Join us on a journey into the world of butterflies and plants, and see the complex relationship between monarchs and milkweed. “Monarchs and Milkweed” explores how very survival of these majestic creatures has been shaped over time by one another, traveling through the seasons of a calendar year and revealing how both insect and plant grow and interact, culminating in a massive migration that crosses a continent.

In collaboration with West Asheville Yoga join us on the Museum’s rooftop terrace for a unique Creative Flow yoga experience combining 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, you will be held inside in the Museum’s Wingate Atrium.

The US Forest Service-Pisgah Ranger District and
Haywood Community College invites people of all ages to celebrate the forest heritage
of Western North Carolina at the Cradle of Forestry in Pisgah Forest, NC during the
annual Forest Festival Day on Saturday, October 7, 2023 from 10:00 am-5:00 pm.
This activity-filled, family event commemorates the traditions of mountain living and
craft in the Cradle’s unique and beautiful setting. Forestry students, a local author,
traditional craftsmen and exhibitors will be on site during the celebration.
At the event, six colleges and universities will compete for a trophy in the Annual John
G. Palmer Intercollegiate Woodsmen’s Meet, organized by Haywood Community College
in Clyde, NC. Participating colleges and universities include: Haywood Community
College (Host) from Clyde, NC; Penn State Mont Alto, from Mont Alto, PA; Montgomery
Community College from Troy, NC; Wayne Community College from Goldsboro, NC;
Mountain Gateway Community College from Clifton Forge, VA; and NC State University
from Raleigh, NC.
Festival-goers can cheer as forestry students compete during the Woodsmen’s Meet
that has the flavor of an old-time lumberjack competition. Students will test their skills
in a number of events including archery, axe throwing, crosscut sawing, wood chopping,
chainsaw, log rolling, pole climbing and pole felling.

The Woodsmen’s Meet is held in the open field at the Pink Beds Picnic Area. This area
allows for the safety of participants and spectators while at the same time providing
opportunities to see all the action. Spectators are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket
for comfort. We are pleased to announce the return of STIHL as the event presenting
sponsor and Bojangles of Mills River will provide breakfast for each of the competing
students.
Festival goers can cut a tree “cookie” with a cross cut saw to take home. The following
community partners will also be joining us with information about their work/mission,
providing giveaways and other fun activities: STIHL, Society of American Foresters,
Hemlock Restoration Initiative, Muddy Sneakers, Local Author Gerald Ledford, Carolina
Mountain Club and FIND Outdoors.
Two presentations will be given during the event by local author, Gerald Ledford at
11:00 am and 1:00 pm in the sunken amphitheater of the Cradle Discovery Center. At
other times throughout the day, you can speak with Ledford as you climb aboard and
ring the bell of a 1914 Climax logging train engine permanently on site at the Cradle. A
PowerPoint presentation will feature railroad logging in the woods. Ledford’s paternal
grandfather Lewis Ledford worked as a mill superintendent for his brother-in-law Louis
Carr at Norwood Lumber at Forney Creek and Carr Lumber at Pisgah Forest, NC. His
father Bryson Ledford was born at Forney and named for Dr. Daniel Rice Bryson. Several
of Ledford’s great uncles were employed by the lumber mills at Forney, Ravensford,
Proctor and East LaPorte during the lumber boom of the early 1900s. The presentation
will feature many rare photographs of railroad logging in the Blue Ridge and Great
Smokies. Ledford enjoys hiking old railroad grades and has been researching the
logging railroads in western North Carolina for over 45 years. With Ron Sullivan, he has
co-authored five books of the history of logging railroads in western North Carolina
titled, “If Rails Could Talk….” The first 5 volumes are currently in print and are available
for purchase on site at the Cradle. Ledford has also provided information and
photographs for several authors as well as the Ken Burns Public Television series, “The
National Parks; America’s Best Idea.
The Trolley Company will provide a shuttle between the Cradle’s Forest Discovery
Center and the Pink Beds from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Pink Beds Picnic Area will be
closed to non-event use for the day.
Admission for this event is $10.00 ages 13 and up; $6.00 for youth ages 4-12, and $5 for
federal pass holders and Cradle season pass holders. Children under 4 years old are
admitted free. Tickets are available on-site at the Cradle the day of the event. Cash is
encouraged however, cards will be accepted. Learn more at:

