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, August 7, 2021
Asheville Art Museum Presents Olympics-Themed Exhibitions for Summer 2021
Aug 7 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum
Walter Iooss Jr., Carl Lewis, Houston, TX, 1991, archival pigment print on paper, 23 ¼ × 29 inches. Asheville Art Museum. © Walter Iooss Jr.
Asheville, N.C.—The Asheville Art Museum is organizing a group of three exhibitions drawn from the Musem’s Collection in conjunction with the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. They will be on view in the Explore Asheville Exhibition Hall from July 9 through October 4, 2021.

“With these three exhibitions, the Asheville Art Museum is looking froward to bringing the Olympics to Asheville,” says Whitney Richardson, associate curator. “Athletes, sports fanatics, and those who enjoy art that captures the human athletic form will, I hope, all find something valuable in visiting these exhibitions. Some of the artworks are by renowned artists and some depict world-famous athletes, but it all speaks to the importance of the Olympics—and sports in general—in our lives and how we honor our athletes.”

Golden Hour: Olympians Photographed by Walter Iooss Jr. highlights dozens of photographer Walter Iooss Jr.’s images from the Museum’s Collection. Over his 60-year career, Iooss (Temple, TX 1943–Present NY) has captured portraits of hundreds of celebrated American athletes in action, and a select few as they prepared for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He began his career shooting for Sports Illustrated and has contributed to the magazine for more than 50 years.

Artistic Tribute: Representation of the Athlete pays homage to the historic Olympic tradition of including the arts as a competition. Until 1948, the modern Olympics included artistic representations of the athletes in painting and sculpture, among other media, as the ancient Olympics had done. This exhibition features artworks from the Museum’s Collection that follow this custom by artists including Robert Rauschenberg (Port Arthur, TX 1925–2008 Captiva, FL), Dox Thrash (Griffin, GA 1893–1965 Philadelphia, PA), Gerald van de Wiele (Detroit, MI 1932–Present New York, NY), Ward H. Nichols (Welch, WV 1930–Present NC), Marvin Lipofsky (Elgin, IL 1938–2016 Berkeley, CA), David Levinthal (San Francisco, CA 1949–Present New York, NY), and more.

Precious Medals: Gold, Silver & Bronze highlights works from the Museum’s Collection including glass, ceramic, fashion, and sculpture that use the same metals that are given to the top three placing athletes in an Olympic competition. The precious nature of these three metals is examined in relation to the artworks shown. Artists featured in this exhibition include Virginia Scotchie (Portsmouth, VA 1955–Present Columbia, SC), Mark Stanitz (1949–Present Northern California), William Waldo Dodge Jr. (Washington, D.C. 1895–1971 Asheville, NC), Richard Ritter (Detroit, MI 1940–Present Bakersville, NC), Jan Williams (Bucks County, PA–Present Bakersville, NC), and more.

These three exhibitions are organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Whitney Richardson, associate curator.

Asheville Outlets Announces Pack 2 School Supplies Drive
Aug 7 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Outlets

Help local underprivileged students start the school year with the supplies they need for success! Asheville Outlets will host a Pack 2 School Supplies Drive from Saturday, July 10 through Saturday, August 7, 2021. Throughout the five-week drive, marked bins will be available in the food court for donation drop-off. Student supply needs include: #2 pencils, erasers, colored pencils, crayons, glue sticks, school scissors, folders, spiral notebooks, marbled composition notebooks, dry ease markers (pencil & regular size) and pencil pouches. Classroom needs include white & color copy paper, Band-Aids, Kleenex, hand sanitizer, Ziploc bags, disinfectant wipes, and hand soap. School children at four local elementary schools will be the recipients of supplies collected during the program. The campaign will conclude on Saturday, August 7 with a live remote broadcast with iHeart Radio and gift card giveaways. For more information, visit ShopAshevilleOutlets.com.

Public Domain: Photography and the Preservation of Public Lands Exhibition
Aug 7 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

11am–6pm. Late-night Thursdays until 9pm; closed Tuesdays.

Public Domain: Photography and the Preservation of Public Lands presents works drawn from the Asheville Art Museum’s Collection by artists looking both regionally and nationally at lands that are either state or federally managed or have become so. This exhibition will be on view in the Asheville Art Museum’s Van Winkle Law Firm Gallery May 19 through August 30, 2021. 

“The Asheville Art Museum’s growing collection of photography features a variety of artworks that consider humankind’s impact on our environment and world,” said Hilary Schroeder, assistant curator. “The imagery featured in Public Domain reminds us of the critical role that artists play in environmental activism and preservation, affecting change at a range of levels”. 

