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, January 28, 2020
Creative Sector Talk
Jan 28 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Center for Craft

The Opportunity for Special Events to Help Build an Equitable and Inclusive Community

We know special events and festivals have long been employed as powerful tools in supporting business, motivating entrepreneurship, and promoting the arts. Additionally, the City of Asheville is focusing on special events and how they can help build an equitable and inclusive community. But government doesn’t just change on its own. What internal and external efforts are needed to maximize returns? Hear from the City’s Outdoor Special Events office about their collaborations with the City’s Office of Equity & Inclusion. Learn about the confines we’re all working within as community members, and why it takes an inside effort within government to push forward. Where are your opportunities to create and participate in special events that help build an equitable and inclusive community?

Speakers: City of Asheville Outdoor Event Manager Jon Fillman and Business Inclusion Manager Rosanna Mulcahy

The City of Asheville’s Community & Economic Development department is responsible for outdoor special event administration. This office develops and manages partnerships with organizations that produce events, coordinates support services, and oversees regulatory and permitting requirements for temporary uses of parks, streets, and undeveloped city-owned property.

Free for AAAC Members, $5 per talk for Non-Members. Registration is required.

Creative Sector Talk: The Opportunity for Special Events to Help Build an Equitable and Inclusive Community
Jan 28 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Center for Craft

We know special events and festivals have long been employed as powerful tools in supporting business, motivating entrepreneurship, and promoting the arts. Additionally, the City of Asheville is focusing on special events and how they can help build an equitable and inclusive community. But government doesn’t just change on its own. What internal and external efforts are needed to maximize returns? Hear from the City’s Outdoor Special Events office about their collaborations with the City’s Office of Equity & Inclusion. Learn about the confines we’re all working within as community members, and why it takes an inside effort within government to push forward. Where are your opportunities to create and participate in special events that help build an equitable and inclusive community?

Speakers: City of Asheville Outdoor Event Manager Jon Fillman and Business Inclusion Manager Rosanna Mulcahy

The City of Asheville’s Community & Economic Development department is responsible for outdoor special event administration. This office develops and manages partnerships with organizations that produce events, coordinates support services, and oversees regulatory and permitting requirements for temporary uses of parks, streets, and undeveloped city-owned property.

 

Creative Sector Talk: The Opportunity for Special Events to Help Build an Equitable and Inclusive Community
Jan 28 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Center for Craft

We know special events and festivals have long been employed as powerful tools in supporting business, motivating entrepreneurship, and promoting the arts. Additionally, the City of Asheville is focusing on special events and how they can help build an equitable and inclusive community. But government doesn’t just change on its own. What internal and external efforts are needed to maximize returns? Hear from the City’s Outdoor Special Events office about their collaborations with the City’s Office of Equity & Inclusion. Learn about the confines we’re all working within as community members, and why it takes an inside effort within government to push forward. Where are your opportunities to create and participate in special events that help build an equitable and inclusive community?

Speakers: City of Asheville Outdoor Event Manager Jon Fillman and Business Inclusion Manager Rosanna Mulcahy

Wednesday, January 29, 2020
New Diabetes Wellness and Prevention Cohorts YWCA
Jan 29 all-day
YWCA Asheville

We are dedicated to promoting health equity and reducing the disparity in diabetes outcomes that disproportionately affect the Black community in Buncombe County. 

If you have type 2 diabetes or are at risk the YWCA offers a life-changing journey!

What are the benefits? 

  • Weekly educational support groups
  • Membership to the YWCA Fitness and Aquatic Center
  • Consultations with a pharmacist

We will explore important topics such as:

  • Monitoring blood glucose (sugar)
  • Engaging in physical activity
  • Making healthy food choices, planning meals and controlling portion size
  • Knowing your medications
  • Understanding complications associated with diabetes
  • Managing stress and social situations
  • Setting goals and problem solving

All of this is offered to you for an affordable, sliding scale, monthly fee!
For more information or to sign up, call Leah Berger-Singer at (828)254-7206 x 212

Into the Blue: Artist Invitational 2020 at Blue Spiral
Jan 29 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Blue Spiral

Blue Spiral 1’s most diverse annual exhibition presents artists who have never previously shown in the gallery. This year’s show features nine artists working in a range of media, including painting, ceramics, textiles, mixed media, photography, and wood.

