Join us for the 1st Annual Earth Day 5K hosted by the nonprofit Green Built Alliance to help reduce our community’s carbon footprint!

Saturday, April 22, 2023

5K Race begins at 8:00 AM

1 Mile Fun Run begins at 8:05 AM

Register by April 1st to be guaranteed a FREE race t-shirt. After that date, t-shirts will only be available in limited sizes and quantities.

Early registration includes a t-shirt, goody bag, and bib with chip-timing services. The top 3 male, female, and overall 5K runners will receive prizes, including a medal and a local tree donated by Asheville Greenworks!

Children 2 and under can join you for free (without registering) for the 1 Mile Fun Run, but kids 3 and up must be registered.

RSVP on Facebook to stay up to date!

All proceeds from event will go towards creating a clean energy future through Green Built Alliance’s carbon offset program, Appalachian Offsets. This is a local carbon offsetting opportunity that allows community members’ offsets to go toward renewable energy projects for Buncombe County schools or other nonprofit organizations. The next Appalachian Offsets project in the works is for the installation of a PV system on the downtown Asheville United Way building.

Food Scraps Drop Off

The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is offering a FREE Food Scrap Drop-Off program in two locations for all Buncombe County residents.  This organic matter will be collected and turned into good clean compost, keeping it OUT of our landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Register for Food Scraps Drop Off

Need a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin?  Let us know on the registration form! We’ll be having bin giveaways at city and county facilities and would love to give you one.

Locations

Buncombe County Landfill – Convenience Center

85 Panther Branch Road, Alexander

• • Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm

Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the east side of the parking lot

749 Fairview Road, Asheville

• • Dawn – Dusk

Stephens-Lee Recreation Center “Food Scrap Shed” next to the Community Garden on the North side of the parking lot

30 Washington Carver Avenue, Asheville

• • Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  • Sunday, 12 – 4 p.m.

West Asheville Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the south side of the building

942 Haywood Road, Asheville

• • Library open hours

Food Scraps Drop Off

The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is offering a FREE Food Scrap Drop-Off program in

two locations for all Buncombe County residents.  This organic matter will be collected and turned into good clean compost, keeping it OUT of our landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Register for Food Scraps Drop Off

Need a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin?  Let us know on the registration form! We’ll be having bin giveaways at city and county facilities and would love to give you one.

Locations

Stephens-Lee Recreation Center “Food Scrap Shed” next to the Community Garden on the North side of the parking lot

30 Washington Carver Avenue, Asheville

• • Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  • Sunday, 12 – 4 p.m.

Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the east side of the parking lot

749 Fairview Road, Asheville

• • Dawn – Dusk

West Asheville Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the south side of the building

942 Haywood Road, Asheville

Library open hours

Buncombe County Landfill – Convenience Center85 Panther Branch Road, Alexander

• • • • Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
      • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm

Welcome to Western NC’s most premier farmers market!

Since 1980, we have been providing Asheville and the surrounding area with a full range of local, sustainably produced produce, meats, eggs, cheeses, breads, plants, prepared foods and crafts. Day vendors complement the members’ offerings with additional products and services.

The North Asheville Tailgate Market is a weekly, Saturday morning gathering of the best farmers, craftsmen, and bakers. With over 40 vendors and more than 40,000 annual customers, the market’s energetic and warm environment welcomes all.

Help us kick off the 2023 season with our annual Spring Fling Celebration all day on April 22nd! Join us for the Upper Nantahala & Cascades River Release, sales and deals on paddling gear and apparel, giveaways, live entertainment, boat demos, and more!

After you’ve finished your laps, join Pyranha Kayaks and Jackson Kayaks on the NOC beach to try out their newest boats. Chris Hipgrave, Emily Jackson, and the Hargrove family will be riverside to answer all your questions. Astral, NRS, Immersion Research, Kokatat, and our experienced retail and river guides will be there to help with any safety gear and apparel needs.

Schedule of Events:

• 8 am to 6 pm: NOC Outfitter’s Store is open early for river passes and gear
• 10 am to 4 pm: Upper Nantahala/Cascades Release
• 11 am to 12 pm: Kids Activities
• 3 pm to 6 pm: Riverside Kayak Demos
• 3 pm to 6 pm: Live Music by Asheville Junction
• 6 pm: American Whitewater Raffle winner announced!
• Jackson Kayak Group Paddle Sessions- info below! Times coming soon!

