Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
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Our Books to Action Book Club be exploring the issue of Poverty by reading and discussing “Poverty, By America” by Matthew Desmond. Our examination of these issues will feature a poverty simulation lead by Just Economics. This event will take place in Pack Memorial Library’s Lord Auditorium. Just Economics works to educate, advocate, and organize for a just and sustainable local economy that works for all in Western North Carolina. Just Economics’ Working Poor Simulation is an experiential learning tool that exposes participants to the real life struggles of the working poor in our community. Participants are assigned identities based on real low-income people and must complete the everyday activities of their families, like going to work, paying bills, applying for public benefits, etc. The simulation involves moving between stations, which represent the institutions and businesses individuals typically interact with each month. The simulation includes 3 month-long periods, and is followed by a reflection. About our book, “Poverty, By America” by Matthew Desmond, from the New Yorker: “Urgent and accessible . . . It’s refreshing to read a work of social criticism that eschews the easy and often smug allure of abstraction, in favor of plainspoken practicality. Its moral force is a gut punch.” Our corresponding book discussion will be held online on February 13th at 6pm. Book to Action is a community issue focused book club that explores books centered on issues facing our community. The book discussions take place in conjunction with a community service project, educational field trip, or presentations from local experts active in these key issues. |
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Bring your knitting, crocheting, quilting, weaving, needlework, mending or any other fiber activity to the library! Enjoy the company of other fiber enthusiasts in this twice a month community gathering. This group is informal and self directed, so bring your own project and share in the joy of crafting. No registration necessary. All are welcome. |
Learn how to prevent drug facilitated sexual assault and intervene as a bystander in our online community training session!
Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault (DFSA) + Bystander Intervention Techniques Community Training
Join us for an online community training on Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault (DFSA) and Bystander Intervention Techniques. Learn how to identify and prevent DFSA incidents, and gain the skills to intervene as a bystander. This training aims to create a safer community by equipping individuals with knowledge and strategies to combat sexual assault. Don’t miss this opportunity to make a difference!
Explore the Rich Heritage of Black Communities in Asheville
The Asheville Black Cultural Heritage Trail leads visitors through three areas of Asheville: Downtown, Southside, and the River Area. The entire trail takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes to walk and read.
Reflecting on Community Resolve
Did you know that Black people helped create this region’s first non-Indigenous households? Did you know that Black people helped build Asheville and connected Asheville globally? Black entrepreneurs created thriving business districts. Black families cultivated close-knit neighborhoods. Black people from all backgrounds built resilient communities and fostered social change.
Immerse yourself in the history and heroism of Black Ashevillians by walking the Asheville Black Cultural Heritage Trail. Deepen your understanding with articles, videos, and more resources available here on the trail’s website.
Follow the Trail
Experience this trail in pieces as you explore Asheville or start at one of our three introduction kiosks to learn more about how Black people in Asheville negotiated landscapes of unequal power to build resilient communities and foster social change.
Whenever you want!
Supplies available at
2 Sulphur Springs Road
If you need to request supplies for the same or next day, please call 828-254-1776.
Organizing a litter cleanup with your friends, neighbors, co-workers, or other community members is easier than you may think! Asheville GreenWorks provides cleanup supplies and safety information, and will coordinate trash pick up as needed. Available supplies include safety vests, gloves, trash grabbers, trash bags, and SHARPs containers (upon request).
Review the attached guides for instructions and safety information.
Need to know
Please review the attached documents and contact [email protected] with any questions. Your supplies will be available for pickup on the date you’ve requested at Asheville GreenWorks’ office at 2 Sulphur Springs Road, Asheville, NC 28806.
All cleanups should be reported using the online form and supplies should be returned after your cleanup.
Growing Minds has published “I Tried Local…” a Toolkit for Engaging Kids with Local Food and Farms. This resource—intended for early care and education through second grade classrooms—offers an immersive curriculum designed around 10 crops grown in North Carolina. The print toolkit is currently available to educators in North Carolina who participate in a virtual training with Growing Minds. A free digital version is also available to anyone on the Growing Minds website.
Are you interested in earning money while helping support the democratic process? If so, Buncombe County Election Services is looking for poll workers to help with the 2024 Primary and General Elections. It’s a rewarding way to help our community while supplementing your income. If this sounds interesting, read on to learn more about the perks of working the polls, eligibility requirements, pay rates, and more.
Perks of working the polls:
- Meaningful work
- No prior experience needed
- Option to work one full day or shifts for two weeks
- Earn extra money
- Great team atmosphere
- Build highly transferrable skills
- Doesn’t impact unemployment benefits (Per Session Law 2020-71, any person that is receiving unemployment may work as a poll worker without any effect on their unemployment benefits)
- Opportunities for students, people looking for supplemental incomes, and retirees with flexible schedules
Representation from both parties is an important part of the process and is statutorily required. “Our poll workers are the backbone of safe and fair elections,” said Election Services Director Corinne Duncan. “Without them, we wouldn’t be able to offer our Buncombe County voters the best experience at the polls, regardless of if they vote early or on Election Day.”
