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.
Thursday, June
13, 2024
15th Annual Authors for Literacy Event
Pritchard Park Summer Series: Singer/Songwriter Series
South College 2024 Graduation
BCDP Monthly Meeting
Trivia Thursdays
BLUEGRASS JAM Hosted by Drew Matulich
History Comes Alive Festival: Cass Elliot Show
History Comes Alive Festival
JAZZ JAM
SLICE OF LIFE STANDUP COMEDY CONTEST
Standup Comedy Contest
Standup Comedy Contest FINAL ROUND
The Campfireball: Yearning
Greenville Drive vs. Asheville Tourists
369 Short Play and Monologue Festival: Part 2
An Evening of Classical Guitar
Shakespeare & Friends Presents The Last 5 Years
Shirley Valentine
The Campfireball: Yearning
The Last 5 Years
USL League 2 vs Tennessee SC
John R. Miller with special guest Erika Lewis
Old Farmer’s Ball Thursday Dance
Chef Experience Dinner with Chef Sam Etheridge
Lisa See is the New York Times bestselling author of The Island of Sea Women, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Peony in Love, Shanghai Girls, China Dolls, and Dreams of Joy, which debuted at #1. She is also the author of On Gold Mountain, which tells the story of her Chinese American family’s settlement in Los Angeles. See was the recipient of the Golden Spike Award from the Chinese Historical Association of Southern California and the Historymaker’s Award from the Chinese American Museum. She was also named National Woman of the Year by the Organization of Chinese American Women.
For this year’s Pritchard Park Songwriter Series, the Asheville Association is teaming up with Paloma Madre who are best known for bringing Asheville the wildly successful, international concept, Open Folk. Each week will feature two world class songwriters from our community playing introspective and honest tunes about life in the 21st century. Pritchard Park will once again be filled with the sweet sounding songs of heartbreak, true love, heavy loss, and lots and lots of goofin. It’s a guaranteed good time that won’t cost you a dime!!
ABOUT SOUTH COLLEGE
Located in the mountains of western North Carolina, South College’s Asheville campus has been a staple of success for many students and professionals.
The current facility was constructed in 2012 with modern detailing and ample parking. It houses all of our services, plus your classes, in one convenient location.
You’re ready to start working towards your career goals today – and we’re ready to help. That’s why most of our programs have no waitlisting. Once your enrollment is complete, you’ll be able to join the next class of South College students, and start turning your dreams into your career!
Join our monthly meeting at Headquarters. We will provide updates on many of the Democratic campaigns that are working here in Buncombe County, and we’ll offer guidance on how you can help us win races up and down the ballot.
Join our volunteers as we implement plans throughout the county, including working with our Coordinated Campaign (President Biden’s and NC’s statewide races).
Who should attend: Buncombe County Democrats and left-leaning unaffiliated voters.
Trivia Every Thursday w/ Not Rocket Science
BLUEGRASS JAM
Hosted by Drew Matulich
Don’t miss your chance to check out some of the best pickers from all over WNC at our amazing Bluegrass Jam curated by the talented Drew Matulich — every Thursday starting at 7:00 pm! A real show-stopping performance only at Jack of the Wood! Open jam starts at 9:30 pm.
From antebellum America to the Golden West, from the world of Nazi Austria to the world of American pop music, we have an image of these times, these people. On the Chautauqua stage, we will explore the truth of those images.
JAZZ Jam is a special part of the LEAF Community. Meet us every Thursday at LEAF Global Arts from 7-10 P.M. for a night of smooth jazz that you can participate in or simply enjoy.
Hosted by Ryan Gordon, Winner of May Comedy Contest
Cocktails available while you laugh the night away to some of the area’s best Stand Up Comics in a ridiculously fun adult environment!!
Free snacks while availability lasts!
Comedy open mic is 3-5m each, comics get in free with free snacks! Spots for comics are set aside for pre signup and at door. You may contact Slice to see how to get on show!
How it Works: The show’s Headliner will be selected by the paid audience in an anonymous ballet after all comics perform their sets.
They will write down their favorite top comic of the evening who will be paid & brought back to headline the end of the show with a closing 10-12m set! They will automatically be entered into a Feature headlining show to battle for Asheville title!
