The best way to enjoy an authentic Asheville experience is by attending the various local events that take place throughout the year, and as you begin to plan your North Carolina summer vacation, you may be wondering what events are occurring during your stay. Asheville is a vibrant and exciting city, thriving in the shadows of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and our festivals and Asheville summer events reflect the magic, ensuring that your stay, especially when you choose our Mighty Tree Properties to reside in, will be one you never forget. This guide to the top can’t miss events in Asheville will give you some ideas on what you can do with yourself in between all your comfortable adventures at home in our seasonal sanctuaries.
Asheville Honey Fest, Early June, Highland Brewing, 12 Old Charlotte Highway
For about four years now, Asheville has been buzzing with excitement the first week in June as the Asheville Honey Fest comes flying into town with a sweet vibe and an earnest message. You’d have to be living in a cave not to have heard about the decline of the honeybee, but did you know that blueberry and cherry crops are 90% dependent on honeybee pollination? We’ve also heard that broccoli is very dependent on the bees, but we’re ok with that; it’s just the berries and cherries that worry us! In any case, this wonderful festival draws attention to the plight of the honeybees, while offering live music, food vendors, and all the honey you can eat. The finals of the International Black Jar Honey Competition happens over the fest and proceeds will go to more honeybee research. And because doing a good deed can be fun and whimsical, visitors are invited to come dressed in their best pollinator costumes!
The Bedroom Communities
The town of Asheville also branches out into smaller neighboring communities, including the town of Fairview, where some of our most popular properties are located. Offering homes built for families, the one you choose may have a large backyard filled with pools, outdoor games, seating areas, firepit, and propane grills. Inside, you may find game rooms, home theaters, and quiet and cozy nooks encouraging you to take a seat, pull out a book, and relax as hard as you play. These spaces will embrace you with warmth and light and somehow will look even better with all the jars of honey you buy at the honey fest resting on their kitchen counters!
Land of the Sky Burlesque Festival, June, Diana Wortham Theater, 18 Biltmore Avenue
This first festival is a relatively new addition to the annual events offered in our mountain town, but it is rapidly becoming one of the most popular. The Land of the Sky Burlesque Festival offers three days of color, magic, and entertainment with some of the biggest names in burlesque strutting their stuff for our approval and admiration. Every year provides a different lineup, and each night of the performance will offer a different host, but the one consistency in this fantastic event is that every show every year is one that always leaves us wanting more! Weekender passes sell out early, so if you think you will want to watch every show over the long weekend, be sure to visit their website in advance. A Sunday brunch is included in the festivities, so be sure to purchase your tickets for that as well!
Brennan Brook Community
The neighborhoods in Asheville may not be what you are used to, as the houses offer lots more than a postage-stamp sized lot; they feature privacy and seclusion while still managing to be close to all that is fun about the area, and our homes in the Brennan Brooke neighborhood are the perfect example. Spacious yet charming and offering proximity to the River Arts District where the Diana Wortham Theater is located (just 8 minutes away!), guests will enjoy peace and quiet when they need it, and the hilarity of the burlesque festival without having to drive far. Our homes in this neighborhood offer luxury amenities that include crystal-clear pools that can be heated at an extra cost, game rooms, home theaters and so many more special extras you may find it difficult to pull yourself away from all the fun and relaxation you are experiencing to go out and explore Asheville!
Independence Day Block Party, South Slope Brewing District, Downtown, July 4
Although Asheville is not really a small town at its heart, it retains the charm you have come to expect from a town much smaller than it is, and the Independence Day Block Party is a fantastic example. Offering family friendly activities that include games, music, and food, and in some years, performances by the Ultimate Air Dogs, dogs performing amazing tricks that simply must be seen to be believed. The event begins at 5 PM on July 4th and, of course, ends with a fireworks spectacular that lights up the sky so wonderfully, it can probably be seen from the porch or back deck of your Mighty Tree Properties summer retreat. Most of our homes are going to be located within 10 to 20 minutes away from the downtown area, and this proximity will ensure that when you do return home, your drive may not be long enough for your tired kids to fall asleep, and you won’t have to carry them inside!
