Calendar of Events

Come join in on the fun at this Latin Inspired Zumba Exercise Party. This fun and upbeat class is exhilarating and easy to follow. All levels are welcome and it’s free!! This Program is offered every Thursday from 11:00am-12:00pm. Please call 828-350-2062 for more information.

Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! ArborEvenings runs Thursdays and most Fridays through September 30, 2022 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.

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

Beverage Service

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

Food Available for Pre-Order, Picnics Welcome

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

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

Find more information here. 

Join us for good conversation and fellowship with people interested in preserving our rights to health care, marriage equality, and voting rights by electing people who feel the same.

Cuberow will begin playing at 6:30. There will be a food truck available, as well as the fine selection of brews from Pisgah Brewing. Bring your kids! We hope to see you at this family friendly event!

Who should attend: Democratic voters in the Black Mountain Cluster and other interested like-minded individuals

• Live Music, 6:00 p.m. and $8 specialty martinis all day at Leo’s Italian Social

It’s almost the weekend – cheers to that! Come enjoy a glass of wine and a stunning sunset view with us!

“Shine and Dine” on the railway! We cordially invite you to hop on board The Carolina Shine, GSMR’s All-Adult First Class Moonshine Car! We will be proudly serving hand crafted, triple-distilled, craft moonshine. Some of the smoothest tasting moonshine in the Carolinas! Offered on the Nantahala Gorge excursion, this shine and dine experience begins in a renovated First Class train fleet car, The Carolina Shine. The interior features copper lined walls filled with the history of moonshining in North Carolina. Learn about the proud tradition that the Appalachians established when bootlegging was an acceptable way of life and local home brews were the best in town. Read about Swain County’s very own Major Redmond, the most famous mountain moonshine outlaw of the 19th century. Once your appetite for knowledge is satisfied, enjoy sample tastings of flavors like Apple Pie, Blackberry, Blueberry, Cherry, Peach, and Strawberry moonshine. If the samples are not enough, there will be plenty of Moonshine infused cocktails like Copper Cola or Moonshiner’s Mimosa available for purchase. GSMR is excited to feature multiple craft NC based distilleries to serve our guests only the best! Each jar is handcrafted and authentically infused with real fruit, the way moonshine was meant to be made. Passengers will also enjoy a full service All-Adult First Class ride with an attendant and our popular Cajun seasoned Pulled Pork BBQ with Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce cooked in our special spices and slow roasted to perfection! During the month of October, 9am departures will feature the option of a delicious Cheesy Shrimp & Grits or Cheesy Ham Hash Brown Casserole while 2pm departures will be served the popular BBQ meal.

Asheville’s only and original DRAG QUEEN BAR CRAWL!
Experience Asheville’s one-of-a-kind Drag Queen Bar Crawl, a unique fundraiser supporting local non-profit organizations. “Beer Flight” offers an unparalleled opportunity to discover the vibrant craft brewery scene of Beer City while enjoying the delightful company of our hilarious drag queen flight attendant. Perfect for special occasions, including birthdays, weddings, and even divorce parties, this event promises a memorable and enjoyable experience for all fans of drag and beer alike. Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to support local non-profits and have a blast doing it!

The two-hour tour promises a side-splittingly funny experience, featuring:

• The beer! The drag queen! FUN!
• 2-3 Flights of craft beer/seltzer/wine/sours ($45 value)
• Souvenir sticker ($5 value)
• Mid-flight snack (priceless!)
• VIP seats at an after-party event*
• No cover and no waiting at venues
• Photo ops with your drag queen guide
• See FAQs at the bottom of this page
• *After-party not available on all tours; ask!

Prepare for takeoff as Bearded Lady Productions presents a first-class “beer flight” bar crawl tour featuring the company of a hilarious drag queen wannabe flight attendant. You won’t want to miss this two-hour tour, where you’ll get to enjoy fine brews, seltzers, wines, and sours from multiple iconic downtown breweries, all while being entertained by a fabulous drag queen leading the way. Tickets for the first-class “beer flight” tour include the tour itself, all beverages along the route, fun surprises, and other perks. Seating is limited, so book your tickets now at https://www.AshevilleDragBrunch.com. You won’t want to miss this chance to experience the best of Asheville’s craft brewing scene while being entertained by a top-notch fabulous queen.

