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.

Monday, October 26, 2020
Virtual Tours at Asheville Art Museum
Oct 26 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Online w/ Asheville Art Museum

Virtual Visits for Students

Groups of pre-K–12 students are invited to schedule an interactive Virtual Visit to the Museum! Led by volunteer docents with Museum staff, our inquiry-based, conversational Virtual Visits introduce the Museum’s galleries with a 3D tour and challenge students to hone their observation skills. All pre-K–12 Virtual Visits make connections to the NC Standard Course of Study.

Virtual Visits for pre-K–12 groups are $50 for 5–25 participants from one or multiple devices through Zoom or Google Meet. Virtual Visits are available Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm, and last 30–45 minutes. At least two weeks’ advanced notice is required.

For more information about Virtual Visits for adults, college, and university students, click here. For Virtual Visits for family and friend groups with children, click here.

WoodLands Gallery Hello Fall
Oct 26 @ 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
WoodLands Gallery
Tuckasegee River Excursion with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
Oct 26 @ 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

Join us for a relaxing ride through quiet countryside on your way to small town life in western North Carolina on the Tuckasegee River Excursion. Departing from Bryson City, this 4 hour excursion travels 32 miles round-trip to Dillsboro and back to the Bryson City Depot. Pass by the famous movie set of The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford!

The Tuckasegee (tuck-uh-SEE-jee) River Excursion includes an 1½ hour layover in the historic town of Dillsboro, where you’ll find more than 50 shops, restaurants, bed and breakfasts and country inns. There is time to shop, snack, and visit the many unique shops before returning to Bryson City.

The Blood Connection – Donate Days
Oct 26 @ 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Hillman Beer - Asheville/Biltmore Village

Image may contain: possible text that says 'THE BLOOD CONNECTION Your Community Blood Center'

Stop by to donate blood and receive a Hillman Beer gift certificate from The Blood Connection!

The Blood Connection – Donate Days
Oct 26 @ 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Hillman Beer - Asheville/Biltmore Village

Link for October 26 Drive, 2-7pm:
https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/…/drive…/138027
** Our friends with The Matt & Molly Team will be there to add ghoulish fun and Halloween cheer!

Studio 52 Virtual Fall Classes: ​Acting + Creative Movement– K-2nd
Oct 26 @ 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm
zoom

Picture Studio 52

Then join us for a fun and physical virtual theatre class that combines reading, creative movement, acting, music, and art! In lively Zoom classes rooted in creative play and inspired by literature, students will explore improvisation, acting through movement, character development, and more. 

The Dave Hart Scholarship Fund was created in memory of Studio 52’s friend, artist, and educator Dave Hart.
​Dave believed that all students, no matter their background or resources, benefit from participating in theatre.

​​A small number of full and partial need-based scholarships are available upon application. 
Applications are due by September 4. Please fill out the Scholarship Application Form which includes basic student, guardian, and household information as well as a short written statement outlining the purpose and significance of a scholarship. Recipients will be notified via email by September 9.

Does your little kid have a big imagination and lots of energy? Then join us for a fun and physical virtual theatre class that combines reading, creative movement, acting, music, and art! In lively Zoom classes rooted in creative play and inspired by literature, students will explore improvisation, acting through movement, character development, and more. 

Mondays from 3 – 3:45 PM
Sep. 21 – Nov. 16
K – 2nd Grades
Weekly Zoom class
Instructor: Tania Battista
$150

Does your little kid have a big imagination and lots of energy? Then join us for a fun and physical virtual theatre class that combines reading, creative movement, acting, music, and art! In lively Zoom classes rooted in creative play and inspired by literature, students will explore improvisation, acting through movement, character development, and more. 

Mondays from 3 – 3:45 PM
Sep. 21 – Nov. 16
K – 2nd Grades
Weekly Zoom class
Instructor: Tania Battista
$150

Does your little kid have a big imagination and lots of energy? Then join us for a fun and physical virtual theatre class that combines reading, creative movement, acting, music, and art! In lively Zoom classes rooted in creative play and inspired by literature, students will explore improvisation, acting through movement, character development, and more.

