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.

Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Miss Malaprop’s Storytime LIVE STREAM
May 20 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Malaprop's LIVE STREAM

Due to Covid-19, we are live streaming Storytime in lieu of an in-store event. Join us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/malapropsbookstore/ to tune into Miss Malaprop’s Storytime from your home.

Join us with your wee ones every week on Wednesdays at 10 am for classic and contemporary stories sure to enchant and entertain. Together, we’ll introduce children to the wonderful world of books! Recommended for ages 3-9.

https://www.instagram.com/malapropsbookstore/

Event date:
Wednesday, April 15, 2020 – 10:00am
Wednesday, April 22, 2020 – 10:00am
Wednesday, April 29, 2020 – 10:00am
Wednesday, May 6, 2020 – 10:00am
Live Stream: Carter Sickels presents The Prettiest Star
May 20 @ 3:00 pm
online

We can’t bring Carter Sickels to Malaprop’s as originally planned but we’re pleased to be part of the Reader Meet Writer Okra Pick series of online events hosted by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance.

The event is free but registration is required. Please CLICK HERE TO REGISTER. You can pre-order the book below.

If you elect to attend, we will email you on the day of the event with the link & password required to attend on Zoom.

Small-town Appalachia doesn’t have a lot going for it, but it’s where Brian is from, where his family is, and where he’s chosen to return to die. At eighteen, Brian, like so many other promising young gay men, arrived in New York City without much more than a love for the freedom and release from his past that it promised. But within six short years, AIDS would claim his lover, his friends, and his future. With nothing left in New York but memories of death, Brian decides to write his mother a letter asking to come back to the place, and family, he was once so desperate to escape. Set in 1986, a year after Rock Hudson’s death shifted the public consciousness of the epidemic and brought the news of AIDS into living rooms and kitchens across America, The Prettiest Star is part Dog Years by Mark Doty and part Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt. But it is also an urgent story now: it a novel about the politics and fragility of the body; it is a novel about sex and shame. And it is a novel that speaks to the question of what home and family means when we try to forge a life for ourselves in a world that can be harsh and unpredictable. It is written at the far reaches of love and understanding, and zeroes in on the moments where those two forces reach for each other, and sometimes touch.

Carter Sickels is the author of the novel The Evening Hour. He is the recipient of the 2013 Lambda Literary Emerging Writer Award, and has been awarded scholarships to Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, VCCA, and the MacDowell Colony. His essays and fiction have appeared in various publications, including Guernica, Bellevue Literary Review, and BuzzFeed, and he is the editor of Untangling the Knot: Queer Voices on Marriage, Relationships & Identity. Carter is Assistant Professor of English at Eastern Kentucky University, where he teaches in the Bluegrass Writers Studio Low-Residency MFA program. He lives in Lexington, KY. He will be in conversation with Wiley Cash, author of The Last Ballad.


Like most of our events, this event is free. If you decide to attend and to purchase a book by the author, we ask that you purchase it from Malalprop’s. When you do this you are supporting the work it takes to run an events program, telling publishers that they should send authors here, and keeping more dollars in our community. Thank you!

The Prettiest Star Cover Image
$26.00
ISBN: 9781938235627
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Hub City Press – May 19th, 2020
Thursday, May 21, 2020
Blue Ridge Parkway Reopens
May 21 all-day
Blue Ridge Parkway

As coronavirus restrictions are loosened, sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway will reopen to drivers as soon as “seasonal mowing and road preparations” are complete, according to a release from parkway spokeswoman Leesa Brandon.

