Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2024
9AM-12PM TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY FARMERS MARKET
10AM-3PM WSW AUTO SHOW FEATURING THE TRANSYLVANIA CRUISERS
10AM-5PM VENDOR STREET FESTIVAL
10AM-5PM EARTH MOUNTAIN BIKE VALET
10AM-10PM FOOD COURT
11AM-1PM HOOPJAM HULA HOOP DANCE
12PM -10PM BEER GARDEN and WRISTBAND
2PM-4PM HOOPJAM HULA HOOP DANCE
2:30PM-3:30PM THE WILDER FLOWER
4PM -5PM PINK BEDS
5:30PM-6:30PM TRAY WELLINGTON
7PM-8PM J & THE CAUSEWAYS
8:30PM-10PM THE HIP ABDUCTION
SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2024
10AM-5PM VENDOR STREET FESTIVAL
10AM-5PM EARTH MOUNTAIN BIKE VALET
10AM-9PM FOOD COURT
12PM-3PM BALLOON ARTISTS
1PM-9PM BEER GARDEN
2:30PM CAROLINA DANCE COLLECTIVE
3:30PM-4:30PM THE BREVARD ALL-STAR PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
5PM-6PM GRITTY FLYRIGHT
6:30PM-7:30PM BIG DADDY BLUEGRASS
8PM-9:30PM. SENSATIONAL BARNES BROS.
Join us for this Memorial Day 5K Run for Life event to remember those who gave their all for our country and to help support Open Arms Pregnancy Center. This will be a run/walk-timed event to be held at Bill Moore Community Park in Fletcher (AKA: “Fletcher Park”) located at 85 Howard Gap Road, Fletcher, NC US 28732 on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27th with a start time of 8:00 AM. A Fun Run will start at 9:00 AM.
Runners should register by April 20th to secure a T-shirt for the race.
Sign up at https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/Fletcher/Run4for5k
Those interested in sponsoring the event should contact Open Arms Pregnancy Center to learn more. (Marlies Zerressen at [email protected] or call 828.676.4510)
Open Arms provides a safe place for women facing unplanned pregnancies, those
needing material goods for their baby, or those who need emotional support. We serve
each mom throughout her pregnancy and continue supporting her and the baby to 18 months of age. All services are free and confidential.
This month’s Cultivated Community Dinner Series, in partnership with Olivette Farm, features Chef Eric Morris & benefits Feed AVL.
Please communicate any dietary restrictions or allergies at least 72 hours in advance. We cannot guarantee accommodations without notice. For more information on Feed AVL, you can visit feedashevillewest.com and to learn about Olivette Farm, you might explore their connection with the community via olivettefarm.com.
About
Spring unfolds its bounty at Olivette Farm, and Cultura’s table is set amidst the bloom. This April, join us under the stars and amongst the fields where our food roots. Cultura’s own Executive Chef Eric Morris will illuminate the night with a menu drawn from the earth and crafted with care. In partnership with Feed AVL, we celebrate the power of community and local sustenance. Feed AVL’s mission resonates with our own — nourishing the bonds between land, produce, and people. With every dish, we pay homage to their efforts to provide free, fresh, locally sourced food, particularly to the BIPOC community in Asheville. Reserve your seat at a table where dining transcends the meal before you. It’s a place where food is a bridge to understanding, care, and support for those who nurture us all. Olivette Farm, nestled by the French Broad River, offers more than just a setting; it’s an experience where each leaf and root tells a story of sustainability and conscious cultivation.
– PARTIALLY SEATED SHOW
– LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE
Are YOU READY for NERD PRIDE FEST 2024!!
Saturday, June 1st 2024 : 10am – 4pm
Asheville’s local artist convention every first Saturday in June in honor of Pride month! This is a fun, free way to celebrate pride month by supporting local artists and nonprofits who do incredible things for the queer LGBT+ community in western North Carolina.
