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, June 9, 2022
Creative Writing Group online
Jun 9 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Leicester Library

Join us for creative writing online! We’ll meet on Zoom and do several rounds of writing prompts. The group is simple – we just write and read our writing to each other.  This is a supportive and fun environment that gets your creative juices flowing with low stakes and lots of fun.

Email [email protected] for the link to the online meeting.

The contents of this presentation are for informational purposes only.  Nothing herein constitutes medical, legal, or financial advice nor is it a substitute for professional advice on any issue.  You should not rely on the information received in this presentation for any important decisions, including medical, legal, or financial decisions.  Always consult with an appropriate professional for specific advice related to your situation.  The views and opinions expressed in this presentation do not necessarily reflect those of Buncombe County or its Public Library System.

Saturday, June 11, 2022
June Play Reading Series
Jun 11 @ 4:00 pm
Hendersonville Theatre

Hendersonville Theatre (HT) resumes its Staged Reading Series Saturday, June 11 at 4 p.m. Showcasing the work of area playwrights and performed by local actors, The Staged Reading Series is a FREE public reading of a new play in development. However, donations are welcome to support HT.
HT’s The Staged Reading Series offers exciting script-in-hand readings of new plays by emerging local playwrights. The readings are followed by a talk back with the playwright and actors to provide feedback to the playwright.
A short discussion will follow each show to provide feedback to the playwright about their script.
The reading will be held on the Hendersonville second stage at the rear of 229 S. Washington Street, Hendersonville, NC. There is no charge to attend or to participate, however donations are welcome and will be used to support HT.
Hendersonville Theatre is committed to exploring and developing new work for American theater, supporting local playwrights with their creative process from concept to production.
The play to be read on June 11 is Affinity by Charles LaBorde. Affinity portrays the early career of celebrated architect Frank Lloyd Wright, including the beginnings of his growth to fame, his first marriage, his trials as he became a famous designer of homes, and the dissolution of his marriage after beginning an affair with one of his clients. The play begins in 1937 with the construction of Taliesin West in Arizona and then retells the years from 1888 until the events of 1914 that led to the destruction of the first Taliesin in Wisconsin.
Charles LaBorde is an actor, director, designer, and playwright, and has worked as an arts educator and administrator. He holds a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University in theatre and doctoral certification in educational administration from the University of North Carolina. LaBorde was the founder of the high school at Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte, where he served as principal for 15 years until his retirement in 2008. He has received 11 regional and state directing awards, a national directing award from the National Youth Theatre, and numerous awards for scenic, costume, lighting, and sound design from the North Carolina Theatre Conference. As a playwright he has received two national and four regional playwriting awards and has had his play, Memorial, performed throughout the United States and Europe. LaBorde is a member of The Dramatists Guild, Inc.—the professional theatre association of playwrights, composers, and lyricists.

Sunday, June 12, 2022
Gladheart Farm Fest Market
Jun 12 @ 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Gladheart Farm - East Asheville

Every Sunday, Ashevillians and visitors from surrounding counties unite to enjoy one of the most unique Farmer’s Markets around!

Not only is Gladheart directly located on a community, organic farm, every vendor produces their own product.

Vendors offer organic produce, fresh made heritage grain breads, jewelry, grass fed tallow creams and broth, organic eggs and frozen quiche, chocolate, beef, and much, much more!

But wait! There’s More!

Gladheart Farm Fest Market is THE place to be on Sundays simply for it’s variety of hot, delicious, and nutritious food, Live music, and Kids Activities!

Wood Fired, Spelt Pizza
Nourish To Go Tacos
Vegan Sushi Rolls
Pasture Raised Scrambled Egg Bowls
(Don’t forget to bring a picnic blanket and an empty belly!)

Farm Tours and Hay Rides! Spend the day and visit with the goats!

Tuesday, June 14, 2022
Well Walkers Walk your way to wellness!
Jun 14 @ 9:00 am
Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Join us in the temperature-controlled Arena to walk on most Tuesdays and Thursdays! Admission is free, masks are required and social distancing will be practiced.

Each lap around the concourse is 1/4 mile and strollers are welcome. Representatives from St. Francis Sports Medicine will be on hand for each event and other health professionals- like dietitians- are frequently scheduled to attend. Free parking is available in the VIP lot off of Church Street.

