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, April 16, 2020
Notorious HBC (History Book Club)
Apr 16 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Malaprop's Bookstore

Join host and Malaprop’s bookseller Patricia Furnish to discuss a range of books across different periods of history. The club tackles challenging subjects, hence “NOTORIOUS.”  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 on the 3rd Thursday of every month at 7:00 pm.

Event date:
Thursday, January 16, 2020 – 7:00pm
Thursday, February 20, 2020 – 7:00pm
Thursday, March 19, 2020 – 7:00pm
Thursday, April 16, 2020 – 7:00pm
Friday, April 17, 2020
Get Free Books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Apr 17 all-day
Imagination Library Online

Children under 5 years old can receive free, age-appropriate books each month until their 5th birthday! Read more and sign up here.
Malaprop’s Bookstore Home delivery throughout all Buncombe County
Apr 17 all-day
Malaprop's Bookstore

Thank you so much for your support! To care for you and our staff, Malaprop’s is closed to the public and we have ceased curbside pick up. We have also suspended in-store events and bookclubs until May 15th.  Meanwhile, we are exploring new subscription services, delivery options, and more digital content. Please see the ways we are still serving you below. Stay home and stay safe!

  • As always, you can order online 24/7 at malaprops.com. You can also call us at 828-254-6734 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily to order by phone. Yes, we can make suggestions! All orders will require prepayment. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express and Paypal.

  • We are now offering home delivery throughout all of Buncombe County! The only requirement is a two-book minimum purchase. Deliveries will be made on Tuesdays and Fridays, with any order placed before 5 pm the previous day.  Orders will safely be left on your doorstep.

  • FREE shipping via media mail is available for orders over $50.00 (before tax) sent to addresses in the continental United States. Other orders ship via Priority Mail or other services with prices listed at checkout.

We want to thank you again for your continued support at this time. If you’re looking for other ways to support our staff, you can donate to Malaprop’s via the icon to your right, contribute the Cafe Barista’s virtual tip jar, or to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (BINC), which provides grants to booksellers in times of need. To support other local businesses, visit ashevillestrong.com.

Please take care of yourselves!

Saturday, April 18, 2020
Get Free Books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Apr 18 all-day
Imagination Library Online

Children under 5 years old can receive free, age-appropriate books each month until their 5th birthday! Read more and sign up here.
Malaprop’s Bookstore Home delivery throughout all Buncombe County
Apr 18 all-day
Malaprop's Bookstore

Thank you so much for your support! To care for you and our staff, Malaprop’s is closed to the public and we have ceased curbside pick up. We have also suspended in-store events and bookclubs until May 15th.  Meanwhile, we are exploring new subscription services, delivery options, and more digital content. Please see the ways we are still serving you below. Stay home and stay safe!

  • As always, you can order online 24/7 at malaprops.com. You can also call us at 828-254-6734 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily to order by phone. Yes, we can make suggestions! All orders will require prepayment. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express and Paypal.

  • We are now offering home delivery throughout all of Buncombe County! The only requirement is a two-book minimum purchase. Deliveries will be made on Tuesdays and Fridays, with any order placed before 5 pm the previous day.  Orders will safely be left on your doorstep.

  • FREE shipping via media mail is available for orders over $50.00 (before tax) sent to addresses in the continental United States. Other orders ship via Priority Mail or other services with prices listed at checkout.

We want to thank you again for your continued support at this time. If you’re looking for other ways to support our staff, you can donate to Malaprop’s via the icon to your right, contribute the Cafe Barista’s virtual tip jar, or to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (BINC), which provides grants to booksellers in times of need. To support other local businesses, visit ashevillestrong.com.

Please take care of yourselves!

Asheville’s Premier Country Dance
Apr 18 @ 7:00 pm – 10:30 pm
Asheville Ballroom

Asheville’s Premier Country Dance. Includes Two-Step Lesson from 7 to 8 PM. Join us for a Fun evening 7-10:30 pm at the Asheville Ballroom, 291 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville. 7-8pm Two-Step lesson taught by Richard & Sue Cicchetti. 8 to 10:30 dance your favorite dances: Swing, Waltz, Two-Step, Cha-Cha, etc. on a 5,000 sq. ft. wood dance floor with great, modern country music provided by DJ Ricky C. Admission includes dance, dance lesson, bottled water, dessert & raffle ticket for great prizes. Online registration discount by March 27th $11 at www.Danceforlife.dance. After March 27th and at the door $13.