Nerd Pride Fest was our first ever event in our current location. So it had to be to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and reopening with food, games, live music, and more.
As a shop owned and operated by queer-identifying folks, The Nerd Dungeon is committed to being a safe and welcoming environment for people of all ages to express themselves any time of year, not just during Pride Month. We will always be a 3rd Place.
It is nice to have an excuse to go all-out and party, though! Pride Cosplay encouraged!
What’s Brewing at Just Brew It:
Just Brew It isn’t just any beer festival; it’s a celebration of community, creativity, and great taste. Picture this: 50+ unique beers crafted by 20+ talented homebrewers. From classic IPAs to experimental brews infused with coffee, chocolate, spices, and fruit – there’s something for every beer lover’s palate. Those in attendance sample the homebrew and vote for their favorite while the homebrewers compete for the coveted People’s Choice Award!
But that’s not all! We’re adding a twist this year with a selection of non-alcoholic drinks for those looking for a different kind of refreshment.
How to Join the Fun:
To savor these sensational sips, become a 2024 individual member of Just Economics today. This event is not ticketed, but rather a benefit for Just Economics’ members. Purchase a membership here and your name will be on the event attendee list. Then, all Just Economics members can sample the homebrews and vote for their favorites!
- Memberships are $35, which grants you entry to the event.
- The VIP Package with Membership is $55, which grants you entry to the event an hour early (1:00pm) and a VIP swag bag with a souvenir glass and other goodies.
- Non-alcoholic event passes are $15— For those who want to enjoy the music, atmosphere, and a creative selection of non-alcoholic beverages, this year we are offering a non-alcoholic event pass.
Get your membership here!
Support a Cause, Sip for a Purpose:
Just Brew It isn’t just about great beer; it’s about supporting Just Economics’ mission to promote living wages, affordable housing, and better transit in our community. Your membership directly contributes to positive change while you have a blast at the festival.
We’re excited to bring a SpringFest to Asheville in 2024 and hope you’ll support our FREE festival by donating to our fundraiser.
We’re bringing a very FUN Family Fun Zone, shopping, DJ and Emcee, and lots of incredible vegan food, and more to Pack Square Park for our Spring Edition!!
You don’t want to miss this fun event. Mark your calendars and get your tickets, swag bags, VIP, VIP PLUS, and/or merch ahead of the festival.
$5 Suggested donation ahead of the event or at the festival is requested.
$15 Swag Bag option will be available! Compostable bag filled with $50+ worth of samples and coupons.
$25 – VIP tickets – enter the event 30 minutes early. Get a cool upgraded goody bag that is reusable with items different from the swag bags. Limited to 100. Get entered into our raffle and get 25 entries for each VIP Entry you purchase. $100+ worth of samples and coupons.
$35 – VIP PLUS – Not interested in a bag filled with items you don’t want or need? Our VIP PLUS will be a cool reusable bag (different from the VIP bag) and also comes with a vegan shirt design different from any you can purchase at our booth. Enter the event 30 minutes early to shop before the crowds. Make sure to let us know your shirt size!
Winners will be picked randomly after the festival and winners will be notified via email. Prize Packs TBD.
Vendors can send an inquiry by going to vegfestexpos.com. Volunteers can sign up on that site as well.
*Food Trucks
*DJ and Emcee
*Family Fun Zone
*Free Face Painting
*Vegan Food
*Shopping
*Fun Contests with prizes
Come out and support our vendors and plan on enjoying the music too. Our Family Fun Zone is perfect for children of all ages and includes life sized games, coloring, and more!
