Calendar of Events

Retreat leader, educator and Jungian psychotherapist Diana McKendree leads a discussion exploring the world of dreamwork and how we might better understand our dreams. Part of Kanuga’s Lunch & Learn series, the Thursday, September 18 event begins with a forest bathing nature walk (weather permitting) at 10 a.m. McKendree’s “What Did You Dream Last Night?” discussion begins at 11 a.m., followed by a buffet lunch in Kanuga’s dining hall. Bring a recent dream, notebook and pen. Registration and more info at kanuga.org/events.

Retreat leader, educator and Jungian psychotherapist Diana McKendree leads a discussion exploring the world of dreamwork and how we might better understand our dreams. Part of Kanuga’s Lunch & Learn series. The Thursday, September 18 event begins with a forest bathing nature walk (weather permitting) at 10 a.m. McKendree’s “What Did You Dream Last Night?” discussion begins at 11 a.m., followed by a buffet lunch in Kanuga’s dining hall. Bring a recent dream, notebook and pen. Registration and more info at kanuga.org/events.

Asheville, NC — September 19, 2025 — The Western North Carolina Recovery Community Collaborative (WNCRCC) will host the First Annual WNC Recovery Rally: “Pathways to Recovery – One Rally, Many Journeys” on Friday, September 19, 2025, from 1:00–5:00 p.m. at Pack Square Park in Downtown Asheville.

This free, family-friendly event celebrates National Recovery Month, honoring individuals and families impacted by mental health and substance use disorders. The rally aims to break stigma, inspire hope, and connect the community with multiple pathways to recovery.

Event Highlights

Inspirational speakers & personal recovery stories

Live music & entertainment

Food trucks & family-friendly activities

Resource fair featuring 40+ community organizations

“This rally is about showing WNC that we are surrounded by recovery, the hope that’s available, and the many resources ready to walk alongside anyone throughout their journey,” said Jessica Shepherd Joudry, Chair of the Planning Committee.

Celebrate the autumnal equinox in an evening of yoga, spirituality and healing, Thursday, Sept. 22 at Kanuga. The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with check-in at the Labyrinth and nature crafting, followed by slow-flow yoga at 6:30 p.m., and concludes with a healing sound bath at 7:45 p.m. To close the evening, attendees are invited to linger over a cup of tea and reflect on the coming fall season. Bring your own mat, blanket and camp chair. Cost: $18 (plus tax and fees). 130 Kanuga Chapel Dr in Hendersonville. Registration and more info at kanuga.org/events.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, we saw the heart of the mountains. Neighbors became lifelines, and communities across the region rose together.

One year later, journalists from across the state are coming together to honor that resilience through the power of story.

Join us for an evening of stories and conversations about how we’ve helped one another, what we’ve lost, and what we’ve learned as our region continues to recover.

NC Local, in partnership with UNC Asheville and newsrooms across the state, is hosting this evening of connection and storytelling as part of UNC Asheville’s Post-Helene Symposium: “Remembering, Rebuilding and Reimagining.”

This free event is open to the public, but we ask you to register.

Run beside an active runway!  The AVL Runway 5K is exciting and unique!

Ready to run the FLATTEST 5K in the mountains?  How about a morning with music, local food trucks (think coffee and pastries) and better-than-ever plane spotting?

Asheville Regional Airport looks forward to welcoming you to the airfield!  

Our race is the most unique 5K in the mountains – it’s completely FLAT, and hey – it’s on the airfield of the airport. Racers will run on Taxiway Bravo, beside our active Runway 17-35.  Once again, the event is located on the north side of the airfield, so all attendees will be much closer to the taxiway and runway in the festival area. Be sure to wave to the passengers in the planes that will be taking off and landing while you run! What are you waiting for?

The Black Bear Half Marathon & 8k presented by Hunter Subaru is an exhilarating fall event that beckons both seasoned athletes and recreational runners alike. Nestled within the charm and beauty of Hendersonville, North Carolina, this race offers participants a unique opportunity to challenge their limits while immersing themselves in the splendor of the autumn season. Whether conquering the half marathon’s 13.1-mile stretch or embracing the spirited atmosphere of the 8k, participants love supportive community vibe, scenic course, and post-race festivities, including the Black Bear Fall Market!

