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.
Get revved up for best weekend of the year! Join us for the Tail Chaser 250, where you will experience an epic “ride at your own pace” dual sport adventure ride on the best scenic paved, gravel, and back roads in the Southeast. This in-person event is an absolute must for anyone who loves being on the motorcycle, hanging out with good people, and enjoying the beauty of the open road.
We’ll be returning to Deerwoode Reserve, situated along the French Broad River, just outside Brevard, NC, where we’ll gather for meals together in their new event pavilion, enjoy the property’s beauty, and stay both Friday and Saturday nights. We’ll be able to spread out in wide open fields for camping and cabins available for rent, and enjoy the view beyond.
Join Eurosport Asheville and the entire adventure motorcycle community to help raise essential funds for Muddy Sneakers and the Veterans Healing Farm. It’s an honor to donate 100% of the proceeds of Tail Chaser 250 to these organizations doing important work in our communities. We really appreciate your support!
So mark your calendars, gather your friends, and get ready to immerse yourself in a weekend of adventure and being a part of the motorcycle community. The Tail Chaser 250 is waiting for you – suit up and prepare for the best weekend of the year!
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.
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
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.
Saturdays from 10:30 AM – 12 PM
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.
Saturdays from 10:30 AM – 12 PM
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
DAVY KNOWLES
Whether playing acoustic, mandolin, national steel, or screaming electric guitar, Davy Knowles has an unmistakable style.
Knowles has several top-5 Billboard Blues charting albums under his belt, high profile TV appearances (Jimmy Kimmel Live and CBS Good Morning America among others), and has been praised with high accolades from heroes and press alike – but it’s not just the music industry who has taken note. Knowles was also the very first artist in history to perform live to the International Space Station directly from mission control in Houston TX, and has had his music taken to the Space Station by two astronauts, Nicole Stott and Ron Garan, on their respective missions orbiting Earth.
Never one to be satisfied or to sit still, Knowles has explored multiple genres and styles, from the hard-hitting 70’s classic rock influenced album ‘Three Miles From Avalon’, to the haunting acoustic delta blues of ‘1932’, and the sweet, soul-searching folk of 2023’s ‘If I Should Wander’.
Whether spending an evening onstage armed with just an acoustic guitar, or wielding his well worn and trusty Telecaster while fronting his blues/rock trio – and at any point in between the two – Davy Knowles is one of the most versatile and formidable songwriters, vocalists and musicians in the world today. A true artist in every sense of the word.
JEFFREY GAINES
Jeffrey Gaines has been heralded for his soul-searching lyrics and his powerful live performances. With only his voice and a guitar for accompaniment, Gaines has earned a reputation as a captivating performer, entertaining his audiences worldwide.
Throughout his three-decade recording career, Gaines has maintained an impressive standard for soul-searching, introspective lyrics and catchy, uplifting melodies. Since bursting on the scene with his self-titled 1992 debut album, the charismatic singer-songwriter-guitarist has built a beloved body of recordings that’s won him a large and deeply devoted international fan base.
Gaines has been pursuing musical transcendence for much of his life. Raised in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, by soul-music-loving parents, he began his musical life playing guitar in local cover combos, before his songwriting muse became too insistent to ignore. He soon landed his first record deal shortly after graduating from high school, and in 1992 released his widely acclaimed debut album Jeffrey Gaines. The eponymous disc won massive amounts of critical and audience acclaim, spawning the hit “Hero in Me.” Somewhat Slightly Dazed (1994) and Galore (1998) further expanded his audience. Interview magazine described Gaines’ work as “soul-searching” and “refreshingly free of jargon, sentiment or cliché.”
With more than a quarter-century of recording and performing under his belt, Jeffrey Gaines is enjoying life and music more than ever. “Nowadays, I know what the job is about so there’s nothing to stress about, he says. “I know that there’s people out there who want it, so I have the opportunity to extend their experience. I guess I could lay my albums all out and see that they tell a story, but personally I prefer to keep looking forward.”
Saturdays from 10:30 AM – 12 PM
Saturdays from 10:30 AM – 12 PM
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
4/15, 4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/20
Student showcase reserved for 6/3
No class 5/27
Greg Lobas will lead a virtual writer’s workshop titled: “Writing Your Life into Poetry.”
“Write what you know” is one of the first and best maxims for the aspiring writer. But what if “what you know” is ordinary, even mundane? This workshop will look at ways to mine the gold that is in everyone’s life and turn it into poetry. It may take some digging. It may take a little change in perspective. But it is there, and it is material only you can use. We will focus on the narrative poem as a means of story-telling but will consider the lyric poem as well.