Jackson Kayak Clinics:

Jackson Kayak is offering three clinics during Spring Fling! All will be filled on a first come first serve basis and participants will have the chance to register to WIN a Jackson Kayak Gnarvana in December.

•  Ladies Paddle Plus Freestyle Session: Join JR World Champion Abby Holcombe and US Team Member Emily Wade for a down river ladies paddle from Surfing Rapid to the bridge. Ladies who are up for an hour of Freestyle Fun and instruction can continue on downstream for an hour of on-water coaching from two of the country’s best women kayakers! Put in at Surfing Rapid and take out at Play Hole (Or Gravel Bar for those not participating in Freestyle)

• Joy Lap/ River Run: Join Team JK for a Fun Float/ Paddle down the Nantahala- Have anything you want instruction on? Or ways to make the run more exciting?! Team JK can help you break down the river, find each place to play, and make this run a JOY lap for all who join! Put in at Ferebee and take out at Gravel Bar.

• Gnarvana Boat Demos at Cascades: Join Team JK’s Landon Miller, Clay Wright, Boyd Ruppelt and MORE as we demo Gnarvanas on the Cascades. All three sizes will be available to demo on a first come first serve basis. Please don’t be shy to introduce yourself to our team to make sure you lock in your chance to jump in a boat.

Additional details coming soon- stay tuned!

The WNC Farmers Market is the premier destination for buying and selling the region’s best agriculture products directly from farmers & food producers to household & wholesale customers in an environment that celebrates the region’s diverse culture, food & heritage.

House of Operation:

WNC Farmers Market: 24/7, 361 days a year market access for farmers
Office: Monday- Friday, 8am-5pm
Market Shops: 7 days a week, 8 am-5 pm
Wholesale and Truck Sheds: 7 days a week

Included with admission

Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.

Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.

Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!

Andrea Rich’s intricately designed, carved, and printed woodcuts draw viewers in for an up-close look.

Some of the artist’s earliest memories are of drawing animals. Childhood encounters with pets, livestock, and wildlife, including birds, deer, and toads, created a lasting connection to the natural world. Through encounters with creatures both tame and wild, Rich developed a fascination and a compassion for animals integral to her art.

“My prints are a visual record of the intriguing creatures that have enriched my life. The woodcut process challenges me to focus on the essence of my subjects. At the same time, I am drawn to the smell of the wood, its texture and grain, and the pleasure I experience while carving. I begin working on a block of wood and realize later that hours have passed without notice.”

Rich uses a centuries-old medium that requires one carved wood panel for each color – varying from one to sixteen – necessary to develop the composition. These panels are painstakingly aligned one atop another sequentially and pulled through a printing press to create the final woodcut.

The subjects of Rich’s woodcuts range from the wilderness of the Australian outback and the lush tropical Amazon forests to the roaring rivers of Yellowstone Park. Rich has traveled worldwide to study wildlife habitats and these varied firsthand experiences are reflected in her work.

Among Rich’s many achievements are international recognition for her woodcut prints, including a 2009 Award of Excellence from the Society of Animal Artists and a 2009 Medal of Excellence from the Artists for Conservation Foundation. She was named Master Artist by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in 2006. In 2010 her work was featured in a solo exhibition at the Mass Audubon Visual Arts Center, Canton, Massachusetts. Rich is a member of the California Society of Printmakers, Artists for Nature Foundation, the Society of Animal Artists, and Society of Wildlife Artists.

In 2000 Rich designated the Woodson Art Museum as the repository for her artistic oeuvre. An Abundance of Riches is drawn from these holdings, which include an example of each of her woodcuts created since the mid-1980s.

