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.

Monday, April 27, 2020
Pollinator Garden Certification Program
Apr 27 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
Apr 27 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.

2020 ICF Wildwater World Championships CANCELLED
Apr 27 @ 10:00 am
Nantahala Outdoor Center

2020 Wildwater Worlds

Date: April 26- 30, 2020

Time: 10:00 AM

Price: Free Spectator Admission

Nantahala Racing Club and Nantahala Outdoor Center are proud to host the 2020 ICF Wildwater World Championships, bringing over 150 athletes from 30 countries around the world to the Southeastern US. We are thrilled to welcome these athletes, their families, and their teams to our home and are excited to facilitate this competition of top-level athletes in April 2020!

As the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains, Nantahala Gorge, and Appalachian Trail, Bryson City is the ideal location for outdoor recreation and suited for all levels of adventure!

Join the Global Tree Inventory Challenge
Apr 27 @ 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

Image may contain: possible text that says 'TREES CH CHALLENGE 2020 April I- April 30'

In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day and the 25th Anniversary of the GLOBE program, the Buncombe County Library System and NASA are challenging you to make every tree count by using the GLOBE observer app to contribute to a global tree inventory.

Learn more at observer.globe.gov/trees-2020

To join the library team and become a citizen scientist download the free GLOBE observer app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Create an account, go to settings, click on JOIN a GLOBE Team, and type in the referral code: GLIDCTAZ.

You are now part of our Citizen Scientist team, Friends of Treebeard! Follow the directions and head outside!

Happy Earth Day teammate!

Conserving Carolina Volunteer Information Session
Apr 27 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Conserving Carolina 847 Case Street Hendersonville, NC 28792

Want to know more about Conserving Carolina and how you can help? Join us for a Volunteer Information Session at our Polk County Office at 2060 Lynn Rd Suite 1, Columbus, NC. Learn more about our work and how you can make a difference.

We have everything from office opportunities to workdays on the land.

To RSVP or for more information email [email protected] or call Natalie at 828-697-5777 ext. 211

Forest Plan Info Session: Water Quality Mountains True
Apr 27 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
online

On April 28, MountainTrue will host a webinar during which Callie Moore, MountainTrue’s Western Regional Director, will present the organization’s analysis of specific water-related issues in the draft management plan for the Nantahala-Pisgah National Forests. Register to receive access to the webinar:
https://mountaintrue.org/event/forest-plan-info-session-water-quality/

Those who register before Monday 4/27 will receive Callie’s presentation slides in advance and have the opportunity to submit questions before the presentation. We will also have about 15 minutes for live Q&A at the end of the presentation.

This event is a Zoom Webinar, which is a little different from a regular Zoom meeting. When you join the event, you will be muted and your video will be turned off.

Tuesday, April 28, 2020
#AvlQuaranclean with GreenWorks
Apr 28 all-day
Asheville

#AvlQuaranclean

Image

 

1) AGW Office @ 2 Sulphur Spring Road
2) AGW Office @ 318 Riverside Drive
3) The HOP @ 640 Merrimon Ave #103
4) Sutton / Dezio Law @ 70 Mt Pisgah Hwy (on their back porch)

5) Buncombe County Sports Park Entrance @ 58 Apac Drive

Our cleanup events may have been canceled, but there’s still trash to collect as part of Avl Quaranclean!

Our Cleanup Supply Stations have been filled and supplies are ready for pick up if you find yourself wanting to get out of the house & motivated to improve our community.

Each station has been filled with supply packs— in one roll you will find: 2 trash bags, 1 safety vest and 1 pair of gloves. There are further instructions at each station.

Make sure to post videos and pictures and tag #AvlQuaranclean so that we can all see the incredible job you’re doing.

And, as always, please stay safe and healthy.

ASAP Launches Appalachian Grown Farmer Relief Fund
Apr 28 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.

Blue Ridge Naturalist Certificate of Merit
Apr 28 all-day
The North Carolina Arboretum

Join over one hundred students on a quest to deepen understanding of the natural sciences through the Blue Ridge Naturalist Certificate of Merit. The program offers adult learners a comprehensive curriculum of study about the natural world of Western North Carolina. Classes meet year round and students work to complete 240 hours in core courses on ecology, botany, geology and plant identification as well as electives on animals, lichens, insects and more. View current class offerings for credit in the Blue Ridge Naturalist program here. All students must complete and present a final project prior to graduation.

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

FREE Video Course by Wild Abundance: 10 Vegetables that will Really Feed You
Apr 28 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.

Pollinator Garden Certification Program
Apr 28 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!

2020 ICF Wildwater World Championships CANCELLED
Apr 28 @ 10:00 am
Nantahala Outdoor Center

2020 Wildwater Worlds

Date: April 26- 30, 2020

Time: 10:00 AM

Price: Free Spectator Admission

Nantahala Racing Club and Nantahala Outdoor Center are proud to host the 2020 ICF Wildwater World Championships, bringing over 150 athletes from 30 countries around the world to the Southeastern US. We are thrilled to welcome these athletes, their families, and their teams to our home and are excited to facilitate this competition of top-level athletes in April 2020!

