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.
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Homelessness has increased in Asheville since the Covid-19 pandemic, with recent numbers showing a 21% increase in unsheltered people in our community. The City of Asheville, Buncombe County and the Dogwood Health Trust partnered to bring in a consultant from the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
The project has two phases:
Phase One – a comprehensive needs assessment to understand the increase in unsheltered homelessness.
Phase Two – using the findings of Phase One to develop a set of actionable strategies and recommendations to improve our community’s response to unsheltered homelessness.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness is seeing input from he community through an anonymous survey. This survey for people residing in or conducting business in the Asheville community. It asks about your experience, thoughts, and impressions on homelessness in Asheville. The survey will be open through August 19, please take time to share your thoughts.
DONATE BLOOD TO VOTE!
Right now, The Blood Connection has a critical need for blood donations and we need community members like YOU to help us out!
Community members have chosen to help TBC ramp up blood donations in August, and your donation can help crown them MR. OR MS. AUGUST!
These contestants have stepped up to be community lifesavers…WILL YOU?
Twenty contestants from across the Carolinas and Georgia have signed on to share TBC’s mission and
encourage others to roll up their sleeves this August. They include:
– Dr. Annie Andrews – Politician and Pediatrician from Charleston, SC
– Michelle Brandt – Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commissioner and Politician from
Charleston, SC
– Wool E. Bull – Mascot for the Durham Bulls Baseball Team
– Jan Correll – Blogger/influencer behind Silver is the New Blonde® in Charlotte, NC
– Jordan Coppinger – Radio Host, 98.1 The River in Asheville, NC
– Max Diekneite – News Anchor from Savannah, GA
– Jane Dough – Radio Host, Kiss 101.9 in New Bern, NC
– Anastasia Garcia – Social Media Influencer from Greensboro, NC
– Brevin Galloway – Basketball Player for Clemson University
– Dr. Carlos Grant – Principal of Wade Hampton High School in Greenville, SC
– Nikki Kuniej – Account Manager for Charleston Radio Group in Charleston, SC
– Dr. Zion Ko Lamm – Internal Medicine Specialist in Greenville, SC
– Andrew Lord – Head Coach of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits in Greenville, SC
– Miguel Lucero – Paramedic and EMT Teacher from Berkely County, SC
– Walker Merritt – Football Player at The Citadel
– Ed Piotrowski – Chief Meteorologist, WPDE from Myrtle Beach, SC
– Jane Robelot – Anchor, WYFF News 4 from Greenville, SC
– Ian Robinson – Leukemia Survivor from Greenville, SC
– Sarah Margaret Sandlin – Social Media Influencer from Charlotte, NC
– Rhys Shaw – 12-year-old Lymphoma Survivor from Charleston, SC
The WNC Farmers Market is the premier destination for buying and selling the region’s best agriculture products directly from farmers & food producers to household & wholesale customers in an environment that celebrates the region’s diverse culture, food & heritage.
House of Operation:
WNC Farmers Market: 24/7, 361 days a year market access for farmers
Office: Monday- Friday, 8am-5pm
Market Shops: 7 days a week, 8 am-5 pm
Wholesale and Truck Sheds: 7 days a week
Buy a 5-Pass Flex Subscription or a 3-Pass Musicals Subscription and save over 15% on your season tickets.
Order Early and Save!
Order your Early Bird Subscription before September 1st and save an additional $15 -$25 per subscription. You will still have the flexibility to choose your seats and show dates at a later time – so don’t wait!
Show Dates at a Glance:
Our Town: September 30 – October 16, 2022
Elf The Musical: December 2 – 18, 2022
Native Gardens: February 10 – 26, 2023
Bright Star: April 21 – May 14, 2023
Bat Boy: The Musical: July 21 – August 6, 2023
Welcome to Agrabah and the adventure of the street rat who became a prince!
When the street urchin, Aladdin, vies for the attention of the beautiful princess, Jasmine, he uses a genie’s magic power to become a prince in order to marry her. Iago, Jafar, the Genie, and more are here in Disney’s Aladdin KIDS, a musical adventure filled with magic, mayhem and the power of love.
Camp features: acting classes, movement and choreography, juggling and magic tricks, miming and more!
Join us on the magical Fairy Trail where your imagination is the only limit.
Developed by Fairies and dedicated volunteers, Bullington Gardens’ Fairy Trail is a whimsical treat for the young and the young at heart. Featuring charming vignettes and villages, the fairy trail will charm you with its thoughtful design, eye catching displays and secret woodland trail.
Rules of the trail:
Do not move or rearrange fairy displays. The fairies are very fond of their own decorating.
