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.
Come play fun and socially distanced theatre games with Amanda and Chanda outside on ACT’s back lot!
The safety of all students and teachers is important to ACT. Masks will be required at all times during the class and everyone will remain socially distanced for all games. Parents are asked to remain in their cars nearby for the duration of class. We ask that all students arrive 10-15 minutes before their class time to accommodate temperature checks. If your child is medically unable to wear a mask for 50 minutes, please contact Amanda for the virtual option of the class. In case of rain, we will move onto the Mainstage with added ventilation during Phase 2.5. Only students will be allowed in the building and masks will be required at all times.
A limited number of scholarships are available for this class. CLICK HERE TO APPLY. Please do not purchase registration prior to applying.
Help Save Lives – and learn if you have COVID-19 Antibodies. Asheville Outlets will host two blood donation drives in partnership with the American Red Cross on Fridays, October 23 and 30, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The American Red Cross is now testing all blood, platelet, and plasma donations for the COVID-19 antibody. Red Cross donors can expect to receive the results of their antibody test within 7 to 10 days through the Red Cross Blood Donor App or on the donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org.
The Asheville Outlets blood drives will be held in American Red Cross mobile unit vehicles. Donors are asked to register in advance by visiting RedCrossBlood.org/give and entering the sponsor code Ashevilleoutlets. Check-in will be located at the Food Court entrance to the center. Donors will be able to wait in their vehicles or inside the Food Court until their appointment time. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated that the coronavirus (COVID-19) does not pose any known risk to blood donors during the donation process or from attending blood drives. For more information, visit ShopAshevilleOutlets.com.
The American Red Cross will test all blood, platelet, and plasma donations for the COVID-19 antibody.
The Asheville Outlets blood drives will be held in American Red Cross mobile unit vehicles. Donors are asked to register in advance by visiting RedCrossBlood.org/give and entering the sponsor code Ashevilleoutlets. Check-in will be located at the Food Court entrance to the center. Donors will be able to wait in their vehicles or inside the Food Court until their appointment time.
The American Red Cross will test all blood, platelet, and plasma donations for the COVID-19 antibody.
The Asheville Outlets blood drives will be held in American Red Cross mobile unit vehicles. Donors are asked to register in advance by visiting RedCrossBlood.org/give and entering the sponsor code Ashevilleoutlets. Check-in will be located at the Food Court entrance to the center. Donors will be able to wait in their vehicles or inside the Food Court until their appointment time.
Beginning Tuesday, Oct. 13, most Buncombe County Public Library branches will reopen to the public with limited hours and services.
The safety of our patrons and staff is our highest priority, and our General Services staff has been working diligently to finish precautions to allow metered access in accordance with the Governor’s orders for 50 percent capacity. We look forward to welcoming you back in person.
The library schedule will be:
- Tuesday, 2-7 p.m.
- Wednesday, 1-6 p.m.
- Thursday, 1-6 p.m.
- Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
- Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
- Sunday & Monday, Closed
Note: The East Asheville Library remains closed for construction and Pack Library will reopen for service at a later date.
During these hours, the libraries will provide in-person check out and browsing. As we comply with reduced occupancy limits, we are encouraging brief “grab and go” visits to allow us to serve a larger number of patrons. Computer use is available, and seating will be provided for computer users only. The meeting rooms and study spaces will not be available for public use.
In-person library programs, including storytime, will not be offered, however, virtual programs will continue to be available. Learn more here. Curbside hold pickups will stop on Oct. 8. Late fees will resume on Oct. 27.
Our local history room is currently undergoing renovations, but the NC Room staff will continue to provide phone and email research assistance at (828) 250-4740 or [email protected].
Per the Governor’s mandate, all persons over the age of five will be asked to wear a face covering for the duration of their visit in the library. If you don’t have a face covering, we can provide one for you.
Wortham Center in collaboration with Hola Community Arts presents
Día de los Muertos Art Installation: Catrinas by Margarita Figueroa
Self-Guided, Physically Distanced Tours
In celebration of Día de los Muertos / Day of the Dead, Hola Community Arts presents the work of renowned Mexican artist Margarita Figueroa at the Wortham Center for Performing Arts October 21 – November 2.
