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, September 10, 2019
Auditions Readers Theatre Einstein and the Polar Bear
Sep 10 @ 10:30 am – 2:30 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

Director Ellen Pappas seeks a cast of 7 (4M, 3W) for this sharp and witty comedy! Auditions are open to all and all audition material is provided at the audition!

By Tom Griffin

Directed by Ellen Pappas

AUDITIONS: September 10, 2019, 10:30 am-2:30 pm

PRODUCTION DATES: September 27-29, 2019

REHEARSALS: September 12, 17, 19, 24, and 26, 2019 from 10:30-2:30

DIRECTOR SEEKS: 4 M, 3 W

About the show: A renowned writer has it all, fortune, fame, women and adoration, when one excruciating miscalculation causes him to lose everything. As penance he hides away in a small New England town where he runs a bookstore in a shambling farmhouse. Then comes a knock on his door. Can the lost be found? Can the sinner gain redemption?

Friday, September 13, 2019
Truth Be Told
Sep 13 @ 7:30 pm
35below ACT

These two one act plays, twinned in theme, display the struggles of sexual abuse, and the aftermath; which is healing. The stories of two different persons are speaking the truth – or a truth – their truths – about going through this harsh and mind blowing journey. This powerful show has a bold message with a light at the end of the tunnel. Truth Be Told is written and directed by Monica McDaniel.

Truth Be Told will open the 2019-20 35below season and is also the inaugural play in Asheville Community Theatre’s Artistic Horizons program, a program that gives local artists the opportunity to pursue new creative paths in the theatre.

Flat Rock Playhouse – Cinematastic: The Music of the Movies
Sep 13 @ 8:00 pm
Leiman Mainstage

Cinematastic: The Music of the Movies promises to capture the emotional and cultural impact of films that have defined multiple generations. Movies like The Jazz Singer, The Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, Top Gun, inspired millions with their relevance and innovation, so much so that these films have been preserved in the National Film Registry for cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance. While these films set milestones, their true success came from the ability to create iconic moments that struck a profound chord in the hearts of audiences.

Saturday, September 14, 2019
Clawhammer Hike with Highland Brewing Co.
Sep 14 @ 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Highland Brewing

Cost: FREE for all participants (but pre-registration is required)

This hike to Clawhammer Mountain, namesake of Highland Brewing Company’s seasonal Clawhammer Oktoberfest Lager, will be a long and strenuous 10+ mile trip along multi-use trails that traverse mountain bike, equestrian, and hiking trails as well as forest service roads. We will follow the trails up a steep climb along a creek, through wildflower patches and rich cove forest. From Clawhammer Cove to the summit, we will climb close to 1,500 feet to finish at 4,072 ft elevation. The summit offers scenic views of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Looking Glass in Pisgah National Forest.

This year we will be departing as a group from Highland Brewing Company in Asheville, NC and returning there for a Clawhammer pint following the hike!

This hike is offered as part of our “For Love of Beer and Mountains” partnerships.

Please Note: There are a couple single log bridges, muddy areas, rocky and steep inclines and a chance of yellow jackets; SAHC wants to provide a fun and safe trip so please be aware of these conditions.

Dogs: Well-behaved dogs are welcome, but must be kept on a leash.

Hike difficulty ratings are based on this formula: (0.002 x elevation gain (ft.)) + round trip distance (mi.) = difficulty rating (1 – 10+)

Brothers Like These
Sep 14 @ 7:00 pm
Asheville Community Theatre Main Stage

Four years into their healing journey from scars carried over half a century, Vietnam veterans from the Charles George VAMC Creative Writing Program, return for their third staged reading of Brothers Like These.

Please join us in affirming and celebrating the courage, selflessness, and reclaimed humanity of these veterans, as we at long last welcome them home. The evening is sponsored by the newly formed North Carolina Veterans Writing Alliance and hosted by former North Carolina Poet Laureate and Appalachian State University professor, Joseph Bathanti.

Truth Be Told
Sep 14 @ 7:30 pm
35below ACT

These two one act plays, twinned in theme, display the struggles of sexual abuse, and the aftermath; which is healing. The stories of two different persons are speaking the truth – or a truth – their truths – about going through this harsh and mind blowing journey. This powerful show has a bold message with a light at the end of the tunnel. Truth Be Told is written and directed by Monica McDaniel.

Truth Be Told will open the 2019-20 35below season and is also the inaugural play in Asheville Community Theatre’s Artistic Horizons program, a program that gives local artists the opportunity to pursue new creative paths in the theatre.

