Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
Join us for a night of celebration and fun October 2nd for our second annual Catch the Wave event hosted by RiverLink! We’ll have live music provided by The Barsters, awesome raffles, food, refreshments, and informational sessions providing updates on the project.
All proceeds from the event will help build the Greenway & Blueway so grab your friends and get ready for a good time!
For more information and tickets please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/woodfin-greenway-blueway-2nd-annual-catch-the-wave-celebration-tickets-69998580639
Special thanks to our amazing co-hosts: Asheville GreenWorks, MountainTrue, Connect Buncombe, and French Broad River Academy
RiverLink is the proud fundraising partner of the Town of Woodfin and Buncombe County Greenways.
__________________________________________________________________
AWESOME RAFFLE PRIZES
Grand Prize Items:
Homeslice Whitewater Kayak from Liquidlogic Kayaks
Raft, Zipline, Yurt Package from Wildwater Ltd.
Bike from Motion Makers Bicycle Shop
Jackson Cruise FlexDrive Fishing Kayak from Southern Raft Supply
Alloy Rim Wheelset and stem by Industry Nine
There will also be a dozen additional runner-up prizes
There will be a separate drawings for each. Raffle participants will put their ticket(s) toward whichever item(s) they wish.
**** YOU NEED NOT BE PRESENT TO WIN**** For those unable to attend the event, tickets for the raffle may be purchased online, and we’ll enter them for you. Winners will be notified by email.
__________________________________________________________________
*Children 12 and under may attend at no charge.
Learn more about the project at https://riverlink.org/
Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge is the longest running comedy open mic in Asheville happening every Wednesday night. The show starts at 9:00, and there is no cover. Anyone wanting to perform needs to sign up by 9pm, and will get five minutes on stage. Local and not-so-local, professional and not-so-professional comics perform or just anyone wanting to get up in front of people and try to make them laugh. Always fun. Always free.

Buncombe County Recreation Services has opened the 2019-2020 cycle of Community Recreation Grants. The grants focus on supplemental funding for qualified organizations to promote innovative, inclusive, and sustainable recreational, fitness, and health and wellness initiatives within Buncombe County as well as community-based activities and capital improvements that increase recreational opportunities for the communities served. Grants may range in amount from $500-$6,000, depending on funding available and the number of qualifying applicants.
Eligible entities include Buncombe County non-profits focused on recreational, fitness, and health and wellness activities. These funds are intended to be a leveraging tool that promote partnerships between the County and area non-profits and are not a donation, funding stream, or sponsorship opportunity. Programs applying for funding should assist Buncombe County Recreation Services in achieving its mission and are required to provide clear timelines and explanations regarding funding requests. The objective of the grants is to extend the reach of the County in its recreation focus areas; grant applicants are required to articulate the estimated impact the grants will have on the community.
Want to Apply?
The grant application deadline is Friday, October 18, 2019. Late applications will be rejected. The Community Recreation Grant Committee will review applications in October and November with all organizations receiving an email notification no later than November 15, 2019.
Mike will focus on health Insurance plus explore combining health, life, dental and other ancillary benefits. Updates on association health plans (AHP) that is currently in legislation.
Jared specializes in protecting businesses with the following commercial insurances: business liability, worker’s compensation, property, business auto, umbrella, errors and omissions, employment practices liability and directors/officers liability.
Mike Alessi is an independent health insurance agent who represents multiple carriers and plan options. Exclusively offering health insurance has positioned the agency to be very knowledgeable in the field and up to date with the constant changes in this product offering.
Jared Bellmund is with All Choice Insurance and his goal is to help others grow and prosper. His passion for helping others translates into work as an insurance agent and he wants to protect the things that matter most to his clients.

