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.

June 2021 Jun 2021
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Friday, June 18, 2021
Biltmore Gardens Railway
Jun 18 @ 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
Biltmore

Included with admission

Our fun-for-all-ages botanical model train displays invite you to experience our grounds in an engaging new way. Located in the Conservatory in the Walled Garden, the displays feature replicas of structures connected with Biltmore and its founder George Vanderbilt. Each beautifully executed piece was handcrafted from such natural elements as leaves, bark, and twigs.

In compliance with state and local mandates related to COVID-19, all guests must enter the Conservatory via the ADA entrance in the back and follow a one-way route.

Read more
Categories: Family Fun Garden Outdoors Tours
Summer at Biltmore
Jun 18 @ 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
Biltmore

See the source image

Summer at Biltmore offers an abundance of opportunities to explore our 8,000-acre Blue Ridge Mountain backyard and create the kind of memories that last a lifetime. Wander through historic gardens, along winding trails, and within the spacious halls of America’s Largest Home®. Enjoy extraordinary experiences and peace of mind in one spectacular setting: only at Biltmore.

Read more
Categories: Outdoors Tours
Asheville Urban Kayak Tour on the French Broad River
Jun 18 @ 10:00 am – 1:30 pm
REI
  • FITNESS LEVEL : 2

    Easy Active

Join us on a paddle down the French Broad River through the heart of Asheville! From the water you will get a fresh perspective of our beautiful mountain city. Our tour will take us under the Blue Ridge Parkway, past the famed Biltmore estate, and into the River Arts District. Our professional guides will provide kayaks, gear, and the basic paddling instruction you need to have an enjoyable experience on the water. We’ll travel approximately 8 miles on calm water, making this trip perfect for anyone with a little bit of kayaking experience. The best thing about this tour? We do all the planning and packing – you just have to show up. We can’t wait to paddle with you!

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Categories: Family Fun Outdoors Sports Tours
Aston Park Tennis Center
Jun 18 @ 10:00 am – 7:30 pm
Aston Park Tennis Center
people playing on the courts at aston park tennis center

 

Asheville Parks & Recreation is pleased to announce the opening of Aston Park Tennis Center on April 1 for the 2021 season.  The tennis facility will be open seven days a week with two sessions of court availability — a morning session from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and an afternoon session from 3 to 7:30 p.m. with a one-hour break for midday cleaning.

Visitors can expect some changes to typical operations to meet current state and local health guidelines including enhanced cleaning, social distancing and mandatory mask wearing except while actively engaged in tennis activity on the court.  The Pro Shop will remain closed to foot traffic, however basic tennis supplies, drinks, and racquet drop-off for restringing will be available at the window.  Court fees will also be accepted at the window by credit card only and water fountains and showers will not be available.

 

Tennis Center prices are the same as they were in 2019, with hourly rates beginning at $6 and $7 and season passes starting at $299 and $399 for City of Asheville residents.  For more information and to purchase a season pass, visit the City’s Parks & Recreation website at www.ashevillenc.gov/parks.

 

The Aston Park Tennis Center, 336 Hilliard Ave.,  is one of the finest public clay tennis court facilities in the US.  The complex is open from April through November and offers 12 lighted courts for play.

 

The City of Asheville Parks & Recreation Department is committed to providing quality facilities and programs in a safe environment for everyone in our community.  For more information about everything Asheville Parks & Recreation offers, visit the website at www.ashevillenc.gov/parks,  Facebook page at www.facebook.com/APRCA or call 828-259-5800.

Read more
Categories: Outdoors Parks & Recreation Sports
Asheville Tourists vs. Aberdeen IronBirds
Jun 18 @ 6:35 pm
McCormick Field

Asheville Tourists Logo   vs.       

Read more
Categories: Family Fun Outdoors Sports
Montford Park Players: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Jun 18 @ 7:30 pm
Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – May 28 – June 19

by W. Shakespeare

Always our biggest Shakespeare hit of any season it’s performed, Midsummer is one of Shakespeare’s best works and funniest comedies. Not to be missed!

Read more
Categories: Outdoors Theatre
Saturday, June 19, 2021
Driving Tour with Smith-McDowell House
Jun 19 all-day
Online w/ Western North Carolina Historical Association
The residents of the Smith-McDowell House and grounds were woven in to the fabric of Asheville.

