Community Calendar

The Greenville Jazz Collective Jazz Underground series presents pianist Keith Davis performing “Jazz Conspiracy: Free and Uncensored” with fellow musical explorers Ron Brendle on bass and Al Sergel on drums.

Keith and the guys will be presenting a wide-ranging program of original music, ranging from straight ahead modern jazz to free improvisation. This program is music that you won’t hear everyday around town!

They’ll be performing in our venue, the Coffee Underground Theater, which is an intimate listening room which also serves homemade desserts, delicious coffee from beans roasted on premises, and an assortment of teas, wine, and cocktails.

Each summer hundreds of people come together in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina for the Annual Firefly Gathering, the largest earthskills gathering in the country. Skilled instructors, artists, musicians, speakers and thinkers co-create this experience to expand our capacity to live well with one another and our beloved Earth.

With over three hundred diverse classes to choose from, days are focused on deepening our relationship with the wisdom and rhythms of nature. Both classes and youth programs dip into the deep wells of ancestral knowledge, inspiring learning, play, and sharing skills that all ages can integrate into our daily lives and communities.

Evenings are filled with live music, poetry, stories, dancing and drumming under the moon and stars, opportunities to connect, and of course–the fireflies–who dazzle us with their beautiful display of light as they find each other in the darkness! For many, coming to The Firefly Gathering is a life-changing experience that they return to year after year.

Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! Arbor Evenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays through September 18, 2025, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Enjoy an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage from the bar, located on the lawn, between 4:00-8:00 PM.

Schedule:
5:30-6:45 PM Wabi Sabi (Celtic, acoustic, instrumental)
7:15-8:30 PM Jane De Cuir (multidimensional singer/songwriter, raised with Big Band, Blues, Rock & Roll)
4:00-8:30 PM Appalachian Chic (southern style food truck)

Wild Earp comes to Asheville with his hot band as part of Double Crown's Western Wednesday series, along with local honky tonker Brody Hunt. Expect good old fashioned country & western tunes and plenty of dancing.

An evening of live performances showcasing amazing abilities and comedic acts.
Headliners:
Rick StrongBack -
Carrying on the Legacy of Oldetime Strongmen & Strongwomen performers, Rick StrongBack astounds and amazes audiences with fantastic Feats-Of-Strength.
The art of oldetime feats of strength is a balance of raw brute force coupled with well-practiced finesse. Many stunts such as bending steel bare-handed and tearing phonebooks with grip alone began as tests of prowess. They have since evolved into displays of extreme devotion to pushing the human body past its
limits!
Parker Vahn Haus-
A circus artist with a classical ballet background, Parker Vahn Haus is dripping with camp. A local van lifer and artist bringing something a little edgy covered in rhinestones. She’s a one woman show filled with fire and aerial acts.
Featuring:
Spoony Juggler-
One half of the Juggling Team, The Dynamic Do-Over
One Quarter of Forty Fingers and a Missing Tooth
and One Hell of a performer, all by his lonesome.
Toybox the Clown-
The Clown Alter Ego of Toybox Theatre, America's Favorite Cartoon Witch.
Mr. Face-
Asheville's Wack Wizard of Weird and member of
Asheville's Two or More Iconical Clowns
Mackenzie Manent-
Stand Up Comedian from Greenville, SC. Stand Up that's actually funny.

Hosted By:
Rigel the Clown
Another Member of Asheville's Two or More Iconical Clowns
and Show Producer

A lover's triangle and the nations first highly publicized crime of passion. This is the story behind the famous award winning international ballad "Tom Dooley" by The Kingston Trio. Tom Dula (Dooley). Tom was hanged for the murder of Laura Foster. But many believe he was innocent of the crime. Come see it unfold before your very eyes onstage at Benton Hall, 300 D Street, North Wilkesboro, NC this July - and you decide Tom's innocence or guilt.

