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.
“This will be a full evening of celebration,” said Lillianna Woody, owner. “Our Executive Chef Neal Mitchell and our kitchen staff have created an amazing menu that you do not want to miss. “We’ll have room to dance, late night snacks and champagne available to toast at midnight.”
Doors open for dinner at 5 p.m. with limited reservations.
The special New Year themed menu features fun twists designed to give you all the luck you need in 2020 like crispy deep-fried pig ears with a black-eyed pea relish, arugula, & a “Crystal” hot sauce gastrique; pan-seared scallops with sweet potato mousseline, shaved white truffles, crispy collards, & a “Steens” cane syrup brown butter; and Southern bread pudding with a maple caramel sauce with strawberries & champagne cake balls with champagne infused strawberries.
After dinner, dance the night away with Ellis Dyson and the Shambles kicking off the New Year celebration at 9 p.m.
Ellis Dyson & the Shambles expertly blends old-time influences ranging from Piedmont murder ballads, to traditional jazz, to big band swing. The result: whiskey-soaked, foot-stompin’ songs that bring party music of departed eras to crowds both young and old.
The Shambles have made waves with their theatrical and explosive live shows and masterful musicianship that electrifies every audience. Bursting with exuberance and effortless expertise, this playfully hootin’ and hollerin’ act is guaranteed to bring the ruckus.
New York City drops a ball, Atlanta drops a peach and Miami drops an orange. In Asheville, we drop a keg! Ring in the New Year at the Biltmore Park Monk as we welcome 2020 with our 7th Annual New Year’s Eve Keg Drop Celebration. Our two-story golden keg will be lit up and glowing on New Year’s Eve, descending at midnight as we tap a keg of Must Love Coconut IPA, and toast to the New Year! The Keg Drop Celebration is free to attend and ample parking is available for guests.
Season’s at The Highland Lake Inn offers a special New Year’s Eve Dinner, this 4-course dinner comes with a glass of champagne and an amuse bouche. Cost is $85 per person. Reservations are required.
Join us for an incredible New Years Eve celebration overlooking Pack Square Park with extra special offerings from Executive Chef Tom LaFauci, live music from the “Irresistible Dance Party” sounds of Free Flow Band with a champagne toast and post ball drop breakfast bar to ring in 2020.
Seating starts at 6:30pm with savory small bites and then a 2-course dinner service beginning at 7:15pm. Enjoy your choice of a local craft beer or a glass of house wine to accompany your meal.
The evening then continues with live sets from the Free Flow Band from 9pm until 12:30am. There will be a champagne toast and breakfast bar at midnight, and DJ Dance Party until 2am for those who wanna keep it going!
Join us for a full evening of culinary delights and entertainment for only $119 per person!
Call 828.515.4151 or email [email protected] to purchase your tickets.
Hillman Beer’s Trivia Night is on Tuesdays from 7pm-9pm! Get ready to drink some beer, test your wit, and have some fun!
Details:
– Please arrive at 6:30pm
– Max 6 people per team
– First place gets a $50 Hillman Beer Gift Card!
Celebrate the start of 2020 in style at Bold Rock Mills River by dressing in your favorite roaring 20’s themed outfit, enjoy live swing music, fresh hors d’oeuvres, a champagne cider toast at midnight and more. Must be 21+, costumes and tickets required. Tickets $25 in advance or $30 at the door.
CoCo Fresh and Sid Davis are serving up TWO shows on December 31 for the ultimate way to close out the year! The doors open at 5pm, and attendees can enjoy a full bar and menu available.
Join us in Campagna Italian Cuisine at 7pm or 10pm for laughs and gain admission to the Legends Club NYE Dance Party afterwards for FREE! Comedian bios below.
Tickets are LIMITED – get yours before they’re gone!
Tickets: $25/person available here.
18+ only. Admission is per show with 7pm and 10pm shows available. A wristband to the Legends Club (21+ only) is also included with purchase.
? Early Bird tickets are now SOLD OUT. Reserve your spot today!
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This New Years Eve… ?
Join us for a speakeasy-style soirée in the heart of downtown Asheville.
