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.
Check the WILD book club’s Facebook page for COVID-19 related updates. Please RSVP the moderator at [email protected] for the Zoom meeting passcode for the meetings.
Join former Malaprop’s General Manager Linda-Marie Barrett for this woman-only book club that seeks to have fun by reading books (fiction & non) by women writers. Click here to see a full schedule of what the club is reading. Club attendees get 10% off the book at Malaprop’s!
The club meets at 6:30 P.M. on the first Tuesday of the month at the Battery Park Book Exchange. It will be held virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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This online theatrical experience is an adaptation of the original script that allows the production to take place on Zoom. Nguyen, a screenwriter and co-founder of the Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company of New York City, saw a need for theatre in the time of quarantine and re-wrote the play to accommodate social distancing.
The plot centers around the character of Agnes Evans, an average girl, whose life takes an unexpected turn when her Dungeons and Dragons-loving younger sister Tilly tragically dies in a car accident. When Agnes finds Tilly’s Dungeons and Dragons notebook, she sets out on an adventure she never saw coming.
The cast includes returning performers Olly Taylor and Adrian Gonzalez taking on the role
of Chuck Biggs; theatre major Remy Fifield and Hendersonville High School student
Ashlie Hanke playing Tilly; and theatre major Sarah Freeman and IC Imagine student
Jayna Gerber portraying Agnes. Other appearances include local homeschooler Mary
Treadway as Demon Queen Lilith Morningstar; Blue Ridge theatre majors Logan Justice
and Colton Putnam as Orcus; and even some remote Iowan performers Bri Stoever and
Alex Foote as Kaliope Darkwalker.
The tech team includes stage manager Chloe Hallman; assistant stage manager Alex
Farrell; production designer Courtney Creasman; Zoom liaison Aidoneus Walton; and
director Jennifer Treadway.
Join the Grail Moviehouse Pop Up at the Plēb Urban Winery where film lovers in Asheville will join over 100,000 film enthusiasts around the world during the month of September 24 – Oct 31 for the 23rd Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival!
You Be the Judge!
Which of these Final Nine short films is best? That’s up to a worldwide audience to decide. Cinema-goers across the United States and the globe will become instant film critics as they are handed a ballot upon entry that allows them to vote for the Best Film and Best Actor. MANHATTAN SHORT is the ultimate audience award that salutes the creative talents of both directors behind the camera and actors in front of it. Votes will be sent through to MANHATTAN SHORT HQ with the winner announced at ManhattanShort.com on Sunday Nov 1st.
**Please note that All 9 finalists will play during each showtime. You only need to attend one show to see all 9 Shorts. Each screening is a 2 hour and 15 minute show that includes all 9 short films**

