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.
Sue Ferguson, Ruby Begonia, c.1976, tapestry on mixed fiber, 60 x 57.5 inches. Museum Purchase with funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.The Asheville Art Museum is excited to present Crafting Abstraction, a new exhibition opening Saturday, March 10 at the Asheville Art Museum On the Slope (175 Biltmore Avenue). The exhibition brings together a selection from the Museum’s Permanent Collection that highlights the importance of craft to the development of modernist abstraction in the United States. Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, modernist artists have used abstract forms—geometric and organic—to express immaterial phenomena such as spirituality, gracefulness, vitality, speed, sensuality and emotion. In many of these artworks, the physical attributes of the materials and the processes of hand-making are integral to the ideas and experiences conveyed.
This exhibition was curated by Holly Gore, PhD candidate in art history at the University of California, Santa Barbara + the Museum’s Windgate Curatorial Intern 2018. This internship was supported by a Windgate Museum Internship Award administered by the Center for Craft.
As a complement to Crafting Abstraction, Turning Traditions is an installation of selected works by Ed, Philip and Matt Moulthrop. This family of Southern woodturners has created unique vessels for three generations.
Visitors to Grovewood Village will have the opportunity to learn the story of Biltmore Industries on a guided history tour, offered Wednesday – Saturday at 1pm during April – November. The tour includes a visit to Biltmore Industries’ production facility (aka Dye House), where guests can peek into the past and view the original looms, carding machines, spinning mule and dye vats used to make the famed Biltmore Handwoven Homespun.
The tours last approximately 45 minutes and operate on a first-come, first-served basis, open to 25 people. There is no charge to take the tour, but donations are appreciated. Tours begin at the Homespun Museum in Grovewood Village, where a docent will give a detailed overview of Biltmore Industries’ historic importance before leading guests into the 100-year-old Dye House (usually closed to the public).
Private group tours are also offered for a fee and should be scheduled at least one week in advance.
Youth Awards Celebration
In late April the MLK Association honors area high school and middle school students who have demonstrated leadership, intellectual, and community engagement skills. In addition to receiving recognition awards, up to three students each year are awarded a scholarship to the university of their choice.
Garden & Gun’s Mint Julep Month is underway, and MG Road is joining the party! From April 5 to May 5, the Asheville lounge is whipping up their own version of the classic cocktail – dubbed the MG Julep – composed of Olmeca Altos Reposado tequila, coriander, ginger and lime zest syrup, all served over crushed ice and garnished with fresh cilantro. Bottoms up!
ESOL tutors are invited to attend the ESOL Reunion, where participants will have an opportunity to share their experiences tutoring over the last few months, learn new activities to incorporate into sessions, and find out about other resources available.
WCU faculty and students will perform a variety of music by guest composer Daniel Baldwin, including a world premiere of Myths and Legends, commissioned by WCU bassoon professor Will Peebles.
Location: Grateful Steps Publishing
A discussion with Ron Eddings, a Grateful Steps author and co-author of the screenplay “From My Eyes: The Ron Eddings Story,” about the racism he and his friends and family suffered while growing up in Asheville, the downward spiral his life subsequently took, and his triumph of recovery through faith.
Join us for an hour long free talk with local author and teacher Joseph Aldo discussing flower essences and how they can be used to positively shift one’s consciousness and restore balance.
The Lung Buster Time Trial Series is a five-part competitive time trial racing series of cycling events in Western North Carolina held with the intent of providing all participants a professional racer experience, no matter how fast you are. All levels and abilities of cyclists are invited to participate!
Our unique mix of different racing environments allows riders of different strengths and focuses to level the playing field amongst competitors. Also, having seven separate events means that one poor showing won’t decimate your opportunity to do well in the series as a whole. So as to not leave out any cyclist: whether you’re an elite time trailer or a recreational rider on your road bike wanting to prove your merit in our Merckx/Standard division, we have both categories.
Lung Buster: The very name embodies pushing one’s mind and body to its aerobic limits. And that’s exactly what we expect to see. This series is a great test for participants of all abilities, and a great way to gauge your standing and progress in your cycling endeavors. With awards, medals, cash, bragging rights, and course records all on the line, you better not leave your inner competitor at home! With the kinds of hard efforts and fast times we’ve seen in the Lung Buster Series over the years, we feel that such braggadocio is warranted, and expect 2018 to bring an abundance of the same.
