If you’re planning a Spring getaway to Western North Carolina in 2024, you’ll discover a plethora of festivals, music events, and exciting activities this season. Conveniently located near a variety of our Asheville vacation rentals, make sure to mark your calendar for these special events located through the Western NC towns surrounding Asheville!
Get ready to explore exciting local events and a variety of vacation rental options in WNC, which are available for you and your family during your stay.
French Broad Valley Music Jam (Weekly)
Hosted by the French Broad Valley Music Association, the French Broad Valley Music Jam is a weekly good time held at the Trailside Brewery at Lennox Station in nearby Henderson, NC.
Intermediate and advanced musicians play banjoes, guitars, fiddles, mandolins, harmonicas, and harps to bring fine country, bluegrass, and folk music to your ears. You might even hear accordions and harps!
In keeping with traditional roots in much of this music, the musicians sit in a circle known as a “jam session” and play regional mountain music songs. Waltzes and dance tunes are often a big part of these shows, so kick up your boots, grab your partner, and have a blast.
Event dates: every Wednesday, 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Annual Spring Herb Festival
For four decades, the Annual Spring Herb Festival has been bringing local herbs, exotic plants, extracts, oils, and other local products to Fletcher, NC. It is located about 20 minutes south of Asheville, near our Hendersonville vacation rentals!
This year marks the 34th annual event, to be held at the WNC Agricultural Center at 761 Boyleston Highway in Fletcher.
Vendors will be on hand to display and sell CBD products, herbal teas, tinctures, salves, soaps, scrubs, lotions, coffees, fermented foods, trees, and medicinals. Herbs include rosemary, sage, oregano, chamomile, thyme, varieties of basil, ginseng, elderberry, St. John’s wort, and so much more. You’ll also find perennial and annual flowers, native plants, seasonings, and vegetables.
The Annual Spring Herb Festival is the largest of its kind in the United States and Canada!
Event dates: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 26th & 27th; 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Sunday, April 28th
Jump Off Rock Half Marathon & 10K
One of the most scenic downhill marathons you’ll find in the entire Southeast is the Jump Off Rock Half Marathon & 10K in Hendersonville, NC, about a half-hour south of Asheville.
The half-marathon starts at Jump Off Rock in Laurel Park, overlooking truly stunning mountain views. Both that and the 10K take you through neighborhoods of gentle hills and around Osceola Lake, ending up on downtown Main Street. The half-marathon is a 13.1-mile route, while the 10K clocks in at 6.2 miles. Register early and get a free dry-fit race shirt. You’ll also get a finisher medal for completing a course.
Attend the post-race party with complimentary beer, music, and plenty of vendors selling foods and crafts, such as farm fresh produce and local art and jewelry.
Event date: Saturday, May 11th; half-marathon rolling start, 7:30 a.m. – 7:45 a.m., 10K start, 9 a.m.
WNC Bigfoot Festival
Myth or legend?
Decide for yourself at the WNC Bigfoot Festival in Marion, NC, about 40 minutes east of Asheville! This blocks-long outdoor festival marks its fourth annual event in 2024. More than 40,000 true believers and diehard doubters have attended past shows.
In addition to Bigfoot photos and plaster casts of Bigfoot prints, you’ll find a wide range of Sasquatch souvenirs as well as food, drinks, and even live music. Attend educational panels and Q&A sessions, enter a Bigfoot Calling Contest (but be careful if your call happens to attract the elusive beast!), have a taste of Bigfoot Trax Ice Cream, and even browse through Bigfoot art from a local artist.
Don’t miss a photo opportunity with a life-sized caricature of the star of the festival himself!
Event date: Saturday, May 18th
Garden Jubilee
Join over 20,000 fellow gardening lovers at the largest gardening show in Western North Carolina: the Garden Jubilee. This has been an annual event in Henderson for more than 20 years!
More than 200 vendors are spread along Main Street in Hendersonville, selling various plants, vegetables, shrubs, herbs, and even rare and hard-to-find plants. You can also peruse handcrafted jewelry, birdhouses, lawn furniture, pottery, and planters; attend talks from gardening experts for tips and advice about gardening and landscaping techniques; and taste homemade cider, jellies, jams, baked goods, and honey.
Main Street restaurants, galleries, and shops are open during the Jubilee, so check those out, too!
Event dates: Saturday, May 25th & Sunday, May 26th, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
RAD Half Marathon & 10k
On your mark…get set…go to the RAD Half Marathon & 10K that takes you through Asheville’s River Arts District.
The scenic and cultural route takes you along downtown streets and in French Broad River Park, starting in Pack Square and ending on Foundry Street—mostly downhill and flat ground.
Meet the registration deadline and get a free dry-fit race shirt and receive a custom finisher medal upon completion of the race. Awards for winners and top finishers in age categories.
Get ready to explore the city’s natural surroundings and parks along wooded routes! This event takes you by some of the most popular things to do in downtown Asheville, so consider exploring further once the race is finished.
Event date: Sunday, June 9th; start time 7 a.m. for both races
Bark & Bolt Races
If you’re staying in one of our Asheville pet-friendly vacation rentals, you just might bring your pooch along on vacation. If so, here’s an event that you can do together!
The Bark & Bolt Races at Patton Park in Hendersonville offers 5K (3.1 miles), 1-mile, and 100M races for you and your four-legged babies. It’s a foot-and-paw-race to the finish, with awards for top finishers in each of the three races.
Both the 5K and 1-mile courses are along the Oklawaha Greenway and have a water station. The Paw Pursuit 100M is a sprint measuring speed and agility.
There are three canine weight classes: Light-, Middle-, and Heavyweight. Human racers get a free custom race shirt when registering before the deadline, plus a commemorative dog tag medal for finishing. Dog finishers get a commemorative bandanna.
Event date: Friday, June 14th; 1-mile start, 6 p.m.; 100M start, 6:30 p.m.; half-marathon start, 6:45 p.m.
Weaverville Music on Main
The sixth Weaverville Music on Main will take place in 2024.
This is an open-air community music concert in downtown Weaverville, less than 10 miles north of Asheville, and well worth the short drive.
There are multiple bands (three acts performed in 2023’s festival), plus food and drink vendors with local dishes and a beer and wine tent along with a kids’ activity zone with corn hole, toy trucks, spike ball, bubbles, photo booth, and a fire truck. The music happens rain or shine and best of all, it’s free!
Event date: Saturday, June 15th, 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Plan Your Next Visit!
Are you ready to explore activities and attractions in Asheville, NC this spring season? Browse our entire selection of Asheville cabin rentals today and find the perfect match for your stay!
Where to Stay
At Yonder Luxury Vacation Rentals we offer an array of vacation homes and condos designed to delight guests with fully-stocked kitchens, spacious living areas, fireplaces, and stunning mountain vistas. From cozy one-bedroom retreats to expansive 10-bedroom estates, you’ll find accommodations with king and queen-sized beds, vaulted ceilings, covered porches or decks, high-speed internet, smart TVs, and private yards complete with grills and fire pits.
Conveniently located near shops, restaurants, hiking trails, and major attractions, Yonder properties provide easy access to all the area has to offer. Whether you’re looking for a large group rental in Asheville or a cozy cabin rental, Yonder ensures your stay will be comfortable, convenient, and hassle-free.
