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, October 7, 2021
Curated gallery show: Haec Culti
Oct 7 @ 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Continuum Art Gallery

Continuum Arts Gallery will host its first, curated gallery show beginning on September 18th, 2021. Titled ‘Haec Culti’, the group show will run from September 18 – November 9th, featuring artists Kat Knutsen, Kevin Yaun, Frank Lombardo, and Conrado Lopez. For our opening day, light horderves will be served and live music will be showcased throughout the day. Miami Gold, a local Asehville band, hits the stage at 7pm! This event is free and open to the public.

Open Sun-Tues by appointment only

PILOBOLUS: CONNECTING WITH BALANCE WORKSHOP
Oct 7 @ 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Tina McGuire Theatre

Pilobolus: Connecting with Balance Workshop

Connecting with Balance is a one-hour class designed to help people of any age reconnect with their bodies and environment. Exercises in mobility and balance will encourage participants to maintain and improve stability, think creatively, and build community through social engagement. This class is open to all levels of ability – even those who remain seated throughout. No previous experience is required, and no special equipment needed.

90 Minutes. Maximum of 20 participants.

Registration link coming soon – please check back.

Racial Justice Workshop
Oct 7 @ 11:00 am – 12:15 pm
YWCA
Meeting logo
3-Part Racial Justice Training Series October 2021

Join the YWCA in a 3-Part Racial Justice Training that explores anti-Black racism, overlapping systems of oppression, and racial equity in Asheville and Buncombe County. The training will take place over three sessions, each lasting one hour and fifteen minutes. Please sign up for all three when you register.



Or, contact us by email to schedule a Racial Justice Workshop specifically for your organization.

Workshop Goals

  • Become familiar with some of the shared language and concepts related to racial justice
  • Develop an understanding of how racism shows up in each of our lives
  • Become familiar with the YWCA’s racial justice framework
  • Explore the history of racial (in)justice in the United States and beyond
Rural Avant-Garde: The Mountain Lake Experience Art Exhibit
Oct 7 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Contemporary art, interdisciplinary research communities, and the inspiration of Appalachia converge in Rural Avant-Garde: The Mountain Lake Experience. This exhibition showcases a selection of collaborative creative works that emerged from nearly four decades of the Mountain Lake Workshop series, a program sited in rural southwestern Virginia.

Founded by artist and scholar Ray Kass in 1980 and co-organized with influential art critics Dr. Donald B. Kuspit and Dr. Howard Risatti, as well as the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), the Mountain Lake Workshops integrated the arts and sciences in a dynamic experimental creative process that pushed past the traditional boundaries of art, dance, and performance.

Community-centered from its inception, the Mountain Lake Workshop demonstrated the relevance of the arts across disciplines, as well as social and participatory learning. This exhibition offers a focused look at art that investigated new conceptual limits, born of the region in southwestern Virginia, just a few hundred miles north of Asheville, NC. Works range from large-scale watercolors and photographic installation to relics of performances and other experimentations in artmaking.

Highlights include composer and conceptual artist John Cage’s New River Rocks and Washes(1990). A significant late-career work by Cage, this rarely exhibited watercolor extends nearly 30 feet in length, produced using methods of chance to trace stones gathered from the workshop’s natural surroundings.

This exhibition was organized by the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts at Longwood University. Generous funding was provided in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Walter B. Stephen Pottery: Cameo to Crystalline
Oct 7 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Artist Walter B. Stephen (Clinton, IA 1875–1961 Asheville, NC) contributed to Western North Carolina’s identity as a flourishing site for pottery production and craftsmanship in the early 20th century. Walter B. Stephen Pottery: Cameo to Crystalline features art pottery and functional vessels from each stage of Stephen’s career, from his origins discovering the medium alongside his mother Nellie C. Randall Stephen in Shelby County, TN from 1901 through 1910 to his multi-decade production just outside of Asheville. This exhibition will be on view in the Asheville Art Museum’s Debra McClinton Gallery July 28, 2021 through January 17, 2022.

