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.
After all the effort it takes to get kids back to school, parents deserve a night out! Send your kids to Dinner Under Dinos on Saturday September 20, 5 – 8 pm, so your kids can have fun while you enjoy a night out!
This event is for children ages 5-12 years old. AMOS will offer three hours of museum play, cheese pizza, and an optional rated G movie! Dinner Under Dinos is even more fun with a friend…who would your kiddo(s) like to invite?
22 tickets at $35, $30 for additional sibling(s)
Sun Day Asheville, part of a global day of action on September 21, 2025, celebrates the rise of clean energy and the movement to leave fossil fuels behind. We’ll come together to have fun and showcase the power of the sun – the energy source that can power our world without pollution or profiteering!
Clean energy is here: it’s more affordable, healthier, and fairer than the fuels of the past.
Join in the free family fun from 1 – 4pm @ Pack Square Pavilion. For more information, visit:https://actionnetwork.org/events/sun-day-asheville
What to Expect at Sun Day Asheville 2025 – September 21st
Families and kids will be making signs and decorating their bikes to participate in a march and bike ride to advocate for solar and clean energy. Sign in at the Marching Booth for the parade near the Stage.
EV bikes from Asheville Custom E-bikes available to rent for free if you sign up in advance: https://www.theacebikes.com/
Celebrations of Clean Energy:
Participants will create art, rally, sing, and call for climate action to ensure a healthier future.
The free, family friendly event will feature solar installations, Sugar Hollow Solar’s Power House with free sun powered snow cones, a fleet of electric vehicles, Earthshine Nature Programs’ solar powered education POD, booths about saving energy and more. Also, concerts, and educational activities to show the benefits of renewable energy for a healthier planet.
Focus on the Future:
The day is about harnessing the power of the sun to create a cleaner future for children and future generations. Kids will enjoy the parade, the music, and of course the solar oven s’mores and sun powered snow cones – all free!
We will make it known – the era of fossil fuels is ending, and a just, renewable future is within reach!
The native pawpaw tree is being “rediscovered” by growing enthusiasts across the southeast. An understory tree with a delightful fruit described as “creamy blend of banana, mango, and a subtle hint of vanilla custard,” it is a wonderful addition to an actively stewarded property or a forest farm. Join Seren Petrichor as we explore his pawpaw nursery and delve into the details of seed care, grafting, pollination, record keeping, and maintenance to ensure you can successfully cultivate pawpaws for yourself or others. Planting stock may be available for purchase after the tour.
About Petrichor Pawpaws: Seren Petrichor is the owner and operator of Petrichor Pawpaws, a native plant nursery in Bat Cave, NC. Seren has been cultivating pawpaws since 2012 and sells a wide variety of pawpaws, including four distinct varieties he has bred to be regionally adapted to WNC. Seren also teaches pawpaw classes at the annual Firefly Gathering. Learn more at www.petrichorpawpaws.com.
Embrace your nocturnal side at Grandfather Mountain through Creatures of the Night and Bonfire Delight, the park’s after-hours program where guests enjoy rare after-dark tours, fireside tales and a chance to meet the park’s nighttime residents.
The evening begins around the glow of a bonfire at the Woods Walk Picnic Area as night falls. Guests will then have the opportunity to partake in three unique experiences as the group splits up and alternates between the different parts of the mountain. These activities include a trek (via shuttle) to atop the mountain at the Mile High Swinging Bridge, as well as a visit to the Mildred the Bear Animal Habitats for a behind-the-scenes tour in which guests get to experience the mountain in a similar fashion as its nocturnal critters. The tour is conducted using red-light flashlights, with an emphasis placed on the guests’ sensory experience while getting up close with the park’s bears, otters, elk and cougars. An educational focus is also placed on how the animals may use their senses of smell or eyesight to navigate or hunt at night.
Groups will then descend back to the Woods Walk Picnic Area to gather around the fire, roast s’mores and hear folktales from one of the mountain’s naturalists or educators.
Hours are 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The event is open to 50 participants, and tickets are $40 for general admission or $34 for Bridge Club members.
International Conference
Co-hosted by BMCM+AC and UNC Asheville
at UNC Asheville’s Reuter Center
Thematic Focus: Performance at Black Mountain College
The ReVIEWING Black Mountain College conference is a forum for scholars and artists to contribute original work on topics related to Black Mountain College and its place in cultural history.
