Calendar of Events

Do you love Gnocchi? Traditional neo-gnocchi no more! Come be a part of Nonna’s New World, where the ingredients are characters and the evening is multi-sensory.

Join us for a 4-course, interactive dinner theater, “Valentine’s Day Eve”, event on Sunday, February 13th, at the newest Franny’s Farmacy dispensary, Corporate headquarters, Canna Cafe, and special event venue in the South Slope District of Asheville.

This one-of-a-kind dining experience is from 6:00-8:00pm and will showcase selections of the newly released Franny’s Farm Foods line including Pasta & Prana’s gluten-free gnocchi along with other creative dishes featuring local ingredients such as Asheville Microgreens – all to be enjoyed during a performance of “Nonna’s New World Gnocchi”, a comedic yet informative storytelling journey of transformation and Italian tradition.

It stars performer and writer Summer Minerva as “Nonna”, producer Vinny Bonanno, Sound Artist Joel, and more, along with chef, wordsmith, Yogi and creator of Pasta & Prana, Mike Ptaszek, creating the dishes (vegetarian options available!). Delicious mocktails, new Chakra Teas, and CannaCafe coffees are included, but diners are also welcome to BYOB.

Tickets are $85 each or 2 for $150

(not including tax + gratuity)

A portion of proceeds will go to Utopian Seed Project, a hands in the earth non-profit committed to trialing crops and varieties in the Southeast to support diversity in food and farming. This visionary organization strives to create food security in the face of climate change through diverse and regenerative agriculture.

The health and wellness of Franny’s Farmacy’s staff, its customers, and community remains the company’s top priority. Franny’s Farmacy dispensaries will continue to follow CDC guidance along with State and County mandates currently requiring that all employees and customers wear face coverings while at the stores.

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Writer: Summer Minerva

Producer: Vinny “Vignette” Bonanno

Actors: Cecil Baldwin, Erika Charbeneau, Summer Minerva, Vinny “Vignette” Bonanno

Musical Artist: Joel Karabo Elliott

Vignette Visions Productions is led by Vinny ‘Vignette’ Bonanno. Vinny sees the collaboration in our daily interactions as opportunities to lift each other up…”together we shine brighter”. From busking in New York City to curating sensory-stimulating experiences, Vinny organizes groups and teams to activate spaces and shift perspectives!

Vinny is also an internationally trained yoga teacher with 200-hour Vinyasa and 200-hour Katonah yoga certifications, guiding his clients to greater mobility and pain reduction by customizing ancient yoga techniques and inspiring personal daily practice with gentle accountability. “Be available to explore!”

IG: @stretchinginpublic

website: stretchinginpublic.com

Summer Minerva (she/they) is a researcher, performer, public speaker, and educator, as well as multilingual (Ital/Span/Port).

Summer currently has a book under contract with SUNY Academic: Italian Trans Geographies- an anthology of trans narratives from Italy and the Italian diaspora. Her feature documentary, Summer Within, is an autobiographical account of her quest for belonging via the femminielli of Napoli. Both groundbreaking works are to be released in 2022.

Summer is a trained actor and has appeared in several off-broadway plays and award-winning independent films. She is the resident emcee at The Generations Project, her intergenerational LGBTQ+ storytelling organization

IG: @iamsummerminerva

Website: summerminerva.com

Contact us for more information!

[email protected]

In the “old days” people used to dress up and go out to some place that had great music, great cocktails and great food. It was not just another night out. It was an EVENT! A time to put on your finest threads and spend an evening with the one you love (or meet the one you love!) in some classy joint. You dined and enjoyed the music. It was a night of style, class and (most importantly) romance!

Russ Wilson And His Famous Orchestra present A Vintage Valentine. An Evening of Style, Class and Romance.
Russ and his All Star Orchestra will play the beautiful love songs of 20’s, 30’s & 40’s.

Come enjoy an evening of live music, food and drinks at the Isis Music Hall. Reservations are highly recommended.

Reserved Seat Tickets are available with Dinner reservations – You must call the venue at 828-575-2737 to make dinner reservations and secure those tickets.

General Admission Tickets are available for the main stage balcony only. Seating in the balcony is first come, first serve. Dinner service is NOT currently being offered for general admission tickets.; drink service is available at the downstairs bar on the main floor.

