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.

Friday, October 18, 2019
PEANUTS™ The Great Pumpkin Patch Express Railroad Smokey Mountains
Oct 18 @ 3:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Bryson City Depot

 

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.

 

Summer Concert Series: Zydeco Ya Ya Hickory Nut Gap Farm
Oct 18 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Hickory Nut Gap Farm

Live music, family fun, and delicious food!

Zydeco Ya Ya, a powerhouse band from the Piedmont area of the Carolinas, and Georgia, delivers a zydeco groove guaranteed to let the good times roll.

About our Food:

During the show we serve a complete spread of delicious farm-to-fork dinner options using our own pasture raised meats and locally sourced produce. Meals are prepared fresh by our in-house culinary team and are available for an additional cost along with alcoholic (beer/wine) and non-alcoholic beverage options.  The menu typically consists of 3 meats and 4 sides. The full menu will be advertised on the event Facebook page a few days in advance of the concert.  Be sure to follow us online for the latest updates!

Vendardos Circus
Oct 18 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Asheville Outlets

Venardos Circus 2019

Family Fun Broadway Style Circus!

80s vs 90s Dance Party
Oct 18 @ 9:00 pm
The Orange Peel
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Fall Harvest Days Antique Engine and Tractor Show
Oct 19 @ 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
WNC Agricultural Center

Gate 7 opens Thursday.   8AM to 5 PM rain or shine

Adult Admission $8 a day or $20 for 3 days includes ACAETA pulls
Children under 12 free with paid adult.
Unreserved selling spaces $40, free admission to qualified exhibitors,
limited 2 people per registration; 3rd and above pay admission.

– Pulls –
Farm Tractors 1964 & earlier on Saturday at 10:00 am
Tractor Pulls will be under the covered arena – enter through Gate 7.

Farm Game Challenge
Oct 19 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
WNC AG Center
The Antique Engine & Tractor Club will host “The Farm Game Challenge” set for Saturday October 19th at the Western North Carolina Ag Center.
Teams of four to five Teen’s are encouraged to participate in the Farm Games, which will include but not be limited to Straw/Hay Bale Stacking Timed Event , Corn Shucking Timed Event, Corn On the Cob Eating Timed Event, Sheath Toss, and other games.  The Teams will compete against each other with an elimination challenge.  Small Children will get to “Find the Prize” in the Straw/Hay Stack.
All Four Henderson County High Schools have been notified of the games and are encouraged to submit teams to the Farm Game Challenge.  Teams within each school will compete to see which Team will represent it against the other High Schools, Winning teams from each school will compete against each other to claim First Prize in the Farm Games.
To sign up for the Farm Games, please e mail [email protected] with name of team, and  team members.  Teams may be all male, all female, or Co-ed. Teams are limited to Four to Five Members.
The 34th Fall Harvest Days run from October 17-19,2019.  Antique Engines, Tractors, Crafts, Food and Kids activities will be available.  Antique Tractor Pull, Saturday.
For more information contact the web site www.applecountry.org
Eliada Corn Maze
Oct 19 @ 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Eliada Homes

A Monster Maze and a Monstrously Good Time
 All money raised from the 6-week event benefits Eliada’s vast continuum of care for children and youth 0-25 years old.
This year, Eliada will maintain some beloved attractions including the tractor ride, which now drives all the way around, and partially through, the Corn Maze, the jumping pillow, the corn kernel sand box, the spider web climber, the tube slides, and the corn cannons.
New This Year:
This year, Eliada’s featuring fun monsters in the maze design. To accompany this theme, a new game has been added to the event. This monster mystery will take you through the maze, where you follow clues, and find monsters hidden throughout the cornfield. You can be a monster mystery detective!
Like last year, Eliada is pleased to announce that the corn planted in the field is Non-GMO, and that Eliada used all natural fertilizers to help the corn grow. Eliada is committed to sustaining our land and the health of our campus through sustainable farming methods. Since we made this shift in practice last year, our neighboring farmers have already let us know that their bee populations have returned. We are proud to be impacting the great community through our farming practices.
Beer and Cider:
This year, Eliada is pleased to offer beer and cider to guests during select weekend hours.
  • Friday: 5-8pm
  • Saturday: 11am-8pm
  • Sunday: 11am-6pm
Ticket Pricing:
  • $10 ticket price for all ages.
  • Like every year prior, children 3 and under may still enter the event FREE.
  • $8 per person for groups of 12 or more. We suggest you book ahead [email protected].
Special Events:We offer field trip, birthday party, and corporate night experiences. Contact Chris Rainwater at [email protected] to schedule your event.
Volunteer:Volunteers may work 3 hours shifts at one of our many attractions. Volunteers receive 2 FREE tickets to the Corn Maze for every shift served. More information at EliadaCornMaze.com.
Touch-A-Truck Family Festival
Oct 19 @ 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Asheville Outlets

Quiet Hour*: 11-Noon * No Sirens or Horns
Asheville Outlets (Parking lot next to Field and Stream on the south side of the building off of Ridgefield Blvd.)

