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.
NOMINATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE
2021 THOMAS WOLFE MEMORIAL LITERARY AWARD
The Western North Carolina Historical Association is now accepting nominations for the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award. Originated by the Louis Lipinsky family and now supported by Michael Sartisky, PhD, the Award is a partnership between WNCHA and the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Advisory Committee. It has been presented by WNCHA since 1955. The award comes with a $2,500 cash prize.
The deadline for submission of nominated works is July 31, 2021. Anyone with knowledge of an author who meets the qualification criteria may nominate the author for the award. To be considered, an entry must be a published work of fiction, nonfiction, drama or poetry and meet the following criteria:
- It must be a first edition work; revised editions of published works will not be considered for the Award.
- The publication date must be between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021.
- The author must be a native of western North Carolina or a resident of western North Carolina for at least twelve months prior to the closing date for the Award.
- An author may also qualify if the work submitted has a focus on or setting in western North Carolina.
Western North Carolina includes the Qualla Boundary and the following 25 counties: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey.
The Award Panel this year consists of: Catherine Frank, Chair, Director, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNC Asheville; Dee James, retired Director of the First-Year Writing Program at UNC Asheville; Tom Muir, Historic Site Manager, Thomas Wolfe Memorial; Gordon McKinney, PhD, former president, Appalachian Studies Association; Terry Roberts, PhD, Director, National Paideia Center; Jim Stokely, President, Wilma Dykeman Legacy.
Nomination letters must specify the following eligibility criteria:
- date of publication
- birthplace or residence of author
- setting of work
Nominators should submit a cover letter along with three copies of the work postmarked no later than July 31, 2021 to:
Wolfe Award Committee
℅ Anne Chesky Smith
WNC Historical Association
283 Victoria Road
Asheville, NC 28801
An awards ceremony and reception, in honor of the finalists and 2021 Award recipient, will be held in early December 2021.
The Association presented the first Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award to Wilma Dykeman in 1955 for The French Broad. The Award has continued to be funded, in part, by Mrs. E. Frank Edwin, a member of the Lipinsky family and for the last three years by WNCHA, and the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Advisory Board, both with support from Michael Sartisky, PhD. Other recipients of this prestigious Award include Robert Morgan, Gail Godwin, John Ehle, Robert Brunk, Michael McFee, Lee Smith, Ron Rash, Wayne Caldwell, and Terry Roberts. Sandra Muse Isaacs was the recipient of the 2020 Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award for her book: Eastern Cherokee Stories: A Living Oral Tradition and Its Cultural Continuance.
Get ready to go wild at the library for our annual Summer Learning Program. Join us for Tails & Tales – an exploration of wildlife and fantastical folktales. We’ll have an activity sheet with lots of fun adventures for all ages. You can pick up a sheet at any library starting June 1, or download it HERE. Check our calendar to find our most up to date list of programs all summer long.
The 2021 Summer Learning Program is open to young people, preschool through teen, with books and activities for every age. All library programs are free and open to children of all abilities. Come in and see what the library has for you!
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Our LitCafé series continues as author and WNCHA board member Jim Buchanan discusses his recently-published work Historic Tales of Sylva and Jackson County.
A Jackson County native, Sylva-Webster and Western Carolina University graduate, Jim Buchanan has been a longtime mountain journalist, working from Cashiers to Asheville to his current job as Special Projects editor for the Sylva Herald. He has won numerous awards for columns and editorials from the North Carolina Press Association.
Get Your Art Buzz On at Catawba Brewing! No artistic talent needed, just the desire to have fun! We take the time to guide you step by step to complete your very own take-home masterpiece. Catawba has a variety of drinks to choose from (beer, wine, cider, and non-alcoholic drinks.) Feel free to bring your own food to this event.
Please arrive 15 minutes early to get signed in and find your seat.
Coupons not valid for this class. Anyone under the age of 18, MUST be accompanied by an adult!
We’re pleased to be part of the Reader Meet Writer series of online events hosted by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance.
This event is free but registration is required. Stay tuned for the link to RSVP. Prior to the event we will send an email with the link required to complete your registration and attend on Zoom.
