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.

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Wednesday, June 5, 2024
Li’l Boogers: Kids Comedy Tour
Jun 5 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am
LaZoom Room Bar & Gorilla

Explore Asheville with the whole family!

Age Restrictions

All Ages Welcome!
(Content is geared towards ages 5-12 years old)
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Children 3 and under do not need a ticket if they are sitting in an adults lap.

Duration

60 Minutes

What’s Included

Crazy funny guide
Off-bus characters
Fun facts about Asheville
Age-appropriate jokes

About

Now’s your chance to bring the whole family on the big purple bus! Educational and entertaining, LaZoom’s Kids’ Comedy tour features a perfect blend of Asheville information and kid-centric comedy. Geared specifically towards the 5-12 year old crowd, you’ll learn about our city’s history and see the sights in true LaZoom style – complete with our famously outlandish tour guides, hilarious comedy skits, and all sorts of special appearances! Perfect for birthday parties or school field trips, it’s the best thing to do with your kids in Asheville. It’s a show on wheels!

The tour is 60 minutes long and includes no stops. The tour is hosted by a zany tour guide, and along the way other characters will hop on the bus and perform kid-centric sketches (Candy Pirate, Ninja, and a Levitator) The tour is not only fun – it’s educational! Kids and adults will learn new and interesting facts about Asheville along the way. There must be 1 adult for every 4 children. We do not allow any unaccompanied children. Children 3 and under do not need a ticket if they are sitting in an adults lap.

Waitlist

If your desired time and availability is full, then please give us a call to be added to the waitlist.

Read more
Categories: Comedy Family Fun Tours
Puppet Playtime
Jun 5 @ 10:00 am
East Asheville Public 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.

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Categories: Family Fun
Puppet Playtime
Jun 5 @ 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.

Read more
Categories: Family Fun
Pritchard Park Arts and Culture Series: Asheville Museum of Science
Jun 5 @ 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Pritchard Park

The Asheville Downtown Association is thrilled to announce the return of the beloved Pritchard Park Arts and Culture Series, made possible through a generous partnership with the Trina Mullen Foundation, City of Asheville Parks and Recreation, ArtsAVL, and Explore Asheville. This summer series will run from May 28 through August 30, featuring exciting activations every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM.

Wednesdays: Asheville Museum of Science

Dive into a world of discovery with interactive science activities, including bubbles and noise machines. This family-friendly event promises to engage and entertain all ages with hands-on experiments and demonstrations.

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Categories: Education Family Fun Outdoors
Pritchard Park Summer Series: Summer of Science w/ the Asheville Museum of Science
Jun 5 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Pritchard Park

Explore hands on activities and experiments while we learn about the Science of Bubbles or the Science of Sound. Every other week we will play and learn together using a variety of tools, instruments, and toys. AMOS has a plethora of science to intrigue the zeal of every learner!

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Categories: Community Education Family Fun Outdoors
Sing Your Heart Out
Jun 5 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
LEAF Global Arts

Sing songs that celebrate Peace & Community, with Resident Teaching Artist Melissa McKinney. Sing, play, drum, and dance while learning songs from the Justice Choir Songbook.

Wednesdays at 6 p.m.
$15 drop-in class
All ages welcome.

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Categories: Community Education Family Fun Music
Westie Wednesdays at Continuum ft. Ryan Pflumm
Jun 5 @ 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
CONTINUUM ART

Help us relaunch the Westie scene in a premier venue showcasing spacious dance floors, high ceilings, and a vintage vibe. If you are new to West Coast Swing, come check out for yourself the popular dance style that can be done to a wide variety of music, including pop, country, blues, and contemporary music! For those looking to advance their skills, the Hendersonville WCS community is excited to welcome Pro Instructor Ryan Pflumm to Continuum!

As always, the dress is casual and no partner is needed. Join us for an incredible night of connecting and dancing with our MONTHLY event every FIRST Wednesday!

