Calendar of Events

Give us 2-4 hours. Enjoy a day of music and memories — and the knowledge that you helped to bring a community together! You’ll also get a little swag: a 11th Annual Festival Tee Shirt, snacks, a drink ticket, and our new Blue Ridge Pride Center buttons and stickers. Volunteer roles include: setup and breakdown, selling wristbands, beverages or merchandise, and assisting with volunteer check-in or VIP. Learn more and sign up here.

Application deadline Sept. 15

Wildlife Triage interns help in all aspects of operations including the full rehabilitation process, answering phone calls and emails about wildlife interactions, the daily care of injured and orphaned wildlife and their enclosures, assisting with transport, and communications with the wildlife rehabilitation network in western NC.  Interns assist in facility upkeep and maintenance as needed and are provided the opportunity to experience all aspects of the non-profit if there is interest. No two days in wildlife rehabilitation are the same. Interns must be flexible, dedicated, dependable, and comfortable working in a team setting with other volunteers and communicating with the public. Interns are required to commit to a 4-5 month internship period with positions available in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. Schedules are determined during each season and based on animal intake.

Friday: Tinctures, Teas, and Oils for Your Home Medicine Cabinet taught by Noelle Fuller

Medicinal herbs are a powerful way to promote health and prevent disease. The best way to benefit from their healing properties is to use them consistently and regularly. In this accessible and hands-on workshop, Noelle Fuller, herbalist and farmer, with a background in nutrition and horticulture, will teach about simple everyday ways to match herbs with the best medicine making methods for your desired health outcome. This interactive workshop is comprised of lecture, hands-on herbal processing, taste testing, and handouts that will give you confidence for working with herbal preparations for you and your family.

Some of the plants we’ll be working with include: Holy basil, hibiscus, lemongrass, lemon balm, lemon verbena, ginger, parsley, basil, thyme, oregano, sage, rosemary, roses, lambsquarters, purslane, calendula, peppermint, dandelion, chickweed, violet, and more!

What

Do you dream of a diverse and beautiful farm or yard filled with food-bearing plants?

Instead of fighting a landscape that quickly returns back to its natural forested state, learn to use tree crops and land practices that enhance productivity, beauty, and usefulness. Forest farming or ‘agroforestry’ is the art and science of putting plants together in ways that forge mutually beneficial relationships and create vibrant and resilient ecosystems.

As you prioritize these sustainable design systems, you’ll discover the extraordinary ecological and social implications such as: renewal and regeneration of soil, reduction of erosion, enhanced beauty and usefulness, sequestration of carbon, and mitigation of water issues. Each effect leads to climate resilience and further integration with natural designs.

In these two full-day workshops, learn everything you need to know about working with trees on your land, no matter the scale.

When
Friday 9/6: Agroforestry & Silvopasture
Saturday 9/7: Forest Gardening

Each day-long workshop is independent. Take a worskhop with any instructor on Friday and/or Saturday; receive a discount for registering for both days.

When
Friday and Saturday, Sept. 6-7, 2019
9:30am–4:30pm both days

Where
Garden Cabin
Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa, NC

How Much
$75 = One day only (either Friday or Saturday)
$125 = Both days (Friday & Saturday) of any two workshops at the Harvest Conference

Hemp is a promising crop ecologically, financially, and politically for North Carolina growers.

Get an inside look at this budding (pun intended) industry with these experienced NC hemp farmers. Discuss potential pitfalls and how to avoid them, understand the industry trends, and discover specific actions you can take to get involved with legislation and regulation of this important crop.

The state’s hemp production has skyrocketed in the last few years; come learn how to be a part of it!

When
Friday 9/6: Growing Hemp at Any Scale!
Saturday 9/7: Understanding the Hemp Industry

Each day-long workshop is independent. Take a workshop with any instructor on Friday and/or Saturday; receive a discount for registering for both days.

Homework Diners take place weekly (except on school holidays or early release days). Families are invited to the cafeteria of the middle school during the scheduled time each week. No pre-registration is required to attend. Homework Diners currently take place at four area middle schools: Asheville, Enka, Erwin and Owen Middle. All are open to any family with a K-12 student in the surrounding school district with an adult family member in attendance with the participating student.