Four concerts featuring area musicians who have all had their music featured on WNCW.
Jun 13 - The Lillie Syracuse Trio
Jul 11 - Slow Runner
Aug 8 - R. Shayne Floyd
Sep 12 - The Wilder Flower
These free outdoor concerts are overseen by the Saluda Downtown Foundation, a 501(c)3 charity, and made possible by a grant from the Saluda Community Fund of the Polk County Community Foundation. The concerts go on rain or shine.

YMSB & RRE After Party with

Suns of Stars

Orbiting around Asheville’s grateful music scene since late 2023, Suns Of Stars blends contemporary and traditional bluegrass with a high energy jam style.

At its core lies the trio of Alex Bazemore (guitar), and Asheville’s own Jackson Chisholm (upright bass) and Johnny Humphries (mandolin), son of local Bluegrass legend Don Humphries. As Suns Of Stars has been gathering momentum they’ve picked up Alex Ball (fiddle) and Jason Flournoy (banjo). Suns Of Stars members are all hometown heros in various musical projects around town which has led to great turnout at their shows. That, along with a massive song repertoire and growing list of original music make for a unique performance each time.

Beach Babes Standup Comedy Show
The Orange Peel
July 11, 8p-9:30pm
$18
Beach vibes in the mountain! Standup Comedy of Roman Fraden, featuring Cayla Clark, Zandra Johnson & Makenzie Manent. Guest spot by the Leah Garth. Hosted by Hilliary Begley

Beach Babes Standup Comedy Show brings the vibes to the mountains in the heart of downtown Asheville! Roman Fraden his not for the faint of heart. 18+
Roman is a Los Angeles-based comedian and a regular performer at classic Hollywood venues including The Comedy Store, The Laugh Factory, and The Hollywood Improv. He has trained with Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) Theatre, performed in various ensemble casts in film and on stage, and has opened for Mark Normand, Margaret Cho, and Patton Oswald. His one man show ‘Back In The Closet’ made it's world premiere at Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2018. He currently is living in Asheville while still performing everywhere.
Host Hilliary Begley from NETFLIX & AMAZON PRIME, this beach babe will keep you laughing.
Featuring Cayla Clark from BLIND DATELIVE, who is very pregnant on this show but still one of the funniest people around (check out her famous instagram).
Also featuring comedy favorites Zandra Johnson & Makenzie Manent, with a guest spot by the always zany Leah Garth.

Join us once again for good times with great artists! Voted the region's favorite 17 years running, The Big Crafty features 180 of the brightest stars in our creative community.

Sat $10 (tix available at the box office on event day) // Sun FREE Community Day
NOON to 6PM
thebigcrafty.com

❤️‍🔥

Join us for an enchanting afternoon in the gardens with vendors, food and FAIRIES!! Fun, educational activities for kids, music and dance are sure to provide a magical experience for all.

Admission is free for children and adults dressed in mythical attire, $3 for non-costumed adults. Admission proceeds and a portion of vendor proceeds benefit the Daniel Boone Native Gardens, a non-profit garden which highlights the importance of native plants.

Located in Daniel Boone Park - stop by after the Watauga County Farmers' Market.

Born and raised in North Carolina, the Tan and Sober Gentlemen began taking in the songs, stories, and tunes that make up their beloved state’s musical tradition before they could talk.

The music of the Carolinas, (and Appalachia in general) stems from the marriage of the Irish fiddle and the African banjo, which first met in the American South before the Revolution. The Tan and Sober Gentlemen aim to bring these traditions full circle. They play Irish tunes, ballads, and pub songs right next to the Appalachian fiddle tunes of their youth, melding the two into what they call “Irish-American hillbilly music.”

