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.
This popular shutterbug weekend includes presentations from top nature photographers, hands-on field courses, a friendly contest and the rare opportunity to photograph the mountain’s spectacular scenery before and after regular business hours.
This revamped version of the popular weekend will include changes to better welcome all levels of photographers, making it more fun and engaging for all – while better connecting participants with the wonders and unique ecology of Grandfather Mountain. This year, more than ever, we hope to not only help participants learn about photography, but to also inspire them to preserve the natural world. Activities begin Friday evening and conclude Sunday midday.
June 6, 2025 @8:00 am – June 8, 2025 @3:00 pm
The Blue Ridge Bonsai Society presents its 2025 BRBS Bonsai Exhibition at The North Carolina Arboretum Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8 from 10am – 5pm in the Education Center.
This year’s exhibition will feature guest artist Chris Baker, Bonsai Curator at the Chicago Botanical Garden. Chris will be giving a demo/program, multiple workshops, and a commentary on club member trees displayed in the show.
Join us in the beautiful Asheville neighborhood of Olivette for an outdoor concert by “writer song-singer” Heather Maloney.
BYOB • BYOC (chair) • $25 • KIDS ARE FREE!
Massachusetts-based artist Heather Maloney found music in the midst of three years at a meditation center, honing a sound moored in days of silent reflection and reverence for storytellers like Joni, Rilke, Ken Burns, and the anonymous authors of Zen parables.
With over 1,000 shows in the US & Canada, and 8 studio albums under her belt, she released her first live album, “No Shortcuts: Live at the Academy” in 2022.
Heather’s songs have played on NPR stations across the country and her live appearances have aired on syndicated programming like eTown and AudioTree. Her song “Nightstand Drawer” was used in the season finale of the CBS TV series “Elementary”, and her songs have also been featured on a number of editorial Spotify playlists & Starbucks’ in-store nationwide playlists.
Heather has toured throughout the US & Canada as a headliner and also in support of acts including Lake Street Dive, Shakey Graves, Gary Clark Jr., Rodrigo y Gabriela, Colin Hay (Men at Work), Mary Chapin Carpenter, Shawn Colvin, Dar Williams and many more.
Join the magical fairies at Bullington Gardens for a special Fairy Tea Party. Start your journey with a guided walk through the Fairy Trail. Your child will make their own wand followed by tea and cookies in the pavilion. This event is for children ages 7 and up. Each child must be accompanied by an adult.
Three different dates to choose from!
June 10th, June 24th, or July 12th at 10:00AM, $28.00/per child, $21 for Friends of Bullington Gardens. Limit of 12 children per event.
By cultivating and protecting healthy diverse habitats for pollinators, for wildlife, for healthy flora and fauna, we benefit the individuals who live in and enjoy these spaces and for our community, as a whole. By creating natural areas in your yard and leaving the leaves each fall you can benefit many kinds of insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals which depend on the native plants and their fallen leaves and seeds for shelter, food and habitat.
Join Steve Pettis, Henderson County Commercial and Consumer Horticulture Agent and host of the Gardening in the Mountains Radio Show and Podcast to learn how we can do things better!
Tuesday June 10, 1:00 – 3:00
Join us to celebrate the birthdays of our resident animals with games, contests, crafts and surprises. The park’s wildlife habitat staff hosts a fun-filled afternoon for guests, as well as programs to celebrate the park’s furry and feathered inhabitants. Millie the Bear, the mountain’s mascot, will make special appearances throughout the day. Events begin at 11 a.m. and continue until 3:30 p.m. Join for one activity or all. Included with admission.
Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! ArborEvenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays through September 18, 2025 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
**Please note: Outside alcohol is prohibited on the campus of The North Carolina Arboretum.**
There is no additional cost to attend ArborEvenings beyond our standard parking fee. As always, Arboretum Society members and their accompanying guests can enter for FREE (guests must be in member vehicles to receive free entry). Proceeds from ArborEvenings help support the The North Carolina Arboretum Society and further advance the Arboretum’s mission.
Join us at Overmountain Vineyards with DJ Aaron Greene for an evening of fun, food, and dancing! Ticketholders will be treated to Overmountain Vineyard wines, NC craft beers, and heavy hors d’oeurves while breaking down on the dance floor! More info to come…
Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! ArborEvenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays through September 18, 2025 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
**Please note: Outside alcohol is prohibited on the campus of The North Carolina Arboretum.**
There is no additional cost to attend ArborEvenings beyond our standard parking fee. As always, Arboretum Society members and their accompanying guests can enter for FREE (guests must be in member vehicles to receive free entry). Proceeds from ArborEvenings help support the The North Carolina Arboretum Society and further advance the Arboretum’s mission.
Master Gardener volunteers will be available to answer all of your gardening questions and address your related concerns. Feel free to bring plant or insect samples for identification and/or problem resolution.
You can pick-up soil test kits and receive information about in-person programs and activities at The Learning Garden and the schedule for the Gardening in the Mountains, online seminars.
End your week on a high not 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.
Returning to Concerts in the Park is “Mission Accomplished,” an Asheville, NC based classic rock cover band made up entirely of Mission Health colleagues. Who knew that three surgeons, a nurse, a pharmacist and a data scientist could have so much fun rocking out together? Playing classic rock and blues tunes from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, Mission Accomplished delivers on the expectation that the audience “may not know what they like – but they like what they know!”
