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.

– Yona FrenchHawk ~ calling the sacred directions
– Paula Hanke ~ gift of song
– Don Fortuna ~ gift of celebration
– Laura Collins ~ minister of transition
– YOU ~ real-time, face-to-virtual-face connection!

Join us for a relaxing ride through quiet countryside on your way to small town life in western North Carolina on the Tuckasegee River Excursion. Departing from Bryson City, this 4 hour excursion travels 32 miles round-trip to Dillsboro and back to the Bryson City Depot. Pass by the famous movie set of The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford!
The Tuckasegee (tuck-uh-SEE-jee) River Excursion includes an 1½ hour layover in the historic town of Dillsboro, where you’ll find more than 50 shops, restaurants, bed and breakfasts and country inns. There is time to shop, snack, and visit the many unique shops before returning to Bryson City.

Join us for three hours “off the eaten path” as we find and gather over a dozen wild edibles. We’ll whip up a little tasting right on the trail. Take home the rest of your finds and/or get ready for some find dining when one of our award-winning restaurant partners prepares your “catch of the day,” with lunch, brunch or dinner, for free. Wild mushroom pizza, daylily tamales, sassafras root beer, wisteria ice cream… it all depends on what we find!
Pricing
- Adult (Ages 12+): $75
- Child (Ages 5-11): $35
- Child (Ages 4 & Under): Free
Organic Growers School is partnering with Food First and Altruvistas to offer their fourth Cuba Agroecology Tour and their first such trip in the summer from June 22 through July 1, 2021, with a focus on the country’s intensive sustainable agriculture practices. The tour, to be comprised of growers, community leaders, educators, and activists who are passionate about sustainable agriculture, will begin in Havana and travel to destinations such as Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, and Matanzas. The trip offers participants on-the-ground exposure to Cuban agriculture and the food sovereignty movement and will highlight their engagement with the global food system. The intention is for participants to acquire the knowledge and strategies to create just, sustainable, local, and healthy food systems in their own communities.
Cuba has had a focus on organic agriculture production methods since the 1970s. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 ended Cuba’s access to agricultural inputs overnight, propelling them into what is now known as the “Special Period”—a crisis of reduced resources and increased hunger. The country embarked on a massive and rapid conversion to agroecology in an attempt to boost food production. The tour will focus on small farmers, sustainable food systems, and national security. There are multiple opportunities in Cuba’s diverse agricultural landscape to learn many lessons and insights for the development of a secure and sustainable food system elsewhere.
“The purpose of this tour is not to romanticize or glorify Cuban agriculture,” says Sera Deva, Director of Programs with Organic Growers School and the trip organizer. “It is instead an opportunity to learn about what a country-wide commitment to sustainable, local agriculture can look like. It will broaden and deepen our region’s wisdom regarding alternative food systems. Our goals are to show our participants the importance of cooperative farming models and sustainable farming techniques, as well as encouraging them to think critically about practical and governmental structures that could support a thriving community of organic growers and consumers.”
Local partners will provide an overview of Cuban history, culture, politics, agriculture, and ecology. Additionally, the group will meet with specialists who will provide background on the country’s transition into agroecological farming practices and the national policies that prioritize organic farming and the remediation of hunger. With a firm commitment to sustainability and justice, this tour will connect participants to farmers, consumers, activists, NGOs, policymakers and experts working to transform the global food system.
Tour highlights will include the following:
- Discuss agroecology with Fernando Funes, co-author of Food First’s book Sustainable Agriculture & Resistance in Cuba.
- Visit community permaculture and agricultural education, and food conservation projects.
- Discuss changes in US-Cuba relations and how they might affect the future of tourism and agriculture in Cuba.
- Meet with the National Association for Small Farmers (ANAP) and the Ministry of Agriculture.
- Meet with a variety of small farmers and farmers’ cooperatives.
For the purposes of this trip, OGS is partnering with Food First, a “people’s think tank” dedicated to ending the injustices that cause hunger and helping communities to take back control of their food systems. Food First has been offering tours to Cuba for more than 20 years with the organizing assistance of Altruvistas, a socially responsible and philanthropic travel company that has facilitated 20,000 travelers to Cuba.
The cost of the trip is $2,950 and will serve, in part, as a fundraiser for Organic Growers School (OGS), a 501c3 non-profit organization. Thanks to a grant from the Christopher Reynolds Foundation, there are a limited number of partial scholarships for farmers and food activists to attend. This tour and all registrants will not be affected by recent political actions to restrict American travel to Cuba. Cuba is considered one of the safest destinations for travel, partially due to their diligent and holistic approaches to healthcare. Due to COVID-19, the traveling climate of the US (as well as tourist restrictions in Cuba) is changing daily. Cuba has implemented many of the same precautionary measures implemented around the world to minimize the spread of COVID-19 including social distancing, limiting travel to the island completely through the summer, and closing schools. In early November 2020, Cuba reopened its borders to travelers.
Potential tour participants can visit the OGS FAQ page which answers questions such as, “Why Cuba?,” “What are the legal considerations when traveling to Cuba?,” “Why ravel with Organic Growers School?,” “What does the tuition cover?,” and “What can I expect to experience?” Traveler testimonials from previous trips, the full itinerary, as well as a photo gallery can also be found on the website.