On May 9, the southernmost 14 miles of the Parkway, from Milepost 454-469, will reopen in coordination with the Qualla Boundary and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Gates to longer stretches of the Parkway will be opened May 15 — as long as maintenance projects in that area are completed:

  • Milepost 292-296.5 near Blowing Rock, including Moses Cone Parking Area and Hwy 221 Bass Lake Parking Lot.
  • Milepost 298.6-308 through Grandfather Mountain area, including Rough Ridge and Linn Cove Viaduct.
  • Milepost 316.4 Linville Falls Spur Road, including parking at Linville Falls trailheads.
  • Milepost 334-342 including Crabtree Falls Area, near Little Switzerland.
  • Milepost 355-375.6 from Mt. Mitchell to Ox Creek, including Craggy Gardens.
  • Milepost 377.4 Parking areas at Craven Gap (Town Mountain Rd) for MST Trail access.
  • Milepost 384.7 Roadside parking at MST Trailheads at US 74A Parkway access ramps.
  • Milepost 393-454 from French Broad River Overlook and south to Soco Gap.
Buncombe County Youth Leagues, Independence Day Celebrations Canceled
May 21 all-day
Buncombe County

COVID-19 has led to local youth sports leagues canceling spring and summer schedules due to physical distancing and mass gathering limitations. Buncombe County’s Independence Day celebration at Lake Julian Park has also been scrapped this year under the same guidance. All other local municipalities have also canceled or rescheduled their annual Independence Day festivals.

VOTE for The Literacy Council of Buncombe County
May 21 all-day
Online
Readers Are Leaders

Vote for us every day until May 29!

We are excited to announce that we have been selected as a finalist in the Kudzu Brands Brand New Start 10k Brand Giveaway! This means we are eligible to win a complete brand development to help our organization pivot, adjust, and succeed, but we need YOUR VOTE to win. To vote for us, simply go to www.kudzubrands.com/brand-new-start-giveaway-voting and select our business as your choice for the most deserving of this amazing opportunity. Also, you can vote for us EVERY DAY. The deadline for votes is May 29, so please VOTE and SHARE!
Buncombe County Parks open: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
May 21 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Buncombe County Parks

Parks open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

  • Buncombe County Sports Park on 58 Apac Circle in Asheville
  • Charles D. Owen Park on 875 Warren Wilson Wilson Road in Swannanoa
  • Lake Julian Park on 406 Overlook Extension in Arden
Armchair Adventure Book Club: Untamed
May 21 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Blue Ridge Hiking Co. via Zoom
Friday, May 22, 2020
Blue Ridge Parkway Reopens
May 22 all-day
Blue Ridge Parkway

As coronavirus restrictions are loosened, sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway will reopen to drivers as soon as “seasonal mowing and road preparations” are complete, according to a release from parkway spokeswoman Leesa Brandon.

On May 9, the southernmost 14 miles of the Parkway, from Milepost 454-469, will reopen in coordination with the Qualla Boundary and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Gates to longer stretches of the Parkway will be opened May 15 — as long as maintenance projects in that area are completed:

  • Milepost 292-296.5 near Blowing Rock, including Moses Cone Parking Area and Hwy 221 Bass Lake Parking Lot.
  • Milepost 298.6-308 through Grandfather Mountain area, including Rough Ridge and Linn Cove Viaduct.
  • Milepost 316.4 Linville Falls Spur Road, including parking at Linville Falls trailheads.
  • Milepost 334-342 including Crabtree Falls Area, near Little Switzerland.
  • Milepost 355-375.6 from Mt. Mitchell to Ox Creek, including Craggy Gardens.
  • Milepost 377.4 Parking areas at Craven Gap (Town Mountain Rd) for MST Trail access.
  • Milepost 384.7 Roadside parking at MST Trailheads at US 74A Parkway access ramps.
  • Milepost 393-454 from French Broad River Overlook and south to Soco Gap.
Buncombe County Youth Leagues, Independence Day Celebrations Canceled
May 22 all-day
Buncombe County

COVID-19 has led to local youth sports leagues canceling spring and summer schedules due to physical distancing and mass gathering limitations. Buncombe County’s Independence Day celebration at Lake Julian Park has also been scrapped this year under the same guidance. All other local municipalities have also canceled or rescheduled their annual Independence Day festivals.

