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, February 16, 2024
ASHES + ARROWS W/ HUSTLE SOULS
Feb 16 @ 8:59 pm – 9:59 pm
Asheville Music Hall

Hailing from the picturesque landscapes of Asheville to the peaks of Arrowtown, New Zealand, Ashes & Arrows have been captivating audiences across the country with their powerful vocals, thoughtful lyrics, and on-stage charisma. The band’s unique sound, drawing inspiration from musical influences like NEEDTOBREATHE, Jason Isbell, and Patrick Droney, is presented in an authentically original form, enhanced by mesmerizing 3-part harmonies.

The journey of Ashes & Arrows began when Ciaran, Jonathan, and Ben, each at a musical crossroads, found themselves at an open mic in downtown Asheville in 2021. The meeting sparked an immediate connection, reigniting their joy and inspiration to write and perform music as a band. The chemistry between the members is evident in every note, creating an immersive experience for their audience.

Their debut EP, ‘Forward,’ produced by the world-renowned Greg Haver, was released on October 7, 2022. One of the lead singles, ‘Gold in the Mountain,’ garnered attention and was featured on BBC2 radio late last year, further establishing Ashes & Arrows as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.

Ashes & Arrows’ upcoming performance at Asheville Music Hall promises to be a night of musical enchantment, showcasing their talent and the magnetic energy that defines their live shows. Fans and music enthusiasts alike are encouraged to secure their tickets now for an evening filled with soulful tunes and unforgettable moments.

Saturday, February 17, 2024
2024 West Asheville Garden Stroll Seed Money Grant
Feb 17 all-day
online

Are you involved in a community-oriented gardening project in West Asheville that needs some extra resources? Or have you been dreaming of a great project that just needs some cash to become a reality? Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, WAGS has awarded Seed Grants annually since 2014.  We support projects that deepen horticultural & environmental awareness and education, encourage creative landscaping, &/or contribute to the beautification of West Asheville’s public spaces, such as boulevard strips, traffic islands, storefronts, community gardens, schools, etc.

Seed Money Grants

Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, WAGS offers annual grants for gardening projects, between $100 and $1000 per grant.
The grants are intended to deepen horticultural & environmental awareness and education, encourage creative landscaping, & contribute to the beautification of West Asheville’s public spaces, including boulevard strips, traffic islands, storefronts, community gardens, schools, etc. To be eligible, the following stipulations apply:
· Proposed projects must be submitted by an individual living in West Asheville or by a community group such as a non-profit working in West Asheville, a neighbor collaboration, a faith community, a school, a business, a youth group, etc.
· Proposed projects must be community-oriented (not for individual home projects) & accessible to the public.
· Proposed projects must take place in the area bounded by Patton Avenue/Smokey Park Highway, I-40, & the French Broad River.
We encourage native plantings that support pollinators. (Bee City USA-Asheville has helpful information at https://www.ashevillegreenworks.org/native-pollinator…)
Grant applications are due on February 18. Applicants will be notified by March 18 and a simple report about the project (with in-process and final outcome photos) is due August 15. Grantees must be willing to allow use of photos and project descriptions in WAGS publicity materials.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for a Seed Grant, go to https://form.jotform.com/223385924338059, fill out the form and submit it. Note that the form allows you to attach documents such as a project description, budget, and letters of support.

Please email us at [email protected] if you have difficulty with the application or need assistance in completing it.

Biltmore Estate: Ciao! From Italy Sculptural Postcard Display
Feb 17 @ 8:30 am
Biltmore Estate

Included with admission

Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.

Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.

Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!

Indoor Tropical Bonsai Display
Feb 17 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

 

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

  • Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • Garden Open Year Round
  • Parking Fees
    • Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
    • Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
    • Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
    • Members: Free

    Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred
Feb 17 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sigal Music Museum
Sigal Music Museum’s current special exhibition, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred, highlights items from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, which hails from all over the world. Showing November 2023 – May 2024, Worlds Apart uses a diverse range of historical instruments, objects, and visuals to bring together musical narratives from seemingly disparate parts of the globe.

