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.



Join us for a small Paddy’s Day celebration on March 17th!
– We’ll have live trad/bluegrass music from Mike Martin and the Beautiful Mess from 4-8pm
– 2 Irish beers on tap: A traditional Irish Stout and an Irish Red!
– A little game of giveaways. Find a 4 leaf clover in the tasting room, receive a prize at the bar!

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Matt Waters is a soul artist from Cincinnati, OH. A unique blend of an acoustic songwriter & funk frontman, Waters began his career at age fourteen as a young guitarist searching for every opportunity to step onto the stage. He soon discovered his voice, and began stepping out as a solo artist.

Happy St. Pats! Come out and paint Emerald Forest with us! 16+ welcome. BYOB for 21+. Folks who register together will have a table for their group. Masks required but painters can take breaks for sipping!

Limited capacity, mask required
21+
Learn the basics of blacksmithing, forge a basic knife and enjoy local beer with mountaintop views! Ages 13+

New for 2021 – The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad introduces The Bunny Hopper Express Easter Train April 2 & 3! This 4 and half-hour round trip special event train departs the historic Bryson City Depot at 10:30am, and will travel along the Nantahala Gorge River to our picturesque layover destination, for Easter themed activities and Egg Hunt.
- Passengers will be on the lookout for those train hopping bunnies who have snuck on to take a free ride! Festivities include an Easter egg hunt with prizes, a give away bag with activities to enjoy during the train ride, and a yummy Easter treat for our junior railroaders to enjoy at the layover. There will also be plenty of opportunities for pictures with our bunny hoppers, so do not forget your camera! BOOKING IS AVAILABLE!

Please Note: This year’s service will be streamed virtually on our Facebook page. Please tune in at 7 am on April 4 to celebrate our 65th Annual Easter Sunrise Service.
Celebrate the glory of Easter with song, scripture and spiritual music as a spectacular sunrise ascends over Lake Lure. Chimney Rock’s nondenominational Annual Easter Sunrise Service has become a legendary event in western North Carolina.

Join us for an authentic dining experience at one of our signature events:
Sunday, April 4
$55.00 per person, $27.50 Children 6-11 / 5 and under free
10% senior discount. For reservations, please call (828) 696-9094
VIEW MENU

New for 2021 – The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad introduces The Bunny Hopper Express Easter Train April 2 & 3! This 4 and half-hour round trip special event train departs the historic Bryson City Depot at 10:30am, and will travel along the Nantahala Gorge River to our picturesque layover destination, for Easter themed activities and Egg Hunt.
- Passengers will be on the lookout for those train hopping bunnies who have snuck on to take a free ride! Festivities include an Easter egg hunt with prizes, a give away bag with activities to enjoy during the train ride, and a yummy Easter treat for our junior railroaders to enjoy at the layover. There will also be plenty of opportunities for pictures with our bunny hoppers, so do not forget your camera! BOOKING IS AVAILABLE!
Ideas shared using ingredients from the Market – local eggs, natural dyes, Easter, décor, Easter treats.

