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.
The Tallboys are Bill Melanson (vocals, guitar, bass), Jeff Mooney (guitar, vocals), James Fisher (bass, vocals, guitar), and David Cohen (drums). They are based in Asheville, NC and play original songs that feature acoustic instrumentation, vocal harmonies & vibrant lyrical content. The Tallboys’ music is a lively blend, with shades of rock, reggae and singer-songwriter styles. Each player brings years of experience to the band, creating a seasoned sound that draws the audience in and, sometimes, gets them dancing.
The Tallboys look forward to sharing a lifetime of music with you soon!
THIS IS THE ONE PARTY YOU DONT WANT TO MISS!!
Bring in 2023 at the historic GROVE HOUSE
- ONE Combined EPIC NYE Bash
- THREE Dance Floors, FOUR DJ’s, THREE Balloon Drops
- SIX Bar Tend Stations
- Balloon drops over ALL THREE dance floors, stuffed with OVER $1000 in Cash & Prizes!!!
- Complimentary party favors
(hats, tiaras, noisemakers, horns, leis, etc.)
Purchase tickets in advance or at the door
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/5666838%3Cbr
Darko Butorac, conductor
Mikki Sodergren, vocalist
Jonathan Christopher, vocalist
It’s Bond, James Bond, and your Asheville Symphony! Ring in the New Year with powerhouse vocalists backed by your Symphony and dreams of martinis (shaken, not stirred), Aston Martins, custom watches from Q, and the beloved MI6 agent. With hits from Bond movie favorites like Goldfinger, Skyfall, and more, start the new year in style by unleashing your inner Bond (or Bond girl).
Join us in welcoming 2023 on South Slope at Catawba Brewing! Performance by world famous DJ Jut Rut. Kicking off at 8pm and partying down till closing time.
Step back a century and join us for a speakeasy-style soirée in the heart of downtown Asheville. Live music and entertainment, 1920s style decor, and surprises throughout the evening. We’ll see you on the dance floor!
TICKETS: Can be found here on Eventbrite. Print at home or save to your phone (QR code must be visible). No tickets or refunds will be issued at the door.
DRESS CODE: 1920s-style dress is encouraged (but not required)
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:
- Tickets are $65 per person
- 2nd floor of Grove Arcade will be open for visitors to explore
- Music and Entertainment to be announced soon!
- Cash/card bar
- Coat check
- Free WiFi
- Beware of ticket scammers
A ENTERTAINING AND HILARIOUS NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION:
What people are saying about Sandy and Richard Riccardi:
“Musical Genius” ~ NY Magazine
“Brilliant” ~ The London Evening Standard
“Parody we never knew we needed”~ NowThis Politics
“Together, Sandy and Richard Riccardi made one hell of a rib-tickling and satisfying cabaret night out.” ~Peter Leavy, Cabaret Scenes Magazine
December 31, it’s a New Year’s Evening of comedy cabaret with Sandy and Richard Riccardi, and jazzy standards by guitarist Tim Doyle and his combo in-between! Sandy and Richard have taken their all-comedy, politically snarkastic show all over the country, having racked up over 100 million views on social media for their original blend of San Francisco sophistication and “Fizzy Fun” (Baltimore Cabaret Scenes Magazine).
Randy Rainbow is their secret love child but won’t admit it. Scream with laughter and tap your toes to their sparkling cabaret songs describing their cracked and bushwhacked road to marital bliss, social consciousness and menopause.
…….New songs, New jokes and old favorites!
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Tim Doyle is a 23-year veteran of the guitar and holds degrees from the University of North Carolina Greensboro and Indiana State University. He has worked as a professional performer and music educator in Austin, Texas, and throughout the Midwest for the past fifteen years. Tim is also an active composer, and recorded and produced a CD of original compositions for guitar in 2009.