 

Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred aims to increase public access to historical instruments from around the world and improve visitors’ understanding of musical traditions at the global level. Expanding beyond the typical parameters of the Western musical canon, Worlds Apart seeks to expose audiences to musical instruments and customs that are often overlooked or exotified. The instruments and other exhibit materials will offer visitors new perspectives on global music and a chance to consider how music is used for prayer and leisure in cultures around the world. By celebrating these stories, the museum intends to further its mission to collect and preserve historical musical instruments, objects, and information, which engage and enrich people of all ages through exhibits, performances, and experiential programs.

 

Displaying various objects from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred focuses on international musical instruments and cultures, celebrating rites and traditions with ancient histories and contemporary legacies. Frank Edwinn, a successful basso in the mid-20th century, studied and toured internationally, eventually settling in North Carolina, where he taught music at the University of North Carolina Asheville. Throughout his life, he purchased various objects from around the world, aiming to expose students, and himself, to the wide and wonderful world of musical instruments. This impressive collection occupies a unique position for educating audiences unfamiliar with the vast scope of global music.

And, UNCA’s Ramsey Library Special Collections is now processing the Edwinn’s papers and a few recordings that will be accessible next semester!

Yala Cultural Tour + Drum Workshop
Feb 17 @ 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
LEAF Global Arts
Visit LEAF Global Arts every Saturday for an in-house cultural exchange with Adama Dembele. Experience the Ivory Coast with our Culture Keeper from the House of Djembe.
Stay for an all-ages Drum Workshop, no experience necessary.
Melanie DeMore An interactive singing experience
Feb 17 @ 3:30 pm
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville

Join us for an all-ages Community Singing Session led by the inspirational Melanie DeMore, which promises to be a feast for the soul and a joyous celebration of music for all ages.
Melanie DeMore is a 3 time Grammy nominated singer/composer, choral conductor, music director, and vocal activist who believes in the power of voices raised together. In her presentations, DeMore beautifully brings her participants together through her music and commentary. DeMore facilitates vocal and stick-pounding workshops for professional choirs, and community groups as well as directing numerous choral organizations across the U.S., Canada, and beyond.

For tickets please visit http://tinyurl.com/uucamdm
Adv – Adult $20/ Youth $0
Door – Adult $25/ Youth $5

Zoe + Cloyd’s Valentine’s Concert
Feb 17 @ 7:00 pm
Black Mountain Center for the Arts

The innovative “klezgrass” music of Zoe & Cloyd springs from the rich traditions and complementary styles of fiddler/vocalist Natalya Zoe Weinstein and multi-instrumentalist/vocalist John Cloyd Miller. Descending from a lineage of klezmer and jazz musicians, Natalya trained classically in her home state of Massachusetts before moving south in 2004. John, a twelfth generation North Carolinian and grandson of pioneering bluegrass fiddler, Jim Shumate, is a 1st place winner of the prestigious Chris Austin Songwriting Contest and the Hazel Dickens Songwriting Contest. Based in Asheville, NC, Zoe & Cloyd delight audiences with soaring harmonies and heartfelt songwriting, seamlessly combining original bluegrass, klezmer, old-time and folk with sincerity and zeal.

In 2023, Zoe & Cloyd released their fifth studio album on Organic Records, entitled Songs of Our Grandfathers. The project is an homage to their respective bluegrass and klezmer roots and has been enthusiastically received with feature articles in Bluegrass UnlimitedNo Depression and the Bluegrass Situation. Also in 2023, Zoe & Cloyd performed at numerous events including Bluegrass Omagh in Northern Ireland, the Earl Scruggs Music Festival, the NC Folk Festival, and will host A Swannanoa Solstice at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts in Asheville.

Zoe & Cloyd will be joined at the BMCA by bassist and long-time collaborator, Kevin Kehrberg. Kevin is an award-winning bassist who has performed jazz and traditional music styles all over the world from Indonesia to Kyrgyzstan, Japan and beyond. His recent collaborative recording for Bluegrass at the Crossroads won IBMA 2021 Instrumental Recording of the Year. Kevin has taught many workshops and clinics in addition to being a professor of music at Warren Wilson College, where he maintains an active bass studio and teaches various courses in music and culture.