Through images capturing the beauty, changes, and even devastation to the American landscape, photographers have played a vital role in advocating for the preservation of nature via the establishment and maintenance of state parks, national parks and monuments, and other federally protected lands. From George Masa and Timothy McCoy’s photographs of Great Smoky Mountains National Park to a selection of works from Robert Glenn Ketchum’s Overlooked in America: The Success and Failure of Federal Land Management series, these artworks provoke contemplation of both nature’s beauty and a calling to protect it. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Bureau of Land Management whose mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. 

Photographers include Robert Glenn Ketchum, George Masa, Timothy McCoy, Benjamin Porter, Sally Gall, and more. 

This exhibition is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Hilary Schroeder, assistant curator. 

Smokey Bear’s Birthday Party
Aug 7 @ 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Cradle of Forestry

  •  11:30am & 1:00pm Enjoy a reading and book signing from
    Laura Sperry Gardner, author of the new counting book,
    Blue Ridge Babies 1, 2, 3

Books will be available for purchase on-site by Highland Books

 

11am to 2:00pm: Games and Crafts along the Forest Festival Trail, at the pond, train, and old homestead!

2:00pm Parade with Smokey Bear from the Outdoor Amphitheater to our historic School House for photos!

Walter B. Stephen Pottery: Cameo to Crystalline
Aug 7 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Artist Walter B. Stephen (Clinton, IA 1875–1961 Asheville, NC) contributed to Western North Carolina’s identity as a flourishing site for pottery production and craftsmanship in the early 20th century. Walter B. Stephen Pottery: Cameo to Crystalline features art pottery and functional vessels from each stage of Stephen’s career, from his origins discovering the medium alongside his mother Nellie C. Randall Stephen in Shelby County, TN from 1901 through 1910 to his multi-decade production just outside of Asheville. This exhibition will be on view in the Asheville Art Museum’s Debra McClinton Gallery July 28, 2021 through January 17, 2022.

In 1926, Stephen founded his third and last pottery studio, Pisgah Forest, in Arden, NC, which he operated until his death in 1961. It was at this studio that the artist perfected the “cameo” decoration technique for which he became best known. His hand-painted images, achieved with layers of white translucent clay, often feature American folk imagery, from covered wagons and livestock to cabins and spinning wheels. A selection of works from the Museum’s Collection showcase his innovation in form and in decorative surface details, including experimentation with crystalline glazing.

Weaverville Library Used Book Store
Aug 7 @ 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Weaverville Library

The Friends of the Weaverville Library (FOWL) are excited to announce the opening of their used bookstore in Weaverville on Thursday, July 8. Located in the lower level of the Weaverville Library at 41 N. Main St., the store will be open Thursdays 1-5 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 11 a.m.-2 p.m., with expanded hours beginning in September. The store is stocked with thousands of books, audiobooks, CDs, DVDs, and more. All adult books are priced at $1.50-$3.00, children and teen books at $1.00-$1.50, audio and video at $2.00.

There is also a bargain-priced area and a collection of special finds that are priced individually. Please feel free to contact us at 828-641-1812 or [email protected]. All proceeds from the store will benefit the Weaverville Library.

$5 Mimosas
Aug 7 @ 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Down Dog

$5 Mimosas

$5 Mimosas every Saturday & Sunday

Continuum Art Gallery and Venue: GRAND OPENING
Aug 7 @ 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
CONTINUUM ART NC

Continuum Art gallery and venue’s grand opening is going down August 7th, 2021! Featuring a free to the public art market from 12-5pm, and live music all day! This event will set the stage for all that’s to come at Continuum Art. Stop by and meet some local artists and makers, enjoy dance performances from two local troupes, and take in the sounds of local acoustic, rock and blues musicians. FREE event and we’re supplying free beer from Ocklawaha Brewing and you’re welcome to BYOB (under 16% alcohol content)!

Free Admission Western North Carolina Air Museum
Aug 7 @ 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Western North Carolina Air Museum

The Western North Carolina Air Museum is a center of living history in the popular Hendersonville – Flat Rock region of the state. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to remember flying the way it used to be. Bring your kids, your camera, and your leather jacket. You can view the airplanes in an hour or so, or spend the afternoon hanger-flying with our friendly, informative staff. We can’t guarantee fine weather, but our hangar doors are open rain and shine. And we can’t guarantee that we’ll be flying on the day you visit, but we do promise to propel your imagination back to the golden age of general aviation. Come for the airplanes. Stay for the memories. There’s plenty of both right here at the Western North Carolina Air Museum.

