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.
With over 30 members, Downtown Asheville Arts District (DAAD) is comprised of cultural centers, festivals, galleries, museums, retail shops, theatres, and tours — all located within a mile radius of historic downtown Asheville. Our mission is to promote visual and performing arts in all its forms.
We welcome you to our first virtual festival! Please enjoy a holiday weekend full of music, art, and theatre, and get to know the various arts businesses and organizations who bring inspiration to every corner of Asheville.
For more information about DAAD and its members, please visit https://www.downtownavlarts.com/

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With less than half a decade of programming under its belt, Cold Mountain Music Festival has already been recognized as one of the Southeast’s best goldmines for live music, outdoor recreation, and family-oriented activities. Located just outside of Asheville in one of Western North Carolina’s most pristine stretches of land, Cold Mountain utilizes the vibrant Pisgah National Forest as its playground, and encourages exploration throughout the two-day immersive experience. At the heart of the festival site is the glistening Lake Logan, which boasts plenty of swimming, paddle-boarding, and fishing. Paired with performances by some of live music’s leading forces on the scene and plenty of kid-friendly offerings, the upcoming Cold Mountain Music Festival will offer the trifecta of rustic summer experiences.
Weekend passes are on sale now on the Cold Mountain Music website. General admission passes are available for $75, and youth passes for those aged 12-17 can be purchased for $40 apiece. Overnight camping spots and catered breakfast meal tickets are also available for $75 (per site) and $12-$15 (per person), respectively. Group discounts may be applied for parties of 15 or more. Enter the code DioWNC at checkout to purchase each pass (minimum 15) for $60 each. Cold Mountain Music Festival is presented by Ingles Markets, with partners iHeartMedia and Haywood County Tourism Development Authority. For more information, visit www.coldmountainmusic.org. A complete lineup can be found below.
With over 30 members, Downtown Asheville Arts District (DAAD) is comprised of cultural centers, festivals, galleries, museums, retail shops, theatres, and tours — all located within a mile radius of historic downtown Asheville. Our mission is to promote visual and performing arts in all its forms.
We welcome you to our first virtual festival! Please enjoy a holiday weekend full of music, art, and theatre, and get to know the various arts businesses and organizations who bring inspiration to every corner of Asheville.
For more information about DAAD and its members, please visit https://www.downtownavlarts.com/

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With less than half a decade of programming under its belt, Cold Mountain Music Festival has already been recognized as one of the Southeast’s best goldmines for live music, outdoor recreation, and family-oriented activities. Located just outside of Asheville in one of Western North Carolina’s most pristine stretches of land, Cold Mountain utilizes the vibrant Pisgah National Forest as its playground, and encourages exploration throughout the two-day immersive experience. At the heart of the festival site is the glistening Lake Logan, which boasts plenty of swimming, paddle-boarding, and fishing. Paired with performances by some of live music’s leading forces on the scene and plenty of kid-friendly offerings, the upcoming Cold Mountain Music Festival will offer the trifecta of rustic summer experiences.
Weekend passes are on sale now on the Cold Mountain Music website. General admission passes are available for $75, and youth passes for those aged 12-17 can be purchased for $40 apiece. Overnight camping spots and catered breakfast meal tickets are also available for $75 (per site) and $12-$15 (per person), respectively. Group discounts may be applied for parties of 15 or more. Enter the code DioWNC at checkout to purchase each pass (minimum 15) for $60 each. Cold Mountain Music Festival is presented by Ingles Markets, with partners iHeartMedia and Haywood County Tourism Development Authority. For more information, visit www.coldmountainmusic.org. A complete lineup can be found below.
With over 30 members, Downtown Asheville Arts District (DAAD) is comprised of cultural centers, festivals, galleries, museums, retail shops, theatres, and tours — all located within a mile radius of historic downtown Asheville. Our mission is to promote visual and performing arts in all its forms.
We welcome you to our first virtual festival! Please enjoy a holiday weekend full of music, art, and theatre, and get to know the various arts businesses and organizations who bring inspiration to every corner of Asheville.
For more information about DAAD and its members, please visit https://www.downtownavlarts.com/
With over 30 members, Downtown Asheville Arts District (DAAD) is comprised of cultural centers, festivals, galleries, museums, retail shops, theatres, and tours — all located within a mile radius of historic downtown Asheville. Our mission is to promote visual and performing arts in all its forms.
