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.

Sunday, March 8, 2020
The Merrell Adventure Dash CANCELLED
Mar 8 @ 4:00 pm
Nantahala Outdoor Center

Age: All Ages

The Merrell Adventure Dash is all about getting outside and challenging yourself to work hard for your good time. Suitable for families as well as adults, participants will negotiate a series of natural and man-made obstacles along the 5K course, including balance components, climbs and nets, a river-run, and raft crossing. This holiday weekend, enjoy a fun, family-friendly adventure run in the beautiful Nantahala Gorge. Merrell Adventure Dash participants can choose between the 5K dash or a 1K fun run. Kids aged 12 and under race free with a participating adult.

Registraion opens March 1, 2020. Check back for more details.
Onsite Registration is available from 1pm – 3:30pm day of. The race starts promptly at 4PM on 5/23/2020.

Remember to wear anything you don’t mind getting dirty!

Monday, March 9, 2020
Early Bird Registration Open for Senior Games and Silver Arts 2020
Mar 9 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
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Early Bird tickets: 23rd annual French Broard River Festival
Mar 11 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

Thursday, March 12, 2020
Asheville CSA Fair
Mar 12 @ 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
New Belgium Brewing co

Meet local farmers and learn more about CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) programs with pickup locations in Asheville and Buncombe County. The CSA Fair is an opportunity to talk with farmers and learn about the products they offer, their growing practices, any opportunities to get involved on the farm, and when and where they deliver. The fair allows the community to learn about CSAs in a relaxed environment or is a chance to purchase a CSA membership. This free, family-friendly event is presented by ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project).

Find Your Farm Share! ASAP 10th annual CSA Fair
Mar 12 @ 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
New Belgium Brewing Co

As spring approaches, farmers in Western North Carolina are busy preparing for the season and selling CSA shares. To help the community learn more about CSAs (or Community Supported Agriculture), ASAP offers several events and resources. ASAP’s 10th annual Asheville CSA Fair will take place Thursday, March 12, from 3 to 6 p.m, at New Belgium Brewing Co. (21 Craven St.). This free, family-friendly event is open to the public. In addition, Full Share, a free printed guide to CSA farms in the Appalachian Grown region, is available now at farmers markets and community centers throughout the region.

 

Becoming a CSA member connects you directly with local farms. Members buy a “share” of the farm’s harvest upfront and receive a weekly box of fresh produce or other farm goods, such as meat, eggs, or flowers. The CSA Fair is a relaxed setting for attendees to talk to farmers about their products and growing practices, learn more about the CSA process, and see if there is a program that is a good fit. Attendees can purchase a CSA share at the fair or get farmer contact information to follow up later. Farms at the Asheville CSA Fair all offer CSA pickup locations within Buncombe County, and some have a variety of options for size of the share, frequency of delivery, or payment plans.

 

Participating farms at the Asheville CSA Fair include A Way of Life Farm, Bearwallow Valley Farms, The Bird & The Beasts’ Farmstead, Colfax Creek Farm, Full Sun Farm, Hickory Nut Gap Farm, Highgate Farm, Mighty Gnome Market Garden, Olivette Farm, and Watershed Forest Farm. Check asapconnections.org/events/csa-fair for updates, as more farms may be added.

Friday, March 13, 2020
EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems: food and farm help/resources in WNC
Mar 13 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.

 

Hope & Healing Conference: Faithfully Practicing Community Inclusion
Mar 13 all-day
McKimmon Conference Center

“And so the voices on the margins get heard and the circle of compassion widens. Souls feeling their worth, refusing to forget that we belong to each other,” says Father Greg Boyle, founder of Homeboy Industries, Los Angeles, CA, in his book Tattoos on the Heart. Fr. Boyle and two homeboys will be sharing how they engage in healing conflicts and instilling hope of a fulfilling life at the Faith Connections on Mental Illness Hope & Healing Conference 2020: Faithfully Practicing Community Inclusion on Friday, March 13 at the McKimmon Conference Center in Raleigh, NC. Speakers from the Durham Nativity School, Rebound, Recovery Communities of NC, and Reintegration Support Network will present how engagement and support creates a healthier community. For

Saturday, March 14, 2020
Early Bird tickets: 23rd annual French Broard River Festival
Mar 14 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
Mar 14 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.

