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.
Did you know that three Buncombe County Libraries have a seed library so you can check out seeds? Each seed library offers vegetable, herb, and flower seeds that you can take home and plant.
If you’re a gardener or want to be a gardener, you can borrow seeds from the library at planting time. At the end of the growing season, save seeds from the plants and return a portion of the seeds to the library to be loaned out the next year. If you don’t have any seeds at the end of the season, that’s OK too. It’s not a requirement, it just helps the seed libraries grow. There is no charge to use the seed library, just visit the Weaverville, Black Mountain or Leicester Libraries and sign up. You’ll find different seeds at each location and you don’t need a library card to use the seed library.
The benefits of a seed lending library are many: it’s a way to have fun, build community with fellow gardeners, and support people who are new to gardening. It also preserves rare, open-pollinated or heirloom seeds and encourages local gardeners to save quality seeds that are suited to our growing area.
For more information on any of our seed libraries, contact the Black Mountain Library, the Leicester Library, or the Weaverville Library.
Gardening in the Mountains presents:
Get Going with Grasses!
Presenter: Nancy Duffy – Owner of Muddy Boots Garden Design
Grasses are great garden plants! Learn about specific grasses, their uses, and planting and maintenance.
Based in Asheville, North Carolina, Nancy Duffy is the owner of Muddy Boots Garden Design. Over the last decade she has increasingly focused on natural planting styles and has done many meadow and woodland designs.
Video access:
To access this video on the Buncombe County Master Gardener website, click on the link below:
Get Going with Grasses!
Or go to www.buncombemastergardener.org , click on the ‘Gardening Videos’ tab at the top of the page, and select the video from the list provided.
Summer Day Camp is a great option for kids ages 9-17 with any skill level to learn and practice on the iconic rivers and lakes of Western North Carolina. Paddlers from beginner to advanced will receive high-quality instruction from our elite team while having fun and making friends.
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.
Joining a CSA (or Community Supported Agriculture) program connects you directly with local farms in your community. Members buy a “share” of a farm’s harvest upfront and receive a weekly box of fresh produce or other farm goods. The best time to sign up for a CSA is in February and early March. This year, ASAP is expanding on a national “CSA Week” in late February to promote “CSA Month” from Feb. 15 to March 15. CSA Month will include a social media campaign with CSA education and farmer features; digital tools for finding CSA programs; and an in-person CSA Fair at the YWCA of Asheville on March 10 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.
In addition to traditional produce CSAs, the fair will include farms with specialty CSA products, such as meat or flowers. The fair is relaxed setting where attendees chat with farmers about their products, growing practices, payment structure, and more. Attendees can sign up for a CSA during the fair or follow up with farmers later. The fair will also feature local food tastings and activities for kids, as well as produce and food products available for purchase. The event is free and open to the public. The YWCA is located at 185 S. French Broad Ave. in Asheville. Participating farms will be announced in late February.
For farmers, the CSA Fair is a chance to build relationships, even if attendees decide not to purchase a share. “[The customers we meet at the CSA Fair] tend to really want to know the farmer and the food, meaning they are a bit more adventurous when it comes to trying new things,” says K.P. Whaley of Tiny Bridge Farm in Hendersonville. “They are interested in knowing how and what we are growing, and really want us to be successful as a farm operation. We may get some customers from the fair and that’s great. But we also start building relationships with future customers.”
For those unable to attend the fair or who are looking for a CSA outside of Buncombe County, online tools at asapconnections.org/csa help customers compare CSAs throughout the Appalachian Grown region, making it easier to choose a program that fits individual needs. The Appalachian Grown region includes Western North Carolina as well as bordering counties in South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia. Things customers could consider when choosing a CSA include convenient pickup times and locations; the farm’s growing practices; and appropriate share size (i.e., how much food). Some farms offer variations on the traditional CSA model, such as online selection, shorter commitment, or a market share (members pay upfront, but select their own produce at the farmers market each week).
Gardening in the Mountains presents:
Get Going with Grasses!
Presenter: Nancy Duffy – Owner of Muddy Boots Garden Design
Grasses are great garden plants! Learn about specific grasses, their uses, and planting and maintenance.
Based in Asheville, North Carolina, Nancy Duffy is the owner of Muddy Boots Garden Design. Over the last decade she has increasingly focused on natural planting styles and has done many meadow and woodland designs.
Video access:
To access this video on the Buncombe County Master Gardener website, click on the link below:
Get Going with Grasses!
Or go to www.buncombemastergardener.org , click on the ‘Gardening Videos’ tab at the top of the page, and select the video from the list provided.
