Asheville gay
Asheville LGBTQ City Guide
Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville, North Carolina is a beautiful city that is home to nearly 100,000 people. It has been named to many different prominent lists, including Good Morning America’s “10 Most Beautiful Places” list, and by various other publications as a excellent city for writers, artists, and new businesses. It has also held the title of Beer Metropolis USA for many years because of its numerous excellent microbreweries, and it is a favorite metropolis for many hikers and outdoor enthusiasts as adv. Even better, it’s also a very eclectic, gradual city with a thriving LGBTQ community.
A Bit of Asheville History
Asheville traces its roots back to 1784 when Colonel Samuel Davidson decided to apply his solder’s land grant, given in the Revolutionary War, to settle here. Davidson was unfortunately murdered by a local Native American tribe, but settlers continued to come to the area. By 1790, there were as many as 1,000 people in the area, and it only continued to mature from that point on. Before officially being incorporated, the city was acknowledged as Morristown, although its name was eventually changed to
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September 21, 2024
Asheville's Blue Ridge Identity Festival celebrates the LGBTQIA2S+ community in Downtown Asheville in Pack Square Park, 11 AM-6 PM. Two stages will feature regional musicians and many talented entertainers. Check out the many vendors and organizations. Find more information on the Blue Ridge Pride's website.
Learn about many great organizations in our people and country committed to social justice. Sample delicious goodies from food vendors.
For more info on visiting for the festival or any time of the year, see our Asheville LGBT Journey Guide.
"The mission of Blue Ridge Event is to foster an informed, engaged and supportive LGBTQIA2S+ community through intersectional belonging, equity, liberation, and joy operate under our 4 pillars: advocate, mark, educate and serve."
Scandals Nightclub
Since 1982, Asheville's largest high-energy twist club is famous throughout as the epicenter for creativity, diversity and entertainment. Don't miss their midnight show, premiering the best… read more
Since 1982, Asheville's largest high-en
LGBT Asheville
Asheville is a gay-friendly tiny city. Period.
According to the latest United States census, the Asheville area has 83% more woman loving woman, gay bisexual, transgender and lgbtq+ (LGBTQ+) identified people than the typical American city or town. Another study, also based on census results, found that Bun-combe County (with 15.5 same sex couples per 1,000) and Asheville (19.7 per 1,000) are the most gay-friendly county and metropolis in the state of North Carolina, on a per-capita basis well ahead of places appreciate Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. In 2010, the gay-oriented publication, The Advocate, ranked Asheville as the “12th gayest town in America.” Atlanta was ranked #1.
LGBTQ+ visitors increasingly are detecting Asheville, with its great innate beau-ty, innovative dining and drinking spots, heavy-duty gallery, arts and crafts scene, interesting shops and numerous gay-owned or gay-welcoming B&Bs and inns and businesses.
You are likely to see a number of openly lesbian and lgbtq+ couples around town, es-pecially Downtown and in West Asheville.
Downtown Asheville has several LGBTQ+ bars, including O. Henry’s (the oldest