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, September 14, 2024
Shakespeare’s Wars of the Roses Henry VI Parts 1, 2 + 3
Sep 14 @ 7:30 pm
Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre

The Montford Park Players is pleased to announce auditions for its 52nd  Season: 

Muse of Fire: Shakespeare’s Wars of the Roses

Jason Williams, Artistic Director

5/10/2024 5/24/2024   Edward III, directed by Mandy Bean
5/31/2024 6/23/2024   Richard II, directed by Jason Williams
6/28/2024 7/21/2024   Henry IV Parts 1 & 2, directed by Dr. George Brown, Callista Brown and Elizabeth DeVault
7/26/2024 8/25/2024   Henry V, directed by David Doersch
8/30/2024 9/22/2024  Henry VI Parts 1, 2 & 3, directed by Glenna Grant, Ariel Robinson and Adam Kampouris
9/27/2024 10/27/2024 Richard III, directed by Kristi DeVille

Conveniently located in the heart of the Historic Montford District of Asheville, North Carolina, the Outdoor Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre is easy to get to and accessible from I-240 and I-26. And, it’s just a short drive down Montford Avenue from downtown.

VANITIES
Sep 14 @ 7:30 pm
Parkway Playhouse

VANITIES

by Jack Heifer

Directed by Marci Bernstein

Chronicling the lives of three best friends from Texas, this show follows our cast from girlhood to adulthood and explores their differentiating opinions on life, experiences, and the future. Beginning in 1963 Texas and landing in New York in 1974 this play is an honest and real reflection of the impact of a changing world through a bittersweet comedic lens.

DISNEY’S THE LION KING
Sep 14 @ 8:00 pm
Peace Concert Hall

Giraffes strut. Birds swoop. Gazelles leap. The entire Serengeti comes to life as never before. And as the music soars, Pride Rock slowly emerges from the mist. This is Disney’s THE LION KING, making its triumphant return to the Peace Center!

More than 100 million people around the world have experienced the awe-inspiring visual artistry, the unforgettable music, and the uniquely theatrical storytelling of this Broadway spectacular – one of the most breathtaking and beloved productions ever to grace the stage.

Winner of six Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, THE LION KING brings together one of the most imaginative creative teams on Broadway.  Tony Award®-winning director Julie Taymor brings to life a story filled with hope and adventure set against an amazing backdrop of stunning visuals. THE LION KING also features the extraordinary work of Tony Award®-winning choreographer Garth Fagan and some of Broadway’s most recognizable music, crafted by Tony Award®-winning artists Elton John and Tim Rice.

There is simply nothing else like THE LION KING.

THE LION KING is recommended for a general audience. As an advisory to adults who might bring young people, Disney recommends its productions for ages 6 and up. All guests entering the theater, regardless of age, must have a ticket.

Note that strobe lights are also used for this performance.

MELISSA ETHERIDGE – I’M NOT BROKEN TOUR
Sep 14 @ 8:00 pm
Salvage Station

VIP 1 – MELISSA ETHERIDGE – VIP MEET & GREET – $246
Includes:
● P1 Reserved or General Admission Ticket to the Concert*
● Individual Meet & Greet with Melissa Etheridge
● Individual Photograph With Melissa Etheridge
● Early Entry merch shopping**
● Exclusive VIP Merchandise Item***
● Commemorative VIP Laminate & Lanyard***
*Ticket location chosen at time of purchase
**When and where available
***VIP Merchandise Item shipped after the show plays; laminate distributed on site

VIP 2 – MELISSA ETHERIDGE – VIP MERCHANDISE PACKAGE – $146 Includes:
● General Admission Ticket to the Concert*
● Early Entry merch shopping**
● Exclusive VIP Merchandise Item***
● Commemorative VIP Laminate & Lanyard***
*Ticket location chosen at time of purchase
**When and where available
***VIP Merchandise Item shipped after the show plays; laminate distributed on site

This is a LARGE EVENT, so please read our FAQs to learn more about our on and off-site parking options and our FREE shuttle service.

Root Down will be serving their delicious twist on Southern Soul Food and we’ll have our full bar open for you to enjoy!

ABOUT MELISSA ETHERIDGE:

Melissa Etheridge stormed onto the American rock scene in 1988 with the release of her critically acclaimed self-titled debut album, which led to an appearance on the 1989 Grammy Awards show. For several years, her popularity grew around such memorable originals as “Bring Me Some Water,” “No Souvenirs” and “Ain’t It Heavy,” for which she won a Grammy® in 1992. Etheridge hit her commercial and artistic stride with her fourth album, Yes I Am (1993). The collection featured the massive hits, “I’m the Only One” and “Come to My Window,” a searing song of longing that brought Etheridge her second Grammy® Award for Best Female Rock Performance. In 1995, Etheridge issued her highest charting album, Your Little Secret, which was distinguished by the hit single, “I Want to Come Over.” Her astounding success that year led to Etheridge receiving the Songwriter of the Year honor at the ASCAP Pop Awards in 1996.

Known for her confessional lyrics and raspy, smoky vocals, Etheridge has remained one of America’s favorite female singers for more than two decades. In February 2007, Melissa Etheridge celebrated a career milestone with a victory in the “Best Song” category at the Academy® Awards for “I Need to Wake Up,” written for the Al Gore documentary on global warming, An Inconvenient Truth. As a performer and songwriter, Etheridge has shown herself to be an artist who has never allowed “inconvenient truths” to keep her down. Earlier in her recording career, Etheridge acknowledged her sexual orientation when it was considered less than prudent to do so. In October 2004, Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer, a health battle that, with her typical tenacity, she won. Despite losing her hair from chemotherapy, Etheridge appeared on the 2005 Grammy® telecast to sing “Piece of My Heart” in tribute to Janis Joplin. By doing so she gave hope to many women afflicted with the disease.