We are OPEN Fridays and Saturdays
for private, pre-booked tours at:
10:30 AM
12:00 PM
1:30 PM
3:00 PM
Organic Growers School is partnering with Food First and Altruvistas to offer their fourth Cuba Agroecology Tour and their first such trip in the summer from June 22 through July 1, 2021, with a focus on the country’s intensive sustainable agriculture practices. The tour, to be comprised of growers, community leaders, educators, and activists who are passionate about sustainable agriculture, will begin in Havana and travel to destinations such as Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, and Matanzas. The trip offers participants on-the-ground exposure to Cuban agriculture and the food sovereignty movement and will highlight their engagement with the global food system. The intention is for participants to acquire the knowledge and strategies to create just, sustainable, local, and healthy food systems in their own communities.
Cuba has had a focus on organic agriculture production methods since the 1970s. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 ended Cuba’s access to agricultural inputs overnight, propelling them into what is now known as the “Special Period”—a crisis of reduced resources and increased hunger. The country embarked on a massive and rapid conversion to agroecology in an attempt to boost food production. The tour will focus on small farmers, sustainable food systems, and national security. There are multiple opportunities in Cuba’s diverse agricultural landscape to learn many lessons and insights for the development of a secure and sustainable food system elsewhere.
“The purpose of this tour is not to romanticize or glorify Cuban agriculture,” says Sera Deva, Director of Programs with Organic Growers School and the trip organizer. “It is instead an opportunity to learn about what a country-wide commitment to sustainable, local agriculture can look like. It will broaden and deepen our region’s wisdom regarding alternative food systems. Our goals are to show our participants the importance of cooperative farming models and sustainable farming techniques, as well as encouraging them to think critically about practical and governmental structures that could support a thriving community of organic growers and consumers.”
Local partners will provide an overview of Cuban history, culture, politics, agriculture, and ecology. Additionally, the group will meet with specialists who will provide background on the country’s transition into agroecological farming practices and the national policies that prioritize organic farming and the remediation of hunger. With a firm commitment to sustainability and justice, this tour will connect participants to farmers, consumers, activists, NGOs, policymakers and experts working to transform the global food system.
Tour highlights will include the following:
- Discuss agroecology with Fernando Funes, co-author of Food First’s book Sustainable Agriculture & Resistance in Cuba.
- Visit community permaculture and agricultural education, and food conservation projects.
- Discuss changes in US-Cuba relations and how they might affect the future of tourism and agriculture in Cuba.
- Meet with the National Association for Small Farmers (ANAP) and the Ministry of Agriculture.
- Meet with a variety of small farmers and farmers’ cooperatives.
For the purposes of this trip, OGS is partnering with Food First, a “people’s think tank” dedicated to ending the injustices that cause hunger and helping communities to take back control of their food systems. Food First has been offering tours to Cuba for more than 20 years with the organizing assistance of Altruvistas, a socially responsible and philanthropic travel company that has facilitated 20,000 travelers to Cuba.
The cost of the trip is $2,950 and will serve, in part, as a fundraiser for Organic Growers School (OGS), a 501c3 non-profit organization. Thanks to a grant from the Christopher Reynolds Foundation, there are a limited number of partial scholarships for farmers and food activists to attend. This tour and all registrants will not be affected by recent political actions to restrict American travel to Cuba. Cuba is considered one of the safest destinations for travel, partially due to their diligent and holistic approaches to healthcare. Due to COVID-19, the traveling climate of the US (as well as tourist restrictions in Cuba) is changing daily. Cuba has implemented many of the same precautionary measures implemented around the world to minimize the spread of COVID-19 including social distancing, limiting travel to the island completely through the summer, and closing schools. In early November 2020, Cuba reopened its borders to travelers.
Potential tour participants can visit the OGS FAQ page which answers questions such as, “Why Cuba?,” “What are the legal considerations when traveling to Cuba?,” “Why ravel with Organic Growers School?,” “What does the tuition cover?,” and “What can I expect to experience?” Traveler testimonials from previous trips, the full itinerary, as well as a photo gallery can also be found on the website.

We are OPEN Fridays and Saturdays
for private, pre-booked tours at:
10:30 AM
12:00 PM
1:30 PM
3:00 PM

Join us for a relaxing ride through quiet countryside on your way to small town life in western North Carolina on the Tuckasegee River Excursion. Departing from Bryson City, this 4 hour excursion travels 32 miles round-trip to Dillsboro and back to the Bryson City Depot. Pass by the famous movie set of The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford!
The Tuckasegee (tuck-uh-SEE-jee) River Excursion includes an 1½ hour layover in the historic town of Dillsboro, where you’ll find more than 50 shops, restaurants, bed and breakfasts and country inns. There is time to shop, snack, and visit the many unique shops before returning to Bryson City.