Carolina Memorial Sanctuary leads a conversation about death preparation, home funerals, and the cathartic act of participating in a loved one’s burial, Thurs. October 16 at Kanuga. Part of Kanuga’s Lunch & Learn series, the event begins with a forest bathing nature walk (weather permitting) at 10 a.m. followed by the Carolina Memorial Sanctuary presentation at 11 a.m. Enjoy a buffet lunch in Kanuga’s dining hall after the presentation. Cost: $20 (plus tax and fees). 471 Kanuga Chapel Dr. in Hendersonville. Registration and more info at kanuga.org/events.

Vote for your favorite comic of the night!!
The Slice of Life Comedy Asheville Fall/Winter Standup Contest – round 2
Thursday October 16, 7:30p-9:30p, doors at 6:30p
The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge
103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $17 (available at door or The Orange Peel website)
These shows sellout!
Hosted by Hilliary Begley from Netflix & Amazon Prime!
Cocktails available while you laugh the night away to some of the area’s best Stand Up Comics in a ridiculously fun adult environment!!
Free snacks while availability lasts! You may bring your own food in (no drinks)!
How it Works:
Audience votes thru ballot. Comics on the show will do 4 minutes of comedy. This show’s 3 top comics will be brought back with winners from round one to compete in our pageant finale, date TBA.
Want to compete? These limited spots go fast. Free to signup if room is still available. Contact Michele at [email protected]!

Pumpkin Fest is a fun, family friendly and fantastic artistic event or great date night with 18 beautiful artist-designed lighted carved pumpkin displays on a newly-paved short walking trail. The event includes talented local musicians, food trucks and coffee house, games, storytelling, face painting, white squirrel scavenger hunt, games, dress ups, and the Silvermont historic mansion and second floor museum open for tours.

Admission $7 per person (ages 13 and over), $5 ages 3-12, and 2 and under free. We accept cards, cash or check with ID.

Onsite parking cost is $5 per car (cash preferred). Free parking is available offsite on nearby streets and Comporium and church parking lots 1 block away. Handicap sticker- free parking onsite.

We’re back in the heart of Hendersonville and we’re bringing some spirited fun—with an awesome new race shirt and shiny finisher medal for every participant. Costumes? Highly encouraged. FOMO? Guaranteed if you skip it. Run or walk through the Historic 7th Avenue District with a crowd of costumed runners, then keep the party going at the Fall Festival just steps from the finish line!

Get ready to roll into fall! The Pumpkin Pedaller, benefitting Asheville on Bikes, is back on Saturday, Oct. 25th at New Belgium Brewing. Join the community for a fun, festive bike ride celebrating everything that makes riding in Asheville special.

Event Schedule:
1:30pm – 7pm: Pop-Up Bike Park
2pm: Pedal Prep (15 minute ride brief + safe rider habits talk)
1:30-2:30pm: Entry for Costume Contest
2:30pm: Costume Contest!
3pm: Rides stagger start and depart New Belgium
4-5pm: Staggered return
5pm – 7pm: Continued bicycle frolic

2025 Costume Contest Categories: Best Group, Best Kids Costume, Local Life, Best Use of Bike

Join AVL Clay for a day of creativity, connection, and clay!
AVL Clay, Asheville’s new membership-based pottery studio, invites the community to its Grand Opening Open House on Sunday, October 26, 10 AM–1 PM at 4 Mulvaney St, Asheville.
Explore the beautifully restored 1920s studio along the Swannanoa River, meet founder Arleen Ferrara, and enjoy live pottery demos, guided tours, raffles, one-day-only class specials, and refreshments.
AVL Clay was founded to rebuild creative space lost after Hurricane Helene and to foster meaningful community through clay.
Free and open to all! Family-friendly, drop in anytime, and pets are welcome.

Asheville Vaudeville and special guest, Danbert Nobacon of the legendary anarcho-punk band, Chumbawamba, will collaborate in the upcoming installment of Asheville Vaudeville’s seasonal brunch time entertainment. The performance will feature Danbert Nobacon’s original acoustic music whilst a ragtag group of clowns and freaks come together to create an amusing array of mayhem and maybe even rescue democracy from the threat of a nefarious fascist regime by using their superpowers of comedy, comradery, common sense, sensuality, and an earnest exercising of their collective free-speech muscles. This is an 18+ show.

After being cancelled last year due to Helene, our annual fundraiser Walk For Your Neighbor is BACK! Please join us on Sunday, October 26 at First Baptist Church of Swannanoa for a walk and block party! There will be music, as well as food and drink! The walk will start at 2pm, with the block party continuing until 5pm.

