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.
Time is Running Out for 2021 Health Insurance Through ACA
Affordable Care Act “Obamacare” Open Enrollment Ends Dec. 15th
Pisgah Legal Services (PLS), and its Enrollment Partners of WNC, are offering free assistance to people in the 18-county mountain region, helping them review their options and sign up for plans. The COVID-19 outbreak is making health care coverage even more important in these difficult times.
“This is the most critical open enrollment period of my career, and I’ve been at Pisgah Legal Services for all of them,” says Jackie Kiger, Chief Operations Officer. “With high unemployment and the fact that North Carolina hasn’t expanded Medicaid, there are many more uninsured people. We are seeing people who have lost jobs, income, and insurance and who are struggling with the unemployment benefit system.”
Appointments Still Available with PLS or Go Directly to Healthcare.Gov
Appointments can be made online at www.pisgahlegal.org/aca or by calling (828) 210-3404. For the safety of consumers, staff and volunteers, all appointments are currently being conducted by phone. Depending on where you live in WNC, some of Pisgah Legal’s ACA Partners may be offering in-person appointments.
Shannon Cornelius, Pisgah Legal’s Health Justice Program Director, says, “We are seeing very strong interest this year in sign-ups, but we still have some openings for safe and contact-free help with our trained assisters. There is still time to make an appointment if you act quickly.”
Cornelius also says that people can also go directly to the Health Insurance Marketplace, www.healthcare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596, if they ready to sign up on their own.
Financial assistance is still available to those who qualify. Last year, more than 90 percent of North Carolinians who enrolled for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace received financial assistance to make their plans more affordable. Subsidies are based on household taxable income and may be difficult for consumers to calculate themselves. Pisgah Legal can help with this process and can factor in unemployment benefits if needed. Pisgah Legal can also answer questions about other coverage, such as COBRA, and help people apply for Medicaid and CHIP.
Pisgah Legal and other Enrollment Partners of WNC participating organizations give local residents free, unbiased health insurance information and enrollment assistance in the NC Health Insurance Marketplace. These organizations include: Council on Aging of Buncombe County, Blue Ridge Community Health Services, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Mountain Projects, Inc., Western Carolina Medical Society, and Pisgah Legal Services.
The ACA – also known as “Obamacare” – is the law that ensures access to quality, affordable health insurance on the Health Insurance Marketplace. With these plans, consumers are protected and:
- Can’t be denied coverage for a pre-existing health condition and can’t be dropped for getting sick;
- Insurers can’t charge higher premiums to women; and
- Insurers can’t sell substandard plans that don’t pay for essential health care benefits.
Since 1978, nonprofit Pisgah Legal Services has provided free civil legal aid to help people with low incomes seek justice and meet their basic needs including preventing homelessness, stopping domestic violence and securing health care. Pisgah Legal Services provides a broad array of free, civil legal services in 11 WNC counties, and offers immigration law services in 18 counties. Last year PLS served more than 18,000 people across the mountain region.
PLS has offices in Asheville, Burnsville, Brevard, Hendersonville, Marshall, and Rutherfordton and is now opening a new Highlands/Cashiers office to serve people in Macon and Jackson counties. Pisgah Legal has 32 attorneys on staff and relies heavily on the pro bono legal services of more than 300 volunteer attorneys.
Pisgah Legal Services continues to serve clients during the COVID-19 outbreak. For more information, visit www.pisgahlegal.org to apply for help online or make a gift in support of this important work.

Update: Funding must be accessed by Dec. 30, 2020.
Attention Buncombe County residents: If you are struggling to pay your rent, mortgage, or utilities, Buncombe County’s COVID Housing Assistance Program may be able to help. The funds must be accessed prior to Dec. 30.
“If you think you may possibly qualify, please call our office at 250-5500 to learn more,” said Economic Services Director Phillip Hardin. “Financial assistance is available immediately to support our community members impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic who need help with rent, mortgage, or utilities, but we have to use these dollars by Dec. 30.”
To qualify to receive relief funds earmarked for the Housing Assistance Program, households must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- The applicant/household lost income due to COVID-19.
- There is a sustainability plan to pay shelter expenses going forward after the County assists with past due bills.
- Income limit of 200% of the federal poverty level ($52,400) for a family of four.
Buncombe County is now accepting inquiries and applications. Please fill out the attached form and return to Buncombe County Health and Human Services or call (828) 250-5500 to be connected with a caseworker to start the application process.
As we move toward the Holiday season, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has released guidance for fall-related events. The guidance was developed with the goal of safer holiday breaks for college students and private social gatherings.

