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, November 7, 2023
United Way’s Holiday Book Drive
Nov 7 all-day
online

We need your help and the help of your network to make this holiday drive as successful as possible in putting new books into the hands of Buncombe County elementary and middle school students during the holiday break.

What better way to spread holiday cheer than by donating books? Imagine the joy on a child’s face when they receive a brand-new book. It’s like sprinkling a little bit of magic into their lives!

We’ve partnered with over a dozen local organizations serving K-12 students throughout the county. They’re eagerly waiting for book drop-offs like kids waiting for the first snowfall! ❄️

You can make a positive impact right now by donating directly using the button below, or why not turn giving back into an outing?

Holiday Book Drive 2023 (givebutter.com)

Visit the Barnes & Noble on Tunnel Road at the Asheville Mall to shop in-store and donate them on the spot.

Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Asheville Outlets Hosts Venardos Circus November 2 -19, 2023
Nov 8 all-day
Asheville Outlets

Asheville Outlets will again host the Venardos Circus, a Broadway-style animal-free circus, with its all-new “Let’s Build a Dream” Tour from November 2-19, 2023. This season the wondrous Venardos Circus cast will take audiences on a journey under the big top as it unveils a fresh, magical, and all-new experience for fans. The show features an original score, amazing performers, stunning lighting, and dazzling costumes. The 2023 Venardos Circus is traveling with a new, custom-crafted, Italian-made red-and-white striped tent that offers expanded seating around a central stage for an immersive experience.

Additionally, Venardos Circus will host a special Sensory Friendly Performance on Saturday, November 4 at 11am. General Admission tickets start at $16.95 for youth under age 12 and $27.95 for adults. For schedules and more information, please visit VenardosCircus.com or ShopAshevilleOutlets.com.

London Raffle
Nov 8 all-day
online

The London Raffle is limited to just 250 tickets, giving you great odds to win a travel package value up to $9,000, including flights, hotel stays, and $500 to experience the sights and sounds of London. This raffle ends December 31, 2023 or when tickets sell out.

The London Raffle prize includes:

  • Two (2) round-trip from Charlotte – Non-stop on British Airways Economy Plus
  •  Transfers to and from the airport to your hotel
  • Accommodations for Five (5) nights at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, in a Superior
    Double with Breakfast daily
  • Up to $500 to spend on guided tours or additional theatre tickets
  • Personal consultation with Foothills Travel to customize your trip
  • On-site concierge provided through MyBucketListEvents

The winner of the Asheville Community Theatre London Raffle will work with David Lloyd of Foothills Travel to customize their London adventure.

Sponsor a child for the holidays
Nov 8 all-day
Eliada Homes
Help Make a Child Smile this Holiday Season!
Eliada works hard to make the holidays a special time for the children in our care. You can help bring a smile to their face by fulfilling their holiday wishes!

 

Sponsor a Child:

When you sign up to sponsor a child for the holidays, you’ll receive a Wish List that a young person created. Wish Lists include their favorite things, clothing sizes, and most needed and wanted items. The value of a Wish List is around $200. You can divide that cost with friends, or even sponsor several children.

 

For most of Eliada’s children and youth, the gifts they receive from sponsors are the only gifts they will get during the holiday season.

To sign up to sponsor, please contact Rebecca Boline by email at [email protected].

Sponsor Multiple Children:

We also have Wish Lists which include items that children will need here at Eliada depending on what program they are in.

 

Cottage wish lists for youth living at Eliada, for example, include toiletries, bedding and towels, books, games, art supplies, suitcases and kitchen utensils. Many children come to Eliada with a few clothes in a garbage bag. Together we can provide them things that every home should have!

 

Other wish lists are for our Child Development programs, Foster Care program, Farm program, Summer Camp program, and Recreation programs. Our Equine Therapy program also has some needs this holiday season! We never know when we’ll get a call for a child in Foster Care who needs a home immediately. Let’s help Foster Parents provide these children everything they deserve!