In 1926, Stephen founded his third and last pottery studio, Pisgah Forest, in Arden, NC, which he operated until his death in 1961. It was at this studio that the artist perfected the “cameo” decoration technique for which he became best known. His hand-painted images, achieved with layers of white translucent clay, often feature American folk imagery, from covered wagons and livestock to cabins and spinning wheels. A selection of works from the Museum’s Collection showcase his innovation in form and in decorative surface details, including experimentation with crystalline glazing.

Local Carving Pumpkins For Sale
Oct 7 @ 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Hickory Nut Gap Farm

Starting this weekend, we’ll be selling local heirloom and edible pumpkins from Sandy Mush, NC, and decorative gourds from Union Grove, NC!

Come join us at the farm as we get into the fall spirit & celebrate the harvest 🍂

The Fall Color Ramble
Oct 7 @ 1:00 pm – 1:20 pm
Grandfather Mountain

From Oct. 2-10, guests can enjoy 20-minute guided walks that highlight Grandfather Mountain’s fall colors.

Weaverville Library Used Book Store
Oct 7 @ 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Weaverville Library

The Friends of the Weaverville Library (FOWL) are excited to announce the opening of their used bookstore in Weaverville on Thursday, July 8. Located in the lower level of the Weaverville Library at 41 N. Main St., the store will be open Thursdays 1-5 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 11 a.m.-2 p.m., with expanded hours beginning in September. The store is stocked with thousands of books, audiobooks, CDs, DVDs, and more. All adult books are priced at $1.50-$3.00, children and teen books at $1.00-$1.50, audio and video at $2.00.

There is also a bargain-priced area and a collection of special finds that are priced individually. Please feel free to contact us at 828-641-1812 or [email protected]. All proceeds from the store will benefit the Weaverville Library.

COLLEGE STUDY HALL
Oct 7 @ 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Grind Coffee House

 Mon-Fri from 2-5pm. You have access to high speed internet, work space and HALF-OFF pastries when you present your college ID.

The Fall Color Ramble
Oct 7 @ 2:00 pm – 2:20 pm
Grandfather Mountain

From Oct. 2-10, guests can enjoy 20-minute guided walks that highlight Grandfather Mountain’s fall colors.

OAKS Afterschool Program
Oct 7 @ 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Oakley Community Center

OAKS Afterschool Program
Pre-registration required. FREE for the 2021-2022 school year
September 7-December 17, 2021 | Monday-Friday | 2:30-5:30pm
An inclusive recreation program designed to support rising 1st5th graders and their families. OAKS will provide homework
assistance and opportunities to play through a variety of activities
and field trips. Participants will benefit from lower child to
staff ratios, continuation of scholastic goals (as applicable),
and individualized treatment plans (facilitated by LRT/CTRS
and program staff). Participants who cannot meet eligibility
requirements may attend with a 1:1 worker.
Location: Oakley

Asheville Parks and Rec Afterschool Programs: Afternoon Adventures
Oct 7 @ 2:45 pm – 6:00 pm
Asheville Area

Pre-registration required. FREE for the 2021-2022 school year
August 23, 2021-June 3, 2022 | Monday-Friday | 2:45-6pm
K-6th graders.
Does your child enjoy having fun and making new friends? Offering
arts, crafts, special events, homework assistance and more!
Families currently enrolled in the school system’s reduced or free
meal program, please contact your recreation center for discount
fee information.
Locations: Burton, Grant, Montford, Shiloh, Stephens-Lee

Enka-Candler Tailgate Market
Oct 7 @ 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Enka-Candler Tailgate Market

The Enka-Candler Tailgate Market’s purpose is to promote local agriculture and heritage crafts in Western North Carolina, to provide the Enka-Candler community with a market for fresh local produce and other quality products, and to serve as an educational resource. It is run by Asheville Farmstead School, a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Corporation, along with an Advisory Committee, volunteers, and involved community members.

Flat Rock Farmers Market
Oct 7 @ 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Pinecrest ARP Church

local produce, bread bakers, crafters, and much more,

Invested Course: An Investment Crowdfunding Learning Journey
Oct 7 @ 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
online

The State of North Carolina recently passed legislation (NC PACES) making it possible to take on non-accredited investors for your small business. This allows you to raise funds from your friends, family, and broader community and to offer them a stake in – and a return on – the success that they are helping you to build.