 

Guided Hikes: Grandfather Mountain
Mar 14 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
Mar 14 all-day
Catawba College
Keeper For A Day at Grandfather Mountain
Mar 14 @ 8:00 am – 11:00 am
Grandfather Mountain

Keeper For A Day

Learn how to interact with the animals, clean up, prepare food and provide enrichments. Observe various training sessions, animal behavior and the inner workings of the animal habitats.

Requirements:

Limited to two persons per day. No pets allowed in habitat area. Keepers for a Day must:

— be 12 years of age or older
— be capable of walking up and down steep, rough terrain
— sign a waiver of liability

Expected Daily Schedule:

Arrive at 8 a.m., meet the keepers, and go to work! Assist as we let out the animals, feed them and clean their habitats. You may be asked to lift and carry animal food, tools or other items. Learn about training and providing enrichments. End your exciting shift at 11 a.m.

What to Wear:

You will get dirty! Please wear appropriate, closed-toe hiking or work boots and no loose jewelry. Coats, jackets, gloves and hats are recommended for cooler weather. Please bring sunscreen.

Weather:

Keeper for a Day will continue on schedule regardless of weather conditions. In the event that weather conditions could affect the opening of the habitats, you will be contacted.

The weather on Grandfather Mountain can change at a moment’s notice. Temperatures are commonly 5 to 10 degrees colder than what they are at the bottom of the mountain in Linville. It is recommended that you dress in layers and be prepared for any weather condition.

2019 Keeper for a Day Dates

Month Days Time Number
April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 8 a.m.-11 a.m. limited to two people per day
May 7, 14, 21, 28 8 a.m.-11 a.m. limited to two people per day
June 4, 11, 18, 25 8 a.m.-11 a.m. limited to two people per day
July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 8 a.m.-11 a.m. limited to two people per day
August 6, 13, 20, 27 8 a.m.-11 a.m. limited to two people per day
September 3, 10, 17, 24 8 a.m.-11 a.m. limited to two people per day
October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 8 a.m.-11 a.m. limited to two people per day

Reservations:

Keeper for a Day must be booked at least one week in advance by calling (828) 733-8715. Please allow 24 hours for a response.

Price:

The cost is $75 per participant ($60 each for Bridge Club members). Admission to the park is included.

Annual Candler Cleanup
Mar 14 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
AB-Tech Enka Campus

Image

Join in the annual Candler cleanup with the Enka Candler Business Association and Asheville GreenWorks. Sign up with your family or work team and select a road to work on for the morning. Please dress appropriately for the weather, including long pants and closed-toe shoes. All other gear and supplies will be provided.

Plan Your Vegetable Garden with Master Gardeners
Mar 14 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
NC Cooperative Extension Buncombe County Center

 

  • Presenter: Mary Alice Ramsey, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer

With the anticipation of spring, now is the time to plan. Join Mary Alice Ramsey, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer, as she presents Planning Your Vegetable Garden and covers the following topics:

  • Identifying a gardening site.
  • Selecting your vegetables.
  • Drawing a diagram.

Before attending the seminar, become familiar with your garden space. This will help you with the garden planning paper activity that we will be doing as part of the seminar. Mary Alice will also share information on garden tools and structures, seed and plant sources, getting started, and keeping records.

Mary Alice’s garden has been included in the Gardens of Fairview tours each spring and her garden was featured in Southern Living magazine in August of 2017.

The talk is free, but seating is limited and registration is required. Please click on the link below to register. If you encounter problems registering or if you have questions, call (828) 255-5522.

Register here.

Nantahala Outdoor Center Work Hard, Play Hard Job Fair!
Mar 14 @ 10:30 am – 3:00 pm
Nantahala Outdoor Center

 

Join us on Saturday, March 14 for the first annual NOC Work Hard, Play Hard Job Fair!

