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 30, 2023
Black Mountain College and Mexico (BMC/MX): Exhibition
Aug 30 @ 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center

Black Mountain College and Mexico (BMC/MX): Exhibition, Publication, and Public Programming

Black Mountain College (1933–1957), a small but remarkably influential liberal arts school in rural North Carolina, had important links to Mexico that until now have been little investigated. A crucible of twentieth-century creativity, BMC galvanized and inspired artists and intellectuals from around the world, while Mexico’s innovations and age-old traditions—in fine and applied arts, architecture, poetry, music, performance, and more—dovetailed with, and indeed drove, global impulses toward modernism and beyond. Among the many key BMC figures whose lives were importantly touched by experiences in Mexico were Anni and Josef Albers, Ruth Asawa, John Cage, Jean Charlot, Elaine de Kooning, Buckminster Fuller, Carlos Mérida, Robert Motherwell, Charles Olson, Clara Porset, M.C. Richards, and Aaron Siskind. In turn, engagements with BMC and its legacy have played a significant role in shaping contemporary approaches to art in Mexico, evident in the works of Jorge Méndez Blake, Iñaki Bonillas, Abraham Cruzvillegas, Jose Dávila, Gerda Gruber, Lake Verea, Gabriel Orozco, and Damián Ortega, among others.

The exhibition BMC/MX features works by these and other prominent contemporary Mexican artists alongside a selection of historic works by BMC artists, highlighting the ways in which ideas and modalities are translated across materials, space, and time.

Related programming, planned in collaboration with Mexican artists, features a series of public events, including a performance by artist (and BMC/MX co-curator) David Miranda to take place at Different Wrld; an exhibition visit (in Spanish and English) with BMC/MX Project Director Eric Baden; and a series of experiential art events in the BMCM+AC library.

The exhibition is accompanied by the book Black Mountain College and Mexico (forthcoming late summer 2023), which investigates the people, ideas, and practices linking BMC and Mexico during the life of the school, as well as resonances between BMC and the work of contemporary Mexican artists. With contributions by BMC/MX’s curators, as well as by artist Abraham Cruzvillegas, design scholar Ana Elena Mallet, and author and activist Margaret Randall, this fully illustrated volume brings new light to this complex and underexplored subject.

BMC/MX is an investigation into modes of communication—the arenas in which new ideas and alliances may come to be—between Black Mountain College and Mexico, between past and present, between form and idea.

About the Curators

BMC/MX’s Project Director Eric Baden is a photographer and from 1994 to 2022 was professor of photography at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, North Carolina. He is the founding director of photo+, a multidisciplinary arts event held in Asheville, North Carolina.

Artist and educator David Miranda is curator at the Museo Experimental El Eco (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM), and teaches at the Escuela Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado “La Esmeralda” in Mexico City.

Diana Stoll is an editor, writer and curator who works with institutions such as The Museum of Modern Art and the J. Paul Getty Museum. She has served as an editor at Aperture and Artforum magazines, and contributes writings to prominent arts publications.

Celebrate Art Exhibit
Aug 30 @ 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
The League's Art Place

The new Art Place Studios have opened next door at 2015 Asheville Hwy.  Visitors can see 23 studio artists at work.

Kids Storytime at Barnes and Noble
Aug 30 @ 11:00 am
Barnes and Noble

Kids Storytime at Barnes and Noble

Romare Bearden: Ways of Working Exhibition
Aug 30 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Romare Bearden (Charlotte, NC 1911–1988 New York, NY), African American writer and artist, is renowned for his collages. He constantly experimented with various techniques to achieve his artistic goals throughout his career. This exhibition highlights works on paper and explores his most frequently used mediums, including screen-printing, lithography, hand-colored etching, collagraph, monotype, relief print, photomontage, and collage.

 

Bearden’s work reflects his improvisational approach to his practice. He considered his process akin to that of jazz and blues composers. Starting with an open mind, he would let an idea evolve spontaneously.

 

Romare Bearden: Ways of Working highlights Bearden’s unique artistic practice and masterful storytelling through art,” says Pamela L. Myers, Executive Director of the Asheville Art Museum. “We are thrilled to collaborate with Jerald Melberg Gallery to present these extraordinary works on paper in conversation with Bearden’s collage Sunset Express, 1984 in the Museum Collection (on view in the Museum’s SECU Collection Hall). This exhibition will also provide a glimpse into the cultural histories and personal interests that influenced his art-making practice, and we hope it encourages introspection and dialogue with our visitors.”

