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, May 15, 2025
Back to the Future
May 15 all-day
Peace Center

Great Scott! BACK TO THE FUTURE, the beloved, cinematic classic is now a Broadway musical with its destination set for Greenville in 2025.

Winner of the 2022 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, four WhatsOnStage Awards, including Best New Musical, and the Broadway World Award for Best New Musical, BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL is adapted for the stage by the iconic film’s creators Bob Gale (Back to the Future trilogy) and Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) and directed by the Tony Award®-winner John Rando with original music by multi-Grammy® winners Alan Silvestri (Avengers: Endgame) and Glen Ballard (Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”), alongside hit songs from the movie including “The Power of Love,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Earth Angel,” and “Back in Time.”

When Marty McFly finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, he accidentally changes the course of history. Now he’s in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past, and send himself… back to the future. When BACK TO THE FUTURE hits 88mph, it’ll change musical theatre history forever.

BACK TO THE FUTURE is recommended for ages 6+ and contains the use of flashing lights, strobe effects, smoke, haze, and pyrotechnics.

CATS
May 15 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

April 25 – May 17

Cancelled last fall due to Hurricane Helene, CATS is back! An extravaganza of fantasy and theatre magic, CATS has enchanted audiences for decades with its fiercely energetic dancing, showbiz razzle-dazzle, and unforgettable lyrics drawn from T.S. Elliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. As one of the most popular Broadway blockbusters of all time and winner of seven Tony Awards, this certified classic has brought cheer to millions of theatre lovers of all ages! Don’t miss this all-new production! You and your family are sure to leave the theatre tapping your toes and ‘feline’ groovy!

Event Times: 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM

Ticket Prices: $60 / $70 / $80

Sunami / Pain Of Truth
May 15 @ 7:00 pm
The Orange Peel

Sunami / Pain Of Truth

PeelingFlesh
Ends Of Sanity

Show: 7pm | Doors: 6pm

The Orange Peel

Ages 18+

WNC Songwriter Sessions featuring Mare Carmody, Charlie WIlkinson & Nikki Talley
May 15 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Brandy Bar + Cocktails

An evening of original songs in the natural acoustics and listening room atmosphere of the beautiful and historic Brandy Bar, 504 Seventh Ave. East, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Featuring MARE CARMODY, CHARLIE WILKINSON & NIKKI TALLEY
Hey Neighbors! We have a delightfully talented group of songwriters for our May session at the coolest bar in Hendo. Founders of this very series – Mare Carmody and Charlie Wilkinson – will be joined by local favorite Nikki Talley for an evening celebrating creativity, humanity, community, and delicious brandy and/or cocktails. Come join us!
Mare Carmody is a voice of Southern storytelling, in both songs and prose. She believes life indeed is a song. Or a series of songs.
Charlie Wilkinson has been writing and performing since a time before junior high schools, from the Washington, D. C., area to Florida and other foreign lands, and has always seemed to get dropped into the middle of special places and special folks.
Powerhouse vocals deliver Nikki Talley’s award-winning songwriting about life’s simple pleasures: travel, motherhood, fishing, rhododendron & moonshine.
With hosts Annie Wenz and Todd Hoke
The Brandy Bar 504 Seventh Ave. East, Hendersonville, NC 28792. 828-845-0546
For more information: [email protected]

Asheville StorySLAM – “ONLY IN ASHEVILLE”
May 15 @ 7:30 pm
The Grey Eagle

THE MOTH Presents: Asheville StorySLAM – “ONLY IN ASHEVILLE”

All Ages

Doors: 6:30pm // Show: 7:30pm

$18.45

Grey Eagle Music Hall

The Moth StorySLAM is an open-mic storytelling competition in which anyone can share a true, personal, 5-minute story on the night’s theme. Sign up for a chance to tell a story or sit back and enjoy the show! Tonight’s theme is…

ONLY IN ASHEVILLE: Prepare a five-minute tale of events that transpired in your town that couldn’t happen elsewhere. Secret histories or local mysteries. Tourist traps or hidden gems. Your adventures to the notorious makeout spot, your segment in the local paper, or your run-in with the infamous mayor. The suburbs or the city, on top of a mountain or at the bottom of a valley, tell us about what makes Asheville, *ASHEVILLE*.

