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, June 22, 2018
Ready, Set, Throw! One Night Pottery Classes with Kelsey Sickmeyer & Cayce Kolstad
Jun 22 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Odyssey ClayWorks
Ready, Set, Throw! One Night Pottery Classes with Kelsey Sickmeyer & Cayce Kolstad @ Odyssey ClayWorks  |  |  |

One Night Pottery Classes

#8 Friday, June 22
#9 Friday, July 13
#10 Friday, August 3

Ever wanted to try your hand at the pottery wheel? Have you always wanted to learn to throw but you’re not sure if you want to commit to an 8-week class? Or maybe you and some friends are just looking for something different to do in Asheville on a Friday night. Well, look no further. Ready, Set, Throw is here!

Even if you’ve never touched clay before, our highly skilled staff will guide you through the entire process. It’s the perfect opportunity to get creative and have fun! All ages and skill levels are welcome.

Level: All Levels, Beginners Welcome
Tuition: $55 Per person, per night

The Leader of the Pack – The Musical Life of Ellie Greenwich
Jun 22 @ 7:00 pm
Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts

This hit Broadway musical retrospective celebrates the life and times of Ellie Greenwich, whose doo-wop sounds skyrocketed to the top of the 1960’s charts. In the city of Levittown of New York state lived an ordinary girl named Ellie. She dreamed of a great career in the music industry and longed to hear her songs played on the radio. Through joys and heartaches, commercial successes and painful loss, Ellie managed to fulfill her dream with a career spanning more than forty years and countless gold records. The Leader of the Pack Musical tells the story of that girl though the melodies and lyrics of more than thirty songs that made her famous including such hits as “Chapel of Love,” “Be My Little Baby,” “Da Do Run Run,” “Why Do Lovers Break Each Others Hearts,” “Do Way Diddy Diddy,” “The Leader of the Pack” and many more. A full two-act production.

Presented by the Overlook Theatre Company

Anthony Jeselnik: Funny Games
Jun 22 @ 7:30 pm – Jun 23 @ 12:00 am
Grandfather by Night
Jun 22 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Grandfather Mountain

Explore the Grandfather Mountain after hours with your own naturalist guide. You’ll be escorted through the park, while stopping at its most significant sites. Watch the sunset in silence, and experience the mountain as never before!

MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS
Jun 22 @ 7:30 pm
Hendersonville Community Theatre

Producer David O.  Selznick has shut down production of his new epic “Gone With The Wind” because the screenplay doesn’t work. So, he hires Ben Hecht and Victor Fleming and the 3 of them are locked in a room for 5 days to fashion a screenplay that will become the most successful film of all time.

The Full Monty
Jun 22 @ 7:30 pm

Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 2:30 pm; Additional Thursday performances at 7:30 pm

When a group of unemployed Buffalo steelworkers come up with a way to make some quick cash, everyone wonders if they will really pull it off! Based on the cult hit film of the same name, The Full Monty, a ten-time Tony Award nominee, is filled with honest affection, engaging melodies and the most highly anticipated closing number of any show.

The Full Monty
Jun 22 @ 7:30 pm

The Full Monty

Book by Terence McNally; Score by David Yazbek; Directed by Jerry Crouch

June 1-24, 2018

Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 2:30 pm; Additional Thursday performances at 7:30 pm

When a group of unemployed Buffalo steelworkers come up with a way to make some quick cash, everyone wonders if they will really pull it off! Based on the cult hit film of the same name, The Full Monty, a ten-time Tony Award nominee, is filled with honest affection, engaging melodies and the most highly anticipated closing number of any show.

Zelda’s Dance
Jun 22 @ 7:30 pm
Diana Wortham Theatre

Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance celebrates its 15th anniversary in 2018 with the world premiere of Zelda’s Dance at the Diana Wortham Theatre, Thursday-Saturday, June 21-23, 2018 at 7:30pm. Artistic director Heather Maloy’s latest work tells the story of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald’s tragic relationship from their passionate courtship in Alabama, through their stardom at the height of Scott’s literary career, into their never-ending power struggle and eventual decline caused by alcoholism, selfishness and mental illness. Zelda’s Dance will feature the technical prowess of Terpsicorps’ critically acclaimed dancers alongside live music by local pianist Andrew Fletcher and the Firecracker Jazz Band. Also included on the program are works that highlight some of the finest moments of the past 15 seasons including Salvatore Aiello’s Afternoon of a Faun and Heather Maloy’s soulful homage to New Orleans Second Line and the athletic tour de force Le Suil Go.

