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.

Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Preschool Story Time- Black Mountain Library
Jun 14 @ 10:30 am – 11:15 am
Black Mountain Library

Join us for a story time designed for children ages 3 to 5 years as we share books, songs, rhymes, and activities.

Toddler Story Time at Enka Library
Jun 14 @ 10:30 am – 11:45 am
Enka-Candler Library

Join us for a fun and interactive story time designed for children ages 18 months to 3 years.

For the safety and enjoyment of everyone, our capacity for story time is at 40 people. Tickets are available at the front desk.

Animal Birthday Party
Jun 14 @ 11:00 am – 3:30 pm
Grandfather Mountain
A Western cougar holding an enrichment ball at Grandfather Mountain

Join us to celebrate the birthdays of our resident animals with games, contests, crafts and surprises. The park’s wildlife habitat staff hosts a fun-filled afternoon for guests, as well as programs to celebrate the park’s furry and feathered inhabitants. Millie the Bear will make special appearances throughout the day. Events begin at 11 a.m. and continue until 3 p.m. Join for one event or all. Included with admission.

Also participate in our ongoing daily programs. See the full list.

Black Mountain College and Mexico (BMC/MX): Exhibition
Jun 14 @ 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center

Black Mountain College and Mexico (BMC/MX): Exhibition, Publication, and Public Programming

Black Mountain College (1933–1957), a small but remarkably influential liberal arts school in rural North Carolina, had important links to Mexico that until now have been little investigated. A crucible of twentieth-century creativity, BMC galvanized and inspired artists and intellectuals from around the world, while Mexico’s innovations and age-old traditions—in fine and applied arts, architecture, poetry, music, performance, and more—dovetailed with, and indeed drove, global impulses toward modernism and beyond. Among the many key BMC figures whose lives were importantly touched by experiences in Mexico were Anni and Josef Albers, Ruth Asawa, John Cage, Jean Charlot, Elaine de Kooning, Buckminster Fuller, Carlos Mérida, Robert Motherwell, Charles Olson, Clara Porset, M.C. Richards, and Aaron Siskind. In turn, engagements with BMC and its legacy have played a significant role in shaping contemporary approaches to art in Mexico, evident in the works of Jorge Méndez Blake, Iñaki Bonillas, Abraham Cruzvillegas, Jose Dávila, Gerda Gruber, Lake Verea, Gabriel Orozco, and Damián Ortega, among others.

The exhibition BMC/MX features works by these and other prominent contemporary Mexican artists alongside a selection of historic works by BMC artists, highlighting the ways in which ideas and modalities are translated across materials, space, and time.

Related programming, planned in collaboration with Mexican artists, features a series of public events, including a performance by artist (and BMC/MX co-curator) David Miranda to take place at Different Wrld; an exhibition visit (in Spanish and English) with BMC/MX Project Director Eric Baden; and a series of experiential art events in the BMCM+AC library.

The exhibition is accompanied by the book Black Mountain College and Mexico (forthcoming late summer 2023), which investigates the people, ideas, and practices linking BMC and Mexico during the life of the school, as well as resonances between BMC and the work of contemporary Mexican artists. With contributions by BMC/MX’s curators, as well as by artist Abraham Cruzvillegas, design scholar Ana Elena Mallet, and author and activist Margaret Randall, this fully illustrated volume brings new light to this complex and underexplored subject.

BMC/MX is an investigation into modes of communication—the arenas in which new ideas and alliances may come to be—between Black Mountain College and Mexico, between past and present, between form and idea.

About the Curators

BMC/MX’s Project Director Eric Baden is a photographer and from 1994 to 2022 was professor of photography at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, North Carolina. He is the founding director of photo+, a multidisciplinary arts event held in Asheville, North Carolina.

Artist and educator David Miranda is curator at the Museo Experimental El Eco (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM), and teaches at the Escuela Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado “La Esmeralda” in Mexico City.