The conference is hosted annually in the fall. ReVIEWING 15 will take place September 26 – 28th, 2025, presented in conjunction with BMCM+AC’s fall 2025 exhibition, Points in Space: Performance at Black Mountain College, organized by Jeff Arnal, curator, and Adolfo Alzuphar, curatorial assistant. Black Mountain College’s interdisciplinary and collaborative philosophy fostered groundbreaking time-based experiments across disciplines, significantly influencing performance, theater, film, music, dance, and visual art worldwide. The exhibition will feature visual and time-based artworks that echo BMC’s innovative spirit from 1933 to 1957 including historical and contemporary works, interactive installations, performances, and immersive experiences that bring the past into conversation with the present.
All throughout September, guests are invited to join the mountain’s naturalists as they count and celebrate the annual spectacle of fall raptor migration.
Pumpkin Fest is a fun, family friendly and fantastic artistic event or great date night with 18 beautiful artist-designed lighted carved pumpkin displays on a newly-paved short walking trail. The event includes talented local musicians, food trucks and coffee house, games, storytelling, face painting, white squirrel scavenger hunt, games, dress ups, and the Silvermont historic mansion and second floor museum open for tours.
Admission $7 per person (ages 13 and over), $5 ages 3-12, and 2 and under free. We accept cards, cash or check with ID.
Onsite parking cost is $5 per car (cash preferred). Free parking is available offsite on nearby streets and Comporium and church parking lots 1 block away. Handicap sticker- free parking onsite.
Back by popular demand, the third Annual Mountain Monarch Festival will be at Gorges State Park in Sapphire on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This free event, hosted by the park and sponsored by the Friends of Gorges State Park and other partners, will celebrate the monarch butterfly during its migration and raise awareness about the species’ declining numbers. The park lies along the monarchs’ migratory route. The butterflies can be seen in early October each year flying over the park, heading south to the high-elevation fir forests in central-southern Mexico’s Volcanic Belt, where they overwinter until early spring.
The festival will offer educational programs and exhibits as well as children’s crafts, face painting by Brevard College cheerleaders, a butterfly hike, and a Monarch Migration Passport to guide visitors through the activities. The featured speakers will be Heyward Douglas, an entomologist who is a former naturalist and has served on the Foothills Trail Conservancy’s board of directors since 1989, who will talk about visiting the wintering area for the monarchs in Mexico, and Brian Bockhahn, interpretation and education specialist for North Carolina State Parks, who will discuss “Monarch Life Cycle and Tagging.”
The event, activities and programs are free and open to the public. The event will be held rain or shine and is first-come, first-served. For event details, visit https://www.friendsofgorges.org
From Oct. 4 through 12, guests enjoy short, guided nature walks that highlight Grandfather Mountain’s fall colors. The Fall Color Rambles take place daily, weather permitting, and are included in your admission ticket. The short excursions begin at 1 p.m. and typically last for 30 minutes. Rambles will start outside the entrance of the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery.
Grandfather Mountain is home to myriad species of plants and hardwood trees that range from pumpkin-colored beech trees to blood-red sourwoods and rusty red oaks. During the daily rambles, guests learn all about the mountain’s unique biodiversity and the science behind the changing of the leaves.
Participants can become familiar with tree identification, as the mountain’s talented and knowledgeable educators and interpretive park guides venture out with guests to some of the most colorful destinations on the mountain.
All Hallows’ Eve is a new Asheville children’s book about kids who dress in costume on Halloween and visit Riverside Cemetery to tell ghost stories and visit the graves of Asheville’s most prominent residents, including Thomas Wolfe, Isaac Dickson, George Masa, and O. Henry. Up in the clouds, they see the ghosts of Zelda Fitzgerald and the Pink Lady. Please join Dana and Chris at 3 pm, with special guest and main character: Adelaide the Witch, for a special reading of the story. Also, Constance Lombardo will be presenting her new children’s monster book, itty bitty Betty Blob Makes a Splash!
Kids love stories that are a little spooky. Come with us on an eerie adventure through Riverside Cemetery… if you dare!
From Oct. 4 through 12, guests enjoy short, guided nature walks that highlight Grandfather Mountain’s fall colors. The Fall Color Rambles take place daily, weather permitting, and are included in your admission ticket. The short excursions begin at 1 p.m. and typically last for 30 minutes. Rambles will start outside the entrance of the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery.
