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.
Wednesdays, starting March 20 | Offered through the Great Smokies Writing Program, this five-week class will investigate the ways in which paintings, drawings, photographs, and sculpture inspire, collaborate with, and complement our writing process.
The “How it Feels to be a Mother” Movement is a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to embracing the emotional complexity of motherhood. We provide a supportive platform for mothers to share their authentic experiences, free from judgment. Join us for insightful conversations and connections with mothers of all ages and stages of parenting.
Main Sponsors: Foxy Media and Marketing, Mojo Coworking, Asheville Video Marketing
Supporters: Flaming Lily Studios, Hone Creative Studio
Experience an array of vendors and interactive stations, including:
Temple Chiropractic
The Babywearing OT
Everyday Orthodontics
Hornsby Creative Group
AND MORE!!
Doors open at 1PM to sign up for photos.
Photos will start after a brief presentation.
Photos are first come first serve by signing up at the event.
flaminglilystudios.com
For more information, visit howitfeelstobeamother.com.
Join the conversation.
Join the Dark City Poets Society for a free publishing workshop from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at the Black Mountain Library,105 N. Dougherty Street, Black Mountain, NC 28711. This workshop will be led by John Himmelheber, editor of Smoky Blue Literary and Arts Magazine, along with Ivy Rosen, editor of Black Mountain Press. Learn tips and tricks on how to get published and what the best practices are for submitting your work for consideration. This workshop is open to all ages, and no registration is required.
Building Bridges of Asheville invites you to a screening and talkback session of the film, “13th”.
In this thought-provoking documentary scholars, activists and politicians analyze the criminalization of African Americans and the U.S. prison boom.
Filmmaker Ava DuVernay explores the history of racial inequality in the United States, focusing on the fact that the nation’s prisons are disproportionately filled with African Americans.
The film will be followed by a guided conversation facilitated by Building Bridges board members and Niconda Garcia & Nex Millen.
Building Bridges fosters antiracism by educating people on how to intentionally engage in dialogues on racism. BBAVL.org
You have a part to play in this work, and this event is a great point of entry.
A healthy workplace culture can be the difference between hitting your goals and missing the mark. It can be a determining benefit that supports strong retention rates and serves as a competitive advantage.
But what is culture and how do you build it? We’ll cover this and much more!
Join us on April 26, 2024, for an interactive workshop at Continuum in downtown Hendersonville, NC from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm.
Sign up now to reserve your seat and receive the full event details.
Embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery and inner healing through our groundbreaking Breathwork Meditation Workshop including 2 Sound Baths! During this immersive experience you will be guided through a powerful Breathwork practice to help you massively release stress, heal past wounds and traumas, access deeper levels of awareness, and connect more profoundly to Source.
Led by two professional highly experienced facilitators with over 50 years experience between them, this workshop will
deepen your connection with your breath and unlock its incredible potential for physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Join a group of like-minded individuals on the path to self-discovery in a supportive nurturing environment on the beautiful island in Marshall on one of the world’s oldest rivers.
You may come to the full day (10am-4.30pm, $120 ) which includes two Breathwork Meditation Sessions with sound baths and a session of Self-discovery. You may also come to the first Breathwork Meditation Session with sound bath only (10am-1pm, $60) or the second Breathwork Session with sound bath only (1.30pm-4.30pm, $60).
Register at www.breakthroughbreathwork.com/events
Start off Poetry Month at the Library with a celebration of Dolly Parton’s lyrics at the Fairview Library.
What could the songs of legendary singer-songwriter Dolly Parton teach us about writing, craft, and perspectives in poetry? In this in-person workshop, poet Dustin Brookshire guides participants through exploring the discography and cultural impact of Dolly Parton. We’ll use this as inspiration for writing new poems via thematic prompts.
This free workshop will be Tuesday, April 30 at 6:30 p.m. at the Fairview Library.
Our facilitator, Dustin Brookshire is the recipient of the 2024 Jon Tribble Editors Fellowship awarded by Poetry at the Sea and is the co-editor of Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology (Madville Publishing, 2023), which was named to the 2024 Books All Georgians Should Read list by the Georgia Center for the Book.
