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, November 17, 2023
Reckoning: Adornment as Narrative
Nov 17 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tyger Tyger Gallery

Tyger Tyger Gallery is pleased to present Reckoning: Adornment as Narrative, a group exhibition curated by Asheville-based artist and curator Erika Diamond.

Reckoning: Adornment as Narrative is an exhibition of diverse practices, anchored at three points: methods of reckoning; the function of adornment; and the fusing of personal and cultural narrative. It features acts of glitz, embellishment, and homage by Shae Bishop, David Harper Clemons, Kashif Dennis, Annie Evelyn, Margaret Jacobs, Julia Kwon, Katrina Majkut, Heather Mackenzie, and Luis Sahagun. Through material language, each artist tells the story of their identity. Inherent to these stories are contradictions—between labor and value, feminine and masculine, natural and fabricated.

Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 AM – 5PM
12/19/2023
American Art in the Atomic Age: 1940-1960
Nov 17 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum
Images: Left: Minna Wright Citron, Squid Under Pier, 1948, color etching, soft-ground, and engraving on paper, edition 42/50, 15 x 17 7/8 inches, 2010 Collections Circle purchase, Asheville Art Museum. © Estate of Minna Citron/Licensed by VAGA at ARS, New York. Right: Dorothy Dehner, Woman #2, 1954, watercolor and ink on paper, 22 3/4 x 18”, courtesy of Dolan Maxwell.

The Asheville Art Museum is pleased to announce the upcoming exhibition American Art in the Atomic Age: 1940–1960, which explores the groundbreaking contributions of artists who worked at the experimental printmaking studio Atelier 17 in the wake of World War II. Co-curated by Marilyn Laufer and Tom Butler, American Art in the Atomic Age which draws from the holdings of Dolan/Maxwell, the Asheville Art Museum Collection, and private collections will be on view from November 10, 2023–April 29, 2024.

Atelier 17 operated in New York for fifteen years, between 1940 and 1955. The studio’s founder, Stanley William Hayter (1901–1988) established the workshop in Paris but relocated to New York just as the Nazi occupation of Paris began in 1940. Hayter’s new studio attracted European emigrants like André Masson, Yves Tanguy, and Joan Miró, as well as American artists like Dorothy Dehner, Judith Rothschild, and Karl Schrag, allowing for an exchange of artistic ideas and processes between European and American artists.

The Asheville Art Museum will present over 100 works that exemplify the cross-cultural exchange and profound social and political impact of Atelier 17 on American art. Prints made at Atelier 17—including those by Stanley William Hayter, Louise Nevelson, and Perle Fine—will be in conversation with works by European Surrealists who were working at the studio in the 1940s and 1950s. The exhibition will also feature a selection of domestic mid-century objects that exemplify how the ideas and aesthetics of post-war abstraction became a part of everyday life.

Beyond the Lens: Photorealist Perspectives on Looking, Seeing, and Painting
Nov 17 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Throughout the history of painting from the mid-19th century forward, artists have used an

endless variety of approaches to record their world. Beyond the Lens: Photorealist Perspectives on Looking, Seeing, and Painting continues this thread, offering an opportunity to explore a singular and still forceful aspect of American art. Photorealism shares many of the approaches of historical and modernist realism, with a twist. The use of the camera as a basic tool for organizing visual information in advance of painterly expression is now quite common, but Photorealists embraced the camera as the focal point in their creative process.

Beyond the Lens presents key works from the collection of Louis K. and Susan Pear Meisel,

bringing together paintings and works on paper dating from the 1970s to the present to focus on this profoundly influential art movement. The exhibition includes work by highly acclaimed formative artists of the movement such as Charles Bell, Robert Bechtle, Tom Blackwell, Richard Estes, Audrey Flack, and Ralph Goings as well as paintings by the successive generations of Photorealist artists Anthony Brunelli, Davis Cone, Bertrand Meniel, Rod Penner, and Raphaella Spence. Featured artworks in the exhibition include diverse subject matters, but the primary focus is on the common and every day: urban scenes, “portraits” of cars, trucks, and motorcycles, still life compositions using toys, food, candy wrappers, and salt and pepper shakers. All provide opportunities for virtuoso studies in how light, reflection, and the camera as intermediary shapes our perception of the material world.

This multigenerational survey demonstrates how the 35-mm camera, and later technological

advances in digital image-making, informed and impacted the painterly gesture. Taken together, the paintings and works on paper in Beyond the Lens show how simply spellbinding these virtuosic works of art can be.

Beyond the Lens offers a fascinating look into the Photorealism movement and delves into the profound connection between the artists’ observation and creative process,” says Pamela L. Myers, Executive Director of Asheville Art Museum. “We are delighted to present this curated collection of artworks encapsulating the creative vision and technical precision that defines this artistic genre.”

