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.

Tuesday, November 14, 2023
Film Series – The Notebook
Nov 14 @ 7:00 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center

Join us for the November Love Story Film Series movie, The Notebook.  In 1940s South Carolina, mill worker Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling) and rich girl Allie (Rachel McAdams) are desperately in love. But her parents don’t approve. When Noah goes off to serve in World War II, it seems to mark the end of their love affair. In the interim, Allie becomes involved with another man (James Marsden). But when Noah returns to their small town years later, on the cusp of Allie’s marriage, it soon becomes clear that their romance is anything but over.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the film starts at 7:00 p.m. Concessions will be available.

Thursday, November 16, 2023
Free Screening: Veteran’s Battlefield
Nov 16 @ 6:00 pm
Diana Wortham Theatre

Special Events to Celebrate Local Veterans and Raise Awareness of Unique Challenges

For hundreds of years, brave Americans have been answering the nation’s call. These selfless individuals put their lives on the line no matter the political landscape or conflict that arises. We owe them an unpayable debt of gratitude for their past, present, and future service to our nation.

The Buncombe County Veterans Service Office is one of the best in the state of North Carolina, with a team of dedicated Veteran Services Officers (VSO) including Sherry Manning, Clint Cook (Air Force), Ivan Sarabia (Army), and Heath Smith (Marine Corps). The office provides a wide range of assistance to veterans and their dependents, including disability compensation, non-service-connected pension, survivor benefits, and more.

Counties play an important role in connecting veterans with supportive housing, employment and education resources, and mental health services that treat trauma and prevent suicide. Buncombe County is no exception. The Buncombe County Veterans Service Office provides a wide array of assistance to veterans and their dependents. This assistance includes disability compensation, non-service-connected pension, survivor benefits, and more.

 

We are thrilled to host a free screening of the movie “Veteran’s Battlefield” at 6 p.m. on Nov. 16 at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, 18 Biltmore Ave., Asheville. North Carolina is home to around 700,000 veterans – the eighth largest veteran population in the nation. And with the fourth largest active-duty military presence nationwide, it stands to reason that our state needs to pay special attention to issues impacting our service members. From starting new careers to navigating a complex process to obtain earned benefits, shifting mindsets and establishing homes, it can be just too much for a person to bear… mental and physical health suffers… unemployment and even homelessness ensue. Yet, hope and help are alive in our counties. Veterans service officers in our communities are devoted to doing what they can to make life after the military the best it can be for our veterans.

The showing is free, and no tickets are required. The snack bar will be open and all are welcome to attend.

Supportive Veterans Resources: 

If you are a veteran or know someone who is, please check into these great local resources for assistance.

Buncombe County Veterans Services
6th Floor
40 Coxe Avenue in Downtown Asheville
Monday – Friday 8 AM – 5 PM
(828) 250-5726

BCVS offers essential benefits assistance to Veterans and their families. Services include:

  • Health Care
  • Home Loans
  • Life Insurance
  • Education & Training
  • Vocational Rehabilitation & Training
  • Burial Benefits
  • Dependent & Survivor Benefits
  • Disability Benefits

Charles George VA Medical Center
1110 Tunnel Road in Asheville
Open 24/7 for your convenience
Main phone: 828-298-7911
Mental health care: 828-298-7911 x2519

The Charles George VA Medical Center offers comprehensive medical care to Veterans and their families, including mental health care services, urgent care visits, and clinical care scheduling. Visit their website for a comprehensive list of medical services and support services offered at the Charles George VA Medical Center.

Veterans Treatment Court
60 Court Plaza- 9th Floor
Buncombe County Courthouse
(703) 389-9918

Veterans Treatment Court is an alternative to the conventional criminal justice system in which Veterans who are struggling to acclimate back into civilian life and find themselves charged with an offense are met with the support, structure, and resources they need to settle into life after service.

 


Bailey Chase’s Exclusive Screening Of Far Haven Benefiting Henderson County Heroes
Nov 16 @ 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
The Main Event

 

Join us for an exciting in-person event at The Main Event on South Main Street in Hendersonville, NC, USA. We are thrilled to present an exclusive screening of Far Haven, a captivating film that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

By attending this event, you will not only have the opportunity to enjoy this remarkable movie, but you will also be supporting the Henderson County Heroes. These local heroes work tirelessly to make our community a better place, and your contribution will help them continue their incredible work.

