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.

Sunday, November 17, 2024
Winter Lights
Nov 17 @ 6:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

Winter Lights is a spectacular open-air walk-through light show made from over one million lights! Located at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina, this year’s event features favorites like the famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden, along with enchanting new details designed to delight and surprise. All prices are per vehicle. No pets allowed.

Winter Lights features live entertainment nightly and food and beverages from the Bent Creek Bistro, the Cocoa Shack and the Cocoa Cabin! Open nightly from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.

Monday, November 18, 2024
Western Carolina Rescue Ministries Silent Auction
Nov 18 all-day
Online

For the past 43 years, Western Carolina Rescue Ministries in downtown Asheville has served the homeless community. Thanks in part to your contributions, we can continue to provide spiritual counseling, case management, work opportunities, group classes, Biblical studies, connection building with community resources, Chapel services, discipleship, and more to administer rescue, recovery, and restoration to people in crisis.

Event Details:

Silent Auction Only, now through Monday, November 18 at 7pm
Perfect Love Gala Postponed indefinitely
For questions please contact: Amanda Putnam, [email protected], 828-570-5279
We are resuming the Perfect Love Gala Silent Auction after our Gala was postponed indefinitely due to Hurricane Helene. The community was so generous to support us and we want to make sure we use their generosity to raise much needed funds to help people most in need in our community! Bidding on amazing items is officially open, and we encourage you to join in!

Every bid helps us continue providing vital services like safe shelter, addiction recovery programs, as well as prepare, and serve over 500 meals per day to those in need.

The auction will close online on Monday, November 18th at 7 PM—don’t miss out!

Thank you for your support!

Winter Lights
Nov 18 @ 6:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

Winter Lights is a spectacular open-air walk-through light show made from over one million lights! Located at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina, this year’s event features favorites like the famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden, along with enchanting new details designed to delight and surprise. All prices are per vehicle. No pets allowed.

Winter Lights features live entertainment nightly and food and beverages from the Bent Creek Bistro, the Cocoa Shack and the Cocoa Cabin! Open nightly from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.

Tuesday, November 19, 2024
Winter Lights
Nov 19 @ 6:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

Winter Lights is a spectacular open-air walk-through light show made from over one million lights! Located at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina, this year’s event features favorites like the famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden, along with enchanting new details designed to delight and surprise. All prices are per vehicle. No pets allowed.

Winter Lights features live entertainment nightly and food and beverages from the Bent Creek Bistro, the Cocoa Shack and the Cocoa Cabin! Open nightly from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.

Wednesday, November 20, 2024
OLD-TIME JAM Old-Time Mountain + Folk Music
Nov 20 @ 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Jack of the Wood


Grab some dinner and a pint while enjoying our long-running Old-Time jam! Featuring many talented musicians from the local WNC area, our traditional Appalachian mountain music jam runs from 5-9pm every Wednesday night at Jack of the Wood!

Disney Jr. Live On Tour: Let’s Play
Nov 20 @ 6:00 pm
Peace Concert Hall

In “Disney Jr. Live On Tour: Let’s Play” presented by Walmart, Mickey is getting ready for the biggest playdate ever at the Clubhouse with all his favorite pals including Minnie and Goofy, the Puppy Dog Pals, Ginny and Bitsy from “SuperKitties” and Ariel from “Disney Jr.’s Ariel,” but mysterious weather keeps interrupting the fun. Can Team Spidey from “Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends” find out who is behind this and help save the playdate?

Sing Your Heart Out
Nov 20 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
LEAF Global Arts

Sing songs that celebrate Peace & Community, with Resident Teaching Artist Melissa McKinney. Sing, play, drum, and dance while learning songs from the Justice Choir Songbook.

Wednesdays at 6 p.m.
$15 drop-in class
All ages welcome.

Winter Lights
Nov 20 @ 6:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

Winter Lights is a spectacular open-air walk-through light show made from over one million lights! Located at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina, this year’s event features favorites like the famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden, along with enchanting new details designed to delight and surprise. All prices are per vehicle. No pets allowed.

