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, October 14, 2023
Pack Library
Oct 14 @ 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Pack Library
  • Thursday, Oct. 12 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Friday, Oct. 13 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, Oct. 14 from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

 

The Friends of Pack Library will have their Annual Antique and Collectible book sale the second weekend in October at Pack Library in downtown Asheville.

The Oct. 12-13 sale will feature antique and collectible books on the lower level of the library, along with comic books and music CDs. Bookends Used Book Store will have ½ price sale both days and children’s books will be 10 cents each. On the second day of the sale, Oct. 13, everything in the sale will be half off.

On Saturday, Oct. 14 from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., there will be a box sale with a box of books for only $25. Boxes will be provided. Prices in Bookends Used Book Store will return to regular pricing.

For more info, call Pack Library at 250-4700 or email the Friends of the Library.   Proceeds benefit Buncombe County Public Libraries.

Roundtable Session for Women Entrepreneurs
Oct 14 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Downtown Asheville

In a collaborative and supportive environment, each attendee will have a chance in the hot seat where all the brainpower at the table is focused on solving your problem, issue, or question.

​This is a great opportunity to level-up your business or figure out how to implement your dream. Roundtable sessions allow us to not only connect, but to harness our collective experience to apply to each other’s pain points.

​At our Roundtables, women entrepreneurs gather to deal with real issues. Let’s face it, entrepreneurship has its ups and downs, with very specific challenges. It’s so refreshing to brainstorm with others who get that. Imagine being able to tap into the knowledge of women with a variety of skill sets, talents, and backgrounds! So whether you need a sounding board for your ideas or some advice on marketing, these sessions will help you tremendously.

​Come join other women with vision and energy and let’s work on making your dream a success.

​Tickets ($23) and more information available at ​plrconnectevents.com

Sunday, October 15, 2023
Club de Lectura en Español
Oct 15 @ 6:00 pm
tba
Sunday, July 16, 2023 – 6:00pm
Sunday, August 20, 2023 – 6:00pm
Sunday, September 17, 2023 – 6:00pm
Sunday, October 15, 2023 – 6:00pm

Join the Club de Lectura and read novels written by Central and South American authors. The club meets at a restaurant or cafe with food related to the monthly pick. The main goal is to connect with each other, enjoy a good read, and ask each other questions. Everyone is welcome! Please CLICK HERE to view the Club’s main page for the pick of the month, and be sure to email: [email protected] for the location of the meeting!

Tuesday, October 17, 2023
Business After Hours
Oct 17 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Eliada Homes

Come join us for Business After Hours at Eliada Homes!

Eliada Homes is a non-profit agency in Asheville that provides a cradle-to-career continuum of services for over 400 children and youth annually. This includes our 5-Star Child Development Center (child care, pre-k, afterschool, and summer camp), Residential mental health programs, Foster Care, adoption services, respite care, equine therapy, intensive in-home therapy, and Workforce-Ready housing assistance for youth aging out of foster care. Established in 1903, we have been helping children succeed for 120 years.

Join us for the Asheville Chamber Business After Hours Corn Maze & Fall Festival event on October 17th at 5 p.m. at Eliada Homes. Network and mingle while enjoying all the Eliada Fall Fundraising Festival attractions such as the custom maze, slides, bouncy pillow, corn cannons, hayride, and lawn games! Farm tours will also be available.

Feel free to bring a gift to be raffled off as door prizes towards the end of the evening. Bring your business cards for networking and a chance to win prizes!

 

This event is offered as a benefit for Chamber membership. We welcome you to come and check us out! Please contact Jessica Kanupp, our Member Development Specialist, at [email protected] if you’re considering a Chamber membership

Revisiting the Classics Book Club
Oct 17 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Weaverville Public Library

Join Librarian and Friend Jill Totman this Fall to discuss, “Books I Swore I’d Never Read Again!” Re-read classic titles will fresh perspective & new conversations.

  • Tuesday, October 17th @ 6 PM: The Awakening by Kate Chopin
  • Tuesday, November 21st @ 6 PM: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

This group will meet in person at the Weaverville Library on the third Tuesday evening of the month at 6 PM. Copies of each title will be available at the Weaverville Library while supplies last.  No reservations are necessary & newcomers are always welcome.

 

Thanks to the Friends of the Weaverville Library for sponsoring this series!

Weaverville library book club: “Books I Swore I’d Never Read Again! Revisiting the Classics
Oct 17 @ 6:00 pm
Weaverville Public Library

Join Librarian and Friend Jill Totman this Fall to discuss, “Books I Swore I’d Never Read Again!” Re-read classic titles will fresh perspective & new conversations.

