Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.

Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.

Saturday, August 14, 2021
Wortham Center Presents Black Box Dance Theatre in “PATRIOT”
Aug 14 @ 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Wortham Center

A living memorial of emotionally charged, virtuosic choreography, “PATRIOT” by Black Box Dance Theatre examines the service and sacrifice of U.S. veterans, active-duty military and their families — turning real, submitted accounts into moving stories told through modern dance. Using movement, multimedia, theater and storytelling to address the ongoing mental wellness challenges of military life, Black Box Dance Theatre shares these powerful, lived experiences at Wortham Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. Tickets: $35, with discounts available for military service members and their families. Box office: 828-257-4530 or worthamarts.org.

Kamani ft. Nikki Glaspie, Sput Searight, Xavier Taplin, Kat Dyson + Matt Lapham
Aug 14 @ 9:00 pm – 2:00 am
Asheville Music Hall

New funk supergroup KAMANI has just embarked on a run of spring tour dates in the Southeast.
Nikki Glaspie – The Nth Power / Dumpstaphunk / Beyonce
Sput Searight – Ghost-Note, Snarky Puppy, TOTO
Xavier Taplin – Ghost-Note, TOTO
Kat Dyson – Prince / Cyndi Lauper
Matt Lapham – Roosevelt Collier Trio
The new-look KAMANI lineup features drummer Nikki Glaspie (The Nth Power), drummer/multi-instrumentalist Robert “Sput” Searight (Ghost-Note, Snarky Puppy), bassist Matt Lapham (Roosevelt Collier Trio), guitarist Kat Dyson (Prince, The OG’s), and keyboardist Xavier Taplin (Ghost-Note), with Snarky Puppy keyboardist Shaun Martin due to stop by at various dates. The group was initially formed in late 2020 for a brief run of shows featuring Nigel Hall instead of Sput and Taplin.
Sunday, August 15, 2021
Dinner with Steven Satterfield & Joseph Lenn
Aug 15 all-day
The Farm at Old Edwards

Please join us in celebrating the height of the summer season in the mountains with James Beard Foundation award-winning chefs Steven Satterfield of Miller Union in Atlanta, and Joseph Lenn of JC Holdway in Knoxville, Tennessee. This dynamic duo, who also happen to be great friends, will present a multi-course menu full of summer’s most delicious flavors alongside pairings from the Old Edwards sommeliers in the beautiful setting of The Farm.
$185 per person, plus tax and gratuity.

Grab Brunch at River’s End
Aug 15 @ 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
River’s End Restaurant

River's End Restaurant exterior

River’s End Restaurant is an iconic spot for locals and visitors to Bryson City. Enjoy spectacular views of the gorge, with paddlers passing through as they complete their Nantahala River Rafting trip. Stop in for year-round lunch and dinner, with weekend brunch during the summer season, and choose from a wide range of appetizing entrees, burgers, salads, pizza, and sandwiches. Hang out for a while and enjoy a large selection of signature cocktails, wine, and beer, including local favorites.

In River’s End Restaurant, every seat has a view of the river! Enjoy music by the river and views of paddlers passing through as they complete their Nantahala River Rafting trip. Join our waitlist online to reserve a table or order online and grab your meal to go, for a sunny lunch right by the river!

$5 Mimosas
Aug 15 @ 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Down Dog

$5 Mimosas

$5 Mimosas every Saturday & Sunday

Bluegrass Brunch
Aug 15 @ 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Jack of the Wood

Jack’s Bluegrass Brunch is every Sunday! Our menu kicks off at 12Noon with live tunes by Supper Break from 1-3pm. Try our $6 Bloody Mary or Mimosa, or grab a $15 Bottles of Champagne & OJ! Try one of our tasty brunch specials or order from our artisanal sandwich menu. Sláinte Y’all!