Touch-A-Truck is a community wide event where both kids and kids at heart have the opportunity to see, touch, climb and learn about vehicles of all types, including public service, emergency, utility, construction, garbage, transportation, and delivery—all in one place! Children will even get to sound the horns and meet the drivers and people who operate these vehicles. Children can also truck-or-treat throughout the festival—costumes are encouraged but not required.

Additional activities on-site will be food and beverage stations; not-for profit organizations, activity/educational tents; and several other special attractions. Parental supervision is required and cameras are highly recommended to capture the day’s adventures

Bears Bees + Brews
Oct 19 @ 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
New Belgium Brewing

We’re celebrating and learning about human-wildlife coexistence and conservation from trusted organizations, while enjoying lively, family-friendly entertainment, sweet+savory bites, and tasty brews, all in one place.

Join our guest list and spread the word.

We’ll see you there! ???

PEANUTS™ The Great Pumpkin Patch Express Railroad Smokey Mountains
Oct 19 @ 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Bryson City Depot

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.

PEANUTS™ The Great Pumpkin Patch Express Railroad Smokey Mountains
Oct 19 @ 3:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Bryson City Depot

 

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.

 

The Jazz Ambassadors of the United States Army Field Band
Oct 19 @ 4:00 pm
Diana Wortham Theatre

This performance is free of charge and requires a ticket for admission. Tickets may be reserved online, at the Wortham Center Box Office, or by phone at 828-257-4530 .

The Jazz Ambassadors is the official touring big band of the United States Army. Formed in 1969, this 19-member ensemble has received great acclaim at home and abroad performing America’s greatest original art form, jazz.

Concerts by the Jazz Ambassadors are programmed to entertain all types of audiences. The band’s diverse repertoire includes big band swing, bebop, Latin, contemporary jazz, standards, popular tunes, Dixieland, vocals, and patriotic selections, many of which are written or arranged by members of the Jazz Ambassadors.

The Jazz Ambassadors has appeared in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Japan, India, and throughout Europe. Recent notable performances include concerts at the Toronto Jazz Festival, the Richmond Jazz Festival at Maymont, the Kennedy Center Honors, the Jazz Education Network Conference, and an appearance on the Colbert Report. Gordon Goodwin, Bobby Shew, Ernie Watts, and the Dave Brubeck All-Star Quintet are just a few of the outstanding jazz artists who have shared the stage with the Jazz Ambassadors. The band has been featured in joint concerts with Marvin Hamlisch and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, the Seattle Symphony Pops, the Colorado Pops Orchestra, and the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall. The Jazz Ambassadors’s rigorous touring schedule and reputation for excellence has earned it the title “America’s Big Band.”

Ticketholders should be seated by 3:45 PM
Unclaimed seats will be released to non-ticketholders at 3:50 PM

Tryon Resort’s “Saturday Night Lights”
Oct 19 @ 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Tryon International Equestrian Center

Join us for “Saturday Night Lights,” a family-friendly event at Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, NC, happening every Saturday evening May through October featuring FREE carousel rides, pony rides, bounce house, face painting, entertainers and live music, plus horse show competition. General admission and parking are also free and open to the public. With onsite dining options, concessions, shopping, and lodging, come for the night or for a vacation getaway! Learn more at Tryon.com/SNL.

Phone: 828-863-1000

Email: [email protected]

Insta-FRIGHT-night Haunted Trail
Oct 19 @ 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Pisgah Brewing Company

ONE NIGHT ONLY IMMERSIVE PHOTO BOOTH EXPERIENCE!

The Haunted Trail opens early for one night for an Instagram-centric photo booth experience where one can immerse themselves in the magic of the Haunted Trail scene installations.

The highly Instagrammable scenes have been designed for optimal lighting and staged with props, costumes and ring lights to help you capture the spirit of Halloween. The interactive exhibits will include 10 exhibits, all primed for photo opps.

Proof of purchase to this event rewards you with 50% off admission to the Haunted Trail.

Vendardos Circus
Oct 19 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Asheville Outlets

Venardos Circus 2019

Family Fun Broadway Style Circus!

