Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.

Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.

Saturday, May 2, 2020
Pollinator Garden Certification Program
May 2 all-day
GreenWorks Online
Image

As the growing season ramps up and social isolation continues to define our days, gardening is the perfect way to get outside, ease your mind, and support our local ecosystem – all while maintaining appropriate social distance. Whether you’re nurturing a decade old garden or are using your quarantine time to put plants in the ground for the first time ever, our new program has the tools and certifications for all levels of expertise. Certified gardens receive an official certificate and have the option to purchase one of our Certified Pollinator Habitat signs!

 

Find more information about this program along with tons of resources about pollinators and plants that they love!

The Patchwork Producers Alliance accepting new Producers
May 2 all-day
online

A WNC Initiative to Connect Producers, Consumers, Workers, and Service Providers

The Patchwork Alliance is an online market that allows customers to order each week
from Friday-Monday, and pick up their orders on Thursdays at regional pickup sites, and also
offers home delivery to 2880* zip codes. It has over 35 Producer-Owners, and a variety of meat,
dairy, valued added, produce and more. The demand for more remote ways to access local food
has increased due to the pandemic as individuals don’t want to go to stores or farmers markets
as much and existing aggregators aren’t able to keep up (see article on Mother Earth Foods.)

Patchwork Producers’ Alliance

The Patchwork Producers Alliance is a multi-stakeholder Cooperative. Both Producers and Consumers are Owners enjoying PPA services, Equity Stakes, and Governance Roles.

The Patchwork Producers Alliance is still accepting new Producers, and would love for all types of local growers, makers, and service providers to get in touch. Their Grand Opening of Sales is on Friday, May 1st.

To find out more, go online to patchworkalliance.com.

Virtual Tour Springtime on UNCA Campus
May 2 all-day
UNCA online

With classes and jobs moving online in the wake of COVID-19, the UNC Asheville community is missing being in each other’s company, and we’re missing being on our beautiful campus in the springtime. It’s an especially lovely time of year, and while photos can’t capture the smell of flower blossoms or the warm breeze in the new leaves on the trees, we hope you’ll enjoy this photo tour of our campus in bloom.

https://stories.unca.edu/springtime-on-campus

ASAP Farmers Markets: AB Tech’s Main Campus
May 2 @ 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
AB Tech's Main Campus

ASAP Farmers Market map

Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning March 21.

The market will operate for as long as necessary, possibly expanding to other locations and days of the week as opportunity and demand allows.

Market Rules

  • No customers or vendors exhibiting symptoms may enter the market.
  • Maintain 6 feet of social distance at all times.
  • One customer at a time for each vendor table.
  • Only handle product you are purchasing. Products will be pre-packaged or bunched.
  • Children, if they must attend with adult shoppers, must be closely supervised.

Anyone failing to comply with these conditions will be directed to leave the market.

The Botanical Gardens Spring Plant Sale
May 2 @ 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
The Botanical Gardens

Redbud

 

The Botanical Gardens and numerous local plant vendors will offer a wide variety of trees, shrubs, and flowers. BGA members will get a 10% discount on BGA-grown plants that we sell at the gazebo. As always, this event will take place rain or shine. The Botanical Gardens receives no city, state or federal funds. Instead, we receive our funding exclusively through memberships, donations, gift shop sales and the spring and fall plant sales. Free admission and parking on site or nearby.

2020 Workdays at Sandhill Tree Nursery
May 2 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Buncombe County Sports Park

2020 Workdays at Sandhill Tree Nursery

From Asheville GreenWorks:

Looking to get involved, stay active, and meet some new friends? Public workdays at Sandhill Native Tree Nursery and Edible Orchard take place on the first Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. until noon at Buncombe County Sports Park (58 Apac Circle in West Asheville/Candler). 2020 dates include:

  • Feb. 1
  • March 7
  • April 4
  • May 2
  • June 6
  • July 11 (the second Saturday due to July 4)
  • Aug. 1
  • Sept. 5
  • Oct. 3
  • Nov. 7

Join other volunteers in mulching, pruning, and weeding along with special projects. Please wear work clothes to get dirty and close-toed shoes. Sunscreen, water, and hat are also handy items to have on hand. All other tools and gear will be provided. Contact Gabby Fitts with any questions at (828) 232-7144 or [email protected].

