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.

Sunday, April 5, 2020
Western North Carolina Orchid Society 22nd annual Asheville Orchid Festival
Apr 5 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
The North Carolina Arboretum

The Western North Carolina Orchid Society will host its 22nd annual Asheville Orchid Festival, Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, April 5, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. inside the Arboretum’s Education Center. Featuring hundreds of carefully crafted orchid displays, experts will be on-site to provide educational programs for both novice and advanced orchid growers. Visitors will also have the opportunity to purchase cutting-edge orchid hybrids and varieties from vendors from across the United States and Ecuador.

Please note, admittance to the main orchid exhibit at The North Carolina Arboretum is $5 per person (collected at the door). Children 12 and under are free. All fees will support the Western North Carolina Orchid Society’s non-profit organization and future orchid events. Standard Arboretum parking fees still apply.

Saturday Program Schedule


10:00 a.m. | A Walk through the World of Orchids”
By Marc Burchette Orchid Extraordinaire
A guided tour through the fabulous orchid exhibits
Meet in the Auditorium

11:30 a.m. | “Mini-Cattleyas for Everyone”
By Mark Reinke of Marble Branch Farms
Located in the upstairs Library upstairs

1:00 p.m. | “The Enchanting Orchids of Ecuador”
By Dayaneth Loja Portilla of Ecuagenera Orchids, Ecuador
Discover the wonderful orchid species from Ecuador
Located in the Library upstairs

2:15 p.m. | Repotting Clinic
By Graham Ramsey
Repotting your orchid with Orchid Bark, Sphagnum Moss and Tree Fern (Hands-on demonstration)
Located in the Library upstairs

Sunday Program Schedule


10:00 a.m. | “A Walk through the World of Orchids”
By Marc Burchette Orchid Extraordinaire
A guided tour through the fabulous orchid exhibits
Meet in the Auditorium

11:30 a.m. | “Bulbophyllum species, and hybrids”
By Sara Gallis of The Orchid Trail
Learn how easy it is to grow Bulbophyllums
Located in the Library upstairs

1:00 p.m. | “Native Orchid Species of Western NC”
By Scott Dean Naturalist/Photographer
Come learn about the native orchids of Western North Carolina
Located in the Library upstairs

2:15 p.m. | Repotting Clinic
By Graham Ramsey
Repotting your orchid with Orchid Bark, Sphagnum Moss and Tree Fern (Hands-on demonstration)
Located in the Library upstairs

Annual Spring Wildflower Walk The Botanical Gardens
Apr 5 @ 9:30 am – 11:30 am
The Botanical Gardens
Plant grouping

Annual Spring Wildflower Walk

with David Clarke

MEET AT VISITOR CENTER (Outdoor Class)

A professor in the UNCA Biology Department, Dr. David Clark is regarded as one of the premier botanists of South American floras. He has discovered dozens of new plant species while leading more than 20 rainforest plant collecting expeditions sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution and the National Geographic Society.   His research interests include the flora of the southern Appalachians. David possesses an unpretentious wit and an infectious style of sharing his vast knowledge of plants. Join him for an informative walk enjoying spring wildflowers in the Gardens – rain or shine!

Participants must pre-register and pre-pay for classes: 828-252-5190.

Limit 16

An Afternoon with Lonnie Holley
Apr 5 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Join us for a special afternoon with artist Lonnie Holley. Holley is not only an internationally renowned visual artist—whose multimedia works are featured in major museum collections worldwide, including the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, the High Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and many more—but also a successful improvisational musician and visionary filmmaker. For this program, Holley will screen his film I Snuck Off a Slave Ship—which premiered at Sundance—discuss his works in the Museum’s Collection, engage with questions from the audience, and perhaps treat us to an impromptu performance.

Space is limited; register online now or call 828.253.3227 x122. Presented in conjunction with Intersections in American Art and the Connect Beyond Festival.

Monday, April 6, 2020
COVID-19 Relief Funds Available to Farmers
Apr 6 all-day
Carolina Farm Stewardship Association

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

Cultivating Digital Photography Skills: Composition – VIRTUAL
Apr 6 all-day
Online w/ Asheville Art Museum

In this four-part class taught by M. Paige Taylor, explore composition and color using digital photography! Through a series of weekly assignments, hone your observation skills, apply framing and cropping with intention, and use color with purpose.

APRIL 9, 16, 23, & 30—Thursdays, 6–8pm
Registration deadline: April 8

$75 Museum Members, $85 non-members

THIS PROGRAM WILL TAKE PLACE VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM. SPACE IS LIMITED; TO REGISTER, CLICK HERE OR CALL 828.253.3227 X122.

Matthew Pillsbury, Grande Galerie de l’Évolution, Paris, 2008, printed 2013, archival ink on paper, 39 ⅜ × 31 ½ inches, Collection of the Asheville Art Museum. Museum purchase with funds provided by the Nat C. Myers Photography Fund, 2012.44.99. © Matthew Pillsbury

Organic Growers School Videos: How to Grow Potatoes
Apr 6 all-day
Organic Growers School Online
It’s time to plant potatoes! Learn some simple tricks to ensure a good harvest.
Organic Growers School Videos: Seed Starting
Apr 6 all-day
Organic Growers School Online

Learn the best vegetables to direct seed and the best vegetables to transplant.