Don’t miss out on this extraordinary evening filled with entertainment and the chance to make a difference. Mark your calendars and be part of this exclusive screening of Far Haven at The Main Event in Hendersonville, NC, USA.

Saturday, November 18, 2023
Mountainfilm on Tour – Asheville
Nov 18 @ 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
New Belgium Brewing

Mountainfilm on Tour is coming to Asheville, bringing a selection of culturally rich, adventure-packed and inspiring documentary films curated from the Mountainfilm festival held every Memorial Day weekend in Telluride, Colorado.

Held at New Belgium Brewing Company on Saturday, November 18, 2023, the shows will explore themes connected to Mountainfilm’s mission: to use the power of film, art and ideas to inspire audiences to create a better world.

Mountainfilm on Tour in Asheville is hosted by Muddy Sneakers, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit outdoor science education program serving North Carolina’s fifth-grade public school students.

Monday, November 27, 2023
Silent Films / Loud Music
Nov 27 @ 7:30 pm
DIFFERENT WRLD

Silent Films, Loud Music is a screening of silent short films, accompanied by local bands providing live music. This will be a night of silliness, collaboration, and expressions of queer joy! Proceeds will support Fierce Flix programs for 2024. Come listen to original music, enjoy films by awesome local filmmakers and show support trans queer and femme youth! Doors at 7:30, show at 8!

Tuesday, November 28, 2023
The Art of Giving Workshop
Nov 28 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Happy Body

A two-hour experiential workshop on abundance, gratitude, and the transformative power of giving, thoughtfully hosted by Whit Zeh, Happy Body studio manager, and Doug Zeh, Happy Body affiliate. At this unique workshop, we’ll guide you through an exploration sure to enrich your life with a deeper sense of abundance, gratitude, and the art of giving back to the world. The evening will kick off with gentle movement and meditation to help you center your mind and open your heart, setting the stage for a profound learning experience. Whether you’re new to these concepts or a seasoned practitioner, this workshop provides a valuable opportunity to gain insights, share experiences, and connect with a community of individuals dedicated to self-discovery and personal growth.

Event Details:

Date: Giving Tuesday, November 28th

Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Location: Happy Body Biltmore Village, 25 Reed St. Suite 210

Workshop Highlights:

Abundance: Discover the abundance that surrounds you every day and learn how to harness it in your life.

Gratitude: Cultivate an attitude of gratitude, allowing you to find joy in the present moment and appreciate the beauty of life.

Giving: Explore the power of giving and how it can create a ripple effect of positivity in your life and the lives of others.

Reserve your spot today and be part of this empowering experience.

No Man’s Land Film Festival Presented by MountainTrue
Nov 28 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
New Belgium Brewing Brewhouse

MountainTrue and New Belgium Brewing Co. are proud to invite you to No Man’s Land Film Festival (NMLFF) – the premier all-women adventure film festival featuring environmentally-focused documentary shorts – at New Belgium Brewing’s Brewhouse in Asheville, NC, on November 28 (Giving Tuesday!). NMLFF is free to attend, and the event will also be available virtually for those who cannot attend in person. The NMLFF in-person screening is first come first serve – be sure to arrive early to get your seat(s)!

Learn more about NMLFF here.

Thursday, November 30, 2023
FILM SCREENING: Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes
Nov 30 @ 7:00 pm
Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center

Single screening at 7pm | Free and open to all

Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes
Documentary | 2023 | USA | 82 MIN

Experience the groundbreaking sounds of bebop pioneer, virtuoso percussionist and bandleader Max Roach. Roach’s far-reaching ambitions were inspired and challenged by the inequities of the society around him. His political consciousness, expressed in his groundbreaking Freedom Suite and other works, made him a fierce advocate for change at a time when the nation was steeped in racism.

Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes is the story of a musician whose far-reaching ambitions were inspired and challenged by the inequities of the society around him. His stunningly diverse seven-decade career marked him as one of the great musical artists of the 20th century and a pioneering cultural activist at times when the nation was steeped in racism. The film follows Roach across a rich and complicated life, years of now-legendary achievement, deep personal struggle, and the price he paid for his outspoken views. His was an epic musical journey — from the revolutionary Jazz of the 1940s to the Civil Rights years, through experiments in hip hop, multi-media works, and beyond.

