Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
Monday, August
31, 2020
This insider excursion provides you with tips and local secrets about the best way to do Asheville on a budget! You will have a better understanding of how Asheville became the unique, quirky city you see now and learn everything we are doing to “Keep Asheville Weird.” This is the only tip-based walking tour, allowing you to pay what you think it’s worth. We will follow the urban trail, stopping along the way to taste donuts, gin and honey for free and finish the tour with some special beer tastings at one of the best local breweries in South Slope! I want you to know and love my city as much as I do and I am excited to share this experience with you!
- I have been living in Asheville for about 3 years now
- I have been on many tours myself and know what is good :)
- I speak English, Spanish & Portuguese
- I believe you should only have to pay exactly what you believe it is worth to you and here is your chance!
- Satisfaction guaranteed or it’s free!
- You will reap all the benefits of my connections to the community with all offers and discounts
- I offer personalized itinerary planning, officially or unofficially
- I am also just a lot of fun to be around ;)
Call on Asheville City Council to do its part to clean up the French Broad River, starting with the establishment of a Stormwater Task Force to address the City’s water pollution problems. Not only does the City have a legal obligation to protect water quality, Council’s commitment to racial equity demands action to protect residents of the Southside neighborhood from the highest pollution levels in the city.
Our river is a public resource, and tens of thousands of people recreate on the French Broad every year. However, none of the testing sites within the City of Asheville pass the EPA’s safe limit on average, and the worst site that we test is Nasty Branch, which drains over half of downtown Asheville and flows through the historically African American Southside neighborhood, before discharging into the French Broad River in the River Arts District.
High levels of E. coli also indicate the presence of other, more harmful microbes, such as Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Shigella, and norovirus. Heavy rains and storms often result in spikes in E. coli contamination, increasing the risk to human health. Contact with or consumption of contaminated water can cause gastrointestinal illness and skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic and wound infections. The most commonly reported symptoms are stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and low-grade fever.
Asheville City Council has a moral and legal responsibility under the Clean Water Act to protect our river and water quality for all city residents. Henderson County has already established a Stormwater Task Force, Asheville should too.
Tuesday, September
1, 2020
This insider excursion provides you with tips and local secrets about the best way to do Asheville on a budget! You will have a better understanding of how Asheville became the unique, quirky city you see now and learn everything we are doing to “Keep Asheville Weird.” This is the only tip-based walking tour, allowing you to pay what you think it’s worth. We will follow the urban trail, stopping along the way to taste donuts, gin and honey for free and finish the tour with some special beer tastings at one of the best local breweries in South Slope! I want you to know and love my city as much as I do and I am excited to share this experience with you!
- I have been living in Asheville for about 3 years now
- I have been on many tours myself and know what is good :)
- I speak English, Spanish & Portuguese
- I believe you should only have to pay exactly what you believe it is worth to you and here is your chance!
- Satisfaction guaranteed or it’s free!
- You will reap all the benefits of my connections to the community with all offers and discounts
- I offer personalized itinerary planning, officially or unofficially
- I am also just a lot of fun to be around ;)
Wednesday, September
2, 2020
This insider excursion provides you with tips and local secrets about the best way to do Asheville on a budget! You will have a better understanding of how Asheville became the unique, quirky city you see now and learn everything we are doing to “Keep Asheville Weird.” This is the only tip-based walking tour, allowing you to pay what you think it’s worth. We will follow the urban trail, stopping along the way to taste donuts, gin and honey for free and finish the tour with some special beer tastings at one of the best local breweries in South Slope! I want you to know and love my city as much as I do and I am excited to share this experience with you!
- I have been living in Asheville for about 3 years now
- I have been on many tours myself and know what is good :)
- I speak English, Spanish & Portuguese
- I believe you should only have to pay exactly what you believe it is worth to you and here is your chance!
- Satisfaction guaranteed or it’s free!
- You will reap all the benefits of my connections to the community with all offers and discounts
- I offer personalized itinerary planning, officially or unofficially
- I am also just a lot of fun to be around ;)
Thursday, September
3, 2020
This insider excursion provides you with tips and local secrets about the best way to do Asheville on a budget! You will have a better understanding of how Asheville became the unique, quirky city you see now and learn everything we are doing to “Keep Asheville Weird.” This is the only tip-based walking tour, allowing you to pay what you think it’s worth. We will follow the urban trail, stopping along the way to taste donuts, gin and honey for free and finish the tour with some special beer tastings at one of the best local breweries in South Slope! I want you to know and love my city as much as I do and I am excited to share this experience with you!
