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.

Friday, February 26, 2021
Wee Trade Consignment Sale
Feb 26 @ 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
WNC Agricultural Center

Earn 70% – 75% with us!

Wee Trade is all about families helping families. 45,000 Sq Ft of quality consigned goods gathered under one roof for a  3 day weekend sale event at the WNC Ag Center in Fletcher, NC, just across from the Asheville Regional Airport.

Pay a 30% sales commission, you keep 70% and are invited to the Consignor Pre-Sale the day before the public! Consignors who help at the sale event keep 75% (an extra 5%) and are invited to the Busy Bee Team Pre-Sale the day before the public! See details under the worker tab.

From strollers and nursery furniture to clothing and toys, we’ve got everything you need for your infant, toddler or children! It’s also a great way for grandparents, pre-schools, day cares, etc. to shop for their children’s needs.

WNC Nature Center! Welcomes new members Samson and Bonita Red Foxes
Feb 26 @ 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
WNC Nature Center

red foxes

Welcome to your new home, Samson and Bonita!  The two red foxes will be joining the other residents of the WNC Nature Center and are coming to us from Izzie’s Pond Sanctuary in Liberty, S.C.

Samson and Bonita have something more in common than their new home.  They are both less than a year old and were both injured as a result of being caught in leg-hold traps and each has three legs, which means they would not be able to survive in the wild but can live safely in a zoo environment.

“The Nature Center has long provided excellent care for animals that, for one reason or another, could not live in the wild,” said WNC Nature Center Director Chris Gentile. “We are so excited to be able to welcome red foxes back to our Center.”

Come say “Hi!” to Samson and Bonita at the WNC Nature center beginning Feb. 11, when they’ll enter their new habitat for the first time.

Winter Nantahala Gorge Train Tour Great Smokey Mountains Railroad
Feb 26 @ 10:30 am – 2:30 pm
Bryson City Depot Great Smokey Mountains Railroad

GSMR

Enjoy the sights and sounds of the Great Smoky Mountains while traveling along the Tennessee and Nantahala (nan-tuh-HAY-luh) River.The historic trellis bridge Fontana Trestle takes you across Fontana Lake and into the beautiful Nantahala Gorge. Onboard dining is available by selecting our First Class Seating option or pre-purchasing one of our boxed lunches, an amazing unique moving dining experience. Arrive at our layover destination in the heart of the Nantahala Gorge for a one-hour layover where you can relax by the river or enjoy sightseeing!

We are operating under all current COVID-19 safety guidelines and ask that you follow all protocols. Find the information HERE! *Please be aware dining options are currently not available at your layover destination. You are advised to enjoy onboard dining by pre-purchasing a box lunch meal option along with your train tickets.*

Plan on being here by 1 hour before your departure.

The Gallery at Flat Rock: Porch Portraits sessions donates to Flat Rock Playhouse
Feb 26 @ 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
The Gallery at Flat Rock
Man and woman smiling as
                    their infant son poses in front of them.The Goodrum Family, photo by Suzanne Camarata

Thank you Suzanne Camarata of The Gallery at Flat Rock whose Porch Portraits sessions raised $2835 for the Playhouse! Suzanne began this series when the pandemic made traditional photo sessions a challenge and inspired photographers used social distancing to create a new way to capture memories. “Porch Portraits by Suzanne brings the fun of a casual, light-hearted photoshoot right to your home – literally to your front porch or in your front yard. ” Suzanne is continuing her sessions this year, so make sure to visit the link below to get (or gift) a session today.

Youth Tennis Classes
Feb 26 @ 5:00 pm
Hendersonville Racquet Club

HRC Tennis Junior Program Info 2020 Fall Sessions

Registration is now open for the next session of indoor youth tennis classes starting February 22nd at Hendersonville Racquet Club.  Kids are put in groups based on age and ability with seven levels available.

Our youth tennis program has something for any child who wants to play.  From beginner to high performance player, we put them into situations where they will be challenged and can succeed while having a fun time doing it!