We welcome you to our first virtual festival! Please enjoy a holiday weekend full of music, art, and theatre, and get to know the various arts businesses and organizations who bring inspiration to every corner of Asheville.
For more information about DAAD and its members, please visit https://www.downtownavlarts.com/
With over 30 members, Downtown Asheville Arts District (DAAD) is comprised of cultural centers, festivals, galleries, museums, retail shops, theatres, and tours — all located within a mile radius of historic downtown Asheville. Our mission is to promote visual and performing arts in all its forms.
We welcome you to our first virtual festival! Please enjoy a holiday weekend full of music, art, and theatre, and get to know the various arts businesses and organizations who bring inspiration to every corner of Asheville.
For more information about DAAD and its members, please visit https://www.downtownavlarts.com/

NPS Photo
On Memorial Day folk musicians from across the region will share a day of toe-tapping fun and music. Just as Carl Sandburg’s family enjoyed sitting on the porch while he played a guitar and sang for them, you can experience the joy of music at Connemara. All performances take place in the amphitheater, unless otherwise specified, and signs will direct festival goers.
2020 Performers include:
- Pretty Little Goat Band
- Jon Shain
- Kat Williams
- Amanda Anne Platt and the Honeycutters
Parking
Keep in mind that our parking lots fill up quickly. We will run a courtesy shuttle from satellite parking lots at the Flat Rock Playhouse (located across the street) and from the Flat Rock Village Offices (110 Village Center Drive) to the park entrance, throughout the day. It is a short walk from the park entrance to the amphitheater. There will be also be a shuttle operating inside the park to take visitors from the entrance to the amphitheater, Sandburg Home and barn area.
The event will be held at the new amphitheater located near the park entrance. Bench seating is available and visitors are also welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets as seating is expected to fill quickly. Come prepared for warm weather, with sun protection, water and snacks. Dogs are not permitted in the seating areas for the festival.

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Epic adventure awaits with the Dungeons & Dragons Club! Join us for a special installment of Dungeons & Dragons Club to be played online using ROLL20.NET and DISCORDAPP.COM.
We will be using ROLL20 as our virtual table-top and DISCORD for our voice and chat needs. If this is your first game, please login at least 30 minutes early for character creation. Open to players grades 6-12. |

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With less than half a decade of programming under its belt, Cold Mountain Music Festival has already been recognized as one of the Southeast’s best goldmines for live music, outdoor recreation, and family-oriented activities. Located just outside of Asheville in one of Western North Carolina’s most pristine stretches of land, Cold Mountain utilizes the vibrant Pisgah National Forest as its playground, and encourages exploration throughout the two-day immersive experience. At the heart of the festival site is the glistening Lake Logan, which boasts plenty of swimming, paddle-boarding, and fishing. Paired with performances by some of live music’s leading forces on the scene and plenty of kid-friendly offerings, the upcoming Cold Mountain Music Festival will offer the trifecta of rustic summer experiences.
Weekend passes are on sale now on the Cold Mountain Music website. General admission passes are available for $75, and youth passes for those aged 12-17 can be purchased for $40 apiece. Overnight camping spots and catered breakfast meal tickets are also available for $75 (per site) and $12-$15 (per person), respectively. Group discounts may be applied for parties of 15 or more. Enter the code DioWNC at checkout to purchase each pass (minimum 15) for $60 each. Cold Mountain Music Festival is presented by Ingles Markets, with partners iHeartMedia and Haywood County Tourism Development Authority. For more information, visit www.coldmountainmusic.org. A complete lineup can be found below.

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With less than half a decade of programming under its belt, Cold Mountain Music Festival has already been recognized as one of the Southeast’s best goldmines for live music, outdoor recreation, and family-oriented activities. Located just outside of Asheville in one of Western North Carolina’s most pristine stretches of land, Cold Mountain utilizes the vibrant Pisgah National Forest as its playground, and encourages exploration throughout the two-day immersive experience. At the heart of the festival site is the glistening Lake Logan, which boasts plenty of swimming, paddle-boarding, and fishing. Paired with performances by some of live music’s leading forces on the scene and plenty of kid-friendly offerings, the upcoming Cold Mountain Music Festival will offer the trifecta of rustic summer experiences.