Photorealism found its roots in the late 1960s in California and New York, coexisting with an explosion of new ideas in art-making that included Conceptual, Pop, Minimalism, Land and Performance Art. At first, representational realism coexisted with the thematic and conceptual explosion but was eventually relegated to the margins regarding critical and curatorial attention. Often misunderstood and sometimes negatively criticized or lampooned as a betrayal of modernism’s commitment to abstraction, the artists involved in Photorealism remained committed explorers of the trail they had blazed. In the decades of the late twentieth century and early twenty-first century, realistic and symbolic painting experienced a renaissance, as contemporary artists are increasingly drawn to narrative and storytelling. Concurrently, using a camera as a preparatory tool equally legitimate and valuable as pencils and pens has made the rubric of Photorealism increasingly relevant.

This exhibition is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and guest curated by Terrie Sultan.

This exhibition is sponsored in part by Jim and Julia Calkins Peterson.

Hannah Cole: A Mirror, Not a Window
Nov 17 @ 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tracey Morgan Gallery

Opening Reception for the Artist Nov. 3, 6-8PM.

Tracey Morgan Gallery is pleased to present A Mirror, Not a Window, an exhibition of new and recent work by artist Hannah Cole. This is Cole’s second solo exhibition with the gallery. A reception for the artist will be held Friday, November 3 from 6-8PM.

This collection of paintings and sculptures continues Cole’s interest in creating, completely by hand, reproductions of small details and objects culled from her everyday life, turning the viewer’s attention to often overlooked aspects of our surrounding environment and reframing the very definition of representational art. With nods to pop art, trompe l’oeil, and modern American painters, Cole poses big questions about the nature of the artist’s hand, and the drive to (re)create.

A grouping of wall sculptures of nearly exact replicas of books which are hand-painted on wood blocks are included in the exhibition. These books are all non-fiction, mostly art related, though now un-readable. Instead of looking to books for answers, these objects force the viewer to provide the substance. The most self-referential of the group is Jean Baudrillard’s Simulacra and Simulation in which the French philosopher talks in dense prose about our culture of signs and signals eventually becoming copies without any originals. In Cole’s tongue-in-cheek nod, her faithful replica of Baudriallard’s philosophical work becomes an art object whose meaning has shifted completely from the original. Cole’s painted wood block cannot be read and has no actual utility at all, except as an object to contemplate.

A recurring element in Cole’s paintings is a hand-rendered tape measure running along the edge of her canvases. By including this common, easily recognizable object, Cole calls to question the “truth” of representation. Can we trust these measurements simply because they have identifiable markings? Other paintings on Styrofoam show painted wood grain edges, subverting the viewer’s expectation of where the painting itself is, and what it’s made of. We expect a painting to be on the outward-facing surface, but what if the faithful representation is painted on the sides?

In this contemporary age of Artificial Intelligence flooding us with copies, reproductions, fakes, and deliberate decep-tions, anxieties regarding authenticity and authorship run high. Cole’s work invites contemplation of these deeply philosophical issues with a playful tone, presenting serious questions by way of common objects.

Hannah Cole studied at Yale University and Boston University. Her work has been exhibited at The Turchin Center for Visual Arts, NC; the Drawing Center, NY; the University of Maine Museum of Art; the Sherman Gallery at Boston University, MA; Tiger Strikes Asteroid, Greenville, NC; and the North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, among other national and international institutions. She currently lives and works in Asheville, NC.

Romare Bearden: Ways of Working Exhibition
Nov 17 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Romare Bearden (Charlotte, NC 1911–1988 New York, NY), African American writer and artist, is renowned for his collages. He constantly experimented with various techniques to achieve his artistic goals throughout his career. This exhibition highlights works on paper and explores his most frequently used mediums, including screen-printing, lithography, hand-colored etching, collagraph, monotype, relief print, photomontage, and collage.

 

Bearden’s work reflects his improvisational approach to his practice. He considered his process akin to that of jazz and blues composers. Starting with an open mind, he would let an idea evolve spontaneously.

 

Romare Bearden: Ways of Working highlights Bearden’s unique artistic practice and masterful storytelling through art,” says Pamela L. Myers, Executive Director of the Asheville Art Museum. “We are thrilled to collaborate with Jerald Melberg Gallery to present these extraordinary works on paper in conversation with Bearden’s collage Sunset Express, 1984 in the Museum Collection (on view in the Museum’s SECU Collection Hall). This exhibition will also provide a glimpse into the cultural histories and personal interests that influenced his art-making practice, and we hope it encourages introspection and dialogue with our visitors.”

 

Jerald Melberg states, “Romare Bearden’s groundbreaking artistic practice continues to captivate audiences worldwide. With an unparalleled legacy of creativity and innovation, Bearden’s contributions to art remain deeply influential years beyond his life.” We have enjoyed organizing this exhibition with the Asheville Art Museum to showcase his artistic genius and inspire visitors from the Western North Carolina region and beyond.”

 

This exhibition is made possible in part by the Judy Appleton Fund. Many thanks to the Jerald Melberg Gallery for the loan of these important artworks and to Mary and Jerald Melberg for their long-standing support of the arts, artists, and the Asheville Art Museum.

Stella Alesi: SQUISH
Nov 17 @ 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tracey Morgan Gallery

Tracey Morgan Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of paintings by artist Stella Alesi in our project space. This is Alesi’s first exhibition with the gallery and is presented in conjunction with Hannah Cole: A Mirror, Not a Window in our main gallery space. A reception for both artists will be held Friday, November 3 from 6-8PM.

