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.
- People who have symptoms of COVID-19.
- Click here for a Coronavirus Self-Checker
- People who have had close contact (link to help you determine your risk) (within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more) with someone with confirmed COVID-19.
- People who have been asked or referred to get testing by their healthcare provider, links to local or state health departments.

all donations — up to $200,000 — will be matched by donors
Pisgah Legal Services
is receiving 1,000 calls
per week on average
for assistance.
More than ever, people across Western North Carolina need Pisgah Legal Services: Many have lost their jobs and can no longer pay their rent; others need help securing health insurance. Many are facing increased domestic violence and do not how to safely escape. Others are too scared to seek medical treatment because of their immigration status.
Support Pisgah Legal today and help us provide legal remedies that result in long-term solutions for people struggling in our region during the COVID-19 crisis, and beyond. With early legal intervention, we can keep difficult situations from spiraling out of control and trapping families, seniors, children and other vulnerable people in poverty.
Please join us in the fight so that more people can get back on their feet and we can emerge from this crisis a more just and resilient community.

Thank you for always being such a great friend of The Orange Peel. Your continued support means so much to us!
But, we still need your help!
Thanks to you, the Save Our Stages Act passed in the House of Representatives — but as you may know, it’s not law yet. We’re pushing to get it included in the next COVID-19 Relief package, which is being negotiated now – and we need your voice (again) ASAP.
The situation gets more dire with each passing day. With no emergency relief, hundreds of venues have already shuttered forever, through no fault of their own.
Even if you’ve done it before, can you please take 30 seconds to remind your Congressional representatives that you want them to pass the next COVID-19 Relief Act now and include crucial assistance for independent venues and promoters. Just click here to Save Our Stages.
When legislators hear from you it makes all the difference – and can help us get this across the finish line. On behalf of the nearly 3,000 members of the National Independent Venue Association, thank you for your continued support.
You don’t know what you’ve got ‘till it’s gone…
You can also donate directly to The Orange Peel to help us get through this difficult time. Just click here!

Consider what it means to shop Amazon
Did you know that Amazon’s net sales for Q4 are expected to be $121 Billion and to grow 38% compared with fourth quarter 2019 numbers? Clearly in this pandemic, they are the big winner. Y’all… there has NEVER been a more critical year to SHOP LOCAL! Please show your love and support of our amazing local business community which truly has all you could ever need- a vintage dress, wall tapestry, piece of pottery, growler of beer or endless gift cards to your favorite Asheville restaurants. Get some ideas here: shops , restaurants , breweries , and more.
SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 11
II. The Ninth of January: Allegro
Brevard Music Center Orchestra • Keith Lockhart, conductor
Recorded live on June 28, 2019,
at the Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium at the Brevard Music Center.

Things are looking a little different this winter holiday season. Show & Tell has gone virtual, bringing the holiday pop up shop you know and love Home For the Holidays!
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Although we are going to miss decking the halls, we are so excited to reach a wider audience with our online presence and are thrilled to showcase the best in handmade, vintage, fair trade, and packaged bites from Asheville, NC and beyond.

Apply by Jan. 11 | Visual artists, applications are now open for the 2021 Southern Prize & State Fellowships. $80,000 in cash awards and residencies at The Hambidge Center for Creative Arts & Sciences will be awarded to celebrate the highest quality artistic work being created in the South.
BMC Staff Picks From Around the Web
TED-Ed:
Calm Under Pressure
Explore why we choke under pressure and what we can do to avoid it. Lesson by Noa Kageyama.

America’s national parks belong to all of us. They connect us to the natural world and root us to our nation’s rich and fascinating history.
National parks exist because people had the foresight to protect the wonder of these unique places for future generations. The parks are a legacy that has been handed down to us; it is up to us to prove that we are worthy of that legacy by continuing to protect and preserve these iconic locations for the generations that come after us.
That’s the idea behind our annual Preserve Our Parks Fund Drive. In order to provide the resources for the crucial work that’s needed in our parks in 2021, we must raise $1,332,000 before December 31.
As an added incentive, when you donate to the Preserve Our Parks Fund Drive, you are able to send a beautiful eCard featuring our national parks to whomever you want. Let your friends, colleagues, and loved ones know how important our national parks are to you.
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Brevard Music Center Staff Picks From Around the Web
The Woman Who Built
Beethoven’s Pianos
Learn of the special relationship between Nannette Streicher and Ludwig van Beethoven.
The GSWP, now celebrating its 20th year of workshops with some of Western North Carolina’s finest authors, is offering five-week, 10-week and 15-week courses including poetry, prose, feature-writing, editing and revision. These Spring 2021 Semester courses have start dates ranging from late January to mid March. Registration is now open, with course descriptions, instructor bios, cost information and more, available at greatsmokies.unca.edu.