 

Sponsor a last minute wish:

Some youth living at Eliada won’t arrive until right before the holidays! We won’t receive their wish lists until mid-late November. Can you sign up to help one of these teens at the last minute?

If you don’t have time to shop, Eliada will use your donation to purchase gifts for children who may arrive at Eliada very close to Christmas or right after Christmas. It shouldn’t matter when you arrive at Eliada–your wishes should be fulfilled! You can make a donation here. In the comment field, write “holiday wishes.”

 

To sign up to sponsor multiple children or a teen at the last minute, please contact Rebecca Boline by email at rboline@eliada.org or by phone at (828) 254-5356, ext. 306.

United Way’s Holiday Book Drive
Nov 8 all-day
online

We need your help and the help of your network to make this holiday drive as successful as possible in putting new books into the hands of Buncombe County elementary and middle school students during the holiday break.

What better way to spread holiday cheer than by donating books? Imagine the joy on a child’s face when they receive a brand-new book. It’s like sprinkling a little bit of magic into their lives!

We’ve partnered with over a dozen local organizations serving K-12 students throughout the county. They’re eagerly waiting for book drop-offs like kids waiting for the first snowfall! ❄️

You can make a positive impact right now by donating directly using the button below, or why not turn giving back into an outing?

Holiday Book Drive 2023 (givebutter.com)

Visit the Barnes & Noble on Tunnel Road at the Asheville Mall to shop in-store and donate them on the spot.

Biltmore Estate: Ciao! From Italy Sculptural Postcard Display
Nov 8 @ 8:30 am
Biltmore Estate

Included with admission

Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.

Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.

Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!

Monarchs and Milkweed: A Story of Survival
Nov 8 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

Join us on a journey into the world of butterflies and plants, and see the complex relationship between monarchs and milkweed. “Monarchs and Milkweed” explores how very survival of these majestic creatures has been shaped over time by one another, traveling through the seasons of a calendar year and revealing how both insect and plant grow and interact, culminating in a massive migration that crosses a continent.

Claxton Giving Tree
Nov 8 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

 

It is that time of year again for the ACT community to make a needy youth’s Christmas something to remember.  You can be Santa for a child in our community this year.
We are partnering with Claxton Elementary School again to help students have a merry and bright holiday!
Once you sign up, we will match you with a child and email you their information. The email includes a child’s age, sizes, favorite colors, and wish list for holiday gifts. The list includes winter clothing, pajamas, underwear, books and toys (which can range from stuffed animals to board games to bikes and electronics).
You can pick up your bag at the ACT box office after you receive the information on the child.  The Box Office is open Tuesday – Friday 10 – 4.
You’ll need to wrap your gifts and return them in your brown bag to ACT by Wednesday, November 29, 2023.  ACT staff will deliver the gifts to Claxton, and Claxton will give the bag to the child at a special holiday party!
CORE Program Fall Fun
Nov 8 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Parks and Community Centers in Asheville
Entrance to Festival of Lights -- display with a deer on a mountain

!

Get ready for another season of excitement as our CORE Program gears up to provide exciting games and activities for toddlers, homeschoolers, and families throughout the community this Fall.

This includes include strider bikes, yard games, kid-friendly music, puzzles, foam archery, chalk and more. While the games can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of age–with something available for anyone–the programming is aimed at those 1 to 15 years of age.

Be sure to mark your calendars with the following CORE Program dates:

Community Centers (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.)

  • September 18 – Sandy Mush Community Center
  • October 9 – Sandy Mush Community Center
  • October 11 – Big Ivy Community Center
  • October 23 – Big Ivy Community Center
  • October 25 – Bent Creek Community Park
  • November 6 – Sandy Mush Community Center
  • November 8 – Big Ivy Community Center

Parks (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.)

  • September 20 – Buncombe County Sports Park
  • September 22 – Charles D. Owen Park
  • October 27 – Lake Julian Park

For more information, call us at (828) 250-4260.

