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.

Ages 8-12 Nov 3 – Dec 18 | Thursdays 4:30 – 6:00 pm and Saturdays 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Learn to be a triple threat in this musical performance class! Students will work with acting, music, and dance professionals to stage songs from some of our favorite Broadway musicals. Get ready for the spotlight – students perform in a cabaret style showcase at the end of the class!
Registration begins on Wednesday, September 14, 2022. Tuition will be $375.00 – payment plans and scholarships will both be available.
Student Ages 8-12
Classes/Rehearsals: Nov 3 – Dec 18 | Thursdays 4:30 – 6:00 pm and Saturdays 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Tech Week: Dec 12-15 | Monday through Thursday | 4:30-6:30 pm
Performances: Sunday, December 18, 2022 at 6:30 pm
NOTE: If applying for a scholarship, please fill out the Scholarship Application INSTEAD of filling out a registration. If your application is approved, we will be in touch with you to register.

In this class designed for beginners to intermediate performers, students will develop and hone their acting techniques. They’ll work on short scenes, monologues and play drama games that teach key skills in a fun and approachable way. This class gives students the confidence to shine on stage and off – even in their next audition or school play! Students will perform a showcase for family and friends during the last class.
Registration begins on Wednesday, September 14, 2022 at 10:00 am. Tuition will be $225 – Scholarships are available.
NOTE: If applying for a scholarship, please fill out the Scholarship Application INSTEAD of filling out registration. If your application is approved, we will be in touch with you to register.

Are you looking for a way to develop your Spanish language skills or a way to keep your skills fresh? Join this friendly and welcoming Spanish Language Practice Group organized by Pack Library. Newcomers are always welcome on the first Thursday of each month at 5 p.m. This group meets online and is focused on providing an intermediate level, immersive discussion experience. This event is free, but you do need to register. Please visit the library web page and use the link on the calendar for this program to sign up.

Biltmore House glows with candlelight and firelight during this nighttime tour, changing the daytime visit’s mood and experience. Candlelight Christmas Evenings in Biltmore House allows guests to step back in time with an experience reminiscent of the Vanderbilt’s first Christmas spent in Biltmore House in 1895. Musicians stationed throughout the house perform seasonal favorites. Setting the scene is a 55-foot Norway spruce encircled by illuminated evergreens and shrubs sparkling in the center of the front lawn.

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6:00pm – 8:00pm
Open mic comedy every Thursday from 6-8pm at Ginger’s Revenge Tasting Room.
Rotating hosts each week Clay Jones, James Burks and Katy Hudson
No cover
Signup starts at 5:30, and signup order will not necessarily be show order. Each comic gets 5 mins of stage time
Kick off the holidays with the final installment of Chimney Rock’s brand new wine and design-style paint series of the year. Join a professional local artist and celebrate NC State Parks’ Year of the Tree by creating your own striking portrait of a winter tree. Classes will be held at the Old Rock Café. Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase local craft beer & wine as well as appetizers.

Winter Lights is a spectacular open-air walk-through light show made from over one million lights! Located at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina, this year’s event features favorites like the famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden, along with enchanting new details designed to delight and surprise.
The Lights!
This year’s show features over a million lights and mixes enchanting new displays with old favorites like the 50ft tree and Quilt Garden. Winter Lights is a walk-through light show with countless opportunities for photos. Use our hashtag #NCWinterLights22 to share the magic!
Live performances
Live performances are scheduled nightly at the Education Center, near Bent Creek Bistro. View the music schedule here.
Rocky Cove Railroad*
During Winter Lights, our beloved g-scale model train offers nightly service to the North Pole. All aboard!
Storytime at Woodland Cove
Visit the Education Center for a whimsical window display that follows a young bear’s journey to discover new habitats. This is an educational exhibit that will delight the whole family.
Gift Shops
Still have a bit of shopping to do for the holidays? our Connections Gallery Gift Shop in the Baker Visitor Center and Winter Lights Shop in the Education Center are open 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. daily, and from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. nightly, during Winter Lights.
S’mores and Firepits*
If the winter nights turn a bit chilly, cozy up to the fire pits and heaters throughout the gardens.
S’mores kits are available for purchase at the Bent Creek Bistro, where there’s an especially large fire pit for all your marshmallow-roasting needs!
Wishing Trees
A favorite Winter Lights tradition, the Wishing Trees return this year in a new location! Look for them near Rocky Cove Railroad, and make sure to leave a wish for the coming year.
Eat and Drink**
Looking for something to warm you up while you stroll? Cocoa, beer, and wine are available at both the Cocoa Shack and Bent Creek Bistro.
View the menu for Bent Creek Bistro
Bent Creek Bistro Hours: Full menu: 6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. | Snacks: 9:30-10:00 p.m.
*The Rocky Cove Railroad and the fire pits cannot run in certain weather conditions, and may be closed without notice.
**Alcohol purchased on-site may only be consumed in the event area and is not permitted in the parking lot or on the trails. Outside alcohol is prohibited at all times, on all parts of the property. This includes the parking lot and trails.
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- We are so grateful to all of our partners who are helping us during this critical time by providing various ways for people to get involved and help provide meals for neighbors this holiday season. Read through the list below to find out ways you can get involved.
- Whole Foods’ Round-Up Campaign (11/30 – 12/20): Whole Foods shoppers are invited to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar. Whole Foods will also match a donation to MANNA when a customer buys a locally made product.
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Join host and Malaprop’s Bookseller Patricia Furnish to discuss a range of books across true crime and public affairs. The club meets the first Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. Click here to learn more about the club, view important news, and find the pick for this month.