Election Services is staffed up for Early Voting during the primary, but we are currently hiring for the Primary Election Day, especially registered Republicans, and creating a roster of people interested in working the general election in November.
To be eligible you must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be a registered voter of Buncombe County (Unaffiliated voters are welcome to apply)
- Be comfortable and confident using a laptop
- Be able to sit or stand for long periods of time while working with voters
- Be able to put aside all political activity and conversation on social media and in person for a two-week period over Early Voting and Election Day
- Be able to lift 25 lbs.
Through the Student Assistant Program, students who will be at least 17 years old by Election Day (March 5, 2024) can work as assistants. Student Assistant 101.
Early Voting
During Early Voting (Oct. 17-Nov. 2) each location is staffed with a Captain and a team of workers. Captains earn $16/hour and workers earn $14/hour. Working during Early Voting requires a minimum commitment of 15 of 17 days, including weekend shifts and mandatory paid training. The captain carries the most responsibility with duties including voting location access, task delegation, reconciliation, equipment troubleshooting, and voting process/election law familiarity.
For more information about working Early Voting, contact Karen Rae at (828) 250-4224.
Election Day
On Election Day (March 5), each of our 80 precincts is staffed with three judges and several assistants. Election Day workers receive a lump sum payment (see below) which includes payment to attend the mandatory four-hour training session. Everyone is required to work the entirety of Election Day on March 5, 2024, which typically runs from 6 a.m-9 p.m. Precincts are located throughout the county, and we do our best to assign you to a precinct near your home.
Chief Judge – $300
Party Judge – $225
Assistant – $200
The Chief Judge carries the most responsibility with duties including collecting precinct supplies, officially opening, and closing the polls, voting location access, task delegation, close of polls audit processes, and voting process/election law familiarity. Party Judges are also required to participate in the official work of opening, and closing the polls, as well as the close of polls audit process.
For more information about working Buncombe County elections, contact Karen Rae at (828) 250-4224 or visit buncombecounty.org/pollworker.
The City’s Neighborhood Matching Grant program is now accepting applications for the 2024 calendar year. Neighborhood organizations can apply for up to $5,000 in funds to be matched with volunteer time, fundraising and in-kind donations.
The biggest change to the program in 2024 is a transition to rolling applications. Previously, neighborhoods had to meet a hard application deadline. Now, applications will be accepted throughout the calendar year or until a maximum of 14 projects are awarded.
What kinds of projects can the Neighborhood Matching Grant program fund?
The program supports a wide range of imaginative projects, giving neighborhood organizations an opportunity to improve the quality of life in their community in ways that are most important to them. Projects that address a neighborhood issue or need in one of the following categories are eligible. This list is not exhaustive.
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Physical improvement
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Neighborhood identity
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Community building events
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Public safety
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Marketing and branding
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Organizational development and capacity building
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Programming (cannot be programming that is currently ongoing)
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Kickstart funding for new neighborhood organizations
A snapshot of past projects is available in the Spotlight Projects Guide.
“The grant-funded improvements to our park have really improved our neighborhood’s sense of community,” says Rob Patete of Kenilworth Forest.
Want to learn more?
The City will host a drop-in workshop:
- February 19, 2024
- 4-6 p.m.
- Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Center.
Background
Established in 2021 by City Council, the Neighborhood Matching Grant program is designed to strengthen relationships between neighbors, cultivate the spirit of volunteerism, and help communities accomplish self-determined goals. The program has so far awarded 36 projects, resulting in $159,110 in City funds and an estimated 2,500 volunteer hours invested in Asheville’s neighborhoods.
The City’s Neighborhood Services Specialist, Meredith Friedheim, hopes to continue this impact with a few minor improvements in 2024. “We’ve had three years to see the potential that can be reached with this program as well as to understand how best to manage it on the back-end. Our neighborhoods have shown us that they are ready and willing to invest their time and resources in projects that are important to them. For me, there is exciting momentum going into this fourth year.”
The Neighborhood Matching Grant program is administered by the Community Engagement Division of the Communication and Public Engagement Department. To find out more about the Neighborhood Matching Grant Program and to apply, visit the program webpage.
Every year Buncombe County honors community volunteers through the Governor’s Volunteer Service Award program.
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.
