New Asheville ‘Festivals & Events’ guide connects small businesses to vending opportunities

Press release from City of Asheville:

Asheville hosts a wide variety of special events and festivals across the City’s outdoor public spaces. A new booklet, “City of Asheville Outdoor Public Space 2018 Festivals & Events,” serves as a guide to 70 of the 200 or so of them. But it’s more than a listing of what to do on weekends in the new year.

The “2018 Festivals & Events” guide doubles as a resource for small businesses, connecting the dots between them and vending opportunities throughout the year.

The guide is the byproduct of a year-long research study of the City’s outdoor events and festivals. Funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission, the study’s goal was to better understand how events contribute to entrepreneurship and small business growth.

“The study identified an annual premium of $2.7 million in increased sales earned by businesses that participated in outdoor special events, so we’re working to better disseminate information relating to those opportunities,” says Economic Development Specialist Jon Fillman, who permits outdoor special events for the City. “A legend that identifies which events offer space for exhibits and vending is one of the keys to this booklet.”

Where to get the guide

The “City of Asheville Outdoor Public Space 2018 Festivals & Events” booklet is available online. Visit this link for the online version.

Printed copies are now available at Asheville City Hall, and are currently rolling out to business offices including the Asheville Downtown Association, Mountain BizWorks, Chamber of Commerce, Asheville Area Arts Council, Western Women’s Business Center and Land of Sky Regional Council with many more to come.

The City of Asheville Community & Economic Development Department manages outdoor special event permitting, partnerships, lease agreements and City service coordination for all event, festival and commercial film productions involving City-owned property, streets and parks. For more information visit the City’s Outdoor Special Events webpage. Or contact Economic Development Specialist Jon Fillman at JFillman@ashevillenc.gov or 828-259-5738.

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