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.

On exhibit Saturdays and Sundays from 12 – 4 p.m. (weather permitting), Rocky Cove Railroad is a G-Scale (garden scale) model train that demonstrates the coming of trains to western North Carolina at the turn of the 20th century. The exhibit is located below the Grand Garden Promenade.
The Arboretum’s popular ArborEvenings summer after hours series will return this season with a special LEGO twist. Held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July through September, from 8 to 11 …

Call on Asheville City Council to do its part to clean up the French Broad River, starting with the establishment of a Stormwater Task Force to address the City’s water pollution problems. Not only does the City have a legal obligation to protect water quality, Council’s commitment to racial equity demands action to protect residents of the Southside neighborhood from the highest pollution levels in the city.
Our river is a public resource, and tens of thousands of people recreate on the French Broad every year. However, none of the testing sites within the City of Asheville pass the EPA’s safe limit on average, and the worst site that we test is Nasty Branch, which drains over half of downtown Asheville and flows through the historically African American Southside neighborhood, before discharging into the French Broad River in the River Arts District.
High levels of E. coli also indicate the presence of other, more harmful microbes, such as Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Shigella, and norovirus. Heavy rains and storms often result in spikes in E. coli contamination, increasing the risk to human health. Contact with or consumption of contaminated water can cause gastrointestinal illness and skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic and wound infections. The most commonly reported symptoms are stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and low-grade fever.
Asheville City Council has a moral and legal responsibility under the Clean Water Act to protect our river and water quality for all city residents. Henderson County has already established a Stormwater Task Force, Asheville should too.

On exhibit Saturdays and Sundays from 12 – 4 p.m. (weather permitting), Rocky Cove Railroad is a G-Scale (garden scale) model train that demonstrates the coming of trains to western North Carolina at the turn of the 20th century. The exhibit is located below the Grand Garden Promenade.

Call on Asheville City Council to do its part to clean up the French Broad River, starting with the establishment of a Stormwater Task Force to address the City’s water pollution problems. Not only does the City have a legal obligation to protect water quality, Council’s commitment to racial equity demands action to protect residents of the Southside neighborhood from the highest pollution levels in the city.
Our river is a public resource, and tens of thousands of people recreate on the French Broad every year. However, none of the testing sites within the City of Asheville pass the EPA’s safe limit on average, and the worst site that we test is Nasty Branch, which drains over half of downtown Asheville and flows through the historically African American Southside neighborhood, before discharging into the French Broad River in the River Arts District.
High levels of E. coli also indicate the presence of other, more harmful microbes, such as Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Shigella, and norovirus. Heavy rains and storms often result in spikes in E. coli contamination, increasing the risk to human health. Contact with or consumption of contaminated water can cause gastrointestinal illness and skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic and wound infections. The most commonly reported symptoms are stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and low-grade fever.
Asheville City Council has a moral and legal responsibility under the Clean Water Act to protect our river and water quality for all city residents. Henderson County has already established a Stormwater Task Force, Asheville should too.
The Arboretum’s popular ArborEvenings summer after hours series will return this season with a special LEGO twist. Held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July through September, from 8 to 11 …

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus), Grandfather Mountain is only selling tickets online.
Only a select number of tickets will be sold per day for certain time-slots to limit the number of guests in the park at one time, in accordance with the state of North Carolina’s phased “reopening” plan and social gathering guidelines.
Please check back closer to your visit for ticket availability. As of now, reservations are only available through June 21.
Each guest entering the park must have a ticket, which includes a time-slot. Prices are as follows:
Adult: $22
Senior (age 60+): $20
Child (ages 4-12): $9
AAA Adult: $20 (must present valid AAA card)
AAA Child: $8 (must present valid AAA card)
The Arboretum’s popular ArborEvenings summer after hours series will return this season with a special LEGO twist. Held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July through September, from 8 to 11 …

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus), Grandfather Mountain is only selling tickets online.
Only a select number of tickets will be sold per day for certain time-slots to limit the number of guests in the park at one time, in accordance with the state of North Carolina’s phased “reopening” plan and social gathering guidelines.
Please check back closer to your visit for ticket availability. As of now, reservations are only available through June 21.
Each guest entering the park must have a ticket, which includes a time-slot. Prices are as follows:
Adult: $22
Senior (age 60+): $20
Child (ages 4-12): $9
AAA Adult: $20 (must present valid AAA card)
AAA Child: $8 (must present valid AAA card)

