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.
Come experience the love of clay with our talented artists at Odyssey ClayWorks! Learn to sculpt, coil, and even get to try your hand at throwing on the potter’s wheel in a fun and upbeat atmosphere. All skill levels welcome.
Momentum Gallery in downtown Asheville hosts new summer exhibitions – Mariella Bisson, Setting Shapes; Oil paintings by two new painters: Samantha Keely Smith and Paul Sattler; and a group invitational called Give Me Wood. These exhibitions continue at 24 N Lexington Avenue through the end of August.
Mariella Bisson deftly delineates the sculptural planes of regional waterfalls and sylvan scenes creating refreshingly contemporary landscape paintings. Her oil-over-collage paintings feature built-up texture, suggesting the complex surface of stone and tree bark, lichen, and moss. Bisson’s paintings demonstrate a strong understanding of formal composition and reflect a sensibility honed from time she’s spent immersed in the outdoors. Of note, Bisson is a two-time recipient of the Pollock-Krasner grant and was awarded a New York Foundation for the Arts fellowship in painting.
Samantha Keely Smith creates inspired and stirring abstract paintings in oil. The Brooklyn-based artist sees her paintings “as an expression of our internal turbulence. They reflect the overwhelming reality of being constantly aware of what is happening in the wider world – Change is the only constant.” Smith’s nebulous compositions are evocative of luminous cloudscapes and primordial oceans. Brilliant areas of stained pigment collide with waves of painterly brush strokes ultimately conjuring imagined environments with a timeless quality. “These paintings are about the essence of who we all are, as human beings… We all want love and connection.” Smith’s works give form to fluctuations between turbulence and calm present in everything from our emotions to the temporal world. Overall, Smith’s focus is on the underlying psychological impact of the dawning awareness of our shifting reality.
An accomplished oil painter, Paul Sattler was the recipient of the John R. Solomon Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship. In 2004, he was selected to exhibit at the 179th Annual Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary Art at the National Academy of Design in New York, where he received the Wallace Truman Prize. Dramatic narratives unfold in his charged and enigmatic oil paintings which reference historic and literary sources. Sattler comments, “A diverse population of animals are enmeshed in my works’ human-inhabited environments, theatrical locales, and domestic dramas.”
Give Me Wood is an imaginative and evocative collection of contemporary painting and wood sculpture. Central to the identity and creation of all the extraordinary two- and three-dimensional works in the exhibition is the common material of wood. The participating artists defy logic, explore space (both real and imagined), carve, bend, turn, and otherwise construct some truly amazing and innovative work! Featuring Michael Alm, Garry Knox Bennett, Gil Bruvel, Christian Burchard, Tom Eckert, David Ellsworth, Ron Layport, Wendy Maruyama, and Sylvie Rosenthal.
So, you want to raise more money. But you don’t know where to start. You’re not alone.
Nonprofits need a diversified funding strategy if they want to survive. And they need a robust development plan if they want to grow and thrive.
This half-day interactive workshop provides benchmarking data so you can see how your nonprofit stacks up against the competition. You’ll also consider your organization’s past results as well as new ways of raising money.
Participants will leave with conversation starters and actionable ideas to take back to other board and staff members.
There’s more than Chunky Monkey and New York Super Fudge Chunk in downtown Asheville’s Ben & Jerry’s this summer.
Art created by Vance Elementary School fifth grade students of art educator Robbie Lipe is now on display on the brick walls opposite the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. The exhibit depicts the students’ interpretation of the artist Kehinde Wiley and the contemporary portraits he creates inspired by traditional Baroque paintings. It will be featured through the end of the summer.
“Ben & Jerry’s is excited about showcasing art from the community inside our scoop shop,” said general manager Chris Carter. “Making use of our walls to show what local artists are creating complements our social mission — to be actively involved in the places we live and do business. I hope this is the first of many art exhibits on our walls.”
Carter gave all the credit for the exhibit to Ms. Lipe, who teaches kindergarten through 5th-grade students at Vance Elementary. She was named the North Carolina Arts Educators Association “Art Educator of the Year” in 2017-2018.