On Sunday, June 2, 2024 from 1pm-4pm, The Adventure Center of Asheville will host its inaugural AVL Family Adventure Festival at 85 Expo Drive. Formerly Zipping For Autism, this family event will have live music, food, cold beer, scads of kids activities, bike, kayak and climbing demos, face painting, crafts, hay rides, games and MUCH MUCH MORE. Come and enjoy the festival or buy a combo pass and add a trip through Asheville Treetops Adventure Park on the sampler trail (9 challenge obstacles, 12’ in the trees, 1 continuous aerial trail). This event is being hosted by The Adventure Center of Asheville and produced by Asheville Plays! with 100% of proceeds benefiting Camp Lakey Gap. The proceeds directly impact the lives of autistic people and their families by providing scholarships for a one-of-a-kind, week-long residential summer camp experience for autistic children and adults.
Guests will meet at Dssolvr Asheville (63 N. Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC 28801) and then depart with their treasure map on a walking team scavenger hunt where they will use their minds and feet to follow clues, solve puzzles, and crack codes to find and unlock the treasure chest for a grand prize!
The hunt involves walking a distance of up to 2.0 miles in total and will take place rain or shine, so long as the weather does not become dangerous. The hunt typically takes about 60 minutes to complete.
Children under 10 years old are welcome to participate for free with the purchase of an Adult ticket.
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Join us for a FREE film screening of the Sundance Award-winning documentary, Step, and a Q&A with cast member, HBCU advocate & national speaker Paula Dofat and hosted by Slay The Mic’s Elizabeth Lashay Garland. Even though this event is free, registration is required. Head to our tickets link to save your seats! STEP is the true-life story of a girls’ high-school step team set against the background of the heart of Baltimore. These young women learn to laugh, love and thrive – on and off the stage – even when the world seems to work against them. Empowered by their teachers, teammates, counselors, coaches and families, they chase their ultimate dreams: to win a step championship and to be accepted into college
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Join us Saturday, June 8th for a music festical benefitting Black Mountain Schools’ Afterschool Program featuring performances by Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters, Scott McMicken & The Ever Expanding and Hannah Kaminer & The Wistfuls!
The Black Mountain Schools PTO Vice President explained the need for the benefit concert: “The lack of public school funding and then the pandemic was hard on kids, and very hard on our public school afterschool programs. There isn’t sufficient funding for them. We want to bring afterschool programs back to the Black Mountain Schools in a big way – these programs are so important for kids’ socialization and academic achievement, and for parents, it’s critical to have afterschool care for their kids. If we want to keep our public schools thriving, we must bring back more of these programs, and make sure the teachers are compensated to do it!”
Black Mountain Schools PTO is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education.
**All funds collected from ticket sales will be donated to the Black Mountain Schools PTO.**
Entertainment will include: Jennifer Armstrong, Mountain Square Dance Circle with Walt Pickett, dulicimer players Steve and Jean Smith, local Folk musician Laura Boosinger, and headlining Blues Legend Mac Arnold!
Amphitheatre
10a.m: Jennifer Armstrong kicks off festivities with storytelling for kids of all ages, to honor Sandburg’s Rootabaga Stories, which were tales written for his daughters. Jennifer has spent her life writing, singing, and making music with fiddle, bagpipe, banjo, and words. She was a featured teller at the National Storytelling Festival and has been heard on NPR.
12p.m: Laura Boosinger celebrates the music of Appalachia through old-time banjo, guitar, Appalachian dulcimer, and fingerstyle Autoharp. Laura attended Warren Wilson College in the 1970’s, where she learned clawhammer banjo, called Southern Mountain Square dances, and attended Shaped Note Singing School with North Carolina Folk Heritage Award winner Quay Smathers. Laura is a Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina consultant and the voice of their podcast, “Down the Road on the Blue Ridge Music Trails.” In 2017, Laura was inducted into the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame.
2p.m: Mac Arnold plays the Blues with Austin Brashier and Max Hightower. At age 24, Arnold joined the Muddy Waters Band, shaping the electric Blues sound of the 1960’s and 70’s. Mac has shared stages with Howlin’ Wolf, Jimmy Reed, and Big Mama Thornton. In 2012, Mac was nominated for the Blues Foundation’s Traditional Blues Male Artist Award and also received a Blues Blast Music Award Nomination for “Traditional Blues Recording of the Year,” with Plate Full O’Blues. In 2014, he received an Honorary Doctorate in Music from USC Columbia. In 2017, Mac was inducted into the Alabama Blues Hall of Fame. In 2023, he received the South Carolina Entertainment and Music Hall of Fame Award.
