Biltmore Gardens Railway in the Conservatory pays homage to Biltmore’s founder George Vanderbilt, who was born into a well-known railroad family. His grandfather Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt spent his life building an empire based on shipping and railroad concerns. Hundreds of feet of track carry G-scale locomotives and railcars through multiple rooms in Biltmore’s Conservatory, and weave through exotic botanicals and miniature replicas of estate landmarks. Created by Applied Imagination, an award-winning crew of artists, botanical experts, and landscape designers known…

Waynesville, NC Shelton House will open for its 2021 Season on Saturday, May 1, promising to bring more "History, Heritage and Crafts" to the residents and visitors of Western Carolina. With hopes of a better season, warmer weather and Covid Vaccines, Shelton House is committed to bringing safe, family friendly events, and museum tours to its beautiful campus. The Shelton Campus is comprised of The Shelton House "Museum of NC Handicrafts", the Shelton Carriage House Gift Shop filled with beautiful…

The MGM Farmers’ Market will open for the 2021 season on Thursday, May 6, on the grounds of the Mountain Gateway Museum (MGM) at 24 Water Street in Old Fort. The market will be held from 3-6 p.m. every Thursday—rain or shine—through October 7. Fresh, locally grown vegetables, fruits, herbs, meats, eggs, honey, flowers, plants, and other products will be available, when in season, as well as craft items, such as quilts, aprons, pillows, and face masks.

The MGM Farmers’ Market will open for the 2021 season on Thursday, May 6, on the grounds of the Mountain Gateway Museum (MGM) at 24 Water Street in Old Fort. The market will be held from 3-6 p.m. every Thursday—rain or shine—through October 7. Fresh, locally grown vegetables, fruits, herbs, meats, eggs, honey, flowers, plants, and other products will be available, when in season, as well as craft items, such as quilts, aprons, pillows, and face masks.

ROLODEX. Craft a Conversation is a growing index of self-identified Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) working in craft today. Initiated by Warren Wilson College’s MA in Critical Craft Studies during April 2021 in response to a nearly 70% increase in violence against AAPI communities, this project is centered on people, their descriptions of themselves, and their connections to craft - rather than on the objects they create. Why focus on Asian American and Pacific Islanders working through craft? According…

The daughter, granddaughter, and sister of carpenters, artist and material culture scholar BA Harrington carries craft lineage into contemporary practice. Part of a growing, intersectional cohort of women-identifying woodworkers, Harrington learned her trade, like many before her, by reproducing furniture forms of the past. Her solo exhibition, Suite Américaine, holds a reverence for the history of American furnituremaking, but is inflected with a contemporary feminist imagination. This body of work references late-seventeenth through early-nineteenth century dower chests, writing desks, and…

Reflections in Pastel will feature the art of Lenoir artist Roberta C. Kogut and will be on display starting July 9, 2021 through August 27, 2021. Roberta Kogut studied art at Baldwin-Wallace College, but painting took a back seat for years while life led her down various paths. When she and her husband, Bob, moved to the Happy Valley community over twenty years ago, she finally found the time, space, and inspiration to create and paint again. Roberta has always…

Help local underprivileged students start the school year with the supplies they need for success! Asheville Outlets will host a Pack 2 School Supplies Drive from Saturday, July 10 through Saturday, August 7, 2021.

All good things must come to an end. On Thursday, July 29, Dr. Erica Abrams Locklear of UNCA will conclude our Intro to WNC Lecture Series with a discussion of literature and stereotypes of western North Carolina and Appalachia. From traveler accounts and color writers, to stereotyped hillbillies and a romanticized land, this presentation examines the changes in the depictions of this region and its peoples over time. Join us at 6:30 pm for this virtual event. Erica Abrams Locklear…

BMC Resident Conductor Ken Lam leads the Brevard Music Center Orchestra, as virtuosic pianist Norman Krieger brings his unique depth, sensitivity, and flair to this masterwork for soloist and orchestra. PERFORMANCE & ARTIST DETAILS Brevard Music Center Orchestra Ken Lam, conductor Norman Krieger, piano Caroline Shaw | Entr’acte Ludwig van Beethoven | Piano Concerto No. 3 Franz Joseph Haydn | Symphony No. 104, “London”

July 29, Schaefer Center and ticketed livestream, 8 pm $40 in-person / $15 livestream Called “a master of the genre” by The New York Times, Sarah Jones is a Tony® and Obie Award-winning performer and writer known for her multi-character, one-person shows (Broadway hit Bridge & Tunnel and her current critically-acclaimed Sell/Buy/Date). Jones has also appeared in film and TV projects ranging from Sesame Street to Broad City to recent Oscar nominee Marriage Story.

