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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.
Seed starting is an affordable way to start gardens for different seasons. Isaac Wyatt, Agricultural Program Assistant with Henderson County Extension, will teach the basics of seed starting.
“Tallamy lays out all you need to know to participate in one of the great conservation projects of our time. Read it and get started!” —Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Sixth Extinction
Douglas W. Tallamy’s first book, Bringing Nature Home, awakened thousands of readers to an urgent situation: wildlife populations are in decline because the native plants they depend on are fast disappearing. His solution? Plant more natives. Another of Tallamy’s books, The Nature of Oaks, looked at the same issues in connection with one keystone species increasingly more imperiled in our urban canopies: the oak, a powerhouse of the plant kingdom that supports more life forms and interactions than any other tree genus in North America. In Nature’s Best Hope, Tallamy takes the next step and outlines his vision for a grassroots approach to conservation, showing how homeowners everywhere can turn their yards into conservation corridors that provide wildlife habitats. Arboretum environmental educator Libby Oswalt leads this drop-in reading circle in person at the Arboretum over two sessions. Bring your questions, comments and take-away wisdom from this insightful read and let’s discuss your plans for putting Tallamy’s recommendations to work in your own landscapes and communities!
Libby Oswalt loves all plants but is especially passionate about native plants! She graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in Environmental Horticulture and has since gained years of experience working in the nursery industry with a particular interest in native trees, shrubs, and perennials. She currently works as a Youth Environmental Educator at the North Carolina Arboretum where she enjoys teaching students about the many wonders of Appalachian biodiversity. She enjoys spending her free time exploring the woods, gardening, and spreading awareness of the importance of native plants in our landscapes.
Registration and Participation in In-Person Classes through the Arboretum
— Registration for this class will close two days before the class start date.
— Make sure you enter your email address correctly when registering.
— Registrants will be sent a reminder email the day prior to class with the meeting location, current Safety Guidelines, and additional details.
— Access to more information will be available upon registration via your account’s Supplemental Content section (if applicable to your class). To learn how to view this information, please use this helpful guide.
Please add [email protected] to your contacts to ensure our emails do not end up in your spam folder.
Don’t miss your chance to check out some of the best pickers from all over WNC at our amazing Bluegrass Jam curated by the talented Drew Matulich — every Thursday starting at 7:00 pm! A real show-stopping performance only at Jack of the Wood! Open jam starts at 9:30 pm.
Lisa Fishbayn Joffe, Shulamit Reinharz Director of the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute at Brandeis University, explores how Jewish texts, Jewish law, and contemporary Jewish ethics inform questions of reproductive health issues.
This dance is fragrance-free (no perfume, cologne, strong deodorant, etc.), out of respect for those with sensitivities.
If this is your first time dancing with us, your second dance is free!
The Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency (AB Air Quality) is now accepting nominations for our twentieth annual air quality awards program. The goal of the Clean Air Excellence Awards is to recognize businesses and organizations that have truly gone above and beyond regulatory requirements to improve air quality for the residents of our area. Past years’ award recipients have included Dynamite Roasting Company, Eaton Corporation, and Western North Carolina Veterans Affairs Health Care System; each initiated voluntary efforts that improved air quality in the Asheville-Buncombe County Area.
Award guidelines explain the criteria for the awards and different categories of awards apply to different types of permitted facilities, organizations, and individuals that would like to nominate themselves or another entity for consideration.
To submit a nomination for a Clean Air Excellence Award, please download the application form online and include a brief summary describing what was done to improve air quality for Buncombe County. Examples of voluntary pollution prevention measures include: significant energy efficiency upgrades, switching to more environmentally friendly and lower-emitting solvents and cleaners, installing renewable energy systems, and upgrading fleet vehicles to more fuel-efficient or lower-emitting models. We ask that nominations be submitted to our Agency by April 12, 2024. We encourage you to submit any and all efforts your company (or another company or organization) has undertaken to reduce emissions. Agency staff are available to assist with emissions-related questions.
More information and the application form are available at abairquality.org. Please contact Ashley Featherstone at 828-250-6777 or [email protected] with questions.
Happening Now
We want to hear from you! Please provide your feedback on our preliminary recommendations
Based on engagement and research carried out from October 2023 through February 2024, a set of recommended priorities, policy goals, and strategies were developed to guide the City of Asheville and the community in our shared goal of creating an affordable, equitable, and inclusive housing future for Asheville.
