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.
Willie Cole: Soles and Boards
Exhibition: January 16 – May 4, 2018
Since 1989, Willie Cole has employed the image of the clothes iron in his work. Cole morphs this utilitarian object to represent and reference a range of associations from African masks to scarification to slavery and the transatlantic slave trade. This exhibition presents prints from Cole’s time working at Highpoint Editions in Minneapolis, Minnesota from 2011-2012.
Image Caption: Image Courtesy of Highpoint Editions and Willie Cole
Mark your calendars for the Literacy Council’s annual spring picnic, to be held Saturday, April 28 from 11:30 – 1:00pm at the French Broad River Park. All tutors, students, donors, and their families are invited to celebrate in community with one another. Please bring your favorite dish to share and any outdoor games you may have. We will provide all of the drinks, plates, cups, silverware, and napkins. You won’t want to miss the opportunity to celebrate the fantastic achievements of our tutors and students this year!
Come cheer on the Cavaliers!
Sue Ferguson, Ruby Begonia, c.1976, tapestry on mixed fiber, 60 x 57.5 inches. Museum Purchase with funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.The Asheville Art Museum is excited to present Crafting Abstraction, a new exhibition opening Saturday, March 10 at the Asheville Art Museum On the Slope (175 Biltmore Avenue). The exhibition brings together a selection from the Museum’s Permanent Collection that highlights the importance of craft to the development of modernist abstraction in the United States. Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, modernist artists have used abstract forms—geometric and organic—to express immaterial phenomena such as spirituality, gracefulness, vitality, speed, sensuality and emotion. In many of these artworks, the physical attributes of the materials and the processes of hand-making are integral to the ideas and experiences conveyed.
This exhibition was curated by Holly Gore, PhD candidate in art history at the University of California, Santa Barbara + the Museum’s Windgate Curatorial Intern 2018. This internship was supported by a Windgate Museum Internship Award administered by the Center for Craft.
As a complement to Crafting Abstraction, Turning Traditions is an installation of selected works by Ed, Philip and Matt Moulthrop. This family of Southern woodturners has created unique vessels for three generations.
Visitors to Grovewood Village will have the opportunity to learn the story of Biltmore Industries on a guided history tour, offered Wednesday – Saturday at 1pm during April – November. The tour includes a visit to Biltmore Industries’ production facility (aka Dye House), where guests can peek into the past and view the original looms, carding machines, spinning mule and dye vats used to make the famed Biltmore Handwoven Homespun.
The tours last approximately 45 minutes and operate on a first-come, first-served basis, open to 25 people. There is no charge to take the tour, but donations are appreciated. Tours begin at the Homespun Museum in Grovewood Village, where a docent will give a detailed overview of Biltmore Industries’ historic importance before leading guests into the 100-year-old Dye House (usually closed to the public).
Private group tours are also offered for a fee and should be scheduled at least one week in advance.
Come cheer on the Bulldogs!
Come out to Nantahala Outdoor Center to hear some of NOC’s Stories, shared by founder and author Payson Kennedy, along with several co-authors. This book describes Nantahala Outdoor Center’s history, with a focus on the first 25 years, a time of explosive growth in whitewater sports and instruction. These stories have become NOC’s legacy, and this book is an attempt to collect and make sense of them. However, the book also features a very human element, a tinge of adventure that sets it apart from your standard history text. The stories in this book, in addition to their historical value, offer a testament to the experiential aspect of working at NOC.
Garden & Gun’s Mint Julep Month is underway, and MG Road is joining the party! From April 5 to May 5, the Asheville lounge is whipping up their own version of the classic cocktail – dubbed the MG Julep – composed of Olmeca Altos Reposado tequila, coriander, ginger and lime zest syrup, all served over crushed ice and garnished with fresh cilantro. Bottoms up!
Recital
Doors at 5:00pm
Show at 6:00pm
5Point Film
Sierra Nevada is pleased to partner with 5Point Film in an exclusive debut showing of their inspiring outdoor films featuring the 2018 award winners from the renowned film festival in Carbondale, CO.
