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.
Praised by NPR for their “upbeat, poppy vibe; energetic, driving rhythms; and virtuosic solos,” Twisted Pine will release their sophomore full-length Right Now on August 14, 2020 (Signature Sounds). Exploring a sound they call Americana funk, Twisted Pine takes traditional music in exhilarating directions. Bassist Chris Sartori writes, “This album is easier to feel than describe. We’re rooted in bluegrass, continually inspired by explorers like Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas, and SierraHull.Right Now takes this heritage into a new dimension. Our bluegrass is jazzy, our indie folk is poppy, our grooves are funky.”Twisted Pine grooves with fearless improvisation and intricate arrangements. “They were once bluegrass,” wroteThe BostonGlobe, “but … this Boston band has become something else, a wider version of string band, boundary jumpers akin to outfits like PunchBrothers, Nickel Creek, and Crooked Still.”
“What may be the most innovative modern interpretation of vintage roots music.” –No Depression
“Bill and the Belles is committed to helping early country music remain appreciated – not just replicated.” –Rolling Stone
“They’re a joy to watch live, and we bet you can’t make it through their set without smiling.” –The Bluegrass Situation
“Bill and the Belles’ brand of Americana oftentimes feels like it’s turning back the hands of time with their charming vintage sound.” –Pop Matters
“Bill and the Belles blend a traditional stringband sound with ’60 pop“ –Wide Open Country
“It’s Americana as dark comedy.” –Tinnitist
Happy Again isn’t exactly happy. But the delightfully deadpan new album from roots mainstays Bill and the Belles is full of life, humor, and tongue-in-cheek explorations of love and loss. Out May 21, 2021 on Ditty Boom Records (distribution and promotion by Free Dirt Service Co.), Happy Again marks a new chapter for the group by featuring eleven all-original songs penned by founding member Kris Truelsen. There’s no dancing around it: this album is about his divorce. But the group has a knack for saying sad things with a bit of an ironic smirk, pairing painful topics with a sense of release and relief. Anyone who’s been to one of their shows can attest that you leave feeling lighter and refreshed. The band often jokes that their setlists appear mournful and angry, but if you don’t listen to the words, you wouldn’t know it. “One of the darkest times of my life turned out to be one of the most creative,” says Truelsen. “I realized, ‘My life is chaos. I need to write about this shit.’” This personal loss turned out to be a creative boon for the band. Many of the songs were cranked out in just a few months, two were even written the night before they were recorded. This raw songcraft, along with the deft production touch of Teddy Thompson, son of Linda and Richard Thompson, who encouraged using only first or second takes, gives Happy Again an emotional punch that deepens with each listen.
The core of Happy Again is the foundational Bill and the Belles quartet sound featuring Truelsen on guitar, fiddler Kalia Yeagle, bassist Andrew Small, and banjo/banjo-uke player Helena Hunt, recently replaced by Aidan VanSuetendael. The album is also gently supported by Nick Falk on electric guitar and percussion and Don Eanes on piano and B3 Hammond. Early fans of the band were hooked by their singing, and Happy Again continues to deliver stellar vocal trio arrangements, honed by Yeagle, that nod toward groups like the Ronettes and The Shangri-Las. The band began as a project to explore the sounds between rural and urban music, between vaudeville and down home roots, but they’ve arrived somewhere wholly their own. They revel in the in-between: deeply engaged with the stringband tradition and eager to stretch those influences to contemporary settings. Happy Again is the latest chapter of that ongoing story: what happens when a stringband from East Tennessee lays down a session at Motown. It’s a welcome evolution that feels familiar and timeless.
