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.

Saturday, December 16, 2023
Teen Dungeons + Dragons with Raj
Dec 16 @ 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Pack Memorial Library
 

Calling all adventurous teens! Join us for Dungeons & Dragons at Pack Memorial Library!

All players aged 13-17 are eligible.

This program is free, but you do need to register.

Email Raj at [email protected] to sign up.

Sunday, December 17, 2023
United Way’s Holiday Book Drive
Dec 17 all-day
online

We need your help and the help of your network to make this holiday drive as successful as possible in putting new books into the hands of Buncombe County elementary and middle school students during the holiday break.

What better way to spread holiday cheer than by donating books? Imagine the joy on a child’s face when they receive a brand-new book. It’s like sprinkling a little bit of magic into their lives!

We’ve partnered with over a dozen local organizations serving K-12 students throughout the county. They’re eagerly waiting for book drop-offs like kids waiting for the first snowfall! ❄️

You can make a positive impact right now by donating directly using the button below, or why not turn giving back into an outing?

Holiday Book Drive 2023 (givebutter.com)

Visit the Barnes & Noble on Tunnel Road at the Asheville Mall to shop in-store and donate them on the spot.

Winter Bingo Challenge!
Dec 17 all-day
Swannanoa Library

Come pick up a bingo card and do the many HARD tasks (like taking a nap or reading a book). One row gets you a fun sticker. Three rows and you’re entered for our grand prize drawing.

Sundays Traditional Game Day
Dec 17 @ 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

The Perspective Café is kicking off 2023 with a classic bang! Grab your friends and join us each Sunday from 2pm to 5pm in the Perspective Café to play an assortment of board and card games. You can even bring your own favorite games from home to share with new friends.

The Perspective Café will be offering special snacks and cocktails to savor while you play and make a memorable afternoon! Enjoy the galleries and then head up to the rooftop.

Monday, December 18, 2023
United Way’s Holiday Book Drive
Dec 18 all-day
online

We need your help and the help of your network to make this holiday drive as successful as possible in putting new books into the hands of Buncombe County elementary and middle school students during the holiday break.

What better way to spread holiday cheer than by donating books? Imagine the joy on a child’s face when they receive a brand-new book. It’s like sprinkling a little bit of magic into their lives!

We’ve partnered with over a dozen local organizations serving K-12 students throughout the county. They’re eagerly waiting for book drop-offs like kids waiting for the first snowfall! ❄️

You can make a positive impact right now by donating directly using the button below, or why not turn giving back into an outing?

Holiday Book Drive 2023 (givebutter.com)

Visit the Barnes & Noble on Tunnel Road at the Asheville Mall to shop in-store and donate them on the spot.

Winter Bingo Challenge!
Dec 18 all-day
Swannanoa Library

Come pick up a bingo card and do the many HARD tasks (like taking a nap or reading a book). One row gets you a fun sticker. Three rows and you’re entered for our grand prize drawing.

Tuesday, December 19, 2023
United Way’s Holiday Book Drive
Dec 19 all-day
online

We need your help and the help of your network to make this holiday drive as successful as possible in putting new books into the hands of Buncombe County elementary and middle school students during the holiday break.

What better way to spread holiday cheer than by donating books? Imagine the joy on a child’s face when they receive a brand-new book. It’s like sprinkling a little bit of magic into their lives!

We’ve partnered with over a dozen local organizations serving K-12 students throughout the county. They’re eagerly waiting for book drop-offs like kids waiting for the first snowfall! ❄️

You can make a positive impact right now by donating directly using the button below, or why not turn giving back into an outing?

Holiday Book Drive 2023 (givebutter.com)

Visit the Barnes & Noble on Tunnel Road at the Asheville Mall to shop in-store and donate them on the spot.

Winter Bingo Challenge!
Dec 19 all-day
Swannanoa Library

Come pick up a bingo card and do the many HARD tasks (like taking a nap or reading a book). One row gets you a fun sticker. Three rows and you’re entered for our grand prize drawing.

North Asheville Book Club: Last Call at the Hotel Imperial by Deborah Cohen
Dec 19 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
North Asheville Library

Join us to discuss this month’s book: Last Call at the Hotel Imperial by Deborah Cohen

The North Asheville Book Club meets in-person on the 3rd Tuesday of every month.

Consent Book Club
Dec 19 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
TBA

Register so we can reach out and contact you as we prepare for our first meeting! Books will be distributed at the first meeting. This book club is for adults 18+.

