Register Now for the 2026 Annual Meeting Excursions

AFS is excited to share with you a number of off-site events and excursions to enlighten and entertain you during your time in Asheville and Western North Carolina. Thanks to your friends and colleagues, both those on the Local Organizing Committee and those with other ties to, interests in, and experiences in the area, we have a range of events scheduled for your time in the area.

Follow the link to the listings on the conference platform, Fourwaves, to learn more details. Registration is open now for these events.

Birthplace of Country Music Museum Excursion, Bristol VA/TN

Date/Time: Tuesday, October 27, 9am–4pm EDT (includes transportation time)
Cost: $55 AFS shuttle transportation, prepaid with registration. Participants are responsible for museum admission ($11–$13), lunch, and other personal expenses.

Thomas Grant Richardson (WACultures) and Katy Clune (Virginia Folklife) will be your guides for an excursion to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, VA/TN, about an hour and a half from Asheville.

Marshall, NC Excursion + Spooky Ballad Swap

Date/Time: Wednesday, October 28, 4pm–9:15pm EDT (includes transportation time)
Cost: Free admission and AFS shuttle transportation. Participants are responsible for their own food, beverages, and other personal expenses.

Travel with us to nearby Marshall, NC, for an evening that culminates in the Spooky Ballad Swap, hosted by the Nest of Singing Birds at the Old Marshall Jail and Zadie’s. The ballad swap will take place from 6pm–8pm, with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Cultural and Natural Heritage Tour: Cataloochee Valley

Date/Time: Saturday, October 31, 1pm–7pm EDT
Cost: $75 AFS shuttle transportation, pre-paid with registration. Free admission to the National Park. Participants are responsible for their own food, beverages, and other personal expenses.

Ed Green, a Volunteer Park Ranger with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and our colleague Isaiah Green, an independent folklorist, will lead a guided tour of Cataloochee Valley where you’ll learn about the cultural and environmental heritage of Southern Appalachia.

Excursion to Warren Wilson College

Date/Time: Saturday, October 31
(Time and Details TBD)
Cost: Free admission and AFS shuttle transportation. Participants are responsible for their own food, beverages, and other personal expenses.

Join us for a short drive from downtown Asheville to Warren Wilson College, where you’ll be able to learn more about the school’s unique programs and student involvement in the community.