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, December 20, 2023
LAZOOM: CITY COMEDY TOUR
Dec 20 @ 10:00 am
LaZoom Room

Learn Asheville’s history, discover hidden gems, and laugh at LaZoom’s quirky sense of adventure.

  • Guided comedy tour bus of historical Asheville
  • 90-Minutes – tours run daily
  • 15-minute break at Green Man Brewing
  • $39 per person (ages 13+ only)
Puppet Playtime
Dec 20 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am
East Asheville Library
Every Wednesday morning, we open up the children’s activity room to give kids time for free play with puppets. Children must be under the supervision or a parent or guardian.
Enka History Book Club
Dec 20 @ 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Enka-Candler Library

The Enka History Book Club reads historical fiction and non-fiction.
We’ll be discussing, Come Fly The World by Come Fly The World: The Jet-Age Story of the Women of Pan Am by Julia Cooke.
Books are available for pick up at the library in large print and regular print.

The group meets in the community room and newcomers are always welcome.
In the case of inclement weather and winter storms, we will post canceled on this page, on our Facebook page, and on our Instagram page. Follow: @enkacandlerlibrary

Jim Gaffigan Barely Alive Tour
Dec 20 @ 7:00 pm
Harrah's Cherokee Center- Asheville

Comedian Jim Gaffigan announced new dates for his 2023/2024 BARELY ALIVE TOUR, with additional dates to be announced soon. Tickets go on sale Friday, October 6 at 10am (local time) with presale beginning Wednesday, October 4 th  at 10am (local time/code: ALIVE) at JimGaffigan.com.

Thursday, December 21, 2023
LAZOOM: CITY COMEDY TOUR
Dec 21 @ 10:00 am
LaZoom Room

Learn Asheville’s history, discover hidden gems, and laugh at LaZoom’s quirky sense of adventure.

  • Guided comedy tour bus of historical Asheville
  • 90-Minutes – tours run daily
  • 15-minute break at Green Man Brewing
  • $39 per person (ages 13+ only)
Flat Rock Book Club
Dec 21 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
The 2nd Act

Please join us at The 2nd Act in Hendersonville, NC for our first monthly book club meeting that strives to read books that create a closer knit and more inclusive community! We will meet virtually and in person monthly to discuss a book, so read the book and then join in the discussion in person or online every third Thursday. All are welcome! At the end of each meeting we will vote on the next book! The virtual club meeting will be in Zoom format and will meet 2.5 hours after the in-person meeting (8:00pm EST). After the meeting there is live acoustic music so stay and enjoy the vibe with your new friends! Put us down on your calendar for every third Third Thursday!

The first book is going to be called Disability Visibility.

Synopsis from the back cover: One in five people in the United States lives with a disability. Some disabilities are visible, others less apparent—but all are underrepresented in media and popular culture. Now, just in time for the thirtieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, activist Alice Wong brings together this urgent, galvanizing collection of contemporary essays by disabled people.

From Harriet McBryde Johnson’s account of her debate with Peter Singer over her own personhood to original pieces by authors like Keah Brown and Haben Girma; from blog posts, manifestos, and eulogies to Congressional testimonies, and beyond: this anthology gives a glimpse into the rich complexity of the disabled experience, highlighting the passions, talents, and everyday lives of this community. It invites readers to question their own understandings. It celebrates and documents disability culture in the now. It looks to the future and the past with hope and love. Preview:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51456746-disability-visibility
Message me for the Zoom link to the online meetup. Thanks!

Ashevillians Comedy Showcase at LaZoom
Dec 21 @ 7:00 pm
LaZoom Room Bar & Gorilla

The last Thursday every month is the Ashevillians Comedy Showcase!!!
Modelface Comedy brings you a villainous night of comedy so good it’s bad! Ashevillians Comedy Showcase is a celebration of some of the best comedians in the Mountains! Hosted each month by Ryan Gordon.

