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.
Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge is the longest running comedy open mic in Asheville happening every Wednesday night. The show starts at 9:00, and there is no cover. Anyone wanting to perform needs to sign up by 9pm, and will get five minutes on stage. Local and not-so-local, professional and not-so-professional comics perform or just anyone wanting to get up in front of people and try to make them laugh. Always fun. Always free.
When Mo Alexander hits the stage, it’s clear that you’re in the hands of a man who knows what he’s doing. With comedy influences such as Bill Hicks, Paul Mooney, and Richard Pryor, Mo combines intelligence and debauchery into a product that is just as funny as it is important. With an ability to access both the smartest and the stupidest parts of your brain, there’s a reason this comedy phenom has been headlining comedy clubs nationwide for over 20 years.
Mo began his professional full-time comedy career in July 1996 featuring in clubs throughout the United States and by 1999 he was headlining.
After impressing Keenan Ivory Wayans with a good natured roast, Mo was invited to be the opening act on tour with Keenan in 1999.
In 2003 he was given his own Las Vegas show, “The Mo Funny Show” at the Casino Royale.
In the past few years Mo has been on several syndicated radio shows in major markets, such as Bob & Tom (Indianapolis), and Mancow (Chicago). He made his way through the ranks to become a semi-finalist in both the San Francisco Comedy Competition (2012) and the Seattle Comedy Competition (2013) and has been a headliner at a number of comedy festivals such as: Asheville Comedy Fest (2015), Altercation Comedy Festival (2016 & 2018), Hopkins Comedy Festival (2017), Memphis Comedy Festival (2017), North Carolina Comedy Festival (2018), The Lookout Comedy Festival (2019), Eastside Comedy Festival (2019).
On December 15, 2017 Mo’s first national stand-up appearance aired on Comedy Central where he appeared in Kevin Hart’s “Hart of the City: Memphis”
Mo is excited to announce his signing with record label Stand Up! Records owned by Grammy Award Winner producer, Dan Schlissel. In Septemeber of 2019, Mo made history by becoming the first comedian ever to record an album at world famous Sun Studio in Memphis, TN. The album is as yet unnamed and it’s release is to be announced soon.
A BBQ connoisseur, Mo is also currently working on a new web series he co-created called Mo Alexander’s BBQ Beatdown. He plans to determine once and for all just who has the best BBQ and episodes are coming soon.
To say that Mo is funny is like saying that Michelangelo was a good painter. Taking all of life’s absurdities and creating a night of hysterical laughter is why Mo Alexander is one of this industries greats. Mo takes a lifetime of experience and insight and transforms them into some of the most ingenious laugh riots you will ever experience in your life. Not for the faint of heart or mind, intelligent and hard-hitting are two terms that best describe what everyone that has ever been to a Mo Alexander Show will experience. Nothing compares to the energy of a room when Mo is through with it. Watching Mo Alexander is a night of hilarity and mischief that one won’t soon forget. He usually tries to leave you with the underlying message,”I’m trying to save the world, one comedy show at a time.” After a night with Mo you realize that not only were you entertained, you’re changed. You have a mission: “Slap the stupid!”
Tickets $10 advance, $12 day of
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-mo-alexander-tickets-85816466361
Being from Huntsville, Alabama, Scott Eason knows what you’re thinking…and he’s here to shatter the Southern stereotype. Not your typical good ol’ boy, he brings a new sensibility to Southern comedy. He’s been featured on SiriusXM and the Comedy Central Roast Battle Podcast. He performs regularly at clubs across the southeast. Scott’s performed in clubs, bars, basements and comedy festivals all over the country, such as the Altercation Comedy Festival, Asheville Comedy Festival, Flyover Comedy Festival, Laughing Skull Comedy Festival and Limestone Comedy Festival. In Spring 2020 you can catch him on Amazon’s new comedy series, Punching Below The Bible Belt.
