Annual Events in Asheville, Month by Month

At a glance

• Where: Mostly downtown Asheville, North Carolina, plus South Slope, Montford and the Biltmore Estate
• When: Events run from January through December; the busiest stretch is July through November
• Cost: Varies: Shindig on the Green and Downtown After 5 are free; the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands sells tickets at the door
• Dates: Dates shift each year. This guide gives the usual month only; confirm on each official site

Asheville's best-known annual events are Shindig on the Green on July Saturdays, the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival in early August, the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands each summer and October, Goombay in September and Christmas at Biltmore from November into January. This guide lists twelve recurring events in Asheville, North Carolina, in calendar order, with the usual month, the place and a link to each official site.

We give the usual month, not exact dates, because dates move. Always check the organizer's page before you go.

How did we choose these events?

Every event here takes place in Asheville, comes back every year, and has an official organizer page that we checked in November 2026. We left out events that have ended, events we could not confirm on an official page, and anything held outside the city. Where a month has nothing verified, we skip it instead of padding the list.

For what is on right now, see the Asheville events page or this weekend.

What happens in January and February?

Winter in Asheville belongs to Mardi Gras, which starts with a January masquerade and ends with a February parade in South Slope.

Asheville Mardi Gras (January to February, South Slope)

The Asheville Mardi Gras parade rolls through South Slope on a Sunday afternoon in February, starting mid-afternoon. The organizers hold a Twelfth Night masquerade in January, a Queen's Ball on parade evening and a Cajun cook-off fundraiser in the fall. Dress up, bring beads and walk over from downtown. The current schedule is at ashevillemardigras.org.

What happens in May?

May is when Asheville celebrates its breweries with a citywide beer week.

Asheville Beer Week (May, across Asheville)

Asheville Beer Week is a festival of roughly two weeks, usually in May, held across the city instead of in one venue. Explore Asheville, the official visitor bureau, describes beer tastings, craft beverage dinner pairings and panel discussions. Pick two or three events in one neighborhood and walk between them. See the listing at Explore Asheville.

What happens from spring to late summer?

Downtown After 5 is a free monthly street concert in downtown Asheville that runs from spring into late summer.

Downtown After 5 (third Fridays, spring through summer, downtown)

Downtown After 5 is a free outdoor concert series in downtown Asheville, held on the third Friday of the month from spring through late summer and recently staged in Pack Square Park. The Asheville Downtown Association runs it, each concert is paired with a local nonprofit, and many nights have a theme. It starts at 5 p.m., as the name says, so come straight from work. Check the Asheville Downtown Association events page for this season's dates, and use the Downtown area page to find your way around.

What happens in summer?

Summer in Asheville means mountain music on Saturday nights and the first of two craft fairs.

Shindig on the Green (Saturdays in July, Pack Square Park)

Shindig on the Green is a free evening of bluegrass and old-time string bands, clog dancers, ballad singers and informal jam sessions in Pack Square Park in downtown Asheville, held on Saturdays in July. The Folk Heritage Committee presents it on the Bascom Lamar Lunsford Stage, and the series has run for six decades. There is no fixed start time on the poster: the official tagline is "along about sundown," so arrive early with a blanket or a camp chair. Stay after the stage show, when jam circles form around the park. See the schedule at folkheritage.org.

Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands, summer session (June or July, downtown)

The Southern Highland Craft Guild holds the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands twice a year in downtown Asheville, with a summer session and an October session. Recent fairs have filled Harrah's Cherokee Center – Asheville at 87 Haywood Street with more than 100 juried artists, typically from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with tickets sold at the door and children under 12 free. The summer session moves between June and July, so check the Southern Highland Craft Guild craft fair page for current dates and prices.

What happens in August?

Early August brings the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival, an Asheville tradition since 1928.

Mountain Dance and Folk Festival (early August, Asheville)

The Mountain Dance and Folk Festival is three nights of Appalachian music and dance in Asheville, held in early August and running since 1928. The Folk Heritage Committee, which also presents Shindig on the Green, calls it the oldest gathering of its kind in the nation. Shows typically run from 7 to 9 p.m., and recent festivals have been held in the Auditorium at Asheville High School, 419 McDowell Street. Tickets and the current venue are on the Folk Heritage Committee site.

What happens in September?

September is Goombay, a downtown Asheville festival rooted in the city's African American and Caribbean heritage.

Goombay Festival (September, downtown)

The Goombay Festival is a September weekend organized by the YMI Cultural Center at 39 S. Market Street in downtown Asheville. Its program has included a theater production, a film festival, an art walk, an author showcase and a 5K run, with a welcome station at the corner of Market Street and Court Plaza. Start at the welcome station and plan your weekend from there. See the YMI Cultural Center Goombay page.

