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, October 22, 2020
Justus Orchard Pick Your Own!
Oct 22 @ 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
Justus Orchard

Looking forward to the first cool weekend of the year!!
Apples available for UPick are Golden’s, Red Jonagolds, Mutsu, Ambrosia and Asian Pears!!
Apples Available already picked are Golden’s, Gala’s, Early Fuji, Red Jonagold, Stayman Winesap,Mutsu, Ambrosia, Granny Smith, Red Romes and a very few Piñatas!
The Bakery will open in full force all day but remember we stop cooking at 5 pm so don’t wait too long to place your order,
The playground is open every day and the jumping pillow is open Friday’s Saturdays and Sundays, weather permitting. The cow train, apple cannons and barn tours are open Saturdays and Sundays weather permitting until 5pm
Hoping to see you soon!!
The Justus Family!
Reserve Your Pasture-Raised Turkey Now Hickory Nut Gap Farm
Oct 22 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Online

We raise all of our turkeys from baby chicks to adulthood directly on Hickory Nut Gap Farmland in Fairview, NC. They spend their entire lives rotationally grazing on pasture, free from antibiotics and added hormones. We offer a limited supply each year and a deposit must be paid in advance to secure your bird.

Price: $6 / lb
Range: 14 – 25 lbs
Please choose an approximate weight and we will tag a turkey with your name and send an invoice for the remaining balance.

Pick ups will start November 19th and run through November 25th.

Sky Top Orchard Fall is Here!
Oct 22 @ 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sky Top Orchard

It's Fall Y'all

Welcome to Sky Top Orchard!

We are asking guests to visit on weekdays whenever possible. We offer the same items you love on those days as we do on weekends plus it helps keep crowds down on weekends. Thank you!

The mountains of western North Carolina are full of pick your own u-pick orchards. We offer more. In addition to a long list of apple varieties, visit Sky Top Orchard and you’ll enjoy panoramic mountain views, orchard ponds with ducks and geese, a barnyard area with sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys, peacocks and more, a bamboo forest to explore, lots of picnic areas and, of course, a mountaintop of fragrant apple and fruit trees. View our downloadable map to see all that we have to offer and visit our picking schedule to find out what’s available now.

When you purchase a bushel of apples, a wagon load of pumpkins or a cooler full of apple cider you’ll take home more than the makings for delicious fall recipes, you’ll take home a mountain of memories too. And don’t forget our famous apple cider doughnuts. They’re an autumn tradition. We bet you can’t eat just one.

Ready to join us on top of our mountain? Plan Your Visit Today!

mask required inside fruit stand

To keep guests and our staff safe, we require face masks (covering both nose and mouth) by employees and guests in any area where social distancing is difficult so plan to wear them in the fruit stand, in line for doughnuts, in any areas that are not out in the orchard where you are picking. You must also maintain a distance of 6 feet in all lines and areas where you encounter others.

Free Virtual Senior Expo
Oct 22 @ 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Online

The Aging Resources Magazine Virtual Senior Expo presented by AdventHealth will feature breakout sessions on

  • Healthy Aging
  • Aging in Place
  • Telehealth & Assistive Technology
  • Senior Scams & Fraud Prevention
  • Resources for Successful Aging, Senior Living, Home Care/Home Health, & More

Virtual vendor booths will help you connect with local senior services providers and area agencies from the comfort of your home. This event is open to everyone and there is no cost to attend.

The Historic Orchard at Altapass
Oct 22 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Orchard at Altapass
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Still not certain what’s ripe at the O? Call 828-765-9531 and get a recording that will give you the latest information for the weekend’s apple picking and purchasing.
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How ’bout them Apples?

We post each Thursday morning any ripening updates in the orchard. Remember we are an heirloom apple orchard. Our mission is to save the good stuff…including apple varieties. In addition to trees that fruit during the normal late September/October season in greater quantity, also we plant small batch numbers of heirloom apple trees. Some ripen earlier (an unexpected gift); all have their uses from apple sauce, to butters, to juice and ciders, and just fresh eating off the trees. They won’t all be available all the time. But, when they are, we’ll let you know. Please come and see for yourself.