Uncensored expression: anyone is invited to step up to share song, music, poetry, comedy, rants & raves!
The most eclectic open mic around, in a welcoming gallery setting! 6 pm signup, perform 6:30-8:30 pm.
The Asheville Tourists are a minor league baseball team based in Asheville, North Carolina. They play in the Class A South Atlantic League and have been a farm team of the Colorado Rockies since 1994.
Asheville teams have played under the Tourists moniker in different leagues and classifications for decades, with the earliest dating to 1897. The current team has played continuously in what is now known as the South Atlantic League since 1976. They have won three league championships, first in 1984 and most recently in 2014. Previous Tourists teams won a total of four additional championships.
The Tourists play home games at McCormick Field. The park opened in 1924, renovated in 1959, and renovated again for the 1992 season. McCormick Field seats 4,000 fans, and is notable for the scoreboard which reads “Visitors” in the guest slot and “Tourists” in the home slot
Come cheer on the Tourists!
Performance
The 51st Annual UNC Asheville Juried Student Exhibition will be held in the Thom Robinson and Ray Griffin Exhibition Space. This year, UNCA’s Art Guild will be sponsoring the exhibit. Art Guild, is a campus – wide student arts organization that is open to all forms of art visual art, music, theatre. Entry in the Juried Exhibition is open to any registered student on campus.
This year’s juror will be Robert Tynes. Robert Tynes was born in Chicago and spent his formative years in Birmingham, Alabama, with regular summer retreats to the mountains of North Carolina. He received a BA degree in Art from Rhodes College and a MFA degree in Painting from East Carolina University.
Tynes has held over twenty-five solo exhibitions of his work and has participated in more than a hundred and fifty group shows across the country. He is the recipient of several artist-in-residence grants including two from the Roswell Museum and Art Center, New Mexico and one from the Ucross Foundation in Wyoming. In addition, he has completed several large-scale commissions for The Doubletree Hotel in Kansas City, IBM Corporation in Atlanta, and the city of Charlotte’s Convention Center.
Currently Professor of Art in Painting at UNCA, Tynes has also taught at the University of Hawaii, Humboldt State University in California, and East Carolina University. He was the first Chairman of the Board for the Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, and has served as a member of the Boards of Directors for both the Asheville Area Arts Council and the Black Mountain Center for the Arts.
An opening reception will be Friday, April 6, 2018 from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm. The exhibit will be open to the public Monday – Friday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. The closing reception will be Friday, May 4, 2018.
arth Skin is based upon the forms and textures of the earth using inspiration from aerial photography of Western North Carolina and topographical maps of local areas, including Pisgah National Forest and Balsam Range. Created by ceramic artists Trish Salmon and Crystal Allen, Earth Skin includes wall structures and pieces designed for mantles, shelves and tables. All works are available for purchase and a portion of the sales will be donated to The North Carolina Arboretum Society.
About the Artists
Trish Salmon
Trish has been studying clay for many years through the various classes available to her when she lived in the Atlanta area. Taking classes at Penland was a life changing experience and a turning point in her desire to become a studio ceramicist. She and her husband moved to Western North Carolina in 2007, and she has pursued her claywork full time after her career as a kitchen designer. Immediately after retirement, she enrolled in Haywood Community College’s Professional Crafts Program in clay where she received her Associate’s Degree in 2014. She currently is a member of the Odyssey Coop Gallery in the River Arts District in Asheville, NC. She is also a founding member of Artisans on Main in downtown Weaverville where her studio is and where her work is primarily displayed.
Crystal Allen
Before discovering ceramics, Crystal earned a degree in Graphic Art and Design. She has also taught calligraphy, dabbled in watercolors and and learned how to felt, dye and spin natural fibers from her own llamas and sheep. Most recently, Crystal completed the Professional Crafts: Clay Associates degree at Haywood Community College. Her pottery is primarily functional, with altered or hand built additions. Her pieces are produced in her studio, one of her favorite places on earth!
The AAAC is excited to announce Zander Stefani’s upcoming exhibition: “I Am, Are U?” in the Front Gallery of the Refinery Creator Space. An exhibition that ponders the phrase: ‘I am’, Stefani exemplifies the constant moral battle between self and other. The way all past experiences blend to become a reflection of the present moment. Life is a monumental journey and we are mere human beings facing the infinite universe. He explores the questions of identity that we are all forced to face each day, contemplating the boundaries society embeds on us from the moment we are born. While this new body of work has a more developed sense of style, Stefani’s figures continue to portray the same sense of entrapment; plagued by the illusions presented in this world, yet realizing the infinite depths of reality. Intertwining tones of spirituality and street style fill the visual plane in Stefani’s work, bringing to light the palpable connection between the pure expression of graffiti and the intense meditation of spirituality. He tends to work autonomously, allowing the painting to reveal itself through many transparent layers of acrylic paint.
