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.
– ALL AGES
– STANDING ROOM ONLY
Thelma and the Sleaze is an independent all-female, queer southern rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. The group is the brainchild of lead vocalist and guitar player Lauren “LG” Gilbert and features an evolving cast of A-team players to back her up for an unforgettable live experience.
LG is the embodiment of hustle. As the driving force behind Thelma and The Sleaze, she is the songwriter, the visionary, the take-no-shit-from-anyone front woman that is single handedly keeping rock and roll alive. Thelma and The Sleaze has been touring the US for years building a legion of fans, affectionally called her creepers. The growing social media presence, the hit podcast, the features with Yamaha Guitars are really all the result of her incredible songwriting, visceral guitar playing, and the guts to deliver on her vision of what Rock and Roll should be.
LG has also launched two successful seasons of their Podcast “Queen of Shit Mountain”. Each episode features legendary musicians such as Tanya Tucker, Brittany Howard, Juliana Hatfield, Kate Pierson, Lori Barber, Patty Schemel, Mary Ramirez and Margo Price.
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.
EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 6:30 pm ~ FREE!
AGES 18+ ADULTS ONLY ~ NO KIDS ALLOWED
ON OUR HUGE SCREEN IN THEATER 2!
ENJOY DINNER & DRINKS (FULL BAR) WHILE PLAYING
There are 3 rounds with new winners each round so you can show up late, miss a round and still be a winner. Plus, we have mid-round prizes to create as many winners as possible.
The questions are presented by a hilarious host on our giant movie screen and includes fun videos in each round. You haven’t played a trivia night like this one!
Beat the mid week grind with some fun trivia! Win a $25 gift card for our taproom along with a $25 gift card from our resident kitchen, Bears Smokehouse BBQ!
Every Wednesday
Trivia Night
– ALL AGES
– FULLY SEATED SHOW
– LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE
RON SEXSMITH
Ron Sexsmith is a three time, Juno award winning singer songwriter from St Catharines Ontario. Born in 1964, Ron was drawn to music from an early age by the melodic songs of the era, which he heard on the radio and by his Mom’s record collection. His earliest musical heroes were Buddy Holly and Elton John. He always loved to sing, but didn’t start playing guitar until age 14 when he formed his first band “Paper Moon” (named after the film of the same name). Although he tried to write songs throughout his teens, it wasn’t until he was 21 and living in Quebec with his partner and first child, that he truly became a songwriter.
Ron eventually moved his young family to Toronto in 1987 to further pursue a career in music. He worked as a courier by day, while performing in the clubs by night. He formed the band ‘Ron Sexsmith and The Uncool’ and started gaining attention from music label executives, though all passed on signing him. In 1991 he released his first full length album on cassette called “Grand Opera Lane” produced by Bob Wiseman. The album was rejected by the Canadian music industry, although it found its way to Los Angeles where Ron ultimately signed his first music publishing deal with Interscope Records followed by a recording contract.
With producer Mitchell Froom, Sexsmith released his self-titled label debut album in 1995. The melancholic tone and sparse acoustic arrangements of the album were met with disapproval from Interscope. However an enthusiastic endorsement from Elvis Costello drew media attention and the album was declared a critical success. In his Sept 7, 1995 review for Rolling Stone, Bud Scoppa wrote: “He just may be the most fluent balladeer to come along since Tim Hardin or Harry Nilsson.”
Sexsmith’s songwriting style evolved into a unique and timeless blend of classic pop, contemporary folk, and roots-rock idioms. He has built a steadfast reputation with critics and with some of his own songwriting hero’s (Elton John, Ray Davies, John Prine, Gordon Lightfoot, Leonard Cohen and Paul McCartney) for his characteristically honest, sensitive, and enduring approach to the songwriting craft. Ron has released albums on a consistent basis since 1995 and has recorded with noted producers Mitchell Froom, Daniel Lanois, Steve Earle, Jim Scott, Don Kerr, Brad Jones, Bob Rock, and Martin Terefe.
