Calendar of Events

The Junior League of Asheville is pleased to announce the return of TOUCH-A-TRUCK
Family Festival, Saturday, October 22, 2022 at Asheville Outlets!
TOUCH-A-TRUCK is a community wide event where both kids and kids at heart have the
opportunity to see, touch, climb and learn about vehicles of all types, including public
service, emergency, utility, construction, transportation, and delivery—all in one place!
Guests will get to meet the drivers and people who operate these vehicles. Children will
also be able to “truck or treat” through the festival, and family-friendly costumes are
encouraged but not required.
Additional activities for kids and adults will be on-site as well. Please follow the event for
updates and more information! Parental supervision is required and cameras are highly
recommended to capture the day’s adventures. There will be a quiet hour from 11-12 for
individuals sensitive to loud noises
Tickets are $5 per person for ages 3 and up. For group tickets please contact
[email protected]
If you are interested in participating as a nonprofit or community organization or have a
vehicle you’d like to donate please contact [email protected] .
If you or your business are interested in sponsoring TOUCH-A-TRUCK Family Festival
please reach out to [email protected].

The Junior League of Asheville is pleased to announce the return of TOUCH-A-TRUCK Family Festival, Saturday, October 22, 2022 at Asheville Outlets!
TOUCH-A-TRUCK is a community wide event where both kids and kids at heart have the opportunity to see, touch, climb and learn about vehicles of all types, including public service, emergency, utility, construction, transportation, and delivery—all in one place!
Guests will get to meet the drivers and people who operate these vehicles. Children will also be able to “truck or treat” through the festival, and family-friendly costumes are encouraged but not required. Additional activities for kids and adults will be on-site as well. Please follow the event for updates and more information!
Parental supervision is required and cameras are highly recommended to capture the day’s adventures. There will be a quiet hour from 11-12 for individuals sensitive to loud noises.
Tickets are $5 per person for ages 3 and up. Purchase your tickets in advance and pick them up at will call!
For group tickets please contact [email protected]

Verner Center for Early Learning is a nonprofit agency providing high quality, affordable early care and education to children birth to five years of age throughout Buncombe County. The mission of Verner Center is to foster holistic learning environments where young children and families thrive. The organization embraces a philosophy that includes excellence in early childhood practices, diversity among children and families, and partnerships and collaboration with families and communities. This philosophy is demonstrated through provision of high quality education, family services, health and nutrition services, and professional development for teachers.

We are currently looking for compassionate volunteers to support our experiential garden.

Volunteer Opportunity Includes:

• Pulling weeds
• Cleaning out garden beds
• Prepping new garden beds
• Building small projects
• Mowing
• Weed eating
• Laying mulch
• Watering

Volunteer Requirements:

• Respond to the shift
• Comfortable working in various weather conditions
• Comfortable bending, stooping, twisting
• Ability to stand for 1-2 hours at a time

NOCtoberfest, NOC’s annual fall family fun event returns!

Enjoy leaf season in the Smoky Mountains at Nantahala Outdoor Center’s annual NOCtoberfest event on October 22^nd, 2022.

This free, family favorite celebration offers activities, kid friendly live music, and prizes for all ages to enjoy.

The most anticipated part of the NOCtoberfest celebration is NOC’s Great Pumpkin Pursuit, a free for all dash through Nantahala Falls. Over 400 numbered pumpkins are tossed throughout the Nantahala’s grand finale rapid as paddlers frantically dash to collect as many of the bobbing pumpkins as possible. Contestants are welcome to bring their own boats, rent them on site, or stand along the riverbanks with a net. Registration is between Noon and 2:00 at NOC’s Big Wesser Riverside Pub. Prizes are awarded via raffle: more pumpkins equal more chances to win!

The Great Pumpkin Pursuit has become a popular spectator event. Up to 75+ paddlers hurtle through the Falls flip, swim, collide and bumble their way down the river there collecting pumpkins. Some spectators are asked to help distribute the pumpkins for the paddlers by tossing them in hard-to-reach places. The exciting event only takes minutes to play out, so spectators should plan on arriving early. The competitors meeting will be at 2pm, so paddlers should be going through the Falls at 2:30pm.