Margarita Figueroa sculpts whimsical, life-size Catrinas in the Alambroide technique, which consists of wire-structured figures covered with papier-mâché and painted with acrylic colors.
Catrina, an elegant, skeletal woman made famous by printmaker José Guadalupe Posada in the early 1900s, is one of the most recognizable figures in the Day of the Dead holiday and still permeates and influences Mexican Folk Art today.
The Día de los Muertos holiday has expanded beyond its roots in Mexico to provide comfort and community to those who have lost loved ones in cultures around the world.
“Día de los Muertos is distinctly different from Halloween in origin, celebration and culture. Día de los Muertos is truly a joyous celebration of life and the beauty of remembering those who have come before us,” says Adriana Chavela, executive director of Hola Community Arts. “During this celebration, the dead sort of become a part of the living world, as families tell stories and reflect on memories of them.”
The Día de los Muertos / Day of the Dead holiday is celebrated on November 1st and 2nd throughout Latin America, but is more closely associated with Mexico, where it originated.
About Hola Community Arts
Hola Community Arts is building bridges between cultures, embracing diversity and creating more economically vibrant communities. We recognize the power of the arts to challenge and shift perceptions, spark creativity and connect people across cultures. HOLA Community Arts is a registered nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(3). Donations are welcome. Learn more at www.holacommunityarts.org.
Help us Light Up State Street and fill our beautiful downtown with Halloween Cheer with this community pumpkin carving contest! All ages are invited to participate. Children (under 15) are $5 to register, and adults (15 or older) are $10. Pumpkins must be dropped off at BMCA on Tuesday, October 27 or Wednesday, October 28. BMCA will display and illuminate the pumpkins on State Street Thursday, October 29 through Saturday, October 31st. Winners will be chosen in both age groups for 4 different categories: scariest (must be family friendly), funniest, most creative, and art(ist) inspired. Participants must procure their own pumpkin.
During the month of October, the Subaru Loves Pets initiative showcases their commitment to pets by donating $100 for every pet adopted this month to local partner shelters across the country (up to 31 adoptions per shelter). Blue Ridge Humane Society has partnered with Hunter Subaru this year for the program. Hunter Subaru is additionally highlighting animals available for adoption at Blue Ridge Humane through their social media channels to raise awareness for local animals looking for their next home.
As part of Subaru Loves Pets month, Subaru is celebrating the 2nd annual National Make A Dog’s Day and inviting all dog lovers to do something extra special for their favorite canine on October 22nd. Locally, you can consider adopting! Mr. Baggins, Kody, and Eve are all currently waiting to find their new home at Blue Ridge Humane Society. If you can’t adopt, share adaptable pet info with your friends or social groups. You can also donate supplies, make enrichment toys, and of course, volunteer! To learn more about opportunities with BRHS visit https://www.blueridgehumane.org/get-involved/. So mark the calendar, treat your dog, treat an adoptable dog, and share #MakeADogsDay!
Subaru believes in being More Than a Car Company and one way that they demonstrate this is through their commitment to the health and welfare of pets, as shown by our amazing partnership with Hunter Subaru at the local level!
How ’bout them Apples?
We post each Thursday morning any ripening updates in the orchard. Remember we are an heirloom apple orchard. Our mission is to save the good stuff…including apple varieties. In addition to trees that fruit during the normal late September/October season in greater quantity, also we plant small batch numbers of heirloom apple trees. Some ripen earlier (an unexpected gift); all have their uses from apple sauce, to butters, to juice and ciders, and just fresh eating off the trees. They won’t all be available all the time. But, when they are, we’ll let you know. Please come and see for yourself.
2020 A YEAR OF COVID, TURMOIL, UNCERTAINTIES, HEROES & HOPE
The year 2020 for better or worse will go down in American history as a pivotal moment. It has been often said that history is written for and by the victors.
But nowadays in a world overwhelmed with 2-second tweets, forgettable social media, conspiracy theories and online rages; modern history seems to be written by the distracted, the delusional and the destructive.
Mountain Made, a local arts & crafts boutique in Grove Arcade, is taking a different approach. We are creating a public history journal of poetry, personal musing, thoughtful insights and yes, rants on “The Year 2020”. They could be funny or serious.
