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.

Saturday, October 21, 2023
Glow Dance and Silent Auction
Oct 21 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Regeneration Station

This is a family friendly event where you can bring the whole crew to dance-it-out with DJ Virtuous at The Regeneration Station! All are welcome to attend this “Glow Dance” and support one of your local nonprofits.

LAZOOM Tours: BAND AND BEER TOUR
Oct 21 @ 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
LaZoom Room

Wanna hear the best local music ​and​ drink the best local beers? Hop aboard LaZoom’s Purple Bus and rock out with a local band while we take you on a journey to Asheville’s premiere local breweries.

  • Curated Live Music & Brewery Bus experience
  • 3 Hours long, includes three 30 Minute Local Brewery Stops
  • You Can Drink on the Funky Purple Bus! **Must be purchased at LaZoom or at brewery stop**
LEFTOVER SALMON’S BREW RIDGE JAM
Oct 21 @ 6:00 pm
Salvage Station

Salvage Station hosts Leftover Salmon’s Brew Ridge Jam, with Kitchen Dwellers, Fireside Collective, and Arkansauce! This event will take place LIVE on the Outdoor Stage at Salvage Station on Saturday October 21st! Doors open at 5:00PM and the music starts at 6:00PM.

Free beer sampling from local breweries!

This is a General Admission, 12+ only event with LARGE event parking options. No chairs or blankets allowed for this event.

Root Down will be serving their delicious twist on Southern Soul food, along with a couple of other amazing local food trucks on-site (and, of course, we’ll have several full bars open for you to enjoy)!

Live Music at Oak + Grist
Oct 21 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Oak and Grist Distilling Company

We are having so much fun with our Friday nights that we’re bringing live music & food trucks to Saturday too! Every Friday & Saturday at Oak & Grist, we host live music from talented local musicians & artists. Plus, we’re hosting a rotating selection of food trucks to keep the party going longer! View our upcoming schedule below:

SEPTEMBER 2023

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH: NO LIVE MUSIC OR FOOD TRUCK

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH: Clara Hathaway // NO FOOD TRUCK

OCTOBER 2023

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6TH: Jacob Donham // Mothers Pizza (5-8pm)

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7TH: NO MUSIC OR FOOD TRUCK

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13TH: Handpan Jam with Josh Rivera // Mother’s Pizza (5-8pm)

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14TH: Emily Martin & The Innocent Mischief // NO FOOD TRUCK

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20TH: Jacob Donham // TBA

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21ST: Josh Humphries // TBA

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27TH: Handpan Jam with Josh Rivera // TBA

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28TH: Color Machine Music // TBA

Phuncle Sam
Oct 21 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Pisgah Brewing Company

Phuncle Sam is back for a Saturday night summer series!

Outdoor taproom is opens at 2PM. Music from 6-9PM.

Since their formation in October 2004, Asheville North Caroline based, Phuncle Sam has been firmly rooted in musical exploration. Phuncle Sam is Asheville’s own improv/Americana, Dead/Centric jam band. Over five years of intense jamming and rehearsing finds Phuncle Sam with an ever-expanding body of original music. The band will also serve up quintessential interpretations of Jerry Garcia, Grateful Dead, and many others.

Pumpkin Fest at Silvermont Park, Brevard, NC
Oct 21 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Silvermont Park

