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.
Join Slice of Life Comedy Friday June 21 at pleb urban winery for a fun Asheville Standup Comedy Pageant! We are raising money for 103.3ashevillefm our local community radio station, they produce diverse and eclectic programming that inspires listeners to build connections across our communities and discovers new music and ideas. This comedy show is moderated by your AFM friends at slumberpartyavl Jake Ali & Michele and hosted by the amazing Asheville treasure, Hillary Begley The contestants are the winners of 3 previous contests held at The Orange Peel’s Pulp Jason Webb Ryan Gordon (the third final contest is selected June 13) There will be games, standup and silliness. Delicious Food truck Mean Pies Pizza is available, get your tix early this will sell out!
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
Once you register, don’t forget to visit bit.ly/GIVE2RFR5K and click, “I want to fundraise for this,” to set up your individual or team fundraising page today. From there, you can invite friends and family to join you in support of RFR’s efforts to build resilience in homes and workplaces around the globe!
—
Join us June 23 in beautiful Asheville, NC, as we run, walk, roll, and reset to support Resources for Resilience! This family-friendly fundraising event will feature fun for all ages, including a 5K race, a chance to try our Rapid Reset tools, raffles, prizes for our top fundraisers, and so much more. All are welcome, and we encourage you to come for the race and stay for a special after party hosted by our sponsors at Wrong Way River Lodge and Cabins.
Since our founding in 2017, we have offered hundreds of workshops and shared our resiliency-building tools with countless teachers, caregivers, social workers, healthcare providers, first responders, and others working on the frontlines to serve our communities. We believe that each of these connections makes a difference as we work to prevent future adversity and build resilience in people of all ages – and we know that we could not do it without the help of friends and community partners like you.
Your participation in our first annual RFR Run for Resilience 5K will support our ongoing efforts to build resilience in homes and workplaces around the globe. With your help, we can continue working to create healthier and more resilient communities for everyone!
Please note that this is an untimed, unsanctioned fundraising 5K. All race registrations and raffle ticket purchases are non-refundable. Each in-person race registration includes 1 free raffle ticket, and adults can purchase additional tickets for $5.00 each. You must be present to win, so be sure to join us after the race for fun, food, and prizes at Wrong Way River Lodge and Cabins!
Beginner’s workshop lesson at 7:30 P.M., then 8-11 P.M. Contra Dance with Country Waltzing at the break and the final dance. This is a partner dance but it’s not necessary to come with a partner. We have different live bands and callers.
Friday, June 28 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturday, June 29 from 10 a.m-3 p.m.
On June 28 and 29, the Friends of Pack Library will be having their annual Super Summer Sale of antique, collectible, & coffee table books. There will also be a special sale on all items in Bookends Used Book Store for these two days.
On Friday, June 28 all of the antique, collectable and coffee table books in Lord Auditorium will be priced as marked. This sale will include hundreds of newly acquired signed mystery books. Sealed DVDs and children’s better books will be available in the auditorium Friday only, priced as marked. All items in Bookends Used Book Store on the main floor of the library will be half off, with books in the children’s area of Bookends specially priced at 25¢ each.
On Saturday, June 29 the antique and collectable books in the auditorium will be half off the marked price. Bookends items will still be half off, with books in the children’s section marked down to 10¢ each.
All proceeds from this sale will benefit Buncombe County Public Libraries. If you have any questions, contact the Friends of Pack Library.
Friday, June 28 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturday, June 29 from 10 a.m-3 p.m.
On June 28 and 29, the Friends of Pack Library will be having their annual Super Summer Sale of antique, collectible, & coffee table books. There will also be a special sale on all items in Bookends Used Book Store for these two days.
On Friday, June 28 all of the antique, collectable and coffee table books in Lord Auditorium will be priced as marked. This sale will include hundreds of newly acquired signed mystery books. Sealed DVDs and children’s better books will be available in the auditorium Friday only, priced as marked. All items in Bookends Used Book Store on the main floor of the library will be half off, with books in the children’s area of Bookends specially priced at 25¢ each.