Other event highlights include:

• Trick or treating across campus
• 12-4pm Pumpkin Decorating: NOC supplies pumpkins, as well as decorating and kid friendly carving materials. Every child wins a prize after presenting their works of art to the judging panel.
• 1pm Costume Contests: Dress to impress the judges! Costume categories are Kids, Couples, Most in
  Character and Scariest.
• 3pm-6pm Live Music: Enjoy a bonfire and live music at Big Wesser. S’mores included!
• Family Photo Fun with River the Otter, Fall scenery with the River as the backdrop, and more.
• Tarot/Zoltar/Palm Reading

Hosted by: The Buddhist Studies Institute

FREE – ONLINE – 30 MINUTES – DAILY
🌺Guided meditation support and community🌺

🌸Stabilization and Liberation:
In order to liberate our minds– we need stable calm.

🌸Consistency & Commitment:
Stabilizing in calm clear presence takes consistent training.

🌸Support & Community:
Daily Meditation is a container and support for your meditation focus.

Expand your meditation circle- join us online any day or every day!

Formerly known as 100 Days of practice to support a Tibetan Yogis tradition to practice 100 days in the winter, this has now been expanded to continue daily. To learn more and register: https://buddhiststudiesinstitute.org/daily-meditation/

Orange you glad autumn is in the air? That means it’s time to turn over a new leaf at Buncombe County’s Falloween. The popular Lake Julian Park event is free and features a variety of classic fall activities for the whole family. From recreation to entertainment to the scarecrow contest, there’s bound to be something you’ll like a latte (pumpkin spice optional).

Hosted by Buncombe County’s award-winning Recreation Services, this event will feature arts and crafts, food, music, games, and Autumnal themes. Vendors will be selling locally made arts and crafts, there will be food and beverage trucks, and folk band 81 drifters will keep you tapping your toes. Activities will include a pumpkin patch with a painting station, light displays, photo ops, outdoor arcade games, and more. And of course, scarecrow contest entries will be on display, and visitors may vote on which is their favorite with the winner being announced during the festival.

Falloween is free to enter, but some activities have nominal fees. The pumpkin patch is $5 per pumpkin and includes the option to paint your pumpkin. Various arts and crafts vendors and food trucks will also have items available for purchase, and we recommend you bring cash.

Enjoy a beautiful North Carolina sunset and brilliant fall colors as you travel by rail through the quiet countryside and along the Tuckasegee River to the quaint Town of Dillsboro. You’ll even get a chance to pass by the famous movie set of The Fugitive, starring Harrison Ford!

The journey is 32 miles round trip for a full 3-hour train ride. Please note, there is no layover on Sunset trains. Be sure to bring a jacket or sweater for cooler evenings after the sun goes down. These 4:45pm departures are available on select weekend dates during October.

FREE | Ages: 5 and older (under 16 must be with adult)

Join us for a night of fiendish family fun: show off your costume, climb for candy on the indoor rock climbing wall, play ghoulish games, and enjoy spooky snacks. Advanced registration is required as space is limited.

Hailing from all corners of the country, Kind Hearted Strangers began in Boulder, CO – where an impromptu open mic performance by songwriter Marc Townes quickly evolved into something much bigger. With genre bending improvisations from lead guitarist Kevin Hinder and bassist/vocalist Ace Engfer, KHS has become a dynamic full band capable of bridging the gap between all out rock n’ roll and their harmony-driven acoustic roots.

The latest addition of Nashville drummer Greg “Eggy” Gorman sees the band growing into a road-driven force, hungry for live music, delivering high-energy rock shows across the country.

Their debut record “East // West” (2021) digs into the places they’ve come from and explores the places they’re going to, with a diverse sound that reflects the broad influences each member brings to the band.

Recorded in Denver, CO by Todd Divel of Silo Sound, mixed in Richmond, VA by Adrian Olsen of Montrose Recording, and mastered in Seattle, WA by Ed Brooks of Resonant Mastering – the album shares a wide-ranging influence and perspective on the relationships we have with one another and the places we call home.

