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.
In the mountains of North Carolina you’ll find one of America’s hippest cities. On this fun-filled Asheville scavenger hunt, we loop around the city center in search of the city’s best sights and hidden gems.
Does an obelisk impress? Where can you play 75 pinball machines? Find out on this scavenger hunt of Asheville!
Select a wine on draft and fill a plēb urban winery 500mL or 1L growler for a reduced price (see menu for availability and pricing). Growler purchase is separate. Carry out only.
https://www.facebook.com/events/859748727719594/?event_time_id=859748781052922
Come practice with me every Wednesday evening at Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards at 6pm-7pm to get over that crazy mid week hump!
All levels welcome for an upbeat and energizing power flow while focusing on turning inward and cultivating an intention that you can take with you off your mat!
10$ for 60 minute power vinyasa flow and glass of wine!
6pm-7pm Please share and feel free to bring your friends!
DM if you have any questions! Hope to see you there✨✨
https://www.facebook.com/events/1224464734374111/?event_time_id=1224464787707439
Ladies, please join us the first Thursday of every month** for great wine, great friends, and lots of fun!
**July’s event will not be held because of the 4th.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2190909954570744/?event_time_id=2190909971237409
Get to #knowyourbutcher Matt Helms as he demonstrates a complete breakdown of a side of Warren Wilson College Farm Heritage breed pastured hog. He’ll discuss the different cuts that retail stores demand, as well as cooking techniques.
We will also offer some house made and local charcuterie as well as beers and wines.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1958374050904972/
Summit Coffee Asheville will be donating a portion of all proceeds throughout out the day to Dogwood Alliance to protect Southern forests and communities from destructive industrial logging. Come grab a cup of coffee to support our work protecting Southern wetlands, forests, and communities!
In celebration of American Wetlands Month, we’ll be sharing with Summit Coffee patrons the newest episode in our “Wetland Wanderer” video series! The Wetland Wanderer herself, Lucia Ibarra, will make a special guest appearance to talk about her adventures in our amazing wetland forests across the South, exploring the interconnection of wetland forest protection, climate change, and community justice
Wetlands give so much to our communities – climate regulation, clean water, flood control, and more. In this new episode, Lucia continues to explore all that wetlands have to offer as she ventures through Congaree National Park, a wetland filled with history and adventure. We’ll be screening this throughout the event, so come learn all about all Congaree!
Mayfest is the one of the longest running festivals in N.C., drawing visitors from across the region for a full day of springtime, family fun. Annual entertainment and traditions will be enjoyed including live music from Rutherford County Line and the Houston Bernard Band, a Car, Truck and Bike Show, and a variety of artisans and crafters showcasing their one-of-a-kind items. Youngsters will have a ball in the Kids Playland featuring inflatables and rock climbing walls, plus obstacle courses, face painting, and the Pinewood Derby Race. Local dancers, gymnasts and cheerleaders will perform, a Doggie Kissing booth will be open, and friendly fur babies will take the spotlight during the 4 Paws Kingdom Pet Contest. No festival is complete without fabulous food vendors. Indulge yourself with delicious BBQ, turkey legs, roasted corn, stir-fry, funnel cakes, kettle corn, cotton candy, homemade ice cream, and much more.
Madison MayFest: A Night at ReClaim
A Unique and Unexpected Fundraiser Event!
Join the Community Housing Coalition of Madison County at “ReClaim
Madison Salvage & Hardware,” formerly the Coal, Feed and Lumber Store
where you’ll find yourself in an early 20th century social club – with live
music to match!
Emcee Joel Friedman, of Zuma Coffee fame, will lead us through an
evening of:
* Live music – a soundscape straight out of the past! Musicians Steve Davidowski and Melody King will serve up originals and the classics
* Scrumptious food and libations!
* Community brick-making and other creative activities!
* Fun photo opps with your friends!
* Dazzling raffle prizes – worth $500 each!
* And much, much more!
PLUS, the Preferred Pairings Salon!
Local wines, gourmet chocolates, artisan roasted coffees – curated and
paired, for this mini-event limited to 60 guests.
Proceeds go to CHC’s Mission, which aims to find solutions to the nationwide affordable housing crisis right here in WNC by promoting and facilitating healthy, safe, and affordable housing through advocacy, education, and resource development.
Madison MayFest: A Night at ReClaim
A Unique and Unexpected Fundraiser Event!
