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, August 11, 2023
Shrek The Musical – Theatre for Young Audiences
Aug 11 @ 7:00 pm
Asheville High School Arts Theatre

Shrek the Musical is a Theatre For Young Audiences Version of the show and is rated PG for some potty humor and romance.

Montford Park Players: Treasure Island
Aug 11 @ 7:30 pm
Montford Park Players

Written by Honor Moor
Directed by David Doersch
The second World Premiere of the season, Treasure Island is a new take on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of buccaneers and buried gold, from local playwright Honor Moor. Fun for the whole family!

All shows will be at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheater in the Montford District of Asheville, and all will be presented absolutely FREE of charge!

All shows will run Fridays through Sundays and all will be presented at 7:30pm and prime seats can be reserved.

Montford Park Players has been bringing some of theater’s greatest works to Western North Carolina for over 50 years. Montford Park Players continues its mission of bring free theater to the community. The summer season allows everyone to come spend an evening under the stars, seeing some of the best live performances presented in Asheville.

The Magnetic One Act Play Festival
Aug 11 @ 7:30 pm
The Magnetic Theatre

The Magnetic Theatre presents its 4th Annual One Act
Festival. The festival will take place over two weekends with a Best of the Fest closing show
chosen entirely by the audience.
The process began with an open call for plays. A team of readers poured through hundreds of
submissions to select a group of plays that varied in theme, subject matter, and style. The result?
A two-weekend extravaganza featuring 24 playwrights, 17 directors, and 70+ actors, all working
to bring a kaleidoscope of stories to Asheville!
The featured playwrights are as varied and wonderful as the pieces they submitted, and the group
includes local authors and writers from around the country – and Japan! But that’s not all…for
the first time this year, The Magnetic is partnering with The Moppets (a local company focused
on teen performance and writing) to produce one of this year’s short plays.
One act plays present a unique opportunity and a clear path for developing playwrights to hone
their craft and get their work seen by a larger audience. Past One Act Play Festival participants
have since been inducted into The Magnetic Theatre’s New Play Development Program and/or
taken part in our Main Stage Season.
The Festival will run August 4-13, 2023: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 4pm
and 7:30pm, and Sundays at 4pm. There will be two shows, a Show A and a Show B, which will
run from August 4-12, 2023, with the August 13th performance being a Best of the Fest show
featuring audience voted favorites from both Show A and B! Be sure to come out and vote for
your favorites.
To purchase tickets, visit: https://themagnetictheatre.org/2023-mainstage-season. All sales
directly benefit the production and continuation of local theatre and the local artists that make it
possible.

Movies in the Park: Little Giants
Aug 11 @ 8:30 pm
Pack Square Park

👉 Asheville Parks & Recreation Rec n Roll Fun Zone activities start an hour before showtime with games, giveaways, and other activities for kids and teens.

.: MAKE A PLAN :.
📍 All movies are free and begin at dusk in Pack Square Park on 80 Court Plaza in downtown Asheville. Approximate showtimes are listed, but plan to arrive at least 15 minutes prior. Bring blankets and folding chairs for comfort.
📍 Asheville Parks & Recreation Rec n Roll Fun Zone activities start an hour before showtime.
📍 Bring money for food and treats from local vendors. Smokee’s Pizza is scheduled for opening night on May 12 while Tin Can Pizzeria is scheduled for the remaining dates. Kona Ice of Asheville and Kernel Mike’s World Famous Kettle Corn will be available at all dates.
📍 Free parking is available in marked spaces on city streets and in city-owned lots on Marjorie Street after 6pm.
📍 Pets, smoking, and alcohol are prohibited.
📍 Have fun! Dress up as your favorite characters, invite friends, and celebrate cool summer nights.

Movies in the Park allows people to enjoy blockbusters on the big screen with a spectacular backdrop – Asheville City Hall’s art decor exterior flanked by the rising mountains and a night sky full of stars. As Asheville’s town square, Pack Square Park’s central location allows community members in nearby neighborhoods including East End, Montford, South French Broad, and Southside to easily walk, bike, or ride to the show. Free parking in downtown after 6pm makes it a low-cost night out for those traveling from further away.

Saturday, August 12, 2023
Flat Rock Playhouse: Fall Classes and Auditions for the World Premiere Musical
Aug 12 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

Announcing 8 weeks of Fall Musical Theatre/Theatre Camps for rising K-12th Graders and Adults!