Doors Open: 6:30 PM

Show Starts: 7:30 PM

Tickets for Asheville StorySLAMs go on sale 3 weeks prior to the show date at 3 PM ET.

 

Juked
May 15 @ 7:30 pm
Wortham Center for Performing Arts

Different Strokes! Performing Arts Collective presents Juked – RESCHEDULED

PLEASE NOTE: Performances of DS!PAC’s JUKED originally scheduled for February 6–23, 2025 have been rescheduled to May 1-18, 2025. Ticket holders will be contacted with more information.

Thursday – Saturday, May 1 – 17, 2025 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 18, 2025 at 3:00 p.m.

WORLD PREMIERE written by Mildred Inez Lewis

Juked is a retelling of Sophocles’ tragedy Electra. This version is set in 1950s Asheville and the “kingdom” is a chain of drink houses (private homes offering illegal alcohol) owned by the well-off, African-American Memnon family. Juked examines the relationship between Electra, her mother, and her sister, and asks what happens after tragedy. How do we recover? Juked is part of the Emerging Black Playwrights New Play Series and first debuted in its development phase, as a staged reading in November 2023. 

King James
May 15 @ 7:30 pm
NC Stage Company

“King” LeBron James’s years playing in Cleveland bring promise to a city in desperate need. His tenure also unites Shawn and Matt in an unlikely bond forged by fandom. Over twelve years the men navigate their turbulent friendship through their shared love of basketball—and the endless amiable arguments that erupt from that love.

Performances of King James will be held on the days and times listed below. The lobby and concessions area will open one hour prior to showtime. Concessions may be taken into the theatre during the performance.

April 24 – May 18, 2025

Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 7:30

Sundays at 2pm

Friday 4/25 and 5/2 at 7:30pm

Friday 5/9 and 5/16 at 2pm

Friday, May 16, 2025
Back to the Future
May 16 all-day
Peace Center

Great Scott! BACK TO THE FUTURE, the beloved, cinematic classic is now a Broadway musical with its destination set for Greenville in 2025.

Winner of the 2022 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, four WhatsOnStage Awards, including Best New Musical, and the Broadway World Award for Best New Musical, BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL is adapted for the stage by the iconic film’s creators Bob Gale (Back to the Future trilogy) and Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) and directed by the Tony Award®-winner John Rando with original music by multi-Grammy® winners Alan Silvestri (Avengers: Endgame) and Glen Ballard (Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”), alongside hit songs from the movie including “The Power of Love,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Earth Angel,” and “Back in Time.”

When Marty McFly finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, he accidentally changes the course of history. Now he’s in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past, and send himself… back to the future. When BACK TO THE FUTURE hits 88mph, it’ll change musical theatre history forever.

BACK TO THE FUTURE is recommended for ages 6+ and contains the use of flashing lights, strobe effects, smoke, haze, and pyrotechnics.

CATS
May 16 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

April 25 – May 17

Cancelled last fall due to Hurricane Helene, CATS is back! An extravaganza of fantasy and theatre magic, CATS has enchanted audiences for decades with its fiercely energetic dancing, showbiz razzle-dazzle, and unforgettable lyrics drawn from T.S. Elliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. As one of the most popular Broadway blockbusters of all time and winner of seven Tony Awards, this certified classic has brought cheer to millions of theatre lovers of all ages! Don’t miss this all-new production! You and your family are sure to leave the theatre tapping your toes and ‘feline’ groovy!

Event Times: 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM

Ticket Prices: $60 / $70 / $80

King James
May 16 @ 2:00 pm
NC Stage Company

“King” LeBron James’s years playing in Cleveland bring promise to a city in desperate need. His tenure also unites Shawn and Matt in an unlikely bond forged by fandom. Over twelve years the men navigate their turbulent friendship through their shared love of basketball—and the endless amiable arguments that erupt from that love.

Performances of King James will be held on the days and times listed below. The lobby and concessions area will open one hour prior to showtime. Concessions may be taken into the theatre during the performance.

