Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
Explore Asheville invites you and your organization to contribute to the stewardship of our destination by participating in the inaugural 2024 Explore Asheville Travel & Hospitality Earth Day Cleanup, hosted by Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, with support from Asheville GreenWorks and RiverLink.
We encourage you to recruit two to three staff members to represent your business by taking part in the cleanup. Participants can choose the area of town they wish to clean up; each neighborhood will have a host venue for a pre and post-cleanup meetup.
Cleanup and Host Venue locations include:
- Downtown: Embassy Suites by Hilton Asheville Downtown
- South Slope: Burial Beer Co.
- River Arts District: The Radical
- Amboy Road: Wrong Way River Lodge and Cabins
- West Asheville: Cellarest Beer Project
The program will include welcome remarks and instructions, an approximately one-hour clean-up, and a post-clean up social with local brews and light bites.
What You Need to Know:
- The clean up will take place in five locations throughout Asheville
- Each location will have a host venue for gathering before and after the cleanup
- All participants will receive a free custom event t-shirt
- Participants will meet at their host venue at 2pm to check in and receive instructions and supplies
- The clean up will last one hour, after which participants will meet back at their host venue to return supplies. Social hour and networking to follow.
2:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Check-In
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Cleanup
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Earth Day Social
Join us every Tuesday in April for Taco Tuesdays at Highland Brewing! Indulge in delicious tacos from Dirty Gertie’s while enjoying our $5 Cerveza special in the Taproom. Bring your friends and family for a flavorful evening with tasty food and great drinks. Don’t miss out on this weekly fiesta! See you there!
A portion of Cerveza sales will be donated to SAHC all month long. To see all the amazing things they are a part of click here!
Congratulations to our Youth Spoken Word Contest winners:
Eva S. — 11th grade at Carolina Day
Tesslyn H. — 8th grade at IC Imagine Public Charter School
Gabriella B. — 11th grade at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville (SILSA)
Lily A. — 9th grade at Madison Early College High School
Come experience these talented students perform with artist Dasan Ahanu, Tuesday, April 23 at 5:30 p.m. at Atelier Maison’s showroom. Admission is free; RSVP required. Drinks and light appetizers will be provided.
RSVP to [email protected].
Event location:
Atelier Maison Showroom
121 Sweeten Creek Road, Ste. 50
Asheville, NC 28803
About Dasan Ahanu: Christopher Massenburg, better known as Dasan Ahanu, is a public speaker, organizer, curator, educator, poet, spoken word artist, songwriter, emcee, and loyal hip-hop head born and raised in Raleigh, NC.
Sponsored by Atelier Maison.
Join the Dark City Poets Society for a free publishing workshop from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at the Black Mountain Library,105 N. Dougherty Street, Black Mountain, NC 28711. This workshop will be led by John Himmelheber, editor of Smoky Blue Literary and Arts Magazine, along with Ivy Rosen, editor of Black Mountain Press. Learn tips and tricks on how to get published and what the best practices are for submitting your work for consideration. This workshop is open to all ages, and no registration is required.
oin the Dark City Poets Society for a free publishing workshop at the Black Mountain Library!
This workshop will be led by John Himmelheber, editor of Smoky Blue Literary And Arts Magazine, along with Ivy Rosen, editor of Black Mountain Press. Learn tips and tricks on how to get published.
Participating Asheville Restaurants |
The Western North Carolina AIDS Project (WNCAP) will host its annual Dining Out For Life event on Thursday, April 25. Now in its 22nd year, Dining Out For Life 2024 encourages residents of Asheville and Western North Carolina to dine out at participating restaurants. This celebration supports both the local restaurants that host the events while raising money for WNCAP’s life-saving services. The money raised by Dining Out for Life helps provide care, rental assistance, and education in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
2024 Participating Restaurants (List Updated Daily)
* Member of Asheville Independent Restaurant Association
*Farm Burger Downtown
*Farm Burger South AVL
*Gan Shan West
*Jettie Rae’s Oyster House
*Laughing Seed
*Posana
*Salt Face Mule
The Noodle shop
*Twisted Laurel Downtown AVL
*Vinnie’s Italian
*Vinnie’s South
Vivian Asheville
The Asheville Museum of History (Formerly the Western North Carolina Historical Association) announces David Joy’s Those We Thought We Knew as the winner of the 2023 Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award
The Asheville Museum of History announces the selection of the winner David Joy for Those We Thought We Knew for the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award. Finalists Erica Abrams Locklear, Elizabeth Giddens, Jennifer McGaha and Terry Roberts will also be honored at an awards ceremony Thursday, April 25, 6 p.m. at A-B Tech’s Ferguson Auditorium (19 Tech Drive). A reception will follow at the Asheville Museum of History at the Smith-McDowell House, 283 Victoria Road, Asheville, NC.