EVERY Tuesday at Asheville Music Hall! Tuesday Night Funk Jam has been a huge part of Asheville’s vibrant music scene since 2008 and is #Asheville’s hottest weekly concert. Tuesday Night Funk Jam is programmed and orchestrated by an evolved Legendary House Band with trombonist Derrick Lee Johnson at the helm. At 10PM sharp, the Legendary House Band kicks off the night
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Tuesday, September 22nd Governor Roy Cooper announced that some NC small businesses experiencing disruptions to their operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible and benefit from a $40 million relief program to help offset fixed costs like rent, mortgage interests, and utility bills.
The NC Mortgage, Utility, and Rent Relief (MURR) is administered by the NC Department of Commerce and can provide up to $20,000 in relief funds per qualifying business location. Business applicants from certain industry sectors that have not been able to operate during COVID-19 may apply for up to two of their businesses.
Applicants can apply for up to four months of mortgage interest or rent expenses, and utility expenses. The help offers relief for some of the fixed costs a business cannot easily control on its own. Applications to the program should open next week and will be addressed on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants must certify that they were closed during the period of April 1 to July 31, 2020; they expect to be able to operate after the COVID crisis has passed; and they have not been reimbursed by any other federal source for the expenses they seek to reimburse through this program.
Eligible applicants include:
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Covid-19 hasn’t stopped us from making an impact on local rivers and communities throughout WNC — so we’re adapting our 8th Annual Root Ball End of Season Party to celebrate quarantine-style… Save the dates for three awesome ways to participate!
Online silent auction (Oct 2nd-18th). We’ll have an incredible collection of items and experiences focused on outdoor recreation, arts + culture, food + beverage, and other offerings that are uniquely Asheville.
Online native tree and plant sale (Oct 2nd-18th). Individuals will be able to purchase from a wide variety of plants and trees provided by participating partner nurseries (with all proceeds going to GreenWorks programs).
Virtual Dance Party on October 16th: Gather up your pod and safely dance the evening away in your own living room. The event will be kid-friendly and have lots of opportunities for audience participation.
Stay tuned for more information on how to join in these exciting events!
If you’d like to offer support by donating an item or service to our silent auction, please contact [email protected].
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The purpose of our study is to determine if RunRA (a mobile app designed by patients with RA) can help you track how you are feeling and help improve your communication with your rheumatologist leading to better disease management. What’s Involved: -Be willing to have the mobile app, RunRA, downloaded onto your phone for your use. All data is stored to your personal phone. -Complete six short surveys about the burden of your RA and its treatment over the next 15 months. Each survey takes about 10 minutes and can be completed via email or telephone based on your preference. -You may be asked to participant in two interviews. These take about 30 minutes and will occur with a member of the research team over the phone at a time that is convenient for you. -You will be able to receive up to 50 dollars in gift cards for your participation in the surveys. -If selected for an interview, you are able to receive up to 60 dollars in gift cards for the interviews. Due to COVID-19, we are all social distancing so all of the activities described above will be done safely from your home. Link to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RUNRA-Run-Understand-and-Negotiate-108448887559772/?view_public_for=108448887559772 |
![]() The master plan for the Haywood and Page properties located near the Harrah’s Cherokee Center and Basilica of St. Lawrence will go before Asheville City Council on Oct. 27. The plan is the result of community engagement and public input sessions earlier in the year. The plan includes both a future development site and public space (a civic plaza, planted and garden areas, ADA-accessible paths). The community can learn more about the conceptual plan at several upcoming board and commission meetings this month, including:
Public comment can be provided via email and phone for each of the meetings. Details about how to view and participate in these virtual meetings is available on the project page.
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AVL Shares Space, the City of Asheville’s outdoor expansion program to help businesses add capacity during Covid-19, has been extended until January 3, 2021. AVL Shares Space includes curbside pickup zones throughout downtown, and expansions of private property, public property (sidewalk, on-street parking, parklets). The program has been instrumental for many downtown businesses.
The winter guidelines for temporary outdoor expansion spaces are available here. They include requirements for use of outdoor heaters, sides for tent/shade structures, outdoor lighting and additional maintenance considerations like snow and leaf removal. The guidelines also include staff contact information for questions and a frequently asked question section. City staff has been working directly with the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association (AIR) on this rollout and will continue providing one-on-one support to businesses as-needed.
In addition, the City is providing materials to assist with temporary parklet installation and has partnered with the American Institute of Architects Asheville (AIA) to improve accessibility into these spaces. Businesses owned or managed by people of color are especially encouraged to contact City staff for assistance.
Businesses and organizations can find applications for new temporary outdoor expansion and amend current applications with winterization changes through the City’s Development Portal here.
The public can provide feedback on these initiatives by emailing [email protected] and checking the project page for updates and input opportunities.
The City will make adjustments to the programs as-needed based on public health guidance, and will continue working with businesses and organizations to respond to critical needs, while considering new initiatives for the winter and spring and possible continuation of some opportunities longer term.
The decision to cancel the parade was based on North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s September 30th announcement moving North Carolina into Phase 3. Phase 3 continues to limit outdoor gatherings to 50 people and provides capacity limits for outdoor spaces. The uncertainty of COVID-19 conditions and public safety protocols in effect at the time of the parade drove the decision.
There are thousands of people in the parade and as many as 20,000 have come to watch in previous years, so it’s just not responsible to move forward in the midst of a public health crisis.
The Asheville Downtown Association took over production of the Asheville Holiday Parade in 2008. The parade first marched, danced and rolled through downtown Asheville in 1946, meaning 2020 would have marked the 74th annual parade.
The Asheville Downtown Association is planning to host free photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus on Saturday, November 21 at Rabbit Rabbit in downtown Asheville. Families will register for a time slot to maintain social distancing, and children and families will also remain distanced from Santa and Mrs. Claus for photos.
The Asheville Downtown Association will also continue to host its annual Downtown Holiday Windows Contest. More information on both of the above opportunities to come.
This is the last call to bid. Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC in
Henderson County encourages the public to participate now. Bidding closes 7pm Thursday,
October 8.
Funds are being raised to support unique one-on-one mentoring programs. 81 items include an
array of trips, experiences, art, personal services and more at www.bbbswnc.org.

