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.
We need your help and the help of your network to make this holiday drive as successful as possible in putting new books into the hands of Buncombe County elementary and middle school students during the holiday break.
What better way to spread holiday cheer than by donating books? Imagine the joy on a child’s face when they receive a brand-new book. It’s like sprinkling a little bit of magic into their lives!
We’ve partnered with over a dozen local organizations serving K-12 students throughout the county. They’re eagerly waiting for book drop-offs like kids waiting for the first snowfall! 
You can make a positive impact right now by donating directly using the button below, or why not turn giving back into an outing?
Holiday Book Drive 2023 (givebutter.com)
Visit the Barnes & Noble on Tunnel Road at the Asheville Mall to shop in-store and donate them on the spot.
In early 2024, 50 organizations will be awarded $500 in funding and a collection of gardening supplies for their youth garden program.
Since 1982, the Youth Garden Grant has supported school and youth educational garden projects that enhance the quality of life for youth and their communities.
In early 2024, fifty organizations will be awarded $500 in funding and a collection of gardening supplies for their youth garden program.
¡Pueden aplicar a los programas en español! Para ver esta oportunidad de subvención en español, visite nuestra página web en español.
Eligibility
Any organization in the United States or US Territories planning a new or improving an existing garden program that serves at least 15 youth between the ages of 0 and 18 is eligible to apply.
KidsGardening grantees from any 2022 or 2023 grant program (Budding Botanist, GroMoreGood Grassroots, Lots of Compassion, and Little Seeds Pollinator Pals) and previous Youth Garden winners from any year are not eligible.
Organizations must:
- Support, work with, or serve communities with a majority of individuals that are under-resourced (systematically denied resources and opportunities based on race, gender, ethnicity, income level, abilities, geographic location, etc., or currently experiencing hardship such as a natural disaster, etc.)
- Have fifteen or more youth participate in the garden program.
- Have received less than $10,000 in grants for the garden program during 2022 and 2023 combined.
Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding.
Applications due by:
- November 30, 2023
- January 30, 2024
- March 30, 2024
If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year. Learn more and apply here!
Included with admission
Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.
Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.
Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!
The Council on Aging for Henderson County (COAHC) wants to make sure all seniors receive a gift this holiday season, and they need your help. For the 25th year, the COAHC will be collecting shoebox gifts filled by community members, then deliver those gifts to Henderson County seniors. Last year they delivered more than 350 boxes to COAHC clients. This year all additional boxes will be donated to clients of Henderson County Department of Social Services Adult Services.
Participants fill a shoe box with small, useful items and gifts, such as hygiene items, gloves, large-print books and puzzles, notepads, calendars, flashlights, and any other small gifts a senior would appreciate. Then bring the wrapped shoebox to the Council on Aging office (105 King Creek Boulevard) during their business hours: Mon-Fri, between 9am and 4pm. Please mark if the box is for a male, female or either. Gift collection ends on Friday, December 8th.
This gift drive is in conjunction with a Meals on Wheels gift drive for requested items from their clients. Participants can choose a client, shop for their requested items, then bring the wrapped gift to the Council on Aging office, where volunteers will distribute the gifts to clients in late December.
Spread Joy this Holiday Season: Support a YWCA Family Through Angel Tree.
Our Virtual Angel tree is up for this holiday season. This gift tree provides our broader YWCA community a path to join us as we aim to support our program participants and their families with a holiday season full of love and support. If you would like to support a family this holiday season please click here or email Holly Olsen, Director of Women’s Empowerment to get the details of how you can fulfill a family’s holiday wish.
Programs Served by the Angel Tree:
-
MotherLove
YWCA’s MotherLove program supports pregnant and parenting teens throughout Buncombe County. Our goals are to help young parents to stay in school and graduate, access higher education and vocational training, develop the skills and knowledge needed to become strong parents and delay another teen pregnancy. -
Getting Ahead In a Just Getting By World
YWCA’s Getting Ahead program aims to provide financial empowerment for low-income women of all ages and backgrounds to make choices that positively impact themselves, their families, and their community. -
Early Learning Program
YWCA’s Early Learning Program provides 5-star childcare for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Our experienced and compassionate teachers not only provide exceptional care for little ones, but also prepare young children to succeed cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally. We prioritize families using childcare vouchers or caring for children in the foster care system. -
Empowerment Childcare
The YWCA provides up to 12 hours of free childcare per week for parents who are in transition, continuing their education, accessing social services, or looking for employment. ECC works closely with the Family Justice Center, Buncombe County Health and Human Services, A-B Tech, Green Opportunities, and Mary Benson House.
