Calendar of Events

Garden Jubilee, one of the largest gardening shows in Western North Carolina, will be held on Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on Memorial Day weekend. With nearly 200 plant and craft vendors lining Main Street, the Historic downtown will be transformed into a garden wonderland. 

Local and regional nurseries, orchards and crafters will offer a wide variety of plants and handmade delights and gardening experts will be on hand to share the latest gardening tips and techniques. 

Let’s dive deep into lavender!  Participants will learn about the history of this plant, discover how it’s used to promote relaxation and wellness, and make their own DIY lavender products to take home.  We will make bath salts, pillow sprays, and tea blends to bring relaxation home!

Tuesday May 27, 2025, 2:00-4:00. $25.00/$21 for Friends of Bullington Gardens.

As spring transitions to summer, we see changes in the plants around us.  Naturalist and botanist Alexandra Holland leads this walk at the Arboretum, pointing out the array of late spring wildflowers in bloom and discussing seasonal differences in the landscape. Learn some basics of wildflower and tree ecology and identification while taking in the beauty of the season.

This program will take place outside and will follow easy trails and paved walkways. Dress for the weather and prepare to be outside for the entire program time.

Come learn about the biology and natural history of fungi in the Southeast and beyond. This talk will highlight the interconnections between fungi, animals, and plants. Todd will also discuss some of the region’s best edible species along with where and how to find and identify them.

Join us on this birding walk around the NC Arboretum gardens and trails in search of our most colorful residents. We will go over best practices for using binoculars, recommendations for purchasing your own binoculars, and popular field guides to use. Bring your own binoculars but if you do not have a pair we have some loaner binoculars available to use during the program.

This program will take place outside and will follow easy trails and paved walkways. Dress for the weather and prepare to be outside for the entire program time.

The Blue Ridge Bonsai Society presents its 2025 BRBS Bonsai Exhibition at The North Carolina Arboretum Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8 from 10am – 5pm in the Education Center.

This year’s exhibition will feature guest artist Chris Baker, Bonsai Curator at the Chicago Botanical Garden. Chris will be giving a demo/program, multiple workshops, and a commentary on club member trees displayed in the show.

Merging art, nature and wellness! 🌺🌸🪻🌸🌺

Come join us for a creative, healing, and inspiring morning in the beautiful gardens of Asheville Salt Cave. Learn the art of flower pounding and pressed flower design from Alicia, of Passiflora Creative. Each participant will create their own set of botanical notecards. Enjoy a guided meditation and session in the healing salt cave and herbal tea sampling. Leave feeling restored and more connected to yourself and the beauty of nature.

Space is almost full register now
https://ashevillesaltcave.com/…/flower-pounding…/

The Blue Ridge Bonsai Society presents its 2025 BRBS Bonsai Exhibition at The North Carolina Arboretum Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8 from 10am – 5pm in the Education Center.

This year’s exhibition will feature guest artist Chris Baker, Bonsai Curator at the Chicago Botanical Garden. Chris will be giving a demo/program, multiple workshops, and a commentary on club member trees displayed in the show.

Join the magical fairies at Bullington Gardens for a special Fairy Tea Party. Start your journey with a guided walk through the Fairy Trail. Your child will make their own wand followed by tea and cookies in the pavilion. This event is for children ages 7 and up. Each child must be accompanied by an adult.

Three different dates to choose from!

June 10th, June 24th, or July 12th at 10:00AM, $28.00/per child, $21 for Friends of Bullington Gardens. Limit of 12 children per event.

By cultivating and protecting healthy diverse habitats for pollinators, for wildlife, for healthy flora and fauna, we benefit the individuals who live in and enjoy these spaces and for our community, as a whole. By creating natural areas in your yard and leaving the leaves each fall you can benefit many kinds of insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals which depend on the native plants and their fallen leaves and seeds for shelter, food and habitat.

Join Steve Pettis, Henderson County Commercial and Consumer Horticulture Agent and host of the Gardening in the Mountains Radio Show and Podcast to learn how we can do things better!