The works on view are from the SQUISHY series, a group of geometric, abstract oil on oil paper paintings. With the use of simple shapes and a limited color palette, these works explore the visceral experience of living at this current moment. Alesi’s colorful, “squishy” shapes bend to the demands placed on them by their seemingly heavy, unforgiving counterparts. With this work, Alesi confronts contemporary issues such as climate change and political turmoil, as well as personal trials, using basic shapes, both hard and malleable to express a state of being. The shapes are gestural, fluid, and animated – sometimes resembling body parts even in their minimalism. The effect is a playful interpretation of heavy topics – a visual play on the deep and multi-layer well of human emotions.

Stella Alesi works across several styles and mediums, including drawing, painting, photography, collage, and large wall works. Their practice is characterized by a willingness to try new approaches in the ongoing investigation into new materials and visual languages, always exploring new ways to represent the visceral nature of the human experience. Born on Long Island, New York in 1963, Alesi was raised in New Jersey. They studied at Parsons School of Design, New York City; University Hampshire, Durham; and University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Their work has been purchased by many private and commercial collections. Career highlights include a recent solo exhibit (spring of 2023) at the Northern-Southern gallery, Austin, TX and a large-scale permanent installation in the lobby of The Foundry, Austin TX. Alesi currently lives and works in both Austin, TX and Asheville, NC.

Western North Carolina Glass: Selections from the Collection
Nov 17 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Western North Carolina is important in the history of American glass art. Several artists of the Studio Glass Movement came to the region, including its founder Harvey K. Littleton. Begun in 1962 in Wisconsin, it was a student of Littleton’s that first came to the area in 1965 and set up a glass studio at the Penland School of Craft in Penland, North Carolina. By 1967, Mark Peiser was the first glass artist resident at the school and taught many notable artists, like Jak Brewer in 1968 and Richard Ritter who came to study in 1971. By 1977, Littleton retired from teaching and moved to nearby Spruce Pine, North Carolina and set up a glass studio at his home.

Since that time, glass artists like Ken Carder, Rick and Valerie Beck, Shane Fero, and Yaffa Sikorsky and Jeff Todd—to name only a few—have flocked to the area to reside, collaborate, and teach, making it a significant place for experimentation and education in glass. The next generation of artists like Hayden Wilson and Alex Bernstein continue to create here. The Museum is dedicated to collecting American studio glass and within that umbrella, explores the work of Artists connected to Western North Carolina. Exhibitions, including Intersections of American Art, explore glass art in the context of American Art of the 20th and 21st centuries. A variety of techniques and a willingness to push boundaries of the medium can be seen in this selection of works from the Museum’s Collection.

Farmers Markets Offer Holiday Shopping
Nov 17 @ 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
East Asheville Tailgate Market

Even though it’s getting colder, you can still find fresh, local food at area farmers markets. Nine markets in Buncombe County will offer extended seasons or special holiday dates in November and December. In addition to seasonal produce, meats, cheeses, eggs, and bread, these markets will feature local artists and handmade goods, such as wreaths, pottery, jewelry, and more.

ASAP’s Double SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables and Farm Fresh Produce Prescription. Both programs offer participants free market tokens that can be spent on fresh fruits and vegetables. That includes in-season fall produce such as root veggies (including carrots, beets, radishes, and turnips), tubers (potatoes and sweet potatoes), brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage), winter squash, greens, and fruits like apples and persimmons.

 

Center for Craft Fall 2023 Exhibitions Opening Reception
Nov 17 @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Center for Craft

Join us on the evening of Friday, November 17 from 5-7pm ET to celebrate the opening of three new exhibitions and have the opportunity to hear from our featured artists. This opening reception celebrates the culmination of each exhibition: Hammer and Hope, Preservers, Innovators, and Rescuers of Culture in Chiapas, and Connections in the Making.

This event is free, accessible, and open to all.

