Have you ever made your own paper? How about making your own paper with invasive plants? That’s what we will be doing for this workshop! Nica Rabinowitz, Founder of Fiberhouse Collective, will be showing us how to take from our environment in a way that gives back. Fiberhouse Collective is dedicated to closing the loop when it comes to all things fiber, so this workshop will begin with an information session before we get our hands dirty. Learn more about Fiberhouse Collective

Have you ever made your own paper? How about making your own paper with invasive plants? That’s what we will be doing for this workshop! Nica Rabinowitz, Founder of Fiberhouse Collective, will be showing us how to take from our environment in a way that gives back. Fiberhouse Collective is dedicated to closing the loop when it comes to all things fiber, so this workshop will begin with an information session before we get our hands dirty. Learn more about Fiberhouse Collective

Join a certified forest therapy guide for a relaxing 2.5-hour stroll through the forest on the peaceful Arboretum grounds. Through a series of invitations, you’ll have the opportunity to be present in the moment, deepening your connection with nature and community, and enjoying the many gifts nature has to offer. Your guide will share mindfulness practices designed to connect you more deeply to your inner landscapes, as well as the world around you. Inspired by Shinrin-Yoku, the Japanese art of immersing oneself in a forest environment, a forest bathing walk invites you to spend time in nature in a way that invites healing for ourselves, our fraught ecosystems, and our community. It is true nature therapy!

• Special, discounted rate of $45/person (includes parking!)
• Occurs on select dates each month
• Max group size is 15 for a more intimate experience

Hit the trails and learn more about The North Carolina Arboretum’s botanically diverse forest with a guided trail walk! April through October, this free hiking program is led by trained volunteer guides who take small groups of participants along woodland trails and through a variety of forest types. Depending on the season and each guide’s area of expertise, topics of discussion may include wildflowers, plant and tree identification, natural history and more.

Guided trail walks are limited to 15 people, including the guide, and are not recommended for guests under 16 years of age. Groups depart from the Baker Visitor Center Lobby on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m..

Walks last 1.5 – 2.5 hours, are approximately one to two miles in length. As this program is held rain or shine, all participants should dress appropriately for the weather.

There is no pre-registration; walks are first-come first served and sign up sheets are located in the Baker Visitors Center.

Walks are FREE; however, donations to The North Carolina Arboretum Society are appreciated. Regular parking fees apply. Arboretum Society Members always park free.

Know Before You Go

• Guided Trail Walks are not recommended for guests under 16 years of age.
• Guided Trail Walks are rain or shine and all participants should be dressed comfortably and for the weather.
• Hikes cover 1-2 miles and last 1.5-2 hours.
• Well-behaved leashed pets are welcome to accompany their owners. In the rare case that a pet is disruptive or negatively impacts the experience, the pet and its owner may be asked to excuse themselves from the guided walk.
• COVID-19 Safety: In order to hear the guide and fully participate in the trail walk, participants will be in close proximity to one another for extended periods of time. While face coverings are not required, participants should use their best judgement to keep themselves and others safe while enjoying the trails. Individuals who are experiencing flu-like symptoms or suspect they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should not participate.
• At this time, no more than 6 spaces may be filled by a single family/group through pre-registration for any one Guided Trail Walk. If additional spaces are available on the day of the Walk, additional members of the family/group may participate. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to welcoming larger groups in the future.

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 1 hour and 20 minute layover in the historic town of Dillsboro, where you’ll find more than 50 shops, restaurants, a brewery, and country inns. There is time to shop, snack, and visit the many unique shops before returning to Bryson City.

Here’s what we plan on doing. Refer to this train’s schedule for departures times.

Given the nature of railroading, durations are approximate and subject to change without notice.

Long for a flock of fine feathered friends, but aren’t sure how to get started? Allow author and teacher Ashley English to show you how the way.

In this lecture, we’ll gather together to learn the basics of keeping a flock of backyard chickens. Ashley will discuss and provide helpful information on what to consider before you start, breed selection, housing, feeding, and more!

Ashley English is the author of 11 books, on topics ranging from raising chickens to canning & preserving, and from hosting potlucks to homemade health & wellness products. From handcrafted pies, to natural crafting, Ashley is enamored with all things DIY, slow, and fun! She lives in a forested cove in the mountains of North Carolina with her husband Glenn (with whom she works together full-time), their two young sons, Huxley and Alistair, and a menagerie of animals.

Go on an epic adventure with us as we perform a made-for-Moppets adaptation of the original road trip gone wrong story!