Join the Community Housing Coalition of Madison County at “ReClaim
Madison Salvage & Hardware,” formerly the Coal, Feed and Lumber Store
where you’ll find yourself in an early 20th century social club – with live
music to match!
Emcee Joel Friedman, of Zuma Coffee fame, will lead us through an
evening of:
* Live music – a soundscape straight out of the past! Musicians Steve Davidowski and Melody King will serve up originals and the classics
* Scrumptious food and libations!
* Community brick-making and other creative activities!
* Fun photo opps with your friends!
* Dazzling raffle prizes – worth $500 each!
* And much, much more!
PLUS, the Preferred Pairings Salon!
Local wines, gourmet chocolates, artisan roasted coffees – curated and
paired, for this mini-event limited to 60 guests.
Proceeds go to CHC’s mission, which aims to find solutions to the national affordable housing crisis right here in WNC by promoting and facilitating healthy, safe, and affordable housing through advocacy, education, and resource development.
Select a wine on draft and fill a plēb urban winery 500mL or 1L growler for a reduced price (see menu for availability and pricing). Growler purchase is separate. Carry out only.
https://www.facebook.com/events/859748727719594/?event_time_id=859748784386255
Come practice with me every Wednesday evening at Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards at 6pm-7pm to get over that crazy mid week hump!
All levels welcome for an upbeat and energizing power flow while focusing on turning inward and cultivating an intention that you can take with you off your mat!
10$ for 60 minute power vinyasa flow and glass of wine!
6pm-7pm Please share and feel free to bring your friends!
DM if you have any questions! Hope to see you there✨✨
https://www.facebook.com/events/1224464734374111/?event_time_id=1224464791040772
To get you excited about our first-ever White Zombie 5k fun run benefitting MANNA FoodBank, we’re hosting Zombie Takeover Day on May 9 with a one-day “killer” discount. Come out to our Zombie Takeover party to register at our South Slope tasting room or use online code – zombie – all day on the event site to get $5 off your registration. We are donating 3.5 meals per registration to MANNA, so you can do good and run for your life!
Come celebrate the beginning of a new gardening season at the Spring Fling Plant Sale! The Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County in partnership with the Asheville Blue Ridge Rose Society will host the Spring Fling Plant Sale on Saturday, May 11, from 10 am. to 2 pm. The sale will be held in the parking lot of the American Red Cross, 100 Edgewood Road, off of Merrimon Avenue in Asheville. The sale will be held rain or shine.
The Asheville Blue Ridge Rose Society will sell many varieties of roses, including own-root, fragrant, miniature, and old garden roses. Expert rosarians will be on hand to help you choose the perfect rose and to give practical advice on growing and caring for roses.
Extension Master GardenerSM volunteers will offer a variety of sun and shade perennials, with a focus on natives and pollinator friendly selections. Plants are grown by Master Gardeners with tender loving care. We will also offer a nice selection of garden accessories. Personal shoppers will be available to assist you with the best plants for your special space, give you plant suggestions for Mother’s Day gifts, and answer your gardening questions.
We will also be offering an on-going pruning tool sharpening workshop. Bring your small hand tools (pruners) and loppers to learn how to clean and sharpen them. This is a free workshop but donations are greatly appreciated.
Join us for a special event within our vineyards on Mother’s Day weekend. We will be having service at the cross to bless our vines, lead by Pastor Dr. Tim Emery. Afterwards we will enjoy a light brunch, including a free glass of wine, in our rustic barn.
Cash/ credit card bar will be provided. Ticket link coming soon… $30 General Admission, $25 Club Members, $15 children 12 & under.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2017848361617091/
Select a wine on draft and fill a plēb urban winery 500mL or 1L growler for a reduced price (see menu for availability and pricing). Growler purchase is separate. Carry out only.
https://www.facebook.com/events/859748727719594/?event_time_id=859748787719588
Come practice with me every Wednesday evening at Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards at 6pm-7pm to get over that crazy mid week hump!
All levels welcome for an upbeat and energizing power flow while focusing on turning inward and cultivating an intention that you can take with you off your mat!
10$ for 60 minute power vinyasa flow and glass of wine!
6pm-7pm Please share and feel free to bring your friends!
