Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
Take a daily, short, guided stroll at 2 PM that highlights Grandfather Mountain’s rhododendron species and blooms. Included with admission. See the blooms and learn about their history, attributes and roles they play in the mountain’s ecological communities. The easygoing walks take approximately 20 minutes and are fit for guests of all ages – wheelchair and stroller accessible. Meet by the Butterfly Garden at the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery. Staff naturalists will a display inside Wilson Center. Read more about our species of rhododendron.
By: Stephen Marsh
Director: Rowan Duncan
Approximate Run Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Rating: PG for mild language
Written by Brevard playwright Stephen Marsh, Where the Heart Is tells the story of Maria Shaughnessy, who runs an unofficial boarding house that’s home to several elders. All goes well until… Presented in a reader’s theater format, actors don’t memorize scripts but read them to the audience while using their voices and upper bodies to convey the roles they are playing. Actors also use vocal and facial expressions, as well as hand and arm movements.
Written by Brevard playwright Stephen Marsh, Where the Heart Is tells the story of Maria Shaughnessy, who runs an unofficial boarding house that’s home to several elders. All goes well until… Presented in a reader’s theater format, actors don’t memorize scripts but read them to the audience while using their voices and upper bodies to convey the roles they are playing. Actors also use vocal and facial expressions, as well as hand and arm movements. All Seats: $15 and includes a glass of wine
Where the Heart Is is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the Arts Council of Henderson County, the City of Hendersonville, Exceptional Papers, Inc., A Growing Concern Garden Center and the Carolina Ace Hardware and Garden Center.
Written by Brevard playwright Stephen Marsh, Where the Heart Is tells the story of Maria O’Shaughnessy, who runs an unofficial North Carolina boarding house that’s home to several elders. Presented as a stage reading, actors don’t memorize scripts but read them while incorporating minimal staged movements.
Brevard playwright Stephen Marsh wrote Where the Heart Is over a few months. Born in Bournemouth, England, at age 15, Marsh participated in local theatre productions and was later accepted into drama school in London. Marsh later moved to California and then the East Coast, becoming a production designer in motion pictures, film and television that spanned his 45-year career.
The cast of Where the Heart Is features Natalie Broadway as Maria, Jeb Buffinton as Dan, Chris Hanks as Jim, Lyn Morton as Henry, Lynn Place as Mrs. Carlisle, Joan Rinchisen as Henderson, Don Schwartz as Toad, and Terry Terranova as Ted.
Where the Heart Is’ artistic team includes director Rowan Duncan and stage manager Amanda McLoughlin.
A Greenville, SC native, Duncan was recently seen on stage at HT in The Importance of Being Earnest, Calendar Girls and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. They currently works as HT’s Production Manager, and loves putting their theatre degree to use every day. Duncan studied theatre at North Greenville University and loves to act, direct, and costume design.
The show is rated PG due to mild language. Showtimes are 3 pm and 7:30 pm on Saturday, June 3. Running time is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes with one 15 minute intermission. Hendersonville Theater has made masks optional for patrons, and no proof of vaccination is required to attend a performance.
From the local favorites to new regional acts, all live from the river banks of the Nantahala. Raft, dine, then jam with us with Live Music every Friday and Saturday from 5pm-8pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day!
