Installation at Third Room, through Sept. 20
• Common Ground Rising Group Exhibition at Pink Dog Creative, through Sept. 20
• Poetic Exposure at Asheville Art Museum, through Sept. 20
• NEW: Familiar/Impossible: Surreal Images of Women at Asheville Gallery of Art, through Sept. 30
• Luminere at Biltmore, through Oct. 18
• Drift, In and Out: Fine Art Exhibition by Linsey Gray at Table Asheville, through Oct. 28
• NEW: Katie Walker: "Laying it on the Line" at Blue Spiral 1, through Oct. 28
• NEW: Zack Noble at Blue Spiral 1, through Oct. 28
• NEW: "HOT POTS: Contemporary Clay" at Blue Spiral 1, through Oct. 28
• Freeze Frame: Sports Photography by Walter Iooss Jr. at Asheville Art Museum, through Nov. 15
• The Art of Paper at Asheville Art Museum, through Nov. 29
• Artist Open Studio at Artbeat Gallery & Lounge, through Dec. 31
• Warp, Weft, and the Grid at Asheville Art Museum, through Jan. 17
• On the Lathe: Shaping a Movement at Asheville Art Museum, through Mar. 21

Packages and Deals

Save some money this weekend with these special offers from area attractions and accommodations.

• Summit to Sip: Private Guided Hike & Wine Tasting at Pinecrest Bed & Breakfast
• Hot Tubs, Roses & Romantic Sunsets - Summer Offer at Asheville Cabins of Willow Winds
• 20% off all Food items from 5-6pm every Sunday at Jargon