These outdoor adventure films will inspire you to get outside and appreciate the world around you in exhilarating new ways. 5Point Films are built on five guiding principles: respect, commitment, humility, purpose and balance. We believe these same principles also form the foundation for individuals who lead lives of adventure and connect all of us who share an elemental passion to explore and expand our boundaries.
And in an effort to further the outdoor enthusiasm, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is donating 100% of ticket sales to our Pale Ale for Trails campaign.
Pale Ale for Trails
In 2018, America will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Trails System Act and the creation of our first national scenic trails: The Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail. These great trails symbolize outdoor adventure, provide recreational opportunities, and help people live happy, healthy, and fulfilled lives. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Pacific Crest Trail Association are planning a joint event to celebrate this major anniversary and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. will proudly be a sponsor of this national milestone.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. believes in sustainable enjoyment of our environment as reflected in these organizations and those who trek the AT & PCT.
Beginning on Earth Day, Sunday, April 22 through Saturday, April 28, Sierra Nevada’s taproom locations in Chico, Mills River, and Berkeley will be donating a portion of proceeds from all Pale Ales served to the National Trails System.
To culminate the Pale Ales for Trails week, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. will be donating 100% of ticket sales from our 5Point Film Festival showings on Saturday, April 28th at our breweries in Mills River, NC and Chico, CA.
So support the trails by coming out for these inspiring films and enjoying a Pale Ale or two!
The Asheville Tourists are a minor league baseball team based in Asheville, North Carolina. They play in the Class A South Atlantic League and have been a farm team of the Colorado Rockies since 1994.
Asheville teams have played under the Tourists moniker in different leagues and classifications for decades, with the earliest dating to 1897. The current team has played continuously in what is now known as the South Atlantic League since 1976. They have won three league championships, first in 1984 and most recently in 2014. Previous Tourists teams won a total of four additional championships.
The Tourists play home games at McCormick Field. The park opened in 1924, renovated in 1959, and renovated again for the 1992 season. McCormick Field seats 4,000 fans, and is notable for the scoreboard which reads “Visitors” in the guest slot and “Tourists” in the home slot
Come cheer on the Tourists!
Movie
The World Famous Popovich Comedy Pet Theater is a family-oriented blend of the unique comedy and clown skills of Gregory Popovich, and the talents of his furry costars. Featuring are more than 30 pets in the show, each one having been rescued from animal shelters and given a new “leash” on life filling the stage with skills, stunts, laughs and excitement. The Popovich Comedy Pet Theatre has been voted Las Vegas’ “Entertainer of the Year” and “Best Family Show.” This show is sure to raise the “roof-roof!”
Senior Recital
The Diary of Anne Frank
By Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett; Newly adapted by Wendy Kesselman; Directed by Adam Cohen
April 13-29, 2018
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 2:30 pm
In this transcendentally powerful play, a young Jewish girl named Anne captures in her the diary the claustrophobic realities of her life and the lives of seven others, all of whom are hiding in an attic during the reign of Hitler. Their fear, their hope, their laughter and their grief are shared, showing the astonishing resilience of the human spirit.
Revelry Unique Downtown Events and Carolina Music Planner are proud to present Upland Drive with The Moon and You. The Asheville Masonic Temple’s theatre is a truly awe-inspiring space. It’s intimate, seating 400, but carries historical significance and charm. We hope that you experience the true feeling of an era gone by, and join us for a night of entertainment in the heart of downtown Asheville.
Doors will open at 7pm. Tickets are available online for $10 via EventBrite (plus processing fee), and will be $15 at the door, cash or card.
The show will begin at 7:30pm.
This is an all ages show. Beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase.
Upland Drive is a provocative and edgy Asheville-based band with an inspired take on a variety of genres including rock, reggae, jazz, and hip hop. Fueled by the intoxicating sound of the cello and nuanced with soulful vocal harmonies, Upland Drive creates an inviting soundscape full of rich detail, poetic lyricism, adventurous harmonies, and inventive structure. Featuring singer/songwriter/cellist Franklin Keel, vocalist Debra Darling, composer/bassist Ryan Kijanka, and drummer/trumpeter C. Scott Shaw, Upland Drive presents virtuosic and venturesome live performances with a fresh musical approach.
