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.

Brunch B’Yahad is now available through Zoom meeting here.
Join new and old friends for light brunch, socialization and lively discussion. Featured guest speakers, and relevant cultural and timely topics will fill our minds.

Enjoy the sights and sounds of the Great Smoky Mountains while traveling along the Tennessee and Nantahala (nan-tuh-HAY-luh) River.The historic trellis bridge Fontana Trestle takes you across Fontana Lake and into the beautiful Nantahala Gorge. Onboard dining is available by selecting our First Class Seating option or pre-purchasing one of our boxed lunches, an amazing unique moving dining experience. Arrive at our layover destination in the heart of the Nantahala Gorge for a one-hour layover where you can relax by the river or enjoy sightseeing!
We are operating under all current COVID-19 safety guidelines and ask that you follow all protocols. Find the information HERE! *Please be aware dining options are currently not available at your layover destination. You are advised to enjoy onboard dining by pre-purchasing a box lunch meal option along with your train tickets.*
Plan on being here by 1 hour before your departure.
2021 WNC Regional Scholastic Art Awards

The Museum, with the assistance of its volunteer docents and support from the Asheville Area Section of the American Institute of Architects, is proud to sponsor the WNC Regional Scholastic Art Awards. Students in grades 7–12 from all across our region are invited to submit work for this special juried competition. The Museum works with the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers to facilitate regional judging of student artwork and recognition of our community’s burgeoning artistic talent.
In early spring each year, award winners are featured in an exhibition, and are honored at a ceremony. Regional Gold Key recipients’ work is sent to the National Scholastic Art competition hosted by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers.
Across the Atlantic

Across the Atlantic
American Impressionism Through the French Lens
This extraordinary exhibition, drawn from the collection of the Reading Public Museum, explores the path to Impressionism through the 19th century in France. The show examines the sometimes complex relationship between French Impressionism of the 1870s and 1880s and the American interpretation of the style in the decades that followed. More than 65 paintings and works on paper help tell the story of the “new style” of painting which developed at the end of the 19th century—one that emphasized light and atmospheric conditions, rapid or loose brushstrokes, and a focus on brightly colored scenes from everyday life, including both urban and rural settings when artists preferred to paint outdoors and capture changing effects of light during different times of day and seasons of the year.
Across the Atlantic: American Impressionism through the French Lens is organized by the Reading Public Museum, Reading, Pennsylvania.
Generous support for this project provided by Art Bridges and The Maurer Family Foundation.

The Asheville Art Museum announces Meeting the Moon, an exhibition featuring prints, photographs, ceramics, sculptures, and more from the Museum’s Collection. This exhibition will be on view in the Asheville Art Museum’s McClinton Gallery February 3 through July 26, 2021.
2021 marks the 60th anniversary of the beginning of the Apollo space program at NASA, but its inception was hardly the beginning of humankind’s fascination with Earth’s only moon. Before space travel existed, the moon—its shape, its mystery, and the face we see in it—inspired countless artists. Once astronauts landed on the moon and we saw our world from a new perspective, a surge of creativity flooded the American art scene, in paintings, prints, sculpture, music, crafts, film, and poetry.
This exhibition, whose title is taken from a 1913 Robert Frost poem, examines artwork in the Asheville Art Museum’s Collection of artists who were inspired by the unknown, then increasingly familiar moon. Meeting the Moon includes works by nationally renowned artists Newcomb Pottery, James Rosenquist, Maltby Sykes, Paul Soldner, John Lewis, Richard Ritter (Bakersville, NC), and Mark Peiser (Penland, NC). Western North Carolina artists include Jane Peiser (Penland, NC), Jak Brewer (Zionville, NC), Dirck Cruser (Asheville, NC), George Peterson (Lake Toxaway, NC), John B. Neff (NC), and Maud Gatewood (Yanceyville, NC).
“Meeting the Moon offers the opportunity to combine science and popular culture with works of art in the Museum’s Collection,” says Whitney Richardson, associate curator. “I think all visitors will find something that draws them into this exhibition, whether it’s the artwork, poetry, music, or science of space travel. It’s such an affirmation of humanity to find these mysteries, like the moon, which enchant us all.”
This exhibition is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Whitney Richardson, associate curator. Visit ashevilleart.org for more information about this and other exhibitions.

