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.

Friday, July 17, 2020
“My Life in the Theatre:” NC Black Repertory Company Artistic Director Jackie Alexander
Jul 17 @ 7:00 pm
Online

Sit down for an informal and compelling chat with Winston-Salem-based NC Black Rep Artistic Director Jackie Alexander as the award-winning playwright-director talks about the history of the acclaimed company and the importance of sharing the black experience on the stage. A native of New Orleans, Jackie Alexander is an award-winning actor, writer, producer, director, former Artistic Director of The Billie Holiday Theatre in New York, and current Artistic Director of North Carolina Black Repertory Company, producers of The National Black Theatre Festival. His debut novel, Our Daily Bread, was published by Turner Publishing in the fall of 2012. His debut feature film Joy was awarded Best Feature Film by the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, and also earned Best Actor and Best Screenplay honors for Jackie on the festival circuit. The OBIE and AUDELCO Award-winning Billie Holiday Theatre in New York devoted its entire 2010-2011 season to Jackie’s work; commissioning him to write three new plays and making him the only playwright in the storied history of the theatre to receive that honor. In 2018, the Black Theatre Network (BTN) honored Jackie with the Presidential Pathfinder Award at its yearly conference in Memphis, Tennessee. The award is presented to an artist or an institution that illuminates a path to innovations and new concepts in Black Theatre.

This special preview is scheduled in conjunction with the planned performance by the NC Black Repertory Company as part of the festival’s 2021 season.

To learn more about NC Black Rep: https://ncblackrep.org/

Available via YouTube, appsummer.org

Saturday, July 18, 2020
Black Lives Matter Street Mural Project
Jul 18 all-day
Online

BLM Street Mural

In alignment with the community’s commitment to uplift racial healing and communal reconciliation, Councilwoman Sheneika Smith, along with other community groups and leaders, will be coordinating a public art installation in Asheville’s central business district. The purpose of this installation is to galvanize solidarity and celebrate our collective movement towards addressing systemic issues locally.

Upon final approval from the City of Asheville, the proposal envisions a street mural located at Pack Square Park on N. Pack and S. Pack Square – an area previously planned as part of the city’s public space initiative.

We need financial support to help make this happen! Our goal is to raise $24,000 for supplies, documentation, maintenance, removal, and most importantly to make sure the artists get paid. The Asheville Area Arts Council is the fiscal agent for this project. Please donate what you can and help us spread the word!

One of the main purposes of the Black Lives Matter mural is to elevate the voices of black artists and make sure they are paid for their work. But, it is much more than that. “The artists who will put their hands to this street mural represent many untold stories,” said Councilwoman Smith. “It is my hope that all eyes that connect with this piece will experience and appreciate the bloody truths released from our collective memory onto a hard canvas. Yet, this is more than a painting or bold expression. It’s an altar that observes the most sacred social movement of my lifetime.”

 

BUDGET

$  6,000 Painting supplies and other event day expenses
$  1,900 Documentation (live stream video, photographer)
$  2,000 Maintenance (This temporary installation could be in place for up to a year. Because of wear and tear from vehicular traffic it will require additional maintenance.)
$  6,000 Removal (As part of the approval process, we must provide a maintenance and removal plan. This expense is based on quotes we have collected from other similar projects.)
$  8,100 Artist Honorariums ($1,000 for 1 lead artist per word & $300 per letter for supporting artists)
$24,000 TOTAL*

 

Eblen Charities Amazon Smiles
Jul 18 all-day
Online

Small Donations will add up on
AmazonSmile!
If you are already using Amazon, we would like to remind you that if you use AmazonSmile at smile.amazon.com and choose Eblen Charities as your charity this is just one more way to help our community at no extra cost to you.
The Gallery at Flat Rock Offers Porch Portraits
Jul 18 all-day
varies

Suzanne has generously donated a portion of the session fee to Flat Rock Playhouse and she has a goal of raising $15,000 before the end of the year! She has currently raised $2,015, so help Suzanne reach her goal and capture some memories along the way. Check out some of her portraits above and click the link below to schedule your session today!

Inspired by the national trend of porch portraits, Suzanne of The Gallery at Flat Rock, will be offering portrait sessions and donating a portion of the session cost to Flat Rock Playhouse. 

 A fifteen-minute porch portrait session is $65 (cash or check) of which $15 will be donated to the Flat Rock Playhouse, a friend and neighbor to the gallery which made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 season. 

