Extension Master Gardener (EMG) volunteers will be at the Asheville City Market with answers to all of your gardening questions and concerns.
Feel free to bring plant or insect samples for identification and/or problem resolution. Soil test kits and information about the EMG Learning Garden activities and Gardening in the Mountains seminars will be available! Please stop by to learn more!

Extension Master Gardener (EMG) volunteers will be at the Asheville City Market with answers to all of your gardening questions and concerns. Feel free to bring plant or insect samples for identification and/or problem resolution. Soil test kits and information about the EMG Learning Garden activities and Gardening in the Mountains seminars will be available! Please stop by to learn more!

After a two year hiatus, the Extension Master Gardener^SMPlant Clinics are back and in-person at Asheville City Market.  Formerly known as Info Tables, Master Gardener volunteers will be at the Asheville City Market, located at 52 N. Market Street, Asheville, NC 28801 on May 28, June 25, July 30, and August 27 to answers to all of your gardening questions and address your concerns.

EMGV ready for Q&A at the Plant Clinic

Feel free to bring plant or insect samples for identification and/or problem resolution.  You can pick-up soil test kits and receive information about activities at The Learning Garden and Gardening in the Mountains seminars.  Please stop by to learn more!

We are very excited to bring back Theater Camp this summer!

Presented in collaboration with Tryon Little Theater, the annual Summer Theater Camp allows students to put on a fully-staged production in just one week! Students learn about the ins and outs of theater-from auditions Monday morning to a fully-staged public show with lights, sound, sets, props & costumes on Saturday!

Old Kentucky Home -The Thomas Wolfe Memorial

American Novelist Thomas Wolfe (1900-1938)

Considered by many to be one of the giants of 20th-century American literature, Thomas Wolfe immortalized his childhood home in his epic autobiographical novel, Look Homeward, Angel. Wolfe’s colorful portrayal of his family, his hometown of “Altamont” Asheville, North Carolina, and “Dixieland” the Old Kentucky Home boardinghouse, earned the Victorian period house a place as one of American literature’s most famous landmarks.

House tours are offered daily at half past each hour. Last tour leaves at 4:30 pm.
Group tours by reservation.

Adult – $5.00
Student (ages 7-17) – $2.00
Adult Group (10+) – $2.50 each
Student Group – $2.00 each
6 & under – Free

Hours of Operation

As Buncombe County prepares to honor Juneteenth, the County has partnered with the Shiloh Community Association to release historic maps of African American landmarks. These maps identify the historical landmarks and markers that outline the rich and vibrant history of African Americans in Asheville and Buncombe County.

Free maps are available at the following locations:

• Buncombe County Register of Deeds, 205 College St., Asheville, available Monday-Friday
• Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St., Asheville, available Tuesday-Saturday
• Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, 36 Montford Ave. Asheville, available Monday-Friday
• Buncombe County tent at the Freedom Festival, a celebration of Juneteenth on Saturday, June 18 at Pack Square Park, Asheville

Please note that in observance of Juneteenth, the Buncombe County Register of Deeds will be closed on Friday, June 17, and the Pack Memorial Library will be closed on Friday, June 17 and Saturday, June 18.

The Asheville Historic Map of African American Landmarks takes readers on a tour of the Burton Street, East End/Valley Street, Southside, and Shiloh communities, noting historically African American neighborhoods, landmarks, churches, cemeteries, and lynching memorials. The map also details the contributions of James Vester Miller, one of the most prominent Black builders in Western North Carolina. His work is represented through the construction of many prominent African American churches, government buildings, and private projects for white clients.

The map also includes the lynching memorials, which were installed in October, 2021 to honor the lives of Mr. John Humphries, Mr. Bob Brackett, and Mr. Hezekiah Rankin. This Buncombe County Remembrance Project installation is part of the County’s partnership with the Equal Justice Initiative’s Historical Marker Project that collaborates with communities to memorialize documented victims of racial violence that occurred from 1877-1950, as well as to foster meaningful dialogue about race and justice.

To request maps or to learn more, email [email protected].

Learn more about Juneteenth here.

Featured Artists: Jude Stuecker (fiber) Erica Bailey (jewelry) Mary Dashiell (clay) Steve Miller (wood) Rex Redd (clay)

All of our shows are funny, imaginative and educational. You have another chance to catch some trickster tales, and TWO chances to catch some great Greek myths, along with Tale of the Pig, about a VERY magical porcine and his princess! You know you’re always looking for something to do with the kiddos on weekend mornings…

Take a 90-plus minute walk along Historic Main Street to learn about Hendersonville’s history and architecture and hear fascinating stories of the past. Be charmed and informed by Hendersonville’s history, architecture, and colorful stories.  Learn how the town got its name, who donated the land, bordellos, the oldest block of buildings, amazing fires, trolley lines … and more. All walks begin at 10am and begin at Hendersonville City Hall, front steps (corner of 5th Ave. East and King Street).

Want to take your hiking trip to the next level? Interested in getting a closer look at our local wildlife? The North Asheville Library now has binoculars available for check out!

