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.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, in cooperation with the I.R.S, N.C. Dept. of Revenue, Buncombe County Library System and Council on Aging, Inc. will again offer free tax Preparations for low and moderate income taxpayers, with special attention to those age 60 and older. Both Federal and N.C. State tax returns will be electronically filed for safe and accurate preparation with faster refunds.
This service will be available from Feb. 1-April 15, at sites listed below. Please note that some locations have different start dates as several libraries will be hosting early voting for the Presidential primaries in February.
Tax help for Weaverville will be held at the Brookstone Baptist Church and tax help for West Asheville will be held at the West Asheville Presbyterian Church. All tax help locations can be found at irs.gov.

ABOUT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN RELAY
Registration is capped at:
60 ~ 200-mile teams (36 transitions)
&
40 ~ 135-mile teams (24 transitions)
A scenic, wild, team adventure in the mountains of Western North Carolina, the Smoky Mountain Relay is an adventure that is not to be missed.
This course will challenge you and your friends with tough legs and reward you with stories to last a lifetime.
Choose from the original 200-mile course or the 135-mile course.
The 200-mile course begins at the Pink Beds Trail Loop picnic area just outside of Brevard, NC in the Pisgah National Forest.
Teams of 12 or “ultra” teams of 6 make their way through 36 legs and finish at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Bryson City, NC.
The 135-mile course begins at the Jackson Country Recreation Complex in Cullowhee, NC. Teams of 8 or “ultra” teams of 4 make their way through 24 legs and also finish at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Bryson City, NC in the heart of the Nantahala National Forest.
Each relay team member runs between 3 and 6 legs (depending on the course chosen and the number of team members running) of varying lengths and difficulty and will cover an average total distance of 18-20 miles (for the 200 mile race).
Books for kids 0-18! Priced to sell! Most for $1 or less!
Proceeds provide books for young children through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

Welcome to the return of the Gateway to the Smokies Half Marathon in beautiful Waynesville, North Carolina. We are excited to bring this race back with the original course and start/finish lines. This race will be run in conjunction with the inaugural Mighty 4 Miler to Benefit the Riley Howell Foundation Fund.
Welcome to the return of the Gateway to the Smokies Half Marathon, Presented by The Swag, in beautiful Waynesville, North Carolina. We are excited to bring this race back with the original course and start/finish lines. This race will be run in conjunction with the inaugural Mighty 4 Miler to Benefit the Riley Howell Foundation Fund.
The annual event is designed to expose women and girls to a variety of activities that will inspire them to lead active, healthy lives. Beginner sport clinics include soccer, cheer, dance, pound, cycle, lacrosse, and many more run by professional coaches and athletes. Clinic selection takes place from 8 to 9:15 a.m. on the morning of the event.
Open to women and girls ages 6 and up, this is a chance to try new sports and fitness activities or improve on an area of interest. Registration is $10 per person and includes three clinics, a goody bag, and a healthy lunch. Clinics are divided into Grades K-3, Grades 4-8, and Grade 9-Adult. A full list of clinics will be made available closer to the date. Advance registration is available online.
NGWSD began in 1987 as a special day to unite premiere organizations and elite female athletes to bring national attention to the promise of girls and women in sports. The event has since evolved to acknowledge the accomplishments of female athletes, the positive influence of sports participation, and the continuing struggle for equality for women in sports. This year’s theme is Lead Her Forward, to honor the many ways sports push girls and women to achieve excellence and realize their boundless potential.

