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.
The Authors for Literacy Dinner & Silent Auction is the largest annual fundraiser for the Literacy Council of Buncombe County and features a presentation by a New York Times bestselling author. We have hosted the event for eleven years, previously featuring:
• Barbara Kingsolver 2018
• Ann Patchett, 2017
• Wiley Cash, 2016
• David Baldacci, 2015
• James Patterson, 2014
• Charles Frazier, 2013
• Jill Conner Browne, 2012
• Ron Rash, 2011
• John Hart, 2010
• Sara Gruen, 2009
• Elizabeth Kostova, 2008
The Authors for Literacy Dinner & Silent Auction begins with a cocktail hour silent auction for general admission guests while our Platinum Corporate Partner and other VIP pass-holders join the featured author for a private reception. During the reception, the author will be available to answer questions, take photographs, and personally inscribe books. (Note: VIP guests will have an opportunity to enlist a proxy bidder so that they, too, can participate in the silent auction.) Next, all guests enjoy a three-course dinner, a presentation by a Literacy Council student, and a keynote presentation by the featured author. The evening will close with a book signing for the general admission guests.
Funds raised at the Authors for Literacy Dinner & Silent Auction benefit the Literacy Council’s programs that teach reading, writing, spelling, and English language skills to individuals in Buncombe County. We serve 300 students and over 2,000 book recipients annually through four programs: Adult Literacy, Youth Literacy, English for Speakers of Other Languages, and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. We give opportunities to people who don’t believe they have a second chance to learn.
Besides being a principal fundraiser, Authors for Literacy is also a vehicle to promote the Literacy Council’s mission: to increase comprehensive literacy and English language skills through specialized instruction by trained tutors and access to literacy resources. The event increases community awareness of our programming and recruits new volunteers, donors, and board members.
THE MAGNETIC THEATRE invites you to the Red Room… where there is no place to run or hide from what haunts you most. The Horror Show is a theatrical homage to cinematic horror anthologies (Creepshow, The Twilight Zone, Tales from the Crypt), featuring eerie, tense and terrifying one-act plays written by some of Asheville’s most innovative writers.
Known for whip-quick wit and rollicking improvisations, Sam Tallent is one of the sharpest, most original rising talents in comedy today. Fresh off his New Faces debut at the prestigious Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, Sam has been called “the absurd voice of a surreal generation” by the Denver Post, and, when not maintaining a “Black Flag esque tour schedule” (Savage Henry Magazine), Sam has worked alongside many of the biggest names in comedy, including Russel Peters, Ron White, Dave Chappelle, Doug Stanhope, Dana Carvey and Hannibal Buress. He recently won his battle on Comedy Central’s Roast Battle, and was seen on VICELAND’s Flophouse as well as the Chris Gethard Show. His writing has been published on VICE.com. His debut novel, “Running the Light”, will be available this fall wherever fine books are sold. He lives in Denver with his wife and dog.
Featuring Steve Vanderploeg
Tickets $10 advance, $12 day of
FRIDAY: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-sam-tallent-friday-tickets-70464738931
SATURDAY: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-sam-tallent-saturday-tickets-70464921477
Known for its monumental scale of traditional holiday décor and dazzling lights, this year Biltmore’s annual Christmas at Biltmore celebration will offer even more than ever before.
A yuletide feast for the senses, Christmas at Biltmore begins Nov. 1, 2019. One week later, on Nov. 8, the estate will welcome Downton Abbey: The Exhibition, an immersive experience that celebrates the global hit television series and new feature film.
Biltmore House aglow with five dozen Christmas trees
Biltmore House interiors will shine with the sparkle of more than 50 hand-decorated Christmas trees, ribbons and garlands measured by the mile, and thousands of lights. A majestic 35-foot Fraser fir in the Banquet Hall is the home’s holiday centerpiece. For the first time, hand-decorated Christmas trees will be displayed on the balcony that wraps around the home’s two-story Library.
Candlelight Christmas Evenings
During Candlelight Christmas Evenings, candlelight, firelight, and live music will create a magical environment that elevates seasonal celebrations inside Biltmore House. A 55-foot Norway Spruce on the home’s front lawn lit with 55,000 lights will greet guests as they arrive to enter Biltmore House.
The warm welcome continues at Antler Hill Village & Winery with a constellation of holiday lights leading to the Winery and estate restaurants. A towering tree of lights will illuminate the Village Green, with a sea of lighted grapevine spheres nestled in the landscaping. Lights cascading from the trees that surround the bonfire area near Antler Hill Barn will offer a unique touch to the experience.