Acorns’ Annual Season of Trunk Shows highlights the talented creators of fine art, designer jewelry, and home goods.

Drop by Acorns in highlands on Saturday, July 30 and meet artist Phillip Curcuru. Local artist and owner of Upland Nature Lab, Phillip focuses on celebrating natural specimens by dramatizing objects through isolation, light, and backdrop. These dramatic botanic compilations honor the everyday wonder of mother nature. All specimens are found in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, and photographed at his home studio in Highlands. Stop by for the Phillip Curcuru Art Trunk Show Saturday, July 30, from 10 AM TO 5 PM at Acorns, Located at 212 South 4TH Street in Highlands.

“My work focuses on deteriorating architecture. These structures, designed to be huge forces of permanence, are continually being challenged, destroyed and forgotten. I see an inherent honesty in the face of my subject. Among all of the clutter—the shards of wood and layers of rubble—there remains a gentle resolve. As I work, I study these structures incessantly. The buildings, often on the brink of ruin, have something very energized and present trying to escape from their fragmented reality.”  –Seth Clark

This first solo show of Seth’s work at Momentum’s new space features large-scale works from his Barn, Ghost, and Aerial View Series.  The collection also includes some of the artist’s sculptural objects in wood.  Abstract works, which still reference weathered architecture, such as Lath Study and Vinyl Study, round out the exhibition.

Summer Theater Camp Performance on Stage

RiverLink is honored to be the beneficiary of the community giving program at High Five Coffee in June and July! Stop by for a beverage and add a $5 donation at the register—100% of your gift goes to RiverLink! In addition, 10% of branded merchandise sales will support our efforts to restore the French Broad. Three locations to serve you: 13 Rankin Ave., 190 Broadway St., or (our favorite) the 2000 Riverside Drive location in Woodfin, offering coffee drinks, pastries and smoothies plus outdoor seating and walking trails on the bank of the river. Now that’s a coffee stop!

Of course, you can always donate directly from this newsletter. Thank you for considering a gift today!

2022 Season will offer Rootabaga Express! on Thursday and Saturday mornings at 10:15 am. Celebrate 100 years of Rootabaga this summer! Published in 1922, the “Rootabaga Stories” have entertained readers and audiences of all ages for 100 years. Use the links at the bottom to read a story or watch part of a play. The Sandburg Summer Stage is a series of free public performances. These 30-minute programs feature the cast and directors from The Vagabond School of the Drama, an apprentice program of the Flat Rock Playhouse. Performances are held rain or shine, at the park amphitheatre near the Front Lake. Rootabaga Express! Carl Sandburg created his own version of American fairy tales when he published Rootabaga Stories (1922) and Rootabaga Pigeons (1923). He replaced the European fairy tale cast of princes, princesses, castles and kingdoms with icons American children would recognize — taxi-drivers, movie actors, skyscrapers, prairies and automobiles. Rootabaga Express! brings the stories of the Five Rusty Rats, Bimbo the Snip and more to life.You’ll meet new characters and journey farther into the Village of Liver and Onions and Sandburg’s imagination than ever before.The 30-minute shows are appropriate for all ages and held rain or shine. These shows are supported by the Flat Rock Playhouse and the Park Store, operated by America’s National Parks. Apprentice actors from the Flat Rock Playhouse have performed adaptations of Sandburg’s works for park visitors since 1974. Using Sandburg’s own words from his collections of children’s stories, poetry, collected music, biography of Abraham Lincoln and his own autobiography, the performances provide visitors with a sense of the scope of his work and imagination. Sandburg was an expert storyteller, and easily wove important messages of fairness, empathy and social justice into his writings. Whatever play you are able to attend you will walk away with a smile on your face and a better understanding of the legacy of Carl Sandburg.

No shows June 30 and July 2.

JOIN US FOR UNCORKED! THIS UNIQUE RAIL LINE AND WINE EXPERIENCE WILL FUSE THE ADVENTURE OF RAILROADING WITH THE LOVE OF GOOD WINE AND GOOD COMPANY.

• About This Trip
• Meal
• How To Purchase
• Where To Go
• Schedule

About This Trip

Passengers will enjoy a full service All-Adult First Class ride in our First Class cars with a private attendant and plush, well-appointed dining seating. A narrator will accompany the ride to present each pour to guests and share knowledge and history of the wines selected. Passengers on this specialty car will enjoy an exclusive sampling of cheeses and a surf and turf meal prepared fresh.

We have carefully selected our wine samples to accompany the meal. All passengers will receive a GSMR souvenir stemless wine glass, four samples of selected wine, and a dessert that’s perfect
for the season!

Uncorked is offered on the Nantahala Gorge Excursion departing on April 23, May 7, June 4, July 30, Aug 6 & Sept 3.

Tickets for this specialty experience is $139 per person (Adults 21+ only). Due to the exclusivity of this specialty car, tickets will be selling fast so make sure to reserve your seat today!

On Your Plate

Starters –

Enjoy a sampling of  cheeses.

Soup –

Fresh Soup or Salad (Seasonal) served with a Warm Dinner Roll.