Want to learn more about mosses and ferns? What are the most common spring ephemeral plants?, their pollinators and some of the interesting history of these special plants. Henderson County Extension Agent and host of the Gardening in the Mountains Radio Show Steve Pettis will discuss the many flowers that grow in the Spring time in the forests of Western North Carolina.
Printmaker Janette Hopper will be giving a digital presentation on her art of linocut printmaking this Thursday, May 2, 6:30-7pm. She will also demonstrate some of the tools and materials she uses in her process, and be available for Q&A. Afterwards, stay for the gallery’s True Home Open Mic, where performers of all skills and genres (poetry, storytelling, music, song, comedy, etc.) share their art. Janette herself will be getting up on stage again to share some of her poetry! Or stay to browse more of her print artwork: her current exhibit at Flood Gallery, “Agony and Ecstasy: Images of Conscience” which is comprised of more than 60 pieces, all for sale, and will show through June 2.
Kari Sickenberger is leading a workshop from May 3-5. retreat at
at Highland Lake Cove, a beautiful, rustic mountain setting,
ideal for rest, rejuvenation, relaxation, singing and fun!
Deadline for Registration is 4/15/24
www.KariSickenberger.comThe event is occuring at Mountain Magic, a new collaborative venture with Highland Lake Cove in Flat Rock, NC. They are developing a performance and participatory arts venue initially focusing on mountain music, dance, and storytelling traditions.
The MADE X MTNS (Made By Mountains) Partnership is working to expand the outdoor industry and economy across North Carolina’s Appalachian region and catalyze rural development by building vibrant outdoor communities, growing outdoor businesses, and amplifying outdoor culture. This work is funded by Appalachian Regional Commission, Dogwood Health Trust, and Mountain BizWorks. Join the Building Outdoor Communities Program Specialist, Bradley Spiegel to learn about the 7-month capacity building program that 19 WNC counties have completed to holistically and proactively plan for outdoor assets that balance conservation and community development. FREE virtual presentation.
Bring a bottle of water and a snack
Are there holes in the elbows of your favorite sweater and tears in your most comfortable pair of jeans? Visible mending, a form of repair that seeks to be seen, celebrates the history of the fibers we wear while simultaneously breathing new life into well-loved clothes. Whether adding new layers to frayed edges or creatively embellishing marks and stains, visible mending is a stylish way to keep clothes out of the landfill.
Andrea Connolly will lead this hands-on workshop, introducing simple mending techniques and providing a forum for participants of all skill levels to share and learn from one another. Bring an item of clothing to repair, along with any mends you feel comfortable sharing with the group.
All supplies provided. (Feel free to bring your own favorites to use as well.)
Andrea Connolly is a member of Local Cloth’s Mending Matters group. She has dabbled in sewing, embroidery, crochet, and knitting since early childhood and loves mending for its freedom from patterns and charts.
FREE but limited to 20 participants. Registration is required at https://www.buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/library/branch-locations/black-mountain.aspx
Join us for this mid Spring weekend of wild abundance as we dive deeply into the Art, Science & Spirit of Herbalism. We will spend this incredible weekend deeply immersed in the abundance of wild plants as well as cultivated herbs that can easily be found (and grown) throughout the Appalachian mountains.
We will focus on improving proper plant identification skills, ethical wildcrafting & foraging techniques and learn the craft of magical medicine making together. We will gather herbs from the landscape and create a plethora of herbal medicines. Folks will receive both new skills and plenty of recipes and remedies to take home.
Throughout this weekend immersion will honor the craft of intuitive & ritual herbalism while learning how to pair these skills to make the most potent forms of herbal infusion and decoctions (medicinal teas) with both fresh and dried plants. We will co-create botanical tonics meant to fortify our systems throughout the seasons. And produce potent medicinally infused herbal oils to be used for the body as well as the Spirit.
4/15, 4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/20
Student showcase reserved for 6/3
No class 5/27
Greg Lobas will lead a virtual writer’s workshop titled: “Writing Your Life into Poetry.”
