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.
Wednesday, March
29, 2023
IRON + WINE “BACK TO BASICS – PART THREE” WITH ANNA MIEKE
JOHN FORD Acoustic Blues
Ghostcatcher Tour DIRTWIRE with Mystik Fool
Iron & Wine is the musical project of singer-songwriter Sam Beam. Born and raised in South Carolina, Beam was teaching film when his home recorded debut, The Creek Drank the Cradle, was released on Sub Pop records in 2002. Garnering both critical and popular acclaim, Beam was vaulted into the spotlight of the burgeoning indie-folk and Americana scenes. Now entering its 20th year, Iron & Wine have released seven full length recordings, numerous EPs/singles, and collaborations with Calexico, Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses) and Jesca Hoop all on their way to becoming a four-time GRAMMY nominee. Iron & Wine’s music has captured the emotion and imagination of listeners with their distinctly cinematic songs; in particular they’ve become synonymous with the movies Twilight and Garden State and continue to find a home in your favorite film, TV show or streaming playlist. As the world continues to spin — so do Iron & Wine continue on their path of releasing new music and touring.
“John Ford taps the roots of blues, giving those fortunate enough to hear him, a lesson in Blues 101….. ”
— Andrew Benson – Depot BBQ, Cincinnati, Ohio
It’s pre war blues, old school country, southern gospel and the history behind the music. John Ford assimilates the blues of the 1920’s and 30’s, the blues of Robert Johnson and Son House, a bit of 1940’s country and a pinch of gospel rhythm, and comes up with his own brand of the roots experience.
Ford has been writing since his early teens, growing up in New Richmond, Ohio a small river town 20 miles east of Cincinnati. “Whether it be a new song I’ve written or an old song from the 1930’s, I play what I fall in love with.”
John’s most recent album “John Ford Live at Morehead State University” was released in early 2020. With some of the area’s finest musicians playing along, Ford performs some classic blues standards as well as his original tune ” Ma Sibbi’s Chicken and Dumplins” an ode to his grandmother.
In 2016, he released “The John Ford Blues Society”, his first full length album.
John recorded the 2014 EP “Songs From Room 414″ at The Gunter Hotel in San Antonio Texas – the hallowed ground where Robert Johnson recorded 16 out of his 27 songs in November of 1936.
His first EP, “Injection of the Blues” was released in 2011.
Over the past few years he has performed at venues through out the Midwest and South including” The Shack Up Inn” in Clarksdale Mississippi and BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups in St. Louis, as well as opening for Cedric Burnside, Patrick Sweaney, Damon Fowler and Ruthie Foster.
Thursday, March
30, 2023
Asheville Community Theatre Raffle: Trip to NYC 2023
Brevard Music Center’s 2023 SUMMER FESTIVAL SEASON
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library®
LEAF Global Arts Summer Camp
Playhouse Jr. Summer Camps Registration Open
Summer Camps at Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute-PARI
The Kesha Young Health Careers Scholarship
Wilderness Medicine + Survival Skills at Nantahala Outdoor Center
RAIL Project Symposium
Elementary After-School Volunteer Creative Peacemakers
Live Music with Aaron Lafalce
OUTPOST: Mile Twelve w/ Zoe and Cloyd
Sitkovetsky Trio Exceptional Chamber Music
Sitkovetsky Trio Sitkovetsky Trio Exceptional Chamber Music
The Collection
Raffle: Trip to NYC 2023
Enter to win a fabulous trip for two to New York!
Raffle tickets on sale through Sunday, August 6, 2023!
Tickets are $50 and only 500 will be sold.
Travel package for Thanksgiving 2023, with check-in on Wednesday, November 22, 2023 and check-out on Sunday, November 26, 2023.
Prize includes:
- Two round-trip Business Class tickets to New York from Asheville Regional Airport
- Transfers to and from the airport to your hotel
- Accomodations for four nights in Midtown at The Lotte New York Palace, with a choice of one king bed or two double beds
- VIP Macy’s Parade Day experience, including brunch and complimentary drinks, access to indoor and outdoor VIP viewing areas, and access to the Inflation Celebration of parade balloons on Wednesday afternoon
- Orchestra seating tickets to the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular
- Tickets to a Broadway show
- Up to $500 to spend on guided tours or additional theatre tickets
- Personal consultation with Foothills Travel to customize your trip
- On-site concierge provided through MyBucketListEvents
The drawing will take place the week of August 7, 2023. Winner will be notified by phone call and email.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library®
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library impacts the pre-literacy skills and school readiness of children under the age of 5 in Buncombe County. The program mails a new, free, age-appropriate book to registered children each month until they turn five years old. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library creates a home library of up to 60 books and instills a love of books and reading from an early age. If you have any questions about the program, please send an email to [email protected].