Ingles Tools for Schools Supply Drive
Jul 18 @ 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
Ingles

The ( Super-Safe-Social-Distancing Drive-Thru Only )
Ingles Tools for Schools Supply Drive
Ingles Tools for Schools Supply Drive: August 4th located at 29 Tunnel Rd.
In partnership with Eblen Charities
Distribution by appointment: August 12th
If your office or group is interested in sponsoring and/or collecting school supplies
please contact Amanda Putnam at [email protected]
Thank You For Being a Friend: The Unauthorized Golden Girls Musical
Jul 18 @ 2:30 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

Picture it. Asheville 2020 and the girls are back, the Golden Girls that is, in the production of Thank You For Being A Friend, the unauthorized Golden Girls musical parody. Our favorite senior ladies are spending their golden years together in a wicker-filled bungalow in Miami. But when pop superstar Ricky Martin moves in next door, his loud outdoor parties keep the cheesecake-loving retirees awake. The score is eventually settled at the annual Shady Oaks Retirement Home Talent Show. You’ll laugh, you’ll laugh so hard you’ll cry … and you may have some cheesecake!

Thank You For Being A Friend is presented as part of Asheville Community Theatre’s Artistic Horizons program, a program that gives local artists the opportunity to pursue new creative paths in the theatre. In the 2019-20 season, Artistic Horizons will feature four productions created by new, emerging, or established writers who are expanding their craft to include playwriting, or are helmed by first time directors who want to workshop a piece before committing to a full performance run.

Introducing Sarah Jones and friends* (who live in her head)…
Jul 18 @ 7:00 pm
Online

Called “a master of the genre” by The New York Times, Sarah Jones is a Tony® and Obie Award-winning performer and writer known for her multi-character, one-person shows (Broadway hit Bridge & Tunnel, originally produced by Oscar® winner Meryl Streep, and her current, critically-acclaimed show Sell/Buy/Date). Renowned as “a one-woman global village,” she has given multiple mainstage TED Talks garnering millions of views, and performed at The White House for President and First Lady Obama.

This special preview is scheduled in conjunction with the planned appearance by Sarah Jones as part of the festival’s 2021 season.

To learn more about Sarah Jones: @yesimsarahjones

Available via YouTube, Facebook, appsummer.org

Thank You For Being a Friend: The Unauthorized Golden Girls Musical
Jul 18 @ 7:30 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

Picture it. Asheville 2020 and the girls are back, the Golden Girls that is, in the production of Thank You For Being A Friend, the unauthorized Golden Girls musical parody. Our favorite senior ladies are spending their golden years together in a wicker-filled bungalow in Miami. But when pop superstar Ricky Martin moves in next door, his loud outdoor parties keep the cheesecake-loving retirees awake. The score is eventually settled at the annual Shady Oaks Retirement Home Talent Show. You’ll laugh, you’ll laugh so hard you’ll cry … and you may have some cheesecake!

Thank You For Being A Friend is presented as part of Asheville Community Theatre’s Artistic Horizons program, a program that gives local artists the opportunity to pursue new creative paths in the theatre. In the 2019-20 season, Artistic Horizons will feature four productions created by new, emerging, or established writers who are expanding their craft to include playwriting, or are helmed by first time directors who want to workshop a piece before committing to a full performance run.

West Side Story POSTPONED to 2021 Season
Jul 18 @ 8:00 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse
Sunday, July 19, 2020
Black Lives Matter Street Mural Project
Jul 19 all-day
Online

BLM Street Mural

In alignment with the community’s commitment to uplift racial healing and communal reconciliation, Councilwoman Sheneika Smith, along with other community groups and leaders, will be coordinating a public art installation in Asheville’s central business district. The purpose of this installation is to galvanize solidarity and celebrate our collective movement towards addressing systemic issues locally.

Upon final approval from the City of Asheville, the proposal envisions a street mural located at Pack Square Park on N. Pack and S. Pack Square – an area previously planned as part of the city’s public space initiative.

We need financial support to help make this happen! Our goal is to raise $24,000 for supplies, documentation, maintenance, removal, and most importantly to make sure the artists get paid. The Asheville Area Arts Council is the fiscal agent for this project. Please donate what you can and help us spread the word!

One of the main purposes of the Black Lives Matter mural is to elevate the voices of black artists and make sure they are paid for their work. But, it is much more than that. “The artists who will put their hands to this street mural represent many untold stories,” said Councilwoman Smith. “It is my hope that all eyes that connect with this piece will experience and appreciate the bloody truths released from our collective memory onto a hard canvas. Yet, this is more than a painting or bold expression. It’s an altar that observes the most sacred social movement of my lifetime.”