His extensive song and album catalog has garnered Sexsmith a substantive cult following and an international touring career. His early years of touring included opening for established artists such as, John Hiatt, Elvis Costello, Sarah McLaughlin, Tori Amos, Squeeze, Aimee Mann, Coldplay, Nick Lowe, John Prine, Lucinda Williams and many others. His songs as well, have been covered by the likes of Rod Stewart, Nick Lowe, Emmy Lou Harris, Feist, and Michael Buble to name a few. In the past few decades as a headlining artist, Ron has performed at some of the most prestigious venues in the world, such as Massey Hall, Royal Albert Hall, and Carnegie Hall. In 2017, Ron penned his first novel ‘Deer Life, A Fairy Tale’ published worldwide by Dundurn Press Limited.
Ron completed work on a brand new album which is scheduled to be released in early 2023 and is in keeping with his reputation for catchy but graceful melodies, drawing on love, and the trials of everyday life. He currently lives in Stratford, Ontario and continues to be inspired to write, record and perform live worldwide.
Support:
Anti-Flag
Skinny Lister
Ages 18+
Flogging Molly Tour Package
- One general admission ticket
- VIP early entry into the venue
- Exclusive Flogging Molly merchandise item (only available in the VIP packages!)
- Flogging Molly tour poster, signed by Flogging Molly!
- Limited edition tour specific Flogging Molly patch – 2023 version (only available in the VIP packages!)
- Commemorative 2023 tour laminate
- Limited availability
The beginning of the year is a great time for Ashevillians of all ages to explore, connect, and discover. Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR)’s new winter-spring program guide is filled with registration dates, information, and listings for hundreds of fitness and active living offerings, sports and clubs, arts and culture programs, out-of-school time activities, outdoor recreation, special events, parks and facilities’ hours of operation, and more.
The free guide is available at all APR community centers and online as a PDF or enhanced digital flipbook. Community members may also download the APR app for iPhone or search programs on avlREC.com.
Winter-Spring 2023 Guide Highlights
-
Exercise at fitness centers with a free membership (through June 30, 2023).
-
Walk, roll, or run your way to 50 miles in February and March during the Fit 50 Challenge for a free T-shirt.
-
Celebrate Black Legacy Month with food, art, and festivals throughout the city in February.
-
Meet neighbors over cards, board games, bingo, trivia contests, and community meals.
-
Get an up-close look at big trucks, small trucks, transit buses, construction rigs, rescue vehicles, and public works equipment during Truck City AVL on April 15.
-
Experience the fun, fellowship, fitness, arts, and competition of Asheville-Buncombe Senior Games and Silver Arts Classic for local adults over 50..
-
Flex creativity at art, painting, writing, scrapbooking, and crafting classes.
-
Connect with neighbors over sports such as basketball, flag football, volleyball, pickleball, tennis, and archery for kids, teens, and adults.
-
Enjoy the honor of dirty hands with community garden workdays and Green Thumbs Garden Club at Grove Street Community Center’s greenhouse.
-
Witness the power of gravity at the Montford Pinewood Derby in May.
-
Refine square, tap, line, and West African dance skills at multiple locations.
-
And so much more!
A staple throughout Black culinary history, pie recipes are often a closely-held secret only handed down when the time is right. To enter a pie, register online or call the center at (828) 350-2062.
Joseph Gailes from Durham’s Alley Twenty Six, a 2022 James Beard Foundation Outstanding Bar Program Finalist, will be taking over the Botanist & Barrel Tasting Bar from 5-8 p.m. Feb. 23.
He will mix up session cocktails and show you how to become a mixologist at home with ease using Alley Twenty Six’s collection of cocktail syrups. There will be delicious cocktails to drink and take home sets available, because we know you will want to stock your home bar. Cocktail prices vary.
Every Thursday
- Live Music with Aaron Lafalce at 131 Main Restaurant, 6:00 p.m.
Trivia, Singo, tailgate games, and more! Our games are sure to challenge you, but c’mon… it’s not rocket science!