From the Grammy-nominated folk singer and songwriter, an inspiring exploration of creativity and the redemptive power of song. Mary Gauthier was twelve years old when she was given her Aunt Jenny’s old guitar and taught herself to play with a Mel Bay basic guitar workbook. Music offered her a window to a world where others felt the way she did. Songs became lifelines to her, and she longed to write her own, one day. Then, for a decade, while struggling with addiction, Gauthier put her dream away and her call to songwriting faded. It wasn’t until she got sober and went to an open mic with a friend did she realize that she not only still wanted to write songs, she needed to. Today, Gauthier is a decorated musical artist, with numerous awards and recognition for her songwriting, including a Grammy nomination. In Saved by a Song, Mary Gauthier pulls the curtain back on the artistry of songwriting. Part memoir, part philosophy of art, part nuts and bolts of songwriting, her book celebrates the redemptive power of song to inspire and bring seemingly different kinds of people together.
The Associated Press named Mary Gauthier one of the best songwriters of her generation. Her album Rifles & Rosary Beads was nominated for a Grammy award for Best Folk Album and Record of the Year by the Americana Music Association. Her songs have been recorded by dozens of artists, including Boy George, Blake Shelton, Tim McGraw, Bettye Lavette, Kathy Mattea, Amy Helm and Candi Staton. Saved by a Song is her first book. She lives in Nashville.
OUTDOOR SHOW
Join us on Tuesday nights for Magnetic’s signature variety show. There will be an exciting mix of comedy, music, theatre, dance, magic and more! Smoky Park Supper Club is offering us their beautiful outdoor venue, and will be selling food and drinks. The event is BYOC (bring your own chair), and we will, of course, be following strict Covid safety protocols. We can’t wait to see you there!
Join us Tuesday nights, beginning April 13th, as The Magnetic Theatre teams up with the wizards at Smoky Park Supper Club to host a live, outdoor variety show. We’ll be filling Smoky Park’s gorgeous, riverside outdoor space with comedy, theatre, music and so much more.
There will be food and beverages available for purchase.
- This is a BYOC (Bring-Your-Own-Chair) event.
- In accordance with safety guidelines this show will be staged outdoors, with mask and social distancing protocols enforced. There will also be temperature checks and COVID waivers that need to be signed by each attendee at the gate.
- Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the 7pm showtime.
- We do require that masks be worn at all times unless you are actively eating or drinking.
Join us every Tuesday night for Tacos & Trivia!
Twisted Roots will be cooking up a variety of tacos and authentic sides (vegetarian options available) starting at 5 pm.
Trivia will run from 7-8:15 pm. We will be capping the teams at 20 and teams will not be able to join after 7 so make sure to arrive early to secure your spot!
No reservations needed, just grab your thinking caps and get ready for good food, a good time, and a chance to win a $10, $20, or $30 gift certificate to Down Dog!
NOMINATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE
2021 THOMAS WOLFE MEMORIAL LITERARY AWARD
The Western North Carolina Historical Association is now accepting nominations for the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award. Originated by the Louis Lipinsky family and now supported by Michael Sartisky, PhD, the Award is a partnership between WNCHA and the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Advisory Committee. It has been presented by WNCHA since 1955. The award comes with a $2,500 cash prize.
The deadline for submission of nominated works is July 31, 2021. Anyone with knowledge of an author who meets the qualification criteria may nominate the author for the award. To be considered, an entry must be a published work of fiction, nonfiction, drama or poetry and meet the following criteria:
- It must be a first edition work; revised editions of published works will not be considered for the Award.
- The publication date must be between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021.
- The author must be a native of western North Carolina or a resident of western North Carolina for at least twelve months prior to the closing date for the Award.
- An author may also qualify if the work submitted has a focus on or setting in western North Carolina.
Western North Carolina includes the Qualla Boundary and the following 25 counties: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey.
The Award Panel this year consists of: Catherine Frank, Chair, Director, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNC Asheville; Dee James, retired Director of the First-Year Writing Program at UNC Asheville; Tom Muir, Historic Site Manager, Thomas Wolfe Memorial; Gordon McKinney, PhD, former president, Appalachian Studies Association; Terry Roberts, PhD, Director, National Paideia Center; Jim Stokely, President, Wilma Dykeman Legacy.
Nomination letters must specify the following eligibility criteria:
- date of publication
- birthplace or residence of author
- setting of work
Nominators should submit a cover letter along with three copies of the work postmarked no later than July 31, 2021 to:
Wolfe Award Committee
℅ Anne Chesky Smith
WNC Historical Association
283 Victoria Road
Asheville, NC 28801
An awards ceremony and reception, in honor of the finalists and 2021 Award recipient, will be held in early December 2021.
