Extension Master Gardener^SM Volunteers of Buncombe County are happy to announce that for the fifteenth year we are offering School Garden Grants to Asheville City and Buncombe County public schools, including state charter schools.

Student learns vegetable gardening

We provide a notice of the application period along with instructions to all school principals, elementary through senior high. Additional information is available on our website page, 2022 School Garden Grants, where you can learn more about the guidelines for receiving a grant and get online access to the 2022 School Garden Grants Application.

All applications must be completed online. Completed applications will be accepted beginning January 7, 2022, and must be submitted no later than 9 p.m. on February 5, 2022. If you have any questions, please call the Extension Office at 828-255-5522.

We are proud of our partnership with Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools. Since 2007, we have awarded 44 School Garden Grants totaling over $45,000. These grants have involved more than 16,500 students and hundreds of teachers, parents, and community volunteers.

School gardens grow more than plants. They grow imagination and creativity. They make math and science come alive, and they build community. We hope your school will join us in 2022.

Guidelines for 2022 School Garden Grants can be found at 2022 School Garden Grants (buncombemastergardener.org)

ON SALE NOVEMBER 26, 2021

Because we know that everyone’s schedules are different, Hendersonville Theatre offers four excellent Season Ticket packages that will get you the best seats in the house and save you money.

SHOWS INCLUDED IN THIS PACKAGE:

Nunsense Jamboree
Red, White & Tuna
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
The Haunting of Hill House
Five Carols for Christmas & JingleJacks

Apply by 2/14 | $500-2,500 grants for arts-based community projects. Priority will be given to projects based in low-income neighborhoods, Title 1 public schools, and communities in need.

Come spend your summer with us!

Season ticket holders enjoy VIT benefits such as 15% off Tourists merchandise, payment plans & personal account representatives, as well as the Never-A-Wasted Ticket program.

For more information on Season Tickets, please email [email protected] or call 828-258-0428.

Buy one of these murals for yourself or to donate to a local organization (make sure you check with them first), and keep the good work going! All proceeds from this auction will be split evenly between The Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County’s COPE Program and the Asheville Area Arts Council’s Arts Build Community Grant. Auction ends February 28.

GEORGE FLOYD

Auction, Faces, Lexington Ave, Names

BLACK POWER MATTERS

Black Lives Matter, Lexington Ave

END THE WAR ON BLACK PEOPLE

Lexington Ave

BLACK LIVES

Black Lives Matter, Lexington Ave

FISTS

Fist, Lexington Ave

DEFUND POLICE

Defend Black Lives, Lexington Ave

SAY THEIR NAMES

Lexington Ave, Names

JERRY WILLIAMS & AHMAUD ARBERY

Auction, Black Lives Matter, Faces, Fist, Lexington Ave

Immerse yourself in our new exhibition series, Legends of Art & Innovation at Biltmore—featuring three different large-scale, multi-sensory experiences—created and produced by Grande Experiences using the very latest in immersive technology to illuminate the remarkable lives of Van Gogh, Monet, and Da Vinci and their timeless masterpieces of art and design.

Each individual component of this year-long series offers fascinating ties to George Vanderbilt’s collection of treasures for his magnificent home on the grounds of Biltmore.

A wide range of Membership Program packages are available, offering benefits and perks including one-time or unlimited admission to the Moogseum for a year, guest passes, gift membership packages, access to virtual archival galleries and live streamed events, free or discounted admission to in-person and virtual events, and even private Moogseum tours. Membership packages are offered at price points from $25 – $500 per year.

Become a member of the Bob Moog Foundation and the Moogseum, which allows you access to tangible, members-only benefits and allows you to be an advocate in support of Bob’s legacy and contributions that revolutionized music!

Your membership provides invaluable resources and funding to support our mission to innovate, inspire, and ignite creativity.

Review the Membership Packages below and choose the one that best suits you!*

All packages include the Members-only “Synth-Insider” newsletter, sent quarterly,

and a 10% discount on Bob Moog Foundation Merchandise.

Update Jan. 4, 2022

The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners has extended the countywide face covering requirement for all indoor public spaces through Feb. 16, 2022. The indoor mask requirement also extends to Asheville, Biltmore Forest, Black Mountain, Town of Montreat, Weaverville, and Woodfin.

