For this year’s Pritchard Park Songwriter Series, the Asheville Association is teaming up with Paloma Madre who are best known for bringing Asheville the wildly successful, international concept, Open Folk. Each week will feature two world class songwriters from our community playing introspective and honest tunes about life in the 21st century. Pritchard Park will once again be filled with the sweet sounding songs of heartbreak, true love, heavy loss, and lots and lots of goofin. It’s a guaranteed good time that won’t cost you a dime!!

JAZZ Jam is a special part of the LEAF Community. Meet us every Thursday at LEAF Global Arts from 7-10 P.M. for a night of smooth jazz that you can participate in or simply enjoy.

Cabaret

Book by Joe Masteroff

Based on the play by John Van Druten

and Stories by Christopher Isherwood

Music by John Kander, Lyrics by Fred Ebb

Willkommen to the Kit Kat Klub! A Berlin Nightclub at the end of the 1920s. Hitler’s totalitarian regime and the Nazi Party are on the rise. Be transported back in time and welcome for the first time at Flat Rock Playhouse, Kander and Ebb’s Broadway sensation, Cabaret! Dark and sensual, it will break your heart and lift your spirits more wildly than anything else you’ll see this season.  “Cabaret is one of the great Broadway musicals and musical scores of all time–an exhilarating, harrowing masterpiece.” –Time Out New York

*Adult language and content. Parental discretion is advised.

America’s favorite blonde, Elle Woods, is ready to prove who’s in charge in this fabulously fun, award-winning musical based on the adored movie. In the ultimate tribute to girl power, Legally Blonde follows Elle’s transformation from the UCLA sorority house to the Harvard halls of justice as she tackles stereotypes and scandal to pursue her dreams. Action-packed and exploding with pink, memorable songs, and dynamic dances – this musical is so much fun, it should be illegal!

Plan to collaborate with other musicians at Sideways Farm & Brewery in Etowah. Bring your instruments and voices and enjoy making music and networking with other artists, while enjoying the beautiful scenery. Food truck is on site and beverages available for purchase from Sideways (small
batch craft beers, hard jun, ciders, wine, and non alcoholic drinks). Family, fans, friends, and leashed dogs are all welcome!
During winter months enjoy playing under the covered, sheltered, heated porch! And during the summer months enjoy
collaborating in the fields, on the stage, or under the patio

Downtown After 5 has become a staple of Asheville’s cultural calendar, offering residents and visitors alike a chance to experience live music in the heart of our vibrant city. This year, each event is centered around highlighting a nonprofit partner with a theme that celebrates diverse musical genres, food and beverage offerings, local makers, and community initiatives. Each Downtown After 5 event draws an enthusiastic crowd of between 5,000 to 6,000 attendees to North Lexington Avenue, transforming it into a vibrant hub of music, dance, and community.

July 19 | AVL Fest Kickoff
The official kick-off to AVL Fest, in support of Asheville FM, we’re bringing to the stage Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast as headliners, with The Greenliners opening.

August 16 | LEAF Downtown
In collaboration with LEAF Global Arts, we’re excited to bring back LEAF Downtown at Downtown After 5. Tito Puente Jr. will be headlining the event, with the LEAF Kono Band opening.

September 20 | Outdoor Rec Fest
Closing out the series is September’s Outdoor Rec Fest with Riverlink. Featuring headliner Oliver Hazard and opener Paul McDonald. Celebrate Asheville’s outdoor lifestyle by engaging with our outdoor recreation partners and vendors.

Downtown After 5 is more than just a concert series; it’s a community staple that celebrates the diversity and creativity of Asheville. Each event is free to the public, thanks to the generous support of our sponsors and partners. Food and beverage vendors will be on-site, with a portion of proceeds supporting the nonprofit partners associated with each event.

The beats of the Friday Night Drum Circle have been rocking Pritchard Park for decades and the circle has become so popular that it is featured in magazines and TV commercials.

The Asheville Downtown Association is thrilled to announce the return of the beloved Pritchard Park Arts and Culture Series, made possible through a generous partnership with the Trina Mullen Foundation, City of Asheville Parks and Recreation, ArtsAVL, and Explore Asheville. This summer series will run from May 28 through August 30, featuring exciting activations every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM.

Drum Circle

The Asheville Downtown Association is proud to facilitate the return of Asheville’s iconic Drum Circle. Feel the rhythm and join the beat as the community comes together for an evening of drumming, dancing, and camaraderie.