- 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.

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.
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Governor Roy Cooper announced on Tuesday, December 8th that North Carolina will begin a Modified Stay at Home Order in response to a rapid increase in North Carolina’s key COVID-19 trends. The Order requires people to stay at home between the hours of 10 pm and 5 am, and takes effect Friday, December 11th. The Order is set to remain in place until January 8, 2021.
The Order requires restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, personal care businesses, and more to close at 10 pm. Travel to and from work, to obtain food, medical care, fuel or social services, or to take care of a family member is exempted from the order. FAQs on the order can be found HERE.
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Time is Running Out for 2021 Health Insurance Through ACA
Affordable Care Act “Obamacare” Open Enrollment Ends Dec. 15th
Pisgah Legal Services (PLS), and its Enrollment Partners of WNC, are offering free assistance to people in the 18-county mountain region, helping them review their options and sign up for plans. The COVID-19 outbreak is making health care coverage even more important in these difficult times.
“This is the most critical open enrollment period of my career, and I’ve been at Pisgah Legal Services for all of them,” says Jackie Kiger, Chief Operations Officer. “With high unemployment and the fact that North Carolina hasn’t expanded Medicaid, there are many more uninsured people. We are seeing people who have lost jobs, income, and insurance and who are struggling with the unemployment benefit system.”
Appointments Still Available with PLS or Go Directly to Healthcare.Gov
Appointments can be made online at www.pisgahlegal.org/aca or by calling (828) 210-3404. For the safety of consumers, staff and volunteers, all appointments are currently being conducted by phone. Depending on where you live in WNC, some of Pisgah Legal’s ACA Partners may be offering in-person appointments.
Shannon Cornelius, Pisgah Legal’s Health Justice Program Director, says, “We are seeing very strong interest this year in sign-ups, but we still have some openings for safe and contact-free help with our trained assisters. There is still time to make an appointment if you act quickly.”
Cornelius also says that people can also go directly to the Health Insurance Marketplace, www.healthcare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596, if they ready to sign up on their own.
Financial assistance is still available to those who qualify. Last year, more than 90 percent of North Carolinians who enrolled for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace received financial assistance to make their plans more affordable. Subsidies are based on household taxable income and may be difficult for consumers to calculate themselves. Pisgah Legal can help with this process and can factor in unemployment benefits if needed. Pisgah Legal can also answer questions about other coverage, such as COBRA, and help people apply for Medicaid and CHIP.
Pisgah Legal and other Enrollment Partners of WNC participating organizations give local residents free, unbiased health insurance information and enrollment assistance in the NC Health Insurance Marketplace. These organizations include: Council on Aging of Buncombe County, Blue Ridge Community Health Services, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Mountain Projects, Inc., Western Carolina Medical Society, and Pisgah Legal Services.
The ACA – also known as “Obamacare” – is the law that ensures access to quality, affordable health insurance on the Health Insurance Marketplace. With these plans, consumers are protected and:
- Can’t be denied coverage for a pre-existing health condition and can’t be dropped for getting sick;
- Insurers can’t charge higher premiums to women; and
- Insurers can’t sell substandard plans that don’t pay for essential health care benefits.
Since 1978, nonprofit Pisgah Legal Services has provided free civil legal aid to help people with low incomes seek justice and meet their basic needs including preventing homelessness, stopping domestic violence and securing health care. Pisgah Legal Services provides a broad array of free, civil legal services in 11 WNC counties, and offers immigration law services in 18 counties. Last year PLS served more than 18,000 people across the mountain region.
PLS has offices in Asheville, Burnsville, Brevard, Hendersonville, Marshall, and Rutherfordton and is now opening a new Highlands/Cashiers office to serve people in Macon and Jackson counties. Pisgah Legal has 32 attorneys on staff and relies heavily on the pro bono legal services of more than 300 volunteer attorneys.
Pisgah Legal Services continues to serve clients during the COVID-19 outbreak. For more information, visit www.pisgahlegal.org to apply for help online or make a gift in support of this important work.

