Looking for things to do in Hendersonville, NC? Whether you’re a local or just passing through we’ve got loads of great tips and events to help you find your perfect adventure.

Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.

Friday, March 29, 2024
Great Smokies Writing Program | Utilizing the Visual Arts in Writing and Revising Personal Narrative
Mar 29 – Apr 17 all-day
Story Parlor

Wednesdays, starting March 20 | Offered through the Great Smokies Writing Program, this five-week class will investigate the ways in which paintings, drawings, photographs, and sculpture inspire, collaborate with, and complement our writing process.

Learn + Grow ADULT + CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Mar 29 all-day
NC Arboretum

Plants Connect Us in Place

Throughout Southern Appalachia this month, the first spring ephemerals — floral harbingers of the colorful season to come — begin their journey toward the light. Trillium, Trout Lily, Bloodroot, Dicentra: All appear the most delicate of flowers, yet they are mighty enough to push through heavy layers of damp leaf duff to reach the sun’s rays. Usher in the brightening days like these first flowers with courses that extend the Arboretum’s mission to connect people with plants and learn more about what roots us in our special place in nature.

Eco Gardening: Principles in Practice | In Person Version – ONSITE, Three Sessions: Wednesdays, March 6, 20 & April 3, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Or  Asynchronous Version – Open March 6 through May 31.


Emergence: Spring Wildflower Walk | ONSITE | Saturday, March 9, 1 – 3 p.m. or Saturday, March 16, 1 – 3 p.m.


Lifelong Gardening | ONSITE | Wednesday, March 13, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.


Free! Lunch & Learn: Previewing the Cullowhee Native Plants Conference | ONSITE | Thursday, March 14, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.


Native Plants for the Vegetable Garden | ONSITE | Thursday, March 14, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.


Botany Basics | In Person Version – ONSITE, Six Sessions: Tuesdays & Thursdays, March 19 – April 4, 1 – 3 p.m. Or Asynchronous Version – Open April 4 through June 30.


Soil Health Check Up | ONSITE | Wednesday, March 27, 1:30 – 4 p.m.


Free! Arboretum Reads Nature’s Best Hope by Doug Tallamy | ONSITE | Two Sessions: Thursday, April 4 & 18, 3:30 – 5 p.m.


Registration is also open for our signature plant-based core classes in April. Join us for Spring Native Flora ID (field and blended field/online sections), Spring Native Tree ID (online, field and intensive versions). Plan ahead in April to learn about exotics at the Orchid Festival, April 12 – 14, held at the Arboretum, then return to learn about our native azaleas at the Native Azalea Day, April 27. 

Spring REI Classes to Get You Outside
Mar 29 all-day
REI Asheville
3/27: How to Pack a Backpack Workshop
4/3: Hiking the Pilgrim’s Way: A Presentation with the WNC Camino Group
4/6: Backpacking Basics Presentation
4/11: Trailside Bike Maintenace Workshop
4/24: In-Store Map and Compass Workshop
5/1: Hiking the Camino de Santiago: An Introduction
Adult Beginner Tap 1: Intro to Tap
Mar 29 @ 10:00 am – Mar 30 @ 11:00 am
Hendersonville Theatre

Teacher: Allison Starling

Class Cost: $150

Min Students: 5

Max Students: 10

Class Dates: Saturdays, February 3 – March 30 (8 weeks)

Time: 10 am to 11 am

Location: Hendersonville Theatre’s Auditorium

Must be 18+ to attend

Refund Policy: The last day to receive a full refund* is January 12, 2024. After this date, no refund will be issued.

*Be advised: Refunds are for tuition only and are at the discretion of the Class Teacher and Education Director. All taxes and fees are final and cannot be refunded.

Class Description:
Does Tap dancing seem a little daunting? Is it something you always wanted to try but didn’t have the time to commit to months of classes at a time? Whether you are preparing for a show with tap involved or just interested in a new skill for fun, this class is for you. Allison Starling will break down the basics of Tap into easy-to-catch moves that build the foundation of any Tap number. This 8-week class is a comprehensive basics course that you don’t want to miss!

