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.


Albert Hodge, Face jug, 1990, glazed stoneware, 11 × 8 inches. Gift of Allen & Barry Huffman, 2018.57.09. © Albert Hodge.
Today’s public tour is led by Michelle Weitzman, touring docent.
PUBLIC TOURS
Join docents for tours of the Museum’s Collection and special exhibitions. No reservations are required.
Winter Lights returns to the gardens November 19-January 1
Tickets are now sold PER VEHICLE, not per person.
We are thrilled to announce that the 2021 Winter Lights holiday event will welcome members and guests back into the gardens as it returns to the traditional outdoor walk-through open-air show format. The famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden will be back, outfitted with new designs in lights, while throughout the gardens, popular arrangements will mingle with ones never seen before.
You can find everything you need to know about Asheville’s Brightest Holiday Tradition at the tabs above, and be sure to secure your tickets now.
We hope you will join us this holiday season!
Winter Lights is the Arboretum’s largest annual fundraiser, and supports many parts of its mission driven programming.
Join the Asheville Fit Tribe Group for a 60 minute of strength training. You will get personalized training with the power of the group to positively motivate you. Get ready to get a full body workout in for all fitness levels. So, no matter where you are at from beginner to collegiate athlete Trainer Preston will make sure you get a phenomenal workout. For Strength day we focus on slow controlled weight lifting. Learning how to become more aware of our bodies. We hope you give us a shot and see what we are all about!! For any question shoot Preston a text/call (984)204-0591.
Fall ’21 Men’s Softball League – aa21030201
Non-resident of Asheville fee and free agent (looking for a team) – $25
Game Day Information – M/Th, starting at 6:30pm, regular season & postseason tournament
3 Divisions; Upper, Middle, and Lower (divisions could be combined based on team registrations)
Questions, contact Mikkel Patterson @ [email protected] | 828.707.2376
Expectant parents learn to prepare for the challenges of birth, including the labor and delivery process, relaxation and breathing techniques, positioning and comfort measures. A tour of Pardee Women & Children’s Center is included.
A minimum of two participants must be registered and present for a class to be held. Pardee Women & Children’s Center will adhere to Blue Ridge Community College’s inclement weather policies. In the event of inclement weather, classes will not be held when Blue Ridge Community College is closed.
Non-resident of Asheville fee and free agent (looking for a team) – $25
Game Day Information – M/Th, starting at 6:30pm, regular season & postseason tournament
3 Divisions; Upper, Middle, and Lower (divisions could be combined based on team registrations)
Questions, contact Mikkel Patterson @ [email protected] | 828.707.2376

Slice of Life Comedy & Disclaimer Lounge present: Sunset Rooftop Standup Comedy by Local Professional Comics Every Thursday at Rabbit Rabbit
Come grab dinner and a show at Rabbit Rabbit, in Downtown Asheville Outside Theatre Space:
**Great Craft Rabbit-themed cocktails available
**AVL Pizza truck on-site & AVL Pizza full menu available
**Rooftop-seating, depending on weather
**Sanitized Headphones provided so you don’t miss a joke while getting your food & drinks, works anywhere around the venue
Hosted by: Cody Hughes
Featuring: Petey Smith McDowell, Hilliary Begely, Cary Goff, Morgan Bost, Blaine Perry, Marlene Thompson, Ben Sia Hian

Instructor: TJ Simba-Medel
“You are confined only by the walls you build yourself.” In this class, teen artists will discover how to create theatrical work in any environment. Using devising philosophies that inspire installation and site-specific performances, students from across the country will explore a series of creative prompts that awaken their imaginations and empower their own unique artistic voice. We invite artists of all mediums (writers, dancers, filmmakers, visual artists, designers, musicians, and more) to connect and collaborate in this explorative online course. Journalling and sharing will be fundamental to the process.
*Need-based scholarships are available upon application.
Learn more about payment plans and multi-student discounts below.

