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.

Friday, May 10, 2024
FEAST: School Garden Plant Sales
May 10 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Lucy S. Herring Elementary School
Please plan to support our FEAST program and long-term food security through edible education by buying your spring plants at one of these upcoming plant sales!
We empower youth and families to grow, prepare, and enjoy fruits and vegetables through hands-on cooking and garden education. 

FEAST classes focus on:

  • Problem-solving, communication, and teamwork.
  • Increasing fresh, locally grown produce in everyday living.
  • Gaining confidence by exploring different ways to grow and prepare fresh produce.
  • Creating and changing recipes and substituting ingredients.
  • Learning how food and the environment affects the brain and body.
  • Connecting to Core Curriculum and Essential Standards in math, reading, writing, science, health, and nutrition.
SCHOOL BASED PROGRAMS
Take Your Momma to the Greenhouse
May 10 @ 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Ross Farm Nursery and Greenhouses
25% off all plants, Mother’s Day BANANZA! 🌷🥳 Come celebrate your momma at Ross Farm in our beautiful greenhouses on…
-Friday, May 10th from 9-6 pm
-Saturday, May 11th from 9-6 pm
All orders $100+ at the farm get a free, hanging, ceramic, moon-phase pot! Treat yourself, AND momma, to the gift of plant beauty this Mother’s Day!
FEAST: School Garden Plant Sales
May 10 @ 2:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Isaac Dickson Elementary School
Please plan to support our FEAST program and long-term food security through edible education by buying your spring plants at one of these upcoming plant sales!
We empower youth and families to grow, prepare, and enjoy fruits and vegetables through hands-on cooking and garden education. 

FEAST classes focus on:

  • Problem-solving, communication, and teamwork.
  • Increasing fresh, locally grown produce in everyday living.
  • Gaining confidence by exploring different ways to grow and prepare fresh produce.
  • Creating and changing recipes and substituting ingredients.
  • Learning how food and the environment affects the brain and body.
  • Connecting to Core Curriculum and Essential Standards in math, reading, writing, science, health, and nutrition.
SCHOOL BASED PROGRAMS
Movies in the Park: Free Family Films
May 10 @ 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Pack Square Park

Movies in the Park returns with free family favorite films projected on a massive outdoor screen in Pack Square Park just after dusk on the second Friday of the month! Community members are invited to bring blankets and lawn chairs to the beloved summer tradition produced by Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) and sponsored by Au Pair in America.

The APR Rec n Roll Play Zone opens about an hour before showtime with games, music, and other activities for kids and teens, as well as themed giveaways while supplies last.

.:. Movies in the Park 2024 Lineup .:.
🎩 May 10, begins around 8:25pm – Wonka – Kids receive free bottles of bubbles
🕶 June 14, begins around 8:45pm – Barbie – Kids snag free pink and black sunglasses with UV400 lenses providing 100% UVA and UVB protection
🦝 July 12, begins around 8:45pm – Guardians of the Galaxy – Kids get free Recycling Raccoon coloring books
🤠 August 9, begins around 8:25pm – Toy Story – Kids receive unique rubber duck toys that change color in water
.:. Make a Plan .:.

🌜 All movies begin after dusk in Pack Square Park on 80 Court Plaza in downtown Asheville. Approximate showtimes listed above, but plan to arrive at least 15 minutes prior.
🥰 Bring blankets and folding chairs for comfort.
🎨 APR Rec n Roll Play Zone activities start approximately an hour before showtime.
👛 Bring money for treats from local vendors Kona Ice of Asheville and Kernel Mike’s World Famous Kettle Corn.
🌮 Food truck and food tent spaces available for vendors who sell more substantial food like pizza, sandwiches, and other entrees. Please contact Calvin Owens at [email protected] or (828) 747-1347 for more info.
🚲 Parking is free in marked spaces on city streets and in city-owned lots on Marjorie and Valley streets after 6pm, so there’s no need to feed the meter.
🚫 Pets, smoking, and alcohol prohibited.
🥳 Have fun! Dress up as your favorite characters, invite friends, and celebrate cool summer nights. Be sure to tag APR on Instagram and Facebook.
⛈ Outdoor events may be impacted by summer weather. Follow APR on Instagram and Facebook for cancellation announcements.