Creekside Play @ Hickory Nut Gap Farm
Nov 8 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Hickory Nut Gap Farm

STATIONARY FUN – Creekside play area has a treehouse and wee slide ➤ The Big Barn has our Sound Silo full of instruments to play on and make noise, trikes on the trike track around a REAL tractor and cornhole boards(ask the staff for bags) ➤ On the grassy slope behind the Big Barn we’ve got our famous and fast culvert tunnel slides for all ages, hammocks on the hill and tetherball!

Availability: All stationary fun is available every day during business hours of 10-5, starting September 2nd, through the rest of the season- tetherball will be back in action starting September 6th!

ANIMALS TO SEE – We will have a brooder house full of chicks in various ages and stages all season, there will typically be mama pigs and piglets in agritourism pens on the hill, more rarely there will be grazing cattle in a nearby field.

FOOD TRUCK SCHEDULE

9/2 Sat  11-4 Fern Leaf CCS Food Truck

9/16 Sat 11-4 Milk & Honey Food Truck – they will be serving HNG beef for their all-American burger!

9/24 Sun 11-4 *Big Barn Market* Root Down Farm Food Truck

9/30 Sat 11-4 Milk & Honey Food Truck

10/7 Sat 11-4 Fern Leaf CCS Food Truck

10/14 Sat 11-4 Milk & Honey Food Truck

10/15 Sun 11-4 El Bodegon Food Truck

10/22 Sun 11-4 El Bodegon Food Truck

10/29 Sun 11-4 *Big Barn Market* Grush’s Cajun Dino Grill Food Truck

11/4 Sat 11-4 Fern Leaf CCS Food Truck

FALL SEASONAL OFFERINGS

APPLES – Our partners in Edneyville, NC, Lyda Farms, bring some of the best in the region. Local and low spray, folks come every year to get the best of fall in NC by the bag to bake, stew, butter, sauce and of course, crunch into while sitting on the farm.

Availability: Apples will be available to buy starting September 9th, they will typically run out Mid to late October.

FRESH PRESSED CIDER – We press fresh apple cider every year, comprised of our historical orchard apples on the Old Sherrill’s Inn property and apples from our partner Lyda Farms. This is a raw, unpasteurized product – delicious and changeable as the season, no added sugar or seasonings.

Availability: 1st pressing September 13th, bottled cider will be in the store for purchase September 14th!

JACKOLANTERN PUMPKINS – We work with several WNC veggie farmers in the area, including Hawkins Farms. We’ll have pumpkins arranged all around the Farm Store to display their beauty AND make sure you get *just the right one*. The seeds are dynamite when roasted, too…

Availability: Coming Mid-September, they will typically run out by end of October so make sure you get yours! 

EDIBLE SQUASH & DECORATIVE GOURDS – From Mr. Anthony Cole’s farms, we have some long-lasting festive gourds to decoarate for the season, and a broad variety of edible squashes and pumpkins perfect for pies, soups and pasta.

Availability: Coming Mid-September.

Puppet Playtime
Nov 8 @ 10:00 am
East Asheville Library

Every Wednesday morning, we open up the children’s activity room to give kids time for free play with puppets. Children must be under the supervision or a parent or guardian.

TheaterWorksUSA presents Dot Dot Dot: A New Musical – Student Series
Nov 8 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Wortham Center for the Performing Arts

Imaginations will soar in this new musical based on Peter H. Reynolds’ best-selling book, The Dot.

DOT DOT DOT: A New Musical is an exciting new musical based on the Creatrilogy trio of award-winning picture books by New York Times bestselling author Peter H. Reynolds (The Dot, Ish and Sky Color). Adapted by Composers Keelay Gipson and Sam Salmond, the musical, like the series, celebrates the power of originality, self-expression, and opening our eyes to look beyond the expected.

