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.

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

UPDATED INFO:
To make the transition from this year to the 2021 event as seamless and exciting as possible, we have already worked with our artists, our brewers, and our vendors to make sure that we are able to carry over this year’s lineup and infrastructure to next year’s festival date. In addition, we are also in conversation with Eventbrite regarding the best options we can offer you when it comes to making a choice about how your ticket investment plays out.
Because this decision affects you as much as it does us, we will offer full refunds of all ticket purchases to any of you who would prefer that option. We understand the inconvenience that this change might cause you, and we ask that you offer us your patience while we organize that process. As another option, we would also like to offer you the opportunity to retain your ticket purchase and to roll it over into next year’s attendance. Any ticket that has already been purchased for 2020 will be honored at our 2021 festival in lieu of a refund. That is a choice we are allowing you to make, and we will be delighted to have you back as our guests then!
Please check back with us often as we continue to plan for the 2021 (“unofficial 10th Anniversary”) North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival. Again, thank you for your patience and understanding, but mostly for your continued support at the festival. We couldn’t keep putting on this event without you, and we continue to be thankful year after year.
Along with a rich Americana lineup, North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival also shines a spotlight on local brewers and their contribution to North Carolina’s vibrant culinary scene. Over 50 breweries offering a selection of craft beers will be featured on-site throughout the weekend. Tasting tickets, which include access to beer samples plus a commemorative sampling glass, are available for purchase for $50 ($39 for early birds).
North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival began as a fundraising effort to preserve the historic site of Rural Hill. The site, which boasts extensive hiking trails, is a beloved landmark in the Central NC region and is home to many educational field trips and events. Since its inception, the North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival has continued to support the awareness of Rural Hill and attract diverse crowds from all over the country.
Friday music-only passes with sets from Acoustic Syndicate and Fireside Collective are $15. Saturday music-only passes with sets from the Steep Canyon Rangers and Hayes Carll are $22 for early birds. For attendees who would like to sample an unlimited assortment of celebrated North Carolina brews on Saturday, Tasting Tickets (which include daily entrance to the festival for music happenings) are available at the Early Bird price of $39. Camping options are available for attendees who would like to make the most of their weekend. Two-Day weekend tent camping, premium tent camping, and RV/Camper camping with hook-ups are available for $45, $65, and $85 respectively. North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival is a family-friendly event. Children 4 and under are free. A Children’s Ticket is available for kids 5 – 15 for $8.
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Need Book Recommendations? Ask a Librarian.

While the libraries are closed, you can call Ask A Librarian with any questions you may have about library materials, digital services, or reference assistance. Librarians will be staffing the phones Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. to connect you with all the resources we have available. Just call Ask a Librarian at (828) 250-4700.

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

UPDATED INFO:
To make the transition from this year to the 2021 event as seamless and exciting as possible, we have already worked with our artists, our brewers, and our vendors to make sure that we are able to carry over this year’s lineup and infrastructure to next year’s festival date. In addition, we are also in conversation with Eventbrite regarding the best options we can offer you when it comes to making a choice about how your ticket investment plays out.
Because this decision affects you as much as it does us, we will offer full refunds of all ticket purchases to any of you who would prefer that option. We understand the inconvenience that this change might cause you, and we ask that you offer us your patience while we organize that process. As another option, we would also like to offer you the opportunity to retain your ticket purchase and to roll it over into next year’s attendance. Any ticket that has already been purchased for 2020 will be honored at our 2021 festival in lieu of a refund. That is a choice we are allowing you to make, and we will be delighted to have you back as our guests then!
Please check back with us often as we continue to plan for the 2021 (“unofficial 10th Anniversary”) North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival. Again, thank you for your patience and understanding, but mostly for your continued support at the festival. We couldn’t keep putting on this event without you, and we continue to be thankful year after year.
Along with a rich Americana lineup, North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival also shines a spotlight on local brewers and their contribution to North Carolina’s vibrant culinary scene. Over 50 breweries offering a selection of craft beers will be featured on-site throughout the weekend. Tasting tickets, which include access to beer samples plus a commemorative sampling glass, are available for purchase for $50 ($39 for early birds).
North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival began as a fundraising effort to preserve the historic site of Rural Hill. The site, which boasts extensive hiking trails, is a beloved landmark in the Central NC region and is home to many educational field trips and events. Since its inception, the North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival has continued to support the awareness of Rural Hill and attract diverse crowds from all over the country.
Friday music-only passes with sets from Acoustic Syndicate and Fireside Collective are $15. Saturday music-only passes with sets from the Steep Canyon Rangers and Hayes Carll are $22 for early birds. For attendees who would like to sample an unlimited assortment of celebrated North Carolina brews on Saturday, Tasting Tickets (which include daily entrance to the festival for music happenings) are available at the Early Bird price of $39. Camping options are available for attendees who would like to make the most of their weekend. Two-Day weekend tent camping, premium tent camping, and RV/Camper camping with hook-ups are available for $45, $65, and $85 respectively. North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival is a family-friendly event. Children 4 and under are free. A Children’s Ticket is available for kids 5 – 15 for $8.
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Need Book Recommendations? Ask a Librarian.

