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.

Thursday, September 28, 2023
Flat Rock Farmers Market
Sep 28 @ 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Flat Rock Farmers Market

Join us on Thursdays from 3-6 pm through October

 

Celebrating over 15 years of bringing fresh, local produce and handcrafted goods to the community of Flat Rock NC.
Join us every Thursday, May – October at our location at Pinecrest Presbyterian Church at the corner of Upward Rd and Greenville Hwy. 

Flat Rock Farmers’ Market
Sep 28 @ 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Pinecrest Presbyterian Church

Flat Rock Farmers’ Market, Every Thursday 3pm-6pm, The Flat Rock Farmers Market celebrates over 15 years of bringing fresh,
local produce and handcrafted goods each Thursday through October to Flat Rock, NC. This farmers market is made of a diverse
group of local produce farmers, makers, bread bakers, wild crafters and merry makers. You will love the friendly, informative,
creative vendors that set up for the market. Be sure you stop by each one to introduce yourself and ask questions. Located at
Pinecrest Presbyterian Church

ABCCM Transformation Village Presents TrV Talks
Sep 28 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
ABCCM Transformation Village Dining Hall

Please join us as Reverend Scott Rogers unveils plans for the expansion of Transformation Village (TrV) campus and programs. TrV provides homeless women and children transitional housing, healthy meals, education, and support in a safe environment. Tours will be given after our presentation. Please contact Shannon Paris to RSVP or if you have any questions. Thank you!

Intro to Ukulele
Sep 28 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
LEAF Global Arts

Students will receive a solid foundation in beginner Ukulele skills for vocalists. Chords, Rhythm patterns, and basic theory will be introduced through songs with an uplifting message. Students will also learn to play the song that the Songwriting Class will be writing and get to record it in the One Mic Studio.

TrV Talks (ABCCM Transformation Village Community Engagement Series)
Sep 28 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
ABCCM Transformation Village

Please join us as Reverend Scott Rogers unveils plans for the expansion of the Transformation Village campus and programs. Find out what’s in store for our residents, volunteers, and community partners as ABCCM continues to fill the gap.

Our ongoing theme is “Action Today-Hope for Tomorrow.”
Come learn how ABCCM’s ministry services and outstanding volunteer support make a positive impact on our community and those whom we serve.

There will be an opportunity to ask questions
Refreshments will be provided

ABCCM Transformation Village / Dining Room
Thursday September 28, 2023 | 4PM
30 Olin Haven Way, Asheville, NC 28806
GPS Address 45 Rocky Ridge Rd

Featuring Scott Rogers, ABCCM Executive Director & Julie Singleton, ABCCM Board Secretary & TrV Advisory Committee. If you would like to attend, send your RSVP to [email protected], 828.398.6985

Sponsored by
Asheville Biltmore Rotary Club

Walking Foundy Tour
Sep 28 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Foundy Tour

Join us on a walking tour of the Foundy in the River Arts District where we learn about the only existing Street Art Gallery in Asheville and all the artists who have created graffiti and mural installations that have made our town an urban art destination.

Wee Wine + Dahlias
Sep 28 @ 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Bullington Gardens
Bullington Gardens invites you to experience the epitome of exclusivity with their new and exciting offering – twilight parties in the enchanting gardens. Now accepting reservations, this is your chance to indulge in a truly magical evening with your own private group of eight. From August 15 to October 14, 2023, Tuesday through Saturday, 4:30-6:30p.m., immerse yourself in nature’s wonders while delighting your palate with locally-sourced wines and cider, all in the company of the resplendent Dahlias in full bloom.

Picture this: you and your closest companions, relishing the serenity of the gardens, sipping on delectable beverages, and taking leisurely strolls amidst the breathtaking flora. To ensure an intimate experience, each group of up to eight will have their own private party. Whether you prefer the charming pavilion or the festive tents, the choice is yours. And fear not, for even if the rain tries to dampen the mood, the horticultural therapy greenhouse is ready to shelter you.

With only two groups accommodated each evening, you’ll have the pleasure of enjoying your own secluded space. Each group’s table will be beautifully set in separate venues, adorned with fresh floral arrangements that you can take home as a keepsake. As the host, you have the opportunity to curate a culinary masterpiece by bringing your own hors d’oeuvres or even an entire meal. Imagine the delight of savoring delicious food amidst an unparalleled view, creating an unforgettable private party.