VOTE for The Literacy Council of Buncombe County
May 22 all-day
Online
Readers Are Leaders

Vote for us every day until May 29!

We are excited to announce that we have been selected as a finalist in the Kudzu Brands Brand New Start 10k Brand Giveaway! This means we are eligible to win a complete brand development to help our organization pivot, adjust, and succeed, but we need YOUR VOTE to win. To vote for us, simply go to www.kudzubrands.com/brand-new-start-giveaway-voting and select our business as your choice for the most deserving of this amazing opportunity. Also, you can vote for us EVERY DAY. The deadline for votes is May 29, so please VOTE and SHARE!
Buncombe County Parks open: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
May 22 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Buncombe County Parks

Parks open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

  • Buncombe County Sports Park on 58 Apac Circle in Asheville
  • Charles D. Owen Park on 875 Warren Wilson Wilson Road in Swannanoa
  • Lake Julian Park on 406 Overlook Extension in Arden
Mr. Rogers 143 Day: Morgan’s Comics
May 22 @ 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Morgan's Comics

Image may contain: 1 person

Mr. Rogers 143 Day:
Since Free Comic Book Day has been indefinitely delayed and with the state of the world as it is it is more important than ever to remember Mr. Rogers message of “I Love You” (143).
In the meantime, we will be celebrating our own customer appreciation day by giving away hundreds of free comics, costume contest (post to follow for how to send in your entry), prizes, virtual live show performances, individually wrapped candy, games, & balloon tigers.
**This is a masked, social distanced, 3 person at a time maximum event where if you would prefer we will run your goodie swag bags out to you curbside.

FOR MORE DETAILS:
Call- (828) 505-4003
Email- [email protected]
#wnc143 #nerdsanctuary

YOUTUBE LINK HOLIDAY PROMO:
https://youtu.be/dzSd5l94Jq8

Live Stream: Dionne Searcey and Michael Rothfeld with Jennifer Forsyth
May 22 @ 6:00 pm
live stream

Join us on Zoom for a conversation with authors and Pulitzer Prize winning reporters Dionne Searcey and Michael Rothfeld. Serving as moderator will be Jennifer Forsyth, Deputy Chief of Investigations at The Wall Street Journal and Searcey and Rothfeld’s former editor.

The event is free but registration is required. Please click here to register.

Saturday, May 23, 2020
Blue Ridge Parkway Reopens
May 23 all-day
Blue Ridge Parkway

As coronavirus restrictions are loosened, sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway will reopen to drivers as soon as “seasonal mowing and road preparations” are complete, according to a release from parkway spokeswoman Leesa Brandon.

On May 9, the southernmost 14 miles of the Parkway, from Milepost 454-469, will reopen in coordination with the Qualla Boundary and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Gates to longer stretches of the Parkway will be opened May 15 — as long as maintenance projects in that area are completed:

  • Milepost 292-296.5 near Blowing Rock, including Moses Cone Parking Area and Hwy 221 Bass Lake Parking Lot.
  • Milepost 298.6-308 through Grandfather Mountain area, including Rough Ridge and Linn Cove Viaduct.
  • Milepost 316.4 Linville Falls Spur Road, including parking at Linville Falls trailheads.
  • Milepost 334-342 including Crabtree Falls Area, near Little Switzerland.
  • Milepost 355-375.6 from Mt. Mitchell to Ox Creek, including Craggy Gardens.
  • Milepost 377.4 Parking areas at Craven Gap (Town Mountain Rd) for MST Trail access.
  • Milepost 384.7 Roadside parking at MST Trailheads at US 74A Parkway access ramps.
  • Milepost 393-454 from French Broad River Overlook and south to Soco Gap.
Buncombe County Youth Leagues, Independence Day Celebrations Canceled
May 23 all-day
Buncombe County

COVID-19 has led to local youth sports leagues canceling spring and summer schedules due to physical distancing and mass gathering limitations. Buncombe County’s Independence Day celebration at Lake Julian Park has also been scrapped this year under the same guidance. All other local municipalities have also canceled or rescheduled their annual Independence Day festivals.

