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.
The 2018 Cashiers Designer Showhouse will take place from July 27th – August 5th at a wonderful, historic home that truly embodies all that is Cashiers. Worthy of being preserved and appreciated, the home is an elegant estate with a traditional gothic style, making it the ideal palette for local and visiting design professionals that the Cashiers Historical Society, in partnership with Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Magazine, have invited to unleash their creativity. The enriching week full of energy and style will kick off with an Opening Night Gala on July 27th, feature numerous lectures, book signings, and workshops throughout the week with notable artists and designers, and will close off with a Closing Croquet Brunch on August 5th with Mark D. Sikes.
Named by USA Today as one of the Top Twenty Festivals in North Carolina, Folkmoot is a ten-day event, held across the mountains of Western North Carolina in Waynesville, Clyde, Lake Junaluska, Maggie Valley, Canton, Cherokee, Franklin, Hickory, Asheville, and Hendersonville. The 2018 festival dates are July 19 – 29 and feature cultural ambassadors/dance performing groups from Ghana, Italy, Czech Republic, Mexico, Venezuela and Northern Cyprus, Thailand and local Appalachian and Cherokee dancers and musicians.
Tickets are now on sale for all performances and can be purchased at Folkmoot.org, in person at the Folkmoot Friendship Center, or by calling 828-452-2997.
For the seventh consecutive year, the Asheville Habitat ReStore at 31 Meadow Road near Biltmore Village is encouraging residents to show off their creativity and talent for a chance to win in the ReStore ReUse Contest. Garden shed, artist studio, chicken coop…tree house, playhouse, tiny house…if you recently built a structure like this using predominantly reused building materials, Habitat wants to know. The contest runs July 1-August 31 and submissions must be sent electronically. Information and entry form will be available on ashevillehabitat.org starting July 1 st . The purpose of the contest is to showcase innovative building projects constructed predominantly of used building materials. “Our customers often tell us about the projects they make using materials purchased at the ReStore. This contest is a great way to showcase their projects and inspire others to reuse, recycle and repurpose usable materials,” said Scott Stetson, ReStore General Manager. Five judges will select winners in the following categories: Furniture, Homesteading, Live and/or Work Space, Home Décor, Youth (age 16 and under), and Best in Show. Winners will be announced in mid-September.
While having school supplies may simply be an item on the ‘to-do’ list for many parents and guardians, for others, the calculator that their child needs, or a backpack without last year’s broken zippers, may not be in the cards. 
These parents—and especially their children—should not have to worry about heading into school without the necessary supplies. This is why the United Way has this drive and, by contributing the supplies our students need to succeed, we’re investing in the future of our community. Together we are stronger. United, we make a difference. #BackpacktotheFuture.
This year’s 2018 school supply drive will be July 9th trough July 27th. If you visit www.handsonasheville.org/
Students at the Visual Arts Preschool at Roots + Wings School of Art and Design engage with pre-K education fundamentals through a dynamic, arts based curriculum. Literacy, numeracy, social skills, community building, cultural and environmental studies are approached through an art and design thinking lens, as students explore learning concepts experientially across multiple platforms.
The Roots + Wings Visual Arts Preschool ‘Best of 2018’ collection is a cross section of the diverse pre-K education program and includes investigations into art movements, community and culture, storytelling, and creative play.
The Biltmore Estate has been planning the largest exhibition in its historic gardens for almost a decade. And finally, last week, Chihuly at Biltmore opened with a mega installation of glass sculptures from the famous artist Dale Chihuly. Tens of thousands of glass pieces from all around the world reside in 14 locations around the Estate (which is the very first large-scale N.C. Chihuly installation).
The exhibition is up from now until Oct. 7th, free admission with a Biltmore day pass (and free for annual pass holders). Chihuly at Nightis a special, ongoing event where the glass sculptures are lit up, plus live music in the gardens + a wine bar. Tickets are $37.50 for kids + range from $65 – 75 for adults ($10 discount for pass holders).
Three new works were blown just for Biltmore, and 6 new compositions were put together.
