Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
Shop & Dine HC
Enter the KEEP THE CHEER HERE Contest hosted with WTZQ!
What is Shop & Dine HC?
Shop & Dine HC is a collaborative movement designed to remind the public of the benefits and importance of spending their dollars with our local businesses. Local businesses lay the framework for a strong community and we want Henderson County to shop local, spend local, save local.
Why does shopping locally matter?
When you shop locally:
- $0.02 of every $1 stays in the community through the Sales Tax. These dollars support county and municipal budgets for schools, law enforcement, infrastructure, and more.
- you help create and retain jobs for existing businesses as they succeed and grow, and create a successful business community that attracts other businesses and entrepreneurs.
- those same businesses you are supporting will give back to our community through donations to non-profits, civic clubs, youth programs, and more.
Simply put – our local businesses make our community better.
Want to get involved?
Be part of the conversation!
Join the Shop & Dine Facebook Group
Businesses – Take the #SafeHendo Pledge!
We celebrate businesses that are committed to the safety of our community in these extraordinary times. Check out the #SafeHendo pledge and let your customers know their safety is your focus.
Thank you for always being such a great friend of The Orange Peel. Your continued support means so much to us!
But, we still need your help!
Thanks to you, the Save Our Stages Act passed in the House of Representatives — but as you may know, it’s not law yet. We’re pushing to get it included in the next COVID-19 Relief package, which is being negotiated now – and we need your voice (again) ASAP.
The situation gets more dire with each passing day. With no emergency relief, hundreds of venues have already shuttered forever, through no fault of their own.
Even if you’ve done it before, can you please take 30 seconds to remind your Congressional representatives that you want them to pass the next COVID-19 Relief Act now and include crucial assistance for independent venues and promoters. Just click here to Save Our Stages.
When legislators hear from you it makes all the difference – and can help us get this across the finish line. On behalf of the nearly 3,000 members of the National Independent Venue Association, thank you for your continued support.
You don’t know what you’ve got ‘till it’s gone…
You can also donate directly to The Orange Peel to help us get through this difficult time. Just click here!
Things are looking a little different this winter holiday season. Show & Tell has gone virtual, bringing the holiday pop up shop you know and love Home For the Holidays!
∙∙∙
Although we are going to miss decking the halls, we are so excited to reach a wider audience with our online presence and are thrilled to showcase the best in handmade, vintage, fair trade, and packaged bites from Asheville, NC and beyond.
This holiday season we are reimaging traditions for a safer, socially distant world and our Angel Tree is going virtual. This gift tree provides our broader YWCA community a path to join us as we aim to support our program participants and their families with a holiday season full of love and support.
If you are able to, please select a gift from our Amazon wish list. Gifts from the list will be mailed directly to our building and will be sorted and distributed by our YWCA elves. All items on the list have been selected by the families and are items they are wishing for or are in need of this holiday season.
If you would like to go further and adopt a family this holiday season please email our Director of Women’s Empowerment Kelley Hubbell to get the details of how you can fulfill a family’s holiday wish.
All gifts must be ordered by December 11.
Programs Served by the Angel Tree
MotherLove
YWCA’s MotherLove program supports pregnant and parenting teens throughout Buncombe County. Our goals are to help young parents to stay in school and graduate, access higher education and vocational training, develop the skills and knowledge needed to become strong parents and delay another teen pregnancy.
Getting Ahead In a Just Getting By World
YWCA’s Getting Ahead program aims to provide financial empowerment for low-income women of all ages and backgrounds to make choices that positively impact themselves, their families and their community.
Early Learning Program
YWCA’s Early Learning Program provides 5-star childcare for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Our experienced and compassionate teachers not only provide exceptional care for little ones, but they also prepare young children to succeed cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally. We prioritize families using childcare vouchers or caring for children in the foster care system.
