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.

Monday, December 27, 2021
FREE Holiday Youth Camp Asheville Parks and Rec
Dec 27 @ 8:30 am – 6:00 pm
Montford Community Center Stephens-Lee Community Center

FREE
December 20-23, 27-31 | 8:30am–6pm
Spend your holiday with us! Enjoy games,
activities, crafts, exercise and all kinds of
holiday fun!
Locations: Montford, Stephens-Lee

Holiday Camp: Middle School
Dec 27 @ 8:30 am – 6:00 pm

Holiday Camp: Middle School
FREE
December 20-23, 27-31 | 8:30am–6pm
Spend your holiday with us! Enjoy games,
activities, crafts, exercise and all kinds of
holiday fun!
Location: Stephens-Lee

Pisgah Legal Services is helping local people sign up for Affordable Care Act health insurance
Dec 27 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
online

Healthcare.gov is Open with Record-Low Premiums
New Savings Mean More People Qualify for Quality, Affordable Health Insurance

Free Help Is Available
Trained navigators are ready to help local people – at no cost – who would like help reviewing the plans and signing up. Make an appointment at pisgahlegal.org/aca or call (828) 210-3404.

Consumers enrolling in a plan on HealthCare.gov (for Spanish-speakers Cuidadodesalud.gov) are guaranteed to receive comprehensive coverage and cannot be denied coverage based on pre-existing conditions. All plans cover essential benefits, including doctor and hospital visits, prescription drugs, mental health treatment, and maternity care. In addition, consumers receive free preventive care services, such as immunizations and health screenings. Testing and treatment of COVID-19 are considered essential health benefits and are covered by all HealthCare.gov plans.

Consumers should avoid insurance plans offered outside of HealthCare.gov that seem too good to be true. “Junk insurance” products and short-term limited duration plans pose huge financial risks to consumers. These products can refuse to pay for care for pre-existing conditions, charge consumers more based on their gender, and impose annual coverage limits. HealthCare.gov is the only website where North Carolina consumers are guaranteed to get comprehensive coverage.

Pisgah Legal and other enrollment partners of WNC participating organizations give local people free, unbiased health insurance information and enrollment assistance in the NC Health Insurance Marketplace. These organizations include: Council on Aging of Buncombe County, Blue Ridge Community Health Services, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Mountain Projects, Inc., Western Carolina Medical Society, and Pisgah Legal Services. Pisgah Legal Services is a member of the North Carolina Navigators Consortium.

Since 1978, nonprofit Pisgah Legal Services has provided free civil legal aid to help people with low incomes seek justice and meet their basic needs including preventing homelessness, stopping domestic violence and securing health care. PLS provides a broad array of free legal services. Last year Pisgah Legal served more than 20,000 people across the mountain region.

PLS has offices in Asheville, Burnsville, Brevard, Hendersonville, Highlands/Cashiers, Marshall, Newland, Rutherfordton and Spruce Pine. Pisgah Legal employs staff attorneys and relies heavily on the pro bono legal services of approximately 300 volunteer attorneys.

Seeking Creative, Innovative Business Stories for January’s WomanUP event
Dec 27 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
online
Our WomanUP Celebration in January will focus on deliberate creativity & innovation that leads to a business thriving. Innovation is critical, especially during times of change or uncertainty like we’ve experienced during the past two years and we know there’s been a lot of creativity among our business community.

While the program will teach attendees how deliberate creativity works, we’re looking to highlight some local businesses who have gotten creative and innovated in recent years.

Our speaker, Dr. Amy Climer, will weave some of these stories into her presentation at our event on January 27.

Have you faced a challenge that you approached creatively? A business challenge? A new way to support your employees? It doesn’t have to be COVID-related and it doesn’t necessarily have to have been a success. We want to hear your story.

If you have a story about creative innovation, contact our Vice President of Communications Erin Leonard at [email protected].

WomanUP Celebration

The 2022 AIR Passport
Dec 27 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
The Visitor Center in the Asheville Shop

The tastiest ticket in town returns with BOGO (buy-one-get-one) deals from 50 independently owned restaurants in Buncombe County.

 

The 2022 AIR Passport is the perfect way to visit an old favorite with a friend or dine and discover new restaurants in our area’s vibrant independent eateries. All proceeds from the AIR Passport go to benefit the ongoing efforts of AIR to keep Asheville’s food scene eclectic and authentic.

Limited supply available and they go fast!