Invested: An Investment Crowdfunding Learning Journey will assist a small cohort of interested business owners who are currently experiencing growth opportunities in preparing for, designing, and launching an investment crowdfunding campaign. The full course will entail five 2.5-hour sessions starting Thursday, September 23rd and running through October 21st.

The 7th Cohort of our Invested Course is coming up! The 5-session VIRTUAL COURSE will take place on the following dates:

  • Sep 23 – Session 1: 3-5pm
  • Sep 30 – Session 2: 3-5pm
  • Oct 07 – Session 3: 3-5pm
  • Oct 14 – Session 4: 3-5pm
  • Oct 21 – Session 5: 3-5pm

In between classes, the Invested program includes several one on one technical sessions with facilitators. Following the course, those that decide to execute investment crowdfunding campaigns will move into launch with the assistance of our BizWorks team and specialist partners.

Add your name to the Cohort 7 Interest Formand we will follow up with a brief consultation and informative call on specifications for the course. The course fee is $100 and $25 for additional participants from the same company. We also have an interest list for potential investors (those of us that may want to participate in a local crowdfunding campaign and attend one of the Invested course pitch events) that you can sign up for here.

A big thanks to our partners Jake Farrar (Van Winkle Law Firm), Annie Milroy Price (Birds Eye), and Jeffrey Scott (Metamorphic) who have assisted in developing and delivering this course.

Montford Pre-Teen Afterschool Program
Oct 7 @ 3:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Montford Community Center

Montford Pre-Teen Afterschool Program
Pre-registration required. FREE for the 2021-2022 school year
August 23, 2021 – June 3, 2022 | Monday-Friday | 3:30-6pm
5th-6th graders.
New program designed to meet the needs of your pre-teen.
Providing time dedicated to school assignments, life skills, arts,
communication, leadership, fitness, nutrition, and loads of fun.
Location: Montford

PILOBOLUS INTERMEDIATE + PRE-PROFESSIONAL MASTERCLASS
Oct 7 @ 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Tina McGuire Theatre
Pilobolus Masterclass

WORTHAM CENTER PRESENTS

Pilobolus Intermediate & Pre-professional Masterclass

The core values of Pilobolus workshops are the three Cs of creativity, collaboration and communication. Our workshop created for movers and dancers uses Pilobolus signature techniques of improvisation and movement creation to elevate training to the next level and reinvigorate creative impulses. The class, taught by current company members, is designed to stretch the limits of movers and performers ages 16 and up. The class will include partnering, collaborative choreography and peer to peer feedback. The class will end with a showing of work created in class.

90 Minutes. Maximum of 20 participants.

Registration link coming soon – please check back.

Teen Leadership Program
Oct 7 @ 3:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Asheville Area

Teen Leadership Program
Pre-registration required. FREE for the 2021-2022 school year
August 23, 2021-June 3, 2022 | Monday-Friday | 3:30-6pm
6th-9th graders.
Looking for a cool and enriching alternative for your Teen to attend
this school year? We offer creative activities, diverse projects,
field trips, and more.
Locations: Grant, Shiloh, Stephens-Lee

Youth Studio at Asheville Art Museum: Art After School (Grades K–2)
Oct 7 @ 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Registration deadline: September 9

Spend your afternoons creating in the bright and spacious studio at the Museum! Explore a range of artistic processes using artwork on view from the Museum’s Collection and special exhibitions for inspiration.

Please note:

  • Youth Studio is held indoors in the Museum’s Education Center.
  • Space is limited to small groups of students; face coverings and social distancing are required.

YOUTH STUDIO

Youth Studio is the Museum’s studio art program for children and teens! Students experiment and explore a variety of media and techniques through classes and workshops led by visiting artists and Museum educators. Classes meet 2–4 weeks and are designed for a deeper exploration of a specific media; workshops meet 3–5 hours and introduce a new medium or process. All materials are provided by the Museum.