Do you know someone who goes above and beyond? Governor’s Volunteer Service Award nominations can be submitted for volunteers who have provided service in a variety of different areas, including:
- Veteran/Military: providing volunteer services to military families and/or veterans
- Serving Youth: demonstrating an outstanding commitment to mentoring or educating youth
- Disaster: providing volunteer service in disaster preparedness, response, recovery, or mitigation
- Animals: demonstrating an outstanding commitment to volunteering with or for animals
- Environmental: providing an exceptional commitment to environmental stewardship
- Historically Marginalized Populations: providing a noteworthy dedication to assisting members of marginalized populations
- North Carolina Preservation: demonstrating a remarkable devotion to restoring or preserving the state’s history, culture, or the arts
- Health and Human Services: showing a remarkable dedication to individuals or groups in need
- Lifetime Achievement: exhibiting a lifelong commitment of 20-plus years to volunteerism and community service
Nominators can also select one of several different categories for the type of volunteer being nominated, including family, youth, senior, Latino, faith-based entity, corporate/business, group/team, national service member, director of volunteers (paid staff) and perseverance in volunteerism (an individual or team who has overcome significant personal obstacles and/or a mental or physical disability).
Nominees can be nominated for more than one category, and nominators are encouraged to check all categories that apply to their nominees. However, only one individual and/or one company/group/team/family should be nominated. Self-nominations are not permitted, and previous award winners from the past 10 years are not eligible.
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 Feb. 15, 2024. 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 Feb. 15, 2024.
In 2023 Asheville-Area Habitat for Humanity volunteers Tricia and Charlie Franck were recognized with a Medallion Award. The pair have been volunteering with the local nonprofit for more than 15 years. During that time, they helped develop and implement the Student Build program. Over six years, this initiative has grown to include six schools that have collectively helped raise $55,000 to sponsor a Habitat home with the students helping build it. Charlie has also helped with building homes, working in Habitat’s Restore, and more. Tricia has also been instrumental working with the Women Build program and serves on the Board of Directors.
Congratulations to the 2023 Governor’s Service Award recipients for Buncombe County:
- Land of the Sky REALTORS Association
- Medallion Award winners Tricia & Charlie Franck
Do you need a little inspiration to get moving after the holiday season? Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is proud to announce our 4th annual Winter Hiking Challenge to get folks out and about – no matter your background or ability this is a project designed to get folks outside to enjoy the great outdoors!
The 2024 Winter Hiking Challenge sets a goal of 60 miles in 60 days, to be completed in your own time and at your own speed. Those can be miles you’ve walked, run or hiked – in your neighborhood, around the block, up a rugged mountain trail, or through the forest. Whatever works for your comfort and skill level – just make it 60 miles within the 60-day challenge time period (January 1st to March 1st, 2024). Sign up early to have more time to complete the Challenge. Registration ends on February 25th. Please note, this is a challenge you set with yourself, it is not a competition. Registration for this challenge is $25 per person and your registration fee directly supports conservation work in the Southern Appalachians. If you cannot afford the registration fee at this time, please use the coupon code: SAHC2024.
All participants will receive informative emails with suggestions for some of our favorite places to hike across the mountains of NC and TN. This special email series will include recommendations to enjoy places that SAHC has protected as well other favorite trails and destinations. Due to overuse of popular trails in the area we will try to share tidbits about some of the lesser-known trails and places to enjoy the great outdoors. Are you a little unsure about hiking in winter? We will share helpful Winter Hiking Tips, for those who haven’t hiked during the winter months. Lastly, those who complete the Winter Hiking Challenge will receive a commemorative SAHC patch after the end of the challenge.
Please note, the Challenge signup fee is a fundraiser to help support conservation efforts; you DO NOT have to pay to hike public trails. Feel free to enter miles at any date during the 60 days, as long as they are all entered before March 1. You can even enter your miles at the end of a certain time period (e.g, entering your miles for the week on Friday, all under one entry).
Time spent outdoors and in nature can help with both mental and physical health. We hope this Challenge will make it interesting for folks to explore places you may not have hiked before, and/or to rediscover the joy of nature in your own backyard.Take the Challenge by yourself, or with friends and family. Please just be safe while doing so!
Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County are happy to announce for the seventeenth year we are offering School Garden Grants to Asheville City and Buncombe County public schools, including state charter schools.
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, buncombemastergardener.org where you can learn more about the guidelines for receiving a grant and get access to the online 2024 School Garden Grants Application.
All applications must be completed online. Completed applications will be accepted beginning January 12, 2024, and must be submitted no later than 9 p.m. on February 15, 2024. 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 public schools. Since 2007, we have awarded 60 School Garden Grants totaling over $47,000. These grants have involved more than 17,500 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 2024.
Click on the link below to review the guidelines for school garden grants:
Guidelines for 2024 School Garden Grants
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As a resident or business owner in WNC, you can be part of the solution. Here are four ways to take action to reduce rain runoff and protect our rivers and streams:
- Disconnecting Your Downspout
- Installing Rain Barrels
- Implementing Rain Gardens
- Other Green Infrastructure
Rain Garden Guide
Interested in creating an eco-friendly oasis? Read more about the benefits and steps to set up your rain garden.
Downspout Disconnect Guide
Learn how to disconnect your downspout and its benefits for sustainable stormwater management.
Rain Barrel Guide
Discover an affordable and easy-to-install solution for collecting rooftop runoff.
WaterRICH Guide
The FREE WaterRICH Guide will teach you how to harvest rainwater, create garden features which promote water seeping into the soil (stormwater features), and reduce outside water needs.