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SURPRISE – we’re also having a tree sale to clear out inventory that has gotten too large to be stored in the hoop houses over winter. These are species not typically given away at our adoption events, so here is your chance to add something unique to your home or business.
We need your help and the help of your network to make this holiday drive as successful as possible in putting new books into the hands of Buncombe County elementary and middle school students during the holiday break.
What better way to spread holiday cheer than by donating books? Imagine the joy on a child’s face when they receive a brand-new book. It’s like sprinkling a little bit of magic into their lives!
We’ve partnered with over a dozen local organizations serving K-12 students throughout the county. They’re eagerly waiting for book drop-offs like kids waiting for the first snowfall!
You can make a positive impact right now by donating directly using the button below, or why not turn giving back into an outing?
Holiday Book Drive 2023 (givebutter.com)
Visit the Barnes & Noble on Tunnel Road at the Asheville Mall to shop in-store and donate them on the spot.
In early 2024, 50 organizations will be awarded $500 in funding and a collection of gardening supplies for their youth garden program.
Since 1982, the Youth Garden Grant has supported school and youth educational garden projects that enhance the quality of life for youth and their communities.
In early 2024, fifty organizations will be awarded $500 in funding and a collection of gardening supplies for their youth garden program.
¡Pueden aplicar a los programas en español! Para ver esta oportunidad de subvención en español, visite nuestra página web en español.
Eligibility
Any organization in the United States or US Territories planning a new or improving an existing garden program that serves at least 15 youth between the ages of 0 and 18 is eligible to apply.
KidsGardening grantees from any 2022 or 2023 grant program (Budding Botanist, GroMoreGood Grassroots, Lots of Compassion, and Little Seeds Pollinator Pals) and previous Youth Garden winners from any year are not eligible.
Organizations must:
- Support, work with, or serve communities with a majority of individuals that are under-resourced (systematically denied resources and opportunities based on race, gender, ethnicity, income level, abilities, geographic location, etc., or currently experiencing hardship such as a natural disaster, etc.)
- Have fifteen or more youth participate in the garden program.
- Have received less than $10,000 in grants for the garden program during 2022 and 2023 combined.
Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding.
Applications due by:
- November 30, 2023
- January 30, 2024
- March 30, 2024
If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year. Learn more and apply here!
Included with admission
Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.
Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.
Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!
The Council on Aging for Henderson County (COAHC) wants to make sure all seniors receive a gift this holiday season, and they need your help. For the 25th year, the COAHC will be collecting shoebox gifts filled by community members, then deliver those gifts to Henderson County seniors. Last year they delivered more than 350 boxes to COAHC clients. This year all additional boxes will be donated to clients of Henderson County Department of Social Services Adult Services.
Participants fill a shoe box with small, useful items and gifts, such as hygiene items, gloves, large-print books and puzzles, notepads, calendars, flashlights, and any other small gifts a senior would appreciate. Then bring the wrapped shoebox to the Council on Aging office (105 King Creek Boulevard) during their business hours: Mon-Fri, between 9am and 4pm. Please mark if the box is for a male, female or either. Gift collection ends on Friday, December 8th.
This gift drive is in conjunction with a Meals on Wheels gift drive for requested items from their clients. Participants can choose a client, shop for their requested items, then bring the wrapped gift to the Council on Aging office, where volunteers will distribute the gifts to clients in late December.
Spread Joy this Holiday Season: Support a YWCA Family Through Angel Tree.
Our Virtual Angel tree is up for this holiday season. This gift tree provides our broader YWCA community a path to join us as we aim to support our program participants and their families with a holiday season full of love and support. If you would like to support a family this holiday season please click here or email Holly Olsen, Director of Women’s Empowerment to get the details of how you can fulfill a family’s holiday wish.