The BOOsters are happy little friendly ghosts sold throughout the month of October in area banks, restaurants, cleaners, convenience stores, and many other businesses. For only $1.00, anyone can purchase a BOOster, place his or her name or business card on it and have it displayed. This is a great way to decorate area businesses for the holiday while providing fun, friendly competition, and funds to help continue the outreach of the Eblen Charities.
Eblen Charitable Group Pumpkin Sales: Much like the BOOster sales, these bright paper pumpkins are sold for $1.00 during the month of October in area schools and Ingles Markets. This program sponsored by Outback Steakhouse, Ingle’s Markets, Pepsi, and Clear Channel radio stations benefits the programs of the Eblen Charities and helps provide a community program to the area schools with the premise of children helping children. Schools also have the opportunity to win prizes and equipment for their school. The school with the most over all sales is awarded the Frank Lewis Memorial Award, named in memory of our long time friend and Buncombe County educator, Frank Lewis.

by Tom Risser of Waxhaw, North Carolina
The Caldwell Arts Council and the City of Lenoir, NC seek sculptors to participate in Tucker’s Gallery, an outdoor sculpture sales gallery with three-dimensional artwork mounted in 12 pedestal-planters in downtown Lenoir for up to one year. Artists receive stipends for delivery and retrieval of sculptural art, and sculptures may be sold with 30% commission to the Caldwell Arts Council.
Find application at website.

This year’s winner will be drawn on Tuesday, December 1st, and can choose any 2020 Volvo or Subaru from Hunter Automotive Group in Fletcher, North Carolina with an MSRP up to $50,000!

Though we were unable to have students on campus and present live performances this summer, we continued to support their education needs during the pandemic, providing masterclasses, lectures, streaming performances and more, available at no charge.
- Business Recycling and Waste Reduction
- Business Skill Development
(sales, contract negotiations, customer relations, etc.) - Citizen & Community Activism for Recycling
- Climate Change
- Collection & Marketing Technology Innovations
(tracking, communications, social/marketing platforms, enforcement) - Contamination Solutions
- Contract Negotiation
- COVID-19 Safety & Planning
- Education and Outreach Success Stories
- Enforcement Solutions
- Environmentally Preferred Procurement
- Market Development
- Ocean Plastic
- Organics Recycling & Food Waste Reduction
- Product Life Cycle Cost Accounting
- Trends in Processing Technology & Processing Solutions
- Zero Waste (business and public sectors)
- SUBMIT AT: https://www.cra-recycle.org/2021conf/papers/?utm_source=2021+Call+for+Papers%2521&utm_campaign=june+2020&utm_medium=email&utm_source=September+2020+Newsletter&utm_campaign=june+2020&utm_medium=email

Buncombe County has opened the 2020-2021 application cycle of the Community Recreation Grants program. The grants are part of other countywide initiatives that help make Buncombe County a place everyone from infants to retirees has the opportunity to be strong, healthy, and successful. The program is intended to help community nonprofits make immediate improvements and jump-start long-term progress that align with the Buncombe 2025 plan. Grants range in amounts from $500-$6,000, depending on the number of qualifying applicants.
Eligibility
Eligible entities include Buncombe County nonprofits focused on providing equitable access to recreational, fitness, cultural, and wellness activities to the public at no- or low-cost. These funds are intended to be a leveraging tool that promote partnerships between the County and area nonprofits and are not a donation, funding stream, or sponsorship opportunity. Programs applying for funding should align with the Buncombe 2025 plan’s focus areas, as well as embody the spirt of Buncombe County Recreation Services’ mission: Connect Communities. Preserve Culture. Change Lives.
Projects funded in the past have included creative placemaking, increasing safe connections to a wider range of play and wellness activities for underserved residents, supporting access to experiences that preserve regional and international cultures, improvements to public athletic fields and fitness courses, expanding environmental education, building food security through community gardens, and establishing multigenerational outdoor spaces for neighbors to connect with each other and foster community pride.
Want to apply?
Application, guidelines, and a list of 2019-2020 recipients are available online. Questions should be directed to [email protected].
The grant application deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. Late applications will not be accepted. The Community Recreation Grant Committee will notify all applicants via email no later than Friday, Nov. 15, 2020.

