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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.

Thursday, February 15, 2024

Gardening in the Mountains: Tomato Varieties for Home Gardens

Feb 15 @ 10:00 am

online

Calling all gardeners crazy about growing tomatoes! Learn best varieties to grow, their culture and disease management.

Gardening in the Mountains presents:

Tomato Varieties for Home Gardens

FREE Virtual Event

Presenters: Phil Roudebush, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer and
Dr. Reza Shekasteband, NCSU Horticultural Research Station

Do you love growing tomatoes but find the variety choices overwhelming? Do you know what new varieties are recommended for WNC? Master Gardener Phil Roudebush and Dr. Reza Shekasteband from the NCSU Horticultural Research Station will discuss tomato types and varieties, culture and disease resistance. They will also share new varieties and research from the NCSU Tomato Breeding and Genetics program and give you a glimpse into the future of tomatoes in WNC.

Registration: The talk is free but registration is required. Please click on the link below to register. If you encounter problems registering or if you have questions, call 828-255-5522.

Zoom seminar access: After registration, you will receive an email with instructions and a link to join this online live broadcast via Zoom. The ability to access Zoom through a computer, tablet or smartphone with a reliable internet connection is necessary to attend.

Categories: Garden Garden Events

Friday, February 16, 2024

2024 West Asheville Garden Stroll Seed Money Grant

Feb 16 all-day

online

Are you involved in a community-oriented gardening project in West Asheville that needs some extra resources? Or have you been dreaming of a great project that just needs some cash to become a reality? Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, WAGS has awarded Seed Grants annually since 2014. We support projects that deepen horticultural & environmental awareness and education, encourage creative landscaping, &/or contribute to the beautification of West Asheville’s public spaces, such as boulevard strips, traffic islands, storefronts, community gardens, schools, etc.

Seed Money Grants

Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, WAGS offers annual grants for gardening projects, between $100 and $1000 per grant.

The grants are intended to deepen horticultural & environmental awareness and education, encourage creative landscaping, & contribute to the beautification of West Asheville’s public spaces, including boulevard strips, traffic islands, storefronts, community gardens, schools, etc. To be eligible, the following stipulations apply:

· Proposed projects must be submitted by an individual living in West Asheville or by a community group such as a non-profit working in West Asheville, a neighbor collaboration, a faith community, a school, a business, a youth group, etc.

· Proposed projects must be community-oriented (not for individual home projects) & accessible to the public.

· Proposed projects must take place in the area bounded by Patton Avenue/Smokey Park Highway, I-40, & the French Broad River.

We encourage native plantings that support pollinators. (Bee City USA-Asheville has helpful information at https://www.ashevillegreenworks.org/native-pollinator…)

Grant applications are due on February 18. Applicants will be notified by March 18 and a simple report about the project (with in-process and final outcome photos) is due August 15. Grantees must be willing to allow use of photos and project descriptions in WAGS publicity materials.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for a Seed Grant, go to https://form.jotform.com/223385924338059, fill out the form and submit it. Note that the form allows you to attach documents such as a project description, budget, and letters of support.

Please email us at [email protected] if you have difficulty with the application or need assistance in completing it.

Categories: Garden Grants

Growing Minds Farm to School Mini-Grant

Feb 16 @ 6:30 am

online

ASAP’s Growing Minds mini-grants help early childhood education (ECE) centers and K-12 schools throughout the 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina provide children positive experiences with healthy local foods through these components of farm to school: school gardens, farm field trips and farmer classroom visits, and local foods served in meals, snacks, and/or taste tests.

Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding.

Applications due by:

November 30, 2023
January 30, 2024
March 30, 2024

If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year. Learn more and apply here!

Categories: Community Education Garden Grants

Biltmore Estate: Ciao! From Italy Sculptural Postcard Display

Feb 16 @ 8:30 am

Biltmore Estate

Included with admission

Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.

Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.

Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!