On October 7, 2016 Melissa Etheridge released Memphis Rock & Soul, her first album since 2014’s critically lauded This Is M.E. Recorded at Royal Studios in Memphis, the album received stellar reviews from the likes of Entertainment Weekly, Parade, Rolling Stone, American Songwriter and more. She followed that up with the release of The Medicine Show in April, 2019. For The Medicine Show, Melissa reunited with celebrated producer John Shanks and sounds as rousing as ever, bringing a new level of artistry to her 15th studio recording. The Medicine Show deals with universal themes of renewal, reconciliation, reckoning, compassion and, most profoundly, healing.

In June of 2020, Etheridge launched The Etheridge Foundation to support groundbreaking scientific research into effective new treatments for opioid use disorder. The Foundation works towards advancing treatment approaches that address the root causes of opioid abuse and make available better, more effective solutions for people to truly heal their opioid use disorder.

On September 17, 2021, Melissa released a new album called One Way Out. The 9-track album is a collection of songs Etheridge wrote in the late ’80s and early ’90s that never made the cut….until now! The time was finally right, and fans finally got a deeper glimpse to who Melissa was then.

October 2022 saw Melissa’s return to the theatre with her one woman show, My Window — A Journey Through Life. The critically acclaimed, sold-out run premiered at New World Stages on October 13 and opened at Circle In the Square Theatre on Broadway in September 2023.

Sunday, September 15, 2024
ASAP: How Does Western North Carolina Shop for Food SURVEY
Sep 15 all-day
online

ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) has released a survey to learn more about how people in Western North Carolina shop for food and why they choose the food they do. The survey, part of a three-year project by ASAP’s Local Food Research Center, is for any resident of Western North Carolina over the age of 18, no matter where or how they shop for food. It can be completed online at surveymonkey.com/r/WNCFoodASAP or over the phone by calling ASAP at 828-236-1282. It should take approximately 8 to 12 minutes to complete and will be open through Oct. 31, 2024. Respondents are encouraged to share the survey widely with families, friends, and co-workers.

 

“By completing this survey, you are helping local farmers understand and connect with consumers,” said Amy Marion, ASAP Associate Director and lead researcher. “The challenges of our food system are constantly evolving. Improving it requires active participation from all community members. With this research we can better understand consumer values and the barriers they face, and help farmers and food producers improve communications with their customers and their communities.”

 

The survey is part of a three-year research project, “Connections in Direct Markets: Assessing the feedback loop between consumer values and farmers’ marketing strategies,” which will examine and improve communication and alignment between farmers and consumers in Western North Carolina. The research phase will also employ consumer focus groups, farmer interviews and case studies, and more targeted surveying. The broad consumer survey provides an update to the last consumer survey conducted by the Local Food Research Center in 2014. Results from the current research project will be shared in 2025.

 

ASAP founded the Local Food Research Center in 2011 to study the economic, environmental, and social impacts of localizing food systems. From its inception, ASAP’s programs and services have been grounded in research and evaluation, adjusting based on a strong feedback loop and observation of current conditions in the food system.

 

This project is supported in part by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2022-38640-37488 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under subaward number LS23-382. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider.

DIY River + Road Cleanups
Sep 15 all-day
Asheville Area

Whenever you want!

 

Supplies available at

2 Sulphur Springs Road

If you need to request supplies for the same or next day, please call 828-254-1776.

Organizing a litter cleanup with your friends, neighbors, co-workers, or other community members is easier than you may think! Asheville GreenWorks provides cleanup supplies and safety information, and will coordinate trash pick up as needed. Available supplies include safety vests, gloves, trash grabbers, trash bags, and SHARPs containers (upon request).

Review the attached guides for instructions and safety information.

Need to know

Please review the attached documents and contact [email protected] with any questions. Your supplies will be available for pickup on the date you’ve requested at Asheville GreenWorks’ office at 2 Sulphur Springs Road, Asheville, NC 28806.

All cleanups should be reported using the online form and supplies should be returned after your cleanup.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Free Books for Children ages 0-5
Sep 15 all-day
online w/ Literacy Together

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library impacts the pre­-literacy skills and school readiness of children under the age of 5 in Buncombe County. The program mails a new, free, age-appropriate book to registered children each month until they turn five years old. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library creates a home library of up to 60 books and instills a love of books and reading from an early age. If you have any questions about the program, please send an email to [email protected].

A national panel of educators selects the Imagination Library titles, which include: The Little Engine that Could, Last Stop on Market Street, Violet the Pilot, As an Oak Tree Grows, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Llama Llama Red Pajama, Look Out Kindergarten, here I come, and many more (take a look at all the titles).

Register your child now!

Program Launch and Expansions

Literacy Together became a Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library affiliate in November 2015 with support from the Buncombe Partnership for Children. Through this program, registered children in Buncombe County receive a free book in the mail each month. Their parents also have the opportunity to attend workshops to learn how to build their children’s early literacy skills. Parents in need of literacy assistance are encouraged to receive tutoring through Literacy Together’s adult programming.

The program served 200 children during the 2015/16 fiscal year. The program expanded to serve 400 children in July 2016, and 600 in August 2017. In July 2018, capacity increased to 1,900 thanks to a special allocation in the North Carolina state budget. We’re now serving 4,600 kids in Buncombe County.  

