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.
Artist Opportunities
The Asheville Area Arts Council is pleased to share the following opportunities for artists that have recently been submitted to us. If you have any questions about an opportunity, please contact the listed organization.
The Asheville Area Arts Council does not endorse or recommend any specific opportunities, but provides this list for information only. We encourage artists to research each opportunity thoroughly before applying.

Call for Artists: NRCC Art Society
The North Ridge Country Club Art Society wishes to promote art and area artists, while also developing increased art appreciation within its membership. The NRCC Art Society continues to expand the permanent art collection in the clubhouse for members …
January 3, 2020 – January 19, 2020

Call for Musicians: Chamber Music Raleigh
ANNOUNCING THE FOLLOWING OPPORTUNITY FOR NC-BASED MUSICIANS Performance Venue: North Carolina Museum of Art, SECU Auditorium Dates: Sunday, February 28, 2021 at 2pm or Sunday, April 18, 2021 at 2pm Artists Fee: up to $2500 Submission Instructions: …
January 2, 2020 – January 24, 2020

Call for Artists: Shenandoah National Park
The Shenandoah National Park Artist-in-Residence program offers professional artists focused time to creatively explore the natural and cultural resources of this astounding landscape. It also allows artists the opportunity to share their work through …
November 25, 2019 – January 31, 2020

Call for Artists: Zapow Juried Show
ZaPow Gallery, the premier Illustration and Narrative Art Gallery in the Southeast, will be hosting its Second Annual Juried Open Show March 2020. If you are an Illustrator or Narrative artist living in the WNC area this is your chance to show your wor …
December 9, 2019 – February 1, 2020

Call for Artists: Magnetic Theater
SPECIAL EVENT – ONE ACT PLAY FESTIVAL Script Submission Guidelines: – The submission deadline is Saturday, February 1st at 11:59pm. – Plays should be between 10 and 30 minutes long, though there is a bit of wiggle room. – No more than 10 roles (prefe …
January 3, 2020 – February 1, 2020

Call for Artists: Chilkoot Trail Residency
The Yukon Arts Centre, the US National Park Service, Parks Canada and the Skagway Arts Council are calling for submissions for the 2021 Chilkoot Trail Artist Residency Program. Participants will combine their artistic abilities with a love of the outdo …
December 9, 2019 – February 11, 2020

Call for Artists: International Artist Residency
Open Call for 2020-21 International Artist Residencies at Farm Studio in Rajasthan, India The deadline for applications is 20th February, 2020. Residencies will take place October, November, December 2020 and January, February 2021. All residency infor …
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.
“Rhythm of the Dance” is an exhilarating and innovative Irish dance show internationally rated as one of the most popular and best Irish dance shows touring worldwide.
Since its creation in 1998, “Rhythm of the Dance” has impressed audiences and critics worldwide year after year. Direct from Ireland, this show uses song, music, and dance to transport audiences on an exciting and energy packed adventure through the many eras of Irish dance and music. Seen by 7 million fans worldwide in 57 countries, the company has received critical acclaim everywhere they go. “Rhythm of the Dance” is one of the best Irish dance shows in the world. Enjoy an early St. Patrick’s Day celebration at the Newberry Opera House!

UNC Asheville will screen the documentary, narrated by Jodie Foster, “Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché,” at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3, in the Highsmith Student Union Blue Ridge Room. This event, part of the University’s Women’s History Month observance, is free and open to everyone.
UNC Asheville will screen the documentary, narrated by Jodie Foster, Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché, at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3, in the Highsmith Student Union Blue Ridge Room. This event, part of the University’s Women’s History Month observance, is free and open to everyone. A discussion, led by filmmaker, screenwriter and UNC Asheville Senior Lecturer in Mass Communication Anne Slatton, will follow the film.
About the film: This 2018 documentary that screened at the famed festivals in Cannes and Telluride, tells the story of a French pioneer filmmaker, who began her career in 1894, at the age of 21. One of the very first people to make a narrative fiction film, Guy-Blaché produced and directed over 1000 films throughout her career, experimented with sound, color-tinting, interracial casting, and special effects. Even before women had the right to vote, Blaché, in her actions and in her films, expressed female drives, desires and self-determination. But by 1919, Guy-Blaché’s career came to an abrupt end and she and her films were subsequently erased from film history for years. Pamela Green organizes her documentary like a detective story, interviewing over 90 people and tracking down not only some of her films but previously unknown documents and photos.
About the discussion leader: Anne Slatton teaches video production and film studies. Her television production work includes programming for PBS, National Geographic, and TLC. She is the leader of a 48 hour Film Project team which has won multiple awards including Best Film. Scholarly works include co-authoring Video Production Techniques, “Sofia Coppola” Women’s International Screenwriters Guide, “Lorraine Hansberry” Student’s Encyclopedia of Great American Authors. She also writes scripts for theatre and film.
Visitor Parking on the UNC Asheville Campus – Visitors may park in faculty/staff and non-resident lots from 5:00 p.m. until 7:30 a.m., Monday through Friday, and all day on weekends, holidays, and campus breaks. Visitors are not permitted to park in resident student lots at any time.
For more information, please contact Caitlin Manely in UNC Asheville’s Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies Program, [email protected] or 828.251.6634.