The Moon and You is an Americana duo based in Asheville, NC. Cellist Melissa Hyman and guitarist/banjo player Ryan Furstenberg sing in “voices that sound like they were made for one another” (Bill DeYoung, Connect Savannah). Each is an accomplished songwriter with a distinctive and memorable style. Though they bring to the table the seamless vocal blend and heartfelt lyrics characteristic of folk music, this ain’t your basic folk duo; audible influences include jazz standards, classic country, indie rock and classical music. All of these sources combine to find sweet harmony in The Moon and You’s warm and unconventional arrangements. Perfect for fans of Shovels & Rope, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, and Norman & Nancy Blake
There’s nothing like kicking back with family and friends, soaking up sun rays, and listening to live music. May through August, we’ve got amazing acts coming right to our TD Stage. It’s the perfect way to get away, without going too far away.
MISSION TEMPLE FIREWORKS REVIVAL
LUKAS NELSON & PROMISE OF THE REAL
MAXI PRIEST
SISTER HAZEL
THE MARSHALL TUCKER BAND
Movie
Bicycle event with four routes and a family fun ride option plus post-ride celebration and expo that benefits homebound clients of Meals on Wheels of Greenville.
The 51st Annual UNC Asheville Juried Student Exhibition will be held in the Thom Robinson and Ray Griffin Exhibition Space. This year, UNCA’s Art Guild will be sponsoring the exhibit. Art Guild, is a campus – wide student arts organization that is open to all forms of art visual art, music, theatre. Entry in the Juried Exhibition is open to any registered student on campus.
This year’s juror will be Robert Tynes. Robert Tynes was born in Chicago and spent his formative years in Birmingham, Alabama, with regular summer retreats to the mountains of North Carolina. He received a BA degree in Art from Rhodes College and a MFA degree in Painting from East Carolina University.
Tynes has held over twenty-five solo exhibitions of his work and has participated in more than a hundred and fifty group shows across the country. He is the recipient of several artist-in-residence grants including two from the Roswell Museum and Art Center, New Mexico and one from the Ucross Foundation in Wyoming. In addition, he has completed several large-scale commissions for The Doubletree Hotel in Kansas City, IBM Corporation in Atlanta, and the city of Charlotte’s Convention Center.
Currently Professor of Art in Painting at UNCA, Tynes has also taught at the University of Hawaii, Humboldt State University in California, and East Carolina University. He was the first Chairman of the Board for the Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, and has served as a member of the Boards of Directors for both the Asheville Area Arts Council and the Black Mountain Center for the Arts.
An opening reception will be Friday, April 6, 2018 from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm. The exhibit will be open to the public Monday – Friday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. The closing reception will be Friday, May 4, 2018.
Carolina Mountain Cheese Fest
arth Skin is based upon the forms and textures of the earth using inspiration from aerial photography of Western North Carolina and topographical maps of local areas, including Pisgah National Forest and Balsam Range. Created by ceramic artists Trish Salmon and Crystal Allen, Earth Skin includes wall structures and pieces designed for mantles, shelves and tables. All works are available for purchase and a portion of the sales will be donated to The North Carolina Arboretum Society.
About the Artists
Trish Salmon
Trish has been studying clay for many years through the various classes available to her when she lived in the Atlanta area. Taking classes at Penland was a life changing experience and a turning point in her desire to become a studio ceramicist. She and her husband moved to Western North Carolina in 2007, and she has pursued her claywork full time after her career as a kitchen designer. Immediately after retirement, she enrolled in Haywood Community College’s Professional Crafts Program in clay where she received her Associate’s Degree in 2014. She currently is a member of the Odyssey Coop Gallery in the River Arts District in Asheville, NC. She is also a founding member of Artisans on Main in downtown Weaverville where her studio is and where her work is primarily displayed.
