Here comes the boom. This Friday, Sept. 6 and Saturday, Sept. 7, Boomtown Arts & Heritage FestAVL will debut downtown.

The fest from Andrew Ellington, descendent of architect Douglas Ellington, will celebrate historic milestones and the evolution of Asheville from a boomtown to an arts and culture powerhouse. Here's how the event will highlight that journey, from commemorating building anniversaries to welcoming local vendors and artisans.

Take in the tunes

The fest will feature more than a dozen musical performances from local acts like Toubab Krewe and Nex Millen and national acts like Karl Denson's Tiny Universe (DYK: Denson also plays saxophone for The Rolling Stones). After each day's events, Eulogy will host after-parties to keep the tunes going.

Plus, this year's Symphony in the Park, where the Asheville Symphony will play everything from classical works to movie scores to pop hits, is part of the festival.

Hone in on history

Get your steps in while learning about Asheville's past on these immersive tours.

Buildings and Pioneers: Asheville by Foot Walking Tours will take you on a two-hour journey along the Asheville Architecture Trail.
Asheville Music History Walking Tour: Award-winning author + music historian Alli Marshall will teach you how our celebrated music scene came to be.
Historic James Vester Miller Trail: Photographer and granddaughter of James Vester Miller, Andrea Clark, will lead a history hour on the Black brick mason and contractor who built some of Asheville's most notable buildings during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Then, you can embark on a walking tour of the trail.

Around the community

Several regular local happenings will be officially part of the festival for its first year, including First Friday on The Block and Yoga in the Park. Check out the full schedule to see what's in store.

Pro tip: You can get free entry to the festival when you RSVP.