Album #2 is currently in the works and features a collaboration with visual artist/painter Dylan Lynch. Recorded Live in Richmond, VA on August 20th, the album features an accompanying Art Exhibition and was recorded in front of a live audience.

Overjoyed to be living and working in the USA, a mere two hours drive from his Alabama family and a pond hop from his Scottish one, Mike performs regularly as the “artist-in-residence” at the Meadowlark Motel. Join Mike for an evening of music accompanied by a delicious BBQ dinner. Tickets are $15 or $10 for music only.

It’s time to kick off your shoes and dance in the Big Barn here at Hickory Nut Gap Farm in gorgeous Fairview, NC! Come out from 6pm-9pm to see West End String Band, a driving combination of Bluegrass, Americana and Honkytonk that have performed in the area for years, and fan favorites from many of our Barn Dances of the past decade.

What goes better with the banjo, strings, guitar and old school vocals than good ‘ol smokey, savory, locally crafted BBQ? We’ll have Asheville’s own Buxton Hall, who always serve up their own blend of Southern heritage and modern cooking.

Hickory Nut Gap will have a bar serving local beers, ciders, seltzers and non-alcoholic beverages to slake your thirst between jigs. We will have our good buddy Rob Elliott(some of you may remember him from his own band, the Cane Creek Hellbenders) calling some barn dances for this show, so wear comfortable shoes and don’t be shy!

A NOTE ABOUT SEATING: Our Big Barn has an official capacity of over 200- we do not have a seat for every single attendee but there will be picnic tables, cafe tables and benches available first come first serve. With this in mind, please feel free to bring picnic blankets or camp chairs. It’s gonna be a hootenanny y’all!

PET POLICY: While we normally allow leashed pets on the grounds, we ask you leave your furry friends at home for the Barn Dances.

Book by Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin; Music by Matthew Sklar; Lyrics by Chad Beguelin; Directed by Michael Jorizzo

Emma just wants to go to the prom – with her girlfriend Alyssa! But the PTA is not having it. A duo of vain Broadway actors who happen to be in town catch wind of the drama, and they want to improve their public image after some justified bad press. After stumbling across Emma’s dilemma, they team up with a Julliard grad, an overlooked Chorus girl, and Emma to protest the PTA and regain their popularity. With the help of fun musical numbers, the self-centered actors and Emma try to convince the PTA and town that her love deserves to be celebrated, not hidden away!

Watch this cast of 13-17-year-olds light up the stage!

The Adventure Center of Asheville is excited to host the 10th annual Haunted Trail, Asheville’s only family friendly haunt! This event is ideal for Halloween lovers of all ages, 3-12 being the suggested age range. This is the third year in a row the Adventure Center has hosted this one of a kind live outdoor theatrical experience where guests are promised an entirely immersive and interactive spooky night out while also ensuring no contact. Every year the show is loved by boils and ghouls from all over WNC and we hope to see you there! For younger guests who still aren’t sure about being scared, even for fun, a “Sweet Peek Tour’ is offered nightly at 6:45 pm. The trail is actor free at this time and they can decide if they would like to re enter the line and receive the full show. The Treetop Adventure Park Aerial Glow Trail is also available for guests 4 years or older to enjoy at this event! Climb on two of our aerial trails while they are illuminated with thousands of colorful twinkle and laser lights. If you want to enjoy both of these amazing activities, combo passes are available and WILL sell out, so make sure you reserve your tickets early! *The Haunted Trail does not sell out, however the entrance closes at 9 pm. Don’t miss PIRATES COVE! Featuring a 30 ft Pirate Ship Escape Room- Test ‘yer wit mateys! 10 voyages available nightly for purchase (groups of up to 6 per voyage) Live Mermaid Encounter with photo opportunity. Pirate activities including a walk the plank obstacle course and shark feeding In addition to the Haunted & Aerial Glow Trails and Pirates Cove, there will be a giant festival tent with several local vendors, delicious Mellow Mushroom Pizza and more! Ticket sales to this event raise meals for MANNA food bank, come have fun and help us say BOO! to hunger!

