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 us in the beautiful Asheville neighborhood of Olivette for an outdoor concert by *dream folk* trio South for Winter. BYOB • BYOC (chair) • KIDS ARE FREE!
With a blend of dreamy acoustic duets, foot-stomping folk and bluesy murder ballads, New Zealand-formed and Nashville-based South for Winter’s sound is as eclectic as their origins. The band is composed of New Zealander Nick Stone, Coloradan Dani Cichon, and Michigander Alex Stradal, and together the three multi-instrumentalists and songwriters combine elements such as classically-trained cello, percussive guitar, mandolin, suitcase stomp, poetic lyricism, and haunting melodies into a genre-bending sound described by American Songwriter as “impeccable”.
Join us as we partner with the Martin Luther King Jr. Association and Black Wall Street to celebrate Juneteenth! Featuring headliner Southern Avenue and opener DJ Phantom Pantone.
Downtown After 5 is more than just a concert series—it’s a community staple that celebrates the diversity and creativity of Asheville. Each event is free to the public, thanks to the generous support of our sponsors and partners, drawing an enthusiastic crowd of between 5,000 to 6,000 attendees. Food and beverage vendors will be on-site alongside a marketplace component where attendees can explore and shop handmade crafts from local makers. Join us at Pack Square Park for these unforgettable evenings of music, community, and celebration.
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.
Asheville is invited to RAD Brewing on Saturday, June 21st, for RAD Solstice! This is a celebration of the Summer Solstice and the ongoing renewal of Asheville’s River Arts District.
Here’s how you can be involved in RAD Solstice:
• Be there! Come in costume, don your finest hat, or…just come as you are!
• Join the RAD Solstice Drum Krewe! Drummers should plan to attend 2-4 practice sessions to perform with the group on RAD Solstice afternoon. We will have 4 drumming meetups on Thursday evenings – May 29, June 5, 12, & 19 – at RAD Brewing. Participation is free and everyone is welcome (ages 14-adult)! Sign up here: https://form.jotform.com/251356455371054
• Support Local Artists – We will have a selection of art vendors on site with an amazing array of art available! (See below for artist details.) Additionally, Odyssey Clayworks just down the street will be running live demos and lessons in their studios at 236 Clingman Ave. Odyssey Gallery of Ceramic Arts will have their doors open for business, and RADA will be hosting their Saturday art market for displaced artists just down the block at Pinegate Renewables. The galleries and studios of the upper RAD will be open and ready for your visit. It will be a perfect day to browse and support Asheville’s art community!
• Have a Beer or Two – RAD Brewing is a cozy, community brewery that makes fantastic beers onsite – featuring 16 unique brews on tap. They are generously opening their space to host RAD Solstice. Three cheers for RAD Brewing!!!
• Volunteer – Help us run bubble machines, do face-painting, create good vibes for the day, etc…Email [email protected] with your interest.
• Dance Party! Les Amis will bring the dance party to Solstice, with hot Ivory Coast rhythms and songs, featuring special guests – The Screamin’ Stevens! Music from 5:00-7:00pm, inside. Bring your dancing shoes and your dancing moves!
• Support RAD Solstice – Buy a Cool T-Shirt or Hat! All proceeds will go towards paying our bands:
RAD Solstice
Join us as we celebrate the Summer Solstice and the ongoing rebirth of the RAD! Let’s infuse some positive energy into our beloved River Arts District that has been through so much in the past year.
Join us for our spring festival at Pack Square Park on June 22.
Join us to shop and eat and support the local community.
Come out and come to Asheville for the day or for the weekend. The community needs you so let’s do this!
You don’t want to miss this fun event. Mark your calendars and get your tickets, swag bags, VIP, and/or merch ahead of the festival.
$10 Suggested donation ahead of the event or at the festival is requested.
$15 Swag Bag option will be available! Compostable bag filled with $50+ worth of samples and coupons.
$25 – VIP tickets – enter the event 30 minutes early. Get a cool upgraded goody bag that is reusable with items different from the swag bags. Limited to 50. $100+ worth of samples and coupons.
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
Experience reggae revolutionaries Steel Pulse, LIVE on their 50th Anniversary Tour! July 2nd @ French Broad River Brewery – OUTDOOR stage! Presented by Asheville Music Hall. ALL AGES welcome! Get Your Tickets NOW: https://buff.ly/YFzDUo6
Bearing witness to the accelerating negativity of global affairs, Steel Pulse emerges with musical vengeance to halt the disarray of humanity. The bands twelfth studio production, titled Mass Manipulation, reflects four decades committed to bettering mankind through music. Steel Pulse continues to be revolutionary in engaging controversial topics of racial injustice and human rights on a global scale. Their musical stance and conceptualizations are as potent and relevant today as they were at the beginning of their career. The album’s uniquely thematic approach provokes thought as it presses forward, toward humanities unification. A manipulation of our minds has been influenced by a New World Order currently dominating humankind. Steel Pulse reappears at a fated moment, armed with compassion, encouraging all people to reject false ideals, set higher goals, and demand more from themselves to further this unification.
This free festival promises fun for the whole family, featuring the incredible Amazing Air Dogs and a host of other family-friendly activities throughout the day.
As the sun sets, get ready for an evening of free live music featuring headliner The Pink Stones, accompanied by delicious food and beverage vendors serving up tasty treats. And of course, no Independence Day would be complete without a spectacular fireworks extravaganza lighting up the night sky, bringing our festivities to a memorable close. Don’t miss out on this unforgettable celebration of freedom and community!
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.
Get ready for a summer evening full of music, food, and community spirit—right in the heart of downtown Weaverville!
