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.

Tuesday, May 9, 2023
Tourism Product Development Fund Applications Open
May 9 all-day
online

graphic card for tourism product development fund applications due May seventeenNews from BCTDA

The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA) is accepting Phase I applications for the Tourism Product Development Fund (TPDF) until Wednesday, May 17. Nonprofits and government partners are invited to submit proposals for major tourism capital projects with $8 million available for award this grant cycle.

The BCTDA has invested nearly $60 million in 46 community capital projects since 2001, including sports and recreational facilities, performing arts and entertainment venues, greenways and trails, and museums and other cultural amenities. These investments are powered by visitors through the lodging tax collected from their stay at hotels, vacation rentals, and bed and breakfasts in the County. The application portal as well as more information on the TPDF grant process, evaluation criteria, and FAQs, can be found at ashevillecvb.com/product-development/.

‘Sales Fundamentals’ free seminar
May 9 @ 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
A-B Tech Madison Campus

Learn an ethical, relationship-based, model of sales and how sales helps your business survive and grow. Register at www.ashevillescore.org.

Youth Acting Class
May 9 @ 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

Ages 8-12
Mar 21-May 9 | Tuesdays at 4:30-6:00 PM

In this class designed for beginners and younger performers, students will learn basic acting techniques and have a great time doing so! They’ll get creative with short scenes and play drama games that teach key skills in a fun and approachable way. This class builds the confidence to help them to shine on stage and in life –  even in their next audition or school play! Students will perform a showcase for family and friends during the last class.

Registration begins on Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at 10:00 am. Tuition will be $225 – Scholarships are available.

NOTEIf applying for a scholarship, please fill out the Scholarship Application INSTEAD of filling out registration. If your application is approved, we will be in touch with you to register.

Register Now!

Wednesday, May 10, 2023
Minority-Owned Businesses, Nonprofit Organizations: Kudzu’s $10K Brand Giveaway
May 10 all-day
online

Minority-Owned Businesses, Nonprofit Organizations Encouraged to Apply for Kudzu’s $10K Brand Giveaway

The winner will be chosen through public voting on social media.

 

 

Kudzu Brands’ $10K donation includes brand story development, logo creation, and marketing collateral development. Past winners include Literacy Together and More To Love Consignment.

 

The contest timeline, rules, details, and updates are on Kudzu’s website, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The application, rules, and complete list of WNC counties permitted for entry are published on the agency’s website, too.

 

Kudzu’s $10K Brand Giveaway relies on the influence of social media to determine the winner. Once finalists are announced on June 7, they will need to use their social platforms to engage followers to vote them into the winner’s circle.

Kudzu Brands has extensive experience helping businesses and nonprofit organizations grow into memorable, profitable, and sustainable brands. Our full suite of brand and marketing services uses a proven and effective process that makes supporting you easy and effective.

Tourism Product Development Fund Applications Open
May 10 all-day
online

graphic card for tourism product development fund applications due May seventeenNews from BCTDA

The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA) is accepting Phase I applications for the Tourism Product Development Fund (TPDF) until Wednesday, May 17. Nonprofits and government partners are invited to submit proposals for major tourism capital projects with $8 million available for award this grant cycle.

The BCTDA has invested nearly $60 million in 46 community capital projects since 2001, including sports and recreational facilities, performing arts and entertainment venues, greenways and trails, and museums and other cultural amenities. These investments are powered by visitors through the lodging tax collected from their stay at hotels, vacation rentals, and bed and breakfasts in the County. The application portal as well as more information on the TPDF grant process, evaluation criteria, and FAQs, can be found at ashevillecvb.com/product-development/.

