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, February 15, 2020
RiverLink’s Art & Poetry Contest Grades PreK-12
Feb 15 all-day
online
The North Carolina Arboretum Sweets with Your Sweetie
Feb 15 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
The North Carolina Arboretum

As part of the Arboretum’s “Love Birds” month-long celebration, the Arboretum will host a “Sweets with Your Sweetie” hot cocoa bar at the Baker Exhibit Center during Valentine’s Day weekend.
Guests can enjoy a free cup of hot chocolate (while supplies last) followed by a free guided hike starting at 1 p.m. Hikes will focus on the natural history of the Arboretum, including some of the region’s more prominent birds, and will be about one- to two- miles in length. Please note: Guided hikes will be on a first-come, first-served basis. The event is free; however, standard parking fees apply for non-members

Asheville Celtic Festival
Feb 15 @ 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Western North Carolina Agricultural Center -

Asheville Celtic Festival

Failte (Welcome)… to The Asheville Celtic Festival, a Winter Indoor Celtic Festival bringing the Celtic Spirit of the Seven Nations to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, will be held inside of the Davis Center at the WNC Agricultural Center giving us comfortable setting in the winter months.

Feel the Vibes of Early Settlers from the Celtic Nations

Participate in Entertaining Battles and Performances

Learn About Celtic History and Traditions

Listen to LIVE Celtic Music

Explore your Family Background

See Characters in 1700 Period Dress

Shop the Celtic Crafts and Buy a Kilt

Eat Traditional Foods

Drink the Stouts & Ales

Rest by the Fire

Attractions

Live Celtic Music

Traditional Food & Drink

Kilts and Accessories

Scottish Althletes

Scottish Crafts and Gifts

Scottish and Irish Dog Clubs

Armored Sword Fighting at The Castle

Family Heritage Research

North Carolina in the Great War Exhibit
Feb 15 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Smith-McDowell House

The exhibit is on loan from the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and has been supplemented with artifacts from the Smith-McDowell House collection. Entrance to the exhibit is included with Smith-McDowell House admission – and is always free for members – and runs through May 16, 2020.

The exhibit seeks to put the local men and women who served in context with the larger events happening in North Carolina, the United States, and the world. In the exhibit, visitors will find displays and interactive elements telling the stories of just a few of our hometown heroes.

Early Bird Yoga Asheville Art Museum
Feb 15 @ 10:15 am – 11:00 am
Asheville Art Museum

Early Bird Yoga

Join us on third Saturdays before the Museum opens for a fun-filled, 45-minute yoga and mindfulness meditation inspired by a visit to an artwork in our galleries. All ages and abilities are welcome; recommended for visitors aged 5+ (children must be accompanied by an adult). Bring your own mat, or borrow one from the Museum (limited quantity available). Preregistration is encouraged; for more information or to register by phone.

Le Vine Nior/Le Beir Noir (Tasting in the DARK!)
Feb 15 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Conundrum

WHAT IT IS… An experience unlike anything you have ever dreamed imaginable. Your host will engage your mind with charm and wit, and immerse your heightened senses of taste, smell, hearing and touch, while you sip five types of wine in complete darkness. Wine pours are paired with tasteful snacks, one liners, and hilarious hijinks. OR our beer tasting experience will take you on a journey of humor, tasting of five local beers, fun beer-friendly pairing, sight deprivation and enhancement of all remaining senses. The lights will be off, and this is not considered a meal. Designed for adults only, 21 and up. 50-60 minutes.

Le Vine Nior/Le Beir Noir (Tasting in the DARK!)
Feb 15 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Conundrum

WHAT IT IS… An experience unlike anything you have ever dreamed imaginable. Your host will engage your mind with charm and wit, and immerse your heightened senses of taste, smell, hearing and touch, while you sip five types of wine in complete darkness. Wine pours are paired with tasteful snacks, one liners, and hilarious hijinks. OR our beer tasting experience will take you on a journey of humor, tasting of five local beers, fun beer-friendly pairing, sight deprivation and enhancement of all remaining senses. The lights will be off, and this is not considered a meal. Designed for adults only, 21 and up. 50-60 minutes.

Sunday, February 16, 2020
Asheville Police Department: New Junior Police Academy
Feb 16 all-day
Municipal Building

The deadline for applications will be March 6. Applications can be downloaded by visiting this link.

The Asheville Police Department is excited to announce the first offering of a Junior Police Academy. This new program is designed for youth ages 14-19 who have a serious interest in pursuing a career in law enforcement.