May 27th 5pm-8pm – Mama and the Ruckus
May 28th 5pm-8pm – The Lefties
June 2nd 5pm-8pm – Christina Chandler Trio
June 3rd 5pm-8pm – Laura Thurston
June 9th 5pm-8pm – Eddie Clayton
June 10th 1pm-4pm – Jacobs Well
June 10th 5pm-8pm – Natti Love Joys
June 16th 5pm-8pm – Rae and the Ragdolls
June 17th 5pm-8pm – Beer and Loathing
June 23rd 5pm-8pm – TBA
June 24th 5pm-8pm – Terry Haughton Trio
June 30th 5pm-8pm – Blue
July 1st 5pm-8pm – Brown Mountain Lightning Bugs
July 7th 5pm-8pm – Bayou Diesel
July 8th 5pm-8pm – Pioneer Chicken Stand
July 14th 5pm-8pm – Wyatt Espalin
July 15th 5pm-8pm – Christina Chandler Duo
July 21st 5pm-8pm – Terry Haughton
July 22nd 5pm-8pm – TG and the Stoned Rangers
July 28th 5pm-8pm – Blue
July 29th 5pm-8pm – Somebody’s Child
August 4th 5pm-8pm – Trial by Fire
August 5th 5pm-8pm – Andy Johnson
August 11th 5pm-8pm – Eddie Clayton Solo
August 12th 5pm-8pm – Eddie Clayton Band
August 18th 5pm-8pm – Big Deal Band
August 19th 1pm-4pm – Mckinney
August 19th 5pm-8pm – Funk N’ Around
August 25th 5pm-8pm – Wyatt Espalin
August 26th 5pm-8pm – Somebody’s Child
September 1st 5pm-8pm – TBA
September 2nd 5pm-8pm – Regatta 69
The first 1,000 fans through the gates receive a Jade Jersey courtesy of Prestige Subaru.
From the regional crafters to local guide artisans, set up on the river banks of the Nantahala. Come and meet these vendors and more on the second Saturday of every month, May – September.
If you are interested in joining us as a vendor, please fill out your information here: https://forms.gle/BgqQQpY4XSGqtH6f6
All Ages – under 12 requires venue approval
THIS EVENT IS RAIN OR SHINE
NO BAGS ALLOWED
The Moppets present six student written and directed short plays June 2 & 3 at Attic Salt Theater.
“Kurt Vonnegut’s ‘2BR02B’ ” – Everything was perfectly swell. Or was it?
“The After School Superhero” – A small town where nothing happened and a hero no one asked for.
“A Holiday Song” – A grumpy businessman is warned to change his ways. Sound familiar? Prepare to be surprised.
“Mary, Mary” – A bloody history explored through the lens of a nursery rhyme.
“Salome” – A humorously re-told act in one tragedy.
“Swords, Lights and Nuts” – This is not your typical Nutcracker story.
By Andrew Lippa and John August
On the Steve Lloyd Stage
Directed by Candice Dickinson
What tall tales will we tell to be the hero of our own stories?
When Will finds out his father is dying of cancer, he is on a mission to find the truth behind the tall tales his father has always told him. Audiences will be in awe as they travel back and forth from Will and Edward’s stark reality to the beautiful and larger than life fantasies of Edward Bloom’s past. This charming, warm hug of a musical features Southern-fried music from Andrew Lippa and is based on the 1998 novel by Daniel Wallace that also inspired the 2003 big-screen adaptation directed by Tim Burton. A musical for dreamers, this show has sweeping melodies, gorgeous dance numbers, and celebrates the imagination, culminating in a thrilling theatrical experience. Full of giants, witches, mermaids, and, of course, an exceptionally large fish, Big Fish is about what’s real and what’s fantastic, what’s true and what’s not true, what’s partially true and how, in the end, it’s all true.
Suitable for all audiences.
On Saturday, June 3rd, guitars will be abundant in Brevard as iconic guitarist Bryan Sutton hosts the Second Annual North Carolina Guitar Celebration at Brevard Music Center’s Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium and is the culmination of Sutton’s Blue Ridge Guitar Camp. The concert will feature Bryan Sutton with special guests Darrell Scott, Sierra Hull & Justin Moses, Andrew Marlin (Watchhouse), Jeff Hanna (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band), Dom Flemons, Jon Stickley, Ed Helms (The Office and The Hangover movies), T. Michael Coleman and Jack Lawrence along with the instructors, Chris Eldridge (Punch Brothers), Courtney Hartman, Marcel Ardans, Matt Munistari, Jake Eddy and Woody Platt. This year’s event is also celebrating Doc Watson’s 100th birthday.
