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.
The State Board of Elections and N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles now offer certain online voter registration services for existing DMV customers
If you are a DMV customer with a N.C. driver’s license or DMV-issued ID, you may now register to vote or change certain parts of your registration online.
Using this service existing DMV customers may register to vote, update their voter registration address, or update their party affiliation. They may not change their name.
This is a standalone service that does not require the user to complete a DMV transaction (such as duplicate or license renewal) at the same time.
There is no fee for voter registration services.
Voter registration applications submitted fewer than 25 days before an election will not be processed until after the election. You may still register to vote in person using same-day registration in your county during the early voting period.
Join us as we celebrate the global movement of going plastic-free this July! Our Plastic Reduction Task Force will be celebrating all month with community shoutouts, games, reading lists, resources, and more! Follow our Facebook page @goingplasticfreeAVL and Instagram @going_plasticfree for updates so that you won’t miss a thing.
Save these dates:
Saturday, July 11th – Going Plastic Free Scavenger Hunt
Thursday July 23rd – Plastic Free July Trivia
If your business has been affected by COVID-19, call us to learn more about Free Business Counseling.
Availability is limited and is offered on a first come, first served basis.
- One-on-one remote counsel
- Access to industry & content experts
- 100% Confidential
- FREE!
For the month of July, genealogists and historians can access the popular Ancestry.com database from home for free. All you need is a library card.
Among the billions of records available, Ancestry.com includes census records and indexes, vital, church, military, public member trees; birth, marriage and death records; tax, criminal, land and wills stories, memories and histories, pictures, city directories, immigration and travel schools, maps and more. There are records from the United States as well as international records, so no matter where your family might be from, you will probably be able locate them in the Ancestry database.
Find a new branch of your family tree with Ancestry. Visit the library website at buncombecounty.org/library and use the Virtual Library tab to access Ancestry. If you don’t have a library card, email us at [email protected] and we can give you a card by email. Call 828-250-4700 with any questions.
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 Suzanne has generously donated a portion of the session fee to Flat Rock Playhouse and she has a goal of raising $15,000 before the end of the year! She has currently raised $2,015, so help Suzanne reach her goal and capture some memories along the way. Check out some of her portraits above and click the link below to schedule your session today!
Inspired by the national trend of porch portraits, Suzanne of The Gallery at Flat Rock, will be offering portrait sessions and donating a portion of the session cost to Flat Rock Playhouse. A fifteen-minute porch portrait session is $65 (cash or check) of which $15 will be donated to the Flat Rock Playhouse, a friend and neighbor to the gallery which made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 season. |
ABOUT THE EXHIBIT The hillbilly stereotype is one that is alive and well in American popular culture as a quick survey of the cable dial reveals with such shows as Moonshiners, Appalachian Outlaws, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, and countless others.
Surprisingly, it is one often displayed among educated sorts here in Western North Carolina who would never dream of disparaging any minority or “out group,” but do not hesitate to characterize native Western North Carolinians, as a group, as ignorant, in-bred, hopelessly retrograde, violent, snake-handling, moonshining/meth-making rednecks.
The Hillbillyland Exhibition explores the power, prevalence, and persistence of the hillbilly stereotype from the days of its beginnings in the late 19th century to the present day. The exhibit takes a unique approach by focusing on photography featuring the people of the region, some of them stereotypical images, combined with poetry and short prose pieces that challenge and complicate these stereotypes.
Visit the Virtual Exhibit
ABOUT THE EXHIBIT
In the midst of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, we take an in-depth look at the 1918 influenza epidemic in Western North Carolina through newspaper clippings, advertisements, ephemera, photographs, and oral history and place the events of 1918 into context with our present-day response to the coronavirus pandemic.
https://www.wnchistory.org/virtual-exhibits/influenza/?utm_source=Western%20North%20Carolina%20Historical%20Association&utm_campaign=78fa0bbdf8-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_01_23_05_25_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7424f63c4d-78fa0bbdf8-329482143
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The Blue Ridge Humane Society Thrift Store will begin accepting merchandise donations for resell from the public on Tuesday, June 30th. Donations will only be accepted on Tuesdays and Fridays between the hours of 10:30am-4:00pm. The Thrift Store remains open for shopping with the reduced hours of 10:30am-4:30pm, Tuesday-Saturday, and with a limited shopper capacity.