The cost for a table of eight is $300 per group, ensuring an intimate and personalized experience. If you’re interested in elevating your involvement, consider a sponsorship level of $500. By participating in this extraordinary event, you will not only create cherished memories but also support the Educational and Horticultural Therapy programs dedicated to children and adults with special needs.

To secure your spot for the Wee Wine & Dahlias evening of your dreams, reserve below or give us a call at 828-698-6104. Remember, availability is limited, so make sure to secure your reservation early. Get ready to immerse yourself in an evening of enchantment at Bullington Gardens!

August 15th through October 14th, 2023. Tuesday-Saturday, 4:30pm-6:30pm.

Krafthouse 2023: Forest of the New Trees
Sep 28 @ 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
The Center for Craft
Center for Craft’s immersive installation asks:
What will Appalachia be in a post-major event future?
– The Center for Craft is thrilled to announce Krafthouse, a new immersive art installation, made for and by the community, that will evolve and change each year in their historic building at 67 Broadway in downtown Asheville.

Local artist Jeannie Regan leads the inaugural year as Creative Director with the vision for Krafthouse 2023: Forest of the New Trees. Between September 28 and October 13, the curious will be rewarded with a ticketed installation that changes nightly, as artist and audience participation weave a story of radical collaboration in Appalachia in the aftermath of a mysterious, world-changing event.

In the spirit of immersive performances, events, and installations like Meow Wolf, Punchdrunk’s Sleep No More, and Burning Man, Krafthouse 2023: Forest of the New Trees invites self-guided exploration of a strange, new landscape and its imagined ecologies and societies, including cultures, customs, and micro currencies. Return visits will reward guests with new perspectives and illuminate new paths through the experience.

Selected local artists working with Center staff and Regan will each interpret the theme in their own way. The end result will be the creation of a small, self-sustaining community that has made itself anew. A night market atmosphere will welcome visitors, who will be able to make, gift, and trade goods with the artists and each other, with the opportunity to take home keepsakes – as well as leave their own imprint on the space.

The installation asks visitors to participate and collaborate to the extent they wish. Guests are invited to come in costume to share their own interpretation of the post-major event, and to bring any of their own offerings for the space. Costumes and materials will also be available onsite for people who would like to step into this new reality more fully when they arrive.

In her exploration of the theme, Regan researched the centuries-old craft traditions of Appalachia, including their relationship to Indigenous wisdom, hillfolks’ lore, and the ancient wildness of the Blue Ridge Mountains. An undercurrent of the installation is the generational resilience of local peoples facing their own “post-major events” and collaborating radically to survive – and thrive – in their aftermath.

The varied lived experiences of people during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, when a multitude of realities existed simultaneously, also informed the theme. “There was no united experience in that major event that happened, because we all experienced it very differently,” Regan shares. But it was also a world where, she notes, “multiple realities intersected and radical community collaboration was the only way to survive.”

She continues, “Craft plays into all of that, because what we make says so much about us as individuals. What we make says something about what we want the future to be.”

Krafthouse 2023: Forest of the New Trees–immersive art installation
Sep 28 @ 5:00 pm
Center for Craft

Krafthouse 2023: Forest of the New Trees

an immersive art installation made by Asheville

creative direction by Jeannie Regan

Visit the Center for Craft at 67 Broadway in downtown Asheville, North Carolina, to discover an imagined post-major event Appalachia. You will descend into the basement to enter a world imagined by artists where craft is the only way to survive and thrive.

‍Guests will abide by the rules of the forest – to learn to trade without currency – and see, hear, touch, and wear what artists have crafted as a way to ensure our collective future. Each experience is unrepeatable, creating an impulse to return to explore the world anew.

Special thanks to Jeannie Regan, Creative Director and Futures Bright, Graphic Design.

General admission tickets are $15 and provide guests with a self-guided tour of the immersive installation that runs for approximately 3 weeks between September 28 – October 13 on Thursdays and Fridays from 5 – 8 pm, and on Saturdays from 2 – 4 pm and 6 – 9 pm.

Ticketed tours depart every 10 minutes, and the experience takes approximately 30 minutes. After the experience, guests will be invited to mingle and grab a beverage or snack.

Reservation Start Time indicates the time your group will be escorted from the main level down to the Krafthouse installation experience.

Please plan to arrive at the Center for Craft main entrance at 67 Broadway Street at least 15 minutes prior to your reservation start time.