- I have been living in Asheville for about 3 years now
- I have been on many tours myself and know what is good :)
- I speak English, Spanish & Portuguese
- I believe you should only have to pay exactly what you believe it is worth to you and here is your chance!
- Satisfaction guaranteed or it’s free!
- You will reap all the benefits of my connections to the community with all offers and discounts
- I offer personalized itinerary planning, officially or unofficially
- I am also just a lot of fun to be around ;)
Because of the Covid-19 situation, we will book tours on an individual basis. Please contact our office at 828-246-6777 or [email protected]. We will not mix groups with people who do not know each other.
Join us as we explore the history of the French Broad River and its seminal place in the development of Asheville–from the time when Native Americans lived along its banks to the Buncombe Turnpike, the railroad, and industries of yesteryear. On the tour you’ll hear about:
-
- How the river has changed since the days of George Vanderbilt, Thomas Wolfe, and when NASCAR greats Richard Petty and Junior Johnson raced cars in the area.
- The 1950s when Wilma Dykeman asked, “Who poisoned the river?” in her groundbreaking book, “The French Broad.”
- The current-day thriving River Arts District, the beautiful chain of parks along the riverfront greenway, and the recreational opportunities that abound.
- The great work of the RiverLink and our many partners (government, corporations, civic, non-profit conservation groups, and individuals) that have worked together to protect, preserve, and enhance the riverfront area so that locals and visitors alike can enjoy its beauty and grandeur.
If you like history and you appreciate environmental sustainability, this tour is for you.
The Arboretum’s popular ArborEvenings summer after hours series will return this season with a special LEGO twist. Held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July through September, from 8 to 11 …
Friday, September
4, 2020
This insider excursion provides you with tips and local secrets about the best way to do Asheville on a budget! You will have a better understanding of how Asheville became the unique, quirky city you see now and learn everything we are doing to “Keep Asheville Weird.” This is the only tip-based walking tour, allowing you to pay what you think it’s worth. We will follow the urban trail, stopping along the way to taste donuts, gin and honey for free and finish the tour with some special beer tastings at one of the best local breweries in South Slope! I want you to know and love my city as much as I do and I am excited to share this experience with you!
- I have been living in Asheville for about 3 years now
- I have been on many tours myself and know what is good :)
- I speak English, Spanish & Portuguese
- I believe you should only have to pay exactly what you believe it is worth to you and here is your chance!
- Satisfaction guaranteed or it’s free!
- You will reap all the benefits of my connections to the community with all offers and discounts
- I offer personalized itinerary planning, officially or unofficially
- I am also just a lot of fun to be around ;)
To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus), Grandfather Mountain is only selling tickets online.
Only a select number of tickets will be sold per day for certain time-slots to limit the number of guests in the park at one time, in accordance with the state of North Carolina’s phased “reopening” plan and social gathering guidelines.
Please check back closer to your visit for ticket availability. As of now, reservations are only available through June 21.
Each guest entering the park must have a ticket, which includes a time-slot. Prices are as follows:
Adult: $22
Senior (age 60+): $20
Child (ages 4-12): $9
AAA Adult: $20 (must present valid AAA card)
AAA Child: $8 (must present valid AAA card)
Join us for a relaxing ride through quiet countryside on your way to small town life in western North Carolina on the Tuckasegee River Excursion. Departing from Bryson City, this 4 hour excursion travels 32 miles round-trip to Dillsboro and back to the Bryson City Depot. Pass by the famous movie set of The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford!
The Tuckasegee (tuck-uh-SEE-jee) River Excursion includes an 1½ hour layover in the historic town of Dillsboro, where you’ll find more than 50 shops, restaurants, bed and breakfasts and country inns. There is time to shop, snack, and visit the many unique shops before returning to Bryson City.
The Arboretum’s popular ArborEvenings summer after hours series will return this season with a special LEGO twist. Held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July through September, from 8 to 11 …
Saturday, September
5, 2020
This insider excursion provides you with tips and local secrets about the best way to do Asheville on a budget! You will have a better understanding of how Asheville became the unique, quirky city you see now and learn everything we are doing to “Keep Asheville Weird.” This is the only tip-based walking tour, allowing you to pay what you think it’s worth. We will follow the urban trail, stopping along the way to taste donuts, gin and honey for free and finish the tour with some special beer tastings at one of the best local breweries in South Slope! I want you to know and love my city as much as I do and I am excited to share this experience with you!