As the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains, Nantahala Gorge, and Appalachian Trail, Bryson City is the ideal location for outdoor recreation and suited for all levels of adventure!

Join the Global Tree Inventory Challenge
Apr 28 @ 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

Image may contain: possible text that says 'TREES CH CHALLENGE 2020 April I- April 30'

In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day and the 25th Anniversary of the GLOBE program, the Buncombe County Library System and NASA are challenging you to make every tree count by using the GLOBE observer app to contribute to a global tree inventory.

Learn more at observer.globe.gov/trees-2020

To join the library team and become a citizen scientist download the free GLOBE observer app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Create an account, go to settings, click on JOIN a GLOBE Team, and type in the referral code: GLIDCTAZ.

You are now part of our Citizen Scientist team, Friends of Treebeard! Follow the directions and head outside!

Happy Earth Day teammate!

Forest Plan Info Session: Water Quality Mountains True
Apr 28 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
online

On April 28, MountainTrue will host a webinar during which Callie Moore, MountainTrue’s Western Regional Director, will present the organization’s analysis of specific water-related issues in the draft management plan for the Nantahala-Pisgah National Forests. Register to receive access to the webinar:
https://mountaintrue.org/event/forest-plan-info-session-water-quality/

Those who register before Monday 4/27 will receive Callie’s presentation slides in advance and have the opportunity to submit questions before the presentation. We will also have about 15 minutes for live Q&A at the end of the presentation.

This event is a Zoom Webinar, which is a little different from a regular Zoom meeting. When you join the event, you will be muted and your video will be turned off.

Basic Tree Workshops: Benefits of Trees
Apr 28 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Greenworks vis 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.

 

April 28: Benefits of Trees
May 5: Trees 101
May 12: Tree Establishment, Planting, and Maintenance
May 19: Tree Protection and Risk Management

Conserving Carolina Speaker Series: Creating a Native Pocket Meadow
Apr 28 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Landrum Library

 

Speaker: Plant ecologist, Lisa Wagner

“Pocket” meadows of native plants provide an attractive, low-maintenance, and wildlife-friendly alternative to traditional perennial plantings. Unlike larger meadow plantings, small, informal, and simply managed pocket borders can be tucked into a variety of spaces in your landscape, providing habitat and sustenance for pollinators and other insects, as well as being attractive landscape additions. Lisa will share her experiences with a variety of small meadow plantings using native Southeastern wildflowers and grasses and talk about how to manage them for four-season interest. She’ll also provide suggestions for native plants best suited for combining in informal meadow plantings in the western Carolina’s.

 

Lisa Wagner was the Director of Education at the South Carolina Botanical Garden, Clemson University for over 20 years. A plant ecologist by background (Ph.D. in Botany, UC Berkeley), she’s interested in native plants, sustainable gardening, public education, and promoting habitat restoration, as well as being a passionate gardener. She now does frequent presentations and classes as a volunteer, on a variety of topics. Her blog, Natural Gardening (www.naturalgardening.blogspot.com) reflects her observations about gardening and the natural world.

This Conserving Carolina Speaker Series event is made possible thanks to the Landrum Library.

Wednesday, April 29, 2020
#AvlQuaranclean with GreenWorks
Apr 29 all-day
Asheville

#AvlQuaranclean

Image

 

1) AGW Office @ 2 Sulphur Spring Road
2) AGW Office @ 318 Riverside Drive
3) The HOP @ 640 Merrimon Ave #103
4) Sutton / Dezio Law @ 70 Mt Pisgah Hwy (on their back porch)

5) Buncombe County Sports Park Entrance @ 58 Apac Drive

Our cleanup events may have been canceled, but there’s still trash to collect as part of Avl Quaranclean!

Our Cleanup Supply Stations have been filled and supplies are ready for pick up if you find yourself wanting to get out of the house & motivated to improve our community.

Each station has been filled with supply packs— in one roll you will find: 2 trash bags, 1 safety vest and 1 pair of gloves. There are further instructions at each station.

Make sure to post videos and pictures and tag #AvlQuaranclean so that we can all see the incredible job you’re doing.

And, as always, please stay safe and healthy.

ASAP Launches Appalachian Grown Farmer Relief Fund
Apr 29 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.

Community Conservation Connecting People with Place
Apr 29 all-day
River Link On Line

If you are reading this, you are most likely a landowner in western North Carolina who is concerned about the future of your land along the French Broad River or one of its tributaries. Perhaps you have a farm or cattle ranch that has been in your family for generations, or maybe you recently purchased your second home in an idyllic rural area. Whatever your situation, many North Carolina landowners face the same dilemma: how do you ensure that the land you love looks the way that it does forever?

