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.

Monday, August 19, 2024
Summer Reading Program: Books + Free Ice Cream
Aug 19 @ 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Hop Ice Cream 

Buncombe County Public Library is thrilled to announce The Hop Ice Cream as a proud supporting partner of this year’s Summer Reading Program to encourage youth literacy in our community. The Hop will provide free ice cream at the Summer Library Fest on Saturday, June 8 from 10 a.m.-noon at East Asheville Library. For added fun, The Hop owner Greg Garrison will collaborate with Secret Agent 23 Skidoo to provide a special dance performance to families in attendance.

Any kid or teen who visits a Buncombe County library to pick up their summer reading activity sheet will also receive a 10 percent off coupon redeemable at any Hop location or at Pop Bubble Tea. Return your completed activity sheet to any branch and receive a bookmark for a free kiddie scoop of ice cream at any Hop location. You must complete 10 or more activities on your sheet to be eligible for ice cream – and you can also select a free book of your choice!

Summer Reading runs from June 1 to  August 31 and is open to anyone from birth to age 18.  If you have any questions, just contact your friendly neighborhood library.

The Hop Ice Cream  OUR LOCATIONS


North Asheville

640 Merrimon Ave
Asheville, NC 28804

828.254.2224

More Info »


West Asheville

721 Haywood Rd
Asheville, NC 28806

828.252.5155

More Info »


Downtown Asheville

56 Patton Ave
Asheville, NC 28801

Inside the S&W Building

More Info »


Black Mountain

114 Cherry Street
Black Mountain, NC 28711

828.357.5461

More Info »


The Creamery

167 Haywood Road
Asheville, NC 28806

828.774.5058

More Info »

Pop Bubble Tea

640 Merrimon Ave
Asheville, NC 28804

More Info »

Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden
Aug 20 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

 

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

  • Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • Garden Open Year Round
  • Parking Fees
    • Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
    • Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
    • Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
    • Members: Free

    Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Summer Reading Program: Books + Free Ice Cream
Aug 20 @ 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Hop Ice Cream 

Buncombe County Public Library is thrilled to announce The Hop Ice Cream as a proud supporting partner of this year’s Summer Reading Program to encourage youth literacy in our community. The Hop will provide free ice cream at the Summer Library Fest on Saturday, June 8 from 10 a.m.-noon at East Asheville Library. For added fun, The Hop owner Greg Garrison will collaborate with Secret Agent 23 Skidoo to provide a special dance performance to families in attendance.

Any kid or teen who visits a Buncombe County library to pick up their summer reading activity sheet will also receive a 10 percent off coupon redeemable at any Hop location or at Pop Bubble Tea. Return your completed activity sheet to any branch and receive a bookmark for a free kiddie scoop of ice cream at any Hop location. You must complete 10 or more activities on your sheet to be eligible for ice cream – and you can also select a free book of your choice!

Summer Reading runs from June 1 to  August 31 and is open to anyone from birth to age 18.  If you have any questions, just contact your friendly neighborhood library.

The Hop Ice Cream  OUR LOCATIONS


North Asheville

640 Merrimon Ave
Asheville, NC 28804

828.254.2224

More Info »


West Asheville

721 Haywood Rd
Asheville, NC 28806

828.252.5155

More Info »


Downtown Asheville

56 Patton Ave
Asheville, NC 28801

Inside the S&W Building

More Info »


Black Mountain

114 Cherry Street
Black Mountain, NC 28711

828.357.5461

More Info »


The Creamery

167 Haywood Road
Asheville, NC 28806

828.774.5058

More Info »

Pop Bubble Tea

640 Merrimon Ave
Asheville, NC 28804

More Info »

Gardening for the Birds, Bees & Butterflies
Aug 20 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

It’s amazing how much has been learned in just the past few years about the best ways to support birds, bees and butterflies … and it’s not just about finding the best food at the local store! The plants you choose and the way you garden has a huge impact on the number and variety of birds you will see in your yard. This course is based on the real-life experience of a spare-time gardener who has created 2 Certified Wildlife Habitats within colorful, bountiful gardens. Using the National Wildlife Federation’s framework and more recent findings from entomologist Doug Tallamy, you will learn gardening tips & techniques along with landscape design concepts, plant lists, and resource recommendations for increasing the joys of nature in your own yard… especially the birds!

