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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 24, 2024
Uptown: The Music of Motown
Mar 24 @ 2:00 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse

Motown Remixed! From New York City, the epicenter of Soul and R&B, these young men of ‘UPTOWN’ will sing and dance their way into your hearts, and out of your seats in STYLE. With the class of young Temptations, moves like the Jackson 5, vocals like Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, and the contemporary feel of Bruno Mars … “Everybody’s Going UPTOWN!” It’s old school soul for a new generation!

Witch
Mar 24 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
NC Stage Co.

Directed by Angie Flynn-McIver

 

RIVETING | THOUGHT-PROVOKING | DARK COMEDY

A charming devil arrives in the quiet village of Edmonton to bargain for the souls of its residents in exchange for their darkest wishes. Elizabeth should be his easiest target, having been labeled a “witch” and cast out by the town, but her soul is not so readily bought. As the devil returns –and returns again– to convince her, unexpected passions flare, alliances are formed, and the village is forever changed.

 

Content advisory: strong language, staged violence

RTS: The Birds
Mar 24 @ 2:30 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

Based on a story by Daphne du Maurier and made famous by Alfred Hitchcock, four strangers grapple with birds who have been transformed from creatures of beauty into terrifying, menacing predators.

Cheesy Raclette Pop Up
Mar 24 @ 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Barn Door Ciderworks

Barn Door Cider Works is hosting a Raclette Pop Up featuring locally made alpine-style Raclette cheese by Blue Ridge Mountain Creamery, paired with barrel-aged ciders from Barn Door Ciderworks.
Local cheese maker and glass blower Victor Chiarizia will be at the cidery to talk about his creamery and dish up his utterly delicious Raclette style cheese he aptly named The Richard. The day’s menu includes Victor’s cheese served in the traditional Swiss style of heating the large wheel of cheese under a flame, then scraping the melted cheese onto boiled potatoes served with pickles. Barn Door dry ciders are the perfect pairing. In addition to four Barn Door ciders there will be local craft beers on tap, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages.
As the owner of Blue Ridge Mountain Creamery, Victor has made cheese for over 10 years and is the only maker in the region with a natural rocked-wall cave for aging cheese. A man of many talents, he’ll be melting cheese with a contraption he himself created.

Sordid Lives
Mar 24 @ 3:00 pm
Hendersonville Theatre

In this beloved cult classic, chaos erupts in small-town Texas when the elderly family matriarch, an upstanding member of the community, accidentally dies during a clandestine meeting in a seedy motel room with her married lover. The woman’s family must deal with more skeletons coming out of the closet while preparing for what could be an embarrassing funeral. In this ‘coming out’ story, the hilarious, sad, trashy truth about their lives runs amuck.

English Country Dance
Mar 24 @ 3:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Harvest House Community Center
  • 2nd and 4th Sundays – check the calendar on our home page
  • 4 pm – 6:00 pm
  • Mid-Winter English Country Dance Weekend – Feb 2-4, 2024
  • There is also an ECD Wednesday evening from 7:00 pm- 9:00 pm; various callers; and recorded music.
  • (This is not an OFB activity) For information contact: [email protected]
  • Mission & Vision

    Our mission is to bring joy to our community by cultivating folk and social dance and music traditions.

    Our vision is of people coming together to experience the joy of dance and music.

    Values

    • Welcoming – A safe and inviting space for dancers, musicians, and callers.
    • Community – We value respect, inclusiveness, diversity, consent, and multigenerational interaction.
    • Ownership – Volunteer investment in the organization.
    • Joy/Smiles – Presence in the moment.
    • Development – Artistic growth and skill of callers, musicians, and dancers.
TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC SESSION
Mar 24 @ 3:30 pm
Jack of the Wood

Jack’s long-running Traditional Irish Music Session is the perfect way to enjoy the Celtic-influenced sounds of talented pluckers from all over WNC & further afield! Stop in to enjoy a pint or afternoon Irish coffee with the music! Sláinte!

Asheville Sunday Afternoon English Country Dance
Mar 24 @ 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Harvest House Community Center

All are welcome to join us for our Sunday Afternoon English Country Dance which happens each 2nd and 4th Sunday afternoons.

Newcomers Session: 3:30pm
Dance: 4:00pm – 6:00pm

Caller: Bob Thompson
Live Music: Cathy Arps, violin; Tory Horner, violin; Linda Block, Recorder and Hand Percussion; Karen Gaughan, piano.

No partner necessary. All dances are taught and then prompted throughout the dance.
Wear comfortable clothes and non-marking shoes.
Bring a snack to share at the Break.

