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, April 12, 2020
Organic Growers School Videos: How to Grow Potatoes
Apr 12 all-day
Organic Growers School Online
It’s time to plant potatoes! Learn some simple tricks to ensure a good harvest.
Organic Growers School Videos: Seed Starting
Apr 12 all-day
Organic Growers School Online

Learn the best vegetables to direct seed and the best vegetables to transplant.

Organic Growers School Videos: To Seed or Not to Seed?
Apr 12 all-day
Organic Growers School Online
Listen to the pros and cons of selecting seed and growing your own plants from seed as opposed to buying starts.
The Garden Helpline Is OPEN Extension Master Gardeners
Apr 12 all-day
Extension Master Gardeners Online

Many of us will be spending more time in our gardens as we shelter in place during the evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Our gardens will continue to grow and we will continue to have gardening questions.

To answer those questions, Extension Master Gardener℠  Volunteers of Buncombe County will be working from home to keep the Garden Helpline open to the public. We are available to respond to your phone calls and emails. Send an email or leave a voice message at any time and a Master Gardener will respond during the Helpline hours listed below.

The information we provide is consistent with NC State University horticultural research and an integrated pest management approach which includes cultural, mechanical, biological, and chemical methods.

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY: 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
FRIDAY: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Open March through October.


2 Ways to Reach Them:

Where to Purchase Plant Starts Asheville Area
Apr 12 all-day
Organic Growers School

With the Asheville Spring Herb Festival and many other such events being cancelled, you may be wondering where to buy starts.
Many farmers are sharing their products through
Asheville Online Farmers Market Facebook Group
Red Wing Farm is offering delivery in Buncombe County
and has several drop off locations in other areas.
WNC Farmers Market Open 7am-6pm daily
Apr 12 @ 7:00 am – 6:00 pm
 WNC Farmers Market
• The WNC Farmers Market (570 Brevard Rd.) is open for business daily from 7 a.m.- 6 p.m. Find fruits + veggies, plus other staples like meats, cheese, beans, preserves, salsas, honey + condiments.

In a continued effort to provide our community with fresh, locally grown produce, meats and cheeses from area farmers, the market will remain open and operate under normal business hours. The market will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

While most of the market will remain open as usual, there are some exceptions:

Additional updates to vendor schedules will be posted as soon as possible. For specific vendors not listed above, we encourage you to reach out to them directly before coming to the market.

Visitors are encouraged to follow CDC recommendations when visiting the market. A complete list of tips and best practices can be found here.

COVID-19 is not a food-borne illness. It is extremely unlikely that someone will catch it through eating. The virus is most likely to cause illness through respiratory transmission. The routes to be concerned about include being in very close proximity to many people, or coming in contact with high touch surfaces.

Thank you for your continued support during these unprecedented times!

Asheville Downtown Eats and Drinks Tour
Apr 12 @ 11:00 am
Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours

Downtown Asheville is known for its eclectic arts and culture and a vibrant food and drink scene that celebrates independent restaurants and locally-sourced ingredients. Learn about this gorgeous city on a Taste Carolina walking tour and discover why Asheville was hailed by National Geographic’s Traveler Magazine as one of the top 15 places in the world to “treat your taste buds”!

Asheville Downtown Eats & Drinks Tour – Asheville’s Downtown Eats & Drinks Tour is a spirited and delicious way to explore the city! You’ll enjoy substantial bites and sips on this guided walking tour, sampling savory and sweet favorites, most paired with small drink pairings. This tour visits Asheville’s hidden gems, including eclectic restaurants and bars, and specialty food stores. You’ll also learn about the history of the city, the architecture, and the incredible culinary scene from your tour guide. By the end of this tour, you will feel like a local!

Private and custom tours can be arranged for any day or night of the week for groups.

Monday, April 13, 2020
Get Free Books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Apr 13 all-day
Imagination Library Online

Children under 5 years old can receive free, age-appropriate books each month until their 5th birthday! Read more and sign up here.
Malaprop’s Bookstore Home delivery throughout all Buncombe County
Apr 13 all-day
Malaprop's Bookstore

Thank you so much for your support! To care for you and our staff, Malaprop’s is closed to the public and we have ceased curbside pick up. We have also suspended in-store events and bookclubs until May 15th.  Meanwhile, we are exploring new subscription services, delivery options, and more digital content. Please see the ways we are still serving you below. Stay home and stay safe!

  • As always, you can order online 24/7 at malaprops.com. You can also call us at 828-254-6734 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily to order by phone. Yes, we can make suggestions! All orders will require prepayment. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express and Paypal.

  • We are now offering home delivery throughout all of Buncombe County! The only requirement is a two-book minimum purchase. Deliveries will be made on Tuesdays and Fridays, with any order placed before 5 pm the previous day.  Orders will safely be left on your doorstep.

