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.

Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Asheville Police Department: New Junior Police Academy
Mar 4 all-day
Municipal Building

The deadline for applications will be March 6. Applications can be downloaded by visiting this link.

The Asheville Police Department is excited to announce the first offering of a Junior Police Academy. This new program is designed for youth ages 14-19 who have a serious interest in pursuing a career in law enforcement.

 

Topics will include criminal law, investigations, narcotics, patrol/arrest techniques, and physical training. All classes are designed to incorporate both an academic and hands-on setting.

 

The Junior Police Academy will be offered at no cost to the participants. The Academy begins on March 30 and runs through April 11. Classes will be held at the Municipal Building, 100 Court Plaza, in downtown Asheville, from 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings; and from noon to 3 p.m. two Saturdays. Successful completion of the Junior Police Academy is a requirement for participating in the Asheville Police Department’s Explorer program.

 

There is limited space available for participants. The first 15 approved applicants will be accepted. Applicants who live within the city limits of Asheville will have priority selection. Applicant requirements include:

  • GPA of 2.0 or higher
  • Must pass a criminal background check
  • Must provide at least three references and have parent/guardian approval
  • Must have a full physical completed by a physician

 

 

 

Bob Moog Foundation Announces Minimoog Raffle
Mar 4 all-day
Moogseum online raffle

The Bob Moog Foundation is thrilled to announce its 2020 Minimoog Raffle, featuring a vintage, iconic Minimoog Model D synthesizer, signed by legendary keyboardist Herbie Hancock. The synthesizer is valued at $5,000. Hancock signed the back of the Minimoog, serial number 1549, and drew a musical staff and added the inscription “(Hey Bob!)” on either side. The raffle begins on Monday, February 10, 2020, and ends on Tuesday March 10, 2020 or when all tickets have sold. Tickets are $25 each, five for $100, 12 for $200, or 35 for $500. Only 4,500 tickets will be available. All proceeds from the raffle support the Foundation’s educational project, Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool, and its newly opened Moogseum, located in Asheville, NC. Tickets can be purchased at http://bit.ly/HHMinimoogRaffle.

Herbie Hancock joins a long list of renowned musicians supporting the Foundation’s efforts. Recent raffles have featured vintage synthesizers signed by Stevie Wonder, Dr. Fink of Prince and the Revolution, Jan Hammer, and Rick Wakeman. Hancock, whose illustrious career spans five decades and 14 Grammy awards, helped pioneer the use of synthesizers in jazz, and has been at the forefront of using technology to make music. He is known for his ever-probing jazz sensibilities, his willingness to explore music across all genres, and is considered to be among the most elite and influential players of his time.

Hancock, who turns 80 this year, continues to make new music and tour worldwide. For more information about Herbie Hancock, visit https://www.herbiehancock.com/

Early Bird tickets: 23rd annual French Broard River Festival
Mar 4 all-day
Hot Springs Campground & Spa

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Kick off spring in the mountains at the 23rd annual French Broad River Festival.  It’s part outdoor adventure, part music festival with whitewater rafting, biking, hiking, kid’s village, camping, great music, and much more.  Painter John, a popular FBRF musician, compares the atmosphere to “a big potluck at your best friend’s house”.  If you’ve been you know . . . what better way to enjoy spring in these mountains?

Weekend passes include camping

$120 online by 3/31/20
$125 online by 4/30/20
$140 at gate
$65 Saturday only
$45 whitewater rafting

Raffle: Trip to London or Cash Asheville Community Theatre
Mar 4 – Mar 3 all-day
Asheville Community Theatre

 

Tickets on sale through June 28, 2020

We know how completely odd it seems to be raffling off a trip to London right now. We’re barely leaving our homes for any reason, so jetting off around the world seems flat out bonkers! We’re hopeful that international travel and fun vacations will happen again in the future – and that’s why we extended and amended the raffle prize! If you win, you can choose the trip to London (and you have 18 months to book your travel) OR you can choose to take the cash value of the trip instead ($10,000).

Our raffles have been important fundraisers for ACT over the years, and this one is no different. ACT has lost 85% of our income as an organization, so this raffle is one of the few ways we can continue to bring a little money in the door.

Buying a raffle ticket is a great way to support ACT right now – and it just might be you who gets some really great news from us!

 

Les Misérables
Mar 4 @ 12:30 am – 2:30 am
Peace Center

Part of the 2019 – 2020 Broadway Season. Learn more about subscribing: http://bit.ly/2J6KMcs.

