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.

Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Sponsor a child for the holidays
Dec 6 all-day
Eliada Homes
Help Make a Child Smile this Holiday Season!
Eliada works hard to make the holidays a special time for the children in our care. You can help bring a smile to their face by fulfilling their holiday wishes!

 

Sponsor a Child:

When you sign up to sponsor a child for the holidays, you’ll receive a Wish List that a young person created. Wish Lists include their favorite things, clothing sizes, and most needed and wanted items. The value of a Wish List is around $200. You can divide that cost with friends, or even sponsor several children.

 

For most of Eliada’s children and youth, the gifts they receive from sponsors are the only gifts they will get during the holiday season.

To sign up to sponsor, please contact Rebecca Boline by email at [email protected].

Sponsor Multiple Children:

We also have Wish Lists which include items that children will need here at Eliada depending on what program they are in.

 

Cottage wish lists for youth living at Eliada, for example, include toiletries, bedding and towels, books, games, art supplies, suitcases and kitchen utensils. Many children come to Eliada with a few clothes in a garbage bag. Together we can provide them things that every home should have!

 

Other wish lists are for our Child Development programs, Foster Care program, Farm program, Summer Camp program, and Recreation programs. Our Equine Therapy program also has some needs this holiday season! We never know when we’ll get a call for a child in Foster Care who needs a home immediately. Let’s help Foster Parents provide these children everything they deserve!

 

Sponsor a last minute wish:

Some youth living at Eliada won’t arrive until right before the holidays! We won’t receive their wish lists until mid-late November. Can you sign up to help one of these teens at the last minute?

If you don’t have time to shop, Eliada will use your donation to purchase gifts for children who may arrive at Eliada very close to Christmas or right after Christmas. It shouldn’t matter when you arrive at Eliada–your wishes should be fulfilled! You can make a donation here. In the comment field, write “holiday wishes.”

 

To sign up to sponsor multiple children or a teen at the last minute, please contact Rebecca Boline by email at rboline@eliada.org or by phone at (828) 254-5356, ext. 306.

United Way’s Holiday Book Drive
Dec 6 all-day
online

We need your help and the help of your network to make this holiday drive as successful as possible in putting new books into the hands of Buncombe County elementary and middle school students during the holiday break.

What better way to spread holiday cheer than by donating books? Imagine the joy on a child’s face when they receive a brand-new book. It’s like sprinkling a little bit of magic into their lives!

We’ve partnered with over a dozen local organizations serving K-12 students throughout the county. They’re eagerly waiting for book drop-offs like kids waiting for the first snowfall! ❄️

You can make a positive impact right now by donating directly using the button below, or why not turn giving back into an outing?

Holiday Book Drive 2023 (givebutter.com)

Visit the Barnes & Noble on Tunnel Road at the Asheville Mall to shop in-store and donate them on the spot.

Donations: Shoebox Gifts for Seniors
Dec 6 @ 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Council on Aging

The Council on Aging for Henderson County (COAHC) wants to make sure all seniors receive a gift this holiday season, and they need your help. For the 25th year, the COAHC will be collecting shoebox gifts filled by community members, then deliver those gifts to Henderson County seniors. Last year they delivered more than 350 boxes to COAHC clients. This year all additional boxes will be donated to clients of Henderson County Department of Social Services Adult Services.
Participants fill a shoe box with small, useful items and gifts, such as hygiene items, gloves, large-print books and puzzles, notepads, calendars, flashlights, and any other small gifts a senior would appreciate. Then bring the wrapped shoebox to the Council on Aging office (105 King Creek Boulevard) during their business hours: Mon-Fri, between 9am and 4pm. Please mark if the box is for a male, female or either. Gift collection ends on Friday, December 8th.
This gift drive is in conjunction with a Meals on Wheels gift drive for requested items from their clients. Participants can choose a client, shop for their requested items, then bring the wrapped gift to the Council on Aging office, where volunteers will distribute the gifts to clients in late December.

Thursday, December 7, 2023
Angel Tree
Dec 7 all-day
online w/ YWCA

Spread Joy this Holiday Season: Support a YWCA Family Through Angel Tree.

Our Virtual Angel tree is up for this holiday season. This gift tree provides our broader YWCA community a path to join us as we aim to support our program participants and their families with a holiday season full of love and support. If you would like to support a family this holiday season please click here or email Holly Olsen, Director of Women’s Empowerment to get the details of how you can fulfill a family’s holiday wish.