Elaine’s Dueling Piano Bar
Jun 22 @ 8:00 pm – Jun 23 @ 1:00 am
Omni Grove Park Inn

Property: Omni Grove Park Inn
Event Type: Hotel Event
Event Category: Couples,Entertainment
Contact: (800) 438-5800
Contact Phone: (800) 438-5800
Link: https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/asheville-grove-park/dining/elaines-dueling-piano-bar

Join the non-stop, rock n’ roll, sing-along party show at Elaine’s! Doors open at 8:00 pm, show starts at 9:00 pm.

Live music with Chuck Lichtenberger Trio
Jun 22 @ 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Omni Grove Park Inn

Property: Omni Grove Park Inn
Event Type: Hotel Event
Event Category: Art & Culture,Entertainment
Contact: Great Hall Bar
Contact Phone: 800-438-5800

Enjoy live music performed by Chuck Lichtenberger Trio at The Great Hall bar.

Anthony Jeselnik: Funny Games
Jun 22 @ 10:00 pm – Jun 23 @ 12:00 am
Saturday, June 23, 2018
Abstract Painting and Sculpture Exhibition of Three Artists at Momentum Gallery, Asheville
Jun 23 all-day
Momentum Gallery
Abstract Painting and Sculpture Exhibition of Three Artists at Momentum Gallery, Asheville @ Momentum Gallery | Asheville | North Carolina | United States

Momentum Gallery, in downtown Asheville, presents a new exhibition of recent works by gallery artists, Michael Barringer and Jeannine Marchand, and introduces the works of sculptor Michael Enn Sirvet. The vibrant works of abstract painter Michael Barringer complements the sensuous, anthropomorphic Folds series of sculptures by ceramicist Jeannine Marchand and architectonic works of sculptor Michael Enn Sirvet. This show opens May 6 and runs through June 23, 2018 and is free and open to the public.

Chihuly at Biltmore
Jun 23 all-day
Biltmore House

The Biltmore Estate has been planning the largest exhibition in its historic gardens for almost a decade. And finally, last week, Chihuly at Biltmore opened with a mega installation of glass sculptures from the famous artist Dale Chihuly. Tens of thousands of glass pieces from all around the world reside in 14 locations around the Estate (which is the very first large-scale N.C. Chihuly installation).

The exhibition is up from now until Oct. 7th, free admission with a Biltmore day pass (and free for annual pass holders)Chihuly at Nightis a special, ongoing event where the glass sculptures are lit up, plus live music in the gardens + a wine bar. Tickets are $37.50 for kids + range from $65 – 75 for adults ($10 discount for pass holders).

Three new works
 were blown just for Biltmore, and 6 new compositions were put together.

Disney’s Aladdin JR.
Jun 23 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse Downtown

Based on the iconic animated film, with an Academy Award-winning score by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, Disney’s Aladdin Jr. is sure to send audiences soaring on a flying carpet ride filled with romance and adventure.

Showtimes are Thursdays at 3:00PM, Fridays at 1:00PM and 4:00PM, Saturdays at 1:00PM and 4:00PM, and Sundays at 3:00PM.

 

Playhouse Downtown 125 S. Main St. Hendersonville, NC 28792

Dragon Boat Races – Lake Julian Park
Jun 23 all-day
Lake Julian Park

Email: [email protected]
Phone: (828) 250-4260
Event Location: Lake Julian Park – 406 Overlook Extension Arden, NC

Earth Skin by Trish Salmon and Crystal Allen
Jun 23 all-day
NC Arboretum

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!

Falling- Solo Exhibition by Michael Francis Reagan
Jun 23 all-day

Event Type: Local Event
Event Category: Art & Culture
Contact: Grovewood Village
Contact Phone: (828) 253-7651
Link: https://www.grovewood.com/

Falling, a solo exhibition of contemporary paintings by Michael Francis Reagan, opens at Grovewood Gallery on Saturday, June 9, with an artist’s reception from 2-5pm (free and open to the public). This show will feature acrylic paintings on canvas from Reagan’s popular Falling Series, inspired by a haunting memory of a childhood encounter with a mourning dove that had fallen from the sky. This exhibition will remain on view through Sunday, July 15, 2018.

Reagan received a degree in art and American literature and an MFA in painting from the University of Arkansas. Aside from his paintings, Reagan has established himself as one of American’s leading mapmakers. As a freelance illustrator, he has been employed by major publications such as National Geographic, The New Yorker, Smithsonian magazine, Travel and Leisure, and The New York Times. Reagan’s bird paintings and environmental maps continue to be commissioned by Audubon, The Nature Conservancy, The National Parks of America, and other conservation organizations.