VOTE for The Literacy Council of Buncombe County
May 23 all-day
Online
Readers Are Leaders

Vote for us every day until May 29!

We are excited to announce that we have been selected as a finalist in the Kudzu Brands Brand New Start 10k Brand Giveaway! This means we are eligible to win a complete brand development to help our organization pivot, adjust, and succeed, but we need YOUR VOTE to win. To vote for us, simply go to www.kudzubrands.com/brand-new-start-giveaway-voting and select our business as your choice for the most deserving of this amazing opportunity. Also, you can vote for us EVERY DAY. The deadline for votes is May 29, so please VOTE and SHARE!
Buncombe County Parks open: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
May 23 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Buncombe County Parks

Parks open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

  • Buncombe County Sports Park on 58 Apac Circle in Asheville
  • Charles D. Owen Park on 875 Warren Wilson Wilson Road in Swannanoa
  • Lake Julian Park on 406 Overlook Extension in Arden
Story Time for Kids: Constance Lombardo livestream event
May 23 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
online

Constance Lombardo livestream event

Toddler – (ages 18 mos.-2 yrs.), Preschool – (ages 3-5), School Age – (grades K-5), Family – (children of all ages)

Please join author Constance Lombardo for a very special virtual program presented by Buncombe County Libraries. Ms. Lombardo will read from her new book “Everybody Says Meow” and then teach you how to draw you very own kittens! And rumor has it that some silly puppets might even make an appearance. Afterwards there will be a short Q&A session where you can ask her a question!

Storytime Live with Constance Lombardo
May 23 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
zoom

Please join author Constance Lombardo for a very special virtual program presented by Buncombe County Libraries. Ms. Lombardo will read from her new book “Everybody Says Meow” and then teach you how to draw your very own kittens! Rumor has it that some silly puppets might even make an appearance. Afterwards there will be a short Q&A session where you can ask her a question!

The program will be presented via ZOOM on Saturday, May the 23rd at 4pm.
Link: https://zoom.us/j/97333483725
Password: puffball

Sunday, May 24, 2020
Blue Ridge Parkway Reopens
May 24 all-day
Blue Ridge Parkway

As coronavirus restrictions are loosened, sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway will reopen to drivers as soon as “seasonal mowing and road preparations” are complete, according to a release from parkway spokeswoman Leesa Brandon.

On May 9, the southernmost 14 miles of the Parkway, from Milepost 454-469, will reopen in coordination with the Qualla Boundary and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Gates to longer stretches of the Parkway will be opened May 15 — as long as maintenance projects in that area are completed:

  • Milepost 292-296.5 near Blowing Rock, including Moses Cone Parking Area and Hwy 221 Bass Lake Parking Lot.
  • Milepost 298.6-308 through Grandfather Mountain area, including Rough Ridge and Linn Cove Viaduct.
  • Milepost 316.4 Linville Falls Spur Road, including parking at Linville Falls trailheads.
  • Milepost 334-342 including Crabtree Falls Area, near Little Switzerland.
  • Milepost 355-375.6 from Mt. Mitchell to Ox Creek, including Craggy Gardens.
  • Milepost 377.4 Parking areas at Craven Gap (Town Mountain Rd) for MST Trail access.
  • Milepost 384.7 Roadside parking at MST Trailheads at US 74A Parkway access ramps.
  • Milepost 393-454 from French Broad River Overlook and south to Soco Gap.
Buncombe County Youth Leagues, Independence Day Celebrations Canceled
May 24 all-day
Buncombe County

COVID-19 has led to local youth sports leagues canceling spring and summer schedules due to physical distancing and mass gathering limitations. Buncombe County’s Independence Day celebration at Lake Julian Park has also been scrapped this year under the same guidance. All other local municipalities have also canceled or rescheduled their annual Independence Day festivals.

