Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.

Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.

Friday, February 21, 2020
EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems: food and farm help/resources in WNC
Feb 21 all-day
WNC

The Center for Environmental Farming Systems is a partnership of North Carolina State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

 

Introduction to Medicare
Feb 21 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Goodwill Training Center

This class will explain how Medicare works, the enrollment process, how to avoid penalties, and ways to save money. People who are new to Medicare, caregivers, and others who help senior citizens with their Medicare insurance should consider attending this informative class. The information presented is unbiased and accurate. No products are sold, recommended, or endorsed.

Wolve Howl! WNC Nature Center
Feb 21 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
WNC Nature Center

Join us for an evening program about the large canines of the southern Appalachians! We will begin with a presentation on red and gray wolf ecology and biology, including dentition and track identification, then venture outside to explore the park at night and see if we can hear our resident wolves howl!  Please keep in mind this is an educational experience geared towards adults.

Saturday, February 22, 2020
Early Bird Registration Open for Senior Games and Silver Arts 2020
Feb 22 all-day
Buncombe County NC

Each spring, hundreds of locals 50+ years-old enjoy participating in the Asheville-Buncombe Senior Games and Silver Arts. This year’s program will be held at locations throughout Buncombe County from Tuesday, April 14-Friday, May 15. Registration is $5 before March 9 or $10 after that date. Military veterans may register for free.

To register, fill out a registration form (see documents below) or register online at ncseniorgames.org. Archery and pickleball have registration deadline dates.

Sports include basketball, bocce, croquet, football throw, softball throw, golf, cycling, track and field, archery, cheerleading, bowling, swimming, billiards, badminton, cornhole, horseshoes, pickleball, racquetball, shuffleboard, tennis, and table tennis. Miniature golf, rowing, and team softball and basketball are new this year. Age categories start at 50 and increase at five year intervals.

Silver Arts categories are classified as Heritage (quilting, woodwork, crochet, basket weaving, jewelry, needlework, tole painting, weaving, knitting, pottery, stained glass, woodcarving, and woodturning), Visual (solo, small group, and large group), Performing, Literary (poem, short story, essay, and life experience), and Contemporary. Art pieces will be displayed at Buncombe County Libraries in April and May.

A full schedule can be accessed below as a PDF.

Follow Buncombe County Recreation on Facebook and Instagram.

Table: News Item Documents
File Name Size Type Date & Time Added
Registration 209 KB 02/04/2020 7:52 AM
Schedule 45 KB 02/04/2020 7:52 AM
Early Bird tickets: 23rd annual French Broard River Festival
Feb 22 all-day
Hot Springs Campground & Spa

INTRO-IMAGE_1024px

Kick off spring in the mountains at the 23rd annual French Broad River Festival.  It’s part outdoor adventure, part music festival with whitewater rafting, biking, hiking, kid’s village, camping, great music, and much more.  Painter John, a popular FBRF musician, compares the atmosphere to “a big potluck at your best friend’s house”.  If you’ve been you know . . . what better way to enjoy spring in these mountains?

Weekend passes include camping

$120 online by 3/31/20
$125 online by 4/30/20
$140 at gate
$65 Saturday only
$45 whitewater rafting

EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems: food and farm help/resources in WNC
Feb 22 all-day
WNC

The Center for Environmental Farming Systems is a partnership of North Carolina State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

 

Environmental Education: RiverLink Summer Camps
Feb 22 all-day
Buncombe County NC

Environmental Education is crucial to what RiverLink does. We believe that in order for someone to protect their environment, they must first understand it. Our education programs focus on getting students out in the watershed for hands-on experiential learning. We help students foster a love and appreciation for their water resources by allowing them to see, hear and interact with their local waterways. As a result of engaging with our program we hope that students will be inspired to become the next generation of watershed stewards.

RiverRATS Education Program

Farmer Incubator Program – Apply Now!
Feb 22 all-day
SAHC

Farmer Incubator Program – Apply Now!

Farming = a long-term game. Traditionally, farming was a lifelong+ learning process, with families passing along experience, knowledge, and land accrued by multiple generations. Today, your experience in farming may be different. This program is part of a collaborative support system to help “incubate” farm businesses as they grow.

