Our FEAST cooking and gardening program offers public school students the opportunity to learn food security skills that will last a lifetime. Not only that, we tailor our classes to grade level standard course of study and incorporate science, math, reading and history. Students get to taste and have hands on experience and we could use some supplies to help! Please let us know if you have any of the following you’d like to contribute:

Metal spoons and forks for tasting
Small one ounce Dixie cups – paper or reusable plastic
Mini Silicone Pinch Bowls
Soil for raised garden beds
Compost Now – donate your compost to us HERE
Kid friendly can opener
Cans of Black Eyed Peas
Honey
Tamari
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Please reach out to [email protected] for more information or if you’d like to drop things off. Amazon items can be ordered directly with the links above.

Join us at the Greenville Convention Center for the Greenville RV Show on January 5th-7th 2024, the largest RV show in Greenville. Shop acres of RVs in one convenient location and all your favorite local dealers.

• Friday, January 5, 2024, 10am – 8pm
• Saturday, January 6, 2024, 10am – 8pm
• Sunday, January 7, 2024, 10am – 5pm

Admission

INCLUDES FREE RETURN PASS GOOD FOR ALL WEEKEND.

CASH ONLY – ATM ONSITE.

SERVICE ANIMALS ONLY PER FACILITY.

No advance ticket sales.

• $5 per person
• Under 18 FREE
• Parking $5.

SC Arms Collectors Association Gun & Knife Show – Hall 1 – Parking off Exposition Drive

SC Arms Collectors Association Gun & Knife Show – Hall 1 – Parking off Exposition Drive

A Charlotte Comic Takeover!!!
It’s Another Great Comedy Show at Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co, Theater 2! Jan 21, 6:30p, 18+, Get Dinner, Drinks & Laughs with the areas best standup comics. Featured and Open Mic Comedy. [Performing comics get 3-5m, FREE entry and pizza. ]
Morgan Marie is guest hosting, in from Charlotte with some great comic features in tow!! Get Your Tickets Now! https://www.ashevillebrewing.com/buy-tickets/

A Charlotte Comic Takeover!!!
It’s Another Great Comedy Show at Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co, Theater 2! Jan 21, 6:30p, 18+, Get Dinner, Drinks & Laughs with the areas best standup comics. Featured and Open Mic Comedy. [Performing comics get 3-5m, FREE entry and pizza. ]
Morgan Marie is guest hosting, in from Charlotte with some great comic features in tow, Matt Hammy, Thomas Heynan & Christine McLennan!! Get Your Tickets Now!!

Join The Watchdog and a Panel of Experts to Discuss Possible Solutions for Restoring Quality Healthcare to Western North Carolina

Mission Health used to be one of the premier hospital systems in America, a magnet for top physicians and nurses, a provider of caring, quality care for patients, and a source of pride for the community.

Five years ago, Mission’s board of directors sold the system to HCA Healthcare of Nashville, promising that the sale to the hospital giant would lead to higher-quality, more accessible, and lower-cost healthcare for the people of western North Carolina.

Now, after five years of HCA management, there’s a broad consensus that the exact opposites have occurred. The question now is:

What can we, the citizens of western North Carolina, do to once again have the best-in-class, accessible, and affordable healthcare we used to expect?

Please join Asheville Watchdog and a panel of experts for a public discussion focused on solutions.

Confirmed panelists (L-R): State Sen. Julie Mayfield; Dr. R. Bruce Kelly, MD; Karen Sanders, MSN, RN; City of Brevard Mayor Maureen Copelof. Moderator: Asheville Watchdog Exec. Editor Peter Lewis

Note: Executives of HCA Healthcare, Mission Health, the Dogwood Health Trust, and MAHEC all declined The Watchdog’s invitations to participate in this event.

The event is free, but all attendees are requested to register in advance. Space is limited. There will be no microphones on the floor; submit your question in advance.

The 54th Annual Upstate SC Boat Show is coming to the Greenville Convention Center on January 25-28, 2024!

The show will host the latest models of boats including:
Fishing, Pontoon, Speed, Ski, Cruisers, and Personal Watercraft. Additionally, you’ll find boating accessories and everything that you need to start the season off right!