Standup Comedy at plēb urban winery
Nov 17 @ 7:00 pm
plēb urban winery

Standup Comedy at plēb urban winery in the River Art District
Get ready to laugh until your sides hurt at the hilarious Standup Comedy event happening at plēb urban winery in the vibrant River Art District of Asheville, NC. Join us on Fri Nov 17, 2023 at 7p-9p for an evening filled with non-stop laughter, good vibes and great wine!
Located at 289 Lyman Street, Asheville, NC 28801, at plēb urban winery you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the comedic talents of some of the funniest regional standup comedians.
Whether you’re a comedy enthusiast or simply looking for a night of entertainment, this event promises to deliver big laughs and a memorable time. Don’t miss out on the chance to witness the best comedy Asheville has to offer.
Hosted by Hilliary Begley!!!!
Hilliary will make you cry with laughter with her larger than life personality!! Voted Asheville’s Favorite comic in the Mountain Xpress. Film debut in the Netflix original Dumplin’ as Aunt Lucy, or “Jennifer Anniston’s fat sister,” In Austin Film Festival winning movie When We Last Spoke with Cloris Leachman, now streaming on Amazon Prime. https ://youtu.be/legRwEg4j-o
Featuring Peter Smith-McDowell!!
Petey was voted one of Asheville’s favorite comics in the Mountain Xpress! He has been traveling around the country telling jokes since 2009. He is one of the producers of the longest running comedy room in Asheville, The Disclaimer Lounge. Besides his standup comedy, Petey is Asheville native and known for his hysterical Asheville memes on Instagram : instagram.com/peteysmithmcdowell
Featuring Jason Webb!
Jason is Co-Creator and Co-Host of Follow That! at The Comedy Store on Sunset.Festivals: Bridgetown Comedy Festival, San Francisco Sketchfest, Laughing Skull Comedy Festival (Best of the Fest) !0,000 Laughs Comedy Festival (Best of the Fest), Orlando Indie Comedy Festival, Bird City Comedy Festival, Blue Whale Comedy Festival, Big Pine Comedy Festival, Orlando Indie Comedy Festival.
Featuring Jess Cooley!
Jess is a writer and stand up comic from Upstate South Carolina, where he learned how to walk, and talk, and eat food like a real boy. Currently based in Asheville, NC, his comedy involves personal subjects like Autism, religion, and the loss of his favorite sex toy during a home invasion. His unique and colorful perspective brings his stories to life, and his demons to the spotlight.
Featuring Cary Goff!
Cary is considered the Godfather of Comedy in Asheville. Cary started the Disclaimer Comedy Mic in 2009 and it is still going strong today at The Asheville Music Hall. Cary has had humor columns in multiple magazines. He’s the dad you always wanted, except FUNNY!!
Food truck will be available for the whole show!
Grab your friends, bring your sense of humor, and join us at plēb urban winery for an evening of laughter and good times. Get ready to roll on the floor laughing at this unmissable Standup Comedy event!

Saturday, November 18, 2023
Artsville Collective: Virtual Gallery of Artists (VGA) program
Nov 18 all-day
online

Artsville Collective proudly presents the Virtual Gallery of Artists (VGA) program,
an initiative designed to help elevate the careers of local artists. VGA offers artists a unique
opportunity to gain global exposure, valuable marketing skills, and an array of promotional
resources. The VGA program invites individual artists to apply for three months of marketing
exposure through print, digital, and podcast platforms. Artsville provides guidance on building
relationships with the press and art buyers, empowering artists by coming alongside them and
forming connections. Notably, Artsville does not take any commissions on art sales, ensuring
artists keep their full earnings.
Nine artists introduced in first cohort from Oct- Jan include a carefully curated group
showing diversity in age, mediums, experience and exposure in the art markets so they may also
learn from each other. Meet Amy Massey, Candice Hensley, Elizabeth Walton, Georgia Deal,
Jean McLaughlin, Joseph Pearson, Max Cooper, Selene Plum, and Wendy Newman.
Accessible only online, Artsville’s VGA also provides VGA artists a comprehensive toolkit,
including newsletters, podcasts, discussion groups, and learning programs. Committed artists
who actively participate can earn recognition and further opportunities, such as involvement in
Artsville events, pop-up exhibits, and networking groups. In preparation for the holiday season,
Artsville will also present a curated holiday catalog of handmade gifts, offering a unique
opportunity for VGA participants to showcase their work to a wider audience.
Artsville Collective is dedicated to supporting and empowering the artistic community in
Western North Carolina. For further information about Artsville programs and opportunities,
contact Meredith McBride at [email protected] or 828-216-8050. Images and

Instagram- ArtsvilleUSA
Facebook- ArtsvilleCollective

Asheville Art Museum Fall Annual Fund
Nov 18 all-day
online

The Asheville Art Museum is excited to be celebrating its 75th anniversary this year! Over the past seven and a half decades, the Museum has served as the hub for artistic inspiration and education in Western North Carolina, bringing together artists and art enthusiasts from all walks of life.

 

As we approach the holiday season, we reflect upon the transformative power of art and the indelible impact it has on the young minds that visit the Museum. This year, we are especially grateful for the enriching experiences made possible by the Museum, experiences that extend far beyond the confines of our walls and into the hearts and minds of future generations.

 

Imagine the excitement of a 10th-grade class stepping through the Museum doors, wide-eyed and curious, ready to embark on a journey of artistic discovery. Your support of the Annual Fund has played a pivotal role in shaping these moments of inspiration, allowing us to provide an immersive and educational environment that fosters creativity.

 

During their recent visit, students were transported into the vibrant world of art, exploring diverse exhibitions that span decades and cultures. The Museum’s thoughtfully curated exhibitions became a canvas for their imagination. Witnessing the awe in their eyes as they encountered the beauty of creativity was a testament to the lasting impact of your generosity.

 

The following message was forwarded to the Museum’s Learning and Engagement department by Jennifer Riels, an educator and parent. “Our class of 10th grade students came to the Museum on Monday, October 30. It was wonderful. I can’t remember the name of the man who led our tour, but he did a phenomenal job asking questions and connecting the art to math. We enjoyed our visit and are grateful for the opportunity that the Asheville Art Museum provided our students!”

