Calendar of Events
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.
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We’re offering TWO grade levels this summer for our workshops:
- Younger Ages (Rising First – Third Grade) and
- Older Ages (Rising Fourth – Tenth Grade)
Pricing
First Student: $350 per week
Sibling & Multiple Week Camp Discounts are available
Madagascar Workshop
June 12-16 & July 17-21
Get read to MOVE IT, MOVE IT!
Join Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, Gloria the hip hip Hippo and, of course, those hilarious, plotting penguins in this crack-a-lackin’ adventure from New York City to Madagascar.
Matilda Workshop
June 19-23 & July 24-28
It’s time to act like REVOLTIN’ CHILDREN!
Matilda is a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic powers. Matilda’s school life isn’t completely smooth sailing, however – the school’s mean headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, hates children and just loves thinking up new punishments for those who don’t abide by her rules. But Matilda has courage and cleverness in equal amounts, and could be the school pupils’ saving grace!
Shrek Workshop
June 26-30 & July 31-August 4
Come and let your FREAK FLAG FLY!
It’s a “big bright beautiful world” as everyone’s favorite ogre, Shrek, leads a cast of fairytale misfits on an adventure to rescue a princess and find true acceptance. When Shrek sets off with a wisecracking donkey to confront Farquaad, he’s handed a task — if he rescues feisty princess Fiona, his swamp will be righted. Shrek tries to win Fiona’s love and vanquish Lord Farquaad, but a fairytale wouldn’t be complete without a few twists and turns along the way.
The Little Mermaid Workshop
July 10-14 & August 7-11
Discover what it means to be PART OF YOUR WORLD!
In a magical underwater kingdom, the beautiful young mermaid, Ariel, longs to leave her ocean home — and her fins — behind and live in the world above. But first, she’ll have to defy her father, King Triton, make a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, and convince the handsome Prince Eric that she’s the girl whose enchanting voice he’s been seeking.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library®
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library impacts the pre-literacy skills and school readiness of children under the age of 5 in Buncombe County. The program mails a new, free, age-appropriate book to registered children each month until they turn five years old. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library creates a home library of up to 60 books and instills a love of books and reading from an early age. If you have any questions about the program, please send an email to [email protected].
A national panel of educators selects the Imagination Library titles, which include: The Little Engine that Could, Last Stop on Market Street, Violet the Pilot, As an Oak Tree Grows, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Llama Llama Red Pajama, Look Out Kindergarten, here I come, and many more (take a look at all the titles).
Register your child now!
Program Launch and Expansions
Literacy Together became a Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library affiliate in November 2015 with support from the Buncombe Partnership for Children. Through this program, registered children in Buncombe County receive a free book in the mail each month. Their parents also have the opportunity to attend workshops to learn how to build their children’s early literacy skills. Parents in need of literacy assistance are encouraged to receive tutoring through Literacy Together’s adult programming.
The program served 200 children during the 2015/16 fiscal year. The program expanded to serve 400 children in July 2016, and 600 in August 2017. In July 2018, capacity increased to 1,900 thanks to a special allocation in the North Carolina state budget. We’re now serving 4,600 kids in Buncombe County.
The Education program at Flat Rock Playhouse is undergoing a name change! We are excited to streamline our program and we can’t wait to share the news with you!
Our new name will be Playhouse Jr.!

This new name will encompass many things. You might ask….what is Playhouse Jr.?
Playhouse Jr. means many things and we are excited to share this news with our community!

We are introducing a new software system for our Playhouse Jr. families! This new system will make your life easier! Once you have registered you are in our system for good. That means that once you register all you have to do is access your account to purchase any classes and camps moving forward. No need to register every time!
To register for our new system and to enroll in classes please visit this link: https://app.jackrabbitclass.com/regv2.asp?id=548849
Questions? Please email [email protected]!
Want to register over the phone? No problem! You can call our Education Director, Lauren Hopkins at (828)693-0403 ext. 246 starting Monday March 6!
Mission Health is accepting applications from throughout the community for the Kesha Young Health
Careers Scholarship , with the aim of supporting the education goals for high school seniors and college
students of color from Western North Carolina who are pursuing careers in healthcare.