A national panel of educators selects the Imagination Library titles, which include: The Little Engine that Could, Last Stop on Market Street, Violet the Pilot, As an Oak Tree Grows, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Llama Llama Red Pajama, Look Out Kindergarten, here I come, and many more (take a look at all the titles).
Register your child now!
Program Launch and Expansions
Literacy Together became a Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library affiliate in November 2015 with support from the Buncombe Partnership for Children. Through this program, registered children in Buncombe County receive a free book in the mail each month. Their parents also have the opportunity to attend workshops to learn how to build their children’s early literacy skills. Parents in need of literacy assistance are encouraged to receive tutoring through Literacy Together’s adult programming.
The program served 200 children during the 2015/16 fiscal year. The program expanded to serve 400 children in July 2016, and 600 in August 2017. In July 2018, capacity increased to 1,900 thanks to a special allocation in the North Carolina state budget. We’re now serving 4,600 kids in Buncombe County.
LEAF SUMMER CAMPS
IN FULL SWING!LEAF Schools & Streets invites your students to join us at LEAF Global Arts for summer camp. We are offering multiple camps which will run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at LEAF Global Arts at 19 Eagle Street in Downtown Asheville.
Scholarships are available! Qualifications include:
- Students who qualify for free or reduced lunch
- Two of more siblings attending the same week of camp
- Students registering for 4+ LEAF Summer Camps in 2023 (must pay in full)
To inquire about scholarships, email [email protected].
Snacks will be provided, and students should bring a peanut free bagged lunch and a water bottle to camp each day, and wear clothes and shoes they can move in.
In addition to the main focus of the camp, each week will explore elements of theater art, music, and dance from around the world.
Cost: $230 per week. Extended Day: $60 per week.
• July 10th – 14th: Hip-Hop (FULL)
• July 24th – 28th: A LEAF International Experience
• August 7th – 11th: Songwriting & Recording
• August 14th – 18th: West African Drumming (ALMOST FULL)
• August 21st – 25th: Songs for Peace
Register for Summer Camps
Day camp is one of the joys of summer — a chance to learn new skills while making new friends in a fun and supportive atmosphere. LEAF Global Arts Summer Camp registration is live on our website. The week-long camps take place Monday-Friday, June 12-Aug. 25.
This summer, students will dive into music, art, theatre, and dance from around the world and in our community. Camp themes include celebrating diversity, songs for peace, black history, hip-hop culture, West African drumming, and more. Each camp will culminate in a Friday performance for friends and families, in addition to original recordings made in our ONEmic studio! LEAF’s ONEmic studio is funded by the Bed Gradison Memorial Fund and generous support of LEAF members
The Education program at Flat Rock Playhouse is undergoing a name change! We are excited to streamline our program and we can’t wait to share the news with you!
Our new name will be Playhouse Jr.!
This new name will encompass many things. You might ask….what is Playhouse Jr.?
• Playhouse Jr. is classes and camps for K-12th Graders and Adults.
• Playhouse Jr. is mainstage shows performed by our Playhouse Jr. students and families.
• Playhouse Jr. is our touring company that visits our local schools and is performed by our fall apprentices.
• Playhouse Jr. is a licensing program for our new and exciting Playhouse Jr. touring shows!
Playhouse Jr. means many things and we are excited to share this news with our community!
We are introducing a new software system for our Playhouse Jr. families! This new system will make your life easier! Once you have registered you are in our system for good. That means that once you register all you have to do is access your account to purchase any classes and camps moving forward. No need to register every time!
To register for our new system and to enroll in classes please visit this link: https://app.jackrabbitclass.com/regv2.asp?id=548849
Questions? Please email [email protected]!
Want to register over the phone? No problem! You can call our Education Director, Lauren Hopkins at (828)693-0403 ext. 246 starting Monday March 6!
Camps for all passions and interests
Summer STEM & Astronomy, and Space Exploration Camps
Residential summer camps for kids in grades 6th-12th on topics like astronomy, robotics, cryptography, and 3D modeling and printing, and more. Including our premiere camp experience, Above and Beyond.
Weekend STEM & Astronomy, and Space Exploration Camps
Curriculum or astronomical event based camps for educators and scout leaders.