8 working layouts with over 200 vendor tables, including vendors from 7 states with anything related to railroading!
Asheville Catholic School presents the 14th Annual Shamrock Run on Saturday, March 14. There are two races: a 5K and a 10K, both of which start and finish at ACS and run through the beautiful neighborhoods of North Asheville. A fun run will precede the start of the 5K and 10K. The 10K will start at 9:00 AM and the 5K at 9:15 AM. The Fun Run will begin at 8:30 AM. All events benefit the O’Brien and William Edward Gibbs Memorial Scholarship Fund. The event will be three days before St. Patrick’s Day this year giving everyone a perfect way to celebrate this fun holiday. There will be great food, beer, and a DJ before and after the races.
The National Girls and Women in Sports Day will be held at UNC Asheville on Saturday, Feb 29th, 2020 from 8am-1pm. The event is designed to expose women and girls to a variety of activities that will inspire them to lead active, healthy lives. Ticket cost is only $10 per person, with purchase of a ticket you will participate in 3 different clinics run by professional coaches and college athletes, a healthy lunch and a goody bag too! Clinic selection takes place from 8am-9:15am on the day of the event.
On display daily January 18 – April 19, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the upstairs gallery of the Education Center, the Asheville Printmakers’ newest exhibit, Natural Impressions, will feature a variety of two- and three-dimensional print pieces utilizing numerous printmaking processes. Works will inspire visitors to think about the beauty and fragility of plants and the natural world through various perspectives and printmaking techniques. All pieces are available for purchase and a portion of the sales will benefit The North Carolina Arboretum Society.
Founded in 2013, the Asheville Printmakers is an energetic group of artists dedicated to expressing ideas and imagery through the medium of print. The group encompasses a wide range of processes and content, including traditional methods, such as lithography, woodcut and screen printing, and contemporary photographic printing processes, such as carbon printing, platinum-palladium and photopolymer etching.
Parking Fees
- Members: Free
- Personal Vehicles: $14
- Motorhomes / Vehicles (21’ or larger): $50
- Buses: $100
There are no other admission charges required for visitors to access the Arboretum’s grounds and facilities during the day beyond the standard parking fees listed above.
Mountain Gateway Museum & Heritage Center celebrated the opening of its newest traveling exhibit, “Steeped in Time: Tea and Traditions” on Saturday, January 18, 2020. The exhibit will run through the July 4th weekend at MGM, located at 24 Water Street in Old Fort. Admission is free.

Lace up your running shoes, grab your winter hats & join
us for the 8th Annual Chilly Challenge 8K
& 1 Mile Chili Chase Fun Run and Chili Cook-off!
Enjoy a scenic run & post-race celebration that includes:
-
Tasty Luella’s Bar-B-Que chili lunch
-
Local chili cook-off contest
-
Fantastic prizes
-
Race day t-shirt*
For runners and walkers of all ages, this event is hosted by the North Buncombe Middle School PTO and designed to raise much-needed funding for the school. This rolling hills course will start and finish on the school campus. Chip timing will be provided by Right on Time.

Make your leap day 2020 memorable by signing up for the 8th annual Chilly Challenge 8K Race & 1-Mile Chili Chase Fun Run and Chili Cook-off in Weaverville, NC! Runners will enjoy a brisk scenic run and post-race celebration that includes a tasty chili lunch, live music and fantastic prizes. For runners and walkers of all ages, this event is hosted by the North Buncombe Middle School PTO and presented by TS Orthodontics to raise funding for the school.
The chip timed 8K race takes place on a rolling hills course with start and finish on the school campus. Sign up by February 15th and save! The 8K entry fees are $35 for adults and $20 for students. The 8K fees increase $5 on February 16th. The 1-Mile Chili Chase entry fee is $15. Runners will warm up after the race with a chili lunch including cornbread and fixings. Free t-shirts are guaranteed for all participants who register by February 5th. Spectators can purchase a chili lunch for $5. For more detailed event information and to register, go to www.chillychallenge.com.

