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.
Featured Artists:
Allen Davis (wood)
Vicki Love (leather)
Lynne Harrill (fiber)
Ruthie Cohen & David Alberts (jewelry)
Gigi Renee’ Fasano (fiber)
see the beautiful holiday decorations and lights. Plus find lots of great gifts at the many local shops and businesses
YWCA of Asheville is a nonprofit organization working to bridge gaps in education, health, childcare, and earning power for women and families in the Asheville region. The mission of the YWCA of Asheville is to eliminate racism; empower women; and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
The YWCA indoor pool hosts a comprehensive Aquatics Program with activities for all ages, abilities, and interests.
Volunteer Roles and Responsibilities
- Join the fun in the pool as a swim assistant. Help children and adults learn the basics of floating, kicking, breathing, and diving.
- Support the Aquatics Program with behind-the-scenes administrative work or on-the-deck supervising
Time Commitment
- Flexible time commitment
Volunteer Requirements
- Background check
Limited Capacity: 12 Guests per Tour
A truly memorable experience featuring rare photo opportunities, this exclusive guided tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at the design and construction of Biltmore House in areas unavailable on the regular house visit. Imagine yourself a Vanderbilt (or cherished Vanderbilt guest) as you take in stunning views seen only from the house’s rooftop and balconies.
Advance reservation required. Tour includes 250 stairs with no elevator access. Wheelchairs, strollers, and baby backpacks are prohibited. Backpacks are not allowed on any guided tours. Guests are required to leave backpacks in a locker or in their vehicle. To participate in this tour, guest must have a daytime ticket, a Biltmore Annual Pass, or a stay at one of the estate’s splendid overnight properties.
Capacity is limited.
Tasting room by reservation only. Make reservations in-person on the day of your Winery visit.
To participate in this activity, guest must have a daytime ticket, a Biltmore Annual Pass, or a stay at one of the estate’s splendid overnight properties.
Reservations are required for all wine tastings and must be made on the day of your visit. Because our complimentary wine tastings fill up quickly, we recommend you reserve your tasting when you arrive for your visit.
Natural Collector is organized by the Asheville Art Museum. IMAGE: Christian Burchard, Untitled (nesting bowls), 1998, madrone burl, various from 6 × 6 × 6 to ⅜ × ⅜ × ⅜ inches. Gift of Fleur S. Bresler, 2021.76.01.
Natural Collector | Gifts of Fleur S. Bresler features around 15 artworks from the collection of Fleur S. Bresler, which include important examples of modern and contemporary American craft including wood and fiber art, as well as glass and ceramics. These works that were generously donated by contemporary craft collector Bresler to the Asheville Art Museum over the years reflect her strong interest in wood-based art and themes of nature. According to Associate Curator Whitney Richardson, “This exhibition highlights artworks that consider the natural element from which they were created or replicate known flora and fauna in unexpected materials. The selection of objects displayed illustrates how Bresler’s eye for collecting craft not only draws attention to nature and artists’ interest in it, but also accentuates her role as a natural collector with an intuitive ability to identify themes and ideas that speak to one another.”
This exhibition presents work from the Collection representing the first generation of American wood turners like Rude Osolnik and Ed Moulthrop, as well as those that came after and learned from them, such as Philip Moulthrop, John Jordan, and local Western North Carolina (WNC) artist Stoney Lamar. Other WNC-based artists in Natural Collector include Anne Lemanski, whose paper sculpture of a snake captures the viewer’s imagination, and Michael Sherrill’s multimedia work that tricks the eye with its similarity to true-to-life berries. Also represented are beadwork and sculpture by Joyce J. Scott and Jack and Linda Fifield.
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Rebel/Re-Belle: Exploring Gender, Agency, and Identity | Selections from the Asheville Art Museum and Rubell Museum combines works, primarily created by women, from two significant collections of contemporary art to explore how artists have innovated, influenced, interrogated, and inspired visual culture in the past 100 years.