Ben & Jerry’s is located at 19 Haywood Street. Current hours are Monday-Thursday 12 pm to 10 pm; Friday 12 pm – 11 pm; Saturday 11:30 am – 11 pm; Sunday 11:30 am – 10 pm.
For more information, call Carter at 310-601-6247.

You can’t beat a walk with a friend over good conversation. So, why not take a walk with lots of friends and a history expert to boot? Buncombe County Libraries is excited to announce its Strolling Through History program focused on getting you moving while taking in some experiential history. “Each one of the strolls is a little different. We’ll talk about the evolution of the architecture, famous (or not quite so famous) residents, important events, and more,” explains Pack Memorial Librarian Katherine Calhoun Cutshall. “On our Haywood Street stroll, we talked about how the street has seen two major rebirths and discussed the careers of two WWI nurses who grew up on the street while it was mostly residential.”
Pack Librarians are always looking for innovative ways to showcase the library’s portfolio of initiatives and resources. “The North Carolina Room is a hidden gem in our library system, so programs like Strolling Through History bring the collection to the streets of downtown while showing off resources and programs in a fun new way,” notes Katherine. And of course, exercising your muscles and social skills are important at any age
So, how can you get involved with the monthly Strolling Through History? There are two versions: one for elder adults and one for babies and their caregivers. If you’re interested in participating, the elder adults strolls are the third Friday of every month, and the babies and caretakers strolls are the third Wednesday of every month (except July). All strolls will meet at Pack Memorial Library at 10:30 a.m., and participants should wear comfortable shoes and bring water to stay hydrated. Registration is required.
There’s more to grant writing than just “writing.” A lot more.
This half-day workshop covers the basics of foundation grant research and grant writing. You’ll learn how to find your best prospects and write your own grant proposals.
This workshop combines lecture, group discussion, and hands-on activities to reinforce course material.
The focus of this workshop is foundation grants.
(State and federal grants are not part of this program.)
Select a wine on draft and fill a plēb urban winery 500mL or 1L growler for a reduced price (see menu for availability and pricing). Growler purchase is separate. Carry out only.
https://www.facebook.com/events/859748727719594/?event_time_id=859748837719583
Have an item of clothing that needs repair? Want to learn how to do some simple fixes on clothes, like buttons, zippers, patches? Come to the library with your items and we’ll teach you how to mend that favorite pair of jeans or your favorite stuffed animal.
Children are welcome to sew as well, but they must be accompanied by their parent or guardian.
Program is free! Supplies will be provided.

In this interactive workshop, you will discover empowering insights about your financial life, gain tools and practices to shift your money life into prosperity, create a new inspiring perspective on marketing & sales, and learn the most important thing to focus on that will generate income.
Jen Aly is a bridge between the financial & business world and artists & creatives. She started her first of 7 businesses 15 years ago, has learned a lot the hard way, has filed bankruptcy, and has more than tripled her income within 3 years. She boot-strapped an Asheville-based jewelry design business that has grown every year since its start in 2013. Jen is determined to banish the notion of the “starving artist” through empowering creatives in money and business via coaching, workshops, and community.
This workshop is free for AAAC members, $5 for Non-members.
$3 tap take over Highland Brewing
North Location
Tuesday-Thursday, bring the family for specials, giveaways, and pizza. Oh my!
South Location

The Council on Aging of Buncombe County in conjunction with the N.C. Department of Insurance’s Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) announces its classes “Introduction to Medicare – Understanding the Puzzle” for August – September 2019. The classes will explain how Medicare works, the enrollment process, how to avoid penalties, and ways to save money.
The classes are free and open to the public.
Residents who are new to Medicare, caregivers, and others who help senior citizens with their Medicare insurance should consider attending this informative class. The information presented is unbiased and accurate. No products are sold, recommended, or endorsed.
