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.

Saturday, December 21, 2024
Artists + Writers Coffee
Dec 21 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center

Saturdays from 10:30 AM – 12 PM

TFAC Pavilion (park/enter at rear of building)
Free drop-in event
Lake Julian’s Festival of Lights
Dec 21 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Lake Julian

Buncombe County Parks & Recreation is ready to make the season a little merrier and a lot brighter with the annual Festival of Lights. Lake Julian Park’s captivating display of thousands of holiday lights begins TONIGHT, Friday, Dec. 6 through Monday, Dec. 23, and will occur nightly from 6 to 9 p.m. This long-time mountain family tradition turns the park into a magical wonderland filled with sparkle and celebration.

Each night, you can stay in the comfort of your own car while oooh-ing and ah-ing at the illumination and listening to your favorite festive tunes. Due to the impact of Tropical Storm Helene, this year’s Festival of Lights will only offer the drive-thru experience.

Admission is $10 per car for personal vehicles, $25 for sprinter vans, trailblazers, and conversion vans, and $50 for buses and motorcoaches. Purchased tickets will be valid for one-time use on any night of the festival; tickets are not date specific. On Tuesdays, Buncombe County residents in their personal vehicles will be given free entry.

A portion of the ticket proceeds will benefit the Special Olympics of Buncombe County.

Winter Lights
Dec 21 @ 6:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

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.

Sunday, December 22, 2024
Lake Julian’s Festival of Lights
Dec 22 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Lake Julian

Buncombe County Parks & Recreation is ready to make the season a little merrier and a lot brighter with the annual Festival of Lights. Lake Julian Park’s captivating display of thousands of holiday lights begins TONIGHT, Friday, Dec. 6 through Monday, Dec. 23, and will occur nightly from 6 to 9 p.m. This long-time mountain family tradition turns the park into a magical wonderland filled with sparkle and celebration.

Each night, you can stay in the comfort of your own car while oooh-ing and ah-ing at the illumination and listening to your favorite festive tunes. Due to the impact of Tropical Storm Helene, this year’s Festival of Lights will only offer the drive-thru experience.

Admission is $10 per car for personal vehicles, $25 for sprinter vans, trailblazers, and conversion vans, and $50 for buses and motorcoaches. Purchased tickets will be valid for one-time use on any night of the festival; tickets are not date specific. On Tuesdays, Buncombe County residents in their personal vehicles will be given free entry.

A portion of the ticket proceeds will benefit the Special Olympics of Buncombe County.

Winter Lights
Dec 22 @ 6:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

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.

Monday, December 23, 2024
Lake Julian’s Festival of Lights
Dec 23 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Lake Julian

Buncombe County Parks & Recreation is ready to make the season a little merrier and a lot brighter with the annual Festival of Lights. Lake Julian Park’s captivating display of thousands of holiday lights begins TONIGHT, Friday, Dec. 6 through Monday, Dec. 23, and will occur nightly from 6 to 9 p.m. This long-time mountain family tradition turns the park into a magical wonderland filled with sparkle and celebration.

Each night, you can stay in the comfort of your own car while oooh-ing and ah-ing at the illumination and listening to your favorite festive tunes. Due to the impact of Tropical Storm Helene, this year’s Festival of Lights will only offer the drive-thru experience.

Admission is $10 per car for personal vehicles, $25 for sprinter vans, trailblazers, and conversion vans, and $50 for buses and motorcoaches. Purchased tickets will be valid for one-time use on any night of the festival; tickets are not date specific. On Tuesdays, Buncombe County residents in their personal vehicles will be given free entry.

A portion of the ticket proceeds will benefit the Special Olympics of Buncombe County.

Winter Lights
Dec 23 @ 6:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

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.

Robert’s Totally Rad Trivia
Dec 23 @ 7:00 pm
DSSOLVR

TRIVIA-post-super-rob-banner

DSSOLVR PRESENTS:

ROBERT’S TOTALLY RAD TRIVIA

Every Monday, at 7:00 PM, come on down

Trivia w/ Billy
Dec 23 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The River Arts District Brewing Company

Trivia with Billy is Asheville’s best eclectic trivia night. This blend of factoids, music knowledge, and critical thinking is guaranteed to have a little bit for everyone. A diverse team of thinkers is a must if you want to win. There are bonuses prizes on nights with 10+ teams, if your team beats the ever-present brewery team, and for best team name. This trivia takes a lot more than just being good at Jeopardy! This is the perfect way to extend your weekend, or start your week. As a wise man once said, “I drink and I know things,” and this is your chance to prove it!

QUIZZO PUB TRIVIA Hosted by Jason Mencer
Dec 23 @ 7:30 pm
Jack of the Wood


Hosted by the witty & sagacious Jason Mencer, our epic pub trivia night runs every Monday from 7:30-9:30pm! Plus $5.00 well drinks all night!

Come test your brain power with tasty pub fare, an adult beverage or two — and a team of your smartest friends! Win prizes each round and crow a little about what a smarty-pants you are!

Tuesday, December 24, 2024
Winter Lights
Dec 24 @ 6:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

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.

Wednesday, December 25, 2024
Winter Lights
Dec 25 @ 6:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

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.

Thursday, December 26, 2024
Winter Lights
Dec 26 @ 6:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

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.

Friday, December 27, 2024
Winter Lights
Dec 27 @ 6:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

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.

