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.

Thursday, June 1, 2023
Sky Camp at Montgomery Sky Farm Registration Open
Jun 1 all-day
Montgomery Sky Farm

Montgomery sky farm is incredibly excited to offer our first summer farm camp series. Two sessions, both five-day educational programs unlike any other, for kids to learn what it is like to spend a week on a working farm.

Learn about farm basics, daily animal care, vegetable gardening, how food is grown, simple farm recipes, dirt, bees, pollination and the lifecycle of chickens! Children will get to interact and explore on our 50 acre farm, with the curriculum being taught by an educator and mom herself, Haleigh Lincoln. Sky Camp will be limited to the first 15 enrolled campers. In an effort to maintain quality learning, spaces will be extremely limited.

Daily camp will begin at 9AM with drop off at MSF and will include three hours of educational activities, unique animal encounters and a daily take home craft. We will spend the day in nature, working up close to our animals, learning about where food comes from and the ecosystem of a farm.

*The last day of camp (Friday, July 14 and Friday, August 18th) we will invite campers families and siblings to come meet & greet the animals from 11AM-12PM.

Sky Camp includes:
-5 day educational program with a different curriculum and lesson each day
-unique, animal encounters
-learn about vegetable produce, how to pick produce and basic farm recipes
-1:1 learning in a small, group setting
-Daily take home craft
-Daily snack and beverage provided
-Farm t-shirt
-Farm water bottle

Sky Camp price: $375/week
*Add on option: the Adventure package $125- customized farm backpack, farm bucket hat, carabiner clip, notepad, pencils, bug spray, sunscreen + gardening gloves

All deposits paid at the time of registration are non-refundable. Sky Camp will occur rain or shine, in the event of inclement weather, the day will be conducted in our covered barn.

Tryon Fine Arts Center Summer Art Camps Registration Open
Jun 1 all-day
Tryon Fine Arts Center
Summer Art Series for Youth (SASY) Camp
Summer Art Series for Youth (SASY) 2023
June 19 – 23
Our Summer Arts Camp is a one-week encounter with visual as well as performing arts. Our campers will be given the flexibility to choose their own art experience. They may want to dabble in the performing arts or take part in the visual arts or perhaps do a bit of both.
Ages 5 – 12 years. Cost: $180 – $225
PacJAM Camp
PacJAM Camp 2023
June 26 -30
Students will experience group lessons, jams, music theory, traditional art, songs, stories, and dancing, with an impressive lineup of regular and guest artists. Scholarships and instrument rentals are available.
Ages 6 year and up. Cost: $150
Theater Camp
Theater Camp 2023
July 31 – August 5
Presented in collaboration with Tryon Little Theater, the annual Summer Theater Camp allows students to put on a fully-staged production in just one week! Students learn about the ins and outs of theater-from auditions Monday morning to a fully-staged public show with lights, sound, sets,
props & costumes on Saturday!
Cost: $180 – $225
Wild West Adventure Trips w/ Nantahala Outdoor Center
Jun 1 all-day
various locations
Friday, June 2, 2023
Sky Camp at Montgomery Sky Farm Registration Open
Jun 2 all-day
Montgomery Sky Farm

Montgomery sky farm is incredibly excited to offer our first summer farm camp series. Two sessions, both five-day educational programs unlike any other, for kids to learn what it is like to spend a week on a working farm.

Learn about farm basics, daily animal care, vegetable gardening, how food is grown, simple farm recipes, dirt, bees, pollination and the lifecycle of chickens! Children will get to interact and explore on our 50 acre farm, with the curriculum being taught by an educator and mom herself, Haleigh Lincoln. Sky Camp will be limited to the first 15 enrolled campers. In an effort to maintain quality learning, spaces will be extremely limited.

Daily camp will begin at 9AM with drop off at MSF and will include three hours of educational activities, unique animal encounters and a daily take home craft. We will spend the day in nature, working up close to our animals, learning about where food comes from and the ecosystem of a farm.

*The last day of camp (Friday, July 14 and Friday, August 18th) we will invite campers families and siblings to come meet & greet the animals from 11AM-12PM.