DM if you have any questions! Hope to see you there✨✨
https://www.facebook.com/events/1224464734374111/?event_time_id=1224464794374105
Defenders is excited to announce the launch of our 2019 seasonal series: Wildlife Workshops & Walkabouts! In this free, fun and educational series, you’ll have a chance to learn about your local wildlife and the habitat on which they depend. These lectures and hands-on activities will get you out into the great outdoors to discover the amazing world around you.
Our first event celebrates the salamanders of Southern Appalachia. Join us and special guest presenter, herpetologist and salamander expert R. Graham Reynolds, PhD on Thursday, May 16th to learn about the salamanders of our area – including rare and imperiled species such as the hellbender and green salamander – why they’re important and how we’re addressing conservation challenges they face. Dr. Reynolds is an Assistant Professor of Biology at UNC Asheville and an Associate at Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology in Cambridge, MA. Following his presentation, we will learn how to create backyard salamander sanctuaries of our own. Then, join us on Saturday, May 18th for a walkabout in Rocky Fork State Park, TN. We’ll look for salamanders and explore this important area that supports an array of wildlife.
To learn more about our work to recover the imperiled eastern hellbender salamander, click here. https://medium.com/wild-without-end/diving-in-for-hellbender-conservation-a04219501768
Lecture and Hands-On Activity — Thursday May 16, 2019
5:30-7:00pm
Defenders of Wildlife’s Southeast Office
1 Rankin Avenue, 2nd Floor
Asheville, NC 28801
Refreshments provided.
AND
Walkabout — Saturday, May 18, 2019
7:30am – 3:00pm
Rocky Form State Park, TN
501 Rocky Fork Rd., Flag Pond, TN 37657
For more info, email Tracy at [email protected]
This 2019 series is sponsored by weilerwoodsforwildlife.com
The Montford Festival will celebrate its 16th year as the largest free street festival in Asheville. Held on the main street of the historic Montford district, it features food trucks, arts and crafts vendors, children’s activities and continuous music until 7pm. Free parking on neighborhood streets or at the Asheville Visitors Center.
The Asheville Food Truck Showdown is an annual event produced by area local Carey Harnash to promote regional food trucks, local charities, area artisans, and live musicians. Admission is free, the event is open to the public, and is always family and pet friendly.
Please come out and support your favorite truck or try something new, but the best way to get a taste of what the trucks have to offer is through the VIP Tasting Experience. This unique tasting experience offers early admission starting at 11:00 am (general admission begins at noon), exclusive early access to the Anderson Nissan VIP Tent, a sample from ALL 18* trucks, 2 beverages (including your choice of beer, cider, soda, or water), a Tyvek bracelet permitting adult beverage purchases throughout the day, and a chance to help determine the 2019 VIP Tasters’ Choice Award Winner. The Presale VIP Tasting Experience is limited, so be sure to purchase yours before they sell out!
There is no age restriction to participate in the VIP Tasting Experience, but you must be at least 21 to consume any adult beverages offered. For participants who are not at least 21, or wish not to consume adult beverages please enjoy our non-alcoholic selection.
This year is bound to be delicious! Be sure to join us!
*Please note that additional charges apply for kids’ activities, food truck orders, beverages, and Tyvek bracelets. The event happens rain or shine. Food trucks, the number of food trucks, vendors, musicians, and activities offered are subject to be changed, altered, or substituted in the sole and absolute discretion of the Asheville Food Truck Showdown and/or Carey Harnash. All VIP Tasting Experiences are deemed final, non-refundable, and non-transferable. Food trucks, artisans, and other vendors are in no way affiliated with or endorsed by the Asheville Food Truck Showdown and/or Carey Harnash. All transactions between patrons and vendors are exclusive of the Asheville Food Truck Showdown and/or Carey Harnash.
5 th Annual Tryon International Film Festival BBQ Fundraiser
Brought to you by the Polk County Film Initiative
Join us for the 5 th Annual, Tryon International Film Festival BBQ Fundraiser, at Mountain Brook Vineyards
in Tryon.
Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, bell bottom jeans, tie-dyed shirts and free spirit, as we trip back to
1969 for a special screening of “Woodstock”.
Rap with all your friends and dig the music of Michael Baughman. Then munch out on the classic BBQ of
Bird Mountain and Tim Wright. Soak in the fabulous wines which are grown, bottled and produced on
Mountain Brooks’ spectacular seven-acre vineyard.