Henderson County Parks & Recreation Updates
May 24 all-day
Henderson County Parks

  • Parks and Recreation Indoor Facilities are Closed until further notice.
  • Park Playgrounds are Closed until further notice.
  • Park Restrooms will reopen on Friday May 8th at 5:00pm.
  • Outdoor Tennis and Pickleball Courts will reopen on Friday May 8th at 5:00pm.
    • If you are waiting to use a court please wait outside of the fence or in your vehicle.
    • If others are waiting to use a court please keep your playing time to 60 minutes.
  • Outdoor Parks remain Open.
  • Fields and shelters are Open, however groups must kept to 25 people or less.  If you are waiting to use a field or shelter please do not wait in the immediate area; please wait outside of the field or shelter in an open area or in your vehicle.

If you choose to utilize Henderson County Parks please be respectful of other users, keep your group to 25 or less and provide others with appropriate social distancing.  PLEASE NOTE that the trails at Hickory Nut Gorge are controlled by Conserving Carolina and they have closed them until further notice.

 

VOTE for The Literacy Council of Buncombe County
May 24 all-day
Online
Readers Are Leaders

Vote for us every day until May 29!

We are excited to announce that we have been selected as a finalist in the Kudzu Brands Brand New Start 10k Brand Giveaway! This means we are eligible to win a complete brand development to help our organization pivot, adjust, and succeed, but we need YOUR VOTE to win. To vote for us, simply go to www.kudzubrands.com/brand-new-start-giveaway-voting and select our business as your choice for the most deserving of this amazing opportunity. Also, you can vote for us EVERY DAY. The deadline for votes is May 29, so please VOTE and SHARE!
Phased Reopening DuPont State Recreational Forest
May 24 @ 5:00 am – 10:00 pm
DuPont State Recreational Forest

DuPont State Recreational Forest and neighboring Holmes Educational State Forest have begun a phased reopening in Western North Carolina.

To encourage responsible use and to maintain required social distancing, phased reopening will begin by allowing public access only to areas of the forest that promote movement-focused activities. Some areas and facilities of the forest will not be available to the public during phase one of the reopening but will become available in accordance with Governor Cooper’s phased plan for reopening the state.

“N.C. Forest Service staff are working hard, taking every precaution, to make sure our state forests are available for families and visitors to safely enjoy some of North Carolina’s most beautiful views,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Now, we need the public to join our efforts. We must take care of public lands and each other by following social distancing guidelines and recommendations from our public health experts.”

Minimal services, facilities and assistance will be available for visitors. Responsible recreation is critical during this time. Visitors are asked to be good stewards and good neighbors. Visitors may find limited parking at busy times. Please only park in designated parking areas.

What can visitors expect during a visit to DuPont State Recreational Forest during phase one of the reopening?

  • DuPont State Recreational Forest is open daily, 5 a.m. until 10 p.m.
  • Most of the trail system is open, and visitors should come prepared to access trails and to keep moving. Come prepared to share trails with all types of users. Trail courtesy is critical during this time to ensure safe access for everyone.
  • Parking is limited to Fawn Lake Access Area, Guion Farm Access Area and Corn Mill Shoals Access Area. Expect crowding and limited parking.
  • Portable toilets are available. Permanent restrooms are not available.
  • Gathering areas of the forest remain closed to encourage movement and separation. These areas include the following:
    • High Falls Access Area Hooker Falls Access Area, and Lake Imaging Access Area
    • Visitor Center and Office
    • Triple Falls Trail and Staircase, Base of High Falls Trail, Wintergreen Falls, and the area at the base of Bridal Veil (Waterfall viewing areas remain available. Remember social distancing. Remain patient. Wait your turn.)
    • Three Lakes Trail
    • All picnic areas
    • Swimming areas and waterfronts
    • Hooker Falls, Fawn Lake, Lake Dense and Lake Alford

 

Buncombe County Parks open: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
May 24 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Buncombe County Parks