For more than 25 years, Mission Health has been awarding the Kesha Young Health Careers Scholarship,
with more than $1 million given to make college more affordable for high school seniors and college
students of color from Western North Carolina who are pursuing careers in healthcare. The scholarship
is named in honor of Kesha Young, a 22-year-old, bi-racial woman who was born with mental and
physical disabilities and underwent multiple surgeries at Mission Hospital. Kesha died just months
before she was scheduled to earn her high school diploma. Despite her health struggles, Kesha was
described by her adoptive parents as embodying the characteristics that are vital to how healthcare
team members engage with patients, families and visitors, with a strong spirit, warm smile and positive
encouragement.
At Mission Health, we recognize that having a diverse workforce, especially in healthcare, is very
important to provide the best possible care to our patients and communities. This is integral to who we
are as a company. Our mission statement is based around recognizing and affirming the unique and
intrinsic worth of each individual: “Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of
human life.”
The completed application, along with all additional materials, must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday,
April 14th, 2023 for consideration. Recipients will be notified in early May and invited to a reception at
Mission Hospital on Wednesday June 7th.
UNC Asheville will host its biennial Queer Studies Conference from March 24-26 on campus, bringing together scholars, artists and activists for workshops and presentations focusing on the theme “Blooming: Metamorphoses and Seasons of Queerness.” This conference is open to the pubic and free for all attendees, with a suggested donation of $20-60. Registration is required and available here.
The conference, established in 1998, will include keynote speakers Alexis Pauline Gumbs, recipient of the 2022 Whiting Award in Nonfiction, and Andie Morgenlander, co-founder of the Justice Film Collective.
Gumbs will be delivering a keynote address entitled “Breathe Through Your Whole Body: What Seals Can Teach Us About Queer Transformation,” drawing from her 2022 Whiting Award-winning book, “Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals.” She has also won several awards for her poetry, including the Lucille Clifton Poetry Prize, and has had her work published in a number of journals and magazines. She served as a National Endowment of the Arts Creative Writing Fellow in 2022, and currently serves as the creative writing editor for “Feminist Studies.”
Morgenlander, who has acted in, written, produced and directed both short form and feature length narrative films, will screen their award-winning short film, “Whistle Down Wind,” which showcases the lives of queer youth in Appalachia. Their films have received Best Film and Best Narrative Film awards at film festivals throughout the southeast. Morgenlander has also received acting awards for their role in the film “Luke & Jo.”
Morgenlander will also host a workshop on the conscientious filmmaking framework, which they authored in hopes of aiding the creation of more ethical processes on film sets.
Registration is required and available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/queer-studies-conference-2023-registration-429340146937.
More information, including an updated conference schedule, can be found at queercon.wp.unca.edu, or by emailing [email protected].
In-Person Only
No cost due to sponsor support
A brand is more than a name and logo. It is the perception that people have in their mind about a company, product or service that attracts them to you. Marketing a brand is like a 6-cylinder engine. If all 6-cylinders are not working together, one does not get the full power from the engine. Having only a website, business card and social media is like only having 3 cylinders. You do not get the full power from the brand. Can the Market Your Brand Workshop help you with your market your company, product or service? Take this self-test. You get one point for each that fits your company. ___ Healthy Increases in Annual Sales ___ High Profit Margins ___ Top of Search – Page 1 on Google My Business with a 4.5-5 Star Rating and High Number of Reviews ___ Branded Mobile-Friendly Website with High Traffic Numbers ___ Top Of Mind (When people think of your business category your name pops into their mind.) ___ Branded Social Media Platform with High Number of Likes & Followers ___ Branded Content Strategy (know and use key words that attract customers) ___ Branded Collateral Material (all printed materials are current and effective i.e. business card) ___ Use Brand Pivot Point in Making Marketing Decisions ___ Have and use a Customer Database to Market the Brand ___ Market to all 3 Stages in the Customer Cycle (Prospect, 1st Time Customer and Repeat Customer) ___ Use Brand Tagline in all Online and Print Marketing Materials ___ Branded Advertising Specialties (all promotional materials are current and effective i.e. tee-shirts) ___ Branded Company Spaces (promote brand in offices, lobby, store front, hallways, bathroom, etc.) ___ Branded External and Internal Signage (use signage to promote brand and it is current) ___ Total If you have a score of less than 14, the Market Your Brand Workshop can help create a plan to better Market Your Brand.