Thursday, June 16, 2022
Well Walkers Walk your way to wellness!
Jun 16 @ 9:00 am
Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Join us in the temperature-controlled Arena to walk on most Tuesdays and Thursdays! Admission is free, masks are required and social distancing will be practiced.

Each lap around the concourse is 1/4 mile and strollers are welcome. Representatives from St. Francis Sports Medicine will be on hand for each event and other health professionals- like dietitians- are frequently scheduled to attend. Free parking is available in the VIP lot off of Church Street.

Sunday, June 19, 2022
Walk the Wilma Dykeman Greenway
Jun 19 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Big Fish Sculpture

Let’s walk the Wilma Dykeman Greenway in the RAD. It’s a 2 mile paved trail along the French Broad. If we do the whole thing, it’ll be ~4 miles roundtrip. We’ll meet by the fish sculpture in the parking lot and plan to leave at 11:15. If people are interested, we can get food at White Duck Taco or Smoky Park Supper Club afterwards.

Tuesday, June 21, 2022
Well Walkers Walk your way to wellness!
Jun 21 @ 9:00 am
Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Join us in the temperature-controlled Arena to walk on most Tuesdays and Thursdays! Admission is free, masks are required and social distancing will be practiced.

Each lap around the concourse is 1/4 mile and strollers are welcome. Representatives from St. Francis Sports Medicine will be on hand for each event and other health professionals- like dietitians- are frequently scheduled to attend. Free parking is available in the VIP lot off of Church Street.

Thursday, June 23, 2022
Carl Sandburg Monthly Writing Workshops
Jun 23 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
online w/ The Carl Sandburg House

Join writers and poets from across the country each month for a virtual writing workshop. A link will be added to their name when more details and sign-up information becomes available. These workshops are geared towards amateur writers, ages 16 and older recommended. Follow us on Facebook for notifications too.

Poetry of the Spirit with Luke Hankins

This class will focus on contemporary poetry that engages the “spirit” in some way, from a range of perspectives, both religious and non-religious. Some of the aspects of spiritual poetry that will come under discussion are the experience of transcendence, the longing for connection to something larger than ourselves, and the search for overarching meaning that might guide us throughout our lives. In addition to reading and discussing sample poems, we will do an in-class writing exercise aimed at writing from or to whatever “spirit” means to each participant.

Luke Hankins is the author of two poetry collections, Radiant Obstacles and Weak Devotions, as well as a collection of essays, The Work of Creation. A volume of his translations from the French of Stella Vinitchi Radulescu, A Cry in the Snow & Other Poems, was released by Seagull Books in 2019. Testament, a chapbook of poems, is forthcoming from Texas Review Press. His poems, essays, and translations have appeared in a wide variety of periodicals, including 32 Poems, American Literary Review, Image, New England Review, Poetry International, Verse, World Literature Today, and The Writer’s Chronicle. Hankins serves as an Associate Editor at Asheville Poetry Review and he is the founder and editor of Orison Books, a non-profit literary press focused on the life of the spirit from a broad and inclusive range of perspectives.

This workshop is open to writers of all skill levels and is a fun way to find inspiration from a new prompt or revise current work. It is hosted by the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara and will use Zoom for the virtual connection. The link will be sent by the morning of the presentation. Check your junk folder if you have not received it by then.

Tuesday, June 28, 2022
Well Walkers Walk your way to wellness!
Jun 28 @ 9:00 am
Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Join us in the temperature-controlled Arena to walk on most Tuesdays and Thursdays! Admission is free, masks are required and social distancing will be practiced.

Each lap around the concourse is 1/4 mile and strollers are welcome. Representatives from St. Francis Sports Medicine will be on hand for each event and other health professionals- like dietitians- are frequently scheduled to attend. Free parking is available in the VIP lot off of Church Street.

Thursday, June 30, 2022
Well Walkers Walk your way to wellness!
Jun 30 @ 9:00 am
Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Join us in the temperature-controlled Arena to walk on most Tuesdays and Thursdays! Admission is free, masks are required and social distancing will be practiced.

Each lap around the concourse is 1/4 mile and strollers are welcome. Representatives from St. Francis Sports Medicine will be on hand for each event and other health professionals- like dietitians- are frequently scheduled to attend. Free parking is available in the VIP lot off of Church Street.

