Calendar of Events

The “How it Feels to be a Mother” Movement is a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to embracing the emotional complexity of motherhood. We provide a supportive platform for mothers to share their authentic experiences, free from judgment. Join us for insightful conversations and connections with mothers of all ages and stages of parenting.

Main Sponsors: Foxy Media and Marketing, Mojo Coworking, Asheville Video Marketing

Supporters: Flaming Lily Studios, Hone Creative Studio

Experience an array of vendors and interactive stations, including:
Temple Chiropractic
The Babywearing OT
Everyday Orthodontics
Hornsby Creative Group
AND MORE!!

Doors open at 1PM to sign up for photos.
Photos will start after a brief presentation.
Photos are first come first serve by signing up at the event.
flaminglilystudios.com

For more information, visit howitfeelstobeamother.com.
Join the conversation.

Rezonance & Slice of Life Comedy present **Canna Comic Cuisine —4.20 Infused Dessert Comedy Show**! Get ready for a night of laughter, delicious food, and a touch of cannabis-infused fun. Join us on **Sat Apr 20 2024** at **9:30 PM** for a unique experience that combines comedy with a gourmet dinner featuring cannabis-infused dishes. Our talented comedians will keep you entertained throughout the evening, while our chefs prepare a mouthwatering dessert that will tantalize your taste buds. Don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind event that promises to be a memorable and hilarious night out!

Saturday 4.20.24

Held at a secret location in downtown Asheville, 21+

Your $42 ticket includes infused dessert and a canned drink. Location given out with ticket purchase. Tickets are very limited so book this date now.

Standup Comedy Hosted by Hilliary Begley (netflix Amazon Prime, Votedt Avl Best Comic 5+) featuring Cayla Clark, Miranda Allison & Cody Hughes

Your Comedy Host Hilliary Begley-

Hilliary will make you cry with laughter with her larger than life personality!! Voted repeatedly Asheville’s Favorite comic in the Mountain Xpress, Hilliary’s reach goes well beyond the city to all over the country. Film debut in the Netflix original Dumplin’ as Aunt Lucy, or “Jennifer Anniston’s fat sister,” and in Austin Film Festival winning movie When We Last Spoke with Cloris Leachman, now streaming on Amazon Prime. https ://youtu.be/legRwEg4j-o

Featuring Cayla Clark-

a California native (through no fault of her own), moved to Asheville three years ago and quickly fell in love with the local comedy scene. She created and co-produces Blind Date Live, a quarterly comedic dating show, Bad Date Mic, and several other dating-related events around town. She is also a playwright, and has had original works in the Fringe Festival for the past three years.

Feature Cody Hughes-

Cody is a comedian from Asheville NC. He’s lived in a few different big cities and a lot of comedians like him and a lot of other comedians have heard good things about him from the comedians who like him. A few comedians don’t like him and he can’t do anything about that. Oh well. He has opened for Lewis Black, John Oliver, Maria Bamford, and many others

Feature Miranda Allison-

Sweet but sassy, Miranda Allison is an up and coming stand up comedian with a timid, yet audacious sense of humor. From right here in Asheville, NC, Miranda is quickly becoming a fan favorite in the comedy scene. You can find her co-hosting The Hot Seat on Mondays and at other comedy shows in the area.

Join the Dark City Poets Society for a free publishing workshop from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at the Black Mountain Library,105 N. Dougherty Street, Black Mountain, NC 28711. This workshop will be led by John Himmelheber, editor of Smoky Blue Literary and Arts Magazine, along with Ivy Rosen, editor of Black Mountain Press. Learn tips and tricks on how to get published and what the best practices are for submitting your work for consideration. This workshop is open to all ages, and no registration is required.

Building Bridges of Asheville invites you to a screening and talkback session of the film, “13th”.

In this thought-provoking documentary scholars, activists and politicians analyze the criminalization of African Americans and the U.S. prison boom.

Filmmaker Ava DuVernay explores the history of racial inequality in the United States, focusing on the fact that the nation’s prisons are disproportionately filled with African Americans.

The film will be followed by a guided conversation facilitated by Building Bridges board members and Niconda Garcia & Nex Millen.

Building Bridges fosters antiracism by educating people on how to intentionally engage in dialogues on racism. BBAVL.org

You have a part to play in this work, and this event is a great point of entry.