Empowerment Childcare
The YWCA provides up to 12 hours of free childcare per week for parents who are in transition, continuing their education, accessing social services, or looking for employment. ECC works closely with the Family Justice Center, Buncombe County Health and Human Services, A-B Tech, Green Opportunities, and Mary Benson House.
We team up with Claxton Elementary each year to find folks who’d love to provide gifts for students who would otherwise go without. If you’re looking for a way to give back this season, these children need you!
Once you sign up, we will match you with a child and email you a printable ornament with their sizes and wish list!
You can drop off gifts from 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM (M-F) at Claxton Elementary School.
More specific details will be included in an email after you sign up.
Grove Arcade is thrilled to announce the return of its annual Winter Wonderland holiday celebration.
The Arcade has transformed into a wreath-bedecked showcase for Asheville’s finest local craftspeople and retailers. Smells of pine and holly will greet visitors as they tour—at a proper social distance!—Asheville’s stunning art deco gem to discover one-of-a-kind, handcrafted local gifts, enjoy holiday-themed beverages and dining specials, and winter-y feels within the warm Grove Arcade halls. Specially curated Christmas standards and the most extravagant holiday decorations in town will transport visitors to a truly unforgettable winter paradise.
We will be hosting a local MANNA Food Bank Drive! Drop-off barrels will be placed around several areas of the Arcade to be collected and distributed by MANNA to help during these uncertain times.
For the enjoyment and safety of everyone, Grove Arcade will be taking appropriate COVID-19 precautions during Winter Wonderland. All visitors and employees will be required to follow the CDC’s health recommendations, including social distancing and mask wearing.
Enjoy a safe and jolly visit to Grove Arcade’s Winter Wonderland! And from all of us at Grove Arcade, Happy Holidays!
We’re proud to call Western North Carolina home. Our dedicated staff work and live in the area, just like you. Whether you’re here for the breath-taking mountain views or the cooler weather, we’re glad you’re here to help us save the lives of your neighbors.
Our centers are the perfect places to give back and kick back. Open every day, yes weekends too, makes it easy to fit donating into your schedule.
You could probably use a little peace, and every Blood Connection center offers that. Clean, spacious, and comfortable, a center getaway may be exactly what you need…it’s exactly what 3 blood recipients need too.
Every donation has the power to save up to 3 lives. Every 2 seconds, someone in the U.S. is in need of a life-saving blood transfusion. You’re 1 person who can make a difference!
When WCCA’s Bargain Hunt Thrift Shop opens for business on Tuesday,
December 1st, it will also mark the start of a new holiday tradition – Countdown to Christmas. In
addition to providing a source for inexpensive clothing and household goods, Bargain Hunt will
help fund WCCA’s programs including: Children’s Services, Housing, Transportation, and Older
Adult Services throughout four Western NC Counties.
Standing out in Hendersonville’s active resale marketplace requires thinking outside the box. Or,
in this case, thinking outside 24 boxes. Store manager Belinda Sawyer exclaimed, “That little
surprise each morning just adds to the fun and anticipation of the holidays. So the new tradition
at Bargain Hunt is to celebrate the season with a Countdown Calendar of Discounts.” Each day
in December, Bargain Hunt will reveal a new discount for customers to enjoy.
10AM to 2PM on Saturday
purchases. (You can join the Friends at the bookstore). Anyone can donate books, CDs,
and DVDs at the store, but only during the hours it is open.
As with the book sales, everything at the bookstore is in excellent condition. Books are
shelved by author or subject so they are easy to find, and books are restocked
throughout the week. The store also sells CDs and DVDs.
The bookstore follows health guidelines. Anyone entering must wear a mask and
practice social distancing. Hand sanitizers are available. When the store is busy,
shopping is limited to 30 minutes.
a need for more volunteers to help at the bookstore. It is a great way to meet people
who love reading while also helping to support our library system.
Ten Asheville area art galleries. A new gallery experience online daily from 5-6 pm each weekday beginning December 2nd through December 15th.