Cameron Mackintosh presents the new production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award®-winning musical phenomenon, Les Misérables, direct from an acclaimed two-and-a-half-year return to Broadway. With its glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, this breathtaking new production has left both audiences and critics awestruck, cheering “Les Miz is born again!” (NY1).

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice, and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Featuring the thrilling score and beloved songs “I Dreamed A Dream,” “On My Own,” “Stars,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More,” and many more, this epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history.

Seen by more than 130 million people in 44 countries and in 22 languages around the globe, Les Misérables is still the world’s most popular musical, breaking box office records everywhere in its 33rd year.

https://www.facebook.com/events/399601027525811/

Les Misérables
Mar 4 @ 12:30 am – 2:30 am
Peace Center

Part of the 2019 – 2020 Broadway Season. Learn more about subscribing: http://bit.ly/2J6KMcs.

Cameron Mackintosh presents the new production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award®-winning musical phenomenon, Les Misérables, direct from an acclaimed two-and-a-half-year return to Broadway. With its glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, this breathtaking new production has left both audiences and critics awestruck, cheering “Les Miz is born again!” (NY1).

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice, and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Featuring the thrilling score and beloved songs “I Dreamed A Dream,” “On My Own,” “Stars,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More,” and many more, this epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history.

Seen by more than 130 million people in 44 countries and in 22 languages around the globe, Les Misérables is still the world’s most popular musical, breaking box office records everywhere in its 33rd year.

https://www.facebook.com/events/399601027525811/?event_time_id=399601037525810

Natural Impressions: Prints from the Asheville Printmakers CANCELLED
Mar 4 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
The North Carolina Arboretum

On display daily January 18 – April 19, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the upstairs gallery of the Education Center, the Asheville Printmakers’ newest exhibit, Natural Impressions, will feature a variety of two- and three-dimensional print pieces utilizing numerous printmaking processes. Works will inspire visitors to think about the beauty and fragility of plants and the natural world through various perspectives and printmaking techniques. All pieces are available for purchase and a portion of the sales will benefit The North Carolina Arboretum Society.

Founded in 2013, the Asheville Printmakers is an energetic group of artists dedicated to expressing ideas and imagery through the medium of print. The group encompasses a wide range of processes and content, including traditional methods, such as lithography, woodcut and screen printing, and contemporary photographic printing processes, such as carbon printing, platinum-palladium and photopolymer etching. 

Parking Fees

  • Members: Free
  • Personal Vehicles: $14
  • Motorhomes / Vehicles (21’ or larger): $50
  • Buses: $100

There are no other admission charges required for visitors to access the Arboretum’s grounds and facilities during the day beyond the standard parking fees listed above.

North Carolina in the Great War Exhibit
Mar 4 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Smith-McDowell House

The exhibit is on loan from the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and has been supplemented with artifacts from the Smith-McDowell House collection. Entrance to the exhibit is included with Smith-McDowell House admission – and is always free for members – and runs through May 16, 2020.

The exhibit seeks to put the local men and women who served in context with the larger events happening in North Carolina, the United States, and the world. In the exhibit, visitors will find displays and interactive elements telling the stories of just a few of our hometown heroes.

Donny Edwards as Elvis
Mar 4 @ 2:00 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse
Asheville Art Museum: WNC residents pay-as-you-wish 1st Wednesdays
Mar 4 @ 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

FIRST WEDNESDAYS

WNC residents pay-as-you-wish on Wednesday, 4–6pm!
Baseball: USC Upstate vs Michigan State
Mar 4 @ 4:00 pm
Fluor Field
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CANCELLED: Spoken word poet Andrea Gibson
Mar 4 @ 4:00 pm
Warren Wilson College
Andrea Gibson will speak at Warren Wilson College

Award-winning spoken word poet and author Andrea Gibson will perform at Warren Wilson College on Sunday, March 22, 2020 at 4 p.m. Andrea Gibson (who uses the nonbinary pronouns they/them/their) is one of the of the most captivating and influential performers in the spoken word poetry scene today.
Public Budgets: How to Influence the City Budget Just Economics
Mar 4 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
YWCA

FREE Workshop (see registration link at the bottom of this description)–Food provided, childcare available with reservation

What do you value? What do you want to change?

Government spends money on the things that we value collectively, like safety and roads. It decides every year the prioritization of issues to address and services to provide. Are you interested in or curious about where our tax dollars go and how we can have a say in how they are spent?

The government budgeting process is where the rubber hits the road and is one of the most important processes for change in our community. During the budgeting process, our city, for example, allocates money to everything from police to transit to special projects.

