11am–6pm. Late-night Thursdays until 9pm; closed Tuesdays.

Public Domain: Photography and the Preservation of Public Lands presents works drawn from the Asheville Art Museum’s Collection by artists looking both regionally and nationally at lands that are either state or federally managed or have become so. This exhibition will be on view in the Asheville Art Museum’s Van Winkle Law Firm Gallery May 19 through August 30, 2021. 

“The Asheville Art Museum’s growing collection of photography features a variety of artworks that consider humankind’s impact on our environment and world,” said Hilary Schroeder, assistant curator. “The imagery featured in Public Domain reminds us of the critical role that artists play in environmental activism and preservation, affecting change at a range of levels”. 

Through images capturing the beauty, changes, and even devastation to the American landscape, photographers have played a vital role in advocating for the preservation of nature via the establishment and maintenance of state parks, national parks and monuments, and other federally protected lands. From George Masa and Timothy McCoy’s photographs of Great Smoky Mountains National Park to a selection of works from Robert Glenn Ketchum’s Overlooked in America: The Success and Failure of Federal Land Management series, these artworks provoke contemplation of both nature’s beauty and a calling to protect it. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Bureau of Land Management whose mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. 

Photographers include Robert Glenn Ketchum, George Masa, Timothy McCoy, Benjamin Porter, Sally Gall, and more. 

This exhibition is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Hilary Schroeder, assistant curator. 

Artist Walter B. Stephen (Clinton, IA 1875–1961 Asheville, NC) contributed to Western North Carolina’s identity as a flourishing site for pottery production and craftsmanship in the early 20th century. Walter B. Stephen Pottery: Cameo to Crystalline features art pottery and functional vessels from each stage of Stephen’s career, from his origins discovering the medium alongside his mother Nellie C. Randall Stephen in Shelby County, TN from 1901 through 1910 to his multi-decade production just outside of Asheville. This exhibition will be on view in the Asheville Art Museum’s Debra McClinton Gallery July 28, 2021 through January 17, 2022.

In 1926, Stephen founded his third and last pottery studio, Pisgah Forest, in Arden, NC, which he operated until his death in 1961. It was at this studio that the artist perfected the “cameo” decoration technique for which he became best known. His hand-painted images, achieved with layers of white translucent clay, often feature American folk imagery, from covered wagons and livestock to cabins and spinning wheels. A selection of works from the Museum’s Collection showcase his innovation in form and in decorative surface details, including experimentation with crystalline glazing.

MARA Meetings (Medication-Assisted Recovery Anonymous)

Peer Support

The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SSARE) program will be offering a free webinar this summer discussing its Producer Grants program.

“Testing Sustainable Ag Ideas on the Farm” is designed for farmers, ranchers and farmer groups in the Southern region interested in sustainable agriculture research to learn more about SSARE’s Producer Grants. These grants are a funding opportunity for farmers in the Southern region to test sustainable agriculture ideas on their farm by conducting research projects.

The 60-minute Power Point webinar session, including a Q&A, will be held on two dates: June 16 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. EST, and August 18 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. EST.

Farmers may register for either webinar session at the following link: https://forms.gle/uWengWwQfzaAdSHb6

While the Producer Grants are strictly for farmers/ranchers and farmer groups, ag professionals and other interested individuals/groups may also attend to learn more about the Producer Grant process and share the information with their audiences.

Registrants will receive a Zoom invite via email. The webinar will be recorded and posted to the Southern SARE website at a later date for those who are unable to attend.

The webinar will cover the following topics:

• An overview of the SSARE program (who we are and what we do);
• Basic information on Producer Grants (qualification requirements and selecting a research topic);
• Details of the Call for Proposals covering each section of the Call, including setting up a research project, budgets and outreach;
• How a proposal is reviewed and why proposals are rejected;
• Tips for writing a strong proposal; and
• Step-by-step instructions for submitting a proposal to SSARE’s online submission system.

Recognizing the value and importance of on-the-farm, producer experience in developing solutions to agricultural production challenges, the SSARE Producer Grant program was established in 1994 to give farmers the opportunity to conduct their own research projects. The goal of the grant program is for farmers/ranchers to conduct sustainable ag projects to solve challenges and problems they face, and develop information on what works and doesn’t work so that other farmers and ranchers facing those same problems can benefit from the results of the funded project.