With new content for every program,

returning students will always have the chance to dive into fresh material.

Share what you have learned with a performance at the end of the semester!

Special Olympics Fall Sports Registration is OPEN
Aug 12 all-day
online

Special Olympics Fall sports registration is now OPEN!

Choose your sport and join the fun! Athletes can pick from soccer, bocce, basketball, and tennis. For any questions, please email [email protected]!

Register here!    

Special Olympics Fall Sports Interest Form (office.com)

4th Annual One Act Play Festival
Aug 12 – Aug 13 all-day
The Magnetic Theatre

The Magnetic Theatre’s One Act Play Festival returns for its fourth year of short plays, featuring a variety of different stories, playwrights, local directors, and incredible performers.

The process began with an open call for plays. A team of readers poured through hundreds of submissions to select a group of plays that varied in theme, subject matter, and style. The result? A two-weekend extravaganza featuring 24 playwrights, 17 directors, and 70+ actors, all working to bring a kaleidoscope of stories to Asheville! The Festival will run August 4-13, 2023: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 4pm and 7:30pm, and Sundays at 4pm. There will be two shows, a Show A and a Show B, which will run from August 4-12, 2023, with the August 13th performance being a Best of the Fest show featuring audience voted favorites from both Show A and B! Be sure to come out and vote for your favorites.

Shrek The Musical – Theatre for Young Audiences
Aug 12 @ 1:00 pm
Asheville High School Arts Theatre

Shrek the Musical is a Theatre For Young Audiences Version of the show and is rated PG for some potty humor and romance.

New Works Series
Aug 12 @ 3:00 pm
Hendersonville Theatre

Hendersonville Theatre (HT) continues its New Works Series (formerly called Staged Reading Series) Saturday, August 12 at 3 p.m. Showcasing the work of area playwrights and performed by local actors, The New Works Series is a FREE public reading of a new play in development. However, donations are welcome to support HT.

HT’s New Works Series offers exciting script-in-hand readings of new plays by emerging local playwrights. The readings are followed by a talk back with the playwright and actors to provide feedback to the playwright.

A short discussion will follow each reading to provide feedback to the playwright about their script. There is no charge to attend or to participate, however donations are welcome and will be used to support HT.

Hendersonville Theatre is committed to exploring and developing new work for American theater, supporting local playwrights with their creative process from concept to production.

Vote for Herbert by Mark Whicker will be read on August 12. In Vote for Herbert, Herbert Granger, 82, decides to run for the of office of State Senator of Ohio,

Mark Whicker was born in Winston-Salem, attended UNC-CH (1973) and worked in NC until 1977. A former newspaper columnist, he began taking playwriting classes after retirement. He has six plays up on New Play Exchange. One of his plays has been performed at Clairemont Act One in San Diego.

Playwrights who would like to submit work for consideration for the New Works Series can follow the submission guidelines posted at here and email questions to [email protected].

Since 1966, Hendersonville Theatre has provided an inviting and nurturing environment for live theatre, as well as high-quality, affordable entertainment for the residents of Hendersonville and surrounding areas. Hendersonville Theatre is wheelchair accessible, with free parking behind and in front of the theater.

The Magnetic One Act Play Festival
Aug 12 @ 4:00 pm
The Magnetic Theatre

The Magnetic Theatre presents its 4th Annual One Act
Festival. The festival will take place over two weekends with a Best of the Fest closing show
chosen entirely by the audience.
The process began with an open call for plays. A team of readers poured through hundreds of
submissions to select a group of plays that varied in theme, subject matter, and style. The result?
A two-weekend extravaganza featuring 24 playwrights, 17 directors, and 70+ actors, all working
to bring a kaleidoscope of stories to Asheville!
The featured playwrights are as varied and wonderful as the pieces they submitted, and the group
includes local authors and writers from around the country – and Japan! But that’s not all…for
the first time this year, The Magnetic is partnering with The Moppets (a local company focused
on teen performance and writing) to produce one of this year’s short plays.
One act plays present a unique opportunity and a clear path for developing playwrights to hone
their craft and get their work seen by a larger audience. Past One Act Play Festival participants
have since been inducted into The Magnetic Theatre’s New Play Development Program and/or
taken part in our Main Stage Season.
The Festival will run August 4-13, 2023: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 4pm
and 7:30pm, and Sundays at 4pm. There will be two shows, a Show A and a Show B, which will
run from August 4-12, 2023, with the August 13th performance being a Best of the Fest show
featuring audience voted favorites from both Show A and B! Be sure to come out and vote for
your favorites.
To purchase tickets, visit: https://themagnetictheatre.org/2023-mainstage-season. All sales
directly benefit the production and continuation of local theatre and the local artists that make it
possible.