Saturday, May 11, 2024
Mother Runner’s Day Sale
May 11 all-day
Jus' Running

Mother Runner’s Day Sale 25% off

Take Your Momma to the Greenhouse
May 11 @ 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Ross Farm Nursery and Greenhouses
25% off all plants, Mother’s Day BANANZA! 🌷🥳 Come celebrate your momma at Ross Farm in our beautiful greenhouses on…
-Friday, May 10th from 9-6 pm
-Saturday, May 11th from 9-6 pm
All orders $100+ at the farm get a free, hanging, ceramic, moon-phase pot! Treat yourself, AND momma, to the gift of plant beauty this Mother’s Day!
Mother’s Day Market
May 11 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Historic Johnson Farm

Historic Johnson Farm will host the fourth annual Mother’s Day Market on Saturday, May 11th from 10 AM-4 PM, rain or shine. This outdoor craft fair will showcase over 25 local vendors. A diverse array of crafts will be available, including jewelry, ceramics, leather items, wooden décor, baked goods and more.

The event will take place outdoors at the farm. Hot dogs (donated by Hot Dog World), chips, and drinks will be available for purchase to support the farm’s operating fund. Stop by the farm table to purchase a plant from the Johnson Farm gardeners or a farm logo item like a mug or magnet. The Heritage Weavers & Fiber Artists will have their gift shop open with plenty of fiber gifts for purchase. In addition to the numerous crafters, the historic farmhouse will be open for self-guided tours including the Johnson’s 1924 Model T that was recently returned to the farm.

Parking will be available across the street at Rugby Middle School, and volunteers from the Sheriff’s Office will help visitors cross the street. Handicapped parking is available at the farm.

Historic Johnson Farm is located at 3346 Haywood Road, Hendersonville, NC 28791. It features 15 acres of forest, fields, and streams, 10 historic structures, animals and picnic tables. The farm was a gift to schoolchildren and the community by the late Vernon and Leander Johnson.

For more information, call 828-891-6585 or visit www.historicjohnsonfarm.org or
www.facebook.com/HistoricJohnsonFarm/.

Mother’s Day Tea Party
May 11 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
The Omni Grove Park Inn

Whether you’re a daughter expressing gratitude, a partner recognizing the mother of your children, or a friend honoring the matriarchs in your life, our Mother’s Day Tea Party is the perfect way to say thank you. Our Mother’s Day Tea Party is a lavish affair designed to pamper and honor the special women in your life.

Picture you and your loved ones welcomed by the soft melodies of local live music. Savor the moment as you indulge in a delectable selection of hors d’oeuvres from delicate finger sandwiches to decadent pastries, expertly crafted to elevate your culinary experience. But the magic doesn’t stop there—tap into your internal artist and create pressed flower lanterns and personalized friendship bracelets to take home and savor the memories.

Join us in raising a teacup and purchase your ticket for this enchanting event, where we invite you to revel in the beauty of connection and create timeless memories that will be cherished for years to come.

*Tickets are non-refundable. Parking, accommodations and other amenities are not included with tickets purchased on Eventbrite. Cash bar will be available.

Looking for overnight accommodations? Click here to book the Mother’s Day Made Easy Package which includes accommodations, parking, admission to the Mother’s Day Tea Party, sparkling wine amenity, and late check out.