Doors open at 6:30pm. Seating is general admission. Online ticket sales end one hour prior to showtime. If the show has not sold out, tickets may still be available for purchase in the office after online sales have ended. Call 828-669-0930 for availability.

Amanda Anne Platt + The Honeycutters
Feb 17 @ 7:30 pm
Hendersonville Theatre

Hendersonville Theatre welcomes back Asheville Americana band, Amanda Anne Platt & the Honeycutters to its Hometown Sound Music Series in February. Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters’s music is nuanced, bringing insight and wit to the stories Platt tells through songwriting. Lyrically driven, the country roots music often inspires introspection, whether it be about life on the road, heartache, or hope. There is an empathetic and charming wit ingrained in songwriting. She has a knack for accessing a deep well of emotion and applying it to her songwriting, whether she is writing from her own experiences or immersing herself in the melody of emotions in another person’s life.

Performing along with Platt, The Honeycutters are Matt Smith (pedal steel and electric guitars), Kevin Williams (keys/vocals), Rick Cooper (bass/vocals), and Evan Martin (drums/vocals). The band is currently on tour supporting their sixth studio album, The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, released in February 2022 on Organic Records.

See more about AAPH at www.honeycutters.com.

Billy Strings
Feb 17 @ 7:30 pm
Harrah's Cherokee Center- Asheville

Raised in Michigan and now based in Nashville, GRAMMY Award-winning Billy Strings is known as one of music’s most compelling artists. Most recently, he unveiled “California Sober,” a collaboration with legendary artist Willie Nelson—his first release since partnering with venerable label, Reprise Records.

The collaboration follows Strings’ most recent full-length album, Me/And/Dad, which was released last fall and features Strings alongside his dad, Terry Barber. The product of a longtime dream, the record features new versions of fourteen bluegrass and country classics that the two have been playing together since Strings was a young child.

Since his 2017 debut, Strings has been awarded Best Bluegrass Album at the 63rd GRAMMY Awards, Artist of the Year at the 2022 and 2023 Americana Music Awards, Entertainer of the Year at the 2021, 2022 and 2023 International Bluegrass Music Awards, Best New Headliner at the 2022 Pollstar Awards, Breakthrough Artist of the Pandemic at the 2021 Pollstar Awards and has performed on the 64th GRAMMY Awards, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” PBS’ “Austin City Limits,” “Bluegrass Underground” as well as countless sold-out tour dates world-wide.

Wesley Schulz and Tessa Lark: Fusion and Fantastique
Feb 17 @ 7:30 pm
Peace Concert Hall

Wesley Schulz, conductor
Tessa Lark, violin
Anna Clyne: Masquerade
Wynton Marsalis: Violin Concerto
Hector Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique

Wynton Marsalis’ Violin Concerto is a showstopping piece that vibrates with energy at the intersection of jazz and classical music, a fusion genre often referred to as “Third Stream.” A native of Kentucky and highly-acclaimed fiddler as well as a classical virtuoso, GRAMMY nominated violinist Tessa Lark is the perfect artist to bring this piece to Greenville. Fusion is where this violin luminary lives.

In addition to being written for a huge orchestra of around 90 musicians, Hector Berlioz’ Symphonie Fantastique stands out for the full-on macabre it provokes. Inspired by the composer’s romantic obsession with a Shakespeare actress, this Gothic-style piece’s most obvious literary counterpart is the work of Edgar Allan Poe.

CLICK TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONDUCTOR & GUEST ARTIST

The Angels In Science Fiction Tour ST. PAUL + THE BROKEN BONES
Feb 17 @ 8:00 pm
The Orange Peel
Ages 18+

Founded in Birmingham, Alabama in 2011, St. Paul & the Broken Bones consists of Paul Janeway (vocals), Jesse Phillips (bass), Browan Lollar (guitar), Kevin Leon (drums), Al Gamble (keyboards), Allen Branstetter (trumpet), Chad Fisher (trombone), and Amari Ansari (saxophone). The eight-piece ensemble burst into the world with their 2014 debut Half the City, establishing a sound that quickly became a calling card and landing the band a slew of major festivals including Lollapalooza, Coachella and Glastonbury. Critical praise from The New York TimesRolling StoneSPIN and NPR followed, leading to shared stages with some of the world’s biggest artists—Elton John and The Rolling Stones among them—and launching an impressive run of headlining tours behind what Esquire touted as a “potent live show that knocks audiences on their ass.”