Montford Park Players: Treasure Island
Aug 12 @ 7:30 pm
Montford Park Players

Written by Honor Moor
Directed by David Doersch
The second World Premiere of the season, Treasure Island is a new take on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of buccaneers and buried gold, from local playwright Honor Moor. Fun for the whole family!

All shows will be at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheater in the Montford District of Asheville, and all will be presented absolutely FREE of charge!

All shows will run Fridays through Sundays and all will be presented at 7:30pm and prime seats can be reserved.

Montford Park Players has been bringing some of theater’s greatest works to Western North Carolina for over 50 years. Montford Park Players continues its mission of bring free theater to the community. The summer season allows everyone to come spend an evening under the stars, seeing some of the best live performances presented in Asheville.

The Magnetic One Act Play Festival
Aug 12 @ 7:30 pm
The Magnetic Theatre

The Magnetic Theatre presents its 4th Annual One Act
Festival. The festival will take place over two weekends with a Best of the Fest closing show
chosen entirely by the audience.
The process began with an open call for plays. A team of readers poured through hundreds of
submissions to select a group of plays that varied in theme, subject matter, and style. The result?
A two-weekend extravaganza featuring 24 playwrights, 17 directors, and 70+ actors, all working
to bring a kaleidoscope of stories to Asheville!
The featured playwrights are as varied and wonderful as the pieces they submitted, and the group
includes local authors and writers from around the country – and Japan! But that’s not all…for
the first time this year, The Magnetic is partnering with The Moppets (a local company focused
on teen performance and writing) to produce one of this year’s short plays.
One act plays present a unique opportunity and a clear path for developing playwrights to hone
their craft and get their work seen by a larger audience. Past One Act Play Festival participants
have since been inducted into The Magnetic Theatre’s New Play Development Program and/or
taken part in our Main Stage Season.
The Festival will run August 4-13, 2023: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 4pm
and 7:30pm, and Sundays at 4pm. There will be two shows, a Show A and a Show B, which will
run from August 4-12, 2023, with the August 13th performance being a Best of the Fest show
featuring audience voted favorites from both Show A and B! Be sure to come out and vote for
your favorites.
To purchase tickets, visit: https://themagnetictheatre.org/2023-mainstage-season. All sales
directly benefit the production and continuation of local theatre and the local artists that make it
possible.

Sunday, August 13, 2023
Flat Rock Playhouse: Fall Classes and Auditions for the World Premiere Musical
Aug 13 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

Announcing 8 weeks of Fall Musical Theatre/Theatre Camps for rising K-12th Graders and Adults!

With new content for every program,

returning students will always have the chance to dive into fresh material.

Share what you have learned with a performance at the end of the semester!

Special Olympics Fall Sports Registration is OPEN
Aug 13 all-day
online

Special Olympics Fall sports registration is now OPEN!

Choose your sport and join the fun! Athletes can pick from soccer, bocce, basketball, and tennis. For any questions, please email [email protected]!

Register here!    

Special Olympics Fall Sports Interest Form (office.com)

The Magnetic One Act Play Festival: Best of the Festival
Aug 13 @ 4:00 pm
The Magnetic Theatre

The Magnetic Theatre presents its 4th Annual One Act
Festival. The festival will take place over two weekends with a Best of the Fest closing show
chosen entirely by the audience.
The process began with an open call for plays. A team of readers poured through hundreds of
submissions to select a group of plays that varied in theme, subject matter, and style. The result?
A two-weekend extravaganza featuring 24 playwrights, 17 directors, and 70+ actors, all working
to bring a kaleidoscope of stories to Asheville!
The featured playwrights are as varied and wonderful as the pieces they submitted, and the group
includes local authors and writers from around the country – and Japan! But that’s not all…for
the first time this year, The Magnetic is partnering with The Moppets (a local company focused
on teen performance and writing) to produce one of this year’s short plays.
One act plays present a unique opportunity and a clear path for developing playwrights to hone
their craft and get their work seen by a larger audience. Past One Act Play Festival participants
have since been inducted into The Magnetic Theatre’s New Play Development Program and/or
taken part in our Main Stage Season.
The Festival will run August 4-13, 2023: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 4pm
and 7:30pm, and Sundays at 4pm. There will be two shows, a Show A and a Show B, which will
run from August 4-12, 2023, with the August 13th performance being a Best of the Fest show
featuring audience voted favorites from both Show A and B! Be sure to come out and vote for
your favorites.
To purchase tickets, visit: https://themagnetictheatre.org/2023-mainstage-season. All sales
directly benefit the production and continuation of local theatre and the local artists that make it
possible.