BBQ Bears’ Smokehouse Industry Of The Week: Florists
Dec 27 @ 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
BBQ Bears' Smokehouse

Stop by the restaurant to enjoy 15% off of your order!

florist.jpg

Holiday Giving Mobile Drive at Hillman Beer
Dec 27 @ 11:30 am – 8:30 pm
Hillman Beer

TBC Rewards

Sharing Life. Saving Lives.

Holiday Giving Mobile Drive at Skyland Exchange Apartment Homes
Dec 27 @ 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Skyland Exchange Apartment Homes

TBC Rewards

Sharing Life. Saving Lives.

Asheville Parks and Rec Afterschool Programs: Afternoon Adventures
Dec 27 @ 2:45 pm – 6:00 pm
Asheville Area

Pre-registration required. FREE for the 2021-2022 school year
August 23, 2021-June 3, 2022 | Monday-Friday | 2:45-6pm
K-6th graders.
Does your child enjoy having fun and making new friends? Offering
arts, crafts, special events, homework assistance and more!
Families currently enrolled in the school system’s reduced or free
meal program, please contact your recreation center for discount
fee information.
Locations: Burton, Grant, Montford, Shiloh, Stephens-Lee

Spider-Man: No Way Home
Dec 27 @ 3:00 pm
Asheville Pizza Brewing Co

Visual search query image

BE ONE OF THE FIRST IN WNC TO SEE IT!

THE MOST ANTICIPATED MOVIE OF THE YEAR!

For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighborhood hero is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a Superhero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange, the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.  (Running Time = 2 hours 30 minutes)

Montford Pre-Teen Afterschool Program
Dec 27 @ 3:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Montford Community Center

Montford Pre-Teen Afterschool Program
Pre-registration required. FREE for the 2021-2022 school year
August 23, 2021 – June 3, 2022 | Monday-Friday | 3:30-6pm
5th-6th graders.
New program designed to meet the needs of your pre-teen.
Providing time dedicated to school assignments, life skills, arts,
communication, leadership, fitness, nutrition, and loads of fun.
Location: Montford

Teen Leadership Program
Dec 27 @ 3:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Asheville Area

Teen Leadership Program
Pre-registration required. FREE for the 2021-2022 school year
August 23, 2021-June 3, 2022 | Monday-Friday | 3:30-6pm
6th-9th graders.
Looking for a cool and enriching alternative for your Teen to attend
this school year? We offer creative activities, diverse projects,
field trips, and more.
Locations: Grant, Shiloh, Stephens-Lee

Cheers to Chess at Highland Brewing Downtown
Dec 27 @ 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Highland Brewing Downtown

Need an excuse to use that chess board you bought during quarantine?

Every Monday Highland’s Downtown Taproom will Cheers to Chess. BYO chess set or use one of ours for a battle of wits.

Pitcher specials will be available while you play to keep you hydrated and ready for any blockade that comes your way.

Spider-Man: No Way Home
Dec 27 @ 7:00 pm
Asheville Pizza Brewing Co

Visual search query image

BE ONE OF THE FIRST IN WNC TO SEE IT!

THE MOST ANTICIPATED MOVIE OF THE YEAR!

For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighborhood hero is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a Superhero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange, the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.  (Running Time = 2 hours 30 minutes)

 

Tuesday, December 28, 2021
1-Month Free and No Join Fee* with the YWCA Health and Wellness Center
Dec 28 all-day
YWCA


1-Month Free and No Join Fee*

Our YWCA Health and Wellness Center is so much more than just a gym and pool. We welcome all people who want to belong to a fitness community that values diversity and dignity, body-positivity, promotes health, wellness, and nurtures children. Where being a member means you are part of a community whose mission is to eliminate racism and empower women.

This winter season we are offering incentives for members who join before January 8, 2022, including a fitness center orientation that will help you make the most of your membership, and an entry for a chance to win a no-cost one-year membership. Additionally, every new member who chooses an annual commitment plan will receive the 13th month free, and enrollment fees are waived.

Check out our YWCA rate chart for more information, or give us a call at (828) 254-7206 today to learn more.

Buncombe County Extends Indoor Mask Mandate to Jan. 4, 2022
Dec 28 all-day
Buncombe County
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners has extended the county-wide face covering requirement for all indoor public spaces through Jan. 3, 2022. The indoor mask requirement also extends to Asheville, Biltmore Forest, Black Mountain, Montreat, Weaverville, and Woodfin.
In Buncombe County, COVID-19 case rates continue to be high, and per the CDC definition, the County remains an area of high transmission. The percent positivity remains in the moderate category, and the death rate remains in the substantial category.

