Calendar of Events

Buncombe County’s residents, especially those living in and at the edge of poverty, have been able to access valuable, life-saving emergency assistance benefits through Eblen Charities. For many years now, Eblen Charities has partnered with Buncombe County Health and Human Services (BCHHS) to administer the Emergency Assistance, Crisis Intervention, and Low Income Energy Assistance programs. Due to an increase in need from our neighbors and challenges with processing benefits between state and partner agency systems, BCHHS transitioned the administration of these programs from Eblen Charities to the County on November 13, 2023.

We recognize that this a change for our community as Eblen Charities has provided this assistance for many years and has been a vital resource for our neighbors in crisis. BCHHS began answering calls and processing online applications on November 13, 2023. Beginning December 1, 2023, with the start of Low Income Energy Assistance application processing, BCHHS will start taking in-person requests at 40 Coxe Ave. in downtown Asheville.

Low Income Energy Assistance provides a one-time annual vendor payment to help eligible families pay their heating expense. Households containing a person age 60 or older or disabled receiving services can apply starting December 1, 2023. All households can apply starting January 1, 2024. Low Income Energy Assistance applications are accepted until March 31, 2024 or until funds are exhausted.

To qualify for the Low Income Energy Assistance Program, households that meet the following criteria may be eligible:

• Have at least one U.S. citizen or non-citizen who meets the eligibility criteria.
• Meet income requirements.
• Be responsible for its heating costs.

The Crisis Intervention Program serves individuals and families who are experiencing or are in danger of experiencing a heating- or cooling-related crisis.

To qualify for the Crisis Intervention Program, households that meet the following criteria may be eligible:

• Have at least one U.S. citizen or non-citizen who meets the eligibility criteria.
• Meet the income requirements.
• Have an energy related crisis.
• Have a utility statement that shows how much is owed to alleviate the crisis.

For those who have previously received Low Income Energy Assistance Program assistance, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will begin notifying eligible households by mail beginning November 19, 2023. Households will have 10 days to report any changes to their household. Applicants can report changes by contacting the BCHHS office or by making changes to the form that was mailed to you and return it to BCHHS, located at 40 Coxe Ave. in Downtown Asheville. If no changes are reported, the information from last year will be used to process this year’s automated Low Income Energy Assistance payment.

If you are interested in applying for these Energy Assistance benefits, you can quickly apply online at www.epass.nc.gov. If you would like to apply over the phone, have general questions about energy assistance, or need to check on the status of your case, please call us at (828) 250-6330. Beginning December 1, 2023, you may also visit us in person at 40 Coxe Ave. in downtown Asheville. Please bring your parking ticket with you inside of the building for free parking.

Buncombe County also will administer Emergency Assistance, which Buncombe County Social Work Services distributes as funds become available to our community. To apply for Emergency Assistance, go online to epass.nc.gov, call Buncombe County at 828-250-6330, or apply in person at 40 Coxe Ave.

BCHHS will continue to partner with Eblen Charities to assist families and individuals in our community during times of crisis and hardship. For more information on the services that are available in our community, visit www.buncombecounty.org/hhs.

Join the Blue Ridge Audubon, a chapter of the National Audubon Society for their monthly bird walk at Jackson Park, a renowned
birding location. On the 2nd Saturday of each month, meet at the Administration Building parking lot, located on Glover Street,
and join the group to see the many wonderful birds found at Jackson Park, Hendersonville’s largest park.8-10:00am.
828-684-0812. Free.

November 24, 25
December 2, 9, 16, & 23
Seatings: 8, 9:30, & 11:30am

Breakfast with Santa presented by Boyd Automotive will be hosted in the Legends Club select dates from 8am-1pm, with opportunities to interact with Santa himself while enjoying a delicious kid-friendly buffet of breakfast favorites as well as adult favorites. Reservations are required in advance for each time slot.