While the libraries are closed, you can call Ask A Librarian with any questions you may have about library materials, digital services, or reference assistance. Librarians will be staffing the phones Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. to connect you with all the resources we have available. Just call Ask a Librarian at (828) 250-4700.
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Need Book Recommendations? Ask a Librarian.

While the libraries are closed, you can call Ask A Librarian with any questions you may have about library materials, digital services, or reference assistance. Librarians will be staffing the phones Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. to connect you with all the resources we have available. Just call Ask a Librarian at (828) 250-4700.
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Need Book Recommendations? Ask a Librarian.

While the libraries are closed, you can call Ask A Librarian with any questions you may have about library materials, digital services, or reference assistance. Librarians will be staffing the phones Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. to connect you with all the resources we have available. Just call Ask a Librarian at (828) 250-4700.
Due to Covid-19, we are live streaming Storytime in lieu of an in-store event. Join us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/malapropsbookstore/ to tune into Miss Malaprop’s Storytime from your home.
Join us with your wee ones every week on Wednesdays at 10 am for classic and contemporary stories sure to enchant and entertain. Together, we’ll introduce children to the wonderful world of books! Recommended for ages 3-9.
https://www.instagram.com/malapropsbookstore/
Need Book Recommendations? Ask a Librarian.

While the libraries are closed, you can call Ask A Librarian with any questions you may have about library materials, digital services, or reference assistance. Librarians will be staffing the phones Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. to connect you with all the resources we have available. Just call Ask a Librarian at (828) 250-4700.
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With less than half a decade of programming under its belt, Cold Mountain Music Festival has already been recognized as one of the Southeast’s best goldmines for live music, outdoor recreation, and family-oriented activities. Located just outside of Asheville in one of Western North Carolina’s most pristine stretches of land, Cold Mountain utilizes the vibrant Pisgah National Forest as its playground, and encourages exploration throughout the two-day immersive experience. At the heart of the festival site is the glistening Lake Logan, which boasts plenty of swimming, paddle-boarding, and fishing. Paired with performances by some of live music’s leading forces on the scene and plenty of kid-friendly offerings, the upcoming Cold Mountain Music Festival will offer the trifecta of rustic summer experiences.
Weekend passes are on sale now on the Cold Mountain Music website. General admission passes are available for $75, and youth passes for those aged 12-17 can be purchased for $40 apiece. Overnight camping spots and catered breakfast meal tickets are also available for $75 (per site) and $12-$15 (per person), respectively. Group discounts may be applied for parties of 15 or more. Enter the code DioWNC at checkout to purchase each pass (minimum 15) for $60 each. Cold Mountain Music Festival is presented by Ingles Markets, with partners iHeartMedia and Haywood County Tourism Development Authority. For more information, visit www.coldmountainmusic.org. A complete lineup can be found below.
Need Book Recommendations? Ask a Librarian.

While the libraries are closed, you can call Ask A Librarian with any questions you may have about library materials, digital services, or reference assistance. Librarians will be staffing the phones Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. to connect you with all the resources we have available. Just call Ask a Librarian at (828) 250-4700.

We’re pleased to be part of the Reader Meet Writer series of online events hosted by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance.
The event is free but registration is required. Please CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
If you elect to attend, we will email you on the day of the event with the link & password required to attend on Zoom.
Mostly Dead Things is A New York Times Bestseller and 2019 Best Book of the Year: New York Times, NPR, The New Yorker, TIME, Washington Post, Oprahmag.com, Thrillist, Shelf Awareness, Good Housekeeping and more.
What does it take to come back to life? For Jessa-Lynn Morton, the question is not an abstract one. In the wake of her father’s suicide, Jessa has stepped up to manage his failing taxidermy business while the rest of the Morton family crumbles. Her mother starts sneaking into the taxidermy shop to make provocative animal art, while her brother, Milo, withdraws. And Brynn, Milo’s wife—and the only person Jessa’s ever been in love with—walks out without a word. It’s not until the Mortons reach a tipping point that a string of unexpected incidents begins to open up surprising possibilities and second chances. But will they be enough to salvage this family, to help them find their way back to one another? Kristen Arnett’s breakout bestseller is a darkly funny family portrait; a peculiar, bighearted look at love and loss and the ways we live through them together.
Kristen Arnett is a queer fiction and essay writer. She won the 2017 Coil Book Award for her debut short fiction collection, Felt in the Jaw, and was awarded Ninth Letter’s 2015 Literary Award in Fiction. Her debut novel, Mostly Dead Things, is now available in paperback from Tin House. She lives in Florida.
Like most of our events, this event is free. If you decide to attend and to purchase the book(s) featured, we ask that you purchase from Malalprop’s. When you do this you are supporting our work and keeping more dollars in our community. Thank you

