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.

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Join us for our August AM Power Hour at Sam’s Club! Enjoy a more productive day by meeting prospective customers at the start of your day. You may find a strong referral source, a new vendor, the perfect client, or simply get a foot in the door for connecting again later at another Chamber event. AM Power Hour is great if you are an early-bird or can’t make our after hours networking events.
The SBA is launching a streamlined application portal to allow borrowers with Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans under $150,000 through participating lenders to apply for forgiveness directly through the SBA.“With the new simplified application portal, thousands of Southeastern businesses, and even sole proprietorships that borrowed PPP funds will have these funds forgiven said Janita R. Stewart, Acting Regional Administrator for the Southeastern Region. Most entrepreneurs waiting for forgiveness have loans under $150,000. It was time we made the process more efficient so businesses can get back to sustaining our communities.”This new change will help rush relief to the Southeast’s smallest of small businesses, which has been the Administrator’s priority since day one. The new forgiveness platform will begin accepting applications from borrowers on August 4, 2021. Lenders are required to opt-in to this program through directforgiveness.sba.gov. In addition to the technology platform, the SBA is standing up a PPP customer service team to answer questions and directly assist borrowers with their forgiveness applications. Borrowers that need assistance or have questions should call (877) 552-2692, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. EDT.

Ritch Shydner’s funny and insightful multi-media presentation about the history of an original American art form, stand-up comedy, and what all the jokes and laughter say about America. The stories of forgotten trailblazers, martyred iconoclasts and familiar stars show how the simple act of one joker taking on a crowd became one of our most popular entertainments, and a cultural weathervane. Presented in 2 parts, with talk-backs afterward.
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Background and Goals of the Festivals & Cultural Events Program
The Festivals & Cultural Events Support Fund Grant Program was launched in 2016 by the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA) and is designed to provide financial support for events that both serve the residents of Buncombe County and the visitors who travel to the Asheville area for the sense of authenticity and welcoming spirit that the destination exudes.
The primary purposes of this fund are to:
- Support and preserve cultural identity within Buncombe County;
- Stimulate the creation of new, or expansion of existing, festivals and cultural events; and
- Contribute to the financial viability and long-term sustainability of the area’s festivals and cultural events.
Explore Asheville CVB is offering grants for Festivals & Cultural Events ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, not to exceed 50% of the total event budget. Application deadline is Sept 29th at 5 pm.

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Ritch Shydner’s funny and insightful multi-media presentation about the history of an original American art form, stand-up comedy, and what all the jokes and laughter say about America. The stories of forgotten trailblazers, martyred iconoclasts and familiar stars show how the simple act of one joker taking on a crowd became one of our most popular entertainments, and a cultural
weathervane. Presented in 2 parts, with talk-backs afterward.
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Background and Goals of the Festivals & Cultural Events Program
The Festivals & Cultural Events Support Fund Grant Program was launched in 2016 by the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA) and is designed to provide financial support for events that both serve the residents of Buncombe County and the visitors who travel to the Asheville area for the sense of authenticity and welcoming spirit that the destination exudes.
The primary purposes of this fund are to:
- Support and preserve cultural identity within Buncombe County;
- Stimulate the creation of new, or expansion of existing, festivals and cultural events; and
- Contribute to the financial viability and long-term sustainability of the area’s festivals and cultural events.
Explore Asheville CVB is offering grants for Festivals & Cultural Events ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, not to exceed 50% of the total event budget. Application deadline is Sept 29th at 5 pm.

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Due to the current global health crisis as well as travel and performance restrictions, the original August 16, 2020 show on Jim Gaffigan’s The Pale Tourist tour at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC has been rescheduled for August 15, 2021. This very difficult decision was made following the recommendations of government authorities including the Center for Disease Control to reduce the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). All tickets for the original performance will be honored, so patrons should hold on to their tickets. For ticket and refund inquiries, please contact point of purchase. For tour information, please visit jimgaffigan.com.
The four-time Grammy-nominated comedian, Jim Gaffigan, brings The Pale Tourist tour to the Bon Secours Wellness Arena on August 16! The two-time Emmy winning top touring performer, and multi-platinum-selling recording artist is known around the world for his unique brand of humor, which largely revolves around his observations on life.
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Background and Goals of the Festivals & Cultural Events Program
The Festivals & Cultural Events Support Fund Grant Program was launched in 2016 by the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA) and is designed to provide financial support for events that both serve the residents of Buncombe County and the visitors who travel to the Asheville area for the sense of authenticity and welcoming spirit that the destination exudes.
The primary purposes of this fund are to:
- Support and preserve cultural identity within Buncombe County;
- Stimulate the creation of new, or expansion of existing, festivals and cultural events; and
- Contribute to the financial viability and long-term sustainability of the area’s festivals and cultural events.
Explore Asheville CVB is offering grants for Festivals & Cultural Events ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, not to exceed 50% of the total event budget. Application deadline is Sept 29th at 5 pm.