Buncombe County Public Libraries have partnered with Asheville Museum of Science (AMOS) to provide a series of virtual field trips that target NC Curriculum standards this fall and winter. These free virtual programs will be available on BiblioBoard from the library for two weeks at a time through January 2021.
Join our virtual field trips anytime here.
Forces and Motion: Using the Force!
Nov. 15- 30; Jan. 1- 15
We will be discussing the forces that exist around us and take a look at what forces are manipulated to make DRONES work! Students can then utilize the scientific method to test new designs for some of our challenges seen in the video. Challenges include making poppers, designing helicopters, testing airplane velocities, and more! Join us to become masters of using the force. This virtual field trip is designed for 3rd graders, but all are invited to check it out!
Rocky Roads!
Nov. 15- 30; Jan. 1- 15
Have you ever thought about how we use the rocks around us??? Why do we use different sized rocks for different things? Take the rocky road and learn all about rocks. We will be discussing the physical properties of soil and rocks. We will also discuss ability for different soil types to have different characteristics or properties, including: water retention, structural support, etc . We will also demo a fun activity on particle size and water movement. This virtual field trip is designed for 1st graders, but all are invited to check it out!
Weather Makers!
Dec. 1-15; Jan. 16-31
How do we study the weather?? Why do we study the weather?? Become a weather maker and shaker when you learn all about weather. We will be discussing the Weather! We will look at why it’s important to collect information about the weather, and describe the different types of weather tools. We will conduct a short demo and game. This virtual field trip is designed for 2nd graders, but all are invited to check it out!
Mineral Detectives!
Dec. 1-15; Jan. 16-31
How do we classify rocks? Become a rock star when you understand the rock cycle. Determine characteristics of certain minerals using our scientific detective work! We will be discussing the rock cycle, the different types of rocks, and some physical properties of rocks and minerals (including hardness). We will demo the Moh’s Hardness Scale and the rock cycle. This virtual field trip is designed for 4th graders, but all are invited to check it out!

Looking for ways to optimize coziness this winter? Check out the Library’s Winter Reading Challenge! Starting Dec. 1, pick up a Winter Reading Activity Sheet from any Buncombe County Public Library during public service hours or download a PDF below. The activity sheet includes multiple ways kids and their families can enjoy the winter season together in a screen-free, socially distanced way. This free activity sheet is designed with kids in mind, but all are invited to participate. The focal challenge is to Build A Blizzard, in which kids are invited to make paper snowflakes to help decorate their local branch. Libraries will be offering the craft supplies needed to Build a Blizzard while supplies last, so plan to stop by your library soon!

Buncombe County Libraries have teamed up with local attractions and museums to offer free admission for library card holders with a ZOOM pass!
How does it work?
- Have your library card handy and log into the Tixkeeper database.
- You can make 1 reservation per library card. Check the pass details to see how many adults and children gain entry with each pass. Reservations can be made up to 30 days in advance and you may visit each attraction once every 30 days. Reservations are made online only.
- You will get an email confirmation of your reservation and a reminder email the day before your visit.
- Pick up your tickets at any library anytime the week before your visit. Please bring the library card used for reservations with you.
- The pass will be good for YOUR RESERVATION DAY ONLY. The pass will have your name on it and cannot be used by anyone else. ZOOM passes cannot be renewed.
- Take your ZOOM pass to the museum for admission. You are responsible for knowing the schedule of the museum with regards to opening and closing times. Admission guidelines may vary and pass users must follow the rules of the museum

