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.

Thursday, July 11, 2024
Old Farmer’s Ball Thursday Dance
Jul 11 @ 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Bryson Gym Warren Wilson College

Our Thursday Dance

This dance is fragrance-free (no perfume, cologne, strong deodorant, etc.), out of respect for those with sensitivities.

Schedule

  • Every Thursday night (except as indicated on the calendar)
  • Beginner lesson at 7:30 pm (advanced dancers are welcome to help out during the lesson!)
  • Dance 8 pm – 11 pm

Cost

  • Non-members: $12
  • OFB Members: $10
  • Warren Wilson community: $1

If this is your first time dancing with us, your second dance is free!

Friday, July 12, 2024
Farm Beginnings® Program: Farmer program applications open
Jul 12 all-day
Organic Growers School

Farm Beginnings® is training the next generation of farmers in the many skills required to start and expand a successful farm business: passion, clear goals, production experience, financial and marketing know-how, and more.

Farm Beginnings® will help you build these skills through one year of farmer-led training, mentoring, and networking. We support individuals in clarifying their goals and strengths, developing agricultural skills, and growing profitable, equitable, and ecologically sound farm businesses.

The OGS Approach

Guided by our commitment to social justice, our programming is led by farmers and mentors active in food, farming, or social justice. By empowering people with skills, knowledge, and access to resources, together we can build a more diverse, equitable food system that enriches the environment and creates a thriving food and farming community.

We use a holistic management frame, farmer-led classroom sessions, on-farm tours, mentoring, and an extensive farmer network. The topics of equity and justice in the food systems are woven into the curriculum, including examples of realistic approaches within the scope of your business models.

What does Farm Beginnings® include?

The 200+ hr, year-long program consists of:

  • Training on holistic management, farm business, marketing & financial planning

  • Sessions taught by regional, experienced farmers

  • One-year WNC CRAFT Farmer Network membership

  • Completing and presenting an individualized farm plan

  • Access to field days with regional partners

  • Entry to ASAP’s Business of Farming Conference

  • Entry to OGS’s Spring Conference

  • 15 hr mentorship with an experienced farmer mentor

What does Farm Beginnings® include?

The 200+ hr, year-long program consists of:

  • Training on holistic management, farm business, marketing & financial planning

  • Sessions taught by regional, experienced farmers

  • One-year WNC CRAFT Farmer Network membership

  • Completing and presenting an individualized farm plan

  • Access to field days with regional partners

  • Entry to ASAP’s Business of Farming Conference

  • Entry to OGS’s Spring Conference

  • 15 hr mentorship with an experienced farmer mentor

View a sample of the full course schedule here.

Volunteer w/ The Old Farmer’s Ball
Jul 12 all-day
Asheville NC

We need volunteers to make our dance happen

Please go to oldfarmersball.com and sign up to help – and you can dance for free!

 

Early Host (Board members preferred)

  • Arrive by 7pm
  • Greet the sound tech, band, and caller
  • Count money
  • Complete pay-out sheet
  • Supervise volunteers
  • Time commitment: 30 – 60 minutes

Benefits: Dance free the same night

Opener

  • Arrive by 7pm
  • Check in with Early Host
  • Sweep the hall
  • Set up chairs
  • Clean / stock bathrooms
  • Time commitment: 15 – 20 minutes

Benefits: Dance free the same night

Door Person

  • Arrive by 7pm
  • Check in with Early Host
  • Work when needed to take money at the door
  • Alternate with other Door People and Early host to switch off who sits and who dances
  • Slots available: 2
  • Time commitment: goes until break

Benefits: Dance free one whole night

Closer

  • Arrive by 9:15pm
  • Check in with Late Host
  • Fold and store chairs and tables
  • Sweep the floors
  • Empty and take out trash
  • Confirm completion of tasks with Late Host
  • Time commitment: 15 – 20 minutes

Benefits: Dance free the same night

Late Host (Board members preferred)

  • Arrive by 9pm (unless other arrangements have been made with Early Host)
  • Complete payout
  • Supervise Closers
  • Close the hall
  • Slots available: 1
  • Time commitment: 10 – 15 minutes

Benefits: Dance free the same night

Upcoming Dances

Three dances in July will be hosted by Swannanoa Gathering

July 4,

July 18 and

July 25

The July 18 dance will be a special Ceilidh Dance.

A reminder – We are NOT dancing on Aug 1 and 8

Be sure and save the date for our NYE dance

 

 

 

WNC Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training
Jul 12 all-day
Asheville Area

Become a CRAFT member and join us for some incredible CRAFT farm tours this summer!

