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.

Saturday, October 4, 2025
Art in the Park
Oct 4 all-day
Pack Square Park
October 4, 11, 18 2025

At the event you are sure to find the finest in handcrafted art that Asheville Area Artists have to offer. Skilled workers of Glass, Ceramics, Wood, Jewelry, and metal make their shops open to display to the public at every market. Positioned in the center of downtown Asheville the market has created over $1M in needed income for area artists. Many artists return to the market to welcome customers each year. Asheville is known as the hub of artistic activity that radiates throughout the area. Not only does Western North Carolina boast many excellent craft education programs, but it also plays host to many tourist each year. The vacationers marvel at the city as it’s arts and culture oozes out of every side of the artcentric mountainous region. Come start your next artistic adventure in the center of Asheville in Pack Square Park this June and October and take home some of the wondrous bounty that is Asheville Art.

Admission:
Free to attend.
Grease
Oct 4 all-day
Asheville Community Theater

Grease

September 19 – October 12, 2025

Thursdays & Fridays at 7:30 PM and Saturdays & Sundays at 2:30 PM

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey
Sponsored by: HomeTrust Bank

Bursting with high-octane fun and unforgettable songs like “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightnin’,” and “You’re the One That I Want,” Grease is the ultimate rock-and-roll celebration. Step back into the 1950s as Rydell High’s senior class navigates the ups and downs of love, identity, and teenage rebellion. One of the most popular musicals of all time, Grease is a rollicking good time.

Supported by a live five-piece band!

Exhibition – Sharon Louden: Barriers & Boundaries
Oct 4 @ 11:00 am – 11:00 am
Tracey Morgan Gallery

Tracey Morgan Gallery is pleased to present “Barriers & Boundaries,” a solo exhibition by Sharon Louden showcasing three interrelated bodies of work — paintings from The Barriers series (2023), selections from the Untitled series (2010), and a new wall installation featuring works on paper from Louden’s ongoing and current series, Barriers to Entry (2023–25). Together, these series trace Louden’s evolving vision, revealing a rich dialogue between past and present, painting and installation.

Louden’s work investigates limits—both actual and psychological—and the space in which constraint becomes possibility. The Barriers paintings evoke edges, thresholds, and the complex interplay between openness and division. The Untitled series explores fragile architectural form, color, and gentle quietness in the gestures themselves. The wall installation in Barriers to Entry transforms one of the gallery’s walls into a site of engagement, inviting viewers to navigate, literally reflect, and imagine themselves in a new environment.

Native America: In Translation
Oct 4 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

The Asheville Art Museum presents Native America: In Translation, an
exhibition curated by Apsáalooke artist Wendy Red Star, on view from May 22 through November 3,
2025. Featuring work by seven Indigenous photographers and lens-based artists from across North
America, the exhibition explores urgent questions of identity, heritage, land rights, and the ongoing
impact of colonialism.

Building on Red Star’s role as guest editor of the Fall 2020 issue of Aperture magazine, Native
America: In Translation continues the conversation through personal and often experimental visual
storytelling. Using self-portraits, performance-based imagery, and multimedia assemblages, the
artists offer new perspectives on Native life and representation today.

Oktoberfest
Oct 4 @ 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Pack Square Park
October 04, 2025
01:00PM – 06:00PM

Raise a stein in the heart of Downtown! Asheville Oktoberfest returns to Pack Square Park for a full day of music, games, and German-inspired flare—this year the event is free and open to the public.

Taste the region: More than 20 Western North Carolina breweries and beverage producers are joining us, each bringing up to three styles—that’s 60+ beverages to explore.

Level up with a Prost Pass: Upgrade your day with a commemorative tasting cup + 20 tastes from participating breweries. Quantities are limited. (21+ only; valid ID required.)