Mad Mountain Mud Run
Jun 23 all-day

The event is a 3-plus mile race filled with muddy obstacles. This year participants can choose their challenge. Options include: Timed Individual – Recommended for competitive runners who want to see if they can be the fastest individual through the course! You will take off by yourself and be timed.  Team of 4 – All team members need to register individually. Teams must have all 4 members registered to compete. All participants must be 12 & over. Teams are timed and will start and finish together. Untimed Individuals – You will take off with a group of individuals, and it is your choice if you want to stay with friends or run alone! This is a great way for a group of friends to run together and register individually. This is not recommended for competitive runners and you will not be timed.

Make a Mark Asheville
Jun 23 all-day
Hatch AVL

Asheville Make-a-Thon is a 12-hour design and development marathon benefiting local nonprofit and humanitarian causes. Ten to 15 local nonprofits will be selected to participate in Make a Mark Asheville.

Past Make a Mark events have provided nonprofits with approximately $1 million worth of design and marketing resources for their organizations that are used to promote their many invaluable causes and increase the quality of communication between the organization and their audiences.

Nonprofit, maker and volunteer applications are open until April 16.

Making Scents: The Art and Passion of Fragrance
Jun 23 all-day
NC Arboretum

This exquisite, interactive exhibit is designed to inspire and educate visitors about the storied history and evocative power of scent while taking them on a full sensory journey, literally! Blending flora, fashion and science, Making Scents showcases some of Mother Nature’s most fragrant botanicals and unveils the plants and flowers behind some of the world’s most iconic perfumes. Visitors will explore the mysterious power of the sense of smell, learn about the artistry and science behind the fragrance industry and even compose their own basic fragrance.

From traditional harvest and extraction methods to chemical combinations of synthetic fragrances, Making Scents uncovers the technical processes behind fragrance creation through an immersive, multisensory experience. Art, passion and craft come together inside the exhibit’s iconic bottle display, which showcases the unique designs of more than 100 perfume bottles, some dating back to ancient the Greek and Roman eras. By integrating horticulture, history and pop culture, Making Scents is sure to enlighten the senses and engage the minds of visitors about the fragrance industry and the living world in a fun, dynamic way.

Our Community
Jun 23 all-day
NC

The AAAC is excited to welcome the kindergartners of Ira B. Jones Elementary into the Hall Gallery. The kindergarten classes are working on a new social studies unit called Our Community. In this unit they will be exploring questions like: Why do people work? How we can help our community? What are our community’s needs and wants? The students will be learning about different kinds of neighborhoods like rural, city, suburban, and why they are important.
In art class the students will apply their understanding of these topics by creating a paper collage of their neighborhood. They will use various paper shapes to create a collage of a neighborhood. The neighborhoods will “link” together with a road that “unites” us all as one community.
The creations inspired by this lessons will be on display Monday – Friday, 10 am – 5 pm from May 4 – June 29, 2018.

Process
Jun 23 all-day
NC

Process is a collaborative exhibit by Erica Stankwytch Bailey, Asheville Makers, The Bright Angle with special guest artist Emily Rogstad.
This exhibition offers insight into the working worlds of creative collaborations and independent makers. Artifacts demonstrating inception of idea, design and making will be shown alongside finished pieces to illustrate the inherent value of the creative process.
“The creative process is not just iterative; it’s also recursive. It plays out “in the large” and “in the small”—in defining the broadest goals and concepts and refining the smallest details. It branches like a tree, and each choice has ramifications, which may not be known in advance.” -Dubberly Design Office
Erica Stankwytch Bailey is a Metalsmith and small business owner who designs and makes handmade artisan jewelry. Many of her pieces are inspired by an intense fascination with the building blocks of our world, most specifically molecular and crystalline structures.
The Bright Angle is a modern design company focused on showcasing the process and story behind the makers and products. At The Bright  Angle we emphasize practical utility and technology to offer handmade lifestyle goods through carefully curated designer-maker collaborations.
Emily Rogstad graduated in 2013 with a BFA in Metalsmithing + Jewelry from Maine College of Art. After some traveling she moved to Penland School of Crafts for two years for the Core Fellowship. Now a resident of Asheville, North Carolina she spends her time maintaining an inquisitive studio practice, and enjoying the mountains. She is currently the new Design Resident with The Bright Angle.
Asheville Makers is a makerspace in the Asheville area. They are a community of tinkerers, makers, engineers, educators, scientists, artists, hackers, geeks, etc. Anyone who is, aspires to be, or just wants to hang around with local smart, creative, friendly mad scientist folk is welcome!
Process will be open in the Front Gallery of the Refinery Creator Space from June 1 – July 27, 2018 with an opening reception on Friday, June 1 from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm.

