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.
✍️ For young writers ages 8–13
Join us in celebration of the Summer Solstice with an evening of bold, imaginative storytelling!
We’ll begin with a short introduction to tall tales—a playful style of story where characters are bigger than life, the details are wildly exaggerated, and nothing is too impossible to imagine. Think tornado-taming, moon-jumping, pancake-stacking kind of adventures.
Then, kids will explore the gallery to find a piece of art that sparks their own tall tale. With notebooks in hand, they’ll write their stories and return for a joyful story-sharing circle to close the night.
📓 Please bring a notebook or journal to write in!
🎟️ Free event, space is limited NO NEED TO RSVP— just arrive!
Nourish your body, mind, and soul by experiencing a variety of offerings to bring balance and peace to your life during these times. Ample free time allows participants to nap, hike around the lake, journal, or explore Kanuga. Led by Chantal McKinney, a life-long seeker of the Divine. She is a writer, speaker, entrepreneur, coach, consultant, practitioner of community development, and former church planter who walks among the two worlds of faith and spirituality.
Each year, MountainTrue hosts a BioBlitz to record all the species we can find in a given area. We identify and catalog organisms using the online app iNaturalist. The BioBiltz this year will be on June 21st at Hickory Nut Gap Farm near Asheville, NC. Volunteers will hike with experts in reptiles/amphibians, mammals, birds, plants, and mushrooms. *Group sign-ups are taken at the event and are first come, first serve. Group availability is subject to change.
We will meet at 12:30 pm to complete waivers and sign-up for groups. The BioBlitz will kick off at 1 pm and end at 5 pm. But the fun doesn’t stop there. We hope our volunteers will stick around for the barn dance at Hickory Nut Gap from 6 to 9 pm. All BioBlitz volunteers will receive free admission to the barn dance.
There will be a food truck on site where you can purchase dinner. MountainTrue will provide snacks.
Please bring: water, sunscreen, bug spray, notebook (if desired), sturdy close-toed shoes and any snacks, etc. that you may need.
**Kids aged 6 and up are welcome to join if they are accompanied by a parent/guardian for the duration of the trip.
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.
Dance with Fireflies. No dance experience needed. Mediation; Dance; Somatic Movement; Closing around Fire. Tuesday, 6/24, 8:30pm, $15. Contact for Weaverville location: [email protected] or www.sensudance.com
The LightEn Center of Consciousness & Action (LCCA) is hiring!
Please join us for our Job Fair on June 30 at the Draftsman in the Restoration Hotel in Asheville from 10:30am-3pm!
Our team is collectively working to deliver on an ambitious and world-changing mission, providing a world-class culture through a purpose-driven lens and we are hiring 30-40 new team members in advance of our launch in Fall 2025.
Roles we are recruiting for include: Administrative staff, Cooks, Drivers, Gardeners, Maintenance Workers, Porters, Security Guards, Servers, Spa Attendants.
Join us on June 30 to learn more, meet the team, and enjoy some light bites, a few games and the chance to win a tee shirt!
The LightEn Center of Consciousness & Action (LCCA) is a new 489-acre retreat center in Marshall, NC (~30 minutes north of Asheville) set to open in September 2025. LCCA will serve as a soul-focused sanctuary and learning center for individual and collective growth. The Center will host current and emerging leaders to cultivate and deepen the inner work needed to be more effective change agents in the world. The center will feature five teaching spaces, an 8,000+ sq ft spa, fitness center, auditorium, event hall, dining hall, reception building, administrative building, horticultural complex, and 76 guest cabins. Find more at https://www.light-en.org
Use this link to pre-register or share your info with us if you are interested but unable to attend so we can stay in touch: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=i7eBBV-TQEGnpzWJJD_6CE4EqLhX-t5OgUlv-VfffpdURVRSRzhROEVHMTZXOVFCS0VSNlRXNkNNRC4u&route
Feel free to email us with any questions!
Calling all spiritual practitioners! Join Marian for an insightful and empowering session where you’ll learn essential best practices for running your spiritual business with confidence and clarity.
In the Business Mastermind for Spiritual Practitioners workshop, Marian will guide you through key tips and strategies to elevate your operations and marketing.
This is a safe and welcoming space to ask questions, share experiences, and learn alongside like-minded peers. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your approach, this event offers valuable insights tailored to spiritual entrepreneurs.
🤝 Networking Opportunity: Connect with fellow practitioners and expand your professional circle. Don’t forget to bring your business cards!
