Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
Attention all knights, pages, jesters, jousters, kings, queens, princesses and princes! Get your costumes ready, and come out and have some fun on September 7th! Boys, girls, moms, dads, come one, come all to the First Annual Renaissance Fair at the Farm. We have all sorts of fun demonstrations planned, such as fencing, sword fighting, and juggling. Other activities to be announced, including a costume contest!
Join us for “Saturday Night Lights,” a family-friendly event at Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, NC, happening every Saturday evening May through October featuring FREE carousel rides, pony rides, bounce house, face painting, entertainers and live music, plus horse show competition. General admission and parking are also free and open to the public. With onsite dining options, concessions, shopping, and lodging, come for the night or for a vacation getaway! Learn more at Tryon.com/SNL.
Phone: 828-863-1000
Email: [email protected]
The big North Carolina Mountain State Fair in Asheville is the official “state fair” of the western part of NC. More than 180,000 people attend the 10-day event that celebrates our people, agriculture, art and tradition. It’s fun for all ages, with plenty of exhibits, animals, food, rides and more. The fair is held at the Western North Carolina Agriculture Center, near the Asheville Regional Airport (I-26 East, exit 40). It’s a big place, so wear comfy walking shoes and allow time to see it all. Tip: Bring cash since credit card use is limited.
Hours
- Friday: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 1 AM
- Saturdays: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close Midnight
- 1st Sunday: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 11 PM
- 2nd Sunday (Closing Night): Gates open at 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 9 PM
- Monday-Thursday: Gates open at 3 PM; Rides open 4 PM, close 11 PM
Parking
FREE parking is available on fairground property and satellite property. Parking is located on Highway 280 at Gate 6. Satellite parking is located 1 mile South of Gate 6 (follow the signs) with free bus transportation to the fairgrounds (shuttle runs every 10-15 minutes).
Spend some time with your family detoxing naturally in the Salt Cave. Adults $25, 4-12 years old $15, 3 and younger are free.
The big North Carolina Mountain State Fair in Asheville is the official “state fair” of the western part of NC. More than 180,000 people attend the 10-day event that celebrates our people, agriculture, art and tradition. It’s fun for all ages, with plenty of exhibits, animals, food, rides and more. The fair is held at the Western North Carolina Agriculture Center, near the Asheville Regional Airport (I-26 East, exit 40). It’s a big place, so wear comfy walking shoes and allow time to see it all. Tip: Bring cash since credit card use is limited.
Hours
- Friday: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 1 AM
- Saturdays: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close Midnight
- 1st Sunday: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 11 PM
- 2nd Sunday (Closing Night): Gates open at 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 9 PM
- Monday-Thursday: Gates open at 3 PM; Rides open 4 PM, close 11 PM
Parking
FREE parking is available on fairground property and satellite property. Parking is located on Highway 280 at Gate 6. Satellite parking is located 1 mile South of Gate 6 (follow the signs) with free bus transportation to the fairgrounds (shuttle runs every 10-15 minutes).
The big North Carolina Mountain State Fair in Asheville is the official “state fair” of the western part of NC. More than 180,000 people attend the 10-day event that celebrates our people, agriculture, art and tradition. It’s fun for all ages, with plenty of exhibits, animals, food, rides and more. The fair is held at the Western North Carolina Agriculture Center, near the Asheville Regional Airport (I-26 East, exit 40). It’s a big place, so wear comfy walking shoes and allow time to see it all. Tip: Bring cash since credit card use is limited.
Hours
- Friday: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 1 AM
- Saturdays: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close Midnight
- 1st Sunday: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 11 PM
- 2nd Sunday (Closing Night): Gates open at 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 9 PM
- Monday-Thursday: Gates open at 3 PM; Rides open 4 PM, close 11 PM
Parking
FREE parking is available on fairground property and satellite property. Parking is located on Highway 280 at Gate 6. Satellite parking is located 1 mile South of Gate 6 (follow the signs) with free bus transportation to the fairgrounds (shuttle runs every 10-15 minutes).