Looking for a safe way to get out of the house, spend some time outdoors and help the fresh water systems in WNC?
Well look no further! The Environmental Quality Institute will be hosting a training workshop for new volunteers interested in joining the Stream Information Exchange Project (SMIE). You will learn to sample streams for water quality, tell the difference between aquatic insects and why they are important for healthy rivers and creeks. Get trained in water quality monitoring methods and assessment for collaborative projects in Haywood, Madison, Buncombe, Yancey and Mitchell Counties. No previous experience is necessary. RSVP is required!
Volunteer Expectations: Help sample a minimum of 2 sites (only 2-3 hours per site), 2 times a year (spring & fall). Training is for ages 16+
Here’s the details: April 17th, 9am-5pm, the first half will be completed virtually over zoom and the second half takes place at the Big Ivy Community Center in Barnardsville, NC
No experience necessary. Donations accepted to defray materials cost (not required for participation)
For more info or to RSVP contact: [email protected] or 828-333-0392
Janet McKee, Speaker, Best-Selling Author, High Performance™ Success Coach, Wellness Expert and CEO of SanaView, is on a mission to inspire and teach you proven and effective ways to Embrace a Better Life; a life that is richer, happier, healthier, and more fulfilling. “Sana” is Latin for “wellness” and her organization provides a “view” into enjoyable ways to dramatically improve your life.
After obtaining her MBA from the University of Pittsburgh and climbing the corporate ladder in several Fortune 500 companies, Ms. McKee became passionate about helping others achieve stress-free successful lives by pursuing a wellness degree from Columbia University. After working for many years to help people achieve greater levels of wellbeing, Ms. McKee expanded her expertise by researching how psychology impacts a person’s ability to achieve personal and professional goals. Based on this work, she has achieved the status of being selected as one of only 200 elite Certified High Performance Coaches™ in the world and has received the honor of being awarded membership into the National Association of Experts, Writers and Speakers.
Ms. McKee is the creator of the innovative and acclaimed Accelerated High Performance Program and emPower 3 Leadership + Lifestyle Retreat designed to help others fuel their passion, positivity and purpose. Through her Stressless Success Shift™, she inspires others to break negative patterns and achieve greater success. She is a vibrant and inspirational speaker who is known for captivating audiences through the use of real-life stories that engage, entertain, uplift and empower people with real solutions that they can begin to use immediately to realize their dreams.
Whether you consult with Ms. McKee directly, or hire her to speak to your organization, or peruse her multitude of online courses and inspirations, you are certain to become more knowledgeable, uplifted and motivated to improve your life.
As the founder of SanaView, Ms. McKee has released her new best-selling book titled, Stressless Success: The Surprising Secrets to a Life of Passion, Purpose, and Prosperity, along with her own recipe book titled, Fabulous Recipes for Vibrant Health, and co-authored a best-selling book with Brian Tracy and other experts titled, Ready, Set, Go!. Ms. McKee is also the Executive Producer of the award-winning documentary, Bethany’s Story about the healing power of food. Because of her passion for healthy living, Ms. McKee spends her free time helping to develop SanaView Farms, her 52-acre historic landmark organic farm nestled in the Laurel Mountains of Pennsylvania. There, she teaches ways to regenerate our land and our health through natural living and eating. A true powerhouse of positive energy and motivation, Ms. McKee is poised to dramatically improve the lives of everyone she touches.
Teaching proven methods to achieve greater levels of energy, engagement, joy and confidence are the keys to her success in helping others.

