With the unique animal and plant life in the Appalachians, and people moving to Asheville to enjoy it, local businesses feel it is time to celebrate nature.
On September 30th, 3:00 pm-7:00 pm, Land & Lore Ecotours and the Bywater are sponsoring the 1st Annual Nature Festival in Asheville. This event is open to the public and completely free, and no Bywater membership is required. Kid-friendly and dog-friendly, the festival flaunts all kinds of nature-inspired activities, including:
-Interaction with wildlife: birds of prey, amphibians, reptiles, and ducks
-Kid’s interactive booth and kid’s nature scavenger hunt at 4:00 pm
-Craft vendors and animal-inspired face painting
-Free nature and history tours, led by Dr. Jennifer Gruhn at the Bywater
-Outdoor yoga and inspiring guest speakers discussing the Appalachians
-Raffle tickets and a live auction for private tours on lands of the Southern Appalachians Highlands Conservancy, the Blue Ridge Parkway and Pisgah National Forest.
-Live music, food and drinks, in a laid-back environment with outdoor seating along the French Broad River
“As an ecotourism business, Land & Lore Ecotours aims to provide community events that engage the public with our natural world,” says Jennifer Gruhn, owner of Land & Lore Ecotours. “The 1st Annual Nature Festival in Asheville will spotlight not only native wildlife but also local, environmental nonprofits! This year, we are highlighting Wild for Life, a wildlife rehabilitation group, and the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, a land conservancy protecting cherished ecosystems and popular hiking areas.”
Event date and location: September 30th, 3:00-7:00 pm at The Bywater, located at 796 Riverside Drive, Asheville, NC 28801. Bring a chair to ensure festival seating. For more information about the festival, please visit the Facebook event link, or contact Jennifer Gruhn at [email protected]. For more information about the event sponsors, visit www.landandloreecotours.com and www.bywater.bar.