Meetings will be on Tuesday evenings from 5:30-7pm (meeting location will be emailed once attendance is finalized)

Below are all the meeting dates:
December 5th
December 12th
December 19th
Skipping December 26th
January 2nd
January 9th
January 16th
Skipping January 22nd
January 30th

December – January Consent Book Club
Dec 19 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
tba

Our VOICE will be hosting a book club beginning this winter! Fill out the form to sign up as we have a limited amount of space!. Our first book selection will be Creating Consent Culture by Erica Scott and Marcia Baczynski. Books will be distributed at the first meeting and bus passes will be provided. This club will be offered in English, but we are looking to provide more opportunities in the future!

Books will be distributed at the first meeting. This book club is for adults 18+.

Meetings will be on Tuesday evenings from 5:30-7pm (meeting location will be emailed once attendance is finalized)

Below are all the meeting dates:
December 5th
December 12th
December 19th
Skipping December 26th
January 2nd
January 9th
January 16th
Skipping January 22nd
January 30th

Bookmarked: Online Library Book Club discusses Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Dec 19 @ 7:00 pm
online

Remarkably Bright Creatures, an exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, traces a widow’s unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus. (from Harper Collins)

The library’s moderated online book discussion group meets on the third Tuesday of each month, September through May. You can join by emailing [email protected] at least one hour prior to the meeting.

 

Bookmarked: Online Library Book Club discusses Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Dec 19 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Online w/ Fairview Library

Remarkably Bright Creatures, an exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, traces a widow’s unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus. (from Harper Collins)

The library’s moderated online book discussion group meets on the third Tuesday of each month, September through May. You can join by emailing [email protected] at least one hour prior to the meeting.

Wednesday, December 20, 2023
Winter Bingo Challenge!
Dec 20 all-day
Swannanoa Library

Come pick up a bingo card and do the many HARD tasks (like taking a nap or reading a book). One row gets you a fun sticker. Three rows and you’re entered for our grand prize drawing.

Puppet Playtime
Dec 20 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am
East Asheville Library
Every Wednesday morning, we open up the children’s activity room to give kids time for free play with puppets. Children must be under the supervision or a parent or guardian.
Enka History Book Club
Dec 20 @ 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Enka-Candler Library

The Enka History Book Club reads historical fiction and non-fiction.
We’ll be discussing, Come Fly The World by Come Fly The World: The Jet-Age Story of the Women of Pan Am by Julia Cooke.
Books are available for pick up at the library in large print and regular print.

The group meets in the community room and newcomers are always welcome.
In the case of inclement weather and winter storms, we will post canceled on this page, on our Facebook page, and on our Instagram page. Follow: @enkacandlerlibrary

Thursday, December 21, 2023
Winter Bingo Challenge!
Dec 21 all-day
Swannanoa Library

Come pick up a bingo card and do the many HARD tasks (like taking a nap or reading a book). One row gets you a fun sticker. Three rows and you’re entered for our grand prize drawing.

Flat Rock Book Club
Dec 21 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
The 2nd Act

Please join us at The 2nd Act in Hendersonville, NC for our first monthly book club meeting that strives to read books that create a closer knit and more inclusive community! We will meet virtually and in person monthly to discuss a book, so read the book and then join in the discussion in person or online every third Thursday. All are welcome! At the end of each meeting we will vote on the next book! The virtual club meeting will be in Zoom format and will meet 2.5 hours after the in-person meeting (8:00pm EST). After the meeting there is live acoustic music so stay and enjoy the vibe with your new friends! Put us down on your calendar for every third Third Thursday!

The first book is going to be called Disability Visibility.

Synopsis from the back cover: One in five people in the United States lives with a disability. Some disabilities are visible, others less apparent—but all are underrepresented in media and popular culture. Now, just in time for the thirtieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, activist Alice Wong brings together this urgent, galvanizing collection of contemporary essays by disabled people.

From Harriet McBryde Johnson’s account of her debate with Peter Singer over her own personhood to original pieces by authors like Keah Brown and Haben Girma; from blog posts, manifestos, and eulogies to Congressional testimonies, and beyond: this anthology gives a glimpse into the rich complexity of the disabled experience, highlighting the passions, talents, and everyday lives of this community. It invites readers to question their own understandings. It celebrates and documents disability culture in the now. It looks to the future and the past with hope and love. Preview:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51456746-disability-visibility
Message me for the Zoom link to the online meetup. Thanks!

