Calendar of Events

• The Sky High Growth Awards honor the determination and accomplishments of Asheville’s businesses. Honorees are companies experiencing growth (in revenue and workforce) and contributing to our local economy through innovation and hard work.

  Once again, this event will be hosted by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company — a stand-up reception style event with plenty of opportunity for making new connections and engaging conversation.

  Tickets are $20 per person for Chamber members, $30 for non-members. Guests will receive two beer tickets per person. Cash bar also available.

  Considering nominating a deserving small business, or self-nominate here: Sky High Growth Award Nomination

You’re invited to an evening of food, fun, and fundraising in honor of the UNC Asheville STEAM Studio’s SkillSet Program!

Join us on Thursday, May 18, from 5 – 7 p.m. to tour the studio, take part in a silent auction, and enjoy hors d’oeuvres and beverages.

Tickets for the event are $30 through Eventbrite

Proceeds will benefit the scholarship fund for SkillSet, an outreach program of UNC Asheville’s STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) Studio.
SkillSet provides access to life-changing skills through maker-based education. Through SkillSet, community members of all ages can participate in summer camps and day classes, learning everything from making custom electric guitars to programming robotics and building furniture. Students of all skill levels become familiar with tools and develop the technical skills and resilience to create these objects.

SkillSet primarily serves under-resourced communities, female-identified, and gender-expansive students to ensure visibility of diverse identities in STEAM fields and inspire students to consider new interests and career paths.

Over 50% of our families receive financial assistance in the form of pay-what-you-can tuition. Monies raised from this event will help send a kid to summer camp! Help us meet our goal of raising $8000 for the summer 2023 scholarship fund.

Learn more about the STEAM Studio SkillSet Program at www.skillset.tools

In recognition of remarkable service and valuable care provided, Novant Health Enterprises is recognizing all Western North Carolina health care heroes and invites them and a guest to an early evening event to reconnect, relax and enjoy complimentary refreshments and appetizers. The event will give all Asheville-area health care workers an opportunity to connect with one another in a casual environment, regardless of their level or affiliation. Individuals do not need to be affiliated with Novant Health to attend.

Please RSVP by May 12 by texting or calling Mark Turner at 336-692-0437 or emailing [email protected].

This recital, which is free and open to the public, will feature a young promising singer and it has the added
purpose of raising funds for his brother’s Memorial Fund.

David Weigel has been hailed by the San Francisco Chronicle as “heroic” and “stentorian” possessing an
“imposing mahogany voice” (Opera News). He is a recent graduate of the Ryan Opera Center at the Lyric
Opera of Chicago. On May 21, Mr. Weigel will perform art songs in several languages, opera arias and some
well-known music theatre selections.
A native of Asheville, Mr.Weigel holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Furman University. He pursued
graduate studies at UNC-Greensboro, A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute at the UNC School of the Arts, and
Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Michigan.
“We are thrilled to present Mr. Weigel in concert and recognize that he is destined for a significant career,”
said Dewitt Tipton, Organist, Director of Music for St. John in the Wilderness and creator of Friends of
Music. “We are also pleased to be able to offer this event as a way to contribute to his brother’s Memorial
Fund through the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina.”
We cannot adequately express how much we appreciate this effort.  It touches our hearts deeply, and we are
so grateful to you all,” said Larry Weigel, Eric’s and David’s father.
Donations are encouraged. Checks should be made out to St. John in the Wilderness with Eric Weigel
Memorial Fund in the memo line.

Please join the Chamber to celebrate the Grand Opening of Sensorium Neuro Wellness.

Do you want to improve focus, concentration, emotional wellbeing, healthy relationships, and academic or work performance? Sensorium Neuro Wellness’s mission is to help their clients achieve better brain and body performance with sustained results through comprehensive cutting-edge assessments and personalized Neuro Fitness exercises. They offer Brain Health, Brain Training, Neurofeedback, Functional Neuro Assessments and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.

There will be food, drinks, tours and raffle prizes with drawings every half hour! The grand prize will be a 10 session MHBOT (mild hyberboric oxygen therapy) series.

Womansong, Asheville’s longest-running women’s community chorus, invites you to join us in our spring concert, “Love Your Mother (Earth)” a tribute to the beauty of our world. Under the direction of Artistic Director Dr. Allison Thorp, along with Assistant Director Claire Lemke and former Director Althea Gonzalez, this concert will focus on songs celebrating, caring for, and advocating for Mother Earth. The first half of our program will highlight music that expresses love for the earth – appreciation, reflection, connection and joy. The second half will feature music that expresses love for the earth in action – doing, moving, and making change. Among the many inspiring songs are Carrie Newcomer’s If Not Now, Joni Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi, Elise Witt’s My Salsa Garden, and the world premiere of Lytingale’s call-to-action composition, Together We Can Change the World.

Please join the Chamber to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of UpTalent Consulting!

Based in the greater Asheville area, UpTalent Consulting provides talent solutions for startups and rapidly growing companies.

Join the Chamber to celebrate UpTalent Consulting’s first year anniversary with cake, refreshments, and door prizes. Best of all, attendees are entered for a chance to win a complementary LinkedIn page review, valued at $1,200. Festivities include a stand-up comedy performance by the founder, Louise Bijesse! We look forward to gathering with the Chamber community and commencing UpTalent Consulting’s first year in business!

Cats at Play is Asheville’s very first cat café, which includes a one-of-a-kind rescue lounge as a feline foster home where visitors can enjoy meeting adorable {and adoptable} cats from Brother Wolf Animal Rescue and Heart of the Foothills Animal Rescue.

