Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.

Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.

Saturday, September 6, 2025
54th-Annual Girl Scout Day
Sep 6 all-day
Grandfather Mountain
Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express
Sep 6 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

September 5 – 28

Whodunit? Detective Poirot is determined to find out in Agatha Christie’s thrilling murder mystery. Passengers aboard the opulent Orient Express awake to frightful news: Overnight, the American business mogul among them was stabbed to death behind locked doors. Thankfully, debonair detective Hercule Poirot is on the train and on the case and suddenly every passenger becomes a suspect. Tensions rise as Poirot searches for the killer lurking in their midst and who just may strike again.  All aboard for a suspenseful evening that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

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

Ticket Prices: $50 / $60 / $70

Child Pricing Available (17 & under)

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MJ the Musical
Sep 6 all-day
Peace Center

Following a sold-out Greenville premiere, the multiple Tony Award®-winning musical MJ is making a victorious return to the Peace Center. Created by Tony Award-winning Director/Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, MJ goes beyond Michael Jackson’s singular moves and signature sound, offering a rare glimpse at the making of the 1992 Dangerous World Tour.

Don’t miss your chance to experience the show that’s electrifying crowds on Broadway; in cities across North America; London’s West End; Hamburg, Germany; and Sydney, Australia once again at the Peace Center.

Tues, Sept 2,3, 4, 7:30 pm
Fri, Sept 5, 6, 8:00 pm
Sat, Sept 6, 2:00 pm
Sun, Sept 7, 1:00 pm
Sun, Sept 7, 6:30 pm
NC Mountain State Fair
Sep 6 all-day
WNC Ag Center

The NC Mountain State Fair, September 5th-14th, 2025, is a truly memorable family event that offers top-notch entertainment, food, fun, and exhibits, that focuses on the region’s deep agricultural roots.

Sunday, September 7, 2025
Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express
Sep 7 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

September 5 – 28

Whodunit? Detective Poirot is determined to find out in Agatha Christie’s thrilling murder mystery. Passengers aboard the opulent Orient Express awake to frightful news: Overnight, the American business mogul among them was stabbed to death behind locked doors. Thankfully, debonair detective Hercule Poirot is on the train and on the case and suddenly every passenger becomes a suspect. Tensions rise as Poirot searches for the killer lurking in their midst and who just may strike again.  All aboard for a suspenseful evening that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

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

Ticket Prices: $50 / $60 / $70

Child Pricing Available (17 & under)

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Goombay Festival
Sep 7 all-day
Pack Square Park

The Goombay Festival is back! From September 5–7, 2025, join us in the heart of Asheville for the return of this beloved Afro-Diasporic celebration—a powerful, joyful tribute to the rhythms, resilience, and richness of Black culture.

Now over 40 years strong, Goombay is one of Asheville’s longest-running Black cultural festivals, gathering generations of artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, and community members. This year, as we restore this legacy event, we invite you to be part of something meaningful.

Your donation directly supports:

  • Live musical performances and artist fees
  • Production needs like stages, sound, and lighting
  • Cultural and arts programming beyond the festival, hosted year-round by the YMI Cultural Center

With your support, we not only honor the legacy of Goombay—we build the future of Black arts and cultural expression in Western North Carolina.

MJ the Musical
Sep 7 all-day
Peace Center

Following a sold-out Greenville premiere, the multiple Tony Award®-winning musical MJ is making a victorious return to the Peace Center. Created by Tony Award-winning Director/Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, MJ goes beyond Michael Jackson’s singular moves and signature sound, offering a rare glimpse at the making of the 1992 Dangerous World Tour.

Don’t miss your chance to experience the show that’s electrifying crowds on Broadway; in cities across North America; London’s West End; Hamburg, Germany; and Sydney, Australia once again at the Peace Center.

Tues, Sept 2,3, 4, 7:30 pm
Fri, Sept 5, 6, 8:00 pm
Sat, Sept 6, 2:00 pm
Sun, Sept 7, 1:00 pm
Sun, Sept 7, 6:30 pm
NC Mountain State Fair
Sep 7 all-day
WNC Ag Center

The NC Mountain State Fair, September 5th-14th, 2025, is a truly memorable family event that offers top-notch entertainment, food, fun, and exhibits, that focuses on the region’s deep agricultural roots.

