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.
It’s February, which means ‘the boys are back!’ From the same outstanding musical talent who brought you the Music of Queen, the Eagles, and the Beatles, welcome to Mixtape! The Best of the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. Come shake off the winter blues with this red-hot rockin’ playlist featuring tunes you know and love. It’ll be ‘a gas,’ ‘far out,’ and ‘totally tubular!’
The Land Cruise is a fundraiser that transforms the venue into a theme destination and welcomes more than 500 guests. Each year the menu represents the theme with this year being a Taste of Tuscany. For the 3rd year local News 7 anchor Gordon Dill will emcee our event. The Land Cruise Live Auction items range from trips, vacation homes, artwork and lawn equipment. The Silent Auction includes more than 100 items. This event is one local fundraiser you don’t want to miss!
ABOUT SKYLAR: With her luminous voice and captivating songcraft, Skylar Gudasz has won the admiration of some of the most distinguished artists in music. In the past few years alone, the Durham, North Carolina-based singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist has shared stages with the likes of Ray Davies, Cat Power and Sharon Van Etten as part of the Big Star’s Third tribute concerts, opened for Television and toured from the US with Teenage Fanclub to Europe with the Mountain Goats, and appeared as a background vocalist on albums by Superchunk and Hiss Golden Messenger, making her TV debut with the latter on Late Night with Seth Meyers.
The nation’s largest comedy club network is back! After a popular run last season, this hilarious collective returns to bring top-notch comedians for four weekends of side-splitting laughter. Some of the hottest stand-up comedians of today — seen in specials on Comedy Central, HBO Comedy, Netflix, Hulu and more — deliver witty one-liners, preposterous punchlines and hysterical anecdotes that will keep you laughing all night long. Contains adult content.
Doug Smith is a New York comic who has appeared on CONAN, The Late Late Show with James Corden, Kevin Hart’s LOL Network, and This Is Not Happening on Comedy Central. He also starred in the Comedy Central mini-mock “Brooklyn Ball Barbers,” which has since become their most viewed video of all time. Doug has been featured at numerous comedy festivals including Oddball, Bridgetown, and Just for Laughs, and his debut standup album, “Barely Regal,” is available now on 800 Pound Gorilla Records.
World Vision presents the Winter Jam 2024 Tour, founded by Newsong and produced by Premier Productions. Christian music’s biggest tour with performances by Crowder, Lecrae, CAIN, Katy Nichole, Seventh Day Slumber, Newsong, including Speaker Zane Black.
Suggested $15 donation at the door. No ticket required.
By Bob Larbey
Directed by Mark Colbenson
Feichter Studio
Step into the world of Cooper and Aylott, residents of “Paradise House” retirement home, as they plot their escape and navigate the rocky road of aging with humor, grace, and… trepidation. Watch as Cooper charmingly flirts with his nurse, engages in witty banter with the cleaning lady, and attempts to bridge the gap with his somewhat estranged daughter. Don’t miss out on this uplifting winter production—it’s a celebration of life, love, and the enduring spirit that connects us all.
Rated PG-13
The biggest entertainment platform for teachers in the world Bored Teachers presents its first-ever comedy tour with the funniest teacher-comedians from the BT videos and beyond! Their hilarious skits have amassed HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of views on the internet, and they’re all joining comic forces on the stage for a night of laughter you DO NOT want to miss… Put that red pen down, pause that Netflix series you’ve been bingeing, throw on your comfiest teacher tee, call your teacher besties, and come burn off some of that stress this school year has been dumping all over you already!
Flyin’ West is a compelling, crowd-pleasing drama by esteemed playwright Pearl Cleage. Set in the 1890s, the story unfolds in the historic town of Nicodemus, Kansas, one of the many all-black towns established in the American West following the Civil War. Through the eyes of four African-American women, the play delves into their journey of resilience and aspiration as they navigate their lives against the backdrop of the harsh realities of the frontier and the societal constraints of the era. With themes of community, racial pride, and female empowerment, Flyin’ West is a powerful portrayal of the determination and grit of black pioneers, offering audiences a captivating glimpse into an often overlooked chapter of American history.