Sunday, April 19, 2020
Get Free Books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Apr 19 all-day
Imagination Library Online

Children under 5 years old can receive free, age-appropriate books each month until their 5th birthday! Read more and sign up here.
Malaprop’s Bookstore Home delivery throughout all Buncombe County
Apr 19 all-day
Malaprop's Bookstore

Thank you so much for your support! To care for you and our staff, Malaprop’s is closed to the public and we have ceased curbside pick up. We have also suspended in-store events and bookclubs until May 15th.  Meanwhile, we are exploring new subscription services, delivery options, and more digital content. Please see the ways we are still serving you below. Stay home and stay safe!

  • As always, you can order online 24/7 at malaprops.com. You can also call us at 828-254-6734 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily to order by phone. Yes, we can make suggestions! All orders will require prepayment. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express and Paypal.

  • We are now offering home delivery throughout all of Buncombe County! The only requirement is a two-book minimum purchase. Deliveries will be made on Tuesdays and Fridays, with any order placed before 5 pm the previous day.  Orders will safely be left on your doorstep.

  • FREE shipping via media mail is available for orders over $50.00 (before tax) sent to addresses in the continental United States. Other orders ship via Priority Mail or other services with prices listed at checkout.

We want to thank you again for your continued support at this time. If you’re looking for other ways to support our staff, you can donate to Malaprop’s via the icon to your right, contribute the Cafe Barista’s virtual tip jar, or to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (BINC), which provides grants to booksellers in times of need. To support other local businesses, visit ashevillestrong.com.

Please take care of yourselves!

Burlesque Brunch
Apr 19 @ 12:00 pm
The Grey Eagle

Burlesque Brunch

Join us on the third Sunday of every month for Burlesque Brunch!
  • 18 +
  • SEATED SHOW
  • 11 AM DOORS/ 12 PM 

Burlesque Brunch is a monthly burlesque and belly dance show with a classic speakeasy feel. Join us every month and relax and enjoy our dancing dames and dandies in an up close and intimate setting. It’s a Sunday afternoon to delight the senses!

Tuesday, April 21, 2020
LIVE STREAM: Lee Smith presents Blue Marlin
Apr 21 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Malaprop's via Live Stream

Join us for a virtual event with Lee Smith! We can’t bring everyone to the store, but we’re pleased to be part of the Reader Meet Writer Okra Pick series of online events hosted by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance.

The event is free but attendance is limited and registration is required. Please CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.

If you elect to attend, we will email you on the day of the event with the link & password required to attend on Zoom.

Lee Smith brings her masterful storytelling magic to this jewel of a novella that follows Jenny, an adventurous thirteen-year-old, down to Key West for a patched-up family vacation following the discovery of her father’s illicit affair. Available for the first time as a stand-alone novella, this book centers on the Blue Marlin Motel in 1959, where Jenny, her beautiful socialite mother, and chastened father share their sunny days with movie stars who are in town to make the movie Operation Petticoat. Jenny is precocious and a bit of a sleuth, so her innocent “observations” to uncover the secrets of movie stars also end up revealing the secrets of her own family. Jenny confronts the frailty of family life while also vying for the attention of actor Tony Curtis and even a role in his movie. Smith delivers humor and honesty to her flawed characters with genuine Southern dignity.

Born in the small coal-mining town of Grundy, Virginia, Lee Smith began writing stories at the age of nine and selling them for a nickel apiece. Since then, she has written seventeen works of fiction, including Fair and Tender LadiesOral History, and, most recently, Guests on Earth. She has received many awards, including the North Carolina Award for Literature and an Academy Award in Fiction from the American Academy of Arts and Letters; her novel The Last Girls was a New York Times bestseller as well as winner of the Southern Book Critics Circle Award. She lives in Hillsborough, North Carolina, with her husband, the writer Hal Crowther.