Categories: Art & Craft Family Fun Garden Outdoors

Indoor Tropical Bonsai Display

Feb 16 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
Garden Open Year Round

Parking Fees
- Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
- Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
- Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
- Members: Free
Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Categories: Garden

Saturday, February 17, 2024

2024 West Asheville Garden Stroll Seed Money Grant

Feb 17 all-day

online

Are you involved in a community-oriented gardening project in West Asheville that needs some extra resources? Or have you been dreaming of a great project that just needs some cash to become a reality? Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, WAGS has awarded Seed Grants annually since 2014. We support projects that deepen horticultural & environmental awareness and education, encourage creative landscaping, &/or contribute to the beautification of West Asheville’s public spaces, such as boulevard strips, traffic islands, storefronts, community gardens, schools, etc.

Seed Money Grants

Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, WAGS offers annual grants for gardening projects, between $100 and $1000 per grant.

The grants are intended to deepen horticultural & environmental awareness and education, encourage creative landscaping, & contribute to the beautification of West Asheville’s public spaces, including boulevard strips, traffic islands, storefronts, community gardens, schools, etc. To be eligible, the following stipulations apply:

· Proposed projects must be submitted by an individual living in West Asheville or by a community group such as a non-profit working in West Asheville, a neighbor collaboration, a faith community, a school, a business, a youth group, etc.

· Proposed projects must be community-oriented (not for individual home projects) & accessible to the public.

· Proposed projects must take place in the area bounded by Patton Avenue/Smokey Park Highway, I-40, & the French Broad River.

We encourage native plantings that support pollinators. (Bee City USA-Asheville has helpful information at https://www.ashevillegreenworks.org/native-pollinator…)

Grant applications are due on February 18. Applicants will be notified by March 18 and a simple report about the project (with in-process and final outcome photos) is due August 15. Grantees must be willing to allow use of photos and project descriptions in WAGS publicity materials.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for a Seed Grant, go to https://form.jotform.com/223385924338059, fill out the form and submit it. Note that the form allows you to attach documents such as a project description, budget, and letters of support.

Please email us at [email protected] if you have difficulty with the application or need assistance in completing it.

Categories: Garden Grants

Biltmore Estate: Ciao! From Italy Sculptural Postcard Display

Feb 17 @ 8:30 am

Biltmore Estate

Included with admission

Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.

Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.

Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!

Categories: Art & Craft Family Fun Garden Outdoors

Indoor Tropical Bonsai Display

Feb 17 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
Garden Open Year Round

Parking Fees
- Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
- Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
- Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
- Members: Free
Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Categories: Garden

Self Defense Training

Feb 17 @ 10:45 am – 12:00 pm

Reuter Family YMCA in Biltmore Park

Join us for this monthly workshop in which you will learn self-defense! The class will be structured so that people of all ages and abilities can learn self-defense techniques that will help build skills to keep you safer.

This event is free and open to everyone

Categories: Health & Wellness

Pilates

Feb 17 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Pack Memorial Library









	Join Alexis from Cisco Pilates Asheville for a free Pilates mat class! The class is beginner friendly. This will be offered in-person at Pack Library or from the comfort of your own home. You choose! To register for these classes, please go to: www.ciscopilates.com… These classes are offered to the public free of charge. We will have some yoga mats on hand for the in-person participants, but feel free to bring your own equipment and water bottle! If you have any questions, please call Jen at 828-250-4700 or email [email protected].

Categories: Community Health & Wellness

Sunday, February 18, 2024

2024 West Asheville Garden Stroll Seed Money Grant

Feb 18 all-day

online

Are you involved in a community-oriented gardening project in West Asheville that needs some extra resources? Or have you been dreaming of a great project that just needs some cash to become a reality? Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, WAGS has awarded Seed Grants annually since 2014. We support projects that deepen horticultural & environmental awareness and education, encourage creative landscaping, &/or contribute to the beautification of West Asheville’s public spaces, such as boulevard strips, traffic islands, storefronts, community gardens, schools, etc.

Seed Money Grants

Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, WAGS offers annual grants for gardening projects, between $100 and $1000 per grant.

