Calendar of Events
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.

The exhibit features thought-provoking photos taken by students, faculty, and staff while traveling abroad.
Accessibility
Find accessibility information for campus buildings at maps.unca.edu. For accessibility questions or to request event accommodations, please contact [email protected] or 828.250.3832.
Visitor Parking
Visitors must have a permit to park on campus — please visit the Transportation website to register.
Listen. Dance. Feel the music and that will answer, “Why the “Legends of Africa?” Africa is the core and essence of where so much of humanity and music has originated. It has forever influenced music and cultures throughout the world with the diaspora of its people. Over the years, LEAF has connected deeply with many African artists and presented artists from 32 of the 54 countries on the continent. These bonds and our love of Africa, bring us back the magic of not just the continent, but its people, our family. So join us for a true gathering of friends and the rekindling of traditions that have made the past 27 years of LEAF memorable.
“The shortest distance between two people is a story, a song, or a dance.”
Masankho Banda from Malawi.
Who is an African Legend you admire? Chinobay of Uganda said he’s been inspired by the music he listened to during Apartheid. He spoke of Miriam Makeba (nicknamed Momma Africa) a South African singer, songwriter and activist whose music was socially responsible and carried so much power for the people. What makes you a Legend is the MESSAGE you carry to the world.
In flow with Chinobay’s reflection, the artwork is a masterpiece created by legendary artist Trek 6 inspired by his work in South Africa while producing a documentary. Trek spoke about how the sunrises and sunsets in Africa were surreal, thus he began with a beautiful sun design. A wall of drums in South Africa, where they host people from different tribes bringing food, song and art inspired the drums. In Trek’s own words, “Africa is cosmic, colorful, and the center to our past. From it we radiated.”We are honored by his artistic vision.

Are you looking for a great way to get involved with your community and make a difference? Board, committee, and commission members aid the governing process by keeping Buncombe County in touch with the ideas and attitudes of our community. They help provide direction for the allocation of funds, the provision of human services, protection of residents, property, and our natural resources.
Public input is vitally important to the success of our County, and right now Buncombe County has vacancies on a number of boards and commissions. Learn more about vacancies, deadlines to apply, and the application process at buncombecounty.org/transparency.
Featured Board & Commission vacancies
Buncombe County is seeking applications to join the Early Childhood Committee
This is a great chance to be a part of shaping the future for children in Buncombe County. The Early Childhood Education and Development Fund is a major driver in assuring every child in Buncombe County has an equal opportunity to thrive during their first 2,000 days. The focus of this initiative is to increase access to quality, affordable early childhood education.
As such, Buncombe County’s Early Childhood Committee, featuring 15 total members including 3 County Commissioners, was established to guide how the fund is invested. The purpose of the committee is to engage with community partners, solicit public input, and make policy and funding recommendations to the Board of Commissioners. This committee typically meets monthly, on the first Tuesdays from 1-2:30 p.m. To learn more about the Early Childhood Fund, click here to visit our website.
There are two open positions designated as Community/At Large for a two-year term that begins July 1, 2022. To apply, click here to complete an online application. The deadline to apply is June 24.
Economic Development Coalition Board Vacancy June 2022: At Large / 2 -year initial term
Are you a Buncombe County resident with interest in the strategies and goals of economic development? Have you carried executive leadership responsibility in the healthcare sector of Buncombe County? Do you offer passion for the needs of Buncombe County businesses and the direct relationship between economic vitality and community health and wellness? The EDC is seeking a c-level healthcare executive with expertise and perspective of a locally headquartered healthcare system for board service.
The Board of the Economic Development Coalition for Asheville-Buncombe County is a partnership of Buncombe County, City of Asheville, and the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce with a mission to improve economic opportunity in Buncombe County by growing wages, employment, tax base and a more diversified and balanced regional economy for all residents. Members of the Board will contribute to priority setting, financial planning, and program evaluation for staff of the EDC according to the AVL 5×5 Strategic Plan for 2025. Members may also be tasked with private sector fundraising for the AVL 5×5 Campaign, strategic plan development, service on ad-hoc advisory committees, or special projects that advance the goals of economic development in Buncombe County.
For more information, contact Lamar Joyner at 250-4105 or [email protected].
Audit Committee Seeking New Members
Looking for a great opportunity to further develop personally and professionally? The Audit Committee is seeking new members and will have three open positions for a four-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2023.
The Audit Committee was originally formed in 2000 to oversee the independent audit of the County’s financial statements and provide an annual evaluation of the budget documents. Since that time, the committee’s duties have expanded to include oversight of the County’s Internal Audit function including approving the annual internal audit plan and evaluating the effectiveness of the internal audit function.
The committee is made up of seven total members including two County Commissioners. We are looking for a member of another governing body, a member of the accounting profession, and a member of the banking community. Find more information on the Audit Committee here.
Time commitment: Minimum of two meetings required per year but typically meets six to seven times a year, on Tuesdays from 9-11 a.m.

