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, August 3, 2022
Tai Chi Ten Form: Eight Sessions
Aug 3 @ 9:00 am – 10:00 am
The North Carolina Arboretum

 

This elegant short form introduces the signature movements of Tai Chi Chuan in a simplified and compact sequence. A wonderful practice for beginners, participants will learn the basic principles of each movement as well as modifications to accommodate individual needs. Tai chi is a safe and effective form of meditative exercise consisting of relaxed and focused movements that clear the mind and relax the nervous system while improving balance, strength, flexibility, stability, coordination, joint health, memory and attentional skills.

Friday, August 5, 2022
Light Up the Night 5k
Aug 5 @ 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Carrier Park

Western Carolina Rescue Ministries and iDaph Events present the 4th Annual Light Up the Night 5k! This event is a fundraising, nighttime walk/run event that welcomes all people regardless of ability, race, color, ethnicity, gender, or faith. All the proceeds from this event will directly benefit the continuous work of recovery, rescue, and restoration to individuals throughout WNC.

The first 200 people to register will also receive a FREE glow-in-the-dark commemorative finisher medal!

Each 5k registration will include a FREE t-shirt until July 10th at midnight. After that date, shirts will be available for purchase, in limited quantities and sizes, for $10. Glow sticks, necklaces and bracelets will be available for our in-person participants!

The event will take place at Carrier Park in Asheville, NC on Friday, August 5th. This is your time to shine! Runners will have a rolling start between 7:30 PM to 7:45 PM and take to the greenway to run or walk this fun and unique event.

In addition to the in-person event, there is also a virtual offering for participants who aren’t comfortable coming to an in-person event. The Virtual 5k event experience gives participants an opportunity to participate in this fundraising event ANYWHERE! Walk/Run/Hike 5k and submit your results online!

Western Carolina Rescue Ministries (WCRM) exists to serve the homeless, poor and addicted populations of Western North Carolina. They meet people in crisis, focus on helping them at the point of their need, invest in their future, and help them until they can move forward.

Saturday, August 6, 2022
Myofascial Release Monthly Course
Aug 6 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
YWCA
Reset Your Nervous System for Relaxation with Jot (Lauren Cox)
Aug 6 @ 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
Asheville Community Yoga

 

Yoga teaches us that we are each born whole, complete, and perfect!! Due to our many life experiences we tend to forget this state of wholeness, we forget who we truly are, and we get lost in our physical, mental, and emotional reactions to life. It is important for us to remember that the human nervous system simply cannot evolve at the rapid pace that society and technology has. Hopefully through what you learn in this workshop you can begin to extend yourself a bit more grace during natural moments of challenge and upset.

During this experiential workshop we will utilize a holistic and traditional approach. Working with breath-work techniques alongside intuitive Yin, Yoga Nidra, and shaking meditation to reset the nervous system back to a state of ease and relaxation.

My hope is that through this workshop you’ll acquire a wide array of simple yet profound tools that you can skillfully use as you learn to access your current state of being and what your needs truly are.

Wednesday, August 10, 2022
Tai Chi Ten Form: Eight Sessions
Aug 10 @ 9:00 am – 10:00 am
The North Carolina Arboretum

 

This elegant short form introduces the signature movements of Tai Chi Chuan in a simplified and compact sequence. A wonderful practice for beginners, participants will learn the basic principles of each movement as well as modifications to accommodate individual needs. Tai chi is a safe and effective form of meditative exercise consisting of relaxed and focused movements that clear the mind and relax the nervous system while improving balance, strength, flexibility, stability, coordination, joint health, memory and attentional skills.

Friday, August 12, 2022
Yoga with a View Series
Aug 12 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Chimney Rock State Park

Think outside the studio and enjoy the quiet of the Park after the gates have closed with this yoga practice for all levels of expertise. The mountains are said to be a natural vortex of spiritual energy, which makes Chimney Rock an ideal setting for connecting your spirit with nature at this outdoor class overlooking Hickory Nut Gorge and Lake Lure.

