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.

Sunday, November 5, 2023
LAZOOM: CITY COMEDY TOUR
Nov 5 @ 10:00 am
LaZoom Room

Learn Asheville’s history, discover hidden gems, and laugh at LaZoom’s quirky sense of adventure.

  • Guided comedy tour bus of historical Asheville
  • 90-Minutes – tours run daily
  • 15-minute break at Green Man Brewing
  • $39 per person (ages 13+ only)
Live Music for Brunch at The Exchange
Nov 5 @ 10:30 am – 1:30 pm
The Restoration Hotel Asheville

Join us for a soulful new tradition in The Exchange every Sunday with emcee, vocalist, and drummer, Lyric Jones. Savor new and classic brunch dishes to the tune of soul, jazz, and hip-hop beats from 10am to 1:30pm.

LAZOOM Tours: GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR
Nov 5 @ 7:00 pm
LaZoom Room


GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR

Grab a local beer, crucifix and a rubber chicken* —You might survive this hour long hilarious haunted ghost tour of Asheville.

  • Guided comedy bus tour of Haunted Asheville
  • 60 minutes; tours run nightly after dark
  • $33 per person (Ages 17+ only)
  • Departs from 76 Biltmore Avenue

*Legal Note: Crucifix not required to board the bus; we do not condone exorcisms, chickens, rubber, or any combination of the three.

Monday, November 6, 2023
LAZOOM: CITY COMEDY TOUR
Nov 6 @ 10:00 am
LaZoom Room

Learn Asheville’s history, discover hidden gems, and laugh at LaZoom’s quirky sense of adventure.

  • Guided comedy tour bus of historical Asheville
  • 90-Minutes – tours run daily
  • 15-minute break at Green Man Brewing
  • $39 per person (ages 13+ only)
Give Local for Early Education
Nov 6 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Ginger's Revenge Craft Brewery & Tasting Room

Support young children and their families! Join us for a celebration of early education, early literacy, and community. We’re collecting donations through MountainXpress’s Give!Local campaign. We’ll be at Ginger’s Revenge with door prizes, camaraderie, and delicious beverages

LAZOOM Tours: GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR
Nov 6 @ 7:00 pm
LaZoom Room


GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR

Grab a local beer, crucifix and a rubber chicken* —You might survive this hour long hilarious haunted ghost tour of Asheville.

  • Guided comedy bus tour of Haunted Asheville
  • 60 minutes; tours run nightly after dark
  • $33 per person (Ages 17+ only)
  • Departs from 76 Biltmore Avenue

*Legal Note: Crucifix not required to board the bus; we do not condone exorcisms, chickens, rubber, or any combination of the three.

Tuesday, November 7, 2023
LAZOOM: CITY COMEDY TOUR
Nov 7 @ 10:00 am
LaZoom Room

Learn Asheville’s history, discover hidden gems, and laugh at LaZoom’s quirky sense of adventure.

  • Guided comedy tour bus of historical Asheville
  • 90-Minutes – tours run daily
  • 15-minute break at Green Man Brewing
  • $39 per person (ages 13+ only)
LEGO Builders Club
Nov 7 @ 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Pack Memorial Library

Come down the Pack Memorial Library and play with LEGOs!
Show off your building skills and make new friends with other LEGO maniacs.

Please leave your personal LEGOs at home, because we’ve got plenty.

School Age – (grades K-5)
LAZOOM Tours: GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR
Nov 7 @ 7:00 pm
LaZoom Room


GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR

Grab a local beer, crucifix and a rubber chicken* —You might survive this hour long hilarious haunted ghost tour of Asheville.

  • Guided comedy bus tour of Haunted Asheville
  • 60 minutes; tours run nightly after dark
  • $33 per person (Ages 17+ only)
  • Departs from 76 Biltmore Avenue

*Legal Note: Crucifix not required to board the bus; we do not condone exorcisms, chickens, rubber, or any combination of the three.

Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Creekside Play @ Hickory Nut Gap Farm
Nov 8 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Hickory Nut Gap Farm

STATIONARY FUN – Creekside play area has a treehouse and wee slide ➤ The Big Barn has our Sound Silo full of instruments to play on and make noise, trikes on the trike track around a REAL tractor and cornhole boards(ask the staff for bags) ➤ On the grassy slope behind the Big Barn we’ve got our famous and fast culvert tunnel slides for all ages, hammocks on the hill and tetherball!

Availability: All stationary fun is available every day during business hours of 10-5, starting September 2nd, through the rest of the season- tetherball will be back in action starting September 6th!

ANIMALS TO SEE – We will have a brooder house full of chicks in various ages and stages all season, there will typically be mama pigs and piglets in agritourism pens on the hill, more rarely there will be grazing cattle in a nearby field.

FOOD TRUCK SCHEDULE

9/2 Sat  11-4 Fern Leaf CCS Food Truck

9/16 Sat 11-4 Milk & Honey Food Truck – they will be serving HNG beef for their all-American burger!