Covid-Friendly Clean-Up Stations: #AVLquaranclean
We’ve learned a lot about adapting this year. Back in March, we canceled all of our upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. But it didn’t stop you from working to make Asheville cleaner and safer.
So we amped up our Cleanup Supply Station program, fully stocking existing locations and adding on 2 new stations, for a total of 7 Cleanup Supply Stations throughout Asheville & Buncombe County. We threw in our catchy #AVLquaranclean hashtag on top, and you did the rest!
Since March, 132 volunteers used these stations 36 times to collect over 2,700 pounds of litter from creeks and roads on their own time!! We are also incredibly grateful to Mountain Xpress for donating newspaper stands to be repurposed into these supply stations, the City of Asheville and Buncombe County Government for supporting cleanups, and to Mast General Store and Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts for hosting our newest stations.
These stations remain stocked and ready for your quarantine pod’s next outing. Remember to sign out supplies, report the trash back to us afterwards, and return supplies for cleaning and reuse! Read more at https://www.ashevillegreenworks.org/latest…/avlquaranclean and contact [email protected] for more information or to schedule supply pick up for larger groups.

Update: Funding must be accessed by Dec. 30, 2020.
Attention Buncombe County residents: If you are struggling to pay your rent, mortgage, or utilities, Buncombe County’s COVID Housing Assistance Program may be able to help. The funds must be accessed prior to Dec. 30.
“If you think you may possibly qualify, please call our office at 250-5500 to learn more,” said Economic Services Director Phillip Hardin. “Financial assistance is available immediately to support our community members impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic who need help with rent, mortgage, or utilities, but we have to use these dollars by Dec. 30.”
To qualify to receive relief funds earmarked for the Housing Assistance Program, households must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- The applicant/household lost income due to COVID-19.
- There is a sustainability plan to pay shelter expenses going forward after the County assists with past due bills.
- Income limit of 200% of the federal poverty level ($52,400) for a family of four.
Buncombe County is now accepting inquiries and applications. Please fill out the attached form and return to Buncombe County Health and Human Services or call (828) 250-5500 to be connected with a caseworker to start the application process.
As we move toward the Holiday season, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has released guidance for fall-related events. The guidance was developed with the goal of safer holiday breaks for college students and private social gatherings.

- 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.
The ACA is still the law, and Pisgah Legal is again helping people across WNC understand their options and sign up for Affordable Care Act Health Insurance. Open Enrollment only lasts six weeks – so don’t delay!


Everyone needs a little help this year — Gift Guide to let us help you!