Downton Abbey: The Exhibition
Downton Abbey: The Exhibition will feature interactive elements that connect fans to their favorite characters, fashions, locations, and historic events of the era. Showcased in two estate locations, the exhibition pairs seamlessly with the real-life story of the Vanderbilt family at Biltmore. Amherst at Deerpark will host multimedia presentations and some of the series’ most recognizable sets—including Mrs. Patmore’s hectic kitchen and the gossip-fueled servants’ quarters. At The Biltmore Legacy in Antler Hill Village, a gallery of more than 50 costumes from the series will be on view.
The exhibition will run through April 7, 2020. Access to Downton Abbey: The Exhibition is included with daytime admission, Candlelight Christmas Evenings admission, or an overnight stay that includes daytime admission.
Christmas at Biltmore 2019 Event Calendar
- Christmas at Biltmore daytime experience – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 5, 2020
- Candlelight Christmas Evenings nighttime experience – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 4, 2020
- Illumination of Antler Hill Village – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 4, 2020, 5:30 p.m. to midnight
- Downton Abbey: The Exhibition at Biltmore’s Amherst and the Biltmore Legacy in Antler Hill Village – Nov. 8, 2019, through April 7, 2020
- A Gardener’s Place How-to Seminar: “Illuminated Holiday Tablescapes” – daily Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, 2019, at 1:30 p.m.
- Conservatory’s annual seasonal display – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 5, 2020
- Complimentary wine tasting at Biltmore Winery. Winery specialty tours available with additional price and reservations required – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 5, 2020
- Bonfires in Antler Hill Village with s’mores kits available for purchase at The Creamery – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 3, 2020, select dates, 3 to 10 p.m.
- Roving Holiday Carolers in Antler Hill Village – select dates
- Candlelight Winery Tour with a look into the winemaking process and tasting with light cheese pairing. Additional price and reservations required.
- Visits with Santa at the bandstand in Antler Hill Village – select dates
- The Inn on Biltmore Estate’s Annual Gingerbread House Tea – additional price and reservations required – Dec. 14 through 22, 2019, select dates, 1 to 3 p.m.
- Festive holiday meals prepared by award-winning chefs served in all of the estate’s restaurants – ongoing
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Buncombe County Special Olympics’ annual Coffee for Champions fundraiser returns for a third year on October 1. During the month of October, local coffee shops donate up to five cents for each cup of coffee purchased at their establishments to support Special Olympics training and competitions for area youth and adults.
“We are a completely volunteer-driven, donation-funded program focused on inclusionary sporting opportunities for individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities,” said Karla Furnari of Buncombe County Recreation Services, who is also a Buncombe County Special Olympics coach and Local Coordinator. “Coffee for Champions helps build connections between our athletes and the community. It also allows us to move away from labor intensive fundraising campaigns that often pull volunteers from other critical program needs such as coaching and transporting athletes.”
A map on the organization’s website lists participating coffee shops:
- Donating Five Cents Per Cup
- Ivory Road Café & Kitchen (1854 Brevard Road in Arden)
- Mosaic Café & Coffee House (1 Town Square Boulevard in Biltmore Park)
- Trout Lily Market (1297 Charlotte Highway in Fairview)
- Donating One Cent Per Cup
- Dynamite Roasting Company (3198 US Highway 70 in Black Mountain)
- PennyCup Coffee Company West (362 Depot Street in Asheville’s River Arts District)
- PennyCup Coffee Company East (6 Beverly Road in Asheville’s Haw Creek)
- PennyCup Coffee Company North (857 Merrimon Avenue in North Asheville)
- Round Earth Roasters (518 Hendersonville Road in Asheville)
Buncombe County Special Olympics is made possible through funding from donors and support from Buncombe County Government. To donate or volunteer, visit buncombecountyspecialolympics.org.
Special Olympics was founded by Eunice Kennedy in 1968 to celebrate changing attitudes about the talents of people with intellectual disabilities. Buncombe County Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for youth and adults. Sports include alpine skiing and snowboarding, aquatics, athletics, basketball, bocce, bowling, cheerleading, gymnastics, powerlifting, soccer, and tennis. The organization also offers the Adaptive Athlete Program in a partnership with South Slope CrossFit and Buncombe County Recreation Services.