Step back a full century to the decade that brought Asheville the beautiful and historic Grove Arcade. While the building already has the 1920’s feel, the environment will be decorated like a 1920’s underground speakeasy, featuring Grove’s Tonic as a 1920’s prohibited beverage and original Flapper’s walking the party serving various hors d’oeuvres.
Every guest will have the opportunity to step into the 1920’s photo booth and be sent a digital copy of their photo right to their phones. Every guest will also be leaving the party with a secret take home gift to match the era and theme. More information to come!
Featuring:
– Jazz music by Asheville band, Red Echo Lab and Justice Mann of Shabidukah
– Fine hors d’oeuvres (vegetarian options available)
– Apothecary Style Craft Cocktails Curated by Jonny Burritt, 2019 NC Restaurant & Lodging Association Bartender of the Year, and the Bar Manager at Antidote and Drink Mixologist at The Chemist
– Photo booth with themed costumes ?
– Grove Arcade transformed and decorated to feel like the 1920s
TO ENTER:
– Bring your printed or digital ticket to scan at door
– Secret password: “Giggle Water”
(20s slang for alcohol)
Use this ticket link if Facebook is not letting you buy it here:
? bit.ly/GroveArcadeRoarings20sTickets
Villa Collina is your New Year’s Eve celebration destination. Tennessee’s largest home is steeped in luxury and mystique, with a surprise around every corner.
Dress to impress and join your friends for an unforgettable evening at Villa Collina and an immersive all-inclusive experience. All guests must be at least 21 years old.
Wine, beer and spirits will be accompanied by delectable food at stations around the home. Bring your best dance moves because music will abound throughout the property – from classical piano to jazz and from an 80s cover band to a DJ playing beats on the dance floor.
Enjoy the magnificent artwork as well as dancers who will perform throughout the home. Amazing silent auction packages will be available for bid until 11 p.m.
At midnight, join us on the terrace for a soaring fireworks show – the largest private show in East Tennessee – to usher in the New Year.
Don’t miss the opportunity to support Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee and ring in 2020 in 1920s style!
Ring in 2020 in the clouds! Join us for our Capella on Cloud 9 New Year’s Eve celebration on Tuesday, December 31 from 8 p.m. – 1 a.m. Tickets include a welcome cocktail, extensive hors d’ourves, live music, a champagne toast at midnight and a chance to win a staycation package at AC Hotel Asheville. No weather refunds will be granted. We hope to see you at Capella on Cloud 9 for the celebration of the decade!
Come ring in 2020 and dance the night away with the Urban Orchard Fam and DJ Malinalli. FREE Admission and champagne and cider specials all day!
Say goodbye to 2019 and welcome 2020 with DJ Curtis of Phoenix Sound, beer, food, music and dancing at Guidon Brewing Company.
New Year, Tiki This: Gather your friends and loved ones to ring in 2020. Indulge in paradise-themed sips at our grandiose holiday themed, tropical oasis at our rooftop bar. Revel in a champagne toast at midnight while taking in sparkling city views.
Tickets are $135 per/person and include:
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Three drinks of your choice
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Two small plate offerings
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One midnight champagne
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New Year’s-themed party favors
*This is a capped event in our intimate rooftop space, so tickets are limited
**Take the Elevator Home: buy 2+ tickets & receive a discounted Hyatt Place Asheville Downtown hotel rate
Say goodbye to 2019 and toast in the New Year with us, live music, sweet treats, and of course, lots of bubbly! Rustic Grape is hosting a ticketed date night event in our cozy, intimate wine bar with Lindsey Meyers, an incredibly talented local musician who will be singing all of our favorite songs. Bring your date or bestie for a fun NYE!
We will be offering a fun & festive drink menu which includes the cutest half bottles of Champagne, sparkling wines, rich fruity red wines, full-bodied whites, house-made mocktails, and our fabulous Pomsettia Champagne Cocktail. All of these drinks pair sweetly with our array of dark chocolates, local cheeses, and other decadent bites!
$50 per couple, What your ticket includes: (ticket includes gratuity)
- Reserved seating for your sweet treat, Artisan dessert board for two filled with Patty’s house-made sweet bites, Melissa’s chocolate truffles, along with local gourmet cheeses.