Saturday, August 13, 2022
Yin and Restore with Katie Freshman
Aug 13 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Asheville Community Yoga

 

Connecting the two wonderful & beneficial practices together. We will begin by dropping into the breath and creating space within the body through gentle movements, and then finding stillness with long held Yin postures. Options, modifications, and encouragement for prop usage throughout. Within our second hour together; coming into the relaxation of Restorative Yoga, feeling held and supported by an abundance of props and perhaps the wall too. Printed handout of sequence included.

As the Late Summer season begins, we look to find the pause between the expansive Summer and the turning inward of Fall. Looking for cooling and calming poses to soothe and center us.  Allowing the thinking mind to let go and the physical body to simply feel. This workshop will offer options to restore the body & the nervous system. Printed handout of sequence included.

Wednesday, August 17, 2022
Tai Chi Ten Form: Eight Sessions
Aug 17 @ 9:00 am – 10:00 am
The North Carolina Arboretum

 

This elegant short form introduces the signature movements of Tai Chi Chuan in a simplified and compact sequence. A wonderful practice for beginners, participants will learn the basic principles of each movement as well as modifications to accommodate individual needs. Tai chi is a safe and effective form of meditative exercise consisting of relaxed and focused movements that clear the mind and relax the nervous system while improving balance, strength, flexibility, stability, coordination, joint health, memory and attentional skills.

Introduction to Medicare with the Council on Aging of Buncombe County
Aug 17 @ 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
East Asheville Public Library

Introduction to Medicare with the Council on Aging of Buncombe County

Are you new to Medicare? Are you confused about which benefits are right for you? Do you need more information? The Council on Aging of Buncombe County will help answer your Medicare questions in this free class. No registration is required.

The classes will explain how Medicare works, the enrollment process, how to avoid penalties, and ways to save money. This class will meet in person at the East Asheville Library on Aug. 17 at 2:30 p.m.

Anyone who is new to Medicare, caregivers, and others who help senior citizens with their Medicare insurance should consider attending this informative session. The material presented is unbiased and accurate.  No products are sold, recommended, or endorsed.

For more information, contact the Library or the Council on Aging.

Tuesday, August 23, 2022
Lunch + Learn: Overcoming Communication Barriers
Aug 23 @ 1:00 pm
Enka-Candler Public Library

 

Communication is the string that ties us all together. If that string isn’t strong enough or is broken, our relationships tend to unravel. This curriculum is designed to look at common communication problems and methods to make it an easier, more efficient process. Examples of communication to use and those to not use will be discussed.

This class is free and registration is required. To register: Go to VayaHealth.com/Calendar or Call Enka-Candler Public Library at 828- 250-4758.

Wednesday, August 24, 2022
INTRODUCTION TO TAI CHI *New Course*
Aug 24 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
YWCA Asheville

This 10-week course will introduce basic principles that are foundational to all Tai Chi movements. Tai Chi is proven to be effective in decreasing pain, stiffness, and risk for falls while improving balance, postural stability, strength, cognitive focus, immune system function, and more. Wednesdays noon -1 pm; August 24th-October 26th. This course has a general public cost of $60. There is no additional cost for members, the course is included.
Register before September 31st on our YWCA App, by calling (828) 254-7206 ext. 213 or emailing [email protected].

Thursday, August 25, 2022
YOGA
Aug 25 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am
Rabbit Rabbit

Saturday, August 27, 2022
Farm Fresh for Health Regional Symposiums
Aug 27 @ 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Hendersonville Farmers Market and Homemade Pasta Noodles

Throughout the summer of 2022, ASAP will present a series of on-farm symposiums for healthcare professionals in Western North Carolina to highlight the principles of Farm Fresh for Health. Farm Fresh for Health addresses the real and perceived barriers that influence what we eat and determine health outcomes. ASAP and community partners are using strategies and initiatives built around:

  • Produce Prescriptions
  • Nutrition Security
  • Workplace Wellness
  • Wrap-Around Clinical Health Services
  • Cooking Classes
  • Farm to School
  • Social Determinants of Health

Each symposium will introduce key strategies and highlight examples from ASAP and the community, including projects from ASAP’s Community in Action initiative. Attendees will take part in farm tours, hands-on activities, and facilitated discussion about how they can use Farm Fresh for Health tools in their own practices to improve health outcomes. A seasonally focused farm-to-table meal (lunch or dinner) will be provided by a local food partner. Space is limited at each symposium. A $20 registration fee offsets the cost of meals and materials.