Speaker(s): Gary Heisey, Executive Director Mission Acceleration and Vision Leadership Program
Co-Sponsor(s): Henderson County Chamber of Commerce, Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library®
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library impacts the pre-literacy skills and school readiness of children under the age of 5 in Buncombe County. The program mails a new, free, age-appropriate book to registered children each month until they turn five years old. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library creates a home library of up to 60 books and instills a love of books and reading from an early age. If you have any questions about the program, please send an email to [email protected].
A national panel of educators selects the Imagination Library titles, which include: The Little Engine that Could, Last Stop on Market Street, Violet the Pilot, As an Oak Tree Grows, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Llama Llama Red Pajama, Look Out Kindergarten, here I come, and many more (take a look at all the titles).
Register your child now!
Program Launch and Expansions
Literacy Together became a Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library affiliate in November 2015 with support from the Buncombe Partnership for Children. Through this program, registered children in Buncombe County receive a free book in the mail each month. Their parents also have the opportunity to attend workshops to learn how to build their children’s early literacy skills. Parents in need of literacy assistance are encouraged to receive tutoring through Literacy Together’s adult programming.
The program served 200 children during the 2015/16 fiscal year. The program expanded to serve 400 children in July 2016, and 600 in August 2017. In July 2018, capacity increased to 1,900 thanks to a special allocation in the North Carolina state budget. We’re now serving 4,600 kids in Buncombe County.
The Education program at Flat Rock Playhouse is undergoing a name change! We are excited to streamline our program and we can’t wait to share the news with you!
Our new name will be Playhouse Jr.!

This new name will encompass many things. You might ask….what is Playhouse Jr.?
Playhouse Jr. means many things and we are excited to share this news with our community!

We are introducing a new software system for our Playhouse Jr. families! This new system will make your life easier! Once you have registered you are in our system for good. That means that once you register all you have to do is access your account to purchase any classes and camps moving forward. No need to register every time!
To register for our new system and to enroll in classes please visit this link: https://app.jackrabbitclass.com/regv2.asp?id=548849
Questions? Please email [email protected]!
Want to register over the phone? No problem! You can call our Education Director, Lauren Hopkins at (828)693-0403 ext. 246 starting Monday March 6!
Mission Health is accepting applications from throughout the community for the Kesha Young Health
Careers Scholarship , with the aim of supporting the education goals for high school seniors and college
students of color from Western North Carolina who are pursuing careers in healthcare.
For more than 25 years, Mission Health has been awarding the Kesha Young Health Careers Scholarship,
with more than $1 million given to make college more affordable for high school seniors and college
students of color from Western North Carolina who are pursuing careers in healthcare. The scholarship
is named in honor of Kesha Young, a 22-year-old, bi-racial woman who was born with mental and
physical disabilities and underwent multiple surgeries at Mission Hospital. Kesha died just months
before she was scheduled to earn her high school diploma. Despite her health struggles, Kesha was
described by her adoptive parents as embodying the characteristics that are vital to how healthcare
team members engage with patients, families and visitors, with a strong spirit, warm smile and positive
encouragement.
At Mission Health, we recognize that having a diverse workforce, especially in healthcare, is very
important to provide the best possible care to our patients and communities. This is integral to who we
are as a company. Our mission statement is based around recognizing and affirming the unique and
intrinsic worth of each individual: “Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of
human life.”
The completed application, along with all additional materials, must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday,
April 14th, 2023 for consideration. Recipients will be notified in early May and invited to a reception at
Mission Hospital on Wednesday June 7th.