The Association presented the first Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award to Wilma Dykeman in 1955 for The French Broad. The Award has continued to be funded, in part, by Mrs. E. Frank Edwin, a member of the Lipinsky family and for the last three years by WNCHA, and the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Advisory Board, both with support from Michael Sartisky, PhD. Other recipients of this prestigious Award include Robert Morgan, Gail Godwin, John Ehle, Robert Brunk, Michael McFee, Lee Smith, Ron Rash, Wayne Caldwell, and Terry Roberts. Sandra Muse Isaacs was the recipient of the 2020 Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award for her book: Eastern Cherokee Stories: A Living Oral Tradition and Its Cultural Continuance.
Get ready to go wild at the library for our annual Summer Learning Program. Join us for Tails & Tales – an exploration of wildlife and fantastical folktales. We’ll have an activity sheet with lots of fun adventures for all ages. You can pick up a sheet at any library starting June 1, or download it HERE. Check our calendar to find our most up to date list of programs all summer long.
The 2021 Summer Learning Program is open to young people, preschool through teen, with books and activities for every age. All library programs are free and open to children of all abilities. Come in and see what the library has for you!
“Shine and Dine” on the railway! We cordially invite you to hop on board The Carolina Shine, GSMR’s All-Adult First Class Moonshine Car! We will be proudly serving hand crafted, triple-distilled, craft moonshine. Some of the smoothest tasting moonshine in the Carolinas!
Offered on the Nantahala Gorge excursion, this shine and dine experience begins in a renovated First Class train fleet car, The Carolina Shine. The interior features copper lined walls filled with the history of moonshining in North Carolina. Learn about the proud tradition that the Appalachians established when bootlegging was an acceptable way of life and local home brews were the best in town. Read about Swain County’s very own Major Redmond, the most famous mountain moonshine outlaw of the 19th century.
Once your appetite for knowledge is satisfied, enjoy sample tastings of flavors like Apple Pie, Blackberry, Blueberry, Cherry, Peach, and Strawberry moonshine. If the samples are not enough, there will be plenty of Moonshine infused cocktails like Copper Cola or Moonshiner’s Mimosa available for purchase. GSMR is excited to feature multiple craft NC based distilleries to serve our guests only the best! Each jar is handcrafted and authentically infused with real fruit, the way moonshine was meant to be made. Passengers will also enjoy a full service All-Adult First Class ride with an attendant and a specialty boxed lunch. During the month of October. 9am and 2pm departures. 9am will feature the option of a delicious Sausage & Bacon Quiche or Cheesy Ham Hash Brown Casserole. The 2pm departure will be serving the popular BBQ meal.
| Diesel | $109.00 ($114.00 October) | Not Permitted |
| Steam | $119.00 ($126.00 October) | Not Permitted |
| Locomotive | Adult (21+ Only) | Under 21 |
|---|
How to Purchase
You can purchase your tickets online or call our reservations department at (800) 872-4681. Or, you can purchase your tickets the day of in the Bryson City Depot. No matter how you purchase tickets, they’ll be waiting at will call.
Enjoy a $5 glass of wine and 1/2 off bottles every Wednesday night!
Live music from Albi & the Lifters, plus a performance featuring Elliott Hove!
Lawn games, food, beverages and a raffle for your relaxing evening with friends and family!
$10 for ASCI members, $15 for non-members.
You can pre-purchase entry tickets or purchase day of (while supplies last). Each ticket includes a free glass of wine (red, white or rose)
Bring a picnic blanket and chairs and enjoy the evening with Asheville Sister Cities!
Food will be available for purchase ahead of time through July 10th. It will also be available at the event (while supplies last).
A directional sign located in Saumur. Donate here to help build a similar version in Asheville. | Photo courtesy of Asheville Sister Cities
Join us EVERY Wednesday night for Kid’s Night! Children receive a free four-count kid’s meal with the purchase of an adult meal. See you on Wednesdays!
Head full of useless knowledge? Now’s your time to shine! Join us every Wednesday starting at 6:30pm for a night of interactive trivia perfect for all skill levels. Live scoring, music rounds, photo rounds and even themed categories!
MTN VIBEZ Presents Latin Night-every Wednesday. Free Dance Lessons 8:30-9PM-All Skill Levels and All Latin Genres-Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Cumbia, Reggaeton.