If you’re behind on your water bill or afraid your water might get cut off, a new resource might be able to help you. On Jan. 4, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approved more than $450,000 in federal funding for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP). The initiative is aimed at preventing water disconnections and helping reconnect drinking and wastewater services.
The LIHWAP will be administered by Buncombe County-based Eblen Charities. The nonprofit will make payments directly to utilities on behalf of qualifying households. The program is slated to run through Sept. 30, 2023 or until funds are exhausted.
Eligibility requirements
Households that currently receive Food and Nutrition Services (FNS), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Work First services, or those that received Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) services from Oct. 1, 2020-Sept. 30, 2021, are automatically eligible to receive this benefit if their water services have been cut off or are in danger of being cut off.
For additional eligibility information or to apply, please contact Eblen Charities at (828) 255-3066.

OUTPACE HUNGER
FEED PEOPLE AND YOUR PASSION!

What Is Outpace Hunger?
Looking for a way to make a real impact this spring and summer? Feed people while pursuing your passion through Outpace Hunger, an action-based fundraising campaign that turns a favorite activity into meals!
For decades, MANNA FoodBank has been working to outpace hunger and food insecurity all across 16 counties of Western North Carolina, including the Qualla Boundary. The 2022 campaign runs May 1 through September 30, and we invite you join the growing community of folks who are Outpacing Hunger alongside of us!
How It Works
Participating in Outpace Hunger is easy!
You decide your level of commitment, so every participant can create their own path to helping provide food to our community. Participants also decide how, when, and where they complete their goal, any time now through the campaign end on September 30.
Outpace Hunger participants:
(1) Register to be a part of MANNA’s Outpace Hunger community. The $20 registration fee includes a t-shirt for you and provides 80 MEALS for neighbors facing food insecurity in WNC.
(2) Choose a favorite activity (run, walk, roll, stroll, hike, bike, paddle, climb, float, skate, golf, and everything in between!) to complete individually, or as a family/group/team.
(3) Set a goal to reach. This can be an activity-related goal, a fundraising goal, or both.
(4) Invite friends and family to support your fundraising efforts through your own, personalized Outpace Hunger webpage.