Hey Asheville: City Comedy Tour • Ages 13+ Only
Sep 15 all-day
LaZoom Room Bar & Gorilla

Come enjoy our most popular Asheville tour!

Duration

1 hour and 30 minutes

About

Bachelorette/Bachelor Parties are not permitted on this tour. The Fender Bender Bus is bachelorette/bachelor friendly!

Historical and hysterical, The Hey Asheville tour features outrageously entertaining tour guides, outlandish comedy skits complete with special appearances and loads of Asheville information. You’ll get to see the best of downtown Asheville and the rarely seen but stunningly beautiful Montford neighborhood, not to mention the burgeoning River Arts District! You’ve never had a ride like this. It’s like a vaudeville show on wheels!

Find out what makes Asheville so unique on LaZoom’s City Comedy Tour. It’s the perfect mix of history, comedy, and entertainment. Our guides are trained professional actors working with an original script. It’s like a theatre on wheels! The tour highlights downtown Asheville, historic neighborhoods, the South Slope, and the River Arts District.

Age Restrictions

13 and up. No exceptions.

Stops

10 minute beer & bathroom break at Green Man Brewery

What’s Included

Guided tour of Asheville on a Purple Bus
Funny actors, fun bits
Actual History about Asheville
Green Man Brewery Stop

What’s Not Included

Beer/Wine (Must be purchased from LaZoom or the Brewery Stop)
Cash! You’ll want to tip the guides for changing your life for the better.

Mile High Swinging Bridge
Sep 15 all-day
Grandfather Mountain

One of the top highlights and memories of visits to Grandfather Mountain nature park is walking across the famous Mile High Swinging Bridge. Since 1952, visitors have “oohed” and “aahed” at the bridge’s 360-degree panoramic views. America’s highest suspension footbridge gives easy access to the spectacular views atop Grandfather Mountain’s Linville Peak, elevation 5,305 feet.

The 228-foot suspension bridge spans an 80-foot chasm at more than one mile in elevation (hence the name!). To reach the Mile High Swinging Bridge, drive the two-mile, winding scenic road up the mountain to the summit parking area by the Top Shop. Climb 50 stairs adjacent to the parking area or inside the Top Shop to reach the short pathway to the bridge. Also, an elevator in the Top Shop takes you to the third floor for a level walk to the bridge.

Top Shop

Located adjacent to the Bridge, the Top Shop features a gift shop, snacks, restrooms, elevator and second-floor exhibition area. Also get the latest park information and trail maps. Read more.

Accessibility

Inside the Top Shop, an elevator makes the Mile High Swinging Bridge accessible to people with mobility challenges, including those in wheelchairs. From the Top Shop, there is a paved 50-yard path to the bridge. Read more about our accessibility.

Tickets & Hours

Walking across the Mile High Swinging Bridge is included in your Grandfather Mountain admission ticket that includes many other things to do in our nature park. Buy tickets online and book a reservation time to enter the park. You do not need a separate reservation for the bridge. It’s open, weather permitting, every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. See hours.

More to Explore

Before or after visiting the Mile High Swinging Bridge, allow time to enjoy other parts of the mountain: wildlife habitats, Wilson Center for Nature Discovery, restaurant, hiking trails, roadside overlooks, picnic areas and more. See more Things to Do.

Nearby Hiking Trails

Trailheads to many of the Grandfather Mountain hiking trails are located near the Swinging Bridge. In fact, the 0.4 mile Bridge Trail takes you beneath the bridge, starting from the Black Rock parking area just below the summit. For details on our nearby trails, go to our Hiking Guide.

Bridge Tips & Tidbits

  • Does it really swing? Very little — unlike the original one. Today’s bridge is made of steel and reinforced with cables and springs. It has railings on the sides to ensure safety.
  • We suggest you wear rubber-soled shoes and walk with care when crossing the rocks on the far side of the bridge.
  • If heights give you pause, you can still enjoy Blue Ridge Mountain views from the ground before you reach the bridge and even from the parking area.
  • Due to periodic extreme weather conditions at the bridge, it closes when there is area lightning, high wind or icy conditions.
  • The official U.S. Weather Service Reporting Station atop the Mile High Swinging Bridge has provided daily weather observations since 1955. The temperature is usually 10 to 20 degrees cooler than in the flatlands you see below. It’s also one of the windiest locations in North Carolina, with a 124-mph record set in winter 2019. Learn more about our weather.
  • Pets are allowed on the bridge if well behaved and on a leash.
  • Photographs and videos to remember your visit are encouraged. Be mindful of sharp drop-offs along the Linville Peak ridge. Drones are not allowed. See our photography policies.
  • The Singing Bridge? When the wind blows, the Mile High Swinging Bridge “sings” in the same way as a harmonica.
  • In April through October, join Grandfather’s expert naturalists by the Bridge for Interpretive Talks about the our unique weather, climate, flora and fauna. Read more.
  • Need driving directions? The address for Grandfather Mountain’s entrance gate is 2050 Blowing Rock Highway, Linville, NC 28646 (click link for Google Maps). There are no shuttles, so you must have your own vehicle to explore our nature park. No RVs longer than 28 feet in length or hinged vehicles are allowed through the Entrance Gate. See detailed directions.
  • To see much more info, see our Plan Your Visit section.

Mile High Swinging Bridge History

Former North Carolina Tourism Director Charles J. Parker coined the name “Mile High Swinging Bridge” at the Bridge’s dedication in 1952. The term “mile high” refers to the structure’s elevation above sea level (5,280 feet). The term “swinging” refers to the fact that suspension bridges are free to sway.