The Sandhill tree nursey is supported with a Buncombe County Community Recreation Grant. Specific native trees are grown at the site and planted in public places throughout the county as a larger plan to plant no less than 500 trees annually. The project allows for a greater variety of fruit and shade trees to support a more diverse ecology.

Follow Buncombe County Recreation on Facebook and Instagram.

Sunday, May 3, 2020
ASAP Launches Appalachian Grown Farmer Relief Fund
May 3 all-day
ASAP Online

ASAP has launched the Appalachian Grown Farmer Relief Fund to
strategically address the emergency needs of farms during COVID-19 disruptions. Funds will be used for public health preparedness grants to farmers markets, to subsidize essential farm product packaging, and to purchase unsold food for donation to hunger programs. Donations to the Appalachian Grown Farmer Relief Fund can be made online at asapconnections.org or by mail or phone.

Pollinator Garden Certification Program
May 3 all-day
GreenWorks Online
Image

As the growing season ramps up and social isolation continues to define our days, gardening is the perfect way to get outside, ease your mind, and support our local ecosystem – all while maintaining appropriate social distance. Whether you’re nurturing a decade old garden or are using your quarantine time to put plants in the ground for the first time ever, our new program has the tools and certifications for all levels of expertise. Certified gardens receive an official certificate and have the option to purchase one of our Certified Pollinator Habitat signs!

 

Find more information about this program along with tons of resources about pollinators and plants that they love!

Take a virtual tour of our gardens and see what’s beautiful today at The North Carolina Arboretum
May 3 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 Patchwork Producers Alliance accepting new Producers
May 3 all-day
online

A WNC Initiative to Connect Producers, Consumers, Workers, and Service Providers

The Patchwork Alliance is an online market that allows customers to order each week
from Friday-Monday, and pick up their orders on Thursdays at regional pickup sites, and also
offers home delivery to 2880* zip codes. It has over 35 Producer-Owners, and a variety of meat,
dairy, valued added, produce and more. The demand for more remote ways to access local food
has increased due to the pandemic as individuals don’t want to go to stores or farmers markets
as much and existing aggregators aren’t able to keep up (see article on Mother Earth Foods.)

Patchwork Producers’ Alliance

The Patchwork Producers Alliance is a multi-stakeholder Cooperative. Both Producers and Consumers are Owners enjoying PPA services, Equity Stakes, and Governance Roles.

The Patchwork Producers Alliance is still accepting new Producers, and would love for all types of local growers, makers, and service providers to get in touch. Their Grand Opening of Sales is on Friday, May 1st.

To find out more, go online to patchworkalliance.com.

Virtual Tour Springtime on UNCA Campus
May 3 all-day
UNCA online

With classes and jobs moving online in the wake of COVID-19, the UNC Asheville community is missing being in each other’s company, and we’re missing being on our beautiful campus in the springtime. It’s an especially lovely time of year, and while photos can’t capture the smell of flower blossoms or the warm breeze in the new leaves on the trees, we hope you’ll enjoy this photo tour of our campus in bloom.

https://stories.unca.edu/springtime-on-campus

Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Mother’s Day Plant Sale/Swap
May 5 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
The Odditorium

Image may contain: flower

Starters, seedlings, succulents oh my! Come to The Odd for our annual Mother’s Day plant sale! We will have vendors, vegetable/fruit starters, pretty plants, and delicious food and drinks. All welcome, rain or shine

Basic Tree Workshops: Trees 101
May 5 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Greeworks via Zoom

Please join Asheville GreenWorks FREE Public Tree Workshops. This series of four educational tree workshops will be taking place on Tuesdays from 6-8 pm. Come learn all about trees from local experts! We will be covering topics such as tree planting, tree pruning, basic tree biology, managing trees during construction, and more!

