Lucky you. You just found AVLtoday’s Plan Ahead, a list of some of the biggest events that are taking place throughout Asheville each month.

Take out your calendar, grab your day planner, or text all your friends — these are the top events we recommend heading into October. Psst: Don’t forget to bookmark this page and come back; we update our guide monthly.

Prost, Greenville. | Photo by the City of Greenville

Oktoberfests

Oktoberfest | Friday, Oct. 2 | 5-8 p.m. | Berliner Kindl German Restaurant | Price of purchase

Oktoberfest Half Marathon & 5K | Saturday, Oct. 3 | 7:30 a.m. | Hi-Wire RAD | $60+

Oktoberfest | Saturday, Oct. 3 | 1-11 p.m. | Bear's Smokehouse BBQ | Price of purchase

Oktoberfest | Saturday, Oct. 3 | 1-6 p.m. | South Slope | Free

Oktoberfest with Das Oompapas | Saturday, Oct. 3 | 2-5 p.m. | The Funkatorium | Price of purchase

First Annual Hawktoberfest | Saturday, Oct. 10 | 1-8:30 p.m. | Creekside Taphouse | Free

A cocktail named "The Haunting" in a tall glass, surrounded by Halloween decorations including pumpkins, a skull, and spider webs. — The Haunting welcomes all ages of ghouls and goblins daily until 9 p.m. + costumes are encouraged. | Photo by The Haunting

Halloween events

Halloween Cocktail Special | Thursday, Oct. 1 | 3-11 p.m. | After/Glow | Price of purchase

Frankenbash | Thursday, Oct. 15 | 8 p.m. | Revival | $20

Drag “BOO-runch” Fundraiser for Open Hearts Art Center | Saturday, Oct. 17 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Banks Ave. Bar | $25+

BOO Ridge Halloween Movie Night | Friday, Oct. 23 | 6 p.m. | HomeTrust Park | Price of purchase

Wolf Howl-O-Ween | Friday, Oct. 23 | 6-8 p.m. | WNC Nature Center | $20+

Asheville Halloween Bar Crawl | Saturday, Oct. 24 | 4-11 p.m. | Urban Orchard Cider Co. | $17

Monster Mash Halloween Party | Saturday, Oct. 24 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Reuter Family YMCA | $20+

Halloween Boo's & Brews Bash | Saturday, Oct. 24 | 6-9 p.m. | New Belgium Brewing | $10+

The Pink Lady Party | Thursday, Oct. 29 | 7-10 p.m. | The Omni Grove Park Inn | $103

Hollerween | Friday, Oct. 30 | 5 p.m. | Fitz and the Wolf | $14+

Wicked Spooky 5k & Creepy Crawly Climb | Saturday, Oct. 31 | 8:40 a.m. | Wicked Weed Funkatorium | $12+

Asheville Halloween Bar Crawl 2026 | Saturday, Oct. 31 | 3-10 p.m. | Urban Orchard | $10

The Official Halloween Bar Crawl | Saturday, Oct. 31 | 4 p.m. | Hi-Wire Brewing | $14

Scarborough Hollow in waxahachie — On Sunday, Nov. 1, there will be a special Día de los Muertos celebration. | Photo by Southwest Festivals

Festivals, fairs + markets

Eliada Corn Maze & Fall Festival | Friday, Oct. 2-Sunday, Nov. 1 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | Eliada Homes | $15

Ooh La La Curiosity Market | Saturday, Oct. 3-Saturday, Oct. 31 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Pritchard Park | Price of purchase

Foundy Fest | Saturday, Oct. 3 | 12 p.m. | Foundation Asheville | Price of purchase

114th Annual Cherokee Indian Fair | Tuesday, Oct. 6-Saturday, Oct. 10 | Times vary | Cherokee Indian Fairgrounds, Cherokee

Show & Tell Fall Night Market | Wednesday, Oct. 7 | 5-9 p.m. | The Orange Peel | Price of purchase

Asheville Anime-Fest | Saturday, Oct. 10 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Holiday Inn Asheville | $12

Lovely Asheville Fall Festival | Saturday, Oct. 10-Sunday, Oct. 11 | 12 p.m. | Pack Square Park | Price of purchase

Markets at The Radical | Sunday, Oct. 11 | 4-7 p.m. | The Radical | Price of purchase