The original 1952 bridge was designed by Charles Hartmann Jr. of Greensboro, N.C. It was fabricated in Greensboro and then reassembled on top of the Mountain. Erecting the bridge took three weeks, a process slowed by inclement weather created by a hurricane off the North Carolina coast. Cost was $15,000. It was dedicated on Sept. 2, 1952 by North Carolina Gov. William B. Umstead.

The bridge was rebuilt in 1999 using the original towers. The cables, floor boards and side rails were all replaced using galvanized steel. One of the main advantages of the modern building materials is that they do not have to be painted. Now, Grandfather Mountain employees will not have to hang out over the gorge to paint the span. It was redesigned by Sutton, Kennerly & Associates Engineering of Asheville, N.C., and rebuilt by Taylor & Murphy Construction Company of Asheville. The cost of rebuilding was $300,000.

Raft + Rail A Fully Guided Experience
Sep 15 all-day
The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

The original Raft & Rail© since 1988: enjoy the two best adventures in the region in one day, great for families. Southern Living Magazine calls this “an ideal adventure for families, first-timers, young or old.” This full-day guided adventure starts with a Wildwater staff member greeting you at the train depot, followed by a scenic train trip, deli lunch with all the fixings, and a Nantahala River whitewater trip with a guide in every boat. Hot showers and a photo show follow immediately after your 8-mile Nantahala River trip. All transportation is included to and from the Bryson City Train Depot. Available April–October with the morning departure of the Nantahala Gorge Excursion departing Bryson City, NC. Train seating in Open Air Gondola. 2024 bookings starting soon!

Ticket fares subject to 7% Historic Preservation Fee and 7% North Carolina sales tax. Schedules, fares, motive power, equipment, seat selection, and meals are subject to change without notice. We guarantee the class of service you select. You will be notified if a change in schedule or motive power affects your reservation. Payment in full at booking by major credit card is required to finalize a reservation. You may cancel your reservation in full or in part and receive a refund less a $14.00 fee per adult ticket and $7.00 fee per child ticket as late as 5 days before departure, except The Polar Express Train Ride; The Polar Express Train Ride is as late as 60 days before departure. Within 5 days of the departure, or 60 days in the case of the Polar Express Train Ride, the reservation becomes nonrefundable. You may reschedule any time prior to your originally scheduled departure with a $7.00 fee per ticket for another date within the same calendar year. You may not reschedule a reservation after the scheduled departure.

The Event Support Grant
Sep 15 all-day
online

The Event Support Grant covers qualifying City of Asheville fees for free nonprofit events held on city-owned public property, providing a competitive process for organizations to receive financial support. Grants typically range from $3,000-$10,000 but may fall outside of that range depending on the event. Proposals that increase exposure to the arts and promote a high quality of life for residents will receive special consideration. This is the second year ArtsAVL will facilitate the grant after unanimous approval from City Council. The application opens September 9 and closes October 14.

The Grassroots Arts Program
Sep 15 all-day
online

The Grassroots Arts Program provides programmatic and operating support for nonprofit arts organizations across all 100 counties in North Carolina through partnerships with local arts councils. Special consideration is given to multicultural programs and organizations outside of the City of Asheville. Grants range from $2,500-$7,50. Applications open August 15 and close September 16.

Unleash your Inner Magic Retreat Weekend
Sep 15 all-day
Wheel of Bliss Retreat Center

Unleash your Inner Magic: Create New Realities

In-Person Retreat
September 13 – 15, 2024
In Hot Springs near Asheville, NC

You will be transported into the inner cave of your body as you open to the mystery within. It is by attuning to the frequency of your soul and realizing your innate connection with All of Life that you create magic and miracles. Release the limitations that have kept you bound to an ordinary existence and birth yourself anew.

You will Receive:

Ecstatic Embodiment Practices:

Daily Portal Yoga / Guided Intuitive Movement & Sacred Dance / Energetic Activations that shift your Vibration into Higher States

Sacred Ritual & Ceremony:

Releasing Ceremony by the Fire / Afternoon Ritual at the Waterfall / Intentional Communion & Co-Creation with the Land & Elements / Anointing Ceremony

Deep Soul Nourishment:

Delicious, organic, nourishing vegetarian food / Beautiful accommodations nestled deep within the Blue Ridge mountains / Hiking trails, waterfalls, swimming holes, and endless stargazing

Plus, you will receive a BONUS Group Integration call around the Fall Equinox to ground the magic you create into your daily life.

Throughout our time together, you will be guided to:

* Speak your truth
* Claim your desires
* Own your power

Your heart will be opened.
Your true sight activated.
Your frequency shifted to higher states
As you claim the new.

Retreat Schedule:

Friday:

2 – 4 p.m.: Arrive & Get Settled

4 p.m.: Orientation & Opening Ceremony (Sage each person upon entrance; thank the land/elements, acknowledge land spirits, call in for co-creation, unleash magic, open to miracles, beginning invocation & Intentions)

5 – 6:15 p.m.: Portal Yoga (focus on connecting to soul in and through body, breath, heart)

6:30 – 7:45 p.m.: Group Dinner (Blessing & Gratitude)

8 – 10 p.m.: Fire Ceremony & Star Gazing (release limitations, limited human identify, separation consciousness, I’m alone, fears of not having, not being enough, powerless, helpless, no choice) (RELEASE separation focus)

Saturday:

8 – 9:15 a.m.: Portal Yoga

9:30 – 10:30 a.m.: Silent, Sensual Breakfast

10:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.: Wisdom Teaching & Embodiment Practice (What magic is, co-creation with spirit, soul, universe, interconnection of all things, flower of life, infinity weaving) (Attune to the frequency of love, of your soul, of your infinite nature outside the egoic construct) = to EMBODY this frequency, shift cellular patterning, release stagnation, can consciously create and intend to increase your vibration (group Sharing)

