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.
Join us for cold brews and policy news!
Policy on Tap is the Chamber’s quarterly discussion series highlighting topics that matter to our business community with insights shared by key leaders and experts.
This in-person event will address the labor market for the food and beverage industry. Hear from a few local restaurant owners and learn some important statistics for this industry that is affected by or influences public policy.
We also plan to stream the event on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ashevillechamber
By attending this in-person program, you are agreeing to the following: You are agreeing to wear a mask, practice social distancing and follow all health protocols of the venue and Chamber. Any person entering the premises waives all civil liability against the Asheville Chamber and this premises owner and operator for any injuries caused by the inherent risk associated with contracting COVID-19 at public gatherings, except for gross negligence, willful and wanton misconduct, reckless infliction of harm, or intentional infliction of harm, by the individual or entity of the premises.
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.
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.
Lyuba Zuyva will join us to talk about the Biltmore/McDowell Corridor study.
It is Strive Beyond week this week , go to strivebeyond.org for exciting activities.
Go-getting and forward-thinking women entrepreneurs – Join us for this free event featuring speed connecting activities!
Speed Connecting activities are fun, encouraging, inspiring and lead to opportunities for yourself and other women entrepreneurs. So join us at Focal Point in downtown Asheville, NC for some food, fun, and connection. And you just might meet your new business bestie! This event is Free, but you must register at https://www.plrconnectevents.com/registration-form to attend.
This project receives support from NC IDEA.
No cost due to sponsor support
Understand the basics of starting a business in this seminar that takes you from idea to opportunity. Learn key strategies for start-up, financing and marketing as well as important information about legal issues, licensing, zoning, operations and more. Realize the importance of a self-assessment and how to evaluate the feasibility of your business idea. Discover the resources available to help you start and successfully operate your business.
This webinar may be converted into an in-person seminar, pursuant to state recommendations. Attendees will be notified by email if the class type is changed.
Speaker(s): Gary Heisey
Co-Sponsor(s): Henderson County Chamber of Commerce, SCORE
Webinar info will be emailed after registration.
Hendersonville yoga studio, YAM, is offering free outdoor yoga at The Park at Flat Rock on Thursdays and Saturdays. Get outside and get moving with these fun and refreshing classes. Click to learn more about YAM’s community yoga.
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.
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Hello Sweet Yogis, join me for Yoga in the Park! I’ll be teaching for West Asheville Yoga Studio and would absolutely love to have you there. We’ll link movement and breath in the (spatially-distant) company of others, as we practice an all-levels flow.
Please bring a mat or towel to practice on, if you like. Breathe, move, and find your center under the sun.
*This practice will take in North Asheville. The exact location and address will be sent after registration.
To register visit: https://westashevilleyoga.com/event/outdoor-yoga-with-tara/
**In the case of rain, you may use the class pass purchased for future Outdoor Yoga class or any live stream yoga class.
What we’re about
Common Blue Ridge Mountain activities with old and new friends through public and private events. Giving to and celebrating life in positive ways…Share what nourishes us socially, spiritually, physically or emotionally. You will find a variety of activities…
Volunteering, Hiking, Camping, Mtn Bike Rides, Motorcycle Riders, Fishing, Game Nights, Campfires, Karaoke, Visits to Local Establishment of all types (Food, Activities, Concerts, and much more).
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
Upland Drive is an edgy, experimental rock power quartet that offers a unique yet lively sound that brings elements together from a variety of genres including rock, funk, reggae, and even a touch of classical. Based in Asheville, NC, Upland Drive features Franklin Keel on cello and vocals, Debra Darling on vocals, and C Scott Shaw on drums and trumpet. Upland Drive’s original music is characterized by a fresh blend of styles, and their unique arrangements offer the audience a sound that is both adventurous and accessible.
Come enjoy an evening of live music, food and drinks on the Isis Music Hall Lawn (weather permitting). Reservations are highly recommended.
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, Cary Goff & other premier Asheville comics!
What: Weekly Outdoor & Rooftop Sunset Comedy Dinner Shows
When: Thursdays, 5/6,13,20 & 27, 7p (6:30 doors)
Where: Rabbit Rabbit, Downtown Asheville 75 Coxe Ave
Cost: $12
Tickets at RabbitRabbitavl.com
More information or to inquire about performing, contact Michele Scheve at [email protected]
*If it rains or is too windy we may move the show to our great space under the roof!
James Rosenquist, Mirrored Flag, 1971, color lithograph with Mylar foil on paper, edition 17/70, publisher: Graphicstudio, University of South Florida, Tampa, 29 × 22 1/4 inches. Museum purchase, 2013.23.60. © Estate of James Rosenquist / licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY.