DJ Ephcto spins cultural bass music from 6:30pm-9pm and is a perfect time to come for some dinner prior to the start of Latin night.
NOMINATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE
2021 THOMAS WOLFE MEMORIAL LITERARY AWARD
The Western North Carolina Historical Association is now accepting nominations for the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award. Originated by the Louis Lipinsky family and now supported by Michael Sartisky, PhD, the Award is a partnership between WNCHA and the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Advisory Committee. It has been presented by WNCHA since 1955. The award comes with a $2,500 cash prize.
The deadline for submission of nominated works is July 31, 2021. Anyone with knowledge of an author who meets the qualification criteria may nominate the author for the award. To be considered, an entry must be a published work of fiction, nonfiction, drama or poetry and meet the following criteria:
- It must be a first edition work; revised editions of published works will not be considered for the Award.
- The publication date must be between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021.
- The author must be a native of western North Carolina or a resident of western North Carolina for at least twelve months prior to the closing date for the Award.
- An author may also qualify if the work submitted has a focus on or setting in western North Carolina.
Western North Carolina includes the Qualla Boundary and the following 25 counties: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey.
The Award Panel this year consists of: Catherine Frank, Chair, Director, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNC Asheville; Dee James, retired Director of the First-Year Writing Program at UNC Asheville; Tom Muir, Historic Site Manager, Thomas Wolfe Memorial; Gordon McKinney, PhD, former president, Appalachian Studies Association; Terry Roberts, PhD, Director, National Paideia Center; Jim Stokely, President, Wilma Dykeman Legacy.
Nomination letters must specify the following eligibility criteria:
- date of publication
- birthplace or residence of author
- setting of work
Nominators should submit a cover letter along with three copies of the work postmarked no later than July 31, 2021 to:
Wolfe Award Committee
℅ Anne Chesky Smith
WNC Historical Association
283 Victoria Road
Asheville, NC 28801
An awards ceremony and reception, in honor of the finalists and 2021 Award recipient, will be held in early December 2021.
The Association presented the first Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award to Wilma Dykeman in 1955 for The French Broad. The Award has continued to be funded, in part, by Mrs. E. Frank Edwin, a member of the Lipinsky family and for the last three years by WNCHA, and the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Advisory Board, both with support from Michael Sartisky, PhD. Other recipients of this prestigious Award include Robert Morgan, Gail Godwin, John Ehle, Robert Brunk, Michael McFee, Lee Smith, Ron Rash, Wayne Caldwell, and Terry Roberts. Sandra Muse Isaacs was the recipient of the 2020 Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award for her book: Eastern Cherokee Stories: A Living Oral Tradition and Its Cultural Continuance.
Get ready to go wild at the library for our annual Summer Learning Program. Join us for Tails & Tales – an exploration of wildlife and fantastical folktales. We’ll have an activity sheet with lots of fun adventures for all ages. You can pick up a sheet at any library starting June 1, or download it HERE. Check our calendar to find our most up to date list of programs all summer long.
The 2021 Summer Learning Program is open to young people, preschool through teen, with books and activities for every age. All library programs are free and open to children of all abilities. Come in and see what the library has for you!
“Shine and Dine” on the railway! We cordially invite you to hop on board The Carolina Shine, GSMR’s All-Adult First Class Moonshine Car! We will be proudly serving hand crafted, triple-distilled, craft moonshine. Some of the smoothest tasting moonshine in the Carolinas!
Offered on the Nantahala Gorge excursion, this shine and dine experience begins in a renovated First Class train fleet car, The Carolina Shine. The interior features copper lined walls filled with the history of moonshining in North Carolina. Learn about the proud tradition that the Appalachians established when bootlegging was an acceptable way of life and local home brews were the best in town. Read about Swain County’s very own Major Redmond, the most famous mountain moonshine outlaw of the 19th century.