Do not leave trash on the trail. Fairies do not like litter in their town.
Please ensure children and pets are supervised at all times. Dogs and loud noises can scare the fairies into hiding.
Do not disturb wildlife or vegetation. The fairies depend on the vegetation to build their homes.
The trail is one way only. Please stay on the trail at all times.
P.S. the Fairies would like us to remind you that we are a non-profit and donations are greatly appreciated. Help us keep the fairies living in the style with which they’ve become accustomed.
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Find adventure in the Great Smoky Mountains! Try one of our two whitewater rafting trips on the Pigeon River, conveniently located near Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Asheville, and Maggie Valley.
Raft the Upper Pigeon for a full dose of excitement with a dozen Class III and IV rapids, or if gentle rapids and swimming holes are more your speed, float the Lower Pigeon – ideal for families and groups with young children.
Save $10 per person on the Upper or Lower Pigeon! Use code: PIGEON10 at checkout. |
- Workshop Presenter – Delivering presentations to either in-person or online audiences on topics that will help them grow their businesses
Featured Artists: Jude Stuecker (fiber) Erica Bailey (jewelry) Mary Dashiell (clay) Steve Miller (wood) Rex Redd (clay)
The Garden Helpline is open March 2 through October 27 in 2022.
Extension Master GardenerSM volunteers will be staffing the Helpline as indicated in the schedule below. You may send an email or leave a voicemail at any time and an Extension Master Gardener volunteer will respond during Garden Helpline hours. When emailing, please include a photo if it helps describe your garden question. Soil test kits can be picked up at the Extension office, 24/7, located in a box outside the front door.
Two ways to contact the Garden Helpline
Call 828-255-5522
Email questions and photos to [email protected]
Garden Helpline Hours
March: Monday 12:00 – 2:00; Wednesday 10:00 – 12:00
April – September: Monday and Wednesday 10:00- 2:00; Tuesday 10:00-12:00;
Thursday 12:00-2:00
October: Tuesday 10:00-12:00; Thursday 12:00-2:00
We are here to help and support you! Please contact us; we look forward to answering your gardening questions.
Would you like to learn some pieces and become part of a group that’s entire focus is performing and competing? This week we will learn a few showstoppers, evaluate everyone’s skill level and host auditions for our year round Performance Troupe. No experience is required to participate- but must have a love of MUSICAL THEATRE.
At the end of the week you will perform for family and friends. If, at the end of the week, you are invited into our performance group, we will let you know and present you with the schedule of rehearsals and potential performances/competitions. We are excited to have you and break a leg!
Being an artist can be a lonely endeavor. RAD Collabs seeks to inspire artists to leave behind solitary work habits, encourage new friendships and inspire imaginative art.
We put the word out to Asheville-area artists earlier this year and had an overwhelming response from painters, potters, metalsmiths, woodworkers and others who expressed an interest in working with glassblowers.
The work exhibited in this show will shine the light on these new partnerships. Come see the show and watch glassblowers in action all at the same time!
Pictured is a collaboration between Joe Nicholson and Vanessa Tsumura.
“LIFE ART LIFE William Bernstein 50 year retrospective” exhibition August 6-October 9, 2022 at the Toe River Arts’ Kokol Gallery, Spruce Pine, NC, features the paintings and glass of this artist who has been on the forefront of the studio glass movement.
Graduating 1968 from the Philadelphia College of Arts and just married, Bernstein moved to Penland School of Crafts to be their second glass resident artist from 1968-70. He was a co-founder of the Glass Arts Society (GAS) that formed to bring together the glass community so people could work together and learn from each other. Receiving numerous awards, fellowships and grants, he has exhibited internationally and has artwork in many private and public collections. Bernstein has lived most of his professional life in the rural Celo community of Yancey, North Carolina along with his family and artist wife, Katherine Bernstin. This retrospective provides a great opportunity for one to imagine a life surrounded by art.
This has been not only been a year-long process of curating pieces for an exhibit, but a lifetime of making art that connects with all things about one’s life. Bernstein’s work in glass and paint showcases just that: his family, his pets, friends, his environs, his moods and so much more. A life well-lived in creating art. More on Bernstein Glass www.bernsteinglass.com
William Warmus (A Fellow and former curator of Modern Glass at the Corning Museum), writes for the exhibition catalog, “Bernstein is a minimalist whose style is based upon the dedication to the concepts of honesty, modesty, and humility. It has a feel of its surroundings and of the people of the region.”