Ready to spread the word about river health and reducing rain runoff?
Buncombe County students interested in entering the field of conservation, agriculture or another natural resource program can win a $1,000 scholarship from The Buncombe Soil & Water Conservation District.
The William Hamilton Memorial Scholarship will provide a student with money to go towards their studies. Eligible students must attend or plan to attend an accredited college or university and must submit a proposal for a volunteer conservation project in Buncombe County.
One winner will be selected by a committee of Buncombe Soil & Water Conservation District staff and Supervisors and the funds will be dispersed directly to the institution upon completion of the volunteer project.
Scholarship Timeline:
February 28, 2024 – Deadline to apply
April 11, 2024 – Winning applicant announced
June 30, 2024 – Deadline to complete volunteer project
July 11, 2024 – Presentation to the Board, award dispersed
The winner is also expected to attend a Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District Board meeting to present the results of their project and accept their scholarship.
Find the application below. Completed applications and questions can be sent to [email protected].
The application can also be mailed to:
Buncombe Soil & Water Conservation District
Attn: Jen Knight and Rose Wall
49 Mount Carmel Road
Asheville NC, 28806
The online survey for our Systemwide Parks & Recreation Master Plan is now available, and we want to hear from you! Your input is the cornerstone of this planning process. Click the button below to take the 10 minute survey!
This systemwide plan aims to define how we will continue to provide high-quality options for our residents as our community continues to grow and diversify. Your insight will help create the roadmap for Buncombe County Parks & Recreation to follow for the next 20 years
Buncombe County’s residents, especially those living in and at the edge of poverty, have been able to access valuable, life-saving emergency assistance benefits through Eblen Charities. For many years now, Eblen Charities has partnered with Buncombe County Health and Human Services (BCHHS) to administer the Emergency Assistance, Crisis Intervention, and Low Income Energy Assistance programs. Due to an increase in need from our neighbors and challenges with processing benefits between state and partner agency systems, BCHHS transitioned the administration of these programs from Eblen Charities to the County on November 13, 2023.
We recognize that this a change for our community as Eblen Charities has provided this assistance for many years and has been a vital resource for our neighbors in crisis. BCHHS began answering calls and processing online applications on November 13, 2023. Beginning December 1, 2023, with the start of Low Income Energy Assistance application processing, BCHHS will start taking in-person requests at 40 Coxe Ave. in downtown Asheville.
Low Income Energy Assistance provides a one-time annual vendor payment to help eligible families pay their heating expense. Households containing a person age 60 or older or disabled receiving services can apply starting December 1, 2023. All households can apply starting January 1, 2024. Low Income Energy Assistance applications are accepted until March 31, 2024 or until funds are exhausted.
To qualify for the Low Income Energy Assistance Program, households that meet the following criteria may be eligible:
- Have at least one U.S. citizen or non-citizen who meets the eligibility criteria.
- Meet income requirements.
- Be responsible for its heating costs.
The Crisis Intervention Program serves individuals and families who are experiencing or are in danger of experiencing a heating- or cooling-related crisis.
To qualify for the Crisis Intervention Program, households that meet the following criteria may be eligible:
- Have at least one U.S. citizen or non-citizen who meets the eligibility criteria.
- Meet the income requirements.
- Have an energy related crisis.
- Have a utility statement that shows how much is owed to alleviate the crisis.
For those who have previously received Low Income Energy Assistance Program assistance, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will begin notifying eligible households by mail beginning November 19, 2023. Households will have 10 days to report any changes to their household. Applicants can report changes by contacting the BCHHS office or by making changes to the form that was mailed to you and return it to BCHHS, located at 40 Coxe Ave. in Downtown Asheville. If no changes are reported, the information from last year will be used to process this year’s automated Low Income Energy Assistance payment.
If you are interested in applying for these Energy Assistance benefits, you can quickly apply online at www.epass.nc.gov. If you would like to apply over the phone, have general questions about energy assistance, or need to check on the status of your case, please call us at (828) 250-6330. Beginning December 1, 2023, you may also visit us in person at 40 Coxe Ave. in downtown Asheville. Please bring your parking ticket with you inside of the building for free parking.
Buncombe County also will administer Emergency Assistance, which Buncombe County Social Work Services distributes as funds become available to our community. To apply for Emergency Assistance, go online to epass.nc.gov, call Buncombe County at 828-250-6330, or apply in person at 40 Coxe Ave.
BCHHS will continue to partner with Eblen Charities to assist families and individuals in our community during times of crisis and hardship. For more information on the services that are available in our community, visit www.buncombecounty.org/hhs.
Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding.
Applications due by:
- November 30, 2023
- January 30, 2024
- March 30, 2024
If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year. Learn more and apply here!
Buncombe County Environmental Health is hosting a FREE course for pool operators, owners, and any others who are involved in the day-to-day operation of a public pool, spa, or other body of water or are tasked with filling out the paperwork annually.
