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.
Ugliest Holiday Sweater Contest
Join us December 10th, 2022 for a jolly good time! Stop by the market from 10am to 1pm wearing your tackiest, ugliest holiday sweater. For a $1 donation you can enter into our Ugliest Sweater Contest! The prize is an amazing market basket filled with products from our wonderful vendors!
Join us for a weekly mountain music JAM with players in a round, where the session is focused on regional fiddle tunes and songs! You are welcome to come and listen or to learn and join in. This event supports the Henderson County Junior Appalachian Musician (JAM) Kids Program. Free but donations are accepted. Weekly event takes place at Oklawaha Brewing Company.
The traditional music of the mountains of North Carolina traces its roots back to the Celtic music of Ireland and Scotland. Traditional Celtic music is still played on the porches and in the pubs of the Celtic lands… and also throughout the southern Appalachian mountains.
In true pub fashion, White Horse Black Mountain hosts a traditional Irish style session twice a month, on the second and fourth Wednesdays, starting at 7pm….
……..and there is NO COVER CHARGE.
Sessions are in many ways the heart and soul of Irish traditional music, a place for players to share tunes and socialize. It’s not a performance, but rather an informal situation in which listeners are welcome to participate, whether offering encouragement, singing along on a chorus, or asking questions about the music and instruments. White Horse sessions regularly draws players from as far away as Waynesville, Cullowhee, Rutherfordton and even Clayton, Georgia.
The sessions are hosted by Richard and Melinda Halford.
Drop by for a beer or a cup of tea and get uplifted by some great traditional tunes and a few new songs.
Come join us in a long musical tradition spanning hundreds of years.
Hosted by Richard and Melinda Halford
Sessions are in many ways the heart and soul of Irish traditional music, a place for players to share tunes and socialize. It’s not a performance, but rather an informal situation in which listeners are welcome to participate, whether offering encouragement, singing along on a chorus, or asking questions about the music and instruments. White Horse sessions regularly draws players from as far away as Waynesville, Cullowhee, Rutherfordton and even Clayton, Georgia.
The sessions are hosted by Richard and Melinda Halford. Drop by for a beer or a cup of tea and get uplifted by some great traditional tunes and a few new songs.
Come join us in a long musical tradition spanning hundreds of years.
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
Book now for the Meadowlark Annual Thanksgiving dinner 5pm Nov 24th. Turkey, Ham, Boyd’s Elk Chili and all the traditional sides as well as Joseph’s pineapple upside down cake and Barber Orchard fruit pies. Dinner is $20 for hotel guests and $30 for non guests and includes a glass of wine or a beer of your choice. Mike Ogletree will be playing Scottish and Irish folk songs. The Speakeasy will have the football games on during the day and music later that night. Last year was a special party with guests, family and friends.
Gates open at 5:30pm
All Ages – under 12 requires venue approval
RAIN OR SHINE
CLEAR BAGS ONLY
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
https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/3371988/david-wilcox-annual-thanksgiving-homecoming-concert-asheville-grey-eagle-music-hall
The WNC tradition continues! This show has become a Playhouse favorite with a brand new show every year. Join the merriment of sleigh bells and mistletoe, miracles and Santa Claus, and so much more. Showcasing a cast of Flat Rock favorites, the Flat Rock Playhouse Chorus, and Pat’s School of Dance, this holiday revue promises to leave you feeling merry and bright!
“Kevin Spears puts on a performance full of groove, sound and intimacy that draws you into his unique yet universal world”. -Benoit Glazer musical director Cirque Du SOLEIL
AfroPop WorldWide says: “Spears utilizes the traditional African instrument and tweaks it to create a soulful, funky sound that would make Stevie Wonder smile.”
——————————————————
Hailed by many as one of the best kalimba players alive today, Kevin Spears has raised and rewritten what is possible on the traditional African instrument called kalimba. As a one-man ensemble, Spear’s mastery of the kalimba, customized musical gadgets, tiny synths and experimental percussion allow him to create live a fusion of world, jazz and folktronica that moves you’re feet and stirs your soul.