In the late 19th century, the church became a gathering place for the Black community and impacted the development of what’s now considered soul food. Fried chicken, fried fish, sweet potato pie, red drinks, black-eyed peas, cornbread, and more were served during Emancipation celebrations and church gatherings. Celebrate 100 years of Stephens-Lee HIgh School at this dinner sponsored by school alumni and the East End/Valley Street Neighborhood Association with down-home cooking that’s been passed down through the generations. Advance registration is requested to help with planning. Please call (828) 350-2058 for more info.
Join us on February 23, 2023 at the Dana Community Center and register for a health event that can transform your life! Discover the power of a highly effective, simple, and pure diet (not a starvation plan!) as we explore how to reduce cholesterol, blood pressure, and unwanted weight.
Also, you can choose to participate in testing that will show you where you started and how far you progressed during the program. Normally, these tests are pricey, but in the 3R Daniel Fast program you get the initial and final tests for just $15/person.
The full program will include easy-to-follow food demonstrations and recipes, as well as Bible and science-based health lectures given by physicians. Learn how to pray fervently and effectively and take home daily devotional materials to help you grow.
This event is the perfect opportunity to take control of your health and start living your best life. Register at the Dana Community Center on February 23 and don’t miss out on this 21-day, life-changing experience!
Hops Around Comedy is a rotating show presented by Modelface Comedy that takes place in all your favorite Asheville breweries. This week we are at Ginger’s Revenge in the South Slope with Gwen Sunkel!!!
Gwen Sunkel is an Indianapolis comedian, emcee, and character actor. She performs regularly at Helium Comedy Club and The White Rabbit Cabaret where she is a cast member with An Evening With The Authors*. You’ve seen her at Cincinnati Brew Ha-Ha, Yuckfest, and Limestone Comedy Festival and on the Vice TV Series ‘Hunters.’ Gwen is also contributing writer for AWF Magazine. She is a producer with Rocketship Comedy and co-hosts a series of benefit shows that have raised over $15,000 for reproductive health organizations in the Midwest.
Featuring TBA
ages 18+
doors at 6:30, show at 7p
Beginner’s workshop lesson at 7:30 P.M., then 8-11 P.M. Contra Dance with Country Waltzing at the break and the final dance. This is a partner dance but it’s not necessary to come with a partner. We have different live bands and callers.
| Electric Kif are a Miami-based power quartet that explore the boundaries between rock, jazz fusion and electronic drum & bass. Made up of bassist Rodrigo Zambrano, keyboardist Jason Matthews, drummer Armando Lopez and guitarist Eric Escanes, Electric Kif have garnered attention of the live music scene for their eclectic take on groove and their own brand of ‘post-nuclear music’. Within the past year, they released their 4th full length LP ‘DREAMLIKE’ featuring international heavy hitters Aaron Parks & Chris Bullock of Snarky Puppy. Their latest stand alone single ‘CODE GREEN’ also features Chicago rapper, Mick Jenkins and Miami’s own Wrekonize.
Socials: http://www.electrickif.com http://www.facebook.com/electrickif http://www.instagram.com/electrickif https://www.youtube.com/user/Electrickif
“From deep keyboard riffs to edgy electric guitar plucks and punchy drums, “Sonar” is an out-of-this-world triumph that rejects genre queues and embraces the abstract nature of sound itself.“ – Casablanca Sunset
“Track after track, Dreamlike pulls listeners back and forth between dense rhythmic passages and ethereal stretches of space making this one of the more creative and intricate albums of the year so far.” – This Song is Sick
“Electric Kif is one of the most compelling new bands around.” – Secret Eclectic
“Marrakush… jazz and downtempo experiment at its finest.” – Indie Criollo
“…hypnotic and intriguing, the band lay down their blistering musicianship…” – Plastic Magazine
“…this power quartet [will] become the “next” thing on the national scene” – Ground Up Music
“Unmissable” – Miami New Times
“With a tight dynamic attack and blend, the Miami-based Electric Kif offers up the challenge of jazz fusion without the confusion. It’s high spirited and extremely high energy but doesn’t seem hell-bent on confounding as others may do.” – Rochester City Paper “Simply as good as it gets…” – Music Fest News
“…dreamy but melodically engaging listening experience from start to finish.’ – Live For Live Music |
– STANDING ROOM ONLY
MIDNIGHT NORTH
There’s Always a Story represents a new chapter for Midnight North. Ten stories told through song on their most polished album to date.
