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.
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.
| File Name | Size | Type | Date & Time Added |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration | 209 KB | 02/04/2020 7:52 AM | |
| Schedule | 45 KB | 02/04/2020 7:52 AM |
Visit BREVARDMUSIC.ORG for details.
- 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.
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.
Blue Spiral 1’s most diverse annual exhibition presents artists who have never previously shown in the gallery. This year’s show features nine artists working in a range of media, including painting, ceramics, textiles, mixed media, photography, and wood.
Artists: Anna Buckner, Mark Flowers, David Knox, Hiromi Moneyhun, Kris Rehring, Ben Strear, Gregor Turk
On the Second Saturday of each month, the River Arts District holds gallery walks with demonstrations, workshops, live music, wine tastings, delicious food, and more! Meander the mile-long district or hop on and off the free trolley and discover all that the “RAD” has to offer. There are more than 200 artists in the 23 buildings throughout the district. Most of them will be on hand to describe or show you their techniques and share their inspirations.
*There will be no free trolley for the June and July Second Saturdays. Ample free parking is available in the district.*
*Both in person and virtual events are happening for Second Saturday. Many are listed here and you may also check our EVENTS listings for more details.”
Events with an *asterisk are available in person AND online, Events which are solely virtual listed separately.
Special day & evening events will be listed for each date – so please come back and plan your day as we get closer to the date!
Shapeshifters, the newest exhibition in the John Cram Partner Gallery. Shapeshifters brings together the works of two acclaimed regional artists, Cherokee-based Joshua Adams and Atlanta-based Jiha Moon, who use masks and other objects to explore culture, material, and representation, particularly in the contemporary American South.
(Asheville, NC) – Carolina Kid “Bridging the Gap Tour”, is a 2020 Gospel explosion showcasing a life-changing night of praise and worship with STELLAR Award Winner and GRAMMY Nominee Todd Dulaney; the beautiful and talented Sunday’s Best, GRAMMY, Two-time STELLAR and GMA DOVE Award Winner Le’Andria Johnson; and the hip-hop sensation and Two-Time GRACE Award Winner Moonie Music. This amazing and powerful event will take place at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium at 7:00 PM on Saturday, February 8, 2020. VIP tickets can be purchased, that include front row seats, food, beverage, meet and greet, private parking and a commemorative filled VIP bag.
MORE INFO: https://www.harrahscherokeecenterasheville.com/events/carolina-kid/
PRESALE CODE: CAROLINA
*Valid until Thursday, January 9th at 11:59pm ET
Described as “the closest to ABBA you’ll ever get,” Abba The Concert brings one of the 20th century’s greatest pop groups back to life with their dazzling performances of all the groundbreaking Swedish act’s greatest hits, including “Mamma Mia,” “S.O.S,” “Waterloo,” “Dancing Queen,” and many more. They’ve sold out venues throughout the U.S. and achieved critical and popular acclaim for their energetic performances.
ABBA The Concert visits Brevard as part of its popular BMC Presents series, which brings a diverse range of non-classical artists to the festival stage. In 2020, the series will also host guitarist Bryan Sutton, folk legend Judy Collins, the bluegrass-inspired sounds of Woody Platt and Shannon Whitworth, and the return of award-winning banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck.
For a complete 2020 summer music festival schedule including dates, times, and locations of all performances and events, please visit brevardmusic.org
Davy is a 3-time top 5 Billboard Blues charting and International touring artist, originally from the Isle Of Man in the British Isles, but now based out of Chicago IL. Davy has already had a fascinating career, having shared the stage with The Who, Peter Frampton, Jeff Beck, Gov’t Mule, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Lynrd Skynrd, and the Sammy Hagar fronted supergroup ‘Chickenfoot’ featuring Joe Satriani, who called Davy his “favorite modern-day bluesman”.
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.
| File Name | Size | Type | Date & Time Added |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration | 209 KB | 02/04/2020 7:52 AM | |
| Schedule | 45 KB | 02/04/2020 7:52 AM |
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!
Shapeshifters, the newest exhibition in the John Cram Partner Gallery. Shapeshifters brings together the works of two acclaimed regional artists, Cherokee-based Joshua Adams and Atlanta-based Jiha Moon, who use masks and other objects to explore culture, material, and representation, particularly in the contemporary American South.
Blue Spiral 1’s most diverse annual exhibition presents artists who have never previously shown in the gallery. This year’s show features nine artists working in a range of media, including painting, ceramics, textiles, mixed media, photography, and wood.
Artists: Anna Buckner, Mark Flowers, David Knox, Hiromi Moneyhun, Kris Rehring, Ben Strear, Gregor Turk
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
Described as “the closest to ABBA you’ll ever get,” Abba The Concert brings one of the 20th century’s greatest pop groups back to life with their dazzling performances of all the groundbreaking Swedish act’s greatest hits, including “Mamma Mia,” “S.O.S,” “Waterloo,” “Dancing Queen,” and many more. They’ve sold out venues throughout the U.S. and achieved critical and popular acclaim for their energetic performances.