Beginning Sunday, September 27, and continuing throughout the month of October, the front lawn of Grace Church will once again be filled with pumpkins! And as in years past, proceeds from pumpkin sales will benefit our friends with Consider Haiti.
Annually, the Pumpkin Patch is Consider Haiti’s biggest fundraiser. A year ago, we netted $10,000 that supported programs in community health, sustainable nutrition, clean water and medical care. Consider Haiti’s single most urgent goal is promoting the health and welfare of Haitian children. This year, they will impact the lives of more than 2,000 children and their families. Through the Pumpkin Patch, Grace Church has an opportunity to raise both funds and awareness for the work Consider Haiti is doing, even in the midst of a pandemic. We hope we have made participating as safe and risk-free as possible for you. And we thank you in advance for your on-going support.
For the safety of our volunteer sellers, we have developed a method of no-touch electronic payment that will hopefully eliminate a lot of cash transactions that involved handling money. Wheelbarrows will be on hand for shoppers to load their own pumpkin selections. The idea is to handle money and pumpkins as little as possible. Wipes, masks and disinfectant will be available for use as needed within the Patch
One Network of Trails. One Hundred Counties.
Give Your Feedback
The Great Trails State Plan will draw upon existing plans and new recommendations to identify a network of shared-use paths and trails that connect every county in North Carolina, with a focus on connections between population centers and North Carolina State Parks.
The primary outcome of this planning process is to develop a statewide trail map coupled with an action-oriented network plan and 5-year implementation strategy.
The Great Trails State Plan is being led by the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Integrated Mobility Division, in coordination with the NCDOT Transportation Planning Division and North Carolina State Parks.

Help us Win $100,000 for Urban Forestry
Give during A Community Thrives’ fundraising window through October 16th and GreenWorks could receive a grant of up to $100,000! Your $10 donation will make an incredible difference!
Asheville GreenWorks will continue to adapt and grow with the challenges of 2020, and beyond. We hope to give away and plant more trees to the community, collect more litter and recyclables, and engage and educate more volunteers. Your support encourages us to work harder for a better Buncombe County.
If you are unable to give at this time, follow us on Facebook and Instagram and share this information with your family and friends.
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Create, share, and discover with Buncombe County Public Library’s newest resource, Biblioboard.
BiblioBoard Library is an easy-to-use platform of high-quality digital content. Biblioboard offers books, articles, documents, images, audios, and videos. BiblioBoard Library is host to content from traditional publishers, indie authors, cultural institutions, and local thought leaders. Users can access BiblioBoard Library through the library’s website or on the device of their choice.
Some features of Biblioboard:
- No waitlists or holds
- Streaming audio and video are available on a wide variety of topics
- Check out curated collections of the best indie authors.
- Available for desktop, iOS, and Android devices
Local authors can submit their work for inclusion in the library catalog or publish books with Press Books. You can submit and share your work locally or nationally.


Vulnerable North Carolinians can request free PPE as they head to the polls.
Protecting Voters
Whether you Early Vote or vote on Election Day, NCBA wants to protect voters at the polls by providing FREE single-use PPE kits. These kits will include:
- A pair of disposable gloves
- Hand sanitizer
- Single-use protective mask
- A pen and simple instructions on how to cast your ballot in person
- A template to create your voting plan
- A voter guide (will be mailed separately)
Need Assistance Requesting a PPE Kit?
Thanks to our partners at Disability Rights NC, voters can call 888-WEVOTE-2 for additional assistance, and to request a free PPE Kit.
We are all in this together.
In response to the unique economic challenges of COVID-19, a consortium of public, private, and nonprofit partners have come together and launched an innovative recovery-lending program to help support entrepreneurs like you and stabilize North Carolina’s small business sector.

