Labor Day Weekend in Asheville

Labor Day Weekend is so bittersweet; it’s a needed respite from work, yet it also signals the coming end of summer. Many people plan picnics and last-chance trips to the pool for the long weekend, but if you’re in Asheville for it, we have a few suggestions for doing something different. 

Farm Trip

Spend your evenings with us, then take the family to Fairview for the Hickory Nut Gap Farm Fall Festival Kick-Off August 31 from 4-8:30 p.m.

It's the official start to the fall season on the farm, with hayrides, baby farm animals, horseback rides, pumpkin picking, apple picking and tasting, a corn maze, scavenger hunt, and a bunch of other activities for the whole family. Plus, there will be live music and dinner straight from the farm.

Advanced tickets are available online and you'll get 50% off admission if you use the code FriendsOfBiltmore50 at check-out. 

Explore the Arts

The 2nd Annual Downtown Asheville Labor Day Weekend Festival of the Arts is taking place Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Pack Square. 

Enjoy and purchase the art of national and regional artists specializing in hand-made works of art. There will be painters, potters, jewelers, glass blowers and much more, as well as food and beverages from local vendors. Admission is free. 

Apple Festival

The North Carolina Apple Festival takes place August 30 – Sept. 2 in Hendersonville, Asheville's neighbor to the south. 

Enjoy 4 days of fun, including one of the best-known street fairs in the Carolinas with plenty of apples arts & crafts, festival food, and free entertainment at the Historic Courthouse on Hendersonville’s Main Street. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The King Apple Parade takes place on Monday. 

Shindig on the Green 

The Saturday summer tradition is a free mountain bluegrass music and dance festival in downtown Asheville on the Roger McGuire Green at Pack Square Park. Musicians and dancers from across Western North Carolina gather to share Southern Appalachian mountain music, culture, and traditions at 7 p.m. In addition to the music, enjoy food trucks and beverages for the entire family. 

Biltmore Estate

The Biltmore Gardens Railway, a botanical model train display featuring small-scale replicas of the estate’s structures, is still running until the end of September. The handcrafted structures are made from natural elements such as leaves, bark, and twigs, many of which have been collected from grounds of the estate. With 800 feet of rails and trains traversing six separate lines at different eye levels, this is a one-of-a-kind, fun-for-all-ages garden experience.

Biltmore will also be hosting a Labor Day Celebration Dinner on Sept. 1 at Antler Hill Barn, with a buffet, live music, games, Biltmore wine, beer, and a fireworks display. The event runs from 6 – 9 p.m., and the cost is $125 for adults, $60 for children. Reservations are required. 

Finally, for a truly "off-the-beaten-path" Labor Day adventure, try the Land Rover Experience Driving Center at Biltmore, one of only 4 such driving schools in North America. Each Experience includes coaching by an expert instructor who helps you navigate mud, rutted trails, high grass, water crossings, and rock crawls with the assistance of the vehicle’s adaptive systems. More than just a fun driving adventure or extended test drive, the Experience is also a venue for improving your driving skills in difficult terrain. 

The cost for each Land Rover Experience is separate from Biltmore Estate admission, and reservations can be made online or by calling 828-225-1541. Guests of The Residences at Biltmore are entitled to an exclusive 10 percent discount off the price of any Experience when you use the code BRHN. 

Call for more information, 1-888-786-3648