April 24 – May 18, 2025

Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 7:30

Sundays at 2pm

Friday 4/25 and 5/2 at 7:30pm

Friday 5/9 and 5/16 at 2pm

Candlelight Spring: Rings and Dragons
May 16 @ 6:30 pm – 7:45 pm
Asheville Masonic Temple

Candlelight Spring concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Asheville. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Rings and Dragons at Asheville Masonic Temple bathed in a lush, floral display dedicated to spring.

General Info
Venue: Asheville Masonic Temple
Dates and times: select your dates/times directly in the ticket selector
Duration: 60 minutes (doors open 45 mins prior to the start time and late entry is not permitted)
Age requirement: 8 years old or older. Anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult
Accessibility: Balcony seating is not ADA compliant

Seating is assigned on a first come first served basis in each zone

Real Friends
May 16 @ 6:30 pm
The Grey Eagle

The Grey Eagle and Worthwhile Sounds Present Real Friends with New Aesthetic, The Indoor Kids

Doors: 5:30pm // Show: 6:30pm
$30.75

 

Grey Eagle Music Hall
ALL AGES
STANDING ROOM ONLY
Juked
May 16 @ 7:30 pm
Wortham Center for Performing Arts

Different Strokes! Performing Arts Collective presents Juked – RESCHEDULED

PLEASE NOTE: Performances of DS!PAC’s JUKED originally scheduled for February 6–23, 2025 have been rescheduled to May 1-18, 2025. Ticket holders will be contacted with more information.

Thursday – Saturday, May 1 – 17, 2025 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 18, 2025 at 3:00 p.m.

WORLD PREMIERE written by Mildred Inez Lewis

Juked is a retelling of Sophocles’ tragedy Electra. This version is set in 1950s Asheville and the “kingdom” is a chain of drink houses (private homes offering illegal alcohol) owned by the well-off, African-American Memnon family. Juked examines the relationship between Electra, her mother, and her sister, and asks what happens after tragedy. How do we recover? Juked is part of the Emerging Black Playwrights New Play Series and first debuted in its development phase, as a staged reading in November 2023. 

The Book of Will
May 16 @ 7:30 pm
Montford Park Players

The Montford Park Players proudly presents “The Book of Will” follows the journey of William Shakespeare’s friends and fellow playwrights as they struggle to preserve his legacy after his death. Amid betrayal, heartbreak, and ambition, they work to compile his works into the First Folio, ensuring his immortality in the world of theater.

Shows are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 7:30 each night.

And always FREE! No Sunday performances for the last weekend of each show.

The Crane Wives
May 16 @ 8:00 pm
The Orange Peel

Beyond Beyond Beyond Tour presents:

The Crane Wives

Show: 8pm | Doors: 7pm

The Orange Peel
All Ages – under 12 requires venue approval
Candlelight: A Tribute to Queen and More
May 16 @ 8:45 pm
Asheville Masonic Temple

Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Asheville. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Queen and more at The Asheville Masonic Temple under the gentle glow of candlelight.

General Info
Venue: Asheville Masonic Temple
Dates and times: select your dates/times directly in the ticket selector
Duration: 60 minutes (doors open 45 mins prior to the start time and late entry is not permitted)
Age requirement: 8 years old or older. Anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult
Accessibility: please contact us for more information on accessibility
View the FAQs for this event here
Seating is assigned on a first come first served basis in each zone
If you would like to book a private concert or buy regular tickets for a large group (+30 people), click here
Check out all the Candlelight concerts in Asheville

Saturday, May 17, 2025
Back to the Future
May 17 all-day
Peace Center

Great Scott! BACK TO THE FUTURE, the beloved, cinematic classic is now a Broadway musical with its destination set for Greenville in 2025.

Winner of the 2022 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, four WhatsOnStage Awards, including Best New Musical, and the Broadway World Award for Best New Musical, BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL is adapted for the stage by the iconic film’s creators Bob Gale (Back to the Future trilogy) and Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) and directed by the Tony Award®-winner John Rando with original music by multi-Grammy® winners Alan Silvestri (Avengers: Endgame) and Glen Ballard (Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”), alongside hit songs from the movie including “The Power of Love,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Earth Angel,” and “Back in Time.”

