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.

Saturday, February 22, 2020
Coach Needed at Hominy Valley Elementary Girls on the Run!
Feb 22 all-day
Hominy Valley Elementary
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We are in URGENT need of two assistant coaches at Hominy Valley Elementary on one or both program days (greater need on Wednesdays). The team practices on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:15 pm to 3:45 pm.

With your support, 15 girls will grow their confidence, learn to stand up for themselves and others, and realize their voices matter. You don’t even need to like running!

Early Bird Registration Open for Senior Games and Silver Arts 2020
Feb 22 all-day
Buncombe County NC

Each spring, hundreds of locals 50+ years-old enjoy participating in the Asheville-Buncombe Senior Games and Silver Arts. This year’s program will be held at locations throughout Buncombe County from Tuesday, April 14-Friday, May 15. Registration is $5 before March 9 or $10 after that date. Military veterans may register for free.

To register, fill out a registration form (see documents below) or register online at ncseniorgames.org. Archery and pickleball have registration deadline dates.

Sports include basketball, bocce, croquet, football throw, softball throw, golf, cycling, track and field, archery, cheerleading, bowling, swimming, billiards, badminton, cornhole, horseshoes, pickleball, racquetball, shuffleboard, tennis, and table tennis. Miniature golf, rowing, and team softball and basketball are new this year. Age categories start at 50 and increase at five year intervals.

Silver Arts categories are classified as Heritage (quilting, woodwork, crochet, basket weaving, jewelry, needlework, tole painting, weaving, knitting, pottery, stained glass, woodcarving, and woodturning), Visual (solo, small group, and large group), Performing, Literary (poem, short story, essay, and life experience), and Contemporary. Art pieces will be displayed at Buncombe County Libraries in April and May.

A full schedule can be accessed below as a PDF.

Follow Buncombe County Recreation on Facebook and Instagram.

Table: News Item Documents
File Name Size Type Date & Time Added
Registration 209 KB 02/04/2020 7:52 AM
Schedule 45 KB 02/04/2020 7:52 AM
Early Bird tickets: 23rd annual French Broard River Festival
Feb 22 all-day
Hot Springs Campground & Spa

INTRO-IMAGE_1024px

Kick off spring in the mountains at the 23rd annual French Broad River Festival.  It’s part outdoor adventure, part music festival with whitewater rafting, biking, hiking, kid’s village, camping, great music, and much more.  Painter John, a popular FBRF musician, compares the atmosphere to “a big potluck at your best friend’s house”.  If you’ve been you know . . . what better way to enjoy spring in these mountains?

Weekend passes include camping

$120 online by 3/31/20
$125 online by 4/30/20
$140 at gate
$65 Saturday only
$45 whitewater rafting

Early Bird Tickets: Brevard Music Center Summer Festival
Feb 22 all-day
Brevard Music Center
Become A BMC Season Ticket Holder & Save Up To 35% Off Single Ticket Prices!
Visit BREVARDMUSIC.ORG for details.
  • INAUGURAL SEASON IN THE NEW PARKER CONCERT HALL: Be among the first to experience the exquisite beauty, intimate setting, and superb acoustics in our new $6 million, 400-seat Parker Concert Hall – the future home of BMC’s chamber and piano programming and our first-ever year-round performance venue.
  • BEETHOVEN@250 FESTIVAL: BMC joins the world-wide celebration of the composer’s milestone birthday with symphony, chamber, piano and even opera as we present our spectacular Season Finale: Fidelio in Concert with hundreds of artists on the Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium stage. #BeethovenLives
  • WORLD-CLASS ARTISTS: Be inspired by Keith Lockhart, Garrick Ohlsson, Ray Chen, Johannes Moser, The Shanghai Quartet, Gil Shaham, Bryan Sutton, Judy Collins, Béla Fleck, Jane Monheit, and others!
  • OPERA, MOVIE NIGHT, POPS & MORE: Enjoy fully-staged opera productions of Carmen, Abduction from the Seraglio, and Man of La Mancha, plus Disney in Concert: The Lion King (Live Action), Patriotic Pops, and symphony masterpieces like Tchaikovsky’s Suite from Sleeping Beauty and Mahler No. 7.

Buy early for the best seats at the best prices to these Brevard Music Center summer festival highlights…and many more!  BECOME A DONOR at the $75 and above level for priority access to prime seats beginning February 3 and before season ticket renewals and purchases begin on February 25.