Tailored Camps
Build your own camping experience according to your interest.
| Summer Counselor Application 6/1 – 7/31 Ages 17 years 6 months – 99 $0.00 |
REGISTER |
| Counselor in Training Application – Full Summer Session 6/11 2 PM – 7/27 10 AM Ages 16 years 6 months – 18 years 6 mont $0.00 |
REGISTER |
| Counselor in Training Application – Mini Session 1 6/11 2 PM – 6/30 10 AM Ages 16 years 6 months – 18 years 6 mont $0.00 |
REGISTER |
| Exoplanet Exploration 6/11 4 PM – 6/22 10 AM Grades 8th – 12th $3,960.00 |
REGISTER |
| Secrets of a Spy Station 6/25 4 PM – 6/30 10 AM Grades 6th – 8th $1,700.00 |
REGISTER |
| Counselor in Training Application – Mini Session 2 7/2 2 PM – 7/27 10 AM Ages 16 years 6 months – 18 years 6 mont $0.00 |
REGISTER |
| Above & Beyond 7/2 4 PM – 7/13 10 AM Grades 9th – 12th $3,960.00 |
REGISTER |
| Milky Way Trailblazers 7/16 4 PM – 7/27 10 AM Grades 9th – 12th $3,960.00 |
REGISTER |
Mission Health is accepting applications from throughout the community for the Kesha Young Health
Careers Scholarship , with the aim of supporting the education goals for high school seniors and college
students of color from Western North Carolina who are pursuing careers in healthcare.
For more than 25 years, Mission Health has been awarding the Kesha Young Health Careers Scholarship,
with more than $1 million given to make college more affordable for high school seniors and college
students of color from Western North Carolina who are pursuing careers in healthcare. The scholarship
is named in honor of Kesha Young, a 22-year-old, bi-racial woman who was born with mental and
physical disabilities and underwent multiple surgeries at Mission Hospital. Kesha died just months
before she was scheduled to earn her high school diploma. Despite her health struggles, Kesha was
described by her adoptive parents as embodying the characteristics that are vital to how healthcare
team members engage with patients, families and visitors, with a strong spirit, warm smile and positive
encouragement.
At Mission Health, we recognize that having a diverse workforce, especially in healthcare, is very
important to provide the best possible care to our patients and communities. This is integral to who we
are as a company. Our mission statement is based around recognizing and affirming the unique and
intrinsic worth of each individual: “Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of
human life.”
The completed application, along with all additional materials, must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday,
April 14th, 2023 for consideration. Recipients will be notified in early May and invited to a reception at
Mission Hospital on Wednesday June 7th.
|
LEARN MORE THIS YEAR |
|
Brush up on your wilderness medicine or learn new survival skills! SOLO Southeast & NOC are offering over 200 courses in 2023 and classes in locations across the southeast.
Find your next course with SOLO Southeast and be prepared for the unexpected! |
Schedule for RAIL Project Symposium – March 30, 31, and April 1
Thursday, March 30 – Mannheimer Room, OLLI
7:00 PM – Keynote: Dr. Darin Waters, Deputy Secretary, NC Office of Archives and History
Reception following
Friday, March 31 – Mountain View Room, Kimmel Arena
8:30 AM – Coffee and Pastries
9:00 – Welcome – Dr. Tracey Rizzo (Dean of Humanities, UNCA)
9:15 – Session 1
How We Began, What We Did, and What It All Means
RAIL Board Member Roundtable
Moderator – Steve Little (Mayor, City of Marion)
Ray McKesson (CFO McDowell Technical College, ret.)
Stephanie Stepson Twitty (President and CEO Eagle Market Streets Development Corp.)
RoAnn Bishop (Director, Mountain Gateway Museum)
Ashley Whittle (Archives and Special Collections Assistant ,UNCA)
Jim Stokely (President, Wilma Dykeman Legacy)
Jeff Futch (Western Regional Supervisor, NC Department of Cultural and Natural Resources)
10:45 – Break
11:00 – Session 2
Using Human Remains Detection Dogs and Ground Penetrating Radar to Help Locate Historic
Burial Grounds
Moderator – Dr. Sarah Judson (Chair, Department of History, UNCA)
Cat Warren (Department of English, NC State University, Author: What the Dog Knows)
Blair Tormey (Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines, Western Carolina University)
Paul Martin (Martin Archaeology Consultants)
12:30 – Lunch Break
1:30 – Session 3
Moderator – Dr. Abena Boakyewa-Ansah (Department of History, UNCA)
Partners in Memorializing: The Asheville African American Cemeteries Project, The Buncombe
County Remembrance Project, and The African Americans in the Smokies Project
Dr. Ellen Holmes Pearson (Department of History, UNCA and South Asheville and The 828
Digital Archives for Historical Equity Project)
Dr. Joseph Fox (CEO Fox Management Consulting Enterprises and Buncombe County
Remembrance Project)
Antoine Fletcher (Science Communicator, Great Smoky Mountains National Park)
3:00 – Break
3:15 – Session 4
Where Do We Go From Here: Challenges and Opportunities
Moderator – Dr. Dan Pierce (Department of History, UNCA)
Cayla Colclasure (Ph.D. candidate, Department of Anthropology, UNC-CH)
Dr. Jeff Keith (Department of Global Studies, Warren Wilson College)
Dr. Kevin Kehrberg (Department of Music, Warren Wilson College)
Anne Chesky-Smith (Director, WNC Historical Association)
Saturday, April 1
Four Field Opportunities: Session 1 @ 10:00 AM; Session 2 @ 11:30 AM
The Swannanoa Gap – Anne Chesky Smith
Andrews Geyser and the RAIL Memorial – Steve Little and Paul Twitty
Andrews Geyser and Human Remains Detection Dogs – Cat Warren
A Walk Down the Point Lookout Greenway (2 miles on pavement) – Dan Pierce
We are seeking volunteers to assist us in our small after school program for children in West Asheville in low-income housing. We provide a safe and nourishing environment, healthy snacks, and creative activities. Our program currently meets during the school year on most Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 3:00-5:00pm. You may volunteer for one or two days a week.