About the directors:

Ben Shapiro is a documentary director, cinematographer, and independent public radio producer. Shapiro directed the documentary Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters, which follows the photographer over a decade as he creates his images. His work as a cinematographer and producer includes projects for PBS (American Masters, PBS Arts, EGG), National Geographic, The Sundance Channel, and independent filmmakers including Katy Chevigny, Barbara Kopple, and the feature “Paul Goodman Changed my Life,” among others. Shapiro’s mother, Gerry Shapiro, was a student at Black Mountain College in the 1940s.

Sam Pollard is a film director, editor, producer, and screenwriter. In 1998, Pollard received an Academy Award nomination for 4 Little Girls with Spike Lee. In 2010, Pollard (with Geeta Gandbhir and Arielle Amsalem) received an Emmy Award (Outstanding Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming) for the film By the People: The Election of Barack Obama. In 2020, the International Documentary Association gave Pollard its first Career Achievement Award. Spike Lee, whose films Pollard has edited and produced, described him as being “a master filmmaker.” Henry Louis Gates Jr. characterizes his work in this way: “When I think about his documentaries, they add up to a corpus — a way of telling African-American history in its various dimensions.”

Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Spring Conference Registration Open
Dec 6 all-day
online

Save the date for our 31st Annual Spring Conference, March 8-10, 2024, at Mars Hill University. Registration opens Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

 

Friday pre-conferences in 2024 will include full-day workshops from JM Fortier (founder of Jardins de la Grelinette and the Market Gardener Institute), Jeannie Dunne (director of Red Moon Herbs), and Ember Phoenix (Soul Thrive Apothecary).

 

Our main conference program will feature over 60 classes on 13 learning tracks, including Cooking, Earth Stewardship, Farming Business, Farming Production, Forest Farming, Food Justice, Gardening, Herbs, Living on the Land, Mushrooms, Permaculture, Pollinators & Pests, and Soils. For a deeper dive into these fields, the conference will also include nine half-day classes including speakers like Jesse Frost of the No-Till Market Garden Podcast and workshops exploring fermentation on the farm and in the kitchen, lean farming, seed saving, building your farm brand, fruit tree propagation, and more.

Thursday, December 7, 2023
Spring Conference Registration Open
Dec 7 all-day
online

Save the date for our 31st Annual Spring Conference, March 8-10, 2024, at Mars Hill University. Registration opens Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

 

Friday pre-conferences in 2024 will include full-day workshops from JM Fortier (founder of Jardins de la Grelinette and the Market Gardener Institute), Jeannie Dunne (director of Red Moon Herbs), and Ember Phoenix (Soul Thrive Apothecary).

 

Our main conference program will feature over 60 classes on 13 learning tracks, including Cooking, Earth Stewardship, Farming Business, Farming Production, Forest Farming, Food Justice, Gardening, Herbs, Living on the Land, Mushrooms, Permaculture, Pollinators & Pests, and Soils. For a deeper dive into these fields, the conference will also include nine half-day classes including speakers like Jesse Frost of the No-Till Market Garden Podcast and workshops exploring fermentation on the farm and in the kitchen, lean farming, seed saving, building your farm brand, fruit tree propagation, and more.

Friday, December 8, 2023
Spring Conference Registration Open
Dec 8 all-day
online

Save the date for our 31st Annual Spring Conference, March 8-10, 2024, at Mars Hill University. Registration opens Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

 

Friday pre-conferences in 2024 will include full-day workshops from JM Fortier (founder of Jardins de la Grelinette and the Market Gardener Institute), Jeannie Dunne (director of Red Moon Herbs), and Ember Phoenix (Soul Thrive Apothecary).

 

Our main conference program will feature over 60 classes on 13 learning tracks, including Cooking, Earth Stewardship, Farming Business, Farming Production, Forest Farming, Food Justice, Gardening, Herbs, Living on the Land, Mushrooms, Permaculture, Pollinators & Pests, and Soils. For a deeper dive into these fields, the conference will also include nine half-day classes including speakers like Jesse Frost of the No-Till Market Garden Podcast and workshops exploring fermentation on the farm and in the kitchen, lean farming, seed saving, building your farm brand, fruit tree propagation, and more.