Grandfather Mountain is home to myriad species of plants and hardwood trees that range from pumpkin-colored beech trees to blood-red sourwoods and rusty red oaks. During the daily rambles, guests learn all about the mountain’s unique biodiversity and the science behind the changing of the leaves.
Participants can become familiar with tree identification, as the mountain’s talented and knowledgeable educators and interpretive park guides venture out with guests to some of the most colorful destinations on the mountain.
From Oct. 4 through 12, guests enjoy short, guided nature walks that highlight Grandfather Mountain’s fall colors. The Fall Color Rambles take place daily, weather permitting, and are included in your admission ticket. The short excursions begin at 1 p.m. and typically last for 30 minutes. Rambles will start outside the entrance of the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery.
Grandfather Mountain is home to myriad species of plants and hardwood trees that range from pumpkin-colored beech trees to blood-red sourwoods and rusty red oaks. During the daily rambles, guests learn all about the mountain’s unique biodiversity and the science behind the changing of the leaves.
Participants can become familiar with tree identification, as the mountain’s talented and knowledgeable educators and interpretive park guides venture out with guests to some of the most colorful destinations on the mountain.
From Oct. 4 through 12, guests enjoy short, guided nature walks that highlight Grandfather Mountain’s fall colors. The Fall Color Rambles take place daily, weather permitting, and are included in your admission ticket. The short excursions begin at 1 p.m. and typically last for 30 minutes. Rambles will start outside the entrance of the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery.
Grandfather Mountain is home to myriad species of plants and hardwood trees that range from pumpkin-colored beech trees to blood-red sourwoods and rusty red oaks. During the daily rambles, guests learn all about the mountain’s unique biodiversity and the science behind the changing of the leaves.
Participants can become familiar with tree identification, as the mountain’s talented and knowledgeable educators and interpretive park guides venture out with guests to some of the most colorful destinations on the mountain.
From Oct. 4 through 12, guests enjoy short, guided nature walks that highlight Grandfather Mountain’s fall colors. The Fall Color Rambles take place daily, weather permitting, and are included in your admission ticket. The short excursions begin at 1 p.m. and typically last for 30 minutes. Rambles will start outside the entrance of the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery.
Grandfather Mountain is home to myriad species of plants and hardwood trees that range from pumpkin-colored beech trees to blood-red sourwoods and rusty red oaks. During the daily rambles, guests learn all about the mountain’s unique biodiversity and the science behind the changing of the leaves.
Participants can become familiar with tree identification, as the mountain’s talented and knowledgeable educators and interpretive park guides venture out with guests to some of the most colorful destinations on the mountain.
From Oct. 4 through 12, guests enjoy short, guided nature walks that highlight Grandfather Mountain’s fall colors. The Fall Color Rambles take place daily, weather permitting, and are included in your admission ticket. The short excursions begin at 1 p.m. and typically last for 30 minutes. Rambles will start outside the entrance of the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery.
Grandfather Mountain is home to myriad species of plants and hardwood trees that range from pumpkin-colored beech trees to blood-red sourwoods and rusty red oaks. During the daily rambles, guests learn all about the mountain’s unique biodiversity and the science behind the changing of the leaves.
Participants can become familiar with tree identification, as the mountain’s talented and knowledgeable educators and interpretive park guides venture out with guests to some of the most colorful destinations on the mountain.
From Oct. 4 through 12, guests enjoy short, guided nature walks that highlight Grandfather Mountain’s fall colors. The Fall Color Rambles take place daily, weather permitting, and are included in your admission ticket. The short excursions begin at 1 p.m. and typically last for 30 minutes. Rambles will start outside the entrance of the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery.
Grandfather Mountain is home to myriad species of plants and hardwood trees that range from pumpkin-colored beech trees to blood-red sourwoods and rusty red oaks. During the daily rambles, guests learn all about the mountain’s unique biodiversity and the science behind the changing of the leaves.
Participants can become familiar with tree identification, as the mountain’s talented and knowledgeable educators and interpretive park guides venture out with guests to some of the most colorful destinations on the mountain.
Pumpkin Fest is a fun, family friendly and fantastic artistic event or great date night with 18 beautiful artist-designed lighted carved pumpkin displays on a newly-paved short walking trail. The event includes talented local musicians, food trucks and coffee house, games, storytelling, face painting, white squirrel scavenger hunt, games, dress ups, and the Silvermont historic mansion and second floor museum open for tours.