WNC Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT) is a farmer-led effort to bring established farmers, farm apprentices, and aspiring farmers together for year-long training in the art and science of sustainable agriculture, straight from the hearts, mouths, and fields of seasoned local farmers in Western North Carolina (WNC).

Why join CRAFT?

  • Network with beginning and experienced farmers to exchange your ideas and knowledge and build community in the region.
  • Expand your training opportunities beyond your farm to bolster the robustness of your apprenticeship offerings.
  • Attract aspiring farmers to your apprenticeship positions to cultivate success and improve the future of our region’s agriculture.
  • Farm tours are held monthly from April through October and focus on a specific aspect of sustainable farming. Check out the tour schedule and read blog posts about past tours.
  • Gain access to the CRAFT Farmer Handbook: farmer-generated, regionally-specific information on all aspects of farming.
  • Round-table discussions provide a place for farmers to discuss advanced farming topics.
  • The farmer network includes farmers and farm workers and is built on a farmer-to-farmer exchange of ideas.
Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden
Jul 12 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

 

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

  • Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • Garden Open Year Round
  • Parking Fees
    • Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
    • Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
    • Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
    • Members: Free

    Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

GIMME GIMME DISCO A DISCO DANCE PARTY INSPIRED BY ABBA
Jul 12 @ 8:00 pm
The Orange Peel

Ages 18+

If you can’t get enough of ABBA, boy do we have THE dance party for you! We are a DJ based dance party playing all your favorite ABBA tracks, plus plenty of other disco hits from the 70s & 80’s like The Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Cher, & so much more. So honey honey, take-a-chance and you’ll be dancing all night long. Grab tickets, put on your best disco attire, bring your friends, and have the best night of your life!

Saturday, July 13, 2024
Volunteer w/ The Old Farmer’s Ball
Jul 13 all-day
Asheville NC

We need volunteers to make our dance happen

Please go to oldfarmersball.com and sign up to help – and you can dance for free!

 

Early Host (Board members preferred)

  • Arrive by 7pm
  • Greet the sound tech, band, and caller
  • Count money
  • Complete pay-out sheet
  • Supervise volunteers
  • Time commitment: 30 – 60 minutes

Benefits: Dance free the same night

Opener

  • Arrive by 7pm
  • Check in with Early Host
  • Sweep the hall
  • Set up chairs
  • Clean / stock bathrooms
  • Time commitment: 15 – 20 minutes

Benefits: Dance free the same night

Door Person

  • Arrive by 7pm
  • Check in with Early Host
  • Work when needed to take money at the door
  • Alternate with other Door People and Early host to switch off who sits and who dances
  • Slots available: 2
  • Time commitment: goes until break

Benefits: Dance free one whole night

Closer

  • Arrive by 9:15pm
  • Check in with Late Host
  • Fold and store chairs and tables
  • Sweep the floors
  • Empty and take out trash
  • Confirm completion of tasks with Late Host
  • Time commitment: 15 – 20 minutes

Benefits: Dance free the same night

Late Host (Board members preferred)

  • Arrive by 9pm (unless other arrangements have been made with Early Host)
  • Complete payout
  • Supervise Closers
  • Close the hall
  • Slots available: 1
  • Time commitment: 10 – 15 minutes

Benefits: Dance free the same night

Upcoming Dances

Three dances in July will be hosted by Swannanoa Gathering

July 4,

July 18 and

July 25

The July 18 dance will be a special Ceilidh Dance.

A reminder – We are NOT dancing on Aug 1 and 8

Be sure and save the date for our NYE dance

 

 

 

WNC Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training
Jul 13 all-day
Asheville Area

Become a CRAFT member and join us for some incredible CRAFT farm tours this summer!

WNC Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT) is a farmer-led effort to bring established farmers, farm apprentices, and aspiring farmers together for year-long training in the art and science of sustainable agriculture, straight from the hearts, mouths, and fields of seasoned local farmers in Western North Carolina (WNC).

Why join CRAFT?