Cedar Bear has been trained in the lineage of Richard Rudis who created the original “Gong Bath™”. Cedar’s Gong Bath’s and concerts include elements from Nada Yoga, DJ mixing, drumming, Tibetan Buddhism, Tantric Hinduism, sacred geometry, and Reiki. This creates a meditative experience in which each participant is acoustically guided via harmonic overtones, into realms of physical & mental/emotional well-being as well as cellular healing. Carefully designed vibrational constructs are used to further entice the brain into Alpha/Theta/Delta wave-scapes of clarity, peace, and wholeness which promotes physIcal, mental, and spiritual awakening, wisdom, and healing.
:: How to Prepare/What to Bring ::
-yoga mat or something soft to lie on and or a pillow.
-we have chairs and back jacks for sitting
-avoid wearing any heavy scents or oils
For more info visit: www.torencollective.com/sound-healing

- Hop on board the Holly Jolly Christmas Trolley for a fun and festive celebration of the season featuring live music!
- This seasonal favorite features an entertaining blend of holiday storytelling and traditional Christmas caroling. Enjoy stories of local lore and holiday traditions, then join-in with our on-board musician singing classic carols and songs of Christmas. And all the while the Holly Jolly Trolley is rolling past festive holiday decorations in downtown Asheville, Biltmore Village and the Montford and Grove Park neighborhoods.
This has all the makings of a jolly good family tradition!
- Recurrence: Recurring weekly on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
- Admission: Adults $29; Children (5-11) $13
- Phone:
- Email:
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The Greenville Swamp Rabbits are much more than a professional hockey franchise playing in Upstate South Carolina; it is truly Greenville’s hockey team. Formerly known as the Road Warriors, the club rebranded to the Swamp Rabbits on August 26, 2015 in an effort to really ingrain itself in the fabric of the community. The name is inherently Greenville – specific to the city and unique in the sports world.
It’s the electrifying energy and unstoppable passion of Swamp Rabbits fans inside The Well combined with the award-winning game presentation that make attending a Swamp Rabbits game the BEST fan experience in the ECHL! From the moment you step inside the arena, you’ll find FREE concourse activities for the whole family, including sign-making, temporary tattoos, interactive games, music and there’s always a good chance you’ll run into the Swamp Rabbits mascot Stomper! Throughout the season, fans can also expect a lineup of special theme nights and exciting giveaways.
Everyone’s favorite holiday classic comes to life in a spectacular new production of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Adapted from Charles M. Schulz’s timeless story and featuring the music of Vince Guaraldi, A Charlie Brown Christmas is a present the whole family can enjoy. Join Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus, and the whole Peanuts gang as they sing, dance, and learn the true meaning of Christmas!