Austin Brashier is a guitar slinger and vocalist. He grew up listening to Blues, and eventually took his band on the road. He has had the privilege to open for Blues players such as B.B. King, Koko Taylor, Tinsley Ellis, Derek Trucks, and Nappy Brown.
Max Hightower started his music career at age 12 when he bought his first Blues cassette tape, “Muddy Mississippi Live by Muddy Waters.” He plays keyboard, guitar, bass, and sings. Harmonica is his instrument of choice. Max is a founding member of Plate Full O’Blues and has shared stages with Hubert Sumlin, Willie Smith, and Leon Everette.
Barn Garage
10:45am to 12pm: Walter Puckett calls Mountain Circle Square Dances. A festival first, to celebrate the Sandburgs’ love of square dancing! Come dance! When he was just nine years old, Walter called his first dance at a PTA event with his third-grade class. Walt has traveled with the Blue Ridge Mountain Dancers and the Stoney Mountain Cloggers, winning many awards. Walt also had the ultimate privilege to dance at the Grand Ole Opry. 2024 marks his 80th birthday!
Barnyard
12pm to 2pm: Henderson County natives Steve and Jean Smith play mountain dulcimer and hammered dulcimer. They perform regularly at Carl Sandburg Home. They have taught dulcimer at festivals and workshops nationwide. In 1984, Steve won the National Hammered Dulcimer Championships at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas. He returned to win the 1985 National Mountain Dulcimer Championships at Winfield, only the second person to win both Championships.
Parking, Shuttles, and Accessibility
Parking is limited. Please carpool or take a ride share or taxi. Three parking lots will have shuttle service. Approximate shuttle times will be posted in all parking lots with shuttle service. Visitors with mobility concerns are strongly urged to take a shuttle.
- Wheelchair-Accessible Shuttle: The park’s main parking lot has the only wheelchair-accessible shuttle. This lot is located on Little River Road, across from Flat Rock Playhouse.
- Passenger-Only Shuttle: Flat Rock Playhouse (enter via Little River Road).
- Passenger-Only Shuttle: Flat Rock Village Hall, 110 Village Center Drive.
Parking lot without a shuttle: The hikers’ lot (located ½ mile drive from the main lot). Park and then walk .4 to .7 mile through the park to festivities.
Free Sandburg Home Tours
As part of Music Fest, free Sandburg Home tours will be offered at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Tickets are first come, first serve in the Visitor Center/Park Store (on the Sandburg Home ground floor) beginning at 9:30 a.m. (To reserve tickets on non-festival days visit www.recreation.gov).
Music Festival is supported by:
Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara, Inc.
America’s National Parks, the non-profit partner that operates the park store
The music festival began in 1987, to celebrate Carl Sandburg’s efforts to document the history of American music in his American Songbag. Carl Sandburg published the American Songbag in 1927 after spending years documenting and researching early American songs. As Sandburg said, “The American Songbag is a ragbag of strips, stripes, and streaks of color from nearly all ends of the earth. The melodies and verses presented here are from diverse regions, from varied human characters and communities, and each is sung differently in different places.” His publication does not focus on one genre of music, but rather on the human experience. “It is an All-American affair, marshalling the genius of thousands of original singing Americans.”
Sandburg enjoyed all American musical genres. He spent years interviewing musicians and singers, documenting their songs, including folk, gospel, jazz and blues. Carl Sandburg said, “the American Songbag comes from the hearts and voices of thousands of men and women.”
