ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Whether you’re a local or just visiting, our 828 fall guide is your local resource for making the most of fall in Asheville. From festivals to outdoor adventures, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
WNC Farmers Market
The WNC Farmers Market is a must-visit during the fall. Open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, the market is brimming with seasonal produce, handmade crafts and local delicacies. Fall is the perfect time to pick up fresh apples, pumpkins and artisanal goods while enjoying the community atmosphere.
Leaf peeping on the Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a popular destination for leaf peepers in the fall and sightseers year round. The parkway includes east- and west-facing slopes and varies in elevation from just less than 650 feet at James River in Virginia to more than 6,000 feet south of Mount Pisgah in Western North Carolina.
Because of the changing elevations, plan to drive some distance along the Blue Ridge Parkway, changing elevations and north-south orientation. Anyone who does this around mid- to late October will likely catch at least some sections at or near their peak color.
Eliada Fall Festival and Corn Maze
Sept. 20-Oct. 27 (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays): 49 Compton Drive, Asheville
One hundred percent of the $15 per ticket proceeds goes toward helping the children at Eliada Home. In addition to the maze, play the lawn games, take a spin on the giant jumping pillow, fire the corn canons, go for a tractor ride or buy a pumpkin.
Flock to the Rock
Sept. 21: 743 Chimney Rock Park Road, Chimney Rock
Grab your binoculars and get ready for Chimney Rock State Park’s annual feathered frenzy. Enjoy fall bird and butterfly migrations with bird and pollinator family activities, live on-the-glove raptor demonstrations, beginner bird walks, a hawk watch and more.
Clawtoberfest
Sept. 21: Highland Brewing, 12 Old Charlotte Highway, Suite 200, Asheville
Clawhammer, Highland Brewing’s seasonal Marzen Lager, is back and the brewery is celebrating with an Oktoberfest-style party filled with music, food, games, special small-batch release beers and more.
Blue Ridge Pride Festival
Sept. 21: Downtown Asheville
Blue Ridge Pride Festival celebrates the LGBTQ+ community through inclusion, entertainment, education, art and more. Held in downtown Asheville, the annual event features a Welcome Parade to Pack Square Park at 10:30 a.m., followed by a colorful all-day festival of musical acts, food and dozens of vendors.
Art in Autumn
Sept. 21: Downtown Weaverville
Head to Weaverville for its 17th annual Art in Autumn Arts & Crafts Festival. Chat and shop with more than 100 local artists and craftspeople. Enjoy the art and food and listen to live music.
Heritage Weekend
Sept. 21-22: Folk Art Center, 382 Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville
This free celebration of mountain heritage features demonstrations of traditional crafts accompanied by music. A highlight of the event is the annual World Gee Haw Whimmy Diddle competition. A Whimmy Diddle is a toy traditionally made from two sticks of rhododendron. Notches are carved into one stick and a propeller is attached to the end. Rubbing the notches with the second stick makes the proper spin. Can you get it to gee (spin to the right) and haw (spin to the left)?
Demonstrations will include traditional woodworking with traditional tools, weaving, spinning, dyeing, broom-making, stone carving, blacksmithing, soap-making and printmaking. Visitors will have the opportunity to try their own hand at some of the crafts at an activity table.
ASAP Farm Tour
Sept. 21-22: Various locations
ASAP’s annual Farm Tour is a chance to experience how food is grown and raised through guided tours, demonstrations and tastings. The self-driving tour showcases the diversity of working farms across Western North Carolina.
Asheville Quilt Show
Sept. 26-28: WNC Agricultural Center, 765 Boylston Highway, Fletcher
The 40th annual quilt show will feature vendors, live demonstrations, a gift shop, silent auction, special exhibits, a kids’ sewing station, quilts for sale, food and more.
Asheville Greek Festival
Sept. 27-28: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 227 Cumberland Ave., Asheville
For more than 30 years, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church has invited everyone to share the tastes, sights and sounds of Asheville’s Greek community at this annual event.
Goombay Festival
Sept. 27-29: Pack Square Park, downtown Asheville
The Goombay Festival was created in 1982 to celebrate the richness and diversity of the African diaspora and Asheville’s African American community. This free, family event connects community and showcases Black culture, art, food and entertainment.
Oktoberfest Half Marathon & 5K
Sept. 28: Hi-Wire Brewing, River Arts District
The Oktoberfest Half Marathon & 5K offers a picturesque race route that winds through some of Asheville’s most charming locales, including the vibrant River Arts District, the historic Montford neighborhood and West Asheville. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to combine your love for running and craft beer! Embrace the spirit of Oktoberfest by sporting your best lederhosen and lacing up your running shoes for this invigorating race. While festive costumes are heartily encouraged, they are by no means mandatory – it’s all about celebrating in style.