The online Holiday Craft Sale features nature-themed, handcrafted items, including ornaments, jewelry, textiles, quilts and holiday decor. Wreaths and swags enhanced with botanicals gathered on the Bullington Garden grounds and created by volunteers are ready for your home. Our delightful holiday garden gnome, standing 30 inches tall, adds a whimsical touch to your front porch. Locally-grown premium amaryllis, poinsettias, cyclamens and Christmas cactus plants are also available.
Bullington’s “Buzzington” bee products are offered including BeeKind ornaments, bee-themed gift items and beeswax candles.
The Holiday Greenery Sale features premium, freshly-cut Fraser fir trees ranging in height from five to eight feet. These native trees come from the Western North Carolina mountains and are wrapped for protection during transport. Also available are premium garlands in a 25-foot length, plus unadorned 12-inch wreaths. Holiday greenery must be ordered by Tuesday, Nov. 24.
Bullington Gardens is a proud supporter of our veterans, and believes all service members should be honored for their sacrifice. In partnership with local veterans and volunteers, Bullington Gardens offers Veteran’s Wreaths. Your $17 donation to honor a fallen veteran provides a 12-inch wreath, decorated with a hand tied red bow, and placed on a gravesite at the State Veteran’s Cemetery in Black Mountain, NC.
Shop our Bullington Gardens store online at www.bullingtongardens.org and fill your virtual cart with unique gift items and greenery. You can also place your order by phone at 828-698-6104 or in person at Bullington Gardens. Shipping or delivery is not available.
Bullington Gardens is located at 95 Upper Red Oak Trail in Hendersonville. For more information, call Bullington Gardens at 828-698-6104 or visit www.bullingtongardens.org.
Blue Ridge Humane Society’s rating and other information about charitable giving are available free of charge on www.charitynavigator.org.
Blue Ridge Humane Society’s strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned the 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator. The 4-star rating is the highest level awarded by Charity Navigator.
Blue Ridge Humane Society is committed to creating lifelong homes for every pet. BRHS cares for pets awaiting adoption at the Adoption Center and works to ensure the highest quality adoption counseling experience for potential adopters. At our Adoption Center, we assess behavior and treat conditions as necessary with all animals under our care. Prior to adoption, each animal is provided with all the appropriate vaccinations, a microchip, dewormed, and are spayed or neutered. In addition, each pet goes home with a 30-day free health insurance plan.
BRHS also provides owner support for BRHS adopters and community pet owners, including low-cost vaccine clinics, pet training classes, behavior consultations and adoption follow-ups. BRHS takes an active role in community outreach through providing animal and youth education programs and projects; coordinates community pet food assistance, emergency vet assistance, and the Spay Neuter Incentive Program (SNIP), which is a collaboration with Henderson County, the City of Hendersonville, and the Henderson County Animal Services Center.
The Blue Ridge Humane Society, a 501(c)3 animal welfare organization, is dedicated to ensuring the highest quality of life for animals in Henderson County and our neighboring communities.
If you believe in our cause, consider making a donation or learning how to volunteer by visiting the Blue Ridge Humane Society’s website at www.blueridgehumane.org or call (828) 692-2639.
SHOP THE ROCK!
Our online gift shop is now open, and just in time for your holiday shopping. T-shirts are available in a variety of colors with Adult and Youth sizing, and we have additional apparel items like sweatshirts, hats, polos, and totes. We have unique gift options like our 50th-anniversary book with a detailed history of Flat Rock Playhouse and prints designed by some of your favorite Vagabonds.
Spread some mountain magic and holiday cheer with these unique gifts from Asheville’s artisans and makers. Shop from over 50 local vendors or share your love of Asheville by giving the gift of travel this holiday season.
Shop & Dine HC
Enter the KEEP THE CHEER HERE Contest hosted with WTZQ!
What is Shop & Dine HC?
Shop & Dine HC is a collaborative movement designed to remind the public of the benefits and importance of spending their dollars with our local businesses. Local businesses lay the framework for a strong community and we want Henderson County to shop local, spend local, save local.