The exhibit is on loan from the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and has been supplemented with artifacts from the Smith-McDowell House collection. Entrance to the exhibit is included with Smith-McDowell House admission – and is always free for members – and runs through May 16, 2020.
The exhibit seeks to put the local men and women who served in context with the larger events happening in North Carolina, the United States, and the world. In the exhibit, visitors will find displays and interactive elements telling the stories of just a few of our hometown heroes.
Shapeshifters, the newest exhibition in the John Cram Partner Gallery. Shapeshifters brings together the works of two acclaimed regional artists, Cherokee-based Joshua Adams and Atlanta-based Jiha Moon, who use masks and other objects to explore culture, material, and representation, particularly in the contemporary American South.
Atlantans and visitors alike are invited to explore their cultural side at the Travel & Adventure Show at the Cobb Galleria Centre on Saturday, February 29, 2020 and Sunday, March 1, 2020. America’s favorite travel show will allow guests searching for adventure to discover more than 200 destinations from around the globe by exploring endless vacation options, attending educational seminars on the Savvy Traveler and Destination Theaters, planning trips face-to-face with travel experts, mixing and mingling with travel celebrities and much more. Attendees can also be immersed in faraway cultures with live music and dance performances on the Global Beats Stage. The two-day event will also have exclusive show-only specials and trip giveaway. The Travel & Adventures Show will begin on Saturday, February 29, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and continue to Sunday, March 1, 2020 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. One Day Adult Admission tickets are available starting at $9 and Two Day Adult Admission tickets are available starting at $16 at www.eventbrite.com/e/2020-atlanta-travel-adventure-show. Children ages 16 and under will not be charged admission. Going into their 16th year with 93 events, the Travel & Adventure Show has connected over 1.75 million travel enthusiasts with over 4,000 different exhibiting companies from around the world. For more information and tickets, please visit www.travelshows.com.
The Junior League of Asheville, one of Buncombe County’s oldest women-led volunteer and training organizations, will be hosting their third annual Volunteer Expo on February 29, 2020.
Modeled after a job fair, the Volunteer Expo is an opportunity for residents of Western North Carolina to learn about local nonprofits, their volunteer needs, and other ways to support these organizations. To make this event a success, the League will partner with over 70 local nonprofits, including organizations that specialize in addressing health, poverty, legal aid, environmental stewardship, women’s issues, arts, civic leadership, technology, education, and animal welfare.
Local nonprofits are an incredible asset to our community and are responsible for much of Buncombe County’s progress. We believe that the Volunteer Expo will be a great opportunity for Western North Carolina residents to connect with outstanding nonprofit organizations, learn about what they are doing, and how they can contribute (time, talent, or treasure). There will be a reception and silent auction the night before the Expo, February 28, at the Masonic Temple. All exhibiting nonprofits and members of the Asheville community are welcome to attend!

Modeled after a job fair, the Volunteer Expo is an opportunity for residents of Western North Carolina to learn about local nonprofits, their volunteer needs, and other ways to support these organizations. To make this event a success, the League will partner with over 70 local nonprofits, including organizations that specialize in addressing health, poverty, legal aid, environmental stewardship, women’s issues, arts, civic leadership, technology, education, and animal welfare.
Local nonprofits are an incredible asset to our community and are responsible for much of Buncombe County’s progress. We believe that the Volunteer Expo will be a great opportunity for Western North Carolina residents to connect with outstanding nonprofit organizations, learn about what they are doing, and how they can contribute (time, talent, or treasure). There will be a reception and silent auction the night before the Expo, February 28, at the Masonic Temple. All exhibiting nonprofits and members of the Asheville community are welcome to attend!
Do you have questions? Are you interested in sponsoring the event? Contact us below or at !
The Junior League of Asheville (JLA), is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, to developing the potential of women, and to improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.
For over 90 years, the JLA has been both a powerful organization of trained women volunteers and a vital part of the Asheville community.

View all works acquired from the Appalachia Now! exhibition here.
The Asheville Art Museum is pleased to share that seven artists from the opening exhibition Appalachia Now! An Interdisciplinary Survey of Contemporary Art in Southern Appalachia have entered the Museum’s Collection of American Art of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Appalachia Now! was the inaugural exhibition of the newly renovated Museum that celebrated contemporary artists living and working in Southern Appalachia.
Considering available funds, the Museum’s curatorial team selected a range of works that reflect the diversity of Appalachia Now! These works were then presented to the Collectors’ Circle who voted to acquire them.
“It’s such an honor to be a part of the Asheville Art Museum’s expansion into new media,” says Lei Han, who is an associate professor and director of new media at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. “My collaborators and I are grateful for this recognition and we look forward to future collaborations with the Museum.”
“The Museum looks forward to following the careers of all the Appalachia Now! artists,” says Asheville Art Museum Executive Director Pamela Myers. “We are also very thankful for the Collectors’ Circle—for their generosity and ongoing support of the Museum, and their dedication to building the Museum’s important Collection for the enjoyment of all of our visitors.”

