Nonprofits, schools, and community organizations, you’re invited to join a special training on Tuesday, October 4th, hosted by the Cleveland, Henderson, McDowell, and Rutherford County Chambers of Commerce and Meta’s Forest City Data Center. 

*Enjoy dynamic speakers and networking while spending a gorgeous WNC fall day rejuvenating*
HEAL presents professional development and networking opportunities as well as education for the general public.
Our conference addresses disordered eating and eating disorders recovery by presenting experts from various sectors of the industry.
This year we are hosting a 1/2 day of CE sessions and a 1/2 day retreat with care-for-the-provider sessions and connection!

Our partners at Wicked Weed Brewing are teaming up with Hickory Nut Gap Farm (protected by SAHC farmland conservation easement) to host an evening with live music from Rudy Ralis and Daniel Shearin and band, delicious food from HNG Meats and Garage BBQ food truck, cold Wicked Weed beers, and Fairview style fun! Proceeds from the event will benefit Southern Appalachian Highland Conservancy and Project HNG. Come celebrate #Appalachia! MORE DETAILS TBA

Spend a relaxing afternoon immersed in flowers. Take in fall mountain views, tour the Blazing Star Flowers area, and learn about sustainable growing methods. Watch a demonstration to learn general design principals, then create your own centerpiece to take home. All levels of experience are welcome. Small group size. Light refreshments will be provided, and the $125 cost includes all tools and materials. Blazing Star Flowers is one of the entrepreneurial farm businesses in SAHC’s Farm Incubator Program.

Whether you’ve never picked up a paintbrush or are looking to refresh your watercolor skills, veteran artist and instructor Terrilynn Dubreuil will teach you everything you need to jump into—or jump back into—this relaxing medium!

In this explorative, four-week course, you’ll learn basic watercolor concepts, including paintbrush usage, color theory, color mixing, color application, composition, and other watercolor approaches and techniques. You’ll reference simple photos to practice your new skills and, over time, begin to develop or hone your unique painting style! The class will include informal critiques for greater learning and understanding.

No previous drawing or painting experience necessary!

Michigan-based Mosaic Artist Michelle Sider is presenting a one-time workshop this October in Asheville, N.C. Titled “Michelle Sider: Engaging. Dynamic. Realism” the three-day course will apply classical art guidelines, thoughtful design and modern art principles to encourage students to create stunning, realistic and expressive mosaics.

Sider is a visiting artist invited by Linda Pannullo Mosaics to present this program. It’s ideal for intermediate artists looking to elevate their skills. And for Sider, there’s no time like October to enjoy the natural beauty of this region. Much of her work is inspired by the fiery sunsets over Michigan’s lakes and graceful wildlife.

Linda Pannullo said she is “very excited to have an artist of this caliber for the first time in Asheville, North Carolina. I am always looking for ways to take my mosaics to the next level and this 3-day immersion with Michelle Sider – with her years of experience as an art teacher and mosaicist – will accomplish that.”

🍂Registration is now open for October’s Cozy Up for Fall Retreat!🍂

RELAX, RECHARGE & BE INSPIRED with our 2-hour live spiritual retreat.
Wednesday, October 19th 7 pm to 9 pm ET

https://soulkyst.com/virtual-spiritual-retreats/

Opening Meditation and Closing Visualization
Facilitated by Randi Botnick

EFT Pro Tapping Workshop
Facilitated by Karen Berzanski

During this retreat, you’ll learn how to use the mind-body tool, Pro EFT™ Tapping to:

Look at the past year and identify what you want to release and let go of
Get super clear on what you want and don’t want moving into the final months of the year
Leave with inspired ideas on how to create the most luxurious and pleasurable holiday season you’ve ever experienced.
Take these 2 hours of well-deserved relaxation time to slow down and reset, and experience personal breakthroughs.