We have setup two interactive art stations inside the gallery:
* The first one is where you can quickly put down your thoughts on some blank paper (the original “i-pad”) and leave it with us.
* The other is a shared, public painting series where you can lay brush to canvas if you are more a visual person.
It is with great excitement that we announce our opening schedule for 2020. We have not been able to reopen since March, when the Covid -19 pandemic hit and North Carolina shut down. Now the State of North Carolina is transitioning into Phase 2.5 of Governor Cooper’s phased reopening plan. Phase 2.5 allows museums to open at 50% capacity. This means the Swannanoa Valley Museum will be open starting Labor Day weekend. We will allow 10 visitors in the museum per hour. Opening hours are Thursday – Saturday from 10am – 5pm. Visitors can sign up on our website for a self-guided tour time or sign up at the museum. We are looking forward to seeing our visitors once more! To book a self-guided tour time click on this link. SVM Self-Guided Tour Reservation
COVID-19 Visiting Policy
Masks are required when entering the museum. This is for the safety of our visitors and our docents. Exceptions will be made according to ADA instructions. Visitors must make a reservation to visit the museum. Self Guided tour reservations are available Thursday – Saturday from 10am – 5pm. To make a reservation you can call (828) 669- 9566, register at the front desk, or click here.
ACCESSIBILITY
The first floor houses our traveling exhibit gallery and our second floor houses “Our Pathways” exhibit. The first and second floor are accessible by ADA standards. A lift is available to take visitors to the second floor.
Upon reopening, the Nature Center will be open seven days a week, from 10 am until 4:30 pm. Asheville residents receive a discounted rate with local ID and children under the age of 3 are free.
James D. & Judith S. Moore have been collecting studio glass from Western North Carolina for the past 40 years. In honor of our reopening, the Moores have generously donated or promised much of their stunning collection to the Museum. This inaugural exhibition in the Judith S. Moore Gallery highlights the beauty of their collection and illustrates the depth with which they have collected certain foundational artists in the Studio Glass Movement.
50 Years of Western North Carolina Glass is organized by the Asheville Art Museum. This exhibition is supported in part by the Judy Appleton Memorial Fund.
Beginning October 7, the three-hour documentary-styled art installation Question Bridge: Black Males will be on view at the Asheville Art Museum. This innovative transmedia project facilitates a dialogue between Black men from diverse and contending backgrounds, and creates a platform for them to represent and redefine Black male identity in America. The work will be on view during regular public hours from October 7, 2020 through March 15, 2021.
Question Bridge: Black Males is a project that explores critically challenging issues within the African American male community by instigating a transmedia conversation among Black men across geographic, economic, generational, educational, and social strata of American society. Question Bridge provides a safe setting for necessary, honest expression and healing dialogue on themes that divide, unite, and puzzle Black males today in the United States.
Adonna Khare, Pool Party, 2015, carbon pencil on paper, 6 × 20 feet. Collection of the Artist. © Adonna Khare, image Phil Hatten.
An exhibition highlighting the works of John James Audubon juxtaposed with the work of 21st-century artists who continue his tradition of animal allegories and metaphors is currently on view at the Asheville Art Museum. The exhibition features more than 40 works and will be on display in the Explore Asheville Exhibition Hall through November 30.
Born at the height of the civil rights movement, the Dance Theatre of Harlem conveys a message of empowerment for all through the arts. Leave students in awe with the language of movement in this forward-thinking, impassioned and compelling performance that celebrates African American culture.
Recommended for Grades 3-12
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We are happy to welcome you back
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Best of all, Porch Portraits by Suzanne will donate $15 of every session to our great friends at Flat Rock Playhouse. My goal is to raise $15,000 for the Playhouse by the end of the year so any money over and above the price of $65 will go straight to them.
Perhaps most exciting, an extremely generous Playhouse donor has agreed to a MATCHING GIFT CAMPAIGN up to $36,000.18! This incredibly generous donation draws on the magic of Chai, the Jewish belief that multiples of 18 bring good luck. Meaning that every session booked will result in at least $30 for the wonderful folks at Flat Rock Playhouse.
For decades, Flat Rock Playhouse has been opening their collective hearts and sharing their fabulous talents to bring joy and entertainment to western North Carolina. This is an opportunity to show our gratitude at a time when they really need our support.