On Saturday, June 29 the antique and collectable books in the auditorium will be half off the marked price. Bookends items will still be half off, with books in the children’s section marked down to 10¢ each.
All proceeds from this sale will benefit Buncombe County Public Libraries. If you have any questions, contact the Friends of Pack Library.
Join us Sunday, June 30th for the big reveal of our new transport van, Big Hun 2!
At this fundraising event, we’ll be at RAD Brewing from 12:00-4:00 pm, where you will get to see SDTA logo creator and artist, Andy Herod, complete the mural on our van along with live music, bingo, raffle baskets, adoptable pups and more!
We hope to see you there and please share with your family and friends!
feat. The Feels, Aunt Vicki, Safety Coffin, and Hex Wizard
Once again The Episcopal Church of St. John in the Wilderness celebrates its patron saint with the Feast of St. John the Baptist. In 2021, the historic church extended the
festivities outside the parish to the broader community and since then continues the tradition. The fourth annual celebration will be held from 5 – 8 p.m. on Sunday, June 30, 2024 at HubbaHubba Smokehouse, located behind Little Rainbow Row at 2724 Greenville Highway in Flat Rock.
The rain location is set for the Parish Hall of St. John in the Wilderness at 1905 Greenville Highway.
All are welcome to join the festivities at the family-friendly celebration featuring food, fellowship
and live music with the return of North Carolina’s Chatham Rabbits. Music begins at 6pm but
guests should arrive early to get their food order in and find a seat. Yard games will be offered for
children. Barbecue and other family-favorite foods and beverages will be available for purchase at
Hubba Hubba Smokehouse. Seating at the picturesque outdoor courtyard is limited, so guests are
encouraged to bring portable chairs.
Proceeds from the Feast will benefit the Community Food Pantry in Edneyville. Admission is free
but donations are encouraged from attendees. Chatham Rabbits and St. John in the Wilderness are
teaming up to match donations up to $2,000.
Come join us for a night of laughter with the hilarious Zo Myers at The Bier Garden! Get ready to be entertained by Zo’s unique brand of humor and witty jokes. This in person event promises to be a night full of fun and laughter that you won’t want to miss. Grab your friends and head over to The Bier Garden for a memorable evening of standup comedy! Featuring Cayla Clarke & Jordan Julius. Get food, drinks and laughs! Largest beer selection in Asheville! Doors open at 7p so come get your spot early! Tickets $12/$15 at door
Come join Slice of Life Comedy for a night of laughter with the hilarious Zo Myers at The Bier Garden! Get ready to be entertained by Zo’s unique brand of humor and witty jokes. This in person event promises to be a night full of fun and laughter that you won’t want to miss. Grab your friends and head over to The Bier Garden for a memorable evening of standup comedy! Featuring Cayla Clarke & Jordan Julius. Get food, drinks and laughs! Largest beer selection in Asheville! Doors open at 7p so come get your spot early! Tickets $12/$15 at door
Independence Day Fireworks
We are nature and not separate from it. So, let’s come together to celebrate the forests and community we ARE. To lift our spirits, touch our hearts, and change our minds about what is possible when we combine our forces to create magic.
We’ve partnered with SlayTheMic to bring our annual event to Asheville again this August.
Woods & Wilds will feature five live storytellers, music, and fun for all.
Our goal is to raise $5,000 in donations to support the meaningful work we’re doing at the intersection of forests, climate, and justice. Reserve your entry in advance. You can help us reach our goal with a suggested donation of $25 per person.

Chicago’s Funniest Interactive Standup show is back in Asheville Wednesday July 17, 7-9pm. Hosted by Alex Joyce in The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement PULP. Get tix early! These shows sellout.
The Blackout Diaries is a comedy show where standup comedians, plus ‘regular’ people (cops, firefighters, teachers, etc) tell hilarious drinking or other buzzed stories. Then you, the audience, can dive even deeper by asking questions to the performers about their stories.
The show has been a critics’ pick by all major Chicago periodicals and has been featured on NPR, Comedy Central and more. Its host and creator, Sean Flannery, was even named the best drunk in Chicago by The Chicago Reader, though we are still trying to figure out what that award means and if it should be considered an accolade.