📍 Details:
Cost: Free (Donations accepted to support the venue)
What to Bring: Your questions, a notebook or laptop, and your business cards.
Take this opportunity to grow your skills and your network in a supportive and inspiring environment. We can’t wait to see you there!
Should you be interested in one-on-one coaching from Marian, feel free to book a Business Best Practices for Spiritual Practitioners session with her here: https://energeticexperiences.as.me/?appointmentType=74750284
The North Carolina Writers Network-West and The Brandy Bar + Cocktails presents H.R. (RANDY) SPENCER &
RICHARD ALLEN TAYLOR
as next in their series
“In the Company of Writers.”
The program offers a series of personal and conversational dialogues featuring guest writers/poets followed by an open mic forum. These inspirational gatherings will elucidate and entertain those attending. The guest author speaks from 7-8 PM with an open mic from 8 -9 PM. Sign-ups for the open mic will be located at the entrance to the reading.
For more info visit: https://www.facebook.com/TheBrandyBar/events
43 Town Square Blvd.
Asheville, NC 28803
Come join us for Business After Hours at Hilton Asheville – Biltmore Park!
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
End your week on a high note and join us every second Friday this summer for free live music in Biltmore Park Town Square! Bring your friends and family to dance, play games, and enjoy eats and treats from Biltmore Park restaurants.
“Laron Huntley & The Gravely Brothers,” is a multi-generational band rooted in Asheville, NC with a sound steeped in classic country and southern rock. With deep local ties and a shared musical heritage, this group brings the authentic spirit of the mountains to every performance. Their show promises passion, talent, and timeless Americana vibes from heartfelt originals to crowd-pleasing covers and jam-worthy riffs.
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.
Join us Saturday, July 26th, for the Apple Ridge Relay, a newly launched relay and lap-format race at Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard in Hendersonville, NC!
Run through scenic trails, mowed grass, and forested roads in the heart of apple country, and celebrate your finish with refreshing apple cider slushies. Whether you’re teaming up with friends for the relay or going solo in the lap option, it’s bound to be a summer morning to remember.
Sign up today to secure your spot and celebrate miles, memories, and mountain views with us!
Gather your team of 2 or 3 and run an overall total of 20 miles in a 2-mile loop relay format!
Prefer to participate on your own? Join in on the fun as an individual and take on a timed challenge! Choose your overall distance on our 2-mile loop—do one lap or keep going for up to 4 hours. It’s your race, your rhythm!
Join us Saturday, July 26th, for the Apple Ridge Relay, a newly launched relay and lap-format race at Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard in Hendersonville, NC!
Run through scenic trails, mowed grass, and forested roads in the heart of apple country, and celebrate your finish with refreshing apple cider slushies. Whether you’re teaming up with friends for the relay or going solo in the lap option, it’s bound to be a summer morning to remember.
Sign up today to secure your spot and celebrate miles, memories, and mountain views with us!
Gather your team of 2 or 3 and run an overall total of 20 miles in a 2-mile loop relay format!
Prefer to participate on your own? Join in on the fun as an individual and take on a timed challenge! Complete as many laps of the 2-mile loop as you can and want to in 4 hours!
On Animal Enrichment Day, guests will see firsthand how Grandfather Mountain cares for its resident animals. Visitors can enjoy watching demonstrations, talk directly with keepers and participate in family-oriented games and crafts. Included with admission.
In town for the Spartan Race? Enjoy a fun social time or try out some obstacles with fellow Spartans at Triumph, Asheville’s premier OCR Training Center! Music, vendors, and snacks provided! Outside food welcome. RSVP via text or email: 206-931-5868 [email protected]
End your week on a high note and join us every second Friday this summer for free live music in Biltmore Park Town Square! Bring your friends and family to dance, play games, and enjoy eats and treats from Biltmore Park restaurants.
“Soul Blue” is a charismatic and entertaining classic Soul/Blues/R&B band whose five members hail from both Asheville, NC and Atlanta, GA. These seasoned musicians come together from a variety of popular bands such as: Daddy’s Money, The XL’s, Banks and Shane, and a good many more; enabling them to create an authentic approach to the music of many best-loved Soul, Blues, and R&B artists.
Grandfather Mountain’s Junior Ranger Program is now the Junior Naturalist Program — a new program for our new Conservation Campus! Activities throughout the day will be provided specifically for children ages 5-12 to explore their environment and experience all that Grandfather has to offer.