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Governor Roy Cooper announced on Tuesday, December 8th that North Carolina will begin a Modified Stay at Home Order in response to a rapid increase in North Carolina’s key COVID-19 trends. The Order requires people to stay at home between the hours of 10 pm and 5 am, and takes effect Friday, December 11th. The Order is set to remain in place until January 8, 2021.
The Order requires restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, personal care businesses, and more to close at 10 pm. Travel to and from work, to obtain food, medical care, fuel or social services, or to take care of a family member is exempted from the order. FAQs on the order can be found HERE.
|
Time is Running Out for 2021 Health Insurance Through ACA
Affordable Care Act “Obamacare” Open Enrollment Ends Dec. 15th
Pisgah Legal Services (PLS), and its Enrollment Partners of WNC, are offering free assistance to people in the 18-county mountain region, helping them review their options and sign up for plans. The COVID-19 outbreak is making health care coverage even more important in these difficult times.
“This is the most critical open enrollment period of my career, and I’ve been at Pisgah Legal Services for all of them,” says Jackie Kiger, Chief Operations Officer. “With high unemployment and the fact that North Carolina hasn’t expanded Medicaid, there are many more uninsured people. We are seeing people who have lost jobs, income, and insurance and who are struggling with the unemployment benefit system.”
Appointments Still Available with PLS or Go Directly to Healthcare.Gov
Appointments can be made online at www.pisgahlegal.org/aca or by calling (828) 210-3404. For the safety of consumers, staff and volunteers, all appointments are currently being conducted by phone. Depending on where you live in WNC, some of Pisgah Legal’s ACA Partners may be offering in-person appointments.
Shannon Cornelius, Pisgah Legal’s Health Justice Program Director, says, “We are seeing very strong interest this year in sign-ups, but we still have some openings for safe and contact-free help with our trained assisters. There is still time to make an appointment if you act quickly.”
Cornelius also says that people can also go directly to the Health Insurance Marketplace, www.healthcare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596, if they ready to sign up on their own.
Financial assistance is still available to those who qualify. Last year, more than 90 percent of North Carolinians who enrolled for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace received financial assistance to make their plans more affordable. Subsidies are based on household taxable income and may be difficult for consumers to calculate themselves. Pisgah Legal can help with this process and can factor in unemployment benefits if needed. Pisgah Legal can also answer questions about other coverage, such as COBRA, and help people apply for Medicaid and CHIP.
Pisgah Legal and other Enrollment Partners of WNC participating organizations give local residents free, unbiased health insurance information and enrollment assistance in the NC Health Insurance Marketplace. These organizations include: Council on Aging of Buncombe County, Blue Ridge Community Health Services, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Mountain Projects, Inc., Western Carolina Medical Society, and Pisgah Legal Services.
The ACA – also known as “Obamacare” – is the law that ensures access to quality, affordable health insurance on the Health Insurance Marketplace. With these plans, consumers are protected and:
- Can’t be denied coverage for a pre-existing health condition and can’t be dropped for getting sick;
- Insurers can’t charge higher premiums to women; and
- Insurers can’t sell substandard plans that don’t pay for essential health care benefits.
Since 1978, nonprofit Pisgah Legal Services has provided free civil legal aid to help people with low incomes seek justice and meet their basic needs including preventing homelessness, stopping domestic violence and securing health care. Pisgah Legal Services provides a broad array of free, civil legal services in 11 WNC counties, and offers immigration law services in 18 counties. Last year PLS served more than 18,000 people across the mountain region.
PLS has offices in Asheville, Burnsville, Brevard, Hendersonville, Marshall, and Rutherfordton and is now opening a new Highlands/Cashiers office to serve people in Macon and Jackson counties. Pisgah Legal has 32 attorneys on staff and relies heavily on the pro bono legal services of more than 300 volunteer attorneys.
Pisgah Legal Services continues to serve clients during the COVID-19 outbreak. For more information, visit www.pisgahlegal.org to apply for help online or make a gift in support of this important work.

Covid-Friendly Clean-Up Stations: #AVLquaranclean
We’ve learned a lot about adapting this year. Back in March, we canceled all of our upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. But it didn’t stop you from working to make Asheville cleaner and safer.
So we amped up our Cleanup Supply Station program, fully stocking existing locations and adding on 2 new stations, for a total of 7 Cleanup Supply Stations throughout Asheville & Buncombe County. We threw in our catchy #AVLquaranclean hashtag on top, and you did the rest!
Since March, 132 volunteers used these stations 36 times to collect over 2,700 pounds of litter from creeks and roads on their own time!! We are also incredibly grateful to Mountain Xpress for donating newspaper stands to be repurposed into these supply stations, the City of Asheville and Buncombe County Government for supporting cleanups, and to Mast General Store and Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts for hosting our newest stations.
These stations remain stocked and ready for your quarantine pod’s next outing. Remember to sign out supplies, report the trash back to us afterwards, and return supplies for cleaning and reuse! Read more at https://www.ashevillegreenworks.org/latest…/avlquaranclean and contact [email protected] for more information or to schedule supply pick up for larger groups.