Join award-winning actress Leslie Goddard as she performs as Lizzie Borden, accused of the brutal hatchet murder of her father and stepmother in 1892. Hear Lizzie’s story come alive as she talks about her life growing up in Fall River, Massachusetts, her estrangement from her stepmother, and her troubled relationship with her father. Was Lizzie a desperate and unsettled daughter who resorted to murder . . . Or an innocent woman who could never escape the trauma that destroyed her life? Leslie Goddard has previously performed for Greenville Chautauqua as Jackie Kennedy, the Hamilton Women, Clara Barton, Alice Paul and Bette Davis. The event is Free and will feature audience Q & A.
Registration required. https://tinyurl.com/hmpm5urk
After the event everyone who has registered will receive an email with a link to the presentation that will be available for two days only. For more info: HistoryComesAlive.org

written and performed by Mike Wiley
On May 24, 1961, 19-year old Jean Thompson boarded a Trailways bus in Montgomery, Alabama with 11 other young Freedom Riders bound for New Orleans – and history. Within three months, approximately 300 other riders took up the mantle to desegregate buses, following the path of the first brave few. Mobs bloodily assaulted many. Others were arrested. Wiley’s drama BREACH OF PEACE is based on true accounts of surviving participants of the Freedom Rides and others involved in the early struggle for African-American equality. This solo-play is a living monument to those remarkable young men and women of various races, religions and backgrounds who rose to face the dangers of fighting for just and equal treatment for all.
Discretionary Content: Mature themes, language, sensitive material, descriptions of violence, recorded gunshot sound.
Virtual tickets $25.00 See Upcoming Dates for Zoom – Breach of Peace: Stories of the Fre (thundertix.com)

Dracula: The Failings of Men

Welcome to Hadestown, where a song can change your fate. Winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album, this acclaimed new musical by celebrated singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and innovative director Rachel Chavkin (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) is a love story for today… and always.
Hadestown intertwines two mythic tales — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — as it invites you on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and Chavkin’s poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love. Performed by a vibrant ensemble of actors, dancers, and singers, Hadestown is a haunting and hopeful theatrical experience that grabs you and never lets go.

In this transcendently powerful new adaptation, Anne Frank emerges from history a living, lyrical, intensely gifted young girl, who confronts her rapidly changing life and the increasing horror of her time with astonishing honesty, wit, and determination. An impassioned drama about the lives of eight people hiding from the Nazis in a concealed storage attic, The Diary of Anne Frank captures the claustrophobic realities of their daily existence — their fear, their hope, their laughter, their grief. After spending the last year in quarantine, The Diary of Anne Frank offers audiences incredible perspective in a poignant tale suitable for the times.
Contains mature subject matter.

