Kick off spring in the mountains at the 23rd annual French Broad River Festival.  It’s part outdoor adventure, part music festival with whitewater rafting, biking, hiking, kid’s village, camping, great music, and much more.  Painter John, a popular FBRF musician, compares the atmosphere to “a big potluck at your best friend’s house”.  If you’ve been you know . . . what better way to enjoy spring in these mountains?

$120 online by 3/31/20
$125 online by 4/30/20
$140 at gate
$65 Saturday only
$45 whitewater rafting

• INAUGURAL SEASON IN THE NEW PARKER CONCERT HALL: Be among the first to experience the exquisite beauty, intimate setting, and superb acoustics in our new $6 million, 400-seat Parker Concert Hall – the future home of BMC’s chamber and piano programming and our first-ever year-round performance venue.
• BEETHOVEN@250 FESTIVAL: BMC joins the world-wide celebration of the composer’s milestone birthday with symphony, chamber, piano and even opera as we present our spectacular Season Finale: Fidelio in Concert with hundreds of artists on the Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium stage. #BeethovenLives
• WORLD-CLASS ARTISTS: Be inspired by Keith Lockhart, Garrick Ohlsson, Ray Chen, Johannes Moser, The Shanghai Quartet, Gil Shaham, Bryan Sutton, Judy Collins, Béla Fleck, Jane Monheit, and others!
• OPERA, MOVIE NIGHT, POPS & MORE: Enjoy fully-staged opera productions of Carmen, Abduction from the Seraglio, and Man of La Mancha, plus Disney in Concert: The Lion King (Live Action), Patriotic Pops, and symphony masterpieces like Tchaikovsky’s Suite from Sleeping Beauty and Mahler No. 7.

Buy early for the best seats at the best prices to these Brevard Music Center summer festival highlights…and many more!  BECOME A DONOR at the $75 and above level for priority access to prime seats beginning February 3 and before season ticket renewals and purchases begin on February 25.

Connection. A word that by definition means to join together to establish a link, so as to provide access and communication. Connect Beyond Festival has established that link and is using music, film, and storytelling to create connections. More than just an event, Connect Beyond Festival is a movement to develop a network of people inspired by creative mediums and united in the pursuit of equality and social justice. Our goal is to inspire a sense of community and personal engagement.

Lauded as “Asheville’s version of SXSW” (Ashvegas) this event is perfect for those who are looking for a more dynamic festival experience – one that prioritizes exploration and participation just as much as entertainment. If you’re looking to broaden your horizons, to engage with others, and want to leave a festival with more than just a hangover, Connect Beyond Festival is just the place to be.

• INAUGURAL SEASON IN THE NEW PARKER CONCERT HALL: Be among the first to experience the exquisite beauty, intimate setting, and superb acoustics in our new $6 million, 400-seat Parker Concert Hall – the future home of BMC’s chamber and piano programming and our first-ever year-round performance venue.
• BEETHOVEN@250 FESTIVAL: BMC joins the world-wide celebration of the composer’s milestone birthday with symphony, chamber, piano and even opera as we present our spectacular Season Finale: Fidelio in Concert with hundreds of artists on the Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium stage. #BeethovenLives
• WORLD-CLASS ARTISTS: Be inspired by Keith Lockhart, Garrick Ohlsson, Ray Chen, Johannes Moser, The Shanghai Quartet, Gil Shaham, Bryan Sutton, Judy Collins, Béla Fleck, Jane Monheit, and others!
• OPERA, MOVIE NIGHT, POPS & MORE: Enjoy fully-staged opera productions of Carmen, Abduction from the Seraglio, and Man of La Mancha, plus Disney in Concert: The Lion King (Live Action), Patriotic Pops, and symphony masterpieces like Tchaikovsky’s Suite from Sleeping Beauty and Mahler No. 7.

Buy early for the best seats at the best prices to these Brevard Music Center summer festival highlights…and many more!  BECOME A DONOR at the $75 and above level for priority access to prime seats beginning February 3 and before season ticket renewals and purchases begin on February 25.

