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.
Theme Park Transforms from Wild West by Day to Ghost Train at Night
The spooktacular season of Tweetsie’s Ghost Train® Halloween Celebration, a popular fall family tradition, begins Friday, September 22, and continues every Friday and Saturday night through October 28.
Daytime guests can still enjoy all of Tweetsie’s Wild West adventures, rides and attractions. . . but when the sun goes down, the park gets a full makeover complete with costumed characters, decorations, music and Halloween-themed attractions.
Younger children will love the dance parties, trick-or-treat stations, themed photo opportunities, and the Palace Spooktacular Show.
Braver kids and adults will appreciate the scary night-time journey on the Ghost Train, walking through the hallowed halls of the Haunted House and exploring the murky Freaky Forest.
And, everyone will love the park’s most popular amusement rides after dark in the Creepy Carnival.
The park opens at 7:30 pm with the first train scheduled for 8:00 p.m. On October Saturday nights starting on the 14, 21, and 28, the park opens at 7:15 p.m. with the first train scheduled for 7:30 pm.
Tickets are $60 for adults, $40 for children (ages 3-12) and free for children age 2 and under. They are sold in advance for a designated night with a scheduled train ride departure time. A limited number of guests will be admitted each evening, so visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets well beforehand to avoid missing out on all of the spooky fun.
Come experience the national parks! On five days in 2023, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone. Mark your calendar for these entrance fee–free dates in 2023. Please check operating status at this park and others before traveling as holidays and local weather or safety conditions can affect hours of operation.
Snag great deals from the Outfitter’s Store, the Guest Used Gear Marketplace, and shop handmade crafts and goods from local artisans. Play riverside games or participate in a race, grab a cold beverage and burger, and dance the evening away with live music.
The Used Boat sale will begin online a week before GAF! Used boats and gear will be available onsite at both the NOC Paddling School and the Outfitter’s Store so be sure to check them out when you visit!
Schedule of Activities
| Friday, 9/15 | ||
| 8am | GAF Demo Pre-boat sale | Online sale starts at 8am. The sale at the NOC Outfitters Store starts at 9am |
| Friday, 9/22 | ||
| 8am | Paddleports Apparel and Used Boats On Sale | The Outfitters Store & the NOC Paddling School |
| 12-7pm | Used Gear Marketplace & Artisan Village | River Left at NOC |
| 5-8pm | Live Music by Wyatt Esplain | Riverside Stage |
| Saturday, 9/23 | ||
| 8am | Used Boat & Apparel Sales | The Outfitters Store & the NOC Paddling School |
| 8am – 7pm | Used Gear Marketplace & Artisan Village | |
| 10am-5pm | Upper Nantahala / Cascades Release | 300 CFS |
| 12-3pm | NRC Race | Nantahala Slalom Course |
| 12-3pm | Macon Faces Kids Facepainting & Henna | Free until 3pm! |
| 12-3pm | Magic Tom | Balloon art & Magic |
| 3pm-6pm | Live Music by Christina Chandler Trio | Riverside Stage |
| 5pm | Check Presentation to American Rivers | Riverside Stage |
| 7pm-10pm | Live music by The Get Right Band | Riverside Stage |
| Sunday, 9/24 | ||
| 8am | Used Boat & Apparel Sales | The Outfitters Store & the NOC Paddling School |
| 10am-3pm | Upper Nantahala / Cascades Release | 425 CFS |
| 3-5pm | Upper Nantahala / Cascades Release | 250 CFS |
NRC Slalom Race
Come join us for a fun fall citizen’s slalom race on the Nantahala River! The race is open to paddlers of all ages and the course difficulty will be novice – intermediate.
The slalom course will start just above the NOC Founder’s Bridge and end upstream of the highway bridge. The course will consist of 18-20 slalom gates and will run through the 2013 Worlds Hole. Racers are encouraged to use slalom-specific or plastic “half-slice” boats and have at least class 2 river running skills.
Signup by emailing [email protected] or same day registration will be available Saturday morning by the NRC Trailer. A start list and information will be provided by email.
Join us Saturday, September 23, 2023 for the Inaugural TreeTops Trail Races in DuPont State Recreational Forest near Brevard, North Carolina!
The races offer a unique opportunity to explore the spectacular 10,000 acres of rolling hills and towering trees that make up this beautiful forest. Run or walk in the one mile or 5k run/walk events, or take on the 8.5 mile challenging trail race – but beware! With nearly 1,000 feet of elevation gain it’s no walk in the park!