  • Tuesday September 19th @ 6 PM: Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev
  • Tuesday, October 17th @ 6 PM: The Awakening by Kate Chopin
  • Tuesday, November 21st @ 6 PM: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

This group will meet in person at the Weaverville Library on the third Tuesday evening of the month at 6 PM. Copies of each title will be available at the Weaverville Library while supplies last.  No reservations are necessary & newcomers are always welcome. 

Thanks to the Friends of the Weaverville Library for sponsoring this series!

Bookmarked: Online Library Book Club discusses Solito: A Memoir by Javier Zamora
Oct 17 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
online w/ Fairview Library

A young poet tells the inspiring story of his migration at the age of nine from El Salvador to the United States in this “gripping memoir” (NPR) of bravery, hope, and finding family.

The library’s moderated online book discussion group meets on the third Tuesday of each month, September through May. You can join by emailing [email protected] at least one hour prior to the meeting.

Wednesday, October 18, 2023
Read to Puptart!
Oct 18 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Enka-Candler Library

Puptart is a tail wagging robot dog who sits and stays, pants when listening, and responds to someone talking to and petting it. It will not jump up or run away, plus it’s fur free, so no sneezes and runny noses coming your way!

Every Wednesday afternoon, Puptart will be available for reading practice in the children’s picture book room. Help establish a joy of reading and develop early literacy skills. Sign up at the front desk, pick a book and practice reading for up to 15 minutes.

An Evening of Storytelling with Donald Davis
Oct 18 @ 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Haywood Community College

Haywood County native Donald Davis was born into a world rich in stories and folklore. Although well versed in the more traditional Jack Tales, Davis was most interested in the stories of his own family and friends, as well as places of origin. He used these stories to enhance his sermons during a celebrated 25-year career as a Methodist Minister. Later he began telling stories at regional festivals, and upon retirement, became a notable author and performer.

The author of 18 books and 40 original recordings, Donald Davis is indeed a national treasure. He is the recipient of both The Circle of Excellence and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Storytelling Network.

Thursday, October 19, 2023
Swannanoa Readers Book Club discuss “Northanger Abbey” by Jane Austen
Oct 19 @ 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Swannanoa Library

A coming-of-age story and a satire of gothic novels, Northanger Abbey was written in 1803 by Jane Austen. A funny and eerie story of what happens when a reader reads too many ghostly tales.

Join us for an afternoon of discussion and light refreshments. Bring your wit.

Books have been reserved and should be available to pick up at Swannanoa Library by October 1st.

Flat Rock Book Club
Oct 19 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
The 2nd Act

Please join us at The 2nd Act in Hendersonville, NC for our first monthly book club meeting that strives to read books that create a closer knit and more inclusive community! We will meet virtually and in person monthly to discuss a book, so read the book and then join in the discussion in person or online every third Thursday. All are welcome! At the end of each meeting we will vote on the next book! The virtual club meeting will be in Zoom format and will meet 2.5 hours after the in-person meeting (8:00pm EST). After the meeting there is live acoustic music so stay and enjoy the vibe with your new friends! Put us down on your calendar for every third Third Thursday!

The first book is going to be called Disability Visibility.

Synopsis from the back cover: One in five people in the United States lives with a disability. Some disabilities are visible, others less apparent—but all are underrepresented in media and popular culture. Now, just in time for the thirtieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, activist Alice Wong brings together this urgent, galvanizing collection of contemporary essays by disabled people.

From Harriet McBryde Johnson’s account of her debate with Peter Singer over her own personhood to original pieces by authors like Keah Brown and Haben Girma; from blog posts, manifestos, and eulogies to Congressional testimonies, and beyond: this anthology gives a glimpse into the rich complexity of the disabled experience, highlighting the passions, talents, and everyday lives of this community. It invites readers to question their own understandings. It celebrates and documents disability culture in the now. It looks to the future and the past with hope and love. Preview:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51456746-disability-visibility
Message me for the Zoom link to the online meetup. Thanks!

My Story: Four Memoirs by WNC Authors: Lecture and Book Discussion Series: Glove Shy: A Sister’s Reckoning by Janet Hurley
Oct 19 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
West Asheville Library

My Story: Four Memoirs by WNC Authors:  Lecture and Book Discussion Series at West Asheville Library sponsored by the Wilma Dykeman Foundation. This second talk is by Janet Hurley owner of True Ink and cofounder of Asheville Writers in the Schools & Community (now Arteria Collective), featuring her memoir Glove Shy: A Sister’s Reckoning. This is a hybrid event–in person and Zoom available. Register for Zoom talk at [email protected]

Book discussion to follow on Wednesday, October 25th at 7pm.