A talkback with the cast & crew of Flyin’ West will be held following the performances on February 11th and 18th.
with:
There’s a double meaning to the title of What Now, the revelatory new album from singer/songwriter Brittany Howard. “With the world we’re living in now, it feels like we’re all just trying to hang onto our souls,” says the Nashville-based musician and frontwoman for four-time Grammy Award-winning Alabama Shakes. “Everything seems to be getting more extreme and everyone keeps wondering, ‘What now? What’s next?’ By the same coin, the only constant on this record is you never know what’s going to happen next: every song is its own aquarium, its own little miniature world built around whatever I was feeling and thinking at the time.”
With five Grammy® wins and sixteen nominations, Howard follows up her massively acclaimed solo debut Jaime—a 2019 LP that landed on best-of-the-year lists from the likes of Pitchfork, the New York Times, and Rolling Stone – with What Now, drawing an immense and indelible power from endless unpredictability. Over the course of its 12 tracks, Howard brings her singular musicality to a shapeshifting sound encompassing everything from psychedelia and dance music to dream-pop and avant-jazz—a fitting backdrop for an album whose lyrics shift from unbridled outpouring to incisive yet radically idealistic commentary on the state of the human condition. At turns galvanizing, cathartic, and wildly soul-expanding, the result is a monumental step forward for one of the most essential artists of our time.
Like Jaime (whose celebratory single “Stay High” earned a Grammy for Best Rock Song), What Now finds Howard taking the helm as producer and working closely with engineer/co-producer/co-mixer Shawn Everett (Beck, The War on Drugs). Recorded at the legendary Sound Emporium and the historic RCA Studio B in Nashville, the album emerged through a deliberately free-flowing process, with Howard doubling down on the unfettered creativity that’s long defined her work. “I don’t ever plan too deeply, but usually I show up with the songs almost fully formed,” she says. “With this record there was a lot of exploring sounds on the spot, and trusting that the right thing would come to us.” Despite that highly exploratory approach, many of the songs on What Now unfold in intricate and hyper-inventive arrangements rooted in complex rhythm patterns, achieved with the help of musicians like Paul Horton (keys), Lloyd Buchanan (keys), Brad Allen Williams (Guitar), drummer Nate Smith (Fearless Flyers, Vulfpeck, Paul Simon), and Alabama Shakes bassist Zac Cockrell. “All the sounds on this album are analog, all the drums are real drums,” Howard points out. “There’s so many different structures and tones happening within the songs that it ended up being a real monster to mix, but we figured it out. In a way it’s shocking to me how it all came together.”
Anchored in Howard’s inimitable and infinitely commanding voice—a supreme vessel for channeling raw emotional truth—What Now opens on a slow-building and rapturous track called “Earth Sign.” An intimate meditation on the limitless nature of love, “Earth Sign” immediately envelops the listener in its quietly symphonic convergence of musical elements: Howard’s frenetic piano work, barbershop-quartet-inspired harmonies, otherworldly textures formed through an ingenious bit of in-studio experimentation. “We were playing keyboard sounds through a speaker, and on top of the speaker was a trash can with different metal objects attached, and we recorded the resonance of those objects to bring into the song,” Howard reveals.