Asheville’s Power Band, “The Paper Crowns” will take the stage as the evening gets rolling. Then, as the
sun goes down, toss down a blanket let the Polk County Film initiative take you on a trip to
“Woodstock”. See how 50,000 tickets holders brought along 500,000 of their friends and turned
Woodstock into a pivoting point of the pop culture.
It will be a groovy evening to remember. Please support Year 5 of the Tryon International Film Festival.
The 44th Annual Assaults, presented by Greenville Health System, will be held on Monday, May 20, 2019.
The Assault on Mt Mitchell is one of the most intense, premier cycling experiences that draws a full field of upward of 1,000 cyclists from across the world each year. The Assault on Mt. Mitchell is a 102.7-mile self-paced ride — not race — from Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium in downtown Spartanburg, South Carolina, along the Blue Ridge Parkway, to the summit at Mt. Mitchell State Park in North Carolina —a total vertical ascent of more than 10,000 feet.
The Assault on Marion is a simultaneous 74.2-mile self-paced ride starting from Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium in downtown Spartanburg, South Carolina and ending at the 5th rest stop at the Tom Johnson Rally Park Pavilion in Marion, North Carolina.
The Collider hosts a monthly climate and environmental film series, open to the public. In collaboration with The Utopian Seed Project, The Collider will show Seeds of Time, a film by Sandy McLeod.
Seeds of Time: A man’s journey to save the future of our food
A perfect storm is brewing as agriculture pioneer Cary Fowler races against time to protect the future of our food.Seed banks around the world are crumbling, crop failures are producing starvation and rioting, and the accelerating effects of climate change are affecting farmers globally. Communities of indigenous Peruvian farmers are already suffering those effects, as they try desperately to save over 1,500 varieties of native potato in their fields.
With little time to waste, both Fowler and the farmers embark on passionate and personal journeys that may save the one resource we cannot live without: our seeds.
“Seeds of Time offers a vital, clear-headed look at the effects of climate change on global food security.” – The Los Angeles Times
The Utopian Seed Project
The Utopian Seed Project is a hands-in-the-earth organization committed to trialing crops and varieties in the Southeast to support diversity in food and farming. Its utopian vision is create an engaged network of growers, gardeners, farmers, foodies, cooks and chefs to help us educate and celebrate this diversity. Based in Asheville, NC, The Utopian Seed Project works towards achieving its overarching vision to support food security in the face of climate change through diverse and regenerative agriculture.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with refreshments provided. The screening begins at 7 p.m. The event is free & open to the public, with a suggested donation of $10/person.
Select a wine on draft and fill a plēb urban winery 500mL or 1L growler for a reduced price (see menu for availability and pricing). Growler purchase is separate. Carry out only.
https://www.facebook.com/events/859748727719594/?event_time_id=859748794386254
Come practice with me every Wednesday evening at Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards at 6pm-7pm to get over that crazy mid week hump!
All levels welcome for an upbeat and energizing power flow while focusing on turning inward and cultivating an intention that you can take with you off your mat!
10$ for 60 minute power vinyasa flow and glass of wine!
6pm-7pm Please share and feel free to bring your friends!
DM if you have any questions! Hope to see you there✨✨
https://www.facebook.com/events/1224464734374111/?event_time_id=1224464797707438
Come practice with me every Wednesday evening at Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards at 6pm-7pm to get over that crazy mid week hump!
All levels welcome for an upbeat and energizing power flow while focusing on turning inward and cultivating an intention that you can take with you off your mat!
10$ for 60 minute power vinyasa flow and glass of wine!
6pm-7pm Please share and feel free to bring your friends!
DM if you have any questions! Hope to see you there✨✨
https://www.facebook.com/events/1224464734374111/?event_time_id=1224464801040771
It’s AVL Beer Week and we are celebrating local beer the best way possible.. by pairing it with local comedy! Come enjoy a pint or three of Pisgah’s special Blonde Ale (brewed just for this event!) and all your favorite local Asheville comedians.
Featuring Jacob H. Koll, Bethany Kathleen Vance, Jess Cooley, Moira Goree, Blaine Perry and more!
Hosted by Lily Campbell
Tickets $10
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pisgah-ha-ha-comedy-showcase-tickets-61210212393
Doors at 8pm, show at 9pm
The Prama Institute and Wellness Center will hold an all-day festival on Saturday, June 1st, 2019 to celebrate health and wellness. Join us for this free celebration, taking place from 8:30am-6pm at Prama’s double-domed facility, located at 310 Panhandle Rd., just south of Marshall and 20 minutes from Asheville.
