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.

Saturday, August 29, 2020
Grant Opportunities for the Crafts
Aug 29 all-day
online
The Craft Futures Fund will fund up to $30,000 each month from May 2020 – October 2020 to support craft-based education projects. These one-time, unrestricted grants of $5,000 will be disbursed to craft-based education projects that envision and build new futures for craft.
Guided Hikes: Grandfather Mountain
Aug 29 all-day
Grandfather Mountain

Interpretive Rangers are available to lead guided hikes, bird walks and wildflower walks for families and groups that visit Grandfather Mountain. To see the mountain in this whole new way, you can schedule an appointment by calling the interpretive ranger office at (828) 737-0833 or emailing [email protected].

Please note that walks and hikes are available for all ability levels, but hikes that take you into Grandfather Mountain’s backcountry require careful footwork, proper footwear and the ability to handle heights. All backcountry hikes require participants to traverse ladders and use cables to navigate steep sections of the trail.

Interpretive Rangers are available year-round (weather permitting) to lead guided hikes to:

MacRae Peak ($15 + park admission)
Attic Window ($25 + park admission)
Calloway Peak ($35 + park admission)

Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance, and a minimum of two participants per hike are required. For more information, please call (828) 737-0833.

Wednesday, September 2, 2020
Modelface Comedy presents Sean Patton and Friends!
Sep 2 @ 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Ben's Tune Up

Sean Patton is back in Asheville for two nights and he is bringing some of his favorite NYC comics with him! Join Sean Patton, Cipha Sounds, Caitlin Cook, and Wil Sylvince at Bens Tune Up for outdoor comedy and music.
Ben’s will be serving food and drinks so come early for a good seat and dinner. Door’s at 7pm, show at 8:30pm both nights
This will be a masks on event and all current health and safety guidelines will be followed. A limited number of presale seats available and more will be added week of based on weather.
These shows will be filmed
ages 18+
Limited seating
Please order your tickets in groups or contact to let us know that you will be a group to help with seating.
[email protected]
Tickets $20
9/2
GA: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/modelface-comedy-presents-sean-patton-and-friends-wednesday-tickets-117729250357
Buy a table (6-7 seats) https://www.eventbrite.com/e/modelface-comedy-presents-sean-patton-and-friends-wednesday-table-tickets-117932243515
9/3
GA: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/modelface-comedy-presents-sean-patton-and-friends-thursday-tickets-117933078011
Buy a table (6-7 seats) https://www.eventbrite.com/e/modelface-comedy-presents-sean-patton-and-friends-thursday-large-table-tickets-117933435079

Thursday, September 3, 2020
Modelface Comedy presents Sean Patton and Friends!
Sep 3 @ 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Ben's Tune Up

Sean Patton is back in Asheville for two nights and he is bringing some of his favorite NYC comics with him! Join Sean Patton, Cipha Sounds, Caitlin Cook, and Wil Sylvince at Bens Tune Up for outdoor comedy and music.
Ben’s will be serving food and drinks so come early for a good seat and dinner. Door’s at 7pm, show at 8:30pm both nights
This will be a masks on event and all current health and safety guidelines will be followed. A limited number of presale seats available and more will be added week of based on weather.
These shows will be filmed
ages 18+
Limited seating
Please order your tickets in groups or contact to let us know that you will be a group to help with seating.
[email protected]
Tickets $20
9/2
GA: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/modelface-comedy-presents-sean-patton-and-friends-wednesday-tickets-117729250357
Buy a table (6-7 seats) https://www.eventbrite.com/e/modelface-comedy-presents-sean-patton-and-friends-wednesday-table-tickets-117932243515
9/3
GA: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/modelface-comedy-presents-sean-patton-and-friends-thursday-tickets-117933078011
Buy a table (6-7 seats) https://www.eventbrite.com/e/modelface-comedy-presents-sean-patton-and-friends-thursday-large-table-tickets-117933435079