Sunday, September 15, 2019
Group Hike at Collier Cove Nature Preserve
Sep 15 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Collier Cove Nature Preserve

Hike

Our final group trek in the Sampler Hike Series takes place on Sunday, September 15. Small treats such as a play meadow and splashing streams highlight this trail with 360-degree views of surrounding summits.

Newer trails with small treats such as a play meadow and splashing streams highlight this trail with a 360-degree view that includes the summits of Bearwallow Mountain, Little Pisgah Mountain, and the upper end of Hickory Nut Gorge. This medium-steep hike is a 2-mile loop and its suburban location offers plenty of lunch options nearby. Meet at the Collier Cove Nature Preserve parking area (175 Rhododendron Drive in Arden).

Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Turkey Pen – Bradley Creek – Poundingmill – 7.2 miles Hike
Sep 17 @ 8:30 am – 1:30 pm
Asheville Outlet lot behind Waffle House

Varied hike following S. Mills River with multiple small stream crossings. Some trails overgrown; a little slippery if wet. Long pants and poles suggested. Proceed left of sign to S. Mills River and cross suspension bridge. Follow the river north on the Bradley Creek trail; then left on Squirrel Gap to a snack break on Poundingstone Mtn. Descend on Poundingmill trail to S. Mills River Trail, back to the suspension bridge; then right to the parking lot. Type: loop. Ascent: 1200’. Max elev: 3100’. Avg moving pace: 2.6 mph. Difficulty (1=effortless, 10=hard): 5. Dogs: welcome if well-behaved, subject to area restrictions. Trailhead: Turkey Pen. Directions from Waffle House to Mills River Ingles (12 miles): Right (north) on NC-191 Brevard Rd for 0.2 miles; right onto I-26 East for 7.5 miles; right on NC-280 West, Airport Rd, for 4.3 miles. From Mills River Ingles to the trailhead (8.1 miles): Right (south) on NC-280 Boylston Hwy for 6.9 miles. Right on Turkey Pen Rd to parking at the end. (Note: Turkey Pen Rd is rough; sedans not recommended.) Est. return to Waffle House: 1:30 p.m. PLEASE DON’T SIGNUP IF YOU’RE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE DISTANCE, ASCENT, OR PACE. PLEASE UPDATE YOUR RSVP TO “NO” IF YOU SIGNUP, BUT CHANGE YOUR MIND.

Friday, September 20, 2019
Truth Be Told
Sep 20 @ 7:30 pm
35below ACT

These two one act plays, twinned in theme, display the struggles of sexual abuse, and the aftermath; which is healing. The stories of two different persons are speaking the truth – or a truth – their truths – about going through this harsh and mind blowing journey. This powerful show has a bold message with a light at the end of the tunnel. Truth Be Told is written and directed by Monica McDaniel.

Truth Be Told will open the 2019-20 35below season and is also the inaugural play in Asheville Community Theatre’s Artistic Horizons program, a program that gives local artists the opportunity to pursue new creative paths in the theatre.

Flat Rock Playhouse – Cinematastic: The Music of the Movies
Sep 20 @ 8:00 pm
Leiman Mainstage

Cinematastic: The Music of the Movies promises to capture the emotional and cultural impact of films that have defined multiple generations. Movies like The Jazz Singer, The Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, Top Gun, inspired millions with their relevance and innovation, so much so that these films have been preserved in the National Film Registry for cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance. While these films set milestones, their true success came from the ability to create iconic moments that struck a profound chord in the hearts of audiences.

Saturday, September 21, 2019
Truth Be Told
Sep 21 @ 7:30 pm
35below ACT

These two one act plays, twinned in theme, display the struggles of sexual abuse, and the aftermath; which is healing. The stories of two different persons are speaking the truth – or a truth – their truths – about going through this harsh and mind blowing journey. This powerful show has a bold message with a light at the end of the tunnel. Truth Be Told is written and directed by Monica McDaniel.

Truth Be Told will open the 2019-20 35below season and is also the inaugural play in Asheville Community Theatre’s Artistic Horizons program, a program that gives local artists the opportunity to pursue new creative paths in the theatre.

Friday, September 27, 2019
Readers Theatre Einstein and the Polar Bear
Sep 27 @ 2:30 pm
35below Asheville Community Theatre

 

About the show: A renowned writer has it all, fortune, fame, women and adoration, when one excruciating miscalculation causes him to lose everything. As penance he hides away in a small New England town where he runs a bookstore in a shambling farmhouse. Then comes a knock on his door. Can the lost be found? Can the sinner gain redemption?