Now it’s your turn to be heard. We want to get our community’s feedback.
A survey to provide your input is open now through April 14, 2024.
Please view the draft recommendations and give us your thoughts on prioritizing strategies the City should pursue in the first 3 years of implementation.
Do you work in downtown Asheville? If so, Buncombe County’s expanded affordable parking program could save you hundreds of your hard-earned dollars. The Affordable Parking Program includes 200 parking spaces at two locations in downtown Asheville. Of those 200, the County currently has 57 openings with 30 spots available at Coxe Avenue and 27 at College Street.
Parking spaces are located at the Coxe Avenue parking deck (located at 11 Sears Alley) and the College Street parking deck (located at 164 College Street, across from the judicial complex) for a discounted price of $40 per month. This initiative, focused on service industry and retail workers, is now taking applications for the remaining spots.
To be eligible, you need to work in Downtown Asheville and make 80% area median income (AMI), which is less than $22.88 per hour or $3,967 per month. Applications are now open for the program. If you think you’re eligible, then please go ahead and apply.
As cold weather moves into the region, many in our community turn their thoughts to the unhoused population and the additional hardships they face during winter months.
One of the most immediately responsive assets is the Code Purple program.
Driven by community organizations, this effort provides emergency shelter to people experiencing homelessness during freezing weather.
The Code Purple program kicks off this year on October 15, 2023 and runs through April 30, 2024. During that time members of the Homeless Coalition will determine when a Code Purple will go into effect. You can find details about the program in the Code Purple Manual
When a Code Purple Can be called.
Code Purple emergency shelters and services are typically available at 32 degrees or below. A Code Purple may also be enacted this year when temperatures are 33-40 degrees with precipitation.
Additional Beds
ABCCM has 75 beds available between their Veterans Restoration Quarters and Transformation Village sites.
The Salvation Army will also participate this year, adding 16 new Code Purple beds for people who are unhoused to seek shelter in extreme weather
A recorded message will be available at 828.398.6011 confirming that Code Purple is operational and providing information about shelter locations.
How is the City continuing to support this community-driven initiative?
Stay Connected
To join the Homeless Coalition’s distribution list to receive notifications about when Code Purple is called, email [email protected].
Join us for Hendersonville Hospitality Week: April 1st to April 5th, 2024! Every day is designed to empower downtown employees with skills and resources to enhance customer service and learn more about the city you work in.
WHO – Employees and owners in Food & Beverage or Retail in Downtown Hendersonville
FREE – Everything is free, and we’ll even sweeten the deal with $10 in Downtown Dollars for each event you attend!
Monday, April 1 @ 3pm – Historic Walking Tour & Happy Hour (tour #2 offered on Friday, April 5 @ 9am)
Join local historian Lu Ann Welter for an insightful walking tour of historic Hendersonville. Learn about the rich heritage of our city and gain a deeper understanding of its significance in shaping our community. Tour will end at Oklawaha Brewing Company with a complimentary beverage!
Tuesday, April 2 @ 10am – Downtown Events 101
Downtown Staff will run through the events that take place downtown every year + tips to make the most of the events for businesses and employees.
Wednesday, April 3 @ 10am – Tourism FAM 101
Julie Hayes with Henderson County Tourism Development Authority will give you a quick rundown of what Henderson County has to offer. Some tips to tell visitors about what to see and do while in Hendersonville. Just a sample of what you can experience with the TDA’s FAM tours!
Thursday, April 4 @ 2:30pm – Resources for Workers
Learn what vital resources for workers are available to those who qualify by Pisgah Legal Services. Discover how to access legal assistance, tax help, health insurance enrollment, and other resources available to enhance your well-being and stability.
Friday, April 5 @ 8:30am – Historic Walking Tour & Coffee Talk
Join local historian Lu Ann Welter for an insightful walking tour of historic Hendersonville. Learn about the rich heritage of our city and gain a deeper understanding of its significance in shaping our community.
Tour will start out at Black Bear Coffee with coffee on us before we take off on the tour!
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Do you have questions about your property value and don’t feel comfortable talking with a Buncombe County Property Appraiser there is help available.
