Patio Show: Sean Tobin
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVESean Tobin Born and raised on the New Jersey shore, Sean Tobin was influenced by folk-singing troubadours and high-energy rockers alike. His high-energy performances and rock-tinged releases are due mostly in part to his upbringing in the Jersey shore bar scene. Tobin honed his craft playing countless shows in dives, clubs and basements, as well as during his time busking on the streets of Galway, Ireland throughout 2015 and 2017. He has performed at such festivals as SXSW, Americanafest, North2Shore, and Frank Turner’s Lost Evenings, and has opened for the likes of Jason Isbell, Rhett Miller, and many more. His seventh albumwill be recorded Fall 2026
PATIO SHOW: Kyley Byrd w/ The High Mountain Flyers
ALL AGES LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVEFREE SHOW: Kyley Byrd and the High Mountain Flyers Kyley Byrd is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist familiar to the Asheville music scene for two decades. Her sultry voice delivers a variety of musical styles with honest and heartfelt energy. Kyley is joined by the High Mountain Flyers (the “High MF’ers”). On guitar, Mark Fuller, lead, and Mark Chester on rhythm guitar. Joined by JD Smith on electric bass. All three MF’ers are vocalists and songwriters as well. With pleasant harmonies and a laid back approach, Kyley and the band perform a mix of original songs and cover songs with their own unique style and personality.
The 2026 Christmas YARN Ball
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY YARN You might expect a band that calls itself Yarn to, naturally, tend to spin a yarn or two. “That’s what we do, we tell stories, live and in the studio, truth and fiction”,singer/songwriter Blake Christiana insists. “We don’t always opt for consistency. There’s a different vibe onstage from what comes through in our recordings. There’s a difference in every show as well, you never know what you’re going to get.” Yarn’s ability to persevere ought to come as no great surprise, especially for a band that spent two years honing their chops during a Monday night residency at the famed Kenny’s Castaway in New York’s Greenwich Village. In effect, it allowed them to rehearse onstage, mostly in front of audiences that often ranged in size from five to a hundred people on any given night. 10 studio albums followed — Yarn (2007), Empty Pockets (2008), Leftovers Part One (2009), Come On In (2010), Leftovers Part 2 (2011), Almost Home (2012), Shine the Light On (2013), This Is The Year (2016), and Lucky 13 parts 1 & 2 (2019). The band then took to the road, playing upwards of 170 shows a year and sharing stages with such superstars as Dwight Yoakam, Charlie Daniels, Railroad Earth, Marty Stuart, Allison Krauss, Leon Russell, Jim Lauderdale, Leftover Salmon, Amos Lee, The Lumineers and many more. They’ve driven nonstop, made countless radio station appearances, driven broken-down RVs and watched as their van caught fire. They’ve paid their dues and then some, looking forward even as they were forced to glance behind. It’s proof positive that the Brooklyn and Raleigh based band have made their mark, and in dealing with their emotions, scars and circumstances, they find themselves in a position to share those experiences with others who have juggled similar sentiments.
Patio Show: Trilby
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVETrilbyTrilby is an alternative rock artist currently based in Asheville, North Carolina. While it’s hard to pinpoint her exact origin, it is safe to say that Trilby grew up here, there, and everywhere along the East Coast, and if you look close enough, you might find strands of green hair in your own local town. Trilby has been writing music since she was fourteen. She just released her new single, “Cities,” and has recorded her debut album.
Patio Show: 5J Barrow
– ALL AGES – LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE 5J Barrow Inspiration seeped through the windows of apartment 5J on Barrow Street looking out over the Hudson River in NYC’s Greenwich Village, where singer-songwriters and Broadway performers, Eryn Murman and Jason Hite, soaked up the energy and passion of musicians, painters, poets and writers who created the Village vibe. Together, they paid tribute to those creative spirits and named their band 5j Barrow, writing music and lyrics with a unique folk/rock sound, touring as a duo, and often picking up Drew Jones on bass and Gerard Canonico on drums. The band has inspired audiences with soulful music, evocative imagery, and lyrics that touch the heart, from the historic Apollo Theater to the open air of Washington Square Park, from the streets of New Orleans to the Rocky Mountains, from California wine country to New England forests.