Programs Served by the Angel Tree:

  • MotherLove
    YWCA’s MotherLove program supports pregnant and parenting teens throughout Buncombe County. Our goals are to help young parents to stay in school and graduate, access higher education and vocational training, develop the skills and knowledge needed to become strong parents and delay another teen pregnancy.

  • Getting Ahead In a Just Getting By World
    YWCA’s Getting Ahead program aims to provide financial empowerment for low-income women of all ages and backgrounds to make choices that positively impact themselves, their families, and their community.

  • Early Learning Program
    YWCA’s Early Learning Program provides 5-star childcare for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Our experienced and compassionate teachers not only provide exceptional care for little ones, but also prepare young children to succeed cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally. We prioritize families using childcare vouchers or caring for children in the foster care system.

  • Empowerment Childcare
    The YWCA provides up to 12 hours of free childcare per week for parents who are in transition, continuing their education, accessing social services, or looking for employment. ECC works closely with the Family Justice Center, Buncombe County Health and Human Services, A-B Tech, Green Opportunities, and Mary Benson House.

Rooting for a Sustainable Tomorrow: Planting Trees and Planting Hope
Dec 7 all-day
Asheville GreenWorks

The trees that directly protect our homes and neighborhoods from flooding, extreme heat, pollution, and soil erosion are the most vulnerable to development and the pressures of a changing climate. They also have an immense impact on how vulnerable we are to those same conditions.

 

Asheville GreenWorks is leading local efforts to protect our urban trees and restore our tree canopy, but it takes ALL of us. You can help create a better future by donating today — no contribution is too small to make an impact.

Sponsor a child for the holidays
Dec 7 all-day
Eliada Homes
Help Make a Child Smile this Holiday Season!
Eliada works hard to make the holidays a special time for the children in our care. You can help bring a smile to their face by fulfilling their holiday wishes!

 

Sponsor a Child:

When you sign up to sponsor a child for the holidays, you’ll receive a Wish List that a young person created. Wish Lists include their favorite things, clothing sizes, and most needed and wanted items. The value of a Wish List is around $200. You can divide that cost with friends, or even sponsor several children.

 

For most of Eliada’s children and youth, the gifts they receive from sponsors are the only gifts they will get during the holiday season.

To sign up to sponsor, please contact Rebecca Boline by email at [email protected].

Sponsor Multiple Children:

We also have Wish Lists which include items that children will need here at Eliada depending on what program they are in.

 

Cottage wish lists for youth living at Eliada, for example, include toiletries, bedding and towels, books, games, art supplies, suitcases and kitchen utensils. Many children come to Eliada with a few clothes in a garbage bag. Together we can provide them things that every home should have!

 

Other wish lists are for our Child Development programs, Foster Care program, Farm program, Summer Camp program, and Recreation programs. Our Equine Therapy program also has some needs this holiday season! We never know when we’ll get a call for a child in Foster Care who needs a home immediately. Let’s help Foster Parents provide these children everything they deserve!

 

Sponsor a last minute wish:

Some youth living at Eliada won’t arrive until right before the holidays! We won’t receive their wish lists until mid-late November. Can you sign up to help one of these teens at the last minute?

If you don’t have time to shop, Eliada will use your donation to purchase gifts for children who may arrive at Eliada very close to Christmas or right after Christmas. It shouldn’t matter when you arrive at Eliada–your wishes should be fulfilled! You can make a donation here. In the comment field, write “holiday wishes.”

 

To sign up to sponsor multiple children or a teen at the last minute, please contact Rebecca Boline by email at rboline@eliada.org or by phone at (828) 254-5356, ext. 306.

The Black, White, + Red Gala
Dec 7 all-day
Point Lookout Vineyards

Mark your calendars for Thursday, December 7th, 2023, as the Chamber welcomes you to an evening of enchantment, camaraderie, and celebration. The theme for the night is a perfect blend of classic and contemporary – a harmonious symphony of black, white, and red that will transform the venue into a visual masterpiece.

As the sun dips below the horizon, the gala will come to life with soulful melodies, setting the tone for an evening of refined enjoyment. Guests will savor a delectable dinner that tantalizes their taste buds and reflects the culinary artistry of the region. From the first bite to the last sip, your senses will be engaged in a delightful dance of flavors.

A highlight of the night will be the exhilarating live auction, where coveted treasures and experiences will be unveiled, offering an opportunity to acquire something truly exceptional while contributing to the community. And for those seeking to toast to the night, a cash bar will be at your service, ensuring that every moment is accompanied by your beverage of choice.

