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.

Tuesday, August 17, 2021
Nantahala River Rafting Fully Guided
Aug 17 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center

guests rafting on the Nantahala River Raft & Duck Rentals in North Carolina trip

A guided whitewater rafting trip is one of the best ways to experience the Nantahala Gorge. The crystal-clear Nantahala River is the perfect family-friendly river where experienced river guides will help you navigate through splashy Class II-III rapids and bouncy waves, with occasional calmer waters where you can enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery. The fully guided rafting trip the most popular adventure at NOC, with thousands of families returning year after year.

Outpace Hunger: A Kid-Friendly Way to Stay Active This Summer
Aug 17 all-day
Asheville NC

Summer is here, and this year, we have a great way for families, neighbors, friends, and communities to come together and make a difference for our WNC neighbors facing hunger – all while participating in your favorite activities!
Outpace Hunger – MANNA FoodBank’s brand-new fundraising campaign to help turn your favorite activity into much-needed food for WNC families – is off to a great start!
The campaign is simple: participants set an activity-based fundraising goal and share their personal fundraiser with friends and family. Then, they track their progress and encourage people to support their effort to raise money for meals as they come closer to their goal.
Whether you enjoy walking your pooch, are an avid paddler, a stop and smell the roses hiker, yoga lover or an ultra-marathoner, you can turn your passion into meals by signing up to participate. Every $1 raised for MANNA helps provide four meals-worth of food – and it is needed now more than ever.

How It Works

Participating in Outpace Hunger is easy!

You decide your level of commitment, so every participant can create their own path to helping provide food to our community. Participants also decide how, when, and where they complete their goal, any time now through the campaign end on October 31.

Outpace Hunger participants:

(1) Register to be a part of MANNA’s Outpace Hunger community. The $20 registration fee includes a t-shirt for you and provides 80 MEALS for neighbors facing food insecurity in WNC.

(2) Choose a favorite activity (run, walk, roll, stroll, hike, bike, paddle, climb, float, skate, golf, and everything in between!) to complete individually, or as a family/group/team.

(3) Set a goal to reach. This can be an activity-related goal, a fundraising goal, or both.

(4) Invite friends and family to support your fundraising efforts through your own, personalized Outpace Hunger webpage.

The 2021 Summer Learning Program: Tails + Tales – an exploration of wildlife and fantastical folktales
Aug 17 all-day
Online

Illustration of animals reading book.

Get ready to go wild at the library for our annual Summer Learning Program. Join us for Tails & Tales – an exploration of wildlife and fantastical folktales. We’ll have an activity sheet with lots of fun adventures for all ages. You can pick up a sheet at any library starting June 1, or download it HERE. Check our calendar to find our most up to date list of programs all summer long.

 

The 2021 Summer Learning Program is open to young people, preschool through teen, with books and activities for every age. All library programs are free and open to children of all abilities. Come in and see what the library has for you!

YWCA: NOW ENROLLING 3 to 5-YEAR-OLDS AT OUR 5-STAR CHILD CARE CENTER
Aug 17 @ 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
YWCA Asheville

YWCA’s Early Learning Program provides 5-star childcare for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years.

Our experienced and compassionate teachers not only provide exceptional care for your little ones, but they also prepare young children to succeed cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally. YWCA’s childcare center also offers NC Pre-K for qualifying families.

***Due to COVID-19 tours are not allowed at this time***
 We are now accepting applications through our online waitlist. In order for your child to be considered for our program, you must apply online by entering your information on the waitlist form by clicking the button below.
 YWCA CHILDCARE WAITLIST
Wild Art Sculpture Showcase
Aug 17 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 pm
NC Arboretum

The North Carolina Arboretum is going wild for art and nature in 2021 with Wild Art! On view April 1 through September 26, this outdoor sculpture exhibition features works by 17 local and national artists drawing inspiration from the natural environment. Situated throughout the Arboretum’s spacious, open-air gardens, the show offers guests a doorway into the wild world from the comfort and safety of cultivated landscapes transformed by art.