Chef Melissa Martin, owner of Mosquito Supper Club will be joined in conversation by Chef Katie Button. They will be introduced by Jennifer Lapidus, founder of Carolina Ground, L3C.
The event is free but registration is required. Please register here: https://forms.gle/WPU2XmzzvPKFBHHh8
We’ll email you with the Zoom link and password on the afternoon of the event.
MOSQUITO SUPPER CLUB has been named a Best New Cookbook of Spring 2020 by “Bon Appétit”, “Food & Wine”, NPR’s “The Splendid Table”, and more.
Learn more and order the book on our website: https://www.malaprops.com/event/live-stream-melissa-martin-presents-mosquito-supper-club-cajun-recipes-disappearing-bayou

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With less than half a decade of programming under its belt, Cold Mountain Music Festival has already been recognized as one of the Southeast’s best goldmines for live music, outdoor recreation, and family-oriented activities. Located just outside of Asheville in one of Western North Carolina’s most pristine stretches of land, Cold Mountain utilizes the vibrant Pisgah National Forest as its playground, and encourages exploration throughout the two-day immersive experience. At the heart of the festival site is the glistening Lake Logan, which boasts plenty of swimming, paddle-boarding, and fishing. Paired with performances by some of live music’s leading forces on the scene and plenty of kid-friendly offerings, the upcoming Cold Mountain Music Festival will offer the trifecta of rustic summer experiences.
Weekend passes are on sale now on the Cold Mountain Music website. General admission passes are available for $75, and youth passes for those aged 12-17 can be purchased for $40 apiece. Overnight camping spots and catered breakfast meal tickets are also available for $75 (per site) and $12-$15 (per person), respectively. Group discounts may be applied for parties of 15 or more. Enter the code DioWNC at checkout to purchase each pass (minimum 15) for $60 each. Cold Mountain Music Festival is presented by Ingles Markets, with partners iHeartMedia and Haywood County Tourism Development Authority. For more information, visit www.coldmountainmusic.org. A complete lineup can be found below.
Important Details for LEAF Festival Ticket Holders:
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Per our ticket policy, as a Non-Profit, LEAF is not able to process refunds. Your understanding is deeply appreciated during this very challenging and unprecedented event. All May Tickets, Vehicle Camping, Cabin Rentals & WeX (Work Exchange) applications will automatically transfer into October 2020 Tickets by 3/31. Yet if this does not work for you, we have 3 options:
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Receive Credit for a future event per our credit policy (Note: All standard fees will be waived). Your LEAF Credit will be valid for 3 years, and may be transferred to another person. Email: [email protected] your LEAF credit request.
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As a non-profit organization, LEAF Membership is the KEY to supporting over 12,000 youth globally through our Cultural Arts Education programs. Please consider having your ticket purchase go towards becoming a LEAF Member or elevating your current membership. Email: Jordan at [email protected]
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Make your ticket into a tax-deductible donation. The loss of the Spring Festival major event will have a tremendous financial impact on the LEAF Global Arts Organization. It is essential for a significant portion of our operations, and unfortunately our longtime secure Rainy Day Fund had to be put into action. Donations will be key to ensuring the long term sustainability of our organization. LEAF is a non-profit 501c3 organization. Email: Jordan at [email protected]
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Important Details for LEAF Festival Ticket Holders:
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We have adjusted our traditional WeX (formerly Volunteer) Application Policy. We will transfer all current Spring Festival Applications to this year’s Fall Festival. We will reach back out in June to reconfirm schedules and availability. *IF* you are not able to attend this year’s Fall Festival, October 22-25, you may transfer your application fee to either of the 2021 Festivals by emailing [email protected].
When the world settles, we will stay in touch to let you know when the LEAF Global Arts experience will reopen downtown, and when LEAF Schools & Streets classes and workshops are able to resume (the kids and parents will be ready!). LEAF International programs are each following the protocol of their country. In this time of uncertainty, especially for artists, LEAF has taken the extraordinary step of committing to paying hourly LEAF teaching artists and International Culture Keepers, and creating opportunities that they can make up any loss of income during the coronavirus school and center shutdown. In this crucial time, LEAF Membership and Endowment allows us to make this important commitment for the team that is directly working with the youth who are the future Global Citizens. LEAF Teaching Artists and International Culture Keepers are essential in carrying out the mission of LEAF Global Arts in our neighborhood and across the world. Any additional donations to support this commitment are most welcome.