  • FREE shipping via media mail is available for orders over $50.00 (before tax) sent to addresses in the continental United States. Other orders ship via Priority Mail or other services with prices listed at checkout.

We want to thank you again for your continued support at this time. If you’re looking for other ways to support our staff, you can donate to Malaprop’s via the icon to your right, contribute the Cafe Barista’s virtual tip jar, or to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (BINC), which provides grants to booksellers in times of need. To support other local businesses, visit ashevillestrong.com.

Please take care of yourselves!

The Garden Helpline Is OPEN Extension Master Gardeners
Apr 13 all-day
Extension Master Gardeners Online

Many of us will be spending more time in our gardens as we shelter in place during the evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Our gardens will continue to grow and we will continue to have gardening questions.

To answer those questions, Extension Master Gardener℠  Volunteers of Buncombe County will be working from home to keep the Garden Helpline open to the public. We are available to respond to your phone calls and emails. Send an email or leave a voice message at any time and a Master Gardener will respond during the Helpline hours listed below.

The information we provide is consistent with NC State University horticultural research and an integrated pest management approach which includes cultural, mechanical, biological, and chemical methods.

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY: 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
FRIDAY: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Open March through October.


2 Ways to Reach Them:

The Party’s On(line)! Week of the Young Child Celebration
Apr 13 – Apr 17 all-day
Online

Each year, the Week of the Young Child spotlights young children, families, and early educators. Buncombe Partnership for Children usually celebrates with a day of outdoor play and performance, but this year, we’re moving the party online!

It is so important to give hope to our children during what are uneasy times. We are excited for a fun-filled week of music, gardening, art, storytime, and family connection. Knowing that circumstances are different for everyone, we will focus on providing experiences you can enjoy wherever you are celebrating. All activities will be live-streamed and/or posted on YouTube.

There’s something special planned for each day of the week! For more information about Music Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Work Together Wednesday, Artsy Thursday, and Family Friday please visit https://www.facebook.com/events/216960056254414/.

Where to Purchase Plant Starts Asheville Area
Apr 13 all-day
Organic Growers School

With the Asheville Spring Herb Festival and many other such events being cancelled, you may be wondering where to buy starts.
Many farmers are sharing their products through
Asheville Online Farmers Market Facebook Group
Red Wing Farm is offering delivery in Buncombe County
and has several drop off locations in other areas.
Mystery Book Club
Apr 13 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Malaprop's Bookstore

Join host Tena Frank for Malaprop’s Mystery Book Club! Click here to see a full schedule of what the club is reading. Club attendees get 10% off the book at Malaprop’s!

The club meets at Malaprop’s on the second Monday of every month at 7:00pm.

Event date:
Monday, January 13, 2020 – 7:00pm
Monday, February 10, 2020 – 7:00pm
Monday, March 9, 2020 – 7:00pm
Monday, April 13, 2020 – 7:00pm
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Blue Ridge Eco-Gardener Certificate of Merit
Apr 14 all-day
NC Arboretum On Line

Blue Ridge Eco-Gardener Certificate of Merit

Ecological gardening is a way of thinking about gardens and landscapes in which gardens are no longer seen as a collection of plants, but a community with complex interdependencies between plants, animals, soils and the environment. This certificate program explores ecological principles for creating and managing a healthy, self-sustaining garden and landscape in a changing climate. Students enrolling in the Certificate of Merit program will work to complete 120 hours in core classes on topics including principles of ecological gardening, seasonal plants and tasks and sustainable landscape design along with electives on hardscape, edibles, seed saving and other subjects of interest to participants. View current class offerings for credit in the Blue Ridge Eco-Gardener program here.

To begin your program, complete an application and return it to the Education Center along with a one-time, non-refundable $55 application fee.

Connect with Us Online Check out our blog NC Arboretum
Apr 14 all-day
NC Arboretum

Connect with Us Online           https://www.ncarboretum.org/sprout-blog/

Check out our blog and discover an array of tips and tricks that will help you cultivate your love for nature. Featuring interviews from staff and volunteers, learn how to improve your gardening skills, expand your knowledge of the natural world and receive hands-on techniques that you can implement at your own home.

FREE Video Course by Wild Abundance: 10 Spring Wild Foods
Apr 14 all-day
Wild Abundance Online

FREE Video Course by Wild Abundance

Discover delicacies growing right outside your door.

Your guide through this course is seasoned Wild Abundance instructor Luke Cannon, who has practiced wild food foraging for over two decades. More than a botanist, Luke is a long-time pursuer and teacher of the magic and medicine of plants. An avid naturalist, Luke draws from a diverse pool of knowledge, combining his natural history studies with his life experience in organic farming, natural building, permaculture, nature-based mentoring, and rural homesteading.