Why does shopping locally matter?
When you shop locally:
- $0.02 of every $1 stays in the community through the Sales Tax. These dollars support county and municipal budgets for schools, law enforcement, infrastructure, and more.
- you help create and retain jobs for existing businesses as they succeed and grow, and create a successful business community that attracts other businesses and entrepreneurs.
- those same businesses you are supporting will give back to our community through donations to non-profits, civic clubs, youth programs, and more.
Simply put – our local businesses make our community better.
Want to get involved?
Be part of the conversation!
Join the Shop & Dine Facebook Group
Businesses – Take the #SafeHendo Pledge!
We celebrate businesses that are committed to the safety of our community in these extraordinary times. Check out the #SafeHendo pledge and let your customers know their safety is your focus.
Thank you for always being such a great friend of The Orange Peel. Your continued support means so much to us!
But, we still need your help!
Thanks to you, the Save Our Stages Act passed in the House of Representatives — but as you may know, it’s not law yet. We’re pushing to get it included in the next COVID-19 Relief package, which is being negotiated now – and we need your voice (again) ASAP.
The situation gets more dire with each passing day. With no emergency relief, hundreds of venues have already shuttered forever, through no fault of their own.
Even if you’ve done it before, can you please take 30 seconds to remind your Congressional representatives that you want them to pass the next COVID-19 Relief Act now and include crucial assistance for independent venues and promoters. Just click here to Save Our Stages.
When legislators hear from you it makes all the difference – and can help us get this across the finish line. On behalf of the nearly 3,000 members of the National Independent Venue Association, thank you for your continued support.
You don’t know what you’ve got ‘till it’s gone…
You can also donate directly to The Orange Peel to help us get through this difficult time. Just click here!
Did you know that Amazon’s net sales for Q4 are expected to be $121 Billion and to grow 38% compared with fourth quarter 2019 numbers? Clearly in this pandemic, they are the big winner. Y’all… there has NEVER been a more critical year to SHOP LOCAL! Please show your love and support of our amazing local business community which truly has all you could ever need- a vintage dress, wall tapestry, piece of pottery, growler of beer or endless gift cards to your favorite Asheville restaurants. Get some ideas here: shops , restaurants , breweries , and more.
Things are looking a little different this winter holiday season. Show & Tell has gone virtual, bringing the holiday pop up shop you know and love Home For the Holidays!
∙∙∙
Although we are going to miss decking the halls, we are so excited to reach a wider audience with our online presence and are thrilled to showcase the best in handmade, vintage, fair trade, and packaged bites from Asheville, NC and beyond.
This holiday season we are reimaging traditions for a safer, socially distant world and our Angel Tree is going virtual. This gift tree provides our broader YWCA community a path to join us as we aim to support our program participants and their families with a holiday season full of love and support.
If you are able to, please select a gift from our Amazon wish list. Gifts from the list will be mailed directly to our building and will be sorted and distributed by our YWCA elves. All items on the list have been selected by the families and are items they are wishing for or are in need of this holiday season.
If you would like to go further and adopt a family this holiday season please email our Director of Women’s Empowerment Kelley Hubbell to get the details of how you can fulfill a family’s holiday wish.
All gifts must be ordered by December 11.
Programs Served by the Angel Tree
MotherLove
YWCA’s MotherLove program supports pregnant and parenting teens throughout Buncombe County. Our goals are to help young parents to stay in school and graduate, access higher education and vocational training, develop the skills and knowledge needed to become strong parents and delay another teen pregnancy.
Getting Ahead In a Just Getting By World
YWCA’s Getting Ahead program aims to provide financial empowerment for low-income women of all ages and backgrounds to make choices that positively impact themselves, their families and their community.
Early Learning Program
YWCA’s Early Learning Program provides 5-star childcare for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Our experienced and compassionate teachers not only provide exceptional care for little ones, but they also prepare young children to succeed cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally. We prioritize families using childcare vouchers or caring for children in the foster care system.