Downtown Dobra Tea Inside Seating Opens!
Oct 22 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Dobra Tea Downtown

We are happy to welcome you back
into our tearoom!

Our downtown location is now open for inside seating at 50% capacity.
We’ve missed you Asheville!

CiderFest Tours 2020
Oct 22 @ 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Various Cider Houses

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The eighth annual CiderFest NC fundraiser will be held in a brand-new format this fall that offers loyal guests the chance to celebrate, sample and savor cider safely and responsibly.

While the large annual festival will not be offered this fall in light of current health concerns, the event will continue this year through CiderFest Tours: small-group curated tours of three Asheville cideries that are being offered in partnership with local business Leap Frog Tours.

The tours will allow participants to visit three of Asheville’s cideries — Noble Cider, Urban Orchard Cider Company – West and TreeRock Social Cider House & Mead Bar — for intimate, small-group tasting sessions to sample unique takes on the craft beverage on each of the locations. Proceeds will be shared between Leap Frog Tours, the three participating cideries and Green Built Alliance.

To offer the largest number of people the opportunity to participate, the four-hour tours will be offered from 3 to 7 p.m. on every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday in October.

Tours can be reserved for groups of 2 to 14 individuals, and bookings open up today. To prioritize safety in light of COVID-19, all tours will be private without combining reservations from separate parties. (Visit our website or Leap Frog’s booking page for a full list of COVID-19 precautions being taken for the tours.)

The cost is $85 per person. The price includes a tasting at each cidery, a souvenir CiderFest tasting glass, and transportation by Leap Frog Tours from Aloft Hotel in downtown Asheville.

Since the event has sold out in recent years, people are encouraged to book their tours early. For more information and to book a tour, visit www.ciderfestnc.com.

Asheville Tourists Baseball Club‎ Family Trivia Night
Oct 22 @ 6:00 pm
Asheville Tourists Baseball Club

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On Thursday, October 22nd, bring the kids and come test your knowledge of Disney, superheroes, fairy tales, wizardry, candy, and more! Package includes unlimited hot dogs, unlimited nachos, bottled water, and one build your own s’mores kit for each guest!  First place team receives 100 Tourist Bucks! Second place team receives 50 Tourist Bucks!

Beer, Cider, Seltzer, and Coca-Cola products available for purchase.

Umbrella Tables seat up to 4, Rectangle Tables seat up to 6, Dugout Suites seat up to 10. No outside chairs allowed.  **Reservations are required**

Guests must remain seated at tables for the duration of the event unless getting up to use the restroom. Please no running or roaming around the ballpark.

Gates open at 5:00 PM, trivia starts at 6:00 PM.

Tickets: https://tourists.milbstore.com/collections/novelties/products/family-night-dinner-and-trivia?fbclid=IwAR2W3l3QSEpOi_rd7iig0BgnPnVWS6_LhHkYsRUglS1C-djtefIaTLkJrmk

Brew Davis + Andy Pond
Oct 22 @ 6:00 pm
One World Brewing- West Asheville

Image may contain: 1 person, sitting, child, hat, mountain, outdoor and nature

Join Asheville singer-songwriter Brew Davis and banjo extraordinaire Andy Pond for beer and “brew grass” at One World’s West Asheville location!

Outdoor Shows Thursday through Sundays

NC Arboretum’s “Arbor Evenings”
Oct 22 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The North Carolina Arboretum

Relax and unwind at the Arboretum’s “ArborEvenings” after hours series. Held every Thursday, June – October, from 6 to 9 p.m., visitors will sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s beautiful gardens while enjoying live music amongst flowers and friends. Local beverages, including beer and wine, are available for purchase along with light food options.

Admission to ArborEvenings is free; however, standard parking fees apply to non-members.

Art of Breastfeeding Class
Oct 22 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Pardee Hospital Orientation Classroom (Ground Floor)

An internationally board-certified lactation consultant will cover the basics of breastfeeding.

