Want to learn to make jewelry? This beginner friendly introductory metalsmithing course teaches the basics skills involved in making your own jewelry. Learn to use a variety of tools and equipment common in a jewelry studio.

This Intensive 16 hour 2 day workshop will teach many techniques including sawing, filing, polishing, soldering, bezel setting, textures, and more! $499 plus a $55 materials fee (paid separate at class)

Class Times: Saturday Sept 13th 9-5 and Sunday Sept 14th 9-5

Students will also have access to 4 Open Studio sessions through the following 4 weeks to practice their skills. A knowledgeable instructor is present during these sessions for questions and safety. Wednesdays 10-4pm (These are only valid the 4 weeks following the class and do not carry over)

Please know this will be a substantial amount of information over the two days and the intensity may not be ideal for everyone. Some jewelry making knowledge may be beneficial, but is not required. The course is designed to teach the skills through a series of jewelry pieces.

The course is designed to teach techniques and skills rather than completing actual aesthetically pleasing pieces, but the goal is that everyone can complete 2-3 pieces of finished jewelry or more. Attending some or all Open Studios will absolutely ensure this and likely many more pieces.

Move Fast and FIX Things: Placemaking Innovation Through Quick and Uncompromising Design

Cities everywhere are experimenting with fast, low-cost ideas that transform public spaces—whether it’s pop-up parks, reimagined streets, or creative interventions that cut through red tape. These projects prove that you don’t always need years of planning or massive budgets to spark meaningful change.

Join us at Fitz and the Wolfe for an engaging evening of placemaking discussions and a featured conversation with Jon Jon Wesolowski. Jon Jon will highlight real-world examples of how communities are leaning into quick, flexible design—both grassroots and institutional—to make streets safer, downtowns more vibrant, and neighborhoods more human-scaled.

This is a chance to connect with others passionate about building a more creative, people-centered Asheville, while gaining inspiration from innovative projects happening across the country.

Steven Bingler, a New Orleans planner involved in Hurricane Katrina recovery, will share lessons to aid in Tropical Storm Helene recovery in Western North Carolina. He will emphasize the importance of inclusive community engagement, noting that recovery efforts require the active participation of everyone affected. Recovery planning must address short-term, medium-term, and long-term needs, integrating cultural, social, educational, and physical considerations. Recovery is a complex, non-linear process that should involve both community collaboration and civic determination. Local efforts, such as those in Western North Carolina, will work on immediate recovery and long-term resilience plans, underscoring the significance of collective involvement in shaping the future. Join us for a reception, in the lobby of the Wortham Performing Arts Center, after the keynote. One drink ticket will be provided per registered attendee.

Planning for the future can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Join us for a FREE WORKSHOP designed to help seniors and their families navigate the often-complex process of downsizing, relocating, and preparing for what’s next.

This event, held at the East Asheville Public Library, will provide guidance from professionals on a variety of topics to help make your next transition smooth and stress-free.

Refreshments will be provided!

Workshop Highlights
Financial Guidance from a Lender: Learn how lenders utilize a combination of your retirement income and assets to qualify you for a mortgage.

Legal Planning with an Estate Attorney: Get expert advice on key legal issues, including how to organize assets, taxes, and your beneficiary structure, as well as ensure the instructions for your death or medical circumstance are followed.

Practical Moving Tips from a Realtor: You are not alone! See how a Realtor can act as your personal “project manager” to make the transition stress-free.

Don’t miss this opportunity to get your questions answered by experts in the field. There will be a time for Q & A at the end! If you have questions that you would like addressed, include them in the appropriate area as your register.

This event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. Register to secure your spot.

Retreat leader, educator and Jungian psychotherapist Diana McKendree leads a discussion exploring the world of dreamwork and how we might better understand our dreams. Part of Kanuga’s Lunch & Learn series. The Thursday, September 18 event begins with a forest bathing nature walk (weather permitting) at 10 a.m. McKendree’s “What Did You Dream Last Night?” discussion begins at 11 a.m., followed by a buffet lunch in Kanuga’s dining hall. Bring a recent dream, notebook and pen. Registration and more info at kanuga.org/events.

After all the effort it takes to get kids back to school, parents deserve a night out! Send your kids to Dinner Under Dinos on Saturday September 20, 5 – 8 pm, so your kids can have fun while you enjoy a night out!
This event is for children ages 5-12 years old. AMOS will offer three hours of museum play, cheese pizza, and an optional rated G movie! Dinner Under Dinos is even more fun with a friend…who would your kiddo(s) like to invite?
22 tickets at $35, $30 for additional sibling(s)

Sun Day Asheville, part of a global day of action on September 21, 2025, celebrates the rise of clean energy and the movement to leave fossil fuels behind. We’ll come together to have fun and showcase the power of the sun – the energy source that can power our world without pollution or profiteering!

