Asheville's Beloved Weekly Warm Season Tradition Is Free-To-Visit And Full Of Rhythmic Dancing

Whether you live locally in Asheville, reside elsewhere in North Carolina, or are planning to visit the city from out of state, the warmer months offer some unique entertainment here. Some American cities embrace this time of year with more beach days, markets, and picnics. Asheville meanwhile brings its eclectic community together every Friday evening for a weekly drum circle. Between April and October, or whenever the night is warm enough for playing, crowds of people gather in Pritchard Park in Downtown Asheville for a free evening of rhythmic drumming and dancing.

The Asheville Drum Circle is a beloved local tradition. It started in 2001 with around 10 participants and has since become one of the city's most diverse and egalitarian events. On any given Friday night, between 6 p.m. and 9:45 p.m., you can join locals and visitors in a harmonious celebration of community, music, and culture. People of varying ages, colors, demographics, and beliefs all come together on the steps around a central circle and play dunduns, djembes, congas, and other types of hand drums. Some lead, though this isn't necessarily planned, while others support with tambourines or triangles.

"The Friday night drum circle is a trip," one person said on Tripadvisor. "Very primal, very weird, lots of fun. Something you need to see, hear, and participate in at least once in your life." You can experience the Drum Circle in various ways, either by playing a hand drum, watching the performance, dancing, or even hula hooping. Inclusivity is a huge part of this event, and all are welcome so long as they embrace its rhythm and heart. It's yet another reason Asheville was one of America's top three towns to visit in 2025.

Downtown Asheville is well acquainted with the city's creative and artsy community. Places like the Woolworth Walk, an iconic art gallery spotlighting local creatives, help new and established artists connect with bigger audiences. The Asheville Drum Circle is something different. Its humble origins — some friends getting together to make music — haven't been forgotten. No money is expected and there are only a few restrictions as far as time and participation go. These help it maintain its sense of unity and can turn the drum circle, for some, into a spiritual experience.

One of the restrictions is that you can only bring hand drums to the circle. Drum kits, marching drums, or anything loud and metal don't match the vibe. If you're new to hand drumming, the official Asheville Drum Circle Facebook group also asks that you let the experienced drummers lead. This is to ensure the best rhythm and unity. "In order to all drum together we need to listen to each other," the Facebook group says. "We need to play at the same tempo and in the same time signature. Loud things lead, and if you don't know what you are doing, it just wrecks it."

With that in mind, this might not be the best environment to learn drumming. Though you'll improve the more you attend the Friday drum circle, you'll probably learn faster by joining a local drumming class. Skinny Beats Sound Shop on Eagle Street offers djembe classes for $25 a session (at time of writing). While the drum circle is worth a visit to Asheville, check out other downtown sights before the beat drops. Grove Arcade, for example, is five minutes' walk away and is full of shops, Europe vibes, and renowned food.