We are grateful to be a part of our local dance community, The Old Farmers Ball, who supports local traditional dance and music activities.
For calendar updates, visit: https://oldfarmersball.com/

Jacob Sessoms’ Little Pickle Pop-up
Mar 24 @ 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
All Day Darling

Date: Sunday, March 24
Time: 5-9pm
What: Chef Jacob Sessoms’ pop-up, The Little Pickle, will be back at All Day Darling on Sunday, March 24 from 5-9pm!
Hyperlink: https://www.instagram.com/thelittlepickleavl/

The pop-up travels between All Day Darling and sister spot Table, and explores the cuisine of the Levant. Served family-style, the Mediterranean feast will include the likes of shawarma, dips, pickles, wood-fired pita cooked in the oven right on the patio, juicy wines, specialty cocktails and more.

Guests will enjoy Mezze, Salatim, a family-style dinner menu including wood-roasted meats and dessert – all featuring tons of flavor and color. The dinner menu will be announced soon, and reservations are not necessary for the drop-in event.

Carolina Hurricanes vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
Mar 24 @ 6:00 pm
PNC Arena

Carolina Hurricanes vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

TINA – The Tina Turner Musical
Mar 24 @ 6:30 pm
Peace Concert Hall

THERE IS ONLY ONE.

HER VOICE IS UNDENIABLE. HER FIRE IS UNSTOPPABLE. HER TRIUMPH IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER.

An uplifting comeback story like no other, TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL is the inspiring journey of a woman who broke barriers and became the Queen of Rock n’ Roll. Set to the pulse-pounding soundtrack of her most beloved hits, this electrifying sensation will send you soaring to the rafters.

One of the world’s best-selling artists of all time, Tina Turner has won 12 Grammy Awards and her live shows have been seen by millions, with more concert tickets sold than any other solo performer in music history.

Featuring her much loved songs, TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL is written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Katori Hall and directed by the internationally acclaimed Phyllida Lloyd.


Official Website

Recommended for ages 14+.

BRENT COBB: LIVIN’ THE DREAM TOUR
Mar 24 @ 8:00 pm
The Grey Eagle

with Caleb Caudle

All Ages
 Doors: 7pm // Show: 8pm
ALL AGES
STANDING ROOM ONLYBRENT COBB

 

The American south isn’t just Brent Cobb’s home. It’s his muse, too. A Georgia native, he fills his Grammy-nominated songwriting with the sounds and stories of an area that’s been home to southern rockers, soul singers, country legends, and bluesmen. Cobb has a name for that rich tapestry of music — “southern eclectic” — and he offers up his own version of it with his newest album, Southern Star.

 

“Down here, there’s a lot going on and there’s nothing going on at the same time,” he says. “You’ve got all these different cultures in the south, and everything is mixed in together. Otis Redding and Little Richard were from the same town in Georgia. So were the Allman Brothers. James Brown and Ray Charles grew up right down the road. All these sounds reflect the South itself, and that music has influenced the whole world. It’s definitely influenced mine.”

 

Filled with country-soul songwriting, laid back grooves, and classic storytelling, Southern Star distills the best parts of southern culture into 10 of the strongest songs in Cobb’s catalog. He began writing the material after leaving Nashville — where he spent a decade releasing solo records like 2016’s Shine On Rainy Day (which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Americana Album) while penning hit songs for Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, and dozens of others — and returning with his family to Georgia. It was a time of change. Not long after celebrating the arrival of his second child, Cobb found himself mourning the death of his longtime friend, Jason “Rowdy” Cope of The Steel Woods.

 

“Rowdy was like my older brother,” says Cobb, who named Southern Star in part after a small-town bar that he and Cope used to frequent. “He loved the music that came out of Georgia, and he helped me appreciate it even more. A lot of artists like to branch out and become experimental as their career continues, but I sort of go the opposite way. I feel like I can never go wrong if I continue to get closer and closer to the core of who I am and what I love, musically. Coming back to Georgia helped me with that. Southern Star is the sound of me getting closer to the source.”

 

Don’t let Cobb’s breezy songs about rural life fool you. There’s some serious complexity lurking beneath the surface. At first glance, “It’s a Start” unfolds like the soundtrack to a leisurely afternoon in the south, with Cobb singing the praises of crawfish, barbecue, and day-drinking. Dig deeper, though, and the song reveals itself to be something more universal: a reminder to appreciate the small things in life, stay mindful, and chase down new horizons at your own pace. To Cobb, there’s something distinctly southern about that message, too. “Sometimes, there ain’t shit going on down here,” he says with a laugh, “but since there’s nothing else to do, you learn to be laid back. You learn to use your imagination, and you wind up imitating your surroundings. These songs sound like the place that inspired them. On ‘It’s a Start,’ when the organ comes in, it reminds me of the sound of the cicadas and frogs you hear in the springtime.”

