AVLFest Celebrates Asheville’s Music Culture with 100+ Artists
The inaugural AVLFest will celebrate the rich music and arts culture of Asheville, NC this summer with more than 100 artists performing “showcase style’’ (think South by Southwest) at some 20 venues across the area. Set to take place August 3-6, the festival will be headed by some familiar names from the national music scene including headliners River Whyliss, Toubab Krewe, Tyler Ramsey, Seth Walker, Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, Caitlin Krisco & The Broadcast, Chatham County Line, Dustbowl Revival, and Empire Strikes Brass among others.
Co-produced by Wicked Brewing and Worthwhile Sounds, the multi-day festival will also shine a spotlight on dozens more area and local talent drawn from a wide range of genres including bluegrass, American, folk, indie rock, jam, blues, rock, funk, country, jazz, R&B, and soul. Americana outfit Amanda Platt & The Honeycutters; indie rock group Floating Action; soul-driven, psychedelic, funk band The Fritz; singer/songwriter Dylan LeBlanc; Appalachia songstress Alexa Rose; folk/country group Dead Tongues; shape-shifting rockers Dr. Bacon; jazz fusion trio Jonathan Scales Fourchestra; and one-man, psychedelic, indie-folk orchestra Tall Tall Trees (a.k.a multi-instrumentalist Mike Savino); and Andrew Scotchie and the River Rats are among the billing’s diverse multitudes.
“We are excited about the potential of this new festival for Asheville and for our music scene,” said Liz Whalen Tallent, manager for Asheville’s Orange Peel venue and co-captain for the North and South Carolina chapters of the National Independent Venue Association. “We have so many amazing venues for a city of our size, so many talented local musicians, and so many dedicated fans who come out and support any given night of the week. Our music community is really unique and special… it deserves to have something like this to further put it on the national map.”
Asheville’s vibrant music scene would not exist without its lively venues where budding talents stretch their wings. “Asheville has long been recognized for our thriving live music scene,” noted AVLFest co-founder Jeff Whitworth. “In addition to the unrivaled level of talented performers that call Asheville home, that recognition also stems from the city’s eclectic and outstanding variety of music venues. While continuing to bring world class talent to Asheville, AVLFest will also showcase our city’s formidable venue collective, giving patrons the opportunity to explore our vibrant music scene without breaking the bank.”
Committed to supporting local community causes, AVLFest is partnering with several Asheville nonprofits including RiverLink, Black Wall Street, Homeward Bound, and Campaign for Southern Equality. In addition to raising awareness for their respective missions, a portion of proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to benefitting these charities.
Bounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville also offers fans and visitors endless opportunities to explore the beauty of western North Carolina. The region’s expansive national forests, endless hiking trails and biking, mountain vistas, stunning waterfalls, rivers and lakes offer nature lovers endless possibilities for adventure. What’s more, Asheville is home to numerous historic and cultural landmarks, including The Biltmore Estate, award-winning restaurants, countless breweries, quaint shops, eclectic art galleries, and more.
“Surrounded by some of the world’s most ancient mountains and rivers, Asheville’s creative scene is deeply rooted and ever evolving,” said Vic Isley, President & CEO for Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority. “This Blue Ridge Mountain town has drawn and nurtured creatives for generations. Music brings community together – and that’s just one of the meaningful reasons Explore Asheville is delighted to support the birth of AVLFest for residents, artists and visitors alike.”
Tickets for AVLFest are on sale now and can be purchased via the festival’s official website. For more information, click on the links below.
AVLFest
Website
Tickets