Winter Lights features live entertainment nightly and food and beverages from the Bent Creek Bistro, the Cocoa Shack and the Cocoa Cabin! Open nightly from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.

Thursday, November 21, 2024
Winter Lights
Nov 21 @ 6:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

Winter Lights is a spectacular open-air walk-through light show made from over one million lights! Located at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina, this year’s event features favorites like the famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden, along with enchanting new details designed to delight and surprise. All prices are per vehicle. No pets allowed.

Winter Lights features live entertainment nightly and food and beverages from the Bent Creek Bistro, the Cocoa Shack and the Cocoa Cabin! Open nightly from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.

BLUEGRASS JAM Hosted by Drew Matulich
Nov 21 @ 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Jack of the Wood

BLUEGRASS JAM

Hosted by Drew Matulich


Don’t miss your chance to check out some of the best pickers from all over WNC at our amazing Bluegrass Jam curated by the talented Drew Matulich — every Thursday starting at 7:00 pm! A real show-stopping performance only at Jack of the Wood! Open jam starts at 9:30 pm.

Duo Baldo
Nov 21 @ 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm
Wortham Center for the Performing Arts

Virtuosic performance, theatrical humor and pop culture meet in the heart of this dynamic musical comedy team discovered by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. Comprising renowned violinist Brad Repp and pianist-actor Aldo Gentileschi, the duo modernizes the centuries-old European theatre tradition of Commedia dell’arte, combining clownish characters and physical comedy with impeccably played chamber music — leaving you laughing-out-loud one minute and stunned to silence by a moving masterpiece the next.

“Duo Baldo’s performance has to be seen … words are not enough to convey the subtle irony that pervades it.” — Grapevine magazine

Friday, November 22, 2024
Acoustic Jam Session
Nov 22 @ 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Sideways Farm & Brewery

Plan to collaborate with other musicians at Sideways Farm & Brewery in Etowah. Bring your instruments and voices and enjoy making music and networking with other artists, while enjoying the beautiful scenery. Food truck is on site and beverages available for purchase from Sideways (small
batch craft beers, hard jun, ciders, wine, and non alcoholic drinks). Family, fans, friends, and leashed dogs are all welcome!
During winter months enjoy playing under the covered, sheltered, heated porch! And during the summer months enjoy
collaborating in the fields, on the stage, or under the patio

Good Tidings Market – Preview Party
Nov 22 @ 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Asheville Masonic Temple

Kick off the 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐓𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 at our 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲!

Friday, Nov 22 from 5-9pm

Get early access to shop our vendors while enjoying live music, craft activities, giveaways, and complimentary bites + bevs.
Tickets are pay what you can – purchase online or in person.
All proceeds benefit the Equal Plates Project.
Purchase your ticket here https://rb.gy/an2xqh

Equal Plates Project is a nonprofit that purchases from small farms at fair prices, transforms their quality ingredients into nourishing meals, and shares thousands of locally-sourced meals each week with neighbors facing complex barriers to food access. Learn more at equalplatesproject.org.

The Good Tidings Market continues Saturday + Sunday
Nov 23 + 24
11am-5pm
Free and open to the public

Winter Lights
Nov 22 @ 6:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

Winter Lights is a spectacular open-air walk-through light show made from over one million lights! Located at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina, this year’s event features favorites like the famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden, along with enchanting new details designed to delight and surprise. All prices are per vehicle. No pets allowed.

Winter Lights features live entertainment nightly and food and beverages from the Bent Creek Bistro, the Cocoa Shack and the Cocoa Cabin! Open nightly from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.

The Paper Crowns performing the music of Jerry Garcia
Nov 22 @ 7:30 pm
Tina McGuire theater at the Wortham Center

The Paper Crowns’ Spiro and Nicole Nicolopoulos are one of the premier duos on the Western North Carolina music scene. They are earning their reputation as the genuine article and as a duo on the cutting edge of modern roots music. Their mix of modern and traditional performance creates a captivating intensity yet always honors their intimacy and emotional rawness as a duo. They also have a love of the music of Jerry Garcia. Tonight, they will perform their renditions of some of the great tunes that Jerry Garcia performed as well as some of their original songs.