 

Caleb Caudle
Forsythia, the latest studio LP offering from Caleb Caudle out now via Soundly Music, isa portrait of his truest self, of the artist at his most solitary and reflective.Thematically, it meets anticipation for the unknown future with nostalgia for the past, and reconciles both with meditation in the present.The album was recorded at the legendary Cash Cabin during the pandemic, and inspired by the solitude and symbols Caudle found in nature during that time.

Pilobolus — Re: Creation
Mar 24 @ 8:00 pm
Diana Wortham Theatre

Rediscover the joy of play and creativity with this highly acclaimed, returning fan-favorite company. Humor, happiness and hope abound in this rejuvenating program that takes Pilobolus into uncharted waters — which is exactly where this innovative company feels most at home. Featuring fresh works with new collaborators, these talented dancers create an experience both timely and timeless, proving once again that the human body is the most expressive, universal and magical of media.

Connect with the art and artists

  • Dance workshop with Pilobolus — details forthcoming
  • Pre-show discussions: Join members of the company and fellow patrons at pre-show discussions, 7 p.m. prior to the 8 p.m. performances.
Monday, March 25, 2024
2024 Drive For A Cause Car Raffle
Mar 25 all-day
online

TAKE THE WHEEL & WIN BIG

Mosaic Realty and United Way invite you to take the wheel
and win big while doing good in the 2024 Drive For A Cause Car Raffle

 

AAAOne lucky winner will walk away with the keys to a new 2024 Volkswagen Electric ID.4 (or its cash equivalent). Your purchase is both transactional and transformative with each ticket purchase going to support the work of 15 high-impact local nonprofits.

Don’t miss this opportunity to fuel community change! Purchase your ticket today (or come back and purchase additional tickets, you can purchase as many as you want up until the date of the drawing).

AAA

Benefiting Nonprofits

 

Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity

Asheville Art Museum

Asheville on Bikes

Asheville City Schools Foundation

Asheville Humane Society

Beloved Asheville

Blue Ridge Orchestra

Bountiful Cities

LEAF Global Arts

MANNA Food Bank

Mountain Housing Opportunities

Sparc Foundation

Thrive Asheville

United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County

YMI Cultural Center

 

AAA

The drawing for the winner of the Volkswagen Electric ID.4 (or its cash equivalent) will be held at Mosaic Realty’s Art Walk & Benefit event on Thursday, May 2, 2024, at the Asheville Art Museum at 9:00 PM. Raffle ticket purchasers do not have to be present to win. For more information about the Art Walk & Benefit, visit Mosaic Realty’s event page.

 

2024 Flex Passes Parkway Playhouse
Mar 25 all-day
online w/ Parkway Playhouse
Accepting Nominations for Clean Air Excellence Awards
Mar 25 all-day
online

The Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency (AB Air Quality) is now accepting nominations for our twentieth annual air quality awards program. The goal of the Clean Air Excellence Awards is to recognize businesses and organizations that have truly gone above and beyond regulatory requirements to improve air quality for the residents of our area. Past years’ award recipients have included Dynamite Roasting Company, Eaton Corporation, and Western North Carolina Veterans Affairs Health Care System; each initiated voluntary efforts that improved air quality in the Asheville-Buncombe County Area.

Award guidelines explain the criteria for the awards and different categories of awards apply to different types of permitted facilities, organizations, and individuals that would like to nominate themselves or another entity for consideration.

To submit a nomination for a Clean Air Excellence Award, please download the application form online and include a brief summary describing what was done to improve air quality for Buncombe County.  Examples of voluntary pollution prevention measures include:  significant energy efficiency upgrades, switching to more environmentally friendly and lower-emitting solvents and cleaners, installing renewable energy systems, and upgrading fleet vehicles to more fuel-efficient or lower-emitting models. We ask that nominations be submitted to our Agency by April 12, 2024. We encourage you to submit any and all efforts your company (or another company or organization) has undertaken to reduce emissions. Agency staff are available to assist with emissions-related questions.

More information and the application form are available at abairquality.org. Please contact Ashley Featherstone at 828-250-6777 or [email protected] with questions.