Volunteer Responsibilities:
- Assist with serving snacks
- Interact with children during activity time
- Supervise games and outdoor free time
- For people with background in education, there is also an opportunity to assist with curriculum development and program planning and administration
Requirements:
- Background check
- Orientation booklets will be provided
- Masks are required if unvaccinated
Every Thursday
- Live Music with Aaron Lafalce at 131 Main Restaurant, 6:00 p.m.
Mile Twelve is back in motion. From the first manic, dissonant downbeat of their virtuosic new record, Close Enough to Hear, you’ll discover a band that is ready to explode from a restless pandemic-induced hiatus. The first track “Romulus,” glides and rages as the narrator wrestles with the ultimate impermanence of the empire he’s forged.
Next comes the magical realism of “Johnny Oklahoma,” the youth who volunteers to be fired out of a cannon for the good of his community, in one big beautiful nihilistic burst. These musicians are clearly working through some hard questions posed by the last few years. You’ll hear the same warmth and innovation that earned the band IBMA’s 2019 Album of the Year nomination and 2020 New Artist of the Year Award, and that’s gained them an international reputation as one of the most dynamic groups in contemporary acoustic music. The title track “Close Enough to Hear,” is a stripped down dream of all that we missed so dearly in those early, terrifying months of lockdown.
Something else is close enough to hear on this new album. You’ll notice the presence of two new members: fiddler and vocalist Ella Jordan and mandolinist Korey Brodsky. Take note of the new dimension they add to the band, and their ability to lock in with founding members Evan Murphy (guitar, vocals), Catherine Bowness (banjo), and Nate Sabat (bass, vocals). These aren’t session players; this album captures the formation of a new coherent unit.
Klezgrass. This one word may best describe the vast musical world of Asheville, NC duo Zoe & Cloyd. Springing from rich and complementary traditions, the artistic stylings of fiddler/vocalist Natalya Zoe Weinstein and multi-instrumentalist/vocalist John Cloyd Miller fit together in a harmonic dovetail.
In 2022, the band was an official showcase artist at the IBMA World of Bluegrass, featured guest artists for the Davidson College Holiday Gala, as well as hosts of A Swannanoa Solstice at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts. Their fifth studio album, Songs of Our Grandfathers, is set to release in May of 2023 on Organic Records, just before their international debut in Northern Ireland.
Zoe & Cloyd delight audiences with soaring harmonies and heartfelt songwriting, seamlessly combining original bluegrass, klezmer, old-time and folk with sincerity and zeal.
The Sitkovetsky Trio has established itself as one of today’s exceptional piano trios, with sensational performances in the foremost concert halls around the world. The thoughtful and committed approach of violinist Alexander Sitkovetsky, pianist Wu Qian, and cellist Isang Enders has brought the ensemble critical acclaim and invitations to renowned concert halls around the world, such as the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Frankfurt Alte Oper, Palais des Beaux Arts, Musée du Louvre, l’Auditori Barcelona, Wigmore Hall and Lincoln Center, to name but a few. First prize-winners of the International Commerzbank Chamber Music Award, the trio is also a recipient of the NORDMETALL Chamber Music Award at the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival and the Philharmonia-Martin Chamber Music Award.
The Sitkovetsky Trio has established itself as one of today’s exceptional piano trios, with sensational performances in the foremost concert halls around the world. The thoughtful and committed approach of violinist Alexander Sitkovetsky, pianist Wu Qian, and cellist Isang Enders has brought the ensemble critical acclaim and invitations to renowned concert halls around the world, such as the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Frankfurt Alte Oper, Palais des Beaux Arts, Musée du Louvre, l’Auditori Barcelona, Wigmore Hall and Lincoln Center, to name but a few. First prize-winners of the International Commerzbank Chamber Music Award, the trio is also a recipient of the NORDMETALL Chamber Music Award at the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival and the Philharmonia-Martin Chamber Music Award.
– ALL AGES
– STANDING ROOM ONLY
When we lean on one another, we don’t fall. The Collection derives an inimitable musical language from the unbreakable bond between its members. Fronted by David Wimbish, the Saxapahaw, NC-based band places just as much emphasis on interpersonal community and relationships as it does on the music itself.
