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.

Thursday, October 31, 2019
An Evening with the Dead (and Very Much Alive Authors)
Oct 31 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Malaprops Bookstore and Café

Come into Malaprop’s for a Halloween séance with authors Dale Bailey, Nathan Ballingrud (pictured), Jake Bible, and Alexandra Duncan, sharing new stories transmitted from beyond the grave.

Thursday Night Flicks Beetlejuice Aloft Asheville Downtown
Oct 31 @ 8:00 pm
Aloft Asheville Downtown

Join us on Thursday, October 31 at 8 p.m. for a night full of tricks and treats! Spend your evening watching Beetlejuice while enjoying festive drinks and small bite specials. Come dressed to impressed in your spookiest costume and receive and 25% off food. We’ll see you there!

Sierra Nevada Hazy Halloween presents: Rocky Horror Picture Show
Oct 31 @ 9:00 pm – 12:00 am
Sierra Nevada

High Gravity at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Mills River, North Carolina

Doors: 9:00PM

Costume Contest Winner Announced: 9:50PM

Film & Performance Begins: 10:00PM

Tickets

General Admission: $10.00 ($13 at the door)

Prop kits available for purchase onsite.

Beer & Snacks available for purchase. Hazy Little Thing IPA on special.

This event is STRICTLY 21+. Valid ID with Admission Ticket will be necessary to enter.

We’re making this Halloween a Hazy one.

Join us for a wild classic: Rocky Horror Picture Show. Dress your best, prepare for absurdity, and cheer on the live shadow cast from Unexpected Pleasures Performance Troupe—acting out the entire film as it’s screened behind them!

In this cult classic, sweethearts Brad (Barry Bostwick) and Janet (Susan Sarandon), stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry), a transvestite scientist. As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rocking biker (Meat Loaf) and a creepy butler (Richard O’Brien). Through elaborate dances and rock songs, Frank-N-Furter unveils his latest creation: a muscular man named “Rocky.”

Saturday, November 2, 2019
Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company’s 2nd Annual Video Contest
Nov 2 all-day
Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company
Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company’s 2nd Annual Video Contest where we create a contest for local filmmakers with three Jury Award cash prizes is now open to submissions.
The 2019 contest is to create a fake movie trailer that is between 30-60 seconds in length.
Also, just like our 2018 contest we are giving all qualifying entries a $25 Asheville Brewing Co. gift card that is good to use at any of our three locations.  No other contest actually pays filmmakers to enter.
After 20+ years of giving WNC great pizza, beer and movies we are thrilled to provide this annual contest supporting the filmmakers of the future.
Here are some bullet points of the contest details:
  • Length of the fake movie trailers must be between 30-60 seconds.
  • The fake movie trailers can be any of any genre, but must follow the rules and content guidelines to qualify (link below). Please stress this.
  • It is open to all ages, and any resident of Western North Carolina.
  • Submissions are now open and the deadline to submit a video is Sunday, November 10th at 11:59pm.
  • Qualifying entries will be shared on our Facebook/Instagram pages and also will play in our pre-show entertainment before movies at our Merrimon movie theater.
  • JURY AWARDS = $300 for 1st Place / $150 for 2nd Place / $100 for 3rd Place
  • PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS = We’ll post all of the qualifying videos to both our Facebook and Instagram pages, and let the public vote on their favorites. The winners receive Asheville Brewing Co. gift cards.
Please direct people to the video contest web page below on our website for all the rules and guidelines:
All questions can be emailed to:
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company’s 2nd Annual Video Contest
Nov 3 all-day
Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company
Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company’s 2nd Annual Video Contest where we create a contest for local filmmakers with three Jury Award cash prizes is now open to submissions.
The 2019 contest is to create a fake movie trailer that is between 30-60 seconds in length.
Also, just like our 2018 contest we are giving all qualifying entries a $25 Asheville Brewing Co. gift card that is good to use at any of our three locations.  No other contest actually pays filmmakers to enter.
After 20+ years of giving WNC great pizza, beer and movies we are thrilled to provide this annual contest supporting the filmmakers of the future.
Here are some bullet points of the contest details:
  • Length of the fake movie trailers must be between 30-60 seconds.
  • The fake movie trailers can be any of any genre, but must follow the rules and content guidelines to qualify (link below). Please stress this.
  • It is open to all ages, and any resident of Western North Carolina.
  • Submissions are now open and the deadline to submit a video is Sunday, November 10th at 11:59pm.
  • Qualifying entries will be shared on our Facebook/Instagram pages and also will play in our pre-show entertainment before movies at our Merrimon movie theater.
  • JURY AWARDS = $300 for 1st Place / $150 for 2nd Place / $100 for 3rd Place
  • PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS = We’ll post all of the qualifying videos to both our Facebook and Instagram pages, and let the public vote on their favorites. The winners receive Asheville Brewing Co. gift cards.
Please direct people to the video contest web page below on our website for all the rules and guidelines:
All questions can be emailed to:
Stories Beyond Borders
Nov 3 @ 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
AB Tech-Ferguson Auditorium

You're invited!