This event is free. We ask that you purchase the books featured 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. Books can be ordered online 24/7. See malaprops.com for more information about current shipping and delivery options. Blue Marlin will be released on April 21st.

Blue Marlin Cover Image
Email or call for price.
ISBN: 9781949467314
Hong Kong Ballet’s ALICE (in wonderland) CANCELLED
Apr 21 @ 7:30 pm
Peace Center

Get ready for a wild ride down the rabbit hole…

Bursting with energy and imagination, Septime Webre’s extravagant ALICE (in wonderland) explodes with jaw-dropping excitement and fantasy. This giddy, over-the-top reimagining of Lewis Carroll’s classic tale promises a spectacular adventure overflowing with exhilarating fun.

Webre’s choreography showcases a dizzying array of dances that merge traditional ballet with contemporary energy, capturing the topsy-turvy magic of Wonderland and the bizarre characters that confront Alice on her incredible journey. With mastery and unexpected humor, Webre reimagines the familiar tale as a fusion of dance, theater, and puppetry that is both visually stunning and enormously entertaining. ALICE (in wonderland) features sleek and chic costumes from Cirque du Soleil designer Liz Vandal, James Kronzer’s bold, hypnotic sets, and a thrilling original score by Matthew Pierce.

“Highly creative, whimsical, and entertaining” – Metro Arts

“A giddy parade, a pop-art dream, a feat of fevered imagination” – The Washington Post

ABOUT THE COMPANY
Hong Kong Ballet is one of the premier ballet companies in Asia and is internationally recognized as a world-class institution that represents Hong Kong’s unique character. Since 1979, Hong Kong Ballet has evolved into a vibrant company with a repertoire that combines 19th to 21st century classical masterpieces, acclaimed contemporary works, and newly commissioned ballets. Septime Webre, former Artistic Director of The Washington Ballet, joined the company as its artistic director in July 2017.

Official Website


Enjoy Drinks & Light Bites

Hold a table at Genevieve’s Theater Lounge at the Peace CenterClick here to see a sample menu and make a reservation.

Peace Interlude – A Musical Happy Hour

Go down the rabbit hole of dance, music, and storytelling to rediscover Carroll’s classic tale in our FREE Peace Interlude Musical Happy Hour on April 2.

Master Class with Hong Kong Ballet

Hong Kong Ballet will lead a master class on Tuesday, April 21, 2020 at 10:30 am. To inquire about becoming a participant, email [email protected].

Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Get Free Books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Apr 22 all-day
Imagination Library Online

Children under 5 years old can receive free, age-appropriate books each month until their 5th birthday! Read more and sign up here.
Free Online West African Drumming & Dance for Kids Hosted by LEAF
Apr 22 @ 9:00 am – 10:00 am
LEAF Global Arts Online

Image may contain: 3 people, people sitting, people standing and outdoor

We invite young LEAFers to join LEAF Resident Teaching Artist Adama Dembele for a virtual drumming and dance class for elementary age kids. Adama is a master djembefola (djembe player) from the Ivory Coast, West Africa, and has been a part of LEAF since 2005. He currently teaches year round after school classes with LEAF Schools & Streets, and he is excited to offer video classes in which students can take a journey to explore the sounds, rhythms and movements of West African culture right from their own home!

https://www.facebook.com/events/199994081418039/

Baby Boogie Dance Party LIVE!
Apr 22 @ 10:00 am – 10:45 am
Baby Steps Dance Asheville

Join me on Wednesday mornings at 10:00am (EST) through the month of April for “Baby Boogie Dance Party LIVE!” These fun and interactive Facebook Live dance parties will air from the Baby Steps Dance Asheville page (not from within this event page). I will post previous videos in the comment section of this event page so you can access them at your convenience! Be sure to follow Baby Steps Dance Asheville on Facebook to stay connected and interact with me during live videos! Spread the word to your friends- community and connection is what we all need these days, and I am happy to bring some movement and joy to your families!
Virtual Tip Jar (thank you for your support!):
https://paypal.me/babystepsdanceavl?locale.x=en_US

ABOUT BABY BOOGIE DANCE PARTY LIVE!
Together we’ll connect and get our wiggles out through fun action songs, movement games, sing-a-longs and skill building! Activities are focused towards toddlers and young children, but older children and caregivers are encouraged to join in on the dancing! I’ll see you on the virtual dance floor!