With all their tongue-in-cheek quips, you’d think Bill and the Belles avoids the tough stuff, however, that’s far from the truth. “Never Be Happy Again” is a laundry list of existential woes, and “People Gonna Talk” profiles some of the frustrations of small-town living. “Make It Look Easy” is both an anthem for apathy and a proper “buzz off” to those who’ve got something to say about your life choices. And of course there’s “Sobbin’ the Blues,” Truelsen’s homage to the ‘talking blues’ numbers of the past, neatly tied up with a moral-of-the-story twist. Tucked in amongst the grief and jubilation of Happy Again are some noteworthy oddballs, including two songs that began their lives as jingles on Farm and Fun Time (the band’s live variety radio show now syndicated on PBS, reaching over 20 million homes): “Bye Bye Bill” (a tale about a pale ale drinking whale) and the “The Corn Shuckin’ Song” (make of it what you will). The band presents these themes simply and playfully, inviting listeners to reframe their own burdens and look to the future. “This was one of the first times I felt like I was writing country songs like my heros that were actually from my own perspective,” says Truelsen. “I quickly realized it made sense for us to break the rules.” The group subverts expectations for a stringband, taking a page from some of the finest early country and rock songwriters that drifted happily between genres. Truelsen describes the band’s mission: “One of my ultimate goals is to write songs that are hard to classify in a certain time period. To transcend the now.”
For Amy Alvey and Mark Kilianski, the emergence of a brand new self-titled album also marks a rebirth of sorts for their band, Golden Shoals. Eight years ago, the duo was formed for a very unique performance project, called “The Massachusetts Walking Tour”, on which they hiked 6-12 miles per day with packs and instruments, and played shows each night for two weeks. The two semi-nomadic musicians, who have called Asheville, Boston, and various moving vehicles home for the past eight years, have grown individually and as a unit, yet continue to find musical fulfillment in their collaboration. They now call Nashville, Tennessee their home base.
Initially brought together by a mutual love of American folk music, their sound has expanded to include country, Americana, Indie and Experimental influences, allowing them to move more freely beyond genre boundaries with their songwriting while still emanating a deep understanding of Old-Time and Bluegrass music. Ever inspired by the enduring spirit of traditional Appalachian mountain music, their songwriting comes across as simple, honest, and fresh to the ears. The listener can expect the polished technique of conservatory training, in tandem with the grit, drive, and soul of musicians like Roscoe Holcomb or Ola Belle Reed.
We’re excited to welcome Celebrity Chef & Author Chadwick Boyd for a celebration of spring.
About Chadwick Boyd
Chadwick Boyd is a food media entrepreneur who began cooking as a child on his family farm and has been cooking along with some of the biggest names, such as Art Smith, Carla Hall, and Tyler Florence for almost 30 years. Today, Boyd’s company, Chadwick Boyd Lifestyle, is a multi-media enterprise that collaborates with magazines, television networks, publishing houses, and consumer brands.
Friday & Saturday, May 13 & 14
Social Hour from 5 – 6 pm | Enjoy recipes from Chadwick Boyd’s Lovely & Delicious platform.
*Complimentary for Half-Mile Farm guests only.
Saturday, May 14
Biscuit-making demonstration, conversation and tasting with Chadwick and Kyle Jones Co-Founder and Media Director of Bitter Southerner in the Woodland View Room from 4 – 5 pm.
*Complimentary for Half-Mile Farm guests only.
Sunday, April 15
May Day Celebration Dinner with Celebrity Chef Chadwick Boyd from 5 pm at The Farm at Old Edwards. Playful Spring Attire is encouraged!
Price: Hosted events are for Half-Mile Farm guests only.
To attend these complimentary events at Half-Mile Farm from Sunday, May 13 – 15, book your stay today.
Book Online: https://www.oldedwardshospitality.com/half-mile-farm#/booking/step-1
The Asheville Mall Walking Club walks, talks, and window shops on Friday mornings from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Just meet outside Barnes & Noble Booksellers
During the month of May, buy one entrée and get a free dessert at Brixx Wood Fired Pizza in Biltmore Park. Mention that you saw this offer in the Town Square Reminder email newsletter and enjoy warm, friendly service over scratch made wood fired fare either in the dining room or on the spacious patio.
Maybe you heard of that daring train robbery, diverting the federal reserve gold train, as it wound through the tunnels and mountain passes between Old Fort and Black Mountain? Maybe you wondered if there was a connection with the Dark City Kings, the legendary train robber gang, rolling up to their Sunday show at the Black Mountain Brewery wearing fake furs and diamond-encrusted timepieces and driving a fleet of Bugattis and Maseratis? It’s never enough. It’s never too far. The Dark City Kings are local music legends, playing epic four-hour sets of covers and originals every Sunday to a growing audience, laughing and hooting like fools, garage rock, raw country heartbreak, pop hooks, and loud drunken sing-a-longs. We’re a bit much. We go a bit too far. We have too much fun. But… oh well. We’ll probably break your heart – and we don’t really care.