Watch and learn as our Head Butcher breaks down an entire front quarter of dry-aged Apple Brandy beef. In this class – Watch our head butcher completes a live demonstration of breaking down the front quarter of a steer. Learn about different beef cuts, including Denver, Chuck-Eye, Rib-Eye, Skirt Steak, and more! Discover the differences between often-confused names of popular cuts and learn about cuts you’ve probably never heard of-Learn the cooking techniques for different cuts of beef (and as you’ll discover, we’ll teach you how to maximize the meals you can cook from this section of a beef.) Enjoy local and house made charcuterie and cheeses. Sip beer from a local brewery, or enjoy a glass (or two) or our favorite wines. Take home a nice cut of beef just in time for the weekend! Take home PDF notes and recipes from the class. Early Bird Tickets – $100. Class Tickets: $110 VIP Tickets: $140 (Take home a pound of Chop Shop Bacon and your choice of a Chop Shop t-shirt or hat.)
Underwear Comedy Party is a night of nearly nude laughs. All the comedians will be performing in their underwear and we encourage the audience to strip down too!
doors at 8pm, show at 9pm
Tickets $10
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/underwear-comedy-party-avl-tickets-70332354967
Underwear Comedy Party is a night of nearly nude laughs. All the comedians will be performing in their underwear and we encourage the audience to strip down too! doors at 8pm, show at 9pm.


Buncombe County Recreation Services has opened the 2019-2020 cycle of Community Recreation Grants. The grants focus on supplemental funding for qualified organizations to promote innovative, inclusive, and sustainable recreational, fitness, and health and wellness initiatives within Buncombe County as well as community-based activities and capital improvements that increase recreational opportunities for the communities served. Grants may range in amount from $500-$6,000, depending on funding available and the number of qualifying applicants.
Eligible entities include Buncombe County non-profits focused on recreational, fitness, and health and wellness activities. These funds are intended to be a leveraging tool that promote partnerships between the County and area non-profits and are not a donation, funding stream, or sponsorship opportunity. Programs applying for funding should assist Buncombe County Recreation Services in achieving its mission and are required to provide clear timelines and explanations regarding funding requests. The objective of the grants is to extend the reach of the County in its recreation focus areas; grant applicants are required to articulate the estimated impact the grants will have on the community.
Want to Apply?
The grant application deadline is Friday, October 18, 2019. Late applications will be rejected. The Community Recreation Grant Committee will review applications in October and November with all organizations receiving an email notification no later than November 15, 2019.
On October 4, 2019, Montreat College’s Center for Cybersecurity Education and Leadership will host RETR3AT, a conference designed to engage, educate, and raise awareness about cybersecurity in Western North Carolina and beyond. In its fifth year, RETR3AT goes beyond the “1s and 0s” approach to cybersecurity training, challenging attendees to think about how to lead in protecting their organization’s information within an ethical framework.

Asheville Improv Collective presents
AICFest 2019
October 4, 2019 • 5 PM, 7 PM & 9 PM
Tina McGuire Theatre
Asheville Improv Collective Website
This event takes place in the Tina McGuire Theatre at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts.
5 PM Block
The lineup, in order of appearance: Harriet (Lexington, KY), Mabel’s Baby (Asheville), Syndication (Greenville, SC)
Seated show, 18+
Price: $15
7 PM Block
Headliner: Messing With A Friend
Opening (in order of appearance): Hardy Boys + Sichuan Pepper Daddies + Abraham
Seated show, 18+
Price: $25
Show info:
AIC is very proud to present, and Western North Carolina is very lucky to host, the legendary Susan Messing as she, plus a special guest, perform the critically-acclaimed Messing with a Friend. See below for more background info on Susan Messing.
Susan Messing wrote and performed in two mainstage revues at the legendary Second City, and directed their National Touring Company. Messing is a founding member of the infamous Annoyance Theatre where she has created roles in over thirty original productions, including “Co-Ed Prison Sluts”, “The Miss Vagina Pageant”, and “Your Butt”. In addition, she conceived, co-adapted (with Mary Scruggs) and directed the critically acclaimed “What Every Girl Should Know…An Ode to Judy Blume” for the Annoyance stage, where she also continues to teach.
