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
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!

How to Take Care of our Minds in Difficult Times: Livestream Series
Apr 12 @ 10:30 am – 11:45 am
Livestream

Click on Link Below to Register.
https://www.meditationinasheville.org/product/how-to-care-for-our-minds-in-difficult-times/

Sundays April 12 – May 10 10:30am – 11:45am
Register online and the link and instructions on livestreaming will be emailed to you. $10 per weekly class.

Having woken up to our world looking quite different, what can we do now? Buddhist meditation teachings and practices help us to develop more space in ourself giving us flexibility of mind, from which we can make better choices about how to respond in these challenging times.

By helping us develop a different perspective we will begin to notice special opportunities that we might not have noticed before, for becoming kinder, developing ourselves spiritually, and transforming difficulties into greater peace and meaning in our life. Each Livestream class will included guided meditations and practical teachings.

These Livestream classes are available to those who live in Western North Carolina, and the Vicinity of Greenville, SC and Tennessee.

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
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.
Harris Teeter: Special Shopping Hours, Delivery Options for Vulnerable Populations
Apr 13 @ 6:00 am – 7:00 am
Harris Teeter

 

Harris Teeter reserves 6-7am on Mondays and Thursdays for in-store shoppers age 60 and older. ExpressLane Online Shopping pickup times from 9am-2pm on Thursdays are reserved for these shoppers with the $4.95 fee waived (use code: SD60). Home delivery is also offered for seniors during these times for $5 (used code: SDDEL).

Women Creating Deeper Connection Amidst Uncertainty-ONLINE
Apr 13 @ 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Facebook

Women, now more than ever, it’s essential to continue building our connection with Self and in turn with others.

To recognize and express our knowing, our truth and feel the fullness of our being. No more apologies, no more waiting for permission to be who we are in the world. Now is the time. The world needs us fully expressed!

No more hiding aspects of ourselves in order to keep others around us comfortable. Let’s be with all of it- our wisdom, our messiness, our hurts, our desires all in a safe and intimate container.

This class is limited to 10 women. Each week will be guided by a powerful theme. We’ll be using the tools of Authentic Relating and Circling to get curious, to be with each other with deep listening, embracing all that arises as we learn to slow down, notice the nuance of our experience, and articulate that with each other.

The Cost: pay what you can. Suggested range $50-$175

Class schedule: Mondays 2:30-4:30pm
April 6th- May 11th
Cost will include a 30 min one on one with Cathy, weekly class, Inclusion in private FB group.

To register go here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/womens-6-week-course-tickets-101458101914

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.

City of Asheville provides hand washing stations to help reduce spread of COVID-19
Apr 14 all-day
City of Asheville
illustration of someone washing hands

 

 

Update:

For a map of temporary, portable hand washing stations and restrooms, visit this link. The map is being updated as new stations are installed.

 

Original post:

With the COVID-19 public health emergency going on it has never been more important to be able to wash your hands. Besides keeping 6 feet of distance between yourself and others, hand washing and sanitation have been identified as important measures in reducing the spread of contagion.

handwashing station
Portable hand washing station on the sidewalk by Pritchard Park.

That’s why the City of Asheville has installed portable hand washing stations in several strategic places around town. We realize that people sometimes have to travel on ART buses to get to work, buy groceries or pick up prescriptions from the pharmacy, for example. Also, our unsheltered population needs places to wash their hands as well.

For these reasons, the City has installed portable hand washing stations at the following locations:

  •         Outside of Pritchard Park, on the sidewalk.
  •         Pack Square Park, downtown
  •         AHope Day Shelter, 19 N. Ann St.
  •         ABCCM Medical Ministry, 155 Livingston St.
  •         12 Baskets, 610 Haywood Road
  •         Haywood Street Congregation, 297 Haywood St.
Portable restroom facilities have been provided outside Pritchard Park, in Pack Square Park and at the ART Station.

 

 

The City of Asheville is coordinating these actions in partnership with Buncombe County Public Health Officials.

 

This is an evolving situation and information is often changing. For resources on prevention best practices and news updates, visit Buncombe Ready. Additional guidance is on the Buncombe County Public Health website.

 

For information on how to sign up for City and County government alerts, visit this link.

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.
Ingles Special Shopping Hours, Delivery Options for Vulnerable Populations
Apr 14 @ 7:00 am – 8:00 am
Ingles Grocery Stores

Starting on Tuesday, March 24, Ingles will dedicate the first shopping hour from 7 – 8 am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to senior shoppers and those with compromised immune systems.

 

Publix Markets: Special Shopping Hours, Delivery Options for Vulnerable Populations
Apr 14 @ 7:00 am – 8:00 am
Publix Markets

Publix Markets reserves 7-8 a.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for customers age 65 and older. Home delivery is available through Instacart.