Tickets to the Black, White, & Red Gala are ON SALE NOW!, so secure your place at this extraordinary affair. Whether you’re attending with friends, colleagues, or loved ones, the gala is a perfect occasion to don your most elegant attire and embrace the spirit of the evening’s theme.

Join us for a night that will weave memories to cherish, celebrate the holiday season in style, and support the endeavors of the Chamber of Hickory Nut Gorge. Get ready to paint the night with sophistication, as we come together under the banner of elegance at the Black, White, & Red Gala.

United Way’s Holiday Book Drive
Dec 7 all-day
online

We need your help and the help of your network to make this holiday drive as successful as possible in putting new books into the hands of Buncombe County elementary and middle school students during the holiday break.

What better way to spread holiday cheer than by donating books? Imagine the joy on a child’s face when they receive a brand-new book. It’s like sprinkling a little bit of magic into their lives!

We’ve partnered with over a dozen local organizations serving K-12 students throughout the county. They’re eagerly waiting for book drop-offs like kids waiting for the first snowfall! ❄️

You can make a positive impact right now by donating directly using the button below, or why not turn giving back into an outing?

Holiday Book Drive 2023 (givebutter.com)

Visit the Barnes & Noble on Tunnel Road at the Asheville Mall to shop in-store and donate them on the spot.

Donations: Shoebox Gifts for Seniors
Dec 7 @ 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Council on Aging

The Council on Aging for Henderson County (COAHC) wants to make sure all seniors receive a gift this holiday season, and they need your help. For the 25th year, the COAHC will be collecting shoebox gifts filled by community members, then deliver those gifts to Henderson County seniors. Last year they delivered more than 350 boxes to COAHC clients. This year all additional boxes will be donated to clients of Henderson County Department of Social Services Adult Services.
Participants fill a shoe box with small, useful items and gifts, such as hygiene items, gloves, large-print books and puzzles, notepads, calendars, flashlights, and any other small gifts a senior would appreciate. Then bring the wrapped shoebox to the Council on Aging office (105 King Creek Boulevard) during their business hours: Mon-Fri, between 9am and 4pm. Please mark if the box is for a male, female or either. Gift collection ends on Friday, December 8th.
This gift drive is in conjunction with a Meals on Wheels gift drive for requested items from their clients. Participants can choose a client, shop for their requested items, then bring the wrapped gift to the Council on Aging office, where volunteers will distribute the gifts to clients in late December.

Mischief Moon Gala
Dec 7 @ 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Asheville Masonic Temple

Invoke your imagination and dawn your most creaturely costumes at the Mischief Moon Gala! This evening of ceremony, interactive art, empowered movement, and connection is coming Thursday, December 7th, to the Asheville Masonic Temple. Head to https://www.fireflygathering.org/event/mischief-moon-gala for tickets, and see below for more details!

The Mischief Moon Gala: Thursday, December 7th from 5 – 11 pm at the Asheville Masonic Temple

Join us as we celebrate the power of creativity and community with live music from beloved artists like Holy River, Sarah Louise, and Wild Roots Rising; a community waltz with a live band (waltz class beforehand!); traditional Cherokee foods from Bigwitch Wisdom Initiative, and an entire evening of beautifully bizarre performances, installations, and offerings.

This year, we are delving into the wide world of weird, with an emphasis on the bizarre iterations of creation. Start creating your most captivating costumes as you, The Wanderer, have many adventures into the underworld and beyond soon to come!

Begin your journey in The Underworld, where we’ve curated an assortment of oddities to entertain you, including the Fae Cleaning Crew and the FerryMan. When you need to revive your spirits, journey up the Haunted Staircase to sojourn in the Realm of the Fae, where ethereal music, poetry and the Otherworldly Art Gallery & Cantina await you.

All proceeds for the Gala go toward supporting artists and fundraise for Firefly Gathering’s year-round work to empower the people of the Southeast through earthskills workshops, the Annual Firefly Gathering, and community-building events.

Friday, December 8, 2023
Angel Tree
Dec 8 all-day
online w/ YWCA

Spread Joy this Holiday Season: Support a YWCA Family Through Angel Tree.

Our Virtual Angel tree is up for this holiday season. This gift tree provides our broader YWCA community a path to join us as we aim to support our program participants and their families with a holiday season full of love and support. If you would like to support a family this holiday season please click here or email Holly Olsen, Director of Women’s Empowerment to get the details of how you can fulfill a family’s holiday wish.