  • Network with beginning and experienced farmers to exchange your ideas and knowledge and build community in the region.
  • Expand your training opportunities beyond your farm to bolster the robustness of your apprenticeship offerings.
  • Attract aspiring farmers to your apprenticeship positions to cultivate success and improve the future of our region’s agriculture.
  • Farm tours are held monthly from April through October and focus on a specific aspect of sustainable farming. Check out the tour schedule and read blog posts about past tours.
  • Gain access to the CRAFT Farmer Handbook: farmer-generated, regionally-specific information on all aspects of farming.
  • Round-table discussions provide a place for farmers to discuss advanced farming topics.
  • The farmer network includes farmers and farm workers and is built on a farmer-to-farmer exchange of ideas.
Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden
Jul 13 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

 

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

  • Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • Garden Open Year Round
  • Parking Fees
    • Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
    • Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
    • Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
    • Members: Free

    Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Summer Gardening Series: Pest & Pollinators
Jul 13 @ 10:00 am
Reems Creek Nursery

July Series:

Pests & Pollinators

This series’ goal is to empower growers to cultivate environments that not only support their agricultural endeavors but also support pollinator populations native to the WNC region. By understanding how to provide conditions to increase biodiversity and regulate a balance, growers can nurture essential allies, contribute to conservation efforts, and enjoy an easier growing season overall.

The three classes in this series will explore various topics essential to achieving these aims. Whether you’re a seasoned grower or just beginning your journey, join us in this enriching exploration of holistic gardening.

  • Class 1: Landscaping with WNC Native Plants

    Drew Lathin, Mountain Native Landscape Design

    We will explore the vital role of native plants in fostering biodiversity and supporting native wildlife locally. Discover how incorporating natives into your outdoor spaces benefits the environment and enhances a garden and your well-being by creating resilient, beautiful, and low-maintenance landscapes. Learn the fundamentals of designing and installing native plants to cultivate thriving ecosystems right in your own backyard.

  • Class 2: Pollinator-Friendly Pest Management

    Jill Jacobs & Brannen Bashem, Spriggly’s Beescaping

    In this class, participants will learn about the pollinators, predators, prey, and pests found in the environment and methods to work with the ecosystem rather than against it. Chemicals should never be needed when proper Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, is used. Participants will explore the necessary steps to create a Pollinator-Friendly IPM plan that is perfect for their space and focuses on cultural, mechanical, and biological methods rather than chemical methods, even organic ones.

  • Class 3: Gardenscaping for Pollinators & Predatory Insects

    Patryk Battle, Living Web Farms

    Learn to control common garden pests by supporting abundant diverse insect communities with plantings and other critical components. We will delve into implementing organic controls for the few pests who don’t respond to this approach (a.k.a. bring your own bugs!). This informative, question-based workshop will start with stories and examples and broaden into core concepts for implementing a gardenscaping approach to pest management.

Blossoms + Blooms
Jul 13 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Bullington Gardens

Blossoms & Blooms: Creating Vibrant Arrangements with Easy-to-Grow Annuals

Unleash your inner florist and join us for a journey into the world of floral design! Learn the art of crafting stunning flower arrangements using easy-to-grow annuals that you can easily self-seed. Floral materials will be provided, just bring your favorite container.

Led by Mary Quirk who previously designed for Biltmore House, this hands-on class is perfect for beginners and gardening enthusiasts alike.

Land Of the Sky Burlesque Festival – “Just a Peak”
Jul 13 @ 8:00 pm
Diana Wortham Theatre

Embracing diversity and excellence, our burlesque festival in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, NC, celebrates the best of the best in burlesque entertainment. We curate inclusive shows, offering a blend of vibrant performances. Hailed the “Burlesque Hall of Fame of the south” we’re committed to bringing our audiences an unforgettable experience and can guarantee it’s one of the best shows money can buy! Come celebrate with us as we bring you “Just a Peak”, THE PINNACLE OF BURLESQUE, presented at Diana Wortham Theatre!

https://www.landoftheskyburlesque.com/

Sunday, July 14, 2024
Tools to Support Liberation
Jul 14 all-day
online w/Bountiful Cities

Liberation Tools is a cooperative subset of the 501c3 nonprofit Soul & Soil Project based in the unceded Tsalagi (Cherokee) territory of Western North Carolina.
Our mission is to build a collective that sustainably and skillfully crafts quality tools used for growing food, and freely distributes them to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. To support these efforts, we sell these tools for twice the cost of producing one, thereby allowing people with accumulated wealth to access high quality tools by also paying for an identical tool to be sent to a BIPOC land steward.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/o/tickets/forms/edit?ticketingId=d65860b2-f8dc-4438-bef5-191cf74bb9dc&#advanced-parameters

Urban Garden Tour + Tasting
Jul 14 all-day
Tour in Asheville Area

The third annual Urban Garden Tour and Tasting with Bountiful Cities is FREE and open to everyone! Visit Food Producing gardens, and Urban Farms located throughout the city. Food and/or beverages will be provided for tasting ticket holders in each of the gardens, as well as tours, activities, and entertainment.