Affordable Parking Program: 60 Spots Still Available
Mar 25 all-day
online

Do you work in downtown Asheville? If so, Buncombe County’s expanded affordable parking program could save you hundreds of your hard-earned dollars. The Affordable Parking Program includes 200 parking spaces at two locations in downtown Asheville. Of those 200, the County currently has 57 openings with 30 spots available at Coxe Avenue and 27 at College Street.

Parking spaces are located at the Coxe Avenue parking deck (located at 11 Sears Alley) and the College Street parking deck (located at 164 College Street, across from the judicial complex) for a discounted price of $40 per month. This initiative, focused on service industry and retail workers, is now taking applications for the remaining spots.

To be eligible, you need to work in Downtown Asheville and make 80% area median income (AMI), which is less than $22.88 per hour or $3,967 per month. Applications are now open for the program. If you think you’re eligible, then please go ahead and apply.

Apply here

Art Walk + Benefit RAFFLE
Mar 25 all-day
online

TAKE THE WHEEL & WIN BIG

Mosaic Realty and United Way invite you to take the wheel
and win big while doing good in the 2024 Drive For A Cause Car Raffle

 

AAAOne lucky winner will walk away with the keys to a new 2024 Volkswagen Electric ID.4 (or its cash equivalent). Your purchase is both transactional and transformative with each ticket purchase going to support the work of 15 high-impact local nonprofits.

Don’t miss this opportunity to fuel community change! Purchase your ticket today (or come back and purchase additional tickets, you can purchase as many as you want up until the date of the drawing).

AAA

Benefiting Nonprofits

 

Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity

Asheville Art Museum

Asheville on Bikes

Asheville City Schools Foundation

Asheville Humane Society

Beloved Asheville

Blue Ridge Orchestra

Bountiful Cities

LEAF Global Arts

MANNA Food Bank

Mountain Housing Opportunities

Sparc Foundation

Thrive Asheville

United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County

YMI Cultural Center

 

AAA

The drawing for the winner of the Volkswagen Electric ID.4 (or its cash equivalent) will be held at Mosaic Realty’s Art Walk & Benefit event on Thursday, May 2, 2024, at the Asheville Art Museum at 9:00 PM. Raffle ticket purchasers do not have to be present to win. For more information about the Art Walk & Benefit, visit Mosaic Realty’s event page.

Brevard Music Center’s 2024 Summer Festival Subscriptions
Mar 25 all-day
online

2024 Subscription Packages

One of America’s premier music festivals, Brevard Music Center’s 2024 summer lineup features a diverse offering of symphony, opera, chamber, jazz, bluegrass, and Broadway performances. The season will be highlighted by Legendary Artist Wynton Marsalis, who will appear with The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in three extraordinary concerts in late June. Additional festival highlights include classical masterpieces Prokofiev 5Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in FStrauss’s Ein Heldenleben, and world premiere concertos by two of today’s top composers; Janiec Opera Company productions of The Threepenny OperaFlightLa Bohème, and An Evening of Jerome Kern and Friends; a family-friendly film with live orchestra presentation of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back™ in Concertand BMC Presents lighter concert fare featuring Bryan SuttonDavid SanbornAoife O’Donovan, and Béla Fleck.

Led by Artistic Director Keith Lockhart, Brevard’s hallmark is the powerful sense of community that re-emerges every June as faculty and students work together to present over 100 performances and events to more than 40,000 enthusiastic fans from across the country. Primary BMC performance venues include the 1800-seat, open-air Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium and the 400-seat Parker Concert Hall.

Package List

  • Golden Ticket (Thursday)

    Description: Receive one ticket to all performances included in the Symphony Series, Opera Lovers Series (Thursday), and the Parker Concert Hall Summer Series. Also includes Opening Night and Season Finale.

    Save 25% on single ticket prices.

    BMC Presents and Legendary Artists Series are not included.

  • Golden Ticket (Saturday)

    Description: Receive one ticket to all performances included in the Symphony Series, Opera Lovers Series (Saturday), and the Parker Concert Hall Summer Series. Also includes Opening Night and Season Finale.

    Save 25% on single ticket prices.

    BMC Presents and Legendary Artists Series are not included.

  • Symphony Series

    Description: Receive all sixteen (16) symphony events at Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium.

    Save 20% on single ticket prices.

    BMC Presents and Legendary Artists Series are not included.

  • Compose Your Own

    Description: Purchase at least eight (8) eligible* events from our summer season.

    Save 15% on single ticket prices.

    *Opening Night, Season Finale, BMC Presents, and Legendary Artists Series are not eligible for inclusion.

