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.

Monday, May 12, 2025
CATS
May 12 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

April 25 – May 17

Cancelled last fall due to Hurricane Helene, CATS is back! An extravaganza of fantasy and theatre magic, CATS has enchanted audiences for decades with its fiercely energetic dancing, showbiz razzle-dazzle, and unforgettable lyrics drawn from T.S. Elliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. As one of the most popular Broadway blockbusters of all time and winner of seven Tony Awards, this certified classic has brought cheer to millions of theatre lovers of all ages! Don’t miss this all-new production! You and your family are sure to leave the theatre tapping your toes and ‘feline’ groovy!

Event Times: 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM

Ticket Prices: $60 / $70 / $80

Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Back to the Future
May 13 all-day
Peace Center

Great Scott! BACK TO THE FUTURE, the beloved, cinematic classic is now a Broadway musical with its destination set for Greenville in 2025.

Winner of the 2022 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, four WhatsOnStage Awards, including Best New Musical, and the Broadway World Award for Best New Musical, BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL is adapted for the stage by the iconic film’s creators Bob Gale (Back to the Future trilogy) and Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) and directed by the Tony Award®-winner John Rando with original music by multi-Grammy® winners Alan Silvestri (Avengers: Endgame) and Glen Ballard (Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”), alongside hit songs from the movie including “The Power of Love,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Earth Angel,” and “Back in Time.”

When Marty McFly finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, he accidentally changes the course of history. Now he’s in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past, and send himself… back to the future. When BACK TO THE FUTURE hits 88mph, it’ll change musical theatre history forever.

BACK TO THE FUTURE is recommended for ages 6+ and contains the use of flashing lights, strobe effects, smoke, haze, and pyrotechnics.

CATS
May 13 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

April 25 – May 17

Cancelled last fall due to Hurricane Helene, CATS is back! An extravaganza of fantasy and theatre magic, CATS has enchanted audiences for decades with its fiercely energetic dancing, showbiz razzle-dazzle, and unforgettable lyrics drawn from T.S. Elliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. As one of the most popular Broadway blockbusters of all time and winner of seven Tony Awards, this certified classic has brought cheer to millions of theatre lovers of all ages! Don’t miss this all-new production! You and your family are sure to leave the theatre tapping your toes and ‘feline’ groovy!

Event Times: 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM

Ticket Prices: $60 / $70 / $80

viewshed
May 13 @ 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Black Mountain College

viewshed illuminates the enduring impact of Black Mountain College as a crucible of artistic experimentation and exchange, tracing the transmission of ideas across generations and exploring how BMC’s radical pedagogical approaches continue to shape contemporary artistic practice. The exhibition stages a dynamic dialogue between past and present, featuring contemporary artists Richard Garet, Jennie MaryTai Liu, Deanna Sirlin, and Susie Taylor alongside seminal BMC figures such as Dorothea Rockburne, Sewell (Si) Sillman, and Jacob Lawrence. By engaging with transparency, structure, color, collaboration, and expanded forms, viewshed brings into focus the porous boundaries between disciplines, unfolding as a sensorial and conceptual investigation into the shifting terrain of artistic influence. The exhibition highlights works that span painting, textile, sound, and performance, inviting viewers to consider the ways in which artistic methodologies evolve and reverberate across time. At its core, viewshed underscores the ways in which BMC’s experimental ethos continues to inspire artists to challenge, reinterpret, and expand the possibilities of creative expression.

Music-themed Art Exhibit
May 13 @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
AC Hotel

Join us for a special evening celebrating Asheville’s vibrant music scene through a solo art exhibit by Kelly Saunders, featuring unique music-themed artwork. This event also doubles as a birthday celebration for the artist, making it a night of creativity, community, and fun. Guests are invited to bring a friend to enjoy the celebration of local culture and music.

Exodus
May 13 @ 6:00 pm
The Orange Peel

Exodus with special guests Havok and Misfire

Show: 7pm | Doors: 6pm

The Orange Peel
Ages 18+
Rising Stars Concert with Cristian Makhuli
May 13 @ 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

This event is a collaboration between the Asheville Chamber Music Series and the Asheville Art Museum featuring North Carolina musicians embarking on a major concert career.

