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.

Bring your current needle project and work while socializing with other like-minded crafters

Each year, we honor the history of Asheville and of Martin Luther King Jr. by spending a morning in service and in community together in the historic East End/ Valley Street neighborhood. Prior to the cleanup we will be joined Renee‘White, President of the East End Valley Street Neighborhood Association, who will speak about the history and importance of the neighborhood.
MLK Jr Park
Skate, Roll, & Stroll is a disability-friendly time on the Big Ice! Come out in your wheelchair or walker, be pulled around the ice on a sled or in a wagon, walk on the ice or try your hand at ice skating!
Skate Roll and Stroll sessions will be held from 10am – 12pm. Ice walkers are free and available first come, first served. Guests are encouraged to bring their own sleds, wagons, and helmets. Volunteers will be available to assist with guests as needed.
This event is free of charge and offers free parking in the VIP lot off of Church Street. Free ADA parking is available in the loading dock parking lot off of Academy Street. Be sure to arrive early at 9:30am to lace up your skates!

This group is dedicated to the growing number of people interested in Awakening to their True Nature. We explore the experience of simply Being through:
| Self-Inquiry | Presence | Surrender | Gratitude | Meditation |
• Transcend egoic mind patterns
• See the gift in challenging situations
• Live your Life’s Purpose
• Find lasting Inner Peace
Group meetings consist of Meditation, Video Satsang (watching videos of spiritual teachers) and a Sharing Circle (optional).
Donations of any amount are welcomed. No one will be turned away due to lack of funds. (Donate online at https://tinyurl.com/awakeningsupport)
About the Facilitator:
Trey Carland, author of “A Seeker’s Guide to Inner Peace: Notes to Self,” has been hosting Awakening group meetings since 2007. “My passion is sharing the gift of Awakening with the World.”
Comments:
“Trey Carland embodies perfectly the quote, “still waters run deep.” I happened upon Trey several years ago through his spiritual awakening group. From this experience, Trey appeared to me as a wise Sage. Trey is accepting and patient with people. His demeanor is calm and loving. For me, it was evident that the stillness of Trey’s soul, is like a shimmering river that runs endlessly, with much depth. With celebration, I am blessed for having him as a friend. ” ~ John K.
(Read More at http://www.treycarland.com)
UNC Asheville’s annual commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. will feature a keynote address by the award-winning journalist, author and civil rights pioneer Charlayne Hunter-Gault, free and open to everyone, at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21, in the Highsmith Student Union Blue Ridge Room on campus.
Master classes, workshops on social justice, documentary film, music, dance, and spoken word from blues-based poet Arthur Flowers will also be featured as part of the University commemoration of Dr. King.
Tuesday, Jan. 21 – Charlayne Hunter-Gault – A veteran journalist who gained fame as longtime national and international correspondent for the PBS NewsHour, Charlayne Hunter-Gault has also reported for CNN, NPR, The New York Times, and The New Yorker. She is the author of four books, and a pioneer of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement who successfully challenged segregation in court, and was the first black woman to attend the University of Georgia. (a more complete bio follows below)
- Master Class: Up Close and Personal: A Chat with Charlayne Hunter-Gault, moderated by UNC Asheville Assistant Professor of English Mildred Barya – 4 p.m., Highsmith Student Union Room 228.
- Keynote Address: From Jim Crow America to Apartheid South Africa and Beyond – An Activist Journalist’s Journey – 7 p.m., Highsmith Student Union Blue Ridge Room.
- Support for Charlayne Hunter-Gault’s visit to UNC Asheville comes from Biltmore Farms Hotels, Blue Ridge Public Radio, and Our State
Mountain Gateway Museum & Heritage Center celebrated the opening of its newest traveling exhibit, “Steeped in Time: Tea and Traditions” on Saturday, January 18, 2020. The exhibit will run through the July 4th weekend at MGM, located at 24 Water Street in Old Fort. Admission is free.

Wednesday, Jan. 22 – Documentary Film on the History of Lynching in America
- Always in Season – This 2019 film, produced and directed by Jacqueline Olive, won the Special Jury Prize for Moral Urgency at the Sundance Film Festival. Reporting on four American communities where descendants of victims and perpetrators are working together to heal, the film explores the lingering impact of more than a century of lynching African Americans and connects this form of historic racial terrorism to racial violence today – 7 p.m., Highsmith Student Union Grotto.