In Buncombe County, COVID-19 case rates continue to be high, and per the CDC definition, the County remains an area of high transmission. The percent positivity remains in the moderate category, and the death rate remains in the substantial category.

Volunteers are an integral part of our community, offering their time and energy to important causes often without reward or recognition.

The Governor’s Volunteer Service Award honors the true spirit of volunteerism by recognizing individuals, groups, and businesses that make significant contributions to their community through volunteer service. The awards program, created by the Office of the Governor in 1979, recognizes North Carolina’s most dedicated volunteers. Through the years, the award honors thousands who have shown concern and compassion for their neighbors by volunteering in their local community.

Nominate an outstanding volunteer until Jan. 21

Each county will select up to ten individuals, businesses, groups/teams, and one paid Director of Volunteers to be recognized for their outstanding contributions to their communities. Buncombe County is seeking nominations from the public through Jan. 21, 2022. Any person, group, or entity from the public, nonprofit, and private sector may be nominated for an award, and one of the nominees will be nominated for the Governor’s Medallion Award for Volunteer service, awarded to the top 20 volunteers in the state.

If you would like to nominate a deserving volunteer, group, or organization there are two ways. Find a link to the online submission or download a form below. If using the form attached below, please email your nomination forms to [email protected] by Jan. 21, 2022.

Congratulations to the 2021 Governor’s Service Award recipients for Buncombe County:

• Austin Brown
• Anita Asbell
• Lee Arphai & Galina Wang
• Jan Cosman
• Kate Burger
• Regina Bishop
• Utha Aiken
• Bill Bass
• John Staatz
• Diana Spangler-Crawford

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library puts books into the hands and hearts of children across the world. The Imagination Library creates a home library of up to 60 books and instills a love of books and reading from an early age. DPIL is now mailing a free book each month to over 4,400 registered children in Buncombe County.  Here is the online registration form.

This year will feature an exhilarating blend of beloved productions, including Million Dollar Quartet, West Side Story, and Mamma Mia! The popular Music on the Rock® series, Studio 52 Family Programming, and a brand new Black Box series round out the 2022 season and mark a renewed beginning for FRP after a long pandemic shutdown.

Season subscriptions are on sale now. Music on the Rock® single tickets go on sale on January 24, 2022, and single tickets for all remaining shows go on sale on February 14, 2022.

The Music of Tom Petty

Feb. 24-March 5

Two Jews, Talking

A Hilarious Staged Reading

March 17-19

A side-splitting piece written by Ed. Weinberger, our characters take us on a rollicking romp through time! The two-act story brings Lou and Bud together in the Biblical past, and Phil and Marty together in contemporary Long Island. They philosophize about women, sex, food, the divine, and destiny in this tale of companionship and friendship.

The Music of Elton John

March 31-April 2

The Music of Neil Diamond

April 7-10

Catch Me If You Can

April 28-May 14

This comedy thriller is a classic gem with exciting twists and turns from beginning to end. “The final 15 minutes will reward you like a murder mystery should.” The New York Times

Million Dollar Quartet

May 20-June 19

Back by popular demand, the musical celebrates the historic Sam Phillips studio recording sessions of Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley.

The Music of the Eagles

An Outdoor Stadium Concert

June 18

Join Flat Rock Playhouse for another rockin’ evening of outdoor summer fun at West Henderson’s Athletic Stadium, Johnson Field.

West Side Story

July 1-30

The Romeo and Juliet inspired love story of Tony and Maria amid the Jets and Sharks gang rivalry. Ranked #1 in the most recent survey of theatre patrons.

Mozart to Pop Chart

The Musical Story Continues

August 5-13

Nat Zegree (Jerry Lee Lewis/Amadeus) is back to whisk you away on an all-new musical journey through the history and triumphs of music from Mozart to today’s current hits. Featuring many of the local region’s best rock and symphonic musicians!

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

August 19-Sept. 4

Don’t miss this fresh and relevant stage adaptation of the iconic film that starred the inimitable and great Sidney Poitier.

Introducing The Black Box Series.