Adults: $39 | Kids 5-14: $18 | 4&U: FREE

Come join the Artists of the Phil Mechanic for Holiday sale

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

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

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

• • 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

• • • • Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
      • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm

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

• WNC Farmers Market, 570 Brevard Rd., Farmers Truck Shed #1, daily, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

• Even though it’s getting colder, you can still find fresh, local food at area farmers markets. Nine markets in Buncombe County will offer extended seasons or special holiday dates in November and December. In addition to seasonal produce, meats, cheeses, eggs, and bread, these markets will feature local artists and handmade goods, such as wreaths, pottery, jewelry, and more.
• ASAP’s Double SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables and Farm Fresh Produce Prescription. Both programs offer participants free market tokens that can be spent on fresh fruits and vegetables. That includes in-season fall produce such as root veggies (including carrots, beets, radishes, and turnips), tubers (potatoes and sweet potatoes), brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage), winter squash, greens, and fruits like apples and persimmons.

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!

$10 | Ages 2-9 with adult, advance registration required

A holiday tradition for local families, Santa hosts a special breakfast with games, crafts, and a visit from the jolly man himself.

We’re putting our build crew back together and we’d love to have you join us. Every 2 weeks, we’ll meet at 9 am for hands-on set construction! Whether your talents are building, painting, or you just want to learn, come out and join us every other Saturday for some creative fun. Tools and work gloves are helpful but not required

Even though it’s getting colder, you can still find fresh, local food at area farmers markets. Nine markets in Buncombe County will offer extended seasons or special holiday dates in November and December. In addition to seasonal produce, meats, cheeses, eggs, and bread, these markets will feature local artists and handmade goods, such as wreaths, pottery, jewelry, and more.

ASAP’s Double SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables and Farm Fresh Produce Prescription. Both programs offer participants free market tokens that can be spent on fresh fruits and vegetables. That includes in-season fall produce such as root veggies (including carrots, beets, radishes, and turnips), tubers (potatoes and sweet potatoes), brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage), winter squash, greens, and fruits like apples and persimmons.

Living in Western North Carolina means there is always something to do in the garden, from preparing soil and pruning to fertilizing and transplanting. But when and how? You’ll find the answers in A Gardening Guide for Our Mountains.

Created by NC State Extension Master Gardener^SM volunteers of Buncombe County (BCEMG), the guide provides a complete month-by-month description of what to do (and not to do), along with tips on invasive species, mulching, composting, and creating bird- and pollinator-friendly habitats.

This quick reference makes the perfect holiday gift for the gardeners in your life, whether they are old hands, new to gardening, or new to gardening in the mountains. A Gardening Guide for Our Mountains will get them off to the right start and keep their gardens growing all year long. Plus, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that funds raised through this publication go to support the many educational and outreach programs provided by BCEMG volunteers.

How to order: Send $13 (checks payable to Buncombe County Extension Master Gardener) to N.C. Cooperative Extension, Buncombe County Center, 49 Mount Carmel Road, Asheville, N.C. 28806, ATTN:  Buncombe County Master Gardeners. Include mailing address for shipping and a phone number, in case we have a question about your order.

Copies are available for pick up at the office for $10.  Please call in advance. 828-255-5522.

To learn more about the NC State Extension Master Gardener Program in Buncombe County, go to: https://www.buncombemastergardener.org/

Whether you start decorating for the holidays before Thanksgiving or well into December, now is the best time to get into the holiday spirit by sponsoring a gift for kids or adults.

Being an adult without a support network, an adult with a disability, or a kid in foster care can be tough over the holidays; this is a great opportunity to let them know that the community cares for them.

Every year, Buncombe County hosts an Adult Wish Tree and a Foster Care Wish Tree that allows members of the community to sponsor a gift for someone this holiday.

Foster Care Wish Tree

Each year, children in foster care in Buncombe County submit a list of wishes they would like for the holidays.

To sign up to sponsor a child, click this link and select the person you would like to sponsor. You will receive an email confirmation that provides a copy of the wish list and all the instructions for drop-off.

A note from Health and Human Services:

Hello and thank you for your generosity this holiday season. We are grateful for your unwavering support for our foster youth. Here at Buncombe County Health and Human Services, we are dedicated to meeting the needs of our foster youth, and having your support means so much to us and our kids. You are not just providing gifts this holiday season; you are telling someone that they matter and that they are important! That is something to celebrate! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!