- A complimentary midnight bubbles toast!
- Live local music with Lindsey Meyers.
Can’t make our festive night? Wine bar opens at 6pm to start your celebratory night out! Come grab a cozy glass of wine before dinner or swing by after to catch some fantastic live music and toast to 2020!
*A limited number of event tickets will be available at the door for $60 IF available, but we expect this event to sell out! Walk-ins welcome for free music and our regular menu.
Ready to go WILD? Join us for a trip “off the eaten path.” You’ll learn how to safely gather edible wild plants, mushrooms, and other “extreme cuisine.” Stay for a stunning view of the sunset and enjoy dinner at Vue 1913 featuring a free appetizer with the edibles you met on your tour. Suitable for all ages and abilities. To register or for more info, see here. Three-hour foraging tours also available, year-round, by arrangement.
Wild food is the ultimate natural food: ultra-local, fresher, more flavorful, 10 to 100 times more nutritious than its garden-variety descendants, AND it’s free! With over 300 wild edibles, Western North Carolina is the richest temperate ecosystem on Earth. For a taste of the wild life, forage ahead and experience the life of a modern hunter-gather firsthand. It’s a unique experience in self-catering, a memorable lesson in high-class survival.
Join Integrative Physician, Cynthia Libert, M.D. to learn body, mind and soul care practices for vibrant emotional health and resilience during times of stress.
Dr. Libert is a board certified Family Physician and diplomate of the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine.
She specializes in Functional Medicine, with an emphasis on nutrition, the gut-brain connection, hormone balance, mood disorders, and the prevention of memory loss and cognitive decline.
Please let us know if you are planning to attend. Contact us via e-mail at [email protected] or by calling the office at 828.490.1545. Let us know your name, phone number, e-mail address and if you are bringing any friends so that we can plan ahead and contact you in case the event is cancelled due to inclement weather.
9:00 am – 10:30 am
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
| Asheville Mardi Gras Parade February 23 |
 The 13th annual Asheville Mardi Gras parade will take place on February 23 in South Slope and we’re looking for parade day volunteers. The Asheville Mardi Gras parade is an all-inclusive, family friendly, full-color spectacle that is fun, entertaining, full of music, floats, dancing and celebrating. Spectators receive beads and candy and the photo opportunities are always amazing.
Details include: * About 20-25 volunteers needed for this rain or shine event. There will be 2 shifts, estimated to be from approx. 11a to 2/3p, and 2p to 5/6p.
*Setting up, manning and breaking down street barricades
*Assisting with krewe and float line up and timing as the parade begins
*Identifying parked cars that might need to be towed and checking for obstacles to smooth crowd control along the parade route.
*Coordinating with the Parade Logistics manager and city police
*Carrying 1 or 2 parade banners (Costumes optional but always encouraged!)
*Assisting with end of parade float disbursement
*Trash pick up following the parade set up and marching route. This is mostly paper trash and beads. It’s rarely more than a few bags total.
Returning barricades, cones, etc. to the post-parade collection point
Confirmed Volunteer perks include $10 gift card to Vortex Donuts & Coffee and a free beer at Catawba. Possibly more perks to come!
Email Dane if you’re interested in helping out, [email protected]
AMG is also seeking a Parade Day Logistics Manager as a PAID POSITION for Sunday, Feb. 23. Ideal person should have outdoor event coordination experience, flexibility and a good sense of humor. Duties include coordinating volunteers, ensuring cones and barricades are in place at all check points, answering any traffic/parked car/pedestrian concerns, acting as parade day primary contact for police and security and Mardi Gras leadership, coordinating compliance with City parade permit requirements, and helping ensure a timely start and finish to the parade. Candidate could plan to cover the parade route via bicycle or scooter or use walkie talkies to accomplish oversight of the .5 mile parade route. This position pays $125 for the day. More details available to any interested candidate. Email Dane if you’re interested in the position, [email protected]
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On holiday break from a 100-city world tour, Justin Ray is home in Asheville for the release of his first big band recording. Join us for this live performance from Justin & his 18-piece orchestra!
The Justin Ray Big Band plays original music deeply rooted in the swing of Ellington and Basie, with lyrical themes that are both current and timeless.