Dancing with Death: The Last Great Adventure – Free Curated Film Series
Dec 8 @ 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Pack Memorial Library

While death is often a taboo topic of conversation, it is inevitable for all of us. A series of award-winning films dealing with end-of-life issues will be shown at Pack Memorial Library on Fridays from October 20 through December 8 from 2:00-5:00 PM. The program is designed to help people better understand and become more comfortable talking about — and perhaps shifting their perspective on — end-of-life experiences.

Each film will be followed by in-depth, thought-provoking, and death-positive discussions moderated by Gail Harris, National Emmy Award-winning journalist for PBS and NPR and former correspondent for ABC News Nightline and World News Tonight. These six exceptional films by new and established filmmakers, animators, and actors about death and dying are entertaining and inspiring. Potential discussion topics will include legacy, the spiritual side of death, alternative ways to die, preparedness, facing fear, and finding courage.

Films:
Oct 20: In the Realm of Death & Dreaming: Does Consciousness Continue After Death?: Documentary. Chapter 1: When You Die Trilogy. Director: Johanna Lunn

Oct 27: Saying Goodbye: Preparing for Death: Documentary. Chapter 2: When You Die Trilogy. Director: Johanna Lunn

Nov 3: Coco, Pixar Animation about Day of the Dead and keeping ancestral memories alive. Disney

Nov 17: Last Ecstatic Days: Documentary about a young man who faces death with courage and even joy. Director: Scott Kirschenbaum

Dec 1: Alternative Endings: Six New Ways To Die In America, Documentary about creative ways to prepare for death and honor our dead. Directors: Matthew O’Neill, Perri Peltz

Dec 8: The Bucket List, Comedy. Director: Rob Reiner; Cast: Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman

Register for the series or for individual screenings at:
events.aarp.org…

Sponsored by AARP, the series is also supported by Asheville Death Cafe; CarePartners; Center for Conscious Living & Dying; Hola Carolina; OLLI; and Pack Memorial Library.

Holiday Lights + Cozy Movie Night 
Dec 8 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Burton Street Community Center

 

FREE | All ages

Take a stroll under festive lights and enjoy a movie on the big screen with light refreshments.

Saturday, December 9, 2023
Spring Conference Registration Open
Dec 9 all-day
online

Save the date for our 31st Annual Spring Conference, March 8-10, 2024, at Mars Hill University. Registration opens Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

 

Friday pre-conferences in 2024 will include full-day workshops from JM Fortier (founder of Jardins de la Grelinette and the Market Gardener Institute), Jeannie Dunne (director of Red Moon Herbs), and Ember Phoenix (Soul Thrive Apothecary).

 

Our main conference program will feature over 60 classes on 13 learning tracks, including Cooking, Earth Stewardship, Farming Business, Farming Production, Forest Farming, Food Justice, Gardening, Herbs, Living on the Land, Mushrooms, Permaculture, Pollinators & Pests, and Soils. For a deeper dive into these fields, the conference will also include nine half-day classes including speakers like Jesse Frost of the No-Till Market Garden Podcast and workshops exploring fermentation on the farm and in the kitchen, lean farming, seed saving, building your farm brand, fruit tree propagation, and more.

Sunday, December 10, 2023
Spring Conference Registration Open
Dec 10 all-day
online

Save the date for our 31st Annual Spring Conference, March 8-10, 2024, at Mars Hill University. Registration opens Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

 

Friday pre-conferences in 2024 will include full-day workshops from JM Fortier (founder of Jardins de la Grelinette and the Market Gardener Institute), Jeannie Dunne (director of Red Moon Herbs), and Ember Phoenix (Soul Thrive Apothecary).

 

Our main conference program will feature over 60 classes on 13 learning tracks, including Cooking, Earth Stewardship, Farming Business, Farming Production, Forest Farming, Food Justice, Gardening, Herbs, Living on the Land, Mushrooms, Permaculture, Pollinators & Pests, and Soils. For a deeper dive into these fields, the conference will also include nine half-day classes including speakers like Jesse Frost of the No-Till Market Garden Podcast and workshops exploring fermentation on the farm and in the kitchen, lean farming, seed saving, building your farm brand, fruit tree propagation, and more.

Monday, December 11, 2023
Spring Conference Registration Open
Dec 11 all-day
online

Save the date for our 31st Annual Spring Conference, March 8-10, 2024, at Mars Hill University. Registration opens Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

 

Friday pre-conferences in 2024 will include full-day workshops from JM Fortier (founder of Jardins de la Grelinette and the Market Gardener Institute), Jeannie Dunne (director of Red Moon Herbs), and Ember Phoenix (Soul Thrive Apothecary).