Post-Game Fireworks Show Presented By Blue Ridge Power
Dollar Dog Friday $1 hotdogs served every Friday, thanks to Blossman Gas!
Henderson County Parks & recreation hosts a free movie screening and food truck at parks across the county this summer! Food truck opens at 7pm, movie starts at nightfall (approx 8pm). Bring your blanket and chair!
– May 13 | Jackson Park | Encanto
– June 17 | Etowah Park | Clifford the Big Red Dog
– July 15 | East Flat Rock Park | Sing 2
– July 29 | Tuxedo Park | Space Jam
– August 12 | Dana Park | Luca
As those who have seen him live can attest, Pierce Edens absorbed the songwriting, storytelling and musical styling of the surrounding Appalachian Mountains, where he spent his childhood. This history takes the form of old time, folk and bluegrass music as well as spoken words of storytellers from his North Carolina home; this has earned him the moniker of “Appalachicana.”
Over the last ten years, Edens has been drawing on those roots and blending them with the grungy rock and roll sounds that took him in his teenage years. The result is a haunting and fiery mixture that is notoriously hard to pin down. Allmusic.com classifies Edens as both “Folk-Rock” and “psychedelic-grunge,” and No Depression writer Bill Kopp says “[He] could just as easily- and accurately- be tagged with the singer/songwriter label; He’s a gritty troubadour who takes what he needs from each style, blending and bending it to suit the needs of his songs.”
Through relentless touring, independently producing 4 albums (with one on the way), one full length concert film, and sharing the stage with musical heroes such as: Jim Lauderdale, Todd Snider, Will Kimbrough, and Sturgill Simpson, Edens has garnered a dedicated following of fans across the nation. And as Fred Mills of Blurt magazine says… “Edens is the R.F.D. (Real effin’ Deal), and when he and his band have their collective back against the wall, there’s trouble in store.”
With her 2017 debut Shame, Americana songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Rachel Baiman emerged as a fearless voice of the American female experience. “Shame” was featured on NPR’s “Songs We Love”, called a “Rootsy Wake-up Call” by Folk Alley, and described by Vice’s “Noisey” as “flipping off authority one song at a time.” On her new full-length album Cycles, Baiman has found a grittier musical medium for her signature unabashed and defiant songwriting, employing a majority-female team including co-producer Olivia Hally, known as the front woman of Indie-pop band Oh Pep!
Cycles is a collection of songs encompassing the many ways that we destroy and rebuild as people, as families, and as a country. Songs about the cycle of life inspired by the birth of a nephew and the loss of a grandmother, songs about internal mental cycles of ambition and self-doubt, the cycle of progress and regression in our country’s political journey, and the cycles of growth and reinvention that relationships take on. At times heartbreaking, at times celebratory, the album is a reflection of a lot of life experienced in a relatively short amount of time, a desire to hold fast to the people we love in the wake of so much uncertainty, and an exploration of the immense and unique strength of women in the face of adversity.
Originally from Chicago, Baiman moved to Nashville at eighteen, and has spent the last decade working as a musician in a wide variety of roles, from session musician (Molly Tuttle, Kelsey Waldon, Caroline Spence), to live sidewoman (Kacey Musgraves, Amy Ray), to bandmate and producer. Fiddle music was her first love, and she is known in the bluegrass and old time world for her work with progressive acoustic duo 10 String Symphony with fiddle player Christian Sedelmyer. Her first solo album Shame, was produced by Andrew Marlin of Mandolin Orange, and established her role as part of a new generation of political songwriters. Since 2017, Baiman has toured her solo project internationally with appearances at the Kilkenny Roots Festival in Ireland, the Mullum Music Festival in Australia, and the Kennedy Center Millenium Stage in Washington, DC. She has also released a variety of small scale projects; her 2018 Free Dirt EP Thanksgiving, which read as a sort of epilogue to Shame, a duet project with singer Mike Wheeler, which is a more stripped down nod to her acoustic roots, and a 2020 single, Wrong Way Round, which shows more sonic experimentation and hints at musical direction of Cycles.
