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.

Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Business Morning Update
Jul 14 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am
Online w/ Henderson County Chamber of Commerce
MARA Meetings (Medication-Assisted Recovery Anonymous)
Jul 14 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
HOPE COALITION

MARA Meetings (Medication-Assisted Recovery Anonymous)

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

 

Medication-Assisted Recovery Anonymous is a support group of people who believe in the value of medication as a means to recovery.  We understand that our individual needs may not be the same; our backgrounds may not be the same; our futures may not be the same.  However, our desire to live a safe lifestyle joins us together.  Non-judgement is our code.

About Hope Coalition

Hope Coalition is a grassroots effort initiated by the Henderson County Partnership for Health in 2013 as a community collaborative to educate, evaluate, and implement evidence-based models on substance misuse and underage drinking in Henderson County by building capacity and creating long-term and sustainable plans that are action-oriented and focus on community level change. 

COLLEGE STUDY HALL
Jul 14 @ 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.

Recovering Hope Peer Support Group
Jul 14 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
HOPE COALITION

Peer Support

Group meetings: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 2:00 – 3:00 PM

 

Please contact us for individual services at 828.388.7979, Option #2

 

Through the “lived-experience” of our peer support specialists, we will assist, encourage, empower and advocate with others on their journey to finding their own path to recovery. Recovery is possible but is not meant to do alone. We do recover together.

About Hope Coalition

Hope Coalition is a grassroots effort initiated by the Henderson County Partnership for Health in 2013 as a community collaborative to educate, evaluate, and implement evidence-based models on substance misuse and underage drinking in Henderson County by building capacity and creating long-term and sustainable plans that are action-oriented and focus on community level change. 

Sand Hill Community Garden Workdays
Jul 14 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Buncombe County Sports Park

Volunteers at Sand Hill Community Garden

Looking to get involved, stay active, and meet some new friends? Sand Hill Community Garden workdays take place on Wednesdays (6-8 p.m.) and Saturdays (10 a.m.-noon) from Feb. 27-Oct. 30, 2021, at Buncombe County Sports Park. The garden is located on 16 Apac Dr. in West Asheville/Enka-Candler.

Join friends and neighbors as they come together on common ground to raise fresh, organic vegetables and fruits for the Enka community.

Expect to wear a mask and maintain social distance throughout. Tools and hand sanitizer are available, but any gloves, loppers, pruners, or gardening tools you can bring will decrease the amount of contact between volunteers. Please wear work clothes to get dirty and closed-toe shoes. Sunscreen, water, and a hat are also handy items to have on hand.

Sand Hill Community Garden has been growing fresh produce since 2011 and raised over 1,200 lbs. of organic produce last year.

NOTE: Community workdays are weather dependent. Please join the community garden email list (send your info to [email protected]) to stay up on workday tasks and other garden news.

To receive the I Heart Parks monthly newsletter, sign up online. Follow Buncombe County Recreation on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.

Thursday, July 15, 2021
Buncombe County Accepting Proposals for Covid Funding Relief
Jul 15 all-day
Online

Buncombe County is set to receive $51M in federal Covid relief funding. While there are some restrictions on how funding can be spent, it must address Covid relief and the subsequent economic fallout.

The County is now accepting proposals from the community on projects or programs. Examples of eligible categories include: small business support, household assistance, mental health programs, addressing public health disparities and more. Proposals are due Thursday, July 15. Read the full RFP and FAQs here.

Governor Cooper Announces $4 Million Summer Cash and College Tuition Drawings to Encourage COVID-19 Vaccinations
Jul 15 all-day
Online
Governor Roy Cooper announced the $4 Million Summer Cash and College Tuition drawings to incentivize individuals to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations and to thank those who have already done so. This announcement means that four vaccinated North Carolinians 18 and older will win $1 million each and four North Carolinians ages 12 to 17 will win tuition for post-secondary education. Executive Order 219, which has concurrence from the North Carolina Council of State, authorizes the drawings.
North Carolinians 18 and over who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine will be automatically entered into four drawings for a chance to win a $1 million cash prize. Youth between the ages of 12 and 17 who have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will be automatically entered into four drawings to win $125,000 towards post-secondary education. The $125,000 can be used at any post-secondary institution and is awarded in the form of a NC 529 account.
North Carolina joins other states that announced million-dollar drawings to promote vaccinations. Ohio, the first state to launch such a program, reported a 28 percent increase in vaccinations among those 16 and older in the first two weeks following the announcement.
According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, 44% of the total population has received at least one dose of the vaccine and 41% of the population is fully vaccinated.
Nominations for Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award
Jul 15 all-day
Online

NOMINATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE

2021 THOMAS WOLFE MEMORIAL LITERARY AWARD

The Western North Carolina Historical Association is now accepting nominations for the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award. Originated by the Louis Lipinsky family and now supported by Michael Sartisky, PhD, the Award is a partnership between WNCHA and the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Advisory Committee. It has been presented by WNCHA since 1955. The award comes with a $2,500 cash prize.