September 15-October 9

 You’ve never experienced a play on The Rock like before. The audience and artists share the MainStage for an intimate and immersive theatre experience.  The Black Box Series will feature contemporary works, classics, and stories and playwrights from around the globe. Be among the first to join us on this new and exciting theatrical journey!

God of Carnage

Sept. 15-Oct. 8

A triple-Tony Award-winning Broadway sensation the New Yorker called “laugh-out-loud hilarity,” and “ninety minutes of sustained mayhem.”

Blood Knot

Sept. 16-Oct. 9

A play that asks us to dig beneath the surface of what makes us kin and what happens when we don’t like what we find there. By renowned South African playwright Athol Fugard.

Mamma Mia!

Encore Performance

Oct. 21-Nov. 13

The hugely popular mega-Broadway hit featuring the music of ABBA is back for an encore performance. Featuring songs like “Dancing Queen,” “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!,” “Honey Honey” and so many more.

A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas

November 25-December 22

The WNC tradition continues. Same great show, all new material. A Playhouse favorite that will leave you feeling merry and bright!

A Charlie Brown Christmas (Studio 52)

December 1-4

Everyone’s favorite holiday classic comes to life in a spectacular new production of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Adapted from Charles M. Schulz’s timeless story the whole family can enjoy. Join Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus, and the whole Peanuts gang as they sing, dance, and learn the true meaning of Christmas!

To learn more about the 2022 lineup and how to purchase your tickets, please visit the website at www.flatrockplayhouse.org.

FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE

In 1937, a group of struggling performers, led by Robroy Farquhar, organized themselves as the Vagabond Players. The Vagabonds worked in a variety of places over the course of three years, and in 1940 found themselves in the Blue Ridge region of Western North Carolina. The local and tourist community welcomed them with open arms when they presented their first summer season of plays in a 150-year-old grist mill they converted into The Old Mill Playhouse at Highland Lake. So successful was that summer, they returned in 1941. After WWII, the Vagabond Players reorganized came back to the region and opened a playhouse in nearby Lake Summit. The Lake Summit Playhouse thrived during the post-war years and soon the Vagabond Players were looking for a larger and permanent home. In 1952, the troupe of performers, and a newly formed board of directors made an offer to buy an 8-acre lot in the Village of Flat Rock. This new home made the Vagabonds “locals” and a rented big top gave birth to Flat Rock Playhouse. As the beautiful Western Carolina region continued to grow, so did the Playhouse and in 1961, by Act of the North Carolina General Assembly, Flat Rock Playhouse was officially designated The State Theatre of North Carolina. What began as a few weeks of summer performances in 1940 is now a nine-month season of plays including Broadway musicals, comedy, drama, and theatre for young audiences. The Playhouse’s dual mission of producing the performing arts and providing education in the performing arts includes a professional series; a summer and fall college apprentice and intern program; and Studio 52, year-round classes and workshops in theatre and film for students from kindergarten through adults. Flat Rock Playhouse now hosts over 98,000 patrons annually and is a significant contributor to the local economy and the Arts in North Carolina.

# # #

Go Local Asheville organization–which supports local
independent businesses and its customers–has announced the historic launch of a
first-ever app to better serve Asheville area business and card members,

The free digital app is now available on Apple Store and Google Play for
both Apple and Android smartphones. While the app is free and downloadable for
everyone to conveniently find and support local independent businesses, only Go
Local Asheville cardholders can take advantage of the discounts and perks
offered by the over 500 participating local independent business members. To become
a cardholder, cards can be purchased for $20 each at 30 different businesses
throughout Asheville or on the Go Local Asheville website. To become a business
member, there is no charge. The only requirement is to offer a discount or perk to Go
Local Asheville cardholders.

• Restoration
• Rehabilitation
• Adaptive Re-use
• In-fill Construction in Historic and Traditional Neighborhoods
• Research, Publication and Education
• Stewardship
• Preservation

The Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency is encouraging residents to get their homes tested for Radon during National Radon Action Month.

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. after smoking and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is invisible, odorless, and tasteless.  Radon is released harmlessly from the ground into outdoor air, but it can accumulate and reach harmful levels when trapped in homes and buildings.