 

The work is being performed for the residents of the City of Asheville in partnership with the City of Asheville.

 

May 5: Trees 101
May 12: Tree Establishment, Planting, and Maintenance
May 19: Tree Protection and Risk Management

Thursday, May 7, 2020
ASAP Farmers Markets: AB Tech’s Main Campus
May 7 @ 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
AB Tech's Main Campus

ASAP Farmers Market map

Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning March 21.

The market will operate for as long as necessary, possibly expanding to other locations and days of the week as opportunity and demand allows.

Market Rules

  • No customers or vendors exhibiting symptoms may enter the market.
  • Maintain 6 feet of social distance at all times.
  • One customer at a time for each vendor table.
  • Only handle product you are purchasing. Products will be pre-packaged or bunched.
  • Children, if they must attend with adult shoppers, must be closely supervised.

Anyone failing to comply with these conditions will be directed to leave the market.

Native Plants
May 7 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
online

We have Southeastern native perennials, groundcovers, and some herbs and veggies. Varieties include Bradbury’s Bee Balm, Wild Bergamot, Columbine, Jacob’s Ladder, Showy Goldenrod, Culver’s Root, Great Blue Lobelia, Anise Hyssop, Black Eyed Susan, Carolina Bush Pea, Coreopsis, Golden Alexander, Mountain Mint, Nodding Onion, three varieties of Silphiums, Dragon’s Blood Sedum, and many more. Go to https://m-r-gardens.square.site for a full list plus descriptions.

This unusual spring, we’re encouraging customers to take advantage of our order-ahead option. Reserve your plants on the Square site, then we arrange a pickup day/time that works for you. That allows us time to implement extra sanitation measures.

Image may contain: plant and outdoor

NC Arboretum’s “Arbor Evenings”
May 7 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The North Carolina Arboretum

Relax and unwind at the Arboretum’s “ArborEvenings” after hours series. Held every Thursday, June – October, from 6 to 9 p.m., visitors will sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s beautiful gardens while enjoying live music amongst flowers and friends. Local beverages, including beer and wine, are available for purchase along with light food options.

Admission to ArborEvenings is free; however, standard parking fees apply to non-members.

Sierra Club WNC – Wildflowers Webinar
May 7 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Sierra Club WNC
Sierra Club North Carolina Chapter WENOCA Group
Naturalist Scott Dean to entertain us with a visual tour of our mountain wildflowers. Online Thursday, May 7, 7 pm.
Free and open to the public.
Photo of Scott Dean
Because the Sierra Club is taking steps to keep everyone safe during the Covid-19 threat, in-person meetings are suspended. However, we can still come together to celebrate WILDFLOWERS! and flowering trees! and beautiful flora of our breathtaking Appalachians. Let Scott Dean take you on a guided tour with lovely photos and charming stories.

You must register in advance for this webinar. After you register, you will receive a confirmation email about how to join the ZOOM program on May 7.

Register here.

Please go to our website, WENOCA.ORG, for more information on the May program. You can also find a link to the recorded version of our April 2nd online program about the Nantahala/Pisgah Forests planning process along with detailed information, including talking points, for making comments to the U.S. Forest Service.

As we all deal with a global pandemic with COVID-19, we wanted to let you know how the Sierra Club is adapting and responding so we can keep doing the important work of helping our communities, protecting our natural environment and fighting for a just, clean energy future.
Friday, May 8, 2020
Warren Wilson Wild Card Trail Meet Up
May 8 @ 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Ingles Parking Lot

We’ll do a two hour hike along one of Warren Wilson’s trail, choosing from among the River Trail, Jones Mountain, Suicide Ridge, Dam Pasture, etc. Trails are easy to moderate, but there are significant stretches that are very strenuous. Trails are not marked well and there are a lot of twists and turns on many trails.