The 18 sculptures on display represent a variety of approaches to the theme of “wild art,” from the literal to the abstract, and are crafted from a diverse array of materials that will delight and inspire. Let your imagination take you on a wild journey into the world of plants and animals near and far with Wild Art at The North Carolina Arboretum.

The exhibit is available to all guests during normal Arboretum hours, and there is no admission cost to view the sculptures beyond our usual parking fee of $16 per personal vehicle.

Fairy Trail 2021
Aug 17 @ 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Bullington Gardens

Fairy Trail 2021

Join us on the magical Fairy Trail where your imagination is the only limit.

Developed by Fairies and dedicated volunteers, Bullington Gardens’ Fairy Trail is a whimsical treat for the young and the young at heart. Featuring playful vignettes and villages, the fairy trail will charm you with its thoughtful design, eye catching displays and secret woodland trail.

Rules of the trail:

Do not move or rearrange fairy displays. The fairies are very fond of their own decorating.

Do not leave trash on the trail. Fairies do not like litter in their town.

Please ensure children and pets are supervised at all times. Dogs and loud noises can scare the fairies into hiding.

Do not disturb wildlife or vegetation. The fairies depend on the vegetation to build their homes.

The trail is one way only. Please stay on the trail at all times.

P.S. the Fairies would like us to remind you that we are a non-profit and donations are greatly appreciated. Help us keep the fairies living in the style with which they’ve become accustomed.

Bullington Gardens and the Fairy Trail are closed on Sundays.

Biltmore Gardens Railway
Aug 17 @ 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
Biltmore

Included with admission

Our fun-for-all-ages botanical model train displays invite you to experience our grounds in an engaging new way. Located in the Conservatory in the Walled Garden, the displays feature replicas of structures connected with Biltmore and its founder George Vanderbilt. Each beautifully executed piece was handcrafted from such natural elements as leaves, bark, and twigs.

In compliance with state and local mandates related to COVID-19, all guests must enter the Conservatory via the ADA entrance in the back and follow a one-way route.

Free Admission Western North Carolina Air Museum
Aug 17 @ 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Western North Carolina Air Museum

The Western North Carolina Air Museum is a center of living history in the popular Hendersonville – Flat Rock region of the state. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to remember flying the way it used to be. Bring your kids, your camera, and your leather jacket. You can view the airplanes in an hour or so, or spend the afternoon hanger-flying with our friendly, informative staff. We can’t guarantee fine weather, but our hangar doors are open rain and shine. And we can’t guarantee that we’ll be flying on the day you visit, but we do promise to propel your imagination back to the golden age of general aviation. Come for the airplanes. Stay for the memories. There’s plenty of both right here at the Western North Carolina Air Museum.

Preserving & Promoting

Our

Carolina Flying Heritage

Wednesday, August 18, 2021
Nantahala River Rafting Fully Guided
Aug 18 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center

guests rafting on the Nantahala River Raft & Duck Rentals in North Carolina trip

A guided whitewater rafting trip is one of the best ways to experience the Nantahala Gorge. The crystal-clear Nantahala River is the perfect family-friendly river where experienced river guides will help you navigate through splashy Class II-III rapids and bouncy waves, with occasional calmer waters where you can enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery. The fully guided rafting trip the most popular adventure at NOC, with thousands of families returning year after year.

Outpace Hunger: A Kid-Friendly Way to Stay Active This Summer
Aug 18 all-day
Asheville NC

Summer is here, and this year, we have a great way for families, neighbors, friends, and communities to come together and make a difference for our WNC neighbors facing hunger – all while participating in your favorite activities!
Outpace Hunger – MANNA FoodBank’s brand-new fundraising campaign to help turn your favorite activity into much-needed food for WNC families – is off to a great start!
The campaign is simple: participants set an activity-based fundraising goal and share their personal fundraiser with friends and family. Then, they track their progress and encourage people to support their effort to raise money for meals as they come closer to their goal.
Whether you enjoy walking your pooch, are an avid paddler, a stop and smell the roses hiker, yoga lover or an ultra-marathoner, you can turn your passion into meals by signing up to participate. Every $1 raised for MANNA helps provide four meals-worth of food – and it is needed now more than ever.