Come for some of the funniest drinking stories you’ve heard
Featuring comedians Ryan Gordon, Cayla Clark, Larry Griffin & Miranda Allison!!
*if you have a funny buzzed story, whether it involves drinking or other, and would like to be on this show, contact Michele at [email protected]
Chicago’s Funniest Interactive Standup show is back in Asheville Wednesday July 17, 7-9pm. Hosted by Alex Joyce in The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement PULP. Get tix early! These shows sellout.
The Blackout Diaries is a comedy show where standup comedians, plus ‘regular’ people (cops, firefighters, teachers, etc) tell hilarious drinking or other buzzed stories. Then you, the audience, can dive even deeper by asking questions to the performers about their stories.
The show has been a critics’ pick by all major Chicago periodicals and has been featured on NPR, Comedy Central and more. Its host and creator, Sean Flannery, was even named the best drunk in Chicago by The Chicago Reader, though we are still trying to figure out what that award means and if it should be considered an accolade.
Come for some of the funniest drinking stories you’ve heard
Featuring comedians Ryan Gordon, Cayla Clark, Larry Griffin & Miranda Allison!!
*if you have a funny buzzed story, whether it involves drinking or other, and would like to be on this show, contact Michele at [email protected] See less
This is the 3rd year of THE BIG SECRET Family Festival! We combine fantastic family friendly sets from your favorite AVL bands with improvisation, circus acts, and wonderfully strange performance art to make EVERYONE feel like a kid! And while we have fun, we raise funds for other kids in the area. In the first two years, THE BIG SECRET has raised $36,000 for local kids and families, and we’re going strong! This year, we’ve got EMPIRE STRIKES BRASS, THE FRITZ, 23 SKIDOO & THE SECRET AGENCY, THE DELTA HOUSE JAZZ BAND, circus acts curated by TOYBOX THEATRE, Cherokee storytelling by JOHN GRANT, and much more. All profits will go to DELTA HOUSE Afterschool Program and Bounty & Soul Free Food Program. The show is at PISGAH BREWING’s Outdoor Stage on SUNDAY, JULY 21, from Noon till Dark. Tickets are $23 in advance, $30 day of show, and kids under 3 get in FREE!
Standup Comedy featuring Sarah Love On Wednesday July 24, 7-9p we will be having another professional comedy open mic in The Orange Peel’s comedy basement. PULP is a bourbon speakeasy (400+ varieties) located under the iconic stage. No food is served but we do have free snacks while they last and outside food is permitted (no drinks of any kind). Featuring Sarah Love, also known as “Ingles Laura Lynn Sarah Silverman”, is a comedian from Asheville, North Carolina. She is wry yet kinetic. Provocative yet relatable. She can’t wait for you to see her.
Host is Hilliary Begley voted repeatedly Asheville’s Favorite comic in the Mountain Xpress. Film debut in the Netflix original Dumplin’ as Aunt Lucy, or “Jennifer Anniston’s fat sister,” and Austin Film Festival winning movie When We Last Spoke with Cloris Leachman, now streaming on Amazon Prime.
[Comedy Open Mic is 3-5m depending how many signup. Signup at door. See Hilliary at the show to get your time and lineup placement. We have a comedy table with exclusive snacks. No entry fee for performing comics.]
Beginner’s workshop lesson at 7:30 P.M., then 8-11 P.M. Contra Dance with Country Waltzing at the break and the final dance. This is a partner dance but it’s not necessary to come with a partner. We have different live bands and callers.
The Art Dash 5k in Asheville — on Saturday, July 27, starting at 8:30 a.m. — helps raise fund for LEAF Global Arts.
Runners can enjoy a fast, flat out and back run along the River Arts District Greenway, with Asheville-based performance artists along the race course showcasing our city’s special style. Start and end at the Smoky Park Super Clubs Boat House riverside, 350 Riverside Drive.