1 – 2 p.m.: Group Lunch

2:15 – 4:30 p.m.: Afternoon Ritual at the Waterfall (water to cleanse, bathe, renew; it’s your intention that matters; open heart space to the element, open to receive, but also give with your love and gratitude as an equal; fairy; allow yourself to be birthed anew in each moment, to flow with your impulses, intuitions, desires – what ARE your desires? Proclaim them, infuse them into the water, and let them flow into the waters of all waters and become one with all that is) (DESIRES focus)

4:30 – 6:30 p.m.: Integration Break to Hike, Bathe in Sacred Waters, Journal, or Rest in Communion with Nature

6:30 – 7:45 p.m.: Group Dinner (Gratitude & Blessing)

8 – 10 p.m.: Guided Intuitive Movement & Sacred Dance (Maybe anointing ritual at the beginning)

Sunday:

8 – 9:15 a.m.: Portal Yoga

9:30 – 10:30: Silent, Sensual Breakfast

10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.: Earth Ritual – resourced by earth, by goddess, by the elements/nature itself, receive abundance and support and love of the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars…call upon help, feel your connection to Her, to all things; requires you to believe, to have faith, to open your heart to this co-creation, to receive the gifts and magic that wait you (RECEIVE / TRUST / ALLOW / OPEN / SUPPORTED focus) (Time for group share)

12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Group Lunch

1:45 – 3 p.m.: Closing Ceremony (Possibly: they have an object they take with them to place on their altar/somewhere they can see it every day – to represent their desires and the power they have to create) (ask each participant to bring a sacred object with them to put on the altar) (Maybe: Anointing ritual)

Please note: The retreat will be intuitively guided, so the schedule may shift as the magic unfolds.

Retreat Accommodations:

We will gather in sacred circle for a nourishing, soul-filled weekend at the gorgeous Wheel of Bliss Retreat Center nestled deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Located in Hot Springs, approximately an hour from Asheville, NC, the Bliss House is surrounded by forest, hiking trails, waterfalls, swimming holes, and pristine beauty.

The Bliss House is a sanctuary in which we’ll gather to eat and sleep. All retreat rooms are shared (3 max per room) with plush beds and soft linens. Meals can be taken on the spacious deck overlooking the forest below or in the intimate indoor gathering space. There is a large Tibetan Buddhist altar room adorned with sacred paintings and effigies from the Himalayas.

Most of our rituals will be outdoors with the land itself. However, all group circles, embodiment practices, dance, and daily Portal Yoga will be held inside the Celestial Center, which is a Mongolian-style yurt. Its high walls blend into vaulted ceilings that point to the heavens. At its pinnacle, a glass dome at the top allows sunshine to flood in during the day. At night, lay down and look up to see the stars and moon shine through. When the windows are open, you can hear the sound of waterfalls in the distance.

What’s Included:

* Double or Triple Occupancy at the Wheel of Bliss Mountain Sanctuary on Friday and Saturday night

* All delicious, organic, nourishing vegetarian meals from Friday dinner through Sunday lunch, plus fruit available as snacks throughout the day. Allergies and dietary restrictions can be accommodated. Please be sure to let us know once you register. You are welcome to bring additional snacks or food with you, as desired.

* Sacred Ritual & Ceremony

* Ecstatic Embodiment Practices

* Daily Portal Yoga classes

* Wisdom Teachings & Group Coaching

* BONUS Integration Call & Sisterhood Sharing around the Fall Equinox

* All taxes and fees

What’s Not Included:

Your transportation to and from the Wheel of Bliss Retreat Center in Hot Springs, NC. It is located approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes from the Asheville Regional Airport. However, we will be happy to help connect you with the right people if you are coming from out of town!

Your Investment is only $ 644 until 6/13 (discount of $100) then $ 744 after that.

To secure your spot, a $ 250 non-refundable deposit is required. Space is limited to 12 participants. The retreat is already half full, so book now to reserve your spot! You can either pay in full or make two payments. Your second payment would be due no later than August 1, 2024.

About your Retreat Facilitator Jessica Falcon:

A former lawyer turned mystic, Jessica Falcon is an International Soul Embodiment Guide & Divine Feminine Activator. She guides you to reclaim your divine power and sovereignty so you experience true freedom.

After leaving the legal profession in 2013 to embark on a spiritual pilgrimage, Jessica experienced an 8-year initiation into divine feminine power. During this time, she spent years researching religious history, ancient civilizations, and mythology. She has identified the core beliefs – deeply embedded in the individual and collective psyche – that keep us from owning our power, speaking our truth, and liberating our sexuality.

Jessica hosts the Soul Sovereignty & Sexuality Podcast. Her private and group portals of transformation are designed to help you create deep levels of internal safety so you can fully be and express all of who you are. Jessica’s training includes everything from somatic and emotional intelligence to nervous system resilience, empathy, authentic communication, trauma-informed yoga, Egyptian tantra, shamanism, and mystery school teachings – not to mention whole-body healing, herbalism, and deep initiations and teachings from the goddess herself.

Barn Yoga
Sep 15 @ 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Hickory Nut Gap Farm

A Hickory Nut Gap tradition, back by popular demand! Bring your mat and mindfulness to the Big Barn to get centered.

Mary Beth believes yoga should be potent, but playful. She strives to deliver fluid, well balanced vignettes that offer physical expansion and mental restoration. She teaches gentle and vinyasa flow, all levels welcome! Variations encouraged, feel free to bring blocks, blankets or straps.

