Calendar of Events

TFAC invites all artists: painters, sculptors, writers, performers & more — to a casual weekly drop-in gathering on Saturday mornings at 9 AM to share your works in progress, alert others, and chat about art and what’s happening in your community. The first weekly Coffee is Saturday, August 20 at 9 am. No RSVP needed, just drop by! Free parking available on Melrose Avenue, behind and alongside TFAC.

The SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities Dance Department presents an evening of mixed repertoire showcasing refreshingly versatile and passionate dance students performing a wide range of works that celebrate both the Classical Ballet traditions as well as the moving trends of the 21st century.

The SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities Dance Department presents an evening of mixed repertoire showcasing refreshingly versatile and passionate dance students performing a wide range of works that celebrate both the Classical Ballet traditions as well as the moving trends of the 21st century.

This recital, which is free and open to the public, will feature a young promising singer and it has the added
purpose of raising funds for his brother’s Memorial Fund.

David Weigel has been hailed by the San Francisco Chronicle as “heroic” and “stentorian” possessing an
“imposing mahogany voice” (Opera News). He is a recent graduate of the Ryan Opera Center at the Lyric
Opera of Chicago. On May 21, Mr. Weigel will perform art songs in several languages, opera arias and some
well-known music theatre selections.
A native of Asheville, Mr.Weigel holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Furman University. He pursued
graduate studies at UNC-Greensboro, A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute at the UNC School of the Arts, and
Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Michigan.
“We are thrilled to present Mr. Weigel in concert and recognize that he is destined for a significant career,”
said Dewitt Tipton, Organist, Director of Music for St. John in the Wilderness and creator of Friends of
Music. “We are also pleased to be able to offer this event as a way to contribute to his brother’s Memorial
Fund through the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina.”
We cannot adequately express how much we appreciate this effort.  It touches our hearts deeply, and we are
so grateful to you all,” said Larry Weigel, Eric’s and David’s father.
Donations are encouraged. Checks should be made out to St. John in the Wilderness with Eric Weigel
Memorial Fund in the memo line.

Great news for poets and poetry lovers: Dark City Poet’s Society is returning to the Black Mountain Library. DCPS is a completely free poetry group that is open to poets of all ages and experience levels. Join us at the Black Mountain Library from 6-7:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month for our (respectful) critique group. DCPS will meet at BAD Craft from 6-7 p.m. on the third Tuesday for our monthly open mic Poetry Night. Find out more on Instagram @darkcitypoetssociety or contact the Black Mountain Library.

Inspiring, revealing, and deeply relatable, Being a Ballerina is a first-hand look at the realities of life as a professional ballet dancer. Through episodes of her own career, Gavin Larsen describes the forces that drive a person to study dance; the daily balance that dancers navigate between hardship and joy; and the dancer’s continual quest to discover who they are as a person and as an artist.

Join us for this very special event as we welcome author and dancer Gavin Larsen for readings from her book Being a Ballerina: The Power and Perfection of a Dancing Life. In addition to the reading, the audience will also be treated to a performance of excerpts from the ballet Giselle.

This program is for an audience of all ages, and Malaprops will be on hand to sell copies of Gavin’s book after the event is over.

You will find Tom Tenbrunsel a delightfully refreshing poet with a wide variety of subject matter and a style somewhere between Sandburg, Frost and the late Appalachian poet James Wright. Tom challenges one’s whit with a refreshing array of non-conforming rhyme, structure, rhythm and oft made-up words and hidden meanings. Uniquely Tom includes a photo and Author’s Notes with each poem. Join us in May to engage the spirit and myth of poetry with Tom’s “Poetry on my Mind”

Casual Poetry/Poetry on my Mind. Tom will read a couple poems for fun. He will ask guests to write a
short poem from a prompt with feedback from the group. Tom would like guests to feel free to bring short
poems to read and discuss. He encourages questions about writing poetry, about a poem of his or his
journey as a poet or his Self Help Series. So familiarize yourself with his works by scanning his website,
tenbrunsel.com Comments or questions are welcomed. Or feel free to email him in advance at
[email protected].  Check out his website tenbrunsel.com before the workshop. Send in one of your
poems to be commented on by Tom.

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!

A writer and a poet, Dr. Tenbrunsel enjoyed a long successful career in Clinical Psychology. Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Tom graduated from Bellarmine University, obtained his doctorate from St Louis University in 1969. He taught, published and was in administration at Michigan State University and was VP for Advancement at the University of Alabama at Huntsville. He and his wife reside in the Appalachians of Western North Carolina. They have three successful children and eight grand grandchildren. Dr T. enjoys photography, gardening, cycling, hiking, camping and stalking the elusive trout. His writings and publications speak for themselves. He has published numerous books including:  Casual Gardening,  Poetry on My Mind, The Fund Raising Resource Manual,  The Fund Raising Handbook, Fund-Raising and Grantsmanship:  Getting Money from the Community for the Community, The Lansing Area Doctors Directory, 1&2,   Dissertation “A Group Coupon Economy Program in Treating Mental Illness:  An Experiment in Social Innovation”,   A Wrinkle in My Time: My Memoirs (a work in progress)

Beginner’s workshop lesson at 7:30 P.M., then 8-11 P.M. Contra Dance with Country Waltzing at the break and the final dance. This is a partner dance but it’s not necessary to come with a partner. We have different live bands and callers.