Summer Day Camp is a great option for kids ages 9-17 with any skill level to learn and practice on the iconic rivers and lakes of Western North Carolina. Paddlers from beginner to advanced will receive high-quality instruction from our elite team while having fun and making friends.
Join the Blue Ridge Audubon, a chapter of the National Audubon Society for their monthly bird walk at Jackson Park, a renowned
birding location. On the 2nd Saturday of each month, meet at the Administration Building parking lot, located on Glover Street,
and join the group to see the many wonderful birds found at Jackson Park, Hendersonville’s largest park.8-10:00am.
828-684-0812. Free.
IN-PERSON DEMONSTRATION
Presenters: Alan Wagner and Ralph Coffey- Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers
Pruning in the landscape is different from pruning tomatoes or doing bonsai pruning. However, it still requires the use of time-tested techniques, high quality, sharpened tools, and knowledge of the right time to prune a particular plant. And it requires practice.
Join Alan Wagner and Ralph Coffey as they demonstrate the techniques of pruning shrubs and small trees.
Wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately as part of this presentation will be held outside, weather permitting.
Enjoy the rare opportunity to visit Grandfather Mountain outside of regular operating hours and see a sunset from the top of the mountain. Your event ticket includes an entire day’s access to Grandfather Mountain, with regular park hours being 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Trails close at 4 p.m. at 5 p.m., all sunset eventgoers should head to the top of the mountain.
Sunset is at 6:31 p.m. on Saturday, March 11, 2023. Due to safety regulations, eventgoers are only permitted to view the sunset from the Swinging Bridge area. The Top Shop gift shop and restrooms will be accessible during the event. Participants are strongly encouraged to bring flashlights/headlamps and wear heavy winter jackets, hats, gloves and rubber-soled shoes.
Participants are strongly encouraged to bring flashlights/headlamps and wear heavy winter jackets, hats, gloves and rubber-soled shoes. All Sunset at the Swinging Bridge participants will need to exit the park’s gates by 7:15 p.m. A picture-perfect sunset, unfortunately, cannot be guaranteed.
There are no event ticket discounts for folks who do not want to access the park during regular park hours. This event is limited to 150 guests. If the event is sold out, a waiting list will be available.
Ticket Sales begin below at 10 a.m. on February 6, 2023:
- Adult: $40
- Child (4-12): $24
- Bridge Club Member: $14
Cancellation/Refund Policy
The majority of Grandfather Mountain events generally sell out and have a waiting list. If you cannot attend this event, please let us know. Full refunds will be given to individuals who reach out by Fri., March 3. This allows time for individuals on the waiting list to make accommodations to attend the event. To cancel your registration, email mailto:[email protected] or call 828-733-2013, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
If Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation cancels the event due to inclement weather, full refunds will be given. If GMSF has to cancel the event, an announcement will be made by noon the day before (March 10).
Did you know that three Buncombe County Libraries have a seed library so you can check out seeds? Each seed library offers vegetable, herb, and flower seeds that you can take home and plant.
If you’re a gardener or want to be a gardener, you can borrow seeds from the library at planting time. At the end of the growing season, save seeds from the plants and return a portion of the seeds to the library to be loaned out the next year. If you don’t have any seeds at the end of the season, that’s OK too. It’s not a requirement, it just helps the seed libraries grow. There is no charge to use the seed library, just visit the Weaverville, Black Mountain or Leicester Libraries and sign up. You’ll find different seeds at each location and you don’t need a library card to use the seed library.
The benefits of a seed lending library are many: it’s a way to have fun, build community with fellow gardeners, and support people who are new to gardening. It also preserves rare, open-pollinated or heirloom seeds and encourages local gardeners to save quality seeds that are suited to our growing area.
For more information on any of our seed libraries, contact the Black Mountain Library, the Leicester Library, or the Weaverville Library.
Gardening in the Mountains presents:
Get Going with Grasses!
Presenter: Nancy Duffy – Owner of Muddy Boots Garden Design
Grasses are great garden plants! Learn about specific grasses, their uses, and planting and maintenance.
Based in Asheville, North Carolina, Nancy Duffy is the owner of Muddy Boots Garden Design. Over the last decade she has increasingly focused on natural planting styles and has done many meadow and woodland designs.
Video access:
To access this video on the Buncombe County Master Gardener website, click on the link below:
Get Going with Grasses!
Or go to www.buncombemastergardener.org , click on the ‘Gardening Videos’ tab at the top of the page, and select the video from the list provided.