The Paper Crowns have played such events as: Spring LEAF (2018), LAAF (2018), Warren Haynes Christmas Jam by Day 2016 through 2019, LEAF Downtown, Echo Sessions featured on PBS, Mountain Sports Festival, Fall for Greenville, Downtown Alive, Soulshine Farm and Music Festival, SXSE, Sawdust Festival, Hangar 24 AirFest, Pappy and Harriet’s, they were featured in Pepsi’s City Tour and more.Venue details: Tina McGuire theater at the Wortham Center, 18 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, North Carolina, 28801, United States

The Paper Crowns performing the music of Jerry Garcia – November 22, 2024
Nov 22 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Tina McGuire theater at the Wortham Center

The Paper Crowns’ Spiro and Nicole Nicolopoulos are one of the premier duos on the Western North Carolina music scene. They are earning their reputation as the genuine article and as a duo on the cutting edge of modern roots music. Their mix of modern and traditional performance creates a captivating intensity yet always honors their intimacy and emotional rawness as a duo. They also have a love of the music of Jerry Garcia. Tonight, they will perform their renditions of some of the great tunes that Jerry Garcia performed as well as some of their original songs.

ANIMALS AS LEADERS: JOY OF MOTION X TOUR
Nov 22 @ 8:00 pm
The Orange Peel

 Show: 8pm | Doors: 7pm

Ages 18+
Masterworks 3: Messiah
Nov 22 @ 8:00 pm
First Baptist Church of Asheville

When asked to name the greatest composer of all time, Beethoven exclaimed without hesitation, “Handel — to him I bow the knee.” Mozart too held the English master in high regard: “Handel understands effect better than any of us… When he chooses, he strikes like a thunderbolt.” Experience the full might and awe-inspiring emotional weight of Handel’s legendary Messiah and kick off your holiday festivities with this powerful performance featuring four outstanding soloists and the Asheville Symphony Chorus

Saturday, November 23, 2024
Masterworks 3: Messiah
Nov 23 @ 2:00 pm
First Baptist Church of Asheville

When asked to name the greatest composer of all time, Beethoven exclaimed without hesitation, “Handel — to him I bow the knee.” Mozart too held the English master in high regard: “Handel understands effect better than any of us… When he chooses, he strikes like a thunderbolt.” Experience the full might and awe-inspiring emotional weight of Handel’s legendary Messiah and kick off your holiday festivities with this powerful performance featuring four outstanding soloists and the Asheville Symphony Chorus

Winter Lights
Nov 23 @ 6:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

Winter Lights is a spectacular open-air walk-through light show made from over one million lights! Located at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina, this year’s event features favorites like the famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden, along with enchanting new details designed to delight and surprise. All prices are per vehicle. No pets allowed.

Winter Lights features live entertainment nightly and food and beverages from the Bent Creek Bistro, the Cocoa Shack and the Cocoa Cabin! Open nightly from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.

The Greenville Symphony presents Grieg’s Piano Concerto
Nov 23 @ 7:30 pm
Peace Concert Hall

PROGRAM
Sarah Gibson: warp & weft
Edvard Grieg: Piano Concerto in A Minor
Robert Schumann: Symphony No. 1, “Spring”

Prepare for an enchanting evening of musical exploration as we delve into the depths of Sarah Gibson’s mesmerizing composition, warp & weft, setting the stage for a journey through Norwegian landscapes with Grieg’s timeless Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op.16. The grand finale of the evening unfolds with the vibrant and stirring melodies of Schumann’s Symphony No. 1, promising an unforgettable concert experience filled with passion, virtuosity, and musical mastery.