Kimpton Hotel Arras and local artists today unveiled, “Ode to Buskers & Asheville Music,” a locally created, life-size stainless steel sculpture located outdoors on the corner of Lexington and Patton at Kimpton Hotel Arras. Inspired by the city’s vibrant street musicians and their lively drum circles, artists Chukk Bruursema and Ash Knight sought to bring the unique rhythms of Asheville to life through this striking, collaborative piece, which was commissioned by the hotel.
“Asheville Music,” the large steel djembe drum sculpted by Chukk Bruursema, has West African roots, where the djembe is traditionally played as part of an ensemble, invoking feelings of community and togetherness. Adorning the drum is “Asheville Music,” Ash Knight’s five musical buskers depicted playing the spoons, the string washtub, jug, washboard, and the fiddle, with a dog observing from the ground below.
“We are pleased to officially introduce the “Ode to Buskers & Asheville Music” sculpture, a defining art piece that truly represents the spirit of our city, to the Asheville community,” said Kimpton Hotel Arras General Manager David McCartney. “This piece is an exciting addition to the hotel and expands our local artwork program, which works to highlight and supporting the work of local artists and purveyors.”
Following the unveiling, tours of the additional local artwork displayed throughout the hotel were offered with the artists in attendance to speak to their pieces, including John Wayne Jackson and Peter Roux. Kimpton Hotel Arras commissioned more than a dozen pieces of local artwork curated by local art consultant Liz Barr of Art Resouces.
Click HERE to view photos of “Ode to Buskers & Asheville Music” from the unveiling.

Grove Arcade is thrilled to announce the return of its annual Winter Wonderland holiday celebration.
The Arcade has transformed into a wreath-bedecked showcase for Asheville’s finest local craftspeople and retailers. Smells of pine and holly will greet visitors as they tour—at a proper social distance!—Asheville’s stunning art deco gem to discover one-of-a-kind, handcrafted local gifts, enjoy holiday-themed beverages and dining specials, and winter-y feels within the warm Grove Arcade halls. Specially curated Christmas standards and the most extravagant holiday decorations in town will transport visitors to a truly unforgettable winter paradise.
We will be hosting a local MANNA Food Bank Drive! Drop-off barrels will be placed around several areas of the Arcade to be collected and distributed by MANNA to help during these uncertain times.
For the enjoyment and safety of everyone, Grove Arcade will be taking appropriate COVID-19 precautions during Winter Wonderland. All visitors and employees will be required to follow the CDC’s health recommendations, including social distancing and mask wearing.
Enjoy a safe and jolly visit to Grove Arcade’s Winter Wonderland! And from all of us at Grove Arcade, Happy Holidays!
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Give your loved ones a gift that will last all summer long –
A Brevard Music Center Gift Certificate!
Gift certificates can be purchased for a minimum of $25 and applied toward subscriptions or tickets to any event, any season. It’s a hassle-free, printable gift solution that will introduce your friends and family to one of the country’s premier summer music festivals, and a very special way to support the next generation of classical musicians.
Brevard Music Center’s 2021 Summer Music Festival will be held from June 25 through August 8. Details will be announced after the first of the year, and we plan for another captivating season of symphony, opera, chamber, pops, bluegrass, and jazz performances.
Purchase your gift certificate online at
brevardmusic.org/giftcertificates
or call (828) 862-2131 to order yours today!
Important Note: At this time, all gift certificates are delivered digitally as PDFs
and are attached to your confirmation emails. Gift certificates are not
actual concert tickets and must be redeemed for individual performances
through the box office once single tickets go on sale. All guest artists,
programs, and dates are subject to change. Give the gift of music today!

The house will be decorated in the simple style of the Sandburg’s with poinsettias and a traditionally decorated Christmas tree throughout December until January 6th, 2021.

Start the year off right with a Flat Rock Playhouse 2021 calendar! This beautiful image of our Mainstage was taken by longtime Vagabond and Flat Rock Playhouse favorite, Scott Treadway. Enjoy the view of the Rock all year round in your office, on the kitchen wall, or above your desk. This quality printed calendar is 20″x16″ and supports the arts in North Carolina.