The Toe River Arts Kokol Gallery is located at 269 Oak Avenue, Spruce Pine, NC 28777. The exhibition dates: August 6 – October 9, 2022. Hours: Tuesdays-Saturdays from 10:30 – 5:00 pm. 828-765-0520, www.toeriverarts.org
Public receptions on Fridays: August 12 and October 7, both 5:00-7:00 PM. Artist gallery talk Friday, August 12, 4:00 pm. The exhibition travels to Cary Arts Center November 30 – January 21, 2023.
Coinciding with the United Nations’ Year 2022 as the Year of Glass and the 60th Anniversary of the Studio Glass Movement, this has been made possible by Toe River Arts, the North Carolina Arts Council, the Cary Art Center, Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass, the Blumenthal Foundation, and Mountain Electronics in Micaville, NC.
Is training camp free and open to the public?
Yes, practices are free to attend with first-come, first-serve seating along the grass hill alongside the practice fields.
Do fans have to show proof of vaccination to attend?
Proof of vaccination and face coverings are not required. Mask-wearing is not required.
Are autographs available?
This year, there will be opportunities for fans to be able to get autographs from players after practice. Signage will direct fans to the area along the Field 1 fence where there is potential for players to stop and sign autographs after practice.
Can I bring in outside food and beverages?
Fans are allowed to bring in coolers and containers with food and drink (non-alcoholic). Glass containers are not allowed for safety reasons.
What else is permitted?
The following items are permitted at camp:
-Backpacks
-Containers for medical supplies
-Flags without poles or sticks
-Folding chairs, seat cushions, umbrellas
-Strollers
-Selfie sticks
-Tablets
Jessie B. Telfair, Freedom Quilt, 1983, cotton with pencil, 74 × 68 inches. Collection American Folk Art Museum, NY, gift of Judith Alexander in loving memory of her sister, Rebecca Alexander, 2004.9.1. © Estate of Jessie. B. Telfair, image Gavin Ashworth.
American Perspectives: Stories from the American Folk Art Museum Collection showcases over 80 stellar works of folk and self-taught art including assemblages, needlework, paintings, pottery, quilts, and sculpture. Organized by the American Folk Art Museum in New York, this exhibition will be on view in the Explore Asheville Exhibition Hall at the Asheville Art Museum from June 18 through September 5, 2022. Everyone has stories to tell from both the private and mutual experiences encountered throughout their lifetime. American folk and self-taught artists capture these stories in powerful visual narratives that offer firsthand testimonies to chapters in the unfolding story of America from its inception to the present. Beautiful, diverse, and truthful; the art illuminates the thoughts and experiences of individuals with an immediacy that is palpable and unique to these expressions. These artworks held meaning in the makers’ worlds filtered through their own perceptions.
The artworks are organized into four sections—Founders, Travelers, Philosophers, and Seekers—that respond to such themes as nationhood, freedom, community, imagination, opportunity, and legacy. Evocative visual juxtapositions and accessible contextual information further reveal the vital role that folk art plays as a witness to history, carrier of cultural heritage, and a reflection of the world at large through the eyes, heart, and mind of the artist.
“While the Asheville Art Museum exhibits many folk and self-taught artists, most are local to the Southeast,” says Whitney Richardson, associate curator. “American Perspectives adds a national voice to the conversation by adding New England, Midwestern, Southwestern, and West Coast artworks that the Museum could never achieve alone. The amount of creative output from folk and self-taught artists was (and still is) on a national level and this exhibition helps to put that into a clear context. Traveling to Asheville from the collection of the American Folk Art Museum in New York, this exhibition will complement and expand the Museum’s ongoing conversations around American history and storytelling through works of art.”
This exhibition has been organized by the American Folk Art Museum, NY, with support provided by Art Bridges. Originally curated for installation at the American Folk Art Museum February 11, 2020–January 3, 2021 by Stacy C. Hollander, independent curator. Tour coordinated by Emelie Gevalt, Curator of Folk Art and Curatorial Chair for Collections, the American Folk Art Museum.
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| Richard Misrach, Wall, Jacumba, California, 2009, pigment print, 60 × 80 inches. Courtesy the Artist. © Richard Misrach, courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco.. |
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| Draped and Veiled: 20×24 Polaroid Photographs by Joyce Tenneson showcases Joyce Tenneson’s Transformations series, which she began in 1985 and engaged with through 2005. Transformations features partially or fully nude figures poetically presented; Tenneson’s photographs have always been interested in the magic of the human figure, contained within bodies of all ages and emotions in a broad range that are both vulnerable and bold. This exhibition features 12 large Polaroids from the poetic series. Draped and Veiled will be on view May 25–October 10, 2022. |
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Useful and Beautiful: Silvercraft by William Waldo Dodge features a selection of functional silver works by Dodge drawn from the Museum’s Collection. Organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Whitney Richardson, associate curator, this exhibition will be on view in the Debra McClinton Gallery at the Museum from February 23 through October 17, 2022.