TFAC invites all artists: painters, sculptors, writers, performers & more — to a casual weekly drop-in gathering on Saturday mornings at 9 AM to share your works in progress, alert others, and chat about art and what’s happening in your community. The first weekly Coffee is Saturday, August 20 at 9 am. No RSVP needed, just drop by! Free parking available on Melrose Avenue, behind and alongside TFAC.

Womansong, Asheville’s longest-running women’s community chorus, invites you to join us in our spring concert, “Love Your Mother (Earth)” a tribute to the beauty of our world. Under the direction of Artistic Director Dr. Allison Thorp, along with Assistant Director Claire Lemke and former Director Althea Gonzalez, this concert will focus on songs celebrating, caring for, and advocating for Mother Earth. The first half of our program will highlight music that expresses love for the earth – appreciation, reflection, connection and joy. The second half will feature music that expresses love for the earth in action – doing, moving, and making change. Among the many inspiring songs are Carrie Newcomer’s If Not Now, Joni Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi, Elise Witt’s My Salsa Garden, and the world premiere of Lytingale’s call-to-action composition, Together We Can Change the World.

Great news for poets and poetry lovers: Dark City Poet’s Society is returning to the Black Mountain Library. DCPS is a completely free poetry group that is open to poets of all ages and experience levels. Join us at the Black Mountain Library from 6-7:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month for our (respectful) critique group. DCPS will meet at BAD Craft from 6-7 p.m. on the third Tuesday for our monthly open mic Poetry Night. Find out more on Instagram @darkcitypoetssociety or contact the Black Mountain Library.

A beautiful full-length production of the classic romantic ballet ‘Giselle’ performed by the celebrated Ballet Conservatory of Asheville’s pre-professional company.

A story of innocent love and betrayal, with the much loved score by Adolphe Adam

This year Ballet Conservatory of Asheville’s alumni have performed with American Ballet Theater, Miami City Ballet, Finnish National Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet and been award scholarships and placement in every top ballet university program.

This Spring semester we are thrilled to welcome choreographer in residence, Nick Kepley.

Join us for this 5K Run for Life event hosted by Open Arms Pregnancy Center to help support women and teens facing unplanned pregnancies. This will be a run/walk-timed event to be held at The Park at Flat Rock located at 55 Highland Golf Drive, Flat Rock, NC US 28731 June 3,2023 with a start time of 8:30 AM.
Runners should register by May 14 to secure a T-shirt for the race.
Sign up at https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/FlatRock/Run4for5k
Those interested in sponsoring the event should contact Open Arms Pregnancy Center by May 15th to learn more. (Marlies Zerressen at [email protected] or Lydia Bright at 864-921-5770)
Open Arms’ ministry is love, our aim: to support and guide, our purpose: to serve God and preserve life. We provide a safe and supportive place for pregnancy related needs with ultrasounds, material and emotional support for those facing difficult circumstances or perhaps the loss of a child.
All are services are Free and Confidential.

TFAC invites all artists: painters, sculptors, writers, performers & more — to a casual weekly drop-in gathering on Saturday mornings at 9 AM to share your works in progress, alert others, and chat about art and what’s happening in your community. The first weekly Coffee is Saturday, August 20 at 9 am. No RSVP needed, just drop by! Free parking available on Melrose Avenue, behind and alongside TFAC.

Just Brew It is a homebrew competition and tasting in Asheville benefiting the work of Just Economics. The festival features 75+ different beers and 30+ amazing homebrewers. The competing homebrewers are some of the finest specialty homebrewers in the region with classic brews from traditional IPAs, lagers, sours, and stouts to unique beers brewed with specialty items like coffee, chocolate, spices, and fruit.

To attend, you must be a current member of Just Economics. This event is not ticketed, so you must purchase a membership prior to the event. Then, all Just Economics members can sample the homebrews and vote for their favorites!

Purchase your membership here: https://www.justeconomicswnc.org/donate/

Memberships are $30, which grants you entry to the event.
Memberships with a VIP package are $50, which grant you entry to the event an hour early (1:00pm) plus a souvenir glass, gourmet pretzel, and more.

This is a local festival you won’t want to miss and your membership supports the work of Just Economics to advance living wages, affordable housing and better transit! Hope to see you there!

A beautiful full-length production of the classic romantic ballet ‘Giselle’ performed by the celebrated Ballet Conservatory of Asheville’s pre-professional company.

A story of innocent love and betrayal, with the much loved score by Adolphe Adam

This year Ballet Conservatory of Asheville’s alumni have performed with American Ballet Theater, Miami City Ballet, Finnish National Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet and been award scholarships and placement in every top ballet university program.

