Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
It’s not too early to make your plans to travel down the yellow brick road to the merry old land of Oz! We’re deep into the rehearsal process, are building the sets and the costumes, and are hearing LOTS of super cool ideas from the artistic team!
- Opening Weekend and Thursday night tickets are cheaper than other performances ($26 for adults vs $30)
- Tickets for children 17 and under are $15 for any Wizard of Oz performance!
- Keep up with what’s happening in rehearsals with the “We’re Off to See the Wizard” blog series written by our Cowardly Lion, John O’Neil!

“It Didn’t Happen” by Judy Calabrese
Ages 18+
October 18-19, 2019 • 8 PM
October 25-26, 2019 • 8 PM
Tina McGuire Theatre
This performance contains nudity and artistic representations of adult themes. Individuals under the age of 18 are not permitted.
This raw, darkly comedic exploration of shame and desire takes us on a rollercoaster ride through Judy’s secret sexual relationships with women over a lifetime.
Take a break from the frenzy of everyday life and enjoy Smoke on the Mountain, a wholesome celebration of faith, community, and Appalachian Music. Set in Mount Pleasant, North Carolina around 1938, Smoke on the Mountain brings to life a small-town musical revival featuring the traveling Sanders Family as they play the best of bluegrass, gospel, and hymns. Audiences will recognize beloved songs such as “Rock of Ages”, “The Church in the Wildwood”, “A Wonderful Time Up There,” and more as they are performed by talented actor-musicians. Running October 4th – 19th, Smoke on the Mountain, showcases the power of music to bring us all together and will have audiences singing along.
Director, Amy Jones, describes the experience as, “an entertaining and inspirational evening full of rousing gospel music played by the cast while also getting to know the unique dynamics of the Sanders family through their witnessing. The music is beautiful and heartfelt, and the characters are fleshed out in a very real and relatable way.”
Jono Zalay began his standup career in Boston, while simultaneously earning his Doctorate in Neuroscience (he gave cocaine to rats). Since dropping his science hobby to pursue comedy full time, Jono has been named one of Comedy Central’s ‘Comics to Watch,’ and earned international press for his pranks on the DMV. Jono now lives in Los Angeles where he has written comedy for Fox, Amazon, and Comedy Central. He has been featured in over 30 comedy festivals around the country including Bridgetown, Big Sky, Limestone, and New York Comedy Festival.
Tickets $10 advance, $12 day of
FRIDAY: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-jono-zalay-friday-tickets-70462791105
SATURDAY: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-jono-zalay-saturday-tickets-70463025807

Gate 7 opens Thursday. 8AM to 5 PM rain or shine
Adult Admission $8 a day or $20 for 3 days includes ACAETA pulls
Children under 12 free with paid adult.
Unreserved selling spaces $40, free admission to qualified exhibitors,
limited 2 people per registration; 3rd and above pay admission.
– Pulls –
Farm Tractors 1964 & earlier on Saturday at 10:00 am
Tractor Pulls will be under the covered arena – enter through Gate 7.
We’re celebrating and learning about human-wildlife coexistence and conservation from trusted organizations, while enjoying lively, family-friendly entertainment, sweet+savory bites, and tasty brews, all in one place.
Join our guest list and spread the word.
We’ll see you there! ???