Guests will meet outside the Asheville Art Museum (2 S. Pack Square, Asheville, NC 28801) and then depart with their treasure map on a walking team scavenger hunt where they will use their minds and feet to follow clues, solve puzzles, and crack codes to find and unlock the treasure chest for a grand prize!

The hunt involves walking a distance of up to 2.0 miles in total and will take place rain or shine, so long as the weather does not become dangerous. The hunt typically takes about 60 minutes to complete.

Children under 10 years old are welcome to participate for free with the purchase of an Adult ticket.

From the local favorites to new regional acts, all live from the river banks of the Nantahala. Raft, dine, then jam with us with Live Music every Friday and Saturday from 5pm-8pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day!

Wanna hear the best local music ​and​ drink the best local beers? Hop aboard LaZoom’s Purple Bus and rock out with a local band while we take you on a journey to Asheville’s premiere local breweries.

– ALL AGES
– LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED

THE RESONANT ROGUES

The Resonant Rogues’ dark Appalachian folk paints a picture of their lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina and on the road. Anchored by the songwriting duo of Sparrow (banjo, accordion) and Keith Smith (guitar), they’ve traveled the byways and highways of America and crossed the oceans with instruments in tow. From riding freight trains to building their own homestead, the pair are no strangers to blazing unconventional trails. At once rooted and adventurous, each song tells a story of real experiences, friendships, and challenges.

The Rogues just wrapped up a record in Nashville with renowned producer Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes, Hurray for the Riff Raff), featuring guest appearances from Sierra Ferrell, Benjamin Tod, John James Tourville (Deslondes), and Jason Dea West.

“Their intense cohesion is so intertwined that it feels like they’re playing with one pair of hands.” –No Depression

“I urge you to get out and hear them” -Lonesome Highway

From the regional crafters to local guide artisans, set up on the river banks of the Nantahala. Come and meet these vendors and more on the second Saturday of every month, May – September.

If you are interested in joining us as a vendor, please fill out your information here: https://forms.gle/BgqQQpY4XSGqtH6f6

Michael Franti & Spearhead (with Fortunate Youth) will be performing LIVE on the Outdoor Stage at Salvage Station on Saturday, July 8th, 2023! Doors open at 6PM and the music starts at 7PM. This is a General Admission, ALL-AGES show! Children under 7 attend for free; tickets otherwise required. This is a LARGE EVENT, so please read our FAQs to learn more about parking options and our shuttle service.

Root Down will be serving their delicious twist on Southern Soul food and we’ll have a few rotating food trucks on-site as well! There will also be MULTIPLE full bars open for you to enjoy!

The 57th season of Shindig on the Green, a free event in the heart of downtown Asheville with a stage show and informal jam sessions, takes place on Saturday evenings July 1 through August 26, 2023.

Locals and visitors alike come together at downtown’s Pack Square Park “along about sundown,” or at 7:00 pm for those who wear a watch, and continues until 10:00 pm. Concessions are available! The remaining Shindig on the Green events will be held on July 1, 8, 15, 22 and August 12, 19, 26, 2023.

The stage show takes place on the Bascom Lamar Lunsford stage, named for the founder of the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival. Since the outdoor event’s inception in 1967, hundreds of thousands of individuals from across the region and throughout the world have shared and enjoyed the rich traditional music and dance heritage of the Southern Appalachian Mountains in this outdoor setting.

Shindig on the Green remains a free event due in part to net proceeds from ticket sales to the nation’s longest continually running festival, the granddaddy of all festivals, the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival.

Iconic American pianist Lara Downes joins Maestro Kazem Abdullah in a celebration of American music. Irving Fine’s energetic Toccata Concertante opens a program that includes a preview performance of a brand new concerto by the dean of American composers, Adolphus Hailstork. George Gershwin’s beloved An American in Paris brings the concert to a joyous conclusion.

PERFORMANCE & ARTIST DETAILS
Brevard Music Center Orchestra
Kazem Abdullah, conductor
Lara Downes, piano

IRVING FINE Toccata Concertante
ADOLPHUS HAILSTORK World-premiere piano concerto (preview performance)
GEORGE GERSHWIN An American in Paris

Lead Sponsor: RBC Wealth Management

Auditorium seating is reserved.  Lawn seating is general admission.

NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
STAGED READING
COMFORT SASQUATCH
By Richard Shirk
Directed by Jess Johnson
In this romp of a Christmas play, we meet Eric, a nearly seven-foot tall Sasquatch in the Pacific Northwest. He’s a music therapist at Vermillion Hills retirement home and just two classes shy of an RN certification. With his relationship on the rocks, a fresh connection to a long-lost dad, and some growing up to do, the last few weeks leading up to the annual Karaoke Christmas Eve party are proving to be tumultuous.

Comfort Sasquatch is a story of fresh starts, new beginnings, and the way that relationships and people fail, stumble, and get up again.

July 8, 2023 at 7:30pm

All shows will be at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheater in the Montford District of Asheville, and all will be presented absolutely FREE of charge!

Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Fable Wilde Day
Always an audience favorite, Twelfth Night returns to the MPP stage with all of the mistaken identity, love triangles and general wackiness you may already know and love!

All shows will run Fridays through Sundays and all will be presented at 7:30pm and prime seats can be reserved.

Montford Park Players has been bringing some of theater’s greatest works to Western North Carolina for over 50 years. Montford Park Players continues its mission of bring free theater to the community. The summer season allows everyone to come spend an evening under the stars, seeing some of the best live performances presented in Asheville.

Montford Park Players allows patrons to bring their favorite food and beverages to their shows and sells beer, wine and concessions at the shows. If you’ve never been to the Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre for a Montford show, there’s no better season than this one. If you have been, you know why you should come back and catch everything we have to offer!

Book by Chris D’Arienzo
Arrangements and Orchestrations by Ethan Popp
Presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals
www.concordtheatricals.com

Director: Victoria Lamberth

This five-time Tony Award-nominated musical tells the story of a small-town girl, a city boy, and a rock ‘n’ roll romance on the Sunset Strip. But when the bar where rock reigns supreme is set to be demolished, it’s up to these wannabe rockers and their band of friends to save the day – and the music. Rock of Ages takes you back to the time of big bands with big egos playing big guitar solos and sporting even bigger hair! This jukebox musical features all of your favorite ‘80s rock anthems and power ballads from bands including Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, Night Ranger, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister and more.

Approximate Run Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Rating: PG-13 due to adult content, alcohol use, and language.

Inspired by the prior life of their 1941 Admiral radio, this infectious husband-and-wife duo inspires every room with their thoughtful storytelling, tight vocal harmonies, and deep love for community. Having shared the stage with national acts like Del McCoury, Molly Tuttle, Judah & the Lion, Leftover Salmon, and more, Admiral Radio is quickly making waves in communities across the country as a rising star of the Folk/Americana music scene.

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For Becca and Coty, the name Admiral Radio has acquired new significance. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get lost in the noise. When they think of their ’41 Admiral radio, they picture the folks of that era gathered around their radios at night, listening to the evening news. They think of the times those people shared as they huddled ’round together. They imagine a different place and time.

And as a band, this duo has created a timeless style and classic sound that speaks for itself. In an age where adding mechanized bells and whistles are the norm, Admiral Radio opts for a more natural feel by getting back to the basics of good songwriting and music with heart. Their favorite venues are the quiet coffee shops and intimate spaces, where listeners can be still and do what they do best – listen.

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Some could say that Becca and Coty are both old souls. Heck, maybe that’s why they get along so well. Just about everything in their house comes with a story. In early 2018, Becca was on the hunt for a vintage radio. After a little digging, she found one tucked away in the back of a dusty antique store in Columbia, SC. As she and her dad loaded it up into the back of his pickup truck, he noticed something. It was an Admiral Radio.

​

It didn’t mean much to her at the time, but it turns out that she had a family connection. “My dad used to work for Admiral,” her dad said. It was serendipitous. She immediately felt a connection to the radio and began doing some research on it.

Founded in 1934, Admiral Corp. and was once one of America’s top producers of radios, TVs, and phonographs. At the height of World War II, Admiral was the weekly sponsor for CBS Radio Network’s Sunday evening program,World News Today. But as cheaper, foreign imports made their way into the American economy, Admiral began to crumble. They would be bought and sold to a long list of buyers, eventually fading from the U.S. market.

As fate would have it, Becca’s late grandfather was actually a salesman for Admiral. In fact, he was awarded “Top Salesman of the Year” for the state of South Carolina and even won a trip to Rio with his wife through the company, pictured above. The award you see in the picture to the right sits atop of Becca and Coty’s very own Admiral radio today. How’s that for divine intervention? Although her grandfather passed away many years before she was born, Becca and Coty are proud to help him continue the Admiral legacy.