Medicare Classes: August – September 2019
- Aug. 21, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. PM Blue Ridge Health, 2579 Chimney Rock Rd, Hendersonville
- Aug. 23, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Goodwill, 1616 Patton Ave, Asheville
- Aug. 28, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 150 Brian Berg Dr, Brevard
- Sept. 5, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Reuter YMCA, 3 Town Square Blvd, Asheville
- Sept. 13, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. OLLI/Reuter Center, UNCA, One University Heights, Asheville
- Sept. 17, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Woodfin YMCA, 40 N Merrimon Ave #101, Asheville
- Sept. 20, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Goodwill, 1616 Patton Ave, Asheville
- Sept. 25, 2 p.m.- 4 p.m. Black Mountain YMCA, 25 Jane Jacobs Rd, Black Mountain
- Oct. 1, 2 p.m.- 4 p.m. Ferguson YMCA, 31 Westridge Market Pl, Candler

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KEYNOTE SPEAKER:
JOSE ANTONIO VARGAS
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Jose Antonio Vargas is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, author of Dear America: Notes of An Undocumented Citizen and a leading voice for the human rights of immigrants. He is the Founder and CEO of Define American, the nation’s leading nonprofit media organization that fights injustice and anti-immigrant hate through the power of storytelling.
Mr. Vargas will share details of his childhood journey to the United States from the Philippines and his life in America as an immigration reform activist. Some have called him the most famous undocumented immigrant in America.
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Come experience the love of clay with our talented artists at Odyssey ClayWorks! Learn to sculpt, coil, and even get to try your hand at throwing on the potter’s wheel in a fun and upbeat atmosphere. All skill levels welcome.
Momentum Gallery in downtown Asheville hosts new summer exhibitions – Mariella Bisson, Setting Shapes; Oil paintings by two new painters: Samantha Keely Smith and Paul Sattler; and a group invitational called Give Me Wood. These exhibitions continue at 24 N Lexington Avenue through the end of August.
Mariella Bisson deftly delineates the sculptural planes of regional waterfalls and sylvan scenes creating refreshingly contemporary landscape paintings. Her oil-over-collage paintings feature built-up texture, suggesting the complex surface of stone and tree bark, lichen, and moss. Bisson’s paintings demonstrate a strong understanding of formal composition and reflect a sensibility honed from time she’s spent immersed in the outdoors. Of note, Bisson is a two-time recipient of the Pollock-Krasner grant and was awarded a New York Foundation for the Arts fellowship in painting.
Samantha Keely Smith creates inspired and stirring abstract paintings in oil. The Brooklyn-based artist sees her paintings “as an expression of our internal turbulence. They reflect the overwhelming reality of being constantly aware of what is happening in the wider world – Change is the only constant.” Smith’s nebulous compositions are evocative of luminous cloudscapes and primordial oceans. Brilliant areas of stained pigment collide with waves of painterly brush strokes ultimately conjuring imagined environments with a timeless quality. “These paintings are about the essence of who we all are, as human beings… We all want love and connection.” Smith’s works give form to fluctuations between turbulence and calm present in everything from our emotions to the temporal world. Overall, Smith’s focus is on the underlying psychological impact of the dawning awareness of our shifting reality.
An accomplished oil painter, Paul Sattler was the recipient of the John R. Solomon Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship. In 2004, he was selected to exhibit at the 179th Annual Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary Art at the National Academy of Design in New York, where he received the Wallace Truman Prize. Dramatic narratives unfold in his charged and enigmatic oil paintings which reference historic and literary sources. Sattler comments, “A diverse population of animals are enmeshed in my works’ human-inhabited environments, theatrical locales, and domestic dramas.”
Give Me Wood is an imaginative and evocative collection of contemporary painting and wood sculpture. Central to the identity and creation of all the extraordinary two- and three-dimensional works in the exhibition is the common material of wood. The participating artists defy logic, explore space (both real and imagined), carve, bend, turn, and otherwise construct some truly amazing and innovative work! Featuring Michael Alm, Garry Knox Bennett, Gil Bruvel, Christian Burchard, Tom Eckert, David Ellsworth, Ron Layport, Wendy Maruyama, and Sylvie Rosenthal.