 

Jerald Melberg states, “Romare Bearden’s groundbreaking artistic practice continues to captivate audiences worldwide. With an unparalleled legacy of creativity and innovation, Bearden’s contributions to art remain deeply influential years beyond his life.” We have enjoyed organizing this exhibition with the Asheville Art Museum to showcase his artistic genius and inspire visitors from the Western North Carolina region and beyond.”

 

This exhibition is made possible in part by the Judy Appleton Fund. Many thanks to the Jerald Melberg Gallery for the loan of these important artworks and to Mary and Jerald Melberg for their long-standing support of the arts, artists, and the Asheville Art Museum.

The Art of Food: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation
Aug 30 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

The Art of Food features works from important postwar artists, like Robert Rauschenberg, Roy Lichtenstein, John Baldessari, Wayne Thiebaud, Ed Ruscha, Andy Warhol, David Hockney, and Jasper Johns, alongside the work of contemporary artists, like Alison Saar, Lorna Simpson, Enrique Chagoya, Rachel Whiteread, and Jenny Holzer, among others.

The Art of Food features more than 100 works in mediums that include drawings, paintings, photographs, prints, sculptures, and ceramics by 37 artists.

Each artist has a unique means of depicting food in their work that, when seen alongside others, creates a nuanced representation of the complex place food holds in everyday life. Cross-historical resonances between artists in the exhibition spark novel meditations on food and its discontents, while speaking to a broad range of audiences.

The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad
Aug 30 @ 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Biltmore Estate

Included with admission

Back by popular demand, The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad exhibition offers guests:

  • An opportunity to view rarely-seen treasures from the Biltmore collection
  • A first-hand look at the Vanderbilts’ lifestyle
  • Deeper insights into George, Edith, and Cornelia’s personalities, both at home and on their extensive travels

Access to exhibitions at The Biltmore Legacy is included with Biltmore daytime admission.

West Asheville Library Book Discussion: Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris
Aug 30 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
West Asheville Library
  Small group meeting. We will be discussing The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris.  Limited to 8 participants.  Please email [email protected] if you want to attend the small group discussion.
Western North Carolina Glass: Selections from the Collection
Aug 30 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Western North Carolina is important in the history of American glass art. Several artists of the Studio Glass Movement came to the region, including its founder Harvey K. Littleton. Begun in 1962 in Wisconsin, it was a student of Littleton’s that first came to the area in 1965 and set up a glass studio at the Penland School of Craft in Penland, North Carolina. By 1967, Mark Peiser was the first glass artist resident at the school and taught many notable artists, like Jak Brewer in 1968 and Richard Ritter who came to study in 1971. By 1977, Littleton retired from teaching and moved to nearby Spruce Pine, North Carolina and set up a glass studio at his home.

Since that time, glass artists like Ken Carder, Rick and Valerie Beck, Shane Fero, and Yaffa Sikorsky and Jeff Todd—to name only a few—have flocked to the area to reside, collaborate, and teach, making it a significant place for experimentation and education in glass. The next generation of artists like Hayden Wilson and Alex Bernstein continue to create here. The Museum is dedicated to collecting American studio glass and within that umbrella, explores the work of Artists connected to Western North Carolina. Exhibitions, including Intersections of American Art, explore glass art in the context of American Art of the 20th and 21st centuries. A variety of techniques and a willingness to push boundaries of the medium can be seen in this selection of works from the Museum’s Collection.

Outdoor County Pools Open
Aug 30 @ 11:30 am – 5:00 pm
Various Buncombe County Outdoor Pools

Gather bathing suits and sunscreen, Buncombe County’s outdoor pools are getting ready to open. The County’s five outdoor pools will open for the 2023 season on May 27. This includes the pools at Cane Creek, Erwin, Hominy Valley, North Buncombe, and Owen.

Outdoor pools will be open on weekends only until area schools are out for the summer. Starting on June 10, Pools will be open seven days a week.

Pool hours are Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Cost for pool entry is $3 per person.

Private lessons at the outdoor pools are available for different age groups from 3-year-olds and up. For more information on lessons or to register for a class, click here.

The pools can also be booked for private parties 14 days in advance and must have a minimum of 50 patrons. Pool bookings are available Monday through Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 6:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Click here for more information on booking pools.

Buncombe County Pool Locations:

  • Cane Creek Pool – 590 Lower Brush Creek Road, Fletcher
  • Erwin Pool – 58 Lees Creek Road, Asheville
  • Hominy Valley Pool – 25 Twin Lakes Road, Candler
  • North Buncombe Pool – 734 Clarks Chapel Road, Weaverville
  • Owen Pool – 117 Stone Drive, Swannanoa

In addition, lap swimming is available year-round at the Buncombe County Schools Aquatics Center, a 10-lane pool managed by the YMCA of Western North Carolina and Buncombe County Schools.