Mountains-to-Sea-Trail hikes are designed for fitness and community among already experienced hikers. We repeat the same trails weekly so that, over time, we enjoy the beauty of each trail. We limit our hikes to two hours because many of us work and have to be somewhere else by 11:15 or so. Thus, it’s not possible to wait for slower hikers. We shuttle, so if someone is slower, the group would have to wait in order to give a ride back to the starting point. Thus, the need to be on the same page with regard to hiking pace.

Hikers who are new to hiking will likely be more comfortable on another meet up hike designed for people who are just beginning hiking or trying to get into shape for hiking. You might consider “WNC Easy Hikers Group,” for instance.

Native Plants
May 8 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
online

We have Southeastern native perennials, groundcovers, and some herbs and veggies. Varieties include Bradbury’s Bee Balm, Wild Bergamot, Columbine, Jacob’s Ladder, Showy Goldenrod, Culver’s Root, Great Blue Lobelia, Anise Hyssop, Black Eyed Susan, Carolina Bush Pea, Coreopsis, Golden Alexander, Mountain Mint, Nodding Onion, three varieties of Silphiums, Dragon’s Blood Sedum, and many more. Go to https://m-r-gardens.square.site for a full list plus descriptions.

This unusual spring, we’re encouraging customers to take advantage of our order-ahead option. Reserve your plants on the Square site, then we arrange a pickup day/time that works for you. That allows us time to implement extra sanitation measures.

Image may contain: plant and outdoor

Saturday, May 9, 2020
ASAP Farmers Markets: AB Tech’s Main Campus
May 9 @ 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
AB Tech's Main Campus

ASAP Farmers Market map

Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning March 21.

The market will operate for as long as necessary, possibly expanding to other locations and days of the week as opportunity and demand allows.

Market Rules

  • No customers or vendors exhibiting symptoms may enter the market.
  • Maintain 6 feet of social distance at all times.
  • One customer at a time for each vendor table.
  • Only handle product you are purchasing. Products will be pre-packaged or bunched.
  • Children, if they must attend with adult shoppers, must be closely supervised.

Anyone failing to comply with these conditions will be directed to leave the market.

Native Plants
May 9 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
online

We have Southeastern native perennials, groundcovers, and some herbs and veggies. Varieties include Bradbury’s Bee Balm, Wild Bergamot, Columbine, Jacob’s Ladder, Showy Goldenrod, Culver’s Root, Great Blue Lobelia, Anise Hyssop, Black Eyed Susan, Carolina Bush Pea, Coreopsis, Golden Alexander, Mountain Mint, Nodding Onion, three varieties of Silphiums, Dragon’s Blood Sedum, and many more. Go to https://m-r-gardens.square.site for a full list plus descriptions.

This unusual spring, we’re encouraging customers to take advantage of our order-ahead option. Reserve your plants on the Square site, then we arrange a pickup day/time that works for you. That allows us time to implement extra sanitation measures.

Image may contain: plant and outdoor

Sunday, May 10, 2020
Native Plants
May 10 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
online

We have Southeastern native perennials, groundcovers, and some herbs and veggies. Varieties include Bradbury’s Bee Balm, Wild Bergamot, Columbine, Jacob’s Ladder, Showy Goldenrod, Culver’s Root, Great Blue Lobelia, Anise Hyssop, Black Eyed Susan, Carolina Bush Pea, Coreopsis, Golden Alexander, Mountain Mint, Nodding Onion, three varieties of Silphiums, Dragon’s Blood Sedum, and many more. Go to https://m-r-gardens.square.site for a full list plus descriptions.

This unusual spring, we’re encouraging customers to take advantage of our order-ahead option. Reserve your plants on the Square site, then we arrange a pickup day/time that works for you. That allows us time to implement extra sanitation measures.