Update: Funding must be accessed by Dec. 30, 2020.
Attention Buncombe County residents: If you are struggling to pay your rent, mortgage, or utilities, Buncombe County’s COVID Housing Assistance Program may be able to help. The funds must be accessed prior to Dec. 30.
“If you think you may possibly qualify, please call our office at 250-5500 to learn more,” said Economic Services Director Phillip Hardin. “Financial assistance is available immediately to support our community members impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic who need help with rent, mortgage, or utilities, but we have to use these dollars by Dec. 30.”
To qualify to receive relief funds earmarked for the Housing Assistance Program, households must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- The applicant/household lost income due to COVID-19.
- There is a sustainability plan to pay shelter expenses going forward after the County assists with past due bills.
- Income limit of 200% of the federal poverty level ($52,400) for a family of four.
Buncombe County is now accepting inquiries and applications. Please fill out the attached form and return to Buncombe County Health and Human Services or call (828) 250-5500 to be connected with a caseworker to start the application process.
As we move toward the Holiday season, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has released guidance for fall-related events. The guidance was developed with the goal of safer holiday breaks for college students and private social gatherings.

- 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.
The ACA is still the law, and Pisgah Legal is again helping people across WNC understand their options and sign up for Affordable Care Act Health Insurance. Open Enrollment only lasts six weeks – so don’t delay!


Everyone needs a little help this year — Gift Guide to let us help you!
The Steady Collective is dedicated to promoting the wellness of people who use drugs through empowerment and respectful collaboration. This outreach event is open to all and includes comprehensive harm reduction to improve overall community health by reducing the rate of drug overdose and the spread of infectious disease with education, advocacy, and direct services.
Participants receive educational material, naloxone, syringes, and supplies at no cost.
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Governor Roy Cooper announced on Tuesday, December 8th that North Carolina will begin a Modified Stay at Home Order in response to a rapid increase in North Carolina’s key COVID-19 trends. The Order requires people to stay at home between the hours of 10 pm and 5 am, and takes effect Friday, December 11th. The Order is set to remain in place until January 8, 2021.
The Order requires restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, personal care businesses, and more to close at 10 pm. Travel to and from work, to obtain food, medical care, fuel or social services, or to take care of a family member is exempted from the order. FAQs on the order can be found HERE.
|

Covid-Friendly Clean-Up Stations: #AVLquaranclean
We’ve learned a lot about adapting this year. Back in March, we canceled all of our upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. But it didn’t stop you from working to make Asheville cleaner and safer.
So we amped up our Cleanup Supply Station program, fully stocking existing locations and adding on 2 new stations, for a total of 7 Cleanup Supply Stations throughout Asheville & Buncombe County. We threw in our catchy #AVLquaranclean hashtag on top, and you did the rest!
Since March, 132 volunteers used these stations 36 times to collect over 2,700 pounds of litter from creeks and roads on their own time!! We are also incredibly grateful to Mountain Xpress for donating newspaper stands to be repurposed into these supply stations, the City of Asheville and Buncombe County Government for supporting cleanups, and to Mast General Store and Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts for hosting our newest stations.
These stations remain stocked and ready for your quarantine pod’s next outing. Remember to sign out supplies, report the trash back to us afterwards, and return supplies for cleaning and reuse! Read more at https://www.ashevillegreenworks.org/latest…/avlquaranclean and contact [email protected] for more information or to schedule supply pick up for larger groups.

Update: Funding must be accessed by Dec. 30, 2020.
Attention Buncombe County residents: If you are struggling to pay your rent, mortgage, or utilities, Buncombe County’s COVID Housing Assistance Program may be able to help. The funds must be accessed prior to Dec. 30.
“If you think you may possibly qualify, please call our office at 250-5500 to learn more,” said Economic Services Director Phillip Hardin. “Financial assistance is available immediately to support our community members impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic who need help with rent, mortgage, or utilities, but we have to use these dollars by Dec. 30.”
To qualify to receive relief funds earmarked for the Housing Assistance Program, households must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- The applicant/household lost income due to COVID-19.
- There is a sustainability plan to pay shelter expenses going forward after the County assists with past due bills.
- Income limit of 200% of the federal poverty level ($52,400) for a family of four.
Buncombe County is now accepting inquiries and applications. Please fill out the attached form and return to Buncombe County Health and Human Services or call (828) 250-5500 to be connected with a caseworker to start the application process.
As we move toward the Holiday season, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has released guidance for fall-related events. The guidance was developed with the goal of safer holiday breaks for college students and private social gatherings.