This driving tour begins at the Smith-McDowell House Museum on the campus of A-B Tech and continues through historic sites related to early occupants of the house.
Read more
Categories: Community Education Outdoors Tours
Nantahala Outdoor Center Reopens for 2021 Season with New Offerings
Jun 19 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center

Rafters swimming on the French Broad River Rafting: Full-Day (with Lunch) trip

Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC), has reopened all adventure activities and river outposts for the 2021 season featuring new food and beverage venues, expanded courses, and the return of events and live entertainment to main resort campus in Bryson City.

  • Launched whitewater rafting on seven rivers in the Southeast and aerial adventures to high demand
  • Two new food and beverage venues launching on NOC’s 500-acre campus including a renovated coffee and donut shuttle bus as well as a beer venue featuring New Belgium beer and custom beer blends
  • Expanded courses at NOC’s Paddling School for kayakers to learn new skills and experience Southeastern rivers
  • Full calendar of live music from local and regional bands, and the return of events like Women’s Paddlefest and river releases
  • Relia’s Lost Kitchen dinner series kicking off this month with a sold out Orin Swift Wine Dinner; more to follow through October.
Read more
Categories: Outdoors Sports
Nantahala River Rafting Fully Guided
Jun 19 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center

guests rafting on the Nantahala River Raft & Duck Rentals in North Carolina trip

A guided whitewater rafting trip is one of the best ways to experience the Nantahala Gorge. The crystal-clear Nantahala River is the perfect family-friendly river where experienced river guides will help you navigate through splashy Class II-III rapids and bouncy waves, with occasional calmer waters where you can enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery. The fully guided rafting trip the most popular adventure at NOC, with thousands of families returning year after year.

Read more
Categories: Family Fun Outdoors Sports
Rafting
Jun 19 all-day
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

Rafting

Available April – October with the morning departure of the Nantahala Gorge Excursion departing Bryson City, NC. Train seating in Open Air Gondola. Booking available by phone only: 1-800-872-4681.

Convenient, Inclusive, and Simple!

  • Adult (13 years and older) $109
    Child (Minimum of 7 years old or 60 pounds) $92

A Fully-Guided Experience

The original Raft & Rail© since 1988: enjoy the two best adventures in the region in one day, great for families. Southern Living Magazine calls this “an ideal adventure for families, first-timers, young or old.” This full-day guided adventure starts with a Wildwater staff member greeting you at the train depot, followed by a scenic train trip, deli lunch with all the fixings, and a Nantahala River whitewater trip with a guide in every boat. Hot showers and a photo show follow immediately after your 8 mile Nantahala River trip. All transportation is included to and from the Bryson City Train Depot.

Available by phone only. Book now by calling 800-872-4681.

Read more
Categories: Family Fun Outdoors Sports
Rail + Trail
Jun 19 all-day
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

Enjoy this trip combining the Great Smoky Mountains Railroads trip with the Waterfall Jeep® tour. You’ll begin your trip in Bryson City, NC, with a 2 hour (approximate) railroad excursion over Fontana Lake and into the Nantahala Gorge. As you travel on the train, watch paddlers challenge the rapids. At the top of the line, disembark from the train and climb aboard Wildwater’s customized Jeep® for a 2-hour (approximate) personal exploration up the mountain, past waterfalls and lakes, up to the Appalachian Trail and back. A delicious deli lunch is included.

Available by phone only. Book now by calling 800-872-4681.

* Children 40 – 80 lbs. are required to sit in the front passenger seat with the airbag disengaged using a child booster seat. Children 80 lbs. or greater will sit in the back using a lap seat belt. If there is more than one child in the 40 – 80 lb. range, the second child will sit in the back using a lap belt.

Read more
Categories: Family Fun Outdoors Tours
Tarzan Train
Jun 19 all-day
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

Tarzan Train

 

Our train and canopy combo trip will start in Bryson City at the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad train depot. You will ride through the Smoky Mountains, along Fontana Lake and up into the Nantahala Gorge. On your 2 hour train ride, watch paddlers challenge the rapids on the Nantahala River. A delicious Deli Sandwich lunch is included. At the top-of-the-line, you will disembark the train and travel a short distance to Wildwater’s Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tours.