Artists: Anna Buckner, Mark Flowers, David Knox, Hiromi Moneyhun, Kris Rehring, Ben Strear, Gregor Turk

Into the Blue_ Artist Invitational 2020

Thursday, January 30, 2020
LEAF 50th Festival Line Up and Tickets
Jan 30 all-day
Lake Eden Arts Festival
New Diabetes Wellness and Prevention Cohorts YWCA
Jan 30 all-day
YWCA Asheville

We are dedicated to promoting health equity and reducing the disparity in diabetes outcomes that disproportionately affect the Black community in Buncombe County. 

If you have type 2 diabetes or are at risk the YWCA offers a life-changing journey!

What are the benefits? 

  • Weekly educational support groups
  • Membership to the YWCA Fitness and Aquatic Center
  • Consultations with a pharmacist

We will explore important topics such as:

  • Monitoring blood glucose (sugar)
  • Engaging in physical activity
  • Making healthy food choices, planning meals and controlling portion size
  • Knowing your medications
  • Understanding complications associated with diabetes
  • Managing stress and social situations
  • Setting goals and problem solving

All of this is offered to you for an affordable, sliding scale, monthly fee!
For more information or to sign up, call Leah Berger-Singer at (828)254-7206 x 212

Into the Blue: Artist Invitational 2020 at Blue Spiral
Jan 30 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Blue Spiral

Blue Spiral 1’s most diverse annual exhibition presents artists who have never previously shown in the gallery. This year’s show features nine artists working in a range of media, including painting, ceramics, textiles, mixed media, photography, and wood.

Artists: Anna Buckner, Mark Flowers, David Knox, Hiromi Moneyhun, Kris Rehring, Ben Strear, Gregor Turk

Into the Blue_ Artist Invitational 2020

Friday, January 31, 2020
LEAF 50th Festival Line Up and Tickets
Jan 31 all-day
Lake Eden Arts Festival
Into the Blue: Artist Invitational 2020 at Blue Spiral
Jan 31 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Blue Spiral

Blue Spiral 1’s most diverse annual exhibition presents artists who have never previously shown in the gallery. This year’s show features nine artists working in a range of media, including painting, ceramics, textiles, mixed media, photography, and wood.

Artists: Anna Buckner, Mark Flowers, David Knox, Hiromi Moneyhun, Kris Rehring, Ben Strear, Gregor Turk

Into the Blue_ Artist Invitational 2020

A Wild Food Stroll at The Grove Park Inn
Jan 31 @ 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
The Grove Park Inn

Ready to go WILD? Join us for a trip “off the eaten path.” You’ll learn how to safely gather edible wild plants, mushrooms, and other “extreme cuisine.” Stay for a stunning view of the sunset and enjoy dinner at Vue 1913 featuring a free appetizer with the edibles you met on your tour. Suitable for all ages and abilities. To register or for more info, see here. Three-hour foraging tours also available, year-round, by arrangement.

Wild food is the ultimate natural food: ultra-local, fresher, more flavorful, 10 to 100 times more nutritious than its garden-variety descendants, AND it’s free! With over 300 wild edibles, Western North Carolina is the richest temperate ecosystem on Earth. For a taste of the wild life, forage ahead and experience the life of a modern hunter-gather firsthand. It’s a unique experience in self-catering, a memorable lesson in high-class survival.

Saturday, February 1, 2020
Artist Opportunities: Asheville Area Arts Council
Feb 1 all-day
Asheville NC

Artist Opportunities

The Asheville Area Arts Council is pleased to share the following opportunities for artists that have recently been submitted to us. If you have any questions about an opportunity, please contact the listed organization.

The Asheville Area Arts Council does not endorse or recommend any specific opportunities, but provides this list for information only. We encourage artists to research each opportunity thoroughly before applying.