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Long-time, professional comedian Ritch Shydner passes his wisdom to beginners and intermediate hopefuls. The class culminates with a final performance hosted by Shydner himself!Class Fee: $250 for 5 weeks (10-person maximum)
Dates: Mondays, 7-9pm
August 9, 16, 23, 30
Sept 13
Performance: September 18 at 8pm
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Background and Goals of the Festivals & Cultural Events Program
The Festivals & Cultural Events Support Fund Grant Program was launched in 2016 by the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA) and is designed to provide financial support for events that both serve the residents of Buncombe County and the visitors who travel to the Asheville area for the sense of authenticity and welcoming spirit that the destination exudes.
The primary purposes of this fund are to:
- Support and preserve cultural identity within Buncombe County;
- Stimulate the creation of new, or expansion of existing, festivals and cultural events; and
- Contribute to the financial viability and long-term sustainability of the area’s festivals and cultural events.
Explore Asheville CVB is offering grants for Festivals & Cultural Events ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, not to exceed 50% of the total event budget. Application deadline is Sept 29th at 5 pm.

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MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP OF THE NONPROFIT SECTOR: UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE & MISSION OF NONPROFITS IN OUR COMMUNITY The workshop will introduce participants to how private, nonprofit organizations have been essential to the creation and evolution of American society since the colonial days. However, a push to professionalize the leaders and employees of nonprofit sector organizations and an accompanying academic literature on the nonprofit sector did not emerge until the 1970s.

OUTDOOR SHOW
Join us on Tuesday nights for Magnetic’s signature variety show. There will be an exciting mix of comedy, music, theatre, dance, magic and more! Smoky Park Supper Club is offering us their beautiful outdoor venue, and will be selling food and drinks. The event is BYOC (bring your own chair), and we will, of course, be following strict Covid safety protocols. We can’t wait to see you there!

Join us Tuesday nights, beginning April 13th, as The Magnetic Theatre teams up with the wizards at Smoky Park Supper Club to host a live, outdoor variety show. We’ll be filling Smoky Park’s gorgeous, riverside outdoor space with comedy, theatre, music and so much more.
There will be food and beverages available for purchase.
- This is a BYOC (Bring-Your-Own-Chair) event.
- In accordance with safety guidelines this show will be staged outdoors, with mask and social distancing protocols enforced. There will also be temperature checks and COVID waivers that need to be signed by each attendee at the gate.
- Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the 7pm showtime.
- We do require that masks be worn at all times unless you are actively eating or drinking.
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Background and Goals of the Festivals & Cultural Events Program
The Festivals & Cultural Events Support Fund Grant Program was launched in 2016 by the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA) and is designed to provide financial support for events that both serve the residents of Buncombe County and the visitors who travel to the Asheville area for the sense of authenticity and welcoming spirit that the destination exudes.
The primary purposes of this fund are to:
- Support and preserve cultural identity within Buncombe County;
- Stimulate the creation of new, or expansion of existing, festivals and cultural events; and
- Contribute to the financial viability and long-term sustainability of the area’s festivals and cultural events.
Explore Asheville CVB is offering grants for Festivals & Cultural Events ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, not to exceed 50% of the total event budget. Application deadline is Sept 29th at 5 pm.