 

If you are interested in volunteering, or becoming a sponsor to help us make this amazing event happen (on the day of or in a garden beforehand), please contact [email protected] or

Sign Up to Find Out More About Volunteering

Please stay tuned as we unveil the participating gardens, chefs, musicians and activity partners for this event!

 

 
Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden
Jul 14 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

 

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

  • Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • Garden Open Year Round
  • Parking Fees
    • Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
    • Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
    • Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
    • Members: Free

    Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

English Country Dance
Jul 14 @ 3:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Harvest House Community Center

Our mission is to bring joy to our community by cultivating folk and social dance and music traditions.

Our vision is of people coming together to experience the joy of dance and music.

Monday, July 15, 2024
Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden
Jul 15 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

 

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

  • Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • Garden Open Year Round
  • Parking Fees
    • Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
    • Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
    • Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
    • Members: Free

    Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Monday Night Dance: Community contra dance
Jul 15 @ 8:15 pm – 10:30 pm
St. George's Center for Art and Spirit

Welcome to our weekly community contra dance in West Asheville!  The Monday Night Dance has been around for decades, and we are carrying the torch forward! We are a loving, kind, and safe dance community and highly encourage masking during the dance. No derogatory comments in relation to masking will be tolerated! We encourage non-maskers to mask while partnering with a dancer wearing a mask, or to at least ask if the person would like them to mask while they dance with them.

Practicalities

Time: Contra dancing 8:15–10:30pm, with a beginner lesson starting at 7:45 and a waltz session ending the evening.

Location: St. George’s Center for Art and Spirit, 1 School Rd., Asheville, NC 28806

Cost: $12–$45 sliding scale, CASH ONLY. Please pay as much as you can afford to cover the cost of the wonderful live music, the caller, sound person, rent, and other expenses! ATMs are available at banks on Patton Ave., as well as cash back options at local gas stations and grocery stores.

Requirements: Face masks and sign-in agreeing to the dance’s Safety Guidelines.

Please enter through the front red doors to the sanctuary. Extra parking available in the lots between Moore’s Foot and Ankle and St. George’s (please avoid parking in front of their practice.) This is a scent-free dance. Please bring your own water and water bottle. Beginners are encouraged to attend! Beginner-friendly dances start the contra dancing in lieu of a lesson.

Community Focus

The Monday Night Dance is more than just a dance; the community is deeply rooted. Folks are welcome to sell their wares, like jewelry, dance shoes, dance clothes, pottery, etc. They are also welcome to leave business cards and help wanted or work needed ads. Additionally, the Take Some Leave Some Closet is a new feature of the MND. You can take any clothes, food, produce, feminine products or first aid supplies that we have, and as you are able you can also leave some to replenish. Private times to receive from the closet can also be arranged during the week depending on to the dance organizer’s availability.

Safety

We emphasize safety here at the MND. Mask wearing is strongly encouraged, and courtesy to those choosing to mask is required. No discrimination to those wearing masks will be tolerated! In addition, this is a family and LGBTQ-friendly dance and a safe event for ALL races, ethnicities, genders, ages, shapes, and sizes. Accordingly, no discrimination, inappropriate sexually predatory behavior, racist or discriminatory comments, bullying, or verbal or physical abuse of ANY kind will be tolerated. See our Safety Guidelines for more info.

Volunteers and Donations

Ours is a dance built on volunteerism, and we need your help to survive! Please consider volunteering or becoming a patron by giving a monetary gift. Opening, door and closing help are some of the volunteer jobs available. Those completing their entire shift dance free! Email [email protected] for more info and to sign up. 

Finally, please follow, like and join us on Facebook!

Thanks so much and see you on the dance floor!

Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Farm Beginnings® Program: Farmer program applications open
Jul 16 all-day
Organic Growers School

Farm Beginnings® is training the next generation of farmers in the many skills required to start and expand a successful farm business: passion, clear goals, production experience, financial and marketing know-how, and more.

Farm Beginnings® will help you build these skills through one year of farmer-led training, mentoring, and networking. We support individuals in clarifying their goals and strengths, developing agricultural skills, and growing profitable, equitable, and ecologically sound farm businesses.

The OGS Approach

Guided by our commitment to social justice, our programming is led by farmers and mentors active in food, farming, or social justice. By empowering people with skills, knowledge, and access to resources, together we can build a more diverse, equitable food system that enriches the environment and creates a thriving food and farming community.