For more information on outdoor pools, visit the County’s pool website or call (828) 348-4770.

Summer Animal Encounters
Aug 30 @ 2:00 pm
Chimney Rock State Park
Weekdays only at 2pm

Do you know our staff has a wild side? Join a Park naturalist to meet some of our live Animal Ambassadors and learn about the types of wildlife in the area and their jobs. Some of our best educators have feathers, fur, shells or scales!

The Girl on the Train
Aug 30 @ 2:00 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse

Rachel Watson longs for a different life. Her only escape is the perfect couple she watches through the train window every day, happy and in love. Or so it appears. When Rachel learns that the woman she’s been secretly watching has suddenly disappeared, she finds herself as a witness and even a suspect in a thrilling mystery in which she will face bigger revelations than she could ever have anticipated. Based on the bestselling novel by Paula Hawkins and DreamWorks film.

*Adult language and content. Parental discretion advised.

Etowah Lions Farmers Market
Aug 30 @ 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Etowah Lions Farmers Market

On Wednesdays through October, check out the Etowah Lions Farmers Market, which
showcases local farmers, vendors and artisans and the delicious produce the area is known for, all items sold are made by or
grown by the vendor.

River Arts District Farmers Market
Aug 30 @ 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
River Arts District Farmers Market

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Located in the River Arts District, and surrounded by art galleries and breweries, come find out about Asheville’s favourite mid-week market!

Weaverville Tailgate Market
Aug 30 @ 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Weaverville Tailgate Market

Weaverville Tailgate Market

Proudly serving the Weaverville community since 2009

Lego Club at West Asheville Library
Aug 30 @ 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
West Asheville Library

Asheville Lego Club for ages 5-12. Make new friends and have fun building. Legos will be provided–please leave yours at home.

Peruvian Amazon and it’s Tributaries Presentation by Lane
Aug 30 @ 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Share Your Journey Counseling

Hello fellow travelers! Please join Lane as he recounts his time cruising on the Peruvian Amazon and it’s tributaries. Lane spent a magical week on a boat voyage which included the Amazon River as well as the two main rivers that meet to form this mighty waterway: the Ucayali and the Marañón. The trip included day and night walks and skiff rides into the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, a region the size of Belgium, hoping to spot wildlife. They were richly rewarded. A special treat was being exposed to daily life on the river, visiting several villages. The trip ended in Lima where Lane was surprised to find a huge festival happening. In total it was an experience he will never forget!

We will have coffee available, but feel free to bring your choice of beverage or refreshment.

Preschool Story Time at Pack Memorial Library
Aug 30 @ 3:30 pm – 4:15 pm
Pack Memorial Library
  Join us for a story time designed for children ages 3 to 5 years as we share books, songs, rhymes, and activities.
Asheville Community Theatre 2023 Annual Meeting
Aug 30 @ 4:00 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

You’re invited!

Please join us for the Asheville Community Theatre 2023 Annual Meeting on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at 4:00 pm in the ACT Lobby as we thank retiring Board members, welcome new Board members, present highlights from our 22-23 Season and look forward to the work we’ll be doing in the year ahead! Everyone is welcome to attend!
Read to Puptart!
Aug 30 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Enka-Candler Library

Puptart is a tail wagging robot dog who sits and stays, pants when listening, and responds to someone talking to and petting it. It will not jump up or run away, plus it’s fur free, so no sneezes and runny noses coming your way!

Every Wednesday afternoon, Puptart will be available for reading practice in the children’s picture book room. Help establish a joy of reading and develop early literacy skills. Sign up at the front desk, pick a book and practice reading for up to 15 minutes.

Ribbon cutting: Archetype Brewing + Kitchen South Slope
Aug 30 @ 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Archetype Brewing + Kitchen South Slope

Archetype Brewing is proud to open a third location in the South Slope, offering an
elevated dining experience with world inspired cuisine. Enjoy food and cocktails with a
full bar alongside its complex and mindfully crafted Belgian & American inspired brews.
The open-concept space welcomes all individuals, with roll-up street facing doors, an
intimate mezzanine and a rooftop patio, all adorned in modern decor while highlighting
its historical attributes, dating back to the 1920’s.
The event is free to the public and will include music, food, drink specials, and a
giveaway! Come celebrate with drinks or food prior to the Tourists’ Industry Night
ballgame at McCormick Field. Bring your ticket in before or after the game to show your
server and receive 20% off any one full priced food item. We look forward to seeing you!
See the full MENU HERE: https://archetypebrewing.com/abk-food-menu/