Donations will need to be able to unloaded without staff assistance and placed into the appropriately labeled bin to ensure a contact-free drop-off. This will also assist with ensuring that all items can be properly transported and quarantined before processing and placement for resell in the store. During drop-offs all donors are asked to practice physical distancing and wear a mask following state mandates. Donated items will be quarantined before processing by staff and volunteers to ensure that all items are safe for resell.
Staff and volunteers continue to adhere to additional cleaning, sanitizing, scheduling, and social distancing practices as recommended by the CDC and current safety regulations. The number of customers allowed in the store remains limited to reduce the risk of exposure. Markers are placed to designate 6ft spaced waiting areas for shoppers to enter the store or for waiting in line for check-out. Customers, as well as staff and volunteers, are required to wear a mask while on Thrift Store premises and shopping and follow CDC recommendations.
All customers will be required to follow the procedures listed below:
- All staff, volunteers, and customers are required to wear a mask while on the Thrift Store premises and during shopping.
- Store hours are adjusted; keep an eye on the website and Facebook page for current hours.
- The number of customers allowed in the store is limited. Please expect a wait and be patient with other shoppers while waiting, and our staff and volunteers managing the entrance and exit.
- Practice social distancing while shopping or waiting in line. Markers will be placed for checkout and entry lines.
- Shields are installed at checkout locations for the safety of our customers, volunteers, and staff.
- Hand sanitizer stations are available for customers, volunteers, and staff at stations located at each door.
- Anyone exhibiting signs of illness is asked to stay home, including staff and volunteers.
- Follow CDC recommendations at all times:
- Three W’s: Wear a cloth mask, Wait 6’ apart and Wash your hands!
- Donations will be accepted on Tuesdays and Fridays only, between 10:30am-4pm. Items must be able to unloaded without staff assistance and placed into bins for quarantine. Donors are asked to practice physical distancing and wear a mask while on Thrift Store property.
If you believe in our cause, consider making a donation or learning how to volunteer by visiting the Blue Ridge Humane Society’s website at www.blueridgehumane.org or call (828) 692-2639.
This year, we weren’t able to host our “Strolling through History” series of walking tours, but thanks to some awesome work by interns we hosted from UNC Asheville this spring, they will be partially available virtually!
Enjoy “Scrolling” through history from your couch, or grab your tablet or smartphone and follow the tour in real life. (Make sure to follow local safety guidelines!)
The tours will be posted as links in this event discussion. Leave a comment and let us know what you think!
Reginald Marsh, Merry-Go-Round, 1930, etching and engraving on paper, edition 53/59, plate: 6 ⅞ × 9 ⅞ inches. Gift of Dr. Herbert S. Johnson, 1997.05.63. © Estate of Reginald Marsh / Art Students League, New York / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
Join Doris Potash, master docent, for an interactive conversation about three artworks in our Collection. Before the discussion, find a quiet space. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and let it out slowly. Now open your eyes, and engage with the artworks in the image gallery; click on the thumbnail for a larger image, and spend about 15 minutes looking slowly at each.
- What’s going on in this artwork? What do you see that makes you say that?
- Do you see anything to indicate when the artwork was created? What era does it depict?
- Did the artist react to events that were happening at the time?
Join us for a memorable evening of jazz-infused ChamberSoul, featuring live interviews with cellist/singer-songwriter Shana Tucker and her band, moderated by Todd Wright, Professor of Jazz Studies in the Hayes School of Music.