On exhibit Saturdays and Sundays from 12 – 4 p.m. (weather permitting), Rocky Cove Railroad is a G-Scale (garden scale) model train that demonstrates the coming of trains to western North Carolina at the turn of the 20th century. The exhibit is located below the Grand Garden Promenade.
The Arboretum’s popular ArborEvenings summer after hours series will return this season with a special LEGO twist. Held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July through September, from 8 to 11 …

On exhibit Saturdays and Sundays from 12 – 4 p.m. (weather permitting), Rocky Cove Railroad is a G-Scale (garden scale) model train that demonstrates the coming of trains to western North Carolina at the turn of the 20th century. The exhibit is located below the Grand Garden Promenade.
Starting Sept. 3, the following campgrounds will reopen:
Abrams Creek, Balsam Mountain, Big Creek, Cataloochee and Cosby Campgrounds, and Big Creek, Cataloochee, Round Bottom and Tow String Horse Camps.
The only campground to remain closed is Look Rock on the Tennessee side of the park, which is still closed for rehabilitation, said spokeswoman Dana Soehn. All group campsites remain closed.
Heintooga and Look Rock picnic areas and Little Greenbrier Road will also reopen Sept. 3.

Playground openings.
Some areas remain closed including restrooms and picnic shelters. Paddle boat, water trike, and Jon boat rentals will not be available until further notice.
Staying physically active is one of the best ways to keep your mind and body healthy. Parks are open spaces to exercise for no or little cost, places for hurried individuals to reconnect with nature, and community areas to connect with neighbors and preserve culture. While these facilities and areas can offer mental and physical health benefits, it is important that you follow the steps below to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.
Guidance for Park Visitors
- Remember that ongoing community spread of COVID-19 continues. Practice the three Ws:
- Wear a cloth face covering over your nose and mouth when you go out or are around others.
- Wait at least six feet apart from and avoid close contact with others who do not live in your household.
- Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer often.
- Stay home if you are sick or exhibiting symptoms.
- Wash your hands before leaving home and bring sanitizer or wipes, water, and sunscreen. No restrooms or water fountains are currently open.
- Maintain at least six feet of physical distance between yourself and anyone who does not live in your household.
- Outdoor gatherings are limited to 50 persons.
- Playgrounds are subject to regular cleaning, but the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread when kids touch contaminated objects, and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Picnic shelters remain closed.
- Keep it moving when using trails and step aside to let others pass. At some parks, trails may be marked as one-way only.
- Limit your park time so that others can also safely enjoy the space.
- Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter to help minimize invasive species, bank erosion, and water pollution.
- Let us know how you’re enjoying your parks! Tag Recreation Services on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #IHeartBCParks.
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Buncombe County is diverse. Playgrounds should be, too. The spirit of inclusion is straightforward in a recent partnership that has brought swing access for persons of all abilities to the three largest parks in the County’s Recreation Services system.
With support from Dogwood Health Trust, Sand Hill Lions Club, and the citizens of Buncombe County, wheelchair swings can be found at Buncombe County Sports Park, Charles D. Owen Park, and Lake Julian Park that adhere to Americans with Disability Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design. Front and rear ramps allow easy access onto and off a 32 inch wide platform (the same as standard doorway entries). Wheelchairs can easily navigate on specially engineered mulch that also acts as a safety feature in case a user should fall.

Playground openings.
Some areas remain closed including restrooms and picnic shelters. Paddle boat, water trike, and Jon boat rentals will not be available until further notice.
Staying physically active is one of the best ways to keep your mind and body healthy. Parks are open spaces to exercise for no or little cost, places for hurried individuals to reconnect with nature, and community areas to connect with neighbors and preserve culture. While these facilities and areas can offer mental and physical health benefits, it is important that you follow the steps below to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.
Guidance for Park Visitors
- Remember that ongoing community spread of COVID-19 continues. Practice the three Ws:
- Wear a cloth face covering over your nose and mouth when you go out or are around others.
- Wait at least six feet apart from and avoid close contact with others who do not live in your household.
- Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer often.
- Stay home if you are sick or exhibiting symptoms.
- Wash your hands before leaving home and bring sanitizer or wipes, water, and sunscreen. No restrooms or water fountains are currently open.
- Maintain at least six feet of physical distance between yourself and anyone who does not live in your household.
- Outdoor gatherings are limited to 50 persons.
- Playgrounds are subject to regular cleaning, but the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread when kids touch contaminated objects, and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Picnic shelters remain closed.
- Keep it moving when using trails and step aside to let others pass. At some parks, trails may be marked as one-way only.
- Limit your park time so that others can also safely enjoy the space.
- Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter to help minimize invasive species, bank erosion, and water pollution.
- Let us know how you’re enjoying your parks! Tag Recreation Services on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #IHeartBCParks.
![]() |
Buncombe County is diverse. Playgrounds should be, too. The spirit of inclusion is straightforward in a recent partnership that has brought swing access for persons of all abilities to the three largest parks in the County’s Recreation Services system.
With support from Dogwood Health Trust, Sand Hill Lions Club, and the citizens of Buncombe County, wheelchair swings can be found at Buncombe County Sports Park, Charles D. Owen Park, and Lake Julian Park that adhere to Americans with Disability Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design. Front and rear ramps allow easy access onto and off a 32 inch wide platform (the same as standard doorway entries). Wheelchairs can easily navigate on specially engineered mulch that also acts as a safety feature in case a user should fall.
The Arboretum’s popular ArborEvenings summer after hours series will return this season with a special LEGO twist. Held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July through September, from 8 to 11 …

