We are thrilled to announce our Group Fitness Schedule is live with several offerings and more coming. Class options range from high-intensity strength training to water aerobics, there is something for everyone. Reservations are required and can be made 24 hours in advance using our free app or calling (828)-254-7206 and speaking with a Fitness Associate. Visit our website to learn more.

Hourly Child Care is available while you are onsite Monday – Thursday 8 am – 8 pm and Fridays 8 am – 5 pm. Reservations are required and can be made in advance by calling (828) 254-7206 x 113.

The SBA is launching a streamlined application portal to allow borrowers with Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans under $150,000 through participating lenders to apply for forgiveness directly through the SBA. “With the new simplified application portal, thousands of Southeastern businesses, and even sole proprietorships that borrowed PPP funds will have these funds forgiven said Janita R. Stewart, Acting Regional Administrator for the Southeastern Region. Most entrepreneurs waiting for forgiveness have loans under $150,000. It was time we made the process more efficient so businesses can get back to sustaining our communities.” This new change will help rush relief to the Southeast’s smallest of small businesses, which has been the Administrator’s priority since day one. The new forgiveness platform will begin accepting applications from borrowers on August 4, 2021. Lenders are required to opt-in to this program through directforgiveness.sba.gov. In addition to the technology platform, the SBA is standing up a PPP customer service team to answer questions and directly assist borrowers with their forgiveness applications. Borrowers that need assistance or have questions should call (877) 552-2692, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. EDT.

The North Carolina Arboretum is going wild for art and nature in 2021 with Wild Art! On view April 1 through September 26, this outdoor sculpture exhibition features works by 17 local and national artists drawing inspiration from the natural environment. Situated throughout the Arboretum’s spacious, open-air gardens, the show offers guests a doorway into the wild world from the comfort and safety of cultivated landscapes transformed by art.

The 18 sculptures on display represent a variety of approaches to the theme of “wild art,” from the literal to the abstract, and are crafted from a diverse array of materials that will delight and inspire. Let your imagination take you on a wild journey into the world of plants and animals near and far with Wild Art at The North Carolina Arboretum.

The exhibit is available to all guests during normal Arboretum hours, and there is no admission cost to view the sculptures beyond our usual parking fee of $16 per personal vehicle.

With the convenience of being open year-round, 7 days a week, the WNC Farmers Market offers a selection of farm-fresh produce at the lowest prices in Western N.C. Our popular retail buildings, providing a selection of non-perishables, fruits, vegetables, crafts and more, are open daily.

A Life in the Wild  features more than 30 large-format images from award-winning nature photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen, who has devoted decades of his life to documenting wild places across the globe and the remarkable creatures that inhabit them. For this traveling retrospective exhibition of his works, Mangelsen has hand-selected several legacy photographs from his portfolio of more than 40 years, during which time he has captured thousands of breathtaking images of wildlife under natural — and sometimes harsh — conditions. With subjects ranging from black bears in the Great Smoky Mountains to plains zebras in the savannas of East Africa, this collection of photographs serves to remind us all to slow down and take a moment to connect with nature near and far. Named the 2011 Conservation Photographer of the Year by Nature’s Best Photography, among other accolades, Mangelsen has his work featured in the permanent collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C..

A Life in the Wild is on display daily, May 15 – September 5, 2021, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. inside the Baker Exhibit Center. Face coverings are required for visitors ages 5 years and older.

Exhibit support for A Life in the Wild is provided in part by The North Carolina Arboretum Society, Asheville Citizen-Times, Biltmore Farms Hotels, Gasperson Moving & Storage, RomanticAsheville.com Travel Guide and Smoky Mountain Living Magazine. 

THOMAS D. MANGELSEN – A LIFE IN THE WILD, produced by David J. Wagner, L.L.C., David J. Wagner, Ph.D., Curator/Tour Director.

Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity is currently building New
Heights, its most ambitious neighborhood to-date, and volunteers are invited to help build. Take an
active role in ensuring everyone has an affordable place to call home by learning new skills or
honing existing ones while working alongside community-minded people and future Habitat
homeowners.
Asheville Habitat has been bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope for
nearly four decades. The reasons people donate their time and talent to Asheville Habitat are as
varied as the volunteer themselves. Those who so enjoyed volunteering once on the Women Build
House that they keep coming back every week. Those that spent decades in a corporate
boardroom and simply want to do something totally different in retirement. Those that work for a
company that sponsors Asheville Habitat and therefore have the opportunity to participate in an
employee build day. Those that are in high school and learning about our region’s affordable
housing crisis. Those putting faith into action by working on a house their church sponsors. How
people come to volunteer with Asheville Habitat is wide-ranging. Why they continue to volunteer is
the same: Comradery. Meeting the families. Fulfillment. Fun. Making a difference. Feeling part of
something bigger.
If you are ready to be the change you want to see in the world, learn more and sign up to volunteer
at ashevillehabitat.org or call 828.251.5702. “Volunteers are truly an extension of our staff,” shares
Construction Services Volunteer Manager Stephanie Wallace. “We offer year-round opportunities
for those age 16+. It’s hard work, but very rewarding. Stepping back at the end of the day, you can
SEE the difference you’ve made and feel proud about it.”
If construction isn’t your cup of tea, contact Carrie at 828.210.9381 or
[email protected] to learn about volunteer opportunities in the Asheville and
Weaverville ReStores. Proceeds from ReStore sales support Habitat’s building programs, so your
volunteer efforts there directly support affordable housing, too. Volunteer positions include
customer service, such as running the cash register and providing sales support on the floor;
intake and receiving; sorting and processing donations; testing and repairing appliances; and other
fun opportunities. More description can be found at ashevillehabitat.org – join the team!
About Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity
Founded in 1983, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity was the first Habitat affiliate in North Carolina. Through Habitat
homeownership and home repair programs, nearly 2,000 adults and children in Buncombe County have achieved the
strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build a better future. A decent place to call home and an affordable
mortgage enables Habitat homeowners to save more, invest in education, pursue opportunities and have greater
financial stability. Learn more about Asheville Area Habitat, a Charity Navigator 4-star non-profit, and how you can get
involved at ashevillehabitat.org.

Fairy Trail 2021

Join us on the magical Fairy Trail where your imagination is the only limit.

Developed by Fairies and dedicated volunteers, Bullington Gardens’ Fairy Trail is a whimsical treat for the young and the young at heart. Featuring playful vignettes and villages, the fairy trail will charm you with its thoughtful design, eye catching displays and secret woodland trail.

Rules of the trail:

Do not move or rearrange fairy displays. The fairies are very fond of their own decorating.

Do not leave trash on the trail. Fairies do not like litter in their town.

Please ensure children and pets are supervised at all times. Dogs and loud noises can scare the fairies into hiding.

Do not disturb wildlife or vegetation. The fairies depend on the vegetation to build their homes.

The trail is one way only. Please stay on the trail at all times.

P.S. the Fairies would like us to remind you that we are a non-profit and donations are greatly appreciated. Help us keep the fairies living in the style with which they’ve become accustomed.

Bullington Gardens and the Fairy Trail are closed on Sundays.

Separate workshops for students in grades 1-5 and grades 6-10

9-3pm Monday-Friday and Friday performance at the end of camp $300

Early and late care available for an additional fee of $50 (7:45am drop off and 5pm pick up)

“Oh what a celebration we’ll have today!” Let’s follow the yellow brick road to Oz and explore the different musicals set in this place. Was Elphaba all bad or just misunderstood? Where did she really go when Dorothy dumped the bucket of water on her? Depending on the story…there are different outcomes. Was Glinda really POPULAR, like the song suggests?

Come and find out! This creative and performance based camp will culminate in a sharing session for family and friends. Whether you join our munchkin chorus or dive deeper into script analysis of these characters motives, you are sure to have a great week diving deeper into your craft.

Everybody is ready to hit the road and take part in something they missed out on last year, and we’re excited to have them come to Burnsville,” says Christy Jones, who was named executive director of the Burnsville-Yancey Chamber of Commerce this past October. “Considering the struggles we’ve all endured, we hope this year’s Crafts Fair will be one of the best ever.”

The Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair has an established reputation in the crafts world as a juried event that avoids mass-produced and resale items. Jones, who oversaw a large arts and crafts fair in Kansas, plans to build on the fair’s reputation by involving more top-notch artists from the surrounding Toe River Valley.

To accomplish that, Jones and her team developed incentives to entice area artists and crafters to participate in 2021.

“Yancey County has a wealth of talent, and we want them to be a big part of the fair,” Jones says. “Local artists and crafters who set up at the fair also become ambassadors for the arts scene in Burnsville and Yancey County. We see this initiative as important for the entire area.”

The juried entry process ensures a variety of crafts, from ceramics and wood carvings to jewelry, blown and sculpted glass, metalwork, textiles and woven baskets.

Favorite traditions, such as bluegrass music and clogging underneath the shade trees on the Town Square, will continue. Food trucks will complement the offerings from downtown eateries

Included with admission

Our fun-for-all-ages botanical model train displays invite you to experience our grounds in an engaging new way. Located in the Conservatory in the Walled Garden, the displays feature replicas of structures connected with Biltmore and its founder George Vanderbilt. Each beautifully executed piece was handcrafted from such natural elements as leaves, bark, and twigs.

In compliance with state and local mandates related to COVID-19, all guests must enter the Conservatory via the ADA entrance in the back and follow a one-way route.