Early Bird Tickets: Connect Beyond Festival
Feb 22 all-day

Connection. A word that by definition means to join together to establish a link, so as to provide access and communication. Connect Beyond Festival has established that link and is using music, film, and storytelling to create connections. More than just an event, Connect Beyond Festival is a movement to develop a network of people inspired by creative mediums and united in the pursuit of equality and social justice. Our goal is to inspire a sense of community and personal engagement.

Lauded as “Asheville’s version of SXSW” (Ashvegas) this event is perfect for those who are looking for a more dynamic festival experience – one that prioritizes exploration and participation just as much as entertainment. If you’re looking to broaden your horizons, to engage with others, and want to leave a festival with more than just a hangover, Connect Beyond Festival is just the place to be.

EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems: food and farm help/resources in WNC
Feb 22 all-day
WNC

The Center for Environmental Farming Systems is a partnership of North Carolina State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

 

Environmental Education: RiverLink Summer Camps
Feb 22 all-day
Buncombe County NC

Environmental Education is crucial to what RiverLink does. We believe that in order for someone to protect their environment, they must first understand it. Our education programs focus on getting students out in the watershed for hands-on experiential learning. We help students foster a love and appreciation for their water resources by allowing them to see, hear and interact with their local waterways. As a result of engaging with our program we hope that students will be inspired to become the next generation of watershed stewards.

RiverRATS Education Program

Farmer Incubator Program – Apply Now!
Feb 22 all-day
SAHC

Farmer Incubator Program – Apply Now!

Farming = a long-term game. Traditionally, farming was a lifelong+ learning process, with families passing along experience, knowledge, and land accrued by multiple generations. Today, your experience in farming may be different. This program is part of a collaborative support system to help “incubate” farm businesses as they grow.

Farming is a business… What’s your business plan?

Do you have a farm business idea? Make it a reality! You are invited to join Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy’s Farmer Incubator Program, a “business incubator” for farm operations.

Flat Rock Playhouse seeking volunteers
Feb 22 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

Flat Rock Playhouse and The Supporting Players are excited to announce they are welcoming volunteers who will participate in various programs that take you behind-the-scenes at the State Theatre of North Carolina.

“The Supporting Players of Flat Rock Playhouse is a great way to meet and work with people that are like-minded and have a desire to come alongside the staff to help secure the future of performing arts in western North Carolina, “ remarks Karolyn Killian, President of Supporting Players. “It is a pleasure and a joy to volunteer my time and talent for such a wonderful group of people that are dedicated to excellence in live theatre and our community!”

The Supporting Players are a unique way to get an inside look into life on the Rock while making an impact on our community. If you are interested in joining this passionate collective of volunteers and becoming part of the Flat Rock Playhouse family, make sure to tune into WTZQ on March 10th at 8:00 am to hear from some of the Supporting Players. Additionally, you can visit flatrockplayhouse.org/volunteer or email [email protected] to learn more!

Guided Hikes: Grandfather Mountain
Feb 22 all-day
Grandfather Mountain

Interpretive Rangers are available to lead guided hikes, bird walks and wildflower walks for families and groups that visit Grandfather Mountain. To see the mountain in this whole new way, you can schedule an appointment by calling the interpretive ranger office at (828) 737-0833 or emailing [email protected].

Please note that walks and hikes are available for all ability levels, but hikes that take you into Grandfather Mountain’s backcountry require careful footwork, proper footwear and the ability to handle heights. All backcountry hikes require participants to traverse ladders and use cables to navigate steep sections of the trail.

Interpretive Rangers are available year-round (weather permitting) to lead guided hikes to:

MacRae Peak ($15 + park admission)
Attic Window ($25 + park admission)
Calloway Peak ($35 + park admission)

Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance, and a minimum of two participants per hike are required. For more information, please call (828) 737-0833.

Hands on Asheville Volunteer Drive
Feb 22 all-day
Buncombe County

The role a caring adult can play in the life of a student cannot be overstated. We are recruiting volunteers to help middle grade students understand the importance of budgeting and finances as well as choosing a career path. Click the links below for more information:
Late Nite Mardi Gras Kick-Off Party
Feb 22 all-day
Rosetta's Kitchen & Buchi Bar

Rosetta’s Kitchen presents Late Nite, an after-hours monthly pop-up!

In February, we’ll kick off the year with a Mardi Gras Kick-Off Party. 

Friday, February 21st
10:30pm – 2:30am

Live Music
Late Nite Munchie Menu
Full Bar & $5 Cocktail Specials
Costumes if ya wanna!
FREE!

Come party with us!