9/24 Sun 11-4 *Big Barn Market* Root Down Farm Food Truck

9/30 Sat 11-4 Milk & Honey Food Truck

10/7 Sat 11-4 Fern Leaf CCS Food Truck

10/14 Sat 11-4 Milk & Honey Food Truck

10/15 Sun 11-4 El Bodegon Food Truck

10/22 Sun 11-4 El Bodegon Food Truck

10/29 Sun 11-4 *Big Barn Market* Grush’s Cajun Dino Grill Food Truck

11/4 Sat 11-4 Fern Leaf CCS Food Truck

FALL SEASONAL OFFERINGS

APPLES – Our partners in Edneyville, NC, Lyda Farms, bring some of the best in the region. Local and low spray, folks come every year to get the best of fall in NC by the bag to bake, stew, butter, sauce and of course, crunch into while sitting on the farm.

Availability: Apples will be available to buy starting September 9th, they will typically run out Mid to late October.

FRESH PRESSED CIDER – We press fresh apple cider every year, comprised of our historical orchard apples on the Old Sherrill’s Inn property and apples from our partner Lyda Farms. This is a raw, unpasteurized product – delicious and changeable as the season, no added sugar or seasonings.

Availability: 1st pressing September 13th, bottled cider will be in the store for purchase September 14th!

JACKOLANTERN PUMPKINS – We work with several WNC veggie farmers in the area, including Hawkins Farms. We’ll have pumpkins arranged all around the Farm Store to display their beauty AND make sure you get *just the right one*. The seeds are dynamite when roasted, too…

Availability: Coming Mid-September, they will typically run out by end of October so make sure you get yours! 

EDIBLE SQUASH & DECORATIVE GOURDS – From Mr. Anthony Cole’s farms, we have some long-lasting festive gourds to decoarate for the season, and a broad variety of edible squashes and pumpkins perfect for pies, soups and pasta.

Availability: Coming Mid-September.

LAZOOM: CITY COMEDY TOUR
Nov 8 @ 10:00 am
LaZoom Room

Learn Asheville’s history, discover hidden gems, and laugh at LaZoom’s quirky sense of adventure.

  • Guided comedy tour bus of historical Asheville
  • 90-Minutes – tours run daily
  • 15-minute break at Green Man Brewing
  • $39 per person (ages 13+ only)
‘Beer Flight’ Drag queen bar crawl
Nov 8 @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Downtown Asheville

Asheville’s only and original DRAG QUEEN BAR CRAWL!
Experience Asheville’s one-of-a-kind Drag Queen Bar Crawl, a unique fundraiser supporting local non-profit organizations. “Beer Flight” offers an unparalleled opportunity to discover the vibrant craft brewery scene of Beer City while enjoying the delightful company of our hilarious drag queen flight attendant. Perfect for special occasions, including birthdays, weddings, and even divorce parties, this event promises a memorable and enjoyable experience for all fans of drag and beer alike. Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to support local non-profits and have a blast doing it!

The two-hour tour promises a side-splittingly funny experience, featuring:

  • The beer! The drag queen! FUN!
  • 2-3 Flights of craft beer/seltzer/wine/sours ($45 value)
  • Souvenir sticker ($5 value)
  • Mid-flight snack (priceless!)
  • VIP seats at an after-party event*
  • No cover and no waiting at venues
  • Photo ops with your drag queen guide
  • See FAQs at the bottom of this page
  • *After-party not available on all tours; ask!

Prepare for takeoff as Bearded Lady Productions presents a first-class “beer flight” bar crawl tour featuring the company of a hilarious drag queen wannabe flight attendant. You won’t want to miss this two-hour tour, where you’ll get to enjoy fine brews, seltzers, wines, and sours from multiple iconic downtown breweries, all while being entertained by a fabulous drag queen leading the way. Tickets for the first-class “beer flight” tour include the tour itself, all beverages along the route, fun surprises, and other perks. Seating is limited, so book your tickets now at https://www.AshevilleDragBrunch.com. You won’t want to miss this chance to experience the best of Asheville’s craft brewing scene while being entertained by a top-notch fabulous queen.

The tour has multiple dates and most tours end with VIP seats at a 2-hour special event, drag karaoke or drag music bingo. And don’t worry if a real airplane is not available for the tour, as the one-mile trip will be on foot. But that won’t stop you from experiencing the high-flying adventure that “Beer Flight” has planned for you. The after-party event is not available on all tours, so be sure to ask about it when booking your ticket. This is the perfect way to spend an afternoon or evening, so grab your friends and get ready for an unforgettable experience. The sky’s the limit with this unique first-class experience!

