DR. DOG and PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND to Headline AVL Sounds Fest

AVL Sounds Fest, presented by Wicked Weed Brewing and Worthwhile Sounds, today announced the initial lineup of more than 150 acts who will perform Aug. 6–9. Dr. Dog and Preservation Hall Jazz Band top the bill for the four-day festival, which will present sets in more than 15 indoor and outdoor venues spread out across one of the country's most celebrated live music meccas. Tickets are now on sale. 

Other highlights include UK-based soft rock ensemble Young Gun Silver Fox, Tyler Ramsey and Carl Broemel (of My Morning Jacket), and local favorites Electrolust, Toubab Krewe, Amanda Anne Platt & the Honeycutters, The Hypos, and Floating Action. View the full lineup at www.avlsoundsfest.com.

A second wave of more than 75 artists will be announced later this month.

“We're thrilled about this first wave of artists and feel strongly that our initial headliners align perfectly with the vision and scope of AVL Sounds Fest,” said Jeff Whitworth, president, Worthwhile Sounds. “Dr. Dog has long been a local favorite since their Grey Eagle days nearly 20 years ago. The fact that some of the members now live here is a reflection of the artistic and creative appeal Asheville offers.” 

The festival co-founder continues, “It's also our distinct honor to present the legendary Preservation Hall Jazz Band. The throughlines between New Orleans and Asheville became especially strong in the aftermaths of Katrina and Helene, as our communities looked to each other for guidance and comfort during difficult times. Having Pres Hall bring their positive energy and spirit to this festival means the world to me, personally, and I believe will also resonate deeply with festivalgoers.”

Landmark venues like The Grey Eagle, Orange Peel, Asheville Music Hall, Eulogy, Fleetwood's, and French Broad River Brewery return to the fold alongside newcomers Asheville Yards, Hellbender, Revival, and The Mule.

AVL Sounds Fest will honor Western North Carolina's rich musical heritage with an emphasis on the city's creativity and the artists who make it so magnetic. Formerly known as AVL Fest — which celebrated the sound, spirit, and soul of Asheville's musical home in 2023 and 2024 — the event will showcase genre-spanning local, national, and international acts variety of stages, clubs, rooms, and genre-crossing lineups that earned AVLfest national attention in 2023 and 2024 before Hurricane Helene sidelined the event in 2025.

While on pause, the spirit of the festival and Asheville's deep-rooted musical tradition carried on through The Asheville Sessions: Celebrating 100 Years of Americana & Appalachia in November in partnership with Blue Ridge Music Center and Explore Asheville. The centennial event helped create an opportunity for artists, venues, and the community to reconnect and celebrate the sound that has defined the area for over one hundred years. AVL Sounds Fest will launch annual programming dedicated to the Asheville Sessions, featuring contemporary artists' interpretations of these historic recordings.

A portion of proceeds from the event will be donated to WNC Long Haul - Recovery and Resilience Fund (a donor-advised fund through the Community Foundation of WNC), providing resources post-Hurricane Helene.  WNC Long Haul is committed to continued support in Culture & Arts, Local Business, and Long-Term Support for individuals impacted or displaced from the storm. The fund was set up to meet the evolving needs of the community at critical junctions at each phase of recovery.