The deadline for submission of nominated works is July 31, 2021. Anyone with knowledge of an author who meets the qualification criteria may nominate the author for the award. To be considered, an entry must be a published work of fiction, nonfiction, drama or poetry and meet the following criteria:

  1. It must be a first edition work; revised editions of published works will not be considered for the Award.
  2. The publication date must be between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021.
  3. The author must be a native of western North Carolina or a resident of western North Carolina for at least twelve months prior to the closing date for the Award.
  4. An author may also qualify if the work submitted has a focus on or setting in western North Carolina.

 

Western North Carolina includes the Qualla Boundary and the following 25 counties: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey.

The Award Panel this year consists of: Catherine Frank, Chair, Director, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNC Asheville; Dee James, retired Director of the First-Year Writing Program at UNC Asheville; Tom Muir, Historic Site Manager, Thomas Wolfe Memorial; Gordon McKinney, PhD, former president, Appalachian Studies Association; Terry Roberts, PhD, Director, National Paideia Center; Jim Stokely, President, Wilma Dykeman Legacy.

Nomination letters must specify the following eligibility criteria:

  1. date of publication
  2. birthplace or residence of author
  3. setting of work

 

Nominators should submit a cover letter along with three copies of the work postmarked no later than July 31, 2021 to:

Wolfe Award Committee

℅ Anne Chesky Smith

WNC Historical Association

283 Victoria Road

Asheville, NC  28801

 

An awards ceremony and reception, in honor of the finalists and 2021 Award recipient, will be held in early December 2021.

The Association presented the first Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award to Wilma Dykeman in 1955 for The French Broad. The Award has continued to be funded, in part, by Mrs. E. Frank Edwin, a member of the Lipinsky family and for the last three years by WNCHA, and the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Advisory Board, both with support from Michael Sartisky, PhD. Other recipients of this prestigious Award include Robert Morgan, Gail Godwin, John Ehle, Robert Brunk, Michael McFee, Lee Smith, Ron Rash, Wayne Caldwell, and Terry Roberts. Sandra Muse Isaacs was the recipient of the 2020 Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award for her book: Eastern Cherokee Stories: A Living Oral Tradition and Its Cultural Continuance.

Summer is coming and that means fans! Donate with Eblen Charities
Jul 15 all-day
Online

Summer is coming and that means fans!
We will begin distributing fans to those who are in need very soon. Each fan is purchased at a cost of around $20. If you would like to help cover the cost of a fan to keep someone cool this summer, please visit our website to make a donation or mail a donation to Eblen Charities, 50 Westgate Parkway, Asheville NC 28806
The 2021 Summer Learning Program: Tails + Tales – an exploration of wildlife and fantastical folktales
Jul 15 all-day
Online

Illustration of animals reading book.

Get ready to go wild at the library for our annual Summer Learning Program. Join us for Tails & Tales – an exploration of wildlife and fantastical folktales. We’ll have an activity sheet with lots of fun adventures for all ages. You can pick up a sheet at any library starting June 1, or download it HERE. Check our calendar to find our most up to date list of programs all summer long.

 

The 2021 Summer Learning Program is open to young people, preschool through teen, with books and activities for every age. All library programs are free and open to children of all abilities. Come in and see what the library has for you!

Blood Drive: 1 Harlem Globetrotters Ticket!
Jul 15 @ 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Help make a difference in Greenville by donating blood at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena on July 15 from 9am to 1pm. All donors will receive a $20 eGift Card and 1 Harlem Globetrotters Ticket!

 

To make an appointment, please use the Sponsor Code 3MOQ.

Weaverville Library Used Book Store
Jul 15 @ 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
Jul 15 @ 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.

Asheville Fit Tribe Group: 60 minute of strength training
Jul 15 @ 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.

Asheville Fit Tribe Group: 60 minute of strength training
Jul 15 @ 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.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force Meeting
Jul 15 @ 5:30 pm
Online

Vision: For Asheville to be a community of connected pathways that is healthy, safe and accessible for people of all ages.

Mission: To educate the public about bicycle and pedestrian transportation; to advocate for the development and maintenance of safe, convenient and inter-connected facilities; to promote the benefits of walking and biking for individuals and community health.