By Deborah Zoe Laufer
Read more about this decision and our complete COVID-19 policy.
12.01 PULP Featuring Katie Hughes plus Comedy Open Mic
What: Stand up Comedy at The Orange Peel’s Pulp Lounge
When: Thursday 12.01.22. 8p-10p, doors at 7:30p
Where: The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $15 (available at door or The Orange Peel Website)
Katie Hughes is an Atlanta-based comedian and writer who Creative Loafing Atlanta named Critics’ Choice Best Comedian & Readers’ Choice Best Celebrity of 2019. Her album “Queen of the Castle” debuted at #1 on iTunes. Katie can be heard frequently on SiriusXM and seen on HBOmax and [adult swim].
Comedy open mic. [signup at the door to get 3-5m. Free entry for performing comics, free snacks at comics table]
Hosted by Cody Hughes.
Katie Hughes Videos:
FB EVENT: https://fb.me/e/22QEIpORh
– ALL AGES
– SEATED SHOW
– LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE
The Asheville Art Museum is entering a new chapter. When organizations are healthy and strong, they can look to the future. Therefore, the Museum is focusing on what steps it should take to better serve our community. One recent stride was the addition of an Online Collection database to our website. Since its launch in October, more than 1,500 searchable objects have been digitized and uploaded out of our growing Collection of 7,500-plus artworks. The goal is to enable interested patrons, scholars, curators, artists, and educators worldwide to learn about the Museum’s holdings, whether they are on view or not, and to make the Collection accessible to more of the general community from the comfort of their homes. We know virtual learning is here to stay, and families and students of all ages can use the database for exploration and learning from anywhere with an internet connection! Christopher Whitten, associate registrar for the Museum, speaks more about the project:
“I think there’s this constant wonder among patrons about what is in the vault or behind doors. The online database allows us to share a significant portion of the Collection on a global scale. Often, there are inquiries by researchers into which artists we have. Others ask about potential gifting of more artworks by a current artist, or even by a new artist that would be a good fit within the Collection. The Online Collection gives a new, deeper Museum experience to visitors. With three-dimension artworks, we’re able to feature more than one view, allowing visitors to see the objects from multiple angles.
“For many of the artists, we’ve included updated biographies, including where they were educated and/or taught. Keywords help visitors find artworks associated with a certain subject. For example, when one types in the word dog, it will pull artworks not only with the word in their titles, but also ones in which the descriptive field mentions the word dog.
“Another great thing about clicking on an object record is getting to know its dimensions—information that’s not included on museum labels. Families and donors can search and find out what items were gifted to the Museum, and by whom. Our goal is to have the entire Collection accessible online soon. We’ll be adding large groups of objects every quarter, with the next round starting in January.”
Thanks to supporters like you, the Museum can provide programs that facilitate and sustain meaningful relationships. A gift to the Annual Fund ensures the Museum continues to engage artists, educators, and other experts in programs that broaden and deepen our understanding of art, ourselves, and our communities.
Help us continue to support Asheville’s deeply rooted arts community by making a tax-deductible gift to the Museum’s Annual Fund today, either by visiting ashevilleart.org/donate or calling 828.253.3227 x117.
We deeply appreciate your dedication to the Museum and to keeping the arts vibrant in Western North Carolina. Because of your continued support, we can share the transformative power of art with our regional community and beyond.
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From 11/15 – 12/31, we’re offering a Holiday Special on our subscriptions! Get tickets at a discounted price, AND get a free ticket voucher for our next play, Native Gardens! Check our website on 11/15 to purchase this limited-time deal!
Decorating Your Windows for the Holiday Season? Join the Holiday Windows Walking Tour. Plus Share Holiday Happenings
Downtown businesses: Are you decorating your windows for the Holiday Season? Be sure to let us know and we will include you on our Holiday Windows Walking Tour. This is a self-guided tour for people to follow as the stroll Downtown Asheville throughout the holidays.
Also, are you have a holiday sale, event or promotion? We’re happy to share through our social media, newsletters and press releases.

- Donate $25+ and get a day pass to the WNC Nature Center.
- Donate $50+ and get an animal sticker and a day pass.
- Donate $100+ and get an animal tracks necklace, animal sticker, and a day pass.
- Donate $250+ and get a a guided tour of the Nature Center with animal enrichment for two people, plus the necklace, sticker, and day pass. PLUS, you’ll be entered to win a chance to go on habitat with red pandas Leafa and Phoenix in 2023!
Merchants all over Henderson County vie for the honor of best holiday window displays and lighting, Take a drive around the county then vote for your favorite store front online, All displays will be available to view by November 26, but voting is only open December 6 – 17, Find the list of participants and information for online voting.