“Unfortunately, COVID-19 cases continue to increase after a high level plateau. The percent positivity is now consistently above 5% again, and we are likely to see a further increase after the Thanksgiving holiday,” said Public Health Director Stacie Saunders. “Transitioning to living with COVID-19 means doing what we can now to reduce transmission and burden of new infections. Our goal is to dampen as much as possible any surge we may see during this holiday season with the hope of achieving decreasing case rate and spread as we enter the new year.”

Farm to School Jumpstart Grants from Growing Minds
Dec 28 all-day
online

Growing Minds has announced a new Jumpstart Grant for farm to school projects. Pre-K through 12 schools, homeschool groups, teacher and nutrition education programs, and community organizations serving children and families within the 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina may apply for $500-$1,000 to provide children with positive local food and agriculture experiences. Eligible projects include edible school gardens, farm field trips, local food taste tests, or meals. In addition to funding, grantees may request supplemental training and/or technical assistance from the Growing Minds staff to help implement their project.

Grant applications are due Jan. 15, 2022.

GivingTuesday with Homeward Bound
Dec 28 all-day
online
Image

 

Giving Tuesday 2021 is only two weeks away. This year, every dollar you donate on Giving Tuesday will be matched up to $50,000.

Let me tell you about Zach.

When Zach was 23 he was involved in a horrific car crash. He sustained a traumatic brain injury, severed his spinal cord, and was paralyzed from the neck down. Along with tremendous pain came addiction to prescription pain-killers, depression and anxiety. Eventually Zach lost his job, his marriage, and soon after he was homeless.

$27 a day will provide housing and case management support for one person for a year. Your Giving Tuesday donation to Homeward Bound will help folks like Zach get into their own homes this holiday season.

Here’s how you can best prepare to help folks like Zach this year:

 

Mark your calendar. Giving Tuesday is two weeks from today, on November 30, 2021.

 

Give! Now through December 31, 2021, your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $50,000 as part of our Creating Hope and Homes Matching Gift Challenge! 

 

Spread the word! Encourage friends, family, and colleagues to join you in Giving Tuesday 2021. Share on social media what our mission means to you, and tag us on Facebook [@homewardboundwnc] or Instagram [@homeward_bound_wnc] so we can share it!

On this Day in WNC History Tidbit
Dec 28 all-day
online
On this Day in WNC History Tidbit
Do you follow us on social media? If not, you’ve missed our new 2021 series –
On This Day in WNC History!

Every week we explore the headlines and overlooked events that happened
on a particular day in Western North Carolina history.

Follow us on social media for more!

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ON THIS DAY in WNC history: On October 2, 1929, deputies fired into a crowd of striking workers in Marion, NC. Six were killed and even more wounded at the Marion Manufacturing Company in one of the deadliest acts of strike busting in the South.

This year marked an apogee of strikes and labor organization in southern textile mills. Eight years prior, over 100 miners were killed at the Battle of Blair Mountain in West Virginia in a period of coal clashes and unionization attempts. Later in the 1920s, many textile workers reacting to grueling and dirty work conditions under the “stretch-out” system, along with a reduction of their pay in company scrip, began organizing and demanding better conditions. Spearheaded by the National Textile Workers Union (an organization supported by the Communist Party), concurrent strikes began early in 1929 at the Bemberg-Glanzstoff Rayon Corporation in Elizabethton, Tennessee and at Loray Mills in Gastonia, North Carolina. Female employees were key to the organization of both strikes, and the latter is most famously remembered for the death of Ella May Wiggins. National Guard members, local police, and union-busting mobs were called to both of these events.

The Marion strikes (which occurred at the neighboring Clinchfield Mill as well) began July 11. Workers struck without official union support, resisting involvement by communist organizers. After frequent violence and threats, with two National Guard units present, workers returned to these mills September 11, with no raise in pay and a mandated 55-hour workweek. Marion Manufacturing Mill refused to rehire 114 of the strikers, leading to further anger. Workers struck again on October 2, and deputies were dispatched by the local sheriff. Though some details are murky, deputies shot into a crowd of strikers, killing four on site, wounding at least fifteen, with two others dying later. Nearby hospitals refused medical care to strikers, and churches of the mill village refused to administer their funerals. Eight deputies were charged, but acquitted in December. They contended the strikers were armed, but no guns were found, and the New York Times reported those killed were shot in the back.

The memory of these events will be examined in our upcoming event, Marion Mill Massacre in Memory, on Thursday, Oct 14.