Season Finale with Roberto Díaz, Peter Wiley, and The Erinys Quartet • Curtis on Tour
May 13 @ 7:30 pm
Brevard Music Center

Season Finale with Roberto Díaz, Peter Wiley, and The Erinys Quartet • Curtis on Tour

Season Finale with Roberto Díaz, Peter Wiley, and The Erinys Quartet • Curtis on Tour
May 13 @ 7:30 pm
Brevard Music Center

Conclude the Parker Concert Hall 2024-25 Series with a triumphant performance by Roberto Díaz, Peter Wiley, and The Erinys Quartet from the famed Curtis Institute of Music. The concert embodies our aspiration for excellence and collaboration featuring world-class artists working alongside outstanding students. Curtis on Tour showcases the finest talents in the country, providing an unforgettable season finale.

The Bones of JR Jones
May 13 @ 8:00 pm
The Grey Eagle

The Bones of JR Jones with Henry (of Ruen Brothers)

Doors: 7pm // Show: 8pm
$20.91

Grey Eagle Music Hall
ALL AGES
STANDING ROOM ONLY
THE BONES OF JR JONES
Growing up, Jonathon Linaberry was obsessed with the radio.
“I remember sitting there at night, glued to the boombox, cassette player ready to record whenever my favorite songs came on,” he recalls. “There was something so thrilling about it, something romantic that I think we’ve lost now that everything’s available at our fingertips. I wanted to find a way to get back to that place, to recapture those feelings of excitement and anticipation and possibility.”
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Back to the Future
May 14 all-day
Peace Center

Great Scott! BACK TO THE FUTURE, the beloved, cinematic classic is now a Broadway musical with its destination set for Greenville in 2025.

Winner of the 2022 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, four WhatsOnStage Awards, including Best New Musical, and the Broadway World Award for Best New Musical, BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL is adapted for the stage by the iconic film’s creators Bob Gale (Back to the Future trilogy) and Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) and directed by the Tony Award®-winner John Rando with original music by multi-Grammy® winners Alan Silvestri (Avengers: Endgame) and Glen Ballard (Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”), alongside hit songs from the movie including “The Power of Love,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Earth Angel,” and “Back in Time.”

When Marty McFly finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, he accidentally changes the course of history. Now he’s in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past, and send himself… back to the future. When BACK TO THE FUTURE hits 88mph, it’ll change musical theatre history forever.

BACK TO THE FUTURE is recommended for ages 6+ and contains the use of flashing lights, strobe effects, smoke, haze, and pyrotechnics.

CATS
May 14 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

April 25 – May 17

Cancelled last fall due to Hurricane Helene, CATS is back! An extravaganza of fantasy and theatre magic, CATS has enchanted audiences for decades with its fiercely energetic dancing, showbiz razzle-dazzle, and unforgettable lyrics drawn from T.S. Elliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. As one of the most popular Broadway blockbusters of all time and winner of seven Tony Awards, this certified classic has brought cheer to millions of theatre lovers of all ages! Don’t miss this all-new production! You and your family are sure to leave the theatre tapping your toes and ‘feline’ groovy!

Event Times: 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM

Ticket Prices: $60 / $70 / $80

Storytime on the Steps
May 14 @ 10:30 am – 11:00 am
J Hudson Booksellers

Bring your littles to the front steps of M. Judson for our bi-weekly story time! Enjoy some wonderful picture books read aloud to the crowd by our very own booksellers, and children will even get a sweet treat to go.

 Iron and Ink: Prints from America’s Machine Age
May 14 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Our latest exhibition, Iron and Ink: Prints from America’s Machine Agefocuses on a dynamic era in American history when industrialization and advances in technology transformed urban landscapes and redefined the nature of work and leisure nationwide.

Showcasing Collection prints from 1905 to the 1940s, Iron and Ink explores connections between industrial labor, urbanization, and the growing middle class. The exhibition highlights works by Works Progress Administration artists from the 1930s whose powerful images of machinery, skyscrapers, and daily life—both at work and recreation—capture this transformational era in American society.

This exhibition is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and Robin Klaus, PhD, assistant curator.