Testing is the only way to know if a home has an elevated level of radon. EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General recommend taking action to fix your home if the radon level is 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air or more. Most homes can be fixed for about the same cost as other common home repairs.  Taking action to reduce your exposure to radon is a long-term investment in your families’ health and your home.

The NC Radon Program is offering discounted short-term radon test kits for residents of North Carolina. Other short-term radon test kits can also be purchased online for as little as $18 and are available at most home improvement and hardware stores. Additional information can be found at epa.gov/radon.

Membership is the cornerstone of the Asheville Downtown Association. By renewing or joining, you are adding your voice to a collective of business, nonprofits and individuals working together for a thriving downtown. Benefits include:

• Inclusion of your business’ profile in our online business directory
• Member news and events featured on our website and in our newsletter
• Business referrals through our website, phone calls and drop-in visitors
• Collective advocacy on issues that affect doing business downtown
• Placement of your brochures in our high-traffic brochure rack
• Networking opportunities at our Member Mixers

Immerse yourself in our new exhibition series, Legends of Art & Innovation—featuring three different large-scale, multi-sensory events—created and produced by Grande Experiences using the very latest in immersive technology to illuminate the remarkable lives of Van Gogh, Monet, and Da Vinci and their timeless masterpieces of art and design.

Each individual component of this must-see series offers fascinating ties to George Vanderbilt’s collection of treasures on display in his magnificent family home, Biltmore House.

If you’re behind on your water bill or afraid your water might get cut off, a new resource might be able to help you. On Jan. 4, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approved more than $450,000 in federal funding for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP). The initiative is aimed at preventing water disconnections and helping reconnect drinking and wastewater services.

The LIHWAP will be administered by Buncombe County-based Eblen Charities. The nonprofit will make payments directly to utilities on behalf of qualifying households. The program is slated to run through Sept. 30, 2023 or until funds are exhausted.

Eligibility requirements

Households that currently receive Food and Nutrition Services (FNS), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Work First services, or those that received Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) services from Oct. 1, 2020-Sept. 30, 2021, are automatically eligible to receive this benefit if their water services have been cut off or are in danger of being cut off.

For additional eligibility information or to apply, please contact Eblen Charities at (828) 255-3066.

The Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County (PSABC) was formed in 1976, with interest in preservation sparked by observance of the U. S. Bicentennial, and in response to threats to local buildings and sites posed by neglect, insensitive alteration, and large-scale transportation projects. Disinvestment in downtown, plans for the open cut through Beaucatcher Mountain, and a proposal to turn Montford Avenue into a through street connecting to U.S.19-23 spurred formation of the volunteer group, which quickly incorporated and initiated work as a community non-profit.

Online Education Programs

Hands On Asheville-Buncombe has teamed up with the WNC Chapter of Project Linus. Project Linus blankets provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need. They are handcrafted by caring volunteers who want a child in crisis to know that someone cares about them. It is hoped that each blanket will become a treasured possession. The gifts of new handmade blankets and afghans lovingly created by volunteer “blanketeers” provides a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups for the benefit of children. Blankets are given to the WNC Project Linus chapter for distribution by hospitals, social workers, or police.

Since this project is done from home,we ask volunteers to provide their own equipment and supplies.

When it snows, gardeners may rejoice that a blanket of the cold stuff serves as welcome insulation during frosty weather, protecting plants from wind damage and moderating soil temperature. Of course, snow—and ice—are sometimes more destructive than helpful. Plan how to take advantage of snow’s benefits and minimize potential damage.

Tie up branches of evergreens with multiple leaders to prevent this kind of damage!

Things to do before a storm
If forecasters predict several inches of snow, preventing harm to your landscaping is easier than dealing with the aftermath.

• Mark where your yard ends and the street begins. Putting up snow stakes may prevent snowplow damage to your street-side plantings. You can purchase commercial stakes or make your own from rebar or pressure-treated 1-inch by 1-inch wooden stakes painted orange. For our area, stakes 3 feet tall are tall enough—bury them 8- to 12-inches deep.
• You may want to mark the location of garden paths or sidewalks to facilitate clearing them after the storm and to avoid inadvertently treading on your plantings.
• If you have particularly vulnerable shrubs or trees, tying up branches or constructing shelters may help prevent breakage. Better yet, consider resistance to snow and ice damage when selecting trees and shrubs for your landscape (see list of more and less resistant tree species, below).
• Think twice about using deicers before or after a storm—particularly salt-based ones—to avoid poisoning plants (see additional information about the benefits and risks of specific ice melters, below).

