Visit The Learning Garden! The gardens are in full summer mode with ripening tomatoes, blooming roses, giant sunflowers, and many other perennials and plants of interest.

The Learning Garden is a dedicated, on-site teaching garden at the Buncombe Extension Center located at 49 Mt. Carmel Road, Asheville. It is managed and cared for by the Extension Master Gardener^SM volunteers (EMGVs) of Buncombe County.

Everyone is welcome to visit the gardens Monday and Wednesday mornings from 9 to 12 when temperatures are cool and Master Gardeners are working in the gardens. Or come visit on your own Monday through Friday, 8 to 5.

The Learning Garden (TLG) surrounds the Extension building, includes 8 distinct gardens, and a composting demonstration site. Each garden offers plants that grow well in our region. You will gather new ideas and learn successful horticultural practices that lead to beautiful, healthy gardens.

Look for plant labels in the garden. Find more information and brochures at the kiosk near the building and in the garden mailboxes.

GARDENERS ARE IN THE GARDEN.

Dear Orange Peel Family:

We find ourselves, once again, in an extremely challenging time to be in the business of bringing a crowd of people together for a shared experience.

For that reason, effective immediately, all public concerts and events at The Orange Peel on Biltmore Avenue will be subject to new Covid-19 health measures.

For all shows, we will require:

• Vaccination -or- Negative PCR Proof at Entry.  We require either proof of a full course of COVID-19 vaccination, or proof of a negative COVID-19 lab-conducted test taken in the prior 48 hours, upon entry into the venue.  At-home rapid tests are not as reliable and will not be accepted.  Patrons must bring a completed COVID-19 vaccination card, with their final dose at least fourteen days prior to the event, or a valid negative test result from no more than 2 days prior to the evening of the show in order to go inside. 
• Mask at All Times Additionally, regardless of vaccination status, customers will be required to wear a mask to enter, and masks must be worn at all times, except when taking a sip of your beer or beverage of choice.  Between sips, however, your mask must be worn. 

Quite simply, we feel it is necessary to enact these steps to keep our beloved venue open given the current spikes in Covid nationwide and the contagious Delta strain.   Our first priority is the health and safety of our guests, artists and krewe. To ensure that we can continue to operate safely to bring great music to WNC, these simple measures are the best we can do to minimize the risk and the spread of Covid.  Our previous policy included mandatory vaccinations and masking for staff, and this is an extension of those precautions.

We ask for your help and cooperation in enthusiastically complying with these safety precautions.  They will help keep us safe; they will help keep you safe; they will help keep our venue open.  Our music community and venue staff have already endured many months without nationally touring concerts and our plea is that fans support independent venues taking these steps for everyone’s protection, so that we can stay open to bring you all the amazing shows we have lined up for this fall.  For anyone who is unable or unwilling to wear a mask, and to either provide proof of vaccination or proof of a recent negative test result, we would be happy to offer you a refund.  Please contact us at [email protected] to request one.

When you arrive at the venue, please be ready and willing to follow the policies without argument.  Venue staff are working hard right now to do a challenging job in uncertain circumstances; please do not make it harder for them.  If you have feedback to share, you are welcome to email us beforehand.   We thank you for your support and compliance.  For more answers to specific questions about how to acceptably meet our requirements, please see our Covid-19 Policy FAQ

MARA Meetings (Medication-Assisted Recovery Anonymous)