When Marisol (Sky Color), a young artist and curator of the Musee de Marisol, decides that her gallery requires more than her own art, her search for emerging talent leads her to Vashti (The Dot), whose dots inspire Ramon (Ish) to become an artist in his own right.

The musical follows Marisol’s journey to help her new friends, and her entire community, break free from self-criticism and learn to let their imaginations soar. Recommended for grades 1-4.

The Student Series is open to school groups, homeschoolers, community groups and families.

Theatre Volunteer Opportunities
Nov 8 @ 10:00 am
Asheville Community Theatre

Volunteer!

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear, but the best way to get involved at ACT is volunteer! No matter what your skill or experience level, there’s a place for everybody at ACT.

We are currently looking for help in the Box Office and Front of House. The hours of operation are Mon-Thurs, 10 AM-4 PM. Let us know if you’d be interested!

Kids Storytime at Barnes and Noble
Nov 8 @ 11:00 am
Barnes and Noble

Kids Storytime at Barnes and Noble

TheaterWorksUSA presents Dot Dot Dot: A New Musical – Student Series
Nov 8 @ 12:00 pm
Wortham Center for the Performing Arts

Imaginations will soar in this new musical based on Peter H. Reynolds’ best-selling book, The Dot.

DOT DOT DOT: A New Musical is an exciting new musical based on the Creatrilogy trio of award-winning picture books by New York Times bestselling author Peter H. Reynolds (The Dot, Ish and Sky Color). Adapted by Composers Keelay Gipson and Sam Salmond, the musical, like the series, celebrates the power of originality, self-expression, and opening our eyes to look beyond the expected.

When Marisol (Sky Color), a young artist and curator of the Musee de Marisol, decides that her gallery requires more than her own art, her search for emerging talent leads her to Vashti (The Dot), whose dots inspire Ramon (Ish) to become an artist in his own right.

The musical follows Marisol’s journey to help her new friends, and her entire community, break free from self-criticism and learn to let their imaginations soar. Recommended for grades K-4.

The Student Series is open to school groups, homeschoolers, community groups and families.

Thursday, November 9, 2023
27th Annual Cold Mountain Beer Release Celebration
Nov 9 all-day
Highland Brewing Company

We are excited to celebrate the 27 years of Cold Mountain Winter Ale at Highland Brewing! Tickets are required to visit the Brewery for a weekend of beer, music, sports, and activities. More information and ticket purchase links are below.

At our Downtown Taproom in the S&W Market guests can celebrate with live music and all Cold Mountain varieties on draft. Tickets are not required to visit the Downtown Taproom and Cold Mountain packaged beer will be available while supplies last.

COLD MOUNTAIN BEER DINNER

Thursday, November 9th

5PM  |  21+ | $120 per person

The 4th Annual Cold Mountain Beer Dinner features an experiential, winter-forest-inspired menu by the chefs from Bun Intended. Guests journey through their meal with commentary from Highland’s Sensory Scientist, Megan Rayfield, and Cameron Kozlow of Bun Intended.

Each course is expertly paired with one of this year’s Cold Mountain varieties including a Smoked Cold Mountain, inspired by this year’s menu.

The Barrel Room will be transformed into a Cold Mountain Store, where beer dinner guests will have the first chance to shop for this year’s beer and merch.

DAYTIME CELEBRATION SESSIONS

12 – 4PM | All ages | $10

Daytime Celebration Sessions feature live music in the Meadow and in one of our amazing indoor venues. Guests will also have access to food trucks, the disc golf course, a cigar lounge, and more.

This session is family-friendly and well-behaved, leashed dogs are allowed. Children 10 and under are free and must remain with their parents at all times. Please utilize ride shares and carpooling as we expect the parking lot to fill up.

Friday, November 10th (12 – 4PM)

Saturday, November 11th (12 – 4PM)

EVENING CELEBRATION SESSIONS

6 – 11PM | 21+ | $20

Evening Celebration Sessions feature live music in the Taproom and Event Center. Guests will also have access to food trucks, a cigar lounge, a silent disco, and more.