For more details and to register: https://soulkyst.com/virtual-spiritual-retreats/

Honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month with The MakeHER Market at Reynolds Village

The MakeHER Market returns to Reynolds Village in North Asheville on Saturday, October 22nd in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, an annual campaign to raise awareness about the impacts of breast cancer.

The October 2022 MakeHER Market will feature more than 20 female, independent creatives, makers, and designers and their unique, hand-crafted goods, as well as raise money for a local breast cancer support organization. The Hope Chest for Women is an organization that provides support to women living in all 22 counties of WNC and relieves some of the financial burdens created by breast or gynecological cancer treatment costs. Locally handmade art, accessories, and botanicals, as well as Fair Trade coffee, jewelry, and home décor, will be available to purchase at The MakeHER Market. The event is organized by Pride & Archive, Maadili Collective, and Hello, Gorgeous! Professional Bra Fitting & More, all women-led, local Asheville companies. In addition to shopping for local vendor goods, guests can donate gently used bras to Hello Gorgeous! Bra Drive for HelpMate. This year-round program aims to provide courageous survivors of domestic violence with bra fittings and gently loved, cleaned, and curated bras at no cost to the survivors. The MakeHER Market event aims to honor the empowerment and enterprising ventures of diverse women locally and abroad as well as honor the October observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and promote the mission for every woman to have access to the screenings she needs and the support she deserves.

Started in March 2019, the MakeHER Market began as a way to highlight and create connections between the talented community of Asheville female entrepreneurs, as well as establish a local event to celebrate International Women’s Day. Since its inception, the MakeHER Market has evolved to include a focus on women’s social and health-related issues and partner with local organizations in efforts to fundraise and raise awareness of various causes.

Event hours are 11 am to 5 pm, admission is free and families are welcome.

We will begin with a 1-hour small engine diagnostic, repair, and maintenance demonstration led by Community Farm Manager Chris Link. The workshop will be followed at 6 pm by a “Repair Cafe“, which helps folks repair household goods. This Repair Cafe session will be especially well-equipped for small engines and other farm/garden related jobs like blade sharpening, handle replacements, and power tool repair. FREE and open to the public

Come out in a family friendly costume with your well behaved dog (costumes highly encouraged) and help raise funds for Eblen Charities work! All dogs will receive a treat, and all humans will be entered into raffles for prizes. All funds raised go to our work to keep people housed, with working utilities and other essential needs. Register by October 7th to be guaranteed a tshirt.

Halloween can be just as much fun for adults as it is for children—especially if you find creepy things fun to play with! Indulge your dark side this Halloween weekend by creating a creepy curiosity cabinet!

Curiosity cabinets were pieces of furniture or entire rooms where 19th century people displayed items they had collected in their travels or scientific investigations. These Victorians also had a fascination with the morbid and peculiar juxtapositions of people, animals, and things.

In this frighteningly fun workshop, mixed media artist Kate Corcoran will show you how to create a miniature curiosity cabinet that you can pull out each October or display all year round. In the process, you’ll learn how to compose, layer, and adhere mixed media materials: skills that you can apply to all mixed media projects!

Be one of Santa’s Important People with the fun new way to participate in the 42nd annual SMOKY MOUNTAIN TOY RUN!

SIP participants will have reserved parking at Kearfott, a specially designed commemorative Toy Run hoodie sweatshirt, rocker and patch. Additionally the SIP participants will lead the way to Downtown Asheville!

$75.00 per single rider or $100.00 per couple on a bike also includes event entrance fee.

Gates opens at 10:00 am and the SIP’s will lead the ride to downtown Asheville at 1:00 pm.

The Smoky Mountain Toy Run is the oldest running Toy Run in North Carolina!

Celebrating 42 years of insuring a Merry Christmas to children in need!

In an effort to guarantee shirts are available for all SIP participants we ask that you please pre-register before October 30!

Additional 2022 tee shirts and hoodies available at the event, as well as, a limited selection of vintage designs.

Come be a part of this wonderful community event that helps children of our community have a brighter holiday!

ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT

EBLEN CHARITIES

SAINT NICHOLAS PROJECT

You can be one of Santa’s Important People!

is almost here, and you can still be one of Santa’s Important People. Visit this link to learn more and sign up.

All funds and toys collected will go to support our St. Nicholas Project store, now in its 12th year. Last year we helped more than 1,350 families with holiday gifts for their children. We’re grateful to the Smoky Mountain Toy Run folks and all who help us make this a magical holiday season for kids, regardless of their family’s financial situation.

Interactive workshop for adult beginners wishing for a stage to shine on (or behind), with a scriptwriting lesson and mock auditions using scenes from the feature script ‘BILLIE’S SONG, AN URBAN FAIRY TALE’.

This fun lesson and opportunity to get up perform is an introduction to the ‘BILLIE’S SONG’ Theatrical Readings Project being planned for Spring 2023. The script has half Black characters and half White (with a few roles that can be other). For the theatrical readings we will be recruiting community members from diverse neighborhoods to be both cast and creative team, with wardrobe, props, and set pieces all obtained in a community scavenger hunt or created by community members. The goal will be to rotate performance locations, from an art gallery to a church to a public housing community center to a storefront business, to draw-in people who wouldn’t normally turn out together.

Script Synopsis: Billie, a struggling working-class Black actress estranged from her family, becomes involved with Benjamin, an emotionally conflicted wealthy white man angling to secure a leadership position he has on a probationary basis. Initially, Billie and Ben amuse, then need and support each other. But the differences in their communities—and the personal demons they don’t reveal to each other—eventually put them up against each other in a potentially violent fight for survival (for Billie physical survival, for Ben spiritual vs face-saving survival).

“I think the script is wonderfully written, well-paced, fun, and serious without taking itself seriously. I especially love the ending!” – Erin Clare, Story Parlor founder, formerly Creative Director of the Austin Film Festival and its Writer Conference

Led by Trayce Gardner (Writer/Teacher/Guerilla Filmmaker/Community Organizer) and recent refugee from Brooklyn, NY, where she taught beginning scriptwriting and short filmmaking classes for seven years at New York City College of Technology’s Continuing Ed.

Looking for a great holiday gift? You’ve probably seen these super soft, super snuggly blankets in your favorite home goods store for over $100. Now you can make your own for a lot less, once you learn the technique. No knitting experience required!

Non-knitter Pam Robbins will step you through the process. First, she’ll show you how to “cast on” to start your project. Then, you’ll learn how to “knit” your blanket until it’s approximately 45”x 60”. Finally, Pam will show you how to “bind off” your piece to give it a professional look. And you’ll do all of this using just your hands; no needles required!

The Buncombe Partnership for Children and Mosaic Community Lifestyle Realty invite you to an evening for BPFC’s Reach Out and Read partnership, bringing books to children and families. Bid on great silent auction items including art, gift baskets, classes, fine food and drinks, and gift certificates. Donations are also gratefully accepted. Help meet the ambitious goal of $9,000 raised for early literacy.

Together with French Broad Pediatrics and Our Family Doctor, BPFC gives over 3,100 books per year to children ages birth to 5 at their doctors’ visits. Pediatricians use books in these appointments to encourage families to read, sing, and talk with their kids. Then each child takes a book home. For some families, these books are the only ones they have in their homes.Parents in the program are 2.5 times more likely to read with their infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. And children’s language development is improved by a whole 3-6 months by the age of 5!

Inspired by nature and following the self-published released of How to Heal the Planet from Wherever You Are, Cortina Jenelle introduces Oshanna Church of Spiritual Activism, with Oshanna debuting as a dynamic experience rooted in ceremony and inviting nature as a co-facilitator through theater, art and spoken word. After each production, all ticket proceeds are donated to a mission partner who is doing work in service to Mother Earth while also furthering truth, healing and reconciliation across race, gender and class.