Pumpkin Fest is a fun, family friendly and fantastic artistic event or great date night with 18 beautiful artist-designed lighted carved pumpkin displays on a newly-paved short walking trail. The event includes talented local musicians, food trucks and coffee house, games, storytelling, face painting, white squirrel scavenger hunt, games, dress ups, and the Silvermont historic mansion and second floor museum open for tours. New exhibits from 2022 (“Syd’s Silvermont Adventure”) and 2021 (the spectacular “White Squirrel Circus”) are returning, as well as 16 other lighted pumpkin displays such as Butterfly Garden, Pirates Cove, Under the Sea, Witches Garden, Ghost Circle, Totem Garden, and more.
A new 2023 exhibit has been developed by Friends of Silvermont’s Pumpkin-teers: “Land of Waterfalls”, featuring the unique places and features that make Transylvania County so beautiful and special for locals and tourists alike. A new social media photo-op site with a Silvermont Pumpkin Fest background will also be set up between the dress up and face painting areas near the tennis courts. There will be lots of activities for young and old alike- with fun for all ages! Silvermont Park has a newly paved 1/3-mile trail that works much better for strollers, walkers and wheelchairs.
Pumpkin Fest is a Fundraiser for Friends of Silvermont to help maintain and improve the Silvermont Park and the 106-year-old historic mansion, which houses the county senior center and a history museum. Friends of Silvermont was in 1981 to help save the mansion and has continued to make significant financial contributions to both the mansion and park each year.
Location- Silvermont Park 364 E. Main St. Brevard, NC 28712.
Admission $7 per person (ages 13 and over), $5 ages 3-12, and under 3 is free. We accept cards, cash or check with ID. Volunteers receive free admission. Contact [email protected] if interested in volunteering for event nights or setup/teardown starting Sept. 23 thru Nov 3.
Onsite parking cost is $5 cash per car. Free parking is available offsite on nearby streets and at churches and the Comporium and church parking lots 1 block away. Handicap sticker- free parking onsite.
Music and Food Schedule:
Date Time Music Schedule Food Trucks plus Cup and Saucer
Oct. 6 Friday 6-9 pm Two Step Too Feta Flav, Jenny’s Mini Donuts
Oct. 7 Saturday 6-9 pm Big Eyed Rabbit Southern Hawg BarBQue, Jenny’s Mini Donuts
Oct. 13 Friday 6-9 pm Nikki Talley and Jason Sharpe Feta Flav, Jenny’s Mini Donuts
Oct. 14 Saturday 6-9 pm Andrew Thelston and Carrie Morrison Haus Heidelberg
Oct. 20 Friday 6-9 pm Nikki Talley and Jason Sharpe Toasted Cuban, Jenny’s Mini Donuts
Oct. 21 Saturday 6-9 pm Unpaid Bill and the Bad Czechs Feta Flav
Oct. 27 Friday 6-9 pm McIntosh and the Lionhearts BBQ Shed, Jenny’s Mini Donuts
Oct. 28 Saturday 6-9 pm McIntosh and the Lionhearts Toasted Cuban, Feta Flav
Website: Pumpkin Fest | Friends of Silvermont https://silvermont.org/pumpkinfest/ Facebook: SilvermontPark: https://www.facebook.com/silvermontpark/

The 11th Annual Haunted Trail
Oct 21 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Adventure Center of Asheville

Asheville Plays is excited to present the 11th annual Haunted Trail, Asheville’s only family friendly haunt! This event is ideal for Halloween lovers of all ages, 3-12 being the suggested age range. The Adventure Center of Asheville will host this one of a kind live outdoor theatrical experience where guests are promised an entirely immersive and interactive spooky night out while also ensuring no contact. Asheville Plays creates a show with a unique perspective on Halloween fun with 15 live action scenes for guests to watch and enjoy. For younger guests who still aren’t sure about being scared, even for fun, a “Sweet Peek Tour’ is offered nightly at 6:45 pm. The trail is actor free at this time so that littles and parents can take a guided tour of the scenes to decide if they would like to re enter the line and receive the full show. The Treetop Adventure Park Aerial Glow Trail is available for guests 4 years or older to enjoy at this event! Climb on two aerial trails while they are illuminated with thousands of colorful twinkle and laser lights. If you want to enjoy both of these amazing activities, combo passes are available and WILL sell out, so make sure you reserve your tickets early! *The Haunted Trail does not sell out, however the entrance closes at 9 pm. Don’t miss PIRATES COVE! Featuring a 30 ft Pirate Ship Escape Room- Test ‘yer wit mateys! 10 voyages available nightly for purchase (groups of up to 6 per voyage) Live Mermaid Encounter with photo opportunity. Free Pirate activities for kids of all ages are located in Pirates Cove. Mellow Mushroom pizza is available on site as well as local beers and non alcoholic beverage options. There is something for every member of your family at 85 expo drive this Halloween season!

