Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
Thursday, June
29, 2023
Preservation Grant
Senior Programs with Asheville Parks + Rec.
Unlock Your Imagination at Hendersonville Theatre’s Summer Camps
Wild West Adventure Trips w/ Nantahala Outdoor Center
Wilderness Medicine + Survival Skills at Nantahala Outdoor Center
Work out for free at Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center
Work out for free at Stephens-Lee Community Center
36th annual Operation Blood Drive
Critical need for Blood Donors
Food Scraps Drop Off: Stephens-Lee Recreation Center
Food Scraps Drop Off: Buncombe County Landfill
Western Carolina Amateur Radio Society HAMFest
WNC Farmers Market
Biltmore Estate: Ciao! From Italy Sculptural Postcard Display
Chalk it Up
Pollinator Exploration Kit (Available for Loan)
77th Season at Asheville Community Theatre
Eidolon art exhibition
Exhibition: NEO MINERALIA
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Exhibition: Something earned, Something left behind
Exhibition: Crafting Denim
Food Scraps Drop Off: West Asheville Library
Italian Renaissance Alive
LAZOOM: CITY COMEDY TOUR
Quilting | Live Demo
The Learning Garden presents: Sun and Shade Garden Series: Foodscaping Edible Plants in Flower Beds
Rootabaga Express! Summer Plays
Carolina Shine Moonshine Experience
Nantahala Gorge Excursion
36th annual Operation Blood Drive
The addition of preservation grants to our existing efforts in advocacy, technical support, preservation easements, and education, will allow us to reach a new and diverse audience. This program will allow us to support both large and small projects from downtown Asheville to our rural and under-served communities.
Click here for the Grant Application
We look forward to helping with emergency stabilization projects and restorations of important places, to helping neighborhoods receive designations such as recognition on the National Register of Historic Places and to encouraging and supporting new and unique education and research opportunities. We want to be surprised and humbled by the projects our community asks us to support!
As our city faces the inevitable challenges of growth, PSABC’s voice and reach must expand. The important addition of this Preservation Grant Program comes in response to the needs of our community.
*Deadline to apply for the current grant round is Friday August 11th*
Preservation grants from $500 – $5000 will be offered to the public in three categories:
- Bricks-And-Mortar
Rehabilitation, restoration and repair of structures that are 50 years of age or older
Some examples: Windows and doors • Exterior painting • Porches • Roofs and gutters • Electrical and plumbing • Hardscaping • Foundation • Original exterior or interior details
- Public Education
Development of educational materials and programs that advance knowledge of our shared history
Some examples: Research and documentation • Oral histories • Installations specific to buildings, place history, and culture • Exhibitions • K–12 educational publications • Seminars and lectures • Documentary films
- Planning, Survey and Designation
Planning and design for building rehabilitation and restoration projects, historic resource surveys and local or national designations
Some examples: Historic building condition reports • Engineering and rehabilitation plans • Feasibility studies • Historic resource surveys • Updates of previous surveys • Local and national historic designations
Read about our past winners here!
3.1 WEB – WebTrac Activity Search (vermontsystems.com)
Social Seniors
Grove Street Community Center offers a variety of activities that include socializing and meeting new people, table games, trivia, cornhole, crafts, and more. We also offer an independent exercise area for your convenience. Come check us out, Monday -Friday 9:00am -5:00 pm. Please call 828-350-2062, for more information.
Grove Street Card Sharks
Card Sharks is the name, so bring your “A” Game!! This program offers a variety of card games such as Bid Whist, Spades, Tunk, and more. So bring a partner and come join in on the fun, Wednesday’s from 2:00pm-5:00pm. If you have any questions, please call 828-350-2062.
Senior Dining
Senior Congregate Dining is a year around program offered to Senior 60+ who are registered with Buncombe County’s Council on Aging Senior Meal Site. This program offers a variety of guest speakers, nutritious lunch, and a friendly social setting for participants. Offered Monday-Friday, 11:45AM-12:30PM. For more information please call 828-350-2062.
Billiards
Whether you are looking for a place to practice or have a friendly game our Billiards Room is open Monday- Friday 10:00am-5:00pm. There is no registration or fee required. Call the center for Saturday availability at 828-350-2062.
Exercise
For an Hour, come build some Power, with our gentle based chair exercise that is fun and upbeat. This program is offered every Tuesday from 10:00am-11:00am. All are welcome and this program is free of charge. If you have any questions call the center at 828-350-2062.