After six years of hard work, the dream of using The Learning Garden as a hub for public gardening education is finally a reality. The Learning Garden, located at the Extension Office, 49 Mt. Carmel Road, is offering the public the opportunity to Visit and Learn in the garden on selected 2nd and 4th Thursdays, February – October. The Thursday in-person programs will consist of five garden-specific series. Visitors can walk around before or after the program and soak in our lovely gardens. Our gardens will open at 9:00 a.m. and all the demonstration programs run between 10-11:30 a.m. To ensure a good learning experience, attendance will be limited and registration will be required.
Dahlia Series
February 23 – Getting Your Dahlias Ready for Planting
August 3 – Disbudding Dahlias for Better Blooms
October 26 – Dividing and Storing Dahlias
Dye Garden Series
May 4 – Planning Your Dye Garden
June 22 – Introduction to Natural Dyeing
July 27 – Fresh Indigo
August 24 – Botanical Printing: Printing with Leaves and Flowers
September 28 – Dyeing with Hopi Black Sunflower
November 9 – The Magic of Indigo
Rose Garden Series
March 9 – Pruning Roses
April 6 – Climbing Roses
April 13 – Rose Pests and Pathogens
May 20 – Growing Beautiful Roses (Saturday Seminar)
Sun & Shade Garden Series
May 11 – Planting a Native Butterfly Host Plant Garden
June 29 – Foodscaping Edible Plants in Flower Beds
August 31 – Dealing with “the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” Plants
Sept 14 – Native Butterfly Life Cycles in the Fall Garden
Vegetable Garden Series
March 23 – Building an ADA Compliant Raised Garden
April 26 – Planting Root Crops: Leeks, Onions, Carrots, Parsnips
May 25 – Planting a Seed Saving Garden
June 8 – Common Vegetable Garden Pests
July 13 – Kid Friendly Gardening
August 10 – Preserving Your Vegetable Harvest
In addition to the Thursday programs listed above, The Learning Garden will present a series of ninety minute (+/-) hands-on seminars covering various gardening topics. These in-person programs will be held at The Learning Garden on selected Saturday mornings, February – September.
Saturday Seminars
February 18 – Tool Selection and Sharpening
March 18 – Pruning Trees and Shrubs
April 22 – Gardening for the Birds
May 20 – Growing Beautiful Roses
June 17 – Pollinator Plants in The Learning Garden
September 16 – Bulbs for All Seasons
Each of the programs in The Learning Garden will be announced individually through this blog and on our website two weeks before each program. Each announcement will include instructions on how to register. Mark your calendar and register to attend as many as you can.
Spend an hour hiking one of the Parks’ six trails with a naturalist. Watch the transformation from winter to spring on this educational excursion. You may even learn some of the Parks’ history as well. Meet in front of Cliff Dwellers Gifts.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library®
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library impacts the pre-literacy skills and school readiness of children under the age of 5 in Buncombe County. The program mails a new, free, age-appropriate book to registered children each month until they turn five years old. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library creates a home library of up to 60 books and instills a love of books and reading from an early age. If you have any questions about the program, please send an email to [email protected].
A national panel of educators selects the Imagination Library titles, which include: The Little Engine that Could, Last Stop on Market Street, Violet the Pilot, As an Oak Tree Grows, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Llama Llama Red Pajama, Look Out Kindergarten, here I come, and many more (take a look at all the titles).
Register your child now!
Program Launch and Expansions
Literacy Together became a Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library affiliate in November 2015 with support from the Buncombe Partnership for Children. Through this program, registered children in Buncombe County receive a free book in the mail each month. Their parents also have the opportunity to attend workshops to learn how to build their children’s early literacy skills. Parents in need of literacy assistance are encouraged to receive tutoring through Literacy Together’s adult programming.
The program served 200 children during the 2015/16 fiscal year. The program expanded to serve 400 children in July 2016, and 600 in August 2017. In July 2018, capacity increased to 1,900 thanks to a special allocation in the North Carolina state budget. We’re now serving 4,600 kids in Buncombe County.
The Education program at Flat Rock Playhouse is undergoing a name change! We are excited to streamline our program and we can’t wait to share the news with you!
Our new name will be Playhouse Jr.!

