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.

Thursday, October 31, 2019
An Evening with the Dead (and Very Much Alive Authors)
Oct 31 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Malaprops Bookstore and Café

Come into Malaprop’s for a Halloween séance with authors Dale Bailey, Nathan Ballingrud (pictured), Jake Bible, and Alexandra Duncan, sharing new stories transmitted from beyond the grave.

Family Fun Fest at the Asheville Mall
Oct 31 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Asheville Mall

Bring the whole family for a night of fun activities, inflatables, and candy! It all takes place at the Asheville Mall on October 31 from 6 to 9 PM. Visit biltmorechurch.com/fun for more details and to register for this FREE event.

Family Fun Fest

Halloween Dog Costume Contest
Oct 31 @ 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Hi-Wire Brewing

We’re celebrating Halloween in style with our 3rd annual Dog Costume Contest at Big Top! Bring your furry friends dressed up in a costume and win prizes in a handful of categories. Entry is free, just be sure to signup starting at 6pm at Big Top. Contest starts at 7pm.

Categories:
Best overall
Scariest
Bartenders choice
Best circus theme
Most waggiest

Halloween Party and Costume Contest Music and More Vintage Kava
Oct 31 @ 7:00 pm – 12:00 pm
Vintage Kava

Halloween Party & Costume Contest

Halloween is coming- This year we will be doing a costume contest! We have 3 awesome prizes to give out to the best costume. The judges and prizes will be announced a week before Halloween. During the day, we will have several festive games spread throughout the bar for everyone to enjoy. Not to mention candy for any trick-or-treaters!.

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM:  Centroid Live

9:00 PM:  Costume

Contest

10:00 PM – 12:00 AM:  DJ Grizzleboogie Live

Halloween with The Screaming J’s and Phuncle Sam! Salvage Station
Oct 31 @ 7:00 pm – 2:00 am
Salvage Station

Screaming Js

Musician/BandAsheville, North Carolina
BOOGIE music for dancing!

Phuncle Sam

Musician/BandAsheville, North Carolina
Asheville’s finest Grateful Dead tribute. While keeping true to the delicate intricacies of America’s favorite pioneers, Phuncle Sam consistently delivers an exceptional performance of favorites and rarities. Any Dead Head is sure to fall in love.
Land of Sky Symphonic Band Halloween Spooktacular!
Oct 31 @ 7:30 pm
White Horse

Land of the Sky Symphonic Band, a 43-piece community band comprised of professional and amateur musicians of all walks of life who live in Buncombe, Henderson and McDowell counties, will stage a Halloween Spooktacular .

Ticket holders are encouraged to wear creative costumes to the show in the spirit of Halloween.  There will be prizes awarded for the most original costumes.

Doors open at 7 p.m.

https://www.whitehorseblackmountain.com/2019/09/halloween-spooktacular-land-of-sky.html

App. State Mountaineers vs. Georgia Southern
Oct 31 @ 8:00 pm
Kidd Brewer Stadium

Image result for Mountaineers Logo   vs.

Grateful Area Music Experience Pisgah Brewing Co.
Oct 31 @ 8:00 pm
Pisgah Brewing Company

Halloween night!  Local all-star line up performing Grateful Dead show 10/31/1990 from Wembley Arena in London England.  ?Come on out!


G.A.M.E. (Grateful Asheville Music Experience) features an all-star line up of Asheville artists celebrating the music of the Grateful Dead and JGB with special guests and collaborations that bring you some of the best musical moments in the Asheville scene.  Hosted by Spiro Nicolopoulos of the Paper Crowns.

Haunted House and Monster Mash!
Oct 31 @ 8:00 pm
Fleetwood's

We are transforming the already spooky cool Fleetwood’s Rock-n-Roll Wedding Chapel into a very scary Haunted House! Come get spooked for the entire week before Halloween with a Monster Mash Dance Party on Halloween Eve!