Originated by the Louis Lipinsky family, the Award has been presented annually by the organization since 1955 for printed works that focus special attention on Western North Carolina. To be considered, an entry must be a published work of fiction, nonfiction, drama or poetry and meet the following criteria:
- It must be a first edition work; revised editions of published works will not be considered.
- The publication date must have been no later than August 1, 2023.
- The author must be a native of Western North Carolina or a resident of Western North Carolina for at least twelve months prior to the closing date for the Award.
- An author may also qualify if the work submitted has a focus on or setting in Western North Carolina.
The Western North Carolina Historical Association presented the first Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award to Wilma Dykeman in 1955 for The French Broad. Brent Martin won the 2022 award for George Masa’s Wild Vision: A Japanese Immigrant Imagines Western North Carolina. Other authors who have received the award include Robert Brunk, Wayne Caldwell, Wiley Cash, Charles Frazier, John Ehle, Gail Godwin, Michael McFee, Doug Orr, Ron Rash, Fiona Ritchie, Terry Roberts, Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle and Lee Smith.
A prize of $1,000 accompanies the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award and will be awarded to David Joy, winner of this year’s award, at a ceremony at AB Tech’s Ferguson Auditorium (Fernihurst Drive, Asheville) on Thursday, April 25, 6 p.m. Each of the finalists will read a short passage from their work. There will be a reception at 7 p.m. at the Asheville Museum of History at the Smith-McDowell House.
This year’s finalists were chosen from an original group of more than 35 nominations. The finalists, listed below in alphabetical order, encompass a broad range of genres and forms.
- Erica Abrams Locklear Appalachia on the Table: Representing Mountain Food and People
- Elizabeth Giddens Oconaluftee: The History of a Smoky Mountain Valley
- David Joy Those We Thought We Knew (Winner of the 2023 Thomas Wolfe Literary Award)
- Jennifer McGaha Bushwhacking: How to Get Lost in the Woods and Writer Your Way Out
- Terry Roberts The Sky Club
The Award Panel this year consists of: Catherine Frank, Chair, Director, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNC Asheville; Wayne Caldwell, author and former Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award winner; Dee James, professor emeritus, UNC-Asheville; and Jim Stokely, President, Wilma Dykeman Legacy.
For more information visit https://www.ashevillehistory.org/literaryaward/ and https://www.simpletix.com/e/thomas-wolfe-literary-award-tickets-167349#location
Saturdays from 10:30 AM – 12 PM
The goal of this event is to build bridges and celebrate the common ground we all share in our beautiful county and community.
Live music and poetry performances.
Appearances by state party chair Anderson Clayton and several North Carolina candidates.
Fun for the whole family!
$20 admission.
$10 for students.
Kids 16 and under free.
All funds raised will help get voters to the polls in November 2024!
Join us every Tuesday in April for Taco Tuesdays at Highland Brewing! Indulge in delicious tacos from Dirty Gertie’s while enjoying our $5 Cerveza special in the Taproom. Bring your friends and family for a flavorful evening with tasty food and great drinks. Don’t miss out on this weekly fiesta! See you there!
A portion of Cerveza sales will be donated to SAHC all month long. To see all the amazing things they are a part of click here!
Start off Poetry Month at the Library with a celebration of Dolly Parton’s lyrics at the Fairview Library.
What could the songs of legendary singer-songwriter Dolly Parton teach us about writing, craft, and perspectives in poetry? In this in-person workshop, poet Dustin Brookshire guides participants through exploring the discography and cultural impact of Dolly Parton. We’ll use this as inspiration for writing new poems via thematic prompts.
