25 MustDo events for fall

Hello Fall, we’re so glad you’re finally here. 🍂👋 WNC + specifically Asheville are home to some of the best festivals, events, family fun activities + of course the best views for fall colors.

So whether you’re a local looking for something fun to do or have visitors coming for a weekend trip, we’ve gathered all the apple eating, beer tasting, adventure seeking, leaf peeping, music + art viewing, fun-for-all-ages events to make sure this fall season is the best one yet.

Everything from fall farmers markets to Greek Fest, Barnaroo, LEAF Fest, Oktoberfest and so much more.

See 25 MustDo events here.⬇

🍂Sky Top Orchard Visit | 📅 Open daily through early December | 9 a.m.–6 p.m. | Sky Top Orchard | 📍1193 Pinnacle Mountain Rd, Flat Rock | 💸 Free | Pick-your-own apples, plus hay rides, a bamboo forest, a small farm, apple cider + donuts, and more. Other local orchards include: Barber Orchard, Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard, Grandad’s Apples + Lyda Farms.

🍂WNC Farmers Market | 📅 Open Daily–year around | 🕗 8 a.m.–6 p.m. through Oct. and 8 a.m.–5 p.m. through Nov. | 📍570 Brevard Rd. | 💸 Free | Stock up on fall produce to get ready for apple + pumpkin pie season. The Farmers Market is open daily, but notable dates are: Apple Tasting: Sept. 28 at 11 a.m.–1 p.m., The Pumpkin Celebration: Oct. 19 11 a.m.–1 p.m. + Sweet Potato Day: Nov. 16 11 a.m.–1 p.m.

🍂Navitat Canopy Tour | 📅 Open daily | 🕗 8 a.m.–5 p.m. | Navitat Canopy Adventures |📍242 Poverty Branch Rd, Barnardsville | 💸 $99+ | What better way to experience the fall foliage than literally flying though it? Navitat offers 2+ hour tours that feature a 1250 feet long + 200 feet high zipline, rappelling, rope bridges, side by side ziplines, a nearly ¾ mile zipline + a 65 mph ride. See our Navitat guide here. Protip: show your local ID and get 15% off Sunday-Thursday all season long.

🍂Eliada Corn Maze | 📅 Sept. 15 – Oct. 28 | 🕗 T-TR: 9 a.m–3 p.m., Fri: 9 a.m.–8 p.m., Sat: 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. | Eliada Children’s Home |📍2 Compton Dr. | 💸 $10, children under 3 area free | This year is the 10th anniversary of the corn maze. Other attractions include: a giant jumping pillow, corn cannons, hay rides, a story trail, tube slides and a spider web climber. Beer + cider will be for sale after 5 on Friday, all day Saturday + after noon on Sunday. Protip: check out Groupon for a 50% off ticket for 2 or 4.

🍂Boys + Girls Clubs Golf Classic | 📅 Sat., Sept. 25 | 🕗 10 a.m.–6 p.m. | The Cliffs at Walnut Cove |📍158 Walnut Valley Parkway, Arden | 💸 $1,250 for 4 golfers | The day includes lunch and dinner, player gifts + prize packages.

🍂Asheville Barnaroo | 📅 Sept. 28-30 | 🕗 All Day | Franny’s Farm |📍22 Franny’s Farm Road

Leicester | 💸 $10+ | 3 days of music over 38 acres showcasing local + regional singer songwriters + bands in the rock & roll, hard rock, folk, americana, bluegrass + funk genres

🍂NOC Guest Appreciation Festival | 📅 Sept. 28 – 30 | 🕗 8 a.m.–9 p.m. | Nantahala Outdoor Center |📍13077 W Hwy 19, Bryson City | 💸 Free | Snag outdoor gear and apparel at low prices from the new and used gear sale, check out local vendors, listen to live music + enjoy activities for all ages.

🍂Greek Festival | 📅 Sept. 28-30 | 🕗 11 a.m.–9 p.m., 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Sunday | Holy Trinity

Greek Orthodox Church |📍227 Cumberland Ave. | 💸 Free | Experience Greek culture with food, music, dancing + more.

🍂36th Annual Asheville Quilt Show | 📅 Fri., Sept. 28-30 | 🕗 Friday + Saturday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sunday: 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. | Davis Event Center at the WNC Agricultural Center |📍775 Boylston Highway | 💸 $7 | See over 350 quilts + special exhibits, demonstrations, and vendors.

🍂Asheville Coffee Expo | 📅 Sat., Sept. 29 | 🕗 10 a.m.–2 p.m. | PennyCup Coffee Co. |📍Ralph St. | 💸 Free | An annual celebration of all things caffeinated

🍂10th Annual Blue Ridge Pride Festival | 📅 Sat., Sept. 29 | 🕗 11 a.m.–7 p.m. |📍Pack Square Park | 💸 Free | Three performance stages, 175 booths + 2 dozen food vendors, plus a Pride Processional through downtown Asheville.