Queer Music Exploration
Sep 28 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
LEAF Global Arts

Queer Music Exploration – Students will explore guitar, bass, drums, singing and piano with a focus on learning music by artists from the LGBTQ+ community. Students will have the chance to interact with their peers and share their experiences through music.

Business After Hours
Sep 28 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Boyd Automotive
Celebration on the Court: Tip-off to basketball season at UNCA
Sep 28 @ 5:30 pm
UNCA’s Kimmel Arena

’s Kimmel Arena at 5:30 p.m. Food and beverages followed by 6:30 program with unveiling of men’s basketball’s 2022-23 championship banners. $75, $50 age 18 and younger. Email Aaron Bessey at [email protected] or 828-251-6907.

Green Clean Series Green Riverkeeper
Sep 28 @ 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Fishtop Access 

 

Join the Green Riverkeeper on Thursday, July 27th for our Green Clean Series! This event continues the 4th Thursday of every month June-September from 5:30-8ish. You do not have to kayak to be a part of the monthly cleans. We absolutely welcome road-side helpers too!

Sustainability Symposium
Sep 28 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Pack Square Fire Station

Join us at the Sustainability Symposium sponsored by Lenoir Rhyne University and Mountain True. Participants will engage subject matter experts at five subject stations, defining calls to action in each subject area. The objectives of this event are educating, engaging and activating the community to work individually and cooperatively toward the common goal of a healthier Asheville urban ecosystem. Location: Pack Square Fire Station at 100 Court Plaza Discussion Subjects: Green Incentives Urban Forest Ecology Environmental Justice Plastic reduction General Sustainability

20th Anniversary Dinner at Sunny Point Café
Sep 28 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Sunny Point Café

Join us for our 20th Anniversary Celebration! We are putting together a Pop up dinner with three of our chefs at Sunny Point Cafe. We will have the GM Michelle Alexander, the assistant GM Jeff Knox and our Chef Kyle Hughes coming up with the 6 course dinner to celebrate 20 years of being in business. We will be using local ingredients and fresh garden vegetables harvested out of our own garden. The dinner is $75 tip not included. Only 20 seats available so please make your reservation now.

Open Play Basketball
Sep 28 @ 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center

Open Play

Time scheduled for organized drop-in, pick-up, and open community games at locations around Asheville. For more info, contact [email protected] or (828) 259-5800. All are free unless noted.

Basketball

Open Play

Time scheduled for organized drop-in, pick-up, and open community games

Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, starts September 5

  • Tuesday and Thursday, 6:30-9 p.m.
  • Sunday, 12-5 p.m.
Spanish Wine Dinner with Avenue M Chef Jennifer Cole
Sep 28 @ 6:30 pm
Avenue M

Chef Jennifer Cole will share her extensive knowledge of Spanish cuisine as she partners with 3 Keys Wine Distributors to feature a five-course Spanish meal paired with wines from Bodegas Bhilar boutique winery.  To reserve a seat, call 828-350-8181 or email Avenue M at [email protected].

Yoga in The Solarium
Sep 28 @ 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
The Restoration Hotel Asheville

Flow with us at our Rooftop Yoga Series hosted by Asheville Community Yoga! This powerful Vinyasa flow is perfect for yogis of every experience level. Bring your water bottle and your mat to The Solarium on the 6th Floor of The Restoration Hotel and get ready to feel restored.

Ashevillians Comedy Showcase
Sep 28 @ 7:00 pm
Wrong Way River Lodge

Late Thursday every month is the Ashevillians Comedy Showcase!!!

Modelface Comedy brings you a villainous night of comedy so good it’s bad! Ashevillians Comedy Showcase is a celebration of some of the best comedians in the Mountains! Hosted each month by Ryan Gordon.

Featuring Asheville’s Best

ages 18+

Jazz Jam
Sep 28 @ 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
LEAF Global Arts Center

Our jazz trio with Thommy Knoles on keys, Felix Pastorius on bass, and Paul Gladstone on drums will perform an opening set from about 7-8:15 pm.

An open jam session follows. Drop-ins are welcome and encouraged for a suggested donation of $10.

Jazz Jam will feature a diverse array of music from jazz’s rich history, ranging from 1940s bebop up to 1970s jazz fusion, as well as material from prominent present-day composers. Bring your instruments and jam with us, or just come and enjoy!

