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.
ABOUT THE EXHIBIT The hillbilly stereotype is one that is alive and well in American popular culture as a quick survey of the cable dial reveals with such shows as Moonshiners, Appalachian Outlaws, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, and countless others.
Surprisingly, it is one often displayed among educated sorts here in Western North Carolina who would never dream of disparaging any minority or “out group,” but do not hesitate to characterize native Western North Carolinians, as a group, as ignorant, in-bred, hopelessly retrograde, violent, snake-handling, moonshining/meth-making rednecks.
The Hillbillyland Exhibition explores the power, prevalence, and persistence of the hillbilly stereotype from the days of its beginnings in the late 19th century to the present day. The exhibit takes a unique approach by focusing on photography featuring the people of the region, some of them stereotypical images, combined with poetry and short prose pieces that challenge and complicate these stereotypes.
Visit the Virtual Exhibit
ABOUT THE EXHIBIT
In the midst of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, we take an in-depth look at the 1918 influenza epidemic in Western North Carolina through newspaper clippings, advertisements, ephemera, photographs, and oral history and place the events of 1918 into context with our present-day response to the coronavirus pandemic.
https://www.wnchistory.org/virtual-exhibits/influenza/?utm_source=Western%20North%20Carolina%20Historical%20Association&utm_campaign=78fa0bbdf8-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_01_23_05_25_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7424f63c4d-78fa0bbdf8-329482143
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• The WNC Farmers Market (570 Brevard Rd.) is open for business daily from 7 a.m.- 6 p.m. Find fruits + veggies, plus other staples like meats, cheese, beans, preserves, salsas, honey + condiments. In a continued effort to provide our community with fresh, locally grown produce, meats and cheeses from area farmers, the market will remain open and operate under normal business hours. The market will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
While most of the market will remain open as usual, there are some exceptions:
- Moose Cafe – CLOSED.
Additional updates to vendor schedules will be posted as soon as possible. For specific vendors not listed above, we encourage you to reach out to them directly before coming to the market.
Visitors are encouraged to follow CDC recommendations when visiting the market. A complete list of tips and best practices can be found here.
COVID-19 is not a food-borne illness. It is extremely unlikely that someone will catch it through eating. The virus is most likely to cause illness through respiratory transmission. The routes to be concerned about include being in very close proximity to many people, or coming in contact with high touch surfaces.
Thank you for your continued support during these unprecedented times!

See where the cougars and otters sleep overnight, meet black bears that are not commonly on display, learn the ins and outs of what it takes to care for the animals year-round, observe a training session and find out why the animals call Grandfather Mountain home.
Offered on weekends, April – October.

Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning March 21.
The market will operate for as long as necessary, possibly expanding to other locations and days of the week as opportunity and demand allows.
Market Rules
- No customers or vendors exhibiting symptoms may enter the market.
- Maintain 6 feet of social distance at all times.
- One customer at a time for each vendor table.
- Only handle product you are purchasing. Products will be pre-packaged or bunched.
- Children, if they must attend with adult shoppers, must be closely supervised.
Anyone failing to comply with these conditions will be directed to leave the market.

The exhibit is on loan from the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and has been supplemented with artifacts from the Smith-McDowell House collection. Entrance to the exhibit is included with Smith-McDowell House admission – and is always free for members – and runs through May 16, 2020.
The exhibit seeks to put the local men and women who served in context with the larger events happening in North Carolina, the United States, and the world. In the exhibit, visitors will find displays and interactive elements telling the stories of just a few of our hometown heroes.
Ideas shared using ingredients from the Market – local eggs, natural dyes, Easter, décor, Easter treats.
COVID-19 Relief Funds
Available to Farmers
starting April 3rd
is part of the massive economic rescue package passed by Congress last week to address urgent needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Incorporated businesses, sole proprietors, single-member LLCs, self-employed individuals, and nonprofits are all eligible to apply for this relief.
Apply Here
Organic Growers School
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Many farms across North and South Carolina have added on-farm pickups, home delivery & online pre-orders to accommodate for social distancing in light of the COVID-19 outbreak. Please see the listings below for more information, and check out our interactive Google Map for farm locations near you!
Are you a farmer interested in being listed? Email [email protected]
Please:
- DO NOT show up at farms without prior permission.
- Follow specific instructions provided by each farm.
- Stay home if you are feeling ill.