- Tickets on Sale now – Please Call the Venue
- Reserved Tickets for the Lawn are available with dinner reservations only :::: There is a $20 minimum in food and beverage purchases per person with your dinner reservation :: Seating will be limited and socially distanced :: You MUST call venue (828-575-2737) to make a dinner reservation and purchase your tickets. :::: If the weather is inclement – the concert will move to the Main Stage – if the concert is moved to the Main Stage, Masks and Proof of Vaccination will be required
Praised by NPR for their “upbeat, poppy vibe; energetic, driving rhythms; and virtuosic solos,” Twisted Pine explores a sound they call Americana funk taking traditional music in exhilarating directions. Bassist Chris Sartori writes, “This album is easier to feel than describe. We’re rooted in bluegrass, continually inspired by explorers like Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas, and SierraHull.Right Now takes this heritage into a new dimension. Our bluegrass is jazzy, our indie folk is poppy, our grooves are funky.”Twisted Pine [Kathleen Parks, fiddle; Dan Bui, mandolin; Chris Sartori, bass; Anh Phung, flute] grooves with fearless improvisation and intricate arrangements. “They were once bluegrass,” wroteThe BostonGlobe, “but … this Boston band has become something else, a wider version of string band, boundary jumpers akin to outfits like PunchBrothers, Nickel Creek, and Crooked Still.”
Twisted Pine is over the moon to announce that their friend Lyle de Vitry will be opening the evening as a special guest. The Asheville based singer songwriter’s thoughtfully crafted melodies and poetry are imaginative, visually arresting and thought provoking as he explores themes of nature, love, memory and the temporal. Lyle’s creative expression and inspiration are derived from a wide range of sonic spaces. A life of classical training, curious exploration of jazz, passion for traditional Appalachian music and a deep love of songwriters like Adrianne Lenker, Nick Drake, and Sufjan Stevens have each shaped his style into something fresh and innovative.
Come enjoy an evening of live music, food and drinks at Isis Music Hall. Advanced Reservations are highly recommended.
Hosted by Sahaja Yoga Meditation DFW
Join this FREE evening session for Meditation, specifically for Moms.
About this Event
We are creating this Meditation space for moms 💟 that can help
🤲 create a supportive community of moms who can come together and meditate
🤲 build a meditation routine
🤲 implement self-care, and take pause in hectic lives
🤲 bring calmness and balance that can reflect on kids and household
🤲 share experiences and learn to grow in this journey together
Join this FREE evening session for Meditation, specifically for Moms. Meditation is a simple way to de-stress, and it can help bring peace and balance, especially in these hectic times.
What we’re about
COVID-19 UPDATE: An email was sent out to Awakening Asheville advising all in-person meetups should be postponed or moved to virtual attendance only. Please contact hosts with any questions. Thank you, and be well! Courtney
We are an LGBTQ+ BIPOC safe spiritual group that enjoys the coming together of community lightworkers sharing our journeys. We offer meditations, healing energy, and many different workshops. Come join us!

Spice up your life with Latin sounds by local DJs Nex Millen & Mtn Vibez every Thursday.
Super bonus if you come early and get Dance Lessons from our knowladable instructors and get your body ready with sabor for the night. NO COVER All events 21+
Official 2021 Raffle Rules
PROCEEDS
This raffle is a fundraising event, and all net proceeds benefit the Brevard Music Center (BMC). Brevard Music Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN# 56-0729350
DRAWING
The drawing will take place on Monday, November 15, 2021 at 3:00pm EDT. All mail, phone, and internet orders must be received by 11:59pm EDT on Sunday, November 14, 2021.
TICKETS
The cost to purchase a single entry (“Ticket”) for the Raffle is $125 (U.S. Funds only) and is not tax deductible.

Mark your calendar ~
Save the date for the 14th Annual HEAL Retreat. That’s right! Retreat; not Conference.
This year, instead of more workshops and CEs we’re shifting gears and preparing for a full day of care-for-the-provider sessions and connection. We’ll have dynamic speakers and networking while we spend a gorgeous WNC fall day rejuvenating. Doesn’t that sound so good!? After this past year and now with re-entry to ‘normal,’ this is how we have chosen to provide professional development for eating disorders clinicians in 2021. Stay tuned for more information soon. For now… please just put it on your calendar and plan to be with us on Friday, October 8th! Ahhhhhhh

- a love for North Carolina through mixed media on paper by Sophia Allison;
- well known local landscapes through acrylic on canvas by Carrie Jenson;
- a change in perspective through oil on linen by Joan Lesikin,
- communicative vessels through earthenware sculptures by Robert Milnes,
- vibrant abstract motion through acrylics on paper by Eleanor Palmer;
- and a glimpse of Asheville through oil on canvas by Maureen Scullin.
WORK OF THE WEEK
Jeff Koons’s One Ball Total Equilibrium Tank (Spalding Dr. J Silver Series) is currently on view in the Museum’s Artistic Tribute: Representation of the Athlete exhibition. Keira Ezzo, summer 2021 communications – multimedia storytelling intern, shares her take on this work for our Work of the Week. Read more about this work on the blog.ENGAGE WITH THE MUSEUM FROM HOME
- Explore the Collection and exhibitions virtually on our website.
- Get to know our staff and volunteers, take deeper dives into artwork with our Works of the Week, and more on the Museum blog.
- Catch up on past virtual programs, check out artist interviews, and learn about the history of Pack Square on our YouTube channel.
- Play “I Spy” with your kids using artwork from our Collection.
- Color our Collection (kids and adults) with downloadable coloring sheets and note cards.
- Follow us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Check back often for new content that provides inspiration, calm, comfort, and yes, even some fun during this unprecedented time.