Writing to Heal: Free Write to a Free Life
Jun 30 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
online

Writing to Heal: Free Write to a Free Life

Come join us as we meet online to do therapeutic free writing together in community! No writing experience is required. Therapeutic free writing is a process where you write on personal and emotional topics as fast as possible, without editing, and without regard to grammar rules. The group structure is that I will give out a couple of therapeutic prompts to choose from, and we will write for approximately ten minutes. Then you will have an opportunity to share what you wrote with the group (but only if you want to!). After that, the other members will have a chance to comment on how your writing affected them and offer support from their own experiences with only positive comments. This process will create a safe space for you to do your healing work and spark creativity in a community of fellow creatives.

Saturday, July 2, 2022
Guided Hendersonville History Walks on Main Street with Mary Jo Padgett
Jul 2 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Hendersonville City Hall, front steps

Take a 90-plus minute walk along Historic Main Street to learn about Hendersonville’s history and architecture and hear fascinating stories of the past. Be charmed and informed by Hendersonville’s history, architecture, and colorful stories.  Learn how the town got its name, who donated the land, bordellos, the oldest block of buildings, amazing fires, trolley lines … and more. All walks begin at 10am and begin at Hendersonville City Hall, front steps (corner of 5th Ave. East and King Street).

Saturday, July 16, 2022
North Asheville Library Bird Walk
Jul 16 @ 8:30 am – 9:30 am
Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary

North Asheville Library Bird Walk

Join members of the Blue Ridge Audubon Society for this guided bird-watching excursion around the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary!

Binoculars are available for checkout at the North Asheville Library, but folks are welcome to bring their own! This event will be held rain or shine.

Spaces are limited, so registration is required.

Saturday, July 30, 2022
Guided Hendersonville History Walks on Main Street with Mary Jo Padgett
Jul 30 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Hendersonville City Hall, front steps

Take a 90-plus minute walk along Historic Main Street to learn about Hendersonville’s history and architecture and hear fascinating stories of the past. Be charmed and informed by Hendersonville’s history, architecture, and colorful stories.  Learn how the town got its name, who donated the land, bordellos, the oldest block of buildings, amazing fires, trolley lines … and more. All walks begin at 10am and begin at Hendersonville City Hall, front steps (corner of 5th Ave. East and King Street).

Thursday, August 11, 2022
Creative Writing Group online
Aug 11 @ 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
online

Join us for creative writing online! We’ll meet on Zoom and do several rounds of writing prompts. The group is simple – we just write and read our writing to each other.  This is a supportive and fun environment that gets your creative juices flowing with low stakes and lots of fun.

Email [email protected] for the link to the online meeting.

The contents of this presentation are for informational purposes only.  Nothing herein constitutes medical, legal, or financial advice nor is it a substitute for professional advice on any issue.  You should not rely on the information received in this presentation for any important decisions, including medical, legal, or financial decisions.  Always consult with an appropriate professional for specific advice related to your situation.  The views and opinions expressed in this presentation do not necessarily reflect those of Buncombe County or its Public Library System.

Saturday, August 20, 2022
Gatherings of Artists + Writers Coffee
Aug 20 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center

TFAC invites all artists: painters, sculptors, writers, performers & more — to a casual weekly drop-in gathering on Saturday mornings at 9 AM to share your works in progress, alert others, and chat about art and what’s happening in your community.

The first weekly Coffee is Saturday, August 20 at 9 am.

No RSVP needed, just drop by!

Free parking available on Melrose Avenue, behind and alongside TFAC.

Saturday, August 27, 2022
Gatherings of Artists + Writers Coffee
Aug 27 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center

TFAC invites all artists: painters, sculptors, writers, performers & more — to a casual weekly drop-in gathering on Saturday mornings at 9 AM to share your works in progress, alert others, and chat about art and what’s happening in your community.

The first weekly Coffee is Saturday, August 20 at 9 am.

No RSVP needed, just drop by!

Free parking available on Melrose Avenue, behind and alongside TFAC.

Saturday, September 3, 2022
Coffee Shop: The Rhu | Session #1 | Topic: Bubbles
Sep 3 @ 9:00 am – 11:00 am
The Rhu

Coffee Shop: The Rhu | Session #1 | Topic: Bubbles

Creative Prompt
Write a story from within a bubble.

