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.
As temperatures begin to drop we want to make sure people know where to go when frigid weather strikes. If you or someone you know needs shelter, the following sites are available when the Asheville-Buncombe CODE PURPLE is in effect.
Code Purple is a voluntary effort among private sector shelter providers, coordinated by the Asheville Homeless Coalition. The City of Asheville does not fund, direct, coordinate, or manage any aspects of Code Purple, but information on when Code Purple is in effect may be found at this link on the City of Asheville website
In extremely cold conditions, the Code Purple shelter providers will provide shelter beyond their normal program capacity. Code Purple does not include natural disasters such as hurricanes, flooding, or tornadoes; in these events, all citizens will be able to access services at the community disaster shelters.
Code Purple network sites:
- ABCCM Veteran’s Quarters, 828-259-5333: Overnight emergency shelter, men only.
- Homeward Bound A-Hope, 828-252-8883: Day center.
- Western Carolina Rescue Ministries, 828-254-0471: Indoor space during the day (all); overnight emergency shelter for women and children only; identification required; police escort required after 6 p.m.; background check necessary to assure individual is not registered sex offender.
- Steadfast House, 828-259-5365: Limited space availability/overnight emergency shelter for women and children only.
Code Purple network partners:
-
- United Way’s 2-1-1 information and referral line: Dial 211 or 828-252-HELP (4357)
- ABCCM Steadfast House, transitional housing: 828-259-5365.
- American Red Cross (crisis services)
- BEACON members (crisis services)
- Helpmate, overnight domestic violence shelter: Call 24-hour crisis line, 828-254-0516
- Trinity Place (overnight shelter for ages 7-17 only: Amy Hobson, 828-777-5715
The City of Asheville is deeply grateful for the work of all homeless shelter providers. We know they do everything they can do to get people indoors during extreme weather events. We also recognize that despite everyone’s best efforts, there may always be people who choose to remain outdoors, even in the coldest months.

“Dressing for the Occasion” offers visitors a window into the style, culture, and feel of mid-century America. The family’s clothing and accessories weave together the roles of Carl Sandburg as a prominent writer, celebrity, father, and husband. This temporary exhibit offers an exciting opportunity for the public to view objects that are normally in storage or in the possession of Sandburg family members. Tours of the Sandburg Home are offered daily from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Tickets are available first come, first served, each day from the visitor information area in the ground level of the Sandburg Home.
Nearly every room in the historically furnished house museum will be included in the exhibit. Visitors will see the characteristic scarves Carl Sandburg wore as he played his guitar and sang folk songs to entertain his family and guests, the dress Lilian Sandburg wore to meet President Lyndon B. Johnson, and many other mid-century pieces worn by the Sandburgs and their daughters. Historic photographs, paired with the clothing, will provide context.
Jack of the Wood : Sunday-Irish Session
Sundays
1 till who knows when?
Traditional Irish music is kept alive at Jack of the Wood with our unplugged Sunday session.
Jack of the Wood
95 Patton ave
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 252.5445
Friends of Music Concert: Accent on Youth

“Dressing for the Occasion” offers visitors a window into the style, culture, and feel of mid-century America. The family’s clothing and accessories weave together the roles of Carl Sandburg as a prominent writer, celebrity, father, and husband. This temporary exhibit offers an exciting opportunity for the public to view objects that are normally in storage or in the possession of Sandburg family members. Tours of the Sandburg Home are offered daily from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Tickets are available first come, first served, each day from the visitor information area in the ground level of the Sandburg Home.
Nearly every room in the historically furnished house museum will be included in the exhibit. Visitors will see the characteristic scarves Carl Sandburg wore as he played his guitar and sang folk songs to entertain his family and guests, the dress Lilian Sandburg wore to meet President Lyndon B. Johnson, and many other mid-century pieces worn by the Sandburgs and their daughters. Historic photographs, paired with the clothing, will provide context.
Our free Jazz Hour is back for the fall season! Please join us in our auditorium to listen to an hour of jazz from Steinway pianist and composer Michael Jefry Stevens and his musician friends. Each performance is different and will take place on the third Monday evenings of each month. Everyone is welcome.

