Downtown Visitor Trends – November 2025
Out-of-market visitation to Downtown Asheville reached 531,300 in November, tracking closely with November 2023 levels (535,600). Non-resident visits totaled 1.1 million, also aligning with a typical fall pattern for downtown.
Pack Square Park was the most-visited location downtown, drawing over 70,000 visitors in November.
November also saw strong turnout for holiday programming. The 2025 Asheville Holiday Parade presented by Bojangles brought record-setting energy to downtown. At its peak, nearly 20,000 people were in the downtown area, with an estimated 10,000 spectators lining the streets to watch the procession. Even more encouraging, downtown experienced a 20% increase in visitor retention after the parade compared to 2023, a strong signal that holiday programming is helping support local businesses and keep visitors downtown longer.
The Grove Arcade Tree Lighting on November 29 drew 3,600 attendees, adding to the momentum and festive energy throughout the month.
Downtown activity was strongest in the early evening, with peak visitation at 6 PM and 7 PM (approximately 9,600 visitors at each hour). Saturdays proved to be the busiest day of the week, averaging more than 42,000 visitors, highlighting the continued strength of weekend foot traffic.
The extended downtown workforce was estimated at 15,000, while the resident population remained stable at 2,300.
These insights, gathered through the Asheville Downtown Improvement District, help guide programming, inform placemaking, and support local businesses as downtown moves further into the holiday season.