On stage & in the park: Enjoy classic oompah energy from Lagerhosen and a hometown set from The Hillclimbers. Test your skills (or cheer from the sidelines) at the crowd-favorite Oktoberfest Games, sponsored by Aloft + Moxy Hotels.

Eat like you mean it: Your favorite food trucks will be serving German flavors—look for Haus Heidelberg and more.

Good to know: Entry is free; purchases required for food and the Prost Pass tasting experience. Family-friendly atmosphere; please drink responsibly.

Prost! See you in Pack Square Park on October 4.

Opening Reception: “Raw + Unfiltered”
Oct 4 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Flood Gallery Fine Art Center

One year after being destroyed by Hurricane Helene in Black Mountain, the Flood Gallery Fine Art Center is reviving its visual art program! With the help of numerous volunteers, Flood Gallery was able to launch the new location by December of 2024, and quickly renewed the True Home Open Mic Thursdays, and then added Flooded Poetry Mondays, and Foreign Film Fridays. Salvaged art went up on the walls for a  “Flooded Art” Show. “RAW + unfiltered” kicks off an open, unjuried, exhibition series, that will be dynamic, current and communal. The first 25 artists to submit up to 2 pieces, inspired by the title’s theme, will be in the show, encompassing all perspectives, styles, & media of the local artist community. The art will be for sale, to help support the artists and continue Flood Gallery’s eclectic programs and events.

Like all events at the Flood Gallery, this exhibition is free and open to the public. Light refreshments and food will be available. Flood Gallery Fine Art Center is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, and educates, encourages, challenges and inspires the community through music, film, literary, and contemporary art.

Located off I-240 Exit 8, River Ridge Business Center, Suite 1200, 802 Fairview Rd, Asheville 28803 (behind Hamrick’s and Sun Soo Martial Arts, next to Asheville Dance Theater)

Show runs Oct. 4 – Nov. 7

Flood Gallery plans to hold these open art call exhibitions every couple of months. The next submission drop-off date will be Nov. 8, and opening date will be Nov. 15.

Sunday, October 5, 2025
Grease
Oct 5 all-day
Asheville Community Theater

Grease

September 19 – October 12, 2025

Thursdays & Fridays at 7:30 PM and Saturdays & Sundays at 2:30 PM

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey
Sponsored by: HomeTrust Bank

Bursting with high-octane fun and unforgettable songs like “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightnin’,” and “You’re the One That I Want,” Grease is the ultimate rock-and-roll celebration. Step back into the 1950s as Rydell High’s senior class navigates the ups and downs of love, identity, and teenage rebellion. One of the most popular musicals of all time, Grease is a rollicking good time.

Supported by a live five-piece band!

Native America: In Translation
Oct 5 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

The Asheville Art Museum presents Native America: In Translation, an
exhibition curated by Apsáalooke artist Wendy Red Star, on view from May 22 through November 3,
2025. Featuring work by seven Indigenous photographers and lens-based artists from across North
America, the exhibition explores urgent questions of identity, heritage, land rights, and the ongoing
impact of colonialism.

Building on Red Star’s role as guest editor of the Fall 2020 issue of Aperture magazine, Native
America: In Translation continues the conversation through personal and often experimental visual
storytelling. Using self-portraits, performance-based imagery, and multimedia assemblages, the
artists offer new perspectives on Native life and representation today.

Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Dark City LIT! Literary Festival
Oct 8 @ 9:00 am – 6:30 pm
Black Mountain Library

Dark City LIT! A Literary Festival at the Black Mountain Public Library
105 N. Dougherty St. Black Mountain NC 28711

Saturday, November 8

Join us for the inaugural Dark City LIT! Literary Festival!

Write Local, Read Local Author Fair is back for its fourth year! 20 local authors will be handselling books from 9-11 a.m. and reading from their works from Noon to 1 p.m.

Free Workshops Follow:
1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
The Fun, Fascinating, and Fabulous World of Research with Dr. Susan Eischeid
In this engaging workshop, you’ll learn practical strategies for harnessing research—whether historical, personal, or primary sources—to elevate your fiction and non-fiction writing with vivid detail and universal resonance.