 

Topics will include criminal law, investigations, narcotics, patrol/arrest techniques, and physical training. All classes are designed to incorporate both an academic and hands-on setting.

 

The Junior Police Academy will be offered at no cost to the participants. The Academy begins on March 30 and runs through April 11. Classes will be held at the Municipal Building, 100 Court Plaza, in downtown Asheville, from 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings; and from noon to 3 p.m. two Saturdays. Successful completion of the Junior Police Academy is a requirement for participating in the Asheville Police Department’s Explorer program.

 

There is limited space available for participants. The first 15 approved applicants will be accepted. Applicants who live within the city limits of Asheville will have priority selection. Applicant requirements include:

  • GPA of 2.0 or higher
  • Must pass a criminal background check
  • Must provide at least three references and have parent/guardian approval
  • Must have a full physical completed by a physician

 

 

 

Early Bird Registration Open for Senior Games and Silver Arts 2020
Feb 16 all-day
Buncombe County NC

Each spring, hundreds of locals 50+ years-old enjoy participating in the Asheville-Buncombe Senior Games and Silver Arts. This year’s program will be held at locations throughout Buncombe County from Tuesday, April 14-Friday, May 15. Registration is $5 before March 9 or $10 after that date. Military veterans may register for free.

To register, fill out a registration form (see documents below) or register online at ncseniorgames.org. Archery and pickleball have registration deadline dates.

Sports include basketball, bocce, croquet, football throw, softball throw, golf, cycling, track and field, archery, cheerleading, bowling, swimming, billiards, badminton, cornhole, horseshoes, pickleball, racquetball, shuffleboard, tennis, and table tennis. Miniature golf, rowing, and team softball and basketball are new this year. Age categories start at 50 and increase at five year intervals.

Silver Arts categories are classified as Heritage (quilting, woodwork, crochet, basket weaving, jewelry, needlework, tole painting, weaving, knitting, pottery, stained glass, woodcarving, and woodturning), Visual (solo, small group, and large group), Performing, Literary (poem, short story, essay, and life experience), and Contemporary. Art pieces will be displayed at Buncombe County Libraries in April and May.

A full schedule can be accessed below as a PDF.

Follow Buncombe County Recreation on Facebook and Instagram.

Table: News Item Documents
File Name Size Type Date & Time Added
Registration 209 KB 02/04/2020 7:52 AM
Schedule 45 KB 02/04/2020 7:52 AM
RiverLink’s Art & Poetry Contest Grades PreK-12
Feb 16 all-day
online
Western Carolina University School of Stage and Screen’s Production of “A Streetcar Named Desire”
Feb 16 all-day
Hoey Auditorium

Peformances: Feb. 13th-15th at 7:30pm, and Feb. 16th at 3:30pm

Written by: Tennessee Williams

Directed by: Acting for Stage and Screen program director Colin Wasmund

One of the most renowned plays of the American theare, Blanche DuBois, a schoolteacher from Kentucky, arrives in New Orleans and takes a streetcar named “Desire” to the French Quarter, where her sister, Stella, and Stella’s husband, Stanley Kowalski, live barely above squalor. Blanche’s affectations of refinement set her immediately at odds with blue-collar Stanley, who is further incensed when he learns his wife’s aristocratic inheritance—the family estate—has been forfeited to creditors. Believing that Blanche has sold the estate for personal profit and is swindling Stella and Stanley from sharing in the proceeds, Stanley disdains and demeans Blanche, who fights back in the only way she knows: with her genteel femininity. The Kowalski’s Elysian Fields apartment becomes a pressure cooker of sensuality and class tensions, until ultimately erupting in some of the most iconic dramatic moments seen on the modern stage.

The North Carolina Arboretum Sweets with Your Sweetie
Feb 16 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
The North Carolina Arboretum

As part of the Arboretum’s “Love Birds” month-long celebration, the Arboretum will host a “Sweets with Your Sweetie” hot cocoa bar at the Baker Exhibit Center during Valentine’s Day weekend.
Guests can enjoy a free cup of hot chocolate (while supplies last) followed by a free guided hike starting at 1 p.m. Hikes will focus on the natural history of the Arboretum, including some of the region’s more prominent birds, and will be about one- to two- miles in length. Please note: Guided hikes will be on a first-come, first-served basis. The event is free; however, standard parking fees apply for non-members

Le Vine Nior/Le Beir Noir (Tasting in the DARK!)
Feb 16 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Conundrum

WHAT IT IS… An experience unlike anything you have ever dreamed imaginable. Your host will engage your mind with charm and wit, and immerse your heightened senses of taste, smell, hearing and touch, while you sip five types of wine in complete darkness. Wine pours are paired with tasteful snacks, one liners, and hilarious hijinks. OR our beer tasting experience will take you on a journey of humor, tasting of five local beers, fun beer-friendly pairing, sight deprivation and enhancement of all remaining senses. The lights will be off, and this is not considered a meal. Designed for adults only, 21 and up. 50-60 minutes.