With a deep respect for lyrical storytelling, cellist/singer-songwriter Shana Tucker delivers a unique voice through her self-described genre of ChamberSoul™. Shana’s melodies weave strong hints of jazz, classical, soulful folk, acoustic pop and a touch of R&B into a distinctive rhythmic tapestry. Touted by JazzTimes Magazine as a jazz talent “…whose imprint and vitality has already been quite visible…” Shana’s style and sound as been described as a blend of Dianne Reeves, Joni Mitchell, and Tracy Chapman, with an efficient complexity that is reminiscent of Bill Withers.
To learn more about Shana Tucker: http://www.shanatucker.com/bio
Available via YouTube Live, appsummer.org
How To Enter:
Send in your submissions to [email protected]
Contest Timeline:
- Submissions will be accepted June 15, 2020 through July 31, 2020.
- Top 10 designs will be selected July 31, 2020 – August 31, 2020 on Facebook.
- We will select the winning artist based on portfolio/resume submissions to be announced on Labor Day Weekend.
A Note to the Artists Regarding the Final Mural:
Once the final artist has been selected, the mural artwork will need to include 2 of the following elements: The Toyota brand symbol, Fred Anderson Toyota of Asheville logo, OR 1 Toyota vehicle.
They’re small, just 9×12, but highly visible.
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In alignment with the community’s commitment to uplift racial healing and communal reconciliation, Councilwoman Sheneika Smith, along with other community groups and leaders, will be coordinating a public art installation in Asheville’s central business district. The purpose of this installation is to galvanize solidarity and celebrate our collective movement towards addressing systemic issues locally.
Upon final approval from the City of Asheville, the proposal envisions a street mural located at Pack Square Park on N. Pack and S. Pack Square – an area previously planned as part of the city’s public space initiative.
We need financial support to help make this happen! Our goal is to raise $24,000 for supplies, documentation, maintenance, removal, and most importantly to make sure the artists get paid. The Asheville Area Arts Council is the fiscal agent for this project. Please donate what you can and help us spread the word!
One of the main purposes of the Black Lives Matter mural is to elevate the voices of black artists and make sure they are paid for their work. But, it is much more than that. “The artists who will put their hands to this street mural represent many untold stories,” said Councilwoman Smith. “It is my hope that all eyes that connect with this piece will experience and appreciate the bloody truths released from our collective memory onto a hard canvas. Yet, this is more than a painting or bold expression. It’s an altar that observes the most sacred social movement of my lifetime.”
BUDGET
| $ 6,000 | Painting supplies and other event day expenses |
| $ 1,900 | Documentation (live stream video, photographer) |
| $ 2,000 | Maintenance (This temporary installation could be in place for up to a year. Because of wear and tear from vehicular traffic it will require additional maintenance.) |
| $ 6,000 | Removal (As part of the approval process, we must provide a maintenance and removal plan. This expense is based on quotes we have collected from other similar projects.) |
| $ 8,100 | Artist Honorariums ($1,000 for 1 lead artist per word & $300 per letter for supporting artists) |
| $24,000 | TOTAL* |
The coronavirus pandemic halted spay and neuter surgeries as communities were forced to suspend non-emergency veterinary services. This has resulted in a huge backlog of unaltered animals. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that the current backlog is over 260,000 animals nationwide. Brother Wolf currently has a waiting list of over 500 animals that are in need of spay and neuter services.
Even prior to this pandemic, we couldn’t meet the existing need with our original clinic. A second clinic will enable us to double our capacity and serve an average of 180 animals each week! Spaying and neutering is so critical because it saves lives by reducing pet overpopulation. Our Second Spay and Neuter Mobile Clinic will travel around Western NC, providing low-cost services to under-resourced communities.
We need your help to make this program a reality. Please donate today, thank you!