How It Works

Participating in Outpace Hunger is easy!

You decide your level of commitment, so every participant can create their own path to helping provide food to our community. Participants also decide how, when, and where they complete their goal, any time now through the campaign end on October 31.

Outpace Hunger participants:

(1) Register to be a part of MANNA’s Outpace Hunger community. The $20 registration fee includes a t-shirt for you and provides 80 MEALS for neighbors facing food insecurity in WNC.

(2) Choose a favorite activity (run, walk, roll, stroll, hike, bike, paddle, climb, float, skate, golf, and everything in between!) to complete individually, or as a family/group/team.

(3) Set a goal to reach. This can be an activity-related goal, a fundraising goal, or both.

(4) Invite friends and family to support your fundraising efforts through your own, personalized Outpace Hunger webpage.

The 2021 Summer Learning Program: Tails + Tales – an exploration of wildlife and fantastical folktales
Aug 18 all-day
Online

Illustration of animals reading book.

Get ready to go wild at the library for our annual Summer Learning Program. Join us for Tails & Tales – an exploration of wildlife and fantastical folktales. We’ll have an activity sheet with lots of fun adventures for all ages. You can pick up a sheet at any library starting June 1, or download it HERE. Check our calendar to find our most up to date list of programs all summer long.

 

The 2021 Summer Learning Program is open to young people, preschool through teen, with books and activities for every age. All library programs are free and open to children of all abilities. Come in and see what the library has for you!

YWCA: NOW ENROLLING 3 to 5-YEAR-OLDS AT OUR 5-STAR CHILD CARE CENTER
Aug 18 @ 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
YWCA Asheville

YWCA’s Early Learning Program provides 5-star childcare for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years.

Our experienced and compassionate teachers not only provide exceptional care for your little ones, but they also prepare young children to succeed cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally. YWCA’s childcare center also offers NC Pre-K for qualifying families.

***Due to COVID-19 tours are not allowed at this time***
 We are now accepting applications through our online waitlist. In order for your child to be considered for our program, you must apply online by entering your information on the waitlist form by clicking the button below.
 YWCA CHILDCARE WAITLIST
Wild Art Sculpture Showcase
Aug 18 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 pm
NC Arboretum

The North Carolina Arboretum is going wild for art and nature in 2021 with Wild Art! On view April 1 through September 26, this outdoor sculpture exhibition features works by 17 local and national artists drawing inspiration from the natural environment. Situated throughout the Arboretum’s spacious, open-air gardens, the show offers guests a doorway into the wild world from the comfort and safety of cultivated landscapes transformed by art.

The 18 sculptures on display represent a variety of approaches to the theme of “wild art,” from the literal to the abstract, and are crafted from a diverse array of materials that will delight and inspire. Let your imagination take you on a wild journey into the world of plants and animals near and far with Wild Art at The North Carolina Arboretum.

The exhibit is available to all guests during normal Arboretum hours, and there is no admission cost to view the sculptures beyond our usual parking fee of $16 per personal vehicle.

Fairy Trail 2021
Aug 18 @ 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Bullington Gardens

Fairy Trail 2021

Join us on the magical Fairy Trail where your imagination is the only limit.

Developed by Fairies and dedicated volunteers, Bullington Gardens’ Fairy Trail is a whimsical treat for the young and the young at heart. Featuring playful vignettes and villages, the fairy trail will charm you with its thoughtful design, eye catching displays and secret woodland trail.

Rules of the trail:

Do not move or rearrange fairy displays. The fairies are very fond of their own decorating.

Do not leave trash on the trail. Fairies do not like litter in their town.

Please ensure children and pets are supervised at all times. Dogs and loud noises can scare the fairies into hiding.