6 – 11PM sessions are 21+ and NOT dog friendly. Please utilize ride shares and carpooling as we expect the parking lot to fill up.

Friday, November 10th (6 – 11PM)

Saturday, November 11th (6 – 11PM)

COLD MOUNTAIN FAMILY DAY

12 – 6PM | All ages | $10

Sunday’s 12 – 6PM Celebration Session features live music in the Meadow and in one of our amazing indoor venues.  Guests will also have access to food trucks, disc golf, kids’ activities, and more.

This session is family-friendly and well-behaved, leashed dogs are allowed. Children 10 and under are free and must remain with their parents at all times. Please utilize ride shares and carpooling as we expect the parking lot to fill up.

Sunday, November 12th (12 – 6PM)

Asheville Outlets Hosts Venardos Circus November 2 -19, 2023
Nov 9 all-day
Asheville Outlets

Asheville Outlets will again host the Venardos Circus, a Broadway-style animal-free circus, with its all-new “Let’s Build a Dream” Tour from November 2-19, 2023. This season the wondrous Venardos Circus cast will take audiences on a journey under the big top as it unveils a fresh, magical, and all-new experience for fans. The show features an original score, amazing performers, stunning lighting, and dazzling costumes. The 2023 Venardos Circus is traveling with a new, custom-crafted, Italian-made red-and-white striped tent that offers expanded seating around a central stage for an immersive experience.

Additionally, Venardos Circus will host a special Sensory Friendly Performance on Saturday, November 4 at 11am. General Admission tickets start at $16.95 for youth under age 12 and $27.95 for adults. For schedules and more information, please visit VenardosCircus.com or ShopAshevilleOutlets.com.

Cirque Italia Water Circus
Nov 9 all-day
Greenville Mall

HAVE YOU EVER HAD SUCH A VIVID DREAM YOU THOUGHT IT WAS REAL? Cirque Italia has pulled out all the stops this year to take you on a magical dream adventure. Trust us GREENVILLE, this is one escapade you cannot afford to miss!

Have you ever wished you could turn back time? To go back to a simpler, happy time filled with sock hops, drive-in theaters, muscle cars, and thick sideburns? Well get out your poodle skirts and leather jackets!
Cirque Italia’s Gold Unit performers can’t wait to take you back to a time when hula hoops and soda fountains were abundant, Elvis Presley dominated the airwaves, greased hair was all the rage, and street racing was a parent’s greatest concern! Come along for the ride when a 1950s-obsessed adolescent falls asleep and dreams of living in this revolutionary era. This high-octane show is guaranteed to captivate and engage every kiddo and Daddy-O in the audience.
Cirque Italia believes multi-culturalism is one of our strongest assets. Our show features performers from Argentina, Brazil, Romania, and many other countries. Of course, these incredible artists are preparing to wow you with their astounding acts. Master jugglers, low wire fanatics, dazzling contortion, wild trampoline antics, and even a wheel of death! Want to know more? You’ll have to come ‘dream’ with us as we travel back in time.
Cirque Italia’s mission is to provide high-class entertainment suitable for all age groups, where all are welcome at our strictly animal-free shows!
When: November 9th – 12th, 2023
Where: 714 Greenville Blvd SE, Greenville, NC 27858
At: Greenville Mall in the parking lot
– Under the stunning White & Blue Big Top Tent!

· November 9 – Thursday: 7:30pm
· November 10 – Friday: 7:30pm
· November 11 – Saturday: 1:30pm, 4:30pm, & 7:30pm
· November 12 – Sunday: 1:30pm & 4:30pm

Cost and Purchase Info:
For more information, visit www.cirqueitalia.com and make sure to check all our social media accounts. Tickets can be purchased now starting at $10.00-$50.00 depending on availability. Cirque Italia offers one free child admission with every full priced paying adult ticket in levels 2 or 3. This offer cannot be combined with any other offers, discounts, or deals. Please call 941-704-8572 to get the promo code for your location.
Box office hours:
The box office opens on-site on Tuesday, the week of the show.
Non-show days: 10am – 6pm
On show days: 10am – 9pm
You may also purchase tickets through our website (cirqueitalia.com/tickets) or by phone: (941) 704-8572. We also respond to text messages.