Programs Served by the Angel Tree:

  • MotherLove
    YWCA’s MotherLove program supports pregnant and parenting teens throughout Buncombe County. Our goals are to help young parents to stay in school and graduate, access higher education and vocational training, develop the skills and knowledge needed to become strong parents and delay another teen pregnancy.

  • Getting Ahead In a Just Getting By World
    YWCA’s Getting Ahead program aims to provide financial empowerment for low-income women of all ages and backgrounds to make choices that positively impact themselves, their families, and their community.

  • Early Learning Program
    YWCA’s Early Learning Program provides 5-star childcare for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Our experienced and compassionate teachers not only provide exceptional care for little ones, but also prepare young children to succeed cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally. We prioritize families using childcare vouchers or caring for children in the foster care system.

  • Empowerment Childcare
    The YWCA provides up to 12 hours of free childcare per week for parents who are in transition, continuing their education, accessing social services, or looking for employment. ECC works closely with the Family Justice Center, Buncombe County Health and Human Services, A-B Tech, Green Opportunities, and Mary Benson House.

Donate to Protect Land and Water Forever
Dec 8 all-day
Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy
State of NC Completes Land Acquisition for Future Pisgah View State Park

On Friday, Nov. 17 the state of NC completed the last stage in the planned purchase of over 1,500 acres for Pisgah View State Park, the first state park to be designated in Buncombe County!

“Five years ago three members of the Cogburn family sat down in SAHC’s office on Merrimon Avenue,” recalls Jay Leutze, SAHC’s Senior Advisor to the Board. “We walked out of that room with the bones of a deal. SAHC would work with the state of North Carolina to raise the funds to purchase Pisgah View Ranch from the Cogburns.  The state of NC bought the last few acres specified in the contract on Friday — a year earlier than our rosiest projections.  There are too many heroes on a big project like this to name them all here, but stay tuned. Step one was to buy the land, and this was a monumental task.  Now we can look forward to the creation of this breathtaking park and its facilities.  See you in a couple of years at the grand opening!”

Projects like this are made possible because of supporters like YOU.
We are very grateful for all the ways you help to preserve special places across the mountains of NC and TN.  Thank you!

click here to donate: 2018 Annual Giving Program (clickandpledge.com)
aerial image of forested mountaintop
THANK YOU to ALL the folks who continue to support the creation of new parks and the protection of mountains, forests, farmland, wildlife habitat, and clean water.

If you have not made a gift recently, please consider making a donation today!

RiverLink GIVE LOCAL
Dec 8 all-day
online

A Helping of Graditude

River lovers are encouraged to support RiverLink and other community nonprofits through Give!Local, the annual philanthropy program organized by MountainXpress. The first 10 donors of $100 or more to RiverLink will be entered into a drawing for a kayak tour on the French Broad River with Renee Fortner, RiverLink’s expert water resources manager. First Bank is waiving transaction fees, so 100 percent of your donation goes to the nonprofits you select.

Participate in Give!Local
RiverLink deeply appreciates the contributions this community makes directly to the organization — whether as gifts of stock, required IRA distributions, donor-advised funds, donations made in memory of others, and all the ways you give. Please reach out to Susan Andrew at [email protected] for assistance with any of these giving modes. And anyone can use the handy Donate button at the bottom of our newsletters. Thank you!

Sincere gratitude to RiverLink’s recent business supporters — we are honored by your contributions:

  • Astral
  • Bottle Riot
  • Burial Beer Co.
  • Cedar Rock Adventures
  • Curtis Wright Outfitters
  • East Fork Pottery
  • Edgewater Resources
  • Ferguson Waterworks
  • Fresh Market
  • Hellbender Paddleboards
  • High Five Coffee
  • Preserving a Picturesque America
  • Whole Foods
  • Wrong Way River Lodge & Cabins
Rooting for a Sustainable Tomorrow: Planting Trees and Planting Hope
Dec 8 all-day
Asheville GreenWorks

The trees that directly protect our homes and neighborhoods from flooding, extreme heat, pollution, and soil erosion are the most vulnerable to development and the pressures of a changing climate. They also have an immense impact on how vulnerable we are to those same conditions.

 

Asheville GreenWorks is leading local efforts to protect our urban trees and restore our tree canopy, but it takes ALL of us. You can help create a better future by donating today — no contribution is too small to make an impact.

Sponsor a child for the holidays
Dec 8 all-day
Eliada Homes
Help Make a Child Smile this Holiday Season!
Eliada works hard to make the holidays a special time for the children in our care. You can help bring a smile to their face by fulfilling their holiday wishes!