 

Flat Rock Playhouse – Cinematastic: The Music of the Movies
Sep 27 @ 8:00 pm
Leiman Mainstage

Cinematastic: The Music of the Movies promises to capture the emotional and cultural impact of films that have defined multiple generations. Movies like The Jazz Singer, The Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, Top Gun, inspired millions with their relevance and innovation, so much so that these films have been preserved in the National Film Registry for cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance. While these films set milestones, their true success came from the ability to create iconic moments that struck a profound chord in the hearts of audiences.

Saturday, September 28, 2019
Readers Theatre Einstein and the Polar Bear
Sep 28 @ 2:30 pm
35below Asheville Community Theatre

 

About the show: A renowned writer has it all, fortune, fame, women and adoration, when one excruciating miscalculation causes him to lose everything. As penance he hides away in a small New England town where he runs a bookstore in a shambling farmhouse. Then comes a knock on his door. Can the lost be found? Can the sinner gain redemption?

 

Sunday, September 29, 2019
Readers Theatre Einstein and the Polar Bear
Sep 29 @ 2:30 pm
Reuter Center at UNCA

 

About the show: A renowned writer has it all, fortune, fame, women and adoration, when one excruciating miscalculation causes him to lose everything. As penance he hides away in a small New England town where he runs a bookstore in a shambling farmhouse. Then comes a knock on his door. Can the lost be found? Can the sinner gain redemption?

Thursday, October 3, 2019
UNCA’s Carol Belk Theatre “A Company of Wayward Saints”
Oct 3 @ 7:30 pm
UNC Asheville Belk Theatre

A troupe of traveling actors are desperate to find their way home after many days on the road. Stranded and down on their luck, this commedia dell’arte troupe finally encounter a wealthy patron who promises them the money, but only if they improvise a play, to his liking, on the dauntingly large subject: The History of Man. The problem is the troupe is dysfunctional and has lost their ability to improvise. Nonetheless, they soldier on starting with the Garden of Eden through Everyman in birth, adolescence, marriage and death. Along the way they enact other wayward adventures such as the assassination of Julius Caesar and the homecoming of Odysseus. It is during the performance, the troupe rediscovers themselves and their art through a series of comical and sometimes heartwarming scenes.

Show Dates: October 3rd – 5th @ 7:30 pm; October 6th @ 2 pm. 

Underwear Comedy Party AVL
Oct 3 @ 9:00 pm
Fleetwood's

Underwear Comedy Party is a night of nearly nude laughs. All the comedians will be performing in their underwear and we encourage the audience to strip down too!

doors at 8pm, show at 9pm

Tickets $10
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/underwear-comedy-party-avl-tickets-70332354967

Friday, October 4, 2019
Street Creatures & Dancing Beasts Exhibit
Oct 4 @ 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Asheville Area Arts Council

Please join us on October 4, from 5 to 8 pm for the opening party. Performance of “Nona’s Cooking Show” marionette show is at 6:30.

Exhibit open 10 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday, at 207 Coxe Ave, downtown Asheville, through October 25.

“Street Creatures and Dancing Beasts” will celebrate Asheville’s vibrant puppetry scene as an Asheville Area Arts Council exhibit. It will display puppets made by local artists showing diverse styles and forms in a range of sizes and materials. A menagerie of animals, both real and imaginary, will  dance around the gallery. Puppetry is often relegated to the world of children’s entertainment, but this art form is ancient, multi faceted and almost limitless in scope. It requires the skills of an artist, tinkerer and performer, writer, musician and dancer.

Curator and artist Jennifer Murphy is one of the founders of Street Creature Puppet Collective, and “den mother” of the Puppet Clubhouse, a bright and lively community art space in North Asheville. Her work brings nature and myth together in ecological pageants. The other artists included use diverse visual styles and approaches.

Represented are long time puppetry master Hobey Ford, winner of puppetry’s highest honor, the UNIMA Citation of Excellence; Luce Romaldini, who’s rough charming cardboard figures tell uncomfortable truths; Edwin Salas, international puppeteer and dancer who conjures strange creatures of the dark side; Jim Julien, graphic designer and co-director of the Asheville Fringe Arts Festival; Chris Eizember, creative tinkerer and bamboo sculptor; Geneva Bierce-Wilson, fiber artist, inventor and maker of small dragons and large worms; and Street Creature Puppet Collective, a community of collaborative parade puppet makers.

16 Years Tried Montford Players
Oct 4 @ 7:30 pm
Hazel Robinson Amphitheater

MPP’s funniest, most-original and most-FREE show has been getting RAVES!