Do not disturb wildlife or vegetation. The fairies depend on the vegetation to build their homes.

The trail is one way only. Please stay on the trail at all times.

P.S. the Fairies would like us to remind you that we are a non-profit and donations are greatly appreciated. Help us keep the fairies living in the style with which they’ve become accustomed.

Bullington Gardens and the Fairy Trail are closed on Sundays.

Biltmore Gardens Railway
Aug 18 @ 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
Biltmore

Included with admission

Our fun-for-all-ages botanical model train displays invite you to experience our grounds in an engaging new way. Located in the Conservatory in the Walled Garden, the displays feature replicas of structures connected with Biltmore and its founder George Vanderbilt. Each beautifully executed piece was handcrafted from such natural elements as leaves, bark, and twigs.

In compliance with state and local mandates related to COVID-19, all guests must enter the Conservatory via the ADA entrance in the back and follow a one-way route.

Summer Animal Encounters
Aug 18 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Chimney Rock State Park

Join a Park Naturalist to meet some of our resident Animal Ambassadors.  Participants will learn what kind of wildlife inhabits the Park and their important role in the ecosystem.  You might even leave with a newfound appreciation for critters you once misunderstood.

Time: Weekdays only at 11am
Cost: Included with Park admission.
Free Admission Western North Carolina Air Museum
Aug 18 @ 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Western North Carolina Air Museum

The Western North Carolina Air Museum is a center of living history in the popular Hendersonville – Flat Rock region of the state. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to remember flying the way it used to be. Bring your kids, your camera, and your leather jacket. You can view the airplanes in an hour or so, or spend the afternoon hanger-flying with our friendly, informative staff. We can’t guarantee fine weather, but our hangar doors are open rain and shine. And we can’t guarantee that we’ll be flying on the day you visit, but we do promise to propel your imagination back to the golden age of general aviation. Come for the airplanes. Stay for the memories. There’s plenty of both right here at the Western North Carolina Air Museum.

Preserving & Promoting

Our

Carolina Flying Heritage

Wednesday Kid’s Night! Chick-fil-A Asheville Mall
Aug 18 @ 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Chick-fil-A Asheville Mall

Join us EVERY Wednesday night for Kid’s Night! Children receive a free four-count kid’s meal with the purchase of an adult meal. See you on Wednesdays!

Thursday, August 19, 2021
Nantahala River Rafting Fully Guided
Aug 19 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center

guests rafting on the Nantahala River Raft & Duck Rentals in North Carolina trip

A guided whitewater rafting trip is one of the best ways to experience the Nantahala Gorge. The crystal-clear Nantahala River is the perfect family-friendly river where experienced river guides will help you navigate through splashy Class II-III rapids and bouncy waves, with occasional calmer waters where you can enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery. The fully guided rafting trip the most popular adventure at NOC, with thousands of families returning year after year.

Outpace Hunger: A Kid-Friendly Way to Stay Active This Summer
Aug 19 all-day
Asheville NC

Summer is here, and this year, we have a great way for families, neighbors, friends, and communities to come together and make a difference for our WNC neighbors facing hunger – all while participating in your favorite activities!
Outpace Hunger – MANNA FoodBank’s brand-new fundraising campaign to help turn your favorite activity into much-needed food for WNC families – is off to a great start!
The campaign is simple: participants set an activity-based fundraising goal and share their personal fundraiser with friends and family. Then, they track their progress and encourage people to support their effort to raise money for meals as they come closer to their goal.
Whether you enjoy walking your pooch, are an avid paddler, a stop and smell the roses hiker, yoga lover or an ultra-marathoner, you can turn your passion into meals by signing up to participate. Every $1 raised for MANNA helps provide four meals-worth of food – and it is needed now more than ever.

How It Works

Participating in Outpace Hunger is easy!

You decide your level of commitment, so every participant can create their own path to helping provide food to our community. Participants also decide how, when, and where they complete their goal, any time now through the campaign end on October 31.