Saturday, September 5, 2020
Grant Opportunities for the Crafts
Sep 5 all-day
online
The Craft Futures Fund will fund up to $30,000 each month from May 2020 – October 2020 to support craft-based education projects. These one-time, unrestricted grants of $5,000 will be disbursed to craft-based education projects that envision and build new futures for craft.
Guided Hikes: Grandfather Mountain
Sep 5 all-day
Grandfather Mountain

Interpretive Rangers are available to lead guided hikes, bird walks and wildflower walks for families and groups that visit Grandfather Mountain. To see the mountain in this whole new way, you can schedule an appointment by calling the interpretive ranger office at (828) 737-0833 or emailing [email protected].

Please note that walks and hikes are available for all ability levels, but hikes that take you into Grandfather Mountain’s backcountry require careful footwork, proper footwear and the ability to handle heights. All backcountry hikes require participants to traverse ladders and use cables to navigate steep sections of the trail.

Interpretive Rangers are available year-round (weather permitting) to lead guided hikes to:

MacRae Peak ($15 + park admission)
Attic Window ($25 + park admission)
Calloway Peak ($35 + park admission)

Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance, and a minimum of two participants per hike are required. For more information, please call (828) 737-0833.

Saturday, September 12, 2020
Grant Opportunities for the Crafts
Sep 12 all-day
online
The Craft Futures Fund will fund up to $30,000 each month from May 2020 – October 2020 to support craft-based education projects. These one-time, unrestricted grants of $5,000 will be disbursed to craft-based education projects that envision and build new futures for craft.
Guided Hikes: Grandfather Mountain
Sep 12 all-day
Grandfather Mountain

Interpretive Rangers are available to lead guided hikes, bird walks and wildflower walks for families and groups that visit Grandfather Mountain. To see the mountain in this whole new way, you can schedule an appointment by calling the interpretive ranger office at (828) 737-0833 or emailing [email protected].

Please note that walks and hikes are available for all ability levels, but hikes that take you into Grandfather Mountain’s backcountry require careful footwork, proper footwear and the ability to handle heights. All backcountry hikes require participants to traverse ladders and use cables to navigate steep sections of the trail.

Interpretive Rangers are available year-round (weather permitting) to lead guided hikes to:

MacRae Peak ($15 + park admission)
Attic Window ($25 + park admission)
Calloway Peak ($35 + park admission)

Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance, and a minimum of two participants per hike are required. For more information, please call (828) 737-0833.

Saturday, September 19, 2020
Grant Opportunities for the Crafts
Sep 19 all-day
online
The Craft Futures Fund will fund up to $30,000 each month from May 2020 – October 2020 to support craft-based education projects. These one-time, unrestricted grants of $5,000 will be disbursed to craft-based education projects that envision and build new futures for craft.
Guided Hikes: Grandfather Mountain
Sep 19 all-day
Grandfather Mountain

Interpretive Rangers are available to lead guided hikes, bird walks and wildflower walks for families and groups that visit Grandfather Mountain. To see the mountain in this whole new way, you can schedule an appointment by calling the interpretive ranger office at (828) 737-0833 or emailing [email protected].

Please note that walks and hikes are available for all ability levels, but hikes that take you into Grandfather Mountain’s backcountry require careful footwork, proper footwear and the ability to handle heights. All backcountry hikes require participants to traverse ladders and use cables to navigate steep sections of the trail.

Interpretive Rangers are available year-round (weather permitting) to lead guided hikes to:

MacRae Peak ($15 + park admission)
Attic Window ($25 + park admission)
Calloway Peak ($35 + park admission)

Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance, and a minimum of two participants per hike are required. For more information, please call (828) 737-0833.

Thursday, September 24, 2020
City Dance
Sep 24 @ 7:30 pm
Landmark Hal

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.