Clean energy is here: it’s more affordable, healthier, and fairer than the fuels of the past.

Join in the free family fun from 1 – 4pm @ Pack Square Pavilion. For more information, visit:https://actionnetwork.org/events/sun-day-asheville

What to Expect at Sun Day Asheville 2025 – September 21st

Families and kids will be making signs and decorating their bikes to participate in a march and bike ride to advocate for solar and clean energy. Sign in at the Marching Booth for the parade near the Stage.
EV bikes from Asheville Custom E-bikes available to rent for free if you sign up in advance: https://www.theacebikes.com/

Celebrations of Clean Energy:

Participants will create art, rally, sing, and call for climate action to ensure a healthier future.
The free, family friendly event will feature solar installations, Sugar Hollow Solar’s Power House with free sun powered snow cones, a fleet of electric vehicles, Earthshine Nature Programs’ solar powered education POD, booths about saving energy and more. Also, concerts, and educational activities to show the benefits of renewable energy for a healthier planet.

Focus on the Future:

The day is about harnessing the power of the sun to create a cleaner future for children and future generations. Kids will enjoy the parade, the music, and of course the solar oven s’mores and sun powered snow cones – all free!
We will make it known – the era of fossil fuels is ending, and a just, renewable future is within reach!

Celebrate the autumnal equinox in an evening of yoga, spirituality and healing, Thursday, Sept. 22 at Kanuga. The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with check-in at the Labyrinth and nature crafting, followed by slow-flow yoga at 6:30 p.m., and concludes with a healing sound bath at 7:45 p.m. To close the evening, attendees are invited to linger over a cup of tea and reflect on the coming fall season. Bring your own mat, blanket and camp chair. Cost: $18 (plus tax and fees). 130 Kanuga Chapel Dr in Hendersonville. Registration and more info at kanuga.org/events.

Join the Asheville Dr. Joe Dispenza meditation group for a powerful community healing experience as we come together for a local Walk for the World event. This meaningful gathering honors the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene while focusing on our collective healing and transformation.

🚶‍♀️ THE WALK We’ll be walking in moving meditation along the beautiful French Broad River, using Dr. Joe’s free guided Walking Meditation (available at www.walkforthe.world). This 50-minute practice helps us “walk as it” – embodying the energy of positive change while connecting with a global consciousness.

💫 WHO’S INVITED? EVERYONE is welcome! Whether you’re a longtime Dr. Joe student or completely new to this work, join us in community. Bring your friends, family, neighbors – anyone who feels called to be part of healing and positive change.

🍽️ POTLUCK CELEBRATION After our walk, we’ll gather in the reserved event room at Wrong Way River Lodge for a community potluck. Even if you can’t stay for the full meal, please join us for a bit! Wrong Way has an amazing coffee and drink bar with hot and cold beverages – let’s support this wonderful local business while we connect.

📍 LOCATION: Wrong Way River Lodge, 9 Midnight Dr, Asheville ⏰ TIME: 9:30am – 11:00am meditation, Potluck and Community time 11am – 1pm💻 MEDITATION: Free download at www.walkforthe.world

This is our chance to come together as a community – to heal, to connect, and to raise our collective consciousness. When we change, the world changes. Let’s walk in love, unity, and hope for our beautiful Asheville and our world.

Please share this post and invite others who might be interested in joining. Together, we walk toward a brighter future. 🌟

Back by popular demand, the third Annual Mountain Monarch Festival will be at Gorges State Park in Sapphire on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This free event, hosted by the park and sponsored by the Friends of Gorges State Park and other partners, will celebrate the monarch butterfly during its migration and raise awareness about the species’ declining numbers. The park lies along the monarchs’ migratory route. The butterflies can be seen in early October each year flying over the park, heading south to the high-elevation fir forests in central-southern Mexico’s Volcanic Belt, where they overwinter until early spring.

The festival will offer educational programs and exhibits as well as children’s crafts, face painting by Brevard College cheerleaders, a butterfly hike, and a Monarch Migration Passport to guide visitors through the activities. The featured speakers will be Heyward Douglas, an entomologist who is a former naturalist and has served on the Foothills Trail Conservancy’s board of directors since 1989, who will talk about visiting the wintering area for the monarchs in Mexico, and Brian Bockhahn, interpretation and education specialist for North Carolina State Parks, who will discuss “Monarch Life Cycle and Tagging.”

