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.
Right now, a team of doctors is scrubbing in for a surgery while a patient waits for a procedure that they hope will save their life; blood bags are prepared and ready. In a different hospital, a team of nurses is giving a trauma victim a lifesaving blood transfusion. Several floors away, a cancer patient is receiving a platelet transfusion after chemotherapy. Those patients, and thousands of others, can hope and plan for the new year because blood products were available.
As we enter 2023, many are looking at a piece of paper, writing down their new year’s resolutions and goals: ‘read ten books…get outside more often…go to the gym.’ The Blood Connection (TBC), the non-profit community blood center, is encouraging people to add one more thing to that list: save a life with TBC. It may sound daunting. It may sound unachievable. But with just one hour and one blood donation, three lives can be saved in this community. The difference between a joyous and tragic new year for many local families is community blood donors.
TBC is urging community members to make blood donation a priority in 2023 – because, simply put: lives depend on it.
Free hybrid event with an option to attend virtually and a limited number of seats available to attend the in-store. Registration is required for both in-person and virtual attendance. Jennie Liu launches her middle grade novel, “Enly and the Buskin’ Blues” about twelve-year-old Enly Wu Lewis, who sets out to earn the money for music camp on his own, by busking with an obscure instrument he can only kind of play.
Our first passholder-exclusive event of the year! Join a naturalist for an intimate hike with fellow passholders in an area of the Park not typically open to the public. This moderate hike traverses our own old growth forest and gives you the opportunity to learn what makes this ecosystem unique. This event is exclusively for Annual Passholders.
The countdown to the annual Battle of the Badges Blood Drive is on. Buncombe County and Asheville first responders face off every year for a lifesaving cause and a little friendly competition.
Local heroes are rolling up their sleeves and encouraging the community to do the same. Just one donation can save up to three lives. Sign up to donate today and support your favorite badged department. All donors will receive a custom long sleeve Battle of the Badges T-shirt, a $10 Gift Card by email from Amazon, and a chance to win a FL trip: rcblood.org/heart. Give blood, warm hearts, and vote for your favorite first responders.
Sign up Online for the Battle of the Badges Blood Drive
Schedule an appointment and enter sponsor code avlbattleofbadges or call 1-800-REDCROSS.
Many have heard of “love languages”; the ways we share and receive love from those most important in our life. One of those love languages? Acts of service. What better act of service than donating blood with The Blood Connection (TBC) and their partner organizations? Donating blood is a compassionate way to show our neighbors and community just how much we care. This February, TBC is partnering with Texas Roadhouse to provide fun and rewarding opportunities to donate blood.
On February 23 and March 2, TBC is once again partnering with Texas Roadhouse for the “Hearts as Big as Texas” campaign. Now in its fifth year, Hearts as Big as Texas brings more than 20 bloodmobiles out across the Carolinas and Georgia to make blood donation convenient and fun for community members. As a thank you for donating, all blood donors will receive a $20 Texas Roadhouse Gift card, a free appetizer coupon, plus a bonus $30 eGift card! Participating locations include:
- Anderson, SC
- Asheville, NC
- Augusta, GA
- Columbia (Columbiana), SC
- Columbia (Two Notch), SC
- Durham, NC
- Florence, SC
- Gainesville, GA
- Gastonia, NC
- Greenville, NC
- Holly Springs, NC
- Macon, GA
- Myrtle Beach, SC
- North Charleston, SC
- Savannah, GA
- Spartanburg, SC
- Taylors, SC
- Wake Forest, NC
Many have heard of “love languages”; the ways we share and receive love from those most important in our life. One of those love languages? Acts of service. What better act of service than donating blood with The Blood Connection (TBC) and their partner organizations? Donating blood is a compassionate way to show our neighbors and community just how much we care. This February, TBC is partnering with Texas Roadhouse to provide fun and rewarding opportunities to donate blood.