Make a day of it! Class lets out when the Farm Store opens, come shop the Farm Store for local meats and grocery goodies, grab a beer or beverage and wander the farm grounds to see the animals. Yogis get 10% off meat and eggs on class day.

Time: 9am-10am

Dates: April 28th | May 26th | June 30th | July 28th | August 25th | September 29th | October 27th

Price: $18/class OR Full Season, 7 classes for $100!

NC Arboretum Hiking Trails
Sep 15 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

Located within the wildly-popular and botanically beautiful Southern Appalachian Mountains, The North Carolina Arboretum offers more than 10 miles of hiking trails that connect to many other area attractions such as Lake Powhatan, the Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Visitors of all ages and abilities can enjoy their hiking experience at the Arboretum as trail options include easy, moderate, and difficult challenge levels. All trails are dog-friendly and visitors are asked to adhere to the proper waste disposing procedures for pets.

Part of a running group that would like to use the Arboretum as a starting point or parking location? Please review our Running Group Guidance and email [email protected] with any questions.

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden
Sep 15 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

 

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

  • Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • Garden Open Year Round
  • Parking Fees
    • Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
    • Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
    • Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
    • Members: Free

    Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Exhibition on Display: Class of 2024 – Haywood Community College’s Professional Crafts Program
Sep 15 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Folk Art Center

Located on the second floor until September 18th, the show continues the historical relationship between the Southern Highland Craft Guild and Haywood, an educational center of the Guild. This new generation of craft is led by instructors Amy Putansu in fiber, Brian Wurst in wood, Emily Reason in clay, and Robert Blanton in metals & jewelry. Students of the Haywood program come from all over, with or without prior experience of craft, and sometimes pursuing it as a second or third career. The course of study is challenging, combining craft concentrations with supplemental classes in design, drawing, craft history, business, marketing and photography.

Haywood Community College and the Southern Highland Craft Guild share a history that documents the role of craft education in preserving traditional culture, creating economic opportunity and fostering professional practice. All of the artists represent the vitality and creativity of craft practice today, which is the ultimate purpose of both institutions. Many Haywood graduates have become individual members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild and have served the Guild in various capacities.

Instructor Brian Wurst of the Professional Crafts Wood program says, “Our programs have thrived for nearly five decades, and our relationship with the Craft Guild has been a key part of that. We’re always thrilled to have work showcased at the Folk Art Center, and in turn scores of our alumni have gone on to become active Guild members. The Graduate Show is the capstone of two hard years by these students, and it’s a delight to share it in this beautiful space.”

Haywood Community College is located in Clyde, North Carolina, just west of Asheville. The college’s Professional Crafts Program began in recognition of the region’s strong craft heritage. It was envisioned that students would learn the basics of craft media and how to transform that craft into a business. The clay studio was the first to open in 1974. With the addition of jewelry, wood and fiber studios, a comprehensive curriculum was in place by 1977.

Anyone interested in taking courses at Haywood Community College can contact the success coach, Farrah Rodriguez [email protected] 828.627.4505.

The Haywood Community College Professional Crafts Program, Graduate Show, Class of 2024 is a free exhibit at the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway in East Asheville. For more information, visit www.craftguild.org or call 828-523-4110. For more information about the Professional Crafts Program, call 828-627-4674 or visit creativearts.haywood.edu.

Fall Ritual Herbalism: Wildcrafting & Medicine Making Immersion
Sep 15 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Red Moon Herbs

Join us for a weekend of wild abundance as we continue upon the path of honoring the Art, Science & Spirit of Herbalism. We will spend this pre-autumn equinox weekend deeply immersed in the abundance of native and wild plants that have come to fruition throughout the growing season.

We will focus on proper plant identification skills, as the plants are at their peak for the year. Stewardship and ethical wildcrafting & foraging techniques will be fortified, and medicinal mushrooms will be incorporated. We will learn the craft of magical medicine making together, with roots, berries, and seeds, as we gather medicinal plants and fungi from the landscape and create a batch of herbal medicines. Folks will receive both new skills and plenty of recipes and remedies to take home.

Throughout this weekend immersion we will strengthen the craft of intuitive & ritual herbalism while learning how to pair these skills to make the most potent forms of herbal tinctures and glycerites (alcohol free extracts) with both fresh roots, seeds and berries. We will co-create medicinal herbal syrups, including the ever popular elderberry and create potent herbal topical applications as well. We will discuss how to adequately dry and store our herbs and remedies for the fall and winter seasons ahead.

North Carolina Winery Tour Adventures
Sep 15 @ 10:30 am – 3:30 pm
North Carolina Wineries

Join us for a North Carolina winery tour and celebrate a date night, bachelorette party, retirement, family, or a weekend away while sampling our favorite local beverages along the way. Our standard tour includes visits to three Asheville area vineyards. With safe and reliable transportation provided, you can sit back, relax and just have fun.

Included:

  • Round trip transportation*
  • Three vineyard visits
  • Tastings at two of your three stops. Let’s just say that the pours at the first couple of locations are generous so we like to leave the third-stop beverage choice up to you.
  • Time commitment = up to 5 hours

Want to include specific vineyards on your Asheville wine tours? If you have “must-see” wineries in mind or want to craft a full day catered to your group’s interests, we’re always happy to create a custom experience. Reach out any time!

Summer Cooling Flow
Sep 15 @ 10:30 am – 11:30 am
One World Brewing West

According to the science of Ayurveda, heat, inflammation, and irritation rise in our bodies over the summer. We use our yoga practice to cool our bodies every week to insure we are not allowing toxins and inflammation to build.