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

A healthy workplace culture can be the difference between hitting your goals and missing the mark. It can be a determining benefit that supports strong retention rates and serves as a competitive advantage.

But what is culture and how do you build it? We’ll cover this and much more!

Join us on April 26, 2024, for an interactive workshop at Continuum in downtown Hendersonville, NC from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm.

Sign up now to reserve your seat and receive the full event details.

Embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery and inner healing through our groundbreaking Breathwork Meditation Workshop including 2 Sound Baths! During this immersive experience you will be guided through a powerful Breathwork practice to help you massively release stress, heal past wounds and traumas, access deeper levels of awareness, and connect more profoundly to Source.

Led by two professional highly experienced facilitators with over 50 years experience between them, this workshop will
deepen your connection with your breath and unlock its incredible potential for physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Join a group of like-minded individuals on the path to self-discovery in a supportive nurturing environment on the beautiful island in Marshall on one of the world’s oldest rivers.

You may come to the full day (10am-4.30pm, $120 ) which includes two Breathwork Meditation Sessions with sound baths and a session of Self-discovery. You may also come to the first Breathwork Meditation Session with sound bath only (10am-1pm, $60) or the second Breathwork Session with sound bath only (1.30pm-4.30pm, $60).
Register at www.breakthroughbreathwork.com/events

Start off Poetry Month at the Library with a celebration of Dolly Parton’s lyrics at the Fairview Library.

What could the songs of legendary singer-songwriter Dolly Parton teach us about writing, craft, and perspectives in poetry? In this in-person workshop, poet Dustin Brookshire guides participants through exploring the discography and cultural impact of Dolly Parton. We’ll use this as inspiration for writing new poems via thematic prompts.

This free workshop will be Tuesday, April 30 at 6:30 p.m. at the Fairview Library.

Our facilitator, Dustin Brookshire is the recipient of the 2024 Jon Tribble Editors Fellowship awarded by Poetry at the Sea and is the co-editor of Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology (Madville Publishing, 2023), which was named to the 2024 Books All Georgians Should Read list by the Georgia Center for the Book.

Want to learn more about mosses and ferns? What are the most common spring ephemeral plants?, their pollinators and some of the interesting history of these special plants. Henderson County Extension Agent and host of the Gardening in the Mountains Radio Show Steve Pettis will discuss the many flowers that grow in the Spring time in the forests of Western North Carolina.

Printmaker Janette Hopper will be giving a digital presentation on her art of linocut printmaking this Thursday, May 2, 6:30-7pm. She will also demonstrate some of the tools and materials she uses in her process, and be available for Q&A. Afterwards, stay for the gallery’s True Home Open Mic, where performers of all skills and genres (poetry, storytelling, music, song, comedy, etc.) share their art. Janette herself will be getting up on stage again to share some of her poetry! Or stay to browse more of her print artwork: her current exhibit at Flood Gallery, “Agony and Ecstasy: Images of Conscience” which is comprised of more than 60 pieces, all for sale, and will show through June 2.

 

The MADE X MTNS (Made By Mountains) Partnership is working to expand the outdoor industry and economy across North Carolina’s Appalachian region and catalyze rural development by building vibrant outdoor communities, growing outdoor businesses, and amplifying outdoor culture. This work is funded by Appalachian Regional Commission, Dogwood Health Trust, and Mountain BizWorks. Join the Building Outdoor Communities Program Specialist, Bradley Spiegel to learn about the 7-month capacity building program that 19 WNC counties have completed to holistically and proactively plan for outdoor assets that balance conservation and community development. FREE virtual presentation.

DAVY KNOWLES
Whether playing acoustic, mandolin, national steel, or screaming electric guitar, Davy Knowles has an unmistakable style.

Knowles has several top-5 Billboard Blues charting albums under his belt, high profile TV appearances (Jimmy Kimmel Live and CBS Good Morning America among others), and has been praised with high accolades from heroes and press alike – but it’s not just the music industry who has taken note. Knowles was also the very first artist in history to perform live to the International Space Station directly from mission control in Houston TX, and has had his music taken to the Space Station by two astronauts, Nicole Stott and Ron Garan, on their respective missions orbiting Earth.

Never one to be satisfied or to sit still, Knowles has explored multiple genres and styles, from the hard-hitting 70’s classic rock influenced album ‘Three Miles From Avalon’, to the haunting acoustic delta blues of ‘1932’, and the sweet, soul-searching folk of 2023’s ‘If I Should Wander’.

Whether spending an evening onstage armed with just an acoustic guitar, or wielding his well worn and trusty Telecaster while fronting his blues/rock trio – and at any point in between the two – Davy Knowles is one of the most versatile and formidable songwriters, vocalists and musicians in the world today. A true artist in every sense of the word.

JEFFREY GAINES

Jeffrey Gaines has been heralded for his soul-searching lyrics and his powerful live performances. With only his voice and a guitar for accompaniment, Gaines has earned a reputation as a captivating performer, entertaining his audiences worldwide.

Throughout his three-decade recording career, Gaines has maintained an impressive standard for soul-searching, introspective lyrics and catchy, uplifting melodies. Since bursting on the scene with his self-titled 1992 debut album, the charismatic singer-songwriter-guitarist has built a beloved body of recordings that’s won him a large and deeply devoted international fan base.

Gaines has been pursuing musical transcendence for much of his life. Raised in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, by soul-music-loving parents, he began his musical life playing guitar in local cover combos, before his songwriting muse became too insistent to ignore. He soon landed his first record deal shortly after graduating from high school, and in 1992 released his widely acclaimed debut album Jeffrey Gaines. The eponymous disc won massive amounts of critical and audience acclaim, spawning the hit “Hero in Me.” Somewhat Slightly Dazed (1994) and Galore (1998) further expanded his audience. Interview magazine described Gaines’ work as “soul-searching” and “refreshingly free of jargon, sentiment or cliché.”

With more than a quarter-century of recording and performing under his belt, Jeffrey Gaines is enjoying life and music more than ever. “Nowadays, I know what the job is about so there’s nothing to stress about, he says. “I know that there’s people out there who want it, so I have the opportunity to extend their experience. I guess I could lay my albums all out and see that they tell a story, but personally I prefer to keep looking forward.”

Bring a bottle of water and a snack
Are there holes in the elbows of your favorite sweater and tears in your most comfortable pair of jeans? Visible mending, a form of repair that seeks to be seen, celebrates the history of the fibers we wear while simultaneously breathing new life into well-loved clothes. Whether adding new layers to frayed edges or creatively embellishing marks and stains, visible mending is a stylish way to keep clothes out of the landfill.

Andrea Connolly will lead this hands-on workshop, introducing simple mending techniques and providing a forum for participants of all skill levels to share and learn from one another. Bring an item of clothing to repair, along with any mends you feel comfortable sharing with the group.
All supplies provided. (Feel free to bring your own favorites to use as well.)

Andrea Connolly is a member of Local Cloth’s Mending Matters group. She has dabbled in sewing, embroidery, crochet, and knitting since early childhood and loves mending for its freedom from patterns and charts.
FREE but limited to 20 participants. Registration is required at https://www.buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/library/branch-locations/black-mountain.aspx

Greg Lobas will lead a virtual writer’s workshop titled: “Writing Your Life into Poetry.”

“Write what you know” is one of the first and best maxims for the aspiring writer. But what if “what you know” is ordinary, even mundane? This workshop will look at ways to mine the gold that is in everyone’s life and turn it into poetry. It may take some digging. It may take a little change in perspective. But it is there, and it is material only you can use. We will focus on the narrative poem as a means of story-telling but will consider the lyric poem as well.

This workshop is open to writers of all skill levels and is a fun way to find inspiration from a new prompt or revise current work. It is hosted by the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara and will Zoom for the virtual connection. Sign up to attend the workshop at workshop here:

Greg Lobas has been published extensively as both an outdoor writer and a poet. His debut book, Left of Center, won the 2022 Dogfish Head Poetry Prize, and placed second in the Delaware State Press Association awards. The book deals with his real life experiences as a fire captain and paramedic. His poems have been published in many journals. He is an experienced poetry workshop facilitator at Isothermal Community College.
Greg lives with his wife Meg and his dog Sophie in Polk County North Carolina.

Led by a certified Inward & Artward Creative Facilitator, Tikva Kingrea, this 6-week series workshop gives space for young folks’ imaginations to run wild, turning anything and everything into an opportunity for storytelling! Students ages 11-14 will dive into their own worlds, build their own imaginations, and creating their own stories through a smorgasbord of storytelling forms. In this class, we’re putting creative power back in the hands of the budding creative both individually and as a group. What kind of wildernesses can we construct and discover?

At the end of the day, we’re exploring various forms of writing, infusing imagination into our stories, and we’re building trust and confidence in young creatives. No homework necessary!

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

Now in our 15th year, we are proud to offer affordable, all-levels workshops!
Class topics include Intro to Whip Tricks, Badass Shimmies, and Song-writing. We are also offering a FREE LECTURE on the history of Sideshow with America’s top historian, the legendary James Taylor. Study with the best!

Are YOU READY for NERD PRIDE FEST 2024!!
Saturday, June 1st 2024 : 10am – 4pm

Asheville’s local artist convention every first Saturday in June in honor of Pride month! This is a fun, free way to celebrate pride month by supporting local artists and nonprofits who do incredible things for the queer LGBT+ community in western North Carolina.

Nerd Pride Fest was our first ever event in our current location. So it had to be to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and reopening with food, games, live music, and more.

As a shop owned and operated by queer-identifying folks, The Nerd Dungeon is committed to being a safe and welcoming environment for people of all ages to express themselves any time of year, not just during Pride Month. We will always be a 3rd Place.
It is nice to have an excuse to go all-out and party, though! Pride Cosplay encouraged!

Dark City Poets Society is a completely free poetry group that is open to writers of all ages and experience levels.
Join us at the Black Mountain Library from 6:00-7:30 pm on the first Tuesday of every month for our (respectful) feedback group.

FREE. Meets in the garden weather permitting.

Connect Beyond Festival returns to downtown Asheville, N.C. on June 7-9, 2024 for a weekend of performances, panels, film screenings and workshops with award-winning artists and thought leaders, exploring how the intersection of music, art, film and storytelling can inspire positive change. This year’s festival, dubbed by Ashvegas as “Asheville’s version of SXSW,” is themed around Connection To Deepen Resilience and Keep Moving Forward. Connect Beyond will be partnering with Slay The Mic Media to co-curate programs centered around youth empowerment. Tickets for the Connect Beyond Festival are slated to go on sale by May 13th. To optimize community accessibility, options include individual event tickets or a full weekend pass.

Another great comedy show at Asheville Pizza in Theatre 2, get your dinner , drinks & laughs with a comedy open mic! Professional featured performers in a fun environment. Hosted by Cody Hughes! Featuring Zandra Johnson, Johnathan Pruett & Jason Reel

The Brevard Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is sponsoring its 54th Annual Book Sale. Net proceeds support local STEM and educational scholarships for girls (5th-12th grades) and women at Brevard College and Blue Ridge Community College.

-30,000 well organized books in all genres, plus puzzles, audiobooks, DVDs, CDs, vinyl.
-Ample parking, free admission, dealers welcome.
-Prices range from 25 cents and up.
-Assistance provided to load books into cars.
-Cash, Checks with ID, or Cards accepted.

Saturday, June 8 (10am – 7pm)
Sunday, June 9 (noon– 7pm)
Monday, June 10 (10am – 7pm)
Tuesday, June 11 (10am – 7pm)- Half price day
Wednesday, June 12 (10am – 3pm)- Fill a box for $5 day
*Wednesday, June 12 (only 3-5 pm)- Free books for local teachers and Non-Profits

Slice of Life Standup Comedy Contest
When: Wensday June 13, 2024.
7p-9p, doors at 6:30p
Where:
The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge, 103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $15 (available at door or The Orange Peel website

Cocktails available while you laugh the night away to some of the area’s best Stand Up Comics in a ridiculously fun adult environment!!
Free snacks while availability lasts!

How it Works: The show’s Headliner will be selected by the paid audience in an anonymous ballet after all comics perform their sets.
Audience will write down their favorite top comic of the evening who will be paid & brought back to headline the end of the show with a closing 10m set! They will automatically be entered into a Feature headlining show to battle for Asheville title at plēb urban winery on June 21!

All standup comics are invited to be on the show as long as there is still room available. There is no cost to performing comics. Comics should have 3-1/2m of material and be prepared for an additional 10m. They will be invited to be a paid feature on the final battle with grand cash prize.

Hosted by around 2 Winner Ryan Gordon
Contact Michele at [email protected] for more details or to signup