You can see Messing’s critically-acclaimed show, “Messing with a Friend” every Thursday night at The Annoyance. Messing has been an adjunct professor for Loyola University, DePaul University’s Theatre School, and The University of Chicago, and The School of Steppenwolf. Her standup act with her puppet, Jolly, has been featured at the HBO/US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, and on Comedy Central’s Premium Blend and NBC’s Late Fridays. You can hear her voice on radio and tv ads. Susan has been cut from several blockbuster films, but her recent movie role in “Let’s Go to Prison!” as a bad stripper in a halo brace, made her very happy. Her daughter, Sofia Mia, is very twelve, very ridiculous, and very awesome.
Opening will be San Diego’s Hardy Boys, Washington, DC’s Sichuan Pepper Daddies and Greenville, SC’s Abraham!
9 PM Block
Headliner: Mamas Boy
Opening (in order of appearance): Soggy Naan + Co-Workers + Aftermath
Seated show, 18+
Price: $25
Show info:
AIC is very proud to present Mama’s Boy, the all-female improv super-group featuring the overwhelmingly talented Maribeth Monroe, Jaime Moyer, Stephanie Courtney and Celeste Pechous! Here’s some more background info on each performer:
Jaime Moyer is an alum of the University of Detroit-Mercy, The Second City-Detroit, and is a current member of the acting unions SAG-AFTRA and AEA. She is also a former Artistic Director of Planet Ant and current Home Team member. Jaime was awarded the sole prize of Maestro at The Out of Bounds Comedy Festival in Austin, Texas in 2011. She has appeared on Parks and Recreation, 2 Broke Girls, Jennifer Falls, and has a recurring role on Disney’s KC Undercover. Jaime is the creator of the viral hit “Fancy Catz” which can be seen on YouTube at the Second City Network, and has appeared in several short and feature length films. She can be seen performing weekly at The Second City Hollywood and iO WEST in Los Angeles, California.
Stephanie Courtney is an actress and improviser and a long time performer at The Groundlings Theater in Los Angeles. Her TV credits include recurring roles on The Goldbergs, Nobodies, You’re The Worst, Mad Men, and The Comeback. On the film side she can be seen opposite Bob Odenkirk in the Netflix feature Girlfriend’s Day, and other credits include The Heartbreak Kid, Christopher Guest’s For Your Consideration, and Melvin Goes to Dinner directed by Bob Odenkirk. She also appeared opposite Nathan Fillion and Adam Tudyk on the popular web-series Con Man. Stephanie is well known for playing “Flo” in the Progressive Insurance commercials. Ad Age recently named her one of the top female ad icons of all time, on a list that included Rosie the Riveter and Betty Crocker.
Celeste Pechous (SAG/AFTRA) has improvised around the world with some of the most distinguished improv theaters. An alumna of the Second City Chicago, Pechous has trained and performed at the Second City Chicago/LA, iO Chicago/LA, and The Annoyance Theater. She was honored Best Actress for her work in The Clan at the Midwest Film Festival and received a Best Actress nominee from the Downtown LA Film Festival and was awarded the Outstanding Performance from The SNAFF Film Festival for her work in the dark-comedy short, Past Due, based on her short story. TV credits include HBO’s Sharp Objects, NBC’s The Kenan Show, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, USA’s Pearsons, Amazon’s Upload, Showtime’s Masters of Sex, Netflix’s One Day at a Time, Epix’s Get Shorty, Comedy Central’s Workaholics,Review and TV Land’s Hot in Cleveland. She appeared in Work in Progress, which debuted to accolades at Sundance 2019. See her next in the feature film Against All Enemies. You can also see her improvise at Second City LA and on tv in one of her many national commercial spots. Pechous teaches Improv at Second City Hollywood and for UCLA’s Extension Studies. She is the founder of Dosage Improv Workshops in Los Angeles.
Opening will be Charlotte’s Soggy Naan, Dallas’s Co-Workers and Asheville’s very own, Aftermath!
The parents are out of town and the kids (local comedians) are running the show!
Come out to LaZoom for a night of comedy from Asheville’s best comics.