ages 18+
Tickets $10 advance, $12 day of
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-scott-eason-tickets-86080813029
Doors at 8:30, show at 9pm
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Carter Deems is a stand up comedian, writer and friendly battle rapper originally from the town of Cartersville, Georgia (for real). He is a cast member on the upcoming Season 14 of the MTV show Wild ‘n Out and his YouTube videos have gained millions of views. Carter was a member of the writing staff for the TV show Drop The Mic on TBS and he is currently a writer on the Emmy nominated series Epic Rap Battles of History. He has made appearances on Funny Or Die, Snoop Dogg’s Gladiator School, Animation Sandwich and he voiced a character for the viral animated short ‘The Rap Off’. His Twitter account was featured in the 50 Funniest Tweets of 2016 on The Daily Dot and he was named the Funniest Battle Rapper of 2015 by Hip Hop DX’s Battlerap.com. Carter is a co-writer and producer for the scripted radio show Live: On Air Comedy on WXRW 104.1 Milwaukee. Carter does standup and battle rap across the country and has performed at the Comedy Store, UCB Franklin, Zanies Chicago, the Milwaukee Comedy Festival, and the Asheville Comedy Festival.
Featuring Ryan Cox
ages 18+
Tickets $10 advance, $12 day of
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-carter-deems-tickets-86164695925
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Comedian Michael Palascak
Live at The Mothlight
Sunday, January 19th
Doors 7pm
Tickets: $15
Michael Palascak was named the 2018 Stand-up of the Year by the Late Nite Last Week podcast for his performance on The Late Late Show with James Corden. He’s also done stand-up on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, CONAN, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Letterman, Comedy Central’s HALF HOUR, was a top 5 Finalist on LAST COMIC STANDING, and this past summer he performed at Montreal’s Just For Laughs Comedy Festival where he taped a set for Kevin Hart’s LOL network. Norm Macdonald said Michael reminds him, “…of a guy that’s just as funny offstage as on, which is like magic.” Michael’s short film You’re Alive was accepted into numerous festivals including the Hollywood Comedy Shorts Festival and was the winner of the Audience Award at the Chicago Comedy Film Festival.
http://www.michaelpalascak.com/
Featuring James Harrod and Kelly Morgan
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Jeena Bloom is a transgender comic that SiriusXM once described as “the unicorniest unicorn in New York City.” She brings a wild and profane sense of humor along with bracing honesty to the stage. Jeena has been featured on Comedy Central, Viceland, SiriusXM, Vulture and on the popular podcast Guys We Fucked. She is the winner of the 2018 Harlem Comedy Festival and can now be seen dividing her time between Los Angeles and New York and everywhere in between.
Tickets $7 advance, $10 day of
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/comedy-at-fleetwoods-jeena-bloom-tickets-84782925011
We know special events and festivals have long been employed as powerful tools in supporting business, motivating entrepreneurship, and promoting the arts. Additionally, the City of Asheville is focusing on special events and how they can help build an equitable and inclusive community. But government doesn’t just change on its own. What internal and external efforts are needed to maximize returns? Hear from the City’s Outdoor Special Events office about their collaborations with the City’s Office of Equity & Inclusion. Learn about the confines we’re all working within as community members, and why it takes an inside effort within government to push forward. Where are your opportunities to create and participate in special events that help build an equitable and inclusive community?
Speakers: City of Asheville Outdoor Event Manager Jon Fillman and Business Inclusion Manager Rosanna Mulcahy
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Blaire Erskine is a weekend regular at Atlanta’s Laughing Skull Lounge, where she entertains audiences with silly observations and stories inspired by her eccentric family, rural upbringing, and love for cats. When she’s not telling jokes in Atlanta, you can catch her performing at venues all across the Southeast.
Tickets $7 advance, $10 day of
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/comedy-at-fleetwoods-blaire-erskine-tickets-86017437471

Kick off spring in the mountains at the 23rd annual French Broad River Festival. It’s part outdoor adventure, part music festival with whitewater rafting, biking, hiking, kid’s village, camping, great music, and much more. Painter John, a popular FBRF musician, compares the atmosphere to “a big potluck at your best friend’s house”. If you’ve been you know . . . what better way to enjoy spring in these mountains?