Programs Served by the Angel Tree:
-
MotherLove
YWCA’s MotherLove program supports pregnant and parenting teens throughout Buncombe County. Our goals are to help young parents to stay in school and graduate, access higher education and vocational training, develop the skills and knowledge needed to become strong parents and delay another teen pregnancy. -
Getting Ahead In a Just Getting By World
YWCA’s Getting Ahead program aims to provide financial empowerment for low-income women of all ages and backgrounds to make choices that positively impact themselves, their families, and their community. -
Early Learning Program
YWCA’s Early Learning Program provides 5-star childcare for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Our experienced and compassionate teachers not only provide exceptional care for little ones, but also prepare young children to succeed cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally. We prioritize families using childcare vouchers or caring for children in the foster care system. -
Empowerment Childcare
The YWCA provides up to 12 hours of free childcare per week for parents who are in transition, continuing their education, accessing social services, or looking for employment. ECC works closely with the Family Justice Center, Buncombe County Health and Human Services, A-B Tech, Green Opportunities, and Mary Benson House.
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A Helping of Graditude
River lovers are encouraged to support RiverLink and other community nonprofits through Give!Local, the annual philanthropy program organized by MountainXpress. The first 10 donors of $100 or more to RiverLink will be entered into a drawing for a kayak tour on the French Broad River with Renee Fortner, RiverLink’s expert water resources manager. First Bank is waiving transaction fees, so 100 percent of your donation goes to the nonprofits you select.
Participate in Give!Local
RiverLink deeply appreciates the contributions this community makes directly to the organization — whether as gifts of stock, required IRA distributions, donor-advised funds, donations made in memory of others, and all the ways you give. Please reach out to Susan Andrew at [email protected] for assistance with any of these giving modes. And anyone can use the handy Donate button at the bottom of our newsletters. Thank you! Sincere gratitude to RiverLink’s recent business supporters — we are honored by your contributions:
- Astral
- Bottle Riot
- Burial Beer Co.
- Cedar Rock Adventures
- Curtis Wright Outfitters
- East Fork Pottery
- Edgewater Resources
- Ferguson Waterworks
- Fresh Market
- Hellbender Paddleboards
- High Five Coffee
- Preserving a Picturesque America
- Whole Foods
- Wrong Way River Lodge & Cabins
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SURPRISE – we’re also having a tree sale to clear out inventory that has gotten too large to be stored in the hoop houses over winter. These are species not typically given away at our adoption events, so here is your chance to add something unique to your home or business.
We need your help and the help of your network to make this holiday drive as successful as possible in putting new books into the hands of Buncombe County elementary and middle school students during the holiday break.
What better way to spread holiday cheer than by donating books? Imagine the joy on a child’s face when they receive a brand-new book. It’s like sprinkling a little bit of magic into their lives!
We’ve partnered with over a dozen local organizations serving K-12 students throughout the county. They’re eagerly waiting for book drop-offs like kids waiting for the first snowfall!
You can make a positive impact right now by donating directly using the button below, or why not turn giving back into an outing?
Holiday Book Drive 2023 (givebutter.com)
Visit the Barnes & Noble on Tunnel Road at the Asheville Mall to shop in-store and donate them on the spot.
In early 2024, 50 organizations will be awarded $500 in funding and a collection of gardening supplies for their youth garden program.
Since 1982, the Youth Garden Grant has supported school and youth educational garden projects that enhance the quality of life for youth and their communities.
In early 2024, fifty organizations will be awarded $500 in funding and a collection of gardening supplies for their youth garden program.
¡Pueden aplicar a los programas en español! Para ver esta oportunidad de subvención en español, visite nuestra página web en español.
Eligibility
Any organization in the United States or US Territories planning a new or improving an existing garden program that serves at least 15 youth between the ages of 0 and 18 is eligible to apply.
KidsGardening grantees from any 2022 or 2023 grant program (Budding Botanist, GroMoreGood Grassroots, Lots of Compassion, and Little Seeds Pollinator Pals) and previous Youth Garden winners from any year are not eligible.