Here are five awesome library resources you can use from anywhere.
For any service that asks for a User ID or PIN, your User ID is your library card number (with no spaces) and your PIN is the last four digits of your phone number. If you have a Buncombe County or Asheville City school ID card, your ID is your card number and your PIN is the last four digits of your ID number.
Ebooks and Audio Books:
We have thousands of ebooks and audio books on the North Carolina Digital Library you can download to any device. Get the free Libby app from your app store and you are ready to go. Digital materials automatically return themselves at the end of the loan period, so there are never any overdue fines.
- Adult ebooks and audio books you can download right now
- Teen books you can download right now
- Children’s books you can download right now
Magazines:
We have a large collection of recent popular magazines on the NCDL. Your User ID and PIN stay the same.
Online Streaming Video:
For streaming video, you can use the North Carolina Digital Library, or Films on Demand on NC Live.
Tutorials and Courses:
Get unlimited access to an online library of high-quality instructional videos taught by industry experts on the latest software tools and skills with LinkedIn Learning. Learn a whole course or just the section you need. Topics include Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Web design, Social Media, Business and Career Skills and much more.
Want to learn another language? Mango Languages is an online language-learning system teaching actual conversation skills for a wide variety of languages. Mango uses real-life situations and actual conversations to more effectively teach a new language.
Local History Buffs:
If you love local history, our North Carolina Room at Pack Library has an extensive collection of materials available online that bring the past to life. The photograph collection documents over 200 years of Buncombe County history.
You can email the library for help with any of these resources at [email protected].
Want to access our online resources but don’t have a library card? While library branches are closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we’re issuing and renewing library cards by email.
- Email [email protected] and ask for a library card. You need to be a Buncombe County resident to get a card.
- We’ll respond with instructions on how to email a copy or photo of your local ID.
- We’ll send you back a library card number and PIN that you can use for all digital resources. The physical card will be mailed to you at a later date.
We’ll issue new cards by email as long as library branches are closed to the public. We can also renew cards by email.
Learn the best vegetables to direct seed and the best vegetables to transplant.

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We’ve turned some of our youth conservation education programs into videos to share online. Earlier this year, we asked elementary and middle school students what might prevent them from enjoying time outdoors – and many responded “snakes” or “spiders.” So, we developed fun lessons to help dispel myths and fears about snakes and spiders. These video adaptations of our youth education programs include short 5-minute lessons and step-by-step craft activities. Enjoy!
SPIDERS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRWaw6jPeN8&utm_source=SAHC+Default+MC+List&utm_campaign=6b1835d2ec-February_2018_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4717684d09-6b1835d2ec-144635353&ct=t%28February_2018_COPY_01%29&mc_cid=6b1835d2ec&mc_eid=cccced3ffd
SNAKES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpFcByki9xM&utm_source=SAHC+Default+MC+List&utm_campaign=6b1835d2ec-February_2018_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4717684d09-6b1835d2ec-144635353&ct=t%28February_2018_COPY_01%29&mc_cid=6b1835d2ec&mc_eid=cccced3ffd
Many of us will be spending more time in our gardens as we shelter in place during the evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Our gardens will continue to grow and we will continue to have gardening questions.
To answer those questions, Extension Master Gardener℠ Volunteers of Buncombe County will be working from home to keep the Garden Helpline open to the public. We are available to respond to your phone calls and emails. Send an email or leave a voice message at any time and a Master Gardener will respond during the Helpline hours listed below.
The information we provide is consistent with NC State University horticultural research and an integrated pest management approach which includes cultural, mechanical, biological, and chemical methods.
MONDAY & WEDNESDAY: 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
FRIDAY: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Open March through October.
2 Ways to Reach Them:
- Call 828-250-4878
- Email [email protected] with your questions and photos.
ABOUT THE EXHIBIT The hillbilly stereotype is one that is alive and well in American popular culture as a quick survey of the cable dial reveals with such shows as Moonshiners, Appalachian Outlaws, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, and countless others.
Surprisingly, it is one often displayed among educated sorts here in Western North Carolina who would never dream of disparaging any minority or “out group,” but do not hesitate to characterize native Western North Carolinians, as a group, as ignorant, in-bred, hopelessly retrograde, violent, snake-handling, moonshining/meth-making rednecks.
The Hillbillyland Exhibition explores the power, prevalence, and persistence of the hillbilly stereotype from the days of its beginnings in the late 19th century to the present day. The exhibit takes a unique approach by focusing on photography featuring the people of the region, some of them stereotypical images, combined with poetry and short prose pieces that challenge and complicate these stereotypes.
Visit the Virtual Exhibit
ABOUT THE EXHIBIT
In the midst of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, we take an in-depth look at the 1918 influenza epidemic in Western North Carolina through newspaper clippings, advertisements, ephemera, photographs, and oral history and place the events of 1918 into context with our present-day response to the coronavirus pandemic.
https://www.wnchistory.org/virtual-exhibits/influenza/?utm_source=Western%20North%20Carolina%20Historical%20Association&utm_campaign=78fa0bbdf8-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_01_23_05_25_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7424f63c4d-78fa0bbdf8-329482143
|
|
• The WNC Farmers Market (570 Brevard Rd.) is open for business daily from 7 a.m.- 6 p.m. Find fruits + veggies, plus other staples like meats, cheese, beans, preserves, salsas, honey + condiments. In a continued effort to provide our community with fresh, locally grown produce, meats and cheeses from area farmers, the market will remain open and operate under normal business hours. The market will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
While most of the market will remain open as usual, there are some exceptions:
- Moose Cafe – CLOSED.
Additional updates to vendor schedules will be posted as soon as possible. For specific vendors not listed above, we encourage you to reach out to them directly before coming to the market.
Visitors are encouraged to follow CDC recommendations when visiting the market. A complete list of tips and best practices can be found here.
COVID-19 is not a food-borne illness. It is extremely unlikely that someone will catch it through eating. The virus is most likely to cause illness through respiratory transmission. The routes to be concerned about include being in very close proximity to many people, or coming in contact with high touch surfaces.
Thank you for your continued support during these unprecedented times!