We use a holistic management frame, farmer-led classroom sessions, on-farm tours, mentoring, and an extensive farmer network. The topics of equity and justice in the food systems are woven into the curriculum, including examples of realistic approaches within the scope of your business models.

What does Farm Beginnings® include?

The 200+ hr, year-long program consists of:

  • Training on holistic management, farm business, marketing & financial planning

  • Sessions taught by regional, experienced farmers

  • One-year WNC CRAFT Farmer Network membership

  • Completing and presenting an individualized farm plan

  • Access to field days with regional partners

  • Entry to ASAP’s Business of Farming Conference

  • Entry to OGS’s Spring Conference

  • 15 hr mentorship with an experienced farmer mentor

What does Farm Beginnings® include?

The 200+ hr, year-long program consists of:

  • Training on holistic management, farm business, marketing & financial planning

  • Sessions taught by regional, experienced farmers

  • One-year WNC CRAFT Farmer Network membership

  • Completing and presenting an individualized farm plan

  • Access to field days with regional partners

  • Entry to ASAP’s Business of Farming Conference

  • Entry to OGS’s Spring Conference

  • 15 hr mentorship with an experienced farmer mentor

View a sample of the full course schedule here.

Tools to Support Liberation
Jul 16 all-day
online w/Bountiful Cities

Liberation Tools is a cooperative subset of the 501c3 nonprofit Soul & Soil Project based in the unceded Tsalagi (Cherokee) territory of Western North Carolina.
Our mission is to build a collective that sustainably and skillfully crafts quality tools used for growing food, and freely distributes them to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. To support these efforts, we sell these tools for twice the cost of producing one, thereby allowing people with accumulated wealth to access high quality tools by also paying for an identical tool to be sent to a BIPOC land steward.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/o/tickets/forms/edit?ticketingId=d65860b2-f8dc-4438-bef5-191cf74bb9dc&#advanced-parameters

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden
Jul 16 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

 

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

  • Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • Garden Open Year Round
  • Parking Fees
    • Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
    • Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
    • Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
    • Members: Free

    Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Introduction to Herbal Tea Blends
Jul 16 @ 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Bullington Gardens

Herbs are not only great for cooking, but they are great for making herbal teas, also known as herbal infusions! Join teacher, Judy Peacock as you learn about common herbs used in teas, discuss herbs found in our gardens along with harvesting/drying techniques, and make three of your own herbal tea blends to take home.

Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden
Jul 17 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

 

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

  • Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • Garden Open Year Round
  • Parking Fees
    • Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
    • Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
    • Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
    • Members: Free

    Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Thursday, July 18, 2024
Farm Beginnings® Program: Farmer program applications open
Jul 18 all-day
Organic Growers School

Farm Beginnings® is training the next generation of farmers in the many skills required to start and expand a successful farm business: passion, clear goals, production experience, financial and marketing know-how, and more.

Farm Beginnings® will help you build these skills through one year of farmer-led training, mentoring, and networking. We support individuals in clarifying their goals and strengths, developing agricultural skills, and growing profitable, equitable, and ecologically sound farm businesses.

The OGS Approach

Guided by our commitment to social justice, our programming is led by farmers and mentors active in food, farming, or social justice. By empowering people with skills, knowledge, and access to resources, together we can build a more diverse, equitable food system that enriches the environment and creates a thriving food and farming community.

We use a holistic management frame, farmer-led classroom sessions, on-farm tours, mentoring, and an extensive farmer network. The topics of equity and justice in the food systems are woven into the curriculum, including examples of realistic approaches within the scope of your business models.

What does Farm Beginnings® include?

The 200+ hr, year-long program consists of:

  • Training on holistic management, farm business, marketing & financial planning

  • Sessions taught by regional, experienced farmers

  • One-year WNC CRAFT Farmer Network membership

  • Completing and presenting an individualized farm plan

  • Access to field days with regional partners

  • Entry to ASAP’s Business of Farming Conference

  • Entry to OGS’s Spring Conference

  • 15 hr mentorship with an experienced farmer mentor

What does Farm Beginnings® include?

The 200+ hr, year-long program consists of:

  • Training on holistic management, farm business, marketing & financial planning

  • Sessions taught by regional, experienced farmers

  • One-year WNC CRAFT Farmer Network membership

  • Completing and presenting an individualized farm plan

  • Access to field days with regional partners

  • Entry to ASAP’s Business of Farming Conference

  • Entry to OGS’s Spring Conference

  • 15 hr mentorship with an experienced farmer mentor

View a sample of the full course schedule here.

