Friday, May 3

“CHANGE EVERYTHING” SPEECH, 9 a.m., Bo Thomas Auditorium, Blue Ridge Community College, East Flat Rock. Former Fortune magazine editor Rik Kirkland will address “Three Things That Will Change Everything” in a talk hosted by the Blue Ridge Literacy Council and PNC BANK. Kirkland has traveled the world, interviewing everyone from former U.S. presidents to renowned business leaders, such as Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. He will weave together highlights from various encounters during his presentation. Tickets, benefiting the Literacy Council, are $25, include light refreshments from 8:30 to 9 a.m. Kirkland will speak from 9 to 10 a.m. For tickets or more information, call 696-3811 or visit www.litcouncil.org.

CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., St. James Episcopal Church, 766 N. Main St., Hendersonville. The Carolina Concert Choir will perform. The concert also will be presented at 3 p.m. May 4. For tickets, call 891-8416 or visit Carolina ConcertChoir.org.

Saturday, May 4

HERMAN’S HERMITS’ REVUE, 7:30 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone will perform. At the age of 15, Noone, a Manchester, England, native, achieved international fame as “Herman,” lead singer of the legendary 1960s pop band Herman’s Hermits. His classic hits included: “I’m Into Something Good,” “Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter,” “I’m Henry the Eighth, I Am,” “Silhouettes,” “Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat,” “Just A Little Bit Better,” “Wonderful World,” “There’s A Kind of Hush,” “A Must To Avoid,” “Listen People,” “The End of the World” and “Dandy.” The SMCPA noted that, “ultimately, Herman’s Hermits sold over 60 million recordings, of which several became certified as gold. Accompanied by his band, Herman’s Hermits, Noone consistently plays to sold-out venues the world over delighting fans with his extraordinary talent, disarming wit, handsome features and compelling stage presence.” For tickets, which are $20 and $28, call 524-1598 or visit GreatMountainMusic.com.

Sunday, May 5

Big Love Fest, noon-8 p.m., Pack Square Park, downtown Asheville. The third annual celebration of an unchained and independent Asheville will feature music, food, local beer, independent crafters and small businesses.

Sunday, May 5

CONCERT, 3 p.m., St. Matthias Church, 1 Dundee St., Asheville. The Blue Ridge Orchestra will perform music by Bach, Mendelssohn, Telemann and Beethoven. The concert is free and open to the public, but donations will be accepted.

Monday, May 6

CONCERT, noon, Scott Concert Hall, Porter Center, Brevard. Jason Posnick, violin; and Sandra Wright Shen, piano, will perform in concert.

Tuesday, May 7

FILM SCREENING, 7 p.m., Black Mountain Library, 105 Dougherty St., Black Mountain. The film “The Dark Side of Chocolate: How Bitter Is Your Chocolate?” will be screened. There also  will be a sampling of treats and a discussion. The film claims chocolate is one of our favorite pleasures, but the production of much of the world’s chocolate is not so sweet.

Thursday, May 9

MEETING, 6:30 p.m., Renaissance Hotel, downtown Asheville. The Buncombe County Republican Men’s Club will meet for a program. A 6 p.m. buffet dinner will precede the program.

Friday, May 10

CONCERT, 7 p.m., Coulter Hall, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee. A concert will feature David Holt, Mountain Faith and Lonesome Sound. For tickets, which are $10, call 596-4009.

CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Diana Wortham Theatre, Pack Place, Pack Square, downtown Asheville. The Asheville Choral Society will present a concert titled “A Spirit to Remember.” The concert also will be peformed at 4 p.m. May 11. For tickets, which are $20 for the public and $10 for students, call 232-2060, or visit www.ashevillechoralsociety.org.

Saturday, May 11

STRING BAND SHOW 7:30 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. Billed as “the best string band in the nation,” the Mike Snider String Band will perform in concert. For tickets, which are $15, call 524-1598 or visit GreatMountainMusic.com.