$120 online by 3/31/20
$125 online by 4/30/20
$140 at gate
$65 Saturday only
$45 whitewater rafting
Connection. A word that by definition means to join together to establish a link, so as to provide access and communication. Connect Beyond Festival has established that link and is using music, film, and storytelling to create connections. More than just an event, Connect Beyond Festival is a movement to develop a network of people inspired by creative mediums and united in the pursuit of equality and social justice. Our goal is to inspire a sense of community and personal engagement.
Lauded as “Asheville’s version of SXSW” (Ashvegas) this event is perfect for those who are looking for a more dynamic festival experience – one that prioritizes exploration and participation just as much as entertainment. If you’re looking to broaden your horizons, to engage with others, and want to leave a festival with more than just a hangover, Connect Beyond Festival is just the place to be.

Kick off spring in the mountains at the 23rd annual French Broad River Festival. It’s part outdoor adventure, part music festival with whitewater rafting, biking, hiking, kid’s village, camping, great music, and much more. Painter John, a popular FBRF musician, compares the atmosphere to “a big potluck at your best friend’s house”. If you’ve been you know . . . what better way to enjoy spring in these mountains?
$120 online by 3/31/20
$125 online by 4/30/20
$140 at gate
$65 Saturday only
$45 whitewater rafting
Connection. A word that by definition means to join together to establish a link, so as to provide access and communication. Connect Beyond Festival has established that link and is using music, film, and storytelling to create connections. More than just an event, Connect Beyond Festival is a movement to develop a network of people inspired by creative mediums and united in the pursuit of equality and social justice. Our goal is to inspire a sense of community and personal engagement.
Lauded as “Asheville’s version of SXSW” (Ashvegas) this event is perfect for those who are looking for a more dynamic festival experience – one that prioritizes exploration and participation just as much as entertainment. If you’re looking to broaden your horizons, to engage with others, and want to leave a festival with more than just a hangover, Connect Beyond Festival is just the place to be.

Kick off spring in the mountains at the 23rd annual French Broad River Festival. It’s part outdoor adventure, part music festival with whitewater rafting, biking, hiking, kid’s village, camping, great music, and much more. Painter John, a popular FBRF musician, compares the atmosphere to “a big potluck at your best friend’s house”. If you’ve been you know . . . what better way to enjoy spring in these mountains?
$120 online by 3/31/20
$125 online by 4/30/20
$140 at gate
$65 Saturday only
$45 whitewater rafting
Connection. A word that by definition means to join together to establish a link, so as to provide access and communication. Connect Beyond Festival has established that link and is using music, film, and storytelling to create connections. More than just an event, Connect Beyond Festival is a movement to develop a network of people inspired by creative mediums and united in the pursuit of equality and social justice. Our goal is to inspire a sense of community and personal engagement.
Lauded as “Asheville’s version of SXSW” (Ashvegas) this event is perfect for those who are looking for a more dynamic festival experience – one that prioritizes exploration and participation just as much as entertainment. If you’re looking to broaden your horizons, to engage with others, and want to leave a festival with more than just a hangover, Connect Beyond Festival is just the place to be.

UPDATED INFO:
To make the transition from this year to the 2021 event as seamless and exciting as possible, we have already worked with our artists, our brewers, and our vendors to make sure that we are able to carry over this year’s lineup and infrastructure to next year’s festival date. In addition, we are also in conversation with Eventbrite regarding the best options we can offer you when it comes to making a choice about how your ticket investment plays out.
Because this decision affects you as much as it does us, we will offer full refunds of all ticket purchases to any of you who would prefer that option. We understand the inconvenience that this change might cause you, and we ask that you offer us your patience while we organize that process. As another option, we would also like to offer you the opportunity to retain your ticket purchase and to roll it over into next year’s attendance. Any ticket that has already been purchased for 2020 will be honored at our 2021 festival in lieu of a refund. That is a choice we are allowing you to make, and we will be delighted to have you back as our guests then!