Reflecting on the time since their origin, Midnight North is ready to tell the world its story. A group of multi-instrumentalists with songwriting roots in Folk and Americana, Midnight North is a mainstay on the stages of the national touring circuit. Rolling Stone hailed Midnight North as the “Best New Act” in its review of 2018’s Peach Music Festival saying the band “takes the best parts of roots music and weaves them into a tapestry of rock and Americana.”
Grahame Lesh, Elliott Peck, & Connor O’Sullivan began playing together in San Francisco. In early 2012 they played their first show as Grahame Lesh & Friends. Grahame & Elliott both brought a repertoire of original music to this new project that was a perfect marriage once the band began performing in earnest. In late 2012 the band went into the studio for the first time, tracking the entirety of their debut album End of the Night in just 2 days. End of the Night (mixed & produced by Connor) was released in June 2013 as they officially debuted the name Midnight North.
The band began touring in June 2015, with the release of their second album Scarlet Skies. That began a five year run as a touring band, playing in 36 states in front of thousands of people across the country. They released Under the Lights, their most successful studio album to date, in summer 2017. “Across all of the tracks, when you think you have the band pegged for a style or a genre, all of a sudden a chorus, or a new solo or new instrument altogether, diverts the music boldly but smartly to a new sound and feel,” said The Poke Around in their review of Under the Lights. They also released two live albums including 2018’s Selections From the Great American Music Hall which featured Bob Weir & Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead plus members of Twiddle as special guests.
A pivotal moment for the band came when Grahame met drummer Nathan Graham at a benefit show in Philadelphia in 2016. A month later Nathan sat in with the band for a show, eventually joining the band for their longest tour to date in the Spring of 2017. Bringing on the well seasoned drummer as a full-time member of the band (and learning about his banjo playing, singing, and song-writing skills) represented the next step forward as plans were made to record their fourth studio album.
In January 2020, the band went into a California studio with producer David Simon-Baker to craft their fourth studio album, There’s Always a Story, released in 2021 on Americana Vibes. As the world shut down in March and the band quarantined separately around the country, the album was finished remotely in California and Pennsylvania. As the months ticked by they let the rest of the newly written & recorded songs sink into their consciousness so that when work resumed on the album in June the entire album became even better than they could have hoped.
2022 and beyond is a new beginning, and while Midnight North longingly looks ahead, hand-in-hand with the rest of the world, There’s Always a Story will serve as a collective and reflective narrative.
Support:
Ashland Craft
Ages 18+
Many have heard of “love languages”; the ways we share and receive love from those most important in our life. One of those love languages? Acts of service. What better act of service than donating blood with The Blood Connection (TBC) and their partner organizations? Donating blood is a compassionate way to show our neighbors and community just how much we care. This February, TBC is partnering with Texas Roadhouse to provide fun and rewarding opportunities to donate blood.
On February 23 and March 2, TBC is once again partnering with Texas Roadhouse for the “Hearts as Big as Texas” campaign. Now in its fifth year, Hearts as Big as Texas brings more than 20 bloodmobiles out across the Carolinas and Georgia to make blood donation convenient and fun for community members. As a thank you for donating, all blood donors will receive a $20 Texas Roadhouse Gift card, a free appetizer coupon, plus a bonus $30 eGift card! Participating locations include:
- Anderson, SC
- Asheville, NC
- Augusta, GA
- Columbia (Columbiana), SC
- Columbia (Two Notch), SC
- Durham, NC
- Florence, SC
- Gainesville, GA
- Gastonia, NC
- Greenville, NC
- Holly Springs, NC
- Macon, GA
- Myrtle Beach, SC
- North Charleston, SC
- Savannah, GA
- Spartanburg, SC
- Taylors, SC
- Wake Forest, NC
The beginning of the year is a great time for Ashevillians of all ages to explore, connect, and discover. Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR)’s new winter-spring program guide is filled with registration dates, information, and listings for hundreds of fitness and active living offerings, sports and clubs, arts and culture programs, out-of-school time activities, outdoor recreation, special events, parks and facilities’ hours of operation, and more.