Playground openings.
Some areas remain closed including restrooms and picnic shelters. Paddle boat, water trike, and Jon boat rentals will not be available until further notice.
Staying physically active is one of the best ways to keep your mind and body healthy. Parks are open spaces to exercise for no or little cost, places for hurried individuals to reconnect with nature, and community areas to connect with neighbors and preserve culture. While these facilities and areas can offer mental and physical health benefits, it is important that you follow the steps below to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.
Guidance for Park Visitors
- Remember that ongoing community spread of COVID-19 continues. Practice the three Ws:
- Wear a cloth face covering over your nose and mouth when you go out or are around others.
- Wait at least six feet apart from and avoid close contact with others who do not live in your household.
- Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer often.
- Stay home if you are sick or exhibiting symptoms.
- Wash your hands before leaving home and bring sanitizer or wipes, water, and sunscreen. No restrooms or water fountains are currently open.
- Maintain at least six feet of physical distance between yourself and anyone who does not live in your household.
- Outdoor gatherings are limited to 50 persons.
- Playgrounds are subject to regular cleaning, but the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread when kids touch contaminated objects, and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Picnic shelters remain closed.
- Keep it moving when using trails and step aside to let others pass. At some parks, trails may be marked as one-way only.
- Limit your park time so that others can also safely enjoy the space.
- Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter to help minimize invasive species, bank erosion, and water pollution.
- Let us know how you’re enjoying your parks! Tag Recreation Services on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #IHeartBCParks.
![]() |
Buncombe County is diverse. Playgrounds should be, too. The spirit of inclusion is straightforward in a recent partnership that has brought swing access for persons of all abilities to the three largest parks in the County’s Recreation Services system.
With support from Dogwood Health Trust, Sand Hill Lions Club, and the citizens of Buncombe County, wheelchair swings can be found at Buncombe County Sports Park, Charles D. Owen Park, and Lake Julian Park that adhere to Americans with Disability Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design. Front and rear ramps allow easy access onto and off a 32 inch wide platform (the same as standard doorway entries). Wheelchairs can easily navigate on specially engineered mulch that also acts as a safety feature in case a user should fall.

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus), Grandfather Mountain is only selling tickets online.
Only a select number of tickets will be sold per day for certain time-slots to limit the number of guests in the park at one time, in accordance with the state of North Carolina’s phased “reopening” plan and social gathering guidelines.
Please check back closer to your visit for ticket availability. As of now, reservations are only available through June 21.
Each guest entering the park must have a ticket, which includes a time-slot. Prices are as follows:
Adult: $22
Senior (age 60+): $20
Child (ages 4-12): $9
AAA Adult: $20 (must present valid AAA card)
AAA Child: $8 (must present valid AAA card)
The Arboretum’s popular ArborEvenings summer after hours series will return this season with a special LEGO twist. Held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July through September, from 8 to 11 …

