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.

Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Online Gardening School Wild Abundance
Apr 14 all-day
Wild Abundance

closeup of shovel digging into garden

Online Gardening School

Are you ready to grow some serious food? This six-month online video course will give you the skills and tools you need to be able to grow a garden for yourself, from the ground up. Begins EARTH DAY April 22, 2020!

Online Hide Tanning Course Return to Ancestral Ways
Apr 14 all-day
Wild Abundance

A video-based program that guides aspiring hide tanners through every step of tanning a deer hide.

Natalie Bogwalker

Natalie is a hide tanner, craftswoman, builder, teacher, mom, and gardener. She founded Wild Abundance 10 years ago because of her passion for sharing real, practical skills that get people closer to the Earth. Hide tanning was one of the first earthskills that she learned, and it changed her life profoundly. That was over 15 years ago! Since then she’s tanned uncountable hides, but more importantly, she’s taught hide tanning to hundreds of students.

Natalie knows what usually trips people up who are new to hide tanning. In this online course she shares a thorough, step-by-step guide to hide tanning, including numerous tips and tricks that will help you succeed.

 

SAHC Education Videos Spiders and Snakes! Oh My! Myth Buster
Apr 14 all-day
Online Videos

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

Ingles Special Shopping Hours, Delivery Options for Vulnerable Populations
Apr 14 @ 7:00 am – 8:00 am
Ingles Grocery Stores

Starting on Tuesday, March 24, Ingles will dedicate the first shopping hour from 7 – 8 am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to senior shoppers and those with compromised immune systems.

 

Publix Markets: Special Shopping Hours, Delivery Options for Vulnerable Populations
Apr 14 @ 7:00 am – 8:00 am
Publix Markets

Publix Markets reserves 7-8 a.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for customers age 65 and older. Home delivery is available through Instacart.

Bounty and Soul Black Mountain Food Service
Apr 14 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
St. James Episcopal Church Parking Lot

Dear Bounty & Soul Family,

Bounty & Soul is deeply committed to the health and well-being of the community. It is what you have trusted and helped us to do all these years and we couldn’t be more grateful. On behalf of the board and staff, we want you to know that during this challenging time, we are being called to deliver on our promise of providing healthy food and support to our community in this great time of need and we are doing so in a BIG WAY…TOGETHER. It is our priority to ensure the health and safety of our staff, volunteers and community members as we navigate this crisis and we are following the guidance of the WHO, CDC and state and local officials to quickly adapt to take the necessary precautions. This is what we are doing to provide much-needed resources while providing safety and protection:

  • We will be hosting drive-thru pick up sites for participants to collect pre-made healthy food boxes. Tuesdays at St. James Episcopal Church Parking Lot from 11am-1pm and Fridays at Black Mountain Presbyterian Church Parking Lot from 4-6pm. We are asking that no one arrives to the site prior to the scheduled times.
  • We have cancelled all of our classes, kids activities and after-school programming as to follow the guidance for social distancing until further notice. Recognizing the importance of staying well, we will STILL provide healthy recipes, helpful tips, resources and education (including how to manage stress in a crisis) through printed materials, social media and on our website. Hope-filled messages and affirmations will also go into boxes.
  • We have hand sanitizer, gloves, masks and constant messaging on washing hands set up at our volunteer shifts and at the distribution sites as well as ask everyone to take the following steps and precautions:

(1) Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer immediately upon entering new spaces.

(2) Avoid shaking hands, touching your face, nose and eyes and other personal contact.

(3) Cough or sneeze into your elbow, not hands. If your cough/sneeze is persistent, consider using a mask if available. 

(4) If you have a fever, respiratory symptoms or feel unwell please stay home.

(5) If you have traveled internationally or flown recently please refrain from activities at this time.

Thank you for your commitment and support in ensuring that Bounty & Soul continues to get Produce to The People during this time of uncertainty. Now, more than ever we must come together as a community, as a nation, as a world to be there for one another, support and love each other. It’s the Bounty & Soul way…

In solidarity, health and love,

Ali, Abbie, Adam, Karla, Linda, Fitz and the Board of Bounty & Soul

HOW YOU CAN HELP
(1) Donate Funds to Help Us Purchase Bulk Grains and Other Shelf-Stable Items
(2) Donate Food/Organize a Food Drive/Write hope-filled messages of encouragement to go into boxes
(3) Deliver Benevolent Boxes to Seniors and other Vulnerable Populations

Contact Karla at [email protected] to learn more about any of these opportunities.

Bounty & Soul is also in need of small boxes from Ingles and/or reusable bags. These can be dropped off at our office located at 999 Old US Hwy 70 W, behind the Swannanoa Valley Medical Center.

Science Take-Out with Research Triangle Nanotechnology Network
Apr 14 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
All shows will be posted on FB Live at Research Triangle Nanotechnology Network.