• INAUGURAL SEASON IN THE NEW PARKER CONCERT HALL: Be among the first to experience the exquisite beauty, intimate setting, and superb acoustics in our new $6 million, 400-seat Parker Concert Hall – the future home of BMC’s chamber and piano programming and our first-ever year-round performance venue.
• BEETHOVEN@250 FESTIVAL: BMC joins the world-wide celebration of the composer’s milestone birthday with symphony, chamber, piano and even opera as we present our spectacular Season Finale: Fidelio in Concert with hundreds of artists on the Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium stage. #BeethovenLives
• WORLD-CLASS ARTISTS: Be inspired by Keith Lockhart, Garrick Ohlsson, Ray Chen, Johannes Moser, The Shanghai Quartet, Gil Shaham, Bryan Sutton, Judy Collins, Béla Fleck, Jane Monheit, and others!
• OPERA, MOVIE NIGHT, POPS & MORE: Enjoy fully-staged opera productions of Carmen, Abduction from the Seraglio, and Man of La Mancha, plus Disney in Concert: The Lion King (Live Action), Patriotic Pops, and symphony masterpieces like Tchaikovsky’s Suite from Sleeping Beauty and Mahler No. 7.

Buy early for the best seats at the best prices to these Brevard Music Center summer festival highlights…and many more!  BECOME A DONOR at the $75 and above level for priority access to prime seats beginning February 3 and before season ticket renewals and purchases begin on February 25.

Each spring, hundreds of locals 50+ years-old enjoy participating in the Asheville-Buncombe Senior Games and Silver Arts. This year’s program will be held at locations throughout Buncombe County from Tuesday, April 14-Friday, May 15. Registration is $5 before March 9 or $10 after that date. Military veterans may register for free.

To register, fill out a registration form (see documents below) or register online at ncseniorgames.org. Archery and pickleball have registration deadline dates.

Sports include basketball, bocce, croquet, football throw, softball throw, golf, cycling, track and field, archery, cheerleading, bowling, swimming, billiards, badminton, cornhole, horseshoes, pickleball, racquetball, shuffleboard, tennis, and table tennis. Miniature golf, rowing, and team softball and basketball are new this year. Age categories start at 50 and increase at five year intervals.

Silver Arts categories are classified as Heritage (quilting, woodwork, crochet, basket weaving, jewelry, needlework, tole painting, weaving, knitting, pottery, stained glass, woodcarving, and woodturning), Visual (solo, small group, and large group), Performing, Literary (poem, short story, essay, and life experience), and Contemporary. Art pieces will be displayed at Buncombe County Libraries in April and May.

A full schedule can be accessed below as a PDF.

Follow Buncombe County Recreation on Facebook and Instagram.

Kick off spring in the mountains at the 23rd annual French Broad River Festival.  It’s part outdoor adventure, part music festival with whitewater rafting, biking, hiking, kid’s village, camping, great music, and much more.  Painter John, a popular FBRF musician, compares the atmosphere to “a big potluck at your best friend’s house”.  If you’ve been you know . . . what better way to enjoy spring in these mountains?

$120 online by 3/31/20
$125 online by 4/30/20
$140 at gate
$65 Saturday only
$45 whitewater rafting

• INAUGURAL SEASON IN THE NEW PARKER CONCERT HALL: Be among the first to experience the exquisite beauty, intimate setting, and superb acoustics in our new $6 million, 400-seat Parker Concert Hall – the future home of BMC’s chamber and piano programming and our first-ever year-round performance venue.
• BEETHOVEN@250 FESTIVAL: BMC joins the world-wide celebration of the composer’s milestone birthday with symphony, chamber, piano and even opera as we present our spectacular Season Finale: Fidelio in Concert with hundreds of artists on the Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium stage. #BeethovenLives
• WORLD-CLASS ARTISTS: Be inspired by Keith Lockhart, Garrick Ohlsson, Ray Chen, Johannes Moser, The Shanghai Quartet, Gil Shaham, Bryan Sutton, Judy Collins, Béla Fleck, Jane Monheit, and others!
• OPERA, MOVIE NIGHT, POPS & MORE: Enjoy fully-staged opera productions of Carmen, Abduction from the Seraglio, and Man of La Mancha, plus Disney in Concert: The Lion King (Live Action), Patriotic Pops, and symphony masterpieces like Tchaikovsky’s Suite from Sleeping Beauty and Mahler No. 7.

Buy early for the best seats at the best prices to these Brevard Music Center summer festival highlights…and many more!  BECOME A DONOR at the $75 and above level for priority access to prime seats beginning February 3 and before season ticket renewals and purchases begin on February 25.

Connection. A word that by definition means to join together to establish a link, so as to provide access and communication. Connect Beyond Festival has established that link and is using music, film, and storytelling to create connections. More than just an event, Connect Beyond Festival is a movement to develop a network of people inspired by creative mediums and united in the pursuit of equality and social justice. Our goal is to inspire a sense of community and personal engagement.

Lauded as “Asheville’s version of SXSW” (Ashvegas) this event is perfect for those who are looking for a more dynamic festival experience – one that prioritizes exploration and participation just as much as entertainment. If you’re looking to broaden your horizons, to engage with others, and want to leave a festival with more than just a hangover, Connect Beyond Festival is just the place to be.