Justin Ray started his musical career as a bebop trumpet player, performing in venues all over the country. In 2003, he began to tour the world with the Michael Bublé band as the trumpet soloist. While with Bublé, Justin was given the opportunity to perform the works of some of the great composers/arrangers of the big band genre (Nelson Riddle, Quincy Jones, etc.), and he began working for Bublé in that capacity as well, becoming the primary orchestrator for the band in 2008. In 2015, Justin founded Elephant Sword Studios. The studio’s initial focus was to produce and record original big band arrangements of the standard American songbook repertoire, but that focus changed in 2017. Elephant Sword is now dedicated to original music for big band. Style and swing are still at the center, but no musical or lyrical influence is out of bounds. This is big band music for the millennium.
9:00 am – 10:30 am
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
What ingredients go into making sausage? How do you grind, mix, and stuff a sausage by hand? What’s the difference between an Italian sausage and a bratwurst?
Learn about these topics and more in one of our most popular classes: DIY Sausage & Beer!
WHAT TO EXPECT
- MIX & MINGLE: Before the sausage-making begins, we’ll give you an overview of the process while you sample local and house-made charcuterie and sip on beer from a local brewery (TBA) or a glass of wine. You’ll also get to mingle and chat with other students in the class.
- MIX, GRIND & STUFF: Next, we’ll head into our cut room. (Dress warmly! It’s chilly in there!) You’ll learn about the ingredients and spices that go into different kinds of sausages. Then, our butchers will show you how to mix, grind, and stuff sausages. This is a hands-on class and you’ll get to make your own sausages from start to finish.
- LEARN: During the class, we’ll explain how to cook sausages and pair them with other foods and beverages. Questions are not only welcome, but encouraged!
- TAKE IT HOME: Take home the sausage you make, plus PDF notes and recipes from the class.
Would you like to learn more about how literacy changes our students’ lives?
Please join us for coffee and a one-hour tour of the Literacy Council.
UPCOMING TOUR DATES for 2020
Friday, January 10 – 9am | Monday, February 10 – 4pm | Friday, March 13 – 9am
Monday, April 13 – 4pm | Friday, May 8 – 9am | Monday, June 8 – 4pm
Ready to go WILD? Join us for a trip “off the eaten path.” You’ll learn how to safely gather edible wild plants, mushrooms, and other “extreme cuisine.” Stay for a stunning view of the sunset and enjoy dinner at Vue 1913 featuring a free appetizer with the edibles you met on your tour. Suitable for all ages and abilities. To register or for more info, see here. Three-hour foraging tours also available, year-round, by arrangement.
Wild food is the ultimate natural food: ultra-local, fresher, more flavorful, 10 to 100 times more nutritious than its garden-variety descendants, AND it’s free! With over 300 wild edibles, Western North Carolina is the richest temperate ecosystem on Earth. For a taste of the wild life, forage ahead and experience the life of a modern hunter-gather firsthand. It’s a unique experience in self-catering, a memorable lesson in high-class survival.
| Asheville Mardi Gras Parade February 23 |
| The 13th annual Asheville Mardi Gras parade will take place on February 23 in South Slope and we’re looking for parade day volunteers. The Asheville Mardi Gras parade is an all-inclusive, family friendly, full-color spectacle that is fun, entertaining, full of music, floats, dancing and celebrating. Spectators receive beads and candy and the photo opportunities are always amazing.
Details include: * About 20-25 volunteers needed for this rain or shine event. There will be 2 shifts, estimated to be from approx. 11a to 2/3p, and 2p to 5/6p.
*Setting up, manning and breaking down street barricades
*Assisting with krewe and float line up and timing as the parade begins
*Identifying parked cars that might need to be towed and checking for obstacles to smooth crowd control along the parade route.
*Coordinating with the Parade Logistics manager and city police
*Carrying 1 or 2 parade banners (Costumes optional but always encouraged!)
*Assisting with end of parade float disbursement
*Trash pick up following the parade set up and marching route. This is mostly paper trash and beads. It’s rarely more than a few bags total.
