Check Out Our New Arts Discounts Page We have exciting news! The ArtsAVL website has a new feature: a discounts page!  At any time, you can head on over to artsavl.org/discounts to see special discount offers our members are offering. View Offerings

ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) has released a survey to learn more about how people in Western North Carolina shop for food and why they choose the food they do. The survey, part of a three-year project by ASAP’s Local Food Research Center, is for any resident of Western North Carolina over the age of 18, no matter where or how they shop for food. It can be completed online at surveymonkey.com/r/WNCFoodASAP or over the phone by calling ASAP at 828-236-1282. It should take approximately 8 to 12 minutes to complete and will be open through Oct. 31, 2024. Respondents are encouraged to share the survey widely with families, friends, and co-workers.

“By completing this survey, you are helping local farmers understand and connect with consumers,” said Amy Marion, ASAP Associate Director and lead researcher. “The challenges of our food system are constantly evolving. Improving it requires active participation from all community members. With this research we can better understand consumer values and the barriers they face, and help farmers and food producers improve communications with their customers and their communities.”

The survey is part of a three-year research project, “Connections in Direct Markets: Assessing the feedback loop between consumer values and farmers’ marketing strategies,” which will examine and improve communication and alignment between farmers and consumers in Western North Carolina. The research phase will also employ consumer focus groups, farmer interviews and case studies, and more targeted surveying. The broad consumer survey provides an update to the last consumer survey conducted by the Local Food Research Center in 2014. Results from the current research project will be shared in 2025.

ASAP founded the Local Food Research Center in 2011 to study the economic, environmental, and social impacts of localizing food systems. From its inception, ASAP’s programs and services have been grounded in research and evaluation, adjusting based on a strong feedback loop and observation of current conditions in the food system.

This project is supported in part by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2022-38640-37488 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under subaward number LS23-382. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider.

The Asheville Performing Arts Academy
Presents

The Prom

The Asheville Performing Arts Academy is excited to produce our first full-length summer production The Prom. Rehearsals will take place over the summer with the show going up in September. All students in rising 8-12 are invited to audition to be part of the cast and crew.

Whether you’re just getting into craft beer or we’re on your brewery bucket list, a Mills River tour is for you — so we recommend you reserve a spot! Our interactive tours offer everything from hop handling to nature hikes to — what you really came for — beer sampling.

Space on each tour is limited, and reservations are strongly encouraged. Make yours below. Looking to book a private tour? Fill out the private tour form, and we’ll get it organized. See you soon!

GRANT SELECTION PANELS

ArtsAVL seeks reliable community members knowledgeable about Buncombe County’s arts and cultural organizations, local arts resources, and arts needs to volunteer to serve on ArtsAVL grant review panels.

ArtsAVL has 5 grant programs each fiscal year (July 1-June 30), with grant panels occurring throughout the year. Participating as a grant review panelist is a 2-4 week commitment depending on the number of applications submitted in the grant category. Applications vary based on grant program, and can range from 20-50 applications.

Panelists work with ArtsAVL staff and other panelists to evaluate grant applications, ensuring an equitable, transparent, and thorough review and ranking process. Panelists are offered a modest honorarium for their service and will be provided with detailed instructions and guidelines for review and scoring. Sufficient time is allocated for application review and scoring prior to a panelist meeting (either virtual or in person) to review scoring with ArtsAVL staff and make final recommendations.

Please note: All panelists will be required to disclose any connections to applicants and will have to recuse themselves from decisions around grant funding to those applicants. However, this does not prevent panelists from reviewing other applicants. Panelists must be 18+ and live or work in Buncombe County.

 Let’s face it, 2020 and 2021 were difficult years as the COVID-19 pandemic upended lives and economies around the world. During the confusion, if you didn’t file taxes for 2020, or if you missed out on receiving a stimulus payment, time is running out to claim your money. The IRS’ deadline is May 17, 2024.

