Pack Square Park — Attraction in Asheville

Such a mixed bag, depending on the event. We have been going to pack Square for about 20 years now. During the day it’s lovely with the splash park, but sometimes in the evening, depending on the free concert, you do get some rowdy folks. Not super rowdy people, and it’s certainly not Our own house less folks, although some people like to blame the houseless population. They seem to be rowdy folks that are there to drink and they’re usually pretty drunk before the concert even starts. And they are stepping on people’s toes and not aware of their body and their surroundings and just generally making things dangerous. It would be lovely at the events when they are serving drinks if they had more police patrolling, again, not for our local houseless population, because they’re really not doing anything wrong, but for the rowdy who have clearly had too much to drink. And it also often seems like these folks are coming from out of town, because they talk about it, how much they love being able to go to Asheville and really listen to the music and get drunk. So I’m hoping we’re monitoring them. It would be lovely if there could be more police presence That is focused on those people overindulging and not focused on people just merely sitting and enjoying the park.

All that said, if it is not a big free concert that folks are coming to drink and be loud, it is a super safe space. We have had our kids’ ballet recitals there. We have had all sorts of lovely family- focused activities there. It just seems to be the bigger names that draw the crowds for the free concerts (often out of town, and I also see them littering and throwing things around. Hey, it’s not their town, right)? So they’re disrespecting our park. I would love to see more police presence handling those folks in particular. This concert in particular that you see in the photos, in one where my husband performed with the Asheville beer choir, as an opener before a big headliner. And I guess it had been a long time since we’d gone to a big headliner event, but wow, we were surprised at...

A great outdoor pavilion, where numerous special events are held on a regular basis, right downtown in the city of Asheville. This past weekend, we visited the Art Show, where local and regional artists display and sell their art. There are several wonderful restaurants in the area to enjoy, before or after you view all of the displays. On Saturday mornings until noon, you can stroll a block away, north of Pack Square to the outdoor Asheville Farmer's Market. There you can enjoy light brunch/lunch items, while shopping for some of your weeks fresh Organic Produce. The Fresh Market holds nothing over these local farmers. These local growers have some of the finest produce, I've ever seen. So, if you are looking for a morning outdoors, before the heat of the summers day, you will truly enjoy the Art in the Park, and Farmer's Market this...

This a statement about the new downtown Asheville. Lots of yummy food and exciting bars. It’s the people that I rate so poorly. It is no longer a southern town and would guess locals are proud that Asheville is as rude as New York, as pretentious as San Francisco, and as pricy and liberal as DC. I don’t give one star ratings. We love Biltmore and all it’s charm but the locals are rude on the street, behind the Wheel and at the hotels. The retail folks are charming and providing great food and great international atmosphere. We love visiting but are always prepared for rude people. The Chamber should would on the local residents who are to be avoided. (BTW: The Marriott chain has given up on the staff at the old downtown property hoping we’d try the new brand - I don’t...