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.
Our Foundations business planning class helps guide ideas from concept to reality in a participatory, supportive learning environment.
Join a cohort of aspiring and existing entrepreneurs to gain an aerial perspective of your vision and the comprehensive business skills necessary to help bring your visions into reality. Participants will gain a clear aerial perspective of their business operations, financials, research and development, and marketing strategies. They will leave the course with a comprehensive business plan, a clear vision for their business, and concrete tasks for future work.
Throughout the class, emphasis will be placed on developing the social capital of the group. Participants will be encouraged to gather feedback from their peers, creating a strong network of deep support and synergy. For more info, visit the Foundations Business Planning overview page.
Hey Asheville women! Are you a coder, a developer, a designer, an architect of information? This is a group for Asheville women in tech who want a collaborative and supportive space to bring projects to workshops, participate in tutorials facilitated by other members, spark new ideas, write practice code, and develop cool stuff. Maybe (like me) you’re just getting started, and you wish you could bounce ideas off someone, or just ask them how to center that block of text on the page? You should come! We’ll work it out together. Or maybe you’re a veteran web developer who thinks rookies are brave (possibly foolish) souls with no idea what they’re getting into? Please come tell us all the things you wish someone had told you! Let’s skill-share, meet other women in the biz, learn new things, and give each other a leg up!
We’re on Slack!
The free display of trees is sponsored + decorated by local community members, nonprofit orgs + bizzes, and a portion of the event’s proceeds will benefit Manna FoodBank.
WINTER TREE CARNIVAL
Reserve your tree today by clicking HERE
- $300 = Adopt a tree to decorate. One tree allowed per business/organization.
- $600 = Adopt a tree to decorate and adopt an additional tree for a non-profit organization.
- Lisa Adkins, VP of Advancement – Blue Ridge Community College Education Foundation , providing updates on the Foundation and new construction.
- Julie Goodwin, Regional Director – Better Business Bureau, providing an update on current scams and how to prevent and stop robo calls.
- Marcus Jones, County Engineer – Henderson County, providing an update on the Ecusta Trail and the impact on Hendersonville and Western North Carolina.
 The holidays are right around the corner. We have a few holiday promotions downtown businesses can participate in:
If your business is interested in participating in any of the above, please fill out this short form. |
Celebrate the the 2021 graduates of ScaleUp WNC and Invested program during the Mountain Raise Live Offering event. Join us for the showcase portion to demo local products, then listen in during the Investment and Crowd Funding live pitches as company owners share investment opportunities that anyone in the room can get a stake in. Drinks and tasty bites will be provided.
Find full details and tickets at: mountainraise.org.
The free display of trees is sponsored + decorated by local community members, nonprofit orgs + bizzes, and a portion of the event’s proceeds will benefit Manna FoodBank.
WINTER TREE CARNIVAL
Reserve your tree today by clicking HERE
- $300 = Adopt a tree to decorate. One tree allowed per business/organization.
- $600 = Adopt a tree to decorate and adopt an additional tree for a non-profit organization.
The holidays are right around the corner. We have a few holiday promotions downtown businesses can participate in:
If your business is interested in participating in any of the above, please fill out this short form. |
September-November 2021 (6 Thursdays/Fridays)
Create an online marketing communications strategy and powerhouse digital toolbox by completing six, full-day workshops taught by expert marketing and public relations professionals. Gain new insights into PR & marketing strategy, branding, budgeting, online content creation, video creation and use and social media.
Raise a cup for a cause with us at the canine collaborative.
We’ll share Great food, amazing local beer, live music from The New Lefties, lots of pet-themed door prizes & party favors, and more as we benefit the Asheville Humane Society.
Our sponsors:
AVL Charcuterie will be donating their delicious charcuterie cups
Ginger’s Revenge will have a booth, giving out pours. Their seasonal ginger beer is amazing!
Archetype Brewing is donating a keg if ginger beer isn’t your thing.