The event, activities and programs are free and open to the public. The event will be held rain or shine and is first-come, first-served. For event details, visit https://www.friendsofgorges.org

All Hallows’ Eve is a new Asheville children’s book about kids who dress in costume on Halloween and visit Riverside Cemetery to tell ghost stories and visit the graves of Asheville’s most prominent residents, including Thomas Wolfe, Isaac Dickson, George Masa, and O. Henry. Up in the clouds, they see the ghosts of Zelda Fitzgerald and the Pink Lady. Please join Dana and Chris at 3 pm, with special guest and main character: Adelaide the Witch, for a special reading of the story. Also, Constance Lombardo will be presenting her new children’s monster book, itty bitty Betty Blob Makes a Splash!
Kids love stories that are a little spooky. Come with us on an eerie adventure through Riverside Cemetery… if you dare!

Big Game, Bright Ideas!
The Children’s Entrepreneur Market is setting up shop at the UNC-Asheville Women’s Soccer Game for a special event full of team spirit and young talent!
Come cheer on the Bulldogs and shop from kid-run businesses offering everything from handmade crafts to sweet treats and creative products. It’s the perfect blend of community, creativity, and soccer excitement!
Let’s rally behind our young entrepreneurs and student-athletes all for one unforgettable afternoon!

If you’ve ever collected small, perfectly smooth pebbles and wondered what to do with them, this two-day workshop is the perfect solution! Using diamond encrusted drill bits, students will drill through these materials and then fabricate sterling silver wire and sheet to create stunning jewelry which may include pendants, earrings, rings and bracelets. Students will also learn about the soldering process, bezel and prong setting and a small amount of forging.

No experience is necessary but good eyesight or magnification is a must.

Students are asked to bring:
Small pebbles, ceramic shards, shells and sea glass if they have any (the instructor will bring some for their use as well)
Notebook and pen/pencil
Ultra fine tipped Sharpie pen
$399 plus materials
A materials list for students to purchase will be provided upon registration.

Carolina Memorial Sanctuary leads a conversation about death preparation, home funerals, and the cathartic act of participating in a loved one’s burial, Thurs. October 16 at Kanuga. Part of Kanuga’s Lunch & Learn series, the event begins with a forest bathing nature walk (weather permitting) at 10 a.m. followed by the Carolina Memorial Sanctuary presentation at 11 a.m. Enjoy a buffet lunch in Kanuga’s dining hall after the presentation. Cost: $20 (plus tax and fees). 471 Kanuga Chapel Dr. in Hendersonville. Registration and more info at kanuga.org/events.

🎉 Calling All Young Entrepreneurs! 🍅
We’re thrilled to partner with J&M Farms at their vendor market day in October!

🌟 Got a kid with a big idea? Whether it’s homemade crafts, baked goods, lemonade stands, or creative services—this is their chance to shine!

🍅 Visit kids markets.com

Sign up your child’s booth 🌽
Explore upcoming children’s markets 🎨
Support young local entrepreneurs 💼

Come support young business minds as they showcase their creativity, passion, and entrepreneurial spirit alongside your favorite local vendors.

Shop local and discover handmade crafts, delicious treats and unique finds from amazing vendors. It will be a day of family fun, and a perfect day to shop, explore, and be inspired by the next generation of innovators.

Enter the world of Appalachia’s cryptids, ancient monsters, and weirdest wilds. What separates fact and fiction? What mysteries are still waiting to be solved? What do YOU really want to believe?

Get your tickets this month’s After Hours: CREATURE FEATURE.
—————————————————————
Meet community groups in WNC who are working to make you a true believer! Investigate the phenomena lurking in the darkness of our National Forests. Craft your own urban legend with Asheville’s best story crafters. Explore cryptozoology, animal science, and paleontology to see what myths might have some real teeth to them…

Bloodthirsty for more? Grab a custom-made cocktail and sign up for AMOS’ museum-wide scavenger hunt: The Search for Boojum. Western North Carolina’s most notorious cryptid has stolen a prized gem from our collection. Use a mix of puzzling, science experiments, and gemology to hunt down Boojum and return the stolen gem. But beware- you never know what’s coming to get you!

—————————————————————

Costumes are encouraged but cannot include masks that cover the entire face, weapons, or weapon-like objects. Pre-registration is strongly recommended. Tickets are $30 online or $35 at the door. Must be 21+.

