- The Biltmore Estate ~ world famous mansion, estate grounds,
winery, greenhouses, Inn, special events/concerts.
- Grove Park Inn ~ historic resort on Asheville's Sunset Mountain, built in 1912. (You don't have to stay there to look around! Check out their History
link.)
- LaZoom Tours ~
ride the purple bus for a 90-minute outrageous, historic, comedy
tour of Asheville. Reserve on line or by telephone. (828)
225-6932.
- Asheville
Historic Trolley Tour ~ 90-minute narrated tour onboard a
vintage trolley, with humorous stories and historical information.
Also, Sat. evening Ghost Trolley Tour of haunted Asheville.
(888)667-3600, (828)681-8585
- Asheville Brews
Cruise ~ behind the scenes of Asheville's renowned brewing
culture to 3 microbreweries. VIP experiences, generous samples,
"beer 101," live music, and a commemorative pint
glass.
- Blue Ridge
Motion Pictures Studio Tour ~ 60-90
minute tour, an insider’s view of
making movies, 10:30am Saturdays. Call to
reserve. BRMP also offers Day camps for teens. Asheville, near
River Ridge Mall. (828)296-1499.
- The Health
Adventure ~ health & science museum for children and families.
Programs and exhibits to improve health awareness, promote wellness
lifestyles, and increase science literacy, as you explore the wonders
of the human body and the world around us. At Pack Place in
downtown Asheville.
- Cradle of
Forestry ~ National Historic Site, the birthplace of forestry in
America. Info Center, hiking trails, gift shop.
- Pisgah National
Forest ~ In the
mountains of western North Carolina, this
157,000-acre district ranges in elevation from
2,000 feet to the 6,410-ft. Richland Balsam
Mountain.
- Blue Ridge
Parkway ~ this
scenic drive extends 469 miles through the
southern Appalachians of Virginia and North
Carolina, linking Shenandoah and the Great Smoky Mountain National Parks along the crest of the
Blue Ridge Mountains. Pisgah Inn (SW of
Asheville) offers food almost as fine as the
view... gift shop, motel, campground, and hiking
trail to the top of Mt. Pisgah.
- Blue Ridge
Parkway Guide
- WNC Nature
Center ~ living
museum exhibiting animals and plants of the
Southern Appalachian Mountains. Butterfly garden,
red wolf, mountain lions and bobcats, bears,
snakes; pet the farm animals, and explore the
interactive Nature Lab. Great place to take kids.
- The North
Carolina Arboretum
~ beautiful public gardens, hiking and
mountain-bicycle trails,
greenhouse, and educational activities for all
ages.
- Carl Sandburg
Home ~ National Historic Site,
Connemara is the 245-acre farm where
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carl Sandburg and
his family lived the last 22 years of his life.
Visitor Center, 22 room house (small fee for
tour), goat barn, gift shop, rolling pastures,
mountainside woods, hiking trails, 2 small lakes,
trout pond, gardens, and orchard. Free outdoor
plays in summer based on Sandburg's life &
works by actors from Flat Rock Playhouse next
door.
- Land of
Waterfalls ~ over
250 waterfalls are nestled in the mountains in
Brevard & Transylvania County
- Chimney Rock Park ~ 1,000 acres overlooking Hickory Nut
Gorge. Take elevator 26 stories inside the
mountain, hike down. Inspiration Point, Falls,
Nature Center. Privately owned Natural Heritage
Site. (25 mi. se of Avl)
625-9611; (800)277-9611
- Linville
Caverns ~ limestone caverns with
stalactite formations inside Humpback Mountain,
near Blue Ridge Pkwy. (800)419-0540
- Grandfather Mountain ~ mile-high swinging footbridge; deer,
panthers, black bears in natural habitat; nature
museum; hiking/picnicking; overlooks. U.N.
International Biosphere Reserve; 47 rare or
endangered species. (800) 468-7325
- Cherokee NC ~ Cherokee history, culture, and art
presented at museums & attractions on
the 56,000 acre reservation. The Museum of the
Cherokee Indian, Oconaluftee Indian
Village,
Qualla Arts & Crafts Cooperative, Unto These Hills outdoor
drama. (800)
438-1601 (one hour west of Asheville)
- Harrah's
Casino, Cherokee ~
2,300 electronic video games: video
poker/craps/blackjack & pull-tab. 1,500-seat theater & name entertainment.