Business Morning Update
May 10 @ 7:45 am – 9:00 am
Elk's Lodge

This monthly co-sponsored event features several speakers on timely community events and issues affecting our business community. This month’s program consist of guest from:

Henderson County TDA – Melanie Black

Jabil – Michael Giblin & Eddi Bingham

Create Your Marketing Materials Using Canva
May 10 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
online

Online: Zoom webinar
No cost due to sponsor support


Would you like to have sharp and cleverly designed marketing pieces for your business? Good news, you don’t need experience in graphic design or even an investment in expensive software to do so. This session will show you how to use Canva, a free, web-based resource that will allow you to go from being a beginner to a master at graphics overnight! Learn how to create and publish professional and creative marketing designs that include brochures, flyers, social media graphics, logos, labels and more that would normally cost you a fortune. Turn your imagination into finished designs in minutes!

Speaker(s): TenBiz

Co-Sponsor(s): Henderson County Chamber of Commerce, Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce

Webinar info will be emailed after registration.

Young Professionals Social
May 10 @ 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Dry Falls Brewing

The YP’s Monthly Social offers a chance for those professionals under 40 to meet through a laid-back networking opportunity. Months will rotate with guest speakers and professional development opportunities as well. Join us each month on the 2nd Wednesday from 5:00 – 6:00 pm at Dry Falls Brewing Co.

A big thanks to AdventHealth Hendersonville & Spectrum Reach for presenting this program for the 2023 year!

Improv Level One: Communicate. Collaborate. Play
May 10 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Whitmire Activity Center

Enrollment is now open for two adult improvisation acting classes offered by Hendersonville Theatre (HT). Classes will be taught by professional improvisation actor and comedian Emily Swindal. Both classes are open to anyone over the age of 18, regardless of experience level.

Improv Level One: Communicate. Collaborate. Play. meets on Wednesdays from April 5 to May 24. Tuition is $180. In the class, students will work at getting comfortable on stage while having fun doing it. Students will learn to have compassion for themselves and their classmates as performers as they learn the fundamentals of improvisation and develop support and spontaneity. Together, they will learn the importance of “yes-and-ing,” heightening the absurdity and raising the stakes. They will also cover the differences between short form and long form improv. This is a short form class similar to Whose Line Is It Anyway?

The Revolutionists (produced by Immediate Theatre Project)
May 10 @ 7:30 pm
NC Stage Company

By Lauren Gunderson

Produced by Immediate Theatre Project

Four badass women lose their heads in this irreverent, girl-powered comedy set during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror. Playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen (and fan of ribbons) Marie Antoinette, and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle hang out, murder Marat, and try to beat back the extremist insanity in 1793 Paris. It’s a true story. Or total fiction. Or a play about a play. Or a raucous resurrection…that ends in a song and a scaffold.

From the people who brought you Silent Sky comes this grand and dream-tweaked comedy about violence and legacy, art and activism, feminism and terrorism, compatriots and chosen sisters, and how we actually go about changing the world.

 

Discretionary Content: Adult themes and badass ladies

Thursday, May 11, 2023
Cinderella Magic Package
May 11 all-day
online w/ Flat Rock Playhouse

We are excited to bring this special package to you and your loved ones. It’s super easy!

  1. Pick your show date – June 14, 17, 21, 24 (Evening only)
  2. Choose 2 Adult Seats and 2 Student Seats
  3. At Checkout, discount will be applied

Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo!

Your wish is granted!

TICKETS + INFO

If you have any problems, our Box Office is happy to help!

828.693.0731

Minority-Owned Businesses, Nonprofit Organizations: Kudzu’s $10K Brand Giveaway
May 11 all-day
online

Minority-Owned Businesses, Nonprofit Organizations Encouraged to Apply for Kudzu’s $10K Brand Giveaway

The winner will be chosen through public voting on social media.

 

 

Kudzu Brands’ $10K donation includes brand story development, logo creation, and marketing collateral development. Past winners include Literacy Together and More To Love Consignment.

 

The contest timeline, rules, details, and updates are on Kudzu’s website, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The application, rules, and complete list of WNC counties permitted for entry are published on the agency’s website, too.

