Summer in Asheville 2027: camps, pools and Splasheville

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Facts come from Asheville Parks and Recreation and Buncombe County Parks and Recreation, linked below. Asheville Parks and Recreation: 828-259-5800. City pool: 828-348-4770.

Summer in Asheville runs on three things: city day camps, the public pools and Splasheville. Camp registration opens in early March and fills fast. The pools open on Memorial Day weekend, which is Saturday, May 29, 2027. The 2027 dates and fees are not out yet, so this page shows the 2026 schedule, marked by year, and will be updated as the city and county post theirs.

What this means for you

• Set a reminder for early March: city camps open registration online at 6 p.m. and fill first come, first served.
• Make an AVLREC.com account before registration night.
• Pools close for the day when lightning is reported within 10 miles.

Pools

City of Asheville: Grant Southside Center pool. The city’s one outdoor pool is at the Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St. In 2026, according to the city:

• It opened May 23-25, then weekends only through June 7, then seven days a week from June 13 to Aug. 16, then weekends only again after Aug. 23, closing for the season at 7 p.m. Labor Day.
• Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday.
• Admission: $3 a person a day. Season passes: $100 for one person, $150 for a family of up to four.
• A free adult water aerobics class ran Saturdays from 10 to 11 a.m.
• Swim lessons and private parties: ashevillecitypools.com or 828-348-4770.

Buncombe County pools. The county runs five outdoor pools near Asheville, all opened May 23 in 2026:

In 2026 they ran weekends only through June 7 and daily from June 11 to Aug. 9, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday and 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, with Erwin, Hominy Valley and Cane Creek open to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Admission was $4. Erwin Pool stayed open on weekends until Labor Day. Lessons and parties: buncombepool.com. The county also has an indoor pool; details are on its pools page.

Recreation Park pool, the area’s largest, was destroyed by Tropical Storm Helene in September 2024. Its replacement is part of the city’s Azalea Parks and Infrastructure Recovery project. City voters also approved bond money that includes a new outdoor pool in West Asheville, on the Malvern Hills Park project page.

Splasheville

Splasheville, the city’s only public splash pad, is in Pack Square Park, 80 Court Plaza, with water jets and lights in the middle of downtown. It is free and opens in early May. Regular hours are 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily, but it closes for special events and bad weather, according to the city.

City summer camps

Asheville Parks and Recreation runs 10 weeks of summer camps for rising first to ninth graders. In 2026, according to the city’s summer camp page:

• Registration opened at 6 p.m. Monday, March 2, on AVLREC.com, first come, first served, with each week booked separately. Help: 828-259-5800 or parks@ashevillenc.gov.
• Traditional day camps ran June 8 to Aug. 14, with no camp June 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The fee was $70 a week for city residents and $80 for nonresidents, with a $10 sibling discount, and lunch and snacks were included. Youth camps (rising first to fifth graders) and teen camps (rising sixth to ninth graders) met at the Tempie Avery Montford, Linwood Crump Shiloh, Wesley Grant Southside and Stephens-Lee community centers.
• Outdoor camps met at the Murphy-Oakley Community Center picnic shelter: Nature Nuts for ages 6 to 8 ($120, three days), Venture Bound for ages 8 to 12 ($220, five days) and Teenventure, with trails, waterfalls and whitewater, for ages 12 to 15 ($180, four days).
• Sports and specialty camps were listed on the same page.
• Under 6: the city runs open play and theme days for ages 1 to 6 at parks on Mondays and Wednesdays, with sites announced in May.

Help with fees. The city’s SOAR program can cover camps for households on free or reduced lunch, SNAP, Medicaid, housing vouchers and other assistance. Applications take up to three weeks.

Free summer events

The city runs free and low-cost events all summer. The summer 2026 list included Movies in the Park on June 12, July 10 and Aug. 14; Foam Frenzy in the Park; Summer Splash water days; Teen Takeover Pool Parties on June 26 and July 24; and Southside Block Parties. The 2027 list will be added when the city publishes it.

More for children: kids’ activities in Asheville. Fireworks: Fourth of July fireworks. The holiday weekends: Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Frequently asked questions

When do Asheville pools open?

On Memorial Day weekend. In 2026 the city pool at the Grant Southside Center and Buncombe County’s five outdoor pools opened Saturday, May 23, ran weekends only until early June, then opened daily for the summer.

How much does the Asheville city pool cost?

In 2026 admission at the Grant Southside Center pool was $3 a person a day, with season passes at $100 for one person or $150 for a family of up to four. Buncombe County pools charged $4 a day.

Is Splasheville free?

Yes. Splasheville, the city’s only public splash pad, is in Pack Square Park, 80 Court Plaza. It opens in early May and runs 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily, except during special events and bad weather.

When does Asheville summer camp registration open?

In 2026 registration for Asheville Parks and Recreation summer camps opened at 6 p.m. Monday, March 2, on AVLREC.com. Camps are first come, first served and each week is booked separately.

Is Recreation Park pool open?

No. The Recreation Park pool, the area’s largest, was destroyed by Tropical Storm Helene in September 2024 and is being redesigned as part of the city’s Azalea Parks recovery project.