Upon arrival at one of Asheville’s premier craft breweries, guests will be greeted by a world-class drag queen who will serve as their stewardess for the night. As guests wait for the “flight” to board, they will have the opportunity to mingle with their fellow passengers. The tour will then take off, with the drag queen leading the way through the vibrant streets of Asheville. Although a real airplane may not be available, all seats are first-class and drinks are included. Guests will be treated like royalty, with no cover and no waiting at the breweries along the route, and a guided tasting of each flight.

LAZOOM Tours: GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR
Nov 8 @ 7:00 pm
LaZoom Room


GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR

Grab a local beer, crucifix and a rubber chicken* —You might survive this hour long hilarious haunted ghost tour of Asheville.

  • Guided comedy bus tour of Haunted Asheville
  • 60 minutes; tours run nightly after dark
  • $33 per person (Ages 17+ only)
  • Departs from 76 Biltmore Avenue

*Legal Note: Crucifix not required to board the bus; we do not condone exorcisms, chickens, rubber, or any combination of the three.

NATION OF LANGUAGE with Miss Grit
Nov 8 @ 7:00 pm
The Grey Eagle

NATION OF LANGUAGE
Brooklyn-based synth auteurs Nation of Language first arrived to most in 2020 as one of the most heralded new acts of recent memory, having only released a handful of singles but already earning high-praise from the likes of NME, FADER, Stereogum, Pitchfork, etc.. Inspired by the early new-wave and punk movements, the band quickly earned a reputation for delivering frenzied nights of unconventional bliss to rapt audiences, and established themselves as bright young stars emerging from a crowded NYC landscape prior to their release of one of the most critically acclaimed debut albums of the year — Introduction, Presence. The band’s ability to blend the upbeat with a healthy dose of sardonic melancholy made it a staple on year-end ‘Best of’ lists, led PASTE magazine to dub the album ‘The most exciting synth-pop debut in years’ , and landed the band major radio play from the BBC, KCRW, KEXP, SiriusXM and countless others.

Their 2021 follow up, A Way Forward then saw the band pushing even further into analog electronic landscapes while channeling a ferocious energy on singles like ‘Across that Fine Line’ & ‘This Fractured Mind.’ With NME now dubbing their sophomore album ‘A true modern-day classic’ and Rough Trade tabbing it as one of its Top Albums of the year, the band has gone on to headline a string of packed shows both domestically and Internationally in ’22 and well into 2023.

MISS GRIT
“For the way out, I think, we have to follow the cyborg. We have to be willing to be disloyal, to undermine. The cyborg is powerful because she grasps the potential in her own artificiality, because she accepts without question how deeply it is embedded in her.” – Jia Tolentino (Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion, “Athleisure, barre and kale: the tyranny of the ideal woman”)

To be a cyborg means to have been manufactured; to have been downloaded with information, characteristics, and abilities meant to carry out a function which will serve its creator. It is to have stepped into the world with very little control under an all-powerful hand. Miss Grit knows that to be a cyborg also means to have potential beyond your creator; to inevitably grow a hand even more powerful.

New York-based musician Margaret Sohn (they/she) created Miss Grit to function as an outlet for their own analysis and expression of self. Called a “polymath” by NME in early 2019, their process is introspective, their vision precise. Sohn produced Follow The Cyborg, her debut fulllength album, entirely in her home studio, and mostly in solitude with several guest collaborators joining — Stella Mozgawa of Warpaint, Aron Kobayashi Ritch of Momma, and close friend and fellow songwriter Pearla.

Trivia Night
Nov 8 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Hickory Tavern

Every Wednesday

Trivia Night

Trivia Night at Hickory Tavern
Nov 8 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Hickory Tavern

Trivia Night at Hickory Tavern

Thursday, November 9, 2023
27th Annual Cold Mountain Beer Release Celebration
Nov 9 all-day
Highland Brewing Company

We are excited to celebrate the 27 years of Cold Mountain Winter Ale at Highland Brewing! Tickets are required to visit the Brewery for a weekend of beer, music, sports, and activities. More information and ticket purchase links are below.

At our Downtown Taproom in the S&W Market guests can celebrate with live music and all Cold Mountain varieties on draft. Tickets are not required to visit the Downtown Taproom and Cold Mountain packaged beer will be available while supplies last.

COLD MOUNTAIN BEER DINNER

Thursday, November 9th

5PM  |  21+ | $120 per person

The 4th Annual Cold Mountain Beer Dinner features an experiential, winter-forest-inspired menu by the chefs from Bun Intended. Guests journey through their meal with commentary from Highland’s Sensory Scientist, Megan Rayfield, and Cameron Kozlow of Bun Intended.

Each course is expertly paired with one of this year’s Cold Mountain varieties including a Smoked Cold Mountain, inspired by this year’s menu.

The Barrel Room will be transformed into a Cold Mountain Store, where beer dinner guests will have the first chance to shop for this year’s beer and merch.