The need continues! Please consider signing up today for one of two American Red Cross blood donation drives to be held at Asheville Outlets during July. Each drive will be held in Suite 348 across from RH Outlet. Dates are Fridays, July 2 and July 30, 2021, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Donors are asked to register in advance by visiting RedCrossBlood.org/give and entering the sponsor code AshevilleOutlets. All Blood Donations are tested for COVID-19 Antibody. Blood donation organizers…

July 30, Schaefer Center plus free livestream, 7pm $35 in-person A Violin Channel Event! Commonly referred to as “Pianist with the Hair” because of his distinctive look, Julian Gargiulo is a renowned classical pianist and composer who performs all over the world, in prestigious venues from New York’s Carnegie Hall to Singapore’s Symphony Stage, interacting with his audience to provide a truly memorable experience. “Expect to revise any preconceived notions you have about classical music concerts. … Saturday Night Live…

Celebrate the brilliant music of legendary film composer John Williams, as Richard Kaufman and the BMC Orchestra play some of the most familiar and haunting melodies forever immortalized on the silver screen. PERFORMANCE & ARTIST DETAILS Brevard Music Center Orchestra Richard Kaufman, conductor

Join us for this special night at The Center for Art & Entertainment in downtown Hendersonville. The Hendersonville Symphony begins its celebration of Simone, Sandburg, and the American Symphony with "The American Songbag." Carl Sandburg's 1927 anthology The American Songbag was a massively influential song collection that heralded the rise of the widespread appreciation of American folksong. The HSO's principal wind quintet (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and horn) will be performing folksong-inspired works by Dvorak, Still, Simone, and even Dylan…

Magical things are happening at the Fairy Trail this year. Don't miss out on the Fairy Market, July 31 & August 28, 9:30-3:30. Shop for fairy themed items like Fairy crowns, unicorn headbands, wands, gnome hats, take home fairy kits, t-shirts and so much more! Come see what the fairies have created in their secret village! Visit the Fairy Trail July 31 & August 28 and sign up for a Zentangle class with Michelle Marshall, CZT. These cool art classes…

We just had such a good time that we are coming back for more y’all! Join us at Ross Farms at Jack Young's Greenhouse for a FREE, family friendly, COVID cautious celebration of fun on Saturday, July 31st from 12 noon to 4 pm! New Orleans Cuisine will be there serving some DELICIOUS southern themed food and Joker’s Trade will be back for round two with groovy live music. We’re also super excited for Ryles Monroe’s album drop for his…

An exclusive event to honor two of Haywood County’s most outstanding artists and historians. There will be a full day of activities, along with the award presentation at the resort to celebrate their work. The event will culminate with dinner at J. Arthurs on Saturday night, where the lives of both nationally known artists will be celebrated with guests and family members. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS –SATURDAY, JULY 31 1:00 PM: Welcome and introduction by Bob Plott and Mel Hankla 1:30…

Old Sap is an Indie Folk Rock/Americana band from Asheville, NC. An intersection of traditional and modern sounds, where your toes meet and kick the earth. We will have a food truck on site. Visit turguabrewing.com for all brewery info!

Join us for a beautiful Sound Healing Concert inside the majestic Cave of Salt with performances by our friend from Skinny Beats Drum Shop and Gallery - Billy Zanski. Come enjoy the sounds of singing crystal bowls, unique African instruments, and various drums. The music will vibrate throughout the walls of the Salt Cave, reaching and healing the deepest parts of your soul.

Celebrate the brilliant music of legendary film composer John Williams, as Richard Kaufman and the BMC Orchestra play some of the most familiar and haunting melodies forever immortalized on the silver screen. PERFORMANCE & ARTIST DETAILS Brevard Music Center Orchestra Richard Kaufman, conductor

July 31, State Farm Road Concert Lot, 8 pm 2, 4 and 6-person pods: $70/$130/$180 The soulful songs of the Gullah culture are brought to life by this Grammy-winning quintet of native South Carolinians who mix Low Country traditions with large doses of jazz, gospel, funk, and R&B. “Gullah” comes from West African language and means “a people blessed by God.” “Ranky Tanky” translates loosely as “Work It” or “Get Funky.” From playful game songs to ecstatic shouts, from heartbreaking…

Mountain Makers Craft Market is a monthly indie art fair designed to cultivate community in Western NC. Located in Downtown Waynesville, we bring together 20+ artisans selling handmade and vintage goods that'll make you smile! Join us on the first Sunday of each month from 12-4 pm at 308 N. Haywood Street, and visit MountainMakersMarket.com

Jazz guitar phenom Stephen Karla of the Hot Club of Asheville will be swingin' the afternoon away with hot tunes at Turgua Brewing! We will have a food truck on site. Visit turguabrewing.com for all brewery info!