At a moment when the rights of immigrants are under constant attack, a more complete story of immigration needs to be told to address the harms perpetuated by immigration enforcement practices and policies that extend beyond the crisis at the border. Whether it’s through raids, people being picked up at courthouses, or being forced to take sanctuary – families are being targeted and separated across the country.

Join us to learn more about this injustice through a screening of short films and discussion about immigrant justice.

This event is free and open to everyone.

 

Thursday, November 14, 2019
Ramble Ladies Evening Book Club
Nov 14 @ 7:00 pm
contact organizer

Second Thursday each Month
If you are interested in joining the Ramble Ladies Evening Book Club held the second Thursday of each month at 7pm, please, contact Judy Deutsch at [email protected].
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Mountainfilm on Tour – Asheville
Nov 23 @ 6:00 pm
The Orange Peel

This fall, Muddy Sneakers will host Asheville’s only screening of Mountainfilm on Tour for the third year, debuting at a new downtown location. The 2019 edition of Mountainfilm will take place Saturday, Nov. 23 at The Orange Peel in Asheville, offering a chance for the community to come together to celebrate connection to the natural world and support a regional outdoor science education program.
The evening will feature a selection of culturally rich, adventure-packed, and inspiring documentary films curated from the Mountainfilm festival in Telluride, Colo. This year’s lineup includes thoughtful storytelling and dazzling cinematography exploring themes connected to Mountainfilm’s mission: using the power of film, art, and ideas to inspire audiences to create a better world.
A Mountainfilm presenter will guide the audience through the program, providing insight on the films, filmmakers, and subjects. Doors open at 6 p.m.; films start at 7 p.m. All proceeds benefit programming at Muddy Sneakers, a Brevard-based nonprofit that introduces a growing number of students across the state to the joy of learning outside.

Mountainfilm on Tour in Asheville
Nov 23 @ 7:00 pm
The Orange Peel

Muddy Sneakers is thrilled to host Mountainfilm on Tour for its third annual appearance in Asheville! Join us for what is sure to be an incredible night of community and film as we celebrate our shared passion for the outdoors. The featured films are a selection of culturally rich, adventure-packed and incredibly inspiring documentary films curated from the Mountainfilm festival held annually in Telluride, Colorado. A Mountainfilm presenter will guide you through the program, providing insight on the films, filmmakers, and subjects. All proceeds from the event will benefit Muddy Sneakers’ school programming in NC and its efforts to introduce a growing number of public elementary students to the joy of learning outside.

Sunday, November 24, 2019
Guided Walk in Historic Oakdale Cemetery “Look Homeward Angel”
Nov 24 @ 2:15 pm – 3:45 pm
Oakdale Cemetery

Join me along the pathways of Hendersonville’s Historic Oakdale Cemetery where the “Look Homeward Angel” statue is located. Grave markers throughout this place tell interesting stories and whisper secrets from the past … so come along to discover illustrious and notorious characters of long ago. These 90-minute walks occur rain or shine.
Meeting place: Oakdale Cemetery, U.S. 64 W. at Valley St.

Asheville Outlets Presents Santa Movie Night
Nov 24 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Asheville Outlets

Come on over to Asheville Outlets (ShopAshevilleOutlets.com) November 24th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and join us for treats, crafts, games, and a complimentary showing of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! This event is free to attend, but RSVP is required. To RSVP please visit: www.eventbrite.com/e/santa-movie-night-tickets-80362477333. Located inside Food Court.

Santa Movie Night How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Nov 24 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Asheville Outlets

Santa Movie Night

November 24, 2019 – 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. inside Food Court

Join us for treats, crafts, games, and a complimentary showing of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! This event is free to attend, but RSVP is required. To RSVP please visit:

Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Social Justice Book Club
Nov 26 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Alternates Leicester Library Firestorm Book Store

Social Justice Book Club

Tuesday, October 22, 2019, 7 – 8pm
Location Leicester Library – 1561 Alexander Rd. – Leicester
Phone (828) 250-6480
Email [email protected]
Event Type Book Club
Age Group Adult
Library Leicester
Details

Build relationships and build your understanding of social justice in this new reading group sponsored by the Leicester Library!

