Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) offers hundreds of educational, cultural, and recreational opportunities throughout the year led by experts in the field. However, an upcoming festival invites community members to explore the entrepreneurial spirit of the area’s local creative communities at Summer Vendor Festival at Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center. Created by Facility Manager Tameka Hill, the event provides a unique platform for local small businesses to showcase their work to a larger audience.
“One thing that might be surprising to people about the summer vendor festival is the number of local small businesses that exist right here in the heart of Asheville and how they are nested right here amongst our dwelling creative communities,” according to Tameka. “I am hoping to cultivate a vibe that gives vendors and shoppers a wow factor and a sense of growth to build upon resourceful connections to further enhance growth, stability, and sustainability.”
Visit AVLREC.com to register for Summer Vendor Festival. Registration is $150 for a booth and $250 for food trucks. Admission is free for shoppers and attendees.
What to Expect at Summer Vendor Festival
When designing the festival, Tameka drew inspiration from the center’s annual Shiloh Fun Day. Hosted by Team Us and APR, Shiloh Fun Day recently hosted its eleventh festival and has grown tremendously, giving back to the community while showcasing small businesses and attracting participants from across various states. Seeing that success influenced Tameka to build a dedicated program specifically to showcase these and other entrepreneurs.
“As the creator, what I’m most excited to witness firsthand is the moment of genuine connection – seeing a shopper discover a new favorite local business and the vendor realizing their business is truly supported by their community,” says Tameka.
As the community center manager and a local small business owner herself, Tameka understands the importance of free community festivals for the vendors. “I am the right person to lead this because of my deep familiarity with the center’s operations and my commitment to fostering genuine connections that enhance the growth, stability, and sustainability of our local creative community. I know firsthand the impact of having support amongst the communities we serve.”
Details for Summer Vendor Festival
- Dates: June 27-28 and July 25-26
- Time: 1-5pm each day
- Place: Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center on 121 Shiloh Road
- Ages: 18+
- Cost: Free to attend; $150 for a booth and $250 for food trucks
- Add Summer Vendor Festival to Your Calendar
Check Out All APR Programs
Summer Vendor Festival is just one of many programs, activities, and special events taking place in Asheville parks and community centers each week! Programs fill up fast and many require advance registration, so it’s worth spending some time planning which activities and events to attend. Use these resources to discover additional opportunities:
- View APR’s free program guide online or pick up a copy at community center locations
- Search programs online, available in multiple languages via Google Translate’s Website Translator
- Follow APR on Facebook and Instagram and sign up for APR newsletters
- Discover parks, greenways, playgrounds, and recreation locations throughout Asheville
Off the Bench is an Asheville Parks & Recreation series highlighting fresh wellness-, education-, and culture-related recreation programs for community members of all ages. Driven by the promise that Asheville is a better and safer place when everyone from infants to retirees has the opportunity to be supported, healthy, and successful, talented program leaders continually introduce new opportunities for Ashevillians to explore, connect, and discover.