LEAF Retreat May 8-11 - a love letter to local community & local artists 

BLACK MOUNTAIN, March 17, 2025 - LEAF Retreat is back for the 30th year at Lake Eden May 8-11, organized by non-profit LEAF Global Arts, with headliners Toubab Krewe, Dumpstaphunk and Tyler Ramsey. This event will be a love letter to local artists, after having to cancel the LEAF Festival in October 2024 due to hurricane Helene. Following months of rebuilding the area around Lake Eden, LEAF staff can’t wait to host the Retreat, and with a focus on Healing Arts and coming out stronger, they invite everyone to ‘lean into LEAF’. “Retreat offers ample opportunities for both quiet reflection and communal celebration around some really powerful performances”, says  LEAF executive director Erinn Hartley, “In times of uncertainty within a shifting political landscape along with nationwide challenges to arts funding, it’s more important than ever that we come together to celebrate the arts and each other.  Come as you are, we welcome you!”

LEAF Retreat is an annual intimate gathering of 1,500 festival-goers around scenic Lake Eden, between Black Mountain and Swannanoa, an area hard hit by Hurricane Helene. While rebuilding Lake Eden back to the sanctuary it was before the storm, the houses and cabins on the property became a home to people who lost their homes. Now six months after Helene, LEAF Global Arts is getting ready to welcome all ‘LEAFers’ back to Lake Eden. Learn by day, play by night at LEAF Retreat. Think ‘summer camp for the whole family’, and meet up with your friends for workshops, crafts, outdoor activities, panel discussions, dance classes, and live music from around the world and around the corner. Tickets are now for sale at theLEAF.org.

Since hurricane Helene, LEAF Global Arts has supported local artists with the LEAF Local Artist ReLEAF Fund, catalyzed by a starting matching grant of $50K by the The Dan Lucas Memorial Fund. Moving forward, May’s Retreat will be a love letter to the local artist community and has an intentional focus on Healing Arts; to heal, grow and come out strong. Come for the day or come camp all weekend, come have fun, dance, learn, sing, make music, and share magical moments together. 

Reset, rejoice and restore at Retreat!