Monthly meetings will alternate between the Leicester Library and Firestorm.

On October 22, we’ll discuss I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown at the Leicester Library.

On November 26, we’ll discuss The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater at Firestorm.

On December 17, we’ll discuss How To Be Less Stupid About Race by Crystal Fleming at the Leicester Library.

You may check out the book from any BCPL branch, or purchase a copy at a discount from Firestorm. Meetings will alternate monthly between the Leicester Library and Firestorm.

Future titles will be selected with guidance from the host librarian and book club participants.

Link www.firestorm.coop…
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Ramble Ladies Evening Book Club
Dec 12 @ 7:00 pm
contact organizer

Second Thursday each Month
If you are interested in joining the Ramble Ladies Evening Book Club held the second Thursday of each month at 7pm, please, contact Judy Deutsch at [email protected].
Friday, December 13, 2019
YWCA Aquatics Presents: Float with a Flick Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Dec 13 @ 5:00 pm – 8:45 pm
YWCA Asheville

Kids ages 5-12 are invited to join YWCA Aquatics for Float with a Flick: A Parents-Night-Out Indoor Pool Party, Friday, December 13th! Doors open at 5, Movie will start at 5:30pm, when movie ends we will have open swim until 8:45pm. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone will be featured!
Cost is $5.00 per child. Families do not need to be members of YWCA to register!

Register online HERE or contact Kitty Schmidt at [email protected] or (828) 254-7206.
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Family Movie Afternoon at the Fairview Library: The Grinch
Dec 14 @ 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Fairview Library

Saturday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m.
Benedict Cumberbatch as The Grinch? Yes, please! Your holiday season isn’t complete unless you’ve spent time with this beloved curmudgeon. What will happen in this exciting, suspenseful, and, quite possibly, joyful holiday caper? Join us on Saturday, December 14th at 2pm to find out! This free film is rated PG and runs 90 minutes.

Monday, December 16, 2019
Free Holiday Movie Night Elf
Dec 16 @ 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm
The Orange Peel

Free Holiday Movie Night
Elf
SANTA! OH MY GOD! SANTA’S COMING! I KNOW HIM!
Show: 7pm
Rated PG
FREE
Fully seated

Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Social Justice Book Club
Dec 17 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Alternates Leicester Library Firestorm Book Store

Social Justice Book Club

Tuesday, October 22, 2019, 7 – 8pm
Location Leicester Library – 1561 Alexander Rd. – Leicester
Phone (828) 250-6480
Email [email protected]
Event Type Book Club
Age Group Adult
Library Leicester
Details

Build relationships and build your understanding of social justice in this new reading group sponsored by the Leicester Library!

Monthly meetings will alternate between the Leicester Library and Firestorm.

On October 22, we’ll discuss I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown at the Leicester Library.

On November 26, we’ll discuss The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater at Firestorm.

On December 17, we’ll discuss How To Be Less Stupid About Race by Crystal Fleming at the Leicester Library.

You may check out the book from any BCPL branch, or purchase a copy at a discount from Firestorm. Meetings will alternate monthly between the Leicester Library and Firestorm.

Future titles will be selected with guidance from the host librarian and book club participants.

Link www.firestorm.coop…
Thursday, December 19, 2019
Sneak Preview Screening of Killer Raccoons! 2!
Dec 19 @ 8:00 pm
Fleetwood's

Come to Fleetwood’s for a sneak preview of the action/comedy feature “Killer Raccoons! 2! Dark Christmas in the Dark!” 8pm

On a cold Christmas Eve, former mild-mannered college student Casey Smallwood is released from prison after serving ten years for underage drinking. Eager to get out of town, he plans to meet his longtime pen pal on a train to Washington, D.C., but after the holiday express enters the winter wilderness, it’s hijacked by an angry gang of domestic terrorists and highly-intelligent, government-trained raccoons! Not one to back down from a raccoon fight, Casey joins forces with a porter on the train to fight the terrorists and help bring down a top secret, raccoon-controlled, military laser satellite!

The long awaited sequel to the Overbites Pictures and Troma Entertainment cult classic “Coons! Night of the Bandits of the Night” is finally here! “Killer Raccoons! 2! Dark Christmas in the Dark” is a send up of several bad action movie sequels, using plot elements from “Under Siege 2: Dark Territory,” “Die Hard 2” and “Speed 2: Cruise Control.”