Must have some experience with yoga. Class is held outside on the backyard stage at One World Brewing West. Bring a mat and water bottle!

Drop ins welcome, no need to preregister.

Honoring Nature: Early Southern Appalachian Landscape Painting
Sep 15 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

In the early 1900s, travel by train and automobile became more accessible in the United States, leading to an increase in tourism and a revitalized interest in landscape painting. The relative ease of transportation, as well as the creation of National Parks, allowed people to experience the breathtaking landscapes of the United States in new ways. Artists traveled along popular routes, recording the terrain they encountered.

This exhibition explores the sublime natural landscapes of the Smokey Mountains of Western North Carolina and Tennessee. While there were several regional schools of painting around this time, this group is largely from the Midwest and many of the artists trained at the Art Institute of Chicago or in New York City. Through their travels, they captured waterfalls, sunsets, thunderstorms, autumn foliage, lush green summers, and snow-covered mountains—elements that were novel for viewers from cities and rural areas. Though some of these paintings include people, they are usually used for scale and painted with little to no detail, highlighting the magnificence of nature.

Rudolph F. Ingerle, Mirrored Mountain, not dated, oil on canvas, 28 × 32 inches. Courtesy of Allen & Barry Huffman, Asheville Art Museum.

Shifting Perceptions: Photographs from the Collection
Sep 15 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum
Shifting Perceptions: Photographs from the Collection, on view through May 17—September 23, 2024. Shifting Perceptions is guest-curated by Katherine Ware, curator of photography at the New Mexico Museum of Art, and continues the Museum’s 75th-anniversary celebration and highlights its expanding Collection.
Featuring over 125 photographs, the exhibition showcases works by 20th-century masters such as Ruth Bernhard, Bruce Davidson, Donna Ferrato, Carrie Mae Weems, and Jerry Uelsmann, alongside contemporary images by Jess T. Dugan, Matthew Pillsbury, and Cara Romero, among others. While some photographs offer a distinct point of view, many invite contemplation of the intersections and contradictions within each category. Recent acquisitions and longtime favorites are presented in new juxtapositions, providing fresh insights into the evolving landscape of photography.
Grovewood Village Studio Tour
Sep 15 @ 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Grovewood Village

Connect with local artists! The bi-annual Grovewood Village Studio Tour will take place over two weekends in 2024.

First Weekend: May 18 & 19 (12-5pm)
Second Weekend: September 14 & 15 (12-5pm)

This is a free, self-guided, explore-at-your-own-pace tour. There is no ticket to buy.

During this event, the resident artists at Grovewood Village will open up their studios to the public, allowing visitors to gain insight into their creative process and view their most recent works. The artists will also have works for sale next door at Grovewood Gallery, which will be offering 10% off almost all merchandise. Metro Wines will be on-site serving complimentary wine and non-alcoholic drinks.

Guests looking to round out their experience can enjoy brunch next door at ELDR and visit the Biltmore Industries Homespun Museum and the Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum, also located in Grovewood Village.

Grovewood Village is home to 8 working artist studios and a yoga studio. These workspaces were originally built to house the weaving operations of Biltmore Industries, an Arts and Crafts enterprise that played a significant role in the Appalachian Craft Revival during the early 20th century. Today, our resident artists – inspired by an earlier craft force – create jewelry, pottery, sculpture, and more in the same workshops where the famed Biltmore Handwoven Homespun was once made.

Special Demonstration

Local textile designer and handweaver Deanna Lynch will be in our Homespun Museum (located in the same building as the artist studios) demonstrating how to operate an antique four-harness loom that was used in Biltmore Industries’ heyday.

Please Note

The artist studios are located in the same building as the Biltmore Industries Homespun Museum, directly next door to Grovewood Gallery. If you have questions about this event, contact Grovewood Gallery at (828) 253-7651 or email us at [email protected].

The historic building where the artist studios are housed. This is the entrance to the upper-level artist studios. There is a separate entrance on the right side of the building to access the lower-level artist studios.

Sponsored by Metro Wines

This bi-annual Asheville art tour is sponsored by Metro Wines, located at 169 Charlotte Street in Asheville. Metro Wines has been voted the number #1 wine shop in Asheville for the past 7 years, quoted in The Wall Street Journal and recently in Wine Enthusiast!

Parking

Free parking is available on-site at Grovewood Village; however, parking is relatively limited, and carpooling is always encouraged. The Grove Park Inn does have a parking garage directly across the street from us. From January 3 through September 30, they offer 1 hour of complimentary parking.  After that, 1-3 hours is $12 and 3-6 hours is $22.

Jack’s Bluegrass Brunch
Sep 15 @ 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Jack of the Wood

Jack’s Bluegrass Brunch kicks off every Sunday at 12 noon — with lively bluegrass tunes courtesy of The Jack of the Wood Bluegrass Brunch Boys from 1-3pm. Sip a Bloody Mary or Mimosa or a warm Irish coffee. Tasty brunch specials alongside our regular menu and 18 taps of rotating craft brews! Sláinte, y’all!

Southside Community Farmers Market
Sep 15 @ 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Southside Community Farmers Market

Listing

About Southside Community Farmers Market

Buncombe County will continue to offer ASAP’s Double SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables and Farm Fresh Produce Prescription.

Southside Community Farm hosts a farmers market featuring all BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) vendors on the first Sunday of every month, May-Oct. from 12-3 PM. The market is EBT accessible. Come enjoy delicious patties, hot sauces, veggies, fruit, flowers, medicines, crafts and more!