The free guide is available at all APR community centers and online as a PDF or enhanced digital flipbook. Community members may also download the APR app for iPhone or search programs on avlREC.com.
Winter-Spring 2023 Guide Highlights
-
Exercise at fitness centers with a free membership (through June 30, 2023).
-
Walk, roll, or run your way to 50 miles in February and March during the Fit 50 Challenge for a free T-shirt.
-
Celebrate Black Legacy Month with food, art, and festivals throughout the city in February.
-
Meet neighbors over cards, board games, bingo, trivia contests, and community meals.
-
Get an up-close look at big trucks, small trucks, transit buses, construction rigs, rescue vehicles, and public works equipment during Truck City AVL on April 15.
-
Experience the fun, fellowship, fitness, arts, and competition of Asheville-Buncombe Senior Games and Silver Arts Classic for local adults over 50..
-
Flex creativity at art, painting, writing, scrapbooking, and crafting classes.
-
Connect with neighbors over sports such as basketball, flag football, volleyball, pickleball, tennis, and archery for kids, teens, and adults.
-
Enjoy the honor of dirty hands with community garden workdays and Green Thumbs Garden Club at Grove Street Community Center’s greenhouse.
-
Witness the power of gravity at the Montford Pinewood Derby in May.
-
Refine square, tap, line, and West African dance skills at multiple locations.
-
And so much more!
|
Free Family Education classes from Bounty & Soul. Each month, Bounty & Soul educators share practical information with parents and caregivers to support your child’s health and development. Classes are FREE, but please register on the Bounty & Soul site under the Schedule tab. Quick access HERE. |
After a lifetime of crafting finely-wrought, heart-touching songs, singer-songwriter Pierce Pettis feels that he’s finally found his comfort zone. “The biggest change,” he says of this point in his career “has been getting over myself and realizing this is a job and a craft. And the purpose is not fame and fortune (whatever that is) but simply doing good work.”
“From the time I was very little, I always had the music going in my head,” Pettis explains. “Like my own personal soundtrack or something. I also come from a fairly musical family: my mother went to music school and was an excellent organist and pianist. And my sisters all played piano and other instruments. In school, I met other kids who wanted to be rock stars, just like me. From the time we were around 10 or so up through high school, we put together various bands — all of them horrible.”
His “horrible” bands didn’t deter him though and even though he had a nagging feeling (“I thought I was supposed to be a doctor or something.”) he persevered, not only playing music but writing songs in a mix of rock, folk, country and R&B genres that landed him an unpaid position as a staff writer for Muscle Shoals Sounds Studios. While there, his track “Song at the End of the Movie” found its way to Joan Baez’s 1979 album Honest Lullaby.
Pettis hit the road and became a member of the “Fast Folk” movement in New York in the mid-1980’s. He released one independent solo album, Moments (1984) before signing with High Street Records, a division of Windham Hill. There, he released three albums: While the Serpent Lies Sleeping (1989), Tinseltown (1991), and Chase the Buffalo (1993). His relationship with Tinseltown producer Mark Heard transcended the album. After Heard’s untimely death in 1992, Pettis committed to including a song of Heard’s on every one of his own albums, a practice that continues to this day.
Pettis was a staff songwriter for PolyGram from 1993-2000 and when his High Street contract ended, Pettis signed to Compass Records where he has released Making Light of It (1996), Everything Matters (1998), State of Grace (2001), and Great Big World (2004). Pierce Pettis’ songs have been recorded by artists including Susan Ashton, Dar Williams, Garth Brooks and Art Garfunkel.
His album, “That Kind of Love” on Compass Records was released January 27 2009. In 2013, “New Agrarians –Songs & Stories of the Southland” was released, a co-effort by Pierce Pettis, Kate Campbell & Tom Kimmel. “Father’s Son”, Pettis’ newest solo project for Compass Records Group, was released January of 2019 to widespread critical praise in the US, UK and Europe.
- Live Music at Hickory Tavern, 9:00 p.m. until 12:00 a.m.
