Asheville Fringe Arts Festival

05/21/2026

Our directors are in San Diego for the 2026 World Fringe Congress, representing Asheville Fringe in its 25th year, and learning from other directors from across the globe!

05/07/2026

Coming May 15th to Story Parlor:

Becoming 'Merican

An interactive performance that turns the U.S. citizenship process into a live absurd competition. Hosted by Carolina Quiroga, with Tom Chalmers as the game show assistant, audience volunteers become contestants facing mock interviews, paperwork races, loyalty rituals, cultural explanations, and unpredictable bureaucratic tests.

Blending satire, personal narrative, poetry, and participation, each round reveals the strange performances often required to prove belonging: what to explain, what to confess, what to pay, and how long to wait. Funny, sharp, and unexpectedly moving, the show invites audiences to laugh while recognizing how bureaucracy shapes identity, dignity, and the feeling of becoming “American.”

Tickets are available now!
$25

See you there!

05/07/2026

Don’t miss this Fringe Fan Favorite, May 16 at Story Parlor!

In Loving Memory: A Celebration of the Poet and Citizen, Martha Wythblath

Saturday, May 16th at 7:30pm

This is a memorial service for a fictional person invented by Justin Evans and Kristen Aldrich. To them, Martha is a way to collectively mourn and admire the artists and friends they've known. But attendees are encouraged to invent their own memories of her as well. The performance will include an opportunity for community members to share memories of her work and life, readings of her poetry, and a recreation of the experimental performance "Invocation of Lightness", which was originally performed in 1994. Please consider bringing a remembrance or a poem of your own to attribute to her.

"Martha Whythblath's tragic death was a shock to poetry lovers everywhere, especially in Asheville. In accordance with her family's wishes, we will be hosting a reception and memorial service open to her friends, fans, and anyone interested in learning about her and the influence she has had on this community."

Martha was known for a style of writing and performance that was often both vulnerable and abrasive. Abstract but inviting. Join us for an evening of poetry and communion to celebrate those we have lost and those we still have with us.

This event premiered at the Asheville Fringe Festival.

Join us. Bring your own "memories" of Martha to share. Experience Justin Evans's avant garde extravaganza of laughter, love, discomfort, vulnerability, and poetic excellence.

Tickets $20. On sale NOW.

04/07/2026

Come spend the day with LEAF Global Arts on May 30! So many Fringers will be there. 💜👁️

🌿 DEEP ROOTS • MAY 30, 2026 🌿
The beloved spring LEAF event returns in a new format this May: Deep Roots, a full-day, family friendly celebration at Pisgah Brewing Company.

We're bringing the music, the energy, and the community back together again! Come reconnect with your roots… and your LEAF family. We can't wait to see you!
✨ LINEUP
• River Whyless
• Corey Harris
• Palmyra
• MAMA
• Lotus Feet
• Ashley Heath
• Adama Dembele
• Nicholas Edward Williams
• Mountain Circus Arts
• Street Creature Puppet Collective

FREE COMMUNITY PRE-PARTY w/ performance by • Petah Iah & The Mind Renewers

~Live music~Vendors~Healing Arts~Workshops~Family Fun~

📍 Pisgah Brewing Company
🔗 theLEAF.org

03/30/2026

Just a couple more days to vote for us in the best Festival category!
https://www.guidetonc.com/best-of/vote/arts-entertainment

03/26/2026

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