Red Hot in the Blue Ridge
Jun 23 all-day
175 Biltmore Avenue

The Asheville Art Museum is excited to present Red Hot in the Blue Ridge, an exhibition being held in conjunction with Western North Carolina’s community-wide Summer of Glass celebration. On view at the Asheville Art Museum On the Slope at 175 Biltmore Avenue May 19 – September 30, 2018Red Hot in the Blue Ridge celebrates Western North Carolina’s unique place in the history of American Studio Glass. Many other organizations and galleries across WNC are also hosting glass-focused events, programs and exhibitions during the region’s Summer of Glass celebration, which coincides with a new exhibition at Biltmore of multi-media artist Dale Chihuly’s monumental glass sculptures.  Visit www.ashevilleart.org for details.

Shared History
Jun 23 all-day
56 Broadway

2018 marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center. As the last exhibition to be held in our 56 Broadway gallery before we move to 120 College Street on Pack Square Park in downtown Asheville, Shared History highlights not just the museum’s origins, collection, programs, and exhibitions but also the many ways that this organization has created a space for connection and experimentation. This fulfills our early promise to BMC alumni to be not merely a museum memorializing the past, but a center geared towards building community and fostering forward-thinking creativity in the present. An Opening Reception will be held on June 1st from 5:30PM – 8PM, with a Gallery Talk by Exhibition Curator, Erin Dickey, at 6:30PM. We welcome all who have been a part of our history, and hope that new audiences will gain insight into the scope of BMCM+AC’s reach, both locally and around the globe. This event is FREE and Open to the Public

Solo Exhibition of Contemporary Paintings by Michael Francis Reagan
Jun 23 all-day

Falling, a solo exhibition of contemporary paintings by Michael
Francis Reagan, opens at Grovewood Gallery in Asheville on Saturday, June 9, with an artist’s reception
from 2-5pm (free and open to the public). This show will feature acrylic paintings on canvas from
Reagan’s popular Falling Series, inspired by a haunting memory of a childhood encounter with a
mourning dove that had fallen from the sky. This exhibition will remain on view through Sunday, July 15,
2018.

Summer Soulstice 2018
Jun 23 all-day
Watson Gap Village at Blue Ridge Mountain Club
Summer Soulstice 2018 @ Watson Gap Village at Blue Ridge Mountain Club |  |  |

Join us for a day of family fun and the Grand Opening of the amenities at Watson Gap Village. Kawasaki USA and Brushy Mountain Motorsports will be providing free UTV tours of BRMC trails, there will be live music, local craft beer, food, and fun for every age, along with tours of the newly opened amenities at Watson Gap Village.

Just minutes from Blowing Rock, North Carolina and the Blue Ridge Parkway, there’s no better back drop for the longest day of the year than the sweeping views at Blue Ridge Mountain Club.

To learn more, visit brmcsoul.com or call us at 828-295-4667.

The Love List
Jun 23 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

A comedy by Norm Foster (The Affections of May). In this side-splitting and thought-provoking new comedy, Leon and Bill concoct a list of attributes of the ideal woman – the top ten best qualities in a mate. When this allegedly “Ideal Woman” actually arrives on the scene the men quickly learn that their list could use a few revisions. Be careful what you wish for – especially in choosing a mate. This old adage leads to hilarious results in Foster’s sparkling comic hit.

Matinees: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00PM

Evenings: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30PM. Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00PM

Flat Rock Playhouse Mainstage
2661 Greenville Highway Flat Rock, NC 28731

Farm Tour 10th Anniversary Celebration
Jun 23 @ 1:10 am

On June 23 and 24, over 20 Appalachian Grown™  family farms will welcome visitors to their farms during ASAP’s highly anticipated Farm Tour. This fun and educational weekend offers the public a chance to experience firsthand how food is grown and raised in the mountains, sample farm-fresh products, and meet the community’s local producers.

Farm Tour passes are on sale now at asapconnections.org. Passes are $30 in advance; $40 the weekend of the tour. One pass admits an entire carload. The tour runs 12-5 pm Saturday and Sunday.

ASAP will share details about the 10th anniversary activities leading up to the tour on their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter feeds. More information, including a list of where to pick up a tour guide (coming in May) and details on volunteering and attending the tour for free, can be found at asapconnections.org or by calling 828-236-1282.

Family Animal Encounters
Jun 23 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

We are lucky to have incredible Animal Educators to help us spread the word on the important roles they play in the Park. Join one of our Park naturalists for an informal program where your family will love meeting some of our wilder teammates! Kids of all ages are sure to take home some fun facts and special memories. Then, grab a Track Trail brochure at the Animal Discovery Den and round out the day with a hike along our Great Woodland Adventure trail with 12 education stations. Don’t forget your camera!

In the Gallery
Jun 23 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Art in Bloom – Plein Air Paintings