Breathwork & Sound Bath
Aug 20 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Happy Body

Get ready for a transformational experience – one that’s sure to supercharge your wellbeing by:
• providing clarity and connectedness with the world around us
• releasing stress/emotional/trauma responses
• creating higher states of bliss
• boosting the immune system

Join Michele Schalin, a Mental Fitness Coach and Author of “Mindful Metamorphosis: A Compassionate Guide to Inner Transformation, for Breathwork and Sound Bath Experience.

Experience the power of somatic healing with sound vibrational frequencies paired with a technique called holotropic breathwork originally created for trauma healing in 1974. Both holotropic breathwork and the sound frequencies of crystal singing bowls, gongs, and chimes calm the nervous system and clear and revitalize your body’s energetic system.
These techniques release stagnant energy in your body that can contribute to stress, anxiety, depression, physical pain, and illness. Because you are in a deep meditative state during this workshop and in your theta brain frequency, you can also use it for manifestation – healing the body physically and get insights on questions you have in your life. The workshop will also give you a massive boost to the immune system while the body rests in the parasympathetic system for the majority of the workshop.

Wednesday, August 21, 2024
ASAP: How Does Western North Carolina Shop for Food SURVEY
Aug 21 all-day
online

ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) has released a survey to learn more about how people in Western North Carolina shop for food and why they choose the food they do. The survey, part of a three-year project by ASAP’s Local Food Research Center, is for any resident of Western North Carolina over the age of 18, no matter where or how they shop for food. It can be completed online at surveymonkey.com/r/WNCFoodASAP or over the phone by calling ASAP at 828-236-1282. It should take approximately 8 to 12 minutes to complete and will be open through Oct. 31, 2024. Respondents are encouraged to share the survey widely with families, friends, and co-workers.

 

“By completing this survey, you are helping local farmers understand and connect with consumers,” said Amy Marion, ASAP Associate Director and lead researcher. “The challenges of our food system are constantly evolving. Improving it requires active participation from all community members. With this research we can better understand consumer values and the barriers they face, and help farmers and food producers improve communications with their customers and their communities.”

 

The survey is part of a three-year research project, “Connections in Direct Markets: Assessing the feedback loop between consumer values and farmers’ marketing strategies,” which will examine and improve communication and alignment between farmers and consumers in Western North Carolina. The research phase will also employ consumer focus groups, farmer interviews and case studies, and more targeted surveying. The broad consumer survey provides an update to the last consumer survey conducted by the Local Food Research Center in 2014. Results from the current research project will be shared in 2025.

 

ASAP founded the Local Food Research Center in 2011 to study the economic, environmental, and social impacts of localizing food systems. From its inception, ASAP’s programs and services have been grounded in research and evaluation, adjusting based on a strong feedback loop and observation of current conditions in the food system.

 

This project is supported in part by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2022-38640-37488 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under subaward number LS23-382. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider.

Farm Beginnings® Program: Farmer program applications open
Aug 21 all-day
Organic Growers School

Farm Beginnings® is training the next generation of farmers in the many skills required to start and expand a successful farm business: passion, clear goals, production experience, financial and marketing know-how, and more.

Farm Beginnings® will help you build these skills through one year of farmer-led training, mentoring, and networking. We support individuals in clarifying their goals and strengths, developing agricultural skills, and growing profitable, equitable, and ecologically sound farm businesses.

The OGS Approach

Guided by our commitment to social justice, our programming is led by farmers and mentors active in food, farming, or social justice. By empowering people with skills, knowledge, and access to resources, together we can build a more diverse, equitable food system that enriches the environment and creates a thriving food and farming community.

We use a holistic management frame, farmer-led classroom sessions, on-farm tours, mentoring, and an extensive farmer network. The topics of equity and justice in the food systems are woven into the curriculum, including examples of realistic approaches within the scope of your business models.

What does Farm Beginnings® include?