DAYTIME CELEBRATION SESSIONS

12 – 4PM | All ages | $10

Daytime Celebration Sessions feature live music in the Meadow and in one of our amazing indoor venues. Guests will also have access to food trucks, the disc golf course, a cigar lounge, and more.

This session is family-friendly and well-behaved, leashed dogs are allowed. Children 10 and under are free and must remain with their parents at all times. Please utilize ride shares and carpooling as we expect the parking lot to fill up.

Friday, November 10th (12 – 4PM)

Saturday, November 11th (12 – 4PM)

EVENING CELEBRATION SESSIONS

6 – 11PM | 21+ | $20

Evening Celebration Sessions feature live music in the Taproom and Event Center. Guests will also have access to food trucks, a cigar lounge, a silent disco, and more.

6 – 11PM sessions are 21+ and NOT dog friendly. Please utilize ride shares and carpooling as we expect the parking lot to fill up.

Friday, November 10th (6 – 11PM)

Saturday, November 11th (6 – 11PM)

COLD MOUNTAIN FAMILY DAY

12 – 6PM | All ages | $10

Sunday’s 12 – 6PM Celebration Session features live music in the Meadow and in one of our amazing indoor venues.  Guests will also have access to food trucks, disc golf, kids’ activities, and more.

This session is family-friendly and well-behaved, leashed dogs are allowed. Children 10 and under are free and must remain with their parents at all times. Please utilize ride shares and carpooling as we expect the parking lot to fill up.

Sunday, November 12th (12 – 6PM)

Hops for Hunger: White Labs Brewing and the Whale
Nov 9 all-day
The Whale

This November, there are two options to participate in the Hops for Hunger campaign.

  • White Labs Brewing
  • On November 9th, the Whale AVL will donate $1 per pour of the Haus Pilsner.
Creekside Play @ Hickory Nut Gap Farm
Nov 9 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Hickory Nut Gap Farm

STATIONARY FUN – Creekside play area has a treehouse and wee slide ➤ The Big Barn has our Sound Silo full of instruments to play on and make noise, trikes on the trike track around a REAL tractor and cornhole boards(ask the staff for bags) ➤ On the grassy slope behind the Big Barn we’ve got our famous and fast culvert tunnel slides for all ages, hammocks on the hill and tetherball!

Availability: All stationary fun is available every day during business hours of 10-5, starting September 2nd, through the rest of the season- tetherball will be back in action starting September 6th!

ANIMALS TO SEE – We will have a brooder house full of chicks in various ages and stages all season, there will typically be mama pigs and piglets in agritourism pens on the hill, more rarely there will be grazing cattle in a nearby field.

FOOD TRUCK SCHEDULE

9/2 Sat  11-4 Fern Leaf CCS Food Truck

9/16 Sat 11-4 Milk & Honey Food Truck – they will be serving HNG beef for their all-American burger!

9/24 Sun 11-4 *Big Barn Market* Root Down Farm Food Truck

9/30 Sat 11-4 Milk & Honey Food Truck

10/7 Sat 11-4 Fern Leaf CCS Food Truck

10/14 Sat 11-4 Milk & Honey Food Truck

10/15 Sun 11-4 El Bodegon Food Truck

10/22 Sun 11-4 El Bodegon Food Truck

10/29 Sun 11-4 *Big Barn Market* Grush’s Cajun Dino Grill Food Truck

11/4 Sat 11-4 Fern Leaf CCS Food Truck

FALL SEASONAL OFFERINGS

APPLES – Our partners in Edneyville, NC, Lyda Farms, bring some of the best in the region. Local and low spray, folks come every year to get the best of fall in NC by the bag to bake, stew, butter, sauce and of course, crunch into while sitting on the farm.

Availability: Apples will be available to buy starting September 9th, they will typically run out Mid to late October.

FRESH PRESSED CIDER – We press fresh apple cider every year, comprised of our historical orchard apples on the Old Sherrill’s Inn property and apples from our partner Lyda Farms. This is a raw, unpasteurized product – delicious and changeable as the season, no added sugar or seasonings.

Availability: 1st pressing September 13th, bottled cider will be in the store for purchase September 14th!

JACKOLANTERN PUMPKINS – We work with several WNC veggie farmers in the area, including Hawkins Farms. We’ll have pumpkins arranged all around the Farm Store to display their beauty AND make sure you get *just the right one*. The seeds are dynamite when roasted, too…

Availability: Coming Mid-September, they will typically run out by end of October so make sure you get yours! 

EDIBLE SQUASH & DECORATIVE GOURDS – From Mr. Anthony Cole’s farms, we have some long-lasting festive gourds to decoarate for the season, and a broad variety of edible squashes and pumpkins perfect for pies, soups and pasta.

Availability: Coming Mid-September.

LAZOOM: CITY COMEDY TOUR
Nov 9 @ 10:00 am
LaZoom Room

Learn Asheville’s history, discover hidden gems, and laugh at LaZoom’s quirky sense of adventure.

