From Oct. 4 through 12, guests enjoy short, guided nature walks that highlight Grandfather Mountain’s fall colors. The Fall Color Rambles take place daily, weather permitting, and are included in your admission ticket. The short excursions begin at 1 p.m. and typically last for 30 minutes. Rambles will start outside the entrance of the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery.

Grandfather Mountain is home to myriad species of plants and hardwood trees that range from pumpkin-colored beech trees to blood-red sourwoods and rusty red oaks. During the daily rambles, guests learn all about the mountain’s unique biodiversity and the science behind the changing of the leaves.

Participants can become familiar with tree identification, as the mountain’s talented and knowledgeable educators and interpretive park guides venture out with guests to some of the most colorful destinations on the mountain.

Carolina Memorial Sanctuary leads a conversation about death preparation, home funerals, and the cathartic act of participating in a loved one’s burial, Thurs. October 16 at Kanuga. Part of Kanuga’s Lunch & Learn series, the event begins with a forest bathing nature walk (weather permitting) at 10 a.m. followed by the Carolina Memorial Sanctuary presentation at 11 a.m. Enjoy a buffet lunch in Kanuga’s dining hall after the presentation. Cost: $20 (plus tax and fees). 471 Kanuga Chapel Dr. in Hendersonville. Registration and more info at kanuga.org/events.

Pumpkin Fest is a fun, family friendly and fantastic artistic event or great date night with 18 beautiful artist-designed lighted carved pumpkin displays on a newly-paved short walking trail. The event includes talented local musicians, food trucks and coffee house, games, storytelling, face painting, white squirrel scavenger hunt, games, dress ups, and the Silvermont historic mansion and second floor museum open for tours.

Admission $7 per person (ages 13 and over), $5 ages 3-12, and 2 and under free. We accept cards, cash or check with ID.

Onsite parking cost is $5 per car (cash preferred). Free parking is available offsite on nearby streets and Comporium and church parking lots 1 block away. Handicap sticker- free parking onsite.

Pumpkin Fest is a fun, family friendly and fantastic artistic event or great date night with 18 beautiful artist-designed lighted carved pumpkin displays on a newly-paved short walking trail. The event includes talented local musicians, food trucks and coffee house, games, storytelling, face painting, white squirrel scavenger hunt, games, dress ups, and the Silvermont historic mansion and second floor museum open for tours.

Admission $7 per person (ages 13 and over), $5 ages 3-12, and 2 and under free. We accept cards, cash or check with ID.

Onsite parking cost is $5 per car (cash preferred). Free parking is available offsite on nearby streets and Comporium and church parking lots 1 block away. Handicap sticker- free parking onsite.

We’re back in the heart of Hendersonville and we’re bringing some spirited fun—with an awesome new race shirt and shiny finisher medal for every participant. Costumes? Highly encouraged. FOMO? Guaranteed if you skip it. Run or walk through the Historic 7th Avenue District with a crowd of costumed runners, then keep the party going at the Fall Festival just steps from the finish line!

Get ready to roll into fall! The Pumpkin Pedaller, benefitting Asheville on Bikes, is back on Saturday, Oct. 25th at New Belgium Brewing. Join the community for a fun, festive bike ride celebrating everything that makes riding in Asheville special.

Event Schedule:
1:30pm – 7pm: Pop-Up Bike Park
2pm: Pedal Prep (15 minute ride brief + safe rider habits talk)
1:30-2:30pm: Entry for Costume Contest
2:30pm: Costume Contest!
3pm: Rides stagger start and depart New Belgium
4-5pm: Staggered return
5pm – 7pm: Continued bicycle frolic

2025 Costume Contest Categories: Best Group, Best Kids Costume, Local Life, Best Use of Bike

Pumpkin Fest is a fun, family friendly and fantastic artistic event or great date night with 18 beautiful artist-designed lighted carved pumpkin displays on a newly-paved short walking trail. The event includes talented local musicians, food trucks and coffee house, games, storytelling, face painting, white squirrel scavenger hunt, games, dress ups, and the Silvermont historic mansion and second floor museum open for tours.

