The Laurel of Asheville‘s Community Events Calendar
If you would like to submit an event to appear in our online Community Events Calendar, please visit our submission page.
The Laurel of Asheville is a lifestyle magazine focused on the arts, culture, and communities of Western North Carolina, and submitted events should fall within this context. If your event occurs over several days, please submit multiple events. Events extending beyond a month will not be accepted. All submissions are subject to editorial approval and edits for clarity and style before being published online. If you are going to include a photograph, please be certain that you have the rights to utilize that image. If there is a question about image rights, we may remove the image. Also, images should be no larger than 2000 pixels wide. Large images will prevent the event from being submitted. Please allow up to 5 days for your even to be posted. If you encounter difficulties submitting an event, please email [email protected].
Cake & Cocktails: Exhibition Opening + 30th Birthday
October 9 @ 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Free
Cake, cocktails, and 30 years of craft! Join us at Center for Craft on October 9, 2026, as we celebrate the Center’s 30th birthday and the opening of our newest exhibition, Crafting Variance.
The evening begins with a talk featuring guest curator Lola Ben-Alon, Assistant Professor at Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation and founder and director of the Natural Materials Lab. Afterwards, guests are invited to enjoy an array of cakes, cocktails, craft activities, and time to explore the exhibition as we mark three decades of moving craft forward together.
Crafting Variance brings together nine artists exploring the surprising possibilities of natural, living, and discarded materials—from clay and plant fibers to fungi, bacteria, and recycled plastics. Through sculpture, objects, film, and material experiments, the exhibition celebrates the unpredictable nature of making and the ways artists collaborate with materials—embracing their quirks and potential to push the boundaries of craft.
Come celebrate with us!
Event Details:
WHEN
Friday, October 9, 2026
5:30–6:00 PM | Curator Talk
6:00–8:00 PM | Cake & Cocktails Birthday Celebration
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