News Summary
The Asheville Downtown Association is hosting a free outdoor concert featuring the Steep Canyon Rangers and local food and market stalls. This event signifies the community’s resilience as it recovers from Hurricane Helene, reinforcing downtown Asheville’s spirit and vibrancy. With additional performances by the Asheville Beer Choir, the concert aims to bring residents together in a united celebration while supporting local businesses.
Asheville – The Asheville Downtown Association is set to host a free outdoor community concert on Thursday, May 29, at Pack Square Park. This event, featuring the band Steep Canyon Rangers alongside opening act Sam Burchfield and the Scoundrels, is expected to draw a large crowd of residents eager to celebrate community spirit and resilience.
As part of the festivities, the concert will also include a performance by the Asheville Beer Choir, and attendees can enjoy a variety of market stalls, food trucks, and cold beer offerings throughout the evening. The concert marks an important moment for the community, being the first concert of its kind since 2019.
Over 200 volunteers and nonprofit partnerships have come together to support this community-powered event. The concert is strategically positioned on a Thursday to cater to local residents, emphasizing the importance of supporting downtown Asheville as it continues to recover from Hurricane Helene.
Preferred access tickets will be available for purchase, allowing attendees to secure seats directly in front of the stage. The proceeds from these ticket sales will help fund future community events and initiatives. The executive director of the Asheville Downtown Association highlighted the community’s longing for the vibrancy of downtown Asheville, demonstrating a collective desire to reclaim and revitalize the area.
Recovery from Hurricane Helene
The community concert is significant as Asheville’s recovery continues from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene, which struck in September. Eight months after the storm, some locales in the city still resemble disaster zones, complicating the recovery process for local businesses and infrastructure.
Governor Josh Stein has sought additional federal cost-sharing for disaster recovery from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), but his request has recently been denied. Despite the removal of over 12 million cubic yards of debris, estimates indicate that much work remains, and Governor Stein continues to advocate for federal disaster relief funding totaling approximately $19 billion for North Carolina.
The hurricane inflicted around $60 billion in damages across western North Carolina, severely impacting local infrastructure and businesses. In response to the storm, Norfolk Southern has successfully restored full freight rail service in Asheville after rebuilding 13 miles of essential track, with additional restoration efforts on the horizon. CSX has also faced significant damage and expects to complete its reconstruction efforts by fall.
Future Community Engagement
With the concert only a few weeks away, residents are encouraged to arrive early, with recommendations to come by 4 p.m. to enjoy the full extent of the offerings. The excitement surrounding the concert reflects a community eager to celebrate its resilience and support one another through the ongoing challenges related to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
The Asheville Downtown Association remains committed to reactivating downtown spaces and supporting local businesses. With the community’s involvement and passion evident, this concert promises to be an uplifting event both for attendees and for Asheville as it continues to rebuild and restore its sense of normalcy.
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Additional Resources
- WCNC: Asheville restaurant scene post-Hurricane Helene
- NBC News: Asheville struggles post-Hurricane Helene
- AJC: Asheville rail links restored after Hurricane Helene
- ABC11: Rebuilding after Hurricane Helene in Western NC
- Carolina Journal: FEMA denies North Carolina’s request for relief funding
- Wikipedia: Hurricane Helene
- Google Search: Hurricane Helene Asheville