The Asheville Marathon began 8 years ago with only a marathon option, which sold out quickly in its first year, and again the next year. A nationwide interest in half marathons was becoming popular, so for the 3rd year a half marathon option was added. In the 4th year, the event expanded to two days of races and a half marathon on each day. To add a twist in the 5th year the Backyard to Vineyard Challenge was created, where participants race in the Saturday half and Sunday full. The challenge was very popular and for the 6th anniversary, Backyard to Backyard Challenge was added, where participants run both the Saturday half and the Sunday half. Now in its 8th year both days of races, including the challenges, are expected to be sold out, with 3,100 participants.
The Asheville Marathon & Half at Biltmore Estate is held on and run entirely on the grounds of the Biltmore Estate, where runners will wind through paved and packed dirt roads to see hardwood forest, meadows, gardens, and extraordinary views of the Biltmore House and Estate. This is the original Asheville Marathon and first race of its kind to come to Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina; don’t miss out on being part of history at Biltmore Estate.
For more information about the Asheville Marathon & Half at Biltmore Estate, visit
https://ashevillemarathon.com/. Follow the race on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Costumes are welcomed and encouraged for a fall doubles tennis tournament at Aston Park Tennis Center, 336 Hilliard Ave., Oct. 26-27.
The cost for tournament participants is $20/person for one event or $30/person for two events. Spectators are free!
Schedule of events – Two Divisions per day, 3.5 and below, 4.0 and above
- Oct. 26, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Men’s and Women’s Doubles
- Oct. 27, 1 – 5 p.m. – Mixed Doubles
Prizes will be given for best team costume!
Registration deadline is October 24. Use this form. For more information, call Aston Park Tennis Center at 828-251-4074.
THE FAIR IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER!
Join us for 3 days of fun for the entire family! See spinning, knitting, weaving, felting, sheep, goats and much more! Join a workshop class to improve your skills or just enjoy browsing and shopping the beautiful and unique apparel and wearables.
Doors and event start at 10:00am and your little ragers can boogie with us until 1:00pm – drop in anytime! The event will feature an open dance area, a live DJ spinning all our favorite age appropriate tunes, a costume contest, Halloween crafts, a bounce house, and of course, great Asheville Brewing beer on offer for the parents!
DJ Oso will be there (as always) spinning Child-Appropriate FUN dance music from Taylor Swift, to Lil Nas X, to Secret Agent 23 Skidoo and more.
There will be FREE fun activities and a bounce house on site for your little dancers, plenty of secure space to play, dance, and get their sillies out, and snacks for purchase from Asheville Pizza Co and the Hop Ice Creamery! And of course, Asheville Brewing will be setting up the bar for mom and dad’s refreshments (and/or kids’ juice boxes).
Padded area available for crawlers and new walkers to play and explore.
Ticket price includes applicable sales tax.
About This Trip
Guests will hear a narration of Schulz’s “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” as the train travels to the Pumpkin Patch. Upon arrival, passengers will be greeted and have a photo opportunity with Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Snoopy. During your 1 hour and 30 minute layover, your activities to enjoy at The Great Pumpkin Patch will include:
- campfire marshmallows
- coloring station
- temporary tattoos
- trick or treating
- bouncy house (weather permitting)
- wagon rides
And kids, don’t forget to wear your Halloween costumes! There will be plenty of PEANUTS™ merchandise at the GSMR Gift Store and Train Museum! Each child will also select their own pumpkin from The Great Pumpkin Patch to take home.
Come on over for some Family Fun at Urban Orchard-West and Archetype!!!
Bring the kids to your favorite neighborhood taprooms and enjoy some specials for kids and grown ups!!
Party is from 2-6pm
Costume Parade-2:30 Archetype Brewing
Donut on a String-3:30 Urban Orchard Cider Company – West
Archetype:
2:30 – Costume parade for kids! (12 & Under) prizes for participation!
Urban Orchard:
Doughnut on a String!
Cookies from OWL Bakery!
Fire Ciders for the grown ups!
N/A Cider for the kids!
Join hundreds of costumed riders and fill the streets and greenways of Asheville’s downtown and neighborhoods. There will be three route options for all ages and levels of riders, and much more, including a demo of Yuba Electric Cargo Bicycles.
Pumpkin Pedaller ’19 Schedule of Events
- 2:30pm – Gather at New Belgium Brewing (21 Craven St., Asheville, NC 28806)
- Also at 2:30pm -NEW! Yuba Electric Cargo Bicycle Demonstration with Motion Makers. Ogle, swoon, and test ride one for yourself!
- 3:00pm – All-ages roll around New Belgium’s event grounds
- 3:15pm – Main rides roll out. Choose your route!
- 5:00pm – Culmination Party at New Belgium
- Costume contest winner announced
- Bicycle gear raffle
- Beer & food trucks on site
- Live music
- Tons of fun!