Join us at the Hickory Nut Gorge Brewery, right near campus, for some social time and the chance to network with the OGS community. Kick back and relax with your fellow farmers and gardeners with local brews (alcoholic & non-alcoholic options available) and snacks! Keep the conversation flowing and farm inspiration growing.
- AGES 18+
- SEATED SHOW
- 8:30PM DOORS, 9PM SHOW
While Irish eyes might be smiling your eyes will be delighting! Black Garter Revue is back at The Grey Eagle for a night of St. Patrick’s Day fun that will entice you into loving all things Irish
– Connect Beyond Festival 2020 organizers announced today that the festival, slated for April 3-5, 2020, is officially postponed. With recent developments surrounding COVID-19 nationally and in North Carolina, we cannot in good conscience move forward with the festival as scheduled. The safety of our guests and participants is our number one priority.
Connect Beyond Festival’s annual weekend-long event, as well as similar micro-events on both coasts, intends to return in 2020. For our fans, tickets will be refunded upon request by visiting our website page and filling out a quick form to initiate the process before Sunday, April 12, 2020. For guests interested in attending our rescheduled future event at a later date, all remaining ticket holders will be offered (1) additional ticket of equal value to their original purchase.
– Connect Beyond Festival 2020 organizers announced today that the festival, slated for April 3-5, 2020, is officially postponed. With recent developments surrounding COVID-19 nationally and in North Carolina, we cannot in good conscience move forward with the festival as scheduled. The safety of our guests and participants is our number one priority.
Connect Beyond Festival’s annual weekend-long event, as well as similar micro-events on both coasts, intends to return in 2020. For our fans, tickets will be refunded upon request by visiting our website page and filling out a quick form to initiate the process before Sunday, April 12, 2020. For guests interested in attending our rescheduled future event at a later date, all remaining ticket holders will be offered (1) additional ticket of equal value to their original purchase.
Doors and Event begin at 10:00am til 1:00pm – Open Floor Dance Party for Kids with a Live DJ Oso Rey! Drop in anytime.
Playing Child-Appropriate FUN dance music from the Jackson 5’s “ABC” to “Shake it Off” to old-school hip hop tracks, favorites from 23 Skidoo, and much more!
There will be FREE Glow accessories for your little dancers, plenty of room to run, dance, and get their sillies out while it’s cold outside, and snacks for purchase from Asheville Pizza Co and the Hop Ice Creamery! And of course, The Orange Peel bar will be open for mom and dad’s refreshments (and/or kids’ juice boxes).
Padded area available for crawlers and new walkers to play and explore.
The music will be especially chosen to appeal to kids from ages 2 to 12, but the whole family is more than welcome! 12 and under are only $3 (under 2 years old are free) and everyone else is $5.
2 private rooms available for rent for birthday parties after the dance party ends! Bring decorations and a cake and let the Orange Peel & the Hop help you create a fun and unique birthday experience for your child and their buddies after they dance their booties off! Contact [email protected] for more information and party reservations.
- ALL AGES
- DOORS 11:30AM / CLASS 12PM
Have fun dancing anywhere with these popular dances. Taught by UCWDC World Champions Richard & Sue Cicchetti.
No partner needed (Bring one if you can). Both classes are beginner level. Take one or both.
Online discount: 2-hour class $20 or, first hour 12-1 pm
Beginner $10 or, second hour 1-2 pm Level-two $10
At the door: 2-hour class $25, 1-hour class $15.
TICKETS: https://squareup.com/store/dance-for-life?fbclid=IwAR3wYr5ZrbRp34IGDoA14qzMlk6V04C2QcfVHszQwdrekBK6vHubJ1cDNcE
- 18 +
- SEATED SHOW
- 11 AM DOORS/ 12 PM
Burlesque Brunch is a monthly burlesque and belly dance show with a classic speakeasy feel. Join us every month and relax and enjoy our dancing dames and dandies in an up close and intimate setting. It’s a Sunday afternoon to delight the senses!