 

Sponsor a Child:

When you sign up to sponsor a child for the holidays, you’ll receive a Wish List that a young person created. Wish Lists include their favorite things, clothing sizes, and most needed and wanted items. The value of a Wish List is around $200. You can divide that cost with friends, or even sponsor several children.

 

For most of Eliada’s children and youth, the gifts they receive from sponsors are the only gifts they will get during the holiday season.

To sign up to sponsor, please contact Rebecca Boline by email at [email protected].

Sponsor Multiple Children:

We also have Wish Lists which include items that children will need here at Eliada depending on what program they are in.

 

Cottage wish lists for youth living at Eliada, for example, include toiletries, bedding and towels, books, games, art supplies, suitcases and kitchen utensils. Many children come to Eliada with a few clothes in a garbage bag. Together we can provide them things that every home should have!

 

Other wish lists are for our Child Development programs, Foster Care program, Farm program, Summer Camp program, and Recreation programs. Our Equine Therapy program also has some needs this holiday season! We never know when we’ll get a call for a child in Foster Care who needs a home immediately. Let’s help Foster Parents provide these children everything they deserve!

 

Sponsor a last minute wish:

Some youth living at Eliada won’t arrive until right before the holidays! We won’t receive their wish lists until mid-late November. Can you sign up to help one of these teens at the last minute?

If you don’t have time to shop, Eliada will use your donation to purchase gifts for children who may arrive at Eliada very close to Christmas or right after Christmas. It shouldn’t matter when you arrive at Eliada–your wishes should be fulfilled! You can make a donation here. In the comment field, write “holiday wishes.”

 

To sign up to sponsor multiple children or a teen at the last minute, please contact Rebecca Boline by email at rboline@eliada.org or by phone at (828) 254-5356, ext. 306.

United Way’s Holiday Book Drive
Dec 8 all-day
online

We need your help and the help of your network to make this holiday drive as successful as possible in putting new books into the hands of Buncombe County elementary and middle school students during the holiday break.

What better way to spread holiday cheer than by donating books? Imagine the joy on a child’s face when they receive a brand-new book. It’s like sprinkling a little bit of magic into their lives!

We’ve partnered with over a dozen local organizations serving K-12 students throughout the county. They’re eagerly waiting for book drop-offs like kids waiting for the first snowfall! ❄️

You can make a positive impact right now by donating directly using the button below, or why not turn giving back into an outing?

Holiday Book Drive 2023 (givebutter.com)

Visit the Barnes & Noble on Tunnel Road at the Asheville Mall to shop in-store and donate them on the spot.

Donations: Shoebox Gifts for Seniors
Dec 8 @ 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Council on Aging

The Council on Aging for Henderson County (COAHC) wants to make sure all seniors receive a gift this holiday season, and they need your help. For the 25th year, the COAHC will be collecting shoebox gifts filled by community members, then deliver those gifts to Henderson County seniors. Last year they delivered more than 350 boxes to COAHC clients. This year all additional boxes will be donated to clients of Henderson County Department of Social Services Adult Services.
Participants fill a shoe box with small, useful items and gifts, such as hygiene items, gloves, large-print books and puzzles, notepads, calendars, flashlights, and any other small gifts a senior would appreciate. Then bring the wrapped shoebox to the Council on Aging office (105 King Creek Boulevard) during their business hours: Mon-Fri, between 9am and 4pm. Please mark if the box is for a male, female or either. Gift collection ends on Friday, December 8th.
This gift drive is in conjunction with a Meals on Wheels gift drive for requested items from their clients. Participants can choose a client, shop for their requested items, then bring the wrapped gift to the Council on Aging office, where volunteers will distribute the gifts to clients in late December.

INTERNATIONAL BALLET THE NUTCRACKER
Dec 8 @ 7:30 pm
Peace Concert Hall

Join International Ballet and Artistic Director Vlada Kysselova as the beloved holiday classic returns to the Peace Center stage. Enjoy Tchaikovsky’s timeless score performed live by the Greenville Symphony Orchestra and be dazzled as the angelic voices of the Greenville Youth Chorale are featured as snow falls on the Concert Hall stage. No holiday season is complete without joining Clara and her Nutcracker prince as they encounter dancing snowflakes, spirited sword fights and a visit to the Kingdom of Sweets. With glittering costumes and exquisite sets, this incredible performance is not to be missed.