ABBA The Concert visits Brevard as part of its popular BMC Presents series, which brings a diverse range of non-classical artists to the festival stage. In 2020, the series will also host guitarist Bryan Sutton, folk legend Judy Collins, the bluegrass-inspired sounds of Woody Platt and Shannon Whitworth, and the return of award-winning banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck.
For a complete 2020 summer music festival schedule including dates, times, and locations of all performances and events, please visit brevardmusic.org
Blue Spiral 1’s most diverse annual exhibition presents artists who have never previously shown in the gallery. This year’s show features nine artists working in a range of media, including painting, ceramics, textiles, mixed media, photography, and wood.
Artists: Anna Buckner, Mark Flowers, David Knox, Hiromi Moneyhun, Kris Rehring, Ben Strear, Gregor Turk
Shapeshifters, the newest exhibition in the John Cram Partner Gallery. Shapeshifters brings together the works of two acclaimed regional artists, Cherokee-based Joshua Adams and Atlanta-based Jiha Moon, who use masks and other objects to explore culture, material, and representation, particularly in the contemporary American South.
View all works acquired from the Appalachia Now! exhibition here.
The Asheville Art Museum is pleased to share that seven artists from the opening exhibition Appalachia Now! An Interdisciplinary Survey of Contemporary Art in Southern Appalachia have entered the Museum’s Collection of American Art of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Appalachia Now! was the inaugural exhibition of the newly renovated Museum that celebrated contemporary artists living and working in Southern Appalachia.
Considering available funds, the Museum’s curatorial team selected a range of works that reflect the diversity of Appalachia Now! These works were then presented to the Collectors’ Circle who voted to acquire them.
“It’s such an honor to be a part of the Asheville Art Museum’s expansion into new media,” says Lei Han, who is an associate professor and director of new media at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. “My collaborators and I are grateful for this recognition and we look forward to future collaborations with the Museum.”
“The Museum looks forward to following the careers of all the Appalachia Now! artists,” says Asheville Art Museum Executive Director Pamela Myers. “We are also very thankful for the Collectors’ Circle—for their generosity and ongoing support of the Museum, and their dedication to building the Museum’s important Collection for the enjoyment of all of our visitors.”
Third Coast Percussion is a Grammy®-winning quartet of classically-trained percussionists hailing from the great city of Chicago. For over 10 years, the ensemble has forged a unique path with energetic performances that celebrate the extraordinary depth and breadth of musical possibilities in the world of percussion.
The ensemble has been praised for “commandingly elegant” (The New York Times) performances, the “rare power” (The Washington Post) of their recordings, and “an inspirational sense of fun and curiosity” (Minnesota Star-Tribune). The four members of Third Coast are also accomplished teachers, and since 2013, have served as ensemble-in-residence at the University of Notre Dame’s DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.
Third Coast Percussion has commissioned and premiered new works from Philip Glass, Devonté Hynes, Donnacha Dennehy, Glenn Kotche, Lei Liang, Gavin Bryars, Christopher Cerrone, Marcos Balter, and today’s leading up-and-coming composers through their Emerging Composers Partnership Program.
Free Master Class
Tuesday, February 11, 2020 • 2 pm
Ticket holders may observe a master class with Third Coast Percussion for free. To inquire about becoming a participant in one of the master classes, email [email protected].
Pre-Show Talk
Arrive early to the show to be guided through the pieces and performance you are about to experience in our FREE Pre-Show Talks hosted by Peace Center Artist-in-Residence, Igor Begelman.
The Bob Moog Foundation is thrilled to announce its 2020 Minimoog Raffle, featuring a vintage, iconic Minimoog Model D synthesizer, signed by legendary keyboardist Herbie Hancock. The synthesizer is valued at $5,000. Hancock signed the back of the Minimoog, serial number 1549, and drew a musical staff and added the inscription “(Hey Bob!)” on either side. The raffle begins on Monday, February 10, 2020, and ends on Tuesday March 10, 2020 or when all tickets have sold. Tickets are $25 each, five for $100, 12 for $200, or 35 for $500. Only 4,500 tickets will be available. All proceeds from the raffle support the Foundation’s educational project, Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool, and its newly opened Moogseum, located in Asheville, NC. Tickets can be purchased at http://bit.ly/HHMinimoogRaffle.
Herbie Hancock joins a long list of renowned musicians supporting the Foundation’s efforts. Recent raffles have featured vintage synthesizers signed by Stevie Wonder, Dr. Fink of Prince and the Revolution, Jan Hammer, and Rick Wakeman. Hancock, whose illustrious career spans five decades and 14 Grammy awards, helped pioneer the use of synthesizers in jazz, and has been at the forefront of using technology to make music. He is known for his ever-probing jazz sensibilities, his willingness to explore music across all genres, and is considered to be among the most elite and influential players of his time.
Hancock, who turns 80 this year, continues to make new music and tour worldwide. For more information about Herbie Hancock, visit https://www.herbiehancock.com/
Blue Spiral 1’s most diverse annual exhibition presents artists who have never previously shown in the gallery. This year’s show features nine artists working in a range of media, including painting, ceramics, textiles, mixed media, photography, and wood.