Weekend passes are on sale now on the Cold Mountain Music website. General admission passes are available for $75, and youth passes for those aged 12-17 can be purchased for $40 apiece. Overnight camping spots and catered breakfast meal tickets are also available for $75 (per site) and $12-$15 (per person), respectively. Group discounts may be applied for parties of 15 or more. Enter the code DioWNC at checkout to purchase each pass (minimum 15) for $60 each. Cold Mountain Music Festival is presented by Ingles Markets, with partners iHeartMedia and Haywood County Tourism Development Authority. For more information, visit www.coldmountainmusic.org. A complete lineup can be found below.
Great food, artist displays and fun activities while mingling with their neighbors.”
Perhaps the most family friendly street festival in western North Carolina, the Montford Music & Arts Festival features a special children’s area for face painting, interactive displays, sidewalk chalk art contest and other fun activities.
Located on Montford Ave. between Chestnut and Waneta Streets just down the street from downtown Asheville, the Asheville Visitors Center and Chamber of the Commerce, the all-day event will also feature a music stage with another attractive lineup in 2020. Comprised solely of local musicians, the performing schedule will be announced shortly.
Attendees will also be treated to a wide variety of specialty cuisine, courtesy of food booths and food trucks. In addition, more than 100 booth vendors will be on hand, with various artists, crafts people and nursery plant purveyors selling their merchandise.
Featuring turn-of-the-century “Victorian” homes and several bed-and-breakfast inns, a portion of Montford is proclaimed a National Register Historic District. Many of today’s Montford historic homes were designed by the same architect hired by the Vanderbilt Family to create the Biltmore Estate.
World famous authors Thomas Wolfe and O. Henry are buried in Montford at the nearby Riverside Cemetery, while the community’s rich history also dates back to the once thriving African-American community of Stumptown, which ended in the 1960’s.
The very first Montford festival was presented as strictly an arts event in 2004, held inside of Pyper’s Place, which is now Nine Mile Restaurant, and Sweet Heaven Ice Cream Shop, now a real estate office.
The Art of Games – VIRTUAL
This program takes place via Zoom.
Join the Museum, Well Played Board Game Café, and Devil’s Foot Beverage Company for this fun program centered around card games! After mixing up some ginger-beer cocktails with Devil’s Foot, Kevan Frazier, co-owner of Well Played and a former history professor, gives a brief look at the history of card games and card games as art—including unexpected card games in the Museum’s Collection. Tanner Johnson, gamemaster at Well Played, then introduces Draft-a-Dragon, a card game he created in 2017, and teaches us how to play.
Space is limited; to register, email Kristen Boddy, membership & Museum events manager, or call 828.253.3227 x117. Museum brainteasers and Zoom login information will be emailed to participants prior to the program.
- Preorder your copy of Draft-a-Dragon from our friends at Well Played. (Locals: prefer pickup? Give them a call at 828.232.7375.)
- Order a variety of ginger beers, lemonades, limeades, and other cool brews from Devil’s Foot for pickup or delivery. (Pssst… they’ve got cool merch, too!)
- Browse Perspective Café favorites, family-style specials, and to pre-order by Wednesday, June 17. (Museum Members: Enter coupon code AAMMember at checkout to receive your 10% Member discount!)
Presented in conjunction with Intersections in American Art, in partnership with Well Played Board Game Café, Devil’s Foot Beverage Company, and Perspective Café by Food Experience.
In light of the current challenges to this highly collaborative and collective art, The Magnetic Theatre is proud to present their first annual One Act Play Festival as an online theatrical experience. Bringing together (virtually) seven teams of artists to present seven original short plays, the One Act Play Festival offerings range from comedy to drama, satire to thinkpieces, providing a little something for everyone.
Determined to keep creating while preserving the health and safety of all involved, the playwrights, directors, actors, and technicians have adapted these scripts from their original stage-bound forms into a wide variety of different styles. The One Act Play Festival has evolved into such diverse formats as audio drama, animation, and short live-action film, as well as more traditional live theatrical performance streamed over digital media.
Audiences can join with other viewers for a live-streamed watch party on Friday, June 19th at 7:30pm, or may choose to watch later through a link sent out to ticket holders. Tickets are Pay-What-You-Can, but registration is required to receive the link. Find more information, and sign up to see the show at www.themagnetictheatre.org.
Synopsis: In the age of social distancing, The Magnetic Theatre One Act Play Festival presents a variety of original short plays adapted to an online platform, as audio drama, animation, short film, and live-streamed performances. Audiences can join the others for a live-streamed watch party or receive a link to view the finished collection at their leisure.
