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.

Friday, July 11, 2025
Concerts in the Park – Laron Huntley & The Gravely Brothers
Jul 11 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Cecil Park (in front of Hickory Tavern)

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.

Light Language Playshop with Lauren Rosenzweig
Jul 11 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Energetic Experiences

During our time we will explore vocal exercises and sounds to activate your light language. The vocal exercises are great for clearing and moving energy throughout your body, while easing your nervous system. This creates space to allow more energetic flow through your whole being.

Following this interactive session, you then will lay down and receive sound and energy healing to integrate your process. We all have the ability to access light language and if you have been called or intrigued, please reach out!

This is a non-judgement, safe container for free expression and play.

When: Friday, July 11th
Time: 6:30pm-8pm
Sliding Scale: $25-40

Beach Babes Standup Comedy
Jul 11 @ 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm
The Orange Peel

Beach Babes Standup Comedy Show
The Orange Peel
July 11, 8p-9:30pm
$18
Beach vibes in the mountain! Standup Comedy of Roman Fraden, featuring Cayla Clark, Zandra Johnson & Makenzie Manent. Guest spot by the Leah Garth. Hosted by Hilliary Begley

Beach Babes Standup Comedy Show brings the vibes to the mountains in the heart of downtown Asheville! Roman Fraden his not for the faint of heart. 18+
Roman is a Los Angeles-based comedian and a regular performer at classic Hollywood venues including The Comedy Store, The Laugh Factory, and The Hollywood Improv. He has trained with Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) Theatre, performed in various ensemble casts in film and on stage, and has opened for Mark Normand, Margaret Cho, and Patton Oswald. His one man show ‘Back In The Closet’ made it’s world premiere at Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2018. He currently is living in Asheville while still performing everywhere.
Host Hilliary Begley from NETFLIX & AMAZON PRIME, this beach babe will keep you laughing.
Featuring Cayla Clark from BLIND DATELIVE, who is very pregnant on this show but still one of the funniest people around (check out her famous instagram).
Also featuring comedy favorites Zandra Johnson & Makenzie Manent, with a guest spot by the always zany Leah Garth.

Saturday, July 12, 2025
Fairy Tea Party
Jul 12 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Bullington Gardens

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.

Saturday, July 19, 2025
Turning the Page on Helene -Altered Book Workshop
Jul 19 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Swannanoa Library Meeting Room

Learn how to make altered books and make a page for one of the volumes of Turning the Page on Helene. All supplies are provided free of charge. No previous art experience is necessary, and it’s family friendly!

Turning the Page on Helene is a community-based art project that is using the transformative power of altered books to tell our communities’ stories of Hurricane Helene through the visual arts. The goal is to create a safe space for community members to share experiences of the hurricane as well as their hopes for rebuilding a better and brighter future.

Saturday, July 26, 2025
Apple Ridge Relay
Jul 26 @ 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Stepp's Hillcrest Orchard

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!

Apple Ridge Relay
Jul 26 @ 8:00 am
Stepp's Hillcrest Orchard

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!

Tuesday, July 29, 2025
Embodied Awakening Asheville
Jul 29 @ 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm
The Studio AVL

Join us for The HEAL Collective’s one-of-a-kind Summer Tour!

📅 Tuesday, July 29, 2025
🕔 5:00–7:30pm (doors open at 4:45)
📍 The Studio AVL — 34 Wall Street, Asheville, NC 28801

You’ve done the inner work.
You know how to name your patterns, ride the emotional waves, maybe even hold space for others.

But…
You still crave something deeper.
A place where your body can exhale.
Where healing doesn’t feel like a solo mission.
Where you can be held, celebrated, and activated alongside others who get it.

This is that space.

We’re Carissa & Eric—partners in love and in the wild vision of a more embodied, relational world.
We’ve walked through burnout, heartbreak, anxiety, and the kind of disconnection that healing work alone couldn’t quite touch.

This event is a call to come back into the body.
Into connection.
Into playful, powerful presence.

✨ What You’ll Experience:

❤️‍🔥 Grounding breathwork + guided meditation
❤️‍🔥 Somatic practices for regulation and joy
❤️‍🔥 Authentic relating & vulnerable connection
❤️‍🔥 Dance, movement, and community magic

🌟 You’ll Leave With:

💫 Practices to anchor yourself when the world feels chaotic
💫 Soul-nourishing connections with conscious humans
💫 A felt sense of possibility—in your body, your life, and your relationships

We believe healing is a path we must each walk ourselves, but we don’t need to walk it alone.
Healing can be embodied. It can be communal. It can be alive.

This isn’t just an event.
It’s the revolution.
A gathering of people who are ready to feel more free—together.

🎟️ Tickets
$44 – Individual
$77 – Bring a friend, partner, or fellow seeker and receive a discount

🍇 Light refreshments provided.
🌸 Space is intimate—reserve your spot early.