Le Vine Nior/Le Beir Noir (Tasting in the DARK!)
Feb 16 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Conundrum

WHAT IT IS… An experience unlike anything you have ever dreamed imaginable. Your host will engage your mind with charm and wit, and immerse your heightened senses of taste, smell, hearing and touch, while you sip five types of wine in complete darkness. Wine pours are paired with tasteful snacks, one liners, and hilarious hijinks. OR our beer tasting experience will take you on a journey of humor, tasting of five local beers, fun beer-friendly pairing, sight deprivation and enhancement of all remaining senses. The lights will be off, and this is not considered a meal. Designed for adults only, 21 and up. 50-60 minutes.

Monday, February 17, 2020
Power in Pints benefits Pisgah Legal Services
Feb 17 @ 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Hillman Beer

Come support Pisgah Legal Services by buying a pint of Hillman Beer!  All day, $1 for every Hillman beer bought will be donated to this local non-profit and support what they do for our community.
https://www.pisgahlegal.org/

Butchery Master Class: DIY Sausage Making
Feb 17 @ 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Hickory Nut Gap Farm

Learn about how our hogs are pasture raised from our farm director Asher Wright.  He will discuss heritage breeds, health benefits of pasture raised pork and how various inputs on the production side impact the quality of the meat.

MAKE

Make sausages with HNG’s head butchers! Each participant will make their own pork sausage. From grinding to mixing, recipes and proportions, to casings, you’ll learn about it all and do it all too!

EAT

Enjoy a beautiful spread of our in-house made Charcuterie & Sausages and a locally crafted adult beverage of your choice.

TAKE

You’ll take home approximately 5# of pork sausage!

Australia Bushfire Benefit Concert
Feb 17 @ 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm
The Grey Eagle

Join us at The Grey Eagle as we raise money to benefit those effected by the bushfires in Australia.

– ALL AGES
– STANDING ROOM ONLY
– DOORS 5:30PM / SHOW 6PM
– $10 SUGGESTED DONATION

Live music featuring:
6:30PM – Reverend Finster
7:30PM – Devils in Dust
8:30PM – The Digs
9:30PM – Steelin’ Time

Entire towns have been engulfed in flames, and residents across several states have lost their homes. The heaviest structural damage occurred in NSW, the country’s most populated state, where 1,588 homes have been destroyed and over 650 damaged.

In total, more than 7.3 million hectares (17.9 million acres) have been burned across Australia’s six states — an area larger than the countries of Belgium and Denmark combined.

Although recent cooler conditions and rain have brought some respite, more than 50 fires are still burning in the states of New South Wales and Victoria.

At least 33 people have been killed — including four firefighters — and more than 11 million hectares (110,000 sq km or 27.2 million acres) of bush, forest and parks across Australia has burned.

All donations will go to this fundraiser >> https://www.gofundme.com/f/fire-relief-fund-for-first-nations-communities?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link-tip&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet

Community invited: View Haywood and Page Avenue Design Concepts
Feb 17 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Center for Craft

haywood street panorama view

The Feb. 17 presentation will highlight how the design team built on the foundational work from the Haywood and Page Vision Report, their own site research and analysis, and input collected over the past four months to develop draft design concepts for the site. The work-session will be a time for the public to ask questions about the concepts and provide feedback.

The public is encouraged to attend. Online materials and a survey will also be available later in February.

The design team intends to present a conceptual master plan to the City Council in May. The feedback collected from the community during this time period will be used to help create that plan.

Tuesday, Feb. 18 – Drop-in Hours

10 to 11:30 a.m. and

2 to 3:30 p.m.

 

 

Free parking will be available for attendees at HomeTrust Bank, 10 Woodfin St. Passes must be printed before and displayed in car windows, click here to  print a pass. For more information, please visit this link on the City of Asheville website.

 

Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Asheville Police Department: New Junior Police Academy
Feb 18 all-day
Municipal Building

The deadline for applications will be March 6. Applications can be downloaded by visiting this link.

The Asheville Police Department is excited to announce the first offering of a Junior Police Academy. This new program is designed for youth ages 14-19 who have a serious interest in pursuing a career in law enforcement.