Sunday July 28 at 6:30p is another great comedy show at Asheville Pizza in Theatre 2, get your dinner , drinks & laughs with a comedy open mic & Professional featured performers in a fun environment. Hosted by Zandra Johnson, featuring Hilliary Begley, Jess Cooley & Alana Eisner!
Sunday July 28 at 6:30p is another great comedy show at Asheville Pizza in Theatre 2, get your dinner , drinks & laughs with a comedy open mic & Professional featured performers in a fun environment.
Hosted by Zandra Johnson, featuring Hilliary Begley, Jess Cooley & Alana Eisner!
Standup Comedy featuring Alex ParsonsOn Wednesday July 31, 7-9p we will be having another professional comedy open mic in The Orange Peel’s comedy basement. PULP is a bourbon speakeasy (400+ varieties) located under the iconic stage. No food is served but we do have free snacks while they last and outside food is permitted (no drinks of any kind).
Featuring Alex Parsons, a Boston transplant. Alex brings New England sass to the southern arena with his onstage antics. This comedian, actor, and singer, is ready to make your sides split with stories from his sordid past by making fun of some of the harder parts of life.
Host Cody Hughes is a comedian from Asheville NC. He’s lived in a few different big cities and a lot of comedians like him and a lot of other comedians have heard good things about him from the comedians who like him. A few comedians don’t like him and he can’t do anything about that.
[Comics Signup at door. 3-5m See host at the show to get your time and lineup placement. We have a comedy table with exclusive snacks. No entry fee for performing comics.]
Standup Comedy featuring Alex ParsonsOn Wednesday July 31, 7-9p we will be having another professional comedy open mic in The Orange Peel’s comedy basement. PULP is a bourbon speakeasy (400+ varieties) located under the iconic stage. No food is served but we do have free snacks while they last and outside food is permitted (no drinks of any kind).
Featuring Alex Parsons, a Boston transplant. Alex brings New England sass to the southern arena with his onstage antics. This comedian, actor, and singer, is ready to make your sides split with stories from his sordid past by making fun of some of the harder parts of life.
Host Cody Hughes is a comedian from Asheville NC. He’s lived in a few different big cities and a lot of comedians like him and a lot of other comedians have heard good things about him from the comedians who like him. A few comedians don’t like him and he can’t do anything about that.
[Comics Signup at door. See host at the show to get your time and lineup placement. We have a comedy table with exclusive snacks. No entry fee for performing comics.]
Unleash your curiosity of the unknown when you retreat to a dark sky oasis where the stars are innumerable
and beckon overhead. Let the magnificence of space overwhelm you as you discover the mysteries that still
confound scientists, it just might drive you to become tomorrow’s astronauts, physicists, and engineers.
Come learn how different telescopes work and use them and real data to explore space just like professional
scientists do. PARI is a unique site, rich in space science history, and is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains
of North Carolina, where an abundance of adventures awaits. From Space and Science to tubing, waterfall
swimming and roller skating, there are fun, refreshing activities for everyone.
Your Next Adventure Awaits!
When you look up at night and see a field of twinkling lights or the bright crescent of the Moon, what is it
you think of? Maybe you wonder what makes the stars burn and how they came to be, or what planets might
orbit them and the worlds they hold. Perhaps you see patterns that tell a story or point the way to a place
beyond the horizon. Or, do they instill in you a sense of adventure and desire to explore?
Space is a frontier that sparks imagination and curiosity to discover and understand. It invokes the same
spirit that drove ancient peoples to sail into the unknown and pioneers to set out across continents. To reach
into space requires tenacity and grit, bringing together people from diverse backgrounds who’ve studied,
experimented, and pushed humanity’s abilities forward again and again.
The summer of 2024 will begin PARI’s twenty- third summer camp season. It brings camp programs where
campers explore the ways that researchers delve the depths of our universe to make new discoveries, and the
challenges that humans face when leaving the Earth to explore the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
It is also the third summer of our new partnership with Clemson University. This collaboration expands our
ability to inspire with new topics and resources and will reach even more campers who will become the next
generation of scientists and explorers.
Have you got what it takes to conquer STEM and Space?
