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.
Winter Lights is a spectacular open-air walk-through light show made from over one million lights! Located at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina, this year’s event features favorites like the famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden, along with enchanting new details designed to delight and surprise. All prices are per vehicle. No pets allowed.
Winter Lights features live entertainment nightly and food and beverages from the Bent Creek Bistro, the Cocoa Shack and the Cocoa Cabin! Open nightly from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Rookie Readers is an engaging literacy program designed specifically for toddlers, aiming to foster a love for reading while nurturing their creativity through crafts. Each session combines the joy of storytelling with hands-on craft activities that complement the theme or storyline of the chosen book. With a focus on interactive learning, socialization, and fine motor skill development, Rookie Readers creates a vibrant environment where toddlers can explore the magic of books and unleash their imagination through art. Participants will be able to learn about local resources to promote a lifestyle of literacy while in the program.
Rookie Readers will take place at the Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Center, located at 258 Livingston St from 10:00 to 11:30.
Dates:
November 4th, 18th
December: 2nd, 16th, 30th
Please contact Fallon “Bonsai” Hyder at [email protected], or (828) 989- 2464 with any questions.
Winter Lights is a spectacular open-air walk-through light show made from over one million lights! Located at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina, this year’s event features favorites like the famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden, along with enchanting new details designed to delight and surprise. All prices are per vehicle. No pets allowed.
Winter Lights features live entertainment nightly and food and beverages from the Bent Creek Bistro, the Cocoa Shack and the Cocoa Cabin! Open nightly from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Join us every Thursday from 6:30pm – 8:30pm for music, poetry, comedy and stories performed by our favorite local artists! Feel free to bring your own food/drinks or anything you’d like to share!
Sign up begins at 6pm, show begins at 6:30pm. Each performer will have twelve minutes, and the show is always livestreamed on our Facebook account.
Every Monday, Ivy Rozen, Senior Editor of The Black Mountain Press, will host a poetry-specific open mic from 6:30pm-9pm. Each poet will be able to share 2-3 poems, and occasionally we will have local celebrity poets close out our night with a featured reading (email Ivy at [email protected] if you’d like to be a featured poet)!
NC Writers Network & The Brandy Bar + Cocktails feature author Tony Robles as the next poet in their series “In the Company of Writers.” The program offers a series of personal and conversational dialogues featuring guest writers/poets followed by an open mic forum. These inspirational gatherings will elucidate and entertain those attending. The guest author speaks from 7-8 PM with an open mic from 8 -9 PM. The Chicago blues music of “Hollywood Johnny Cosgrove” (accompanied by Charlie Wilkinson) welcomes you, continues during intermission, and closes the evening. Sign-ups for the open mic are available at the entrance.
Born in San Francisco, Tony Robles now makes his home in Hendersonville. His latest poetry collection, Where the Warehouse Things was published in late 2024 by Redhawk Publications in Hickory, NC. This book focuses on masculinity, set against the backdrop of mechanical parts, tools, and the rough language of men. This, his fourth poetry collection, follows the 2023 collection Thrift Store Metamorphosis (Redhawk Publications). Among his honors, Tony was short-listed for Poet Laureate of San Francisco in 2017, named Carl Sandburg Writer in Residence by the Carl Sandburg Historic Home in 2020 and twice nominated for the Pushcart Prize. He holds an MFA in creative writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and is working on his first novel.
The Grey Eagle and Worthwhile Sounds Present THE MOTH Presents: Asheville StorySLAM – “RESET”. All Ages. Doors: 6:30pm // Show: 7:30pm. $18.45.
The Moth StorySLAM is an open-mic storytelling competition in which anyone can share a true, personal, 5-minute story on the night’s theme. Sign up for a chance to tell a story or sit back and enjoy the show! Tonight’s theme is…
RESET: Prepare a five-minute story about a fresh start. Clean slates and wet paint. When the tide came in and the sandcastle returned to sand. Expunging your past reputation and going back to square one. Cutting bangs after the big breakup. Whether you changed your zip code, career, or outlook on life, tell us about a time you felt new. Tomorrow is another day.
Seating is not guaranteed and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please be sure to arrive at least 10 minutes before the show. Admission is not guaranteed for late arrivals. All sales final. As many as 10 tickets may be available at the door for all of our StorySLAMs on a first-come, first-served basis.
Beginner’s workshop lesson at 7:30 P.M., then 8-11 P.M. Contra Dance with Country Waltzing at the break and the final dance. This is a partner dance but it’s not necessary to come with a partner. We have different live bands and callers.