LAZOOM Tours: GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR
Sep 28 @ 7:00 pm
LaZoom Room


GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR

Grab a local beer, crucifix and a rubber chicken* —You might survive this hour long hilarious haunted ghost tour of Asheville.

  • Guided comedy bus tour of Haunted Asheville
  • 60 minutes; tours run nightly after dark
  • $33 per person (Ages 17+ only)
  • Departs from 76 Biltmore Avenue

*Legal Note: Crucifix not required to board the bus; we do not condone exorcisms, chickens, rubber, or any combination of the three.

Steve Simon + The Kings of Jazz
Sep 28 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The DFR Lounge

Steve Simon & The Kings of Jazz are Brevard’s newest and most exciting and entertaining jazz band with a sound that combines the funkiness of George Benson, the soulfulness of Ray Charles and the smoothness of Diana Krall all wrapped together in big Count Basie style arrangements of American and Latin jazz classics. If you are looking for an amazing live jazz experience then check out the hottest jazz band in the coolest city in North Carolina performing every Thursday at The DFR Lounge from 7pm to 9pm

125th Anniversary Celebration Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce
Sep 28 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce
125 Years: Together for Tomorrow - Chamber Celebration

This year, the Asheville Chamber of Commerce is marking our 125th anniversary by celebrating Asheville Through the Looking Glass. A reflection of business prosperity and success and a connection to Asheville’s future progress and growth.

This lively garden party will commemorate 125 years of the Chamber’s accomplishments, ongoing business partnerships, and the impactful nonprofit work conducted in our community. In honor of our very important date, we plan to award twelve $10,000 grants to nonprofits at our event that support our mission of “Building Community Through Business.”  Whether we look backward, forward, or even down a rabbit hole, the Asheville Chamber sees the importance of supporting businesses in our community.

 

All profit from this event will go to support the 125th Anniversary Grants awarded to local nonprofits. A portion of your ticket will be tax-deductible. We also invite you to support non-profit attendance at the event by purchasing an additional Donated Ticket.

ABBY POSNER with AMANDA NEILL AND THE BLUE ROSES
Sep 28 @ 7:30 pm
White Horse Black Mountain

Abby Posner

Abby has been a working musician in Los Angeles for the past 18 years. She is best known for her ability to play nearly any instrument that she can get her hands on, twisting genres, and pushing the boundaries of folk, roots, electronic, and pop music making her “Genre Fluid.” If you have seen Abby perform live, you know she can play a mean lead-blues guitar solo, or throw down a complex Earl Scruggs banjo riff. You also may have spotted her playing drums, mandolin, or bass while using her looping pedal. In addition to her versatility, she puts passion and soul into everything she does.

This CalArts music graduate has composed & produced music for commercials/TV, films, and radio shows all over the globe (including Hulu’s Maggie, The Fosters, This American Life, The Art of More, and Last Tango in Halifax, custom songs for Facebook, Viacom-CBS, and CW’s Kung Fu). She also has music placed in commercials and TV shows all over China, Sweden, The UK, and Australia. Posner appeared in two episodes of GLEE on season four playing banjo and guitar, and the Freeform show Famous In Love playing banjo, as well as performing live several times on KCAL 9 news and Good Day LA.

Posner has also scored the music for multiple films (Across Land Across Sea, Through Their Eyes, award winning short animation Elizabeth Sees, and recently scored the Award-winning Documentary Lady Buds) while playing and touring all over the US. In 2019 Posner played banjo and sang Wagon Wheel as a featured principal role in Bank Of America’s ad campaign for the Ken Burn’s PBS Country Music Documentary.

After signing with Gary Calamar’s licensing company Laurel Canon in 2016, Abby Posner has gained major recognition in the LA music scene. Opening for such iconic acts as PHRANC, Sierra Hull, and Dustbowl Revival. She has released multiple albums under her Name Abby Posner, and Abby & The Myth, and will be releasing two records with Blackbird Music Label in 2023.

In 2020 Abby Posner won the Carl Gage “Give me Shelter in Place” Songwriting Award through the Topanga Folk Festival for her original song Blind Spots, and she received the runner up for her song Emergency Use Only for the 18th Annual International Acoustic Music Awards. She was honored to land an Official Showcase at Folk Alliance International in 2022 after signing with her booking agency Baker Booking.