To register for Walk for Your Neighbor, just scan the QR code on this flyer, or follow the link below. Registration is by donation only, but we are encouraging a $20 minimum donation for those who are able. You can also ask family and friends to sponsor your walk using the donation link you receive when you register. To be cost and environmentally conscious, we will be using last year’s t-shirts.

Our valley is still recovering and needs remain high. The more we raise through this walk, the more we can tangibly share the love of Christ with neighbors in need through food, clothing, baby supplies, healthcare, home repairs, and so much more! We hope you’ll give generously, lace up those sneakers, and come walk with us!

Join medicinal herb farmers, buyers, and celebrate the season at the 10th Annual NC Medicinal Herb Grower Buyer Event in Mills River, NC!

Join naturalist and educator, Jessie Wilder, for a thoughtful conversation on the benefits of living a place-based life, Thurs. November 20 at Kanuga. Part of Kanuga’s Lunch & Learn series, the event begins with a forest bathing nature walk (weather permitting) at 10 a.m. followed by the conversation with Jessie Wilder at 11 a.m. Enjoy a buffet lunch in Kanuga’s dining hall after the presentation. Cost: $20 (plus tax and fees=$24.74). KANUGA, 471 Kanuga Chapel Dr. in Hendersonville. Registration and more info at kanuga.org/events.

Event registration link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lunch-and-learn-discovering-a-sense-of-place-with-jessie-wilder-tickets-1849253971409

Details:
10–11AM, Forest Bathing with Aimee Bostwick: Join Aimee for a time to ground ourselves by engaging our senses and tuning into our relationship with Nature. Dress comfortably for the weather and be sure to wear comfortable shoes. We will end this time with a cup of tea and sharing.
11AM–12PM, Jessie Wilder on Sense of Place: Join us for a conversation with naturalist Jessie Wilder as she shares with us about our deep connection to place and how it forms us. Consider where you currently live and ask yourself this: I live here, but how much do I really know, love, and inhabit this place as home?
12–1:30PM, Lunch and Discussion in the Dining Hall

Standup Comedy Picture Show with headliner Petey Smith McDowell
Comics on the show do standup with slide show pictures to illustrate their sets. This is sure to keep you in your seats figuring out what you just looked at!
Thursday November 20, 7:30-9p in The Orange Peel’s comedy basement. PULP is a bourbon speakeasy (400+ varieties) located under the iconic stage. No food is served but we do have free snacks while they last and outside food is permitted (no drinks of any kind).
$17 tickets available at door or The Orange Peel’s website
Host is Hilliary Begley voted repeatedly Asheville’s Favorite comic in the Mountain Xpress. Film debut in the Netflix original Dumplin’ as Aunt Lucy, or “Jennifer Anniston’s fat sister,” and Austin Film Festival winning movie When We Last Spoke with Cloris Leachman, now streaming on Amazon Prime.

Feature Cloud Hudson is a comedian, lighting designer, and weather forecaster (licensed meteorologist) with a knack for finding the silver lining around every storm cloud. Their comedy blurs the lines between science and magic in a quest for collective understanding. But don’t let this intellectual spirituality fool you- Cloud uses only the most unhinged examples of the disgustingly divine to draw clouds of laughter from crowds that matter.
Plus comedians Derek Boskovich & Aaron Naylor!
For more info contact Michele at [email protected]

This is how South Asheville does Turkey Day! Kick off Thanksgiving morning with a relaxed 5K through the beautiful Biltmore Park neighborhood – where the vibes are festive, the shirts are vintage-cool, and the finisher medals are worth the effort! Whether you’re running, walking, or just trotting it out for the pie, this event is for everyone. Awards for festive costumes and top finishers in each age group!

Join Levi & Marian for a Friendsgiving Potluck, a free community event where we come together to celebrate connection, gratitude, and delicious food!

Bring your favorite dish to share and enjoy an evening of laughter, friendship, and unity.

We kindly ask that you bring a note listing the ingredients of your dish to help those with food sensitivities, allergies, or preferences.

Whether you’re bringing a homemade recipe or just coming to enjoy the company, all are welcome. Let’s create beautiful memories and give thanks as a community!

Blue Ridge Mall is thrilled to bring back Jingle Jamboree; a festive day filled with holiday cheer and community spirit! This December, we’re inviting local choirs, musicians, dance teams, karate groups, and community organizations to take the stage and help make this celebration one to remember.
Get ready to shine at the Jingle Jamboree ! Enjoy a day of live entertainment, festive performances, and plenty of holiday magic for the whole family. Come be part of the joy as we kick off the most wonderful time of the year together!