  • Opera Lovers (Thursday)

    Description: Receive one (1) ticket to each of the following Thursday night events: FlightLa BohèmeThe Threepenny Opera, and An Evening of Jerome Kern & Friends.

    Save 10% on single ticket prices.

    Please note that seating assignments for An Evening of Jerome Kern & Friends are on a first-come, first-served basis.

  • Opera Lovers (Saturday)

    Description: Receive one (1) ticket to each of the following Saturday afternoon events: FlightLa BohèmeThe Threepenny Opera. Includes one (1) ticket to the following Thursday evening event: An Evening of Jerome Kern & Friends.

    Save 10% on single ticket prices.

    Please note that seating assignments for An Evening of Jerome Kern & Friends are on a first-come, first-served basis.

  • Parker Concert Hall Summer Series

    Description: Receive all twelve (12) Parker Concert Hall Summer Series events.

    Save 15% on single ticket prices.

    BMC Presents and Legendary Artists Series are not included.

  • Flex

    Description: Purchase at least three (3) eligible* events, and receive a 5% discount off single ticket prices.

    Flex tickets cannot be purchased during the subscription renewal/purchase phase and will be available during the donor presale to qualifying purchasers.

    *Opening Night, Season Finale, BMC Presents, Legendary Artist Series are ineligible for this discount package.

    This discount will activate automatically once you add the required number of eligible events to your cart.
Buncombe Extension Master GardenerSM Helpline Opens for 2024 Gardening Season
Mar 25 all-day
NC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener

Have your garden and plant questions answered. There are three ways to contact the Master Gardener Helpline:

Call 828-255-5522

Email questions and photos to [email protected] or stop by the extension office hours:

Mondays – 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Tuesdays – 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Thursdays – 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Code Purple: Emergency Weather Program
Mar 25 all-day
Asheville
Code Purple illustration
code purple

As cold weather moves into the region, many in our community turn their thoughts to the unhoused population and the additional hardships they face during winter months.

One of the most immediately responsive assets is the Code Purple program.

Driven by community organizations, this effort provides emergency shelter to people experiencing homelessness during freezing weather.

 

The Code Purple program kicks off this year on October 15, 2023 and runs through April 30, 2024. During that time members of the Homeless Coalition will determine when a Code Purple will go into effect. You can find details about the program in the Code Purple Manual

 

Exciting news about the expansion of services this year.

 

When a Code Purple Can be called. 

Code Purple emergency shelters and services are typically available at 32 degrees or below. A Code Purple may also be enacted this year when temperatures are 33-40 degrees with precipitation.

 

Additional Beds

ABCCM has 75 beds available between their Veterans Restoration Quarters and Transformation Village sites.

The Salvation Army will also participate this year, adding 16 new Code Purple beds for  people who are unhoused to seek shelter in extreme weather

A recorded message will be available at 828.398.6011 confirming that Code Purple is operational and providing information about shelter locations.

How is the City continuing to support this community-driven initiative?

  • The City of Asheville, once again, agreed to fund 50-thousand dollars of the Code Purple from this year in their annual budget.
  • ART buses will continue to over free rides to shelters for those in needs
  • Community Responders will assist in the transport of individuals on an “as needed” basis
  • The marquee at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center will post messaging indicating when a Code Purple will be or is in effect.

 

Stay Connected

To join the Homeless Coalition’s distribution list to receive notifications about when Code Purple is called, email [email protected].

Community Recreation Grants
Mar 25 all-day
online

Buncombe County Parks & Recreation will open its Community Recreation Grants application on February 5, 2024. The application window will remain open until March 29, 2024. The project application and supporting guidelines will be posted on the Buncombe County Grants webpage, located at www.buncombecounty.org/grants.

Eligible projects must:

  • Belong to a nonprofit organization.
  • Improve the quality of life within our community through the promotion of recreational initiatives that emphasize health and wellness, outdoor recreation, environmental education, athletics, and/or cultural experiences.
  • Operate in Buncombe County serving primarily Buncombe residents.

Preferred applications will:

  • Foster an atmosphere of inclusivity by extending recreation opportunities to underserved or underrepresented populations such as BIPOC and rural communities.
  • Promote goals highlighted within the Buncombe County Strategic Plan.
  • Promote recreational opportunities that emphasize health and wellness, outdoor recreation, environmental education, athletics, and/or cultural experiences.

For any questions, email [email protected].

Dining Out for Life Fundraiser for WNC AIDS Project
Mar 25 all-day
Various Locations

On Thursday, April 25th, the Western North Carolina AIDS Project (WNCAP) will host our annual Dining Out For Life event. Partnering again with the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association (AIR), Dining Out For Life 2024 will encourage residents of Asheville and Western North Carolina to eat out at Participating Restaurants.