On their new EP How To Survive An Ending (Nettwerk Music Group, January 2023), The Collection emanates positivity from a place of pure love encoded in a pastiche of alternative, pop, folk, and roots.
This isn’t an overnight success story. This is generating tens of millions of streams across various releases, logging tens of thousands of miles on the road, earning praise from American Songwriter, Glide, Parade, and more, and landing on NPR Tiny Desk Judges’ Picks – all before signing their first record deal.
Over the years, the group has fine-tuned their approach to making music and being together on the road to the point of codifying a signature set of “rules for how to be a band.” Wimbish notes these rules maintain “good boundaries and foster better relationships, better shows, and overall better conditions amongst the crew.”
He reveals, “The first rule is a strict ‘No Sarcasm Rule’. We don’t put each other down or act passive aggressively.” Instead, they’re honest, direct, and open. They take time for therapy and mental health as another rule. “We’re always supportive of each other. We’re listening, we’re trying our best to show up for one another.” It’s clear when you speak to Wimbish about his bandmates that they are real friends. It isn’t just about music or the shows. They really do care for one another.
“We try to give each other constant encouragement, especially on the road” notes Wimbish. “If someone needs a cheerleading session, we pitch in and encourage that person. Before we get on stage, we’ll do breathing exercises together and get everyone in the same place mentally. In general, we try to implement healthy practices—whether we’re on tour or at home. It’s part of who we are and it’s part of our community.”
And that community has only continued to blossom. Following 2014’s full-length debut Ars Morendi, the band attracted a devout fanbase with Listen To The River [2017] and Entropy [2018]. Among many highlights from the latter, standout single “Beautiful Life” has gathered 6.5 million Spotify streams and counting. At the same time, they became renowned for raucous and rowdy performances. The group has lit up festival stages and crisscrossed the country with The Oh Hellos, RIPE, Tall Heights, and Sammy Rae & The Friends, to name a few.
Of “Blue Day,” the first of the bunch, Parade proclaimed, “Breezy acoustic guitar and a sweet melancholy sentiment help paint this pristine vocal landscape,” and American Songwriter noted, “The raw track evokes a sense of serenity with lofty vocals that eloquently deliver a timely reminder of kindness.” “GET LOST” came along next, which Alfitude hailed as “a song with deeply meaningful lyricism, emotive vocals and a beautifully constructed melody.”
Friday, March
31, 2023
Asheville Community Theatre Raffle: Trip to NYC 2023
Brevard Music Center’s 2023 SUMMER FESTIVAL SEASON
Cinderella Magic Package
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library®
Global LEAF classes and workshops
LEAF Global Arts Summer Camp
Playhouse Jr. Summer Camps Registration Open
Summer Camps at Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute-PARI
The Kesha Young Health Careers Scholarship
The Learning Garden: A Hub of Gardening Education in 2023
RAIL Project Symposium
Jolly Rancher
Raffle: Trip to NYC 2023
Enter to win a fabulous trip for two to New York!
Raffle tickets on sale through Sunday, August 6, 2023!
Tickets are $50 and only 500 will be sold.
Travel package for Thanksgiving 2023, with check-in on Wednesday, November 22, 2023 and check-out on Sunday, November 26, 2023.
Prize includes:
- Two round-trip Business Class tickets to New York from Asheville Regional Airport
- Transfers to and from the airport to your hotel
- Accomodations for four nights in Midtown at The Lotte New York Palace, with a choice of one king bed or two double beds
- VIP Macy’s Parade Day experience, including brunch and complimentary drinks, access to indoor and outdoor VIP viewing areas, and access to the Inflation Celebration of parade balloons on Wednesday afternoon
- Orchestra seating tickets to the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular
- Tickets to a Broadway show
- Up to $500 to spend on guided tours or additional theatre tickets
- Personal consultation with Foothills Travel to customize your trip
- On-site concierge provided through MyBucketListEvents
The drawing will take place the week of August 7, 2023. Winner will be notified by phone call and email.
We are excited to bring this special package to you and your loved ones. It’s super easy!
- Pick your show date – June 14, 17, 21, 24 (Evening only)
- Choose 2 Adult Seats and 2 Student Seats
- At Checkout, discount will be applied
Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo!
Your wish is granted!
If you have any problems, our Box Office is happy to help!
828.693.0731
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library®
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library impacts the pre-literacy skills and school readiness of children under the age of 5 in Buncombe County. The program mails a new, free, age-appropriate book to registered children each month until they turn five years old. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library creates a home library of up to 60 books and instills a love of books and reading from an early age. If you have any questions about the program, please send an email to [email protected].