On February 23 and March 2, TBC is once again partnering with Texas Roadhouse for the “Hearts as Big as Texas” campaign. Now in its fifth year, Hearts as Big as Texas brings more than 20 bloodmobiles out across the Carolinas and Georgia to make blood donation convenient and fun for community members. As a thank you for donating, all blood donors will receive a $20 Texas Roadhouse Gift card, a free appetizer coupon, plus a bonus $30 eGift card! Participating locations include:
- Anderson, SC
- Asheville, NC
- Augusta, GA
- Columbia (Columbiana), SC
- Columbia (Two Notch), SC
- Durham, NC
- Florence, SC
- Gainesville, GA
- Gastonia, NC
- Greenville, NC
- Holly Springs, NC
- Macon, GA
- Myrtle Beach, SC
- North Charleston, SC
- Savannah, GA
- Spartanburg, SC
- Taylors, SC
- Wake Forest, NC
Spend an hour hiking one of the Parks’ six trails with a naturalist. Watch the transformation from winter to spring on this educational excursion. You may even learn some of the Parks’ history as well. Meet in front of Cliff Dwellers Gifts.
Spend an hour hiking one of the Parks’ six trails with a naturalist. Watch the transformation from winter to spring on this educational excursion. You may even learn some of the Parks’ history as well. Meet in front of Cliff Dwellers Gifts.
Giving blood is a simple thing to do, but it can make a big difference in the lives of others. Asheville Outlets is teaming up with the American Red Cross to host a mobile blood drive on Friday, March 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot located behind the food court. Donors are asked to register in advance by visiting RedCrossBlood.org/give and entering the sponsor code AshevilleOutlets. For more information, visit ShopAshevilleOutlets.com.
Along the Chattooga River, the states of NC, SC, and GA intersect. From conflicts between Cherokees and white settlers, to the Walton War between Georgia and North Carolina over their boundaries, this area has seen its share of strife and political challenges. Surveyor Andrew Ellicott initially settled the conflict and placed a marker along the bank of the river in 1811. But eventually his work was challenged by the more precise “Governor’s Rock” a few years afterward. As late as the 1970s though, NC and GA once again disputed the precise location. Join us as we hike through three states and explore the history of this contested boundary.
Join us for Happy Hiker Day, a spring event celebrating the Year of the Trail and our love for hiking! At the intersection of the Appalachian Trail and the Nantahala River, we are proud to be a respite and guide for thru-hikers, day hikers, and anyone that wants to get out on the trail! Enjoy a free guided local hike, discounts on hiking gear, activities for kids, a trail mix bar, an AMA (ask me anything) with a former thru-hiker, and participate in a backpack shakedown! AT Thru-hikers and authors Josh and Amber Nevins will give a talk and book signing.
Schedule Of Events:
- 10% off Select Hiking Gear at our Outfitter’s Store.
- 11 am: Short guided informational hike to Rufus Morgan Appalachian Trail Shelter, 1.5 mile round trip- easy to moderate. Meet outside the General Store.
- Pack Shakedowns with our experienced retail guides at the Outfitters Store.
- 12 pm: Kids Activities on River Left. See signs for details
- 12:30 pm – 1 pm: “Ask Me Anything” with former 2016 Thru-Hiker “Hot Sauce”
- 2 pm: Book Signing/Presentation with Josh and Amber Niven upstairs in the Outfitter’s Store
See other great hiking events here: https://greattrailsnc.com/events/
Spend an hour hiking one of the Parks’ six trails with a naturalist. Watch the transformation from winter to spring on this educational excursion. You may even learn some of the Parks’ history as well. Meet in front of Cliff Dwellers Gifts.
As spring migratory species make their return journey from their sunny winter hideaways, see how many you can spot from our location on the NC Birding Trail. Bring your binoculars to get a better look at numerous species traveling north through the Park. Just how many will you add to your list?
Have social time meet our staff and current fosters and get to know more about our Foster Program. Games, snacks, and other goodies will be provided for attendees and donations of much-needed kitten items are encouraged. Items requested include vital supplies like kitten formula and food, kitten warmers, bottles, and supplements that give foster kittens the needed boost to grow into healthy adult cats.
The full kitten supply list is available on the Blue Ridge Humane Society website at https://www.blueridgehumane.org/donate/wish-list/. There are also options available for items to be purchased online and shipped directly to Blue Ridge Humane.