The group has continued to expand their sound with every record, branching out well beyond old-school soul into sleek summertime funk and classic disco on albums like 2018’s Young Sick Camellia. Their forthcoming LP, Angels In Science Fiction, stretches their limbs further afield, building on the shadowy psychedelia and intricate, experimental R&B of 2022’s The Alien Coast.

The Get Right Band: Summer in the Winter Beach Bash w/ Rockstead
Feb 17 @ 8:00 pm
The Grey Eagle
ALL AGES
– STANDING ROOM ONLY

THE GET RIGHT BAND

The Get Right Band is a psychedelic indie rock band committed to relentlessly following their muses to honest self-expression, to whatever excites them and pushes them into unexplored territory, to capturing some version of truth. American Songwriter writes that the Asheville, NC based group, “filters 60’s/70’s psychedelia and 90’s alternative rock through a modern lens–as if Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Nirvana co-wrote an album produced by Danger Mouse and Dan Auerbach.”

The Get Right Band formed in 2011, built around the musical brotherhood that guitarist/singer/songwriter Silas Durocher and bassist Jesse Gentry have formed playing music together since middle school. Durocher, who is a trained composer and has been commissioned to write for symphonies and chamber groups, has guitar chops that can soothe or rage, with a charismatic swagger as frontman and singer. Gentry’s virtuosic bass playing “catapults from elastic to nasty” (The Mountain Xpress). Completing the team is drummer extraordinaire, Jaze Uries, who is also a singer, songwriter, producer, photographer, and DJ. Over the years, GRB has defined their sound through constant evolution, building to the hook-driven, synth-heavy pop/rock/psych band they are today. The Huffington Post writes, “their songs are infectious and take you immediately to a place. The lyrics are smart and bear weight.”

The Get Right Band has shared the stage with Dr. Dog, Everclear, Cracker, UB40, Rusted Root, Smash Mouth, and Lifehouse; been featured on NPR’s World Cafe, Paste Studio, and WTF with Marc Maron; and performed at major venues and festivals including The Fillmore, Brooklyn Bowl, Theatre of the Living Arts, The Orange Peel, FloydFest, Bristol Rhythm & Roots, and Riverbend Fest. They have released four studio albums and a live album, and their latest LP, iTopia, dropped on April 7, 2023.

The Get Right Band has been compared to other modern indie rock bands with a psychedelic bent such as The Black Keys, My Morning
Jacket, Gorillaz, Tame Impala, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and MGMT.

ROCKSTEAD

The Get Right Band is back with their annual “Summer in the Winter Beach Bash” at The Grey Eagle on Saturday, Feb 17th with special guests Rockstead. This show is the perfect ticket to make you shed any Winter blues away. Beachy/tropical attire is encouraged! We’ll have tropical decorations, a themed drink special, and more!

Billy Strings After-Party at The Draftsman
Feb 17 @ 9:00 pm – Feb 18 @ 12:00 am
The Draftsman Bar + Lounge

Make a beeline to The Draftsman after the Billy Strings concert for a night of funk and fun. We’ll keep the party going with live music from Supatight, classic arcade games, and drink specials until midnight! Purchase your tickets on Eventbrite.

Sunday, February 18, 2024
2024 West Asheville Garden Stroll Seed Money Grant
Feb 18 all-day
online

Are you involved in a community-oriented gardening project in West Asheville that needs some extra resources? Or have you been dreaming of a great project that just needs some cash to become a reality? Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, WAGS has awarded Seed Grants annually since 2014.  We support projects that deepen horticultural & environmental awareness and education, encourage creative landscaping, &/or contribute to the beautification of West Asheville’s public spaces, such as boulevard strips, traffic islands, storefronts, community gardens, schools, etc.