Diana Stoll is an editor, writer and curator who works with institutions such as The Museum of Modern Art and the J. Paul Getty Museum. She has served as an editor at Aperture and Artforum magazines, and contributes writings to prominent arts publications.

Kids Storytime at Barnes and Noble
Jun 14 @ 11:00 am
Barnes and Noble

Kids Storytime at Barnes and Noble

Pulp Potential: Works in Handmade Paper
Jun 14 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Paul Wong, Carbon, silver and gold, 2016, pigmented linen and cotton pulp, publisher: Dieu Donné, New York, edition 3/25, 18 × 11 inches. Gift of Dieu Donné, New York, 2022.27.06. © Paul Wong.

On View March 8 through July 24, 2023
The Van Winkle Law Firm Gallery • Level 1

Paper is an essential part of the art-making process for many artists, serving as the base for drawing, painting, printmaking, and other forms of art. As a substrate, paper can vary in weight, absorbency, color, size, and other aspects. Since industrialization, paper has primarily been produced through mechanical means that allow for consistency and affordability.

What happens, then, when an artist chooses to return to the foundations of paper, wherein it is made by hand using pulps, fibers, and dyes that reflect the human element through variations, inconsistencies, flaws, and surprises? Certain artists have sought out these qualities and embraced them, making paper not just a support on which to work, but fully a medium in and of itself.

Pulp Potential: Works in Handmade Paper is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Hilary Schroeder, former assistant curator, with assistance from Alexis Meldrum, curatorial assistant. Special thanks to Dieu Donné, New York, NY.

The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad
Jun 14 @ 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Biltmore Estate

Included with admission

Back by popular demand, The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad exhibition offers guests:

  • An opportunity to view rarely-seen treasures from the Biltmore collection
  • A first-hand look at the Vanderbilts’ lifestyle
  • Deeper insights into George, Edith, and Cornelia’s personalities, both at home and on their extensive travels

Access to exhibitions at The Biltmore Legacy is included with Biltmore daytime admission.

Outdoor County Pools Open
Jun 14 @ 11:30 am – 5:00 pm
Various Buncombe County Outdoor Pools

Gather bathing suits and sunscreen, Buncombe County’s outdoor pools are getting ready to open. The County’s five outdoor pools will open for the 2023 season on May 27. This includes the pools at Cane Creek, Erwin, Hominy Valley, North Buncombe, and Owen.

Outdoor pools will be open on weekends only until area schools are out for the summer. Starting on June 10, Pools will be open seven days a week.

Pool hours are Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Cost for pool entry is $3 per person.

Private lessons at the outdoor pools are available for different age groups from 3-year-olds and up. For more information on lessons or to register for a class, click here.

The pools can also be booked for private parties 14 days in advance and must have a minimum of 50 patrons. Pool bookings are available Monday through Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 6:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Click here for more information on booking pools.

Buncombe County Pool Locations:

  • Cane Creek Pool – 590 Lower Brush Creek Road, Fletcher
  • Erwin Pool – 58 Lees Creek Road, Asheville
  • Hominy Valley Pool – 25 Twin Lakes Road, Candler
  • North Buncombe Pool – 734 Clarks Chapel Road, Weaverville
  • Owen Pool – 117 Stone Drive, Swannanoa

In addition, lap swimming is available year-round at the Buncombe County Schools Aquatics Center, a 10-lane pool managed by the YMCA of Western North Carolina and Buncombe County Schools.

For more information on outdoor pools, visit the County’s pool website or call (828) 348-4770.

Juneteenth Celebrations: “Lunch and Learn” Sessions
Jun 14 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Various Locations
juenteenth graphic

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County, in partnership with the City of Asheville, has planned the 2023 Juneteenth Celebration with the intended outcomes of a diverse celebration that fosters broad participation, fosters community awareness and appreciation, and celebrates the liberation of enslaved people. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19 th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War had ended and that the enslaved were now free. This was two-and-a-half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Thus, starting the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. The City of Asheville designated Juneteenth as a City holiday in 2021, and on June 8, Mayor Esther Manheimer issued a proclamation acknowledging Juneteenth as a day of celebration for Black Americans.