Call for Artists: NRCC Art Society

The North Ridge Country Club Art Society wishes to promote art and area artists, while also developing increased art appreciation within its membership. The NRCC Art Society continues to expand the permanent art collection in the clubhouse for members …

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January 3, 2020 – January 19, 2020

Call for Musicians: Chamber Music Raleigh

ANNOUNCING THE FOLLOWING OPPORTUNITY FOR NC-BASED MUSICIANS   Performance Venue: North Carolina Museum of Art, SECU Auditorium Dates: Sunday, February 28, 2021 at 2pm or Sunday, April 18, 2021 at 2pm Artists Fee: up to $2500   Submission Instructions:  …

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January 2, 2020 – January 24, 2020

Call for Artists: Shenandoah National Park

The Shenandoah National Park Artist-in-Residence program offers professional artists focused time to creatively explore the natural and cultural resources of this astounding landscape. It also allows artists the opportunity to share their work through …

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November 25, 2019 – January 31, 2020

Call for Artists: Zapow Juried Show

ZaPow Gallery, the premier Illustration and Narrative Art Gallery in the Southeast, will be hosting its Second Annual Juried Open Show March 2020. If you are an Illustrator or Narrative artist living in the WNC area this is your chance to show your wor …

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December 9, 2019 – February 1, 2020

Call for Artists: Magnetic Theater

SPECIAL EVENT – ONE ACT PLAY FESTIVAL Script Submission Guidelines:   – The submission deadline is Saturday, February 1st at 11:59pm. – Plays should be between 10 and 30 minutes long, though there is a bit of wiggle room. – No more than 10 roles (prefe …

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January 3, 2020 – February 1, 2020

Call for Artists: Chilkoot Trail Residency

The Yukon Arts Centre, the US National Park Service, Parks Canada and the Skagway Arts Council are calling for submissions for the 2021 Chilkoot Trail Artist Residency Program. Participants will combine their artistic abilities with a love of the outdo …

December 9, 2019 – February 11, 2020

Call for Artists: International Artist Residency

Open Call for 2020-21 International Artist Residencies at Farm Studio in Rajasthan, India The deadline for applications is 20th February, 2020. Residencies will take place October, November, December 2020 and January, February 2021. All residency infor …

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Citizen’s Police Academy (CPA) 12 week course
Feb 1 all-day
City Municipal Building

Police-Hat

Applications are due Feb. 21.

The Asheville Police Department (APD) is now inviting residents to apply for the spring semester of the Citizen’s Police Academy (CPA). Participants in this free course will learn about the daily work and operations of APD, while also giving the department an opportunity to obtain valuable feedback from the community.

 

The course will begin on March 5. Sessions are held each Thursday from 5:30 to 9 p.m. for 12 weeks. The course is held at the Municipal Building, 100 Court Plaza, in downtown Asheville. Dinner is provided.

 

The course consists of basic classroom instruction, presentations and demonstrations of topics such as criminal investigations, constitutional and criminal law, use of force, departmental structure and defensive tactics. Participants will also be given the opportunity to ride along with an officer.

Those wishing to participate must apply and be accepted. You can submit an application online at this link. Applications are due Feb. 21.

 

Environmental Education: RiverLink Summer Camps
Feb 1 all-day
Buncombe County NC

Environmental Education is crucial to what RiverLink does. We believe that in order for someone to protect their environment, they must first understand it. Our education programs focus on getting students out in the watershed for hands-on experiential learning. We help students foster a love and appreciation for their water resources by allowing them to see, hear and interact with their local waterways. As a result of engaging with our program we hope that students will be inspired to become the next generation of watershed stewards.

RiverRATS Education Program

Forest Floor Wilderness Programs
Feb 1 all-day
Forest Floor

Forest Floor is offering sixteen different week-long camp options for ages ranging from K-10. Camps begin with the first week June 15-19 and end with the week of August 10-14. The program is structured to get kids out in the forest, exercising and playing, sharing stories and songs, solving challenges, and learning traditional crafts, wilderness skills, survival skills, and martial arts. Forest Floor programs are unique in the Asheville area because of the focus on Nature Connection Mentoring and helping children reach and exceed their potential.

Parents can drop their children off at Haw Creek Commons in Asheville between 8:30 – 9:00 AM daily, and then pick them up there between 3:00 – 3:30 PM. Camp staff will transport the children via passenger van to the forest location and back each day. An After Camp” option with games and nature activities is available for parents who choose to pickup as late as 5:30 PM. After Camp can be reserved for specific days or the entire camp week.