Featuring Ryan Cox and more!

ages 18+

Friday, December 22, 2023
LAZOOM: CITY COMEDY TOUR
Dec 22 @ 10:00 am
LaZoom Room

Learn Asheville’s history, discover hidden gems, and laugh at LaZoom’s quirky sense of adventure.

  • Guided comedy tour bus of historical Asheville
  • 90-Minutes – tours run daily
  • 15-minute break at Green Man Brewing
  • $39 per person (ages 13+ only)
Comedy at Catawba: Mandee McKelvey
Dec 22 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Catawba Brewing Company South Slope

Every Friday Modelface Comedy brings you the best comedians from all over the country. This week we have Mandee McKelvey from Kentucky!

Mandee McKelvey was recently named one of the 50 best undiscovered comics in the country by Thrillist, and it’s not hard to see why. As one of the midwest’s most acclaimed stand-up comedians, Mandee is revered for her ability to spin tragedy into comedy, from growing up poor in South Carolina to becoming a widow in her 20’s. Wait, it gets funnier!

Mandee was named a breakout performer at Limestone Comedy Festival and the Memphis Comedy Festival, and has recently featured for Whitney Cummings, Michelle Wolf, Laurie Kilmartin, Tig Notaro, Todd Barry, and Anthony Jeselnik. Her one-woman show, My Left Boob, received the Underdog Award for it’s sold-out debut at the 2019 IndyFringe and Kansas City’s Best of Fringe award in 2022.

Mandee produces the celebrated roast show Character Assassination and the storytelling show We Still Like You.

ages 18+
Doors at 6:30pm, show at 7pm

Saturday, December 23, 2023
LAZOOM: CITY COMEDY TOUR
Dec 23 @ 10:00 am
LaZoom Room

Learn Asheville’s history, discover hidden gems, and laugh at LaZoom’s quirky sense of adventure.

  • Guided comedy tour bus of historical Asheville
  • 90-Minutes – tours run daily
  • 15-minute break at Green Man Brewing
  • $39 per person (ages 13+ only)
Asheville Vaudeville
Dec 23 @ 8:00 pm
The Grey Eagle
Doors Open: 7:00 PM
– AGES 18+
– SEATED SHOW

Asheville Vaudeville – Asheville’s LARGEST vaudeville show featuring WNC’s best comedy, juggling, magic, burlesque, acrobatics, aerial arts, short plays, puppetry, sideshow, music, and more! This show will be hosted by April Queen!

What’s This? A Spooky Christmas Comedy Show
Dec 23 @ 10:00 pm
DSSOLVR

What’s This? A Spooky Christmas Comedy Show!

It’s almost Christmas and that is terrifying. Join Jack Skellington and crew at DSSOLVR on Christmas Eve Eve for a hilarious comedy showcase. Laugh it up and cheers to everyone you forgot to get gifts for. Or maybe just buy them tickets to the show, can’t think of a more perfect gift.

featuring: Christian Lee, Ryan Gordon, Petey Smith McDowell and more!!!

ages 21+
Doors at 10pm, show at 10:30pm

Sunday, December 24, 2023
Comedy at Catawba: A Very Cody Christmas
Dec 24 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Catawba Brewing Company South Slope

Local legend and famous Christmas enthusiast Cody Hughes is hosting a showcase of his favorite local and regional comics at Catawba Brewing this Christmas Eve.

Cody Hughes is a comedian from Asheville NC. He’s lived in a few different big cities and a lot of comedians like him and a lot of other comedians have heard good things about him from the comedians who like him. A few comedians don’t like him and he can’t do anything about that. Oh well. He has opened for Lewis Black, John Oliver, Maria Bamford, and many others. Cody’s first comedy special “Hello Fellow Human” is out now on the Four By Three Comedy YouTube channel.

ages 18+
doors at 6pm, show at 6:30pm

Wednesday, December 27, 2023
Foodie Book Club
Dec 27 @ 7:00 pm
online

Foodie Book Club

A book club for home cooks, foodies, industry folks, and anyone in-between.  We will be focusing on all sorts of food writing. Somethemes will be (but not limited to): food critics, chef memoirs, wine, food history, and food politics.