Saturday, September 26, 2020
Grant Opportunities for the Crafts
Sep 26 all-day
online
The Craft Futures Fund will fund up to $30,000 each month from May 2020 – October 2020 to support craft-based education projects. These one-time, unrestricted grants of $5,000 will be disbursed to craft-based education projects that envision and build new futures for craft.
Guided Hikes: Grandfather Mountain
Sep 26 all-day
Grandfather Mountain

Interpretive Rangers are available to lead guided hikes, bird walks and wildflower walks for families and groups that visit Grandfather Mountain. To see the mountain in this whole new way, you can schedule an appointment by calling the interpretive ranger office at (828) 737-0833 or emailing [email protected].

Please note that walks and hikes are available for all ability levels, but hikes that take you into Grandfather Mountain’s backcountry require careful footwork, proper footwear and the ability to handle heights. All backcountry hikes require participants to traverse ladders and use cables to navigate steep sections of the trail.

Interpretive Rangers are available year-round (weather permitting) to lead guided hikes to:

MacRae Peak ($15 + park admission)
Attic Window ($25 + park admission)
Calloway Peak ($35 + park admission)

Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance, and a minimum of two participants per hike are required. For more information, please call (828) 737-0833.

Saturday, October 3, 2020
Guided Hikes: Grandfather Mountain
Oct 3 all-day
Grandfather Mountain

Interpretive Rangers are available to lead guided hikes, bird walks and wildflower walks for families and groups that visit Grandfather Mountain. To see the mountain in this whole new way, you can schedule an appointment by calling the interpretive ranger office at (828) 737-0833 or emailing [email protected].

Please note that walks and hikes are available for all ability levels, but hikes that take you into Grandfather Mountain’s backcountry require careful footwork, proper footwear and the ability to handle heights. All backcountry hikes require participants to traverse ladders and use cables to navigate steep sections of the trail.

Interpretive Rangers are available year-round (weather permitting) to lead guided hikes to:

MacRae Peak ($15 + park admission)
Attic Window ($25 + park admission)
Calloway Peak ($35 + park admission)

Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance, and a minimum of two participants per hike are required. For more information, please call (828) 737-0833.

Friday, October 9, 2020
American Shakespeare Center’s “Othello”
Oct 9 @ 7:00 pm
Online

Envious machinations and evil intentions take hold in American Shakespeare Center’s Othello, live streaming on Friday, Oct. 9 at 7pm. The show will be shot in 3-camera cinema-quality and presented live from the stage of the Blackfriars Playhouse.

Directed by celebrated ASC Artistic Director Ethan McSweeny, this stunningly relevant production of Shakespeare’s tragedy of racism and jealousy promises to bring audiences to the edge of their seats. Acclaimed actress Jessika D. Williams, who has won a cult following from her appearance on the popular television series Doctor Who, appears in the title role of Othello. Opposite Williams is veteran actor-manager John Harrell as the malevolent Iago. It’s a struggle between good and evil when these two titanic talents square off.

BlkFrs LIVE offers Schaefer Center Presents audiences synchronized live viewing of ASC’s new production of Othello. The comprehensive “Virtual Tour” program is designed to make it possible for people to experience the joy of Shakespeare in performance and the magic of the Blackfriars Playhouse from far away.

The American Shakespeare Center’s productions are intimate in scale, yet epic in scope. The company utilizes Shakespeare’s staging conditions (universal lighting, minimal sets, character doubling, cross-gender casting, and live music) to blend Shakespeare’s stagecraft with a modern sensibility. This engaging approach to the work of Shakespeare and his contemporaries is what led the UK Telegraph to call ASC “one of the most accomplished Shakespeare companies in the United States.”

Saturday, October 10, 2020
Guided Hikes: Grandfather Mountain
Oct 10 all-day
Grandfather Mountain

Interpretive Rangers are available to lead guided hikes, bird walks and wildflower walks for families and groups that visit Grandfather Mountain. To see the mountain in this whole new way, you can schedule an appointment by calling the interpretive ranger office at (828) 737-0833 or emailing [email protected].