Mondays from 3 – 3:45 PM
Sep. 21 – Nov. 16
K – 2nd Grades
Weekly Zoom class
Instructor: Tania Battista
$150Does your little kid have a big imagination and lots of energy? Then join us for a fun and physical virtual theatre class that combines reading, creative movement, acting, music, and art! In lively Zoom classes rooted in creative play and inspired by literature, students will explore improvisation, acting through movement, character development, and more. 

Mondays from 3 – 3:45 PM
Sep. 21 – Nov. 16
K – 2nd Grades
Weekly Zoom class
Instructor: Tania Battista
$150

Studio 52 Virtual Fall Classes: Acting 3rd-5th
Oct 26 @ 4:00 pm – 4:45 pm
Online

Picture

Explore improvisation, characterization, voice and speech, costume design, and more as you create an original virtual play! With a combination of weekly in-person classes and one private 20-minute session with your instructor, students will develop, memorize, film, and share a video of their role in the play. At the end of the semester, each actor’s part will be edited together to create a virtual performance!

3rd – 5th Grades
Weekly Zoom class, one 20-minute private lesson
Instructors: Anna Kimmell, Tania Battista

Youth Improv – Online Ages: 8-11
Oct 26 @ 4:00 pm – 4:45 pm
Online

Taught by Chris Martin

Come join the amazing Chris Martin on a fun filled improv journey through all of our favorite improv games and some new surprises. Hilarious, silly, and FUN!

 

Studio 52 Virtual Fall Classes: Acting 6th – 8th
Oct 26 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Online

Dive into the development of full and fun characters in this imaginative acting class where students learn about character creation and analysis. With an emphasis on improvisation, collaboration, and self-scripting, actors will leave feeling more confident making Picturebold and specific choices on screen, on stage, and in life. At the end of the semester, actors will share their original characters in a one-of-a-kind virtual showcase.

Students learn about character creation and analysis. Actors will share their original characters in a virtual showcase.

Weekly Zoom class
Instructor: TJ Medel

Youth Improv – Online Ages: 12-14
Oct 26 @ 5:00 pm – 5:45 pm
Online

Taught by Chris Martin

Come join the amazing Chris Martin on a fun filled improv journey through all of our favorite improv games and some new surprises. Hilarious, silly, and FUN!

 

Art Class: Still Life at Home
Oct 26 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Online

October 19, 26, November 2 & 9 (make-up, if needed: November 16)—Mondays, 6–8pm
Registration deadline: October 12
This program takes place virtually via Zoom. Space is limited; to register, click here or call 828.253.3227 x122.

Stuck at home? Let’s make art. This four-part class builds on drawing basics and increases understanding of what it takes to create an image with a high level of realism and believability. Utilizing household items, this class allows for a controlled environment that students can create at home plus deep-dives into specific focus and practice. If you have a regular drawing practice but feel uncertain about how to get to the next level, this class can guide and hone your skills.

Instructor Anthony Pulitano is a freelance illustrator, designer, and portrait painter. He holds an undergraduate degree in illustration from the Ringling College of Art & Design, and a graduate certificate in traditional drawing and painting from the Florence (Italy) Academy of Art.

Hendersonville Racquet Club Adult Beginner Pickleball Program
Oct 26 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Hendersonville Racquet Club

Hendersonville Racquet Club is offering a five week series of classes for adult beginner pickleball players.  Try Pickleball is an instruction program for beginners.  The Monday night classes are 6-7 pm.  The cost is $99 for the five weeks and includes five hours of instruction, a pickleball paddle and a pickleball.

“Pickleball is the latest racquet sport craze. It combines elements of several racquet sports including: tennis, ping pong and badminton. It intensifies hand coordination and increases volley abilities. ALL WHILE HAVING FUN!” stated Certified Pickleball Professional Cre Still.

All classes are taught by certified pickleball professionals and will be held on HRC’s indoor courts.  Limited spots are available so early registration is encouraged.  To register or for more info go to www.hvillerc.com or contact 693-0040 or e-mail [email protected].

Hendersonville Racquet Club is a six acre complex that includes 7 outdoor tennis courts, 3 indoor tennis courts, four racquetball courts, three pickleball courts, an outdoor swimming pool, fitness center, group fitness room and outdoor leisure area by Shaw’s Creek and pond.