Saturday, December 9, 2023
Angel Tree
Dec 9 all-day
online w/ YWCA

Spread Joy this Holiday Season: Support a YWCA Family Through Angel Tree.

Our Virtual Angel tree is up for this holiday season. This gift tree provides our broader YWCA community a path to join us as we aim to support our program participants and their families with a holiday season full of love and support. If you would like to support a family this holiday season please click here or email Holly Olsen, Director of Women’s Empowerment to get the details of how you can fulfill a family’s holiday wish.

Programs Served by the Angel Tree:

  • MotherLove
    YWCA’s MotherLove program supports pregnant and parenting teens throughout Buncombe County. Our goals are to help young parents to stay in school and graduate, access higher education and vocational training, develop the skills and knowledge needed to become strong parents and delay another teen pregnancy.

  • Getting Ahead In a Just Getting By World
    YWCA’s Getting Ahead program aims to provide financial empowerment for low-income women of all ages and backgrounds to make choices that positively impact themselves, their families, and their community.

  • Early Learning Program
    YWCA’s Early Learning Program provides 5-star childcare for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Our experienced and compassionate teachers not only provide exceptional care for little ones, but also prepare young children to succeed cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally. We prioritize families using childcare vouchers or caring for children in the foster care system.

  • Empowerment Childcare
    The YWCA provides up to 12 hours of free childcare per week for parents who are in transition, continuing their education, accessing social services, or looking for employment. ECC works closely with the Family Justice Center, Buncombe County Health and Human Services, A-B Tech, Green Opportunities, and Mary Benson House.

Beginner Adult Tap Workshop
Dec 9 all-day
Hendersonville Theatre

Hendersonville Theatre is holding a series of tap workshops to stay on top of your newfound tap skills or to refresh your brain on the basics ahead of our Spring 2024 Tap Classes. This class is NOT for those who have never tapped before as we won’t be learning new moves, but rather refining your previously acquired skills. This workshop is for beginners with at least a minimal understanding of tap and will be a hybrid of a traditional tap class and time to work on your own with coaching from Allison.

Donate to Protect Land and Water Forever
Dec 9 all-day
Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy
State of NC Completes Land Acquisition for Future Pisgah View State Park

On Friday, Nov. 17 the state of NC completed the last stage in the planned purchase of over 1,500 acres for Pisgah View State Park, the first state park to be designated in Buncombe County!

“Five years ago three members of the Cogburn family sat down in SAHC’s office on Merrimon Avenue,” recalls Jay Leutze, SAHC’s Senior Advisor to the Board. “We walked out of that room with the bones of a deal. SAHC would work with the state of North Carolina to raise the funds to purchase Pisgah View Ranch from the Cogburns.  The state of NC bought the last few acres specified in the contract on Friday — a year earlier than our rosiest projections.  There are too many heroes on a big project like this to name them all here, but stay tuned. Step one was to buy the land, and this was a monumental task.  Now we can look forward to the creation of this breathtaking park and its facilities.  See you in a couple of years at the grand opening!”

Projects like this are made possible because of supporters like YOU.
We are very grateful for all the ways you help to preserve special places across the mountains of NC and TN.  Thank you!

click here to donate: 2018 Annual Giving Program (clickandpledge.com)
aerial image of forested mountaintop
THANK YOU to ALL the folks who continue to support the creation of new parks and the protection of mountains, forests, farmland, wildlife habitat, and clean water.

If you have not made a gift recently, please consider making a donation today!

RiverLink GIVE LOCAL
Dec 9 all-day
online

A Helping of Graditude

River lovers are encouraged to support RiverLink and other community nonprofits through Give!Local, the annual philanthropy program organized by MountainXpress. The first 10 donors of $100 or more to RiverLink will be entered into a drawing for a kayak tour on the French Broad River with Renee Fortner, RiverLink’s expert water resources manager. First Bank is waiving transaction fees, so 100 percent of your donation goes to the nonprofits you select.

Participate in Give!Local
RiverLink deeply appreciates the contributions this community makes directly to the organization — whether as gifts of stock, required IRA distributions, donor-advised funds, donations made in memory of others, and all the ways you give. Please reach out to Susan Andrew at [email protected] for assistance with any of these giving modes. And anyone can use the handy Donate button at the bottom of our newsletters. Thank you!