Choose from 3 route options plus an optional Ghoulish Grounds climb! Costumes encouraged!
- All-ages roll around New Belgium Brewing event space
- 1 mile loop through the River Arts District
- 7 mile route which just touches in North Asheville
- 11 mile route featuring Reed and Glenn Creek Greenways
- Optional Ghoulish Grounds Climb
- View maps & routes on RideWithGPS
All routes interconnect—just like our community! We encourage participants to review and pre-ride the routes to best match the route with their riding abilities. All rides (except the all ages roll around) take place on active and open streets, so make decisions accordingly.
Guests will hear a narration of Schulz’s “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” as the train travels to the Pumpkin Patch. Upon arrival, passengers will be greeted and have a photo opportunity with Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Snoopy. During your 1 hour and 30 minute layover, your activities to enjoy at The Great Pumpkin Patch will include:
- campfire marshmallows
- coloring station
- temporary tattoos
- trick or treating
- bouncy house (weather permitting)
- wagon rides
And kids, don’t forget to wear your Halloween costumes! There will be plenty of PEANUTS™ merchandise at the GSMR Gift Store and Train Museum! Each child will also select their own pumpkin from The Great Pumpkin Patch to take home.
Tickets go on sale:
08/07/2019
9:00 AM
Put on your best formal wear, slip into your dancing shoes, and join Different Strokes! Performing Arts Collective on October 26 for an elegant, exclusive Masquerade Ball. With a red carpet, live music by Rhoda Weaver (Best Vocalist, Mountain Xpress Best of X 2018), silent and live auctions, and catering by Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. Win season tickets to Different Strokes! in the best-decorated mask contest (judged by a panel of experts), and get to party in the brand-new Henry LaBrun Studio at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts.
All proceeds benefit Different Strokes! Performing Arts Collective and its mission of Making Theatre that Makes a Difference.
THE MAGNETIC THEATRE invites you to the Red Room… where there is no place to run or hide from what haunts you most. The Horror Show is a theatrical homage to cinematic horror anthologies (Creepshow, The Twilight Zone, Tales from the Crypt), featuring eerie, tense and terrifying one-act plays written by some of Asheville’s most innovative writers.
The Rocky Horror Show is a musical with music, lyrics and book by Richard O’Brien. A humorous tribute to the science fiction and horror B movies of the late 1940s through to the early 1970s, the musical tells the story of a newly engaged couple getting caught in a storm and coming to the home of a mad transvestite scientist, Dr Frank-N-Furter, unveiling his new creation, a sort of Frankenstein-style monster in the form of an artificially made, fully grown, physically perfect muscle man named Rocky Horror, complete “with blond hair and a tan”.
Known for its monumental scale of traditional holiday décor and dazzling lights, this year Biltmore’s annual Christmas at Biltmore celebration will offer even more than ever before.
A yuletide feast for the senses, Christmas at Biltmore begins Nov. 1, 2019. One week later, on Nov. 8, the estate will welcome Downton Abbey: The Exhibition, an immersive experience that celebrates the global hit television series and new feature film.
Biltmore House aglow with five dozen Christmas trees
Biltmore House interiors will shine with the sparkle of more than 50 hand-decorated Christmas trees, ribbons and garlands measured by the mile, and thousands of lights. A majestic 35-foot Fraser fir in the Banquet Hall is the home’s holiday centerpiece. For the first time, hand-decorated Christmas trees will be displayed on the balcony that wraps around the home’s two-story Library.
Candlelight Christmas Evenings
During Candlelight Christmas Evenings, candlelight, firelight, and live music will create a magical environment that elevates seasonal celebrations inside Biltmore House. A 55-foot Norway Spruce on the home’s front lawn lit with 55,000 lights will greet guests as they arrive to enter Biltmore House.
The warm welcome continues at Antler Hill Village & Winery with a constellation of holiday lights leading to the Winery and estate restaurants. A towering tree of lights will illuminate the Village Green, with a sea of lighted grapevine spheres nestled in the landscaping. Lights cascading from the trees that surround the bonfire area near Antler Hill Barn will offer a unique touch to the experience.
Downton Abbey: The Exhibition
Downton Abbey: The Exhibition will feature interactive elements that connect fans to their favorite characters, fashions, locations, and historic events of the era. Showcased in two estate locations, the exhibition pairs seamlessly with the real-life story of the Vanderbilt family at Biltmore. Amherst at Deerpark will host multimedia presentations and some of the series’ most recognizable sets—including Mrs. Patmore’s hectic kitchen and the gossip-fueled servants’ quarters. At The Biltmore Legacy in Antler Hill Village, a gallery of more than 50 costumes from the series will be on view.