Coatlicue & Las Meninas
May 14 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

The mirror has been a powerful symbol invoked in the arts across centuries and cultures. Mirrors double reality, question the veracity of your perception, open portals to other dimensions, and act as objects of magic and divination. In the series Black Mirror/Espejo Negro (2007, ongoing), Pedro Lasch employs the mirror as an emblem that interrogates the tension between presence and absence, colonial histories, and the politics of visibility. The selections from the series displayed in this installation conceptually bring together canonical works of art from early modern Europe and prominent pre-Columbian sculptural figures, whose superimposed images emerge specter-like through darkened glass. Each work includes an accompanying text the artist produced for that pairing.

Flora Symbolica
May 14 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

For millennia, humans and flowers have enjoyed a rich and intertwined history spanning time and cultures. Fossilized flowers have been found at early human burial sites and flora is used in medicines and remedies. Flowers have also evolved into symbols of love, purity, and rebirth, alongside their enduring role as objects of beauty and ornamentation. Flora Symbolica: The Art of Flowers explores the meanings and messages of flowers in American art of the 20th and 21st centuries, highlighting the timeless connections among art, nature, and human experience.

Greetings From Asheville
May 14 @ 11:00 am
The Asheville Art Museum

This exhibition explores how the land, the people, and the built environment of Asheville and its surrounding environs were interpreted through early 20th century vintage postcards. Some images show the sophisticated architecture of the region, including views of downtown Asheville, the Biltmore Estate, and Grove Park Inn. Other images show views of the scenic mountains and landscapes that first drew tourists and outdoor enthusiasts to the region.

viewshed
May 14 @ 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Black Mountain College

viewshed illuminates the enduring impact of Black Mountain College as a crucible of artistic experimentation and exchange, tracing the transmission of ideas across generations and exploring how BMC’s radical pedagogical approaches continue to shape contemporary artistic practice. The exhibition stages a dynamic dialogue between past and present, featuring contemporary artists Richard Garet, Jennie MaryTai Liu, Deanna Sirlin, and Susie Taylor alongside seminal BMC figures such as Dorothea Rockburne, Sewell (Si) Sillman, and Jacob Lawrence. By engaging with transparency, structure, color, collaboration, and expanded forms, viewshed brings into focus the porous boundaries between disciplines, unfolding as a sensorial and conceptual investigation into the shifting terrain of artistic influence. The exhibition highlights works that span painting, textile, sound, and performance, inviting viewers to consider the ways in which artistic methodologies evolve and reverberate across time. At its core, viewshed underscores the ways in which BMC’s experimental ethos continues to inspire artists to challenge, reinterpret, and expand the possibilities of creative expression.

ecoEXPLORE–Herpetology
May 14 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Black Mountain Library

Kids, join us for an educational program with the North Carolina Arboretum to learn all about the many different Herptiles that call Western North Carolina their home! What’s a Herptile you ask? Herptiles are reptiles and amphibians! We’ll answer all of our biggest questions about Herptiles, like “Why are some amphibians slimy?” and “Where do Herptiles go in the winter?” Come ready to hear about the ecoEXPLORE program, find out what distinguishes Herptiles from other animals, where they live, what they eat, how they breathe, plus much more! Located at the Black Mountain Library.

Julia Elliott presents Hellions, in conversation with Nathan Ballingrud
May 14 @ 6:00 pm
Malaprop's Bookstore
Join us in person at Malaprop’s when Julia Elliot presents her new collection of stories Hellions, in conversation with local author Nathan Ballingrud.

The event is free but registration is required to reserve your seat. 

NC Writers Network & The Brandy Bar host “In the Company of Writers”
May 14 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Brandy Bar + Cocktails

The North Carolina Writers Network & The Brandy Bar + Cocktails present ANNE GREEN and NICOLE FARMER 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 author speaks from 7-8 PM with an open mic from 8 -9 PM. The Chicago blues music of “Hollywood Johnny Cosgrove” (accompanied by Charlie Wilkinson) welcomes you, continues during intermission, and closes the evening. Sign-ups for the open mic are available at the door.
Anne Waters Green, who now lives in Savannah, Georgia, was a resident of Hendersonville from 2005 to 2021.