Lake Eden Reunion | Friday, Oct. 16-Sunday, Oct. 18 | 10 a.m. | Lake Eden | $42+

Magical Market | Sunday, Oct. 18, Saturday, Oct. 31 | 12-6 p.m. | House of Black Cat Magic | Price of purchase

Swannanoa Market | Saturday, Oct. 24 + Saturday, Oct. 31 | 10 a.m.-1 p.m. | The HUB | Price of purchase

Ooh La La Curiosity Market | Saturday, Oct. 24 + Saturday, Oct. 31 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Pritchard Park | Price of purchase

Appfest at the Brewpub | Saturday, Oct. 24 + Saturday, Oct. 31 | Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy | Price of purchase

Uncommon Market Asheville | Sunday, Oct. 25 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Foundy | Price of purchase

Asheville Veganfest | Sunday, Oct. 25 | 12-5 p.m. | Pack Square Park | Price of purchase

Ginkgo Marketplace | Saturday, Oct. 31 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | Courtyard at 43 Wall Street | Price of purchase

Magical Market | Saturday, Oct. 31 | 12-6 p.m. | House of Black Cat Magic | Price of purchase

virtual-arts-asheville-art-museum-avltoday — Asheville Art Museum | Photo by @avltoday

Film, theater + dance

Manhattan Short Film Festival at A-B Tech. | Thursday, Oct. 1 | 6-8:30 p.m. | Ferguson Auditorium on the A-B Tech. Campus | Price of purchase

Preview: "The Lightning Thief" | Tuesday, Oct. 6 | 6 p.m. | Pack Memorial Library | Free

Asheville Jewish Film Festival | Saturday, Oct. 10-Sunday, Nov. 8 | Times vary | UNCA | $18+

"Misery" | Wednesday, Oct. 14-Sunday, Nov. 1 | Times vary | North Carolina Stage Company | $15+

"Last of the Red Hot Lovers" | Friday, Oct. 16-Sunday, Oct. 18 | 2:30-5 p.m. | Asheville Community Theatre | $11

"American Pachuco: The Legend of Louis Valdez" | Thursday, Oct. 18 | 2-4:30 p.m. | Asheville Art Museum | $20

Feral Friday Horror Fest Screening & Fundraiser | Friday, Oct. 23 | 7-10 p.m. | Asheville Masonic Temple | $25+

"Terror on Tanglewood" | Wednesday, Oct. 28 | 7:30 p.m. | Asheville Community Theatre | $18

Art + literature

First Fridays: East West Art Walk | Friday, Oct. 2 | 5 p.m. | Story Parlor | Free

Bank of America Museums on Us Weekend | Saturday, Oct. 3 | Asheville Art Museum | Free

Beaverdam Studio Tour | Saturday, Oct. 24-Sunday, Oct. 25 | Times vary | Beaverdam Valley In North Asheville | Free

Art by the Tracks | Saturday, Oct. 24 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | The Old Depot | Free

16th Surreal Sirkus Arts Festival | Saturday, Oct. 24 | 12-10 p.m. | Pack Square Park | Free

"A Court of Splintered Harmony" Midnight Release Party | Monday, Oct. 26 | 9 p.m.-12:15 a.m. | Revival AVL | $5+

The Third Annual Gothic Cabaret | Friday, Oct. 30 | 7:30-10:30 p.m. | Story Parlor

Rabbit Rabbit music venue — Asheville's music scene plays a key role in the creative economy. | Photo by Tom Farr courtesy of Rabbit Rabbit

Music + comedy

Dylan Gossett & Charles Wesley Godwin | Friday, Oct. 2 | 6:30 p.m. | Hellbender | $50+

Sylvan Esso | Friday, Oct. 2-Saturday, Oct. 3 | 8 p.m. | The Orange Peel | $63

Appalachia Sings - A Bluegrass and Choral Spectacular | Friday, Oct. 9 | 7-9 p.m. | First Baptist Church of Asheville | $24

Fall Family Concert | Saturday, Oct.10-Sunday, Oct. 11 | 3 p.m. | First Baptist Church | $5+

Cannons | Tuesday, Oct. 13 | 8 p.m. | The Orange Peel | $46

Knocked Loose & Denzel Curry | Wednesday, Oct. 14 | 6 p.m. | Hellbender | $60+

Josiah and the Bonnevilles | Wednesday, Oct. 14 | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | The Grey Eagle | $33