The 200+ hr, year-long program consists of:

  • Training on holistic management, farm business, marketing & financial planning

  • Sessions taught by regional, experienced farmers

  • One-year WNC CRAFT Farmer Network membership

  • Completing and presenting an individualized farm plan

  • Access to field days with regional partners

  • Entry to ASAP’s Business of Farming Conference

  • Entry to OGS’s Spring Conference

  • 15 hr mentorship with an experienced farmer mentor

What does Farm Beginnings® include?

The 200+ hr, year-long program consists of:

  • Training on holistic management, farm business, marketing & financial planning

  • Sessions taught by regional, experienced farmers

  • One-year WNC CRAFT Farmer Network membership

  • Completing and presenting an individualized farm plan

  • Access to field days with regional partners

  • Entry to ASAP’s Business of Farming Conference

  • Entry to OGS’s Spring Conference

  • 15 hr mentorship with an experienced farmer mentor

View a sample of the full course schedule here.

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden
Aug 21 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

 

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

  • Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • Garden Open Year Round
  • Parking Fees
    • Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
    • Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
    • Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
    • Members: Free

    Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Summer Reading Program: Books + Free Ice Cream
Aug 21 @ 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Hop Ice Cream 

Buncombe County Public Library is thrilled to announce The Hop Ice Cream as a proud supporting partner of this year’s Summer Reading Program to encourage youth literacy in our community. The Hop will provide free ice cream at the Summer Library Fest on Saturday, June 8 from 10 a.m.-noon at East Asheville Library. For added fun, The Hop owner Greg Garrison will collaborate with Secret Agent 23 Skidoo to provide a special dance performance to families in attendance.

Any kid or teen who visits a Buncombe County library to pick up their summer reading activity sheet will also receive a 10 percent off coupon redeemable at any Hop location or at Pop Bubble Tea. Return your completed activity sheet to any branch and receive a bookmark for a free kiddie scoop of ice cream at any Hop location. You must complete 10 or more activities on your sheet to be eligible for ice cream – and you can also select a free book of your choice!

Summer Reading runs from June 1 to  August 31 and is open to anyone from birth to age 18.  If you have any questions, just contact your friendly neighborhood library.

The Hop Ice Cream  OUR LOCATIONS


North Asheville

640 Merrimon Ave
Asheville, NC 28804

828.254.2224

More Info »


West Asheville

721 Haywood Rd
Asheville, NC 28806

828.252.5155

More Info »


Downtown Asheville

56 Patton Ave
Asheville, NC 28801

Inside the S&W Building

More Info »


Black Mountain

114 Cherry Street
Black Mountain, NC 28711

828.357.5461

More Info »


The Creamery

167 Haywood Road
Asheville, NC 28806

828.774.5058

More Info »

Pop Bubble Tea

640 Merrimon Ave
Asheville, NC 28804

More Info »

Thursday, August 22, 2024
Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden
Aug 22 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

 

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

  • Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • Garden Open Year Round
  • Parking Fees
    • Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
    • Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
    • Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
    • Members: Free

    Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

The Learning Garden presents: Four Seasons Series: Self-Seeding and Spreading Plants
Aug 22 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am
NC Cooperative Extension, Buncombe County Center

Discover a wide variety of plants that can fill your garden spaces without having to purchase more. Spread the wealth without spending the money and learn about the concept of green mulch. Plants to be discussed include perennials, grasses, ground covers and even some woody shrubs and trees. Wear appropriate attire (hat, sunglasses and sturdy shoes and bring some water) as some of this presentation will be held outside. The talk is free, but seating is limited and registration using Eventbrite is required. Registration opens on August 8th. Follow us on Instagram @buncombemastergardeners to stay up to date on our programs and events.

Summer Reading Program: Books + Free Ice Cream
Aug 22 @ 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Hop Ice Cream 

Buncombe County Public Library is thrilled to announce The Hop Ice Cream as a proud supporting partner of this year’s Summer Reading Program to encourage youth literacy in our community. The Hop will provide free ice cream at the Summer Library Fest on Saturday, June 8 from 10 a.m.-noon at East Asheville Library. For added fun, The Hop owner Greg Garrison will collaborate with Secret Agent 23 Skidoo to provide a special dance performance to families in attendance.