A departure from the dreamy languor of “Earth Sign,” What Now’s title track takes on a potent urgency fueled by its syncopated grooves, blistering guitar riffs, and fiercely honest lyrics (e.g., “I’ve been making plans that don’t include you anymore/My heart wants to stay but I don’t know what for”). “‘What Now’ is maybe the truest and bluest of all the songs,” says Howard. “It’s never my design to hurt anyone’s feelings, but I needed to say what was on my mind without editing myself. I like how it’s a song that makes you want to dance, but at the same time the lyrics are brutal.” Next, on “Red Flags,” Howard offers up a gloriously brooding reflection on love’s darker dimensions, echoing the stormy intensity of her emotional state by continually pulling the track into strange new directions. “In my past relationships, I’ve had a tendency to see red flags as part of some parade just for me—something for me to run right through without paying any attention,” she says. “To me ‘Red Flags’ sounds very dystopian, which makes sense for a song that feels like end-of-times as far as me emotionally maturing. It’s like a big tower fell and now I have to create something new.” Later, on “Prove It To You,” What Now bursts into a more euphoric mood as Howard delivers a four-on-the-floor dance track spiked with her explosive guitar work. “I wanted to write something fun that captured the joy of a new relationship, but also tell the truth about how I always feel like I don’t know what I’m doing when it comes to love.”
An album deeply informed by the chaotic climate of modern life, What Now looks outward on songs like “Another Day”: a soulful and sublimely uplifting track preceded by an interlude in which Howard samples Maya Angelou’s reading of her poem “A Brave and Startling Truth.” “The poem talks about how as humans we’re all powerful beings with the capacity to do so many wonderful things for the world and for each other, even if that’s not what we usually focus our attention on,” says Howard. “‘Another Day’ is my way of agreeing with Maya Angelou and trying to see the good in others, trying to change my outlook despite what’s shown on the news, trying to stay strong in how I live my life.” And on “Every Color In Blue,” What Now closes out with a gorgeously sprawling reverie graced with a spellbinding performance from trumpet player Rod McGaha. “That song has to do with depression and how it can be such a horrible, heartbreaking thing but also bittersweet,” says Howard. “Within that depth of feeling, when you’re as low as you can go, that’s also where you find your capacity for love and for empathy. It’s a heavy subject for me, but I’ve gotten to the age where I realize that it’s a part of life and something that a lot of people deal with. So why not talk about it, and why not encase it in a beautiful frame?”
In putting the finishing touches on What Now, Howard reached out to two friends from the Nashville Center For Alternative Therapy and recorded their performance on crystal singing bowls, then used those hypnotic tones as a transition between each song. “This record’s definitely meant to be listened to alone so you can really meditate with it,” she says. “At the end of the day I hope people use the album however they need to, but I do think the gift I bring is to help people to be more introspective and ask themselves questions. And I think with a little self-examination, we can learn to be kinder, more compassionate, more understanding of each other. We can see that a lot of us are going through the same shit, and we all just want to be seen for who we really are.”
The grass isn’t always greener on the other side, or bluer in this case, which may be why Dwight Yoakam hadn’t thought of doing a bluegrass album over the years. It was always already implicit in his music, from “Miner’s Prayer” on his first album 30 years ago to his one-off collaborations with Ralph Stanley and Earl Scruggs. If you listened hard, you could even hear that strain of mountain music in the melodies and harmonic sense of his most rocked-out country hits. He wasn’t consciously thinking through the years that he could bust out the mandolins to confirm his Kentucky bona fides – “Melodically, it’s just part of my nature,” Yoakam says, “part of the birthright, I guess, in my DNA.”
Yet here he is, releasing Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars… in the same year that he is celebrating the 30th anniversary of Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.. Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars… harks back to that landmark debut in its obviously cheeky title, while otherwise looking even farther back by recasting some of Yoakam’s most classic songs in a style that not only predates cowpunk but antecedes his beloved Bakersfield sound. Yoakam even remakes “Guitars, Cadillacs” in the style of “Man of Constant Sorrow.” No one is ever going to mistake a star so renowned for favoring snug jeans with a Soggy Bottom Boy, but here, he clinches his status as at least an honorary Clinch Mountain lad. “And then Chris Lord-Alge, who has mixed my last 2 studio albums, entered the picture in LA and agreed to add a further edge of Beggars Banquet-esque rock and roll mystique, completing the journey with a masterfully unique sonic framing of the entire project. I believe it was the first bluegrass album that Chris has ever mixed.”