Individuals, community organizations, and other groups of volunteers are invited to help clean up Lake Julian Park (37 Lake Julian Rd. in Arden) and along Heywood Road on Saturday, Apr. 24. Projects include roadside trash removal, landscaping, wetland remediation, lake surface litter skimming, and more. The park-wide cleanup celebrates Earth Day and the growing global movement to restore ecosystems and forests, conserve and rebuild soils, improve farming practices, protect wildlife populations, and rid waterways of plastics.
“Buncombe County parks saw record-breaking visitation in 2020,” according to Peyton O’Conner, Director of Buncombe County Recreation Services. “As the coronavirus pandemic shut everything down, the one avenue for maintaining peoples’ physical and mental wellbeing were parks, open spaces, greenways, and trails. Hopefully, this increased usage will lead to increased advocacy. Our citizens are the best defense in preserving our unique collection of outdoor spaces for current and future generations of Buncombians against pollution and natural disasters caused by climate change.”
Advance registration is required. This is a free event, but space is limited in accordance with current North Carolina guidelines to slow the spread of COVID-19. All attendees are expected to follow public health guidance during the event.
Volunteers will be provided with cleanup supplies, but should wear clothes that can get dirty. Volunteers who bring their own watercraft will be allowed to skim trash from the lake surface.
Volunteers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
To receive the I Heart Parks monthly newsletter, sign up online. Follow Buncombe County Recreation on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.
The foundation and first step to anyone’s first-aid knowledge. Learn life-saving knowledge with us this day.
Learn:
-AED usage
-CPR for adults
-First-aid
-Severe bleeding first-aid including tourniquets
For The People Academy is an inclusive high level skills training company working out of Asheville. Our goal Is to create heroes in our own communities.
Like getting a puppy for the first time, having a gun in the house comes with a lot of unexpected responsibilities.
Whether you bought a gun in the last year (or your partner did without telling you) learn how to be safe around them. An introductory course, this class will go over the basics of firearms ownership and safety.
We provide training guns for all of our students to practice with. This class has no range portion. You do not need gun or ammo to take it.
Learn:
-Firearms safety
-How to handle a firearm
-How to make a firearm “safe”
-How to store a firearm
-Caring for a firearm
-Common safety mistakes
-Defensive considerations
-How to train
-Ownership legality
This is a 6 Week Series from 3/23/21 through 4/27/21.
Organic Growers School is excited to offer this curriculum and training opportunity to Southern Appalachia for a second year in partnership with Certified Naturally Grown.
Manage for Your Farm’s Future:
Growing a viable farm business is sustained by continuous learning of the land and your products. In this workshop series, growers across Southern Appalachia and beyond will gain tools to manage their crop production for whole-farm success.
Regionally Specific Tools:
The Holistic Crop Management series focuses on the growing regions of Northern Georgia, Eastern Tennessee, Western North Carolina, and Southwestern Virginia. Webinar sessions will feature farmers and agricultural experts from these areas. Through curated group activities in the virtual setting, participants will be able to build a network with experienced growers who know farming and the land.
Workshop Structure:
In response to the need for virtual learning opportunities during the pandemic, we have restructured this workshop series from in-person workshops to a six-part webinar series, which includes a mixture of videos, resources, and live virtual meetings. The curriculum uses Certified Naturally Grown standards as the guidelines for holistic principles, and each session will consist of discussion-based exploration of soil health, pest management, disease control, and weed maintenance, along with several components of the Holistic Management framework.
Participants are not required to be Certified Naturally Grown or Certified Organic to join the webinar; however, the skills gained in these sessions will equip farmers to take on certification confidently should they choose. While this webinar series focuses on farming in the Southern Appalachians, farmers from any region will gain valuable knowledge and are invited to join.
Janet McKee, Speaker, Best-Selling Author, High Performance™ Success Coach, Wellness Expert and CEO of SanaView, is on a mission to inspire and teach you proven and effective ways to Embrace a Better Life; a life that is richer, happier, healthier, and more fulfilling. “Sana” is Latin for “wellness” and her organization provides a “view” into enjoyable ways to dramatically improve your life.