Samba This plays Brazilian music at Gauchinho Brazilian Steakhouse this Friday from 6:00 to 8:00pm

The Texas sextet––bandleader and chief lyricist Cleto Cordero, guitarist Reid Dillon, bassist Jonathan Saenz, drummer Jason Albers, fiddle player Wesley Hall, and utility instrumentalist Adam Gallegos––continue to embrace their trademark sound while further pushing into the wild unknown. When it was time to embark on recording a new album, resting on their laurels was simply out of the realm of possibilities.

Following the release of 2019’s critically-acclaimed Homeland Insecurity and their 2016 full-length debut Humble Folks, they’ve been on a healthy trajectory rising through the country ranks. After years of working with Lubbock stalwart Scott Faris in the friendly confines of Amusement Park Studios, Flatland decided a change of scenery was necessary. Despite some hesitation and a mix of emotions, they instantly knew recording at Nashville’s Sound Emporium Studio A with rising producer Jake Gear was the right move.

Since its release, Welcome To Countryland has garnered critical praise from Rolling Stone, Wall Street Journal, Holler, Whiskey Riff, BrooklynVegan and many other outlets. The band concluded their hugely successful Welcome To Countryland Tour by selling out Billy Bob’s Texas in December 2021, and kicked off 2022 with the release of the Far Out West Sessions. These stripped-down, one-take acoustic performance videos of their 2021 hits recorded on-site in the vast deserts and mountain ranges of Far West Texas were an instant hit with fans, so the band released the tapes on streaming platforms and embarked on the Far Out West Tour.

With tour dates from Seattle to London, festival debuts from C2C to Stagecoach, and coveted support slots with Luke Combs, Eric Church and more, the Far Out West Tour brought Flatland Cavalry to new corners of the globe. As 2022 neared its end they surprise-released the highly anticipated single “Mountain Song” and announced an EP to arrive in the Fall.

With more new music on the horizon, 17 upcoming stadium shows with Luke Combs, and a stacked touring calendar for 2024, Flatland Cavalry is approaching global influence in the Country & Folk music world.

Cabaret

Book by Joe Masteroff

Based on the play by John Van Druten

and Stories by Christopher Isherwood

Music by John Kander, Lyrics by Fred Ebb

Willkommen to the Kit Kat Klub! A Berlin Nightclub at the end of the 1920s. Hitler’s totalitarian regime and the Nazi Party are on the rise. Be transported back in time and welcome for the first time at Flat Rock Playhouse, Kander and Ebb’s Broadway sensation, Cabaret! Dark and sensual, it will break your heart and lift your spirits more wildly than anything else you’ll see this season.  “Cabaret is one of the great Broadway musicals and musical scores of all time–an exhilarating, harrowing masterpiece.” –Time Out New York

*Adult language and content. Parental discretion is advised.

Brevard Sinfonia
Delta David Gier, conductor
Terrence Wilson, piano

GEORGE GERSHWIN Piano Concerto in F
CHARLES IVES Symphony No. 2

Tickets go on sale to the general public on May 1. To receive early access to tickets for this event, become a donor today! Donor presale begins March 25.

America’s favorite blonde, Elle Woods, is ready to prove who’s in charge in this fabulously fun, award-winning musical based on the adored movie. In the ultimate tribute to girl power, Legally Blonde follows Elle’s transformation from the UCLA sorority house to the Harvard halls of justice as she tackles stereotypes and scandal to pursue her dreams. Action-packed and exploding with pink, memorable songs, and dynamic dances – this musical is so much fun, it should be illegal!

In 2024, Jay Beckenstein and band observe the 50th anniversary of what started as a diversion, something that was just for fun (and twenty-five cents at the door). It began inauspiciously when Beckenstein and a few musician friends in Buffalo NY organized a get together on their shared night off from working in bands that actually made money. It was a simple, humble idea with a name that was likewise simple and humble, “Tuesday Night – Jazz Jam”. Fast forward 50 years and this jazz super group has released over 30 albums, garnering gold and platinum along the way. They’ve played over 10,000 concerts on six continents. Spyro Gyra has maintained its standards of excellence and that has sustained them on the “A list” of live attractions in jazz for 50 years.

Hailed as “The Bad Boys of R&B,” Jodeci is one of the most influential R&B throughout the culture K-Ci, DeVante Swing, JoJo, and Mr. Dalvin have sold over 20 million records worldwide, and achieved three #1 albums on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart. In 2023, Jodeci headlined their own highly anticipated Summer Block Party Tour selling out shows from coast to coast, joined by SWV and Dru Hill.