Please note that walks and hikes are available for all ability levels, but hikes that take you into Grandfather Mountain’s backcountry require careful footwork, proper footwear and the ability to handle heights. All backcountry hikes require participants to traverse ladders and use cables to navigate steep sections of the trail.

Interpretive Rangers are available year-round (weather permitting) to lead guided hikes to:

MacRae Peak ($15 + park admission)
Attic Window ($25 + park admission)
Calloway Peak ($35 + park admission)

Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance, and a minimum of two participants per hike are required. For more information, please call (828) 737-0833.

Saturday, October 17, 2020
Guided Hikes: Grandfather Mountain
Oct 17 all-day
Grandfather Mountain

Interpretive Rangers are available to lead guided hikes, bird walks and wildflower walks for families and groups that visit Grandfather Mountain. To see the mountain in this whole new way, you can schedule an appointment by calling the interpretive ranger office at (828) 737-0833 or emailing [email protected].

Please note that walks and hikes are available for all ability levels, but hikes that take you into Grandfather Mountain’s backcountry require careful footwork, proper footwear and the ability to handle heights. All backcountry hikes require participants to traverse ladders and use cables to navigate steep sections of the trail.

Interpretive Rangers are available year-round (weather permitting) to lead guided hikes to:

MacRae Peak ($15 + park admission)
Attic Window ($25 + park admission)
Calloway Peak ($35 + park admission)

Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance, and a minimum of two participants per hike are required. For more information, please call (828) 737-0833.

MountainTrue ‎Fall Scenic Hike
Oct 17 @ 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Pilot Cove Loop

Image may contain: people standing, sky, outdoor and nature

Join MountainTrue’s Ecologist and Public Lands Director, Bob Gale, for a gorgeous and educational hike through Pisgah National Forest. This hike offers breathtaking views of the fall foliage, and if we are lucky, we will catch glimpses of the Monarch Butterfly migration. We will be hiking the Pilot Cove Loop Trail in Pisgah, which is approximately 4 miles long. The trail starts in a lesser known part of Pisgah National Forest and winds upward among the brightly colored sourwood and black gum trees. After opening up onto a beautiful rocky outcrop, the trails travels through recently logged forested as well as much older sections of forest. There are some steep inclines on this trail, but Bob will be making frequent stops to rest and interpret the flora and fauna. Due to the pandemic, we are restricting group size for outings to 10 participants. Sign up today!

All participants will be required to agree to our COVID-19 event guidelines listed below and again agree to comply with the policies on the day of the event in addition to signing our standard wavier.

What to bring:

  • Hiking boots and appropriate clothing for hiking (including rain gear)

  • Lunch/trail snacks

  • Plenty of water

  • Sunscreen

  • Camera

  • Please, no pets on this hike

Tales of the Trail Chimney Rock Park
Oct 17 @ 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm
Chimney Rock Park

Tales of the Trail **New Fall Event**

Come experience a unique, guided night hike that is fun for the whole family. Tales of the Trail is a non-scary, fall event that introduces you to woodland creatures and how they live. Groups of 20 – 25 people will be led along a lighted, half-mile loop trail to meet costumed animal characters and receive fun giveaways. This festive event will also include music, crafts, a campfire with s’mores and other festival fun.

 

Thursday, October 22, 2020
City Dance
Oct 22 @ 7:30 pm
Landmark Hal

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.

Saturday, October 24, 2020
Guided Hikes: Grandfather Mountain
Oct 24 all-day
Grandfather Mountain

Interpretive Rangers are available to lead guided hikes, bird walks and wildflower walks for families and groups that visit Grandfather Mountain. To see the mountain in this whole new way, you can schedule an appointment by calling the interpretive ranger office at (828) 737-0833 or emailing [email protected].

Please note that walks and hikes are available for all ability levels, but hikes that take you into Grandfather Mountain’s backcountry require careful footwork, proper footwear and the ability to handle heights. All backcountry hikes require participants to traverse ladders and use cables to navigate steep sections of the trail.