 

Our main conference program will feature over 60 classes on 13 learning tracks, including Cooking, Earth Stewardship, Farming Business, Farming Production, Forest Farming, Food Justice, Gardening, Herbs, Living on the Land, Mushrooms, Permaculture, Pollinators & Pests, and Soils. For a deeper dive into these fields, the conference will also include nine half-day classes including speakers like Jesse Frost of the No-Till Market Garden Podcast and workshops exploring fermentation on the farm and in the kitchen, lean farming, seed saving, building your farm brand, fruit tree propagation, and more.

Music Movie Monday presents “A Hard Day’s Night”
Dec 11 @ 7:00 pm
: Grail Moviehouse

Music Movie Mondays:
A Hard Day’s Night
For Immediate Release: The feature film debut from The Beatles,
A Hard Day’s Night captures the humor, exuberance and musical
genius of The group at the height of the Beatlemania
phenomenon. A special December 11 screening as part of the
Music Movie Mondays series at Grail Movie House will be
hosted by Asheville author and music journalist Bill Kopp.
In 1964, pop music wasn’t taken especially seriously (Nor, it should
be emphasized, were pop musicians). Such things were considered
ephemeral. Difficult as it might be to imagine, even The Beatles were
seen as something of a flash in the proverbial pan. Even they thought
so: asked in an interview how long they predicted it would be until
the bubble burst, one of them replied, “Five years.” But as we now know, although The Beatles broke up in 1969, their impact
upon music, pop culture and culture-in-general endures.
Canny observers must have had some sense of all this even in 1964, when The Beatles broke through globally. So it was that the
four – all of them in their twenties – were signed to a motion picture deal. No actors among them, The Beatles were nonetheless
seen as the perfect group to star in a film. And while said film could easily have been a teen-exploitation reel, The Beatles’ film
debut had the good fortune to have been written and directed by people who actually got it.
Screenwriter Alun Owen went so far as to travel with the group from gig to gig, picking up ideas from the whirlwind lives that
John, Paul, George and Ringo were living at the peak of Beatlemania. And director Richard Lester had no interest in making an
empty-headed film. Add to that the fact that the four Beatles – especially drummer Ringo Starr – seemed remarkably natural in
front of the camera. So it was that a classic was made: A Hard Day’s Night.
A Hard Day’s Night manages to be funny, clever, coherent and possessing of an almost documentary level of accuracy with
regard to what Beatlemania was like. But above all, it’s fun. A rousing critical success, the black-and-white film made on a
modest budget quickly became a major box-office hit. Nearly 60 years after its release, A Hard Day’s Night continues to delight
audiences. And this special screening of The Beatles’ first feature film also presents a chance to watch the film with fellow
Beatles fans. And a post-screening discussion led by author and music journalist Bill Kopp provides an opportunity to share
thoughts and insight on the film.
As part of the Music Movie Mondays series, Grail Moviehouse in Asheville hosts a special one-night-only showing of the film.
Presented by Asheville-based speaker, author and music journalist Bill Kopp, the evening will include a screening of the film
followed by an interactive discussion.

“Going to the movies has always been a kind of communal
experience,” says Kopp, host of Music Movie Mondays.
“Especially in this post-lockdown era, the opportunity to not only
watch a film but then to discuss it with others is something even
more special. And music-related films lend themselves
remarkably well to this shared, interactive experience.”
Music Movie Mondays is a monthly series moderated by Bill Kopp, hosted by Grail Movie House
and sponsored by AshevilleFM. Music Movie Mondays presents a special screening of A Hard
Day’s Night on Monday, Dec. 11 @ 7 pm. The program will feature a brief introduction. Then we’ll watch the film together;
afterward, we’ll engage in a moderated discussion.
The one-night-only screening of A Hard Day’s Night is the latest in the ongoing popular series of Music Movie Mondays at
Grail Moviehouse. Every month, we’ll watch and discuss new releases, classics and cult favorites.