COCO LIVE-TO-FILM CONCERT
Oct 21 @ 6:30 pm
Peace Concert Hall

Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (voice of Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (voice of Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Héctor (voice of Gael García Bernal), and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history. Disney and Pixar’s Coco is directed by Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 3), co-directed by Adrian Molina (story artist Monsters University), and produced by Darla K. Anderson (Toy Story 3).

Disney Pixar’s Coco Live-to-Film Concert on Tour features a screening of the complete film with Oscar® and Grammy®-winning composer Michael Giacchino’s musical score performed by the 20-member Orquesta Folclórica Nacional de México. In addition to the original score by Giacchino, Coco also features the Oscar®-winning song “Remember Me” by Oscar®-winning songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and additional songs co-written by Germaine Franco and co-director and screenwriter Adrian Molina.

A SLice of Life:​ An Evening of Stories
Oct 21 @ 7:00 pm
Black Mountain Center for the Arts

Join nationally celebrated storyteller Connie Regan-Blake as she welcomes her storytelling workshop participants to the stage for “A Slice of Life: An Evening of Stories.” This year’s tellers are Juanita Brown, Pepper Ellis-Hagebak, Cheri Miller, Andy Russell, Liza Newell, Naomi Faw, and Steve Tate! Connie is emceeing this evening of unique voices. The last several “Slice of Life” shows have been sell-outs – so get your tickets early!

A Slice of Life: An Evening of Stories w/ Connie Regan-Blake
Oct 21 @ 7:00 pm
Black Mountain Center for the Arts

Join nationally celebrated storyteller Connie Regan-Blake as she welcomes her storytelling workshop participants to the stage for “A Slice of Life: An Evening of Stories.” Tellers TBA!

Connie is emceeing this evening of unique voices. The last several “Slice of Life” shows have been sell-outs – so get your tickets early!

Tickets are $18 if purchased in advance, or $22 at the door, if available. Doors open at 6:30pm and seating is first come first served. Online ticket sales end an hour before the performance time, but there may still be tickets available for purchase at the door. Call BMCA for availability at 828.669.0930.

LAZOOM Tours: GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR
Oct 21 @ 7:00 pm
LaZoom Room


GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR

Grab a local beer, crucifix and a rubber chicken* —You might survive this hour long hilarious haunted ghost tour of Asheville.

  • Guided comedy bus tour of Haunted Asheville
  • 60 minutes; tours run nightly after dark
  • $33 per person (Ages 17+ only)
  • Departs from 76 Biltmore Avenue

*Legal Note: Crucifix not required to board the bus; we do not condone exorcisms, chickens, rubber, or any combination of the three.

Pinhead’s Graveyard
Oct 21 @ 7:00 pm
Pinhead’s Graveyard
Romeo + Juliet: In Memoriam
Oct 21 @ 7:00 pm
Attic Salt Theater

A groundbreaking reimagining of William Shakespeare’s beloved tragedy, “Romeo and Juliet: In Memoriam” is poised to make its debut on Friday, October 13, 2023, in Asheville.

The adaptation is written by Elias Hamilton and Ronnie Z. Nielsen of Asheville. Their unique vision transports audiences to the solemn and emotional setting of the star-crossed lovers’ funeral, infusing new life into Shakespeare’s iconic play and exploring themes of love, loss and reconciliation in a fresh way.

Don’t miss your chance to witness this exceptional adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet,” where young visionaries take center stage, breaking boundaries and proving that age is no barrier to artistic excellence.

“Romeo and Juliet: In Memoriam” premieres on Friday, October 13, 2023, at Attic Salt Theater and runs through Sunday, October 21.