Show Hours

Thursday & Friday: 12pm – 9pm
Saturday: 10am – 9pm
Sunday: 12pm – 6pm

Admission & Parking

Adults $7 • Seniors (60+) $6 • Students (7-18) $6 • Children (Age 6 and Under) FREE
Parking $5

Standup Comedy at Pulp featuring Cody Hughes
Stand up Comedy at The Orange Peel’s Pulp Lounge
When: Thursday December 25, 2024.
7p-9p, doors at 6:30p
Where:
The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge, 103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $15 (available at door or The Orange Peel website https://theorangepeel.net/event/slice-of-life-comedy-open-mic-24/ )
Cocktails available while you laugh the night away to some of the area’s best Stand Up Comics in a ridiculously fun adult environment!! Free snacks while availability lasts!
Hosted by Hilliary Begley, featuring Cody Hughes
Comedy open mic is 3-5m each, comics get in free with free snacks!
Host Hilliary Begley-
Hilliary will make you cry with laughter. With her larger that life personality!! Voted repeatedly Asheville’s Favorite comic in the Mountain Xpress. Film debut in the Netflix original Dumplin’ as Aunt Lucy, or “Jennifer Anniston’s fat sister,” In Austin Film Festival winning movie When We Last Spoke with Cloris Leachman, now streaming on Amazon Prime.
https ://youtu.be/legRwEg4j-o
Feature Cody Hughes is a comedian from Asheville NC. He’s lived in a few different big cities and a lot of comedians like him and a lot of other comedians have heard good things about him from the comedians who like him. A few comedians don’t like him and he can’t do anything about that. Oh well. He has opened for Lewis Black, John Oliver, Maria Bamford, and many others.
Watch his new comedy special:

Beginner’s workshop lesson at 7:30 P.M., then 8-11 P.M. Contra Dance with Country Waltzing at the break and the final dance. This is a partner dance but it’s not necessary to come with a partner. We have different live bands and callers.

Come give blood to automatically be entered for a chance to win an exciting trip for you & a guest to Super Bowl LVIII in Vegas! Includes travel, hotel, $1,000 gift card, pre-game activities & more!   For an appointment, please visit RedCrossBlood.org and use the sponsor code “LandOfTheSky” Or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767)

The 54th Annual Upstate SC Boat Show is coming to the Greenville Convention Center on January 25-28, 2024!

The show will host the latest models of boats including:
Fishing, Pontoon, Speed, Ski, Cruisers, and Personal Watercraft. Additionally, you’ll find boating accessories and everything that you need to start the season off right!

Show Hours

Thursday & Friday: 12pm – 9pm
Saturday: 10am – 9pm
Sunday: 12pm – 6pm

Admission & Parking

Adults $7 • Seniors (60+) $6 • Students (7-18) $6 • Children (Age 6 and Under) FREE
Parking $5

The 54th Annual Upstate SC Boat Show is coming to the Greenville Convention Center on January 25-28, 2024!

The show will host the latest models of boats including:
Fishing, Pontoon, Speed, Ski, Cruisers, and Personal Watercraft. Additionally, you’ll find boating accessories and everything that you need to start the season off right!

Show Hours

Thursday & Friday: 12pm – 9pm
Saturday: 10am – 9pm
Sunday: 12pm – 6pm

Admission & Parking

Adults $7 • Seniors (60+) $6 • Students (7-18) $6 • Children (Age 6 and Under) FREE
Parking $5

The 54th Annual Upstate SC Boat Show is coming to the Greenville Convention Center on January 25-28, 2024!

The show will host the latest models of boats including:

Fishing, Pontoon, Speed, Ski, Cruisers, and Personal Watercraft. Additionally, you’ll find boating accessories and everything that you need to start the season off right!

Show hours are Thursday and Friday from 12pm – 9pm, Saturday from 10am – 9pm and Sunday from 12pm – 6pm.

The 54th Annual Upstate SC Boat Show is coming to the Greenville Convention Center on January 25-28, 2024!

The show will host the latest models of boats including:
Fishing, Pontoon, Speed, Ski, Cruisers, and Personal Watercraft. Additionally, you’ll find boating accessories and everything that you need to start the season off right!