1-800-HARRAHS
- Great Smoky Mountains Railway (800-872-4681) in Dillsboro (1 hr. west
of Avl; 15 min. from Cherokee). Scenic half- to
full-day excursions with views of the mountains,
winding rivers, and lakes. Steam or Diesel trips. Special trips include Mystery
Theater Dinner Train, Gourmet Dinner Train, Bunny
Train, Santa Train; Train & Rafting
combos.
- Tweetsie
Railroad ~ NC's first theme
park. A trip back into the days of the Old West. A 3-mile train
ride through the scenic mountains… but watch out for train
robbers! Tweetsie RR also has live entertainment, Country Fair
rides, Deer Park. 2 hours north of Avl, in Blowing Rock.
1-800-526-5740; open mid-May thru Halloween.
- Lake Lure ~ Lake
Lure Beach; Boat tours, marina, fun center: 625-8877. Bottomless
Pools: 625-8324. Hickory Nut Gorge Chamber of Commerce: (828) 625-2725
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- The Apple Festival ~ Labor
Day weekend on Main Street, downtown
Hendersonville. Booths, Food, Parade, Music,
celebrating the apple harvest.
- Asheville Film
Festival ~ November; four-day regional independent film festival showcasing
WNC as a filming location rich in talent & resources. A variety of independent
films (Feature length, Short films, and Documentaries); Student Film Competition, Industry Discussions, Location
Tours, Awards Celebration. In downtown Asheville, produced by the Cultural Arts Division of Asheville Parks & Recreation,
with the Asheville Film Commission.
- Bele Chere
Festival ~ outdoor
extravaganza for the entire family. On the last
weekend in July, the streets of Asheville fill
with music, arts & crafts, food, thousands of people, and
fun!
- First Night ~ Ring in the new year with Asheville's alcohol-free community cultural arts celebration.
Music, entertainment, food, & fireworks on New Year's Eve.
Sponsored by Buncombe Co. Parks & Recreation.
- NC Mountain
State Fair ~ held
in early September at the WNC Ag. Center near the
Asheville Airport
- Shindig on the
Green ~ Summer Saturday
evenings, Asheville's oldest continual
outdoor event ~ clogging, bluegrass & string
bands, musicians playing the whole spectrum of
Appalachian instruments. Jam starts about
sundown, City/County plaza, downtown Asheville.
- Mountain Dance
& Folk Festival
~ oldest festival of its kind in the U.S., since
the 1920s. Mountain musicians, clog dancers,
balladeers, and storytellers keep alive
Appalachian traditions started in the 18th &
19th centuries. Early August, downtown Asheville.
- Concerts on the Quad –
free outdoor entertainment series – bring-the-picnic-basket mix
of family-friendly music. Mondays at 7pm in June & July,
outdoors on the
UNC-A campus (if rainy, inside
Lipinsky Auditorium).
- Smilefest
~ jam-band rock & bluegrass camping music festival not far
from Asheville in early June.
- L.E.A.F.
~ Lake Eden Arts Festival in Black Mountain (May
& Oct) features a variety of great music
& folk dance
- Flat Rock Music
Fest ~ wide variety
of American music, songwriter & picking
workshops, dancing, crafts, camping. Spring
& Fall at Camp Ton-A-Wandah near Flat Rock
Playhouse
- Folkmoot ~ celebration of the world's cultural
heritage thru folk music & dance; 350+
performers from 10 countries, in colorful
costumes, playing music on unique instruments
- Kituwah ~ American Indian celebration of arts,
heritage, education
- The Swannanoa Gathering
~ summer workshops in various folk arts (music & dance) held on the campus of Warren Wilson College near Asheville. Each week also features public concerts.
- Asheville
Community Theatre ~
paid staff, volunteer actors, excellent
productions (6 shows per year, 2 are musicals),
acting classes for children. (828) 254-1320
- Asheville Choral Society
~ Carolina's classic voice since 1977, 140-voice
choir (by audition), performs 3-4 concerts
per year, directed by Lenora Thom. (828) 232-2060
- Womansong
of Asheville ~ women's community
chorus, singing pop/world music celebrating women's empowerment, spirituality,
humor. Unique, multi-dimensional shows. Directed by Debbie Nordeen. Benefits the New Start
Fund. www.womansong.org
- The Asheville Symphony ~ Founded 1965; Music Director: Daniel Meyer, performs monthly, (828)
254-7046
- Asheville Chamber
Music Series ~
(828) 658-2562. Five concerts a year featuring
nationally renowned artists of chamber
music. Founded 1952.