The Japanese-American Association Of South Carolina Will Be Here Again Today To Celebrate The Doll Festival. Hinamatsuri, Also Called Doll’s Day, Is A Special Day In Japan Where Ornamental Dolls Are Displayed. Come See Our Collection, And Participate In Doll-Making, Coloring, Chopstick Practice, Origami And Singing With The JAASC.
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Registration is open for UNC Asheville’s 2020 Pi(e) Run, an annual fun run that celebrates all things Pi(e). This year’s event will be held on Pi Day, Saturday, March 14, at Pi time, 3:14 p.m. Runners will run 3.14 miles around UNC Asheville’s campus and celebrate with pie at the finish line. The event is open to the public with an early-bird rate of $15 before Feb. 15. Runners who sign up before March 1 will receive a t-shirt and swag bag, and registration continues through March 14 at a cost of $20, with on-site registration and check-in starting at 2 p.m. the day of the race. Visit unca.edu/pi-run to sign up.
The 2020 Pi Day Run will start from UNC Asheville’s Quad and circle University Heights three times, via campus sidewalks, concluding with pie at the finish line. The fun run includes a pie baking contest, judged by Math Leaders from the Marvelous Math Club, with prizes awarded, and this year will feature a raffle. Registration includes a raffle entry for each runner. Registration also is available for the pie contest, without the run, by filling out the interest form at unca.edu/pi-run.
Proceeds from the annual Pi(e) Run will benefit the Asheville Initiative for Math at UNC Asheville and its Marvelous Math Club at Pisgah View Community Center. Marvelous Math Club is a partnership between UNC Asheville, Asheville Housing Authority, and Asheville City Schools. The Club uses math as a catalyst to build leadership skills, create community and provide a space for individualized academic support and social-emotional growth.

WHAT IT IS… An experience unlike anything you have ever dreamed imaginable. Your host will engage your mind with charm and wit, and immerse your heightened senses of taste, smell, hearing and touch, while you sip five types of wine in complete darkness. Wine pours are paired with tasteful snacks, one liners, and hilarious hijinks. OR our beer tasting experience will take you on a journey of humor, tasting of five local beers, fun beer-friendly pairing, sight deprivation and enhancement of all remaining senses. The lights will be off, and this is not considered a meal. Designed for adults only, 21 and up. 50-60 minutes.

Dinner Reservations 6:00pm-7:30pm | Entertainment 7:00pm-10:30pm
Make plans to head out for a night filled with musical entertainment and good eats at the Hendersonville Country Club Grill.
MENU
Grilled Salmon | Airline Chicken with Mushroom Sauce | Chicken or Shrimp Carbonara | Char-Grilled NY Strip | Your choice of soup or salad & potato or vegetable | Mixed Berry Pie Ala Mode

WHAT IT IS… An experience unlike anything you have ever dreamed imaginable. Your host will engage your mind with charm and wit, and immerse your heightened senses of taste, smell, hearing and touch, while you sip five types of wine in complete darkness. Wine pours are paired with tasteful snacks, one liners, and hilarious hijinks. OR our beer tasting experience will take you on a journey of humor, tasting of five local beers, fun beer-friendly pairing, sight deprivation and enhancement of all remaining senses. The lights will be off, and this is not considered a meal. Designed for adults only, 21 and up. 50-60 minutes.

One of the funniest musicals ever written. Sondheim’s joyous musical romp through Rome has desperate lovers, scheming neighbors and secrets behind every toga. This unforgettable, hysterical musical allows a terrify ensemble of comedic actors to shine!

TheatreUNCA will present Hedda Gabler, the 1890 drama by Henrik Ibsen, one of the founders of modernism in theater, with a new translation that director Aaron Snook calls “streamlined and accessible.” Curtain at will rise at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 27-29, and there will be a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, March 1.
“What Ibsen did so brilliantly was create very complex human beings on the stage that could be seemingly contradictory,” says Snook. “And we’re creating some moments of transition between the acts that will be different from some other Hedda Gablers. We’re not changing the script, but using the spaces in the play itself to tell a little bit more of her story.”