  • Guided comedy tour bus of historical Asheville
  • 90-Minutes – tours run daily
  • 15-minute break at Green Man Brewing
  • $39 per person (ages 13+ only)
LAZOOM Tours: GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR
Nov 9 @ 7:00 pm
LaZoom Room


GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR

Grab a local beer, crucifix and a rubber chicken* —You might survive this hour long hilarious haunted ghost tour of Asheville.

  • Guided comedy bus tour of Haunted Asheville
  • 60 minutes; tours run nightly after dark
  • $33 per person (Ages 17+ only)
  • Departs from 76 Biltmore Avenue

*Legal Note: Crucifix not required to board the bus; we do not condone exorcisms, chickens, rubber, or any combination of the three.

Friday, November 10, 2023
27th Annual Cold Mountain Beer Release Celebration
Nov 10 all-day
Highland Brewing Company

We are excited to celebrate the 27 years of Cold Mountain Winter Ale at Highland Brewing! Tickets are required to visit the Brewery for a weekend of beer, music, sports, and activities. More information and ticket purchase links are below.

At our Downtown Taproom in the S&W Market guests can celebrate with live music and all Cold Mountain varieties on draft. Tickets are not required to visit the Downtown Taproom and Cold Mountain packaged beer will be available while supplies last.

COLD MOUNTAIN BEER DINNER

Thursday, November 9th

5PM  |  21+ | $120 per person

The 4th Annual Cold Mountain Beer Dinner features an experiential, winter-forest-inspired menu by the chefs from Bun Intended. Guests journey through their meal with commentary from Highland’s Sensory Scientist, Megan Rayfield, and Cameron Kozlow of Bun Intended.

Each course is expertly paired with one of this year’s Cold Mountain varieties including a Smoked Cold Mountain, inspired by this year’s menu.

The Barrel Room will be transformed into a Cold Mountain Store, where beer dinner guests will have the first chance to shop for this year’s beer and merch.

DAYTIME CELEBRATION SESSIONS

12 – 4PM | All ages | $10

Daytime Celebration Sessions feature live music in the Meadow and in one of our amazing indoor venues. Guests will also have access to food trucks, the disc golf course, a cigar lounge, and more.

This session is family-friendly and well-behaved, leashed dogs are allowed. Children 10 and under are free and must remain with their parents at all times. Please utilize ride shares and carpooling as we expect the parking lot to fill up.

Friday, November 10th (12 – 4PM)

Saturday, November 11th (12 – 4PM)

EVENING CELEBRATION SESSIONS

6 – 11PM | 21+ | $20

Evening Celebration Sessions feature live music in the Taproom and Event Center. Guests will also have access to food trucks, a cigar lounge, a silent disco, and more.

6 – 11PM sessions are 21+ and NOT dog friendly. Please utilize ride shares and carpooling as we expect the parking lot to fill up.

Friday, November 10th (6 – 11PM)

Saturday, November 11th (6 – 11PM)

COLD MOUNTAIN FAMILY DAY

12 – 6PM | All ages | $10

Sunday’s 12 – 6PM Celebration Session features live music in the Meadow and in one of our amazing indoor venues.  Guests will also have access to food trucks, disc golf, kids’ activities, and more.

This session is family-friendly and well-behaved, leashed dogs are allowed. Children 10 and under are free and must remain with their parents at all times. Please utilize ride shares and carpooling as we expect the parking lot to fill up.

Sunday, November 12th (12 – 6PM)

Toe River Arts November Studio Tour
Nov 10 all-day
Burnsville-Yancey and Mitchell County

Driving through the Appalachian Mountains in Fall is both breathtaking and awe-inspiring. It is a time when nature itself proves to be the original artist, painting the landscape and the sky with hues of red, orange, and yellow.

 

It doesn’t matter if you live up the hill or across the state, the Toe River Arts Studio Tour, happening November 10-12, 2023, provides the intrepid seeker of art experiences a reason for an adventure.

 

Artist studios are exciting places to visit because they offer a glimpse into the dynamic processes used to create a finished piece. Every artist has their own way of telling a story, inviting visitors to ask questions, hold their work, and share a moment. You can count on the studios being as unique as the artists: the building off to the side of the house, or across the field or down the road or right off the main road or down a gravel one-lane. Two-stories with a gallery space or small and cozy with a table set up or cleared off for display. Still there are others that devote a corner to each artist sharing the space.

 

The art is as diverse as the artists with the tour featuring the work of glassblowers, jewelers, printmakers, potters, fiber artists, ironworkers, painters, sculptors, and woodworkers.