PRIVATE LESSONS
If you would like to book a private lesson with Ryan for $75 per hour, please message Continuum with the following:

  1. Which timeslot(s)
  2. number of people attending
    Times:
    3:30-4:30pm
    4:30-5:30pm
    5:30-6:30pm
    first come, first served

CLASSES
7:00-8:00pm Intermediate w/ Ryan Pflumm!
7:00-8:00pm Beginner w/ Rachel Harris
8:00-10:00pm Social Dance

Each class is $10 and includes a pass to the social dance. The social dance is $7 without a lesson. Music will be DJ’d by Pro Instructor Ryan Pflumm.

Bring your own beer/wine. Liquor and other beverages above 16% alcohol content are strictly prohibited.

Masks are encouraged but, not required.

Cash, cards, Venmo, PayPal, and Cash app are accepted.

Read more
Categories: Community Dance Education
Blue Ghost Firefly Twilight Tour
Jun 5 @ 8:45 pm
Cradle of Forestry

The Blue Ghost Firefly (Phausis reticulata) is a secretive, hard-to-find native insect that calls our area home, and for a very short amount of time in late Spring, they inhabit our surrounding woodlands of Transylvania County.

The Blue Ridge Mountains are home to a very unique creature that some say resembles a collection of fairies carrying blue candles through the forest. 

The Blue Ghost Firefly (Phausis reticulata) is a secretive, hard-to-find native insect that calls our area home, and for a very short amount of time in late Spring, they inhabit our surrounding woodlands of Transylvania County. 

You’ll experience an educational presentation at our outdoor amphitheater starting at 8:45 pm and then use the cover of darkness and special flashlights to go in search of the Blue Ghost fireflies while hiking on a paved trail through the forest. Team members will be stationed at key locations around the trail to provide further information about this amazing natural phenomenon. Please feel free to congregate near these areas with your fellow firefly enthusiasts, or go explore on your own! We require everyone to stay on the trail to prevent habitat damage, and team members will clear the trail and require everyone to depart by 10:30 pm.

Ticket Purchase/Pre-registration is required. Actual tickets are not provided. Your ticket purchase receipt serves as your ticket/date confirmation. This is a light rain or shine, family-friendly event!
In order to maximize our participant experience while minimizing our impact on the resource, we limit each night to 125 participants.

Due to the uniqueness of the insects in the natural habitat, it is very difficult to capture photos. Very specific camera equipment is needed and it is almost impossible to capture a photo with a phone camera. Flash from the cameras disturbs the natural habitat and because it is dark, other participants will not see your equipment and you run the risk of damage. Setting up a tripod in the cover of darkness and attempting to capture photos with 125 additional people on the nightly tour is very difficult and does not provide a positive experience for both you or the additional tour attendees. The best way to view this natural phenomenon is to capture the images in your mind’s eye.

If you are interested in taking photos or for photography enthusiasts, we are offering a specific Blue Ghost Photography event and would suggest that you register for the Blue Ghost Photo Tours.

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE EVENT? CHECK OUT OUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS INFORMATION SHEET 

PLEASE NOTE: If the date you wish to attend is not appearing as a selection for ticket purchase, that date is at capacity so you will need to select another date to attend.

Tickets will ONLY be available for purchase ONLINE. All ticket purchases are NON-REFUNDABLE AND CANNOT BE TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER NIGHT. You CANNOT purchase tickets on site at the Cradle.

There is NO waitlist for this event.

Gates open at 8:00 pm
Event from 8:45 pm to 10:30 pm
Program starts promptly at 8:45 pm

WHAT TO BRING

Rain Jacket
Flashlight (we provide red cellophane to cover your flashlight)
Comfortable Walking Shoes (For optimal viewing and to protect the habitat we request that “light up” shoes NOT be worn)
Please leave all types of Cameras at home. For the safety and enjoyment of all participants, cameras, mobile phone cameras and tripods are not recommended for this event. The event is best enjoyed and remembered through your mind’s eye!
Sense of Wonder

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Categories: Family Fun Outdoors Tours
Thursday, June 6, 2024
Accepting YELP Applications
Jun 6 all-day
online

YELP interns prepare for a river cleanup

Founded in 2014, YELP is a grassroots effort to advance equity in the environmental field and develop youths’ connection to our ecological community.