The format for this session is having classes once or twice for six weeks.  Each level of class is offered once during the weekday and once on Saturday.  Then the session concludes with a fun “Play Day” where they can get match experience.  All classes are taught by certified tennis professionals and will be held on HRC’s indoor courts

Saturday, February 27, 2021
2021 Summer Cuba Agroecology Tour
Feb 27 all-day
Cuba w/ Organic Growers School

 Organic Growers School is partnering with Food First and Altruvistas to offer their fourth Cuba Agroecology Tour and their first such trip in the summer from June 22 through July 1, 2021, with a focus on the country’s intensive sustainable agriculture practices. The tour, to be comprised of growers, community leaders, educators, and activists who are passionate about sustainable agriculture, will begin in Havana and travel to destinations such as Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, and Matanzas. The trip offers participants on-the-ground exposure to Cuban agriculture and the food sovereignty movement and will highlight their engagement with the global food system. The intention is for participants to acquire the knowledge and strategies to create just, sustainable, local, and healthy food systems in their own communities.

Cuba has had a focus on organic agriculture production methods since the 1970s. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 ended Cuba’s access to agricultural inputs overnight, propelling them into what is now known as the “Special Period”—a crisis of reduced resources and increased hunger. The country embarked on a massive and rapid conversion to agroecology in an attempt to boost food production. The tour will focus on small farmers, sustainable food systems, and national security. There are multiple opportunities in Cuba’s diverse agricultural landscape to learn many lessons and insights for the development of a secure and sustainable food system elsewhere.

“The purpose of this tour is not to romanticize or glorify Cuban agriculture,” says Sera Deva, Director of Programs with Organic Growers School and the trip organizer. “It is instead an opportunity to learn about what a country-wide commitment to sustainable, local agriculture can look like. It will broaden and deepen our region’s wisdom regarding alternative food systems. Our goals are to show our participants the importance of cooperative farming models and sustainable farming techniques, as well as encouraging them to think critically about practical and governmental structures that could support a thriving community of organic growers and consumers.”

Local partners will provide an overview of Cuban history, culture, politics, agriculture, and ecology. Additionally, the group will meet with specialists who will provide background on the country’s transition into agroecological farming practices and the national policies that prioritize organic farming and the remediation of hunger. With a firm commitment to sustainability and justice, this tour will connect participants to farmers, consumers, activists, NGOs, policymakers and experts working to transform the global food system.

Tour highlights will include the following:

  • Discuss agroecology with Fernando Funes, co-author of Food First’s book Sustainable Agriculture & Resistance in Cuba.
  • Visit community permaculture and agricultural education, and food conservation projects.
  • Discuss changes in US-Cuba relations and how they might affect the future of tourism and agriculture in Cuba.
  • Meet with the National Association for Small Farmers (ANAP) and the Ministry of Agriculture.
  • Meet with a variety of small farmers and farmers’ cooperatives.

For the purposes of this trip, OGS is partnering with Food First, a “people’s think tank” dedicated to ending the injustices that cause hunger and helping communities to take back control of their food systems. Food First has been offering tours to Cuba for more than 20 years with the organizing assistance of Altruvistas, a socially responsible and philanthropic travel company that has facilitated 20,000 travelers to Cuba.

The cost of the trip is $2,950 and will serve, in part, as a fundraiser for Organic Growers School (OGS), a 501c3 non-profit organization. Thanks to a grant from the Christopher Reynolds Foundation, there are a limited number of partial scholarships for farmers and food activists to attend. This tour and all registrants will not be affected by recent political actions to restrict American travel to Cuba. Cuba is considered one of the safest destinations for travel, partially due to their diligent and holistic approaches to healthcare. Due to COVID-19, the traveling climate of the US (as well as tourist restrictions in Cuba) is changing daily. Cuba has implemented many of the same precautionary measures implemented around the world to minimize the spread of COVID-19 including social distancing, limiting travel to the island completely through the summer, and closing schools. In early November 2020, Cuba reopened its borders to travelers.

Potential tour participants can visit the OGS FAQ page which answers questions such as, “Why Cuba?,” “What are the legal considerations when traveling to Cuba?,” “Why ravel with Organic Growers School?,” “What does the tuition cover?,” and “What can I expect to experience?” Traveler testimonials from previous trips, the full itinerary, as well as a photo gallery can also be found on the website.