Outpace Hunger participants:

(1) Register to be a part of MANNA’s Outpace Hunger community. The $20 registration fee includes a t-shirt for you and provides 80 MEALS for neighbors facing food insecurity in WNC.

(2) Choose a favorite activity (run, walk, roll, stroll, hike, bike, paddle, climb, float, skate, golf, and everything in between!) to complete individually, or as a family/group/team.

(3) Set a goal to reach. This can be an activity-related goal, a fundraising goal, or both.

(4) Invite friends and family to support your fundraising efforts through your own, personalized Outpace Hunger webpage.

The 2021 Summer Learning Program: Tails + Tales – an exploration of wildlife and fantastical folktales
Aug 19 all-day
Online

Illustration of animals reading book.

Get ready to go wild at the library for our annual Summer Learning Program. Join us for Tails & Tales – an exploration of wildlife and fantastical folktales. We’ll have an activity sheet with lots of fun adventures for all ages. You can pick up a sheet at any library starting June 1, or download it HERE. Check our calendar to find our most up to date list of programs all summer long.

 

The 2021 Summer Learning Program is open to young people, preschool through teen, with books and activities for every age. All library programs are free and open to children of all abilities. Come in and see what the library has for you!

YWCA: NOW ENROLLING 3 to 5-YEAR-OLDS AT OUR 5-STAR CHILD CARE CENTER
Aug 19 @ 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
YWCA Asheville

YWCA’s Early Learning Program provides 5-star childcare for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years.

Our experienced and compassionate teachers not only provide exceptional care for your little ones, but they also prepare young children to succeed cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally. YWCA’s childcare center also offers NC Pre-K for qualifying families.

***Due to COVID-19 tours are not allowed at this time***
 We are now accepting applications through our online waitlist. In order for your child to be considered for our program, you must apply online by entering your information on the waitlist form by clicking the button below.
 YWCA CHILDCARE WAITLIST
Wild Art Sculpture Showcase
Aug 19 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 pm
NC Arboretum

The North Carolina Arboretum is going wild for art and nature in 2021 with Wild Art! On view April 1 through September 26, this outdoor sculpture exhibition features works by 17 local and national artists drawing inspiration from the natural environment. Situated throughout the Arboretum’s spacious, open-air gardens, the show offers guests a doorway into the wild world from the comfort and safety of cultivated landscapes transformed by art.

The 18 sculptures on display represent a variety of approaches to the theme of “wild art,” from the literal to the abstract, and are crafted from a diverse array of materials that will delight and inspire. Let your imagination take you on a wild journey into the world of plants and animals near and far with Wild Art at The North Carolina Arboretum.

The exhibit is available to all guests during normal Arboretum hours, and there is no admission cost to view the sculptures beyond our usual parking fee of $16 per personal vehicle.

Fairy Trail 2021
Aug 19 @ 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Bullington Gardens

Fairy Trail 2021

Join us on the magical Fairy Trail where your imagination is the only limit.

Developed by Fairies and dedicated volunteers, Bullington Gardens’ Fairy Trail is a whimsical treat for the young and the young at heart. Featuring playful vignettes and villages, the fairy trail will charm you with its thoughtful design, eye catching displays and secret woodland trail.

Rules of the trail:

Do not move or rearrange fairy displays. The fairies are very fond of their own decorating.

Do not leave trash on the trail. Fairies do not like litter in their town.

Please ensure children and pets are supervised at all times. Dogs and loud noises can scare the fairies into hiding.

Do not disturb wildlife or vegetation. The fairies depend on the vegetation to build their homes.

The trail is one way only. Please stay on the trail at all times.

P.S. the Fairies would like us to remind you that we are a non-profit and donations are greatly appreciated. Help us keep the fairies living in the style with which they’ve become accustomed.

Bullington Gardens and the Fairy Trail are closed on Sundays.