The Foodie group meets virtually on the last Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. (EST), beginning in June 2022.  Please email [email protected] for the Zoom meeting info.

Thursday, December 28, 2023
StoryWalk®: Outside In
Dec 28 @ 6:00 am – 10:00 pm
Weaver Park

Enjoy the fresh air reading and walking along the StoryWalk® trail during regular hours at Weaver Park.

OUTSIDE IN, a Caldecott Honor Award Winner written by Deborah Underwood and illustrated by Cindy Derby, is a mindful contemplation on the world’s connectedness and the many ways nature affects our everyday lives — even when we’re stuck inside, reminding emerging readers of ways nature creates and touches our lives in homes, apartments, and cars.

Outside is waiting, the most patient playmate of all. The most generous friend. The most miraculous inventor. This thought-provoking picture book poetically underscores our powerful and enduring connection with nature, not so easily obscured by lives spent indoors.

Rhythmic, powerful language shows us how our world is made and the many ways Outside comes in to help and heal us, and reminds us that we are all part of a much greater universe. Emotive illustrations evoke the beauty, simplicity, and wonder that await us all . . . outside.

The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT, and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Storywalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.

Book Discussion: Foster and Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
Dec 28 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
West Asheville Library

We will be discussing Foster and Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan.  All are welcome!

Modelface Comedy Presents Corey Ryan Forrester
Dec 28 @ 7:00 pm
The Grey Eagle
Doors Open: 6:00 PM
– AGES 18+
– FULLY SEATED SHOW
– LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE

Corey’s love for comedy started when he was a toddler watching Carson (and then Leno) from a blanket on the floor next to his daddy, Dale. By the second grade, Corey had already informed his teachers that he would be a comedian and didn’t ever consider another profession. At 16, he worked up the nerve to do his first open mic (lying about his age to be admitted into the club).

Corey spent the next decade hawking jokes in dingy bars and comedy clubs at night, then waking up to do random jobs to supplement his income. He was a house painter, retail associate, motorcycle salesman, urine sample collector, flower delivery boy, hotel maid, college textbook reseller, and hay bailer… at one point, he ran a family bakery with his mother and sister where he was considered the “Head Quiche Chef.”

In 2015 Corey traded in his chef’s hat for a full-time trucker hat. Under Corey’s trucker hat is a giant head, and under that are surprisingly thought-provoking rants on society, culture, and politics. His stand-up blends humor and common sense into a high-energy act full of silly physical comedy, recounting wild stories and emotionally-driven tangents.

Corey dreams of being in the small club of EGOT winners. His creative output is nearly insatiable and propelled by his passion for writing, performance, and silliness. Choosing to live in his hometown of Chickamauga, when Corey isn’t on the road touring internationally as part of the wellRED Comedy Tour, he takes hours-long walks through the woods, talks on the phone with his momma, and makes live videos to destigmatize mental health.

You can find daily videos and writing across Corey’s platforms. He makes viral character videos and political satire sketches, writes daily for his Substack subscribers, works on his upcoming second book, and produces more podcasts than you can count. Corey’s undeniable charm has garnered fans like Whoopi Goldberg, Chelsea Clinton, Leslie Jones, and Dave Bautista. His greatest honor has been connecting with people of all kinds, meeting fans on the road, and making his family proud, even if they cringe a little.

Friday, December 29, 2023
Comedy at Catawba: Tom Peters + Taylor Rodgers
Dec 29 @ 7:00 pm
Catawba Brewing Company South Slope

Every Friday Modelface Comedy brings you the best comedians from all over the country. This weekend we have former Asheville residents and current NYC comedians Tom Peters and Taylor Rodgers!!!

Tom Peters
Tom Peters is an NYC-based comedian. He has appeared in the New York Comedy Festival and is a contributor for The Onion, Reductress, and The Hard Times.