Buncombe County Property Assessment and Land of the Sky Association of REALTORS (LOTSAR) volunteers have partnered to help.
Call 828-239-2906 and leave a message with your name and contact information and trained volunteer will call you back in 1-2 business days. Get help with property record information, filing an appeal, tax relief programs, and general questions.
The Property Value Help Line is available through April 15.
Following multiple in-person and online engagement opportunities last summer and fall, Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) announced additional feedback workshops and a survey for Recreate Asheville: Shaping Our City’s Parks, a community-driven comprehensive plan to guide the City of Asheville’s parks and recreation decisions for the next 10-15 years.
During the City of Asheville’s Environment and Safety Committee meeting on February 27, APR shared an update on the months-long planning process and a summary of information learned during a community needs assessment period that included a statistically valid survey mailed to homes throughout the city, an online survey, in-person workshops and engagement events, focus group meetings, and stakeholder discussions.
Feedback during this phase will be incorporated with feedback from the previous community needs assessment period to develop a strategic action plan. Community members then have an additional period (tentatively scheduled from May 20-June 2) to review and comment on the drafted plan.
Recreate Asheville: Shaping Our City’s Parks is a community-built comprehensive plan to guide long-range planning, address service gaps, and identify opportunities for improvements. It is a visionary document that sets the values and goals for systemwide investments and a framework to guide future investments in recreation programs and spaces.
It is not an operations model or financial budget, though it is a method to inform capital expenditures. The Recreate Asheville plan does not contain detailed design proposals for specific neighborhoods, parks, or facilities.
Asheville Parks & Recreation
With its oldest parks dating to the 1890s, Asheville Parks & Recreation manages a unique collection of more than 65 public parks, playgrounds, and open spaces throughout the city in a system that also includes full-complex recreation centers, swimming pools, Riverside Cemetery, sports fields and courts, and community centers that offer a variety of wellness-, education-, and culture-related programs for Ashevillians of all ages. With 10 miles of paved greenways and numerous natural surface trails, its complete portfolio acts as the foundation of a vibrant hub for the people of Asheville to connect with their neighbors and explore the natural beauty of a livable and walkable city.
Driven by the promise that Asheville is a better and safer place when everyone from infants to retirees has the opportunity to be supported, healthy, and successful, Asheville Parks & Recreation was the first nationally-accredited municipal recreation department in the United States. For latest updates, sign up for Asheville Parks & Recreation’s monthly newsletter, follow the department on Facebook (@aprca) and Instagram (@ashevilleparksandrecreation), or visit www.ashevillenc.gov/parks.
Buncombe County Parks & Recreation is announcing the launch of its new online reservation system for park pavilions.
ACTIVENet, the new online reservation system, allows for a hassle-free user experience for Buncombe County park visitors. With just a few clicks, visitors can make and cancel reservations from the comfort of their home, in addition to checking real-time availability of the pavilions. Park pavilions are located at Lake Jullian, Charles D. Owen, and the Buncombe County Sports Park. Field rental is also available through this new portal.
Key takeaways of the new reservation system include:
Seamless Interface: The user-friendly layout of the reservation system allows for hassle-free bookings and cancelations.
Real-time Park Pavilion Availability: Users are able to check the availability of the park pavilions at their favorite park, and on their preferred date and time.
Secure Payment: ACTIVENet’s secure payment portal ensures data protection and encryption with Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant technology.
Email confirmations: Once a reservation is made or canceled, users will receive a confirmation email with the details of their booking.
Click here to view a tutorial on how to book a park pavilion.
To access the new park pavilion reservation system, please visit www.buncombecounty.org/parks. There is a “Reserve & Register” button that will take users directly to the reservation portal. Please note that users must create an account prior to booking a park pavilion. For any inquiries or additional information, please contact [email protected] or call (828) 250-4260.
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This City of Asheville is launching the Less Plastic Asheville Challenge to encourage residents to reduce their consumption of single-use plastics. The campaign has two key features, a social media challenge called Less Plastic Bingo and a Pass on Plastic Pledge. The City will provide information on the impacts of single-use plastic on our community and tips for how our residents can understand and reduce their consumption of single-use plastics at tabling events around town and on our social media platforms. Those participating in the social media challenge can post photos and videos of themselves taking action to reduce single-use plastic consumption. Those who take the pledge will make commitments to sustainable lifestyle choices such as using reusable grocery bags and refusing single-use plastics. Residents who participate in either the Less Plastic Bingo Challenge or Pass on Plastic Pledge will win great prizes! The Less Plastic Asheville Challenge will begin in February 14, 2024 and end May 31, 2024. Follow the link at the top of the page to learn more about how you can participate and win these great sustainable items.