Friday, October 20, 2023
VR with Better Than Unicorns
Oct 20 all-day
Better Than Unicorns
At Better Than Unicorns we seek the most curious souls, those who ask questions, those who dare to make demands, and those who can’t resist exploring ideas old or new…

If that’s you, get your things packed… for adventure awaits! We want to make the VR journey as accessible as possible. The experience we’re committed to sharing with as many people as possible is aNUma, a psychedelic-like journey where you can experience the most unique moments of life… from the oneness in us all to experiencing the fullness of the field surrounding each of us. If you own your own headset, simply email us for an invitation to our twice monthly, guided experiences in aNUma. If you don’t own a headset, you can rent one from us for 24 hours.

Want to come in to the studio with a few friends to explore the wider world of the metaverse? Book a party with us for up to six folks.

Get in for your next team building experience, combining our decades of experience in coaching, experiential education and facilitating containers for transformation in one powerful 90-minute session.

Monday, October 23, 2023
VR with Better Than Unicorns
Oct 23 all-day
Better Than Unicorns
At Better Than Unicorns we seek the most curious souls, those who ask questions, those who dare to make demands, and those who can’t resist exploring ideas old or new…

If that’s you, get your things packed… for adventure awaits! We want to make the VR journey as accessible as possible. The experience we’re committed to sharing with as many people as possible is aNUma, a psychedelic-like journey where you can experience the most unique moments of life… from the oneness in us all to experiencing the fullness of the field surrounding each of us. If you own your own headset, simply email us for an invitation to our twice monthly, guided experiences in aNUma. If you don’t own a headset, you can rent one from us for 24 hours.

Want to come in to the studio with a few friends to explore the wider world of the metaverse? Book a party with us for up to six folks.

Get in for your next team building experience, combining our decades of experience in coaching, experiential education and facilitating containers for transformation in one powerful 90-minute session.

Tuesday, October 24, 2023
VR with Better Than Unicorns
Oct 24 all-day
Better Than Unicorns
At Better Than Unicorns we seek the most curious souls, those who ask questions, those who dare to make demands, and those who can’t resist exploring ideas old or new…

If that’s you, get your things packed… for adventure awaits! We want to make the VR journey as accessible as possible. The experience we’re committed to sharing with as many people as possible is aNUma, a psychedelic-like journey where you can experience the most unique moments of life… from the oneness in us all to experiencing the fullness of the field surrounding each of us. If you own your own headset, simply email us for an invitation to our twice monthly, guided experiences in aNUma. If you don’t own a headset, you can rent one from us for 24 hours.

Want to come in to the studio with a few friends to explore the wider world of the metaverse? Book a party with us for up to six folks.

Get in for your next team building experience, combining our decades of experience in coaching, experiential education and facilitating containers for transformation in one powerful 90-minute session.

Venture Asheville’s Demo Day with 12 Startup Pitches
Oct 24 @ 7:00 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

Demo Day is coming Tuesday, October 24, 2023! Stay tuned for more details.

Please join Venture Asheville’s Elevate entrepreneurs for a fast-paced, high-energy Demo Day. Hear pitches from startups that are investment-ready and actively raising capital.

For more information on the Elevate program visit VentureAsheville.com/Elevate

A ticket and registration is required.

Wednesday, October 25, 2023
VR with Better Than Unicorns
Oct 25 all-day
Better Than Unicorns
At Better Than Unicorns we seek the most curious souls, those who ask questions, those who dare to make demands, and those who can’t resist exploring ideas old or new…

If that’s you, get your things packed… for adventure awaits! We want to make the VR journey as accessible as possible. The experience we’re committed to sharing with as many people as possible is aNUma, a psychedelic-like journey where you can experience the most unique moments of life… from the oneness in us all to experiencing the fullness of the field surrounding each of us. If you own your own headset, simply email us for an invitation to our twice monthly, guided experiences in aNUma. If you don’t own a headset, you can rent one from us for 24 hours.

Want to come in to the studio with a few friends to explore the wider world of the metaverse? Book a party with us for up to six folks.

Get in for your next team building experience, combining our decades of experience in coaching, experiential education and facilitating containers for transformation in one powerful 90-minute session.