Forest Festival Day & John Palmer Intercollegiate Woodsmen’s Meet

15 Years of Asheville City Market

Asheville City Market was established in 2008 as a learning lab to pilot new programs and provide more opportunities for farmers, particularly those unable to access existing market options. The market started on Charlotte Street before moving to North Market Street in 2017. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the market operated as ASAP Farmers Market on A-B Tech’s campus. We returned downtown at the start of the 2022 season.

Stay up to date on market news via Facebook, Instagram, and weekly e-newsletters.

Every Saturday, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., January 7 to March 25 (Regular Season market hours, April to December, are 9 am–noon.)

North Market Street between Woodfin and Walnut streets in downtown Asheville. The street is closed to traffic during market times.

Free parking for customers is available at the HomeTrust Bank lot and at the Family Justice Center lot across from the YMCA at 35 Woodfin Street. Handicapped parking is available. There is a bus stop on the N1 and N2 routes one block away, on Broadway. Buses stop at both Woodfin and Walnut streets.

Vendors

Sign up for the Asheville City Market e-newsletter to see the weekly vendor schedule. The list below reflects vendors for the entire season, but not all will attend market each week.

Farms

Bear Necessities Farm, Carolina Flowers, Creasman Farms, Crow Fly Farms, Dry Ridge Farm, Fisher Branch Florals, Finally Farm, The Forest Farmacy, Green Toe Ground Farm, Headwaters Market Garden, High Country Nursery, Hominy Creek Farm, Lee’s One Fortune Farm, Lunar Whale Herbs, Myseanica Family Farm, Stump Farms, Olivette Farm, Ten Mile Farm, Three Graces Dairy, Tryon Mountain Farms, Winter Greens Farm

Foods

Ali Rae Foods, Beeswax & Butter, Better Thymes, Blue Ridge Mountain Creamery, Crust Never Sleeps, Farm Girl Foodie, Good Gravy Bakes, J Chong Eats, La Gringa Tamalera, Mother Ocean Market, Notorious Coffee Roasting Company, Pierarchy, Pie Shoppe AVL, Rio Bertolini’s Fresh Pasta, Serotonin Ferments, Shanti Elixirs, Simple Bread, Sweet Brine’d Fermented Foods

Body Care & Craft Products

Balm Mountain Soap, Bonny Bath, Plants and Knits

Services

Daily Cycle, Karasu EdgeWorks, Of Sage and Stone

Buncombe County Democrats are ready to assist our precincts that are not officially recognized as “organized.” In order to be organized, your precinct needs to have at least five members attend a meeting to elect a Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary. All Democrats living in the following precincts are encouraged to attend this meeting: 4.1, 9.1, 13.1, 15.1, 19.1, 24.1, 35.1, and 37.1 (if you’re not sure of your precinct number, look it up at https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/).

Some of you may be willing to serve as an officer – we hope so!! Some of you may attend to learn more and to be sure there’s a quorum to elect your officers – we need you! After a large group meeting for brief instructions, each precinct will meet separately to hold their elections.

Being a precinct officer requires no experience – most of our officers serve simply because they want to make a difference during these tumultuous times. If you are undecided about whether or not to serve as an officer, please contact BCDP First Vice Chair Kathie Kline at [email protected] or 828-776-3751 for more information.

Being organized as a precinct has so many benefits, including access to volunteer lists, trainings and events that promise to bring your community together for a meaningful and unified purpose. We hope to see you on September 2nd!