Tuesday, December 12, 2023
Spring Conference Registration Open
Dec 12 all-day
online

Save the date for our 31st Annual Spring Conference, March 8-10, 2024, at Mars Hill University. Registration opens Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

 

Friday pre-conferences in 2024 will include full-day workshops from JM Fortier (founder of Jardins de la Grelinette and the Market Gardener Institute), Jeannie Dunne (director of Red Moon Herbs), and Ember Phoenix (Soul Thrive Apothecary).

 

Our main conference program will feature over 60 classes on 13 learning tracks, including Cooking, Earth Stewardship, Farming Business, Farming Production, Forest Farming, Food Justice, Gardening, Herbs, Living on the Land, Mushrooms, Permaculture, Pollinators & Pests, and Soils. For a deeper dive into these fields, the conference will also include nine half-day classes including speakers like Jesse Frost of the No-Till Market Garden Podcast and workshops exploring fermentation on the farm and in the kitchen, lean farming, seed saving, building your farm brand, fruit tree propagation, and more.

December Film Series – Notting Hill
Dec 12 @ 7:00 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center

 

Join us for the December’s Love Story Film Series movie, Notting Hills.  William Thacker (Hugh Grant) is a London bookstore owner whose humdrum existence is thrown into romantic turmoil when famous American actress Anna Scott (Julia Roberts) appears in his shop. A chance encounter over spilled orange juice leads to a kiss that blossoms into a full-blown affair. As the average bloke and glamorous movie star draw closer and closer together, they struggle to reconcile their radically different lifestyles in the name of love.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the film starts at 7:00 p.m. Concessions will be available.

Wednesday, December 13, 2023
Spring Conference Registration Open
Dec 13 all-day
online

Save the date for our 31st Annual Spring Conference, March 8-10, 2024, at Mars Hill University. Registration opens Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

 

Friday pre-conferences in 2024 will include full-day workshops from JM Fortier (founder of Jardins de la Grelinette and the Market Gardener Institute), Jeannie Dunne (director of Red Moon Herbs), and Ember Phoenix (Soul Thrive Apothecary).

 

Our main conference program will feature over 60 classes on 13 learning tracks, including Cooking, Earth Stewardship, Farming Business, Farming Production, Forest Farming, Food Justice, Gardening, Herbs, Living on the Land, Mushrooms, Permaculture, Pollinators & Pests, and Soils. For a deeper dive into these fields, the conference will also include nine half-day classes including speakers like Jesse Frost of the No-Till Market Garden Podcast and workshops exploring fermentation on the farm and in the kitchen, lean farming, seed saving, building your farm brand, fruit tree propagation, and more.

Virtual Writer’s Workshop Darren Todd
Dec 13 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
online

Darren Todd, will lead a virtual writing workshop titled “What if you fly? Weaving speculative elements into fiction.

The term speculative fiction has grown in usage, but what does it mean? Simply, it’s fiction that speculates or forecasts what might happen. The “if” in that scenario is up to the writer. Spec-fic (as it’s often called) isn’t beholden to a single genre. Certainly, dystopian novels fall under this category, but so could alternate history, science fiction, horror, or even drama. Many ideas can greatly benefit from introducing speculative elements, which give readers a heightened sense of curiosity, wonder, and even engages them to be a part of how the writer’s “what if” develops. Humans are natural problem solvers, and few things kick off that need to find answers like a solid “what if.”
For this workshop, we’ll delve into the rise of spec-fic, how it crosses genre, as well as flexing our speculative muscles with breakout exercises to be reviewed during the workshop.

This workshop is open to writers of all skill levels and is a fun way to find inspiration from a new prompt or revise current work. It is hosted by the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara and will use Microsoft Teams for the virtual connection. Sign up to attend the workshop here!

Darren is a freelance book editor for Evolved Publications, and his short fiction has appeared in fifty publications over the years, including Chilling Tales for Dark NightsCosmic Horror Monthly, and The Stoneslide Corrective. His short story collection, The Ugly Mug and Other Stories, launched on Amazon and Audible in 2023.

While some of his works fall under the literary umbrella, he often returns to speculative and horror fiction. His style and preferences tend toward the psychological, as he enjoys stories that linger in the imagination long after he’s closed the book on them.

He lives in Hendersonville, NC with his son and girlfriend. See what he’s up to at darrentodd.net.