Admission $7 per person (ages 13 and over), $5 ages 3-12, and 2 and under free. We accept cards, cash or check with ID.
Onsite parking cost is $5 per car (cash preferred). Free parking is available offsite on nearby streets and Comporium and church parking lots 1 block away. Handicap sticker- free parking onsite.
From Oct. 4 through 12, guests enjoy short, guided nature walks that highlight Grandfather Mountain’s fall colors. The Fall Color Rambles take place daily, weather permitting, and are included in your admission ticket. The short excursions begin at 1 p.m. and typically last for 30 minutes. Rambles will start outside the entrance of the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery.
Grandfather Mountain is home to myriad species of plants and hardwood trees that range from pumpkin-colored beech trees to blood-red sourwoods and rusty red oaks. During the daily rambles, guests learn all about the mountain’s unique biodiversity and the science behind the changing of the leaves.
Participants can become familiar with tree identification, as the mountain’s talented and knowledgeable educators and interpretive park guides venture out with guests to some of the most colorful destinations on the mountain.
Big Game, Bright Ideas!
The Children’s Entrepreneur Market is setting up shop at the UNC-Asheville Women’s Soccer Game for a special event full of team spirit and young talent!
Come cheer on the Bulldogs and shop from kid-run businesses offering everything from handmade crafts to sweet treats and creative products. It’s the perfect blend of community, creativity, and soccer excitement!
Let’s rally behind our young entrepreneurs and student-athletes all for one unforgettable afternoon!
Pumpkin Fest is a fun, family friendly and fantastic artistic event or great date night with 18 beautiful artist-designed lighted carved pumpkin displays on a newly-paved short walking trail. The event includes talented local musicians, food trucks and coffee house, games, storytelling, face painting, white squirrel scavenger hunt, games, dress ups, and the Silvermont historic mansion and second floor museum open for tours.
Admission $7 per person (ages 13 and over), $5 ages 3-12, and 2 and under free. We accept cards, cash or check with ID.
Onsite parking cost is $5 per car (cash preferred). Free parking is available offsite on nearby streets and Comporium and church parking lots 1 block away. Handicap sticker- free parking onsite.
The Black Bear Half Marathon & 8k presented by Hunter Subaru is an exhilarating fall event that beckons both seasoned athletes and recreational runners alike. Nestled within the charm and beauty of Hendersonville, North Carolina, this race offers participants a unique opportunity to challenge their limits while immersing themselves in the splendor of the autumn season. Whether conquering the half marathon’s 13.1-mile stretch or embracing the spirited atmosphere of the 8k, participants love supportive community vibe, scenic course, and post-race festivities, including the Black Bear Fall Market!
If you’ve ever collected small, perfectly smooth pebbles and wondered what to do with them, this two-day workshop is the perfect solution! Using diamond encrusted drill bits, students will drill through these materials and then fabricate sterling silver wire and sheet to create stunning jewelry which may include pendants, earrings, rings and bracelets. Students will also learn about the soldering process, bezel and prong setting and a small amount of forging.
No experience is necessary but good eyesight or magnification is a must.
Students are asked to bring:
Small pebbles, ceramic shards, shells and sea glass if they have any (the instructor will bring some for their use as well)
Notebook and pen/pencil
Ultra fine tipped Sharpie pen
$399 plus materials
A materials list for students to purchase will be provided upon registration.
From Oct. 4 through 12, guests enjoy short, guided nature walks that highlight Grandfather Mountain’s fall colors. The Fall Color Rambles take place daily, weather permitting, and are included in your admission ticket. The short excursions begin at 1 p.m. and typically last for 30 minutes. Rambles will start outside the entrance of the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery.
Grandfather Mountain is home to myriad species of plants and hardwood trees that range from pumpkin-colored beech trees to blood-red sourwoods and rusty red oaks. During the daily rambles, guests learn all about the mountain’s unique biodiversity and the science behind the changing of the leaves.
Participants can become familiar with tree identification, as the mountain’s talented and knowledgeable educators and interpretive park guides venture out with guests to some of the most colorful destinations on the mountain.
Join us at LEAF Global Arts Festival to connect to the world and each other through cultural exploration, live music, dance, performance arts, healing arts, workshops, nature, and more.