Taylor Rodgers
WNC native and currently based in NYC, many critics are calling Taylor Rodgers “the white Matt Rife”

Featuring Annie Russell

ages 18+
doors at 6:30pm, show at 7pm

Saturday, December 30, 2023
PreGame, A New Year’s Eve Eve Comedy Show
Dec 30 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Noble Cider & Mead Downtown

Every Saturday Modelface Comedy brings you the best comedians from all over the country. PreGame Comedy features the best local comics and our favorites from all over.

Hosted by Clay Jones

Featuring TBA

ages 18+
doors at 6:30, show at 7pm

Sunday, December 31, 2023
Comedy at Catawba: Caleb Synan (NYE)
Dec 31 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Catawba Brewing Company South Slope

Every Sunday Modelface Comedy brings you the best comedians from all over the country. This week we have Caleb Synan from Los Angeles for an early NYE show!

Caleb Synan is one of the hottest young comics in the country. (Funny AND good looking!) His unique background as a preacher’s kid from a small southern town gives him the ability to relate to any and every crowd — even though he’s a big old millennial who lives in LA. Want proof? He’s performed on CONAN (twice!), Last Comic Standing (once!), and his first Comedy Central special “30” in 2022 (You can watch it on YouTube!)

He’s also entertained our troops in South Korea and Japan. What a guy! It’s no wonder he won the title of “Wittiest” in Franklin County High School’s 2009 Yearbook. He even wrote this bio himself. And he’ll have a margarita with you if you play your cards right.

Featuring Jenny Jennings

ages 18+
Doors at 6pm, show at 6:30pm

Tickets
$20 advance, $25 day of
$25 premium seating (guaranteed table seating in the front three rows)

Food: No food sold at Catawba Brewing but outside food is allowed

Parkings options: Street parking around brewery and variety of pay lots around the building

Refund Policy: no refunds within 24 hours of the start of show or after

Tuesday, January 2, 2024
Malaprop’s New Year’s SALE
Jan 2 @ 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Malaprop's Bookstore

024 is here! And to celebrate, we are hosting our annual sale!

We will be open from 10 am to 7 pm and almost every item in the store will be 25% off! 

Happy New Year!

The fine print:

  • Discount applies only to in-store purchases of in-stock bookstore merchandise. Phone orders, web orders, special orders (books not on hand), gift cards, and cafe items are excluded.
  • Discount applies only to purchases made during store hours on January 2, 2024.
  • Discount cannot be combined with other discounts, markdowns, or coupons. (For example: You can’t use your GoLocal card for an additional discount; A book that is already 50% off won’t be 75% off.)
  • Items cannot be held without payment prior to the sale day in order to be purchased with a discount on the sale day.
Consent Book Club
Jan 2 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
TBA

Register so we can reach out and contact you as we prepare for our first meeting! Books will be distributed at the first meeting. This book club is for adults 18+.

Meetings will be on Tuesday evenings from 5:30-7pm (meeting location will be emailed once attendance is finalized)

Below are all the meeting dates:
December 5th
December 12th
December 19th
Skipping December 26th
January 2nd
January 9th
January 16th
Skipping January 22nd
January 30th

December – January Consent Book Club
Jan 2 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
tba

Our VOICE will be hosting a book club beginning this winter! Fill out the form to sign up as we have a limited amount of space!. Our first book selection will be Creating Consent Culture by Erica Scott and Marcia Baczynski. Books will be distributed at the first meeting and bus passes will be provided. This club will be offered in English, but we are looking to provide more opportunities in the future!

Books will be distributed at the first meeting. This book club is for adults 18+.

Meetings will be on Tuesday evenings from 5:30-7pm (meeting location will be emailed once attendance is finalized)

Below are all the meeting dates:
December 5th
December 12th
December 19th
Skipping December 26th
January 2nd
January 9th
January 16th
Skipping January 22nd
January 30th

Weaverville Library Evening Book Club: Normal People by Sally Rooney
Jan 2 @ 6:00 pm
Weaverville Public Library

Join us this month as we discuss, Normal People: A Novel by Sally Rooney.  We’ll meet in person at the Weaverville Library. Copies of this title are available at the Weaverville Library while supplies last. Newcomers are always welcome!