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
Even though it’s getting colder, you can still find fresh, local food at area farmers markets. Nine markets in Buncombe County will offer extended seasons in November and December. In addition to seasonal produce, meats, cheeses, and bread, these markets will feature local artists and handmade goods, such as wreaths, pottery, jewelry, and more. Plus, four markets will stay open through the winter!
Bob Sinclair and the Big Deals is a unique ensemble in the age of “already been done” acoustic bands. Showcasing their original songs, the group merges Southern story-telling, chamber music sensibilities and jazz-influenced melodies to create an original musical sound – elegant, but feisty and unfiltered. This band definitely distinguishes itself in the crowed acoustic music scene. The Big Deals have demonstrated that they are equally comfortable on the big festival stages of Merlefest and Possumfest or the intimacy of the listening rooms and theaters of the US.
Come enjoy an evening of live music, food and drinks in the Isis Music Hall Lounge. Reservations are highly recommended.
“The Carolina Waltz” is the premier tribute to The Band’s Last Waltz in the Carolinas – and we will be returning to Salvage Station on Saturday, Nov 26!
The Band’s Last Waltz concert originally took place on Thanksgiving Day, 1976 at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. The Band was the core band, and special guests like Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, and Van Morrison shined on stage throughout the night.
At The Carolina Waltz this year, Into The Fog is the core band, and special guests will be making their own stellar appearances during the show. You will see members of Abby Bryant & The Echoes, Dr. Bacon, Hustle Souls, Maj Deeka, Tumbao, Rebekah Todd, and more!
This tour also has stops in Charleston SC, Raleigh NC, and Wilmington NC.
Each city has a different set list and different special guests!
Promoter Brian Turk is the creator of The Carolina Waltz tour. Brian’s father worked for Levon Helm (drummer from The Band) and Brian got to spend a little bit of time with Levon – and hear a lot of stories from his father about Levon. We do this tribute with Levon in our hearts – and with some amazingly talented musicians from across North Carolina on the stage.
ALL AGES
– STANDING ROOM ONLY
Acoustic Syndicate is a musical institution. Since 1994, their unique blend of bluegrass instruments, rock sensibilities, and conscious songwriting has inspired a generation of musicians. Through 8 albums, thousands of performances, and tens-of-thousands of miles, Acoustic Syndicate has long been heralded as one of the important influences on the modern roots-music revival.
Always a family affair, the band is fronted by Steve McMurry on guitar and vocals, and his cousin Bryon McMurry on banjo, guitar, and vocals. Their signature three-part blood harmony is rounded out by Bryon’s brother Fitz on drums and vocals. Multi-instrumentalist Jay Sanders holds down the bass with deep pocket and style.
“Their modern take on traditional bluegrass and rock values culminates in a glimmering, driving sound rich with acoustic textures and glowing vocals,” said Paul Kerr, of JamBase.
If there was ever a band that could capture the universal truths of life from the roots up, it’s Acoustic Syndicate.
The WNC tradition continues! This show has become a Playhouse favorite with a brand new show every year. Join the merriment of sleigh bells and mistletoe, miracles and Santa Claus, and so much more. Showcasing a cast of Flat Rock favorites, the Flat Rock Playhouse Chorus, and Pat’s School of Dance, this holiday revue promises to leave you feeling merry and bright!
Legendary bluesman MAC ARNOLD returns to the White Horse stage with his band PLATE FULL O BLUES !!!
Born and raised on a sharecroppers’ farm in Pelzer, South Carolina and one of thirteen children, Arnold grew up in a world where blues music did not exist, at least to his devoutly religious parents. After his introduction to the “wireless” radio of a childhood friend, Arnold fell in love with the blues, especially the blues being broadcast from Chicago. In 1966, he joined the Muddy Waters band in Chicago, performing the electric blues that helped evolve the growing Rock and Roll movement.
Mac Arnold – bass, rhythm gas can guitar, slide gas can guitar, vocals
Plate Full O’ Blues
Austin Brashier – guitar, vocals
Max Hightower – harmonica, guitar, bass, keyboard, vocals
Rick Latham – drums
Mike Frost – bass
Mac Arnold’s first band included James Brown on piano. Mac moved to Chicago and Muddy Waters hired him on the spot. He toured and recorded with the Muddy Waters Band and recorded LPs with Otis Spann and John Lee Hooker. Mac moved to Los Angeles and produced Soul Train with his friend Don Cornelius. He even played bass on the Sanford & Son television show when he wasn’t playing bass for Otis Redding and B.B. King. He retired from show business to be an organic farmer. Mac is back with his own band and a “plate full” of CDs, building a new foundation in blues, soul and funk.