Haunted Trail at Adventure Center of Asheville
Oct. 4-5, 11-12, 18-20, 24-27: Adventure Center of Asheville
Eat, drink and be scared at Adventure Center of Asheville, where you can walk the haunted trail filled with live actors, Halloween lights, spooky sounds and funny jokes. You can also check out the Aerial Glow Trail or visit Pirates Cove. This experience is recommended for children ages 3-12 and is a benefit for MANNA FoodBank.
Asheville Art in the Park
October 5, 12, & 19: Pack Square, Downtown Asheville
Asheville Art in the Park provides access to some of the finest artists in the region. Enjoy Asheville Art in the Park, take a stroll around downtown Asheville and experience the textures and forms of a truly unique art garden. At the event, you are sure to find the finest in handcrafted art that Asheville area artists have to offer in glass, ceramics, wood, jewelry and metal.
Oktoberfest
The Asheville Downtown Association’s Oktoberfest will happen 2-6 p,m. Oct. 5 at Pack Square. The event will feature 20-plus breweries and craft beverage makers as well as games hosted by Asheville Sports and Social Club, local food vendors and live music.
Carolina Mountain Cheese Festival
Oct. 6: Oak & Grist, Black Mountain
Experience things all things cheese with demos, workshops and vendors. The festival benefits the WNC Cheese Trail, a local nonprofit whose goal is to spread the word about the amazing cheeses being made in Western North Carolina.
Asheville VeganFest
Oct. 6: Pack Square Park, Downtown Asheville
This outdoor festival celebrates the vegan lifestyle with food trucks, clothing and artisan booths showcasing the best there is on the vegan market.
River Arts District Second Saturday Art Stroll
Oct. 12, Nov. 9: River Arts District
This monthly studio stroll (held the second Saturday of each month) offers a chance to access the artists in the historic warehouses in the mile-long River Arts District and shop their wares ahead of the holidays.
Black Mountain Home Fall Festival
Oct. 12, 2024: Black Mountain Home for Children, 80 Lake Eden Road, Black Mountain
The family-friendly festival will feature a silent auction, live music, a car show, horse show, hayrides, games for the kids, a pumpkin patch, face painting, campus tours and more.
Burnpile
Oct. 12: Burial Beer Co.
Burnpile, Burial Beer Co.’s annual beer and music festival, returns this fall. Held at Burial’s Forestry Camp facility near Biltmore Village, the festival will offer a full day of music along with a tasting experience from more than 60 breweries from across the country.
Lovely Asheville Fall Festival
Oct. 12-13: Carrier Park
The third annual Lovely Asheville Fall Festival celebrates the beauty and preservation of nature and humanity with two days of music, food, art, family-friendly activities, poetry and more.
Hola Asheville
Oct. 13, Pack Square Park
Hola Carolina will bring the sights, sounds, music, pageantry, colorful costumes and extraordinary talent of Latin America to downtown Asheville. Enjoy food, music and vendors.
Thomas Wolfe 8K
Oct. 20: Downtown Asheville
Asheville’s oldest running event benefits the Thomas Wolfe Memorial, as well as Read to Succeed Buncombe County/ Asheville. The route begins at the Thomas Wolfe Memorial, winds through downtown to the historic Montford neighborhood and into Riverside Cemetery, past Wolfe’s final resting place, before heading back to the house.
Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands
Oct. 17-20: Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville
Artisans will be exhibiting a variety of crafts, ranging from contemporary to traditional in works of clay, wood, metal, glass, fiber, natural materials, paper, leather, mixed media and jewelry. There will also be live music and craft demonstrations.
LEAF Global Arts
Oct. 17-20: Lake Eden, Black Mountain
This family-friendly festival is all about connecting cultures and creates community through music, arts education and experiences, to cultivate curiosity, preserve cultures and promote global understanding.
Beaverdam Studio Tour
Oct. 26-27: Beaverdam Valley, North Asheville
This self-drive studio tour features artists working in Beaverdam Valley — plus guest artists — who are excited to welcome visitors to see their work, talk with them, and offer handmade art and craft for sale. Media include ceramics, painting, jewelry, sculpture, textiles, paper art, photography, glass, wood and more.
Black Mountain Old Depot Art by the Tracks
Oct. 26: Black Mountain
Art by the Tracks features more than 50 artists from the local region, as well as live music. The event raises funds for The Old Depot Association, which uses the money to give grants for art programs at Swannanoa Valley schools.
Wicked Spooky 5K
Oct. 26: Wicked Weed’s Funkatorium
Get into the Halloween spirit with this race that starts and finishes at Wicked Weed’s Funkatorium on the South Slope of downtown Asheville. Show off your most creative, terrifying or quirky costume for a chance to win great prizes.
North Carolina Ceramics Festival
Nov. 9: A-B Tech Conference Center
Ceramic artists from across the country gather to explore all genres of ceramics including tilework, sculpture, jewelry, and pottery. Visitors can take home unique ceramic pieces as well as see demonstrations.