Catch a Montford Park Players show at Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre. | Photo by AVLtoday
If your summer bucket list looks like it’s going to break the bank, it’s time to write a new draft. To help you out, we’ve gathered 20+ free activities for maximizing fun and minimizing spending.
Show the library some love
Your library card is the ticket to lots of free resources, like board games and seed packets. It also grants you access to plenty of free online perks, like movies to stream and language lessons.
Use your library card to reserve a ZOOM pass for free admission to local attractions like Buncombe County pools, the Asheville Museum of Science, Cradle of Forestry, NC Arboretum, and more.
Immerse yourself in the arts
Get in tune with local music and check out Live Music Asheville for a comprehensive list of shows — many are free.
If theater arts are more your scene, admission is free for the Montford Park Players’ summer season — the troupe’s 2025 season, “A Season of Lunatics, Lovers, & Poets,” runs through late October.
Pro tip: There are always plenty of unique, fun, and(best of all) free events posted on our events calendar.
Life Depends on Rivers | 5-7 p.m. | New Belgium Brewing | Price of purchase | Join American Rivers, RiverLink, and MountainTrue to raise a glass for the French Broad and learn how to get involved to protect it.
Friday, June 13
Brews & Bears | Friday, June 13, Friday, July 11, Friday, Aug. 8 | 5:30-8 p.m. | WNC Nature Center | $10+ | Come out of hibernation to stroll through the Nature Center with a beverage in hand and support the wildlife.
Moonshine and Motorsports in Buncombe County | 7-9 p.m. | Weaverville Community Center | Free | The author, professor, and self proclaimed “professional hillbilly” will fill you in on the region’s historic relationship with racing, moonshine, and the film “Thunder Road.”
“Shiver in the Pines” | Friday, June 13-Saturday, June 14 | Times vary | Wortham Center for the Performing Arts | $20+ | See the modern multi-media ballet bring characters of Southern Appalachia alive, set to music from Tyler Ramsey.
Saturday, June 14
Pride 5K | 8-11 a.m. | Carrier Park | $34 | After walking or running the course, celebrate with LGBTQ+ fitness organizations, businesses, and vendors and hear from Blue Ridge Pride speakers.
West Side Stories: West Asheville of the ‘50s and ‘60s | 11 a.m.-1 p.m. | Universal Joint | Free | Uncover the hidden histories of the 700 block of Haywood Road with West Asheville native Robert M. Randolph II and West Asheville Library staff.
Back for Seconds: A Shrimp Pop-Up | 2-7 p.m. | Addison Farms Vineyard, Leicester | Price of purchase | Chefs Brooke and Mal will take your tastebuds to the sea with shrimp toasts, spring rolls, and chilled cucumber gazpacho, just to name a few dishes.
Sunday, June 15
Yoga in the Park Asheville | 10-11:15 a.m. | West Asheville Park | $15+ | Set your intentions for the practice before moving into the slow to moderately-paced outdoor flow.
Dirty Logic: A Night of Yacht Rock | 7 p.m. | The Grey Eagle | $31 | Treat Dad to an evening of smooth, soft rock tunes from the local band.
VEG ER for Pets open-concept hospital means your pet is never out of your sight. | Photo provided by VEG ER for Pets
A sick pet is always scary, but your emergency care experience doesn’t have to be.
From dogs + cats to exotic animals, VEG ER for Pets Asheville offers top-notch pet care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Plus, their open-concept hospital means your furry friend is never out of sight.
Paw-sitive experiences, no appointment needed
When you visit VEG ER’s Hendersonville Road location, you’re greeted right at the door, no appointment necessary.
There’s also no waiting room, and you can stay with your pet from diagnostics + treatment all the way through recovery. No closed doors. No stressed-out pets.
Two Esquire editors walk into a local bar... and name it one of the best in America. The men’s magazine highlighted Crucible in the RAD for its low-key and lovely vibe and its classic and slightly elevated cocktails. We’ll raise an expertly made Corpse Reviver No. 2 to that.
Civic
Asheville City Council adopted a $256 million FY26 budget at its Tuesday, June 10 meeting. Notably, the budget raises the current property tax rate to 44.19 cents per $100 of assessed valuation to fund pay raises for city staff and maintain the fund balance.
Outdoors
Obi-Wan the otter has a new friend. Meet Anakin, the WNC Nature Center’s new American River Otter. The five-year-old arrives at the center after being deemed non-releasable by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. Plan a trip to the wildlife park to see Anakin and three new goat kids.
Eat
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project has released its annual Local Food Guide, connecting you to Appalachian Grown-certified farms, markets, restaurants, and grocers throughout WNC. Read recovery stories and special recipes from Red Fiddle Vittles and Taqueria Rosita online or pick up a copy at your local library or farmers market.
Coming Soon
Are you seeing this? Warby Parker is opening up a shop in Biltmore Park Town Square this Saturday, June 14. Bonus: The location is offering 15% off when you buy two or more pairs of prescription glasses. But if you’re looking for even more fashionable frames, L’optique is a very stylish local option.
Cause
The finalists for Kudzu Brands’ $15K Brand Giveaway have been announced. It’s up to the public to vote for the winning local minority-owned business or nonprofit by Sunday, June 29. You can vote once per day.
Real Estate
Need your property to sell fast? Feature it here, in front of our 51,000+ highly engaged readers. Visit our self-service ad portal to get started and see your property in AVLtoday in as little as two days.
If “Yellowstone” taught us anything, it’s to protect what’s yours. With gold projected to hit $4,000 an ounce by 2026, a gold IRA is a tax-advantaged way to saddle up for uncertain times.†*
Read
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New sheets at a great discount. Get 70% off these cooling bamboo blend waffle hem sheets, with a queen set only costing $28.99. The 1800 thread count sheets are hypoallergenic, machine washable, and crafted from bamboo-derived fabric that keeps you cool in summer.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
One of my favorite spots, Heiwa Shokudo, is hosting a special pop-up this weekend, serving a limited menu of donburi. Visit the cozy Lexington Avenue restaurant tomorrow, June 13 and Saturday, June 14 between 4 and 8 p.m. to dine on a delicious Japanese rice bowl with your choice of meat, seafood, and veggies.
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