This new name will encompass many things. You might ask….what is Playhouse Jr.?
Playhouse Jr. means many things and we are excited to share this news with our community!

We are introducing a new software system for our Playhouse Jr. families! This new system will make your life easier! Once you have registered you are in our system for good. That means that once you register all you have to do is access your account to purchase any classes and camps moving forward. No need to register every time!
To register for our new system and to enroll in classes please visit this link: https://app.jackrabbitclass.com/regv2.asp?id=548849
Questions? Please email [email protected]!
Want to register over the phone? No problem! You can call our Education Director, Lauren Hopkins at (828)693-0403 ext. 246 starting Monday March 6!
Mission Health is accepting applications from throughout the community for the Kesha Young Health
Careers Scholarship , with the aim of supporting the education goals for high school seniors and college
students of color from Western North Carolina who are pursuing careers in healthcare.
For more than 25 years, Mission Health has been awarding the Kesha Young Health Careers Scholarship,
with more than $1 million given to make college more affordable for high school seniors and college
students of color from Western North Carolina who are pursuing careers in healthcare. The scholarship
is named in honor of Kesha Young, a 22-year-old, bi-racial woman who was born with mental and
physical disabilities and underwent multiple surgeries at Mission Hospital. Kesha died just months
before she was scheduled to earn her high school diploma. Despite her health struggles, Kesha was
described by her adoptive parents as embodying the characteristics that are vital to how healthcare
team members engage with patients, families and visitors, with a strong spirit, warm smile and positive
encouragement.
At Mission Health, we recognize that having a diverse workforce, especially in healthcare, is very
important to provide the best possible care to our patients and communities. This is integral to who we
are as a company. Our mission statement is based around recognizing and affirming the unique and
intrinsic worth of each individual: “Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of
human life.”
The completed application, along with all additional materials, must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday,
April 14th, 2023 for consideration. Recipients will be notified in early May and invited to a reception at
Mission Hospital on Wednesday June 7th.
|
LEARN MORE THIS YEAR |
|
Brush up on your wilderness medicine or learn new survival skills! SOLO Southeast & NOC are offering over 200 courses in 2023 and classes in locations across the southeast.
Find your next course with SOLO Southeast and be prepared for the unexpected! |
Location: TEDC Building, Room 236
In-person only
No cost due to sponsor support
As a business owner, the mental health of your employees is imperative to a healthy, happy, and productive workplace. Mental Health First-Aid for Business Owners teaches employers and managers how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders. This two part training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and/or experiencing a crisis. Mental Health First Aiders will never diagnose or treat; they will merely provide emergency support until the individual can be connected to a certified mental health professional. Upon completion of the course, participants will receive a certificate.
Speaker(s): Angela Uhl-Kalev and Guest Speaker Laura Simmons
Co-Sponsor(s): Henderson County Chamber of Commerce and Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce
We are seeking volunteers to assist us in our small after school program for children in West Asheville in low-income housing. We provide a safe and nourishing environment, healthy snacks, and creative activities. Our program currently meets during the school year on most Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 3:00-5:00pm. You may volunteer for one or two days a week.
Volunteer Responsibilities:
- Assist with serving snacks
- Interact with children during activity time
- Supervise games and outdoor free time
- For people with background in education, there is also an opportunity to assist with curriculum development and program planning and administration
Requirements:
- Background check
- Orientation booklets will be provided
- Masks are required if unvaccinated
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library®
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library impacts the pre-literacy skills and school readiness of children under the age of 5 in Buncombe County. The program mails a new, free, age-appropriate book to registered children each month until they turn five years old. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library creates a home library of up to 60 books and instills a love of books and reading from an early age. If you have any questions about the program, please send an email to [email protected].
A national panel of educators selects the Imagination Library titles, which include: The Little Engine that Could, Last Stop on Market Street, Violet the Pilot, As an Oak Tree Grows, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Llama Llama Red Pajama, Look Out Kindergarten, here I come, and many more (take a look at all the titles).
Register your child now!