Join us for three hours “off the eaten path” as we find and gather over a dozen wild edibles. We’ll whip up a little tasting right on the trail. Take home the rest of your finds and/or get ready for some find dining when one of our award-winning restaurant partners prepares your “catch of the day,” with lunch, brunch or dinner, for free. Wild mushroom pizza, daylily tamales, sassafras root beer, wisteria ice cream… it all depends on what we find!
Pricing
- Adult (Ages 12+): $75
- Child (Ages 5-11): $35
- Child (Ages 4 & Under): Free

The Labyrinth of Love walk in Carrier Park on Sunday, Feb. 14 at 3 p.m. will focus on receiving the loving gifts of the labyrinth, then sending them into the world (our fellow walkers and friends and neighbors, our communities, and everyone we do not yet know around the globe). It is a processional labyrinth with separate entrance and exit to ensure safe distancing (masks required) while still creating the camaraderie of a community walk. Bring a heart (paper, stone, something you created) or a gift of the heart for those in need (canned goods, a book, a donation) that Jubilee can distribute; these will be left at the altar in the center. The labyrinth walk is limited to the first 50 people who RSVP.
Jerry Donoghue is founder of the Asheville Compassionate Communication Center and the Inner Presence Coaching Institute in Asheville, NC. Jerry is a Master Spiritual Coach who specializes in training couples to be more compassionate with themselves and each other through his courses and private coaching. He also trains helping professionals in gentle, non-invasive, non-prescriptive approaches to support that rely on the clients’/students’ innate intelligence. He draws on his many years of teaching people compassion communication, self-compassion, and nondual awareness work to create this dynamic Inner Presence Inquiry Work. He shows us in a totally practical and deeply experiential way, how to fully enter, lovingly embrace and be present to the disowned, painful and rejected parts of ourselves. www.ashevilleccc.com
What we’re about
The Asheville Wisdom Exchange is a sacred space for the non-judgmental exchange of insight and wisdom in our quest to better express the Divine inherent within us. Topics vary weekly utilizing a combination of experts and open discussion in a unique and respectful format based upon the premise that we all can learn from each other. We welcome you to join us and share your voice in the uplifting of humanity.
We meet via Zoom every Wednesday from 7 – 8:15 p.m.
https://www.ashevillewisdomexchange.org
Law of Attraction (LOA) is a powerful guideline that can be utilized within our lives, and impacts ourselves as well as the collective consciousness. Let’s discuss practical, everyday ways we use and apply these tools in 2020! This session’s discussion will be, “Visualization exercises in LOA.” No advance prep, reading or knowledge required. Come with an open mind and heart, free of judgement, and let’s learn together! This is an inclusive, informal, interactive discussion for people will all levels of LOA understanding.
Some other topics we will cover in future discussions include:
– How to utilize LOA to manifest best case scenarios
– Gratitude practices as a tool in manifestation
– Honoring your own feelings, emotions and well being (and others) as a form of self care while manifesting
– Staying grounded, avoiding toxic positivity and spiritual bypassing when manifesting
– Visualization exercises in LOA
– Manifesting on specific themes (love, money, good health, etc.)
Discussions will be held by Kathryn Brahaney, myself. I’ve utilized Law of Attraction in having a significantly better recovery than anticipated from two major car accidents, in receiving a job offer that allowed me to relocate to Asheville, NC (where I live now) and in finding my favorite apartment to date in a city I wasn’t sure would be in my budget. I started these discussions to share my experience using Law of Attraction and to provide opportunities to learn more that are accessible and affordable. Looking forward to sharing more with you all and chatting about how we can use LOA in navigating the rest of 2020 and beyond!
Organic Growers School is partnering with Food First and Altruvistas to offer their fourth Cuba Agroecology Tour and their first such trip in the summer from June 22 through July 1, 2021, with a focus on the country’s intensive sustainable agriculture practices. The tour, to be comprised of growers, community leaders, educators, and activists who are passionate about sustainable agriculture, will begin in Havana and travel to destinations such as Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, and Matanzas. The trip offers participants on-the-ground exposure to Cuban agriculture and the food sovereignty movement and will highlight their engagement with the global food system. The intention is for participants to acquire the knowledge and strategies to create just, sustainable, local, and healthy food systems in their own communities.
Cuba has had a focus on organic agriculture production methods since the 1970s. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 ended Cuba’s access to agricultural inputs overnight, propelling them into what is now known as the “Special Period”—a crisis of reduced resources and increased hunger. The country embarked on a massive and rapid conversion to agroecology in an attempt to boost food production. The tour will focus on small farmers, sustainable food systems, and national security. There are multiple opportunities in Cuba’s diverse agricultural landscape to learn many lessons and insights for the development of a secure and sustainable food system elsewhere.
“The purpose of this tour is not to romanticize or glorify Cuban agriculture,” says Sera Deva, Director of Programs with Organic Growers School and the trip organizer. “It is instead an opportunity to learn about what a country-wide commitment to sustainable, local agriculture can look like. It will broaden and deepen our region’s wisdom regarding alternative food systems. Our goals are to show our participants the importance of cooperative farming models and sustainable farming techniques, as well as encouraging them to think critically about practical and governmental structures that could support a thriving community of organic growers and consumers.”
Local partners will provide an overview of Cuban history, culture, politics, agriculture, and ecology. Additionally, the group will meet with specialists who will provide background on the country’s transition into agroecological farming practices and the national policies that prioritize organic farming and the remediation of hunger. With a firm commitment to sustainability and justice, this tour will connect participants to farmers, consumers, activists, NGOs, policymakers and experts working to transform the global food system.
Tour highlights will include the following:
- Discuss agroecology with Fernando Funes, co-author of Food First’s book Sustainable Agriculture & Resistance in Cuba.
- Visit community permaculture and agricultural education, and food conservation projects.
- Discuss changes in US-Cuba relations and how they might affect the future of tourism and agriculture in Cuba.
- Meet with the National Association for Small Farmers (ANAP) and the Ministry of Agriculture.
- Meet with a variety of small farmers and farmers’ cooperatives.
For the purposes of this trip, OGS is partnering with Food First, a “people’s think tank” dedicated to ending the injustices that cause hunger and helping communities to take back control of their food systems. Food First has been offering tours to Cuba for more than 20 years with the organizing assistance of Altruvistas, a socially responsible and philanthropic travel company that has facilitated 20,000 travelers to Cuba.
The cost of the trip is $2,950 and will serve, in part, as a fundraiser for Organic Growers School (OGS), a 501c3 non-profit organization. Thanks to a grant from the Christopher Reynolds Foundation, there are a limited number of partial scholarships for farmers and food activists to attend. This tour and all registrants will not be affected by recent political actions to restrict American travel to Cuba. Cuba is considered one of the safest destinations for travel, partially due to their diligent and holistic approaches to healthcare. Due to COVID-19, the traveling climate of the US (as well as tourist restrictions in Cuba) is changing daily. Cuba has implemented many of the same precautionary measures implemented around the world to minimize the spread of COVID-19 including social distancing, limiting travel to the island completely through the summer, and closing schools. In early November 2020, Cuba reopened its borders to travelers.
Potential tour participants can visit the OGS FAQ page which answers questions such as, “Why Cuba?,” “What are the legal considerations when traveling to Cuba?,” “Why ravel with Organic Growers School?,” “What does the tuition cover?,” and “What can I expect to experience?” Traveler testimonials from previous trips, the full itinerary, as well as a photo gallery can also be found on the website.