Whether running a 5K, walking your neighborhood, hiking the Mountains to Sea trail, or paddling the French Broad River, Outpace Hunger participants play a vital part in ensuring our WNC neighbors have access to healthy food.
READY TO OUTPACE HUNGER WITH US?
ALREADY AN OUTPACE HUNGER PARTICIPANT?
NEED MORE INFORMATION?
PARI’s summer STEM and space camp programming is designed to inspire your young scientist’s curiosity, passion, and confidence to discover something extraordinary. We give campers experiences that encourage deeper thinking and problem solving skills while finding opportunities for comradery, adventure, and fun in the incredible Pisgah Forest region.
Our Mission Control camps provide simulated missions that cover the many topics and skills necessary for a successful exploration of world beyond our own. We’ll use the same kinds of processes that NASA, SpaceX and others use in developing and conducting journeys into space. These missions teach teamwork and STEM principles while giving campers fun and exciting experiences. The camp is an immersive journey amidst our historic campus which played a critical role in the first space race, and will help poise your camper for a role in the next.
Teams will research real technologies and techniques to build and launch a spacecraft, set science and research goals, and ensure everything needed is sent along. They will also need to choose a crew and care for their health and well-being, perform outreach and gain public support, and navigate funding and political challenges.
PARI’s research based camps are aimed at the camper who wants to experience what its like to be a researcher in astronomy, astrophysics, and astrobiology. Scientists and researchers with careers in space science lead this academically challenging curriculum that has been refined for nearly two decades.
Camps begin with an intense first few days of introductions to the instruments, science, and math needed to conduct research. They’ll be guided through choosing a research goal from the menu investigations we believe they can successfully conduct with radio and optical telescopes, and vast archives, provided by PARI and its partners.
The importance of both individual and team based work is emphasized while campers are guided through the research process. They’ll learn to share their progress and conclusions in the same ways expected in journals and at astronomical conferences.
Register for one of PARI’s summer STEM and Space Camp programs today!
Scholarships opportunities are available!
Blood donors of all types are urgently needed through the summer. Community members are urged to roll up their sleeves and donate blood. One donation can help up to three people. ‘Freedom Week’ at TBC was formed many years ago to anticipate and prepare for the decrease of blood donors in the summer months. This year, Freedom Week is June 26 through July 10. TBC will be thanking blood donors who give from June 26th – July 10th with a commemorative t-shirt and an eGift card valued at $20. The blood donation is priceless.
This is the 43rd year for this weekly tailgate market, where vendors sell fresh-picked seasonal vegetables and fruit, local honey, cut flowers, plant starts and more!

Cool off in the Laurel River, get your feet wet, experienced swimmers
Drive time to the trailhead: 40-55 minutes
Distance: 7+- miles, Out and Back
Elevation Gain: 767 ft
Difficulty: Easy, moderate, some stream crossings
Time: on trail 3hrs
Pace: 2 mph
MEETUP LOCATION: Ingles Gas Express at Ingles Market, 863 Brevard Rd, across from the Asheville Outlets near I-25. Park near the Gas Station. Look for Blue CRV with Meetup sign. We’ll carpool to the trailhead. Suggested driver donation $7.
What to bring: swim wear? shoes/water shoes, hiking poles, (if you’re getting in the water, bring change of clothes), rain gear??, change of shoes.
Trail length is 7 miles. We may or may not do the entire length.
Described as mostly easy. This out and back trail follows the Laurel River outside of Marshall and Hot Springs with scenic views of many geological formations, rapids, and former railroad town life. Quoted from the HikeWNC website: ” This trail follows Big Laurel Creek through a scenic gorge to its junction with the French Broad River at the old logging ghost town of Runion.”
The trail is an old railroad bed which used to carry logs to the Runion sawmill in the 1920’s, and as such, is mostly level. However, it’s rocky and rooty in spots, so do bring the boots. Expect some muddy trail conditions.
A few small streams flow across the trail at various points, and bluffs tower over the river making the valley narrow and enclosed with precipitous slopes on either side. Huge boulders choke the gorge forming raging rapids in places, and a few deep holes. The trail nears its end at the former logging town of Runion. In its heyday, Runion was home to more than 1,000 people. Brick chimneys and crumbling foundations still remain – one of the few “ghost towns” in North Carolina.”
Well behaved dogs welcome.
Lunch after hike: [Spring Creek Tavern]((http://thespringcreektavern.com/) A group favorite.
Welcome to Western NC’s most premier farmers market!
Since 1980, we have been providing Asheville and the surrounding area with a full range of local, sustainably produced produce, meats, eggs, cheeses, breads, plants, prepared foods and crafts. Day vendors complement the members’ offerings with additional products and services.
The North Asheville Tailgate Market is a weekly, Saturday morning gathering of the best farmers, craftsmen, and bakers. With over 40 vendors and more than 40,000 annual customers, the market’s energetic and warm environment welcomes all.