Thursday, April 23, 2020
Armchair Adventure Book Club: Untamed
Apr 23 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Blue Ridge Hiking Co. via Zoom
City Dance
Apr 23 @ 7:30 pm
Landmark Hal

Beginner’s workshop lesson at 7:30 P.M., then 8-11 P.M. Contra Dance with Country Waltzing at the break and the final dance. This is a partner dance but it’s not necessary to come with a partner. We have different live bands and callers.

Friday, April 24, 2020
Get Free Books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Apr 24 all-day
Imagination Library Online

Children under 5 years old can receive free, age-appropriate books each month until their 5th birthday! Read more and sign up here.
The Book of Longings in conversation with Elaine Neil Orr
Apr 24 @ 6:30 pm
First Baptist Church of Asheville

Kidd will be discussing her new book, THE BOOK OF LONGINGS, with author Elaine Neil Orr.

Each ticket is  and includes admission to the event and signing line and a copy of THE BOOK OF LONGINGS.

****Sue Monk Kidd will not be personalizing books****

About THE BOOK OF LONGINGS:
In her mesmerizing fourth work of fiction, Sue Monk Kidd takes an audacious approach to history and brings her acclaimed narrative gifts to imagine the story of a young woman named Ana. Raised in a wealthy family with ties to the ruler of Galilee, she is rebellious and ambitious, with a brilliant mind and a daring spirit. She engages in furtive scholarly pursuits and writes narratives about neglected and silenced women. Ana is expected to marry an older widower, a prospect that horrifies her. An encounter with eighteen-year-old Jesus changes everything.
Their marriage evolves with love and conflict, humor and pathos in Nazareth, where Ana makes a home with Jesus, his brothers, and their mother, Mary. Ana’s pent-up longings intensify amid the turbulent resistance to Rome’s occupation of Israel, partially led by her brother, Judas. She is sustained by her fearless aunt Yaltha, who harbors a compelling secret. When Ana commits a brazen act that puts her in peril, she flees to Alexandria, where startling revelations and greater dangers unfold, and she finds refuge in unexpected surroundings. Ana determines her fate during a stunning convergence of events considered among the most impactful in human history.
Grounded in meticulous research and written with a reverential approach to Jesus’s life that focuses on his humanity, THE BOOK OF LONGINGS is an inspiring, unforgettable account of one woman’s bold struggle to realize the passion and potential inside her, while living in a time, place and culture devised to silence her. It is a triumph of storytelling both timely and timeless, from a masterful writer at the height of her powers.

Saturday, April 25, 2020
Get Free Books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Apr 25 all-day
Imagination Library Online

Children under 5 years old can receive free, age-appropriate books each month until their 5th birthday! Read more and sign up here.
Sunday, April 26, 2020
Get Free Books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Apr 26 all-day
Imagination Library Online

Children under 5 years old can receive free, age-appropriate books each month until their 5th birthday! Read more and sign up here.
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Get Free Books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Apr 29 all-day
Imagination Library Online

Children under 5 years old can receive free, age-appropriate books each month until their 5th birthday! Read more and sign up here.
Free Online West African Drumming & Dance for Kids Hosted by LEAF
Apr 29 @ 9:00 am – 10:00 am
LEAF Global Arts Online

Image may contain: 3 people, people sitting, people standing and outdoor

We invite young LEAFers to join LEAF Resident Teaching Artist Adama Dembele for a virtual drumming and dance class for elementary age kids. Adama is a master djembefola (djembe player) from the Ivory Coast, West Africa, and has been a part of LEAF since 2005. He currently teaches year round after school classes with LEAF Schools & Streets, and he is excited to offer video classes in which students can take a journey to explore the sounds, rhythms and movements of West African culture right from their own home!

https://www.facebook.com/events/199994081418039/

Baby Boogie Dance Party LIVE!
Apr 29 @ 10:00 am – 10:45 am
Baby Steps Dance Asheville