Set amid the most turbulent social and political period of modern times, Ninth Street Women is the impassioned, wild, sometimes tragic, always exhilarating chronicle of five women who dared to enter the male-dominated world of 20th-century abstract painting—not as muses but as artists. These women changed American art and society, tearing up the prevailing social code and replacing it with a doctrine of liberation. In Ninth Street Women, acclaimed author Mary Gabriel tells a remarkable and inspiring story of the power of art and artists in shaping not just postwar America but the future.
The big North Carolina Mountain State Fair in Asheville is the official “state fair” of the western part of NC. More than 180,000 people attend the 10-day event that celebrates our people, agriculture, art and tradition. It’s fun for all ages, with plenty of exhibits, animals, food, rides and more. The fair is held at the Western North Carolina Agriculture Center, near the Asheville Regional Airport (I-26 East, exit 40). It’s a big place, so wear comfy walking shoes and allow time to see it all. Tip: Bring cash since credit card use is limited.
Hours
- Friday: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 1 AM
- Saturdays: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close Midnight
- 1st Sunday: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 11 PM
- 2nd Sunday (Closing Night): Gates open at 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 9 PM
- Monday-Thursday: Gates open at 3 PM; Rides open 4 PM, close 11 PM
Parking
FREE parking is available on fairground property and satellite property. Parking is located on Highway 280 at Gate 6. Satellite parking is located 1 mile South of Gate 6 (follow the signs) with free bus transportation to the fairgrounds (shuttle runs every 10-15 minutes).
Select a wine on draft and fill a plēb urban winery 500mL or 1L growler for a reduced price (see menu for availability and pricing). Growler purchase is separate. Carry out only.
https://www.facebook.com/events/859748727719594/?event_time_id=859748851052915
| A mystery novel set in Yonah, N.C.
Festival Overview
In early Appalachia, chow chow, a crunchy pickled relish traditionally put up each summer, brought welcome sunshine to dinner plates during cold months. The condiment added color, brightness, nourishment, and a bright piquant zest that transformed the seemingly ordinary. By fermenting the garden’s final summer harvests, chow chow was a creative way to harness the earth’s resources in a jar for future culinary inspiration. Its ingredients were determined by the creative maker filling each crock, no two chow chow recipes quite the same.
Chow Chow: An Asheville Culinary Event, presented by Kimpton Hotel Arras, celebrates the area’s unique community of makers, each adding singular ingredients to the city’s recipe for culinary identity. From nationally recognized chefs to multi-generational farmers to millers, bakers, potters, weavers, and brewers, Chow Chow shines a light on the ancient creative spirit of the region that continues to make the Blue Ridge Mountains a delicious place to taste, to see, to explore and to experience through immersive culinary experiences.
Discover the alluring alchemy of mountain traditions, heirloom ingredients, and urban energy that inspire the James Beard-nominated chefs, sustainable farmers, innovative brewers, artisans, and foragers who commune at Asheville’s collaborative table.
Much like its namesake condiment, this unique festival is far greater than the sum of its parts.
The big North Carolina Mountain State Fair in Asheville is the official “state fair” of the western part of NC. More than 180,000 people attend the 10-day event that celebrates our people, agriculture, art and tradition. It’s fun for all ages, with plenty of exhibits, animals, food, rides and more. The fair is held at the Western North Carolina Agriculture Center, near the Asheville Regional Airport (I-26 East, exit 40). It’s a big place, so wear comfy walking shoes and allow time to see it all. Tip: Bring cash since credit card use is limited.
Hours
- Friday: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 1 AM
- Saturdays: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close Midnight
- 1st Sunday: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 11 PM
- 2nd Sunday (Closing Night): Gates open at 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 9 PM
- Monday-Thursday: Gates open at 3 PM; Rides open 4 PM, close 11 PM
Parking
FREE parking is available on fairground property and satellite property. Parking is located on Highway 280 at Gate 6. Satellite parking is located 1 mile South of Gate 6 (follow the signs) with free bus transportation to the fairgrounds (shuttle runs every 10-15 minutes).