“Write what you know” is one of the first and best maxims for the aspiring writer. But what if “what you know” is ordinary, even mundane? This workshop will look at ways to mine the gold that is in everyone’s life and turn it into poetry. It may take some digging. It may take a little change in perspective. But it is there, and it is material only you can use. We will focus on the narrative poem as a means of story-telling but will consider the lyric poem as well.
This workshop is open to writers of all skill levels and is a fun way to find inspiration from a new prompt or revise current work. It is hosted by the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara and will Zoom for the virtual connection. Sign up to attend the workshop at workshop here:
Greg Lobas has been published extensively as both an outdoor writer and a poet. His debut book, Left of Center, won the 2022 Dogfish Head Poetry Prize, and placed second in the Delaware State Press Association awards. The book deals with his real life experiences as a fire captain and paramedic. His poems have been published in many journals. He is an experienced poetry workshop facilitator at Isothermal Community College.
Greg lives with his wife Meg and his dog Sophie in Polk County North Carolina.
Led by a certified Inward & Artward Creative Facilitator, Tikva Kingrea, this 6-week series workshop gives space for young folks’ imaginations to run wild, turning anything and everything into an opportunity for storytelling! Students ages 11-14 will dive into their own worlds, build their own imaginations, and creating their own stories through a smorgasbord of storytelling forms. In this class, we’re putting creative power back in the hands of the budding creative both individually and as a group. What kind of wildernesses can we construct and discover?
At the end of the day, we’re exploring various forms of writing, infusing imagination into our stories, and we’re building trust and confidence in young creatives. No homework necessary!
Now in our 15th year, we are proud to offer affordable, all-levels workshops!
Class topics include Intro to Whip Tricks, Badass Shimmies, and Song-writing. We are also offering a FREE LECTURE on the history of Sideshow with America’s top historian, the legendary James Taylor. Study with the best!
Are YOU READY for NERD PRIDE FEST 2024!!
Saturday, June 1st 2024 : 10am – 4pm
Asheville’s local artist convention every first Saturday in June in honor of Pride month! This is a fun, free way to celebrate pride month by supporting local artists and nonprofits who do incredible things for the queer LGBT+ community in western North Carolina.
Nerd Pride Fest was our first ever event in our current location. So it had to be to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and reopening with food, games, live music, and more.
As a shop owned and operated by queer-identifying folks, The Nerd Dungeon is committed to being a safe and welcoming environment for people of all ages to express themselves any time of year, not just during Pride Month. We will always be a 3rd Place.
It is nice to have an excuse to go all-out and party, though! Pride Cosplay encouraged!
Dark City Poets Society is a completely free poetry group that is open to writers of all ages and experience levels.
Join us at the Black Mountain Library from 6:00-7:30 pm on the first Tuesday of every month for our (respectful) feedback group.
FREE. Meets in the garden weather permitting.
Connect Beyond Festival returns to downtown Asheville, N.C. on June 7-9, 2024 for a weekend of performances, panels, film screenings and workshops with award-winning artists and thought leaders, exploring how the intersection of music, art, film and storytelling can inspire positive change. This year’s festival, dubbed by Ashvegas as “Asheville’s version of SXSW,” is themed around Connection To Deepen Resilience and Keep Moving Forward. Connect Beyond will be partnering with Slay The Mic Media to co-curate programs centered around youth empowerment. Tickets for the Connect Beyond Festival are slated to go on sale by May 13th. To optimize community accessibility, options include individual event tickets or a full weekend pass.
Train with world renowned Performing Artist, former Alvin Ailey principle Dancer & Teacher Raquelle Chavis- and explore modern dance and the Horton technique. Dancers will have 1 week of daily class training, while learning a series of fortification studies and challenging combinations, designed to perfect their technique, placement and performance. Additionally, dancers will learn new choreography and rehearse that piece daily. a studio performance will be given on the final day of this intensive workshop, showcasing the skills they’ve learned throughout the week. This program is open to dancers age 9-18 who possess a passion and drive to excel.
Embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery and inner healing through our groundbreaking Breathwork Meditation Workshop including 2 Sound Baths! During this immersive experience you will be guided through a powerful Breathwork practice to help you massively release stress, heal past wounds and traumas, access deeper levels of awareness, and connect more profoundly to Source.