Celebrate community, legacy, and the power of mentorship at this special event honoring the life and impact of Coach Bennie Lee Lake. Hosted by KL Training Solutions — home of My Daddy Taught Me That and My Sister Taught Me That — the day will feature youth voices, food, music, and a self-guided Legacy Trail showcasing the journey from humble beginnings to a thriving center for education, leadership, and peace.
Come meet the young people, mentors, and families building a brighter future in Asheville.
Free and open to all. Family-friendly!
Cane Creek is marking this new era with a ribbon cutting and celebration on Saturday, June
14th at the new Experience Center at 355 Cane Creek Rd., Fletcher, NC 28732. The ribbon
cutting will be at 1pm. This event is open to the public and will feature group rides starting at
9am with the party kicking off at 12pm. Join this staple WNC company for skills clinics, a
bounce house and family fun, merch deals, BBQ, and more on Saturday!
On Saturday, June 14, 2025, please join our Host Committee, sponsors, and BMC supporters for our signature fundraising gala, Prelude!
Since 2022, Prelude has raised more than $1 million to support our Student Scholarship Fund. Each year, we award nearly $2 million in merit and need-based support to more than 600 students, so they can benefit from the Brevard “experience” each summer.
The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with cocktails and our Silent Auction, followed by dinner, entertainment, and exciting Live Auctions—all to support the Student Scholarship Fund of Brevard Music Center!
Dress is summer elegant (black tie optional)—masquerade masks encouraged!
Below are details of sponsorships at all levels (beginning at $750) that also include great benefits for you to enjoy throughout our 2025 Summer Festival Season.
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”.
Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! ArborEvenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays through September 18, 2025 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
**Please note: Outside alcohol is prohibited on the campus of The North Carolina Arboretum.**
There is no additional cost to attend ArborEvenings beyond our standard parking fee. As always, Arboretum Society members and their accompanying guests can enter for FREE (guests must be in member vehicles to receive free entry). Proceeds from ArborEvenings help support the The North Carolina Arboretum Society and further advance the Arboretum’s mission.
The Grey Eagle and Worthwhile Sounds Present Mercy in the Mountains: A Blues and Soul Celebration benefitting Habitat for Humanity and LEAF Global Arts
– STANDING ROOM ONLY
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.
Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! ArborEvenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays through September 18, 2025 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
**Please note: Outside alcohol is prohibited on the campus of The North Carolina Arboretum.**
There is no additional cost to attend ArborEvenings beyond our standard parking fee. As always, Arboretum Society members and their accompanying guests can enter for FREE (guests must be in member vehicles to receive free entry). Proceeds from ArborEvenings help support the The North Carolina Arboretum Society and further advance the Arboretum’s mission.
Master Gardener volunteers will be available to answer all of your gardening questions and address your related concerns. Feel free to bring plant or insect samples for identification and/or problem resolution.
You can pick-up soil test kits and receive information about in-person programs and activities at The Learning Garden and the schedule for the Gardening in the Mountains, online seminars.
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
Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! ArborEvenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays through September 18, 2025 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
**Please note: Outside alcohol is prohibited on the campus of The North Carolina Arboretum.**
There is no additional cost to attend ArborEvenings beyond our standard parking fee. As always, Arboretum Society members and their accompanying guests can enter for FREE (guests must be in member vehicles to receive free entry). Proceeds from ArborEvenings help support the The North Carolina Arboretum Society and further advance the Arboretum’s mission.
Master Gardener volunteers will be available to answer all of your gardening questions and address your related concerns. Feel free to bring plant or insect samples for identification and/or problem resolution.
You can pick-up soil test kits and receive information about in-person programs and activities at The Learning Garden and the schedule for the Gardening in the Mountains, online seminars.
Elderflower Community, a local non-profit, is thrilled to announce its grand re-opening on June 26, 2025. The celebration marks a significant milestone for the Elderflower property, which has been rebuilt and enhanced after being forced to close its doors due to the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene last fall.
The grand re-opening event will take place from 4-7pm at the newly renovated building located at 1611 Charlotte Hwy, Fairview. All community members are invited to attend and celebrate the remarkable confirmation of our community’s resilience and strength. The event will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony, tours of the property, food, and music.
Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! ArborEvenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays through September 18, 2025 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
**Please note: Outside alcohol is prohibited on the campus of The North Carolina Arboretum.**
There is no additional cost to attend ArborEvenings beyond our standard parking fee. As always, Arboretum Society members and their accompanying guests can enter for FREE (guests must be in member vehicles to receive free entry). Proceeds from ArborEvenings help support the The North Carolina Arboretum Society and further advance the Arboretum’s mission.
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Botanical Drawing for Beginners with Camille Daunno
Tuesday, July 1 | 11 am – 1 pm
During this beginner level class, you will learn several drawing techniques including line, shading, pen and ink. We will discuss composition with contour, contrast and texture and how to use watercolor to complete your drawing. We will experiment with different techniques to enhance your personal style. All materials and supplies will be provided.
Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! ArborEvenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays through September 18, 2025 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
**Please note: Outside alcohol is prohibited on the campus of The North Carolina Arboretum.**
There is no additional cost to attend ArborEvenings beyond our standard parking fee. As always, Arboretum Society members and their accompanying guests can enter for FREE (guests must be in member vehicles to receive free entry). Proceeds from ArborEvenings help support the The North Carolina Arboretum Society and further advance the Arboretum’s mission.