 

BUDGET

$  6,000 Painting supplies and other event day expenses
$  1,900 Documentation (live stream video, photographer)
$  2,000 Maintenance (This temporary installation could be in place for up to a year. Because of wear and tear from vehicular traffic it will require additional maintenance.)
$  6,000 Removal (As part of the approval process, we must provide a maintenance and removal plan. This expense is based on quotes we have collected from other similar projects.)
$  8,100 Artist Honorariums ($1,000 for 1 lead artist per word & $300 per letter for supporting artists)
$24,000 TOTAL*

 

Eblen Charities Amazon Smiles
Jul 19 all-day
Online

Small Donations will add up on
AmazonSmile!
If you are already using Amazon, we would like to remind you that if you use AmazonSmile at smile.amazon.com and choose Eblen Charities as your charity this is just one more way to help our community at no extra cost to you.
The Gallery at Flat Rock Offers Porch Portraits
Jul 19 all-day
varies

Suzanne has generously donated a portion of the session fee to Flat Rock Playhouse and she has a goal of raising $15,000 before the end of the year! She has currently raised $2,015, so help Suzanne reach her goal and capture some memories along the way. Check out some of her portraits above and click the link below to schedule your session today!

Inspired by the national trend of porch portraits, Suzanne of The Gallery at Flat Rock, will be offering portrait sessions and donating a portion of the session cost to Flat Rock Playhouse. 

 A fifteen-minute porch portrait session is $65 (cash or check) of which $15 will be donated to the Flat Rock Playhouse, a friend and neighbor to the gallery which made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 season. 

Toe River Arts Online Benefit Auction
Jul 19 all-day
Online

The online auction will feature approximately forty pieces of one-of-a-kind artwork, spanning a
multitude of media, with the majority of pieces being made in Mitchell, Yancey, and Avery counties.
Supporters will recognize work by renowned Toe River Artists like Jim Waters or Kenny Pieper and
will be introduced to new members Melanie Risch and Noah Styles.

 

Individuals interested in bidding on auction items can view listings and preview auction artwork online
at toeriverarts.org/auction beginning Friday, July 3. A full list of participating artists can be found at
toeriverarts.org/auction.
Auction items can be viewed in person at the Toe River Arts Spruce Pine Gallery during normal
operating hours leading up to and during the auction. The Gift Shop & Gallery is open Tuesday –
Saturday, 10:30 AM to 5 PM.

For more information, call 828.765.0524 or email [email protected].

Ingles Tools for Schools Supply Drive
Jul 19 @ 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
Ingles

The ( Super-Safe-Social-Distancing Drive-Thru Only )
Ingles Tools for Schools Supply Drive
Ingles Tools for Schools Supply Drive: August 4th located at 29 Tunnel Rd.
In partnership with Eblen Charities
Distribution by appointment: August 12th
If your office or group is interested in sponsoring and/or collecting school supplies
please contact Amanda Putnam at [email protected]
West Side Story POSTPONED to 2021 Season
Jul 19 @ 2:00 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse
West Side Story POSTPONED until 2021 Season
Jul 19 @ 7:30 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
West Side Story POSTPONED to 2021 Season
Jul 22 @ 2:00 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse
New Pop Up 5K at Fletcher Park
Jul 22 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Fletcher Park or Online

iDaph Events has a new event series: Pop-up 5k in the Park! This is our newest, creative and
socially distant event. No frills – just running! Our iDaph Team will be at Fletcher Park every 2nd
and 4th Wednesday from July through September to offer participants a bib and a chip timed 5K
event for $10. Sign up for all 6 races for just $50 to receive a super comfy, awesome t-shirt and
a commemorative series medal, and to be included in our series scoring and win prizes.

Location:  (Bill Moore Park is formerly known as Fletcher Park and is located at 85
Howard Gap Road in Fletcher, NC). Virtual option can be run anywhere.
Start Time: 6-8pm Show up anytime

Fringe Digital Summer Vol. 2
Jul 22 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Online

It’s the Fringe Digital Summer Night, volume 2! Do you have your reservations yet? This show will happen on zoom and you NEED a link to find it. Get your tickets here (sliding scale $0 to $25)
https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?show=115442 

Join these Fringe favorites:

> Cooper Bates (spoken word/ storytelling, Los Angeles CA)
> Edwin Salas (puppetry/ dance, Asheville NC)
> Taproot CLT (dance, Charlotte, NC)
> Kathleen Leiner (Dance/ contemplative, Asheville NC)
> Cookie Tongue (music/ puppetry/ animation/ experimental, Brooklyn NY)
> Justin Evans (spoken word/ poetry/ experimental Asheville NC)
> Constance Humphries (Butoh, Asheville NC)

Hosted by Dylan Suter (Asheville NC)

Fringe Announcements, community connection!