Mac Arnold must have known at an early age that his music career would read like a “Who’s who” of Blues/R&B Legends. His high school band “J Floyd & The Shamrocks” were often joined by none other than Macon, Georgia native, James Brown on piano. After deciding to pursue a professional music career, he joined the Charles Miller group until 1965 when he made the move to Chicago to work with recording artist/saxophonist A. C. Reed.
In late 1966, at age 24, came the opportunity of a lifetime to join the Muddy Waters Band and help shape the electric blues sound that inspired the rock and roll movement of the late 60’s and early 70’s. Regular guests of the band included Eric Clapton, Paul Butterfield, Mike Bloomfield, and Elvin Bishop. The Muddy Waters Band (as a unit) shared the stage with the likes of Howlin’ Wolfe, Elmore James, Jimmy Reed, Junior Wells, Big Joe Williams, and Big Mama Thornton just to name a few. During this time, Mac played on John Lee Hooker’s “live “album, Live at the Café Au Go-Go, as well as Otis Spann’s classic recording “The Blues is Where It’s At”.
After more than a year with Muddy Waters, Mac formed the Soul Invaders which backed up many artists, including The Temptations and B. B. King. In the early 70’s, he moved Los Angeles to work at ABC Television and LAFF RECORDS (Redd Foxx). This led to working on the set of Soul Train from 1971 to 1975 and then working with Bill Withers (“Lean On Me”) before moving back to South Carolina in the 80”s.
The great Muddy Waters said to me, “Always be conscientious, and treat your fellow man like you want to be treated.” And that’s what he did. He always treated us like we were part of his immediate family. So that’s what I like doing.
————————–
TICKET PRICES:
$18 in Advance
$20 at the Door
Student Ticket: $10 (must show Student ID at the Door)
Formed in 2014, Rumours (also known as Rumours ATL) has taken the U.S. by storm with their stage scorching renditions of Fleetwood Mac songs. Fans from across the nation claim that Rumours is the band to see if you are looking for an authentic recreation of live Fleetwood Mac shows. In just under 6 years, Rumours has landed themselves the reputation of being the best Fleetwood Mac Tribute band and additionally has made fans internationally. In the summer of 2019, Rumours was invited to play a week in The Netherlands at some of the top venues and festivals in the country. The success of that tour brought them attention from plenty of new fans and promoters and they will be returning in 2020. Specially crafted shows and not one detail left behind, Rumours continues to sell out some of the top venues in the United States and gain fans at each show.
Rumours is fronted by Mekenzie Thrift (Stevie Nicks vocals), Adrienne Cottrell (keyboards and Christine McVie vocals), and Denny Hanson (guitar and Lindsey Buckingham vocals). John Spiegel on lead guitar, Jim Ramsdell on bass, and Daniel Morrison on drums makeup one of the best live band performances you will see at any show. The band prides themselves on being the most authentic Fleetwood Mac Tribute without coming across as a parody or a bore of a show. They will make you dance, sing along at the top of your lungs, and you’ll even learn something new about Fleetwood Mac at each performance.
Rumours will leave you wanting more. Rumours will make you relive those Fleetwood Mac memories.
Do you believe in miracles and the ways of magic? Rumours does.
“Rumours is a pleasure to work with and extremely dedicated to bringing a Fleetwood Mac experience toour audiences at every show. Which they sell out each time.” Peter Moshay, Grammy Winner and soundengineer for Daryl Hall and John Oates, Live from Daryl’s House
“We love having Rumours play our venue. They’re always so fun and get along with the staff great! Theyalso sell a lot of tickets and their shows are awesome.” Jason Westbrook, Production Manager Iron City, Birmingham Alabama
“We love having Rumours and I love lighting their shows. They always make it magical.” Farrell Roberts, Variety Playhouse Atlanta GA
The Clam Chowder Experience is a 5-piece band with a unique ukulele-driven sound, sweet vocal harmonies, a zany vibe, and an eclectic song list featuring vintage jazz, British music hall songs, and the occasional novelty tune.