Featuring:
“Hamlet’s Dead” written by Dennis Bohr & directed by Rodney Smith
“Mackerel Sky” written by Andrew Gallant & directed by Julia Christgau
“Pick Up” written by Jonathan Wickremasinghe-Kuhn & directed by Carin Metzger
“Person Meditating upon Madness” written by David Brendan Hopes & directed by Tippin
“Rosa & Leo” written by Adam Szudrich & directed by John Baldwin
“The Opposite of Entropy” written by Terran Wanderer & directed by Jessica Johnson
“Windowless White Vans” written by Bret Murphy & directed by Daniel Moore
2020 Blue Ridge Pride Festival Cancelled
We are sad to announce the suspension of all previously planned summer and fall events. This includes:
- Blue Ridge Pride Festival
- Welcoming WNC Procession
- Mx Pride Pageant
- Movies & Mixer Series
- LGBTQ Story Slam
- We are looking into alternative events – both virtual and face-to-face.
2020 Blue Ridge Pride Festival Cancelled
We are sad to announce the suspension of all previously planned summer and fall events. This includes:
- Blue Ridge Pride Festival
- Welcoming WNC Procession
- Mx Pride Pageant
- Movies & Mixer Series
- LGBTQ Story Slam
- We are looking into alternative events – both virtual and face-to-face.
2020 Blue Ridge Pride Festival Cancelled
We are sad to announce the suspension of all previously planned summer and fall events. This includes:
- Blue Ridge Pride Festival
- Welcoming WNC Procession
- Mx Pride Pageant
- Movies & Mixer Series
- LGBTQ Story Slam
- We are looking into alternative events – both virtual and face-to-face.

Jewish Family Services of Western North Carolina (JFS) is delighted to announce its first-ever Truly Trivial Virtual Trivia Night fundraiser. JFS is a nonprofit social service agency open to people of all faiths in Western North Carolina.
This event was created in lieu of the in-person Truly Marvelous fundraising event, which was has been postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
All proceeds from Truly Trivial support JFS programs and services including mental health counseling with sliding-scale fees for those without insurance, guided case management, and the Elder Club Program, which provides socialization for the elderly and respite for caregivers.
Truly Trivial is an online trivia game and fundraiser with a Jewish twist! Play 5 rounds of trivia with themes both Jewish and not, featuring local celebrity question-askers and fun-filled virtual energy from emcee Seth Kellam. Participants are urged to gather a team or play solo to win prizes such as gift cards to Asheville’s finest restaurants.
2020 Blue Ridge Pride Festival Cancelled
We are sad to announce the suspension of all previously planned summer and fall events. This includes:
- Blue Ridge Pride Festival
- Welcoming WNC Procession
- Mx Pride Pageant
- Movies & Mixer Series
- LGBTQ Story Slam
- We are looking into alternative events – both virtual and face-to-face.
2020 Blue Ridge Pride Festival Cancelled
We are sad to announce the suspension of all previously planned summer and fall events. This includes:
- Blue Ridge Pride Festival
- Welcoming WNC Procession
- Mx Pride Pageant
- Movies & Mixer Series
- LGBTQ Story Slam
- We are looking into alternative events – both virtual and face-to-face.
2020 Blue Ridge Pride Festival Cancelled
We are sad to announce the suspension of all previously planned summer and fall events. This includes:
- Blue Ridge Pride Festival
- Welcoming WNC Procession
- Mx Pride Pageant
- Movies & Mixer Series
- LGBTQ Story Slam
- We are looking into alternative events – both virtual and face-to-face.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit open the 36th season of An Appalachian Summer Festival on Sunday, June 28 at 8pm at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts. The summer stop is part of the highly anticipated national tour behind the group’s newest album, Reunions (to be released May 15). As such, the festival is included in the tour announcement and is opening up sales ahead of the rest of the festival in support of the tour. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit is A Schaefer Popular Series Event.
Tickets:
$60 adults, $50 students. *Limit 4 tickets per transaction*
MONDAY, MARCH 2 at 9AM – LOCAL/WALK-UP PRESALE – Maximum 500 tickets available for purchase in person only at the Schaefer Center Box Office, 733 Rivers Street, Boone, NC. No phone/online sales.
Beginning TUESDAY, MARCH 3 at 9AM – Online, in person, or by phone at www.appsummer.org, 800-841-2787 or 828-262-4046.