This program series is designed for children and young adults who are enthusiastic about STEM. Each month will spotlight a different STEM professional and their career. The students will get to learn about what these professionals do, ask questions, and participate in exciting hands-on activities! Registration is open for one all sessions. Feel free to join us for just one session, a few of them, or all of the sessions!

🎉 Calling All Young Entrepreneurs! 🍅
We are so excited to partner with UNC-Asheville Men’s Soccer Game for a day of goals and great ideas!

🌟 Got a kid with a big idea? Whether it’s homemade crafts, baked goods, lemonade stands, or creative services—this is their chance to shine!

🍅 Visit kids markets.com

Sign up your child’s booth 🌽
Explore upcoming children’s markets 🎨
Support young local entrepreneurs 💼

Come support the Bulldogs on the field and young entrepreneurs on the sidelines as kids run their very own businesses—selling everything from handcrafted goods to tasty snacks.
It’s a fun, family-friendly event that celebrates local talent and community spirit!

The Black Mountain Public Library is excited to announce that registration is now open for the fourth annual “Write Local Read Local Author & Illustrator Fair” taking place Saturday, November 8, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
This beloved community event brings together authors, illustrators, and book lovers from across the Swannanoa Valley for a morning of conversation, connection, and creativity. Participants will have the opportunity to meet the public face-to-face, hand-sell their books, and share their stories in a welcoming, literary atmosphere.
The fair is more than just a book signing—it’s a celebration of the incredible talent in our valley and an invitation for our neighbors to discover and support it.
Each registered participant will receive table space for the drop-in event at no cost. Whether you’re an emerging author, an established illustrator, or somewhere in between, this is your chance to be part of the vibrant Swannanoa Valley literary community. (If you participated in the 2024 event, we ask you to wait until next year unless you have published work since 11/2024. We appreciate your understanding.)

🎉 Calling All Young Entrepreneurs! 🍅
We’re thrilled to join with the Winter Wonder Walk for a one-of-a-kind Children’s Entrepreneur Market!
🌟 Got a kid with a big idea? Whether it’s homemade crafts, baked goods, lemonade stands, or creative services—this is their chance to shine!

🍅 Visit kids markets.com

Sign up your child’s booth 🌽
Explore upcoming children’s markets 🎨
Support young local entrepreneurs 💼

Join us at the Winter Wonder Walk where the season is brought to life like never before. Wander an outdoor trail and literally step inside the pages of a magical winter story. It’s a one-of-a-kind winter adventure you won’t want to miss being a part of.

Join us at the Winter Wonder Walk where the season is brought to life like never before. Wander an outdoor trail and literally step inside the pages of a magical winter story. It’s a one-of-a-kind winter adventure you won’t want to miss being a part of.

Come support young entrepreneurs (ages 5–17) as they showcase their talents, sell their products, and learn the ropes of business firsthand at the Winter Wonder Walk! As part of the Winter Wonder Walk you will be transported into the magical world of Winterland, where the pages will come to life with live-action immersive story-walk on an outdoor trail.

📣 Interested in participating?
Young entrepreneurs can register at: https://kidsmarkets.com/
Follow us on Facebook @ChildrenEntrepreneursNorthCarolina for updates, sneak peeks, and more!
✨ Why You’ll Love It:
💡 Educational & Inspiring – Kids learn valuable skills in leadership, creativity, money management, and marketing.
🎨 Hands-On Fun –Family-Friendly Fun
🛍️ One-of-a-Kind Shopping – Support the next generation of business leaders and take home unique, kid-made treasures.
🛡️ Safe & Supervised – A welcoming, secure environment for kids and families.

Join us for the Woven Word Retreat – a cozy bohemian winter writing retreat for women nestled in the tranquil beauty of House Boheme. This is a transformative, creative, all-inclusive gathering designed to awaken your inner storyteller.

This 4-day, 3-night experience weaves poetry, movement, ritual, nourishment, and embodied storytelling to stir the creatrix within.

Guided by skilled and popular local facilitators who will help you explore your voice and connect deeply with yourself and others, you’ll have the space to write, reflect, and express your truth in a supportive, welcoming space.

Expect soul-nourishing practices like Yoga Nidra, writing workshops, yoga, and more, plus time to ground into nature and connect with a community of women.

Whether you’re new to writing or a seasoned storyteller, you’ll leave feeling inspired, empowered, and more aligned with your creative spirit.

Learn more and secure your spot at www.wovenwordretreat.com