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.

Tuesday, August 8, 2023
Summer Animal Encounters
Aug 8 @ 2:00 pm
Chimney Rock State Park
Weekdays only at 2pm

Do you know our staff has a wild side? Join a Park naturalist to meet some of our live Animal Ambassadors and learn about the types of wildlife in the area and their jobs. Some of our best educators have feathers, fur, shells or scales!

LAZOOM Tours: GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR
Aug 8 @ 7:00 pm
LaZoom Room


GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR

Grab a local beer, crucifix and a rubber chicken* —You might survive this hour long hilarious haunted ghost tour of Asheville.

  • Guided comedy bus tour of Haunted Asheville
  • 60 minutes; tours run nightly after dark
  • $33 per person (Ages 17+ only)
  • Departs from 76 Biltmore Avenue

*Legal Note: Crucifix not required to board the bus; we do not condone exorcisms, chickens, rubber, or any combination of the three.

Wednesday, August 9, 2023
Flat Rock Playhouse: Fall Classes and Auditions for the World Premiere Musical
Aug 9 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

Announcing 8 weeks of Fall Musical Theatre/Theatre Camps for rising K-12th Graders and Adults!

With new content for every program,

returning students will always have the chance to dive into fresh material.

Share what you have learned with a performance at the end of the semester!

Wilderness Medicine + Survival Skills at Nantahala Outdoor Center
Aug 9 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center

LEARN MORE THIS YEAR

Brush up on your wilderness medicine or learn new survival skills! SOLO Southeast & NOC are offering over 200 courses in 2023 and classes in locations across the southeast.

  • Atlanta, GA
  • Bryson City, NC
  • Chattanooga, TN
  • Collegedale, TN
  • Greenville, SC

Find your next course with SOLO Southeast and be prepared for the unexpected!

Journeyperson Program w/ Organic Growers School
Aug 9 @ 8:00 am
Organic Growers School

The Journeyperson Program is designed for farmers who have been independently farming for three or more years and are serious about operating farm businesses in the Southern Appalachian region. This program will give you the space and time to work on your business’s scale, viability, and long-term direction while making connections that deepen peer-to-peer support.

Limited spots are available for the full program, and those who want to be eligible for our Savings Incentive Program and the professional development funds must commit to participating in all aspects of the program.

Participants can use this program as a tangible step toward achieving their farm goals, and make significant contributions to the agricultural community and economy.

This program is designed to give tailored guidance and support for your farm business to answer questions of:

  • Scale

  • Market access

  • Land access

  • Risk management

  • Understanding cash flow

  • Enterprise innovation

Farm Beginnings® Program w/ Organic Growers School
Aug 9 @ 10:00 am
Organic Growers School

Farm Beginnings® is training the next generation of farmers in the many skills required to start and expand a successful farm business: passion, clear goals, production experience, financial and marketing know-how, and more.

Farm Beginnings® will help you build these skills through one year of farmer-led training, mentoring, and networking. We support individuals in clarifying their goals and strengths, developing agricultural skills, and growing profitable, equitable, and ecologically sound farm businesses.

Guided by our commitment to social justice, our programming is led by farmers and mentors active in food, farming, or social justice. By empowering people with skills, knowledge, and access to resources, together we can build a more diverse, equitable food system that enriches the environment and creates a thriving food and farming community.

We use a holistic management frame, farmer-led classroom sessions, on-farm tours, mentoring, and an extensive farmer network. The topics of equity and justice in the food systems are woven into the curriculum, including examples of realistic approaches within the scope of your business models.

The 200+ hr, year-long program consists of:

  • Training on holistic management, farm business, marketing & financial planning

  • Sessions taught by regional, experienced Farmers

  • One-year WNC CRAFT Farmer Network Membership

  • Completing and presenting an individualized farm plan

  • Access to Field Days with regional partners

  • Entry to ASAP’s Business of Farming Conference

  • Entry to OGS’s Spring Conference

  • 15 hr mentorship with an experienced Farmer Mentor

View a sample of the full course schedule here.

LAZOOM: CITY COMEDY TOUR
Aug 9 @ 10:00 am
LaZoom Room

Learn Asheville’s history, discover hidden gems, and laugh at LaZoom’s quirky sense of adventure.

  • Guided comedy tour bus of historical Asheville
  • 90-Minutes – tours run daily
  • 15-minute break at Green Man Brewing
  • $39 per person (ages 13+ only)
Summer Animal Encounters
Aug 9 @ 2:00 pm
Chimney Rock State Park
Weekdays only at 2pm

Do you know our staff has a wild side? Join a Park naturalist to meet some of our live Animal Ambassadors and learn about the types of wildlife in the area and their jobs. Some of our best educators have feathers, fur, shells or scales!