2020 Blue Ridge Pride Festival Cancelled
We are sad to announce the suspension of all previously planned summer and fall events. This includes:
- Blue Ridge Pride Festival
- Welcoming WNC Procession
- Mx Pride Pageant
- Movies & Mixer Series
- LGBTQ Story Slam
- We are looking into alternative events – both virtual and face-to-face.
● Antonin Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”
● Ellen Taaffe Zwilich: Avanti!
Inspired by American dreams and legends, Dvořák created some of his greatest works while living in the United States, above all the “New World” Symphony. This program illuminates the multiple stories and influences – Native American, African-American and Czech – that Dvořák transformed in his most beloved work. Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s Avanti! offers a contemporary interpretation of the American archetype of “moving on.”
To learn more about All-Star Orchestra: https://allstarorchestra.org/
Available via YouTube, Facebook, appsummer.org
2020 Blue Ridge Pride Festival Cancelled
We are sad to announce the suspension of all previously planned summer and fall events. This includes:
- Blue Ridge Pride Festival
- Welcoming WNC Procession
- Mx Pride Pageant
- Movies & Mixer Series
- LGBTQ Story Slam
- We are looking into alternative events – both virtual and face-to-face.
2020 Blue Ridge Pride Festival Cancelled
We are sad to announce the suspension of all previously planned summer and fall events. This includes:
- Blue Ridge Pride Festival
- Welcoming WNC Procession
- Mx Pride Pageant
- Movies & Mixer Series
- LGBTQ Story Slam
- We are looking into alternative events – both virtual and face-to-face.
Praised for their “superb capacity to find the inner heart of everything they play, regardless of era, style or technical demand” (The International Review of Music), the Tesla Quartet brings refinement and prowess to both new and established repertoire.
Enjoy this special message and preview scheduled in conjunction with the Tesla Quartet’s planned appearance as part of An Appalachian Summer Festival’s 2021 season.
To learn more about Tesla Quartet: http://www.teslaquartet.com/about-us
Available via YouTube, Facebook, appsummer.org
Join us for a memorable evening of jazz-infused ChamberSoul, featuring live interviews with cellist/singer-songwriter Shana Tucker and her band, moderated by Todd Wright, Professor of Jazz Studies in the Hayes School of Music.
With a deep respect for lyrical storytelling, cellist/singer-songwriter Shana Tucker delivers a unique voice through her self-described genre of ChamberSoul™. Shana’s melodies weave strong hints of jazz, classical, soulful folk, acoustic pop and a touch of R&B into a distinctive rhythmic tapestry. Touted by JazzTimes Magazine as a jazz talent “…whose imprint and vitality has already been quite visible…” Shana’s style and sound as been described as a blend of Dianne Reeves, Joni Mitchell, and Tracy Chapman, with an efficient complexity that is reminiscent of Bill Withers.
To learn more about Shana Tucker: http://www.shanatucker.com/bio
Available via YouTube Live, appsummer.org
Enjoy this select program featuring archival gems, glimpses of the dancers at home, and sneak peeks of the world premieres that were scheduled for The Joyce this spring.
Known for their remarkable athleticism and stunning ensemble work, Parsons Dance brings exuberance, joy and passion to any stage. Flawlessly fusing the gestures and movements that comprise modern dance with the discipline and precision of a classical dance company, the company is internationally renowned. Stunning works, like the iconic Caught, exemplify this company’s innovation and huge audience appeal.
This special preview is scheduled in conjunction with the planned appearance by Parsons Dance as part of An Appalachian Summer Festival’s 2021 season.
To learn more about Parsons Dance: https://www.parsonsdance.org/
Available exclusively via YouTube, appsummer.org
With an international reputation as one of the most popular brass ensembles today, Canadian Brass has truly earned the distinction of “the world’s most famous brass group.” Masters of concert presentations, Canadian Brass has developed a uniquely engaging stage presence and rapport with audiences. Each of their concerts ranges from trademark Baroque and Dixieland tunes to new compositions and arrangements created especially for them – from formal classical presentation to music served up with lively dialogue and theatrical effects. The hallmark of any Canadian Brass performance is entertainment, spontaneity, virtuosity and, most of all, fun – but never at the expense of the music. Whatever the style, the music is central and performed with utmost dedication, skill and excellence.
This special preview is scheduled in conjunction with the planned appearance by the Canadian Brass as part of An Appalachian Summer Festival’s 2021 season.
To learn more about Canadian Brass: http://www.canadianbrass.com/
Available via YouTube, Facebook, appsummer.org