This celebration supports both the local restaurants that host the events and raises money for WNCAP’s life-saving services.

 

Now in its 22nd year, Dining Out for Life has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The money raised by WNCAP’s annual Dining Out for Life is more critical than ever. Your donations provide care, rental assistance, and education in our fight against HIV/AIDS. Dine Out. End HIV.

2024 Participating Restaurants (List Updated Daily)
* MEMBER OF ASHEVILLE INDEPENDENT RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION 
Growing Minds Farm to School Mini-Grant
Mar 25 all-day
online

Farm to School Funding

Growing Minds Farm to School Funding Opportunities

We want to help fund your farm to school project in Western North Carolina! Mini-grants are available for schools to engage children in the following farm to school experiences:

  • Local food taste tests & cooking demonstrations
  • Incorporating local food into meals or snacks
  • Farm field trips or farmer visits to preschools and classrooms
  • Growing edible gardens

Funding can be used to start new projects, or to expand upon existing activities.

Pre-k through 12 schools and homeschool groups are eligible to apply. Schools must be located throughout our 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina. 

  • Smoky Mountains, NC: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain
  • Southern Mountains, NC: Henderson, Polk, Transylvania
  • Central Mountains, NC: Buncombe, Madison, Yancey
  • Foothills, NC: Burke, Caldwell, McDowell, Rutherford
  • High Country, NC: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes

Growing Minds 2023-24 Farm to School / Preschool Funding

Applications are due by: March 31, 2024 and recipients will be selected by April 15, 2024.       

ASAP’s Growing Minds mini-grants help early childhood education (ECE) centers and K-12 schools provide children positive experiences with healthy local foods through these components of farm to school: school gardens, farm field trips and farmer classroom visits, and local foods served in meals, snacks, and/or taste tests.

Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. Receive up to $500! The amount awarded will be based on availability of funding, number of applicants, and the scope of your project. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding.

If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year. 

Help Buncombe County Vote: Become a Poll Worker
Mar 25 all-day
Buncombe County NC

Are you interested in earning money while helping support the democratic process? If so, Buncombe County Election Services is looking for poll workers to help with the 2024 Primary and General Elections. It’s a rewarding way to help our community while supplementing your income. If this sounds interesting, read on to learn more about the perks of working the polls, eligibility requirements, pay rates, and more.

Perks of working the polls:

  • Meaningful work
  • No prior experience needed
  • Option to work one full day or shifts for two weeks
  • Earn extra money
  • Great team atmosphere
  • Build highly transferrable skills
  • Doesn’t impact unemployment benefits (Per Session Law 2020-71, any person that is receiving unemployment may work as a poll worker without any effect on their unemployment benefits)
  • Opportunities for students, people looking for supplemental incomes, and retirees with flexible schedules

Representation from both parties is an important part of the process and is statutorily required. “Our poll workers are the backbone of safe and fair elections,” said Election Services Director Corinne Duncan. “Without them, we wouldn’t be able to offer our Buncombe County voters the best experience at the polls, regardless of if they vote early or on Election Day.”

Election Services is staffed up for Early Voting during the primary, but we are currently hiring for the Primary Election Day, especially registered Republicans, and creating a roster of people interested in working the general election in November.

To be eligible you must:

  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Be a registered voter of Buncombe County (Unaffiliated voters are welcome to apply)
  • Be comfortable and confident using a laptop
  • Be able to sit or stand for long periods of time while working with voters
  • Be able to put aside all political activity and conversation on social media and in person for a two-week period over Early Voting and Election Day
  • Be able to lift 25 lbs.

Through the Student Assistant Program, students who will be at least 17 years old by Election Day (March 5, 2024) can work as assistants. Student Assistant 101.

Early Voting 
During Early Voting (Oct. 17-Nov. 2) each location is staffed with a Captain and a team of workers. Captains earn $16/hour and workers earn $14/hour. Working during Early Voting requires a minimum commitment of 15 of 17 days, including weekend shifts and mandatory paid training. The captain carries the most responsibility with duties including voting location access, task delegation, reconciliation, equipment troubleshooting, and voting process/election law familiarity.

For more information about working Early Voting, contact Karen Rae at (828) 250-4224.

Election Day
On Election Day (March 5), each of our 80 precincts is staffed with three judges and several assistants. Election Day workers receive a lump sum payment (see below) which includes payment to attend the mandatory four-hour training session. Everyone is required to work the entirety of Election Day on March 5, 2024, which typically runs from 6 a.m-9 p.m. Precincts are located throughout the county, and we do our best to assign you to a precinct near your home.