You know you need to write great fundraising letters. But how, exactly, do you do that?
Fundraising is an art and a science, and your appeal letter needs to reflect both. You need to understand what motivates donors, how to get them to give – and get them to give more.
Inspired by some of the biggest names in the nonprofit sector (including Tom Ahern, Jeff Brooks, Penelope Burk, Roger Craver, Kay Sprinkel Grace, Simone Joyaux and Jerry Panas), this half-day program will help you understand what donors want – and why.
Participants will leave with conversation starters and actionable ideas to take back to other staff and board members.
There’s more than Chunky Monkey and New York Super Fudge Chunk in downtown Asheville’s Ben & Jerry’s this summer.
Art created by Vance Elementary School fifth grade students of art educator Robbie Lipe is now on display on the brick walls opposite the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. The exhibit depicts the students’ interpretation of the artist Kehinde Wiley and the contemporary portraits he creates inspired by traditional Baroque paintings. It will be featured through the end of the summer.
“Ben & Jerry’s is excited about showcasing art from the community inside our scoop shop,” said general manager Chris Carter. “Making use of our walls to show what local artists are creating complements our social mission — to be actively involved in the places we live and do business. I hope this is the first of many art exhibits on our walls.”
Carter gave all the credit for the exhibit to Ms. Lipe, who teaches kindergarten through 5th-grade students at Vance Elementary. She was named the North Carolina Arts Educators Association “Art Educator of the Year” in 2017-2018.
Ben & Jerry’s is located at 19 Haywood Street. Current hours are Monday-Thursday 12 pm to 10 pm; Friday 12 pm – 11 pm; Saturday 11:30 am – 11 pm; Sunday 11:30 am – 10 pm.
For more information, call Carter at 310-601-6247.
View the workshop agenda and full info online.
NC DEACS and CRA are partnering August 13-15 for a series of workshops to launch the #RecycleRightNC campaign. The workshops will detail plans for a 10-week state-wide anti-contamination campaign AND show you how to participate in your community too! #RecycleRightNC is the culmination of a year’s worth of work with MRFs, local haulers, and local governments to create common objectives with unified messaging to reduce recycling contamination in NC.
It’s a fact. If you want to raise more money, you need to keep more of your donors.
21st century fundraising is all about retention. You need to understand what makes donors give – and what makes them want to give to you.
This fast-paced, half-day program will help you understand why donors give – and how to get them to give to you again and again.
Participants will leave with conversation starters and actionable ideas to take back to other staff and board members.
Treat yourself to a fun and delicious evening celebrating where our food comes from at ASAP’s Local Food Experience. Meet local chefs, artisans, and farmers while sampling small plates highlighting seasonal foods grown and raised in the Southern Appalachians. Cast bids in a silent auction to win private farm-to-table dinners, farm tours, workshops, farm stays, and other fabulous local food experiences. Enjoy connecting with your local food community at the beautiful New Belgium Brewing Co. Brewhouse overlooking the French Broad River. Proceeds benefit ASAP’s programs to help local farms thrive and build healthy communities through connections to local food. Learn more and purchase tickets at asapconnections.org.

The Council on Aging of Buncombe County in conjunction with the N.C. Department of Insurance’s Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) announces its classes “Introduction to Medicare – Understanding the Puzzle” for August – September 2019. The classes will explain how Medicare works, the enrollment process, how to avoid penalties, and ways to save money.
The classes are free and open to the public.
Residents who are new to Medicare, caregivers, and others who help senior citizens with their Medicare insurance should consider attending this informative class. The information presented is unbiased and accurate. No products are sold, recommended, or endorsed.