Crystal Allen
Before discovering ceramics, Crystal earned a degree in Graphic Art and Design. She has also taught calligraphy, dabbled in watercolors and and learned how to felt, dye and spin natural fibers from her own llamas and sheep. Most recently, Crystal completed the Professional Crafts: Clay Associates degree at Haywood Community College. Her pottery is primarily functional, with altered or hand built additions. Her pieces are produced in her studio, one of her favorite places on earth!
The AAAC is excited to announce Zander Stefani’s upcoming exhibition: “I Am, Are U?” in the Front Gallery of the Refinery Creator Space. An exhibition that ponders the phrase: ‘I am’, Stefani exemplifies the constant moral battle between self and other. The way all past experiences blend to become a reflection of the present moment. Life is a monumental journey and we are mere human beings facing the infinite universe. He explores the questions of identity that we are all forced to face each day, contemplating the boundaries society embeds on us from the moment we are born. While this new body of work has a more developed sense of style, Stefani’s figures continue to portray the same sense of entrapment; plagued by the illusions presented in this world, yet realizing the infinite depths of reality. Intertwining tones of spirituality and street style fill the visual plane in Stefani’s work, bringing to light the palpable connection between the pure expression of graffiti and the intense meditation of spirituality. He tends to work autonomously, allowing the painting to reveal itself through many transparent layers of acrylic paint.
Zander Stefani (b. 1994, Toronto) is a graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design, in Savannah, GA with a BFA in painting. He currently lives in Asheville and has exhibited along the eastern United States. His work can be seen in the homes of collectors throughout North America.
Stefani on his latest body of work:
“Our world these days is so reliant on labels and beliefs in order to be properly delineated and judged. It is hard to have a conversation with a young adult that doesn’t end up revolving around social media, orientation, goals for the future, the steps you will take to get there, etc. We place so much importance on how we identify ourselves that our true spirit gets lost in the mix.
The confusion that comes after asking the first question, “who am I?” only leads to more questions: “what am I doing here?”, “what is my purpose?” “what can I accomplish in this lifetime?” “Do I stand up to those that have come before me?”. Growing up in a society that is so focused on the end result and the next step, it is all too easy to lose sight of ourselves and our connection to the universe. I try to create work that visually represents the melancholy attuned to human existence, an attempt at divulging the questions with no answers.”
The exhibition will be open to the public in the Front Gallery from Friday, April 6 – Friday, May 25, 2018 with an opening reception Friday, April 6th from 5-8 pm. The first 50 attendees to arrive will receive a free signed and editioned poster!
Roots of Wisdom showcases the ways in which the traditional knowledge of native peoples and Western science are woven together to improve the natural world.
Featuring four indigenous communities, including the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, this traveling exhibit shares inspiring stories of environmental and cultural restoration that society faces today. Through the voices of elders and youth, engaging video interactives and hands-on games, visitors will gather resources, examine data and take part in the growing movement towards sustainability and the reclamation of age-old practices.
Exhibit support is provided in part by The North Carolina Arboretum Society, Smoky Mountain Living Magazine and Mosaic Community Lifestyle Realty. “Roots of Wisdom: Native Knowledge. Shared Science.” was produced and is toured by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI). The exhibit was made possible with funds provided by the National Science Foundation.
Location: Sunny Point Cafe
Sign the pledge to Stand Against Racism all weekend-long at Sunny Point.
When spring arrives in Spartanburg, it can only mean one thing – it’s time for a fling! This year, tens of thousands of people will converge on downtown Spartanburg for Spring Fling, April 27-29.
There are surprises on every corner, whether it’s a stage filled with non-stop entertainment or new attractions. The festival features four stages, offering everything from entertainment options for the little ones in the Family Fun Zone to national entertainers.