Thursday Night Flicks Beetlejuice Aloft Asheville Downtown
Oct 31 @ 8:00 pm
Aloft Asheville Downtown

Join us on Thursday, October 31 at 8 p.m. for a night full of tricks and treats! Spend your evening watching Beetlejuice while enjoying festive drinks and small bite specials. Come dressed to impressed in your spookiest costume and receive and 25% off food. We’ll see you there!

Party FOUL 10/31 – Halloween! The Odditorium
Oct 31 @ 9:00 pm – 2:00 am
The Odditorium

Party FOUL 10/31 - Halloween!

Party FOUL is Asheville’s #1 weekly drag show, started and hosted by Priscilla Chambers of Dragula season 3Come celebrate the best night of the year with some debaucherous drag, drinks, and special guests! Don’t forget your costume!

Featuring a photobooth by Schuylar Shayne Photography

PERFORMANCES BY:

  • D’Knighten Day & Jackson Rimsday from Atlanta
  • GAMistress RiversIda Carolina
  • Kitty Bubbles
  • Amelia Apathy
  • EE Cumming

$10 Cover
Doors 9pm
Show 10:30pm
18+

Sierra Nevada Hazy Halloween presents: Rocky Horror Picture Show
Oct 31 @ 9:00 pm – 12:00 am
Sierra Nevada

High Gravity at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Mills River, North Carolina

Doors: 9:00PM

Costume Contest Winner Announced: 9:50PM

Film & Performance Begins: 10:00PM

Tickets

General Admission: $10.00 ($13 at the door)

Prop kits available for purchase onsite.

Beer & Snacks available for purchase. Hazy Little Thing IPA on special.

This event is STRICTLY 21+. Valid ID with Admission Ticket will be necessary to enter.

We’re making this Halloween a Hazy one.

Join us for a wild classic: Rocky Horror Picture Show. Dress your best, prepare for absurdity, and cheer on the live shadow cast from Unexpected Pleasures Performance Troupe—acting out the entire film as it’s screened behind them!

In this cult classic, sweethearts Brad (Barry Bostwick) and Janet (Susan Sarandon), stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry), a transvestite scientist. As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rocking biker (Meat Loaf) and a creepy butler (Richard O’Brien). Through elaborate dances and rock songs, Frank-N-Furter unveils his latest creation: a muscular man named “Rocky.”

Travers Brothership Halloween (Primus/Zappa) +April B & the Cool
Oct 31 @ 9:30 pm – 2:00 am
Asheville Music Hall

Image may contain: 6 people, people smiling, people standing and text

Genre: Soul/Funk/Rock/Jam

Halloween Hometown Throwdown! Local favorites Travers Brothership and  April B. & The Cool will be joining forces for a special night of music on 10/31 at Asheville Music Hall. The Brothership will be performing 2-Sets including the debut of their new Primus/Zappa set.

The Official Brew Pump Halloween After-Party!
Oct 31 @ 10:00 pm – 2:00 am
Alleycat

 

Alley Cat for White Truck Door.jpg

This year the festivities will continue just down the road from the Brew Pump at Alleycat Social Club.

More great music to keep you dancing all night long featuring:

Rainjer Rick
Freakuency Union
Oneiric
Rob Breax

Parking is available behind the venue.

Friday, November 1, 2019
Donate a Turkey for the Holidays MANNA
Nov 1 all-day
MANNA FoodBank

Now through Nov. 15:
Help Make a Local Family’s Table a Bit Brighter and Donate a Turkey to our
TURKEY DRIVE!
This holiday season, we are hoping to fill families’ tables across our region with the staples that we all enjoy during a special holiday meal.
Food with Hope and Dignity
One reality of food banking is that food banks commonly receive holiday-specific food donations after a holiday has already occurred, making it difficult for food banks to provide these food items in a timely way to our neighbors seeking food assistance. We want families across our 16 counties to be able to celebrate the holiday with the rest of the community, and with that hope in mind, we are looking for the community to step up and help us eliminate one more worry for families about how they will fill their own holiday tables.
Donate a Turkey for the Holidays
When you are out shopping, we encourage you to pick up an extra frozen turkey to donate to MANNA! We know that hunger is a daily worry for tens of thousands of people across our region, and something as simple as a holiday turkey can truly give the gift of happiness and hope to people living through the daily experience of food insecurity.
Youth Tennis Classes Start November 4th for Ages 4-18
Nov 1 all-day
Hendersonville Racquet Club