A national panel of educators selects the Imagination Library titles, which include: The Little Engine that Could, Last Stop on Market Street, Violet the Pilot, As an Oak Tree Grows, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Llama Llama Red Pajama, Look Out Kindergarten, here I come, and many more (take a look at all the titles).
Register your child now!
Program Launch and Expansions
Literacy Together became a Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library affiliate in November 2015 with support from the Buncombe Partnership for Children. Through this program, registered children in Buncombe County receive a free book in the mail each month. Their parents also have the opportunity to attend workshops to learn how to build their children’s early literacy skills. Parents in need of literacy assistance are encouraged to receive tutoring through Literacy Together’s adult programming.
The program served 200 children during the 2015/16 fiscal year. The program expanded to serve 400 children in July 2016, and 600 in August 2017. In July 2018, capacity increased to 1,900 thanks to a special allocation in the North Carolina state budget. We’re now serving 4,600 kids in Buncombe County.
Current Classes Available
Click on a class to learn more! Once you have purchased a class, a LEAF staff member will reach out with further details! Classes are held Virtually or at the LEAF Global Arts Center in downtown Asheville. Please see class descriptions for more information.
Questions, requests, or scholarship inquiries? Please email [email protected]
-
Quick ViewQueer Music Exploration with Kayla Lynn
$15.00 – $50.00
-
Quick ViewIntro to Ukulele Class with Melissa McKinney
$15.00 – $50.00
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Quick ViewIntro to Guitar Class with Melissa McKinney
$15.00 – $50.00
-
Quick ViewLEAF Lights Program
$15.00 – $50.00
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Quick ViewAll Ages Hip Hop Dance Class
$15.00 – $50.00
-
Quick ViewLEAF Summer Camp
$230.00
-
Quick ViewThe ROK Experience (Virtual)
$40.00
-
Quick ViewAdama’s West African Drumming Workshop
$15.00
Other Classes and Workshops
We are always striving to expand our offerings! If you have an idea for a class or workshop you’d like to see, send us a suggestion!
If you are an artist and would like to host a class or workshop at LEAF Global, please reach out, we would love to hear from you.
For all inquiries, or to reserve a session virtually or in person at LEAF Global please email [email protected]
LEAF SUMMER CAMPS
IN FULL SWING!LEAF Schools & Streets invites your students to join us at LEAF Global Arts for summer camp. We are offering multiple camps which will run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at LEAF Global Arts at 19 Eagle Street in Downtown Asheville.
Scholarships are available! Qualifications include:
- Students who qualify for free or reduced lunch
- Two of more siblings attending the same week of camp
- Students registering for 4+ LEAF Summer Camps in 2023 (must pay in full)
To inquire about scholarships, email [email protected].
Snacks will be provided, and students should bring a peanut free bagged lunch and a water bottle to camp each day, and wear clothes and shoes they can move in.
In addition to the main focus of the camp, each week will explore elements of theater art, music, and dance from around the world.
Cost: $230 per week. Extended Day: $60 per week.
• July 10th – 14th: Hip-Hop (FULL)
• July 24th – 28th: A LEAF International Experience
• August 7th – 11th: Songwriting & Recording
• August 14th – 18th: West African Drumming (ALMOST FULL)
• August 21st – 25th: Songs for Peace
Register for Summer Camps
Day camp is one of the joys of summer — a chance to learn new skills while making new friends in a fun and supportive atmosphere. LEAF Global Arts Summer Camp registration is live on our website. The week-long camps take place Monday-Friday, June 12-Aug. 25.
This summer, students will dive into music, art, theatre, and dance from around the world and in our community. Camp themes include celebrating diversity, songs for peace, black history, hip-hop culture, West African drumming, and more. Each camp will culminate in a Friday performance for friends and families, in addition to original recordings made in our ONEmic studio! LEAF’s ONEmic studio is funded by the Bed Gradison Memorial Fund and generous support of LEAF members
The Education program at Flat Rock Playhouse is undergoing a name change! We are excited to streamline our program and we can’t wait to share the news with you!
Our new name will be Playhouse Jr.!
This new name will encompass many things. You might ask….what is Playhouse Jr.?
• Playhouse Jr. is classes and camps for K-12th Graders and Adults.
• Playhouse Jr. is mainstage shows performed by our Playhouse Jr. students and families.
• Playhouse Jr. is our touring company that visits our local schools and is performed by our fall apprentices.
• Playhouse Jr. is a licensing program for our new and exciting Playhouse Jr. touring shows!
Playhouse Jr. means many things and we are excited to share this news with our community!
We are introducing a new software system for our Playhouse Jr. families! This new system will make your life easier! Once you have registered you are in our system for good. That means that once you register all you have to do is access your account to purchase any classes and camps moving forward. No need to register every time!