SSARE’s Producer Grant Call for Proposals opens in September 2021 with proposals selected for funding in February 2022.

Join us EVERY Wednesday night for Kid’s Night! Children receive a free four-count kid’s meal with the purchase of an adult meal. See you on Wednesdays!

“Unearthing Our Forgotten Past: Fort San Juan” is now on display at the Smith-McDowell House in Asheville. We will celebrate the official opening of this excellent traveling exhibit on Wednesday, August 18 from 5:30pm to 7:00pm with live music, refreshments, and games on the front lawn. The event is free and open to the public. We are also celebrating several newly completed renovations on the historic home that serves as our facility including a new copper standing seam roof and new exterior paint. The exhibit was developed by the Exploring Joara Foundation Inc. as part of the celebration of the 450th anniversary of the Juan Pardo expeditions through Western North Carolina. Several decades ago, archaeologists identified a site near Morganton as the location of Joara, one of the largest Native American towns in what is today Western North Carolina. Joara was occupied from approximately 1400-1600 A.D. Two Spanish expeditions (led respectively by Hernando de Soto and Juan Pardo) visited the town in the 1500s. The Pardo expedition was part of a larger effort to establish a string of forts from the coast of present-day South Carolina to Mexico. In 2013, archaeologists confirmed that Joara was also the site of Fort San Juan, which was established by Pardo in 1567, nearly 20 years before the English settlement at Roanoke on the coast of North Carolina and 40 years before the settlement at Jamestown. Through various artifacts uncovered by the archaeologists, the exhibit showcases the Spanish occupation of Fort San Juan and the lives of the native people who lived in the Joara area. We’ll have refreshments, live old-time music, yard games, and more. Bring a lawn chair to sit and listen to live music on the lawn!

A casual 4-mile or 2.5-mile jog through West Asheville. Route is similar to last year’s with minor modifications. Visit our Pub Run Facebook page.

**Weather related cancellations will be posted by 3pm the day of the ride**

Wednesday evenings there will be a Beginner oriented trail ride in Bent Creek at the Rice Pinnacle parking area that leaves at 6:00PM. This ride provides a welcoming environment for anyone who might be uncomfortable on intermediate or advanced rides. IF YOU’VE NEVER RIDDEN A TRAIL, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY THE RIDE FOR YOU!! While we’ll use gravel roads to connect trails, our focus will be on learning to have fun and improve skills on singletrack. While this is beginner focused, it will also be a fun social ride for those with more experience. *THIS IS MOUNTAIN BIKING ON MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS*

Where we ride and what we do will be determined by who shows up, and what we want to learn and explore. Questions from “How do I change a flat tire?” to “How do I ride over a log?” are encouraged and impromptu mini-clinics at trail features might happen.

Details:

• A mountain bike is required – This is critical as bikes with skinny tires are dangerous on trails. NO SKINNY TIRE BIKES.

• Helmets are REQUIRED(!) and biking gloves and eye protection are highly recommended.

• Please bring your own water, snacks, and a spare inner tube.

• If bad weather is predicted we’ll post a cancellation by 3:00PM.

• We’ll leave the lot at 6:00PM: If you can, be there by 5:45PM.

• We’ll try to time our rides to end just before it gets too dark to ride.

• Parking is limited. Arriving early and carpooling are recommended!

• Ride is entirely at your own risk. You assume all responsibility for your own well-being. *THIS IS MOUNTAIN BIKING ON MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS*. We cannot make the trails easier, but we will tailor the pace to Beginners.

Looking to get involved, stay active, and meet some new friends? Sand Hill Community Garden workdays take place on Wednesdays (6-8 p.m.) and Saturdays (10 a.m.-noon) from Feb. 27-Oct. 30, 2021, at Buncombe County Sports Park. The garden is located on 16 Apac Dr. in West Asheville/Enka-Candler.

Join friends and neighbors as they come together on common ground to raise fresh, organic vegetables and fruits for the Enka community.

Expect to wear a mask and maintain social distance throughout. Tools and hand sanitizer are available, but any gloves, loppers, pruners, or gardening tools you can bring will decrease the amount of contact between volunteers. Please wear work clothes to get dirty and closed-toe shoes. Sunscreen, water, and a hat are also handy items to have on hand.

Sand Hill Community Garden has been growing fresh produce since 2011 and raised over 1,200 lbs. of organic produce last year.