Puppet Playtime
Oct 25 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am
East Asheville Library
Every Wednesday morning, we open up the children’s activity room to give kids time for free play with puppets. Children must be under the supervision or a parent or guardian.
Read to Puptart!
Oct 25 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Enka-Candler Library

Puptart is a tail wagging robot dog who sits and stays, pants when listening, and responds to someone talking to and petting it. It will not jump up or run away, plus it’s fur free, so no sneezes and runny noses coming your way!

Every Wednesday afternoon, Puptart will be available for reading practice in the children’s picture book room. Help establish a joy of reading and develop early literacy skills. Sign up at the front desk, pick a book and practice reading for up to 15 minutes.

Foodie Book Club
Oct 25 @ 7:00 pm
online

Foodie Book Club

A book club for home cooks, foodies, industry folks, and anyone in-between.  We will be focusing on all sorts of food writing. Somethemes will be (but not limited to): food critics, chef memoirs, wine, food history, and food politics.

The Foodie group meets virtually on the last Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. (EST), beginning in June 2022.  Please email [email protected] for the Zoom meeting info.

Thursday, October 26, 2023
VR with Better Than Unicorns
Oct 26 all-day
Better Than Unicorns
At Better Than Unicorns we seek the most curious souls, those who ask questions, those who dare to make demands, and those who can’t resist exploring ideas old or new…

If that’s you, get your things packed… for adventure awaits! We want to make the VR journey as accessible as possible. The experience we’re committed to sharing with as many people as possible is aNUma, a psychedelic-like journey where you can experience the most unique moments of life… from the oneness in us all to experiencing the fullness of the field surrounding each of us. If you own your own headset, simply email us for an invitation to our twice monthly, guided experiences in aNUma. If you don’t own a headset, you can rent one from us for 24 hours.

Want to come in to the studio with a few friends to explore the wider world of the metaverse? Book a party with us for up to six folks.

Get in for your next team building experience, combining our decades of experience in coaching, experiential education and facilitating containers for transformation in one powerful 90-minute session.

Business After Hours
Oct 26 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Dry Falls Brewing
Common Word Community Read: Adam Rothman, Professor of History, Georgetown University
Oct 26 @ 7:00 pm
Reuter Center, Manheimer Room (102)

Adam Rothman, professor of History at Georgetown University, will be speaking on Georgetown’s history of enslavement and his current research on Thursday, October 26 at 7 p.m. at the UNC Asheville Reuter Center, Manheimer Room.

Rothman is the director of the Center for the Study of Slavery and Its Legacies and co-editor of the recent book “Facing Georgetown’s History: A Reader on Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation” which details the university’s history of enslavement and its recent efforts to confront its past.

In “I Came As a Shadow,” John Thompson writes about Georgetown’s slaveholding legacy, especially the sale of 272 enslaved people in 1883 that was made to save the financially struggling university. Aside from tracing the descendants of the 272 individuals, Rothman’s research explores how institutions and communities confront their shameful pasts.

This event is part of the Common Word Community Read series, a set of lectures and discussions centered around a shared text with the goal of engaging a collective educational experience. The program is curated by Wiley Cash, New York Times bestselling author, alumnus of the class of 2000, and UNC Asheville’s Executive Director of Literary Arts. The selection for fall 2023 is “I Came As a Shadow” an autobiography by the late John Thompson, the head basketball coach at Georgetown University from 1972 to 1999, where he won the NCAA championship in 1984.


Accessibility

UNC Asheville is committed to providing universal access to all of our events. If you have any questions about access or to request reasonable accommodations that will facilitate your full participation in this event, please contact the Event Organizer (see below). Advance notice is necessary to arrange for accessibility needs.

Visitor Parking

Visitors may park in faculty/staff and All Permit lots from 5:00 p.m. until 7:30 a.m., Monday through Friday, and on weekends, holidays, and campus breaks. Visitors are not permitted to park in resident student lots at any time.
Prior to 5pm, any visitor (regardless of their reason for visit) need to adhere to the current practices listed on the parking website. Get your visitor parking permit here

Friday, October 27, 2023
VR with Better Than Unicorns
Oct 27 all-day
Better Than Unicorns
At Better Than Unicorns we seek the most curious souls, those who ask questions, those who dare to make demands, and those who can’t resist exploring ideas old or new…

If that’s you, get your things packed… for adventure awaits! We want to make the VR journey as accessible as possible. The experience we’re committed to sharing with as many people as possible is aNUma, a psychedelic-like journey where you can experience the most unique moments of life… from the oneness in us all to experiencing the fullness of the field surrounding each of us. If you own your own headset, simply email us for an invitation to our twice monthly, guided experiences in aNUma. If you don’t own a headset, you can rent one from us for 24 hours.