This free workshop will be Tuesday, April 30 at 6:30 p.m. at the Fairview Library.
Our facilitator, Dustin Brookshire is the recipient of the 2024 Jon Tribble Editors Fellowship awarded by Poetry at the Sea and is the co-editor of Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology (Madville Publishing, 2023), which was named to the 2024 Books All Georgians Should Read list by the Georgia Center for the Book.
Join Bountiful Cities at Momentum Gallery to celebrate!
On Thursday, May 2, from 5-9 p.m., Mosaic Realty comes together with 14 downtown Asheville galleries for the second annual Mosaic Art Walk & Benefit. New this year: Mosaic and United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County have teamed up to raffle a Volkswagen ID.4 to benefit 15 local nonprofits!
Purchase tickets for the Car Raffle Here!
This free community fundraiser, open to the public, will be hosted by Mosaic Realty, with each gallery highlighting a different local nonprofit. Take in the eclectic pieces from local, regional and international artists while learning about the fantastic work being done by each nonprofit. There will be light fare and beverages as well as the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets to win exciting prizes at each gallery, with all raffle basket proceeds going to the highlighted organization. Additionally, each gallery will contribute a percentage of the evening’s sales to its featured nonprofit. All galleries will be open for viewing from 5-8 p.m., with the Asheville Art Museum open until 9 p.m., where the car raffle winner (more below) will be announced!
Citron Gallery presents an art exhibition that harmoniously weaves together the distinctive styles of two artists, each navigating the delicate balance between spontaneity and control in their unique mediums. In this captivating showcase, the ethereal paintings of fabric and mixed media artist, Lauren Betty, and the textured wonders of oil, cold wax, and mixed media by Rand Kramer converge to create an immersive experience.
Lauren transforms delicate fabrics into ethereal paintings that seem to defy gravity. Using spontaneous gestures, she allows the fabric to take on a life of its own, capturing the fluidity of emotions in each piece. The work emerges as she delicately arranges and manipulates the fabric, creating an otherworldly tapestry that invites viewers to explore the boundaries between reality and the sublime.
Rand’s controlled technique involves layering and scraping, building up a rich textures that exude both depth and mystery. This deliberate process reflects an artful balance between spontaneity and control, inviting viewers to witness the evolution of his creations.
This will also be Mosaic Realty’s 2nd annual Art Walk & Benefit night! We are one of the 14 participating galleries on the Art Walk. This free community fundraiser, open to the public, will be hosted by Mosaic Realty, and each gallery highlights a different local nonprofit. Our gallery will be supporting the work of Blue Ridge Orchestra. There will be the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets to win exciting prizes, with all raffle basket proceeds going to the highlighted organization.
Saturdays from 10:30 AM – 12 PM
Looking for a chance to celebrate mom and make her a unique gift? Or are you wanting to learn a new skill? In this fun introductory class led by Judy Peacock, you will learn to make your own herbal self-care products including an oatmeal rose honey scrub, a rose clay mask, and herbal tea blend. It’s the perfect way to spend time with mom, or make something for yourself. Each participant will take home a honey scrub, a clay mask blend, and an herbal tranquil tea blend.
Democrats need to be more actively messaging and to overcome the makers of fake news with the truth! Join this ongoing group of writers working together on Letters to the Editor and Opinion Editorials. We’ll discuss the issues we care about most deeply and craft a plan to respond to events as they occur in real time.
The group meets the first and third Monday of each month for writing, responding to one another’s work, scheduling submissions, and exploring media outlets across the state.
“Rant with purpose. Support with facts. Propel action.” – Myra Schoen
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Mother Runner’s Day Sale 25% off
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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.
Come celebrate your momma at Ross Farm in our beautiful greenhouses on…-Saturday, May 11th from 9-6 pm
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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.
Mother Runner’s Day Sale 25% off
Come celebrate your momma at Ross Farm in our beautiful greenhouses on…-Saturday, May 11th from 9-6 pm
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/.
Saturdays from 10:30 AM – 12 PM
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.
Mother Runner’s Day Sale 25% off