————————–

Amanda Neill

“”A voice containing all the ragged edge and electricity of a Janis Joplin or Joe Cocker… Joni Mitchell after a lot of nights at the Tom Waits school of late night blues bars… And while those may seem like very broad strokes of comparison, the more you hear Neill sing the more you’ll hear that same world-weary, raspy husk that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.” ” – – On The Back Edge Of The Beat

Originally from Nashville, Amanda Neill grew up with music deeply embedded in the fabric of her life, singing harmony with her three sisters from a young age. Moving to NYC in her late 20s, she spent 8 years singing and playing in the Brooklyn Americana scene, regularly taking the stage at staple venues such as Rockwood Music Hall and Joe’s Pub, most notably with Jamey Hamm and Ivy Beck & Neill. During this time, Amanda and her husband also owned and operated a small coffee shop in Brooklyn, which stood as a thriving hub for local musicians, artists, writers, and poets. After moving to Marshall, NC, in 2019, Amanda co-founded The Greybirds in 2021, quickly making a splash in and around the Asheville area.

Amanda’s new project retains a lot of the same focus on lyrical songwriting and musical dynamics, while continuing to draw on the influences of American Folk and Rock music from the 1960s and 1970s, as well as more modern singer-songwriter content. The vibe originates from Amanda’s Wurlitzer keyboard and her warm, powerful voice, and the sound is carried forward through vocal harmonies, thoughtful drumming, bass, and an array of guitar tones and sounds, both electric and acoustic. From feel-good rockers to tear-jerking, intimate musical moments, one can always expect melodies that feel familiar, like a visit from an old friend. “I intend to live with heart and conviction, in pursuit of dreams, asking honest questions through lyric, one melody at a time.” -Amanda Neill

City Dance
Sep 28 @ 7:30 pm
Landmark Hal

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.

Ted Swindley’s Honky Tonk Angels
Sep 28 @ 7:30 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center

Honky Tonk Angels 

Written by Ted Swindley.
Director Dan Harvey
Music Director Pam McNeil

Yonder Mountain, Railroad Earth, Keller + The Keels
Sep 28 @ 7:30 pm
Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium

Yonder Mountain String Band will team up with Railroad Earth and Keller & the Keels for a series of six shows in the Southeast this fall. All joint tour dates will include a full set from each band.

The run presented by Relix gets underway at The Refinery in Charleston, South Carolina on September 21. All three bands then hit The Eastern in Atlanta on September 22 before bringing the trek to St. Augustine on September 23 at a venue to be announced soon.

YMSB, RRE and Keller & The Keels continue the tour in Birmingham, Alabama on September 24 and Spartanburg, South Carolina on September 28. The short jaunt is currently slated to conclude with a concert in Roseland, Virginia on September 29. All three acts will then appear at the Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival, which takes place in Annapolis, Maryland on September 30 and October 1.

Yonder Mountain, Railroad Earth, Keller + The Keels
Sep 28 @ 7:30 pm
Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium

Poetry Open Mic Hendo
Sep 28 @ 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Shakedown Lounge

Poetry Open Mic Hendo is the all-new sister event of Poetry Open Mic Asheville, the
longest-running open mic in Western North Carolina, this weekly event welcomes all people and all forms of creative expression at
Hendersonville’s only Kava lounge.

Slice of Life Comedy Open Mic + Feature Comedy at Pulp Lounge
Sep 28 @ 8:00 pm
Pulp Lounge

9.28.23 The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement PULP
What: Stand up Comedy at The Orange Peel’s Pulp Lounge
When: Thursday September 28, 2023. 8p-10p, doors at 7:30p
Where: The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $15 (available at door or The Orange Peel website)
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!
Feature comic Julia Macias! An antenna for the unwell, Julia shares all the strange characters who filter through her life. She exploded into the Asheville comedy scene in late 2021 and has touring all over the Southeast. Her view video special will be released later this year.
Guest host for this show is the fantastically loved Ryan Cox! Slice is super happy to have him running the show. Ryan is a comedian’s comedian. He is also a comedian for people who aren’t comedians. Ryan has been performing stand-up around the Southeast since 2016, with jokes ranging from crafted one-liners to twisted parenting tales to the ghost of Kmart.
We feature the area’s best comics, plus a comedy open mic. Open mic comics signup at door get 3-5m. [Free entry for performing comics, free snacks at comics table].
For more info and other standup comedy shows go to sliceoflifecomedy.com or contact Michele at [email protected]