To register for our new system and to enroll in classes please visit this link: https://app.jackrabbitclass.com/regv2.asp?id=548849
Questions? Please email [email protected]!
Want to register over the phone? No problem! You can call our Education Director, Lauren Hopkins at (828)693-0403 ext. 246 starting Monday March 6!
Camps for all passions and interests
Summer STEM & Astronomy, and Space Exploration Camps
Residential summer camps for kids in grades 6th-12th on topics like astronomy, robotics, cryptography, and 3D modeling and printing, and more. Including our premiere camp experience, Above and Beyond.
Weekend STEM & Astronomy, and Space Exploration Camps
Curriculum or astronomical event based camps for educators and scout leaders.
Tailored Camps
Build your own camping experience according to your interest.
| Summer Counselor Application 6/1 – 7/31 Ages 17 years 6 months – 99 $0.00 |
REGISTER |
| Counselor in Training Application – Full Summer Session 6/11 2 PM – 7/27 10 AM Ages 16 years 6 months – 18 years 6 mont $0.00 |
REGISTER |
| Counselor in Training Application – Mini Session 1 6/11 2 PM – 6/30 10 AM Ages 16 years 6 months – 18 years 6 mont $0.00 |
REGISTER |
| Exoplanet Exploration 6/11 4 PM – 6/22 10 AM Grades 8th – 12th $3,960.00 |
REGISTER |
| Secrets of a Spy Station 6/25 4 PM – 6/30 10 AM Grades 6th – 8th $1,700.00 |
REGISTER |
| Counselor in Training Application – Mini Session 2 7/2 2 PM – 7/27 10 AM Ages 16 years 6 months – 18 years 6 mont $0.00 |
REGISTER |
| Above & Beyond 7/2 4 PM – 7/13 10 AM Grades 9th – 12th $3,960.00 |
REGISTER |
| Milky Way Trailblazers 7/16 4 PM – 7/27 10 AM Grades 9th – 12th $3,960.00 |
REGISTER |
Mission Health is accepting applications from throughout the community for the Kesha Young Health
Careers Scholarship , with the aim of supporting the education goals for high school seniors and college
students of color from Western North Carolina who are pursuing careers in healthcare.
For more than 25 years, Mission Health has been awarding the Kesha Young Health Careers Scholarship,
with more than $1 million given to make college more affordable for high school seniors and college
students of color from Western North Carolina who are pursuing careers in healthcare. The scholarship
is named in honor of Kesha Young, a 22-year-old, bi-racial woman who was born with mental and
physical disabilities and underwent multiple surgeries at Mission Hospital. Kesha died just months
before she was scheduled to earn her high school diploma. Despite her health struggles, Kesha was
described by her adoptive parents as embodying the characteristics that are vital to how healthcare
team members engage with patients, families and visitors, with a strong spirit, warm smile and positive
encouragement.
At Mission Health, we recognize that having a diverse workforce, especially in healthcare, is very
important to provide the best possible care to our patients and communities. This is integral to who we
are as a company. Our mission statement is based around recognizing and affirming the unique and
intrinsic worth of each individual: “Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of
human life.”
The completed application, along with all additional materials, must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday,
April 14th, 2023 for consideration. Recipients will be notified in early May and invited to a reception at
Mission Hospital on Wednesday June 7th.
After six years of hard work, the dream of using The Learning Garden as a hub for public gardening education is finally a reality. The Learning Garden, located at the Extension Office, 49 Mt. Carmel Road, is offering the public the opportunity to Visit and Learn in the garden on selected 2nd and 4th Thursdays, February – October. The Thursday in-person programs will consist of five garden-specific series. Visitors can walk around before or after the program and soak in our lovely gardens. Our gardens will open at 9:00 a.m. and all the demonstration programs run between 10-11:30 a.m. To ensure a good learning experience, attendance will be limited and registration will be required.
Dahlia Series
February 23 – Getting Your Dahlias Ready for Planting
August 3 – Disbudding Dahlias for Better Blooms
October 26 – Dividing and Storing Dahlias
Dye Garden Series
May 4 – Planning Your Dye Garden
June 22 – Introduction to Natural Dyeing
July 27 – Fresh Indigo
August 24 – Botanical Printing: Printing with Leaves and Flowers
September 28 – Dyeing with Hopi Black Sunflower
November 9 – The Magic of Indigo
Rose Garden Series
March 9 – Pruning Roses
April 6 – Climbing Roses
April 13 – Rose Pests and Pathogens
May 20 – Growing Beautiful Roses (Saturday Seminar)
Sun & Shade Garden Series
May 11 – Planting a Native Butterfly Host Plant Garden
June 29 – Foodscaping Edible Plants in Flower Beds
August 31 – Dealing with “the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” Plants
Sept 14 – Native Butterfly Life Cycles in the Fall Garden
Vegetable Garden Series
March 23 – Building an ADA Compliant Raised Garden
April 26 – Planting Root Crops: Leeks, Onions, Carrots, Parsnips
May 25 – Planting a Seed Saving Garden
June 8 – Common Vegetable Garden Pests
July 13 – Kid Friendly Gardening
August 10 – Preserving Your Vegetable Harvest
In addition to the Thursday programs listed above, The Learning Garden will present a series of ninety minute (+/-) hands-on seminars covering various gardening topics. These in-person programs will be held at The Learning Garden on selected Saturday mornings, February – September.