LUNCH

Catered by Launa Marie of Homemade Pasta Noodles.

KEY STRATEGIES

Produce prescription programs, farmers market SNAP incentives, farmers markets as social healthy eating environments

PRESENTERS

Meredith Friedheim is the downtown events and Hendersonville Famers Market coordinator for the City of Hendersonville. Hendersonville Farmers Market aims to be a world-class market that contributes to the success of local producers and growers, expands access to farm fresh foods, and creates a vibrant community gathering space.

Sonya Jones is the founder of Caja Solidaria, which offers a produce prescription program, and the coordinator of Henderson County Committee for Action and Nutrition (CAN). Prior to that, Sonya was a professor of public health for 19 years.

Stephanie Stewart, Manager of Population Health and Team-Cased for Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC). MAHEC is dedicated to excellence in clinical care, health professions education, and innovative practices that can be replicated nationally. MAHEC serves as a partner for ASAP’s Farm Fresh Produce Prescription program.

Amy Lazarus Yaroch, PhD , is the executive director of the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition and project director for the the GusNIP Nutrition Incentive Program Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Information Center (NTAE). Her areas of expertise include dietary assessment, obesity prevention and intervention, and food insecurity and investigating its coexistence with obesity and other related factors.

Jennifer Trippe, director of ASAP’s Growing Minds Farm to School program, is a Registered Dietitian with nearly two decades of experience working to improve the health and well-being of the Western North Carolina community. She has worked at MANNA FoodBank, Food Connections, and as a WIC Nutritionist and Diabetes Educator.

Larissa Lopez is a program coordinator for ASAP’s Local Food Campaign. She is the lead on several of ASAP’s Farm Fresh for Health programs, including expanding workplace CSAs and wellness programs and the Farm Fresh Produce Prescription program.

Mike McCreary is ASAP’s farmers market program manager and has developed ASAP’s SNAP incentive programs. Under Mike’s management, in 2009 Asheville City Market was the first market in Western North Carolina to accept SNAP/EBT.

Additional presenters will be added. Check back for updates.

Farm Fresh for Health Regional Symposiums for healthcare professionals
Aug 27 @ 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
 Hendersonville Farmers Market and Homemade Pasta Noodles

Throughout the summer of 2022, ASAP will present a series of on-farm symposiums for healthcare professionals in Western North Carolina to highlight the principles of Farm Fresh for Health. Farm Fresh for Health addresses the real and perceived barriers that influence what we eat and determine health outcomes. ASAP and community partners are using strategies and initiatives built around:

  • Produce Prescriptions
  • Nutrition Security
  • Workplace Wellness
  • Wrap-Around Clinical Health Services
  • Cooking Classes
  • Farm to School
  • Social Determinants of Health

Each symposium will introduce key strategies and highlight examples from ASAP and the community, including projects from ASAP’s Community in Action initiative. Attendees will take part in farm tours, hands-on activities, and facilitated discussion about how they can use Farm Fresh for Health tools in their own practices to improve health outcomes. A seasonally focused farm-to-table meal (lunch or dinner) will be provided by a local food partner. Space is limited at each symposium. A $20 registration fee offsets the cost of meals and materials.

LUNCH

Catered by Launa Marie of Homemade Pasta Noodles.

KEY STRATEGIES

Produce prescription programs, farmers market SNAP incentives, farmers markets as social healthy eating environments

PRESENTERS

Meredith Friedheim is the downtown events and Hendersonville Famers Market coordinator for the City of Hendersonville. Hendersonville Farmers Market aims to be a world-class market that contributes to the success of local producers and growers, expands access to farm fresh foods, and creates a vibrant community gathering space.

Sonya Jones is the founder of Caja Solidaria, which offers a produce prescription program, and the coordinator of Henderson County Committee for Action and Nutrition (CAN). Prior to that, Sonya was a professor of public health for 19 years.

Stephanie Stewart, Manager of Population Health and Team-Cased for Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC). MAHEC is dedicated to excellence in clinical care, health professions education, and innovative practices that can be replicated nationally. MAHEC serves as a partner for ASAP’s Farm Fresh Produce Prescription program.

