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.

Tuesday, June 6, 2023
Wilderness Medicine + Survival Skills at Nantahala Outdoor Center
Jun 6 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center

LEARN MORE THIS YEAR

Brush up on your wilderness medicine or learn new survival skills! SOLO Southeast & NOC are offering over 200 courses in 2023 and classes in locations across the southeast.

  • Atlanta, GA
  • Bryson City, NC
  • Chattanooga, TN
  • Collegedale, TN
  • Greenville, SC

Find your next course with SOLO Southeast and be prepared for the unexpected!

Pollinator Exploration Kit (Available for Loan)
Jun 6 @ 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Bullington Gardens

Presented by Bee City USA- Hendersonville and Bullington Gardens

For educators: teachers, camp counselors, home-school parents, childcare professionals, summer program leaders, and more, the Pollinator Exploration Kit provides excellent tools. Bee City USA – Hendersonville is eager to help you share the wonder of pollinators with children you teach. The kit includes sets of 12 sturdy child-size insect nets, special bug capture bubbles, bug boxes with magnifying lids, and magnifying glasses. Two pop-up insect habitats and two sets of laminated fold-out field guides (NC Trees & Wildflowers, NC Butterflies & Moths, Bees & Other Pollinators) are also included. The kit can be loaned for up to a week (as available) and may be picked up and returned weekdays 9am-4pm.

Pick-up location:

Bullington Gardens, 95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville.

Cost: no charge

Reservation needed: contact [email protected] to check availability and reserve the dates to borrow the Pollinator Exploration Kit.

Conflict Resolution in the Henderson County Community
Jun 6 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Zoom - link provided with registration

Conflict Resolution in the Henderson County Community: Discover how you can contribute to a more peaceful community and how your local community mediation center can help

Join The Mediation Center for a conflict resolutions skills training for Henderson County community members. The webinar will provide participants with an understanding of the nature of conflict as a normal part of everyday life. Participants will learn quick tips for identifying the underlying interests of people who are experiencing conflict. With these skills, participants will be better equipped to support collaboration. In addition to conflict resolution skill-building, participants will learn about The Mediation Center’s free community mediation services in Henderson County. Participants to leave the webinar with a deeper understanding of what The Mediation Center does, what community mediation can accomplish, and how individuals can access community mediation services in Henderson County.

This is a FREE one-hour training provided by The Mediation Center. Pre-registration is required.

Summer Animal Encounters
Jun 6 @ 2:00 pm
Chimney Rock State Park
Weekdays only at 2pm

Do you know our staff has a wild side? Join a Park naturalist to meet some of our live Animal Ambassadors and learn about the types of wildlife in the area and their jobs. Some of our best educators have feathers, fur, shells or scales!

Elementary After-School Volunteer Creative Peacemakers
Jun 6 @ 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Deaverview Apartment Community

We are seeking volunteers to assist us in our small after school program for children in West Asheville in low-income housing.  We provide a safe and nourishing environment, healthy snacks, and creative activities.  Our program currently meets during the school year on most Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 3:00-5:00pm. You may volunteer for one or two days a week. 

Volunteer Responsibilities:

  • Assist with serving snacks
  • Interact with children during activity time
  • Supervise games and outdoor free time
  • For people with background in education, there is also an opportunity to assist with curriculum development and program planning and administration

Requirements:

  • Background check
  • Orientation booklets will be provided
  • Masks are required if unvaccinated
A Narrative from the Inside: Hendersonville’s 9th Avenue School
Jun 6 @ 6:00 pm
hybrid

Join the Asheville Museum of History Thursday, June 8 at 6pm for this special program. This hybrid event is held in-person at OLLI and livestreamed via Zoom. It will be recorded.

Hendersonville’s 9th Avenue School—a union school merging grades 1-12—served African American students from Polk, Transylvania, and Henderson counties from 1951-1965. When the Brown v Board decisions eventually went into effect, the school finally became integrated in 1966, bringing great change and some challenges.