As the weather warms up, the birds, bees, and cats get busy. Soon, kittens start to appear in local animal shelters, “rescued” by well-meaning animal lovers. “We are coming on that time of year when animal lovers begin finding kittens outside,” says Angela Prodrick, Blue Ridge Humane’s Executive Director. “It is important to remember that the amount of community or feral cats in our county far outnumbers the number of people living in our community. If all the kittens were brought to a local shelter, the shelter would quickly become overwhelmed.”
If you find a kitten, here are a few simple things you can do to help save lives:
Instead of immediately springing into action once kittens are found, wait and watch. If the kittens aren’t visibly sick or injured, move away from the nest and wait to see if the mother returns. If the mother returns, you can help her by providing food and shelter while she raises the kittens.
If you discover that mom isn’t returning, or if it appears that she is not coming back, then you should remove the kittens. This is crucial to the kittens’ survival. The best place for kittens to grow is with a dedicated foster. Blue Ridge Humane provides kitten kits to help kitten rescuers turn into kitten fosters.
Once kittens are about 6-8 weeks old, a finder can look to get them spayed or neutered and adopted into new homes. If you find kittens that need care and you need supplies or advice, contact the BRHS Foster and Community Outreach Team at [email protected] or (828) 393-5832. Animal lovers can also view additional resources about what to do when kittens are found at https://www.blueridgehumane.org/resources/lost-found/kittens/.
Blue Ridge Humane offers kitten care support for volunteers, as well as comprehensive training and support for fosters in the BRHS foster program. To learn more about fostering, visit https://www.blueridgehumane.org/get-involved/foster/ or contact Michaela Okuda, Foster Program Coordinator at [email protected].
The Blue Ridge Humane Society, Inc., is a 501(c)3 animal welfare organization started in 1950 and dedicated to ensuring the highest quality of life for animals in Henderson County and our neighboring communities. BRHS cares for pets awaiting adoption at the Adoption Center; offers low-cost vaccine clinics, animal education programs, pet training classes, and youth education and projects; coordinates community pet food assistance, emergency vet assistance, and the Spay Neuter Incentive Program (SNIP), which is a collaboration with Henderson County, the City of Hendersonville, and the Henderson County Animal Services Center.
If you believe in our cause, consider donating or learning how to volunteer by visiting the Blue Ridge Humane Society’s website at www.blueridgehumane.org or call (828) 692-2639.
Spend an hour hiking one of the Parks’ six trails with a naturalist. Watch the transformation from winter to spring on this educational excursion. You may even learn some of the Parks’ history as well. Meet in front of Cliff Dwellers Gifts.
Kate Steinbeck
Music for solo flute – A program of surprises
This concert is a fundraiser for a mission trip to Armenia to play concerts for UN Refugee communities and others
Advanced reservations are encouraged.
Read more about Adventure Armenia here: https://panharmonia.org/2023/01/02/adventure-armenia/
Once we reach 700 donors, our magic Give UNC Asheville golden ticket will become activated! The ticket is currently hidden somewhere on campus, and the student who finds it will decide which fund will receive an extra $1,000 gift, thanks to the generosity of Vice Chancellor of Advancement Kirk Swenson.
La Sylphide (translated to “The Sylph”) is a magical morality tale about the pitfalls of temptation. Set in Scotland, the ballet tells of James, his fiancé Effie, and a beautiful Sylph who first appears as a dream, ultimately luring James into the woods, abandoning friends and his bride. La Sylphide features exquisite classical technique, intriguing characters, and leaves questions for the audience to ponder about the choices we make. La Sylphide is one of the oldest full length classical ballets still in repertoires of major ballet companies across the globe.
International Ballet’s La Sylphide will feature Greenville Native Ekaterina Nechayeva as the Sylph.
Join Ali McGhee and Tara Eschenroeder for this special Earth Day adventure!
About the adventure…
Earth my body, water my blood, air my breath, and fire my spirit!
We are surrounded by so much beauty that we so often overlook as we are distracted by so many things to do and tasks to accomplish. We forget that we are human beings (not human doings) grounded in place and inherent, effortless purpose.