Just 40 minutes north of Asheville and two hours from Charlotte & Greenville, the Studio Tour makes for an exciting day trip. However, with 85 studios and 8 galleries to visit, the Toe River Arts Studio Tour becomes a fantastic way to enjoy a weekend mini vacation. Both Chambers of Commerce in Burnsville-Yancey and Mitchell County provide information on lodging, eateries, and other local events.  Additionally, Toe River Arts is incredibly grateful to Explore Burnsville for being the event sponsor.

 

For more than a quarter century, the Toe River Arts Studio Tour has intrigued those who make the journey to visit places of inspiration and creation. Situated between Roan Mountain, which boasts the world’s largest rhododendron garden, and Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi, the Toe River Arts Studio Tour is a free, self-guided journey of the arts. This arts adventure through Mitchell and Yancey Counties will take visitors along the meandering Toe River, across its many bridges, around barns, acres of fields and miles of forests all while visiting the talented studio artists who often take inspiration from the mountains, they call home.

2023 Fall Studio Tour

Friday, November 10 – Sunday, November 12

Mark your calendars for the 2023 Toe River Arts Fall Studio Tour, happening November 10 – 12, 2023.

This driving tour through Mitchell and Yancey Counties will take visitors along the meandering Toe River, across its many bridges, around barns, acres of fields, and miles of forests all while visiting the talented studio artists and galleries participating.

Fall Studio Tour Preview Exhibition 

November 4 – December 30

An exhibition featuring a selection of works from participating studio artists and galleries.
Kokol Gallery, Spruce Pine

Meet the Artist Reception

Friday, November 10, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Kokol Gallery, Spruce Pine

The November Studio Tour Exhibition opens in the Kokol Gallery, in Toe River Arts’ Spruce Pine location at 269 Oak Ave, November 4, 2023, and runs through Saturday December 30, 2023. This exhibition gives visitors an opportunity to have a glimpse into each studio and plan their route. It is also a great place to begin the tour or take a break from a day of non-stop art and artists.

 

Normal gallery hours are 10:30am to 5pm, Tuesday through Sunday; and 10am – 5pm during the Studio Tour, 11/10-11/12.

 

Join artists, staff, and the volunteers who make the tour the best and one of the longest continually running self-guided tours in the country, as we toast the beginning of the season during our “Meet-the-Artists” reception on Friday, November 10, from 5:30-7:30.

 

“Every year is unique. The artists change, and the work evolves. I am always excited when the boxes arrive—to see a new artist’s work or the evolution of a more seasoned artist” said Kathryn Andree, who has been Toe River Arts Exhibits Coordinator for over a decade. The participant shows are the biggest exhibits during the year, averaging over 150 pieces on pedestals, tables, walls, with a few bigger pieces relegated to the floor. They are the most diverse, with media ranging from 2-dimensional to glass, clay, wood, and fiber—something for every palate, every wallet.

Toe River Arts is a non-profit organization that has been connecting the community with the arts for over four decades.

Creekside Play @ Hickory Nut Gap Farm
Nov 10 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Hickory Nut Gap Farm

STATIONARY FUN – Creekside play area has a treehouse and wee slide ➤ The Big Barn has our Sound Silo full of instruments to play on and make noise, trikes on the trike track around a REAL tractor and cornhole boards(ask the staff for bags) ➤ On the grassy slope behind the Big Barn we’ve got our famous and fast culvert tunnel slides for all ages, hammocks on the hill and tetherball!

Availability: All stationary fun is available every day during business hours of 10-5, starting September 2nd, through the rest of the season- tetherball will be back in action starting September 6th!

ANIMALS TO SEE – We will have a brooder house full of chicks in various ages and stages all season, there will typically be mama pigs and piglets in agritourism pens on the hill, more rarely there will be grazing cattle in a nearby field.

FOOD TRUCK SCHEDULE

9/2 Sat  11-4 Fern Leaf CCS Food Truck

9/16 Sat 11-4 Milk & Honey Food Truck – they will be serving HNG beef for their all-American burger!

9/24 Sun 11-4 *Big Barn Market* Root Down Farm Food Truck

9/30 Sat 11-4 Milk & Honey Food Truck

10/7 Sat 11-4 Fern Leaf CCS Food Truck

10/14 Sat 11-4 Milk & Honey Food Truck

10/15 Sun 11-4 El Bodegon Food Truck

10/22 Sun 11-4 El Bodegon Food Truck

10/29 Sun 11-4 *Big Barn Market* Grush’s Cajun Dino Grill Food Truck

11/4 Sat 11-4 Fern Leaf CCS Food Truck

FALL SEASONAL OFFERINGS

APPLES – Our partners in Edneyville, NC, Lyda Farms, bring some of the best in the region. Local and low spray, folks come every year to get the best of fall in NC by the bag to bake, stew, butter, sauce and of course, crunch into while sitting on the farm.

Availability: Apples will be available to buy starting September 9th, they will typically run out Mid to late October.