Black Starseed: Immaculate Conception is the second installment of the Black Starseed series, which goes back in time as a prelude to Black Starseed: Revolutionary Reimagination (2020) – a debut partnership between adé PROJECT and PechaKucha Asheville co-creating a storytelling experience in voice of Black women at the intersection of creativity x spirituality. In this prelude, the life story of Cortina Jenelle becomes a moving memoir and an embodiment of a shared story from the matriarchs of Black, indigenous descent in a world where femininity, Blackness, sovereignty and indigeneity were not just criminal, but a threat to society. Black Starseed: Immaculate Conception may appear to just tell the story of one, yet is actually one version of the same story that constantly loops through time. Do you know how purposeful, brilliant and divine you already are, Starseed? This is heart song of the black sheep generation + millennials, and those born torn between ancestral remembrance and playing the game of life to win. Join us in a gathering of art, theater, ceremony (with a bonus book signing post-show) and storytelling and leave reminded of how to heal the planet from wherever you are.

Ticket proceeds benefit cleanup of the French Broad River with our mission partner for this show, Asheville Greenworks.

Looking for a great holiday gift? You’ve probably seen these super soft, super snuggly blankets in your favorite home goods store for over $100. Now you can make your own for a lot less once you learn the technique. No knitting experience necessary!

Purple Crayon owner Pam Robbins will step you through the process. First, she’ll show you how to “cast on” to start your project. Then, you’ll learn how to “knit” your blanket until it’s approximately 45”x 60”. Finally, Pam will show you how to “bind off” your piece to give it a professional look. And you’ll do all of this using just your hands; no needles required!

The celebration of the century comes alive in Disney On Ice presents Let’s Celebrate!  This monumental ice-skating spectacular returns to Bon Secours Wellness Arena from November 23-27.  

Audiences will be a part of the magic of Disney as Mouse-ter of Ceremonies Mickey Mouse leads a parade of more than 50 beloved characters starring Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and featuring an ensemble of Disney Princesses including Cinderella, Rapunzel, Ariel, Snow White and Tiana.  The wintry wonderland of Disney’s Frozen also comes to life with Anna, Elsa, and the hilarious Olaf, as they discover that true love is the greatest magic of all.  Exciting moments from Disney•Pixar’s Finding Dory, Disney’s Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast will leave the whole family with memories to last a lifetime.

The legacy of Disney is displayed through 14 classic and modern stories in this epic production that features an international team of award-winning figure skaters, high-energy choreography and a breathtaking set.  With over 30 melodious masterpieces such as “Let It Go!,” “You’ve Got A Friend in Me” and “Hakuna Matata,” Disney On Ice Let’s Celebrate is the ultimate Disney fan experience.  Families will join the fun in an exciting opening number that salutes Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse as the original hosts of Disney On Ice in an unforgettable experience in your hometown!

The celebration of the century comes alive in Disney On Ice presents Let’s Celebrate!  This monumental ice-skating spectacular returns to Bon Secours Wellness Arena from November 23-27.  

Audiences will be a part of the magic of Disney as Mouse-ter of Ceremonies Mickey Mouse leads a parade of more than 50 beloved characters starring Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and featuring an ensemble of Disney Princesses including Cinderella, Rapunzel, Ariel, Snow White and Tiana.  The wintry wonderland of Disney’s Frozen also comes to life with Anna, Elsa, and the hilarious Olaf, as they discover that true love is the greatest magic of all.  Exciting moments from Disney•Pixar’s Finding Dory, Disney’s Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast will leave the whole family with memories to last a lifetime.

The legacy of Disney is displayed through 14 classic and modern stories in this epic production that features an international team of award-winning figure skaters, high-energy choreography and a breathtaking set.  With over 30 melodious masterpieces such as “Let It Go!,” “You’ve Got A Friend in Me” and “Hakuna Matata,” Disney On Ice Let’s Celebrate is the ultimate Disney fan experience.  Families will join the fun in an exciting opening number that salutes Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse as the original hosts of Disney On Ice in an unforgettable experience in your hometown!