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.
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.
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.
3377 Sweeten Creek Rd.
Arden, NC 28704
Come join us for Business After Hours at B.B. Barns!
For 37 years, B.B. Barns has been at the heart of Asheville’s gardening community. What began as a humble outdoor outfitter in Oakley has grown into a 4.5-acre destination garden center on Sweeten Creek Road—and for the past 20 years, one of the region’s premier landscaping companies. From their welcoming shopping experience and expansive inventory of plants, garden supplies, and gifts, to their talented landscape design team and crews, they proudly bring beauty, creativity, and inspiration to homes and gardens across Western North Carolina.
During your visit, you’ll experience a magical transformation into a Christmas wonderland. Stroll through festive display trees, explore seasonal décor, and discover a wide selection of gifts—including garden-inspired treasures, locally crafted goods, and unique finds. Beyond the holiday shop, you’ll find their extensive nursery brimming with trees, shrubs, and perennials, seasonal annuals for year-round color, and one of the area’s best selections of houseplants. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just getting started, B.B. Barns has everything you need to grow and thrive.
B.B. Barns excited to partner with their neighbors at The Flying Squirrel Pub, who will be providing delicious bites from their menu along with beer and wine for the evening. If you haven’t visited The Flying Squirrel before, prepare to be delighted by their fresh flavors, creative offerings, and lively atmosphere.”We can’t wait to welcome you to what so many of our guests fondly call their ‘happy place.'”
Ample parking is available on site for this event. Upon arrival, enter through the greenhouse doors on the right-hand side.
Pisgah Legal’s Justice Forum will be held at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in downtown Asheville on Thursday, October 23rd. There will be a ticketed, pre-event reception at 5:30 pm followed by the free Justice Forum at 7:00 pm. There will be an option for live-streaming for those that prefer to join virtually and there will be several Regional Watch Parties in communities across WNC. Ticket sales and registration will be available August 13, 2025.
The critically acclaimed bestselling novel WATER FOR ELEPHANTS comes to “thrilling, dazzling” life (Time Out New York) in a unique, spectacle-filled new musical! Hailed as a Critic’s Pick, The New York Times calls it “stunning, emotional, heart-filled and gorgeously imaginative.”
After losing what matters most, a young man jumps a moving train unsure of where the road will take him and finds a new home with the remarkable crew of a traveling circus, and a life—and love—beyond his wildest dreams. Seen through the eyes of his older self, his adventure becomes a poignant reminder that if you choose the ride, life can begin again at any age.
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.
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.
Pumpkin Fest is a fun, family friendly and fantastic artistic event or great date night with 18 beautiful artist-designed lighted carved pumpkin displays on a newly-paved short walking trail. The event includes talented local musicians, food trucks and coffee house, games, storytelling, face painting, white squirrel scavenger hunt, games, dress ups, and the Silvermont historic mansion and second floor museum open for tours.
Admission $7 per person (ages 13 and over), $5 ages 3-12, and 2 and under free. We accept cards, cash or check with ID.
Onsite parking cost is $5 per car (cash preferred). Free parking is available offsite on nearby streets and Comporium and church parking lots 1 block away. Handicap sticker- free parking onsite.
The critically acclaimed bestselling novel WATER FOR ELEPHANTS comes to “thrilling, dazzling” life (Time Out New York) in a unique, spectacle-filled new musical! Hailed as a Critic’s Pick, The New York Times calls it “stunning, emotional, heart-filled and gorgeously imaginative.”
After losing what matters most, a young man jumps a moving train unsure of where the road will take him and finds a new home with the remarkable crew of a traveling circus, and a life—and love—beyond his wildest dreams. Seen through the eyes of his older self, his adventure becomes a poignant reminder that if you choose the ride, life can begin again at any age.
Saturday, October 25th, 2025 at 2pm AND 8 pm
Live at First Baptist Church of Asheville {5 Oak Street, Asheville, NC 28801}
TICKETS – Seats range from $20 to $85 depending on location
The Asheville Symphony will present a performance celebrating the history of Black Mountain College. The Oct. 25th Masterworks Concert traces a journey from European romanticism to American avant-garde with Brahms’s mountain-inspired Second Symphony, Bartók’s ethereal Viola Concerto (written in part during his time in Asheville), and more alongside groundbreaking works by John Cage that emerged from this transformative haven for creatives in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Conducted by Darko Butorac and featuring violist Natalie Brennecke, the program includes Satie’s Gymnopédies No. 3, Cage’s Seventy-Four, Version II and 4’33”, alongside the Bartók and Brahms masterworks.
On Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, Arts 2 People will once again host its The Surreal Sirkus Arts Festival at Pack Square Park, with its unique blend of experimental theater, live music, art vendors, and circus arts that has become a staple of the city’s creative community. The event, as always, is free to the public.