FREE Video Course by Wild Abundance: 10 Vegetables that will Really Feed You
Apr 14 all-day
Wild Abundance

Getting started gardening can be exciting, and it can feel daunting.

Your teachers, Natalie Bogwalker and Chloe Lieberman share experience-based, practical instruction for growing their top ten vegetables to really fill your plate, belly, and larder. We put together this class so that you can begin with the crops that are most likely to be successful and rewarding. Or, if you’ve got some experience gardening but want to expand your repertoire, this course will help you do so in a way that makes sense and yields abundantly.

Online Gardening School Wild Abundance
Apr 14 all-day
Wild Abundance

closeup of shovel digging into garden

Online Gardening School

Are you ready to grow some serious food? This six-month online video course will give you the skills and tools you need to be able to grow a garden for yourself, from the ground up. Begins EARTH DAY April 22, 2020!

Organic Growers School Videos: How to Grow Potatoes
Apr 14 all-day
Organic Growers School Online
It’s time to plant potatoes! Learn some simple tricks to ensure a good harvest.
Organic Growers School Videos: Seed Starting
Apr 14 all-day
Organic Growers School Online

Learn the best vegetables to direct seed and the best vegetables to transplant.

Organic Growers School Videos: To Seed or Not to Seed?
Apr 14 all-day
Organic Growers School Online
Listen to the pros and cons of selecting seed and growing your own plants from seed as opposed to buying starts.
Take a virtual tour of our gardens and see what’s beautiful today at The North Carolina Arboretum
Apr 14 all-day
The North Carolina Arboretum On Line

Visit Us Virtually

Spring has sprung and we are excited to share with you all the wonderful blooms and plants that are awakening right now. Take a virtual tour of our gardens and see what’s beautiful today at The North Carolina Arboretum.

The Garden Helpline Is OPEN Extension Master Gardeners
Apr 14 all-day
Extension Master Gardeners Online

Many of us will be spending more time in our gardens as we shelter in place during the evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Our gardens will continue to grow and we will continue to have gardening questions.

To answer those questions, Extension Master Gardener℠  Volunteers of Buncombe County will be working from home to keep the Garden Helpline open to the public. We are available to respond to your phone calls and emails. Send an email or leave a voice message at any time and a Master Gardener will respond during the Helpline hours listed below.

The information we provide is consistent with NC State University horticultural research and an integrated pest management approach which includes cultural, mechanical, biological, and chemical methods.

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY: 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
FRIDAY: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Open March through October.


2 Ways to Reach Them:

Where to Purchase Plant Starts Asheville Area
Apr 14 all-day
Organic Growers School

With the Asheville Spring Herb Festival and many other such events being cancelled, you may be wondering where to buy starts.
Many farmers are sharing their products through
Asheville Online Farmers Market Facebook Group
Red Wing Farm is offering delivery in Buncombe County
and has several drop off locations in other areas.
Dancing with Merce Cunningham by Marianne Preger-Simon – VIRTUAL Asheville Art Museum
Apr 14 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
VIRTUAL Asheville Art Museum

Dancing with Merce Cunningham by Marianne Preger-Simon – VIRTUAL

THIS PROGRAM WILL TAKE PLACE VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM. SPACE IS LIMITED; TO PARTICIPATE, EMAIL KRISTI MCMILLAN, DIRECTOR OF LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT, OR CALL 828.253.3227 X122.

This buoyant, captivating memoir tells the tale of a talented dancer’s lifelong friendship with one of the choreographic geniuses of our time. Preger-Simon’s story opens amid the explosion of artistic creativity that followed WWII. While immersed in the vibrant arts scene of postwar Paris during a college year abroad, she was so struck by Cunningham’s unconventional dance style that she joined his classes at Black Mountain College and in New York. She soon became an important member of his brand-new dance troupe―and a constant friend.

Through her experiences in the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Preger-Simon offers a rare account of exactly how Cunningham taught and interacted with his students. She describes the puzzled reactions of audiences to the novel non-narrative choreography of the company’s debut performances. She touches on his quicksilver temperament―lamenting his early frustrations with obscurity and the discomfort she suspects he endured in concealing his homosexuality and partnership with composer John Cage―yet she celebrates above all his dependable charm, kindness, and engagement. She also portrays the camaraderie among the company’s dancers, designers, and musicians, many of whom would become integral to the avant-garde arts movement, as she tells tales of their adventures touring in a VW Microbus across the US. Finally, reflecting on her connection with Cunningham throughout the latter part of his career, she recalls warm moments that nurtured their enduring bond after she left the dance company and, later, New York. Interspersed with her letters to friends and family, journal entries, and correspondence from Cunningham himself, this memoir is an intimate look at one of the most influential companies in modern American dance and the brilliance of its visionary leader.