Asheville, NC—Momentum Gallery in downtown Asheville is pleased to participate in the Summer of Glass, a WNC celebration of glass art in conjunction with the Dale Chihuly exhibition at the Biltmore Estate, May-October 2018. The gallery exhibition, Reflections (July 1-August 25) nods to the Gilded Age, a period during the late 19th Century when the Biltmore Estate was conceived and constructed by railway tycoon George Vanderbilt. This curated exhibition features recent work by some of the country’s top contemporary glass artists with many of the works in the collection speaking to Vanderbilt’s aesthetic of opulence, grandeur, and beauty. Other conceptual pieces examine concepts of memory and history, referencing the “downstairs” or “behind the scenes” of the palatial mansion as well. Sophisticated sculptures and stylish wall pieces incorporate a variety of glass techniques and explore the intricate detailing, ornamentation, and drama indicative of the Gilded Age. This Exhibit is free and open to the public.
Reflections includes works by: Thor & Jennifer Bueno, Amber Cowan, Jennifer Halvorson, Alli Hoag, Joanna Manousis, Andy Paiko, Kit Paulson, Pablo Soto, and Tim Tate.
Throughout the month of July, you can enjoy a great local craft beverage and help support MANNA’s mission to provide food to families across WNC.
Many of us are busy planning summer vacations, gatherings, and picnics ahead of July. But for over 100,000 Western North Carolina residents busy trying to make ends meet to provide for their most basic needs, that kind of celebration is out of the question.
That is why the nationally recognized WNC beer scene is collaborating again, and raising the stakes, to bring awareness to the issue of hunger in Western North Carolina. Over twenty local breweries are joining forces to help support MANNA FoodBank’s mission to end hunger for thousands of families across WNC through the 2nd annual Hops for Hunger campaign, July 1st – 31st.
Hops for Hunger is made possible through support from Asheville Ale Trail, and MANNA’s annual sponsors: Preserve Communities, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, Anurja Interactive, The Cantina at Historic Biltmore Village, Mast General Store, and Lamar Advertising.
These incredible dogs have delighted audiences nationwide at halftime shows on television. Don’t miss them live at Tweetsie Railroad! Shows at 11:00 a.m., and 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. Saturday evening show at 7:00 p.m.
This exquisite, interactive exhibit is designed to inspire and educate visitors about the storied history and evocative power of scent while taking them on a full sensory journey, literally! Blending flora, fashion and science, Making Scents showcases some of Mother Nature’s most fragrant botanicals and unveils the plants and flowers behind some of the world’s most iconic perfumes. Visitors will explore the mysterious power of the sense of smell, learn about the artistry and science behind the fragrance industry and even compose their own basic fragrance.
From traditional harvest and extraction methods to chemical combinations of synthetic fragrances, Making Scents uncovers the technical processes behind fragrance creation through an immersive, multisensory experience. Art, passion and craft come together inside the exhibit’s iconic bottle display, which showcases the unique designs of more than 100 perfume bottles, some dating back to ancient the Greek and Roman eras. By integrating horticulture, history and pop culture, Making Scents is sure to enlighten the senses and engage the minds of visitors about the fragrance industry and the living world in a fun, dynamic way.
The #1 most requested musical at FRP and international phenomenon…MAMMA MIA!
Dance the night away to such ABBA favorites as “Dancing Queen,” “Take a Chance on Me,” “The Winner Takes It All” and “Thank you for the Music” in this delightful musical comedy and Broadway sensation.
Following the release of the brand new musical movie, Mamma Mia 2 in movie theaters on July 20th, see where it all began at the Flat Rock Playhouse Mainstage from July 27th to August 18th as WE present Mamma Mia!
Matinees: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00PM
Evenings: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30PM. Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00PM
Flat Rock Playhouse Mainstage
2661 Greenville Highway Flat Rock, NC 28731
This exhibit showcases the work of three leading fiber artists who explore Western North Carolina’s mountains, meadows and marshes using fabrics and fibers. Their quilted wall art offers a link to familiar images of this region, echoing the Arboretum’s role of connecting people with plants. Through their diverse styles, construction methods and subject matter, artists Mary Stori, Judy Simmons and Kate Weston add a contemporary twist to the area’s rich and storied quilt-making tradition. Their exhibit features pieces of varying sizes, from large focal-point wall hangings to medium-sized wall art to small work suitable for tabletop display. All pieces are for sale, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting The North Carolina Arboretum Society.
About the Artists
Mary Stori
From her home in Clyde, N.C., Mary creates botanical and organic themed art quilts using artisian-made, hand-dyed cotton, linen, silk and rayon fabrics. She also utilizes hand-felted and hand-dyed wool as rich backdrops, offering texture and depth to her work. Bead embellishment is another one of her trademarks. Learn more on her website.