The Museum is committed to making our programs accessible to everyone, regardless of economic means. With support from the Walnut Cove Members Association, we are able to provide a limited amount of financial aid to help students who could not otherwise afford to enroll in our programs. Email Sharon McRorie, education programs manager, or call 828.253.3227 x124 to inquire.

Asheville Fit Tribe Group: 60 minute of strength training
Oct 7 @ 4:15 pm – 5:15 pm
Carrier Park

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.

Studio 52 MUSIC THEATRE (Virtual), 1st-4th Grades
Oct 7 @ 4:30 pm – 5:15 pm
Online
Young girl dancing in
                    bedroom

MUSIC THEATRE (Virtual), 1st-4th Grades

Sing, dance, and act your way through a Broadway musical! This high-energy, low-pressure virtual class explores the plot and characters of a musical as young actors learn songs and dances from the show. With fun activities and games emphasizing creative play, movement, voice, and improvisation, this process-based class will build theatre skills and allow a fun outlet for your bite-sized Broadway actor. No experience is necessary.

Instructor: Anna Kimmell
*Need-based scholarships are available upon application.
Learn more below about payment plans and multi-student discounts.

Theatre Dance and Movement Ages 9-12
Oct 7 @ 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

And a 5-6-7-8! Have you ever wanted to feel confident in a dance audition or learn awesome choreography to your favorite musical numbers? In this class students will learn basic dance styles used in musical theatre and how to act through their dancing. This course will help dancers prepare to ace an audition and pick up choreography quickly and efficiently.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP

Please do not purchase registration prior to applying for a scholarship. Applications must be received by 2:00pm on Thursday, August 26th for consideration.

Youth Play-Write! Theatre Class Ages 10-14
Oct 7 @ 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

with Janice Schreiber

Student Ages: 10-14

Schedule: Sep 2-Oct 21 | Thursdays at 4:30-6:00 PM

If you like storytelling, then this theatre class is right for you! In this 8 week class, students will experience the explorative journey of creating and bringing a story to life as a play. Creators will practice exploring and planning out their ideas, using their voices, and telling stories they are passionate about.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP

Please do not purchase registration prior to applying for a scholarship. Applications must be received by 2:00pm on Thursday, August 26th for consideration.

Chihuly Edition Program Manager PAULA JACOBSON
Oct 7 @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Momentum Gallery

Join Us for a Visit with Paula Jacobson Tonight!

Please help us welcome Paula Jacobson to Asheville! Paula is the Edition Program Manager for Chihuly Workshop. She has worked closely with Dale Chihuly for over two decades and is a wealth of knowledge on the renowned glass artist’s work, the Boat House “hot shop”, and the fine art editions released by the studio.  Whether you own an original piece by Chihuly or you’re been thinking about acquiring one, this is a great time to come in and see the collection available at Momentum. Paula Jacobson will be on hand to talk about Chihuly’s hand-embellished prints and glass sculptures, answer questions, and share stories this evening evening from 5-7 pm at Momentum Gallery, 52 Broadway, in downtown Asheville.  We hope you’ll join us. Masks are required.

Momentum Gallery is open seven days per week, Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm and Sundays 12-5pm. We are also happy to schedule private appointments. Please let us know how we can assist you! 

Asheville Fit Tribe Group: 60 minute of strength training
Oct 7 @ 5:15 pm – 6:15 pm
Carrier Park

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.

11th Annual Justice Forum with Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha
Oct 7 @ 5:30 pm
Rabbit Rabbit and Online w/ Pisgah Legal

Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha MD, MPH, FAAP is the advocate who exposed the dangerous levels of lead in Flint, Michigan’s drinking water after testing blood lead levels in its children. Dr. Hanna-Attisha announced her research findings to the national press and is recognized globally as a health and social justice advocate.  A pediatrician, scientist, activist and author, Dr. Hanna-Attisha was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World and recognized as one of USA Today’s Women of the Century for her role in uncovering the Flint water crisis and leading recovery efforts, and most recently, received the 2020 Fries Prize for Improving Health. She has testified three times before the United States Congress and was awarded the Freedom of Expression Courage Award by PEN America.

5:30pm In-Person Pre-Event Outdoor Reception
Details coming soon  Updated see below

7:00pm Online Forum
Free and open to the public.
In order to protect the health and safety of participants and attendees, this year’s Justice Forum will be presented online.