The tour has multiple dates and most tours end with VIP seats at a 2-hour special event, drag karaoke or drag music bingo. And don’t worry if a real airplane is not available for the tour, as the one-mile trip will be on foot. But that won’t stop you from experiencing the high-flying adventure that “Beer Flight” has planned for you. The after-party event is not available on all tours, so be sure to ask about it when booking your ticket. This is the perfect way to spend an afternoon or evening, so grab your friends and get ready for an unforgettable experience. The sky’s the limit with this unique first-class experience!

Upon arrival at one of Asheville’s premier craft breweries, guests will be greeted by a world-class drag queen who will serve as their stewardess for the night. As guests wait for the “flight” to board, they will have the opportunity to mingle with their fellow passengers. The tour will then take off, with the drag queen leading the way through the vibrant streets of Asheville. Although a real airplane may not be available, all seats are first-class and drinks are included. Guests will be treated like royalty, with no cover and no waiting at the breweries along the route, and a guided tasting of each flight.

From the local favorites to new regional acts, all live from the river banks of the Nantahala. Raft, dine, then jam with us with Live Music every Friday and Saturday from 5pm-8pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day!

Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! ArborEvenings runs Thursdays and most Fridays through September 30, 2022 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.

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

Beverage Service

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

Food Available for Pre-Order, Picnics Welcome

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

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

Find more information here. 

Wanna hear the best local music ​and​ drink the best local beers? Hop aboard LaZoom’s Purple Bus and rock out with a local band while we take you on a journey to Asheville’s premiere local breweries.

Guests will meet outside the Asheville Art Museum (2 S. Pack Square, Asheville, NC 28801) and then depart with their treasure map on a walking team scavenger hunt where they will use their minds and feet to follow clues, solve puzzles, and crack codes to find and unlock the treasure chest for a grand prize!

The hunt involves walking a distance of up to 2.0 miles in total and will take place rain or shine, so long as the weather does not become dangerous. The hunt typically takes about 60 minutes to complete.

Children under 10 years old are welcome to participate for free with the purchase of an Adult ticket.

The Friday Night Music series will present the familiar 50’s and 60’s
classic rock and beach music from a host of different bands. Food vendors like Babbles Ice
Cream, Blue Ridge Hospitality and Eggs Up Grill will provide a some spice. The Carolina
Mountain Car Club will participate as in years past.

Friday Night Concerts
Super 60’s June 9
Gotcha Groove June 16
It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere June 23
Marsha Morgan June 30
Shades of Gray July 7
Thomas Brown July 14
Emporium July 21
Johnnie Blackwell Band July 28
Rock and Roll Reunion August 4
208 Army Band August 11
Night Moves Band August 18

Do you feel a deep connection to the elements and the natural world, and yearn to unlock the hidden wisdom within them?

Hi, my name is Adora, and I am a modern alchemist, healer, and teacher. I’ve spent the past 30 years studying and practicing the art of harnessing the power of the elements to create sacred spaces for meditation, reflection, and personal transformation. And now, I want to share these life-changing teachings with you.

Are you ready to unleash the modern alchemist within you and transform your life?

Discover the ancient wisdom of the elements and create your sacred space to manifest abundance, harmony, and focus faster than ever before.

In this complimentary online workshop, you will:

• Discover the secrets of how modern alchemy and The Love Frequency can transform your life
• Learn the ancient wisdom of the elements and how to access their unique energies
• Understand how you can use the five primary elements – Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Ether – to balance your body, mind, and spirit
• Use the elements to increase your ability to create and manifest faster
• Create your own sacred space for meditation, reflection, and intentional creation
• Receive direct guidance from Adora on how to choose element-rich objects for your sacred space
• Access the Power of the Elements to Create Your Sacred Space

Imagine a space in your home that serves as a sanctuary for meditation, reflection, prayer, journaling, and other healing practices. A space that not only honors your commitment to transformation but also accelerates your intentional creation process.

In this transformative workshop, you’ll learn how to tap into the alchemy of the natural world and wield the power of the elements to create a sanctuary for your sacred intentional practices. This will help you manifest greater abundance, harmony, and focus in your life, expediting the manifestation process.

Together, we’ll explore the power of the elements – Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Ether – and learn how to harness their energies to create balance, harmony, and abundance in our lives.