Program Launch and Expansions
Literacy Together became a Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library affiliate in November 2015 with support from the Buncombe Partnership for Children. Through this program, registered children in Buncombe County receive a free book in the mail each month. Their parents also have the opportunity to attend workshops to learn how to build their children’s early literacy skills. Parents in need of literacy assistance are encouraged to receive tutoring through Literacy Together’s adult programming.
The program served 200 children during the 2015/16 fiscal year. The program expanded to serve 400 children in July 2016, and 600 in August 2017. In July 2018, capacity increased to 1,900 thanks to a special allocation in the North Carolina state budget. We’re now serving 4,600 kids in Buncombe County.
The Education program at Flat Rock Playhouse is undergoing a name change! We are excited to streamline our program and we can’t wait to share the news with you!
Our new name will be Playhouse Jr.!

This new name will encompass many things. You might ask….what is Playhouse Jr.?
Playhouse Jr. means many things and we are excited to share this news with our community!

We are introducing a new software system for our Playhouse Jr. families! This new system will make your life easier! Once you have registered you are in our system for good. That means that once you register all you have to do is access your account to purchase any classes and camps moving forward. No need to register every time!
To register for our new system and to enroll in classes please visit this link: https://app.jackrabbitclass.com/regv2.asp?id=548849
Questions? Please email [email protected]!
Want to register over the phone? No problem! You can call our Education Director, Lauren Hopkins at (828)693-0403 ext. 246 starting Monday March 6!
Mission Health is accepting applications from throughout the community for the Kesha Young Health
Careers Scholarship , with the aim of supporting the education goals for high school seniors and college
students of color from Western North Carolina who are pursuing careers in healthcare.
For more than 25 years, Mission Health has been awarding the Kesha Young Health Careers Scholarship,
with more than $1 million given to make college more affordable for high school seniors and college
students of color from Western North Carolina who are pursuing careers in healthcare. The scholarship
is named in honor of Kesha Young, a 22-year-old, bi-racial woman who was born with mental and
physical disabilities and underwent multiple surgeries at Mission Hospital. Kesha died just months
before she was scheduled to earn her high school diploma. Despite her health struggles, Kesha was
described by her adoptive parents as embodying the characteristics that are vital to how healthcare
team members engage with patients, families and visitors, with a strong spirit, warm smile and positive
encouragement.
At Mission Health, we recognize that having a diverse workforce, especially in healthcare, is very
important to provide the best possible care to our patients and communities. This is integral to who we
are as a company. Our mission statement is based around recognizing and affirming the unique and
intrinsic worth of each individual: “Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of
human life.”
The completed application, along with all additional materials, must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday,
April 14th, 2023 for consideration. Recipients will be notified in early May and invited to a reception at
Mission Hospital on Wednesday June 7th.
After six years of hard work, the dream of using The Learning Garden as a hub for public gardening education is finally a reality. The Learning Garden, located at the Extension Office, 49 Mt. Carmel Road, is offering the public the opportunity to Visit and Learn in the garden on selected 2nd and 4th Thursdays, February – October. The Thursday in-person programs will consist of five garden-specific series. Visitors can walk around before or after the program and soak in our lovely gardens. Our gardens will open at 9:00 a.m. and all the demonstration programs run between 10-11:30 a.m. To ensure a good learning experience, attendance will be limited and registration will be required.
Dahlia Series
February 23 – Getting Your Dahlias Ready for Planting
August 3 – Disbudding Dahlias for Better Blooms
October 26 – Dividing and Storing Dahlias
Dye Garden Series
May 4 – Planning Your Dye Garden
June 22 – Introduction to Natural Dyeing
July 27 – Fresh Indigo
August 24 – Botanical Printing: Printing with Leaves and Flowers
September 28 – Dyeing with Hopi Black Sunflower
November 9 – The Magic of Indigo
Rose Garden Series
March 9 – Pruning Roses
April 6 – Climbing Roses
April 13 – Rose Pests and Pathogens
May 20 – Growing Beautiful Roses (Saturday Seminar)
Sun & Shade Garden Series
May 11 – Planting a Native Butterfly Host Plant Garden
June 29 – Foodscaping Edible Plants in Flower Beds
August 31 – Dealing with “the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” Plants
Sept 14 – Native Butterfly Life Cycles in the Fall Garden
Vegetable Garden Series
March 23 – Building an ADA Compliant Raised Garden
April 26 – Planting Root Crops: Leeks, Onions, Carrots, Parsnips
May 25 – Planting a Seed Saving Garden
June 8 – Common Vegetable Garden Pests
July 13 – Kid Friendly Gardening
August 10 – Preserving Your Vegetable Harvest
In addition to the Thursday programs listed above, The Learning Garden will present a series of ninety minute (+/-) hands-on seminars covering various gardening topics. These in-person programs will be held at The Learning Garden on selected Saturday mornings, February – September.