The personnel:
Howard Finkel (tenor uke, banjo uke, vocals) played bass in several NYC bands and on European tours; his claim to fame is that he replaced Sting as the bass player in Cherry Vanilla. Howie got hooked on ukes 10 years ago and founded CCE when he moved to Asheville.
Jeff Hankin (uke bass) has a long resume as a percussionist and played drums locally with Swing Step and Blue Ridge Jazz. He took up electric bass several years ago and got a uke bass when his wife Charlotte took up uke playing (happy wife, happy life) Stewart Levine (drums) is a retired cardiologist who has played with The Doctor’s Orchestra in NYC, the Joy Project Jazz Quartet in Charleston, and many Asheville jazz combos.
Charles Singletary (keyboard, accordion, vocals) is a multi-instrumentalist who has played with gypsy jazz, flamenco, blues, country, and rock bands throughout the East Coast.
Charlotte Sommers (lead vocals, rhythm uke) is a jazz vocalist who has headlined at many Asheville area venues including Isis Music Hall, the Library Lounge at Biltmore Inn, The Phoenix in Brevard, and the Mars Landing gallery in Mars Hill.
Reserved Seat Tickets are available with Dinner reservations – You must call the venue at 828-575-2737 to make dinner reservations and secure those tickets.
General Admission Tickets are available for the main stage balcony only. Seating in the balcony is first come, first serve. Dinner service is NOT currently being offered for general admission tickets.; drink service is available at the downstairs bar on the main floor.
Currently, Only General Admission Tickets are available on line
You must call the venue at 828-575-2737 for Reserve Seat Tickets and to make dinner reservations.
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
Jazz Sunday at One World Brewing West is a modern jazz jam held every Sunday afternoon from 1-4pm. Previously known as Jazz Monday, the jam has been running non stop since July, 2018 at the West Asheville brewery and is hosted weekly by The Fully Vaccinated Jazz Trio, consisting of Ray Ring on guitar, Jason DeCristofaro on drums, piano and vibraphone, and Connor Law on bass. Jazz Sunday typically features a guest artist for a short set and then welcomes jazz musicians of all levels to sit in for the remainder of the afternoon on One World’s spacious outdoor stage.
An audience favorite, this holiday show is a romp from start to finish! Eat a Thanksgiving dinner in West Virginia with missionaries and moonshiners, then join the fun as a pound-puppy escapes her pastor-rescuer to become Princess the Christmas Dog on a snowy Christmas eve. You’ll laugh, you’ll sing, you’ll feel warm and fuzzy, and if you’re very, very good you’ll even get a candy cane.
Donna Marie Todd is an award-winning storyteller and singer.
“She’s not a storyteller, she’s a movie projector!” Michael Reno Harrell
A TEDx speaker, she’s also a podcaster and writer whose personal narratives inspire, entertain, and delight audiences across the country. Learn more about her at www.donnamarietodd.com
Stories of Christmas (from her CD of the same name) promises great storytelling, hilarious comedy, delightful nostalgia, and warm holiday sing-alongs.
Jack of the Wood : Sunday-Irish Session
Sundays
1 till who knows when?
Traditional Irish music is kept alive at Jack of the Wood with our unplugged Sunday session.
Jack of the Wood
95 Patton ave
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 252.5445
– ALL AGES
– SEATED SHOW
– LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE
Molly Hartwell and Laura Boswell of WellSpring met in early 2019 at a brewery in Asheville, NC where Laura was performing at a songwriter’s event on International Women’s Day. Both accomplished singers, songwriters, and performers in their own right, they quickly discovered a mutual love of folk music and duo-centric, harmony-driven songs.
In their own words…
”Finding our voices in harmony was like slipping on the most well-worn, comfortable pair of jeans; as natural as if we’d been doing it forever. Our singing chemistry seemed to have a life of its own and before long a committed collaboration began, deepening immensely during the onset of the pandemic and throughout 2020.