Wake, Mel Chin’s giant animatronic sculpture, installed in New York City’s Times Square last summer, will be on view in Asheville through March 15, 2021, at 44 Collier Avenue. Chin, a WNC based conceptual artist, was named a MacArthur Fellow in September 2019.
Wake was commissioned as part of Mel Chin: All Over the Place, a multi-site survey of his works from across many decades that took place in several New York City locations. A collaborative group, led by UNC Asheville’s STEAM Studio and The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, formed to plan and raise funds for the sculpture to be seen locally.
Wake – 60 feet long, 34 feet wide and 24 feet high, conceived and designed by the artist – was engineered, sculpted and fabricated by an interdisciplinary team of UNC Asheville students, faculty, staff and community artists led by Chin. The sculpture is interactive and features decks and places to sit and contemplate.
Wake evokes the hull of a shipwreck crossed with the skeletal remains of a marine mammal. The structure is linked with a carved, 21-foot-tall animatronic sculpture, accurately derived from a figurehead of the opera star Jenny Lind that was once mounted on the 19th century clipper ship, USS Nightingale. Jenny Lind moves subtly as she breathes and scans the sky.
Visitors can experience Wake daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 44 Collier Avenue. For more details and a schedule of programming, visit ashevillearts.com.
January is National Mentoring Month, and this year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina is celebrating it by recruiting more adult and high school volunteers, as well as children and youth who need an extra someone on their side.
“One truth I know,” said Lelia Duncan, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North
Carolina, “is that we are all called to take care of one another, to encourage, to uplift, to hold a space for
others to be listened to and valued. There is nothing more important, nothing closer to the divine, than
to be present and to take a moment to nurture those around us, especially children and youth.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC is especially effective in helping young people feel valued and heard.
Surveys of school personnel in the 2018-2019 school year show that, among BBBSWNC Littles in
community- and school/site-based programs
National Mentoring Month is the time of year where engagement from community members interested
in becoming a mentor is highest. This year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina is
encouraging the public to go beyond just digital engagement – and become involved in real life.
Mentoring relationships are at their best when connections are made between a caring adult and a
young person who knows that someone is there to help guide them through real-life decisions.
To learn more about becoming a Big Brother or a Big Sister in Henderson County, contact Program
Coordinator Morgan Harris at (828) 507-6644 or email [email protected]. You can learn more
about serving across the 18 county region by visiting www.bbbswnc.org.

The holiday season is upon us, so we wanted to share a few suggestions for gift giving this year, with ways to stay cozy, look forward to summer and cheer on the Bulldogs, wherever you are.


Deck The Trees is a fun and festive December Holiday Happening in Black Mountain. This event is a fundraiser for the Fuel Fund of the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministries. Trees decorated in the theme And A Star Appeared will be displayed in the Monte Vista Hotel and many businesses throughout Black Mountain. Trees may be voted on by placing cash/check in the box corresponding to your favorite tree. All money collected goes directly to the Fuel Fund. For more information about Deck The Trees and to support your favorite tree(s) contact svcmblackmountain.org.

Sunday Fun Day at Kolo
Kolo Bike Park access is just $10 for the entire day every Sunday

Bluegrass Brunch
hosted by Aaron Woody Wood & The Sufi Brothers
Pickin’ on the Porch w/ Chicken Coop Willaye 1030AM
Bald Mountain Boys 11AM – 12:30PM
Sufi Brothers 12:45PM – 3PM
Be sure to check out our Bloody Mary Bar, the BEST selection of pickled products and other additions in Asheville. The MOJO Kitchen will be serving a special Brunch menu until 3PM as well.
Food & music start at 10:30am
ADULT beverages at Noon.
Andy Warhol: Silver Clouds

Andy Warhol’s Silver Clouds create an immersive experience born out of the iconic Pop artist’s interest in innovation and experimentation. Warhol collaborated with Bell Labs engineer Billy Klüver to transform the then-new material Scotchpak into an enlivened and interactive work of art. First shown in April 1966 at the Leo Castelli Gallery in New York City, these air- and helium-filled balloons float like pillows through a space which, combined with their metallic surface, garnered the name Silver Clouds. The clouds notably became part of the design and choreography of Merce Cunningham’s RainForest, which premiered in 1968.
To ensure the safety of Museum visitors and staff, Silver Clouds will be presented as a touch-free experience. Visitors are encouraged to view the work from a distance as the balloons, moved by gentle air currents, drift about the space while imagining the presence of Cunningham’s dancers. A video recording of RainForest in its entirety may be viewed in Reverberations: Exploring Movement in the Collection.