Led by two professional highly experienced facilitators with over 50 years experience between them, this workshop will
deepen your connection with your breath and unlock its incredible potential for physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Join a group of like-minded individuals on the path to self-discovery in a supportive nurturing environment on the beautiful island in Marshall on one of the world’s oldest rivers.
You may come to the full day (10am-4.30pm, $120 ) which includes two Breathwork Meditation Sessions with sound baths and a session of Self-discovery. You may also come to the first Breathwork Meditation Session with sound bath only (10am-1pm, $60) or the second Breathwork Session with sound bath only (1.30pm-4.30pm, $60).
Register at www.breakthroughbreathwork.com/events
5 week series. Every Wednesday from 6:30-8:30, beginning June 5. Class cancelled July 3. Ending July 10.
Poetry is the written act of paying attention. Paying attention to words, rhythm, and writing but most importantly the worlds that inspire you to write. Namely, your world.
“Wanted: a needle swift enough to sew this poem into a blanket.” -Charles Simic
Have you ever swooned at the thought of exploring your full expression, only to shuffle around the house more determined to rearrange mothballs than get something on paper?
Poetry is undoubtedly a practice, but it doesn’t have to be an intimidating sport for Creative Gods alone. The only “ask” is to take note and notice of your life.
We’ll help develop the work itself, together.
This full-bodied beginner’s poetry class will help you shift from “Oof, I could never…” into “Wait, where’s my journal?!” by tuning into your world: to the color palette of grass, to coffee-shop conversation, to the twitch in your left elbow. If you want language for the volcanic prayers of your soul or to describe your partner’s voice whispering “I love you” at 4am, we’ll get there. This class weaves the elements of poetry, forms of poetry, guided discussion with peers, and the works of prolific poets all into a multidisciplinary play space. Plus, oodles (oodles!) of writing time to build personal confidence and craft. This class immerses itself in artful experimentation across mediums, paired with a toolkit of technical writing skills. It’s the ultimate permission slip to be a beginner.
“Poetry is an echo, asking a shadow to dance.” -Carl Sandburg
Hello Asheville Fam! Thank you for the invite to teach in our community. Previously, I spent five years teaching multiple weekly classes in Knoxville, TN. Now that I’m officially in AVL, Maan and I are excited to offer two class series in July: Foundational AcroYoga and An introduction to Thai Massage. Mark your calendars and register soon as space is limited!
Details:
Mondays in July 7:30pm-9:00pm
$111 For Series
$33 Drop-in
Downtown at Weaving Rainbows (62 Wall St)
Join Rebekah JOY and Maan for a 5-week series! Each week, participants are guided through giving and receiving a 30-minute, full body Thai Massage. We will explore different postures including supine, prone, and seated. Moving with the breath, we use gravity and bodyweight to flow seamlessly through transitions and postures. In this partner practice, we build trust by using clear communication and honoring personal boundaries. Participants are fully clothed.
To Register:
Venmo @rebekah-luhrs
Limited Space
Register in advance
All attendees get 50% off if they are signed up for the AcroYoga Series.
More info at:
https://www.rebekahluhrs.com/register
Rebekah Joy has been teaching Thai Massage since 2016 in conjunction with AcroYoga in Knoxville, TN. In 2017 she completed her AcroYoga Teacher Training though AcroYoga International in Mexico.
Join us for this fun filled and always popular in-person annual summer series! Classes will meet weekly and will cover topics including: the wise woman tradition of healing, summer skin care, herbal support for stress, the medicinal uses of popular garden plants, wild weeds, kitchen remedies and much more. This course will also include an introduction both essential oils and flower essences. Throughout this course you will form intimate relationships with over 20 popular herbal remedies.
Wednesday’s 5:30 pm-8:30 pm Aug 28 – Nov 20, 2024
The course is an immersive and transformative journey designed to unleash and nourish your inner creativity. Developed by renowned author and creativity expert Julia Cameron, this course offers a structured and supportive framework to help individuals from all walks of life rediscover their artistic passions, overcome creative blocks, and foster a deeper connection with their creative selves.