Image: Raleigh News and Observer, Oct. 4, 1929

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Wine and Wolves! Donate to Full Moon Farm Wolf Sanctuary
Dec 28 all-day
online w/ Full Moon Farm

Full Moon Farm is an organization dedicated to the well being of the wolfdog (wolf hybrid). Situated on 17 beautiful mountain acres in Black Mountain, NC, we operate as a federally recognized 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization for abused and refused wolfdogs who find themselves in need of love, shelter, and care through no fault of their own.

Full Moon Farm provides a safe haven for animals that cannot be placed into homes for the rest of their lives.  Our rescued wolfdogs come from animal control agencies, closed breeding situations and occasionally, an owner in crisis.  We evaluate each animal upon intake and work with them at their level of comfort.

Some animals are “hands off” and we respect their choice, as well as that of the animals that crave human interaction.  Our goal is to enrich the lives of the residents, allowing them to reach their highest potential.  Your support by donation or sponsorship makes our task possible.

Though they may be abused or neglected, homeless because of death or divorce, they are all God’s Creatures and worthy of a lifetime of respect. We are here to serve them.

  • Nancy Brown

It’s Memorable, Fast, and Easy! Also, 15% of your purchase will directly be applied to Full Moon Farm, not only will mom be getting great wines, but you will also be supporting a great cause.

Use code GBFULLMOON19 at checkout to donate 15% to Full Moon Farm.

Buncombe County Solid Waste Offers a Compost Drop-Off Center
Dec 28 @ 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
The Buncombe County Landfill

News
                            article image

A new partnership from Buncombe County and the City of Asheville aims to help reduce greenhouse gases and organic matter in the landfill by offering residents a place to drop off compostable matter. Starting Oct. 4, County residents can drop off food scraps and other compostable materials at the Buncombe County Landfill Convenience Center to be recycled into compost. The City of Asheville is operating a drop-off location at Stephens-Lee Recreation Center that also opens to the public on Oct. 4. Read more about that initiative here.

Organic waste in landfills generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas. By composting wasted food and other organics, methane emissions may be significantly reduced. For residents who are interested in composting but worry about bears or finding the space for backyard composting Buncombe County is proud to partner with the City of Asheville and Food Waste Solutions to open two compost drop-off locations for County residents.

In alignment with the Buncombe County Strategic Plan goals, the Landfill compost drop-off center is part of a pilot program designed to assess interest and engagement for food waste diversion and composting in Buncombe County.

How the compost drop-off works

  • Collect compostable materials at home and make sure to remove all produce stickers, rubber bands, wrappers, ties, bags, and plastics.
  • To collect materials use a compost pail, bucket, paper bags, or other certified compostable bag.
  • At the landfill scalehouse let us know you would like to drop off your compostable materials and staff will direct you to the drop-off location.
  • Empty food scraps and compostable waste into the cart on-site.
  • Close and secure lid when finished.
  • Do not overfill.

 

FREE Holiday Youth Camp Asheville Parks and Rec
Dec 28 @ 8:30 am – 6:00 pm
Montford Community Center Stephens-Lee Community Center

FREE
December 20-23, 27-31 | 8:30am–6pm
Spend your holiday with us! Enjoy games,
activities, crafts, exercise and all kinds of
holiday fun!
Locations: Montford, Stephens-Lee

Holiday Camp: Middle School
Dec 28 @ 8:30 am – 6:00 pm

Holiday Camp: Middle School
FREE
December 20-23, 27-31 | 8:30am–6pm
Spend your holiday with us! Enjoy games,
activities, crafts, exercise and all kinds of
holiday fun!
Location: Stephens-Lee

Pisgah Legal Services is helping local people sign up for Affordable Care Act health insurance
Dec 28 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
online

Healthcare.gov is Open with Record-Low Premiums
New Savings Mean More People Qualify for Quality, Affordable Health Insurance

Free Help Is Available
Trained navigators are ready to help local people – at no cost – who would like help reviewing the plans and signing up. Make an appointment at pisgahlegal.org/aca or call (828) 210-3404.

Consumers enrolling in a plan on HealthCare.gov (for Spanish-speakers Cuidadodesalud.gov) are guaranteed to receive comprehensive coverage and cannot be denied coverage based on pre-existing conditions. All plans cover essential benefits, including doctor and hospital visits, prescription drugs, mental health treatment, and maternity care. In addition, consumers receive free preventive care services, such as immunizations and health screenings. Testing and treatment of COVID-19 are considered essential health benefits and are covered by all HealthCare.gov plans.