Summer Day Camp is a great option for kids ages 9-17 with any skill level to learn and practice on the iconic rivers and lakes of Western North Carolina. Paddlers from beginner to advanced will receive high-quality instruction from our elite team while having fun and making friends.
Time & loc varies, typical avg spd 15-17mph, dist 30-50mi. For weekly emails, update your profile: Hover on your name upper right; select “Profile”; under “Your website functions” click “Interests”; then check “B Pace Rides”. Leader [email protected]
Join us on Sundays this Fall and Winter for $10 to ride Kolo Bike Park on over 125 acres beside Downtown Asheville! Enjoy pump tracks, skills area, trails, skinnys, berms, table tops and much more! Littleville is also included for our youngest shredders. Rentals not included.
Reservations not required. Call for conditions: 828.225.2921.
$10 Sunday Fundays at Kolo Bike Park
Ride Kolo Bike Park for $10 on Sundays with trails, pump tracks, jump line, skills park, Littleville, rock garden and bridges, skinnies, and table tops scattered through the Park. Reservations not required. Call for conditions. 828.225.2921
Did you know that three Buncombe County Libraries have a seed library so you can check out seeds? Each seed library offers vegetable, herb, and flower seeds that you can take home and plant.
If you’re a gardener or want to be a gardener, you can borrow seeds from the library at planting time. At the end of the growing season, save seeds from the plants and return a portion of the seeds to the library to be loaned out the next year. If you don’t have any seeds at the end of the season, that’s OK too. It’s not a requirement, it just helps the seed libraries grow. There is no charge to use the seed library, just visit the Weaverville, Black Mountain or Leicester Libraries and sign up. You’ll find different seeds at each location and you don’t need a library card to use the seed library.
The benefits of a seed lending library are many: it’s a way to have fun, build community with fellow gardeners, and support people who are new to gardening. It also preserves rare, open-pollinated or heirloom seeds and encourages local gardeners to save quality seeds that are suited to our growing area.
For more information on any of our seed libraries, contact the Black Mountain Library, the Leicester Library, or the Weaverville Library.
Gardening in the Mountains presents:
Get Going with Grasses!
Presenter: Nancy Duffy – Owner of Muddy Boots Garden Design
Grasses are great garden plants! Learn about specific grasses, their uses, and planting and maintenance.
Based in Asheville, North Carolina, Nancy Duffy is the owner of Muddy Boots Garden Design. Over the last decade she has increasingly focused on natural planting styles and has done many meadow and woodland designs.
Video access:
To access this video on the Buncombe County Master Gardener website, click on the link below:
Get Going with Grasses!
Or go to www.buncombemastergardener.org , click on the ‘Gardening Videos’ tab at the top of the page, and select the video from the list provided.
Extension Master GardenerSM volunteers will be staffing the Helpline as indicated in the schedule below. You may send an email or leave a voicemail at any time and an Extension Master Gardener volunteer will respond during Garden Helpline hours. When emailing, please include a photo if it helps describe your garden question. Soil test kits can be picked up at the Extension office, 24/7. The kits are located in a box outside the front door.
Three ways to contact the Garden Helpline
Call 828-255-5522
Email questions and photos to [email protected]
Visit the Extension Office at 49 Mt. Carmel Road during Helpline hours, listed below.
Garden Helpline Hours
March – (starts March 6)
Monday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
April through September:
Monday 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Wednesday 12:00 Noon – 2:00 p.m.
Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
October – (ends October 26th)
Monday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
We are here to help and support you! Please contact us. We look forward to answering your gardening questions.
Voted “Best Place to Learn” by Outside, NOC Paddling School has taught more paddlers than anyone else, with 50 years of experience going into every class. Our commitment to the sport and to providing the best possible instruction has not waivered. So come and let us be your respected and experienced instructor.
Whitewater Kayaking Instruction
Youth Paddling Programs
Specialty Paddling Programs
Professional Training for Paddlers
Canoe Courses
Summer Day Camp is a great option for kids ages 9-17 with any skill level to learn and practice on the iconic rivers and lakes of Western North Carolina. Paddlers from beginner to advanced will receive high-quality instruction from our elite team while having fun and making friends.
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.
Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) recently renovated fitness centers at Linwood Crump Shiloh and Stephens-Lee community centers – and community members can enjoy use of cardio equipment, exercise machines, free weights, open gym time, and more through June 30, 2023. During this time, APR will waive membership and daily pass fees so more people can access the necessities for a regular fitness routine. Locals can sign up online or at either community center to receive a fitness center key fob that can be scanned at either location.