Once your appetite for knowledge is satisfied, enjoy sample tastings of flavors like Apple Pie, Blackberry, Blueberry, Cherry, Peach, and Strawberry moonshine. If the samples are not enough, there will be plenty of Moonshine infused cocktails like Copper Cola or Moonshiner’s Mimosa available for purchase. GSMR is excited to feature multiple craft NC based distilleries to serve our guests only the best! Each jar is handcrafted and authentically infused with real fruit, the way moonshine was meant to be made. Passengers will also enjoy a full service All-Adult First Class ride with an attendant and a specialty boxed lunch. During the month of October. 9am and 2pm departures. 9am will feature the option of a delicious Sausage & Bacon Quiche or Cheesy Ham Hash Brown Casserole. The 2pm departure will be serving the popular BBQ meal.
| Diesel | $109.00 ($114.00 October) | Not Permitted |
| Steam | $119.00 ($126.00 October) | Not Permitted |
| Locomotive | Adult (21+ Only) | Under 21 |
|---|
How to Purchase
You can purchase your tickets online or call our reservations department at (800) 872-4681. Or, you can purchase your tickets the day of in the Bryson City Depot. No matter how you purchase tickets, they’ll be waiting at will call.
The Friends of the Weaverville Library (FOWL) are excited to announce the opening of their used bookstore in Weaverville on Thursday, July 8. Located in the lower level of the Weaverville Library at 41 N. Main St., the store will be open Thursdays 1-5 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 11 a.m.-2 p.m., with expanded hours beginning in September. The store is stocked with thousands of books, audiobooks, CDs, DVDs, and more. All adult books are priced at $1.50-$3.00, children and teen books at $1.00-$1.50, audio and video at $2.00.
There is also a bargain-priced area and a collection of special finds that are priced individually. Please feel free to contact us at 828-641-1812 or [email protected]. All proceeds from the store will benefit the Weaverville Library.
Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens and experience our Wild Art outdoor sculpture showcase in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! ArborEvenings runs Thursdays and most Fridays through October 1, 2021, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. ArborEvenings are not scheduled on the following Fridays: July 9, August 6, September 3 and 10.
There is no additional cost to attend ArborEvenings beyond our standard parking fee. As always, Arboretum Society members and their accompanying guests can enter for FREE (guests must be in member vehicles to receive free entry). Proceeds from ArborEvenings help support the The North Carolina Arboretum Society and further advance the Arboretum’s mission.
Please note: ArborEvenings will not be held in the event of rain. Please check the website or Facebook page by 3 p.m. for any cancellation announcements prior to attending.
Beverage Service
Beer, Wine, and soft drinks will be for sale onsite at the Green Gardener’s Shed from 5:30 to 8:15 p.m. each night of the event. Outside alcohol is strictly prohibited, but guests are welcome to bring in water or a favorite non-alcoholic beverage.
Food Available for Pre-Order, Picnics Welcome
Although the Bent Creek Bistro will not be open during the event, we are pleased to share that they will be offering their delicious dining options at ArborEvenings via pre-order this year! Simply place your online order — including alcoholic beverages — up until 11 a.m. on the date you plan to attend, then pick up your order at the Baker Information Desk between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. (In the event of rain cancellation, pre-orders will be fully refunded.)
Guests are welcome to bring in outside food and non-alcoholic beverages. However, outside alcohol is strictly prohibited.
Musician Schedule
Please note, scheduled performances are subject to change.
- Thursday 7/8 – Juan Holiday (R&B/Soul) will play from 5:30 – 6:45 p.m. & Jackson Grimm (Folk/Bluegrass) will play from 7:15 – 8:30 p.m.
- Friday 7/9 – No Event
- Thursday 7/15 – Liz & Elizabeth (Folk/Americana) will play from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
- Friday 7/16 – Kevin Williams (Country/Americana) will play from 5:30 – 6:45 p.m. & Steve Newbrough (Classical/Fingerstyle Guitar) will play from 7:15 – 8:30 p.m.Click here for the full schedule.
Know Before You Go
- Parking fees will be collected at the gate upon arrival, and members must present valid card for free entry. Pre-registration is not required.
- Restroom access will be available during ArborEvenings inside the Baker Visitor Center.
- Guests are invited to explore A Life in the Wild, a breathtaking exhibition of photographs from Thomas D. Mangelsen; however, food and drink are not permitted inside the Exhibit Hall.
- Leashed dogs are welcome at ArborEvenings, but are not permitted inside of buildings.
- To protect our lawn, blankets are not permitted at the event; however, guests are welcome to bring lawn chairs to set up in front of the musicians.
- Due to existing event bookings, ArborEvenings will not take place on the following Fridays: July 9, August 6 and September 3 and 10.