Consumers should avoid insurance plans offered outside of HealthCare.gov that seem too good to be true. “Junk insurance” products and short-term limited duration plans pose huge financial risks to consumers. These products can refuse to pay for care for pre-existing conditions, charge consumers more based on their gender, and impose annual coverage limits. HealthCare.gov is the only website where North Carolina consumers are guaranteed to get comprehensive coverage.

Pisgah Legal and other enrollment partners of WNC participating organizations give local people free, unbiased health insurance information and enrollment assistance in the NC Health Insurance Marketplace. These organizations include: Council on Aging of Buncombe County, Blue Ridge Community Health Services, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Mountain Projects, Inc., Western Carolina Medical Society, and Pisgah Legal Services. Pisgah Legal Services is a member of the North Carolina Navigators Consortium.

Since 1978, nonprofit Pisgah Legal Services has provided free civil legal aid to help people with low incomes seek justice and meet their basic needs including preventing homelessness, stopping domestic violence and securing health care. PLS provides a broad array of free legal services. Last year Pisgah Legal served more than 20,000 people across the mountain region.

PLS has offices in Asheville, Burnsville, Brevard, Hendersonville, Highlands/Cashiers, Marshall, Newland, Rutherfordton and Spruce Pine. Pisgah Legal employs staff attorneys and relies heavily on the pro bono legal services of approximately 300 volunteer attorneys.

Seeking Creative, Innovative Business Stories for January’s WomanUP event
Dec 28 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
online
Our WomanUP Celebration in January will focus on deliberate creativity & innovation that leads to a business thriving. Innovation is critical, especially during times of change or uncertainty like we’ve experienced during the past two years and we know there’s been a lot of creativity among our business community.

While the program will teach attendees how deliberate creativity works, we’re looking to highlight some local businesses who have gotten creative and innovated in recent years.

Our speaker, Dr. Amy Climer, will weave some of these stories into her presentation at our event on January 27.

Have you faced a challenge that you approached creatively? A business challenge? A new way to support your employees? It doesn’t have to be COVID-related and it doesn’t necessarily have to have been a success. We want to hear your story.

If you have a story about creative innovation, contact our Vice President of Communications Erin Leonard at [email protected].

WomanUP Celebration

The 2022 AIR Passport
Dec 28 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
The Visitor Center in the Asheville Shop

The tastiest ticket in town returns with BOGO (buy-one-get-one) deals from 50 independently owned restaurants in Buncombe County.

 

The 2022 AIR Passport is the perfect way to visit an old favorite with a friend or dine and discover new restaurants in our area’s vibrant independent eateries. All proceeds from the AIR Passport go to benefit the ongoing efforts of AIR to keep Asheville’s food scene eclectic and authentic.

Limited supply available and they go fast!

BBQ Bears’ Smokehouse Industry Of The Week: Florists
Dec 28 @ 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
BBQ Bears' Smokehouse

Stop by the restaurant to enjoy 15% off of your order!

florist.jpg

Asheville Parks and Rec Afterschool Programs: Afternoon Adventures
Dec 28 @ 2:45 pm – 6:00 pm
Asheville Area

Pre-registration required. FREE for the 2021-2022 school year
August 23, 2021-June 3, 2022 | Monday-Friday | 2:45-6pm
K-6th graders.
Does your child enjoy having fun and making new friends? Offering
arts, crafts, special events, homework assistance and more!
Families currently enrolled in the school system’s reduced or free
meal program, please contact your recreation center for discount
fee information.
Locations: Burton, Grant, Montford, Shiloh, Stephens-Lee

Spider-Man: No Way Home
Dec 28 @ 3:00 pm
Asheville Pizza Brewing Co

Visual search query image

BE ONE OF THE FIRST IN WNC TO SEE IT!

THE MOST ANTICIPATED MOVIE OF THE YEAR!

For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighborhood hero is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a Superhero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange, the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.  (Running Time = 2 hours 30 minutes)

Montford Pre-Teen Afterschool Program
Dec 28 @ 3:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Montford Community Center

Montford Pre-Teen Afterschool Program
Pre-registration required. FREE for the 2021-2022 school year
August 23, 2021 – June 3, 2022 | Monday-Friday | 3:30-6pm
5th-6th graders.
New program designed to meet the needs of your pre-teen.
Providing time dedicated to school assignments, life skills, arts,
communication, leadership, fitness, nutrition, and loads of fun.
Location: Montford