In the early 1950s, the concept of space travel only existed in science fiction movies and print. However, forward-thinking aerospace engineers not only were thinking about space flight but also working on the first practical and serious plan for what would become the Space Age. To help sell their vision, they sought out artists to turn ideas into visual form that the American public could see and understand. Artists have been on the forefront of the space program since day one, turning engineering ideas into realistic, beautiful, and inspiring works of art. They made the cosmos real for many through their vision. James Webb, NASA’s administrator, saw art as the way forward and created an artist-in-residence program that still functions today. These artists are afforded behind-the-scenes access to NASA’s space program with the freedom to interpret as they wish. For this evening’s talk, artist Terry A. Beckham tells the story of pioneer artists that envisioned the universe long before mankind had reached space, and the artists that continued the task after the Space Age began.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Before his recent retirement, artist Terry A. Beckham worked as an exhibition designer, preparator, gallery director, artist-in-residence, and consultant at museums, galleries, gardens, and archives across the Southeast including the Birmingham Museum of Art, the Huntsville Museum of Art, and the Greater Birmingham Arts Alliance. Beckham has a lifelong interest in space and space travel, and incorporates visionary concepts into his own multimedia work.
Planned in conjunction with Meeting the Moon.
With over 15 years of touring and 12 studio albums to his name, Griffin House is a star that doesn’t stop rising.
Having enjoyed plenty of success as a national headliner for over a decade and earned a great deal of respect as a well-known performer and singer-songwriter, he doesn’t take himself too seriously. The artist moved to Nashville with a dream, a guitar, and a handful of songs in 2003. Within months, he signed a deal with a label. In the year following, his debut album Lost and Found was lauded by music critics, such as Bill Flanagan, Executive VP of MTV/VH1 Networks, who featured him on the CBS Sunday Morning show as one of the “best-emerging songwriters.”
Since then, House has toured with John Mellencamp, The Cranberries, and Mat Kearney, which paved the way for him to meet some of his idols Bruce Springsteen and Willie Nelson. In recent years, House has had the chance to reconnect with old friends Paul Moak and Grammy-award-winning Ian Fitchuk (Kasey Musgraves) to work on his latest album release Rising Star.
RATED R THURSDAY, MAY 20 Show | 8pm // Doors | 7pm $5 Rabbit Rabbit Each ticket comes with one pair of wireless headphones to listen to the movie.
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!
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At the May 4 meeting, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted to add Juneteenth as an additional County holiday following a public hearing.
Juneteenth, also known as “Jubilee Day,” “Freedom Day,” “Emancipation Day,” or “Liberation Day,” honors the day that enslaved people in Galveston, Texas learned that the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed by President Abraham Lincoln. That signing happened almost two years earlier, but Union soldiers did not arrive with the news until June 19, 1865. That day, known as Juneteenth, is a day of celebration of liberation, emancipation, and freedom for African Americans. Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.
“I think it should be celebrated by our staff and the County, because it is an important date in history,” said Commissioner Al Whitesides. “Hopefully this will help us start the conversation and correct some of what’s happened the last 400 years. We’re saying a lot not only to our employees, but to our community.”
Currently, Wake, Northampton, Bertie, and Orange Counties offer Juneteenth as a paid holiday, as do the cities of Apex, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Durham, Greensboro, Hillsborough, Princeville, Raleigh, and Winston-Salem. The Orange Water and Sewer Authority also offers Juneteenth as a paid holiday.
The Board voted unanimously to approve the staff recommendation to add Juneteenth as an additional County holiday. The County will celebrate Juneteenth on the Friday that falls closest to or on June 19. This year, Buncombe County Government administrative offices will be closed on Friday, June 18 in observance of Juneteenth. Emergency and public safety services will remain open.
- Resume activities without wearing masks or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance
- Resume domestic travel and refrain from testing before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel
- Refrain from testing before leaving the United States for international travel (unless required by the destination) and refrain from self-quarantine after arriving back in the United States
- Refrain from testing following a known exposure, if asymptomatic, with some exceptions for specific settings
- Refrain from quarantine following a known exposure if asymptomatic
- Refrain from routine screening testing if feasible
For now, fully vaccinated people should continue to:
- Get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms
- Follow CDC and health department travel requirements and recommendations
Announcing an all-new scholarship for exemplary performing arts teens in Henderson County! Selected students will be invited to attend the following Studio 52 summer program with a full scholarship:
CONSERVATORY
Rising 8th – 12th Grades
Learn from industry professionals in this two-week, pre-professional program blending acting & music theatre training as teens hone their skills and find their voice.
Qualified Student Nominees Must:
– Be enrolled in HCPS as a rising 8th-12th grade student for the 2021-2022 school year.
– Exhibit a passion for theatre, music, or dance.
– Serve as a leader within their drama, dance, or music classes at school.
– Provide the name and contact of a HCPS teacher who can serve as a reference.
Need-based scholarships are still available for all Studio 52 Summer Camps. Applications for need-based scholarships can be found on the Studio 52 website. All scholarship applications are due June 1.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
Partnering with local, state, and national organizations to track the impact of the arts in Buncombe County.
