Calendar of Events

Join Buncombe County Public Libraries in a Community Celebration of Juneteenth!

On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Texas, bringing news that the Civil War had ended and to enforce Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, issued two and a half years earlier. The news galvanized African-Americans across Texas. Some celebrated, others left to find family members from whom they had been separated, and still others continued fighting to free themselves from white landowners who did not want to accept the proclamation. In Asheville, African-Americans claimed their freedom in late April 1865, when Union cavalry arrived in the region. Today, June 19th is recognized across the nation as a holiday to celebrate and uplift African-Americans everywhere.

This year, the Buncombe County Commissioners voted to make Juneteenth an official holiday, joining communities across the country to recognize the importance of celebrating this important day.
Celebrate Juneteenth with Buncombe County Public Libraries on Tuesday, June 15 from 5-7 pm at Pack Memorial Library. There will be opportunities for community members of all ages, including:

-Community art and archiving activities

-Opportunities to view historical documents related to enslavement and emancipation held in the Buncombe County Special Collections

-The opportunity to contribute to a community time capsule

-Storytelling, music, and light refreshments

We look forward to celebrating this important holiday with our community!

At this event, guests will have the opportunity to interact with a few dogs and see if they’d like to bring home one for good.

Juneteenth is the celebration of the timeframe when slavery was abolished. During the weekend of Juneteenth, GRIND Coffeehouse will hold GRINDfest – a celebration of black business and entrepreneurship. GRINDfest will highlight the progress made by people of color while also connecting people across cultures. This weekend of fun will include a play entitled “Savagery”, a poetry slam, local storytellers, game tournaments, a lip sync battle, vendors selling unique items, Black food from around the world and an outdoor dance party with local DJs. This event promises to be one of the most fun and enlightening of the year.

⚡WHAT IS GRINDFEST?

Juneteenth is the time where we celebrate the timeframe where slavery was abolished. It took time for word to spread so it is recognized as Juneteenth.

During the weekend of Juneteenth, we will have GRINDfest – a celebration of black business and entrepreneurship. After slavery was abolished the people held as slaves began to use their skills and talents to do business in an economy that previously thought of them as property. Nonetheless, they made progress and became business owners.

GRINDfest will bring people together to celebrate Black Business and Black Entrepreneurs. It will highlight the progress made by people of color while also connecting people across cultures. Economies do not exist in a bubble. They include everyone.

⚡WHY THIS WEEKEND?

Our commissioners just declared Juneteenth a Holiday in Buncombe county. This was the time that slavery was abolished. We know that the effects of slavery and white supremacy still torment our communities, but we have determined to celebrate the life and progress of Black people in Asheville.

We will be hosting GRINDfest on June 18th-20th, our celebration of Black Business and Entrepreneurship. Conveniently located in the River Arts District, we will have a weekend full of fun and learning: “Savagery” (the play), a poetry slam, local storytellers, game tournaments, a lip sync battle, vendors selling unique items, Black food from around the world and an outside dance party with local DJ’s. This event promises to be one of the most fun and enlightening of the year.

⚡WHAT WILL HAPPEN?

🔥EVENT HIGHLIGHTS🔥

📍XTREME HIP HOP AEROBICS: Supercharge your morning with movement set to great music.

📍PINK DOG BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS: Neighboring businesses opening up for breakfast so patrons can come purchase meals

📍ROOTS REVEAL: We have done this activity already with Bowie State University and will do it during the festival. People will order their DNA test that shows countries of origin and features that run in their bloodline. But they will wait until the event to open the results. In this 90 minute workshop, people will open their results and reveal their ancestry. Then they will be engaged in activities led by Dr. Masica Jordan, Clinical Psychologist and College Professor, that highlight the similarities and overlaps shared among people in the room that may not know each other, but share similar histories, countries of origin, and features. By sharing their ancestral DNA, we see that we are more alike than different.
** participants must order their own DNA test results ahead of time

📍SAVAGERY: Another event during the festival will be the play, “Savagery”. This play was scripted by local author, Nichole Lee and was written as a collection of stories and music from people of color. It is therapeutic in that it tells the story, but it is also entertaining and engaging.

📍GAMES TOURNAMENT: We will have card game tournaments in addition to family fun activities. This in addition to local food vendors with West African cuisine, Jamaican Island cuisine, and a Seafood Boil/Fish Fry, we will host community awards given to people who have made significant progress and contributions such as “single fathers/mothers, blended families, people who had to switch careers, and those succeeding after recovery/re-entry.

📍LIP-SYNC BATTLE: Another event that will happen is the lip-sync battle where contestants perform in the goofiest, funniest way they can to win the prize.

📍DEPOT STREET DANCE PARTY: We close the night out with a huge dance party. It is a festival that has great purpose and practical fun. The whole idea is to celebrate differences and learn from them while uniting people. We have already gathered all the businesses on our block in the River Arts District in addition to 20 other black businesses that are part of our Black Wall Street Program to make this festival a success. Tension can exist between people who look differently, but we designed this festival to bring folks together to celebrate and learn in a fun-filled weekend.