?Thursday, September 12th 5:00pm-7:00pm
✨HENDERSONVILLE✨
Elite, Luxury Consignment & Boutique
178 Four Seasons Mall , Hendersonville, NC 28792
Sign up here to reserve your spot and for more information:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B044BA5AB2FA1FA7-elite1
Festival Overview
In early Appalachia, chow chow, a crunchy pickled relish traditionally put up each summer, brought welcome sunshine to dinner plates during cold months. The condiment added color, brightness, nourishment, and a bright piquant zest that transformed the seemingly ordinary. By fermenting the garden’s final summer harvests, chow chow was a creative way to harness the earth’s resources in a jar for future culinary inspiration. Its ingredients were determined by the creative maker filling each crock, no two chow chow recipes quite the same.
Chow Chow: An Asheville Culinary Event, presented by Kimpton Hotel Arras, celebrates the area’s unique community of makers, each adding singular ingredients to the city’s recipe for culinary identity. From nationally recognized chefs to multi-generational farmers to millers, bakers, potters, weavers, and brewers, Chow Chow shines a light on the ancient creative spirit of the region that continues to make the Blue Ridge Mountains a delicious place to taste, to see, to explore and to experience through immersive culinary experiences.
Discover the alluring alchemy of mountain traditions, heirloom ingredients, and urban energy that inspire the James Beard-nominated chefs, sustainable farmers, innovative brewers, artisans, and foragers who commune at Asheville’s collaborative table.
Much like its namesake condiment, this unique festival is far greater than the sum of its parts.
The big North Carolina Mountain State Fair in Asheville is the official “state fair” of the western part of NC. More than 180,000 people attend the 10-day event that celebrates our people, agriculture, art and tradition. It’s fun for all ages, with plenty of exhibits, animals, food, rides and more. The fair is held at the Western North Carolina Agriculture Center, near the Asheville Regional Airport (I-26 East, exit 40). It’s a big place, so wear comfy walking shoes and allow time to see it all. Tip: Bring cash since credit card use is limited.
Hours
- Friday: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 1 AM
- Saturdays: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close Midnight
- 1st Sunday: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 11 PM
- 2nd Sunday (Closing Night): Gates open at 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 9 PM
- Monday-Thursday: Gates open at 3 PM; Rides open 4 PM, close 11 PM
Parking
FREE parking is available on fairground property and satellite property. Parking is located on Highway 280 at Gate 6. Satellite parking is located 1 mile South of Gate 6 (follow the signs) with free bus transportation to the fairgrounds (shuttle runs every 10-15 minutes).
September 13-22
Welcoming Week is all about what the Y does best – helping people
reach their potential and bringing the community together!
Welcoming Week, an initiative of Y-USA’s national partner Welcoming America, celebrates the growing movement of communities across the U.S. that fully embrace new Americans and their contributions to the social fabric of our country. During Welcoming Week, communities bring together immigrants and U.S.-born residents to promote cross-cultural understanding raise awareness of the benefits of welcoming everyone.
| Corpening Memorial Y
Sept. 20
Sept. 21
Reuter Family Y Sept. 16
Sept. 17
Sept. 18
Sept. 20
Y at Mission Pardee Health Campus Snacks from around the world, cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts, and more. Ferguson Family Y Sept. 15
Sept. 20
Sept. 21
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| Woodfin Y
Games from across the globe, voter registrations, and more. Hendersonville Family Y Family-friendly events all week long. Asheville Y Sept. 18
Black Mountain Y Sept. 16
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Head to the bucolic hills of Fairview, just southeast of Asheville, where western North Carolina’s rich agricultural heritage lives on at family farms and artisan food producers. Experience the century-plus legacy of Hickory Nut Gap Farm, a sustainable farm run by the fifth generation of family owners. Savor award-winning farmstead cheeses at Looking Glass Creamery–a place so hands-on, the cheese maker milks the cows herself–and pick up fresh-from-the-fields produce at Flying Cloud Farm. Along the way, enjoy locally produced beverages. Live music at Hickory Nut Gap Farm by Zoe and Cloyd.
at each farm, there is a guest chef providing a dish featuring products from that particular farm. There will be a beverage pairing at each stop. At Hickory Nut Gap Farm, there are a few chef stations and live music. Transportation to and from downtown is also provided for this event.