Admission $7 per person (ages 13 and over), $5 ages 3-12, and 2 and under free. We accept cards, cash or check with ID.

Onsite parking cost is $5 per car (cash preferred). Free parking is available offsite on nearby streets and Comporium and church parking lots 1 block away. Handicap sticker- free parking onsite.

After being cancelled last year due to Helene, our annual fundraiser Walk For Your Neighbor is BACK! Please join us on Sunday, October 26 at First Baptist Church of Swannanoa for a walk and block party! There will be music, as well as food and drink! The walk will start at 2pm, with the block party continuing until 5pm.

To register for Walk for Your Neighbor, just scan the QR code on this flyer, or follow the link below. Registration is by donation only, but we are encouraging a $20 minimum donation for those who are able. You can also ask family and friends to sponsor your walk using the donation link you receive when you register. To be cost and environmentally conscious, we will be using last year’s t-shirts.

Our valley is still recovering and needs remain high. The more we raise through this walk, the more we can tangibly share the love of Christ with neighbors in need through food, clothing, baby supplies, healthcare, home repairs, and so much more! We hope you’ll give generously, lace up those sneakers, and come walk with us!

Enjoy an evening of community and music with An Evening for All Souls: A Gathering of Song and Spirit, Sunday, Oct. 26 at Kanuga. The evening begins at 4 p.m. at Kanuga Lake with a community choir workshop, followed by dinner and luminaria making on the Rocking Chair Porch Lawn at 5 p.m., and concludes with a concert by musical artist Roots Grown Deep at 6 p.m., with a luminaria release on the lake at dusk. Bring your own lawn chair or blanket. Cost: Concert only, $9.94; Concert & Dinner, $21.33. Location: 471 Kanuga Chapel Dr. in Hendersonville. Registration and more info at kanuga.org/events.

Award-winning garden blogger, Lisa Wagner, encourages creative ways to plan, record, and reflect on your journeys through the seasons in your garden and landscape.

I9PA Release Party (10 Year Anniversary Edition)

Roll down to the Asheville Yards on Saturday, Nov. 1st for a day of bicycle fun in support of Asheville on Bikes and the AVL Unpaved project.

3-6pm: Bring the kids and your bikes for AoB’s pop-up bike park and the Maro inflatable obstacle course! Recyclery will be here to teach bike maintenance skills!

6pm: I9 raffle winners announced! We’re raffling off Industry Nine Custom Hydra2 Alloy Wheel Raffle in support of AVL Unpaved.

6:30-7:30pm: Newspaper challenge! Bring your bike and complete our newspaper delivery obstacle challenge.

The dance, bike, and beer release party goes until 9pm!

Celebrate compassion and community at our 4th annual ThanksLiving event! Bring a vegan dish to share, enjoy a peaceful afternoon with our 70+ rescued animals, and hear from special guest Gene Baur, co-founder of Farm Sanctuary and renowned animal advocate.

Schedule: 11-1: Potluck | 1-2:30: Animal visits | 2:30-4:30: Gene Baur presentation & Q&A
🎟️ Tickets are limited and advance purchase is required; no day-of ticket sales | $37.50 early bird (through Oct. 26) $45 regular (Oct. 27–Nov. 7)
🍽️ Bring a vegan dish (serves 8–10), plate, utensils and drink 🌧️ Rain or shine | 🪑Tables and chairs provided | 🚙Offsite parking and shuttle service available
🍉 Optional animal donations: unbleached pumpkins, melons, apples

Ticket URL: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/thanksliving-potluck

Sun, Nov 9 • 3 pm | 60 minutes

Swing is more than a rhythm—it’s a manifesto. From the lean precision of Count Basie to the buoyant lift of Fletcher Henderson, the world-weary elegance of Billie Holiday to the dazzling joy of Ella Fitzgerald, swing pulses with momentum and style. Not just a byword of the Big Band era, swing is how jazz moves—on time and on purpose.