When Marty McFly finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, he accidentally changes the course of history. Now he’s in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past, and send himself… back to the future. When BACK TO THE FUTURE hits 88mph, it’ll change musical theatre history forever.

BACK TO THE FUTURE is recommended for ages 6+ and contains the use of flashing lights, strobe effects, smoke, haze, and pyrotechnics.

CATS
May 17 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

April 25 – May 17

Cancelled last fall due to Hurricane Helene, CATS is back! An extravaganza of fantasy and theatre magic, CATS has enchanted audiences for decades with its fiercely energetic dancing, showbiz razzle-dazzle, and unforgettable lyrics drawn from T.S. Elliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. As one of the most popular Broadway blockbusters of all time and winner of seven Tony Awards, this certified classic has brought cheer to millions of theatre lovers of all ages! Don’t miss this all-new production! You and your family are sure to leave the theatre tapping your toes and ‘feline’ groovy!

Event Times: 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM

Ticket Prices: $60 / $70 / $80

Saluda Arts Festival
May 17 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Historic Downtown Saluda

The Saluda Downtown Foundation is proud to celebrate Saluda’s heritage and art culture at the 20th anniversary of the Saluda Arts Festival. Stretching along historic and charming Main Street, every art media is represented in this popular annual event including paintings, pottery, metal work, woodwork, jewelry, sculptures, fiber, and more. Live music, Children’s Tent, Family Fun. Event is held on Historic Main Street, Saluda, NC 28773, May 17, 2025, 10am to 4pm.

Breaking Benjamin + Staind – Awaken The Fallen Tour
May 17 @ 7:00 pm
Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Breaking Benjamin + Staind – Awaken The Fallen Tour With special guests Wage War, Lakeview. 

Juked
May 17 @ 7:30 pm
Wortham Center for Performing Arts

Different Strokes! Performing Arts Collective presents Juked – RESCHEDULED

PLEASE NOTE: Performances of DS!PAC’s JUKED originally scheduled for February 6–23, 2025 have been rescheduled to May 1-18, 2025. Ticket holders will be contacted with more information.

Thursday – Saturday, May 1 – 17, 2025 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 18, 2025 at 3:00 p.m.

WORLD PREMIERE written by Mildred Inez Lewis

Juked is a retelling of Sophocles’ tragedy Electra. This version is set in 1950s Asheville and the “kingdom” is a chain of drink houses (private homes offering illegal alcohol) owned by the well-off, African-American Memnon family. Juked examines the relationship between Electra, her mother, and her sister, and asks what happens after tragedy. How do we recover? Juked is part of the Emerging Black Playwrights New Play Series and first debuted in its development phase, as a staged reading in November 2023. 

King James
May 17 @ 7:30 pm
NC Stage Company

“King” LeBron James’s years playing in Cleveland bring promise to a city in desperate need. His tenure also unites Shawn and Matt in an unlikely bond forged by fandom. Over twelve years the men navigate their turbulent friendship through their shared love of basketball—and the endless amiable arguments that erupt from that love.

Performances of King James will be held on the days and times listed below. The lobby and concessions area will open one hour prior to showtime. Concessions may be taken into the theatre during the performance.

April 24 – May 18, 2025

Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 7:30

Sundays at 2pm

Friday 4/25 and 5/2 at 7:30pm

Friday 5/9 and 5/16 at 2pm

Songs from the Road Band
May 17 @ 7:30 pm
Hendersonville Theater

Hendersonville Theatre is excited to present Songs From The Road Band as part of May’s Hometown Sound Music Series. This award-winning Asheville-based bluegrass ensemble is redefining the genre with their exceptional musicianship and heartfelt performances. Featuring Mark Schimick (mandolin), Charles Humphrey III (bass), Sam Wharton (guitar), James Schlender (fiddle), and Gabe Epstein (banjo), the band has an impressive six-album catalog, including their latest release, Pay Your Dues. Known for their energetic live shows, they seamlessly blend tight three-part harmonies, improvisational jams, and a mix of original tracks with fan-favorite covers, ensuring an unforgettable experience for all.

