The Ingles Independence Day Celebration returns to Downtown Asheville’s Pack Square Park on Monday, July 4. This event is produced by the Asheville Downtown Association (ADA) in partnership with the City of Asheville. The free event features The Ultimate Air Dogs, live music, local food and craft beverages, and a fireworks extravaganza.
ULTIMATE AIR DOGS
The fun-filled day starts off with crowd favorite The Ultimate Air Dogs. Watch as the talented pups fly off the dock in a competition to see who can jump the furthest. Competitions take place at 1pm, 3pm and 5pm. Think your dog has what it takes? No experience is necessary and your dog can jump too. Pre-registration is required to jump. Find more information here.
**Pets are only allowed in the Air Dogs area and not throughout the rest of the event. This is a City of Asheville ordinance.
SPLASHVILLE
The Splashville Fountain will be on until 7pm for kids (and adults) to cool off and splash about.
LIVE MUSIC
Kicking off the live music at 5pm is Asheville's own, Hannah Kaminer. Hannah fuses echoes of Appalachian traditions with wistful, Americana-style songwriting. Her clear, yearning voice and unusual melodies are a haunting pairing with lyrics about loss, love, and home.
On stage at 6pm is country rock musician, Ricky Gunter. Ricky was born and raised in Marshall. He credits his mom teaching him how to harmonize and his dad for steering him into the country music scene. He won the Josie Music Awards competition for best vocalist in 2021.
Lyric, who got her start busking in the streets of Downtown Asheville, hits the stage at 7:30pm. She holds several Mountain Xpress “best of” awards including, best funk band, best vocalist, best lyricist, best r&b/soul, best singer-songwriter, all-around favorite band and band that gives back to the community. Since taking to the streets, Lyric has shared the stage with legends such as George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Mavis Staples, Gladys Knight, Booker T. Jones, Little Big Town, Dionne Warwick, Cedric Burnside, Amy Ray (Indigo Girls), Fred Wesley & the Lee Boys, Count M’Butu and Warren Haynes.
Lyric will also perform our National Anthem just before the fireworks extravaganza at 9:30pm.
EATS & DRINKS
Food and beverage sales open at 5pm. Brews from locals Sierra Nevada, French Broad Brewing, Flat Rock Cider Company, as well as brews from Lagunitas, Sam Adams, Foothills Brewing, and wine from Noble Vines will be available for purchase. Water and other drinks will also be available for purchase.
Local food vendors include: Bears Smokehouse BBQ, Buggy Pops, El Kimchi, Jamaican Flavors, Kernal Mike’s Famous Kettle Corn, Kona Ice, Paris Festival Bakery and TinCan Pizzeria.
NONPROFIT PARTNERS
Leaf Global Arts: LEAF’s mission comes to life as an agent for positive social impact in many ways and places. The “ways” include: cultural exchanges, residencies, programs, workshops, mentoring, Easel Rider Mobile Art Lab, Learning Journeys, Signature Events, and immersive experiences. “Places” include: LEAF Global Arts Center in downtown Asheville, in communities across the world, in schools, in community centers, at event locations such as Lake Eden in Black Mountain, and downtown Asheville.
Save Our Brass: The Save Our Brass Culture Foundation is a non-profit organization formed by New Orleans Brass Bands members to protect and serve its culture and interests
VIEWING PARTY AT RENAISSANCE HOTEL
The Renaissance Asheville Hotel is hosting a fireworks viewing party in their parking lot with American cookout food and beverages available for purchase. There’s no cost to enjoy this event. ULTIMATE AIR DOGS
The fun-filled day starts off with crowd favorite The Ultimate Air Dogs. Watch as the talented pups fly off the dock in a competition to see who can jump the furthest. Competitions take place at 1pm, 3pm and 5pm. Think your dog has what it takes? No experience is necessary and your dog can jump too. Pre-registration is required to jump. Find more information here.
**Pets are only allowed in the Air Dogs area and not throughout the rest of the event. This is a City of Asheville ordinance.
SPLASHVILLE
The Splashville Fountain will be on until 7pm for kids (and adults) to cool off and splash about.
LIVE MUSIC
Kicking off the live music at 5pm is Asheville's own, Hannah Kaminer. Hannah fuses echoes of Appalachian traditions with wistful, Americana-style songwriting. Her clear, yearning voice and unusual melodies are a haunting pairing with lyrics about loss, love, and home.
On stage at 6pm is country rock musician, Ricky Gunter. Ricky was born and raised in Marshall. He credits his mom teaching him how to harmonize and his dad for steering him into the country music scene. He won the Josie Music Awards competition for best vocalist in 2021.
Lyric, who got her start busking in the streets of Downtown Asheville, hits the stage at 7:30pm. She holds several Mountain Xpress “best of” awards including, best funk band, best vocalist, best lyricist, best r&b/soul, best singer-songwriter, all-around favorite band and band that gives back to the community. Since taking to the streets, Lyric has shared the stage with legends such as George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Mavis Staples, Gladys Knight, Booker T. Jones, Little Big Town, Dionne Warwick, Cedric Burnside, Amy Ray (Indigo Girls), Fred Wesley & the Lee Boys, Count M’Butu and Warren Haynes.
Lyric will also perform our National Anthem just before the fireworks extravaganza at 9:30pm.
EATS & DRINKS
Food and beverage sales open at 5pm. Brews from locals Sierra Nevada, French Broad Brewing, Flat Rock Cider Company, as well as brews from Lagunitas, Sam Adams, Foothills Brewing, and wine from Noble Vines will be available for purchase. Water and other drinks will also be available for purchase.
Local food vendors include: Bears Smokehouse BBQ, Buggy Pops, El Kimchi, Jamaican Flavors, Kernal Mike’s Famous Kettle Corn, Kona Ice, Paris Festival Bakery and TinCan Pizzeria.
NONPROFIT PARTNERS
Leaf Global Arts: LEAF’s mission comes to life as an agent for positive social impact in many ways and places. The “ways” include: cultural exchanges, residencies, programs, workshops, mentoring, Easel Rider Mobile Art Lab, Learning Journeys, Signature Events, and immersive experiences. “Places” include: LEAF Global Arts Center in downtown Asheville, in communities across the world, in schools, in community centers, at event locations such as Lake Eden in Black Mountain, and downtown Asheville.
Save Our Brass: The Save Our Brass Culture Foundation is a non-profit organization formed by New Orleans Brass Bands members to protect and serve its culture and interests
VIEWING PARTY AT RENAISSANCE HOTEL
They’re also hosting Bubbles, Bites & Lights, an indoor viewing party beginning at 6pm on the 12th floor. Tickets include bubbly and small bites of meats, cheeses and desserts. More information and tickets here.
SPONSORS
Thanks to our sponsors for making this event possible: Ingles Markets, Harrah's Cherokee Casinos, Duke Energy, Go Minis Portable Storage, Empire Distributors, Renaissance Asheville Hotel, Kudzu Brands, 99.9 Kiss Country, Star 104.3, Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts, Sierra Nevada, Lagunitas, Flat Rock Cider Company, Noble Vines, Samuel Adams, French Broad Brewery, Foothills Brewing, Bears Smokehouse BBQ, Asheville Color & Imaging.
