Asheville's Bele Chere... Sweet Memories and Such

Some folks are lamenting the loss of Bele Chere as the loss of something that is Asheville. I see it this way: Asheville is better than Bele Chere every damned day of the year. Bele Chere had a way of condensing a few of the good parts of Asheville along with a lot of the worst parts of the rest of humanity into one slightly smelly, over-dense, hot little 3 day nugget. My Asheville has more freaks and fun and food and frivolity on a Wednesday afternoon in September than most places have all year ’round.

You can keep the heat, the crowds and the overpriced tchotchkes. My Asheville has enough kickassery the other 362 days of the year, thank you very much. I spent my weekend in the woods with the kids and a box of fried chicken. When I get the all-clear, I’ll venture back into town and enjoy Asheville for the jewel that it is. An unsweaty, uncrowded jewel.

So long, Bele Chere. It’s been real…