In addition, each year Spring Fling includes a wide variety of food and market vendors, special attractions like the Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System Criterium cycling race, and our Family Fun Zone for the kids. There’s definitely something for everyone at Spring Fling!
revolution, religion, identity, insanity…and love
Curated by Cynthia Hatfield
An exhibit of paintings, drawings, comic strips, writings and assemblages by self-taught, D.C.-area artist Phil Kurz who was a prescient conduit for topics both emotionally personal and philosophically universal. Phil’s art ranges in style from graphic figures & illustrations to geometric & organic abstractions. Highly-intelligent, serious, honest & sensitive, the schizophrenia that plagued him also informed him.
A percentage of sales of select works will go to the Unicef Safety in School Fund and the Asheville Southside Kitchen in memory of Phil Kurz.
Exhibition catalog available for sale.
It’s hard not to crack a smile while enjoying amazing views of Lake Lure and the Hickory Nut Gorge from on top of the Chimney. Capture photos of your family and friends enjoying the Park and enter them into our spring photo contest for a chance to win fabulous prizes. We’ll use the winning entries on our website and Facebook album, and you’ll win some fun prizes. Photos must be taken within the Chimney Rock section of the Park.
GREAT PRIZES FOR THE WINNERS:
First Place – An overnight getaway to Hickory Nut Gorge with a stay at the historic 1927 Lake Lure Inn & Spa, two passes to Chimney Rock, brunch for two at the 1927 Lake Lure Inn & Spa, and two tickets for a tour with Lake Lure Boat Tours
Second Place – A Chimney Rock prize package including two passes to Chimney Rock, lunch for two at the Old Rock Café and two tickets for a tour with Lake Lure Boat Tours.
People’s Choice – Selected by our Facebook fans, the winning photo will be featured as the cover photo of our Facebook page for two weeks and the cover of our Pinterest board of winning photos. Prize includes two Park admission tickets, lunch for two at the Old Rock Café and a $20 gift certificate for Old Time Photo in Chimney Rock Village.
CONTEST RULES:
There is no fee to enter the contest. All photographs must be taken inside Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park only in areas accessible to guests between March 20, 2018- June 20, 2018. The contest is open to amateur and professional photographers.
Up to three photos per person can be submitted via any of the following ways to be eligible to win:
Facebook: First, like the Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park page and share our photo contest post on your wall. Then post your photo to our wall with the photographer’s name and a brief caption (25-75 words) through your personal Facebook account. Next, send us a private message including your contact information specified in rule #3.
Pinterest: First, re-pin our photo contest pin to one of your boards and follow our 2017 The Different Seasons of Chimney Rock Spring Photo Contest Board so we can easily contact you. Then pin your photo with the hashtags #chimneyrock AND #photocontest with your personal account, and include the photographer’s name and a brief caption (25-75 words).
Twitter: First, follow Chimney Rock Park and retweet our tweet about the photo contest. Then tweet your photo to @ChimneyRockPark with the photographer’s name and the hashtag #photocontest. Next, send us private messages with your brief photo caption.
E-mail: If you don’t have access to any social media sites listed above, you may email your digital photo with your contact information specified in rule #3 to [email protected].
Snail Mail: Send your print photo with the clearly marked photographer’s name, city & state, a brief typed photo caption and a phone number to: Photo Contest, Chimney Rock Management LLC, PO Box 39, Chimney Rock, NC 28720.
Every entry should be clearly labeled with the photographer’s name, city & state, a brief photo caption your photo of the Seasons of Chimney Rock, an email address and the best phone number to reach you.
Photos should be available at a minimum resolution of 1200 x 1600 pixels (1 MB minimum) to be eligible to win. Photos taken via smart phones, tablets and other mobile devices are welcome if they meet minimum requirements.
For entries showing human faces, you must list their name(s) and have written permission from any photographed person(s) to use their image.
Entries should reflect the photographer’s interpretation of a face of Chimney Rock. Emphasis will be placed on quality, composition and creativity. All entries may be used in promotions of Chimney Rock and park-related activities.
Digital images can be optimized but not dramatically altered with photo editing software. Black and white photographs are welcome.
Decisions of the judges are final.
Winners will be notified and announced at chimneyrockpark.com and on Chimney Rock’s social media channels.
For more information, call 1-800-277-9611 or email us at [email protected].