Any kid or teen who visits a Buncombe County library to pick up their summer reading activity sheet will also receive a 10 percent off coupon redeemable at any Hop location or at Pop Bubble Tea. Return your completed activity sheet to any branch and receive a bookmark for a free kiddie scoop of ice cream at any Hop location. You must complete 10 or more activities on your sheet to be eligible for ice cream – and you can also select a free book of your choice!

Summer Reading runs from June 1 to  August 31 and is open to anyone from birth to age 18.  If you have any questions, just contact your friendly neighborhood library.

The Hop Ice Cream  OUR LOCATIONS


North Asheville

640 Merrimon Ave
Asheville, NC 28804

828.254.2224

More Info »


West Asheville

721 Haywood Rd
Asheville, NC 28806

828.252.5155

More Info »


Downtown Asheville

56 Patton Ave
Asheville, NC 28801

Inside the S&W Building

More Info »


Black Mountain

114 Cherry Street
Black Mountain, NC 28711

828.357.5461

More Info »


The Creamery

167 Haywood Road
Asheville, NC 28806

828.774.5058

More Info »

Pop Bubble Tea

640 Merrimon Ave
Asheville, NC 28804

More Info »

Summer Ecology Walk: Advanced Topics in Ecology
Aug 22 @ 1:30 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

The third in a popular seasonal series of special topics in ecology continues a beloved Arboretum course. Naturalist Dan Lazar, who teaches the Ecology of the Blue Ridge course every fall, leads this walk and talk designed to point out signs of summer’s vibrancy. Participants will walk through roadside meadows filled with Goldenrod and asters and then head into the Arboretum Forest on easily accessible trails. We’ll consider the role of birds and other animals in seed dispersal, one of nature’s most important methods for renewing itself. Opportunities for learning in place are far from dormant in this or any season at the Arboretum!

Pawpaw Class
Aug 22 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Bullington Gardens

Learn all about North America’s largest native fruit, the pawpaw! Join Henderson County Specialized Extension Agent Craig Mauney in exploring this curious fruiting tree.

Plant Clinic @ Enka-Candler Market
Aug 22 @ 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
East Candler Market

At each Plant Clinic, Master Gardener volunteers will be available to answer all of your gardening questions and address your related concerns. Feel free to bring plant or insect samples for identification and/or problem resolution. You can pick-up soil test kits and receive information about in-person programs and activities at The Learning Garden and the Gardening in the Mountains seminars. Please stop by to learn more! Follow us on Instagram @buncombemastergardeners to stay up to date on our programs and events.

Friday, August 23, 2024
ASAP: How Does Western North Carolina Shop for Food SURVEY
Aug 23 all-day
online

ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) has released a survey to learn more about how people in Western North Carolina shop for food and why they choose the food they do. The survey, part of a three-year project by ASAP’s Local Food Research Center, is for any resident of Western North Carolina over the age of 18, no matter where or how they shop for food. It can be completed online at surveymonkey.com/r/WNCFoodASAP or over the phone by calling ASAP at 828-236-1282. It should take approximately 8 to 12 minutes to complete and will be open through Oct. 31, 2024. Respondents are encouraged to share the survey widely with families, friends, and co-workers.

 

“By completing this survey, you are helping local farmers understand and connect with consumers,” said Amy Marion, ASAP Associate Director and lead researcher. “The challenges of our food system are constantly evolving. Improving it requires active participation from all community members. With this research we can better understand consumer values and the barriers they face, and help farmers and food producers improve communications with their customers and their communities.”

 

The survey is part of a three-year research project, “Connections in Direct Markets: Assessing the feedback loop between consumer values and farmers’ marketing strategies,” which will examine and improve communication and alignment between farmers and consumers in Western North Carolina. The research phase will also employ consumer focus groups, farmer interviews and case studies, and more targeted surveying. The broad consumer survey provides an update to the last consumer survey conducted by the Local Food Research Center in 2014. Results from the current research project will be shared in 2025.

 

ASAP founded the Local Food Research Center in 2011 to study the economic, environmental, and social impacts of localizing food systems. From its inception, ASAP’s programs and services have been grounded in research and evaluation, adjusting based on a strong feedback loop and observation of current conditions in the food system.

