If you are attending the event here are some tips to know before you go.
Update August 13 4:22 p.m. – On Wednesday, August 14th, significant traffic is expected in downtown Asheville due to the Trump campaign event at Harrah’s Cherokee Center. To ensure the safety and smooth flow of traffic, we remind all attendees and demonstrators to stay on sidewalks and adhere to traffic regulations.
August 12 7:05 p.m. – To ensure the safety and security of all individuals attending the Wednesday, August 14, 2024 campaign event at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium within the Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville, the following roads will be closed and services impacted as early as tomorrow, August 13.
Road closures beginning Tuesday, August 13 at 12 p.m.
- Haywood Street from Battery Park Ave. to O’Henry Ave.
- Page Avenue from Haywood St. to Battle Square
- Walnut Street from Haywood St. to Rankin Ave.
- Hiawassee Street from Flint St. to N. Lexington Ave.
- Flint Street from Haywood St. to Cherry St.
- Vanderbilt Place
All roads are anticipated to reopen on Wednesday, August 14 around 10 p.m. A map of road closures can be viewed here.
Parking availability downtown
All City-owned parking garages will be open throughout the event. Please note the Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville garage will be open with entry and exit access only from Rankin Ave. Additionally, the Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville garage, Rankin garage and Wall Street garage will be initiating event parking rates, payable upon entry by credit card, on Wednesday, August 14 beginning at 8 a.m. Exit gates at these three garages will be in the “up” position at the end of the event to allow for easier exit.
The following on-street parking locations will be closed beginning the evening of August 12:
- Haywood St. between Battery Park and Page Ave.
- Page Ave. between Haywood St. and Battle Square
- Hiawassee St.
- Vanderbilt Place
- W. Walnut St.
Vehicles remaining in these closed parking spaces after 9 a.m on Tuesday, August 13 will be towed at the owner’s expense.
Routes N3 and N4 will be detoured Tuesday, August 13 5:00 a.m. to Wednesday, August 14 at midnight. The following stops will be missed: 881, 974, 973,975, 963, 787. Check alerts from Iride and ridetheart.com.
Sanitation serviced moved to Tuesday, August 13
There will be no trash or recycling collection on Wednesday August 14 in the Central Business District. All community members and businesses are asked to place your bins out by Tuesday, August 13 at 5 p.m. Sanitation trucks will collect trash and recycling between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
On-going project impacts
The night closures of Patton Ave. previously scheduled for the Carter Ann Patton Stormwater project have been postponed to Monday, August 19 and Tuesday, August 20.
The Asheville Police Department is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all individuals attending the Trump campaign event at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, located inside Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville (HCCA), on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. Public safety is the City’s top priority. Extensive preparation and planning have taken place in collaboration with local, state, and federal agencies. Coordination efforts will continue throughout the event.
To enhance security, officers will maintain a strong and visible presence in the HCCA area, patrolling by vehicle, on foot, and on bicycles. These measures are designed to safeguard all participants and visitors.
The Asheville Police Department respects the First Amendment rights of individuals to assemble peacefully. We are dedicated to protecting these rights while ensuring public safety. We would like to remind everyone that while North Carolina law permits open carry, there is an exception prohibiting the possession of firearms and other dangerous weapons at parades or demonstrations on public property. (NCGS § 14-277.2) (Ord. No. 2299, § 2, 6-25-96)
We encourage our community to treat each other with respect. Adhering to all applicable laws and regulations will help ensure that everyone can safely exercise their right to free speech.