- I have been living in Asheville for about 3 years now
- I have been on many tours myself and know what is good :)
- I speak English, Spanish & Portuguese
- I believe you should only have to pay exactly what you believe it is worth to you and here is your chance!
- Satisfaction guaranteed or it’s free!
- You will reap all the benefits of my connections to the community with all offers and discounts
- I offer personalized itinerary planning, officially or unofficially
- I am also just a lot of fun to be around ;)
To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus), Grandfather Mountain is only selling tickets online.
Only a select number of tickets will be sold per day for certain time-slots to limit the number of guests in the park at one time, in accordance with the state of North Carolina’s phased “reopening” plan and social gathering guidelines.
Please check back closer to your visit for ticket availability. As of now, reservations are only available through June 21.
Each guest entering the park must have a ticket, which includes a time-slot. Prices are as follows:
Adult: $22
Senior (age 60+): $20
Child (ages 4-12): $9
AAA Adult: $20 (must present valid AAA card)
AAA Child: $8 (must present valid AAA card)
On exhibit Saturdays and Sundays from 12 – 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.
Join us for a relaxing ride through quiet countryside on your way to small town life in western North Carolina on the Tuckasegee River Excursion. Departing from Bryson City, this 4 hour excursion travels 32 miles round-trip to Dillsboro and back to the Bryson City Depot. Pass by the famous movie set of The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford!
The Tuckasegee (tuck-uh-SEE-jee) River Excursion includes an 1½ hour layover in the historic town of Dillsboro, where you’ll find more than 50 shops, restaurants, bed and breakfasts and country inns. There is time to shop, snack, and visit the many unique shops before returning to Bryson City.
The Arboretum’s popular ArborEvenings summer after hours series will return this season with a special LEGO twist. Held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July through September, from 8 to 11 …
Sunday, September
6, 2020
This insider excursion provides you with tips and local secrets about the best way to do Asheville on a budget! You will have a better understanding of how Asheville became the unique, quirky city you see now and learn everything we are doing to “Keep Asheville Weird.” This is the only tip-based walking tour, allowing you to pay what you think it’s worth. We will follow the urban trail, stopping along the way to taste donuts, gin and honey for free and finish the tour with some special beer tastings at one of the best local breweries in South Slope! I want you to know and love my city as much as I do and I am excited to share this experience with you!
- I have been living in Asheville for about 3 years now
- I have been on many tours myself and know what is good :)
- I speak English, Spanish & Portuguese
- I believe you should only have to pay exactly what you believe it is worth to you and here is your chance!
- Satisfaction guaranteed or it’s free!
- You will reap all the benefits of my connections to the community with all offers and discounts
- I offer personalized itinerary planning, officially or unofficially
- I am also just a lot of fun to be around ;)
On exhibit Saturdays and Sundays from 12 – 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.
Join us for a relaxing ride through quiet countryside on your way to small town life in western North Carolina on the Tuckasegee River Excursion. Departing from Bryson City, this 4 hour excursion travels 32 miles round-trip to Dillsboro and back to the Bryson City Depot. Pass by the famous movie set of The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford!
The Tuckasegee (tuck-uh-SEE-jee) River Excursion includes an 1½ hour layover in the historic town of Dillsboro, where you’ll find more than 50 shops, restaurants, bed and breakfasts and country inns. There is time to shop, snack, and visit the many unique shops before returning to Bryson City.
Monday, September
7, 2020
This insider excursion provides you with tips and local secrets about the best way to do Asheville on a budget! You will have a better understanding of how Asheville became the unique, quirky city you see now and learn everything we are doing to “Keep Asheville Weird.” This is the only tip-based walking tour, allowing you to pay what you think it’s worth. We will follow the urban trail, stopping along the way to taste donuts, gin and honey for free and finish the tour with some special beer tastings at one of the best local breweries in South Slope! I want you to know and love my city as much as I do and I am excited to share this experience with you!
- I have been living in Asheville for about 3 years now
- I have been on many tours myself and know what is good :)
- I speak English, Spanish & Portuguese
- I believe you should only have to pay exactly what you believe it is worth to you and here is your chance!
- Satisfaction guaranteed or it’s free!