No photo description available.

Our friends from the Reasearch Triangle Nanotechnology Network are hosting a new online program!

Science Take-Out is a weekly microscopy program for your quarantined viewing pleasure. Science Take-out will begin Tuesday, March 31st. Each week, Dr. Holly Leddy will explore a different theme using both a light microscope, a portable scanning electron microscope, and the support of RTNN technical staff. They’ll broadcast all sessions live and answer your questions. All shows will be posted on FB Live at Research Triangle Nanotechnology Network.

All shows are designed with K-12 audiences in mind and are open to everyone.

Join them for some take-out science as they explore the world at a much smaller scale. (And don’t forget your take-out lunch!)

https://www.rtnn.ncsu.edu/science-take-out/

Digital Info Session – The Franklin School of Innovation
Apr 14 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
The Franklin School of Innovation Online

Image may contain: sky, tree, outdoor and nature

Limited Capacity21 Spots Left
Reserve a spot and confirm details to attend

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

Thomas Edison & Nikola Tesla | Chautauqua Talk CANCELLED
Apr 14 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Hughes Main Library

Free event and parking. More Info: HistoryComesAlive.org or 864-244-1499

Join an audience that loves talking back to history to discuss Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla and the turn of the century War of the Currents – with Erik Vedeler, retired NASA Langley Research Center head of the electromagnetics and sensors branch and popular OLLI teacher at UNC Asheville.

In the late 19th century, the world battled over which electricity system—direct current (DC- Edison) or alternating current (AC – Tesla) – would become standard. Erik Vedeler will “enlighten” you.

This event is a discussion NOT a costumed performance. In the Chautauqua History Comes Alive Festival June 12 – 21, Edison will be performed by Hank Fincken from Illinois and Tesla will be performed by Ian Ruskin from Los Angeles.

Wednesday, April 15, 2020
A National Unified Leadership Response to shortages of Personal Protective Medical Equipment
Apr 15 all-day
NATIONAL PPE COALITION onlie

Across the nation, thousands of people are stepping up to solve the crisis that is afflicting our heroic frontline health workers and first responders. As hospitals struggle to find safe and reliable supplies, companies, organizations, and individuals are joining forces to get health care workers the personal protective equipment and lifesaving medical devices they need. No single organization can do this alone. In fact, the proliferation of organizations in this space has made it incredibly challenging to navigate.

National PPE Coalition’s goal is to aid that process by enabling connections. We’re working to bring crucial partners – state governments, corporations, manufacturers, non profits, and individuals – together in order to build an efficient, unified supply chain.

By coordinating all emergency PPE crisis efforts, we not only minimize the risk of misdirecting critical supplies to places that may need them less urgently, but increase their individual power exponentially. Working together, the PPE Coalition members are working together to ensure that every shipment of PPE sent is a life-saving shipment.

City of Asheville provides hand washing stations to help reduce spread of COVID-19
Apr 15 all-day
City of Asheville
illustration of someone washing hands

 

 

Update:

For a map of temporary, portable hand washing stations and restrooms, visit this link. The map is being updated as new stations are installed.

 

Original post:

With the COVID-19 public health emergency going on it has never been more important to be able to wash your hands. Besides keeping 6 feet of distance between yourself and others, hand washing and sanitation have been identified as important measures in reducing the spread of contagion.

handwashing station
Portable hand washing station on the sidewalk by Pritchard Park.

That’s why the City of Asheville has installed portable hand washing stations in several strategic places around town. We realize that people sometimes have to travel on ART buses to get to work, buy groceries or pick up prescriptions from the pharmacy, for example. Also, our unsheltered population needs places to wash their hands as well.

For these reasons, the City has installed portable hand washing stations at the following locations:

  •         Outside of Pritchard Park, on the sidewalk.
  •         Pack Square Park, downtown
  •         AHope Day Shelter, 19 N. Ann St.
  •         ABCCM Medical Ministry, 155 Livingston St.
  •         12 Baskets, 610 Haywood Road
  •         Haywood Street Congregation, 297 Haywood St.
Portable restroom facilities have been provided outside Pritchard Park, in Pack Square Park and at the ART Station.

 

 

The City of Asheville is coordinating these actions in partnership with Buncombe County Public Health Officials.

 

This is an evolving situation and information is often changing. For resources on prevention best practices and news updates, visit Buncombe Ready. Additional guidance is on the Buncombe County Public Health website.

 

For information on how to sign up for City and County government alerts, visit this link.