 

Kudzu’s $10K Brand Giveaway relies on the influence of social media to determine the winner. Once finalists are announced on June 7, they will need to use their social platforms to engage followers to vote them into the winner’s circle.

Kudzu Brands has extensive experience helping businesses and nonprofit organizations grow into memorable, profitable, and sustainable brands. Our full suite of brand and marketing services uses a proven and effective process that makes supporting you easy and effective.

Tourism Product Development Fund Applications Open
May 11 all-day
online

graphic card for tourism product development fund applications due May seventeenNews from BCTDA

The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA) is accepting Phase I applications for the Tourism Product Development Fund (TPDF) until Wednesday, May 17. Nonprofits and government partners are invited to submit proposals for major tourism capital projects with $8 million available for award this grant cycle.

The BCTDA has invested nearly $60 million in 46 community capital projects since 2001, including sports and recreational facilities, performing arts and entertainment venues, greenways and trails, and museums and other cultural amenities. These investments are powered by visitors through the lodging tax collected from their stay at hotels, vacation rentals, and bed and breakfasts in the County. The application portal as well as more information on the TPDF grant process, evaluation criteria, and FAQs, can be found at ashevillecvb.com/product-development/.

Tryon Fine Arts Center Summer Art Camps Registration Open
May 11 all-day
Tryon Fine Arts Center
Summer Art Series for Youth (SASY) Camp
Summer Art Series for Youth (SASY) 2023
June 19 – 23
Our Summer Arts Camp is a one-week encounter with visual as well as performing arts. Our campers will be given the flexibility to choose their own art experience. They may want to dabble in the performing arts or take part in the visual arts or perhaps do a bit of both.
Ages 5 – 12 years. Cost: $180 – $225
PacJAM Camp
PacJAM Camp 2023
June 26 -30
Students will experience group lessons, jams, music theory, traditional art, songs, stories, and dancing, with an impressive lineup of regular and guest artists. Scholarships and instrument rentals are available.
Ages 6 year and up. Cost: $150
Theater Camp
Theater Camp 2023
July 31 – August 5
Presented in collaboration with Tryon Little Theater, the annual Summer Theater Camp allows students to put on a fully-staged production in just one week! Students learn about the ins and outs of theater-from auditions Monday morning to a fully-staged public show with lights, sound, sets,
props & costumes on Saturday!
Cost: $180 – $225
Entrepreneur’s Breakfast
May 11 @ 7:30 am – 9:00 am
Highland Lake Inn, Grand Ole Hall

Join the Chamber for an inspiring program featuring two area entrepreneur Power Couples, Cheryl and Brian, Stuller Power Solutions, and Toni and Josh, Warren Restoration. Hear about their journeys and the lessons they learned along the way to create their successful businesses.

Eliada Lunch of a Lifetime
May 11 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Crowne Plaza

Our Annual Lunch of a Lifetime is quickly approaching and space is limited! Please consider joining us for our one-hour lunch and presentation to hear more about how we are growing at Eliada! We would love you see you there.

Click HERE to become a Priority Table Sponsor. Please send your company logo to [email protected].

Click HERE to purchase a table of 8 or…

Click HERE to purchase individual seats at $15 each

What You Need to Know

  • WHEN: Thursday, May 11th from 12 – 1 pm
  • WHERE: The Crowne Plaza Expo Center (1 Resort Drive, Asheville, NC 28806)
  • WHY: Raise $50,000 which will provide shelter, residential treatment, education, and life skills for children and young adults at Eliada. Helping children and teens in crisis develop the skills they need to overcome life’s obstacles and become productive adults helps ensure the future of our community. We cannot achieve this without your support.
  • HOW TO ATTEND: The event is a fundraiser, but there is no minimum or maximum gift expected. We are happy for the opportunity to educate and inspire people about the valuable services we provide for children and youth. Tickets are $15 each or $120 for a table of 8 or $1000 for a priority table sponsorship. Any questions – reach out to Dillon Rubalcava ([email protected]).
  • MISSION: Helping Children Succeed
  • SERVICE AREA: State of North Carolina – Eliada serves more than 600 children annually through 5 key programs that provide a place to live, education, special education, food and clothing, and intensive therapy to children who need these services. While most children are from Buncombe and surrounding counties, Eliada serves children from all corners of NC.
Teen Acting Class
May 11 @ 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