Organizations must:
- Support, work with, or serve communities with a majority of individuals that are under-resourced (systematically denied resources and opportunities based on race, gender, ethnicity, income level, abilities, geographic location, etc., or currently experiencing hardship such as a natural disaster, etc.)
- Have fifteen or more youth participate in the garden program.
- Have received less than $10,000 in grants for the garden program during 2022 and 2023 combined.
Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding.
Applications due by:
- November 30, 2023
- January 30, 2024
- March 30, 2024
If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year. Learn more and apply here!
Included with admission
Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.
Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.
Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!
The Council on Aging for Henderson County (COAHC) wants to make sure all seniors receive a gift this holiday season, and they need your help. For the 25th year, the COAHC will be collecting shoebox gifts filled by community members, then deliver those gifts to Henderson County seniors. Last year they delivered more than 350 boxes to COAHC clients. This year all additional boxes will be donated to clients of Henderson County Department of Social Services Adult Services.
Participants fill a shoe box with small, useful items and gifts, such as hygiene items, gloves, large-print books and puzzles, notepads, calendars, flashlights, and any other small gifts a senior would appreciate. Then bring the wrapped shoebox to the Council on Aging office (105 King Creek Boulevard) during their business hours: Mon-Fri, between 9am and 4pm. Please mark if the box is for a male, female or either. Gift collection ends on Friday, December 8th.
This gift drive is in conjunction with a Meals on Wheels gift drive for requested items from their clients. Participants can choose a client, shop for their requested items, then bring the wrapped gift to the Council on Aging office, where volunteers will distribute the gifts to clients in late December.
Living in Western North Carolina means there is always something to do in the garden, from preparing soil and pruning to fertilizing and transplanting. But when and how? You’ll find the answers in A Gardening Guide for Our Mountains.
Created by NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteers of Buncombe County (BCEMG), the guide provides a complete month-by-month description of what to do (and not to do), along with tips on invasive species, mulching, composting, and creating bird- and pollinator-friendly habitats.
This quick reference makes the perfect holiday gift for the gardeners in your life, whether they are old hands, new to gardening, or new to gardening in the mountains. A Gardening Guide for Our Mountains will get them off to the right start and keep their gardens growing all year long. Plus, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that funds raised through this publication go to support the many educational and outreach programs provided by BCEMG volunteers.
How to order: Send $13 (checks payable to Buncombe County Extension Master Gardener) to N.C. Cooperative Extension, Buncombe County Center, 49 Mount Carmel Road, Asheville, N.C. 28806, ATTN: Buncombe County Master Gardeners. Include mailing address for shipping and a phone number, in case we have a question about your order.
Copies are available for pick up at the office for $10. Please call in advance. 828-255-5522.
To learn more about the NC State Extension Master Gardener Program in Buncombe County, go to: https://www.buncombemastergardener.org/
Included with admission
Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.
Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.
Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!
Living in Western North Carolina means there is always something to do in the garden, from preparing soil and pruning to fertilizing and transplanting. But when and how? You’ll find the answers in A Gardening Guide for Our Mountains.
Created by NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteers of Buncombe County (BCEMG), the guide provides a complete month-by-month description of what to do (and not to do), along with tips on invasive species, mulching, composting, and creating bird- and pollinator-friendly habitats.
This quick reference makes the perfect holiday gift for the gardeners in your life, whether they are old hands, new to gardening, or new to gardening in the mountains. A Gardening Guide for Our Mountains will get them off to the right start and keep their gardens growing all year long. Plus, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that funds raised through this publication go to support the many educational and outreach programs provided by BCEMG volunteers.
How to order: Send $13 (checks payable to Buncombe County Extension Master Gardener) to N.C. Cooperative Extension, Buncombe County Center, 49 Mount Carmel Road, Asheville, N.C. 28806, ATTN: Buncombe County Master Gardeners. Include mailing address for shipping and a phone number, in case we have a question about your order.
Copies are available for pick up at the office for $10. Please call in advance. 828-255-5522.
To learn more about the NC State Extension Master Gardener Program in Buncombe County, go to: https://www.buncombemastergardener.org/