Chief Judge – $300

Party Judge – $225

Assistant – $200

The Chief Judge carries the most responsibility with duties including collecting precinct supplies, officially opening, and closing the polls, voting location access, task delegation, close of polls audit processes, and voting process/election law familiarity. Party Judges are also required to participate in the official work of opening, and closing the polls, as well as the close of polls audit process.

For more information about working Buncombe County elections, contact Karen Rae at (828) 250-4224 or visit buncombecounty.org/pollworker.

Hey Asheville: City Comedy Tour • Ages 13+ Only
Mar 25 all-day
LaZoom Room Bar & Gorilla

Come enjoy our most popular Asheville tour!

Duration

1 hour and 30 minutes

About

Bachelorette/Bachelor Parties are not permitted on this tour. The Fender Bender Bus is bachelorette/bachelor friendly!

Historical and hysterical, The Hey Asheville tour features outrageously entertaining tour guides, outlandish comedy skits complete with special appearances and loads of Asheville information. You’ll get to see the best of downtown Asheville and the rarely seen but stunningly beautiful Montford neighborhood, not to mention the burgeoning River Arts District! You’ve never had a ride like this. It’s like a vaudeville show on wheels!

Find out what makes Asheville so unique on LaZoom’s City Comedy Tour. It’s the perfect mix of history, comedy, and entertainment. Our guides are trained professional actors working with an original script. It’s like a theatre on wheels! The tour highlights downtown Asheville, historic neighborhoods, the South Slope, and the River Arts District.

Age Restrictions

13 and up. No exceptions.

Stops

10 minute beer & bathroom break at Green Man Brewery

What’s Included

Guided tour of Asheville on a Purple Bus
Funny actors, fun bits
Actual History about Asheville
Green Man Brewery Stop

What’s Not Included

Beer/Wine (Must be purchased from LaZoom or the Brewery Stop)
Cash! You’ll want to tip the guides for changing your life for the better.

Hop-on/Hop-off SIGHTSEEING TOUR
Mar 25 all-day
Asheville Area

There is no better way to DISCOVER and EXPLORE Asheville!  Hop-on board one of Gray Line’s nostalgic trolleys for a fully narrated day tour, highlighting the history, homes, hang-outs and hot spots of this “city of surprises.”

Tour Highlights include  .  .  .  Downtown Asheville  |  Montford Historic District  |  The Grove Park Inn and Grove Park Historic District  |  Thomas Wolfe District  |  Pack Square and Asheville Art Museum  |  Grove Arcade  |  River Arts District  |  Biltmore Village

Hop-On and hear the story of a city rich in architecture, history and the arts  . . .

Hop-Off and experience its eclectic shops and galleries; its world class culinary and craft brew scenes.

Tour Duration:  The complete tour (one loop) lasts approximately 90 to 100 minutes.  There is an additional 15 minute stop at the Asheville Visitor Center.  The Hop-On/Hop-Off Tour ticket is valid for TWO consecutive days.

Departure Points: Join the Hop-On/Hop-Off Tour at any of the 10 stops.  If you’re driving in to join the tour, Stop 1, the Asheville Visitor Center may be your best option.  The Visitor Center, located at 36 Montford Ave. just off I-240 at Exit 4C, offers free parking (on a first come-first served basis) and restrooms. The Asheville Visitor Center is the ONLY place to join the Overview Tour.

Learn + Grow ADULT + CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Mar 25 all-day
NC Arboretum

Plants Connect Us in Place

Throughout Southern Appalachia this month, the first spring ephemerals — floral harbingers of the colorful season to come — begin their journey toward the light. Trillium, Trout Lily, Bloodroot, Dicentra: All appear the most delicate of flowers, yet they are mighty enough to push through heavy layers of damp leaf duff to reach the sun’s rays. Usher in the brightening days like these first flowers with courses that extend the Arboretum’s mission to connect people with plants and learn more about what roots us in our special place in nature.

Eco Gardening: Principles in Practice | In Person Version – ONSITE, Three Sessions: Wednesdays, March 6, 20 & April 3, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Or  Asynchronous Version – Open March 6 through May 31.


Emergence: Spring Wildflower Walk | ONSITE | Saturday, March 9, 1 – 3 p.m. or Saturday, March 16, 1 – 3 p.m.


Lifelong Gardening | ONSITE | Wednesday, March 13, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.


Free! Lunch & Learn: Previewing the Cullowhee Native Plants Conference | ONSITE | Thursday, March 14, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.