Tickets $10, will be shown as a double feature with a surprise second film. Also meet and greet with the creators after the screening!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sneak-preview-screening-of-killer-raccoons-2-tickets-83112873843

Saturday, December 21, 2019
The Muppet Christmas Carol Movie Screening at Pack Library
Dec 21 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Pack Library

Saturday, Dec. 21 at 1 p.m.
It’s that time of the year…for our annual screening of The Muppet Christmas Carol held in our auditorium! We’ll have treats and beverages. Bring your sleeping bag, blanket, or pillow if you want to sit or lie down in the front to watch. Chairs will be out as well.  Program is free, all ages are welcome.

Thursday, December 26, 2019
Thursday Night Flicks: Christmas Vacation
Dec 26 @ 8:00 pm
Aloft Asheville Downtown

The holidays don’t stop at Aloft! Join us on Thursday, December 26 at 8 p.m. to celebrate most wonderful time of the year by watching a holiday classic: Christmas Vacation. Munch on small bites, sip on cocktails and enjoy complimentary popcorn while indulging in the holidays. We hope to see you there!

Monday, December 30, 2019
Science Fiction Book Club
Dec 30 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Malaprop's Bookstore

Join host and Malaprop’s Bookseller Allison Beatty to dive into the wreck of the wily and wonderful world of sci-fi, weird fiction, speculative fiction, literary horror, and disturbing fiction with a healthy mix of underappreciated classic and contemporary books. Click here to see a full schedule of what the club is reading. Club attendees get 10% off the book at Malaprop’s!

The club meets the at Malaprop’s on the last Monday of every month at 7:00pm.

 

Event date:
Monday, December 30, 2019 – 7:00pm
Monday, January 27, 2020 – 7:00pm
Monday, February 24, 2020 – 7:00pm
Monday, March 30, 2020 – 7:00pm
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
Malaprops New Year’s Day Special store hours and Annual Sale!
Jan 1 @ 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Malaprops Bookstore

Happy New Year! We don’t know what 2020 will bring, but we know that life is better with books! Malaprop’s will be open from 12 noon to 5 pm and almost every item in the store will be 25% off!

Discount applies to in-stock merchandise only. Excludes cafe items, gift cards, and previously discounted items. Cannot be combined with other offers or discounts.

Thursday, January 2, 2020
Michael Diettrich-Chastain presents Changes
Jan 2 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe

Changes: The Busy Professional's Guide to Reducing Stress, Accomplishing Goals and Mastering Adaptability Cover Image

Why do people struggle with creating the changes they say they want? With over a decade of work with thousands of clients in the fields of organizational consulting, executive coaching and psychotherapy, author Michael Diettrich-Chastain reveals the seven life dimensions that impact our ability to make professional and personal changes…as well as why we succeed at making certain changes and fail at others. Ever wonder why things aren’t going the way you planned? Why things are happening TO you instead of YOU making them happen? Have you set out to create change in your life and then been drawn back into old patterns that you tried so hard to avoid?
Do you know what questions to ask to get you moving and excited about your personal and professional life again? CHANGES will help you ask the right questions, integrate the various parts of your life experience, and translate understanding into behavior.

Michael Diettrich-Chastain is a leader in the field of personal and professional change. His expertise is in the integration of self.  Since 2005, he has helped thousands of individuals make a wide range of personal and professional changes. Michael truly understands what is necessary to create sustainable positive change. He holds a BA in Psychology and Spanish, a MA in Counseling and is certified in multiple assessment tools used to help leaders and teams improve performance in the workplace. Michael is a speaker, executive coach, trainer and founder of Arc Integrated, an independent organizational consulting and professional coaching practice that helps executives and ambitious individuals around the world focus specifically on developing their emotional intelligence, leadership and communication. Michael’s purpose is to help clients connect the various parts of their lived experience in order to create sustainable growth in work and life. He lives in Asheville, NC.

This event is free and open to the public. We ask that you purchase the books you want to be signed at our events from Malaprop’s. When you do this you are not only supporting the work it takes to run an events program, you are also telling the publishers that they should keep sending authors here. Can’t make it to the store for the event? Call us or order the book on our website in advance, and we’ll get it signed for you. Make sure you write your preferences in the comments if you purchase online.

Crime and Politics Book Club
Jan 2 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Malaprop’s Bookstore

Join host and Malaprop’s Bookseller Patricia Furnish to discuss a range of books across true crime and public affairs. The club meets the first Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. Click here to learn more about the club, view important news, and find the pick for this month.