Seed Money Grants

Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, WAGS offers annual grants for gardening projects, between $100 and $1000 per grant.
The grants are intended to deepen horticultural & environmental awareness and education, encourage creative landscaping, & contribute to the beautification of West Asheville’s public spaces, including boulevard strips, traffic islands, storefronts, community gardens, schools, etc. To be eligible, the following stipulations apply:
· Proposed projects must be submitted by an individual living in West Asheville or by a community group such as a non-profit working in West Asheville, a neighbor collaboration, a faith community, a school, a business, a youth group, etc.
· Proposed projects must be community-oriented (not for individual home projects) & accessible to the public.
· Proposed projects must take place in the area bounded by Patton Avenue/Smokey Park Highway, I-40, & the French Broad River.
We encourage native plantings that support pollinators. (Bee City USA-Asheville has helpful information at https://www.ashevillegreenworks.org/native-pollinator…)
Grant applications are due on February 18. Applicants will be notified by March 18 and a simple report about the project (with in-process and final outcome photos) is due August 15. Grantees must be willing to allow use of photos and project descriptions in WAGS publicity materials.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for a Seed Grant, go to https://form.jotform.com/223385924338059, fill out the form and submit it. Note that the form allows you to attach documents such as a project description, budget, and letters of support.

Please email us at [email protected] if you have difficulty with the application or need assistance in completing it.

Biltmore Estate: Ciao! From Italy Sculptural Postcard Display
Feb 18 @ 8:30 am
Biltmore Estate

Included with admission

Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.

Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.

Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!

Indoor Tropical Bonsai Display
Feb 18 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

 

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

  • Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • Garden Open Year Round
  • Parking Fees
    • Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
    • Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
    • Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
    • Members: Free

    Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Jack’s Bluegrass Brunch
Feb 18 @ 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Jack of the Wood

Jack’s Bluegrass Brunch kicks off every Sunday at 12 noon — with lively bluegrass tunes courtesy of The Jack of the Wood Bluegrass Brunch Boys from 1-3pm. Sip a Bloody Mary or Mimosa or a warm Irish coffee. Tasty brunch specials alongside our regular menu and 18 taps of rotating craft brews! Sláinte, y’all!

Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred
Feb 18 @ 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Sigal Music Museum

Sigal Music Museum’s current special exhibition, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred, highlights items from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, which hails from all over the world. Showing November 2023 – May 2024, Worlds Apart uses a diverse range of historical instruments, objects, and visuals to bring together musical narratives from seemingly disparate parts of the globe.

 

Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred aims to increase public access to historical instruments from around the world and improve visitors’ understanding of musical traditions at the global level. Expanding beyond the typical parameters of the Western musical canon, Worlds Apart seeks to expose audiences to musical instruments and customs that are often overlooked or exotified. The instruments and other exhibit materials will offer visitors new perspectives on global music and a chance to consider how music is used for prayer and leisure in cultures around the world. By celebrating these stories, the museum intends to further its mission to collect and preserve historical musical instruments, objects, and information, which engage and enrich people of all ages through exhibits, performances, and experiential programs.

 

Displaying various objects from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred focuses on international musical instruments and cultures, celebrating rites and traditions with ancient histories and contemporary legacies. Frank Edwinn, a successful basso in the mid-20th century, studied and toured internationally, eventually settling in North Carolina, where he taught music at the University of North Carolina Asheville. Throughout his life, he purchased various objects from around the world, aiming to expose students, and himself, to the wide and wonderful world of musical instruments. This impressive collection occupies a unique position for educating audiences unfamiliar with the vast scope of global music.

And, UNCA’s Ramsey Library Special Collections is now processing the Edwinn’s papers and a few recordings that will be accessible next semester!

The Glorious World of Crowns Kinks and Curls
Feb 18 @ 3:00 pm
Tina McGuire Theatre

In the tradition of The Vagina Monologues and For Colored Girls…The Glorious World of Crowns, Kinks, and Curls is a collection of monologues and scenes exploring the often complex relationship Black women have with their hair. From Afros to braids, weddings, and funerals, falling in love to grieving a loss, these stories serve as a powerful reminder that for Black women in particular, hair is both deeply personal and political. These heartbreaking, heartwarming, and hilarious stories will take audiences on an unparalleled journey into the world of Black womanhood.