Dragonflies: Activities and Videos with River Link
Apr 15 all-day
River Link On Line

The Otherworldly Mouths of Dragonflies

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHo_9wnnUTE&eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=191b64e9-75b2-483f-909b-c345ee2dc5f9

For some people Dragonflies are one of the most beautiful looking insects on the river. However, before they develop their vibrant colors and delicate wings they start their life in the water as a nymph. In this stage Dragonfly Nymphs act as one of the most effective predators in the river. In order to fill this role they’ve developed certain adaptations to give them an edge over their competition. Their mouths in particular, are straight out of your favorite 80’s sci-fi movie with Sigourney Weaver. PBS’s Closer Look series can tell you more about the incredible hunting methods of these creatures.

 

FREE Video Course by Wild Abundance: 10 Spring Wild Foods
Apr 15 all-day
Wild Abundance Online

FREE Video Course by Wild Abundance

Discover delicacies growing right outside your door.

Your guide through this course is seasoned Wild Abundance instructor Luke Cannon, who has practiced wild food foraging for over two decades. More than a botanist, Luke is a long-time pursuer and teacher of the magic and medicine of plants. An avid naturalist, Luke draws from a diverse pool of knowledge, combining his natural history studies with his life experience in organic farming, natural building, permaculture, nature-based mentoring, and rural homesteading.

FREE Video Course by Wild Abundance: 10 Vegetables that will Really Feed You
Apr 15 all-day
Wild Abundance

Getting started gardening can be exciting, and it can feel daunting.

Your teachers, Natalie Bogwalker and Chloe Lieberman share experience-based, practical instruction for growing their top ten vegetables to really fill your plate, belly, and larder. We put together this class so that you can begin with the crops that are most likely to be successful and rewarding. Or, if you’ve got some experience gardening but want to expand your repertoire, this course will help you do so in a way that makes sense and yields abundantly.

Get Free Books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Apr 15 all-day
Imagination Library Online

Children under 5 years old can receive free, age-appropriate books each month until their 5th birthday! Read more and sign up here.
How to Buy Local While Social Distancing: On-Farm Pickups and More
Apr 15 all-day
NC and SC Farms

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.
Kids ecoExplore BioBlitz with The North Carolina Arboretum
Apr 15 all-day
The North Carolina Arboretum On Line

Get to know the nature near you! This year, as part of the City Nature Challenge, the Arboretum’s ecoEXPLORE program has launched a special BioBlitz Bonus Badge. Children in grades K-8 who complete six “challenges” will earn the BioBlitz Bonus Badge and their adult helpers will also receive a North Carolina BioBlitz patch. ecoEXPLORE is an initiative of The North Carolina Arboretum and is free to all North Carolina residents due to the generous support from the North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation and the Duke Energy Foundation.

Be an ecoEXPLORER!

Are you a group or classroom? Choose the “Group” option on the signup form.

How it works:

  1. Sign up to be an ecoEXPLORER using the form on this page. Then have your parent check their email for an email where they can click a link to give permission for your participation.
  2. Go outside in your own backyard or at a designated ecoEXPLORE HotSpot to find wildlife species, including plants, reptiles, amphibians, insects and birds.
  3. Use your own device — or check out an iPod Touch at any LoanSpot location — and photograph your wildlife observation, noting the data, location, time, size, and species observed.
  4. Login to your ecoEXPLORE profile online and submit your observation.
  5. Arboretum staff will then review your observation and submit all approved submissions to the iNaturalist Network , which is used by real scientists!
NEW! North Carolina BioBlitz Patch for Adults
Apr 15 all-day
The North Carolina Arboretum

NEW! North Carolina BioBlitz Patch

For adults looking for an extra challenge this spring, the Arboretum has created the North Carolina BioBlitz patch in conjunction with the 2020 City Nature Challenge (April 24 – 27). To earn the patch, participants will need to create a free iNaturalist account; attend the “Intro to iNaturalist” class on April 9 (or watch the recorded version later); make 50 nature observations during the City Nature Challenge; and help identify 50 species during the Challenge’s “identifying” stage (April 28 – May 3). Students in the Arboretum’s Blue Ridge Naturalist and Blue Ridge Eco-Gardener certificate programs can earn three elective credits if they complete the North Carolina BioBlitz program and one credit if they only take the “Into to iNaturalist” class.

Online Gardening School Wild Abundance
Apr 15 all-day
Wild Abundance

closeup of shovel digging into garden

Online Gardening School

Are you ready to grow some serious food? This six-month online video course will give you the skills and tools you need to be able to grow a garden for yourself, from the ground up. Begins EARTH DAY April 22, 2020!

SAHC Education Videos Spiders and Snakes! Oh My! Myth Buster
Apr 15 all-day
Online Videos

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

Ingles Special Shopping Hours, Delivery Options for Vulnerable Populations
Apr 15 @ 7:00 am – 8:00 am
Ingles Grocery Stores

Starting on Tuesday, March 24, Ingles will dedicate the first shopping hour from 7 – 8 am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to senior shoppers and those with compromised immune systems.

