Community Calendar

Thirty years ago, RENT ignited Broadway like a lightning bolt — a raw, raucous, Pulitzer Prize–winning love letter that gave voice to the misfits, the rebels, the ones who loved without permission. Three decades later, its fire still burns.

In the East Village, a patchwork of outsiders fight to create and survive in a city that’s forgotten them. They turn struggle into art and fear into defiance. Through loss, love, and the noise of the city, they find strength together in the face of adversity.

Based on Puccini’s masterpiece, La Bohème, and fueled by its electric rock score and unflinching humanity, RENT is one of the most influential musicals of the 20th century, reimagined this season with the bold artistry of Flat Rock Playhouse. Join the revolution. No Day But Today.

Event Times: 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM
TICKETS STARTING AT: $60
Child Pricing Available (17 & under)

MTN VIBEZ Presents Latin Night every Wednesday. Dance Lessons 8:30-9 PM-All Skill Levels and All Latin Genres-Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Cumbia, Reggaeton. Open dance is from 9 pm-midnight.

$10 cover

Join our intercultural summer day camps where children 6-12 years old explore music creation, international dance, music instrument building, and other forms of art in a joyful and supportive environment. Each child receives personal attention and a meaningful creative experience.

The southern Appalachians are world-renowned for different types of fungi, from mushrooms to lichens, and are home to more than 2,000 species. Here’s a chance to learn about the lifestyle and habitats of fungi, as well as observe many kinds of fungal fruiting bodies, including mushrooms growing at higher elevations. Participants will learn how to identify them by size, shape and color. You will also inoculate a log with shiitake mushroom mycelium to take home with you. After an interactive introduction to the fungi kingdom, which includes inoculating the logs, we’ll take a short slow stroll in search of mushrooms growing on the mountain to collect representatives of different fungal families to study back in the classroom. Through this workshop and field exploration, you’ll learn about fungal habitats, toxicology and the important roles fungi play in the forest ecosystem. The workshop is designed for beginners, but veteran foragers will also glean new insights. Tickets for this event go on sale online on Grandfather Mountain’s website June 8 at 10 a.m. Advance registration required.

The word craft-itarianism was coined by 2026 Center for Craft Curatorial Fellow Alyssa Velazquez to name artistic projects that generate employment, raise awareness, or offer therapeutic support through craft. These programs provide a space where people affected by addiction, incarceration, and gun violence can find solidarity while learning a skill.

Craft-itarianism: Community Action Through Craft celebrates nonprofits and artists who believe in—and actively practice—the power of craft to support and empower individuals and communities.

This exhibition was curated by 2026 Center for Craft Curatorial Fellow Alyssa Velazquez. Launched in 2017, the Curatorial Fellowship supports emerging curators exploring new ideas about craft with mentorship, professional development, and a $5,000 honorarium to realize an exhibition.

On view February 27, 2026–September 27, 2026.

The Earl Scruggs Center Presents - Mason Via in concert

Elk River Helping Hands is hosting Gary Morris and Presley Barker at Lees McRae College Hayes Auditorium August 8, 2025. Doors at 6pm. Show at 7pm.

Proceeds from the concert will help your neighbors in Avery and Watauga counties of NC as they work to rebuild their homes, jobs, and lives in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

Special VIP Reception at Elk River Country Club ($225 per person) will offer artist meet and greet, cocktails, and hors de oeuvres along with a silent auction. 100% of tickets sold will support the Elk River Helping Hands efforts in the area.

Info and tickets at elkriverhelpinghands.org

The Jazz Showcase is curated by esteemed pianist, scholar, and UNC Asheville music professor Dr. Bill Bares; this showcase series is dedicated to bringing the region’s finest jazz musicians and most compelling sounds to our stage in a true listening room experience.

Thirty years ago, RENT ignited Broadway like a lightning bolt — a raw, raucous, Pulitzer Prize–winning love letter that gave voice to the misfits, the rebels, the ones who loved without permission. Three decades later, its fire still burns.

In the East Village, a patchwork of outsiders fight to create and survive in a city that’s forgotten them. They turn struggle into art and fear into defiance. Through loss, love, and the noise of the city, they find strength together in the face of adversity.

Based on Puccini’s masterpiece, La Bohème, and fueled by its electric rock score and unflinching humanity, RENT is one of the most influential musicals of the 20th century, reimagined this season with the bold artistry of Flat Rock Playhouse. Join the revolution. No Day But Today.

Event Times: 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM
TICKETS STARTING AT: $60
Child Pricing Available (17 & under)

Join our intercultural summer day camps where children 6-12 years old explore music creation, international dance, music instrument building, and other forms of art in a joyful and supportive environment. Each child receives personal attention and a meaningful creative experience.