William Waldo Dodge Jr. (Washington, DC 1895–1971 Asheville, NC) moved to Asheville in 1924 as a trained architect and a newly skilled silversmith. When he opened for business promoting his handwrought silver tableware, including plates, candlesticks, flatware (spoons, forks, and knives), and serving dishes, he did so in a true Arts and Crafts tradition. The aesthetics of the style were dictated by its philosophy: an artist’s handmade creation should reflect their hard work and skill, and the resulting artwork should highlight the material from which it was made. Dodge’s silver often displayed his hammer marks and inventive techniques, revealing the beauty of these useful household goods.
The Arts and Crafts style of England became popular in the United States in the early 1900s. Asheville was an early adopter of the movement because of the popularity and abundance of Arts and Crafts architecture in neighborhoods like Biltmore Forest, Biltmore Village, and the area around The Grove Park Inn. The title of this exhibition was taken from the famous quotation by one of the founding members of the English Arts and Crafts Movement, William Morris, who said, “have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” Not only did Dodge follow this suggestion; he contributed to American Arts and Crafts silver’s relevancy persisting almost halfway into the 20th century.
“It has been over 15 years since the Museum exhibited its collection of William Waldo Dodge silver and I am looking forward to displaying it in the new space with some new acquisitions added,” said Whitney Richardson, associate curator. Learn more at ashevilleart.org.
Start mentally preparing for the ceremonial start to the summer and your first dip in the pool! Buncombe County Recreation Services opens its five outdoor swimming pools on Saturday, May 28.
Pools are open Monday-Friday from 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday from 1-6 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, pools may close for a short period of time or the entire day. Follow individual pools on Facebook for the latest information on closings.
Cost to swim is $3.00 per day. Visitors are welcome to bring their own chairs and lounging towels.
For many local families, our pool openings signal the beginning of summer and more relaxing days. They’re an affordable, fun, and healthy way to beat the heat. Thanks to their locations, they’re also surrounded by stunning views of our mountains.
Pools are located across the county, ensuring easy access for all kids and families. The facilities are managed through an agreement with Swim Club Management Group of Asheville which oversees maintenance, hires staff, and handles daily operations. Community members can sign up for swim lessons and book private parties on the management group’s website, buncombepool.com.
Sun safety information is available at each location, but pool visitors are reminded to apply water-resistant, broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher before putting on a bathing suit and reapply every two hours or after swimming. Other tips to avoid the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays include wearing high-UPF swim shirts, wide brim hats, and wraparound UV-blocking sunglasses. More sun safety tips are available from the American Academy of Dermatology.
Pool Locations
Cane Creek Pool
590 Lower Brush Creek Road
Fletcher, NC 28732
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Erwin Pool
58 Lees Creek Road
Asheville, NC 28806
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Hominy Valley Pool
25 Twin Lakes Road
Candler, NC 28715
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North Buncombe Pool
892 Clarks Chapel Road
Weaverville, NC 28787
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Owen Pool
117 Stone Drive
Swannanoa, NC 28778
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Before you even begin thinking about volunteering, ask yourself – Am I well enough to volunteer?
Your safety and limiting the spread of COVID-19 is everyone’s main priority. We encourage you to review and adhere to the recommendations on the Buncombe County readiness site on how best to avoid COVID-19 and what to do if you think you might have it.
Bounty & Soul is a community-based non-profit with a mission to connect people to food, education and each other.
Like to get creative and crafty? Enjoy preparing fun educational games for children? We invite you to be a part of this small, sweet, and intentional shift that directly supports our Kids Programming. We are looking to have 1-2 folks join us Mondays from 1:30-3:30pm at the Bounty & Soul office. We’re talking bubbles, meditation pin wheels, produce fortune tellers, mini-cook books, exercise games and more!
Requirements:
- Must agree to adhere to all safety measures implemented at the site
- A positive attitude to bring to the group
- A passion for sharing information on children’s health and wellbeing
- Excellent customer service and communication skills
Health/Safety:
- We are asking volunteers to wear/bring their own face covering when delivering items
- Cloth covering nose and mouth
- Fabric or disposable face mask
- Asking volunteers to maintain physical distance of 6 feet or more when possible
- Note: there are times when the volunteer task requires volunteers to engage closer than 6 feet. Please do not sign up if you feel uncomfortable.
