Calendar of Events

Wortham Presents Doktor Kaboom! Look Out! Science is Coming!

Prepare for an explosive, all-ages adventure with this science-meets-comedy performance, led by a captivating chemist whose character falls somewhere between Mr. Wizard and Mister Rogers. Creatively blending theater arts with the wonders of scientific exploration, star and creator David Epley keeps crowds rolling with laughter through each of his highly interactive, educational and entertaining experiments. While this mad inventor certainly has a few tricks up his sleeve, his hilarious show uses no magic or illusions — just 100% pure science.

The Olivette Farm 5K & Fun Run, hosted by Asheville Cryotherapy and Recovery, will take place on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at 9:30 AM. This unique race offers an early spring challenge for both competitive and novice runners with an on-and-off-road course through the beautiful Olivette Community and Farm. After the race, attendees can enjoy an after-party featuring local vendors, food trucks, and family-friendly activities. All proceeds will support the sustainable farming mission of Olivette Farm.

Winter Warm-Up | Saturday, March 8 | 1-4 p.m. | Lake Julian Park, 37 Lake Julian Road, Arden | Bring your family, friends, and love for the outdoors to enjoy s’mores, hot chocolate, crafts, play, and more and celebrate the changing season. The program is free, and no registration is required.

Pan Harmonia, Asheville’s award winning chamber music company, presents their biennial Baroque concert featuring G.P. Telemann’s Suite in A Minor for flute and strings and C.P.E. Bach’s Flute Concerto in D Minor. This program highlights a major turning point in the history of music – from baroque to classical – and is a study in contrasts and similarities.
Telemann was a contemporary of J.S. Bach and, in fact, the Godfather of C.P.E. While Telemann’s suite is exemplary of the baroque style, C.P.E. concerto is a forerunner of the classical style. C.P.E. came from one of the most illustrious musical families in history (imagine having J.S. Bach as your father, and primary teacher!). Telemann was largely self-taught and his family disagreed with his pursuit of music. Both composers were highly regarded professional musicians of their time, though their reputation diminished in the 19th century. A renewed interest in their work, however, has revived an appreciation for their significant place in music history and contemporary performance.
This baroque ensemble is comprised of string quintet, harpsichord, and – a rare appearance – harp.

Kate Steinbeck flute · Mariya Potapova and Jonathan Urizar violins · Claire Gerhardt viola · Katherine Ruhlen cello · Matthew Waid bass · Jessica Schaeffer harp and Barbara Weiss harpsichord

The YWCA Racial Justice Workshop is open to our entire YWCA Asheville community – including our staff, volunteers, board, donors, program participants, Fitness Center and community members. This 90-minute workshop will take place on the second Tuesday of each month at 11:30 am and will be facilitated by Gerry Leonard, Racial Justice & Outreach Specialist and Lexus Walker, Tzedek Social Justice Fellow.

Fishes of the Southern Appalachians with Carlton Burke

ON-SITE  |  Thursday, March 13  |  12 – 4 pm

Blue Ridge Naturalist – Wildlife of the Blue Ridge Core Credit

The Southern Appalachian region is rich with a variety of fish species. These include not only the better known species of game fish that we love to catch for sport or food, but also include an incredible diversity of smaller, lesser-known non-game fish, which play an important role in the ecology of our aquatic mountain habitats. In this class we will discuss many of the fish species found in the mountain region and learn about their classification, habitat, life cycles, and their identifying features.

This program includes a lab portion of the class where students will see some features of fish hands on with real fish specimens.

Protecting our Native Hemlocks: Treatment Demonstration with Hemlock Restorative Initiative

ON-SITE  |  Friday, March 14  |  1 – 4 pm

Blue Ridge EcoGardener – Elective Credit

Join Hemlock Restoration Initiative staff for a demonstration and workshop in the Arboretum forest to learn the fundamentals of treating hemlock trees to protect them from the invasive insect, hemlock woolly adelgid. Designed for a general audience, this workshop is great for homeowners who steward hemlocks on their property or for anyone interested in learning treatment basics. Today hemlock management is simpler and less expensive than ever before!

You Are Here: Understanding Maps with Anton DuMars

ON-SITE  |  Saturday, March 15  |  1 – 3:30 pm

Blue Ridge Naturalist – Elective Credit

With GPS built into our phones and cars, we are increasingly in danger of losing our ways of navigating. Expand your understanding of topographic and geologic maps with this course taught by Geologist Anton DuMars. An in-class portion will focus on an investigation of map symbols, scales, dates, color-coding, water features, and other attributes that are used to interpret data on topographic and geologic maps into. Then the class will move outside for a skills session to interpret real-world features within a map, stepping off on some exploration at the Arboretum. If you have one, please bring a handheld compass with you to the class but we will have some for students to borrow if needed.

This program takes place both indoors and out. Please come prepared to walk on gentle, yet uneven terrain, and dress appropriately for the weather.

Wortham Center Student Series TheaterWorksUSA presents The Magic School Bus. Tuesday, March 18, 2025 at 10 a.m. & 12 p.m.*

Wortham Center Student Series Koresh Dance Company presents Masquerade

Introduction to Appalachian Ecology with Dan Lazar

ON-SITE  |  Wednesday, March 26  |  1 – 4 pm

From the flood plain of the French Broad River to the summit of Mount Mitchel, we will explore the diverse ecological communities that make up the Blue Ridge Bioregion. We will learn why spruce trees are found only on the summits of our highest mountains: why the Southern Appalachians are the lungless salamander capital of the world; and how deer and ants determine where trilliums grow. Part illustrated lecture and part on-site field trip, this class serves as an introduction to all Special Topics in Ecology classes offered through the Blue Ridge Naturalist Program.

This program takes place in the classroom and outdoors. Please come prepared to walk on gentle, yet uneven terrain, and dress appropriately for the weather.

Thursday March 27, 7:00p-9:00p, doors at 6:30p

The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge
103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $17 (available at door or The Orange Peel website)
These shows sellout!
Hosted by Hilliary Begley from Netflix & Amazon Prime!
Cocktails available while you laugh the night away to some of the area’s best Stand Up Comics in a ridiculously fun adult environment!!
Free snacks while availability lasts! You may bring your own food in (no drinks)!
How it Works:
Comics who are on the show will do 3-5m of comedy depending on how many sign up to participate. The show’s top comics will be selected by the paid audience in an anonymous ballet after all comics perform their sets.
Audience will select their favorite top comics of the evening who will be brought back to compete in our next round, date TBA. There are 3 competition rounds and a finale 5 comic Pageant who will vie for the crown, Asheville top-comic title & cash prize.