Purchase the Different Strokes! 23-24 Season 4 Production Package! Buy two tickets to each production and get two additional half-price tickets to every show in your package. Purchase your 4 Production Package through the link below and then call the box office at 828-257-4530, ext 1, to purchase your half price tickets.

Wesley Schulz and Tessa Lark: Fusion and Fantastique
Feb 18 @ 3:00 pm
Peace Concert Hall

Wesley Schulz, conductor
Tessa Lark, violin
Anna Clyne: Masquerade
Wynton Marsalis: Violin Concerto
Hector Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique

Wynton Marsalis’ Violin Concerto is a showstopping piece that vibrates with energy at the intersection of jazz and classical music, a fusion genre often referred to as “Third Stream.” A native of Kentucky and highly-acclaimed fiddler as well as a classical virtuoso, GRAMMY nominated violinist Tessa Lark is the perfect artist to bring this piece to Greenville. Fusion is where this violin luminary lives.

In addition to being written for a huge orchestra of around 90 musicians, Hector Berlioz’ Symphonie Fantastique stands out for the full-on macabre it provokes. Inspired by the composer’s romantic obsession with a Shakespeare actress, this Gothic-style piece’s most obvious literary counterpart is the work of Edgar Allan Poe.

CLICK TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONDUCTOR & GUEST ARTIST

TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC SESSION
Feb 18 @ 3:30 pm
Jack of the Wood

Jack’s long-running Traditional Irish Music Session is the perfect way to enjoy the Celtic-influenced sounds of talented pluckers from all over WNC & further afield! Stop in to enjoy a pint or afternoon Irish coffee with the music! Sláinte!

Billy Strings
Feb 18 @ 7:30 pm
Harrah's Cherokee Center- Asheville

Raised in Michigan and now based in Nashville, GRAMMY Award-winning Billy Strings is known as one of music’s most compelling artists. Most recently, he unveiled “California Sober,” a collaboration with legendary artist Willie Nelson—his first release since partnering with venerable label, Reprise Records.

The collaboration follows Strings’ most recent full-length album, Me/And/Dad, which was released last fall and features Strings alongside his dad, Terry Barber. The product of a longtime dream, the record features new versions of fourteen bluegrass and country classics that the two have been playing together since Strings was a young child.

Since his 2017 debut, Strings has been awarded Best Bluegrass Album at the 63rd GRAMMY Awards, Artist of the Year at the 2022 and 2023 Americana Music Awards, Entertainer of the Year at the 2021, 2022 and 2023 International Bluegrass Music Awards, Best New Headliner at the 2022 Pollstar Awards, Breakthrough Artist of the Pandemic at the 2021 Pollstar Awards and has performed on the 64th GRAMMY Awards, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” PBS’ “Austin City Limits,” “Bluegrass Underground” as well as countless sold-out tour dates world-wide.

Karaoke Nights in The Draftsman
Feb 18 @ 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
The Draftsman Bar + Lounge

“Sing your heart out every Sunday with Lyric Jones at our laidback basement bar. Whether you’re a classic crooner or want to relive your glam metal glory days, find your moment to shine between 8pm and 11pm. Remember: what happens at karaoke night, stays at karaoke night.

People in the biz get half off select appetizers and burgers all night!”

William Elliott Whitmore
Feb 18 @ 8:00 pm
The Grey Eagle
Doors Open: 7:00 PM
– ALL AGES
– SEATED SHOW
– LIMIITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE

WILLIAM ELLIOTT WHITMORE

A man armed only with a banjo and a bass drum can be a formidable force, especially if his name is William Elliott Whitmore.  With his powerful voice and honest approach, Whitmore comes from the land, growing up on a family farm in Lee County, Iowa.  Still living on the same farm today, Whitmore has truly taken the time to discover where his center lies, and from that he will not be moved.

 

Whitmore has repeatedly carved his own path, honoring the longstanding tradition of folk music throughout his nearly 20 year career, while always allowing his blues, soul and punk rock influences to shine through.  Getting his first break opening for his friend’s hardcore band with just a banjo in hand, he would discover bands like The Jesus Lizard, Bad Brains, Lungfish and Minutemen and soon learn to play his own brand of rural, roots music with that same DIY ethic.