About This Trip
Guests will hear a narration of Schulz’s “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” as the train travels to the Pumpkin Patch. Upon arrival, passengers will be greeted and have a photo opportunity with Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Snoopy. During your 1 hour and 30 minute layover, your activities to enjoy at The Great Pumpkin Patch will include:
- campfire marshmallows
- coloring station
- temporary tattoos
- trick or treating
- bouncy house (weather permitting)
- wagon rides
And kids, don’t forget to wear your Halloween costumes! There will be plenty of PEANUTS™ merchandise at the GSMR Gift Store and Train Museum! Each child will also select their own pumpkin from The Great Pumpkin Patch to take home.
How well do you think you know your wines? Can you spot the differences between reds? What about all whites? Join them for a fun, educational blind wine tasting. Blind tastings can be one of the best ways to become more familiar with the different varietals. Share the last Saturday in September with them for an interactive yet informative tasting. Before they’re done, they’ll throw some local and imported cheeses in the mix to explore how cheese can change the experience of each wine. A twice a month ‘themed’ wine and cheese tasting in celebration of local goods and global wines.
Take a break from the frenzy of everyday life and enjoy Smoke on the Mountain, a wholesome celebration of faith, community, and Appalachian Music. Set in Mount Pleasant, North Carolina around 1938, Smoke on the Mountain brings to life a small-town musical revival featuring the traveling Sanders Family as they play the best of bluegrass, gospel, and hymns. Audiences will recognize beloved songs such as “Rock of Ages”, “The Church in the Wildwood”, “A Wonderful Time Up There,” and more as they are performed by talented actor-musicians. Running October 4th – 19th, Smoke on the Mountain, showcases the power of music to bring us all together and will have audiences singing along.
Director, Amy Jones, describes the experience as, “an entertaining and inspirational evening full of rousing gospel music played by the cast while also getting to know the unique dynamics of the Sanders family through their witnessing. The music is beautiful and heartfelt, and the characters are fleshed out in a very real and relatable way.”

Guests will hear a narration of Schulz’s “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” as the train travels to the Pumpkin Patch. Upon arrival, passengers will be greeted and have a photo opportunity with Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Snoopy. During your 1 hour and 30 minute layover, your activities to enjoy at The Great Pumpkin Patch will include:
- campfire marshmallows
- coloring station
- temporary tattoos
- trick or treating
- bouncy house (weather permitting)
- wagon rides
And kids, don’t forget to wear your Halloween costumes! There will be plenty of PEANUTS™ merchandise at the GSMR Gift Store and Train Museum! Each child will also select their own pumpkin from The Great Pumpkin Patch to take home.

It’s not too early to make your plans to travel down the yellow brick road to the merry old land of Oz! We’re deep into the rehearsal process, are building the sets and the costumes, and are hearing LOTS of super cool ideas from the artistic team!
- Opening Weekend and Thursday night tickets are cheaper than other performances ($26 for adults vs $30)
- Tickets for children 17 and under are $15 for any Wizard of Oz performance!
- Keep up with what’s happening in rehearsals with the “We’re Off to See the Wizard” blog series written by our Cowardly Lion, John O’Neil!

“It Didn’t Happen” by Judy Calabrese
Ages 18+
October 18-19, 2019 • 8 PM
October 25-26, 2019 • 8 PM
Tina McGuire Theatre
This performance contains nudity and artistic representations of adult themes. Individuals under the age of 18 are not permitted.
This raw, darkly comedic exploration of shame and desire takes us on a rollercoaster ride through Judy’s secret sexual relationships with women over a lifetime.
Take a break from the frenzy of everyday life and enjoy Smoke on the Mountain, a wholesome celebration of faith, community, and Appalachian Music. Set in Mount Pleasant, North Carolina around 1938, Smoke on the Mountain brings to life a small-town musical revival featuring the traveling Sanders Family as they play the best of bluegrass, gospel, and hymns. Audiences will recognize beloved songs such as “Rock of Ages”, “The Church in the Wildwood”, “A Wonderful Time Up There,” and more as they are performed by talented actor-musicians. Running October 4th – 19th, Smoke on the Mountain, showcases the power of music to bring us all together and will have audiences singing along.
Director, Amy Jones, describes the experience as, “an entertaining and inspirational evening full of rousing gospel music played by the cast while also getting to know the unique dynamics of the Sanders family through their witnessing. The music is beautiful and heartfelt, and the characters are fleshed out in a very real and relatable way.”
Jono Zalay began his standup career in Boston, while simultaneously earning his Doctorate in Neuroscience (he gave cocaine to rats). Since dropping his science hobby to pursue comedy full time, Jono has been named one of Comedy Central’s ‘Comics to Watch,’ and earned international press for his pranks on the DMV. Jono now lives in Los Angeles where he has written comedy for Fox, Amazon, and Comedy Central. He has been featured in over 30 comedy festivals around the country including Bridgetown, Big Sky, Limestone, and New York Comedy Festival.
Tickets $10 advance, $12 day of
FRIDAY: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-jono-zalay-friday-tickets-70462791105
SATURDAY: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-jono-zalay-saturday-tickets-70463025807

