Experience

The Churn

Music at Churning Man runs across both days, beginning in the afternoon and continuing late into the night.

Music

Illustration of various bubbles and droplets with iridescent and transparent effects.
Illustration of colorful soap bubbles floating against a transparent background.
Group of woman laughing and dancing at an outdoor music and art festival in western north carolina

Music happens across three stages:

  • The Butter Dome

    • Main Stage - the heart of the festival, hosting all live bands and larger acts throughout the weekend.

  • The Lake Lounge

    • Lake Stage - where daytime DJs soundtrack inflatable-fueled lakeside hangs and sun-soaked dancing

  • The Midnight Melt

    • Late-Night Stage - a waterfront stage that comes alive late at night with DJ-driven dance parties that carry the energy into the early hours.

Whether you’re dancing all night or drifting between sets, music is designed to be immersive, varied, and woven into the flow of the weekend.

Art

A large, abstract, pink blob with irregular, wavy edges against a black background.

Art at Churning Man is created by members of the community and woven throughout the property. The art is interactive, playful, and imperfect by design.

You’re encouraged to wander, explore, and engage at your own pace. Some pieces are bold and obvious. Others are quiet discoveries meant to be stumbled upon.

A woman leaning on a large drawing of a sheep, which is painted with rainbow colors and wearing a rainbow wig. The woman is wearing a straw hat, white shirt, and a blue wristband. She is smiling as enjoys the creative art

Art at Churning Man isn’t something you just look at — it’s something you move through.

Interested in Making Art for Churning Man?

    Daytime    

Experiences

A man and a woman sitting on a blanket in a grassy field. The woman is reading the man's butter oracle. This a a daytime programming event at Churning Man, a butter themed music and art camping festival

Beyond the music, Churning Man offers a range of daytime programming designed to create space for movement, play, learning, and connection.

The quintessential shenanigans you know and love will, of course, return. Expect classics like the butter-churning competition, the great wet-and-dry relay race, and the birth canal. New this year, you’ll also find yoga sessions, workshops, and classes hosted by members of the community.

Whether you’re stretching, sliding, learning something new, or simply taking a break from the dance floor to churn a little butter, daytime programming offers a slower counterpoint to the grooves of the night.

A large outdoor festival with many people gathered and connecting on a grassy field near a wooded area, featuring a stage, tents, and bicycles on the ground, under a partly cloudy sky. People are connecting and making friends at an outdoor festival

The Venue:

Deerfields

Churning Man 4 will take place at a dedicated outdoor venue located in Horse Shoe, North Carolina, a 35 minute drive from Asheville.

The grounds include open fields, wooded areas, and multiple swimming lakes, creating space for both high-energy moments and quieter retreat.

Two teepees with open doors lit from inside, set on grassy area with trees in the background. A wooden building decorated with string lights is visible in the distance against a twilight sky. Deerfields Horse Shoe North Carolina

Camping areas are spread across the property, with options for tent camping, car camping, and limited RV spots. Each area is clearly designated, allowing for both communal energy and personal space.

Aerial view of a large outdoor camping area at Deerfields, a outdoor music venue, with numerous tents and parked cars surrounded by trees and greenery.
Two people hiking through a forested campsite in North Carolina, carrying camping gear and containers. They are preparing to set up their camp at a 2 day music and art camping festival near Asheville

The venue includes established facilities to support a comfortable weekend in nature, including porta-potties, potable water, communal fire pits, and clearly marked pathways throughout the grounds.

Nighttime outdoor festival scene at at Deerfields in North Carolina. The space is warmly lit, with string lights, a wooden pavilion, and a bonfire with people socializing and dancing.

You’re invited to explore, settle in, and make the space your own — while helping to care for it alongside everyone else.