Come as you are. Leave more fully expressed.
We can’t wait to heal with you.

Wednesday, July 30, 2025
Animal Enrichment Day
Jul 30 all-day
Grandfather Mountain

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, 2025
Slice Comedy Standup Picture Show
Jul 31 @ 7:30 pm
Pulp

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!

Standup Comedy Picture Show

Friday, August 1, 2025
Asheville Spartan Social
Aug 1 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Triumph OCR Training Center

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]

Friday, August 8, 2025
Concerts in the Park – Soul Blue
Aug 8 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Cecil Park (in front of Hickory Tavern)

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.

Saturday, August 9, 2025
Junior Naturalist Day
Aug 9 all-day
Grandfather Mountain

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.

Thursday, August 14, 2025
2025 Mtn. Hort. Field Day
Aug 14 all-day
Mountain Horticultural Crops Research & Extension Center

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.

Saturday, August 16, 2025
Bodhi Fest
Aug 16 all-day
Asheville Community Theater

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.

Thursday, August 21, 2025
Slice Comedy Standup Contest
Aug 21 @ 7:30 pm
Pulp

We have another standup comedy contest, coming up on Thursday August 21! Come out for the fun as you pick your favorite comic of the night!! Audiences love these shows and tickets go fast!
___________________________________
The Slice of Life Comedy Asheville Fall/Winter Standup Contest Series: ROUND 1
Thursday August 21, 7:30p-9:30p, doors at 6:30p
The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge
103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $17 (available at door or The Orange Peel website)
These shows sellout!
Hosted by Hilliary Begley from Netflix & Amazon Prime!
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! You may bring your own food in (no drinks)!
How it Works:
Comics on the show will do approximately 3-1/2m of comedy. This show’s 3 top comics will be brought back with other show winners to compete in our pageant finale, date TBD. Audience votes through paper ballots to be picked up and counted at end of show, winner will be announced.
Want to compete?
These spots go fast! There is no cost to performing comics. Comics should have 3-5m of material and be prepared for additional material in the event of a tie-breaker performance. Winners will be compensated for the night and move on to the finale.

Go to SliceofLifeComedy.com for more information. Contact Michele with any questions, or to sign up at [email protected]

Sunday, August 24, 2025
RISE: A Fly Fishing Festival
Aug 24 @ 11:00 am – 4:00 pm

RISE: A Fly Fishing Festival

August 24th 2025 | 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM

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.

Thursday, August 28, 2025
ART PARTY ON THE ROOF AT THE RADICAL HOTEL
Aug 28 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Radical Hotel

ART PARTY ON THE ROOF AT THE RADICAL HOTEL

Thursday, August 28, 2025

7-9pm

The Roof

The Radical Hotel

95 Roberts Street

Asheville, NC 28801

You are invited to an unforgettable evening of creativity and community with Miranda Wildman and friends on The Roof at The Radical Hotel!

This August evening we will play with a plethora of colors and shapes to create your very own tabletop lantern to set the mood for your summer soirees.

No experience? No problem! This is all about fun, self-expression, and connecting with others through art. Let the local DJ’s inspired beats set the mood as you create alongside new and old friends.

Come as you are—bring your curiosity. Art is for everyone, and this art party is too!

$25

all materials included

N.O.T.A.F.L.O.F.

(no one turned away for lack of funds)

Friday, August 29, 2025
Garden and Adventure Photography
Aug 29 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
NC Arboretum

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.

Saturday, August 30, 2025
Chasing Dragons and Damsels in WNC
Aug 30 @ 9:00 am – 10:30 am
NC Arboretum

Chasing Dragons and Damsels in WNC

with Shane Myers

Saturday, August 30  |  9 – 10:30am

Dragonflies and damselflies (order Odonata) are some of our most fascinating insects. Come with us as we talk about their natural history, lives, and ecological importance. We’ll go down to Willow Pond and observe some of these enchanting insects in the wild and up close.

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.

 

Monday, September 1, 2025
Plein Air Painting
Sep 1 @ 9:00 am – 11:00 am
NC Arboretum

Plein Air Painting

with Erika Busse

Monday, September 1  |  9am – 11am

There is no better way to relax and connect with your creative side and nature than en plein air painting. In this class, artist Erika Busse will teach you how to paint an original Appalachian inspired artwork outside at the beautiful North Carolina Arboretum. She will take you through each step of the painting process, all skill levels are welcomed and all supplies are provided.