Asheville-born and Raleigh-Durham-based interdisciplinary artist Sherrill Roland’s socially driven practice draws upon his experience with wrongful incarceration for a crime he did not commit and seeks to open conversations about how we care for our communities and one another with compassion and understanding. Through sculpture, installation, and conceptual art, Roland engages visitors in dialogues around community, social contract, identity, biases, and other deeply human experiences. Comprised of artwork created from 2016 to the present, Sherrill Roland: Sugar, Water, Lemon Squeeze reflects on making something from nothing, lemonade from lemons, the best of a situation. A reference to a simple recipe from the artist’s childhood, the title also speaks to Roland’s employment of materials available to him while incarcerated, such as Kool-Aid and mail from family members. In the face of his personal experiences, he invites viewers to confront their own uncomfortable complicity in perpetuating injustice. Roland’s work humanizes these difficult topics and creates a space for communication and envisioning a better future. This exhibition is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Hilary Schroeder, assistant curator, in collaboration with the Artist. This exhibition is funded, in part, by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
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Did you know our staff had a wild side? Join a Park naturalist to meet some of our live Animal Ambassadors and learn what kind of wildlife inhabits the Park and their important roles in the ecosystem. Some of our best teachers have feathers, fur, shells or scales!
Hosted by: The Buddhist Studies Institute
FREE – ONLINE – 30 MINUTES – DAILY
🌺Guided meditation support and community🌺
🌸Stabilization and Liberation:
In order to liberate our minds– we need stable calm.
🌸Consistency & Commitment:
Stabilizing in calm clear presence takes consistent training.
🌸Support & Community:
Daily Meditation is a container and support for your meditation focus.
Expand your meditation circle- join us online any day or every day!
Formerly known as 100 Days of practice to support a Tibetan Yogis tradition to practice 100 days in the winter, this has now been expanded to continue daily. To learn more and register: https://buddhiststudiesinstitute.org/daily-meditation/
THE POLAR EXPRESS™ with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is back in 2022! The 1¼ hour round-trip passenger excursion comes to life as the train departs the Bryson City depot for a journey through the quiet wilderness for a special visit at the North Pole. Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, guests on board will enjoy warm cocoa and a treat while listening and reading along with the magical story. Children’s faces show the magic of the season when the train arrives at the North Pole to find Santa Claus waiting. Santa will board THE POLAR EXPRESS™, greeting each child and presenting them with a special gift as in the story, their own silver sleigh bell. Christmas carols will be sung as they return back to the Bryson City Depot.
Weather
We encourage guests to plan ahead and stay apprised of the latest weather developments. Cancellations of a POLAR EXPRESS departure because of inclement weather are very rare. If you’re staying in the Gatlinburg/Sevierville, Tennessee area, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Service announces road closures and openings on Twitter, or call (865) 436-1200 extension 631 for a recorded message. In such case Highway 441 is closed through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Interstate 40 typically remains open. Use 45 Mitchell Street, Bryson City, North Carolina 28713 as your destination to find an alternate route.
Join us Thanksgiving Weekend and during the Holidays for our Twilight in the Treetops. Imagine climbing 10, 20, 30-40 feet in the air and zipping along a hang glider or a sky kayak in the largest adventure park in Western North Carolina. Then, as the sun starts to set, the aerial challenges become illuminated with over 15,000 colored twinkle and laser lights. Five of the Adventure Park’s aerial trails become illuminated with all their leaves, cables, ropes and platforms.
This mystical climbing experience is offered for ages 4 and over on Saturday, November 26, and Friday, December 30 at 5 pm. Our Twilight Climb is a great way to celebrate with friends and family.
To book your Twilight experience, call 877.247.5539. (The Black Trail is not available for Twilight Night Climbs.) Reservations are suggested!
Biltmore House glows with candlelight and firelight during this nighttime tour, changing the daytime visit’s mood and experience. Candlelight Christmas Evenings in Biltmore House allows guests to step back in time with an experience reminiscent of the Vanderbilt’s first Christmas spent in Biltmore House in 1895. Musicians stationed throughout the house perform seasonal favorites. Setting the scene is a 55-foot Norway spruce encircled by illuminated evergreens and shrubs sparkling in the center of the front lawn.
