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.
Great food, artist displays and fun activities while mingling with their neighbors.”
Perhaps the most family friendly street festival in western North Carolina, the Montford Music & Arts Festival features a special children’s area for face painting, interactive displays, sidewalk chalk art contest and other fun activities.
Located on Montford Ave. between Chestnut and Waneta Streets just down the street from downtown Asheville, the Asheville Visitors Center and Chamber of the Commerce, the all-day event will also feature a music stage with another attractive lineup in 2020. Comprised solely of local musicians, the performing schedule will be announced shortly.
Attendees will also be treated to a wide variety of specialty cuisine, courtesy of food booths and food trucks. In addition, more than 100 booth vendors will be on hand, with various artists, crafts people and nursery plant purveyors selling their merchandise.
Featuring turn-of-the-century “Victorian” homes and several bed-and-breakfast inns, a portion of Montford is proclaimed a National Register Historic District. Many of today’s Montford historic homes were designed by the same architect hired by the Vanderbilt Family to create the Biltmore Estate.
World famous authors Thomas Wolfe and O. Henry are buried in Montford at the nearby Riverside Cemetery, while the community’s rich history also dates back to the once thriving African-American community of Stumptown, which ended in the 1960’s.
The very first Montford festival was presented as strictly an arts event in 2004, held inside of Pyper’s Place, which is now Nine Mile Restaurant, and Sweet Heaven Ice Cream Shop, now a real estate office.
- Sandburg Home Free Tour Days and National Park Fee Free Days (when noted)
Visitors can enjoy free tours of the Sandburg Home on 10 days in 2020. Five days are also fee free days at all national parks. - April 11, 2020 (first Saturday of local school spring break)
- April 18, 2020 – First Day of National Park Week (national fee free day)
- June 13, 2020 (Sandburgs’ wedding anniversary)
- August 25, 2020 – National Park Service Birthday (national fee free day)
- September 26, 2020 – National Public Lands Day (national fee free day)
- October 17, 2020 (Park Anniversary)
- November 11, 2020 – Veterans Day
- December 26, 2020 (Saturday after Christmas)
The popular FREE Art and Architecture Walking Tours offered by the Arts Council of Henderson County return for 2020. The 90-minute tour of Downtown Hendersonville gathers at 9:00 am in front of the Center for Art & Inspiration at 125 South Main Street. Tours are led by Doug Gelbert who has created over 400 architectural tours in towns across the United States and Canada. All tours are free of charge and no pre-registration is required. Just show up ready to walk. As always, dogs are welcome to accompany their well-behaved owners on the Art and Architectural Walking Tours. Named “One of the 10 Best Things You Can Do in North Carolina at 9:00 on a Saturday morning”
The popular FREE Art and Architecture Walking Tours offered by the Arts Council of Henderson County return for 2020. The 90-minute tour of the Historic West Side gathers at 6:00 pm in back of the Henderson County Library at 301 Washington Street. Tours are led by Doug Gelbert who has created over 400 architectural tours in towns across the United States and Canada. All tours are free of charge and no pre-registration is required. Just show up ready to walk. As always, dogs are welcome to accompany their well-behaved owners on the Art and Architectural Walking Tours.
The Art of Games – VIRTUAL
This program takes place via Zoom.
Join the Museum, Well Played Board Game Café, and Devil’s Foot Beverage Company for this fun program centered around card games! After mixing up some ginger-beer cocktails with Devil’s Foot, Kevan Frazier, co-owner of Well Played and a former history professor, gives a brief look at the history of card games and card games as art—including unexpected card games in the Museum’s Collection. Tanner Johnson, gamemaster at Well Played, then introduces Draft-a-Dragon, a card game he created in 2017, and teaches us how to play.
Space is limited; to register, email Kristen Boddy, membership & Museum events manager, or call 828.253.3227 x117. Museum brainteasers and Zoom login information will be emailed to participants prior to the program.
- Preorder your copy of Draft-a-Dragon from our friends at Well Played. (Locals: prefer pickup? Give them a call at 828.232.7375.)
- Order a variety of ginger beers, lemonades, limeades, and other cool brews from Devil’s Foot for pickup or delivery. (Pssst… they’ve got cool merch, too!)
- Browse Perspective Café favorites, family-style specials, and to pre-order by Wednesday, June 17. (Museum Members: Enter coupon code AAMMember at checkout to receive your 10% Member discount!)
Presented in conjunction with Intersections in American Art, in partnership with Well Played Board Game Café, Devil’s Foot Beverage Company, and Perspective Café by Food Experience.
In light of the current challenges to this highly collaborative and collective art, The Magnetic Theatre is proud to present their first annual One Act Play Festival as an online theatrical experience. Bringing together (virtually) seven teams of artists to present seven original short plays, the One Act Play Festival offerings range from comedy to drama, satire to thinkpieces, providing a little something for everyone.