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“The combination of Joe’s calming vocalization and inventive writing is a thing of magic. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more enjoyable show.
—BuzzFeed
“Spectacular.”
—John Oliver, after seeing Joe at Webster Hall in New York
“Oh, that’s so funny to take an audience through real facts about Andrew Jackson, who’s on no one’s mind…. tell you real things he did and has jokes that are great, and it destroys…. my absolute grand envy.”
—John Mulaney in Vulture
“One of my favorite comedians”
— Brian Regan, before inviting Joe to tour with him
Joe Zimmerman started his comedy career right here in North Carolina. A local Asheville favorite, Joe moved to New York City in 2012 and has since been a comedy darling, appearing on his own Comedy Central Half Hour, The Tonight Show, Conan, The Late Late Show, John Oliver’s New York Stand-Up Show and Last Comic Standing. He is a regular at New York’s iconic Comedy Cellar, where one of his sets was featured on Comedy Central’s 2019 series, This Week at the Comedy Cellar. He has performed at The Kennedy Center & Radio City with Brian Regan. And if all that’s not enough Joe is also a writer and has contributed humor pieces to The New Yorker, and The New York Times, and has a popular blog called Humble Visionary.
Featuring and hosting for Joe are his good friends and local stand-up comedian celebrities, Cary Goff and Petey Smith McDowell. Cary, who runs The Disclaimer Standup Lounge (for over 10+ years), and has been co-producing the Slice of Life Comedy shows at Rabbit Rabbit, The Orange Peel Events Outdoor Summer Stage has performed comedy all over the west, north and sometimes east Asheville and as far away as Hendersonville. When he tells a joke at home his family will say ‘oh, I see you’re trying to be funny’,which is almost as good as laughing. Petey is an Asheville native who has been traveling around the country telling jokes since 2009. He has opened for Hannibal Buress, Trevor Noah, and Rory Scovel.
What: Slice of Life Comedy presents Joe Zimmerman LIVE at The Orange Peel
When: Wednesday August 18, 8p, Doors 7p
Where: The Orange Peel,
101 Bilmore Ave, Downtown Asheville
Cost: $25, fully seated show
FB: https://fb.me/e/1fZL5FDbA
Tickets: theorangepeel.net
For more information contact Michele Scheve at [email protected]

A two-year layoff has been just too much for host Adam Arthur and his idiot contestants. But they are back for three months of lukewarm competition and semi-sweet rivalries. Once a staple of the Asheville comedy scene, the return of this pseudo game show will be most welcome.
Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge is the longest running comedy open mic in Asheville happening every Wednesday night. The show starts at 8:00, and there is no cover. Anyone wanting to perform needs to sign up by 8pm, and will get five minutes on stage. Local and not-so-local, professional and not-so-professional comics perform or just anyone wanting to get up in front of people and try to make them laugh. Always fun. Always free.
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Background and Goals of the Festivals & Cultural Events Program
The Festivals & Cultural Events Support Fund Grant Program was launched in 2016 by the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA) and is designed to provide financial support for events that both serve the residents of Buncombe County and the visitors who travel to the Asheville area for the sense of authenticity and welcoming spirit that the destination exudes.
The primary purposes of this fund are to:
- Support and preserve cultural identity within Buncombe County;
- Stimulate the creation of new, or expansion of existing, festivals and cultural events; and
- Contribute to the financial viability and long-term sustainability of the area’s festivals and cultural events.
Explore Asheville CVB is offering grants for Festivals & Cultural Events ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, not to exceed 50% of the total event budget. Application deadline is Sept 29th at 5 pm.

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The free interactive workshop will be held Aug. 19 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
The North Carolina event is part of TikTok’s first-ever nationwide workshop series of 20 virtual events for small businesses. The gatherings are open to small business owners or employees who want to learn about TikTok tools and tactics. Organizations that serve small businesses are also welcome.
“Businesses of all sizes are using the magic of the TikTok community to reach new audiences and expand their business — whether it’s a startup or an iconic local business,” said Becca Sawyer, TikTok’s global head of small- and medium-sized businesses. “Our goal is to give every business owner in America the same opportunities as the biggest brands and to help them turn their dreams into a reality.”
The EDPNC’s services include counseling small business startups while helping North Carolina’s established businesses clear barriers to growth. “We’re thrilled to co-host the North Carolina workshop because we want the state’s small businesses aware of every channel to support their success — and their full recovery from the pandemic,” said John Loyack, EDPNC vice president of global business services. “TikTok is a new frontier for many, and one that can be worth exploring.”
Participants in the Aug. 19 workshop will hear from North Carolina small business owners who have experienced the difference TikTok can make. They’ll also learn how they can create strong content on TikTok, even without a big budget.
All the Small Biz Block Party events are free. You can learn more and RSVP here.