PAN HARMONIA: Crossing Over
Sep 7 all-day
First Presbyterian Church Asheville

PAN HARMONIA’s 26th Season opens with lyrical “crossover” works of American Alec Wilder, Latina Alice Gomez and French jazz pianist Claude Bolling.

Alec Wilder’s grooving Piece for Alto Flute and Drums, Alice Gomez’s evocative Concertino Indio for Piccolo and Percussion and Claude Bolling’s iconic Suite for Flute and Jazz Trio

Kate Steinbeck Flutes
Special Guest Maria Luisa de la Cerda Rohde Flutes and Piccolo
John Crawley Piano
Kevin Kehrberg Bass
Byron Hedgepeth Percussion

As ever, PAN HARMONIA offers Donation-based, Pay-as-You-Can Community Concerts. All are welcome!
panharmonia.org

Tiny Worlds of the Appalachian Mountains: The Watercolor Paintings of Rosalie Haizlett
Sep 7 @ 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
The North Carolina Arboretum

Author and illustrator Rosalie Haizlett celebrates her newly published book with this traveling exhibit featuring watercolor paintings from her manuscript. The 40 illustrations feature a combination of vibrant landscapes, hand-drawn maps, and close-up views of the tiny plants, animals, and fungi that Haizlett observed during a six-month trip through the entire Appalachian Mountain range—from Alabama to Newfoundland—in 2022. The exhibit replicates stepping into a whimsical field guide.

Fall at Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard: U-Pick, Family Fun & Farm Favorites
Sep 7 @ 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

Returning to the Ridge: Blue Ridge Craft Trails Exhibition
Sep 7 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Mars Landing Galleries

The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area (BRNHA) is proud to announce its first-ever craft exhibit: Returning to the Ridge: Blue Ridge Craft Trails Exhibition. This landmark event will bring together the exceptional talents of 33 artists featured on the Blue Ridge Craft Trails (BRCT), showcasing the vibrant artistic landscape of Western North Carolina. Mars Landing Galleries, owned by Miryam Rojas and located at 37 Library Street, Mars Hill, NC 28754, will serve as the venue for this celebration of craft from July 2 to September 28, 2025.

Southern Appalachia’s artistic spirit, deeply rooted in its beautiful natural environment, will be on full display. From the intricate details of pottery to the masterful craftsmanship of woodworking, the exhibition will feature 60 pieces spanning a diverse range of traditional mediums, including fiber art, printmaking, metalworking (including jewelry), and basketry. This celebration of local artistry comes at a crucial time, as Hurricane Helene impacted many artists. Artists participating are from the central and western sections of BRNHA’s 25-county footprint, encompassing the NC mountains and the Qualla Boundary.

The gallery’s regular hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 am – 5 pm. Adding to the visitor experience, the exhibition coincides with three First Friday events in Downtown Mars Hill – July 4, August 1, and September 5. On these evenings, the downtown area, including Mars Landing Galleries (open 5 pm – 8 pm, with live music), will offer extended hours, inviting the community to explore local shops, restaurants, galleries and enjoy the lively atmosphere.

 Iron and Ink: Prints from America’s Machine Age
Sep 7 @ 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.

6th Annual 103.3 Asheville FM Record Fair
Sep 7 @ 11:00 am
Harrah's Cherokee Center Asheville

Mark your calendars for the 5th Annual 103.3 Asheville FM Record Fair! Join us Sunday, September 7th, 2025 at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville for a day filled with music, food, collectable cds, and vinyl records.

Early Bird tickets are available for $20, granting you exclusive early admission from 10am to 11am. As an Early Bird ticket holder, you’ll also receive a sturdy tote bag, perfect for carrying your purchases, along with awesome swag from our sponsors. For regular admission from 11am to 5pm, a suggested donation of $5 to $10 is appreciated.

This year, we’re excited to host over 30 vendors, occupying a vast space of over 10,000 square feet. Explore a treasure trove of records, 45s, CDs, and various collectibles. Additionally, enjoy captivating live DJ sets and performances by talented local artists throughout the day.

Native America: In Translation
Sep 7 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

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

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

Children’s Entrepreneur Market
Sep 7 @ 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Olivette Farm

Join us for a fun afternoon for the Children’s Entrepreneur Market at Olivette Farm’s Tomato Fest Market. It will be fun for the whole family!