The presentation will share information from both the students and teachers perspective about: busing from surrounding counties, education expectations and what has been learned from the teachers’ perspective, their education qualifications, where they were from and where they resided while teaching at the 9th Avenue School, and what happened after integration.

 

About the Speaker:

Ronnie Pepper grew up in Hendersonville and attended the 9th Avenue School. He served in the U.S. army before becoming a Head Start teacher. In addition to researching and telling the story of the Happy Land Kingdom, Ronnie serves his community on numerous boards. He also serves as the Chair of the Black History Research Committee of Henderson County. He has travelled abroad representing Henderson County groups, and has won several awards for his work including the Spirit of Diversity Award by the Latino Advocacy Coalition of Henderson County and the Scholastic Early Childhood Professional Award. Ronnie is currently a librarian at the Hendersonville County Public Library, and a storyteller in the region.

Tickets: $5 for AMoH and OLLI members/ $10 for General Admission. We also have no-cost, community-funded tickets available. We want our events to be accessible to as many people as possible. If you are able please consider making a donation along with your ticket purchase. These donations are placed in our Community Fund, which allows us to offer tickets at no cost to those who would not be able to attend otherwise.

Viewing: Registrants will receive a Zoom link with which to view the program. It will also be recorded and later available on our website.

(Images: The newly-completed Hendersonville 9th Avenue School and first incoming class, in The Tiger [Yearbook], 1952, courtesy Henderson County Public Library)

Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Wilderness Medicine + Survival Skills at Nantahala Outdoor Center
Jun 7 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center

LEARN MORE THIS YEAR

Brush up on your wilderness medicine or learn new survival skills! SOLO Southeast & NOC are offering over 200 courses in 2023 and classes in locations across the southeast.

  • Atlanta, GA
  • Bryson City, NC
  • Chattanooga, TN
  • Collegedale, TN
  • Greenville, SC

Find your next course with SOLO Southeast and be prepared for the unexpected!

Lewis Creek Preserve Nature Walk
Jun 7 @ 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Edneyville Community Center

Bob Gale, MountainTrue’s Ecologist & Public Lands Director, will lead a slow hike along the nature trail and boardwalk, interpreting plant life, wildflowers, a rare Southern Appalachian Bog ecosystem, and the value of pollinators on this property. From the community center parking lot, the group will go to Lewis Creek Preserve trailhead a short distance away. Suitable for all ages; children must be accompanied by an adult.

Pollinator Exploration Kit (Available for Loan)
Jun 7 @ 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Bullington Gardens

Presented by Bee City USA- Hendersonville and Bullington Gardens

For educators: teachers, camp counselors, home-school parents, childcare professionals, summer program leaders, and more, the Pollinator Exploration Kit provides excellent tools. Bee City USA – Hendersonville is eager to help you share the wonder of pollinators with children you teach. The kit includes sets of 12 sturdy child-size insect nets, special bug capture bubbles, bug boxes with magnifying lids, and magnifying glasses. Two pop-up insect habitats and two sets of laminated fold-out field guides (NC Trees & Wildflowers, NC Butterflies & Moths, Bees & Other Pollinators) are also included. The kit can be loaned for up to a week (as available) and may be picked up and returned weekdays 9am-4pm.

Pick-up location:

Bullington Gardens, 95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville.

Cost: no charge

Reservation needed: contact [email protected] to check availability and reserve the dates to borrow the Pollinator Exploration Kit.

Summer Animal Encounters
Jun 7 @ 2:00 pm
Chimney Rock State Park
Weekdays only at 2pm

Do you know our staff has a wild side? Join a Park naturalist to meet some of our live Animal Ambassadors and learn about the types of wildlife in the area and their jobs. Some of our best educators have feathers, fur, shells or scales!

Tenants Rights Workshop
Jun 7 @ 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
West Asheville Library

Just Economics and Pisgah Legal Services are co-sponsoring a workshop for renters to learn their rights as tenants in NC. There will be a presentation and question and answer session with Pisgah Legal Services followed by a discussion with Just Economics about the Tenants’ Network. The goal of this workshop is to educate tenants about their rights as renters in North Carolina and begin connecting tenants to resources and to each other.