Improv I: The Basics of Inspired Improvisation
Oct 26 @ 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

This class will be offered in person on the ACT Mainstage, following all the recommended protocols for safety and sanitation. Class is limited to 8 students.

Incorporating aspects of the top improv programs in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, this course covers the fundamentals of improvisational acting with an emphasis on comedy; such as listening, commitment, adding information, agreement, intuitive reaction over desperate invention, as well as recognizing and capitalizing on emerging patterns. The class is crafted in such a way to have participants gradually gain their improv instincts through enjoyable and achievable exercises rather than teaching them the taste of disappointment and frustration. Students will gain experience and confidence in unscripted comedic performance through a series of improvised stories, scenes, and group structures; all done from a safe distance.

*In person classes are 50 minutes with an added 10 minutes for temperature checks*

Outdoor Cinema: The Addams Family
Oct 26 @ 6:30 pm
Rabbit Rabbit
Science Fiction Book Club
Oct 26 @ 7:00 pm
Online/Zoom

This club will meet virtually via zoom during the Covid-19 pandemic. Please email [email protected] for the link to join!  

Join host and Malaprop’s Bookseller Allison Beatty to dive into the wreck of the wily and wonderful world of sci-fi, weird fiction, speculative fiction, literary horror, and disturbing fiction with a healthy mix of underappreciated classic and contemporary books. The club normally meets at Malaprop’s on the last Monday of every month at 7:00pm.

Click here to see a full schedule of what the club is reading. Club attendees get 10% off the book at Malaprop’s!

 

Event date:
Monday, July 26, 2021 – 7:00pm
Monday, September 28, 2020 – 7:00pm
Monday, October 26, 2020 – 7:00pm
Monday, November 30, 2020 – 7:00pm
Tuesday, October 27, 2020
Asheville City Council: Plan for the Haywood and Page Properties
Oct 27 all-day
Online

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 public can view the materials online at www.ashevillenc.gov/haywoodpagedesignplan, including a narrated slideshow.

The community can learn more about the conceptual plan at several upcoming board and commission meetings this month, including:

  • Oct. 7 at 5 p.m., Planning & Zoning Commission
  • Oct. 9 at 9 a.m., Downtown Commission
  • Oct. 12 at 4 p.m., Planning & Economic Development Committee

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.

 

BOOsters and Pumpkins
Oct 27 all-day
Businesses throughout Buncombe County

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.

BRAHMS Violin Concerto
Oct 27 all-day
Online w/ Brevard Music Center

Digital BMC

Selected past performances by BMC orchestras, faculty, and guest artists on YouTube, SoundCloud, and Open Air Brevard.

BRAHMS Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77
II. Adagio
Liza Ferschtman, violin • Matthias Bamert, conductor
Recorded on July 7, 2017,
at the Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium at the Brevard Music Center.

Bucket List: Guide to Art Institutions in WNC
Oct 27 all-day
WNC

Bucket List: Guide to Art Institutions in WNC
Western North Carolina is known as the artist’s enclave of the Southeast—but where should we layfolk go to enjoy the fruits of these labors? Here’s our guide to enjoying art—painted, sculpted, sketched, and otherwise crafted—across the region.

 

Calling Artists: slam poetry competition 15yrs +
Oct 27 all-day
Online

Calling all spoken word artists 15 years or older

ABOUT WORDplay©

WORDplay© is a twelve month slam poetry competition featuring Spoken Word Poets from all over Western North Carolina. Each month ten to twelve Poets will be selected via video submissions, for the chance to compete for Different Strokes Performing Arts Collective’s WORDplay© championship and a $1,000.00 cash prize. The monthly online competition, hosted by local Poets Barbie Angell and Shanita Jackson, is open to regional Poets who are at least 15 years of age. One Poet from each month’s competition will be selected to compete in front of a live audience in the October and November 2021 Semi-Finals. Two remaining Poets will vie for the WORDplay© championship in December 2021. The second place Poet will receive $500.00. Each Semi-Finalist will receive $100.00.