Together, let’s make magic happen! Help us kick off this campaign by contributing today.
Virtual Visits for Students
Groups of pre-K–12 students are invited to schedule an interactive Virtual Visit to the Museum! Led by volunteer docents with Museum staff, our inquiry-based, conversational Virtual Visits introduce the Museum’s galleries with a 3D tour and challenge students to hone their observation skills. All pre-K–12 Virtual Visits make connections to the NC Standard Course of Study.
Virtual Visits for pre-K–12 groups are $50 for 5–25 participants from one or multiple devices through Zoom or Google Meet. Virtual Visits are available Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm, and last 30–45 minutes. At least two weeks’ advanced notice is required.
For more information about Virtual Visits for adults, college, and university students, click here. For Virtual Visits for family and friend groups with children, click here.
Bernice Sims, Taylor Rolling Store, circa 2008, acrylic on canvas, 18 × 24 1/8 inches. Museum purchase with funds provided by 2010 Collectors’ Circle members Anne Burkhardt and Cherry Lentz Saenger, 2011.07.24. © Estate of Bernice Sims.
Join Doris Potash, master docent and Barbara Pressman, touring docent, for an interactive conversation about three artworks in our Collection. Before the discussion, find a quiet space. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and let it out slowly. Now open your eyes, and engage with the artworks in the image gallery; click on the thumbnail for a larger image, and spend about 15 minutes looking slowly at each.
- What’s going on in this artwork? What do you see that makes you say that?
- What events or social interactions can you identify in these artworks?
- What mood have the artists created?
- Which non-socially distant experiences in these artworks are you hoping to have when it’s safe?
| We’ll examine the need in our region, discuss how civil legal aid can be an effective anti-poverty tool and share how Pisgah Legal is responding to the COVID-19 crisis.
Please RSVP here if you’d like to join and we will send you instructions on how to join by computer or phone. |
#FreedomFriday Instagram Live. Join us for our #FreedomFriday Instagram Live from 2 to 3 p.m. ET, in which our YWCA USA CEO Alejandra Y. Castillo and Kim Pentico, Director of Economic Justice Program, National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) will have an engaging and informative conversation about violence against women and how to best support survivors in the quest for freedom from abuse.
The conversation will be opened and closed with an empowering music set from DJ DOMO that you won’t want to miss! We will join with our local partners at the Family
Week Without Violence is part of a global movement with YWCAs across the country and around the world to end violence against women and girls. At YWCA, we know that not all violence is acknowledged or responded to equally and that some victims go unrecognized altogether. That’s why, for more than 20 years, YWCA has set aside one week in October as a Week Without Violence.
Join us from October 18 – 24, as we hold events nationally and locally, share information and stories, advocate, and more with a common goal in mind: together, we can end gender-based violence.
During this week we will be partnering with Our Voice, Helpmate, Youth Outright, Family Justice Center, and Mountain Child Advocacy to increase awareness of the resources available within our community. Join us on social media by using this profile frame all week long.
This is a 45 minute class that’s great for beginners and those wanting to deepen their current Tai Chi Practice. This is an online class and is open to all adults. In this class, you don’t have to memorize anything or learn complex routines. Its all about getting into the flow!
Classes will now be streamed via the “Begin with Breath Connect” Website. Monthly and Annual Memberships are available. Sign up here:
https://app.namastream.com/#/begin-with-breath-connect/auth/signup
Join us outside at the YWCA Justice Center from 7:30 – 10 am and 4:30 – 5 pm to provide Prevention Task Force information and resources and to see artwork from our childcare students depicting what they imagine “A World Without Violence” looks like.
Week Without Violence is part of a global movement with YWCAs across the country and around the world to end violence against women and girls. At YWCA, we know that not all violence is acknowledged or responded to equally and that some victims go unrecognized altogether. That’s why, for more than 20 years, YWCA has set aside one week in October as a Week Without Violence.
Join us from October 18 – 24, as we hold events nationally and locally, share information and stories, advocate, and more with a common goal in mind: together, we can end gender-based violence.
During this week we will be partnering with Our Voice, Helpmate, Youth Outright, Family Justice Center, and Mountain Child Advocacy to increase awareness of the resources available within our community. Join us on social media by using this profile frame all week long.