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| Celebrate Pride! |
| Get in on global Pride by dining in or ordering from these LGBTQIA+ owned and operated restaurants around the U.S. |
https://www.dogwoodalliance.org/2020/07/woods-wilds-the-podcast-episode-one/?fbclid=IwAR1i8UtIuKNXhpfQPJbkQB4jw5XW4tWGLyXBTqpSz3hWejTTWROWIeYOAa8
For the safety and well-being of our supporters, Dogwood Alliance will not hold our annual Woods & Wilds live storytelling event this year. It’s an event we look forward to every year because it’s an opportunity to celebrate the magic of forests with our community. We still wanted to find a way to bring that same kind of magic to people wherever they are, so we teamed up with SlayTheMic to launch Woods & Wilds: The Podcast! We will be releasing an episode every other Monday.
The podcast will sometimes offer tales of the forest and other times will be an interview with our guests about their unique connection to nature – often touching on the connection between hip hop and nature.
We were overjoyed to welcome our very first guest, Dr. Thomas RaShad Easley aka RaShad Eas, also known as the Hip Hop Forester and the Assistant Dean of Community and Inclusion at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, where he helps strengthen community diversity and develops programming around workplace equity. He’s also the author of the incredible article How Hip Hop Can Bring Green Issues To Communities of Color.
Buncombe County Public Libraries have free wifi hotspots available outside any library building. To use the wifi, look for the LibraryGuest network and use the password readmore. The wifi is available all day every day, whether the library is open or not. Please observe all Buncombe County social distancing and gathering requirements while using the wifi. Questions? Call (828) 250-4700 or email [email protected].
The Craft Futures Fund will fund up to $30,000 each month from May 2020 – October 2020 to support craft-based education projects. These one-time, unrestricted grants of $5,000 will be disbursed to craft-based education projects that envision and build new futures for craft.
The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership
(BRNHA) has announced its 2020 Heritage Grants Program, which will provide funding for
projects that preserve, interpret, and promote Western North Carolina’s agricultural, craft,
Cherokee, music, and natural heritage. These five distinctive legacies earned the region a
Congressional designation as a National Heritage Area in 2003.
Nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and units of state and local governments are
eligible to apply. Applicants must provide at least an equal match. The total pool of funding for
the 2020 grant cycle is $180,000.
Grants awarded in previous cycles have supported exhibits, demonstration gardens, oral history collections, video documentaries, interpretive programs, teaching materials, artist training, visitor brochures, music venue improvements, and the marketing of heritage destinations. The grant projects have provided engaging and authentic cultural experiences to hundreds of thousands of visitors and residents.
The deadline for grant applications is October 1, 2020. Complete information on the 2020 Heritage Grants Program can be found at www.blueridgeheritage.com/partners/grants.
Are you interested in helping Buncombe County expand reliable, high-speed internet? If so, we need your help. Please consider joining the Buncombe Broadband Working Group. Applications are due by Friday, July 17.
Objective:
This posting is for 3-5 community members to the Buncombe Broadband Working Group which will support the evaluation of proposals submitted to Buncombe County for high-speed internet solutions.
Term:
Members shall serve for approximately 6 months, but the term may be extended or reduced based on responses from high-speed internet providers. Members may be replaced at any time at the sole discretion of the respective institution or organization. Time commitment is an estimated 4-5 hours each month.
Responsibilities:
The workgroup will:
- Develop a Request for Proposal document for high-speed internet services in Buncombe County,
- Objectively evaluate the proposals received,
- Weigh proposals based on cost, and ability to deliver excellent, sustainable service using the scoring matrix provided to bidders through the RFP, and
- Provide a recommendation to County leadership.
Qualifications:
Applicants must be Buncombe County residents. Ideal candidates have an understanding of the technical requirements of high-speed internet operations, experience leading or supporting community high-speed internet initiatives, or experience/relationships working with high-speed internet providers. Candidates must report any potential conflicts of interest.
To Apply:
Please complete the Boards and Commissions application found here and return to Lamar Joyner at [email protected] by Friday, July 17.