A reminder of the task force meeting this Thursday at 5:30 pm.  The meeting will be on Google Meet at the same link we have been using, meet.google.com/bod-rwif-fat.  You can also join by phone at ‪(US) +1 413-752-4222‬ PIN: ‪615 397 818‬#.
The draft agenda is below.  As ever, please “reply all” if you have something you would like to see added.
Asheville Fit Tribe Group: 60 minute of strength training
Jul 15 @ 6:15 pm – 7:15 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.

Art of Breastfeeding
Jul 15 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Pardee Hospital Orientation Classroom (Ground Floor)

An internationally board-certified lactation consultant will cover the basics of breastfeeding.

A minimum of two participants must be registered and present for a class to be held. Pardee Women & Children’s Center will adhere to Blue Ridge Community College’s inclement weather policies. In the event of inclement weather, classes will not be held when Blue Ridge Community College is closed.

Friday, July 16, 2021
2021 Best of Blue Ridge: VOTE for Flat Rock Playhouse
Jul 16 all-day
Online
White text on blue background: Vote Now! Honor your favorite businesses by voting for them to be the Best of the Best. Vote for a Chance to win $250. Best of Blue Ridge 2021; the Official Community Choice Awards, BlueRidgeNow.com Times News Online

Flat Rock Playhouse is proud to be nominated in the 2021 Best of Blue Ridge from Hendersonville Times-News!

FRP was nominated in the Seasonal Attraction Category. You can vote once per day until Friday, July 23, 2021 at 11:59 PM EST.

Those who vote in more than 25 categories will be automatically entered for a chance to win a $250 Gift Card from the Hendersonville Times-News!

 

Driving Tour with Smith-McDowell House
Jul 16 all-day
Online w/ Western North Carolina Historical Association
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.

Governor Cooper Announces $4 Million Summer Cash and College Tuition Drawings to Encourage COVID-19 Vaccinations
Jul 16 all-day
Online
Governor Roy Cooper announced the $4 Million Summer Cash and College Tuition drawings to incentivize individuals to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations and to thank those who have already done so. This announcement means that four vaccinated North Carolinians 18 and older will win $1 million each and four North Carolinians ages 12 to 17 will win tuition for post-secondary education. Executive Order 219, which has concurrence from the North Carolina Council of State, authorizes the drawings.
North Carolinians 18 and over who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine will be automatically entered into four drawings for a chance to win a $1 million cash prize. Youth between the ages of 12 and 17 who have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will be automatically entered into four drawings to win $125,000 towards post-secondary education. The $125,000 can be used at any post-secondary institution and is awarded in the form of a NC 529 account.
North Carolina joins other states that announced million-dollar drawings to promote vaccinations. Ohio, the first state to launch such a program, reported a 28 percent increase in vaccinations among those 16 and older in the first two weeks following the announcement.
According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, 44% of the total population has received at least one dose of the vaccine and 41% of the population is fully vaccinated.
Hillbillyland: Myth + Reality of Appalachian Culture
Jul 16 all-day
Online w/ Western North Carolina Historical Association (WNCHA)
Nominations for Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award
Jul 16 all-day
Online

NOMINATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE

2021 THOMAS WOLFE MEMORIAL LITERARY AWARD

The Western North Carolina Historical Association is now accepting nominations for the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award. Originated by the Louis Lipinsky family and now supported by Michael Sartisky, PhD, the Award is a partnership between WNCHA and the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Advisory Committee. It has been presented by WNCHA since 1955. The award comes with a $2,500 cash prize.

The deadline for submission of nominated works is July 31, 2021. Anyone with knowledge of an author who meets the qualification criteria may nominate the author for the award. To be considered, an entry must be a published work of fiction, nonfiction, drama or poetry and meet the following criteria:

  1. It must be a first edition work; revised editions of published works will not be considered for the Award.
  2. The publication date must be between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021.
  3. The author must be a native of western North Carolina or a resident of western North Carolina for at least twelve months prior to the closing date for the Award.
  4. An author may also qualify if the work submitted has a focus on or setting in western North Carolina.

 

Western North Carolina includes the Qualla Boundary and the following 25 counties: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey.

The Award Panel this year consists of: Catherine Frank, Chair, Director, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNC Asheville; Dee James, retired Director of the First-Year Writing Program at UNC Asheville; Tom Muir, Historic Site Manager, Thomas Wolfe Memorial; Gordon McKinney, PhD, former president, Appalachian Studies Association; Terry Roberts, PhD, Director, National Paideia Center; Jim Stokely, President, Wilma Dykeman Legacy.

Nomination letters must specify the following eligibility criteria:

  1. date of publication
  2. birthplace or residence of author
  3. setting of work

 

Nominators should submit a cover letter along with three copies of the work postmarked no later than July 31, 2021 to:

Wolfe Award Committee

℅ Anne Chesky Smith

WNC Historical Association

283 Victoria Road

Asheville, NC  28801

 

An awards ceremony and reception, in honor of the finalists and 2021 Award recipient, will be held in early December 2021.