HRC Tennis Junior Program Info Fall Session header logo

Registration is now open for the next session of indoor youth tennis classes starting November 4th at Hendersonville Racquet Club.  Kids are put in groups based on age and ability with seven levels available.  The session is six weeks long and is $79 for members or $99 for non-members for one class a week.

“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.” stated HRC Owner Chris Bull.

The format for this session is having classes once a week for six weeks. There will be no classes the week of Thanksgiving. 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

Hockey Detroit Red Wings at Carolina Hurricanes
Nov 1 @ 7:30 pm
PNC Arena
Saturday, November 2, 2019
2019 Shut-In
Nov 2 all-day
Bent Creek

Race Day: Saturday, Nov. 2nd, 2019

Entry information

Registration This is the 40th Year Anniversary for this event! We have transitioned to a LOTTERY system. Interested runners should enter the lottery in the two week period August 1st at 12:00 am EST and August 14th at 12:00 am EST.
It does not matter when you enter, as long as it is within this two-week period. All prospective entrants will be required to use Ultra signup to enter the lottery. There will be NO in-store entries.
Priority will be given to previous winners, those who have completed the race the last five years consecutively, eight or more times cumulatively, and previous race volunteers, then by date of entry receipt some consideration will be given to first-time applicants.
***It is still imperative that these runners still enter the lottery*** 
Packet Pickup:
Packet pickup will take place on RACE MORNING ONLY and will be from 8:30-9:45 am at the NC Arboretum.
Packet Pickup:
Packet pickup will take place on RACE MORNING ONLY and will be from 8:30-9:45 am at the NC Arboretum.
Race Day/Course:
This is a 17.8-mile trail race conducted over the historic Shut-In Ridge Trail that begins at Bent Creek near Asheville, NC and climbs over 5,000 feet along the ridgeline of the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Mt. Pisgah parking lot. The race will begin at 10:00 AM on Saturday, November 2th, 2019 at the North Carolina Arboretum’s Visitor Education Center. Enter from Highway 191 at the entrance ramp for the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Awards/Post-Race Celebration:
Post-Race Celebration will take place at 7:00 pm at the Wedge Foundation, located at 5 Foundry St., Asheville, NC 28801
Christmas at Biltmore adds a touch of Downton Abbey
Nov 2 all-day
Biltmore

Known for its monumental scale of traditional holiday décor and dazzling lights, this year Biltmore’s annual Christmas at Biltmore celebration will offer even more than ever before.

 

A yuletide feast for the senses, Christmas at Biltmore begins Nov. 1, 2019. One week later, on Nov. 8, the estate will welcome Downton Abbey: The Exhibition, an immersive experience that celebrates the global hit television series and new feature film.

Biltmore House aglow with five dozen Christmas trees

Biltmore House interiors will shine with the sparkle of more than 50 hand-decorated Christmas trees, ribbons and garlands measured by the mile, and thousands of lights. A majestic 35-foot Fraser fir in the Banquet Hall is the home’s holiday centerpiece. For the first time, hand-decorated Christmas trees will be displayed on the balcony that wraps around the home’s two-story Library.

 

Candlelight Christmas Evenings

During Candlelight Christmas Evenings, candlelight, firelight, and live music will create a magical environment that elevates seasonal celebrations inside Biltmore House. A 55-foot Norway Spruce on the home’s front lawn lit with 55,000 lights will greet guests as they arrive to enter Biltmore House.