PARI Summer Camps
Mission Control: Martian Frontier
-Do you have what it takes to plan a mission to another planet?
Gain confidence, learn space science, and strive to make it to a new world in this combination role-play—academic
camp. The wide variety of topics makes this camp a good fit for a range of interests. You’ll tackle challenges in
space craft and habitat design, astronaut health and well-being, and capturing public interest while swaying others
to support your plan.
This camp is designed for middle and high school aged campers.
Above & Beyond
-Models the research process followed by professionals in space science!
Our signature and most academically intensive camp explores the universe through astronomy, physics, and
astrobiology. Use real research-grade instruments and data to investigate objects like super-nova remnants and
distant star clusters, or map the Milky Way. One small step as a space explorer, one giant step in launching your
career in space.
This camp is designed for high school aged campers.
3D Planets – PARI Edition
Lunar and Martian Geography, 3D Modeling & Printing
What is the surface of other planets like? How do we find out and turn that information into a three dimensional
model? Can we accurately recreate other places in the solar system with a 3D printer in a way that anyone can
see and touch and gain an understanding of places beyond Earth? Campers will investigate these questions and
delve into the processes of making science accessible to all. The PARI edition will feature a field trip to a unique
mountain location to experience the beauty of the Land of Waterfalls.
This camp is available in versions for either middle school or high school aged campers.
Clemson & PARI Summer Camps
3D Planets – Clemson Edition
Lunar and Martian Geography, 3D Modeling & Printing
What is the surface of other planets like? How do we find out and turn that information into a three dimensional
model? Can we accurately recreate other places in the solar system with a 3D printer in a way that anyone can
see and touch and gain an understanding of places beyond Earth? Campers will investigate these questions and
delve into the processes of making science accessible to all.
The Clemson Edition of this camp will feature a guest speaker from Clemson University who will engage campers
with the science and research going on there. Campers will also hike to a unique mountain location in the Land of
Waterfalls.
This camp is designed for middle school aged campers.
Advanced 3D Planets – Clemson Edition
Lunar and Martian Geography, 3D Modeling & Printing
What is the surface of other planets like? How do we find out and turn that information into a three dimensional
model? Can we accurately recreate other places in the solar system with a 3D printer in a way that anyone can
see and touch and gain an understanding of places beyond Earth? Campers will investigate these questions and
delve into the processes of making science accessible to all.
The advanced version of this camp is designed for high school aged campers and will go deeper into the math
behind how the data is modeled in the computer. We will also learn to represent 3D models with code.
The Clemson Edition of this camp will feature a field trip to Clemson University where students experience the
science and research going on there.
This camp is designed for high school aged campers.
3D Planets – Clemson Edition
6/16/2024 3 PM – 6/21/2024 10 AM
Ages 11 – 15
Advanced 3D Planets – Clemson Edition
6/23/2024 3 PM – 6/28/2024 10 AM
Ages 14 – 17 years
3D Planets – PARI Edition
6/30/2024 3 PM – 7/5/2024 10 AM
Ages 11 – 15
Above & Beyond
7/7/2024 3 PM – 7/18/2024 10 AM
Grades 9th – 12th
Martian Frontier
7/21/2024 3 PM – 8/1/2024 10 AM
Grades 7th – 12th
Empowering today’s campers to become tomorrow’s leaders in space and science discovery
The Light Up the Night 5K is a fundraising, glow-in-the-dark, night-time, walk or run and will be timed by Finish Well Timing. This will be Western Carolina Rescue Ministries’ 6th annual Light Up the Night 5k race to raise funds and spread awareness of the ministry’s community impact. This event will take place on Friday August 2, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. in Asheville’s Carrier Park, and all proceeds from this event will directly benefit WCRM.
Last year, your support gave a second chance to 26 moms and 46 babies in our Abba’s House Recovery Program. The success of these moms would not be possible without your valuable contribution.
As we embark on another year of service and outreach, we are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. This year, we want to include you in playing an even greater role in our ministry. We will be pursuing funding for the need of life transformation across all our programs.