Farming is a business… What’s your business plan?

Do you have a farm business idea? Make it a reality! You are invited to join Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy’s Farmer Incubator Program, a “business incubator” for farm operations.

Guided Hikes: Grandfather Mountain
Feb 22 all-day
Grandfather Mountain

Interpretive Rangers are available to lead guided hikes, bird walks and wildflower walks for families and groups that visit Grandfather Mountain. To see the mountain in this whole new way, you can schedule an appointment by calling the interpretive ranger office at (828) 737-0833 or emailing [email protected].

Please note that walks and hikes are available for all ability levels, but hikes that take you into Grandfather Mountain’s backcountry require careful footwork, proper footwear and the ability to handle heights. All backcountry hikes require participants to traverse ladders and use cables to navigate steep sections of the trail.

Interpretive Rangers are available year-round (weather permitting) to lead guided hikes to:

MacRae Peak ($15 + park admission)
Attic Window ($25 + park admission)
Calloway Peak ($35 + park admission)

Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance, and a minimum of two participants per hike are required. For more information, please call (828) 737-0833.

Redesigning Our Future: National Environmental Summit for High School Students
Feb 22 all-day
Catawba College
ASAP Business of Farming Conference
Feb 22 @ 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
AB Tech Conference Center

The conference focuses on the business side of farming, offering beginning and established farmers financial, legal, management, and marketing tools to improve their farm businesses and make new professional connections.

The conference offers over a dozen workshops led by farmers and regional professionals, including Achieve Your Farm Financial Goals, Developing Your Farm Brand, Selling to Restaurants, and more. The popular Grower-Buyer Meeting gives farmers the chance to meet with buyers from area restaurants, groceries, and distributors. Farmers can receive individual support on legal, tax, labor, recordkeeping, and marketing issues during the extended lunch. Breakfast and lunch featuring local farm products is provided.

For the second year, the conference will include a free summit and leadership training for farmers market managers as well as a new farmers market fundraising forum. With more than 100 independent markets across the region, farmers markets are an important outlet for farmers to sell their products, build their customer base, and strengthen community ties. Interested market managers should contact Mike McCreary, [email protected], to pre-register for the summit.

Registration for the Business of Farming Conference is now open at asapconnections.org or by contacting ASAP at (828) 236-1282. Attendance is $75 per person by Feb. 1 and $95 beginning Feb. 2, with a discount for farm partners registering together. Sponsors for the Business of Farming Conference include Ingles Markets, Farm Burger, and Biltmore. Additional support comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Buncombe County Strategic Partnership, Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, and the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission.

7th Annual Spartanburg 2020 Home and Garden Shows
Feb 22 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium

Home & Garden Show

UNC Asheville’s 2020 Pi(e) Run
Feb 22 @ 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
UNCA starting on the Main Quad

Pi symbol, event basic information with running track in the background

Registration is open for UNC Asheville’s 2020 Pi(e) Run, an annual fun run that celebrates all things Pi(e). This year’s event will be held on Pi Day, Saturday, March 14, at Pi time, 3:14 p.m. Runners will run 3.14 miles around UNC Asheville’s campus and celebrate with pie at the finish line. The event is open to the public with an early-bird rate of $15 before Feb. 15. Runners who sign up before March 1 will receive a t-shirt and swag bag, and registration continues through March 14 at a cost of $20, with on-site registration and check-in starting at 2 p.m. the day of the race. Visit unca.edu/pi-run to sign up.

The 2020 Pi Day Run will start from UNC Asheville’s Quad and circle University Heights three times, via campus sidewalks, concluding with pie at the finish line. The fun run includes a pie baking contest, judged by Math Leaders from the Marvelous Math Club, with prizes awarded, and this year will feature a raffle. Registration includes a raffle entry for each runner. Registration also is available for the pie contest, without the run, by filling out the interest form at unca.edu/pi-run.

Proceeds from the annual Pi(e) Run will benefit the Asheville Initiative for Math at UNC Asheville and its Marvelous Math Club at Pisgah View Community Center. Marvelous Math Club is a partnership between UNC Asheville, Asheville Housing Authority, and Asheville City Schools. The Club uses math as a catalyst to build leadership skills, create community and provide a space for individualized academic support and social-emotional growth.