 

The only program of its kind in the Asheville area, YELP helps young people develop life and job skills, as well as specialized knowledge about the environment and practical advocacy and conservation experience. YELP prepares young adults to be conscientious environmental guardians in their personal and professional lives and stewards of the natural resources and natural environment in their lives.

The YELP High School Intern position is a 6-week paid internship. Interns will work locally in Buncombe County, with some days spent in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, as well as other locations. Interns will participate in environmental service work, learn from experts, and develop their own group initiatives. As part of the work, interns will gain skills in the areas of teamwork, outdoor recreation, environmental science, and climate resilience.

 

No experience is needed – as the goal of the internship is to learn together! Young BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) high schoolers at least 16 years of age are strongly encouraged to apply
Read more
Categories: Community Education Outdoors
Grant Center Swimming Pool
Jun 6 all-day
Grant Center Pool

Swimming Pools

Asheville Parks & Recreation’s public pools provide safe and affordable outdoor summer fun for all ages. For info about pool schedules, please call 828-348-4770 or visit ashevillecitypools.com.

Malvern Hills Park’s 90 year-old outdoor pool will not open this summer. While we were able to keep the facility operational through last summer, the pool can no longer be repaired to safely meet the needs of our community. For more, read this article.

Admission

  • Individual – $3 per session
  • Individual Season Pass – $100
  • Family Season Pass – $150 (up to four individuals)

Locations

Events

  • Asheville Parks & Recreation hosts hundreds of free and low-cost activities, programs, and events each month. Check out the latest program guide.

  • Pools will open Saturday, May 25!

    Dates of Operation:
    Grant Center Pool: Saturday, May 25th through Sunday, August 11th
    Recreation Park Pool: Saturday, May 25th through Monday, September 2nd, weekends only from
    August 12th through September 2nd

    Pools open weekends only until June 10th, with the exception of Monday, May 27!

    Hours of Operation June 10 through August 11:
    Monday through Friday – 12:00pm-6:00pm
    Saturday – 11:00am-6:00pm
    Sunday – 1:00pm-6:00pm

    Cost is $3 per person per day

Read more
Categories: Community Family Fun Outdoors
LEAF SUMMER CAMPS registration open
Jun 6 – Jun 5 all-day
LEAF Global Arts

LEAF Schools & Streets invites your students to join us at LEAF Global Arts for summer camps, which run June 17-August 23 at 19 Eagle Street downtown. Registration is open!

Most camps are for rising first-graders through rising sixth-graders, with the addition of the ‘Making a Music Video’ and ‘Songwriting and Recording’ camps for middleschoolers and highschoolers.

SUMMER CAMPS

• June 17-21 – World Dance

• June 24-28 – West African Culture: Drumming, Dance, Clothing & Food

• July 8-12 – Blues

• July 15-19 – LEAF International Haiti

• July 22-25 – Making a Music Video: Songwriting, Recording, and Film-Making*

• July 29-August 2 – Stop Motion Animation

• August 12-15 – Songwriting and Recording*

• August 19-23 – World-Changing Visual Art

*middle and high school, all others are rising 1st-6th
Read more
Categories: Art & Craft Education Family Fun
Mile High Swinging Bridge
Jun 6 all-day
Grandfather Mountain

One of the top highlights and memories of visits to Grandfather Mountain nature park is walking across the famous Mile High Swinging Bridge. Since 1952, visitors have “oohed” and “aahed” at the bridge’s 360-degree panoramic views. America’s highest suspension footbridge gives easy access to the spectacular views atop Grandfather Mountain’s Linville Peak, elevation 5,305 feet.

The 228-foot suspension bridge spans an 80-foot chasm at more than one mile in elevation (hence the name!). To reach the Mile High Swinging Bridge, drive the two-mile, winding scenic road up the mountain to the summit parking area by the Top Shop. Climb 50 stairs adjacent to the parking area or inside the Top Shop to reach the short pathway to the bridge. Also, an elevator in the Top Shop takes you to the third floor for a level walk to the bridge.

Top Shop

Located adjacent to the Bridge, the Top Shop features a gift shop, snacks, restrooms, elevator and second-floor exhibition area. Also get the latest park information and trail maps. Read more.

