Nick Lowe, Victor Wooten, Bob Boilen and Fantastic Negrito are among the performers and presenters for the festival’s second edition.
The ninth {Re}HAPPENING explores global sound and cross-genre collaboration
In the spirit of exploration, many of the {Re}HAPPENING’s concerts and exhibitions delve into and build off of the concepts engaged by mid-century Black Mountain College teachers and students.
Smart Bets: Appalachian Storytelling Extravaganza
Michael “Badhair” Williams, Freeman Owle and Ronnie Pepper perform March 28 at Blue Ridge Community College’s Flat Rock campus.
Storyteller Connie Regan-Blake releases an album
The tracks on the CD comes from the recording of a live show Regan-Blake gave at Black Mountain Center for the Arts in 2017. The stories are a mix of traditional folk tales and personal stories, and they’re suitable for all ages.
Smart Bets: OpenDoors Art Affair
The tenth annual art-filled fundraiser is set for March 9 at Ambrose West.
The 12th annual Asheville Mardi Gras Parade is ready to roll
This year’s parade theme is Wild, Wild Asheville. “It can refer to the wild spirit Ashevilleans embrace, the wild nature that surrounds our mountain town, or the wild ingredients found in our beers and food,” says Diane Curry, Asheville Mardis Gras’ executive committee chair.
Smart Bets: Keep Asheville Beard
The inaugural competition and fundraiser for Xpand takes place Feb. 24 at the Hi-Wire Big Top.
Theater review: ‘The Gin Game’ at HART Theatre
The Gin Game resounds with witty humor by poking fun at the matters of aging. It then cleverly challenges our comfort-zone with deep drama, scolding us for making light of such a serious subject.
Smart Bets: Valentine’s Day at Fleetwood’s
The mass fake wedding extravaganza returns for a second year on Feb. 14.
Asheville Fringe Arts Festival expands to a full week
One of the nation’s fringier fringes celebrates its 17th year, Jan. 20-27.
Smart Bets: We Shall Overcome
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. receives a diverse musical tribute on Jan. 22 at Diana Wortham Theatre.
Harlem Globetrotters to make a fun-filled stop in Asheville
Don’t doubt that the Globetrotters are all-American athletes. They defeated the world champion Minnesota Lakers in 1948 and ’49, victories that helped integrate the National Basketball Association.
Outstanding local theater
As this year comes to a close, it’s the perfect time to reflect on some truly extraordinary theater ranging from splashy musicals, moving dramas and locally written plays.
Creative resistance
In Western North Carolina, 2018 held numerous examples of the arts-infused actions aimed at collective liberation.
Six occasions when geeks ruled WNC
Costumes and comic books Batman: 2018 was a big year for geek culture in Asheville.
Poet Erin Fornoff releases video for “Home”
The work, filmed between Harold’s Cross and airports in Dublin, New York, Charlotte, and finally at Fornoff’s child hood home in Asheville, North Carolina, contrasts the excitement of going home with the mixed melancholy of returning.
A new group reignites competitive poetry in Asheville
“People are saying their deepest fears, people are challenging the system … but at the same time they’re also getting scored,” says Justin Blackburn. “Not only is it this empowering performance, [but it’s also] a game.”
Smart Bets: Mischief Managed
Asheville’s premier “nerdlesque” troupe performs a night of Christmas-themed burlesque on Dec. 22 at The Crow & Quill.
Local group produces the thought-provoking ‘Black Nativity: Liberation Holiday’
Produced by Southside Rising and supported by partners such as Asheville Creative Arts, the show opens on Saturday, Dec. 15, and will be staged throughout the city.
Roy Harris finds the universal in personal tales
The Thursday, Dec. 15 performance, featuring Roy Harris and Kathy Gordon, will center on holiday-themed tales.
Smart Bets: An Appalachian Christmas Carol
The local historical twist on the Dickens classic will be performed Dec. 6-8 at the Vance Birthplace.