All Arts. All Ways. Spring Into Festivals, Markets & Events Across Buncombe County

Photo courtesy of Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center

Warm weather is on the way, and we’re starting a perfect season to get out and enjoy Buncombe County’s creative energy. The coming months bring a remarkable lineup of arts experiences in every direction. Whether you’re a longtime resident or just beginning to explore the region’s art scene, this guide will help you plan a season full of creative discovery.

Explore events by region below, and check ArtsAVL’s full events calendar for the latest details and additions as spring unfolds.

NORTH: WEAVERVILLE, WOODFIN, NORTH ASHEVILLE

From the tree-lined streets of Weaverville to the hilltop neighborhoods of North Asheville, the northern part of Buncombe County offers a warm welcome to arts lovers. Charming galleries, working studios, and community gatherings make this area an excellent area to start exploring.

Music on the Knoll
Weaverville Community Center
Saturday, March 14 | 6 PM–7:30 PM | Free
The beloved Music on the Knoll series—part of the Town of Weaverville’s community programming—continues its 2025–26 season with a special performance by the duo Chronology Music. Frank Southecorvo and Bryan White (formerly of Up Jumped Three) recently released their new album, ‘Stories We Tell,’ and will perform selections from it alongside other choice material.

Shamrock Festival
Florida Ave. & Merchants Alley, Weaverville
Monday, March 16 | 2 PM–6:00 PM | Free
Weaverville’s annual Shamrock Festival is a festive community celebration for St. Patrick’s Day, featuring live music, local vendors, and family-friendly fun right in the heart of downtown.

Bi-Annual Grovewood Village Studio Tour
Grovewood Village
Saturday–Sunday, May 2 & 3 | 12:00–5:00 PM | Free
During this free, self-guided tour, the working artists of Grovewood Village open their studios to the public, offering a window into their process. Visitors also enjoy 10% off at Grovewood Gallery next door and complimentary libations from Metro Wines. No tickets needed; just show up and explore at your own pace.

Weaverville Art Safari
Weaverville & Barnardsville
Monday & Tuesday, April 27-28 | 10:00 AM–5:00 PM | Free
One of the longest-running and most beloved studio tours in Western North Carolina, the Weaverville Art Safari invites visitors to spend a weekend meandering through the studios and galleries of 60+ local artists spread across the greater Weaverville area. The self-guided, free event lets you set your own pace as you experience the beauty of the region.

EAST: BLACK MOUNTAIN, SWANNANOA, EAST ASHEVILLE

The eastern part of the county is where art is shaped by nature and heritage. Galleries, fiber arts, and musical gatherings thrive among the valleys and peaks of this creative corridor.

{Re}HAPPENING 14
Historic Black Mountain College Campus at Lake Eden, Black Mountain
Saturday, April 25 | Times Vary | Ticketed
{Re}HAPPENING transforms the historic grounds of Black Mountain College for one extraordinary day each spring. The Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center fills the lakeside campus with installations, new media, music, and live performance by regional and national artists. Featured artists for 2026 are forthcoming.

Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
Black Mountain Center for the Arts
May 8-17 | Ticketed
In a walk-up apartment on Manhattan’s West Side, the curtain rises on Frankie (a waitress) and Johnny (a short-order cook who works in the same restaurant). She has had more disappointments than delights in life, he’s the veteran of one broken marriage already, and neither of them is in the bloom of youth. Yet out of their sometimes touching, sometimes hilarious interplay, the promise of a relationship beyond a “one-night stand” begins to emerge.

Fiber Day
Folk Art Center Southern Highland Craft Guild
Saturday, May 9 | 10:00 AM-4:00 PM |Free
Hosted by the Southern Highland Craft Guild in connection with their Arts & Crafts Antique Show and Conference, Fiber Day is a focused celebration of textile arts and fiber-based craftsmanship. It’s an ideal event for weavers, quilters, knitters, and anyone who loves the intersection of art and craft.

LEAF: Deep Roots Family Friendly One-Day Festival
Pisgah Brewing Company, Black Mountain
Saturday, May 30 | 12:00 PM-11:00 PM | Details to Come
In addition to its beloved fall festival, LEAF Global Arts hosts special springtime events that bring world music, dance, and global culture to Black Mountain. Mark your calendar for Deep Roots: A Family Friendly One-Day Festival. More details to come!

DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE

Downtown Asheville is the creative center of Buncombe County. This spring, its streets, stages, and parks overflow with comedy, performance, music, markets, and community celebrations. There is, quite literally, something for every arts enthusiast.

Holi Hai! Chai Pani Celebration
Banks Avenue, Downtown Asheville
Friday, March 6| 4:00–9:00 PM | Free
Chai Pani shuts down Banks Avenue and turns it into a full-on Holi night market: a joyful street celebration of the Hindu festival of spring, love, and renewal. Expect a bhangra dance floor and Bollywood DJ, live pani puri stations, Holi colors and a photo booth, street food stalls, and special pop-ups from some of Chai Pani’s closest friends. Plus, it’s completely free to attend.

Asheville Fringe Arts Festival
Multiple Downtown Venues
March 15–22, 2026 | Multiple Times | Ticketed
Now in its 24th year, the Asheville Fringe Arts Festival is a week-long celebration of daring, boundary-pushing performance. The festival features local and traveling artists exploring the edges of theater, dance, comedy, puppetry, and more. Ticketed shows are concentrated from Thursday, March 19, through Sunday, March 22, with a kickoff on March 15.

Tiny Beautiful Things
NC Stage Company
March 18–April 5, 2026 | Ticketed
Based on Cheryl Strayed’s bestselling book and adapted for the stage by Nia Vardalos, this deeply moving drama brings to life the anonymous advice column ‘Dear Sugar,’ and the struggling writer behind it. It’s a play about reaching when you’re stuck, healing when you’re broken, and finding the courage to face questions that have no easy answers. Opening Night Champagne Toast on March 21.

Asheville Symphony: Spring 2026 Season
Under Music Director Darko Butorac, the Asheville Symphony continues one of its strongest seasons in recent memory. Spring highlights include the continuation of the Masterworks Series, a voice recital from Isabel Leonard, ALT ASO performances, and a one-of-a-kind evening with Andrew Bird. Visit ashevillesymphony.org for full details and tickets.

Asheville Comedy Festival
Multiple Downtown Venues
Saturday – Monday, April 2–4, 2026 | Multiple Times | Ticketed
The Asheville Comedy Festival’s Spring Invasion brings 18 of the country’s fastest-rising comedy stars to Asheville for a packed weekend of showcases. One of the longest-running and most talent-friendly comedy festivals in the country, the event has helped launch careers of some of today’s household names in comedy. Shows are 18+.

Maker Faire Asheville
Mission Health / A-B Tech Conference Center
Sunday, April 5, 2026 | 10:00 AM–3:00 PM | Free
Part science fair, part county fair, Maker Faire is a family-friendly showcase of invention and creativity. Engineers, artists, crafters, educators, tinkerers, and hobbyists all come together to share what they’ve made and what they’ve learned, with an emphasis on interactive exhibits that send visitors of every age home inspired to make something themselves.

Hello, Dolly!
Asheville Community Theatre
April 10–May 3, 2026 | Ticketed
The irrepressible matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi comes to the ACT Mainstage in this Tony Award-winning classic, backed by a live 12-piece orchestra. Lavish costumes, spirited choreography, and an unforgettable score make this one of the season’s most purely joyful productions. Special performances include a Pay What You Can night (April 16), a Sing-Along show (April 23), and an ASL-interpreted performance (May 3).

Downtown After 5
Pack Square Park | April 17, May 15 | 5:00–9:00 PM | Free
Asheville’s free outdoor concert series returns for spring, transforming Pack Square Park into a lively gathering of live music, food, and community. Each event in the series is produced in partnership with a local organization, giving each night its own unique flavor and cause. The spring 2026 dates kick off the beloved summerlong series; check the events calendar as themes and headliners are announced.

Asheville Improv Festival
Multiple Downtown Venues
Thursday–Sunday, May 6–9, 2026 | Ticketed
Enjoy four days of quick-thinking comedy spread across downtown venues with the Asheville Improv Festival. It brings regional and national companies together for shows and workshops that keep the city lively and laughing after dark.