Saturday, December 28, 2024
Winter Lights
Dec 28 @ 6:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

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.

Sunday, December 29, 2024
Winter Lights
Dec 29 @ 6:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

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.

Monday, December 30, 2024
Winter Lights
Dec 30 @ 6:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

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.

Robert’s Totally Rad Trivia
Dec 30 @ 7:00 pm
DSSOLVR

TRIVIA-post-super-rob-banner

DSSOLVR PRESENTS:

ROBERT’S TOTALLY RAD TRIVIA

Every Monday, at 7:00 PM, come on down

Trivia w/ Billy
Dec 30 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The River Arts District Brewing Company

Trivia with Billy is Asheville’s best eclectic trivia night. This blend of factoids, music knowledge, and critical thinking is guaranteed to have a little bit for everyone. A diverse team of thinkers is a must if you want to win. There are bonuses prizes on nights with 10+ teams, if your team beats the ever-present brewery team, and for best team name. This trivia takes a lot more than just being good at Jeopardy! This is the perfect way to extend your weekend, or start your week. As a wise man once said, “I drink and I know things,” and this is your chance to prove it!

QUIZZO PUB TRIVIA Hosted by Jason Mencer
Dec 30 @ 7:30 pm
Jack of the Wood


Hosted by the witty & sagacious Jason Mencer, our epic pub trivia night runs every Monday from 7:30-9:30pm! Plus $5.00 well drinks all night!

Come test your brain power with tasty pub fare, an adult beverage or two — and a team of your smartest friends! Win prizes each round and crow a little about what a smarty-pants you are!

Tuesday, December 31, 2024
Winter Lights
Dec 31 @ 6:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

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.

Wednesday, January 1, 2025
AEW Dynamite Fight for the Fallen
Jan 1 @ 7:30 pm
Harrah's Cherokee Center Asheville

ASHEVILLE, NC! All Elite Wrestling rings in the new year with a very special episode of AEW Dynamite with Fight For The Fallen live from Harrah’s Cherokee Center, January 1st!

Monday, January 6, 2025
Flooded Poetry
Jan 6 @ 6:30 pm
Flood Gallery

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)!

Robert’s Totally Rad Trivia
Jan 6 @ 7:00 pm
DSSOLVR

TRIVIA-post-super-rob-banner

DSSOLVR PRESENTS:

ROBERT’S TOTALLY RAD TRIVIA

Every Monday, at 7:00 PM, come on down

QUIZZO PUB TRIVIA Hosted by Jason Mencer
Jan 6 @ 7:30 pm
Jack of the Wood


Hosted by the witty & sagacious Jason Mencer, our epic pub trivia night runs every Monday from 7:30-9:30pm! Plus $5.00 well drinks all night!

Come test your brain power with tasty pub fare, an adult beverage or two — and a team of your smartest friends! Win prizes each round and crow a little about what a smarty-pants you are!

Wednesday, January 8, 2025
NC Writers Network & The Brandy Bar host “In the Company of Writers” series with Tony Robles
Jan 8 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Brandy Bar + Cocktails

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.

Brian Regan Live
Jan 8 @ 7:30 pm
Harrah's Cherokee Center Asheville

Critics, fans and fellow comedians agree: Brian Regan is one of the most respected comedians in the country with Vanity Fair calling Brian, “The funniest stand-up alive,” and Entertainment Weekly calling him, “Your favorite comedian’s favorite comedian.”  Having built his 30-plus year career on the strength of his material alone, Brian’s non-stop theater tour continuously fills the most beautiful venues across North America, visiting close to 100 cities each year.

Monday, January 13, 2025
QUIZZO PUB TRIVIA Hosted by Jason Mencer
Jan 13 @ 7:30 pm
Jack of the Wood


Hosted by the witty & sagacious Jason Mencer, our epic pub trivia night runs every Monday from 7:30-9:30pm! Plus $5.00 well drinks all night!

Come test your brain power with tasty pub fare, an adult beverage or two — and a team of your smartest friends! Win prizes each round and crow a little about what a smarty-pants you are!

Monday, January 20, 2025
QUIZZO PUB TRIVIA Hosted by Jason Mencer
Jan 20 @ 7:30 pm
Jack of the Wood


Hosted by the witty & sagacious Jason Mencer, our epic pub trivia night runs every Monday from 7:30-9:30pm! Plus $5.00 well drinks all night!

Come test your brain power with tasty pub fare, an adult beverage or two — and a team of your smartest friends! Win prizes each round and crow a little about what a smarty-pants you are!

Saturday, January 25, 2025
Fierce Fitness Dance Fundraiser
Jan 25 @ 10:00 am
The Grey Eagle

The Grey Eagle Presents Fierce Fitness Dance Fundraiser.

All Ages
Saturday, January 25
Doors: 9am // Show: 10am
$29.25
Uphora Dance Fitness is hosting an epic dance fitness fundraiser featuring Fierce Fitness Ty, renowned hip hop and fitness instructor from Orlando. Ty is joined by a stellar line up of dance fitness instructors from all over the region for 90 minutes of nonstop dancing to the latest songs with fierce moves and lit energy. 100% of proceeds from this event will be donated to WNC Hurricane Recovery through Operation Dance, Uphora’s charitable initiative. Get your ticket and invite your friends–don’t miss this opportunity to dance it out, feel empowered, and