There will be a variety of free yoga, dance, music, workshops, playshops, sound healing, nature walks, and many more activities taking place throughout the day from which to choose from. We will have local vendors and information booths, as well as a children’s tent. Participants will also be able to purchase a delicious and nutritious lunch prepared by Prama’s chefs.
Since 2007, the Prama Institute has become a landmark retreat and conference center in the Southeast, hosting events that promote holistic health, spirituality, the arts, environmentalism, and social activism. In 2012, it opened the Prama Wellness Center, an innovative health center that promotes positive lifestyle changes through its retreats and individualized coaching. Both facilities are located on 130 acres of idyllic, secluded rolling hills that border the French Broad River. The land is interlaced with hiking trails that connect the many affiliated projects of the Prama community.
Come and be inspired with new ideas for your garden! Join us for, Beyond the Garden Gate, tour starting at 9 am to 3 pm on Saturday, June 1, 2019. Coordinated by Buncombe County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers (EMGV), this year’s self-guided garden tour showcases 5 diverse gardens, including The Learning Garden. The Learning Garden is a newly developed group of gardens established by EMGVs which are intended to demonstrate to the public sustainable gardening practices relevant to our area.
This biennial event features unique home gardens designed and tended by Master Gardener volunteers, as well as The Learning Garden. Learn while you explore the private gardens and educational demonstration sites at The Learning Garden. The Master Gardener volunteers will be on hand to answer your gardening questions and provide helpful information.
Tickets for this special event are $20 and available for purchase beginning on April 15th online at buncombemastergardener.org, NC Cooperative Extension Buncombe County Center at 49 Mt. Carmel Rd., and at EMGV events. Tickets may also be purchased on garden tour day at the Tour Registration Table at the Asheville Visitor Center, 36 Montford Avenue in Asheville. The tour is held rain or shine. For more information visit our website or call 828-255-5522.
All proceeds help support EMGV programs, such as School Garden Grants which benefits children in Buncombe County, continued development and maintenance of demonstration gardens at The Learning Garden, and other programs.
Please bring a friend, sun hat, bottle of water, and spend the day enjoying a selection of some of the most beautiful gardens in Buncombe County!
Bears Bees + Brews and UpCountry Brewing are celebrating National Black Bear Day, Saturday, June 1st. Join us for a fun and educational evening with two live interactive brewery talks, trivia, and much more:
> NC Wildlife Resources Commission biologist Ashley Hobbs: Coexisting with Black Bears
> Wildands Network scientist Liz Hillard: The Importance of Habitat Connectivity for Wildlife
> Frugal Backpacker: Leave No Trace workshop
> Center for Honeybee Research shares world honey for you tasting pleasure.
> Grift Town Goods live printing Bears Bees + Brews t-shirts to raise funds for our continued wildlife conservation efforts.
> UpCountry brews will be flowing all night long!
Brewery Bear Talks start at 6pm and live music at 8pm.
Come one, come all! Let’s party… FOR BEARS!
The Hickory Nut Gorge is home to iconic landmarks like Chimney Rock and Lake Lure, but did you know it’s also host to an assortment of locally-crafted foods and drinks? Enjoy an intimate evening celebrating the Gorge’s natural features and locally-made gourmet appetizers, artisanal cheese, craft beer and wine from The Esmeralda Inn & Restaurant, Burntshirt Vineyards Tasting Room & Bistro – Chimney Rock and Old Rock Cafe as the sun sinks behind the mountains.
What’s on the menu?
From The Esmeralda Inn & Restaurant
Shrimp & Grits Spring Rolls
House-made cheese and charcuterie with cracks
House-made truffles
From Old Rock Cafe
Mini Crab Cakes topped with Cajun remoulade and micro greens
Tortellini Skewers with a pesto vinaigrette
Bison sliders with bacon onion jam and caramelized onions
From Hickory Nut Gorge Brewery at Chimney Rock
Servings of two flagship beers from Chimney Rock’s only brewery.
From Burntshirt Vineyards Tasting Room & Bistro – Chimney Rock
Servings of Rock Bottom Red and Lake Lure White Blend
Cost is $20 per passholder; $5 per Rockin’ Discovery Kid. Advance registration required. To register, call 828-625-9611.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2250074401931887/