The Cradle of Forestry is excited to offer visitors their incredibly outdoor drama, “The Legend of Tommy Hodges,” on Friday, Oct. 21 and Saturday, Oct. 22. Show times for both evenings will be at 6:30 and 8:00pm and will be limited to a total of 75 participants per showing. 

  During this unique and exciting outdoor performance, audiences will travel back in time to the year 1901 and hear yarns about the legendary Tommy Hodges, a student of the Biltmore Forest School who went missing one autumn night. Audiences will be led around the Biltmore Campus Trail by different characters from the play and watch as the story unfolds around them from all sides. In addition, audience members are invited to dress up in Biltmore Forest School-era clothing (early 1900’s) to fully immerse themselves in the event and take part in the story. 

The show is a one-mile-long experience, as the audience walks the well-lit trail to see the entire play and takes about 45 minutes to an hour. The story is better suitable for ages six and up. Audience members are asked to dress warmly, wear comfortable walking shoes, bring a flashlight, and although we love our pets as much as you, we ask that you please leave them at home. Ponchos and other rain gear are welcome if the weather is drizzly, but please leave umbrellas at home so everyone has a chance to see the show unobstructed. 

The Black Mountain Center for the Arts is proud to host the Asheville based improv comedy troupe, Reasonably Priced Babies. RPB is a formidable improv comedy group consisting of Tom Chalmers, Mondy Carter, Karen Stobbe, Kim Richardson and Josh Batenhorst.

This is how it works: RPBs will ask the audience for suggestions and then they make that come to technicolor life. Get ready to be a part of the experience because this show will push the envelope of ridiculous fun.

Doors open at 6:30pm. Masks are encouraged but not required.

HAUNT SEASON IS COMING!

2022 will be our 12th Season providing Thrills, Scares, and Terrifying Fun for our guests and fans of all ages, and we love it year after year! Please join us for our The 2022 Haunted Farm! Be Prepared to Be Scared!

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and our other social media channels for a chance to participate in our FREE TICKET GIVEAWAYS, and for up-to-the-minute updates on schedule-changes related to inclement weather conditions.

OPENING NIGHT

        vs.   

The Greenville Swamp Rabbits are much more than a professional hockey franchise playing in Upstate South Carolina; it is truly Greenville’s hockey team. Formerly known as the Road Warriors, the club rebranded to the Swamp Rabbits on August 26, 2015 in an effort to really ingrain itself in the fabric of the community. The name is inherently Greenville – specific to the city and unique in the sports world.

It’s the electrifying energy and unstoppable passion of Swamp Rabbits fans inside The Well combined with the award-winning game presentation that make attending a Swamp Rabbits game the BEST fan experience in the ECHL! From the moment you step inside the arena, you’ll find FREE concourse activities for the whole family, including sign-making, temporary tattoos, interactive games, music and there’s always a good chance you’ll run into the Swamp Rabbits mascot Stomper! Throughout the season, fans can also expect a lineup of special theme nights and exciting giveaways.

To renew your season tickets, you may contact your representative or call 864.674.PUCK (7825).

The Myers Haunted House a self guided, old school haunt featuring Hollywood horror film characters Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Leatherface & more. The haunt is located in East Flat Rock, NC.

Directed by Mark Jones

In this multiple Tony Award-winning theatrical tour-de-force, Assassins explores the lives of nine men and women who either killed (or tried to kill) one of the Presidents of the United States. Stephen Sondheim’s intelligently, stunning lyrics and beautiful music effortlessly combine with a bold, disturbing and alarmingly funny book by John Wiedman. Assassins is a journey into the dark side of the American Dream, looking at our nation’s culture of celebrity and the violent means some will use to obtain it. 

Mature audiences only, not suitable for all ages.

Edvard Tchivzhel, conductor
Anthony Marotta, clarinet
ROSSINI Il signor Bruschino: Overture
WEBER Clarinet Concerto No. 2
HAYDN Symphony No. 98

by William Shakespeare Directed by Glenna Grant Opening 9/23/2022 – 10/22/2022