After obtaining her MBA from the University of Pittsburgh and climbing the corporate ladder in several Fortune 500 companies, Ms. McKee became passionate about helping others achieve stress-free successful lives by pursuing a wellness degree from Columbia University. After working for many years to help people achieve greater levels of wellbeing, Ms. McKee expanded her expertise by researching how psychology impacts a person’s ability to achieve personal and professional goals. Based on this work, she has achieved the status of being selected as one of only 200 elite Certified High Performance Coaches™ in the world and has received the honor of being awarded membership into the National Association of Experts, Writers and Speakers.
Ms. McKee is the creator of the innovative and acclaimed Accelerated High Performance Program and emPower 3 Leadership + Lifestyle Retreat designed to help others fuel their passion, positivity and purpose. Through her Stressless Success Shift™, she inspires others to break negative patterns and achieve greater success. She is a vibrant and inspirational speaker who is known for captivating audiences through the use of real-life stories that engage, entertain, uplift and empower people with real solutions that they can begin to use immediately to realize their dreams.
Whether you consult with Ms. McKee directly, or hire her to speak to your organization, or peruse her multitude of online courses and inspirations, you are certain to become more knowledgeable, uplifted and motivated to improve your life.
As the founder of SanaView, Ms. McKee has released her new best-selling book titled, Stressless Success: The Surprising Secrets to a Life of Passion, Purpose, and Prosperity, along with her own recipe book titled, Fabulous Recipes for Vibrant Health, and co-authored a best-selling book with Brian Tracy and other experts titled, Ready, Set, Go!. Ms. McKee is also the Executive Producer of the award-winning documentary, Bethany’s Story about the healing power of food. Because of her passion for healthy living, Ms. McKee spends her free time helping to develop SanaView Farms, her 52-acre historic landmark organic farm nestled in the Laurel Mountains of Pennsylvania. There, she teaches ways to regenerate our land and our health through natural living and eating. A true powerhouse of positive energy and motivation, Ms. McKee is poised to dramatically improve the lives of everyone she touches.
Teaching proven methods to achieve greater levels of energy, engagement, joy and confidence are the keys to her success in helping others.
April 30th is Arbor Day – a nationally recognized day to celebrate the beauty of nature and plant a
tree in support of the environment. To commemorate the day, the children of WCCA’s Head Start
and Early Head Start programs will be busy planting over 250 White Pine seedlings with a little
help from their families and the staff!
We’ve expanded our Gardening Series to cover three seasons!
All classes will be fully ONLINE.
Our Gardening Series will feature 2 classes for each season: Spring, Summer & Fall.
You can purchase each season individually, or buy all three for a discounted rate.
Register here: https://organicgrowersschool.org/gardeners/gardening-series/
Summer:
May 3rd and 10th, 2021
6:00-7:30pm EST
Topics: How to build Sensational Compost, Forging a new relationship with Weeds, Crops for Summer, Watering, Fertilizing, Pollinators and Companion Plants
Janet McKee, Speaker, Best-Selling Author, High Performance™ Success Coach, Wellness Expert and CEO of SanaView, is on a mission to inspire and teach you proven and effective ways to Embrace a Better Life; a life that is richer, happier, healthier, and more fulfilling. “Sana” is Latin for “wellness” and her organization provides a “view” into enjoyable ways to dramatically improve your life.
After obtaining her MBA from the University of Pittsburgh and climbing the corporate ladder in several Fortune 500 companies, Ms. McKee became passionate about helping others achieve stress-free successful lives by pursuing a wellness degree from Columbia University. After working for many years to help people achieve greater levels of wellbeing, Ms. McKee expanded her expertise by researching how psychology impacts a person’s ability to achieve personal and professional goals. Based on this work, she has achieved the status of being selected as one of only 200 elite Certified High Performance Coaches™ in the world and has received the honor of being awarded membership into the National Association of Experts, Writers and Speakers.
Ms. McKee is the creator of the innovative and acclaimed Accelerated High Performance Program and emPower 3 Leadership + Lifestyle Retreat designed to help others fuel their passion, positivity and purpose. Through her Stressless Success Shift™, she inspires others to break negative patterns and achieve greater success. She is a vibrant and inspirational speaker who is known for captivating audiences through the use of real-life stories that engage, entertain, uplift and empower people with real solutions that they can begin to use immediately to realize their dreams.
Whether you consult with Ms. McKee directly, or hire her to speak to your organization, or peruse her multitude of online courses and inspirations, you are certain to become more knowledgeable, uplifted and motivated to improve your life.