Thursday, December 14, 2023
Spring Conference Registration Open
Dec 14 all-day
online

Save the date for our 31st Annual Spring Conference, March 8-10, 2024, at Mars Hill University. Registration opens Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

 

Friday pre-conferences in 2024 will include full-day workshops from JM Fortier (founder of Jardins de la Grelinette and the Market Gardener Institute), Jeannie Dunne (director of Red Moon Herbs), and Ember Phoenix (Soul Thrive Apothecary).

 

Our main conference program will feature over 60 classes on 13 learning tracks, including Cooking, Earth Stewardship, Farming Business, Farming Production, Forest Farming, Food Justice, Gardening, Herbs, Living on the Land, Mushrooms, Permaculture, Pollinators & Pests, and Soils. For a deeper dive into these fields, the conference will also include nine half-day classes including speakers like Jesse Frost of the No-Till Market Garden Podcast and workshops exploring fermentation on the farm and in the kitchen, lean farming, seed saving, building your farm brand, fruit tree propagation, and more.

Friday, December 15, 2023
Spring Conference Registration Open
Dec 15 all-day
online

Save the date for our 31st Annual Spring Conference, March 8-10, 2024, at Mars Hill University. Registration opens Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

 

Friday pre-conferences in 2024 will include full-day workshops from JM Fortier (founder of Jardins de la Grelinette and the Market Gardener Institute), Jeannie Dunne (director of Red Moon Herbs), and Ember Phoenix (Soul Thrive Apothecary).

 

Our main conference program will feature over 60 classes on 13 learning tracks, including Cooking, Earth Stewardship, Farming Business, Farming Production, Forest Farming, Food Justice, Gardening, Herbs, Living on the Land, Mushrooms, Permaculture, Pollinators & Pests, and Soils. For a deeper dive into these fields, the conference will also include nine half-day classes including speakers like Jesse Frost of the No-Till Market Garden Podcast and workshops exploring fermentation on the farm and in the kitchen, lean farming, seed saving, building your farm brand, fruit tree propagation, and more.

Saturday, December 16, 2023
Spring Conference Registration Open
Dec 16 all-day
online

Save the date for our 31st Annual Spring Conference, March 8-10, 2024, at Mars Hill University. Registration opens Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

 

Friday pre-conferences in 2024 will include full-day workshops from JM Fortier (founder of Jardins de la Grelinette and the Market Gardener Institute), Jeannie Dunne (director of Red Moon Herbs), and Ember Phoenix (Soul Thrive Apothecary).

 

Our main conference program will feature over 60 classes on 13 learning tracks, including Cooking, Earth Stewardship, Farming Business, Farming Production, Forest Farming, Food Justice, Gardening, Herbs, Living on the Land, Mushrooms, Permaculture, Pollinators & Pests, and Soils. For a deeper dive into these fields, the conference will also include nine half-day classes including speakers like Jesse Frost of the No-Till Market Garden Podcast and workshops exploring fermentation on the farm and in the kitchen, lean farming, seed saving, building your farm brand, fruit tree propagation, and more.

Puppy Kindergarten
Dec 16 @ 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Asheville Humane Society Training Center

This six week course focuses on proper socialization, bite inhibition, house training, manners and much more!

Your goal as a puppy parent is to give your pup the best possible start in life. Puppies learn more between 5 and 12 weeks of age than they will in their entire lifetime! Laying a positive foundation during this time is critical for puppies to grow into behaviorally healthy dogs.

This six week course focuses on proper socialization, bite inhibition, house training, manners and much more! The class is limited to 12 puppies who are 8 to 18 weeks old when the course begins (if your dog is over 18 weeks of age, please sign up for the Canine Manners class).

* All puppies must have started their puppy vaccine series (distemper, parvo and bordetella) at least one week prior to the first class. Owners are expected to commit to continuing this vaccine series during the six week course.

The cost of this course includes six classes, held one hour per week for six weeks from 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM on the following dates: December 16, January 6, 13, 20, 27, & February 3. Scheduled cancellations: December 23 and 30 or unless otherwise stated by trainer.

This class will take place at the Asheville Humane Training Center (800 Fairview Road, Suite C1). Please go to the BACK of the building to enter through the back training center door.

About the trainer:

Pia Silvani is an internationally-recognized dog trainer and lecturer with over 35 years’ experience. As VP of Training and Behavior at St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in Madison, NJ, she developed numerous courses focused on positive, reward-based techniques. In 2013, Pia began working for the ASPCA, eventually becoming the Director, Behavioral Rehabilitation where she led programs to educate shelter professionals in effective behavior rehabilitation techniques, as well as specialized socialization, enrichment, and shelter protocols. This cutting-edge program is featured in the award-winning Netflix documentary, “Second Chance Dogs”.