Our Town tells a story of life – from birth to love to death – that we can all relate to. Next-door families, the Gibbs and the Webbs, and their tight-knit small town, experience love and loss as they face the hard truths and joys of being alive and together.
ACT gives this American classic a fresh approach and contemporary design to reflect our own town of Asheville, North Carolina today: how we look and sound, how we work and play, how we live and die. Come celebrate Our Town and heed the reminder to appreciate life’s most precious moments – the ones we spend with each other!
**ACT will offer one performance with sign interpretation (American Sign Language) on October 15.**
Please see our website for ACT’s current masking policy. This policy is subject to change at any time, and all changes will be reflected on this webpage.
All tickets are subject to sales tax and a $3.50 ticketing system fee. All sales final. No exchanges or returns.
Hosted by: The Buddhist Studies Institute
FREE – ONLINE – 30 MINUTES – DAILY
🌺Guided meditation support and community🌺
🌸Stabilization and Liberation:
In order to liberate our minds– we need stable calm.
🌸Consistency & Commitment:
Stabilizing in calm clear presence takes consistent training.
🌸Support & Community:
Daily Meditation is a container and support for your meditation focus.
Expand your meditation circle- join us online any day or every day!
Formerly known as 100 Days of practice to support a Tibetan Yogis tradition to practice 100 days in the winter, this has now been expanded to continue daily. To learn more and register: https://buddhiststudiesinstitute.org/daily-meditation/
Join us at a festive birthday bash to celebrate 70 years of entertainment and education at the Flat Rock Playhouse! Operating in Henderson County since 1952, Flat Rock Playhouse provides high-quality, hand-crafted, unique art entertainment and education opportunities. Enjoy an exciting evening with live entertainment as we gather to reminisce, honor, and invest in the arts. Together, we can preserve, ignite, and revitalize the arts in Western North Carolina.
Ticket Price: $175/ticket.
Cocktail hour followed by Dinner & Entertainment.
Parking: Parking lot below the Clubhouse. Shuttles will be available all evening.
Attire: Casual Cocktail
Drinks: Complimentary wine, beer, and specialty cocktails and mock-tails. Cash Bar.
This is a hybrid event, meaning there is an option to attend virtually and a limited number of seats are available to attend the event in-store. The event is free but registration is required for both in-person and virtual attendance.
Please click here to register for the VIRTUAL event. The link required to attend will be emailed to registrants prior to the event.
Please click here to register for the IN-PERSON event. Note the important event details on the RSVP form.
If you decide to attend and to purchase books, we ask that you purchase from Malaprop’s. When you do this you make it possible for us to continue hosting author events and you keep more dollars in our community. You may also support our work by purchasing a gift card or making a donation of any amount below. Thank you!
From athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick to musician Fela Kuti, explorer Matthew Henson and writer Chinua Achebe, there are so many inspirational men in Black history. This lyrical, rhythmic texts encourages boys to imagine everything they can be and the great things they can do, drawing on the strength of people throughout history that paved the way for Black boys.
It tells today’s boys: you have the courage, you are the light. It’s a new day! Be inspired and motivated by drawing on the history of the role models that came before you.
Dear boy, Black boy, I believe in you so.
Let’s start your story–ready, set, go.
Contributor Bios
ALI BIKO SULAIMAN KAMANDA is an award-winning filmmaker and social entrepreneur from Sierra Leone, West Africa. He runs BIKO Studios, a cross-cultural film production company and is the President of Salone Rising, a not-for-profit organization that provides micro-financing and mentoring resources to small business owners in rural Sierra Leone.
JORGE REDMOND currently works in the Buncombe County District Attorney’s office as an Assistant District Attorney, and as an adjunct professor in South College’s Legal Department. Ali and Jorge are college friends, and Black Boy, Black Boy is their debut book.
KEN DALEY is an award-winning artist from Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. He believes that diverse stories are essential to creating a more just, and equitable world, and is known for his use of bold colors and authentic details to depict Black Life in all its iterations.
Experience an array of talented music artists on a pleasant summer night at the Monday Night Live! concert series. The concert series features a diverse line-up of folk, country and blues. The eclectic line-up of free live performances happen at the Visitor Center, 201 South Main Street, from 7pm-9pm. Enjoy the fresh air, bring a chair and delight in the one-of-a-kind experience you’ll get from this unique outdoor music venue.
In case of inclement weather, the concert will be postponed until 8pm. If the weather does not improve by 8 pm the performance will be canceled.
This Concert Series is sponsored by Burger King, Kathy Watkins of Preferred Realty, Firehouse Subs, Blue Ridge Hospitality and Mast General. This event is hosted by the Henderson County Tourism Development Authority.