Jazz Is for Everyone is a series of five one-hour sessions exploring jazz music. Come to one or join them all—each session stands on its own and welcomes listeners at any level.

What You’ll Experience:

Guided listening
Live music demonstrations
Stories that connect the music to people, places, and intent
A space for questions, curiosity, and shared discovery

Jeremy Walker launched Jazz Is for Everyone in 2004 at his Brilliant Corners Jazz Club, with Wynton Marsalis serving as Artistic Advisor. The program was developed as an Educational Affiliate with Jazz at Lincoln Center. Since then, Walker’s been writing, composing, performing, producing, and speaking about why this music still matters.

Join medicinal herb farmers, buyers, and celebrate the season at the 10th Annual NC Medicinal Herb Grower Buyer Event in Mills River, NC!

Something extraordinary is coming to Asheville this winter! The North Carolina Arboretum and Explore Asheville are elated to announce the arrival of Trolls: A Field Study. Visiting on their first North American excursion, these twelve interactive troll sculptures will explore the Arboretum, embarking on a curious journey to learn about humankind.

Produced by Imagine in collaboration with Danish artist Thomas Dambo, these friendly and fanciful sculptures evoke a sense of wonder and intrigue as they study our small, intricate and inventive ways of life in Western North Carolina. Standing seven to nine feet tall and lovingly described by the artist as “Baby Trolls”, the creatures are crafted from materials like fallen branches, wooden pallets and twigs.

Through their observations, the trolls reveal a fresh perspective on what makes us human, sparking curiosity and laughter in visitors of all ages.

Only cost is the parking fee. No other admission fees.

Something extraordinary is coming to Asheville this winter! The North Carolina Arboretum and Explore Asheville are elated to announce the arrival of Trolls: A Field Study. Visiting on their first North American excursion, these twelve interactive troll sculptures will explore the Arboretum, embarking on a curious journey to learn about humankind.

Produced by Imagine in collaboration with Danish artist Thomas Dambo, these friendly and fanciful sculptures evoke a sense of wonder and intrigue as they study our small, intricate and inventive ways of life in Western North Carolina. Standing seven to nine feet tall and lovingly described by the artist as “Baby Trolls”, the creatures are crafted from materials like fallen branches, wooden pallets and twigs.

Through their observations, the trolls reveal a fresh perspective on what makes us human, sparking curiosity and laughter in visitors of all ages.

Only cost is the parking fee. No other admission fees.

Something extraordinary is coming to Asheville this winter! The North Carolina Arboretum and Explore Asheville are elated to announce the arrival of Trolls: A Field Study. Visiting on their first North American excursion, these twelve interactive troll sculptures will explore the Arboretum, embarking on a curious journey to learn about humankind.

Produced by Imagine in collaboration with Danish artist Thomas Dambo, these friendly and fanciful sculptures evoke a sense of wonder and intrigue as they study our small, intricate and inventive ways of life in Western North Carolina. Standing seven to nine feet tall and lovingly described by the artist as “Baby Trolls”, the creatures are crafted from materials like fallen branches, wooden pallets and twigs.

Through their observations, the trolls reveal a fresh perspective on what makes us human, sparking curiosity and laughter in visitors of all ages.

Only cost is the parking fee. No other admission fees.

Something extraordinary is coming to Asheville this winter! The North Carolina Arboretum and Explore Asheville are elated to announce the arrival of Trolls: A Field Study. Visiting on their first North American excursion, these twelve interactive troll sculptures will explore the Arboretum, embarking on a curious journey to learn about humankind.

Produced by Imagine in collaboration with Danish artist Thomas Dambo, these friendly and fanciful sculptures evoke a sense of wonder and intrigue as they study our small, intricate and inventive ways of life in Western North Carolina. Standing seven to nine feet tall and lovingly described by the artist as “Baby Trolls”, the creatures are crafted from materials like fallen branches, wooden pallets and twigs.