As the founder of SanaView, Ms. McKee has released her new best-selling book titled, Stressless Success: The Surprising Secrets to a Life of Passion, Purpose, and Prosperity, along with her own recipe book titled, Fabulous Recipes for Vibrant Health, and co-authored a best-selling book with Brian Tracy and other experts titled, Ready, Set, Go!. Ms. McKee is also the Executive Producer of the award-winning documentary, Bethany’s Story about the healing power of food. Because of her passion for healthy living, Ms. McKee spends her free time helping to develop SanaView Farms, her 52-acre historic landmark organic farm nestled in the Laurel Mountains of Pennsylvania. There, she teaches ways to regenerate our land and our health through natural living and eating. A true powerhouse of positive energy and motivation, Ms. McKee is poised to dramatically improve the lives of everyone she touches.
Teaching proven methods to achieve greater levels of energy, engagement, joy and confidence are the keys to her success in helping others.
Ever wanted to try your hand at blacksmithing? Here’s your chance to experience the basics of shaping hot steel with a hammer and anvil in our unforgettable Blacksmithing and Brews workshop. You’ll fire up the forge with our seasoned educator Mo, who’s been teaching hands-on living history at Earthshine for over sixteen years. He’ll guide you every step of the way, helping you work a piece of rough steel into a one of a kind, hand crafted knife form you can take home. You’ll stoke the coal fire, hammer glowing metal straight from forge, and learn all kinds of history, lore, techniques, and tricks about the craft.
After the workshop, you can enjoy a local brew on the front deck of our main lodge overlooking Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge. You can take it easy, soaking up the mountain views while you sip, or keep working to refine your project, taking it from the rugged, fresh out of the fire look to a smoother, cleaner finish. We’ll even throw in a take-home kit with a few essential tools you can use to turn your project into a piece of art worth displaying.
No experience is needed and all equipment is provided. Ages 13+ are welcome, but you must be at least 21 to be served beer. If you’re under 21, we’ll provide lemonade, tea or sparkling water. Each person participating will take home their own wrought iron crude knife form that can be used as a letter opener or simple spreading utensil.
We’ll emphasize safety procedures throughout the entire program. Each participant will have their own set of safety equipment throughout the program, including gloves and safety glasses. Face coverings are required whenever participants cannot be 6 feet apart. Equipment is sanitized after each class.
Join us in kicking off the Spring season with this special introductory price! Our workshops last between 1-2 hours and include all information and materials needed to create a fun, living terrarium. This class is perfect for beginners or experienced crafters! Instruction covers learning about air plants, care tips, design principles, and more. We include everything needed to create your terrarium, from the container and plants to fun additions like shells, driftwood, gemstones and crystals, figurines, and more. A gift box and care instructions are included to ensure your success. Participants are welcome to bring (waterproof) figurines or other design additions that they’d like to incorporate into their terrarium. Please register and purchase tickets at www.Vivid-Event.com . This is our most popular class and registration fills up quickly! Food, beverages, and alcohol will be available for purchase through our host venue, 828 Market on Main (180 N. Main St, Waynesville NC)
Ever wanted to try your hand at blacksmithing? Here’s your chance to experience the basics of shaping hot steel with a hammer and anvil in our unforgettable Blacksmithing and Brews workshop. You’ll fire up the forge with our seasoned educator Mo, who’s been teaching hands-on living history at Earthshine for over sixteen years. He’ll guide you every step of the way, helping you work a piece of rough steel into a one of a kind, hand crafted knife form you can take home. You’ll stoke the coal fire, hammer glowing metal straight from forge, and learn all kinds of history, lore, techniques, and tricks about the craft.
After the workshop, you can enjoy a local brew on the front deck of our main lodge overlooking Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge. You can take it easy, soaking up the mountain views while you sip, or keep working to refine your project, taking it from the rugged, fresh out of the fire look to a smoother, cleaner finish. We’ll even throw in a take-home kit with a few essential tools you can use to turn your project into a piece of art worth displaying.
No experience is needed and all equipment is provided. Ages 13+ are welcome, but you must be at least 21 to be served beer. If you’re under 21, we’ll provide lemonade, tea or sparkling water. Each person participating will take home their own wrought iron crude knife form that can be used as a letter opener or simple spreading utensil.
We’ll emphasize safety procedures throughout the entire program. Each participant will have their own set of safety equipment throughout the program, including gloves and safety glasses. Face coverings are required whenever participants cannot be 6 feet apart. Equipment is sanitized after each class.
Cost: $95 per person
Duration: 3 hours
Ages: Ages 13 and over