JAZZ BRUNCH Free · One World West
Aug 15 @ 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm
One World West Brewing

JAZZ BRUNCH @ ONE WORLD WEST
EVERY SUNDAY FROM 1:30-4PM
FIRST SET BY THE HOUSE BAND & SECOND SET IS A JAZZ JAM
WEEKLY BRUNCH MENU FROM UMAMI MAMI
Winery Visit @ Stone Ash Vineyard
Aug 15 @ 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Stone Ash Vineyard

It’s a little out there, but I think it’s worth the drive. The winery is on a beautiful high point with fantastic views. The wine is dry (heads up if you like sweet wines) and pretty good – best local place I’ve visited. They have an indoor and outdoor seating area, or we can bring some blankets to sit on the grass.
Tastings are $15, but I’m pretty sure they sell by the glass or if a few want to share a bottle, I’m sure that can be made possible. They have some charcuterie boards, but if we want to bring snacks, we can do that too.

https://stoneashevineyards.com/

Food Truck Sundays
Aug 15 @ 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Archetype Brewing

In conjunction with Sunday Sessions Live (and virtual) music: Food Truck Sundays will bring a new or rotating “staff favorite” cuisine each week to the Beechams Curve offerings.
Gan Shan West, our main culinary provider 6 days a week, is closed on Sundays. Enjoy the convenience, delicious variety and the music – all in one Sunday Funday stop!

Monday, August 16, 2021
BIKE NIGHT MONDAYS
Aug 16 @ 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Silverados

Join us every MONDAY for our 2021 Summer Bike Night Series with special musical guest Contagious rocking our stage. Fresh catered BBQ Plates will be available for sale. Hop on your bike and come on down for bike nights in the Swannanoa Valley!

Just a friendly reminder, the State of NC requires a MEMBERSHIP to enjoy our venue.

Tuesday, August 17, 2021
Wilco
Aug 17 @ 6:00 pm
Salvage Station

WILCO

Wilco is an American alternative rock band based in ChicagoIllinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar‘s departure. Wilco’s lineup changed frequently during its first decade, with only singer Jeff Tweedy and bassist John Stirratt remaining from the original incarnation. Since early 2004, the lineup has been unchanged, consisting of Tweedy, Stirratt, guitarist Nels Cline, multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone, keyboard player Mikael Jorgensen, and drummer Glenn Kotche. Wilco has released eleven studio albums, a live double album, and four collaborations: three with Billy Bragg and one with The Minus 5.

Wilco + Sleater-Kinney: It’s Time- Summer Tour 2021
Aug 17 @ 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Salvage Station
Magnetic in the Smoky Park OUTDOOR SHOW
Aug 17 @ 7:00 pm
Smoky Park Supper Club

OUTDOOR SHOW

Join us on Tuesday nights for Magnetic’s signature variety show. There will be an exciting mix of comedy, music, theatre, dance, magic and more! Smoky Park Supper Club is offering us their beautiful outdoor venue, and will be selling food and drinks. The event is BYOC (bring your own chair), and we will, of course, be following strict Covid safety protocols. We can’t wait to see you there!

Smoky Park Supper Club + Magnetic Theatre Outdoor Show
Aug 17 @ 7:00 pm
Smoky Park Supper Club

Join us Tuesday nights, beginning April 13th, as The Magnetic Theatre teams up with the wizards at Smoky Park Supper Club to host a live, outdoor variety show. We’ll be filling Smoky Park’s gorgeous, riverside outdoor space with comedy, theatre, music and so much more.

There will be food and beverages available for purchase.

  • This is a BYOC (Bring-Your-Own-Chair) event.
  • In accordance with safety guidelines this show will be staged outdoors, with mask and social distancing protocols enforced. There will also be temperature checks and COVID waivers that need to be signed by each attendee at the gate.
  • Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the 7pm showtime.
  • We do require that masks be worn at all times unless you are actively eating or drinking.
Tacos + Trivia Tuesday
Aug 17 @ 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm
Down Dog

Tacos & Trivia Tuesday

Join us every Tuesday night for Tacos & Trivia!