Wee Wine + Dahlias
Aug 30 @ 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Bullington Gardens
Bullington Gardens invites you to experience the epitome of exclusivity with their new and exciting offering – twilight parties in the enchanting gardens. Now accepting reservations, this is your chance to indulge in a truly magical evening with your own private group of eight. From August 15 to October 14, 2023, Tuesday through Saturday, 4:30-6:30p.m., immerse yourself in nature’s wonders while delighting your palate with locally-sourced wines and cider, all in the company of the resplendent Dahlias in full bloom.

Picture this: you and your closest companions, relishing the serenity of the gardens, sipping on delectable beverages, and taking leisurely strolls amidst the breathtaking flora. To ensure an intimate experience, each group of up to eight will have their own private party. Whether you prefer the charming pavilion or the festive tents, the choice is yours. And fear not, for even if the rain tries to dampen the mood, the horticultural therapy greenhouse is ready to shelter you.

With only two groups accommodated each evening, you’ll have the pleasure of enjoying your own secluded space. Each group’s table will be beautifully set in separate venues, adorned with fresh floral arrangements that you can take home as a keepsake. As the host, you have the opportunity to curate a culinary masterpiece by bringing your own hors d’oeuvres or even an entire meal. Imagine the delight of savoring delicious food amidst an unparalleled view, creating an unforgettable private party.

The cost for a table of eight is $300 per group, ensuring an intimate and personalized experience. If you’re interested in elevating your involvement, consider a sponsorship level of $500. By participating in this extraordinary event, you will not only create cherished memories but also support the Educational and Horticultural Therapy programs dedicated to children and adults with special needs.

To secure your spot for the Wee Wine & Dahlias evening of your dreams, reserve below or give us a call at 828-698-6104. Remember, availability is limited, so make sure to secure your reservation early. Get ready to immerse yourself in an evening of enchantment at Bullington Gardens!

August 15th through October 14th, 2023. Tuesday-Saturday, 4:30pm-6:30pm.

Reception: Spark of the Eagle Dancer: The Collecting Legacy of Lambert Wilson
Aug 30 @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
WCU Fine Art Museum at Bardo Arts Center

John Julius Wilnoty, Beetle, oak burl wood carving, 4.25 x 9 x 4.625 inches

The WCU Fine Art Museum opens the exhibition Spark of the Eagle Dancer: The Collecting Legacy of Lambert Wilson, featuring over 140 works of contemporary Native American art from the collection of one of Western North Carolina’s most notable art enthusiasts. Lambert Wilson, who devoted his life to supporting and encouraging Native artists, amassed an extensive collection during his lifetime, focusing primarily on artists of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Cherokee Nation, and sovereign nations of the Southwest. This exhibition brings together a selection of baskets, pottery, carving, painting, photography, and more that tell the story of the relationships Wilson built and the impact that he made by dedicating himself to this remarkable collection. Spark of the Eagle Dancer will be on view from August 8 through December 8, 2023.

Wednesday Pub Run
Aug 30 @ 6:15 pm
Archetype Brewing

Wednesday Pub Run

Join us every Wednesday at 6:15pm at Archetype Brewing – West off of Haywood, for a fun pub run featuring two different routes!

Follow us on social media to stay up to date on when we have special guests, shoe demos, and giveaway nights!

Asheville Tourists vs. Bowling Green Hot Rods
Aug 30 @ 6:30 pm
McCormick Field

Asheville Tourists vs. Bowling Green Hot Rods

CREATIVE FACILITATOR TRAINING
Aug 30 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Story Parlor

Story Parlor and Inward & Artward present: an interactive 14-week program on how to create and facilitate unique offerings rooted in the intersection of the creative process, personal stories, and the human condition. Tailored for folks interested in starting a new and fulfilling career path, or simply wanting to deepen and/or refresh their approach to holistic creative facilitation.

Guideposts Include:

  • Identifying creative blocks, obstacles, and breakthrough strategies for self and others

  • How to create and conduct creative-based groups, workshops, classes, and retreats

  • Teaching philosophy and ethics

  • The intersection of mindfulness and the creative process, and how to implement into facilitation

  • Nurturing a sustainable creative lifestyle, personally, professionally, and instructionally

  • Tools to excavate personal stories and ways they can be used for healing, transformation, and creative bounty

  • Marketing, business planning, and logistics

  • Two one-on-one creativity coaching sessions

Early Bird pricing through April 30 | $1250
Regular price effective May 1 | $1400

Class dates include Wednesdays from 6:30-8:30pm
5/31, 6/7, 6/14, 6/21, 6/28, 7/5, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26, 8/2, 8/9, 8/16, 8/23, 8/30
Some classes will be conducted over zoom; Final two meetings will go till 9:30pm.