London Raffle
Nov 9 all-day
online

The London Raffle is limited to just 250 tickets, giving you great odds to win a travel package value up to $9,000, including flights, hotel stays, and $500 to experience the sights and sounds of London. This raffle ends December 31, 2023 or when tickets sell out.

The London Raffle prize includes:

  • Two (2) round-trip from Charlotte – Non-stop on British Airways Economy Plus
  •  Transfers to and from the airport to your hotel
  • Accommodations for Five (5) nights at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, in a Superior
    Double with Breakfast daily
  • Up to $500 to spend on guided tours or additional theatre tickets
  • Personal consultation with Foothills Travel to customize your trip
  • On-site concierge provided through MyBucketListEvents

The winner of the Asheville Community Theatre London Raffle will work with David Lloyd of Foothills Travel to customize their London adventure.

NC Farm Bureau Going Local Grants
Nov 9 all-day
online

North Carolina Farm Bureau is happy to provide agricultural outreach grants to NC teachers through their Ag in the Classroom Going Local program. These grants value up to $500. Going Local Grants help educators provide pre-K through collegiate-level students with valuable, real-world education and experiences directly related to the agricultural industry and the NC Standard Course of Study. Teachers practicing in private and public North Carolina schools, colleges, and universities are encouraged to apply. Learn more here.

Sponsor a child for the holidays
Nov 9 all-day
Eliada Homes
Help Make a Child Smile this Holiday Season!
Eliada works hard to make the holidays a special time for the children in our care. You can help bring a smile to their face by fulfilling their holiday wishes!

 

Sponsor a Child:

When you sign up to sponsor a child for the holidays, you’ll receive a Wish List that a young person created. Wish Lists include their favorite things, clothing sizes, and most needed and wanted items. The value of a Wish List is around $200. You can divide that cost with friends, or even sponsor several children.

 

For most of Eliada’s children and youth, the gifts they receive from sponsors are the only gifts they will get during the holiday season.

To sign up to sponsor, please contact Rebecca Boline by email at [email protected].

Sponsor Multiple Children:

We also have Wish Lists which include items that children will need here at Eliada depending on what program they are in.

 

Cottage wish lists for youth living at Eliada, for example, include toiletries, bedding and towels, books, games, art supplies, suitcases and kitchen utensils. Many children come to Eliada with a few clothes in a garbage bag. Together we can provide them things that every home should have!

 

Other wish lists are for our Child Development programs, Foster Care program, Farm program, Summer Camp program, and Recreation programs. Our Equine Therapy program also has some needs this holiday season! We never know when we’ll get a call for a child in Foster Care who needs a home immediately. Let’s help Foster Parents provide these children everything they deserve!

 

Sponsor a last minute wish:

Some youth living at Eliada won’t arrive until right before the holidays! We won’t receive their wish lists until mid-late November. Can you sign up to help one of these teens at the last minute?

If you don’t have time to shop, Eliada will use your donation to purchase gifts for children who may arrive at Eliada very close to Christmas or right after Christmas. It shouldn’t matter when you arrive at Eliada–your wishes should be fulfilled! You can make a donation here. In the comment field, write “holiday wishes.”

 

To sign up to sponsor multiple children or a teen at the last minute, please contact Rebecca Boline by email at rboline@eliada.org or by phone at (828) 254-5356, ext. 306.

United Way’s Holiday Book Drive
Nov 9 all-day
online

We need your help and the help of your network to make this holiday drive as successful as possible in putting new books into the hands of Buncombe County elementary and middle school students during the holiday break.