Show Hours

Thursday & Friday: 12pm – 9pm
Saturday: 10am – 9pm
Sunday: 12pm – 6pm

Admission & Parking

Adults $7 • Seniors (60+) $6 • Students (7-18) $6 • Children (Age 6 and Under) FREE
Parking $5

Pruning techniques are essential for promoting the health and productivity of plants. Different techniques can control diseases, stimulate new growth, and maintain aesthetically pleasing landscapes. Join us as horticulture expert John Murphy teaches the basics of pruning.

Dive into wedding bliss at the Greenville Convention Center on Feb 3rd, 10 AM – 2 PM! Explore enchanting venues, meet vendors, and plan your dream day. Join Wedding Festivals for an immersive experience in the heart of Greenville. Say “I do” to endless possibilities!

Parking off Exposition Drive.

For more information click here: Bridal Show and Wedding Expo in Greenville Anderson Spartanburg Charleston South Carolina SC Asheville Charlotte North Carolina NC (weddingfestivals.com)

Indulge in an evening of passion, connection, and a dash of mystery at our “Eyes Wide Shut: A Blindfolded Affair” Couples Massage Candle Making Event on Saturday, February 10th at 7 PM!

Ignite the flames of love as you and your beloved embark on a tantalizing journey of sensory exploration. Craft your very own 10 oz upgrade massage candle, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary with a blindfolded smelling experience and a touch of DIY romance.

Be swept away in a world of sensuality with our exclusive gift basket, brimming with delightful surprises – from enticing sample candles to sexy spa products, candies to sweeten the moment, mini champagne bottles, all wrapped up in a tempting package valued at $30!

Picture this: beautiful linen-covered tables adorned with lush florals, the soft flicker of candlelight casting a warm glow, and the heady fragrance of specially curated aphrodisiac scents filling the air. Capture the magic with our Polaroid pictures – a timeless keepsake of the moments when love is blind and enchanting.

Blindfold your senses and let the adventure unfold! Dive into our candle library, an array of specially curated aphrodisiac scents, for a blind smelling experience. Let your hearts guide you to the perfect fragrance, creating a candle that mirrors the uniqueness of your love.

We’ll be your guide on this journey, leading you step by step to create not just a massage candle, but a masterpiece that encapsulates the magic of your connection. So, don your most captivating attire, dress up, and join us for a night where every touch, scent, and shared smile becomes a celebration of love.

Secure your spot now for only $110 per couple – because the best stories are written in the language of love. Don’t miss out on the ultimate Valentine’s experience – where every moment is a surprise waiting to be unwrapped

Did you know that just one blood donation can help save up to three lives? The American Red Cross is currently experiencing an emergency blood shortage and reports the nation is facing the lowest number of blood donations in 20 years. If you would like to help, you can donate blood at the upcoming 14th Annual Battle of the Badges, a friendly competition between Buncombe County and Asheville first responders.

Last year, Battle of the Badges was able to collect a total of 160 units of blood that helped change the lives of patients in need. Help us match or exceed that goal during this year’s blood drive.

• Battle of the Badges Blood Drive 2024
• Wednesday, Feb. 21
• 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
• First Baptist Church, 5 Oak St., in Asheville

You can schedule an appointment at   RedCrossBlood.org and enter “avlbattleofbadges” or call 800-RED-CROSS

16-time Grammy^® award-winning musician, composer, and producer DAVID
FOSTER and acclaimed singer, television, and Broadway star, KATHARINE
MCPHEE are bringing their viral Instagram show on the road.

Coming directly from the Living Room to the stage, this intimate show with
the powerhouse duo will be packed with David‘s hits from Chicago,
Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Josh Groban, Michael Bublé, etc. and Kat’s
biggest songs from American Idol, Smash, and Waitress. Plus some of their
favorites that they just love!

About David Foster
Few other individuals can claim to have their fingerprints on more major moments in all of popular music than David Foster. He has created hit songs for a diverse array of artists including Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, Diana Krall, Natalie Cole, Michael Bolton, Seal, Chaka Khan, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Chicago, Hall & Oates, Brandy, ’N Sync, Boz Scaggs, and Gloria Estefan.