 

Mystical Night Market
Feb 22 @ 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Violet Owl

Mystical Night Market presented by The Guild of Sacred Arts. Join us for a celebration of the mind, body, and spirit. Local readers, healers, and makers will be offering: astrological readings, intuitive/psychic/medium readings, Akashic Records and animal communication readings, Reiki/energy healings, transformational coaching, local art, Reiki-infused jewelry, fairy hair, natural soaps, apothecary items, and more.

No entry fees! Raffle prizes! Come join us for a night of fun!

Sunday, February 23, 2020
Early Bird Registration Open for Senior Games and Silver Arts 2020
Feb 23 all-day
Buncombe County NC

Each spring, hundreds of locals 50+ years-old enjoy participating in the Asheville-Buncombe Senior Games and Silver Arts. This year’s program will be held at locations throughout Buncombe County from Tuesday, April 14-Friday, May 15. Registration is $5 before March 9 or $10 after that date. Military veterans may register for free.

To register, fill out a registration form (see documents below) or register online at ncseniorgames.org. Archery and pickleball have registration deadline dates.

Sports include basketball, bocce, croquet, football throw, softball throw, golf, cycling, track and field, archery, cheerleading, bowling, swimming, billiards, badminton, cornhole, horseshoes, pickleball, racquetball, shuffleboard, tennis, and table tennis. Miniature golf, rowing, and team softball and basketball are new this year. Age categories start at 50 and increase at five year intervals.

Silver Arts categories are classified as Heritage (quilting, woodwork, crochet, basket weaving, jewelry, needlework, tole painting, weaving, knitting, pottery, stained glass, woodcarving, and woodturning), Visual (solo, small group, and large group), Performing, Literary (poem, short story, essay, and life experience), and Contemporary. Art pieces will be displayed at Buncombe County Libraries in April and May.

A full schedule can be accessed below as a PDF.

Follow Buncombe County Recreation on Facebook and Instagram.

Table: News Item Documents
File Name Size Type Date & Time Added
Registration 209 KB 02/04/2020 7:52 AM
Schedule 45 KB 02/04/2020 7:52 AM
7th Annual Spartanburg 2020 Home and Garden Shows
Feb 23 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium

Home & Garden Show

UNC Asheville’s 2020 Pi(e) Run
Feb 23 @ 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
UNCA starting on the Main Quad

Pi symbol, event basic information with running track in the background

Registration is open for UNC Asheville’s 2020 Pi(e) Run, an annual fun run that celebrates all things Pi(e). This year’s event will be held on Pi Day, Saturday, March 14, at Pi time, 3:14 p.m. Runners will run 3.14 miles around UNC Asheville’s campus and celebrate with pie at the finish line. The event is open to the public with an early-bird rate of $15 before Feb. 15. Runners who sign up before March 1 will receive a t-shirt and swag bag, and registration continues through March 14 at a cost of $20, with on-site registration and check-in starting at 2 p.m. the day of the race. Visit unca.edu/pi-run to sign up.

The 2020 Pi Day Run will start from UNC Asheville’s Quad and circle University Heights three times, via campus sidewalks, concluding with pie at the finish line. The fun run includes a pie baking contest, judged by Math Leaders from the Marvelous Math Club, with prizes awarded, and this year will feature a raffle. Registration includes a raffle entry for each runner. Registration also is available for the pie contest, without the run, by filling out the interest form at unca.edu/pi-run.

Proceeds from the annual Pi(e) Run will benefit the Asheville Initiative for Math at UNC Asheville and its Marvelous Math Club at Pisgah View Community Center. Marvelous Math Club is a partnership between UNC Asheville, Asheville Housing Authority, and Asheville City Schools. The Club uses math as a catalyst to build leadership skills, create community and provide a space for individualized academic support and social-emotional growth.

 

Free Sonic Moving Meditation
Feb 23 @ 4:30 pm – 4:30 pm
St. George Episcopal Church

We will be holding our next gathering at the Center for Art and Spirit at the St. George Episcopal Church in West Asheville from 4-5:20 p.m. on Sunday, February 23. St. George Episcopal is at 1 School Road, Asheville, NC 28806.