We are accepting submissions for January and February rounds now through November 23, 2020. Selected Poets will be notified by December 23, 2020.

Coffee for Champions Supports Special Olympics
Oct 27 all-day
Buncombe County

Coffee for Champions Supports Special Olympics

Do you need a cup of ambition before you start the day (or a few throughout the day)? During the month of October, popular coffee shops and cafés throughout Buncombe County donate up to five cents of each cup of coffee purchased to support local sports programs for community members with intellectual disabilities.

Coffee for Champions is the largest annual fundraiser for Special Olympics Buncombe County, a completely donation-funded, volunteer-driven program that provides year-round training and competitive programs in 11 sports for more than 480 youth and adults. Funds raised help build equitable opportunities for everyone who lives here, create a connection between athletes and the greater community, and celebrate changing attitudes about the talents of people with intellectual disabilities.

“We started Coffee for Champions five years ago,” says Karla Furnari, Local Coordinator for Special Olympics Buncombe County. “Each year, it continues to grow and helps expand programs and fund critical needs such as equipment, uniforms, and transporting athletes. Even though in-person training was put on hold because of COVID-19, volunteer coaches continued to engage with athletes on a regular basis to keep them mentally and physically healthy during a time that has been particularly taxing on individuals with intellectual disabilities. We have safely resumed some programs in which social distancing is possible and face coverings can be worn such as tennis and bocce.”

Donating Five Cents Per Cup

  • Ivory Road Café & Kitchen (1854 Brevard Road in Arden)
  • Mosaic Café & Coffee House (1 Town Square Boulevard in Biltmore Park)
  • PennyCup Coffee Company at the YMI (39 South Market Street in Downtown Asheville)
  • Round Earth Roasters (518 Hendersonville Road in Asheville)
  • Trout Lily Market (1297 Charlotte Highway in Fairview)

Donating One Cent Per Cup

  • PennyCup Coffee Company West (362 Depot Street in Asheville’s River Arts District)
  • PennyCup Coffee Company Haw Creek (6 Beverly Road in Asheville’s Haw Creek)
  • PennyCup Coffee Company North (857 Merrimon Avenue in North Asheville)

Buncombe County Special Olympics is made possible through funding from donors and support from Buncombe County Government. To donate or volunteer, visit the organization’s website.

Special Olympics was founded by Eunice Kennedy in 1968 to celebrate changing attitudes about the talents of people with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics Buncombe County provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for adults and children above the age of seven. Sports include alpine skiing and snowboarding, aquatics, athletics, basketball, bocce, bowling, cheerleading, gymnastics, powerlifting, soccer, and tennis, as well as a young athletes program. The organization also offers the Adaptive Athlete Program in a partnership with Buncombe County Recreation Services.

COVID-19 Testing in Buncombe County Info. Website
Oct 27 all-day
Various locations in Buncombe County

 

Para leer este artículo en español, haga clic aquí.

COVID-19 Testing General Information

Think you have been exposed to COVID?

Testing is widely available at urgent cares, federally qualified health centers, and through some primary care providers for those who need it however, it remains important to focus on the prevention of COVID first and foremost to keep the virus from spreading further into the community and to loved ones.

Find testing near you:

  • If you DO NOT HAVE a healthcare provider who offers testing for COVID-19 and you need to get tested, there are several ways to find testing near you.
  • Visit the Find My Testing Place website to find a clinic or pop up testing site near you.
  • People in Buncombe County can access testing by completing the Buncombe County Self-Checker online. If you need testing, you can set up an appointment at one of the county’s open-air, drive-through sites. People can also call the Ready Team at (828) 419-0095 from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm., Monday – Friday to be pre-screened for testing at these sites. A Ready Team member will call you within 2 business days to schedule your appointment.
  • You can call the Buncombe County nurse line at (828) 250-5300 to find out where you can get tested (Press OPTION #1 to speak with a nurse) from 8 am to 5:30 pm.

Testing Site Locations in Buncombe County: Appointment required at these sites

South West Buncombe

58 Apac Dr., Asheville (Buncombe County Sports Park)
Every Thursday
9:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.