The Book of Will
May 17 @ 7:30 pm
Montford Park Players

The Montford Park Players proudly presents “The Book of Will” follows the journey of William Shakespeare’s friends and fellow playwrights as they struggle to preserve his legacy after his death. Amid betrayal, heartbreak, and ambition, they work to compile his works into the First Folio, ensuring his immortality in the world of theater.

Shows are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 7:30 each night.

And always FREE! No Sunday performances for the last weekend of each show.

Mat Kearney
May 17 @ 8:00 pm
The Orange Peel

Headlights Home Tour presents: Mat Kearney

Augustana (solo)

Show: 8pm | Doors: 7pm
The Orange Peel
All Ages – under 12 requires venue approval
Sunday, May 18, 2025
Back to the Future
May 18 all-day
Peace Center

Great Scott! BACK TO THE FUTURE, the beloved, cinematic classic is now a Broadway musical with its destination set for Greenville in 2025.

Winner of the 2022 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, four WhatsOnStage Awards, including Best New Musical, and the Broadway World Award for Best New Musical, BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL is adapted for the stage by the iconic film’s creators Bob Gale (Back to the Future trilogy) and Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) and directed by the Tony Award®-winner John Rando with original music by multi-Grammy® winners Alan Silvestri (Avengers: Endgame) and Glen Ballard (Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”), alongside hit songs from the movie including “The Power of Love,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Earth Angel,” and “Back in Time.”

When Marty McFly finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, he accidentally changes the course of history. Now he’s in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past, and send himself… back to the future. When BACK TO THE FUTURE hits 88mph, it’ll change musical theatre history forever.

BACK TO THE FUTURE is recommended for ages 6+ and contains the use of flashing lights, strobe effects, smoke, haze, and pyrotechnics.

King James at North Carolina Stage Company
May 18 all-day
North Carolina Stage Company

“One of the funniest and most moving plays about friendship in years”–TheaterMania

Set in a bar in Cleveland Heights, Ohio and spanning LeBron’s rookie season with the Cavaliers to the 2016 NBA Championship, two unlikely friends navigate their turbulent relationship through a shared love of the game. From the first quarter to the final buzzer, King James comes in clutch as a riveting love letter to the passion that is sports fandom.

Discretionary content: strong language

PAN HARMONIA: Siempre Amigos
May 18 all-day
First Presbyterian Church

PAN HARMONIA’s Season 25 continues with a joyful reunion of friends and founding musicians Liz Austin, Dewitt Tipton and Kate Steinbeck.

Join us for a fun and beautiful afternoon of chamber music for flute, cello and piano featuring Trios by Bohuslav Martinu, Ondine Smith-Moore and GP Telemann.

Kate Steinbeck flute
Elizabeth Austin cello
Dewitt Tipton piano

Sunday, May 18, 3 pm · First Presbyterian Church of Asheville, 40 Church Street, Asheville 28801

Pay-as-You-Can

Livestream Option

Reserve in advance and receive parking info too.

Hadestown Teen Edition
May 18 @ 12:00 am – 2:30 pm
Asheville Community Theater

Hadestown Teen Edition

May 16-18, 2025

Friday at 7:30 PM, Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 PM

This intriguing and beautiful folk opera delivers a deeply resonant and defiantly hopeful theatrical experience. Following two intertwining love stories – that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of immortal King Hades and lady Persephone – Hadestown invites audiences on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Inspired by traditions of classic American folk music and vintage New Orleans jazz, Mitchell’s beguiling sung-through musical pits industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love.

King James
May 18 @ 2:00 pm
NC Stage Company

“King” LeBron James’s years playing in Cleveland bring promise to a city in desperate need. His tenure also unites Shawn and Matt in an unlikely bond forged by fandom. Over twelve years the men navigate their turbulent friendship through their shared love of basketball—and the endless amiable arguments that erupt from that love.

Performances of King James will be held on the days and times listed below. The lobby and concessions area will open one hour prior to showtime. Concessions may be taken into the theatre during the performance.

April 24 – May 18, 2025

Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 7:30

Sundays at 2pm

Friday 4/25 and 5/2 at 7:30pm

Friday 5/9 and 5/16 at 2pm