Where
https://www.the-rhu.com/

Fun Fact for this day

### 3 Sept, 1976 Mars Viking 2 Lands

September 3rd, 1976 : The unmanned U.S. spacecraft Viking 2 launched on September 9th1975 lands on Mars to take the first close-up, color photographs of the planet’s surface.

Gatherings of Artists + Writers Coffee
Sep 3 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center

TFAC invites all artists: painters, sculptors, writers, performers & more — to a casual weekly drop-in gathering on Saturday mornings at 9 AM to share your works in progress, alert others, and chat about art and what’s happening in your community.

The first weekly Coffee is Saturday, August 20 at 9 am.

No RSVP needed, just drop by!

Free parking available on Melrose Avenue, behind and alongside TFAC.

Saturday, September 10, 2022
Gatherings of Artists + Writers Coffee
Sep 10 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center

TFAC invites all artists: painters, sculptors, writers, performers & more — to a casual weekly drop-in gathering on Saturday mornings at 9 AM to share your works in progress, alert others, and chat about art and what’s happening in your community.

The first weekly Coffee is Saturday, August 20 at 9 am.

No RSVP needed, just drop by!

Free parking available on Melrose Avenue, behind and alongside TFAC.

West Asheville (WAGS) Garden Stroll
Sep 10 @ 10:30 am – 4:00 pm
Trinity United Methodist Church

Picture

The West Asheville Garden Stroll is an annual volunteer-organized community event that opens selected neighborhood gardens to the public, featuring a selection of beautiful, creative, and funky gardens. Participants can pick up a map guide, hear some announcements, and peruse the community tables at the Kickoff Location.
GreenWorks Bee City USA – Asheville will have a table with information on pollinators and pollinator habitats.

Map

Each year the Garden Stroll committee chooses a specific area in greater West Asheville to highlight.

Sign up for our mailing list or check our Facebook page for the latest news.

A detailed map is always available on the day of the stroll at the kickoff site and the
WEST ASHEVILLE LIBRARY

Thursday, September 15, 2022
Greenway Pollinator Habitat Walk + Talk
Sep 15 @ 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Wilma Dykeman Greenway on Riverside Drive

Picture

Meet up with Betsy and Florrie by the Bowen Bridge along Riverside (look for balloons) for a leisurely walk and informative talk about the first two pollinator habitats created by Bee City USA-Asheville committee members and friends along the Greenway. We’ll cover a brief history of the Greenway habitats as we walk around the River Arts District Habitat (RAD HAB) and then to the second habitat nearby, emphasizing good habitat characteristics, discussing shrubs and perennials there, and looking for pollinators. We’ll also talk about expansion plans, the difference in the RAD HAB and the pollinator meadow, and invasive plants along the way, finishing at the meadow.

Betsy Savely is co-chair of GreenWorks’ Bee City USA-Asheville Leadership Committee and was the first Asheville resident to have her pollinator habitat certified by GreenWorks. She graduated from the North Carolina Arboretum’s Blue Ridge Naturalist Program in 2020, co-creating a large pollinator habitat in the River Arts District for her BRN project. She has been an avid landscaper and gardener for over 30 years and has created many wildlife and pollinator habitats in the Asheville area.

Florrie Funk has been on the board of Bee City USA-Asheville for six years. She has had a life-long love of wildflowers and wild places. She has spent the last thirty years learning about native ecosystems and working as a volunteer in nature education, citizen science projects, plant diversity restoration, and removal of invasive species. Recently she has focused on native habitat gardening and photographing pollinators. She is of the opinion that in all creation, there are no insignificant pieces.

Saturday, September 17, 2022
Naturalist Niche: Early Bird Walk
Sep 17 @ 7:30 am – 10:00 am
Chimney Rock State Park

The early bird gets the worm! Or in this case, the early bird gets the chance to spot more of our feathered friends before the excitement of Flock to the Rock. The early bird walk was designed to start before the Park opens to ensure participants get the best chance to encounter a variety of native and migrating birds. This hike is considered moderate and is the prelude to the our 14th Annual Flock to the Rock event which starts at 11am. Click here to see what birds you might encounter during your hike.

Gatherings of Artists + Writers Coffee
Sep 17 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center

TFAC invites all artists: painters, sculptors, writers, performers & more — to a casual weekly drop-in gathering on Saturday mornings at 9 AM to share your works in progress, alert others, and chat about art and what’s happening in your community.