The grants are intended to deepen horticultural & environmental awareness and education, encourage creative landscaping, & contribute to the beautification of West Asheville’s public spaces, including boulevard strips, traffic islands, storefronts, community gardens, schools, etc. To be eligible, the following stipulations apply:

· Proposed projects must be submitted by an individual living in West Asheville or by a community group such as a non-profit working in West Asheville, a neighbor collaboration, a faith community, a school, a business, a youth group, etc.

· Proposed projects must be community-oriented (not for individual home projects) & accessible to the public.

· Proposed projects must take place in the area bounded by Patton Avenue/Smokey Park Highway, I-40, & the French Broad River.

We encourage native plantings that support pollinators. (Bee City USA-Asheville has helpful information at https://www.ashevillegreenworks.org/native-pollinator…)

Grant applications are due on February 18. Applicants will be notified by March 18 and a simple report about the project (with in-process and final outcome photos) is due August 15. Grantees must be willing to allow use of photos and project descriptions in WAGS publicity materials.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for a Seed Grant, go to https://form.jotform.com/223385924338059, fill out the form and submit it. Note that the form allows you to attach documents such as a project description, budget, and letters of support.

Please email us at [email protected] if you have difficulty with the application or need assistance in completing it.

Categories: Garden Grants

Biltmore Estate: Ciao! From Italy Sculptural Postcard Display

Feb 18 @ 8:30 am

Biltmore Estate

Included with admission

Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.

Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.

Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!

Categories: Art & Craft Family Fun Garden Outdoors

Indoor Tropical Bonsai Display

Feb 18 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
Garden Open Year Round

Parking Fees
- Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
- Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
- Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
- Members: Free
Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Categories: Garden

Frostbite 5k, 10k + 1 Mile

Feb 18 @ 1:45 pm

Lelia Patterson Center

Want to avoid the winter blues? Get motivated with the 32nd Annual Frostbite Races presented by Hunter Subaru!

Join the largest winter footrace in Henderson County for a fun-filled afternoon of running and family-friendly activities. Choose from a 10K, 5K run/walk, or a flat and fast 1-mile un-timed Fun Run – perfect for runners of all ages and abilities. Join us at the Lelia Patterson Center in Fletcher, NC for a day of fitness, fun, and frosty festivities. Register now and gear up for the coolest race of the year!

Categories: Community Family Fun Health & Wellness Outdoors Sports walk

FROSTBITE RACES – 10K, 5K + 1-Mile Fun Run

Feb 18 @ 1:45 pm

Lelia Patterson Center

Presented by Hunter Subaru

An Exhilarating Winter Tradition that Elevates Personal Wellness

February 18, 2024

For over 31 years, the Frostbite Races have motivated runners and walkers to stay active throughout the colder winter months. Participants brave the chilly temperatures to compete in a series of races, including a challenging 10K, a scenic 5K, or 1-mile fun run. Flurry the Penguin is always encouraging runners and walkers with high fives. The Family Fun Day and Wellness Expo add to the excitement with local vendors, wellness services, live music, and kid’s activities. The Frostbite Races have become a beloved tradition in Fletcher, NC, bringing the community together for a day of fitness and fun.

Categories: Community Health & Wellness Outdoors Sports

Monday, February 19, 2024

Growing Minds: “I Tried Local…” free virtual toolkit

Feb 19 all-day

online

Growing Minds has published “I Tried Local…” a Toolkit for Engaging Kids with Local Food and Farms. This resource—intended for early care and education through second grade classrooms—offers an immersive curriculum designed around 10 crops grown in North Carolina. The print toolkit is currently available to educators in North Carolina who participate in a virtual training with Growing Minds. A free digital version is also available to anyone on the Growing Minds website.

Each unit includes an overview of a North Carolina–grown crop, lesson plans, recipes, coloring pages, book recommendations, discussion prompts, and a link to the “Meet Your Farmer” video series featuring North Carolina farmers. The toolkit also offers resources for implementing the core elements of farm to school—gardens, classroom cooking and taste tests, farm field trips and farmer visits, and local foods in meals or snacks.

Growing Minds will host a series of virtual training to support educators interested in using the toolkit. The first will be held on Zoom on Tuesday, Feb. 20, from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. Register here or contact [email protected] for more information.