Friday, December 22, 2023
Winter Bingo Challenge!
Dec 22 all-day
Swannanoa Library

Come pick up a bingo card and do the many HARD tasks (like taking a nap or reading a book). One row gets you a fun sticker. Three rows and you’re entered for our grand prize drawing.

Saturday, December 23, 2023
Winter Bingo Challenge!
Dec 23 all-day
Swannanoa Library

Come pick up a bingo card and do the many HARD tasks (like taking a nap or reading a book). One row gets you a fun sticker. Three rows and you’re entered for our grand prize drawing.

Downtown Asheville Treasure Hunt – Walking Team Scavenger Hunt!
Dec 23 @ 2:00 pm
Dssolvr Asheville

Guests will meet at Dssolvr Asheville (63 N. Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC 28801) and then depart with their treasure map on a walking team scavenger hunt where they will use their minds and feet to follow clues, solve puzzles, and crack codes to find and unlock the treasure chest for a grand prize!

The hunt involves walking a distance of up to 2.0 miles in total and will take place rain or shine, so long as the weather does not become dangerous. The hunt typically takes about 60 minutes to complete.

Children under 10 years old are welcome to participate for free with the purchase of an Adult ticket.

Sunday, December 24, 2023
Winter Bingo Challenge!
Dec 24 all-day
Swannanoa Library

Come pick up a bingo card and do the many HARD tasks (like taking a nap or reading a book). One row gets you a fun sticker. Three rows and you’re entered for our grand prize drawing.

Sundays Traditional Game Day
Dec 24 @ 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

The Perspective Café is kicking off 2023 with a classic bang! Grab your friends and join us each Sunday from 2pm to 5pm in the Perspective Café to play an assortment of board and card games. You can even bring your own favorite games from home to share with new friends.

The Perspective Café will be offering special snacks and cocktails to savor while you play and make a memorable afternoon! Enjoy the galleries and then head up to the rooftop.

Monday, December 25, 2023
Winter Bingo Challenge!
Dec 25 all-day
Swannanoa Library

Come pick up a bingo card and do the many HARD tasks (like taking a nap or reading a book). One row gets you a fun sticker. Three rows and you’re entered for our grand prize drawing.

Tuesday, December 26, 2023
Winter Bingo Challenge!
Dec 26 all-day
Swannanoa Library

Come pick up a bingo card and do the many HARD tasks (like taking a nap or reading a book). One row gets you a fun sticker. Three rows and you’re entered for our grand prize drawing.

Wednesday, December 27, 2023
Winter Bingo Challenge!
Dec 27 all-day
Swannanoa Library

Come pick up a bingo card and do the many HARD tasks (like taking a nap or reading a book). One row gets you a fun sticker. Three rows and you’re entered for our grand prize drawing.

Foodie Book Club
Dec 27 @ 7:00 pm
online

Foodie Book Club

A book club for home cooks, foodies, industry folks, and anyone in-between.  We will be focusing on all sorts of food writing. Somethemes will be (but not limited to): food critics, chef memoirs, wine, food history, and food politics.

The Foodie group meets virtually on the last Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. (EST), beginning in June 2022.  Please email [email protected] for the Zoom meeting info.

Thursday, December 28, 2023
Winter Bingo Challenge!
Dec 28 all-day
Swannanoa Library

Come pick up a bingo card and do the many HARD tasks (like taking a nap or reading a book). One row gets you a fun sticker. Three rows and you’re entered for our grand prize drawing.

StoryWalk®: Outside In
Dec 28 @ 6:00 am – 10:00 pm
Weaver Park

Enjoy the fresh air reading and walking along the StoryWalk® trail during regular hours at Weaver Park.

OUTSIDE IN, a Caldecott Honor Award Winner written by Deborah Underwood and illustrated by Cindy Derby, is a mindful contemplation on the world’s connectedness and the many ways nature affects our everyday lives — even when we’re stuck inside, reminding emerging readers of ways nature creates and touches our lives in homes, apartments, and cars.

Outside is waiting, the most patient playmate of all. The most generous friend. The most miraculous inventor. This thought-provoking picture book poetically underscores our powerful and enduring connection with nature, not so easily obscured by lives spent indoors.

Rhythmic, powerful language shows us how our world is made and the many ways Outside comes in to help and heal us, and reminds us that we are all part of a much greater universe. Emotive illustrations evoke the beauty, simplicity, and wonder that await us all . . . outside.

The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT, and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Storywalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.

Book Discussion: Foster and Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
Dec 28 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
West Asheville Library

We will be discussing Foster and Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan.  All are welcome!