“Whether you are a non-filer or you missed a stimulus payment due to other circumstances, nonprofit Pisgah Legal Services may be able to help you access these funds,” said Mike McDonald, Managing Director of Pisgah Legal’s Health and Economic Opportunity Program. “If you live in Western North Carolina (WNC) and make less than $60,000/year, you may qualify for free help. Our certified tax preparers can guide you through the process, but you have to act quickly because the May 17 deadline is coming up fast.”

To learn more or make an appointment, visit pisgahlegal.org/taxes or call 828-210-3404.

Pisgah Legal Services offer free in-person and virtual appointments. Bilingual Navigators are available to assist in Spanish, and free translation services are available for speakers of other languages. Appointments must be made by May 10. Last year, Pisgah Legal Services helped people in WNC access more than $1.2 million in tax refunds at no cost to them.

Nonprofit Pisgah Legal Services provides a broad a broad array of free, civil legal aid, anti-poverty advocacy and access to health care in 18 counties and the Qualla Boundary in WNC. Pisgah Legal has offices in Asheville, Brevard, Burnsville, Cashiers, Franklin, Hendersonville, Highlands, Marshall, Morganton, Newland, Rutherfordton, Spruce Pine and Waynesville. Last year Pisgah Legal assisted more than 23,500 people throughout the mountain region.

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ASAP’s Local Food Guide, the annual free publication for finding local food and farms, is updated for the 2024–25 season. This definitive resource lists hundreds of Appalachian GrownTM certified farms, farmers markets, restaurants, groceries, artisan producers, and more throughout Western North Carolina and surrounding counties in Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina. A digital version of the print Guide may be viewed at asapconnections.org/guide.

In addition to listing content, the 2024–25 edition features stories that highlight the variety of farming across the region. Delia Jovel Dubón of Tierra Fértil Coop (pictured on the cover) talks about creating a sense of belonging for the Hispanic immigrant community in Henderson County. Lyric and Noah East of Wild East Farm in McDowell County detail the journey through their first full year of farming and how they’ve arrived at “a rough draft that’s working.” Kaci Nidiffer of The Liar’s Table in Avery County shares how scaling up and opening several retail spaces have created stronger connections with customers and community. Rounding out the issue are recipes from farmers at Two Trees Farm (Sustainabillies), Lee’s One Fortune Farm, Two Stones Farm + Mill, Carringer Farms, and Terra Lingua Growers.

“The Local Food Guide is such a beautiful way to share the stories of this place,” said Sarah Hart, ASAP’s Communications and Engagement Director. “To emphasize that sense of place, listings in this year’s Guide are organized into nine subregions with a short intro on what makes local farms in each area unique.”

Look for the Guide at farmers markets, visitors centers, libraries, groceries, restaurants, and other partner businesses throughout the region. Copies of the Guide are also available to pick up in the lobby of ASAP’s office in Asheville at 306 W. Haywood St., Tuesday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Contact ASAP if you need help locating a copy in your area or if you are interested in distributing Guides at your business.

In addition to the print Guide, ASAP maintains the online Local Food Guide at appalachiangrown.org. This database, with more than 1,400 listings, is updated throughout the year and is searchable by products, location, activities, and more.

Funding for the Local Food Guide was made possible in part by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the Agricultural Marketing Service, National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Beginning Farmer Rancher Development Program, Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program, and Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. Support was also provided by Dogwood Health Trust, the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, and Asheville Regional Airport.