This event is one of the Ministry’s most significant opportunities to raise funds in support of our community and these funds will be directly used to break the cycles of homelessness and addiction in our region. For the past 43 years, WCRM has been serving the homeless community of Asheville providing rescue, recovery, and restoration to people in crisis. We care for our clients with dignity, providing help, hope, and opportunity for our ministry participants to reengage in society. Whether it’s a hot meal, a warm shelter, or recovery from addiction, our compassion shines on everyone we meet.
Join us for a night of hilarious stand-up comedy at we The Bier Garden – guaranteed laughs and good times!
Welcome to Standup Comedy at The Bier Garden ! Get ready to laugh until your sides hurt at this hilarious event happening in person at The Bier Garden . Te largest selection of beers on tap in Asheville! Full deliscious menu available during show. Join us for a night of non-stop laughter as talented comedians take the stage to entertain you. Grab a drink, relax, and enjoy a night of comedy with friends and family. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to have a great time and create lasting memories. Get your tickets now!
Hosted by Hilliary Begley of Netflix & Amazon Prime, voted Asheville’s favorite comic in the Mountain Xpress! Headline Cody Hughes! And featuring Julia Macias!! Don’t want to miss this show, get tix early! Tickets: https://sliceoflifecomedycodyhughes.eventbrite.com
For Limited time use SLICEVIP for $3 off!
Standup Comedy featuring Cayla Clark On Wednesday August 15, 7-9p we will be having another professional comedy open mic in The Orange Peel’s comedy basement. PULP is a bourbon speakeasy (400+ varieties) located under the iconic stage. No food is served but we do have free snacks while they last and outside food is permitted (no drinks of any kind).
$15 tickets available at door at The Orange Peel’s websiteFeature Cayla Clark is an Asheville-based playwright, comedian, creator, and producer. While she is still new to the world of stand-up comedy, she has enjoyed exploring various other forms of comedy over the years, including sketch comedy, improv, and more. Since moving to Asheville, Cayla has had the opportunity to produce and host local comedic dating shows like Blind Date Live and Bad Date Mic. You can check out her hilarious Asheville centric comedy videos on instagram at @blinddateliveavlHost is Hilliary Begley voted repeatedly Asheville’s Favorite comic in the Mountain Xpress. Film debut in the Netflix original Dumplin’ as Aunt Lucy, or “Jennifer Anniston’s fat sister,” and Austin Film Festival winning movie When We Last Spoke with Cloris Leachman, now streaming on Amazon Prime.[Comedy Open Mic is 3-5m depending how many signup. Signup at door. See Hilliary at the show to get your time and lineup placement. We have a comedy table with exclusive snacks. No entry fee for performing comics.]
Happy National Parents Day from your friends at Craigfields Hair Studio & Spa!
With school right around the corner we want to invite everyone to our Back To School Bash – August 17th, 2024 from 10AM-6PM
Come out and Enjoy a FREE fun family event ! 🎈
⁃ Corn Hole 🕳️
⁃ Snow Cones 🍧
⁃ Face painting 🎨
⁃ Kids nail painting 💅
We will be partnering with Eblen Charities as we be offering donation based haircuts for the family to get ready for the new school year. All proceeds from the day will go to the Eblen Charities.
Eblen Charities will be handing out 🆓 haircut vouchers for all those who qualify!
Call the salon for more information or to reserve a spot.
Walk ins welcome!
We can’t wait to see you!
For the 19th year in a row, artists in this small WNC community will open their studios to the public for the annual Come to Leicester Studio Tour. This free, self-guided event is held every third weekend in August, with this year’s tour dates being August 17th and 18th, 10 AM to 5 PM each day.
Visitors choose their own tour stops using a printed brochure with a full-color map of the area, and bold signs direct to the individual studios. The tour route travels through some of the most scenic rural countryside in Western North Carolina. Along the way, visitors can view beautiful, hand-crafted work and meet the artists who create it. The variety of arts and crafts includes brooms, pottery, painting, wood, glass, iron work, and fiber art. Come join the tour on August 17 & 18!