Want to come in to the studio with a few friends to explore the wider world of the metaverse? Book a party with us for up to six folks.

Get in for your next team building experience, combining our decades of experience in coaching, experiential education and facilitating containers for transformation in one powerful 90-minute session.

Sunday, October 29, 2023
Ross Gay poet and author
Oct 29 @ 7:00 pm
Citizen Vinyl

Ross Gay poet and author: Gay will give a reading and sign books at 7 p.m., Citizen Vinyl, 14 O. Henry Ave., Asheville. Free but registration is required. 

Monday, October 30, 2023
VR with Better Than Unicorns
Oct 30 all-day
Better Than Unicorns
At Better Than Unicorns we seek the most curious souls, those who ask questions, those who dare to make demands, and those who can’t resist exploring ideas old or new…

If that’s you, get your things packed… for adventure awaits! We want to make the VR journey as accessible as possible. The experience we’re committed to sharing with as many people as possible is aNUma, a psychedelic-like journey where you can experience the most unique moments of life… from the oneness in us all to experiencing the fullness of the field surrounding each of us. If you own your own headset, simply email us for an invitation to our twice monthly, guided experiences in aNUma. If you don’t own a headset, you can rent one from us for 24 hours.

Want to come in to the studio with a few friends to explore the wider world of the metaverse? Book a party with us for up to six folks.

Get in for your next team building experience, combining our decades of experience in coaching, experiential education and facilitating containers for transformation in one powerful 90-minute session.

Tuesday, October 31, 2023
VR with Better Than Unicorns
Oct 31 all-day
Better Than Unicorns
At Better Than Unicorns we seek the most curious souls, those who ask questions, those who dare to make demands, and those who can’t resist exploring ideas old or new…

If that’s you, get your things packed… for adventure awaits! We want to make the VR journey as accessible as possible. The experience we’re committed to sharing with as many people as possible is aNUma, a psychedelic-like journey where you can experience the most unique moments of life… from the oneness in us all to experiencing the fullness of the field surrounding each of us. If you own your own headset, simply email us for an invitation to our twice monthly, guided experiences in aNUma. If you don’t own a headset, you can rent one from us for 24 hours.

Want to come in to the studio with a few friends to explore the wider world of the metaverse? Book a party with us for up to six folks.

Get in for your next team building experience, combining our decades of experience in coaching, experiential education and facilitating containers for transformation in one powerful 90-minute session.

Online Zoom: West Asheville Library Book Discussion. The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery  
Oct 31 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
West Asheville Library
  West Asheville Library Book Discussion group will discuss Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery. This is an online Zoom event. Please join us! Email [email protected] for the Zoom information.
Romance Book Club
Oct 31 @ 7:00 pm
online w/ Malaprop's Bookstore
The Romance Book Club is a space to celebrate love in literature. Whether it’s set in early 1800s London, a distant planet years into the future, a fantasy world of magic, or our own contemporary universe, we are here for the stories that end with a happily-ever-after (or at least a happily-for-now). Meetings will take place the last Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Please email Samantha at [email protected] for the link to join.

The club will meet virtually for now. 

Meetings will take place at 7:00 PM ET on the last Tuesday of each month via Zoom. Please visit the Romance Bookclub page for the monthly selection, and email Samantha at [email protected] for the link to join.

Wednesday, November 1, 2023
VR with Better Than Unicorns
Nov 1 all-day
Better Than Unicorns
At Better Than Unicorns we seek the most curious souls, those who ask questions, those who dare to make demands, and those who can’t resist exploring ideas old or new…

If that’s you, get your things packed… for adventure awaits! We want to make the VR journey as accessible as possible. The experience we’re committed to sharing with as many people as possible is aNUma, a psychedelic-like journey where you can experience the most unique moments of life… from the oneness in us all to experiencing the fullness of the field surrounding each of us. If you own your own headset, simply email us for an invitation to our twice monthly, guided experiences in aNUma. If you don’t own a headset, you can rent one from us for 24 hours.

Want to come in to the studio with a few friends to explore the wider world of the metaverse? Book a party with us for up to six folks.

Get in for your next team building experience, combining our decades of experience in coaching, experiential education and facilitating containers for transformation in one powerful 90-minute session.