LEAF 50th Festival Line Up and Tickets
Feb 22 all-day
Lake Eden Arts Festival
LEAF Volunteers is now LEAF WeX
Feb 22 all-day
LEAF
We’ve opted to shift the name and give some different benefits.
WHAT is changing? The name, WeX Star Crew benefit, & Festival HQ
– Regular Volunteers are now WeX. Work 10 hours in exchange for Weekend (Fri to Sun) Ticket
– Plus Volunteers are now WeX Plus. Work 15 hours in exchange for a Weekend Plus (Thu to Sun) Ticket
– Star Volunteers are now WeX Star. Work 20 hours in exchange for a Weekend Plus (Thu to Sun) Ticket AND a Culinary Passport -OR- a Star Guest Pass Ticket (Thu to Sun). Guest passes are LIMITED.

We’ll update our Auto-Reply as well as make a note on the website when the guest pass is no longer an available option. Those who have submitted completed applications prior to the cut off will have the guest pass option.

WeX Headquarters (HQ) will now be located under the Ship with a designated lounging area for WeXs. Make sure to come by and say hello!! You’ll pick up official schedule cards and culinary passes here as well.

NC Brewers and Music Festival CANCELLED
Feb 22 all-day
Historic Rural Hill

UPDATED INFO:

To make the transition from this year to the 2021 event as seamless and exciting as possible, we have already worked with our artists, our brewers, and our vendors to make sure that we are able to carry over this year’s lineup and infrastructure to next year’s festival date. In addition, we are also in conversation with Eventbrite regarding the best options we can offer you when it comes to making a choice about how your ticket investment plays out. 

Because this decision affects you as much as it does us, we will offer full refunds of all ticket purchases to any of you who would prefer that option. We understand the inconvenience that this change might cause you, and we ask that you offer us your patience while we organize that process. As another option, we would also like to offer you the opportunity to retain your ticket purchase and to roll it over into next year’s attendance. Any ticket that has already been purchased for 2020 will be honored at our 2021 festival in lieu of a refund. That is a choice we are allowing you to make, and we will be delighted to have you back as our guests then! 

Please check back with us often as we continue to plan for the 2021 (“unofficial 10th Anniversary”) North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival. Again, thank you for your patience and understanding, but mostly for your continued support at the festival. We couldn’t keep putting on this event without you, and we continue to be thankful year after year. 

 

Along with a rich Americana lineup, North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival also shines a spotlight on local brewers and their contribution to North Carolina’s vibrant culinary scene. Over 50 breweries offering a selection of craft beers will be featured on-site throughout the weekend. Tasting tickets, which include access to beer samples plus a commemorative sampling glass, are available for purchase for $50 ($39 for early birds).

North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival began as a fundraising effort to preserve the historic site of Rural Hill. The site, which boasts extensive hiking trails, is a beloved landmark in the Central NC region and is home to many educational field trips and events. Since its inception, the North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival has continued to support the awareness of Rural Hill and attract diverse crowds from all over the country.

Friday music-only passes with sets from Acoustic Syndicate and Fireside Collective are $15. Saturday music-only passes with sets from the Steep Canyon Rangers and Hayes Carll are $22 for early birds. For attendees who would like to sample an unlimited assortment of celebrated North Carolina brews on Saturday, Tasting Tickets (which include daily entrance to the festival for music happenings) are available at the Early Bird price of $39. Camping options are available for attendees who would like to make the most of their weekend. Two-Day weekend tent camping, premium tent camping, and RV/Camper camping with hook-ups are available for $45, $65, and $85 respectively. North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival is a family-friendly event. Children 4 and under are free. A Children’s Ticket is available for kids 5 – 15 for $8.

Redesigning Our Future: National Environmental Summit for High School Students
Feb 22 all-day
Catawba College
RiverLink’s Art & Poetry Contest Grades PreK-12
Feb 22 all-day
online
Tax Help at Libraries Runs Feb. 1-April 15
Feb 22 all-day
Buncombe County Libraries

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, in cooperation with the I.R.S, N.C. Dept. of Revenue, Buncombe County Library System and Council on Aging, Inc. will again offer free tax Preparations for low and moderate income taxpayers, with special attention to those age 60 and older. Both Federal and N.C. State tax returns will be electronically filed for safe and accurate preparation with faster refunds.

This service will be available from Feb. 1-April 15, at sites listed below. Please note that some locations have different start dates as several libraries will be hosting early voting for the Presidential primaries in February.