Inspired by the burgeoning grunge rock scene in Melbourne, Cycles was recorded in Australia in the glorified storage unit known as Purple Wayne Studios (Big Smoke) with engineer Alex O’Gorman (Angie McMahon). In addition to Hally on bass, piano and guitar, and Baiman on guitar, strings and banjo, other musicians include Melbourne drummer Bree Hartley, guitar players Cy Winstanley (Brandy Clarke) and Josh Oliver (Mandolin Orange), and guest vocalists Dan Parsons, Dan Watkins and Maggie Rigby (The Maes). The album was mixed by GRAMMY winning engineer Shani Gandhi, who is based in Nashville but originally from Australia as well.
This event is open for kids and adults, or just adults. Come spend quality time with your kiddos.
Pasta making class designed especially for kids and adults to work together.
We will make ravioli, fettuccini and two different sauces; marinara and Alfredo. We will also make quick but ultimately delicious croissants.
We provide drinks, aprons and appetizers. Come join us for a fun afternoon.
We’re excited to welcome Celebrity Chef & Author Chadwick Boyd for a celebration of spring.
About Chadwick Boyd
Chadwick Boyd is a food media entrepreneur who began cooking as a child on his family farm and has been cooking along with some of the biggest names, such as Art Smith, Carla Hall, and Tyler Florence for almost 30 years. Today, Boyd’s company, Chadwick Boyd Lifestyle, is a multi-media enterprise that collaborates with magazines, television networks, publishing houses, and consumer brands.
Friday & Saturday, May 13 & 14
Social Hour from 5 – 6 pm | Enjoy recipes from Chadwick Boyd’s Lovely & Delicious platform.
*Complimentary for Half-Mile Farm guests only.
Saturday, May 14
Biscuit-making demonstration, conversation and tasting with Chadwick and Kyle Jones Co-Founder and Media Director of Bitter Southerner in the Woodland View Room from 4 – 5 pm.
*Complimentary for Half-Mile Farm guests only.
Sunday, April 15
May Day Celebration Dinner with Celebrity Chef Chadwick Boyd from 5 pm at The Farm at Old Edwards. Playful Spring Attire is encouraged!
Price: Hosted events are for Half-Mile Farm guests only.
To attend these complimentary events at Half-Mile Farm from Sunday, May 13 – 15, book your stay today.
Book Online: https://www.oldedwardshospitality.com/half-mile-farm#/booking/step-1
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Yoga with baby goats…it is just as ridiculous and amazing as it sounds. You can expect to grin, giggle, move, and flow alongside the sweetest little snuggly socialites. The goats may pull your attention away from your movement practice from time to time but they are the most adorable anchors to the present moment and can spark pure joy.
Upcoming Public Classes:
May 14
May 28
June 11
June 25
Private classes are available daily with advanced notice!
Disconnect with stress and connect with loving, social baby goats! This is a unique opportunity to spend time outdoors and let the busyness of the world melt away for a moment. You can expect a beginner-friendly yoga class that is easy to follow…and rejoin if you find yourself distracted throughout.
Wear loose fitting clothing, long pants, shirts with sleeves, and clothes that you don’t mind getting a bit dirty. Please plan on bringing your own yoga mat or you may rent a mat in advance for $5. These events will be held rain or shine. In the case of inclement weather, we’ll move under the cover of the open air milking barn. Don’t forget to bring an open mind and adventurous spirit! It is sure to be an experience to remember!
During the month of May, buy one entrée and get a free dessert at Brixx Wood Fired Pizza in Biltmore Park. Mention that you saw this offer in the Town Square Reminder email newsletter and enjoy warm, friendly service over scratch made wood fired fare either in the dining room or on the spacious patio.
The Utopian Seed Project is a local non-profit exploring and celebrating diversity in food and farming. Our inaugural event of 2022 will be a casual but exciting showcasing of crops from our trials.