ASHEVILLE SYMPHONY CONCERT, 8 p.m., Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, U.S. Cellular Center, downtown Asheville. The Rite of Spring concert will feature the Asheville Symphony Orchestra with guest cellist Joshua Roman. For more information or tickets, visit www.ashevillesymphony.org.

Sunday, May 12

CELTIC SHOW, 7 p.m., Diana Wortham Theatre, Pack Place, Pack Square, downtown Asheville. “An Evening With Dougie MacLean” will be presented. For tickets, which are $35 for the public, $30 for students and $15 for ages 12 and younger, call 257-4530 or visit www.dwtheatre.com.

Wed., May 15

OLD CROW CONCERT, 8 p.m., Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, downtown Asheville. The Old Crow Medicine Show will perform in concert.

Friday, May 17

DOWNTOWN AFTER 5, 5:15 p.m., North Lexington Avenue near I-240 overpass, downtown Asheville. The DA5 2013 series will open with Big Sam’s Funky Nation, a New Orleans-style funk band. Also performing will be Empire Strikes Brass.

Friday, May 17

STEEP CANYON RANGERS CONCERT, 8 p.m., Tryon Fine Arts Center, 34 Melrose Ave., Tryon. The Steep Canyon Rangers will perform. For tickets, call 859-8322 or visit 222.tryonarts.org. 

Saturday, May 18

CRAFT BAZAAR, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Big Ivy Community Center, 540 Dillingham Rd., Barnardsville. A craft bazaar will feature local as well as East Tennessee craftsmen selling a variety of handmade items.

Tuesday, May 21

SOUTH SLOPE BUSINESS MIXER, 5:30 p.m., The Millroom, 66 Asheland Ave., Asheville. The Asheville Downtown Association will host a member mixer to meet the businesses coming to the city’s South Slope. Those signed up to attend include Beer City Pretzel Co., Burial Beer Co., Hi-Wire Brewing, King Daddy’s Chicken and Waffles,  and Twin Leaf Brewery. The South Slope area of Asheville’s central business district has been billed as a hotbed of new business activity, with the aforementioned businesses planning to open in the next several months.

Thursday, May 23

POWER OF PURSE LUNCHEON, 11:30 a.m., Expo Center, Crowne Plaza, Asheville. The annual Power of the Purse luncheon will feature a performance by award-winning playwright and actor Anna Deavere Smith. The event benefits The Women’s Fund, a permanent endowment of The Community Foundation of WNC that supports the unmet needs of women and girls across the region. For tickets, which are $60, or $150 for a patron ticket, call 254-4960 or visit www.cfwnc.org.

Friday, May 24

JAZZ CABARET DINNER, 6:30 p.m., White Horse, 105-C Montreat Rd., Black Mountain. The Jazz Cabaret Dinner Series will feature “Boy’s Night Out,” with dinner at 6:30 and the show at 8. For tickets, call 669-0816 or visit www.whitehorseblackmountain.com.

AARON LEWIS CONCERT, 9 p.m., Event Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, Cherokee. Aaron Lewis will perform in concert. As the co-founder and lead singer of Mass.-based alternative-rock band Staind, Lewis is the innovator behind some of the most memorable songs of the past decade, including the No. 1 single “It’s Been a While,” which spent 16 weeks on Billboard’s Modern Rock chart. For tickets, which are $32.50, visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Sunday, May 26

CONCERT, 8 p.m., Great Hall, Grove Park Inn, 290 Macon Ave., Asheville. Nora Jane Struthers & The Party will perform.

Tuesday, May 28

JAMES McCARTNEY CONCERT, 8 p.m., The Altamont Theatre, 18 Church St., downtown Asheville. James McCartney will perform, with special guest Risa Binder. He is the son of ex-Beatle Paul McCartney. For tickets which are $15, call 248-5327.

Saturday, June 1

CHRISTIAN COMEDY SHOW, 7:30 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. Mark Lowry, a Christian comedian, will perform. For tickets, which are $18 and $20, call 524-1598 or visit GreatMountainMusic.com.