Must be 21 and older to attend all Chow Chow events!
All events, prices, personalities, performances, venues, dates, and times are subject to change without notice. All sales are final.
Friday Night- 6:30-8:30pm, Full Retreat (9/13 and 9/14)- 9:30am-5:30pm
Based his new book, Drinking from the River of Light, this Mark Nepo workshop will center on the lifelong process of listening, reflecting, and expressing, and on how bearing witness to the truth of living reveals the mysteries of life.
As no one can live without inhaling and exhaling, no one can live without feeling and expressing. The life of expression is how the heart breathes and how our spirit grows in the life that carries it. The life of feeling, dialogue, and writing, whatever form they take—poetry, story, memoir, or reflection—open us to a personal form of expression, a necessary conversation with the Universe that helps us move through obstacles and transitions. As meditation is an ancient art that deepens our relationship to how we breathe, writing and storytelling are ancient arts that deepen our relationship to all that matters. And just as the reward for practicing meditation is not that we’ll become great breathers but that we’ll become clear vessels of life-force, the reward for practicing a personal form of expression is not that we’ll become great writers or great storytellers but that such practice will help us be more resilient and wake closer to life.
In this Mark Nepo workshop, Mark will open a heart space through which participants can discover their own rhythms of expression. Through poetry, stories, and metaphors, Through reflection, journaling, and dialogue, each participant will have the chance to practice listening and expressing. We are constantly being shaped by life into finer instruments of care and expression. The deeper we go, the more attuned we become, and the more we join with everything around us. This workshop will help you to inhabit a personal form of expression, by which you can strengthen your connections and find your way.
Topics in this Mark Nepo workshop include “The Chord in Our Heart,” “What It Means to See,” “Bearing Witness,” “Unraveling the Self,” “Giving and Getting Attention,” “Breaking Surface,” “Understanding Practice,” and “Fitting Things Together.”
Mark Nepo is a poet and philosopher who has taught in the fields of poetry and spirituality for forty years. A New York Times #1 bestselling author, he has published fourteen books and recorded eight audio projects. Recent work includes: Reduced to Joy (2013), Seven Thousand Ways to Listen which won the 2012 Books for a Better Life Award, Staying Awake (2012), Holding Nothing Back (2012), As Far As the Heart Can See (2011), Finding Inner Courage (2011),and Surviving Has Made Me Crazy (2007), as well as audio books of The Book of Awakening, Finding Inner Courage, and As Far As the Heart Can See (2011). As a cancer survivor, Mark devotes his writing and teaching to the journey of inner transformation and the life of relationship.
Sponsored and coordinated by The Carolina Foothills Chamber of Commerce, the team lovingly refers to this year’s event as the Second-THIRD-ANNUAL HARMON FIELD MUSIC FESTIVAL. On Saturday, September 14 (12:00 noon to 8:00 pm), five great bands all headline the event Rich Nelson Band, Nobody’s Fault, Citizen Mojo, Lecretia w/Thunder Road, Shane Pruitt and Gregory Hodges. The music offerings are a blend of Country, Rock and Blues.
Bring your dancing shoes, a pop-up chair and a great attitude to enjoy Harmon Field at its very best! The music festival is going to be a BLAST! An assortment of food trucks will be on site. Beer and wine will also be available for purchase. A car show and craft/vendor market will also be available for perusing during the day.