Come support young entrepreneurs (ages 5–17) as they showcase their talents, sell their products, and learn the ropes of business firsthand. You can also enjoy Olivette’s Tomato Fest Market. A selection of local businesses join Olivette Farm in offering local and handmade goods. Olivette Sprouts Club will have great activities for the kids.

📣 Interested in participating?
Young entrepreneurs can register at: https://kidsmarkets.com/
Follow us on Facebook @ChildrenEntrepreneursNorthCarolina for updates, sneak peeks, and more!
✨ Why You’ll Love It:
💡 Educational & Inspiring – Kids learn valuable skills in leadership, creativity, money management, and marketing.
🎨 Hands-On Fun –Family-Friendly Fun
🛍️ One-of-a-Kind Shopping – Support the next generation of business leaders and take home unique, kid-made treasures.
🛡️ Safe & Supervised – A welcoming, secure environment for kids and families.

Children’s Entrepreneur Market
Sep 7 @ 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Olivette Farm

🎉 Calling All Young Entrepreneurs! 🍅
We’re thrilled to partner with Olivette Farm at their annual Tomato Fest for a one-of-a-kind Children’s Entrepreneur Market!
🌟 Got a kid with a big idea? Whether it’s homemade crafts, baked goods, lemonade stands, or creative services—this is their chance to shine!

🍅 Visit kids markets.com

Sign up your child’s booth 🌽
Explore upcoming children’s markets 🎨
Support young local entrepreneurs 💼
Let’s grow the next generation of creators and changemakers—one market at a time!
#TomatoFest #OlivetteFarm #KidsMarket #YoungEntrepreneurs #SupportLocalYouth

King Lear
Sep 7 @ 7:30 pm
Montford Park Players

King Lear is a tragic tale of a king who divides his kingdom between his daughters, sparking betrayal, madness, and ruin. As Lear grapples with his decisions, he is betrayed by two of his daughters, while the loyalty of his youngest, Cordelia, leads to heartbreak and tragedy. Shows are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 7:30 each night by the Montford Park Players. And always FREE! No Sunday performances for the last weekend of each show.

Monday, September 8, 2025
Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express
Sep 8 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

September 5 – 28

Whodunit? Detective Poirot is determined to find out in Agatha Christie’s thrilling murder mystery. Passengers aboard the opulent Orient Express awake to frightful news: Overnight, the American business mogul among them was stabbed to death behind locked doors. Thankfully, debonair detective Hercule Poirot is on the train and on the case and suddenly every passenger becomes a suspect. Tensions rise as Poirot searches for the killer lurking in their midst and who just may strike again.  All aboard for a suspenseful evening that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

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

Ticket Prices: $50 / $60 / $70

Child Pricing Available (17 & under)

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NC Mountain State Fair
Sep 8 all-day
WNC Ag Center

The NC Mountain State Fair, September 5th-14th, 2025, is a truly memorable family event that offers top-notch entertainment, food, fun, and exhibits, that focuses on the region’s deep agricultural roots.

Fall at Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard: U-Pick, Family Fun & Farm Favorites
Sep 8 @ 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

Grateful Dead Monday LIVE with Clouds of Delusion
Sep 8 @ 7:00 pm
Third Room

Monday, September 8, 2025
at Third Room (46 Wall Street, Downtown Asheville)
7PM-10PM
21+
$5-$10 Cover

PURCHASE: https://tixr.com/e/156020

It’s Grateful Monday with Asheville’s very own Clouds of Delusion!
Clouds of Delusion is a band centered around Grateful Dead music and the wider catalog of jam band influence. A 5-piece band, they are fascinated by the improv, smitten with the songs and dedicated to the dance party!

Tuesday, September 9, 2025
Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express
Sep 9 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

September 5 – 28

Whodunit? Detective Poirot is determined to find out in Agatha Christie’s thrilling murder mystery. Passengers aboard the opulent Orient Express awake to frightful news: Overnight, the American business mogul among them was stabbed to death behind locked doors. Thankfully, debonair detective Hercule Poirot is on the train and on the case and suddenly every passenger becomes a suspect. Tensions rise as Poirot searches for the killer lurking in their midst and who just may strike again.  All aboard for a suspenseful evening that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

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

Ticket Prices: $50 / $60 / $70

Child Pricing Available (17 & under)

Screenshot 2024-12-09 at 2.42.59 PM.png
NC Mountain State Fair
Sep 9 all-day
WNC Ag Center

The NC Mountain State Fair, September 5th-14th, 2025, is a truly memorable family event that offers top-notch entertainment, food, fun, and exhibits, that focuses on the region’s deep agricultural roots.