Interpretive Rangers are available year-round (weather permitting) to lead guided hikes to:

MacRae Peak ($15 + park admission)
Attic Window ($25 + park admission)
Calloway Peak ($35 + park admission)

Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance, and a minimum of two participants per hike are required. For more information, please call (828) 737-0833.

Thursday, October 29, 2020
NC Black Repertory Company’s “The Resurrection of Alice”
Oct 29 @ 8:00 pm
Online

The Resurrection of Alice was filmed on the Schaefer Center stage exclusively for this series!

The Resurrection of Alice is a novel and play inspired by the countless forgotten lives of young, black girls who found themselves in arranged marriages to men that were usually community pillars, financially comfortable and old enough to be their grandfathers. This type of arrangement, prevalent throughout many countries and cultures, was once a fairly common practice amongst African Americans through the mid-1900s.

In rural 1948 South Carolina, 15-year-old Alice looks forward to graduating from high school (a family first) and attending college on the scholarship she has earned. But her plans are devastated when she learns that she must honor her parents’ secret marriage arrangements for her to Luthern Tucker, the lonely, old family benefactor who had been eyeing her since she was seven years old. Alice’s next 20 years of overcoming trials are a tribute to the power of nurturing and healing that can cause a broken spirit to be reborn.

Because the tradition of arranged nuptials continues, The Resurrection of Alice has a contemporary, universal social appeal to anyone seeking to understand how and why this tradition remains as well as some possible emotional, psychological, and physical tolls that may plague both the betrothed and their families, if the union is not a happy one.

The Resurrection of Alice is recommended for ages 12 and older. It’s an adventure that informs, enlightens, excites, and inspires through characters that will stay with you long after the story ends.

Saturday, October 31, 2020
Guided Hikes: Grandfather Mountain
Oct 31 all-day
Grandfather Mountain

Interpretive Rangers are available to lead guided hikes, bird walks and wildflower walks for families and groups that visit Grandfather Mountain. To see the mountain in this whole new way, you can schedule an appointment by calling the interpretive ranger office at (828) 737-0833 or emailing [email protected].

Please note that walks and hikes are available for all ability levels, but hikes that take you into Grandfather Mountain’s backcountry require careful footwork, proper footwear and the ability to handle heights. All backcountry hikes require participants to traverse ladders and use cables to navigate steep sections of the trail.

Interpretive Rangers are available year-round (weather permitting) to lead guided hikes to:

MacRae Peak ($15 + park admission)
Attic Window ($25 + park admission)
Calloway Peak ($35 + park admission)

Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance, and a minimum of two participants per hike are required. For more information, please call (828) 737-0833.

Monday, November 2, 2020
Fuji Camera Users Group Online
Nov 2 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Join Spartan Photo Center and a Fujifilm Technical Representative for an unveiling of the new Fuji X-S10 camera and discussion and question and answers on Fujifilm digital cameras and lenses. Runs about an hour, not counting the Q & A.

The Zoom meeting link is https://fujifilm.zoom.us/j/96658468564?pwd=SGVZZnlYUWt4VHZsVWZKSTJ3OU5yZz09.

Tuesday, November 3, 2020
10 Tips for Better Landscape Photography with David Akoubian
Nov 3 @ 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Spartan Photo Center

Whether you are picking up a camera for the first time or have been doing photography for many years, there is always that one tip that will help you to improve. Join Professional Photographer, and Tamron Image Master, David Akoubian, as he shares his “10 tips to Improve your Landscape and Travel Photography”. David has been photographing for over 40 years and has made most every mistake that can be made, but he has also learned how to avoid making those mistakes repeatedly. David will share tips such as knowing your camera, creating good exposures, how to compose beautiful landscapes and capturing the mood of the places you travel to. David will set out to educate and inspire you in this quick paced 2-hour lecture that will leave you ready to go out and start capturing amazing images yourself.