Celebrate your journey through nature with a super unique succulent plant for all participants and a finisher medal for those who tackle the 8.5 mile course. Join us at the Dupont Forest Festival afterwards from 10am – 3pm to visit with vendors, hike, yoga, bike, hunt waterfalls and learn outdoor recreation tips to last you a lifetime. Admission to the festival is FREE!
The TreeTops Trail Races are not just any ordinary event – they’re an exclusive experience only available within Dupont State Forest! So don’t miss out on this tree-mendous event and join us for an unforgettable journey through DuPont State Forest – roots down, branches up!
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!
Girl Scouts are invited to join the park’s naturalists for a fun-filled learning adventure on Grandfather Mountain. Plus, all Girl Scouts and troop leaders are admitted free with proof of membership (all or part of a uniform or a troop roster with the leader’s name on it), and family members will receive discounted admission. Advance reservations for park admission are not required, meaning scouts, troop leaders and family members are welcome to arrive the day of the event without admission tickets already in hand. However, advance registration for many of the day’s programs is required. More details to come.
A schedule will be posted here closer to date.
Grandfather Mountain’s daily program schedule will also be in full swing! Find more details about these daily programs here.
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.
Take a 90-plus minute stroll along 7th Avenue/Historic Depot District, where the action was when the first steam engine locomotives rolled into town starting in 1879 bringing hundreds of tourists. The district surrounding the historic Railroad Depot was where it was happening in the Gilded Age of Hendersonville from 1879, when the first steam locomotive arrived with hundreds of tourists daily, till the Crash of 1929 … learn about the drays, the hustle, the inns, the summer visitors, the shoot-outs, growth of agriculture, and popular candy stores. These 90-plus minute walks occur rain or shine. Please make a reservation, 828-545-3179.
All tours: $10 per person age 10 and over. Children under 10 yrs. free with paying adult.
Meeting Place: Hendersonville City Hall, front steps (at corner of 5th Ave. E. and King St.)
Schedule a private tour anytime for your group.
Reservations/information: 828-545-3179
Thomas Cemetery Hike with Patty Stahl
YAM Kids Yoga
Women’s Intermediate Ride- with Amanda Robertson
Women’s Beginner Gravel Ride- With Niki Celani
Wintergreen Falls Hike with Greenville Hiking Club
Co-Ed Intermediate Gravel Ride with Lindsey Hall
Co-Ed Beginner Single Track Ride with Michelle Deerlodge
Smoky Bear
Women’s Beginner Single Track Ride with Sydney
Intermediate Co-ed MTB Ride with Nate LaValla
Blue Wall Adventures Kids MTB clinic
Respect wildlife activity with Eagle’s Nest Foundation and the Outdoor Activity
Walk on the Wild Side Hike with Conserving Carolina
YAM All Levels Flow Yoga
Earth Walk with Earth Winds
Youth Ride
Trail Rod Presentation with Johnny Kelly
Respect Wildlife activity with Eagle’s Nest Foundation and the Outdoor Activity
Smoky Bear
Yoga and Meditation by Moonchild Farm
Blue Wall Adventures Kids MTB Clinic
Bike Clinic
HAYRIDES – Brought to you by Project HNG our sister nonprofit! Proceeds go to Project HNG. Suitable for all ages, babies in arms are free, 16 people per ride.
Availability: every Saturday & Sunday starting September 2nd through November 11th. 11am-4pm, last ride goes out at 3:30pm. May be cancelled due to tremendous weather conditions.
PONY RIDES – Brought to you by Project HNG our sister nonprofit! Proceeds go to Project HNG. Suitable for young children, supervision and helmets provided. If you’re interested in riding lessons or trail rides please reach out to [email protected]
Availability: every Saturday & Sunday starting September 2nd through November 11th. 11am-3pm. May be cancelled due to tremendous weather conditions
-Monarch Migration Programming
-Monarch Tagging & Release
-Monarch Hike
-Live Music
-Food Trucks
-Keynote Speaker Heyward Douglas
-Native Plants
-Local Vendor Booths
-Local and Student Artists
-Kid’s Crafts & Activities
-Face Painting
This year, RiverLink will be leading a cleanup of Nasty Branch, a small urban stream that enters the French Broad in the River Arts District. We will meet at 12pm at the Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Center at 285 Livingston St., Asheville, NC 28801.
We will be in the water for this event and we have a limited amount of waders participants may use. We recommend wearing tall, waterproof boots if available, but if not, it will also be an option to walk the banks of the stream if you would prefer not to get wet. The stream is fairly small, but could potentially have deeper pools.