Through these workshops, Just Economics will facilitate the formation of a local Tenants’ Network. The purpose of having a Tenants Network is to build solidarity among tenants and between renters and the community, to organize mutual aid networks and to empower renters and community supporters to come together for projects to improve our neighborhoods. Additionally, the Tenants Network will be a way for renters to collectively advocate for public policies that favor the interests and rights of tenants and to take collective action to fight back when tenants face injustice.

Pritchard Park Summer Series: Summer of Science with Asheville Museum of Science
Jun 7 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Pritchard Park

Explore hands on activities and experiments while we learn about the Science of Bubbles or the Science of Sound. Every other week we will play and learn together using a variety of tools, instruments, and toys. AMOS has a plethora of science to intrigue the zeal of every learner!

CREATIVE FACILITATOR TRAINING
Jun 7 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Story Parlor

Story Parlor and Inward & Artward present: an interactive 14-week program on how to create and facilitate unique offerings rooted in the intersection of the creative process, personal stories, and the human condition. Tailored for folks interested in starting a new and fulfilling career path, or simply wanting to deepen and/or refresh their approach to holistic creative facilitation.

Guideposts Include:

  • Identifying creative blocks, obstacles, and breakthrough strategies for self and others

  • How to create and conduct creative-based groups, workshops, classes, and retreats

  • Teaching philosophy and ethics

  • The intersection of mindfulness and the creative process, and how to implement into facilitation

  • Nurturing a sustainable creative lifestyle, personally, professionally, and instructionally

  • Tools to excavate personal stories and ways they can be used for healing, transformation, and creative bounty

  • Marketing, business planning, and logistics

  • Two one-on-one creativity coaching sessions

Early Bird pricing through April 30 | $1250
Regular price effective May 1 | $1400

Class dates include Wednesdays from 6:30-8:30pm
5/31, 6/7, 6/14, 6/21, 6/28, 7/5, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26, 8/2, 8/9, 8/16, 8/23, 8/30
Some classes will be conducted over zoom; Final two meetings will go till 9:30pm.

Refund and Covid policies can be found here.

Before registering, prospective participants must first submit the below application. Next steps will be provided thereafter.

The French Broad River: Its Past, Present + Future
Jun 7 @ 7:00 pm
UNC-Asheville’s Reuter Center
Please join the Sierra Club of WNC + RiverLink for a lively conversation on The French Broad River: Its Past, Present & Future. Date: Wednesday June 7 at 7:00 pm. Location: Room 102, UNC-Asheville’s Reuter Center at 300 Campus View Drive, or tune in via Zoom.

Click here to register in advance for the Zoom session.

Thursday, June 8, 2023
Wilderness Medicine + Survival Skills at Nantahala Outdoor Center
Jun 8 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center

LEARN MORE THIS YEAR

Brush up on your wilderness medicine or learn new survival skills! SOLO Southeast & NOC are offering over 200 courses in 2023 and classes in locations across the southeast.

  • Atlanta, GA
  • Bryson City, NC
  • Chattanooga, TN
  • Collegedale, TN
  • Greenville, SC

Find your next course with SOLO Southeast and be prepared for the unexpected!

Pollinator Exploration Kit (Available for Loan)
Jun 8 @ 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Bullington Gardens

Presented by Bee City USA- Hendersonville and Bullington Gardens

For educators: teachers, camp counselors, home-school parents, childcare professionals, summer program leaders, and more, the Pollinator Exploration Kit provides excellent tools. Bee City USA – Hendersonville is eager to help you share the wonder of pollinators with children you teach. The kit includes sets of 12 sturdy child-size insect nets, special bug capture bubbles, bug boxes with magnifying lids, and magnifying glasses. Two pop-up insect habitats and two sets of laminated fold-out field guides (NC Trees & Wildflowers, NC Butterflies & Moths, Bees & Other Pollinators) are also included. The kit can be loaned for up to a week (as available) and may be picked up and returned weekdays 9am-4pm.

Pick-up location:

Bullington Gardens, 95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville.