FRESH PRESSED CIDER – We press fresh apple cider every year, comprised of our historical orchard apples on the Old Sherrill’s Inn property and apples from our partner Lyda Farms. This is a raw, unpasteurized product – delicious and changeable as the season, no added sugar or seasonings.

Availability: 1st pressing September 13th, bottled cider will be in the store for purchase September 14th!

JACKOLANTERN PUMPKINS – We work with several WNC veggie farmers in the area, including Hawkins Farms. We’ll have pumpkins arranged all around the Farm Store to display their beauty AND make sure you get *just the right one*. The seeds are dynamite when roasted, too…

Availability: Coming Mid-September, they will typically run out by end of October so make sure you get yours! 

EDIBLE SQUASH & DECORATIVE GOURDS – From Mr. Anthony Cole’s farms, we have some long-lasting festive gourds to decoarate for the season, and a broad variety of edible squashes and pumpkins perfect for pies, soups and pasta.

Availability: Coming Mid-September.

LAZOOM: CITY COMEDY TOUR
Nov 10 @ 10:00 am
LaZoom Room

Learn Asheville’s history, discover hidden gems, and laugh at LaZoom’s quirky sense of adventure.

  • Guided comedy tour bus of historical Asheville
  • 90-Minutes – tours run daily
  • 15-minute break at Green Man Brewing
  • $39 per person (ages 13+ only)
LAZOOM Tours: BAND AND BEER TOUR
Nov 10 @ 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
LaZoom Room

Wanna hear the best local music ​and​ drink the best local beers? Hop aboard LaZoom’s Purple Bus and rock out with a local band while we take you on a journey to Asheville’s premiere local breweries.

  • Curated Live Music & Brewery Bus experience
  • 3 Hours long, includes three 30 Minute Local Brewery Stops
  • You Can Drink on the Funky Purple Bus! **Must be purchased at LaZoom or at brewery stop**
Farm Harvest Dinner + Barn Dance With Madison’s Chefs and Local Farmers
Nov 10 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
The Farm at Old Edwards

Get ready for a full-on evening of authentic mountain culture. Your senses will come alive with sights, sounds, smells, and flavors of farm-fresh creations being prepared live. Meet the farmers and feast on their bounty from Sunburst Trout Farm, Anson Mills and Painted Hills Natural Beef. End the evening with the foot-stomping live music of Back Porch Orchestra. It’s a fun, down-on-the-farm festival of the senses and a celebration of great Southern culinary traditions — part of Highlands Food and Wine Festival.

LAZOOM Tours: GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR
Nov 10 @ 7:00 pm
LaZoom Room


GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR

Grab a local beer, crucifix and a rubber chicken* —You might survive this hour long hilarious haunted ghost tour of Asheville.

  • Guided comedy bus tour of Haunted Asheville
  • 60 minutes; tours run nightly after dark
  • $33 per person (Ages 17+ only)
  • Departs from 76 Biltmore Avenue

*Legal Note: Crucifix not required to board the bus; we do not condone exorcisms, chickens, rubber, or any combination of the three.

Saturday, November 11, 2023
27th Annual Cold Mountain Beer Release Celebration
Nov 11 all-day
Highland Brewing Company

We are excited to celebrate the 27 years of Cold Mountain Winter Ale at Highland Brewing! Tickets are required to visit the Brewery for a weekend of beer, music, sports, and activities. More information and ticket purchase links are below.

At our Downtown Taproom in the S&W Market guests can celebrate with live music and all Cold Mountain varieties on draft. Tickets are not required to visit the Downtown Taproom and Cold Mountain packaged beer will be available while supplies last.

COLD MOUNTAIN BEER DINNER

Thursday, November 9th

5PM  |  21+ | $120 per person

The 4th Annual Cold Mountain Beer Dinner features an experiential, winter-forest-inspired menu by the chefs from Bun Intended. Guests journey through their meal with commentary from Highland’s Sensory Scientist, Megan Rayfield, and Cameron Kozlow of Bun Intended.

Each course is expertly paired with one of this year’s Cold Mountain varieties including a Smoked Cold Mountain, inspired by this year’s menu.

The Barrel Room will be transformed into a Cold Mountain Store, where beer dinner guests will have the first chance to shop for this year’s beer and merch.

DAYTIME CELEBRATION SESSIONS

12 – 4PM | All ages | $10

Daytime Celebration Sessions feature live music in the Meadow and in one of our amazing indoor venues. Guests will also have access to food trucks, the disc golf course, a cigar lounge, and more.

This session is family-friendly and well-behaved, leashed dogs are allowed. Children 10 and under are free and must remain with their parents at all times. Please utilize ride shares and carpooling as we expect the parking lot to fill up.

Friday, November 10th (12 – 4PM)

Saturday, November 11th (12 – 4PM)

EVENING CELEBRATION SESSIONS

6 – 11PM | 21+ | $20

Evening Celebration Sessions feature live music in the Taproom and Event Center. Guests will also have access to food trucks, a cigar lounge, a silent disco, and more.