 

Your continued support and dedication not only facilitates these eye-opening field trips but makes it possible for the Museum to expand its educational outreach programs. Through your contribution, we can continue to inspire the next generation of artists, thinkers, and visionaries.

 

In the spirit of gratitude, we invite you to donate to our Fall Annual Fund. Your support ensures that we can continue to provide transformative experiences, empowering students to think critically, express themselves creatively, and develop a lifelong appreciation for the arts.

 

Your support is not just an investment in the Asheville Art Museum; it is an investment in the cultural enrichment of our community and the development of young minds. Together, we can continue to create moments of inspiration that resonate for a lifetime. Make your gift today by clicking the DONATE NOW button, visiting www.ashevilleart.org/donate or calling 828.253.3227 x114.

 

Buncombe County Special Collections call for proposals
Nov 18 all-day
online

Buncombe County Special Collections is excited to announce a call for proposals for the third year of its creative residency program.

This is an annual opportunity for artists in Buncombe County to create new, research-driven creative work using BCSC’s historic resources as source material and/or inspiration, and to present their work in the Carolina Record Shop, a dedicated exhibition space in the BCSC reading room. Artists age 18 and up, based in Buncombe County, working in any creative discipline are invited to apply.

Buncombe County Special Collections is looking for projects that will:

  • Offer new, diverse perspectives on our shared history
  • Identify and address gaps and/or amplify narratives that are historically underrepresented in the collection
  • Educate and inspire non-traditional users of archives and special collections to engage with the collection in new ways.

More information (including the PDF of the call for proposals) is available at here. The 2024 Creative Residency is made possible in part by the Trust Fund for Buncombe County Public Libraries.

You can also visit Buncombe County Special Collections in the lower level of Pack Memorial to view the current exhibition in the Carolina Record Shop, “Belonging & Non-Belonging: The History and Future of Zines in Western North Carolina,” curated by 2023 resident Miles Lamberson.

Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland Drive-Thru Light Show
Nov 18 all-day
Tryon International Equestrian Center

Daily | November 17-January 1

Load up your vehicle with friends and family and take a cruise through the fan-favorite Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland Drive-Thru Light Show! Featuring hundreds of thousands of dazzling lights dancing to the tune of holiday classics on your car radio, this immersive experience has become a holiday tradition for many. Tickets are per carload, available online or at the gate.

Sponsor a child for the holidays
Nov 18 all-day
Eliada Homes
Help Make a Child Smile this Holiday Season!
Eliada works hard to make the holidays a special time for the children in our care. You can help bring a smile to their face by fulfilling their holiday wishes!

 

Sponsor a Child:

When you sign up to sponsor a child for the holidays, you’ll receive a Wish List that a young person created. Wish Lists include their favorite things, clothing sizes, and most needed and wanted items. The value of a Wish List is around $200. You can divide that cost with friends, or even sponsor several children.

 

For most of Eliada’s children and youth, the gifts they receive from sponsors are the only gifts they will get during the holiday season.

To sign up to sponsor, please contact Rebecca Boline by email at [email protected].

Sponsor Multiple Children:

We also have Wish Lists which include items that children will need here at Eliada depending on what program they are in.

 

Cottage wish lists for youth living at Eliada, for example, include toiletries, bedding and towels, books, games, art supplies, suitcases and kitchen utensils. Many children come to Eliada with a few clothes in a garbage bag. Together we can provide them things that every home should have!

 

Other wish lists are for our Child Development programs, Foster Care program, Farm program, Summer Camp program, and Recreation programs. Our Equine Therapy program also has some needs this holiday season! We never know when we’ll get a call for a child in Foster Care who needs a home immediately. Let’s help Foster Parents provide these children everything they deserve!

 

Sponsor a last minute wish:

Some youth living at Eliada won’t arrive until right before the holidays! We won’t receive their wish lists until mid-late November. Can you sign up to help one of these teens at the last minute?

If you don’t have time to shop, Eliada will use your donation to purchase gifts for children who may arrive at Eliada very close to Christmas or right after Christmas. It shouldn’t matter when you arrive at Eliada–your wishes should be fulfilled! You can make a donation here. In the comment field, write “holiday wishes.”

 

To sign up to sponsor multiple children or a teen at the last minute, please contact Rebecca Boline by email at rboline@eliada.org or by phone at (828) 254-5356, ext. 306.

United Way’s Holiday Book Drive
Nov 18 all-day
online

We need your help and the help of your network to make this holiday drive as successful as possible in putting new books into the hands of Buncombe County elementary and middle school students during the holiday break.

What better way to spread holiday cheer than by donating books? Imagine the joy on a child’s face when they receive a brand-new book. It’s like sprinkling a little bit of magic into their lives!

We’ve partnered with over a dozen local organizations serving K-12 students throughout the county. They’re eagerly waiting for book drop-offs like kids waiting for the first snowfall! ❄️

You can make a positive impact right now by donating directly using the button below, or why not turn giving back into an outing?

Holiday Book Drive 2023 (givebutter.com)

Visit the Barnes & Noble on Tunnel Road at the Asheville Mall to shop in-store and donate them on the spot.