Whenever you want!   Supplies available at 2 Sulphur Springs Road If you need to request supplies for the same or next day, please call 828-254-1776. Organizing a litter cleanup with your friends, neighbors, co-workers, or other community members is easier than you may think! Asheville GreenWorks provides cleanup supplies and safety information, and will coordinate trash pick up as needed. Available supplies include safety vests, gloves, trash grabbers, trash bags, and SHARPs containers (upon request). Review the attached guides for instructions and safety information. Need to know Please review the attached documents and contact [email protected] with any questions. Your supplies will be available for pickup on the date you’ve requested at Asheville GreenWorks’ office at 2 Sulphur Springs Road, Asheville, NC 28806. All cleanups should be reported using the online form and supplies should be returned after your cleanup. Links & Attachments Cleanup Record DIY Cleanup Instructions-C5tsCUvm.pdf Do’s and Don’ts – Roadside Cleanups-j81w1uHK.pdf Syringe Safety-DBjtozsc.pdf

We want to hear from you about what classes & workshops you’d be interested in! We would greatly appreciate if you took a minute out of your day to fill out this quick survey so we can best serve our community through our educational programming. Take the Survey

Asheville Parks & Recreation’s public pools provide safe and affordable outdoor summer fun for all ages. For info about pool schedules, please call 828-348-4770 or visit ashevillecitypools.com.

Malvern Hills Park’s 90 year-old outdoor pool will not open this summer. While we were able to keep the facility operational through last summer, the pool can no longer be repaired to safely meet the needs of our community. For more, read this article.

Admission

• Individual – $3 per session
• Individual Season Pass – $100
• Family Season Pass – $150 (up to four individuals)

Locations

• Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center Pool – 285 Livingston Street
• Recreation Park Pool – 65 Gashes Creek Road

Events

• Asheville Parks & Recreation hosts hundreds of free and low-cost activities, programs, and events each month. Check out the latest program guide.

• Pools will open Saturday, May 25!

  Dates of Operation:
  Grant Center Pool: Saturday, May 25th through Sunday, August 11th
  Recreation Park Pool: Saturday, May 25th through Monday, September 2nd, weekends only from
  August 12th through September 2nd

  Pools open weekends only until June 10th, with the exception of Monday, May 27!

  Hours of Operation June 10 through August 11:
  Monday through Friday – 12:00pm-6:00pm
  Saturday – 11:00am-6:00pm
  Sunday – 1:00pm-6:00pm

  Cost is $3 per person per day

• We’re excited to be approaching this year’s GRINDfest: the celebration of BIPOC business and entrepreneurship. It’s going to be bigger than ever!!!

  This event is an annual effort to bridge economic gaps so that local BIPOC folks can serve as many customers as possible. Together, we collaborate to support various makers, producers, artists, businesses, and entrepreneurs that work very hard all year to prepare to serve festival attendees.

   

  To sign-up for a specific shift time and role, please visit
  VOLUNTEER SIGNUP FORM

   

  https://grindfestavl.com/

  Home

  Depot St, River Arts District, Asheville, NC

• FESTIVAL INFORMATION

  EVENT: GRINDFEST 2024
  WHEN: May 24th to May 26th, 2024
  WHERE: A.B. Tech Conference Center | 16 Fernihurst Dr. Asheville, NC 28801

  EVENT SCHEDULE

  • Friday (May 24th)
    • 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM – Annual Meeting
    • 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM – Partners Lunch
    • Friday Night – Vendor Setup (Time TBA)
    • 9:00 PM to 12:00 MN – Casino Night
  • Saturday (May 25th)
    • 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM – Vending
    • 5:30 PM to 11:30 PM – Salvage Station
  • Sunday (May 26th)
    • 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM – Vending
    • 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM – Gospel Showcase

  *****CARNIVAL RIDES start at 12:00 NOON*****

  We still have a lot of activities not included here! Stay Tuned for all our updates!

  FEATURED MINI EVENTS:

  Asheville on Bikes
  Carnival Rides
  Casino Nights
  Gospel Music Showcase
  Latin Bands
  Hiphop Aerobics

  FEATURED EVENTS: [TICKETED]

  Annual Meeting
  Casino Night
  Harlem Night
  Carnival Ride
  Gospel Showcase

   

   

•  

   

  Email any questions to [email protected].

Sit back if you dare as we illuminate Asheville’s darkest history with astonishing stories of spirits & spies, ghosts & goblins, hauntings & hoodlums and mountain-made murder & mayhem.