Wednesday, November 4, 2020
Arts Build Community Grant
Nov 4 all-day
Online

This year the Asheville Area Arts Council is offering $500 micro-grants for arts-based projects specifically focused on community hope and healing. These can be projects that bring joy to our local community, and/or projects that actively engage community members in safe activities following state and local health restrictions.

Arts and culture are a fundamental part of our community. They help us connect with one another and better understand history, people, and new ideas. When people become involved in the design, creation, and upkeep of places, they develop a vested interest in using and maintaining these spaces. When neighbors have a true sense of “ownership” or connection to the places they frequent, the community becomes a better place to live, work, and visit. According to Americans for the Arts (AFTA), “86% of participants who took part in community-based art want to be involved in future projects, and people living where these art projects occurred were more than twice as likely to be civically engaged as those whose neighborhoods did not have projects.”

NC CARES for the Arts Grant
Nov 4 all-day
Online

As part of the state’s spending plan for federal CARES Act funding, $9.4 million was designated to provide direct aid to arts councils and arts organizations in an effort to mitigate business disruptions caused by COVID-19. These funds will be distributed on a per-capita basis to all North Carolina counties with a population less than 1 million people. Buncombe County received an allocation of $299,212.42, which will be distributed by the Asheville Area Arts Council.

Southern Equality Studios Artists Grant LGBTQ + BIPOC
Nov 4 all-day
Online

The Southern Equality Studios special grant round is dedicated to resourcing and celebrating LGBTQ artists and creatives across the LGBTQ South who are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, or people of color). Grants of up to $500 will support BIPOC LGBTQ Southern artists working on a wide range of creative projects.

These new grant rounds are part of CSE’s Southern Equality Fund, which has been making grassroots grants across the LGBTQ South since 2015. Since its inception, the Southern Equality Fund has prioritized supporting work led by BIPOC, transgender, and rural organizers.

Have you seen an inspiring BIPOC LGBTQ artists in your community, or are you a creative who could use grant support? If so, we want to hear from you!

We are specifically seeking nominations for artists or creatives efforts who are:

  • Based in the South.
  • Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC).
  • LGBTQ people.
  • Funds can be used to support a wide range of artistic endeavors.
  • Nominees are eligible to receive this grant even if they have received a previous Southern Equality Fund grant; however, priority will be given to nominees who have not yet received a grant.
  • Anyone is welcome and encouraged to nominate an artist for a grant and artists may also nominate themselves.
  • There are no grant reports, budgets or supplemental materials required in this process. However, if selected, applicants will have to fill out and return a W9 form to receive their funding.
Thursday, November 5, 2020
Arts Build Community Grant
Nov 5 all-day
Online

This year the Asheville Area Arts Council is offering $500 micro-grants for arts-based projects specifically focused on community hope and healing. These can be projects that bring joy to our local community, and/or projects that actively engage community members in safe activities following state and local health restrictions.

Arts and culture are a fundamental part of our community. They help us connect with one another and better understand history, people, and new ideas. When people become involved in the design, creation, and upkeep of places, they develop a vested interest in using and maintaining these spaces. When neighbors have a true sense of “ownership” or connection to the places they frequent, the community becomes a better place to live, work, and visit. According to Americans for the Arts (AFTA), “86% of participants who took part in community-based art want to be involved in future projects, and people living where these art projects occurred were more than twice as likely to be civically engaged as those whose neighborhoods did not have projects.”

Cash 4 Cameras @ Spartan Photo Center
Nov 5 all-day
Spartan Photo Center

SpartanPhotoCenter’s annual Trade in & Trade Up event. We will have @usedphotopro buying unwanted and old camera gear. Clean out your drawers and closets now! Bring it all in for a quote, get cash or trade it in on something new! #TRADEINTRADEUP or #BUYUSED gear while you are here, there will be specials on new and used gear all weekend! Brands include: Sony, Azden, Rode, Canon, Tamron, Sigma, Olympus, Fuji and more… Get #Cash4Cameras. Register to win a FREE camera sensor cleaning during the event. Face mask and social distance required.