Close to the Pisgah National Forest Trail
Now one of the best things about choosing Mighty Tree Properties is the contrast between urban and rural life, and our homes that are located just 15 minutes away from the South Slope Brewing District may also be close to the Pisgah National Forest Trail. These homes will be filled with modern amenities that include gourmet kitchens, state of the art televisions, even electric vehicle chargers. But when you step outside into a yard that is immaculately groomed, the trees that surround the home may make you feel you are living the luxe life out in a forest far from any human contact. Inside you may spend rainy evenings watching movies in the home theater but outside, under a covered patio, the rain falls onto the thirsty landscape, the sounds drowning out any traffic noises or other reminders that your family isn’t the only inhabitants and after your 4th of July celebrations, this seclusion, perceived isolation, and privacy may be just what you need!
Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands, Harrah’s Cherokee Center, Mid-July
The Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands is one of those events that we look forward to every year, saving our pennies and working out our arm and back muscles in advance to ensure that we have the strength to hold all the items we purchase! This fair offers the best our local artisan can create, working in all art genres, including clay, wood, metal, glass, fiber, paper, leather, and our personal favorite, jewelry. The masterpieces offered at this fantastic festival just make our hearts happy, and honestly, we really don’t think the four days it lasts just isn’t long enough. (Thankfully they come back in the fall, but that’s another story we will probably talk about at a much later date!) Over 100 juried artists will be offering not just things to buy, but live demonstrations and hands-on craft education continuing the Appalachian tradition of creativity for the next generation to appreciate and understand a history that goes back hundreds of years. There is a food court if you start feeling weak from hunger, but you might want to consider stepping outside and exploring the culinary landscape of downtown; admission ($12 in 2025) is good for re-entry.
Our West Asheville Retreats
Most of the homes we offer in Asheville are located close to the downtown area so no matter which property you choose, you won’t have far to go to explore the town. Our West Asheville retreats, for example, are about a 15-minute drive away from the Craft Fair, meaning your treasures won’t have far to travel when you are done shopping. West Asheville is known for its luxury homes and lifestyle and wouldn’t you know, our properties complement the vibe. Light and bright and equipped with high end materials, including wood floors, granite countertops, and gas fireplaces that can be turned on with the flip of a switch, guests feel pampered and spoiled when they reside within. Outside, you may find hot tubs nestled under wood decks and large yards bordered by mature trees that aid in privacy and add an element of tranquility to your vacation experiences. Places to sit, places to eat, and barbecue grills that will offer another way to prepare an evening meal on a cool summer night; these spaces have it all!
Mountain Dance and Folk Festival, Late July, Early August, Asheville High School
Music has always been important to us in the Appalachians and you may be surprised at how much our music is important to you. Name a genre and chances are it has it base in Appalachian music and when you attend our Mountain Dance and Folk Festival, you may recognize the beats of your favorite rock music, the smooth vocals of the jazz song you are obsessed with, or the depth of meaning that relates to the gospel music that you have always loved. Our music is important, and this festival is a three-day celebration of the storytellers, the musicians, the ones who can’t keep their feet from tapping and the ones who can’t keep their voices from singing. For nearly 100 years the festival has been THE one we wait for, missing it as soon as the last note plays. And as you sing along to the songs you know and tap your feet in time to the ones you may not know, you will be participating in a tradition that has been handed down for generous in our North Carolina mountain town.
The Wonder of Weaverville
Weaverville is another bedroom community outside of Asheville and is another town in which you can find some of our Mighty Tree Properties vacation escapes. Located just minutes away from Asheville High School where the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival is held, the homes we offer here are large ones, providing as many as 7 bedrooms and room for up to 18 guests. Many properties will be built into the North Carolina hills, featuring multiple levels with multiple views and because you are perched so high up, those views will be stunners. Offering jetted tubs, home theaters, game rooms, and so many luxury amenities we simply don’t have the time to list them all here. Suffice it to say we spent a lot of time researching what guests would need to feel spoiled, pampered, and as comfortable as if they were in their own homes, and the difference between Mighty Tree and other companies will immediately be apparent!
So Much to See and Do
Even if you don’t manage to attend any of our local events and festivals there will be so much to see and do during your Asheville wanderings you may decide to book a return visit, just to have more time to play. Our mountain town is as diverse as the properties we offer here, and our properties are designed to be an integral part of your vacation experience, ensuring there will be no sour notes hit during your North Carolina vacation. You will learn a lot (Did you know Asheville is sometimes called “Beer City USA” because of all our breweries?), you will play a lot (the Asheville Pinball Museum is a fascinating attraction), and you will relax in comfort and luxury simply because you chose our Mighty Tree Properties vacation North Carolina retreats for your home sweet vacation home. Reserve your favorite summer sanctuary today and discover all the things that will make you wish you could stay with us forever!