Tickets can be purchased at the gate or online at CarolinaFoothillsChamber.com. Tickets are also available at the Carolina Foothills Chamber of Commerce office, One of the goals was to make this event affordable for attendees. Starting at 12:00 noon and running until 8:00 pm – it runs about a $1 an hour! Tickets are $8. In advance and $10. at the gate. Children 12 and under are free.
Band schedule:
Nobody’s Fault
12:20-1:45
Rich Nelson Band
2:05-3:20
Lecretia w/ Thunder Road
3:40-4:55
Citizen Mojo
5:15-6:30
SHANE PRUITT w/ Gregory Hodges
6:45-8:00 pm
Festival gate and parking will be near the Tryon Arts & Crafts Building. For more information, contact the Carolina Foothills Chamber of Commerce at 828-859-6236 or visit the chamber’s website and Facebook Page.
Festival Overview
In early Appalachia, chow chow, a crunchy pickled relish traditionally put up each summer, brought welcome sunshine to dinner plates during cold months. The condiment added color, brightness, nourishment, and a bright piquant zest that transformed the seemingly ordinary. By fermenting the garden’s final summer harvests, chow chow was a creative way to harness the earth’s resources in a jar for future culinary inspiration. Its ingredients were determined by the creative maker filling each crock, no two chow chow recipes quite the same.
Chow Chow: An Asheville Culinary Event, presented by Kimpton Hotel Arras, celebrates the area’s unique community of makers, each adding singular ingredients to the city’s recipe for culinary identity. From nationally recognized chefs to multi-generational farmers to millers, bakers, potters, weavers, and brewers, Chow Chow shines a light on the ancient creative spirit of the region that continues to make the Blue Ridge Mountains a delicious place to taste, to see, to explore and to experience through immersive culinary experiences.
Discover the alluring alchemy of mountain traditions, heirloom ingredients, and urban energy that inspire the James Beard-nominated chefs, sustainable farmers, innovative brewers, artisans, and foragers who commune at Asheville’s collaborative table.
Much like its namesake condiment, this unique festival is far greater than the sum of its parts.
The big North Carolina Mountain State Fair in Asheville is the official “state fair” of the western part of NC. More than 180,000 people attend the 10-day event that celebrates our people, agriculture, art and tradition. It’s fun for all ages, with plenty of exhibits, animals, food, rides and more. The fair is held at the Western North Carolina Agriculture Center, near the Asheville Regional Airport (I-26 East, exit 40). It’s a big place, so wear comfy walking shoes and allow time to see it all. Tip: Bring cash since credit card use is limited.
Hours
- Friday: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 1 AM
- Saturdays: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close Midnight
- 1st Sunday: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 11 PM
- 2nd Sunday (Closing Night): Gates open at 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 9 PM
- Monday-Thursday: Gates open at 3 PM; Rides open 4 PM, close 11 PM
Parking
FREE parking is available on fairground property and satellite property. Parking is located on Highway 280 at Gate 6. Satellite parking is located 1 mile South of Gate 6 (follow the signs) with free bus transportation to the fairgrounds (shuttle runs every 10-15 minutes).
September 13-22
Welcoming Week is all about what the Y does best – helping people
reach their potential and bringing the community together!
Welcoming Week, an initiative of Y-USA’s national partner Welcoming America, celebrates the growing movement of communities across the U.S. that fully embrace new Americans and their contributions to the social fabric of our country. During Welcoming Week, communities bring together immigrants and U.S.-born residents to promote cross-cultural understanding raise awareness of the benefits of welcoming everyone.
| Corpening Memorial Y
Sept. 20
Sept. 21
Reuter Family Y Sept. 16
Sept. 17
Sept. 18
Sept. 20
Y at Mission Pardee Health Campus Snacks from around the world, cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts, and more. Ferguson Family Y Sept. 15
Sept. 20
Sept. 21
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| Woodfin Y
Games from across the globe, voter registrations, and more. Hendersonville Family Y Family-friendly events all week long. Asheville Y Sept. 18
Black Mountain Y Sept. 16
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The event begins and ends at Bold Rock Cidery in Mills River. Registration begins at 9am and is $25. First riders will go out at 10am with final riders to be out by 12 noon. The ridge will travel along the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway.