We will end the cleanup by 2:30pm and invite you all to join us, and the other organizations and volunteers involved in Big Sweep, for the after party! This will be from 3-5pm at Zen Tubing’s RAD location at 608 Riverside Dr., Asheville, NC 28801.
RiverLink will provide all necessary tools and equipment. Closed-toed shoes are required. We also recommend everyone bring a water bottle.
French Broad River Park: Go to the parking lot off of Riverview Drive, which is off of Amboy Rd. Find the cobalt blue canopy tent!
We will be as close to as directly across the parking lot as we can, near the water, with the tent (go past the bathrooms and head to the water). So, you should be able to find us pretty easily if it’s your first time).
We’ll enjoy meditations/visualizations, psychic ability empowerment, chakra activations, and lively discussions about how we can participate in the evolution of the new earth… a world where truth and the ethos of love (e.g.: Law of One) are the guiding forces.
All who are interested in spiritual growth and evolution and getting to know others who are “on their wavelength” are welcome.
NOTE: Bring a chair, pillow, or towel to sit on, an open mind, and energies of love, receptivity, and curiosity.
We look forward to meeting you!
Join a certified forest therapy guide for a relaxing 2.5-hour stroll through the forest on the peaceful Arboretum grounds. Through a series of invitations, you’ll have the opportunity to be present in the moment, deepening your connection with nature and community, and enjoying the many gifts nature has to offer. Your guide will share mindfulness practices designed to connect you more deeply to your inner landscapes, as well as the world around you. Inspired by Shinrin-Yoku, the Japanese art of immersing oneself in a forest environment, a forest bathing walk invites you to spend time in nature in a way that invites healing for ourselves, our fraught ecosystems, and our community. It is true nature therapy!
- Special, discounted rate of $45/person (includes parking!)
- Occurs on select dates each month
- Max group size is 15 for a more intimate experience
Hit the trails and learn more about The North Carolina Arboretum’s botanically diverse forest with a guided trail walk! April through October, this free hiking program is led by trained volunteer guides who take small groups of participants along woodland trails and through a variety of forest types. Depending on the season and each guide’s area of expertise, topics of discussion may include wildflowers, plant and tree identification, natural history and more.
Guided trail walks are limited to 15 people, including the guide, and are not recommended for guests under 16 years of age. Groups depart from the Baker Visitor Center Lobby on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m..
Walks last 1.5 – 2.5 hours, are approximately one to two miles in length. As this program is held rain or shine, all participants should dress appropriately for the weather.
There is no pre-registration; walks are first-come first served and sign up sheets are located in the Baker Visitors Center.
Walks are FREE; however, donations to The North Carolina Arboretum Society are appreciated. Regular parking fees apply. Arboretum Society Members always park free.
Know Before You Go
- Guided Trail Walks are not recommended for guests under 16 years of age.
- Guided Trail Walks are rain or shine and all participants should be dressed comfortably and for the weather.
- Hikes cover 1-2 miles and last 1.5-2 hours.
- Well-behaved leashed pets are welcome to accompany their owners. In the rare case that a pet is disruptive or negatively impacts the experience, the pet and its owner may be asked to excuse themselves from the guided walk.
- COVID-19 Safety: In order to hear the guide and fully participate in the trail walk, participants will be in close proximity to one another for extended periods of time. While face coverings are not required, participants should use their best judgement to keep themselves and others safe while enjoying the trails. Individuals who are experiencing flu-like symptoms or suspect they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should not participate.
- At this time, no more than 6 spaces may be filled by a single family/group through pre-registration for any one Guided Trail Walk. If additional spaces are available on the day of the Walk, additional members of the family/group may participate. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to welcoming larger groups in the future.
We will have a will-call list at the Admission Cabana, the purchaser will be the name on the ticket. If you buy multiple tickets the tickets will be under the same name. Please check in together if possible! When you check out you will see “FARM STORE PICKUP” please ignore for admission purchases.
It’s time to stretch your legs, put on some leather Cuban heels and Rhumba! Or, you know, just have a beer and watch some great music. We welcome for the first time the ILIANA ROSE TRIO to the Big Barn here at Hickory Nut Gap Farm in gorgeous Fairview, NC! Come out from 6pm-9pm to to enjoy some fabulous Cuban Jazz from piano prodigy Iliana Rose and her jazz trio of talented musicians. Iliana’s infectious energy, multi-talented band and traditional takes on new classics will keep you entertained and delighted.