Returning barricades, cones, etc. to the post-parade collection point
Confirmed Volunteer perks include $10 gift card to Vortex Donuts & Coffee and a free beer at Catawba. Possibly more perks to come!
Email Dane if you’re interested in helping out, [email protected]
AMG is also seeking a Parade Day Logistics Manager as a PAID POSITION for Sunday, Feb. 23. Ideal person should have outdoor event coordination experience, flexibility and a good sense of humor. Duties include coordinating volunteers, ensuring cones and barricades are in place at all check points, answering any traffic/parked car/pedestrian concerns, acting as parade day primary contact for police and security and Mardi Gras leadership, coordinating compliance with City parade permit requirements, and helping ensure a timely start and finish to the parade. Candidate could plan to cover the parade route via bicycle or scooter or use walkie talkies to accomplish oversight of the .5 mile parade route. This position pays $125 for the day. More details available to any interested candidate. Email Dane if you’re interested in the position, [email protected]
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ENJOY YOUR LIFE Asheville
| Enjoy Your Life GAME NIGHT at the ARCHETYPE Come join us for a Game Night! Bring your favorite game (board game, cards, dominoes, etc.) and your favorite snack. There are also restaurants nearby where you can purchase food and bring it… |
| Asheville Mardi Gras Parade February 23 |
| The 13th annual Asheville Mardi Gras parade will take place on February 23 in South Slope and we’re looking for parade day volunteers. The Asheville Mardi Gras parade is an all-inclusive, family friendly, full-color spectacle that is fun, entertaining, full of music, floats, dancing and celebrating. Spectators receive beads and candy and the photo opportunities are always amazing.
Details include: * About 20-25 volunteers needed for this rain or shine event. There will be 2 shifts, estimated to be from approx. 11a to 2/3p, and 2p to 5/6p.
*Setting up, manning and breaking down street barricades
*Assisting with krewe and float line up and timing as the parade begins
*Identifying parked cars that might need to be towed and checking for obstacles to smooth crowd control along the parade route.
*Coordinating with the Parade Logistics manager and city police
*Carrying 1 or 2 parade banners (Costumes optional but always encouraged!)
*Assisting with end of parade float disbursement
*Trash pick up following the parade set up and marching route. This is mostly paper trash and beads. It’s rarely more than a few bags total.
Returning barricades, cones, etc. to the post-parade collection point
Confirmed Volunteer perks include $10 gift card to Vortex Donuts & Coffee and a free beer at Catawba. Possibly more perks to come!
Email Dane if you’re interested in helping out, [email protected]
AMG is also seeking a Parade Day Logistics Manager as a PAID POSITION for Sunday, Feb. 23. Ideal person should have outdoor event coordination experience, flexibility and a good sense of humor. Duties include coordinating volunteers, ensuring cones and barricades are in place at all check points, answering any traffic/parked car/pedestrian concerns, acting as parade day primary contact for police and security and Mardi Gras leadership, coordinating compliance with City parade permit requirements, and helping ensure a timely start and finish to the parade. Candidate could plan to cover the parade route via bicycle or scooter or use walkie talkies to accomplish oversight of the .5 mile parade route. This position pays $125 for the day. More details available to any interested candidate. Email Dane if you’re interested in the position, [email protected]
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On Sunday, January 12th, 2020 1 PM – 5 PM we will gather at Penny Cup Coffee (River Arts District) for a Townsend & Roney Canvass Blitz. With a short primary season before the March 3rd primary, we need your help knocking on doors. At this canvas blitz, we will hold a canvass training followed by boots on the ground door knocking. For more information and to RSVP, use the following link: https://actionnetwork.org/events/townsend-roney-canvass-blitz
In order to get the Asheville we all deserve, we must work together. We hope you and your neighbors will join us in 2020.
Learn about how their hogs are pasture raised from their farm director Asher Wright. He will discuss heritage breeds, health benefits of pasture raised pork and how various inputs on the production side impact the quality of the meat. Enjoy a beautiful spread of their in-house made charcuterie & a locally crafted adult beverage of your choice. Watch head butcher Brian Bermingham demonstrate how to break down each part of a Heritage breed hog, explaining each step of the process along the way. Class is $100 per person.