Tim also developed and directed the summer Jazz camps and the annual resident Rock Camp for the ISU Community School of the Arts. Tim has also served as a bandleader and member of several local and touring groups, including The Leonard Washingtons and Lunes Domingo.
The celebration begins at 9pm and the party goes on til midnight.
PLUS All guests will receive FREE champagne for a midnight toast to ring in the New Year.
Sandy and Richard are huge favorites here at White Horse and we are thrilled to have them on board to help ring in the New Year with Joy and Laughter.
Buy Your Tickets Early !!!!!!
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TICKET PRICES:
$30 (includes the free champagne and 3 hours of entertainment)
(Tickets purchased in Advance of the day of the show are on sale for only $28)
– DANCING ROOM ONLY
– THE EARLIER YOU PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS, THE CHEAPER THEY ARE!
THE DOLLY DISCO
This ain’t no disco
It ain’t no country club either…
Giddy up girls, for THE DOLLY DISCO
The Dolly Parton Inspired Country Western Dance Party!
This is for the 9 to 5 workin’ girls with a calling from another era who just want something a little classic. Join us
in Rainbowland where you’ll dance with somebody, hand in hand to the music of Dolly Parton, Kacey Musgraves,
Orville Peck, Shania Twain, Miley Cyrus, Cher, Whitney Houston, The Chicks, Madonna, Tina Turner, Sheryl Crow
and more.
So wrangle your country-disco dancing queens and come party!
Go into 2023 laughing with Caleb Synan!
Caleb Synan is one of the hottest young comics in the country. (Funny AND good looking!) His unique background as a preacher’s kid from a small southern town gives him the ability to relate to any and every crowd — even though he’s a big old millennial who lives in LA. Want proof? He’s performed on CONAN (twice!), Last Comic Standing (once!), Bill Burr’s stand up show “The Ringers” on Comedy Central, and his first Comedy Central special “30” in 2022 (You can watch it on YouTube!)
He’s also entertained our troops in South Korea and Japan. What a guy! It’s no wonder he won the title of “Wittiest” in Franklin County High School’s 2009 Yearbook. He even wrote this bio himself. And he’ll have a margarita with you if you play your cards right.
featuring Jenny Jennings
ages 21+ (must have ID with you)
Tickets $18 advance, $22 day of
Come bring in the New Year with your VK family! Campfire starts at dark and DJ GruntWerk will be spinning live beats through the New Year starting at 10PM!
New York City drops a ball, Atlanta drops a peach, and Miami drops an orange. In Asheville, we drop a keg! Ring in the New Year as we welcome 2023 with our Annual New Year’s Eve Keg Drop Celebration at Thirsty Monk Biltmore Park in South Asheville, NC.
The Keg Drop Celebration is free to attend and ample parking is available for guests.
Do you work in downtown Asheville? If so, Buncombe County’s new affordable parking program could save you hundreds of your hard-earned dollars. The program will offer 150 spots at the Coxe Ave. parking deck (located at 11 Sears Alley) for $40 per month. This new initiative, focused on service industry and retail workers, is now taking applications for people who meet some basic eligibility requirements.
The application window will remain open for three weeks and closes on Friday, Jan. 13. After applying, a lottery system will determine who gets the 150 reduced-cost parking spots. Everyone else will be put on a waitlist with a chance to get spots based on attrition.
Eligibility requirements
- You must work in the downtown Asheville area (within one mile of Pack Square)
- You must earn less than 80% area median income (see application for income limits)
- Have a valid driver license
- Have a credit card or bank account to link for payment
- Applicants must be age 18 or older
If you think you meet the following requirements, please fill out an application here. The deadline to apply for the lottery is Friday, Jan. 13. If you are not able to submit an application online or need assistance completing the application, call (828) 250-5060.
Apply here
Fine print
This is a pilot program and it might be expanded in the future as the County evaluates data from this initial offering. Buncombe County is administering the application and lottery process. Preferred Parking (the County’s parking vendor) will be responsible for selling the tickets and contacting those on the waitlist.