- You will reap all the benefits of my connections to the community with all offers and discounts
- I offer personalized itinerary planning, officially or unofficially
- I am also just a lot of fun to be around ;)
Starting Sept. 3, the following campgrounds will reopen:
Abrams Creek, Balsam Mountain, Big Creek, Cataloochee and Cosby Campgrounds, and Big Creek, Cataloochee, Round Bottom and Tow String Horse Camps.
The only campground to remain closed is Look Rock on the Tennessee side of the park, which is still closed for rehabilitation, said spokeswoman Dana Soehn. All group campsites remain closed.
Heintooga and Look Rock picnic areas and Little Greenbrier Road will also reopen Sept. 3.
Tuesday, September
8, 2020
This insider excursion provides you with tips and local secrets about the best way to do Asheville on a budget! You will have a better understanding of how Asheville became the unique, quirky city you see now and learn everything we are doing to “Keep Asheville Weird.” This is the only tip-based walking tour, allowing you to pay what you think it’s worth. We will follow the urban trail, stopping along the way to taste donuts, gin and honey for free and finish the tour with some special beer tastings at one of the best local breweries in South Slope! I want you to know and love my city as much as I do and I am excited to share this experience with you!
- I have been living in Asheville for about 3 years now
- I have been on many tours myself and know what is good :)
- I speak English, Spanish & Portuguese
- I believe you should only have to pay exactly what you believe it is worth to you and here is your chance!
- Satisfaction guaranteed or it’s free!
- You will reap all the benefits of my connections to the community with all offers and discounts
- I offer personalized itinerary planning, officially or unofficially
- I am also just a lot of fun to be around ;)
Wednesday, September
9, 2020
This insider excursion provides you with tips and local secrets about the best way to do Asheville on a budget! You will have a better understanding of how Asheville became the unique, quirky city you see now and learn everything we are doing to “Keep Asheville Weird.” This is the only tip-based walking tour, allowing you to pay what you think it’s worth. We will follow the urban trail, stopping along the way to taste donuts, gin and honey for free and finish the tour with some special beer tastings at one of the best local breweries in South Slope! I want you to know and love my city as much as I do and I am excited to share this experience with you!
- I have been living in Asheville for about 3 years now
- I have been on many tours myself and know what is good :)
- I speak English, Spanish & Portuguese
- I believe you should only have to pay exactly what you believe it is worth to you and here is your chance!
- Satisfaction guaranteed or it’s free!
- You will reap all the benefits of my connections to the community with all offers and discounts
- I offer personalized itinerary planning, officially or unofficially
- I am also just a lot of fun to be around ;)
Playground openings.
Some areas remain closed including restrooms and picnic shelters. Paddle boat, water trike, and Jon boat rentals will not be available until further notice.
Staying physically active is one of the best ways to keep your mind and body healthy. Parks are open spaces to exercise for no or little cost, places for hurried individuals to reconnect with nature, and community areas to connect with neighbors and preserve culture. While these facilities and areas can offer mental and physical health benefits, it is important that you follow the steps below to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.
Guidance for Park Visitors
- Remember that ongoing community spread of COVID-19 continues. Practice the three Ws:
- Wear a cloth face covering over your nose and mouth when you go out or are around others.
- Wait at least six feet apart from and avoid close contact with others who do not live in your household.
- Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer often.
- Stay home if you are sick or exhibiting symptoms.
- Wash your hands before leaving home and bring sanitizer or wipes, water, and sunscreen. No restrooms or water fountains are currently open.
- Maintain at least six feet of physical distance between yourself and anyone who does not live in your household.
- Outdoor gatherings are limited to 50 persons.
- Playgrounds are subject to regular cleaning, but the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread when kids touch contaminated objects, and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Picnic shelters remain closed.
- Keep it moving when using trails and step aside to let others pass. At some parks, trails may be marked as one-way only.
- Limit your park time so that others can also safely enjoy the space.
- Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter to help minimize invasive species, bank erosion, and water pollution.
- Let us know how you’re enjoying your parks! Tag Recreation Services on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #IHeartBCParks.
Buncombe County is diverse. Playgrounds should be, too. The spirit of inclusion is straightforward in a recent partnership that has brought swing access for persons of all abilities to the three largest parks in the County’s Recreation Services system.
