Events & Pride
From Blue Ridge Pride to drag nights and volleyball leagues, here's the regular queer social calendar in Asheville. Schedules change, so check each spot's calendar before you go.
Regular Spots and Recurring Nights
O.Henry's
North Carolina's oldest gay bar (since 1976) on Haywood Street. Karaoke nights, drag, and a potluck on the first Sunday of the month. Check their calendar for this week's lineup.
Shakey's
Downtown's gay dive bar on French Broad Avenue, with something most nights: karaoke, DJs, themed weeknights and Sunday Bloody Marys.
Banks Ave
South Slope bar with drag shows, pool, skee-ball and karaoke. They post current events on their socials.
Day Trip
LGBTQ+ owned cocktail bar that flooded during Helene a month after opening and reopened in 2025 on Broadway downtown.
Volleyball at Highland Brewing
Highland runs sand volleyball leagues on weeknights and weekends in season, rec through advanced. It is not an LGBTQ+ league, but it is a friendly way to meet people. Check Highland for the current schedule.
Queer Yoga
Asheville Community Yoga offers a weekly Queer/2SLGBTQIA+ class. Pre-register through their schedule.
Annual
Blue Ridge Pride
Asheville's Pride festival, put on by the nonprofit Blue Ridge Pride at Pack Square Park every September. In 2026 it expanded to two days (September 25-26). Check their site for next year's dates.
blueridgepride.org →Know about a regular event I should add?
Let me know →Local LGBTQ+ community
Where to next
- Asheville Pride guidePride weekend: events, parties, quiet options and a weekend playbook.
- How to make gay friends hereWhere to actually meet people: groups, sports, events and more.
- Sober queer AshevilleNon-bar activities and late-night spots.
- Living hereEvents, local favorites and the businesses that make it home.
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