“Ben + Angela” by David Brendan Hopes
Oct 21 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
BeBe Theatre

The Sublime Theater presents the world premiere of David Brendan Hopes’ “Ben & Angela,” starring Scott Fisher & Kirby Gibson, directed by Steven Samuels. “No matter how long people have been doing it, marriage remains a mystery. In “Ben & Angela,” a young couple follow the twisty, sometimes hilarious, road from first infatuation through the kinks and perils of living life together for the long haul. They each know the other’s weakness. They each know each other’s strength. They know what it will look like when it is perfect.”

A Case for the Existence of God
Oct 21 @ 7:30 pm
NC Stage Co.

Written by Samuel D. Hunter

Keith, a mortgage broker and Ryan, a yogurt plant worker, are two men who, at first glance, have nothing in common. Their meeting, in Keith’s cubicle, evolves from a business discussion to a thoughtful exploration of parenthood, financial insecurity, and empathy. Both intimate and expansive, Samuel D. Hunter’s heartbreaking new play argues for hope even in the face of extreme disappointment as two men with seemingly very different lives grow to care for one another.

 

Content advisory: strong language

Curtains: School Edition
Oct 21 @ 7:30 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

It’s the brassy, bright, and promising year of 1959. Boston’s Colonial Theatre is host to the opening night performance of a new musical. When the leading lady mysteriously dies onstage the entire cast & crew are suspects. Enter a local detective, who just happens to be a musical theatre fan! Packed with glorious tunes and a witty, charming script filled with delightful characters, Curtains is a hilarious journey for both performers and the audience.

Curtains: School Edition
Oct 21 @ 7:30 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

It’s the brassy, bright, and promising year of 1959. Boston’s Colonial Theatre is host to the opening night performance of a new musical. When the leading lady mysteriously dies onstage the entire cast & crew are suspects. Enter a local detective, who just happens to be a musical theatre fan! Packed with glorious tunes and a witty, charming script filled with delightful characters, Curtains is a hilarious journey for both performers and the audience.

Death of a Salesman
Oct 21 @ 7:30 pm
HART Theatre
By Arthur Miller
On the Steve Lloyd Stage
Directed by Doug Savitt

A small man can be just as exhausted as a great man.

Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer-Prize winning American classic is a poignant look at the life of everyman Willy Loman, complete with grand hopes and heartbreaking missteps. Willy is on a quest for the American Dream, and wants more than anything for his family to achieve it alongside him. But their own visions of that dream – and their perceptions of who Willy really is beyond his façade – don’t necessarily match up with his reality. Through a series of tragic soul-searching revelations of the life he has lived with his wife, his sons, and his business associates, we discover how his quest for the “American Dream” kept him blind to the people who truly loved him. A thrilling work of deep and revealing beauty that remains one of the most profound classic dramas of the American Theatre.

Suitable for all audiences. Contains heavy subject matter.

Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde
Oct 21 @ 7:30 pm
Carol Belk Theatre - UNCA Campus

Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde

By Moisés Kaufman

Directed by Stephanie Hickling Beckman, Managing Artistic Director of Different Strokes! Performing Arts Collective 

MacBeth
Oct 21 @ 7:30 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse

Our Black Box series continues as we welcome to the stage the magnificent work of William Shakespeare. Surrender to a haunting story of ambition and its dark consequences, as a military hero and his wife conspire to seize political power. A terrifyingly prophetic tale of revenge, murder, and madness, Macbeth lays bare the fallout when the darkest side of humanity cheats its way into a position of power.  One of Shakespeare’s bloodiest, scariest, and yet, most popular tragedies.

Montford Park Players: Wonderland Legacies: Alice’s Adventures in Murderland
Oct 21 @ 7:30 pm
Montford Park Players

Written by Will Storrs
Directed by Deanna Braine Smith
Just in time for Halloween, local playwright Will Storrs brings us this World Premiere reimagining Alice and the characters of Lewis Carroll’s story in a seasonally-appropriate way. Sure to be a horribly good time!
 
