From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE — AVL Fest announced the cancellation of its 2025 event on March 28 in order to focus on community recovery from Tropical Storm Helene, which devastated the area last Sept. 27, Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) reported on March 28..

According to an Instagram post, the decision was made a day after the six-month anniversary of Hurricane Helene in honor of the community’s ongoing recovery.

“As our community continues to rebuild and recover from the past six months, we will use this time to ensure we deliver the best possible version of AVLFest in 2026,” AVL Fest wrote in its post.

The AVL Fest team also mentioned they are working on some surprises for the community and encouraged attendees to “stay tuned.”

Meanwhile, after News 13’s story, the following were among the responses on its “Comment Bubble:”

• WindRidge — “$250 for a “VIP” pass. Sorry, I’m saving up to buy a used craft beer brewery so I can start an all-inclusive manbearpig private club. It’s bound to be a hit.”

• BitingTheHandThatFeeds — “Clearly you’re not VIP.  Just get the regular pass and enjoy. Four days for like $100.  What’s wrong with offering high-end options for fancy-pants folks?”

• Qualityoil1 — “WTH most folks don’t have anywhere near that kind of money for something like this. Tone deaf, much?”

• EnkaCandler — “You’re forgetting about the trustafarians. Kombucha tea in one hand and avocado toast in the other. Birkenstocks on their feet. Their van-life vehicle or Subie for glamping trips they got was paid for by their neo-con parents.”

• TheOracle — “Their requisite Subies.”