Managers from NOC’s Adventure, Retail, Restaurant and HR Departments will be available for open interviews, giving you the opportunity to be hired on the spot! To register in advance, send your resume to our HR office by clicking “Register Now”! Browse a list of open opportunities at noccareers.com.

All offers will be conditional pending successful background and reference checks.

UNC Asheville’s 2020 Pi(e) Run
Mar 14 @ 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.

 

The Merrell Adventure Dash CANCELLED
Mar 14 @ 4:00 pm
Nantahala Outdoor Center

Age: All Ages

The Merrell Adventure Dash is all about getting outside and challenging yourself to work hard for your good time. Suitable for families as well as adults, participants will negotiate a series of natural and man-made obstacles along the 5K course, including balance components, climbs and nets, a river-run, and raft crossing. This holiday weekend, enjoy a fun, family-friendly adventure run in the beautiful Nantahala Gorge. Merrell Adventure Dash participants can choose between the 5K dash or a 1K fun run. Kids aged 12 and under race free with a participating adult.

Registraion opens March 1, 2020. Check back for more details.
Onsite Registration is available from 1pm – 3:30pm day of. The race starts promptly at 4PM on 5/23/2020.

Remember to wear anything you don’t mind getting dirty!

Mystical NIght Market
Mar 14 @ 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Violet Owl

Join us for a celebration of the mind, body, and spirit! Local readers, healers, and vendors offering: astrological readings, intuitive/psychic/medium readings, Reiki/energy healings, art, Reiki-infused jewelry, fairy hair, crystals, sacred tools, apothecary items, and more! 
No entry fees! Come join us for a night of fun!

Fontana Trestle Train ft. BBQ & Brews
Mar 14 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Great Smokey Mountain Railroad

Back by popular demand our BBQ & Brews now featured on the Fontana Trestle Train, will roll out this Summer! Featuring slow-cooked BBQ prepared fresh and beer tastings showcasing our local breweries! Family friendly seating will be available on this experience!

Departing from Bryson City, these trains will travel to the Fontana Trestle and beyond remaining parallel to the Fontana Lake stopping at the perfect viewing spot just around sunset for a spectacular view! A delicious BBQ meal will be served during the trip. Returning back to the Bryson City Depot at 9pm.

In the Basket

Each of you will get your own basket of Southern-style barbeque goodness with hand-pulled pork slider, a couple pork ribs, and chicken drumstick accompanied by baked beans and house-made coleslaw.

And, of course, no respectable Southern barbeque would forget to warm up some apple cobbler for dessert.

Featured Breweries

                                

 

March 14                     May 2                      May 23(S)

              

    June 19 and 20       July 17&18(S)                                                 August 22
Sunday, March 15, 2020
CANCELLED: Pollinator Meadow Workday
Mar 15 @ 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Beaver Lake Pollinator Meadow

Image

Asheville GreenWorks invites you to join Florrie Funk, of the Bee City Asheville Leadership Committee, for an afternoon to improve one of Asheville’s pollinator havens! The workday will consist of removing invasive species from the pollinator meadow at the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary.

PLEASE wear long pants and closed-toed shoes. There will be gloves, but please bring hand pruners, trowels, or other weeding tools if you have them!
We will primarily be removing Japanese Honeysuckle, Porcelain Berry and non-native Clematis vines, pulling them out and digging out the bigger roots. These are aggressive invasive vines that displace the native wildflowers and grasses that native pollinators depend on. This is an excellent opportunity to learn how to identify and manually remove some of our area’s most tenacious invasives.

Volunteers will receive a Bee City USA – Asheville window cling!

 

 

The Merrell Adventure Dash CANCELLED
Mar 15 @ 4:00 pm
Nantahala Outdoor Center

Age: All Ages

The Merrell Adventure Dash is all about getting outside and challenging yourself to work hard for your good time. Suitable for families as well as adults, participants will negotiate a series of natural and man-made obstacles along the 5K course, including balance components, climbs and nets, a river-run, and raft crossing. This holiday weekend, enjoy a fun, family-friendly adventure run in the beautiful Nantahala Gorge. Merrell Adventure Dash participants can choose between the 5K dash or a 1K fun run. Kids aged 12 and under race free with a participating adult.