Whistle Hop Brewing Company will be bringing their outdoor taproom to us.
The free display of trees is sponsored + decorated by local community members, nonprofit orgs + bizzes, and a portion of the event’s proceeds will benefit Manna FoodBank.
WINTER TREE CARNIVAL
Reserve your tree today by clicking HERE
- $300 = Adopt a tree to decorate. One tree allowed per business/organization.
- $600 = Adopt a tree to decorate and adopt an additional tree for a non-profit organization.
With the expansion of remote work and distributed teams in the age of Covid, there is a growing need for cyber readiness among small and medium sized businesses (SMBs). This presentation will highlight current cybersecurity trends and threats facing SMBs, and how these threats can be prevented. Register now for this workshop that will analyze a real-world case study and examine how cyber readiness is not just about technology, but about establishing prudent business procedures. A short cyber readiness quiz will be given to assess cybersecurity awareness. We will then explore the top cyber threats facing SMBs today and discuss practical ways to prevent cyber incidents. Finally, we will examine business practices that will help maintain cyber readiness for SMBs going forward. Topics explored include: Cyber Incidents-Not a matter of if, but when; Current Case Analysis; A Cyber Self-Check; Top Cyber Threats Facing SMBs; Preventing and Responding to Cyber Attacks; Maintaining Cyber Readiness; and Q&A. Presenter Jason Banks has over 30 years of experience in financial technology and cybersecurity. As founder of Bretton Consulting, Mr. Banks delivers electronic trading architecture, cybersecurity solutions and vendor diligence to regulated industries and developing businesses.
The holidays are right around the corner. We have a few holiday promotions downtown businesses can participate in:
If your business is interested in participating in any of the above, please fill out this short form. |
The free display of trees is sponsored + decorated by local community members, nonprofit orgs + bizzes, and a portion of the event’s proceeds will benefit Manna FoodBank.
WINTER TREE CARNIVAL
Reserve your tree today by clicking HERE
- $300 = Adopt a tree to decorate. One tree allowed per business/organization.
- $600 = Adopt a tree to decorate and adopt an additional tree for a non-profit organization.
The free display of trees is sponsored + decorated by local community members, nonprofit orgs + bizzes, and a portion of the event’s proceeds will benefit Manna FoodBank.
WINTER TREE CARNIVAL
Reserve your tree today by clicking HERE
- $300 = Adopt a tree to decorate. One tree allowed per business/organization.
- $600 = Adopt a tree to decorate and adopt an additional tree for a non-profit organization.
You can celebrate Living Wage Week by talking about living wages and taking action.
This Living wage week, we invite you to get involved in a few ways:
- Sign the pledge to support Living Wage Businesses this week.
- Register for the free online event to launch Living Wage Week in the US here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SZnWRlltRsCvTTKLCzEugw
- Shout out your favorite Living wage Certified Businesses on social media with the hashtag #livingwageweek.
- Invite your favorite local businesses to become Living Wage Certified. It’s easy and it makes a big impact in the community.
- Contact your representatives about raising the minimum wage!
The free display of trees is sponsored + decorated by local community members, nonprofit orgs + bizzes, and a portion of the event’s proceeds will benefit Manna FoodBank.
WINTER TREE CARNIVAL
Reserve your tree today by clicking HERE
- $300 = Adopt a tree to decorate. One tree allowed per business/organization.
- $600 = Adopt a tree to decorate and adopt an additional tree for a non-profit organization.
The holidays are right around the corner. We have a few holiday promotions downtown businesses can participate in:
If your business is interested in participating in any of the above, please fill out this short form. |
As part of Living Wage week, Just Economics will be featured alongside representatives from other living wage programs around the country in a national online event to launch Living Wage Week in the US and talk about Living Wage Places. The free online event will take place on November 15th at 5pm EST and registration is open to the public at this link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SZnWRlltRsCvTTKLCzEugw
Living Wages are critically important now more than ever. Recently released Census Bureau data shows that more than 37 million people in America lived at or below the federal poverty line in 2020. The Federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25/ hour for 12 years since 2009. People working minimum wage jobs full-time cannot afford a two-bedroom apartment in any state in the country according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s 2021 Out of Reach report.