*Tap shoes required and not provided.

For more information and to register, please visit https://hendersonvilletheatre….

Adult Beginner Tap 2: Kicking it up a Notch
Mar 29 @ 11:30 am – Mar 30 @ 12:30 pm
Hendersonville Theatre

Teacher: Allison Starling

Class Cost: $150

Min Students: 5

Max Students: 10

Class Dates: Saturdays, February 3 – March 30 (8 weeks)

Time: 11:30 am to 12:30 pm

Location: Hendersonville Theatre’s Auditorium

Must be 18+ to attend

Refund Policy: The last day to receive a full refund* is January 12, 2024. After this date, no refund will be issued.

*Be advised: Refunds are for tuition only and are at the discretion of the Class Teacher and Education Director. All taxes and fees are final and cannot be refunded.

Class Description:
It’s time to build on the basics you learned in Intro to Tap while still refining those foundational steps. Whether you are preparing for a show with tap involved or just interested in a new skill for fun, this class is for you. Allison Starling will break down the basics of Tap into easy-to-catch moves that build the foundation of any Tap number. This 8-week class is a continuation of beginner tap that will push you to learn harder steps and combinations while still allowing you to learn at your own pace!

*Tap shoes required and not provided. Below is a link to some reasonably priced shoes. Make sure to order early so your shoes are here in time!

​For more information and to register, visit https://hendersonvilletheatre….

Saturday, March 30, 2024
Adult Classes at the Wortham Center
Mar 30 all-day
Diana Wortham Theatre

Classes at the Wortham

Prioritize your health and wellness with a revolving series of ongoing classes for lifelong learners in yoga, dance, theatre, and more.

Classes are held in the Henry LaBrun Studio at the Wortham Center at 18 Biltmore Ave. Please access the front courtyard from the breezeway by White Duck Taco. Signs will then direct you to the studio door to the left. Parking information can be found here.

2024 Classes

Gentle Yoga - Open Level
Open Level Contemporary with Stewart/Owen Dance. Wednesdays, January 10–April 24, 8:15–9:30 a.m.
Intermediate Contemporary with Stewart/Owen Dance. Wednesdays, January 10–April 24, 6–7:30 p.m.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Free Books for Children ages 0-5
Mar 30 all-day
online w/ Literacy Together

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library impacts the pre­-literacy skills and school readiness of children under the age of 5 in Buncombe County. The program mails a new, free, age-appropriate book to registered children each month until they turn five years old. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library creates a home library of up to 60 books and instills a love of books and reading from an early age. If you have any questions about the program, please send an email to [email protected].

A national panel of educators selects the Imagination Library titles, which include: The Little Engine that Could, Last Stop on Market Street, Violet the Pilot, As an Oak Tree Grows, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Llama Llama Red Pajama, Look Out Kindergarten, here I come, and many more (take a look at all the titles).

Register your child now!

Program Launch and Expansions

Literacy Together became a Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library affiliate in November 2015 with support from the Buncombe Partnership for Children. Through this program, registered children in Buncombe County receive a free book in the mail each month. Their parents also have the opportunity to attend workshops to learn how to build their children’s early literacy skills. Parents in need of literacy assistance are encouraged to receive tutoring through Literacy Together’s adult programming.

The program served 200 children during the 2015/16 fiscal year. The program expanded to serve 400 children in July 2016, and 600 in August 2017. In July 2018, capacity increased to 1,900 thanks to a special allocation in the North Carolina state budget. We’re now serving 4,600 kids in Buncombe County.  

LEAF SUMMER CAMPS registration open
Mar 30 all-day
LEAF Global Arts

LEAF Schools & Streets invites your students to join us at LEAF Global Arts for summer camps, which run June 17-August 23 at 19 Eagle Street downtown. Registration is open!