Ryan Perry is performing an acoustic show on August 5th at 7pm! The Ryan Perry band plays a blend of country and the blues, and all your favorite new hits! Check out his New EP "Yea,” https://www.facebook.com/RyanPerryMusic1 Facebook Event: https://fb.me/e/1AWNzJPkM Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ryan-perry-concert-tickets-161708503487

After missing last year due to the pandemic, the Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair returns to Burnsville’s Town Square Aug. 6-7. The fair, now in its 64th year, is a perennial favorite that showcases handmade art of all kinds. From wood carvings and sculptures to pottery, jewelry, yard decor and clothing, vendors present their varied talents. This year’s show, which is always juried, places a particular emphasis on locally made crafts. The Toe River valley is home to a large concentration…

“LOGOLEPSY: An obsession with words” will feature artwork by Jenna Bailey, and will be on display starting August 6, 2021 through September 24, 2021 (open Tuesday-Friday 9am-5pm, free to the public). Jenna Bailey is a local artist and art teacher at Hibriten High School in Lenoir, NC. She graduated from UNC Greensboro in 2009 with a BFA in Art Education and a concentration in painting. She has taught high school level art for 11 years in Wilkes and Caldwell counties,…

Riyen Roots is an American blues, soul and roots artist residing in the music-rich mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. He is currently among the busiest performing acts in the Southeast, having played 150+ annual shows for the past fifteen years. Come see him at Continuum on August 6th at 7pm. Facebook Event: https://fb.me/e/1pACPNkRi Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/riyen-roots-concert-tickets-161710126341

On Thursday, August 5, the Sierra Club presents Dave Erb, an automotive engineer and professor, who will tell us what’s new in the electric vehicle market and why now might be the time for you to get one. The event will be held over Zoom from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. It is free and open to the public. Register in advance at or via this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qdeygpjooHdJfD0E6gyBBGTNn7F7BIYKD After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the…

Ready to hit the old dusty trail and explore the history of the Buncombe Turnpike? Join us Saturday, August 7 as special guest Lauren May of the Vance Birthplace State Historic Site partners with the Western North Carolina Historical Association to lead a hike in the historic Saluda Gap. This area was the southern terminus of the Buncombe Turnpike along the NC/SC border. The route ran north through this pass, predominantly along the French Broad River, to the NC/TN border,…

Continuum Art gallery and venue’s grand opening is going down August 7th, 2021! Featuring a free to the public art market from 12-5pm, and live music all day! This event will set the stage for all that’s to come at Continuum Art. Stop by and meet some local artists and makers, enjoy dance performances from two local troupes, and take in the sounds of local acoustic, rock and blues musicians. Facebook Event: https://fb.me/e/VPTCkKuo

Always the not-to-be-missed concert of the season! Celebrate BMC’s mission and the next generation of classical musicians as we shine the spotlight on our most talented young students- winners of the prestigious Jan and Beattie Wood Concerto Competition in performance with the Brevard Music Center Orchestra conducted by Artistic Director Keith Lockhart. PERFORMANCE & ARTIST DETAILS Brevard Music Center Orchestra Keith Lockhart, conductor Concerto Competition Winners Zoltán Kodály | The Peacock Variations Competition Winning Concertos Additional programming to be announced…

Maestro Lockhart closes our 85th Anniversary Season with Tchaikovsky’s electrifying Fourth Symphony and the return of BMC favorite Garrick Ohlsson, a pianist of “magisterial interpretive and technical prowess” in Beethoven’s 4th Piano Concerto PERFORMANCE & ARTIST DETAILS Brevard Music Center Orchestra Keith Lockhart, conductor Garrick Ohlosson, piano Ludwig van Beethoven | Piano Concerto No. 4 P.I. Tchaikovsky | Symphony No. 4

This cycling race is for all abilities! Test your fitness and challenge yourself to ride up this five mile climb as fast as you can. This is an individual, time-trial style event designed to challenge any type and ability of cyclist. You will be racing against the clock, and will leave in one minute increments. It is a race against yourself. This is not a mass start event. The one-way, time trial race starts at the Town of Laurel Park…

