SoCon Basketball Tournament Returning To Asheville This March

The City of Asheville is proud to welcome the return of 2026 Ingles Southern Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball tournament to Harrah’s Cherokee Center this March 5th through 9th.  

Tickets are still available and with special events planned to coincide with the tournament, such as the Ingles Mascot Challenge, and  Downtown Dribble and Kids Fest featuring inflatables, pep bands, cheerleaders, and a parade, there is something to keep the whole family entertained. 

Here’s what fans need to know about attending the games, as well as important information about traffic and parking. 

Free trolleys, parking and traffic tips 

Thanks to support from Ingles Markets, trolley routes will roll throughout downtown to help guests best access the Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville.   

• Shuttle stops are conveniently located near parking areas around town and are identified on the general parking and shuttle map. 

Please note: There will be various parking lots and street closures during the event week. We encourage attendees to arrive early to avoid last-minute delays. 

Street closures 

Come streets around Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville will be closed at various times to accommodate event logistics. Those streets will be: 

• Flint Street between Haywood St. and Cherry St. 

• Hiawassee St. between Flint St and Rankin Ave. 

Dates and Times 

• March 5                   8:00a.m. – 8:00p.m. 

• March 6 & 7            8:00a.m. – 11:00p.m.    

• March 8                  10:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. 

• March 9                  5:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. 

For a full listing of available parking in or around the Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville, visit the directions and parking page on the facility’s website. The City of Asheville Services pages also provides real-time availability in City parking  garages, or download the free Asheville App for its Find Parking feature.  

Tickets 

The SoCon Tournament week has become an annual rite of spring in the Asheville community, so we encourage fans to purchase their tournament tickets as early as possible to secure their spot for this hoops-heavy weekend.  

Tickets are available for purchase through the Harrah’s Cherokee Center- Asheville event and tickets portal, or for in-person purchases can be made at the box office from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. 

 Find more information about brackets, tickets and packages, as well as Asheville area accommodation, food, tours and attractions on the Explore Asheville SoCon basketball webpages.