Buncombe County Special Olympics’ annual Coffee for Champions fundraiser returns for a third year on October 1. During the month of October, local coffee shops donate up to five cents for each cup of coffee purchased at their establishments to support Special Olympics training and competitions for area youth and adults.
“We are a completely volunteer-driven, donation-funded program focused on inclusionary sporting opportunities for individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities,” said Karla Furnari of Buncombe County Recreation Services, who is also a Buncombe County Special Olympics coach and Local Coordinator. “Coffee for Champions helps build connections between our athletes and the community. It also allows us to move away from labor intensive fundraising campaigns that often pull volunteers from other critical program needs such as coaching and transporting athletes.”
A map on the organization’s website lists participating coffee shops:
- 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)
- Trout Lily Market (1297 Charlotte Highway in Fairview)
- Donating One Cent Per Cup
- Dynamite Roasting Company (3198 US Highway 70 in Black Mountain)
- PennyCup Coffee Company West (362 Depot Street in Asheville’s River Arts District)
- PennyCup Coffee Company East (6 Beverly Road in Asheville’s Haw Creek)
- PennyCup Coffee Company North (857 Merrimon Avenue in North Asheville)
- Round Earth Roasters (518 Hendersonville Road in Asheville)
Buncombe County Special Olympics is made possible through funding from donors and support from Buncombe County Government. To donate or volunteer, visit buncombecountyspecialolympics.org.
Special Olympics was founded by Eunice Kennedy in 1968 to celebrate changing attitudes about the talents of people with intellectual disabilities. Buncombe County Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for youth and adults. Sports include alpine skiing and snowboarding, aquatics, athletics, basketball, bocce, bowling, cheerleading, gymnastics, powerlifting, soccer, and tennis. The organization also offers the Adaptive Athlete Program in a partnership with South Slope CrossFit and Buncombe County Recreation Services.

About This Trip
Guests will hear a narration of Schulz’s “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” as the train travels to the Pumpkin Patch. Upon arrival, passengers will be greeted and have a photo opportunity with Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Snoopy. During your 1 hour and 30 minute layover, your activities to enjoy at The Great Pumpkin Patch will include:
- campfire marshmallows
- coloring station
- temporary tattoos
- trick or treating
- bouncy house (weather permitting)
- wagon rides
And kids, don’t forget to wear your Halloween costumes! There will be plenty of PEANUTS™ merchandise at the GSMR Gift Store and Train Museum! Each child will also select their own pumpkin from The Great Pumpkin Patch to take home.
Join Aloft and Charlie’s Angels for a howling good time at our Howl-O-Ween Dog Costume Party on Sunday, October 20! From 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., party with your pooches and compete in our costume contests to win fun prizes. Lounge around w xyz Bar for drink specials and tasty treats for humans and dogs alike.
Does your pup have what it takes to strut their stuff? Check-in for the dog parade and costume contest begins at 4:30 p.m. followed by the parade and costume contest at 5:00 p.m. Furry friends can be registered based on small, medium or large breeds and the top three winners will receive a prize! All dogs who enter the contest will receive a treat and owners will receive a $5 voucher to w xyz Bar.
Are you and your pup a package deal? Enter in our dog and family costume contest for the change to take home the first-place prize! Check-in begins at 5:30 p.m. and the contest will begin at 6:00 p.m.
A minimum $5 donation is required for entry. Call 828-232-2838 for more details and be sure to RSVP on Facebook. We’ll see you there!
A great afternoon at the vineyards with a German twist! Bring your Lederhosen and Polka shoes. We’ll have the wine and German party atmosphere ready.
It’s not too early to make your plans to travel down the yellow brick road to the merry old land of Oz! We’re deep into the rehearsal process, are building the sets and the costumes, and are hearing LOTS of super cool ideas from the artistic team!
- Opening Weekend and Thursday night tickets are cheaper than other performances ($26 for adults vs $30)
- Tickets for children 17 and under are $15 for any Wizard of Oz performance!
- Keep up with what’s happening in rehearsals with the “We’re Off to See the Wizard” blog series written by our Cowardly Lion, John O’Neil!