Bounty and Soul Black Mountain Food Service
Apr 14 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
St. James Episcopal Church Parking Lot

Dear Bounty & Soul Family,

Bounty & Soul is deeply committed to the health and well-being of the community. It is what you have trusted and helped us to do all these years and we couldn’t be more grateful. On behalf of the board and staff, we want you to know that during this challenging time, we are being called to deliver on our promise of providing healthy food and support to our community in this great time of need and we are doing so in a BIG WAY…TOGETHER. It is our priority to ensure the health and safety of our staff, volunteers and community members as we navigate this crisis and we are following the guidance of the WHO, CDC and state and local officials to quickly adapt to take the necessary precautions. This is what we are doing to provide much-needed resources while providing safety and protection:

  • We will be hosting drive-thru pick up sites for participants to collect pre-made healthy food boxes. Tuesdays at St. James Episcopal Church Parking Lot from 11am-1pm and Fridays at Black Mountain Presbyterian Church Parking Lot from 4-6pm. We are asking that no one arrives to the site prior to the scheduled times.
  • We have cancelled all of our classes, kids activities and after-school programming as to follow the guidance for social distancing until further notice. Recognizing the importance of staying well, we will STILL provide healthy recipes, helpful tips, resources and education (including how to manage stress in a crisis) through printed materials, social media and on our website. Hope-filled messages and affirmations will also go into boxes.
  • We have hand sanitizer, gloves, masks and constant messaging on washing hands set up at our volunteer shifts and at the distribution sites as well as ask everyone to take the following steps and precautions:

(1) Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer immediately upon entering new spaces.

(2) Avoid shaking hands, touching your face, nose and eyes and other personal contact.

(3) Cough or sneeze into your elbow, not hands. If your cough/sneeze is persistent, consider using a mask if available. 

(4) If you have a fever, respiratory symptoms or feel unwell please stay home.

(5) If you have traveled internationally or flown recently please refrain from activities at this time.

Thank you for your commitment and support in ensuring that Bounty & Soul continues to get Produce to The People during this time of uncertainty. Now, more than ever we must come together as a community, as a nation, as a world to be there for one another, support and love each other. It’s the Bounty & Soul way…

In solidarity, health and love,

Ali, Abbie, Adam, Karla, Linda, Fitz and the Board of Bounty & Soul

HOW YOU CAN HELP
(1) Donate Funds to Help Us Purchase Bulk Grains and Other Shelf-Stable Items
(2) Donate Food/Organize a Food Drive/Write hope-filled messages of encouragement to go into boxes
(3) Deliver Benevolent Boxes to Seniors and other Vulnerable Populations

Contact Karla at [email protected] to learn more about any of these opportunities.

Bounty & Soul is also in need of small boxes from Ingles and/or reusable bags. These can be dropped off at our office located at 999 Old US Hwy 70 W, behind the Swannanoa Valley Medical Center.

Wednesday, April 15, 2020
A National Unified Leadership Response to shortages of Personal Protective Medical Equipment
Apr 15 all-day
NATIONAL PPE COALITION onlie

Across the nation, thousands of people are stepping up to solve the crisis that is afflicting our heroic frontline health workers and first responders. As hospitals struggle to find safe and reliable supplies, companies, organizations, and individuals are joining forces to get health care workers the personal protective equipment and lifesaving medical devices they need. No single organization can do this alone. In fact, the proliferation of organizations in this space has made it incredibly challenging to navigate.

National PPE Coalition’s goal is to aid that process by enabling connections. We’re working to bring crucial partners – state governments, corporations, manufacturers, non profits, and individuals – together in order to build an efficient, unified supply chain.

By coordinating all emergency PPE crisis efforts, we not only minimize the risk of misdirecting critical supplies to places that may need them less urgently, but increase their individual power exponentially. Working together, the PPE Coalition members are working together to ensure that every shipment of PPE sent is a life-saving shipment.

City of Asheville provides hand washing stations to help reduce spread of COVID-19
Apr 15 all-day
City of Asheville
illustration of someone washing hands

 

 

Update:

For a map of temporary, portable hand washing stations and restrooms, visit this link. The map is being updated as new stations are installed.

 

Original post:

With the COVID-19 public health emergency going on it has never been more important to be able to wash your hands. Besides keeping 6 feet of distance between yourself and others, hand washing and sanitation have been identified as important measures in reducing the spread of contagion.

handwashing station
Portable hand washing station on the sidewalk by Pritchard Park.

That’s why the City of Asheville has installed portable hand washing stations in several strategic places around town. We realize that people sometimes have to travel on ART buses to get to work, buy groceries or pick up prescriptions from the pharmacy, for example. Also, our unsheltered population needs places to wash their hands as well.

For these reasons, the City has installed portable hand washing stations at the following locations:

  •         Outside of Pritchard Park, on the sidewalk.
  •         Pack Square Park, downtown
  •         AHope Day Shelter, 19 N. Ann St.
  •         ABCCM Medical Ministry, 155 Livingston St.
  •         12 Baskets, 610 Haywood Road
  •         Haywood Street Congregation, 297 Haywood St.
Portable restroom facilities have been provided outside Pritchard Park, in Pack Square Park and at the ART Station.

 

 

The City of Asheville is coordinating these actions in partnership with Buncombe County Public Health Officials.

 

This is an evolving situation and information is often changing. For resources on prevention best practices and news updates, visit Buncombe Ready. Additional guidance is on the Buncombe County Public Health website.

 

For information on how to sign up for City and County government alerts, visit this link.

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.

How to Buy Local While Social Distancing: On-Farm Pickups and More
Apr 15 all-day
NC and SC Farms

Many farms across North and South Carolina have added on-farm pickups, home delivery & online pre-orders to accommodate for social distancing in light of the COVID-19 outbreak. Please see the listings below for more information, and check out our interactive Google Map for farm locations near you!

Are you a farmer interested in being listed? Email [email protected]

Please:

  • DO NOT show up at farms without prior permission.
  • Follow specific instructions provided by each farm.
  • Stay home if you are feeling ill.