Meanwhile, they have earned a reputation as one of the South’s hardest-hitting live acts, playing at blazing tempos and putting every last bit of energy they possess into the show. The result is a raucous celebration of the Carolinas’ Irish heritage, with drinking, dancing, and merriment galore. Since their formation in 2017, the six-piece band has toured the US and Ireland, playing festivals such as MerleFest, Blue Ox Festival, IBMA Bluegrass Live!, Bristol Rhythm and Roots, Appaloosa Festival, FloydFest, Ramble Fest, Shakori Hills (US), and Electric Picnic, Spraoi, and the world’s largest festival of Irish traditional music, the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (Ireland). In January of 2024, in their home of Alamance County, they sold out their show at the Haw River Ballroom, recording a live album with a crowd of 800 people. “Live at the Haw River Ballroom” was released in February 2025. They released their sophomore record, Regressive Folk Music, in June 2022, and their debut record, Veracity, was named by Shite’n’Onions as one of the five best Celtic punk records of 2019 and 2020.

🌿🌎Calling all nature fans, climate champs, and curious minds! 🌎🌿
Join MountainTrue and NC Conservation Network for a night of environmental trivia where you can flex your knowledge on forests, rivers, wildlife, climate, and all things green.

📅 Date: Wednesday, July 16th
🕖 Time: 7 to 8:30 pm
📍 Location: The RAD Brewing Co. 13 Mystery St. Asheville, NC 28801

🍃 Free to play
🌟 Prizes for the sharpest green minds
🥤 Snacks, drinks & good company
👥 Come solo or bring a team (up to 6)

We’ll see you in the wild (or at least at the trivia table)! (Sign-ups not required, but encouraged).

Spafford is known for their astonishing improvisational ability and off-the-cuff extended jams, Spafford paints a picture in real-time each night with a musical palette known only to each other. It’s a private language comprised of both their talent as musicians as well as their formidable catalog of influences, spanning 90’s alt-rock radio hits to Steely Dan and The Crystal Method. Each Spafford show is a sonic pilgrimage, the journey of a team of musicians so in tune with each other that a single note communicates intent and purpose. Spafford is amongst the most creative and hard-traveling bands on the contemporary jam scene, performing countless sold-out headline dates along with high profile festival sets at Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Firefly Music Festival, and many others.

Get ready to kick up your heels and do-si-do for a good cause at the Second Annual Hendersonville Hoedown!

This ain’t your average Saturday night—join us for a rootin’-tootin’ evening of square dancing, toe-tappin’ tunes, and good old-fashioned fun, all in support of the Junior Appalachian Musicians of Henderson County (JAM Kids).

Join us for an unforgettable evening with:

🎻 Live Traditional Appalachian Music provided by JAM Kids & Instructors – Feel the rhythm of fiddles, banjos, and mountain harmonies that’ll have you dancing in no time
🕺 Square Dancing – Family dance for all ages and levels, beginners welcome!
🎂 A Cake Walk – Win homemade treats
🍖 A BBQ Buffet – Because dancing works up an appetite
🎟️ Raffles, games, and plenty more surprises

💥 PLUS – Enter our special online raffle for a chance to win a pair of 3-day tickets to the 2025 Earl Scruggs Music Festival!
That’s right—TWO lucky winners and their guests will enjoy three days of incredible music and memories at one of the region’s most beloved festivals. Winners will be announced at the event. Click here to learn more.

Whether you’re a seasoned dancer or just in it for the food and good vibes, this is one event you don't want to miss!

Spots are limited—grab your tickets now!

Henderson County Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM Kids) is operated by the French Broad Valley Music Association and is an after-school program for children ages 8-17 to learn regional mountain music and dance.

And a special thank you to this year's sponsors: Hendersonville & Mills River Family Dentistry, United Community Bank, Trailside Brewing Co., Sky Top Orchard, and Stipe Creative.

Asheville native Jonathan brings home a fascinating 70-minute exploration of applied psychology and perception. Having graced America's Got Talent, Penn & Teller's Fool Us, and consulted for Criss Angel in Las Vegas, he elevates mentalism into an intellectually riveting experience. Through sophisticated psychological demonstrations, discover how suggestion, behavioral insight, and keen observation create apparently impossible mind reading. This isn't magic—it's psychology made tangible. An evening that will challenge your assumptions about human consciousness while providing the refined intrigue that sophisticated audiences crave.