Motorcycles and car clubs are welcome. There will be a free end of ride celebration at Bold Rock from 4 to 6P.M. with live music and prizes. The celebration is open to the public.
All proceeds will enable our Veterans of Valor to fly to Washington, D.C. on a Blue Ridge Honor Flight to visit their memorials and return home with lasting memories.
Established in 2006, Blue Ridge Honor Flight’s mission is to transport America’s veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials dedicated to honor the sacrifices of themselves and their comrades. For more information about how to get involved in Blue Ridge Honor Flight, make a donation, or to get a veteran signed up for a flight, please visit blueridgehonorflight.com.
The 2019 Fool’s Gold Mountain Bike Race will be returning to the beautiful Montaluce Winery in Dahlonega, GA. As far as the course, expect lots of fast & flowy singletrack, some amazing singletrack descents, a sprinkle of pavement, and two major sustained climbs. Full details are here: http://mountaingoatadventures.com/foolsgold
https://www.facebook.com/events/599517237174373/
The semi-annual event is open to all children ages 15 and under and is sponsored by Buncombe County Recreation Services.
Fishing begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends promptly at 11:30 a.m.
Register online now through September 12 at midnight. On-site registration will also be available at 8:00 a.m. the day of the tournament. Your registration fee covers fishing bait, snacks, and a hot dog lunch at the conclusion of the tournament. No fishing license is required for children under 16 years of age.
This is a catch and release event. Lake Julian Park will supply a bucket for each competitor’s catch. After the fish has been weighed and measured, it will be released back into the lake. Participants bring their own pole.
Fishing is allowed anyplace inside the Lake Julian Park boundaries. No boat fishing is allowed. All children must be accompanied by at least one adult.
Children will be grouped into one of five age categories and prizes awarded in each category. Prizes will be given for the biggest fish, the smallest fish, and the most fish caught. In addition, all competitors in every age group will have an opportunity to show off their casting skills. Casting poles and targets are provided and children can demonstrate their ability anytime during the tournament. There are prizes for the winners of the casting competition, too!
Step out to improve lives at the WNC Run/Walk for Autism on Saturday Sep. 14! Taking place at Bill Moore Community Park the event will include a 5K race and a recreational 1-K fun run/walk. Celebrate autism awareness and acceptance with a children’s play area, music, refreshments, and vendor space that will showcase local businesses, service providers, support resources, and sponsors. Proceeds will fund local programs of the Autism Society of North Carolina. Register today: wncrunwalkforautism.com
- Friday: 5-8pm
- Saturday: 11am-8pm
- Sunday: 11am-6pm
- $10 ticket price for all ages.
- Like every year prior, children 3 and under may still enter the event FREE.
- $8 per person for groups of 12 or more. We suggest you book ahead [email protected].
Asheville Outlets (AshevilleOutlets.com) and Oasis Shriners 500’s invite the community to come out and support the Shriners Hospital for Children at the Formula4Kids & Chili Cook-off on September 14th, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the center. The event will feature a display of Oasis Shriner 500’s cars, a chili cook-off competition, 50/50 drawing, prizes and much more! All proceeds from the event benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children. For more information and participation, contact Oasis Shriners 500’s at 828-275-3728.
Asheville Outlets (ShopAshevilleOutlets.com), The Blue Ridge EV Club and Tesla Owners Group of Western North Carolina present The Exciting World of Electric Vehicles on Saturday, September 14, 2019 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Asheville Outlets as part of National Drive Electric Week. Electric vehicle owners and dealers will be present with the latest long range EVs, 4-wheel drive EVs, Plug-In Hybrids, used and new electric vehicles and more. Residents, electric vehicle enthusiasts, and those wanting to learn more are invited to this free event taking place at the parking lot behind Gap Factory Store. Rain date is Sunday, September 22, 2019.