The main stage at the Amphitheater in front of City Hall will feature live bands and musicians from Asheville and beyond. It will culminate in the Surreal Sirkus Mainstage Show at 8 pm, which will showcase an array of performers, including aerialists, fire spinners, puppeteers, jugglers, dancers, and other circus acts.
This year’s show tells the story of a soul’s journey after death. And it will tie together the story arc of The Tale of the Cosmic Eggs, an eight-part series of performances that Surreal Sirkus has been telling in various venues throughout Asheville over the past year.
Reuter Terrace will feature two stages: a smaller second stage featuring individual performers throughout the day and a spoken word/poetry stage on the Spruce St. side of the park. The terrace will also feature a number of interactive exhibits and spaces for audience participation, including a hands-on exhibit by the Bob Moog Foundation.
Also, this year, Arts 2 People has partnered with Create Ink, a local organization bringing diverse communities together through the arts. They will host an Open Mic & Showcase on the second stage from 4 to 7 p.m. Meanwhile, at North Pack Square, there will be an Electronic Dance Music stage on the raised lawn featuring some of Asheville’s finest DJ’s.
And of course the Surreal Sirkus Arts Festival will include more than 50 local vendors showcasing their unique artworks and handmade crafts, as well as food, beer, and mixed drinks, which will be available for sale at the Roger McGuire Green.
For the past 27 years, the Old Depot Association holds this Art and Craft fair to raise money for the Old Depot Association. Much of this money is donated through grants for art programs for our Swannanoa Valley schools! Art by the Tracks features over 50 artists from the local region, as well as live music and a great time! Come check us out!
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.
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.
The critically acclaimed bestselling novel WATER FOR ELEPHANTS comes to “thrilling, dazzling” life (Time Out New York) in a unique, spectacle-filled new musical! Hailed as a Critic’s Pick, The New York Times calls it “stunning, emotional, heart-filled and gorgeously imaginative.”
After losing what matters most, a young man jumps a moving train unsure of where the road will take him and finds a new home with the remarkable crew of a traveling circus, and a life—and love—beyond his wildest dreams. Seen through the eyes of his older self, his adventure becomes a poignant reminder that if you choose the ride, life can begin again at any age.
SouthernScape Music Festival – Kannapolis’ Can’t-Miss Fall Weekend
🎶 October 24-25, 2025 | Downtown Kannapolis
Drinks up, sound on, Southern skies — it’s all happening at SouthernScape Music Festival! This 18+ event is more than just incredible live music; it’s a two-day celebration of everything that makes fall in Carolina unforgettable.
Catch top artists like Tyler Hubbard, Switchfoot, Lauren Alaina, Better Than Ezra, LANCO, and Emily Ann Roberts across two stages mixing country, pop, and rock. But the music is just the beginning. From outdoor games and photo ops to a DJ keeping the energy high, plus local food trucks and plenty of beer and wine to sip on, there’s something for everyone to enjoy all weekend long.
Whether you’re here for the bands, the bites, or simply to soak up the good vibes, SouthernScape promises a weekend-long party you’ll never forget.
🎟️ Tickets are on sale now! Grab yours today at SouthernScapeFest.com and get ready for the ultimate fall weekend in Kannapolis.
The critically acclaimed bestselling novel WATER FOR ELEPHANTS comes to “thrilling, dazzling” life (Time Out New York) in a unique, spectacle-filled new musical! Hailed as a Critic’s Pick, The New York Times calls it “stunning, emotional, heart-filled and gorgeously imaginative.”
After losing what matters most, a young man jumps a moving train unsure of where the road will take him and finds a new home with the remarkable crew of a traveling circus, and a life—and love—beyond his wildest dreams. Seen through the eyes of his older self, his adventure becomes a poignant reminder that if you choose the ride, life can begin again at any age.
WHERE: Third Room
WHEN: Saturday October 25, 2025
DOORS: 9pm SHOW: 10pm
GENRE: dubstep / edm
TICKETS: $24-$28
The three-headed beast known as Ternion Sound was spawned at Infrasound Music Festival in 2016, when bass music DJ/producers Apparition, Johnny Foreplay, and Nostalgia joined forces for an impromptu B2B set on the Beach stage. The artists’ chemistry was infectious, and immediately obvious. When the three reconvened at Origin-414 Studios in Minneapolis, MN, it was clear that their bond is less ephemeral than the festival magic that forged it. The trio metamorphosed: a new monster was born.
Twenty-five remarkable artists and craftspeople—including 17 from the Beaverdam Valley and 8 guest
artists—are opening their studios to the public. Creating in ceramics, sculpture, book arts, jewelry, painting,
glasswork, textiles, photography, and wood, this self-guided tour showcases the depth and diversity of
Asheville’s artistic talent. Explore the artists’ studios and discover the stories behind the art—and how
creativity helped them move forward.