6 – 11PM sessions are 21+ and NOT dog friendly. Please utilize ride shares and carpooling as we expect the parking lot to fill up.

Friday, November 10th (6 – 11PM)

Saturday, November 11th (6 – 11PM)

COLD MOUNTAIN FAMILY DAY

12 – 6PM | All ages | $10

Sunday’s 12 – 6PM Celebration Session features live music in the Meadow and in one of our amazing indoor venues.  Guests will also have access to food trucks, disc golf, kids’ activities, and more.

This session is family-friendly and well-behaved, leashed dogs are allowed. Children 10 and under are free and must remain with their parents at all times. Please utilize ride shares and carpooling as we expect the parking lot to fill up.

Sunday, November 12th (12 – 6PM)

Toe River Arts November Studio Tour
Nov 11 all-day
Burnsville-Yancey and Mitchell County

Driving through the Appalachian Mountains in Fall is both breathtaking and awe-inspiring. It is a time when nature itself proves to be the original artist, painting the landscape and the sky with hues of red, orange, and yellow.

 

It doesn’t matter if you live up the hill or across the state, the Toe River Arts Studio Tour, happening November 10-12, 2023, provides the intrepid seeker of art experiences a reason for an adventure.

 

Artist studios are exciting places to visit because they offer a glimpse into the dynamic processes used to create a finished piece. Every artist has their own way of telling a story, inviting visitors to ask questions, hold their work, and share a moment. You can count on the studios being as unique as the artists: the building off to the side of the house, or across the field or down the road or right off the main road or down a gravel one-lane. Two-stories with a gallery space or small and cozy with a table set up or cleared off for display. Still there are others that devote a corner to each artist sharing the space.

 

The art is as diverse as the artists with the tour featuring the work of glassblowers, jewelers, printmakers, potters, fiber artists, ironworkers, painters, sculptors, and woodworkers.

Just 40 minutes north of Asheville and two hours from Charlotte & Greenville, the Studio Tour makes for an exciting day trip. However, with 85 studios and 8 galleries to visit, the Toe River Arts Studio Tour becomes a fantastic way to enjoy a weekend mini vacation. Both Chambers of Commerce in Burnsville-Yancey and Mitchell County provide information on lodging, eateries, and other local events.  Additionally, Toe River Arts is incredibly grateful to Explore Burnsville for being the event sponsor.

 

For more than a quarter century, the Toe River Arts Studio Tour has intrigued those who make the journey to visit places of inspiration and creation. Situated between Roan Mountain, which boasts the world’s largest rhododendron garden, and Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi, the Toe River Arts Studio Tour is a free, self-guided journey of the arts. This arts adventure through Mitchell and Yancey Counties will take visitors along the meandering Toe River, across its many bridges, around barns, acres of fields and miles of forests all while visiting the talented studio artists who often take inspiration from the mountains, they call home.

2023 Fall Studio Tour

Friday, November 10 – Sunday, November 12

Mark your calendars for the 2023 Toe River Arts Fall Studio Tour, happening November 10 – 12, 2023.

This driving tour through Mitchell and Yancey Counties will take visitors along the meandering Toe River, across its many bridges, around barns, acres of fields, and miles of forests all while visiting the talented studio artists and galleries participating.

Fall Studio Tour Preview Exhibition 

November 4 – December 30

An exhibition featuring a selection of works from participating studio artists and galleries.
Kokol Gallery, Spruce Pine

Meet the Artist Reception

Friday, November 10, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Kokol Gallery, Spruce Pine

The November Studio Tour Exhibition opens in the Kokol Gallery, in Toe River Arts’ Spruce Pine location at 269 Oak Ave, November 4, 2023, and runs through Saturday December 30, 2023. This exhibition gives visitors an opportunity to have a glimpse into each studio and plan their route. It is also a great place to begin the tour or take a break from a day of non-stop art and artists.

 

Normal gallery hours are 10:30am to 5pm, Tuesday through Sunday; and 10am – 5pm during the Studio Tour, 11/10-11/12.

 

Join artists, staff, and the volunteers who make the tour the best and one of the longest continually running self-guided tours in the country, as we toast the beginning of the season during our “Meet-the-Artists” reception on Friday, November 10, from 5:30-7:30.

 

“Every year is unique. The artists change, and the work evolves. I am always excited when the boxes arrive—to see a new artist’s work or the evolution of a more seasoned artist” said Kathryn Andree, who has been Toe River Arts Exhibits Coordinator for over a decade. The participant shows are the biggest exhibits during the year, averaging over 150 pieces on pedestals, tables, walls, with a few bigger pieces relegated to the floor. They are the most diverse, with media ranging from 2-dimensional to glass, clay, wood, and fiber—something for every palate, every wallet.

Toe River Arts is a non-profit organization that has been connecting the community with the arts for over four decades.