Artists: Anna Buckner, Mark Flowers, David Knox, Hiromi Moneyhun, Kris Rehring, Ben Strear, Gregor Turk
Shapeshifters, the newest exhibition in the John Cram Partner Gallery. Shapeshifters brings together the works of two acclaimed regional artists, Cherokee-based Joshua Adams and Atlanta-based Jiha Moon, who use masks and other objects to explore culture, material, and representation, particularly in the contemporary American South.
View all works acquired from the Appalachia Now! exhibition here.
The Asheville Art Museum is pleased to share that seven artists from the opening exhibition Appalachia Now! An Interdisciplinary Survey of Contemporary Art in Southern Appalachia have entered the Museum’s Collection of American Art of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Appalachia Now! was the inaugural exhibition of the newly renovated Museum that celebrated contemporary artists living and working in Southern Appalachia.
Considering available funds, the Museum’s curatorial team selected a range of works that reflect the diversity of Appalachia Now! These works were then presented to the Collectors’ Circle who voted to acquire them.
“It’s such an honor to be a part of the Asheville Art Museum’s expansion into new media,” says Lei Han, who is an associate professor and director of new media at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. “My collaborators and I are grateful for this recognition and we look forward to future collaborations with the Museum.”
“The Museum looks forward to following the careers of all the Appalachia Now! artists,” says Asheville Art Museum Executive Director Pamela Myers. “We are also very thankful for the Collectors’ Circle—for their generosity and ongoing support of the Museum, and their dedication to building the Museum’s important Collection for the enjoyment of all of our visitors.”
Signaling recent activist and aesthetic concepts in the work of Kara Walker, Childish Gambino, BLM, Janelle Monáe, and Kendrick Lamar, and marking the exit of the Obama Administration and the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, this anthology explores the role of African American arts in shaping the future, and further informing new directions we might take in honoring and protecting the success of African Americans in the U.S. The essays in African American Arts: Activism, Aesthetics, and Futurity engage readers in critical conversations by activists, scholars, and artists reflecting on national and transnational legacies of African American activism as an element of artistic practice, particularly as they concern artistic expression and race relations, and the intersections of creative processes with economic, sociological, and psychological inequalities. Scholars from the fields of communication, theater, queer studies, media studies, performance studies, dance, visual arts, and fashion design, to name a few, collectively ask: What are the connections between African American arts, the work of social justice, and creative processes? If we conceive the arts as critical to the legacy of black activism in the United States, how can we use that construct to inform our understanding of the complicated intersections of African American activism and aesthetics? How might we as scholars and creative thinkers further employ the arts to envision and shape a verdant society?
Discussion Bound
Meeting each second Tuesday at 12pm, this monthly discussion is a place to exchange ideas about readings that relate to artworks and the art world, and to learn from and about each other. Pick up some tasty local fare at the Malaprop’s Café to make the most of your midday break! Books are available at Malaprop’s for a 10% discount. To add your name to our Discussion Bound mailing list, email Kristi McMillan, adult programs manager, or call 828.253.3227 x122.
Amanda Shires is renowned for her carefully crafted songs. Her influences include Leonard Cohen and John Prine, the latter of whom has been a mentor. “I was talking to John Prine while I was writing this record,” says Shires, “and he was talking about how using images that actually happened to you makes the songs true. Also, if you use images that you can see daily, it’s more relatable.” Shires took his advice in such tracks as “Break Out the Champagne.” “It’s all true!” says the resilient Shires. The near-plane crash over Newfoundland, her BFF Kelly’s fears about our apocalyptic times, another friend’s heavy breakup.
To The Sunset, says Shires, “is meant to be a positive thing. Acknowledging your past, and at sunset, your hope for a new day. ‘To The Sunset’ sounds like a toast: This day is over, we don’t know what’s in the future, but it’s hopeful, I think.” Shires has drawn from her own past on To The Sunset – and pointed the way to her future. She has set the bar high – sonically and lyrically – and she’s jumped over it.
A remarkable thing happened to The Revivalists as they came upon their tenth anniversary as a band. The New Orleans-based septet scored a game-changing hit with “Wish I Knew You,” a wistful song from their third album, Men Amongst Mountains. Guided by dynamic percussion and punchy horns, the single features a contagious hook and feel-good chorus that has resonated with fans across all different genres. Though the album was released in July of 2015 (debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard Alternative Albums chart), the band’s break out single “Wish I Knew You” has a rare and undeniable staying power. The song steadily picked up steam in 2016 spending over 40 weeks on the Billboard Adult Alternative Chart where it peaked at #1 and maintained for multiple weeks. By 2017, the song crossed to Alternative radio rising quickly to #1 and breaking the Billboard chart record for most single-week spins ever at Alternative radio. “Wish I Knew You” then peaked inside the Top 15 at Adult Pop Radio and ultimately spent 9 weeks in the Billboard Hot 100. Tickets are $50.50 and will go on sale Friday, November 22nd at 10am online and at the venue box office. More information available here.