Registraion opens March 1, 2020. Check back for more details.
Onsite Registration is available from 1pm – 3:30pm day of. The race starts promptly at 4PM on 5/23/2020.

Remember to wear anything you don’t mind getting dirty!

Monday, March 16, 2020
Free Lecture and Book Signing with Neal Barnard – Your Body in Balance
Mar 16 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
The Collider

Join Dr. Neal Barnard on Mon., Mar. 16, 2020 at The Collider in Asheville to celebrate the release of his new book, Your Body in Balance: The New Science of Food, Hormones, and Health. Guests will hear remarks from Dr. Barnard about food’s effects on hormones and health.

Books will be available for purchase, and Dr. Barnard will be available to sign books.

Space is limited for this free event—reserve your spot now!

Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Early Bird tickets: 23rd annual French Broard River Festival
Mar 18 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

Friday, March 20, 2020
EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems: food and farm help/resources in WNC
Mar 20 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.

 

CANCELLED: Advocacy and Hearing Loss
Mar 20 @ 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm
OLLI at UNC Asheville Campus (Reuter Center) Room 206

Monthly support group meeting of the Hearing Loss Association of America – Asheville Chapter on Friday, March 20th from 4:30-6 pm. Topic is “Advocacy and Hearing Loss” presented by Susan Sacco, Asheville Regional Center – Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. New Location is OLLI at UNC Asheville Campus (Reuter Center), One University Heights, Room 206. CART and ASL Interpretation will be available. No parking permit required. Call 828-276-2206 for more information.

Saturday, March 21, 2020
Early Bird tickets: 23rd annual French Broard River Festival
Mar 21 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
Mar 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.

 

Guided Hikes: Grandfather Mountain
Mar 21 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
Mar 21 all-day
Catawba College
Keeper For A Day at Grandfather Mountain
Mar 21 @ 8:00 am – 11:00 am
Grandfather Mountain

Keeper For A Day

Learn how to interact with the animals, clean up, prepare food and provide enrichments. Observe various training sessions, animal behavior and the inner workings of the animal habitats.

Requirements:

Limited to two persons per day. No pets allowed in habitat area. Keepers for a Day must:

— be 12 years of age or older
— be capable of walking up and down steep, rough terrain
— sign a waiver of liability

Expected Daily Schedule:

Arrive at 8 a.m., meet the keepers, and go to work! Assist as we let out the animals, feed them and clean their habitats. You may be asked to lift and carry animal food, tools or other items. Learn about training and providing enrichments. End your exciting shift at 11 a.m.

What to Wear:

You will get dirty! Please wear appropriate, closed-toe hiking or work boots and no loose jewelry. Coats, jackets, gloves and hats are recommended for cooler weather. Please bring sunscreen.

Weather:

Keeper for a Day will continue on schedule regardless of weather conditions. In the event that weather conditions could affect the opening of the habitats, you will be contacted.

The weather on Grandfather Mountain can change at a moment’s notice. Temperatures are commonly 5 to 10 degrees colder than what they are at the bottom of the mountain in Linville. It is recommended that you dress in layers and be prepared for any weather condition.

2019 Keeper for a Day Dates

Month Days Time Number
April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 8 a.m.-11 a.m. limited to two people per day
May 7, 14, 21, 28 8 a.m.-11 a.m. limited to two people per day
June 4, 11, 18, 25 8 a.m.-11 a.m. limited to two people per day
July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 8 a.m.-11 a.m. limited to two people per day
August 6, 13, 20, 27 8 a.m.-11 a.m. limited to two people per day
September 3, 10, 17, 24 8 a.m.-11 a.m. limited to two people per day
October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 8 a.m.-11 a.m. limited to two people per day

Reservations:

Keeper for a Day must be booked at least one week in advance by calling (828) 733-8715. Please allow 24 hours for a response.

Price:

The cost is $75 per participant ($60 each for Bridge Club members). Admission to the park is included.