A minimum of two participants must be registered and present for a class to be held. Pardee Women & Children’s Center will adhere to Blue Ridge Community College’s inclement weather policies. In the event of inclement weather, classes will not be held when Blue Ridge Community College is closed.

Lawn Concert: Alien Music Club Jazz Quartet
Oct 22 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Isis Music Hall

The Alien Music Club Jazz Quartet has been entertaining loyal, local audiences as the house band at Barley’s Taproom in downtown Asheville every Thursday night for the better part of a decade. The band features Jonathan Pearlman on guitar, Taylor Pierson on piano, Zack Page on bass and Ben Bjorlie on drums. Specializing in innovative takes on well known jazz standards, the group intuitively creates fresh, new arrangements on the fly. This performance will delight jazz aficionados as well as those less familiar with the genre.

Come enjoy an evening of live music, food and drinks at the Isis patio and lawn. Reservations are highly recommended.

Mitch’s Totally Rad Trivia
Oct 22 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The One Stop at Asheville Music Hall

Scoop: Mitch's Totally Rad TRIVIA

Mitch Fortune brings you an irreverent and nostalgia filled night of pop culture trivia every Thursday night 7-9 pm at the One Stop in Downtown Asheville. A potpourri of movies, music, TV show trivia just for you!

Gunslinging Parrots – A Phish Experience
Oct 22 @ 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
One Stop at Asheville Music Hall
Silent Cinema: Rocky Horror Picture Show
Oct 22 @ 8:00 pm
Rabbit Rabbit
Friday, October 23, 2020
Asheville Food Tours
Oct 23 all-day
varies

Discover the original Asheville Food Tour. In this premiere tour, taste the unique flavor of Asheville on our guided walking tours of the city’s culinary treasures, in historic downtown Asheville. Eating Asheville one bite at a time never tasted so good!

One of the nation’s premiere food destinations, Asheville boasts some of the most exciting and memorable food in the South. Asheville Food Tours offers a sumptuous glimpse into this exotic world of local Asheville restaurants and gourmet food shops and featuring artisan cheeses and choice meats from local farms, crusty baked breads from local ovens, rich hand-made chocolates, dynamic wine lists and hand-crafted local beer.

Downtown Food Tour – $55

West Asheville Tour – $60

International Tour – $60

Food Fan Foot Tour – $65

Saturday Brunch Tour – $65

Night Tour – $85

Gift Certificates –  $55 and up.

Coffee for Champions Supports Special Olympics
Oct 23 all-day
Buncombe County

Coffee for Champions Supports Special Olympics

Do you need a cup of ambition before you start the day (or a few throughout the day)? During the month of October, popular coffee shops and cafés throughout Buncombe County donate up to five cents of each cup of coffee purchased to support local sports programs for community members with intellectual disabilities.

Coffee for Champions is the largest annual fundraiser for Special Olympics Buncombe County, a completely donation-funded, volunteer-driven program that provides year-round training and competitive programs in 11 sports for more than 480 youth and adults. Funds raised help build equitable opportunities for everyone who lives here, create a connection between athletes and the greater community, and celebrate changing attitudes about the talents of people with intellectual disabilities.

“We started Coffee for Champions five years ago,” says Karla Furnari, Local Coordinator for Special Olympics Buncombe County. “Each year, it continues to grow and helps expand programs and fund critical needs such as equipment, uniforms, and transporting athletes. Even though in-person training was put on hold because of COVID-19, volunteer coaches continued to engage with athletes on a regular basis to keep them mentally and physically healthy during a time that has been particularly taxing on individuals with intellectual disabilities. We have safely resumed some programs in which social distancing is possible and face coverings can be worn such as tennis and bocce.”