Twisted Roots will be cooking up a variety of tacos and authentic sides (vegetarian options available) starting at 5 pm.

Trivia will run from 7-8:15 pm. We will be capping the teams at 20 and teams will not be able to join after 7 so make sure to arrive early to secure your spot!

No reservations needed, just grab your thinking caps and get ready for good food, a good time, and a chance to win a $10, $20, or $30 gift certificate to Down Dog!

Aquanet: Goth Night
Aug 17 @ 9:00 pm – Aug 18 @ 2:00 am
Asheville Beauty Academy
Wednesday, August 18, 2021
Carolina Shine Moonshine Experience
Aug 18 @ 10:30 am – 3:00 pm
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

“Shine and Dine” on the railway! We cordially invite you to hop on board The Carolina Shine, GSMR’s All-Adult First Class Moonshine Car! We will be proudly serving hand crafted, triple-distilled, craft moonshine. Some of the smoothest tasting moonshine in the Carolinas!

Offered on the Nantahala Gorge excursion, this shine and dine experience begins in a renovated First Class train fleet car, The Carolina Shine. The interior features copper lined walls filled with the history of moonshining in North Carolina. Learn about the proud tradition that the Appalachians established when bootlegging was an acceptable way of life and local home brews were the best in town. Read about Swain County’s very own Major Redmond, the most famous mountain moonshine outlaw of the 19th century.

Once your appetite for knowledge is satisfied, enjoy sample tastings of flavors like Apple Pie, Blackberry, Blueberry, Cherry, Peach, and Strawberry moonshine. If the samples are not enough, there will be plenty of Moonshine infused cocktails like Copper Cola or Moonshiner’s Mimosa available for purchase. GSMR is excited to feature multiple craft NC based distilleries to serve our guests only the best! Each jar is handcrafted and authentically infused with real fruit, the way moonshine was meant to be made. Passengers will also enjoy a full service All-Adult First Class ride with an attendant and a specialty boxed lunch. During the month of October. 9am and 2pm departures. 9am will feature the option of a delicious Sausage & Bacon Quiche or Cheesy Ham Hash Brown Casserole. The 2pm departure will be serving the popular BBQ meal.

Diesel $109.00 ($114.00 October) Not Permitted
Steam $119.00 ($126.00 October) Not Permitted
Locomotive Adult (21+ Only) Under 21

How to Purchase

You can purchase your tickets online or call our reservations department at (800) 872-4681. Or, you can purchase your tickets the day of in the Bryson City Depot. No matter how you purchase tickets, they’ll be waiting at will call.

Wednesday Kid’s Night! Chick-fil-A Asheville Mall
Aug 18 @ 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Chick-fil-A Asheville Mall

Join us EVERY Wednesday night for Kid’s Night! Children receive a free four-count kid’s meal with the purchase of an adult meal. See you on Wednesdays!

Trivia @ Sweeten Creek Brewing
Aug 18 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Sweeten Creek Brewing

Let’s meet at Sweeten Creek Brewing for their Wednesday night trivia. They’ve got a couple of nice covered outdoor spaces we can enjoy

Well-Crafted Wednesdays w/ Matt Smith
Aug 18 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Highland Brewing Company
Witty Wednesday Trivia
Aug 18 @ 6:30 pm
Sweeten Creek Brewing
Scoop: Witty Wednesday Trivia
Robert’s Totally Rad Trivia
Aug 18 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
12 Bones Brewing

Totally Rad Trivia invades 12 Bones South every Wednesday evening for two hours of Pop Culture Trivia. Grab a beer, some BBQ and buckle in for some fun and challenging Trivia.
Latin Night Wednesday
Aug 18 @ 9:00 pm – 11:59 pm
One World Brewing West

Latin Night Wednesday

MTN VIBEZ Presents Latin Night-every Wednesday.  Free Dance Lessons 8:30-9PM-All Skill Levels and All Latin Genres-Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Cumbia, Reggaeton.

DJ Ephcto spins cultural bass music from 6:30pm-9pm and is a perfect time to come for some dinner prior to the start of Latin night.