Whilst petting the cutest cats, visitors can also sip local drinks and try delicious snacks, including pastries, cookies and gelato. Cats at Play also includes a boutique with cat-themed apparel, gifts décor and art from local artisans.

Lisa Fox, Co-Owner of Cats at Play, states that “we chose this business model so that we can positively impact the homeless cat population in our community and beyond as well as give back to the animal rescue organizations who work so hard for animals in need. Admission fees to visit our rescue lounge will help us care for our foster kitties and 100% of adoption fees will go directly to our rescue partners.”

Please join the Chamber to celebrate the Grand Opening of NuBlue Service Group!

NuBlue Service Group is a company that provides plumbing, electrical, and HVAC services. They are new to Western North Carolina, but not to North Carolina with locations all over the state. They are currently providing plumbing in the region with other trades comig soon. They stand behind their work and guarantee satisfaction – because they truly believe that their team is the best and brightest in the industry.

Please join us for tours, food and beverages as we welcome NuBlue Service Group to WNC!

Join us for this 5K Run for Life event hosted by Open Arms Pregnancy Center to help support women and teens facing unplanned pregnancies. This will be a run/walk-timed event to be held at The Park at Flat Rock located at 55 Highland Golf Drive, Flat Rock, NC US 28731 June 3,2023 with a start time of 8:30 AM.
Runners should register by May 14 to secure a T-shirt for the race.
Sign up at https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/FlatRock/Run4for5k
Those interested in sponsoring the event should contact Open Arms Pregnancy Center by May 15th to learn more. (Marlies Zerressen at [email protected] or Lydia Bright at 864-921-5770)
Open Arms’ ministry is love, our aim: to support and guide, our purpose: to serve God and preserve life. We provide a safe and supportive place for pregnancy related needs with ultrasounds, material and emotional support for those facing difficult circumstances or perhaps the loss of a child.
All are services are Free and Confidential.

Just Brew It is a homebrew competition and tasting in Asheville benefiting the work of Just Economics. The festival features 75+ different beers and 30+ amazing homebrewers. The competing homebrewers are some of the finest specialty homebrewers in the region with classic brews from traditional IPAs, lagers, sours, and stouts to unique beers brewed with specialty items like coffee, chocolate, spices, and fruit.

To attend, you must be a current member of Just Economics. This event is not ticketed, so you must purchase a membership prior to the event. Then, all Just Economics members can sample the homebrews and vote for their favorites!

Purchase your membership here: https://www.justeconomicswnc.org/donate/

Memberships are $30, which grants you entry to the event.
Memberships with a VIP package are $50, which grant you entry to the event an hour early (1:00pm) plus a souvenir glass, gourmet pretzel, and more.

This is a local festival you won’t want to miss and your membership supports the work of Just Economics to advance living wages, affordable housing and better transit! Hope to see you there!

Looking for a buzz-worthy event? Look no further than Asheville’s 2nd Annual Honey Festival! Join the Center for Honeybee Research and Shanti Elixirs on Sunday, June 4th, from 12-6pm for a day of celebration, education, and community-building.
At the festival, you’ll enjoy live music, food trucks, and vendors showcasing the unique flavors of honey and other artisanal goods. But that’s not all: you’ll also be supporting a great cause, as proceeds from the festival will go towards saving pollinators and our planet.
The Center for Honeybee Research will be offering local and international honey for guests to sample and purchase, and you can even participate in the People’s Choice award for local honey vendors. Plus, we will be featuring the live finals of the 12th Annual International Black Jar Honey competition. Festival goers can watch as local celebrities determine the world’s best tasting honey.
And don’t forget to come dressed in your best pollinator-themed costume! It’s all part of the fun at Asheville’s 2nd Annual Honey Festival.
Personal water bottles are recommended, and families are encouraged to attend. So mark your calendars for June 4th, and come out to celebrate the wonderful world of beekeeping, honey, and all things pollinators. Together, we can help save the bees!

No cost legal education for members of business community: employment mistakes to avoid, business succession, dos and don’ts for developing and maintaining a business. Lunch included. Call 828-227-7401 with questions.

Please join the Chamber to Celebrate the Grand Opening of CarolinasDentist!

At CarolinasDentist, they know how important it is to find a primary dental care provider that can meet the unique wants and needs of your family. They are committed to providing families in and around Asheville with the high-quality dental care that they deserve. When you visit their office, you can expect custom care that centers around your unique smile! To learn more about CarolinasDenist’s new Asheville location, please contact them, and they will be glad to assist.

CarolinasDentist invites you to their grand-opening for their brand new dental practice in Arden/South Asheville. They will have light hors-d’oeuvres and special giveaways for attendees, including some local gift cards from some of their favorite businesses. Their partner doctor, Dr. Laura Johnson, will say a few words thanking everyone for coming and will give a tour of their high-tech facility, highlighting our state-of-the-art dental technology and their beautiful office.  

Join us in presenting a comprehensive voice of WNC business during our Raleigh Legislative Visit from Tuesday, June 6 to Wednesday, June 7!
Registration for this event and the room block closes May 7, 2023.
As a delegate on the trip, connect with business leaders from across our region and reinforce WNC business priorities to the North Carolina General Assembly. Together, we can have more impact on our region’s priorities.

About 50 representatives from eight regional chambers will participate in the two-day trip to discuss issues with legislators and state agencies vital to our regional business environment.

Events will include an evening reception at Whiskey Kitchen, presentations on important policy issues, and visits with members of the North Carolina General Assembly. Visits will be focused on local priorities, economic development funding for WNC and key workforce issues including childcare and medicaid expansion.
 
Participants must make their own hotel reservations, with a discounted rate available at The Sheraton. Registration for this event and the room block closes May 7, 2023.