Medicare Classes: August – September 2019
- Aug. 21, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. PM Blue Ridge Health, 2579 Chimney Rock Rd, Hendersonville
- Aug. 23, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Goodwill, 1616 Patton Ave, Asheville
- Aug. 28, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 150 Brian Berg Dr, Brevard
- Sept. 5, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Reuter YMCA, 3 Town Square Blvd, Asheville
- Sept. 13, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. OLLI/Reuter Center, UNCA, One University Heights, Asheville
- Sept. 17, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Woodfin YMCA, 40 N Merrimon Ave #101, Asheville
- Sept. 20, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Goodwill, 1616 Patton Ave, Asheville
- Sept. 25, 2 p.m.- 4 p.m. Black Mountain YMCA, 25 Jane Jacobs Rd, Black Mountain
- Oct. 1, 2 p.m.- 4 p.m. Ferguson YMCA, 31 Westridge Market Pl, Candler
DJ Drew is having his birthday bash and throwing down 80’s and 90’s hits.
Dance party starts around 9pm and goes all night.
- It’s critical for planners to know how to effectively organize, budget and market a variety of different events to keep the company in the green, out of trouble, and on the minds of donors, business partners, and customers. Earning a certificate in Event Planning will expose you to the many different facets of being an event planner from managing people and projects to increasing exposure and dollars for your organization. Participants can earn a certificate by attending six of the designated event planning workshops (EP), which are offered each semester. Participants do not enroll in the certificate program, but rather complete the workshops at their own pace. Workshops are offered each semester (spring and fall) on either Thursday or Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at WCU at Biltmore Park, Asheville, NC.
Instructors will distribute a case study at the end of each EP workshop, and participants submit the case studies to the program coordinator when all 6 workshops are completed to complete the final requirement for the certificate. The workshop instructors include professionals from the Western North Carolina business and hospitality industry and faculty from Western Carolina University.
Complete 6 of the below EP workshops and earn a certificate.
Fee: $119 per workshop or register for 6 workshops for $640 (a 10% discount!) Workshops include lunch and continuing education credits.
- FIVE-STAR CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY Friday, August 16, 2019
- MAKING EVERY PENNY COUNT: EVENT BUDGETING 101 Friday, September 20, 2019
- CURRENT & TESTED SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES FOR DIGITAL MARKETING Friday, October 18, 2019
- ENGAGE, STRATEGIZE, CULTIVATE – THE ART OF SECURING EVENT SPONSORSHIPS Thursday, October 24, 2019
- MAXIMIZING YOUR RETURN FROM TRADESHOWS, EXPOS AND FAIRS Thursday, November 7, 2019
- CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, LIABILITY AND RISK FACTORS Friday, November 22, 2019

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KEYNOTE SPEAKER:
JOSE ANTONIO VARGAS
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Jose Antonio Vargas is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, author of Dear America: Notes of An Undocumented Citizen and a leading voice for the human rights of immigrants. He is the Founder and CEO of Define American, the nation’s leading nonprofit media organization that fights injustice and anti-immigrant hate through the power of storytelling.
Mr. Vargas will share details of his childhood journey to the United States from the Philippines and his life in America as an immigration reform activist. Some have called him the most famous undocumented immigrant in America.
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Come experience the love of clay with our talented artists at Odyssey ClayWorks! Learn to sculpt, coil, and even get to try your hand at throwing on the potter’s wheel in a fun and upbeat atmosphere. All skill levels welcome.
Momentum Gallery in downtown Asheville hosts new summer exhibitions – Mariella Bisson, Setting Shapes; Oil paintings by two new painters: Samantha Keely Smith and Paul Sattler; and a group invitational called Give Me Wood. These exhibitions continue at 24 N Lexington Avenue through the end of August.
Mariella Bisson deftly delineates the sculptural planes of regional waterfalls and sylvan scenes creating refreshingly contemporary landscape paintings. Her oil-over-collage paintings feature built-up texture, suggesting the complex surface of stone and tree bark, lichen, and moss. Bisson’s paintings demonstrate a strong understanding of formal composition and reflect a sensibility honed from time she’s spent immersed in the outdoors. Of note, Bisson is a two-time recipient of the Pollock-Krasner grant and was awarded a New York Foundation for the Arts fellowship in painting.
