Orange you glad it’s fall? | Photo by @sonofa_bear
To us, there’s nothing more spectacular than watching the local leaves turn from vibrant shades of green to amber, scarlet, and rust. September has just begun, but with Blue Ridge Parkway access now open from Asheville to Cherokee, we’re counting down until the Land of the Sky goes gold.
Fall color starts at high elevations and paints its way down. Appalachian State’s Dr. Howard Neufeld (aka the famous “Fall Color Guy”) and Michael Denslow created a map estimating Asheville’s peak color in the last two weeks of October.
While it’s early for specific predictions, certain weather trends often bring rich fall color: a wet spring, sunny fall days, cool nights, and moderate rainfall.
Wanna know some of our favorite leaf peeping places? Here are some driving-distance spots + pro tips for finding the best views.
If you’d rather explore the foliage on foot, click the button below for our guide to local hikes.
Village Artist Market Grand Opening Celebration | 4-7 p.m. | Village Artist Market | Free | The new Biltmore Village market features the work of 40+ local artists rebuilding after Helene — visit for refreshments, demos, music, and to meet the artists.
Goombay Festival | Thursday, Sept. 4-Sunday, Sept. 7 | Times vary | Pack Square Park | Free | The fest returns to celebrate the richness and diversity of the African diaspora with a full weekend of wellness events, music, food, and ticketed activities.
Bike-in Cinema | Thursday, Sept. 4-Thursday, Sept. 25 | 7-9 p.m. | New Belgium Brewing | Free | Every Thursday in September, bike to the brewery for a flick — this week, it’s “Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.”
Friday, Sept. 5
The Breakfast Club | 8 p.m. | The Orange Peel | $17 | Dance your heart out to ‘80s hits with this tribute band.
Art After Dark Market | Friday, Sept. 5-Friday, March 5 | 7-9 p.m. | rEvolve buy-sell-trade | Free+ | When the sun goes down, the vintage shop transforms into an art market with 12 vendors, music, and beverages.
NC Mountain State Fair | Friday, Sept. 5-Sunday, Sept. 14 | Times vary | Western North Carolina Ag Center, Fletcher | $5+ | Scream and shout on 35+ carnival rides, savor mouth-watering fair food, and enjoy local livestock shows during this all-out celebration of all things NC.*
Saturday, Sept. 6
Historic Burton Street Ag Fair | 12-6 p.m. | Burton Street Community Center | Free | The fair pays homage to the neighborhood’s founder, Edward W. Pearson, with live music, games, food, and a basketball tournament on the community center’s brand new court.
48 Hour Film Fest: A Selection of Award Winning Films | 1:30-4:30 p.m. | Pack Memorial Library | Free | Filmmakers, actors, and producers around the country had 48 hours to make a short film — now, you can watch the finest films nominated for awards.
Oktoberfest at The Funkatorium with Lagerhosen | 2-6 p.m. | The Funkatorium | Free | Oktoberfest at the Funk kicks off this weekend with live music from Lagerhosen, plus beer specials, more live music, and festive foods every weekend through October.*
The new location is expected to open by spring 2026. | Photo via Gemelli
Coming Soon
Gemelli announced that it will move from the Westgate Shopping Center to Andaaz’s former home to be part of Biltmore Village’s comeback. The new location will include a gelateria and chef’s table dining in the kitchen. Until the move, anticipated between November and spring 2026, the Italian restaurant will remain in the shopping center.
Announced
The City of Asheville announced that longtime city employee Jade Dundas has been appointed as one of Asheville’s two Assistant City Managers, serving alongside Ben Woody. Dundas has been Interim Assistant City Manager since March, following Rachel Wood’s exit.
Community
Since Helene, only a select few advisory boards and commissions have been meeting, while others are paused. The city announced that six boards have resumed regular meetings, while another 13 — including the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, Public Art & Culture Commission, and Urban Forest Commission — will be suspended until June 30, 2027. (Mountain Xpress)
Featured
Billboard profiled The Orange Peel for its Indie Venue of the Month, highlighting the last 20+ years of hosting artists like The Smashing Pumpkins and the Beastie Boys. The venue’s leadership team, most of whom have worked there for ~20 years, hopes to buy the business by year’s end.
Civic
Buncombe County is preparing for a 2026 property revaluation, its first since 2021, after last year’s attempt was delayed by Helene. During a public hearing, commissioners reviewed a new 263-page “schedule of values” designed to better balance assessments across “luxury and lower-end housing.” A final vote is set for Sept. 16. (Blue Ridge Public Radio)
Concert
Back to The Orange Peel. The venue will be popping up at Antique Tobacco Barn today, Sept. 4 and Saturday, Sept. 6 at 10 a.m. to offer a limited number of locals tickets for Sierra Ferrell’s benefit show at the venue on Monday, Sept. 15. Tickets will go for $53 with a two ticket max per person.
Arts
Local artist Kathryn Crawford’s fabulous floral murals can be seen all across Asheville, at places like Good Hot Fish, NC Glass Center, and Patton Avenue Pet Co. But soon, her work will adorn the rooftop of a women’s retreat in Sicily. Field trip, anyone?
Number
86. That’s how many Helene Community Briefings Buncombe County has hosted, with the last being yesterday, Sept. 3, nearly one year after the storm. The virtual briefings are ending, but recovery information will continue to be shared on the county website.
Job
Interested in shaping the future of an organization? How about community accessibility to nutritious food? Root Cause Farm is looking for an Executive Director — learn more and apply.*
When some of the big investors who backed companies like Uber and eBay before they IPO’d invest in a new company, people take note. That’s the case with Pacaso — 10,000+ everyday investors are already in. But the chance to join them ends Thursday, Sept. 18. Learn more about the opportunity.†‡*
Aside from megapacks and weekly coupons, did you know several retailers offer customers 55+ hefty discounts — sometimes up to 20% off? Learn about key Senior discounts and several more savings hacks older adults should know about to continue saving and building wealth at age 50+.*
To add to the fall foliage hype, budget travel service Dollar Flight Club released a report naming Asheville as the No. 1 most affordable fall foliage destination, with round-trip airfare averaging ~$170.
This means it’s time to spread the news to all of our out-of-town friends — and if you can’t play host, we have plenty of City Guides to point them to the best Asheville has to offer, from coffee shops to brunch restaurants and hiking spots.
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.
Next Thursday, Sept. 11, Soprana Rooftop Cucina downtown is hosting Rooftop for Relief, fundraising for BeLoved Asheville as we approach one year since Helene. The restaurant will donate $2 for every pizzette and $5 from every signature cocktail sold. Plus, 100% of the proceeds from raffle prizes (including a New Belgium cruiser) will be donated to the nonprofit.
‡‡Finance “investment method” disclaimer: This is a paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the Nasdaq is subject to approvals. Comparisons to other companies are for informational purposes only and should not imply similar success. Under Regulation A+, a company has the ability to change its share price by up to 20%, without requalifying the offering with the SEC.
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