King James
May 14 @ 7:30 pm
NC Stage Company

“King” LeBron James’s years playing in Cleveland bring promise to a city in desperate need. His tenure also unites Shawn and Matt in an unlikely bond forged by fandom. Over twelve years the men navigate their turbulent friendship through their shared love of basketball—and the endless amiable arguments that erupt from that love.

Performances of King James will be held on the days and times listed below. The lobby and concessions area will open one hour prior to showtime. Concessions may be taken into the theatre during the performance.

April 24 – May 18, 2025

Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 7:30

Sundays at 2pm

Friday 4/25 and 5/2 at 7:30pm

Friday 5/9 and 5/16 at 2pm

Slice Standup Comedy Contest
May 14 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Pulp Lounge

The Slice of Life Comedy Asheville Spring Standup Contest Series: ROUND 2

Thursday May 14, 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 3-1/2 minutes of comedy. Audience votes for their favorites of the night thru ballot voting. Comics are separated in 3 groups of 7 contestants. This show’s 3 top comics from each category will be paid and be brought back with other show winners to compete in our pageant finale, date TBA.

Comics on the show:
Aiden Lamb, Andy Frampton,
Art Sturtevant, Austin Elfers,
Becca Steinhoff, Ben Jennings,
Clay Jones, Cloud Hudson,
Evelyn Pekarek,
Foster, Issac Truman, James Burks,
Jason Reel, Jordan Ballard, Julia Macias,
Justin Blackburn, Makenzie Manent,
Roman Fraden, Sam Arrowood, Sully

Tedeschi Trucks Band
May 14 @ 7:30 pm
Harrah's Cherokee Center Asheville

Tedeschi Trucks Band(TTB) is a Grammy Award-winning 12-piece rock and soul powerhouse that holds the well-deserved reputation as one of the best live acts touring today. Led by husband & wife, guitarist Derek Trucks and singer/guitarist Susan Tedeschi – hailed as “two of the best roots rock musicians of their generation” (NPR), the 12-piece Tedeschi Trucks Band is known globally for their unmistakable sound and world-class musicianship that seamlessly blends distinctive genres of American music.

Since forming in 2010, Tedeschi Trucks Band’s caravan has traveled countless miles to bring their music to audiences around the world. With a large catalog that spans rock, blues, jazz and even country, no setlist is ever the same, leaving their ever-growing fan base of all-ages returning again and again for electrifying performances. In the fall of 2023, Tedeschi Trucks Band played a pair of career-defining arena shows at TD Garden in Boston and a sold out Madison Square Garden in New York City. Dubbed “The Garden Parties” the pair of gigs saw praise from Relix who raved of the group’s “seasoned grace and artistry.”  From sold-out multi-night residencies across America to tours through Europe and Japan, to their flagship annual summer amphitheater tours, the band’s shows are an eagerly anticipated highlight of the live music calendar and “nothing short of exhilarating” (Salon).

 

Thursday, May 15, 2025
Back to the Future
May 15 all-day
Peace Center

Great Scott! BACK TO THE FUTURE, the beloved, cinematic classic is now a Broadway musical with its destination set for Greenville in 2025.

Winner of the 2022 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, four WhatsOnStage Awards, including Best New Musical, and the Broadway World Award for Best New Musical, BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL is adapted for the stage by the iconic film’s creators Bob Gale (Back to the Future trilogy) and Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) and directed by the Tony Award®-winner John Rando with original music by multi-Grammy® winners Alan Silvestri (Avengers: Endgame) and Glen Ballard (Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”), alongside hit songs from the movie including “The Power of Love,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Earth Angel,” and “Back in Time.”

When Marty McFly finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, he accidentally changes the course of history. Now he’s in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past, and send himself… back to the future. When BACK TO THE FUTURE hits 88mph, it’ll change musical theatre history forever.

BACK TO THE FUTURE is recommended for ages 6+ and contains the use of flashing lights, strobe effects, smoke, haze, and pyrotechnics.