✅Download our Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3hB1U9Z

✅Be one of the sponsors: https://bit.ly/3w1SmbR

✅Be a volunteer: https://bit.ly/33HmVHy

⚡Free-Entry event made possible by our amazing sponsors. Bring the whole family and friends and enjoy the Blackest Weekend in Asheville

Free pet food giveaways are available for pet owners in need of support. Hosted by Blue Ridge Humane Society, the giveaways are located across Henderson County and open to anyone who needs help.

Blue Ridge Humane Community Outreach staff will host two giveaways this month as well as provide food and support for the Interfaith Assistance Ministry’s Drive-Thru Tuesdays on the fourth Tuesday of the month. T

Cat and dog food will be distributed first come, first serve, as supplies last to those in need or affected by COVID-19. Social distancing and protective measures will be taken by all staff and we ask the public to do the same during the drive-thru pick-up. Masks are required to be worn during pick-up. Additional resources and supplies will also be available first come, first serve.

Since May 2020, over 5,000 animals have been fed through the giveaways that have taken place across the county each month.  Access to pet food means that owners with limited resources don’t have to make the difficult choice of feeding themselves or their pet, or surrendering to a shelter.

If a pet owner is in need of food but unable to attend the pick-up, please call or text the BRHS helpline at (828) 393-5832.

Since May 2020, Blue Ridge Humane has hosted distributions on a monthly basis to provide pet food for the community in response to COVID-19, feeding over 5,000 pets though the free giveaways and providing over 50,000 lbs of pet food to local food banks through BRHS’s community outreach programs, where BRHS has seen a 31 percent increase in demand for pet food assistance.

The Blue Ridge Humane Society, Inc., is a 501(c)3 animal welfare organization started in 1950 dedicated to ensuring the highest quality of life for animals in Henderson County and our neighboring communities. BRHS cares for pets awaiting adoption and in foster homes; offers low-cost vaccine clinics, animal education programs, pet training classes, and youth education and projects; coordinates community pet food assistance, emergency vet assistance, and the Spay Neuter Incentive Program (SNIP), which is a collaboration with Henderson County, the City of Hendersonville, and the Henderson County Animal Services Center.

Free pet food giveaways are available for pet owners in need of support. Hosted by Blue Ridge Humane Society, the giveaways are located across Henderson County and open to anyone who needs help.

Blue Ridge Humane Community Outreach staff will host two giveaways this month as well as provide food and support for the Interfaith Assistance Ministry’s Drive-Thru Tuesdays on the fourth Tuesday of the month. T

Cat and dog food will be distributed first come, first serve, as supplies last to those in need or affected by COVID-19. Social distancing and protective measures will be taken by all staff and we ask the public to do the same during the drive-thru pick-up. Masks are required to be worn during pick-up. Additional resources and supplies will also be available first come, first serve.

Since May 2020, over 5,000 animals have been fed through the giveaways that have taken place across the county each month.  Access to pet food means that owners with limited resources don’t have to make the difficult choice of feeding themselves or their pet, or surrendering to a shelter.

If a pet owner is in need of food but unable to attend the pick-up, please call or text the BRHS helpline at (828) 393-5832.

Since May 2020, Blue Ridge Humane has hosted distributions on a monthly basis to provide pet food for the community in response to COVID-19, feeding over 5,000 pets though the free giveaways and providing over 50,000 lbs of pet food to local food banks through BRHS’s community outreach programs, where BRHS has seen a 31 percent increase in demand for pet food assistance.

The Blue Ridge Humane Society, Inc., is a 501(c)3 animal welfare organization started in 1950 dedicated to ensuring the highest quality of life for animals in Henderson County and our neighboring communities. BRHS cares for pets awaiting adoption and in foster homes; offers low-cost vaccine clinics, animal education programs, pet training classes, and youth education and projects; coordinates community pet food assistance, emergency vet assistance, and the Spay Neuter Incentive Program (SNIP), which is a collaboration with Henderson County, the City of Hendersonville, and the Henderson County Animal Services Center.

Summer has finally arrived, we all have been waiting to spend more time outside. The weather feels great to make this happen. Hops is hosting a super chill Bonfire at her Place July[masked]. You all are invited. Please bring snacks and drinks of choice to enjoy the night while making new friends. Please bring your own chairs. We look forward to seeing you all.

If you can’t make it please let us know there a waiting list!

On July 4, the night sky will ignite with a barrage of color, light, and sound over Lake Julian Park (406 Overlook Road Extension in Arden) as the annual fireworks display takes place to celebrate Independence Day. Buncombe County friends, neighbors, and guests are invited to enjoy the glittery spectacle just after dark from the banks of the lake on blankets and lawn chairs. The fireworks display begins approximately at 9:15 p.m., but visitors should arrive by 7:45 p.m. to allow enough time for parking and entering the park. The park opens at 8 a.m.