BackgroundIn October 2022, Asheville City Council directed the Sustainability Department to take a phased approach to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic. The first phase included an update to Chapter 15 of the City Code to prohibit the use of plastic bags in curbside brush and leaf collection. This ordinance change was approved by City Council on January 10, 2023 and was implemented August 1, 2023. For more information about this change and resources available check out this sanitation webpage. The second phase included further analysis and stakeholder engagement with area businesses, residents and city staff to inform a recommendation on additional single-use plastic reduction strategies surrounding plastic bags at point of sale and expanded polystyrene (StyrofoamTM) disposable foodware products. To see the results of this engagement read this blog post. On September 22, 2023 the North Carolina General Assembly approved the state budget that included a law prohibiting local governments from banning single-use plastic products. Due to this regulation, the City cannot adopt an ordinance banning plastic bags or expanded polystyrene (StyrofoamTM) takeout containers. Instead, the City is providing information and resources to residents and businesses to reduce single-use plastic consumption voluntarily through the Less Plastic Asheville Challenge. For more information on the previous plastic-reduction projects go to this webpage.
Less Plastic Asheville ChallengeTo reduce single-use plastic consumption and litter in our community it will take all of us! We invite you to join us, have a little fun and earn some prizes in the process! There are two ways to participate in the Less Plastic Asheville Challenge. You can take the Pass on Plastic Pledge and/or play Less Plastic Asheville Bingo. The pledge asks for you to commit to changes in your life to reduce your own plastic footprint, and the Bingo Challenge asks you to spread the word and help educate and inspire others about the issue through social media. The Pass on Plastic PledgeThe Pass on Plastic Pledge asks you to look at your own habits regarding single-use plastics and commit to practices that cut down your consumption, simple acts that improve our community and the environment. By taking this pledge, you are taking the charge to reduce your own plastic consumption. You can do this in a number of ways and the City of Asheville is here to inspire, support and cheer you on! When you commit to any one of the sustainable practices in the pledge, you will win plastic reducing prizes from the City. Your actions alone can reduce hundreds of pounds of plastic waste every year! By taking this pledge, you are showing that you care about the health, cleanliness, and pristine environment of our home in Asheville. It’s a big deal, and the City of Asheville thanks you. Take the Pass on Plastic Pledge
Less Plastic Asheville BingoThis bingo game is a social media challenge. It’s a fun way for you to help spread the word about single-use plastics, and to inspire the people around you to make changes and support sustainable businesses and habits. When you sign up, you will be emailed a bingo card. Once you have your card, follow the steps below in order to earn your swag.
Sign up below to receive your Less Plastic Bingo Card. |
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The first Friday of each month Manna Food Bank and other service providers will be at Fairview Public Library, 1 Taylor Rd.
Rising grocery prices, along with rising housing, gas, and other costs are putting the pressure on Buncombe households. For many in our community, no-cost healthy meals and information about County and partner services and resources are a valuable lifeline.
Buncombe County’s Community Engagement Markets offer free food, medical services, and information about mortgage, rental, and weatherization assistance, as well other resources directly to those most in need by meeting them in their neighborhoods.
Mark your calendar and bring your questions!
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The Friends of the South Buncombe Library are pleased to announce their first live, in-person book sale of 2024! We will have thousands of fiction AND non-fiction books, not to mention DVDS, CDs, and puzzles at bargain prices, in every genre and for every age group. Prices are a steal at $2.00 for adult hardcovers and paperbacks for just $1.00. Children’s items are only $1.00 & 50¢! And all movies and music are $1.00. Proceeds benefit your library in so many ways: purchasing library supplies and equipment, newspapers, and large print books; providing children’s programs; and improving the grounds. Sale Hours: 10am-4pm Friday and Saturday, with 10am-12pm on Friday reserved for Friends of the Library members. Not a member? We’re happy to sign you up at the door; the minimum donation is just $10.00. Movies, music, and children’s books Bag Sale on the last hour of business Saturday, if supplies allow. Everything you can cram in a bag from 3pm-4pm on April 6th for just $2.00!! |
The Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency (AB Air Quality) is now accepting nominations for our twentieth annual air quality awards program. The goal of the Clean Air Excellence Awards is to recognize businesses and organizations that have truly gone above and beyond regulatory requirements to improve air quality for the residents of our area. Past years’ award recipients have included Dynamite Roasting Company, Eaton Corporation, and Western North Carolina Veterans Affairs Health Care System; each initiated voluntary efforts that improved air quality in the Asheville-Buncombe County Area.