The Rhythm & Brews concerts series brings together live music, a variety of food trucks, and locally crafted beer, wine and cider! These free concerts close part of South Main Street to make room for all the fun, as well as a children’s area with games and activities. Tickets and wristbands, for the purchase of beer, wine and hard cider, will be located at the Downtown Hendersonville tent.
The Rhythm & Brews musical line-up includes established acts as well as up-and-coming artists from around the nation playing a wide range of tunes from southern rock, soul to R&B.
The concerts begin with an opener at 5:30 pm followed by the headlining performance at 7:30 pm,on the third Thursday of each month from May – September (2021 the concerts will run July – October) on Main Street between Allen & Caswell Streets.
The Inclement Weather Policy is to delay each act by 30 minutes before moving onto the next act. If headline act is unable to perform by 8:00 pm the show will be canceled. Follow the weather decisions on Facebook page.
Please leave your pets comfortably at home. A Hendersonville City ordinance allows event organizers to exclude animals from the event space for the health, safety and welfare of the community, dogs, patrons, and vendors and their products.
This is gonna be one big party as Sidecar Honey brings its six-piece lineup to the One World West stage! Grab a brew and put on your dancing shoes!
We’re pleased to be part of the Reader Meet Writer series of online events hosted by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance.
This event is free but registration is required. Stay tuned for the link to RSVP. Prior to the event we will send an email with the link required to complete your registration and attend on Zoom.
A Columbia University physician comes across a popular medieval text on dying well written after the horror of the Black Plague and discovers ancient wisdom for rethinking death and gaining insight today on how we can learn the lost art of dying well in this wise, clear-eyed book that is as compelling and soulful as Being Mortal, When Breath Becomes Air, and Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.
As a specialist in both medical ethics and the treatment of older patients, Dr. L. S. Dugdale knows a great deal about the end of life. Far too many of us die poorly, she argues. Our culture has overly medicalized death: dying is often institutional and sterile, prolonged by unnecessary resuscitations and other intrusive interventions. We are not going gently into that good night–our reliance on modern medicine can actually prolong suffering and strip us of our dignity. Yet our lives do not have to end this way.
Centuries ago, in the wake of the Black Plague, a text was published offering advice to help the living prepare for a good death. Written during the late Middle Ages, ars moriendi—The Art of Dying–made clear that to die well, one first had to live well and described what practices best help us prepare. When Dugdale discovered this Medieval book, it was a revelation. Inspired by its holistic approach to the final stage we must all one day face, she draws from this forgotten work, combining its wisdom with the knowledge she has gleaned from her long medical career. The Lost Art of Dying is a twenty-first century ars moriendi, filled with much-needed insight and thoughtful guidance that will change our perceptions. By recovering our sense of finitude, confronting our fears, accepting how our bodies age, developing meaningful rituals, and involving our communities in end-of-life care, we can discover what it means to both live and die well. And like the original ars moriendi, The Lost Art of Dying includes nine black-and-white drawings from artist Michael W. Dugger.
Dr. Dugdale offers a hopeful perspective on death and dying as she shows us how to adapt the wisdom from the past to our lives today. The Lost Art of Dying is a vital, affecting book that reconsiders death, death culture, and how we can transform how we live each day, including our last.
Lydia Dugdale MD, MAR, is associate professor of medicine and director of the Center for Clinical Medical Ethics at Columbia University. Prior to her 2019 move to Columbia, she was Associate Director of the Program for Biomedical Ethics and founding Co-Director of the Program for Medicine, Spirituality, and Religion at Yale School of Medicine. She is an internal medicine primary care doctor and medical ethicist. Her first book, Dying in the Twenty-First Century (MIT Press, 2015), provides the theoretical grounding for this current book. She lives with her husband and daughters in New York City.
NOMINATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE
2021 THOMAS WOLFE MEMORIAL LITERARY AWARD
The Western North Carolina Historical Association is now accepting nominations for the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award. Originated by the Louis Lipinsky family and now supported by Michael Sartisky, PhD, the Award is a partnership between WNCHA and the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Advisory Committee. It has been presented by WNCHA since 1955. The award comes with a $2,500 cash prize.
The deadline for submission of nominated works is July 31, 2021. Anyone with knowledge of an author who meets the qualification criteria may nominate the author for the award. To be considered, an entry must be a published work of fiction, nonfiction, drama or poetry and meet the following criteria:
- It must be a first edition work; revised editions of published works will not be considered for the Award.
- The publication date must be between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021.