Bryan Sutton is the most accomplished and awarded acoustic guitarist of his generation, an innovator who bridges the bluegrass flatpicking traditions of the 20th century with the dynamic roots music scene of the 21st. His rise from buzzed-about young sideman to first-call Nashville session musician to membership in one of history’s greatest bluegrass bands has been grounded in quiet professionalism and ever-expanding musicianship.
Auditorium seating is reserved. Lawn seating is general admission.
DA CLASSROOM AIN’T ENUF
By Charles Payne
Directed by Katie Jones
Da Classroom Ain’t Enuf is an exploration of the intersection of Black and Brown communities, particularly in and around the American educational system. The play features an ensemble of four actors who play teachers, students, and their families, and is a mix of poetry, prose, and music, with original tracks by composer Richard Jones. This choreopoem is inspired by the work of Ntozake Shange.
HAVING OUR SAY: THE DELANEY SISTERS’ FIRST 100 YEARS opens as 103-year-old Sadie Delany and 101-year-old Bessie Delany welcome us into their Mount Vernon, New York, home. As they prepare a celebratory dinner in remembrance of their father’s birthday, they take us on a remarkable journey through the last hundred years of our nation’s history, recounting a fascinating series of events and anecdotes drawn from their rich family history and careers as pioneering African-American professionals. Their story is not simply African-American history or women’s history. It is our history, told through the eyes of two unforgettable women as they look not only into the past, but also ahead into the twenty-first century.
All shows will be at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheater in the Montford District of Asheville, and all will be presented absolutely FREE of charge!
Written and Directed by Skyler Goff
This World Premiere was penned by local playwright Skyler Goff and tells of the continuing adventures of our favorite Lost Boy. A fantastical way to kick off our season!
All shows will run Fridays through Sundays and all will be presented at 7:30pm and prime seats can be reserved.
Montford Park Players has been bringing some of theater’s greatest works to Western North Carolina for over 50 years. Montford Park Players continues its mission of bring free theater to the community. The summer season allows everyone to come spend an evening under the stars, seeing some of the best live performances presented in Asheville.
Montford Park Players allows patrons to bring their favorite food and beverages to their shows and sells beer, wine and concessions at the shows. If you’ve never been to the Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre for a Montford show, there’s no better season than this one. If you have been, you know why you should come back and catch everything we have to offer!
Watch as the Park comes alive under the shadow of darkness on this guided evening excursion with a Park naturalist. Do you know which animals come out along the Hickory Nut Falls trail when the sun goes down? Get ready to learn more about the Park’s rarely-seen residents. NOTE: The Hickory Nut Falls Trail is considered a moderate trail. Attendees must be able to hike the trail 3/4 of a mile each direction.
By: Stephen Marsh
Director: Rowan Duncan
Approximate Run Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Rating: PG for mild language
Written by Brevard playwright Stephen Marsh, Where the Heart Is tells the story of Maria Shaughnessy, who runs an unofficial boarding house that’s home to several elders. All goes well until… Presented in a reader’s theater format, actors don’t memorize scripts but read them to the audience while using their voices and upper bodies to convey the roles they are playing. Actors also use vocal and facial expressions, as well as hand and arm movements.
By Lauren Gunderson
Produced by Immediate Theatre Project
Four badass women lose their heads in this irreverent, girl-powered comedy set during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror. Playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen (and fan of ribbons) Marie Antoinette, and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle hang out, murder Marat, and try to beat back the extremist insanity in 1793 Paris. It’s a true story. Or total fiction. Or a play about a play. Or a raucous resurrection…that ends in a song and a scaffold.
From the people who brought you Silent Sky comes this grand and dream-tweaked comedy about violence and legacy, art and activism, feminism and terrorism, compatriots and chosen sisters, and how we actually go about changing the world.
