The ‘Mountain Moral Monday’ rally will return to downtown Asheville Aug. 4, aiming to bring together thousands of people from across the region to protest what they see as destructive state policies and help get out the vote in this year’s election.

The event is being organized by the Mountain People’s Assembly, a coalition of WNC organizations, and regional WNC NAACP branches. It’s billed as a nonpartisan event but, like the related Moral Monday protests in Raleigh, is fueled by frustration with Republican state policies.

The event will feature Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, President of the NC NAACP and other guest speakers, as well as unannounced musical entertainment. It runs from 5-6:30 pm at Pack Square Park.

Last year’s Mountain Moral Monday was one of the area’s largest protests in modern history, with some estimating a crowd of up to 10,000.