Register in advance for this Zoom meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pcOytqD8jE9cHBjGDIoufsBMcQ1LFaUYC
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Capacity for the live workshop is limited but the meeting will be recorded and made available to registrants.
During our time together, we will talk about the myth of writing everyday, the expansive definition of “actually writing,” and why deadlines don’t work (even when they do). We will also experiment in real time with practices that support writers through difficult or uncertain times, giving you a set of tools to take home so that writing can be integrated into your life in a lasting, satisfactory way.

We’re pleased to be part of the Reader Meet Writer series of online events hosted by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance.
The event is free but registration is required. Please CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
If you elect to attend, we will email you on the day of the event with the link & password required to attend on Zoom.
ON OCEAN BOULEVARD
The New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Guests returns at long last to her beloved Beach House series in this breathtaking novel about one family’s summer of forging new beginnings against the enduring beauty and resilience of the natural world.
Mary Alice Monroe is the New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty books, including the Beach House series: The Beach House, Beach House Memories, Swimming Lessons, Beach House for Rent, and Beach House Reunion. She is a 2018 Inductee into the South Carolina Academy of Authors’ Hall of Fame, and her books have received numerous awards, including the 2008 South Carolina Center for the Book Award for Writing, the 2014 South Carolina Award for Literary Excellence, the 2015 SW Florida Author of Distinction Award, the RT Lifetime Achievement Award, the International Book Award for Green Fiction, and the 2017 Southern Book Prize for Fiction.
Like most of our events, this event is free. If you decide to attend and to purchase the author’s book(s), we ask that you purchase from Malalprop’s. When you do this you are supporting our work and keeping more dollars in our community. Thank you!
Due to Covid-19, we are live streaming Storytime in lieu of an in-store event. Join us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/malapropsbookstore/ to tune into Miss Malaprop’s Storytime from your home.
Join us with your wee ones every week on Wednesdays at 10 am for classic and contemporary stories sure to enchant and entertain. Together, we’ll introduce children to the wonderful world of books! Recommended for ages 3-9.
https://www.instagram.com/malapropsbookstore/

We can’t bring Carter Sickels to Malaprop’s as originally planned but we’re pleased to be part of the Reader Meet Writer Okra Pick series of online events hosted by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance.
The event is free but registration is required. Please CLICK HERE TO REGISTER. You can pre-order the book below.
If you elect to attend, we will email you on the day of the event with the link & password required to attend on Zoom.
Small-town Appalachia doesn’t have a lot going for it, but it’s where Brian is from, where his family is, and where he’s chosen to return to die. At eighteen, Brian, like so many other promising young gay men, arrived in New York City without much more than a love for the freedom and release from his past that it promised. But within six short years, AIDS would claim his lover, his friends, and his future. With nothing left in New York but memories of death, Brian decides to write his mother a letter asking to come back to the place, and family, he was once so desperate to escape. Set in 1986, a year after Rock Hudson’s death shifted the public consciousness of the epidemic and brought the news of AIDS into living rooms and kitchens across America, The Prettiest Star is part Dog Years by Mark Doty and part Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt. But it is also an urgent story now: it a novel about the politics and fragility of the body; it is a novel about sex and shame. And it is a novel that speaks to the question of what home and family means when we try to forge a life for ourselves in a world that can be harsh and unpredictable. It is written at the far reaches of love and understanding, and zeroes in on the moments where those two forces reach for each other, and sometimes touch.
Carter Sickels is the author of the novel The Evening Hour. He is the recipient of the 2013 Lambda Literary Emerging Writer Award, and has been awarded scholarships to Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, VCCA, and the MacDowell Colony. His essays and fiction have appeared in various publications, including Guernica, Bellevue Literary Review, and BuzzFeed, and he is the editor of Untangling the Knot: Queer Voices on Marriage, Relationships & Identity. Carter is Assistant Professor of English at Eastern Kentucky University, where he teaches in the Bluegrass Writers Studio Low-Residency MFA program. He lives in Lexington, KY. He will be in conversation with Wiley Cash, author of The Last Ballad.
Like most of our events, this event is free. If you decide to attend and to purchase a book by the author, we ask that you purchase it from Malalprop’s. When you do this you are supporting the work it takes to run an events program, telling publishers that they should send authors here, and keeping more dollars in our community. Thank you!
With over 30 members, Downtown Asheville Arts District (DAAD) is comprised of cultural centers, festivals, galleries, museums, retail shops, theatres, and tours — all located within a mile radius of historic downtown Asheville. Our mission is to promote visual and performing arts in all its forms.
We welcome you to our first virtual festival! Please enjoy a holiday weekend full of music, art, and theatre, and get to know the various arts businesses and organizations who bring inspiration to every corner of Asheville.
For more information about DAAD and its members, please visit https://www.downtownavlarts.com/
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