Move On Up: Soul/R+B
Aug 18 @ 9:00 pm – Aug 19 @ 2:00 am
Asheville Beauty Academy

“Move On Up” is a night of your favorite and forgotten Soul/RB cuts right after Comedy Night.

Thursday, August 19, 2021
Carolina Shine Moonshine Experience
Aug 19 @ 10:30 am – 3:00 pm
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

“Shine and Dine” on the railway! We cordially invite you to hop on board The Carolina Shine, GSMR’s All-Adult First Class Moonshine Car! We will be proudly serving hand crafted, triple-distilled, craft moonshine. Some of the smoothest tasting moonshine in the Carolinas!

Offered on the Nantahala Gorge excursion, this shine and dine experience begins in a renovated First Class train fleet car, The Carolina Shine. The interior features copper lined walls filled with the history of moonshining in North Carolina. Learn about the proud tradition that the Appalachians established when bootlegging was an acceptable way of life and local home brews were the best in town. Read about Swain County’s very own Major Redmond, the most famous mountain moonshine outlaw of the 19th century.

Once your appetite for knowledge is satisfied, enjoy sample tastings of flavors like Apple Pie, Blackberry, Blueberry, Cherry, Peach, and Strawberry moonshine. If the samples are not enough, there will be plenty of Moonshine infused cocktails like Copper Cola or Moonshiner’s Mimosa available for purchase. GSMR is excited to feature multiple craft NC based distilleries to serve our guests only the best! Each jar is handcrafted and authentically infused with real fruit, the way moonshine was meant to be made. Passengers will also enjoy a full service All-Adult First Class ride with an attendant and a specialty boxed lunch. During the month of October. 9am and 2pm departures. 9am will feature the option of a delicious Sausage & Bacon Quiche or Cheesy Ham Hash Brown Casserole. The 2pm departure will be serving the popular BBQ meal.

Diesel $109.00 ($114.00 October) Not Permitted
Steam $119.00 ($126.00 October) Not Permitted
Locomotive Adult (21+ Only) Under 21

How to Purchase

You can purchase your tickets online or call our reservations department at (800) 872-4681. Or, you can purchase your tickets the day of in the Bryson City Depot. No matter how you purchase tickets, they’ll be waiting at will call.

ArborEvenings
Aug 19 @ 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
The North Carolina Arboretum

Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens and experience our Wild Art outdoor sculpture showcase in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! ArborEvenings runs Thursdays and most Fridays through October 1, 2021, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. ArborEvenings are not scheduled on the following Fridays: July 9, August 6, September 3 and 10.

There is no additional cost to attend ArborEvenings beyond our standard parking fee. As always, Arboretum Society members and their accompanying guests can enter for FREE (guests must be in member vehicles to receive free entry). Proceeds from ArborEvenings help support the The North Carolina Arboretum Society and further advance the Arboretum’s mission.

Please note: ArborEvenings will not be held in the event of rain. Please check the website or Facebook page by 3 p.m. for any cancellation announcements prior to attending. 

Beverage Service

Beer, Wine, and soft drinks will be for sale onsite at the Green Gardener’s Shed from 5:30 to 8:15 p.m. each night of the event. Outside alcohol is strictly prohibited, but guests are welcome to bring in water or a favorite non-alcoholic beverage.

Food Available for Pre-Order, Picnics Welcome

Although the Bent Creek Bistro will not be open during the event, we are pleased to share that they will be offering their delicious dining options at ArborEvenings via pre-order this year! Simply place your online order — including alcoholic beverages — up until 11 a.m. on the date you plan to attend, then pick up your order at the Baker Information Desk between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. (In the event of rain cancellation, pre-orders will be fully refunded.)

Guests are welcome to bring in outside food and non-alcoholic beverages. However, outside alcohol is strictly prohibited.

ORDER AHEAD

Musician Schedule

Please note, scheduled performances are subject to change.