Determined to keep creating while preserving the health and safety of all involved, the playwrights, directors, actors, and technicians have adapted these scripts from their original stage-bound forms into a wide variety of different styles. The One Act Play Festival has evolved into such diverse formats as audio drama, animation, and short live-action film, as well as more traditional live theatrical performance streamed over digital media.
Audiences can join with other viewers for a live-streamed watch party on Friday, June 19th at 7:30pm, or may choose to watch later through a link sent out to ticket holders. Tickets are Pay-What-You-Can, but registration is required to receive the link. Find more information, and sign up to see the show at www.themagnetictheatre.org.
Synopsis: In the age of social distancing, The Magnetic Theatre One Act Play Festival presents a variety of original short plays adapted to an online platform, as audio drama, animation, short film, and live-streamed performances. Audiences can join the others for a live-streamed watch party or receive a link to view the finished collection at their leisure.
Featuring:
“Hamlet’s Dead” written by Dennis Bohr & directed by Rodney Smith
“Mackerel Sky” written by Andrew Gallant & directed by Julia Christgau
“Pick Up” written by Jonathan Wickremasinghe-Kuhn & directed by Carin Metzger
“Person Meditating upon Madness” written by David Brendan Hopes & directed by Tippin
“Rosa & Leo” written by Adam Szudrich & directed by John Baldwin
“The Opposite of Entropy” written by Terran Wanderer & directed by Jessica Johnson
“Windowless White Vans” written by Bret Murphy & directed by Daniel Moore
2020 Blue Ridge Pride Festival Cancelled
We are sad to announce the suspension of all previously planned summer and fall events. This includes:
- Blue Ridge Pride Festival
- Welcoming WNC Procession
- Mx Pride Pageant
- Movies & Mixer Series
- LGBTQ Story Slam
- We are looking into alternative events – both virtual and face-to-face.
2020 Blue Ridge Pride Festival Cancelled
We are sad to announce the suspension of all previously planned summer and fall events. This includes:
- Blue Ridge Pride Festival
- Welcoming WNC Procession
- Mx Pride Pageant
- Movies & Mixer Series
- LGBTQ Story Slam
- We are looking into alternative events – both virtual and face-to-face.
The residents of Buck House were woven in to the fabric of Asheville.
This driving tour begins at the Smith-McDowell House Museum on the campus of A-B Tech and continues through historic sites related to early occupants of the house.
2020 Blue Ridge Pride Festival Cancelled
We are sad to announce the suspension of all previously planned summer and fall events. This includes:
- Blue Ridge Pride Festival
- Welcoming WNC Procession
- Mx Pride Pageant
- Movies & Mixer Series
- LGBTQ Story Slam
- We are looking into alternative events – both virtual and face-to-face.
The residents of Buck House were woven in to the fabric of Asheville.
This driving tour begins at the Smith-McDowell House Museum on the campus of A-B Tech and continues through historic sites related to early occupants of the house.
Jewish Family Services of Western North Carolina (JFS) is delighted to announce its first-ever Truly Trivial Virtual Trivia Night fundraiser. JFS is a nonprofit social service agency open to people of all faiths in Western North Carolina.
This event was created in lieu of the in-person Truly Marvelous fundraising event, which was has been postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
All proceeds from Truly Trivial support JFS programs and services including mental health counseling with sliding-scale fees for those without insurance, guided case management, and the Elder Club Program, which provides socialization for the elderly and respite for caregivers.
Truly Trivial is an online trivia game and fundraiser with a Jewish twist! Play 5 rounds of trivia with themes both Jewish and not, featuring local celebrity question-askers and fun-filled virtual energy from emcee Seth Kellam. Participants are urged to gather a team or play solo to win prizes such as gift cards to Asheville’s finest restaurants.
2020 Blue Ridge Pride Festival Cancelled
We are sad to announce the suspension of all previously planned summer and fall events. This includes:
- Blue Ridge Pride Festival
- Welcoming WNC Procession
- Mx Pride Pageant
- Movies & Mixer Series
- LGBTQ Story Slam
- We are looking into alternative events – both virtual and face-to-face.
The residents of Buck House were woven in to the fabric of Asheville.
This driving tour begins at the Smith-McDowell House Museum on the campus of A-B Tech and continues through historic sites related to early occupants of the house.
2020 Blue Ridge Pride Festival Cancelled
We are sad to announce the suspension of all previously planned summer and fall events. This includes:
- Blue Ridge Pride Festival
- Welcoming WNC Procession
- Mx Pride Pageant
- Movies & Mixer Series
- LGBTQ Story Slam
- We are looking into alternative events – both virtual and face-to-face.
The residents of Buck House were woven in to the fabric of Asheville.