Image may contain: plant and outdoor

Meet The Plants: A Virtual Herbal Garden Tour
May 10 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
online

Mimi Hernandez and Ashley Litecky Elenbaas meet to walk through Ashley’s favorite spots.

Please note webinar time is: 11 am Eastern Time, 10 am Central Time, 9 am Mountain Time, 8 am Pacific Time

Every patch of sunlight can be a home for a plant. Join Registered Herbalist (RH) and wild plant lover, Ashley Litecky Elenbaas for a walk through her herbal garden in Maryland, and discover the medicinal values of easy to grow herbs. This walk is for herbalists of all ages and skill levels. This is a great activity for teaching kids about growing herbs and plants that are easy to grow in pots or in small yards.

Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Basic Tree Workshops: Tree Establishment, Planting, and Maintenance
May 12 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Greenworks via Zoom

Please join Asheville GreenWorks FREE Public Tree Workshops. This series of four educational tree workshops will be taking place on Tuesdays from 6-8 pm. Come learn all about trees from local experts! We will be covering topics such as tree planting, tree pruning, basic tree biology, managing trees during construction, and more!

 

The work is being performed for the residents of the City of Asheville in partnership with the City of Asheville.

 

May 12: Tree Establishment, Planting, and Maintenance
May 19: Tree Protection and Risk Management

Thursday, May 14, 2020
Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park + Water Shed
May 14 @ 8:45 am – 2:30 pm
Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park

OBSERVING mitigation hiking guidelines we will meet at the trailhead, however, if you decide to carpool I suggest you wear masks and bring hand wipes to wipe down door handles…surfaces. Post where you plan to meet.

HIKE DESCRIPTION: We will begin hiking the Flint Creek River Trail return taking a ridgline loop spur, pick up the White Cliffs spur trail plus an optional trail. The trails are mostly under forest hardwoods, Flint Creek Trail follows the winding creek trail which snakes through the gorge fed by small streams and waterfalls. There are 10 log bridge-over-creek crossing plus a few smaller step-over streams. Like the Smoky Mountains National Park, Rocky Fork State Park has one of the most Biological diverse floras in the country. The trails are flat to rolling with moderate and steep climbing sections.
Elevation Gain Estimate.? 2,100-2,400′ (Level 7)**

PACE: See below*

DOGS: Friendly dogs are welcome and must remain close to their owners. Water is continuously available along the creek trail.

IF YOU SIGN UP THEN CHANGE YOUR MIND CHANGE YOUR RSVP TO “NOT ATTENDING” TO CLEAR A SPOT FOR ANOTHER HIKER

TRAIL HEAD DIRECTIONS:
I-26 West 31 miles and take Exit 50 toward Flag Pond Rd. Proceed for approx. 0.4 miles to a “T”. Turn left onto Upper Higgins Creek Rd for 0.6 mile. Turn right onto Old Asheville Hwy for 2.3 mile. Turn left on to Rocky Fork Rd for 1 mile to the Rocky Fork State Park Main Entrance Gate. Gravel road following Flint Creek for 1/4 mile with Parking on the right.

501 Rocky Fork Rd.
Flag Pond Tennessee.

OPTIONAL: Please post if you prefer to meet me just off the Flag Pond Exit (gravel pullover, or the road shoulder on left, Upper Higgins Creek rd. @ 9:30.

*ALL FITNESS HIKES ARE FAST PACED. HIKES HIKE LEVELS are based only on the total elevation gain for each hike while distances vary as described. Lower levels hikes focus on endurance conditioning and higher level hikes add increasing cardio challenges. Pace is adjusted for steepness of grade, and ruggedness of the trail.. Scout hikes are hikes where the trail is partially or completely unexplored by the hike leader (s).