Award guidelines explain the criteria for the awards and different categories of awards apply to different types of permitted facilities, organizations, and individuals that would like to nominate themselves or another entity for consideration.
To submit a nomination for a Clean Air Excellence Award, please download the application form online and include a brief summary describing what was done to improve air quality for Buncombe County. Examples of voluntary pollution prevention measures include: significant energy efficiency upgrades, switching to more environmentally friendly and lower-emitting solvents and cleaners, installing renewable energy systems, and upgrading fleet vehicles to more fuel-efficient or lower-emitting models. We ask that nominations be submitted to our Agency by April 12, 2024. We encourage you to submit any and all efforts your company (or another company or organization) has undertaken to reduce emissions. Agency staff are available to assist with emissions-related questions.
More information and the application form are available at abairquality.org. Please contact Ashley Featherstone at 828-250-6777 or [email protected] with questions.
Happening Now
We want to hear from you! Please provide your feedback on our preliminary recommendations
Based on engagement and research carried out from October 2023 through February 2024, a set of recommended priorities, policy goals, and strategies were developed to guide the City of Asheville and the community in our shared goal of creating an affordable, equitable, and inclusive housing future for Asheville.
Now it’s your turn to be heard. We want to get our community’s feedback.
A survey to provide your input is open now through April 14, 2024.
Please view the draft recommendations and give us your thoughts on prioritizing strategies the City should pursue in the first 3 years of implementation.
Do you work in downtown Asheville? If so, Buncombe County’s expanded affordable parking program could save you hundreds of your hard-earned dollars. The Affordable Parking Program includes 200 parking spaces at two locations in downtown Asheville. Of those 200, the County currently has 57 openings with 30 spots available at Coxe Avenue and 27 at College Street.
Parking spaces are located at the Coxe Avenue parking deck (located at 11 Sears Alley) and the College Street parking deck (located at 164 College Street, across from the judicial complex) for a discounted price of $40 per month. This initiative, focused on service industry and retail workers, is now taking applications for the remaining spots.
To be eligible, you need to work in Downtown Asheville and make 80% area median income (AMI), which is less than $22.88 per hour or $3,967 per month. Applications are now open for the program. If you think you’re eligible, then please go ahead and apply.
As cold weather moves into the region, many in our community turn their thoughts to the unhoused population and the additional hardships they face during winter months.
One of the most immediately responsive assets is the Code Purple program.
Driven by community organizations, this effort provides emergency shelter to people experiencing homelessness during freezing weather.
The Code Purple program kicks off this year on October 15, 2023 and runs through April 30, 2024. During that time members of the Homeless Coalition will determine when a Code Purple will go into effect. You can find details about the program in the Code Purple Manual
When a Code Purple Can be called.
Code Purple emergency shelters and services are typically available at 32 degrees or below. A Code Purple may also be enacted this year when temperatures are 33-40 degrees with precipitation.
Additional Beds
ABCCM has 75 beds available between their Veterans Restoration Quarters and Transformation Village sites.
The Salvation Army will also participate this year, adding 16 new Code Purple beds for people who are unhoused to seek shelter in extreme weather
A recorded message will be available at 828.398.6011 confirming that Code Purple is operational and providing information about shelter locations.
How is the City continuing to support this community-driven initiative?
Stay Connected
To join the Homeless Coalition’s distribution list to receive notifications about when Code Purple is called, email [email protected].
Whenever you want!
Supplies available at
2 Sulphur Springs Road
If you need to request supplies for the same or next day, please call 828-254-1776.
