ASHEVILLE, NC — On Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, Arts 2 People will once again host its f The Surreal Sirkus Arts Festival at Pack Square Park, with its unique blend of experimental theater, live music, art vendors, and circus arts that has become a staple of the city’s creative community. The event, as always, is free to the public. 

Last year, because of Hurricane Helene, the festival had to be scaled back significantly. This year, however, the event will be bigger than ever, encompassing four stages that span the entirety of Pack Square, from the Roger McGuire Green to North Pack Square. 

The main stage at the Amphitheater in front of City Hall will feature live bands and musicians from Asheville and beyond. It will culminate in the Surreal Sirkus Mainstage Show at 8 pm, which will showcase an array of performers, including aerialists, fire spinners, puppeteers, jugglers, dancers, and other circus acts. 

This year’s show tells the story of a soul’s journey after death. And it will tie together the story arc of The Tale of the Cosmic Eggs, an eight-part series of performances that Surreal Sirkus has been telling in various venues throughout Asheville over the past year.

Reuter Terrace will feature two stages: a smaller second stage featuring individual performers throughout the day and a spoken word/poetry stage on the Spruce St. side of the park. The terrace will also feature a number of interactive exhibits and spaces for audience participation, including a hands-on exhibit by the Bob Moog Foundation.

Also, this year, Arts 2 People has partnered with Create Ink, a local organization bringing diverse communities together through the arts. They will host an Open Mic & Showcase on the second stage from 4 to 7 p.m. Meanwhile, at North Pack Square, there will be an Electronic Dance Music stage on the raised lawn featuring some of Asheville’s finest DJ’s.

And of course the Surreal Sirkus Arts Festival will include more than 50 local vendors showcasing their unique artworks and handmade crafts, as well as food, beer, and mixed drinks, which will be available for sale at the Roger McGuire Green.

The Surreal Sirkus has deep roots in the history of the town’s artistic life. It existed as both an annual event and a performance troupe from 1996 to 2005, when it was a staple of the city’s underground arts scene. It was resurrected in 2021 for the event’s 25th anniversary with the help of Arts 2 People, the organization that put on L.A.A.F.F. downtown for 17 years. 

This year, the event received generous support in the form of an Event Support Grant from ArtsAVL and the City of Asheville.