Be Active Live Longer
Come and workout at your convenience in our B.A.L.L. (Be Active Live Longer) area . This area offers a treadmill, weights, and bicycle. Call the center for more information. 828-350-2062
A Cappella Alive
If you love to sing and looking for a group that does, look no further. A Cappella Alive is a small non-profit chorus group that are looking for a few new members to join in as they bring joy to others by singing. If interested please feel free to stop by Senior Opportunity center Thursday’s from 6:00pm-9:00pm or contact us at (828) 350-2062.
Square Dancing
Circle 8 Square Dancing is a group that meets every Tuesday from 6:00pm-9:00pm. Come out and meet some new people and have a good time square dancing. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact (828) 350-2062.
Groove at the Grove
Looking for something to do on a Saturday afternoon? Come “Groove at the Grove” with us and enjoy 10 Tables of Games! Spades to Bid Whist, Uno to Phase 10, we have a table for you!!! Come meet new people and test your luck every 4th Saturday of the Month from 3pm-6pm. If you have any questions please contact Grove Street Community Center at (828)350-2062.
Pen to Paper Writing Group
Let’s share the stories of our lives. This event takes place every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month. 6/21, 7/5, 7/19, 8/2, 8/15
Enrollment is now open for Hendersonville Theatre (HT)’s summer performing arts camps. These one-week camps are designed for middle and high school students and will be taught by theatre professionals.
Performers Playground – Acting Class runs June 26-30 from 12 pm-3 pm. Tuition is $180. The camp is designed for rising 6th to 9th graders or 10 to 14-year-olds. During this week of laughter and creativity, campers will discover the exciting world of improvisation and learn how to think on their feet. The class will include playing theater games, learning how to create scenes from scratch and using body and voice to create dynamic and memorable characters. At the completion of the camp, campers will present a showcase performance for family and friends.
Performers Playground – Acting Class is designed for all experience levels and is taught by Rugby Middle School theatre teacher Heather Denton. Denton has over 24 years of experience teaching drama to middle school students. She has directed over 30 plays and musicals, and is known for her boundless energy and ability to work with a variety of grades and ability levels.
Acting Camp for High Schoolers runs July 10-14 from 12 pm-3 pm. Tuition is $180. The camp is intended for rising 10th to 12th graders or 14 to 17-year-olds. This camp is designed for budding actors who are looking for a starting place to learn about acting. In this camp, campers will be introduced to many forms of acting including improvisation, character development and cold readings.
Beginner Dance for Musical Theatre runs July 17-21 from 12 pm-3 pm. Tuition is $180. The camp is designed for rising 7th to 12th graders or 11 to 17-year- olds. This introductory dance course is for actors new to dance and looking to develop some musical theatre dance skills. In this camp, inspiring actors will learn how to survive a musical theatre dance call, focusing on musical theatre history, basic movement steps, and tips and tricks for picking up movement quickly.
Intermediate Dance for Musical Theatre runs July 24-28 from 12 pm-3 pm. Tuition is $180. The camp is designed for rising 10th to 12th graders or 14 to 17-years olds. Designed for dancers who want to branch into musical theatre, the camp is created for students with an intermediate level of dance training. During this week, campers will cover an introduction to musical theatre history, popular Broadway dance numbers, and tips and tricks for picking up movement quickly in order to prepare for musical theatre auditions.
Acting Camp for High Schoolers, Beginner Dance for Musical Theatre and Intermediate Dance for Musical Theatre is taught by Sage Albert, a recent graduate of Elon University with a degree in theatre, music and dance. Her most recent credits include Sherrie in Rock of Ages (upcoming) and Cathy in The Last Five Years.
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LEARN MORE THIS YEAR |
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Brush up on your wilderness medicine or learn new survival skills! SOLO Southeast & NOC are offering over 200 courses in 2023 and classes in locations across the southeast.
Find your next course with SOLO Southeast and be prepared for the unexpected! |
Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) recently renovated fitness centers at Linwood Crump Shiloh and Stephens-Lee community centers – and community members can enjoy use of cardio equipment, exercise machines, free weights, open gym time, and more through June 30, 2023. During this time, APR will waive membership and daily pass fees so more people can access the necessities for a regular fitness routine. Locals can sign up online or at either community center to receive a fitness center key fob that can be scanned at either location.