The WNC Farmers Market is the premier destination for buying and selling the region’s best agriculture products directly from farmers & food producers to household & wholesale customers in an environment that celebrates the region’s diverse culture, food & heritage.
House of Operation:
WNC Farmers Market: 24/7, 361 days a year market access for farmers
Office: Monday- Friday, 8am-5pm
Market Shops: 7 days a week, 8 am-5 pm
Wholesale and Truck Sheds: 7 days a week

After two pandemic years operating as ASAP Farmers Market at A-B Tech, Asheville City Market will return downtown on April 2, from 9 a.m. to noon. Every Saturday, N. Market St. will be closed between Woodfin and E. Walnut streets. Customers can enjoy open-air shopping for local goods from nearly 50 vendors, including farmers, artisan food makers, services, and more.
In addition to in-season fruits and vegetables, vendors from across Western North Carolina provide specialty products like cheese, eggs, grassfed meat and pastured pork, rice, pasta, artisan bread, honey, plants, body care products, and much more. As a producer-only market, each vendor has a personal hand in growing, raising, or crafting their products, giving customers the opportunity to connect directly with farmers and other local producers. A weekly list of vendors is available by subscribing to the market’s newsletter at asapconnections.org.
Asheville City Market will offer ASAP’s Double SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables, which matches SNAP dollars with tokens that can be used for produce. For instance, if a SNAP customer swipes their EBT card for $10, they will receive $10 in SNAP tokens as well as $10 in Farm Fresh Bucks. SNAP tokens may be used for SNAP-eligible products from any vendor, including produce, meat, cheese, eggs, bread, plants, and more. Farm Fresh Bucks may only be used for fruits and vegetables.
Free parking for customers is available at HomeTrust Bank and Family Justice Center (across from the YMCA at 35 Woodfin St.). There are bus stops on the N1 and N2 routes one block away, on Broadway

COME CELEBRATE!
OPEN FROM MAY – NOVEMBER :: 9AM – NOON


Our market is a seasonal Saturday morning community event featuring organic and sustainably grown produce, plants, cut flowers, herbs, locally raised meats, seafood, breads, pastries, cheeses, eggs and local arts and handcrafted items. A family event every Saturday from May through November.
Visit us on Facebook!

When temperatures rise, something as simple as a box fan can potentially save a life!