All standup comics are invited to be on the show as long as there is still room available. There is no cost to performing comics. Comics should have 3-5m of material and be prepared for an additional 10m. They will be invited to be a paid feature on the final battle with grand cash prize, date tbd.
Contact Michele at [email protected] for more details.
Show: 7pm | Doors: 6:30pm
Slice of Life Standup Comedy Contest
When: Wensday June 13, 2024.
7p-9p, doors at 6:30p
Where:
The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge, 103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $15 (available at door or The Orange Peel website
Cocktails available while you laugh the night away to some of the area’s best Stand Up Comics in a ridiculously fun adult environment!!
Free snacks while availability lasts!
How it Works: The show’s Headliner will be selected by the paid audience in an anonymous ballet after all comics perform their sets.
Audience will write down their favorite top comic of the evening who will be paid & brought back to headline the end of the show with a closing 10m set! They will automatically be entered into a Feature headlining show to battle for Asheville title at plēb urban winery on June 21!
All standup comics are invited to be on the show as long as there is still room available. There is no cost to performing comics. Comics should have 3-1/2m of material and be prepared for an additional 10m. They will be invited to be a paid feature on the final battle with grand cash prize.
Hosted by around 2 Winner Ryan Gordon
Contact Michele at [email protected] for more details or to signup
Thursday June 13, 2024.
7p-9p, doors at 6:30p
The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge, 103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $15 (available at door or The Orange Peel website
Cocktails available while you laugh the night away to some of the area’s best Stand Up Comics in a ridiculously fun adult environment!!
Free snacks while availability lasts!
How it Works: The show’s Headliner will be selected by the paid audience in an anonymous ballet after all comics perform their sets.
Audience will write down their favorite top comic of the evening who will be paid & brought back to headline the end of the show with a closing 10m set! They will automatically be entered into a Feature headlining show to battle for Asheville title at plēb urban winery on June 21!
All standup comics are invited to be on the show as long as there is still room available. There is no cost to performing comics. Comics should have 3-1/2m of material and be prepared for an additional 10m. They will be invited to be a paid feature on the final battle with grand cash prize.
Hosted by around 2 Winner Ryan Gordon
Contact Michele at [email protected] for more details or to signup
The Campfireball is an immersive storytelling show created live and in the moment out of stories from the audience. No two shows are alike, none will ever be seen again. This month’s theme — Yearning!
Greenville Drive vs. Asheville Tourists
369 Monologue and Short Play Festival is back again for the second year in a row, and still features nine evenings filled with fifteen heart-warming, dramatic, funny, heartbreaking, and provocative theatrical pieces. This year, just in time for Juneteenth, Pride, and Father’s Day, the festival focuses on stories about PRIDE as it is experienced by a cross-section of humans of varying race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and personhood. Join us as we mix and match 6 short plays, and 9 monologues during the course of 3 weekends, for 10 different evenings of entertainment. Check out our packages to save on tickets to multiple evenings! Note: If you’re interested in seeing all the shows, your best bet is a 3-package deal (go on a different night each week (ex. Th. Fri. Sat., Fri. Sat. Thu., or Sat. Thu. Fri.).
This year we will ask each audience member to vote on their favorite monologue and play, following each performance, to create an afternoon of audience favorites! Please be sure to join us on Sunday, June 23rd at 3 pm for The Best Of 369!
Thursday – Saturday, June 6-22, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.
Classical guitarist Adam Holzman takes center stage alongside the lyrical playing and remarkable technique of Andrew Zohn and René Izquierdo in a program of classical guitar favorites that span the centuries.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on May 1. To receive early access to tickets for this event, become a donor today! Donor presale begins March 25.
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Rental Partner Shakespeare & Friends Presents
The Last 5 Years
Directed by Catherine Gillet
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June 13-16
Thursday, Friday & Saturday @ 7:30 pm,
Sunday @ 3 pm
TFAC Pavilion Stage
Catch a Star! Finishing up their National Broadway Tour of Pretty Woman, Bethany McDonald and local favorite Chase Wolfe lead the next production from Shakespeare & Friends — the much-loved and popular musical The Last Five Years.