Ages 13-18
Mar 23-May 11 | Thursdays at 4:30-6:00 PM

In this class designed for beginners to intermediate performers, students will develop and hone their acting techniques. They’ll work on short scenes, monologues and play drama games that teach key skills in a fun and approachable way. This class gives students the confidence to shine on stage and off – even in their next audition or school play! Students will perform a  showcase for family and friends during the last class.

Registration begins on Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at 10:00 am. Tuition will be $225 – Scholarships are available.

NOTEIf applying for a scholarship, please fill out the Scholarship Application INSTEAD of filling out registration. If your application is approved, we will be in touch with you to register.

Register Now!

Youth Tech and Run Crew
May 11 @ 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

Ages 12+
Mar 23-May 11 | Thursdays at 4:30-6:00 PM

Tech Week: May 15-18 | Monday through Thursday | 4:30-8:00 PM
Performances: Saturday, May 20 at 6:30 PM and Sunday, May 21 at 2:30 PM

What goes on behind the curtain? In our Tech Youth Production Classes, students learn and experience technical theatre and backstage work, including: safety, basic light and sound board operation, and stage management. Students will then put their skills to practice by running all technical and backstage roles during the Youth performances of Bright Star Young Performers Edition, a musical tale of love and redemption inspired by real events and set against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and ’40s.

NOTEIf applying for a scholarship, please fill out the Scholarship Application INSTEAD of filling out registration. If your application is approved, we will be in touch with you to register.

Register Now!

How to Start a Business in the Summer of 2023
May 11 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
BRCC Small Business Center

In-Person Only
No cost due to sponsor support


Understand the basics of starting a business in this seminar that takes you from idea to opportunity. Learn key strategies for start-up, financing and marketing as well as important information about legal issues, licensing, zoning, operations and more. Realize the importance of a self-assessment and how to evaluate the feasibility of your business idea. Discover the resources available to help you start and successfully operate your business.

Speaker(s): Gary Heisey Executive Director Mission Acceleration and Vision Leadership Program

Co-Sponsor(s): Henderson County Chamber of Commerce and Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce

BLUEY’S BIG PLAY THE STAGE SHOW
May 11 @ 6:00 pm
Peace Concert Hall

Bluey’s Big Play is a brand-new theatrical adaptation of the Emmy® award-winning children’s television series, with an original story by Bluey creator Joe Brumm, and new music by Bluey composer, Joff Bush. Join the Heelers in their first live theatre show made just for you, featuring brilliantly created puppets, this is Bluey as you’ve never seen it before, brought to real life.

“A glorious celebration of everything you love about the show.” – The Guardian

Intro to Sketch
May 11 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Whitmire Activity Center

Want to know how to write like they do on SNL? Would you like to level up your comedy knowledge? Learn the basics of sketch comedy writing! We’ll talk about the history of sketch, and the differences between the famous sketch and improv schools based in NYC, Chicago, and LA. Want to learn about the crossover of skills practiced in sketch writing and improv? Are you interested in learning some of the differences between British and American humor? Are you curious about the similarities between sketch and satire? (Think: The Onion.) We’ll talk about it! We’ll read a variety of sketch scripts, break them down into parts, and learn the mechanics. We’ll watch a number of sketches together, practice identifying the formula, and specifically labeling what’s funny about them. We’ll also practice idea generation and pitching. Hold onto your hat!

About the Teacher

Emily Swindal lived in New York City for 8 years as an actor and improv comedian and relocated to Hendersonville during the pandemic. Emily has studied and performed improv and sketch comedy writing at NYC’s Magnet Theater and Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre NY. Emily has performed with an assortment of improv teams. Some of her past instructors include Elana Fishbein, Peter McNerney, Ross Taylor, Michael Lutton, and Nicole Drespel. She has a BFA in Musical Theatre from Shenandoah Conservatory. Emily can’t wait to meet you.

