ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The July 17-19 weekend includes craft, music, theater, food and community events across Asheville and Western North Carolina.

Events scheduled for the weekend include the summer Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands in downtown Asheville, the Doc & Rosa Lee Watson Music Festival in Boone, Shindig on the Green in Pack Square Park, Heritage Fire Asheville at Pisgah Brewing Co. and National Ice Cream Day events at The Hop.

Here’s a look at some of the events scheduled for the weekend.

Weekend at a glance

  • Craft and community: Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands
  • Festival: Doc & Rosa Lee Watson Music Festival
  • Live music: Band of Horses and Dinosaur Jr., Flacktastic or Shindig on the Green
  • Food and drink: Heritage Fire Asheville or National Ice Cream Day at The Hop
  • Arts and culture: The Taming of the Shrew

Family-friendly & community

The Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands – Summer 2026
Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville
Friday-Sunday | Ticketed

The Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands brings juried fine craft to downtown Asheville. The event highlights artists connected to the Southern Highland Craft Guild and includes work rooted in Appalachian craft traditions as well as contemporary forms.

Festivals

Doc & Rosa Lee Watson Music Festival
Appalachian Theatre of the High Country, Boone
Friday | Ticketed

The Doc & Rosa Lee Watson Music Festival honors the musical legacy of Doc Watson and Rosa Lee Watson while supporting High Country music traditions. The festival has moved to the Appalachian Theatre in downtown Boone because of Hurricane Helene damage at its previous site at the historic Cove Creek School in Sugar Grove.

Live music & nightlife

An Evening With Band of Horses and Dinosaur Jr.
Hellbender, Asheville
Friday, 7 p.m. | Ticketed

Band of Horses and Dinosaur Jr. are scheduled to perform Friday at Hellbender in Asheville. Band of Horses is marking the 20th anniversary of “Everything All the Time,” while Dinosaur Jr. is performing “Where You Been” in its entirety.

Flacktastic – Roberta Flack Tribute
White Horse Black Mountain, Black Mountain
Friday, 7 p.m. | Ticketed

Flacktastic is a tribute to Roberta Flack, the Grammy-winning musician with ties to Black Mountain. The event includes performances by Rhoda Weaver and Leeda Lyric Jones and is presented by White Horse Black Mountain and the Swannanoa Valley Museum.

Shindig on the Green
Roger McGuire Green at Pack Square Park, Asheville
Saturday, 7 p.m. | Free admission

Shindig on the Green continues Saturday in downtown Asheville. The long-running summer gathering includes old-time string bands, bluegrass, ballad singing, dancing, storytelling and informal jam sessions.

Food & drink

Heritage Fire Asheville
Pisgah Brewing, Black Mountain
Sunday, 3 p.m. | Ticketed

Heritage Fire Asheville is scheduled for Sunday at Pisgah Brewing Co. The event includes live-fire cooking from regional chefs, tastings, drinks, music and food focused on mountain flavors.

National Ice Cream Day at The Hop
The Hop Ice Cream locations in Asheville and Black Mountain
Sunday, 10 a.m. | Prices vary

The Hop is marking National Ice Cream Day on Sunday at its North Asheville, West Asheville and Black Mountain locations. The shops will open early and offer small-batch items, including salted caramel doughnut ice cream sandwiches and vegan mocha cakewiches, while supplies last.

Arts & culture

The Taming of the Shrew
Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, Asheville
Friday-Sunday, 7:30 p.m. | Free admission

Montford Park Players continues its summer production of Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” at Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre. Performances are scheduled Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings through Aug. 1.

Note: Event details are subject to change. Some events may be delayed, rescheduled or canceled because of weather or other conditions. Check official event listings for the latest updates before attending.

Looking ahead

Additional concerts, festivals, markets and outdoor events are scheduled across Asheville and Western North Carolina in July. Find more local listings on the 828newsNOW events calendar.