Accessibility

Inside the Top Shop, an elevator makes the Mile High Swinging Bridge accessible to people with mobility challenges, including those in wheelchairs. From the Top Shop, there is a paved 50-yard path to the bridge. Read more about our accessibility.

Tickets & Hours

Walking across the Mile High Swinging Bridge is included in your Grandfather Mountain admission ticket that includes many other things to do in our nature park. Buy tickets online and book a reservation time to enter the park. You do not need a separate reservation for the bridge. It’s open, weather permitting, every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. See hours.

More to Explore

Before or after visiting the Mile High Swinging Bridge, allow time to enjoy other parts of the mountain: wildlife habitats, Wilson Center for Nature Discovery, restaurant, hiking trails, roadside overlooks, picnic areas and more. See more Things to Do.

Nearby Hiking Trails

Trailheads to many of the Grandfather Mountain hiking trails are located near the Swinging Bridge. In fact, the 0.4 mile Bridge Trail takes you beneath the bridge, starting from the Black Rock parking area just below the summit. For details on our nearby trails, go to our Hiking Guide.

Bridge Tips & Tidbits

  • Does it really swing? Very little — unlike the original one. Today’s bridge is made of steel and reinforced with cables and springs. It has railings on the sides to ensure safety.
  • We suggest you wear rubber-soled shoes and walk with care when crossing the rocks on the far side of the bridge.
  • If heights give you pause, you can still enjoy Blue Ridge Mountain views from the ground before you reach the bridge and even from the parking area.
  • Due to periodic extreme weather conditions at the bridge, it closes when there is area lightning, high wind or icy conditions.
  • The official U.S. Weather Service Reporting Station atop the Mile High Swinging Bridge has provided daily weather observations since 1955. The temperature is usually 10 to 20 degrees cooler than in the flatlands you see below. It’s also one of the windiest locations in North Carolina, with a 124-mph record set in winter 2019. Learn more about our weather.
  • Pets are allowed on the bridge if well behaved and on a leash.
  • Photographs and videos to remember your visit are encouraged. Be mindful of sharp drop-offs along the Linville Peak ridge. Drones are not allowed. See our photography policies.
  • The Singing Bridge? When the wind blows, the Mile High Swinging Bridge “sings” in the same way as a harmonica.
  • In April through October, join Grandfather’s expert naturalists by the Bridge for Interpretive Talks about the our unique weather, climate, flora and fauna. Read more.
  • Need driving directions? The address for Grandfather Mountain’s entrance gate is 2050 Blowing Rock Highway, Linville, NC 28646 (click link for Google Maps). There are no shuttles, so you must have your own vehicle to explore our nature park. No RVs longer than 28 feet in length or hinged vehicles are allowed through the Entrance Gate. See detailed directions.
  • To see much more info, see our Plan Your Visit section.

Mile High Swinging Bridge History

Former North Carolina Tourism Director Charles J. Parker coined the name “Mile High Swinging Bridge” at the Bridge’s dedication in 1952. The term “mile high” refers to the structure’s elevation above sea level (5,280 feet). The term “swinging” refers to the fact that suspension bridges are free to sway.

The original 1952 bridge was designed by Charles Hartmann Jr. of Greensboro, N.C. It was fabricated in Greensboro and then reassembled on top of the Mountain. Erecting the bridge took three weeks, a process slowed by inclement weather created by a hurricane off the North Carolina coast. Cost was $15,000. It was dedicated on Sept. 2, 1952 by North Carolina Gov. William B. Umstead.

The bridge was rebuilt in 1999 using the original towers. The cables, floor boards and side rails were all replaced using galvanized steel. One of the main advantages of the modern building materials is that they do not have to be painted. Now, Grandfather Mountain employees will not have to hang out over the gorge to paint the span. It was redesigned by Sutton, Kennerly & Associates Engineering of Asheville, N.C., and rebuilt by Taylor & Murphy Construction Company of Asheville. The cost of rebuilding was $300,000.

Read more
Categories: Family Fun Outdoors
Recreation Park Swimming Pool
Jun 6 all-day
Recreation Park

Swimming Pools

Asheville Parks & Recreation’s public pools provide safe and affordable outdoor summer fun for all ages. For info about pool schedules, please call 828-348-4770 or visit ashevillecitypools.com.