 

This project is supported in part by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2022-38640-37488 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under subaward number LS23-382. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider.

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden
Aug 23 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

 

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

  • Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • Garden Open Year Round
  • Parking Fees
    • Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
    • Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
    • Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
    • Members: Free

    Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Swannanoa Valley Book Club Series
Aug 23 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Black Mountain Library

This series, in collaboration with the Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center, explores novels, poetry, and historic nonfiction focused on Appalachian experiences and Swannanoa Valley history through discussions and visits from regional authors. This month’s book is McMullen Circle by Heather Newton.
Schedule:
10:00-10:30 a.m. Book club discussion
Short break
11:00 a.m. – noon Author reading and Q&A
Cost: Swannanoa Valley Book Club Series events are FREE to the public.
Accessing Books: The Black Mountain Public Library will order and hold SVM Book Club books ahead of time for checkout by book club members. Some books are available for purchase through the Swannanoa Valley Museum.

Summer Reading Program: Books + Free Ice Cream
Aug 23 @ 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Hop Ice Cream 

Buncombe County Public Library is thrilled to announce The Hop Ice Cream as a proud supporting partner of this year’s Summer Reading Program to encourage youth literacy in our community. The Hop will provide free ice cream at the Summer Library Fest on Saturday, June 8 from 10 a.m.-noon at East Asheville Library. For added fun, The Hop owner Greg Garrison will collaborate with Secret Agent 23 Skidoo to provide a special dance performance to families in attendance.

Any kid or teen who visits a Buncombe County library to pick up their summer reading activity sheet will also receive a 10 percent off coupon redeemable at any Hop location or at Pop Bubble Tea. Return your completed activity sheet to any branch and receive a bookmark for a free kiddie scoop of ice cream at any Hop location. You must complete 10 or more activities on your sheet to be eligible for ice cream – and you can also select a free book of your choice!

Summer Reading runs from June 1 to  August 31 and is open to anyone from birth to age 18.  If you have any questions, just contact your friendly neighborhood library.

The Hop Ice Cream  OUR LOCATIONS


North Asheville

640 Merrimon Ave
Asheville, NC 28804

828.254.2224

More Info »


West Asheville

721 Haywood Rd
Asheville, NC 28806

828.252.5155

More Info »


Downtown Asheville

56 Patton Ave
Asheville, NC 28801

Inside the S&W Building

More Info »


Black Mountain

114 Cherry Street
Black Mountain, NC 28711

828.357.5461

More Info »


The Creamery

167 Haywood Road
Asheville, NC 28806

828.774.5058

More Info »

Pop Bubble Tea

640 Merrimon Ave
Asheville, NC 28804

More Info »

Saturday, August 24, 2024
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Free Books for Children ages 0-5
Aug 24 all-day
online w/ Literacy Together

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library impacts the pre­-literacy skills and school readiness of children under the age of 5 in Buncombe County. The program mails a new, free, age-appropriate book to registered children each month until they turn five years old. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library creates a home library of up to 60 books and instills a love of books and reading from an early age. If you have any questions about the program, please send an email to [email protected].

A national panel of educators selects the Imagination Library titles, which include: The Little Engine that Could, Last Stop on Market Street, Violet the Pilot, As an Oak Tree Grows, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Llama Llama Red Pajama, Look Out Kindergarten, here I come, and many more (take a look at all the titles).

Register your child now!

Program Launch and Expansions

Literacy Together became a Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library affiliate in November 2015 with support from the Buncombe Partnership for Children. Through this program, registered children in Buncombe County receive a free book in the mail each month. Their parents also have the opportunity to attend workshops to learn how to build their children’s early literacy skills. Parents in need of literacy assistance are encouraged to receive tutoring through Literacy Together’s adult programming.

The program served 200 children during the 2015/16 fiscal year. The program expanded to serve 400 children in July 2016, and 600 in August 2017. In July 2018, capacity increased to 1,900 thanks to a special allocation in the North Carolina state budget. We’re now serving 4,600 kids in Buncombe County.  