Thursday, Jan. 23 – Social Justice in Action Workshop
- Why We March. How We March: The Culture of Organizing and Community Building – This workshop will be led by Cortina Caldwell, founder and creative director for Artists Designing Evolution, LLC (adé PROJECT) – 5:30 p.m., Highsmith Student Union Mountain Suites.
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Kindly provided by MANNA Food Bank!
Applications are due Feb. 21.
The Asheville Police Department (APD) is now inviting residents to apply for the spring semester of the Citizen’s Police Academy (CPA). Participants in this free course will learn about the daily work and operations of APD, while also giving the department an opportunity to obtain valuable feedback from the community.
The course will begin on March 5. Sessions are held each Thursday from 5:30 to 9 p.m. for 12 weeks. The course is held at the Municipal Building, 100 Court Plaza, in downtown Asheville. Dinner is provided.
The course consists of basic classroom instruction, presentations and demonstrations of topics such as criminal investigations, constitutional and criminal law, use of force, departmental structure and defensive tactics. Participants will also be given the opportunity to ride along with an officer.
Those wishing to participate must apply and be accepted. You can submit an application online at this link. Applications are due Feb. 21.
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- Restoration
- Rehabilitation
- Adaptive Re-use
- In-fill Construction in Historic and Traditional Neighborhoods
- Research, Publication and Education
- Stewardship
- Preservation

Many things make a good neighborhood: sidewalks, shady trees and manageable car traffic come to mind. But most of all, it’s the people who take time to know each other, who care about the health, safety and rights of their neighbors, who help and look out for children, elders and others in need. These are the neighbors who show they care by maintaining their homes, gardens and public spaces, who participate and are connected to organizations that focus on neighborhoods.
And these are the extraordinary people the City of Asheville wants to honor as the Neighborhood Advisory Committee seeks submissions to recognize individuals or groups who have made a difference in their neighborhood during 2019. The recipient or recipients will be recognized at an Asheville City Council meeting and be featured in the neighborhood news throughout the year.
So help us find that outstanding person or group and nominate them for Asheville’s Neighborhood Hero Award
Share with us the good work going on in your neighborhood! Nominate a deserving recipient. The deadline is Jan. 31, 2020.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, in cooperation with the I.R.S, N.C. Dept. of Revenue, Buncombe County Library System and Council on Aging, Inc. will again offer free tax Preparations for low and moderate income taxpayers, with special attention to those age 60 and older. Both Federal and N.C. State tax returns will be electronically filed for safe and accurate preparation with faster refunds.
This service will be available from Feb. 1-April 15, at sites listed below. Please note that some locations have different start dates as several libraries will be hosting early voting for the Presidential primaries in February.
Tax help for Weaverville will be held at the Brookstone Baptist Church and tax help for West Asheville will be held at the West Asheville Presbyterian Church. All tax help locations can be found at irs.gov.
Mountain Gateway Museum & Heritage Center celebrated the opening of its newest traveling exhibit, “Steeped in Time: Tea and Traditions” on Saturday, January 18, 2020. The exhibit will run through the July 4th weekend at MGM, located at 24 Water Street in Old Fort. Admission is free.