Malvern Hills Park’s 90 year-old outdoor pool will not open this summer. While we were able to keep the facility operational through last summer, the pool can no longer be repaired to safely meet the needs of our community. For more, read this article.

Admission

  • Individual – $3 per session
  • Individual Season Pass – $100
  • Family Season Pass – $150 (up to four individuals)

Locations

Events

  • Asheville Parks & Recreation hosts hundreds of free and low-cost activities, programs, and events each month. Check out the latest program guide.

  • Pools will open Saturday, May 25!

    Dates of Operation:
    Grant Center Pool: Saturday, May 25th through Sunday, August 11th
    Recreation Park Pool: Saturday, May 25th through Monday, September 2nd, weekends only from
    August 12th through September 2nd

    Pools open weekends only until June 10th, with the exception of Monday, May 27!

    Hours of Operation June 10 through August 11:
    Monday through Friday – 12:00pm-6:00pm
    Saturday – 11:00am-6:00pm
    Sunday – 1:00pm-6:00pm

    Cost is $3 per person per day

Read more
Categories: Community Family Fun Outdoors Parks & Recreation Sports
The Arts for Schools Grant
Jun 6 all-day
online

The Arts for Schools Grant supports nonprofit arts organizations and qualified teaching artists in Buncombe County, enabling them to provide arts-focused performances, residencies, workshops, and field trips for students in K-12 public schools. Through 2027, grants will also support arts-focused afterschool programs and camps thanks to an investment from Dogwood Health Trust, which awarded $15 million in multi-year funding grants to support organizations across the region providing high-quality, evidence-based out-of-school-time (OST) programs that have a high impact on young people. Grants for in-school programs range from $500-$2,000, and grants for out-of-school programs (including afterschool and camps) range from $500-$5,000. The application cycle opens May 13 and closes June 17.

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Categories: Art & Craft Education Grants
Tools to Support Liberation
Jun 6 all-day
online w/Bountiful Cities

Liberation Tools is a cooperative subset of the 501c3 nonprofit Soul & Soil Project based in the unceded Tsalagi (Cherokee) territory of Western North Carolina.
Our mission is to build a collective that sustainably and skillfully crafts quality tools used for growing food, and freely distributes them to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. To support these efforts, we sell these tools for twice the cost of producing one, thereby allowing people with accumulated wealth to access high quality tools by also paying for an identical tool to be sent to a BIPOC land steward.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/o/tickets/forms/edit?ticketingId=d65860b2-f8dc-4438-bef5-191cf74bb9dc&#advanced-parameters

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Categories: Community Donations Garden Events
Eblen Charities: Fan Donations
Jun 6 @ 7:00 am
Eblen Charities
Help us keep more families comfortable in the heat of the summer. It’s Fan-tastic!

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Categories: Community Donations Health & Wellness
NC Arboretum Hiking Trails
Jun 6 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

Located within the wildly-popular and botanically beautiful Southern Appalachian Mountains, The North Carolina Arboretum offers more than 10 miles of hiking trails that connect to many other area attractions such as Lake Powhatan, the Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Visitors of all ages and abilities can enjoy their hiking experience at the Arboretum as trail options include easy, moderate, and difficult challenge levels. All trails are dog-friendly and visitors are asked to adhere to the proper waste disposing procedures for pets.

Part of a running group that would like to use the Arboretum as a starting point or parking location? Please review our Running Group Guidance and email [email protected] with any questions.

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Categories: Family Fun Hike Hiking Outdoors
ON EXHIBIT—- Bugs: Outside the Box
Jun 6 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

Baker Exhibit Center

Where can you see a butterfly with a five foot wingspan, or a longhorn beetle with antennae more than twelve feet across? The answers can be found amongst the enormous sculptures on display in BUGS: Outside the Box!

Scientifically exact, with a keen attention to detail, the exhibit features a virtual army of giant bugs with one aim in mind – educating the public and shining a light on museum collections, taxonomy, and the power of magnification.