Even if green isn’t really your color, you’ll want to get in on all the (free!) fun at Greenville’s longest-running Celtic celebration.
In an era when parents taking their kids downtown feel like walking ATMs, we have worked hard to make sure that this family-friendly event is not just a lot of fun, but also FREE. Yes, there is no admission charge, and all children’s activities are also free! We hope that you find your ‘Return to the Green’ to be festive, family friendly, and a memorable cultural experience. And of course you could be that extra lucky attendee who returns home $500 richer thanks to our cash prize giveaway.
This Discovery Channel documentary released in 2015, is full of beautiful and horrifying images that are not easily forgotten. From majestic whale sharks to slaughtered manta rays, the subjects of this new documentary reveal nature’s beauty and force viewers to confront the detrimental effects of human activity on the planet.
The documentary introduces its viewers to the Anthropocene, the geological age that began when human activities became a driving force for major geological changes. The film mixes cogent scientific facts with captivating images to convey the urgency of the crisis facing our planet—an emergency stemming from global climate change and mass species extinction.
Scientists predict that within the next 100 years, 50 percent of Earth’s species will become extinct if we continue down this path. Species go extinct regardless of human interference, but in the next decade alone, humans will drive other species to extinction ten times faster than normal.
Most of the film is dedicated to ocean quality because oceans are crucial to global stability. “When carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere, between a third and a half gets absorbed by the oceans, making them more acidic,” said Louie Psihoyos, director of Racing Extinction, in the documentary. This increased acidity kills phytoplankton—the organisms responsible for producing half of the world’s oxygen supply—and harms many other oceanic creatures.
The film highlights recent and massive decreases in shark populations. The film also highlights the illegal market for shark fins in China, which claims the lives of 1.3 to 2.7 million sharks every year. Sharks have survived four mass extinctions in the earth’s history, but now human activity has decreased the shark population by 90 percent in one generation.
The documentary exposes specific ways that humans contribute to the changing geochemistry of the planet. According to Psihoyos, our livestock contribute more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere than all direct emissions from the transportation sector. However, the film also recognizes our ability to solve these problems by providing pathways for people to live more sustainably: “If every American skipped meat and cheese just one day a week for a year, it would be like taking 7.6 million cars off the road,”
The film concedes that large-scale geological changes are not simple problems to solve, but it advocates for people to find a way to help alleviate the problem. Overall, Racing Extinction drives home the message that saving the planet is worthwhile by unveiling the hidden beauty of the earth. The film inspires its viewers to maintain hope and convinces them to see and hear the beauty and vibrancy of the world that surrounds them.
http://www.yalescientific.org/2016/03/documentary-review-racing-extinction/
Jump to the beat with your friends on Sesame Street! Join the fun with an interactive show that unfolds on one of the world’s most famous streets at the funniest, furriest party in the neighborhood…get ready for Sesame Street Live! Let’s Party!
Learn new songs and sing along to familiar favorites with Oscar and Cookie Monster; build a snowman with Elmo; flap your wings with Big Bird; marvel at Abby’s magic; be amazed when Super Grover flies, and move to the rhythm with Rosita.
Anything’s possible when everyone who shares something in common gets together. Kick your feet to the beat at Sesame Street Live! Let’s Party!

There are two available times for this event:
Jump to the beat with your friends on Sesame Street! Join the fun with an interactive show that unfolds on one of the world’s most famous streets at the funniest, furriest party in the neighborhood…get ready for Sesame Street Live! Let’s Party!
Learn new songs and sing along to familiar favorites with Oscar and Cookie Monster; build a snowman with Elmo; flap your wings with Big Bird; marvel at Abby’s magic; be amazed when Super Grover flies, and move to the rhythm with Rosita.
Anything’s possible when everyone who shares something in common gets together. Kick your feet to the beat at Sesame Street Live! Let’s Party!

Sesame Street Live (March 21-22) ) is cancelled. All tickets purchased at Ticketmaster will be automatically refunded. All other tickets will be refunded at the point of purchase.
Your favorite Sesame Street friends are back in Sesame Street Live! Make Your Magic! When magician extraordinaire Justin visits the neighborhood to put on a magic show, Elmo wants to join in. But there’s one problem: Elmo doesn’t know how to do magic, so he teams up with Justin, Abby, and friends to practice his trick while discovering the magical moments in everyday life!
Click HERE for our standard arena policies and our most frequently asked questions. Ticket prices are always subject to change without notice. Additional fees apply.