Cymbeline
May 11 @ 7:30 pm
The Bebe Theatre

Possibly Shakespeare’s wackiest play, CYMBELINE features a panoply of Shakespeare’s greatest hits: orphaned royalty, mistaken identities, a cross-dressing heroine, a beheading, a war against Rome, poison that doesn’t really kill you, and more! Modern-day added characters Actor 1 and Actor 2 provide much-needed plot recaps and commentary on the action, and a rewritten ending provides some necessary catharsis. This whirlwind performance is one you won’t want to miss!

 

 

With: Molly Graves, Zak Hamrick, Christine Hellman, Erin McCarson, Alex McDonald, Jon Stockdale, Eric Vik, and Paul Vonasek.

Written (mostly) by: William Shakespeare.

 

Directed by: Melon Wedick.

Leah and the Rabbit
May 11 @ 7:30 pm
LEAF Global Arts Experience

Leah and the Rabbit is a story-telling event utilizing puppetry as a compelling visual. Leah and the Rabbit is representative of the many African folktales that were brought to the New World and then retold and elaborated upon by enslaved African Americans living in the southeastern United States. Mikayla Wilson has crafted a story that melds these traditional African folk stories with the life of Leah Erwin, one of the known, twenty-seven people enslaved by the Vance family. As the family’s cook, she survived slavery and  lived to see the emancipation of enslaved people. Leah, voiced by Stephanie Hickling Beckman, speaks to the ways that reclaiming narratives from the past can illuminate many of the issues we face today, like ownership and resiliency in the face of adversity. 

The Revolutionists (produced by Immediate Theatre Project)
May 11 @ 7:30 pm
NC Stage Company

By Lauren Gunderson

Produced by Immediate Theatre Project

Four badass women lose their heads in this irreverent, girl-powered comedy set during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror. Playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen (and fan of ribbons) Marie Antoinette, and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle hang out, murder Marat, and try to beat back the extremist insanity in 1793 Paris. It’s a true story. Or total fiction. Or a play about a play. Or a raucous resurrection…that ends in a song and a scaffold.

From the people who brought you Silent Sky comes this grand and dream-tweaked comedy about violence and legacy, art and activism, feminism and terrorism, compatriots and chosen sisters, and how we actually go about changing the world.

 

Discretionary Content: Adult themes and badass ladies

Friday, May 12, 2023
Minority-Owned Businesses, Nonprofit Organizations: Kudzu’s $10K Brand Giveaway
May 12 all-day
online

Minority-Owned Businesses, Nonprofit Organizations Encouraged to Apply for Kudzu’s $10K Brand Giveaway

The winner will be chosen through public voting on social media.

 

 

Kudzu Brands’ $10K donation includes brand story development, logo creation, and marketing collateral development. Past winners include Literacy Together and More To Love Consignment.

 

The contest timeline, rules, details, and updates are on Kudzu’s website, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The application, rules, and complete list of WNC counties permitted for entry are published on the agency’s website, too.

 

Kudzu’s $10K Brand Giveaway relies on the influence of social media to determine the winner. Once finalists are announced on June 7, they will need to use their social platforms to engage followers to vote them into the winner’s circle.

Kudzu Brands has extensive experience helping businesses and nonprofit organizations grow into memorable, profitable, and sustainable brands. Our full suite of brand and marketing services uses a proven and effective process that makes supporting you easy and effective.

Playhouse Jr. Summer Camps
May 12 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

The Education program at Flat Rock Playhouse is undergoing a name change! We are excited to streamline our program and we can’t wait to share the news with you!

Our new name will be Playhouse Jr.!

 

This new name will encompass many things. You might ask….what is Playhouse Jr.?

