Patio Show: Dr Funky Squirrel
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVEDr Funky SquirrelDr. Funky Squirrel is a student rock and funk band organized through the Asheville Music School in Asheville, North Carolina. The band consists of young local musicians participating in the school’s Sound Education Outreach program.
Patio Show: Music In Common
– ALL AGES – PATIO IS LIMITED SEATING FIRST COME FIRST SERVEMusic in CommonPerforming in a range of configurations from acoustic duo to eight piece band, Music in Common is genre-bending collective that creatively blends Americana, Hip-Hop, and Soul. Since 2005, MIC performances have been creating impactful communities of connection between artist and audience and audience with each other. From house concerts to colleges, performing arts centers, and large festival stages, Music in Common has performed for thousands of people in hundreds of communities worldwide. Also a nonprofit, Music in Common was honored as 2022 CNN Champions for Change for their impactful bridge-building work.
Patio Show: Flora Fauna
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVEFlora FaunaFlora Fauna is an Appalachian folk music project by the singer-songwriter sibling duo Emeline Scales and Charlie Scales, based out of Asheville, North Carolina. Deeply embedded in Appalachian bluegrass, porch music, and traditional Irish folk sounds with a folk / pop edge.
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.
25th Annual NewSong Music Competition
ALL AGES SEATED SHOW LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE NEWSONG MUSIC COMPETITION Join us for the 25th anniversary NewSong Music Competition, presented by Citizen Vinyl! The program’s curated showcases have been a fixture in the national music scene since 2001. The competition finals, formerly staged in New York City at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, relocated to Asheville, N.C. in 2017.Eight finalists (to be named on September 13) selected from advance online submissions from across North America and beyond, will bring their musical magic to Asheville where they will perform, compete, and connect with one another. A panel of music industry judges will select one grand prize winner to receive a fully funded six-song EP, plus 300 vinyl records of the grand prize project pressed at Citizen Vinyl.
 Past NewSong winners include Crys Matthews (Nashville, TN), Jobi Riccio (Nashville, TN), AC Sapphire {Portland, OR), and Slow Runner (Saluda, NC). The 2025 Grand Prize Winner was Susan Anderson (Asheville, NC).
Patio Show: Becks! Beacon, and Abbie McAllister
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE Becks! Becks! is a queer singer-songwriter whose Appalachian roots ground their music to place, while pushing the envelope of what it means to ‘belong’ in the folk and old time scenes. Their family history of union organizing and three generations of ‘card-carrying communists’ bring an edge to their live performances that ties the history of the Appalachian region and their family’s history along with it. Abbie McAllister Rural West Virginia-based singer-songwriter Abbie McAllister began her musical journey singing in family church choirs and on the porches of small local businesses— her music obsession fueled by the natural sounds of home and history. With her sound that blends soft rock, grunge, and blues with appalachian roots, she has gained attention as an up-and-coming artist with new pathways for music and inspiration. Beacon Beacon is the hard-hitting rock fusion project of North Carolina musician Alvin Carlisle. The music is based in leftist political messaging, ecstatic improvisation, and the fusion of Black American genres into an enrapturing show.
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 & Friends
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
Patio Show: Ben Musser
-ALL AGES -LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE Ben Musser Ben Musser plays indie soul with some rock n roll. His new album ‘Sentimental Fever’ (Blackbird Record Label) has just been featured on NPR, CMT, EARMILK, Grateful Webb plus charting on AAA radio stations across the country. He is thrilled to return to NYC on his 2026 album release tour. Performances on this tour will feature Ben’s one-man band approach to songs, where he plays kick drum, hihat, shaker, while performing guitar, singing, and sometimes the piano and harmonica.