The Association presented the first Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award to Wilma Dykeman in 1955 for The French Broad. The Award has continued to be funded, in part, by Mrs. E. Frank Edwin, a member of the Lipinsky family and for the last three years by WNCHA, and the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Advisory Board, both with support from Michael Sartisky, PhD. Other recipients of this prestigious Award include Robert Morgan, Gail Godwin, John Ehle, Robert Brunk, Michael McFee, Lee Smith, Ron Rash, Wayne Caldwell, and Terry Roberts. Sandra Muse Isaacs was the recipient of the 2020 Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award for her book: Eastern Cherokee Stories: A Living Oral Tradition and Its Cultural Continuance.

Regional Resources: Historical Research
Jul 16 all-day
Online w/ Western North Carolina Historical Association (WNCHA)

Western North Carolina has a rich assortment of county historical societies, archives, and museums. The Western North Carolina Historical Association seeks to help researchers, historians, genealogists, and the general public take full advantage of these resources.

 

Summer is coming and that means fans! Donate with Eblen Charities
Jul 16 all-day
Online

Summer is coming and that means fans!
We will begin distributing fans to those who are in need very soon. Each fan is purchased at a cost of around $20. If you would like to help cover the cost of a fan to keep someone cool this summer, please visit our website to make a donation or mail a donation to Eblen Charities, 50 Westgate Parkway, Asheville NC 28806
The 2021 Summer Learning Program: Tails + Tales – an exploration of wildlife and fantastical folktales
Jul 16 all-day
Online

Illustration of animals reading book.

Get ready to go wild at the library for our annual Summer Learning Program. Join us for Tails & Tales – an exploration of wildlife and fantastical folktales. We’ll have an activity sheet with lots of fun adventures for all ages. You can pick up a sheet at any library starting June 1, or download it HERE. Check our calendar to find our most up to date list of programs all summer long.

 

The 2021 Summer Learning Program is open to young people, preschool through teen, with books and activities for every age. All library programs are free and open to children of all abilities. Come in and see what the library has for you!

Victoria: The Forgotten Town Walking Tour
Jul 16 all-day
Online w/ Western North Carolina Historical Association
Contained by its larger growing neighbor (Asheville), the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, and the Southern Railway line, the Town of Victoria existed from 1887 until 1905, when it was absorbed into Asheville. The community—which included the Smith-McDowell House and Fernihurst mansion—originally incorporated into a town to prevent unwanted development (particularly from the Vanderbilts).
Virtual Exhibit: Douglas Ellington
Jul 16 all-day
Online w/ Western North Carolina Historical Association

Asheville’s economic and building boom of the 1920s created a rarified atmosphere unique within Western North Carolina.  Douglas Ellington is known as the architect who changed Asheville into an Art Deco showplace. With his ability to combine architectural styles he produced a series of one of a kind buildings—buildings which changed the face of Asheville—the City Building, Asheville High School, First Baptist Church and S&W Cafeteria. Douglas Ellington: Asheville’s Boomtown Architect presents a look at his iconic Asheville creations along with other buildings he completed throughout his career in other cities.

 

 

WINNER of a 2014 Griffin Award for Excellence in Education from the Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County

Volunteer Opportunities at Blue Ridge Humane Society
Jul 16 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Blue Ridge Humane Society

Our volunteers:

  • Improve the quality of living for animals in Henderson County.
  • Make a difference in their community through our community programs like our Spay/Neuter Incentive Program and Meals on Wheels Pet Pals.
  • Provide support for all departments and serve on our board and committees.
  • Help raise crucial funds in our Thrift Store.

It’s easy to get started!

  1. Fill out the Volunteer Application.
  2. Attend a Virtual Volunteer Information Session to learn more about Blue Ridge Humane Society and current volunteer opportunities.
  3. Pick a Volunteer Assignment! Decide what volunteer position works best for you! Some assignments can get started right away and some require prior orientation and training such as animal handling training that you can get started on.
  4. Start Volunteering! Get started in your position. Our volunteers make a huge impact in Henderson County to ensure both pets and their people are happy, healthy, and thriving. We wouldn’t be able to accomplish all we do without them.
Brunch B’yahad Virtual
Jul 16 @ 10:30 am – 11:30 am
Online w/ Asheville Jewish Community Center

Brunch B’Yahad is now available through Zoom meeting here.   

Join new and old friends for light brunch, socialization and lively discussion.  Featured guest speakers, and relevant cultural and timely topics will fill our minds.