The Buncombe County Health Promotions Team requests feedback from residents to help inform strategies to improve our health priorities. Over the summer, Buncombe County’s latest Community Health Assessment was released. With the help of key informant surveys, community listening sessions, and existing data, the following health conditions were selected as a focus priority for the next three years: Birth Outcomes, Mental Health and Substance Misuse, and Chronic Conditions (Heart Disease and Diabetes).
We are now requesting community input to inform strategic planning for the upcoming Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). The survey results will be used to determine how and what our community can do to address and improve Buncombe County’s health priorities. Let your voice be heard by taking the One Key Question Survey! All responses are anonymous.
We need participation from residents of Buncombe County to help us create a healthier community for everyone. Your response to the One Key Question Survey is essential to make Buncombe County a better place to call home.
So here’s the One Key Question:
What is the most important thing for you and your family’s health and well-being?
Once you are finished answering our survey, spend a few minutes exploring the many functions of the page. You can track responses from other locals, read about our assessment process, and learn how we use your answers to create community change. Be sure to check the page regularly to stay current on our new surveys, meeting schedules, process updates, and more.
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Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy
WHAT THEY DO: We permanently protect and steward our region’s most beloved natural areas. When you support local land and water conservation, you ensure our lands, our water, our wildlife and our farms will be there for future generations. SAHC is committed to creating and supporting equitable, healthy and thriving communities for everyone in our region.
Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy
The Henderson County Tourism Development Authority (HCTDA) offers an annual grant program to benefit tourism-related businesses and non-profit organizations as a way to build Henderson County into an even stronger tourist destination — the better you are, the better we are! The yearly grant program accepts applications from December through January, with selections and disbursements being made in the spring (see timeline below for exact dates).
4 info sessions were held leading up to the grant request period.
1) Watch a recording of the General Info Meeting
2) Watch a recording of the Destination Enhancement Grant Info Meeting
3) Watch a recording of the Marketing Grant Info Meeting
4) Watch a recording of the Event Grant Info Meeting
Grants are awarded in 3 categories: Marketing Grants, to promote your business or event; Event Grants, to support the operations budget of the event; and Destination Enhancement Grants, which includes building new or improving existing assets.
The HCTDA is empowered to award grant funding through state tax legislation using occupancy tax collection monies, and decisions on grant recipients are made by a Grants Committee that is comprised of HCTDA Board members and representatives from the community.
Find out if your organization or project is eligible for funding at the links below. With additional questions, please contact the Asset & Event Development Coordinator, Amy Boswell.
The upcoming Journeyperson course is now available AT NO COST! Due to some timely grant funding, we can offer this in-depth farmer training for farmers in years 3-7 with no associated tuition fee! The course consists of monthly cohort meet-ups and 2-3 in-depth workshops, plus mentorship!
In addition, a select number of participants will also receive matched FUNDS for your farm savings account (Savings Incentive Program) and money to spend on a professional development opportunity of your choosing! Want to attend a workshop on livestock management? OGS will contribute towards that fee! Are you saving money for a farm asset? OGS will contribute up to a certain amount to that investment.
The Journeyperson Program is for farmers who have been independently farming for three or more years and are serious about operating farm businesses in the Southern Appalachian region.
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Adventure is what we do.
Nantahala Outdoor Center has a long history of venturing where many haven’t, pioneering new adventures, and bringing opportunities to experience the outdoors to millions of guests over five decades. Our International Adventure Tours offer unique destinations, exciting adventures and activities, experienced guides, and world-class hospitality. These all-inclusive, small group excursions will redefine how you travel. Experience some of the most breathtaking places in the world without feeling like a tourist.