This 5-week course provides a peer-to-peer learning environment for you to assess your creative-based venture to date and address the opportunities and challenges emerging on the horizon. The course will guide participants through a comprehensive assessment of their experience producing and selling to date.
The Alpine Course will give you the opportunity to assess how things have been going in your business up to this point, while also visioning for the future. It will reconnect you with the “why” of your venture and help create in-roads to meeting both your short and long term goals.
This special Alpine Course is part of the Craft Your Commerce: 2021 Fall Workshop Series being offered by Mountain BizWorks with support from Center for Craft and UNC Asheville. The series involves a networking event, six separate workshops, and one intensive course suited for existing makers. This course is designed for existing makers to take the tools, strategies, and resources gained from the series workshops and then integrate them into your business plan and practices to further your success.
You can celebrate Living Wage Week by talking about living wages and taking action.
This Living wage week, we invite you to get involved in a few ways:
- Sign the pledge to support Living Wage Businesses this week.
- Register for the free online event to launch Living Wage Week in the US here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SZnWRlltRsCvTTKLCzEugw
- Shout out your favorite Living wage Certified Businesses on social media with the hashtag #livingwageweek.
- Invite your favorite local businesses to become Living Wage Certified. It’s easy and it makes a big impact in the community.
- Contact your representatives about raising the minimum wage!
The holidays are right around the corner. We have a few holiday promotions downtown businesses can participate in:
If your business is interested in participating in any of the above, please fill out this short form. |
Join the Chamber at for the November Business Before Hours at the YMI Cultural Center! Breakfast treats will be provided by our friends at Bojangles! We encourage you to bring a prize for the raffle later in the event. Bring your business cards for networking but also so you can enter the raffle!! The early bird catches the worm…or maybe a great door prize!
Initially branded as “The Young Men’s Institute”, the more commonly known YMI Cultural Center is one of the oldest, most unique and beautiful Black cultural centers in the United States. The YMI is a local landmark within the City of Asheville, North Carolina and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Their founders, Mr. Isaac Dickson, the first person of color appointed to the Asheville City School Board, and Dr. Edward Stephens, principal of Asheville’s first public school for African American students, envisioned an organization similar to a YMCA to support Asheville’s African-American community.
The YMI Cultural Center offers educational, cultural, civic and social activities, leadership and economic development programs. They also offer events, meetings, exhibitions, offices, commercial, Co-working, and Co-Creative Art spaces. They are working to fully restore the 127-year-old building and re-establish it as the Center for Black life in Asheville and WNC. You can donate to their fundraising efforts here.
This event is offered as a benefit for Chamber membership and no registration is necessary. If you’re considering Chamber membership and would like to attend this event we welcome you to come and check us out! Please contact Jessica Kanupp, our Membership Development Specialist, at [email protected]
Our Foundations business planning class helps guide ideas from concept to reality in a participatory, supportive learning environment.
Join a cohort of aspiring and existing entrepreneurs to gain an aerial perspective of your vision and the comprehensive business skills necessary to help bring your visions into reality. Participants will gain a clear aerial perspective of their business operations, financials, research and development, and marketing strategies. They will leave the course with a comprehensive business plan, a clear vision for their business, and concrete tasks for future work.
Throughout the class, emphasis will be placed on developing the social capital of the group. Participants will be encouraged to gather feedback from their peers, creating a strong network of deep support and synergy. For more info, visit the Foundations Business Planning overview page.
Venture Asheville grows Asheville’s startup community and connects high-growth entrepreneurs to talent, mentors and investors through unique programming and events. The Venture 15 and Venture Asheville Honors is our annual end-of-year party where we announce and rank the 15 fastest growing startups in the area and present Entrepreneur, Mentor, Investor, Resource of the Year, The Shining Rock, Best Startup to Work For, and the Venture Asheville Vanguard awards.