Cost: no charge

Reservation needed: contact [email protected] to check availability and reserve the dates to borrow the Pollinator Exploration Kit.

Identifying Trees + Shrubs
Jun 8 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Bullington Gardens

Henderson County Extension Agent and host of the Gardening in the Mountains Radio Show Steve Pettis will teach you how to identify the most common trees and shrubs in the Western North Carolina forests.

Summer Animal Encounters
Jun 8 @ 2:00 pm
Chimney Rock State Park
Weekdays only at 2pm

Do you know our staff has a wild side? Join a Park naturalist to meet some of our live Animal Ambassadors and learn about the types of wildlife in the area and their jobs. Some of our best educators have feathers, fur, shells or scales!

Elementary After-School Volunteer Creative Peacemakers
Jun 8 @ 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Deaverview Apartment Community

We are seeking volunteers to assist us in our small after school program for children in West Asheville in low-income housing.  We provide a safe and nourishing environment, healthy snacks, and creative activities.  Our program currently meets during the school year on most Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 3:00-5:00pm. You may volunteer for one or two days a week. 

Volunteer Responsibilities:

  • Assist with serving snacks
  • Interact with children during activity time
  • Supervise games and outdoor free time
  • For people with background in education, there is also an opportunity to assist with curriculum development and program planning and administration

Requirements:

  • Background check
  • Orientation booklets will be provided
  • Masks are required if unvaccinated
A Narrative from the Inside: Hendersonville’s 9th Avenue School
Jun 8 @ 6:00 pm
Zoom

Join the Asheville Museum of History Thursday, June 8 at 6pm for this special program. This hybrid event is held in-person at OLLI at UNC Asheville and livestreamed via Zoom. It will also be recorded.

Hendersonville’s 9th Avenue School—a union school merging grades 1-12—served African American students from Polk, Transylvania, and Henderson counties from 1951-1965. When the Brown v Board decisions eventually went into effect, the school finally became integrated in 1966, bringing great change and some challenges.

The presentation will share information from both the students and teachers perspective about: busing from surrounding counties, education expectations and what has been learned from the teachers’ perspective, their education qualifications, where they were from and where they resided while teaching at the 9th Avenue School, and what happened after integration.

About the Speaker:

Ronnie Pepper grew up in Hendersonville and attended the 9th Avenue School. He served in the U.S. army before becoming a Head Start teacher. In addition to researching and telling the story of the Happy Land Kingdom, Ronnie serves his community on numerous boards. He also serves as the Chair of the Black History Research Committee of Henderson County. He has travelled abroad representing Henderson County groups, and has won several awards for his work including the Spirit of Diversity Award by the Latino Advocacy Coalition of Henderson County and the Scholastic Early Childhood Professional Award. Ronnie is currently a librarian at the Hendersonville County Public Library, and a storyteller in the region.

Tickets: $5 for AMoH and OLLI members/ $10 for General Admission. We also have no-cost, community-funded tickets available. We want our events to be accessible to as many people as possible. If you are able please consider making a donation along with your ticket purchase. These donations are placed in our Community Fund, which allows us to offer tickets at no cost to those who would not be able to attend otherwise.

Viewing: Registrants will receive a Zoom link with which to view the program. It will also be recorded and later available on our website.

In-Person Location: Reuter Center, 300 Campus View Rd, Asheville, NC 28804

(Images: The newly-completed Hendersonville 9th Avenue School and first incoming class, in The Tiger [Yearbook], 1952, courtesy Henderson County Public Library)

For questions, email Trevor Freeman at [email protected]

A Narrative from the Inside: Hendersonville’s 9th Avenue School
Jun 8 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Live at OLLI at UNCA or via Zoom

Hendersonville’s 9th Avenue School—a union school merging grades 1-12—served African American students from Polk, Transylvania, and Henderson counties from 1951-1965. When the Brown v Board decisions eventually went into effect, the school finally became integrated in 1966, bringing great change and some challenges.

The presentation will share information from both the students and teachers perspective about: busing from surrounding counties, education expectations and what has been learned from the teachers’ perspective, their education qualifications, where they were from and where they resided while teaching at the 9th Avenue School, and what happened after integration.