The 2019-20 Homework Diner schedule:

• Erwin Middle on Monday nights starting September 23, 2019 from 5:30-7:00 p.m.
• Asheville Middle on Tuesday nights starting September 24, 2019 from 5-7:00 p.m.
• Enka Middle on Tuesday nights starting September 24, 2019 from 5:30-7:00 p.m.
• Owen Middle on Thursday nights starting September 26, 2019 from 5:30-7:00 p.m.

More than a botanist, Luke Cannon is a long time pursuer and teacher of our living natural world. Over the last two decades, Luke has instructed numerous wilderness awareness programs and led hundreds of classes, walks and workshops. An avid naturalist, he blends biological studies with ecology, organic farming, survival skills, permaculture, rural homesteading, and experiential education. He has taught for the North Carolina Arboretum, the Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society, Organic Growers School, the Finger Lakes Native Plant Society, the Asheville Mushroom Club, Wild Abundance, and the Appalachian School of Holistic Herbalism to name a few. In 2011 he became the founder and director of Astounding Earth, an organization dedicated to helping people deepen their relationships with the living Earth. Luke currently lives in the mountains of North Carolina, studying and teaching Appalachian ecology and ethnobotany. He offers regular public walks and workshops to share his knowledge of local plants, birds, mammals, mushrooms and ecology.

Buncombe County Recreation Services has opened the 2019-2020 cycle of Community Recreation Grants. The grants focus on supplemental funding for qualified organizations to promote innovative, inclusive, and sustainable recreational, fitness, and health and wellness initiatives within Buncombe County as well as community-based activities and capital improvements that increase recreational opportunities for the communities served. Grants may range in amount from $500-$6,000, depending on funding available and the number of qualifying applicants.

Eligible entities include Buncombe County non-profits focused on recreational, fitness, and health and wellness activities. These funds are intended to be a leveraging tool that promote partnerships between the County and area non-profits and are not a donation, funding stream, or sponsorship opportunity. Programs applying for funding should assist Buncombe County Recreation Services in achieving its mission and are required to provide clear timelines and explanations regarding funding requests. The objective of the grants is to extend the reach of the County in its recreation focus areas; grant applicants are required to articulate the estimated impact the grants will have on the community.

Want to Apply?

The grant application deadline is Friday, October 18, 2019. Late applications will be rejected. The Community Recreation Grant Committee will review applications in October and November with all organizations receiving an email notification no later than November 15, 2019.

ends on September 23, 2019 at 11:59pm ET, or when all 4,500 tickets sell out, whichever comes first.

Bob Moog Foundation announces its fall raffle featuring a coveted, fully restored vintage Memorymoog Plus synthesizer, formerly owned, played, and signed by Dr. Fink of The Revolution. The Memorymoog was part of The Revolution’s touring rig on the Purple Rain, Around the World in a Day, and Parade tours.

Funds raised from the raffle will be used to expand the Foundation’s hallmark educational project, Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool, currently inspiring over 3,000 elementary school students per year through the science of sound. The raffle will also help support the Foundation’s newest project, the Moogseum, an immersive, experiential facility that brings Bob Moog’s legacy and the science of sound and synthesis alive for people of all ages. The newly opened Moogseum is located in downtown Asheville, NC.

The big North Carolina Mountain State Fair in Asheville is the official “state fair” of the western part of NC. More than 180,000 people attend the 10-day event that celebrates our people, agriculture, art and tradition. It’s fun for all ages, with plenty of exhibits, animals, food, rides and more. The fair is held at the Western North Carolina Agriculture Center, near the Asheville Regional Airport (I-26 East, exit 40). It’s a big place, so wear comfy walking shoes and allow time to see it all. Tip: Bring cash since credit card use is limited.