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden
Aug 24 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

 

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

  • Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • Garden Open Year Round
  • Parking Fees
    • Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
    • Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
    • Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
    • Members: Free

    Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Yoga in the Park Asheville
Aug 24 @ 11:00 am
Carrier Park

❗In the event weather causes class cancellation, payments can be refunded or put towards future class! Cancelations will be announced via social media & email list within one hour of class.

💖Join together alongside the French Broad river; all-level friendly yoga classes based on Hatha & Vinyasa traditions. Classes led by certified yoga instructor Ceiara Cartony & Tess Ernest-Jones, with additional guest teachers!
❗ We have limited capacity, please sign-up in advance: ceceyogini.com/yoga-in-the-park-asheville
–Be sure to include your phone number so I can contact you if class should be canceled (due to weather or emergency)

🕉This 75 minute class will start with a brief meditation/intention setting and move into a slow to moderate-paced flow. Each class is unique, intertwining movement with breath with a different focus of strength and release. We will open our hearts, create heat in the body, stimulate the brain & rejuvenate our well-being. Postures are always guided to offer modifications and variations to accommodate the very beginner to a long-time practitioner. We will close with savasana/brief meditation.

👏 Props are provided by Ceiara (other instructors may not provide props!) to the first 15 students to arrive(2 blocks & a strap) Please bring your owns props if you already have them, a folded blanket(also to use as a prop) & a mat. If you do not have a mat, notify me at least 24 hrs ahead and I will provide one for you(free of charge!)

➡️ A large sheet/blanket for under your mat is highly recommended to help with dirt/wandering critters.

❗❗ Arrive early to allow time to settle and ensure you don’t miss centering(so important in this practice!).

💓PLEASE leave your fur babies at home, I strive to create a serene class environment with the least amount of distractions. Classes are recommended for children 8+ but younger are welcome to join if they’re able to remain on their mat space(I’ve had children bring head phones or other quiet activities if they lose interest in the class).

💠FIND US!: We will gather at the EAST end of Carrier Park in the grass alongside the French Broad river(turn left after coming into main entrance — the large stone CARRIER PARK sign — far east lot, & park far left).
Look for the “Yoga in the Park Asheville” sign! —>Go beyond the picnic shelter following the dirt path—we will be through the trees on the left!
See video below (it ends at our original location, keep following dirt path):
https://photos.app.goo.gl/3DMqJHtB6wNsUZTZ9 — this video ends at our original location — continue to follow down the path until you see us gathered in a larger shaded space!

Summer Reading Program: Books + Free Ice Cream
Aug 24 @ 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Hop Ice Cream 

Buncombe County Public Library is thrilled to announce The Hop Ice Cream as a proud supporting partner of this year’s Summer Reading Program to encourage youth literacy in our community. The Hop will provide free ice cream at the Summer Library Fest on Saturday, June 8 from 10 a.m.-noon at East Asheville Library. For added fun, The Hop owner Greg Garrison will collaborate with Secret Agent 23 Skidoo to provide a special dance performance to families in attendance.

Any kid or teen who visits a Buncombe County library to pick up their summer reading activity sheet will also receive a 10 percent off coupon redeemable at any Hop location or at Pop Bubble Tea. Return your completed activity sheet to any branch and receive a bookmark for a free kiddie scoop of ice cream at any Hop location. You must complete 10 or more activities on your sheet to be eligible for ice cream – and you can also select a free book of your choice!

Summer Reading runs from June 1 to  August 31 and is open to anyone from birth to age 18.  If you have any questions, just contact your friendly neighborhood library.

The Hop Ice Cream  OUR LOCATIONS


North Asheville

640 Merrimon Ave
Asheville, NC 28804

828.254.2224

More Info »


West Asheville

721 Haywood Rd
Asheville, NC 28806

828.252.5155

More Info »


Downtown Asheville

56 Patton Ave
Asheville, NC 28801

Inside the S&W Building

More Info »


Black Mountain

114 Cherry Street
Black Mountain, NC 28711

828.357.5461

More Info »


The Creamery

167 Haywood Road
Asheville, NC 28806

828.774.5058

More Info »

Pop Bubble Tea

640 Merrimon Ave
Asheville, NC 28804

More Info »

Ethnobotany and Tree ID in Late Summer
Aug 24 @ 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
North Carolina Arboretum

Join Ethnobiologist Marc Williams on a plant walk around the Arboretum gardens and forest during the start of the most challenging time to botanize during the year. Once the flowers, fruits and leaves are mostly gone, we must learn to distinguish more subtle clues to determine the identification of many plants. We will engage in a dialogue about off season woody plant characteristics, ethnobotanical applications and various resources available for further study.