Saturday Seminars
February 18 – Tool Selection and Sharpening
March 18 – Pruning Trees and Shrubs
April 22 – Gardening for the Birds
May 20 – Growing Beautiful Roses
June 17 – Pollinator Plants in The Learning Garden
September 16 – Bulbs for All Seasons
Each of the programs in The Learning Garden will be announced individually through this blog and on our website two weeks before each program. Each announcement will include instructions on how to register. Mark your calendar and register to attend as many as you can.
|
LEARN MORE THIS YEAR |
|
Brush up on your wilderness medicine or learn new survival skills! SOLO Southeast & NOC are offering over 200 courses in 2023 and classes in locations across the southeast.
Find your next course with SOLO Southeast and be prepared for the unexpected! |
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library®
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library impacts the pre-literacy skills and school readiness of children under the age of 5 in Buncombe County. The program mails a new, free, age-appropriate book to registered children each month until they turn five years old. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library creates a home library of up to 60 books and instills a love of books and reading from an early age. If you have any questions about the program, please send an email to [email protected].
A national panel of educators selects the Imagination Library titles, which include: The Little Engine that Could, Last Stop on Market Street, Violet the Pilot, As an Oak Tree Grows, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Llama Llama Red Pajama, Look Out Kindergarten, here I come, and many more (take a look at all the titles).
Register your child now!
Program Launch and Expansions
Literacy Together became a Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library affiliate in November 2015 with support from the Buncombe Partnership for Children. Through this program, registered children in Buncombe County receive a free book in the mail each month. Their parents also have the opportunity to attend workshops to learn how to build their children’s early literacy skills. Parents in need of literacy assistance are encouraged to receive tutoring through Literacy Together’s adult programming.
The program served 200 children during the 2015/16 fiscal year. The program expanded to serve 400 children in July 2016, and 600 in August 2017. In July 2018, capacity increased to 1,900 thanks to a special allocation in the North Carolina state budget. We’re now serving 4,600 kids in Buncombe County.
The Education program at Flat Rock Playhouse is undergoing a name change! We are excited to streamline our program and we can’t wait to share the news with you!
Our new name will be Playhouse Jr.!

This new name will encompass many things. You might ask….what is Playhouse Jr.?
Playhouse Jr. means many things and we are excited to share this news with our community!

We are introducing a new software system for our Playhouse Jr. families! This new system will make your life easier! Once you have registered you are in our system for good. That means that once you register all you have to do is access your account to purchase any classes and camps moving forward. No need to register every time!
To register for our new system and to enroll in classes please visit this link: https://app.jackrabbitclass.com/regv2.asp?id=548849
Questions? Please email [email protected]!
Want to register over the phone? No problem! You can call our Education Director, Lauren Hopkins at (828)693-0403 ext. 246 starting Monday March 6!
Mission Health is accepting applications from throughout the community for the Kesha Young Health
Careers Scholarship , with the aim of supporting the education goals for high school seniors and college
students of color from Western North Carolina who are pursuing careers in healthcare.