Topics that will be covered:
- How to avoid getting your annual application sent back.
- How to avoid a revisit fee and permit-action items specific to North Carolina.
- Common permit conditions.
- Industry changes and what they mean for you.
- How to properly fill out your safety data sheet:
- How to properly measure your sump.
- How to determine a flow reduction, if needed.
- How to determine that your drain covers work with your pool.
The training will be in person at 200 College St. Asheville, NC 28801. It will be broken up into two sections with the latter to work on your individual datasheet with in-person help from an Environmental Health staff member. Please note that this course is NOT a Certified Pool Operator (CPO) training course.
Please register for one of the two courses (you may register multiple people at once):
February 7, 2024, from 9 a.m. – noon. Registration closes on January 19, 2024
February 14, 2024, from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Registration closes on January 26, 2024
To ensure a conducive learning environment for all, the number of registrants is limited, so registration is first come, first served. Once registration has closed, you will receive a confirmation email letting you know whether or not your registration has been accepted. The course agenda will be attached to emails sent to registrants attending the course.
Sing with our Choir at a progressive church
Come join us! Contact Mark Acker for more information ([email protected]).
Rehearsals on Wednesday’s, 3:30-4:45
Volunteers are needed to attend all Buncombe County Board of Elections board meetings. Our presence demonstrates our support for the board, reduces the likelihood of intimidation by election deniers and will insure the board proceedings are documented in a timely manner.
We have a number of members attending these meetings, and they alternate who will be taking notes. Please sign up if you’re willing to attend and take a turn with note-taking.
As the March 5th primary nears, you’ll see that the hours of board meetings are long and we are not expecting anyone to stay beyond 2 hours. We are encouraging our attendees to coordinate shifts with each other. Please sign up for the days you can attend and plan for some flexibility please.
This is such an important contribution to protecting our democracy and honoring Buncombe County’s excellent Board of Elections!
Event Details
Energetic & Spiritual Defense Workshop
Embark on a transformative journey with our immersive workshop where the mystical meets the practical and you discover the art of fortifying your energy and spirit. Join us for a captivating experience that goes beyond the ordinary as we delve into the secrets of energetic and spiritual defense.
This workshop isn’t just about defense; it’s about empowerment. Elevate your energetic awareness strengthen your spiritual foundation and step into a life where you navigate the world with confidence and resilience. Join us for an unforgettable experience that transcends the ordinary—where your energy becomes your greatest ally. Embrace the extraordinary within and let the journey begin!
Course Information: This event will host a maximum of 20 attendees and will be part a 3 part series. To participate with Series 2 and 3 all attendees must attend the first Series 1.
Who Is This Workshop For?
This class is for people who have already been on a path of study of energy spirituality consciousness. This is not a beginners class.
These classes are for participants who are familiar or comfortable in with working in the energetic or spiritual realms.
Energetically or spiritually sensitive people who are seeking tools on how to manage and defend against challenging situations and relationships.
People who want to create energetic and spiritual shelters to staff off harmful collective patterns and intrusive energies.
Frontline high stress pressured public facing work environments that cause energetic and spiritual exhaustion.
Challenging interpersonal or family dynamics that cause energetic or spiritual drop outs.
Dynamics We Will Cover
Emotional and Energetic Dumping
Energetic Powerlessness In Conflict
Energetic & Spiritual Boundary Crossing
Money & Relationship Interference
Managing Challenging Dynamics With Others Who Are: Badgering Guilt Ridden Demanding Entitled Dominant and Abusive
What Participants Will Understanding Energetic Boundaries
Mindfulness Practices
Energy Management Tools
Visualization Techniques:
Identifying and Clearing Negative Energies:
Creating Your Sacred Space
Practical Applications in Daily Life
Group Energetic Dynamics
Self-Care and Energetic Hygiene
* Classes are limited to 20 participants per class. Please arrive no later than @ 5:50 to get settled and ready for a fast moving and exciting class. Teaching will begin at 6:00 sharp!. Short breaks are given to help participants process the information and solidify these teachings.
Weekly mountain music JAM with
players in a round, where the session is focused on regional fiddle tunes and songs, You are welcome to come and listen or to
learn and join in. This event supports the Henderson County Junior Appalachian Musician (JAM) Kids Program, Free but
donations are accepted.
Journalist Katherine Snow Smith returned to her native North Carolina after her last child left the nest and a 24-year marriage ended. With more baggage and less time on the clock, she thought of fellow Tar Heel Thomas Wolfe’s book: You Can’t Go Home Again. She writes with vulnerability and humor about forging an unexpected path, parenting, dating, reporting, aging, loss and launching the next act in a full life. Oh yeah, she stepped on a blender minutes before leaving Florida for this latest chapter. Sometimes you just have to prop your bloody foot on the dashboard and put it in drive.