Categories: Community Education Family Fun Garden

Biltmore Estate: Ciao! From Italy Sculptural Postcard Display

Feb 19 @ 8:30 am

Biltmore Estate

Included with admission

Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.

Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.

Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!

Categories: Art & Craft Family Fun Garden Outdoors

Indoor Tropical Bonsai Display

Feb 19 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
Garden Open Year Round

Parking Fees
- Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
- Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
- Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
- Members: Free
Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Categories: Garden

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Free Acupuncture Sessions

Feb 20 all-day

YWCA of Asheville

Thanks to YWCA member Megan Smith, we are partnering with Affordable Acupuncture Asheville to offer a great benefit to our YWCA community. We will offer free 10 minute ear acupuncture sessions Tuesday evenings in February. Megan, one of the co-owners of Affordable Acupuncture Asheville, will be the main facilitator of these sessions. Sessions will be free to both members and non-members. Pre-registration is not required; just come in and sign up for a 10 minute time slot the day-of. The sign up sheet will be in the fitness studio, and sessions are first-come first-serve.

Categories: Health & Wellness

Growing Minds: “I Tried Local…” free virtual toolkit

Feb 20 all-day

online

Growing Minds has published “I Tried Local…” a Toolkit for Engaging Kids with Local Food and Farms. This resource—intended for early care and education through second grade classrooms—offers an immersive curriculum designed around 10 crops grown in North Carolina. The print toolkit is currently available to educators in North Carolina who participate in a virtual training with Growing Minds. A free digital version is also available to anyone on the Growing Minds website.

Each unit includes an overview of a North Carolina–grown crop, lesson plans, recipes, coloring pages, book recommendations, discussion prompts, and a link to the “Meet Your Farmer” video series featuring North Carolina farmers. The toolkit also offers resources for implementing the core elements of farm to school—gardens, classroom cooking and taste tests, farm field trips and farmer visits, and local foods in meals or snacks.

Growing Minds will host a series of virtual training to support educators interested in using the toolkit. The first will be held on Zoom on Tuesday, Feb. 20, from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. Register here or contact [email protected] for more information.

Categories: Community Education Family Fun Garden

Growing Minds Farm to School Mini-Grant

Feb 20 @ 6:30 am

online

ASAP’s Growing Minds mini-grants help early childhood education (ECE) centers and K-12 schools throughout the 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina provide children positive experiences with healthy local foods through these components of farm to school: school gardens, farm field trips and farmer classroom visits, and local foods served in meals, snacks, and/or taste tests.

Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding.

Applications due by:

November 30, 2023
January 30, 2024
March 30, 2024

If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year. Learn more and apply here!

Categories: Community Education Garden Grants

Indoor Tropical Bonsai Display

Feb 20 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
Garden Open Year Round

Parking Fees
- Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
- Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
- Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
- Members: Free
Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Categories: Garden

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Growing Minds: “I Tried Local…” free virtual toolkit

Feb 21 all-day

online

Growing Minds has published “I Tried Local…” a Toolkit for Engaging Kids with Local Food and Farms. This resource—intended for early care and education through second grade classrooms—offers an immersive curriculum designed around 10 crops grown in North Carolina. The print toolkit is currently available to educators in North Carolina who participate in a virtual training with Growing Minds. A free digital version is also available to anyone on the Growing Minds website.

Each unit includes an overview of a North Carolina–grown crop, lesson plans, recipes, coloring pages, book recommendations, discussion prompts, and a link to the “Meet Your Farmer” video series featuring North Carolina farmers. The toolkit also offers resources for implementing the core elements of farm to school—gardens, classroom cooking and taste tests, farm field trips and farmer visits, and local foods in meals or snacks.

Growing Minds will host a series of virtual training to support educators interested in using the toolkit. The first will be held on Zoom on Tuesday, Feb. 20, from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. Register here or contact [email protected] for more information.