Trial to Table
The extremely talented chefs Bailey (Smoky Park Supper Club) and Ophus (Benne on Eagle) will be preparing a delicious selection of small plates for you to enjoy. Chef Hughes (Leo’s House of Thirst and The Admiral) will be creating a delicious sweet treat to seal the deal! Throughout the afternoon you can expect 4 small plates plus 1 sweet dish.
Purple Sweet Potato Tasting
We will have a purple sweet potato tasting from our farm trials last year – we invite you to sample five different purple sweet potatoes for flavor, texture and color!
Sweet Potato Coffee
Hanah Zinn will be debuting samples of her sweet potato coffee and seeking feedback and comments on the special brew!
Beer and Cider
To help raise some funds for our non-profit, Botanist & Barrel and Cellarest Beer Project have donated some cider and beer to the event. We’ll be selling alcohol throughout the afternoon.
Schedule
1-2pm – Arrive, Mingle and Enjoy. We’ll have beer and cider to purchase and soft drinks on offer. Sample the sweet potato coffee and help us evaluate the purple sweet potatos! First two tapas plates from Chef’s Bailey and Ophus will be served.
2pm – Chris Smith, executive director, will give a short welcome and overview of The Utopian Seed Project.
2:15pm – The second round of tapas plates will be served along with desert from Chef Hughes.
3:15-4pm – Event will wind to a close, but the beer table and sweet potato tasting will be open to the end! We’ll also have a The Utopian Seed Project table so you can learn more about the project and ask lots of questions!
Massive thanks to our board member, Chef Terri Terrell, for making this event amazing, and to Shay Brown Events for donating the Masonic Temple event space.
The Utopian Seed Project is a local non-profit exploring and celebrating diversity in food and farming. Our inaugural event of 2022 will be a casual but exciting showcasing of crops from our trials.
The extremely talented chefs Bailey (Executive Chef at Smoky Park Supper Club) and Ophus (Executive Chef at Benne on Eagle) will be preparing a delicious selection of small plates for you to enjoy. Chef Hughes will be creating a delicious sweet treat to seal the deal! Throughout the afternoon you can expect 4 small plates plus 1 sweet dish.
In addition we will have a purple sweet potato tasting organized and run by Farmer-Chef Jamie Swofford (Old North Farm) – we invite you to sample five different purple sweet potatoes for flavor, texture and color!
As well as enjoying incredible food, there’ll be opportunities to learn more about The Utopian Seed Project
Cider and Beer will be sold separately.
Massive thanks to our board member, Chef Terri Terrell, for making this event amazing, and to Shay Brown Events for donating the Masonic Temple event space.
Super 60s performs a free concert at Firehouse Subs in Hendersonville. Classic cars will be on display from the Carolina Mountain Car Club. Free line-dance classes from Betty Busch from 5:30-6:30pm. Concert to follow from 6:30-8:30pm. Please note: no smoking, coolers or pets.
Summer 2022 Concert Schedule:
May 14 | Super 60s
May 28 | 3 Cool Cats
June 11 | Super 60s
June 25 | Fine Line
July 9 | Deano & The Dreamers
July 23 | Fine Line
August 6 | Sound Investment
August 20 | Fine Line
August 27 | 3 Cool Cats
September 10 | Deano & The Dreamers
September 24 | 3 Cool Cats
October 8 | Sound Investment
October 15 | Super 60s (Halloween event)
We’re excited to welcome Celebrity Chef & Author Chadwick Boyd for a celebration of spring.
About Chadwick Boyd
Chadwick Boyd is a food media entrepreneur who began cooking as a child on his family farm and has been cooking along with some of the biggest names, such as Art Smith, Carla Hall, and Tyler Florence for almost 30 years. Today, Boyd’s company, Chadwick Boyd Lifestyle, is a multi-media enterprise that collaborates with magazines, television networks, publishing houses, and consumer brands.
Friday & Saturday, May 13 & 14
Social Hour from 5 – 6 pm | Enjoy recipes from Chadwick Boyd’s Lovely & Delicious platform.
*Complimentary for Half-Mile Farm guests only.
Saturday, May 14
Biscuit-making demonstration, conversation and tasting with Chadwick and Kyle Jones Co-Founder and Media Director of Bitter Southerner in the Woodland View Room from 4 – 5 pm.