The original zipline canopy tour in Western North Carolina, Wildwater’s Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tours offers 13 different zip lines and 8 sky bridges. Our two highest platforms have unbelievable views of Clingman’s Dome, Fontana Lake and waterfalls. This gliding experience, naturally fueled by a gradual elevation change, takes you through multiple ecosystems, past hemlocks, into hardwoods and through a deciduous forest packed with native flowering plants. All Canopy Tour Rangers are trained to – and all courses are built and inspected to – ACCT Standards to provide for your well-being and fun. This is a great experience for families.

After enjoying the fully guided zip line tour, check out your photos and buy a t-shirt in Wildwater’s store. Your adventure will end later in the afternoon back at your car in Bryson City, NC. All transportation is included.

Members of your party who can’t – or don’t want to – go on the canopy tour can ride the train round trip. You’ll all meet up shortly after the train’s return in Bryson City, NC.

Read more
Categories: Family Fun Outdoors
Victoria: The Forgotten Town Walking Tour
Jun 19 all-day
Online w/ Western North Carolina Historical Association
Contained by its larger growing neighbor (Asheville), the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, and the Southern Railway line, the Town of Victoria existed from 1887 until 1905, when it was absorbed into Asheville. The community—which included the Smith-McDowell House and Fernihurst mansion—originally incorporated into a town to prevent unwanted development (particularly from the Vanderbilts).
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Categories: Community Education Outdoors Tours
Naturalist Niche: Summer Birding
Jun 19 @ 7:30 am – 9:30 am
Chimney Rock State Park
Cost: Includes Park admission.

Chimney Rock State Park is a bird watcher’s paradise. A countless variety of native and migrant birds can be found here during this time of the year. Join a local birding expert for a two-hour bird finding expedition. You never know what species you might see, so bring your camera! This hike is considered moderate. Advance registration is required

Read more
Categories: Education Outdoors Parks & Recreation
Wild Art Sculpture Showcase
Jun 19 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 pm
NC Arboretum

The North Carolina Arboretum is going wild for art and nature in 2021 with Wild Art! On view April 1 through September 26, this outdoor sculpture exhibition features works by 17 local and national artists drawing inspiration from the natural environment. Situated throughout the Arboretum’s spacious, open-air gardens, the show offers guests a doorway into the wild world from the comfort and safety of cultivated landscapes transformed by art.

The 18 sculptures on display represent a variety of approaches to the theme of “wild art,” from the literal to the abstract, and are crafted from a diverse array of materials that will delight and inspire. Let your imagination take you on a wild journey into the world of plants and animals near and far with Wild Art at The North Carolina Arboretum.

The exhibit is available to all guests during normal Arboretum hours, and there is no admission cost to view the sculptures beyond our usual parking fee of $16 per personal vehicle.

Read more
Categories: Art & Craft Family Fun Garden Outdoors Parks & Recreation
Biltmore Gardens Railway
Jun 19 @ 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
Biltmore

Included with admission

Our fun-for-all-ages botanical model train displays invite you to experience our grounds in an engaging new way. Located in the Conservatory in the Walled Garden, the displays feature replicas of structures connected with Biltmore and its founder George Vanderbilt. Each beautifully executed piece was handcrafted from such natural elements as leaves, bark, and twigs.

In compliance with state and local mandates related to COVID-19, all guests must enter the Conservatory via the ADA entrance in the back and follow a one-way route.

Read more
Categories: Family Fun Garden Outdoors Tours
Summer at Biltmore
Jun 19 @ 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
Biltmore

See the source image

Summer at Biltmore offers an abundance of opportunities to explore our 8,000-acre Blue Ridge Mountain backyard and create the kind of memories that last a lifetime. Wander through historic gardens, along winding trails, and within the spacious halls of America’s Largest Home®. Enjoy extraordinary experiences and peace of mind in one spectacular setting: only at Biltmore.

Read more
Categories: Outdoors Tours
Aston Park Tennis Center
Jun 19 @ 10:00 am – 7:30 pm
Aston Park Tennis Center
people playing on the courts at aston park tennis center

 

Asheville Parks & Recreation is pleased to announce the opening of Aston Park Tennis Center on April 1 for the 2021 season.  The tennis facility will be open seven days a week with two sessions of court availability — a morning session from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and an afternoon session from 3 to 7:30 p.m. with a one-hour break for midday cleaning.