- The author must be a native of western North Carolina or a resident of western North Carolina for at least twelve months prior to the closing date for the Award.
- An author may also qualify if the work submitted has a focus on or setting in western North Carolina.
Western North Carolina includes the Qualla Boundary and the following 25 counties: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey.
The Award Panel this year consists of: Catherine Frank, Chair, Director, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNC Asheville; Dee James, retired Director of the First-Year Writing Program at UNC Asheville; Tom Muir, Historic Site Manager, Thomas Wolfe Memorial; Gordon McKinney, PhD, former president, Appalachian Studies Association; Terry Roberts, PhD, Director, National Paideia Center; Jim Stokely, President, Wilma Dykeman Legacy.
Nomination letters must specify the following eligibility criteria:
- date of publication
- birthplace or residence of author
- setting of work
Nominators should submit a cover letter along with three copies of the work postmarked no later than July 31, 2021 to:
Wolfe Award Committee
℅ Anne Chesky Smith
WNC Historical Association
283 Victoria Road
Asheville, NC 28801
An awards ceremony and reception, in honor of the finalists and 2021 Award recipient, will be held in early December 2021.
The Association presented the first Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award to Wilma Dykeman in 1955 for The French Broad. The Award has continued to be funded, in part, by Mrs. E. Frank Edwin, a member of the Lipinsky family and for the last three years by WNCHA, and the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Advisory Board, both with support from Michael Sartisky, PhD. Other recipients of this prestigious Award include Robert Morgan, Gail Godwin, John Ehle, Robert Brunk, Michael McFee, Lee Smith, Ron Rash, Wayne Caldwell, and Terry Roberts. Sandra Muse Isaacs was the recipient of the 2020 Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award for her book: Eastern Cherokee Stories: A Living Oral Tradition and Its Cultural Continuance.
Get ready to go wild at the library for our annual Summer Learning Program. Join us for Tails & Tales – an exploration of wildlife and fantastical folktales. We’ll have an activity sheet with lots of fun adventures for all ages. You can pick up a sheet at any library starting June 1, or download it HERE. Check our calendar to find our most up to date list of programs all summer long.
The 2021 Summer Learning Program is open to young people, preschool through teen, with books and activities for every age. All library programs are free and open to children of all abilities. Come in and see what the library has for you!
Brunch B’Yahad is now available through Zoom meeting here.
Join new and old friends for light brunch, socialization and lively discussion. Featured guest speakers, and relevant cultural and timely topics will fill our minds.
“Shine and Dine” on the railway! We cordially invite you to hop on board The Carolina Shine, GSMR’s All-Adult First Class Moonshine Car! We will be proudly serving hand crafted, triple-distilled, craft moonshine. Some of the smoothest tasting moonshine in the Carolinas!
Offered on the Nantahala Gorge excursion, this shine and dine experience begins in a renovated First Class train fleet car, The Carolina Shine. The interior features copper lined walls filled with the history of moonshining in North Carolina. Learn about the proud tradition that the Appalachians established when bootlegging was an acceptable way of life and local home brews were the best in town. Read about Swain County’s very own Major Redmond, the most famous mountain moonshine outlaw of the 19th century.
Once your appetite for knowledge is satisfied, enjoy sample tastings of flavors like Apple Pie, Blackberry, Blueberry, Cherry, Peach, and Strawberry moonshine. If the samples are not enough, there will be plenty of Moonshine infused cocktails like Copper Cola or Moonshiner’s Mimosa available for purchase. GSMR is excited to feature multiple craft NC based distilleries to serve our guests only the best! Each jar is handcrafted and authentically infused with real fruit, the way moonshine was meant to be made. Passengers will also enjoy a full service All-Adult First Class ride with an attendant and a specialty boxed lunch. During the month of October. 9am and 2pm departures. 9am will feature the option of a delicious Sausage & Bacon Quiche or Cheesy Ham Hash Brown Casserole. The 2pm departure will be serving the popular BBQ meal.
| Diesel | $109.00 ($114.00 October) | Not Permitted |
| Steam | $119.00 ($126.00 October) | Not Permitted |
| Locomotive | Adult (21+ Only) | Under 21 |
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How to Purchase
You can purchase your tickets online or call our reservations department at (800) 872-4681. Or, you can purchase your tickets the day of in the Bryson City Depot. No matter how you purchase tickets, they’ll be waiting at will call.