ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Outdoor live music is coming to a new riverside venue in Asheville this summer.
Hellbender by the Orange Peel, a new outdoor concert site located at 151 Thompson Street, is set to open in July 2026. Organizers said the venue will kick off a limited concert series this year and is planning a permanent stage and a full season of programming beginning in spring 2027.
The concert venue’s name is a nod to the hellbender, which is an aquatic giant salamander native to western North Carolina. Organizers said they chose the species to reflect the venue’s connection to the region and its riverside setting.
A general admission concert lawn, along with premium and standard seating options for shows, will be included at the venue. Big Picture Concert Group, the new ownership team behind the Orange Peel, said in October 2025 that there will be approximately 6,000 seats at the Thompson Street venue.
The three-acre site sits along a bend in the Swannanoa River and includes the property of the former Cursus Keme brewery, which closed after Hurricane Helene.
Previous coverage: ASHEVILLE PLANS 6,000-SEAT OUTDOOR CONCERT VENUE, LARGEST IN CITY, NEAR SWANNANOA RIVER
“The Orange Peel’s 24-year history as a locally owned live music business, deeply connected to our community, is central to everything we do,” Liz Whalen Tallent, head of marketing and co-owner of Big Picture Concert Group, The Orange Peel, and Hellbender, said in a press release. “We love bringing people together for live music, and we love Asheville, and Hellbender will be a reflection of both.”
The first show at Hellbender by the Orange Peel is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 1. Headliners at this show include Rhiannon Giddens, Mavis Staples and Mary Chapin Carpenter, with support from Hurray for the Riff Raff.
Tickets for this show will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 6. They will be available for purchase at Hellbender’s website, through Etix ticket outlets or at the Orange Peel box office at 101 Biltmore Avenue.
Organizers said the limited 2026 season will begin in July and run through October, with more concerts to be announced. For more information, click here.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source wlos.com ’
