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.
Featured Artists:
Allen Davis (wood)
Vicki Love (leather)
Lynne Harrill (fiber)
Ruthie Cohen & David Alberts (jewelry)
Gigi Renee’ Fasano (fiber)
see the beautiful holiday decorations and lights. Plus find lots of great gifts at the many local shops and businesses
Limited Capacity: 12 Guests per Tour
A truly memorable experience featuring rare photo opportunities, this exclusive guided tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at the design and construction of Biltmore House in areas unavailable on the regular house visit. Imagine yourself a Vanderbilt (or cherished Vanderbilt guest) as you take in stunning views seen only from the house’s rooftop and balconies.
Advance reservation required. Tour includes 250 stairs with no elevator access. Wheelchairs, strollers, and baby backpacks are prohibited. Backpacks are not allowed on any guided tours. Guests are required to leave backpacks in a locker or in their vehicle. To participate in this tour, guest must have a daytime ticket, a Biltmore Annual Pass, or a stay at one of the estate’s splendid overnight properties.
Capacity is limited.
Tasting room by reservation only. Make reservations in-person on the day of your Winery visit.
To participate in this activity, guest must have a daytime ticket, a Biltmore Annual Pass, or a stay at one of the estate’s splendid overnight properties.
Reservations are required for all wine tastings and must be made on the day of your visit. Because our complimentary wine tastings fill up quickly, we recommend you reserve your tasting when you arrive for your visit.
Did you know our staff had a wild side? Join a Park naturalist to meet some of our live Animal Ambassadors and learn what kind of wildlife inhabits the Park and their important roles in the ecosystem. Some of our best teachers have feathers, fur, shells or scales!
Hosted by: The Buddhist Studies Institute
FREE – ONLINE – 30 MINUTES – DAILY
🌺Guided meditation support and community🌺
🌸Stabilization and Liberation:
In order to liberate our minds– we need stable calm.
🌸Consistency & Commitment:
Stabilizing in calm clear presence takes consistent training.
🌸Support & Community:
Daily Meditation is a container and support for your meditation focus.
Expand your meditation circle- join us online any day or every day!
Formerly known as 100 Days of practice to support a Tibetan Yogis tradition to practice 100 days in the winter, this has now been expanded to continue daily. To learn more and register: https://buddhiststudiesinstitute.org/daily-meditation/
We are seeking volunteers to assist us in our small after school program for children in West Asheville in low-income housing. We provide a safe and nourishing environment, healthy snacks, and creative activities. Our program currently meets during the school year on most Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 3:00-5:00pm. You may volunteer for one or two days a week.
Volunteer Responsibilities:
- Assist with serving snacks
- Interact with children during activity time
- Supervise games and outdoor free time
- For people with background in education, there is also an opportunity to assist with curriculum development and program planning and administration
Requirements:
- Background check
- Orientation booklets will be provided
- Masks are required if unvaccinated
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Come down the Pack Memorial Library and play with LEGOs! Please leave your personal LEGOs at home, because we’ve got plenty. |
THE POLAR EXPRESS™ with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is back in 2022! The 1¼ hour round-trip passenger excursion comes to life as the train departs the Bryson City depot for a journey through the quiet wilderness for a special visit at the North Pole. Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, guests on board will enjoy warm cocoa and a treat while listening and reading along with the magical story. Children’s faces show the magic of the season when the train arrives at the North Pole to find Santa Claus waiting. Santa will board THE POLAR EXPRESS™, greeting each child and presenting them with a special gift as in the story, their own silver sleigh bell. Christmas carols will be sung as they return back to the Bryson City Depot.
Weather
We encourage guests to plan ahead and stay apprised of the latest weather developments. Cancellations of a POLAR EXPRESS departure because of inclement weather are very rare. If you’re staying in the Gatlinburg/Sevierville, Tennessee area, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Service announces road closures and openings on Twitter, or call (865) 436-1200 extension 631 for a recorded message. In such case Highway 441 is closed through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Interstate 40 typically remains open. Use 45 Mitchell Street, Bryson City, North Carolina 28713 as your destination to find an alternate route.
Imagine a solid trivia stack with a magnetic host in an outdoor intimate setting. Then add the excitement of BYOB and pedaling around the City on a one-of-a-kind contraption.
Kinda like if Willy Wonka did Trivia… you will be completely entertained, with no sense left unfulfilled.
And come back for more as we have several questions sets available with a good ole just for locals option!
Trivia tours seat up to 15 people, 1.5 or 40 mins hours long. Bring your own beer in cans or wine and your thinking while drinking caps on let’s do this thing!
Learn how to rock out to your favorite songs on the drums! There will be a 30 minute, once-a-week private lesson where you’ll start with the basics and work your way up to playing along to your favorite songs. Pre-registration required and lessons are filled on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Biltmore House glows with candlelight and firelight during this nighttime tour, changing the daytime visit’s mood and experience. Candlelight Christmas Evenings in Biltmore House allows guests to step back in time with an experience reminiscent of the Vanderbilt’s first Christmas spent in Biltmore House in 1895. Musicians stationed throughout the house perform seasonal favorites. Setting the scene is a 55-foot Norway spruce encircled by illuminated evergreens and shrubs sparkling in the center of the front lawn.