 

Publix Markets: Special Shopping Hours, Delivery Options for Vulnerable Populations
Apr 15 @ 7:00 am – 8:00 am
Publix Markets

Publix Markets reserves 7-8 a.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for customers age 65 and older. Home delivery is available through Instacart.

North Carolina in the Great War Exhibit
Apr 15 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Smith-McDowell House

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.

Beacham’s Curve Aid Supply and Food Drive
Apr 15 @ 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Ambrose West

Every Wednesday from 12-6pm, Carolina Hemp Company and Ambrose West, alongside their neighbors on West Asheville’s Beachm’s Curve, will host a community aid drive to gather and donate supplies and food to support local emergency relief efforts. Recipients include Homeward Bound, Western Carolina Rescue Ministries, 12 Bones, the YMCA, and more! As Asheville’s Hometown Hemp Company, Carolina Hemp Company values their local community, and believes in supporting each other when in need. In times such as these, we are reminded of the unfortunate imbalance in society’s ability to afford and have access to basic necessities. The Carolina Hemp Company mission is and always has been Bringing Balance Through Hemp and they now have the opportunity to practice this through service to the Asheville community. While being encouraged to separate, it is important we still band together to pool resources, communicate, and take care of each other. Carolina Hemp Company will be collecting non-perishable food items, cooking essentials, health and wellness products, cleaning and sanitation supplies, and general toiletries, and camping gear to load into the Hemp Xpress Trolley and distribute to local organizations who are dedicated to providing shelter, food and health services to those who need it most. Updates and detailed information will be posted to the Beacham’s Curve Aid Supply and Food Drive event page on the Carolina Hemp Company facebook page.

 

The staff is committed to practicing conscious handling and delivery of all supplies through hand washing, wiping down items, and limited contact between donors, themselves, and the receiving organizations’ representatives

 

Digital Info Session – The Franklin School of Innovation
Apr 15 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
The Franklin School of Innovation Online

Image may contain: sky, tree, outdoor and nature

Limited Capacity21 Spots Left
Reserve a spot and confirm details to attend

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

Thursday, April 16, 2020
Blue Ridge Eco-Gardener Certificate of Merit
Apr 16 all-day
NC Arboretum On Line

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.

Blue Ridge Naturalist Certificate of Merit
Apr 16 all-day
The North Carolina Arboretum

Join over one hundred students on a quest to deepen understanding of the natural sciences through the Blue Ridge Naturalist Certificate of Merit. The program offers adult learners a comprehensive curriculum of study about the natural world of Western North Carolina. Classes meet year round and students work to complete 240 hours in core courses on ecology, botany, geology and plant identification as well as electives on animals, lichens, insects and more. View current class offerings for credit in the Blue Ridge Naturalist program here. All students must complete and present a final project prior to graduation.

To begin your program complete an application and return it to the Education Center along with a a one-time, non-refundable $55 application fee.

Dragonflies: Activities and Videos with River Link
Apr 16 all-day
River Link On Line

The Otherworldly Mouths of Dragonflies

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHo_9wnnUTE&eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=191b64e9-75b2-483f-909b-c345ee2dc5f9

For some people Dragonflies are one of the most beautiful looking insects on the river. However, before they develop their vibrant colors and delicate wings they start their life in the water as a nymph. In this stage Dragonfly Nymphs act as one of the most effective predators in the river. In order to fill this role they’ve developed certain adaptations to give them an edge over their competition. Their mouths in particular, are straight out of your favorite 80’s sci-fi movie with Sigourney Weaver. PBS’s Closer Look series can tell you more about the incredible hunting methods of these creatures.

 

FREE Video Course by Wild Abundance: 10 Spring Wild Foods
Apr 16 all-day
Wild Abundance Online

FREE Video Course by Wild Abundance

Discover delicacies growing right outside your door.

Your guide through this course is seasoned Wild Abundance instructor Luke Cannon, who has practiced wild food foraging for over two decades. More than a botanist, Luke is a long-time pursuer and teacher of the magic and medicine of plants. An avid naturalist, Luke draws from a diverse pool of knowledge, combining his natural history studies with his life experience in organic farming, natural building, permaculture, nature-based mentoring, and rural homesteading.

FREE Video Course by Wild Abundance: 10 Vegetables that will Really Feed You
Apr 16 all-day
Wild Abundance

Getting started gardening can be exciting, and it can feel daunting.

Your teachers, Natalie Bogwalker and Chloe Lieberman share experience-based, practical instruction for growing their top ten vegetables to really fill your plate, belly, and larder. We put together this class so that you can begin with the crops that are most likely to be successful and rewarding. Or, if you’ve got some experience gardening but want to expand your repertoire, this course will help you do so in a way that makes sense and yields abundantly.