Food festivals in Asheville worth planning a trip around, by month.
Food festivals in Asheville worth planning a trip around, by month.
AVL Beer Week is the annual celebration of Asheville's craft beverage industry, with brewery-specific events, tap takeovers and collaborations across the city. Editor pick.
Focus: Craft beer, brewery collaborations
Tip: No single ticket; individual events and tap takeovers run at each brewery. Check the official AVL Beer Week site for the rolling calendar.
Sourwood Festival in downtown Black Mountain runs the second weekend of August, celebrating the WNC mountain sourwood honey tradition. Live music, honey.
Focus: Sourwood honey, regional crafts
Tip: Free admission. 15 miles east of Asheville on US-70; pair with brunch at Trailhead Bar and a Dynamite Roasting stop.
North Carolina Apple Festival in downtown Hendersonville runs Labor Day weekend annually. Main Street fair, live music, apple-product vendors, the King Apple.
Focus: Apples, regional crafts, mountain food
Tip: Free admission. 25 miles south of Asheville on I-26. Park downtown and walk Main Street; arrive before 10:00 to beat the crowd.
Asheville Restaurant Week runs across two weeks in winter, with $16-50 prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus at participating downtown, South Slope and West Asheville restaurants.
Focus: Prix-fixe menus across the city
Tip: No tickets; book individual restaurants directly. Cúrate, The Market Place, Posana and Limones typically participate.
Goombay Festival at Pack Square Park celebrates African and Caribbean heritage with food vendors, live music and cultural performances. Run by YMI Cultural Center.
Focus: African and Caribbean food, Black Appalachian heritage
Tip: Free admission. Food vendors serve jerk chicken, curried goat, fried fish and Caribbean rice plates. Pair with a stop at nearby S and W Market on Patton Avenue.
Asheville VeganFest runs one Sunday at Pack Square Park in June with plant-based food trucks, vegan bakeries and lifestyle vendors. A fall edition runs in October.
Focus: Vegan food, plant-based vendors
Tip: Free entry. Arrive at noon when vendors open; most plates run under $15. The October sister edition is the larger of the two.
Asheville Greek Festival at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church is now in its 30+ year run, with gyros, souvlaki, spanakopita and homemade baklava from parishioner kitchens.
Focus: Greek food, pastries, gyros, baklava
Tip: Free entry. Friday-Saturday 11:00-21:00. Buy a meal ticket-book at the entrance to use across food stations; the bake-sale tent closes earlier on Saturday.
Asheville Spring Herb Festival at the WNC Agricultural Center in Fletcher runs 70+ vendors of culinary herbs, heirloom vegetables and local food trucks across the weekend.
Focus: Herbs, edible plants, foraging, regional food vendors
Tip: Free entry, free parking. Friday-Saturday 08:30-17:00, Sunday 10:00-15:00. 12 miles south of Asheville. The largest herb festival in the US.
LEAF Global Arts Festival moved to Deerfields in Mills River in 2026 after 30 years at Lake Eden. Global music plus a curated food village from chef-led culture keepers.
Focus: Global food vendors, culture-keeper kitchens
Tip: Three-day camping or single-day tickets. Buy in advance; gate prices jump. Spring edition typically runs in May at the same site.
NC Mountain State Fair at the WNC Agricultural Center in Fletcher runs 10 days of livestock, heritage crafts, fair food competitions and the regional food showcase.
Focus: Regional food, fair food, livestock, NC agricultural
Tip: Admission required; ride wristbands sold separately. 12 miles south of Asheville. Parking is free; arrive early on weekends to avoid Boylston Highway backups.