This gathering will be open to 50 participants and will feature a Sonic Moving Meditation. Nancy Jurek will take people on a journey that will include meditation, movement, and relaxation. River Guerguerian will be providing a live soundtrack using an array of global percussion instruments.

The meditation will be preceded by a brief presentation about the
LivingPulse, and the gathering will conclude with a group discussion about the experience. After you register and before this free event occurs, we will email you a short paper describing a few of the ideas behind the LivingPulse organization, which may help prepare your mindset for the activity and succeeding discussion.

This will be the second of what we hope will be monthly LivingPulse gatherings. We hope to see you soon!

Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Early Bird tickets: 23rd annual French Broard River Festival
Feb 26 all-day
Hot Springs Campground & Spa

INTRO-IMAGE_1024px

Kick off spring in the mountains at the 23rd annual French Broad River Festival.  It’s part outdoor adventure, part music festival with whitewater rafting, biking, hiking, kid’s village, camping, great music, and much more.  Painter John, a popular FBRF musician, compares the atmosphere to “a big potluck at your best friend’s house”.  If you’ve been you know . . . what better way to enjoy spring in these mountains?

Weekend passes include camping

$120 online by 3/31/20
$125 online by 4/30/20
$140 at gate
$65 Saturday only
$45 whitewater rafting

Guided Hikes: Grandfather Mountain
Feb 26 all-day
Grandfather Mountain

Interpretive Rangers are available to lead guided hikes, bird walks and wildflower walks for families and groups that visit Grandfather Mountain. To see the mountain in this whole new way, you can schedule an appointment by calling the interpretive ranger office at (828) 737-0833 or emailing [email protected].

Please note that walks and hikes are available for all ability levels, but hikes that take you into Grandfather Mountain’s backcountry require careful footwork, proper footwear and the ability to handle heights. All backcountry hikes require participants to traverse ladders and use cables to navigate steep sections of the trail.

Interpretive Rangers are available year-round (weather permitting) to lead guided hikes to:

MacRae Peak ($15 + park admission)
Attic Window ($25 + park admission)
Calloway Peak ($35 + park admission)

Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance, and a minimum of two participants per hike are required. For more information, please call (828) 737-0833.

YWCA Open House Fitness and Aquatics
Feb 26 @ 7:00 am – 7:00 pm
YWCA

 

Free event: Tour, meet, and try it out! Refreshments!!!!

Thursday, February 27, 2020
13th Annual HEAL (Healthy Eating and Living) Conference
Feb 27 all-day
Ambrose West

Thursday, February 27th
Noon – 4:00 pm (check-in begins at 11:15 am)

Friday, February 28th
8:45 am – 4:30 pm (check-in begins at 7:45 am)

HEAL presents professional development and networking opportunities as well as education for the general public.
Our conference addresses disordered eating and eating disorders recovery by presenting experts from various sectors of the industry.

Awareness helps with prevention, treatment, and support and our hope is to reach many, with approachable education and (10 possible) CEs.  Take a look at this year’s schedule, speakers, and topics… and register now!  Seating is limited and we will sell out.

Body Talk: Using Storytelling & Metaphor to Understand & Treat Body Image Distress
Feb 27 @ 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Ambrose West

Anita Johnston, Ph.D., CEDS-S author of “Eating in the Light of the Moon” will be here with us on Thursday, February 27, 2020 for a 4-hour, afternoon session. Her talk, “Body Talk: Using Storytelling & Metaphor to Understand and Treat Body Image Distress” is part of Carolina Resource Center for Eating Disorders 13th Annual HEAL Conference. You can register for this session separately at https://heal2020.bpt.me/

Visit crcfored.com for more information

Attracting Birds to the Landscape
Feb 27 @ 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Bullington Gardens

Bullington staff Kelsey Jarvis and John Murphy will discuss trees, shrubs and hardy perennials that will draw birds to your garden year-round with examples of nesting preferences and food sources for specific birds. In partnership with Wild Birds Unlimited Hendersonville.