This hike will excite our senses and our minds as we gather deep wisdom about area plants and discover their powerful potential. On our journey up the mountain, we’ll meet several of our local and native plant species and learn their medicinal and magical uses, from healers that help us reconnect with the land – and ourselves – to a few storied (and poisonous) allies.
At the top of the majestic Bearwallow bald, we will share a meditation on the land and flow together in asana, then celebrate with fresh herbal tea brewed from plants we’ve met. Not only will we interact and commune with nature, but we will also come together as a beautiful community celebrating new friends and old.
This adventure is limited to 20 participants.
We can’t wait to share this experience with you!
Sign up here!
Please join us in Hendersonville, NC, April 29th, 2PM. Live Music From Johhny Blackwell and Joe Roads, as well as Raffle Prizes! Fundraiser benefits Jennifer’s cancer treatment and search for a cure. Thank you!!! Other ways to help: https://givesendgo.com/G9QUV?utm_source=sharelink&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=G9QUV https://gofund.me/57aec302
Join us on SATURDAY, APRIL 29TH at 305 Main Street in Hendersonville, NC for a Benefit to help fund our treatment and search for a cure (STAGE 4 NO MORE: SEARCH FOR A CURE).There will be LIVE MUSIC by Johnnie Blackwell & Joe Roads, a RAFFLE & MORE!!!
Fun begins at 2 PM. See you there!!!
Other ways to help:
https://givesendgo.com/G9QUV?utm_source=sharelink&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=G9QUV
https://gofund.me/57aec302
Enjoy this intimate spring birding walk with a local bird expert and get to know your fellow passholders, too. Scope out some of our many resident species as they enjoy the late spring weather from our spot on the NC Birding Trail. This event is exclusively for Annual Passholders.
Watch as the Park comes alive under the shadow of darkness on this guided evening excursion with a Park naturalist. Do you know which animals come out along the Hickory Nut Falls trail when the sun goes down? Get ready to learn more about the Park’s rarely-seen residents.
We are hosting our third blood drive!
Please join us on Tuesday, May 9th at our Connestee Falls office from 12-4 PM.
Give us a call at (828) 884-7355 to reserve your appointment or go online to redcrossblood.org and enter the sponsor keyword: LookingGlass
We hope to see you there!
ASO Amadeus Festival
Visit the Asheville Art Museum Atrium for Music Mixology!
Music on the hour from Noon to 5 pm
The music begins with Flute at Noon, adds Bassoon at 1 pm then Clarinet at 2 pm; Oboe at 3 pm and finally mixes in a French horn at 4 pm to concoct a woodwind quintet!
Gorgeous music featuring: Kare Steinbeck, flute; Rosalind Buda, bassoon; Taylor Massey, clarinet; Michael Jones, oboe; Anneka Zuehlke, French horn
Each musical portion is 20-25 minutes long. Drop in for any part of the afternoon. Walk-ins are welcome. Reservations are encouraged, as seating is limited.
Save a Life. Donate Blood.
Giving blood is a simple thing to do, but it can make a big difference in the lives of others. Asheville Outlets is teaming up with the American Red Cross to host a mobile blood drive.
The American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held Friday, May 26, from 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. in the parking lot located behind the food court. May is Trauma Awareness Month for the Red Cross. Blood need rises as Trauma needs rise in summer months, with more travel, Auto accidents, and when outdoor activities increase so does physical injury. Your help collecting much needed blood supply is valued. Thank you!
Donors are asked to register in advance by visiting RedCrossBlood.org/give and entering the sponsor code AshevilleOutlets.
Hit the trails and celebrate this national holiday, not to mention NC State Park’s Year of the Trail. Join us for guided hikes throughout the day and meet with a ranger to learn the 10 essentials of hiking and backpacking.
Watch as the Park comes alive under the shadow of darkness on this guided evening excursion with a Park naturalist. Do you know which animals come out along the Hickory Nut Falls trail when the sun goes down? Get ready to learn more about the Park’s rarely-seen residents. NOTE: The Hickory Nut Falls Trail is considered a moderate trail. Attendees must be able to hike the trail 3/4 of a mile each direction.