3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Publishing as Collective Practice with Andrew Mack of Loblolly Press
Discover how vibrant communities and collaborative efforts—from writers’ groups to small presses—are reviving literature today and leave with your own personalized “community map” to sustain your creative journey.

Followed by An Evening with Tessa Fontaine!
5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Author of The Electric Woman: A Memoir in Death-Defying Acts and The Red Grove, longlisted for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize. Tessa will be reading from her work and signing copies of her books.

Exhibition – Sharon Louden: Barriers & Boundaries
Oct 8 @ 11:00 am – 11:00 am
Tracey Morgan Gallery

Tracey Morgan Gallery is pleased to present “Barriers & Boundaries,” a solo exhibition by Sharon Louden showcasing three interrelated bodies of work — paintings from The Barriers series (2023), selections from the Untitled series (2010), and a new wall installation featuring works on paper from Louden’s ongoing and current series, Barriers to Entry (2023–25). Together, these series trace Louden’s evolving vision, revealing a rich dialogue between past and present, painting and installation.

Louden’s work investigates limits—both actual and psychological—and the space in which constraint becomes possibility. The Barriers paintings evoke edges, thresholds, and the complex interplay between openness and division. The Untitled series explores fragile architectural form, color, and gentle quietness in the gestures themselves. The wall installation in Barriers to Entry transforms one of the gallery’s walls into a site of engagement, inviting viewers to navigate, literally reflect, and imagine themselves in a new environment.

Native America: In Translation
Oct 8 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

The Asheville Art Museum presents Native America: In Translation, an
exhibition curated by Apsáalooke artist Wendy Red Star, on view from May 22 through November 3,
2025. Featuring work by seven Indigenous photographers and lens-based artists from across North
America, the exhibition explores urgent questions of identity, heritage, land rights, and the ongoing
impact of colonialism.

Building on Red Star’s role as guest editor of the Fall 2020 issue of Aperture magazine, Native
America: In Translation continues the conversation through personal and often experimental visual
storytelling. Using self-portraits, performance-based imagery, and multimedia assemblages, the
artists offer new perspectives on Native life and representation today.

NC Writers Network & The Brandy Bar host “In the Company of Writers” series
Oct 8 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Brandy Bar + Cocktails

The North Carolina Writers Network and The Brandy Bar + Cocktails present VIVIAN I BIKULEDGE & MICHAEL HETTICH 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 authors speak from 7-8 PM with an open mic from 8 -9 PM. The original music of Bob Sherrill welcomes you, continues during intermission, and closes the evening. Sign-ups for the open mic sheet are posted at the entry.
Vivian I. Bikulege is a poet and essayist. Her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and has appeared in the North Carolina Literary Review, The Fourth River, and Broad River Review. A semi-finalist for the 2023 James Applewhite Prize, she also earned honorable mention in the 2022 Randall Jarrell Poetry Competition. Vivian was the 2022 Gilbert-Chappell emerging adult poet for western North Carolina under the mentorship of Ken Chamlee.

Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge Comedy Open Mic
Oct 8 @ 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Third Room

Asheville’s longest running comedy open mic happening every Wednesday night. The show starts at 8:00, and there is no cover. Anyone wanting to perform can sign up starting at 7pm, and will get four minutes on stage. Local and not-so-local, professional and not-so-professional comics perform or just anyone wanting to get up in front of people and try to make them laugh. Always fun. Always free.

Thursday, October 9, 2025
Grease
Oct 9 all-day
Asheville Community Theater

Grease

September 19 – October 12, 2025

Thursdays & Fridays at 7:30 PM and Saturdays & Sundays at 2:30 PM

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey
Sponsored by: HomeTrust Bank

Bursting with high-octane fun and unforgettable songs like “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightnin’,” and “You’re the One That I Want,” Grease is the ultimate rock-and-roll celebration. Step back into the 1950s as Rydell High’s senior class navigates the ups and downs of love, identity, and teenage rebellion. One of the most popular musicals of all time, Grease is a rollicking good time.