The Rail Project
Aug 9 @ 5:30 pm
Black Mountain Library

Dr. Dan Pierce shares the history of the men who worked, and died, to bring the first trains across the Swannanoa Gap and the project recognizing one of the greatest feats of 19th Century construction in our area.

LAZOOM Tours: GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR
Aug 9 @ 7:00 pm
LaZoom Room


GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR

Grab a local beer, crucifix and a rubber chicken* —You might survive this hour long hilarious haunted ghost tour of Asheville.

  • Guided comedy bus tour of Haunted Asheville
  • 60 minutes; tours run nightly after dark
  • $33 per person (Ages 17+ only)
  • Departs from 76 Biltmore Avenue

*Legal Note: Crucifix not required to board the bus; we do not condone exorcisms, chickens, rubber, or any combination of the three.

The 15th Annual Asheville Comedy Festival
Aug 9 @ 8:00 pm
Diana Wortham Theatre

 

The 15th Annual Asheville Comedy festival! Featuring comedians from all over the country. No two shows are the same. Every show features a different lineup of the countries fastest rising stars in the comedy world.

Famous Showcase #1 

Wednesday, August 9th @ 8PM

Featuring: Adam Muller, Holly Ballantine, Lanny Farmer, Lee Tillman, Nathan Luft, Ngozi, Reggie Kush, and Yoni Heisler

Famous Showcase #2

Thursday, August 10th @ 8PM

Featuring: Annelise Dekker-Hernandez, Brandon Jarrell, Farzin Moradi, Gabe Davis, Lukas Arnold, Maria Palombi, Ryan Brown, and Tony Sykowski

Famous Showcase #3 –

Friday, August 11th @ 8PM

Featuring: EricB Owens, Gus Tate, Hayden Arrington, Jessica Rosas, Julia Stone, Lee Paul, Leonard Smith Jr., Raj Suresh, and Sasha von Didkovsky

Famous Showcase #4

Saturday, August 11th @ 8PM

Featuring: Austin Kress, Drew Morgan, FreddyG, Ian Aber, Jackie Pirico, Jordan Cerminara, Meka Mo, and Tyler Groce

Thursday, August 10, 2023
Flat Rock Playhouse: Fall Classes and Auditions for the World Premiere Musical
Aug 10 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

Announcing 8 weeks of Fall Musical Theatre/Theatre Camps for rising K-12th Graders and Adults!

With new content for every program,

returning students will always have the chance to dive into fresh material.

Share what you have learned with a performance at the end of the semester!

Wilderness Medicine + Survival Skills at Nantahala Outdoor Center
Aug 10 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center

LEARN MORE THIS YEAR

Brush up on your wilderness medicine or learn new survival skills! SOLO Southeast & NOC are offering over 200 courses in 2023 and classes in locations across the southeast.

  • Atlanta, GA
  • Bryson City, NC
  • Chattanooga, TN
  • Collegedale, TN
  • Greenville, SC

Find your next course with SOLO Southeast and be prepared for the unexpected!

Journeyperson Program w/ Organic Growers School
Aug 10 @ 8:00 am
Organic Growers School

The Journeyperson Program is designed for farmers who have been independently farming for three or more years and are serious about operating farm businesses in the Southern Appalachian region. This program will give you the space and time to work on your business’s scale, viability, and long-term direction while making connections that deepen peer-to-peer support.

Limited spots are available for the full program, and those who want to be eligible for our Savings Incentive Program and the professional development funds must commit to participating in all aspects of the program.

Participants can use this program as a tangible step toward achieving their farm goals, and make significant contributions to the agricultural community and economy.

This program is designed to give tailored guidance and support for your farm business to answer questions of:

  • Scale

  • Market access

  • Land access

  • Risk management

  • Understanding cash flow

  • Enterprise innovation

Farm Beginnings® Program w/ Organic Growers School
Aug 10 @ 10:00 am
Organic Growers School

Farm Beginnings® is training the next generation of farmers in the many skills required to start and expand a successful farm business: passion, clear goals, production experience, financial and marketing know-how, and more.

Farm Beginnings® will help you build these skills through one year of farmer-led training, mentoring, and networking. We support individuals in clarifying their goals and strengths, developing agricultural skills, and growing profitable, equitable, and ecologically sound farm businesses.

Guided by our commitment to social justice, our programming is led by farmers and mentors active in food, farming, or social justice. By empowering people with skills, knowledge, and access to resources, together we can build a more diverse, equitable food system that enriches the environment and creates a thriving food and farming community.