Have you always wanted to learn how to make your own apple cider? Join Noble Cider Co-Founder and Lead Cider-Maker Lief Stevens for an introductory class in hard cider making. Participants will receive all the necessary tools for making one gallon of hard cider.
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM at our Cidery here in Asheville, N.C. Tickets are $30.00 per person
Max of 20 participants. Must be 21+ to attend.

Guests will hear a narration of Schulz’s “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” as the train travels to the Pumpkin Patch. Upon arrival, passengers will be greeted and have a photo opportunity with Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Snoopy. During your 1 hour and 30 minute layover, your activities to enjoy at The Great Pumpkin Patch will include:
- campfire marshmallows
- coloring station
- temporary tattoos
- trick or treating
- bouncy house (weather permitting)
- wagon rides
And kids, don’t forget to wear your Halloween costumes! There will be plenty of PEANUTS™ merchandise at the GSMR Gift Store and Train Museum! Each child will also select their own pumpkin from The Great Pumpkin Patch to take home.
This performance takes place in the Tina McGuire Theatre at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts.
With every breath and step of the NAUGHTY World Premier, Bold Mama Elle prods the edge of personal and collective freedom. It’s a spell-binding one woman show that meets at an imagined intersection of humanity and Divinity. Critics have called her ability to captivate and delight, through deep vulnerability, “exquisite.” She is an insightful teacher and entertainer who personifies life without fear. The show blends soul-filled singing, dance and storytelling effortlessly, inspiring the audience to re-imagine what it means to be free.
Bold Mama Elle is a spiritual medium who channels “textured” music and movement. Her activated lyrics deeply awaken inner power. On stage, she tells riveting stories fearlessly with her body and songs. Her “other-worldly” wisdom is both radical and inspiring. The sound of her voice permeates the performance space creating tangible possibility for all. As the sole songwriter, director, choreographer and vocalist for NAUGHTY, Bold Mama Elle personifies what’s possible when we allow ourselves to truly be free!
VIP Tickets ($38 plus tax and fees): Include VIP floor ticket plus Naughty gift bag and guaranteed entry to post-performance reception.
General Admission Souvenir Tickets ($28 plus tax and fees): Include general admission performance ticket plus a show souvenir.
General Admission Tickets ($18 plus tax and fees)

D.C. native, John Conroy, brings an everyman’s attitude to smart, sharply written material that runs the gamut from shrewd observations to social satire.
Over the next few years he made a rapid transition from opener to headliner, playing hundreds of shows each year and touring the top clubs throughout the country. Conroy is a jovial iconoclast whose good-humored but aggressive act makes a lasting impression.
Tickets $7 advance, $10 day of
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/comedy-at-fleetwoods-john-conroy-tickets-71543148483