Parks open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

  • Buncombe County Sports Park on 58 Apac Circle in Asheville
  • Charles D. Owen Park on 875 Warren Wilson Wilson Road in Swannanoa
  • Lake Julian Park on 406 Overlook Extension in Arden
Monday, May 25, 2020
Henderson County Parks & Recreation Updates
May 25 all-day
Henderson County Parks

  • Parks and Recreation Indoor Facilities are Closed until further notice.
  • Park Playgrounds are Closed until further notice.
  • Park Restrooms will reopen on Friday May 8th at 5:00pm.
  • Outdoor Tennis and Pickleball Courts will reopen on Friday May 8th at 5:00pm.
    • If you are waiting to use a court please wait outside of the fence or in your vehicle.
    • If others are waiting to use a court please keep your playing time to 60 minutes.
  • Outdoor Parks remain Open.
  • Fields and shelters are Open, however groups must kept to 25 people or less.  If you are waiting to use a field or shelter please do not wait in the immediate area; please wait outside of the field or shelter in an open area or in your vehicle.

If you choose to utilize Henderson County Parks please be respectful of other users, keep your group to 25 or less and provide others with appropriate social distancing.  PLEASE NOTE that the trails at Hickory Nut Gorge are controlled by Conserving Carolina and they have closed them until further notice.

 

VOTE for The Literacy Council of Buncombe County
May 25 all-day
Online
Readers Are Leaders

Vote for us every day until May 29!

We are excited to announce that we have been selected as a finalist in the Kudzu Brands Brand New Start 10k Brand Giveaway! This means we are eligible to win a complete brand development to help our organization pivot, adjust, and succeed, but we need YOUR VOTE to win. To vote for us, simply go to www.kudzubrands.com/brand-new-start-giveaway-voting and select our business as your choice for the most deserving of this amazing opportunity. Also, you can vote for us EVERY DAY. The deadline for votes is May 29, so please VOTE and SHARE!
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Henderson County Parks & Recreation Updates
May 26 all-day
Henderson County Parks

  • Parks and Recreation Indoor Facilities are Closed until further notice.
  • Park Playgrounds are Closed until further notice.
  • Park Restrooms will reopen on Friday May 8th at 5:00pm.
  • Outdoor Tennis and Pickleball Courts will reopen on Friday May 8th at 5:00pm.
    • If you are waiting to use a court please wait outside of the fence or in your vehicle.
    • If others are waiting to use a court please keep your playing time to 60 minutes.
  • Outdoor Parks remain Open.
  • Fields and shelters are Open, however groups must kept to 25 people or less.  If you are waiting to use a field or shelter please do not wait in the immediate area; please wait outside of the field or shelter in an open area or in your vehicle.

If you choose to utilize Henderson County Parks please be respectful of other users, keep your group to 25 or less and provide others with appropriate social distancing.  PLEASE NOTE that the trails at Hickory Nut Gorge are controlled by Conserving Carolina and they have closed them until further notice.

 

VOTE for The Literacy Council of Buncombe County
May 26 all-day
Online
Readers Are Leaders

Vote for us every day until May 29!

We are excited to announce that we have been selected as a finalist in the Kudzu Brands Brand New Start 10k Brand Giveaway! This means we are eligible to win a complete brand development to help our organization pivot, adjust, and succeed, but we need YOUR VOTE to win. To vote for us, simply go to www.kudzubrands.com/brand-new-start-giveaway-voting and select our business as your choice for the most deserving of this amazing opportunity. Also, you can vote for us EVERY DAY. The deadline for votes is May 29, so please VOTE and SHARE!
Online Kids Storytelling Workshop with Seema Reza
May 26 @ 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm
online

New registration process for online workshops!

  1. Register for any workshop (except for May 1st, children’s workshops on May 12th and 26th, and our monthly workshop with the Strathmore) by clicking here.
  2. Wait for your registration to be approved, then follow the instructions in your email.