Refund and Covid policies can be found here.

Before registering, prospective participants must first submit the below application. Next steps will be provided thereafter.

Foodie Book Club
Aug 30 @ 7:00 pm
online

Foodie Book Club

A book club for home cooks, foodies, industry folks, and anyone in-between.  We will be focusing on all sorts of food writing. Somethemes will be (but not limited to): food critics, chef memoirs, wine, food history, and food politics.

The Foodie group meets virtually on the last Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. (EST), beginning in June 2022.  Please email [email protected] for the Zoom meeting info.

LAZOOM Tours: GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR
Aug 30 @ 7:00 pm
LaZoom Room


GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR

Grab a local beer, crucifix and a rubber chicken* —You might survive this hour long hilarious haunted ghost tour of Asheville.

  • Guided comedy bus tour of Haunted Asheville
  • 60 minutes; tours run nightly after dark
  • $33 per person (Ages 17+ only)
  • Departs from 76 Biltmore Avenue

*Legal Note: Crucifix not required to board the bus; we do not condone exorcisms, chickens, rubber, or any combination of the three.

Trivia Night
Aug 30 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Hickory Tavern

Every Wednesday

Trivia Night

Trivia Night at Hickory Tavern
Aug 30 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Hickory Tavern

Trivia Night at Hickory Tavern

DARK CITY SONG SWAP
Aug 30 @ 7:30 pm
White Horse Black Mountain

White Horse is excited to launch a new concert series, DARK CITY SONG SWAP.

This exciting new series focuses on talented local, regional, and national songwriters who both write and sing their original compositions. Many of the participants are award winners in their field and we’re thrilled to present them on our stage.

The series is hosted and curated by Black Mountain songwriter, BETH LEE.

Her writing is heavily influenced by bluegrass and traditional country music. She is passionate about writing lyrically diverse songs – songs that are sometimes sweet, sometimes tough, sometimes swampy, but always speak truth. She seeks to present the song so it invites the listener to go on a journey, taken away by the story, reminding us of who we are, who we want to be, or who we have been. Her goal is to make a genuine connection with listeners by telling relatable stories with memorable melodies.

Beth placed first in the 2018 MerleFest Chris Austin Songwriting Contest in the Gospel Category and won first place in three categories in the 2020 Walnut Valley Festival Newsong Showcase. She has performed songwriter showcases at the Cactus Cafe in Austin, the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, and at the IBMA Songwriter Showcase in Raleigh.

Sample’s of Beth’s artistry can be found at :

This month Beth welcomes to the stage two fine songwriters:

Todd Hoke and Hannah Kaminer

——

Todd Hoke’s first public performance was at Miss Bonnie’s Elvis Shrine and Literary Salon in Baltimore, Maryland, way back in the early 90s. It was precisely as fancy as it sounds. Todd recorded his first album way back in the year 2000, with Ray Wylie Hubbard as producer. In the years since, Todd has written many songs and played many more shows – he and his wife moved to Western North Carolina in 2005 and he jumped right into the local music scene. Todd’s latest project is as ½ of “Possum Royale” – a duo with his longtime friend and side guy Richard Brock.

“My Baby”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el0ksvoH0sI

——

Hannah Kaminer is a folk/Americana artist based in Asheville, NC. Raised in small towns in western North Carolina, she fuses echoes of Appalachian traditions with wistful, Americana-style songwriting. Kaminer’s songs have been recognized in the finals of the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest (MerleFest 2019), with a Regional Artist Project Grant by a coalition of North Carolina arts councils, and by Asheville’s Brown Bag Songwriting Competition. Kaminer has released two studio albums, Acre by Acre (2015) and Heavy Magnolias (2018), the latter of which she co-produced with award-winning engineer Julian Dreyer. In 2020, she pivoted to produce Music for Quarantine, connecting musicians to virtual gigs performed for loved ones in isolation.

Performance highlights over the last few years include opening for the Steep Canyon Rangers, serving as opener and tour nanny for Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters, and playing Warren Haynes’ annual Christmas Jam by Day event. Kaminer is currently working with her band Hannah and The Wistfuls on a third studio album, to be released in 2023.

“Heavy Magnolias”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOF0PfSHGiM