Empowerment Childcare
The YWCA provides up to 12 hours of free childcare per week for parents who are in transition, continuing their education, accessing social services, or looking for employment. ECC works closely with the Family Justice Center, Buncombe County Health and Human Services, A-B Tech, Green Opportunities, and Mary Benson House.
We team up with Claxton Elementary each year to find folks who’d love to provide gifts for students who would otherwise go without. If you’re looking for a way to give back this season, these children need you!
Once you sign up, we will match you with a child and email you a printable ornament with their sizes and wish list!
You can drop off gifts from 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM (M-F) at Claxton Elementary School.
More specific details will be included in an email after you sign up.
Grove Arcade is thrilled to announce the return of its annual Winter Wonderland holiday celebration.
The Arcade has transformed into a wreath-bedecked showcase for Asheville’s finest local craftspeople and retailers. Smells of pine and holly will greet visitors as they tour—at a proper social distance!—Asheville’s stunning art deco gem to discover one-of-a-kind, handcrafted local gifts, enjoy holiday-themed beverages and dining specials, and winter-y feels within the warm Grove Arcade halls. Specially curated Christmas standards and the most extravagant holiday decorations in town will transport visitors to a truly unforgettable winter paradise.
We will be hosting a local MANNA Food Bank Drive! Drop-off barrels will be placed around several areas of the Arcade to be collected and distributed by MANNA to help during these uncertain times.
For the enjoyment and safety of everyone, Grove Arcade will be taking appropriate COVID-19 precautions during Winter Wonderland. All visitors and employees will be required to follow the CDC’s health recommendations, including social distancing and mask wearing.
Enjoy a safe and jolly visit to Grove Arcade’s Winter Wonderland! And from all of us at Grove Arcade, Happy Holidays!
We’re proud to call Western North Carolina home. Our dedicated staff work and live in the area, just like you. Whether you’re here for the breath-taking mountain views or the cooler weather, we’re glad you’re here to help us save the lives of your neighbors.
Our centers are the perfect places to give back and kick back. Open every day, yes weekends too, makes it easy to fit donating into your schedule.
You could probably use a little peace, and every Blood Connection center offers that. Clean, spacious, and comfortable, a center getaway may be exactly what you need…it’s exactly what 3 blood recipients need too.
Every donation has the power to save up to 3 lives. Every 2 seconds, someone in the U.S. is in need of a life-saving blood transfusion. You’re 1 person who can make a difference!
Start the year off right with a Flat Rock Playhouse 2021 calendar! This beautiful image of our Mainstage was taken by longtime Vagabond and Flat Rock Playhouse favorite, Scott Treadway. Enjoy the view of the Rock all year round in your office, on the kitchen wall, or above your desk. This quality printed calendar is 20″x16″ and supports the arts in North Carolina.
When WCCA’s Bargain Hunt Thrift Shop opens for business on Tuesday,
December 1st, it will also mark the start of a new holiday tradition – Countdown to Christmas. In
addition to providing a source for inexpensive clothing and household goods, Bargain Hunt will
help fund WCCA’s programs including: Children’s Services, Housing, Transportation, and Older
Adult Services throughout four Western NC Counties.
Standing out in Hendersonville’s active resale marketplace requires thinking outside the box. Or,
in this case, thinking outside 24 boxes. Store manager Belinda Sawyer exclaimed, “That little
surprise each morning just adds to the fun and anticipation of the holidays. So the new tradition
at Bargain Hunt is to celebrate the season with a Countdown Calendar of Discounts.” Each day
in December, Bargain Hunt will reveal a new discount for customers to enjoy.
10AM to 2PM on Saturday
purchases. (You can join the Friends at the bookstore). Anyone can donate books, CDs,
and DVDs at the store, but only during the hours it is open.
As with the book sales, everything at the bookstore is in excellent condition. Books are
shelved by author or subject so they are easy to find, and books are restocked
throughout the week. The store also sells CDs and DVDs.