An Afternoon of Advanced Long Form Improv
Sep 15 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
A New Hope Home Care (Basement)

🎭 Join Me for an Afternoon of Advanced Long Form Improv! 🎭

Are you ready to dive deep into the art of improv? Whether you’re a seasoned performer or an enthusiastic fan, my upcoming Advanced Long Form Improv event is one you won’t want to miss!

Get ready for an afternoon of spontaneous storytelling, where every scene unfolds in unexpected ways. Together we will go on a journey through intricate narratives, rich characters, and imaginative worlds—crafted entirely in the moment! Expect to be entertained, amazed, and inspired by the skillful improvisation of our advanced group.

Please note: This event is intended for adults with a sense of humor who aren’t easily offended.

To register, please call or text the event organizer, Shane Eisiminger, at 803.463.7388.

*** Payment is required in advance: PayPal, CashApp, or Venmo ***

Spots are limited—reserve your spot today!

DISNEY’S THE LION KING
Sep 15 @ 1:00 pm
Peace Concert Hall

Giraffes strut. Birds swoop. Gazelles leap. The entire Serengeti comes to life as never before. And as the music soars, Pride Rock slowly emerges from the mist. This is Disney’s THE LION KING, making its triumphant return to the Peace Center!

More than 100 million people around the world have experienced the awe-inspiring visual artistry, the unforgettable music, and the uniquely theatrical storytelling of this Broadway spectacular – one of the most breathtaking and beloved productions ever to grace the stage.

Winner of six Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, THE LION KING brings together one of the most imaginative creative teams on Broadway.  Tony Award®-winning director Julie Taymor brings to life a story filled with hope and adventure set against an amazing backdrop of stunning visuals. THE LION KING also features the extraordinary work of Tony Award®-winning choreographer Garth Fagan and some of Broadway’s most recognizable music, crafted by Tony Award®-winning artists Elton John and Tim Rice.

There is simply nothing else like THE LION KING.

THE LION KING is recommended for a general audience. As an advisory to adults who might bring young people, Disney recommends its productions for ages 6 and up. All guests entering the theater, regardless of age, must have a ticket.

Note that strobe lights are also used for this performance.

HauntFest – A September to Dismember
Sep 15 @ 2:00 pm – 11:59 pm
Lutheridge Camp and Conference Center

Welcome to HauntFest, where we summon the spirit of horror and Halloween all year round! We are SUPER excited to be kicking off our third event, HauntFest – A September to Dismember. Immerse yourself in the macabre delights of live music, art vendors, spine-chilling entertainment, bewitching activities such as a to DIE for haunted trail into the dark forest, and more. This fiendish affair beckons dark spirits, midnight wanderers, witchy souls, and the eternally restless. Perfect for oddity lovers and Halloween enthusiasts. It’s a dead man’s party!

Established in May 2023, HauntFest has risen as a leading horror festival business, captivating audiences with its spine-chilling spectacles and atmosphere. From bewitching entertainment to macabre vendors and haunted attractions, HauntFest offers an unparalleled immersion into the realm of terror. Experience spooktacular live performances, encounter creatures both mythical and monstrous, and traverse unhallowed grounds where every corner hides a new fun and exciting horror. Unlike other Halloween conventions, HauntFest prides itself in highlighting the arts through a weekend celebration, where patrons can wear their monster skins and join in on the dead man’s party. HauntFest invites you to embrace the darkness that lurks within, but beware: once you enter, there’s no turning back…

HauntFest – A September to Dismember

WHEN: Friday September 13th – Sunday September 15th, 2PM – 12AM

WHERE: Lutheridge (2049 Upper Laurel Dr. Arden, NC 28704)

Lutheridge’s cabins, pavilions, and recreational areas make for a wonderful venue with shade and picnic tables. As you enter, you can monster mash to the KILLER live bands in the Bat Cave and peruse the macabre vendors in the field across. Ghouls will slink freely around the festival. Behind the Bat Cave, you can snag some “boos” at the Bar and enter the Haunted Trail. At the center of the festival, enjoy interactive activities and solo artists by the lake – you can even take a canoe or paddle boat out if you dare! Bring close-toed shoes, as the ground may be uneven in some areas.

LODGING:
Summer camp perks! Visit the “Lodging” page for details on cabin rentals, treetop tents, and campsites. Wake up and be right on site and ready to join the party!

TICKETS (Starting at $20) : https://www.hauntfest.net/buy-tickets

MORE INFORMATION: https://www.hauntfest.net/

*COSTUMES ARE ENCOURAGED*

We are so excited to bring HauntFest to North Carolina and we hope to see you there!

Jesus Christ Superstar
Sep 15 @ 2:00 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse

Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar–in concert, is heading to the Rock. Born of the evocative 1970 concept album, this groundbreaking production, with lyrics by Sir Tim Rice, is a rock radio play that immerses audiences in a formidable and emotional musical journey. Electrifying music, and gut-punching vocal stylings unite to help narrate the last seven days of Jesus’ life through the eyes of Judas Iscariot. In music industry parlance, it’s all killer, no filler. Expect a powerful and unforgettable experience that will resonate long after the final note is sung.

VANITIES
Sep 15 @ 2:30 pm
Parkway Playhouse

VANITIES

by Jack Heifer

Directed by Marci Bernstein

Chronicling the lives of three best friends from Texas, this show follows our cast from girlhood to adulthood and explores their differentiating opinions on life, experiences, and the future. Beginning in 1963 Texas and landing in New York in 1974 this play is an honest and real reflection of the impact of a changing world through a bittersweet comedic lens.