Sincere gratitude to RiverLink’s recent business supporters — we are honored by your contributions:

  • Astral
  • Bottle Riot
  • Burial Beer Co.
  • Cedar Rock Adventures
  • Curtis Wright Outfitters
  • East Fork Pottery
  • Edgewater Resources
  • Ferguson Waterworks
  • Fresh Market
  • Hellbender Paddleboards
  • High Five Coffee
  • Preserving a Picturesque America
  • Whole Foods
  • Wrong Way River Lodge & Cabins
Rooting for a Sustainable Tomorrow: Planting Trees and Planting Hope
Dec 9 all-day
Asheville GreenWorks

The trees that directly protect our homes and neighborhoods from flooding, extreme heat, pollution, and soil erosion are the most vulnerable to development and the pressures of a changing climate. They also have an immense impact on how vulnerable we are to those same conditions.

 

Asheville GreenWorks is leading local efforts to protect our urban trees and restore our tree canopy, but it takes ALL of us. You can help create a better future by donating today — no contribution is too small to make an impact.

Sponsor a child for the holidays
Dec 9 all-day
Eliada Homes
Help Make a Child Smile this Holiday Season!
Eliada works hard to make the holidays a special time for the children in our care. You can help bring a smile to their face by fulfilling their holiday wishes!

 

Sponsor a Child:

When you sign up to sponsor a child for the holidays, you’ll receive a Wish List that a young person created. Wish Lists include their favorite things, clothing sizes, and most needed and wanted items. The value of a Wish List is around $200. You can divide that cost with friends, or even sponsor several children.

 

For most of Eliada’s children and youth, the gifts they receive from sponsors are the only gifts they will get during the holiday season.

To sign up to sponsor, please contact Rebecca Boline by email at [email protected].

Sponsor Multiple Children:

We also have Wish Lists which include items that children will need here at Eliada depending on what program they are in.

 

Cottage wish lists for youth living at Eliada, for example, include toiletries, bedding and towels, books, games, art supplies, suitcases and kitchen utensils. Many children come to Eliada with a few clothes in a garbage bag. Together we can provide them things that every home should have!

 

Other wish lists are for our Child Development programs, Foster Care program, Farm program, Summer Camp program, and Recreation programs. Our Equine Therapy program also has some needs this holiday season! We never know when we’ll get a call for a child in Foster Care who needs a home immediately. Let’s help Foster Parents provide these children everything they deserve!

 

Sponsor a last minute wish:

Some youth living at Eliada won’t arrive until right before the holidays! We won’t receive their wish lists until mid-late November. Can you sign up to help one of these teens at the last minute?

If you don’t have time to shop, Eliada will use your donation to purchase gifts for children who may arrive at Eliada very close to Christmas or right after Christmas. It shouldn’t matter when you arrive at Eliada–your wishes should be fulfilled! You can make a donation here. In the comment field, write “holiday wishes.”

 

To sign up to sponsor multiple children or a teen at the last minute, please contact Rebecca Boline by email at rboline@eliada.org or by phone at (828) 254-5356, ext. 306.

United Way’s Holiday Book Drive
Dec 9 all-day
online

We need your help and the help of your network to make this holiday drive as successful as possible in putting new books into the hands of Buncombe County elementary and middle school students during the holiday break.

What better way to spread holiday cheer than by donating books? Imagine the joy on a child’s face when they receive a brand-new book. It’s like sprinkling a little bit of magic into their lives!

We’ve partnered with over a dozen local organizations serving K-12 students throughout the county. They’re eagerly waiting for book drop-offs like kids waiting for the first snowfall! ❄️

You can make a positive impact right now by donating directly using the button below, or why not turn giving back into an outing?

Holiday Book Drive 2023 (givebutter.com)

Visit the Barnes & Noble on Tunnel Road at the Asheville Mall to shop in-store and donate them on the spot.

INTERNATIONAL BALLET THE NUTCRACKER
Dec 9 @ 7:30 pm
Peace Concert Hall

Join International Ballet and Artistic Director Vlada Kysselova as the beloved holiday classic returns to the Peace Center stage. Enjoy Tchaikovsky’s timeless score performed live by the Greenville Symphony Orchestra and be dazzled as the angelic voices of the Greenville Youth Chorale are featured as snow falls on the Concert Hall stage. No holiday season is complete without joining Clara and her Nutcracker prince as they encounter dancing snowflakes, spirited sword fights and a visit to the Kingdom of Sweets. With glittering costumes and exquisite sets, this incredible performance is not to be missed.