Sky Camp includes:
-5 day educational program with a different curriculum and lesson each day
-unique, animal encounters
-learn about vegetable produce, how to pick produce and basic farm recipes
-1:1 learning in a small, group setting
-Daily take home craft
-Daily snack and beverage provided
-Farm t-shirt
-Farm water bottle

Sky Camp price: $375/week
*Add on option: the Adventure package $125- customized farm backpack, farm bucket hat, carabiner clip, notepad, pencils, bug spray, sunscreen + gardening gloves

All deposits paid at the time of registration are non-refundable. Sky Camp will occur rain or shine, in the event of inclement weather, the day will be conducted in our covered barn.

Summer Camps at Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute-PARI
Jun 2 all-day
PARI

Camps for all passions and interests

Summer STEM & Astronomy, and Space Exploration Camps

Residential summer camps for kids in grades 6th-12th on topics like astronomy, robotics, cryptography, and 3D modeling and printing, and more. Including our premiere camp experience, Above and Beyond.

25" Optical telescope observing at night

Weekend STEM & Astronomy, and Space Exploration Camps

Curriculum or astronomical event based camps for educators and scout leaders.

Don Cline making presentation

Tailored Camps

Build your own camping experience according to your interest.

Summer Counselor Application
6/1 – 7/31
Ages 17 years 6 months – 99
$0.00
REGISTER
Counselor in Training Application – Full Summer Session
6/11 2 PM – 7/27 10 AM
Ages 16 years 6 months – 18 years 6 mont
$0.00
REGISTER
Counselor in Training Application – Mini Session 1
6/11 2 PM – 6/30 10 AM
Ages 16 years 6 months – 18 years 6 mont
$0.00
REGISTER
Exoplanet Exploration
6/11 4 PM – 6/22 10 AM
Grades 8th – 12th
$3,960.00
REGISTER
Secrets of a Spy Station
6/25 4 PM – 6/30 10 AM
Grades 6th – 8th
$1,700.00
REGISTER
Counselor in Training Application – Mini Session 2
7/2 2 PM – 7/27 10 AM
Ages 16 years 6 months – 18 years 6 mont
$0.00
REGISTER
Above & Beyond
7/2 4 PM – 7/13 10 AM
Grades 9th – 12th
$3,960.00
REGISTER
Milky Way Trailblazers
7/16 4 PM – 7/27 10 AM
Grades 9th – 12th
$3,960.00
REGISTER
Tryon Fine Arts Center Summer Art Camps Registration Open
Jun 2 all-day
Tryon Fine Arts Center
Summer Art Series for Youth (SASY) Camp
Summer Art Series for Youth (SASY) 2023
June 19 – 23
Our Summer Arts Camp is a one-week encounter with visual as well as performing arts. Our campers will be given the flexibility to choose their own art experience. They may want to dabble in the performing arts or take part in the visual arts or perhaps do a bit of both.
Ages 5 – 12 years. Cost: $180 – $225
PacJAM Camp
PacJAM Camp 2023
June 26 -30
Students will experience group lessons, jams, music theory, traditional art, songs, stories, and dancing, with an impressive lineup of regular and guest artists. Scholarships and instrument rentals are available.
Ages 6 year and up. Cost: $150
Theater Camp
Theater Camp 2023
July 31 – August 5
Presented in collaboration with Tryon Little Theater, the annual Summer Theater Camp allows students to put on a fully-staged production in just one week! Students learn about the ins and outs of theater-from auditions Monday morning to a fully-staged public show with lights, sound, sets,
props & costumes on Saturday!
Cost: $180 – $225
Wild West Adventure Trips w/ Nantahala Outdoor Center
Jun 2 all-day
various locations
Work out for free at Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center
Jun 2 all-day
Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center

Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) recently renovated fitness centers at Linwood Crump Shiloh and Stephens-Lee community centers – and community members can enjoy use of cardio equipment, exercise machines, free weights, open gym time, and more through June 30, 2023. During this time, APR will waive membership and daily pass fees so more people can access the necessities for a regular fitness routine. Locals can sign up online or at either community center to receive a fitness center key fob that can be scanned at either location.

 

“Our team is committed to creating spaces in which everyone feels welcome,” according to D. Tyrell McGirt, APR Director. “We are in the community building business. The gyms and fitness rooms at these two locations are filled with everything you’d expect from other top-notch fitness facilities and dedicated to body positivity and accessible wellness. By waiving the cost to use them for the first six months of the year, we hope more friends and neighbors will be able to connect with each other and maintain healthy lifestyles.”