If your idea of fun is a rafting trip on the Chilko, a quiet lake paddle in Argentina, surf lessons in Ecuador, or trekking in Iceland, our trips have something for every adventure and skill level. Enjoy kayaking, hiking, fishing, horseback riding, yoga, surfing, ziplining, wine tastings, or cultural experiences, along with the flexibility to customize your own adventure. Settle in after your travels in some of the most unique accommodations in the world; from cozy lodges and five star resorts, with local cuisine and tastings, every detail is meticulously planned so you can soak up every moment.
We hope these guided, off-the-beaten-path expeditions will foster the same spirit of adventure we encourage in our Southeastern locations, while giving you the opportunity to explore beyond your own backyard.
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We have officially announced our new 2023 Adventure travel trips for you to explore new destinations, try new adventures, and experience new cultures! Our trips are small groups, offer world-class hospitality, unique lodging and the most diverse activity options for you to try! We’re giving “revenge travel” new meaning. |
If you’re behind on your water bill or afraid your water might get cut off, a new resource might be able to help you. On Jan. 4, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approved more than $450,000 in federal funding for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP). The initiative is aimed at preventing water disconnections and helping reconnect drinking and wastewater services.
The LIHWAP will be administered by Buncombe County-based Eblen Charities. The nonprofit will make payments directly to utilities on behalf of qualifying households. The program is slated to run through Sept. 30, 2023 or until funds are exhausted.
Eligibility requirements
Households that currently receive Food and Nutrition Services (FNS), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Work First services, or those that received Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) services from Oct. 1, 2020-Sept. 30, 2021, are automatically eligible to receive this benefit if their water services have been cut off or are in danger of being cut off.
For additional eligibility information or to apply, please contact Eblen Charities at (828) 255-3066.
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Do you need a little inspiration to get moving after the holiday season? Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is starting off 2023 with a challenge to get folks out and about – hiking or walking to enjoy the great outdoors!
The SAHC Winter Hiking Challenge sets a goal of 60 miles in 60 days, to be completed in your own time and at your own speed. Those can be miles you’ve walked, run or hiked – in your neighborhood, on a flat walking track, up a rugged mountain trail, or meandering in fields and forests. Whatever works for your comfort and skill level – just make it 60 miles within the 60-day challenge time period (January 1 to March 1, 2023). Sign up early to have more time to complete the Challenge. Registration ends on February 1.
All participants will receive informative emails with suggestions for some of our favorite places to hike across the mountains of NC and TN. This special email series will include recommendations to enjoy places that SAHC has protected as well other favorite trails and excursions. We all know that some of our favorite hiking places are experiencing overuse and suffering impacts from their popularity. We will try to share tidbits about some of the lesser-known trails and places to enjoy the great outdoors, so you can help alleviate stress on fragile trail ecosystems. Those who complete the Winter Hiking Challenge will receive a commemorative SAHC patch after the end of the challenge (after March 1). Proceeds from the Challenge sign-ups support conservation work in the Southern Appalachians.
Time spent outdoors and in nature can help with both mental and physical health. We hope this Challenge will make it interesting for folks to explore places you may not have hiked before, and/or to rediscover the joy of nature in your own backyard. Please note, the Challenge signup fee is a fundraiser to help support conservation efforts; you DO NOT have to pay to hike public trails.
Are you a little unsure about hiking in winter? We will share helpful Winter Hiking Tips, for those who haven’t hiked during the winter months. Feel free to enter miles at any date during the 60 days, as long as they are all entered before March 1. You can even enter your miles at the end of a certain time period (e.g, entering your miles for the week on Friday, all under one entry).
Take the Challenge by yourself, or with friends and family. Please just be safe while doing so!
Everything you need to know about your property is now in one easy-to-navigate location. Buncombe County Tax Collections and Property Assessment have teamed up to launch the newly redesigned website at tax.buncombecounty.org. The new site is live as of Dec. 12.