Click Here to visit the artists website

Click Here to listen to a sample video

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This is a Las Vegas Style Comedy Hypnosis show!
Volunteers get relaxed up on stage… Then become the STARS of the show!
Hypnotic comedian Jon Dee brings his Rock n’ Roll Comedy Hypnosis Show to the HYPNOLARIOUS COMEDY THEATER at Four Points by Sheraton in Downtown Asheville.

Shot Thru the Heart (STTH) is a professional tribute band that pays homage to the music and showmanship of Bon Jovi, one of the greatest rock bands to ever take the stage. STTH provides a high-energy concert experience, playing only the greatest hits and staying true to the original recordings. STTH is the real-deal! The music and vocals are live with meticulous attention to detail that clearly sets STTH apart from the competition. 

Each member of Shot Thru the Heart is a seasoned, professional musician and entertainer. The energy emitted from the stage is contagious and reminiscent of the great arena rock concerts of the 80s. Each member of STTH grew up on the rock music of the 80s greatest bands including Van Halen, Ratt, Poison, Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard and the Scorpions. However, all members of STTH have a very special love and respect for the music of Bon Jovi. Love for the music of Bon Jovi bleeds through every note played and sung. The nostalgia effect is real!

– ALL AGES
– STANDING ROOM ONLY

DRIVIN N CRYIN
Celebrating their 35th Anniversary together, Atlanta-based folk rock act, Drivin N Cryin, have spent most of their career on tour. In October 1985 Drivin N Cryin played their first show at Atlanta’s famed 688 Club. The band quickly gained attention for their blistering live shows, and amassed a rabid fanbase in the fertile soil of the late-1980s Southeast music scene.

Now, 35 years later, and after releasing four full length albums on Island Records and one on Geffen Records, founding members Kevn Kinney and Tim Nielsen find themselves enjoying a milestone anniversary for the band, having survived the pressures of fame, a shifting musical landscape, multiple lineup changes, and miles of back roads and highways to arrive here.

After a gold record, 9 full-length albums, and a handful of EPs to their credit, the band still refuses to rest. In 2012, a documentary about the band, entitled Scarred but Smarter: Life n Times of Drivin’ N’ Cryin’, was produced. In 2015, a collection of 10 choice cuts from the band’s 4-EP “Songs” series, entitled Best of Songs, was released on Nashville’s Plowboy Records. Additionally, the band was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame the same year. The following year, Drivin N Cryin released a vinyl-only album, entitled Archives Vol One, with a collection of basement recordings from the years 1988 to 1990.

With Dave V. Johnson on drums, and the band’s newest member, Laur Joamets, (originally Sturgill Simpson) added to the lineup, Drivin N Cryin continues to tour the U.S. to great acclaim.

A quote from the band’s lead singer, Kevn Kinney, gives a little insight into what Drivin N Cryin is all about: “We are a band that’s like your record collection.” Drawing influence from a wide array of musical elements, Drivin N Cryin has developed a unique sound over the years. Their name derives from the eclectic nature of this sound: a little drivin’ rock n roll and a little country twang. Comfortable with their past and confident in their future, the band has an arsenal of songs, a full tank of gas, and no plans of stopping any time soon.

LAUREN MARROW
After over a decade as the centerpiece of popular Americana band The Whiskey Gentry, Lauren Morrow packed her bags, her dogs, her cats, and husband and moved to Nashville to pursue a career as a solo artist and grow her craft as a songwriter and performer. Within months, she released her first solo EP to widespread critical acclaim and landed on many Best Of year ends lists from Rolling Stone to Garden & Gun, quickly launching her already budding career and sending it into hyperdrive. Over the next year, Morrow filmed an episode for PBS’ Bluegrass Underground and toured the US playing festivals such as Pickathon and Bristol Rhythm & Roots to name a few. Morrow recently wrapped recording her first solo, full-length album at the legendary Nashville studio, Sound Emporium. Mixed by Vance Powell (Chris Stapleton, Jack White, Phish) and Jaquire King (Kings of Leon, Tom Waits, Shania Twain) set to release in 2023, Morrow’s new album, People Talk, showcases her flawless vocals and intricate songwriting, but also her willingness to take risks — an edge that makes her stand out from the Nashville norm. Whether she’s singing an alternative/indie rock banger, a classic-country crooner, or a traditional lovesick ballad, there’s a unique impression she leaves that lingers and is unlike anything you’ve heard before.