RoC (Roots of Creation) has taken on a unique new project: Grateful Dub: a Reggae-infused tribute to the Jerry Garcia & The Grateful Dead. Combining their longtime love for Reggae-Dub style music and the Grateful Dead, RoC reworked some of the world’s favorite Dead tunes into a new studio album. RoC had the pleasure of working in the studio with the legendary 5-time Grammy winner Errol Brown who was Bob Marley’s sound engineer for this project. Grateful Dub is also being performed live in its entirety at festivals, theatres, and clubs around the country, and features rotating live special guests that has included Melvin Seals (Jerry Garcia Band), Scott Guberman (Phil Lesh), Zach Nugent, RyMo, AG, & Paul W. (Slightly Stoopid), G. Love (G. Love & Special Sauce), Mihali (Twiddle), Dan Kelly (Fortunate Youth) and others. Grateful Dub captures the spirit and magic of the Grateful Dead, while laying it down Reggae-Dub style.
On Friday, February 23, prepare for an evening brimming with infectious laughter during our comedy show headlined by Jeff Allen, known for his appearances on America’s Got Talent, Netflix, Amazon, Dry Bar Comedy and more.
The event will be held in the Grand Ballroom of The Omni Grove Park Inn. Will Call begins at 7pm and all Eventbrite purchasers must show tickets to get seating assignments. Doors open at 7:30pm and the performance begins at 8:00pm.
*Tickets are non-refundable. Parking, accommodations, and other amenities are not included with tickets purchased on Eventbrite. A cash bar will be available. All performances are for guests ages 21+. All seating is assigned. If you would like to be seated near another party that has been booked separately, please email seating requests to [email protected].
However, if you are looking for overnight accommodations, click here for more information on how to book the complete Winter Concert Weekend Package at The Omni Grove Park Inn.
On Friday, February 23, prepare for an evening brimming with infectious laughter during our comedy show headlined by Jeff Allen, known for his appearances on America’s Got Talent, Netflix, Amazon, Dry Bar Comedy and more.
Spend Saturday, February 24, rockin’ to legendary sounds from Monsters of Yacht, playing yacht rock style classics from artists like Toto, Steely Dan, Doobie Brothers and more.
Both events will be held in the Grand Ballroom of The Omni Grove Park Inn. Will Call begins at 7pm and all Eventbrite purchasers must show tickets to get seating assignments. Doors open at 7:30pm; performances begin at 8:00pm.
The nation’s largest comedy club network is back! After a popular run last season, this hilarious collective returns to bring top-notch comedians for four weekends of side-splitting laughter. Some of the hottest stand-up comedians of today — seen in specials on Comedy Central, HBO Comedy, Netflix, Hulu and more — deliver witty one-liners, preposterous punchlines and hysterical anecdotes that will keep you laughing all night long. Contains adult content.
Doug Smith is a New York comic who has appeared on CONAN, The Late Late Show with James Corden, Kevin Hart’s LOL Network, and This Is Not Happening on Comedy Central. He also starred in the Comedy Central mini-mock “Brooklyn Ball Barbers,” which has since become their most viewed video of all time. Doug has been featured at numerous comedy festivals including Oddball, Bridgetown, and Just for Laughs, and his debut standup album, “Barely Regal,” is available now on 800 Pound Gorilla Records.
– STANDING/DANCING ROOM ONLY
THE ERAS PARTY – A Taylor Swift Inspired Dance Party
DJ playing Taylor through her eras, costume contest, lipsync battle, themed photo areas, free koozie, bracelet trading, and more!
Carl Sandburg wrote countless words in an array of different genres, including poetry, children’s stories, journal articles, as well as a biography and autobiography! He wrote of love and nature, dreams and struggles. This year’s theme of “Memory” is echoed in much of his works. ““Under the summer roses, when the flagrant crimson, lurks in the dusk, Of the wild red leaves, Love, with little hands, comes and touches you with a thousand memories, and asks you beautiful, unanswerable questions.” Carl Sandburg
Poems submitted for the 2024 contest should reflect the theme of “Memory.” By definition, “the process or power of recallling something learned or experienced from the past” Note: Poems do NOT need to be titled Memory, as long as the poem itself relates to the theme.