 

Black History Month – Book List for Young Readers
Feb 27 all-day
Online
Wee Trade Consignment Sale
Feb 27 @ 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
WNC Agricultural Center

Earn 70% – 75% with us!

Wee Trade is all about families helping families. 45,000 Sq Ft of quality consigned goods gathered under one roof for a  3 day weekend sale event at the WNC Ag Center in Fletcher, NC, just across from the Asheville Regional Airport.

Pay a 30% sales commission, you keep 70% and are invited to the Consignor Pre-Sale the day before the public! Consignors who help at the sale event keep 75% (an extra 5%) and are invited to the Busy Bee Team Pre-Sale the day before the public! See details under the worker tab.

From strollers and nursery furniture to clothing and toys, we’ve got everything you need for your infant, toddler or children! It’s also a great way for grandparents, pre-schools, day cares, etc. to shop for their children’s needs.

Take + Play – Borrow Ukuleles and Games from the Library
Feb 27 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Pack Memorial Library

The Perfect Turkey

Pack Youth Services introduces Take & Play, a pilot program that offers everyone the opportunity to borrow games, ukuleles, and disc golf sets from the Youth Services department at Pack Library. Take & Play items check out for three weeks, and you need to pick them up and drop them off at Pack Library. Games, ukuleles, and disc golf sets are available on a first-come, first-served basis and you check them out with your library card just like a book. Call 250-4720 for details, or drop by the library anytime we’re open.

All our library hours are listed here.

Smith-McDowell House Museum Open for private, pre-booked tours
Feb 27 @ 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Smith-McDowell House Museum

We are OPEN Fridays and Saturdays
for private, pre-booked tours at:
10:30 AM
12:00 PM
1:30 PM
3:00 PM

WNC Nature Center! Welcomes new members Samson and Bonita Red Foxes
Feb 27 @ 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
WNC Nature Center

red foxes

Welcome to your new home, Samson and Bonita!  The two red foxes will be joining the other residents of the WNC Nature Center and are coming to us from Izzie’s Pond Sanctuary in Liberty, S.C.

Samson and Bonita have something more in common than their new home.  They are both less than a year old and were both injured as a result of being caught in leg-hold traps and each has three legs, which means they would not be able to survive in the wild but can live safely in a zoo environment.

“The Nature Center has long provided excellent care for animals that, for one reason or another, could not live in the wild,” said WNC Nature Center Director Chris Gentile. “We are so excited to be able to welcome red foxes back to our Center.”

Come say “Hi!” to Samson and Bonita at the WNC Nature center beginning Feb. 11, when they’ll enter their new habitat for the first time.

Winter Nantahala Gorge Train Tour Great Smokey Mountains Railroad
Feb 27 @ 10:30 am – 2:30 pm
Bryson City Depot Great Smokey Mountains Railroad

GSMR

Enjoy the sights and sounds of the Great Smoky Mountains while traveling along the Tennessee and Nantahala (nan-tuh-HAY-luh) River.The historic trellis bridge Fontana Trestle takes you across Fontana Lake and into the beautiful Nantahala Gorge. Onboard dining is available by selecting our First Class Seating option or pre-purchasing one of our boxed lunches, an amazing unique moving dining experience. Arrive at our layover destination in the heart of the Nantahala Gorge for a one-hour layover where you can relax by the river or enjoy sightseeing!

We are operating under all current COVID-19 safety guidelines and ask that you follow all protocols. Find the information HERE! *Please be aware dining options are currently not available at your layover destination. You are advised to enjoy onboard dining by pre-purchasing a box lunch meal option along with your train tickets.*

Plan on being here by 1 hour before your departure.