Supported by a live five-piece band!

Exhibition – Sharon Louden: Barriers & Boundaries
Oct 9 @ 11:00 am – 11:00 am
Tracey Morgan Gallery

Tracey Morgan Gallery is pleased to present “Barriers & Boundaries,” a solo exhibition by Sharon Louden showcasing three interrelated bodies of work — paintings from The Barriers series (2023), selections from the Untitled series (2010), and a new wall installation featuring works on paper from Louden’s ongoing and current series, Barriers to Entry (2023–25). Together, these series trace Louden’s evolving vision, revealing a rich dialogue between past and present, painting and installation.

Louden’s work investigates limits—both actual and psychological—and the space in which constraint becomes possibility. The Barriers paintings evoke edges, thresholds, and the complex interplay between openness and division. The Untitled series explores fragile architectural form, color, and gentle quietness in the gestures themselves. The wall installation in Barriers to Entry transforms one of the gallery’s walls into a site of engagement, inviting viewers to navigate, literally reflect, and imagine themselves in a new environment.

Native America: In Translation
Oct 9 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

The Asheville Art Museum presents Native America: In Translation, an
exhibition curated by Apsáalooke artist Wendy Red Star, on view from May 22 through November 3,
2025. Featuring work by seven Indigenous photographers and lens-based artists from across North
America, the exhibition explores urgent questions of identity, heritage, land rights, and the ongoing
impact of colonialism.

Building on Red Star’s role as guest editor of the Fall 2020 issue of Aperture magazine, Native
America: In Translation continues the conversation through personal and often experimental visual
storytelling. Using self-portraits, performance-based imagery, and multimedia assemblages, the
artists offer new perspectives on Native life and representation today.

Friday, October 10, 2025
Grease
Oct 10 all-day
Asheville Community Theater

Grease

September 19 – October 12, 2025

Thursdays & Fridays at 7:30 PM and Saturdays & Sundays at 2:30 PM

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey
Sponsored by: HomeTrust Bank

Bursting with high-octane fun and unforgettable songs like “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightnin’,” and “You’re the One That I Want,” Grease is the ultimate rock-and-roll celebration. Step back into the 1950s as Rydell High’s senior class navigates the ups and downs of love, identity, and teenage rebellion. One of the most popular musicals of all time, Grease is a rollicking good time.

Supported by a live five-piece band!

Exhibition – Sharon Louden: Barriers & Boundaries
Oct 10 @ 11:00 am – 11:00 am
Tracey Morgan Gallery

Tracey Morgan Gallery is pleased to present “Barriers & Boundaries,” a solo exhibition by Sharon Louden showcasing three interrelated bodies of work — paintings from The Barriers series (2023), selections from the Untitled series (2010), and a new wall installation featuring works on paper from Louden’s ongoing and current series, Barriers to Entry (2023–25). Together, these series trace Louden’s evolving vision, revealing a rich dialogue between past and present, painting and installation.

Louden’s work investigates limits—both actual and psychological—and the space in which constraint becomes possibility. The Barriers paintings evoke edges, thresholds, and the complex interplay between openness and division. The Untitled series explores fragile architectural form, color, and gentle quietness in the gestures themselves. The wall installation in Barriers to Entry transforms one of the gallery’s walls into a site of engagement, inviting viewers to navigate, literally reflect, and imagine themselves in a new environment.

Native America: In Translation
Oct 10 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

The Asheville Art Museum presents Native America: In Translation, an
exhibition curated by Apsáalooke artist Wendy Red Star, on view from May 22 through November 3,
2025. Featuring work by seven Indigenous photographers and lens-based artists from across North
America, the exhibition explores urgent questions of identity, heritage, land rights, and the ongoing
impact of colonialism.