Through their observations, the trolls reveal a fresh perspective on what makes us human, sparking curiosity and laughter in visitors of all ages.

Only cost is the parking fee. No other admission fees.

Something extraordinary is coming to Asheville this winter! The North Carolina Arboretum and Explore Asheville are elated to announce the arrival of Trolls: A Field Study. Visiting on their first North American excursion, these twelve interactive troll sculptures will explore the Arboretum, embarking on a curious journey to learn about humankind.

Produced by Imagine in collaboration with Danish artist Thomas Dambo, these friendly and fanciful sculptures evoke a sense of wonder and intrigue as they study our small, intricate and inventive ways of life in Western North Carolina. Standing seven to nine feet tall and lovingly described by the artist as “Baby Trolls”, the creatures are crafted from materials like fallen branches, wooden pallets and twigs.

Through their observations, the trolls reveal a fresh perspective on what makes us human, sparking curiosity and laughter in visitors of all ages.

Only cost is the parking fee. No other admission fees.

Something extraordinary is coming to Asheville this winter! The North Carolina Arboretum and Explore Asheville are elated to announce the arrival of Trolls: A Field Study. Visiting on their first North American excursion, these twelve interactive troll sculptures will explore the Arboretum, embarking on a curious journey to learn about humankind.

Produced by Imagine in collaboration with Danish artist Thomas Dambo, these friendly and fanciful sculptures evoke a sense of wonder and intrigue as they study our small, intricate and inventive ways of life in Western North Carolina. Standing seven to nine feet tall and lovingly described by the artist as “Baby Trolls”, the creatures are crafted from materials like fallen branches, wooden pallets and twigs.

Through their observations, the trolls reveal a fresh perspective on what makes us human, sparking curiosity and laughter in visitors of all ages.

Only cost is the parking fee. No other admission fees.

Join naturalist and educator, Jessie Wilder, for a thoughtful conversation on the benefits of living a place-based life, Thurs. November 20 at Kanuga. Part of Kanuga’s Lunch & Learn series, the event begins with a forest bathing nature walk (weather permitting) at 10 a.m. followed by the conversation with Jessie Wilder at 11 a.m. Enjoy a buffet lunch in Kanuga’s dining hall after the presentation. Cost: $20 (plus tax and fees=$24.74). KANUGA, 471 Kanuga Chapel Dr. in Hendersonville. Registration and more info at kanuga.org/events.

Event registration link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lunch-and-learn-discovering-a-sense-of-place-with-jessie-wilder-tickets-1849253971409

Details:
10–11AM, Forest Bathing with Aimee Bostwick: Join Aimee for a time to ground ourselves by engaging our senses and tuning into our relationship with Nature. Dress comfortably for the weather and be sure to wear comfortable shoes. We will end this time with a cup of tea and sharing.
11AM–12PM, Jessie Wilder on Sense of Place: Join us for a conversation with naturalist Jessie Wilder as she shares with us about our deep connection to place and how it forms us. Consider where you currently live and ask yourself this: I live here, but how much do I really know, love, and inhabit this place as home?
12–1:30PM, Lunch and Discussion in the Dining Hall

Something extraordinary is coming to Asheville this winter! The North Carolina Arboretum and Explore Asheville are elated to announce the arrival of Trolls: A Field Study. Visiting on their first North American excursion, these twelve interactive troll sculptures will explore the Arboretum, embarking on a curious journey to learn about humankind.

Produced by Imagine in collaboration with Danish artist Thomas Dambo, these friendly and fanciful sculptures evoke a sense of wonder and intrigue as they study our small, intricate and inventive ways of life in Western North Carolina. Standing seven to nine feet tall and lovingly described by the artist as “Baby Trolls”, the creatures are crafted from materials like fallen branches, wooden pallets and twigs.

Through their observations, the trolls reveal a fresh perspective on what makes us human, sparking curiosity and laughter in visitors of all ages.

Only cost is the parking fee. No other admission fees.