The first weekly Coffee is Saturday, August 20 at 9 am.

No RSVP needed, just drop by!

Free parking available on Melrose Avenue, behind and alongside TFAC.

Makers Market
Sep 17 @ 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Atelier Maison & Co.

This event of craft and design features local artisans in a beautiful setting.

Come find out what Asheville artists are creating, try on a vintage outfit, grab a drink, or do some gift shopping. You can’t miss this thriving market with something new every month – craft classes, food trucks, and more!

Created by Atelier Maison & Co. and Show & Tell, the Makers Market happens every third Saturday from noon to five throughout the Atelier furniture studio off Sweeten Creek Rd in the Asheville Design District.

Sunday, September 18, 2022
Naturalist Niche: Early Bird Walk
Sep 18 @ 7:30 am – 10:00 am
Chimney Rock State Park

The early bird gets the worm! Or in this case, the early bird gets the chance to spot more of our feathered friends before the excitement of Flock to the Rock. The early bird walk was designed to start before the Park opens to ensure participants get the best chance to encounter a variety of native and migrating birds. This hike is considered moderate and is the prelude to the our 14th Annual Flock to the Rock event which starts at 11am. Click here to see what birds you might encounter during your hike.

Thursday, September 22, 2022
Raegan Payne Virtual Writers Workshop “Inciting Incident”
Sep 22 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
online

The Jump Off: The Importance of the Inciting Incident will help writers craft exciting openings to hook an audience. “If you don’t grab an audience in the opening moments of a speech, play, novel, or even television series, they’re lost forever. Learn how to identify a compelling inciting incident and make it riveting.”

Raegan Payne is a published, award-winning playwright whose plays have been produced from Los Angeles to Lagos. She studied Shakespeare at the British American Drama Academy and improv/sketch writing at The Groundlings in Los Angeles and has just finished a master’s degree at the University of Cambridge in Writing for Performance. She is a member of Ammunition Theatre Company’s Writers Group, the Dramatist Guild, Actors’ Equity, SAG-AFTRA, and the Los Angeles Female Playwrights Initiative. She unwinds by fostering kittens and practicing Aikido. For more info go to: raeganpayne.com

Saturday, September 24, 2022
Welcoming WNC Procession
Sep 24 @ 9:00 am – 9:30 am
Blue Ridge Pride

On Saturday, September 24, we will renew our annual walk for a a vision of a community that welcomes and celebrates all.
This walk is open to everyone: individuals, families, friends, neighborhoods, churches, activist groups, social clubs, companies, sports teams.

We believe that the overwhelming majority of people and organizations in western North Carolina aspire to a community that is welcoming. We need to make ourselves seen and heard.

This is not your typical Pride Parade. This is a gathering of ALL in our community who share a vision of inclusivity.

Join us as we walk to Pack Square and into the heart of the festival. Whether you are a business, a group, a congregation, community, family, or a pack of friends join us on this half-mile walk. Let the world know that in WNC, we share a simple ideal: Inclusion, Ya’ll!

How to Participate
One person per team should register to walk. Estimate your number of walkers while registering (you can update later).

Gather your team. Wear your organization’s tee shirts, uniforms, hats, buttons. Create your own posters. Need ideas? Our team is eager to help. ([email protected]).

Bring a sign or banner with your logo or an aspirational message.

Show up at between 9:00 am and 9:30 am at the parking lot across from 23 Grove Street, Asheville

Gatherings of Artists + Writers Coffee
Sep 24 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center

TFAC invites all artists: painters, sculptors, writers, performers & more — to a casual weekly drop-in gathering on Saturday mornings at 9 AM to share your works in progress, alert others, and chat about art and what’s happening in your community.

The first weekly Coffee is Saturday, August 20 at 9 am.

No RSVP needed, just drop by!

Free parking available on Melrose Avenue, behind and alongside TFAC.

Saturday, October 1, 2022
Gatherings of Artists + Writers Coffee
Oct 1 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center

TFAC invites all artists: painters, sculptors, writers, performers & more — to a casual weekly drop-in gathering on Saturday mornings at 9 AM to share your works in progress, alert others, and chat about art and what’s happening in your community.

The first weekly Coffee is Saturday, August 20 at 9 am.

No RSVP needed, just drop by!

Free parking available on Melrose Avenue, behind and alongside TFAC.