Join us for an evening program featuring Asheville School’s Handbell Ensemble and Chorale. The music program is complemented by an original choreographed work inspired by our current exhibition, Appalachia Now!, performed by Asheville School dance students.
Preceding the evening program, Asheville School students are popping up in the Exhibition Halls—sketching, spoken-word performances, and more! Pre-programs take place 4:30–5:30pm, and are free for Museum Members or included with admission. Space is limited.

“Dressing for the Occasion” offers visitors a window into the style, culture, and feel of mid-century America. The family’s clothing and accessories weave together the roles of Carl Sandburg as a prominent writer, celebrity, father, and husband. This temporary exhibit offers an exciting opportunity for the public to view objects that are normally in storage or in the possession of Sandburg family members. Tours of the Sandburg Home are offered daily from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Tickets are available first come, first served, each day from the visitor information area in the ground level of the Sandburg Home.
Nearly every room in the historically furnished house museum will be included in the exhibit. Visitors will see the characteristic scarves Carl Sandburg wore as he played his guitar and sang folk songs to entertain his family and guests, the dress Lilian Sandburg wore to meet President Lyndon B. Johnson, and many other mid-century pieces worn by the Sandburgs and their daughters. Historic photographs, paired with the clothing, will provide context.
Pisgah Brewing Company is bringing you another Holiday Craft Fair! This event will be held indoors, right in time for the holidays! Come check out an array of local vendors, all from Western North Carolina! Support local this holiday season and keep small businesses strong in our community! This event will surely be a one stop shop for all your holiday and seasonal needs!
*Live music throughout the day featuring the MoonFish 2
*Admission is free. Mimosa bar and beers on tap.
*D.O.G.S. will be on site all day and night if you get hungry…

The community is invited to attend Voter ID Public Seminars. Beginning in 2020, voters will be required to provide photo identification before they vote. This includes both in-person and by-mail voting, with some exceptions. The Buncombe County Board of Elections is teaming up with the libraries to hold educational seminars about voter photo identification requirements. The seminars are free and open to the public.
Dates & locations:
Saturday, Nov. 9 at 10:30 am (Weaverville Library)
Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 2:00 pm (Black Mountain Library)
Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 6:30 pm (Leicester Library)
Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 6 pm (South Buncombe Library)
Naturalist and painter John James Audubon (1785-1851) is perhaps best known for Birds of America, his seminal work featuring 435 hand-colored, life-sized prints surveying the wide variety of birds in what was then the American wilderness. Posed in life-like postures with accurate settings, the volume remains an inspiration for artists in a variety of media today. Join author and collector Bill Steiner for a look at Audubon, his contributions to art and science, and his later work The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America. Steiner is joined by Cindy Buckner, associate curator, for a preview of A Telling Instinct: Audubon and Contemporary Art, the Museum’s upcoming exhibition examining Audubon’s anthropomorphic and storytelling approach, and its resonance with contemporary artists.
Presented in conjunction with A Telling Instinct, in partnership with the Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society.


“Dressing for the Occasion” offers visitors a window into the style, culture, and feel of mid-century America. The family’s clothing and accessories weave together the roles of Carl Sandburg as a prominent writer, celebrity, father, and husband. This temporary exhibit offers an exciting opportunity for the public to view objects that are normally in storage or in the possession of Sandburg family members. Tours of the Sandburg Home are offered daily from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Tickets are available first come, first served, each day from the visitor information area in the ground level of the Sandburg Home.
Nearly every room in the historically furnished house museum will be included in the exhibit. Visitors will see the characteristic scarves Carl Sandburg wore as he played his guitar and sang folk songs to entertain his family and guests, the dress Lilian Sandburg wore to meet President Lyndon B. Johnson, and many other mid-century pieces worn by the Sandburgs and their daughters. Historic photographs, paired with the clothing, will provide context.

Chart-topping jazz and blues artist Shoshana Bean is a powerhouse on stage — both in concert and underneath the Broadway spotlight. Inspired largely by Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin and Barbra Streisand, the actress and dynamo singer thrills with a fresh new take on the big band tradition.