Foster is gearing up to take on Broadway with several projects including writing the music for a new musical about the iconic animated character “Betty Boop.” He is also writing the music for a musical based on the Amy Bloom novel and New York Times bestseller Lucky Us.

About Katharine McPhee
Katharine McPhee can most recently be seen starring in the Netflix Original Series Country Comfort. Previously she starred as “Paige Dineen” on the CBS’ spy drama Scorpion and was featured in NBC’s award-winning musical series Smash, executive produced by Steven Spielberg. Her other television credits include CSI: NY, Community, and Family Guy.

McPhee appeared on the big screen in Columbia’s romantic comedy The House Bunny. In addition to her acting career, she finds great success in the music space after her turn on Season 5 of American Idol. McPhee’s first single debuted at #2 on the Billboard’s Hot Singles Sales chart. Her debut album landed on the Billboard 200 chart and went gold in 2008.

McPhee also has a presence in theater, having recently starred in both the U.S. and U.K. productions of Waitress.

Standup Comedy featuring Ryan Gordon at The Orange Peel’s Pulp Lounge
When: Thursday February 22, 2024.
7p-9p, doors at 6:30p
Where:
The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge, 103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $15 (available at door or The Orange Peel website)
Cocktails available while you laugh the night away to some of the area’s best Stand Up Comics in a ridiculously fun adult environment!! Free snacks while availability lasts!
Hosted by Hilliary Begley, featuring Ryan Gordon
Comedy open mic is 3-5m each, comics get in free with free snacks!
FB: https://fb.me/e/4Qdi8lxKy

Standup Comedy featuring Ryan Gordon at The Orange Peel’s Pulp Lounge
When: Thursday February 22, 2024.
7p-9p, doors at 6:30p
Where:
The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge, 103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $15 (available at door or The Orange Peel website)
Cocktails available while you laugh the night away to some of the area’s best Stand Up Comics in a ridiculously fun adult environment!! Free snacks while availability lasts!
Hosted by Hilliary Begley, featuring Ryan Gordon
Comedy open mic is 3-5m each, comics get in free with free snacks!
FB: https://fb.me/e/4Qdi8lxKy

Host Hilliary Begley-
Hilliary will make you cry with laughter. With her larger that life personality!! Voted repeatedly Asheville’s Favorite comic in the Mountain Xpress. Film debut in the Netflix original Dumplin’ as Aunt Lucy, or “Jennifer Anniston’s fat sister,” In Austin Film Festival winning movie When We Last Spoke with Cloris Leachman, now streaming on Amazon Prime. https ://youtu.be/legRwEg4j-o

Featuring Ryan Gordon-
Born in Western North Cackalacky, Ryan started his comedy journey in nearby Asheville. After gaining traction on social media, he took to the stage to tell his jokes. With over 300K followers across different social media platforms, his videos have been viewed hundreds of millions of times. He has been in a few comedy festivals including the World Series of Comedy and Blue Ridge comedy festival.

Contact Michele at [email protected] for more info!

Beginner’s workshop lesson at 7:30 P.M., then 8-11 P.M. Contra Dance with Country Waltzing at the break and the final dance. This is a partner dance but it’s not necessary to come with a partner. We have different live bands and callers.

Undeniably the reigning virtuoso of the violin, Itzhak Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician. Beloved for his charm and humanity as well as his talent, he is treasured by audiences throughout the world who respond not only to his remarkable artistry, but also to his irrepressible joy for making music.

Having performed with every major orchestra and at concert halls around the globe, Mr. Perlman was granted a Presidential Medal of Freedom – the Nation’s highest civilian honor – by President Obama in 2015, a Kennedy Center Honor in 2003, a National Medal of Arts by President Clinton in 2000, and a Medal of Liberty by President Reagan in 1986. Mr. Perlman has been honored with 16 GRAMMY^® Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Kennedy Center Honor, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Genesis Prize.