Discretionary Content: Adult themes and badass ladies
Written by Brevard playwright Stephen Marsh, Where the Heart Is tells the story of Maria Shaughnessy, who runs an unofficial boarding house that’s home to several elders. All goes well until… Presented in a reader’s theater format, actors don’t memorize scripts but read them to the audience while using their voices and upper bodies to convey the roles they are playing. Actors also use vocal and facial expressions, as well as hand and arm movements. All Seats: $15 and includes a glass of wine
Where the Heart Is is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the Arts Council of Henderson County, the City of Hendersonville, Exceptional Papers, Inc., A Growing Concern Garden Center and the Carolina Ace Hardware and Garden Center.
Written by Brevard playwright Stephen Marsh, Where the Heart Is tells the story of Maria O’Shaughnessy, who runs an unofficial North Carolina boarding house that’s home to several elders. Presented as a stage reading, actors don’t memorize scripts but read them while incorporating minimal staged movements.
Brevard playwright Stephen Marsh wrote Where the Heart Is over a few months. Born in Bournemouth, England, at age 15, Marsh participated in local theatre productions and was later accepted into drama school in London. Marsh later moved to California and then the East Coast, becoming a production designer in motion pictures, film and television that spanned his 45-year career.
The cast of Where the Heart Is features Natalie Broadway as Maria, Jeb Buffinton as Dan, Chris Hanks as Jim, Lyn Morton as Henry, Lynn Place as Mrs. Carlisle, Joan Rinchisen as Henderson, Don Schwartz as Toad, and Terry Terranova as Ted.
Where the Heart Is’ artistic team includes director Rowan Duncan and stage manager Amanda McLoughlin.
A Greenville, SC native, Duncan was recently seen on stage at HT in The Importance of Being Earnest, Calendar Girls and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. They currently works as HT’s Production Manager, and loves putting their theatre degree to use every day. Duncan studied theatre at North Greenville University and loves to act, direct, and costume design.
The show is rated PG due to mild language. Showtimes are 3 pm and 7:30 pm on Saturday, June 3. Running time is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes with one 15 minute intermission. Hendersonville Theater has made masks optional for patrons, and no proof of vaccination is required to attend a performance.
Support one of the greatest traditions at Flat Rock Playhouse!
2023 Apprentice Benefactors Charlotte and Bob Otto will match your gift 1:1 up to $25,000.
Flat Rock Playhouse’s 2023 Apprentice Program! Don’t miss this chance to DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT!
For over 65 years, a select group of college-age performers participate in an intensive summer at Flat Rock Playhouse that includes on-stage performance and mentoring from FRP professionals. They also perform Rootabaga stories four times a week at the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site and take original educational programs out to schools in four area counties. Apprentices come from prestigious theatre schools across the country and are chosen from more than 1000 students who audition.
Apprentice graduates have gone on to major professional engagements on and off-Broadway, on national tours, and in regional theatres. Notable alumni who have played on Broadway include Michael Luwoye (Hamilton in Hamilton, An American Musical), Adam Kaplan (A Bronx Tale), Ginna Claire Mason (Glinda in Wicked), Jared Goldsmith (Dear Evan Hansen) and Ben Hope (Once).
Voted “Best Place to Learn” by Outside, NOC Paddling School has taught more paddlers than anyone else, with 50 years of experience going into every class. Our commitment to the sport and to providing the best possible instruction has not waivered. So come and let us be your respected and experienced instructor.
Whitewater Kayaking Instruction
Youth Paddling Programs
Specialty Paddling Programs
Professional Training for Paddlers
Canoe Courses
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Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) recently renovated fitness centers at Linwood Crump Shiloh and Stephens-Lee community centers – and community members can enjoy use of cardio equipment, exercise machines, free weights, open gym time, and more through June 30, 2023. During this time, APR will waive membership and daily pass fees so more people can access the necessities for a regular fitness routine. Locals can sign up online or at either community center to receive a fitness center key fob that can be scanned at either location.