- Bravo Concerts (formerly
Asheville Community Concerts) ~ Cultural arts membership organization, founded in
1932, brings the finest in national and
international ballet, jazz, choral &
classical music. (828) 299-0820
- WNC Jazz
Society ~ monthly performances on Sundays. Excellence in straight-ahead jazz, vocal and instrumental acoustic music in the tradition of Ellington, Armstrong, Parker, Young, Holiday, Getz, Vaughn, etc.
Members receive discounted admission. (828)687-0407
- Asheville Lyric Opera ~
Professional opera company in Asheville, with educational outreach in area schools,
founded in 2000. Performances at Diana Wortham Theater. 828-236-0670
Email info
- Land
Of the Sky Chorus - men's chorus, member of Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America.
Email
- Song O' Sky
Chorus - Sweet
Adelines (828) 253-9090. In Asheville
since 1974, 32 women singing
"Barbershop" style four-part harmony.
- Asheville Puppetry
Alliance ~ created to establish a Regional Puppetry Center which unites artists and community through this ancient art.
(828)628-9576
- Old Farmer's Ball
~ Contra-dancing every Thursday night at Warren Wilson College
- Asheville
Community Dance ~ Contra- dancing once a month; preceded
by Family Dance and potluck
- Flat Rock
Playhouse ~ State Theatre of North Carolina. This
professional repertory theater, just south of
Hendersonville, presents a full schedule of plays. FRP's YouTheatre offers
a wide variety of classes for Pre-K thru
adult.
- Unity Concert Series ~ about one
concert per month with a wide variety of music. (828) 891-8700 or
684-3798
- Brevard Music Center ~ a premier summer music festival &
music center since 1936. Full range of concerts
& operas with renowned artists; intensive
study for 400+ gifted high school, college, and
pre-professional musicians, ages 14 and older. On
140 acres, it presents over 70 different
concerts, late June thru mid-August, in the
Center's 1,800-seat, open-sided auditorium.
Orchestra, opera, jazz, Broadway musicals, pops
and acclaimed guest artists. Brevard Music
Center, 1000 Probart St., Brevard (828) 884-2011,
(800) 648-4523 http://www.brevardmusic.org
- Brevard Chamber Orchestra ~
PO Box 1547, Brevard, 28712 (828) 884-2823. Est.
1978, 55-piece orchestra of paid
professionals conducted since 1980 by
Virginia Tillotson, head of Brevard College Music
Dept. Five-concert season: 2 with full orchestra
& guest artist; 2 with smaller ensembles;
Christmas program with the orchestra &
choirs.
- Brevard Little
Theatre ~ all-volunteer community theatre. P.O. Box 426, Brevard, NC
28712. (828) 884-2587 www.brevardlittletheatre.com
- Blue Ridge Community College
Concerts ~ College Dr.,
Flat Rock (828) 692-3572, ext. 306. Sept-April,
Monday nights, 8 classical music concerts in the
150-seat auditorium of the Patton Building. Many of the concerts feature outstanding students
from N.C. School of the Arts, Winston-Salem. Also, free summer Concerts
by the Lake on Sunday evenings, featuring a wide range of musical and vocal groups.
Bring lawn chairs & picnics (Rain location: Student Lounge in the Killian Building.)
Info: 694-1743.
- Hendersonville
Little Theatre ~ in the Barn on State Street between
Kanuga & Willow, (828) 692-1082. Born in 1966, HLT is non-profit, wholly volunteer organization
and produces four plays per year (one is a musical).
- The Hendersonville Chorale
~ (828) 692-3211. Founded in 1974; two
concerts a year of quality choral literature of
all historical periods. 85+voices (non-audition
group) Director: Robert Hudson 696-2149
- Hendersonville Symphony
Orchestra ~ 538 N. Main St., Hendersonville,
(828) 697-5884. Talented guest artists perform
with orchestra of 60-70 music professionals,
retirees and students. Conducted by Dr. Thomas
Joiner. Six concerts a year, plus pops and
children's concerts. Supports educational
programs in the Henderson County Public Schools,
a coaching program for youth ensembles, adult
ensembles, youth orchestra, young artist
competition, and a one-week summer string
camp.
- National Audio
Theatre / Blue Ridge Radio Players ~ nonprofit organization produces &
distributes audio dramas free to the blind
nationwide. In "Old Time
Radio" style, the dramas are also for sale to the
general public.
-
Western Carolina University Fine & Performing Arts Center: (828) 227-2479
- Performing arts series in Cullowhee NC, less than 1 hour west of
Asheville.
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