Compiling and publishing the American Songbag was one of the most difficult writing projects Sandburg took on during his life. Today, the Carl Sandburg Music Festival celebrates his work and the work of modern singers and songwriters to share diverse and original American music.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8 – THOMAS WOLFE AUDITORIUM
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Recycled Art Workshop
Lonnie Holley
DeWayne Barton
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Empower Hour
Edivan Guajajara
Chelsea Greene
Rob Grobman
Jared Wheatley
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Lunch Break
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Rebalanced: Solutions Journalism for Turbulent Times
Rebecca Worby
Julia Hotz
Ezekiel Walker
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Meet & Greet + Book Signing with Julia Hotz
Julia Hotz
4:30 PM – 6:00 PM
Music & Words: An Evening With Lonnie Holley
Lonnie Holley
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Dinner Break
7:30 PM – 10:00 PM
WE ARE GUARDIANS: Award-Winning Film Screening & Filmmaker Q+A
Edivan Guajajara
Chelsea Greene
Rob Grobman
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Join us for our June open studio & pop up shop
Sunday, June 9th
11am – 4pm
115 Elk Mountain Rd, Woodfin, NC
Shop home goods, wooden kitchenware, art, jewelry, accessories + vintage clothing with:
@loomimports @kerrwoodworking @gennypopshop @townesandbirdie @maadilicollective @prideandarchive
Additional parking across street at Woodfin Elementary
Connect Beyond Festival returns to downtown Asheville, N.C. on June 7-9, 2024 for a weekend of performances, panels, film screenings and workshops with award-winning artists and thought leaders, exploring how the intersection of music, art, film and storytelling can inspire positive change. This year’s festival, dubbed by Ashvegas as “Asheville’s version of SXSW,” is themed around Connection To Deepen Resilience and Keep Moving Forward. Connect Beyond will be partnering with Slay The Mic Media to co-curate programs centered around youth empowerment. Tickets for the Connect Beyond Festival are slated to go on sale by May 13th. To optimize community accessibility, options include individual event tickets or a full weekend pass.
June 6-9
La Vie en Rose Art & Music Festival, 6-9pm, (At 1pm or 3pm on June 8th) (4-8pm on June 9) Experience the Elegance and join for
this exclusive ticketed preview.
Be the first to witness this remarkable exhibition. The evening also includes a special performance by
the popular Jason DeCristofaro and his jazz ensemble.
Enjoy a sampling of Marked Tree’s charcuterie and a complimentary glass of
their award-winning wine.
This is your chance to revel in the beauty of La Vie en Rose’ – reserve your tickets now for an
unforgettable evening of fine art and exquisite entertainment.
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Everyone is invited to our monthly game night. I bring a group of games each month but feel free to bring your own as well. No specific games are set up for the night, we just bring a bunch of stuff from our collections and play some pick-up games. We have the tables and chairs. Bring your own food if you’d like (there is a microwave and fridge). There is also a Chinese place across the street, a convenience store for drinks and snacks, and we’re in walking distance to Hot Dog World. If you have any questions about the types of games we play and basic info about our group, Read our FAQ (https://www.meetup.com/HendoHometownGameGeeks/about/)
NOTE: This event is held at a church but it is not a church event, it is a community event. Everyone is welcome, everyone should feel comfortable attending, and while I’m always happy to privately answer questions about my faith or the church if asked, proselytizing is not the purpose of these gatherings. I hope the location does not make anyone feel uncomfortable and if you have any questions you can message me directly.
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Wednesday, June 12th- 6:30pm-8:30pm
Wednesday, June 26th – 6:30pm-8:30pm
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Lisa See is the New York Times bestselling author of The Island of Sea Women, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Peony in Love, Shanghai Girls, China Dolls, and Dreams of Joy, which debuted at #1. She is also the author of On Gold Mountain, which tells the story of her Chinese American family’s settlement in Los Angeles. See was the recipient of the Golden Spike Award from the Chinese Historical Association of Southern California and the Historymaker’s Award from the Chinese American Museum. She was also named National Woman of the Year by the Organization of Chinese American Women.
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