“Our team is committed to creating spaces in which everyone feels welcome,” according to D. Tyrell McGirt, APR Director. “We are in the community building business. The gyms and fitness rooms at these two locations are filled with everything you’d expect from other top-notch fitness facilities and dedicated to body positivity and accessible wellness. By waiving the cost to use them for the first six months of the year, we hope more friends and neighbors will be able to connect with each other and maintain healthy lifestyles.”
Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) recently renovated fitness centers at Linwood Crump Shiloh and Stephens-Lee community centers – and community members can enjoy use of cardio equipment, exercise machines, free weights, open gym time, and more through June 30, 2023. During this time, APR will waive membership and daily pass fees so more people can access the necessities for a regular fitness routine. Locals can sign up online or at either community center to receive a fitness center key fob that can be scanned at either location.
“Our team is committed to creating spaces in which everyone feels welcome,” according to D. Tyrell McGirt, APR Director. “We are in the community building business. The gyms and fitness rooms at these two locations are filled with everything you’d expect from other top-notch fitness facilities and dedicated to body positivity and accessible wellness. By waiving the cost to use them for the first six months of the year, we hope more friends and neighbors will be able to connect with each other and maintain healthy lifestyles.”
Join a group of like-minded female paddlers for a weekend festival, hosted by inspirational paddler Anna Levesque! This festival is all about fostering community by connecting, sharing, paddling, and supporting each other on the river. Trips will be offered on different rivers and lakes representing a range of skill levels, and are open to all women in all watercraft!
Donations and registration fees benefit the Shannon Christy Memorial Fund, an organization that supports non-profits focused on women’s empowerment, and also benefits the Live Like Maria Fund.
New for 2023!
Lake Paddle Guided Excursion– Join professional women instructors for a guided lake excursion paddle with a stand up paddleboard or sit on top kayak, included with the activity! If you’re newer to paddling or not quite ready for whitewater, select a lake paddle and also enjoy the rest of the festivities.
Paddlefest Scholarship- This year, we are offering scholarships for BIPOC women to attend and stay onsite. See below for details and to apply.
2023 Weekend Schedule
Schedule is subject to change and will be updated here.
Paddlefest Scholarship
NOC and Mind Body Paddle want to make a more equitable outdoors for all. We would like to offer scholarships for this event to support a more accessible outdoor community where all are welcome. Three BIPOC women will be chosen to receive the following scholarship:
- Admission to the weekend of events
- Event T-shirt
- Group lake paddle with all equipment provided (if applicable)
- Saturday Evening Dinner
- Friday and Saturday Lodging Accommodations in NOC’s Basecamp
Interested participants must apply HERE by May 1, 2023.
If you have any questions, please email them to [email protected]
Included with admission
Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.
Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.
Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!
Presented by Bee City USA- Hendersonville and Bullington Gardens
For educators: teachers, camp counselors, home-school parents, childcare professionals, summer program leaders, and more, the Pollinator Exploration Kit provides excellent tools. Bee City USA – Hendersonville is eager to help you share the wonder of pollinators with children you teach. The kit includes sets of 12 sturdy child-size insect nets, special bug capture bubbles, bug boxes with magnifying lids, and magnifying glasses. Two pop-up insect habitats and two sets of laminated fold-out field guides (NC Trees & Wildflowers, NC Butterflies & Moths, Bees & Other Pollinators) are also included. The kit can be loaned for up to a week (as available) and may be picked up and returned weekdays 9am-4pm.
Pick-up location:
Bullington Gardens, 95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville.
Cost: no charge
Reservation needed: contact [email protected] to check availability and reserve the dates to borrow the Pollinator Exploration Kit.
Celebrate the rhododendron blooms with guided rambles, kids crafts and special displays. See the blossoms and learn about their history, attributes and roles they play in the mountain’s ecological communities. The easygoing walks begin at 12, 1 and 2, taking approximately 20 minutes and are fit for guests of all ages. Walks begin by the Butterfly Garden at the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery. Paths are wheelchair and stroller friendly. Included with admission. See special display inside Wilson Center. Read more about our rhododendron and other rambles.