This exhibition features archival objects from the Theodore Dreier Sr. Document Collection presented alongside artworks from the Museum’s Black Mountain College Collection to explore the connections between artworks and ephemera. This exhibition is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by lydia see, fall 2020 curatorial fellow, with support from a Digitizing Hidden Collections grant through the Council on Library and Information Resources.

Desire Paths looks at makers within the discourse of craft and those existing on the periphery of the craftscape who focus on the movement of the body towards something desirable. These desires of the body are in relationship to nature, technology, self, and society. Using architectural theory and queer curatorial strategies, Desire Paths examines the possibilities and futures of bodies, revealing connections between the corporeal and craft.
“Desire paths,” a term taken from urban planning, are lines trodden in the landscape when constructed walkways do not provide a direct or desired route. Through action, repetition, and intentionality, desire paths are crafted modifications to the landscape that allow for a body to move towards a horizon. The format of the works include traditional craft media, performance, video, and interactive web-based work. Through this variety of media and performative tactics the makers in Desire Paths consider how we view, value, and ascribe meaning to a body/the body/the others body. They show us the power and agency held in body and present us with crafted visions of the body that confront and expand expectations
The works in this exhibition reclaim the concept of craft from its historical associations with the decorative, frivolous, feminine, indigenous, and the other. The makers use the medium of craft, and the action of crafting, to produce powerful representations and counter narratives to dominant culture.
Two Ways to View
Virtual Tour
Online visitors can register to attend a virtual tour of this exhibition. This is a free event. A $5-10 donation at time of registration is recommended.
In-Person
The Center is offering free, unguided visits and affordable tours of its exhibitions to the public. Guests can reserve a 30-minute visit to explore the current exhibitions, learn more about the Center’s national impact in their Craft Research Fund Study Collection, and enjoy interactive activities. The Center is open to the public Tuesday-Friday, 11 am -5 pm. Hours of operation may be subject to change.
Center for Craft is monitoring the effects of COVID-19 on the community and following the instruction of federal, state, and local health departments. Our top priority is always the health and safety of our staff, coworkers, and visitors. At this time, the Center can only allow a maximum of five guests in its public space at once and will require the use of masks or face coverings by all visitors, including children. The Center reserves the right to refuse entry to any visitor that will not comply.
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The Asheville Art Museum presents Fantastical Forms: Ceramics as Sculpture on view at the Museum November 4, 2020 through April 5, 2021. The 25 works in this exhibition—curated by associate curator Whitney Richardson—highlight the Museum’s Collection of sculptural ceramics from the last two decades of the 20th century to the present. Each work illustrates the artist’s ability to push beyond the utilitarian and transition ceramics into the world of sculpture.
North and South Carolina artists featured include Elma McBride Johnson, Neil Noland, Norm Schulman, Virginia Scotchie, Cynthia Bringle, Jane Palmer, Michael Sherrill, and Akira Satake. Works by American artists Don Reitz, Robert Chapman Turner, Karen Karnes, Toshiko Takaezu, Bill Griffith, and Xavier Toubes are also featured in the exhibition.
Thank you Suzanne Camarata of The Gallery at Flat Rock whose Porch Portraits sessions raised $2835 for the Playhouse! Suzanne began this series when the pandemic made traditional photo sessions a challenge and inspired photographers used social distancing to create a new way to capture memories. “Porch Portraits by Suzanne brings the fun of a casual, light-hearted photoshoot right to your home – literally to your front porch or in your front yard. ” Suzanne is continuing her sessions this year, so make sure to visit the link below to get (or gift) a session today.
The Gallery at Flat Rock Offers Virtual and In-Person Exhibit
On January 21, The Gallery at Flat Rock opened their latest exhibit, Transcendence: An Artistic Celebration of the U.N. International Year of Peace and Trust. The in-person and virtual exhibit features, “over two dozen Gallery at Flat Rocks artists, who will each provide one artwork for the show that they believe evokes themes of peace and mutual trust among members of humanity.”
Winter Hours:
Wed – Sat 11am – 4pm
Sun 11am – 3pm
Open by appointment
or by chance
Black Is Beautiful is a collaborative effort in partnership with our friends at @weatheredsoulsbrewing whose shared mission is to bring awareness to the injustices that many People of Color face daily. Additional proceeds from select retailers will be donated to the Know Your Rights Campaign.

