The Surreal Sirkus will help close out the month. | Photo by Jennifer Bennett
October is here, and in Asheville, that means music festivals, craft fairs, and Halloween happenings. Don’t know where to start? We’ve done the hard part — here are 25+ events for October that you won’t want to miss.
Festivals, fairs + markets
Burnpile | Saturday, Oct. 4 | 2 p.m. | Burial Forestry Camp | $52 | Allah-Las, Rattlesnake Milk, and Tombstone Poetry will provide the tunes, and more than 60 breweries from across the country will keep the beer flowing.
Lovely Asheville Fall Festival | Saturday, Oct. 11-Sunday, Oct. 12 | Times vary | Pack Square Park | Free | The family-friendly fest by Asheville Creative Arts and Lovely Asheville is filled with two full days of live music from artists like The Hypnotic Band, Detective Blind, Lyric, and Virtuous.
The 15th Surreal Sirkus Arts Festival | 12-10 p.m. | Pack Square Park | Free | Experimental theater, circus arts, and live music blend together for a festival spookily situated under the stars.
John C. Campbell Folk School Fall Festival | Saturday, Oct. 4-Sunday, Oct. 5 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | John C. Campbell Folk School, Brasstown | $10+ | Celebrate Appalachia at the 49th Annual Fall Festival with 230 craft vendors, 29 food vendors, music, dance, demos, and hands-on activities as the Folk School kicks off its 100th Anniversary.*
From affordable renovations to beautifully crafted new-builds, visitors will have the chance to explore a wide range of regional designs, price points, and styles up close and in person, and connect with the builders, architects, and designers behind them.
➡️ Go at your own pace
The self-guided setup also means you can pick and choose the properties that interest you in advance. No obligations, no entry fees — just show up and start finding inspo.
Official dates and times:
Saturday, Oct. 11 through Sunday, Oct. 12 | 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 18 through Sunday, Oct. 19 | 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“Come together, right now” for the second annual Sing the Beatles at The Mule on Friday, Oct. 24. House of Mercy will lead a free evening of sing-alongs, local musicians, and food truck fare.
Try This
Go Mountain Commuting, which also brings us Strive Not to Drive Week, is rolling out Commute Friendly WNC, a free workplace certification program supporting multimodal employees. Beyond reducing traffic congestion and improving air quality, there are plenty of perks for participating orgs.
Holiday
There’s even more frights in our future this Halloween season. Asheville Parks and Recreation kicks off its seasonal festivities this weekend with Barktoberfest on Sunday, Oct. 5 at 10 a.m. at Riverbend Park. Check out what other haunted happenings are in store... if you dare.
Cause
This week, more than 300 volunteers from the Home Depot Foundation, Appalachia Service Project, and 365 Connect worked to turn the former Quality Inn on Tunnel Road into ABCCM’s Veteran’s Village. Helene damaged the nonprofit’s former Veterans Restoration Quarters, and the new space will restore the permanent supportive housing service.
Read
It’s been a year since Chef Ashleigh Shanti released her debut cookbook, “Our South: Black Food Through My Lens.” And to celebrate the milestone, you can pick up a special signed copy of the book from her acclaimed South Slope restaurant, Good Hot Fish.
Featured Deal
Today only, save $50 on reception tickets for Pisgah Legal’s Justice Forum with code FLASH50. Celebrate MacArthur “Genius” Fellow + Harvard professor Imani Perry as she speaks on race, justice, and democracy. The forum is free, but this special reception offer ends today.*
Your must-have Halloween decor to celebrate the season, ranging from how cute to oh my:
👻 These three ceramic ghost lights are almost too cute to stand (and come with batteries).
🕯️ A No. 1 best-seller, this floating candle set will add flickering, cozy warmth to any Halloween display.
🧹 Floating witch hats show your Halloween spirit and are perfect for a party.
🕸️ The Addams family would approve of this black lace spiderweb cover decking out your mantle.
☠️ Make the neighbors do a double-take with a best-selling hands and skull set popping out of your yard.
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.
I’m a firm believer that ice cream should be eaten year round, which is why I always have a hard time seeing The Freeze close up shop at the end of the summer. But there’s still time for one more swirl soft serve cone covered in rainbow sprinkles. Stop by before this Sunday, Oct. 5 to end this season on a sweet note.
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