WNCAP (Western North Carolina AIDS Project) Dedicated to preventing new cases of HIV/AIDS and promoting self-sufficiency in people living with HIV. WNCAP provides HIV-related client support, prevention, education and advocacy activities guided by the belief that all people are entitled to equal access to health care and disease prevention.
WNCAP needs volunteers for the 2nd & 4th Saturday morning Food Box Delivery: 10am-noon. Ride with another team member and deliver pre-packed boxes of food to home-bound, food insecure families living in the Asheville/ Buncombe area. Requires ability to lift 50 pounds, good driving record, and confidentiality. More info at [email protected] , 828-252-7489 ext. 315.
Queer Girls Literary Reading Series Celebrates its Fifteenth Anniversary
Asheville, NC—On Sunday, January 26th at 6:00 PM, Eulogy at Burial Beer Company (10 Buxton Avenue in Asheville’s South Slope) will host the Fifteenth Annual Queer Girls Literary Reading, a celebration of Asheville’s queer literary women. This year’s lineup includes local and regional writers, UNCA students, and community members.
Admission to the event is by donation, with a $5-10 suggested donation (more if you can, less if you can’t). Doors will open at 5:30 PM.
Standup Comedy Pageant Finale
Wednesday January 29, 2025.
7p-9p, doors at 6:30p
The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge, 103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $15 (available at door or The Orange Peel website)
Hosted by Hilliary Begley from Netflix & Amazon Prime!
Cocktails available while you laugh the night away to some of the area’s best Stand Up Comics in a ridiculously fun adult environment!!
Free snacks while availability lasts! You may bring your own food in (no drinks)!
Participants are WINNERS of three standup contests 9/05, 12 & 19. Pageant Winner gets title and $200 cash prize. Audience votes thru ballot!
Free snacks and outside food allowed.
9/5 winner Zandra Johnson
9/12 winners tied Roman Fraden & Jordan Julius
9/19 winner Jason Reel
Plus mystery wild card contestant!
This show is more than just great standup! Contestants must vie for the title through games. Audience votes thru ballot.
More info contact Michele at [email protected]
Tickets: https://theorangepeel.net/event/standup-comedy-pageant/pulp/asheville-north-carolina/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/share/1ECfza5TKK/
IG: @SliceofLifeComedy
On Saturday, February 1, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. the Gerton Fire Station at 4975 Gerton Hwy., Gerton, NC 28735 will host the book launch of The Deep End of Hope in the Wake of Hurricane Helene: 40 Days and Nights of Survival and Transformation. Published by GracePoint Publishing’s Evolve Press, this is the first book on the market about what happened in Western North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Event Speakers include John Ager, Former Representative, NC House; Kevin King, Executive Director of Mennonite Disaster Service; and Pamela Prince-Eason, President and CEO of Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. Malaprop’s Bookstore will be onsite selling books. The author will be available for book signing. The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. The event is sponsored by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.
Kevin King, Executive Director of Mennonite Disaster Service said, “This book is a must read by every disaster response organization and their constituents including volunteers and donors.”
With raw honesty and unexpected humor, Emma chronicles her role as a trauma chaplain in her community of Gerton, NC as it is forced to build itself anew. Without power, phones, or internet, they teetered between chaos and unity. As lawlessness emerged and desperation mounted, Emma made a choice that would change everything: to transform her fear into a fierce kind of love. Part survival story, part love letter to human resilience, this unforgettable memoir shows us what’s possible when crisis strips away our differences and reveals our shared humanity. In a world increasingly divided, Emma’s story reminds us that our greatest strength lies not in our independence, but in our connections to each other.
A portion of the book proceeds will go to Mennonite Disaster Service, as they were one of the first groups in Gerton helping with recovery efforts.
February 7, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.
Join us for an unforgettable evening at the historic Wortham Center for the Performing Arts as Voices of Impact takes the stage to inspire and ignite change. This one-of-a-kind event brings together visionary speakers to explore the profound connections between leadership, community, and the planet through powerful stories, innovative ideas, and inspirational perspectives.
What to Expect:
- Inspiring Talks: Thought-provoking presentations from changemakers across sectors such as business and leadership, culture, finance, and nature.
- Interactive Engagement: Opportunities for audience participation and meaningful dialogue.
- Speaker Q&A: A chance to connect directly with the speakers during a post-event discussion.
Voices of Impact creates a space where ideas flow, voices are amplified, and connections flourish. Come with curiosity, leave with inspiration and practical next steps, and join a community committed to shaping a better future.
We invite business leaders, visionaries, and curious minds to join us in celebrating the power of ideas, leadership, and collaboration.
Seats are limited—don’t miss your opportunity to be part of this extraordinary night!
This block therapy workshop we will be focusing on the breast/chest and lung area.
Spending an hour on each breast/pec area is a game changer for the body as a whole. This will be invaluable to breast health, to improve your breath and lift the ribcage for overall upper body alignment. This is a must have for everyone! It is recommended to attend the other workshops or complete the 9 day starter program before doing this workshop. Please see referral link below if you would like to purchase a block and 9 day starter program.
Block Therapy combines sustained pressure and diaphragmatic breathing to dissolve fascial adhesions connected to the bone. Fascia, which grips bone at 2000 pounds per square inch, can lead to misalignment over time. This method reverses misalignment and promotes body symmetry as the ribcage often collapses into core causing a cascade of issues for alignment and organs and glands.
Join us Saturday 1-3 pm for a 2 hour fascia decompression workshop and tap into your body’s innate ability to heal itself.
Led by a certified Inward & Artward Creative Facilitator, Tikva Kingrea, this second annual, pre-Valentine’s Day workshop offers space to connect + craft a love letter from the heart. We’ll talk about the history of love letters complete with examples, what elements go into its writing, how to find and capture meaningful moments, and provide the needed materials to complete a written letter. This is a multi-disciplinary workshop focused around writing. Playful. Meaningful. Connective. Open to lovers of all types! Participants will walk away with:
– creative letter-writing
– a wax-sealed envelope and letter
– meaningful connection exercises
– a shared experience
– snacks
Join Tryon Arts & Crafts School for an immersive fused glass workshop series! Students will begin the weekend with a kick-off social, followed by workshops led by Barbara Cashman of SilkeMat® (Greensboro, NC), Larry Pile of Larry Pile Glass (Dallas, TX) , Deb Williams of Mark Bettis Gallery (Asheville, NC), with breakfast and lunch catered by local Tryon establishments. In addition, students will have the opportunity to explore TACS’ campus, which includes 7 art studios, a Heritage Collections, the Artisan Retail Shop, Library, and outdoor sculptures! No experience necessary
Celebrate Valentine’s Day at Soprana Rooftop with live jazz by Trevor Darden, a specially curated Valentine’s Day menu, cocktail specials, and stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Join us on February 14th from 6 to 9 PM for an unforgettable evening. Book reservation today.
This block therapy workshop we will be focusing on the core and ribs to move stuck energy from pain and trauma. This is a slow and relaxed class focusing on connecting to full conscious breath to open areas where emotions are stored in the fascia. Pain, fear, and stress cause us to hold our breath as a protective mechanism to shield ourselves. When breath becomes paralyzed from trauma pain and stress, there is no movement of that energy out of the body. In this workshop we are going to be releasing past/current patterns of breathing, created by trauma, pain , and stress. Our breath is directly connected to our nervous system, so this practice relaxes the nervous system so the body can get out of flight and flight or freeze and into rest, digest, and heal.
We use a rolled-up towel to begin as this process of unwinding takes time and can cause detoxification symptoms. Please bring a towel with you for the class. A medium sized towel works great.
Join Tryon Arts & Crafts School for an immersive fused glass workshop series! Students will begin the weekend with a kick-off social, followed by workshops led by Barbara Cashman of SilkeMat® (Greensboro, NC), Larry Pile of Larry Pile Glass (Dallas, TX) , Deb Williams of Mark Bettis Gallery (Asheville, NC), with breakfast and lunch catered by local Tryon establishments. In addition, students will have the opportunity to explore TACS’ campus, which includes 7 art studios, a Heritage Collections, the Artisan Retail Shop, Library, and outdoor sculptures! No experience necessary
Join Tryon Arts & Crafts School for an immersive fused glass workshop series! Students will begin the weekend with a kick-off social, followed by workshops led by Barbara Cashman of SilkeMat® (Greensboro, NC), Larry Pile of Larry Pile Glass (Dallas, TX) , Deb Williams of Mark Bettis Gallery (Asheville, NC), with breakfast and lunch catered by local Tryon establishments. In addition, students will have the opportunity to explore TACS’ campus, which includes 7 art studios, a Heritage Collections, the Artisan Retail Shop, Library, and outdoor sculptures! No experience necessary
8 silk brocades qi gong workshop is open to all levels. Each movement in this set of 8 represents our ancestry, epigenetics, and destiny. Learn all 8 exercises or drop in for just a few. Stance training, posture and meditative movements for your health. It’s a super sophisticated qi gong form but simple to learn. I would love to invite anyone who’s new to internal martial arts or is simply searching for more comfortable safe and inclusive space for LGBTQ plus. The class will be offered in person at Shaolin kung fu in West Asheville starting on Feb 16 on Sundays at 10am for six weeks. Suggested donation for each class but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
The 22nd annual Business of Farming Conference, presented by ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project), will be held Feb. 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The conference will take place at Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock, Henderson County, NC—which is a location change from A-B Tech, as originally announced. The A-B Tech Conference Center is undergoing repairs after serving as a disaster relief location during Hurricane Helene.
The conference focuses on the business side of farming, offering beginning and established farmers financial, legal, operational, and marketing tools to improve farm businesses and make professional connections. This year’s conference will also have a strong emphasis on resilience planning and resources for post-Helene recovery. More than a dozen workshops will be led by innovative farmers and specialists, including You Can’t Do It All: Hiring and Keeping a Productive Team and Planning for Farm Resiliency. A full list of workshops is at asapconnections.org.
Registration is now open at asapconnections.org. The cost is $75 by Feb. 1 and $95 after, with a discount for farm partners registering together. Scholarships are available for limited-resource and BIPOC farmers. The registration price includes a locally sourced breakfast and lunch. Lunch is sponsored by Farm Burger.
Support for the conference is provided in part by Dogwood Health Trust, NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
WNCAP (Western North Carolina AIDS Project) Dedicated to preventing new cases of HIV/AIDS and promoting self-sufficiency in people living with HIV. WNCAP provides HIV-related client support, prevention, education and advocacy activities guided by the belief that all people are entitled to equal access to health care and disease prevention.
WNCAP needs volunteers for the 2nd & 4th Saturday morning Food Box Delivery: 10am-noon. Ride with another team member and deliver pre-packed boxes of food to home-bound, food insecure families living in the Asheville/ Buncombe area. Requires ability to lift 50 pounds, good driving record, and confidentiality. More info at [email protected] , 828-252-7489 ext. 315.
8 silk brocades qi gong workshop is open to all levels. Each movement in this set of 8 represents our ancestry, epigenetics, and destiny. Learn all 8 exercises or drop in for just a few. Stance training, posture and meditative movements for your health. It’s a super sophisticated qi gong form but simple to learn. I would love to invite anyone who’s new to internal martial arts or is simply searching for more comfortable safe and inclusive space for LGBTQ plus. The class will be offered in person at Shaolin kung fu in West Asheville starting on Feb 16 on Sundays at 10am for six weeks. Suggested donation for each class but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Ross Gay is interested in joy.
Ross Gay wants to understand joy.
Ross Gay is curious about joy.
Ross Gay studies joy.
Something like that.
Ross Gay — Poet, Essayist, & National Book Critics Circle Award Winner — will visit ACS with a profound mission: to explore and understand joy.
Ross Gay is the author of four books of poetry: Against Which; Bringing the Shovel Down; Be Holding, winner of the PEN American Literary Jean Stein Award; and Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, winner of the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award and the 2016 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award. In addition to his poetry, Ross has released three collections of essays— The Book of Delights was released in 2019 and was a New York Times bestseller; Inciting Joy was released in 2022, and his newest collection, The Book of (More) Delights was released in September of 2023.
Beginner’s workshop lesson at 7:30 P.M., then 8-11 P.M. Contra Dance with Country Waltzing at the break and the final dance. This is a partner dance but it’s not necessary to come with a partner. We have different live bands and callers.
Join at 10 a.m. on Saturday March 1 for the Friends of the Black Mountain Library March Madness Book Sale. We’ll provide a bag that you can fill with adult books for $5. Children’s books are 4/$1, puzzles are $2, and antique books are priced as marked. The sale ends at 1 p.m. Members of the Friends of the Black Mountain Library can shop early at 9:30 a.m.
8 silk brocades qi gong workshop is open to all levels. Each movement in this set of 8 represents our ancestry, epigenetics, and destiny. Learn all 8 exercises or drop in for just a few. Stance training, posture and meditative movements for your health. It’s a super sophisticated qi gong form but simple to learn. I would love to invite anyone who’s new to internal martial arts or is simply searching for more comfortable safe and inclusive space for LGBTQ plus. The class will be offered in person at Shaolin kung fu in West Asheville starting on Feb 16 on Sundays at 10am for six weeks. Suggested donation for each class but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Join us on March 7th at the Memorial or via zoom for a special talk on F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.
“Rich, glamorous and talented, F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald were superstars of the Jazz Age. Although their writing left an indelible mark on American literature, their lives were wild, short and haunted by demons that eventually overcame them. In this talk we will explore the richness and tragedy of their lives and literary creations.”
Speaker Tom Hearron is President of the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Advisory Committee, and currently offers courses at OLLI/UNC Asheville.
This is a hybrid event, offered in person at the Memorial and via zoom. To register for zoom, email [email protected] and a link will be sent ahead of time.