Wednesday, January 3, 2024
Wednesday Night Book Group
Jan 3 @ 7:00 pm
Malaprop's Bookstore

The Wednesday Night Book Group, hosted by Jay Jacoby, explores a diverse selection of fiction and nonfiction books determined by member suggestion. Click here to see a full schedule of what the club is reading. Club attendees get 10% off the book at Malaprop’s!

The club meets the first Wednesday of every month at 7:00 PM and alternates between meeting via Zoom and in-person at a private Asheville location.

To join the club, please email the host at  [email protected].

Thursday, January 4, 2024
Weaverville Library Afternoon Book Club
Jan 4 @ 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Weaverville Public Library

Join us this month as we discuss, Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy.  We will meet in person at the Weaverville Library. Copies of this title are available at the Weaverville Library while supplies last. Newcomers are always welcome!

Wild Woman Archetype Discussion Circle– La Loba
Jan 4 @ 4:00 pm
157 S Lexington Ave

Join us for a women’s circle discussion based on the timeless wisdom of ‘Women Who Run with the Wolves’ by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. Whether you’re diving into the book for the first time or already well-versed in the wild woman archetype, this group is designed to inspire you to reconnect with your wild integrity. We will unlock the symbolic language of the ancient tales in each chapter and reignite courage, intuition, and authenticity. This will be a recurring weekly circle examining a story per week in individual 1.5-hour meetings. Attend one, all, or pick and choose as you please.

This week’s story is from Chapter One: La Loba (the one who knows). Reading the chapter beforehand is recommended but not mandatory.

The meet-up will start promptly.

Live Stream | Crime and Politics Book Club Presents: Free Joan Little with Christina Greene
Jan 4 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Virtual - Malaprop's Bookstore/Café

You are invited to join the Malaprop’s Crime and Politics Book Club for this conversation with Christina Greene. The event is free but registration is required.

Friday, January 5, 2024
Jeff Allen ‘Are We There Yet?’ Comedy Tour
Jan 5 @ 7:00 pm
Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium

Jeff Allen’s rapid-fire humor, which centers on marriage and family, is a hit with all ages. A live comedy favorite, Jeff has appeared on Dry Bar Comedy, America’s Got Talent, Netflix, Amazon, Huckabee, Pure Flix, Showtime, Comedy Central, VH1, and more. He starred in the critically acclaimed film, Apostles of Comedy, the syndicated comedy series, Bananas, his own one-hour comedy special, Happy Wife, Happy Life, and the Warner Bros. comedy film, Thou Shalt Laugh. Jeff has been featured at Montreal’s Just For Laughs festival and HBO’s Comedy Arts Festival. His Dry Bar Comedy videos have amassed over 400 million views on social media and other platforms, introducing him to tens of millions of new fans worldwide. At times both gut-wrenching and hilarious, Jeff’s new tour offers a unique glimpse into his crazy world.

About The Tour: Are We There Yet?

The first part of the show features Jeff’s brilliant standup comedy, which has garnered hundreds of millions of fans around the globe. The second part is based on Jeff’s book, Are We There Yet? which tears down all walls and shows Jeff’s journey from very dark times, to recovery, restoration, and ultimately redemption. For those inspired by Jeff’s arc, there will be an opening to invite people to support local (or other) charities. Jeff’s ultimate goal? In his words: “To make a difference that outlives the tour…that outlives me.”
Sunday, January 7, 2024
Hybrid | Poet Quartet: Kathy Nelson, Nicole Farmer, Kenneth Chamlee, Stevie Edwards
Jan 7 @ 4:30 pm
Malaprop's Bookstore/Café

Join us at 4:30 pm for our monthly poetry reading series coordinated by Mildred Barya. This month’s event features Kathy Nelson, Nicole Farmer, Kenneth Chamlee, and Stevie Edwards.

This is a hybrid event with limited in-store seating and the option to attend online. The event is free but registration is required for both in-person and virtual attendance.