Donating Five Cents Per Cup

  • Ivory Road Café & Kitchen (1854 Brevard Road in Arden)
  • Mosaic Café & Coffee House (1 Town Square Boulevard in Biltmore Park)
  • PennyCup Coffee Company at the YMI (39 South Market Street in Downtown Asheville)
  • Round Earth Roasters (518 Hendersonville Road in Asheville)
  • Trout Lily Market (1297 Charlotte Highway in Fairview)

Donating One Cent Per Cup

  • PennyCup Coffee Company West (362 Depot Street in Asheville’s River Arts District)
  • PennyCup Coffee Company Haw Creek (6 Beverly Road in Asheville’s Haw Creek)
  • PennyCup Coffee Company North (857 Merrimon Avenue in North Asheville)

Buncombe County Special Olympics is made possible through funding from donors and support from Buncombe County Government. To donate or volunteer, visit the organization’s website.

Special Olympics was founded by Eunice Kennedy in 1968 to celebrate changing attitudes about the talents of people with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics Buncombe County provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for adults and children above the age of seven. Sports include alpine skiing and snowboarding, aquatics, athletics, basketball, bocce, bowling, cheerleading, gymnastics, powerlifting, soccer, and tennis, as well as a young athletes program. The organization also offers the Adaptive Athlete Program in a partnership with Buncombe County Recreation Services.

COVID-19 Testing in Buncombe County Info. Website
Oct 23 all-day
Various locations in Buncombe County

 

Para leer este artículo en español, haga clic aquí.

COVID-19 Testing General Information

Think you have been exposed to COVID?

Testing is widely available at urgent cares, federally qualified health centers, and through some primary care providers for those who need it however, it remains important to focus on the prevention of COVID first and foremost to keep the virus from spreading further into the community and to loved ones.

Find testing near you:

  • If you DO NOT HAVE a healthcare provider who offers testing for COVID-19 and you need to get tested, there are several ways to find testing near you.
  • Visit the Find My Testing Place website to find a clinic or pop up testing site near you.
  • People in Buncombe County can access testing by completing the Buncombe County Self-Checker online. If you need testing, you can set up an appointment at one of the county’s open-air, drive-through sites. People can also call the Ready Team at (828) 419-0095 from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm., Monday – Friday to be pre-screened for testing at these sites. A Ready Team member will call you within 2 business days to schedule your appointment.
  • You can call the Buncombe County nurse line at (828) 250-5300 to find out where you can get tested (Press OPTION #1 to speak with a nurse) from 8 am to 5:30 pm.

Testing Site Locations in Buncombe County: Appointment required at these sites

South West Buncombe

58 Apac Dr., Asheville (Buncombe County Sports Park)
Every Thursday
9:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.

Central Buncombe

A-B Tech, Genevieve Circle, Asheville (Allied Health Parking Lot)
Every Sunday
1:30-5:30 p.m.

Important: Please check Buncombe County’s Facebook page for site cancellations due to weather. 

CRITICAL NEED For Blood Donations
Oct 23 all-day
various see below

Donate Blood - The Blood Connection
The message is simple – COVID-19 has made a severe impact on the blood supply and The
Blood Connection is asking the community to donate blood as soon as possible to support the
critical need of blood for local hospitals in this area.

To find a blood drive: https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/zip
To find a center (5 in Upstate, 2 in Western NC): https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/centers
Those interested in hosting a blood drive in the community: thebloodconnection.org/host-a-drive<http://thebloodconnection.org/host-a-drive>

Dine 2 Donate Fundraiser Opportunities
Oct 23 all-day
Various Asheville Restaurants

Local restaurants like Five Guys are offering 20% of sales to fundraising groups who partner with them this November, December and January. With various public safety restrictions in place, restaurants are offering different types of fundraisers including:

  • Takeout
  • Curbside
  • Delivery
  • In-house

To set up a restaurant fundraiser for Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods just view Asheville restaurants giving back, select a location, a date and confirm online.

Find participating restaurants: https://www.groupraise.com/restaurants/search?lat=35.5950581&lng=-82.5514869&filters[tod]=true&grid_atype=email&grid_asource=hatch&grid_avalue=aW5mb0Bhc2hldmlsbGUuY29t&utm_source=hatch&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=GM%3A%20CH_N1_V1&utm_content=a

Find Food In Asheville Dine In + Take Out
Oct 23 all-day
Online

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The Asheville Independent Restaurant Association (AIR) is a group of independently owned restaurants that serve the flourishing food scene of Asheville, NC. As one of the largest organization of independent restaurants in the country, AIR is dedicated to keeping Asheville’s food scene eclectic, authentic and flavorful.