Samantha Keely Smith creates inspired and stirring abstract paintings in oil. The Brooklyn-based artist sees her paintings “as an expression of our internal turbulence. They reflect the overwhelming reality of being constantly aware of what is happening in the wider world – Change is the only constant.” Smith’s nebulous compositions are evocative of luminous cloudscapes and primordial oceans. Brilliant areas of stained pigment collide with waves of painterly brush strokes ultimately conjuring imagined environments with a timeless quality. “These paintings are about the essence of who we all are, as human beings… We all want love and connection.” Smith’s works give form to fluctuations between turbulence and calm present in everything from our emotions to the temporal world. Overall, Smith’s focus is on the underlying psychological impact of the dawning awareness of our shifting reality.
An accomplished oil painter, Paul Sattler was the recipient of the John R. Solomon Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship. In 2004, he was selected to exhibit at the 179th Annual Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary Art at the National Academy of Design in New York, where he received the Wallace Truman Prize. Dramatic narratives unfold in his charged and enigmatic oil paintings which reference historic and literary sources. Sattler comments, “A diverse population of animals are enmeshed in my works’ human-inhabited environments, theatrical locales, and domestic dramas.”
Give Me Wood is an imaginative and evocative collection of contemporary painting and wood sculpture. Central to the identity and creation of all the extraordinary two- and three-dimensional works in the exhibition is the common material of wood. The participating artists defy logic, explore space (both real and imagined), carve, bend, turn, and otherwise construct some truly amazing and innovative work! Featuring Michael Alm, Garry Knox Bennett, Gil Bruvel, Christian Burchard, Tom Eckert, David Ellsworth, Ron Layport, Wendy Maruyama, and Sylvie Rosenthal.

Providing the highest level of customer service is how businesses attract and maintain customers in the hospitality industry. When people are spending money on entertainment, dining experiences or are tourists visiting a new region, they want to have positive and memorable experiences. This workshop will review eight commandments of customer care, which provide a basis for exceptional customer service at the five star level. The highest level of customer service should also be extended to internal customers, since our internal customer satisfaction correlates to external service and how all employees treat buying customers.
Participants will learn:
- How to use exceptional internal and external service to create an eternal customer, which will tie-in with the overall goal of the organization or event.
- To apply the eight commandments to their own organization and/or event team
- How to assess their current level of customer service and move their service to the next level
Instructor:
Susan Fouts, Ed.D, Executive Director, WCU Educational Outreach
Susan Fouts has been an evangelist for premium customer service for over 20 years. She has created systems that deliver exceptional customer service training for industries as diverse as plastics manufacturers to arts councils. Her approach to customer service training includes being a secret shopper, and hiring other secret shoppers to analyze the overall consumer experience. Susan holds an undergraduate degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, a Master’s Degree in Business and a Doctorate in Education. Her customer service philosophy guides her work, and her greatest joy at work comes from the unexpected thank you note she receives from a satisfied customer.
There’s more than Chunky Monkey and New York Super Fudge Chunk in downtown Asheville’s Ben & Jerry’s this summer.
Art created by Vance Elementary School fifth grade students of art educator Robbie Lipe is now on display on the brick walls opposite the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. The exhibit depicts the students’ interpretation of the artist Kehinde Wiley and the contemporary portraits he creates inspired by traditional Baroque paintings. It will be featured through the end of the summer.
“Ben & Jerry’s is excited about showcasing art from the community inside our scoop shop,” said general manager Chris Carter. “Making use of our walls to show what local artists are creating complements our social mission — to be actively involved in the places we live and do business. I hope this is the first of many art exhibits on our walls.”
Carter gave all the credit for the exhibit to Ms. Lipe, who teaches kindergarten through 5th-grade students at Vance Elementary. She was named the North Carolina Arts Educators Association “Art Educator of the Year” in 2017-2018.