“Our team is committed to creating spaces in which everyone feels welcome,” according to D. Tyrell McGirt, APR Director. “We are in the community building business. The gyms and fitness rooms at these two locations are filled with everything you’d expect from other top-notch fitness facilities and dedicated to body positivity and accessible wellness. By waiving the cost to use them for the first six months of the year, we hope more friends and neighbors will be able to connect with each other and maintain healthy lifestyles.”
Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) recently renovated fitness centers at Linwood Crump Shiloh and Stephens-Lee community centers – and community members can enjoy use of cardio equipment, exercise machines, free weights, open gym time, and more through June 30, 2023. During this time, APR will waive membership and daily pass fees so more people can access the necessities for a regular fitness routine. Locals can sign up online or at either community center to receive a fitness center key fob that can be scanned at either location.
“Our team is committed to creating spaces in which everyone feels welcome,” according to D. Tyrell McGirt, APR Director. “We are in the community building business. The gyms and fitness rooms at these two locations are filled with everything you’d expect from other top-notch fitness facilities and dedicated to body positivity and accessible wellness. By waiving the cost to use them for the first six months of the year, we hope more friends and neighbors will be able to connect with each other and maintain healthy lifestyles.”
Spend an hour hiking one of the Parks’ six trails with a naturalist. Watch the transformation from winter to spring on this educational excursion. You may even learn some of the Parks’ history as well. Meet in front of Cliff Dwellers Gifts.
WNC Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT) is a farmer-led effort to bring established farmers, farm apprentices, and aspiring farmers together for year-long training in the art and science of sustainable agriculture, straight from the hearts, mouths, and fields of seasoned local farmers in Western North Carolina.
Farmers learn best from other farmers, and aspiring farmers learn best from hearing how successful farmers in the region run their farms. Farm Tours form the core of the WNC CRAFT training program.
WNC CRAFT is a membership program, and its fees cover a whole year of learning and networking opportunities. More details on tours will be provided upon joining CRAFT. Tours & benefits are only available to CRAFT Members.
CRAFT Tour Schedule 2023:
- March 19th: Lambing at Black Thorn Farm & Kitchen
- March 30th: Mental Health First Aid Training with NC Agromedicine Institute at Creekside Farm & Education Center
- April 2nd: Farmer Social at Olivette Farm
- April 16th: Mechanical Weed Control and Tractor Implements for Cultivation at Gaining Ground Farm
- July 30th: Silvopasture at Wild East Farm
- October 29th: Land Access Model and Winter Growing at Olivette Farm
Did you know that three Buncombe County Libraries have a seed library so you can check out seeds? Each seed library offers vegetable, herb, and flower seeds that you can take home and plant.
If you’re a gardener or want to be a gardener, you can borrow seeds from the library at planting time. At the end of the growing season, save seeds from the plants and return a portion of the seeds to the library to be loaned out the next year. If you don’t have any seeds at the end of the season, that’s OK too. It’s not a requirement, it just helps the seed libraries grow. There is no charge to use the seed library, just visit the Weaverville, Black Mountain or Leicester Libraries and sign up. You’ll find different seeds at each location and you don’t need a library card to use the seed library.
The benefits of a seed lending library are many: it’s a way to have fun, build community with fellow gardeners, and support people who are new to gardening. It also preserves rare, open-pollinated or heirloom seeds and encourages local gardeners to save quality seeds that are suited to our growing area.
For more information on any of our seed libraries, contact the Black Mountain Library, the Leicester Library, or the Weaverville Library.
Gardening in the Mountains presents:
Get Going with Grasses!
Presenter: Nancy Duffy – Owner of Muddy Boots Garden Design
Grasses are great garden plants! Learn about specific grasses, their uses, and planting and maintenance.
Based in Asheville, North Carolina, Nancy Duffy is the owner of Muddy Boots Garden Design. Over the last decade she has increasingly focused on natural planting styles and has done many meadow and woodland designs.
Video access:
To access this video on the Buncombe County Master Gardener website, click on the link below:
Get Going with Grasses!
Or go to www.buncombemastergardener.org , click on the ‘Gardening Videos’ tab at the top of the page, and select the video from the list provided.
Presenter: Cynthia Gillooly, floral designer and co-owner of Verde` Designs
Join Cynthia Gillooly, an experienced indoor plant expert, and learn about terrarium containers and plant selection for those high-humidity gardens. Cynthia will teach us about soil, plant care and maintenance, and her tricks, tools and accessories to make your own terrific terrariums.
Summer Day Camp is a great option for kids ages 9-17 with any skill level to learn and practice on the iconic rivers and lakes of Western North Carolina. Paddlers from beginner to advanced will receive high-quality instruction from our elite team while having fun and making friends.