Moderated by Hilary Schroeder, curatorial assistant; planned in conjunction with Dancing Atoms: Barbara Morgan Photographs and Intersections in American Art.

DISCUSSION BOUND

Meeting each second Tuesday at 12pm, this monthly discussion is a place to exchange ideas about readings that relate to artworks and the art world, and to learn from and about each other. Pick up some tasty local fare at the Malaprop’s Café to make the most of your midday break! Books are available at Malaprop’s for a 10% discount. To add your name to our Discussion Bound mailing list, email Kristi McMillan, director of learning & engagement, or call 828.253.3227 x122.

LIVE STREAM: Bart Ehrman presents Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife
Apr 14 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Malaprop's via ZOOM

This event will be virtual on April 14th on Zoom. The event will include a reading and talk by Bart Ehrman followed by Q&A. Registered attendees will receive an email on April 14th with the link required to attend the event.

Attendance is limited and registration is required. Please CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.

Order your copy of Heaven and Hell from Malaprop’s by the end of the event on 4/14 to get a signed and personalized book plate. When you order online, please add to the comments field that you would like a signed book plate and include the name to which it should be inscribed. A limited number of flat-signed book plates will also be available following the event.

A New York Times bestselling historian of early Christianity takes on two of the most gripping questions of human existence: where did the ideas of heaven and hell come from, and why do they endure? What happens when we die? A recent Pew Research poll showed that 72% of Americans believe in a literal heaven, 58% in a literal hell. Most people who hold these beliefs are Christian and assume they are the age-old teachings of the Bible. But eternal rewards and punishments are found nowhere in the Old Testament and are not what Jesus or his disciples taught. So where did the ideas come from? In clear and compelling terms, Bart Ehrman recounts the long history of the afterlife, ranging from The Epic of Gilgamesh up to the writings of Augustine, focusing especially on the teachings of Jesus and his early followers. He discusses ancient guided tours of heaven and hell, in which a living person observes the sublime blessings of heaven for those who are saved and the horrifying torments of hell for the damned. Some of these accounts take the form of near-death experiences, the oldest on record, with intriguing similarities to those reported today.

Bart D. Ehrman is a leading authority on the New Testament and the history of early Christianity, and the author or editor of more than thirty books, including the New York Times bestsellers Misquoting Jesus, How Jesus Became God, and The Triumph of Christianity. A Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he has created eight popular audio and video courses for The Great Courses. He has been featured in Time, The New Yorker, and The Washington Post, and has appeared on NBC, CNN, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, the History Channel, the National Geographic Channel, BBC, and NPR. 

This event is free. We ask that you purchase the books featured at our events from Malaprop’s. When you do this you are not only supporting the work it takes to run an events program, you are also telling the publishers that they should keep sending authors here. Books can be ordered online 24/7. See malaprops.com for more information about current shipping and delivery options.

Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife Cover Image
$28.00
ISBN: 9781501136733
Availability: Not Currently On Our Shelves. Usually Ship
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Connect with Us Online Check out our blog NC Arboretum
Apr 15 all-day
NC Arboretum

Connect with Us Online           https://www.ncarboretum.org/sprout-blog/

Check out our blog and discover an array of tips and tricks that will help you cultivate your love for nature. Featuring interviews from staff and volunteers, learn how to improve your gardening skills, expand your knowledge of the natural world and receive hands-on techniques that you can implement at your own home.

FREE Video Course by Wild Abundance: 10 Spring Wild Foods
Apr 15 all-day
Wild Abundance Online

FREE Video Course by Wild Abundance

Discover delicacies growing right outside your door.

Your guide through this course is seasoned Wild Abundance instructor Luke Cannon, who has practiced wild food foraging for over two decades. More than a botanist, Luke is a long-time pursuer and teacher of the magic and medicine of plants. An avid naturalist, Luke draws from a diverse pool of knowledge, combining his natural history studies with his life experience in organic farming, natural building, permaculture, nature-based mentoring, and rural homesteading.

FREE Video Course by Wild Abundance: 10 Vegetables that will Really Feed You
Apr 15 all-day
Wild Abundance

Getting started gardening can be exciting, and it can feel daunting.

Your teachers, Natalie Bogwalker and Chloe Lieberman share experience-based, practical instruction for growing their top ten vegetables to really fill your plate, belly, and larder. We put together this class so that you can begin with the crops that are most likely to be successful and rewarding. Or, if you’ve got some experience gardening but want to expand your repertoire, this course will help you do so in a way that makes sense and yields abundantly.

Get Free Books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Apr 15 all-day
Imagination Library Online

Children under 5 years old can receive free, age-appropriate books each month until their 5th birthday! Read more and sign up here.