The ALR Trio will perform 3-6pm on August 8th as part of Continuum Art’s grand opening week celebrations! The ALR Trio is a Blues/Rock based band that evolved from three friends who never stopped playing music together even when everything else in the world seemed to stop. Come check out these virtuosos and experience their passion for musical excellence. Facebook Event: https://fb.me/e/1J5WPg27g Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/161712587703

Join us (virtually) on Tuesday, August 12 at 6:30 pm as we bring you a multi-generational discussion of Asheville’s historic Shiloh community. Shiloh is one of Asheville’s oldest historically Black communities, and was inhabited by many newly freed people after the Civil War. Owing to construction of the Biltmore Estate, and later changes wrought by highway and interstate development, many locals refer to both and old and new Shiloh because of changing boundaries and building locations. In this special panel,…

There is an unprecedented shortage of blood donations. Please sign up for the American Red Cross Blood Donation Drive at Asheville Outlets on Friday, August 13, 2021 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Suite 348 across from RH Outlet. The drive will be held in honor of Joseph S. Lane, Jr., a local Asheville resident who benefited from blood donations during a past, successful transplant surgery. Donors are asked to register in advance by visiting RedCrossBlood.org/give and entering the…

The Music Foundation of WNC presents the 3rd Annual Music Festival Hosted by the: Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra Presenting - A Parisian Tango on Broadway “The Americas” & “La France en Amérique” “This program is guaranteed to be the most innovative and creative performances that will totally inspire you and promises to be the most fascinating musical program to date”. “This is a jazz style program for classical musicians and everyone else will enjoy! Said Joann Freeburg, Founder of the Music…

Art Garden AVL Presents: “Medicine Heart” An exhibition of original large-scale collaborative paintings by Asheville, NC artists and Art Garden co-founders, Annie Kyla Bennett, Dillon Endico & Jack Henry Reception Celebration: August 14th, 5:30pm-8:30pm Exhibit On View From: July 30 - August 24 We invite you to celebrate with us for the first time that @MedicineHeartMurals has been able to show their full body of collaborative paintings all together in the same location. Each of these large-scale collaborations was created…

The Rhythm & Brews Concert Series brings together live music, great food and local beer, wine and cider! These free shows traditionally take place on the third Thursday of every month from May-September (July-October in 2021), closing part of South Main Street to make room for all the fun. The show begins with an opener at 5:30 p.m. followed by the headlining performance at 7:30 p.m. Kids love Rhythm & Brews, too! There’s a children’s area with games and activities…

The Shelton House - WNC History, Heritage, & Crafts, home of "The Museum of NC Handicrafts" in Waynesville will host its 3rd annual "Blue Ridge Heritage Weekend" on August 21 & 22, 2021 on the Shelton Campus located off Pigeon Street just 3 blocks from Main Street. The two day Arts & Crafts Fair will feature many artists and crafters, a variety of demonstrations, food, drink, and several local bands featuring Appalachian music . The Shelton Carriage House Gift Shop,…

In times of need, the Blood Connection is there to lend a helping hand. Please consider making a donation at Asheville Outlets’ Blood Connection Mobile Blood Donation Drive on Saturday, August 21 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The mobile blood bus will be parked in the parking lot behind the food court. Donors are asked to register in advance by visiting TheBloodConnection.org and entering the sponsor code AshevilleOutlets. Organizers will practice advanced safety protocols. For more information, visit ShopAshevilleOutlets.com.

Join Black Mountain Recreation for the 2021 Arm's Length Adventures Series! This series consists of a wide variety of free or affordable outdoor programs for adventure-seekers of all ages and experience levels. Registration for all hikes, bike rides, and river cleanups is FREE. Registration for all YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly sessions is $12 per person. Each program is limited to a small group of 10-15 participants in order to create a more personal experience, while also better ensuring everyone's safety.…

This glass pumpkin extravaganza features the prolific Pumpkin patch created by Guild Member Michael Hatch, as well as several guest glass pumpkin Artists from Asheville . glass pumpkins will be available for purchase and glass pumpkin making demonstrations will be ongoing!

Mountain Makers Craft Market is a monthly indie art fair designed to cultivate community in Western NC. Located in Downtown Waynesville, we bring together 30+ artisans selling handmade and vintage goods that'll make you smile! Join us on the first Sunday of each month from 12-4 pm at 308 N. Haywood Street, and visit MountainMakersMarket.com