Hear stories of . . .

  The legendary PINK LADY at the Grove Park Inn
  The GHOST of Church Street
  The 1936 UNSOLVED MURDER that shook Asheville
  The CHILD SPIRITS at the haunted hospital
  The architect walled into his own church!
  The KILLING SPREE of 1906
  NAZI AGENTS based in Asheville
  ARSON at hospital that claimed Zelda Fitzgerald

Come enjoy our most popular Asheville tour!

Duration

1 hour and 30 minutes

About

Bachelorette/Bachelor Parties are not permitted on this tour. The Fender Bender Bus is bachelorette/bachelor friendly!

Historical and hysterical, The Hey Asheville tour features outrageously entertaining tour guides, outlandish comedy skits complete with special appearances and loads of Asheville information. You’ll get to see the best of downtown Asheville and the rarely seen but stunningly beautiful Montford neighborhood, not to mention the burgeoning River Arts District! You’ve never had a ride like this. It’s like a vaudeville show on wheels!

Find out what makes Asheville so unique on LaZoom’s City Comedy Tour. It’s the perfect mix of history, comedy, and entertainment. Our guides are trained professional actors working with an original script. It’s like a theatre on wheels! The tour highlights downtown Asheville, historic neighborhoods, the South Slope, and the River Arts District.

Age Restrictions

13 and up. No exceptions.

Stops

10 minute beer & bathroom break at Green Man Brewery

What’s Included

Guided tour of Asheville on a Purple Bus
Funny actors, fun bits
Actual History about Asheville
Green Man Brewery Stop

What’s Not Included

Beer/Wine (Must be purchased from LaZoom or the Brewery Stop)
Cash! You’ll want to tip the guides for changing your life for the better.

There is no better way to DISCOVER and EXPLORE Asheville!  Hop-on board one of Gray Line’s nostalgic trolleys for a fully narrated day tour, highlighting the history, homes, hang-outs and hot spots of this “city of surprises.”

Tour Highlights include  .  .  .  Downtown Asheville  |  Montford Historic District  |  The Grove Park Inn and Grove Park Historic District  |  Thomas Wolfe District  |  Pack Square and Asheville Art Museum  |  Grove Arcade  |  River Arts District  |  Biltmore Village

Hop-On and hear the story of a city rich in architecture, history and the arts  . . .

Hop-Off and experience its eclectic shops and galleries; its world class culinary and craft brew scenes.

Tour Duration:  The complete tour (one loop) lasts approximately 90 to 100 minutes.  There is an additional 15 minute stop at the Asheville Visitor Center.  The Hop-On/Hop-Off Tour ticket is valid for TWO consecutive days.

Departure Points: Join the Hop-On/Hop-Off Tour at any of the 10 stops.  If you’re driving in to join the tour, Stop 1, the Asheville Visitor Center may be your best option.  The Visitor Center, located at 36 Montford Ave. just off I-240 at Exit 4C, offers free parking (on a first come-first served basis) and restrooms. The Asheville Visitor Center is the ONLY place to join the Overview Tour.

LEAF Schools & Streets invites your students to join us at LEAF Global Arts for summer camps, which run June 17-August 23 at 19 Eagle Street downtown. Registration is open! Most camps are for rising first-graders through rising sixth-graders, with the addition of the ‘Making a Music Video’ and ‘Songwriting and Recording’ camps for middleschoolers and highschoolers. SUMMER CAMPS • June 17-21 – World Dance • June 24-28 – West African Culture: Drumming, Dance, Clothing & Food • July 8-12 – Blues • July 15-19 – LEAF International Haiti • July 22-25 – Making a Music Video: Songwriting, Recording, and Film-Making* • July 29-August 2 – Stop Motion Animation • August 12-15 – Songwriting and Recording* • August 19-23 – World-Changing Visual Art *middle and high school, all others are rising 1st-6th