Not into music? Eating and drinking are equally legitimate attractions at Bele Chere.
Some of these street eats are served just once or twice a year. Take the gyros from Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church: They’re available at Bele Chere and at the Greek Festival in the fall. Get them while you can.
The Paris Festival booth, which sets up near the intersection of Patton and Haywood, is a Bele Chere must. In addition to funnel cake, Jackie and Michel Fontaine serve apple galette and thick slices of bread pudding. They always sell out on Saturday, Jackie says, so if you want some galette, get down there soon. You can also find the Fontaines at their vineyard and event space in Leicester.
What else can you eat near Pritchard Park? We asked these diners to show us their favorite festival eats.
Over by the Vance Monument, check out Taste of Asheville at Pack Square. You’ll find booths from well-known Asheville restaurants, including HomeGrown, Mela, The Local Joint, Ultimate Ice Cream, Frankie Bones, The Lowdown food truck, Smash Box and Mamacita’s.
Local vendors come out, too. Look for Glam Ham Pork Rinds, an Asheville-based business that sells their deep-fried fare at outdoor events in North Carolina and Tennesee. In addition to several flavors of pork rinds, Glam Ham offers dessert pork rinds, which come topped with hot fudge or caramel, plus sea salt and whipped cream. “You have the blend of sweet, salt and crunch,” says Tamara Galloway, who runs the snack stand.
Check out these other shots from Taste of Asheville.
Photos by: Max Cooper, Emily Patrick
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