Funds for Fields: Youth Wellness Initiative

Pisgah Health Foundation is raising funds for renovations to the Ecusta Field, which is currently used by area athletes and community members and is in dire need of upgrades. The upgraded facility will allow for the expansion of youth athletic programs as well as open the field up for more events and recreational activities for everyone in Transylvania County.

With your donations and support, you can positively impact the lives of young athletes now! Soccer and other sports are integral in youth development, fostering physical, mental, and emotional growth. Additionally, outdoor recreational facilities are vital to our community’s wellbeing, especially since the pandemic led to higher levels of anxiety, depression, and stress as a result of decreased physical activity.

Along with others in our community, we hope you will join us in raising funds to renovate this field for all to enjoy in Brevard.

In collaboration with West Asheville Yoga join us at the Museum’s rooftop terrace for a unique Creative Flow experience that combines the beauty of art with the power of mindful movement.

All-levels are welcome. Please bring your own mat. Loose-fitting clothing is recommended. In the event of inclement weather, it will be held inside at the Museum’s Atrium.

DATES AND THEMES:

July 1: “Fluidity” – Inspired by the mesmerizing Karen LaMonte glass sculpture, this session will guide you to move like water, embodying grace and fluidity in your practice. Led by Krista Hagman. Register.

July 8: “Synergy” – Explore the synergy of mind, body, and breath, drawing inspiration from the exhibition on Buckminster Fuller. Discover the harmonious connection within yourself. Led by Kim Drye. Register.

July 15: “Abstract Expressionism” – Dive into intuitive movement and expressive shapes, mirroring the essence of abstract expressionism in your yoga practice. Connect with your inner artist and explore the power of spontaneous expression. Led by Kim Drye. Register.

July 22: “Still Life” – Find balance between dynamic action and serene stillness as we explore the concept of still life. Experience a flow that incorporates held pauses, allowing you to delve into the depths of tranquility within movement. Led by Kim Drye. Register.

NONMEMBER: FOUR WEEK REGISTRATION

MEMBER: FOUR WEEK REGISTRATION

Join Mattie Decker, a certified forest therapy guide, for a relaxing two to 2.5 hour stroll through the forest at our stunning Grandfather Mountain. Through a series of invitations, you will have an opportunity to focus on being present in the moment, deepening your connection with nature and community, and enjoying the many gifts nature has to offer.

“Forest bathing” is a walk in nature during which your guide will share mindfulness practices and invitations designed to connect you more deeply to your inner landscapes as well as the world around you. Inspired by shinrin-yoku, (literally ‘forest bath’) the Japanese art of immersing oneself in a forest environment, forest bathing walks invite guests to spend time in nature in a way that invites healing for us, as well as our fraught ecosystems, and our community. Dr. Mattie Decker, a certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT).

Mattie is also a mindfulness teacher, a Zen practitioner, an Episcopal oblate, and a retired professor of education. She is also certified in wilderness medicine and first aid. Mattie’s says, “The forest is the therapist. The guide opens the doors.” As a guide she assists us in opening the doors of the senses, to deepen our relationship with nature, which is our own true nature.

Program Itinerary (10 a.m. until 1 p.m.)
10:00:  Meet at the Woods Walk Picnic Area
Located about a third of a mile from the Grandfather Mountain Entrance Gate along the park road. We begin with an Introduction to Forest Bathing, the watershed and history of the ancestral lands of the walk.

10:15: Experience the forest and trails along the loop, with a variety of “invitations” to explore our relationship with the forest and “more than human world” of nature, and we will end with a tea ceremony with tea made from plants of Grandfather Mountain.

Registration
This Adult Field Course costs $40 for general admission and $34 for members of Grandfather Mountain’s Bridge Club, plus tax. Attendance is limited to 20 participants. Registration opens on this page on May 22 at 9 a.m.

Your program cost includes admission into the park, field instruction, and transportation during your program (you may drive your own vehicle to visit sites on the mountain if you would prefer). It does not include meals or lodging. Bringing a bagged lunch is recommended for most field courses, although Mildred’s Grill will be open to attendees. Tips are not accepted for field courses. However, donations to the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation are accepted if you would like to recognize a program.