 

About the Speaker:

Ronnie Pepper grew up in Hendersonville and attended the 9th Avenue School. He served in the U.S. army before becoming a Head Start teacher. In addition to researching and telling the story of the Happy Land Kingdom, Ronnie serves his community on numerous boards. He also serves as the Chair of the Black History Research Committee of Henderson County. He has travelled abroad representing Henderson County groups, and has won several awards for his work including the Spirit of Diversity Award by the Latino Advocacy Coalition of Henderson County and the Scholastic Early Childhood Professional Award. Ronnie is currently a librarian at the Hendersonville County Public Library, and a storyteller in the region.

 

Tickets: $5 for AMoH and OLLI members/ $10 for General Admission. We also have no-cost, community-funded tickets available. We want our events to be accessible to as many people as possible. If you are able please consider making a donation along with your ticket purchase. These donations are placed in our Community Fund, which allows us to offer tickets at no cost to those who would not be able to attend otherwise.

Intro to Sketch
Jun 8 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Whitmire Activity Center

Want to know how to write like they do on SNL? Would you like to level up your comedy knowledge? Learn the basics of sketch comedy writing! We’ll talk about the history of sketch, and the differences between the famous sketch and improv schools based in NYC, Chicago, and LA. Want to learn about the crossover of skills practiced in sketch writing and improv? Are you interested in learning some of the differences between British and American humor? Are you curious about the similarities between sketch and satire? (Think: The Onion.) We’ll talk about it! We’ll read a variety of sketch scripts, break them down into parts, and learn the mechanics. We’ll watch a number of sketches together, practice identifying the formula, and specifically labeling what’s funny about them. We’ll also practice idea generation and pitching. Hold onto your hat!

About the Teacher

Emily Swindal lived in New York City for 8 years as an actor and improv comedian and relocated to Hendersonville during the pandemic. Emily has studied and performed improv and sketch comedy writing at NYC’s Magnet Theater and Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre NY. Emily has performed with an assortment of improv teams. Some of her past instructors include Elana Fishbein, Peter McNerney, Ross Taylor, Michael Lutton, and Nicole Drespel. She has a BFA in Musical Theatre from Shenandoah Conservatory. Emily can’t wait to meet you.

Friday, June 9, 2023
Pollinator Exploration Kit (Available for Loan)
Jun 9 @ 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Bullington Gardens

Presented by Bee City USA- Hendersonville and Bullington Gardens

For educators: teachers, camp counselors, home-school parents, childcare professionals, summer program leaders, and more, the Pollinator Exploration Kit provides excellent tools. Bee City USA – Hendersonville is eager to help you share the wonder of pollinators with children you teach. The kit includes sets of 12 sturdy child-size insect nets, special bug capture bubbles, bug boxes with magnifying lids, and magnifying glasses. Two pop-up insect habitats and two sets of laminated fold-out field guides (NC Trees & Wildflowers, NC Butterflies & Moths, Bees & Other Pollinators) are also included. The kit can be loaned for up to a week (as available) and may be picked up and returned weekdays 9am-4pm.

Pick-up location:

Bullington Gardens, 95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville.

Cost: no charge

Reservation needed: contact [email protected] to check availability and reserve the dates to borrow the Pollinator Exploration Kit.

Summer Animal Encounters
Jun 9 @ 2:00 pm
Chimney Rock State Park
Weekdays only at 2pm

Do you know our staff has a wild side? Join a Park naturalist to meet some of our live Animal Ambassadors and learn about the types of wildlife in the area and their jobs. Some of our best educators have feathers, fur, shells or scales!

Saturday, June 10, 2023
Blue Ridge Audubon monthly bird walk
Jun 10 @ 8:00 am – 10:00 am
Jackson Park

Join the Blue Ridge Audubon, a chapter of the National Audubon Society for their monthly bird walk at Jackson Park, a renowned
birding location. On the 2nd Saturday of each month, meet at the Administration Building parking lot, located on Glover Street,
and join the group to see the many wonderful birds found at Jackson Park, Hendersonville’s largest park.8-10:00am.
828-684-0812. Free.