Hours

• Friday: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 1 AM
• Saturdays: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close Midnight
• 1st Sunday: Gates open 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 11 PM
• 2nd Sunday (Closing Night): Gates open at 9 AM; Rides open 10 AM, close 9 PM
• Monday-Thursday: Gates open at 3 PM; Rides open 4 PM, close 11 PM

Parking
FREE parking is available on fairground property and satellite property. Parking is located on Highway 280 at Gate 6. Satellite parking is located 1 mile South of Gate 6 (follow the signs) with free bus transportation to the fairgrounds (shuttle runs every 10-15 minutes).

Asheville’s hospitality industry is proving sweet dreams can truly turn into full plates.

This September, over 45 hotels are coming together for the third annual Sweet Dreams, Full Plates campaign – a major collaboration aimed at connecting Asheville area’s thriving tourism industry to local hunger relief issues.

The idea is simple. Hotel guests, during the month of September, are given the opportunity to forgo stayover services by hanging a door hanger on their room door. The door hanger says, “We Fed A Family,” and for every room that chooses to participate, the hotel makes a $2 donation on their behalf.

With each $2 donation, MANNA FoodBank is able to provide enough food for seven meals.

• AC Hotel
• Aloft Asheville Downtown
• Best Western Tunnel Road
• Country Inn & Suites
• Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Asheville Westgate
• Courtyard Marriott
• Crowne Plaza Tennis and Golf Resort – Asheville
• Doubletree by Hilton Asheville – Biltmore
• Four Points by Sheraton – Asheville Downtown
• Hampton Inn – Tunnel Road
• Hampton Inn & Suites – Asheville South
• Hampton Inn & Suites Biltmore Area
• Hampton Inn & Suites Asheville – Biltmore Village
• Haywood Park Hotel
• Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park
• Hilton Garden Inn – Asheville Downtown
• Holiday Inn – Biltmore West
• Holiday Inn Express and Suites (Donation Only)
• Homewood Suites by Hilton Asheville
• Hotel Indigo – Asheville Downtown
• Hyatt Place Asheville Downtown
• Quality Inn and Suites – Biltmore East (Donation Only)
• Renaissance Asheville Hotel (Donation only)
• Residence Inn Biltmore
• Springhill Suites Marriott
• THE WINDSOR – Boutique Hotel
• Cambria Hotel & Suites Downtown
• POSH
• Country Inn & Suites Tunnel Road
• Comfort Inn – Tunnel Road

This urban scavenger hunt will take teams of four around the downtown area via a series of clues to sixteen different locations where they will be required to complete a task before receiving their next clue.  Two volunteers will staff each secret location, checking teams in and out, throughout the day. Contact [email protected] directly if you are interested in assisting with this event or sign up by CLICKING HERE.

The Southern Appalachian region is one of the most biodiverse regions of the country with edible and medicinal plants and fungi right out our back door! Not only many do wild plants and mushrooms provide incredible vital nutrients, they are also super exciting to find, eat, and process into delicious meals. Learn to identify, engage with, and use wild allies in an accessible, interactive, and fun class! These workshops are comprised of lectures, forays into the forest, and hands-on exercises that will build your confidence in finding, identifying, and using wild foods of the Southern Appalachians.

Hot Works 4^th Asheville Fine Art Show, October 26 & 27, 2019 takes place in Pack Square Park, downtown Asheville. This art show is juried by art professionals and brings artists to sell his/her art in all discipline including paintings, sculpture, clay, glass, fiber, jewelry, wood and more. All art is original and personally handmade by the artist who is present at the show. There is something for everyone, in all price ranges. You will see many artists at this show who do not attend other shows in North Carolina or South Carolina.

As part of our commitment to bring art education into the community, a Youth Art Competition for grades K-8 or ages 5-13 is integrated within a 10×20 space at the Asheville Fine Art Show. Sponsored by Institute for the Arts & Education, the associated 501c3 non-profit organization, all students in grades K-8 or ages 5-13 are encouraged to enter his/her original and personally handmade art that will be publicly displayed in the art show the entire weekend. On Sunday, October 27 at 3pm, there is $250 in youth art awards presented. Students are exposed to the rules and entrepreneurship opportunity of doing art shows for a living. The program brings families to the art show and exposes them to great art.