Environmental Education is crucial to what RiverLink does. We believe that in order for someone to protect their environment, they must first understand it. Our education programs focus on getting students out in the watershed for hands-on experiential learning. We help students foster a love and appreciation for their water resources by allowing them to see, hear and interact with their local waterways. As a result of engaging with our program we hope that students will be inspired to become the next generation of watershed stewards.

• RiverRATS
• RiverCamp
• Voices of the River Contest

UPDATED INFO:

To make the transition from this year to the 2021 event as seamless and exciting as possible, we have already worked with our artists, our brewers, and our vendors to make sure that we are able to carry over this year’s lineup and infrastructure to next year’s festival date. In addition, we are also in conversation with Eventbrite regarding the best options we can offer you when it comes to making a choice about how your ticket investment plays out. 

Because this decision affects you as much as it does us, we will offer full refunds of all ticket purchases to any of you who would prefer that option. We understand the inconvenience that this change might cause you, and we ask that you offer us your patience while we organize that process. As another option, we would also like to offer you the opportunity to retain your ticket purchase and to roll it over into next year’s attendance. Any ticket that has already been purchased for 2020 will be honored at our 2021 festival in lieu of a refund. That is a choice we are allowing you to make, and we will be delighted to have you back as our guests then! 

Please check back with us often as we continue to plan for the 2021 (“unofficial 10th Anniversary”) North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival. Again, thank you for your patience and understanding, but mostly for your continued support at the festival. We couldn’t keep putting on this event without you, and we continue to be thankful year after year. 

Along with a rich Americana lineup, North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival also shines a spotlight on local brewers and their contribution to North Carolina’s vibrant culinary scene. Over 50 breweries offering a selection of craft beers will be featured on-site throughout the weekend. Tasting tickets, which include access to beer samples plus a commemorative sampling glass, are available for purchase for $50 ($39 for early birds).

North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival began as a fundraising effort to preserve the historic site of Rural Hill. The site, which boasts extensive hiking trails, is a beloved landmark in the Central NC region and is home to many educational field trips and events. Since its inception, the North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival has continued to support the awareness of Rural Hill and attract diverse crowds from all over the country.

Friday music-only passes with sets from Acoustic Syndicate and Fireside Collective are $15. Saturday music-only passes with sets from the Steep Canyon Rangers and Hayes Carll are $22 for early birds. For attendees who would like to sample an unlimited assortment of celebrated North Carolina brews on Saturday, Tasting Tickets (which include daily entrance to the festival for music happenings) are available at the Early Bird price of $39. Camping options are available for attendees who would like to make the most of their weekend. Two-Day weekend tent camping, premium tent camping, and RV/Camper camping with hook-ups are available for $45, $65, and $85 respectively. North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival is a family-friendly event. Children 4 and under are free. A Children’s Ticket is available for kids 5 – 15 for $8.

Each spring, hundreds of locals 50+ years-old enjoy participating in the Asheville-Buncombe Senior Games and Silver Arts. This year’s program will be held at locations throughout Buncombe County from Tuesday, April 14-Friday, May 15. Registration is $5 before March 9 or $10 after that date. Military veterans may register for free.

To register, fill out a registration form (see documents below) or register online at ncseniorgames.org. Archery and pickleball have registration deadline dates.

Sports include basketball, bocce, croquet, football throw, softball throw, golf, cycling, track and field, archery, cheerleading, bowling, swimming, billiards, badminton, cornhole, horseshoes, pickleball, racquetball, shuffleboard, tennis, and table tennis. Miniature golf, rowing, and team softball and basketball are new this year. Age categories start at 50 and increase at five year intervals.

Silver Arts categories are classified as Heritage (quilting, woodwork, crochet, basket weaving, jewelry, needlework, tole painting, weaving, knitting, pottery, stained glass, woodcarving, and woodturning), Visual (solo, small group, and large group), Performing, Literary (poem, short story, essay, and life experience), and Contemporary. Art pieces will be displayed at Buncombe County Libraries in April and May.

A full schedule can be accessed below as a PDF.

Follow Buncombe County Recreation on Facebook and Instagram.

Kate Steinbeck, flute; Amy Brucksch, classical guitar
Pan Harmonia brings its exquisite acoustic music to Haywood County with Kate Steinbeck and Amy Brucksch performing Sambas and Serenades for flute and guitar.
Enjoy this sonic delight within the beautiful acoustic of First United Methodist Church of Waynesville. Pan Harmonia is acclaimed for both its artistry and its intimate, accessible performances, a nexus of music and people!