This driving tour begins at the Smith-McDowell House Museum on the campus of A-B Tech and continues through historic sites related to early occupants of the house.
2020 Blue Ridge Pride Festival Cancelled
We are sad to announce the suspension of all previously planned summer and fall events. This includes:
- Blue Ridge Pride Festival
- Welcoming WNC Procession
- Mx Pride Pageant
- Movies & Mixer Series
- LGBTQ Story Slam
- We are looking into alternative events – both virtual and face-to-face.
The residents of Buck House were woven in to the fabric of Asheville.
This driving tour begins at the Smith-McDowell House Museum on the campus of A-B Tech and continues through historic sites related to early occupants of the house.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit open the 36th season of An Appalachian Summer Festival on Sunday, June 28 at 8pm at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts. The summer stop is part of the highly anticipated national tour behind the group’s newest album, Reunions (to be released May 15). As such, the festival is included in the tour announcement and is opening up sales ahead of the rest of the festival in support of the tour. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit is A Schaefer Popular Series Event.
Tickets:
$60 adults, $50 students. *Limit 4 tickets per transaction*
MONDAY, MARCH 2 at 9AM – LOCAL/WALK-UP PRESALE – Maximum 500 tickets available for purchase in person only at the Schaefer Center Box Office, 733 Rivers Street, Boone, NC. No phone/online sales.
Beginning TUESDAY, MARCH 3 at 9AM – Online, in person, or by phone at www.appsummer.org, 800-841-2787 or 828-262-4046.
The residents of Buck House were woven in to the fabric of Asheville.
This driving tour begins at the Smith-McDowell House Museum on the campus of A-B Tech and continues through historic sites related to early occupants of the house.
2020 Blue Ridge Pride Festival Cancelled
We are sad to announce the suspension of all previously planned summer and fall events. This includes:
- Blue Ridge Pride Festival
- Welcoming WNC Procession
- Mx Pride Pageant
- Movies & Mixer Series
- LGBTQ Story Slam
- We are looking into alternative events – both virtual and face-to-face.
The residents of Buck House were woven in to the fabric of Asheville.
This driving tour begins at the Smith-McDowell House Museum on the campus of A-B Tech and continues through historic sites related to early occupants of the house.
● Antonin Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”
● Ellen Taaffe Zwilich: Avanti!
Inspired by American dreams and legends, Dvořák created some of his greatest works while living in the United States, above all the “New World” Symphony. This program illuminates the multiple stories and influences – Native American, African-American and Czech – that Dvořák transformed in his most beloved work. Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s Avanti! offers a contemporary interpretation of the American archetype of “moving on.”
To learn more about All-Star Orchestra: https://allstarorchestra.org/
Available via YouTube, Facebook, appsummer.org
2020 Blue Ridge Pride Festival Cancelled
We are sad to announce the suspension of all previously planned summer and fall events. This includes:
- Blue Ridge Pride Festival
- Welcoming WNC Procession
- Mx Pride Pageant
- Movies & Mixer Series
- LGBTQ Story Slam
- We are looking into alternative events – both virtual and face-to-face.
The residents of Buck House were woven in to the fabric of Asheville.
This driving tour begins at the Smith-McDowell House Museum on the campus of A-B Tech and continues through historic sites related to early occupants of the house.
2020 Blue Ridge Pride Festival Cancelled
We are sad to announce the suspension of all previously planned summer and fall events. This includes:
- Blue Ridge Pride Festival
- Welcoming WNC Procession
- Mx Pride Pageant
- Movies & Mixer Series
- LGBTQ Story Slam
- We are looking into alternative events – both virtual and face-to-face.
The residents of Buck House were woven in to the fabric of Asheville.
This driving tour begins at the Smith-McDowell House Museum on the campus of A-B Tech and continues through historic sites related to early occupants of the house.
Praised for their “superb capacity to find the inner heart of everything they play, regardless of era, style or technical demand” (The International Review of Music), the Tesla Quartet brings refinement and prowess to both new and established repertoire.
Enjoy this special message and preview scheduled in conjunction with the Tesla Quartet’s planned appearance as part of An Appalachian Summer Festival’s 2021 season.
To learn more about Tesla Quartet: http://www.teslaquartet.com/about-us
Available via YouTube, Facebook, appsummer.org
The residents of Buck House were woven in to the fabric of Asheville.
This driving tour begins at the Smith-McDowell House Museum on the campus of A-B Tech and continues through historic sites related to early occupants of the house.
This year, we weren’t able to host our “Strolling through History” series of walking tours, but thanks to some awesome work by interns we hosted from UNC Asheville this spring, they will be partially available virtually!
Enjoy “Scrolling” through history from your couch, or grab your tablet or smartphone and follow the tour in real life. (Make sure to follow local safety guidelines!)
The tours will be posted as links in this event discussion. Leave a comment and let us know what you think!