What happens in October?

October brings the second craft fair and a month of Halloween events run by the City of Asheville.

Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands, fall session (October, downtown)

The October session of the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands is a four-day, Thursday-to-Sunday fair of juried craft in downtown Asheville, timed for fall color in the mountains. Go on the first day for the widest selection, and do your holiday gift shopping while you are there. Dates are on the Southern Highland Craft Guild craft fair page.

Asheville Festival of Frights (October, city community centers and parks)

The Festival of Frights is Asheville Parks & Recreation's Halloween series, held at city community centers and parks in Asheville through October and up to Halloween night. Past editions have included a Haunted Castle on the Hill at Stephens-Lee Community Center, Halloween Creepy Climbing at Tempie Avery Montford Community Center and a Barktoberfest for dogs at Riverbend Park. Many events are free or cost a few dollars, and some need advance registration. Find the program on the City of Asheville site.

What happens in November?

November opens the holiday season in Asheville with a downtown parade and the start of Christmas at Biltmore.

Asheville Holiday Parade (November, downtown)

The Asheville Holiday Parade travels through downtown Asheville on a Saturday in November, starting late in the morning. The Asheville Downtown Association, which runs it, marked 80 years of the parade in 2026, so it has been a downtown fixture for eight decades. Find the route and time on the Asheville Downtown Association events page.

Christmas at Biltmore (November through early January, Biltmore Estate)

Christmas at Biltmore is the Biltmore Estate's holiday season at 1 Lodge Street in Asheville, running from early November into early January. It covers decorated Biltmore House by day, Candlelight Christmas Evenings by night, and holiday lights in Antler Hill Village. Book tickets for a specific day well ahead on biltmore.com. The Biltmore Village area page covers the neighborhood just outside the estate gates.

What happens in December?

December brings the Montford Holiday Tour of Homes in one of Asheville's historic districts.

Montford Holiday Tour of Homes (holiday season, Montford)

The Montford Holiday Tour of Homes is an annual fundraiser for the Montford Neighborhood Association that opens houses in the Montford historic district of Asheville during the holiday season, and it has run for more than 25 years. The official site does not publish the month far in advance, so confirm dates and tickets at montfordtour.com and montford.org.

Save this: Asheville's year in one list

• January: Mardi Gras Twelfth Night masquerade
• February: Asheville Mardi Gras parade, South Slope
• Spring to late summer: Downtown After 5, third Fridays, free
• May: Asheville Beer Week, citywide
• June or July: Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands, summer session
• July: Shindig on the Green, Saturday evenings, free
• August: Mountain Dance and Folk Festival
• September: Goombay Festival
• October: Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands; Festival of Frights
• November: Asheville Holiday Parade; Christmas at Biltmore begins
• December: Montford Holiday Tour of Homes; Christmas at Biltmore continues

Which month is best?

If you can only choose one month, pick July and spend a Saturday night at Shindig on the Green. It is free, it is outdoors in the middle of downtown, and nothing captures Asheville better than strangers tuning fiddles together on the grass at dusk.

Mountain nights cool off even in summer, so check the Asheville weather page and pack a layer.

Planning tips

• Dates and venues can change. Confirm on the official site in the week before your trip.
• Downtown events share parking. Arrive early or take the city's ART bus system, described at ridetheart.com.
• Book lodging early for July, October and the Christmas at Biltmore season. Start with the travel and lodging listings.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the biggest annual events in Asheville?

The best-known annual events in Asheville are Shindig on the Green in July, the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival in early August, the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands in summer and October, the Goombay Festival in September and Christmas at Biltmore from November to early January.

When is Shindig on the Green?

Shindig on the Green is held on Saturday evenings in July in Pack Square Park in downtown Asheville. It is free, and the Folk Heritage Committee publishes each year's dates at folkheritage.org.

How often is the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands held?

The Southern Highland Craft Guild holds the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands in downtown Asheville twice a year, with a summer session in June or July and a fall session in October. Tickets are sold at the door, and the guild's site lists current dates and prices.

Is Downtown After 5 free?

Yes. Downtown After 5 is a free concert series held on third Fridays from spring through late summer in downtown Asheville, run by the Asheville Downtown Association.

What is there to do in Asheville in the fall?

Fall in Asheville brings the October session of the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands and the City of Asheville's Festival of Frights, then the downtown Holiday Parade and the start of Christmas at Biltmore in November.

Are the dates for these events the same every year?

No. Each Asheville event keeps roughly the same month, but exact dates change every year. Check the organizer's official site before you plan around a date.