Fall at Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard: U-Pick, Family Fun & Farm Favorites
Sep 9 @ 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

Literacy Together Orientation meeting
Sep 9 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Zoom

Literacy Together has a determined group of students waiting for volunteer tutors so they can move forward on their goals for a better future. We offer both in-person and remote volunteer opportunities. We offer programs that teach English to immigrants, provide adult literacy support for individuals working on their GED, and offer youth literacy services for children struggling to learn to read. In addition, we welcome everyone, even those who are not ready to volunteer, to attend and learn about the literacy challenges we face in Buncombe County. Thank you!

We Will Choir! You
Sep 9 @ 7:30 pm
Diana Wortham Theatre

Choir! Choir! Choir! presents: We Will Choir! You

Tuesday, September 9, 2025 at 7:30 p.m.

“Why see a show when you can BE the show!?”

Choir! Choir! Choir! is the fully interactive, participatory show that turns audience into performer! So get ready to laugh, dance and SING! your hearts out with hundreds of other music-lovers just like you. It’s like a big birthday party for the greatest songs of all time and you’re invited!

So grab a friend (or ten), and come out ready to GIVE IT ALL YOU’VE GOT! – all voices welcome, no experience necessary. They Teach, You Sing! Everyone Wins!

This time, Choir!Choir!Choir! Presents: We Will CHOIR! You!: An EPIC QUEEN Sing-Along

When it comes to EPIC anthems, it doesn’t get BIGGER than Queen! And nothing feels better than belting out their biggest hits with a room full of Queen fans! So unleash your inner Freddie Mercury, grab your best friends and frenemies, and create harmonies that will blow the roof off the place! We Will CHOIR! You! will be the most fun you’ve had in years…

Wednesday, September 10, 2025
Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express
Sep 10 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

September 5 – 28

Whodunit? Detective Poirot is determined to find out in Agatha Christie’s thrilling murder mystery. Passengers aboard the opulent Orient Express awake to frightful news: Overnight, the American business mogul among them was stabbed to death behind locked doors. Thankfully, debonair detective Hercule Poirot is on the train and on the case and suddenly every passenger becomes a suspect. Tensions rise as Poirot searches for the killer lurking in their midst and who just may strike again.  All aboard for a suspenseful evening that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

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

Ticket Prices: $50 / $60 / $70

Child Pricing Available (17 & under)

Screenshot 2024-12-09 at 2.42.59 PM.png
NC Mountain State Fair
Sep 10 all-day
WNC Ag Center

The NC Mountain State Fair, September 5th-14th, 2025, is a truly memorable family event that offers top-notch entertainment, food, fun, and exhibits, that focuses on the region’s deep agricultural roots.

NC Writers Network & The Brandy Bar host “In the Company of Writers”
Sep 10 all-day
The Brandy Bar + Cocktails

WED 8/10/25 – 7-9 PM – The North Carolina Writers Network and The Brandy Bar + Cocktails present as next in their series “In the Company of Writers.” Kate Crawford
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 “John Longbottom” welcomes you, continues during intermission, and closes the evening. You are welcome to sign up for the open mic with the sign-up sheet at the entrance.

Katherine Scott Crawford is the award-winning author of The Miniaturist’s Assistant and Keowee Valley. A former backpacking guide, adjunct professor, and recovering academic, her newspaper column appeared weekly across the country and abroad, including in USA Today, The Detroit Free Press, The Herald Scotland, and more. Winner of a North Carolina Arts Award in fiction, she holds an MFA in Writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She’d rather be in the woods with her dog than anywhere else, enjoys curious people, adventure, and snow, and believes historical fiction the best way to time travel. An eleventh-generation Southerner, she directs writing retreats at a remote mountain lodge near Brevard, North Carolina, where she lives with her family.

For more info visit: https://www.facebook.com/TheBrandyBar/events