CELEBRATING POLLINATORS ON EARTH DAY IN 2023!
This year, the French Broad River Garden Club will host 20 local vendors, in addition to the French Broad’s Members Gardens and Greenhouse. Browse the amazing selection of unique pollinators, specialty plants, trees, shrubs, vegetable seedlings, herbs, ground covers, organic fertilizer, functional garden art, botanical gifts, planters, and ‘previously loved’ garden decor. These local growers and artisans are experts in their respective fields and we encourage you to ask questions and learn. Here’s some of what to expect:

-Rare specialty plants, boxwoods, and conifers;
-Planted containers, unique floral designs, and various plant materials;
-Japanese maples, and unusual landscape plants;
-Evergreens, edibles, grasses, and groundcovers;
-Appalachian herbaceous perennials and ferns grown from seed;
-Trees and shrubs for conservation and ecological applications;
-Vegetable starts and herbs (traditional and medicinal);
-Botanical gifts;
-Hypertufa pots and planters;
-Wrought iron garden accessories;
-Unique pollinators from our members’ gardens and the French Broad greenhouse;
-‘Previously loved’ garden treasures;
-And More!

Shop for a great cause — 100% of Club proceeds supports LOCAL horticultural and conservation scholarships!

URLs:
Facebook: https://go.evvnt.com/1587975-2?pid=10412
Instagram: https://go.evvnt.com/1587975-3?pid=10412

Artists / Speakers: Appeldoorn Landscape Nursery, Blazing Star, Blue Briar Gardens, Bunny’s Brew, DP HyperTufa, Equilibria Botanica, Fisher Branch Farm, Flat Creek Plant Farm, French Broad Garden Treasures, French Broad Member’s Gardens and Greenhouse, High Country Nursery, Maples N More Nursery, Natural Selections, Newfound Forge, Orchids by Graham Ramsey, Red Root Native Nursery, Sandy Mush Herbs, Saturnia Farms, Wildbud Natives, Wildwood Nursery, Woodwise Botanicals

The UNC Asheville Student Art and Ceramics Sale will be held Friday, April 21 from 4 to 8 p.m., and on Saturday, April 22 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., in the S. Tucker Cooke Gallery, Owen Hall.

A wide variety of functional and decorative pottery, prints and other artwork created by UNC Asheville students will be on sale. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Department of Art and Art History.

The Sale is open to the public.  Payment must be by cash or check.

For more information or to compete, please visit: https://epicdanceshowcase.com/competitions

With over 30 years of dance convention and competition experience, EDS has integrated the positive aspects of both, and eliminated the unfavorable. We strive to present a fun, friendly atmosphere with fair results! Using a system that acknowledges studio size, you are guaranteed to compete on a “level playing field”. You will be categorized in a division with studios of comparable size, much like the divisions in college sports. Finally, the stress of competing against studios much larger or smaller than yours is removed! In addition to our 3 levels of competition, we will have 2 divisions of overall awards!!! With cash prizes, scholarships, fun games, and more, we’re sure your “Epic” experience will be one you will want to relive each year!

Join us for the 2023 Annual Convention of the Buncombe Democrats!

We’ll meet to elect officers at the county level, select members to represent us at the state executive committee, discuss resolutions, hear updates from elected officials, and a lot more.

Join us for a day of Democratic organizing in the Ferguson Auditorium of AB Tech. Doors and registration will open at 9:30am. Agenda and additional documentation coming soon.

The beginning of the year is a great time for Ashevillians of all ages to explore, connect, and discover. Asheville Parks & Recreation  (APR)’s new winter-spring program guide is filled with registration dates, information, and listings for hundreds of fitness and active living offerings, sports and clubs, arts and culture programs, out-of-school time activities, outdoor recreation, special events, parks and facilities’ hours of operation, and more.

The free guide is available at all APR community centers and online as a PDF or enhanced digital flipbook. Community members may also download the APR app for iPhone or search programs on avlREC.com.

Winter-Spring 2023 Guide Highlights

• Exercise at fitness centers with a free membership (through June 30, 2023).

• Walk, roll, or run your way to 50 miles in February and March during the Fit 50 Challenge for a free T-shirt.

• Celebrate Black Legacy Month with food, art, and festivals throughout the city in February.

• Meet neighbors over cards, board games, bingo, trivia contests, and community meals.

• Get an up-close look at big trucks, small trucks, transit buses, construction rigs, rescue vehicles, and public works equipment during Truck City AVL on April 15.