The bookstore follows health guidelines. Anyone entering must wear a mask and
practice social distancing. Hand sanitizers are available. When the store is busy,
shopping is limited to 30 minutes.
a need for more volunteers to help at the bookstore. It is a great way to meet people
who love reading while also helping to support our library system.
Ten Asheville area art galleries. A new gallery experience online daily from 5-6 pm each weekday beginning December 2nd through December 15th.
The online Holiday Craft Sale features nature-themed, handcrafted items, including ornaments, jewelry, textiles, quilts and holiday decor. Wreaths and swags enhanced with botanicals gathered on the Bullington Garden grounds and created by volunteers are ready for your home. Our delightful holiday garden gnome, standing 30 inches tall, adds a whimsical touch to your front porch. Locally-grown premium amaryllis, poinsettias, cyclamens and Christmas cactus plants are also available.
Bullington’s “Buzzington” bee products are offered including BeeKind ornaments, bee-themed gift items and beeswax candles.
The Holiday Greenery Sale features premium, freshly-cut Fraser fir trees ranging in height from five to eight feet. These native trees come from the Western North Carolina mountains and are wrapped for protection during transport. Also available are premium garlands in a 25-foot length, plus unadorned 12-inch wreaths. Holiday greenery must be ordered by Tuesday, Nov. 24.
Bullington Gardens is a proud supporter of our veterans, and believes all service members should be honored for their sacrifice. In partnership with local veterans and volunteers, Bullington Gardens offers Veteran’s Wreaths. Your $17 donation to honor a fallen veteran provides a 12-inch wreath, decorated with a hand tied red bow, and placed on a gravesite at the State Veteran’s Cemetery in Black Mountain, NC.
Shop our Bullington Gardens store online at www.bullingtongardens.org and fill your virtual cart with unique gift items and greenery. You can also place your order by phone at 828-698-6104 or in person at Bullington Gardens. Shipping or delivery is not available.
Bullington Gardens is located at 95 Upper Red Oak Trail in Hendersonville. For more information, call Bullington Gardens at 828-698-6104 or visit www.bullingtongardens.org.
Blue Ridge Humane Society’s rating and other information about charitable giving are available free of charge on www.charitynavigator.org.
Blue Ridge Humane Society’s strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned the 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator. The 4-star rating is the highest level awarded by Charity Navigator.
Blue Ridge Humane Society is committed to creating lifelong homes for every pet. BRHS cares for pets awaiting adoption at the Adoption Center and works to ensure the highest quality adoption counseling experience for potential adopters. At our Adoption Center, we assess behavior and treat conditions as necessary with all animals under our care. Prior to adoption, each animal is provided with all the appropriate vaccinations, a microchip, dewormed, and are spayed or neutered. In addition, each pet goes home with a 30-day free health insurance plan.
BRHS also provides owner support for BRHS adopters and community pet owners, including low-cost vaccine clinics, pet training classes, behavior consultations and adoption follow-ups. BRHS takes an active role in community outreach through providing animal and youth education programs and projects; coordinates community pet food assistance, emergency vet assistance, and the Spay Neuter Incentive Program (SNIP), which is a collaboration with Henderson County, the City of Hendersonville, and the Henderson County Animal Services Center.
The Blue Ridge Humane Society, a 501(c)3 animal welfare organization, is dedicated to ensuring the highest quality of life for animals in Henderson County and our neighboring communities.
If you believe in our cause, consider making a donation or learning how to volunteer by visiting the Blue Ridge Humane Society’s website at www.blueridgehumane.org or call (828) 692-2639.
SHOP THE ROCK!
Our online gift shop is now open, and just in time for your holiday shopping. T-shirts are available in a variety of colors with Adult and Youth sizing, and we have additional apparel items like sweatshirts, hats, polos, and totes. We have unique gift options like our 50th-anniversary book with a detailed history of Flat Rock Playhouse and prints designed by some of your favorite Vagabonds.