We use a holistic management frame, farmer-led classroom sessions, on-farm tours, mentoring, and an extensive farmer network. The topics of equity and justice in the food systems are woven into the curriculum, including examples of realistic approaches within the scope of your business models.

The 200+ hr, year-long program consists of:

  • Training on holistic management, farm business, marketing & financial planning

  • Sessions taught by regional, experienced Farmers

  • One-year WNC CRAFT Farmer Network Membership

  • Completing and presenting an individualized farm plan

  • Access to Field Days with regional partners

  • Entry to ASAP’s Business of Farming Conference

  • Entry to OGS’s Spring Conference

  • 15 hr mentorship with an experienced Farmer Mentor

View a sample of the full course schedule here.

LAZOOM: CITY COMEDY TOUR
Aug 10 @ 10:00 am
LaZoom Room

Learn Asheville’s history, discover hidden gems, and laugh at LaZoom’s quirky sense of adventure.

  • Guided comedy tour bus of historical Asheville
  • 90-Minutes – tours run daily
  • 15-minute break at Green Man Brewing
  • $39 per person (ages 13+ only)
Summer Animal Encounters
Aug 10 @ 2:00 pm
Chimney Rock State Park
Weekdays only at 2pm

Do you know our staff has a wild side? Join a Park naturalist to meet some of our live Animal Ambassadors and learn about the types of wildlife in the area and their jobs. Some of our best educators have feathers, fur, shells or scales!

Intro to Ukulele
Aug 10 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
LEAF Global Arts

Students will receive a solid foundation in beginner Ukulele skills for vocalists. Chords, Rhythm patterns, and basic theory will be introduced through songs with an uplifting message. Students will also learn to play the song that the Songwriting Class will be writing and get to record it in the One Mic Studio.

Queer Music Exploration
Aug 10 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
LEAF Global Arts

Queer Music Exploration – Students will explore guitar, bass, drums, singing and piano with a focus on learning music by artists from the LGBTQ+ community. Students will have the chance to interact with their peers and share their experiences through music.

Zahner Lecture Series South Carolina’s Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area
Aug 10 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Highlands Nature Center

Featured Speaker: Tim Lee; Interpretive Ranger/Naturalist; Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area

 

Sponsored by Martha & Michael Dupuis, Monte & Palmer Gaillard, and Melanie & Tom Mauldin.

Located in an area along the Blue Ridge Escarpment, the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area provides a habitat for a diversity of biological communities adapted for life along the Blue Ridge Escarpment. With high average rainfall, diverse topography, and miles of streams and rivers many species found there are rare within the state and some are found in few other places in the world.

LAZOOM Tours: GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR
Aug 10 @ 7:00 pm
LaZoom Room


GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR

Grab a local beer, crucifix and a rubber chicken* —You might survive this hour long hilarious haunted ghost tour of Asheville.

  • Guided comedy bus tour of Haunted Asheville
  • 60 minutes; tours run nightly after dark
  • $33 per person (Ages 17+ only)
  • Departs from 76 Biltmore Avenue

*Legal Note: Crucifix not required to board the bus; we do not condone exorcisms, chickens, rubber, or any combination of the three.

The Campfireball
Aug 10 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Story Parlor

The Campfireball is an immersive storytelling show created live and in the moment out of stories from the audience. No two shows are alike, none will ever be seen again!

DAVID CODY AND MICHAEL J (Music and Comedy)
Aug 10 @ 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm
White Horse Black Mountain

A delightful evening of music and comedy by two local favorites, David Cody and Mike Lytle. David and Mike are talented musicians, published songwriters, and long-time favorites of friends and fans throughout Western North Carolina. Now they are teaming up to bring both music and comedy to audiences in our region and beyond.

David Cody and Michael J are a new musical comedy duo very much in the vein of The Smothers Brothers, who were talented musicians who also enjoyed bringing joy and laughter to audiences of all ages.

Tonight’s event will be rare opportunity to be part of a video shoot for the duo. You will get a behind the scenes look at the process of making a video, while also experiencing the hilarity and musical brilliance of the duo.

So, be prepared to see:

  • camera men moving in and out to get just the right shot;
  • multiple takes of segments to capture key moments from various camera angles;
  • starts and restarts which are part of all videos, films, tv shows, etc

Plus, you will also be in the video yourself. Your smiles and laughter will be key parts of the final product.

So, come enjoy music, come enjoy laughter and come celebrate two of the Swannanoa Valley’s own as they launch a new phase of their careers.