Visitors can expect some changes to typical operations to meet current state and local health guidelines including enhanced cleaning, social distancing and mandatory mask wearing except while actively engaged in tennis activity on the court.  The Pro Shop will remain closed to foot traffic, however basic tennis supplies, drinks, and racquet drop-off for restringing will be available at the window.  Court fees will also be accepted at the window by credit card only and water fountains and showers will not be available.

 

Tennis Center prices are the same as they were in 2019, with hourly rates beginning at $6 and $7 and season passes starting at $299 and $399 for City of Asheville residents.  For more information and to purchase a season pass, visit the City’s Parks & Recreation website at www.ashevillenc.gov/parks.

 

The Aston Park Tennis Center, 336 Hilliard Ave.,  is one of the finest public clay tennis court facilities in the US.  The complex is open from April through November and offers 12 lighted courts for play.

 

The City of Asheville Parks & Recreation Department is committed to providing quality facilities and programs in a safe environment for everyone in our community.  For more information about everything Asheville Parks & Recreation offers, visit the website at www.ashevillenc.gov/parks,  Facebook page at www.facebook.com/APRCA or call 828-259-5800.

Read more
Categories: Outdoors Parks & Recreation Sports
Free Yoga – The Park at Flat Rock
Jun 19 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Flat Rock Playhouse

Group of people with arms outstretched doing yoga in a park.Hendersonville yoga studio, YAM, is offering free outdoor yoga at The Park at Flat Rock on Thursdays and Saturdays. Get outside and get moving with these fun and refreshing classes. Click to learn more about YAM’s community yoga.

Read more
Categories: Outdoors Yoga
Diamond Brand Interactive Job Fair + Summer Celebration
Jun 19 @ 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Diamond Brand Gear

No photo description available.

Food, Fun, & Factory Tours

Explore the possibilities of industrial sewing, and discover firsthand if you’d be a good fit for pursuing a future in sewing with our passionate team.

Learn about what we make, how we make it, and maybe even become a part of the Diamond Brand family!

Whether you’re interested in checking out our tents & gear or are curious about becoming a sewer, this event will have something for everyone.

• Free food from 12 Bones & drinks
• Fun activities & contests with prizes
• Factory tours and sewing demos—make your own gear!

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Categories: Community Outdoors Sports
Rocky Cove Railroad Exhibit
Jun 19 @ 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
NC Arboretum

On exhibit Saturdays and Sundays through October from 12 to 4 p.m. (weather permitting), Rocky Cove Railroad is a G-Scale (garden scale) model train that demonstrates the coming of trains to western North Carolina at the turn of the 20th century. The exhibit is located below the Grand Garden Promenade.

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Categories: Family Fun Outdoors
Guided Trail Walk
Jun 19 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
NC Arboretum

Hit the trails and learn more about the Arboretum’s botanically diverse forest with the return of guided trail walks in 2021! In response to COVID-19, new safety measures have been put in place to protect our guests, members, volunteers and staff: Walks will be limited to 10 people, including the guide, and all participants will be required to wear face coverings for the duration of the walk.

This free hiking program is led by trained volunteer guides who take small groups of participants along woodland trails and through a variety of forest types. Depending on the season, topics of discussion may include wildflowers, plant and tree identification, natural history and more.

Guided trail walks depart from the Baker Exhibit Center Lobby every Tuesday and Saturday at 1 p.m. through the month of October. Walks last 1.5- 2.5 hours and are approximately one to two miles in length, and as such are recommended for guests 14 years or older. Walks are held rain or shine, so all participants should dress appropriately for the weather.

Register In Advance

Space is limited and advance registration is encouraged. Pre-registered participants must check in at the Baker Information Desk no later than 10 minutes before the scheduled program to keep their spot. Unclaimed spots will be offered to other guests.

Guests may sign up for trail walks in the following ways:

  • Pre-register online
  • Sign up in-person at the Baker Information Desk.
Read more
Categories: Education Outdoors Tours
Asheville Tourists vs. Aberdeen IronBirds
Jun 19 @ 6:05 pm
McCormick Field

Asheville Tourists Logo   vs.       

Read more
Categories: Family Fun Outdoors Sports
Montford Park Players: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Jun 19 @ 7:30 pm
Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – May 28 – June 19

by W. Shakespeare

Always our biggest Shakespeare hit of any season it’s performed, Midsummer is one of Shakespeare’s best works and funniest comedies. Not to be missed!