Music on Main is our one-night, open-air concert event featuring three incredible bands, local food trucks, craft beer, family activities, and Main Street lined with awesome local sponsors. It’s fun, free, and open to everyone.
Bring your lawn chairs, your friends, your kiddos, and your appetite—we’ll bring the good vibes.
Rain or shine, it’s always a good time.
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.
THURSDAY JULY 31, 7:30Pm at The Orange Peel PULP
ENJOY standup comedy in a whole new way with picture and videos to go along with the fun in a bourbon bar comedy club! Hosted by Hilliary Begley from Netflix & Prime Video. Headliner Jordan Julius, winner of Slice Standup Comedy Contest. Featuring hot regional comics Sarah Love, Jason Reel & Lois Adjevi
FREE SNACKS, outside food ok!
Get you tix now, these shows sell out!
Period Nirvana’s Grand Opening Celebration!
Stop by our new space filled with thoughtfully curated menstrual care products and our museum exhibit featuring 100 years of period technology.
Come support your local (and only) period store- we can’t wait to see you there!
All Day Fun Friday: 11am-7pm Join us on Friday for our Official Grand Opening. Period Nirvana will have a goodie bag full of some of our favorite wellness treats for the first 10 people who visit our store. We will have light refreshments for our guests in store while they browse.
Sweet Treat Alert: From 4:30-6:30pm, enjoy soft serve ice cream from Sweet Cub right outside the store. Ice cream is on us for the first 100 guests. It’s our way of saying thanks for showing up!
Afterparty: 8pm-? After we close the store, we’ll be heading over to Archetype Brewing for some “Time of the Month” trivia! Come test your knowledge on all things period + uterus and enjoy a drink with us!
We can’t wait to see you there!
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.
Things to Know
Festival Entry
The Sourwood Festival is free and open to the public.
Pet Policy
Furry friends are welcome to attend the Sourwood Festival! All pets must be on a leash at all times. Please clean up after your pet.
Festival Location
The Sourwood Festival takes place in historic downtown Black Mountain. Vendors and festival events will be hosted on Cherry St., Sutton Ave, Black Mountain Ave, Broadway Ave, Vance Ave and Town Square.
Food
The Sourwood Festival will feature snack vendors. We highly encourage attendees to visit one of the over 50 local restaurants Black Mountain and Swannanoa have to offer!
Road Closures
During the Sourwood Festival, these streets will be closed to traffic, creating a pedestrian-friendly experience – Cherry St, Sutton Ave, Black Mountain Ave, and a small portion of Vance Ave.
Parking & Shuttle
Free public parking is available at the old Bi-Lo, and additional parking is at the Black Mountain Ingles near the Garden Center. A free shuttle will pick up at this location every 15 minutes and drop festival goers off on Vance Ave.
Bathrooms
Public restrooms are available on Cherry Street and in Town Square, and there will be regular and handicap porta-jons throughout the festival area.
Things to Know
Festival Entry
The Sourwood Festival is free and open to the public.
Pet Policy
Furry friends are welcome to attend the Sourwood Festival! All pets must be on a leash at all times. Please clean up after your pet.
Festival Location
The Sourwood Festival takes place in historic downtown Black Mountain. Vendors and festival events will be hosted on Cherry St., Sutton Ave, Black Mountain Ave, Broadway Ave, Vance Ave and Town Square.
Food
The Sourwood Festival will feature snack vendors. We highly encourage attendees to visit one of the over 50 local restaurants Black Mountain and Swannanoa have to offer!
Road Closures
During the Sourwood Festival, these streets will be closed to traffic, creating a pedestrian-friendly experience – Cherry St, Sutton Ave, Black Mountain Ave, and a small portion of Vance Ave.
Parking & Shuttle
Free public parking is available at the old Bi-Lo, and additional parking is at the Black Mountain Ingles near the Garden Center. A free shuttle will pick up at this location every 15 minutes and drop festival goers off on Vance Ave.
Bathrooms
Public restrooms are available on Cherry Street and in Town Square, and there will be regular and handicap porta-jons throughout the festival area.
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.
Join us as we partner with Blue Ridge Pride for a 90s Country-themed Downtown After 5! Featuring headliner Mustache the Band and opener Shakey’s Live Band Karaoke. Show off your style in our Best Boots Contest or channel your inner queen in the Dolly Parton Lookalike Competition for a chance to win fun prizes!
Downtown After 5 is more than just a concert series—it’s a community staple that celebrates the diversity and creativity of Asheville. Each event is free to the public, thanks to the generous support of our sponsors and partners, drawing an enthusiastic crowd of between 5,000 to 6,000 attendees. Food and beverage vendors will be on-site alongside a marketplace component where attendees can explore and shop handmade crafts from local makers. Join us at Pack Square Park for these unforgettable evenings of music, community, and celebration.
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.
Come join us at the Bridge & Tunnel Coffee Cafe at the Coman Center at A-B Tech for a wonderful day filled with good food and good people. We are so excited to have local vegan vendors get together and show you what they’ve got. You can stop by and get some treats to go or, even better, hang out with us for a while. There will be plenty of seating for eating and socializing. Find out more on Instagram and Facebook @vgnmkt
The event is indoors and is Rain or Shine. There will be some food trucks right out front.
Hours are 11:00 – 3:00.
Admission is free and everyone is welcome. It’s a vegan party & you’re invited!
Join us at Olivette’s Riverside Park on Saturday August 23rd for a very special benefit show in support of ASAP’s Double SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables program. HarvestFest is a celebration of local farmers, community and music. Doors open at 3pm with family games and activities and live music.
In honor of our local farmers and all they do to sustain our community, all farmers and their families will have free entry to the event. All ticket proceeds will go towards the ASAP Double SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables program.
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.
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.