If you have any questions about your sponsorship, please call Amber Cook at 828-772-5553 or email [email protected] during business hours of 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday.

Adult Wish Tree

When you can’t drive a car or don’t have someone to bring you the things you might need, like a new nightgown or socks, it can be tough. The Adult Wish Tree is a Buncombe County program that works with agencies throughout the county to identify adults and adults with disabilities who don’t have access to a support network to help with these basic needs. The program also identifies young adults in our extended foster care program who will likely not receive a gift this year. Please consider selecting an adult to sponsor this holiday season.

To sign up to sponsor an adult, click this link and select the person you would like to sponsor. You will receive an email confirmation that provides a copy of the wish list and all the instructions for drop-off.

A note from Health and Human Services:

This holiday season we hope you will choose one of the many names that are submitted by Health and Human Services and our partner agencies for adults and adults with disabilities.  It is such a joy to see the smiles on the faces of adults who have their wishes fulfilled, as these are adults who are not expected to have anyone else to provide them with a gift this year.

If you have questions, please email us at [email protected].

Happy Holidays and thank you for supporting those who need a little extra care this upcoming season.

– The Mills River Fire Department, in partnership with the Mills
River Parks and Recreation Department and the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, will be bringing
Santa Claus to Mills River neighborhoods on Saturday, December 9. Santa will be traveling through
town on a big red fire truck bringing Holiday cheer to the boys and girls of Mills River. The Santa
ride-along will begin at 9:00 a.m. and Santa will return to the North Pole by 5:00 p.m. Due to Mills
River’s size and mountainous roads, the fire truck will not be able to travel up each road in Town,
but will pass through the Town’s main roadways and as many neighborhoods as possible.
For those not along Santa’s Route, you can catch a glimpse of the jolly old elf at one of the
designated “Santa Sightings.” Santa’s helpers will be on hand to give out candy canes to any
children they see along the way.
To find out when Santa will be in your neighborhood visit www.millsriver.org/santa to find out an
approximate time of arrival. On Saturday, December 9 beginning at 9:00 a.m., you will be able to
track Santa live via GPS on our website and on the “Mills River Parks & Recreation” Facebook
page. Please remember that all times are estimates and we cannot guarantee arrival times. The best
way to know Santa is coming to use the live tracker and to listen for the holiday music and sirens
and to look for the flashing lights coming down the street!
For all the details on the Mills River Santa Tour 2023 please visit our web site at
www.millsriver.org/santa or call Mills River Town Hall at 828-890-2901.

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.

Historians estimate that skilled Black artisans outnumbered their white counterparts in the antebellum South by a margin of five to one. However, despite their presence and prevalence in all corners of the pre-industrial trade and craft fields, the stories of these skilled workers go largely unacknowledged.

Borrowing its title from a Black culture and politics magazine of the same name, Hammer and Hope celebrates the life and labor of Black chairmakers in early America. Featuring the work of two contemporary furniture makers – Robell Awake and Charlie Ryland – the pieces in this exhibition are based on the artists’ research into ladderback chairs created by the Poynors, a multigenerational family of free and enslaved craftspeople working in central Tennessee between the early nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Through the objects featured in Hammer and Hope, Awake and Ryland explore, reinterpret, and reimagine what the field of furniture-making today would look like had the history and legacy of the Poynors – and countless others that have been subject to a similar pattern of erasure – been celebrated rather than hidden. Hammer and Hope represents Awake and Ryland’s attempts, in their own words,  “at fighting erasure by making objects that engage with these long-suppressed stories.”‍

Robell Awake and Charlie Ryland are recipients of the Center for Craft’s 2022 Craft Research Fund Artist Fellowship. This substantial mid-career grant is awarded to two artists to support research projects that advance, expand, and support the creation of new research and knowledge through craft practice.

Celebrate Christmas at Connemara with demonstrations and craft making on three Saturdays in December. The free holiday activities and craft-making are supported by the non-profit Park Store managed by America’s National Parks.