Minimizing damage after a storm
Your landscape may come through a storm unscathed but if not, take care to avoid causing even more damage to your plants or yourself!

• Be careful about trying to remove snow or ice from trees and shrubs.
  • Often it is best to leave snow or ice to melt on its own.
  • Never stand under a snow or ice laden tree—branches may break unexpectedly!
  • Shaking a tree to remove snow can do more harm than good.
  • Don’t try to remove snow using downward brushing. Rather, try reaching underneath branches from a distance with a broom or pole to dislodge snow.
• Avoid shoveling snow onto your plantings. In addition to the weight of the snow, you may be adding soil, grit, and/or gravel to your beds.
• Consult an arborist about whether you can save severely damaged trees: https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist/arboristsearch 
• Use proper pruning techniques to remove damaged branches on trees and shrubs; see first link below for more resources about pruning and other management issues.

Take time to dream!
Be sure to survey your landscape during and after a storm, not only to prevent or repair winter damage, but to evaluate where you might add winter interest in future years, and what new projects you’ll undertake this spring, summer, and fall. Happy year-round gardening!

Article by Buncombe County Extension Master Gardener^SMVolunteers

If there’s one thing the pandemic has taught us, it’s to be ready…
Sign up for BC Alerts, and you’ll get emergency information sent directly to you in real time.

Buncombe County residents have a new, customizable solution for receiving notification and emergency alerts. Buncombe County Government is in the initial phase of migrating to the CodeRED community notification system to send important alerts and time-sensitive messages to staff members and residents. Along with emergency and critical messages, the CodeRED notification system will also enhance community engagement via the release of important but non-emergency information such as vaccine site notifications, inclement weather closures and schedule changes, and other county service information.

Sign up for BC Alerts by texting BCAlert (not case sensitive) to 99411 or visit buncombecounty.org/codered to sign up for the new system.

Notice: If residents have previously signed up for BC Alerts, they will need to re-register in order to continue receiving notifications after June. If you have Spectrum as your wireless provider please select Other from the provider list, and scroll down for more frequently asked questions. 

“Upon evaluating our previous notification system and other available options, we chose CodeRED for its innovative features, user-friendly platform, and wide-spread adoption rates across the country,” said Communications and Public Engagement Director Lillian Govus. “Their company-owned redundant data centers help ensure every resident’s data is safe and that messages are delivered quickly and reliably to thousands of individuals within minutes. We’re excited to expand our communication channels with residents to include text, phone, email, and social media platforms, providing the information they need to know to make better informed decisions during an emergency.”

CodeRED Key Benefits

CodeRED will deliver several benefits for residents and enable staff to more efficiently manage and distribute notifications before, during, and after emergency and non-emergency events:

• Registration for this notification service is customized, allowing residents to choose which alerts they’d like to receive, as well as their preferred channel.
• Residents can select several different methods including landline, cell phone, email, text message, TTY, or even a combination. These alerts can be specific to streets, neighborhoods or regions, so individuals within affected areas are sure to receive relevant information.
• Residents and visitors can keep track of alerts in Buncombe County with the CodeRED Mobile App, which notifies smartphone holders of real-time alerts in the area. Similar to the online registration, users choose which notifications they’d like to receive via the app.
• Staff members can also use the system to communicate emergency information with one another. This will help us ensure our emergency response and daily operations are even more efficient.

All residents are encouraged to visit buncombecounty.org/codered or text BCAlert to 99411 to enroll in the CodeRED system. For more information on the CodeRED notification system or registration, please contact [email protected]. or call CodeRED support at 1-866-939-0911.

January through April

Actors portray characters from Carl Sandburg’s Rootabaga Story “Three Boys with Jugs of Molasses and Secret Ambitions.”