Slice of Life Comedy Open Mic + Feature Comedy at Asheville Pizza
Aug 13 @ 6:30 pm
Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co

Another Great Comedy Show at Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co, Theater 2! Sunday August 13 6:30p, 18+, Get Dinner, Drinks & Laughs with the area’s best standup comics. Featured and Open Mic Comedy. Performing comics get FREE entry and pizza. Get Your Tickets Now, They Go Fast!!
Feature comics Moira Goree & Jason Webb! Special guest to be announced! Hosted by Morgan Marie with a #comedyopenmic [free entry/pizza for performers]
TICKETS:
https://www.ashevillebrewing.com/movies/
Facebook:
https://facebook.com/events/s/stand-up-comedy-at-asheville-p/592425949719588/

Monday, August 14, 2023
Flat Rock Playhouse: Fall Classes and Auditions for the World Premiere Musical
Aug 14 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

Announcing 8 weeks of Fall Musical Theatre/Theatre Camps for rising K-12th Graders and Adults!

With new content for every program,

returning students will always have the chance to dive into fresh material.

Share what you have learned with a performance at the end of the semester!

Special Olympics Fall Sports Registration is OPEN
Aug 14 all-day
online

Special Olympics Fall sports registration is now OPEN!

Choose your sport and join the fun! Athletes can pick from soccer, bocce, basketball, and tennis. For any questions, please email [email protected]!

Register here!    

Special Olympics Fall Sports Interest Form (office.com)

Antigone at NC Stage
Aug 14 @ 12:00 am – 2:00 am
North Carolina Stage Company

In the aftermath of civil war, a young woman defies the commands of her uncle–the king– to stand for human dignity over man-made laws.
See the NC Stage Community Tour before it goes on the road with this bare-bones, story-focused, six actor production of the classic Sophocles story with original music! Tickets starting at only $5.

Tuesday, August 15, 2023
Flat Rock Playhouse: Fall Classes and Auditions for the World Premiere Musical
Aug 15 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

Announcing 8 weeks of Fall Musical Theatre/Theatre Camps for rising K-12th Graders and Adults!

With new content for every program,

returning students will always have the chance to dive into fresh material.

Share what you have learned with a performance at the end of the semester!

Special Olympics Fall Sports Registration is OPEN
Aug 15 all-day
online

Special Olympics Fall sports registration is now OPEN!

Choose your sport and join the fun! Athletes can pick from soccer, bocce, basketball, and tennis. For any questions, please email [email protected]!

Register here!    

Special Olympics Fall Sports Interest Form (office.com)

WICKED
Aug 15 @ 7:30 pm
Peace Concert Hall

So much happened before Dorothy dropped in.

WICKED, the Broadway sensation, looks at what happened in the Land of Oz…but from a different angle.  Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin—smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships…until the world decides to call one “good” and the other one “wicked.”

From the first electrifying note to the final breathtaking moment, WICKED—the untold true story of the Witches of Oz—transfixes audiences with its wildly inventive story that USA Today cheers is “a complete triumph! An original musical that will make you laugh, cry, and think.”

Wednesday, August 16, 2023
Asheville Performing Arts Academy Programs 2023-2024 Season
Aug 16 all-day
Asheville Performing Arts Academy

2023-2024 Season

The Asheville Performing Arts Academy facilitates a life-long appreciation and advocacy of the arts by providing a loving community where students discover the tools needed to navigate life on and off the stage.

Mission

The Asheville Performing Arts Academy is a school based on unlimited opportunities for students to explore their interests in music, dance, and drama.  We foster a love and appreciation for the arts through student-teacher relationships, which encourage and help you to excel at your dream. We offer high quality instruction and educational experiences because we are committed to the art of teaching and the teaching of the arts.  It is our hope to build art and awareness in the community and provide a home for families to pursue their dreams.

With classes for students of all ages, the Asheville Performing Arts Academy is your place to discover the love of music, drama, and dance in your life.

Asheville Performing Arts Academy… where the arts come alive!