By working with the elements and creating your own sacred space, you’ll be able to:

• Balance your emotions and purify your spirit with the power of water
• Inspire your thinking and elevate your communication with the power of air
• Ignite your passion and radiate purpose with the power of fire
• Anchor your life purpose and enhance your vitality with the power of earth
• Create from effortless intention and connect with All That Is with the power of ether
Embrace The Love Frequency™

These acts of sacred alchemy help you more deeply embrace The Love Frequency®, a spiritual accelerator for the modern alchemist. It awakens your inner power and guides you toward living an authentic and abundant life.

The Love Frequency is a flow state of conscious creation that you have been called to as a reminder of your infinite nature. Your sacred heart, the source of all creation, is ready to open to new potentials and to remember the truth of who you are. How are you called to live life to the fullest? What is bubbling up to the surface of your consciousness to be created?

How to Prepare for This Workshop

To prepare for this workshop, please gather objects that symbolize each of the elements and hold personal significance for you:

• Water: a bowl of water, seashell, or a chalice
• Air: a feather, incense, a bell, or photo of winged creatures (butterfly, bird)
• Fire: a candle, incense, or an image of a dragon or phoenix
• Earth: a crystal, salt, a bowl of soil or coins
• Ether: an image of sacred geometry, the cosmos, or a pyramid crystal
Additionally, please bring two photos of yourself – one from your childhood, and one where you felt strong, clear, capable, beautiful, or empowered. If you do not have these photos, you may sketch an image or bring a physical representation that holds significance for you.

By the end of this workshop, you will have created a powerful sacred space that invites balance, harmony, and abundance into your life. Your connection to the elements will be strengthened, and your manifestation process will be accelerated.

Are You a Modern Alchemist?

Have you ever felt that there’s more to life than what meets the eye? That beneath the surface of our everyday existence lies a hidden world of magic, mystery, and limitless potential? If you answered yes, then you are probably a modern alchemist.

Modern alchemists are spiritual seekers who recognize they are co-creators of their reality and have developed the power to transform their lives and the world around them. They dedicate themselves to a development path that continually reveals the hidden mysteries of Universal Laws and The Love Frequency.

Modern alchemists understand how to use these powers to improve their everyday life. They recognize their multidimensional nature and know that they have a gift and light within them that can change the world, first by healing themselves.

If you resonate with these traits, then you’re already on the path of a modern alchemist. And this workshop is the perfect opportunity to take the first step toward unlocking your full potential.

Reserve Your Spot Now and Begin Your Journey as a Modern Alchemist

Don’t miss this chance to learn the ancient secrets of modern alchemy and harness the power of the elements to create your sacred space at no cost. Join me, Adora, in this free online workshop and discover the magic and transformation that awaits you.

“Shine and Dine” on the railway! We cordially invite you to hop on board The Carolina Shine, GSMR’s All-Adult First Class Moonshine Car! We will be proudly serving hand crafted, triple-distilled, craft moonshine. Some of the smoothest tasting moonshine in the Carolinas! Offered on the Nantahala Gorge excursion, this shine and dine experience begins in a renovated First Class train fleet car, The Carolina Shine. The interior features copper lined walls filled with the history of moonshining in North Carolina. Learn about the proud tradition that the Appalachians established when bootlegging was an acceptable way of life and local home brews were the best in town. Read about Swain County’s very own Major Redmond, the most famous mountain moonshine outlaw of the 19th century. Once your appetite for knowledge is satisfied, enjoy sample tastings of flavors like Apple Pie, Blackberry, Blueberry, Cherry, Peach, and Strawberry moonshine. If the samples are not enough, there will be plenty of Moonshine infused cocktails like Copper Cola or Moonshiner’s Mimosa available for purchase. GSMR is excited to feature multiple craft NC based distilleries to serve our guests only the best! Each jar is handcrafted and authentically infused with real fruit, the way moonshine was meant to be made. Passengers will also enjoy a full service All-Adult First Class ride with an attendant and our popular Cajun seasoned Pulled Pork BBQ with Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce cooked in our special spices and slow roasted to perfection! During the month of October, 9am departures will feature the option of a delicious Cheesy Shrimp & Grits or Cheesy Ham Hash Brown Casserole while 2pm departures will be served the popular BBQ meal.

