Bele Chere

Live Beautifully at the
Bele Chere Festival

The last weekend of July is designated for living the good life in a beautiful setting. Since 1979, Bele Chere has been celebrated in the Downtown area of Asheville. This three-day festival is the largest free festival in the southeast and welcomes thousands of people seeking music, food, and fun.

The festival features six stages of music ranging from blues to folk and reggae to rock and most genres in between. Its an eclectic mix of local, regional, and national acts sure to satisfy the cravings of any music fan.

If you are looking for arts and crafts, you're in luck. You'll find craft booths scattered throughout the festival, but this year 60 of the top artists from the pool of applicants will call the Arts Park home. Asheville is a hotbed of highly-talented artisans, and these vendors are the ones they have chosen as the cream of the crop. Media represented will include photography, jewelry, pottery, woodworking, and metal work. There will also be a spot where you can enjoy local artists actually practicing their craft.

Of course, no festival would be complete without food. The Festival will have two food courts one that will offer only food from local Asheville restaurants – Barley's Taproom, Three Brothers Restaurant, and Neo Burrito Inc. are some good examples. And the other will include your typical festival fare – turkey legs, corn on the cob, funnel cakes, etc. Save me some cotton candy!

Don't forget the kids. The children's area is located near the Asheville Civic Center and has a mix of free hands-on crafts and activities along with ticketed rides.

With a little insider information, you can make a day of the festival and still be fresh as a daisy!

Here are some tips from our own festival-goers:

1. Park in an outlying area and take the shuttle in. Parking is at a premium in the Downtown area (even though all parking decks are available during the festival) and your approach to the decks can be quite different with the festival layout. The shuttles are only a few dollars round trip and they run every 20 minutes. The best spots are East at the Asheville Mall, west at K-Mart on Patton Avenue, or the City Garage near the Courthouse on Otis Street.

2. Bring a water bottle and plan on drinking plenty of liquids. You can become dehydrated more quickly than what you think, so sipping on water all day is a good idea. And if you have children with you, keep an even closer eye on them.

3. Slather on the sunscreen, and don't forget the tops of your feet, the back of your neck and the tops of your ears. Matter of fact, if you are planning on being out all day, plan on wearing a broad-brimmed hat for even better protection from the sun.

4. No pets are allowed. If for some reason, you do have your dog with you, there's a pet sitting service called the Doggy Jail at 70 Court Plaza in front of City Hall. Your pooch will be happy and cool there.

5. Be sure to carry some small bills. If you are paying cash, that makes it easier for vendors to make change. Also many accept credit and debit cards now.

6. You will discover several small businesses along the festival route you may not have visited before. Stop in. You'll enjoy a break from the sun and may discover a treasure or two.

7. While festival food is great – who can resist a bag of cotton candy and maybe some toasted almonds – but plan on enjoying at least one meal at a local restaurant. Again, it's a great break from the sidewalk and it supports the local community.

8. If you have questions, look for a festival volunteer, who will be wearing an official shirt. They are great ambassadors of the festival and the area. They will be happy to direct you to where your needs can be met.

9. Most of all, enjoy the day. With a little bit of planning, it'll be a great day at the festival.

You can find all of the entertainment schedules and more information at www.belecherefestival.com.

Bele Chere Festival, July 23-25, Fri. 12:00 noon -10:00 p.m., Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m., Sun 12:00 Noon - 6:00 p.m., Asheville, Downtown. Enjoy the largest street festival in the Southeast with live music, art & crafts, food, children’s area & rides. Don’t forget to come see us at the Mast General Store booth! 828-259-5800. For entertainment schedules more info click here.