Raleigh native Katherine Snow Smith has lived throughout the south as a newspaper reporter, editor, daughter, sister, mother, wife, divorcee and friend. She’s worked at small town papers and business journals, but spent most of her career at the esteemed Tampa Bay Times. A few decades (no need to count them) after graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill with a degree in journalism, she’s getting her master’s at her alma mater so she can teach on a college level. Katherine, who has three 20-something children, divides her time between Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and St. Petersburg, Florida.
This is a hybrid event with limited in-store seating and the option to attend online.
The event is free but registration is required for both in-person and virtual attendance.
Dr. John Wilson Community Garden in Black Mountain will host this celebration. “Imbolc” translates as “the belly of the mother.” It is the time when the living world begins to stir and stretch beneath the dark earth in preparation for spring. All winter and last season they have been pruning fruit and nut trees and clearing invasive species from various areas of the garden. Join them to gather around a fire to burn the brush and mark the coming spring.
Bring a mug for tea and a blanket or chair to sit on.
The Music of Linda Ronstadt
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Hosted by the Asheville Guitar Bar, a discussion series
provides deeper understanding and greater enjoyment of classic albums and recording artists.
Led by Asheville speaker, author and music journalist Bill Kopp, Music to Your Ears is an
interactive experience that shines a light on important music and people. Music to Your Ears is
a 90-minute conversation, held at the Guitar Bar, a music magnet in Asheville’s historic River
Arts District. The February 7 event is a listening party and discussion focusing on the music of
Linda Ronstadt, the 1970s’ most popular female singer.
Linda Ronstadt is a renaissance woman of popular music. The Arizona-born interpretive singer
is best known for her prominent role in the folk-rock and country-rock movements of the 1960s
and ‘70s, but her artistry has always been too expansive to fit neatly into the confines of those
scenes. Her chart success underscores Ronstadt’s genre-spanning commercial appeal: more than
20 Top 40 hits on the US pop chart, nearly 30 on the Adult contemporary chart, 10 on the
country singles chart and 5 on the Latin singles chart.
But chart success and raw numbers only tell part of the story. Ronstadt has made compelling and critically-acclaimed forays into Cajun,
jazz, rock, opera, roots, traditional pop and other styles. A 13-time Grammy winning artist (with at least 16 additional nominations),
Ronstadt’s myriad accomplishments include her status as the most successful female singer of the 1970s.
A 2019 Kennedy Center Honoree, Ronstadt retired from music in 2011, but her importance endures. A Grammy-winning documentary,
Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice premiered in 2019. She remains busy today: her memoir, Feels Like Home: A Song for the
Sonoran Borderlands was published just over a year ago.
In 2017 – with longtime friend and musical collaborator Paula Hanke – Asheville-based singer Peggy Ratusz launched a popular concert
series, Women Who Make Music History. The two vocalists – both of whom have musical careers in their own right – chose the life and
music of Linda Ronstadt at the subject of the first entry in that series. Describing the concept in an interview at the time, Ratusz said, “We
want the subtleties of our message in each song to be heard, because we tell the story of these women while we’re singing.”
Join host and music journalist Bill Kopp for an evening in discussion with Peggy Ratusz about Linda
Ronstadt. We’ll listen to key tracks and encourage questions from the audience. The evening is the latest
installment of the popular “Music to Your Ears” discussion series, hosted by Asheville Guitar Bar and
sponsored by AshevilleFM.
ABOUT THE DISCUSSION SERIES
Music to Your Ears is Bill Kopp’s monthly discussion series hosted by Asheville Guitar
Bar and co-sponsored by AshevilleFM. On the first Wednesday of each month, music
enthusiasts gather to discuss an important album, artist or musical movement. An
interactive evening, MTYE isn’t a lecture; it’s a discussion led by experts and designed to
enrich the listening experience.
ABOUT BILL KOPP (blog.musoscribe.com)
With over 500 bylines in regional publications (Mountain Xpress, Bold Life, WNC Magazine and more), Asheville-based speaker, author
and music journalist is an acknowledged expert on popular music. Author of two books – Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to
The Dark Side of the Moon and Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave – Bill Kopp writes for publications across
the country and abroad. A contributing editor at Goldmine Magazine, he has authored more than 30 album liner note essays and conducted
more than 1000 interviews. He regularly hosts discussions on artists and albums of historical importance, and is a frequent guest on music-
focused radio programs and podcasts.
ABOUT PEGGY RATUSZ (https://shorturl.at/jmnG5)
Peggy Ratusz has been a professional musician for decades; her career stretches back to her late ‘70s days in a Tucson-based folk-rock
trio. More recently, her work in blues, pop, soul and other styles has brought success and critical praise: with collaborator Aaron Price,
Peggy has been a semi-finalist in the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge no less than three times: in 2008, 2010 and 2016.
Her advocacy for women in music has been recognized by a Mountain Xpress readers’ poll and exemplified by her successful Women
Who Make Music History concert series. And of course she can be seen and heard regularly in Asheville’s finest live music outlets.