Winter Lights is a spectacular open-air walk-through light show made from over one million lights! Located at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina, this year’s event features favorites like the famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden, along with enchanting new details designed to delight and surprise.
The Lights!
This year’s show features over a million lights and mixes enchanting new displays with old favorites like the 50ft tree and Quilt Garden. Winter Lights is a walk-through light show with countless opportunities for photos. Use our hashtag #NCWinterLights22 to share the magic!
Live performances
Live performances are scheduled nightly at the Education Center, near Bent Creek Bistro. View the music schedule here.
Rocky Cove Railroad*
During Winter Lights, our beloved g-scale model train offers nightly service to the North Pole. All aboard!
Storytime at Woodland Cove
Visit the Education Center for a whimsical window display that follows a young bear’s journey to discover new habitats. This is an educational exhibit that will delight the whole family.
Gift Shops
Still have a bit of shopping to do for the holidays? our Connections Gallery Gift Shop in the Baker Visitor Center and Winter Lights Shop in the Education Center are open 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. daily, and from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. nightly, during Winter Lights.
S’mores and Firepits*
If the winter nights turn a bit chilly, cozy up to the fire pits and heaters throughout the gardens.
S’mores kits are available for purchase at the Bent Creek Bistro, where there’s an especially large fire pit for all your marshmallow-roasting needs!
Wishing Trees
A favorite Winter Lights tradition, the Wishing Trees return this year in a new location! Look for them near Rocky Cove Railroad, and make sure to leave a wish for the coming year.
Eat and Drink**
Looking for something to warm you up while you stroll? Cocoa, beer, and wine are available at both the Cocoa Shack and Bent Creek Bistro.
View the menu for Bent Creek Bistro
Bent Creek Bistro Hours: Full menu: 6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. | Snacks: 9:30-10:00 p.m.
*The Rocky Cove Railroad and the fire pits cannot run in certain weather conditions, and may be closed without notice.
**Alcohol purchased on-site may only be consumed in the event area and is not permitted in the parking lot or on the trails. Outside alcohol is prohibited at all times, on all parts of the property. This includes the parking lot and trails.
MANDAL is a comedian out of Atlanta, Ga. He has been seen on Don’t Tell Comedy, Netflix is a Joke Radio, and adult swim
Featuring Khaled Elchoufi
ages 18+
doors at 7pm, show at 8pm
Our last FREE public show of 2022! The 80’s juggernaut returns to Highland one last time in 2022 with popped Collars, teased hair and tributes to timeless classics straight out of your yearbook!
This is an ALL AGES event that will take place inside the taproom. Join us for a night of nostalgia and dancing your hearts out 👩🏼🎤💅🏼🤘🏼
LazrLuvr.com
Event info: https://facebook.com/events/s/l-a-z-r-l-u-v-r-at-highland-br/3179259435672886/
- Hop on board the Holly Jolly Christmas Trolley for a fun and festive celebration of the season featuring live music!
- This seasonal favorite features an entertaining blend of holiday storytelling and traditional Christmas caroling. Enjoy stories of local lore and holiday traditions, then join-in with our on-board musician singing classic carols and songs of Christmas. And all the while the Holly Jolly Trolley is rolling past festive holiday decorations in downtown Asheville, Biltmore Village and the Montford and Grove Park neighborhoods.
This has all the makings of a jolly good family tradition!
- Recurrence: Recurring weekly on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
- Admission: Adults $29; Children (5-11) $13
- Phone:
- Email:
A lush, heart-centered soundscape of global timbres, rhythms and poetry awaits you as the “American Branches” of Roots Grown Deep present another fresh variation on their unique genre, musical ecology. This is river-like world music which stirs up our deepest desires for ecological and spiritual intelligence, connecting us with the land, our ancestors, and our dreams.