Read more
Categories: Outdoors Theatre
Sunday, June 20, 2021
Driving Tour with Smith-McDowell House
Jun 20 all-day
Online w/ Western North Carolina Historical Association
The residents of the Smith-McDowell House and grounds were woven in to the fabric of Asheville.

This driving tour begins at the Smith-McDowell House Museum on the campus of A-B Tech and continues through historic sites related to early occupants of the house.
Read more
Categories: Community Education Outdoors Tours
Fathers Day-Fathers Climb Treetops/KidZip free
Jun 20 all-day
The Adventure Center Asheville

SUNDAY, JUNE 20

Fathers climb the Treetops Park or Zip KidZip for free with paying family members.  Use code “dad” when booking online.

Read more
Categories: Family Fun Holiday Outdoors Sports
Nantahala Outdoor Center Reopens for 2021 Season with New Offerings
Jun 20 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center

Rafters swimming on the French Broad River Rafting: Full-Day (with Lunch) trip

Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC), has reopened all adventure activities and river outposts for the 2021 season featuring new food and beverage venues, expanded courses, and the return of events and live entertainment to main resort campus in Bryson City.

  • Launched whitewater rafting on seven rivers in the Southeast and aerial adventures to high demand
  • Two new food and beverage venues launching on NOC’s 500-acre campus including a renovated coffee and donut shuttle bus as well as a beer venue featuring New Belgium beer and custom beer blends
  • Expanded courses at NOC’s Paddling School for kayakers to learn new skills and experience Southeastern rivers
  • Full calendar of live music from local and regional bands, and the return of events like Women’s Paddlefest and river releases
  • Relia’s Lost Kitchen dinner series kicking off this month with a sold out Orin Swift Wine Dinner; more to follow through October.
Read more
Categories: Outdoors Sports
Nantahala River Rafting Fully Guided
Jun 20 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center

guests rafting on the Nantahala River Raft & Duck Rentals in North Carolina trip

A guided whitewater rafting trip is one of the best ways to experience the Nantahala Gorge. The crystal-clear Nantahala River is the perfect family-friendly river where experienced river guides will help you navigate through splashy Class II-III rapids and bouncy waves, with occasional calmer waters where you can enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery. The fully guided rafting trip the most popular adventure at NOC, with thousands of families returning year after year.

Read more
Categories: Family Fun Outdoors Sports
Rafting
Jun 20 all-day
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

Rafting

Available April – October with the morning departure of the Nantahala Gorge Excursion departing Bryson City, NC. Train seating in Open Air Gondola. Booking available by phone only: 1-800-872-4681.

Convenient, Inclusive, and Simple!

  • Adult (13 years and older) $109
    Child (Minimum of 7 years old or 60 pounds) $92

A Fully-Guided Experience

The original Raft & Rail© since 1988: enjoy the two best adventures in the region in one day, great for families. Southern Living Magazine calls this “an ideal adventure for families, first-timers, young or old.” This full-day guided adventure starts with a Wildwater staff member greeting you at the train depot, followed by a scenic train trip, deli lunch with all the fixings, and a Nantahala River whitewater trip with a guide in every boat. Hot showers and a photo show follow immediately after your 8 mile Nantahala River trip. All transportation is included to and from the Bryson City Train Depot.

Available by phone only. Book now by calling 800-872-4681.

Read more
Categories: Family Fun Outdoors Sports
Rail + Trail
Jun 20 all-day
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

Enjoy this trip combining the Great Smoky Mountains Railroads trip with the Waterfall Jeep® tour. You’ll begin your trip in Bryson City, NC, with a 2 hour (approximate) railroad excursion over Fontana Lake and into the Nantahala Gorge. As you travel on the train, watch paddlers challenge the rapids. At the top of the line, disembark from the train and climb aboard Wildwater’s customized Jeep® for a 2-hour (approximate) personal exploration up the mountain, past waterfalls and lakes, up to the Appalachian Trail and back. A delicious deli lunch is included.

Available by phone only. Book now by calling 800-872-4681.

* Children 40 – 80 lbs. are required to sit in the front passenger seat with the airbag disengaged using a child booster seat. Children 80 lbs. or greater will sit in the back using a lap seat belt. If there is more than one child in the 40 – 80 lb. range, the second child will sit in the back using a lap belt.

Read more
Categories: Family Fun Outdoors Tours