What if you feel your values aren’t heard?  If you want to the government to address issues or make change, the budgeting process is one way you can speak up.  How do you do it?

Find out how you can participate in the city (and even county, state and federal) budgeting process through an interactive workshop. You will learn content of budgets, the timeline and processes for approval, and the best ways to advocate for change.

Event is Free but please RSVP (so we can prepare enough food and materials: https://actionnetwork.org/events/public-budgets-how-to-influence-the-city-of-ashevilles-spending?source=direct_link&

Brought to you by Plugged In Buncombe, a partnership of Just Economics, Children First/Communities in Schools, Mountain True, the League of Women Voters, Democracy NC

Bulldog Women’s Basketball vs. Radford
Mar 4 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Kimmel Arena UNCA

The Bulldogs take on defending Big South champion Radford at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4, in Kimmel Arena. In this final home game of the regular season, the Bulldogs will honor the graduating seniors at halftime.

Single game tickets, with $6 general admission ($4 for ages 5-17) are available online or at the Kimmel Arena box office, which opens one hour before tip-off. For group tickets, call 828.258.7900, email Harmon Turner ([email protected]) or visit the Bulldogs Athletics website.

UNC Asheville students with OneCard admitted free.

Building accessibility information is available here.

Accessibility Contact: Diane Buzzini (828.251.6934) [email protected]

Farm Beginnings Year Long Farmer Training
Mar 4 @ 11:00 pm – Mar 5 @ 2:00 am
Creekside Farm at Walnut Cove

Looking to launch or expand your farming business?
Join this 200+ hour Farm Beginnings® Farmer Training Program!
www.organicgrowersschool.org/farm-beginnings

Many skills are required to start a successful farm: passion, clear goals, production experience, financial and marketing know-how, and more. The Farm Beginnings® class is a 12-month training session that helps beginning farmers clarify their goals and strengths, establish a strong enterprise plan and start building their operation. The course uses a mix of farmer-led classroom sessions, on-farm tours, and an extensive farmer network. Farm Beginnings® is designed for new and prospective farmers who want to plan a profitable farm business. Students do not need to currently own land, but some farming or production experience is helpful to get the most out of the class.

2019-2020 Farm Beginnings® Farmer Training is 200+ Hours including:
— Winter Whole-Farm Business Planning Courses – 60 hours (October – March)**
— ASAP’s Business of Farming Conference (February) – 8 hours
— OGS Conferences – 40+ hours
— Mentorship with an experienced Farmer Mentor (March – September) – 15 hours
— Production Training – 45 hours (April – October): WNC CRAFT tours on sustainable farms around WNC & Field Days at the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Incubator Farm and Living Web Farms
— One year WNC CRAFT Farmer Network membership – Membership and mentoring in a regional farmer network
**Location of Winter Sessions: Creekside Farm and Education Center at Walnut Cove at 339 Avery Creek Rd, Arden, NC 28704

https://www.facebook.com/events/624408214665085/?event_time_id=624408227998417

Venge Wine Dinner at Corner Kitchen
Mar 4 @ 6:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Corner Kitchen

 

Table Wine and Corner Kitchen are excited to announce a paired wine dinner featuring wines made by Kirk Venge and dishes by Chef Joe Scully and his team. This promises to be a fun and flavor-packed night of fine wines and great food. Kirk Venge is one of California’s most talented winemakers and his wines are some of the state’s most opulent and pleasure-bent. And when paired with Corner Kitchen’s creative and inspired dishes prepared with locally sourced ingredients, this is a match made in heaven.

This will be a 5-course wine and dine extravaganza featuring wines from Napa and Sonoma, each paired with a fabulous dish.  

Animator Bill Plympton
Mar 4 @ 7:00 pm
UNC Asheville

Bill Plympton will present and discuss his works as an independent animator at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4, in Rhoades Robinson Hall Room 125. This event is free and open to everyone.

Plympton is an independent animator, who works outside of the studio system. His animation is created in a traditional manner—crafted by hand. He has received two Academy Award nominations (Your Face, 1987, and Guard Dog, 2005). In 1991, his short, Push Comes to Shove won the impressive Cannes 1991 Palme d’Or. Plympton has created more than 40 animated shorts and 6 feature-length films.

A recent feature-length documentary depicts his life and his work, Adventures in Plymptoons!, directed by Alexia Anastasio (2011); and the forward of his book, Independently Animated: Bill Plympton: The Life and Art of the King of Indie Animation, 2011, was written by Terry Gilliam of Monty Python.