Mastering Manifestation Through Meditation & Mindfulness
Aug 24 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Happy Body

Join Michele Schalin, a Mental Fitness Coach and Author of “Mindful Metamorphosis: A Compassionate Guide to Inner Transformation, for Mastering Manifestation Through Meditation & Mindfulness.

Unleash your full potential at this empowering workshop on manifesting with meditation and mindfulness. You’ll learn how to elevate your life by raising your vibrational frequency through meditation and visualization. By reprogramming your mind with mindfulness exercises, you’ll experience the incredible power of your thoughts and intentions to reframe negative patterns and to shape the life you’ve always envisioned. Through expert guidance in meditation, mindful exercises, and visualization methods, Michele will guide you in syncing your inner self with your external aspirations. Break free from mental barriers, nurture positive vibes, and establish precise, achievable goals. You’ll leave with practical tools and strategies to integrate meditation and mindfulness into your daily lives, empowering you to manifest your dreams with clarity, confidence, and purpose. Whether you seek spiritual growth or wish to turn your dreams into reality, this workshop is for you. Join us on a journey of clarity and purpose today!

Sunday, August 25, 2024
ASAP: How Does Western North Carolina Shop for Food SURVEY
Aug 25 all-day
online

ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) has released a survey to learn more about how people in Western North Carolina shop for food and why they choose the food they do. The survey, part of a three-year project by ASAP’s Local Food Research Center, is for any resident of Western North Carolina over the age of 18, no matter where or how they shop for food. It can be completed online at surveymonkey.com/r/WNCFoodASAP or over the phone by calling ASAP at 828-236-1282. It should take approximately 8 to 12 minutes to complete and will be open through Oct. 31, 2024. Respondents are encouraged to share the survey widely with families, friends, and co-workers.

 

“By completing this survey, you are helping local farmers understand and connect with consumers,” said Amy Marion, ASAP Associate Director and lead researcher. “The challenges of our food system are constantly evolving. Improving it requires active participation from all community members. With this research we can better understand consumer values and the barriers they face, and help farmers and food producers improve communications with their customers and their communities.”

 

The survey is part of a three-year research project, “Connections in Direct Markets: Assessing the feedback loop between consumer values and farmers’ marketing strategies,” which will examine and improve communication and alignment between farmers and consumers in Western North Carolina. The research phase will also employ consumer focus groups, farmer interviews and case studies, and more targeted surveying. The broad consumer survey provides an update to the last consumer survey conducted by the Local Food Research Center in 2014. Results from the current research project will be shared in 2025.

 

ASAP founded the Local Food Research Center in 2011 to study the economic, environmental, and social impacts of localizing food systems. From its inception, ASAP’s programs and services have been grounded in research and evaluation, adjusting based on a strong feedback loop and observation of current conditions in the food system.

 

This project is supported in part by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2022-38640-37488 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under subaward number LS23-382. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Free Books for Children ages 0-5
Aug 25 all-day
online w/ Literacy Together

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library impacts the pre­-literacy skills and school readiness of children under the age of 5 in Buncombe County. The program mails a new, free, age-appropriate book to registered children each month until they turn five years old. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library creates a home library of up to 60 books and instills a love of books and reading from an early age. If you have any questions about the program, please send an email to [email protected].

A national panel of educators selects the Imagination Library titles, which include: The Little Engine that Could, Last Stop on Market Street, Violet the Pilot, As an Oak Tree Grows, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Llama Llama Red Pajama, Look Out Kindergarten, here I come, and many more (take a look at all the titles).

Register your child now!