The 2023 Juneteenth Celebrations include five “Lunch and Learn” Sessions, five African Americans in Films Entertainment Events, and a two day Juneteenth Festival in Pack Square Park. The full list of Juneteenth celebratory events is listed on the Association’s website.

Each of the “Lunch and Learn Sessions” has been strategically placed throughout Asheville’s historic community centers to encourage all citizens access to various topics, while giving individuals a chance to visit centers that they might not often frequent. The schedule is as follows:

  • Monday, June 12, Noon – 1 p.m., Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, Dr. Oralene Simmons and Mr. Jonathan McCoy, “Historical Facts of Juneteenth”
  • Tuesday, June 13, Noon – 1 p.m., Stephens-Lee Community Center, “Community Reflections on the Historic Stephens-Lee High School”
  • Wednesday, June 14, Noon – 1 p.m., Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, Mr. Matthew Bacoate, Jr., “Reflections on Life in Black Asheville”
  • Thursday, June 15, Noon – 1 p.m., Burton Street Community Center, Apostle Inez D. Ray, Rev. Alfred Blount, and Rev. Brent LaPrince Edwards, “The Role of the Black Church in Asheville”
  • Friday, June 16, Noon – 1 p.m., Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, Mr. Drew Reisinger, “Slave Records Research” & Ms. Linda Brown, “African-American Cemeteries Research”
Aanika’s Elephants
Jun 14 @ 1:00 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center
See it in Tryon before it goes to Broadway in 2024!
Produced by the best puppeteers in show business:
• Writer: Annie Evans, 13-time Emmy Award
Winning Writer for Sesame Street
• Director: Pam Arciero, Puppeteer with Sesame
Street for more than 35 years
• Puppet Design: Martin P. Robinson, Designer,
Puppeteer (Mr. Snuffleupagus) with Sesame
Street for decades
Performed by actors and puppeteers from
Sesame Street and Jim Hon Productions

Aanika’s Elephants is the tender story of a young Kenyan girl who meets a baby elephant, aptly named Little, at the orphanage where her father works. They grow together the way only two young girls can, even if one has a trunk. Their story is one of compassion, love, and conservation.

 

In a time when society is experiencing so much division, stress and anxiety, Aanika’s Elephants is a healing and tender reminder that family can be anything – a beloved family member or even a herd of elephants. The audience is invited to use their imaginations to fill in the large rattan-framed elephants, adorable baby elephants and people who are at times, represented by just hats and gloves. Using music, a wide variety of puppets and humor, Aanika’s Elephants entertains and educates audiences young and old on the plight of the elephant and our world.

 

Tryon Fine Arts Center is fortunate to present a series workshops and the play, which is in development and will make its Broadway debut next year, by a very talented mix of actors and puppeteers – many who are long-time stalwarts on Sesame Street and/or with Jim Henson puppeteers including Aanika’s Elephants creator Annie Evans, a writer and winner of 13 Emmy Awards for Sesame Street, Pam Arciero, a puppeteer with Sesame Street and the Muppets for more than 35 years, and Martin P. Robinson who has played Mr. Snuffleupagus on Sesame Street for more than 41 years.

Tuckasegee River Excursion
Jun 14 @ 1:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Great Smoky Mountain Railroad

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 1 hour and 20 minute layover in the historic town of Dillsboro, where you’ll find more than 50 shops, restaurants, a brewery, and country inns. There is time to shop, snack, and visit the many unique shops before returning to Bryson City.

Here’s what we plan on doing. Refer to this train’s schedule for departures times.

30m before departure Boarding begins at Bryson City Depot
See schedule for departure time Depart Bryson City, NC
1h 30m Arrive at Dillsboro, NC
1h 30m—2h 50m Layover
2h 50m Depart Dillsboro, NC
4h 00m Arrive at Bryson City Depot
Time from Departure Activity

Given the nature of railroading, durations are approximate and subject to change without notice.

Cinderella: Enchanted
Jun 14 @ 2:00 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse

A fresh take on a timeless classic, perfect for the whole family. With great warmth and more than a touch of hilarity, the hearts of children and adults alike still soar when the slipper fits. Inspired by the acclaimed teleplay starring Whitney Houston and Brandy, this version of the magical fairy tale is reborn with the Rodgers & Hammerstein hallmarks of originality, charm and elegance.

Summer Animal Encounters
Jun 14 @ 2:00 pm
Chimney Rock State Park
Weekdays only at 2pm

Do you know our staff has a wild side? Join a Park naturalist to meet some of our live Animal Ambassadors and learn about the types of wildlife in the area and their jobs. Some of our best educators have feathers, fur, shells or scales!

Etowah Lions Farmers Market
Jun 14 @ 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Etowah Lions Farmers Market

On Wednesdays through October, check out the Etowah Lions Farmers Market, which
showcases local farmers, vendors and artisans and the delicious produce the area is known for, all items sold are made by or
grown by the vendor.

Floral Design 101
Jun 14 @ 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Bullington Gardens

Floral Design 101 with Rachel Meriwether

Find joy in flowers at Bullington Gardens! Rachel Meriwether will share her experience as a flower farmer and a designer to get you started designing beautiful arrangements for your home, friends, and family. You will learn the basics of flower conditioning, balancing an arrangement with the vessel you are using, how to create different styles, and the principles of positive and negative space when designing.Please bring hand pruners if you have them, a small-to-medium-sized vessel of your choice (roughly the size of a quart mason jar is preferable) so you can bring your creation home, and any favorite flowers of your own! Flowers are provided, but feel free to bring anything special you would like to include.

Registration limit: 10.

Floral Design 101
Jun 14 @ 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Bullington Gardens

Floral Design 101 with Rachel Meriwether

Find joy in flowers at Bullington Gardens! Rachel Meriwether will share her experience as a flower farmer and a designer to get you started designing beautiful arrangements for your home, friends, and family. You will learn the basics of flower conditioning, balancing an arrangement with the vessel you are using, how to create different styles, and the principles of positive and negative space when designing.Please bring hand pruners if you have them, a small-to-medium-sized vessel of your choice (roughly the size of a quart mason jar is preferable) so you can bring your creation home, and any favorite flowers of your own! Flowers are provided, but feel free to bring anything special you would like to include.

River Arts District Farmers Market
Jun 14 @ 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
River Arts District Farmers Market

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Located in the River Arts District, and surrounded by art galleries and breweries, come find out about Asheville’s favourite mid-week market!

Weaverville Tailgate Market
Jun 14 @ 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Weaverville Tailgate Market

Weaverville Tailgate Market

Proudly serving the Weaverville community since 2009

Homeward Bound Fundraiser w/ Blue Ghost Brewing
Jun 14 @ 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Blue Ghost Brewing Company

Blue Ghost Brewing Company gives back to Homeward Bound this Wednesday, 6/19!

Come hang out with us at Blue Ghost Brewing Company in Fletcher on Wednesday!

Blue Ghost Brewing is donating 10 percent of sales from 4:00-9:00 PM on June 14th to Homeward Bound to support our mission of preventing and ending homelessness through permanent housing and support.

Some staff will be there to collect donations of household goods for our Welcome Home Donation Center.

 

Here’s a detailed Wish List of things we need

Read to Puptart!
Jun 14 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Enka-Candler Library

Puptart is a tail wagging robot dog who sits and stays, pants when listening, and responds to someone talking to and petting it. It will not jump up or run away, plus it’s fur free, so no sneezes and runny noses coming your way!

Every Wednesday afternoon, Puptart will be available for reading practice in the children’s picture book room. Help establish a joy of reading and develop early literacy skills. Sign up at the front desk, pick a book and practice reading for up to 15 minutes.

Young Professionals Monthly Social
Jun 14 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Dry Falls Brewing
asheBUILT Drinks and Networking
Jun 14 @ 5:30 pm
New Origin Brewing
PATIO: LAUREN CALVE
Jun 14 @ 5:30 pm
The Grey Eagle

Lauren Calve has been undergoing a metamorphosis in her life, a massive shift.  You can hear it seeping through every song, oozing out of every lyric, and feel the shedding of her skin with every note on her first full-length album Shift.  The subtle and understated yearning in her voice, the intonation in her haunting vocals and delivery, Calve is longing for something more.  Through the ten-track collection of songs on Shift, she invites the listener to come along on her journey of self-discovery and change, demonstrating a musical masterclass in the art of emotional storytelling.

Shift was recorded in Nashville at 3Sirens Music Group with producer, engineer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Dex Green (Margo Price, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Allison Russell).  “He took songs that had never been road tested, songs that went directly from my living room to the studio, and effortlessly brought them to life,” says Calve.  He also brought heavy hitters into the studio: Fred Eltringham on drums (ACM Drummer of the Year, Drumeo Country Drummer of the Year, Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson), Audley Freed on guitar (Sheryl Crow, The Black Crowes), Robert Kearns on bass (Sheryl Crow, Lynyrd Skynyrd), Marlon Patton on drums (Larkin Poe, Lera Lynn), Jared Reynolds on bass (Ben Folds) and Joe Costa on the board (Ben Folds).  “Nashville is home to some of the best musicians in the world,” says Calve.  “But I felt like I got to work with the best of the best.  It wasn’t just their technical ability, they approached every song with true artistry and infectious enthusiasm.”

During this process Calve learned that she liked putting herself in uncomfortable situations.

From embracing a different sound to recording in Nashville for the first time with “musical Jedis” as Calve calls them to trusting the unconventional fourteen month writing and recording process, she was thriving on pushing herself outside of her comfort zone. In turn, Shift was the catalyst for major paradigm shifts in her life.  Several months after wrapping up the album she ended an engagement and six-year relationship, she finally stopped drinking after years of failed attempts, and the writing process forced her to examine the ways she had limited herself.  “Ultimately, I made this album, but it remade me,” says Calve.

Pritchard Park Summer Series: Summer of Science with Asheville Museum of Science
Jun 14 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Pritchard Park

Explore hands on activities and experiments while we learn about the Science of Bubbles or the Science of Sound. Every other week we will play and learn together using a variety of tools, instruments, and toys. AMOS has a plethora of science to intrigue the zeal of every learner!

Virtual Tenants Rights Workshop
Jun 14 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
online w/ Just Economics and Pisgah Legal Services

Just Economics and Pisgah Legal Services are co-sponsoring a workshop for renters to learn their rights as tenants in NC. There will be a presentation and question and answer session with Pisgah Legal Services followed by a discussion with Just Economics about the Tenants’ Network. The goal of this workshop is to educate tenants about their rights as renters in North Carolina and begin connecting tenants to resources and to each other.

Through these workshops, Just Economics will facilitate the formation of a local Tenants’ Network. The purpose of having a Tenants Network is to build solidarity among tenants and between renters and the community, to organize mutual aid networks and to empower renters and community supporters to come together for projects to improve our neighborhoods. Additionally, the Tenants Network will be a way for renters to collectively advocate for public policies that favor the interests and rights of tenants and to take collective action to fight back when tenants face injustice.

Beginning Adult Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance
Jun 14 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Whitmire Activity Center

Beginning Adult Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance meets on Wednesdays from June 14 to July 19. Tuition is $130. In this class, students will learn basic jazz techniques that are essential for any aspiring stage performer. The class will cover iconic steps that you’ve seen in classic musical theater productions, as well as help students fine-tune basic techniques to help them become better dancers. The class is perfect for anyone looking to take their dance skills to the next level, regardless of experience level. Whether students are dreaming of starring in the next Broadway hit or just want to improve their dance skills, the class is the perfect opportunity to learn, grow and have fun.

Students of all skill levels are encouraged to attend. To register for classes, please visit  HVLtheatre.org or call the Box Office at (828) 692-1082.