Preserving & Promoting

Our

Carolina Flying Heritage

Rocky Cove Railroad Exhibit
Aug 7 @ 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
NC Arboretum

On exhibit Saturdays and Sundays through October from 12 to 4 p.m. (weather permitting), Rocky Cove Railroad is a G-Scale (garden scale) model train that demonstrates the coming of trains to western North Carolina at the turn of the 20th century. The exhibit is located below the Grand Garden Promenade.

The Montford Park Players Summer Shakespeare Program: The Tempest
Aug 7 @ 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre Gay St, Asheville, NC 28801

4 Week Session with 1 Weekend of digital performance 

Rehearse – Monday through Friday 12-2(3)pm (July 13th – August 7th)

Shows – pre-recorded and streamed, Friday, Saturday, Sunday at 5:30 pm August 7, 8, 9
w/live Q & A after

Limit 20 Participants

Class Cost : $100 (plus $8.00 online processing fee if paid by credit card)
Limited number of Scholarships available by request. Applications MUST be submitted. Email Ashleigh at [email protected]

Guided Trail Walk
Aug 7 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
NC Arboretum

Hit the trails and learn more about the Arboretum’s botanically diverse forest with the return of guided trail walks in 2021! In response to COVID-19, new safety measures have been put in place to protect our guests, members, volunteers and staff: Walks will be limited to 10 people, including the guide, and all participants will be required to wear face coverings for the duration of the walk.

This free hiking program is led by trained volunteer guides who take small groups of participants along woodland trails and through a variety of forest types. Depending on the season, topics of discussion may include wildflowers, plant and tree identification, natural history and more.

Guided trail walks depart from the Baker Exhibit Center Lobby every Tuesday and Saturday at 1 p.m. through the month of October. Walks last 1.5- 2.5 hours and are approximately one to two miles in length, and as such are recommended for guests 14 years or older. Walks are held rain or shine, so all participants should dress appropriately for the weather.

Register In Advance

Space is limited and advance registration is encouraged. Pre-registered participants must check in at the Baker Information Desk no later than 10 minutes before the scheduled program to keep their spot. Unclaimed spots will be offered to other guests.

Guests may sign up for trail walks in the following ways:

  • Pre-register online
  • Sign up in-person at the Baker Information Desk.
Love, Marriage and the Irish!: Two One Acts by J.M. Barrie and G.B. Shaw
Aug 7 @ 2:30 pm
Attic Salt Theatre Company

Fireworks fly in the drawing room as an unexpected visitor sends Harry Sims Into a tailspin on the day before he is to be knighted in J.M Barrie’s delightful play The Twelve Pound Look. And George Bernard Shaw infuses comedy into the terrible experience of war in O’Flaherty, V.C. as he depicts an Irish soldier trying to come to terms with what it means to be a hero.

ZOOM D+D with Raj
Aug 7 @ 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Pack Memorial Library--online

Join us for some Dungeons & Dragons over ZOOM.

Sign-up is required. Email Raj at [email protected] to request attendance.

Richard III –A Montford Moppets Production
Aug 7 @ 5:30 pm
Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre

Richard III – Aug. 6 – 15 at 5:30 pm

by W. Shakespeare

The Moppets close their summer season with this dark and brooding history of one of England’s most treacherous kings.

Marcus Anderson’s Jazz AND Coffee Escape
Aug 7 @ 6:00 pm
Diana Wortham Theatre

Marcus Anderson presents Jazz AND Coffee Escape 2021

Marcus Anderson presents Jazz AND Coffee Escape. The world’s jazz and musical legends invite you to escape for an electric 2-day weekend to the beautiful landscape of Asheville, NC.
Jus’ Running Pub Run
Aug 7 @ 6:15 pm – 8:00 pm
Archetype Brewing
Join us every Wednesday, rain or shine, for the best Pub Run in Asheville! All ages and experience levels welcome! We ❤️ you all!
Come for the run and stay for the beer at Archetype Brewing! The perfect way to make new connections or keep current ones fresh.
Mountain Dance and Folk Festival
Aug 7 @ 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Lipinsky Hall Auditorium at UNCA,

Mountain Dance and Folk Festival

Are you ready to be part of the 94th Mountain Dance and Folk Festival®? On August 5, 6, 7, 2021, a different show will be presented live on stage each evening allowing you to appreciate the talent and dedication of the hundreds of musicians, dancers, and storytellers who are preserving the traditions of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. These traditions involve not only the hand-clapping, toe-tapping rhythms of Bluegrass, the style and stories of century-old ballads, the high energy of clogging, the elegance of Big Circle Mountain Smooth Dance, the fun and entertainment of storytelling, but also include an awareness of the hardships and trials that have brought us to this place and time.