November 10-12, 2023

An APAA Cabaret (Company)

 

December 8-10, 2023

Oliver, Jr. (Prep)

 

December 15-17, 2023

Oliver, Jr. (Community)

February 2-4, 2024

Mean Girls, Jr.

(Middle School Community)

 

February 9-11, 2024

Mean Girls HS Version

(High School Community)

 

March/April 2024

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Homeschool Academy)

April 25-28, 2024

Little Shop of Horros (Company)

 

May 10-12, 2024

Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Jr. (Prep)

 

May 17-19, 2024

Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Jr. (Community)

Flat Rock Playhouse: Fall Classes and Auditions for the World Premiere Musical
Aug 16 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

Announcing 8 weeks of Fall Musical Theatre/Theatre Camps for rising K-12th Graders and Adults!

With new content for every program,

returning students will always have the chance to dive into fresh material.

Share what you have learned with a performance at the end of the semester!

Special Olympics Fall Sports Registration is OPEN
Aug 16 all-day
online

Special Olympics Fall sports registration is now OPEN!

Choose your sport and join the fun! Athletes can pick from soccer, bocce, basketball, and tennis. For any questions, please email [email protected]!

Register here!    

Special Olympics Fall Sports Interest Form (office.com)

WICKED
Aug 16 @ 7:30 pm
Peace Concert Hall

So much happened before Dorothy dropped in.

WICKED, the Broadway sensation, looks at what happened in the Land of Oz…but from a different angle.  Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin—smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships…until the world decides to call one “good” and the other one “wicked.”

From the first electrifying note to the final breathtaking moment, WICKED—the untold true story of the Witches of Oz—transfixes audiences with its wildly inventive story that USA Today cheers is “a complete triumph! An original musical that will make you laugh, cry, and think.”

Thursday, August 17, 2023
Asheville Performing Arts Academy Programs 2023-2024 Season
Aug 17 all-day
Asheville Performing Arts Academy

2023-2024 Season

The Asheville Performing Arts Academy facilitates a life-long appreciation and advocacy of the arts by providing a loving community where students discover the tools needed to navigate life on and off the stage.

Mission

The Asheville Performing Arts Academy is a school based on unlimited opportunities for students to explore their interests in music, dance, and drama.  We foster a love and appreciation for the arts through student-teacher relationships, which encourage and help you to excel at your dream. We offer high quality instruction and educational experiences because we are committed to the art of teaching and the teaching of the arts.  It is our hope to build art and awareness in the community and provide a home for families to pursue their dreams.

With classes for students of all ages, the Asheville Performing Arts Academy is your place to discover the love of music, drama, and dance in your life.

Asheville Performing Arts Academy… where the arts come alive!

November 10-12, 2023

An APAA Cabaret (Company)

 

December 8-10, 2023

Oliver, Jr. (Prep)

 

December 15-17, 2023

Oliver, Jr. (Community)

February 2-4, 2024

Mean Girls, Jr.

(Middle School Community)

 

February 9-11, 2024

Mean Girls HS Version

(High School Community)

 

March/April 2024

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Homeschool Academy)

April 25-28, 2024

Little Shop of Horros (Company)

 

May 10-12, 2024

Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Jr. (Prep)

 

May 17-19, 2024

Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Jr. (Community)

Flat Rock Playhouse: Fall Classes and Auditions for the World Premiere Musical
Aug 17 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

Announcing 8 weeks of Fall Musical Theatre/Theatre Camps for rising K-12th Graders and Adults!

With new content for every program,

returning students will always have the chance to dive into fresh material.

Share what you have learned with a performance at the end of the semester!

Special Olympics Fall Sports Registration is OPEN
Aug 17 all-day
online

Special Olympics Fall sports registration is now OPEN!

Choose your sport and join the fun! Athletes can pick from soccer, bocce, basketball, and tennis. For any questions, please email [email protected]!

Register here!    

Special Olympics Fall Sports Interest Form (office.com)

The Girl on the Train
Aug 17 @ 7:30 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse

Rachel Watson longs for a different life. Her only escape is the perfect couple she watches through the train window every day, happy and in love. Or so it appears. When Rachel learns that the woman she’s been secretly watching has suddenly disappeared, she finds herself as a witness and even a suspect in a thrilling mystery in which she will face bigger revelations than she could ever have anticipated. Based on the bestselling novel by Paula Hawkins and DreamWorks film.

*Adult language and content. Parental discretion advised.