 

The warm welcome continues at Antler Hill Village & Winery with a constellation of holiday lights leading to the Winery and estate restaurants. A towering tree of lights will illuminate the Village Green, with a sea of lighted grapevine spheres nestled in the landscaping. Lights cascading from the trees that surround the bonfire area near Antler Hill Barn will offer a unique touch to the experience.

 

Downton Abbey: The Exhibition

Downton Abbey: The Exhibition will feature interactive elements that connect fans to their favorite characters, fashions, locations, and historic events of the era. Showcased in two estate locations, the exhibition pairs seamlessly with the real-life story of the Vanderbilt family at Biltmore. Amherst at Deerpark will host multimedia presentations and some of the series’ most recognizable sets—including Mrs. Patmore’s hectic kitchen and the gossip-fueled servants’ quarters. At The Biltmore Legacy in Antler Hill Village, a gallery of more than 50 costumes from the series will be on view.

The exhibition will run through April 7, 2020. Access to Downton Abbey: The Exhibition is included with daytime admission, Candlelight Christmas Evenings admission, or an overnight stay that includes daytime admission.

 

Christmas at Biltmore 2019 Event Calendar

  • Christmas at Biltmore daytime experience – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 5, 2020
  • Candlelight Christmas Evenings nighttime experience – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 4, 2020 
  • Illumination of Antler Hill Village – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 4, 2020, 5:30 p.m. to midnight
  • Downton Abbey: The Exhibition at Biltmore’s Amherst and the Biltmore Legacy in Antler Hill Village – Nov. 8, 2019, through April 7, 2020
  • A Gardener’s Place How-to Seminar: “Illuminated Holiday Tablescapes” – daily Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, 2019, at 1:30 p.m.
  • Conservatory’s annual seasonal display – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 5, 2020
  • Complimentary wine tasting at Biltmore Winery. Winery specialty tours available with additional price and reservations required – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 5, 2020
  • Bonfires in Antler Hill Village with s’mores kits available for purchase at The Creamery – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 3, 2020, select dates, 3 to 10 p.m.
  • Roving Holiday Carolers in Antler Hill Village – select dates
  • Candlelight Winery Tour with a look into the winemaking process and tasting with light cheese pairing. Additional price and reservations required.
  • Visits with Santa at the bandstand in Antler Hill Village – select dates
  • The Inn on Biltmore Estate’s Annual Gingerbread House Tea – additional price and reservations required – Dec. 14 through 22, 2019, select dates, 1 to 3 p.m.
  • Festive holiday meals prepared by award-winning chefs served in all of the estate’s restaurants – ongoing
Donate a Turkey for the Holidays MANNA
Nov 2 all-day
MANNA FoodBank

Now through Nov. 15:
Help Make a Local Family’s Table a Bit Brighter and Donate a Turkey to our
TURKEY DRIVE!
This holiday season, we are hoping to fill families’ tables across our region with the staples that we all enjoy during a special holiday meal.
Food with Hope and Dignity
One reality of food banking is that food banks commonly receive holiday-specific food donations after a holiday has already occurred, making it difficult for food banks to provide these food items in a timely way to our neighbors seeking food assistance. We want families across our 16 counties to be able to celebrate the holiday with the rest of the community, and with that hope in mind, we are looking for the community to step up and help us eliminate one more worry for families about how they will fill their own holiday tables.
Donate a Turkey for the Holidays
When you are out shopping, we encourage you to pick up an extra frozen turkey to donate to MANNA! We know that hunger is a daily worry for tens of thousands of people across our region, and something as simple as a holiday turkey can truly give the gift of happiness and hope to people living through the daily experience of food insecurity.
NCAA Women’s Regional Finals Basketball Tickets on Sale Now
Nov 2 all-day
on line sales for Bon Secours

The Asheville Marathon & Half at Biltmore Estate Sign Up Now
Nov 2 all-day
Biltmore Estate

Woman running in front Biltmore House.jpg

The Asheville Marathon began 8 years ago with only a marathon option, which sold out quickly in its first year, and again the next year. A nationwide interest in half marathons was becoming popular, so for the 3rd year a half marathon option was added.  In the 4th year, the event expanded to two days of races and a half marathon on each day.  To add a twist in the 5th year the Backyard to Vineyard Challenge was created, where participants race in the Saturday half and Sunday full. The challenge was very popular and for the 6th anniversary, Backyard to Backyard Challenge was added, where participants run both the Saturday half and the Sunday half. Now in its 8th year both days of races, including the challenges, are expected to be sold out, with 3,100 participants.