South Carolina’s Governer’s School: WINTER DANCE PERFORMANCE
Dec 9 @ 7:30 pm
Gunter Theatre

Held at Peace Center’s Gunter Theatre, The Winter Dance Performance showcases the talented dancers from the SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities. Repertoire ranges from classical ballet, modern/contemporary, and exciting jazz.

Sunday, December 10, 2023
Angel Tree
Dec 10 all-day
online w/ YWCA

Spread Joy this Holiday Season: Support a YWCA Family Through Angel Tree.

Our Virtual Angel tree is up for this holiday season. This gift tree provides our broader YWCA community a path to join us as we aim to support our program participants and their families with a holiday season full of love and support. If you would like to support a family this holiday season please click here or email Holly Olsen, Director of Women’s Empowerment to get the details of how you can fulfill a family’s holiday wish.

Programs Served by the Angel Tree:

  • MotherLove
    YWCA’s MotherLove program supports pregnant and parenting teens throughout Buncombe County. Our goals are to help young parents to stay in school and graduate, access higher education and vocational training, develop the skills and knowledge needed to become strong parents and delay another teen pregnancy.

  • Getting Ahead In a Just Getting By World
    YWCA’s Getting Ahead program aims to provide financial empowerment for low-income women of all ages and backgrounds to make choices that positively impact themselves, their families, and their community.

  • Early Learning Program
    YWCA’s Early Learning Program provides 5-star childcare for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Our experienced and compassionate teachers not only provide exceptional care for little ones, but also prepare young children to succeed cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally. We prioritize families using childcare vouchers or caring for children in the foster care system.

  • Empowerment Childcare
    The YWCA provides up to 12 hours of free childcare per week for parents who are in transition, continuing their education, accessing social services, or looking for employment. ECC works closely with the Family Justice Center, Buncombe County Health and Human Services, A-B Tech, Green Opportunities, and Mary Benson House.

Donate to Protect Land and Water Forever
Dec 10 all-day
Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy
State of NC Completes Land Acquisition for Future Pisgah View State Park

On Friday, Nov. 17 the state of NC completed the last stage in the planned purchase of over 1,500 acres for Pisgah View State Park, the first state park to be designated in Buncombe County!

“Five years ago three members of the Cogburn family sat down in SAHC’s office on Merrimon Avenue,” recalls Jay Leutze, SAHC’s Senior Advisor to the Board. “We walked out of that room with the bones of a deal. SAHC would work with the state of North Carolina to raise the funds to purchase Pisgah View Ranch from the Cogburns.  The state of NC bought the last few acres specified in the contract on Friday — a year earlier than our rosiest projections.  There are too many heroes on a big project like this to name them all here, but stay tuned. Step one was to buy the land, and this was a monumental task.  Now we can look forward to the creation of this breathtaking park and its facilities.  See you in a couple of years at the grand opening!”

Projects like this are made possible because of supporters like YOU.
We are very grateful for all the ways you help to preserve special places across the mountains of NC and TN.  Thank you!

click here to donate: 2018 Annual Giving Program (clickandpledge.com)
aerial image of forested mountaintop
THANK YOU to ALL the folks who continue to support the creation of new parks and the protection of mountains, forests, farmland, wildlife habitat, and clean water.

If you have not made a gift recently, please consider making a donation today!

RiverLink GIVE LOCAL
Dec 10 all-day
online

A Helping of Graditude

River lovers are encouraged to support RiverLink and other community nonprofits through Give!Local, the annual philanthropy program organized by MountainXpress. The first 10 donors of $100 or more to RiverLink will be entered into a drawing for a kayak tour on the French Broad River with Renee Fortner, RiverLink’s expert water resources manager. First Bank is waiving transaction fees, so 100 percent of your donation goes to the nonprofits you select.

Participate in Give!Local
RiverLink deeply appreciates the contributions this community makes directly to the organization — whether as gifts of stock, required IRA distributions, donor-advised funds, donations made in memory of others, and all the ways you give. Please reach out to Susan Andrew at [email protected] for assistance with any of these giving modes. And anyone can use the handy Donate button at the bottom of our newsletters. Thank you!

Sincere gratitude to RiverLink’s recent business supporters — we are honored by your contributions:

  • Astral
  • Bottle Riot
  • Burial Beer Co.
  • Cedar Rock Adventures
  • Curtis Wright Outfitters
  • East Fork Pottery
  • Edgewater Resources
  • Ferguson Waterworks
  • Fresh Market
  • Hellbender Paddleboards
  • High Five Coffee
  • Preserving a Picturesque America
  • Whole Foods
  • Wrong Way River Lodge & Cabins