“Dressing for the Occasion” offers visitors a window into the style, culture, and feel of mid-century America. The family’s clothing and accessories weave together the roles of Carl Sandburg as a prominent writer, celebrity, father, and husband. This temporary exhibit offers an exciting opportunity for the public to view objects that are normally in storage or in the possession of Sandburg family members. Tours of the Sandburg Home are offered daily from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Tickets are available first come, first served, each day from the visitor information area in the ground level of the Sandburg Home.
Nearly every room in the historically furnished house museum will be included in the exhibit. Visitors will see the characteristic scarves Carl Sandburg wore as he played his guitar and sang folk songs to entertain his family and guests, the dress Lilian Sandburg wore to meet President Lyndon B. Johnson, and many other mid-century pieces worn by the Sandburgs and their daughters. Historic photographs, paired with the clothing, will provide context.
Join us as Christina Newhouse from Southwestern NC Resource Conservation & Development Council discusses season extension. In this informative workshop, you will learn how to extend your growing and marketing seasons while making more money.
$20 register at: https://appalachian.org/event/farm-workshop-season-extension/?utm_source=SAHC+Default+MC+List&utm_campaign=32340c2ac5-February_2018_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4717684d09-32340c2ac5-144635353&ct=t(February_2018_COPY_02)&mc_cid=32340c2ac5&mc_eid=cccced3ffd
In 2017, Cherokee student leaders assembled a forum for open discussion on what it means for them to be Cherokee in the past, present, and future and how they view their cultural heritage. This new work was created with the words, voices, and vision of the Cherokee Chamber Singers, choral students at Cherokee Central Schools, written by composer William Brittelle. Originally commissioned by the North Carolina Symphony, the BMCM+AC event will include a pre-concert discussion and performance with the Cherokee Singers and music director / pianist Michael Yannette.
- It’s critical for planners to know how to effectively organize, budget and market a variety of different events to keep the company in the green, out of trouble, and on the minds of donors, business partners, and customers. Earning a certificate in Event Planning will expose you to the many different facets of being an event planner from managing people and projects to increasing exposure and dollars for your organization. Participants can earn a certificate by attending six of the designated event planning workshops (EP), which are offered each semester. Participants do not enroll in the certificate program, but rather complete the workshops at their own pace. Workshops are offered each semester (spring and fall) on either Thursday or Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at WCU at Biltmore Park, Asheville, NC.
Instructors will distribute a case study at the end of each EP workshop, and participants submit the case studies to the program coordinator when all 6 workshops are completed to complete the final requirement for the certificate. The workshop instructors include professionals from the Western North Carolina business and hospitality industry and faculty from Western Carolina University.
Complete 6 of the below EP workshops and earn a certificate.
Fee: $119 per workshop or register for 6 workshops for $640 (a 10% discount!) Workshops include lunch and continuing education credits.
- FIVE-STAR CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY Friday, August 16, 2019
- MAKING EVERY PENNY COUNT: EVENT BUDGETING 101 Friday, September 20, 2019
- CURRENT & TESTED SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES FOR DIGITAL MARKETING Friday, October 18, 2019
- ENGAGE, STRATEGIZE, CULTIVATE – THE ART OF SECURING EVENT SPONSORSHIPS Thursday, October 24, 2019
- MAXIMIZING YOUR RETURN FROM TRADESHOWS, EXPOS AND FAIRS Thursday, November 7, 2019
- CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, LIABILITY AND RISK FACTORS Friday, November 22, 2019

“Dressing for the Occasion” offers visitors a window into the style, culture, and feel of mid-century America. The family’s clothing and accessories weave together the roles of Carl Sandburg as a prominent writer, celebrity, father, and husband. This temporary exhibit offers an exciting opportunity for the public to view objects that are normally in storage or in the possession of Sandburg family members. Tours of the Sandburg Home are offered daily from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Tickets are available first come, first served, each day from the visitor information area in the ground level of the Sandburg Home.
Nearly every room in the historically furnished house museum will be included in the exhibit. Visitors will see the characteristic scarves Carl Sandburg wore as he played his guitar and sang folk songs to entertain his family and guests, the dress Lilian Sandburg wore to meet President Lyndon B. Johnson, and many other mid-century pieces worn by the Sandburgs and their daughters. Historic photographs, paired with the clothing, will provide context.
Chevelle is bringing Convey to Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort Event Center on Friday, November 22. Musical powerhouse, Chevelle, have continually delivered rock anthems for the past 24 years. 7 number one hits, 17 songs reaching the top 10 charts, over 4 million records sold in the USA and many more world wide. It’s all credit to their continuing dedication to be true to their craft, the genre and their fans. Don’t miss your chance to see Chevelle live.