You’re gonna need fuel for the fire- we have DIRTY GERTIE’s TACO STAND food truck! These tacos are not to be believed! Headed by Walker Aderholder, his philosophy is “Inhale tacos, exhale negativity”, and that is easy to do for these dirty and delish tacos made from simple ingredients and humble hands.
Hickory Nut Gap will have a bar serving local beers, ciders, seltzers and non-alcoholic beverages to slake your thirst between sets. This is truly a rare treat for the farm, so y’all come on out and soak up these Cuban rhythms!
PET POLICY: While we normally allow leashed pets on the grounds, we ask you leave your furry friends at home for the Barn Dances.
Learn more about the Band & their music HERE
Learn more about the Food Truck & their food HERE
To honor and celebrate the rich history of environmental stewardship at Chimney
Rock State Park, join us for an after hours sunset hike to the top of the Chimney
with one of the original stewards of the park. Along the way, we will place the
Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail marker on this newly designated trail.
Note: This trail is considered difficult.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
Join us in a toast at Chimney Rock Brewing Company to commemorate the newly designated Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail and honor our volunteers. After the toast, stick around for a campfire with s’mores and ghost stories! No registration required.
The Tempest, September 1st to 30th
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Dwight Chiles
Magic, monsters and mayhem fill this favorite from The Bard. This one isn’t done with great regularity, so now’sa good time to catch it!
All shows will be at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheater in the Montford District of Asheville, and all will be presented absolutely FREE of charge!
All shows will run Fridays through Sundays and all will be presented at 7:30pm and prime seats can be reserved.
Montford Park Players has been bringing some of theater’s greatest works to Western North Carolina for over 50 years. Montford Park Players continues its mission of bring free theater to the community. The summer season allows everyone to come spend an evening under the stars, seeing some of the best live performances presented in Asheville.
Theme Park Transforms from Wild West by Day to Ghost Train at Night
The spooktacular season of Tweetsie’s Ghost Train® Halloween Celebration, a popular fall family tradition, begins Friday, September 22, and continues every Friday and Saturday night through October 28.
Daytime guests can still enjoy all of Tweetsie’s Wild West adventures, rides and attractions. . . but when the sun goes down, the park gets a full makeover complete with costumed characters, decorations, music and Halloween-themed attractions.
Younger children will love the dance parties, trick-or-treat stations, themed photo opportunities, and the Palace Spooktacular Show.
Braver kids and adults will appreciate the scary night-time journey on the Ghost Train, walking through the hallowed halls of the Haunted House and exploring the murky Freaky Forest.
And, everyone will love the park’s most popular amusement rides after dark in the Creepy Carnival.
The park opens at 7:30 pm with the first train scheduled for 8:00 p.m. On October Saturday nights starting on the 14, 21, and 28, the park opens at 7:15 p.m. with the first train scheduled for 7:30 pm.
Tickets are $60 for adults, $40 for children (ages 3-12) and free for children age 2 and under. They are sold in advance for a designated night with a scheduled train ride departure time. A limited number of guests will be admitted each evening, so visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets well beforehand to avoid missing out on all of the spooky fun.
Join us in a toast at Chimney Rock Brewing Company to commemorate the newly designated Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail and honor our volunteers. After the toast, stick around for a campfire with s’mores and ghost stories! No registration required.
Yes, the Mud Run is back on! With the modulars now gone we have a huge open field to make this race bigger, better and muddier than ever!
Get your old(est) running shoes out and prepare to get seriously muddy! The Filthy Franklin Mud Run happens Sunday, Sept. 24th. Our course is guaranteed to steal at least a few shoes before the day is done!
The races will be a timed trial start and there will be crazy obstacles and lots of mud!! Teen and adult races are approximately 2 miles, children 10 and under run just under a mile. Of course, the army crawl and mud trench will be part of this again, as well as other various challenging obstacles!
The Mud Run raises funds for Bolts Athletics. It helps fund equipment, uniforms and facilities. It is planned and created by Community Council members and student-athletes. OH YEAHHH!
You must register by Sept. 8th to receive a free t-shirt. After the deadline, T-shirts can be purchased the day of the event for $20. Limited quantities will be available.
You can register and purchase tickets at: https://franklinschoolofinnovation.networkforgood.com/events/57309-7th-annual-filthy-franklin-mud-run
Join the event on our Facebook here – https://fb.me/e/2LRlwcEPl
We will have race day registration as well!