Organic Growers School Videos: To Seed or Not to Seed?
Apr 6 all-day
Organic Growers School Online
Listen to the pros and cons of selecting seed and growing your own plants from seed as opposed to buying starts.
Video Short:  Woman Arranging Flowers by Myron G. Barlow
Apr 6 all-day
Online
In this short video, UNC-Asheville Lecturer in Art Rob Anderson talks color and takes an up-close look at Collection favorite Woman Arranging Flowers by Myron G. Barlow.
Where to Purchase Plant Starts Asheville Area
Apr 6 all-day
Organic Growers School

With the Asheville Spring Herb Festival and many other such events being cancelled, you may be wondering where to buy starts.
Many farmers are sharing their products through
Asheville Online Farmers Market Facebook Group
Red Wing Farm is offering delivery in Buncombe County
and has several drop off locations in other areas.
WNC Farmers Market Open 7am-6pm daily
Apr 6 @ 7:00 am – 6:00 pm
 WNC Farmers Market
• 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:

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!

Natural Impressions: Prints from the Asheville Printmakers CANCELLED
Apr 6 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
The North Carolina Arboretum

On display daily January 18 – April 19, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the upstairs gallery of the Education Center, the Asheville Printmakers’ newest exhibit, Natural Impressions, will feature a variety of two- and three-dimensional print pieces utilizing numerous printmaking processes. Works will inspire visitors to think about the beauty and fragility of plants and the natural world through various perspectives and printmaking techniques. All pieces are available for purchase and a portion of the sales will benefit The North Carolina Arboretum Society.

Founded in 2013, the Asheville Printmakers is an energetic group of artists dedicated to expressing ideas and imagery through the medium of print. The group encompasses a wide range of processes and content, including traditional methods, such as lithography, woodcut and screen printing, and contemporary photographic printing processes, such as carbon printing, platinum-palladium and photopolymer etching. 

Parking Fees

  • Members: Free
  • Personal Vehicles: $14
  • Motorhomes / Vehicles (21’ or larger): $50
  • Buses: $100

There are no other admission charges required for visitors to access the Arboretum’s grounds and facilities during the day beyond the standard parking fees listed above.

Itch to Stitch Weaverville Library CANCELLED
Apr 6 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Weaverville Library

Itch to Stitch

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

Tuesday, April 7, 2020
COVID-19 Relief Funds Available to Farmers
Apr 7 all-day
Carolina Farm Stewardship Association

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

Cultivating Digital Photography Skills: Composition – VIRTUAL
Apr 7 all-day
Online w/ Asheville Art Museum

In this four-part class taught by M. Paige Taylor, explore composition and color using digital photography! Through a series of weekly assignments, hone your observation skills, apply framing and cropping with intention, and use color with purpose.

APRIL 9, 16, 23, & 30—Thursdays, 6–8pm
Registration deadline: April 8

$75 Museum Members, $85 non-members

THIS PROGRAM WILL TAKE PLACE VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM. SPACE IS LIMITED; TO REGISTER, CLICK HERE OR CALL 828.253.3227 X122.

Matthew Pillsbury, Grande Galerie de l’Évolution, Paris, 2008, printed 2013, archival ink on paper, 39 ⅜ × 31 ½ inches, Collection of the Asheville Art Museum. Museum purchase with funds provided by the Nat C. Myers Photography Fund, 2012.44.99. © Matthew Pillsbury

Video Short:  Woman Arranging Flowers by Myron G. Barlow
Apr 7 all-day
Online
In this short video, UNC-Asheville Lecturer in Art Rob Anderson talks color and takes an up-close look at Collection favorite Woman Arranging Flowers by Myron G. Barlow.
VIRTUAL: 8th Annual Face Jug Show
Apr 7 all-day
American Folk Art and Framing ONLINE

2020 8th Annual Face Jug Show

Every April, American Folk Art honors a wild pottery tradition that began regionally in the early 1800’s. No one knows for sure when the first face jug was created, but around the mountain region of North Carolina, face jugs began to be created for the storage of moonshine around 1810. The faces, snakes and other foreboding additions were added to the clay jugs to scare the children, so they would not drink the contents. In the unadorned world of the 1800’s, the face jug was remarkable and the tradition allowed for much creativity and fun amongst potters. Face jugs continue to be created in the same fashion as of old, which includes hand digging and mixing regional soils to make the clay, using regional materials to make the glazes, in many cases using broken plates for the teeth, and wood-firing the jugs to 2300 degrees. They are still in use, holding moonshine, but not necessarily scaring the kids.

Where to Purchase Plant Starts Asheville Area
Apr 7 all-day
Organic Growers School

With the Asheville Spring Herb Festival and many other such events being cancelled, you may be wondering where to buy starts.
Many farmers are sharing their products through
Asheville Online Farmers Market Facebook Group
Red Wing Farm is offering delivery in Buncombe County
and has several drop off locations in other areas.
WNC Farmers Market Open 7am-6pm daily
Apr 7 @ 7:00 am – 6:00 pm
 WNC Farmers Market
• 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:

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!