Currently, Only General Admission Tickets are available on line

You must call the venue at 828-575-2737 for Reserve Seat Tickets and to make dinner reservations.

Spend Valentine’s Day with your loved one at the Grove Arcade. Flora Diva will be selling handpicked flowers and arrangements all day! Marc Keller will be playing a variety of guitar instrumentals and vocal music all day. They will also have their very own Catalina Rose doing hand-written couple’s poetry for free. This is a multi-day event taking place Feb 12-14th so take your Valentine to one of the most architecturally romantic places in town. No cover.

pecial V-day dessert alert: Our friends at Posana have outdone themselves with this Lavender Honey Cake with pomegranate mousse, orange curd, chocolate almond meringue kisses, Earl Grey honey gel, and fresh pomegranate arils.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day Weekend at Tryon Resort and treat yourself (and your significant other!) to a full roster of can’t-miss events. Join us Friday, February 11 for Comedy Night presented by Comedy Zone, one of TWO shows you can catch while celebrating Valentine’s Day Weekend with us.

Comedian Bios:

Johnny Millwater: 

Johnny Millwater has devoted his life to making people laugh. Johnny’s extraordinary use of language, rapid-fire delivery and old-school showmanship make his shows fun, hilarious and unforgettable!

Jason Allen King:

Jason Allen King is a comedian, writer, actor, filmmaker, and bird watcher from Charlotte, NC. Exploiting his own peculiar personal experiences, family, and relationships (or lack thereof), King’s comedy offers a unique perspective on familiar situations. A northerner who’s been living in the south too long, he has endeared himself to audiences across the country pushing boundaries through a positive and sharp spin on observations and self-deprecation.

Fresh off the taping of his Dry Comedy Special and a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, King is back touring the country. He has opened for renowned comedians like Preacher Lawson, Fortune Feimster, Rob Schneider, Christopher Titus, Colin Quinn, and Dave Attell. He was voted Charlotte’s Favorite Comedian by Elevate Lifestyle Magazine, featured in It’s A Southern Thing’s One of 15 Southern Comics to Watch and Best of the Fest at the Burbank Comedy Festival. King is the host of The Comedy Zone Podcast. He also writes and stars in the popular video series “George & Monty,” which was invited to screen at the L.A. Comedy Shorts Festival.

The Asheville Celtic Festival, a Winter Indoor/Outdoor Celtic Festival bringing the Celtic Spirit of the Seven Nations to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, will be held at the Davis Center at the WNC Agricultural Center giving us a comfortable setting in the winter months.

• Feel the Vibes of Early Settlers from the Celtic Nations

• Participate in Entertaining Battles and Performances

• Learn About Celtic History and Traditions

• Listen to LIVE Celtic Music

• Explore your Family Background

• See Characters in 1700 Period Dress

• Shop the Celtic Crafts and Buy a Kilt

• Eat Traditional Foods

• Drink the Stouts & Ales

• Rest by the Fire

Cool events to keep the Celtic spirit alive through the winter.

 Asheville Outlets has announced a Cultural Marketplace Pup-Up in celebration of Black History Month to be held on Saturdays, February 5, 12, 19 & 26, 2022 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in Suite 348 next to Gap Factory. The Cultural Marketplace will feature over twenty vendors offering original art, handmade apparel, health, wellness, and beauty products, jewelry, candles, and one-of-a-kind gift items. 

“We thank the YMI Cultural Center, the City of Asheville, and Asheville Outlets for this opportunity during Black History month,” says alexandria monque ravenel and Ajax Ravenel co-owners of Noir Collective AVL.

The Cultural Marketplace is a collaboration between Noir Collective AVL, Center for Participatory Change (CPC), and YMI Cultural Center. 

Vendors will include Wintress Daughter Soaps, Jenny Pickens, LLC, Makeba Loving Hands, Heart/Soul Apparel, It’s Amira M, LLC, The Body & Temple Co., Black Diamond Enterprise, Peculiar Persona, Counsel to the Entrepreneur, From the Ashes Cultural Arts & Counseling, Livauskendai & Co., Rehab Project, and more.