This workshop is open to writers of all skill levels and is a fun way to find inspiration from a new prompt or revise current work. It is hosted by the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara and will Zoom for the virtual connection. Sign up to attend the workshop at workshop here:
Greg Lobas has been published extensively as both an outdoor writer and a poet. His debut book, Left of Center, won the 2022 Dogfish Head Poetry Prize, and placed second in the Delaware State Press Association awards. The book deals with his real life experiences as a fire captain and paramedic. His poems have been published in many journals. He is an experienced poetry workshop facilitator at Isothermal Community College.
Greg lives with his wife Meg and his dog Sophie in Polk County North Carolina.
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.
Saturdays from 10:30 AM – 12 PM
Saturdays from 10:30 AM – 12 PM
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
Dark City Poets Society is a completely free poetry group that is open to writers of all ages and experience levels.
Join us at the Black Mountain Library from 6:00-7:30 pm on the first Tuesday of every month for our (respectful) feedback group.
FREE. Meets in the garden weather permitting.
Saturdays from 10:30 AM – 12 PM
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 Cody Hughes! Featuring Zandra Johnson, Johnathan Pruett & Jason Reel
In 2014, a group of Vietnam combat veterans began meeting at the Charles George VA Hospital in Asheville to participate in a unique creative writing program. The focus was capturing their stories through essays and poetry to find the voices war had taken from them. The hope was to reclaim a sense of their shared humanity, build camaraderie and find some degree of healing.
To continue this work, the NC Veterans Writing Alliance Foundation will be offering free creative writing classes at the East Asheville Library in June and July. The goal is to provide healing through the art of creative writing to all veterans in our community.
Join other veterans for this series of classes on Tuesdays at 4:30 p.m. from June 11-July 30 at the East Asheville library. To sign up, please e-mail Ron Toler at [email protected].
The Brevard Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is sponsoring its 54th Annual Book Sale. Net proceeds support local STEM and educational scholarships for girls (5th-12th grades) and women at Brevard College and Blue Ridge Community College.
-30,000 well organized books in all genres, plus puzzles, audiobooks, DVDs, CDs, vinyl.
-Ample parking, free admission, dealers welcome.
-Prices range from 25 cents and up.
-Assistance provided to load books into cars.
-Cash, Checks with ID, or Cards accepted.
Saturday, June 8 (10am – 7pm)
Sunday, June 9 (noon– 7pm)
Monday, June 10 (10am – 7pm)
Tuesday, June 11 (10am – 7pm)- Half price day
Wednesday, June 12 (10am – 3pm)- Fill a box for $5 day
*Wednesday, June 12 (only 3-5 pm)- Free books for local teachers and Non-Profits
Slice of Life Standup Comedy Contest
When: Wensday June 13, 2024.
7p-9p, doors at 6:30p
Where:
The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge, 103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $15 (available at door or The Orange Peel website
Cocktails available while you laugh the night away to some of the area’s best Stand Up Comics in a ridiculously fun adult environment!!
Free snacks while availability lasts!
How it Works: The show’s Headliner will be selected by the paid audience in an anonymous ballet after all comics perform their sets.
Audience will write down their favorite top comic of the evening who will be paid & brought back to headline the end of the show with a closing 10m set! They will automatically be entered into a Feature headlining show to battle for Asheville title at plēb urban winery on June 21!
All standup comics are invited to be on the show as long as there is still room available. There is no cost to performing comics. Comics should have 3-1/2m of material and be prepared for an additional 10m. They will be invited to be a paid feature on the final battle with grand cash prize.
Hosted by around 2 Winner Ryan Gordon
Contact Michele at [email protected] for more details or to signup
Thursday June 13, 2024.
7p-9p, doors at 6:30p
The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge, 103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $15 (available at door or The Orange Peel website
Cocktails available while you laugh the night away to some of the area’s best Stand Up Comics in a ridiculously fun adult environment!!
Free snacks while availability lasts!
How it Works: The show’s Headliner will be selected by the paid audience in an anonymous ballet after all comics perform their sets.
Audience will write down their favorite top comic of the evening who will be paid & brought back to headline the end of the show with a closing 10m set! They will automatically be entered into a Feature headlining show to battle for Asheville title at plēb urban winery on June 21!
All standup comics are invited to be on the show as long as there is still room available. There is no cost to performing comics. Comics should have 3-1/2m of material and be prepared for an additional 10m. They will be invited to be a paid feature on the final battle with grand cash prize.
Hosted by around 2 Winner Ryan Gordon
Contact Michele at [email protected] for more details or to signup
Saturdays from 10:30 AM – 12 PM
A night of Live Comedy with in our cozy, vape-friendly Rezonance VIP Lounge, featuring a 3-course cannabis-infused dinner and infused drink, samples from local brands, and a goodie bag of dispensary freebies worth $50+!
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