Please check back with us often as we continue to plan for the 2021 (“unofficial 10th Anniversary”) North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival. Again, thank you for your patience and understanding, but mostly for your continued support at the festival. We couldn’t keep putting on this event without you, and we continue to be thankful year after year.
Along with a rich Americana lineup, North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival also shines a spotlight on local brewers and their contribution to North Carolina’s vibrant culinary scene. Over 50 breweries offering a selection of craft beers will be featured on-site throughout the weekend. Tasting tickets, which include access to beer samples plus a commemorative sampling glass, are available for purchase for $50 ($39 for early birds).
North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival began as a fundraising effort to preserve the historic site of Rural Hill. The site, which boasts extensive hiking trails, is a beloved landmark in the Central NC region and is home to many educational field trips and events. Since its inception, the North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival has continued to support the awareness of Rural Hill and attract diverse crowds from all over the country.
Friday music-only passes with sets from Acoustic Syndicate and Fireside Collective are $15. Saturday music-only passes with sets from the Steep Canyon Rangers and Hayes Carll are $22 for early birds. For attendees who would like to sample an unlimited assortment of celebrated North Carolina brews on Saturday, Tasting Tickets (which include daily entrance to the festival for music happenings) are available at the Early Bird price of $39. Camping options are available for attendees who would like to make the most of their weekend. Two-Day weekend tent camping, premium tent camping, and RV/Camper camping with hook-ups are available for $45, $65, and $85 respectively. North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival is a family-friendly event. Children 4 and under are free. A Children’s Ticket is available for kids 5 – 15 for $8.
Are you ready to be on stage? We’re looking for 10-14 people to be in our next Mainstage play!
This script is adapted from Louisa May Alcott’s novel by Scott Davidson and is directed by Julie Wharton. Copies of the script are available to check out at the ACT Box Office (a $10 deposit is required which will be returned when you bring back the script). The pages you’ll read at the auditions are posted on our website so that you can download and read in advance!
If you’ve never auditioned at ACT before and aren’t sure what to expect, take a look at What to Expect at ACT Auditions!
Are you ready to be on stage? We’re looking for 10-14 people to be in our next Mainstage play!
This script is adapted from Louisa May Alcott’s novel by Scott Davidson and is directed by Julie Wharton. Copies of the script are available to check out at the ACT Box Office (a $10 deposit is required which will be returned when you bring back the script). The pages you’ll read at the auditions are posted on our website so that you can download and read in advance!
If you’ve never auditioned at ACT before and aren’t sure what to expect, take a look at What to Expect at ACT Auditions!

Kick off spring in the mountains at the 23rd annual French Broad River Festival. It’s part outdoor adventure, part music festival with whitewater rafting, biking, hiking, kid’s village, camping, great music, and much more. Painter John, a popular FBRF musician, compares the atmosphere to “a big potluck at your best friend’s house”. If you’ve been you know . . . what better way to enjoy spring in these mountains?
$120 online by 3/31/20
$125 online by 4/30/20
$140 at gate
$65 Saturday only
$45 whitewater rafting
Connection. A word that by definition means to join together to establish a link, so as to provide access and communication. Connect Beyond Festival has established that link and is using music, film, and storytelling to create connections. More than just an event, Connect Beyond Festival is a movement to develop a network of people inspired by creative mediums and united in the pursuit of equality and social justice. Our goal is to inspire a sense of community and personal engagement.
Lauded as “Asheville’s version of SXSW” (Ashvegas) this event is perfect for those who are looking for a more dynamic festival experience – one that prioritizes exploration and participation just as much as entertainment. If you’re looking to broaden your horizons, to engage with others, and want to leave a festival with more than just a hangover, Connect Beyond Festival is just the place to be.
Original tunes for banjo, fiddle, drums, and bass. With Duncan Wickel, Nick Falk, and Dan Klingsberg.