Closing out our Summer Season is the fantastic 16 Years Tried, or Let Time’s News Be Known, by Travis Lowe.
Hot on the heels of MPP’s hit “The Winter’s Tale” comes this original, world-premiere take on that work. Penned by local playwright (and MPP regular) Travis Lowe, “16 Years Tried” presents a comic, existential and often surreal look at what might have happened during the 16 years not shown in “The Winter’s Tale.”Director John Preston Mendenhall says of this novel work, “This isn’t Shakespeare’s Bohemia. During a performance of ‘The Winter’s Tale,’ Time’s timing is off and he enters early. After a brief argument with a Shepherd, Time decides to slow down, beginning a sixteen-year adventure populated by an existentially conflicted Bear, a cross-dressing thief, a discontented prince, kings, queens, courtiers, and feminist falcons.”

The piece stars some of Montford Park Players’ greatest talent, all looking forward to taking on something never before seen. They include Alexander McDonald Villarreal, Melon Wedick, Scott Bean, Devyn Ray Villarreal, Jon Stockdale, and many more.

As Mendenhall says, “Whether or not you know The Winter’s Tale, you will enjoy the non-stop fun of this production.”

We hope you’ll join us!

For more information or to reserve seats, go to montfordparkplayers.org.

The Wizard of Oz
Oct 4 @ 7:30 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

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!
UNCA’s Carol Belk Theatre “A Company of Wayward Saints”
Oct 4 @ 7:30 pm
UNC Asheville Belk Theatre

A troupe of traveling actors are desperate to find their way home after many days on the road. Stranded and down on their luck, this commedia dell’arte troupe finally encounter a wealthy patron who promises them the money, but only if they improvise a play, to his liking, on the dauntingly large subject: The History of Man. The problem is the troupe is dysfunctional and has lost their ability to improvise. Nonetheless, they soldier on starting with the Garden of Eden through Everyman in birth, adolescence, marriage and death. Along the way they enact other wayward adventures such as the assassination of Julius Caesar and the homecoming of Odysseus. It is during the performance, the troupe rediscovers themselves and their art through a series of comical and sometimes heartwarming scenes.

Show Dates: October 3rd – 5th @ 7:30 pm; October 6th @ 2 pm. 

Mom’s Out, Local Comedy Showcase
Oct 4 @ 9:30 pm – 11:30 pm
LaZoom Room

The parents are out of town and the kids (local comedians) are running the show!
Come out to LaZoom for a night of comedy from Asheville’s best comics.

Tickets $10 advance, $12 day of
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/moms-out-tonight-local-comedy-showcase-tickets-71017628639

Saturday, October 5, 2019
A Company of Wayward Saits
Oct 5 all-day
Carol Belk Theatre

A troupe of traveling actors are desperate to find their way home after many days on the road. Stranded and down on their luck, this commedia dell’arte troupe finally encounter a wealthy patron who promises them the money, but only if they improvise a play, to his liking, on the dauntingly large subject: The History of Man. The problem is the troupe is dysfunctional and has lost their ability to improvise. Nonetheless, they soldier on starting with the Garden of Eden through Everyman in birth, adolescence, marriage and death. Along the way they enact other wayward adventures such as the assassination of Julius Caesar and the homecoming of Odysseus. It is during the performance, the troupe rediscovers themselves and their art through a series of comical and sometimes heartwarming scenes.
Show Dates: October 3rd – 5th @ 7:30 pm

16 Years Tried Montford Players
Oct 5 @ 7:30 pm
Hazel Robinson Amphitheater

MPP’s funniest, most-original and most-FREE show has been getting RAVES!

Closing out our Summer Season is the fantastic 16 Years Tried, or Let Time’s News Be Known, by Travis Lowe.
Hot on the heels of MPP’s hit “The Winter’s Tale” comes this original, world-premiere take on that work. Penned by local playwright (and MPP regular) Travis Lowe, “16 Years Tried” presents a comic, existential and often surreal look at what might have happened during the 16 years not shown in “The Winter’s Tale.”Director John Preston Mendenhall says of this novel work, “This isn’t Shakespeare’s Bohemia. During a performance of ‘The Winter’s Tale,’ Time’s timing is off and he enters early. After a brief argument with a Shepherd, Time decides to slow down, beginning a sixteen-year adventure populated by an existentially conflicted Bear, a cross-dressing thief, a discontented prince, kings, queens, courtiers, and feminist falcons.”