🍂No Place Like Homeplace Beer Fest | 📅 Sat., Sept. 29 | 🕗 10 a.m.–5 p.m. |📍Downtown Burnsville | 💸 $25 | Homeplace Brewery is hosting 15 WNC breweries, local food trucks and live music for their inaugural beer fest.

🍂Guided Fly Fishing Trip | 📅 Oct. 1–Nov. 30 | 🕗 10 a.m.–6 p.m. |📍Hunter Banks Fly Fishing Company | 💸 $200+ | DYK: Fish are freshly-stocked rivers + streams in WNC?

🍂Oktoberfest | 📅 Sat., Oct. 6 | 🕗 1–6 p.m. |📍Pack Square Park | 💸 GA Tickets $45 | Includes 2-oz. samples, a stein glass and access to entertainment and activities.

🍂Food Truck + Craft Beer Festival | 📅 Sat., Oct. 6 | 🕗 noon–5 p.m. | Asheville Outlets |📍800 Brevard Rd. | 💸 $5+ | Bonus: live music, lawn games + an artisan market

🍂Hey Day Fall Festival | 📅 Sat., Oct. 6 | 🕗 10 a.m.–4 p.m. | WNC Nature Center |📍75 Gashes Rd. | 💸 $6+ | The family-friendly event includes games, arts and crafts, educational animal programs, local food vendors + wildlife from the Nature Center.

🍂WNC Garlic Fest | 📅 Sat., Oct. 6 | 🕗 noon–6 p.m. | Sow True Seed |📍243 Haywood Street | 💸 Free | A celebration of all things garlic, including the WNC Garlic Trail, garlic workshops, food trucks, music + family activities

🍂Peak Week Fall Leaves Parkway Drive | 📅 Sat., Oct. 6 – Saturday, Oct. 13 |📍Blue Ridge Parkway | 💸 Free | The second and third week of October should be the best times to see the leaves this year

🍂CiderFest | 📅 Sat., Oct. 13 | 🕗 1–5 p.m. | Salvage Station |📍468 Riverside Drive | 💸 GA Tickets $33 | Includes a tasting glass, unlimited cider, mead, apple wine, and food samples, plus live music and local arts + crafts. Bonus: CiderFest is the Green Built Alliance’s largest fundraiser.

🍂Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest | 📅 Sat., Oct. 13 | 🕗 5–10 p.m. |📍Six Row Field, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company | 💸 $30 | w/ festbier, feasting, costumes, dancing + live music

🍂LEAF Festival | 📅 Oct. 18-21 | 🕗 Thurs: 6:30–11 p.m., Fri: 8 a.m.–Midnight, Sat: 8 a.m.–2:15 a.m., Sun: 8 a.m.–6 p.m. | 💸 $46+ |📍Lake Eden, Black Mountain | Fall fest headliners include Digable Planets, Railroad Earth, Kishi Bashi + more, plus local acts like BomBassic, Carly Taich + Yellow Feather.

🍂Bookwalter Binge Gran Fondo | 📅 Sat., Oct. 28 | 🕗 8 a.m.–5 p.m. |📍Warren Wilson College | 💸 $70+ | Amateur + pro cyclists welcome for a day of cycling on three routes

🍂Beaverdam Studio Tour | 📅 Sat., Oct. 27-28 | 🕗 Sat: 10 a.m–5 p.m., Sun: noon–5 p.m. |📍Various locations | 💸 Free | Visit up to 26 studios during this self-guided tour.

🍂Halloween Haunted Tour | 📅 Mon., Oct. 29-31 | 🕗 7 p.m. + 8:30 p.m. |📍Dark Ride Tours | 💸 $40 | Hop into host Virgil Nightshade’s haunted hearse + learn all about Asheville’s spookiest spots. Multiple dates + times available; see website for details.

🍂Asheville Holiday Parade | 📅 Sat., Nov. 17 | 🕗 11 a.m.–1 p.m. |📍Downtown Asheville | 💸 Free | 100+ paraders, including local businesses, bands + more. Protip: Head to Pack Square Park after the parade to get pictures with Santa.

Whether it’s one of the many items on this list or something else, don’t miss out on making memories this fall season. It seems as if we wait so long for fall weather to come + then it leaves us so quickly.

Grab some friends or family, make new traditions, continue old ones or just do something different for a change. And as always, be sure to tag us in pics of all your fall-time events + activities on Instagram + Facebook.

Happy Fall-ing Asheville!🍂

–Kristie (AVLtoday Intern)