Among the highlights of the exhibit is a rarely seen long-arm beetle more than ten feet in height, a collection of heavily armored stag beetles with impressive jaws and horns as long as your arm, and an insight into the amazing intricacy of the physiology of each insect on display. Alongside these impressive works of art is the insect in question represented at life size,  and detailed information on the life habits, location, and other facts unique to each insect and its family.

 

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Categories: Education Family Fun
Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden
Jun 6 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

 

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

  • Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • Garden Open Year Round
  • Parking Fees
    • Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
    • Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
    • Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
    • Members: Free

    Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

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Categories: Family Fun Garden Garden Events Outdoors
Summer Splash Water Days
Jun 6 @ 9:00 am – 8:30 pm
Pack Square Park

Splasheville

Splasheville is located in Pack Square Park on 80 Court Plaza. The free splash pad’s regular daily hours are 9.m-8:30pm, but may close for special events or during inclement weather. Check the calendar for scheduled closures.

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Categories: Community Family Fun Outdoors
Juneteenth Flag Collage Mosaic
Jun 6 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Swannanoa Library

All Month Long in June at the Swannanoa Library

Join us at the Swannanoa Library to create a collage mosaic Juneteenth Flag. While communally creating this flag, learn the history and meaning of this flag and all that it represents.  This program will continue for entire month of June where the community can add to it over time. All ages are welcome to contribute.

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Categories: Art & Craft Family Fun Holiday
Li’l Boogers: Kids Comedy Tour
Jun 6 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am
LaZoom Room Bar & Gorilla

Explore Asheville with the whole family!

Age Restrictions

All Ages Welcome!
(Content is geared towards ages 5-12 years old)
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Children 3 and under do not need a ticket if they are sitting in an adults lap.

Duration

60 Minutes

What’s Included

Crazy funny guide
Off-bus characters
Fun facts about Asheville
Age-appropriate jokes

About

Now’s your chance to bring the whole family on the big purple bus! Educational and entertaining, LaZoom’s Kids’ Comedy tour features a perfect blend of Asheville information and kid-centric comedy. Geared specifically towards the 5-12 year old crowd, you’ll learn about our city’s history and see the sights in true LaZoom style – complete with our famously outlandish tour guides, hilarious comedy skits, and all sorts of special appearances! Perfect for birthday parties or school field trips, it’s the best thing to do with your kids in Asheville. It’s a show on wheels!

The tour is 60 minutes long and includes no stops. The tour is hosted by a zany tour guide, and along the way other characters will hop on the bus and perform kid-centric sketches (Candy Pirate, Ninja, and a Levitator) The tour is not only fun – it’s educational! Kids and adults will learn new and interesting facts about Asheville along the way. There must be 1 adult for every 4 children. We do not allow any unaccompanied children. Children 3 and under do not need a ticket if they are sitting in an adults lap.

Waitlist

If your desired time and availability is full, then please give us a call to be added to the waitlist.

Read more
Categories: Comedy Family Fun Tours
The Learning Garden presents: Sun & Shade Garden Series: Foodscaping: Edible Plants in Flower Beds
Jun 6 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am
NC Cooperative Extension, Buncombe County Center

Foodscaping aims to incorporate edible plants into an existing ornamental garden. The designs can include various kinds of vegetables, fruit trees, berry bushes, edible flowers, herbs, and purely ornamental species. We will be demonstrating our foodscaping designs in the Sun & Shade garden.

A portion of this class will be in the garden, please wear appropriate attire (hat, sunglasses, and sturdy shoes and bring some water) as most of this presentation will be held outside.

The talk is free, but seating is limited and registration using Eventbrite is required.

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Categories: Education Garden Events
Baby Storytime
Jun 6 @ 10:30 am – 11:00 am
Black Mountain Library

A lively language enrichment story time designed for children ages 4 to 18 months.

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Categories: Family Fun
Silviculture for American chestnut restoration in the Southern Appalachians
Jun 6 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Bent Creek Experimental Forest

Join us at noon for this brown bag lunch talk at Bent Creek Experimental Forest. Please register to attend. Space is limited to 50 participants.

