Asheville's Annual Brewgrass Festival Combines Live Music and American Craft Beer

September 19, 2015  Brewgrass Festival   50 American breweries gather to showcase a diverse assortment of national and regional craft beers. The live entertainment this year includes a great lineup of national and regional bluegrass musicians that includes Jeff Austin Band, Truth & Salvage Co., Big Daddy Love, and Packway Handle Band.


The Brewgrass Festival began in 1996 and is Western North Carolina’s original craft beer festival. Today, North Carolina  boasts over 100 breweries and brewpubs, and Asheville NC has become a  beer-lovers destination selected as  “Beer City USA” four years in a row.

Brewgrass  has always showcased some of the most in-demand and exciting brewers in the region. The event also features a variety of area food vendors and plenty of water. 

The beer festival is held from 1 - 7 PM at Asheville's Memorial Stadium. Get advance tickets online  HERE.

 

Fathers Day Weekend Events: WNC Highlands Celtic Festival

June 19 - 21, 2015   Annual WNC Highlands Celtic Festival   This event features Celtic music and dance by the Scottish tribal group Albannach, international supergroup Rathkeltair, the Southern Highlands' own Cutthroat Shamrock, plus Marcille Wallis & Friends, Stirling Bridge, My Three Kilts, the Montreat Scottish Pipes and Drums, and the Moynihan School of Irish Dance. 

There will also be authentic Celtic and Regional Foods and beer by Western North Carolina's first microbrewery, Highland Brewing Company. The Festival also includes Celtic Vendors, Highland Athletic Demonstrations, Border Collie Demonstrations, Clans Convening, and Dance Demonstrations. 

The event is held at the Asheville Outdoor Center on the banks of the French Broad River.Admission is $20 in advance and $25 at the gate.

2015 Asheville Wine and Food Festival Offers "Amuse" and "Essence"

AMUSE and ESSENCE - the newest artesian experience in Asheville. Distilleries, Mixologists and Chefs. The chefs are bringing their best culinary talents and the mixologists are presenting their best creativity. You taste and judge the best chef and best mixologist. 

The top chefs move on to the GRAND TASTING at the US Cellular Center and the top mixologists get to expand their performance at ELIXIR. 

What is AMUSE? AMUSE is culinary artistry and showmanship preselected by the chef and mixologists, intensified by the competition and emphasizing smaller, more intensely flavored courses. “The amuse-bouche is the best way for a great chef to express his or her big ideas in small bites.” May 1, 2015 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at the Morris Hellenic Cultural Center. 

Why ESSENCE? Essence of Food and Drink can be found in the fusion of flavors making each dish and cocktail unique. Fresh local ingredients are presented for your enjoyment. June 26, 2015 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at the Morris Hellenic Cultural Center. The list of renown mixologists will again compete to give you the most creative and flavorful spirits to lift yours. From the aperitif to the nightcap, samples will be provided by competitors to give you a taste of regional talent. 

The list of renowned mixologists will again compete to give you the most creative and flavorful spirits to lift yours. From the aperitif to the nightcap, samples will be provided by competitors to give you a taste of regional talent including:

• Ambrozia Bar and Bistro Restaurant 
• Asheville Social Lounge & Tapas 
• Blackbird Restaurant 
• Buffalo Nickel Asheville 
• Chestnut Asheville 
• farm burger 
• King James Public House 
• LAB 
• Nightbell Restaurant &Lounge 
• Omni-Grove Park Inn 
• PULP 
• Sovereign Remedies 
• STORM Rhum Bar & Bistro 
• Sunny Point Café 
• Top Of The Monk 
• Zambra  

Meet the distilleries in North Carolina, including moonshine from Troy & Sons in Asheville, Cardinal Gin from Southern Artisan Spirits in Kings Mountain, Rum from Muddy River Distillery in Belmot, Apple Moonshine from Petzold Distilleries, Howling Moon in Asheville, and TOPO Organic Spirits from Top of the Hill Distillery in Chapel Hill and more. 

Come and enjoy the food and sample wonderful drinks and spirits. Chefs and Mixologists will compete to see who will be represented at ELIXIR and at the GRAND TASTING. The 2015 ELIXIR event is on Thursday, August 20 and the GRAND TASTING is August 22 at the US Cellular Center. Think of this as Theater. Purchase your tickets today: ashevillewineandfood.com 

Boilerplate: You will be noshing on award-winning amuse-bouche small plates provided by acclaimed Asheville Chefs for your pleasure. Meet the distilleries producing regionally and national brands and sample their spirits. A host of area bars and regional distillers will be on hand to serve samples of their latest and greatest concoctions. Watch locally recognized mixologists step out from behind the bar and into the spotlight for a mixology competition of craft spirits. 

During AMUSE (May 1) and ESSENCE (June 26), the competing Chefs and Mixologists will be judged by you, the attendee, to determine who will get a chance to be at ELIXIR. You get to enjoy the spirits, the food, and the action. 

Buy your tickets on-line or Contact: Kris Kraft, Festival Director contactasheville@gmail.com (828) 200-1502 and Melissa Mathews, PR/Marketing mmathews.email@gmail.com (828) 545-2511 or find more information at: www.ashevillewineandfood.com   (adults 21+ only).

Antique Tractor and Engine Show in Asheville

October 25-27 Fall Harvest Days 27th Annual Antique Engine and Tractor Show   Held at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center. This is the largest show in Western NC and features crafters, demonstrations, farm tools, antique engines, antique tractor pulls and swap meet.