The North Carolina Writers Network and The Brandy Bar + Cocktails present
JENNIFER McGAHA as next in their series “In the Company of Writers”
The program offers a series of personal and conversational dialogues featuring guest writers/poets, followed by an open-mic forum. These inspirational gatherings will both enlighten and entertain those in attendance. The guest author speaks from 7-8 PM with an open mic from 8 -9 PM. The original music of John Longbottom welcomes you, continues during intermission, and closes the evening. Sign-up for the open mic sheet is posted at the entry.
Jennifer McGaha is the author of three works of creative nonfiction, including The Joy Document, a collection of fifty essays celebrating midlife, Flat Broke with Two Goats, a 2018 OverDrive Big Library Read, and Bushwhacking: How to Get Lost in the Woods and Write Your Way Out, a Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award finalist. Her work has also appeared in many magazines and literary journals including Image, The Huffington Post, The New Pioneer, Lumina, PANK, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Brevity, Bitter Southerner, Crab Creek Review, River Teeth, and others. An Appalachian native, Jennifer lives in a wooded North Carolina hollow with her husband, two cats, four unruly dogs, eight relatively tame dairy goats, and an ever-changing number of chickens
Co-sponsored by the North Carolina Writers Network and The Brandy Bar + Cocktails, the program, “In the Company of Writers” is featured the 2nd Wednesday of each month. https://www.facebook.com/events/581466841671943
Join us at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center (MHCREC) for our annual Field Day. Since 1949, our station has been a hub of agricultural innovation, with the added addition of Field Day being a long-standing tradition. This year’s event promises an engaging, informative, and hands-on look at the latest in horticultural research and extension activities.
Field Day 2025 will feature a comprehensive showcase of ongoing research programs across a variety of crops such as apples, tomatoes, nursery plants, and other specialty crops. In addition to the featured research, the event will highlight various other projects and initiatives that reflect the breadth of work being done here at MHCREC.
Come for the whole day or drop in for part of it — your choice! Admission is free.
Enjoy a complimentary lunch on us! And of course, don’t miss the chance to make your own fresh tomato sandwich right in the field!
We look forward to welcoming growers, researchers, students, and community members alike for a day of learning, networking, and celebration of agricultural innovation.
The first annual Bodhi Fest, a Buddhist Arts and Film Festival at Asheville Community Theatre on August 16th, 2025 will be a day of illumination as we explore the gladdening qualities of the human spirit ranging from sweet solitude to ecstatic joy. The program will consist of Buddhist films + Q&A, shorts, a dance workshop, a songwriting workshop, musical performances and more. Crafts, art and food from Buddhist sanghas, artists and local vendors will be shared in the front lobby during the festival.
Enjoy an event of immersion in compassionate-wisdom activities that provoke insight and lift the spirit.
🌟 You’re Invited! Experience the Power of BNI Networking 🌟
Looking to grow your business, expand your business referral network, and build long-lasting relationships with local professionals?
Join us at our next BNI Beaucatcher Visitor Event and discover how word-of-mouth marketing can help you take your business to the next level.
🔹 What to Expect:
• A room full of motivated, dynamic business professionals
• Opportunities to share what you do and who you’re looking to connect with
• A proven system for generating quality referrals
• A warm, supportive atmosphere focused on helping each other succeed through business growth
We are currently looking for the following businesses to join us!
Financial Advisor Psychotherapist Property Casualty Insurance
Handyman Estate Attorney Naturopathic Doctor, ND
Real Estate Attorney Marketing Agencies CPA
Whether you’re in finance, marketing, trades, wellness, or any other industry, there’s a seat at the table for you!
🎯 Bring plenty of business cards and be ready to make meaningful connections.
Spaces are limited, so RSVP today!
Rodney Craig, V.P. Beaucatcher Chapter BNI
Call or text: 414-334-9092 Email: [email protected]
Thursday – August 21 – 7-9pm – WNC Songwriter Sessions returns with Karen Cohen, Just Rick, and Todd Hoke. An evening of original songs in the natural acoustics and listening room atmosphere of the beautiful and historic Brandy Bar + Cocktails.
Hidyho Neighbors! Another solid trio of swellegant songwriters will be sharing their lyrical and musical offerings for our August session at the coolest bar in all Hendo. Karen Cohen, Just Rick, and Todd Hoke will entertain you with their tales and tunes. Delicious cocktails + handcrafted songs + friendly folks = time well spent. Join us!
Karen Cohen has honed her own unique finger-style guitar for over 5 decades. Her current passion is writing songs that combine authenticity, emotion, and imagery with beautiful melody. Karen just arrived on the WNC and Upstate SC scene 6 months ago and is generating a lot of excitement at local open mics and songwriter showcases.