Explore the #1 Kids Festival in Western North Carolina, and one of the best FAMILY festivals in the world. All of LEAF is family friendly with activities spread throughout the magical setting. Family Adventure activities are throughout LEAF and designed to engage and inspire. Watch performances, create, play, and discover whimsical Puppetry shows. Support children’s crafts, hoop and flow, and play boffer games. Immerse into cultural creative arts in Easel Rider with LEAF teaching artists. Swing in the Jelly Dome. Play sports with a global community. Jump, roll, pet, climb, and retreat: life-sized hamster ball, climbing wall, launch rockets! Each festival has different offering and tradition- you. may find Toy Trains on the hill, paper rockets, and Giant slides & bounce houses!
If you have little ones, Elfhaven Childcare in Buckeye Lodge is a world of wonder and time for parents to go play.
Carolina Memorial Sanctuary leads a conversation about death preparation, home funerals, and the cathartic act of participating in a loved one’s burial, Thurs. October 16 at Kanuga. Part of Kanuga’s Lunch & Learn series, the event begins with a forest bathing nature walk (weather permitting) at 10 a.m. followed by the Carolina Memorial Sanctuary presentation at 11 a.m. Enjoy a buffet lunch in Kanuga’s dining hall after the presentation. Cost: $20 (plus tax and fees). 471 Kanuga Chapel Dr. in Hendersonville. Registration and more info at kanuga.org/events.
Join us at LEAF Global Arts Festival to connect to the world and each other through cultural exploration, live music, dance, performance arts, healing arts, workshops, nature, and more.
Explore the #1 Kids Festival in Western North Carolina, and one of the best FAMILY festivals in the world. All of LEAF is family friendly with activities spread throughout the magical setting. Family Adventure activities are throughout LEAF and designed to engage and inspire. Watch performances, create, play, and discover whimsical Puppetry shows. Support children’s crafts, hoop and flow, and play boffer games. Immerse into cultural creative arts in Easel Rider with LEAF teaching artists. Swing in the Jelly Dome. Play sports with a global community. Jump, roll, pet, climb, and retreat: life-sized hamster ball, climbing wall, launch rockets! Each festival has different offering and tradition- you. may find Toy Trains on the hill, paper rockets, and Giant slides & bounce houses!
If you have little ones, Elfhaven Childcare in Buckeye Lodge is a world of wonder and time for parents to go play.
Pumpkin Fest is a fun, family friendly and fantastic artistic event or great date night with 18 beautiful artist-designed lighted carved pumpkin displays on a newly-paved short walking trail. The event includes talented local musicians, food trucks and coffee house, games, storytelling, face painting, white squirrel scavenger hunt, games, dress ups, and the Silvermont historic mansion and second floor museum open for tours.
Admission $7 per person (ages 13 and over), $5 ages 3-12, and 2 and under free. We accept cards, cash or check with ID.
Onsite parking cost is $5 per car (cash preferred). Free parking is available offsite on nearby streets and Comporium and church parking lots 1 block away. Handicap sticker- free parking onsite.
🎉 Calling All Young Entrepreneurs! 🍅
We’re thrilled to partner with J&M Farms at their vendor market day in October!
🌟 Got a kid with a big idea? Whether it’s homemade crafts, baked goods, lemonade stands, or creative services—this is their chance to shine!
🍅 Visit kids markets.com
Sign up your child’s booth 🌽
Explore upcoming children’s markets 🎨
Support young local entrepreneurs 💼
Come support young business minds as they showcase their creativity, passion, and entrepreneurial spirit alongside your favorite local vendors.
Shop local and discover handmade crafts, delicious treats and unique finds from amazing vendors. It will be a day of family fun, and a perfect day to shop, explore, and be inspired by the next generation of innovators.
Pumpkin Fest is a fun, family friendly and fantastic artistic event or great date night with 18 beautiful artist-designed lighted carved pumpkin displays on a newly-paved short walking trail. The event includes talented local musicians, food trucks and coffee house, games, storytelling, face painting, white squirrel scavenger hunt, games, dress ups, and the Silvermont historic mansion and second floor museum open for tours.
Admission $7 per person (ages 13 and over), $5 ages 3-12, and 2 and under free. We accept cards, cash or check with ID.
Onsite parking cost is $5 per car (cash preferred). Free parking is available offsite on nearby streets and Comporium and church parking lots 1 block away. Handicap sticker- free parking onsite.