Most camps are for rising first-graders through rising sixth-graders, with the addition of the ‘Making a Music Video’ and ‘Songwriting and Recording’ camps for middleschoolers and highschoolers.

SUMMER CAMPS

• June 17-21 – World Dance

• June 24-28 – West African Culture: Drumming, Dance, Clothing & Food

• July 8-12 – Blues

• July 15-19 – LEAF International Haiti

• July 22-25 – Making a Music Video: Songwriting, Recording, and Film-Making*

• July 29-August 2 – Stop Motion Animation

• August 12-15 – Songwriting and Recording*

• August 19-23 – World-Changing Visual Art

*middle and high school, all others are rising 1st-6th

Registration Open: Summer Camps at the Wortham Center
Mar 30 all-day
Diana Wortham Theatre

Imaginative kids can createexplore, and play in Summer Camps at the Wortham Center! With high-energy, low-pressure programs for rising 1st-5th grade campers, week-long camps expand minds, build life skills, and create meaningful friendships through the arts.

Register now online or by calling the Box Office at 828-257-4530. Space is limited.

A limited number of full and partial need-based scholarships are available upon application through Arts for All Kids. Families who qualify for free or reduced lunch are welcome to apply.

Questions? Email Director of Education Anna Kimmell at [email protected].

2024 Creative Arts Summer Camps

CREATIVE ARTS CAMP
Rising 1st-2nd Grades
JUNE 24-28, 2024
 • 9 a.m.-1 p.m.  

Little kids with BIG imaginations can dance, sing, act, create, and collaborate in this high-energy, low-pressure arts camp! With engaging activities rooted in creative play, kids will have so much fun expressing themselves through the arts, they won’t even notice they’re also building confidence, improving physical and emotional awareness, honing listening and focus skills, and learning to work within a group. At the end of the week, campers will celebrate what they’ve learned in an informal sharing for friends and family.

$185 in February ($205 after March 1)

PERFORMING ARTS CAMP
Rising 1st-2nd Grades

JULY 15-19, 2024 • 9 a.m.-1 p.m.  

In this week-long, half-day summer arts camp, students will have fun exploring the fundamentals of acting, music, and movement. Through engaging activities rooted in creative play, kids will make friends, explore the performing arts, discover new tools for expression, and share what they’ve learned in a short performance presented at the end of the week for friends and family.

$185 in February ($205 after March 1)


CREATIVE ARTS CAMP
Rising 3rd-5th Grades

JULY 8-12, 2024 • 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Kids will have fun exercising their imaginations in this week-long camp exploring the creative arts! With daily activities in acting, dance, music, design, technical theatre, and more, this high-energy, low-pressure camp builds life skills, confidence, and friendships through the arts. Kids will leave feeling empowered to take creative risks on stage and off.

$290 in February ($310 after March 1)


PERFORMING ARTS CAMPS
Rising 3rd-5th Grades

JULY 22-26, 2024 • 9 a.m.-3 p.m.  

Kids can connect with other creative thinkers as they write, develop, and perform in their own original show! With an emphasis on self-expression, collaboration, and the creative process, kids will have fun exploring daily activities in acting, movement, creative writing, and improvisation in a low-pressure, supportive environment. At the end of the week, young artists will share their newfound skills in an informal performance for family and friends. No prior performing arts experience is necessary, only an open mind.

$290 in February ($310 after March 1)

Spring Homeschool Classes + Summer Camps
Mar 30 all-day
Forest Floor

What is Forest Floor?

Forest Floor is a place where kids:

  • Are free to be kids; to play, laugh,  shout, and run wild the way we did when we were kids.
  • Can find others who love nature as much as they do and find support and friendship in peers.
  • Can spend time with adults who really care about their developmental journey and want to hear their stories.
  • Can explore who they really are and be celebrated for being themselves.

Forest Floor provides high quality Nature-Connection Mentoring programs with lasting benefits for health, concentration, and emotional well-being.

We  get your kids outdoors to think, connect, learn, make, and move.