Asheville Area Arts Council has released a new Creative Jobs Report, which provides an in-depth look at Buncombe County’s creative economy leading up to the pandemic.
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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. |
Employment Opportunities at Blue Ridge Community College
The College has jobs that fall within four categories: full-time professional, full-time faculty, part-time faculty or adjunct instructors, part-time support staff, and temporary positions.
To be considered for employment at Blue Ridge Community College, complete an official employment application indicating the position title and position number.
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| Asheville, and the surrounding mountains, have also hosted numerous writers, musicians, and folklorists who have promoted (if not possibly created) some of these legends. Perhaps these are some of the reasons lore permeates the streets, hills, and valleys of this mountain city. You can see many of these sites for yourself, if you dare. |
he Visit NC Farms Phone App, developed by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, connects millions of North Carolina residents and visitors to farmers and local food – one community at a time.
The Visit NC Farms App connects the dots in communities across North Carolina. Using cell phone technology, residents and visitors can find farms closest to them with products and activities that interest them.
Visitors can use the app to explore farms, farmers markets and local restaurants that are off the beaten path and unique to each community. Beginning June 1, 2021 Buncombe County Soil & Water District will be accepting applications for listings on the VisitNCFarms app. The app will launch in September 2021.
Interested in joining the app? Contact Buncombe County Soil & Water District at (828) 250-4785 today!
FAQ:
Why should I list my farm on the Visit NC Farms App?
- Showcasing your farm on the app allows you to reach a broader audience of potential customers and repeat patrons.
- You’ll be listed among an expansive and ever-growing collection of agriculture-based offerings.
- With both a map and a list view, users will be able to easily find the farm closest to them or filter based on offerings.
- Your farm listing will feature a brief summary, engaging imagery, and push button shortcuts to call, visit your website, or get directions.
- User and member feedback ensures that the app stays relevant and up to date.
- Your farm listing gives you access to real-time marketing opportunities through push notifications to app users.
Why should my community invest in the Visit NC Farms App?
- There are significant social, economic and environmental benefits to promoting Agritourism in your community. It’s the perfect way to educate people about your community.
- Agritourism experiences show off the social dimension of agriculture. When consumers connect with the families and farmers growing their food, they leave more likely to advocate for and spend more on local foods.
- As a benefit to participation, communities involved in the app received branded premium items to promote user interest in the app and North Carolina agritourism.
- The Visit NC Farms app is affordable, scalable and replicable.
- 77% of all Americans now own a smart phone of some kind. (92% of 18-29 year olds)
- In a Covid-19 economy, consumers are turning to local farms for food. Local farms are pivoting to meet the surge in demand. The Visit NC Farms App is ensuring they get connected.
- 59% of travelers say they will avoid crowds on their next leisure trip, and almost 30% of North Carolinians are more interested in traveling closer to home. This makes nearby rural and outdoor attractions the most likely destinations in the near future. Consider the app as a marketing tool to drive NC residents to the agriculture economy in their own backyards!
How is the app growing in North Carolina?
- The pilot project was launched by Orange County in the fall of 2017. After their investment and initial success, the app expanded to other counties.
- The project is now live or in development with 37 North Carolina counties. Recent additions now in the development phase include Durham, Guilford, and Alamance counties.
- User engagement increased 52% and user downloads increased 41% in March as consumers concerned about health and safety turned to local farms for fresh fruits, vegetables, and proteins.
- The Visit NC Farms App is now reaching nearly 10,000 active users (and counting).
- Data from active app users provides crucial information to better meet app user needs and stakeholder goals.
- “The key is for rural communities to recognize that they have valuable assets, one of which is the very nature of rural life. In an increasingly congested and impersonal world, there is great appeal to a close-knit community. The qualities associated with rural life are particularly conducive to the creation of entrepreneurial ecosystems and the free flow of information, skills and resources…”
- Don Macke has nearly 40 years of community economic development and policy experience, is the co-founder of the Lincoln, Nebraska-based Center for Rural Entrepreneurship and director of the center’s entrepreneurial communities solution area.
How is the app promoted?
- Each community has access to marketing materials including posters, banner stands, buttons, stickers and window clings. Website badges are created for participating sites.
- The app is promoted by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Marketing Division. Welcome and Visitor Centers across the state, the State farmers markets and other statewide venues will share the app messaging.
- Being a part of the app is cooperative advertising. Each farm or community partner also promotes the app to their lists and followers so your audience grows exponentially.
- North Carolina Farm Bureau is supporting this effort across the state.
- As the app grows, the marketing efforts will expand as well. Think billboards!
How much does it cost?
- Thanks to the generous donations from Farm Bureau Insurance and Farm Bureau we are able to offer this service to any farms, local stores, farmers markets, and local restaurants for FREE!