Following a community survey and feedback from the Ad Hoc Reappraisal Committee, staff has taken suggestions and made changes to Buncombe County’s most-visited webpage, tax.buncombecounty.org. Searching for information about your property value, property record card, and property tax bill is as easy as entering your address. “Our Tax Lookup site has gone through a significant overhaul,” says Tax Collector Jennifer Pike. “Thanks to our custom dev team, we have been able to design around the user experience. By entering search criteria and choosing a property, the property details now flow to most actions or information the user is interested in, without needing to reenter property information or initiate another search.”
Consider this site your homeowner’s toolkit with popular tax resources now in one easy-to-find place. Use Discover Buncombe to find a variety of other information like where to vote, your closest parks, and even crime data for neighborhoods close to you. Explore GIS maps, start a property value appeal, pay your tax bill, or apply for an exemption all from one starting place.
“Buncombe County residents, that’s what it’s all about,” stresses Property Assessor Keith Miller. “We continue to look for new and innovative ways to serve our residents. Our goal is to provide data transparency along with an educational component so residents can better understand property assessment.”
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Remote Tropical |
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Uncrowded point breaks, warm water, predictable waves, friendly locals, great food and drink…this is a real surfer’s paradise! Join us on a surf safari in the Ecuadorian town of Mompiche. Great waves and a multitude of other activities from surf lessons, SUP, horseback riding, massages and more, enjoy it all from your ocean front home away from home! |
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The Magnetic Theatre announces its 2023 Mainstage Season of new plays with tickets on sale beginning January 1st, and begins scheduling auditions and interviews for actors and technicians.
The Magnetic Theatre’s Mainstage Season begins with HappyLand, a new rock opera by Brayden Dickerson and Zach Knox of Smooth Goose. The musical tells the tale of a delivery person who doesn’t quite fit into the titular town of HappyLand. Forced to make one last delivery before the vacation they have been dreaming of, our hero embarks on an epic journey to SadLand, falls in love, and maybe even saves the world. Full of toe-tappin’ tunes and fantastic adventure, HappyLand launches February 10th and runs through February 25th.
Beginning April 14th and running through April 29th, join us for the regional premiere of Fish, by Cyndi Williams. When two characters connect unexpectedly in a lonely bar, they wind up playing a dangerous game. Who will survive, and how can they forgive themselves in the process? Shifting timelines and unearthing skeletons, Fish is a fever dream twisting through memory, fantasy, and the present.
Next up, June 2nd through 17th, take your seats and pay attention to Da Classroom Ain’t Enuf, by Charles Payne. This choreopoem, inspired by the work of Ntozake Shange, is an exploration of the intersection of Black and Brown communities, particularly in and around the American educational system. The play features an ensemble of four actors who play teachers, students, and their families and is a mix of poetry, prose, and music, with original tracks by composer Richard Jones.
Then, August 4th through 13th, The Magnetic Theatre’s One Act Play Festival returns for its fourth year of short plays. Featuring a variety of stories, emerging and seasoned playwrights, local directors, and incredible performers, there’s sure to be something for everyone! Playwrights may submit one act scripts for consideration throughout the month of February.
Ushering in the spooky season, October 6th through 21st brings The Splatter Play by Abby Auman. It’s the day of the open house for Tina’s childhood home, which also happens to be her deceased mother’s evil laboratory. Determined to turn the terrors of the lab into selling points, Tina and her optimistic realtor parade a cast of unsavory potential buyers through the home, tormented all the while by the resident creepies and crawlies who aren’t quite as ready to move on as Tina would hope. *Note: there will be blood, so much blood.
Finally, as 2023 comes to a close, The Magnetic Theatre proudly presents New Queer’s Eve. December 1st through 16th, join us for a look at the year’s last holiday through a new lens. New Queer’s Eve takes place in one location over multiple New Year’s Eve celebrations and provides a glimpse into the LGBTQIA+ experience through time. Through interconnected stories told by a collaboration of queer writers, New Queer’s Eve invites audiences to share in the joys and struggles of queer life through the decades.