*Complimentary for Half-Mile Farm guests only.
Sunday, April 15
May Day Celebration Dinner with Celebrity Chef Chadwick Boyd from 5 pm at The Farm at Old Edwards. Playful Spring Attire is encouraged!
Price: Hosted events are for Half-Mile Farm guests only.
To attend these complimentary events at Half-Mile Farm from Sunday, May 13 – 15, book your stay today.
Book Online: https://www.oldedwardshospitality.com/half-mile-farm#/booking/step-1
During the month of May, buy one entrée and get a free dessert at Brixx Wood Fired Pizza in Biltmore Park. Mention that you saw this offer in the Town Square Reminder email newsletter and enjoy warm, friendly service over scratch made wood fired fare either in the dining room or on the spacious patio.
Ready to elevate your fitness routine? Meet us on the rooftop pool deck at Aloft for a workout with a view!
We’re teaming up with Aloft Asheville to bring you a super FUN summer movement series !
Every month from May to August we’re bringing you a new class to shake up your routine and show yourself some L O V E.
After class you’ll be connecting with other local, like-minded women, enjoying complimentary mini experiences, and snacking on Loco Bowls signature Pina Loca, Acai, and Smoothie Bowls + Smash Nutritions clean energy teas!
May 15th : Rhythm & Burn with Kylie of SOR Studios!
Complimentary Experiences :
Chair Massage by Hand and Stone Massage & Facial Spa
*Class will run from 11-12, experience stations & connection from 12-1.
* make a day of it and purchase a day pass to Aloft’s pool for $15! *Summer pool pass also available for purchase!
Burlesque Brunch is a monthly burlesque and bellydance show with a classic speakeasy feel. Join our dancing dames and dandies every third Sunday of the month for a little singin’, strippin’, and sippin’ starting at noon. It’s a Sunday afternoon to delight the senses!
**Ticket price covers entry, brunch is not included in price.
Jazz Sunday at One World Brewing West is a modern jazz jam held every Sunday afternoon from 1-4pm. Previously known as Jazz Monday, the jam has been running non stop since July, 2018 at the West Asheville brewery and is hosted weekly by The Fully Vaccinated Jazz Trio, consisting of Ray Ring on guitar, Jason DeCristofaro on drums, piano and vibraphone, and Connor Law on bass. Jazz Sunday typically features a guest artist for a short set and then welcomes jazz musicians of all levels to sit in for the remainder of the afternoon on One World’s spacious outdoor stage.
The YMCA Mobile Market will be set up in the library parking lot from 1 -2 pm. Bring your grocery bags and get fresh food for your family. All are welcome, regardless of income or family size. Distributions are free and no paperwork is required.
The market provides fresh produce paired with healthy recipes and a Community Engagement Table with valuable services such as cooking demonstrations.
While you’re in the lot, stop in to get a free library card if you don’t have one, pick up a cookbook or two to experiment with your bundle of groceries, or grab a DVD to watch while snacking.
**Important Things to Note**
- You MUST be a CURRENT LEAF Member to purchase Tickets (a Member can purchase for a non-member). Join/Renew Membership Here
- You MUST be signed into your LEAF Account (little yellow silhouette in the upper right corner)
- Tickets at each tier are LIMITED! Discount Ticket Pricing ends when ticket # for that tier sells out.
- Retreat is limited to 1500 passes – get yours before they’re gone! Weekend Plus (Thurs-Sun) & Weekend (Fri-Sun) are available and include overnight camping if you desire. Day passes are not available for Retreat. Retreat is designed with a focus on happiness, renewal & connection.
- Health & happiness is #1. Proof of Vaccination or Negative COVID-19 Test within 72 hours for EVERYONE ages 5+. required upon entry.
Redeeming credit? Email [email protected] or call Tues/Wed/Thurs 828-68-MUSIC [828-686-8742]
Join us for Sunday Jam hosted by Spiro and Friends!
The taproom is open from 12:00 to 9:00 PM with music beginning at 6:30.
Bring your instrument! Sign-ups at the stage!
Food Truck: Tin Can Pizzaria