7th Annual Asheville Film Festival

Nov 12-15. Independent films from across the world will compete for awards and recognition in this year's event. The winning filmmaker in each category - Feature Fiction, Short Fiction, Documentary, Student and Animation - will receive $500. There will also mbe a screenplay competition! Up-and-coming writers across the country are competing for a chance to win $500. Read more...

The Autumn Players present: An Inspector Calls

Oct 30- Nov 1st. The Autumn players presents a Reader's Theatre Showcase, in memory of Bernie Hauserman. The Autumn Players is a troupe of seasoned actors dedicated to taking the theatre experience into the community.
Time: 2:30pm
Where: Friday and Saturday at ACT's 35below; Sunday at the Reuter Center at UNCA.
Tickets: ACT Box Office: 828-254-1320 or at the door. $5

10th annual Harvest Gathering Music Festival This Weekend

The 10th annual Harvest Gathering Music Festival Free event Celebrates music, art and alternative energy. Live music from 20 bands: FR (10/30), 6-10pm, SA (10/31), Noon-10pm & SU (11/1), 1-10pm
Location: Pack Square

Sound Tribe Sector 9 Performs

Oct 29, 08:00 PM-11:45 PM, Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, 87 Haywood St., Asheville  NC. Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9) is known for their unique genre-blending sound, weaving electronic, funk, jazz, psychedelia and hip-hop together to form what they call "post-rock dance music." $25 advance, $30 at the door. Read more...

Circo Aereo at Diane Wortham Theatre

Oct 27-28, 8:00 PM-10:00 PM, Diana Wortham Theatre, 2 S. Pack Square, Asheville NC. On its first U.S. tour, Finland's smart, imaginative, and inventive Circo Aereo brings its contemporary "New Circus" genre to Asheville with its latest and most famous work, Espresso. A Finnish-French co-production where the different styles of circus fuse into a free flow, Espresso is a combination of traditional circus arts such as juggling and aerial work with sidewalk performance and contemporary circus, all based on movement.
Website: http://www.dwtheatre.com

Malaprop's hosts Self-Publishing Panel

Oct 27, 7:00 PM-08:15 PM, Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe, 55 Haywood St., Asheville NC. Malaprop's presents an informative evening about publishing your writings. Featured panelists include local book editor Elana Kann, designer Kasey Gruen, self-published author Brian Lee Knopp, and Malaprop’s owner and published poet Emoke B'Racz. The four have extensive experience in the field and will discuss the dos and don'ts of successfully self-publishing.Website: www.malaprops.com

UNC Asheville Meet the Maker Series

Oct 27, 12:30 PM-01:30 PM, UNC Asheville, One University Heights, Asheville NC. UNC Asheville’s Craft Campus welcomes Carl Powell, stained glass artist, for the Meet the Maker lecture series. The goal of the series is to link the conversations of the “Maker” to the life of the viewer/user of contemporary craft. Owen Hall, room 237. This year-long workshop/lecture series focuses on meaningful conversations with individual craftspeople, artists and designers. Read more...

HOWL-O-WEEN in Asheville

To do: Have a Howling good time with Creepy Crawlers and Creatures of the Night
When/Where: Oct 24, 1PM-8PM, WNC Nature Center, Asheville NC. Slide your way through our Creepy Crawler Cabin where creatures of darkness will be on display. The Southern Appalachian Herpetological Society members will have pythons, boas, lizards and other hair-raising animals for you to enjoy, and presentations on bats, skulls and nocturnal creatures will take place on the hour starting at 2:00 p.m.
Arts & crafts, hot dogs, soda, hot cider and chocolate, baked goods, and treats for the kids will be available, as well as two performances by the Mountain Marionettes at 7:00 and 7:40 p.m. Our costume contest for all ages will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the barn, so come dressed for the occasion! Admission: $6 per person - Members of the Friends of the WNC Nature Center receive $1.00 off
Website: http://www.wildwnc.org/