Join me on Wednesday mornings at 10:00am (EST) through the month of April for “Baby Boogie Dance Party LIVE!” These fun and interactive Facebook Live dance parties will air from the Baby Steps Dance Asheville page (not from within this event page). I will post previous videos in the comment section of this event page so you can access them at your convenience! Be sure to follow Baby Steps Dance Asheville on Facebook to stay connected and interact with me during live videos! Spread the word to your friends- community and connection is what we all need these days, and I am happy to bring some movement and joy to your families!
Virtual Tip Jar (thank you for your support!):
https://paypal.me/babystepsdanceavl?locale.x=en_US

ABOUT BABY BOOGIE DANCE PARTY LIVE!
Together we’ll connect and get our wiggles out through fun action songs, movement games, sing-a-longs and skill building! Activities are focused towards toddlers and young children, but older children and caregivers are encouraged to join in on the dancing! I’ll see you on the virtual dance floor!

Miss Malaprop’s Storytime LIVE STREAM
Apr 29 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Malaprop's LIVE STREAM

Due to Covid-19, we are live streaming Storytime in lieu of an in-store event. Join us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/malapropsbookstore/ to tune into Miss Malaprop’s Storytime from your home.

Join us with your wee ones every week on Wednesdays at 10 am for classic and contemporary stories sure to enchant and entertain. Together, we’ll introduce children to the wonderful world of books! Recommended for ages 3-9.

https://www.instagram.com/malapropsbookstore/

Event date:
Wednesday, April 15, 2020 – 10:00am
Wednesday, April 22, 2020 – 10:00am
Wednesday, April 29, 2020 – 10:00am
Wednesday, May 6, 2020 – 10:00am
Thursday, April 30, 2020
Armchair Adventure Book Club: Untamed
Apr 30 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Blue Ridge Hiking Co. via Zoom
Works in Translation Book Club
Apr 30 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Malaprop's Bookstore

Join host and Malaprop’s Bookstore Manager Justin Souther to discuss writers — and their literature — in translation and the cultural, political and artistic influences that mold them. Click here to see a list of the monthly selections. Attendees receive 10% off the club’s current selection at Malaprop’s!

The club usually meets the last Thursday of every month at Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe.

Event date:
Thursday, January 30, 2020 – 7:00pm
Thursday, February 27, 2020 – 7:00pm
Thursday, March 26, 2020 – 7:00pm
Thursday, April 30, 2020 – 7:00pm
Monday, May 4, 2020
Ask a Librarian
May 4 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Buncombe County Libraries Online

Need Book Recommendations? Ask a Librarian.

 

While the libraries are closed, you can call Ask A Librarian with any questions you may have about library materials, digital services, or reference assistance. Librarians will be staffing the phones Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. to connect you with all the resources we have available. Just call Ask a Librarian at (828) 250-4700.

Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Ask a Librarian
May 5 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Buncombe County Libraries Online

Need Book Recommendations? Ask a Librarian.

 

While the libraries are closed, you can call Ask A Librarian with any questions you may have about library materials, digital services, or reference assistance. Librarians will be staffing the phones Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. to connect you with all the resources we have available. Just call Ask a Librarian at (828) 250-4700.

Auditions Readers Theatre: An Inspector Calls
May 5 @ 10:30 am – 2:30 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

AUDITIONS: May 5 2020, 10:30 am-2:30 pm

PRODUCTION DATES: May 22-24, 2020

REHEARSALS: May 7, 12, 14, 19, and 21, 2020 from 10:30-2:30

Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Free Online West African Drumming & Dance for Kids Hosted by LEAF
May 6 @ 9:00 am – 10:00 am
LEAF Global Arts Online

Image may contain: 3 people, people sitting, people standing and outdoor

We invite young LEAFers to join LEAF Resident Teaching Artist Adama Dembele for a virtual drumming and dance class for elementary age kids. Adama is a master djembefola (djembe player) from the Ivory Coast, West Africa, and has been a part of LEAF since 2005. He currently teaches year round after school classes with LEAF Schools & Streets, and he is excited to offer video classes in which students can take a journey to explore the sounds, rhythms and movements of West African culture right from their own home!

https://www.facebook.com/events/199994081418039/