Work out for free at Stephens-Lee Community Center
Jun 2 all-day
Stephens-Lee Community Center

Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) recently renovated fitness centers at Linwood Crump Shiloh and Stephens-Lee community centers – and community members can enjoy use of cardio equipment, exercise machines, free weights, open gym time, and more through June 30, 2023. During this time, APR will waive membership and daily pass fees so more people can access the necessities for a regular fitness routine. Locals can sign up online or at either community center to receive a fitness center key fob that can be scanned at either location.

 

“Our team is committed to creating spaces in which everyone feels welcome,” according to D. Tyrell McGirt, APR Director. “We are in the community building business. The gyms and fitness rooms at these two locations are filled with everything you’d expect from other top-notch fitness facilities and dedicated to body positivity and accessible wellness. By waiving the cost to use them for the first six months of the year, we hope more friends and neighbors will be able to connect with each other and maintain healthy lifestyles.”

Biltmore Estate: Ciao! From Italy Sculptural Postcard Display
Jun 2 @ 8:30 am
Biltmore Estate

Included with admission

Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.

Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.

Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!

Pollinator Exploration Kit (Available for Loan)
Jun 2 @ 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Bullington Gardens

Presented by Bee City USA- Hendersonville and Bullington Gardens

For educators: teachers, camp counselors, home-school parents, childcare professionals, summer program leaders, and more, the Pollinator Exploration Kit provides excellent tools. Bee City USA – Hendersonville is eager to help you share the wonder of pollinators with children you teach. The kit includes sets of 12 sturdy child-size insect nets, special bug capture bubbles, bug boxes with magnifying lids, and magnifying glasses. Two pop-up insect habitats and two sets of laminated fold-out field guides (NC Trees & Wildflowers, NC Butterflies & Moths, Bees & Other Pollinators) are also included. The kit can be loaned for up to a week (as available) and may be picked up and returned weekdays 9am-4pm.

Pick-up location:

Bullington Gardens, 95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville.

Cost: no charge

Reservation needed: contact [email protected] to check availability and reserve the dates to borrow the Pollinator Exploration Kit.

Well Walkers
Jun 2 @ 9:00 am
Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Join us in the temperature-controlled Arena to walk on most Tuesdays and Thursdays!

Each lap around the concourse is 1/4 mile and strollers are welcome. Representatives from St. Francis Sports Medicine will be on hand for each event and other health professionals- like dietitians- are frequently scheduled to attend. Free parking is available in the VIP lot off of Church Street.

Summer Animal Encounters
Jun 2 @ 2:00 pm
Chimney Rock State Park
Weekdays only at 2pm

Do you know our staff has a wild side? Join a Park naturalist to meet some of our live Animal Ambassadors and learn about the types of wildlife in the area and their jobs. Some of our best educators have feathers, fur, shells or scales!

Free Skate Night
Jun 2 @ 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Carrier Park
Asheville Tourists vs. Wilmington Blue Rocks — Fireworks Night
Jun 2 @ 6:30 pm
McCormick Field

$1 Hot Dogs presented by Blossman Gas and Mix 96.5

Post Game Fireworks Show presented by Hedrick Industries!

Montford Park Players: Wendy + Peter – A Peter Pan Story
Jun 2 @ 7:30 pm
Montford Park Players

All shows will be at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheater in the Montford District of Asheville, and all will be presented absolutely FREE of charge!
Written and Directed by Skyler Goff
This World Premiere was penned by local playwright Skyler Goff and tells of the continuing adventures of our favorite Lost Boy. A fantastical way to kick off our season!

All shows will run Fridays through Sundays and all will be presented at 7:30pm and prime seats can be reserved.

Montford Park Players has been bringing some of theater’s greatest works to Western North Carolina for over 50 years. Montford Park Players continues its mission of bring free theater to the community. The summer season allows everyone to come spend an evening under the stars, seeing some of the best live performances presented in Asheville.

Montford Park Players allows patrons to bring their favorite food and beverages to their shows and sells beer, wine and concessions at the shows. If you’ve never been to the Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre for a Montford show, there’s no better season than this one. If you have been, you know why you should come back and catch everything we have to offer!