Tuesday, September 2, 2025
Fall at Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard: U-Pick, Family Fun & Farm Favorites
Sep 2 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Stepp's Hillcrest Orchard

Celebrate the season at Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard in Hendersonville, NC! Open daily August 15 through the end of October, enjoy u-pick apples, grapes, flowers, and pumpkins. Explore a 5-acre corn maze, take a weekend wagon ride, bounce on the jump pad, and launch apples from the apple cannon. Don’t miss fresh cider donuts, slushies, plus many more sweet treats and local goods from the Apple House. No admission fee—just pay for what you pick or do. Make it a fall tradition your whole family will love!
📍 steppapples.com | 170 Stepp Orchard Dr., Hendersonville, NC

Wednesday, September 3, 2025
Fall at Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard: U-Pick, Family Fun & Farm Favorites
Sep 3 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Stepp's Hillcrest Orchard

Celebrate the season at Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard in Hendersonville, NC! Open daily August 15 through the end of October, enjoy u-pick apples, grapes, flowers, and pumpkins. Explore a 5-acre corn maze, take a weekend wagon ride, bounce on the jump pad, and launch apples from the apple cannon. Don’t miss fresh cider donuts, slushies, plus many more sweet treats and local goods from the Apple House. No admission fee—just pay for what you pick or do. Make it a fall tradition your whole family will love!
📍 steppapples.com | 170 Stepp Orchard Dr., Hendersonville, NC

Thursday, September 4, 2025
Fall at Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard: U-Pick, Family Fun & Farm Favorites
Sep 4 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Stepp's Hillcrest Orchard

Celebrate the season at Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard in Hendersonville, NC! Open daily August 15 through the end of October, enjoy u-pick apples, grapes, flowers, and pumpkins. Explore a 5-acre corn maze, take a weekend wagon ride, bounce on the jump pad, and launch apples from the apple cannon. Don’t miss fresh cider donuts, slushies, plus many more sweet treats and local goods from the Apple House. No admission fee—just pay for what you pick or do. Make it a fall tradition your whole family will love!
📍 steppapples.com | 170 Stepp Orchard Dr., Hendersonville, NC

Late Summer Tree ID
Sep 4 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
NC Arboretum

Late Summer Tree ID

with Lauren Lampley

Thursday, September 4  |  1 – 4 pm

Join this class as we discuss how to use different characteristics and field guides to identify common trees of Western North Carolina found here at the NC Arboretum. We will look at using different characteristics including habitat, bark, buds, growth pattern, leaf shape, and fruit/nut shape to identify trees.

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.

 

Friday, September 5, 2025
Fall at Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard: U-Pick, Family Fun & Farm Favorites
Sep 5 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Stepp's Hillcrest Orchard

Celebrate the season at Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard in Hendersonville, NC! Open daily August 15 through the end of October, enjoy u-pick apples, grapes, flowers, and pumpkins. Explore a 5-acre corn maze, take a weekend wagon ride, bounce on the jump pad, and launch apples from the apple cannon. Don’t miss fresh cider donuts, slushies, plus many more sweet treats and local goods from the Apple House. No admission fee—just pay for what you pick or do. Make it a fall tradition your whole family will love!
📍 steppapples.com | 170 Stepp Orchard Dr., Hendersonville, NC

River Systems of the Blue Ridge
Sep 5 @ 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
NC Arboretum

River Systems of the Blue Ridge

With Anton DuMars

Friday, September 5  |  12 – 4pm

Water is essential to life but is also a powerful agent of change. Rivers, through both daily processes and catastrophic floods, shape Earth’s surface through erosion and sediment transport. In River Systems of the Blue Ridge, we will investigate how the Broad River changes character and shapes the landscape along its course from the headwaters, through the Piedmont, and onto the Atlantic Ocean.

Riveting Sterling Ring
Sep 5 @ 1:15 pm – 3:15 pm
Ignite Jewelry Studios

Come make this textured and riveted sterling silver ring in a hands on workshop at Ignite Jewelry Studios. A qualified instructor will safely take you through the steps until your piece is complete. You’ll use a variety of common metalsmithing tools including a torch, rolling mill, and more!

Choose from 4 textures: Hammered/ Striped/Boho/Smooth

All materials included! Make it to your size.

Also makes a unique wedding band, fabulous bachelorette event, or team building!

Saturday, September 6, 2025
54th-Annual Girl Scout Day
Sep 6 all-day
Grandfather Mountain
Fall at Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard: U-Pick, Family Fun & Farm Favorites
Sep 6 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Stepp's Hillcrest Orchard

Celebrate the season at Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard in Hendersonville, NC! Open daily August 15 through the end of October, enjoy u-pick apples, grapes, flowers, and pumpkins. Explore a 5-acre corn maze, take a weekend wagon ride, bounce on the jump pad, and launch apples from the apple cannon. Don’t miss fresh cider donuts, slushies, plus many more sweet treats and local goods from the Apple House. No admission fee—just pay for what you pick or do. Make it a fall tradition your whole family will love!
📍 steppapples.com | 170 Stepp Orchard Dr., Hendersonville, NC