Students are invited to submit a poem to Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site’s annual Student Poetry Contest. The contest encourages youth to explore writing their own poetry and is open to students nationwide!
- Submissions are accepted from grades 3-12 and must be submitted by email by Monday March 4, 2024. See below for submission rules.
- Winners will be notified by April 7, 2024, and will be invited to participate in a virtual celebration program on Sunday, April 28.
TEAM AWARDS:
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Team Placement Banner for 1st-3rd placements.
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Finalist Placement Banner for all other placements.
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1st place athletes will receive a medal.
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Level Champion Winners- Awarded to the highest scoring team in each of the following divisions:
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Allstar Prep (D1 and D2)
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Allstar Elite (Levels 1-6, D1 and D2)
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Dance
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Recreation
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Super Grand Champion- Awarded to the highest scoring D1 and D2 teams of the day. Each team will receive an electric guitar.
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All Exhibition team receive recognition and a team banner.
SPECIALTY AWARDS: Specialty Awards chosen by 9 Panel Staff.
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Best Sportsmanship
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Most Spirited Fans
PRICING INFORMATION
Please contact for pricing information.
EVENT INFORMATION
SPECTATOR PRICING: $20
PARKING INFORMATION: Parking is limited in the downtown area. Please allow plenty of time to secure a parking spot and allow for walking to the venue.
FLOORING / WARM UP:
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54 x 42 SPRING FLOOR PERFORMANCE
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54 x 42 FOAM FLOOR WARM UP
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SPRING TUMBLE STRIP WARM UP
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FOAM STRETCH / STUNT AREA WARM UP
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WATER STATION
ADDITIONAL EVENT/VENUE INFORMATION:
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QUALIFIED AND TRAINED JUDGES
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TRAINED & KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF to help you throughout the event
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USASF SAFETY CERTIFIED JUDGES
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EMT / MEDICAL TRAINER ON SITE
Explore the Rich Heritage of Black Communities in Asheville
The Asheville Black Cultural Heritage Trail leads visitors through three areas of Asheville: Downtown, Southside, and the River Area. The entire trail takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes to walk and read.
Reflecting on Community Resolve
Did you know that Black people helped create this region’s first non-Indigenous households? Did you know that Black people helped build Asheville and connected Asheville globally? Black entrepreneurs created thriving business districts. Black families cultivated close-knit neighborhoods. Black people from all backgrounds built resilient communities and fostered social change.
Immerse yourself in the history and heroism of Black Ashevillians by walking the Asheville Black Cultural Heritage Trail. Deepen your understanding with articles, videos, and more resources available here on the trail’s website.
Follow the Trail
Experience this trail in pieces as you explore Asheville or start at one of our three introduction kiosks to learn more about how Black people in Asheville negotiated landscapes of unequal power to build resilient communities and foster social change.
“We sing because we love to… and we sing because we can… and we sing for those who can’t… and we sing to honor the beauty of life within and around us!” -Althea Gonzalez, former Artistic Director
We welcome all who may be interested in joining and want to get acquainted!
Auditions for the Spring 2024 concert season are available through the end of February. For more information or to arrange a visit, please contact us here or by email at [email protected].
Interested in why our members chose to join Womansong? Hear testimonials from several of our members here.
Free and open to the public, all are welcome at this interactive bingo night hosted by Miss Blue Ridge Pride 2023 Alexis Black! Guests can enjoy a night of games, hand-crafted cocktails and music from DJ Cole (@deejaycolay).
Sit back if you dare as we illuminate Asheville’s darkest history with astonishing stories of spirits & spies, ghosts & goblins, hauntings & hoodlums and mountain-made murder & mayhem.
Hear stories of . . .