What better way to spread holiday cheer than by donating books? Imagine the joy on a child’s face when they receive a brand-new book. It’s like sprinkling a little bit of magic into their lives!

We’ve partnered with over a dozen local organizations serving K-12 students throughout the county. They’re eagerly waiting for book drop-offs like kids waiting for the first snowfall! ❄️

You can make a positive impact right now by donating directly using the button below, or why not turn giving back into an outing?

Holiday Book Drive 2023 (givebutter.com)

Visit the Barnes & Noble on Tunnel Road at the Asheville Mall to shop in-store and donate them on the spot.

Youth Garden Grant
Nov 9 all-day
online

In early 2024, 50 organizations will be awarded $500 in funding and a collection of gardening supplies for their youth garden program.

Since 1982, the Youth Garden Grant has supported school and youth educational garden projects that enhance the quality of life for youth and their communities.

In early 2024, fifty organizations will be awarded $500 in funding and a collection of gardening supplies for their youth garden program.

¡Pueden aplicar a los programas en español! Para ver esta oportunidad de subvención en español, visite nuestra página web en español.

Eligibility

Any organization in the United States or US Territories planning a new or improving an existing garden program that serves at least 15 youth between the ages of 0 and 18 is eligible to apply.

KidsGardening grantees from any 2022 or 2023 grant program (Budding Botanist, GroMoreGood Grassroots, Lots of Compassion, and Little Seeds Pollinator Pals) and previous Youth Garden winners from any year are not eligible.

Organizations must:

  • Support, work with, or serve communities with a majority of individuals that are under-resourced (systematically denied resources and opportunities based on race, gender, ethnicity, income level, abilities, geographic location, etc., or currently experiencing hardship such as a natural disaster, etc.)
  • Have fifteen or more youth participate in the garden program.
  • Have received less than $10,000 in grants for the garden program during 2022 and 2023 combined.
Biltmore Estate: Ciao! From Italy Sculptural Postcard Display
Nov 9 @ 8:30 am
Biltmore Estate

Included with admission

Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.

Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.

Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!

Monarchs and Milkweed: A Story of Survival
Nov 9 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

Join us on a journey into the world of butterflies and plants, and see the complex relationship between monarchs and milkweed. “Monarchs and Milkweed” explores how very survival of these majestic creatures has been shaped over time by one another, traveling through the seasons of a calendar year and revealing how both insect and plant grow and interact, culminating in a massive migration that crosses a continent.

Claxton Giving Tree
Nov 9 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

 

It is that time of year again for the ACT community to make a needy youth’s Christmas something to remember.  You can be Santa for a child in our community this year.
We are partnering with Claxton Elementary School again to help students have a merry and bright holiday!
Once you sign up, we will match you with a child and email you their information. The email includes a child’s age, sizes, favorite colors, and wish list for holiday gifts. The list includes winter clothing, pajamas, underwear, books and toys (which can range from stuffed animals to board games to bikes and electronics).
You can pick up your bag at the ACT box office after you receive the information on the child.  The Box Office is open Tuesday – Friday 10 – 4.
You’ll need to wrap your gifts and return them in your brown bag to ACT by Wednesday, November 29, 2023.  ACT staff will deliver the gifts to Claxton, and Claxton will give the bag to the child at a special holiday party!
Creekside Play @ Hickory Nut Gap Farm
Nov 9 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Hickory Nut Gap Farm

STATIONARY FUN – Creekside play area has a treehouse and wee slide ➤ The Big Barn has our Sound Silo full of instruments to play on and make noise, trikes on the trike track around a REAL tractor and cornhole boards(ask the staff for bags) ➤ On the grassy slope behind the Big Barn we’ve got our famous and fast culvert tunnel slides for all ages, hammocks on the hill and tetherball!

Availability: All stationary fun is available every day during business hours of 10-5, starting September 2nd, through the rest of the season- tetherball will be back in action starting September 6th!