At the beginning of the winter season, most people are thinking about what deals they can score on gifts and gadgets before the climax of the holiday hits. But a group of farmers and artists in western North Carolina have a very different idea. “In a world of disposability, we are committed to giving people connections to how things are made,” says Greta Dietrich, a local artist and metalsmith who is co-organizing and teaching.
General admission to the Make It! Don’t Buy It! Holiday Skillshare is $10.00, and grants access to the raffle, pop-up vendor gallery, several live craft demos, family activities area, live music and refreshments. Tickets to participate in skill share workshops can be purchased in addition to General Admission, and grant access to an array of events in themed classrooms such as Apothecary Arts, Printmaking, Metalsmithing, Fiber Arts, or Kitchen Crafts, either in the morning from 10am-1pm, or in the afternoon from 2pm-5pm. Children ages 6-14 can be enrolled in the Roots & Wings Youth Program for additional fees. Lunch will be available onsite from local food trucks.
For more information, and to register, visit www.skillsharewnc.com. To apply to the
vendor gallery as a participating artist, visit www.skillsharewnc.com/vendors

Sign up by November 8! In Drawing Journey Journals, travel the Museum’s galleries, drawing as you go in handmade journals with watercolor pencils; then, transform your sketches into paint in the Studio. Engage in basic drawing exercises during each class, as well as learn tips and tricks to inform your drawing with the elements of composition, light, perspective, and color. Carry drawing and writing techniques used in class over into your personal travel journals, plein air painting, and self-expression.
Click the button below to learn more, or call 828.253.3227 x122 to register by phone.

“Dressing for the Occasion” offers visitors a window into the style, culture, and feel of mid-century America. The family’s clothing and accessories weave together the roles of Carl Sandburg as a prominent writer, celebrity, father, and husband. This temporary exhibit offers an exciting opportunity for the public to view objects that are normally in storage or in the possession of Sandburg family members. Tours of the Sandburg Home are offered daily from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Tickets are available first come, first served, each day from the visitor information area in the ground level of the Sandburg Home.
Nearly every room in the historically furnished house museum will be included in the exhibit. Visitors will see the characteristic scarves Carl Sandburg wore as he played his guitar and sang folk songs to entertain his family and guests, the dress Lilian Sandburg wore to meet President Lyndon B. Johnson, and many other mid-century pieces worn by the Sandburgs and their daughters. Historic photographs, paired with the clothing, will provide context.
Join us as we celebrate the life of John Coltrane right here in his home state of North Carolina! The night will feature the Joseph Herbst Big Band, which consists of spectacular musicians coming from New York, Michigan, Texas, and, of course, Asheville, as well as a local spoken word artist.
The use of a big band to share Coltrane’s music creates a medium that allows for us to paint a story of his life through music, extrapolating the complex yet beautiful emotions of his playing into a 17-piece ensemble.
The night will feature a spoken word artist presenting the words and writings of Coltrane, performed both in between big band pieces backed by Coltrane’s music in its simplest form as well as interwoven into the fabric of the performance of the full ensemble.
Coltrane’s life and beliefs were intricately linked with his music. A celebration of Coltrane cannot be solely music – it must include all aspects of his life. Through this, Coltrane’s music is still timely today, speaking to the current political and racial state of our nation. This will not just be a historical celebration of Coltrane’s life, but also a reworking of his music and life in present time, making us look inwards and outwards in the way Coltrane would do if he were alive today.
The band will perform three of John Coltrane’s most iconic compositions arranged for big band, and three originals inspired by Coltrane’s music, all written by Joseph Herbst. These six tunes are all written in a light that captures the struggles, successes, and ultimate revelation throughout Coltrane’s all too short life.
Arrangements:
Lonnie’s Lament
Giant Steps
After the Rain
Compositions inspired by:
Like Sonny
Equinox
Pursuance
Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.
Originally from Switzerland, brothers Uwe and Jens Kruger began playing North American folk music at an early age and were particularly inspired by recordings of Doc Watson, Flatt and Scruggs, Bill Monroe, and other progenitors of country, bluegrass and folk music. Their first public performances were as a duo, busking on the streets of cities throughout eastern and Western Europe. After gaining a recording contract as well as a radio show on SRG SSR, the Swiss public broadcaster, they teamed up with bass player Joel Landsberg, inaugurating a trio that has been playing professionally together since 1995. Landsberg is an American citizen from New York, NY. The first recording project to include Landsberg was Behind the Barn, Vol. 2, released in 1997. The Kruger Brothers moved to the United States in 2002, and are based in Wilkesboro, NC.
The group is highly regarded within the world of acoustic music in North America, in particular by those within the industry. They have also gained the attention of some of the musicians, including Bill Monroe, Doc Watson, Tut Taylor, and Bobby Hicks, that once served as models. Watson has said, “The Kruger Brothers are just about as fine a band as I’ve ever played with. … I love to play music with them.”
In 2013, Jens Kruger was named the fourth recipient of the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass Music. The prize, created and endowed by Martin, recognizes “outstanding accomplishments in the field of five-string banjo,” Jens was selected by a committee that included Martin, Pete Wernick, Béla Fleck, Alison Brown, J.D. Crowe,
Tony Trischka and others.
Jens Kruger has been inducted to the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame, and has been nominated for Banjo Instrumentalist of the year by the International Bluegrass Musician Association (IBMA) in 2014 and has received commissions for his ensemble compositions that include through the National Endowment for the Arts and Chamber Music America.