Conserving Land

Protected Properties

Parks, Greenways & Blueways

FREE Video Course by Wild Abundance: 10 Vegetables that will Really Feed You
Apr 29 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.

Grandfather Mountain CLOSED to all activity
Apr 29 all-day
Grandfather Mountain

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus), Grandfather Mountain will close until further notice, effective Sunday, March 15. The closure means the park will prohibit public access, including from the main entrance gate and hiking trails.

In addition, all special events and programs scheduled through Memorial Day have been canceled or postponed.

How to Buy Local While Social Distancing: On-Farm Pickups and More
Apr 29 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.
Pollinator Garden Certification Program
Apr 29 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 Hike for the Smokies!
Apr 29 all-day
Virtual Smoky Mountains National Park
Alum Cave At-Home Adventure is a Virtual Fundraising Hike on one of Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s most iconic trails. Although the trail will look different for everyone, we’re all going the distance together – 4.6 miles for a roundtrip hike to Alum Cave or 10 miles up to the top of Mount Le Conte and down via Alum Cave Trail. Find your own trail. It could be your yard, your neighborhood or a treadmill in your basement. If a hike isn’t your thing, just choose the Park Bench option! Anyone can join us in solidarity to raise funds for Great Smoky Mountains National Park from the comfort and safety of your own home.
Here’s how it works:
1. Register to virtually hike at AlumCaveAtHome.org, and personalize your fundraising page.
2. Ask your family, friends, and coworkers to support you by making a tax-deductible donation to Friends of the Smokies through your personal fundraising page.
3. You have until June 6, 2020 to fundraise and complete your virtual hike, then you will receive your hike swag, including a t-shirt and finishers medal, in the mail!
Over the last few weeks, we’ve become pros at staying home and practicing social distancing. As we take care of ourselves and each other, we hope you’ll also help us take care of the Smokies. The park is closed for the safety of visitors and staff, but critical conservation projects still need funding. It’s up to us to preserve the park for generations to come so we hope you’ll join us.
Take a virtual tour of our gardens and see what’s beautiful today at The North Carolina Arboretum
Apr 29 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
Apr 29 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.

2020 ICF Wildwater World Championships CANCELLED
Apr 29 @ 10:00 am
Nantahala Outdoor Center

2020 Wildwater Worlds

Date: April 26- 30, 2020

Time: 10:00 AM

Price: Free Spectator Admission

Nantahala Racing Club and Nantahala Outdoor Center are proud to host the 2020 ICF Wildwater World Championships, bringing over 150 athletes from 30 countries around the world to the Southeastern US. We are thrilled to welcome these athletes, their families, and their teams to our home and are excited to facilitate this competition of top-level athletes in April 2020!

As the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains, Nantahala Gorge, and Appalachian Trail, Bryson City is the ideal location for outdoor recreation and suited for all levels of adventure!

Join the Global Tree Inventory Challenge
Apr 29 @ 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

Image may contain: possible text that says 'TREES CH CHALLENGE 2020 April I- April 30'

In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day and the 25th Anniversary of the GLOBE program, the Buncombe County Library System and NASA are challenging you to make every tree count by using the GLOBE observer app to contribute to a global tree inventory.

Learn more at observer.globe.gov/trees-2020

To join the library team and become a citizen scientist download the free GLOBE observer app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Create an account, go to settings, click on JOIN a GLOBE Team, and type in the referral code: GLIDCTAZ.

You are now part of our Citizen Scientist team, Friends of Treebeard! Follow the directions and head outside!

Happy Earth Day teammate!

At Home Plant Workshop
Apr 29 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Facebook Hawthorne at Haywood
Grab your gloves! Time to get planting! We will be giving away 20 plants, pots, and soil! RSVP to claim your spot!
Image may contain: one or more people and text
Thursday, April 30, 2020
#AvlQuaranclean with GreenWorks
Apr 30 all-day
Asheville

#AvlQuaranclean

Image

 

1) AGW Office @ 2 Sulphur Spring Road
2) AGW Office @ 318 Riverside Drive
3) The HOP @ 640 Merrimon Ave #103
4) Sutton / Dezio Law @ 70 Mt Pisgah Hwy (on their back porch)

5) Buncombe County Sports Park Entrance @ 58 Apac Drive

Our cleanup events may have been canceled, but there’s still trash to collect as part of Avl Quaranclean!

Our Cleanup Supply Stations have been filled and supplies are ready for pick up if you find yourself wanting to get out of the house & motivated to improve our community.

Each station has been filled with supply packs— in one roll you will find: 2 trash bags, 1 safety vest and 1 pair of gloves. There are further instructions at each station.

Make sure to post videos and pictures and tag #AvlQuaranclean so that we can all see the incredible job you’re doing.

And, as always, please stay safe and healthy.