Farmers Markets Offer Holiday Shopping
Nov 18 @ 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
North Asheville Tailgate Market

Saturdays through Dec. 16,
8 a.m.–noon through Nov. 18;

10 a.m.–1 p.m. Nov. 24–Dec. 16

Even though it’s getting colder, you can still find fresh, local food at area farmers markets. Nine markets in Buncombe County will offer extended seasons or special holiday dates in November and December. In addition to seasonal produce, meats, cheeses, eggs, and bread, these markets will feature local artists and handmade goods, such as wreaths, pottery, jewelry, and more.

ASAP’s Double SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables and Farm Fresh Produce Prescription. Both programs offer participants free market tokens that can be spent on fresh fruits and vegetables. That includes in-season fall produce such as root veggies (including carrots, beets, radishes, and turnips), tubers (potatoes and sweet potatoes), brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage), winter squash, greens, and fruits like apples and persimmons.

WNC Farmers Market
Nov 18 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
WNC Farmers Market
  • WNC Farmers Market, 570 Brevard Rd., Farmers Truck Shed #1, daily, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

  • Even though it’s getting colder, you can still find fresh, local food at area farmers markets. Nine markets in Buncombe County will offer extended seasons or special holiday dates in November and December. In addition to seasonal produce, meats, cheeses, eggs, and bread, these markets will feature local artists and handmade goods, such as wreaths, pottery, jewelry, and more.
  • ASAP’s Double SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables and Farm Fresh Produce Prescription. Both programs offer participants free market tokens that can be spent on fresh fruits and vegetables. That includes in-season fall produce such as root veggies (including carrots, beets, radishes, and turnips), tubers (potatoes and sweet potatoes), brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage), winter squash, greens, and fruits like apples and persimmons.
Biltmore Estate: Ciao! From Italy Sculptural Postcard Display
Nov 18 @ 8:30 am
Biltmore Estate

Included with admission

Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.

Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.

Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!

Farmers Markets Offer Holiday Shopping
Nov 18 @ 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Black Mountain Tailgate Market
  • *Black Mountain Tailgate Market, 130 Montreat Rd., Saturdays through Nov. 18, 9 a.m.–noon

  • Even though it’s getting colder, you can still find fresh, local food at area farmers markets. Nine markets in Buncombe County will offer extended seasons or special holiday dates in November and December. In addition to seasonal produce, meats, cheeses, eggs, and bread, these markets will feature local artists and handmade goods, such as wreaths, pottery, jewelry, and more.ASAP’s Double SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables and Farm Fresh Produce Prescription. Both programs offer participants free market tokens that can be spent on fresh fruits and vegetables. That includes in-season fall produce such as root veggies (including carrots, beets, radishes, and turnips), tubers (potatoes and sweet potatoes), brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage), winter squash, greens, and fruits like apples and persimmons.
Farmers Markets Offer Holiday Shopping
Nov 18 @ 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Asheville City Market

Even though it’s getting colder, you can still find fresh, local food at area farmers markets. Nine markets in Buncombe County will offer extended seasons or special holiday dates in November and December. In addition to seasonal produce, meats, cheeses, eggs, and bread, these markets will feature local artists and handmade goods, such as wreaths, pottery, jewelry, and more.

ASAP’s Double SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables and Farm Fresh Produce Prescription. Both programs offer participants free market tokens that can be spent on fresh fruits and vegetables. That includes in-season fall produce such as root veggies (including carrots, beets, radishes, and turnips), tubers (potatoes and sweet potatoes), brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage), winter squash, greens, and fruits like apples and persimmons.

Give the Gift of Joy This Holiday: Sponsor Gifts for Kids and Adults
Nov 18 @ 9:00 am
online

Whether you start decorating for the holidays before Thanksgiving or well into December, now is the best time to get into the holiday spirit by sponsoring a gift for kids or adults.

Being an adult without a support network, an adult with a disability, or a kid in foster care can be tough over the holidays; this is a great opportunity to let them know that the community cares for them.

Every year, Buncombe County hosts an Adult Wish Tree and a Foster Care Wish Tree that allows members of the community to sponsor a gift for someone this holiday.

Foster Care Wish Tree

Each year, children in foster care in Buncombe County submit a list of wishes they would like for the holidays.

To sign up to sponsor a child, click this link and select the person you would like to sponsor. You will receive an email confirmation that provides a copy of the wish list and all the instructions for drop-off.

A note from Health and Human Services:

Hello and thank you for your generosity this holiday season. We are grateful for your unwavering support for our foster youth. Here at Buncombe County Health and Human Services, we are dedicated to meeting the needs of our foster youth, and having your support means so much to us and our kids. You are not just providing gifts this holiday season; you are telling someone that they matter and that they are important! That is something to celebrate! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!

If you have any questions about your sponsorship, please call Amber Cook at 828-772-5553 or email [email protected] during business hours of 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday.

Adult Wish Tree

When you can’t drive a car or don’t have someone to bring you the things you might need, like a new nightgown or socks, it can be tough. The Adult Wish Tree is a Buncombe County program that works with agencies throughout the county to identify adults and adults with disabilities who don’t have access to a support network to help with these basic needs. The program also identifies young adults in our extended foster care program who will likely not receive a gift this year. Please consider selecting an adult to sponsor this holiday season.