The Asheville Marathon & Half at Biltmore Estate is held on and run entirely on the grounds of the Biltmore Estate, where runners will wind through paved and packed dirt roads to see hardwood forest, meadows, gardens, and extraordinary views of the Biltmore House and Estate. This is the original Asheville Marathon and first race of its kind to come to Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina; don’t miss out on being part of history at Biltmore Estate.

For more information about the Asheville Marathon & Half at Biltmore Estate, visit

https://ashevillemarathon.com/. Follow the race on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Youth Tennis Classes Start November 4th for Ages 4-18
Nov 2 all-day
Hendersonville Racquet Club

HRC Tennis Junior Program Info Fall Session header logo

Registration is now open for the next session of indoor youth tennis classes starting November 4th at Hendersonville Racquet Club.  Kids are put in groups based on age and ability with seven levels available.  The session is six weeks long and is $79 for members or $99 for non-members for one class a week.

“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.” stated HRC Owner Chris Bull.

The format for this session is having classes once a week for six weeks. There will be no classes the week of Thanksgiving. 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

Mars Hill Mountain Lions vs. Carson-Newman Eagles
Nov 2 @ 1:00 pm
Meares Stadium

Ticket Prices & Information (Cash only for all events):

Football:

  • $13.00 Adults, $7.00 Students with high school I.D.
  • MHU students, faculty and staff admitted free with valid I.D.
  • Tickets can be purchased on game day at the ticket booth located at the North end of the stadium.
New Jersey Devils at Carolina Hurricanes
Nov 2 @ 7:00 pm
PNC Arena
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Christmas at Biltmore adds a touch of Downton Abbey
Nov 3 all-day
Biltmore

Known for its monumental scale of traditional holiday décor and dazzling lights, this year Biltmore’s annual Christmas at Biltmore celebration will offer even more than ever before.

 

A yuletide feast for the senses, Christmas at Biltmore begins Nov. 1, 2019. One week later, on Nov. 8, the estate will welcome Downton Abbey: The Exhibition, an immersive experience that celebrates the global hit television series and new feature film.

Biltmore House aglow with five dozen Christmas trees

Biltmore House interiors will shine with the sparkle of more than 50 hand-decorated Christmas trees, ribbons and garlands measured by the mile, and thousands of lights. A majestic 35-foot Fraser fir in the Banquet Hall is the home’s holiday centerpiece. For the first time, hand-decorated Christmas trees will be displayed on the balcony that wraps around the home’s two-story Library.

 

Candlelight Christmas Evenings

During Candlelight Christmas Evenings, candlelight, firelight, and live music will create a magical environment that elevates seasonal celebrations inside Biltmore House. A 55-foot Norway Spruce on the home’s front lawn lit with 55,000 lights will greet guests as they arrive to enter Biltmore House.

 

The warm welcome continues at Antler Hill Village & Winery with a constellation of holiday lights leading to the Winery and estate restaurants. A towering tree of lights will illuminate the Village Green, with a sea of lighted grapevine spheres nestled in the landscaping. Lights cascading from the trees that surround the bonfire area near Antler Hill Barn will offer a unique touch to the experience.