The Antique Engine and Tractor Show features antique tractors, hit n’ miss engines of all sizes, tractor pulls and lots of vendors selling parts. Three full days of activities include crafters, sawmill and hit n’ miss engines. More than 250 vendors/exhibitors with tools, antiques, collectibles, toys and odd stuff. There will be a Tractor Parade daily, weather permitting at 3:00 PM.

The event will be held rain or shine, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM with Admission of $8/day, Children under 12 free with paid adult.

Get a link for the Fall Harvest Days Antique Engine and Tractor Show, nearby lodging and attractions on the Asheville NC Visitor Guide.

GoomBay! Festival in Asheville

August 24-26   31st Annual Goombay Festival  A three day African-Caribbean festival, located in downtown Asheville, that lives up to its West African name, meaning rhythm or drum, with rhythmic sounds and colorful sights.

photo from
www.RomanticAsheville.com

The Goombay dancers wear colorful costumes and high headdresses topped with feathers. Located on Eagle Street in downtown Asheville.

Get a link for the Goombay Festival and other Asheville events on the Asheville NC Visitor Guide.

Asheville Wine and Food Festival

August 23-25   Asheville Wine and Food Festival   The festival features a mixologist contest, a wine competition, culinary demonstrations, the WNC Chefs Challenge, "Sweet", countless opportunities to meet, greet, and learn from area culinary experts, and plenty of tasty products to purchase and take home – plus, a fashion show of designer culinary and dinner apparel.

The Festival brings together the finest regional, national, and international wines, exceptional local restaurants, craft beer and spirits, and handcrafted artisanal foods for three days of palate-pleasing indulgence. This highly anticipated event, recognized by the New York Post as one of the best of its kind, is held in the heart of the city’s lively downtown, where festival-goers will find a treasure of independent, farm-to-table restaurants and a colorful street performer on every corner, from musicians to magicians to living statues.

The Grand Tasting on Saturday from 1:30- 5 PM will showcase area chefs, wineries, farmers, and artisan food producers.  General admission ticket holders will have several hours to sip, sample, and shop. Asheville and the surrounding area boast award-winning chefs and restaurants, many whom you’ll have the chance to meet. Wine producers and distributors will be on hand as well, letting guests sample local, regional, and national labels.

Get a link for tickets and more details for the Asheville Wine and Food Festival and other Asheville festivals on the Asheville NC Visitor Guide.

Bele Chere Festival - a Weekend of Arts, Music and Food in Asheville

July 27-29   Bele Chere Festival   This lively Asheville weekend event is the largest free outdoor street festival in the Southeast. The three-day festival on the streets of Downtown Asheville features live, original music all day and night for 200,000 festival-goers.

Bele Chere means "beautiful living" and comes from an ancient Scottish dialect. Bele Chere offers the unique opportunity to see, taste and hear some of the region's finest art, cuisine and music.

Visual arts at the festival are displayed at the Art Park as well as throughout the Festival grounds.  The Arts Park features some of the best artists of Bele Chere, exhibiting jewelry, photography, pottery, woodwork, paintings, and metalwork. All items sold in the Arts Park are handmade. Visit the selected artists in the Drhumor and Asheville Savings Bank lots on Patton Avenue between Church Street and Lexington Avenue.

This year's musical line-up includes Antique Firearms, an indie rock band;  ArtOfficial, eschewing the simple magic of beat machines and samples for the irreplaceable warmth of organic instrumentation, and a meticulous care for crafting music with soul;  Baby Rattlesnakes, equal parts soulful jazz, appalachian folk, and catchy pop;  Balsalm Range, a blend of jazz - bluegrass - country and gospel;  and dozens of other original and renowned musicians.

Food and Beverages at the Festival go WAY beyond the usual over-warmed wieners. Experience Foodtopia at the Taste of Asheville in Pack Square. The Taste of Asheville features local restaurants, showcasing a sampling of some of the best cuisine in Asheville, from The Corner Kitchen and the Lobster Trap to Ultimate Ice Cream and Glam Ham Pork Rinds. Pritchard Park Food Court Vendors offer both traditional festival fare along with taste treats from the Amish Baking Co., Party in a Pita, Sherri's Crab Cakes, Steak Boys Inc., Tropical Delights and dozens more.  Beverage booths are located throughout the festival for a pause to refresh with water, soft drinks, beer and wine as well as microbrews from most of Asheville's acclaimed craft brewers.

Additional Bele Chere Festival activities include: The Purina Air Dogs;  The Kids area with a a mix of crafts, rides, and performances;  Easel Rider - Asheville’s Mobile Art Lab;  Nonprofit Booths such as Hats for Humanity;  KISS Country Karaoke to sing your favorite country song; The 33rd Bele Chere 5K hosted by the Asheville Track Club;  Asheville's Urban Trail and Public Art.

Memorial Day Weekend Events: 12th Annual Mountain Sports Festival in Asheville

May 25-27     12th Annual Mountain Sports Festival   Experience Springtime in Asheville, NC at the 2012 Mountain Sports Festival. Bring your family and friends to Carrier Park for the outdoor music & sports event of the year!  Start your summer off with 3 days of outdoor sports, live music and beer.

Get more Asheville information and a link for the Mountain Sports Festival on the Asheville NC Visitor Guide.

9th Annual Monford Music and Arts Festival Today in Asheville

May 19      9th Annual Monford Music and Arts Festival  The largest one day free music and arts festival in WNC. The event is held on two streets- Montford and Soco- with over 100 vendors of art, crafts, plants and food.  Two stages offer non stop entertainment from 20 groups and a children’s area. Located down from Asheville Visitors Center in Historic Montford with on street parking and bike corral. Held rain or shine.