Judy Simmons
Judy creates her own fabric in her Fletcher, N.C. studio using surface design techniques, including fabric marbling, dyeing, color lifting and silk screening. Much of the imagery in her work utilizes her own photography printed on fabric. To learn more about Judy, please click here.
Kate Weston
From her home in Statesville, N.C., Kate focuses on the creation of complex cloth through the application of dye, paint and embellishment, such as fabric overlay or manipulation and the application of non-fiber materials. Coupled with skillful machine quilting, Kate’s works create and stunning interplay of color and texture. Please visit Kate’s website to learn more.
Pathfinder Society (PFS) is a Fantasy Role-playing game where you play as adventurers building an epic reputation as explorers, monster slayers, and archaeologists. PFS Organized Play offers an opportunity for fantasy role-playing in a structured and consistent gaming environment, worldwide! With the aid of other bold adventurers, explore and discover an ancient world filled with wondrous magic and beset with unnameable evils. Discover the great mysteries that await in the world of Pathfinder.
We play at the Wyvern’s tale every other Saturday from 12:30 – 4:30 (first game of the day) and 5:30 – 9:30 (for the evening game) and are happy to help you jump right in and join the adventure. Unlike a home game, you don’t have to commit to playing every week, drop in when you can and catch a single adventure!
We run events all over Western North Carolina, join us for a game at many of the Friendly Local Gaming Stores in the region (see our website for details on locations and times)
2018 marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center. As the last exhibition to be held in our 56 Broadway gallery before we move to 120 College Street on Pack Square Park in downtown Asheville, Shared History highlights not just the museum’s origins, collection, programs, and exhibitions but also the many ways that this organization has created a space for connection and experimentation. This fulfills our early promise to BMC alumni to be not merely a museum memorializing the past, but a center geared towards building community and fostering forward-thinking creativity in the present. An Opening Reception will be held on June 1st from 5:30PM – 8PM, with a Gallery Talk by Exhibition Curator, Erin Dickey, at 6:30PM. We welcome all who have been a part of our history, and hope that new audiences will gain insight into the scope of BMCM+AC’s reach, both locally and around the globe. This event is FREE and Open to the Public
By highlighting these and other works, Brevard Music Center is presenting some of Bernstein’s greatest output and showing a wonderful variety of his music that is at the core of American classical music experience. We spend so much time celebrating the works of European masters like Beethoven, Mozart, Mahler, and Dvôrak. And those works all deserve to be celebrated. But they must stand alongside Bernstein, Copland, and Gershwin—these masters gave American classical music its voice.
It’s wonderful for Brevard to be joining in with orchestras and institutions all around the world in celebrating the birth of one of the most compelling musicians of our time…or any other time.
THE 2018 BREVARD MUSIC CENTER | LEONARD BERNSTEIN FESTIVAL
Sun., June 24: Beloved Bernstein
Mon., July 9: Bernstein & Friends
Thurs., July 12: Leonard Bernstein/An American Icon (free lecture/details to come)
Fri., July 13: A Bernstein Celebration
Sat., July 14: West Side Story (movie + live symphony)
Sun., July 15: Bernstein the Educator
Thurs., July 26 & Sat., July 28: Candide (opera with English supertitles)
Sun., August 5: Season Finale: Bernstein’s Mass
It’s hard not to crack a smile while enjoying amazing views of Lake Lure and the Hickory Nut Gorge from on top of the Chimney. Capture photos of your family and friends enjoying the Park and enter them into our Smiles of Spring Photo Contest for a chance to win fabulous prizes. We’ll use the winning entries on our website and Facebook album, and you’ll win some fun prizes. Photos must be taken within the Chimney Rock section of the Park.
GREAT PRIZES FOR THE WINNERS:
First Place – An overnight getaway to Hickory Nut Gorge with a stay at the historic 1927 Lake Lure Inn & Spa, two passes to Chimney Rock, brunch for two at the 1927 Lake Lure Inn & Spa, and two tickets for a tour with Lake Lure Boat Tours
Second Place – A Chimney Rock prize package including two passes to Chimney Rock, lunch for two at the Old Rock Café and two tickets for a tour with Lake Lure Boat Tours.