Where Great Artists Are Discovered. The NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition is one of the premier showcases of exceptional emerging talent in North America.
Now in its 18th year, the NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition is one of the premier showcases of performing songwriters in North America. Judges will select eight finalists from advance online submissions. Those artists will perform in a live showcase and competition finals at Isis Music Hall on Saturday, November 23. A panel of music industry judges will select the overall winner of the competition.
Seated Main Stage Show:: Limited Tables Available with a Dinner Reservation :: All Other Seating is First Come First Serve General Admission :: Please Call Venue for Dinner (Table) Reservations
As temperatures begin to drop we want to make sure people know where to go when frigid weather strikes. If you or someone you know needs shelter, the following sites are available when the Asheville-Buncombe CODE PURPLE is in effect.
Code Purple is a voluntary effort among private sector shelter providers, coordinated by the Asheville Homeless Coalition. The City of Asheville does not fund, direct, coordinate, or manage any aspects of Code Purple, but information on when Code Purple is in effect may be found at this link on the City of Asheville website
In extremely cold conditions, the Code Purple shelter providers will provide shelter beyond their normal program capacity. Code Purple does not include natural disasters such as hurricanes, flooding, or tornadoes; in these events, all citizens will be able to access services at the community disaster shelters.
Code Purple network sites:
- ABCCM Veteran’s Quarters, 828-259-5333: Overnight emergency shelter, men only.
- Homeward Bound A-Hope, 828-252-8883: Day center.
- Western Carolina Rescue Ministries, 828-254-0471: Indoor space during the day (all); overnight emergency shelter for women and children only; identification required; police escort required after 6 p.m.; background check necessary to assure individual is not registered sex offender.
- Steadfast House, 828-259-5365: Limited space availability/overnight emergency shelter for women and children only.
Code Purple network partners:
-
- United Way’s 2-1-1 information and referral line: Dial 211 or 828-252-HELP (4357)
- ABCCM Steadfast House, transitional housing: 828-259-5365.
- American Red Cross (crisis services)
- BEACON members (crisis services)
- Helpmate, overnight domestic violence shelter: Call 24-hour crisis line, 828-254-0516
- Trinity Place (overnight shelter for ages 7-17 only: Amy Hobson, 828-777-5715
The City of Asheville is deeply grateful for the work of all homeless shelter providers. We know they do everything they can do to get people indoors during extreme weather events. We also recognize that despite everyone’s best efforts, there may always be people who choose to remain outdoors, even in the coldest months.
The Marshall Handmade Market is held the weekend before Thanksgiving in the Marshall High Studios, a 1920s two story brick high school nestled on an island in the French Broad River. Some of the most talented makers in the region fill the spacious, sunny auditorium, and the resident artists of Marshall High spruce up the classrooms-turned-studios and open their doors to share their process and art with visitors.
Enjoy coffee and pastries from local artisan bakers and a delicious lunch from the Smashbox Kitchen food truck, as well as music and plenty of seating on the generous back deck. The idyllic island setting, charming historic high school and fantastic artists all combine to make the Marshall Handmade Market a favorite among holiday shows for locals and visitors.





