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Bele Chere is turning 30! The South�s ultimate entertainment, arts and food festival celebrates its big 3-0 July 25-27, 2008 in downtown Asheville, NC. Internationally known as a cultural hub, Asheville is one of the East Coast�s most vibrant cities recently named �Best Southern Town� by Outside Magazine. Drawing more than 300,000 visitors, Bele Chere offers the unique opportunity to see, taste and hear some of the region�s finest art, cuisine and music. The best part of the event, it�s FREE!
With more than 30 (coincidence intended!) hours of live entertainment, festival-goers will be treated to every genre of music from homegrown bluegrass to sultry jazz, rocking blues to folksy singer-songwriters. National entertainers include Travis Tritt, The Wailers, Cowboy Mouth, Original P, Edwin McCain, The Lee Boys and Doyle Larson and Quicksilver. Western North Carolina is a hotbed for musical talent, so visitors can be sure they�ll see lots of local musicians and bands in the festival�s lineup. Bele Chere is an art enthusiast�s dream featuring craftsmen and artists showcasing their wares. Arts Park, where more than 30 percent of artists are from Western North Carolina, is on par with the best craft fairs in the country. Mountain handcrafts, pottery, furniture, photography and blown glass of the finest quality are just a few of the treasures to be discovered. Outside Arts Park, even more crafts can be found like hand-knitted hats or mittens, garden art and carved wood. Festival-goers will also want to pick up official festival gear including Bele Chere T-shirts, hats and limited edition posters. There�s plenty for food aficionados, too! The Asheville Independent Restaurant Association, a group of locally-owned restaurants, bands together to present �Taste of Asheville,� a showcase of the area�s signature dishes made with fresh local produce. Of course visitors will also find festival favorites like corndogs and funnel cakes. Parents will find lots to keep their kids entertained. The festival�s children�s area presented by Food Lion has everything the little ones are looking for � rides, games, and clowns, oh my! The area, always alcohol-and smoke-free, touts a Western North Carolina History, Heritage & Culture theme and will abound with arts and craft projects, storytellers and special kid-friendly entertainment sure to inspire the imagination. Other fun activities include the Purina Ultimate Air Challenge presented by Ingles where dock diving dogs take center stage. Festival-goers can cheer on their favorite pups as they attempt to break the world record for dock diving. Visitors will also have the opportunity to cool off in the Foggy Mountain Misting Tents scattered throughout the festival. Bele Chere is dedicated to going green. The 2007 festival recycled 20 tons or 41.4 percent of festival waste, a significant increase over years past. To help educate festival-goers about the importance of recycling, the official festival guide included recycling information as well as bin locations. For 2008, festival planners are committed to making the event more eco-friendly with the assistance of Anhueser-Busch and Budweiser of Asheville. Bele Chere�s 30th birthday celebration will be a festival to remember! Featuring a fusion of music, art, entertainment and cuisine, Bele Chere is dedicated to producing a unique cultural event to leave a lasting impression. For more information about Bele Chere, contact festival staff at 828-259-5800 or visit www.belecherefestival.com. (Images provided by Bele Chere.)
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