The exhibition will run through April 7, 2020. Access to Downton Abbey: The Exhibition is included with daytime admission, Candlelight Christmas Evenings admission, or an overnight stay that includes daytime admission.
Christmas at Biltmore 2019 Event Calendar
- Christmas at Biltmore daytime experience – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 5, 2020
- Candlelight Christmas Evenings nighttime experience – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 4, 2020
- Illumination of Antler Hill Village – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 4, 2020, 5:30 p.m. to midnight
- Downton Abbey: The Exhibition at Biltmore’s Amherst and the Biltmore Legacy in Antler Hill Village – Nov. 8, 2019, through April 7, 2020
- A Gardener’s Place How-to Seminar: “Illuminated Holiday Tablescapes” – daily Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, 2019, at 1:30 p.m.
- Conservatory’s annual seasonal display – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 5, 2020
- Complimentary wine tasting at Biltmore Winery. Winery specialty tours available with additional price and reservations required – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 5, 2020
- Bonfires in Antler Hill Village with s’mores kits available for purchase at The Creamery – Nov. 1, 2019, through Jan. 3, 2020, select dates, 3 to 10 p.m.
- Roving Holiday Carolers in Antler Hill Village – select dates
- Candlelight Winery Tour with a look into the winemaking process and tasting with light cheese pairing. Additional price and reservations required.
- Visits with Santa at the bandstand in Antler Hill Village – select dates
- The Inn on Biltmore Estate’s Annual Gingerbread House Tea – additional price and reservations required – Dec. 14 through 22, 2019, select dates, 1 to 3 p.m.
- Festive holiday meals prepared by award-winning chefs served in all of the estate’s restaurants – ongoing
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THE FAIR IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER!
Join us for 3 days of fun for the entire family! See spinning, knitting, weaving, felting, sheep, goats and much more! Join a workshop class to improve your skills or just enjoy browsing and shopping the beautiful and unique apparel and wearables.
About This Trip
Guests will hear a narration of Schulz’s “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” as the train travels to the Pumpkin Patch. Upon arrival, passengers will be greeted and have a photo opportunity with Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Snoopy. During your 1 hour and 30 minute layover, your activities to enjoy at The Great Pumpkin Patch will include:
- campfire marshmallows
- coloring station
- temporary tattoos
- trick or treating
- bouncy house (weather permitting)
- wagon rides
And kids, don’t forget to wear your Halloween costumes! There will be plenty of PEANUTS™ merchandise at the GSMR Gift Store and Train Museum! Each child will also select their own pumpkin from The Great Pumpkin Patch to take home.
Costumes are welcomed and encouraged for a fall doubles tennis tournament at Aston Park Tennis Center, 336 Hilliard Ave., Oct. 26-27.
The cost for tournament participants is $20/person for one event or $30/person for two events. Spectators are free!
Schedule of events – Two Divisions per day, 3.5 and below, 4.0 and above
- Oct. 26, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Men’s and Women’s Doubles
- Oct. 27, 1 – 5 p.m. – Mixed Doubles
Prizes will be given for best team costume!
Registration deadline is October 24. Use this form. For more information, call Aston Park Tennis Center at 828-251-4074.
The Rock and Roll Playhouse, a family concert series hosted at historic music venues across the country, allows kids to “move, play and sing while listening to works from the classic-rock canon” (NY Times). Performing songs created by the most iconic musicians in rock history, The Rock and Roll Playhouse band offers its core audience of families with children age ten and under games, movement, stories and an opportunity to rock out in an effort to educate children and explore their creativity. The Rock and Roll Playhouse is an early and often first introduction to a child’s lifelong journey with live music and rock and roll. See you at the show!
This concert for kids and families shares the music of the artist named above with a new generation of music lovers, but is not associated with or endorsed by the artist. All children must be accompanied by a parent or adult caregiver.
The Rock and Roll Playhouse knows that little ears are sensitive, so we turn down the volume at our shows. However, all kids experience music differently and you may find that your child is more comfortable wearing hearing protection earmuffs, such as Baby Banz, which are available for purchase here.
By attending this event, I consent to my image (with or without my voice) being included in photographs and/or film and videotape of the event, and give Grey Eagle, The Rock and Roll Playhouse and their respective licensees and assigns the absolute and irrevocable right and permission to use and publish such content in any and all media, whether now known or hereafter developed.