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.
Describing the Durham-based Hiss Golden Messenger is like trying to grasp a forgotten word: It’s always on the tip of your tongue, but hard to speak. Songwriter and bandleader M.C. Taylor’s music is at once familiar, yet impossible to categorize: Elements from the American song book – the steady, churning acoustic guitar and mandolin, the gospel emotion, the eerie steel guitar tracings, the bobbing and weaving organ and electric piano – provide the bedrock for Taylor’s existential ruminations about parenthood, joy, hope, and loneliness – our delicate, tightrope balance of dark and light – that offer fully engaged contemporary commentary on the present. And then there’s an indescribable spirit and movement: Hiss Golden Messenger’s music grooves. There’s nothing else quite like it.
Join the Western North Carolina based podcasters from Mountain Murders for an afternoon of true crime, comedy, booze and live audience participation!
Heather and Dylan will discuss truly terrifying Appalachian true crime cases!
Come hang out with the biggest creeps in town & Warm up with a hot blooded murder
Jack of the Wood : Sunday-Irish Session
Sundays
1 till who knows when?
Traditional Irish music is kept alive at Jack of the Wood with our unplugged Sunday session.
Jack of the Wood
95 Patton ave
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 252.5445
The National Forum of Music Wrocław Philharmonic is at the heart of the Polish music scene.
Founded in 1945 as both a symphony and an opera orchestra, it became the State Opera Orchestra in 1949 and held symphonic concerts sporadically until 1954, when it became an independent symphony orchestra. In 2016, the city of Wrocław (pronounced VRA-Slav) was hailed as the European Capital of Culture, and the orchestra’s performances accompanied the celebrations that season.
The NFM Wrocław Philharmonic regularly performs works commissioned by the National Forum of Music and has a growing international presence presenting classical and romantic masterworks, 20th and 21st century symphonic repertoire, and contemporary Polish composers. The orchestra has worked with all of Poland’s great 20th century composers including Witold Lutosławski, Paweł Mykietyn, Krzysztof Penderecki, Elżbieta Sikora, Stanisław Skrowaczewski, and Agata Zubel. Promoting Polish music is a special focus of the orchestra, which regularly performs in prominent venues in Poland and throughout Europe and the United States.
Program (Subject to Change)
Szymanowski: Concert Overture in E major, Op. 12 [14′]
Lutosławski: Concerto for Orchestra [28′]
Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 ‘From the New World’ [40′]
Join us a sit down discussion with famed astrophysicist, author, and pop culture sensation Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson for “An Astrophysicist Reads the Newspaper” at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. Neil deGrasse Tyson brings his trademark academic and illuminating prowess to exploring the world’s and Asheville’s current events. Known by the masses from his social media posts about pop culture subjects and movie premises, his effortless blend of topical modern culture and scientific logic have made him a favorite among people of all ages. In recent years, Tyson has brought his captivating personality to shows such as Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, The Big Bang Theory, and cult-favorite Futurama.
Tyson is the fifth head of the world-renowned Hayden Planetarium in New York City and the first occupant of its Frederick P. Rose Directorship. He is also a research associate of the Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History. On the lighter side, Tyson was voted “Sexiest Astrophysicist Alive” by People Magazine in 2000.
VIP tickets are available for this event. The tickets include:
- (1) Premium Seat at the event
- (1) Signed Commemorative Poster
- Photo Opportunity with Neil deGrasse Tyson after the event
- Access to Pre-Show Event Reception with open and hors d’oeuvres. Tyson will not be present for this event.
Music motivates at the most primal level.
You instinctually hum a tune in order to get pumped up in the morning, for fuel on the treadmill, to soundtrack your commute, or as the pre-game to a big night out. As much as he treasures his roles as a guitarist, composer, and producer, Cory Wong fashions himself “a hype man,” first and foremost. Living up to this classification, he slings a Stratocaster and hurls “dad jokes” from the stage with the same panache, poise, and power.
Moreover, he consistently translates motivation into seismic six-string transmissions throughout his independent third full-length record, Motivational Music for the Syncopated Soul.
“For me, it’s all about the listener’s experience,” he explains. “I want them to have a visceral response like: ‘I feel better,’ ‘That was really fun,’ or ‘I got to escape for an hour.’ You’ll hear my voice through the guitar, but I’m just a hype man. To uplift audiences with instrumental music that has no singing or lyrics is a fun challenge. I’m trying to solve the riddle. If I can get one person to feel good this way, it’s a success. So, I’m giving you Motivational Music for the Syncopated Soul.”
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.
“The guitar is not just an instrument in the hands of Jacob Johnson – it’s his soul-mate.” – No Depression
Seated Lounge Show:: Limited Tables Available with a Dinner Reservation :: All Other Seating is First Come First Serve General Admission :: Please Call Venue for Dinner Reservations
Live Music – never a cover charge!
“With his dreamy acoustic picking and a voice that runs molasses-thick, old-soul Nicholas Jamerson writes earnest songs that are filled with heart. His songs spin tales of southern gothic drama woven with an intricate emotional framework, underscored with delicate Americana instrumentation and country-folk melodies.
