Asheville and Western NC has so much to offer especially when Spring arrives! There is so much to do and see, it is hard to choose where to begin. Below are just a few of the many exciting things going on in April 2018.
1st Friday Art Walk in the Downtown Asheville Arts District
The Downtown Asheville Art District (DAAD) invites you to visit the more than twenty galleries that contribute to Asheville's reputation as a vibrant arts community and "The Paris of the South."
Within a half-mile radius of Pack Square and the city's center, you'll find unparalleled diversity....from fine studio crafts, to glass, photography, folk art and contemporary painting, metalwork, textiles, jewelry and more by local, regional, national and international artists.
Along the way, you'll discover three museums, the Southeast's only gallery focusing exclusively on illustration art, the city's largest artist gallery, contemporary glass sculpture from around the world, and traditional crafts by nationally-acclaimed artists, many of whom live in Western North Carolina. You'll discover why Asheville and the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains have inspired artists for generations, and in the process, you'll make memories of your own.
Glassworks Concert Series: Hot Glass, Live Music, Craft Beer
Lexington Glassworks serves as the backdrop for the ultimate local music, art, and beer experience. Join us the 1st Friday of each month from 5-8pm, April through December for a fun-filled evening of glassblowing, craft beer, and bluegrass.
This event is a part of the 1st Friday Art Walk in the Downtown Asheville Arts District and the Summer of Glass.
Opening Day Celebration: Old Time Plowing and Folkways
Sat, Apr 7, 2018, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
(General Admission $6)What to Do:
During our Opening Day celebration you can:
- Get hands-on with old time horse plowing
- Mingle with living history volunteers who bring the Blue Ridge mountain culture to life
- Listen to some old-timey music
- Enjoy the paved and wheelchair accessible trails, discovery center, film, scavenger hunts, and more
Crafters and Demonstrators represented in 2018: corn husk doll making, chair bottom weaving, tatting, quilting, mountain mandolin music, sweet potato carving, spring pole lathe, wood burning, and open hearth cooking.
Details about old time plowing:
David and Diane Burnette and their Percheron draft horses have been plowing our heritage vegetable garden for many years now, weather permitting. The Burnettes are skilled heritage agriculturalists who can be seen around western N.C. giving blacksmithing demonstrations, banjo playing, or making molasses. All ages will enjoy the chance to plow the old way with them!
Arts Fest 2018 at UNCA - April 5th - 7th, 2018
This year, Arts Fest will explore intersections through the arts.
Intersections can be seen as dividing or crossing two or more things, or bringing them together in a common location. The meanings we make with these intersections, as in life, are a matter of perspective and interpretation. Come and join us for this exploration through the arts, and participate in Arts Fest 2018!
Full schedule of events is now available.
Saturday, April 7
Festival on the Quad
12:00-5:00 PM
Events on UNCA’s Main Quad
- Faculty Band, The Lounge Lizards
- Student/Alumni Band, Noah Proudfoot and the Botanicals
- UNCA’s Belly Dancing Club
Additional Festival on the Quad Activities Include:
- Look out for musical flash mobs, led by Christine Boone’s Music Theory Club, and Matthew Richmond’s Percussion Ensembles
- Arts & Crafts Vendors are expected to fill the main quad with their tents and tables
- Interactive arts & crafts activities are offered by several arts vendors
- UNITY & SOAR public art installations are open during specific hours for interaction
- Anagama kiln firing and demonstrations
Food and beverages will be available at Argo Tea in Ramsey Library during Festival on the Quad
Arts Fest is made possible by the contributions for time, talent and finances from the following departments and programs of UNC Asheville: Art and Art History, Arts & Ideas, Dining Services, Dance, Education, English, International/Interdisciplinary Studies, Events and Conferences, Facilities Management, Marketing, Mass Communication, Music, New Media, Ramsey Library Staff, and Student Activities and Organizations.
Glass & Metal Day at the Folk Art Center
April 7th, 2018 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Free
Gearing up for the season’s educational series of events - the Southern Highland Craft Guild is excited to showcase the elements of metal and glass on April 7. A range of techniques will be demonstrated in both of the media, as the artists each have their distinct touch and style.