NOTE: Community workdays are weather dependent. Please join the community garden email list (send your info to [email protected]) to stay up on workday tasks and other garden news.

To receive the I Heart Parks monthly newsletter, sign up online. Follow Buncombe County Recreation on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.

Let’s meet at Sweeten Creek Brewing for their Wednesday night trivia. They’ve got a couple of nice covered outdoor spaces we can enjoy

Would you like to have a voice in the future of Buncombe County Public Library facilities? The Library Advisory Board and Buncombe County Communications & Public Engagement invite the community to take part in an upcoming feedback session.

Last fall, more than 1,500 residents weighed in during the development of the proposed Library Facilities Master Plan, and this series of feedback sessions is designed specifically to gather input on facility structures and locations.

In June, the Board of County Commissioners paused moving forward with the Library Facilities Master Plan to allow for more community input. This is your opportunity to share your vision for the future library facilities model.

During the feedback sessions, community members will share their opinion on the proposed regional model and share information that will go to the Board of Commissioners about the proposed plan.

“We know that our libraries are true community hubs and our patrons are passionate about their local branches,” says Library Director Jim Blanton. “Our goal with the feedback sessions is to take the consultant’s recommendations and ideas out to the community to continue our public engagement process.”

At the end of the series, the Library Board will compile input, and report back to the Board of Commissioners in late October.

There will be at least 20 upcoming sessions, making it easier for people to attend, and interpretation will be available for specific sessions. Attendance does not have to be at your home library region, please join any session.

Brigitte Mars is an herbalist and nutritional consultant of Natural Health with almost fifty years of experience. She teaches Herbal Medicine at Naropa University and The School of Health Mastery in Iceland. She has taught at Omega Institute, Esalen, Kripalu, Sivananda Yoga Ashram, Arise, Envision and Unify Festivals, and The Mayo Clinic. She blogs for the Huffington Post and Care2. She is also a professional member of the American Herbalist Guild.

Brigitte is the author of many books and DVDs, including The Home Reference to Holistic Health and Healing, The Country Almanac of Home Remedies, The Desktop Guide to Herbal Medicine, Beauty by Nature, Addiction Free Naturally, The Sexual Herbal, Healing Herbal Teas, Rawsome!, and co-author of The HempNut Cookbook. Her DVDs include Sacred Psychoactive, Herbal Wizardry for Kids of all Ages, Natural Remedies for Childhood Ailments, Overcoming Addictions, and Natural Remedies for Emotional Health. Her latest project is a phone app called iPlant that helps budding herbalists to identify plants in the wild.

Brigitte and her daughter, Sunflower Sparkle Mars, run Herb Camp for Kids in Boulder, Colorado. Brigitte’s other daughter is world famous activist/yogini-actress/ international model, Rainbeau Mars.

What we’re about

Winner of six 2017 Tony Awards^® including Best Musical and the 2018 Grammy^® Award for Best Musical Theater Album.

A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he’s always wanted: a chance to finally fit in. Dear Evan Hansen is the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it.

“One of the most remarkable shows in musical theater history,” says The Washington Post. Rolling Stone calls Dear Evan Hansen, “a game-changer that hits you like a shot in the heart” and NBC News calls the musical “an inspiring anthem resonating on Broadway and beyond.”

Dear Evan Hansen features a book by Tony Award winner Steven Levenson, a score by Grammy, Tony, and Academy Award^® winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman), and direction by four-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal).

A two-year layoff has been just too much for host Adam Arthur and his idiot contestants. But they are back for three months of lukewarm competition and semi-sweet rivalries. Once a staple of the Asheville comedy scene, the return of this pseudo game show will be most welcome.

Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge is the longest running comedy open mic in Asheville happening every Wednesday night. The show starts at 8:00, and there is no cover. Anyone wanting to perform needs to sign up by 8pm, and will get five minutes on stage. Local and not-so-local, professional and not-so-professional comics perform or just anyone wanting to get up in front of people and try to make them laugh. Always fun. Always free.

MTN VIBEZ Presents Latin Night-every Wednesday.  Free Dance Lessons 8:30-9PM-All Skill Levels and All Latin Genres-Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Cumbia, Reggaeton.

DJ Ephcto spins cultural bass music from 6:30pm-9pm and is a perfect time to come for some dinner prior to the start of Latin night.