Tuesday June 10,  1:00 – 3:00

Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! ArborEvenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays through September 18, 2025 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

**Please note: Outside alcohol is prohibited on the campus of The North Carolina Arboretum.**

There is no additional cost to attend ArborEvenings beyond our standard parking fee. As always, Arboretum Society members and their accompanying guests can enter for FREE (guests must be in member vehicles to receive free entry). Proceeds from ArborEvenings help support the The North Carolina Arboretum Society and further advance the Arboretum’s mission.

Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! ArborEvenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays through September 18, 2025 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

**Please note: Outside alcohol is prohibited on the campus of The North Carolina Arboretum.**

There is no additional cost to attend ArborEvenings beyond our standard parking fee. As always, Arboretum Society members and their accompanying guests can enter for FREE (guests must be in member vehicles to receive free entry). Proceeds from ArborEvenings help support the The North Carolina Arboretum Society and further advance the Arboretum’s mission.

Join us for After Hours, our 21+ night at the Museum.

This month’s theme is Our Changing World.

Explore how scientists and communities work together for climate resilient futures in our new exhibit Our Changing World. Hear stories from scientists and community members who used a wide variety of skills and problem solving during and after Helene. Make a climate indicator quilt, or explore real-time environment data on our 360 interactive globe.

Trivia with Discount Tobacco Tattoo
8pm-9pm
It’s time for Climate trivia with Meg! How well do you know the changing world around us? Winner gets a free tattoo from Discount Tobacco at Slouch Tattoo.

Soil Sleuths
Get dirty with AMOS Educators in Soil Sleuths- a soil experiment game with tips for your own backyard!

Geologic Timeline Scavenger Hunt
Play games and do art activities that have you moving through Earth’s Eons, Epochs, and Ages! Compete in a Geologic Time Scavenger Hunt to take home a piece of the “Anthropocene.”

Get Active!
Meet groups who are actively working to create sustainable futures through direct action and community science. Learn about firefly conservation with THEM in STEM, explore the flora and fauna hiding in plain sight with Save the UNCA Woods, and get up to speed on the i-26 connector projector with the Citizen’s Coalition.

Touch a Meteorite
Meet the astronomers at PARI (Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute) and get up close to the formation of the universe itself! Touch a meteorite, take a guided tour of our gem collection, and find out about the perfect conditions for forming Earth (and you)!

This is a 21+ event; ID is required. Price of admission ticket includes one free drink.

Have fun playing your favorite video games with new friends! A fun camp focused on community building and game play. Join your friends, make new friends, learn and improve basic skills, professional coaches, organized and monitored game play. Come build your new gaming community! Monday-Friday, Half-day and Full-day options. *Bring your own lunch

Happens on the following Dates:
Jun 16, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
Jun 17, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
Jun 18, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
Jun 19, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
Jun 20, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT

Have fun playing your favorite video games with new friends! A fun camp focused on community building and game play. Join your friends, make new friends, learn and improve basic skills, professional coaches, organized and monitored game play. Come build your new gaming community! Monday-Friday, Half-day and Full-day options. *Bring your own lunch

Happens on the following Dates:
Jun 16, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
Jun 17, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
Jun 18, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
Jun 19, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
Jun 20, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT

Have fun playing your favorite video games with new friends! A fun camp focused on community building and game play. Join your friends, make new friends, learn and improve basic skills, professional coaches, organized and monitored game play. Come build your new gaming community! Monday-Friday, Half-day and Full-day options. *Bring your own lunch

Happens on the following Dates:
Jun 16, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
Jun 17, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
Jun 18, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
Jun 19, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
Jun 20, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT

Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! ArborEvenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays through September 18, 2025 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

**Please note: Outside alcohol is prohibited on the campus of The North Carolina Arboretum.**

There is no additional cost to attend ArborEvenings beyond our standard parking fee. As always, Arboretum Society members and their accompanying guests can enter for FREE (guests must be in member vehicles to receive free entry). Proceeds from ArborEvenings help support the The North Carolina Arboretum Society and further advance the Arboretum’s mission.