Songwriting Folk Duo Mark Mandeville & Raianne Richards
Oct 19 @ 7:00 pm
Isis Music Hall & Kitchen

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MA based Folk troubadours Mark Mandeville & Raianne Richards will perform Friday October 19 at 7 pm at Isis Music Hall. Mandeville & Richards offer some new material and  songs from their CD “Live in Manitoba” featuring original songs and stories recorded live during a two week tour of house concerts throughout the province of Manitoba, Canada. 

The duo were invited by the organization Home Routes to complete a route during their fall 2017 season. Home Routes/Chemin Chez Nous was initiated by the founders of the Winnipeg Folk Festival and the West End Cultural Centre, (Mitch Podolak and Ava Kobrinsky in collaboration with Tim Osmond) to create new performance opportunities for French and English speaking musicians and audiences in rural, remote and urban, communities across Canada, hosted by volunteers in their homes and other community venues.  

Mark Mandeville & Raianne Richards have just completed their 10th Annual walking tour of Massachusetts. Each summer since 2010 they have organized the “Massachusetts Walking Tour” where they hike the roads and trails of the Commonwealth, more than 100 miles in less than two weeks, in support of the arts in local communities along the way. Each evening they stop over in yet another Massachusetts town, putting on a free concert there, along with local performers and fellow artists who accompany them on their journey. These annual two-week treks also raise awareness of the trails and greenways in Massachusetts, using music to make important connections. In the fall of 2017 Mandeville and Richards received official recognition before congress and were added to the congressional record by Senator Ed Markey for their efforts in the community through the Massachusetts Walking Tour.

Departure: The Journey Tribute Band
Oct 19 @ 7:30 pm
Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts

After 8 years together, DEPARTURE has become the most respected Journey tribute band in the nation. DEPARTURE replicates the look, sound and feel of the original 80’s rock super group. The five band members are from the original line-up and have been together from the very beginning. These veteran musicians have developed an amazing on-stage chemistry and pride themselves on giving their audience an incredible high-energy, qualitative stage show from start to finish. DEPARTURE plays all the hit songs that everyone knows and loves and was voted “Best Local Entertainer” for 2011, 2012 and 2014 by Gwinnett Magazine. Performing approximately one-hundred shows annually, DEPARTURE brings the very best of Journey to audiences of all ages.
Ticket Prices: $18, $20

Asheville Symphony Fright Night
Oct 19 @ 8:00 pm
US Cellular Center

Desert Dwellers
Oct 19 @ 8:00 pm
The Orange Peel

Desert Dwellers

October 19, 2019 9:00 PM
Doors Open: 8:00 PM
Ages 18+

Desert Dwellers is the convergence of music producers Amani Friend and Treavor Moontribe, who honed their individual skills in the mystical deserts of New Mexico and California, long before electronic music reached the mainstream. Amani and Treavor combine the raw sounds of the natural world, wrapped in dance-floor and chill-out productions; blending deep bass, earthy percussion, etheric voices, and cross-cultural instrumentation into a sonic incense for the mind and body. Desert Dwellers’ unique global sounds are a bridge between worlds, and their label Desert Trax has become a platform to spotlight similar alchemical artists.

Ticket price includes applicable sales tax.

Fall Stargazing and Cosmic Storytelling Hickory Nut Gap Farm
Oct 19 @ 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Hickory Nut Gap Farm

Join local astronomer and author Stephan Martin on a tour of the stars and constellations of the fall night sky above the farm. We’ll discuss some of the myths of the constellations along with the seasonal changes in the sky at this time as well as some of the latest discoveries in astronomy and theories of the universe. All ages are welcome and no background in astronomy or science is required.

Fall Stargazing and Cosmic Storytelling
Oct 19 @ 9:00 pm – 10:30 pm
Hickory Nut Gap Farm

Join local astronomer and author Stephan Martin on a tour of the stars and constellations of the fall night sky above the farm. We’ll discuss some of the myths of the constellations along with the seasonal changes in the sky at this time as well as some of the latest discoveries in astronomy and theories of the universe. All ages are welcome and no background in astronomy or science is required.

Sunday, October 20, 2019
?Fall LEAF Festival Lineup Release! ?
Oct 20 all-day
Lake Eden
‘Mountain Top Polka Band’ Oktoberfest Tour Dates
Oct 20 all-day
various locations see details

August 23, Appalachian Ridge Hard Cidery in Hendersonville
August 24, HiWire Brewing Company at the Big Top
Sept. 22, UpCountry Brewing on Haywood Road
Sept. 28, Southern Appalachian Brewery in Hendersonville
Oct. 4, Garden Deli in Burnsville
Oct. 6, Emmanuel Lutheran Church and School in West Asheville
Oct. 10, Highland Brewing Company and
Oct. 20, Saint Paul Mountain Vineyard in Hendersonville

49th Annual LEAF Festival
Oct 20 all-day
Lake Eden

Image result for leaf festival asheville nc

Fall-leaf-lineup-2019

LEAF Festival sits below Mt. Mitchell with mountain lakes and rolling hills with 600 stunning acres featuring rustic cabins, large camping fields with mountain views, hiking trails,  barns, streams, and lakes for canoeing, swimming, and the zooming zipline. This enchanting land offers lots of outdoors adventures for the whole family!