The Gallery at Flat Rock: Porch Portraits sessions donates to Flat Rock Playhouse
Feb 27 @ 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
The Gallery at Flat Rock
Man and woman smiling as
                    their infant son poses in front of them.The Goodrum Family, photo by Suzanne Camarata

Thank you Suzanne Camarata of The Gallery at Flat Rock whose Porch Portraits sessions raised $2835 for the Playhouse! Suzanne began this series when the pandemic made traditional photo sessions a challenge and inspired photographers used social distancing to create a new way to capture memories. “Porch Portraits by Suzanne brings the fun of a casual, light-hearted photoshoot right to your home – literally to your front porch or in your front yard. ” Suzanne is continuing her sessions this year, so make sure to visit the link below to get (or gift) a session today.

Tuckasegee River Excursion with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
Feb 27 @ 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

Join us for a relaxing ride through quiet countryside on your way to small town life in western North Carolina on the Tuckasegee River Excursion. Departing from Bryson City, this 4 hour excursion travels 32 miles round-trip to Dillsboro and back to the Bryson City Depot. Pass by the famous movie set of The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford!

The Tuckasegee (tuck-uh-SEE-jee) River Excursion includes an 1½ hour layover in the historic town of Dillsboro, where you’ll find more than 50 shops, restaurants, bed and breakfasts and country inns. There is time to shop, snack, and visit the many unique shops before returning to Bryson City.

Foraging Food Tour
Feb 27 @ 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm
No Taste Like Home

Join us for three hours “off the eaten path” as we find and gather over a dozen wild edibles. We’ll whip up a little tasting right on the trail. Take home the rest of your finds and/or get ready for some find dining when one of our award-winning restaurant partners prepares your “catch of the day,” with lunch, brunch or dinner, for free. Wild mushroom pizza, daylily tamales, sassafras root beer, wisteria ice cream… it all depends on what we find!


Pricing

  • Adult (Ages 12+): $75
  • Child (Ages 5-11): $35
  • Child (Ages 4 & Under): Free
Youth Tennis Classes
Feb 27 @ 5:00 pm
Hendersonville Racquet Club

HRC Tennis Junior Program Info 2020 Fall Sessions

Registration is now open for the next session of indoor youth tennis classes starting February 22nd at Hendersonville Racquet Club.  Kids are put in groups based on age and ability with seven levels available.

Our youth tennis program has something for any child who wants to play.  From beginner to high performance player, we put them into situations where they will be challenged and can succeed while having a fun time doing it!

The format for this session is having classes once or twice for six weeks.  Each level of class is offered once during the weekday and once on Saturday.  Then the session concludes with a fun “Play Day” where they can get match experience.  All classes are taught by certified tennis professionals and will be held on HRC’s indoor courts

Sunday, February 28, 2021
Black History Month – Book List for Young Readers
Feb 28 all-day
Online
Wee Trade Consignment Sale
Feb 28 @ 8:00 am – 3:00 pm
WNC Agricultural Center

Earn 70% – 75% with us!

Wee Trade is all about families helping families. 45,000 Sq Ft of quality consigned goods gathered under one roof for a  3 day weekend sale event at the WNC Ag Center in Fletcher, NC, just across from the Asheville Regional Airport.

Pay a 30% sales commission, you keep 70% and are invited to the Consignor Pre-Sale the day before the public! Consignors who help at the sale event keep 75% (an extra 5%) and are invited to the Busy Bee Team Pre-Sale the day before the public! See details under the worker tab.

From strollers and nursery furniture to clothing and toys, we’ve got everything you need for your infant, toddler or children! It’s also a great way for grandparents, pre-schools, day cares, etc. to shop for their children’s needs.

Take + Play – Borrow Ukuleles and Games from the Library
Feb 28 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Pack Memorial Library

The Perfect Turkey

Pack Youth Services introduces Take & Play, a pilot program that offers everyone the opportunity to borrow games, ukuleles, and disc golf sets from the Youth Services department at Pack Library. Take & Play items check out for three weeks, and you need to pick them up and drop them off at Pack Library. Games, ukuleles, and disc golf sets are available on a first-come, first-served basis and you check them out with your library card just like a book. Call 250-4720 for details, or drop by the library anytime we’re open.

All our library hours are listed here.

Sunday Fun Day at Kolo
Feb 28 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
KOLO Bike Park

Sunday Fun Day at Kolo

EVERY SUNDAY THROUGH THE WINTER!