All shows will run Fridays through Sundays and all will be presented at 7:30pm and prime seats can be reserved.

Montford Park Players has been bringing some of theater’s greatest works to Western North Carolina for over 50 years. Montford Park Players continues its mission of bring free theater to the community. The summer season allows everyone to come spend an evening under the stars, seeing some of the best live performances presented in Asheville.

THE SPLATTER PLAY
Oct 21 @ 7:30 pm
The Magnetic Theatre

THE SPLATTER PLAY
By Abby Auman
Directed by Jessica Johnson

It’s the day of the open house for Tina’s childhood home, which also happens to be her deceased mother’s evil laboratory. Determined to turn the terrors of the lab into selling points, Tina and her optimistic realtor parade a cast of unsavory potential buyers through the home, tormented all the while by the resident creepies and crawlies who aren’t quite as ready to move on as Tina would hope. *Note: there will be blood, so much blood.

The Splatter Play
Oct 21 @ 7:30 pm
The Magnetic Theatre

By Abby Auman
Directed by Jessica Johnson

It’s the day of the open house for Tina’s childhood home, which also happens to be her deceased mother’s evil laboratory. Determined to turn the terrors of the lab into selling points, Tina and her optimistic realtor parade a cast of unsavory potential buyers through the home, tormented all the while by the resident creepies and crawlies who aren’t quite as ready to move on as Tina would hope. *Note: this is an immersive experience and there will be blood, so much blood.

**Content notification: language; violence; blood; gore; strobe light effects; audience-immersive scenes that may include audience members being splattered with stage blood and gore.

Tweetsie Railroad’s Family-Friendly Halloween Celebration: The Ghost Train
Oct 21 @ 7:30 pm
Tweetsie Railroad

Theme Park Transforms from Wild West by Day to Ghost Train at Night

The spooktacular season of Tweetsie’s Ghost Train® Halloween Celebration, a popular fall family tradition, begins Friday, September 22, and continues every Friday and Saturday night through October 28.

Daytime guests can still enjoy all of Tweetsie’s Wild West adventures, rides and attractions. . . but when the sun goes down, the park gets a full makeover complete with costumed characters, decorations, music and Halloween-themed attractions.

Younger children will love the dance parties, trick-or-treat stations, themed photo opportunities, and the Palace Spooktacular Show.

Braver kids and adults will appreciate the scary night-time journey on the Ghost Train, walking through the hallowed halls of the Haunted House and exploring the murky Freaky Forest.

And, everyone will love the park’s most popular amusement rides after dark in the Creepy Carnival.

The park opens at 7:30 pm with the first train scheduled for 8:00 p.m. On October Saturday nights starting on the 14, 21, and 28, the park opens at 7:15 p.m. with the first train scheduled for 7:30 pm.

Tickets are $60 for adults, $40 for children (ages 3-12) and free for children age 2 and under. They are sold in advance for a designated night with a scheduled train ride departure time. A limited number of guests will be admitted each evening, so visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets well beforehand to avoid missing out on all of the spooky fun.

Wonderland Legacies: Alice’s Adventures in Murderland
Oct 21 @ 7:30 pm
Montford Park Players

Our Halloween Show!

a world premiere, written by Will Storrs

Directed by Deanna Braine Smith

Young Frankenstein
Oct 21 @ 7:30 pm
Hendersonville Theatre

Book by Mel Brooks
Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan
Original Direction & Choreography by Susan Stroman
Presented through special arrangement with Musical Theatre International (MTI).
All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.
www.mtishows.com

Director: Elizabeth DeVault 

Approximate Run Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Rating: PG-13 due to adult humor and content

It’s alive! The electrifying adaptation of Mel Brooks’ monstrously funny film will leave you in stitches. Grandson of the infamous Victor Frankenstein, Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced “Fronk-en-steen”) inherits his family’s estate in Transylvania. With the help of a hunchbacked sidekick, Igor (pronounced “Eye-gore”), and a leggy lab assistant, Inga (pronounced normally), Dr. Frankenstein aims to fulfill his grandfather’s legacy by bringing a corpse back to life. Eventually, of course, the monster escapes and hilarity continuously abounds. With such memorable tunes as “The Transylvania Mania,” “He Vas My Boyfriend” and “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” Young Frankenstein is scientifically proven, monstrously good entertainment.