Buncombe County Special Olympics’ annual Coffee for Champions fundraiser returns for a third year on October 1. During the month of October, local coffee shops donate up to five cents for each cup of coffee purchased at their establishments to support Special Olympics training and competitions for area youth and adults.
“We are a completely volunteer-driven, donation-funded program focused on inclusionary sporting opportunities for individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities,” said Karla Furnari of Buncombe County Recreation Services, who is also a Buncombe County Special Olympics coach and Local Coordinator. “Coffee for Champions helps build connections between our athletes and the community. It also allows us to move away from labor intensive fundraising campaigns that often pull volunteers from other critical program needs such as coaching and transporting athletes.”
A map on the organization’s website lists participating coffee shops:
- 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)
- Trout Lily Market (1297 Charlotte Highway in Fairview)
- Donating One Cent Per Cup
- Dynamite Roasting Company (3198 US Highway 70 in Black Mountain)
- PennyCup Coffee Company West (362 Depot Street in Asheville’s River Arts District)
- PennyCup Coffee Company East (6 Beverly Road in Asheville’s Haw Creek)
- PennyCup Coffee Company North (857 Merrimon Avenue in North Asheville)
- Round Earth Roasters (518 Hendersonville Road in Asheville)
Buncombe County Special Olympics is made possible through funding from donors and support from Buncombe County Government. To donate or volunteer, visit buncombecountyspecialolympics.org.
Special Olympics was founded by Eunice Kennedy in 1968 to celebrate changing attitudes about the talents of people with intellectual disabilities. Buncombe County Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for youth and adults. Sports include alpine skiing and snowboarding, aquatics, athletics, basketball, bocce, bowling, cheerleading, gymnastics, powerlifting, soccer, and tennis. The organization also offers the Adaptive Athlete Program in a partnership with South Slope CrossFit and Buncombe County Recreation Services.
Taste and analyze their one of a kind “Fire Ciders”. These ciders were crafted in the spirit of Halloween and in honor of their Anniversary with a variety of hot peppers. The evening of sensory analysis will introduce the sensory techniques used for wine, beer and cider. How to discern between different aroma and flavor compounds and more. You will also be given an in-depth tour of the cider production facility so that you can understand how the cider flavors you taste later are affected by their unique production process.
Known for its monumental scale of traditional holiday décor and dazzling lights, this year Biltmore’s annual Christmas at Biltmore celebration will offer even more than ever before.
A yuletide feast for the senses, Christmas at Biltmore begins Nov. 1, 2019. One week later, on Nov. 8, the estate will welcome Downton Abbey: The Exhibition, an immersive experience that celebrates the global hit television series and new feature film.
Biltmore House aglow with five dozen Christmas trees
Biltmore House interiors will shine with the sparkle of more than 50 hand-decorated Christmas trees, ribbons and garlands measured by the mile, and thousands of lights. A majestic 35-foot Fraser fir in the Banquet Hall is the home’s holiday centerpiece. For the first time, hand-decorated Christmas trees will be displayed on the balcony that wraps around the home’s two-story Library.
Candlelight Christmas Evenings
During Candlelight Christmas Evenings, candlelight, firelight, and live music will create a magical environment that elevates seasonal celebrations inside Biltmore House. A 55-foot Norway Spruce on the home’s front lawn lit with 55,000 lights will greet guests as they arrive to enter Biltmore House.
The warm welcome continues at Antler Hill Village & Winery with a constellation of holiday lights leading to the Winery and estate restaurants. A towering tree of lights will illuminate the Village Green, with a sea of lighted grapevine spheres nestled in the landscaping. Lights cascading from the trees that surround the bonfire area near Antler Hill Barn will offer a unique touch to the experience.
Downton Abbey: The Exhibition
Downton Abbey: The Exhibition will feature interactive elements that connect fans to their favorite characters, fashions, locations, and historic events of the era. Showcased in two estate locations, the exhibition pairs seamlessly with the real-life story of the Vanderbilt family at Biltmore. Amherst at Deerpark will host multimedia presentations and some of the series’ most recognizable sets—including Mrs. Patmore’s hectic kitchen and the gossip-fueled servants’ quarters. At The Biltmore Legacy in Antler Hill Village, a gallery of more than 50 costumes from the series will be on view.
The exhibition will run through April 7, 2020. Access to Downton Abbey: The Exhibition is included with daytime admission, Candlelight Christmas Evenings admission, or an overnight stay that includes daytime admission.
Christmas at Biltmore 2019 Event Calendar
- Christmas at Biltmore daytime experience – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 5, 2020
- Candlelight Christmas Evenings nighttime experience – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 4, 2020
- Illumination of Antler Hill Village – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 4, 2020, 5:30 p.m. to midnight
- Downton Abbey: The Exhibition at Biltmore’s Amherst and the Biltmore Legacy in Antler Hill Village – Nov. 8, 2019, through April 7, 2020
- A Gardener’s Place How-to Seminar: “Illuminated Holiday Tablescapes” – daily Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, 2019, at 1:30 p.m.
- Conservatory’s annual seasonal display – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 5, 2020
- Complimentary wine tasting at Biltmore Winery. Winery specialty tours available with additional price and reservations required – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 5, 2020
- Bonfires in Antler Hill Village with s’mores kits available for purchase at The Creamery – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 3, 2020, select dates, 3 to 10 p.m.
- Roving Holiday Carolers in Antler Hill Village – select dates
- Candlelight Winery Tour with a look into the winemaking process and tasting with light cheese pairing. Additional price and reservations required.
- Visits with Santa at the bandstand in Antler Hill Village – select dates
- The Inn on Biltmore Estate’s Annual Gingerbread House Tea – additional price and reservations required – Dec. 14 through 22, 2019, select dates, 1 to 3 p.m.
- Festive holiday meals prepared by award-winning chefs served in all of the estate’s restaurants – ongoing

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