With support from Dogwood Health Trust, Sand Hill Lions Club, and the citizens of Buncombe County, wheelchair swings can be found at Buncombe County Sports Park, Charles D. Owen Park, and Lake Julian Park that adhere to Americans with Disability Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design. Front and rear ramps allow easy access onto and off a 32 inch wide platform (the same as standard doorway entries). Wheelchairs can easily navigate on specially engineered mulch that also acts as a safety feature in case a user should fall.
Thursday, September
10, 2020
This insider excursion provides you with tips and local secrets about the best way to do Asheville on a budget! You will have a better understanding of how Asheville became the unique, quirky city you see now and learn everything we are doing to “Keep Asheville Weird.” This is the only tip-based walking tour, allowing you to pay what you think it’s worth. We will follow the urban trail, stopping along the way to taste donuts, gin and honey for free and finish the tour with some special beer tastings at one of the best local breweries in South Slope! I want you to know and love my city as much as I do and I am excited to share this experience with you!
- I have been living in Asheville for about 3 years now
- I have been on many tours myself and know what is good :)
- I speak English, Spanish & Portuguese
- I believe you should only have to pay exactly what you believe it is worth to you and here is your chance!
- Satisfaction guaranteed or it’s free!
- You will reap all the benefits of my connections to the community with all offers and discounts
- I offer personalized itinerary planning, officially or unofficially
- I am also just a lot of fun to be around ;)
Playground openings.
Some areas remain closed including restrooms and picnic shelters. Paddle boat, water trike, and Jon boat rentals will not be available until further notice.
Staying physically active is one of the best ways to keep your mind and body healthy. Parks are open spaces to exercise for no or little cost, places for hurried individuals to reconnect with nature, and community areas to connect with neighbors and preserve culture. While these facilities and areas can offer mental and physical health benefits, it is important that you follow the steps below to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.
Guidance for Park Visitors
- Remember that ongoing community spread of COVID-19 continues. Practice the three Ws:
- Wear a cloth face covering over your nose and mouth when you go out or are around others.
- Wait at least six feet apart from and avoid close contact with others who do not live in your household.
- Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer often.
- Stay home if you are sick or exhibiting symptoms.
- Wash your hands before leaving home and bring sanitizer or wipes, water, and sunscreen. No restrooms or water fountains are currently open.
- Maintain at least six feet of physical distance between yourself and anyone who does not live in your household.
- Outdoor gatherings are limited to 50 persons.
- Playgrounds are subject to regular cleaning, but the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread when kids touch contaminated objects, and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Picnic shelters remain closed.
- Keep it moving when using trails and step aside to let others pass. At some parks, trails may be marked as one-way only.
- Limit your park time so that others can also safely enjoy the space.
- Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter to help minimize invasive species, bank erosion, and water pollution.
- Let us know how you’re enjoying your parks! Tag Recreation Services on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #IHeartBCParks.
Buncombe County is diverse. Playgrounds should be, too. The spirit of inclusion is straightforward in a recent partnership that has brought swing access for persons of all abilities to the three largest parks in the County’s Recreation Services system.
With support from Dogwood Health Trust, Sand Hill Lions Club, and the citizens of Buncombe County, wheelchair swings can be found at Buncombe County Sports Park, Charles D. Owen Park, and Lake Julian Park that adhere to Americans with Disability Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design. Front and rear ramps allow easy access onto and off a 32 inch wide platform (the same as standard doorway entries). Wheelchairs can easily navigate on specially engineered mulch that also acts as a safety feature in case a user should fall.
The Arboretum’s popular ArborEvenings summer after hours series will return this season with a special LEGO twist. Held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July through September, from 8 to 11 …
Friday, September
11, 2020
This insider excursion provides you with tips and local secrets about the best way to do Asheville on a budget! You will have a better understanding of how Asheville became the unique, quirky city you see now and learn everything we are doing to “Keep Asheville Weird.” This is the only tip-based walking tour, allowing you to pay what you think it’s worth. We will follow the urban trail, stopping along the way to taste donuts, gin and honey for free and finish the tour with some special beer tastings at one of the best local breweries in South Slope! I want you to know and love my city as much as I do and I am excited to share this experience with you!
- I have been living in Asheville for about 3 years now
- I have been on many tours myself and know what is good :)
- I speak English, Spanish & Portuguese
- I believe you should only have to pay exactly what you believe it is worth to you and here is your chance!
- Satisfaction guaranteed or it’s free!
- You will reap all the benefits of my connections to the community with all offers and discounts
- I offer personalized itinerary planning, officially or unofficially
- I am also just a lot of fun to be around ;)