 

Topics will include criminal law, investigations, narcotics, patrol/arrest techniques, and physical training. All classes are designed to incorporate both an academic and hands-on setting.

 

The Junior Police Academy will be offered at no cost to the participants. The Academy begins on March 30 and runs through April 11. Classes will be held at the Municipal Building, 100 Court Plaza, in downtown Asheville, from 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings; and from noon to 3 p.m. two Saturdays. Successful completion of the Junior Police Academy is a requirement for participating in the Asheville Police Department’s Explorer program.

 

There is limited space available for participants. The first 15 approved applicants will be accepted. Applicants who live within the city limits of Asheville will have priority selection. Applicant requirements include:

  • GPA of 2.0 or higher
  • Must pass a criminal background check
  • Must provide at least three references and have parent/guardian approval
  • Must have a full physical completed by a physician

 

 

 

Cooking with Chef Steve
Feb 18 @ 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Hendersonville Country Club, Inc.

11:00am Cooking Class | 1:00pm Lunch
Spend your Tuesday in the HCC Kitchen taking part in an interactive cooking class with Chef Steve. This class will be open to a maximum of 10 participants. After the food is prepared, guests may join us at 1:00pm to enjoy the food prepared.

Arts Education Advocacy 101
Feb 18 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Center for Craft

This lecture is part of the new Creative Sector Talks series.

Nate McGaha, Executive Director of Arts North Carolina, discusses arts education advocacy and the role it plays in public policy and funding for comprehensive arts education. This presentation will include updates on state and federal policy and funding as it relates to the arts and arts education and provide tools and strategies to engage with elected officials to have a positive impact on the creative education of our students. In addition to training about what individuals can do in their own community, this talk will cover basic organization of advocacy campaigns and how to effectively unite behind a singular message of strengthening the arts in our school. Attendees will also learn more about Arts North Carolina, the only arts and arts education advocacy organization in the state, and how they have been instrumental in advancing government policy and investment in the arts for decades.

Arts North Carolina is the statewide advocacy organization for the arts; a 501(c)(3) organization governed by a statewide Board of Directors. ARTS North Carolina calls for equity and access to the arts for all North Carolinians, unifies and connects North Carolina’s arts communities, and fosters arts leadership.

Creative Sector Talk: Arts Education Advocacy 101
Feb 18 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Center for Crafts

Creative Sector Talk: Arts Education Advocacy 101

Nate McGaha, Executive Director of Arts North Carolina, discusses arts education advocacy and the role it plays in public policy and funding for comprehensive arts education. This presentation will include updates on state and federal policy and funding as it relates to the arts and arts education and provide tools and strategies to engage with elected officials to have a positive impact on the creative education of our students. In addition to training about what individuals can do in their own community, this talk will cover basic organization of advocacy campaigns and how to effectively unite behind a singular message of strengthening the arts in our school. Attendees will also learn more about Arts North Carolina, the only arts and arts education advocacy organization in the state, and how they have been instrumental in advancing government policy and investment in the arts for decades.

Speaker: Nate McGaha, Executive Director of Art NC

Arts North Carolina is the statewide advocacy organization for the arts; a 501(c)(3) organization governed by a statewide Board of Directors. ARTS North Carolina calls for equity and access to the arts for all North Carolinians, unifies and connects North Carolina’s arts communities, and fosters arts leadership.

 

Hedy Lamarr | Chautauqua Talk
Feb 18 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Hughes Main Library

Free event and parking. More Info: HistoryComesAlive.org or 864-244-1499

Join an audience that loves talking back to history to discuss Hedy Lamarr – with Kevin Treu, PhD, Chair of the Computer Science Department at Furman University, longtime Upstate actor, director and playwright and advocate for women in STEM fields.

Who would have believed that “The Most Beautiful Woman in the World,” Hollywood star Hedy Lamarr, was a genuine celling crasher scientist whose groundbreaking invention revolutionized modern communication, and made your cell phone, GPS, and Wi-Fi possible? But there’s no law that says an inventor can’t be beautiful. – Let’s talk about it.

This event is NOT a costumed performance. Hedy Lamarr will be performed by Judith Kalaora in the Chautauqua History Comes Alive Festival (June 12 – 21.)

Wednesday, February 19, 2020
North Carolina in the Great War Exhibit
Feb 19 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Smith-McDowell House

The exhibit is on loan from the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and has been supplemented with artifacts from the Smith-McDowell House collection. Entrance to the exhibit is included with Smith-McDowell House admission – and is always free for members – and runs through May 16, 2020.