Kids Race at 2:30pm
Adult Race at 3:00pm
Teen Race at 3:30pm
The event is free to attend, but to race registration is $25 for Kids and $40 for Adults & Teens.
Snag great deals from the Outfitter’s Store, the Guest Used Gear Marketplace, and shop handmade crafts and goods from local artisans. Play riverside games or participate in a race, grab a cold beverage and burger, and dance the evening away with live music.
The Used Boat sale will begin online a week before GAF! Used boats and gear will be available onsite at both the NOC Paddling School and the Outfitter’s Store so be sure to check them out when you visit!
Schedule of Activities
| Friday, 9/15 | ||
| 8am | GAF Demo Pre-boat sale | Online sale starts at 8am. The sale at the NOC Outfitters Store starts at 9am |
| Friday, 9/22 | ||
| 8am | Paddleports Apparel and Used Boats On Sale | The Outfitters Store & the NOC Paddling School |
| 12-7pm | Used Gear Marketplace & Artisan Village | River Left at NOC |
| 5-8pm | Live Music by Wyatt Esplain | Riverside Stage |
| Saturday, 9/23 | ||
| 8am | Used Boat & Apparel Sales | The Outfitters Store & the NOC Paddling School |
| 8am – 7pm | Used Gear Marketplace & Artisan Village | |
| 10am-5pm | Upper Nantahala / Cascades Release | 300 CFS |
| 12-3pm | NRC Race | Nantahala Slalom Course |
| 12-3pm | Macon Faces Kids Facepainting & Henna | Free until 3pm! |
| 12-3pm | Magic Tom | Balloon art & Magic |
| 3pm-6pm | Live Music by Christina Chandler Trio | Riverside Stage |
| 5pm | Check Presentation to American Rivers | Riverside Stage |
| 7pm-10pm | Live music by The Get Right Band | Riverside Stage |
| Sunday, 9/24 | ||
| 8am | Used Boat & Apparel Sales | The Outfitters Store & the NOC Paddling School |
| 10am-3pm | Upper Nantahala / Cascades Release | 425 CFS |
| 3-5pm | Upper Nantahala / Cascades Release | 250 CFS |
NRC Slalom Race
Come join us for a fun fall citizen’s slalom race on the Nantahala River! The race is open to paddlers of all ages and the course difficulty will be novice – intermediate.
The slalom course will start just above the NOC Founder’s Bridge and end upstream of the highway bridge. The course will consist of 18-20 slalom gates and will run through the 2013 Worlds Hole. Racers are encouraged to use slalom-specific or plastic “half-slice” boats and have at least class 2 river running skills.
Signup by emailing [email protected] or same day registration will be available Saturday morning by the NRC Trailer. A start list and information will be provided by email.
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!
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.
Foundy Street is an eclectic, graffiti-decorated destination of the Asheville’s River Arts District. Home to a variety of artist studios, restaurants, breweries, a coffee shop, retail & antique shops, pop-up food trucks, a movie theatre, and a skate park.
Hickory Nut Gap & Appalachian Makers Collective are teaming up to bring you a beautifully curated gathering of local growers, food makers, brewers, herbalists, crafters and artists, every last Sunday of the month June through October- a perfect opportunity to plan your monthly shopping around and commit to supporting local folk.
Come shop the Big Barn Market for local and regional fare by some of the most talented in the area- and come into our Farm Store and Butchery to get your meats and deli goodies. If you come early, you can catch some Big Barn Yoga brought to you by Breeze Yoga Space. Tickets can be purchased here!
AUTUMNAL EDITION – 9/24 11am-4pm, Barn Door Ciderworks & Root Down Farm Food Truck
– HALLOWEEN FUN – 10/29 11am-4pm, little ones wear your costume and collect treats! Barn Door Ciderworks & Grush’s Cajun Dino Grill Food Truck
HAYRIDES – Brought to you by Project HNG our sister nonprofit! Proceeds go to Project HNG. Suitable for all ages, babies in arms are free, 16 people per ride.
Availability: every Saturday & Sunday starting September 2nd through November 11th. 11am-4pm, last ride goes out at 3:30pm. May be cancelled due to tremendous weather conditions.
PONY RIDES – Brought to you by Project HNG our sister nonprofit! Proceeds go to Project HNG. Suitable for young children, supervision and helmets provided. If you’re interested in riding lessons or trail rides please reach out to [email protected]
Availability: every Saturday & Sunday starting September 2nd through November 11th. 11am-3pm. May be cancelled due to tremendous weather conditions
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!