After 6 years at the ASPCA, Pia has decided to re-establish her consulting business here in the Asheville area specializing in rehabilitating fearful and aggressive behaviors in dogs. She is Director of Behavior and Training at Asheville Humane, offers private behavioral consultations in client’s homes as well as teaching classes for Asheville Humane Society.

Pia has been chosen as one of Bark’s 100 picks of the best and brightest people that changed the world of dogs. Her goal has always been to combine her love of dogs with her respect and affection for people. She enriches the lives of both through humane relationship work and training.

For more information on Pia, visit her website: www.piasilvani.com and email her for more information.

Movie Afternoon: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005)
Dec 16 @ 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Swannanoa Library

Join us for a winter afternoon screening of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005). An adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ beloved childrens book, the magical 2005 adaptation is the highest grossing film from Walden Media Productions and has won several awards, including an Academy Award. The film is rated PG and the runtime is 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Light refreshments will be served.

Sunday, December 17, 2023
Spring Conference Registration Open
Dec 17 all-day
online

Save the date for our 31st Annual Spring Conference, March 8-10, 2024, at Mars Hill University. Registration opens Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

 

Friday pre-conferences in 2024 will include full-day workshops from JM Fortier (founder of Jardins de la Grelinette and the Market Gardener Institute), Jeannie Dunne (director of Red Moon Herbs), and Ember Phoenix (Soul Thrive Apothecary).

 

Our main conference program will feature over 60 classes on 13 learning tracks, including Cooking, Earth Stewardship, Farming Business, Farming Production, Forest Farming, Food Justice, Gardening, Herbs, Living on the Land, Mushrooms, Permaculture, Pollinators & Pests, and Soils. For a deeper dive into these fields, the conference will also include nine half-day classes including speakers like Jesse Frost of the No-Till Market Garden Podcast and workshops exploring fermentation on the farm and in the kitchen, lean farming, seed saving, building your farm brand, fruit tree propagation, and more.

Monday, December 18, 2023
Spring Conference Registration Open
Dec 18 all-day
online

Save the date for our 31st Annual Spring Conference, March 8-10, 2024, at Mars Hill University. Registration opens Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

 

Friday pre-conferences in 2024 will include full-day workshops from JM Fortier (founder of Jardins de la Grelinette and the Market Gardener Institute), Jeannie Dunne (director of Red Moon Herbs), and Ember Phoenix (Soul Thrive Apothecary).

 

Our main conference program will feature over 60 classes on 13 learning tracks, including Cooking, Earth Stewardship, Farming Business, Farming Production, Forest Farming, Food Justice, Gardening, Herbs, Living on the Land, Mushrooms, Permaculture, Pollinators & Pests, and Soils. For a deeper dive into these fields, the conference will also include nine half-day classes including speakers like Jesse Frost of the No-Till Market Garden Podcast and workshops exploring fermentation on the farm and in the kitchen, lean farming, seed saving, building your farm brand, fruit tree propagation, and more.

Free Holiday Movie: ELF
Dec 18 @ 7:00 pm
The Orange Peel
MON, DEC 18

 Show: 7pm
Tuesday, December 19, 2023
Spring Conference Registration Open
Dec 19 all-day
online

Save the date for our 31st Annual Spring Conference, March 8-10, 2024, at Mars Hill University. Registration opens Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

 

Friday pre-conferences in 2024 will include full-day workshops from JM Fortier (founder of Jardins de la Grelinette and the Market Gardener Institute), Jeannie Dunne (director of Red Moon Herbs), and Ember Phoenix (Soul Thrive Apothecary).

 

Our main conference program will feature over 60 classes on 13 learning tracks, including Cooking, Earth Stewardship, Farming Business, Farming Production, Forest Farming, Food Justice, Gardening, Herbs, Living on the Land, Mushrooms, Permaculture, Pollinators & Pests, and Soils. For a deeper dive into these fields, the conference will also include nine half-day classes including speakers like Jesse Frost of the No-Till Market Garden Podcast and workshops exploring fermentation on the farm and in the kitchen, lean farming, seed saving, building your farm brand, fruit tree propagation, and more.