 

The standard pricing for the camps is $295 per week including transportation. The Blacksmithing and Knife-making camps for Grades 6-10 only are priced at $384 per week. After Camp adds $15-30 per afternoon depending on the specific reservations. A payment plan and sibling discount are offered as well. A limited number of partial scholarships are also available. Registrations are taken online in advance at the company website www.OnTheForestFloor.org.

 

About Forest Floor Wilderness Programs – Forest Floor Wilderness Programs (FFWP) is a unique Asheville provider of Nature-Connection Mentoring programs. FFWP was founded in 2011 by Executive Director Clint Corley to bring a nationally-proven youth mentoring model to the Asheville area. The group offers summer camps, and a wide variety of other programs including weekly programs for homeschool families, bi-weekly programs for teens & public school children, Saturday programs, family campouts, and workshops for adults.

LEAF 50th Festival Line Up and Tickets
Feb 1 all-day
Lake Eden Arts Festival
Redesigning Our Future: National Environmental Summit for High School Students
Feb 1 all-day
Catawba College
RiverLink’s Art & Poetry Contest Grades PreK-12
Feb 1 all-day
online
Free Gardening Workshops
Feb 1 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Black Mountain Library

On Sat., Feb. 1, 10 to 11:30 am, John Bowen and Barb Harrison, Buncombe Master Gardener Volunteers, will hold workshops on Starting Seeds Indoors and How to Sharpen Pruning Tools.

John will discuss how to start your seeds indoors and their requirements. He will talk about supplies, when to start, soil, light, water, scarification, stratification, and more. We will provide you with free materials to get you started ~ seed starter soil, containers, and seeds to take home (limited quantities). Please bring your small pruning tools as Barb will demonstrate how to sharpen them. After the demo, we will have tables set-up for you to sharpen your tools to get them ready for your chores.

Workshops are held at the Black Mountain Library’s Education Room at 105 N. Dougherty Street. Our presentations are in partnership with Black Mountain Blooms Seed Lending Library and Buncombe County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers.

Into the Blue: Artist Invitational 2020 at Blue Spiral
Feb 1 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Blue Spiral

Blue Spiral 1’s most diverse annual exhibition presents artists who have never previously shown in the gallery. This year’s show features nine artists working in a range of media, including painting, ceramics, textiles, mixed media, photography, and wood.

Artists: Anna Buckner, Mark Flowers, David Knox, Hiromi Moneyhun, Kris Rehring, Ben Strear, Gregor Turk

Into the Blue_ Artist Invitational 2020

Greenville Chautauqua Presents: Teddy Roosevelt
Feb 1 @ 2:00 pm
Wade Hampton High School Auditorium

Winter Chautauqua kicks off the 2020 theme of “Reinventing America,” with Teddy Roosevelt. What better way to “Reinvent America” then with the Rough Rider, Nobel Prize winning President who stepped down at the height of his popularity to four years later bolt the Republican Party and challenge his hand picked successor? In ninety days, Roosevelt’s “Bull Moose” Party humbled a sitting president and decisively beat a party that had dominated national politics for forty years. American politics was never then same again.

Get ready to flat out be amazed as you meet – Teddy Roosevelt. You’ll laugh – you’ll be challenged – you’ll have lots of questions. And as always at Chautauqua, the audience is part of the show. Bring your stories. Share your experiences. Get inspired. Because it’s not just history – it’s personal.

Sunday, February 2, 2020
RiverLink’s Art & Poetry Contest Grades PreK-12
Feb 2 all-day
online
Into the Blue: Artist Invitational 2020 at Blue Spiral
Feb 2 @ 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Blue Spiral

Into the Blue_ Artist Invitational 2020

Blue Spiral 1’s most diverse annual exhibition presents artists who have never previously shown in the gallery. This year’s show features nine artists working in a range of media, including painting, ceramics, textiles, mixed media, photography, and wood.