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The Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning documentary RBG, directed by award-winning filmmakers Betsy West and Julie Cohen, chronicles the inspiring and personal story of Ginsburg’s rise to the nation’s highest court while becoming an unexpected pop culture icon. “From her Supreme Court chambers to her exercise room, what a privilege and a joy it was for us to train our cameras on RBG, and capture the story of this feisty, determined, brilliant woman who used her talents to make our world a better place,” said West and Cohen.
“What makes it memorable is its portrait of a woman with an exceptional intellect, to be sure, but also a lifelong capacity for staggering amounts of minutely detailed, unswervingly purposeful work.” – Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal
“The movie’s touch is light and its spirit buoyant, but there is no mistaking its seriousness or its passion. Those qualities resonate powerfully in the dissents that may prove to be Justice Ginsburg’s most enduring legacy, and RBG is, above all, a tribute to her voice.” – A.O. Scott, The New York Times
In addition to owning the film, you’ll also have access to a long-form Q&A with the directors from earlier this summer.
Asheville Silent Standup Comedy Show is back on the rooftop due to overwhelming demand…covid-safe-seating is limited and tickets sell super fast, so get them at rabbitrabbitavl.com!
What: Rooftop Stand-Up Comedy Show (w/super cool headphones!)Where: Rabbit Rabbit, downtown Asheville Outdoor Venue. When: October 7, 7:30p Cost: $12/person with minimum 2-top and 4-top tables only
Slice of Life Comedy and The Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge brings you Asheville’s premier comics.
Hosted by Cody Hughes.
Featuring:
Petey Smith McDowell
Hilliary Begley
Moira Goree
Justin Blackburn
Ryan Cox
Morgan Bost
Baby George
Rabbit Rabbit is an awesome place to safely social-distance. Created by The Orange Peel Events and Asheville Pizza Company, Rabbit Rabbit Outdoor Venue is home of the Asheville Taco truck and Rabbit themed specialty cocktails. This powerhouse of Asheville entertainment will now host THE place to laugh-while-you-cry about the apocalypse.
The comedy show is a ticketed event on Rabbit Rabbit’s outdoor rooftop, with very limited table seating. Come early and get sunset dinner and drinks!
Your comedy ticket includes your own sanitized headphones. You will not miss a minute show while looking stylishly futuristic!
Rabbit Rabbit Silent Comedy tickets include 1 pair of RF wireless personal headphones so that you can listen to the comic’s audio without violating time limits on amplified sound. The headphones are sanitized thoroughly with an EPA-approved cleaning agent between our weekly events, and stored in a no-touch, safe and sealed manner to allow further decontamination so that they are completely safe, between our once per week silent comedy nights.
For more info contact Michele at [email protected], and check out sliceoflifecomedy.com
Ticket link is available at rabbitrabbitavl.com
How it Works
- Download the SlowCOVIDNC Exposure Notification app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and enable Bluetooth and Exposure Notifications. Bluetooth must be on for the app to work. After opting-in to receive notifications, the app will generate an anonymous token for your device. A token is a string of random letters which changes every 10-20 minutes and is never linked to your identity or location, but is linked to date. This protects your privacy and security.
- Through Bluetooth, your phone and the phones around you with the SlowCOVIDNC app work in the background (minimizing battery) to exchange these anonymous tokens every few minutes. Phones record how long they are near each other and the Bluetooth signal strength of their exchanges in order to estimate distance.
- If you test positive for COVID-19, you may obtain a unique PIN to submit in the app. This voluntary and anonymous reporting notifies others who have downloaded the app that they may have been in close contact with someone in the last 14 days who has tested positive.
- PINs will be provided to app users who receive a positive COVID-19 test result through a web-based PIN Portal, by contacting the Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC) call center, or by contacting their Local Health Department (LHD).
- SlowCOVIDNC periodically downloads tokens from the server from the devices of users who have anonymously reported a positive test. Your phone then uses its records of the signal strength and duration of exposures with those tokens to calculate risk and determine if you have met a threshold to receive an Exposure Notification.
Vote AVL is a nonpartisan movement to increase voter turnout in the Asheville Area. The site features voter resources including registration info, a calendar of important dates, and information on candidates at the local, state and national levels. Businesses can take the pledge to provide information and resources to their employees, so that they can use their voice to make their vote count. Learn more at voteavl.org.
Important Dates:
Friday, October 9th – Voter Registration deadline (online or postmarked by)
Thursday, October 15th – Early Voting begins, including same-day registration
Tuesday, October 27th – Deadline to request an Absentee Ballot (received by)
Saturday, October 31st – Early Voting Ends
Tuesday, November 3rd – Election Day and Absentee Ballot deadline (received by)