Be sure and mark your calendars for SAFF 2025!
There are classes on Thursday. No shopping, no selling. We are setting up.
Friday, October 24- (9 am – 5 pm)
Saturday, October 25 – (9 am – 5 pm)
Sunday, October 26- (9 am – 4 pm)
The event is located at the WNC Agricultural Center, in Fletcher, NC, across Hwy 280 from the Asheville Regional Airport. (Exit 40 off I-26).
Admission will be $5/person per day. $10 pass for 3 days. Youth under 13 yrs. old will be free. Bring cash! Only at gate..no early ticket sales
After having to pivot to an online format for last year’s sale in the wake of Hurricane Helene, we’re thrilled to share that the brand’s coveted Seconds Sale is returning in-person to Asheville this month.
For two days, Saturday, 10/25, and Sunday, 10/26, from 10 am – 3 pm, East Fork will be offering pottery “seconds” at 40% off retail price. Drop by the warehouse at 144 Caribou Road (Asheville, NC 28803) for deals you just can’t miss – the entire Seconds inventory will be available for purchase.
Stop by the sale and grab a free cup of coffee, courtesy of Counter Culture Coffee, to fuel your shopping!
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.
Asheville Vaudeville and special guest, Danbert Nobacon of the legendary anarcho-punk band, Chumbawamba, will collaborate in the upcoming installment of Asheville Vaudeville’s seasonal brunch time entertainment. The performance will feature Danbert Nobacon’s original acoustic music whilst a ragtag group of clowns and freaks come together to create an amusing array of mayhem and maybe even rescue democracy from the threat of a nefarious fascist regime by using their superpowers of comedy, comradery, common sense, sensuality, and an earnest exercising of their collective free-speech muscles. This is an 18+ show.
Asheville Vaudeville and special guest, Danbert Nobacon of the legendary
anarcho-punk band, Chumbawamba, will collaborate in the upcoming
installment of Asheville Vaudeville’s seasonal Sunday noon spectaculars. The
performance will feature Danbert Nobacon’s original acoustic music whilst a
ragtag group of clowns and freaks come together to create an amusing array of
mayhem and maybe even rescue democracy from the threat of a nefarious
fascist regime by using their superpowers of comedy, comradery, common
sense, sensuality, and an earnest exercising of their collective free-speech
muscles.
Asheville Vaudeville is WNC’s largest and longest-running variety show, known
for bringing together a revolving lineup of WNC’s best comedy, juggling, magic,
belly dance, burlesque, acrobatics, aerialists, clowns, short plays, sideshow,
puppetry, music, and more into entertaining Vaudeville revue-style
performances. The ever-evolving group of artists has been collaborating under
this banner since 2002, with notable long-time staples including Toybox,
America’s Favorite Cartoon Witch; Rigel the Clown; Claire Dima, Barefoot
Bellydancer Extraordinaire; and others.
Enjoy an evening of community and music with An Evening for All Souls: A Gathering of Song and Spirit, Sunday, Oct. 26 at Kanuga. The evening begins at 4 p.m. at Kanuga Lake with a community choir workshop, followed by dinner and luminaria making on the Rocking Chair Porch Lawn at 5 p.m., and concludes with a concert by musical artist Roots Grown Deep at 6 p.m., with a luminaria release on the lake at dusk. Bring your own lawn chair or blanket. Cost: Concert only, $9.94; Concert & Dinner, $21.33. Location: 471 Kanuga Chapel Dr. in Hendersonville. Registration and more info at kanuga.org/events.
Bassoonist Rosalind Buda and Northumbrian smallpiper Dick Hensold perform a rollicking blend of traditional Celtic tunes and original music–all delivered with technical flair and joyful ease. Enjoy duets for smallpipes, songs with whistles, dance tunes on Scottish Border pipes and bombard, and the wonderful pairing of pipes and bassoon!
Rosalind Buda Scottish smallpipes, bassoon, bombarde, whistles, voice
Dick Hensold Northumbrian smallpipes, Scottish reel pipes, whistles, voice
As ever, PAN HARMONIA offers Donation-based, Pay-as-You-Can Community
Concerts. All are welcome! panharmonia.org
The critically acclaimed bestselling novel WATER FOR ELEPHANTS comes to “thrilling, dazzling” life (Time Out New York) in a unique, spectacle-filled new musical! Hailed as a Critic’s Pick, The New York Times calls it “stunning, emotional, heart-filled and gorgeously imaginative.”
After losing what matters most, a young man jumps a moving train unsure of where the road will take him and finds a new home with the remarkable crew of a traveling circus, and a life—and love—beyond his wildest dreams. Seen through the eyes of his older self, his adventure becomes a poignant reminder that if you choose the ride, life can begin again at any age.
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.
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.