Organizing a litter cleanup with your friends, neighbors, co-workers, or other community members is easier than you may think! Asheville GreenWorks provides cleanup supplies and safety information, and will coordinate trash pick up as needed. Available supplies include safety vests, gloves, trash grabbers, trash bags, and SHARPs containers (upon request).
Review the attached guides for instructions and safety information.
Need to know
Please review the attached documents and contact [email protected] with any questions. Your supplies will be available for pickup on the date you’ve requested at Asheville GreenWorks’ office at 2 Sulphur Springs Road, Asheville, NC 28806.
All cleanups should be reported using the online form and supplies should be returned after your cleanup.
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).
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.
Individuals, groups, and businesses are invited to honor a loved one or show your commitment to environmental stewardship by sponsoring a tree for the Sand Hill community orchard. This April, join others from the community in celebrating Arbor Day by helping GreenWorks plant additional native fruit trees in the space. Each year, the community orchard provides fresh fruit for local food pantries, and access to learning and volunteering opportunities.
If your family or business is interested in sponsoring a tree for our April 26th Arbor Day event, please call us at 828-254-1776 to learn more.
Happy Spring! Did you know LEAF is going to be 30 years old in 2025?! As we dream of how to BE our BEST LEAF and WORLD CHANGERS in this next chapter – we value YOU. Thank YOU for being part of LEAF in your way, and taking 5 minutes+ to vision. *News flash: LEAF book coming in 2025 — if your LEAF story is included YOU get a FREE BOOK!*
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Following multiple in-person and online engagement opportunities last summer and fall, Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) announced additional feedback workshops and a survey for Recreate Asheville: Shaping Our City’s Parks, a community-driven comprehensive plan to guide the City of Asheville’s parks and recreation decisions for the next 10-15 years.
During the City of Asheville’s Environment and Safety Committee meeting on February 27, APR shared an update on the months-long planning process and a summary of information learned during a community needs assessment period that included a statistically valid survey mailed to homes throughout the city, an online survey, in-person workshops and engagement events, focus group meetings, and stakeholder discussions.
Feedback during this phase will be incorporated with feedback from the previous community needs assessment period to develop a strategic action plan. Community members then have an additional period (tentatively scheduled from May 20-June 2) to review and comment on the drafted plan.
Recreate Asheville: Shaping Our City’s Parks is a community-built comprehensive plan to guide long-range planning, address service gaps, and identify opportunities for improvements. It is a visionary document that sets the values and goals for systemwide investments and a framework to guide future investments in recreation programs and spaces.
It is not an operations model or financial budget, though it is a method to inform capital expenditures. The Recreate Asheville plan does not contain detailed design proposals for specific neighborhoods, parks, or facilities.
Asheville Parks & Recreation
With its oldest parks dating to the 1890s, Asheville Parks & Recreation manages a unique collection of more than 65 public parks, playgrounds, and open spaces throughout the city in a system that also includes full-complex recreation centers, swimming pools, Riverside Cemetery, sports fields and courts, and community centers that offer a variety of wellness-, education-, and culture-related programs for Ashevillians of all ages. With 10 miles of paved greenways and numerous natural surface trails, its complete portfolio acts as the foundation of a vibrant hub for the people of Asheville to connect with their neighbors and explore the natural beauty of a livable and walkable city.
Driven by the promise that Asheville is a better and safer place when everyone from infants to retirees has the opportunity to be supported, healthy, and successful, Asheville Parks & Recreation was the first nationally-accredited municipal recreation department in the United States. For latest updates, sign up for Asheville Parks & Recreation’s monthly newsletter, follow the department on Facebook (@aprca) and Instagram (@ashevilleparksandrecreation), or visit www.ashevillenc.gov/parks.
Buncombe County Parks & Recreation is announcing the launch of its new online reservation system for park pavilions.
ACTIVENet, the new online reservation system, allows for a hassle-free user experience for Buncombe County park visitors. With just a few clicks, visitors can make and cancel reservations from the comfort of their home, in addition to checking real-time availability of the pavilions. Park pavilions are located at Lake Jullian, Charles D. Owen, and the Buncombe County Sports Park. Field rental is also available through this new portal.
Key takeaways of the new reservation system include:
Seamless Interface: The user-friendly layout of the reservation system allows for hassle-free bookings and cancelations.
Real-time Park Pavilion Availability: Users are able to check the availability of the park pavilions at their favorite park, and on their preferred date and time.
