Volunteer Opportunities

There are lots of ways to get involved with downtown and with the Asheville Downtown Association.

Volunteer
We couldn’t put on award-winning events without our amazing volunteers. Did you know it takes nearly 150 volunteers to make each Downtown After 5 happen, 100 for the Asheville Holiday Parade and another 100 for Oktoberfest? 

That means we have lots of opportunities for you to lend a hand. You can pour beer at Downtown After 5 or Oktoberfest, work the greening stations to help us lessen our environmental footprint, help with setup and breakdown, even be a bike marshal in the Holiday Parade. 

And because we know how hard our volunteers work, we’ve come up with a Perks Package to reward you for your time and energy. Click the attachment below for more info on how perks are calculated. 
2023 Perks!
• 1-2 shifts: Event t-shirt
• 3 shifts: Event t-shirt + one appreciation party invite
• 4+ shifts: Event t-shirt + two appreciation party invites
• 4+ shifts, including at least one late shift: Event t-shirt + two VIP appreciation party invites
• Volunteers also receive beverage tokens to use after shifts (when applicable)

Not to mention that both our Volunteer Orientation and Volunteer Appreciation Party (held in January) are not to be missed. You’ll enjoy mingling with fellow volunteers, delicious food, and of course, plenty of local Asheville beer (and wine for you wine drinkers).   

Interested in volunteering with your business or organization? Learn more about Group Volunteering Opportunities.

By volunteering, you agree to the ADA's Volunteer Agreement. View the agreement here.

Training:
2023 Volunteer Guidebook, click here.

RASP: Responsible Alcohol Serving Program Online Training/Test - All volunteers who serve alcohol must complete this training. Please submit your certificate to volunteer@ashevilledowntown.org. Click here for instructions prior to taking the training.

Crowd Manager Training - We encourage volunteers to complete this training so they are prepared to assist in the case of an evacuation. **Please note, the NC Office of the Fire Marshal has changed the format of this test and it now requires reviewing several presentations and taking both the Management and Support Staff quizzes. Total time is about one hour.


Boards & Commissions

Asheville City Council has established a variety of boards and commissions providing input on policies that shape both the government and the city. Currently, the city has more than 30 boards and commissions that advise the mayor and city council on an array of issues.

Visit the City of Asheville's website to learn more about individual boards and commissions and to download an application. Board and commission meetings are also open to the public and potential members are encouraged to attend monthly meetings. These dates and times are also available on the city's website.