Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) invites community members to browse hundreds of activities, classes, and special events in its latest program guide, covering September-December 2024. The free guide is available at community centers and online at ashevillenc.gov/apr-guide in English and Spanish:
- View program guide as a PDF in English and español or as a digital flipbook in English
- Search programs online, available in 133 languages via Google Translate’s Website Translator
Asheville Parks & Recreation Program Highlights
This is just a sample! Visit ashevillenc.go/apr-guide or stop by an APR community center for a program guide with more opportunities for people of all ages. Spots fill up fast, so advance registration is highly recommended, even for free events. For most activities, registration opens 30 days prior to event.
Teens and Tweens
- Show your skills on Thursday nights’ 3 Point Knockout Challenge
- Skate it off to a Taylor Swift soundtrack in Carrier Park at Swiftie Skate Night
- Climb for candy and show off your costume at Halloween Creepy Climbing
- Get ready for the ultimate gourd showdown during the Teen Pumpkin Carving Challenge
Young Adults
- Bring your best bud to an afternoon of puptastic fun at Barktoberfest
- Immerse yourself in the natural world through the lens of literature with Wild Reads Book Club
- Express yourself creatively at Wise Words Open Mic
- Toss like a boss at Grove Street Community Center’s Cornhole Tournament
- Pair your sneakers with a ballgown or tux for the Sneaker Ball
Adults and Retirees
- Take on a new persona and work with others to solve whodunit at Harvest House Community Center’s Murder Mystery Party
- Learn the dinks and don’ts at Stephens-Lee Community Center’s Pickleball Clinics
- Celebrate autumn with crafts, food, and more at the Senior Fall Festival
- Discover Hot Springs, apple orchards, the Carolina Renaissance Festival, and more with the Day Trips series
- Flickering flames ignite creativity at Adult Candle Making
Kids
- Carve some time out for creativity and imagination during Toddler Pumpkin Palooza
- Young explorers of all skill levels are welcome at Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day
- Share your talent at Family Paint Nights
- Celebrate Bluey’s abundance of energy, imagination and curiosity about the world at Bluey Blast
Outdoors
- Discover a challenging-yet-rewarding style of fishing with Daniel’s Fly Fishing series
- Bathe in the natural glory of local flora during Forest Therapy
- Learn the skill of using a bow to shoot arrows at Adult Archery
- Make sense of the modern world for the purpose of grounding connections to nature and each other at Asheville Ecogathering
Therapeutic Recreation
- Score big at TR Bowling
- Learn the basics at TR Tennis
- Join others for TR Adult Crafting & Cooking
- Reach new heights at Adaptive Indoor Rock Climbing
Upcoming Registration Dates
- Adult 6v6 Indoor Volleyball – August 5
- Adult 6v6 Sand Volleyball – August 5
- Youth Basketball – August 5
- Adult Flag Football – September 3
Asheville Parks & Recreation
With its oldest parks dating to the 1890s, Asheville Parks & Recreation manages a unique collection of more than 65 public parks, playgrounds, and open spaces throughout the city in a system that also includes full-complex recreation centers, swimming pools, Riverside Cemetery, sports fields and courts, and community centers that offer a variety of wellness-, education-, and culture-related programs for Ashevillians of all ages. With 10 miles of paved greenways and numerous natural surface trails, its complete portfolio acts as the foundation of a vibrant hub for the people of Asheville to connect with their neighbors and explore the natural beauty of a livable and walkable city.
Driven by the promise that Asheville is a better and safer place when everyone from infants to retirees has the opportunity to be supported, healthy, and successful, Asheville Parks & Recreation was the first nationally-accredited municipal recreation department in the United States. For latest updates, sign up for Asheville Parks & Recreation’s monthly newsletter, follow the department on Facebook (@aprca) and Instagram (@ashevilleparksandrecreation), or visit www.ashevillenc.gov/parks.