Dates: July 11 – 16, 2022
Application: Available now through MyBMC
Cost: A $600 fee covers all housing, meals, classes, materials, and concert tickets. Spots are limited and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Please note: Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required for all students, faculty, and summer staff for the 2022 season. Please see our FAQ page for more information.
Program Summary
Brevard Music Center (BMC) presents The Brevard Project: Reimagining the Future of Orchestral Programming, a six-day intensive seminar and think-tank on orchestral programming intended for professionals and influencers in the orchestral field. Presented by Brevard Music Center in partnership with Bard College, the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University, the Chicago Sinfonietta, the South Dakota Symphony, the University of Michigan School of Music, and Project Director Joseph Horowitz, The Brevard Project takes place July 11-16, 2022. The central goals of The Brevard Project are to re-evaluate the artistic mission of the American orchestra and to share the skills needed to curate a more comprehensive, more inclusive American orchestral repertoire.
Curriculum
The Brevard Project: Reimagining the Future of Orchestral Programing complements Brevard Music Center’s week-long “Dvořák’s Prophecy” festival from July 11-16 and is inspired by Joseph Horowitz’s acclaimed new book Dvořák’s Prophecy and the Vexed Fate of Black Classical Music. Part think-tank, part seminar, this inaugural Project gathering equips practitioners and scholars alike to begin to answer questions about the dense nexus of culture and race, of historical, political, and moral reckonings surrounding the story of American orchestral music. The central goals of this program are to re-evaluate the artistic mission of the American orchestra and to share the skills needed to curate a more comprehensive, more inclusive American orchestral repertoire. The Brevard Project is designed for conductors, artistic administrators, executive directors, community engagement specialists, conservatory students, and engaged orchestra Board members.
Moving forward requires a fresh and closer look at our musical past – and to the lagging formation of an American symphonic canon. A new narrative of American classical music will be proposed that explores timely and topical issues that impact present and future orchestral programming. Why did our repertoire remain so stubbornly Eurocentric? What can we learn from this history? What can be mined from the treasure trove of long-hidden indigenous and Black music that can help to pave the future?
Classroom sessions will be highly interactive, drawing upon first-hand accounts of humanities-infused approaches to programming and community engagement. Topics of exploration include creating a “new paradigm” for American orchestral repertoire, rethinking the concert experience, and redefining the role of the music director. Participants will be challenged to envision programming and organizational initiatives to promote symphonic events grounded in the American experience, past and present.
The Faculty
A remarkable faculty has been assembled for this groundbreaking exercise.
*virtual participant
Joseph Horowitz, Project Director
Leon Botstein, President, Bard College; Music Director, American Symphony; Founder, Bard Festival and The Orchestra Now
Lorenzo Candelaria, Dean, Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University
Mark Clague, Music Historian, University of Michigan
JoAnn Falletta*, Music Director, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
Christopher Gibbs*, Music Historian, Bard Conservatory; Artistic Co-Director, Bard Festival
Delta David Gier, Music Director, South Dakota Symphony
Blake-Anthony Johnson, CEO, Chicago Sinfonietta
Keith Lockhart*, Artistic Director, Brevard Music Center
Douglas McLennan, Founder/Editor, ArtsJournal
Jason Posnock, Chief Artistic Officer, Brevard Music Center
Jesse Rosen, Former CEO, League of American Orchestras
Larry Tamburri, CEO, Newark School of the Arts (former CEO, Pittsburgh and New Jersey Symphonies)
The Performers
Lara Downes, Pianist, producer, arts advocate
Sidney Outlaw, Baritone/pedagogue, Ithaca College
George Shirley, Tenor/pedagogue, University of Michigan
Enrollment Information
Conductors, artistic administrators, executive directors, community engagement specialists, conservatory students, and Board members are all encouraged to apply for The Brevard Project.
Capacity is limited. A $600 fee covers all housing, meals, classes, materials, and concert tickets for the week. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Apply now through MyBMC.
Old Kentucky Home -The Thomas Wolfe Memorial
American Novelist Thomas Wolfe (1900-1938)
Considered by many to be one of the giants of 20th-century American literature, Thomas Wolfe immortalized his childhood home in his epic autobiographical novel, Look Homeward, Angel. Wolfe’s colorful portrayal of his family, his hometown of “Altamont” Asheville, North Carolina, and “Dixieland” the Old Kentucky Home boardinghouse, earned the Victorian period house a place as one of American literature’s most famous landmarks.
House tours are offered daily at half past each hour. Last tour leaves at 4:30 pm.
Group tours by reservation.
Adult – $5.00
Student (ages 7-17) – $2.00
Adult Group (10+) – $2.50 each
Student Group – $2.00 each
6 & under – Free
Hours of Operation