Native Plants for the Vegetable Garden | ONSITE | Thursday, March 14, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.


Botany Basics | In Person Version – ONSITE, Six Sessions: Tuesdays & Thursdays, March 19 – April 4, 1 – 3 p.m. Or Asynchronous Version – Open April 4 through June 30.


Soil Health Check Up | ONSITE | Wednesday, March 27, 1:30 – 4 p.m.


Free! Arboretum Reads Nature’s Best Hope by Doug Tallamy | ONSITE | Two Sessions: Thursday, April 4 & 18, 3:30 – 5 p.m.


Registration is also open for our signature plant-based core classes in April. Join us for Spring Native Flora ID (field and blended field/online sections), Spring Native Tree ID (online, field and intensive versions). Plan ahead in April to learn about exotics at the Orchid Festival, April 12 – 14, held at the Arboretum, then return to learn about our native azaleas at the Native Azalea Day, April 27. 

Parkway Playhouse 2024 Season Tickets
Mar 25 all-day
online

2024 Flex Pass

The 2024 Flex Pass gets you 4 tickets to use as you’d like for the 2024 Mainstage Season.

2024 Flex Pass Plus

The 2024 Flex Pass gets you 5 tickets to use as you’d like for the 2024 Mainstage Season.

 

2024 Mainstage Season

 

Minister of Sorrow
Written by Pam Kingsley
Directed by Noah Stout
Showing May 17-19, 2024

It is 1937. Emma is a pack-saddle librarian who came to her calling by way of a painful route. We learn of her life as she shares some of her favorite people in stories. Our 2023 Appalachian Playwriting Festival Winner.

 

Little Women
Written by Kate Hamill
Adapted From the Novel by Louisa May Alcott
Directed by Erika Tyner
Showing June 7-16, 2024

Based on the literary classic, this play explores what it means to be a woman, a daughter, a sister, and a friend. We follow the story of Jo March and her reckoning with society, growing older, and finding her way as a writer with her sisters by her side. Each one exploring similar but different struggles and wins. Set to a backdrop of the Civil War, this play is a reflection of the waves of change that bookmarked author Louisa May Alcott’s life.

Almost, Maine
Written by John Cariani
Directed by Michael Lilly
Showing June 28-July 7, 2024

One night, a place that’s not a place, and six actors collide for this heartwarming play. A collection of vignettes, Almost, Maine shows us a story of falling in and out of love, bearing through life, and the magic of the unknown. Northern lights shine on these nine short plays and show us the beauty of Almost.

Ordinary Days
Written by Adam Gwon
Directed by Jeff Catanese
Music Direction by Lynda Shuler
Showing August 9-18, 2024

Connections are all around us in this impactful play. Lost items, missed taxis, tragedy, they’re all red strings that tie us to one another. Comedic at times, poignant at others, this musical features four characters whose stories are just a handful in the 8.3 million others that create the vibrance of the New York City landscape.

Vanities
Written by Jack Heifner
Directed by Marci Bernstein
Showing September 6-15, 2024

Chronicling the lives of three best friends from Texas, this show follows our cast from girlhood to adulthood and explores their differentiating opinions on life, experiences, and the future. Beginning in 1963 Texas and landing in New York in 1974 this play is an honest and real reflection of the impact of a changing world through a bittersweet comedic lens.

SINGLE SHOW TICKETS

Non-Musicals

Adults: $24
Seniors (60+), Students (18+ with ID), Military (active or retired): $22
Children (under 17): $12

Musicals

Adults: $26
Seniors (60+), Students (18+ with ID), Military (active or retired): $24
Children (under 17): $15

Junior Productions

Adults: $15
Children (under 17): $10

Playground Stage Summer Theatre Camp registration open
Mar 25 all-day
online

SAVE THE DATE

Registration Opens February 1st

 is the young performer’s chance to experience all aspects of putting on a show! Every student has a chance to set design, costume design, and act in a musical with help from some professional Teaching Artists! Each day includes theatre related crafts, acting. singing, and dancing lessons, as well as many behind the scenes activities. On the last day of camp the students will perform a play for friends and family in an outdoor performance complete with set, costumes, and props.

2024 Camp Dates

Session 1: Tuesday June 11 – Friday June 21 (9 day camp)

Session 2: Monday June 24 – Wednesday July 3 (8 day camp)

Session 3: Monday July 8 – Friday July 19 (10 day camp)

Session 4: Monday July 22 – Friday August 2 (10 day camp)

*Registration begins Thursday February 1st