GUEST
Spencer Myer, piano

Masterworks 3: Messiah
Nov 23 @ 8:00 pm
First Baptist Church of Asheville

When asked to name the greatest composer of all time, Beethoven exclaimed without hesitation, “Handel — to him I bow the knee.” Mozart too held the English master in high regard: “Handel understands effect better than any of us… When he chooses, he strikes like a thunderbolt.” Experience the full might and awe-inspiring emotional weight of Handel’s legendary Messiah and kick off your holiday festivities with this powerful performance featuring four outstanding soloists and the Asheville Symphony Chorus

Miguel Zenón
Nov 23 @ 8:00 pm – 9:15 pm
Wortham Center for the Performing Arts

Join this Grammy-winning master musician for drinks and hors d’oeuvres on the Diana Wortham Theatre stage in a special, exclusive black tie event to support Wortham’s Arts for All Kids program. Widely considered one of the most groundbreaking and influential saxophonists and composers of his generation, Miguel has developed a unique voice as a conceptualist, “creating an entirely new jazz language for the 21st century” (MacArthur Foundation).

Act fast: Tickets are extremely limited.

Sunday, November 24, 2024
Jack’s Bluegrass Brunch
Nov 24 @ 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Jack of the Wood

Jack’s Bluegrass Brunch kicks off every Sunday at 12 noon — with lively bluegrass tunes courtesy of The Jack of the Wood Bluegrass Brunch Boys from 1-3pm. Sip a Bloody Mary or Mimosa or a warm Irish coffee. Tasty brunch specials alongside our regular menu and 18 taps of rotating craft brews! Sláinte, y’all!

“Defying Gravity; A Celebration of Women in Musical” TheaterFour Seasons Chamber Orchestra Concert
Nov 24 @ 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Blue Ridge Community College Bo Thomas Auditorium

The 4SCO is pleased to present a dazzling program titled “Defying Gravity; A Celebration of Women in Musical Theater.” The concert features an excursion down Broadway, celebrating women in musical theater. This uplifting program includes music from popular musicals including; Chicago, Frozen, Legally Blonde, and Wicked. Additionally, opera and aria compositions by Henry Purcell, Elfrida Andrée. Kathleen Watson and Candice Dickinson are the featured soloists.

The Greenville Symphony presents Grieg’s Piano Concerto
Nov 24 @ 3:00 pm
Peace Concert Hall

PROGRAM
Sarah Gibson: warp & weft
Edvard Grieg: Piano Concerto in A Minor
Robert Schumann: Symphony No. 1, “Spring”

Prepare for an enchanting evening of musical exploration as we delve into the depths of Sarah Gibson’s mesmerizing composition, warp & weft, setting the stage for a journey through Norwegian landscapes with Grieg’s timeless Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op.16. The grand finale of the evening unfolds with the vibrant and stirring melodies of Schumann’s Symphony No. 1, promising an unforgettable concert experience filled with passion, virtuosity, and musical mastery.

GUEST
Spencer Myer, piano

TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC SESSION
Nov 24 @ 3:30 pm
Jack of the Wood

Jack’s long-running Traditional Irish Music Session is the perfect way to enjoy the Celtic-influenced sounds of talented pluckers from all over WNC & further afield! Stop in to enjoy a pint or afternoon Irish coffee with the music! Sláinte!

Winter Lights
Nov 24 @ 6:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

Winter Lights is a spectacular open-air walk-through light show made from over one million lights! Located at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina, this year’s event features favorites like the famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden, along with enchanting new details designed to delight and surprise. All prices are per vehicle. No pets allowed.

Winter Lights features live entertainment nightly and food and beverages from the Bent Creek Bistro, the Cocoa Shack and the Cocoa Cabin! Open nightly from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.

SHANE SMITH & THE SAINTS
Nov 24 @ 8:00 pm
The Orange Peel

 Show: 8pm | Doors: 7pm
All Ages – under 12 requires venue approval
Monday, November 25, 2024
Winter Lights
Nov 25 @ 6:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

Winter Lights is a spectacular open-air walk-through light show made from over one million lights! Located at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina, this year’s event features favorites like the famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden, along with enchanting new details designed to delight and surprise. All prices are per vehicle. No pets allowed.

Winter Lights features live entertainment nightly and food and beverages from the Bent Creek Bistro, the Cocoa Shack and the Cocoa Cabin! Open nightly from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.