Explore Asheville with the whole family!

Age Restrictions

All Ages Welcome!
(Content is geared towards ages 5-12 years old)
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Children 3 and under do not need a ticket if they are sitting in an adults lap.

Duration

60 Minutes

What’s Included

Crazy funny guide
Off-bus characters
Fun facts about Asheville
Age-appropriate jokes

About

Now’s your chance to bring the whole family on the big purple bus! Educational and entertaining, LaZoom’s Kids’ Comedy tour features a perfect blend of Asheville information and kid-centric comedy. Geared specifically towards the 5-12 year old crowd, you’ll learn about our city’s history and see the sights in true LaZoom style – complete with our famously outlandish tour guides, hilarious comedy skits, and all sorts of special appearances! Perfect for birthday parties or school field trips, it’s the best thing to do with your kids in Asheville. It’s a show on wheels!

The tour is 60 minutes long and includes no stops. The tour is hosted by a zany tour guide, and along the way other characters will hop on the bus and perform kid-centric sketches (Candy Pirate, Ninja, and a Levitator) The tour is not only fun – it’s educational! Kids and adults will learn new and interesting facts about Asheville along the way. There must be 1 adult for every 4 children. We do not allow any unaccompanied children. Children 3 and under do not need a ticket if they are sitting in an adults lap.

Waitlist

If your desired time and availability is full, then please give us a call to be added to the waitlist.

Join us for a lively language enrichment story time designed for children ages 4 to 18 months.

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)!

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ in Concert

Peace Concert Hall
Saturday, January 11 at 1:00 pm
Saturday, January 11 at 7:00 pm
Sunday, January 12 at 2:00 pm

The Greenville Symphony will perform this magical score live from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ while the entire film plays in high-definition on a 40-foot screen.

Relive the magic of your favorite wizard in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ in Concert. The thrilling tale is accompanied by the music of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra as Harry soars across the big screen. From the moment Harry uses the Marauder’s Map to when the Patronus Charm bursts from his wand, you’ll be transported back into the world you love.

GUEST
Bruce Kiesling, conductor

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ in Concert

Peace Concert Hall
Saturday, January 11 at 1:00 pm
Saturday, January 11 at 7:00 pm
Sunday, January 12 at 2:00 pm

The Greenville Symphony will perform this magical score live from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ while the entire film plays in high-definition on a 40-foot screen.

Relive the magic of your favorite wizard in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ in Concert. The thrilling tale is accompanied by the music of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra as Harry soars across the big screen. From the moment Harry uses the Marauder’s Map to when the Patronus Charm bursts from his wand, you’ll be transported back into the world you love.

GUEST
Bruce Kiesling, conductor

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.

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.

French Broad River Academy (FBRA) invites you to a screening of the No Man’s Land Film Festival (NMLFF), a curated selection of adventure-based short films that celebrate the power, strength, and determination of women in the great outdoors. The films highlight inspiring stories of female adventurers from around the world, and are tailored for student and family viewing. The event is open to the public.

The evening starts at 5:30 pm with a panel discussion by Asheville-area community outdoor adventure enthusiasts, followed by screening of the short films at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m.

Tickets are $15 per person, available for purchase in advance at https://www.fbra-avl.org/no-mans-land/ or at the door. All proceeds from ticket sales benefit FBRA and the school’s outdoor programming for students.

ABOUT NMLFF: Founded in 2015 in response to the lack of women-representation in the broader outdoor media, the No Man’s Land Film Festival (NMLFF) has grown to become the premier adventure film festival for women and gender non-conforming athletes, storytellers, and filmmakers. Learn more: https://nomanslandfilmfestival.org/

ABOUT FBRA: French Broad River Academy (FBRA) is an independent middle school (grades 6-8) in Asheville, NC, with dual riverfront programs for boys and girls. We integrate rigorous academics with outdoor adventure, service learning, and international travel to help our students become confident, compassionate leaders, ready to take on the world. Learn more about FBRA: fbra-avl.org

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

人の力 “Hito no Chikara” — The Power of Human Strength

Take a thrilling, high-energy ride through centuries of Japanese tradition, where heart-thumping rhythms explode from a dizzying display of more than 40 Taiko drums. The power of human strength, tenacity and sheer endurance lie at the heart of this new program, which challenges the influence of artificial intelligence on art. Back by popular demand, this troupe’s explosively percussive performances evoke “the pulse of the gods” (Neue Presse, Hanover, Germany) to prove there’s no substitute for the fire of the human spirit.

$65; Child (15 yrs. old and under) $22

人の力 “Hito no Chikara” — The Power of Human Strength

Take a thrilling, high-energy ride through centuries of Japanese tradition, where heart-thumping rhythms explode from a dizzying display of more than 40 Taiko drums. The power of human strength, tenacity and sheer endurance lie at the heart of this new program, which challenges the influence of artificial intelligence on art. Back by popular demand, this troupe’s explosively percussive performances evoke “the pulse of the gods” (Neue Presse, Hanover, Germany) to prove there’s no substitute for the fire of the human spirit.

$65; Child (15 yrs. old and under) $22

Once again, Bertie finds himself suffering the slings and arrows of misfortune at the hands of his relatives, caught between his fierce Aunt Agatha, his plaintive cousin Egbert, a saucy jazz singer, and his future father-in-law. Another priceless predicament calling upon the redoubtable Jeeves to save the day.

For over 32 years, the Frostbite Races have motivated runners and walkers to stay active throughout the colder winter months. Participants brave the chilly temperatures to compete in a series of races, including a challenging 10K, a scenic 5K, or 1-mile fun run. Flurry the Penguin is always encouraging runners and walkers with high fives. The Family Fun Day and Wellness Expo add to the excitement with local vendors, wellness services, live music, and kid’s activities. The Frostbite Races have become a beloved tradition in Fletcher, NC, bringing the community together for a day of fitness and fun.

This 75-minute production tells the story of a character who has lost her inner light, plunging into a wondrous and surreal world where memories come to life and the ordinary becomes ‘extra’ordinary. With over 8 breathtaking acrobatic acts, “Solstice” combines light design, costumes, enchanting music, surreal scenery, and the magic of falling snow to create this celebration of the human spirit. A blend of local and national artists comprise the cast of seven.

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.

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.