See where the cougars and otters sleep overnight, meet black bears that are not commonly on display, learn the ins and outs of what it takes to care for the animals year-round, observe a training session and find out why the animals call Grandfather Mountain home.
Offered on weekends, April – October.
|
|
![]()
We’ve turned some of our youth conservation education programs into videos to share online. Earlier this year, we asked elementary and middle school students what might prevent them from enjoying time outdoors – and many responded “snakes” or “spiders.” So, we developed fun lessons to help dispel myths and fears about snakes and spiders. These video adaptations of our youth education programs include short 5-minute lessons and step-by-step craft activities. Enjoy!
SPIDERS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRWaw6jPeN8&utm_source=SAHC+Default+MC+List&utm_campaign=6b1835d2ec-February_2018_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4717684d09-6b1835d2ec-144635353&ct=t%28February_2018_COPY_01%29&mc_cid=6b1835d2ec&mc_eid=cccced3ffd
SNAKES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpFcByki9xM&utm_source=SAHC+Default+MC+List&utm_campaign=6b1835d2ec-February_2018_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4717684d09-6b1835d2ec-144635353&ct=t%28February_2018_COPY_01%29&mc_cid=6b1835d2ec&mc_eid=cccced3ffd
Many of us will be spending more time in our gardens as we shelter in place during the evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Our gardens will continue to grow and we will continue to have gardening questions.
To answer those questions, Extension Master Gardener℠ Volunteers of Buncombe County will be working from home to keep the Garden Helpline open to the public. We are available to respond to your phone calls and emails. Send an email or leave a voice message at any time and a Master Gardener will respond during the Helpline hours listed below.
The information we provide is consistent with NC State University horticultural research and an integrated pest management approach which includes cultural, mechanical, biological, and chemical methods.
MONDAY & WEDNESDAY: 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
FRIDAY: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Open March through October.
2 Ways to Reach Them:
- Call 828-250-4878
- Email [email protected] with your questions and photos.
Each year, the Week of the Young Child spotlights young children, families, and early educators. Buncombe Partnership for Children usually celebrates with a day of outdoor play and performance, but this year, we’re moving the party online!
It is so important to give hope to our children during what are uneasy times. We are excited for a fun-filled week of music, gardening, art, storytime, and family connection. Knowing that circumstances are different for everyone, we will focus on providing experiences you can enjoy wherever you are celebrating. All activities will be live-streamed and/or posted on YouTube.
There’s something special planned for each day of the week! For more information about Music Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Work Together Wednesday, Artsy Thursday, and Family Friday please visit https://www.facebook.com/events/216960056254414/.
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Would you like to learn more about how literacy changes our students’ lives?
Please join us for coffee and a one-hour tour of the Literacy Council.
UPCOMING TOUR DATES for 2020
Friday, January 10 – 9am | Monday, February 10 – 4pm | Friday, March 13 – 9am
Monday, April 13 – 4pm | Friday, May 8 – 9am | Monday, June 8 – 4pm

Prospective parents and students: we are so excited to give you a glimpse of how Franklin is different!
Hosting an information session during our current global situation is not easy, but we also know how important making the decision about next year is for your child too. We hope that we make the process as simple as possible, and we are providing multiple different ways for you to get to know us.
1. You can visit our YouTube channel we have created specifically for prospective families to check out: https://bit.ly/GetToKnowFranklin
2. You can attend a Google Meet digital info session! During our info session, we will meet digitally to give a brief overview of the school and to answer any questions you may have. This will go live at 5:30 this Thursday, April 16. Here is the link to attend: https://bit.ly/FranklinInfoSession
3. You can email [email protected] to set up a one on one information session to get a detailed look at how Franklin is different from area schools.
4. You can visit our website: www.franklinschoolofinnovation.org

Blue Ridge Eco-Gardener Certificate of Merit
Ecological gardening is a way of thinking about gardens and landscapes in which gardens are no longer seen as a collection of plants, but a community with complex interdependencies between plants, animals, soils and the environment. This certificate program explores ecological principles for creating and managing a healthy, self-sustaining garden and landscape in a changing climate. Students enrolling in the Certificate of Merit program will work to complete 120 hours in core classes on topics including principles of ecological gardening, seasonal plants and tasks and sustainable landscape design along with electives on hardscape, edibles, seed saving and other subjects of interest to participants. View current class offerings for credit in the Blue Ridge Eco-Gardener program here.
To begin your program, complete an application and return it to the Education Center along with a one-time, non-refundable $55 application fee.