“Our team is committed to creating spaces in which everyone feels welcome,” according to D. Tyrell McGirt, APR Director. “We are in the community building business. The gyms and fitness rooms at these two locations are filled with everything you’d expect from other top-notch fitness facilities and dedicated to body positivity and accessible wellness. By waiving the cost to use them for the first six months of the year, we hope more friends and neighbors will be able to connect with each other and maintain healthy lifestyles.”
Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) recently renovated fitness centers at Linwood Crump Shiloh and Stephens-Lee community centers – and community members can enjoy use of cardio equipment, exercise machines, free weights, open gym time, and more through June 30, 2023. During this time, APR will waive membership and daily pass fees so more people can access the necessities for a regular fitness routine. Locals can sign up online or at either community center to receive a fitness center key fob that can be scanned at either location.
“Our team is committed to creating spaces in which everyone feels welcome,” according to D. Tyrell McGirt, APR Director. “We are in the community building business. The gyms and fitness rooms at these two locations are filled with everything you’d expect from other top-notch fitness facilities and dedicated to body positivity and accessible wellness. By waiving the cost to use them for the first six months of the year, we hope more friends and neighbors will be able to connect with each other and maintain healthy lifestyles.”
The American Red Cross, WLOS News 13, and iHeart Radio urge donors of all blood types to come out to the 36th annual Operation Blood Drive
Right now, there is a great need for donations to address a recent drop in appointments that could lead to fewer transfusions for patients in the weeks ahead. Type O blood donors are especially needed to ensure a strong blood supply. Individuals of all blood types are urged to schedule an appointment now to give blood. Appointments can be made by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org and using ‘OBD2023’ sponsor code, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.
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
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- 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
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- Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm
-
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 Holidays call for hours
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
Gates open for vendors at 6am, doors open at 8am.
Tickets: $7 in advance*, $10 at the gate
Tables inside: $15 each, Covered flea market spaces: $15 each
Free Parking • Door Prizes • Forum Presentations • VE Testing
Talk-In: N4DTR Repeater, 147.39+ PL 94.8
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!
“Chalk It Up!” began with 3 children drawing in front of their mother’s store. It has blossomed into one of the most beloved and endearing events that our town has to offer. It is a unique way to experience beautiful downtown Hendersonville, N.C. Every summer, 150 artists of all ages draw for prizes and fun in this great contest designed to promote Hendersonville as “a city with a heart for art”. Registration begins June 6, 2023 “Chalk It Up!” event date: 7/15 Rain dates 7/22 and 7/29.
Presented by Bee City USA- Hendersonville and Bullington Gardens
For educators: teachers, camp counselors, home-school parents, childcare professionals, summer program leaders, and more, the Pollinator Exploration Kit provides excellent tools. Bee City USA – Hendersonville is eager to help you share the wonder of pollinators with children you teach. The kit includes sets of 12 sturdy child-size insect nets, special bug capture bubbles, bug boxes with magnifying lids, and magnifying glasses. Two pop-up insect habitats and two sets of laminated fold-out field guides (NC Trees & Wildflowers, NC Butterflies & Moths, Bees & Other Pollinators) are also included. The kit can be loaned for up to a week (as available) and may be picked up and returned weekdays 9am-4pm.
Pick-up location:
Bullington Gardens, 95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville.
Cost: no charge
Reservation needed: contact [email protected] to check availability and reserve the dates to borrow the Pollinator Exploration Kit.
Exhibition dates: June 9 – July 23
Hours: Tuesday-Saturdays from 10-5 pm, Sundays 11-4 pm
Eidolon is an ancient term from Greek -oeidēs “form”. Early meanings included “mental image”, “appearance”, and “reflection” (as in a mirror or pool), and later, “apparition” or “imaginary entity”, among other things. Expanding beyond the definition pointing to a phantasm or specter, eidolon also sounds like some kind of astral or idyllic place in a novel or poem about an imaginary world. Eidolon features the work of Jacqueline Shatz and Margaret Thompson.
Jacqueline Shatz’s small sculptures of ambiguous and hybridized figures float, entwine, swim, commune with animals and collapse into abstract arabesques and gestures, hinting at mythology, in-between states, and the permeable nature of existence. Margaret Thompson’s paintings are inspired by elements of the symbolist movement and magical realism; she channels dreams and the associative powers of the imagination into her practice, painting subjects that live between our physical realm and spaces beyond the categories of known experience: they are unrestrained, undefined, and free.