Plympton is also a cartoonist. His work has appeared many magazines and newspapers including Vanity Fair, National Lampoon, Vogue, New York Times, and Rolling Stone.

Born in Portland Oregon, Plympton attended Portland State University in graphic design, then transferred to the School of Visual Arts in New York City where he received his BA.

Visitor Parking on the UNC Asheville Campus – Visitors may park in faculty/staff and non-resident lots from 5:00 p.m. until 7:30 a.m., Monday through Friday, and all day on weekends, holidays, and campus breaks. Visitors are not permitted to park in resident student lots at any time.

For information, contact the Department of Art and Art History, 828.251.6559, or Associate Professor Cynthia Canejo, 828.251.6874.

Bob Weir and Wolf Bros
Mar 4 @ 7:00 pm
Thomas Wolfe Auditorium

Bob Weir and Wolf Bros
Mar 4 @ 7:00 pm
Thomas Wolfe Auditorium

Tickets: $59.50 – $125 (plus applicable fees)
Doors: 5:30 PM / Show: 7:00 PM
Grateful Dead/Dead & Company guitarist teams up with famed bassist Don Was and RatDog drummer Jay Lane join forces under the moniker Bob Weir and Wolf Bros. This new band will explore songs of the Grateful Dead and more in a trio formation.

Malaprop’s Book Club
Mar 4 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe

The Malaprop’s Book Club, hosted by Jay Jacoby, explores a diverse selection of fiction and nonfiction books determined by member suggestion. Click here to see a full schedule of what the club is reading. Club attendees get 10% off the book at Malaprop’s!

The club will meet at 7:00 PM in the cafe. This is a special date. The club usually meets the first Wednesday of every Month.

 

Les Miserables
Mar 4 @ 7:30 pm – 10:30 pm
Peace Center

Cameron Mackintosh presents the new production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award®-winning musical phenomenon, Les Misérables, direct from an acclaimed two-and-a-half-year return to Broadway. With its glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, this breathtaking new production has left both audiences and critics awestruck, cheering “Les Miz is born again!” (NY1).

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice, and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Featuring the thrilling score and beloved songs “I Dreamed A Dream,” “On My Own,” “Stars,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More,” and many more, this epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history.

Seen by more than 120 million people in 52 countries and in 22 languages around the globe, Les Misérables is still the world’s most popular musical, breaking box office records everywhere in its 33rd year.

Official Website

Jim Breuer: Live and Let Laugh
Mar 4 @ 8:00 pm
The Orange Peel

Not long after Jim Breuer did his first official standup gig in Clearwater, Florida, in 1989, industry folks began asking him, “What’s your point of view?” “I don’t know…” He searched for a meaningful response to a ridiculous question. “To make people laugh?”

Music Bingo at Banks Ave Bar (Asheville, NC)
Mar 4 @ 9:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Banks Ave.

Come join us for an amazing night of music, prizes, and drink specials. It’s Music Bingo at Banks Ave.. Test your music knowledge and compete against your friends and other patrons. It’s easy to play, and everyone is welcome! We’ll see you there!

https://www.facebook.com/events/391468795015437/?event_time_id=391468961682087

Thursday, March 5, 2020
Apply for a Preservation Grant Today!
Mar 5 all-day
Preservation Society of Asheville & Buncombe County
We are accepting grant applications until March 6th.  Grants from $500 – $5000 will be offered to the public in three categories:
  1. Bricks-And-Mortar
Rehabilitation, restoration and repair of structures that are 50 years of age or older
  1. Public Education
Development of educational materials and programs that advance knowledge of our shared history
  1. Planning, Survey and Designation
Planning and design for building rehabilitation and restoration projects, historic resource surveys and local or national designations
Asheville Police Department: New Junior Police Academy
Mar 5 all-day
Municipal Building

The deadline for applications will be March 6. Applications can be downloaded by visiting this link.

The Asheville Police Department is excited to announce the first offering of a Junior Police Academy. This new program is designed for youth ages 14-19 who have a serious interest in pursuing a career in law enforcement.

 

Topics will include criminal law, investigations, narcotics, patrol/arrest techniques, and physical training. All classes are designed to incorporate both an academic and hands-on setting.

 

The Junior Police Academy will be offered at no cost to the participants. The Academy begins on March 30 and runs through April 11. Classes will be held at the Municipal Building, 100 Court Plaza, in downtown Asheville, from 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings; and from noon to 3 p.m. two Saturdays. Successful completion of the Junior Police Academy is a requirement for participating in the Asheville Police Department’s Explorer program.