Jennifer Trippe, director of ASAP’s Growing Minds Farm to School program, is a Registered Dietitian with nearly two decades of experience working to improve the health and well-being of the Western North Carolina community. She has worked at MANNA FoodBank, Food Connections, and as a WIC Nutritionist and Diabetes Educator.

Larissa Lopez is a program coordinator for ASAP’s Local Food Campaign. She is the lead on several of ASAP’s Farm Fresh for Health programs, including expanding workplace CSAs and wellness programs and the Farm Fresh Produce Prescription program.

Mike McCreary is ASAP’s farmers market program manager and has developed ASAP’s SNAP incentive programs. Under Mike’s management, in 2009 Asheville City Market was the first market in Western North Carolina to accept SNAP/EBT.

Additional presenters will be added. Check back for updates.

Sunday, August 28, 2022
Yoga Taco Mosa
Aug 28 @ 10:30 am
The Grey Eagle

– ALL AGES
– FREE ADMISSION ($10 SUGGESTED DONATION)

Our monthly installment of Yoga Taco Mosa! Join us as we honor one another in practice lead by Clare Desmelik, and then enjoy tacos and mimosas in the taqueria.

The Free Clinics’s 20th Anniversary Homecoming
Aug 28 @ 12:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Camp Tekoa

The Free Clinics invites you to join us at this unforgettable lakeside bash, as we remember our humble beginnings and look forward to our future! Come ring in 20 years of caring for our neighbors in need…with a splash!

Wear your swimsuit for a dip in the lake, or simply enjoy the spacious covered pavilion and indoor dining hall to sit with friends old and new to look back on your collective memories of TFC over the years.

A boxed lunch and beverages are included for all guests, with a later sweet treat of cupcakes as we all wish ‘Happy Birthday!” to the Clinics!

Awakening Love: A Workshop for Women ~ Planting Seeds for Peace w/ Amber + Luna Sunday
Aug 28 @ 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Asheville Community Yoga

Awakening Love: A Workshop for Women ~ Planting Seeds for Peace w/ Amber & Luna

“If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can smile and blossom like a flower, everyone in our family, and our entire society will benefit from our peace”.  -Thich Nhat Hanh

Join Luna Ray and Amber Acheson for an embodied exploration of living with more peace. In this 3 hour journey we will gather as community and practice to overcome disturbances that keep us from feeling calm and peaceful.

This gathering will include:

Yoga and Somatic Practices

Music and Song

Ritual and Community Connection.

Please bring comfortable clothes for an outdoor experience, a journal and pen, any props or blankets to support you.  Chairs will be available.

Wednesday, August 31, 2022
INTRODUCTION TO TAI CHI *New Course*
Aug 31 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
YWCA Asheville

This 10-week course will introduce basic principles that are foundational to all Tai Chi movements. Tai Chi is proven to be effective in decreasing pain, stiffness, and risk for falls while improving balance, postural stability, strength, cognitive focus, immune system function, and more. Wednesdays noon -1 pm; August 24th-October 26th. This course has a general public cost of $60. There is no additional cost for members, the course is included.
Register before September 31st on our YWCA App, by calling (828) 254-7206 ext. 213 or emailing [email protected].

Thursday, September 1, 2022
YOGA
Sep 1 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am
Rabbit Rabbit

Saturday, September 3, 2022
Myofascial Release Monthly Course
Sep 3 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
YWCA
Wednesday, September 7, 2022
INTRODUCTION TO TAI CHI *New Course*
Sep 7 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
YWCA Asheville

This 10-week course will introduce basic principles that are foundational to all Tai Chi movements. Tai Chi is proven to be effective in decreasing pain, stiffness, and risk for falls while improving balance, postural stability, strength, cognitive focus, immune system function, and more. Wednesdays noon -1 pm; August 24th-October 26th. This course has a general public cost of $60. There is no additional cost for members, the course is included.
Register before September 31st on our YWCA App, by calling (828) 254-7206 ext. 213 or emailing [email protected].