Roots Grown Deep is an international sound ensemble curated by South African / American composer and multi-instrumentalist Joel Karabo Elliott. He’ll be joined on this night by Jahidi (tabla, percussion), Scott Sheerin (winds), and Michelle Carter (crystal bowls, shruti) . . . plus a few very special guests soon to be announced!
ShadowGrass can trace its roots to the forefathers of bluegrass. While fully embracing the traditions of the past, ShadowGrass is moving forward in the genre by incorporating each member’s varied influences. This is a band that is comfortable stepping outside the bounds of traditional music while maintaining traditional instrumentation. Holding to their bluegrass roots, fast picking, and fresh arrangements have earned the band numerous awards in competitions across the region. ShadowGrass has had the privilege of playing at exciting venues, including The Blue Ridge Music Center, The Lincoln Theatre, The Historic Earle Theatre, Dollywood, and Silver Dollar City, and at festivals such as the National Folk Festival, MerleFest, Pickin in Parsons, the Berryville Bluegrass Series, HoustonFest, the Richmond Folk Festival, the National Youth Workers Convention, the Lowell Folk Festival, the Montana Folk Festival and the IBMA World of Bluegrass StreetFest. ShadowGrass has also appeared on the Today Show with Al Roker during the 2016 IBMA World of Bluegrass Week in Raleigh. ShadowGrass has been called “one of the most thrilling bluegrass bands to emerge from the musically-rich Crooked Road area in recent memory.”
Come enjoy an evening of live music, food and drinks at Isis Music Hall Lawn. Advanced Reservations are highly recommended.
Be bold and sit up front because you might just be part of the show!
Cody Hughes and a few of Asheville’s best comedians will be telling jokes and taking shots this Friday night at GiGi’s Underground
Featuring: Mandal, Khaled Elchoufi and more!
ages 21+ (must have ID with you)
doors at 10pm, show at 10:30pm
Do you work in downtown Asheville? If so, Buncombe County’s new affordable parking program could save you hundreds of your hard-earned dollars. The program will offer 150 spots at the Coxe Ave. parking deck (located at 11 Sears Alley) for $40 per month. This new initiative, focused on service industry and retail workers, is now taking applications for people who meet some basic eligibility requirements.
The application window will remain open for three weeks and closes on Friday, Jan. 13. After applying, a lottery system will determine who gets the 150 reduced-cost parking spots. Everyone else will be put on a waitlist with a chance to get spots based on attrition.
Eligibility requirements
- You must work in the downtown Asheville area (within one mile of Pack Square)
- You must earn less than 80% area median income (see application for income limits)
- Have a valid driver license
- Have a credit card or bank account to link for payment
- Applicants must be age 18 or older
If you think you meet the following requirements, please fill out an application here. The deadline to apply for the lottery is Friday, Jan. 13. If you are not able to submit an application online or need assistance completing the application, call (828) 250-5060.
Apply here
Fine print
This is a pilot program and it might be expanded in the future as the County evaluates data from this initial offering. Buncombe County is administering the application and lottery process. Preferred Parking (the County’s parking vendor) will be responsible for selling the tickets and contacting those on the waitlist.
We invite you to come downtown and experience one or more temporary installations from the Art in the Heart program. Share your thoughts on the artwork by clicking on the second tab below. Art in the Heart is a temporary art program specifically designed to help stimulate conversations about themes like identity, community, inclusion, healing, unity, and resilience. It’s also a way to start conversations about how public spaces can, or don’t, help reflect or express a community’s past, present, and future.
You can find more background and information about the Pack Square Visioning Project here.
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From 11/15 – 12/31, we’re offering a Holiday Special on our subscriptions! Get tickets at a discounted price, AND get a free ticket voucher for our next play, Native Gardens! Check our website on 11/15 to purchase this limited-time deal!
The Asheville Fire Department is conducting a survey this month to understand how residents like you feel about the services provided by the City of Asheville Fire Department.
It’s a quick 2 question survey which allows you to rate service and make suggestions as to how AFD can better serve the community.
Have thoughts?