Please click below to view current Takeout/Delivery and Dine In options for Asheville’s Independent Restaurants. These lists are constantly changing and being updated so make sure to check back for what’s new. If you are a restaurant owner and need to update or add your restaurant, please email Jane Anderson at [email protected]

Thank you for supporting our independent restaurants!

Find My Testing Place Website
Oct 23 all-day
Online

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COVID-19 testing is provided at some local health departments, doctor and clinician offices, many hospitals and clinics, many pharmacy sites and retail outlets, and other community locations.

No-Cost Community Testing Events

The content in the Test Site Finder below is provided and maintained by Castlight: COVID-19 Resource Center. These testing sites are not endorsed or vetted by NCDHHS. Please call the testing site or your health care provider before you go for testing.

NC Nonprofit Coalition Launches Voter Safety Protection Campaign
Oct 23 all-day
Online

Vulnerable North Carolinians can request free PPE as they head to the polls.

Protecting Voters

Whether you Early Vote or vote on Election Day, NCBA wants to protect voters at the polls by providing FREE single-use PPE kits. These kits will include:

 

  • A pair of disposable gloves
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Single-use protective mask
  • A pen and simple instructions on how to cast your ballot in person
  • A template to create your voting plan
  • A voter guide (will be mailed separately)

Need Assistance Requesting a PPE Kit?

Thanks to our partners at Disability Rights NC, voters can call 888-WEVOTE-2 for additional assistance, and to request a free PPE Kit.

North Carolina will remain paused in Phase 3 for three more weeks
Oct 23 all-day
North Carolina

Governor Roy Cooper announced today that North Carolina will remain paused in Phase 3 for three more weeks as health officials continue to monitor North Carolina’s viral trends. North Carolina has seen increased hospitalizations and trajectory of cases in recent weeks. Governor Cooper underscored the importance of wearing masks, social distancing, and using good judgment despite fatigue or frustration with the pandemic.

SlowCOVIDNC Exposure Notification App
Oct 23 all-day
Online

How it Works

  • Download the SlowCOVIDNC Exposure Notification app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and enable Bluetooth and Exposure Notifications. Bluetooth must be on for the app to work. After opting-in to receive notifications, the app will generate an anonymous token for your device. A token is a string of random letters which changes every 10-20 minutes and is never linked to your identity or location, but is linked to date. This protects your privacy and security.
  • Through Bluetooth, your phone and the phones around you with the SlowCOVIDNC app work in the background (minimizing battery) to exchange these anonymous tokens every few minutes. Phones record how long they are near each other and the Bluetooth signal strength of their exchanges in order to estimate distance.
  • If you test positive for COVID-19, you may obtain a unique PIN to submit in the app. This voluntary and anonymous reporting notifies others who have downloaded the app that they may have been in close contact with someone in the last 14 days who has tested positive.
  • PINs will be provided to app users who receive a positive COVID-19 test result through a web-based PIN Portal, by contacting the Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC) call center, or by contacting their Local Health Department (LHD).
  • SlowCOVIDNC periodically downloads tokens from the server from the devices of users who have anonymously reported a positive test. Your phone then uses its records of the signal strength and duration of exposures with those tokens to calculate risk and determine if you have met a threshold to receive an Exposure Notification.
Support Pisgah Legal: Dollar to Dollar Match Donations
Oct 23 all-day
Online

 A Wave of Evictions Expected This Winter
photo credit: Rob Schumacker/The Republic
A federal moratorium (temporary halt) on evictions due to non-payment of rent went into effect on September 4th and will last until December 31, 2020. While this moratorium is a welcome step forward, it does not solve the ongoing eviction crisis.  Jim Barrett, Pisgah Legal’s Executive Director, said in a recent article that he “hopes this so-called moratorium buys some time, but if you think about it, it expires the end of December. When would you rather not be evicted?”