Patio Show: Miriam’s Militia
-ALL AGES -LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE Miriam’s Militia Miriam Allen is a genre-defying songwriter who has opened for icons including Tim O’Brien, Doc Watson, and Del McCoury, performing at festivals across the western hemisphere from MerleFest in North Carolina to Salmonfest in Alaska to the Festival Río Cuale in Mexico. A finalist in both the John Hartford Songwriting Contest and the Asheville Brown Bag Competition, she builds solo shows around vocals, guitar, fiddle, and foot stomp, with setlists that range from avant-garde to honky-tonk to Latin. Beyond the stage, Miriam is a passionate advocate and naturalist. She organized The Resilience Festival to support survivors of sexual trauma and the Pathway to Citizenship show to fund immigrant legal protections, and she works as a music therapist in group homes for people with disabilities. A backpacker of more than 1,000 miles through the Andes, Rockies, and Appalachians, she has volunteered to treat hundreds of hemlock trees across Western North Carolina and translated educational materials into Spanish for her community. She wrote a song for the award-winning film Coyote and another that was played for President Jimmy Carter in his final weeks. “Whether for a crime victim, an injured raccoon, or an aphid-infested hemlock, Miriam Allen shows up with a song and an open heart.” Ty Gilpin – SHIFT Music Services
Option 22 w/ Old Soul Reunion
-ALL AGES -STANDING ROOM ONLY Option 22 The music of Option 22 is inspired, uplifting, and thoroughly eclectic—a fusion spanning roots rock, Americana, and points in between—woven together with heartfelt lyrics that call for change and carry messages of love, hope, and healing. It’s music that moves—both the body and the spirit. Their live performances are immersive, spontaneous, and raw, channeling energy that flows through them and into the crowd, creating a shared, uplifting experience. Music isn’t just what they do—it’s the heartbeat of everything they’ve built. Option 22 is more than a band; it’s a movement, a call to awaken, and a force for creative transformation. Their music laid the foundation for The RiffRaff Arts Collective, Culturefest World Music & Arts Festival, and the thriving cultural district they helped ignite in Princeton, West Virginia. Old Soul Reunion Based in Princeton, WV, Old Soul Reunion is a powerhouse Appalachian soul, blues, folk, jam, and rock band built on soulful songwriting, deep grooves, 3 part harmonies, mind-expansive jams, and the kind of chemistry that can only come from years of creating together. James Hart, Robert Blankenship, Jordan Furrow, Ryan Perkins, and Lori McKinney.
Patio Show: Sonia Leigh w/ Sally Jaye & Kimberly June
DOORS: 4:30 PM SHOW: 5:30 PM ALL AGES LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE Sonia Leigh & Friends w/ Sally Jaye & Kimberly June Sonia Leigh’s musical abilities are boundless, effortlessly spanning country, rock, pop, and hip-hop. Her meticulously crafted lyrics tell stories that transcend genres, leaving listeners feeling engaged and empowered. Leigh catapulted onto the country music scene in 2011 with her major label debut, 1978 December, released under Zac Brown’s Southern Ground Records. Her single, “My Name Is Money,” landed at #36 on the 2011 Billboard Hot 100 charts. Produced by Brent Cobb, Sally Jaye’s forthcoming album, You’ll Be Okay, Baby, marks a defining moment for the Nashville-based singer-songwriter, placing her squarely in the lineage of modern Americana’s most thoughtful storytellers. The record showcases her cinematic songwriting, emotional precision, and gift for crafting characters that linger long after the last note fades. Performing solo or with a band, she brings a quietly commanding presence to the stage — intimate, literate, and deeply human. A respected songwriter among her peers, she has notable cuts with Brent Cobb, Leah Blevins, Shannon McNally, and Brian Wright. Kimberly June (“KJ”) is an indie-folk singer-songwriter with roots in Hawaii, Nashville and Oregon. Her music has been featured on major TV shows including ABC’s Nashville, Love Is Blind, The Rookie, The Ultimatum and Degrassi High. In 2024, KJ toured the U.S. as a supporting act for Nahko and Medicine for the People, performing in 15 major cities, and has opened for artists such as G. Love, Donovan Frankenreiter, Kimie and Mike Love. She signed her first publishing deal in Nashville at 22, and continues to write and release new songs frequently. Follow her music and adventurous spirit on Instagram @Justkj.love