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Shirley Valentine
Produced by Third Eye Productions
About The Show
Third Eye Productions brings you a Tony Award winning comedy written by Willy Russell. Shirley Valentine is a tour de force role performed by Madison Brightwell and directed by Marc Cameron. Celebrate the incredible journey of life with Shirley Valentine – an off-beat journey of self reflection, the challenges of middle age, and the possibilities of finding happiness and love once more.
The Campfireball is kind of like if Mr. Rogers was the host of Double Dare. Every month at Story Parlor we pick an existential theme and find all kinds of different ways to explore the people in the audience’s real life stories, experiences and anedotes around that theme. In June we’ll dive into “YEARNING” — what have we wanted and what have we been willing to do to get what we wanted? Hopefully by the end you’ll be yearning for more Campfireball ;) There’s nothing to prepare and nothing to fear, participation isn’t mandatory, it’s just as much fun and just as important to sit back and listen to other people’s stories as it is to play along.
Thursday June 13th at Story Parlor, doors at 7:00, show at 7:30. Tickets start at $10.
Musical Production Presented by Shakespeare & Friends – Directed by Catherine Gillet
Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm, and Sunday at 3:00 pm, June 13-16 at Tryon Fine Arts Center Pavilion.
Catch a Star! Finishing up their National Broadway Tour of Pretty Woman, Bethany McDonald and local favorite Chase Wolfe lead the next production from Shakespeare & Friends — the much-loved and popular musical The Last Five Years.
The Last Five Years, a recipient of a Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel and Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Musical, explores a five-year relationship between Jamie Wellerstein, a rising novelist, and Cathy Hiatt, a struggling actress.
An emotionally powerful and intimate musical about two young New Yorkers who fall in and out of love over the course of five years, the show’s unconventional structure consists of Cathy, the woman, telling her story backwards while Jamie, the man, tells his story chronologically.
The inventive musical style draws on a number of musical genres, including pop, jazz, classical, Klezmer, Latin, Blues, Rock, and Folk.
Gates at 6:30pm
Match at 7:30pm
Adult tickets for ages 12 and up
Youth tickets for ages 5 to 12
No ticket needed for ages 5 and under
Doors Open: 7:00 PM
ALL AGES
STANDING ROOM ONLY
JOHN R. MILLER
John R Miller is a true hyphenate artist: singer-songwriter-picker. Every song on his thrilling debut solo album, Depreciated, is lush with intricate wordplay and haunting imagery, as well as being backed by a band that is on fire. One of his biggest long-time fans is roots music favorite Tyler Childers, who says he’s “a well-travelled wordsmith mapping out the world he’s seen, three chords at a time.” Miller is somehow able to transport us to a shadowy honkytonk and get existential all in the same line with his tightly written compositions. Miller’s own guitar-playing is on fine display here along with vocals that evoke the white-waters of the Potomac River rumbling below the high ridges of his native Shenandoah Valley.
Depreciated is a collection of eleven gems that take us to his homeplace even while exploring the way we can’t go home again, no matter how much we might ache for it. On the album, Miller says he was eager to combine elements of country, folk, blues, and rock to make his own sound. Recently lost heroes like Prine, Walker, and Shaver served as guideposts for the songcrafting but Miller has completely achieved his own sound. The album is almost novelistic in its journey, not only to the complicated relationship Miller has with the Shenandoah Valley but also into the mind of someone going through transitions. “I wrote most of these songs after finding myself single and without a band for the first time in a long while,” Miller says. “I stumbled to Nashville and started to figure things out, so a lot of these have the feel of closing a chapter.”
Miller grew up in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia near the Potomac River. “There are three or four little towns I know well that make up the region,” he says, name-checking places like Martinsburg, Shepherdstown, Hedgesville, and Keyes Gap. “It’s a haunted place. In some ways it’s frozen in time. So much old stuff has lingered there, and its history is still very present.” As much as Miller loves where he’s from, he’s always had a complicated relationship with home and never could figure out what to do with himself there. “I just wanted to make music, and there’s no real infrastructure for that there. We had to travel to play regularly and as teenagers most of our gigs were spent playing in old church halls or Ruritan Clubs.” He was raised “kinda sorta Catholic” and although he gave up on that as a teenager, he says “it follows me everywhere, still.”