Peer Support

“Unearthing Our Forgotten Past: Fort San Juan” is now on display at the Smith-McDowell House in Asheville. We will celebrate the official opening of this excellent traveling exhibit on Wednesday, August 18 from 5:30pm to 7:00pm with live music, refreshments, and games on the front lawn. The event is free and open to the public. We are also celebrating several newly completed renovations on the historic home that serves as our facility including a new copper standing seam roof and new exterior paint. The exhibit was developed by the Exploring Joara Foundation Inc. as part of the celebration of the 450th anniversary of the Juan Pardo expeditions through Western North Carolina. Several decades ago, archaeologists identified a site near Morganton as the location of Joara, one of the largest Native American towns in what is today Western North Carolina. Joara was occupied from approximately 1400-1600 A.D. Two Spanish expeditions (led respectively by Hernando de Soto and Juan Pardo) visited the town in the 1500s. The Pardo expedition was part of a larger effort to establish a string of forts from the coast of present-day South Carolina to Mexico. In 2013, archaeologists confirmed that Joara was also the site of Fort San Juan, which was established by Pardo in 1567, nearly 20 years before the English settlement at Roanoke on the coast of North Carolina and 40 years before the settlement at Jamestown. Through various artifacts uncovered by the archaeologists, the exhibit showcases the Spanish occupation of Fort San Juan and the lives of the native people who lived in the Joara area. We’ll have refreshments, live old-time music, yard games, and more. Bring a lawn chair to sit and listen to live music on the lawn!

Looking to get involved, stay active, and meet some new friends? Sand Hill Community Garden workdays take place on Wednesdays (6-8 p.m.) and Saturdays (10 a.m.-noon) from Feb. 27-Oct. 30, 2021, at Buncombe County Sports Park. The garden is located on 16 Apac Dr. in West Asheville/Enka-Candler.

Join friends and neighbors as they come together on common ground to raise fresh, organic vegetables and fruits for the Enka community.

Expect to wear a mask and maintain social distance throughout. Tools and hand sanitizer are available, but any gloves, loppers, pruners, or gardening tools you can bring will decrease the amount of contact between volunteers. Please wear work clothes to get dirty and closed-toe shoes. Sunscreen, water, and a hat are also handy items to have on hand.

Sand Hill Community Garden has been growing fresh produce since 2011 and raised over 1,200 lbs. of organic produce last year.

NOTE: Community workdays are weather dependent. Please join the community garden email list (send your info to [email protected]) to stay up on workday tasks and other garden news.

To receive the I Heart Parks monthly newsletter, sign up online. Follow Buncombe County Recreation on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.

Let’s meet at Sweeten Creek Brewing for their Wednesday night trivia. They’ve got a couple of nice covered outdoor spaces we can enjoy

Would you like to have a voice in the future of Buncombe County Public Library facilities? The Library Advisory Board and Buncombe County Communications & Public Engagement invite the community to take part in an upcoming feedback session.

Last fall, more than 1,500 residents weighed in during the development of the proposed Library Facilities Master Plan, and this series of feedback sessions is designed specifically to gather input on facility structures and locations.

In June, the Board of County Commissioners paused moving forward with the Library Facilities Master Plan to allow for more community input. This is your opportunity to share your vision for the future library facilities model.

During the feedback sessions, community members will share their opinion on the proposed regional model and share information that will go to the Board of Commissioners about the proposed plan.

“We know that our libraries are true community hubs and our patrons are passionate about their local branches,” says Library Director Jim Blanton. “Our goal with the feedback sessions is to take the consultant’s recommendations and ideas out to the community to continue our public engagement process.”

At the end of the series, the Library Board will compile input, and report back to the Board of Commissioners in late October.

There will be at least 20 upcoming sessions, making it easier for people to attend, and interpretation will be available for specific sessions. Attendance does not have to be at your home library region, please join any session.

Visit The Learning Garden! The gardens are in full summer mode with ripening tomatoes, blooming roses, giant sunflowers, and many other perennials and plants of interest.

The Learning Garden is a dedicated, on-site teaching garden at the Buncombe Extension Center located at 49 Mt. Carmel Road, Asheville. It is managed and cared for by the Extension Master Gardener^SM volunteers (EMGVs) of Buncombe County.

Everyone is welcome to visit the gardens Monday and Wednesday mornings from 9 to 12 when temperatures are cool and Master Gardeners are working in the gardens. Or come visit on your own Monday through Friday, 8 to 5.