Paul Thorn
ALL AGES SEATED SHOW LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE PAUL THORN When it comes to songwriting, less is more, and simplicity is strength. Just ask Paul Thorn, who’s spent three decades turning soulful grooves and small syllables into songs that pack a big wallop. Maybe he learned the power of minimalism from his years as a pro boxer; maybe it just comes naturally. But whether he’s targeting heads, hearts, hips or the occasional funny bone, he somehow manages to condense large nuggets of wisdom into tight little mantras, the kind embroiderers stitched onto pillows before internet memes existed. Thorn’s new album, Life is Just A Vapor, contains some beauties: “Life is a vapor, let’s live it while we can”; “tough times don’t last, but tough people do” (from “Tough Times Don’t Last”); “any mountain up ahead is just a hill” (from “Old Melodies”). They’re words of advice, comfort, support, encouragement, often meant to uplift, especially in times of struggle. “I like for people to be touched by music and get something from it, something that they can take with them throughout the day,” Thorn says. “Every song on this album, there’s a message in it of some sort about how to live life.” American Blues Scene writer Don Wilcock calls Thorn “an everyman (who) addresses things we all think about, but few can articulate with the kind of candor, humor and folksy truth that immediately endear him to almost everyone lucky enough to hear his music.” Whether he’s expressing love in “I Knew,” warning an ex’s new conquest about the dangers ahead in “She Will,” extolling the value of holding off on sex in “Wait” or listing the ingredients for making a marriage work in “Courage My Love” (“a half-acre on your daddy’s land / and a little luck / a load of white gravel in our driveway / so we don’t get stuck in a rut /a 3-horsepower lawnmower and courage my love”), Thorn delivers his messages with consummate skill — and pinpoint precision. One minute, he’ll unwind an outrageous tale full of wild characters (often accompanied by his own cartoonish illustrations); the next, he’ll tug at heartstrings with confessions of love, loss or failed dreams, balancing wit and pathos with an ease only the best storytellers can pull off. One of Thorn’s favorites was his friend and mentor John Prine, who inspired the title tune.
Ashley Heath & Her Heathens w/ Matthew Parsons
ALL AGES STANDING ROOM ONLY Ashley Heath & Her Heathens Ashley Heath is often described as “Velvet Soul” with her prolific songwriting, strong and airy vocals, bluesy guitar playing, and has garnered national and international attention with her latest album “Something to Believe” released by Organic Records in Asheville, NC in 2022. She also has two previous albums; “Where Hope Never Dies” recorded with her full band Ashley Heath and Her Heathens and “A Different Stream” recorded solo. She has been voted Best of WNC by Mountain Xpress voters several years in a row for Vocalist, Songwriting, Blues, and Americana/Country and also winning Merlefest band competition in 2018. Heath has opened for headliners Pat Benatar, Anders Osborne, Black Joe Lewis, and many more acclaimed artists. Matthew Sidney Parsons Matthew Sidney Parsons is a songwriter, poet, and educator from Olive Hill, Kentucky. He wrote the title track on Bronwyn Keith-Hynes’ 2025 Grammy-nominated album I Built a World. Raised in a bluegrass family, Parsons performs solo and with his band Whistle & Fish and has taught songwriting and traditional music across Appalachia through Morehead State University, Berea College, and Hindman Settlement School. He has performed at events including The Bluegrass Jamboree in Germany, Kentucky Arts & Letters Day, WDVX Blue Plate Special, and Bernie Sanders’ Fighting Oligarchy Tour, touring with acts like Sarah Kate Morgan, The Local Honeys, and The Berea College Bluegrass Band. He has shared stages with Peter Rowan, Tim Stafford, Dale Ann Bradley, and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes. Parsons is the author of Mountain Roosters and Holy Land, and creates character-driven performances that celebrate mountain culture while addressing universal human experiences.