Secure Payment: ACTIVENet’s secure payment portal ensures data protection and encryption with Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant technology.
Email confirmations: Once a reservation is made or canceled, users will receive a confirmation email with the details of their booking.
Click here to view a tutorial on how to book a park pavilion.
To access the new park pavilion reservation system, please visit www.buncombecounty.org/parks. There is a “Reserve & Register” button that will take users directly to the reservation portal. Please note that users must create an account prior to booking a park pavilion. For any inquiries or additional information, please contact [email protected] or call (828) 250-4260.
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This City of Asheville is launching the Less Plastic Asheville Challenge to encourage residents to reduce their consumption of single-use plastics. The campaign has two key features, a social media challenge called Less Plastic Bingo and a Pass on Plastic Pledge. The City will provide information on the impacts of single-use plastic on our community and tips for how our residents can understand and reduce their consumption of single-use plastics at tabling events around town and on our social media platforms. Those participating in the social media challenge can post photos and videos of themselves taking action to reduce single-use plastic consumption. Those who take the pledge will make commitments to sustainable lifestyle choices such as using reusable grocery bags and refusing single-use plastics. Residents who participate in either the Less Plastic Bingo Challenge or Pass on Plastic Pledge will win great prizes! The Less Plastic Asheville Challenge will begin in February 14, 2024 and end May 31, 2024. Follow the link at the top of the page to learn more about how you can participate and win these great sustainable items.
BackgroundIn October 2022, Asheville City Council directed the Sustainability Department to take a phased approach to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic. The first phase included an update to Chapter 15 of the City Code to prohibit the use of plastic bags in curbside brush and leaf collection. This ordinance change was approved by City Council on January 10, 2023 and was implemented August 1, 2023. For more information about this change and resources available check out this sanitation webpage. The second phase included further analysis and stakeholder engagement with area businesses, residents and city staff to inform a recommendation on additional single-use plastic reduction strategies surrounding plastic bags at point of sale and expanded polystyrene (StyrofoamTM) disposable foodware products. To see the results of this engagement read this blog post. On September 22, 2023 the North Carolina General Assembly approved the state budget that included a law prohibiting local governments from banning single-use plastic products. Due to this regulation, the City cannot adopt an ordinance banning plastic bags or expanded polystyrene (StyrofoamTM) takeout containers. Instead, the City is providing information and resources to residents and businesses to reduce single-use plastic consumption voluntarily through the Less Plastic Asheville Challenge. For more information on the previous plastic-reduction projects go to this webpage.
Less Plastic Asheville ChallengeTo reduce single-use plastic consumption and litter in our community it will take all of us! We invite you to join us, have a little fun and earn some prizes in the process! There are two ways to participate in the Less Plastic Asheville Challenge. You can take the Pass on Plastic Pledge and/or play Less Plastic Asheville Bingo. The pledge asks for you to commit to changes in your life to reduce your own plastic footprint, and the Bingo Challenge asks you to spread the word and help educate and inspire others about the issue through social media. The Pass on Plastic PledgeThe Pass on Plastic Pledge asks you to look at your own habits regarding single-use plastics and commit to practices that cut down your consumption, simple acts that improve our community and the environment. By taking this pledge, you are taking the charge to reduce your own plastic consumption. You can do this in a number of ways and the City of Asheville is here to inspire, support and cheer you on! When you commit to any one of the sustainable practices in the pledge, you will win plastic reducing prizes from the City. Your actions alone can reduce hundreds of pounds of plastic waste every year! By taking this pledge, you are showing that you care about the health, cleanliness, and pristine environment of our home in Asheville. It’s a big deal, and the City of Asheville thanks you. Take the Pass on Plastic Pledge
Less Plastic Asheville BingoThis bingo game is a social media challenge. It’s a fun way for you to help spread the word about single-use plastics, and to inspire the people around you to make changes and support sustainable businesses and habits. When you sign up, you will be emailed a bingo card. Once you have your card, follow the steps below in order to earn your swag.
Sign up below to receive your Less Plastic Bingo Card. |
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Celebrate Spring and The Fairies at Horse Shoe Gap Village with Free Face Painting by The Sea Mither,
Fairy Hair, Scavenger Hunt, Games, music and more!