The exhibit seeks to put the local men and women who served in context with the larger events happening in North Carolina, the United States, and the world. In the exhibit, visitors will find displays and interactive elements telling the stories of just a few of our hometown heroes.

Archaeology Lecture: State expansionism, colonialism, and stranger-kings among the Classic Maya
Feb 19 @ 7:30 pm
UNC Asheville Highsmith Student Union, Mountain Suites

Maxime Lamoureux-St-Hilaire is visiting assistant professor in archaeology in the Anthropology Department of Davidson College. He received his Ph.D. from Tulane University (2018), his M.A. from Trent University (2011), and B.Sc. from Université de Montréal (2008). Lamoureux-St-Hilaire has a keen interest for cross-cultural comparisons in archaeology and is most fascinated by how ancient governments worked. Specifically, he studies the structure of Classic Maya royal courts as evidenced by their regal palaces. Most recently, he has excavated the regal palace of La Corona, Guatemala, although his archaeological path has also led him to work in Belize, Mexico, Honduras, and Québec.

This lecture is co-sponsored by UNC Asheville’s Department of Classics and Western North Carolina Chapter of the Archaeological Institute of America. For more information, contact UNC Asheville Lecturer in Art and Classics Laurel Taylor, [email protected] or 828.251.6290.

Visitor Parking on the UNC Asheville Campus – Visitors may park in faculty/staff and non-resident lots from 5:00 p.m. until 7:30 a.m., Monday through Friday, and on weekends, holidays, and campus breaks. Visitors are not permitted to park in resident student lots at any time.

Thursday, February 20, 2020
Asheville Police Department: New Junior Police Academy
Feb 20 all-day
Municipal Building

The deadline for applications will be March 6. Applications can be downloaded by visiting this link.

The Asheville Police Department is excited to announce the first offering of a Junior Police Academy. This new program is designed for youth ages 14-19 who have a serious interest in pursuing a career in law enforcement.

 

Topics will include criminal law, investigations, narcotics, patrol/arrest techniques, and physical training. All classes are designed to incorporate both an academic and hands-on setting.

 

The Junior Police Academy will be offered at no cost to the participants. The Academy begins on March 30 and runs through April 11. Classes will be held at the Municipal Building, 100 Court Plaza, in downtown Asheville, from 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings; and from noon to 3 p.m. two Saturdays. Successful completion of the Junior Police Academy is a requirement for participating in the Asheville Police Department’s Explorer program.

 

There is limited space available for participants. The first 15 approved applicants will be accepted. Applicants who live within the city limits of Asheville will have priority selection. Applicant requirements include:

  • GPA of 2.0 or higher
  • Must pass a criminal background check
  • Must provide at least three references and have parent/guardian approval
  • Must have a full physical completed by a physician

 

 

 

North Carolina in the Great War Exhibit
Feb 20 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Smith-McDowell House

The exhibit is on loan from the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and has been supplemented with artifacts from the Smith-McDowell House collection. Entrance to the exhibit is included with Smith-McDowell House admission – and is always free for members – and runs through May 16, 2020.

The exhibit seeks to put the local men and women who served in context with the larger events happening in North Carolina, the United States, and the world. In the exhibit, visitors will find displays and interactive elements telling the stories of just a few of our hometown heroes.

Thirsty Thursday
Feb 20 @ 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Margaret and Maxwell

Every Thursday through March, enjoy a 5oz glass of wine for half-price.

A great way to discover a new wine for the new year.

Cheers and hope to see you soon!

Science Pub – Climate Change and your Health
Feb 20 @ 5:30 pm
The Collider

We are proud to present, in partnership with The Collider; February’s Science Pub –Climate Change and Your Health.

WNC Climate and Health Workgroup is a local collaborative of scientists, clinicians and public health leaders who engage with the public and policymakers around the region regarding impacts of climate change on human health, providing potential solutions and co-benefits of resilience planning.

This month come explore the ways in which climate change and weather are already impacting our nation’s health and what health impacts residents in WNC might expect in the future.

The presentation will end showcasing ways in which attendees can get involved in local climate action efforts and be part of the larger conversation. The talk will equip you with a more comprehensive view in support of when we protect the plant, we protect our health and the health of future generations.

Join us on Thursday, February 20, from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
*Doors will open at 5:30 pm (presentation begins at 6:00 pm)

Plant-Based Meal Series: Become a Plant Loving Human!
Feb 20 @ 6:00 pm – 8:15 pm
B. B. Barns The Garden Company