Five Things To Know About the Justice Forum

  1. This year’s Justice Forum is a hybrid event, meaning people have the choice to join in-person or virtually. For those wanting to gather in-person, we are hosting a ticketed,  outdoors Pre-Forum Reception at Rabbit Rabbit in downtown Asheville, followed by a watch party on Rabbit Rabbit’s outdoor screen. Headphones will be provided to ensure audio quality.  For those who want to join virtually, the free Justice Forum, including Dr. Mona’s keynote, will be presented via Zoom. The Forum is free but registration is required
  2. The Pre-Forum reception will be held at Rabbit Rabbit, located at 75 Coxe Avenue. This spacious outdoor venue covers more than an acre in downtown Asheville with access to plenty of parking from six nearby public parking lots.
  3. Celine and Company will cater the Pre-Forum Reception with a selection of delicious vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and meat options. Servers will practice proper protocols to ensure the safety and health of guests.
  4. Join a book club discussion of Dr. Mona’s bestselling book, What the Eyes Don’t See, a powerful first-hand account of the Flint water crisis, hosted online by Asheville independent bookstore, Malaprop’s, on September 23rd at 7pm via Zoom Sign up here 
  5. You can be a part of the conversation! Submit a question for Dr. Mona and we may include it in our conversation with her. You can submit your question to [email protected] or when you complete the free Justice Forum registration form.
Business After Hours in partnership with Asheville Chamber and Go Local Asheville
Oct 7 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Element Hotel
Save the Date! We’re teaming up with the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce and Go Local for Business After Hours
Studio 52: SCRIPT WRITING + PERFORMANCE (Virtual), 5th-7th Grades
Oct 7 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Online

In this eight-week virtual class, young artists will combine creative writing, improvisation, and acting skills as they write and perform original theatrical scenes. With engaging games and exercises that stretch the imagination and encourage collaboration, students will explore the foundational principles of storytelling as they follow the writing process from the first draft to the first read-thru! No previous writing or acting experience is required.  

Instructor: TJ Simba-Medel

*Need-based scholarships are available upon application.
Learn more below about payment plans and multi-student discounts.

Adult Studio at Asheville Art Museum: Painting Beautiful Botanicals
Oct 7 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Sallie Middleton, Trillium, not dated, watercolor on paper, 17 x 13 inches.

Gift of Mikell Middleton Howington, 2018.53.01. © Estate of Sallie Middleton.

Registration deadline: September 15

In this four-week, small-group/in-person class, explore techniques for painting plants. Begin with learning a representational style using pencil and watercolors, then take inspiration from artworks at the Museum to explore a more creative approach with mixed media to experiment with the many ways leaves and plants can be used as a subject for self-expression and design.

As a professional art educator for over 30 years, instructor Claire Simpson Jones is passionate about sharing the experience of creating art with others. Working in multiple media and techniques, she holds an undergraduate degree in fine arts, a certification in commercial art, and is a National Board Certified teacher. She is a member of the Southern Watercolor Society, a signature member of the Watercolor Society of North Carolina, and shows her work at the Asheville Gallery of Art.

Please note:

  • This Adult Studio is held indoors in the Museum’s John & Robyn Horn Education Center and outdoors, weather permitting.
  • Space is limited to small groups of students.
  • Students follow the Museum’s temporary COVID-19 safety precautions; click here for more information.

ADULT STUDIO

The Museum’s studio program for adults offers a core curriculum in drawing, painting, printmaking, and three-dimensional media, and also explores the intersections between them. Local and visiting artists help students of all levels and abilities develop skills in media that reflect techniques and themes featured in the Museum’s Collection and special exhibitions. Classes meet for 3–12 weeks, and are designed for anyone interested in exploring specific media in depth; daylong workshops introduce new media or processes. To add your name to our Adult Studio mailing list, email Kristi McMillan, director of learning & engagement, or call 828.253.3227 x122.

Free Yoga – The Park at Flat Rock
Oct 7 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse

Group of people with arms outstretched doing yoga in a park.

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.