NPS Photo

Educators in grades 3-12 are invited to submit original poems written by their students in February. The poems will be judged and winners announced in April. Find the 2022 Poetry Contest Information and submission guidelines here. The theme “Ambition” is from one of Carl Sandburg’s Rootabaga Stories, to celebrate it’s 100th year of being published. “An ambition…creeps in your heart night and day, singing a little song, ‘Come and find me, come and find me.”

Students are invited to submit a poem to Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site’s annual Student Poetry Contest. The contest encourages youth to explore writing their own poetry, and is open to students nationwide!

Submissions are accepted from grades 3-12 and must be postmarked by March 1, 2022. See below for submission rules.

Winners will be notified by April 8, 2022, and will be invited to participate in a special virtual program on April 22.

2022 Contest Rules

Theme – “Ambition”
Carl Sandburg wrote millions of words reflecting on the American experience of the 20^th century. Though his words often focused on war, labor, and social injustice, as a father of three, he also wrote imaginative, zany, and fantastical children’s stories, called “Rootabaga Stories.” Carl Sandburg’s “Rootabaga Stories” were first published in 1922 and celebrate 100 years of entertaining readers of all ages this year. The theme “Ambition” is from one of these stories. “An ambition…creeps in your heart night and day, singing a little song, ‘Come and find me, come and find me.” Read the story here.

Poems submitted for the 2022 contest should reflect the theme of “Ambition.” By definition, a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work. Or setting goals to achieve success.

Submission Rules

• Poetry accepted from 3-12th grades only. Poems will be grouped for judging by 3-5th, 6-8th, and 9-12th.
• Poems must be submitted by a teacher (traditional classroom or homeschool teacher).
• No more than three poems per class. Teachers with multiple classes, can submit up to three poems per class period.
• Poem will be judged on its ability to communicate the theme.
• Poem can be written in any style, but must not exceed one-page in length. No illustrations.
• Poems must be typed, no handwritten entries, using standard computer fonts, like Times, Arial, etc…
• Do not place any identifying information (name, school, grade, etc…) on poem sheet, that will go on the accompanying submission form.
• Submission form must be complete to be accepted:
  • Paperclipped to poem, no staples
  • Must be signed by parent, student and teacher
  • Submissions must be postmarked, faxed, or e-mailed to [email protected], by March 1, 2022. Emailed submissions must be docs, .pdfs or scans. Low resolution pictures of the submission will not be accepted.

Judging
Judges from the literary community will make the decision for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place within each grade category (3-5th, 6-8th, 9-12th).

Poetry Partners
The 2022 Poetry Contest is a result of tremendous community support including the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara, and literary volunteers who serve as judges. Thank you.

Poetry Resources
You may also find curriculum resources to use in the classroom at the park’s website: www.nps.gov/carl/learn/education/index.htm.

Send Submissions to:
Carl Sandburg Home NHS
Attn: Poetry Contest
81 Carl Sandburg Lane
Flat Rock, North Carolina 28731
Fax 828-693-4179
Email: [email protected]

The Asheville Fringe Arts Festival celebrates 20 years of experimental, unusual, and out-of-the-box art. Performances of dance, theater, puppetry, and music, as well as film and installation, will take place — both in person and online — January 27-30, 2022. 

In honor of the festival’s milestone anniversary, here are 20 fringe benefits (see what we did there?) of this year’s event: 

1. Local artists! More than 25 creatives from the Asheville area will share works that span and bend genres.

2. Out-of-town artists! Take 50 Shades of Gay, an adult variety show filled with comedy, music, drag, costumes, and audience participation. It was written, produced, and stars award-winning, New Jersey-based comedian Ike Avelli.

3. Education! For instance, The New York Yoyo Show is an interactive, musical production featuring advanced yoyo demos, two Broadway-style numbers, and the grand finale: “The World’s Longest Yoyo String.” After the show, the audience is invited to stick around for a free yoyo lesson.

4. Spoken word! Asheville locals BAD TIES blend a unique spin on beat poetry with mixed media performance art. In the Mouth of Urban Decay is a 30-minute presentation of film, music, and original spoken word surrounding themes of displacement, geography, and life’s little disappointments.