David Cody and Mike Lytle
Aug 10 @ 7:30 pm
White Horse Black Mountain

A delightful evening of music and comedy by two local favorites, David Cody and Mike Lytle. David and Mike are talented musicians, published songwriters, and long-time favorites of friends and fans throughout Western North Carolina. Now they are teaming up to bring both music and comedy to audiences in our region and beyond.

David Cody and Michael J are a new musical comedy duo very much in the vein of The Smothers Brothers, who were talented musicians who also enjoyed bringing joy and laughter to audiences of all ages.

Tonight’s event will be rare opportunity to be part of a video shoot for the duo. You will get a behind the scenes look at the process of making a video, while also experiencing the hilarity and musical brilliance of the duo.

So, be prepared to see:

  • camera men moving in and out to get just the right shot;
  • multiple takes of segments to capture key moments from various camera angles;
  • starts and restarts which are part of all videos, films, tv shows, etc

Plus, you will also be in the video yourself. Your smiles and laughter will be key parts of the final product.

So, come enjoy music, come enjoy laughter and come celebrate two of the Swannanoa Valley’s own as they launch a new phase of their careers.

The 15th Annual Asheville Comedy Festival
Aug 10 @ 8:00 pm
Diana Wortham Theatre

 

The 15th Annual Asheville Comedy festival! Featuring comedians from all over the country. No two shows are the same. Every show features a different lineup of the countries fastest rising stars in the comedy world.

Famous Showcase #1 

Wednesday, August 9th @ 8PM

Featuring: Adam Muller, Holly Ballantine, Lanny Farmer, Lee Tillman, Nathan Luft, Ngozi, Reggie Kush, and Yoni Heisler

Famous Showcase #2

Thursday, August 10th @ 8PM

Featuring: Annelise Dekker-Hernandez, Brandon Jarrell, Farzin Moradi, Gabe Davis, Lukas Arnold, Maria Palombi, Ryan Brown, and Tony Sykowski

Famous Showcase #3 –

Friday, August 11th @ 8PM

Featuring: EricB Owens, Gus Tate, Hayden Arrington, Jessica Rosas, Julia Stone, Lee Paul, Leonard Smith Jr., Raj Suresh, and Sasha von Didkovsky

Famous Showcase #4

Saturday, August 11th @ 8PM

Featuring: Austin Kress, Drew Morgan, FreddyG, Ian Aber, Jackie Pirico, Jordan Cerminara, Meka Mo, and Tyler Groce

The 15th Annual Asheville Comedy Festival LATE NIGHT
Aug 10 @ 9:30 pm
DSSOLVR

 

The 15th Annual Asheville Comedy festival! Featuring comedians from all over the country. No two shows are the same. Every show features a different lineup of the countries fastest rising stars in the comedy world.

ACF and Modelface Comedy are partnering together to bring you a secret lineup of comics from all over the country, plus your local favorites in the first of a series of three late night showcases.

Friday, August 11, 2023
Flat Rock Playhouse: Fall Classes and Auditions for the World Premiere Musical
Aug 11 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

Announcing 8 weeks of Fall Musical Theatre/Theatre Camps for rising K-12th Graders and Adults!

With new content for every program,

returning students will always have the chance to dive into fresh material.

Share what you have learned with a performance at the end of the semester!

LAZOOM: CITY COMEDY TOUR
Aug 11 @ 10:00 am
LaZoom Room

Learn Asheville’s history, discover hidden gems, and laugh at LaZoom’s quirky sense of adventure.

  • Guided comedy tour bus of historical Asheville
  • 90-Minutes – tours run daily
  • 15-minute break at Green Man Brewing
  • $39 per person (ages 13+ only)
Summer Animal Encounters
Aug 11 @ 2:00 pm
Chimney Rock State Park
Weekdays only at 2pm

Do you know our staff has a wild side? Join a Park naturalist to meet some of our live Animal Ambassadors and learn about the types of wildlife in the area and their jobs. Some of our best educators have feathers, fur, shells or scales!

LAZOOM Tours: GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR
Aug 11 @ 7:00 pm
LaZoom Room


GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR

Grab a local beer, crucifix and a rubber chicken* —You might survive this hour long hilarious haunted ghost tour of Asheville.

  • Guided comedy bus tour of Haunted Asheville
  • 60 minutes; tours run nightly after dark
  • $33 per person (Ages 17+ only)
  • Departs from 76 Biltmore Avenue

*Legal Note: Crucifix not required to board the bus; we do not condone exorcisms, chickens, rubber, or any combination of the three.