General Clothing List
Much of your time will be spent outdoors and all programs are held rain, snow or shine. You should be prepared for a variety of mountain weather conditions and temperatures. Appropriate clothing, equipment, and footwear are very important.

Equipment

• Daypack with enough room to carry extra clothing, water, lunch, camera, etc.
• Water Bottle
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Hiking boots
• Binoculars

Equipment Specific to this Course

• Sturdy hiking boots or closed-toed shoes are required
• Long pants and preferably long sleeved shirts are strongly encouraged
• Any snacks or items needed for personal care (there is a public restroom at the Woods Walk Picnic Area)
• A sit-pad will be provided

Refunds/Cancellations
Adult Field Courses generally sell out and have a waiting list associated with the event. If you cannot attend the field course that you are registered for, a full refund will be granted within a 5-day notice of the day of the field course. This allows time for individuals on the waiting list to make accommodations to attend the event. We ask that individuals who are sick with any illness to stay home to ensure the health and safety of other participants, our staff, and the field course instructors – refunds will be granted to these individuals.

More about Field Courses
We at Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation are excited to share the unique wonders of the mountain with you. Since 2008, GMSF has aimed at creating educational programming that deepens understanding through in-depth study and field research. Our goal is to provide you with a rich experience in a particular field of study, and to also provide a safe and memorable trip to Grandfather Mountain. Read more about Field Courses.

JUST IN TIME for Back-to-School shopping, Asheville Outlets will host a Summer Side Walk sale on Saturday, July 22, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Over two dozen retailers will offer special sales and promotions including Crate & Barrel Outlet, Vineyard Vines Outlet, J.Crew Factory, Under Armour Factory House, and Vera Bradley Factory Outlet Store, among others.

From 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., visitors will enjoy live, old time bluegrass music performed by Marlee Merritt and Bayla Davis from the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership. This day of family fun will also include free face painting for kids from 12 noon to 2:00 p.m.! For more information, visit AshevilleOutlets.com.

Don’t miss this exclusive sale at Atelier Maison & Co.! From July 15th to July 22nd, enjoy 30% off all items in our main studio, and an incredible 50% off in the Buyer’s Showroom. If you’re looking for even bigger bargains, head to our Warehouse for unparallelled deals. Upgrade your living space with our unique and sustainable furniture, accessories, and exclusive line of eco-friendly pieces. At Atelier Maison & Co., we’re committed to helping you create a happier, healthier home with our selection of green, envy-worthy items.
This sale excludes local art. Discounts are on lowest marked price. All sales final.

Second-generation broom maker, Marlow Gates will be demonstrating traditional Appalachian broom-tying in the lobby of the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Join scenic designer Erinn Hartley to pick up some basic set painting know-how, then dive into more detailed painting skills. The morning session will encompass surface prep, paint selection, tools, and standard techniques. The afternoon session will delve into special texture skills such as highlights & shadows, stone or brick painting, and other wall texture creation. Walk away from this multi-part session feeling confident that you can volunteer or join a production team with scenic painting fundamentals in hand.

About the instructor: Erinn is the Executive Artistic Director and Founder of Anam Cara Theatre Company, the Artistic Director of the Asheville Fringe Arts Festival, and the Education Director at LEAF Global Arts. Additionally, since moving to Asheville in 2008, Erinn has worked as a freelance designer, director, scenic artist, actor, and educator in companies that include NC Stage, Attic Salt Theatre Company, Asheville Community Theatre, and Brightstar Touring Theatre.

Learn to make theatre collaboratively with Erinn Hartley and Molly Graves from Anam Cara Theatre Company. You’ll learn strategies for devising that include working from images, objects, personal histories and other source material, while incorporating movement and group improvisation techniques to create a scripted performance.

The workshop includes all dates and times listed below and culminates in a public performance.

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.