This Spring semester we are thrilled to welcome choreographer in residence, Nick Kepley.

A beautiful full-length production of the classic romantic ballet ‘Giselle’ performed by the celebrated Ballet Conservatory of Asheville’s pre-professional company.

A story of innocent love and betrayal, with the much loved score by Adolphe Adam

This year Ballet Conservatory of Asheville’s alumni have performed with American Ballet Theater, Miami City Ballet, Finnish National Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet and been award scholarships and placement in every top ballet university program.

This Spring semester we are thrilled to welcome choreographer in residence, Nick Kepley.

Looking for a buzz-worthy event? Look no further than Asheville’s 2nd Annual Honey Festival! Join the Center for Honeybee Research and Shanti Elixirs on Sunday, June 4th, from 12-6pm for a day of celebration, education, and community-building.
At the festival, you’ll enjoy live music, food trucks, and vendors showcasing the unique flavors of honey and other artisanal goods. But that’s not all: you’ll also be supporting a great cause, as proceeds from the festival will go towards saving pollinators and our planet.
The Center for Honeybee Research will be offering local and international honey for guests to sample and purchase, and you can even participate in the People’s Choice award for local honey vendors. Plus, we will be featuring the live finals of the 12th Annual International Black Jar Honey competition. Festival goers can watch as local celebrities determine the world’s best tasting honey.
And don’t forget to come dressed in your best pollinator-themed costume! It’s all part of the fun at Asheville’s 2nd Annual Honey Festival.
Personal water bottles are recommended, and families are encouraged to attend. So mark your calendars for June 4th, and come out to celebrate the wonderful world of beekeeping, honey, and all things pollinators. Together, we can help save the bees!

WNC Dance Academy presents their annual Spring Showcase, featuring our award winning WNCDA Performance Company and the artistry of our talented academy students and choreographers.

Great news for poets and poetry lovers: Dark City Poet’s Society is returning to the Black Mountain Library. DCPS is a completely free poetry group that is open to poets of all ages and experience levels. Join us at the Black Mountain Library from 6-7:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month for our (respectful) critique group. DCPS will meet at BAD Craft from 6-7 p.m. on the third Tuesday for our monthly open mic Poetry Night. Find out more on Instagram @darkcitypoetssociety or contact the Black Mountain Library.

Ain’t Done Bad is a momentous, yet achingly vulnerable piece of Contemporary Dance Theatre created by “So You Think You Can Dance” star, Jakob Karr. Featuring the vivid, revelatory music of Orville Peck, seven of the most sought-after professional dancers in the industry, bring Jakob’s story to life in this utterly seamless, hour long work of art. Ain’t Done Bad explores the experience of growing up, coming out and finding love, using dance to celebrate the journey of leaving shame behind to embrace your authentic, vulnerable voice, all without speaking a word. 35th Parallel Productions proudly shares this exciting new work with the world!

TFAC invites all artists: painters, sculptors, writers, performers & more — to a casual weekly drop-in gathering on Saturday mornings at 9 AM to share your works in progress, alert others, and chat about art and what’s happening in your community. The first weekly Coffee is Saturday, August 20 at 9 am. No RSVP needed, just drop by! Free parking available on Melrose Avenue, behind and alongside TFAC.

Great news for poets and poetry lovers: Dark City Poet’s Society is returning to the Black Mountain Library. DCPS is a completely free poetry group that is open to poets of all ages and experience levels. Join us at the Black Mountain Library from 6-7:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month for our (respectful) critique group. DCPS will meet at BAD Craft from 6-7 p.m. on the third Tuesday for our monthly open mic Poetry Night. Find out more on Instagram @darkcitypoetssociety or contact the Black Mountain Library.

 Exciting News! We’re thrilled to announce that, as a part of their Thursday night non-profit event, @thewhaleavl has chosen 12 Baskets Café and Garden will be the proud beneficiary next Thursday June 15th!

Join us at The Whale for an incredible evening of fun and philanthropy. We will have a table set up from 5 pm to about 10 pm and from 6-8 pm, you can groove to the beats of a fantastic DJ. And here’s the best part: a generous portion of the beer sales will be donated to support 12 Baskets Café and Garden! 

Gather your friends, spread the word, and let’s make this evening one to remember! Join us on June 15th at The Whale as we come together to support 12 Baskets Café and Garden.

Melvin AC Howell’s MOVE;MEANT A.R.T EXPOs, are immersive dance theatre explorations of issues related to Black history and contemporary Black culture. In addition to a live performance integrating dance, music and theatrical elements, EXPOs include a visual arts installation that creates a setting for the performance and organically submerges the audience in the environment.

JUNETEENTH, the newest in Howell’s MOVE;MEANT A.R.T EXPO series, is inspired by the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19^th that enslaved people of Texas, then the most remote region of the Confederacy, finally learned slavery had been abolished and that they were free.