Help us relaunch the Westie scene in a premier venue showcasing spacious dance floors, high ceilings, and a vintage vibe. If you are new to West Coast Swing, come check out for yourself the popular dance style that can be done to a wide variety of music, including pop, country, blues, and contemporary music! For those looking to advance their skills, the Hendersonville WCS community is excited to welcome Pro Instructor Ryan Pflumm to Continuum!
As always, the dress is casual and no partner is needed. Join us for an incredible night of connecting and dancing with our MONTHLY event every FIRST Wednesday!
PRIVATE LESSONS
If you would like to book a private lesson with Ryan for $75 per hour, please message Continuum with the following:
- Which timeslot(s)
- number of people attending
Times:
3:30-4:30pm
4:30-5:30pm
5:30-6:30pm
first come, first served
CLASSES
7:00-8:00pm Intermediate w/ Ryan Pflumm!
7:00-8:00pm Beginner w/ Rachel Harris
8:00-10:00pm Social Dance
Each class is $10 and includes a pass to the social dance. The social dance is $7 without a lesson. Music will be DJ’d by Pro Instructor Ryan Pflumm.
Bring your own beer/wine. Liquor and other beverages above 16% alcohol content are strictly prohibited.
Masks are encouraged but, not required.
Cash, cards, Venmo, PayPal, and Cash app are accepted.
Explore the Rich Heritage of Black Communities in Asheville
The Asheville Black Cultural Heritage Trail leads visitors through three areas of Asheville: Downtown, Southside, and the River Area. The entire trail takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes to walk and read.
Reflecting on Community Resolve
Did you know that Black people helped create this region’s first non-Indigenous households? Did you know that Black people helped build Asheville and connected Asheville globally? Black entrepreneurs created thriving business districts. Black families cultivated close-knit neighborhoods. Black people from all backgrounds built resilient communities and fostered social change.
Immerse yourself in the history and heroism of Black Ashevillians by walking the Asheville Black Cultural Heritage Trail. Deepen your understanding with articles, videos, and more resources available here on the trail’s website.
Follow the Trail
Experience this trail in pieces as you explore Asheville or start at one of our three introduction kiosks to learn more about how Black people in Asheville negotiated landscapes of unequal power to build resilient communities and foster social change.
Growing Minds has published “I Tried Local…” a Toolkit for Engaging Kids with Local Food and Farms. This resource—intended for early care and education through second grade classrooms—offers an immersive curriculum designed around 10 crops grown in North Carolina. The print toolkit is currently available to educators in North Carolina who participate in a virtual training with Growing Minds. A free digital version is also available to anyone on the Growing Minds website.
Are you interested in earning money while helping support the democratic process? If so, Buncombe County Election Services is looking for poll workers to help with the 2024 Primary and General Elections. It’s a rewarding way to help our community while supplementing your income. If this sounds interesting, read on to learn more about the perks of working the polls, eligibility requirements, pay rates, and more.
Perks of working the polls:
- Meaningful work
- No prior experience needed
- Option to work one full day or shifts for two weeks
- Earn extra money
- Great team atmosphere
- Build highly transferrable skills
- Doesn’t impact unemployment benefits (Per Session Law 2020-71, any person that is receiving unemployment may work as a poll worker without any effect on their unemployment benefits)
- Opportunities for students, people looking for supplemental incomes, and retirees with flexible schedules
Representation from both parties is an important part of the process and is statutorily required. “Our poll workers are the backbone of safe and fair elections,” said Election Services Director Corinne Duncan. “Without them, we wouldn’t be able to offer our Buncombe County voters the best experience at the polls, regardless of if they vote early or on Election Day.”
Election Services is staffed up for Early Voting during the primary, but we are currently hiring for the Primary Election Day, especially registered Republicans, and creating a roster of people interested in working the general election in November.
To be eligible you must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be a registered voter of Buncombe County (Unaffiliated voters are welcome to apply)
- Be comfortable and confident using a laptop
- Be able to sit or stand for long periods of time while working with voters
- Be able to put aside all political activity and conversation on social media and in person for a two-week period over Early Voting and Election Day
- Be able to lift 25 lbs.
Through the Student Assistant Program, students who will be at least 17 years old by Election Day (March 5, 2024) can work as assistants. Student Assistant 101.
Early Voting
During Early Voting (Oct. 17-Nov. 2) each location is staffed with a Captain and a team of workers. Captains earn $16/hour and workers earn $14/hour. Working during Early Voting requires a minimum commitment of 15 of 17 days, including weekend shifts and mandatory paid training. The captain carries the most responsibility with duties including voting location access, task delegation, reconciliation, equipment troubleshooting, and voting process/election law familiarity.
For more information about working Early Voting, contact Karen Rae at (828) 250-4224.
Election Day
On Election Day (March 5), each of our 80 precincts is staffed with three judges and several assistants. Election Day workers receive a lump sum payment (see below) which includes payment to attend the mandatory four-hour training session. Everyone is required to work the entirety of Election Day on March 5, 2024, which typically runs from 6 a.m-9 p.m. Precincts are located throughout the county, and we do our best to assign you to a precinct near your home.