In the 2022/23 season, Mr. Perlman conducts the LA Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl and the Houston Symphony on Mozart’s Requiem, and is joined by an illustrious group of collaborators — Emanuel Ax, Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the Juilliard String Quartet — in a special Itzhak Perlman and Friends program appearing in only three locations: Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall, UMS Ann Arbor and Carnegie Hall. He continues touring An Evening with Itzhak Perlman, which captures highlights of his career through narrative and multi-media elements intertwined with performance, to Boston, Philadelphia, Long Island, Akron, Austin and Naples (Florida). He plays season-opening concerts for the Colorado Symphony, Vancouver Symphony and Florida Orchestra, and recitals across the United States with longtime collaborator Rohan De Silva.

He currently serves as Artistic Partner of the Houston Symphony in a partnership that commenced in the 2020/21 season and culminates at the end of 2023/24. He performs 9 programs across three seasons that feature him in versatile appearances as conductor, soloist, recitalist and presenter.

Mr. Perlman has an exclusive series of classes with Masterclass.com, the premier online education company that enables access to the world’s most brilliant minds including Gordon Ramsay, Wolfgang Puck, Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Helen Mirren, Jodie Foster and Serena Williams, as the company’s first classical-music presenter.

James McMurtry is a Grammy-nominated folk-rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bandleader, and occasional actor. A luminary in the Americana space, he weaves stories that resonate with gritty authenticity and emotional depth. His songwriting is celebrated by critics and fellow artists alike, with John Mellencamp raving, “James writes like he’s lived a lifetime,” and Jason Isbell lauding, “I don’t think anybody writes better lyrics.”

In August 2021, McMurtry released The Horses and the Hounds, his first collection in seven years. The album showcases his seasoned songwriting, seamlessly blending personal narratives with elegance (“Canola Fields”) and high energy (“If It Don’t Bleed”), and his ability to inhabit characters from various walks of life, as noted by critics who describe his work as subversive, funny, vulnerable and always poignant.

The release follows in the footsteps of McMurtry’s albums Complicated Games (2015), Just Us Kids (2008) and Childish Things (2005), all of which scored endless critical praise. Just Us Kids earned McMurtry his highest Billboard 200 chart position in two decades (since eclipsed by Complicated Game) and notched Americana Music Award nominations. Childish Things spent six full weeks topping the Americana Music Radio chart in 2005 and 2006, and won the Americana Music Association’s Album of the Year, with “We Can’t Make It Here” named the organization’s Song of the Year. Other accolades include a 1996 Grammy nomination for Long Form Music Video for Where’d You Hide the Body and an American Indie Award for Best Americana Album for It Had to Happen (1997).

Touring year-round, McMurtry consistently throws down powerhouse performances backed by his band.

McMurtry will be joined by opening act BettySoo.

The Blood Connection will set up a mobile unit at the WNC Nature Center parking lot on Saturday, February 24, from 10am – 3pm. Blood donors will get $40 in e-gift cards, plus a free guest pass to the Nature Center. As a bonus, the Friends of the WNC Nature Center will receive a $10 donation for each person who gives blood. We recommend signing up in advance.

Join us on Saturday, February 24, from 12-5pm, as Atelier Maison proudly presents an exclusive Wedding Faire, creating an enchanting space for engaged couples to explore and connect with top-tier local wedding vendors. Immerse yourself in the sophisticated ambiance of our Asheville furniture studio while engaging with a carefully curated selection of professionals who excel in various aspects of the wedding industry. Admission is $15 ahead of time, and $25 day-of at the door.
Step into a world of bridal elegance and creativity as the Wedding Faire showcases renowned bridal gown designers, expert florists, talented photographers, innovative wedding planners, and more. This one-stop destination offers engaged couples the opportunity to discover the finest services for their special day.

Sunday February 25 Another Great Comedy Show at Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co, Theater 2! 6:30p, 18+, Get Dinner, Drinks & Laughs with the areas best standup comics. Featured and Open Mic Comedy. [Performing comics get FREE entry and pizza. ]
Get Your Tickets Now!! Hosted Mario Trevizo. Featuring Dante’ Quitman, Julia Macias & James Burks!!
For more info and other standup comedy shows go to sliceoflifecomedy.com or contact Michele at [email protected]