The beginning of the year is a great time for Ashevillians of all ages to explore, connect, and discover. Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR)’s new winter-spring program guide is filled with registration dates, information, and listings for hundreds of fitness and active living offerings, sports and clubs, arts and culture programs, out-of-school time activities, outdoor recreation, special events, parks and facilities’ hours of operation, and more.
The free guide is available at all APR community centers and online as a PDF or enhanced digital flipbook. Community members may also download the APR app for iPhone or search programs on avlREC.com.
Winter-Spring 2023 Guide Highlights
-
Exercise at fitness centers with a free membership (through June 30, 2023).
-
Walk, roll, or run your way to 50 miles in February and March during the Fit 50 Challenge for a free T-shirt.
-
Celebrate Black Legacy Month with food, art, and festivals throughout the city in February.
-
Meet neighbors over cards, board games, bingo, trivia contests, and community meals.
-
Get an up-close look at big trucks, small trucks, transit buses, construction rigs, rescue vehicles, and public works equipment during Truck City AVL on April 15.
-
Experience the fun, fellowship, fitness, arts, and competition of Asheville-Buncombe Senior Games and Silver Arts Classic for local adults over 50..
-
Flex creativity at art, painting, writing, scrapbooking, and crafting classes.
-
Connect with neighbors over sports such as basketball, flag football, volleyball, pickleball, tennis, and archery for kids, teens, and adults.
-
Enjoy the honor of dirty hands with community garden workdays and Green Thumbs Garden Club at Grove Street Community Center’s greenhouse.
-
Witness the power of gravity at the Montford Pinewood Derby in May.
-
Refine square, tap, line, and West African dance skills at multiple locations.
-
And so much more!
TFAC invites all artists: painters, sculptors, writers, performers & more — to a casual weekly drop-in gathering on Saturday mornings at 9 AM to share your works in progress, alert others, and chat about art and what’s happening in your community.
The first weekly Coffee is Saturday, August 20 at 9 am.
No RSVP needed, just drop by!
Free parking available on Melrose Avenue, behind and alongside TFAC.
Nobody’s Darling String Band is here every Saturday from 4-6! Stop in for an afternoon libation and enjoy the ladies picking’ away on the stage!
March 25, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. – VIP Dinner
March 25, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. – Concert
Arthel “Doc” Watson was one of the most influential and beloved music artists of the 20th century. Born in 1923 in Deep Gap, North Carolina, Doc overcame his loss of sight as an infant to become a legendary performer of numerous music forms on a wide variety of instruments including guitar, banjo, mandolin, and harmonica.
Doc combined his warm baritone voice with virtuoso talents on the guitar and other instruments to put his unique stamp on ancient ballads, modern American show tunes, gospel, blues, and a remarkable range of popular and traditional music. His virtuosity on guitar was revealed through his pioneering work demonstrating that the acoustic guitar’s capabilities extended well beyond simply being a background rhythm instrument, to include blazing instrumental lead work, especially with traditional fiddle tunes.
DOC AT 100 is a fundraiser concert for FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge that celebrates the life and legacy of Doc Watson by those who performed with Doc, were profoundly influenced by his music, and called him a friend. This includes T. Michael Coleman and Jack Lawrence, who performed, recorded, and toured with Doc longer than any other musicians he worked with. Joining T. Michael and Jack, are fellow guitarists Wayne Henderson and Jack Hinshelwood, who were both heavily impacted by Doc’s music through his many recordings and performances, and Wayne counted Doc as a close friend, especially in Doc’s later years when he enjoyed visiting Wayne in his guitar making shop in Rugby, Virginia.
Ted Olson, Professor of Appalachian Studies at East Tennessee State University, is the author of “Doc’s World: Traditional Plus,” the book that accompanies the 4 CD compilation of recordings from Doc’s career released in 2022 by Craft Records called “Doc Watson, Life’s Work: A Retrospective.”
DOC AT 100 begins with a pre-concert talk led by host Ted Olson on the legacy of Doc Watson followed by stories shared by the artists who knew Doc as a friend and fellow performer. The audience will also be encouraged to share their stories of Doc and the impact he had on them.
The VIP ticket includes premium seating to the concert and the VIP Dinner.