Friday, February 28, 2020
13th Annual HEAL (Healthy Eating and Living) Conference
Feb 28 all-day
Ambrose West

Thursday, February 27th
Noon – 4:00 pm (check-in begins at 11:15 am)

Friday, February 28th
8:45 am – 4:30 pm (check-in begins at 7:45 am)

HEAL presents professional development and networking opportunities as well as education for the general public.
Our conference addresses disordered eating and eating disorders recovery by presenting experts from various sectors of the industry.

Awareness helps with prevention, treatment, and support and our hope is to reach many, with approachable education and (10 possible) CEs.  Take a look at this year’s schedule, speakers, and topics… and register now!  Seating is limited and we will sell out.

EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems: food and farm help/resources in WNC
Feb 28 all-day
WNC

The Center for Environmental Farming Systems is a partnership of North Carolina State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

 

Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force: review two city sidewalk project plans
Feb 28 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Asheville’s City Hall

The February Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force meeting that was snowed out last week will not be rescheduled. Please plan to attend the next meeting on March 19.

Instead, I am inviting you to review two city sidewalk project plans this Friday, February 28th, between 11am and 1pm on the mezzanine of Asheville’s City Hall, 70 Court Plaza.

We have 60% plans, so plans that are on their way but not yet fully firmed up, for sidewalk on New Haw Creek Rd and on New Leicester Hwy.  The individual project managers will be there to take your comments and answer your questions.  We will be in the Water Admin conference room on the north side of the building, one floor up from the main entrance.

I often bring plans to the meeting, but there is never enough time to take a good look, so I’m trying this.  Feedback on usefulness, as well as the time, day, location, and such is welcome.  If you can’t be there at this time but still want to take a look, contact me and we can work something out.

You enter City Hall through a security entrance, so I suggest only carrying what you need to have with you that day.

Healthy Beginnings WNC Farmers Market
Feb 28 @ 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm
WNC Farmers Market

Healthy Beginnings – February 28 at noon to 2:30. AdventHealth and WNC Farmers Market are teaming up to promote healthy habits. Blood pressure and body mass index screenings will be available and AdventHealth dieticians will prepare samples of healthy recipes using WNC Farmers Market ingredients.

Introduction to Medicare
Feb 28 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
OLLI/Reuter Center, UNCA

This class will explain how Medicare works, the enrollment process, how to avoid penalties, and ways to save money. People who are new to Medicare, caregivers, and others who help senior citizens with their Medicare insurance should consider attending this informative class. The information presented is unbiased and accurate. No products are sold, recommended , or endorsed.

UNC Asheville’s 2020 Pi(e) Run
Feb 28 @ 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
UNCA starting on the Main Quad

Pi symbol, event basic information with running track in the background

Registration is open for UNC Asheville’s 2020 Pi(e) Run, an annual fun run that celebrates all things Pi(e). This year’s event will be held on Pi Day, Saturday, March 14, at Pi time, 3:14 p.m. Runners will run 3.14 miles around UNC Asheville’s campus and celebrate with pie at the finish line. The event is open to the public with an early-bird rate of $15 before Feb. 15. Runners who sign up before March 1 will receive a t-shirt and swag bag, and registration continues through March 14 at a cost of $20, with on-site registration and check-in starting at 2 p.m. the day of the race. Visit unca.edu/pi-run to sign up.

The 2020 Pi Day Run will start from UNC Asheville’s Quad and circle University Heights three times, via campus sidewalks, concluding with pie at the finish line. The fun run includes a pie baking contest, judged by Math Leaders from the Marvelous Math Club, with prizes awarded, and this year will feature a raffle. Registration includes a raffle entry for each runner. Registration also is available for the pie contest, without the run, by filling out the interest form at unca.edu/pi-run.

Proceeds from the annual Pi(e) Run will benefit the Asheville Initiative for Math at UNC Asheville and its Marvelous Math Club at Pisgah View Community Center. Marvelous Math Club is a partnership between UNC Asheville, Asheville Housing Authority, and Asheville City Schools. The Club uses math as a catalyst to build leadership skills, create community and provide a space for individualized academic support and social-emotional growth.