The second annual RISE: A Fly Fishing Festival returns to Asheville, North Carolina, on Saturday, September 26, with a full day of casting, tying, music, and river-community fundraising along the French Broad.
The one-day event runs 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Wrong Way Campground in West Asheville, is free and open to the public, and directs a portion of proceeds to RiverLink, the local group marking 40 years of work on the French Broad and its watershed, and MountainTrue. RiverLink has been central to Helene recovery in the region. Wrong Way River Lodge & Cabins and Uproar Concept are co-producing, with the North Carolina Outdoor Economy Office serving as presenting sponsor.
RISE launched in 2025 as a marker of the French Broad community’s recovery one year after Hurricane Helene, drawing 300 attendees and raising $7,000. Year Two runs under a “RISE Together” theme, with the September date landing just days from the two-year anniversary of the storm. Anchor outfitter partners are three regional fly shops: Davidson River Outfitters, Hunter Banks Fly Fishing, and Headwaters Outfitters. Borne from Blue Lines, a partnership between Uproar Concept and Headwaters Outfitters, will host a guide expo aimed at helping fly fishing guides in Western North Carolina and Tennessee rebuild their customer base after Helene.
The day’s lineup runs from casting and fly-tying competitions to clinics, kid-focused programming, and raffles. Food comes from Chop Shop Butchery, drinks from featured local breweries, and live music runs in the Wrong Way Meadow. The festival’s signature stop is the Fish Flash Tattoo Studio inside the River Lodge, where local artists will offer river-themed flash designs across a range of styles. Additional confirmed sponsors include Free Fly, Blue Ridge Boatworks, Land O Sky Trout Unlimited, Explore Asheville, and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority.
For anglers already eyeing an Asheville trip, the timing lines up with the city’s fall calendar: RISE runs the weekend before the Outdoor Media Summit takes over Asheville September 28–30. Updates on tattoo artists, exhibitors, and programming will run on @risefishfest, with email signups open at risefishfest.com.