Just Rick (aka Rick Reles) is a guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist based in Hendersonville, North Carolina. A lifelong musician and singer-songwriter inspired by the roots of American rock music. He draws from country, blues, bluegrass, rockabilly, and classic rock to craft his growing catalog of original songs. From early bands like Green Steam and Full House to Identity Crisis and IC3, Rick has been a gigging musician. Today he plays solo as well as in Two Step Too and The Right Fit.
Todd Hoke tried therapy but that didn’t work out so he took up the guitar instead and, as of this printing, has remained mostly unincarcerated (a fact his mother loudly boasts about every time her bowling league gathers at the pool hall to play poker and whittle).
With hosts Annie Wenz and Todd Hoke. For more info visit: [email protected]
RISE: A Fly Fishing Festival
Wrong Way River Lodge & Cabins and Uproar Concept are hosting, RISE: A Fly Fishing Festival, taking place on August 24 in Asheville, NC. A portion of proceeds from the one-day event will benefit two local conservation nonprofits: RiverLink & MountainTrue. Both have been vital to recovery efforts in WNC. Borne from Blue Lines, which supports fly fishing guides in Western North Carolina and Tennessee, will host a guide expo during the event in an effort to help them rebuild their customer base after Hurricane Helene.
The riverfront Wrong Way (9 Midnight Drive, on Amboy Road) will host RISE which will be free and open to the public and include activities like casting and fly-tying competitions, clinics, kid-friendly programming, raffles, and shoppable A-frame cabin “takeovers” by outdoor brands. Festival goers will enjoy an eclectic mix of live music in the Wrong Way Meadow and food and drinks from Imposter Pizza Co., Chop Shop Butchery, and featured local breweries.
We all know how to “turn on” our confidence for a big meeting. But what if that power wasn’t just a temporary performance? In this inspiring keynote, TV Host and Fundraising Auctioneer Erin Kienzle shares her powerful framework for “The Switch.”
Learn how to:
-Instantly command any room with a simple 3-step tool.
-Find the courage to stop performing and pivot toward your true purpose.
-Redefine success on your own terms by giving yourself three essential permissions.
Stop just playing a part. It’s time to unlock your authentic influence and realign your life.
Garden and Adventure Photography Basics
with Cami Calnan
Friday, August 29 | 10 am – 1 pm
Elevate your photography from the level you are currently working from. In this immersive workshop, we will explore the technical aspects of the camera you photograph with. Bring your phone, your slr or point and shoot digital or film camera, and we will explore the concepts behind taking the kinds of photos you are hoping to capture.
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.
Chasing Dragons and Damsels in WNC
with Shane Myers
Saturday, August 30 | 9 – 10:30am
Dragonflies and damselflies (order Odonata) are some of our most fascinating insects. Come with us as we talk about their natural history, lives, and ecological importance. We’ll go down to Willow Pond and observe some of these enchanting insects in the wild and up close.
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.
Plein Air Painting
with Erika Busse
Monday, September 1 | 9am – 11am
There is no better way to relax and connect with your creative side and nature than en plein air painting. In this class, artist Erika Busse will teach you how to paint an original Appalachian inspired artwork outside at the beautiful North Carolina Arboretum. She will take you through each step of the painting process, all skill levels are welcomed and all supplies are provided.
Celebrate the season at Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard in Hendersonville, NC! Open daily August 15 through the end of October, enjoy u-pick apples, grapes, flowers, and pumpkins. Explore a 5-acre corn maze, take a weekend wagon ride, bounce on the jump pad, and launch apples from the apple cannon. Don’t miss fresh cider donuts, slushies, plus many more sweet treats and local goods from the Apple House. No admission fee—just pay for what you pick or do. Make it a fall tradition your whole family will love!
📍 steppapples.com | 170 Stepp Orchard Dr., Hendersonville, NC
Celebrate the season at Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard in Hendersonville, NC! Open daily August 15 through the end of October, enjoy u-pick apples, grapes, flowers, and pumpkins. Explore a 5-acre corn maze, take a weekend wagon ride, bounce on the jump pad, and launch apples from the apple cannon. Don’t miss fresh cider donuts, slushies, plus many more sweet treats and local goods from the Apple House. No admission fee—just pay for what you pick or do. Make it a fall tradition your whole family will love!
📍 steppapples.com | 170 Stepp Orchard Dr., Hendersonville, NC