Tax help for Weaverville will be held at the Brookstone Baptist Church and tax help for West Asheville will be held at the West Asheville Presbyterian Church. All tax help locations can be found at irs.gov.

The Smoky Mountain Relay
Feb 22 all-day
Western North Carolina

ABOUT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN RELAY

Registration is capped at:

60 ~ 200-mile teams (36 transitions)

&

40 ~ 135-mile teams (24 transitions)

A scenic, wild, team adventure in the mountains of Western North Carolina, the Smoky Mountain Relay is an adventure that is not to be missed.

This course will challenge you and your friends with tough legs and reward you with stories to last a lifetime.

Choose from the original 200-mile course or the 135-mile course.

The 200-mile course begins at the Pink Beds Trail Loop picnic area just outside of Brevard, NC in the Pisgah National Forest.

Teams of 12 or “ultra” teams of 6 make their way through 36 legs and finish at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Bryson City, NC.

The 135-mile course begins at the Jackson Country Recreation Complex in Cullowhee, NC. Teams of 8 or “ultra” teams of 4 make their way through 24 legs and also finish at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Bryson City, NC in the heart of the Nantahala National Forest.

Each relay team member runs between 3 and 6 legs (depending on the course chosen and the number of team members running) of varying lengths and difficulty and will cover an average total distance of 18-20 miles (for the 200 mile race).

ASAP Business of Farming Conference
Feb 22 @ 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
AB Tech Conference Center

The conference focuses on the business side of farming, offering beginning and established farmers financial, legal, management, and marketing tools to improve their farm businesses and make new professional connections.

The conference offers over a dozen workshops led by farmers and regional professionals, including Achieve Your Farm Financial Goals, Developing Your Farm Brand, Selling to Restaurants, and more. The popular Grower-Buyer Meeting gives farmers the chance to meet with buyers from area restaurants, groceries, and distributors. Farmers can receive individual support on legal, tax, labor, recordkeeping, and marketing issues during the extended lunch. Breakfast and lunch featuring local farm products is provided.

For the second year, the conference will include a free summit and leadership training for farmers market managers as well as a new farmers market fundraising forum. With more than 100 independent markets across the region, farmers markets are an important outlet for farmers to sell their products, build their customer base, and strengthen community ties. Interested market managers should contact Mike McCreary, [email protected], to pre-register for the summit.

Registration for the Business of Farming Conference is now open at asapconnections.org or by contacting ASAP at (828) 236-1282. Attendance is $75 per person by Feb. 1 and $95 beginning Feb. 2, with a discount for farm partners registering together. Sponsors for the Business of Farming Conference include Ingles Markets, Farm Burger, and Biltmore. Additional support comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Buncombe County Strategic Partnership, Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, and the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission.

Business of Farming Conference
Feb 22 @ 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
AB Tech Conference Center

ASAP’s Business of Farming Conference brings together professional farmers from across the Southeast to network and share resources to grow their farm businesses. Farmers will learn financial, legal, business planning, and marketing tools from regional experts and innovative peers. The conference is designed for beginning and established farmers as well as those seriously considering farming as a profession.

The 2020 Business of Farming Conference will take place Saturday, February 22, at the AB Tech Conference Center in Asheville, NC. Conference registration includes your choice of workshops, grower-buyer meeting, individual consulting, exhibitor hall, handout materials, and a locally sourced breakfast and lunch.

Early bird registration is $75 per person, or $125 when you register with a farm partner. Registration increases on February 2 to $95 per person.

Learn more about the conference at https://asapconnections.org/events/business-of-farming-conference/

Register here: https://asapconnections.regfox.com/2020-business-of-farming-conference

Asheville Catholic School’s 14th Annual Shamrock 5K/10K/Fun Run
Feb 22 @ 8:30 am
Asheville Catholic School

Asheville Catholic School presents the 14th Annual Shamrock Run on Saturday, March 14. There are two races: a 5K and a 10K, both of which start and finish at ACS and run through the beautiful neighborhoods of North Asheville. A fun run will precede the start of the 5K and 10K.  The 10K will start at 9:00 AM and the 5K at 9:15 AM. The Fun Run will begin at 8:30 AM. All events benefit the O’Brien and William Edward Gibbs Memorial Scholarship Fund.  The event will be three days before St. Patrick’s Day this year giving everyone a perfect way to celebrate this fun holiday. There will be great food, beer, and a DJ before and after the races.