Kick off the new year in Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park during this First Day Hike! Start your morning bright and early with a stroll, hike or bike ride up to the 3.2-mile Park road. Usually restricted to motor vehicle traffic only, there will be no cars in your way if you show up for this special, early morning hike that’s free to participants! Bicyclists are allowed to use the road also on this special morning to climb and descend the steep park road under controlled speed. Helmets are required.
Meet at the Old Rock Café at 8am. Registration is not required.
The WNC Farmers Market is the premier destination for buying and selling the region’s best agriculture products directly from farmers & food producers to household & wholesale customers in an environment that celebrates the region’s diverse culture, food & heritage.
House of Operation:
WNC Farmers Market: 24/7, 361 days a year market access for farmers
Office: Monday- Friday, 8am-5pm
Market Shops: 7 days a week, 8 am-5 pm
Wholesale and Truck Sheds: 7 days a week
The 30th Annual National Gingerbread House Competition will be held in-person at The Omni Grove Park Inn on Monday, November 21, 2022 with an Awards Ceremony following in the Grand Ballroom. Competition judging will be conducted in-person and is closed to the public. The competition’s esteemed panel of judges, including Chef Carla Hall, will announce a winner on November 21st at the Resort. All entries will be on display at The Omni Grove Park Inn (290 Macon Ave., Asheville) throughout the holiday season.
The official 2022 Gingerbread display begins on Monday, November 28, 2022 and will continue through Monday, January 2, 2023. Guests not staying at the Resort are invited to view the display after 6:00 p.m. on Sundays or anytime Monday through Thursday, based on parking availability and excluding holidays and the following dates: December 23, 24, 25, 30, 31 and January 1. All Fridays and Saturdays are reserved for registered resort guests and those that have confirmed dining reservations. Display access is subject to hotel capacity, including pedestrian traffic. Please note that only Registered Resort Pets will be permitted. No outside pets will be allowed.
HOLIDAY PARKING PROGRAM
Since the inception of the Holiday Parking Partner program in 2013, we have been honored to contribute over $680,000 to not-for-profit partners in Western North Carolina. During the Fall & Holiday season, there is no complimentary parking on property. Starting Saturday, October 1st, guests can drive up to the main entrance at The Omni Grove Park Inn and be assisted by a valet for $35 for day guests and $30 for overnight guests. Self-parking for day guests is $25 and $20 for overnight guests. A portion of the parking proceeds is donated to the community in support of local not-for-profit organizations.
Each tree, uniquely decorated around the theme: A Black Mountain Christmas, will be created by businesses, organizations, or individuals to help raise funds for the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry Fuel Fund. Come join us! Share in the Christmas spirit and support your favorite tree by donating with cash, check, or on-line at svcmblackmountain.org.
The 9th Annual Resolution Run 5K and 10K races through the streets of Downtown Asheville, NC on New Year’s Day, at a reasonable 10:00 am. Leave 2022 and let’s start 2023 off with a nice refreshing “leave it all behind” experience through downtown Asheville. This race welcomes families and participants of all ages to come run or crawl their way to completing their FIRST New Year’s Resolution! Bring warm layers of clothes, tie up your running shoes, and get ready to ‘run into’ 2023!
Limited Capacity: 12 Guests per Tour
A truly memorable experience featuring rare photo opportunities, this exclusive guided tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at the design and construction of Biltmore House in areas unavailable on the regular house visit. Imagine yourself a Vanderbilt (or cherished Vanderbilt guest) as you take in stunning views seen only from the house’s rooftop and balconies.
Advance reservation required. Tour includes 250 stairs with no elevator access. Wheelchairs, strollers, and baby backpacks are prohibited. Backpacks are not allowed on any guided tours. Guests are required to leave backpacks in a locker or in their vehicle. To participate in this tour, guest must have a daytime ticket, a Biltmore Annual Pass, or a stay at one of the estate’s splendid overnight properties.