[There will be another meeting to organize remaining precincts in October.]

Since March of 2022, the Community Reparations Commission has been working to establish short-, medium-, and long-term recommendations for consideration by the City of Asheville and Buncombe County Government. On Saturday, Oct. 7, a Community Reparations Summit will be held, providing an opportunity for the public to hear directly from the impact focus areas of criminal justice, economic development, education, housing, and health and wellness and provide feedback on their draft recommendations. The event will also feature keynote speaker George Fatheree, who helped return $20 million to the descendants of the owners of Bruce’s Beach, a popular California waterfront property, after it was wrongly taken from them in the 1920s.

“Our Community Reparations Commission has been hard at work, and we’re excited to be able to take this opportunity to lift up their work while also making sure it’s representative of our community’s wishes,” said Dr. Noreal Armstrong, Buncombe County’s Chief Equity & Human Rights Officer.

The Community Reparations Summit will be held from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7 at the UNC Asheville Sherrill Center, 227 Campus Drive, Asheville. Parking and admission are free, but attendance is limited and registration is required.

The Community Reparations Summit is hosted by the City of Asheville, Buncombe County Government, the UNC Asheville Department of Education, and the UNC Asheville Africana Studies Program.

“We are at a critical juncture in the historic work that’s being undertaken in Asheville and Buncombe County,” said Brenda Mills, the City of Asheville’s Director of Equity and Inclusion. “From our keynote speaker to our impact focus areas, this summit will be a day to celebrate, reflect, and chart our path ahead, and we look forward to our community helping us advance our reparations work.”

Leading up to the Community Reparations Summit, UNC Asheville will host two free movie nights:

• “Black in Asheville” on Monday Oct. 2 at 6:30 p.m. followed by a discussion with filmmaker Todd Gragg
• “The Big Payback” on Thursday, Oct. 5 at 6:30 p.m.

Both movies will be shown at the Mullen & James Humanities Hall, 600 Theatre Lane, Woodfin on the campus of UNC Asheville. Doors will open at 5:45 p.m., and free parking will be available. Food trucks will be available in the parking lot for moviegoers beginning at 5 p.m.

STATIONARY FUN – Creekside play area has a treehouse and wee slide ➤ The Big Barn has our Sound Silo full of instruments to play on and make noise, trikes on the trike track around a REAL tractor and cornhole boards(ask the staff for bags) ➤ On the grassy slope behind the Big Barn we’ve got our famous and fast culvert tunnel slides for all ages, hammocks on the hill and tetherball!

Availability: All stationary fun is available every day during business hours of 10-5, starting September 2nd, through the rest of the season- tetherball will be back in action starting September 6th!

ANIMALS TO SEE – We will have a brooder house full of chicks in various ages and stages all season, there will typically be mama pigs and piglets in agritourism pens on the hill, more rarely there will be grazing cattle in a nearby field.

FOOD TRUCK SCHEDULE

9/2 Sat  11-4 Fern Leaf CCS Food Truck

9/16 Sat 11-4 Milk & Honey Food Truck – they will be serving HNG beef for their all-American burger!

9/24 Sun 11-4 *Big Barn Market* Root Down Farm Food Truck

9/30 Sat 11-4 Milk & Honey Food Truck

10/7 Sat 11-4 Fern Leaf CCS Food Truck

10/14 Sat 11-4 Milk & Honey Food Truck

10/15 Sun 11-4 El Bodegon Food Truck

10/22 Sun 11-4 El Bodegon Food Truck

10/29 Sun 11-4 *Big Barn Market* Grush’s Cajun Dino Grill Food Truck

11/4 Sat 11-4 Fern Leaf CCS Food Truck

FALL SEASONAL OFFERINGS

APPLES – Our partners in Edneyville, NC, Lyda Farms, bring some of the best in the region. Local and low spray, folks come every year to get the best of fall in NC by the bag to bake, stew, butter, sauce and of course, crunch into while sitting on the farm.