Tickets are pay what you can, but you do need a ticket in order to receive the link to this Zoom based event.
Reserve your spot now: https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?show=115442

Donate at http://www.ashevillefringe.org/donate

West Side Story POSTPONED until 2021 Season
Jul 22 @ 7:30 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse
Thursday, July 23, 2020
The Gallery at Flat Rock Offers Porch Portraits
Jul 23 all-day
varies

Suzanne has generously donated a portion of the session fee to Flat Rock Playhouse and she has a goal of raising $15,000 before the end of the year! She has currently raised $2,015, so help Suzanne reach her goal and capture some memories along the way. Check out some of her portraits above and click the link below to schedule your session today!

Inspired by the national trend of porch portraits, Suzanne of The Gallery at Flat Rock, will be offering portrait sessions and donating a portion of the session cost to Flat Rock Playhouse. 

 A fifteen-minute porch portrait session is $65 (cash or check) of which $15 will be donated to the Flat Rock Playhouse, a friend and neighbor to the gallery which made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 season. 

West Side Story POSTPONED to 2021 Season
Jul 23 @ 2:00 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse
West Side Story POSTPONED until 2021 Season
Jul 23 @ 7:30 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse
Friday, July 24, 2020
Black Lives Matter Street Mural Project
Jul 24 all-day
Online

BLM Street Mural

In alignment with the community’s commitment to uplift racial healing and communal reconciliation, Councilwoman Sheneika Smith, along with other community groups and leaders, will be coordinating a public art installation in Asheville’s central business district. The purpose of this installation is to galvanize solidarity and celebrate our collective movement towards addressing systemic issues locally.

Upon final approval from the City of Asheville, the proposal envisions a street mural located at Pack Square Park on N. Pack and S. Pack Square – an area previously planned as part of the city’s public space initiative.

We need financial support to help make this happen! Our goal is to raise $24,000 for supplies, documentation, maintenance, removal, and most importantly to make sure the artists get paid. The Asheville Area Arts Council is the fiscal agent for this project. Please donate what you can and help us spread the word!

One of the main purposes of the Black Lives Matter mural is to elevate the voices of black artists and make sure they are paid for their work. But, it is much more than that. “The artists who will put their hands to this street mural represent many untold stories,” said Councilwoman Smith. “It is my hope that all eyes that connect with this piece will experience and appreciate the bloody truths released from our collective memory onto a hard canvas. Yet, this is more than a painting or bold expression. It’s an altar that observes the most sacred social movement of my lifetime.”

 

BUDGET

$  6,000 Painting supplies and other event day expenses
$  1,900 Documentation (live stream video, photographer)
$  2,000 Maintenance (This temporary installation could be in place for up to a year. Because of wear and tear from vehicular traffic it will require additional maintenance.)
$  6,000 Removal (As part of the approval process, we must provide a maintenance and removal plan. This expense is based on quotes we have collected from other similar projects.)
$  8,100 Artist Honorariums ($1,000 for 1 lead artist per word & $300 per letter for supporting artists)
$24,000 TOTAL*

 

The Gallery at Flat Rock Offers Porch Portraits
Jul 24 all-day
varies

Suzanne has generously donated a portion of the session fee to Flat Rock Playhouse and she has a goal of raising $15,000 before the end of the year! She has currently raised $2,015, so help Suzanne reach her goal and capture some memories along the way. Check out some of her portraits above and click the link below to schedule your session today!

Inspired by the national trend of porch portraits, Suzanne of The Gallery at Flat Rock, will be offering portrait sessions and donating a portion of the session cost to Flat Rock Playhouse. 

 A fifteen-minute porch portrait session is $65 (cash or check) of which $15 will be donated to the Flat Rock Playhouse, a friend and neighbor to the gallery which made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 season. 