People’s Choice – Selected by our Facebook fans, the winning photo will be featured as the cover photo of our Facebook page for two weeks and the cover of our Pinterest board of winning photos. Prize includes two Park admission tickets, lunch for two at the Old Rock Café and a $20 gift certificate for Old Time Photo in Chimney Rock Village.
CONTEST RULES:
There is no fee to enter the contest. All photographs must be taken inside Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park only in areas accessible to guests between June 21, 2018- Sept. 21, 2018. The contest is open to amateur and professional photographers.
Up to three photos per person can be submitted via any of the following ways to be eligible to win:
Facebook: First, like the Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park page and share our photo contest post on your wall. Then post your photo to our wall with the photographer’s name and a brief caption (25-75 words) through your personal Facebook account. Next, send us a private message including your contact information specified in rule #3.
Pinterest: First, re-pin our photo contest pin to one of your boards and follow our 2017 The Different Seasons of Chimney Rock Spring Photo Contest Board so we can easily contact you. Then pin your photo with the hashtags #chimneyrock AND #photocontest with your personal account, and include the photographer’s name and a brief caption (25-75 words).
Twitter: First, follow Chimney Rock Park and retweet our tweet about the photo contest. Then tweet your photo to @ChimneyRockPark with the photographer’s name and the hashtag #photocontest. Next, send us private messages with your brief photo caption.
E-mail: If you don’t have access to any social media sites listed above, you may email your digital photo with your contact information specified in rule #3 to [email protected].
Snail Mail: Send your print photo with the clearly marked photographer’s name, city & state, a brief typed photo caption and a phone number to: Photo Contest, Chimney Rock Management LLC, PO Box 39, Chimney Rock, NC 28720.
Every entry should be clearly labeled with the photographer’s name, city & state, a brief photo caption your photo of the Seasons of Chimney Rock, an email address and the best phone number to reach you.
Photos should be available at a minimum resolution of 1200 x 1600 pixels (1 MB minimum) to be eligible to win. Photos taken via smart phones, tablets and other mobile devices are welcome if they meet minimum requirements.
For entries showing human faces, you must list their name(s) and have written permission from any photographed person(s) to use their image.
Entries should reflect the photographer’s interpretation of a face of Chimney Rock. Emphasis will be placed on quality, composition and creativity. All entries may be used in promotions of Chimney Rock and park-related activities.
Digital images can be optimized but not dramatically altered with photo editing software. Black and white photographs are welcome.
Decisions of the judges are final.
Winners will be notified and announced at chimneyrockpark.com and on Chimney Rock’s social media channels.
For more information, call 1-800-277-9611 or email us at [email protected].
Half Day Camps ($125)
June 25 -29
July 9-13
July 23-27
July 20-Aug. 3
Every Saturday in July the park stays open late, until 9:00 p.m., so you can make more time for family memories. Enjoy evening train and stage shows, rides at dusk, and fun throughout the park.
Property: Omni Grove Park Inn
Event Type: Hotel Event
Event Category: Art & Culture,Couples,Entertainment,Family
Contact: Concierge Desk
Contact Phone: 828-252-2711
Link: https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/asheville-grove-park/things-to-do/tours
Our guided history tour covers the history of E.W Grove, the construction and early years of the resort, our Arts and Crafts style furniture, and some of our most notable guests.
Sign-up at the Concierge desk.
WNCAP (Western North Carolina AIDS Project) Dedicated to preventing new cases of HIV/AIDS and promoting self-sufficiency in people living with HIV. WNCAP provides HIV-related client support, prevention, education and advocacy activities guided by the belief that all people are entitled to equal access to health care and disease prevention.
WNCAP needs volunteers for the 2nd & 4th Saturday morning Food Box Delivery: 10am-noon. Ride with another team member and deliver pre-packed boxes of food to home-bound, food insecure families living in the Asheville/ Buncombe area. Requires ability to lift 50 pounds, good driving record, and confidentiality. More info at [email protected] , 828-252-7489 ext. 315.
Property: Omni Grove Park Inn
Event Type: Hotel Event
Event Category: Family,Recreation,Wellness & Fitness
Contact: Golf Pro Shop ext. 1034
Contact Phone: (800) 438-5800
Link: https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/asheville-grove-park/golf
Let our golf professionals open the world of golf to you. This introduction to the game of golf is a clinic that covers the basic rules, etiquette, and the PGA’s of golf (posture, grip, and alignment). Clubs will be provided. Proper golf attire is required. Please sign-up at least one (1) day in advance by calling (800) 438-5800 ext. 1034.