And most importantly, to have fun!

We use a proven mentoring system and have small classes with mentor-camper ratios of just 1 to 7. Your kids will get more than just outdoor activity, they will be subtly coached and encouraged to reach their greatest potential.

New to Forest Floor? Check out our must-see videos below to get a sense of what we’re all about: A Day at Forest Floor, and Why Nature Connection? 

Upcoming Asheville Camps & Homeschool Programs

Summer Camps

Summer Camp registration will proceed under a limited lottery system thru February 5. On  February 6, open enrollment without limits will commence.

Summer Camps are back for another big season in the field, forest, and smithy. Camps fill quickly and we suggest you pre-register and take part in the lottery system. We have a new shuttle van registration system as well.

Summer campers playing archery games posing with bows on top of big boulder near Asheville

Spring Homeschool Programs

Spring Homeschool programs are now open for registration.

We’re back with a full slate of varied weekday programs for Ages 6-16 running Monday-Friday, beginning February 26.  And we have added a 2nd program location, in the Leicester/Sandy Mush area.

 

Jedi training at forest-based homeschool program children holding poses on rock formations

Spring Blacksmithing Saturdays

Blacksmithing Saturdays Spring sessions are now open for registration, and Parent/Child Blacksmithing is back! The Winter session is now in progress and registration is closed.

Our Spring 2024 season includes a five week session in March/April for teens, and a Parent & Child session meeting four times in April/May.

 

Blacksmithing project under way with glowing curled metal on anvil
Spring REI Classes to Get You Outside
Mar 30 all-day
REI Asheville
3/27: How to Pack a Backpack Workshop
4/3: Hiking the Pilgrim’s Way: A Presentation with the WNC Camino Group
4/6: Backpacking Basics Presentation
4/11: Trailside Bike Maintenace Workshop
4/24: In-Store Map and Compass Workshop
5/1: Hiking the Camino de Santiago: An Introduction
Naturalist Niche: Spring Ephemerals
Mar 30 @ 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park
What’s Shaking? Music and Dance Workshop
Mar 30 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
LEAF Global Arts

Join us Saturdays, March 30 and April 20, 11 a.m.-noon at LEAF Global Arts! $8.

The What’s Shaking? Music and Dance Workshop is a live, interactive 60-minute immersive class for young people (ages 0-7) and their adults. The class include Mr. Ryan’s original poems, songs, and a few classic covers. Shakers, children’s instruments, and scarves are shared for a “drum jam,” call-and-response games, dance breaks, and more!

Stay for Culture Keeper Adama Dembele’s Yala Cultural Tour from noon-2 p.m.

Sunday, March 31, 2024
Adult Classes at the Wortham Center
Mar 31 all-day
Diana Wortham Theatre

Classes at the Wortham

Prioritize your health and wellness with a revolving series of ongoing classes for lifelong learners in yoga, dance, theatre, and more.

Classes are held in the Henry LaBrun Studio at the Wortham Center at 18 Biltmore Ave. Please access the front courtyard from the breezeway by White Duck Taco. Signs will then direct you to the studio door to the left. Parking information can be found here.

2024 Classes

Gentle Yoga - Open Level
Open Level Contemporary with Stewart/Owen Dance. Wednesdays, January 10–April 24, 8:15–9:30 a.m.
Intermediate Contemporary with Stewart/Owen Dance. Wednesdays, January 10–April 24, 6–7:30 p.m.
Asheville Performing Arts Academy Summer Musical Theatre Camps: Registration Open
Mar 31 all-day
Asheville Performing Arts Academy

We’re offering TWO grade levels this summer for our workshops:

  • Younger Ages (Rising 1st – 3rd Grade)
  • Older Ages (Rising 4th – 10th Grade)