Native Plant Identification Walk
Jun 10 @ 9:00 am
Patton Park

Presented by Rachel Meriwether and Friends of the Oklawaha Greenway

Meet at the pavilion next to the basketball courts. Rachel will lead a pleasant walk on the Oklawaha Greenway suitable for all ages, identifying plants along the way. Water, sunscreen, a hat, and comfortable walking shoes are recommended. For more information visit OkGr-Events- (friendsofoklawaha.org)

Pollinator Exploration Kit (Available for Loan)
Jun 10 @ 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Bullington Gardens

Presented by Bee City USA- Hendersonville and Bullington Gardens

For educators: teachers, camp counselors, home-school parents, childcare professionals, summer program leaders, and more, the Pollinator Exploration Kit provides excellent tools. Bee City USA – Hendersonville is eager to help you share the wonder of pollinators with children you teach. The kit includes sets of 12 sturdy child-size insect nets, special bug capture bubbles, bug boxes with magnifying lids, and magnifying glasses. Two pop-up insect habitats and two sets of laminated fold-out field guides (NC Trees & Wildflowers, NC Butterflies & Moths, Bees & Other Pollinators) are also included. The kit can be loaned for up to a week (as available) and may be picked up and returned weekdays 9am-4pm.

Pick-up location:

Bullington Gardens, 95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville.

Cost: no charge

Reservation needed: contact [email protected] to check availability and reserve the dates to borrow the Pollinator Exploration Kit.

Returning a Meadow to Pollinators
Jun 10 @ 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Echo Hill Farm


Cost: no charge; no registration required

Explore the emerging pollinator meadow reconstruction, looking for native plants and identifying invasives with input from Snow Creek Landscaping. Appropriate for all ages. Visit https://www.facebook.com/echohillfarmnc for more information

Greenways Read Out Loud Walking (GROW) Trail Grand Opening and Celebration
Jun 10 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Lake Tomahawk Park

Join your friends, neighbors and families of all kinds and all ages for the grand opening celebration and dedication of the Greenways Read Out Loud Walking Trail (the GROW Trail) at Lake Tomahawk Park, 401 Laurel Circle Drive in Black Mountain, North Carolina on Saturday, June 10, 2023 from 10 am-Noon. This happy event will officially dedicate and open the ‘story book trail’ to all and honor the generous donors and dedicated volunteers who have made the trail a reality.

Conceived by Melisa Pressley, Manager of the Black Mountain-Tyson Library, the concept and commitment to the GROW Trail was adopted by the Black Mountain Greenways and Trails Committee and enthusiastically endorsed by the Friends of the Black Mountain Library, Black Mountain Town Council, Black Mountain Recreation and Parks, Black Mountain Chamber of Commerce, and the Black Mountain Beautification Committee.

Through a generous initial donation by Robin and Tom Stiles in memory of their son Greg, and subsequent support by sponsors and donors, more than 20 ‘Story Stations’ were built and installed by volunteers along the half-mile existing trail encircling the lake. Located right on the lake, Arbor House Bed & Breakfast owners Theresa and Jim Fuller generously provided staging, storing, workshop, tools and building space for the many volunteers who have worked tirelessly to make the GROW Trail a reality.

The stations will showcase page-by-page rotating children’s books by local authors and encourage activities along the way that foster creativity and learning. Although all will enjoy the Trail, the specific focus is on children in K-Fifth Grade. The initial book selected for the Trail is Hiding in Plain Sight by author, photographer and Asheville resident, Cindy Groce.

The Grand Opening Celebration will include a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony, music, free ice cream and cookies, and activities and fun for children and all attendees.

Plant a Pollinator Meadow with Wildbud Natives
Jun 10 @ 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Wildbud Natives

This class will cover the importance and function of native meadows and site preparation. We’ll discuss planting approaches and plant plugs and seeds, followed by Q&A on maintenance, troubleshooting, and plant selection. Nursery plants and plug trays will be available for sale.