USDA Forest Service scientist Stacy Clark will distill nearly two decades of silviculture research on American chestnut and the blight-resistance of traditionally bred backcross hybrid. Clark partnered with chestnut breeding programs The American Chestnut Foundation and The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station who developed the hybrids for testing. Clark and colleagues from the National Forest System and The University of Tennessee’s Tree Improvement Program established the first test plantings of hybrid seedlings in ‘real-world’ forest conditions.

The seminar will cover results from these field tests including blight resistance, growth characteristics, and future considerations for restoration in a changing forest environment.

Dr. Clark is a research forester with the Southern Research Station since 2005. She is based in Knoxville, TN on the University of Tennessee campus where she is adjunct assistant professor. Her primary research interests are American chestnut restoration, artificial regeneration of oak, and dendrochronology.

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Categories: Education Outdoors
Summer Reading Program: Books + Free Ice Cream
Jun 6 @ 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Hop Ice Cream 

Buncombe County Public Library is thrilled to announce The Hop Ice Cream as a proud supporting partner of this year’s Summer Reading Program to encourage youth literacy in our community. The Hop will provide free ice cream at the Summer Library Fest on Saturday, June 8 from 10 a.m.-noon at East Asheville Library. For added fun, The Hop owner Greg Garrison will collaborate with Secret Agent 23 Skidoo to provide a special dance performance to families in attendance.

Any kid or teen who visits a Buncombe County library to pick up their summer reading activity sheet will also receive a 10 percent off coupon redeemable at any Hop location or at Pop Bubble Tea. Return your completed activity sheet to any branch and receive a bookmark for a free kiddie scoop of ice cream at any Hop location. You must complete 10 or more activities on your sheet to be eligible for ice cream – and you can also select a free book of your choice!

Summer Reading runs from June 1 to  August 31 and is open to anyone from birth to age 18.  If you have any questions, just contact your friendly neighborhood library.

The Hop Ice Cream  OUR LOCATIONS

North Asheville

640 Merrimon Ave
Asheville, NC 28804

828.254.2224

More Info »

West Asheville

721 Haywood Rd
Asheville, NC 28806

828.252.5155

More Info »

Downtown Asheville

56 Patton Ave
Asheville, NC 28801

Inside the S&W Building

More Info »

Black Mountain

114 Cherry Street
Black Mountain, NC 28711

828.357.5461

More Info »

The Creamery

167 Haywood Road
Asheville, NC 28806

828.774.5058

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Pop Bubble Tea

640 Merrimon Ave
Asheville, NC 28804

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Categories: Bookclubs Family Fun Food & Drink
JAZZ JAM
Jun 6 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
LEAF Global Arts

JAZZ Jam is a special part of the LEAF Community. Meet us every Thursday at LEAF Global Arts from 7-10 P.M. for a night of smooth jazz that you can participate in or simply enjoy.
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Categories: Community Family Fun Music
Blue Ghost Firefly Twilight Tour
Jun 6 @ 8:45 pm
Cradle of Forestry

The Blue Ghost Firefly (Phausis reticulata) is a secretive, hard-to-find native insect that calls our area home, and for a very short amount of time in late Spring, they inhabit our surrounding woodlands of Transylvania County.

The Blue Ridge Mountains are home to a very unique creature that some say resembles a collection of fairies carrying blue candles through the forest. 

The Blue Ghost Firefly (Phausis reticulata) is a secretive, hard-to-find native insect that calls our area home, and for a very short amount of time in late Spring, they inhabit our surrounding woodlands of Transylvania County. 

You’ll experience an educational presentation at our outdoor amphitheater starting at 8:45 pm and then use the cover of darkness and special flashlights to go in search of the Blue Ghost fireflies while hiking on a paved trail through the forest. Team members will be stationed at key locations around the trail to provide further information about this amazing natural phenomenon. Please feel free to congregate near these areas with your fellow firefly enthusiasts, or go explore on your own! We require everyone to stay on the trail to prevent habitat damage, and team members will clear the trail and require everyone to depart by 10:30 pm.

Ticket Purchase/Pre-registration is required. Actual tickets are not provided. Your ticket purchase receipt serves as your ticket/date confirmation. This is a light rain or shine, family-friendly event!
In order to maximize our participant experience while minimizing our impact on the resource, we limit each night to 125 participants.