For more than 25 years, Mission Health has been awarding the Kesha Young Health Careers Scholarship,
with more than $1 million given to make college more affordable for high school seniors and college
students of color from Western North Carolina who are pursuing careers in healthcare. The scholarship
is named in honor of Kesha Young, a 22-year-old, bi-racial woman who was born with mental and
physical disabilities and underwent multiple surgeries at Mission Hospital. Kesha died just months
before she was scheduled to earn her high school diploma. Despite her health struggles, Kesha was
described by her adoptive parents as embodying the characteristics that are vital to how healthcare
team members engage with patients, families and visitors, with a strong spirit, warm smile and positive
encouragement.
At Mission Health, we recognize that having a diverse workforce, especially in healthcare, is very
important to provide the best possible care to our patients and communities. This is integral to who we
are as a company. Our mission statement is based around recognizing and affirming the unique and
intrinsic worth of each individual: “Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of
human life.”
The completed application, along with all additional materials, must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday,
April 14th, 2023 for consideration. Recipients will be notified in early May and invited to a reception at
Mission Hospital on Wednesday June 7th.
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LEARN MORE THIS YEAR |
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Brush up on your wilderness medicine or learn new survival skills! SOLO Southeast & NOC are offering over 200 courses in 2023 and classes in locations across the southeast.
Find your next course with SOLO Southeast and be prepared for the unexpected! |
Schedule for RAIL Project Symposium – March 30, 31, and April 1
Thursday, March 30 – Mannheimer Room, OLLI
7:00 PM – Keynote: Dr. Darin Waters, Deputy Secretary, NC Office of Archives and History
Reception following
Friday, March 31 – Mountain View Room, Kimmel Arena
8:30 AM – Coffee and Pastries
9:00 – Welcome – Dr. Tracey Rizzo (Dean of Humanities, UNCA)
9:15 – Session 1
How We Began, What We Did, and What It All Means
RAIL Board Member Roundtable
Moderator – Steve Little (Mayor, City of Marion)
Ray McKesson (CFO McDowell Technical College, ret.)
Stephanie Stepson Twitty (President and CEO Eagle Market Streets Development Corp.)
RoAnn Bishop (Director, Mountain Gateway Museum)
Ashley Whittle (Archives and Special Collections Assistant ,UNCA)
Jim Stokely (President, Wilma Dykeman Legacy)
Jeff Futch (Western Regional Supervisor, NC Department of Cultural and Natural Resources)
10:45 – Break
11:00 – Session 2
Using Human Remains Detection Dogs and Ground Penetrating Radar to Help Locate Historic
Burial Grounds
Moderator – Dr. Sarah Judson (Chair, Department of History, UNCA)
Cat Warren (Department of English, NC State University, Author: What the Dog Knows)
Blair Tormey (Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines, Western Carolina University)
Paul Martin (Martin Archaeology Consultants)
12:30 – Lunch Break
1:30 – Session 3
Moderator – Dr. Abena Boakyewa-Ansah (Department of History, UNCA)
Partners in Memorializing: The Asheville African American Cemeteries Project, The Buncombe
County Remembrance Project, and The African Americans in the Smokies Project
Dr. Ellen Holmes Pearson (Department of History, UNCA and South Asheville and The 828
Digital Archives for Historical Equity Project)
Dr. Joseph Fox (CEO Fox Management Consulting Enterprises and Buncombe County
Remembrance Project)
Antoine Fletcher (Science Communicator, Great Smoky Mountains National Park)
3:00 – Break
3:15 – Session 4
Where Do We Go From Here: Challenges and Opportunities
Moderator – Dr. Dan Pierce (Department of History, UNCA)
Cayla Colclasure (Ph.D. candidate, Department of Anthropology, UNC-CH)
Dr. Jeff Keith (Department of Global Studies, Warren Wilson College)
Dr. Kevin Kehrberg (Department of Music, Warren Wilson College)
Anne Chesky-Smith (Director, WNC Historical Association)
Saturday, April 1
Four Field Opportunities: Session 1 @ 10:00 AM; Session 2 @ 11:30 AM
The Swannanoa Gap – Anne Chesky Smith
Andrews Geyser and the RAIL Memorial – Steve Little and Paul Twitty
Andrews Geyser and Human Remains Detection Dogs – Cat Warren
A Walk Down the Point Lookout Greenway (2 miles on pavement) – Dan Pierce

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