Tickets $10 advance, $12 day of
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/moms-out-tonight-local-comedy-showcase-tickets-71017628639

Buncombe County Recreation Services has opened the 2019-2020 cycle of Community Recreation Grants. The grants focus on supplemental funding for qualified organizations to promote innovative, inclusive, and sustainable recreational, fitness, and health and wellness initiatives within Buncombe County as well as community-based activities and capital improvements that increase recreational opportunities for the communities served. Grants may range in amount from $500-$6,000, depending on funding available and the number of qualifying applicants.
Eligible entities include Buncombe County non-profits focused on recreational, fitness, and health and wellness activities. These funds are intended to be a leveraging tool that promote partnerships between the County and area non-profits and are not a donation, funding stream, or sponsorship opportunity. Programs applying for funding should assist Buncombe County Recreation Services in achieving its mission and are required to provide clear timelines and explanations regarding funding requests. The objective of the grants is to extend the reach of the County in its recreation focus areas; grant applicants are required to articulate the estimated impact the grants will have on the community.
Want to Apply?
The grant application deadline is Friday, October 18, 2019. Late applications will be rejected. The Community Recreation Grant Committee will review applications in October and November with all organizations receiving an email notification no later than November 15, 2019.


Flower Essences are energetic remedies and one of Mother Nature’s many healing
gifts to us. As our souls journey through this human experience, we encounter various challenges that require us to evolve beyond our limiting patterns, programs and
beliefs. Flower essences assist us in a gentle and loving way to move beyond our limitations and step into our soul’s greatness. Mental, emotional and spiritual issues
can be transformed through the subtle powers imbued within flowers.
In this workshop we will explore the many aspects of flower essence therapy including:
• Dr. Edward Bach and the history of Flower Essences
• understanding Bach’s 38 remedies
• how to combine flower essences to make effective therapeutic remedies
• working with chronic vs acute conditions
• the art of case taking and finding the key symptoms
• working with intuition, and much more…
• There will also be live case taking with class volunteers
This course is for both lay people and healers who wish to add another powerful therapy to their practice.
Featuring a panel of Business Experts for brief “how to use SCORE” followed by Q&A
Panel includes:
Health Care Administrator and Professor Emeritus
Small Business Owner
Commercial Banker
Chief Information Officer and Small Business Owner
Marketing Expert for Major Multinational Companies.
Franchise Business Operations Officer
For over 50 years SCORE’s thousands of working and retired business professionals have volunteered to support the success of small business nationwide. SCORE business mentoring is free and confidential and provide general business advice on every aspect of business planning, startup, management and growth.
William Frederic Burr is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and podcaster. Outside of stand-up, he is known for playing Patrick Kuby in the AMC crime drama series Breaking Bad, creating and starring in the Netflix animated sitcom F Is for Family, and co-founding the All Things Comedy network. He has hosted the bi-weekly comedy podcast, Monday Morning Podcast, since May 2007.
William Frederic Burr is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and podcaster. Outside of stand-up, he is known for playing Patrick Kuby in the AMC crime drama series Breaking Bad, creating and starring in the Netflix animated sitcom F Is for Family, and co-founding the All Things Comedy network. He has hosted the bi-weekly comedy podcast, Monday Morning Podcast, since May 2007.
Lace Larrabee is back this October for two nights! She is bringing a whole new crew of very exhausted women from Atlanta!!!
Sponsored by BRÖÖ Craft Beer Hair*
Tickets $12 General Admission, $18 VIP
FRIDAY NIGHT
~General Admission: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-totally-exhausted-women-friday-tickets-70459096053
~VIP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vip-lazoom-comedy-totally-exhausted-women-friday-vip-tickets-70459250515
SATURDAY NIGHT
~General Admission: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-totally-exhausted-women-saturday-tickets-70459996747
~VIP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vip-lazoom-comedy-totally-exhausted-women-saturday-vip-tickets-70460263545
*VIP tickets include VIP seating and a bag of BRÖÖ products valued at $15
Lace Larrabee is back this October for two nights! She is bringing a whole new crew of very exhausted women from Atlanta!!!