This 94th Mountain Dance and Folk Festival® has been made possible through the generosity of our music community volunteering their time and talent to preserve and promote the Southern Appalachian music, dance and storytelling heritage.

A listing of performers who volunteer their time and talent to make our events possible can be found on Our Performers page. Please visit their websites and support their generosity by purchasing music, merchandise, making a contribution to virtual tip jars where available or just to tell them you enjoyed their performance. Our artists especially need our support during these difficult times.

The Mountain Dance and Folk Festival was founded by Bascom Lamar Lunsford as a means for people to share and understand the beauty and dignity of the Southern Appalachian music and dance traditions that have been handed down through generations in western North Carolina. He saw the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival grow to be the oldest gathering of its kind in the nation and it continues in this way, a platform for the talented of the high country lying between the Great Smoky and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Since 1928, the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival has served a crucial role in raising awareness and understanding of the vitality and importance of Southern Appalachian culture throughout the region, nation and world. Bascom Lunsford’s mission was to present the finest of the Appalachian ballad singers, string bands and square dance teams for education and entertainment. The songs and dances shared at this event echo centuries of Scottish, English, Irish, Cherokee and African heritage found in the valleys and coves between the Great Smokies and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Lunsford’s was the first dubbed a folk festival, and he later consulted with many communities across the country interested in organizing similar festivals.

If you like Shindig on the Green, you’ll love the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival!

Click here for Frequently Asked Questions.

Click here for more history of the Festival.

Click here if you are interested in performing.

Click here if you are interested in becoming a Corporate Sponsor.

SKETCHES! OR IT DIDN’T HAPPEN: A TMT COMEDY REVUE
Aug 7 @ 7:00 pm
Magnetic Theatre

M

SKETCHES! OR IT DIDN’T HAPPEN: A TMT COMEDY REVUE

Directed by Tom Chalmers

It’s been a weird year and half, y’all, and we don’t know about you, but we’re more than ready for a few laughs!

Writers Linda Azar, Carmela Caruso, Joe Carroll, Tom Chalmers, Marlene Thompson and Matt Wilson will take you on a wild ride exploring the ups and downs of the new, new normal.

 

Soloists of Tomorrow
Aug 7 @ 7:00 pm
Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium

Soloists of Tomorrow

Always the not-to-be-missed concert of the season! Celebrate BMC’s mission and the next generation of classical musicians as we shine a spotlight on our most talented young students—winners of the prestigious Jan and Beattie Wood Concerto Competition in performance with the Brevard Music Center Orchestra conducted by Artistic Director Keith Lockhart. 

PERFORMANCE & ARTIST DETAILS
Brevard Music Center Orchestra
Keith Lockhart, conductor
Concerto Competition Winners

ZOLTÁN KODÁLY The Peacock Variations
Competition Winning Concertos
Additional programming to be announced soon

Please note: Auditorium seating is reserved.  Lawn seating is general admission.

Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi
Aug 7 @ 7:30 pm
Straus Auditorium

Puccini's Gianni Schicchi

PERFORMANCE & ARTIST DETAILS
Janiec Opera Company of the Brevard Music Center

PUCCINI Gianni Schicchi

Sung in Italian with English supertitles.

Wednesday, August 4 – 7:30 PM | Straus Auditorium
Thursday, August 5 – 7:30 PM | Straus Auditorium
Friday, August 6 – 7:30 PM | Straus Auditorium
Saturday, August 7 – 2:00 PM | Straus Auditorium
The Sword in the Stone w/ The Montford Park Players
Aug 7 @ 7:30 pm
Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre

The Sword in the Stone – July 30 – Aug. 28

by Shaan Sharma

The Arthurian legend begins right here, with some family-friendly adventure.

85 South: Ghetto Legends Comedy Tour
Aug 7 @ 8:00 pm
Bon Secours Wellness Arena

85 South

Widespread Panic
Aug 7 @ 8:00 pm
Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville

Widespread Panic

Hip Hop Night: Vinyl Timetravelers
Aug 7 @ 10:00 pm – 2:00 am
Asheville Beauty Academy

Hip Hop Turntablism party with DJs Kutzu & Chubby Knuckles & the Vinyl Time Travelers first Saturday of the month.
Every First Saturday 10pm to 2am
All events 21+
SKETCHES! OR IT DIDN’T HAPPEN: A TMT COMEDY REVUE
Aug 7 @ 10:00 pm
Magnetic Theatre

SKETCHES! OR IT DIDN’T HAPPEN: A TMT COMEDY REVUE

Directed by Tom Chalmers

It’s been a weird year and half, y’all, and we don’t know about you, but we’re more than ready for a few laughs!