Ben & Jerry’s is located at 19 Haywood Street. Current hours are Monday-Thursday 12 pm to 10 pm; Friday 12 pm – 11 pm; Saturday 11:30 am – 11 pm; Sunday 11:30 am – 10 pm.
For more information, call Carter at 310-601-6247.

You can’t beat a walk with a friend over good conversation. So, why not take a walk with lots of friends and a history expert to boot? Buncombe County Libraries is excited to announce its Strolling Through History program focused on getting you moving while taking in some experiential history. “Each one of the strolls is a little different. We’ll talk about the evolution of the architecture, famous (or not quite so famous) residents, important events, and more,” explains Pack Memorial Librarian Katherine Calhoun Cutshall. “On our Haywood Street stroll, we talked about how the street has seen two major rebirths and discussed the careers of two WWI nurses who grew up on the street while it was mostly residential.”
Pack Librarians are always looking for innovative ways to showcase the library’s portfolio of initiatives and resources. “The North Carolina Room is a hidden gem in our library system, so programs like Strolling Through History bring the collection to the streets of downtown while showing off resources and programs in a fun new way,” notes Katherine. And of course, exercising your muscles and social skills are important at any age
So, how can you get involved with the monthly Strolling Through History? There are two versions: one for elder adults and one for babies and their caregivers. If you’re interested in participating, the elder adults strolls are the third Friday of every month, and the babies and caretakers strolls are the third Wednesday of every month (except July). All strolls will meet at Pack Memorial Library at 10:30 a.m., and participants should wear comfortable shoes and bring water to stay hydrated. Registration is required.
ASAP’s Local Food Experience celebrates the connections
between farmers, chefs, and artisan food producers in the region. The event is an opportunity for attendees to meet farmers, chefs, and artisans while sampling small plates highlighting seasonal foods grown and raised in the Southern Appalachians. The evening also features an exclusive local
food–themed silent auction, a scavenger hunt, and a friendly chef competition for favorite dish.
Participating vendors for 2019 include Sawhorse, Aux Bar, The Montford Rooftop Bar, Early
Girl Eatery, Sugar & Snow Gelato, Serotonin Ferments, Shanti Elixirs, Buncombe County
Schools, and more. These chefs and producers will highlight Appalachian GrownTM farm
products from Looking Glass Creamery, Dry Ridge Farm, Brasstown Beef, Ivy Creek Family
Farm, Farm Fresh Ventures, Jah Works Farm, other local farms.
More restaurants and farms will be announced in the weeks leading up to the experience. Updated participating partners, as well as a sneak peak at silent auction items, can be found at asapconnections.org.

The Council on Aging of Buncombe County in conjunction with the N.C. Department of Insurance’s Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) announces its classes “Introduction to Medicare – Understanding the Puzzle” for August – September 2019. The classes will explain how Medicare works, the enrollment process, how to avoid penalties, and ways to save money.
The classes are free and open to the public.
Residents who are new to Medicare, caregivers, and others who help senior citizens with their Medicare insurance should consider attending this informative class. The information presented is unbiased and accurate. No products are sold, recommended, or endorsed.
Medicare Classes: August – September 2019
- Aug. 21, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. PM Blue Ridge Health, 2579 Chimney Rock Rd, Hendersonville
- Aug. 23, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Goodwill, 1616 Patton Ave, Asheville
- Aug. 28, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 150 Brian Berg Dr, Brevard
- Sept. 5, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Reuter YMCA, 3 Town Square Blvd, Asheville
- Sept. 13, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. OLLI/Reuter Center, UNCA, One University Heights, Asheville
- Sept. 17, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Woodfin YMCA, 40 N Merrimon Ave #101, Asheville
- Sept. 20, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Goodwill, 1616 Patton Ave, Asheville
- Sept. 25, 2 p.m.- 4 p.m. Black Mountain YMCA, 25 Jane Jacobs Rd, Black Mountain
- Oct. 1, 2 p.m.- 4 p.m. Ferguson YMCA, 31 Westridge Market Pl, Candler