We return this year in person on Thursday, December 16th, at The Orange Peel! Let the dance parties, networking and good food and drinks begin! With Jeffrey Kaplan as the emcee for the evening, you can expect to hear from our sponsors, winners and finalists all wrapped up in one creative program, along with a few surprises. Buy your tickets now and join us for an exciting, fast-paced evening of awards. Doors open at 6:00 pm, and the show starts at 6:30 pm.
Venture 15 Awards recognize the 15 fastest growing Asheville-area startups. This event celebrates the area’s outstanding entrepreneurs, and it serves as an elite setting where they can share their talent and wisdom as well as offer inspiration to other fledgling companies to be part of this exclusive group.
We can’t do the Venture Asheville Honors without you. We need you to make the nominations for the people and organizations that make this ecosystem run.
- What entrepreneurs are making it rain in this wild year?
- What mentors have been there for you?
- What investors provided capital when you needed it most?
- What resource helped you get through this year?
- And who is an up-and-comer we need to know? (that’s the Shining Rock Award)
- Who’s the best start-up to work for?
Applications and nominations are open until November 21st: www.ventureasheville.com/venture15
This event is open to the public. Tickets are $30 per person, $140 for a reserved cocktail table (5 tickets included) or $230 for reserved seated table (8 tickets included). Table quantities are limited so don’t wait to reserve your space! (Ticket price includes entry to the event, one drink and light food.)
As of 11/8/2021 – all patrons attending events at The Orange Peel will be required to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or a lab-conducted, negative test from the past 48 hours, along with a matching photo ID. Proof of vaccination can be your physical vaccine card or a photo of your card. Per the current Buncombe County mandate, a mask is required when not eating or drinking, regardless of vaccination status.
You can celebrate Living Wage Week by talking about living wages and taking action.
This Living wage week, we invite you to get involved in a few ways:
- Sign the pledge to support Living Wage Businesses this week.
- Register for the free online event to launch Living Wage Week in the US here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SZnWRlltRsCvTTKLCzEugw
- Shout out your favorite Living wage Certified Businesses on social media with the hashtag #livingwageweek.
- Invite your favorite local businesses to become Living Wage Certified. It’s easy and it makes a big impact in the community.
- Contact your representatives about raising the minimum wage!
The holidays are right around the corner. We have a few holiday promotions downtown businesses can participate in:
If your business is interested in participating in any of the above, please fill out this short form. |
Chamber members impact the local business community by making an investment in Chamber membership. Whether you’re a new member, a long-time member with new staff, or a business who’s considering membership, we welcome you to attend our Chamber Orientation to learn how to get the most value from your membership investment.
Chamber President Kit Cramer will give an overview of the work the Chamber is doing every day to build our community, including how we support our thriving economy by growing jobs, advocating for a business-friendly environment and helping our members prosper. We’ll dive into member benefits and share ideas of how you can take advantage of the many opportunities available to you as a member. You’ll also have a chance to meet Chamber staff and learn how you can get more engaged.
Orientation is also a great chance to meet other Chamber members.
This event is free, but registration is requested in order to help us plan appropriately.
If you’re considering Chamber membership and would like to attend this event we welcome you to come and check us out! Please contact Jessica Kanupp, our Membership Development Specialist, at [email protected]
You can celebrate Living Wage Week by talking about living wages and taking action.
This Living wage week, we invite you to get involved in a few ways:
- Sign the pledge to support Living Wage Businesses this week.
- Register for the free online event to launch Living Wage Week in the US here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SZnWRlltRsCvTTKLCzEugw
- Shout out your favorite Living wage Certified Businesses on social media with the hashtag #livingwageweek.
- Invite your favorite local businesses to become Living Wage Certified. It’s easy and it makes a big impact in the community.
- Contact your representatives about raising the minimum wage!