Sponsored by BRÖÖ Craft Beer Hair*
Tickets $12 General Admission, $18 VIP
FRIDAY NIGHT
~General Admission: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-totally-exhausted-women-friday-tickets-70459096053
~VIP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vip-lazoom-comedy-totally-exhausted-women-friday-vip-tickets-70459250515
SATURDAY NIGHT
~General Admission: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-totally-exhausted-women-saturday-tickets-70459996747
~VIP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vip-lazoom-comedy-totally-exhausted-women-saturday-vip-tickets-70460263545
*VIP tickets include VIP seating and a bag of BRÖÖ products valued at $15
The Southeast Wise Women Herbal Conference is a weekend for women to learn, celebrate and connect. Come share inspiration, celebration and practical learning about earth-based healing and women’s health. Surrounded by the ancient Blue Ridge Mountains, our venue at Kanuga Lake offers a serene backdrop for over 50 workshops and classes in herbalism, nutrition, personal growth and natural healing.
2019 featured speakers include Karen Rose, Sally Fallon, Dr. Jody Noe, Gina Breedlove and many more!
For all of the details and easy online registration visit www.sewisewomen.com

The Southeast Wise Women Herbal Conference was inspired by the thriving herbal conferences for women in the Northeast, Northwest, and California, which were founded in the 1990’s. After many years of running Red Moon Herbs and teaching herbal medicine for women, Corinna Wood—student and apprentice of Wise Woman Herbalist Susun Weed—recognized that the Southeast, too, would be eager for this kind of gathering. From our first annual event in 2005 with 200 women attending, we quickly discovered that the community was more than ready, that this event is filling a deep hunger for the Wise Woman Ways in this region. The conference now has a heart and soul of its own. For many, it has become an annual event—with over a thousand women, the October gathering is a tradition in education, inspiration, and sisterhood.
3 Full days of workshops, intensives, gatherings and more.
For a complete schedule visit: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HcEve8IzhO29Qt_ZFRQXF3jcXtsffDk31v5HEbUNm_A/edit#gid=2075348263
With an even keeled delivery belying blistering takes, Norlex Belma has become one of the hottest comics working in New York City. Norlex got his start in one of the nation’s fastest growing comedy scenes, Pittsburgh, after attending Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Music. Norlex now resides back home in his native Brooklyn and has performed at clubs and colleges around the country including UCB NYC, Carolines on Broadway, The Stand, New York Comedy Club, Broadway Comedy Club, The Comedy Studio in Boston, Pittsburgh Improv, The Grisly Pear, Zanies, The Blue Note, University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, SUNY Oswego, and NYU. Norlex has opened for national headliners such as Gary Gulman, Emma Willmann, Jessica Kirson, Sam Tallent, Marina Franklin, Jermaine Fowler, The Lucas Brothers, Liza Treyger, and Rob Schneider.
In 2016, he was featured in the PBS documentary, The Comedy Confluence, detailing the rise of the Pittsburgh comedy scene.
Since then, he has been a part of the New York Comedy Festival, Red Clay Comedy Festival in Atlanta, Pittsburgh Comedy Festival, Oak City Comedy Festival in Raleigh, WDVE Comedy Festival, and the Orlando Indie Comedy Festival. In the summer of 2018, Norlex headlined Carolines on Broadway as a part of the Breakout Artist Series.
Tickets $10 advance, $12 day of
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-norlex-belma-tickets-71312622975

Did you know that the Development Services Department offers training opportunities for professional development? Classes are held at Wesley Grant Sr. South Center, 285 Livingston St, Asheville, NC 28801 (unless noted otherwise).
Below is a list of upcoming classes:
- Electrical Journeyman Test: Oct. 15, 8 a.m. to noon. Cost: $50.
- Building Code Class: Nov. 5 and 12 (tentative dates), 1 to 4 p.m. Cost: $65.
- Plumbing Code Class: Dec. 3 and 10, 1 to 4 p.m. (tentative dates). Cost: $65.