The legendary PINK LADY at the Grove Park Inn
The GHOST of Church Street
The 1936 UNSOLVED MURDER that shook Asheville
The CHILD SPIRITS at the haunted hospital
The architect walled into his own church!
The KILLING SPREE of 1906
NAZI AGENTS based in Asheville
ARSON at hospital that claimed Zelda Fitzgerald
There is no better way to DISCOVER and EXPLORE Asheville! Hop-on board one of Gray Line’s nostalgic trolleys for a fully narrated day tour, highlighting the history, homes, hang-outs and hot spots of this “city of surprises.”
Tour Highlights include . . . Downtown Asheville | Montford Historic District | The Grove Park Inn and Grove Park Historic District | Thomas Wolfe District | Pack Square and Asheville Art Museum | Grove Arcade | River Arts District | Biltmore Village
Hop-On and hear the story of a city rich in architecture, history and the arts . . .
Hop-Off and experience its eclectic shops and galleries; its world class culinary and craft brew scenes.
Tour Duration: The complete tour (one loop) lasts approximately 90 to 100 minutes. There is an additional 15 minute stop at the Asheville Visitor Center. The Hop-On/Hop-Off Tour ticket is valid for TWO consecutive days.
Departure Points: Join the Hop-On/Hop-Off Tour at any of the 10 stops. If you’re driving in to join the tour, Stop 1, the Asheville Visitor Center may be your best option. The Visitor Center, located at 36 Montford Ave. just off I-240 at Exit 4C, offers free parking (on a first come-first served basis) and restrooms. The Asheville Visitor Center is the ONLY place to join the Overview Tour.
What is LEAF Global Arts Retreat? Imagine all the adventure, traditions, art, and music of LEAF festivals, still at beautiful Lake Eden, but in a more intimate gathering of just 1,500 attendees. “Old School Magic and Happiness” is how people have described LEAF Retreat since its inception in 2021, with space to kick back, relax, play, camp and connect with arts, music, and nature – it’s super sweet.
Retreat was created during COVID as a way to heal and experience joy in unusual times. We loved the experience so much that we decided to keep this format for our signature May event. Retreats are for renewal, reconnecting, and learning at Lake Eden’s 300+ acres. Come enjoy with family, friends, or solo!
DATES: May 9-12, 2024
TICKETS: $50-$250 for adults. Limited day passes available; Weekend Passes must be purchased by LEAF Members; Youth tickets are available; Kids younger than 10 are free! WeX Volunteering Options are available. Weekend passes include access to camping at Lake Eden. Passes for car camping, RVs, and private rustic camp cabins are limited and available through the website.
Save the dates for LEAF Global Arts Festival, October 17-20, 2024.
Dads, Moms, Grandparents, Cousins, Aunts, Uncles, Siblings of all ages are invited to participate in this family theatre camp style production! There are roles for kids, teenagers and adults of all ages. Current, past, and new Playground Stage Families are invited to join!
Show Title: To be revealed at the 5 Year Birthday Celebration!
Dates and Times
Info Sessions & Auditions:
(Participants must choose one date to attend an info session) (Speaking role auditions are optional)
June 12, 2024 – Summer Family Musical Info Session & Speaking Role Auditions
or
June 19, 2024 – Summer Family Musical Info Session & Speaking Role Auditions
Rehearsals:
Evenings July 22nd – August 2nd
Located at Avery’s Creek Community Center
899 Glenn Bridge Rd SE, Arden, NC
Evenings August 5th-8th
Located at Asheville High School Theatre
Performances: August 9th & 10th
Asheville High School Theatre
Optional music learning rehearsals will take place every Wednesday from 6:00-7:30pm throughout the summer starting June 26th 2024
Do you need a little inspiration to get moving after the holiday season? Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is proud to announce our 4th annual Winter Hiking Challenge to get folks out and about – no matter your background or ability this is a project designed to get folks outside to enjoy the great outdoors!