• Playhouse Jr. is classes and camps for K-12th Graders and Adults.
• Playhouse Jr. is mainstage shows performed by our Playhouse Jr. students and families.
• Playhouse Jr. is our touring company that visits our local schools and is performed by our fall apprentices.
• Playhouse Jr. is a licensing program for our new and exciting Playhouse Jr. touring shows!

Playhouse Jr. means many things and we are excited to share this news with our community!

We are introducing a new software system for our Playhouse Jr. families! This new system will make your life easier! Once you have registered you are in our system for good. That means that once you register all you have to do is access your account to purchase any classes and camps moving forward. No need to register every time!

To register for our new system and to enroll in classes please visit this link: https://app.jackrabbitclass.com/regv2.asp?id=548849

Questions? Please email [email protected]!

Want to register over the phone? No problem! You can call our Education Director, Lauren Hopkins at (828)693-0403 ext. 246 starting Monday March 6!

Tourism Product Development Fund Applications Open
May 12 all-day
online

graphic card for tourism product development fund applications due May seventeenNews from BCTDA

The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA) is accepting Phase I applications for the Tourism Product Development Fund (TPDF) until Wednesday, May 17. Nonprofits and government partners are invited to submit proposals for major tourism capital projects with $8 million available for award this grant cycle.

The BCTDA has invested nearly $60 million in 46 community capital projects since 2001, including sports and recreational facilities, performing arts and entertainment venues, greenways and trails, and museums and other cultural amenities. These investments are powered by visitors through the lodging tax collected from their stay at hotels, vacation rentals, and bed and breakfasts in the County. The application portal as well as more information on the TPDF grant process, evaluation criteria, and FAQs, can be found at ashevillecvb.com/product-development/.

Tryon Fine Arts Center Summer Art Camps Registration Open
May 12 all-day
Tryon Fine Arts Center
Summer Art Series for Youth (SASY) Camp
Summer Art Series for Youth (SASY) 2023
June 19 – 23
Our Summer Arts Camp is a one-week encounter with visual as well as performing arts. Our campers will be given the flexibility to choose their own art experience. They may want to dabble in the performing arts or take part in the visual arts or perhaps do a bit of both.
Ages 5 – 12 years. Cost: $180 – $225
PacJAM Camp
PacJAM Camp 2023
June 26 -30
Students will experience group lessons, jams, music theory, traditional art, songs, stories, and dancing, with an impressive lineup of regular and guest artists. Scholarships and instrument rentals are available.
Ages 6 year and up. Cost: $150
Theater Camp
Theater Camp 2023
July 31 – August 5
Presented in collaboration with Tryon Little Theater, the annual Summer Theater Camp allows students to put on a fully-staged production in just one week! Students learn about the ins and outs of theater-from auditions Monday morning to a fully-staged public show with lights, sound, sets,
props & costumes on Saturday!
Cost: $180 – $225
AM Power Hour
May 12 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am
Cascades Mountain Resort

Enjoy a more productive day by meeting prospective customers at the start of your day. You may find a strong referral source, a new vendor, the perfect client, or simply get a foot in the door for connecting again later at another Chamber event. AM Power Hour is great if you are an early-bird or can’t make our after-hours networking events.

Thank you to We Sell WNC, for being a Presenting Sponsor of the 2023 AM Power Hours. April’s AM Power hour is Hosted by Cascades Mountain Resort.

A Deeper Dive Into Canva
May 12 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
online

Online: Zoom Webinar
No cost due to sponsor support


If you’re obsessed with Canva, you’re not alone! This session is for the small business owner who has started using Canva, but wants a deeper dive to learn more fun tools you can use to promote your business. In this workshop you will learn advanced techniques on the Canva platform, including creating designs from scratch, uploading your own graphics, Canva Pro features, presentations and much more.

Speaker(s): TenBiz

Co-Sponsor(s): Henderson County Chamber of Commerce, Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce

Webinar information will be emailed after registration.