Biltmore Gardens Railway
Aug 19 @ 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
Biltmore

Included with admission

Our fun-for-all-ages botanical model train displays invite you to experience our grounds in an engaging new way. Located in the Conservatory in the Walled Garden, the displays feature replicas of structures connected with Biltmore and its founder George Vanderbilt. Each beautifully executed piece was handcrafted from such natural elements as leaves, bark, and twigs.

In compliance with state and local mandates related to COVID-19, all guests must enter the Conservatory via the ADA entrance in the back and follow a one-way route.

Educator Workshop – Project WILD: Elk
Aug 19 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Grandfather Mountain

Project WILD is a K-12 interdisciplinary conservation and environmental education program emphasizing wildlife. All participants will receive the Project WILD activity guide and earn six hours of Criteria II or III credits toward their N.C. Environmental Education Certification  (or 0.6 CEU’s). Homework option available to earn up to 10 hours or 1.0 CEU.

About Our Environmental Educator Certification Programs

Join the staff of the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission for the opportunity to learn more and have fun, while earning your certification as an environmental education in North Carolina. We offer Criteria I, II and III programs.

These adult programs are free of charge, and admission to Grandfather Mountain is complimentary for those attending the course. The workshops will take place at high elevation (4,500+ feet) and will include some walking, so please bring appropriate footwear and be prepared for inclement weather. Participants are asked to bring their own lunch, but there is a restaurant on site in the park’s Nature Museum.

The participant limit for each workshop is 12 individuals. Upon registration, you will be sent detailed information on course meeting location and expectations.

Online registration opens June 19.

Free Admission Western North Carolina Air Museum
Aug 19 @ 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Western North Carolina Air Museum

The Western North Carolina Air Museum is a center of living history in the popular Hendersonville – Flat Rock region of the state. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to remember flying the way it used to be. Bring your kids, your camera, and your leather jacket. You can view the airplanes in an hour or so, or spend the afternoon hanger-flying with our friendly, informative staff. We can’t guarantee fine weather, but our hangar doors are open rain and shine. And we can’t guarantee that we’ll be flying on the day you visit, but we do promise to propel your imagination back to the golden age of general aviation. Come for the airplanes. Stay for the memories. There’s plenty of both right here at the Western North Carolina Air Museum.

Preserving & Promoting

Our

Carolina Flying Heritage

Courtyard Acoustic Jam Night
Aug 19 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
East Asheville Library

Courtyard Acoustic Jam Night

All ages and abilities welcome. Bring your instrument and jam with other musicians in the library courtyard. No amps or electric instruments, please. Call 828-250-4738 for more information.

Friday, August 20, 2021
CityPIXels: Piecing Together What We Love About Where We Live
Aug 20 all-day
Online

The Perfect Turkey

Take a look around. Now, look closer.

The word “pixelated” means made of small pieces but the word, “pixilated” means infatuation with a mischievous, mythical creature called a pixie.

Looking at the world in a different way can feel mischievous. Walk through your neighborhood looking up, looking down. Look at how buildings are put together or how things fall apart.  Find patterns, shadows, twisting vines, whatever makes you stop and think. Whatever makes you feel pixelated.

Send us your favorite square-framed shots of simple, surprising thing that make you think, wonder or smile in Buncombe County.

Look for BiblioBoard on the Buncombe Public Library site. Make an account and log in. Select Menu and Buncombe County. Scroll down to Buncombe County collections. Dive into the CITYPIXels module and submit a photo.

If we get enough submissions, we’ll put them together as pixels in a larger display of just what it is we love about where we live. Then we can enjoy what we love alone, together!

Get pixelated, Asheville!

Nantahala River Rafting Fully Guided
Aug 20 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center

guests rafting on the Nantahala River Raft & Duck Rentals in North Carolina trip

A guided whitewater rafting trip is one of the best ways to experience the Nantahala Gorge. The crystal-clear Nantahala River is the perfect family-friendly river where experienced river guides will help you navigate through splashy Class II-III rapids and bouncy waves, with occasional calmer waters where you can enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery. The fully guided rafting trip the most popular adventure at NOC, with thousands of families returning year after year.