Camps run Monday-Friday, 9am-3pm

Finding Nemo Workshop

June 17-21, 2024

July 8-12, 2024

July 29- Aug 2, 2024

Moana Workshop

June 24-28, 2024

July 15-19, 2024

August 5-9, 2024

Pirate Palooza Workshop

July 1-5, 2024

The Little Mermaid Workshop

July 22-26, 2024

Our Musical Theatre Workshop camps center around favorite stage musicals, where students will learn musical numbers and perform a shortened production at the end of each week. Campers will not only perform in many dance numbers and scenes but will work on the technical aspects that all productions need, like sets, props, and costumes.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Free Books for Children ages 0-5
Mar 31 all-day
online w/ Literacy Together

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library impacts the pre­-literacy skills and school readiness of children under the age of 5 in Buncombe County. The program mails a new, free, age-appropriate book to registered children each month until they turn five years old. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library creates a home library of up to 60 books and instills a love of books and reading from an early age. If you have any questions about the program, please send an email to [email protected].

A national panel of educators selects the Imagination Library titles, which include: The Little Engine that Could, Last Stop on Market Street, Violet the Pilot, As an Oak Tree Grows, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Llama Llama Red Pajama, Look Out Kindergarten, here I come, and many more (take a look at all the titles).

Register your child now!

Program Launch and Expansions

Literacy Together became a Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library affiliate in November 2015 with support from the Buncombe Partnership for Children. Through this program, registered children in Buncombe County receive a free book in the mail each month. Their parents also have the opportunity to attend workshops to learn how to build their children’s early literacy skills. Parents in need of literacy assistance are encouraged to receive tutoring through Literacy Together’s adult programming.

The program served 200 children during the 2015/16 fiscal year. The program expanded to serve 400 children in July 2016, and 600 in August 2017. In July 2018, capacity increased to 1,900 thanks to a special allocation in the North Carolina state budget. We’re now serving 4,600 kids in Buncombe County.  

LEAF SUMMER CAMPS registration open
Mar 31 all-day
LEAF Global Arts

LEAF Schools & Streets invites your students to join us at LEAF Global Arts for summer camps, which run June 17-August 23 at 19 Eagle Street downtown. Registration is open!

Most camps are for rising first-graders through rising sixth-graders, with the addition of the ‘Making a Music Video’ and ‘Songwriting and Recording’ camps for middleschoolers and highschoolers.

SUMMER CAMPS

• June 17-21 – World Dance

• June 24-28 – West African Culture: Drumming, Dance, Clothing & Food

• July 8-12 – Blues

• July 15-19 – LEAF International Haiti

• July 22-25 – Making a Music Video: Songwriting, Recording, and Film-Making*

• July 29-August 2 – Stop Motion Animation

• August 12-15 – Songwriting and Recording*

• August 19-23 – World-Changing Visual Art

*middle and high school, all others are rising 1st-6th

Registration Open: Summer Camps at the Wortham Center
Mar 31 all-day
Diana Wortham Theatre

Imaginative kids can createexplore, and play in Summer Camps at the Wortham Center! With high-energy, low-pressure programs for rising 1st-5th grade campers, week-long camps expand minds, build life skills, and create meaningful friendships through the arts.

Register now online or by calling the Box Office at 828-257-4530. Space is limited.

A limited number of full and partial need-based scholarships are available upon application through Arts for All Kids. Families who qualify for free or reduced lunch are welcome to apply.

Questions? Email Director of Education Anna Kimmell at [email protected].

2024 Creative Arts Summer Camps

CREATIVE ARTS CAMP
Rising 1st-2nd Grades
JUNE 24-28, 2024
 • 9 a.m.-1 p.m.  

Little kids with BIG imaginations can dance, sing, act, create, and collaborate in this high-energy, low-pressure arts camp! With engaging activities rooted in creative play, kids will have so much fun expressing themselves through the arts, they won’t even notice they’re also building confidence, improving physical and emotional awareness, honing listening and focus skills, and learning to work within a group. At the end of the week, campers will celebrate what they’ve learned in an informal sharing for friends and family.