We sang with no purpose but for the joy of it and to find our voices in the delicious dance of harmony that is so healing all in itself. We sang through hard days and better days, we sang to the neighbors and we sang to the birds. Mostly we sang to our own hearts, to help ourselves through the hardest year.”
After sharing a few of these songs on social media, they quickly gained a loving and loyal following that requested (demanded!) more music from them. Seeds were planted for a recording project and in 2021 they launched a successful crowdfunding campaign to record their first full-length album. With the help of their amazing supporters, producer & engineer Daniel Shearin (River Whyless), and nearly a dozen exquisitely talented local musicians, WellSpring brought this album to life at Asheville studios Citizen Vinyl and Sleeping Dogs. Self-titled, the album memorializes the full spectrum of emotion that the first year of the pandemic contained, celebrates artists of many genres and eras, and has a couple of originals thrown in for good measure.
Molly and Laura reside in Asheville where they plan to continue recording, writing, and sharing their music wherever there is a home for it. They look forward to premiering their album at The Grey Eagle with a full band that includes Bill Berg & Zack Page.
ZACK KARDON
Zack Kardon is a multi-instrumentalist and song-writer that has been living in Asheville for the better part of a decade. As a sideman Kardon has collaborated with notable artists such as Indigo De Souza, The Dead Tongues and Midnight Snack. Kardon’s own music has a gentle intensity to it. He writes songs that look inward, rooted in a belief that the best way to touch upon the universal is to take a magnified glass to ones own experience. Kardon’s songs don’t seek to explain or preach, but simply, capture the essence of a feeling before it disappears into the ether.
Laura Boswell and Molly Hartwell present their first album together as WellSpring with special guest Zack Kardon.
HELLCRAB is an acronym, as well as the name of a contemporary jazz collective, composed of the initials of its members’ last names: Dylan Hannan (woodwinds), Joe Enright (drums), Connor Law (bass), Andrew Lawniczak (trumpet), Jason Chrisman (sax), Johnathan Reilly (sax), Steven Alvarez (guitar), and Jacob Bruner (keys).
The group began in Asheville in the summer of 2022 as an informal jam session by 8 like-minded musicians playing mostly original compositions, who realized that the resulting music was too special to not share with a wider audience.
Fronted by a four-piece horn section, and backed by a four-piece rhythm section, HELLCRAB is capable of running the gamut of musical expression and intensity. The group strives to push their own understanding of jazz music and anyone willing to take the journey with them is sure to be entertained.
Reserved Seat Tickets are available with Dinner reservations – You must call the venue at 828-575-2737 to make dinner reservations and secure those tickets.
General Admission Tickets are available for the main stage balcony only. Seating in the balcony is first come, first serve. Dinner service is NOT currently being offered for general admission tickets.; drink service is available at the downstairs bar on the main floor.
Currently, Only General Admission Tickets are available on line
You must call the venue at 828-575-2737 for Reserve Seat Tickets and to make dinner reservations.
Dave Brubeck, Art Blakey and George Benson are legends in the jazz world, but they’re not exactly household names to the typical high school student.
It’s safe to say Wilson Vest, Gabe Glasser and Espen Raustol are not typical high school students. The trio of 17-year-old juniors recently formed the Altamont Jazz Project, which has secured a weekly gig at Finch Gourmet Market & Wine Bar in Biltmore Village.
Along with Brubeck, Blakey and Benson, the musicians cite Buddy Rich, Ryo Fukui, Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, Joe Pass and Bill Evans as influences.
“By the time we decided to start the jazz trio, we had all seen, heard and experienced jazz in varied degrees and in different spaces and styles,” says guitarist Raustol, who attends the School of Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville. “We try to branch out to play many varieties and many colors of jazz — fast, slow, happy, sad.”
The three started playing together in the sixth grade as part of a rock/funk band called the Seven Lemonz, before shifting their focus to jazz. Vest and Glasser attend Carolina Day School.
Vest plays drums and Glasser plays keyboard for the Altamont Jazz Project, which takes its moniker from Thomas Wolfe’s fictional name for Asheville in his classic novel Look Homeward, Angel. “We wanted something that referenced where we are from,” Raustol explains.