The 1st LEAF Festival premiered Fall 1996, and has become a tradition twice a year, May and October. The name Lake Eden Arts Festival (LEAF) was chosen to honor the lake and the former Lake Eden Inn & Resort. “Arts” embraces a broad creative palate and of course it was to be a “festival”. In envisioning LEAF, we sought to embrace world cultures, reflect the creativity of the Asheville area, and to complement the stunning landscape. The location and size, attendance is limited to 6,000  people on site per day, makes LEAF Festival one of the best small festivals in the world. The right place, the right size.

Kids Quiet Play Session Inside the Salt Cave
Oct 20 @ 9:00 am – 9:45 am
Asheville's Therapeutic Salt Cave and Spa

Spend some time with your family detoxing naturally in the Salt Cave. Adults $25, 4-12 years old $15, 3 and younger are free.

Eliada Corn Maze
Oct 20 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Eliada Homes

A Monster Maze and a Monstrously Good Time
 All money raised from the 6-week event benefits Eliada’s vast continuum of care for children and youth 0-25 years old.
This year, Eliada will maintain some beloved attractions including the tractor ride, which now drives all the way around, and partially through, the Corn Maze, the jumping pillow, the corn kernel sand box, the spider web climber, the tube slides, and the corn cannons.
New This Year:
This year, Eliada’s featuring fun monsters in the maze design. To accompany this theme, a new game has been added to the event. This monster mystery will take you through the maze, where you follow clues, and find monsters hidden throughout the cornfield. You can be a monster mystery detective!
Like last year, Eliada is pleased to announce that the corn planted in the field is Non-GMO, and that Eliada used all natural fertilizers to help the corn grow. Eliada is committed to sustaining our land and the health of our campus through sustainable farming methods. Since we made this shift in practice last year, our neighboring farmers have already let us know that their bee populations have returned. We are proud to be impacting the great community through our farming practices.
Beer and Cider:
This year, Eliada is pleased to offer beer and cider to guests during select weekend hours.
  • Friday: 5-8pm
  • Saturday: 11am-8pm
  • Sunday: 11am-6pm
  • Special Events: We offer field trip, birthday party, and corporate night experiences. Contact Chris Rainwater at [email protected] to schedule your event.
    Volunteer:Volunteers may work 3 hours shifts at one of our many attractions. Volunteers receive 2 FREE tickets to the Corn Maze for every shift served. More information at EliadaCornMaze.com.
PEANUTS™ The Great Pumpkin Patch Express Railroad Smokey Mountains
Oct 20 @ 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Bryson City Depot

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.

Asheville Outlets Presents Monthly Cruise ‘In Car Show
Oct 20 @ 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Asheville Outlets

Do you love cars? If so, then join us at Asheville Outlets (ShopAshevilleOutlets.com) for Cruise ‘In, a monthly car show featuring an exciting display of cars, trucks, motorcycles and special interest vehicles behind the Food Court on Sundays, May 19, June 16, July 21, August 18, September 15, October 20 and November 17, 2019 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Cruise ‘In is free to car owners and spectators.

Howl-O-Ween Dog Costume Party
Oct 20 @ 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Aloft Asheville Downtown

Join Aloft and Charlie’s Angels for a howling good time at our Howl-O-Ween Dog Costume Party on Sunday, October 20! From 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., party with your pooches and compete in our costume contests to win fun prizes. Lounge around w xyz Bar for drink specials and tasty treats for humans and dogs alike.

Does your pup have what it takes to strut their stuff? Check-in for the dog parade and costume contest begins at 4:30 p.m. followed by the parade and costume contest at 5:00 p.m. Furry friends can be registered based on small, medium or large breeds and the top three winners will receive a prize! All dogs who enter the contest will receive a treat and owners will receive a $5 voucher to w xyz Bar.

Are you and your pup a package deal? Enter in our dog and family costume contest for the change to take home the first-place prize! Check-in begins at 5:30 p.m. and the contest will begin at 6:00 p.m.

A minimum $5 donation is required for entry. Call 828-232-2838 for more details and be sure to RSVP on Facebook. We’ll see you there!

Hendersonville Oktoberfest
Oct 20 @ 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards

A great afternoon at the vineyards with a German twist! Bring your Lederhosen and Polka shoes. We’ll have the wine and German party atmosphere ready.