Categories: Community Education Family Fun Garden

Growing Minds Farm to School Mini-Grant

Feb 21 @ 6:30 am

online

ASAP’s Growing Minds mini-grants help early childhood education (ECE) centers and K-12 schools throughout the 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina provide children positive experiences with healthy local foods through these components of farm to school: school gardens, farm field trips and farmer classroom visits, and local foods served in meals, snacks, and/or taste tests.

Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding.

Applications due by:

November 30, 2023
January 30, 2024
March 30, 2024

If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year. Learn more and apply here!

Categories: Community Education Garden Grants

Battle of the Badges Blood Drive

Feb 21 @ 8:00 am – 5:30 pm

First Baptist Church

Did you know that just one blood donation can help save up to three lives? The American Red Cross is currently experiencing an emergency blood shortage and reports the nation is facing the lowest number of blood donations in 20 years. If you would like to help, you can donate blood at the upcoming 14th Annual Battle of the Badges, a friendly competition between Buncombe County and Asheville first responders.

Last year, Battle of the Badges was able to collect a total of 160 units of blood that helped change the lives of patients in need. Help us match or exceed that goal during this year’s blood drive.

Battle of the Badges Blood Drive 2024
Wednesday, Feb. 21
8 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
First Baptist Church, 5 Oak St., in Asheville

You can schedule an appointment at RedCrossBlood.org and enter “avlbattleofbadges” or call 800-RED-CROSS

Categories: Community Donations Health & Wellness

Indoor Tropical Bonsai Display

Feb 21 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
Garden Open Year Round

Parking Fees
- Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
- Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
- Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
- Members: Free
Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Categories: Garden

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Growing Minds Farm to School Mini-Grant

Feb 22 @ 6:30 am

online

ASAP’s Growing Minds mini-grants help early childhood education (ECE) centers and K-12 schools throughout the 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina provide children positive experiences with healthy local foods through these components of farm to school: school gardens, farm field trips and farmer classroom visits, and local foods served in meals, snacks, and/or taste tests.

Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding.

Applications due by:

November 30, 2023
January 30, 2024
March 30, 2024

If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year. Learn more and apply here!

Categories: Community Education Garden Grants

Indoor Tropical Bonsai Display

Feb 22 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
Garden Open Year Round

Parking Fees
- Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
- Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
- Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
- Members: Free
Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

Categories: Garden

The Learning Garden presents: Vegetable Garden Series: Planning Your Vegetable Garden

Feb 22 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am

NC Cooperative Extension Buncombe County Center

Presenter: Mary Alice Ramsey, Extension Master Gardener^SM Volunteer

“As the Garden Sleeps, the Gardener Plans”. Join Mary Alice Ramsey as she presents Planning Your VegeGarden. Mary Alice has been growing vegetables in her home garden for years. She will highlight the basics of vegetable gardening planning, how to create the right-size garden and how to select which vegetables to grow. She will share information on garden tools and structures, seed and plant sources, getting started and keeping records.

Mary Alice’s Garden has been included in the Gardens of Fairview tours each spring and her garden was featured in Southern Living magazine in August of 2017.

Registration: The talk is free, but seating is limited and registration is required. This will be an indoor program. Please click on the link below to register. If you encounter problems registering or if you have questions, call 828-255-5522

Categories: Garden Garden Events

Veggie Series : Planning your vegetable garden

Feb 22 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am

NC Cooperative Extension - Buncombe County Center

Presenter: Mary Alice Ramsey, Extension Master Gardener^SM Volunteer

“As the Garden Sleeps, the Gardener Plans”. Join Mary Alice Ramsey as she presents Planning Your Vegetable Garden. Mary Alice has been growing vegetables in her home garden for years. She will highlight the basics of vegetable gardening planning, how to create the right-size garden and how to select which vegetables to grow. She will share information on garden tools and structures, seed and plant sources, getting started and keeping records.

Mary Alice’s Garden has been included in the Gardens of Fairview tours each spring and her garden was featured in Southern Living magazine in August of 2017.

Registration: The talk is free, but seating is limited and registration is required. This will be an indoor program. Please dress appropriate for the weather.

If you encounter problems registering or if you have questions, call 828-255-5522.

Categories: Garden Garden Events

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