Revelers are encouraged to arrive early and enjoy all the park has to offer: disc golf, cornhole, sand volleyball, playgrounds, fitness courses, horseshoes, and more. Uncovered picnic tables and grills are available on a first come basis. Pop-up canopies are allowed, but must be secured with a minimum of 45 lbs. of weights. Food trucks will also be on-site throughout the day. Local bluegrass band Supper Break will play live music during the afternoon and into the evening.

Everyone can fish in any public body of water in the state without a license on July 4. We’re also waiving the daily fishing fee as part of Free Fishing Day in North Carolina. Lake Julian is stocked with an abundance of bass, catfish, bream, and crappie by the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission.

An accessible boat launch is available for private craft including fishing boats, canoes, kayaks, SUPs, and sailboats for a fee of $8. Paddle boats and water trikes can be rented for $12 per hour. All boats must be off the water by 8 p.m.

Parking on July 4 is restricted to William W. Estes Elementary (275 Overlook Road in Asheville), across Long Shoals Road from the main entrance to Lake Julian Park. Shuttles will operate from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. from the Estes parking lot. The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office will aid with road crossings after 6 p.m. Handicap access parking in the park will be allowed with a valid handicap placard. Limited parking is available at the Lake Julian Trails Greenway in the gravel lot adjacent to Wild Wing Café (65 Long Shoals Road in Arden).

If You Go

• Park at William W. Estes Elementary. Only vehicles with valid handicap placards are allowed inside the park. Limited parking is also available in the gravel lot next to Wild Wing Café.
• Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a sweater or jacket. Evenings can get cool at the lake.
• Alcohol and tobacco products are prohibited on the grounds of Lake Julian Park.
• Covered picnic shelters and free standing picnic tables will be available on a first come basis; no reservations will be accepted for July 4.
• Absolutely no personal fireworks are allowed in the park.

Stop by on the first Sunday of the month 2-5pm to grab a beer, have a bite to eat and possibly meet your new best friend from Charlie’s Angels Animal Rescue.

We are celebrating the 4th of July in style this year with an amazing lineup of local musicians! Grab your crew of patriotic, music loving, beer drinking friends and join the fun! This is an all ages GENERAL ADMISSION event and Root Down will be serving up their amazing twist on Southern Soul food all evening long.

The City of Asheville will launch fireworks in celebration of the Fourth of July. However, this year there will not be an accompanying festival. Residents are invited to picnic or pickup takeout from a downtown restaurant to enjoy in Pack Square Park while waiting for the fireworks show.

Local DJ Nex Millan will spin tunes from 6:30-9:30pm. The fireworks will launch from the Buncombe County Parking Deck at about 9:30pm. The best place to view the show is from Pack Square Park or North Spruce Street. Expect road closures and traffic congestion.

 Blue Ridge Humane Society knows how difficult the loss of a loved pet can be, and to support grieving pet owners, is offering a new peer support group with a professional group moderator.

The free program will provide a safe and non-judgmental space for members of the community to come together to support one another through their loss and grief of their beloved pet(s).

Sign-up is required and the sessions are limited to 20 participants. Sessions will be held via Zoom on the first Wednesday of the month, 6pm-7pm. Registration will be open for the first session until Friday, May 28, 2021, or until full, whichever occurs first. Registration is available at www.blueridgehumane.org/pet-loss-support/

“Pet loss is the worst part of being a pet owner. Our pets are family. Every pet is different and brings a unique light into our lives. The loss of that light can be devastating. Coping with grief, especially in today’s world, is a difficult process,” shares Angela Prodrick, Executive Director of Blue Ridge Humane Society. “We at Blue Ridge Humane Society feel it is important to help people navigate that time of mourning and offer what support we can.”

The sessions will be moderated by BRHS staff and led by Judi Moolten. Judi is a former clinical social worker, with a PhD certificate in Stress and Somatic Psychology. In addition to being a stress coach Judi lives and resides in Hendersonville. Judi comes to BRHS as a volunteer, but also as a pet parent who uses animals to help heal stress and more! Judi also has suffered many losses during COVID-19 and beyond and will be available to just listen, or when requested offer feedback.

Pet loss and grief can trigger intense emotional responses that may need to be addressed with professional resources which is beyond what BRHS is able to provide through the Peer Support group. This cannot to take the place of professional counseling and therapy.

Additional info or support for those who have suffered the loss of a pet can be found at The Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement https://www.aplb.org/.

If you feel that you’re in distress or having thoughts about harming yourself, please call:

• 2-1-1. A 24/7 national free and confidential service that helps you find the resources you need including crisis and emergency.
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or call (800) 273-8255. The lifeline offers 24/7 free and confidential support for people in distress