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Goombay Festival is the YMI Cultural Center’s annual celebration of African and Caribbean culture in Western North Carolina. The festival returns this weekend, Sept. 7-9, to Asheville’s Pack Square Park.

The festival will feature an outstanding lineup of national, regional, and local music acts as well as a Sunday gospel lineup with a number of local and surrounding gospel choirs.

Along with the music, Goombay Festival highlights a diverse assortment of craft and food vendors, including many local food vendors such as the Haywood Lounge’s Wings on Wheels, Tiger Bay, and Green Opportunties’ Kitchen Ready program. It will also feature an expanded kids area complete with workshops hosted by LEAF Schools & Streets and the Asheville Art Museum. There will be dance performances by local dance troupes.


There will be opportunities to hear from community elders and leaders to learn about the history of Goombay Festival in Asheville and Western North Carolina.

And don’t miss the Goombay Festival Afterparty! It begins at 10:00 pm on Friday, Sept. 7th at The Block Off Biltmore. An Attack of Funk will provide entertainment until 1:00 am.

Please visit the Asheville Goombay Festival website or the Asheville Goombay Facebook page for additional information.