Artists: Anna Buckner, Mark Flowers, David Knox, Hiromi Moneyhun, Kris Rehring, Ben Strear, Gregor Turk

Happy Campers Holiday Arts Extravaganza
Feb 2 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

January 2 & 3
Asheville Art Museum

Join us for one or both afternoons of art-filled fun. Students in grades 1–4 spend their time creating art of all kinds. All supplies and a snack are provided. Students are encouraged to wear clothes that can get messy. Preregistration is required; register online now, or call 828.253.3227 x124 for more information or to register by phone.

Greenville Chautauqua Presents: Teddy Roosevelt
Feb 2 @ 2:00 pm
Wade Hampton High School Auditorium

Winter Chautauqua kicks off the 2020 theme of “Reinventing America,” with Teddy Roosevelt. What better way to “Reinvent America” then with the Rough Rider, Nobel Prize winning President who stepped down at the height of his popularity to four years later bolt the Republican Party and challenge his hand picked successor? In ninety days, Roosevelt’s “Bull Moose” Party humbled a sitting president and decisively beat a party that had dominated national politics for forty years. American politics was never then same again.

Get ready to flat out be amazed as you meet – Teddy Roosevelt. You’ll laugh – you’ll be challenged – you’ll have lots of questions. And as always at Chautauqua, the audience is part of the show. Bring your stories. Share your experiences. Get inspired. Because it’s not just history – it’s personal.

Monday, February 3, 2020
Into the Blue: Artist Invitational 2020 at Blue Spiral
Feb 3 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Blue Spiral

Blue Spiral 1’s most diverse annual exhibition presents artists who have never previously shown in the gallery. This year’s show features nine artists working in a range of media, including painting, ceramics, textiles, mixed media, photography, and wood.

Artists: Anna Buckner, Mark Flowers, David Knox, Hiromi Moneyhun, Kris Rehring, Ben Strear, Gregor Turk

Into the Blue_ Artist Invitational 2020

Itch to Stitch Weaverville Library CANCELLED
Feb 3 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Weaverville Library

Itch to Stitch

Bring your current needle project and work while socializing with other like-minded crafters

Exploring Expressive Painting with Soft Pastel
Feb 3 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

FEBRUARY 3, 10, 17, & 24 (make-up, if needed: MARCH 2)—Mondays, 6–8 pm
Registration deadline: January 27

Soft pastel is the purest medium for painting vibrant colors. In this four-part class, explore color, texture, and design to create beautiful finished artworks. Practice blending, layering, and a variety of strokes and techniques, in addition to color theory, design, and individual expression.

Instructor Terrilynn Dubreuil has over 30 years’ experience encouraging people of all ages and abilities to realize they can be creative with helpful techniques and energy. With an undergraduate degree and graduate studies in fine art, she teaches most media through approaches that help newbies to more experienced artists, and everyone in between.

Student supply list

Adult Studio

The Museum’s studio program for adults offers a core curriculum in drawing, painting, printmaking, and three-dimensional media, and also explores the intersections between them. Local and visiting artists help students of all levels and abilities develop skills in media that reflect techniques and themes featured in the Museum’s Collection and special exhibitions. Classes meet for 3–12 weeks, and are designed for anyone interested in exploring specific media in depth; daylong workshops introduce new media or processes. To add your name to our Adult Studio mailing list, email Kristi McMillan, adult programs manager, or call 828.253.3227 x122.

Tuesday, February 4, 2020
Into the Blue: Artist Invitational 2020 at Blue Spiral
Feb 4 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Blue Spiral

Blue Spiral 1’s most diverse annual exhibition presents artists who have never previously shown in the gallery. This year’s show features nine artists working in a range of media, including painting, ceramics, textiles, mixed media, photography, and wood.

Artists: Anna Buckner, Mark Flowers, David Knox, Hiromi Moneyhun, Kris Rehring, Ben Strear, Gregor Turk

Into the Blue_ Artist Invitational 2020

Shapeshifters: Center for Craft
Feb 4 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Center for Craft

Shapeshifters, the newest exhibition in the John Cram Partner Gallery. Shapeshifters brings together the works of two acclaimed regional artists, Cherokee-based Joshua Adams and Atlanta-based Jiha Moon, who use masks and other objects to explore culture, material, and representation, particularly in the contemporary American South.