A private Bele Chere? Not so fast

As the final city-run Bele Chere approaches, rumors have swirled about a private company or organization taking it over. But according to the city of Asheville, so far they’re just rumors.

When Asheville City Council decided to end Bele Chere in March, Council members speculated about another organization (or combination of organizations) taking the festival over. Mayor Terry Bellamy noted that the city “will look to the community for what form Bele Chere takes next.”

So as Bele Chere drew closer this year, there was speculation about what form it would take. So far, according to spokesperson Dawa Hitch, that’s all it is; the city’s received no offers for the rights to the long-running street festival, from either private companies or nonprofit organizations.

With LAAFF and Goombay on hiatus, the future of street festivals in Asheville is in a major state of flux. As for what emerges, at this point that’s anyone’s guess.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

One thought on “A private Bele Chere? Not so fast

  1. kimboronni

    My first and third visits to Asheville were during Bele Chere, the second for the opening of Harvest Records. I’m sure the city will continue to party together… especially with Big Love, Downtown After Five, and All Go West Fest.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.