Sunday, May 12, 2024
Mother Runner’s Day Sale
May 12 all-day
Jus' Running

Mother Runner’s Day Sale 25% off

Mother’s Day Spring Birding
May 12 @ 8:00 am – 11:00 am
Hickory Nut Gap Farm

Explore the Farm and surrounding forest with birder Clifton Avery of Venture Birding Tours(@bigbaldbirder on IG) to spot the various species of birds that can be found in WNC!
Edge habitat birding, learn how planned grazing benefits the local avian population.
We will be hiking in uneven and sometimes steep terrain, so please wear sturdy shoes and be dressed for the weather.
Learn about our Holistic Land Management from Farm Director Virginia, and how this practice works in tandem with the local flora and fauna.
Spotted on the farm by our farm crew, staff & neighbors: bluebirds, a rainbow of finches, downy & hairy woodpeckers, vultures, cardinals, wood doves, robins, red-shouldered hawks, northern goshawks, swifts, egrets, blue herons, hermit thrush, golden-winged warblers and this last year we’ve had a resident Bald Eagle!
Attendees will break for an included biscuit brunch* from butcher Brian’s kitchen, as birding is hungry work. When attending classes, you will receive a 5% discount in the Farm Store & Butchery!
A portion of the proceeds for this event support our activities as a Savory Hub, and further the reach of regenerative agriculture.

Mother’s Day Native Plant Swap and Sale
May 12 @ 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
39 Courtland Ave #39, Asheville, NC 28801, USA

 

Parking: On the street, or at the North Star Academy corner of Montford & Courtland

On May 12, we’ll hold our annual Native Plant Swap at Charlotte Caplan’s house on Courtland Avenue, in the Montford neighborhood of Asheville. This is our main fundraiser for the year, so come out to have fun choosing plants for your garden and support BRNN.

Our emphasis is on plants that are native to the Southern Appalachians. We’ll have foamflower, wild ginger, bloodroot, green and gold, bee-balm, mountain mint, joe-pye weed, sweetshrub, pawpaw, and many others. But we’ll accept non-natives too, even houseplants and vegetable starts, as long as they are not considered invasive in NC – see list on https://www.inaturalist.org/guides/2455 . Just a note—vegetable starts can only be swapped for vegetable starts.

No pots? Just save plastic containers from the recycling bin. Medium-sized yoghurt, cottage cheese, and sour cream pots are ideal. Poke a few holes in the bottom and voila! You can cut up a pot up to make labels, too.

No plants to contribute? No problem. We’ll have a large stock for sale at a modest $4 each.

QUESTIONS? Contact Charlotte at [email protected]

 

Mother’s Day Tea Party
May 12 @ 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Tabletops of 2–6 only

This afternoon tea party features local indulgences from Asheville Tea Company, as well as fresh tea sandwiches, scones, fruit, and house-made pastries.

The afternoon also includes the opportunity to design and create your own Fascinator Hat and take a stroll through the galleries. Limited seating remains, so reserve your spot before it’s too late!

Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Memorial Day Weekend Outdoor Adventures
May 14 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center
The End of the Affair
May 14 @ 2:00 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center
Showings: 2 pm Matinee & 7 pm “The End of the Affair” is based on Graham Greene’s classic novel by the same name.

The 1999 romantic drama film written and directed by Neil Jordan and starring the all-star cast of Ralph Fiennes, Julianne Moore and Stephen Rea, was based on the 1951 novel by British author Graham Greene. The End of the Affair depicts an extramarital affair which lasts from 1939 to 1946 and is set during World War II and its aftermath.

Set in London, the novel examines the obsessions, jealousy and discernments within the relationships between three central characters: writer Maurice Bendrix; Sarah Miles; and her husband, civil servant Henry Miles.

Julianne Moore was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress and cinematographer Roger Pratt was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. Neil Jordan and Moore were nominated for Best Director (Motion Picture) and Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama in the Golden Globe Awards.

The End of the Affair
May 14 @ 7:00 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center
Showings: 2 pm Matinee & 7 pm “The End of the Affair” is based on Graham Greene’s classic novel by the same name.

The 1999 romantic drama film written and directed by Neil Jordan and starring the all-star cast of Ralph Fiennes, Julianne Moore and Stephen Rea, was based on the 1951 novel by British author Graham Greene. The End of the Affair depicts an extramarital affair which lasts from 1939 to 1946 and is set during World War II and its aftermath.

Set in London, the novel examines the obsessions, jealousy and discernments within the relationships between three central characters: writer Maurice Bendrix; Sarah Miles; and her husband, civil servant Henry Miles.