TFAC invites all artists: painters, sculptors, writers, performers & more — to a casual weekly drop-in gathering on Saturday mornings at 9 AM to share your works in progress, alert others, and chat about art and what’s happening in your community. The first weekly Coffee is Saturday, August 20 at 9 am. No RSVP needed, just drop by! Free parking available on Melrose Avenue, behind and alongside TFAC.

Guests will meet outside the Asheville Art Museum (2 S. Pack Square, Asheville, NC 28801) and then depart with their treasure map on a walking team scavenger hunt where they will use their minds and feet to follow clues, solve puzzles, and crack codes to find and unlock the treasure chest for a grand prize!

The hunt involves walking a distance of up to 2.0 miles in total and will take place rain or shine, so long as the weather does not become dangerous. The hunt typically takes about 60 minutes to complete.

Children under 10 years old are welcome to participate for free with the purchase of an Adult ticket.

From the local favorites to new regional acts, all live from the river banks of the Nantahala. Raft, dine, then jam with us with Live Music every Friday and Saturday from 5pm-8pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day!

Wanna hear the best local music ​and​ drink the best local beers? Hop aboard LaZoom’s Purple Bus and rock out with a local band while we take you on a journey to Asheville’s premiere local breweries.

“Shine and Dine” on the railway! We cordially invite you to hop on board The Carolina Shine, GSMR’s All-Adult First Class Moonshine Car! We will be proudly serving hand crafted, triple-distilled, craft moonshine. Some of the smoothest tasting moonshine in the Carolinas! Offered on the Nantahala Gorge excursion, this shine and dine experience begins in a renovated First Class train fleet car, The Carolina Shine. The interior features copper lined walls filled with the history of moonshining in North Carolina. Learn about the proud tradition that the Appalachians established when bootlegging was an acceptable way of life and local home brews were the best in town. Read about Swain County’s very own Major Redmond, the most famous mountain moonshine outlaw of the 19th century. Once your appetite for knowledge is satisfied, enjoy sample tastings of flavors like Apple Pie, Blackberry, Blueberry, Cherry, Peach, and Strawberry moonshine. If the samples are not enough, there will be plenty of Moonshine infused cocktails like Copper Cola or Moonshiner’s Mimosa available for purchase. GSMR is excited to feature multiple craft NC based distilleries to serve our guests only the best! Each jar is handcrafted and authentically infused with real fruit, the way moonshine was meant to be made. Passengers will also enjoy a full service All-Adult First Class ride with an attendant and our popular Cajun seasoned Pulled Pork BBQ with Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce cooked in our special spices and slow roasted to perfection! During the month of October, 9am departures will feature the option of a delicious Cheesy Shrimp & Grits or Cheesy Ham Hash Brown Casserole while 2pm departures will be served the popular BBQ meal.

“Shine and Dine” on the railway! We cordially invite you to hop on board The Carolina Shine, GSMR’s All-Adult First Class Moonshine Car! We will be proudly serving hand crafted, triple-distilled, craft moonshine. Some of the smoothest tasting moonshine in the Carolinas! Offered on the Nantahala Gorge excursion, this shine and dine experience begins in a renovated First Class train fleet car, The Carolina Shine. The interior features copper lined walls filled with the history of moonshining in North Carolina. Learn about the proud tradition that the Appalachians established when bootlegging was an acceptable way of life and local home brews were the best in town. Read about Swain County’s very own Major Redmond, the most famous mountain moonshine outlaw of the 19th century. Once your appetite for knowledge is satisfied, enjoy sample tastings of flavors like Apple Pie, Blackberry, Blueberry, Cherry, Peach, and Strawberry moonshine. If the samples are not enough, there will be plenty of Moonshine infused cocktails like Copper Cola or Moonshiner’s Mimosa available for purchase. GSMR is excited to feature multiple craft NC based distilleries to serve our guests only the best! Each jar is handcrafted and authentically infused with real fruit, the way moonshine was meant to be made. Passengers will also enjoy a full service All-Adult First Class ride with an attendant and our popular Cajun seasoned Pulled Pork BBQ with Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce cooked in our special spices and slow roasted to perfection! During the month of October, 9am departures will feature the option of a delicious Cheesy Shrimp & Grits or Cheesy Ham Hash Brown Casserole while 2pm departures will be served the popular BBQ meal.