Zander Stefani (b. 1994, Toronto) is a graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design, in Savannah, GA with a BFA in painting. He currently lives in Asheville and has exhibited along the eastern United States. His work can be seen in the homes of collectors throughout North America.
Stefani on his latest body of work:
“Our world these days is so reliant on labels and beliefs in order to be properly delineated and judged. It is hard to have a conversation with a young adult that doesn’t end up revolving around social media, orientation, goals for the future, the steps you will take to get there, etc. We place so much importance on how we identify ourselves that our true spirit gets lost in the mix.
The confusion that comes after asking the first question, “who am I?” only leads to more questions: “what am I doing here?”, “what is my purpose?” “what can I accomplish in this lifetime?” “Do I stand up to those that have come before me?”. Growing up in a society that is so focused on the end result and the next step, it is all too easy to lose sight of ourselves and our connection to the universe. I try to create work that visually represents the melancholy attuned to human existence, an attempt at divulging the questions with no answers.”
The exhibition will be open to the public in the Front Gallery from Friday, April 6 – Friday, May 25, 2018 with an opening reception Friday, April 6th from 5-8 pm. The first 50 attendees to arrive will receive a free signed and editioned poster!
Movies & Meaning was founded in 2015 as a gathering of people around art and activism—those who desire to heal our personal and cultural wounds as a diverse community, laugh and cry around the “campfire experience” of great movies, and gain tools for constructive, respectful, and thoughtful dialogue across boundaries of religion, class, race, and age.
Where is the festival?
At Diana Wortham Theatre in downtown Asheville. 18 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801.
What does the festival cost?
The price for the three-day event is $299, but since this community is committed to creating an event accessible to all, we offer tickets on a sliding scale. If the minimum sliding scale amount is beyond your reach, contact us and we’ll let you know how to spread the cost of attending for as little as $15 a month: [email protected]
Join Hands On! Children’s Museum in downtown Hendersonville, as we celebrate National Pet Month by creating critters from recycled materials. All ages will enjoy designing and creating animals out of everyday materials. This STEM activity will take place all day, April 24 through April 27, and is free with $5 admission/free for members. Recycled Critter Craft is sponsored by Etowah Valley Veterinary Hospital. The mission of Hands On! is to provide “hands on” educational experiences and science programs that stimulate the imagination and motivate learning in a fun, safe environment. For additional information about their educational programs and facility, please visit their website at www.handsonwnc.org or call 828-697-8333.
Roots of Wisdom showcases the ways in which the traditional knowledge of native peoples and Western science are woven together to improve the natural world.
Featuring four indigenous communities, including the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, this traveling exhibit shares inspiring stories of environmental and cultural restoration that society faces today. Through the voices of elders and youth, engaging video interactives and hands-on games, visitors will gather resources, examine data and take part in the growing movement towards sustainability and the reclamation of age-old practices.
Exhibit support is provided in part by The North Carolina Arboretum Society, Smoky Mountain Living Magazine and Mosaic Community Lifestyle Realty. “Roots of Wisdom: Native Knowledge. Shared Science.” was produced and is toured by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI). The exhibit was made possible with funds provided by the National Science Foundation.
When spring arrives in Spartanburg, it can only mean one thing – it’s time for a fling! This year, tens of thousands of people will converge on downtown Spartanburg for Spring Fling, April 27-29.
There are surprises on every corner, whether it’s a stage filled with non-stop entertainment or new attractions. The festival features four stages, offering everything from entertainment options for the little ones in the Family Fun Zone to national entertainers.
In addition, each year Spring Fling includes a wide variety of food and market vendors, special attractions like the Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System Criterium cycling race, and our Family Fun Zone for the kids. There’s definitely something for everyone at Spring Fling!
revolution, religion, identity, insanity…and love
Curated by Cynthia Hatfield
An exhibit of paintings, drawings, comic strips, writings and assemblages by self-taught, D.C.-area artist Phil Kurz who was a prescient conduit for topics both emotionally personal and philosophically universal. Phil’s art ranges in style from graphic figures & illustrations to geometric & organic abstractions. Highly-intelligent, serious, honest & sensitive, the schizophrenia that plagued him also informed him.