Each week, participants engage in a series of guided exercises, reflective journaling, and group discussions that encourage self-exploration, self-expression, and personal growth. Through a combination of artist dates, daily morning pages, and weekly reading, participants gradually break through self-doubt, negative patterns, and external limitations, allowing their unique artistic voices to flourish and thrive. Whether you’re a seasoned artist seeking to reignite your inspiration or a newcomer looking to explore your creative potential, the Artist’s Way course provides a nurturing and empowering environment to rekindle your creative flame and embark on a transformative creative odyssey.
Robin and Samata will facilitate a safe and nurturing environment for you to embark on your creative journey through the Artist’s way. Together they have over 50 years of experience leading groups and facilitating meaningful experiences.
Unleash your Inner Magic: Create New Realities
In-Person Retreat
September 13 – 15, 2024
In Hot Springs near Asheville, NC
You will be transported into the inner cave of your body as you open to the mystery within. It is by attuning to the frequency of your soul and realizing your innate connection with All of Life that you create magic and miracles. Release the limitations that have kept you bound to an ordinary existence and birth yourself anew.
You will Receive:
Ecstatic Embodiment Practices:
Daily Portal Yoga / Guided Intuitive Movement & Sacred Dance / Energetic Activations that shift your Vibration into Higher States
Sacred Ritual & Ceremony:
Releasing Ceremony by the Fire / Afternoon Ritual at the Waterfall / Intentional Communion & Co-Creation with the Land & Elements / Anointing Ceremony
Deep Soul Nourishment:
Delicious, organic, nourishing vegetarian food / Beautiful accommodations nestled deep within the Blue Ridge mountains / Hiking trails, waterfalls, swimming holes, and endless stargazing
Plus, you will receive a BONUS Group Integration call around the Fall Equinox to ground the magic you create into your daily life.
Throughout our time together, you will be guided to:
* Speak your truth
* Claim your desires
* Own your power
Your heart will be opened.
Your true sight activated.
Your frequency shifted to higher states
As you claim the new.
Retreat Schedule:
Friday:
2 – 4 p.m.: Arrive & Get Settled
4 p.m.: Orientation & Opening Ceremony (Sage each person upon entrance; thank the land/elements, acknowledge land spirits, call in for co-creation, unleash magic, open to miracles, beginning invocation & Intentions)
5 – 6:15 p.m.: Portal Yoga (focus on connecting to soul in and through body, breath, heart)
6:30 – 7:45 p.m.: Group Dinner (Blessing & Gratitude)
8 – 10 p.m.: Fire Ceremony & Star Gazing (release limitations, limited human identify, separation consciousness, I’m alone, fears of not having, not being enough, powerless, helpless, no choice) (RELEASE separation focus)
Saturday:
8 – 9:15 a.m.: Portal Yoga
9:30 – 10:30 a.m.: Silent, Sensual Breakfast
10:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.: Wisdom Teaching & Embodiment Practice (What magic is, co-creation with spirit, soul, universe, interconnection of all things, flower of life, infinity weaving) (Attune to the frequency of love, of your soul, of your infinite nature outside the egoic construct) = to EMBODY this frequency, shift cellular patterning, release stagnation, can consciously create and intend to increase your vibration (group Sharing)
1 – 2 p.m.: Group Lunch
2:15 – 4:30 p.m.: Afternoon Ritual at the Waterfall (water to cleanse, bathe, renew; it’s your intention that matters; open heart space to the element, open to receive, but also give with your love and gratitude as an equal; fairy; allow yourself to be birthed anew in each moment, to flow with your impulses, intuitions, desires – what ARE your desires? Proclaim them, infuse them into the water, and let them flow into the waters of all waters and become one with all that is) (DESIRES focus)
4:30 – 6:30 p.m.: Integration Break to Hike, Bathe in Sacred Waters, Journal, or Rest in Communion with Nature
6:30 – 7:45 p.m.: Group Dinner (Gratitude & Blessing)
8 – 10 p.m.: Guided Intuitive Movement & Sacred Dance (Maybe anointing ritual at the beginning)
Sunday:
8 – 9:15 a.m.: Portal Yoga
9:30 – 10:30: Silent, Sensual Breakfast
10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.: Earth Ritual – resourced by earth, by goddess, by the elements/nature itself, receive abundance and support and love of the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars…call upon help, feel your connection to Her, to all things; requires you to believe, to have faith, to open your heart to this co-creation, to receive the gifts and magic that wait you (RECEIVE / TRUST / ALLOW / OPEN / SUPPORTED focus) (Time for group share)
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Group Lunch
1:45 – 3 p.m.: Closing Ceremony (Possibly: they have an object they take with them to place on their altar/somewhere they can see it every day – to represent their desires and the power they have to create) (ask each participant to bring a sacred object with them to put on the altar) (Maybe: Anointing ritual)
Please note: The retreat will be intuitively guided, so the schedule may shift as the magic unfolds.