Join Megan Pyle, touring docent, for an interactive conversation about three artworks in our Collection and special exhibition Across the Atlantic: American Impressionism Through the French Lens. The goal is simple: slow down, discover the joy of looking at art, and talk about the experience with others. Generous support for this program is provided by Art Bridges. More info and register at ashevilleart.org/events.

Do you have a streambank on your property that is eroding from excessive rain or high water events? If so, this virtual live stake workshop is for you! For only $20 you will receive a mixed bundle of 20 Silky Dogwood and Silky Willow live stakes, and an easy-to-follow instructional video on how to install and care for your new plants.
Tickets are limited and registration closes on February 19, so hurry and sign up now!
Live stakes can be picked up from the RiverLink office at 170 Lyman Street in Asheville on Friday, February 26 from 2:30-5:30 PM. After registration you will receive an email from the RiverLink Watershed Resources Coordinator with your pick up time. We ask that all participants please wear a mask when picking up their live stakes.

3:00 – 4:30 p.m.
$12
Registration is now open for the next session of indoor youth tennis classes starting February 22nd at Hendersonville Racquet Club. Kids are put in groups based on age and ability with seven levels available.
Our youth tennis program has something for any child who wants to play. From beginner to high performance player, we put them into situations where they will be challenged and can succeed while having a fun time doing it!
The format for this session is having classes once or twice for six weeks. Each level of class is offered once during the weekday and once on Saturday. Then the session concludes with a fun “Play Day” where they can get match experience. All classes are taught by certified tennis professionals and will be held on HRC’s indoor courts
Alumni Awards Zoom Toast
Join us as we gather as many UNC Asheville alumni on Zoom to toast to the beginning of our virtual homecoming weekend and the release of our first National Alumni Awards video.
“Wilmington on Fire” is a new feature-length documentary that chronicles The Wilmington Massacre of 1898. The Wilmington Massacre of 1898 was a bloody attack on the African-American community by a heavily armed white mob with the support of the North Carolina Democratic Party on November 10, 1898 in the port city of Wilmington, North Carolina. It is considered one of the only successful examples of a violent overthrow of an existing government and left countless numbers of African-Americans dead and exiled from the city. This event was the spring board for the White Supremacy movement and Jim Crow segregation throughout the state of North Carolina and the American South. This incident has been barely mentioned and has been omitted from most history books. It was not until 2006, after the North Carolina General Assembly published a report on it, that the tragedy became known to the general public.
By RSVPing, you’ll receive the link and passcode needed to watch “Wilmington on Fire” anytime in the upcoming week. You’ll also receive the Zoom link to join our live discussion with the film’s director, Chris Everett, on Friday, February 26th at 6:30 pm.
This meeting will be held virtually. When you RSVP below, you’ll receive the information needed to join the meeting online or by phone.

Award-winning fiddler, singer and songwriter Carley Arrowood has quickly become a recognized name among young bluegrass artists. With the release of her very first singles with Mountain Home Music Company, Carley has begun to make her mark as a musician. Her cutting-edge fiddling and vocals are forceful and bright, rooted in the traditions of the Western North Carolina mountains, while creating a twist of refreshing contemporary bluegrass, country and gospel sounds. Carley has teamed up with some of her closest friends (and family) to create such a performance that will leave listeners amply exhilarated and encouraged.
Come enjoy an evening of live music, food and drinks at the Isis Music Hall. Reservations are highly recommended.
Established in 2007, the Meccore String Quartet is one of Europe’s most compelling ensembles. Since many years they have been a treat for music lovers in Europe and America, and have performed during most important music festivals. The quartet has received numerous awards in prestigious chamber music competitions such as among others Premio Paolo Borciani in Reggio Emilia and Wigmore Hall String Quartet Competition in London.
PROGRAM
WOLFGANG A. MOZART: Quartet in F major, K. 590
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN: Quartet in F major, Op. 18, No. 1
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOWSKY: Quartet No. 3 in E-flat minor, Op. 30
David Wilcox’s livestream shows are as joyful for him as for his fans. David’s second Mandolin concert will be an audience request night, in cooperation with the eastern U.S. presenters he’s worked with over the years. The audience is going to love it! We hope you can join us.
Once you buy your ticket and log in, go to the Chat function and enter your song requests. If you’re asking for an old song that David might have to re-learn, put in your requests as far ahead as possible!
More than three decades into his career, singer/songwriter David Wilcox continues to push himself, just as he always has. Wilcox, by so many measures, is a quintessential folk singer, telling stories full of heart, humor, and hope, substance, searching, and style. His innate sense of adventure and authenticity is why critics and colleagues, alike, have always praised not just his artistry, but his humanity, as well.