 

Downton Abbey: The Exhibition

Downton Abbey: The Exhibition will feature interactive elements that connect fans to their favorite characters, fashions, locations, and historic events of the era. Showcased in two estate locations, the exhibition pairs seamlessly with the real-life story of the Vanderbilt family at Biltmore. Amherst at Deerpark will host multimedia presentations and some of the series’ most recognizable sets—including Mrs. Patmore’s hectic kitchen and the gossip-fueled servants’ quarters. At The Biltmore Legacy in Antler Hill Village, a gallery of more than 50 costumes from the series will be on view.

The exhibition will run through April 7, 2020. Access to Downton Abbey: The Exhibition is included with daytime admission, Candlelight Christmas Evenings admission, or an overnight stay that includes daytime admission.

 

Christmas at Biltmore 2019 Event Calendar

  • Christmas at Biltmore daytime experience – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 5, 2020
  • Candlelight Christmas Evenings nighttime experience – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 4, 2020 
  • Illumination of Antler Hill Village – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 4, 2020, 5:30 p.m. to midnight
  • Downton Abbey: The Exhibition at Biltmore’s Amherst and the Biltmore Legacy in Antler Hill Village – Nov. 8, 2019, through April 7, 2020
  • A Gardener’s Place How-to Seminar: “Illuminated Holiday Tablescapes” – daily Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, 2019, at 1:30 p.m.
  • Conservatory’s annual seasonal display – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 5, 2020
  • Complimentary wine tasting at Biltmore Winery. Winery specialty tours available with additional price and reservations required – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 5, 2020
  • Bonfires in Antler Hill Village with s’mores kits available for purchase at The Creamery – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 3, 2020, select dates, 3 to 10 p.m.
  • Roving Holiday Carolers in Antler Hill Village – select dates
  • Candlelight Winery Tour with a look into the winemaking process and tasting with light cheese pairing. Additional price and reservations required.
  • Visits with Santa at the bandstand in Antler Hill Village – select dates
  • The Inn on Biltmore Estate’s Annual Gingerbread House Tea – additional price and reservations required – Dec. 14 through 22, 2019, select dates, 1 to 3 p.m.
  • Festive holiday meals prepared by award-winning chefs served in all of the estate’s restaurants – ongoing
Donate a Turkey for the Holidays MANNA
Nov 3 all-day
MANNA FoodBank

Now through Nov. 15:
Help Make a Local Family’s Table a Bit Brighter and Donate a Turkey to our
TURKEY DRIVE!
This holiday season, we are hoping to fill families’ tables across our region with the staples that we all enjoy during a special holiday meal.
Food with Hope and Dignity
One reality of food banking is that food banks commonly receive holiday-specific food donations after a holiday has already occurred, making it difficult for food banks to provide these food items in a timely way to our neighbors seeking food assistance. We want families across our 16 counties to be able to celebrate the holiday with the rest of the community, and with that hope in mind, we are looking for the community to step up and help us eliminate one more worry for families about how they will fill their own holiday tables.
Donate a Turkey for the Holidays
When you are out shopping, we encourage you to pick up an extra frozen turkey to donate to MANNA! We know that hunger is a daily worry for tens of thousands of people across our region, and something as simple as a holiday turkey can truly give the gift of happiness and hope to people living through the daily experience of food insecurity.
NCAA Women’s Regional Finals Basketball Tickets on Sale Now
Nov 3 all-day
on line sales for Bon Secours

Youth Tennis Classes Start November 4th for Ages 4-18
Nov 3 all-day
Hendersonville Racquet Club

HRC Tennis Junior Program Info Fall Session header logo

Registration is now open for the next session of indoor youth tennis classes starting November 4th at Hendersonville Racquet Club.  Kids are put in groups based on age and ability with seven levels available.  The session is six weeks long and is $79 for members or $99 for non-members for one class a week.

“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.” stated HRC Owner Chris Bull.

The format for this session is having classes once a week for six weeks. There will be no classes the week of Thanksgiving. 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

Smash Don’t Trash
Nov 3 @ 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
New Belgium Brewing

Image

Smash Don’t Trash is back for its 2nd year in Asheville! Bring out those rotten pumpkins for a smashing good time!