Asheville’s Pansy Fest Showcases City’s Queer Artists
By: Whitley Albury
Asheville is known for being a queer space in a fairly red part of North Carolina. Sure, we have drag shows galore, we had Scandals, we had Club Hairspray. But what about the often-ignored queer punks? Where was their space, their home, especially when everything else is a bit of a dumpster fire?
Enter the Pansy Collective, the force behind Pansy Fest, a three-day music fest that kicks off tonight. The collective started out as a DIY community aiming to end bigotry in any punk scene, but especially here. The collective hosts pop-up workshops (usually at Firestorm, the anarchist bookstore), smaller shows, art events, and, occasionally, lube wrestling. Everything the collective does has the queer Southern artist in mind, and they work with several nonprofits in the area (namely BeLoved House, an organization that helps out homeless folks in the community, as well as QPOC). Pansy Collective is truly a force for good in town, and to celebrate all that goodness, we’ve got Pansy Fest.
This year’s Pansy Fest is three days of queer punk from all different subsets (Sunday’s set at Fleetwood’s features Bless Your Heart, a queer punk country band) and all parts of the Southeast, and happens in conjunction with Another Carolina Anarchist Bookfair. Friday and Saturday nights’ shows at Sly Grog Lounge, with DJ sets at Static Age Records Friday and a “Noise Show” at Mold House on Saturday.
Both Sly Grog sets are on a sliding scale, but no one will be turned away due to lack of funds. The Mold House show is free, Static Age is $5. Sunday’s Fleetwood’s show is $5, with $10 suggested if you want a brunch plate.
If you’re planning on driving into town, let the event organizers know; since Asheville has become a major tourist destination, the city residents are trying to cut back on how many visitors are coming in, working to find alternatives to the hotels and tourist traps that overwhelm local communities.
What: Pansy Fest
When: Aug. 23-25
Where: Sly Grog Lounge and Fleetwood’s, with pop-up sets at Static Age and Mold House
How Much: Around $30 for the whole weekend