the City of Hendersonville will begin their fall bulk leaf collection service for City residents. Bulk leaf collection will continue throughout the fall season and conclude on December 30.
During bulk leaf collection, City residents should pile loose leaves as close to the street, curb, or sidewalk as possible without placing the leaves in the roadway or on the sidewalk. Leaves should not be bagged by City of Hendersonville residents.
Residents can help prevent safety hazards by keeping leaf piles out of the sidewalks. Obstructed sidewalks may force people to walk into the street and pose a danger for pedestrians and motorists. Keeping leaf piles out of the roadways and sidewalks also helps prevent debris from being washed into the storm drains which can cause flooding.
The bulk leaf collection process is separate from brush collection crews; therefore, residents will need to keep their brush and leaves in separate piles until bulk leaf collection has concluded at the end of the year. Leaf piles should be free of tree limbs or other objects that may damage collection equipment. Spring bulk leaf collection typically occurs during the month of March.
It is not necessary for the public to contact Public Works with leaf pick-up requests as this service is automatically provided to City residents. Leaf piles are picked up from homes every ten to fourteen days but, depending on the volume of leaves placed out for collection, the piles could be picked up sooner or later than that time frame.

Homeowners all over Henderson County vie for the honor of having the best holiday decorations, as voted on by you. You are invited to take a drive around the county to look at all the festive holiday displays and then vote online for your favorite. An interactive online Google map with all locations and a printable PDF will be available by Nov. 25, 2022.
Printed copies of maps will also be at the Hendersonville Welcome Center at that time. Online voting opens in December.
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Help Us Meet the Need This Holiday Season
Round Up Campaigns & Community Events
We are so grateful to all of our partners who are helping us during this critical time by providing various ways for people to get involved and help provide meals for neighbors this holiday season. Read through the list below to find out ways you can get involved. - Food Lions Feeds (11/9 – 12/12): Food Lion stores will be hosting Food Lion Feeds, which is an in-store food drive program where customers have the opportunity to purchase and donate a Food Lion Feeds for the Holidays box of food that will be donated to MANNA FoodBank.

| The fall season is a time when many of us gather with our friends, families and loved ones for a variety of holidays and seasonal festivities. Often, these celebrations center around food, making it out of reach for so many people struggling to afford groceries, especially this year, with rising food costs making even a holiday turkey a distant luxury. Right now, MANNA and our partner network are still serving 68% more people than before the pandemic – many who are needing a hand for the first time. |
Now more than ever, MANNA FoodBank is dedicated to filling as many holiday tables as possible, and you can help us give thousands of households the gift of a holiday, of one less struggle, and a helping of hope. Please join our Virtual Turkey Drive – where we can stretch your donation further to get turkeys, hams, and holiday foods of all kinds for our neighbors across 16 western North Carolina counties. Together, we can make the holidays happen for the people who live and work right here at home, in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. |

Adventure is what we do.
Nantahala Outdoor Center has a long history of venturing where many haven’t, pioneering new adventures, and bringing opportunities to experience the outdoors to millions of guests over five decades. Our International Adventure Tours offer unique destinations, exciting adventures and activities, experienced guides, and world-class hospitality. These all-inclusive, small group excursions will redefine how you travel. Experience some of the most breathtaking places in the world without feeling like a tourist.
If your idea of fun is a rafting trip on the Chilko, a quiet lake paddle in Argentina, surf lessons in Ecuador, or trekking in Iceland, our trips have something for every adventure and skill level. Enjoy kayaking, hiking, fishing, horseback riding, yoga, surfing, ziplining, wine tastings, or cultural experiences, along with the flexibility to customize your own adventure. Settle in after your travels in some of the most unique accommodations in the world; from cozy lodges and five star resorts, with local cuisine and tastings, every detail is meticulously planned so you can soak up every moment.
We hope these guided, off-the-beaten-path expeditions will foster the same spirit of adventure we encourage in our Southeastern locations, while giving you the opportunity to explore beyond your own backyard.
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We have officially announced our new 2023 Adventure travel trips for you to explore new destinations, try new adventures, and experience new cultures! Our trips are small groups, offer world-class hospitality, unique lodging and the most diverse activity options for you to try! We’re giving “revenge travel” new meaning. |





Downtown businesses: Are you decorating your windows for the Holiday Season? Be sure to let us know and we will include you on our Holiday Windows Walking Tour. This is a self-guided tour for people to follow as the stroll Downtown Asheville throughout the holidays.