Writers Linda Azar, Carmela Caruso, Joe Carroll, Tom Chalmers, Marlene Thompson and Matt Wilson will take you on a wild ride exploring the ups and downs of the new, new normal.

 

BIG SOMETHING WITH THE MANTRAS
Aug 7 @ 10:30 pm
Salvage Station

Big Something

Fusing elements of rock, funk, and improvisation, Big Something takes listeners on a
journey through a myriad of musical styles. It’s no secret why this group has quickly
become one of the most exciting bands to emerge from the Southeast. Huge rhythms
paired with soaring guitars, E.W.I (electronic wind instrument), synths, horns and
alluring vocal hooks rise to the top of their infectious collection of songs and represent a
sound that has landed the band marquee appearances at Bonnaroo, Peach Music
Festival, Lock’n, Summer Camp and Electric Forest as well as critical acclaim from the
likes of Billboard, Guitar World, Glide Magazine and Jambase.
With 6 full-length studio albums produced by Grammy-nominee John Custer, and even
their own Summer music festival: The Big What?, the band has carved out their own
niche in the live music community and continues to grow nationally with sold out
headlining performances throughout the United States.

Sunday, August 8, 2021
10th Annual ReStore ReUse Contest
Aug 8 all-day
Asheville Area--online

The Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity ReStore is hosting the 10th annual ReUse Contest to showcase innovative building projects constructed predominantly of used building materials.

Winners will be selected in the following categories:

  • Furniture: $200 ReStore gift card
  • Homesteading (i.e. chicken coop, raised bed): $200 ReStore gift card
  • Live and/or work space: $200 ReStore gift card
  • Art: $200 ReStore gift card
  • Home Decor: $200 ReStore gift card
  • Vans & Vehicle (NEW!): $200 ReStore gift card
  • Best in Show: $500 ReStore gift card

Winners will be announced in a press release, on Asheville Habitat’s website and social media pages, and featured in the Asheville Habitat ReStore.

The purpose of this annual contest is to showcase innovative building and DIY projects
constructed predominantly of reused building materials. A large number of ReStore shoppers
purchase items intended to be repurposed or reused in unique and creative ways; the ReStore
Reuse contest is a great way to showcase their projects and inspire others to reuse, recycle
and repurpose usable materials.
The creativity of this community never ceases to amaze. Past projects have included a fence
fashioned from doors, a potting bench built from pallets, a chair crafted from an oil drum, yard
art made from old tools, and so much more. To see photos from the 2020 contest, click here.
A panel of five judges will select winners in the following categories: Furniture, Homesteading,
Live and/or Work Space, Art, Home Décor, Vans and Vehicles (NEW!), and Best in Show.
Winners will be announced in mid-October.

2021 Brevard Music Center Raffle
Aug 8 all-day
Online

Official 2021 Raffle RulesAudi

PROCEEDS

This raffle is a fundraising event, and all net proceeds benefit the Brevard Music Center (BMC). Brevard Music Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN# 56-0729350

DRAWING

The drawing will take place on Monday, November 15, 2021 at 3:00pm EDT. All mail, phone, and internet orders must be received by 11:59pm EDT on Sunday, November 14, 2021.

TICKETS

The cost to purchase a single entry (“Ticket”) for the Raffle is $125 (U.S. Funds only) and is not tax deductible.

Asheville Fringe Arts Festival Applications Now Open!
Aug 8 all-day
Online

Some things you should know

  1. WE ARE A HYBRID FESTIVAL THIS YEAR

    We will be presenting a combination of in-person and online shows. Email us if you’ve got any questions.

  2. WE HAVE 5 DIFFERENT TYPES OF SHOWS

We accept performances from 5 to 60 minutes in length, plus installations and films. Depending on its length, your piece may be grouped with others, or scheduled as a Random Act of Fringe.

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1. FRINGE SHOT

A piece that is
5-20 minutes long

May be featured in a showcase, as part of our popular LaZoom Bus Tour, or as free Random Act of Fringe

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2. SHORT FORM

A piece that is
25-40 minutes long

May be combined with one or more shows.

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3. FULL-LENGTH

A piece that is
45-60 minutes long

Ticketed theater-style show.

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4. INSTALLATION

A piece that is
Site-specific (any length)

May be in an unusual location, or repeated many times. May be seen by as few as one person at a time.

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