Saturday, June 3, 2023
Cinderella Magic Package
Jun 3 all-day
online w/ Flat Rock Playhouse

We are excited to bring this special package to you and your loved ones. It’s super easy!

  1. Pick your show date – June 14, 17, 21, 24 (Evening only)
  2. Choose 2 Adult Seats and 2 Student Seats
  3. At Checkout, discount will be applied

Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo!

Your wish is granted!

TICKETS + INFO

If you have any problems, our Box Office is happy to help!

828.693.0731

Summer Camps at Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute-PARI
Jun 3 all-day
PARI

Camps for all passions and interests

Summer STEM & Astronomy, and Space Exploration Camps

Residential summer camps for kids in grades 6th-12th on topics like astronomy, robotics, cryptography, and 3D modeling and printing, and more. Including our premiere camp experience, Above and Beyond.

25" Optical telescope observing at night

Weekend STEM & Astronomy, and Space Exploration Camps

Curriculum or astronomical event based camps for educators and scout leaders.

Don Cline making presentation

Tailored Camps

Build your own camping experience according to your interest.

Summer Counselor Application
6/1 – 7/31
Ages 17 years 6 months – 99
$0.00
REGISTER
Counselor in Training Application – Full Summer Session
6/11 2 PM – 7/27 10 AM
Ages 16 years 6 months – 18 years 6 mont
$0.00
REGISTER
Counselor in Training Application – Mini Session 1
6/11 2 PM – 6/30 10 AM
Ages 16 years 6 months – 18 years 6 mont
$0.00
REGISTER
Exoplanet Exploration
6/11 4 PM – 6/22 10 AM
Grades 8th – 12th
$3,960.00
REGISTER
Secrets of a Spy Station
6/25 4 PM – 6/30 10 AM
Grades 6th – 8th
$1,700.00
REGISTER
Counselor in Training Application – Mini Session 2
7/2 2 PM – 7/27 10 AM
Ages 16 years 6 months – 18 years 6 mont
$0.00
REGISTER
Above & Beyond
7/2 4 PM – 7/13 10 AM
Grades 9th – 12th
$3,960.00
REGISTER
Milky Way Trailblazers
7/16 4 PM – 7/27 10 AM
Grades 9th – 12th
$3,960.00
REGISTER
Tryon Fine Arts Center Summer Art Camps Registration Open
Jun 3 all-day
Tryon Fine Arts Center
Summer Art Series for Youth (SASY) Camp
Summer Art Series for Youth (SASY) 2023
June 19 – 23
Our Summer Arts Camp is a one-week encounter with visual as well as performing arts. Our campers will be given the flexibility to choose their own art experience. They may want to dabble in the performing arts or take part in the visual arts or perhaps do a bit of both.
Ages 5 – 12 years. Cost: $180 – $225
PacJAM Camp
PacJAM Camp 2023
June 26 -30
Students will experience group lessons, jams, music theory, traditional art, songs, stories, and dancing, with an impressive lineup of regular and guest artists. Scholarships and instrument rentals are available.
Ages 6 year and up. Cost: $150
Theater Camp
Theater Camp 2023
July 31 – August 5
Presented in collaboration with Tryon Little Theater, the annual Summer Theater Camp allows students to put on a fully-staged production in just one week! Students learn about the ins and outs of theater-from auditions Monday morning to a fully-staged public show with lights, sound, sets,
props & costumes on Saturday!
Cost: $180 – $225
Wild West Adventure Trips w/ Nantahala Outdoor Center
Jun 3 all-day
various locations
Work out for free at Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center
Jun 3 all-day
Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center

Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) recently renovated fitness centers at Linwood Crump Shiloh and Stephens-Lee community centers – and community members can enjoy use of cardio equipment, exercise machines, free weights, open gym time, and more through June 30, 2023. During this time, APR will waive membership and daily pass fees so more people can access the necessities for a regular fitness routine. Locals can sign up online or at either community center to receive a fitness center key fob that can be scanned at either location.