Chief Judge – $300
Party Judge – $225
Assistant – $200
The Chief Judge carries the most responsibility with duties including collecting precinct supplies, officially opening, and closing the polls, voting location access, task delegation, close of polls audit processes, and voting process/election law familiarity. Party Judges are also required to participate in the official work of opening, and closing the polls, as well as the close of polls audit process.
For more information about working Buncombe County elections, contact Karen Rae at (828) 250-4224 or visit buncombecounty.org/pollworker.
Every year Buncombe County honors community volunteers through the Governor’s Volunteer Service Award program.
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.
Do you know someone who goes above and beyond? Governor’s Volunteer Service Award nominations can be submitted for volunteers who have provided service in a variety of different areas, including:
- Veteran/Military: providing volunteer services to military families and/or veterans
- Serving Youth: demonstrating an outstanding commitment to mentoring or educating youth
- Disaster: providing volunteer service in disaster preparedness, response, recovery, or mitigation
- Animals: demonstrating an outstanding commitment to volunteering with or for animals
- Environmental: providing an exceptional commitment to environmental stewardship
- Historically Marginalized Populations: providing a noteworthy dedication to assisting members of marginalized populations
- North Carolina Preservation: demonstrating a remarkable devotion to restoring or preserving the state’s history, culture, or the arts
- Health and Human Services: showing a remarkable dedication to individuals or groups in need
- Lifetime Achievement: exhibiting a lifelong commitment of 20-plus years to volunteerism and community service
Nominators can also select one of several different categories for the type of volunteer being nominated, including family, youth, senior, Latino, faith-based entity, corporate/business, group/team, national service member, director of volunteers (paid staff) and perseverance in volunteerism (an individual or team who has overcome significant personal obstacles and/or a mental or physical disability).
Nominees can be nominated for more than one category, and nominators are encouraged to check all categories that apply to their nominees. However, only one individual and/or one company/group/team/family should be nominated. Self-nominations are not permitted, and previous award winners from the past 10 years are not eligible.
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 Feb. 15, 2024. 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 Feb. 15, 2024.
In 2023 Asheville-Area Habitat for Humanity volunteers Tricia and Charlie Franck were recognized with a Medallion Award. The pair have been volunteering with the local nonprofit for more than 15 years. During that time, they helped develop and implement the Student Build program. Over six years, this initiative has grown to include six schools that have collectively helped raise $55,000 to sponsor a Habitat home with the students helping build it. Charlie has also helped with building homes, working in Habitat’s Restore, and more. Tricia has also been instrumental working with the Women Build program and serves on the Board of Directors.
Congratulations to the 2023 Governor’s Service Award recipients for Buncombe County:
- Land of the Sky REALTORS Association
- Medallion Award winners Tricia & Charlie Franck
Do you need a little inspiration to get moving after the holiday season? Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is proud to announce our 4th annual Winter Hiking Challenge to get folks out and about – no matter your background or ability this is a project designed to get folks outside to enjoy the great outdoors!
The 2024 Winter Hiking Challenge sets a goal of 60 miles in 60 days, to be completed in your own time and at your own speed. Those can be miles you’ve walked, run or hiked – in your neighborhood, around the block, up a rugged mountain trail, or through the forest. Whatever works for your comfort and skill level – just make it 60 miles within the 60-day challenge time period (January 1st to March 1st, 2024). Sign up early to have more time to complete the Challenge. Registration ends on February 25th. Please note, this is a challenge you set with yourself, it is not a competition. Registration for this challenge is $25 per person and your registration fee directly supports conservation work in the Southern Appalachians. If you cannot afford the registration fee at this time, please use the coupon code: SAHC2024.
All participants will receive informative emails with suggestions for some of our favorite places to hike across the mountains of NC and TN. This special email series will include recommendations to enjoy places that SAHC has protected as well other favorite trails and destinations. Due to overuse of popular trails in the area we will try to share tidbits about some of the lesser-known trails and places to enjoy the great outdoors. Are you a little unsure about hiking in winter? We will share helpful Winter Hiking Tips, for those who haven’t hiked during the winter months. Lastly, those who complete the Winter Hiking Challenge will receive a commemorative SAHC patch after the end of the challenge.
Please note, the Challenge signup fee is a fundraiser to help support conservation efforts; you DO NOT have to pay to hike public trails. Feel free to enter miles at any date during the 60 days, as long as they are all entered before March 1. You can even enter your miles at the end of a certain time period (e.g, entering your miles for the week on Friday, all under one entry).
Time spent outdoors and in nature can help with both mental and physical health. We hope this Challenge will make it interesting for folks to explore places you may not have hiked before, and/or to rediscover the joy of nature in your own backyard.Take the Challenge by yourself, or with friends and family. Please just be safe while doing so!