About Bearfootin’ Art Walk
Since 2003, the Bearfootin’ Art Walk has helped raise funding for Downtown Hendersonville and a variety of local non-profits. In addition to raising funds, the bears offer a window into good work being done by community organizations in Henderson County.
The Bearfootin’ Bears arrive as blank slates before local artists transform each in a spectacular fashion, with creative themes ranging from Mona Lisa to Blue Ridge Mountain scenery. After the “Reveal” event in early May, the bears then take up residence in downtown Hendersonville for the duration of the summer and fall, up until auction. Participants bid during the auction to raise funds for local non-profits and Downtown Hendersonville. Winning bids up to $3,000 are split evenly between the downtown program and the non-profit chosen by the sponsor, while bid amounts exceeding $3,000 are directed entirely to the non-profit. In 2020, the Bears raised more than $84,000, and in 2021 we hope to continue the tradition of giving.
2021 Bearfootin’ Auction
The 2021 Bears are currently stationed along Main Street until the auction in October. Check out our 2021 Bearfootin’ Bears!
Until 2020, the Bearfootin’ auctions were hosted in traditional style with a live auctioneer. Then, in response to the pandemic, Friends of Downtown Hendersonville pivoted to a virtual format for the 2020 auction. The virtual bidding format allowed people to bid over the course of a month until a scheduled bidding cutoff. This turned out to be a big success, with the 2020 auction raising more than $84,000.
For the 2021 Auction, the Downtown Events Team and Friends of Downtown Hendersonville staff are incorporating the virtual bidding format with an in-person event. This means bidders will be able to begin bidding as early as September 15, 2021. Bidding will come to a close with an exciting in-person event on October 16 from 4-6:30pm, with all bidding closing at 6pm.
What You Need to Know About the 2021 Bearfootin’ Bear Auction:
- Bidding begins on September 15, 2021 at 12pm and ends at 6pm EST on October 16, 2021. Stay tuned for the release of the bidding platform closer to September 15!
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All bidding will occur virtually. There will be no in-person bidding. However, there will be live bidding via phone/computer up until the bidding cut off at 6pm on October 16.
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It’s free to register to bid, and you can bid anytime between September 15 and the deadline at 6pm on October 16. Initial bids will take place via the bidding website (stay tuned for link!). Bidders will receive automatic text message notification if they are outbid with the option to submit a new bid directly via text message.
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There will be an in-person countdown celebration on October 16 from 4-6:30 pm on the outdoor plaza at the Historic Train Depot at 650 Maple Street. The event will have a lively atmosphere with bells and cheers at each incoming bid, as well as live music, beer/wine and food trucks. The event is free and open to the public. While there will be no in-person bidding at the event, attendees can bid live via their cell phone. There will be an event information booth to help attendees get registered and begin bidding.
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There will be no proxy bidding. Bidders will receive automatic text notification if they are outbid with the option to submit a new bid. There are no reserve/proxy bids, meaning you can’t set a price that the system will automatically bid for you. If you are outbid, you will need to place a higher bid if you wish to continue.
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Starting bids for all bears will be $1,500 and minimum bid increments are $100.
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Any bear can be purchased at our “Buy Now” price of $10,000. The “Buy Now” option ends Thursday, October 14 at 5 p.m.
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Bidders do not have to attend the in-person event to be a winning bidder. For those who can’t attend the in-person event on October 16, we will conduct a virtual Facebook Live event of the auction on the Downtown Hendersonville page. We will start the off by introducing the bears and providing information about how to bid before the clock runs out. All bidding is automatically cut off at 6pm on October 16.
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Winning bidders will be contacted regarding payment and picking up their bear via text and email. Bears can be picked up at the event, or during a scheduled “pick up window” the week following the event. Winners have 5 days to pay or they will be automatically charged on the credit card filed. Alternatively, winners can pay with cash or check. There will be a 2.95% processing fee on all credit card transactions.
Celebrate the holiday season and the joy of live theater by becoming a sponsor for A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas! Your support sustains the impact of the performing arts on our hearts and minds as well as our local economy.
Act now!