Photo credit:
Sae Honda. Courtesy of the Artist.
NEO MINERALIA suggests that recent rock formations no longer fit within the traditional groups: Igneous, Metamorphic, and Sedimentary. Instead, the Anthropocene, the era of human influence on the climate and environment, has introduced two post-natural rocks: Synthetic and Digital.
NEO MINERALIA presents a selection of new geological specimens crafted by ten international artists exploring rocks as reflections of our effects on human and nonhuman ecologies. By embedding synthetic materials (plastics, e-waste) and layers of data points (critical, financial, social) into the craftsmanship of these artifacts, the artists transgress the definition of rocks, turning them from passive aggregates of minerals into metaphorical aggregates of data. Within their apparent “rockness” we can decode hopes, warnings, and speculative future scenarios.
The featured works stemming from places as varied as Mexico, Japan, Poland, and Australia (including a curated artists’ books library), collectively signal a new era of planetary and geological consciousness where we are asked to read, feel, and listen to rocks in new ways.
Photo credit:
J Diamond, “Pony II,” 2022. Courtesy of the Artist
Something earned, Something left behind is an exhibition of objecthood; a critical analysis of the transactional and political languages of everyday and culturally significant objects. This exhibition challenges a history of exclusion and inclusion of People of Color (POC) and their narratives from the canon of craft based on subject matter. It dissects this history’s origins and precedent as an economic transaction to gain access to white spaces.
Racial and ethnic identity influences the way individuals perceive themselves, the way others perceive them, and the way they choose to behave. For this reason, People of Color are expected to perform certain roles in order to fit into hegemonic institutions. These roles can be an active shrinking of themselves and the racialized part of them, or a personal exploitation of their racialized selves. This exhibition addresses and redresses the ways narrowed populations have been included, and the ways in which they have been asked to participate.
Together, this work creates space for and legitimizes POC narratives with depth and care. The exhibiting artists’ practices work against institutionalized expectations of POC work, expanding discourse and inserting new subjectivity into the canon of craft art. It engages with a community hungry for the revitalization and resuscitation of non-Western voices within art spaces. This exhibition challenges the expectations of art from artists of marginalized backgrounds and embraces a new subjectivity of interrogating one’s inherited experiences.
Photo credit:
Photograph by Bowery Blue Makers
Jeans – with their standardized pockets, rivets, and denim – are so much a part of everyday wardrobes that they are easy to overlook. Yet, in workshops across the nation, independent makers are reevaluating the garment and creating jeans by hand, using antiquated equipment and denim woven on midcentury looms. Crafting Denim explores how and why jeans have come to exist at the intersections of industry and craft, modernity, and tradition.
A product of industrial factory production for over a century, jeans are being recast by a new cohort of small-scale makers including craftspeople like Ryan Martin of W.H. Ranch Dungarees, Takayuki Echigoya of Bowery Blue Makers, and Sarah Yarborough and Victor Lytvinenko of Raleigh Denim, who favor choice materials and small-batch fabrication. The jeans they make merge craft traditions with industry and extend the conversation between hand and machine.
Each maker creates a distinctive product but shares a deep appreciation for materials, tools, history, and denim. These jeans are in dialogue with the past and in line with contemporary interests in sustainability. The small workshops featured here are sites of innovation and preservation, and visitors are invited to take a close look at an everyday item and imagine alternative contexts for making and living in our own clothes.
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
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Explore Biltmore House with an Audio Guide that introduces you to the Vanderbilt family and their magnificent home’s history, architecture, and collections of fine art and furnishings.
PLUS: Immersive, multi-sensory Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition created by Grande Experiences
PLUS: FREE next-day access to Biltmore’s Gardens and Grounds
This visit includes access to:
- Italian Renaissance Alive at Amherst at Deerpark®
- 8,000 Acres of Gardens and Grounds for two consecutive days
- Antler Hill Village & Winery
- Complimentary Wine Tastings at the Winery
- Tastings require a Day-of-Visit Reservation, which can be made by:
- Scanning the QR Code found in your Estate Guide
- Visiting any Guest Services location
- Complimentary parking
Art Exhibition: Italian Renaissance Alive
This fascinating experience takes you on a spellbinding tour of Italy, fully immersing you in the beauty and brilliance of iconic masterworks from the greatest artistic period in history
Learn Asheville’s history, discover hidden gems, and laugh at LaZoom’s quirky sense of adventure.