Central Buncombe

A-B Tech, Genevieve Circle, Asheville (Allied Health Parking Lot)
Every Sunday
1:30-5:30 p.m.

Important: Please check Buncombe County’s Facebook page for site cancellations due to weather. 

CRITICAL NEED For Blood Donations
Oct 27 all-day
various see below

Donate Blood - The Blood Connection
The message is simple – COVID-19 has made a severe impact on the blood supply and The
Blood Connection is asking the community to donate blood as soon as possible to support the
critical need of blood for local hospitals in this area.

To find a blood drive: https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/zip
To find a center (5 in Upstate, 2 in Western NC): https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/centers
Those interested in hosting a blood drive in the community: thebloodconnection.org/host-a-drive<http://thebloodconnection.org/host-a-drive>

Domestic Violence Awareness Month Services in Buncombe County
Oct 27 all-day
Various Locations

Buncombe County offers services for those facing Domestic Violence:

HelpMate: HELPMATE HOTLINE: (828) 254-0516 | BUSINESS LINE: (828) 254-2968

Our Voice: 24-hour hotline at (828) 255-7576

eNCough: https://www.enoughnc.org/

Clothing: Both Homeward Bound Welcome Home Donation Center (205 Elk Park Dr.) and Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry’s Donation Center (24 Cumberland Ave.) allow domestic violence survivors in Buncombe County to shop for free

One Stop Shop: The Family Justice Center (35 Woodfin St.) is a location of multi-service providers who work together to offer assistance to domestic violence survivors. These orgs include HelpmateMountain Child Advocacy CenterOur VOICEMission HealthBuncombe County Health and Human ServicesBuncombe County Sheriff’s OfficePisgah Legal Services, and the Asheville Police Department.

LegalPisgah Legal Services (62 Charlotte St.) works with domestic violence shelters, prevention agencies, and other partners in eleven WNC counties to provide info and services designed to aid independence from abusers, including protection orders, separation + divorce, child custody and support + more. With on-site attorneys + legal assistants, the Family Justice Center offers information about legal rights + protections.

Early Voting Buncombe County What’s The Wait? Website
Oct 27 all-day
Buncombe County Online

What is the wait? Buncombe County Website tracks waiting time for Early Voting in Buncombe County!

Find My Testing Place Website
Oct 27 all-day
Online

News article image

COVID-19 testing is provided at some local health departments, doctor and clinician offices, many hospitals and clinics, many pharmacy sites and retail outlets, and other community locations.

No-Cost Community Testing Events

The content in the Test Site Finder below is provided and maintained by Castlight: COVID-19 Resource Center. These testing sites are not endorsed or vetted by NCDHHS. Please call the testing site or your health care provider before you go for testing.

Flat Rock Playhouse: Online Gift Shop Now Open
Oct 27 all-day
Online

SHOP THE ROCK!

Our online gift shop is now open, and just in time for your holiday shopping. T-shirts are available in a variety of colors with Adult and Youth sizing, and we have additional apparel items like sweatshirts, hats, polos, and totes. We have unique gift options like our 50th-anniversary book with a detailed history of Flat Rock Playhouse and prints designed by some of your favorite Vagabonds.

Image

Grace Episcopal Church Pumpkin Patch – Consider Haiti
Oct 27 all-day
Grace Episcopal Church

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

Great Trails State Plan Survey for Public Opinion
Oct 27 all-day
Online

A woman rides her bike on a path surrounded by woods. ​​​​​

​One Network of Trails. One Hundred Counties.

Give Your Feedback

The N.C. Department of Transportation wants to hear from you about how to improve North Carolina’s greenways. Learn more about how you can get involved​.

​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.​​​

Interested in Serving on the Asheville Downtown Association Board?
Oct 27 all-day
Online
We are now accepting applications for our board of directors. Board members serve three-year terms, and represent a variety of downtown interests (retail, restaurant, nonprofit, resident). Board members are also asked to serve on a committee. Committees include issues, events, finance, equity and inclusion, and executive.

If you are interested in serving, please submit a letter of interest and your resume to Meghan Rogers. You can also reach out to Meghan with any questions regarding board service.

Asheville Downtown Association Weekly News