Learn more:

Pisgah Legal is receiving an average of 1,000 calls a week, with over half relating to housing and fears of eviction.  Your support will help provide the vital free legal services to help stem the eviction crisis for thousands of our WNC neighbors. Gifts made to support this important work are being matched dollar-for-dollar. To learn more, contact Ally Wilson at [email protected] or call 828-210-3444.
Top 10 Vegetables to Plant That Will Really Feed You
Oct 23 all-day
Online

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Top 10 Vegetables to Plant That Will Really Feed You

This 1 hour and 20 minute long video course is accompanied by a 24 page course manual to help you get growing. Enter your email above for free, instant access. There is no credit card or payment needed, it’s our gift to you!

By signing up for this course, you’ll also receive our super-useful newsletters full of seasonal tips, how-to’s, wild food recipes, and more. Plus, you’ll get special deals on classes and be the first to hear about new programs. Don’t worry, we’ll keep all your info private and you can unsubscribe at any time.

WNC Fermenting Festival Online Orders Open
Oct 23 all-day
Online

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!!!Order Now!!! The Box Includes: Miso Master-Chick Pea Miso,
Fermenti-Kimchi, Rayburn Farm- 1# Ginger, Hempeh-Smoked Pepper and Salt Hempeh, Dare Vegan Cheese-Coconut Milk Kefir,
Foxy Otter Bakery-Black Garlic Chocolate Chip Cookies,
Urban Peasants-Gluten Free Sourdough Cookies,
Pure Fire-Cooler,
Yoga Buch-Pumpkin Spice Kombucha, Sister Of Mother Earth-Queen of Thieves,
Shanti Elixers-Cranberry Sumac Limeade Jun, Sweet Brinned-Hot Pepper Mash, Raspberry Fields-Raspberry Vinegar, Buchi- Water Kombucha, Soilshine Ferments-Hot Sauce, Booda Kombucha-Spirulina Passionfruit, & More Over $140 Retail Value For $80!!!! For Details & To Order: www.wncfermentingfestival.com
Pick Up IN PERSON ONLY On Nov 1st 11am to 4pm at 258 Carolina Ln, Marshall NC 28753 #idfermentthat #fermentation #festival

YWCA Fitness Center + Pool Open for Reservations
Oct 23 @ 6:00 am – 6:00 pm
YWCA

Our Fitness Center successfully reopened in September and is available along with our indoor pool to all of our members by reservation. With our facility operating at 30% capacity, we are able to provide you with the space needed for a socially distant, indoor workout, swim, or limited personal training. You may make a reservation to use our Fitness Center or pool by either downloading the Daxko App, by visiting our website or by calling us directly and speaking with a Guest Services Associate.

YWCA Hours: Mon – Fri: 6 am – 6 pm | Sat: 7 am – 4 pm | Sun: closed  Pool Hours: Mon – Fri: 6 am – 6 pm | Sat: 7 am – 4 pm | Sun: closed

Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program (BCCCP)
Oct 23 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 pm
Online

The Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program (BCCCP) is a vital resource available to women and transgender individuals between the ages of 40 and 64 who are uninsured and underinsured, meet certain income requirements, and are residents of Buncombe County. The BCCCP program provides chest exams, pap smears, HPV testing, and mammograms, all at no cost. If results indicate that treatment is needed, patients may qualify for BCCCP Medicaid which covers the cost of treatment and our staff will assist in care coordination.

BCHHS also offers WISEWOMAN, a program aimed at helping women improve their health and reduce their chance of developing heart disease. WISEWOMAN offers free cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure screenings, as well as counseling, coaching, and education services that make it possible for women to get achieve their health goals and stay healthy. Our staff are trained to help you determine your personal health goals and support your progress through regular check in’s and encouragement.

While you can’t fully control your risk for developing breast cancer, you can take steps to ensure that you catch it early. Buncombe County offers free support services, screenings, and treatment programs that make healthcare accessible for many women in Buncombe County. To find out if you are eligible for BCCCP and WISEWOMAN, visit our website or call (828) 250-6006.