“The goal of Hungry Paws is to provide pet food for homes that are having to choose between feeding themselves or their pets. We don’t want people to surrender their animals to shelters because they cannot afford them right now.” says Derek Fox. “The fund is intended to cover the needed window until people can go back to work or who need the support to get by. Until then, it’s up to us to provide for these wonderful animals.”
Derek got to work, contacting area rescues and finding other partners. Pet Source, a local Hendersonville pet supply store, jumped on board, contacting their suppliers to setup a discounted purchasing program that will make the donated funds go even further.
The fund partners with Blue Ridge Humane Society, as both a recipient and as distributer of funds and food to other rescues in the area with food support programs or that have a need in their community.
“The fund will help to set pet owners up for success and bridge the gap until folks are employed again or able to get ahead again.” shares Angela Prodrick, Executive Director of Blue Ridge Humane. “This is even more vital during this time as there is an increased need as people are finding themselves in the new situation of needing help when they haven’t before, and we are here to help.”
There are several ways to donate to the fund. The Hungry Paws Initiative can be found on Facebook with an easy donation process, or on www.refinedpup.com/. Donations can also be made to Blue Ridge Humane with a note designating it for Hungry Paws online at www.blueridgehumane.org or by mail to 14 Towne Place Drive, Suite 130, Hendersonville, NC 28792.
The Blue Ridge Humane Society, Inc., is a 501(c)3 animal welfare organization started in 1950 dedicated to ensuring the highest quality of life for animals in Henderson County and our neighboring communities. BRHS cares for pets awaiting adoption at the Adoption Center; offers low-cost vaccine clinics, animal education programs, pet training classes, and youth education and projects; coordinates community pet food assistance, emergency vet assistance, and the Spay Neuter Incentive Program (SNIP), which is a collaboration with Henderson County, the City of Hendersonville, and the Henderson County Animal Services Center.
If you believe in our cause, consider making a donation or learning how to volunteer by visiting the Blue Ridge Humane Society’s website at www.blueridgehumane.org or call (828) 692-2639.
Miss browsing the library’s shelves? Let us help with Bookfix. Call or email your local library to have a librarian put together a bundle of books tailored to your specific interests. You can pick up your personal Bookfix bundle at our curbside hold pickup service. Our Ask a Librarian line is available Monday-Saturday at (828) 250-4700 or you can email [email protected].
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The North Carolina Forest Service is accepting tree seedling orders as part of its annual sale.
Each year, the NCFS Nursery Program produces millions of quality seedlings for nearly 50 species of conifers, hardwoods and native understory plants, including eastern and Carolina hemlock seedlings, as well as an expanded selection of genetically improved third cycle loblolly pine seedlings.
How can you order tree seedlings from the NCFS Nursery Program?
- Tree seedlings can be ordered from the online seedling store at www.buynctrees.com.
- Tree seedlings can also be ordered by phone at 1-888-NCTREES (1-888-628-7337).
- Tree seedlings can be ordered using the order form found in our current catalog. Complete the form and mail to Seedling Coordinator, 762 Claridge Nursery Road, Goldsboro, NC 27530.
- A user-friendly catalog is available at the “Tree Seedlings & Nursery Program” link located at www.ncforestservice.gov. Catalogs are also available at local NCFS offices located in all 100 North Carolina counties. Inside the catalog, landowners can find information about the types of tree species, quantities and costs to order. Each tree description includes information about ideal planting locations and whether a species is typically used to benefit wildlife, restore habitats or as marketable timber.
Distribution of tree seedlings will occur December through mid-April, depending on weather conditions. Seedling orders can be shipped to one of 12 distribution centers statewide for a small fee or via UPS for a charge. Seedling orders are also available for pickup from the NCFS Claridge Nursery in Goldsboro or the Linville River Nursery, near Crossnore. For information on planting trees, people are encouraged to contact an NCFS county ranger. Contact information for your local NCFS county office and nursery locations is available at www.ncforestservice.gov/contacts.