🎉 Calling All Young Entrepreneurs! 🍅
We’re thrilled to join with the Winter Wonder Walk for a one-of-a-kind Children’s Entrepreneur Market!
🌟 Got a kid with a big idea? Whether it’s homemade crafts, baked goods, lemonade stands, or creative services—this is their chance to shine!

🍅 Visit kids markets.com

Sign up your child’s booth 🌽
Explore upcoming children’s markets 🎨
Support young local entrepreneurs 💼

Join us at the Winter Wonder Walk where the season is brought to life like never before. Wander an outdoor trail and literally step inside the pages of a magical winter story. It’s a one-of-a-kind winter adventure you won’t want to miss being a part of.

Join us for the Woven Word Retreat – a cozy bohemian winter writing retreat for women nestled in the tranquil beauty of House Boheme. This is a transformative, creative, all-inclusive gathering designed to awaken your inner storyteller.

This 4-day, 3-night experience weaves poetry, movement, ritual, nourishment, and embodied storytelling to stir the creatrix within.

Guided by skilled and popular local facilitators who will help you explore your voice and connect deeply with yourself and others, you’ll have the space to write, reflect, and express your truth in a supportive, welcoming space.

Expect soul-nourishing practices like Yoga Nidra, writing workshops, yoga, and more, plus time to ground into nature and connect with a community of women.

Whether you’re new to writing or a seasoned storyteller, you’ll leave feeling inspired, empowered, and more aligned with your creative spirit.

Learn more and secure your spot at www.wovenwordretreat.com

What a year. Let’s wrap it up by taking off our anxious hats and putting on our party hats, as we celebrate getting through this strange, shocking, infuriating, frightening, one-of-a-kind year. The resistance is growing, the balance is tipping, and we’ve had some strong wins in 2025. So let’s get together to kick back and relax, as we get ready to hit 2026 strong!

Featuring food, fun, prizes, and your end-of-year chance to schmooze with activist pals. See you there!

Indivisible Asheville/WNC is an independent, grassroots nonprofit organization whose mission is to build a more just, equitable, and representative democracy by organizing locally for advocacy, accountability, and voter engagement.

🎄 Second Annual Christmas Spectacular! 🎄

Step into a Winter Wonderland and experience the magic of the season at our Second Annual Christmas Spectacular— a joyful holiday showcase filled with music, dance, and festive fun for the whole family!

This year’s show features an Enchanted Forest theme, complete with festive holiday songs, tap and jazz dancing, and breathtaking aerial silks performances. You’ll also enjoy reimagined Christmas classics and a show-stopping hip-hop Nutcracker number that’s sure to bring the house down!

Enjoy performances by our 1-Year Choir students, Chamber Choir, and Performance Media Crew (dance troupe), plus a special preview number from our upcoming production of The Lion King Jr. at Wortham Center for the Arts (Jan. 10 & 11).

✨ 3 Showtimes:

Friday, December 12 – 5:00 PM & 7:00 PM
Saturday, December 13 – 2:00 PM
📍 Location:
174 Bradley Branch, Unit 4/5, 28704
(Please enter from the front side of the building.)

☕ Refreshments will be available for sale, with all proceeds benefiting AJT.

❄️ Expect an indoor snowstorm and plenty of sparkle and surprises along the way!

🎫 Seating is general admission (first come, first served).

🌟 Tickets will sell out quickly! Last year’s two shows completely sold out — so this year we’ve added a third performance to make room for everyone. Don’t wait — grab your tickets early and join us for this heartwarming, high-energy holiday celebration!

🎟️ Purchase your seats today for a truly spectacular Christmas experience!

So excited for Asheville Phoenix Fire Nonprofit’s 1st Annual – YULE TIDE PRIDE – Holiday Market Convention! We are bringing Pride into the festive season! Come get your holiday gifts, enjoy some local live music, coffee shop treats, connect with resources, take a holiday photo, sink in with community and more!

Jim Brickman’s distinctive piano style and captivating live performances have revolutionized the popularity of instrumental music, making him a driving force behind modern American music. The hit-making songwriter is the best-selling solo pianist of our time, earning 22 Number One albums and 32 Top 20 Radio Singles. He’s garnered two Grammy nominations, Gospel Music’s Dove Award, two SESAC Songwriter of the Year Awards, a Canadian Country Music Award, and is a member of Pandora’s “2 Billion Streams” Club.