Enjoy Burgers & Beers all summer long at the Tunnel Road Tap Haus (inside Whole Foods). Every Saturday from noon to 2pm you can grab a $5 Grass-fed Burger and $3 drafts. The featured brewery will change weekly.
Event Type: Local Event
Event Category: Family
Contact: Grovewood Village
Contact Phone: 828.253.7651
Link: https://www.grovewood.com/
Grovewood Village is housed in the historic weaving and woodworking complex of Biltmore Industries, a noteworthy enterprise in the history of American Craft and textiles, founded by Edith Vanderbilt and two inspired teachers, Eleanor Vance and Charlotte Yale. At the height of its success in the late 1920s, Biltmore Industries had a total of 40 looms in steady operation, producing bolts of some of the finest handwoven wool fabric in the country. Orders were shipped as far as China and Uruguay, and customers included the likes of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Helen Keller, and several U.S. presidents and first ladies.
Learn the story of Biltmore Industries on a guided history tour, offered Wednesday – Saturday at 1pm during April – November. The tour includes a visit to our historic Dye House (usually closed to the public), where you’ll peek into the past and view the original looms, carding machines, spinning mule and dye vats used to make the famed Biltmore Handwoven Homespun. Tours last approximately 45 minutes and operate on a first-come, first-served basis, open to 25 people. Meet your guide at the Biltmore Industries Homespun Museum next door to Grovewood Gallery.
TOURS ARE FREE, but donations are greatly appreciated.
Private Group Tours
We gladly offer private group tours for a fee. These tours offer the exact same experience as the public tours, only in a private setting. Contact us for rates, and please schedule your group tour at least one week in advance.
Please Note: Our historic Dye House (Biltmore Industries’ production facility) is not handicap accessible or heated. Warm attire on cold days and comfortable walking shoes are strongly recommended.
(ASHEVILLE, NC) – Heather Gillis, a young guitarist-vocalist at the vanguard of today’s quickly-growing blues-rock Jam Band movement, is touring nationally, with a local performance at Sierra Nevada Taproom Amphitheater, 100 Sierra Nevada Way, Saturday, July 28. Showtime: 2:00pm. Free. Info: (828) 708-6176 or visit https://sierranevada.com/events/mills-river-brewery?page=2.
Gillis previously co-fronted Butch Trucks and the Freight Train, formed by the late Allman Brothers drummer Butch Trucks, who discovered her in Florida in 2015 and personally recruited Heather to play in the Freight Train until Trucks’ passing in January, 2017. “(Gillis) proves to be the perfect touch to the band with her stage presence, energy, and tremendous talent,” wrote American Blues Scene. The Tallahassee Democrat states, “anytime Heather Gillis plugs in an electric guitar and starts to play, you know immediately it’s her. She has a distinct tone and muscular sound that usually takes other, older guitarists many more years to develop. You should hear her belt out ‘Whipping Post.'”
Formerly from Florida and now residing in Atlanta, Gillis has played alongside and befriended members of The Allman Brothers Band, Col Bruce Hampton, The Lee Boys, North Mississippi All-Stars, and Matt Schofield, to name a few. Heather’s live shows are high-energy and consist of her originals as well as some choice cover tunes.
Organization: EARLY CHILDHOOD DEPARTMENT
Expected Headcount: 48
Organizer: [email protected]
Categories: HOT EVENT, COMMUNITY EVENT, SPECIAL EVENT, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Event State: Confirmed
Event Name: WCCA TRAINING – (EDU SPONSORED)
Contract Required?: FALSE
WCCA Training day for Partnerships.
Actor and storyteller David Novak performs this one-man play written by D.W. Jacobs from the life, work, and writings of inventor, designer, and BMC summer faculty member Buckminster Fuller. $10 for BMCM+AC members + students w/ID / $15 non-members
Actor and storyteller David Novak performs this one-man play written by D.W. Jacobs from the life, work, and writings of inventor, designer, and BMC summer faculty member Buckminster Fuller
$10 for BMCM+AC members + students w/ID / $15 non-members
You can’t stop the beat in this big and bold adaption of the Tony Award-winning musical about one girl’s inspiring dream to dance and change the world. Join us for our Summer student musical!