Retreat Accommodations:
We will gather in sacred circle for a nourishing, soul-filled weekend at the gorgeous Wheel of Bliss Retreat Center nestled deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Located in Hot Springs, approximately an hour from Asheville, NC, the Bliss House is surrounded by forest, hiking trails, waterfalls, swimming holes, and pristine beauty.
The Bliss House is a sanctuary in which we’ll gather to eat and sleep. All retreat rooms are shared (3 max per room) with plush beds and soft linens. Meals can be taken on the spacious deck overlooking the forest below or in the intimate indoor gathering space. There is a large Tibetan Buddhist altar room adorned with sacred paintings and effigies from the Himalayas.
Most of our rituals will be outdoors with the land itself. However, all group circles, embodiment practices, dance, and daily Portal Yoga will be held inside the Celestial Center, which is a Mongolian-style yurt. Its high walls blend into vaulted ceilings that point to the heavens. At its pinnacle, a glass dome at the top allows sunshine to flood in during the day. At night, lay down and look up to see the stars and moon shine through. When the windows are open, you can hear the sound of waterfalls in the distance.
What’s Included:
* Double or Triple Occupancy at the Wheel of Bliss Mountain Sanctuary on Friday and Saturday night
* All delicious, organic, nourishing vegetarian meals from Friday dinner through Sunday lunch, plus fruit available as snacks throughout the day. Allergies and dietary restrictions can be accommodated. Please be sure to let us know once you register. You are welcome to bring additional snacks or food with you, as desired.
* Sacred Ritual & Ceremony
* Ecstatic Embodiment Practices
* Daily Portal Yoga classes
* Wisdom Teachings & Group Coaching
* BONUS Integration Call & Sisterhood Sharing around the Fall Equinox
* All taxes and fees
What’s Not Included:
Your transportation to and from the Wheel of Bliss Retreat Center in Hot Springs, NC. It is located approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes from the Asheville Regional Airport. However, we will be happy to help connect you with the right people if you are coming from out of town!
Your Investment is only $ 644 until 6/13 (discount of $100) then $ 744 after that.
To secure your spot, a $ 250 non-refundable deposit is required. Space is limited to 12 participants. The retreat is already half full, so book now to reserve your spot! You can either pay in full or make two payments. Your second payment would be due no later than August 1, 2024.
About your Retreat Facilitator Jessica Falcon:
A former lawyer turned mystic, Jessica Falcon is an International Soul Embodiment Guide & Divine Feminine Activator. She guides you to reclaim your divine power and sovereignty so you experience true freedom.
After leaving the legal profession in 2013 to embark on a spiritual pilgrimage, Jessica experienced an 8-year initiation into divine feminine power. During this time, she spent years researching religious history, ancient civilizations, and mythology. She has identified the core beliefs – deeply embedded in the individual and collective psyche – that keep us from owning our power, speaking our truth, and liberating our sexuality.
Jessica hosts the Soul Sovereignty & Sexuality Podcast. Her private and group portals of transformation are designed to help you create deep levels of internal safety so you can fully be and express all of who you are. Jessica’s training includes everything from somatic and emotional intelligence to nervous system resilience, empathy, authentic communication, trauma-informed yoga, Egyptian tantra, shamanism, and mystery school teachings – not to mention whole-body healing, herbalism, and deep initiations and teachings from the goddess herself.