LA Theatre Works in Asheville- 2 nights only

To do: live theatre double-feature sci-fi performances
When/Where: Oct 20-21, 8PM, Dianne Wortham Theatre, Asheville NC. Tonight and tomorrow night only, L.A. Theatre Works returns to Asheville with an outstanding cast to present two Sci-Fi thrillers: The War of the Worlds and The Lost World. The cast for this double-feature includes well-known faces from television, movie, and stage. To enhance patrons' understanding and enjoyment of L.A. Theatre Works' Asheville performances, informal conversations with members of the L.A. Theatreworks cast are held in The Forum at Pack Place, 7:20pm - 7:40pm each evening prior to the performances. Seating is limited. Doors will close at 7:25pm; latecomers cannot be permitted. Admission is free for ticket holders. Wine and beer will be available for purchase in the lobby from the New French Bar.
Website: http://www.dwtheatre.com/

Asheville Women's Expo Oct 23-24th

Two days catering to every aspect of a woman's life. The Asheville Women's Expo features exhibits, health screenings, fashion shows, beauty makeovers and more.
Visit: GirlsOnlyWeekend.Com
Time: 3-6pm
Cost: $5.00
Asheville Civic Center
87 Haywood Street

Birding Lecture: The Truth About Bird Feeding

Oct 20th Join The NC Arboretum for this special presentation at 1 p.m. by Simon Thompson of Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop of Asheville.
Time: 1-2pm
Cost: Free with parking fee - just $6 per personal vehicle!
The North Carolina Arboretum
100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way

Blues Traveler Band

Oct 19th Blues Traveler's large and widely loved body of work, demonstrating the enduring strengths of the band’s songwriting while capturing the spontaneous spirit of their legendary live shows. The aforementioned body of work encompasses eight studio albums and four live discs, six of them certified Gold or Platinum, with combined worldwide sales of more than ten million units. The band's best-known single, “Run-Around,” was the longest-charting radio single in Billboard history.
Time 7pm- 11pm
The Orange Peel
101 Biltmore Avenue

THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE OCTOBER 21st

NORTH CAROLINA STAGE COMPANY PRESENTS: THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE OCTOBER 21 TO NOVEMBER 8 Maureen and her elderly mother spend their days in a vicious and funny game of one-upmanship in this bleak comedy the New York Times calls “dizzying” and “both comic and ineffably sinister.” Their insular world is upset when the return of an old flame offers Maureen a glimpse of escape.
828.239.0263
WWW.NCSTAGE.ORG

Wine Tasting at Hops & Vines Oct. 17th

Event: Wine Tasting of Spanish Wines
Time/Place: Oct 17, 3PM-6PM Hops & Vines, Asheville NC. New arrivals from Spain under $12! Spanish wines are some of the best value and best tasting wines on the market. The Tasting includes:
2006 Sierra Cantabria Rioja – 100% Tempranillo. Spicy red currant and strawberry on the nose, with subtle spiciness and floral notes. 2006 Vega Sindoa Cabernet-Tempranillo – Dried rose, tobacco and smokey notes on the nose. 2007 Vina Borgia Campo de Borja 100% Granacha. Bright purple in color. Jammy blackberry, blueberry and gentle spice aromas are impressively fresh for the price.
Website: http://www.hopsandvines.net/

October 16th The Blue Ridge Orchestra's Fall Masterwork Concert

The orchestra’s 10th season conducted by Ron Clearfield, features some of classical music’s most beloved programmatic pieces, including Mozart’s Overture to “The Marriage of Figaro” and Dvorak’s Slavonic Dance no. 8. and two of Debussy’s Nocturnes: Nuages and Fetes .
Time: 8:00 PM-10:00 PM
15.00 for adults, $10.00 for students & groups of five or more, free for children under five.
Diana Wortham Theatre
2 S. Pack Square

Poetry on the Porch

October 16th Join poet and writer, Laura Hope Gill, for reading and discussion of her works. Presented on the front porch of the Thomas Wolfe Memorial.
Time: 12:00 PM-02:00 PM
Thomas Wolfe Memorial State Historic Site
52 North Market Street

Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands .

The Asheville Civic Center comes alive with fine traditional and contemporary crafts made by members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. The Fair also features craft demonstrations, regional music and entertainment.
Time: 10:00 AM-05:00 PM
Cost: $7.00, children under 12 free with adult
828-298-7928
http://southernhighlandguild.org

Bonnie Raitt with Randall Bramblett Band October 13th

Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer Bonnie Raitt will finally make her way to the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in Asheville, NC Tuesday, Oct 13, after having to cancel her March 17 date due to a dire family health emergency. Don't miss your chance to catch this nine-time Grammy award-winning legend as she performs the hits that made her famous along with openers the Randall Bramblett Band.
Tinme: 8pm-11:45pm
Tickets are $52.50 and $42.50 Advance/Door plus applicable service fees, available now at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at concertwire.com or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

14th Annual Carolina Bonsai Expo October 10-11th

This two-day horticultural extravaganza, situated in the midst of the colorful mountains, features a display of bonsai from enthusiasts in a six-state region, live demonstrations, workshops, and a popular bonsai marketplace. It’s also the perfect occasion to explore the Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden, which offers a world-class display that innovatively establishes bonsai in the context of the Southern Appalachians.
Time: 8am- 5pm
Cost: Free with parking fee admission ($6 per vehicle)

Benji Hughes with The Houston Brothers October 16th

News Event: NC Native Benji Hughes Concert
Time/Place: Oct 16, 8PM, Grey Eagle Music Hall, Asheville NC
Hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina, Benji Hughes spends much of his time masterminding his blend of inventive rock and ballads. At times earnest, at others whimsical, Benji is equally adept at keyboards and guitar. His music collection - spanning everything from The Crystals, Merle Haggard, and Kinky Friedman to Talking Heads, The Cars, and Slayer - is as wild as his gracious exterior.
Contact: 828-232-5800
Website: http://greyeagle.musictoday.com/GreyEagleTavernandMusicHall/calendar.aspx

Mountain Living Log & Timber Frame Home Show

October 9-11 at the Asheville Civic Center, 87 Haywood Street.   Meet builders and manufacturer's reps and find the perfect floor plan design for your dream home. Shop a vast selection of log and rustic furniture, decorative accessories and lighting. Attend free seminars...read more

Jazzy Giraffe updates Fall and Winter Inventory

The Jazzy Giraffe is daily receiving its new fall and winter inventory.  This season the shop is introducing six new lines, all beautiful quality and great styles in a range of sizes, with shirts priced under $100, fabulous jackets under $175 and winter coats under $200. We think these lines will be very popular.  We also have new silk cocktail and wedding pieces with skirts under $200 and coordinating silk jackets at $175.The Jazzy Giraffe is a true "boutique" for those who want something more.
        Website: http://www.thejazzygiraffe.com/

Cycling: Century Ride October 4th

With a total of 8529' of climbing, the full century will wind around the beautiful Lake Lure area and the apple tree countryside of Western NC. Metric Century: The rolling hills and pastures with a little dip into Bat Cave, will make for a scenic metric with only 5475' of climbing. Fee $45. Ict 4, 7:45- 10:30, Fletcher Valley Health Food Store, 1151 Naples Rd., Hendersonville NC

Food Fund-raiser for Schools Oct 3rd at the Weinhaus

News Event: TIME FOR LUNCH Fund-raiser
Time/Place: Oct 3, 5Pm-7PM, the Weinhaus, downtown Asheville NC
Meet the Wine Geek - Dan Kravits of Hand Picked Selections will join us for a tasting. Local producers will be providing food to pair with the wines including West End Bakery breads, Three Graces Creamery cheeses, Sunburst Trout, Hickory Nut Gap meats, and Flying Cloud Farm Veggies. The fund-raiser supports the Time For Lunch Campaign and FEAST cooking program. Slow Food Asheville's Time For Lunch is working help get more fresh local food into schools. $10 (or more) donation.
Website: http://slowfoodasheville.org/Committies.htm

First Friday Presents Retro Rock at the Grove Arcade

Time/Place: Oct 2, 5PM-8PM, The Grove Arcade, Asheville NC
This popular evening event features fun music and fabulous food and drinks with this month's entertainment The Rockefellers, a retro rock revue band. This Friday, the Arcade partners withThe Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar to provide hors d'oeuvres including cheese wedges, spiced nut cups and Sunburst trout dip with crackers. The Sante' Wine Bar will be serving wine and beer and you may even spot a hot dog cart rolling through the historic halls. A $1 donation per person is suggested.
Website: http://www.grovearcade.com