A percentage of sales of select works will go to the Unicef Safety in School Fund and the Asheville Southside Kitchen in memory of Phil Kurz.
Exhibition catalog available for sale.
Local printmaker Bill Hall makes his Asheville gallery debut in a show that plays his graphic works off those of the late Maltby Sykes (1911-1992), while landscape paintings on found metal by Drew Galloway are presented with works by renowned wood sculptor Christian Burchard. These two shows run March 4 through April 28, 2018 at Momentum Gallery, 24 N. Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC.
Location: The Hop and The Hop West
The Hop Ice Cream Cafe and The Hop West are donating 10% of sales this day to the YWCA as part of Stand Against Racism.
It’s hard not to crack a smile while enjoying amazing views of Lake Lure and the Hickory Nut Gorge from on top of the Chimney. Capture photos of your family and friends enjoying the Park and enter them into our spring photo contest for a chance to win fabulous prizes. We’ll use the winning entries on our website and Facebook album, and you’ll win some fun prizes. Photos must be taken within the Chimney Rock section of the Park.
GREAT PRIZES FOR THE WINNERS:
First Place – An overnight getaway to Hickory Nut Gorge with a stay at the historic 1927 Lake Lure Inn & Spa, two passes to Chimney Rock, brunch for two at the 1927 Lake Lure Inn & Spa, and two tickets for a tour with Lake Lure Boat Tours
Second Place – A Chimney Rock prize package including two passes to Chimney Rock, lunch for two at the Old Rock Café and two tickets for a tour with Lake Lure Boat Tours.
People’s Choice – Selected by our Facebook fans, the winning photo will be featured as the cover photo of our Facebook page for two weeks and the cover of our Pinterest board of winning photos. Prize includes two Park admission tickets, lunch for two at the Old Rock Café and a $20 gift certificate for Old Time Photo in Chimney Rock Village.
CONTEST RULES:
There is no fee to enter the contest. All photographs must be taken inside Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park only in areas accessible to guests between March 20, 2018- June 20, 2018. The contest is open to amateur and professional photographers.
Up to three photos per person can be submitted via any of the following ways to be eligible to win:
Facebook: First, like the Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park page and share our photo contest post on your wall. Then post your photo to our wall with the photographer’s name and a brief caption (25-75 words) through your personal Facebook account. Next, send us a private message including your contact information specified in rule #3.
Pinterest: First, re-pin our photo contest pin to one of your boards and follow our 2017 The Different Seasons of Chimney Rock Spring Photo Contest Board so we can easily contact you. Then pin your photo with the hashtags #chimneyrock AND #photocontest with your personal account, and include the photographer’s name and a brief caption (25-75 words).
Twitter: First, follow Chimney Rock Park and retweet our tweet about the photo contest. Then tweet your photo to @ChimneyRockPark with the photographer’s name and the hashtag #photocontest. Next, send us private messages with your brief photo caption.
E-mail: If you don’t have access to any social media sites listed above, you may email your digital photo with your contact information specified in rule #3 to [email protected].
Snail Mail: Send your print photo with the clearly marked photographer’s name, city & state, a brief typed photo caption and a phone number to: Photo Contest, Chimney Rock Management LLC, PO Box 39, Chimney Rock, NC 28720.
Every entry should be clearly labeled with the photographer’s name, city & state, a brief photo caption your photo of the Seasons of Chimney Rock, an email address and the best phone number to reach you.
Photos should be available at a minimum resolution of 1200 x 1600 pixels (1 MB minimum) to be eligible to win. Photos taken via smart phones, tablets and other mobile devices are welcome if they meet minimum requirements.
For entries showing human faces, you must list their name(s) and have written permission from any photographed person(s) to use their image.
Entries should reflect the photographer’s interpretation of a face of Chimney Rock. Emphasis will be placed on quality, composition and creativity. All entries may be used in promotions of Chimney Rock and park-related activities.
Digital images can be optimized but not dramatically altered with photo editing software. Black and white photographs are welcome.
Decisions of the judges are final.
Winners will be notified and announced at chimneyrockpark.com and on Chimney Rock’s social media channels.
For more information, call 1-800-277-9611 or email us at [email protected].