Due to the uniqueness of the insects in the natural habitat, it is very difficult to capture photos. Very specific camera equipment is needed and it is almost impossible to capture a photo with a phone camera. Flash from the cameras disturbs the natural habitat and because it is dark, other participants will not see your equipment and you run the risk of damage. Setting up a tripod in the cover of darkness and attempting to capture photos with 125 additional people on the nightly tour is very difficult and does not provide a positive experience for both you or the additional tour attendees. The best way to view this natural phenomenon is to capture the images in your mind’s eye.

If you are interested in taking photos or for photography enthusiasts, we are offering a specific Blue Ghost Photography event and would suggest that you register for the Blue Ghost Photo Tours.

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE EVENT? CHECK OUT OUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS INFORMATION SHEET 

PLEASE NOTE: If the date you wish to attend is not appearing as a selection for ticket purchase, that date is at capacity so you will need to select another date to attend.

Tickets will ONLY be available for purchase ONLINE. All ticket purchases are NON-REFUNDABLE AND CANNOT BE TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER NIGHT. You CANNOT purchase tickets on site at the Cradle.

There is NO waitlist for this event.

Gates open at 8:00 pm
Event from 8:45 pm to 10:30 pm
Program starts promptly at 8:45 pm

WHAT TO BRING

Rain Jacket
Flashlight (we provide red cellophane to cover your flashlight)
Comfortable Walking Shoes (For optimal viewing and to protect the habitat we request that “light up” shoes NOT be worn)
Please leave all types of Cameras at home. For the safety and enjoyment of all participants, cameras, mobile phone cameras and tripods are not recommended for this event. The event is best enjoyed and remembered through your mind’s eye!
Sense of Wonder

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Categories: Family Fun Outdoors Tours
Friday, June 7, 2024
Accepting YELP Applications
Jun 7 all-day
online

YELP interns prepare for a river cleanup

Founded in 2014, YELP is a grassroots effort to advance equity in the environmental field and develop youths’ connection to our ecological community.

 

The only program of its kind in the Asheville area, YELP helps young people develop life and job skills, as well as specialized knowledge about the environment and practical advocacy and conservation experience. YELP prepares young adults to be conscientious environmental guardians in their personal and professional lives and stewards of the natural resources and natural environment in their lives.

The YELP High School Intern position is a 6-week paid internship. Interns will work locally in Buncombe County, with some days spent in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, as well as other locations. Interns will participate in environmental service work, learn from experts, and develop their own group initiatives. As part of the work, interns will gain skills in the areas of teamwork, outdoor recreation, environmental science, and climate resilience.

 

No experience is needed – as the goal of the internship is to learn together! Young BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) high schoolers at least 16 years of age are strongly encouraged to apply
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Categories: Community Education Outdoors
Grant Center Swimming Pool
Jun 7 all-day
Grant Center Pool

Swimming Pools

Asheville Parks & Recreation’s public pools provide safe and affordable outdoor summer fun for all ages. For info about pool schedules, please call 828-348-4770 or visit ashevillecitypools.com.

Malvern Hills Park’s 90 year-old outdoor pool will not open this summer. While we were able to keep the facility operational through last summer, the pool can no longer be repaired to safely meet the needs of our community. For more, read this article.

Admission

  • Individual – $3 per session
  • Individual Season Pass – $100
  • Family Season Pass – $150 (up to four individuals)

Locations

Events

  • Asheville Parks & Recreation hosts hundreds of free and low-cost activities, programs, and events each month. Check out the latest program guide.

  • Pools will open Saturday, May 25!

    Dates of Operation:
    Grant Center Pool: Saturday, May 25th through Sunday, August 11th
    Recreation Park Pool: Saturday, May 25th through Monday, September 2nd, weekends only from
    August 12th through September 2nd

    Pools open weekends only until June 10th, with the exception of Monday, May 27!

    Hours of Operation June 10 through August 11:
    Monday through Friday – 12:00pm-6:00pm
    Saturday – 11:00am-6:00pm
    Sunday – 1:00pm-6:00pm

    Cost is $3 per person per day

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Categories: Community Family Fun Outdoors