CATS
May 15 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

April 25 – May 17

Cancelled last fall due to Hurricane Helene, CATS is back! An extravaganza of fantasy and theatre magic, CATS has enchanted audiences for decades with its fiercely energetic dancing, showbiz razzle-dazzle, and unforgettable lyrics drawn from T.S. Elliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. As one of the most popular Broadway blockbusters of all time and winner of seven Tony Awards, this certified classic has brought cheer to millions of theatre lovers of all ages! Don’t miss this all-new production! You and your family are sure to leave the theatre tapping your toes and ‘feline’ groovy!

Event Times: 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM

Ticket Prices: $60 / $70 / $80

Butterfly, Pollinator, and Hummingbird Gardens – What’s the Difference?
May 15 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Buncombe County Extension Office — Learning Garden

This is an in-person program, held at The Learning Garden

Program: Butterfly, Pollinator and Hummingbird Gardens – What’s the Difference?

Presenter: Phil Roudebush, Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer

Program Description: Pre-planned “butterfly gardens”, “pollinator gardens”, “monarch gardens”, “beneficial bug gardens” and “hummingbird gardens” are often available to purchase as mixed seed bundles from garden centers and mail-order or on-line garden catalogues. These terms are often confusing and many of the pre-planned planting schemes will result in colorful gardens that do not adequately support pollinators or other beneficial animal habitats.

This class will discuss what makes up a good habitat and give more specific recommendations for butterfly, Monarch butterfly, pollinator and hummingbird gardens. Resources for obtaining a wide range of appropriate plants will be provided.

After the presentation we will visit a pollinator garden in The Learning Garden; please dress appropriately for the weather. The classroom size is limited so register to reserve your seat!

The talk is free, but seating is limited and registration is required. Please Click here to register via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/butterfly-pollinator-and-hummingbird-gardens-whats-the-difference-tickets-1335472216349?aff=oddtdtcreator

The Learning Garden, located at the Extension Office, 49 Mt. Carmel Road, is offering the public the opportunity to Visit and Learn in the garden on selected Thursdays, February – October. The Thursday in-person programs will consist of eight garden-specific program areas.

If you encounter problems registering or if you have questions, call 828-255-5522.

Growing Veggies on Garden Structures
May 15 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Online

There’s more than one way to design a vegetable garden — and some of the most beautiful and productive gardens use vertical structures to grow! Cages, poles, trellises, even creative builds like bean houses — these structures aren’t just practical, they’re eye-catching and a little whimsical, too.

Growing vegetables on structures is fun. It saves time and labor, makes harvesting a breeze, and helps you squeeze more out of every square foot.

Join Mary Alice Ramsey, a lifelong gardener, as she shares her favorite garden structures, personal tips, and stories from her own garden. You’ll leave inspired to grow upward — not just outward!

Presentation is free, and registration with Eventbrite is required.

Click this link to register on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gardening-in-the-mountains-presents-growing-veggies-on-garden-structures-tickets-1335471263499?aff=oddtdtcreator

If you have questions, contact the Buncombe County Extension office at 828-255-5522.

 Iron and Ink: Prints from America’s Machine Age
May 15 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Our latest exhibition, Iron and Ink: Prints from America’s Machine Agefocuses on a dynamic era in American history when industrialization and advances in technology transformed urban landscapes and redefined the nature of work and leisure nationwide.

Showcasing Collection prints from 1905 to the 1940s, Iron and Ink explores connections between industrial labor, urbanization, and the growing middle class. The exhibition highlights works by Works Progress Administration artists from the 1930s whose powerful images of machinery, skyscrapers, and daily life—both at work and recreation—capture this transformational era in American society.

This exhibition is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and Robin Klaus, PhD, assistant curator.

Coatlicue & Las Meninas
May 15 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

The mirror has been a powerful symbol invoked in the arts across centuries and cultures. Mirrors double reality, question the veracity of your perception, open portals to other dimensions, and act as objects of magic and divination. In the series Black Mirror/Espejo Negro (2007, ongoing), Pedro Lasch employs the mirror as an emblem that interrogates the tension between presence and absence, colonial histories, and the politics of visibility. The selections from the series displayed in this installation conceptually bring together canonical works of art from early modern Europe and prominent pre-Columbian sculptural figures, whose superimposed images emerge specter-like through darkened glass. Each work includes an accompanying text the artist produced for that pairing.