We are OPEN Fridays and Saturdays
for private, pre-booked tours at:
10:30 AM
12:00 PM
1:30 PM
3:00 PM
Organic Growers School is partnering with Food First and Altruvistas to offer their fourth Cuba Agroecology Tour and their first such trip in the summer from June 22 through July 1, 2021, with a focus on the country’s intensive sustainable agriculture practices. The tour, to be comprised of growers, community leaders, educators, and activists who are passionate about sustainable agriculture, will begin in Havana and travel to destinations such as Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, and Matanzas. The trip offers participants on-the-ground exposure to Cuban agriculture and the food sovereignty movement and will highlight their engagement with the global food system. The intention is for participants to acquire the knowledge and strategies to create just, sustainable, local, and healthy food systems in their own communities.
Cuba has had a focus on organic agriculture production methods since the 1970s. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 ended Cuba’s access to agricultural inputs overnight, propelling them into what is now known as the “Special Period”—a crisis of reduced resources and increased hunger. The country embarked on a massive and rapid conversion to agroecology in an attempt to boost food production. The tour will focus on small farmers, sustainable food systems, and national security. There are multiple opportunities in Cuba’s diverse agricultural landscape to learn many lessons and insights for the development of a secure and sustainable food system elsewhere.
“The purpose of this tour is not to romanticize or glorify Cuban agriculture,” says Sera Deva, Director of Programs with Organic Growers School and the trip organizer. “It is instead an opportunity to learn about what a country-wide commitment to sustainable, local agriculture can look like. It will broaden and deepen our region’s wisdom regarding alternative food systems. Our goals are to show our participants the importance of cooperative farming models and sustainable farming techniques, as well as encouraging them to think critically about practical and governmental structures that could support a thriving community of organic growers and consumers.”
Local partners will provide an overview of Cuban history, culture, politics, agriculture, and ecology. Additionally, the group will meet with specialists who will provide background on the country’s transition into agroecological farming practices and the national policies that prioritize organic farming and the remediation of hunger. With a firm commitment to sustainability and justice, this tour will connect participants to farmers, consumers, activists, NGOs, policymakers and experts working to transform the global food system.
Tour highlights will include the following:
- Discuss agroecology with Fernando Funes, co-author of Food First’s book Sustainable Agriculture & Resistance in Cuba.
- Visit community permaculture and agricultural education, and food conservation projects.
- Discuss changes in US-Cuba relations and how they might affect the future of tourism and agriculture in Cuba.
- Meet with the National Association for Small Farmers (ANAP) and the Ministry of Agriculture.
- Meet with a variety of small farmers and farmers’ cooperatives.
For the purposes of this trip, OGS is partnering with Food First, a “people’s think tank” dedicated to ending the injustices that cause hunger and helping communities to take back control of their food systems. Food First has been offering tours to Cuba for more than 20 years with the organizing assistance of Altruvistas, a socially responsible and philanthropic travel company that has facilitated 20,000 travelers to Cuba.
The cost of the trip is $2,950 and will serve, in part, as a fundraiser for Organic Growers School (OGS), a 501c3 non-profit organization. Thanks to a grant from the Christopher Reynolds Foundation, there are a limited number of partial scholarships for farmers and food activists to attend. This tour and all registrants will not be affected by recent political actions to restrict American travel to Cuba. Cuba is considered one of the safest destinations for travel, partially due to their diligent and holistic approaches to healthcare. Due to COVID-19, the traveling climate of the US (as well as tourist restrictions in Cuba) is changing daily. Cuba has implemented many of the same precautionary measures implemented around the world to minimize the spread of COVID-19 including social distancing, limiting travel to the island completely through the summer, and closing schools. In early November 2020, Cuba reopened its borders to travelers.
Potential tour participants can visit the OGS FAQ page which answers questions such as, “Why Cuba?,” “What are the legal considerations when traveling to Cuba?,” “Why ravel with Organic Growers School?,” “What does the tuition cover?,” and “What can I expect to experience?” Traveler testimonials from previous trips, the full itinerary, as well as a photo gallery can also be found on the website.