Tools to Support Liberation
Jul 18 all-day
online w/Bountiful Cities

Liberation Tools is a cooperative subset of the 501c3 nonprofit Soul & Soil Project based in the unceded Tsalagi (Cherokee) territory of Western North Carolina.
Our mission is to build a collective that sustainably and skillfully crafts quality tools used for growing food, and freely distributes them to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. To support these efforts, we sell these tools for twice the cost of producing one, thereby allowing people with accumulated wealth to access high quality tools by also paying for an identical tool to be sent to a BIPOC land steward.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/o/tickets/forms/edit?ticketingId=d65860b2-f8dc-4438-bef5-191cf74bb9dc&#advanced-parameters

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden
Jul 18 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

 

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

  • Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • Garden Open Year Round
  • Parking Fees
    • Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
    • Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
    • Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
    • Members: Free

    Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

DANCE FOR DEMOCRACY featuring DJ Molly Parti
Jul 18 @ 7:00 pm
The Orange Peel

Get ready to party at our fabulous fundraiser, Dance for Democracy with Buncombe Dems & Friends! Join us for an electrifying evening of dance, delicious food, and top-notch tunes from all eras, all for a great cause. Together, we can make a difference and build a blue wave this November!

This is one party you don’t want to miss. Let’s show our spirit, support our Democratic Party and candidates, and dance for democracy! Grab your friends, bring your enthusiasm, and let’s make this a night to remember. See you on the dance floor!

Old Farmer’s Ball Thursday Dance
Jul 18 @ 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Bryson Gym Warren Wilson College

Our Thursday Dance

This dance is fragrance-free (no perfume, cologne, strong deodorant, etc.), out of respect for those with sensitivities.

Schedule

  • Every Thursday night (except as indicated on the calendar)
  • Beginner lesson at 7:30 pm (advanced dancers are welcome to help out during the lesson!)
  • Dance 8 pm – 11 pm

Cost

  • Non-members: $12
  • OFB Members: $10
  • Warren Wilson community: $1

If this is your first time dancing with us, your second dance is free!

Friday, July 19, 2024
Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden
Jul 19 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

 

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

  • Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • Garden Open Year Round
  • Parking Fees
    • Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
    • Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
    • Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
    • Members: Free

    Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Saturday, July 20, 2024
Master Gardeners Plant Clinics
Jul 20 all-day
Various Locations

Again this growing season, the Extension Master GardenerSMPlant Clinics will be held at several locations and special events across the area.  At each Plant Clinic, Master Gardener volunteers will be available to answer all of your gardening questions and address your related concerns. Feel free to bring plant or insect samples for identification and/or problem resolution.  You can pick-up soil test kits and receive information about in-person programs and activities at The Learning Garden and the Gardening in the Mountains online seminars.  Please stop by to learn more!

2024 Plant Clinic Locations

Asheville City Market. On the third Saturday of each month, April through September. Master Gardener volunteers will be at the Asheville City Market located at 52 N. Market Street, Asheville, NC 28801.  The specific dates will be April 20, June 15, July 20, August 17, and September 21. We will not be at the City Market in May; instead, we will be at the Spring Fling Plant Sale (see below).

 

2024 Spring Herb Festival. In addition to City Market, the Master Gardeners Plant Clinic is returning to the 2024 Spring Herb Festival this year. Our table will be located at the entrance hall to the Davis Event Center at the WNC Ag Center on Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27 from 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m.,on Sunday, April 28 from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. The WNC Ag Center is located across the highway from the Asheville Airport at 761 New Boylston Highway, Fletcher, NC 28732. A map and directions to the WNC Ag Center can be found by clicking: https://www.wncagcenter.org/directions.aspx.

Spring Fling Plant Sale. Be sure to look for the Plant Clinic tent at this year’s Spring Fling Plant Sale on May 18 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Plant Sale will be located at the Interchange Building, 59 Woodfin Place, in downtown Asheville.

NC Arboretum Plant Sale. EMG volunteers will also staff Plant Clinics at the North Carolina Arboretum Plant Sale on May 31, and June 1, 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. The NC Arboretum is located at 20 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville, NC 28806. The Plant Sale and Vendor Market, May 31 and June 1, is open to all members and the general public.  For more information on the public sale, please refer to the WNC Arboretum website at https://www.ncarboretum.org.  NOTE: The Arboretum’s standard $20 parking fee applies to all non-members.