Winner of the 1995 Tony Award for Best Play
Written by Terrence McNally
Directed by Stephanie Hickling Beckman
Winner of the 1995 Tony Award for Best Play, Love! Valour! Compassion! explores the lives, loves, and fears of eight gay men in the 1990s. Over the course of three holiday weekends, the men’s conversations touch on themes of infidelity, flirting, AIDS, skinny-dipping, and questions about life and death. By turns soul-searching and hilarious, the play sings with truth.
Writes McNally, “I think I wanted to write about what it’s like to be a gay man at this particular moment in our history. I think I wanted to tell my friends how much they’ve meant to me. I think I wanted to tell everyone else who we are when they aren’t around.”
“[…]his most ambitiously unambiguous gay play, and it speaks difficult truths with acid grace and all those generous words exclaimed in his title.” —New York Newsday
Love! Valour! Compassion! was the first show ever produced by Different Strokes! We re-visit it now in celebration of our 10-year anniversary!

Postponed
Important Information
The performances of Hamilton at the Peace Center have been postponed until late summer 2022.
The Peace Center is working to reschedule the events, and new dates will be announced as soon as possible. Ticket holders will be contacted when details become available.
This “theatrical landmark has transformed theater and the way we think about history” (The New York Times)
Hamilton is the story of America then, told by America now. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and Broadway, Hamilton has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theater — a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education. With book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography. It has won Tony®, Grammy®, and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors.
Organic Growers School is partnering with Food First and Altruvistas to offer their fourth Cuba Agroecology Tour and their first such trip in the summer from June 22 through July 1, 2021, with a focus on the country’s intensive sustainable agriculture practices. The tour, to be comprised of growers, community leaders, educators, and activists who are passionate about sustainable agriculture, will begin in Havana and travel to destinations such as Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, and Matanzas. The trip offers participants on-the-ground exposure to Cuban agriculture and the food sovereignty movement and will highlight their engagement with the global food system. The intention is for participants to acquire the knowledge and strategies to create just, sustainable, local, and healthy food systems in their own communities.
Cuba has had a focus on organic agriculture production methods since the 1970s. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 ended Cuba’s access to agricultural inputs overnight, propelling them into what is now known as the “Special Period”—a crisis of reduced resources and increased hunger. The country embarked on a massive and rapid conversion to agroecology in an attempt to boost food production. The tour will focus on small farmers, sustainable food systems, and national security. There are multiple opportunities in Cuba’s diverse agricultural landscape to learn many lessons and insights for the development of a secure and sustainable food system elsewhere.
“The purpose of this tour is not to romanticize or glorify Cuban agriculture,” says Sera Deva, Director of Programs with Organic Growers School and the trip organizer. “It is instead an opportunity to learn about what a country-wide commitment to sustainable, local agriculture can look like. It will broaden and deepen our region’s wisdom regarding alternative food systems. Our goals are to show our participants the importance of cooperative farming models and sustainable farming techniques, as well as encouraging them to think critically about practical and governmental structures that could support a thriving community of organic growers and consumers.”
Local partners will provide an overview of Cuban history, culture, politics, agriculture, and ecology. Additionally, the group will meet with specialists who will provide background on the country’s transition into agroecological farming practices and the national policies that prioritize organic farming and the remediation of hunger. With a firm commitment to sustainability and justice, this tour will connect participants to farmers, consumers, activists, NGOs, policymakers and experts working to transform the global food system.
Tour highlights will include the following:
- Discuss agroecology with Fernando Funes, co-author of Food First’s book Sustainable Agriculture & Resistance in Cuba.
- Visit community permaculture and agricultural education, and food conservation projects.
- Discuss changes in US-Cuba relations and how they might affect the future of tourism and agriculture in Cuba.
- Meet with the National Association for Small Farmers (ANAP) and the Ministry of Agriculture.
- Meet with a variety of small farmers and farmers’ cooperatives.
For the purposes of this trip, OGS is partnering with Food First, a “people’s think tank” dedicated to ending the injustices that cause hunger and helping communities to take back control of their food systems. Food First has been offering tours to Cuba for more than 20 years with the organizing assistance of Altruvistas, a socially responsible and philanthropic travel company that has facilitated 20,000 travelers to Cuba.
The cost of the trip is $2,950 and will serve, in part, as a fundraiser for Organic Growers School (OGS), a 501c3 non-profit organization. Thanks to a grant from the Christopher Reynolds Foundation, there are a limited number of partial scholarships for farmers and food activists to attend. This tour and all registrants will not be affected by recent political actions to restrict American travel to Cuba. Cuba is considered one of the safest destinations for travel, partially due to their diligent and holistic approaches to healthcare. Due to COVID-19, the traveling climate of the US (as well as tourist restrictions in Cuba) is changing daily. Cuba has implemented many of the same precautionary measures implemented around the world to minimize the spread of COVID-19 including social distancing, limiting travel to the island completely through the summer, and closing schools. In early November 2020, Cuba reopened its borders to travelers.
Potential tour participants can visit the OGS FAQ page which answers questions such as, “Why Cuba?,” “What are the legal considerations when traveling to Cuba?,” “Why ravel with Organic Growers School?,” “What does the tuition cover?,” and “What can I expect to experience?” Traveler testimonials from previous trips, the full itinerary, as well as a photo gallery can also be found on the website.