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Hybrid
Marco Reichert
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Bender Gallery is proud to announce Hybrid, a solo exhibition for Berlin based abstract painter Marco Reichert.
This solo exhibition highlights Reichert’s brand new ground breaking paintings made in conjunction with his own invented “painting machines.”
Mon – Sat 10 – 6 Sun 12 – 5
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As Buncombe County prepares to honor Juneteenth, the County has partnered with the Shiloh Community Association to release historic maps of African American landmarks. These maps identify the historical landmarks and markers that outline the rich and vibrant history of African Americans in Asheville and Buncombe County.
Free maps are available at the following locations:
- Buncombe County Register of Deeds, 205 College St., Asheville, available Monday-Friday
- Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St., Asheville, available Tuesday-Saturday
- Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, 36 Montford Ave. Asheville, available Monday-Friday
- Buncombe County tent at the Freedom Festival, a celebration of Juneteenth on Saturday, June 18 at Pack Square Park, Asheville
Please note that in observance of Juneteenth, the Buncombe County Register of Deeds will be closed on Friday, June 17, and the Pack Memorial Library will be closed on Friday, June 17 and Saturday, June 18.
The Asheville Historic Map of African American Landmarks takes readers on a tour of the Burton Street, East End/Valley Street, Southside, and Shiloh communities, noting historically African American neighborhoods, landmarks, churches, cemeteries, and lynching memorials. The map also details the contributions of James Vester Miller, one of the most prominent Black builders in Western North Carolina. His work is represented through the construction of many prominent African American churches, government buildings, and private projects for white clients.
The map also includes the lynching memorials, which were installed in October, 2021 to honor the lives of Mr. John Humphries, Mr. Bob Brackett, and Mr. Hezekiah Rankin. This Buncombe County Remembrance Project installation is part of the County’s partnership with the Equal Justice Initiative’s Historical Marker Project that collaborates with communities to memorialize documented victims of racial violence that occurred from 1877-1950, as well as to foster meaningful dialogue about race and justice.
To request maps or to learn more, email [email protected].
Learn more about Juneteenth here.

Featured Artists: Jude Stuecker (fiber) Erica Bailey (jewelry) Mary Dashiell (clay) Steve Miller (wood) Rex Redd (clay)
Take a 90-plus minute walk along Historic Main Street to learn about Hendersonville’s history and architecture and hear fascinating stories of the past. Be charmed and informed by Hendersonville’s history, architecture, and colorful stories. Learn how the town got its name, who donated the land, bordellos, the oldest block of buildings, amazing fires, trolley lines … and more. All walks begin at 10am and begin at Hendersonville City Hall, front steps (corner of 5th Ave. East and King Street).


July 1-30, 2022

West Side Story
The number one requested musical from our 2019 show survey. You asked for it, you got it! From the first notes to the final breath, West Side Story is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is transported to modern-day New York City as two young, idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the ‘American’ Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Their struggle to survive in a world of fear, violence, and prejudice remains one of the most innovative, heart-wrenching, and relevant musical dramas of our time. The score by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim are widely regarded as among the best ever written.


“My work focuses on deteriorating architecture. These structures, designed to be huge forces of permanence, are continually being challenged, destroyed and forgotten. I see an inherent honesty in the face of my subject. Among all of the clutter—the shards of wood and layers of rubble—there remains a gentle resolve. As I work, I study these structures incessantly. The buildings, often on the brink of ruin, have something very energized and present trying to escape from their fragmented reality.” –Seth Clark
This first solo show of Seth’s work at Momentum’s new space features large-scale works from his Barn, Ghost, and Aerial View Series. The collection also includes some of the artist’s sculptural objects in wood. Abstract works, which still reference weathered architecture, such as Lath Study and Vinyl Study, round out the exhibition.

RiverLink is honored to be the beneficiary of the community giving program at High Five Coffee in June and July! Stop by for a beverage and add a $5 donation at the register—100% of your gift goes to RiverLink! In addition, 10% of branded merchandise sales will support our efforts to restore the French Broad. Three locations to serve you: 13 Rankin Ave., 190 Broadway St., or (our favorite) the 2000 Riverside Drive location in Woodfin, offering coffee drinks, pastries and smoothies plus outdoor seating and walking trails on the bank of the river. Now that’s a coffee stop!
Of course, you can always donate directly from this newsletter. Thank you for considering a gift today!

3.6 mile out and back, ~700 ft elevation gain, to explore two falls in Pisgah. Bring lunch and a swimsuit – we’ll take time to rest and play in the water if folks want!
A later start (yay!) but Pisgah parking holiday weekend will be… challenging. Start time is when carpool leaves from The Hub at 276 and 280. We’ll be at trailhead (Cove Creek and Candy Bottom Parking off Fish Hatchery Road) ready to hike at 11:15.
For full trail description or directions to trailhead, see “Cove Creek Falls and Toms Spring Falls” on AllTrails
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/north-carolina/cove-creek-parking-lot-to-toms-spring-falls-daniel-ridge-parking-loop