 

There is limited space available for participants. The first 15 approved applicants will be accepted. Applicants who live within the city limits of Asheville will have priority selection. Applicant requirements include:

  • GPA of 2.0 or higher
  • Must pass a criminal background check
  • Must provide at least three references and have parent/guardian approval
  • Must have a full physical completed by a physician

 

 

 

Bob Moog Foundation Announces Minimoog Raffle
Mar 5 all-day
Moogseum online raffle

The Bob Moog Foundation is thrilled to announce its 2020 Minimoog Raffle, featuring a vintage, iconic Minimoog Model D synthesizer, signed by legendary keyboardist Herbie Hancock. The synthesizer is valued at $5,000. Hancock signed the back of the Minimoog, serial number 1549, and drew a musical staff and added the inscription “(Hey Bob!)” on either side. The raffle begins on Monday, February 10, 2020, and ends on Tuesday March 10, 2020 or when all tickets have sold. Tickets are $25 each, five for $100, 12 for $200, or 35 for $500. Only 4,500 tickets will be available. All proceeds from the raffle support the Foundation’s educational project, Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool, and its newly opened Moogseum, located in Asheville, NC. Tickets can be purchased at http://bit.ly/HHMinimoogRaffle.

Herbie Hancock joins a long list of renowned musicians supporting the Foundation’s efforts. Recent raffles have featured vintage synthesizers signed by Stevie Wonder, Dr. Fink of Prince and the Revolution, Jan Hammer, and Rick Wakeman. Hancock, whose illustrious career spans five decades and 14 Grammy awards, helped pioneer the use of synthesizers in jazz, and has been at the forefront of using technology to make music. He is known for his ever-probing jazz sensibilities, his willingness to explore music across all genres, and is considered to be among the most elite and influential players of his time.

Hancock, who turns 80 this year, continues to make new music and tour worldwide. For more information about Herbie Hancock, visit https://www.herbiehancock.com/

Raffle: Trip to London or Cash Asheville Community Theatre
Mar 5 – Mar 4 all-day
Asheville Community Theatre

 

Tickets on sale through June 28, 2020

We know how completely odd it seems to be raffling off a trip to London right now. We’re barely leaving our homes for any reason, so jetting off around the world seems flat out bonkers! We’re hopeful that international travel and fun vacations will happen again in the future – and that’s why we extended and amended the raffle prize! If you win, you can choose the trip to London (and you have 18 months to book your travel) OR you can choose to take the cash value of the trip instead ($10,000).

Our raffles have been important fundraisers for ACT over the years, and this one is no different. ACT has lost 85% of our income as an organization, so this raffle is one of the few ways we can continue to bring a little money in the door.

Buying a raffle ticket is a great way to support ACT right now – and it just might be you who gets some really great news from us!

 

Les Misérables
Mar 5 @ 12:30 am – 2:30 am
Peace Center

Part of the 2019 – 2020 Broadway Season. Learn more about subscribing: http://bit.ly/2J6KMcs.

Cameron Mackintosh presents the new production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award®-winning musical phenomenon, Les Misérables, direct from an acclaimed two-and-a-half-year return to Broadway. With its glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, this breathtaking new production has left both audiences and critics awestruck, cheering “Les Miz is born again!” (NY1).

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice, and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Featuring the thrilling score and beloved songs “I Dreamed A Dream,” “On My Own,” “Stars,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More,” and many more, this epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history.

Seen by more than 130 million people in 44 countries and in 22 languages around the globe, Les Misérables is still the world’s most popular musical, breaking box office records everywhere in its 33rd year.

https://www.facebook.com/events/399601027525811/?event_time_id=399601030859144

Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge Comedy Open Mic
Mar 5 @ 2:00 am – 4:30 am
Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge

Stand-Up Comedy Open Mic every Wednesday 9:(ish)pm at The One Stop at Asheville Music Hall.

Fun and free show of hit-or-miss comedy where comics stop by to work on their material or try out new stuff. Anyone wanting to perform needs to sign up by 9pm, and will get five minutes on stage. The order of sign-up is not necessarily the order of the show.

https://www.facebook.com/events/3174166542609086/?event_time_id=3174166692609071

Plant Sale
Mar 5 @ 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
NC Cooperative Extension-Buncombe County

 

It’s almost time for Soil & Water’s popular plant sale. For a list of plants and prices, click the below PDF. Quantities are limited, so don’t miss out.

2020 Plant Sale