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March 13-21, 2021 – Online
Kick-off Live Event
March 13, 2021
Track Workshops
March 14-19, 2021
View 3 pre-recorded hour long workshops in each of 11 Themed Tracks:
Live Panel Discussion SessionsMarch 20-21, 2021Join a live Panel Discussion with each speaker from the Track workshops. Interact directly with panelists during the live Q & A portion!
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There is new inventory for the seedling sale. Apples, pears, and additional stock in blackberries and rhubarb have been added to the seedling sale. If you have already placed an order, no worries! Submit another order, and we will make sure your new order gets packaged with your previous order.
The Buncombe County Soil & Water annual seedling sale runs now through Sunday, Feb. 28. To order, use the link here. Please note, some seedlings might sell out before Feb. 28. Seedling pickup will be March 4-5, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
If you have additional questions, call (828) 250-4785.
Some of this year’s seedlings for sale:
- Blackberries
- Red Mulberry
- Redbud
- Persimmon
- Kousa Dogwood
- White Oak
- Much more

- Bricks-And-Mortar
- Public Education
- Planning, Survey and Designation
ASAP’s annual Business of Farming Conference, held virtually in 2021, brings together professional and aspiring farmers from across the Southeast to network and share resources to build viable farm businesses. Farmers will learn about marketing, business planning, branding, and management from regional experts and innovative peers. Within the virtual format, attendees will have the opportunity to meet, connect, and form supportive relationships. The popular Grower-Buyer Meeting, a chance for farmers to meet directly with grocers, distributors, and chefs to discuss sourcing, will return in virtual form as well. The conference is designed for beginning and established farmers as well as those seriously considering farming as a profession. Find out more at asapconnections.org/events/business-of-farming-conference.

ASAP’s annual Business of Farming Conference, held virtually in 2021, brings together professional and aspiring farmers from across the Southeast to network and share resources to build viable farm businesses. Farmers will learn about marketing, business planning, branding, and management from regional experts and innovative peers. Within the virtual format, attendees will have the opportunity to meet, connect, and form supportive relationships. The popular Grower-Buyer Meeting, a chance for farmers to meet directly with grocers, distributors, and chefs to discuss sourcing, will return in virtual form as well. The conference is designed for beginning and established farmers as well as those seriously considering farming as a profession. Find out more at asapconnections.org/events/business-of-farming-conference.







