Festival hours:
Friday, July 25: Noon to 11pm
Saturday, July 26: 10 am to 11pm
Sunday, July 27: Noon to 6pm
Parking:
Parking can be hard to find during the festival, so your best bet is the Bele Chere shuttle service (see “Shuttle Transportation” below). If you choose to park downtown, remember that many streets will be blocked off, and there’s limited space available in downtown parking decks (specifically, the Civic Center, Rankin Avenue, Wall Street, Pack Place and BB&T decks) or in surface lots. A special-event parking fee will apply in most cases. Be forewarned: Privately owned parking lots operate independently of Bele Chere, some will be renting spaces on a daily basis. However, others won’t – and illegally parked vehicles are subject to towing. Handicapped parking is available on the first level of the Rankin Street garage.
Shuttle transportation:
Bele Chere offers shuttle transports to downtown from two locations in the area. Shuttles run every 20 minutes and cost $3 per person, which includes a round-trip ticket and parking at the shuttle location. Buses will begin running one hour before the festival opens each day and continue one hour past festival closing each night. The cost of $3 per person is considerably less than fees for parking in private lots downtown. The shuttle locations are:
K-Mart on Patton Avenue to the intersection of Otis & Wall Street
Asheville Mall on Tunnel Road to the roundabout on College Street
No pets allowed:
Pets can be great companions – but not at Bele Chere. A combination of heat, crowds, and a shortage of shade and water unite to provide an inhospitable atmosphere for four-legged friends, especially dogs. In addition, inviting pets to Bele Chere can be hazardous to humans as well, since some folks are allergic to animal hair or are afraid of dogs. And both food vendors and customers might find it objectionable to have dog hair and other, uh, byproducts near their food. Despite the ban however, some folks will bring their pets anyway. And since the staff and organizers would rather see pets in a safe area than wandering about through the festival, Bele Chere will once again have a “Detain Your Pet” area.
Festivalgoers who bring pets to Bele Chere will be directed to the “Detain Your Pet” area, where they must leave their pets. (Locals, who presumably should know better, will be fined $5). Although cool water, shade and medical attention will be provided, festival organizers urge pet owners to remember that this is not the best option for your animal friends. The best solution, they stress, is to leave your pet at home.
Alcohol sales:
Alcohol is only available on Friday and Saturday at beverage stations throughout the festival. Alcoholic beverages will not be sold on Sunday, nor can they be carried on the streets on Sunday. (Alcohol will be available on Sunday inside downtown restaurants and bars). Those wishing to purchase alcohol at the festival must show a valid picture ID before each purchase and must have a wristband. Regardless of age, everyone must show an ID every time you purchase. Only one alcoholic beverage per person, per visit will be sold. Wristbands may be purchased for $2 in booths adjacent to the beverage stations; participating downtown merchants will also have wristbands for sale. A valid picture ID must accompany all wristband purchases. Wristbands may be purchased for the wearer only. Wristbands are not required to drink inside a restaurant or bar.
Alcohol-free areas:
The Children’s Area in the Renaissance Parking Lot has been designated as an alcohol-free zone throughout the weekend. Reminder signs will be posted in this area.
Gated Events:
The 30th annual Bele Chere will include 2 gated ticketed events at Memorial Stadium on Friday and Saturday night. Tickets will be available at the festival on the corner of Spruce & College during festival hours, at Memorial Stadium on Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m.-11 p.m, at the Asheville Civic Center during normal operating hours, and all Ticketmaster outlets. All festival restrictions apply. No lawn chairs, no pets, & audio or visual recording are prohibited. Pocket size umbrellas allowed. Bags will be searched upon entry. No strollers allowed on the field. A stroller parking area will be provided inside of the event gate. Stroller parking at your own risk.
Gated Event Shuttle:
Ticketholders can pick up a shuttle to Memorial Stadium offered by LaZoom at the French Broad Food Coop Parking Lot on Biltmore Ave behind the Biltmore Stage. Shuttles are for ticketholders only so buy your tickets in advance. The shuttle service runs from 6 p.m.-Midnight. After the concert you will be dropped back off on Biltmore Ave. You must have a ticket for the evening show in your hand when you get on the bus.
Festival maps and information:
A Festival Guide will be available at newsstands and at the festival beginning Friday, July 25. A pocket guide will also be available at numerous sites throughout the festival area. Both of these publications feature maps and detailed schedules of entertainment and other festival events. To assist with more detailed questions, three information booths– each staffed with volunteers – will be set up at the following locations:
Corner of Haywood and College Streets, at Pritchard Park
Spruce Street at College Street
Corner of Biltmore and Patton Avenues, at Pack Square
Four roving information teams will also be on site. Bele Chere T-shirts will identify volunteers and staff.
ATMs:
Automatic teller machines are located in the following downtown sites:
Asheville Savings Bank at Patton Avenue (Arts Park)
Wachovia Bank at 1 Haywood Street (Pritchard Park)
Bank of America at 162 College Street
Bank of America at 68 Patton Avenue (Pritchard Park)
First Citizens Bank at 108 Patton Avenue
BB&T at 1West Pack Square
Premier Credit Union at the Civic Center, 87 Haywood Street
First Aid:
First Aid tents will be set up on Patton Ave. at Church Street, Lexington Ave. at College Street and on College Street near City-County Plaza.
Recycling:
Green and yellow recycling-only containers and yellow trash/recycling containers, - checking on color, courtesy of Budweiser of Asheville, will be placed throughout the festival grounds. Festivalgoers can use these to recycle empty aluminum cans, glass bottles and No. 1 and 2 plastic bottles. Please don’t put trash in the recycling containers.
Official Festival Souvenirs:
Three souvenir booths will sell a wide variety of official Bele Chere merchandise. They are located at:
College Street at Spruce St.
Pack Square
Pritchard Park
Lodging:
Make reservations as early as possible. For help with local accommodations, contact the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce at (828) 258-6109 or visit the online Visitor Center at http://www.exploreasheville.com.
Bele Chere no-no’s:
To ensure the safety of all festivalgoers, the following items are not allowed at Bele Chere including the gated events at Memorial Stadium: pets, bottles, coolers, bicycles, mopeds, roller blades, roller skates or skateboards. And of course, no alcohol on the streets on Sunday!
Other Bele Chere tips:
Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, since the festival encompasses many downtown blocks. Sunscreen, lip balm, hand wipes and sunglasses are highly recommended.
Nondiscrimination statement:
The City of Asheville Parks and Recreation Department does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, age, national origin, religion, or disability in its programs, services, or activities. Every effort has been made to assure that all people can attend and enjoy the festival. Auxiliary aids and services are available with advance notification. Please direct any questions or comments to the Asheville Parks and Recreation Department at (828) 259-5800 before the festival and Bele Chere headquarters during the festival at (828) 232-4547.
For more information:
To learn more about Bele Chere 2008, call Asheville Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts at
(828) 259-5800, or visit the festival’s web site at http://www.belecherefestival.com.