5. Theater! Devised theatre piece The Marvelous Martha Monday is created and performed by Katie Jones. It’s based on her great-great-grandmother, who made family legend by running away with the circus as a teenager.

6. Adventure! Short film Fantastica is an inner galactic adventure with Venusian guide Smokifantastic.

7. Venues! LEAF Global Arts, The Magnetic Theatre, Static Age Records, Fleetwoods, and The LaZoom Bus will all host shows.

8. Virtual! That’s right — this hybrid festival also includes streaming shows for those who want or need to stay in.

9-12.Film nights include two international collections as well as short films, and dance-themed screenings.

13. The Fringe Freak Pass is back! Passholders can see up to 10 shows for one price: $50 before Jan. 1, 2022 / $70 after.

14. New this year, the Fringe Binge (only $40 until Jan. 1 / $60 after) allows access to all online Asheville Fringe content, including film nights and shows live-streamed by IamAVL.

15-18. Four parties! Before and after!

19. Community! See old friends, make new friends, revel in weird and wonderful art.

20. Fringe on! Fringe art exists outside of the mainstream. It’s experimental, unusual, and one-of-a-kind. From music and theater to puppetry and dance, Asheville Fringe Arts Festival offers the best of the unexpected.

 Individual tickets go on sale Saturday, Jan. 1.

The Asheville Fringe Arts Festival celebrates 20 years of experimental, unusual, and out-of-the-box art. Performances of dance, theater, puppetry, and music, as well as film and installation, will take place — both in person and online — January 27-30, 2022. 

In honor of the festival’s milestone anniversary, here are 20 fringe benefits (see what we did there?) of this year’s event: 

1. Local artists! More than 25 creatives from the Asheville area will share works that span and bend genres.

2. Out-of-town artists! Take 50 Shades of Gay, an adult variety show filled with comedy, music, drag, costumes, and audience participation. It was written, produced, and stars award-winning, New Jersey-based comedian Ike Avelli.

3. Education! For instance, The New York Yoyo Show is an interactive, musical production featuring advanced yoyo demos, two Broadway-style numbers, and the grand finale: “The World’s Longest Yoyo String.” After the show, the audience is invited to stick around for a free yoyo lesson.

4. Spoken word! Asheville locals BAD TIES blend a unique spin on beat poetry with mixed media performance art. In the Mouth of Urban Decay is a 30-minute presentation of film, music, and original spoken word surrounding themes of displacement, geography, and life’s little disappointments.

5. Theater! Devised theatre piece The Marvelous Martha Monday is created and performed by Katie Jones. It’s based on her great-great-grandmother, who made family legend by running away with the circus as a teenager.

6. Adventure! Short film Fantastica is an inner galactic adventure with Venusian guide Smokifantastic.

7. Venues! LEAF Global Arts, The Magnetic Theatre, Static Age Records, Fleetwoods, and The LaZoom Bus will all host shows.

8. Virtual! That’s right — this hybrid festival also includes streaming shows for those who want or need to stay in.

9-12.Film nights include two international collections as well as short films, and dance-themed screenings.

13. The Fringe Freak Pass is back! Passholders can see up to 10 shows for one price: $50 before Jan. 1, 2022 / $70 after.

14. New this year, the Fringe Binge (only $40 until Jan. 1 / $60 after) allows access to all online Asheville Fringe content, including film nights and shows live-streamed by IamAVL.

15-18. Four parties! Before and after!

19. Community! See old friends, make new friends, revel in weird and wonderful art.

20. Fringe on! Fringe art exists outside of the mainstream. It’s experimental, unusual, and one-of-a-kind. From music and theater to puppetry and dance, Asheville Fringe Arts Festival offers the best of the unexpected.

 Individual tickets go on sale Saturday, Jan. 1.

Various times

His masterworks have been displayed around the world for over a century… but never like this. Described as “an unforgettable multi-sensory experience,” Van Gogh Alive is a powerful and vibrant symphony of light, color, sound, and scent that compels you to leave the world behind and immerse yourself in Van Gogh’s paintings. Simultaneously enchanting, entertaining, and educational, Van Gogh Alive stimulates all the senses and opens the mind.