$185 in February ($205 after March 1)

PERFORMING ARTS CAMP
Rising 1st-2nd Grades

JULY 15-19, 2024 • 9 a.m.-1 p.m.  

In this week-long, half-day summer arts camp, students will have fun exploring the fundamentals of acting, music, and movement. Through engaging activities rooted in creative play, kids will make friends, explore the performing arts, discover new tools for expression, and share what they’ve learned in a short performance presented at the end of the week for friends and family.

$185 in February ($205 after March 1)


CREATIVE ARTS CAMP
Rising 3rd-5th Grades

JULY 8-12, 2024 • 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Kids will have fun exercising their imaginations in this week-long camp exploring the creative arts! With daily activities in acting, dance, music, design, technical theatre, and more, this high-energy, low-pressure camp builds life skills, confidence, and friendships through the arts. Kids will leave feeling empowered to take creative risks on stage and off.

$290 in February ($310 after March 1)


PERFORMING ARTS CAMPS
Rising 3rd-5th Grades

JULY 22-26, 2024 • 9 a.m.-3 p.m.  

Kids can connect with other creative thinkers as they write, develop, and perform in their own original show! With an emphasis on self-expression, collaboration, and the creative process, kids will have fun exploring daily activities in acting, movement, creative writing, and improvisation in a low-pressure, supportive environment. At the end of the week, young artists will share their newfound skills in an informal performance for family and friends. No prior performing arts experience is necessary, only an open mind.

$290 in February ($310 after March 1)

Spring Homeschool Classes + Summer Camps
Mar 31 all-day
Forest Floor

What is Forest Floor?

Forest Floor is a place where kids:

  • Are free to be kids; to play, laugh,  shout, and run wild the way we did when we were kids.
  • Can find others who love nature as much as they do and find support and friendship in peers.
  • Can spend time with adults who really care about their developmental journey and want to hear their stories.
  • Can explore who they really are and be celebrated for being themselves.

Forest Floor provides high quality Nature-Connection Mentoring programs with lasting benefits for health, concentration, and emotional well-being.

We  get your kids outdoors to think, connect, learn, make, and move.

And most importantly, to have fun!

We use a proven mentoring system and have small classes with mentor-camper ratios of just 1 to 7. Your kids will get more than just outdoor activity, they will be subtly coached and encouraged to reach their greatest potential.

New to Forest Floor? Check out our must-see videos below to get a sense of what we’re all about: A Day at Forest Floor, and Why Nature Connection? 

Upcoming Asheville Camps & Homeschool Programs

Summer Camps

Summer Camp registration will proceed under a limited lottery system thru February 5. On  February 6, open enrollment without limits will commence.

Summer Camps are back for another big season in the field, forest, and smithy. Camps fill quickly and we suggest you pre-register and take part in the lottery system. We have a new shuttle van registration system as well.

Summer campers playing archery games posing with bows on top of big boulder near Asheville

Spring Homeschool Programs

Spring Homeschool programs are now open for registration.

We’re back with a full slate of varied weekday programs for Ages 6-16 running Monday-Friday, beginning February 26.  And we have added a 2nd program location, in the Leicester/Sandy Mush area.

 

Jedi training at forest-based homeschool program children holding poses on rock formations

Spring Blacksmithing Saturdays

Blacksmithing Saturdays Spring sessions are now open for registration, and Parent/Child Blacksmithing is back! The Winter session is now in progress and registration is closed.

Our Spring 2024 season includes a five week session in March/April for teens, and a Parent & Child session meeting four times in April/May.

 

Blacksmithing project under way with glowing curled metal on anvil
Spring REI Classes to Get You Outside
Mar 31 all-day
REI Asheville
3/27: How to Pack a Backpack Workshop
4/3: Hiking the Pilgrim’s Way: A Presentation with the WNC Camino Group
4/6: Backpacking Basics Presentation
4/11: Trailside Bike Maintenace Workshop
4/24: In-Store Map and Compass Workshop
5/1: Hiking the Camino de Santiago: An Introduction