 

“Our team is committed to creating spaces in which everyone feels welcome,” according to D. Tyrell McGirt, APR Director. “We are in the community building business. The gyms and fitness rooms at these two locations are filled with everything you’d expect from other top-notch fitness facilities and dedicated to body positivity and accessible wellness. By waiving the cost to use them for the first six months of the year, we hope more friends and neighbors will be able to connect with each other and maintain healthy lifestyles.”

Work out for free at Stephens-Lee Community Center
Jun 3 all-day
Stephens-Lee Community Center

Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) recently renovated fitness centers at Linwood Crump Shiloh and Stephens-Lee community centers – and community members can enjoy use of cardio equipment, exercise machines, free weights, open gym time, and more through June 30, 2023. During this time, APR will waive membership and daily pass fees so more people can access the necessities for a regular fitness routine. Locals can sign up online or at either community center to receive a fitness center key fob that can be scanned at either location.

 

“Our team is committed to creating spaces in which everyone feels welcome,” according to D. Tyrell McGirt, APR Director. “We are in the community building business. The gyms and fitness rooms at these two locations are filled with everything you’d expect from other top-notch fitness facilities and dedicated to body positivity and accessible wellness. By waiving the cost to use them for the first six months of the year, we hope more friends and neighbors will be able to connect with each other and maintain healthy lifestyles.”

Run for Life 5K
Jun 3 @ 8:15 am – 10:45 am
The Park at Flat Rock

Join us for this 5K Run for Life event hosted by Open Arms Pregnancy Center to help support women and teens facing unplanned pregnancies. This will be a run/walk-timed event to be held at The Park at Flat Rock located at 55 Highland Golf Drive, Flat Rock, NC US 28731 June 3,2023 with a start time of 8:30 AM.
Runners should register by May 14 to secure a T-shirt for the race.
Sign up at https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/FlatRock/Run4for5k
Those interested in sponsoring the event should contact Open Arms Pregnancy Center by May 15th to learn more. (Marlies Zerressen at [email protected] or Lydia Bright at 864-921-5770)
Open Arms’ ministry is love, our aim: to support and guide, our purpose: to serve God and preserve life. We provide a safe and supportive place for pregnancy related needs with ultrasounds, material and emotional support for those facing difficult circumstances or perhaps the loss of a child.
All are services are Free and Confidential.

Biltmore Estate: Ciao! From Italy Sculptural Postcard Display
Jun 3 @ 8:30 am
Biltmore Estate

Included with admission

Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.

Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.

Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!

Pollinator Exploration Kit (Available for Loan)
Jun 3 @ 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Bullington Gardens

Presented by Bee City USA- Hendersonville and Bullington Gardens

For educators: teachers, camp counselors, home-school parents, childcare professionals, summer program leaders, and more, the Pollinator Exploration Kit provides excellent tools. Bee City USA – Hendersonville is eager to help you share the wonder of pollinators with children you teach. The kit includes sets of 12 sturdy child-size insect nets, special bug capture bubbles, bug boxes with magnifying lids, and magnifying glasses. Two pop-up insect habitats and two sets of laminated fold-out field guides (NC Trees & Wildflowers, NC Butterflies & Moths, Bees & Other Pollinators) are also included. The kit can be loaned for up to a week (as available) and may be picked up and returned weekdays 9am-4pm.

Pick-up location:

Bullington Gardens, 95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville.

Cost: no charge

Reservation needed: contact [email protected] to check availability and reserve the dates to borrow the Pollinator Exploration Kit.

LEGO Club
Jun 3 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Oakley/South Asheville Library
  Join us on the first Saturday of each month! Build unique LEGO architecture and display your own LEGO creations at the library. *Please leave your personal LEGOs at home, we have plenty!
Summer Library Fest — East Asheville Library
Jun 3 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
East Asheville Library

Summer Library Fest

No matter your age, background, or abilities, reading and learning together is a great way to build community, kindness, and compassion. This year’s Summer Learning Program theme encourages us all to come together to discover stories that spark our imagination. And there’s no better place to do that than at your public library!

On June 3, celebrate the start of summer with a carnival-inspired Summer Library Fest! Enjoy fun activities for the whole family, including a magician, balloon twisting, face painting, lawn games, bubbles, a live DJ, special activities led by community partners, and so much more! Popcorn and drinks will be served. This free event will be Saturday, June 3 from 10 a.m.-noon at the East Asheville Library.