We are OPEN Fridays and Saturdays
for private, pre-booked tours at:
10:30 AM
12:00 PM
1:30 PM
3:00 PM

Join us for a relaxing ride through quiet countryside on your way to small town life in western North Carolina on the Tuckasegee River Excursion. Departing from Bryson City, this 4 hour excursion travels 32 miles round-trip to Dillsboro and back to the Bryson City Depot. Pass by the famous movie set of The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford!
The Tuckasegee (tuck-uh-SEE-jee) River Excursion includes an 1½ hour layover in the historic town of Dillsboro, where you’ll find more than 50 shops, restaurants, bed and breakfasts and country inns. There is time to shop, snack, and visit the many unique shops before returning to Bryson City.

Join us for three hours “off the eaten path” as we find and gather over a dozen wild edibles. We’ll whip up a little tasting right on the trail. Take home the rest of your finds and/or get ready for some find dining when one of our award-winning restaurant partners prepares your “catch of the day,” with lunch, brunch or dinner, for free. Wild mushroom pizza, daylily tamales, sassafras root beer, wisteria ice cream… it all depends on what we find!
Pricing
- Adult (Ages 12+): $75
- Child (Ages 5-11): $35
- Child (Ages 4 & Under): Free

In this evolutionary offering aligned with the 2:22 Ascension Stargate, we will deepen into our Embodied Sovereignty with the Cosmic Star Child Transmission infused with the divine balancing of inner polarities. Deeply nourish your own precious heart with high frequency activations from Ascended Light Being Sarah, the Cosmic Star Child of the Galactic Magdalene Lineage and Yeshua Christ. We will visit and receive her darshan shamanically at her etheric temple in Glastonbury.
We will call forth and transform that version of ourselves who suffered most in our past, bringing all our past selves into present time with LOVE, completing and collapsing old templates as we come into alignment with Gaia and the natural frequencies of joy and fulfillment.
Ana Estrada is a Quantum Light Practitioner with more than 25 years experience of working consciously with Beings of Light and Ascended Masters. Her graduate degrees in Transformative Art and Spirituality took her to the Amazon jungles and the temples of India where she studied shamanic cultures and visionary art making processes. She is certified as an Intuitive Energy Healer in various healing modalities and serves as a channel for the Divine Mother and her sacred Light Language. Ana offers Quantum Light Alignment Sessions privately and at sacred sites around the world.