Kolo Bike Park access is just $10 for the entire day every Sunday

WNC Nature Center! Welcomes new members Samson and Bonita Red Foxes
Feb 28 @ 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm
WNC Nature Center

red foxes

Welcome to your new home, Samson and Bonita!  The two red foxes will be joining the other residents of the WNC Nature Center and are coming to us from Izzie’s Pond Sanctuary in Liberty, S.C.

Samson and Bonita have something more in common than their new home.  They are both less than a year old and were both injured as a result of being caught in leg-hold traps and each has three legs, which means they would not be able to survive in the wild but can live safely in a zoo environment.

“The Nature Center has long provided excellent care for animals that, for one reason or another, could not live in the wild,” said WNC Nature Center Director Chris Gentile. “We are so excited to be able to welcome red foxes back to our Center.”

Come say “Hi!” to Samson and Bonita at the WNC Nature center beginning Feb. 11, when they’ll enter their new habitat for the first time.

Youth Tennis Classes
Feb 28 @ 5:00 pm
Hendersonville Racquet Club

HRC Tennis Junior Program Info 2020 Fall Sessions

Registration is now open for the next session of indoor youth tennis classes starting February 22nd at Hendersonville Racquet Club.  Kids are put in groups based on age and ability with seven levels available.

Our youth tennis program has something for any child who wants to play.  From beginner to high performance player, we put them into situations where they will be challenged and can succeed while having a fun time doing it!

The format for this session is having classes once or twice for six weeks.  Each level of class is offered once during the weekday and once on Saturday.  Then the session concludes with a fun “Play Day” where they can get match experience.  All classes are taught by certified tennis professionals and will be held on HRC’s indoor courts

Monday, March 1, 2021
WNC Nature Center! Welcomes new members Samson and Bonita Red Foxes
Mar 1 @ 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
WNC Nature Center

red foxes

Welcome to your new home, Samson and Bonita!  The two red foxes will be joining the other residents of the WNC Nature Center and are coming to us from Izzie’s Pond Sanctuary in Liberty, S.C.

Samson and Bonita have something more in common than their new home.  They are both less than a year old and were both injured as a result of being caught in leg-hold traps and each has three legs, which means they would not be able to survive in the wild but can live safely in a zoo environment.

“The Nature Center has long provided excellent care for animals that, for one reason or another, could not live in the wild,” said WNC Nature Center Director Chris Gentile. “We are so excited to be able to welcome red foxes back to our Center.”

Come say “Hi!” to Samson and Bonita at the WNC Nature center beginning Feb. 11, when they’ll enter their new habitat for the first time.

Virtual Acting + Creative Movement K – 2nd Grades w/ Studio 52
Mar 1 @ 4:30 pm – 5:15 pm
Online
Picture
 January 25 – March 22

Virtual Platform: Zoom
Instructor: Tania Battista

This virtual theatre class is perfect for little kids with BIG imaginations. With on-your-feet activities that tap into young artist’s creativity, develop skills in improvisation, characterization, and vocal technique, and release creative energy, young artists will bring stories to life through reading, acting, music, and art. At the end of the semester, students will share their work in a one-of-a-kind virtual showcase. 
Virtual Acting 3rd – 5th Grades w/ Studio 52
Mar 1 @ 5:30 pm – 6:15 pm
Online

Picture 

 January 25 – March 22

A play from away! Explore improvisation, characterization, voice and speech, costume design, and more as you create an original virtual play! With an emphasis on creativity and personal expression, students will meet in weekly live online classes to develop, memorize, and film their role in the play. At the end of the semester, each actor’s part will be edited together to create a virtual performance!

Mondays from 5:30 – 6:15 PM EST
Grades: 3rd – 5th
Virtual Platform: Zoom
Instructor: Tania Battista
Tuition: $150*
REGISTRATION OPENS DEC. 10
10% off before Jan. 1

Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Kids Vote for the North Carolina Children’s Book Awards
Mar 2 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
online w/ Buncombe County Libraries

 

It’s time for kids to vote for their favorite books!