Please join us for a fundraiser for the Asheville Humane Society. Pilates with Puppies will be a basic Pilates class, with puppies provided by AHS. Please BYO yoga or Pilates mat and a small towel. Please do not bring your own puppy! $15. Pre-registration required.
The Buncombe County Public Library System introduces our first ever WNC Affordable Housing Fair. The fair will be held from noon – 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020, in Lord Auditorium on the lower level of Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood Street, downtown Asheville. Thirteen area agencies will be available to provide information about emergency shelter, rentals, and home ownership for area residents with different types of housing needs, from those experiencing homelessness to renters and individuals who qualify for home ownership assistance programs. Participating agencies include ABCCM, Asheville Housing Authority, BeLoved, Blair H. Clark Respite Center, Council on Aging, Eblen Charities, Givens Gerber Park , Habitat for Humanity, Helpmate Homeward Bound, Justice Resource Center, Mountain Housing Opportunities, and The Real Asheville Initiative.
A Robert Burns 261st Birthday Celebration Dinner will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2020, at the Country Club of Asheville. The event is sponsored by the Dunkeld and Birnam Committee of Asheville Sister Cities, Inc. (a 501c3 non-profit) which will benefit from the net proceeds of the dinner, optional whisky tasting, and charity raffle & auction.
A formal Robert Burns Dinner Ceremony beginning at 5:30 pm will include a three course meal with Haggis, a piper, poets, dancers and other entertainment. Scottish attire is recommended. Cocktails and other refreshments will be available from a credit card bar. An optional Scotch Whisky Blind Tasting of five single malts will be conducted with a $50 entry fee. Guests may also buy raffle tickets for an assortment of Scottish themed gifts and bid on auction items.
Tickets for the dinner ($100 per person) may be purchased on Eventbrite.com, downloading a registration form from ashevillesistercities.org/burns/, or by sending a check payable to the Asheville Sister Cities, Inc. to 994 Clovertop Lane, Arden, NC 28704. You will receive a follow up letter with additional information.
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Kindly provided by MANNA Food Bank!
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Equality North Carolina (ENC) and Southerners on New Ground (SONG) are collaborating on informal meetings on the fourth Sunday of every month at Firestorm Books in Asheville.
This month, we’ll focus on:
-What’s on the ballot
-Voter Mobilization
See you there!
The Opportunity for Special Events to Help Build an Equitable and Inclusive Community
We know special events and festivals have long been employed as powerful tools in supporting business, motivating entrepreneurship, and promoting the arts. Additionally, the City of Asheville is focusing on special events and how they can help build an equitable and inclusive community. But government doesn’t just change on its own. What internal and external efforts are needed to maximize returns? Hear from the City’s Outdoor Special Events office about their collaborations with the City’s Office of Equity & Inclusion. Learn about the confines we’re all working within as community members, and why it takes an inside effort within government to push forward. Where are your opportunities to create and participate in special events that help build an equitable and inclusive community?
Speakers: City of Asheville Outdoor Event Manager Jon Fillman and Business Inclusion Manager Rosanna Mulcahy
The City of Asheville’s Community & Economic Development department is responsible for outdoor special event administration. This office develops and manages partnerships with organizations that produce events, coordinates support services, and oversees regulatory and permitting requirements for temporary uses of parks, streets, and undeveloped city-owned property.
Free for AAAC Members, $5 per talk for Non-Members. Registration is required.
We know special events and festivals have long been employed as powerful tools in supporting business, motivating entrepreneurship, and promoting the arts. Additionally, the City of Asheville is focusing on special events and how they can help build an equitable and inclusive community. But government doesn’t just change on its own. What internal and external efforts are needed to maximize returns? Hear from the City’s Outdoor Special Events office about their collaborations with the City’s Office of Equity & Inclusion. Learn about the confines we’re all working within as community members, and why it takes an inside effort within government to push forward. Where are your opportunities to create and participate in special events that help build an equitable and inclusive community?
Speakers: City of Asheville Outdoor Event Manager Jon Fillman and Business Inclusion Manager Rosanna Mulcahy
The City of Asheville’s Community & Economic Development department is responsible for outdoor special event administration. This office develops and manages partnerships with organizations that produce events, coordinates support services, and oversees regulatory and permitting requirements for temporary uses of parks, streets, and undeveloped city-owned property.
We know special events and festivals have long been employed as powerful tools in supporting business, motivating entrepreneurship, and promoting the arts. Additionally, the City of Asheville is focusing on special events and how they can help build an equitable and inclusive community. But government doesn’t just change on its own. What internal and external efforts are needed to maximize returns? Hear from the City’s Outdoor Special Events office about their collaborations with the City’s Office of Equity & Inclusion. Learn about the confines we’re all working within as community members, and why it takes an inside effort within government to push forward. Where are your opportunities to create and participate in special events that help build an equitable and inclusive community?
Speakers: City of Asheville Outdoor Event Manager Jon Fillman and Business Inclusion Manager Rosanna Mulcahy

This group is dedicated to the growing number of people interested in Awakening to their True Nature. We explore the experience of simply Being through:
| Self-Inquiry | Presence | Surrender | Gratitude | Meditation |
• Transcend egoic mind patterns
• See the gift in challenging situations
• Live your Life’s Purpose
• Find lasting Inner Peace
Group meetings consist of Meditation, Video Satsang (watching videos of spiritual teachers) and a Sharing Circle (optional).
Donations of any amount are welcomed. No one will be turned away due to lack of funds. (Donate online at https://tinyurl.com/awakeningsupport)
About the Facilitator:
Trey Carland, author of “A Seeker’s Guide to Inner Peace: Notes to Self,” has been hosting Awakening group meetings since 2007. “My passion is sharing the gift of Awakening with the World.”
Comments:
“Trey Carland embodies perfectly the quote, “still waters run deep.” I happened upon Trey several years ago through his spiritual awakening group. From this experience, Trey appeared to me as a wise Sage. Trey is accepting and patient with people. His demeanor is calm and loving. For me, it was evident that the stillness of Trey’s soul, is like a shimmering river that runs endlessly, with much depth. With celebration, I am blessed for having him as a friend. ” ~ John K.
(Read More at http://www.treycarland.com)
UNC Asheville’s annual commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr:

Tuesday, Jan. 28 – Arthur Flowers – Memphis-born blues-based poet, novelist, essayist, and practitioner of literary hoodoo, Arthur Flowers is an associate professor of English at Syracuse University and is former director of the Harlem Writers Guild. His books include Another Good Loving Blues, Mojo Rising: Confessions of a 21st Century Conjureman, and Brer Rabbit Retold.
- Literary Blues and the Hoodoo Way – In the Footsteps of MLK – This performance and lecture by Arthur Flowers will also feature opening music by UNC Asheville’s Afro Music and Dance Ensemble – 7 p.m., Highsmith Student Union Blue Ridge Room.