Playground openings.
Some areas remain closed including restrooms and picnic shelters. Paddle boat, water trike, and Jon boat rentals will not be available until further notice.
Staying physically active is one of the best ways to keep your mind and body healthy. Parks are open spaces to exercise for no or little cost, places for hurried individuals to reconnect with nature, and community areas to connect with neighbors and preserve culture. While these facilities and areas can offer mental and physical health benefits, it is important that you follow the steps below to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.
Guidance for Park Visitors
- Remember that ongoing community spread of COVID-19 continues. Practice the three Ws:
- Wear a cloth face covering over your nose and mouth when you go out or are around others.
- Wait at least six feet apart from and avoid close contact with others who do not live in your household.
- Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer often.
- Stay home if you are sick or exhibiting symptoms.
- Wash your hands before leaving home and bring sanitizer or wipes, water, and sunscreen. No restrooms or water fountains are currently open.
- Maintain at least six feet of physical distance between yourself and anyone who does not live in your household.
- Outdoor gatherings are limited to 50 persons.
- Playgrounds are subject to regular cleaning, but the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread when kids touch contaminated objects, and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Picnic shelters remain closed.
- Keep it moving when using trails and step aside to let others pass. At some parks, trails may be marked as one-way only.
- Limit your park time so that others can also safely enjoy the space.
- Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter to help minimize invasive species, bank erosion, and water pollution.
- Let us know how you’re enjoying your parks! Tag Recreation Services on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #IHeartBCParks.
![]() |
Buncombe County is diverse. Playgrounds should be, too. The spirit of inclusion is straightforward in a recent partnership that has brought swing access for persons of all abilities to the three largest parks in the County’s Recreation Services system.
With support from Dogwood Health Trust, Sand Hill Lions Club, and the citizens of Buncombe County, wheelchair swings can be found at Buncombe County Sports Park, Charles D. Owen Park, and Lake Julian Park that adhere to Americans with Disability Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design. Front and rear ramps allow easy access onto and off a 32 inch wide platform (the same as standard doorway entries). Wheelchairs can easily navigate on specially engineered mulch that also acts as a safety feature in case a user should fall.

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus), Grandfather Mountain is only selling tickets online.
Only a select number of tickets will be sold per day for certain time-slots to limit the number of guests in the park at one time, in accordance with the state of North Carolina’s phased “reopening” plan and social gathering guidelines.
Please check back closer to your visit for ticket availability. As of now, reservations are only available through June 21.
Each guest entering the park must have a ticket, which includes a time-slot. Prices are as follows:
Adult: $22
Senior (age 60+): $20
Child (ages 4-12): $9
AAA Adult: $20 (must present valid AAA card)
AAA Child: $8 (must present valid AAA card)

The naturalist’s sketchbook is full of sketches of natural objects that bring moments in nature to life! The way you arrange these drawings on a page can boost the storytelling quality of your sketches. In this course led by artist Preston Montague, participants will learn how to tell a story through the arrangement of objects in a sketchbook, as well as basic observation and drawing techniques with pen, pencil, and colored pencils. Though designed for beginners, students with more intermediate skills are encouraged to join. Students are asked to bring sketchbooks, colored pencils, #2 pencils, erasers, a pencil sharpener and micron pens.
Preston Montague is an artist, educator, and landscape architect who developed a passion for the natural world while growing up in the rural foothills of Virginia. He works in Durham, N.C., focusing on projects that spark curiosity about nature and encourage stronger relationships between people and their environment. Montague’s latest body of work, “Codex Carolinum,” is a series of didactic botanical illustrations using art and storytelling to foster natural science literacy, which can be viewed here.

This is a day of curiosity and fun! Programs throughout the day will be provided specifically for kids, ages 5-12, to explore their environment and experience all that Grandfather Mountain has to offer.

On exhibit Saturdays and Sundays from 12 – 4 p.m. (weather permitting), Rocky Cove Railroad is a G-Scale (garden scale) model train that demonstrates the coming of trains to western North Carolina at the turn of the 20th century. The exhibit is located below the Grand Garden Promenade.
The Arboretum’s popular ArborEvenings summer after hours series will return this season with a special LEGO twist. Held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July through September, from 8 to 11 …

Playground openings.
Some areas remain closed including restrooms and picnic shelters. Paddle boat, water trike, and Jon boat rentals will not be available until further notice.
Staying physically active is one of the best ways to keep your mind and body healthy. Parks are open spaces to exercise for no or little cost, places for hurried individuals to reconnect with nature, and community areas to connect with neighbors and preserve culture. While these facilities and areas can offer mental and physical health benefits, it is important that you follow the steps below to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.
Guidance for Park Visitors
- Remember that ongoing community spread of COVID-19 continues. Practice the three Ws:
- Wear a cloth face covering over your nose and mouth when you go out or are around others.
- Wait at least six feet apart from and avoid close contact with others who do not live in your household.
- Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer often.
- Stay home if you are sick or exhibiting symptoms.
- Wash your hands before leaving home and bring sanitizer or wipes, water, and sunscreen. No restrooms or water fountains are currently open.
- Maintain at least six feet of physical distance between yourself and anyone who does not live in your household.
- Outdoor gatherings are limited to 50 persons.
- Playgrounds are subject to regular cleaning, but the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread when kids touch contaminated objects, and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Picnic shelters remain closed.
- Keep it moving when using trails and step aside to let others pass. At some parks, trails may be marked as one-way only.
- Limit your park time so that others can also safely enjoy the space.
- Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter to help minimize invasive species, bank erosion, and water pollution.
- Let us know how you’re enjoying your parks! Tag Recreation Services on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #IHeartBCParks.