Availability: Apples will be available to buy starting September 9th, they will typically run out Mid to late October.

FRESH PRESSED CIDER – We press fresh apple cider every year, comprised of our historical orchard apples on the Old Sherrill’s Inn property and apples from our partner Lyda Farms. This is a raw, unpasteurized product – delicious and changeable as the season, no added sugar or seasonings.

Availability: 1st pressing September 13th, bottled cider will be in the store for purchase September 14th!

JACKOLANTERN PUMPKINS – We work with several WNC veggie farmers in the area, including Hawkins Farms. We’ll have pumpkins arranged all around the Farm Store to display their beauty AND make sure you get *just the right one*. The seeds are dynamite when roasted, too…

Availability: Coming Mid-September, they will typically run out by end of October so make sure you get yours! 

EDIBLE SQUASH & DECORATIVE GOURDS – From Mr. Anthony Cole’s farms, we have some long-lasting festive gourds to decoarate for the season, and a broad variety of edible squashes and pumpkins perfect for pies, soups and pasta.

Availability: Coming Mid-September.

You can begin restoring the urban canopy in Buncombe County from your own back yard by picking up a native tree from our county-wide Fall Tree Adoption on October 29.

The 2023 Fall Tree Adoption registration is now live online. Please review the FAQs, species information, and tree care and planting instructions prior to your registration.

Each tree we give away costs ~ $300 to grow to the point in which you adopt it. Your contribution goes directly towards supporting our urban forestry efforts in Asheville & Buncombe County. We request a minimum donation of $10; if you are able to contribute more, you will support the planting of trees in lower-wealth neighborhoods where disproportionate tree removal exacerbates the effects of extreme heat and other impacts of climate change.

A $10 contribution covers your tree adoption.

A $50 contribution gives FIVE people the opportunity to receive a tree.

A $100 contribution gives TEN people the opportunity to receive a tree.

A $300 contribution covers the full cost of raising your tree to the point when you get to take it home to enjoy!

No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

REMINDER: One tree per Buncombe County residence

Travel back to Colonial times and the American Revolution! Experience skirmish reenactments, music, spinning, candle dipping, weaving, and more!

Tickets are good for the entire weekend’s activities, including the Saturday night Bluegrass concert. Wristbands will be given for return admission.

Tickets at the gate are $15 per adult and $10 per child. Purchase online before 10/1 for $3 off per ticket.

No refunds

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7
GATES OPEN AT 10:00AM

11:00AM Junior Regiment Drills; Front Lawn

1:00PM Re-Enactment of 

“Bloody Bill” Cunningham’s Raid; Front Lawn

2:30PM Live Auction; The Pavilion 

GATES CLOSE AT 5:00PM

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8
GATES OPEN AT 10:00AM

11:00AM Junior Regiment Drills; Front Lawn

1:00PM Re-Enactment of 

“Bloody Bill” Cunningham’s Raid; Front Lawn 

GATES CLOSE AT 4:00PM

CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES (Sat & Sun)

Hornbook making

Quill writing

Colonial toys

Tricorn hats

Candle dipping

FOOD available for purchase!

Credit Cards accepted at Gate, Concessions, and Gift Shop.
Living Historians may be cash only.

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.

Effortlessly stylish small business Highland Duds is coming to Asheville at Provisions Mercantile on 10/6 and 10/7! There will be an opportunity to meet the designer, Brandon Aldridge, sip a glass of wine or beer while you shop, and an exclusive gift with purchase!

We would love for you to stop by Friday, October 6th – Saturday, October 7th (10am – 5pm both days) to experience Highland Duds latest collections, along with their most popular styles.

Provisions Mercantile – West Asheville location
728 Haywood Road, Asheville, NC 28806

Is it time to get your “Halloween Boo” on?