Hosted by Darragh Stewart
In this seminar ill be helping to educate you on all things Psilocybin magic mushroom related with time for Q&A at the end.
There is a huge resurgence in people using psychedelics and plant medicine for personal development, inner healing and spiritual breakthroughs. In this talk I will be demystifying everything about Psilocybin for you. I’ll be taking you on a journey to educate you on all things psilocybin and magic mushrooms with time for Q&A at the end.
Come join and don’t miss out on all the practical information you need to know about our Europe’s indigenous plant medicine.
I’ll be going through:
The current psychedelic science on Psilocybin.
How to consume in a safe way and harm reduction measures.
How to grow mushrooms.
Where to find mushrooms in the wild and Identification.
Micro-dosing and Macro-dosing.
How to use mushrooms for spiritual and personal development.
Psychedelic retreats.
Legality and things to consider.
After the talk there will be time for Q&A through the chat or verbally. We will also leave some room for discussion.
The group will be small so book now to avoid disappointment.
The seminar will be hosted through the free Zoom app.
Jerry Donoghue is founder of the Asheville Compassionate Communication Center and the Inner Presence Coaching Institute in Asheville, NC. Jerry is a Master Spiritual Coach who specializes in training couples to be more compassionate with themselves and each other through his courses and private coaching. He also trains helping professionals in gentle, non-invasive, non-prescriptive approaches to support that rely on the clients’/students’ innate intelligence. He draws on his many years of teaching people compassion communication, self-compassion, and nondual awareness work to create this dynamic Inner Presence Inquiry Work. He shows us in a totally practical and deeply experiential way, how to fully enter, lovingly embrace and be present to the disowned, painful and rejected parts of ourselves. www.ashevilleccc.com
What we’re about
The Asheville Wisdom Exchange is a sacred space for the non-judgmental exchange of insight and wisdom in our quest to better express the Divine inherent within us. Topics vary weekly utilizing a combination of experts and open discussion in a unique and respectful format based upon the premise that we all can learn from each other. We welcome you to join us and share your voice in the uplifting of humanity.
We meet via Zoom every Wednesday from 7 – 8:15 p.m.
https://www.ashevillewisdomexchange.org

Hosted by: Action for Happiness
Join us for a special event with Chude Jideonwo about how to find joy in life, through authentic connection with ourselves and each other.
About this Event
How can we support our mental health, deal with our insecurities and find joy, even in tough times?
Chude Jideonwo will explore the power of human connection and how we can help each other through difficult times by sharing our experiences and feelings. Chude will explain how we can heal and build resilience, by creating safe spaces for authentic conversations about our mental and emotional health. When we learn to embrace our insecurities and imperfections, we can live more joyfully.
Chude is on an ambitious mission to transform Sub-Saharan Africa into a (mental, emotional, spiritual) safe, warm space. He is founder of Joy Inc. which supports co-working spaces and walk-in centres for young people dealing with mental health challenges. He is also the host of the hugely popular #WithChude media series across TV, Radio and Podcast, telling stories that strengthen the mind, heart and spirit.
About The Speaker
Chude Jideonwo is an inspiring Nigerian lawyer, journalist and media entrepreneur. He is the founder of Joy, Inc., a human flourishing company which aims to help people become happier, and build safe, warm spaces across business, government and culture. Chude has extensive experience in media and previously led African media group, RED | For Africa, working on national elections and social movements in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Liberia. He is a co-founder of The Future Project, focused on inspiring leadership, building entrepreneurs, and using the media as a tool for social change. He is a Forbes 30 under 30 honouree, an Archbishop Desmond Tutu Fellow, and a World Fellow at Yale University. He is the author of two books, including ‘Are We The Turning Point Generation?’, and host of #WithChude – a network of media products across TV, Radio, Podcast, Newsletter and Blog telling stories that enable and strengthen the mind, the heart, and the spirit.
Organic Growers School is partnering with Food First and Altruvistas to offer their fourth Cuba Agroecology Tour and their first such trip in the summer from June 22 through July 1, 2021, with a focus on the country’s intensive sustainable agriculture practices. The tour, to be comprised of growers, community leaders, educators, and activists who are passionate about sustainable agriculture, will begin in Havana and travel to destinations such as Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, and Matanzas. The trip offers participants on-the-ground exposure to Cuban agriculture and the food sovereignty movement and will highlight their engagement with the global food system. The intention is for participants to acquire the knowledge and strategies to create just, sustainable, local, and healthy food systems in their own communities.
Cuba has had a focus on organic agriculture production methods since the 1970s. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 ended Cuba’s access to agricultural inputs overnight, propelling them into what is now known as the “Special Period”—a crisis of reduced resources and increased hunger. The country embarked on a massive and rapid conversion to agroecology in an attempt to boost food production. The tour will focus on small farmers, sustainable food systems, and national security. There are multiple opportunities in Cuba’s diverse agricultural landscape to learn many lessons and insights for the development of a secure and sustainable food system elsewhere.
“The purpose of this tour is not to romanticize or glorify Cuban agriculture,” says Sera Deva, Director of Programs with Organic Growers School and the trip organizer. “It is instead an opportunity to learn about what a country-wide commitment to sustainable, local agriculture can look like. It will broaden and deepen our region’s wisdom regarding alternative food systems. Our goals are to show our participants the importance of cooperative farming models and sustainable farming techniques, as well as encouraging them to think critically about practical and governmental structures that could support a thriving community of organic growers and consumers.”
Local partners will provide an overview of Cuban history, culture, politics, agriculture, and ecology. Additionally, the group will meet with specialists who will provide background on the country’s transition into agroecological farming practices and the national policies that prioritize organic farming and the remediation of hunger. With a firm commitment to sustainability and justice, this tour will connect participants to farmers, consumers, activists, NGOs, policymakers and experts working to transform the global food system.
Tour highlights will include the following:
- Discuss agroecology with Fernando Funes, co-author of Food First’s book Sustainable Agriculture & Resistance in Cuba.
- Visit community permaculture and agricultural education, and food conservation projects.
- Discuss changes in US-Cuba relations and how they might affect the future of tourism and agriculture in Cuba.
- Meet with the National Association for Small Farmers (ANAP) and the Ministry of Agriculture.
- Meet with a variety of small farmers and farmers’ cooperatives.
For the purposes of this trip, OGS is partnering with Food First, a “people’s think tank” dedicated to ending the injustices that cause hunger and helping communities to take back control of their food systems. Food First has been offering tours to Cuba for more than 20 years with the organizing assistance of Altruvistas, a socially responsible and philanthropic travel company that has facilitated 20,000 travelers to Cuba.
The cost of the trip is $2,950 and will serve, in part, as a fundraiser for Organic Growers School (OGS), a 501c3 non-profit organization. Thanks to a grant from the Christopher Reynolds Foundation, there are a limited number of partial scholarships for farmers and food activists to attend. This tour and all registrants will not be affected by recent political actions to restrict American travel to Cuba. Cuba is considered one of the safest destinations for travel, partially due to their diligent and holistic approaches to healthcare. Due to COVID-19, the traveling climate of the US (as well as tourist restrictions in Cuba) is changing daily. Cuba has implemented many of the same precautionary measures implemented around the world to minimize the spread of COVID-19 including social distancing, limiting travel to the island completely through the summer, and closing schools. In early November 2020, Cuba reopened its borders to travelers.
Potential tour participants can visit the OGS FAQ page which answers questions such as, “Why Cuba?,” “What are the legal considerations when traveling to Cuba?,” “Why ravel with Organic Growers School?,” “What does the tuition cover?,” and “What can I expect to experience?” Traveler testimonials from previous trips, the full itinerary, as well as a photo gallery can also be found on the website.