Your favorite Sesame Street friends are back in Sesame Street Live! Make Your Magic! When magician extraordinaire Justin visits the neighborhood to put on a magic show, Elmo wants to join in. But there’s one problem: Elmo doesn’t know how to do magic, so he teams up with Justin, Abby, and friends to practice his trick while discovering the magical moments in everyday life!
Click HERE for our standard arena policies and our most frequently asked questions. Ticket prices are always subject to change without notice. Additional fees apply.

Sesame Street Live (March 21-22) is cancelled. All tickets purchased at Ticketmaster will be automatically refunded. All other tickets will be refunded at the point of purchase.
Your favorite Sesame Street friends are back in Sesame Street Live! Make Your Magic! When magician extraordinaire Justin visits the neighborhood to put on a magic show, Elmo wants to join in. But there’s one problem: Elmo doesn’t know how to do magic, so he teams up with Justin, Abby, and friends to practice his trick while discovering the magical moments in everyday life!
Click HERE for our standard arena policies and our most frequently asked questions. Ticket prices are always subject to change without notice. Additional fees apply.

Sesame Street Live (March 21-22) is cancelled. All tickets purchased at Ticketmaster will be automatically refunded. All other tickets will be refunded at the point of purchase.
Your favorite Sesame Street friends are back in Sesame Street Live! Make Your Magic! When magician extraordinaire Justin visits the neighborhood to put on a magic show, Elmo wants to join in. But there’s one problem: Elmo doesn’t know how to do magic, so he teams up with Justin, Abby, and friends to practice his trick while discovering the magical moments in everyday life!
Click HERE for our standard arena policies and our most frequently asked questions. Ticket prices are always subject to change without notice. Additional fees apply.
https://www.facebook.com/AshevilleCommunityTheatre/
- We are featuring singers (and dancers!) from the community during our #ACTHappyHour parties M-F at 5:00 pm!

Free documentary and community discussion of “Ay Mariposa,”
“Ay Mariposa” tells the true story of two women and a rare community of butterflies standing on the front lines in a battle against the US-Mexico border wall where the wall construction is devastating wildlife and human communities. Heather Rayburn of MonarchLover.org will host the event, which is sponsored by the Student Environmental Center at UNC-Asheville, the Western North Carolina Sierra Club, Asheville GreenWorks (Bee City USA – Asheville), Nuestro Centro, Hermanxs Orgullosxs en las Américas at UNC-Asheville, Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society, Carolina Natives Nursery, and Mountain WILD.
Free admission – donations welcome.
Details of why this is screening in Asheville: https://www.monarchlover.org/ecocide-on-the-border…
Beginner’s workshop lesson at 7:30 P.M., then 8-11 P.M. Contra Dance with Country Waltzing at the break and the final dance. This is a partner dance but it’s not necessary to come with a partner. We have different live bands and callers.
https://www.facebook.com/AshevilleCommunityTheatre/
- We are featuring singers (and dancers!) from the community during our #ACTHappyHour parties M-F at 5:00 pm!
Asheville’s Premier Country Dance. Includes Two-Step Lesson from 7 to 8 PM. Join us for a Fun evening 7-10:30 pm at the Asheville Ballroom, 291 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville. 7-8pm Two-Step lesson taught by Richard & Sue Cicchetti. 8 to 10:30 dance your favorite dances: Swing, Waltz, Two-Step, Cha-Cha, etc. on a 5,000 sq. ft. wood dance floor with great, modern country music provided by DJ Ricky C. Admission includes dance, dance lesson, bottled water, dessert & raffle ticket for great prizes. Online registration discount by March 27th $11 at www.Danceforlife.dance. After March 27th and at the door $13.
An evening of alternative music and experimental film screenings!
Films by filmmakers from around the world as well as local & national filmmakers. Special screening of short experimental films by Man Ray and Stan Brakhage, world acclaimed experimental filmmakers.
Are you a filmmaker? Submit by Mar 20 at:
https://filmfreeway.com/twinriversmediafestivalexperimental.
Experimental music will be provided by Mexican artist Cyn Los & Via Intercom from New York. Cyn Los creates organic rhythms and twisted journeys with old school keyboards and drums. Via Intercom is comprised of Stevie Jick & Maggie Colgan, an indie folktronica duo based in Brooklyn, NY, featuring homemade synths & other touch instruments to create their own original blend of analog & digitally-based sounds.