Natural Impressions: Prints from the Asheville Printmakers CANCELLED
Apr 7 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
The North Carolina Arboretum

On display daily January 18 – April 19, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the upstairs gallery of the Education Center, the Asheville Printmakers’ newest exhibit, Natural Impressions, will feature a variety of two- and three-dimensional print pieces utilizing numerous printmaking processes. Works will inspire visitors to think about the beauty and fragility of plants and the natural world through various perspectives and printmaking techniques. All pieces are available for purchase and a portion of the sales will benefit The North Carolina Arboretum Society.

Founded in 2013, the Asheville Printmakers is an energetic group of artists dedicated to expressing ideas and imagery through the medium of print. The group encompasses a wide range of processes and content, including traditional methods, such as lithography, woodcut and screen printing, and contemporary photographic printing processes, such as carbon printing, platinum-palladium and photopolymer etching. 

Parking Fees

  • Members: Free
  • Personal Vehicles: $14
  • Motorhomes / Vehicles (21’ or larger): $50
  • Buses: $100

There are no other admission charges required for visitors to access the Arboretum’s grounds and facilities during the day beyond the standard parking fees listed above.

Growing and Propagating Dahlias Cancelled
Apr 7 @ 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Bullington Gardens

 

Brian Killingsworth, Bullington’s Dahlia guru, will discuss and demonstrate how to grow these spectacular plants  in your garden. Bring last season’s clumps of tubers to see how to divide into individual tubers.

Wednesday, April 8, 2020
Art in the Time of COVID Pink Dog Creative
Apr 8 all-day
Pink Dog Creative Online

Welcome to Art in the Time of COVID– an online artwork exhibition by Pink Dog Creative artists. The work in this exhibition is either related to the COVID-19 pandemic, made during the time of Stay-At-Home orders, or is uplifting or otherwise helpful during this challenging time. Most of the work is for sale. Our artists are hard at work and appreciate your support during this difficult time. Check out our artist pages and please get in touch with artists directly for information on work, online classes, & commissions! Work will continue to be added during the quarantine, so please check back for updates.

Karen Keil Brown, Where Will Our Path Take Us, Oil on canvas, 14 x 11″

COVID-19 Relief Funds Available to Farmers
Apr 8 all-day
Carolina Farm Stewardship Association

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

Cultivating Digital Photography Skills: Composition – VIRTUAL
Apr 8 all-day
Online w/ Asheville Art Museum

In this four-part class taught by M. Paige Taylor, explore composition and color using digital photography! Through a series of weekly assignments, hone your observation skills, apply framing and cropping with intention, and use color with purpose.

APRIL 9, 16, 23, & 30—Thursdays, 6–8pm
Registration deadline: April 8

$75 Museum Members, $85 non-members

THIS PROGRAM WILL TAKE PLACE VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM. SPACE IS LIMITED; TO REGISTER, CLICK HERE OR CALL 828.253.3227 X122.

Matthew Pillsbury, Grande Galerie de l’Évolution, Paris, 2008, printed 2013, archival ink on paper, 39 ⅜ × 31 ½ inches, Collection of the Asheville Art Museum. Museum purchase with funds provided by the Nat C. Myers Photography Fund, 2012.44.99. © Matthew Pillsbury

How to Buy Local While Social Distancing: On-Farm Pickups and More
Apr 8 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.
Organic Growers School Videos: How to Grow Potatoes
Apr 8 all-day
Organic Growers School Online
It’s time to plant potatoes! Learn some simple tricks to ensure a good harvest.
Organic Growers School Videos: Seed Starting
Apr 8 all-day
Organic Growers School Online

Learn the best vegetables to direct seed and the best vegetables to transplant.

Organic Growers School Videos: To Seed or Not to Seed?
Apr 8 all-day
Organic Growers School Online
Listen to the pros and cons of selecting seed and growing your own plants from seed as opposed to buying starts.
Video Short:  Woman Arranging Flowers by Myron G. Barlow
Apr 8 all-day
Online
In this short video, UNC-Asheville Lecturer in Art Rob Anderson talks color and takes an up-close look at Collection favorite Woman Arranging Flowers by Myron G. Barlow.
VIRTUAL: 8th Annual Face Jug Show
Apr 8 all-day
American Folk Art and Framing ONLINE

2020 8th Annual Face Jug Show

Every April, American Folk Art honors a wild pottery tradition that began regionally in the early 1800’s. No one knows for sure when the first face jug was created, but around the mountain region of North Carolina, face jugs began to be created for the storage of moonshine around 1810. The faces, snakes and other foreboding additions were added to the clay jugs to scare the children, so they would not drink the contents. In the unadorned world of the 1800’s, the face jug was remarkable and the tradition allowed for much creativity and fun amongst potters. Face jugs continue to be created in the same fashion as of old, which includes hand digging and mixing regional soils to make the clay, using regional materials to make the glazes, in many cases using broken plates for the teeth, and wood-firing the jugs to 2300 degrees. They are still in use, holding moonshine, but not necessarily scaring the kids.