Throughout the month of March, kids can vote for the NC Children’s Book Award by visiting any Buncombe County Public Library location. The North Carolina Children’s Book Award is a children’s choice program sponsored by school and public librarians in North Carolina. The awards are designed to introduce kids to books and to instill a lifelong love of reading.

The Library has partnered with the Board of Elections to provide official voting booths for kids to vote.

Kids can vote in person at any of these libraries between March 2 and March 31:

  • Enka-Candler
  • Fairview
  • North Asheville
  • Pack Memorial
  • South Buncombe
  • Swannanoa
  • Weaverville
  • West Asheville

Kids can also vote “absentee” by asking for a ballot at any library, or they can drop their completed ballot in our book drop before the end of March to “mail in” their vote.

You are eligible to vote if 1) You’re a kid and 2) You’ve read or listened to at least 5 of the picture book nominees and/or 3) You’ve read or listened to at least 3 of the junior book nominees. Kids may vote for each category if they have read or listened to the required number of titles.

For more information on the NC Children’s Book Award and a list of the nominees, please visit the North Carolina Children’s Book Award.

If you’d like to have the picture books read to you, just click the “Read Aloud” link under any book.

Any questions? Contact your friendly neighborhood librarian.

WNC Nature Center! Welcomes new members Samson and Bonita Red Foxes
Mar 2 @ 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
WNC Nature Center

red foxes

Welcome to your new home, Samson and Bonita!  The two red foxes will be joining the other residents of the WNC Nature Center and are coming to us from Izzie’s Pond Sanctuary in Liberty, S.C.

Samson and Bonita have something more in common than their new home.  They are both less than a year old and were both injured as a result of being caught in leg-hold traps and each has three legs, which means they would not be able to survive in the wild but can live safely in a zoo environment.

“The Nature Center has long provided excellent care for animals that, for one reason or another, could not live in the wild,” said WNC Nature Center Director Chris Gentile. “We are so excited to be able to welcome red foxes back to our Center.”

Come say “Hi!” to Samson and Bonita at the WNC Nature center beginning Feb. 11, when they’ll enter their new habitat for the first time.

“I was born in jail, and I’m still in jail:” Black Youth Protest at Asheville High School, 1969
Mar 2 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Online w/ Pack Memorial Library

"I was born in jail, and I'm still in jail:" Black Youth Protest at Asheville High School, 1969

In 1969 black students organized the walkout at Asheville High School to protest mistreatment at the hands of school officials at the newly desegregated Asheville High School. These students refused to accept poor treatment and blatant discrimination and they used their voices and their experiences with community activism to demand respect for themselves and for the traditions of their community. The students who participated in the walkout were fueled by a sense of dignity and self-respect that was nurtured in black neighborhoods and schools. This talk will focus on the meaning of this event and also examine how the walkout at Asheville high school has endured in popular memory.

Sarah Judson has been a member of the Department of History at UNC Asheville since 1998. She is also the director of the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and affiliate faculty in the Africana Studies program. She teaches classes in US Women’s History, African American History, and urban history. Her research and publications address intersections of race, class, and gender in southern cities.

Act Out Theatre Class Ages 8-12
Mar 2 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Online w/ Asheville Community Theatre

Taught by Amanda Klinikowski

Create your own short play! Add props, costumes, and scenic pieces (from things you already have at home!) and present to an audience of family and friends – all on Zoom!

Virtual Musical Theatre 6th – 8th Grades w/ Studio 52
Mar 2 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Online
Picture

“I wish… more than anything!”
Dive into Broadway repertoire and character analysis in this class that celebrates “I want” songs; the musical moment spotlighting a protagonist’s hopes and dreams. With a focus on acting through song, intention, and motivation, young artists will discover what drives a character as they learn, develop, and perform a musical revue of “I want” songs presented at the end of the semester in an original virtual showcase. 

Virtual Platform: Zoom
Instructors: Anna Kimmell, Matthew Glover

Supplies Needed: Internet connection, headphones, a device (mobile phone, tablet, or computer) with a camera for video submissions