Modelface Comedy Presents: Spooky Silly Skeletons
Oct 21 @ 9:30 pm – 11:00 pm
DSSOLVR

Spooky Silly Skeletons, a haunted comedy showcase!

Join us late night for a scary good comedy show at DSSOLVR

Featuring your favorite comedians from all over the south east and probably a few ghosts

 

ages 21+

Doors at 9:30, show at 10pm

Sunday, October 22, 2023
Asheville Community Theatre Youth Production Classes
Oct 22 all-day
Asheville Community Theatre

What is a Youth Production?

An ACT Youth Production is an immersive performance workshop that is specially tailored for young artists who aspire to learn and grow in the performing arts. This hands-on experience offers a unique opportunity for students to undergo a comprehensive exploration of the theatrical process. Starting with auditions, they are taught how to prepare and present their best selves, and throughout the rehearsal process, students collaborate with the cast in a dynamic and supportive environment. A distinctive feature of this program is the inclusion of choreography and voice training sessions that enable students to discover and improve their vocal prowess and dancing abilities, thus turning them into well-rounded performers. Every aspect is designed to nurture creativity, foster teamwork, and instill a genuine love for theatre. All students are encouraged to participate, regardless of their previous experience or exposure to theatre.

Interested in Technical Theatre classes?

If you’re interested in getting hands-on experience with technical theatre, our Tech & Run Crew class is tailored just for you. Whether you’re a beginner with a budding interest or a seasoned tech enthusiast aiming to sharpen your skills, you will get the opportunity to work on real productions in an education environment.

AVL Unpaved Public Survey
Oct 22 all-day
online

Asheville Unpaved

A POLICY & PLAN FRAMEWORK FOR NATURAL SURFACE TRAILS IN THE CITY OF ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

UPDATE: Your input is needed for our AVL Unpaved Public Survey

The first phase of the AVL Unpaved trails are moving forward, and we are seeking community  input to design trail kiosks and signs that will best support trail users. Take the AVL Unpaved Public Survey at this link to contribute. The survey will be open from September 11th – November 11th.

What are the AVL Unpaved Trails? 

AVL Unpaved

AVL Unpaved Alliance, in partnership with the City of Asheville, hired Elevated Trail Designs to design a series of natural surface trails in the undeveloped forested pockets of Asheville. In 2022, thanks to generous community support and grant funding through Explore Asheville, three initial projects were identified: Bacoate Branch, French Broad River West, and Azalea Park.

Buncombe County Special Collections call for proposals
Oct 22 all-day
online

Buncombe County Special Collections is excited to announce a call for proposals for the third year of its creative residency program.

This is an annual opportunity for artists in Buncombe County to create new, research-driven creative work using BCSC’s historic resources as source material and/or inspiration, and to present their work in the Carolina Record Shop, a dedicated exhibition space in the BCSC reading room. Artists age 18 and up, based in Buncombe County, working in any creative discipline are invited to apply.

Buncombe County Special Collections is looking for projects that will:

  • Offer new, diverse perspectives on our shared history
  • Identify and address gaps and/or amplify narratives that are historically underrepresented in the collection
  • Educate and inspire non-traditional users of archives and special collections to engage with the collection in new ways.

More information (including the PDF of the call for proposals) is available at here. The 2024 Creative Residency is made possible in part by the Trust Fund for Buncombe County Public Libraries.

You can also visit Buncombe County Special Collections in the lower level of Pack Memorial to view the current exhibition in the Carolina Record Shop, “Belonging & Non-Belonging: The History and Future of Zines in Western North Carolina,” curated by 2023 resident Miles Lamberson.