Book an Adventure at the Treetops Adventure Park or KidZip and Mom will climb/zip for free with paying family members. Use code “mom” when booking online.
Come on out for a day of fun. We’ll be hiking a bit and learning archery at the same time. Bring your own bow or use one of the ones we provide.
Learn:
-Bow fundamentals
-Different aiming techniques
-Bow care and safety
For The People Academy is an inclusive high level skills training company based in Asheville. Our goal is to create heroes in our own communities.

At the May 4 meeting, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted to add Juneteenth as an additional County holiday following a public hearing.
Juneteenth, also known as “Jubilee Day,” “Freedom Day,” “Emancipation Day,” or “Liberation Day,” honors the day that enslaved people in Galveston, Texas learned that the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed by President Abraham Lincoln. That signing happened almost two years earlier, but Union soldiers did not arrive with the news until June 19, 1865. That day, known as Juneteenth, is a day of celebration of liberation, emancipation, and freedom for African Americans. Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.
“I think it should be celebrated by our staff and the County, because it is an important date in history,” said Commissioner Al Whitesides. “Hopefully this will help us start the conversation and correct some of what’s happened the last 400 years. We’re saying a lot not only to our employees, but to our community.”
Currently, Wake, Northampton, Bertie, and Orange Counties offer Juneteenth as a paid holiday, as do the cities of Apex, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Durham, Greensboro, Hillsborough, Princeville, Raleigh, and Winston-Salem. The Orange Water and Sewer Authority also offers Juneteenth as a paid holiday.
The Board voted unanimously to approve the staff recommendation to add Juneteenth as an additional County holiday. The County will celebrate Juneteenth on the Friday that falls closest to or on June 19. This year, Buncombe County Government administrative offices will be closed on Friday, June 18 in observance of Juneteenth. Emergency and public safety services will remain open.
Janet McKee, Speaker, Best-Selling Author, High Performance™ Success Coach, Wellness Expert and CEO of SanaView, is on a mission to inspire and teach you proven and effective ways to Embrace a Better Life; a life that is richer, happier, healthier, and more fulfilling. “Sana” is Latin for “wellness” and her organization provides a “view” into enjoyable ways to dramatically improve your life.
After obtaining her MBA from the University of Pittsburgh and climbing the corporate ladder in several Fortune 500 companies, Ms. McKee became passionate about helping others achieve stress-free successful lives by pursuing a wellness degree from Columbia University. After working for many years to help people achieve greater levels of wellbeing, Ms. McKee expanded her expertise by researching how psychology impacts a person’s ability to achieve personal and professional goals. Based on this work, she has achieved the status of being selected as one of only 200 elite Certified High Performance Coaches™ in the world and has received the honor of being awarded membership into the National Association of Experts, Writers and Speakers.
Ms. McKee is the creator of the innovative and acclaimed Accelerated High Performance Program and emPower 3 Leadership + Lifestyle Retreat designed to help others fuel their passion, positivity and purpose. Through her Stressless Success Shift™, she inspires others to break negative patterns and achieve greater success. She is a vibrant and inspirational speaker who is known for captivating audiences through the use of real-life stories that engage, entertain, uplift and empower people with real solutions that they can begin to use immediately to realize their dreams.
Whether you consult with Ms. McKee directly, or hire her to speak to your organization, or peruse her multitude of online courses and inspirations, you are certain to become more knowledgeable, uplifted and motivated to improve your life.
As the founder of SanaView, Ms. McKee has released her new best-selling book titled, Stressless Success: The Surprising Secrets to a Life of Passion, Purpose, and Prosperity, along with her own recipe book titled, Fabulous Recipes for Vibrant Health, and co-authored a best-selling book with Brian Tracy and other experts titled, Ready, Set, Go!. Ms. McKee is also the Executive Producer of the award-winning documentary, Bethany’s Story about the healing power of food. Because of her passion for healthy living, Ms. McKee spends her free time helping to develop SanaView Farms, her 52-acre historic landmark organic farm nestled in the Laurel Mountains of Pennsylvania. There, she teaches ways to regenerate our land and our health through natural living and eating. A true powerhouse of positive energy and motivation, Ms. McKee is poised to dramatically improve the lives of everyone she touches.
Teaching proven methods to achieve greater levels of energy, engagement, joy and confidence are the keys to her success in helping others.