To sign up to sponsor an adult, click this link and select the person you would like to sponsor. You will receive an email confirmation that provides a copy of the wish list and all the instructions for drop-off.

A note from Health and Human Services:

This holiday season we hope you will choose one of the many names that are submitted by Health and Human Services and our partner agencies for adults and adults with disabilities.  It is such a joy to see the smiles on the faces of adults who have their wishes fulfilled, as these are adults who are not expected to have anyone else to provide them with a gift this year.

If you have questions, please email us at [email protected].

Happy Holidays and thank you for supporting those who need a little extra care this upcoming season.

26th Voorhees Family Art Show and Sale
Nov 18 @ 10:00 am
Voorhees Family Art Show

This weekend art show and sale is free and open to the public. This year’s annual
event will feature new art work created by five Voorhees family members along with two guest artists.
The event will again be featured in a family home, this year at Susan Voorhees’ house. Meet this
extraordinary family of artists known throughout North Carolina and the Southeast.
The 26th event will feature an art raffle benefiting Asheville Art Supplies For Kids a local non-profit.
Everything will be easily accessible online through the website: www.voorheesfamilyart.com
The arts legacy began with Edwin Voorhees, (1919-1999) and Mildred Voorhees (1924-2007) both
accomplished painters and well known throughout NC for their artwork. The first Voorhees Family Art
Show was held in the family home in Morehead City in 1998. Edwin passed away the next year but the
Voorhees Family Art Show continued in Morehead for several years. With Mildred’s move to Asheville
the show followed with it being hosted in one of several Voorhees family homes in North Asheville
ever since. The Voorhees Family was recognized with an exhibition “Nature & Nurture: The Voorhees
Family Artistic Legacy” at the NC Arboretum during the summer of 2022.
This year’s show celebrates the 26th show for the Voorhees Family and continues the legacy begun by
Edwin Voorhees back in 1998. Three of Edwin and Mildred’s six children a daughter-in-law, and
David’s son-in-law will be showing their work at this event: Susan Voorhees, oil and pastel paintings;
Jane Voorhees, watercolors, prints, cards and calendars; David Voorhees, wood-fired stoneware and

porcelain pottery; David’s wife, Molly Sharp Voorhees, sterling silver and gold jewelry. David’s son-in-
law, James Becker with resin art creations. Also exhibiting are guest artists Cheryl Stippich, stained

glass and polymer clay, and Chad Alice Hagen, felted art and handmade books. For more information
and map visit www.voorheesfamilyart.com

Craft Shop Clearance Sale
Nov 18 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
John C. Campbell Folk School
Announcing our Craft Shop Clearance Sale! We’ll have a selection of items marked down ✨50% OFF✨ from Monday, Nov. 13, to Saturday, Nov. 18. Handcrafted goods include pottery, jewelry, woodworking, glass, fiber, books and more. The sale is in-person only, so make sure you stop by.
Our annual holiday sale, featuring 15% off all crafts in the entire shop, returns Saturday, Nov. 25 through Dec. 21.
The Folk School’s Craft Shop is open Mon-Sat from 10am-5pm and until 6pm on Thu.
Reckoning: Adornment as Narrative
Nov 18 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tyger Tyger Gallery

Tyger Tyger Gallery is pleased to present Reckoning: Adornment as Narrative, a group exhibition curated by Asheville-based artist and curator Erika Diamond.

Reckoning: Adornment as Narrative is an exhibition of diverse practices, anchored at three points: methods of reckoning; the function of adornment; and the fusing of personal and cultural narrative. It features acts of glitz, embellishment, and homage by Shae Bishop, David Harper Clemons, Kashif Dennis, Annie Evelyn, Margaret Jacobs, Julia Kwon, Katrina Majkut, Heather Mackenzie, and Luis Sahagun. Through material language, each artist tells the story of their identity. Inherent to these stories are contradictions—between labor and value, feminine and masculine, natural and fabricated.

Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 AM – 5PM
12/19/2023
Asheville Holiday Parade + Onesie One Miler
Nov 18 @ 10:30 am – 1:00 pm
Downtown Asheville

 

Downtown Asheville (Biltmore and Patton Avenues)

FREE | All ages Onesie One Miler $25

Produced by Asheville Downtown Association in partnership with the City of Asheville, locals don festive outfits and line the streets of downtown as marching bands, jump ropers, martial artists, classic cars, professional floats, the APR parade entry, and more welcome the holiday season followed by free photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus. This year, a downtown dash joins the fun in the form of the Onesie One Miler.

Onesie One Miler Info:

November 18, 2023 | Downtown Asheville | 10:30am

The Onesie One Miler is a festive downtown dash to the finish line that’s fun for the entire family! This race starts at 10:30AM, right before the beginning of the Asheville Holiday Parade. Get dressed up in your holiday best and join us for a run through Downtown Asheville! Onesies encouraged but not required. There will be special awards for the best Onesie. A commemorative beanie is included in registration!

ONLINE REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 11/18 8:00AM.