Know Before You Go

  • Parking fees will be collected at the gate upon arrival, and members must present valid card for free entry. Pre-registration is not required.
  • Restroom access will be available during ArborEvenings inside the Baker Visitor Center.
  • Guests are invited to explore A Life in the Wild, a breathtaking exhibition of photographs from Thomas D. Mangelsen; however, food and drink are not permitted inside the Exhibit Hall.
  • Leashed dogs are welcome at ArborEvenings, but are not permitted inside of  buildings.
  • To protect our lawn, blankets are not permitted at the event; however, guests are welcome to bring lawn chairs to set up in front of the musicians.
  • Due to existing event bookings, ArborEvenings will not take place on the following Fridays: July 9, August 6 and September 3 and 10.
Rhythm + Brews: Jamie McLean Band
Aug 19 @ 5:30 pm
Main Street, Hendersonville

 

The Rhythm & Brews concerts series brings together live music, a variety of food trucks, and locally crafted beer, wine and cider! These free concerts close part of South Main Street to make room for all the fun, as well as a children’s area with games and activities. Tickets and wristbands, for the purchase of beer, wine and hard cider, will be located at the Downtown Hendersonville tent.

The Rhythm & Brews musical line-up includes established acts as well as up-and-coming artists from around the nation playing a wide range of tunes from southern rock, soul to R&B.

The concerts begin with an opener at 5:30 pm followed by the headlining performance at 7:30 pm,on the third Thursday of each month from May – September (2021 the concerts will run July – October) on Main Street between Allen & Caswell Streets.

The Inclement Weather Policy is to delay each act by 30 minutes before moving onto the next act. If headline act is unable to perform by 8:00 pm the show will be canceled.  Follow the weather decisions on Facebook page.

Please leave your pets comfortably at home. A Hendersonville City ordinance allows event organizers to exclude animals from the event space for the health, safety and welfare of the community, dogs, patrons, and vendors and their products.

Gluten-Free Comedy, open mic at Ginger’s Revenge
Aug 19 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Ginger's Revenge
Open mic Come sing, play, and support fellow artists
Aug 19 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
White Horse Black Mountain
PERFORMANCE: CHRISTOPHER-RASHEEM MCMILLAN
Aug 19 @ 7:00 pm
Online

Thursday, August 19 at 7 PM Eastern

Streaming to the event page, FB live + IGTV (@bmcmuseum)

“The Long Way Home,” a new solo work by Christopher-Rasheem Mcmillan, poses a way of contending with the Black body as a composite body, one that is connected to, affirms, and disrupts the archive and Historiography. Through this solo dance performance, McMillan tracks the Merce Cunningham technique through diaspora, emphasizing that the diaspora is never the homeland: it’s never home, it’s always somehow both exile in migration and in travel; different from, yet somehow always in dialogue with, its genesis.

Christopher-Rasheem McMillan, is a performance-related artist and scholar. He has a joint appointment between Dance and Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies at the University of Iowa. McMillan received his BA from Hampshire College, his MFA in Experimental Choreography from the Laban Conservatoire, London, and his PhD in Theology and Religious Studies from King’s College, London (2017).

His interests concern choreography in an expanded field, something that he has approached through experimental practices and creative processes in a multiplicity of formats and expressions. He uses video, performance, photography, and oral storytelling to explore themes of race, memory, queer desire, religion, personal and public mythology. McMillan’s performance works have been seen at venues such as the Bates Dance Festival of Bates College, Providence International Arts Festival (PVD), and The Dance Complex, and Green Street Studios in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and in performance platforms such as the 2011 participatory event Beyond Text, London. He was a Five College Fellow for the 2013–14 academic year and the recipient of the McGreggor-Girand Dissertation Fellowship for the 2014–15 academic year. His writing has been published in The Journal of DanceMovement & SpiritualitiesKinebago, and Contact Quarterly. Currently, McMillan is a fellow and visiting assistant professor at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music and Yale College’s Theater and Performance Studies department.