ANIMALS TO SEE – We will have a brooder house full of chicks in various ages and stages all season, there will typically be mama pigs and piglets in agritourism pens on the hill, more rarely there will be grazing cattle in a nearby field.

FOOD TRUCK SCHEDULE

9/2 Sat  11-4 Fern Leaf CCS Food Truck

9/16 Sat 11-4 Milk & Honey Food Truck – they will be serving HNG beef for their all-American burger!

9/24 Sun 11-4 *Big Barn Market* Root Down Farm Food Truck

9/30 Sat 11-4 Milk & Honey Food Truck

10/7 Sat 11-4 Fern Leaf CCS Food Truck

10/14 Sat 11-4 Milk & Honey Food Truck

10/15 Sun 11-4 El Bodegon Food Truck

10/22 Sun 11-4 El Bodegon Food Truck

10/29 Sun 11-4 *Big Barn Market* Grush’s Cajun Dino Grill Food Truck

11/4 Sat 11-4 Fern Leaf CCS Food Truck

FALL SEASONAL OFFERINGS

APPLES – Our partners in Edneyville, NC, Lyda Farms, bring some of the best in the region. Local and low spray, folks come every year to get the best of fall in NC by the bag to bake, stew, butter, sauce and of course, crunch into while sitting on the farm.

Availability: Apples will be available to buy starting September 9th, they will typically run out Mid to late October.

FRESH PRESSED CIDER – We press fresh apple cider every year, comprised of our historical orchard apples on the Old Sherrill’s Inn property and apples from our partner Lyda Farms. This is a raw, unpasteurized product – delicious and changeable as the season, no added sugar or seasonings.

Availability: 1st pressing September 13th, bottled cider will be in the store for purchase September 14th!

JACKOLANTERN PUMPKINS – We work with several WNC veggie farmers in the area, including Hawkins Farms. We’ll have pumpkins arranged all around the Farm Store to display their beauty AND make sure you get *just the right one*. The seeds are dynamite when roasted, too…

Availability: Coming Mid-September, they will typically run out by end of October so make sure you get yours! 

EDIBLE SQUASH & DECORATIVE GOURDS – From Mr. Anthony Cole’s farms, we have some long-lasting festive gourds to decoarate for the season, and a broad variety of edible squashes and pumpkins perfect for pies, soups and pasta.

Availability: Coming Mid-September.

TheaterWorksUSA presents Dot Dot Dot: A New Musical – Student Series
Nov 9 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Wortham Center for the Performing Arts

Imaginations will soar in this new musical based on Peter H. Reynolds’ best-selling book, The Dot.

DOT DOT DOT: A New Musical is an exciting new musical based on the Creatrilogy trio of award-winning picture books by New York Times bestselling author Peter H. Reynolds (The Dot, Ish and Sky Color). Adapted by Composers Keelay Gipson and Sam Salmond, the musical, like the series, celebrates the power of originality, self-expression, and opening our eyes to look beyond the expected.

When Marisol (Sky Color), a young artist and curator of the Musee de Marisol, decides that her gallery requires more than her own art, her search for emerging talent leads her to Vashti (The Dot), whose dots inspire Ramon (Ish) to become an artist in his own right.

The musical follows Marisol’s journey to help her new friends, and her entire community, break free from self-criticism and learn to let their imaginations soar. Recommended for grades 1-4.

The Student Series is open to school groups, homeschoolers, community groups and families.

Theatre Volunteer Opportunities
Nov 9 @ 10:00 am
Asheville Community Theatre

Volunteer!

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear, but the best way to get involved at ACT is volunteer! No matter what your skill or experience level, there’s a place for everybody at ACT.

We are currently looking for help in the Box Office and Front of House. The hours of operation are Mon-Thurs, 10 AM-4 PM. Let us know if you’d be interested!

Toddler Story Time
Nov 9 @ 10:30 am – 11:00 am
Fairview Library
  Join us for a story time designed for children ages 3 to 5 years as we share books, songs, rhymes, and activities.