French Broad River Brewing will be donating a portion of all of their sales to LEAF
Jul 24 @ 1:00 pm – 9:00 pm
French Broad River Brewery

French Broad River Brewery has been brewing quality craft beer in the heart of Asheville, North Carolina since 2001. They consider themselves one of the original breweries to shape the craft beer culture that flourishes in WNC today.  Named after the iconic French Broad River, they are continuously inspired by its rolling waters and thriving wildlife. FBRB embodies the life and spirit of the river in all that we do and we are proud to call them a partner.

Next week, French Broad River Brewing will be donating a portion of all of their sales – online and in their taproom – to LEAF, in an effort to help support our mission and our community. Please consider supporting this local Asheville business, as they support LEAF.

National Players presents “As You Like It”
Jul 24 @ 7:00 pm
Online

Pre-registration required; event will expire at 6pm on Sunday, July 26.

While the COVID-19 pandemic prevented National Players from traveling the U.S. and completing Tour 71, that didn’t stop America’s longest-running theatre company from bringing theatre to their fans. Through this recorded preview performance of Shakespeare’s female-driven comedy As You Like It, which combines classic elements of romance and hidden identities, NP continues its mission of making theatre more accessible. In this classic romantic comedy about gender roles, losing oneself, and discovering oneself anew, Rosalind, banished from the only home she’s ever known, assumes the identity of a man and escapes to the Forest of Arden with her cousin Celia and their fool Touchstone. While there, they run into other exiled folks from the old court, including the dashing and brave Orlando, who won Rosalind’s heart prior to her banishment, but he was too tongue tied to express his love in return. Determined to woo him, Rosalind persuades Orlando in her male disguise to win her heart. For only if Orlando loves her as a man will Rosalind know he truly loves her. National Players meld classic language with contemporary staging of Shakespeare’s imaginative tale about city folk venturing into the woods.

To learn more about National Players: https://www.olneytheatre.org/national-players/about-national-players

Available exclusively via Eventbrite; register at appsummer.org

West Side Story POSTPONED to 2021 Season
Jul 24 @ 8:00 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse
Saturday, July 25, 2020
Black Lives Matter Street Mural Project
Jul 25 all-day
Online

BLM Street Mural

In alignment with the community’s commitment to uplift racial healing and communal reconciliation, Councilwoman Sheneika Smith, along with other community groups and leaders, will be coordinating a public art installation in Asheville’s central business district. The purpose of this installation is to galvanize solidarity and celebrate our collective movement towards addressing systemic issues locally.

Upon final approval from the City of Asheville, the proposal envisions a street mural located at Pack Square Park on N. Pack and S. Pack Square – an area previously planned as part of the city’s public space initiative.

We need financial support to help make this happen! Our goal is to raise $24,000 for supplies, documentation, maintenance, removal, and most importantly to make sure the artists get paid. The Asheville Area Arts Council is the fiscal agent for this project. Please donate what you can and help us spread the word!

One of the main purposes of the Black Lives Matter mural is to elevate the voices of black artists and make sure they are paid for their work. But, it is much more than that. “The artists who will put their hands to this street mural represent many untold stories,” said Councilwoman Smith. “It is my hope that all eyes that connect with this piece will experience and appreciate the bloody truths released from our collective memory onto a hard canvas. Yet, this is more than a painting or bold expression. It’s an altar that observes the most sacred social movement of my lifetime.”

 

BUDGET

$  6,000 Painting supplies and other event day expenses
$  1,900 Documentation (live stream video, photographer)
$  2,000 Maintenance (This temporary installation could be in place for up to a year. Because of wear and tear from vehicular traffic it will require additional maintenance.)
$  6,000 Removal (As part of the approval process, we must provide a maintenance and removal plan. This expense is based on quotes we have collected from other similar projects.)
$  8,100 Artist Honorariums ($1,000 for 1 lead artist per word & $300 per letter for supporting artists)
$24,000 TOTAL*

 

The Gallery at Flat Rock Offers Porch Portraits
Jul 25 all-day
varies

Suzanne has generously donated a portion of the session fee to Flat Rock Playhouse and she has a goal of raising $15,000 before the end of the year! She has currently raised $2,015, so help Suzanne reach her goal and capture some memories along the way. Check out some of her portraits above and click the link below to schedule your session today!

Inspired by the national trend of porch portraits, Suzanne of The Gallery at Flat Rock, will be offering portrait sessions and donating a portion of the session cost to Flat Rock Playhouse. 

 A fifteen-minute porch portrait session is $65 (cash or check) of which $15 will be donated to the Flat Rock Playhouse, a friend and neighbor to the gallery which made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 season.