Natural Impressions: Prints from the Asheville Printmakers CANCELLED
Feb 22 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
The North Carolina Arboretum

On display daily January 18 – April 19, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the upstairs gallery of the Education Center, the Asheville Printmakers’ newest exhibit, Natural Impressions, will feature a variety of two- and three-dimensional print pieces utilizing numerous printmaking processes. Works will inspire visitors to think about the beauty and fragility of plants and the natural world through various perspectives and printmaking techniques. All pieces are available for purchase and a portion of the sales will benefit The North Carolina Arboretum Society.

Founded in 2013, the Asheville Printmakers is an energetic group of artists dedicated to expressing ideas and imagery through the medium of print. The group encompasses a wide range of processes and content, including traditional methods, such as lithography, woodcut and screen printing, and contemporary photographic printing processes, such as carbon printing, platinum-palladium and photopolymer etching. 

Parking Fees

  • Members: Free
  • Personal Vehicles: $14
  • Motorhomes / Vehicles (21’ or larger): $50
  • Buses: $100

There are no other admission charges required for visitors to access the Arboretum’s grounds and facilities during the day beyond the standard parking fees listed above.

Steeped in Time: Tea and Traditions Exhibit
Feb 22 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Mountain Gateway Museum & Heritage Center

Mountain Gateway Museum & Heritage Center celebrated the opening of its newest traveling exhibit, “Steeped in Time: Tea and Traditions” on Saturday, January 18, 2020. The exhibit will run through the July 4th weekend at MGM, located at 24 Water Street in Old Fort. Admission is free.

 

7th Annual Spartanburg 2020 Home and Garden Shows
Feb 22 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium

Home & Garden Show

Critter Checkup WNC Nature Center
Feb 22 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
WNC Nature Center

Join us for Critter Checkup on Saturday, February 22 from 10am-1pm.

Your child can bring their favorite stuffed animal to the Nature Center for a check up with a veterinarian! Our veterinarians and vet assistants will be on hand to give your child’s loved plush animal an annual exam, with your child’s assistance.

One animal per participant. Children can bring their own stuffed animal from home, or purchase a plush animal from the Nature Center gift shop.

Tickets must be purchased online IN ADVANCE for each child participating. Ticket sales will end at midnight on Thursday, February 20.

Non-Members (ages 3 and up): $10

Members- Children (ages 3-15): $8

Members- Adults (16 and up)- FREE!

Includes admission into the WNC Nature Center.

This is an indoor event.

Get Out the Vote: YWCA Voter Registration Drive
Feb 22 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
YWCA
Your Voice, Your Vote, Your Future

Get Out the Vote: YWCA Voter Registration Drive

We know that change starts at the local level—and we know how crucial it is to support women, in particular women and girls of color, this election season and beyond. That’s why we’re working to help build political power in our communities. We know that voting is critical to ensuring a healthy, safe, empowered future for us, our families, and our communities, so we hope you will join us for these volunteer “Get Out The Vote” events:

Saturday, February 22nd, 10am-2pm

Saturday March 7th, 10am-2pm

Saturday, March 28th, 10am-2pm

We will gather each of these three Saturdays at 10am at YWCA for a 30 minute training from our Racial Justice Advocate Savannah Gibson, then go out in the community in teams to canvass door-to-door to register voters.

Into the Blue: Artist Invitational 2020 at Blue Spiral
Feb 22 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Blue Spiral

Blue Spiral 1’s most diverse annual exhibition presents artists who have never previously shown in the gallery. This year’s show features nine artists working in a range of media, including painting, ceramics, textiles, mixed media, photography, and wood.

Artists: Anna Buckner, Mark Flowers, David Knox, Hiromi Moneyhun, Kris Rehring, Ben Strear, Gregor Turk

Into the Blue_ Artist Invitational 2020

North Carolina in the Great War Exhibit
Feb 22 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Smith-McDowell House

The exhibit is on loan from the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and has been supplemented with artifacts from the Smith-McDowell House collection. Entrance to the exhibit is included with Smith-McDowell House admission – and is always free for members – and runs through May 16, 2020.

The exhibit seeks to put the local men and women who served in context with the larger events happening in North Carolina, the United States, and the world. In the exhibit, visitors will find displays and interactive elements telling the stories of just a few of our hometown heroes.

Shapeshifters: Center for Craft
Feb 22 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Center for Craft

Shapeshifters, the newest exhibition in the John Cram Partner Gallery. Shapeshifters brings together the works of two acclaimed regional artists, Cherokee-based Joshua Adams and Atlanta-based Jiha Moon, who use masks and other objects to explore culture, material, and representation, particularly in the contemporary American South.