Have fun playing your favorite video games with new friends! A fun camp focused on community building and game play. Join your friends, make new friends, learn and improve basic skills, professional coaches, organized and monitored game play. Come build your new gaming community! Monday-Friday, Half-day and Full-day options. *Bring your own lunch

Happens on the following Dates:
Jun 16, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
Jun 17, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
Jun 18, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
Jun 19, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
Jun 20, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT

Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! ArborEvenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays through September 18, 2025 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

**Please note: Outside alcohol is prohibited on the campus of The North Carolina Arboretum.**

There is no additional cost to attend ArborEvenings beyond our standard parking fee. As always, Arboretum Society members and their accompanying guests can enter for FREE (guests must be in member vehicles to receive free entry). Proceeds from ArborEvenings help support the The North Carolina Arboretum Society and further advance the Arboretum’s mission.

Have fun playing your favorite video games with new friends! A fun camp focused on community building and game play. Join your friends, make new friends, learn and improve basic skills, professional coaches, organized and monitored game play. Come build your new gaming community! Monday-Friday, Half-day and Full-day options. *Bring your own lunch

Happens on the following Dates:
Jun 16, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
Jun 17, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
Jun 18, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
Jun 19, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
Jun 20, 2025, 8:00am to 4:00pm Timezone: EDT

Join the magical fairies at Bullington Gardens for a special Fairy Tea Party. Start your journey with a guided walk through the Fairy Trail. Your child will make their own wand followed by tea and cookies in the pavilion. This event is for children ages 7 and up. Each child must be accompanied by an adult.

Three different dates to choose from!

June 10th, June 24th, or July 12th at 10:00AM, $28.00/per child, $21 for Friends of Bullington Gardens. Limit of 12 children per event.

Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! ArborEvenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays through September 18, 2025 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

**Please note: Outside alcohol is prohibited on the campus of The North Carolina Arboretum.**

There is no additional cost to attend ArborEvenings beyond our standard parking fee. As always, Arboretum Society members and their accompanying guests can enter for FREE (guests must be in member vehicles to receive free entry). Proceeds from ArborEvenings help support the The North Carolina Arboretum Society and further advance the Arboretum’s mission.

Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! ArborEvenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays through September 18, 2025 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

**Please note: Outside alcohol is prohibited on the campus of The North Carolina Arboretum.**

There is no additional cost to attend ArborEvenings beyond our standard parking fee. As always, Arboretum Society members and their accompanying guests can enter for FREE (guests must be in member vehicles to receive free entry). Proceeds from ArborEvenings help support the The North Carolina Arboretum Society and further advance the Arboretum’s mission.

Kanuga is thrilled to announce the return of its Summer Day Camps for rising first through sixth graders, with five weeklong sessions planned for June and July 2025, at its Bob Campbell Youth Campus. Registration is now open.

In the serene mountains of Western North Carolina, campers will find fun and adventure in action-packed sessions staffed by well-trained, compassionate adults who specialize in keeping young children safe, entertained and engaged. Kanuga’s wooded campus offers children the opportunity to play, explore, swim in mountain lakes, hike to scenic vistas, paddle canoes, create arts and crafts and so much more.

Mondays through Fridays, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day. $400–$460.
Day Camp A: June 9–13
Day Camp B: June 23–27
Day Camp C: July 7–11
Day Camp D: July 14–18
Day Camp E: July 21–25

Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! ArborEvenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays through September 18, 2025 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

**Please note: Outside alcohol is prohibited on the campus of The North Carolina Arboretum.**

There is no additional cost to attend ArborEvenings beyond our standard parking fee. As always, Arboretum Society members and their accompanying guests can enter for FREE (guests must be in member vehicles to receive free entry). Proceeds from ArborEvenings help support the The North Carolina Arboretum Society and further advance the Arboretum’s mission.

Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! ArborEvenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays through September 18, 2025 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

**Please note: Outside alcohol is prohibited on the campus of The North Carolina Arboretum.**

There is no additional cost to attend ArborEvenings beyond our standard parking fee. As always, Arboretum Society members and their accompanying guests can enter for FREE (guests must be in member vehicles to receive free entry). Proceeds from ArborEvenings help support the The North Carolina Arboretum Society and further advance the Arboretum’s mission.

Scrabble! One of you favorite word games, and we are playing every Sunday afternoon at 1:30 PM at Stephens-Lee Rec Center. Maybe you liked Words with Friendsd, or Boggle, or Wordle. Or, you are just good with words! We have all the gear, so just stroll in and join us for several games.