 

William Elliott Whitmore has been back and forth across the United States and to cities around the world.  He’s toured with such diverse acts as Frank Turner, Trampled By Turtles, Clutch and Chris Cornell to name a few.  He’s appeared on some of the biggest stages around the world including Stagecoach Fest, Byron Bluesfest (Australia) and End of the Road Fest (UK).  His willingness to take his show to any playing field has proved invaluable as he turned strangers to diehards with every performance.

CHRIS McGINNIS
Chris McGinnis writes songs that exist somewhere between a hiccup and a heartache. His debut EP, Songs For You, touches on the peculiarity of your hometown morphing beyond recognition. It tells the story of two Baby Boomers falling in and out of love across time zones and decades. It’s about connection and disconnection alike. With the release of his debut full-length album Mamaw’s Angel, Chris veers deeper into these familiar themes. Through tales of stolen Winnebagos and hip-shaking grandbabies, Chris’ music is Appalachian absurdity for the 21st Century.

Monday, February 19, 2024
Growing Minds: “I Tried Local…” free virtual toolkit
Feb 19 all-day
online

Growing Minds has published “I Tried Local…” a Toolkit for Engaging Kids with Local Food and Farms. This resource—intended for early care and education through second grade classrooms—offers an immersive curriculum designed around 10 crops grown in North Carolina. The print toolkit is currently available to educators in North Carolina who participate in a virtual training with Growing Minds. A free digital version is also available to anyone on the Growing Minds website.

Each unit includes an overview of a North Carolina–grown crop, lesson plans, recipes, coloring pages, book recommendations, discussion prompts, and a link to the “Meet Your Farmer” video series featuring North Carolina farmers. The toolkit also offers resources for implementing the core elements of farm to school—gardens, classroom cooking and taste tests, farm field trips and farmer visits, and local foods in meals or snacks.
Growing Minds will host a series of virtual training to support educators interested in using the toolkit. The first will be held on Zoom on Tuesday, Feb. 20, from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. Register here or contact [email protected] for more information.
Biltmore Estate: Ciao! From Italy Sculptural Postcard Display
Feb 19 @ 8:30 am
Biltmore Estate

Included with admission

Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.

Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.

Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!

Indoor Tropical Bonsai Display
Feb 19 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

 

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

  • Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • Garden Open Year Round
  • Parking Fees
    • Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
    • Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
    • Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
    • Members: Free

    Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Tuesday, February 20, 2024
Growing Minds: “I Tried Local…” free virtual toolkit
Feb 20 all-day
online

Growing Minds has published “I Tried Local…” a Toolkit for Engaging Kids with Local Food and Farms. This resource—intended for early care and education through second grade classrooms—offers an immersive curriculum designed around 10 crops grown in North Carolina. The print toolkit is currently available to educators in North Carolina who participate in a virtual training with Growing Minds. A free digital version is also available to anyone on the Growing Minds website.

Each unit includes an overview of a North Carolina–grown crop, lesson plans, recipes, coloring pages, book recommendations, discussion prompts, and a link to the “Meet Your Farmer” video series featuring North Carolina farmers. The toolkit also offers resources for implementing the core elements of farm to school—gardens, classroom cooking and taste tests, farm field trips and farmer visits, and local foods in meals or snacks.
Growing Minds will host a series of virtual training to support educators interested in using the toolkit. The first will be held on Zoom on Tuesday, Feb. 20, from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. Register here or contact [email protected] for more information.
Growing Minds Farm to School Mini-Grant
Feb 20 @ 6:30 am
online
ASAP’s Growing Minds mini-grants help early childhood education (ECE) centers and K-12 schools throughout the 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina provide children positive experiences with healthy local foods through these components of farm to school: school gardens, farm field trips and farmer classroom visits, and local foods served in meals, snacks, and/or taste tests.

Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding. 

Applications due by:

  • November 30, 2023
  • January 30, 2024
  • March 30, 2024

If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year. Learn more and apply here!