The 2023 Summer Learning Program runs June 1-August 31 and is open to everyone ages birth-18 years. To join the fun, visit any library location after June 1 to pick up an activity sheet or download one (attached below as a PDF). Complete four activities and return your sheet to the library to get a free book! For a complete list of summer program, check our calendar.

We can’t wait to see you at the library this summer!

The Historic Montford Garden Tour
Jun 3 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Asheville Visitors Center

Coming around again after a two-year breather: the 2023 Historic Montford Garden Tour, a favorite community fundraiser. The date is Saturday, June 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. No rain date is scheduled, and organizers trust that the garden gods will produce fair weather.

Featuring eight wonderful gardens here and there around Montford, the Historic Montford Garden Tour makes a great day’s outing for residents plus their friends and families. Proceeds from this year’s event will go toward improvements to Montford Garden, located at the corner of Montford Avenue and East Wanetta Street.

Tickets may also be purchased at the Asheville Shop, Asheville Visitors Center, 36 Montford Avenue, Asheville, from May 21, 2023, through June 3, 2023, with cash or check only. Children under 12 are admitted free when accompanied by a ticketed adult.

On the day of the tour (Saturday, June 3, 2023), bring confirmation of purchase to the Asheville Visitors Center, 36 Montford Avenue, to pick up the tour guide that will also serve as your ticket to enter the gardens. Check-in at the Visitors Center will begin at 9:30 a.m.

Pets are not allowed in the gardens.

LAZOOM Tours: Kids’ Comedy Tour
Jun 3 @ 11:00 am
LaZoom Room


Kids’ Comedy Tour: 
Wildly funny, this educational and entertaining tour features the perfect blend of Asheville’s history and kid-centric comedy. Geared specifically toward the 5–12 year old crowd, you’ll explore the town with our famously outlandish tour guides leading the way.

  • Perfect for birthday parties
  • Makes for memorable school field trips
  • Tickets are $27 per person
  • Beverages available for purchase at the LaZoom Room
  • Departs from 76 Biltmore Avenue
Sandburg Music Festival
Jun 3 @ 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Carl Sandburg Home
The music festival began in 1987, to celebrate Carl Sandburg’s efforts to document the history of American music in his American Songbag. Carl Sandburg published the American Songbag in 1927 after spending years documenting and researching early American songs. As Sandburg said, “The American Songbag is a ragbag of strips, stripes, and streaks of color from nearly all ends of the earth. The melodies and verses presented here are from diverse regions, from varied human characters and communities, and each is sung differently in different places.” His publication does not focus on one genre of music, but rather on the human experience. “It is an All-American affair, marshalling the genius of thousands of original singing Americans.”

Sandburg enjoyed all American musical genres. He spent years interviewing musicians and singers, documenting their songs, including folk, gospel, jazz and blues. Carl Sandburg said, “the American Songbag comes from the hearts and voices of thousands of men and women.”

Compiling and publishing the American Songbag was one of the most difficult writing projects Sandburg took on during his life. Today, the Carl Sandburg Music Festival celebrates his work and the work of modern singers and songwriters to share diverse and original American music.

Parking
There are three parking options available: the Main parking lot, located on Little River Road across from the Flat Rock Playhouse; the Flat Rock Playhouse lot; and the Hikers’ parking lot. Visitors with accessibility needs should pull into the Main parking lot and stop by the accessible parking spaces where a ranger will provide assistance. Other non-accessible parking lots are available in Flat Rock.

  • Find more information about parking options here.
  • Find more information about accessibility here.

Shuttle
A shuttle will be available throughout the day from the Main parking lot to transport visitors to the amphitheater.

Music Festival is supported by:
Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara, Inc.
America’s National Parks, the non-profit partner that operates the park store


 

  • CARL SANDBURG HOME NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

    Carl Sandburg and Music

    black and white image of Carl Sandburg sitting, playing a guitar

    Carl Sandburg spent years interviewing musicians and singers, documenting their songs, including folk, gospel, jazz and blues. He published a book titled “The American Songbag” and said it was “a ragbag of strips, stripes, and streaks of color from nearly all ends of the earth. The melodies and verses presented here are from diverse regions, from varied human characters and communities, and each is sung differently in different places.”