Main Course

Fresh fish seasonally prepared at Chefs’ discretion.  Accompanied by Tender Beef slices topped with a Port Wine Reduction and Carrot Soufflé.

Dessert

Chef choice

Join us in the taproom on Saturday, July 30th for our 2nd Annual Bold Rock Fishing Fest!

We will have live music, local vendors, games, PLUS specially designed Bold Rock Fishing Fest hats and stickers that guests can purchase.

We will also be teaming up with Casting for Recovery for a fishing-inspired raffle basket that guests can purchase tickets to on-site at our event! 

Casting for Recovery is a non-profit that provides healing outdoor retreats for women with breast cancer, at no cost to the participants, and offer opportunities for women to find inspiration, discover renewed energy for life, and experience healing connections with other women and nature.

We hope you’re able to join us!

Jessie B. Telfair, Freedom Quilt, 1983, cotton with pencil, 74 × 68 inches. Collection American Folk Art Museum, NY, gift of Judith Alexander in loving memory of her sister, Rebecca Alexander, 2004.9.1. © Estate of Jessie. B. Telfair, image Gavin Ashworth.

American Perspectives: Stories from the American Folk Art Museum Collection showcases over 80 stellar works of folk and self-taught art including assemblages, needlework, paintings, pottery, quilts, and sculpture. Organized by the American Folk Art Museum in New York, this exhibition will be on view in the Explore Asheville Exhibition Hall at the Asheville Art Museum from June 18 through September 5, 2022. Everyone has stories to tell from both the private and mutual experiences encountered throughout their lifetime. American folk and self-taught artists capture these stories in powerful visual narratives that offer firsthand testimonies to chapters in the unfolding story of America from its inception to the present. Beautiful, diverse, and truthful; the art illuminates the thoughts and experiences of individuals with an immediacy that is palpable and unique to these expressions. These artworks held meaning in the makers’ worlds filtered through their own perceptions. The artworks are organized into four sections—Founders, Travelers, Philosophers, and Seekers—that respond to such themes as nationhood, freedom, community, imagination, opportunity, and legacy. Evocative visual juxtapositions and accessible contextual information further reveal the vital role that folk art plays as a witness to history, carrier of cultural heritage, and a reflection of the world at large through the eyes, heart, and mind of the artist. “While the Asheville Art Museum exhibits many folk and self-taught artists, most are local to the Southeast,” says Whitney Richardson, associate curator. “American Perspectives adds a national voice to the conversation by adding New England, Midwestern, Southwestern, and West Coast artworks that the Museum could never achieve alone. The amount of creative output from folk and self-taught artists was (and still is) on a national level and this exhibition helps to put that into a clear context. Traveling to Asheville from the collection of the American Folk Art Museum in New York, this exhibition will complement and expand the Museum’s ongoing conversations around American history and storytelling through works of art.” This exhibition has been organized by the American Folk Art Museum, NY, with support provided by Art Bridges. Originally curated for installation at the American Folk Art Museum February 11, 2020–January 3, 2021 by Stacy C. Hollander, independent curator. Tour coordinated by Emelie Gevalt, Curator of Folk Art and Curatorial Chair for Collections, the American Folk Art Museum.

Useful and Beautiful: Silvercraft by William Waldo Dodge features a selection of functional silver works by Dodge drawn from the Museum’s Collection. Organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Whitney Richardson, associate curator, this exhibition will be on view in the Debra McClinton Gallery at the Museum from February 23 through October 17, 2022.

William Waldo Dodge Jr. (Washington, DC 1895–1971 Asheville, NC) moved to Asheville in 1924 as a trained architect and a newly skilled silversmith. When he opened for business promoting his handwrought silver tableware, including plates, candlesticks, flatware (spoons, forks, and knives), and serving dishes, he did so in a true Arts and Crafts tradition. The aesthetics of the style were dictated by its philosophy: an artist’s handmade creation should reflect their hard work and skill, and the resulting artwork should highlight the material from which it was made. Dodge’s silver often displayed his hammer marks and inventive techniques, revealing the beauty of these useful household goods.

The Arts and Crafts style of England became popular in the United States in the early 1900s. Asheville was an early adopter of the movement because of the popularity and abundance of Arts and Crafts architecture in neighborhoods like Biltmore Forest, Biltmore Village, and the area around The Grove Park Inn. The title of this exhibition was taken from the famous quotation by one of the founding members of the English Arts and Crafts Movement, William Morris, who said, “have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” Not only did Dodge follow this suggestion; he contributed to American Arts and Crafts silver’s relevancy persisting almost halfway into the 20th century.

“It has been over 15 years since the Museum exhibited its collection of William Waldo Dodge silver and I am looking forward to displaying it in the new space with some new acquisitions added,” said Whitney Richardson, associate curator. Learn more at ashevilleart.org.

Grove Arcade’s First Annual Summer Festival is Saturday July 30th! The merchants of the Grove Arcade have come together to share their crafts and specialties in a fun and interactive way with the community. Stop by for indoor and outdoor games and activities, live music, live demos, food and drink specials and so much more!