Halloween is not just a day; it’s a month-long experience! And what better symbol to represent this spooky season than the iconic pumpkin? As the leaves change and the air gets crisp, there’s a palpable excitement in the air. And this year, the Grove Arcade is about to get a whole lot spookier!

Here at Mountain Made Gallery, we are ghoulishly excited invite you to grab your costumes EARLY and join us inside Grove Arcade on Saturday, October 7 from 12-4 pm for a family-friendly fall event hosted by the Grove Arcade!

Here’s what you can expect at the Grove Arcade:
* Free Pumpkin Decorating Class: Unleash your creativity and design a pumpkin that stands out!

* Entertainment: Be mesmerized by life-size puppets from the Street Creatures collective and sway to live music that sets the perfect Halloween mood.

* Special Storefront Displays: Grove Arcade merchants, including Mountain Made Gallery, have curated special Halloween displays for you.

* And as a bonus event – Local Halloween Art at Mountain Made:
Don’t miss Mountain Made Gallery’s metal art and handcrafted glass “pumpkin patch” exhibit that promises to be a Spooktacular treat!

Never fear, we got some lovely, AND totally creepy Jack O Lanterns ready for you this year… Metal Halloween Art by Edwin Knies and Handblown Glass Pumpkins by Terri Sigler.

Join us for our  47th annual Fall Festival on Saturday, October 7, and Sunday, October 8, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the Folk School’s Brasstown, NC campus. A premier destination since 1974, the Folk School’s Fall Festival attracts thousands from across the region for an extraordinary celebration of Appalachian craft, culture, and heritage. Visit fine craft exhibitors tucked along the school’s winding wooded paths and watch artisans demonstrate traditional and contemporary crafts. Fill your ears with traditional roots music, and tap your toes to clogging, Morris, and other dance performances.

Want to be a vendor? Craft and food vendor applications will open on Friday, March 31, 2023 and close on May 1st. We will add a link to this page when the application is live.

Adult: $10
65+/Veterans/ Ages 12-17 : $8
Under 12: Free

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)

Buncombe County Democrats are ready to assist our precincts that are not officially recognized as “organized.” In order to be organized, your precinct needs to have at least five members attend a meeting to elect a Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary. All Democrats living in the following precincts are encouraged to attend this meeting: 43.2, 46.1, 47.1, 48.1, 49.1, 53.1 and 55.1 (if you’re not sure of your precinct number, look it up at https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/).

Some of you may be willing to serve as an officer – we hope so!! Some of you may attend to learn more and to be sure there’s a quorum to elect your officers – we need you! After a large group meeting for brief instructions, each precinct will meet separately to hold their elections.

Being a precinct officer requires no experience – most of our officers serve simply because they want to make a difference during these tumultuous times. If you are undecided about whether or not to serve as an officer, please contact BCDP Precinct Organizer Jenny Floyd at [email protected] for more information.

Being organized as a precinct has so many benefits, including access to volunteer lists, trainings and events that promise to bring your community together for a meaningful and unified purpose. We hope to see you on October 7th!

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

Ooh La La Curiosity Market is an artist’s market that takes place in Pritchard Park, located in the center of beautiful downtown Asheville and will showcase the work of more than a dozen local artists. Taking place on Saturdays throughout Summer and every Saturday in October. Ooh La La will feature works by local painters, leather smiths, jewelry makers, potters, up-cycled crafters, and other curious delights, all beneath the colored canopies of large market umbrellas. In addition to the artists, the market will also feature live local music with three musical acts performing each Saturday and will include everything from a solo saxophonist to folk, blues, acoustic and jazz acts.

Stop by and play a round of cornhole or badminton at the library any Saturday this fall.

We’ll have a variety of fun  games set up outside for anyone to  enjoy from open to close when the weather is clear.

Bring a picnic and enjoy the beautiful mountain views!

Admission is still only $5 for 12 and up. Watch our FB page and website for updates, entertainment schedules, etc.

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.