11/18 9:30AM-10:15AM ONESITE REGISTRATION FOR UNTIMED FUN RUN 1 MILE INCLUDES BEANIE!

This is a chip timed point to point race that starts in front of Jan Davis Tires and finishes in the Galaxy Room parking lot. All roads will be closed in preparation for the Asheville Holiday Parade. Parking is available downtown. Runners will have a time limit of 30 minutes and must be off the course by 11AM, no exceptions. There will be no course aid for this race.

This race proudly benefits the Asheville Downtown Association Foundation!


Strollers and friendly dogs are welcome. We just ask that you start towards the back of the pack. Dogs must be friendly & leashed.

Gatherings of Artists + Writers Coffee
Nov 18 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center

TFAC invites all artists: painters, sculptors, writers, performers & more — to a casual weekly drop-in gathering on Saturday mornings at 9 AM to share your works in progress, alert others, and chat about art and what’s happening in your community.

The first weekly Coffee is Saturday, August 20 at 9 am.

No RSVP needed, just drop by!

Free parking available on Melrose Avenue, behind and alongside TFAC.

Meet Santa in The Exchange
Nov 18 @ 10:30 am
The Restoration Asheville

We left the cookies and milk out early this year and Santa couldn’t resist! Join us in The Exchange after the Holiday Parade to meet and take pictures with the jolly old man himself and see if you made the nice list this Christmas.

American Art in the Atomic Age: 1940-1960
Nov 18 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum
Images: Left: Minna Wright Citron, Squid Under Pier, 1948, color etching, soft-ground, and engraving on paper, edition 42/50, 15 x 17 7/8 inches, 2010 Collections Circle purchase, Asheville Art Museum. © Estate of Minna Citron/Licensed by VAGA at ARS, New York. Right: Dorothy Dehner, Woman #2, 1954, watercolor and ink on paper, 22 3/4 x 18”, courtesy of Dolan Maxwell.

The Asheville Art Museum is pleased to announce the upcoming exhibition American Art in the Atomic Age: 1940–1960, which explores the groundbreaking contributions of artists who worked at the experimental printmaking studio Atelier 17 in the wake of World War II. Co-curated by Marilyn Laufer and Tom Butler, American Art in the Atomic Age which draws from the holdings of Dolan/Maxwell, the Asheville Art Museum Collection, and private collections will be on view from November 10, 2023–April 29, 2024.

Atelier 17 operated in New York for fifteen years, between 1940 and 1955. The studio’s founder, Stanley William Hayter (1901–1988) established the workshop in Paris but relocated to New York just as the Nazi occupation of Paris began in 1940. Hayter’s new studio attracted European emigrants like André Masson, Yves Tanguy, and Joan Miró, as well as American artists like Dorothy Dehner, Judith Rothschild, and Karl Schrag, allowing for an exchange of artistic ideas and processes between European and American artists.

The Asheville Art Museum will present over 100 works that exemplify the cross-cultural exchange and profound social and political impact of Atelier 17 on American art. Prints made at Atelier 17—including those by Stanley William Hayter, Louise Nevelson, and Perle Fine—will be in conversation with works by European Surrealists who were working at the studio in the 1940s and 1950s. The exhibition will also feature a selection of domestic mid-century objects that exemplify how the ideas and aesthetics of post-war abstraction became a part of everyday life.

Asheville Holiday Parade
Nov 18 @ 11:00 am
Downtown Asheville

The 77th Asheville Holiday Parade, presented by Bojangles of WNC is back on November 18th from 11-1pm!

Before the parade there will be the Onesie One Miler hosted by Kick It Events. The Onesie One Miler is a festive downtown dash to the finish line that’s fun for the entire family! This race starts at 10:30AM, right before the beginning of the Asheville Holiday Parade. Get dressed up in your holiday best and join us for a run through Downtown Asheville! Onesies encouraged but not required. There will be special awards for the best Onesie. A commemorative beanie is included in registration! Registration link below:
https://kickitevents.com/onesie-one-miler/

The Parade itself with have 60 plus parade entries following the theme of Snow Globe.
The beginning of the parade will have the Grand Marshall Float sponsored by Telco Community Credit Union honoring the Volunteers of Asheville. This year’s Grand Marshall’s are Rosie Palmisano and Yvonne Cook-Riley, representing the amazing volunteers of Asheville and honoring their 35 plus years of service to all the local events that make Asheville special.
There will also be the traditional Veterans Float, sponsored by the Restoration Hotel, honoring the sacrifice our veterans have made for our Country. Other parade entries will be marching bands, jump ropers, martial arts, front line workers, classic cars, School of Rock, La Zoom, and many more fun community members showing their holiday spirit. The final float ,sponsored by NC Arboretum, will bring in the parade’s finale with Santa and Mrs. Claus!

Following the parade there will be pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Restoration Hotel from 2-4pm.

A big thank you to our sponsors: Bojangles of WNC, Ingles Markets, NC Arboretum, Telco Community Credit Union, Restoration Hotel Asheville, Sun Soo Martial Arts, Kudzu Brands, iHeart Radio, Aloft Hotel, A Look At Asheville, Asheville Color and Imaging, and more.