ERIKA LEWIS
Known for her lengthy tenure touring and busking with beloved New Orleans jazz band Tuba Skinny, prolific songwriter and singer Erika Lewis has been churning out American originals all her own for the past several years. From classic country to cosmic Americana to dreamy indie folk, Lewis continues to dip her toes more deeply into an ever-expanding pool of roots music styles. Her new record A Walk Around the Sun is a testament to Lewis’ songwriting prowess and exceptional vocal ability. Produced by John James Tourville (The Deslondes), A Walk Around the Sun features 11 all-original songs exploring the gray areas between love and loss, joy and grief, longing and contentment. Though her songwriting shines brightly, it’s never at the cost of melody or arrangement; complete with sweeping strings, pedal steel, and even the occasional fuzz of a psych-rock guitar solo, Lewis’ voice soars with emotion and texture throughout.
Our Thursday Dance
This dance is fragrance-free (no perfume, cologne, strong deodorant, etc.), out of respect for those with sensitivities.
Schedule
- Every Thursday night (except as indicated on the calendar)
- Beginner lesson at 7:30 pm (advanced dancers are welcome to help out during the lesson!)
- Dance 8 pm – 11 pm
Cost
- Non-members: $12
- OFB Members: $10
- Warren Wilson community: $1
If this is your first time dancing with us, your second dance is free!
AVL Food Series has had so many amazing events so far! Continuing with all this deliciousness, we are thrilled to announce our upcoming Chef Experience Dinner with Chef Sam Etheridge on June 13th at The Mule by Devil’s Foot Beverage.
Indulge in a culinary journey curated by the talented Chef Sam Etheridge and Metro Wines. This in-person event promises a night of exquisite flavors and delightful surprises. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to savor a specially crafted menu in a cozy and inviting setting. Reserve your spot now for a dining experience like no other!
Chef Sam Etheridge, the former chef/owner of Ambrozia Bar and Bistro in Asheville, is partnering with Metro Wines to open a wine bar & bistro this summer in Reynolds Village in Asheville. With two previous restaurants in Albuquerque, NM, Chef Sam was nominated for Best Chef in the Southwest and won a James Beard Award as an advisor for the cookbook, “Foods of The Southwest Indian.” Partnering with Metro Wines for the Wine Pairing, it is sure to be a great evening.
Friday, June
14, 2024
Arts Discounts Page
ASAP: How Does Western North Carolina Shop for Food SURVEY
Asheville Alive Horse Show
BREWERY TOURS
Calling All Artists
Carl Sandburg Home Volunteer Opportunity: Goat Barn Attendant
Digital: ASAP’s 2024–25 Local Food Guide
Check Out Our New Arts Discounts Page
We have exciting news! The ArtsAVL website has a new feature: a discounts page!
At any time, you can head on over to artsavl.org/discounts to see special discount offers our members are offering.
View Offerings
ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) has released a survey to learn more about how people in Western North Carolina shop for food and why they choose the food they do. The survey, part of a three-year project by ASAP’s Local Food Research Center, is for any resident of Western North Carolina over the age of 18, no matter where or how they shop for food. It can be completed online at surveymonkey.com/r/WNCFoodASAP or over the phone by calling ASAP at 828-236-1282. It should take approximately 8 to 12 minutes to complete and will be open through Oct. 31, 2024. Respondents are encouraged to share the survey widely with families, friends, and co-workers.
“By completing this survey, you are helping local farmers understand and connect with consumers,” said Amy Marion, ASAP Associate Director and lead researcher. “The challenges of our food system are constantly evolving. Improving it requires active participation from all community members. With this research we can better understand consumer values and the barriers they face, and help farmers and food producers improve communications with their customers and their communities.”
The survey is part of a three-year research project, “Connections in Direct Markets: Assessing the feedback loop between consumer values and farmers’ marketing strategies,” which will examine and improve communication and alignment between farmers and consumers in Western North Carolina. The research phase will also employ consumer focus groups, farmer interviews and case studies, and more targeted surveying. The broad consumer survey provides an update to the last consumer survey conducted by the Local Food Research Center in 2014. Results from the current research project will be shared in 2025.