Julianne Moore was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress and cinematographer Roger Pratt was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. Neil Jordan and Moore were nominated for Best Director (Motion Picture) and Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama in the Golden Globe Awards.

 

Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Memorial Day Weekend Outdoor Adventures
May 15 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center
Kids Deserve Justice RESCHEDULED May 21
May 15 @ 4:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Rabbit Rabbit

Make a difference in the lives of local children! Join Pisgah Legal Services at Rabbit Rabbit in downtown Asheville for an evening of live music, featuring Jane Kramer and the band Rooster. Take part in family-friendly fun, a silent auction and more at this outdoor event for all ages. By participating, you contribute to our Children’s Law Program which provides crucial support to kids in our communities.

Pisgah Legal Services is a nonprofit providing free civil legal aid, anti-poverty advocacy, and access to health care to people with low incomes in Western North Carolina. Kids Deserve Justice supports our Children’s Law Program, which helps disadvantaged children avoid unsafe housing conditions and homelessness, access essential services such as medical care, and escape abuse. Legal intervention can stop an immediate crisis and improve local children’s long-term futures.

In 2023, we served over 23,000 people—more than 7,000 of them children—across the WNC mountain region.

Tickets are $25/person in advance, $30 at the door. Kids age 12 and under get in FREE. Tickets include event admission and 1 complimentary drink ticket.

Thursday, May 16, 2024
Memorial Day Weekend Outdoor Adventures
May 16 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center
Third Thursday: live music w/ DJ Phantompantone, a screening of Who is Bozo Texino? by Bill Daniel
May 16 @ 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

very Third Thursday the Museum comes alive with an evening filled with music, tours, art making and more! Join us for an eclectic evening featuring live music with DJ Phantompantone, a screening of Who is Bozo Texino? by Bill Daniel, special cocktails at the Museum’s Perspective Café, and our public tour of Discovering Art in Asheville.

THIRD THURSDAY FEATURES

Live Music: DJ Phantom Pantone—Enjoy an evening of live music at the museum’s rooftop featuring DJ Phantom Pantone.

Film: Who is Bozo Texino?Shot on freight trips across the western US over a period of 16 years, Who is Bozo Texino? chronicles the search for the source of a ubiquitous rail graffiti—a simple sketch of a character with an infinity-shaped hat and the scrawled moniker, “Bozo Texino”—a drawing seen on railcars for over 80 years.

THIRD THURSDAY SCHEDULE

5–9pm

Special Cocktail: Signature Sangria • Perspective Café, level 4

6–7pm

In Conversation: Katherine Ware • Multipurpose Space, level 1

6–7pm

Public Tour: Discovering Art in Asheville • Windgate Foundation Atrium, level 1

6–8pm

Live Music: DJ Phantompantone • Sculpture Terrace, level 4

7–9pm

Film: Who is Bozo Texino? by Bill Daniel (runtime 57 minutes) • Multipurpose Space, level 1

THIRD THURSDAYS

Each third Thursday, the Museum and community partners offer fun events for adults to socialize through interactive art-related activities, delicious drinks, and tasty treats. For more information or to add your name to our Third Thursday mailing list, click here to email us or call 828.253.3227 x121.

Friday, May 17, 2024
Memorial Day Weekend Outdoor Adventures
May 17 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center
Cinema on the Square Presents – “Dungeons + Dragons: Honor Among Thieves”
May 17 @ 7:00 pm – 10:30 pm
Swannanoa Library

Come and enjoy an evening under the stars while you watch the award winning 2023 adventure film Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers embark on an epic quest to retrieve a long-lost relic, but their charming adventure goes dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people.

Learn more about the movie here: tinyurl.com….

Refreshments will be available for sale.

Please bring a blanket or camp chair.