The 2024 Winter Hiking Challenge sets a goal of 60 miles in 60 days, to be completed in your own time and at your own speed. Those can be miles you’ve walked, run or hiked – in your neighborhood, around the block, up a rugged mountain trail, or through the forest. Whatever works for your comfort and skill level – just make it 60 miles within the 60-day challenge time period (January 1st to March 1st, 2024). Sign up early to have more time to complete the Challenge. Registration ends on February 25th. Please note, this is a challenge you set with yourself, it is not a competition. Registration for this challenge is $25 per person and your registration fee directly supports conservation work in the Southern Appalachians. If you cannot afford the registration fee at this time, please use the coupon code: SAHC2024.
All participants will receive informative emails with suggestions for some of our favorite places to hike across the mountains of NC and TN. This special email series will include recommendations to enjoy places that SAHC has protected as well other favorite trails and destinations. Due to overuse of popular trails in the area we will try to share tidbits about some of the lesser-known trails and places to enjoy the great outdoors. Are you a little unsure about hiking in winter? We will share helpful Winter Hiking Tips, for those who haven’t hiked during the winter months. Lastly, those who complete the Winter Hiking Challenge will receive a commemorative SAHC patch after the end of the challenge.
Please note, the Challenge signup fee is a fundraiser to help support conservation efforts; you DO NOT have to pay to hike public trails. Feel free to enter miles at any date during the 60 days, as long as they are all entered before March 1. You can even enter your miles at the end of a certain time period (e.g, entering your miles for the week on Friday, all under one entry).
Time spent outdoors and in nature can help with both mental and physical health. We hope this Challenge will make it interesting for folks to explore places you may not have hiked before, and/or to rediscover the joy of nature in your own backyard.Take the Challenge by yourself, or with friends and family. Please just be safe while doing so!
The online survey for our Systemwide Parks & Recreation Master Plan is now available, and we want to hear from you! Your input is the cornerstone of this planning process. Click the button below to take the 10 minute survey!
This systemwide plan aims to define how we will continue to provide high-quality options for our residents as our community continues to grow and diversify. Your insight will help create the roadmap for Buncombe County Parks & Recreation to follow for the next 20 years
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Artsville and the Ferguson YMCA Partner as a New Arts Resource for Candler
Announcing Expressionistic Landscape Watercolors by Cynthia Llanes
Saturday, January 13 thru Monday, March 4
Seeking a spot to bring art exhibits, discussions and workshops to Candler, Artsville Collective
has partnered with the Ferguson Family YMCA for a full schedule of year-round events. Kicking
off 2024 will be watercolors from Cynthia Llanes, an expressionistic landscape artist whose work
has become a favorite in the region and commissioned paintings appear in many collections.
The exhibit “Fluid Expressions” seeks to celebrate the sheer joy and excitement that
watercolor brings to the creative process, offering insight into the unique characteristics
of watercolor as a medium. Says Llanes, “Fluid Expressions” invites viewers to revel in
the joy of watercolor and its uncanny ability to capture subtle nuances in landscapes.”
To hear more from Llanes about her work and what captivates her in nature, meet her
at the Ferguson Y for a group presentation, demo and discussion on Monday,
February 5 from 11 am to noon. To learn more from area artists, circle the first
Monday of every other month when Artsville Collective sponsors Art Talks at the
Candler Y.
Llanes’ career as a committed art-preneur has built her brand dramatically since
showing at Artsville Collective in the RAD in 2022. Her versatility in oil and watercolor is
displayed in depth at her new space in the River Arts District. Cynthia Llanes Fine Art
Gallery and Studio is located at Riverview Station, 191 Lyman, Second Floor Studio 324
or cynthiallanesartist.com.
It is not necessary to be a Y member to attend art exhibits and talks and all are
encouraged to bring friends. More than a place to exercise, the YMCA is a community
resource for folks of all ages and backgrounds. The Candler Y also offers nutrition
consulting, childcare, discussions, outdoor activities, and family events. Visit the
Ferguson Family YMCA at 31 Westridge Market Place, Candler NC 28715 or call
828-575-2940.
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.