Building on Red Star’s role as guest editor of the Fall 2020 issue of Aperture magazine, Native
America: In Translation continues the conversation through personal and often experimental visual
storytelling. Using self-portraits, performance-based imagery, and multimedia assemblages, the
artists offer new perspectives on Native life and representation today.

Matt Mathews Boujee On A Budget
Oct 10 @ 7:00 pm
Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium

DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND, A SECOND PERFORMANCE TIME FOR THIS SHOW HAS BEEN SCHEDULED FOR 9:30PM ON OCT. 10!

Come on out for a night of fun and laughter.

Saturday, October 11, 2025
Art in the Park
Oct 11 all-day
Pack Square Park
October 4, 11, 18 2025

At the event you are sure to find the finest in handcrafted art that Asheville Area Artists have to offer. Skilled workers of Glass, Ceramics, Wood, Jewelry, and metal make their shops open to display to the public at every market. Positioned in the center of downtown Asheville the market has created over $1M in needed income for area artists. Many artists return to the market to welcome customers each year. Asheville is known as the hub of artistic activity that radiates throughout the area. Not only does Western North Carolina boast many excellent craft education programs, but it also plays host to many tourist each year. The vacationers marvel at the city as it’s arts and culture oozes out of every side of the artcentric mountainous region. Come start your next artistic adventure in the center of Asheville in Pack Square Park this June and October and take home some of the wondrous bounty that is Asheville Art.

Admission:
Free to attend.
Before & Afterparty
Oct 11 all-day
Center for Craft

BEFORE + AFTERPARTY
Saturday, October 11
8:30–11:00 pm
Suggested donation $40
Open to all

I Spy an immersive projection experience in the Center for Craft’s Ideation Lab. Curated cocktails, DJ, hands-on craft activities with Print House and Swannatopia, and a dance floor.

Bring an object to cast in acrylic. Record a message for the digital time capsule. Don’t miss it!

Sliding scale entry to support the Center for Craft’s mission to resource, catalyze, and amplify makers and scholars.

Activation and music by Frisson Studios.

Graphic design by Maxwell James Sauls.

Grease
Oct 11 all-day
Asheville Community Theater

Grease

September 19 – October 12, 2025

Thursdays & Fridays at 7:30 PM and Saturdays & Sundays at 2:30 PM

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey
Sponsored by: HomeTrust Bank

Bursting with high-octane fun and unforgettable songs like “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightnin’,” and “You’re the One That I Want,” Grease is the ultimate rock-and-roll celebration. Step back into the 1950s as Rydell High’s senior class navigates the ups and downs of love, identity, and teenage rebellion. One of the most popular musicals of all time, Grease is a rollicking good time.

Supported by a live five-piece band!

Winter Market 2025
Oct 11 @ 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
WOLT

Winter Market 2025
Join us for our Winter Market filled with handmade treasures, unique vendors, and delicious food. Get ready for a fun and festive experience!
We still have a couple of vendor and food truck spots left. Please contact Third Day Design at [email protected] to reserve space at the Winter Market or any future event at WOLT. Vendor/Food truck fee is $20.

Exhibition – Sharon Louden: Barriers & Boundaries
Oct 11 @ 11:00 am – 11:00 am
Tracey Morgan Gallery

Tracey Morgan Gallery is pleased to present “Barriers & Boundaries,” a solo exhibition by Sharon Louden showcasing three interrelated bodies of work — paintings from The Barriers series (2023), selections from the Untitled series (2010), and a new wall installation featuring works on paper from Louden’s ongoing and current series, Barriers to Entry (2023–25). Together, these series trace Louden’s evolving vision, revealing a rich dialogue between past and present, painting and installation.