Program Launch and Expansions

Literacy Together became a Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library affiliate in November 2015 with support from the Buncombe Partnership for Children. Through this program, registered children in Buncombe County receive a free book in the mail each month. Their parents also have the opportunity to attend workshops to learn how to build their children’s early literacy skills. Parents in need of literacy assistance are encouraged to receive tutoring through Literacy Together’s adult programming.

The program served 200 children during the 2015/16 fiscal year. The program expanded to serve 400 children in July 2016, and 600 in August 2017. In July 2018, capacity increased to 1,900 thanks to a special allocation in the North Carolina state budget. We’re now serving 4,600 kids in Buncombe County.  

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden
Aug 25 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

 

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

  • Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • Garden Open Year Round
  • Parking Fees
    • Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
    • Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
    • Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
    • Members: Free

    Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Summer Reading Program: Books + Free Ice Cream
Aug 25 @ 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Hop Ice Cream 

Buncombe County Public Library is thrilled to announce The Hop Ice Cream as a proud supporting partner of this year’s Summer Reading Program to encourage youth literacy in our community. The Hop will provide free ice cream at the Summer Library Fest on Saturday, June 8 from 10 a.m.-noon at East Asheville Library. For added fun, The Hop owner Greg Garrison will collaborate with Secret Agent 23 Skidoo to provide a special dance performance to families in attendance.

Any kid or teen who visits a Buncombe County library to pick up their summer reading activity sheet will also receive a 10 percent off coupon redeemable at any Hop location or at Pop Bubble Tea. Return your completed activity sheet to any branch and receive a bookmark for a free kiddie scoop of ice cream at any Hop location. You must complete 10 or more activities on your sheet to be eligible for ice cream – and you can also select a free book of your choice!

Summer Reading runs from June 1 to  August 31 and is open to anyone from birth to age 18.  If you have any questions, just contact your friendly neighborhood library.

The Hop Ice Cream  OUR LOCATIONS


North Asheville

640 Merrimon Ave
Asheville, NC 28804

828.254.2224

More Info »


West Asheville

721 Haywood Rd
Asheville, NC 28806

828.252.5155

More Info »


Downtown Asheville

56 Patton Ave
Asheville, NC 28801

Inside the S&W Building

More Info »


Black Mountain

114 Cherry Street
Black Mountain, NC 28711

828.357.5461

More Info »


The Creamery

167 Haywood Road
Asheville, NC 28806

828.774.5058

More Info »

Pop Bubble Tea

640 Merrimon Ave
Asheville, NC 28804

More Info »

Monday, August 26, 2024
ASAP: How Does Western North Carolina Shop for Food SURVEY
Aug 26 all-day
online

ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) has released a survey to learn more about how people in Western North Carolina shop for food and why they choose the food they do. The survey, part of a three-year project by ASAP’s Local Food Research Center, is for any resident of Western North Carolina over the age of 18, no matter where or how they shop for food. It can be completed online at surveymonkey.com/r/WNCFoodASAP or over the phone by calling ASAP at 828-236-1282. It should take approximately 8 to 12 minutes to complete and will be open through Oct. 31, 2024. Respondents are encouraged to share the survey widely with families, friends, and co-workers.

 

“By completing this survey, you are helping local farmers understand and connect with consumers,” said Amy Marion, ASAP Associate Director and lead researcher. “The challenges of our food system are constantly evolving. Improving it requires active participation from all community members. With this research we can better understand consumer values and the barriers they face, and help farmers and food producers improve communications with their customers and their communities.”

 

The survey is part of a three-year research project, “Connections in Direct Markets: Assessing the feedback loop between consumer values and farmers’ marketing strategies,” which will examine and improve communication and alignment between farmers and consumers in Western North Carolina. The research phase will also employ consumer focus groups, farmer interviews and case studies, and more targeted surveying. The broad consumer survey provides an update to the last consumer survey conducted by the Local Food Research Center in 2014. Results from the current research project will be shared in 2025.

 

ASAP founded the Local Food Research Center in 2011 to study the economic, environmental, and social impacts of localizing food systems. From its inception, ASAP’s programs and services have been grounded in research and evaluation, adjusting based on a strong feedback loop and observation of current conditions in the food system.

 

This project is supported in part by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2022-38640-37488 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under subaward number LS23-382. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider.