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
24, 2020
“David Wilcox is a father, a husband, a citizen and a songwriter. First inspired to play guitar after hearing a fellow college student playing in a stairwell. Wilcox is now 18 records into a career marked by personal revelation and wildly loyal fans. His lyrical insight is matched by a smooth baritone voice, virtuosic guitar chops, and creative open tunings, giving him a range and tenderness rare in folk music.”
Listen to his song New Blue Horizon on our playlist.
Other songs we’ve added this week are:
Check out our playlist on Spotify
and tell us which local artist or band you dig the most!
FIND INFO AT: https://www.lwv.org/blog/100-days-and-100-ways-get-ready-election-day?utm_source=MonthlyHighlights&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=July2020
Learn to make dilly beans, salsa, fruit butter, and more!
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| Arts organizations were among the first to have to close their doors, and many have suffered substantial losses. Americans for the Arts Impact Dashboard shows over $5.2 million in lost revenue so far from the 89 arts organizations in Buncombe County that have responded. For perspective, there are (were) almost 500 arts organizations and close to 10,000 creative jobs in Buncombe County before the pandemic.
If you are an arts business in Buncombe County, please take a few minutes to fill out this survey! This data is vital to our advocacy efforts on behalf of the Buncombe County arts sector. Help us, help you! |
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Calling all families! If you visit the Museum with children and/or participate in the Museum’s family programs (or might in the future!), we want to hear from you. As we transition family programs to virtual or small-group in-person formats, we need your feedback to create a model that will work for you this fall. We’re giving away a FREE guest pass to one of the first 50 people to fill out the survey.
We’re excited to now offer curbside pickup on Monday and Saturday afternoons and Thursday mornings for your purchases from the Museum Store! Browse the selection of apparel, books, handcrafted jewelry and art, inspiring toys, and more online. Simply select “pickup” at checkout, and we’ll contact you to find a time that fits your schedule.
The Challenge aims to identify innovative new design solutions that serve the function of today’s single-use plastic retail bag, delivering ease and convenience for consumers while striving to lessen the impact on the environment.
The Challenge is a part of the Beyond the Bag Initiative, a global initiative launched by Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy with Founding Partners CVS Health, Target, and Walmart. Kroger joins as Grocery Sector Lead Partner and Walgreens as a Supporting Partner, alongside Conservation International and Ocean Conservancy as Environmental Advisory Partners.
Solutions can be submitted from August 3 to September 10, 2020. Selected winners are eligible to receive a portion of $1 million in funding, participate in a Circular Accelerator to receive further assistance in scaling their solutions, and potential access to testing and piloting opportunities.
More Info at: https://www.openideo.com/challenge-briefs/beyond-the-bag-challenge?utm_source=oi-direct-outreach&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=beyond-the-bag&utm_source=July+2020+Newsletter&utm_campaign=june+2020&utm_medium=email
In person event cancelled. NOW ONLINE!!
REVIEW AND BID ON AUCTION ITEMS!
All proceeds of ticket sales and auction item purchases stay in Henderson County to benefit our mentor programs. Help us continue to Defend the Potential of children in our community!
BBBS Online Auction
Fundraiser to Ignite Potential in our Youth
We’re asking A Taste of the Vineyard supporters to consider a donation this year or by placing a bid on the auction.
Due to the pandemic, the live event is canceled at Point Lookout Vineyards.
Meanwhile consider a financial gift or bid to win items such as vacation getaways, original art, collectibles and more all up for auction.
Bidding is open through early October and there’s an option to buy NOW.
Remember your dollars go to support our one-to-one mentoring programs.
Together, We Ignite Potential.
We gladly accept your donations too.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Henderson County is about to launch its
second annual silent auction featuring an array of trips, experiences, art, personal services and
much more.
Bidding at: www.biddingowl.com/BigBrothersBigSistersWNC
“Have fun shopping from the comfort of your own home while supporting a good cause at the
same time,” said Joey Popp, North Carolina’s Big Brother of the Year. “The money raised
enables us to ‘ignite potential’ in the young people we serve in Henderson County with our
unique one-to-one mentoring programs.”
Donations are also accepted through the auction website or by visiting www.bbbswnc.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbbshendo
A rare double blister pearl wrapped in a 14 karat gold wire gallery on a strand of Czechoslovakian glass beads, this dazzling treasure is sure to make waves for the wearer
at any special occasion.
This is your chance to become the owner of a beautiful necklace with a handcrafted pendant valued at over $3,000. Created by Jeweler Charlie Wharton of Starfire Designs, this piece was generously donated by both Biltmore Lamp and Shade Gallery and the designer.
Tickets are $50 each, and only 100 tickets will be sold. If a minimum of 75 tickets is not sold, all ticket holders will receive a full refund and the raffle will not occur.
https://one.bidpal.net/preludetogether2020/browse/fixedPrice(details:item/5)?utm_source=Brevard%2BMusic%2BCenter&utm_campaign=7c2d140ff3-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_1_31_2018_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b154873bc5-7c2d140ff3-131688489
Wow! Thanks to all those who have submitted tunes for the Dig Local Spotify playlist. If you’d like to be considered as an addition to our music compilation, we are still accepting submissions for our Spotify playlist now (check out the playlist here).
There are only three requirements to be considered:
- You or your group must be regionally based in the Asheville area
- Your song submissions must be all original compositions
- The songs must be “family-friendly” (no profanity or obscenity or violence)
If selected, one or two of your songs will be featured in our Spotify playlist. There may also be opportunities to be featured in our Weekly Scoop email and on our social media platforms!
Submit your music by filling out the following info at the link below.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf5LCQovN51Y56SLuo7kB_hmeer33DsNhITEvz7TkF8O9ATqA/viewform?mc_cid=8ce4073971&mc_eid=258ba8532a
Census – Please respond
It’s not too late! This once-a-decade population count of everyone who lives in the United States is mandated by the U.S. Constitution, and everyone is required to participate. Responses from the census help determine how federal funds are allocated for critical public services and programs in communities around the country for the next 10 years. If you haven’t responded yet, respond now—online, by phone, or by mail. Respond Now
If you don’t care about all the other things the Census is used for, like determining how many representatives each state has in Congress, and so much more, you should care that the population count affects the share of available federal money that comes to the French Broad River MPO for local programming. That money has paid for sidewalks on Hendersonville Rd and Patton Avenue, and will help pay for sidewalks on Johnston Blvd, Deaverview Rd, New Leicester Highway, plans for permanently redesigning Coxe Avenue, and more. Respond Now – please.
Craft Futures Fund
The Craft Futures Fund will support craft communities throughout the United States and their creative responses to COVID-19. These one-time, unrestricted grants of $5,000 will be disbursed to craft-based education projects that seed resilience, foster community, and amplify impact.
As our community responds to COVID-19, our staff are monitoring the situation and working to bring you information and resources. Please watch this page for news updates and emerging resources.
The NC Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service (DEACS) recently a new grant funding opportunity available to North Carolina local governments and private recycling businesses through the COVID-19 Recycling Relief Grant Program.
Proposals are now being accepted for projects to purchase equipment and/or resources to support residential recycling programs that have been stopped or impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. DEACS is seeking grant projects that support or improve an existing recycling program operated by a local government or a private recycling business. There is no deadline for grant proposals. Proposals will be continuously accepted, and awards will be made for the winning proposals on a rolling basis while funding is available.
For more information, contact:
COVID-19 Testing in Buncombe County
COVID-19 testing is suggested for people experiencing symptoms, those who have been identified as a close contact to a confirmed case regardless of symptoms, and for those who work in congregate living settings with concerns of a potential outbreak.
Testing is widely available at urgent cares, federally qualified health centers, and through some primary care providers for those who need it however, it remains important to focus on the prevention of COVID first and foremost to keep the virus from spreading further into the community and to loved ones.
FIND TESTING NEAR YOU:
If you DO NOT HAVE a healthcare provider who offers testing for COVID-19 and you need to get tested, there are several ways to find testing near you.
- Visit the Find My Testing Place website to find a clinic or pop up testing site near you.
- People in Buncombe County can access testing by completing the Buncombe County Self-Checker online to set up an appointment at one of the county’s open-air, drive-through sites. People can also call the Ready Team at (828) 419-0095 from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm., Monday – Friday to be pre-screened for testing at these sites.
- You can call the Buncombe County nurse line at (828) 250-5300 to find out where you can get tested (Press OPTION #1 to speak with a nurse) from 8 am to 5:30 pm.
The raffle winner will choose from three amazing getaway packages, each valued at approximately $2,500:
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The Lake Lure Relaxing Getaway includes a three-night stay at The Enchanted Cottage on Lake Lure, a $100 gift certificate to Chimney Rock State Park, a $150 gift certificate to La Strada at Lake Lure, and a selection of craft beverages provided by Green Man Brewery.
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The Biltmore Estate Romantic Getaway includes a $2,500 Biltmore Estate gift card that can be used at all Estate locations, including overnight accommodations at the Inn on Biltmore Estate, dining at the Bistro, Estate tickets and tours, Biltmore Winery tastings, outdoor activities, or retail items.
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The Asheville Glamping Adventure Getaway includes a $1,600 gift certificate to be used for accommodations at any of Asheville Glamping’s thirteen unique glamp-sites, a $500 gift certification to the Adventure Center of Asheville, a $250 gift certificate to the Mast General Store and a $150 gift certificate to Well-Bred Bakery & Café.
Tickets are priced at $40 each or 3 tickets for $100. Visit https://tinyurl.com/y4yvu8kz for full package details.
A limited number of raffle tickets will be available for purchase from August 18, 2020 through September 20, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. EDT on our specially created event website at https://tinyurl.com/y4yvu8kz. The winner will be selected at random, announced on all CRC for ED social media platforms on September 20th at approximately 7:00 p.m. EDT, and will be notified directly by telephone, mail, and/or email. Please see full Terms & Conditions here.
Dave’s family is proud and honored to create the Dave Hart Scholarship Fund in honor of his dedication to, and passion for the students and families he served and adored. The funds will be used to support full and partial scholarships for Studio 52 students beginning this fall. You can click below to donate or you can mail your donation to PO Box 310, Flat Rock, NC. 28731. Please include Dave Hart Scholarship in memo-line / letter.
The Battery Park end of the Grove Arcade is home to the Makers Market, an outdoor bazaar with a dozen stalls filled by artisans selling their craft directly to the public. The market is now accepting vendor applications for local artist to sell their wares, and the application fee is currently waived due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Learn more about the process and vendor regulations, as well as how to apply, here.
As families are looking to start the 2020/2021 school year with remote learning, Henderson County Public Schools is addressing the need of families without access to internet in their homes. Families without internet access can request hotspots from HCPS. Spanish form available.
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100% grassfed ground beef. Balanced at a perfect 80% lean, 20% fat blend, every bite of this ground beef is delicious and flavorful. Whether you’re spending the day out at the grill, or perfecting your signature spaghetti sauce recipe, Hickory Nut Gap Farm’s ground beef provides an exceptional and nutritious staple to your cooking adventures.
Always 100% grassfed, always 100% hormone and antibiotic free.
Ground Beef is cryovac packed and frozen. If kept frozen, maintains a 12 month shelf life from pack date.
Child Care Hotline Available to Help Families with School-Age Children Find Care
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Families have experienced an interruption in child care plans due to the COVID19 pandemic and North Carolina has responded with a hotline that can help connect families with child care options.
Families and caregivers in need of child care for children up to age 12 can call the child care hotline at 1-888-600-1685 to be connected directly to care options in their community that meet their families’ needs. As of Aug. 10, there are about 30,000 slots available for school-age children in licensed child care programs across the state.
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Greg Garrison, UNCA alumni and co-owner of The Hop Ice Cream Cafe, shares some insights into how he and his wife Ashley are operating their family business in the midst of uncertainties. Check out the interview to see how they’ve switched gears and filled pints.
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While we’ve all had to adjust to the “new normal” (whatever that is), our local business owners and managers each have their own story to tell about how they’ve been affected and what they are doing during these unprecedented times. Dig Local is proud to partner with our friend, Ann Smith, at Leap Frog Tours to interview some of the folks who make Asheville, Asheville. |
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Call on Asheville City Council to do its part to clean up the French Broad River, starting with the establishment of a Stormwater Task Force to address the City’s water pollution problems. Not only does the City have a legal obligation to protect water quality, Council’s commitment to racial equity demands action to protect residents of the Southside neighborhood from the highest pollution levels in the city.
Our river is a public resource, and tens of thousands of people recreate on the French Broad every year. However, none of the testing sites within the City of Asheville pass the EPA’s safe limit on average, and the worst site that we test is Nasty Branch, which drains over half of downtown Asheville and flows through the historically African American Southside neighborhood, before discharging into the French Broad River in the River Arts District.
High levels of E. coli also indicate the presence of other, more harmful microbes, such as Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Shigella, and norovirus. Heavy rains and storms often result in spikes in E. coli contamination, increasing the risk to human health. Contact with or consumption of contaminated water can cause gastrointestinal illness and skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic and wound infections. The most commonly reported symptoms are stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and low-grade fever.
Asheville City Council has a moral and legal responsibility under the Clean Water Act to protect our river and water quality for all city residents. Henderson County has already established a Stormwater Task Force, Asheville should too.
Job Retention Grant Applications Accepted through September 1st
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Businesses and nonprofit organizations in North Carolina that have experienced interruption due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic could qualify for up to $250,000 from a new state grant program, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The Department of Commerce is now accepting applications for the Job Retention Grant Program (JRG) through the agency’s website.
To qualify for a grant award, applicants must meet certain eligibility requirements, which include:
- The applicant cannot have participated in the federal Paycheck Protection Program, the federal Main Street Loan Program, or the state Rapid Recovery Loan Program.
- The applicant must have maintained at least 90 percent of the number of full-time employees in North Carolina at the end of June 2020 as it did as the end of February 2020.
- The applicant must have had a reduction in sales (in the case of a for-profit business) or receipts (for nonprofits) of more than 10 percent when comparing March-May 2020 to March-May 2019 levels.
Applicants are eligible for a grant up to 125 percent of two months of its 2019 average monthly payroll costs, up to a maximum of $250,000. All applicants that apply and are eligible may expect to receive some level of assistance, but the actual amount of the grant will depend on the total number of eligible requests received by the program. If requests exceed the $15 million that’s available, then individual grant amounts will be lowered on a prorated basis.
Applications must be submitted by Midnight on Tuesday, September 1st.
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Classic Family Adventure in Western North Carolina
North Carolina’s shimmering Nantahala River, located just outside Bryson City, NC, at 13077 Highway 19 West, Bryson City, NC 28713. This location offers river rafting through family-friendly rapids that are mild but exciting. The Nantahala features eight miles of practice on easy Class II rapids before splashing through the exciting Class III whitewater of Nantahala Falls.
The Nantahala is also headquarters of the Nantahala Outdoor Center. Founded in 1972, NOC is located at the intersection of the Appalachian Trail and the Nantahala River in the Nantahala National Forest. Originally a roadside inn, the company has evolved into one of the largest outdoor recreation companies in the nation, hosting well over one million guests each year.
NOC’s 500-acre adventure center offers whitewater rafting, four aerial and zipline activities, mountain biking on nine miles of private trails, and stand-up paddleboarding on Lake Fontana. In between activities, you can shop at one of NOC’s four retail stores including NOC’s flagship Outfitter’s Store, eat at NOC’s two riverfront restaurants, and even stay in a cabin adjoining the Appalachian Trail.