Winter Lights is a spectacular open-air walk-through light show made from over one million lights! Located at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina, this year’s event features favorites like the famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden, along with enchanting new details designed to delight and surprise.
The Lights!
This year’s show features over a million lights and mixes enchanting new displays with old favorites like the 50ft tree and Quilt Garden. Winter Lights is a walk-through light show with countless opportunities for photos. Use our hashtag #NCWinterLights22 to share the magic!
Live performances
Live performances are scheduled nightly at the Education Center, near Bent Creek Bistro. View the music schedule here.
Rocky Cove Railroad*
During Winter Lights, our beloved g-scale model train offers nightly service to the North Pole. All aboard!
Storytime at Woodland Cove
Visit the Education Center for a whimsical window display that follows a young bear’s journey to discover new habitats. This is an educational exhibit that will delight the whole family.
Gift Shops
Still have a bit of shopping to do for the holidays? our Connections Gallery Gift Shop in the Baker Visitor Center and Winter Lights Shop in the Education Center are open 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. daily, and from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. nightly, during Winter Lights.
S’mores and Firepits*
If the winter nights turn a bit chilly, cozy up to the fire pits and heaters throughout the gardens.
S’mores kits are available for purchase at the Bent Creek Bistro, where there’s an especially large fire pit for all your marshmallow-roasting needs!
Wishing Trees
A favorite Winter Lights tradition, the Wishing Trees return this year in a new location! Look for them near Rocky Cove Railroad, and make sure to leave a wish for the coming year.
Eat and Drink**
Looking for something to warm you up while you stroll? Cocoa, beer, and wine are available at both the Cocoa Shack and Bent Creek Bistro.
View the menu for Bent Creek Bistro
Bent Creek Bistro Hours: Full menu: 6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. | Snacks: 9:30-10:00 p.m.
*The Rocky Cove Railroad and the fire pits cannot run in certain weather conditions, and may be closed without notice.
**Alcohol purchased on-site may only be consumed in the event area and is not permitted in the parking lot or on the trails. Outside alcohol is prohibited at all times, on all parts of the property. This includes the parking lot and trails.
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White Horse’s legendary Open Mic re-starts after a year off for bad behavior (COVID, really). Host Bill Altork will help us present wonderfully talented folks on their way up. The signup sheet is placed on the bar at 6:30 and the first ten to sign in are the performers for the evening. Each gets 15 minutes or three songs. It’s a lot of fun… especially since it’s free!
We’ll be following all COVID-19 protocols and we ask that you wear your mask when you’re not singing or enjoying a beverage from the bar.
Join us to share your music or just enjoy an evening in the audience!
Romance Book Club is a space to celebrate love in literature. Whether it’s set in early 1800s London, a distant planet years into the future, a fantasy world of magic, or our own contemporary universe, we are here for the stories that end with a happily-ever-after (or at least a happily-for-now).
Meetings will take place at 7:00 PM ET on the last Tuesday of each month via Zoom. Please visit the Romance Bookclub page for the monthly selection, and email Samantha at [email protected] for the link to join.
- Hop on board the Holly Jolly Christmas Trolley for a fun and festive celebration of the season featuring live music!
- This seasonal favorite features an entertaining blend of holiday storytelling and traditional Christmas caroling. Enjoy stories of local lore and holiday traditions, then join-in with our on-board musician singing classic carols and songs of Christmas. And all the while the Holly Jolly Trolley is rolling past festive holiday decorations in downtown Asheville, Biltmore Village and the Montford and Grove Park neighborhoods.
This has all the makings of a jolly good family tradition!
- Recurrence: Recurring weekly on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
- Admission: Adults $29; Children (5-11) $13
- Phone:
- Email:
White Horse’s legendary Open Mic takes place each and every Tuesday at 7pm.
You’ll hear a variety of wonderfully talented folks on their way up. You never know what you’ll hear… original songs, covers, guitar, piano….. and often something quite surprising.
The signup sheet is placed on the bar at 6:30 and the first ten to sign in are the performers for the evening. Each gets 15 minutes or three songs.
It’s a lot of fun… especially since it’s FREE !!!!!
Michael Palascak is a comedian who grew up in Indiana and now lives in LA. He performed on both The Late Late Show with James Corden and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in the same year. He has over 1 million views on YouTube. In addition, his resume includes A Little Late with Lilly Singh, The Tonight Show, Letterman, Craig Ferguson, Conan, has a Comedy Central Half Hour special, and was a Top 5 Finalist on Last Comic Standing where one judge claimed, “My first impression of Michael was a great likability. This is a guy that could star in a sitcom.” Michael’s likability allows him to relate to his audiences in a real way which sets up the huge laughs he gets from his sharp, personal material. Consistently writing and performing, this summer Michael released both a new album— The Internet Live through 800 Pound Gorilla and a new stand-up special on the Dry Bar app— 1984. Available for free streaming. Drew Hunt of The Chicago Reader wrote about Michael, “In a lot of ways, he represents the ideal antidote to the sort of unbridled cynicism that pervades much of contemporary stand-up.” Michael’s optimism continues in the new National Lampoon series — The Bright Side where he takes a positive stance on a negative topic streaming on YouTube.
Do you work in downtown Asheville? If so, Buncombe County’s new affordable parking program could save you hundreds of your hard-earned dollars. The program will offer 150 spots at the Coxe Ave. parking deck (located at 11 Sears Alley) for $40 per month. This new initiative, focused on service industry and retail workers, is now taking applications for people who meet some basic eligibility requirements.
The application window will remain open for three weeks and closes on Friday, Jan. 13. After applying, a lottery system will determine who gets the 150 reduced-cost parking spots. Everyone else will be put on a waitlist with a chance to get spots based on attrition.
Eligibility requirements
- You must work in the downtown Asheville area (within one mile of Pack Square)
- You must earn less than 80% area median income (see application for income limits)
- Have a valid driver license
- Have a credit card or bank account to link for payment
- Applicants must be age 18 or older
If you think you meet the following requirements, please fill out an application here. The deadline to apply for the lottery is Friday, Jan. 13. If you are not able to submit an application online or need assistance completing the application, call (828) 250-5060.
Apply here
Fine print
This is a pilot program and it might be expanded in the future as the County evaluates data from this initial offering. Buncombe County is administering the application and lottery process. Preferred Parking (the County’s parking vendor) will be responsible for selling the tickets and contacting those on the waitlist.
We invite you to come downtown and experience one or more temporary installations from the Art in the Heart program. Share your thoughts on the artwork by clicking on the second tab below. Art in the Heart is a temporary art program specifically designed to help stimulate conversations about themes like identity, community, inclusion, healing, unity, and resilience. It’s also a way to start conversations about how public spaces can, or don’t, help reflect or express a community’s past, present, and future.
You can find more background and information about the Pack Square Visioning Project here.
Asheville Asks: How do I get an issue addressed or find out about services in my neighborhood?
Our new Neighborhood Resources web page is a “one-stop-shop” resource to answer residents’ questions, from development projects to trash pick up.
This webpage gives you quick access links to some of the most frequently requested community resources and information.
Residents have a variety of questions and opportunities to get involved, and having the answers and information all in one place empowers residents to stay informed and help the City make improvements that the community wants to see.
The Neighborhood Resources web page can be accessed at ashevillenc.gov/neighborhoodresources.
Did we miss something? Let us know how we can improve this page by contacting us at [email protected].
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From 11/15 – 12/31, we’re offering a Holiday Special on our subscriptions! Get tickets at a discounted price, AND get a free ticket voucher for our next play, Native Gardens! Check our website on 11/15 to purchase this limited-time deal!
The Asheville Fire Department is conducting a survey this month to understand how residents like you feel about the services provided by the City of Asheville Fire Department.
It’s a quick 2 question survey which allows you to rate service and make suggestions as to how AFD can better serve the community.
Have thoughts?
Come see the Carl Sandburg Home be decorated for the holidays, tour the house to see the interior in its simple holiday style, and on three Saturdays in December, visitors can enjoy free demonstrations and craft making, including making a simple musical instrument, making and frosting gingerbread cookies and
making a birdseed ornament, Advance tickets recommended for home tour, Tickets at Recreation.gov, Tours at 11am, 1pm &
2pm and activities on Saturdays from 10am-1pm,
The Buncombe County Health Promotions Team requests feedback from residents to help inform strategies to improve our health priorities. Over the summer, Buncombe County’s latest Community Health Assessment was released. With the help of key informant surveys, community listening sessions, and existing data, the following health conditions were selected as a focus priority for the next three years: Birth Outcomes, Mental Health and Substance Misuse, and Chronic Conditions (Heart Disease and Diabetes).
We are now requesting community input to inform strategic planning for the upcoming Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). The survey results will be used to determine how and what our community can do to address and improve Buncombe County’s health priorities. Let your voice be heard by taking the One Key Question Survey! All responses are anonymous.
We need participation from residents of Buncombe County to help us create a healthier community for everyone. Your response to the One Key Question Survey is essential to make Buncombe County a better place to call home.
So here’s the One Key Question:
What is the most important thing for you and your family’s health and well-being?
Once you are finished answering our survey, spend a few minutes exploring the many functions of the page. You can track responses from other locals, read about our assessment process, and learn how we use your answers to create community change. Be sure to check the page regularly to stay current on our new surveys, meeting schedules, process updates, and more.
We’ve got so many reasons to give thanks! In each of our program areas, we see ordinary people taking heroic action to protect our home from the pressures of a changing climate.
This year-end, we’re highlighting stories that inspired us and sharing how we’re planting seeds to create a climate-resilient future for all of us.
With our native pollinators, more is more. The more habitat we plant, the more easily our native pollinators can find shelter and food, the more resilient they become to the challenges posed by pesticides and extreme heat—the more stable our entire food ecosystem becomes.