We are OPEN Fridays and Saturdays
for private, pre-booked tours at:
10:30 AM
12:00 PM
1:30 PM
3:00 PM

Enjoy the sights and sounds of the Great Smoky Mountains while traveling along the Tennessee and Nantahala (nan-tuh-HAY-luh) River.The historic trellis bridge Fontana Trestle takes you across Fontana Lake and into the beautiful Nantahala Gorge. Onboard dining is available by selecting our First Class Seating option or pre-purchasing one of our boxed lunches, an amazing unique moving dining experience. Arrive at our layover destination in the heart of the Nantahala Gorge for a one-hour layover where you can relax by the river or enjoy sightseeing!
We are operating under all current COVID-19 safety guidelines and ask that you follow all protocols. Find the information HERE! *Please be aware dining options are currently not available at your layover destination. You are advised to enjoy onboard dining by pre-purchasing a box lunch meal option along with your train tickets.*
Plan on being here by 1 hour before your departure.
Organic Growers School is partnering with Food First and Altruvistas to offer their fourth Cuba Agroecology Tour and their first such trip in the summer from June 22 through July 1, 2021, with a focus on the country’s intensive sustainable agriculture practices. The tour, to be comprised of growers, community leaders, educators, and activists who are passionate about sustainable agriculture, will begin in Havana and travel to destinations such as Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, and Matanzas. The trip offers participants on-the-ground exposure to Cuban agriculture and the food sovereignty movement and will highlight their engagement with the global food system. The intention is for participants to acquire the knowledge and strategies to create just, sustainable, local, and healthy food systems in their own communities.
Cuba has had a focus on organic agriculture production methods since the 1970s. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 ended Cuba’s access to agricultural inputs overnight, propelling them into what is now known as the “Special Period”—a crisis of reduced resources and increased hunger. The country embarked on a massive and rapid conversion to agroecology in an attempt to boost food production. The tour will focus on small farmers, sustainable food systems, and national security. There are multiple opportunities in Cuba’s diverse agricultural landscape to learn many lessons and insights for the development of a secure and sustainable food system elsewhere.
“The purpose of this tour is not to romanticize or glorify Cuban agriculture,” says Sera Deva, Director of Programs with Organic Growers School and the trip organizer. “It is instead an opportunity to learn about what a country-wide commitment to sustainable, local agriculture can look like. It will broaden and deepen our region’s wisdom regarding alternative food systems. Our goals are to show our participants the importance of cooperative farming models and sustainable farming techniques, as well as encouraging them to think critically about practical and governmental structures that could support a thriving community of organic growers and consumers.”
Local partners will provide an overview of Cuban history, culture, politics, agriculture, and ecology. Additionally, the group will meet with specialists who will provide background on the country’s transition into agroecological farming practices and the national policies that prioritize organic farming and the remediation of hunger. With a firm commitment to sustainability and justice, this tour will connect participants to farmers, consumers, activists, NGOs, policymakers and experts working to transform the global food system.
Tour highlights will include the following:
- Discuss agroecology with Fernando Funes, co-author of Food First’s book Sustainable Agriculture & Resistance in Cuba.
- Visit community permaculture and agricultural education, and food conservation projects.
- Discuss changes in US-Cuba relations and how they might affect the future of tourism and agriculture in Cuba.
- Meet with the National Association for Small Farmers (ANAP) and the Ministry of Agriculture.
- Meet with a variety of small farmers and farmers’ cooperatives.
For the purposes of this trip, OGS is partnering with Food First, a “people’s think tank” dedicated to ending the injustices that cause hunger and helping communities to take back control of their food systems. Food First has been offering tours to Cuba for more than 20 years with the organizing assistance of Altruvistas, a socially responsible and philanthropic travel company that has facilitated 20,000 travelers to Cuba.
The cost of the trip is $2,950 and will serve, in part, as a fundraiser for Organic Growers School (OGS), a 501c3 non-profit organization. Thanks to a grant from the Christopher Reynolds Foundation, there are a limited number of partial scholarships for farmers and food activists to attend. This tour and all registrants will not be affected by recent political actions to restrict American travel to Cuba. Cuba is considered one of the safest destinations for travel, partially due to their diligent and holistic approaches to healthcare. Due to COVID-19, the traveling climate of the US (as well as tourist restrictions in Cuba) is changing daily. Cuba has implemented many of the same precautionary measures implemented around the world to minimize the spread of COVID-19 including social distancing, limiting travel to the island completely through the summer, and closing schools. In early November 2020, Cuba reopened its borders to travelers.
Potential tour participants can visit the OGS FAQ page which answers questions such as, “Why Cuba?,” “What are the legal considerations when traveling to Cuba?,” “Why ravel with Organic Growers School?,” “What does the tuition cover?,” and “What can I expect to experience?” Traveler testimonials from previous trips, the full itinerary, as well as a photo gallery can also be found on the website.
We will meet at the Ingles on Tunnel Road. I’m not that familiar with this Ingles, but if there is a gas station at this Ingles please park over by it. I have a white Hyundai and will stand outside the car. Suggested car pool donation will be $2-$3 each as this is not a far drive to the trailhead.
Meeting time is 9:45 with a departure of 10 a.m.
We will then drive out to Warren Wilson to the trailhead which is in a parking area for one of the living areas. Parking is at a minimum so car pool if you can. If carpooling, please wear a mask in your driver’s car and sanitize your hands.
Once we arrive at the trailhead we will meander through the woods. I haven’t done this trail for probably 4 years so I hope it will all come back. But you might want to plan on a few mishaps and a retracing of steps.
We start out gradually uphill, will past through a dark forest with trees planted in rows, find the trail that goes down hill for a least half a mile, turn left and head towards Swannanoa River, walk up to a man made lake, retrace our steps, head towards the agricultural area of WW, turn right, crawl through the fence and pick the trail back up, now going uphill and re-intersect the trail we started out on.
This trail isn’t hard but it does have it’s ups and downs.
Bring a snack if you like but we won’t be stopping for a meal.
As usual wear shoes with a good tread, bring water, and a hiking pole if needed. There are no creek crossings.
What we’re about
For those who love to hike with a destination and photography in mind. Hikes will be categorized by slow (turtle hikes), moderate, and adventurous.
This group is intended for those whom like photography combined with hiking in nature.

We are OPEN Fridays and Saturdays
for private, pre-booked tours at:
10:30 AM
12:00 PM
1:30 PM
3:00 PM

Enjoy the sights and sounds of the Great Smoky Mountains while traveling along the Tennessee and Nantahala (nan-tuh-HAY-luh) River.The historic trellis bridge Fontana Trestle takes you across Fontana Lake and into the beautiful Nantahala Gorge. Onboard dining is available by selecting our First Class Seating option or pre-purchasing one of our boxed lunches, an amazing unique moving dining experience. Arrive at our layover destination in the heart of the Nantahala Gorge for a one-hour layover where you can relax by the river or enjoy sightseeing!
We are operating under all current COVID-19 safety guidelines and ask that you follow all protocols. Find the information HERE! *Please be aware dining options are currently not available at your layover destination. You are advised to enjoy onboard dining by pre-purchasing a box lunch meal option along with your train tickets.*
Plan on being here by 1 hour before your departure.

Join us for a relaxing ride through quiet countryside on your way to small town life in western North Carolina on the Tuckasegee River Excursion. Departing from Bryson City, this 4 hour excursion travels 32 miles round-trip to Dillsboro and back to the Bryson City Depot. Pass by the famous movie set of The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford!
The Tuckasegee (tuck-uh-SEE-jee) River Excursion includes an 1½ hour layover in the historic town of Dillsboro, where you’ll find more than 50 shops, restaurants, bed and breakfasts and country inns. There is time to shop, snack, and visit the many unique shops before returning to Bryson City.