Louden’s work investigates limits—both actual and psychological—and the space in which constraint becomes possibility. The Barriers paintings evoke edges, thresholds, and the complex interplay between openness and division. The Untitled series explores fragile architectural form, color, and gentle quietness in the gestures themselves. The wall installation in Barriers to Entry transforms one of the gallery’s walls into a site of engagement, inviting viewers to navigate, literally reflect, and imagine themselves in a new environment.

Native America: In Translation
Oct 11 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

The Asheville Art Museum presents Native America: In Translation, an
exhibition curated by Apsáalooke artist Wendy Red Star, on view from May 22 through November 3,
2025. Featuring work by seven Indigenous photographers and lens-based artists from across North
America, the exhibition explores urgent questions of identity, heritage, land rights, and the ongoing
impact of colonialism.

Building on Red Star’s role as guest editor of the Fall 2020 issue of Aperture magazine, Native
America: In Translation continues the conversation through personal and often experimental visual
storytelling. Using self-portraits, performance-based imagery, and multimedia assemblages, the
artists offer new perspectives on Native life and representation today.

Children’s Entrepreneur Market
Oct 11 @ 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Greenwood Soccer Field at UNC-A

Big Game, Bright Ideas!
The Children’s Entrepreneur Market is setting up shop at the UNC-Asheville Women’s Soccer Game for a special event full of team spirit and young talent!
Come cheer on the Bulldogs and shop from kid-run businesses offering everything from handmade crafts to sweet treats and creative products. It’s the perfect blend of community, creativity, and soccer excitement!
Let’s rally behind our young entrepreneurs and student-athletes all for one unforgettable afternoon!

John Crist: Jokes for Humans
Oct 11 @ 7:00 pm
Peace Center

With special guest Derrick Stroup

John Crist is one of today’s fastest-rising stand-up comedians, earning more than one billion video views, more than 7.5 million fans on social media, and sold-out shows from coast to coast — continuously charting as one of Pollstar’s Top 10 Global Touring Comedians. John has sold out the majority of his 2025 U.S. ‘Jokes For Humans’ dates and continues to add multiple shows in select cities.

His latest comedy special John Crist: Emotional Support, released February 18, showcases his skills in delivering witty, pop culture commentary through clean humor. Filmed just six miles from his childhood home in Lilburn, GA, John Crist: Emotional Support sees the viral comedian diving into the ever-changing dynamics of growing up Christian in the 90s, navigating family group texts, mediating fights on the neighborhood Facebook page and more. In its first three weeks, the special earned more than 2.1 million stand-alone views, with social media clips surpassing 20 million views, as it continues to grow in viewership.

 

Sunday, October 12, 2025
Grease
Oct 12 all-day
Asheville Community Theater

Grease

September 19 – October 12, 2025

Thursdays & Fridays at 7:30 PM and Saturdays & Sundays at 2:30 PM

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey
Sponsored by: HomeTrust Bank

Bursting with high-octane fun and unforgettable songs like “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightnin’,” and “You’re the One That I Want,” Grease is the ultimate rock-and-roll celebration. Step back into the 1950s as Rydell High’s senior class navigates the ups and downs of love, identity, and teenage rebellion. One of the most popular musicals of all time, Grease is a rollicking good time.

Supported by a live five-piece band!

Kenilworth Artists Association Open Studio Tour
Oct 12 all-day
Kenilworth Neighborhood

Come join us for the 20th Anniversary of the Kenilworth Artists Association Open Studio Tour. Discover our Asheville NC neighborhood of creatives showcasing and selling their unique, local hand made art.
This year we have 27 talented artists in 15 locations. Artists working in a wide range of mediums, including paint, jewelry, pottery, ceramics, glass, fiber and fashion, woodcraft, mixed media, encaustic, paper, metalwork and collage.
New this year are art activities for all at Kenilworth Church on Saturday only. We will have several art stations and information tents to inform the public of our Artists’ Studio Tour and Kenilworth neighborhood happenings. Join us for an artful good time!