Did you know that the Development Services Department offers training opportunities for professional development? Classes are held at Wesley Grant Sr. South Center, 285 Livingston St, Asheville, NC 28801 (unless noted otherwise).
Below is a list of upcoming classes:
- Building Code Class: Nov. 5 and 12 (tentative dates), 1 to 4 p.m. Cost: $65.
- Plumbing Code Class: Dec. 3 and 10, 1 to 4 p.m. (tentative dates). Cost: $65.

Did you know that the Development Services Department offers training opportunities for professional development? Classes are held at Wesley Grant Sr. South Center, 285 Livingston St, Asheville, NC 28801 (unless noted otherwise).
Below is a list of upcoming classes:
- Electrical Journeyman Test: Oct. 15, 8 a.m. to noon. Cost: $50.
- Building Code Class: Nov. 5 and 12 (tentative dates), 1 to 4 p.m. Cost: $65.
- Plumbing Code Class: Dec. 3 and 10, 1 to 4 p.m. (tentative dates). Cost: $65.
Kevin O’Brien is Brooklyn based comedian, DJ, writer, and overall expressionist. A regular at clubs and colleges across the country he has opened for some of the biggest names in comedy from Dave Chappelle to Irene from “The Real World.” He has been featured on Viceland, the A.V. Club, and NPR. His comedy has been described as, “Very funny, very depressing” by Youtube commenter Ssgt Griggs. He has also appeared at a number of festivals including TruTv’s High Plains Comedy Festival, Laughing Devil Comedy Festival, and Fest in Gainesville.
Tickets $10 advance, $12 day of
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-kevin-obrien-tickets-70194548785
- It’s critical for planners to know how to effectively organize, budget and market a variety of different events to keep the company in the green, out of trouble, and on the minds of donors, business partners, and customers. Earning a certificate in Event Planning will expose you to the many different facets of being an event planner from managing people and projects to increasing exposure and dollars for your organization. Participants can earn a certificate by attending six of the designated event planning workshops (EP), which are offered each semester. Participants do not enroll in the certificate program, but rather complete the workshops at their own pace. Workshops are offered each semester (spring and fall) on either Thursday or Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at WCU at Biltmore Park, Asheville, NC.
Instructors will distribute a case study at the end of each EP workshop, and participants submit the case studies to the program coordinator when all 6 workshops are completed to complete the final requirement for the certificate. The workshop instructors include professionals from the Western North Carolina business and hospitality industry and faculty from Western Carolina University.
Complete 6 of the below EP workshops and earn a certificate.
Fee: $119 per workshop or register for 6 workshops for $640 (a 10% discount!) Workshops include lunch and continuing education credits.
- FIVE-STAR CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY Friday, August 16, 2019
- MAKING EVERY PENNY COUNT: EVENT BUDGETING 101 Friday, September 20, 2019
- CURRENT & TESTED SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES FOR DIGITAL MARKETING Friday, October 18, 2019
- ENGAGE, STRATEGIZE, CULTIVATE – THE ART OF SECURING EVENT SPONSORSHIPS Thursday, October 24, 2019
- MAXIMIZING YOUR RETURN FROM TRADESHOWS, EXPOS AND FAIRS Thursday, November 7, 2019
- CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, LIABILITY AND RISK FACTORS Friday, November 22, 2019
Jono Zalay began his standup career in Boston, while simultaneously earning his Doctorate in Neuroscience (he gave cocaine to rats). Since dropping his science hobby to pursue comedy full time, Jono has been named one of Comedy Central’s ‘Comics to Watch,’ and earned international press for his pranks on the DMV. Jono now lives in Los Angeles where he has written comedy for Fox, Amazon, and Comedy Central. He has been featured in over 30 comedy festivals around the country including Bridgetown, Big Sky, Limestone, and New York Comedy Festival.
Tickets $10 advance, $12 day of
FRIDAY: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-jono-zalay-friday-tickets-70462791105
SATURDAY: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-jono-zalay-saturday-tickets-70463025807