The Learning Garden (TLG) surrounds the Extension building, includes 8 distinct gardens, and a composting demonstration site. Each garden offers plants that grow well in our region. You will gather new ideas and learn successful horticultural practices that lead to beautiful, healthy gardens.

Look for plant labels in the garden. Find more information and brochures at the kiosk near the building and in the garden mailboxes.

GARDENERS ARE IN THE GARDEN.

Dear Orange Peel Family:

We find ourselves, once again, in an extremely challenging time to be in the business of bringing a crowd of people together for a shared experience.

For that reason, effective immediately, all public concerts and events at The Orange Peel on Biltmore Avenue will be subject to new Covid-19 health measures.

For all shows, we will require:

• Vaccination -or- Negative PCR Proof at Entry.  We require either proof of a full course of COVID-19 vaccination, or proof of a negative COVID-19 lab-conducted test taken in the prior 48 hours, upon entry into the venue.  At-home rapid tests are not as reliable and will not be accepted.  Patrons must bring a completed COVID-19 vaccination card, with their final dose at least fourteen days prior to the event, or a valid negative test result from no more than 2 days prior to the evening of the show in order to go inside. 
• Mask at All Times Additionally, regardless of vaccination status, customers will be required to wear a mask to enter, and masks must be worn at all times, except when taking a sip of your beer or beverage of choice.  Between sips, however, your mask must be worn. 

Quite simply, we feel it is necessary to enact these steps to keep our beloved venue open given the current spikes in Covid nationwide and the contagious Delta strain.   Our first priority is the health and safety of our guests, artists and krewe. To ensure that we can continue to operate safely to bring great music to WNC, these simple measures are the best we can do to minimize the risk and the spread of Covid.  Our previous policy included mandatory vaccinations and masking for staff, and this is an extension of those precautions.

We ask for your help and cooperation in enthusiastically complying with these safety precautions.  They will help keep us safe; they will help keep you safe; they will help keep our venue open.  Our music community and venue staff have already endured many months without nationally touring concerts and our plea is that fans support independent venues taking these steps for everyone’s protection, so that we can stay open to bring you all the amazing shows we have lined up for this fall.  For anyone who is unable or unwilling to wear a mask, and to either provide proof of vaccination or proof of a recent negative test result, we would be happy to offer you a refund.  Please contact us at [email protected] to request one.

When you arrive at the venue, please be ready and willing to follow the policies without argument.  Venue staff are working hard right now to do a challenging job in uncertain circumstances; please do not make it harder for them.  If you have feedback to share, you are welcome to email us beforehand.   We thank you for your support and compliance.  For more answers to specific questions about how to acceptably meet our requirements, please see our Covid-19 Policy FAQ

The exhibit was developed as part of the celebration of the 450th anniversary of the Juan Pardo expeditions. Several years ago, archaeologists identified a site near Morganton as the location of Joara, one of the largest Native American towns in what is today Western North Carolina.

Joara was occupied from approximately 1400-1600 A.D. Two Spanish expeditions led respectively by Hernando de Soto and Juan Pardo visited the town in the 1500s. The Pardo expedition was part of a larger effort to establish a string of forts from the coast of present-day South Carolina all the way to Mexico. In 2013, archaeologists confirmed that Joara was also the site of Fort San Juan, established by Pardo in 1567, nearly 20 years before the English settlement at Roanoke on the coast of North Carolina and 40 years before the settlement at Jamestown.

Through various artifacts uncovered by the archaeology, the exhibit showcases the Spanish occupation of Fort San Juan and the lives of the native people who lived in the Joara area.

The exhibit is on loan from the Exploring Joara Foundation Inc. Exploring Joara engages the public in archaeology in the Carolinas, and emphasizes the discovery of the Native American town of Joara and Fort San Juan. The exhibit will be on display at the Western North Carolina Historical Association’s gallery inside the Smith-McDowell House through December 15.

The gallery is open for visitation Thursday, Friday, and Saturday between 10:30am and 4:00pm. Reservations are recommended.

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.