Fresh off of features in ROLLING STONE, BILLBOARD, PARADE, JAZZ GUITAR TODAY, Lady Antebellum guitarist Slim Gambill is making his Asheville debut with his instrumental jazz/rock/jam band project!
Main Stage Seated :: Limited Tables Available with a Dinner Reservation :: All Other Seating is First Come First Serve General Admission :: Please Call Venue for Dinner Reservations
Like its name implies, “The Evolution of Pop” is a visionary musical continuum saluting the icons of the past who paved the way for the Jumbotron-sized pop stars of today. As the musical landscape constantly shifts, “The Evolution of Pop” boasts years of performance experience at the world’s most renowned stadiums and pavillions, leaving international audiences awed and yearning for more. This assembly of superior performers provides hardcore fans a seamless bridge between James Brown’s signature funk; Earth, Wind, and Fire’s energetic soul, the sick choreography of the Black-Eyed Peas, and the “24 karate magic” of Bruno Mars. With a single cue, “The Evolution of Pop” brings together some of America’s most outstanding musicians to offer epic renditions of the most timeless and recognizable pop favorites. “Who’s Bad 20/20” binds music’s past, present, and future to deliver the most mind-blowing tribute to pop music’s infinite canon.
The Blue Ridge Agility Club of Western North Carolina will host an American Kennel Club (AKC) agility trial , Friday & Saturday 8am-4pm, Sunday 8am-12pm. The event will be held at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center McGough Arena. The object of agility is for the handler to navigate the dog through a timed obstacle course without the dog making a mistake. Spectators are welcome to attend and admission is free. Please leave your dog comfortably at home.
The Peace Center’s Songwriters Concert Series returns! Led by Greenville favorite Edwin McCain and accomplished songwriter Maia Sharp, each concert brings a new guest singer-songwriter to the Upstate for a one-of-a-kind listening room experience in Genevieve’s theater lounge.
Deep River, Asheville’s Premier Country Vocal Group, will pay homage to the Southern California band that started the country rock genre, the Eagles, by telling their story in words and songs, album-by-album, from their debut album in 1972 simply called ‘Eagles’ to their ‘Hell Freezes Over’ album of 1994. The three women who front Deep River will provide all the vocals, and the Band will add a keyboardist for a total of seven pieces in order to create that iconic Eagles sound, and take the audience on an unforgettable American musical journey.
Almost everyone in Hawaii has strummed a ukulele at one time or another. But at the age of 14, Jake Shimabukuro realized that he was doing something a little different with the four-stringed instrument – OK, a lot different.
Shimabukuro’s wholly unique approach to the ukulele started early. As a youngster growing up in Honolulu, Hawaii, Shimabukuro started playing the instrument at the age of four, learning the basics from his mother, Carol, and then developing his craft further by studying the likes of musical masters such as Eddie Kamae, Ohta-San and Peter Moon. As he matured, Shimabukuro also found inspiration from guitar players, drummers, pianists, and singers. Even athletes helped fuel the intensity of his artistic fire.
In 2005, Shimabukuro’s touring career really came to life with a video on YouTube. “I didn’t even know what YouTube was at the time, so I was totally surprised when people started telling me they’d seen a video of me playing ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps,'” he says. “Before I got a chance to check it out myself, the video had gone viral and a lot of music industry folks seemed to know about it. It was crazy!” Shimabukuro’s deeply beautiful and original take on George Harrison’s love ballad, one which captured colors and moods never associated with the ukulele before, opened the floodgates – now legions of new music lovers had to hear this instrumental marvel – and the 2006 release of Gently Weeps (produced by Mac McAnally), which mixed his own originals with equally adventurous versions of “Ave Maria” and “The Star-Spangled Banner” was an unqualified success.
Like an old-time barn dance in downtown New Orleans, the Bumper Jacksons pull together a vast array of early American traditions into a deliciously high-spirit sound.
Main Stage Seated :: Limited Tables Available with a Dinner Reservation :: All Other Seating is First Come First Serve General Admission :: Please Call Venue for Dinner Reservations
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.
The Blue Ridge Agility Club of Western North Carolina will host an American Kennel Club (AKC) agility trial , Friday & Saturday 8am-4pm, Sunday 8am-12pm. The event will be held at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center McGough Arena. The object of agility is for the handler to navigate the dog through a timed obstacle course without the dog making a mistake. Spectators are welcome to attend and admission is free. Please leave your dog comfortably at home.
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.
The Perspective Collective presents the world premier of The Pride of Pripyat: tales from the Chernobyl disaster, an opera exploring the lives of everyday people living in the shadow of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. With a score by Sunny Knable and libretto by Jim Knable, singers Erin Brittain, Rachael Basescu, and Grant Mech bring multiple characters to life in a series of scenes accompanied by pianist Patrick Fink. Presented as part of the Asheville Fringe Arts Festival as a double feature with Biophilia Asheville
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.
Edvard Tchivzhel, Conductor
Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnol
Stravinsky: The Firebird Suite
Borodin: Symphony No. 2 (“Heroic Symphony”)
Borodin: Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor
It’s an array of dazzling colors with Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol, followed by the fiery and exotic fantasies of Stravinsky with his Firebird Suite, while Borodin pulls out all the stops with his mighty and wild “Heroic Symphony.”