From 10am to 4pm, these master craftspeople will be blacksmithing, glass blowing, piercing and soldering metals, knife making, bezeling, repoussé, copper etching, assembling stained glass, forging and many other artistic processes. Visitors have the opportunity to watch and learn more about two of the original craft media.
Nantahala Outdoor Center's Outdoor Elements Festival
Date: April 13 - 14, 2018
Check out the Oboz One More Tree Event in the Outfitter's Store! Every customer that tries on Oboz hiking shoes gets to take home a sapling to plant or choose to have a tree planted elsewhere.
We will also have multiple reps and vendors on-site to discuss products and offer demos. Including Osprey, Vasque, Cascade Designs, Smartwool, Big Agnes (with repair truck on-site), Salomon, Nemo, Salewa, TNF, and KEEN.
Raffle items that benefit the ATC:
• 6 Pairs of Chacos
• 5 ENO Doublenest Hammocks
• 1 Nemo Cosmo 25" sleeping pad
• 1 Nemo Astro 20" sleeping pad
• 1 Deuter ACT Trail Pack 24L
• 1 Pair of Leki Legacy Ultralite Trekking Poles
• 1 The North Face Basecamp Duffel
• 2 Pairs of Vasque shoes
• 1 Pair of Oboz boots
• 1 Osprey pack
• Smartwool socks
Earth Day Kid’s Festival
Saturday April 21st 2018 | 10AM – 2PM
Salvage Station | 468 Riverside Dr. Asheville, NC
Free admission for all!
RiverLink is excited to hold its fourth annual Earth Day Kids Festival! This event is an opportunity for families and people of all ages to come together for a day of environmental education, arts and crafts, performances, and celebration of the natural world. Entries from RiverLink’s annual Voices of the River: Art and Poetry contest will also be displayed at the festival and winners announced! This event will be held as part of WNC for the Planet’s “Earth Month.” This new collective of local environmental non-profits has come together to celebrate Earth Day with a month of environmental service opportunities and events in Asheville and surrounding communities. This event is FREE to the public! RiverLink is grateful to Salvage Station and Prestige Subaru for sponsoring this event!
WNC for the Planet - April Events
WNC for the Planet is a collective made up of local environmental organizations that provides access to service, educational, and recreational opportunities throughout the month of April. We strive to unify our community to encourage and celebrate environmental stewardship for our planet and the region.
Weaverville Art Safari
Spring Studio Tour
Sat – Sun | April 28-29, 10 – 5
Preview Party: Friday, April 27, 6 – 8pm
The Weaverville Art Safari is one of the original studio tours in the Asheville Area. It is a self guided free event that offers a unique look at the artist’s work in their working environment, featuring artists who specialize in handmade pottery, glass, photography, sculpture, jewelry, furniture, painting, drawing, fiber art, wood art and more.
The Preview Party provides an opportunity to see all of the artists work together the Friday evening before the tour. There is a silent auction and raffle/door prizes of artists work as well as beer, wine and snacks.
Mother Earth News Fair
Western North Carolina Agricultural Center
1301 Fanning Bridge Rd. Fletcher, N.C. 28732
Saturday April 28th, 2018 : 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sunday April 29th, 2018 : 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Each MOTHER EARTH NEWS FAIR features:
• More than 150 workshops from the leading authorities on organic gardening, food preservation, homesteading and livestock, green building, and natural health.
• Great deals from more than 200 regional and national exhibitors that feature ustainable products and services.
• Off-Stage Demos – With topics ranging from hands-on seed saving to building mud houses to heritage breed livestock, there is a lot to see!
• Inspirational keynotes, great food, and kids programming.
The Mother Earth News Fair is your passport to money-saving hacks, health-boosting remedies, and environmental strategies from leading experts and entrepreneurs around the country. In addition to presentations and hands-on workshops, you’ll encounter a vast marketplace abounding with innovative resources and products to enrich your life. Admission for children is free, and there are plenty of youth-oriented activities – including live animals!
With our growing emphasis on interactive programming, you can learn new skillsets live and on-site. More than ever before, the Mother Earth News Fair is truly an immersive experience where the magazine comes to life.
Carolina Mountain Cheese Fest
Sunday, April 29, 2018, at Highland Brewing Company, Asheville NC