As we enter into an even vaster understanding of just how interdependent we are and how fast something travels between us all, we can appreciate the power of our interconnectedness. This can be seen in the thousands of cases in which a virus has impacted so much of our lives from travel, business, wellness and gatherings.
Fantastic Fungi is all about our interconnectedness and the common issues that we face as a species. We know that our biggest defense from these viruses is our own sense of wellbeing, our own immunity and the ability to live from a place of health and wellness both individually and collectively.
Fantastic Fungi Day:
More Global Than Ever
Watch Fantastic Fungi… At Home!
The messages of this film could not be any timelier, from the need to reconnect and understand the intelligence of nature, to partnering with fungi and our natural world to shift our consciousness. How prepared are we to face the pressing issues we have in our world?
We are facing a serious challenge, yet like the mycelium network we are adaptable. As a response to the worldwide pandemic of the coronavirus, we ask each community to take responsibility for establishing the best practice for them. We also know that we need to respond as mycelium and provide innovative ways of addressing these new challenges.
Join Us From The Safety of Wherever You Are.
In response to the Coronavirus we have decided to expand our reach and open the gates to the ever expanding movement of this film and provide an opportunity to people all around the world, no matter where you are located, to participate in Fantastic Fungi Day! Yes, we are creating an opportunity for everyone, wherever you are to view the film as well as tune into the post-screening Q&A. We have the ability to shift the way we are living in this world. Now is the time to tap into nature’s intelligence and come together as a worldwide audience seeking connection, hope and solutions.
With love and gratitude,
Louie, Paul and the FF Team

Synopsis:
Flailing 34-year-old Bridget (Kelly O’Sullivan) finally catches a break when she meets a nice guy and lands a much-needed job nannying six-year-old Frances (played by a scene-stealing Ramona Edith-Williams). But an unwanted pregnancy introduces an unexpected complication. To make matters worse, she clashes with the obstinate Frances and struggles to navigate a growing tension between Frances’ moms. Amidst her tempestuous personal relationships, a reluctant friendship with Frances emerges, and Bridget contends with the inevitable joys and difficulties of becoming a part of someone else’s family.
Director: Alex Thompson
Screenplay: Kelly O’Sullivan
Cast: Kelly O’Sullivan, Ramona Edith-Williams, Jim True-Frost, Francis Guinan, Laura T. Fisher, Lily Mojekwu
NR
106 min.

A NOTE FROM THE GRAIL MOVIEHOUSE
Thank you for watching ONCE WERE BROTHERS and Thank you to MAGNOLIA PICTURES! Between today and April 2, 100% of net proceeds from tickets sold will go back to the Grail Moviehouse thanks to Magnolia Pictures. From 4/3 on, Magnolia will split net proceeds 50/50. By viewing this great film, you’re not only supporting Grail Moviehouse during a difficult time, you’re also supporting amazing idependentfilmmaking and helping to bring the world together through film.
Synopsis:
Inspired by Robertson’s 2017 bestselling memoir Testimony, ONCE WERE BROTHERS: ROBBIE ROBERTSON AND THE BAND is a confessional, cautionary, and sometimes humorous tale of Robertson’s young life and the creation of one of the most enduring groups in the history of popular music. The film blends rare archival footage and interviews with many of Robertson’s friends and collaborators, including Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Scorsese, Taj Mahal, Peter Gabriel, David Geffen and Ronnie Hawkins, among others.
Director: Daniel Roher
Cast: Robbie Robertson, Martin Scorsese, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Taj Mahal, Jann Wenner, Ronnie Hawkins, Van Morrison, Dominique Robertson
102 min.
R

A NOTE FROM THE GRAIL MOVIEHOUSE
Thank you for watching THE WHISTLERS and Thank you to MAGNOLIA PICTURES! Between today and April 2, 100% of net proceeds from tickets sold will go back to the Grail Moviehouse thanks to Magnolia Pictures. From 4/3 on, Magnolia will split net proceeds 50/50. By viewing this great film, you’re not only supporting Grail Moviehouse during a difficult time, you’re also supporting amazing international filmmaking and helping to bring the world together through film.
Synopsis:
In THE WHISTLERS, not everything is as it seems for Cristi, a police inspector in Bucharest who plays both sides of the law. Embarking with the beautiful Gilda on a high-stakes heist, both will have to navigate the twists and turns of corruption, treachery and deception. A trip to the Canary Islands to learn a secret whistling language might just be what they need to pull it off.
Director: Corneliu Porumboiu
Cast: Vlad Ivanov, Catrinel Marlon, Rodica Lazar, Antonio Buil
English, Spanish, and Romanian with English Subtitles
97 min
NR.