HIKE LEVELS:
Hike Level (1) Up to 600 feet of elevation gain.
Level (2) 600′- 900′; Level (3) 900′ – 1200′; Level (4) 1200′ – 1500′; Level (5) 1,500′ – 1,800′; Level (6)*1,800′ – 2,100′; Level (7)* 2,100′ – 2,400′; Level (8) 2,400′ – 2700′; Level (9) 2700′ – 3000′ Level (10) 3000′ – 4000′;

ULTIMATE HIKES are hike > 4,000′ elevation gain; WE POST 3-4 of these hike challenges a year.

ASAP Farmers Markets: AB Tech’s Main Campus
May 14 @ 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
AB Tech's Main Campus

ASAP Farmers Market map

Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning March 21.

The market will operate for as long as necessary, possibly expanding to other locations and days of the week as opportunity and demand allows.

Market Rules

  • No customers or vendors exhibiting symptoms may enter the market.
  • Maintain 6 feet of social distance at all times.
  • One customer at a time for each vendor table.
  • Only handle product you are purchasing. Products will be pre-packaged or bunched.
  • Children, if they must attend with adult shoppers, must be closely supervised.

Anyone failing to comply with these conditions will be directed to leave the market.

Friday, May 15, 2020
Mountains-to-Sea Trail Highway 25 toward Bent Creek
May 15 @ 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Blue Ridge Parkway

This hike follows along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Most of the time we do an in and out instead of a shuttle. We start from the side of the road near the exit to Highway 25 (Hendersonville Road) on the Blue Ridge Parkway. You can park along either side of the road. The dirt has eroded so the drop is kind of deep, so you’ll want to be careful with your car.

Mountains-to-Sea-Trail hikes are designed for fitness and community among already experienced hikers. We do the same trail on Monday and Friday and tend to repeat that same hike every five weeks so that, over time, we enjoy the beauty of each trail. We limit our hikes to two hours because many of us work and have to be somewhere else by 11:15 or so. Thus, it’s not possible to wait for slower hikers.

Hikers who are new to hiking will likely be more comfortable on another meet up hike designed for people who are just beginning hiking or trying to get into shape for hiking. You might consider “WNC Easy Hikers Group,” for instance.

Saturday, May 16, 2020
ASAP Farmers Markets: AB Tech’s Main Campus
May 16 @ 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
AB Tech's Main Campus

ASAP Farmers Market map

Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning March 21.

The market will operate for as long as necessary, possibly expanding to other locations and days of the week as opportunity and demand allows.

Market Rules

  • No customers or vendors exhibiting symptoms may enter the market.
  • Maintain 6 feet of social distance at all times.
  • One customer at a time for each vendor table.
  • Only handle product you are purchasing. Products will be pre-packaged or bunched.
  • Children, if they must attend with adult shoppers, must be closely supervised.

Anyone failing to comply with these conditions will be directed to leave the market.

Sunday, May 17, 2020
Middle Prong Wilderness Loop Hike
May 17 @ 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Rough Butt Bald Overlook

Let’s celebrate the Parkway reopening by hiking a remote loop in the Middle Prong Wilderness. I haven’t hiked this recently so I’m calling it a scout hike, bring a spirit of adventure!
Distance: 9 miles, Climb: 1,600′, Rating: strenuous, Pace: 2.5 mph
Some steep sections, poles recommended. Hopefully we will see some nice wildflowers. Lunch at streamside.
We will practice social distancing. No dogs or children.

Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Basic Tree Workshops: Tree Protection and Risk Management
May 19 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
GreenWorks via Zoom

Please join Asheville GreenWorks FREE Public Tree Workshops. This series of four educational tree workshops will be taking place on Tuesdays from 6-8 pm. Come learn all about trees from local experts! We will be covering topics such as tree planting, tree pruning, basic tree biology, managing trees during construction, and more!

 

The work is being performed for the residents of the City of Asheville in partnership with the City of Asheville.

May 19: Tree Protection and Risk Management