Memorial Day Weekend Festival of the Arts
Pack Square
Saturday–Sunday, May 23–24, 2026 | 10:00 AM–5:00 PM | Free
This Memorial Day Weekend tradition fills the streets of Pack Square with jewelry, paintings, glasswork, sculpture, and handmade work across every medium. Residents and visitors will see some of the finest locally made art alongside national artists’ works during this free, outdoor event.

WEST: RIVER ARTS DISTRICT, WEST ASHEVILLE, AND BEYOND

West Asheville and the River Arts District pulse with a working creative energy unlike anywhere else in the region. Open studios line the French Broad River, murals tell stories on every wall, and the community gathers regularly to celebrate the art being made right in front of their eyes.

Paws & Portraits: RAD Pet Stroll
River Arts District
Saturday, March 14 | 10:00 AM–5:00 PM | Free
The beloved RAD Pet Stroll gets a creative twist this spring. Walk the district with your four-legged companion while artists paint live pet portraits to raise funds for the RADA Foundation. Participating galleries will have special treats for pups and their art-collecting humans.

Village Potters Grand Reopening
The Village Potters Clay Center
Saturday, April 11 | 11:00 AM–7:00 PM | Free
A joyful moment for the RAD community: The Village Potters reopens the doors of their beautiful new facility for a full day of celebration. Tour the new space, watch live clay demonstrations, learn about classes and workshops for all skill levels, and explore the newly opened gallery.

Plant Club Pop-Up Market at Art Garden AVL
Art Garden AVL
3rd Saturday of Each Month | 11:00 AM–3:00 PM | Free
A recurring monthly market, this lush gathering brings together 6–10 local growers and makers, plus rare tropicals, native medicinals, handmade pots and trellises, botanical watercolors, cut flower bouquets, herbal salves, and more.

SOUTH: BILTMORE VILLAGE AND SOUTH ASHEVILLE

South Asheville is anchored by the spectacular Biltmore Estate, but the charming galleries and boutiques of Biltmore Village are not to be missed. This spring, the south end of the county welcomes the season with grand beauty.

Spring at Biltmore
Biltmore Estate
March 21–May 21, 2026 | Ticketed (Estate Admission)
Each spring, the 75 acres of gardens at the Biltmore Estate stage one of the most breathtaking floral displays in the country. The season opens with orchids in the Conservatory and kobus magnolias, progresses through waves of 100,000+ tulips and daffodils, and reaches its peak with an estimated one million azalea blossoms in the Azalea Garden by early May. Spring at Biltmore is an ever-changing, multi-month sensory celebration.

Opening of the Luminere Experience
Biltmore Estate
Opens March 26, 2026 | Ticketed
Brand new for 2026, Luminere is an extraordinary after-dark experience that transforms the Biltmore Estate into a canvas for light, sound, and storytelling. Guests are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy golden-hour views and the estate’s dining and winery before the lights come up. Luminere runs on select evenings from March 26 through October 18, 2026.

25th Asheville Orchid Festival
North Carolina Arboretum
Friday–Sunday, March 28–29, 2026 | Ticketed
Now in its 25th year, the Asheville Orchid Festival transforms the North Carolina Arboretum for a weekend. Hundreds of orchids go on display, accompanied by growers, breeders, and experts who can help you identify a new favorite or fuel a full-blown plant obsession.

Oddities & Art Market
WNC Agricultural Center
Saturday, April 25 | 11:00 AM–6:00 PM | $10 advance
This indoor market is a spring wildcard in the best possible way. Over 100 vendors bring crystals and gems, taxidermy, handmade art, oddities and curiosities, unique gifts, and one-of-a-kind finds. Add psychics and tarot readers, food trucks, and a room full of things you didn’t know you needed, and you have one oddest events of the season.

This is just a taste of what’s in store across Buncombe County this spring. For the full and most up-to-date calendar of arts events—including gallery openings, workshops, performances, and more—visit ArtsAVL’s events page and subscribe to The Insider, ArtsAVL’s weekly roundup delivered to your inbox every Sunday.

For more springtime arts events in Asheville and Buncombe County, browse ArtsAVL’s events page.