The piece stars some of Montford Park Players’ greatest talent, all looking forward to taking on something never before seen. They include Alexander McDonald Villarreal, Melon Wedick, Scott Bean, Devyn Ray Villarreal, Jon Stockdale, and many more.

As Mendenhall says, “Whether or not you know The Winter’s Tale, you will enjoy the non-stop fun of this production.”

We hope you’ll join us!

For more information or to reserve seats, go to montfordparkplayers.org.

The Wizard of Oz
Oct 5 @ 7:30 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

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!
UNCA’s Carol Belk Theatre “A Company of Wayward Saints”
Oct 5 @ 7:30 pm
UNC Asheville Belk Theatre

A troupe of traveling actors are desperate to find their way home after many days on the road. Stranded and down on their luck, this commedia dell’arte troupe finally encounter a wealthy patron who promises them the money, but only if they improvise a play, to his liking, on the dauntingly large subject: The History of Man. The problem is the troupe is dysfunctional and has lost their ability to improvise. Nonetheless, they soldier on starting with the Garden of Eden through Everyman in birth, adolescence, marriage and death. Along the way they enact other wayward adventures such as the assassination of Julius Caesar and the homecoming of Odysseus. It is during the performance, the troupe rediscovers themselves and their art through a series of comical and sometimes heartwarming scenes.

Show Dates: October 3rd – 5th @ 7:30 pm; October 6th @ 2 pm. 

Sunday, October 6, 2019
A Company of Wayward Saints
Oct 6 all-day
Carol Belk Theatre

A troupe of traveling actors are desperate to find their way home after many days on the road. Stranded and down on their luck, this commedia dell’arte troupe finally encounter a wealthy patron who promises them the money, but only if they improvise a play, to his liking, on the dauntingly large subject: The History of Man. The problem is the troupe is dysfunctional and has lost their ability to improvise. Nonetheless, they soldier on starting with the Garden of Eden through Everyman in birth, adolescence, marriage and death. Along the way they enact other wayward adventures such as the assassination of Julius Caesar and the homecoming of Odysseus. It is during the performance, the troupe rediscovers themselves and their art through a series of comical and sometimes heartwarming scenes.
Show Date(s):October 6th @ 2 pm.

UNCA’s Carol Belk Theatre “A Company of Wayward Saints”
Oct 6 @ 2:00 pm
UNC Asheville Belk Theatre

A troupe of traveling actors are desperate to find their way home after many days on the road. Stranded and down on their luck, this commedia dell’arte troupe finally encounter a wealthy patron who promises them the money, but only if they improvise a play, to his liking, on the dauntingly large subject: The History of Man. The problem is the troupe is dysfunctional and has lost their ability to improvise. Nonetheless, they soldier on starting with the Garden of Eden through Everyman in birth, adolescence, marriage and death. Along the way they enact other wayward adventures such as the assassination of Julius Caesar and the homecoming of Odysseus. It is during the performance, the troupe rediscovers themselves and their art through a series of comical and sometimes heartwarming scenes.

Show Dates: October 3rd – 5th @ 7:30 pm; October 6th @ 2 pm. 

The Wizard of Oz
Oct 6 @ 2:30 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

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!
16 Years Tried Montford Players
Oct 6 @ 7:30 pm
Hazel Robinson Amphitheater

MPP’s funniest, most-original and most-FREE show has been getting RAVES!

Closing out our Summer Season is the fantastic 16 Years Tried, or Let Time’s News Be Known, by Travis Lowe.
Hot on the heels of MPP’s hit “The Winter’s Tale” comes this original, world-premiere take on that work. Penned by local playwright (and MPP regular) Travis Lowe, “16 Years Tried” presents a comic, existential and often surreal look at what might have happened during the 16 years not shown in “The Winter’s Tale.”Director John Preston Mendenhall says of this novel work, “This isn’t Shakespeare’s Bohemia. During a performance of ‘The Winter’s Tale,’ Time’s timing is off and he enters early. After a brief argument with a Shepherd, Time decides to slow down, beginning a sixteen-year adventure populated by an existentially conflicted Bear, a cross-dressing thief, a discontented prince, kings, queens, courtiers, and feminist falcons.”

The piece stars some of Montford Park Players’ greatest talent, all looking forward to taking on something never before seen. They include Alexander McDonald Villarreal, Melon Wedick, Scott Bean, Devyn Ray Villarreal, Jon Stockdale, and many more.

As Mendenhall says, “Whether or not you know The Winter’s Tale, you will enjoy the non-stop fun of this production.”

We hope you’ll join us!

For more information or to reserve seats, go to montfordparkplayers.org.