ASAP founded the Local Food Research Center in 2011 to study the economic, environmental, and social impacts of localizing food systems. From its inception, ASAP’s programs and services have been grounded in research and evaluation, adjusting based on a strong feedback loop and observation of current conditions in the food system.
This project is supported in part by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2022-38640-37488 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under subaward number LS23-382. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider.
The Paso Fino horse reflects its Spanish heritage through its proud carriage, grace, and elegance. Modern care and selective breeding have enhanced its beauty, refinement, and well-proportioned conformation conveying strength and power without extreme muscling.
The Paso Fino is born with a gait unique to the breed and its attitude seems to transmit to the observer that this horse knows its gait is an extraordinary gift that must be executed with style and pride!
The Piedmont Paso Fino Horse Association (PPFHA) owes its success to all of its dedicated members and Paso Fino enthusiasts that support the region! Show Exhibitors, Trail Riders, Youth Participants, Trainers, and Breeders are all equally important to the future of the breed and the region. The PPFHA region held its first group meeting on
December 21, 1976.
Whether you’re just getting into craft beer or we’re on your brewery bucket list, a Mills River tour is for you — so we recommend you reserve a spot! Our interactive tours offer everything from hop handling to nature hikes to — what you really came for — beer sampling.
Space on each tour is limited, and reservations are strongly encouraged. Make yours below. Looking to book a private tour? Fill out the private tour form, and we’ll get it organized. See you soon!
Calling All Artists in SC, NC, GA, TN, & VA |
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Goat Barn Attendant: Are you interested in helping our park rangers care for the dairy goats at Connemara Farms? These goats require daily care, including feeding, grooming, and cleaning of their stalls. We also share the story of the Sandburg family and their special herd with thousands of visitors each year.
Anyone 18 and older who has 4 hours a week to dedicate to the park is encouraged to apply for this volunteer opportunity. Applications can be found here (https://forms.office.com/g/LzQweWBSma) Attending a virtual orientation, short phone interview, and in-person training are required. Dates for these events will be sent to qualified applicants.
ASAP’s Local Food Guide, the annual free publication for finding local food and farms, is updated for the 2024–25 season. This definitive resource lists hundreds of Appalachian GrownTM certified farms, farmers markets, restaurants, groceries, artisan producers, and more throughout Western North Carolina and surrounding counties in Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina. A digital version of the print Guide may be viewed at asapconnections.org/guide.
In addition to listing content, the 2024–25 edition features stories that highlight the variety of farming across the region. Delia Jovel Dubón of Tierra Fértil Coop (pictured on the cover) talks about creating a sense of belonging for the Hispanic immigrant community in Henderson County. Lyric and Noah East of Wild East Farm in McDowell County detail the journey through their first full year of farming and how they’ve arrived at “a rough draft that’s working.” Kaci Nidiffer of The Liar’s Table in Avery County shares how scaling up and opening several retail spaces have created stronger connections with customers and community. Rounding out the issue are recipes from farmers at Two Trees Farm (Sustainabillies), Lee’s One Fortune Farm, Two Stones Farm + Mill, Carringer Farms, and Terra Lingua Growers.
“The Local Food Guide is such a beautiful way to share the stories of this place,” said Sarah Hart, ASAP’s Communications and Engagement Director. “To emphasize that sense of place, listings in this year’s Guide are organized into nine subregions with a short intro on what makes local farms in each area unique.”
Look for the Guide at farmers markets, visitors centers, libraries, groceries, restaurants, and other partner businesses throughout the region. Copies of the Guide are also available to pick up in the lobby of ASAP’s office in Asheville at 306 W. Haywood St., Tuesday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Contact ASAP if you need help locating a copy in your area or if you are interested in distributing Guides at your business.
In addition to the print Guide, ASAP maintains the online Local Food Guide at appalachiangrown.org. This database, with more than 1,400 listings, is updated throughout the year and is searchable by products, location, activities, and more.
Funding for the Local Food Guide was made possible in part by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the Agricultural Marketing Service, National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Beginning Farmer Rancher Development Program, Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program, and Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. Support was also provided by Dogwood Health Trust, the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, and Asheville Regional Airport.