Asheville Downtown After 5 Returns in 2026 With Four Free Concerts

Pack Square Park will host four themed Friday night concerts this spring and summer as the Asheville Downtown Association brings back Downtown After 5, its annual free outdoor music series, with a lineup that runs from April through August.

The Asheville Downtown Association announced the 2026 lineup in mid-March, revealing four multicultural shows that each pair a regional or nationally touring headliner with a local opening act and a nonprofit partner. The nonprofit pairings are intentional: the series is designed to connect community organizations with the thousands of attendees who turn out each year from across Western North Carolina and beyond, while also supporting downtown businesses and Asheville's broader arts scene.

"Downtown After 5 has always been about more than music," said Hayden Plemmons, executive director of the Asheville Downtown Association. "It's about bringing people together and celebrating the culture, creativity and community that make Downtown special. This year's series ties beautifully into the Fabric of Downtown campaign, reminding us that every business, artist, nonprofit and neighbor is a thread in the story we're continuing to weave together."

The series opens April 17 with "Stomp and Holler Night," featuring headliner Sam Burchfield and opener Hillclimbers and Friends, with RemixIT Asheville as the nonprofit partner. May 15 brings "Latin Dance Night," headlined by La Sonora Carolina, with Ulisse Rotoli on Flamenco Guitar opening and Food Connection serving as the nonprofit partner.

June 19 marks a Juneteenth Celebration headlined by Kanika Moore, with Reggie Headen and the Nite Time Noon opening the show. The MLK Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County is the nonprofit partner for that evening. The series closes August 21 with "New Orleans Night," featuring J & The Causeways as headliner and Bayou Diesel with a special appearance from the Asheville Second Line opening the night. Asheville Mardi Gras is the nonprofit partner for the finale.

All four shows take place at Pack Square Park in the heart of downtown Asheville and are free and open to the public. Each event features food trucks, local beverage vendors, artisan market vendors and family-friendly activities alongside the music. The 2026 series also coincides with the ADA's Fabric of Downtown campaign, an ongoing effort to celebrate what makes downtown Asheville distinct through public artwork, storytelling and community programming.

More information is available at ashevilledowntown.org.