• Experience the fun, fellowship, fitness, arts, and competition of Asheville-Buncombe Senior Games and Silver Arts Classic for local adults over 50..

• Flex creativity at art, painting, writing, scrapbooking, and crafting classes.

• Connect with neighbors over sports such as basketball, flag football, volleyball, pickleball, tennis, and archery for kids, teens, and adults.

• Enjoy the honor of dirty hands with community garden workdays and Green Thumbs Garden Club at Grove Street Community Center’s greenhouse.

• Witness the power of gravity at the Montford Pinewood Derby in May.

• Refine square, tap, line, and West African dance skills at multiple locations.

• And so much more!

Peter Werner will be demonstrating his tips and techniques for traditional broom-tying in the lobby of the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Visitors are encouraged to watch and ask questions while the demonstrators work and talk about their creative process! Call ahead for the latest updates: 828-298-7928.

PREVIEW WED 19 1-3 pm

Estate Fundraiser featuring items donated by Guild members + supporters and WNC Bridge estate clients.

The Asheville Symphony Guild is a subsidiary of the Asheville Symphony Society and falls under its 501 (c) 3 determination as a not-for-profit institution.

Mission: The Asheville Symphony Guild (hereafter “the Guild”) works to support the Asheville Symphony Society by raising funds for the Symphony, sponsoring music education programs in area schools, encouraging an interest in music among Guild members and area residents, and providing opportunities to socialize with friends both old and new in the greater Asheville and Buncombe County community.

Food Scraps Drop Off

The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is offering a FREE Food Scrap Drop-Off program in

two locations for all Buncombe County residents.  This organic matter will be collected and turned into good clean compost, keeping it OUT of our landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Register for Food Scraps Drop Off

Need a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin?  Let us know on the registration form! We’ll be having bin giveaways at city and county facilities and would love to give you one.

Locations

West Asheville Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the south side of the building

942 Haywood Road, Asheville

Library open hours

Stephens-Lee Recreation Center “Food Scrap Shed” next to the Community Garden on the North side of the parking lot

30 Washington Carver Avenue, Asheville

• • Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  • Sunday, 12 – 4 p.m.

Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the east side of the parking lot

749 Fairview Road, Asheville

• • Dawn – Dusk

Buncombe County Landfill – Convenience Center85 Panther Branch Road, Alexander

• • • • Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
      • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm

Hit the trails and learn more about The North Carolina Arboretum’s botanically diverse forest with a guided trail walk! April through October, this free hiking program is led by trained volunteer guides who take small groups of participants along woodland trails and through a variety of forest types. Depending on the season and each guide’s area of expertise, topics of discussion may include wildflowers, plant and tree identification, natural history and more.

Guided trail walks are limited to 15 people, including the guide, and are not recommended for guests under 16 years of age. Groups depart from the Baker Visitor Center Lobby on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m..

Walks last 1.5 – 2.5 hours, are approximately one to two miles in length. As this program is held rain or shine, all participants should dress appropriately for the weather.

There is no pre-registration; walks are first-come first served and sign up sheets are located in the Baker Visitors Center.

Walks are FREE; however, donations to The North Carolina Arboretum Society are appreciated. Regular parking fees apply. Arboretum Society Members always park free.

Know Before You Go

• Guided Trail Walks are not recommended for guests under 16 years of age.
• Guided Trail Walks are rain or shine and all participants should be dressed comfortably and for the weather.
• Hikes cover 1-2 miles and last 1.5-2 hours.
• Well-behaved leashed pets are welcome to accompany their owners. In the rare case that a pet is disruptive or negatively impacts the experience, the pet and its owner may be asked to excuse themselves from the guided walk.
• COVID-19 Safety: In order to hear the guide and fully participate in the trail walk, participants will be in close proximity to one another for extended periods of time. While face coverings are not required, participants should use their best judgement to keep themselves and others safe while enjoying the trails. Individuals who are experiencing flu-like symptoms or suspect they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should not participate.
• At this time, no more than 6 spaces may be filled by a single family/group through pre-registration for any one Guided Trail Walk. If additional spaces are available on the day of the Walk, additional members of the family/group may participate. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to welcoming larger groups in the future.