Demonstrations and craft making will be offered in the garage adjacent to the Sandburg Home. Activities are free and visitors can come anytime during the event time to participate. A detailed schedule will be posted soon.

The Sandburg Home will be decorated in the simple style of the Sandburgs with poinsettias and a traditionally decorated Christmas tree throughout December until January 6th, 2024. Reserve a home tour at recreation.gov.

The Sandburg family enjoyed a simple holiday at home at Connemara. They handmade gifts and baked Swedish springerle cookies, gathered holly and greenery from the grounds to decorate mantels and tables, and cut a white pine from the woods as the Christmas tree. Favorite tree ornaments were glass or paper mache birds. The Christmas season was a time when the family was home and Carl Sandburg took a break from traveling. They gathered in the living room to listen to music, sing songs, and read stories.

An alternative to the ‘pop-up’ or a larger fair, COLLECT curates extraordinary warm and festive gifts for the holidays by regional artists and makers. In addition to gifts, COLLECT will feature food and drink from Crocodile Wine, Roll Up Herbal Bar, Botanist & Barrel, and Nibbly Onigiri.

Distance: 5 miles

Difficulty: Moderate (6/10)

Cost: Free for Members, $10 for non-members

Join us for a pleasant stroll through the Elk Hollow Preserve on the Everett J. Bowman Memorial Trail. The trail will lead us through beautiful forests of oaks, maples, and beech trees, as well as early successional meadows perfect for bird spotting. The Preserve boasts a bounty of rare wildlife, including Golden-winged Warblers, Southern Appalachian brook trout, and Gray’s lilies. Additionally, SAHC has installed a camping platform, intact trail system, and a moldering privy which will leave you excited to visit us again.

This hike is part of our “For Love of Beer and Mountains” partnership with Highland Brewing Company, celebrating the release of their Nuts and Volts coffee porter. The hike will be led by Katie Greer, SAHC’s Community Engagement and Education AmeriCorps member who will talk about the history of the tract.

The Elk Hollow Preserve is an hour and a half drive north of Asheville NC and an hour from Johnson City TN. Please plan accordingly!

FREE for SAHC members, $10 for non-members. If you are not a member but would like to become one, click here!

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or require further details at [email protected]

Saturdays through Dec. 16,
8 a.m.–noon through Nov. 18;

10 a.m.–1 p.m. Nov. 24–Dec. 16

Even though it’s getting colder, you can still find fresh, local food at area farmers markets. Nine markets in Buncombe County will offer extended seasons or special holiday dates in November and December. In addition to seasonal produce, meats, cheeses, eggs, and bread, these markets will feature local artists and handmade goods, such as wreaths, pottery, jewelry, and more.

ASAP’s Double SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables and Farm Fresh Produce Prescription. Both programs offer participants free market tokens that can be spent on fresh fruits and vegetables. That includes in-season fall produce such as root veggies (including carrots, beets, radishes, and turnips), tubers (potatoes and sweet potatoes), brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage), winter squash, greens, and fruits like apples and persimmons.

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

Visit Asheville Outlets for FREE photos with Santa sponsored by the North Carolina Arboretum Winter Lights on Saturdays and Sundays, November 25 & 26, December 2 & 3, December 9 & 10, and daily from Friday, December 15 through Saturday, December 23, 2023. Located in the Food Court. Visitors will receive one FREE 4” by 6” photo and digital download of a single image from TapSnap Phototainment (while supplies last). Dates and time may vary, visit ShopAshevilleOutlets.com for additional information.

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Give the gift of holiday joy in the form of a unique, beautiful, locally made ornament! Handcrafted ornaments made by local artists will be for sale in our lobby on our Christmas tree through the middle of December. Gift the gift of art this year and support local artists in the process!

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)

Featuring handmade gifts, accessories, clothing and art, the Holiday Market is the perfect place to complete your holiday shopping list. There will be more than a dozen vendors inside and outside of Local Cloth! And you can meet an alpaca!  Bring your friends and family!