The ideal volunteer tutor is someone seeking to make a one-year commitment of two hours per week to help someone else make the change of a lifetime. For our volunteer tutors, an education background is helpful, but not necessary. The most important qualities are patience, an open mind, and resourcefulness. Tutors also need to be non-judgmental and sensitive to cultural differences. A GED or high school diploma is required. Ideal tutors enjoy seeing concrete outcomes from their efforts and sharing in the life-changing successes of others. See our full tutor position description here.
Buncombe County is beginning a comprehensive planning process and would like to hear from residents of all ages. The comprehensive plan is used by local governments as a broad, long-range planning tool for the community. Our plan will focus on the next 20-year period and will look at the relationships between land uses, infrastructure, and key community needs. Information regarding the comprehensive planning process will be available online and in all 12 Buncombe County Libraries starting in October.
Also during October, the libraries will provide an opportunity for children in Buncombe County to participate in the Comprehensive Plan Post Card Project. Come to the library and pick up your craft kits (while supplies last) that include a postcard where kids can draw what they want their neighborhood to look like. This is a chance for young people to vote for their future and say what they want County government to address in the next 20 years. These postcards will give the County valuable input and may be featured in the final comprehensive plan! If you have any questions, contact your neighborhood librarian or visit the Comprehensive Plan online.

As a part of this year’s budget process, City of Asheville staff heard from our community that new City investments in neighborhoods were very important. To respond to that need the Fiscal Year 2021-2022 budget includes $200,000 to launch a Neighborhood Grant Program.
This program is designed specifically for neighborhood-based organizations:
- Neighborhood associations;
- Homeowners associations;
- Neighborhood coalitions; and
- Resident organizations in tax credit-funded communities.
These organizations must represent a specific geographic location within Asheville city limits and have completed or are in the process of completing their Neighborhood Registration Form.
What kinds of projects can be funded?
Neighborhoods are encouraged to submit creative project ideas such as landscaping, murals, festivals, community art and cultural festivals. Traffic calming, public safety, marking and branding and organizational development can also be considered.
The Neighborhood Grant Program’s goal is to build neighborhood capacity and increase civic participation. Projects must be achievable within 12 months of contract execution, and there must be a dollar-for-dollar match through cash, volunteer hours, or in-kind donation of goods or services.
Neighborhoods can submit applications from October 1 – 31.
Click here to go to the application.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library puts books into the hands and hearts of children across the world. The Imagination Library creates a home library of up to 60 books and instills a love of books and reading from an early age. DPIL is now mailing a free book each month to over 4,400 registered children in Buncombe County. Here is the online registration form.
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| The residents of the Smith-McDowell House and grounds were woven in to the fabric of Asheville.
This driving tour begins at the Smith-McDowell House Museum on the campus of A-B Tech and continues through historic sites related to early occupants of the house. |
Presenter: Phil Roudebush, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer
Composting keeps kitchen and yard waste out of the landfill and scales easily for home application. This video covers the basics of composting including; different methods, benefits, and what not to compost. It also provides tips for improving your operation, several resources for more information, and troubleshooting tips.
Gardening in the Mountains presents:
Making and Using Compost at Home

Composting keeps kitchen and yard waste out of the landfill and scales easily for home application. This video covers the basics of composting including; different methods, benefits,and what not to compost. It also provides tips for improving your operation, several resources for more information, and troubleshooting tips.