Elizabeth Creamer is a former professional dancer turned dance teacher. Creamer brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her role as the dance instructor at West Henderson High School. She pursued higher education opportunities in dance at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she obtained her B.A. in Dance Studies. During her time at college, she studied various styles of dance, including contemporary, African, jazz, hip hop, ballroom dancing, belly dancing, ballet and many more. While at college, Creamer auditioned for and was selected as a dancer for The Lost Colony, a Tony Honors Award recipient show, for three summers. After completing her degree, Creamer returned to the area to teach classes at Asheville Ballroom and Dance Center, where she also competed with a Latin dance troupe called The Bluestar Dancers. Additionally, she assisted the former dance teacher at West Henderson High School with various musical productions before eventually taking over as the school’s dance teacher in 2017.

Creamer has used her expertise in dance and choreography to create dances for many shows including GreaseWizard of OzLittle Shop of HorrorsThe Little Mermaid, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Madagascar Jr. and Frozen Jr. Her creativity and expertise in dance bring out the best in her students, inspiring them to reach their full potential.

PEACE TALK: 1776
Jun 14 @ 6:00 pm
Peace Center--Ramsaur Studio

Broadway Peace Talks give audiences a deeper dive into the history, inspiration and people who bring our shows to life on stage.  Join Dr. Kristin Pressley (Dr. Broadway) and other Broadway lovers every month at the Peace Center for these presentations.

Wednesday Pub Run
Jun 14 @ 6:15 pm
Archetype Brewing

Wednesday Pub Run

Join us every Wednesday at 6:15pm at Archetype Brewing – West off of Haywood, for a fun pub run featuring two different routes!

Follow us on social media to stay up to date on when we have special guests, shoe demos, and giveaway nights!

CREATIVE FACILITATOR TRAINING
Jun 14 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Story Parlor

Story Parlor and Inward & Artward present: an interactive 14-week program on how to create and facilitate unique offerings rooted in the intersection of the creative process, personal stories, and the human condition. Tailored for folks interested in starting a new and fulfilling career path, or simply wanting to deepen and/or refresh their approach to holistic creative facilitation.

Guideposts Include:

  • Identifying creative blocks, obstacles, and breakthrough strategies for self and others

  • How to create and conduct creative-based groups, workshops, classes, and retreats

  • Teaching philosophy and ethics

  • The intersection of mindfulness and the creative process, and how to implement into facilitation

  • Nurturing a sustainable creative lifestyle, personally, professionally, and instructionally

  • Tools to excavate personal stories and ways they can be used for healing, transformation, and creative bounty

  • Marketing, business planning, and logistics

  • Two one-on-one creativity coaching sessions

Early Bird pricing through April 30 | $1250
Regular price effective May 1 | $1400

Class dates include Wednesdays from 6:30-8:30pm
5/31, 6/7, 6/14, 6/21, 6/28, 7/5, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26, 8/2, 8/9, 8/16, 8/23, 8/30
Some classes will be conducted over zoom; Final two meetings will go till 9:30pm.

Refund and Covid policies can be found here.

Before registering, prospective participants must first submit the below application. Next steps will be provided thereafter.

Juneteenth Festival: The Woman King
Jun 14 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Ferguson Auditorium, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
juenteenth graphic

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County, in partnership with the City of Asheville, has planned the 2023 Juneteenth Celebration with the intended outcomes of a diverse celebration that fosters broad participation, fosters community awareness and appreciation, and celebrates the liberation of enslaved people. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19 th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War had ended and that the enslaved were now free. This was two-and-a-half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Thus, starting the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. The City of Asheville designated Juneteenth as a City holiday in 2021, and on June 8, Mayor Esther Manheimer issued a proclamation acknowledging Juneteenth as a day of celebration for Black Americans.

The films listed below will also be shown each evening, June 12 – 16, at Ferguson Auditorium, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

 

  • The Woman King, Wednesday, June 14
  • Ray, Thursday, June 15
  • Madea’s Family Reunion, Friday, June 16