The Tallest Man On Earth | Friday, Oct. 16 | 8 p.m. | The Orange Peel | $50

Asheville Symphony Masterworks 2: Nightfall | Saturday, Oct. 17, Saturday, Oct. 17 | Times vary | First Baptist Church of Asheville | $25+

Daniel Tosh | Sunday, Oct. 18 | 7-9 p.m. | Thomas Wolfe Auditorium | $58+

Dope Lemon | Tuesday, Oct. 20 | 8 p.m. | The Orange Peel | $40

Jaboukie Young-White | Sunday, Oct. 25 | 8 p.m. | The Orange Peel | $35

25th Annual NewSong Music Competition | Sunday, Oct. 25 | 7-10 p.m. | Grey Eagle Music Hall | $30

Neal Francis | 8 p.m. | Thursday, Oct. 29 | The Grey Eagle | $36

Sierra Nevada Brewery | Photo by @duribe_

A taste of something new

Pawpaw Ice Cream Release | Friday, Oct. 2 | 12-10 p.m. | The Hop | Price of purchase

Burnpile | Saturday, Oct. 3 | 12 p.m. | Forestry Camp | $50+

Non-Alcoholic Beverage Event | Saturday, Oct. 3 | 1-4 p.m. | NOLO - Non Alcoholic Bottle Shop | Price of purchase

Farm to Fork (Bounty & Soul) | Saturday, Oct. 3 | 5-8 p.m. | The Mule at Devil's Foot | $200

Sierra Nevada Agua Azul Launch Party on The Roof | Thursday, Oct. 8 | 3-10 p.m. | The Roof | Free

Ashevillish x Devil's Foot Soda Release Party | Saturday, Oct. 10 | 12-3 p.m. | The Mule | Price of purchase

Carolina Mountain Cheese Festival | Sunday, Oct. 11 | 12 p.m. | Oak and Grist Distilling Company | $36+

Farmshire Vegan Fair | Sunday, Oct. 11 | 1-6 p.m. | Sweeten Creek Brewing | Price of purchase

Cajun Cookoff 2026 | Sunday, Oct. 11 | 2-5 p.m. | Wicked Weed Funkatorium | $40

J Chong Dinner at Zelda Dearest | Tuesday, Oct. 13 | 6-9 p.m. | Zelda Dearest | $135

Sufra Time | Friday, Oct. 16 | 6-8:30 p.m. | Sufra Time at Mocha Box Coffeehouse | $95

Equal Plates Project's Harvest Ball | Thursday, Oct. 22 | 5:30-9 p.m. | The Mule at Devil's Foot Beverage | $125

Flag football is making its debut at the 2028 games. | Photo via Asheville Parks and Rec

Outdoors, community + get active

Asheville Grass Open | Friday, Oct. 2-Sunday, Oct. 4 | 9 a.m. | HomeTrust Park | $45+

Tour de Fat Official Pre-Party + Community Ride Season Closeout | Friday, Oct. 2 | 6-11 p.m. | Bear's Smokehouse BBQ | Price of purchase

Pups & Pints | Saturday, Oct. 3 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Pack Square Parking Garage | Price of purchase

Roller Derby Bout | Saturday, Oct. 3 | 12-3 p.m. | Harrah's Cherokee Center Asheville | $5+

Barktober Costume Contest | Saturday, Oct. 3 | 2-3 p.m. | Tanger Outlets Asheville | Free

Fall Ecology Walk | Friday, Oct. 9 | 1:30-3 p.m. | The North Carolina Arboretum | $27

South Slope Stroll | Saturday, Oct. 10 | 10 a.m. | Bear's Smokehouse Barbecue | Free

Wild Walk: A Behind the Scenes Tour | Saturday, Oct. 10 | 1-2:30 p.m. | WNC Nature Center | $35+

Downtown Diamond Dash | Saturday, Oct. 17 | 8-11 a.m. | HomeTrust Park | $40

Grove Park Invitational | Sunday, Oct. 18 | 9 a.m. | Grove Park Inn | $225+

Pumpkin Pedaller '26 | Saturday, Oct. 24 | 1:30-7 p.m. | New Belgium Brewing | Price of purchase

Have an event of your own you want to share with us? Follow these easy steps to add your events to our calendar:

Go to our Events page.
Click “Add Event” in the top right-hand corner.
Make sure to include a link and fill out important information like the date, time, location, and price of your event.
Click “Submit,” and you’ve just added an event to our website calendar.