 

Event date:
Thursday, January 2, 2020 – 7:00pm
Thursday, February 6, 2020 – 7:00pm
Thursday, March 5, 2020 – 7:00pm
Thursday, April 2, 2020 – 7:00pm
Friday, January 3, 2020
Mark Powell presents Firebird
Jan 3 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Malaprop's Bookstore

Firebird Cover Image

In this stunning new literary thriller, a U.S. arms deal gone south takes you into the underground world of political operatives, Ivy League criminals, and a hedge fund billionaire with eyes on the presidency.

Mark Powell has been called the ” best Appalachian novelist of his generation” by Ron Rash, and a writer “on the verge of greatness” by Pat Conroy. He is the author of six novels, including Small Treasons (Simon & Schuster) and The Sheltering (Story River). Powell has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Breadloaf and Sewanee Writers’ Conferences, and in 2014 was a Fulbright Fellow to Slovakia. In 2009 he received the Chaffin Award for contributions to Appalachian literature. He holds degrees from Yale Divinity School, the University of South Carolina, and the Citadel. He lives in the mountains of North Carolina where he teaches at Appalachian State University.

This event is free and open to the public. We ask that you purchase the books you want to be signed at our events from Malaprop’s. When you do this you are not only supporting the work it takes to run an events program, you are also telling the publishers that they should keep sending authors here. Can’t make it to the store for the event? Call us or order the book on our website in advance, and we’ll get it signed for you. Make sure you write your preferences in the comments if you purchase online.

Monday, January 6, 2020
LGBTQ Book Club
Jan 6 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Malaprop’s Bookstore

Join host Alex Ruiz to discuss a wide-ranging selection of fiction and non-fiction focused on the LGBTQ community.  Click here to see a full schedule of what the club is reading. Club attendees get 10% off the book at Malaprop’s!

The club meets at Malaprop’s the first Monday of every month at 7:00 pm.

Event date:
Monday, January 6, 2020 – 7:00pm
Monday, February 3, 2020 – 7:00pm
Monday, March 2, 2020 – 7:00pm
Monday, April 6, 2020 – 7:00pm
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
Mark de Castrique launches Murder in Rat Alley
Jan 7 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Malaprop's Bookstore

Murder in Rat Alley Cover Image

Iraq War veteran Sam Blackman with his prosthetic leg and his no-nonsense private eye partner Nakayla Robertson love their investigations which always carry a thread from the past–and they love each other. An interracial couple in the new South, the Asheville, NC, pair has surrounded themselves with a terrific support team including an unorthodox lawyer and a veteran cop. They deploy humor both to bind them together and to deflect insults. Plus, it helps deal with the tragedies their work uncovers.

Such a tragedy interrupts a meeting between the PIs and the neighboring law office when a body is unearthed from the grounds of the nearby Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute. During the Cold War it monitored developing space programs. Today it plays a vital role gathering weather and climate data. The body has been in the ground a long time. Why would its discovery spark off a new murder in Asheville’s mountain music scene, the victim found amid the garbage of dark, dank Rat Alley?

She was the fiancée of the man murdered long ago. But surely this case is more than a domestic drama playing out over time….

The Blackman Agency Investigations excel at merging past and present, bringing little-known history to light, and are perfect for fans of James Lee Burke, Stephen Mack Jones, Margaret Maron, and Robert B. Parker.

Mark de Castrique grew up in the mountains of western North Carolina where many of his novels are set. He’s a veteran of the television and film production industry, has served as an adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte teaching The American Mystery, and he’s a frequent speaker and workshop leader. He and his wife, Linda, live in Charlotte, North Carolina. www.markdecastrique.com

This event is free and open to the public. We ask that you purchase the books you want to be signed at our events from Malaprop’s. When you do this you are not only supporting the work it takes to run an events program, you are also telling the publishers that they should keep sending authors here. Can’t make it to the store for the event? Call us or order the book on our website in advance, and we’ll get it signed for you. Make sure you write your preferences in the comments if you purchase online.

WILD (Women in Lively Discussion) Book Club
Jan 7 @ 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Battery Park Book Exchange

Join former Malaprop’s General Manager Linda-Marie Barrett for this woman-only book club that seeks to have fun by reading books (fiction & non) by women writers. Click here to see a full schedule of what the club is reading. Club attendees get 10% off the book at Malaprop’s!

The club meets at 6:30 P.M. on the first Tuesday of the month at the Battery Park Book Exchange.

Event date:
Tuesday, January 7, 2020 – 6:30pm
Tuesday, February 4, 2020 – 6:30pm
Tuesday, March 3, 2020 – 6:30pm
Tuesday, April 7, 2020 – 6:30pm
Adult Book Discussion “How to Walk Away” by Katherine Center
Jan 7 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Enka-Candler Library