- Guided comedy tour bus of historical Asheville
- 90-Minutes – tours run daily
- 15-minute break at Green Man Brewing
- $39 per person (ages 13+ only)
Connie Brown will be demonstrating dyeing cotton fabric with fresh indigo in the mornings (if her indigo is ready to harvest!), and hand quilting in the afternoons 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: 828-358-3192.
Presenter: John Fieselman, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer
Foodscaping aims to incorporate edible plants into an existing ornamental garden. The designs can incorporate various kinds of vegetables, fruit trees, berry bushes, edible flowers, and herbs, along with purely ornamental species. We will be demonstrating our Foodscaping designs in the Sun & Shade garden.
A portion of this program will be outside, please dress appropriately.
Registration: Seating is limited and registration is required. If you encounter problems registering or if you have questions, call 828-255-5522
Carl Sandburg created his own version of American fairy tales when he published Rootabaga Stories (1922) and Rootabaga Pigeons (1923). He replaced the European fairy tale cast of princes, princesses, castles and kingdoms with icons American children would recognize — taxi-drivers, movie actors, skyscrapers, prairies and automobiles. Rootabaga Express! brings the stories of the Five Rusty Rats, Bimbo the Snip and more to life.You’ll meet new characters and journey farther into the Village of Liver and Onions and Sandburg’s imagination than ever before.
The 30-minute shows are appropriate for all ages and held rain or shine.These shows are supported by the Flat Rock Playhouse and the Park Store, operated by America’s National Parks.
For young visitors who attend the plays, there is a Rootabaga Junior Ranger program available. Activity sheets will be available at the amphitheater after the play and can be turned in at the Sandburg Home for a limited edition “Rootabaga Ranger” badge.
Apprentice actors from the Flat Rock Playhouse have performed adaptations of Sandburg’s works for park visitors since 1974. Using Sandburg’s own words from his collections of children’s stories, poetry, collected music, biography of Abraham Lincoln and his own autobiography, the performances provide visitors with a sense of the scope of his work and imagination. Sandburg was an expert storyteller, and easily wove important messages of fairness, empathy and social justice into his writings. Whatever play you are able to attend you will walk away with a smile on your face and a better understanding of the legacy of Carl Sandburg.
“Shine and Dine” on the railway! We cordially invite you to hop on board The Carolina Shine, GSMR’s All-Adult First Class Moonshine Car! We will be proudly serving hand crafted, triple-distilled, craft moonshine. Some of the smoothest tasting moonshine in the Carolinas! Offered on the Nantahala Gorge excursion, this shine and dine experience begins in a renovated First Class train fleet car, The Carolina Shine. The interior features copper lined walls filled with the history of moonshining in North Carolina. Learn about the proud tradition that the Appalachians established when bootlegging was an acceptable way of life and local home brews were the best in town. Read about Swain County’s very own Major Redmond, the most famous mountain moonshine outlaw of the 19th century. Once your appetite for knowledge is satisfied, enjoy sample tastings of flavors like Apple Pie, Blackberry, Blueberry, Cherry, Peach, and Strawberry moonshine. If the samples are not enough, there will be plenty of Moonshine infused cocktails like Copper Cola or Moonshiner’s Mimosa available for purchase. GSMR is excited to feature multiple craft NC based distilleries to serve our guests only the best! Each jar is handcrafted and authentically infused with real fruit, the way moonshine was meant to be made. Passengers will also enjoy a full service All-Adult First Class ride with an attendant and our popular Cajun seasoned Pulled Pork BBQ with Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce cooked in our special spices and slow roasted to perfection! During the month of October, 9am departures will feature the option of a delicious Cheesy Shrimp & Grits or Cheesy Ham Hash Brown Casserole while 2pm departures will be served the popular BBQ meal.
The American Red Cross, WLOS News 13, and iHeart Radio urge donors of all blood types to come out to the 36th annual Operation Blood Drive
Right now, there is a great need for donations to address a recent drop in appointments that could lead to fewer transfusions for patients in the weeks ahead. Type O blood donors are especially needed to ensure a strong blood supply. Individuals of all blood types are urged to schedule an appointment now to give blood. Appointments can be made by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org and using ‘OBD2023’ sponsor code, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.