Thursday, September 8, 2022
YOGA
Sep 8 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am
Rabbit Rabbit

Wednesday, September 14, 2022
INTRODUCTION TO TAI CHI *New Course*
Sep 14 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
YWCA Asheville

This 10-week course will introduce basic principles that are foundational to all Tai Chi movements. Tai Chi is proven to be effective in decreasing pain, stiffness, and risk for falls while improving balance, postural stability, strength, cognitive focus, immune system function, and more. Wednesdays noon -1 pm; August 24th-October 26th. This course has a general public cost of $60. There is no additional cost for members, the course is included.
Register before September 31st on our YWCA App, by calling (828) 254-7206 ext. 213 or emailing [email protected].

Thursday, September 15, 2022
YOGA
Sep 15 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am
Rabbit Rabbit

Saturday, September 17, 2022
Mindful Self-Compassion 9-Session Class Outdoors Near Warren Wilson
Sep 17 all-day
Charles D. Owen Park

MSC is an empirically-supported 9-session program that helps participants develop and deepen the skills of self-compassion. Activities include meditation, talks, discussion, and experiential exercises. This class will be held rain or shine outdoors in a beautiful setting over nine Saturdays, 9/17-11/19, skipping 10/15.

We will meet from 10:30AM-2PM with a 30-minute break for lunch midway through each session. Each class participant will receive a copy of The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook.

Register at mindfulselfcompassionasheville.com by 8/30 for early-bird pricing.

Wednesday, September 21, 2022
INTRODUCTION TO TAI CHI *New Course*
Sep 21 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
YWCA Asheville

This 10-week course will introduce basic principles that are foundational to all Tai Chi movements. Tai Chi is proven to be effective in decreasing pain, stiffness, and risk for falls while improving balance, postural stability, strength, cognitive focus, immune system function, and more. Wednesdays noon -1 pm; August 24th-October 26th. This course has a general public cost of $60. There is no additional cost for members, the course is included.
Register before September 31st on our YWCA App, by calling (828) 254-7206 ext. 213 or emailing [email protected].

7-week Self Defense Course
Sep 21 @ 5:30 pm – 6:45 pm
YWCA

Back by popular demand, we will be offering a new cohort of our Empowered Self-Defense course that was designed as a partnership with the YWCA of Asheville and OurVoice. This course is a holistic approach to personal safety which teaches tools to combat the whole spectrum of violence, from verbal harassment to physical violence. We teach individuals how to interrupt violence by listening to their intuition, asserting boundaries, using de-escalation strategies, and providing tools for a range of mental, verbal, and physical responses. Register today and don’t let this opportunity pass by.

Register on our YWCA App, by calling (828) 254-7206 ext. 213 or emailing [email protected].

Thursday, September 22, 2022
YOGA
Sep 22 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am
Rabbit Rabbit

Women’s Fall Equinox Sacred Sound Journey
Sep 22 @ 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Bullington Gardens (in the multipurpose room)

It’s time to transition to Fall! Sacred Sound helps us recalibrate our energy and prepare for the change of seasons. We’ll use this gathering to ease any concerns about what we see happening in our world, shake off fear and anxiety, and claim our peace and calming in this seasonal transition. Join us for a deeply replenishing guided sound healing journey of Tibetan and Crystal bowls, chimes, tank drums and tuning forks. WOMEN only, no children please. ADVANCE TICKETS ONLY available on website through 5 pm Sept 16. Because there is limited space, NO tickets will be available at the event, no exceptions. Please arrive on time. Bring a yoga mat and blanket. All details on website.

Saturday, September 24, 2022
Mindful Self-Compassion 9-Session Class Outdoors Near Warren Wilson
Sep 24 all-day
Charles D. Owen Park

MSC is an empirically-supported 9-session program that helps participants develop and deepen the skills of self-compassion. Activities include meditation, talks, discussion, and experiential exercises. This class will be held rain or shine outdoors in a beautiful setting over nine Saturdays, 9/17-11/19, skipping 10/15.

We will meet from 10:30AM-2PM with a 30-minute break for lunch midway through each session. Each class participant will receive a copy of The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook.

Register at mindfulselfcompassionasheville.com by 8/30 for early-bird pricing.