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

Take a 90-plus minute stroll along 7th Avenue/Historic Depot District, where the action was when the first steam engine locomotives rolled into town starting in 1879 bringing hundreds of tourists. The district surrounding the historic Railroad Depot was where it was happening in the Gilded Age of Hendersonville from 1879, when the first steam locomotive arrived with hundreds of tourists daily, till the Crash of 1929 … learn about the drays, the hustle, the inns, the summer visitors, the shoot-outs, growth of agriculture, and popular candy stores.  These 90-plus minute walks occur rain or shine.  Please make a reservation, 828-545-3179.

All tours: $10 per person age 10 and over.  Children under 10 yrs. free with paying adult.

Meeting Place:  Hendersonville City Hall, front steps  (at corner of 5^th Ave. E. and King St.)

Schedule a private tour anytime for your group.

Reservations/information:  828-545-3179

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.

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)

Saturdays through Oct. 30. On College Street adjacent to campus of Mars Hill University. Music by Aaron Dingus. Visit www.marshillmarket.org.

In a collaborative and supportive environment, each attendee will have a chance in the hot seat where all the brainpower at the table is focused on solving your problem, issue, or question.
At our Roundtables, women entrepreneurs gather to deal with real issues. Let’s face it, entrepreneurship has its ups and downs, with very specific challenges. It’s so refreshing to brainstorm with others who get that.
Imagine being able to tap into the knowledge of women with a variety of skill sets, talents, and backgrounds! So whether you need a sounding board for your ideas or some advice on marketing, these sessions will help you tremendously.
Come join other women with vision and energy and let’s work on making your dream a success.
Tickets and more information available at plrconnectevents.com/event-tickets

Policies in effect at our Market:

• Walk-in service with vendors with proper distancing.
Once in the market, please distance from other customers while in line. Only one customer at a booth at one time.

The market will continue the following practices:
• Hand sanitizer will be available for shoppers and vendors throughout the market;
• A hand washing station is available;
• All vendor tents will be spaced to allow for physical distancing;
• Vendors will wear gloves and/or sanitize regularly when will handle open food products for customers;
• Vendors may sample their product but we ask that customers let the vendor provide a single sample and then step to the side, away from others, to try that product;
• No member of Market staff or Market vendors will be allowed to attend the Market if they are experiencing illness;
• If you have any questions or need the Market’s assistance in any way, please email us at  [email protected] and we will help any way we can.

We take the health and wellness of our community very seriously. Fresh local food is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and we want our community to have consistent and safe access to our local produce and products.

Thank you all for your cooperation and for your support of our Market.

The K-9s In Flight® Frisbee dogs are returning to Tweetsie Railroad this season to amaze and entertain guests with their flips and tricks. The highflying pups will be at Tweetsie Railroad July 22 – 24 and 27 – 30.

Along with jaw-dropping performances, K-9s In Flight embodies an important mission. Each of the dog entertainers has been rescued or adopted off the streets or from various shelters across the country. K-9s In Flight strives to emphasize the importance of animal adoption.

As the country’s top K-9 sports entertainers, the K-9s In Flight team has spread its mission around the country with special appearances on The Disney Channel, ESPN, Animal Planet Expo and the NFL Experience.

Daily performances will begin at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. Additional 5 p.m. shows are scheduled for Saturdays. Shows are included in daily admission. Seating for the shows is first come, first served and no reservations are required.

Valerie Berlage will be demonstrating the surface treatments she uses to create her joyful textured, painted, and assembled wall hangings, mirrors, ornaments, and boxes.

“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.

Join us for a wild encounter as educators from the Western North Carolina Nature Center lead a program filled with bio-facts (pelts, wings, skulls, etc) of some of our amazing native WNC animals. You will also meet a couple of animal ambassadors!

TFAC invites all artists: painters, sculptors, writers, performers & more — to a casual weekly drop-in gathering on Saturday mornings at 9 AM to share your works in progress, alert others, and chat about art and what’s happening in your community. The first weekly Coffee is Saturday, August 20 at 9 am. No RSVP needed, just drop by! Free parking available on Melrose Avenue, behind and alongside TFAC.