Their debut album Forever My Lady (1991) was a huge success reaching #1 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart in its first week of release, and featured hit single, “Forever My Lady,” which climbed to #1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks chart. The album’s classic hits “Come & Talk To Me,” and “Stay,” also topped the charts reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Their second album, Diary Of A Mad Band (1993) went #1 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart, penning their hit single, “Cry For You” which landed at #1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks chart. Jodeci’s third album, The Show, The After Party, The Hotel (1995) gave the group their third #1 album on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart, producing hit songs “Freek’n You,” and “Love U 4 Life.”

In 2021, Jodeci reunited and signed with P Music Group for management by Founder and CEO Michael Paran. To kick off their reunion, Jodeci joined Charlie Wilson and New Edition for a 30-city tour in 2022, on the critically acclaimed “The Culture Tour.” Jodeci’s legendary sound and style have shaped the world of R&B and continue to influence a new generation of artists.

Join us on Saturday, July 20th for live music at the vineyard with Mike Cash! Mike will be performing an eclectic set list of covers and originals at the Burntshirt Vineyards Tasting Room and Winery on Saturday from 12-3 PM. Come sit, sip, and soak up some tunes on the terrace overlooking Sugarloaf Vineyard! We can’t wait to see you here!

Visit LEAF Global Arts every Saturday for an in-house cultural exchange with Adama Dembele. Experience the Ivory Coast with our Culture Keeper from the House of Djembe.

It’s about one moment. It’s about hitting the wall and having to make a choice… or
take a stand… or turn around and go back. These are the stories and characters of
today, the Songs for a New World. The first musical from Tony Award winner, Jason
Robert Brown (Parade, Bridges of Madison County), this moving collection of powerful
songs examines life, love and the choices that we make.
With a small, powerhouse cast and a driving, exquisitely crafted score that runs the
gamut of today’s popular music, Songs for a New World is a great way to bring the next
generation into the theatre.

Head to www.avlmt.org or @avlmusicals for more information.

Cabaret

Book by Joe Masteroff

Based on the play by John Van Druten

and Stories by Christopher Isherwood

Music by John Kander, Lyrics by Fred Ebb

Willkommen to the Kit Kat Klub! A Berlin Nightclub at the end of the 1920s. Hitler’s totalitarian regime and the Nazi Party are on the rise. Be transported back in time and welcome for the first time at Flat Rock Playhouse, Kander and Ebb’s Broadway sensation, Cabaret! Dark and sensual, it will break your heart and lift your spirits more wildly than anything else you’ll see this season.  “Cabaret is one of the great Broadway musicals and musical scores of all time–an exhilarating, harrowing masterpiece.” –Time Out New York

*Adult language and content. Parental discretion is advised.

Relax and unwind to the rhythm and charm of Antler Hill Village as accomplished jazz, blues, rock, pop, swing, bluegrass, and rock duos, trios, and bands deliver fantastic 45-minute sets! Grab a sandwich, a cool drink, or an ice cream cone to enjoy against a backdrop of excellent musicianship, dynamic vocals, and the beauty of Biltmore Estate. Included with admission.

Sets begin on the half hour at 4:30 until 8:15 p.m. (last set starts at 7:30)

Locals and visitors alike come together at downtown’s Pack Square Park “along about sundown,” or at 7:00 pm for those who wear a watch, and continues until 10:00 pm. Concessions are available!

The stage show takes place on the Bascom Lamar Lunsford stage, named for the founder of the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival. Since the outdoor event’s inception in 1967, hundreds of thousands of individuals from across the region and throughout the world have shared and enjoyed the rich traditional music and dance heritage of the Southern Appalachian Mountains in this outdoor setting.

Shindig on the Green remains a free event due in part to net proceeds from ticket sales to the nation’s longest continually running festival, the granddaddy of all festivals, the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival.

Cabaret

Book by Joe Masteroff

Based on the play by John Van Druten

and Stories by Christopher Isherwood

Music by John Kander, Lyrics by Fred Ebb

Willkommen to the Kit Kat Klub! A Berlin Nightclub at the end of the 1920s. Hitler’s totalitarian regime and the Nazi Party are on the rise. Be transported back in time and welcome for the first time at Flat Rock Playhouse, Kander and Ebb’s Broadway sensation, Cabaret! Dark and sensual, it will break your heart and lift your spirits more wildly than anything else you’ll see this season.  “Cabaret is one of the great Broadway musicals and musical scores of all time–an exhilarating, harrowing masterpiece.” –Time Out New York

*Adult language and content. Parental discretion is advised.