Saturday Seminars
February 18 – Tool Selection and Sharpening
March 18 – Pruning Trees and Shrubs
April 22 – Gardening for the Birds
May 20 – Growing Beautiful Roses
June 17 – Pollinator Plants in The Learning Garden
September 16 – Bulbs for All Seasons
Each of the programs in The Learning Garden will be announced individually through this blog and on our website two weeks before each program. Each announcement will include instructions on how to register. Mark your calendar and register to attend as many as you can.
Schedule for RAIL Project Symposium – March 30, 31, and April 1
Thursday, March 30 – Mannheimer Room, OLLI
7:00 PM – Keynote: Dr. Darin Waters, Deputy Secretary, NC Office of Archives and History
Reception following
Friday, March 31 – Mountain View Room, Kimmel Arena
8:30 AM – Coffee and Pastries
9:00 – Welcome – Dr. Tracey Rizzo (Dean of Humanities, UNCA)
9:15 – Session 1
How We Began, What We Did, and What It All Means
RAIL Board Member Roundtable
Moderator – Steve Little (Mayor, City of Marion)
Ray McKesson (CFO McDowell Technical College, ret.)
Stephanie Stepson Twitty (President and CEO Eagle Market Streets Development Corp.)
RoAnn Bishop (Director, Mountain Gateway Museum)
Ashley Whittle (Archives and Special Collections Assistant ,UNCA)
Jim Stokely (President, Wilma Dykeman Legacy)
Jeff Futch (Western Regional Supervisor, NC Department of Cultural and Natural Resources)
10:45 – Break
11:00 – Session 2
Using Human Remains Detection Dogs and Ground Penetrating Radar to Help Locate Historic
Burial Grounds
Moderator – Dr. Sarah Judson (Chair, Department of History, UNCA)
Cat Warren (Department of English, NC State University, Author: What the Dog Knows)
Blair Tormey (Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines, Western Carolina University)
Paul Martin (Martin Archaeology Consultants)
12:30 – Lunch Break
1:30 – Session 3
Moderator – Dr. Abena Boakyewa-Ansah (Department of History, UNCA)
Partners in Memorializing: The Asheville African American Cemeteries Project, The Buncombe
County Remembrance Project, and The African Americans in the Smokies Project
Dr. Ellen Holmes Pearson (Department of History, UNCA and South Asheville and The 828
Digital Archives for Historical Equity Project)
Dr. Joseph Fox (CEO Fox Management Consulting Enterprises and Buncombe County
Remembrance Project)
Antoine Fletcher (Science Communicator, Great Smoky Mountains National Park)
3:00 – Break
3:15 – Session 4
Where Do We Go From Here: Challenges and Opportunities
Moderator – Dr. Dan Pierce (Department of History, UNCA)
Cayla Colclasure (Ph.D. candidate, Department of Anthropology, UNC-CH)
Dr. Jeff Keith (Department of Global Studies, Warren Wilson College)
Dr. Kevin Kehrberg (Department of Music, Warren Wilson College)
Anne Chesky-Smith (Director, WNC Historical Association)
Saturday, April 1
Four Field Opportunities: Session 1 @ 10:00 AM; Session 2 @ 11:30 AM
The Swannanoa Gap – Anne Chesky Smith
Andrews Geyser and the RAIL Memorial – Steve Little and Paul Twitty
Andrews Geyser and Human Remains Detection Dogs – Cat Warren
A Walk Down the Point Lookout Greenway (2 miles on pavement) – Dan Pierce
Yeehaw! THIS SHINDIG GONNA BE A REAL HUMDINGER!
DSSOLVR Brewery is hosting a rootin’ tootin’ Western Country themed party .
March 31st at 7pm pick yourself up by the bootstraps and giddyup ondown to
THE JOLLY RANCHER! A night of Outlaw Country Bangers, that’ll make you happier than a dead pig in the sunshine.
Join us for an evening of delicious food from JollyBBQ starting at 3pm, a photo booth to capture your best bolo tie and giant mustaches, line dancing to get those boots stompin’, and music spun by DJ BOOTSCOOTBOOGIE (aka DJ DUCHESS) that will keep you two-steppin’ all night long!
So saddle on up and come on down. Ya’ll aint ready for this gotdamn hootinanny!