Saturday, May 18, 2024
Memorial Day Weekend Outdoor Adventures
May 18 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center
Sunday, May 19, 2024
Memorial Day Weekend Outdoor Adventures
May 19 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center
Flat Rock Backpack Program: Empty Bowls Benefit
May 19 @ 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Episcopal Church of St. John in the Wilderness

 

Local ceramic artists will once again fire up their kilns for the seventh
year to help hungry children in the greater Flat Rock area.
Advance tickets are recommended for the two seatings: 12:00pm-2:00pm and 4:00pm-
6:00pm. Each ticket includes one hand-crafted bowl donated by area potters, a soup-based
meal, with soups and breads donated by local restaurants and bakers, plus homemade cookies
baked by church members. For those wishing to eat at home, take-away is an available
option.
Tickets are $30 per person or $50 for a family of two adults and children under 12. Tickets
are available for purchase online at www.stjohnflatrock.org/empty-bowls.
Please join us for this fun community event. Donations are gratefully accepted throughout the
year. The Flat Rock Backpack Program has 501c-3 status. 100% of the money collected goes
to feeding at least 150 children in eight schools every weekend.
“The Backpack Team is so very appreciative of the support from the potters, the food
providers, and the community, who make this such a successful event,” said Debby Staton,
Flat Rock Backpack Program Coordinator.
The Parish Hall is located across the street from the church at 1905 Greenville Highway. For
more information write to [email protected] or visit www.stjohnflatrock.org.

Flat Rock Backpack Program: Empty Bowls Benefit
May 19 @ 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Episcopal Church of St. John in the Wilderness

7th Annual Empty Bowls
Supporting the Flat Rock Backpack Program

Sunday, May 19, 2024
Two Seating Windows: 12:00-2:00pm | 4:00-6:00pm

Local ceramic artists will once again fire up their kilns for the 7th year to help hungry children in the greater Flat Rock area. On Sunday, May 19, Empty Bowls, a community meal benefiting the Flat Rock Backpack Program, will take place inside the Parish Hall at the Episcopal Church of St. John in the Wilderness.

Advanced tickets are strongly recommended for the two seatings: 12:00pm-2:00pm and 4:00pm-6:00pm. Attendees of the event may come any time

NEW EMPTY BOWLS PHOTO_reduced size.png

during their seating window. Each ticket includes one hand-crafted bowl (all donated by area potters) and a soup-based meal (a variety of soups, breads, and homemade cookies). For those wishing to eat at home, take-away is an available option.

Tickets are $30 per person or $50 for a family of two adults and children under 12. Limited tickets may be available at the door on the day of the event.

The Parish Hall is located across the street from the church building, at 1905 Greenville Highway. For more information, write to [email protected].

Monday, May 20, 2024
Memorial Day Weekend Outdoor Adventures
May 20 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Memorial Day Weekend Outdoor Adventures
May 21 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center
Kids Deserve Justice RESCHEDULED May 21
May 21 @ 4:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Rabbit Rabbit

Make a difference in the lives of local children! Join Pisgah Legal Services at Rabbit Rabbit in downtown Asheville for an evening of live music, featuring Jane Kramer and the band Rooster. Take part in family-friendly fun, a silent auction and more at this outdoor event for all ages. By participating, you contribute to our Children’s Law Program which provides crucial support to kids in our communities.

Pisgah Legal Services is a nonprofit providing free civil legal aid, anti-poverty advocacy, and access to health care to people with low incomes in Western North Carolina. Kids Deserve Justice supports our Children’s Law Program, which helps disadvantaged children avoid unsafe housing conditions and homelessness, access essential services such as medical care, and escape abuse. Legal intervention can stop an immediate crisis and improve local children’s long-term futures.

In 2023, we served over 23,000 people—more than 7,000 of them children—across the WNC mountain region.

Tickets are $25/person in advance, $30 at the door. Kids age 12 and under get in FREE. Tickets include event admission and 1 complimentary drink ticket.

Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Memorial Day Weekend Outdoor Adventures
May 22 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center
Voodoo-It for Charity: Pint Night with Beer for Boobs
May 22 @ 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Voodoo Brewing Co. - Asheville

Voodoo Brewing Co. – Asheville

Support Beer for Boobs and breast cancer research and the American Cancer Society at Voodoo! Buy a beer for $10, keep the Beer for Boobs glass and $5 for each pour will be donated back to Beer for Boobs. May 22, 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM