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.

May 2020 May 2020
Collapse All Expand All
Post Your Event
Saturday, May 23, 2020
Updated Covid-19 Buncombe County Testing Sites
May 23 all-day
Buncombe County

COVID-19 testing is available for people who think that they may have COVID-19. The Buncombe Ready COVID-19 Self Checker can help you assess whether or not you need to be tested for COVID-19.

If your primary care provider does not offer COVID-19 testing, they can refer you to an option that works for you. Please go online or call ahead to schedule a visit and to confirm the location of the testing site.

Testing guidance for COVID-19 has expanded to encourage the following individuals to get tested for COVID-19 at one of the locations listed below or at a community testing site.

The new guidance recommends that clinicians test any patient in whom COVID-19 is suspected.

  • Anyone with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19
  • Close contacts of known positive cases, regardless of symptoms
  • Persons who live in or have regular contact with high-risk settings (e.g., long-term care facility, homeless shelter, correctional facility, migrant farmworker camp)
  • Persons who are at high risk of severe illness (e.g., people over 65 years of age, people of any age with underlying health conditions)
  • Persons who come from historically marginalized populations
  • Health care workers or first responders (e.g. EMS, law enforcement, fire department, military)
  • Front-line and essential workers (grocery store clerks, gas station attendants, etc.) in settings where social distancing is difficult to maintain

Paying for COVID-19 Testing:

If you have private insurance, payment should be covered by your insurance company. If you are uninsured, please ask about the CARES Act which may cover the cost of the medical provider assessment and testing for COVID-19. Some providers offer charity care assistance or sliding scale options for payment. Check with your provider about these details.

COVID-19 Testing Providers

MAHEC Family Health Center 

  • Please call the MAHEC Family Health Center for a telemedicine visit before you arrive.
  • MAHEC Family Health Center
  • Call (828) 257-4730
  • Sliding Scale may apply.

Mercy Urgent Care

  • Visit www.mercyurgentcare.org to schedule a telemedicine appointment or a safe visit at one of our eight WNC locations.

Mission My Care Now

  • Mission Health’s Virtual Clinic at www.missionhealth.org/virtualclinic can direct you to COVID-19 testing
  • Most insurance plans will reimburse the costs
  • $25 virtual visit fee
  • Additional lab fee (if tested)

Range Urgent Care

Read more
Categories: Community Health & Wellness
White House Launches Opening America Website
May 23 all-day
website
The White House has unveiled Guidelines for Opening Up America Again, a three-phased approach based on the advice of public health experts. Employers are encouraged to adhere to the following at all phases:
  • Develop and implement appropriate policies, in accordance with Federal, State, and local regulations and guidance, and informed by industry best practices, regarding:
  • Social distancing and protective equipment
  • Temperature checks
  • Sanitation
  • Use and disinfection of common and high-traffic areas
  • Business travel
  • Monitor workforce for indicative symptoms. Do not allow symptomatic people to physically return to work until cleared by a medical provider.
  • Develop and implement policies and procedures for workforce contact tracing following employee COVID+ test.
The full guidelines can be found at www.whitehouse.gov/openingamerica.
Read more
Categories: Community Health & Wellness
Animal Habitats VIP Tours
May 23 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Grandfather Mountain

See where the cougars and otters sleep overnight, meet black bears that are not commonly on display, learn the ins and outs of what it takes to care for the animals year-round, observe a training session and find out why the animals call Grandfather Mountain home.

Offered on weekends, April – October.

Read more
Categories: Education Family Fun Outdoors
Adventure Center of Asheville Kolo Bike Park has reopened
May 23 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Adventure Center of Asheville

Kolo Bike Park has reopened with amended attendance and safety precautions. The current operating days and hours will be Thursday to Sunday weekly with 2 riding sessions daily at 10:00-2:00 and 2:00-6:00. We have received notification from the Buncombe County Health & Human Services Department that our bike trails can operate with certain conditions.

Currently, the aerial activities are closed. May 13, we are planning to open the Asheville Treetops Adventure Park. Then we plan to open the Ziplines soon after that.

If you are interested in riding at Kolo Bike Park, please check out our current safety rules and regulations. We highly recommend reservations, payment and waivers to be completed prior to arrival.

Looking Forward or #ashevillelookingforward, we are building new Bike Trails, starting a Kolo Bike Program for younger kids, and have added a new intermediate trail on the Treetops Park. And we have a fun Halloween surprise in store for our younger guests.

As a locally owned family business, we look to the future…….

1. Keep your plans and reservations in place. We are only planning to be closed as long as we have to keep our Guests and employees safe. If your activity date happens at a time when we are closed, we will contact you.

2. If we need to cancel your upcoming activity, consider a credit vs. refund. That allows us to keep the facility and team ready to go when we do reopen. We continue to have expenses even while we are closed including preparing the gear/facility for the season and paying our leadership team. Your support will help us keep this great family facility alive and strong for the next 10 years.

3. Book reservations for May 13 or later for the Treetops Park or May 20 or later for the Zipline.

4. Buy gift certificates today for you, friends, or family. They don’t expire and they are great gifts all year long. That continuance of cashflow will help us all keep the economy going.

5. Keep planning for summer camps. We are planning a great summer with four different day camp options. We have returning camp counselors, new trails for bikes and a new aerial trail in the Treetops Park. And announcing our 2 new Kolo Advanced Shred Summer Sessions for ages 13-17 to develop their fundamental skills by advanced pro level riders. Call our office or book online (fees apply when booking online.) 828.225.2921

6. Group sales is still taking reservations for the future at [email protected]. A group adventure in the Trees (Zipping or Climbing the Treetops Park) or on the ground (team building or mountain bike riding) will be a great way to reconnect with co-workers, students, families and youth groups.

7. Check out our Blog with updated ACA information

We greatly appreciate the thousands of families, groups of friends, couples, young adults, schools, businesses, churches, camps and so many more that are part of our adventure family. We are where we were yesterday and where we will be a month from now because of you. Your support allows our team to do what we love to do while helping you do the same. We look forward to getting back to normal again. Stay safe and well!

Jeff Greiner
Adventure Center of Asheville
www.advavl.com

Read more
Categories: Family Fun Outdoors Sports
The Merrell Adventure Dash CANCELLED
May 23 @ 4:00 pm
Nantahala Outdoor Center

Age: All Ages

 

The Merrell Adventure Dash is all about getting outside and challenging yourself to work hard for your good time. Suitable for families as well as adults, participants will negotiate a series of natural and man-made obstacles along the 5K course, including balance components, climbs and nets, a river-run, and raft crossing. This holiday weekend, enjoy a fun, family-friendly adventure run in the beautiful Nantahala Gorge. Merrell Adventure Dash participants can choose between the 5K dash or a 1K fun run. Kids aged 12 and under race free with a participating adult.

Registraion opens March 1, 2020. Check back for more details.
Onsite Registration is available from 1pm – 3:30pm day of. The race starts promptly at 4PM on 5/23/2020.

Remember to wear anything you don’t mind getting dirty!

Read more
Categories: Family Fun Outdoors Sports
Fontana Trestle Train ft. BBQ & Brews
May 23 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Great Smokey Mountain Railroad

Back by popular demand our BBQ & Brews now featured on the Fontana Trestle Train, will roll out this Summer! Featuring slow-cooked BBQ prepared fresh and beer tastings showcasing our local breweries! Family friendly seating will be available on this experience!

Departing from Bryson City, these trains will travel to the Fontana Trestle and beyond remaining parallel to the Fontana Lake stopping at the perfect viewing spot just around sunset for a spectacular view! A delicious BBQ meal will be served during the trip. Returning back to the Bryson City Depot at 9pm.

In the Basket

Each of you will get your own basket of Southern-style barbeque goodness with hand-pulled pork slider, a couple pork ribs, and chicken drumstick accompanied by baked beans and house-made coleslaw.

And, of course, no respectable Southern barbeque would forget to warm up some apple cobbler for dessert.

Featured Breweries

                                

 

March 14                     May 2                      May 23(S)

              

    June 19 and 20       July 17&18(S)                                                 August 22
Read more
Categories: Family Fun Food & Drink Outdoors
Sunday, May 24, 2020
A Moment in Nature – Gutches Creek Online Video
May 24 all-day
online
Click Here to View Gutches Creek Video
Take a moment to enjoy the relaxing sounds of rushing stream waters and see beautiful mossy boulders in this virtual visit to SAHC’s Gutches Creek Preserve in the Highlands of Roan.
Read more
Categories: Outdoors
Blue Ridge Parkway Reopens
May 24 all-day
Blue Ridge Parkway

As coronavirus restrictions are loosened, sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway will reopen to drivers as soon as “seasonal mowing and road preparations” are complete, according to a release from parkway spokeswoman Leesa Brandon.

On May 9, the southernmost 14 miles of the Parkway, from Milepost 454-469, will reopen in coordination with the Qualla Boundary and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Gates to longer stretches of the Parkway will be opened May 15 — as long as maintenance projects in that area are completed:

  • Milepost 292-296.5 near Blowing Rock, including Moses Cone Parking Area and Hwy 221 Bass Lake Parking Lot.
  • Milepost 298.6-308 through Grandfather Mountain area, including Rough Ridge and Linn Cove Viaduct.
  • Milepost 316.4 Linville Falls Spur Road, including parking at Linville Falls trailheads.
  • Milepost 334-342 including Crabtree Falls Area, near Little Switzerland.
  • Milepost 355-375.6 from Mt. Mitchell to Ox Creek, including Craggy Gardens.
  • Milepost 377.4 Parking areas at Craven Gap (Town Mountain Rd) for MST Trail access.
  • Milepost 384.7 Roadside parking at MST Trailheads at US 74A Parkway access ramps.
  • Milepost 393-454 from French Broad River Overlook and south to Soco Gap.
Read more
Categories: Outdoors Parks & Recreation
Buncombe County COVID-19 Testing Information
May 24 all-day
online

COVID-19 Testing

NOTE: Please see attached documents for Community- Based Testing Dates and Locations. 

General COVID-19 Testing Information: 

COVID-19 testing is available for people who think that they may have COVID-19. The Buncombe Ready COVID-19 Self Checker can help you assess whether or not you need to be tested for COVID-19.

If your primary care provider does not offer COVID-19 testing, they can refer you to an option that works for you. Please go online or call ahead to schedule a visit and to confirm the location of the testing site.

Paying for COVID-19 Testing:

If you have private insurance, payment should be covered by your insurance company. If you are uninsured, please ask about the CARES Act which may cover the cost of the medical provider assessment and testing for COVID-19. Some providers offer charity care assistance or sliding scale options for payment. Check with your provider about these details.

COVID-19 Testing Providers

MAHEC Family Health Center 

Please call the MAHEC Family Health Center for a telemedicine visit before you arrive.

MAHEC Family Health Center

Call (828) 257-4730

Sliding Scale may apply.

Mercy Urgent Care

Visit www.mercyurgentcare.org to schedule a telemedicine appointment or a safe visit at one of our eight WNC locations.

Range Urgent Care

Please go online or call before you arrive.

Symptoms of COVID-19

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.

Symptoms Include: 

  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fever
  • Sore throat
  • Chills
  • Repeated shaking with chills
  • Muscle pain
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell

Children have similar symptoms to adults and generally have mild illness.

This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.
When to Seek Medical Attention

If you have any of these emergency warning signs* for COVID-19 get medical attention immediately:

  • Trouble breathing
  • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
  • New confusion or inability to arouse
  • Bluish lips or face

Call 911 if you have a medical emergency: Notify the operator that you have, or think you might have, COVID-19. If possible, put on a cloth face covering before medical help arrives.

Testing is available to everyone regardless of their race, income, gender, ethnicity, citizenship status, or religion. COVID-19 testing will not impact your ability to receive future public assistance benefits or public charge status.

 

Community Based Testing Sites:
Community based testing sites are now in rotation throughout the community. Please see attached documents for more information.

Read more
Categories: Community Health & Wellness
Buncombe Ready COVID-19 Self-Checker: Connect to Testing, Contribute to Data Collection
May 24 all-day
online

Contribute to Data Collection

Please see the below PDFs for Russian and Spanish translations.

Help do your part to slow the spread of COVID-19 with Buncombe County’s new COVID-19 Self-Checker. This automated system provides two valuable community assets: Clear guidance for anyone feeling symptomatic and data that will help Buncombe County determine when it’s safe to begin the first phases of reopening. “If you’re experiencing COVID like symptoms, or are concerned about a possible exposure, Self-Checker is the most convenient way for you to get guidance on what your next steps need to be and can connect you to individual level follow-up from healthcare professionals,” explains Public Health Emergency Preparedness Director Fletcher Tove. “The information we compile with this tool will also assist Public Health in anticipating surges on our healthcare systems and help coordinate our testing and contact tracing efforts as we work to reopen our community.”

Buncombe Ready COVID-19 Self-Checker is a quick, confidential, easy-to-use assessment tool you can use online or by phone to help determine if you have COVID-19 and how you can proceed to get medical care. This helps public health experts better understand how the virus is spreading in Buncombe County and allows medical experts and local leaders make the best possible, data-driven decisions to protect everyone.

How Self-Checker* works:

  • Head to buncombecounty.org/covid-19, and click on the Buncombe Ready COVID-19 Self-Checker banner.
  • Share information about your health, any symptoms you are having, and your health history.
  • If your results indicate you need testing, we will connect you with testing and other support to keep you as safe as possible. If you are symptomatic, we will continue to follow up with you every day for 7-10 days after completing the Self-Checker.
  • You can also use Self-Checker by calling the Ready Team at (828) 419-0095, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

“The goal of the Self-Checker is to connect those in need to COVID-19 testing, offer additional support, follow up to ensure people are healthy and safe, and gather information about the spread of COVID-19 in our community,” notes Buncombe County Public Health Director Dr. Jennifer Mullendore. Public Health urges anyone with questions about whether they have COVID-19 to use Self-Checker. “This also allows us to conserve healthcare resources, protective equipment, and supplies while keeping people at home and away from others if they potentially have COVID-19,” says Dr. Mullendore.

The information collected from Self-Checker will give public health officials daily and weekly reports that will be key to customizing how we respond locally. It will also provide crucial data to government officials as they continue to inform the public about the next steps for reopening Buncombe County.

The Self-Checker is a partnership between Buncombe County and North Carolina State University. Additionally, partners in our community have helped to develop and test the Buncombe Ready COVID-19 Self-Checker and their efforts ensure language accessibility and ease of use. The Self-Checker is available online in Spanish and Russian and can be taken over the phone in multiple languages via 211.

 

Read more
Categories: Health & Wellness
CDC Reopening Guidance: Cleaning + Disinfecting Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools, + Homes
May 24 all-day
online
The CDC has published guidance intended to assist businesses in preparing to reopen while enacting procedures that will continue to maintain social distancing and cleaning to limit the exposure to Coronavirus.
This guidance is part of the broader government plan to reopen businesses and offers guidance on cleanliness practices for public spaces. This guidance provides a general framework for cleaning and disinfection practices. The framework is based on doing the following:
  1. Normal routine cleaning with soap and water will decrease how much of the virus is on surfaces and objects, which reduces the risk of exposure.
  2. Disinfection using EPA-approved disinfectants against COVID-19 external icon can also help reduce the risk. Frequent disinfection of surfaces and objects touched by multiple people is important.
  3. When EPA-approved disinfectants external icon are not available, alternative disinfectants can be used (for example, 1/3 cup of bleach added to 1 gallon of water, or 70% alcohol solutions). Do not mix bleach or other cleaning and disinfection products together. This can cause fumes that may be very dangerous to breathe in. Keep all disinfectants out of the reach of children.
Read more
Categories: Community Health & Wellness
Take a Virtual Hike for the Smokies!
May 24 all-day
Virtual Smoky Mountains National Park
Alum Cave At-Home Adventure is a Virtual Fundraising Hike on one of Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s most iconic trails. Although the trail will look different for everyone, we’re all going the distance together – 4.6 miles for a roundtrip hike to Alum Cave or 10 miles up to the top of Mount Le Conte and down via Alum Cave Trail. Find your own trail. It could be your yard, your neighborhood or a treadmill in your basement. If a hike isn’t your thing, just choose the Park Bench option! Anyone can join us in solidarity to raise funds for Great Smoky Mountains National Park from the comfort and safety of your own home.
Here’s how it works:
1. Register to virtually hike at AlumCaveAtHome.org, and personalize your fundraising page.
2. Ask your family, friends, and coworkers to support you by making a tax-deductible donation to Friends of the Smokies through your personal fundraising page.
3. You have until June 6, 2020 to fundraise and complete your virtual hike, then you will receive your hike swag, including a t-shirt and finishers medal, in the mail!
Over the last few weeks, we’ve become pros at staying home and practicing social distancing. As we take care of ourselves and each other, we hope you’ll also help us take care of the Smokies. The park is closed for the safety of visitors and staff, but critical conservation projects still need funding. It’s up to us to preserve the park for generations to come so we hope you’ll join us.
Read more
Categories: Community Fundraisers Outdoors
The Blood Connection FREE COVID-19 Antibody Testing for Blood Donors
May 24 all-day
varies
The Blood Connection will now be offering FREE COVID-19 Antibody Testing. The COVID-19 Antibody Test will test a sample of each donor’s blood to see if it contains COVID-19 antibodies. This will be offered to TBC blood donors at all blood donation centers and mobiles across South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia, at no cost. Donors are encouraged to make an appointment first, to maintain adequate social distancing.
Some important things to note:

· This is NOT a test to determine if the donor is infected with COVID-19. Positive test results do not confirm COVID-19 infection or immunity. A positive antibody result is indicative of the body’s immune response to COVID-19.

· This test is only available to those who complete a whole blood, platelet, or plasma donation where samples are successfully collected.

· The results of a COVID-19 Antibody Test will be posted on the donor’s TBC online portal in seven business days of their donation.

· More information about this testing: https://thebloodconnection.org/antibody-testing/

· Appointments can be made at thebloodconnection.org, click DONATE NOW.

Read more
Categories: Community Health & Wellness
The Virtual 44th Clean Streams Day GreenWorks+ Mountain True
May 24 all-day
online

Environmental Education

Clean Streams Day is going virtual! We’re partnering with MountainTrue and Asheville GreenWorks to share a mix of educational videos and activities, action steps and petitions, and hands-on service opportunities to highlight the 44th Clean Streams Day. Connecting with our streams and rivers is vital during these difficult times, and we hope you will join us on social media from May 21-30 to learn about our waterways, create positive environmental change, and help clean up our community!

Picture

Since 1976, Asheville GreenWorks has held “Clean Streams Day” to kick off the summer river cleanup season. Teams sign up prior to the day of the event to take on a particular stream, river or roadside of their choosing. Teams then report back their findings at the after cleanup party.

Thousands of bags of trash and tires have been removed over the last 42 years making our waterways cleaner and safer to use.

Contact our Volunteer Coordinator if you have any questions about this event or if you would like to be a sponsor. Ph 828-232-7144
Read more
Categories: Family Fun Outdoors
Updated Covid-19 Buncombe County Testing Sites
May 24 all-day
Buncombe County

COVID-19 testing is available for people who think that they may have COVID-19. The Buncombe Ready COVID-19 Self Checker can help you assess whether or not you need to be tested for COVID-19.

If your primary care provider does not offer COVID-19 testing, they can refer you to an option that works for you. Please go online or call ahead to schedule a visit and to confirm the location of the testing site.

Testing guidance for COVID-19 has expanded to encourage the following individuals to get tested for COVID-19 at one of the locations listed below or at a community testing site.

The new guidance recommends that clinicians test any patient in whom COVID-19 is suspected.

  • Anyone with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19
  • Close contacts of known positive cases, regardless of symptoms
  • Persons who live in or have regular contact with high-risk settings (e.g., long-term care facility, homeless shelter, correctional facility, migrant farmworker camp)
  • Persons who are at high risk of severe illness (e.g., people over 65 years of age, people of any age with underlying health conditions)
  • Persons who come from historically marginalized populations
  • Health care workers or first responders (e.g. EMS, law enforcement, fire department, military)
  • Front-line and essential workers (grocery store clerks, gas station attendants, etc.) in settings where social distancing is difficult to maintain

Paying for COVID-19 Testing:

If you have private insurance, payment should be covered by your insurance company. If you are uninsured, please ask about the CARES Act which may cover the cost of the medical provider assessment and testing for COVID-19. Some providers offer charity care assistance or sliding scale options for payment. Check with your provider about these details.

COVID-19 Testing Providers

MAHEC Family Health Center 

  • Please call the MAHEC Family Health Center for a telemedicine visit before you arrive.
  • MAHEC Family Health Center
  • Call (828) 257-4730
  • Sliding Scale may apply.

Mercy Urgent Care

  • Visit www.mercyurgentcare.org to schedule a telemedicine appointment or a safe visit at one of our eight WNC locations.

Mission My Care Now

  • Mission Health’s Virtual Clinic at www.missionhealth.org/virtualclinic can direct you to COVID-19 testing
  • Most insurance plans will reimburse the costs
  • $25 virtual visit fee
  • Additional lab fee (if tested)

Range Urgent Care

Read more
Categories: Community Health & Wellness
White House Launches Opening America Website
May 24 all-day
website
The White House has unveiled Guidelines for Opening Up America Again, a three-phased approach based on the advice of public health experts. Employers are encouraged to adhere to the following at all phases:
  • Develop and implement appropriate policies, in accordance with Federal, State, and local regulations and guidance, and informed by industry best practices, regarding:
  • Social distancing and protective equipment
  • Temperature checks
  • Sanitation
  • Use and disinfection of common and high-traffic areas
  • Business travel
  • Monitor workforce for indicative symptoms. Do not allow symptomatic people to physically return to work until cleared by a medical provider.
  • Develop and implement policies and procedures for workforce contact tracing following employee COVID+ test.
The full guidelines can be found at www.whitehouse.gov/openingamerica.
Read more
Categories: Community Health & Wellness
Animal Habitats VIP Tours
May 24 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Grandfather Mountain

See where the cougars and otters sleep overnight, meet black bears that are not commonly on display, learn the ins and outs of what it takes to care for the animals year-round, observe a training session and find out why the animals call Grandfather Mountain home.

Offered on weekends, April – October.

Read more
Categories: Education Family Fun Outdoors
Adventure Center of Asheville Kolo Bike Park has reopened
May 24 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Adventure Center of Asheville

Kolo Bike Park has reopened with amended attendance and safety precautions. The current operating days and hours will be Thursday to Sunday weekly with 2 riding sessions daily at 10:00-2:00 and 2:00-6:00. We have received notification from the Buncombe County Health & Human Services Department that our bike trails can operate with certain conditions.

Currently, the aerial activities are closed. May 13, we are planning to open the Asheville Treetops Adventure Park. Then we plan to open the Ziplines soon after that.

If you are interested in riding at Kolo Bike Park, please check out our current safety rules and regulations. We highly recommend reservations, payment and waivers to be completed prior to arrival.

Looking Forward or #ashevillelookingforward, we are building new Bike Trails, starting a Kolo Bike Program for younger kids, and have added a new intermediate trail on the Treetops Park. And we have a fun Halloween surprise in store for our younger guests.

As a locally owned family business, we look to the future…….

1. Keep your plans and reservations in place. We are only planning to be closed as long as we have to keep our Guests and employees safe. If your activity date happens at a time when we are closed, we will contact you.

2. If we need to cancel your upcoming activity, consider a credit vs. refund. That allows us to keep the facility and team ready to go when we do reopen. We continue to have expenses even while we are closed including preparing the gear/facility for the season and paying our leadership team. Your support will help us keep this great family facility alive and strong for the next 10 years.

3. Book reservations for May 13 or later for the Treetops Park or May 20 or later for the Zipline.

4. Buy gift certificates today for you, friends, or family. They don’t expire and they are great gifts all year long. That continuance of cashflow will help us all keep the economy going.

5. Keep planning for summer camps. We are planning a great summer with four different day camp options. We have returning camp counselors, new trails for bikes and a new aerial trail in the Treetops Park. And announcing our 2 new Kolo Advanced Shred Summer Sessions for ages 13-17 to develop their fundamental skills by advanced pro level riders. Call our office or book online (fees apply when booking online.) 828.225.2921

6. Group sales is still taking reservations for the future at [email protected]. A group adventure in the Trees (Zipping or Climbing the Treetops Park) or on the ground (team building or mountain bike riding) will be a great way to reconnect with co-workers, students, families and youth groups.

7. Check out our Blog with updated ACA information

We greatly appreciate the thousands of families, groups of friends, couples, young adults, schools, businesses, churches, camps and so many more that are part of our adventure family. We are where we were yesterday and where we will be a month from now because of you. Your support allows our team to do what we love to do while helping you do the same. We look forward to getting back to normal again. Stay safe and well!

Jeff Greiner
Adventure Center of Asheville
www.advavl.com

Read more
Categories: Family Fun Outdoors Sports
General Ride Sessions Riveter Outdoor Bike Park
May 24 @ 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Riveter

Riveter_SocialAvatar.png

New Protocols

  • Member Ride Session: available Friday-Sunday, members only, 8-11am; member email to follow with more details on membership options.

  • General Ride Sessions: available Friday-Sunday, 12-3pm + 4-7pm.

  • Sessions are 3 hours with breaks between to allow for crew cleaning + clearing of humans between sessions; please exit property 15 min post-session.

  • Sessions are $20 for adults and $18 for humans 15 yo + under.

  • Pre-registration + online payment are required to reserve your spot for activities.

  • All humans, both participants + spectators, must reserve a spot .

  • No refunds.

  • All humans, both participants + spectators, must submit an online waiver via our website .

  • Please use a mask for check-in and crew interactions.

  • Please do not gather in groups of more than 10 humans.

  • Please keep a physical distance of 6 feet or more between yourself + other humans.

  • Access to the building will remain off-limits: Climbing Gym, Yoga Studio, Bathrooms, Lockers, Bar, Retail, + Fitness Studio remain closed.

  • Bring your own gear, water, seating for breaks, + mask for interactions with crew.

  • No rental equipment available.

  • Port-A-Johns available for restroom needs.

  • Hand sanitizer available, use upon entry + often as needed.

  • Libations available to-go [beer, wine, Powerade, Hi-Ball, Dram].

  • No cash accepted for to-go libations; please bring a card for all on-site transactions.

  • Online store available to purchase Riveter gear + apparel; email [email protected] to arrange for pick up on-site.

  • Dress appropriately for weather and trail conditions.

  • Abide by all facility policies + procedures.

  • Abide by Riveter Bike Park rules, read signs, + respect the trails.

  • Always PRE-RIDE, RE-RIDE, + then FREE-RIDE!

Read more
Categories: Outdoors Sports
Monday, May 25, 2020
Buncombe County COVID-19 Testing Information
May 25 all-day
online

COVID-19 Testing

NOTE: Please see attached documents for Community- Based Testing Dates and Locations. 

General COVID-19 Testing Information: 

COVID-19 testing is available for people who think that they may have COVID-19. The Buncombe Ready COVID-19 Self Checker can help you assess whether or not you need to be tested for COVID-19.

If your primary care provider does not offer COVID-19 testing, they can refer you to an option that works for you. Please go online or call ahead to schedule a visit and to confirm the location of the testing site.

Paying for COVID-19 Testing:

If you have private insurance, payment should be covered by your insurance company. If you are uninsured, please ask about the CARES Act which may cover the cost of the medical provider assessment and testing for COVID-19. Some providers offer charity care assistance or sliding scale options for payment. Check with your provider about these details.

COVID-19 Testing Providers

MAHEC Family Health Center 

Please call the MAHEC Family Health Center for a telemedicine visit before you arrive.

MAHEC Family Health Center

Call (828) 257-4730

Sliding Scale may apply.

Mercy Urgent Care

Visit www.mercyurgentcare.org to schedule a telemedicine appointment or a safe visit at one of our eight WNC locations.

Range Urgent Care

Please go online or call before you arrive.

Symptoms of COVID-19

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.

Symptoms Include: 

  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fever
  • Sore throat
  • Chills
  • Repeated shaking with chills
  • Muscle pain
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell

Children have similar symptoms to adults and generally have mild illness.

This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.
When to Seek Medical Attention

If you have any of these emergency warning signs* for COVID-19 get medical attention immediately:

  • Trouble breathing
  • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
  • New confusion or inability to arouse
  • Bluish lips or face

Call 911 if you have a medical emergency: Notify the operator that you have, or think you might have, COVID-19. If possible, put on a cloth face covering before medical help arrives.

Testing is available to everyone regardless of their race, income, gender, ethnicity, citizenship status, or religion. COVID-19 testing will not impact your ability to receive future public assistance benefits or public charge status.

 

Community Based Testing Sites:
Community based testing sites are now in rotation throughout the community. Please see attached documents for more information.

Read more
Categories: Community Health & Wellness
The Virtual 44th Clean Streams Day GreenWorks+ Mountain True
May 25 all-day
online

Environmental Education

Clean Streams Day is going virtual! We’re partnering with MountainTrue and Asheville GreenWorks to share a mix of educational videos and activities, action steps and petitions, and hands-on service opportunities to highlight the 44th Clean Streams Day. Connecting with our streams and rivers is vital during these difficult times, and we hope you will join us on social media from May 21-30 to learn about our waterways, create positive environmental change, and help clean up our community!

Picture

Since 1976, Asheville GreenWorks has held “Clean Streams Day” to kick off the summer river cleanup season. Teams sign up prior to the day of the event to take on a particular stream, river or roadside of their choosing. Teams then report back their findings at the after cleanup party.

Thousands of bags of trash and tires have been removed over the last 42 years making our waterways cleaner and safer to use.

Contact our Volunteer Coordinator if you have any questions about this event or if you would like to be a sponsor. Ph 828-232-7144
Read more
Categories: Family Fun Outdoors
Updated Covid-19 Buncombe County Testing Sites
May 25 all-day
Buncombe County

COVID-19 testing is available for people who think that they may have COVID-19. The Buncombe Ready COVID-19 Self Checker can help you assess whether or not you need to be tested for COVID-19.

If your primary care provider does not offer COVID-19 testing, they can refer you to an option that works for you. Please go online or call ahead to schedule a visit and to confirm the location of the testing site.

Testing guidance for COVID-19 has expanded to encourage the following individuals to get tested for COVID-19 at one of the locations listed below or at a community testing site.

The new guidance recommends that clinicians test any patient in whom COVID-19 is suspected.

  • Anyone with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19
  • Close contacts of known positive cases, regardless of symptoms
  • Persons who live in or have regular contact with high-risk settings (e.g., long-term care facility, homeless shelter, correctional facility, migrant farmworker camp)
  • Persons who are at high risk of severe illness (e.g., people over 65 years of age, people of any age with underlying health conditions)
  • Persons who come from historically marginalized populations
  • Health care workers or first responders (e.g. EMS, law enforcement, fire department, military)
  • Front-line and essential workers (grocery store clerks, gas station attendants, etc.) in settings where social distancing is difficult to maintain

Paying for COVID-19 Testing:

If you have private insurance, payment should be covered by your insurance company. If you are uninsured, please ask about the CARES Act which may cover the cost of the medical provider assessment and testing for COVID-19. Some providers offer charity care assistance or sliding scale options for payment. Check with your provider about these details.

COVID-19 Testing Providers

MAHEC Family Health Center 

  • Please call the MAHEC Family Health Center for a telemedicine visit before you arrive.
  • MAHEC Family Health Center
  • Call (828) 257-4730
  • Sliding Scale may apply.

Mercy Urgent Care

  • Visit www.mercyurgentcare.org to schedule a telemedicine appointment or a safe visit at one of our eight WNC locations.

Mission My Care Now

  • Mission Health’s Virtual Clinic at www.missionhealth.org/virtualclinic can direct you to COVID-19 testing
  • Most insurance plans will reimburse the costs
  • $25 virtual visit fee
  • Additional lab fee (if tested)

Range Urgent Care

Read more
Categories: Community Health & Wellness
Free Pet Food in Western North Carolina
May 25 @ 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Asheville, NC

Distribution is BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, so please call the ASPCA hotline at 800-738-9437 between 8am and 8pm to request an appointment. Responding to this event page does not qualify as an appointment.

As part of the ASPCA’s Relief and Recovery Initiative, we’re offering free dog and cat food for residents impacted by COVID-19. Supplies are being provided by appointment only.

Read more
Categories: Community Health & Wellness Pets
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Buncombe County COVID-19 Testing Information
May 26 all-day
online

COVID-19 Testing

NOTE: Please see attached documents for Community- Based Testing Dates and Locations. 

General COVID-19 Testing Information: 

COVID-19 testing is available for people who think that they may have COVID-19. The Buncombe Ready COVID-19 Self Checker can help you assess whether or not you need to be tested for COVID-19.

If your primary care provider does not offer COVID-19 testing, they can refer you to an option that works for you. Please go online or call ahead to schedule a visit and to confirm the location of the testing site.

Paying for COVID-19 Testing:

If you have private insurance, payment should be covered by your insurance company. If you are uninsured, please ask about the CARES Act which may cover the cost of the medical provider assessment and testing for COVID-19. Some providers offer charity care assistance or sliding scale options for payment. Check with your provider about these details.

COVID-19 Testing Providers

MAHEC Family Health Center 

Please call the MAHEC Family Health Center for a telemedicine visit before you arrive.

MAHEC Family Health Center

Call (828) 257-4730

Sliding Scale may apply.

Mercy Urgent Care

Visit www.mercyurgentcare.org to schedule a telemedicine appointment or a safe visit at one of our eight WNC locations.

Range Urgent Care

Please go online or call before you arrive.

Symptoms of COVID-19

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.

Symptoms Include: 

  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fever
  • Sore throat
  • Chills
  • Repeated shaking with chills
  • Muscle pain
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell

Children have similar symptoms to adults and generally have mild illness.

This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.
When to Seek Medical Attention

If you have any of these emergency warning signs* for COVID-19 get medical attention immediately:

  • Trouble breathing
  • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
  • New confusion or inability to arouse
  • Bluish lips or face

Call 911 if you have a medical emergency: Notify the operator that you have, or think you might have, COVID-19. If possible, put on a cloth face covering before medical help arrives.

Testing is available to everyone regardless of their race, income, gender, ethnicity, citizenship status, or religion. COVID-19 testing will not impact your ability to receive future public assistance benefits or public charge status.

 

Community Based Testing Sites:
Community based testing sites are now in rotation throughout the community. Please see attached documents for more information.

Read more
Categories: Community Health & Wellness
free Virtual counseling + healing sessions for Western North Carolina medical personnel
May 26 all-day
Online

Care for Corona is a grassroots support system comprised of psychotherapists and healing practitioners who offer short term free virtual counseling and healing sessions for Western North Carolina medical personnel and psychotherapists who are on the front lines of the Corona Virus Pandemic.

Read more
Categories: Community Health & Wellness
The Virtual 44th Clean Streams Day GreenWorks+ Mountain True
May 26 all-day
online

Environmental Education

Clean Streams Day is going virtual! We’re partnering with MountainTrue and Asheville GreenWorks to share a mix of educational videos and activities, action steps and petitions, and hands-on service opportunities to highlight the 44th Clean Streams Day. Connecting with our streams and rivers is vital during these difficult times, and we hope you will join us on social media from May 21-30 to learn about our waterways, create positive environmental change, and help clean up our community!

Picture

Since 1976, Asheville GreenWorks has held “Clean Streams Day” to kick off the summer river cleanup season. Teams sign up prior to the day of the event to take on a particular stream, river or roadside of their choosing. Teams then report back their findings at the after cleanup party.

Thousands of bags of trash and tires have been removed over the last 42 years making our waterways cleaner and safer to use.

Contact our Volunteer Coordinator if you have any questions about this event or if you would like to be a sponsor. Ph 828-232-7144
Read more
Categories: Family Fun Outdoors
Updated Covid-19 Buncombe County Testing Sites
May 26 all-day
Buncombe County

COVID-19 testing is available for people who think that they may have COVID-19. The Buncombe Ready COVID-19 Self Checker can help you assess whether or not you need to be tested for COVID-19.

If your primary care provider does not offer COVID-19 testing, they can refer you to an option that works for you. Please go online or call ahead to schedule a visit and to confirm the location of the testing site.

Testing guidance for COVID-19 has expanded to encourage the following individuals to get tested for COVID-19 at one of the locations listed below or at a community testing site.

The new guidance recommends that clinicians test any patient in whom COVID-19 is suspected.

  • Anyone with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19
  • Close contacts of known positive cases, regardless of symptoms
  • Persons who live in or have regular contact with high-risk settings (e.g., long-term care facility, homeless shelter, correctional facility, migrant farmworker camp)
  • Persons who are at high risk of severe illness (e.g., people over 65 years of age, people of any age with underlying health conditions)
  • Persons who come from historically marginalized populations
  • Health care workers or first responders (e.g. EMS, law enforcement, fire department, military)
  • Front-line and essential workers (grocery store clerks, gas station attendants, etc.) in settings where social distancing is difficult to maintain

Paying for COVID-19 Testing:

If you have private insurance, payment should be covered by your insurance company. If you are uninsured, please ask about the CARES Act which may cover the cost of the medical provider assessment and testing for COVID-19. Some providers offer charity care assistance or sliding scale options for payment. Check with your provider about these details.

COVID-19 Testing Providers

MAHEC Family Health Center 

  • Please call the MAHEC Family Health Center for a telemedicine visit before you arrive.
  • MAHEC Family Health Center
  • Call (828) 257-4730
  • Sliding Scale may apply.

Mercy Urgent Care

  • Visit www.mercyurgentcare.org to schedule a telemedicine appointment or a safe visit at one of our eight WNC locations.

Mission My Care Now

  • Mission Health’s Virtual Clinic at www.missionhealth.org/virtualclinic can direct you to COVID-19 testing
  • Most insurance plans will reimburse the costs
  • $25 virtual visit fee
  • Additional lab fee (if tested)

Range Urgent Care

Read more
Categories: Community Health & Wellness
Rendezvous Mountain Educational State Forest Reopening
May 26 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Rendezvous Mountain Educational State Forest

Rendezvous Mountain Educational State Forest will reopen to the public effective 9a.m. May 13. To encourage responsible use and to maintain required social distancing, phased reopening will begin with allowing public access only to areas of the forest that promote movement-focused activities such as hiking. All areas and facilities of the forest will not be available during phase one of the reopening but will become available in accordance with Governor Cooper’s phased plan for reopening the state.

What can visitors expect during a visit to Rendezvous Mountain ESF during phase one of the reopening?

  • Rendezvous Mountain ESF will be open Monday through Friday, 9a.m. until 5p.m.
  • Most of the trail system will be open, and visitors should come prepared to access trails and to keep moving.
  • Parking has been adjusted to allow for more spacing and to make it more feasible for visitors to maintain recommended social distance.
  • While portable toilets will be available for visitors, restrooms will remain closed.
  • Gathering areas of the forest will remain closed to encourage movement and separation. These areas include the following:
  • all picnic areas;
  • the McGee Forestry Center;
  • the Bathhouse;
  • the Ranger Station;
  • the Logger’s Shack;
  • the Office; and,
  • the amphitheater.

As we move forward with this phased approach, we urge the public to adjust expectations, to be prepared, to stay local and to continue complying with CDC recommendations and guidelines. Visitors are asked to be responsible for individual best practices and to follow social distancing recommendations. Visitor behavior will be a key factor for providing continued public access and to avoid additional closures to the forest during this period of phased reopening. For phased reopening to be successful for public lands across our state, visitors must be good stewards and good neighbors. If you arrive during a busy time and find limited parking, the right decision is to return home and plan to visit another day at another time. If we are busy, expect other public lands, such as state parks and national forests, to also be busy. For up-to-date information about access to state forests in North Carolina, please stay tuned into https://ncforestservice.gov/COVID19.htm and NCFS social media accounts.

Read more
Categories: Outdoors
Bounty and Soul Black Mountain Food Service
May 26 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
St. James Episcopal Church Parking Lot

Dear Bounty & Soul Family,

Bounty & Soul is deeply committed to the health and well-being of the community. It is what you have trusted and helped us to do all these years and we couldn’t be more grateful. On behalf of the board and staff, we want you to know that during this challenging time, we are being called to deliver on our promise of providing healthy food and support to our community in this great time of need and we are doing so in a BIG WAY…TOGETHER. It is our priority to ensure the health and safety of our staff, volunteers and community members as we navigate this crisis and we are following the guidance of the WHO, CDC and state and local officials to quickly adapt to take the necessary precautions. This is what we are doing to provide much-needed resources while providing safety and protection:

  • We will be hosting drive-thru pick up sites for participants to collect pre-made healthy food boxes. Tuesdays at St. James Episcopal Church Parking Lot from 11am-1pm and Fridays at Black Mountain Presbyterian Church Parking Lot from 4-6pm. We are asking that no one arrives to the site prior to the scheduled times.
  • We have cancelled all of our classes, kids activities and after-school programming as to follow the guidance for social distancing until further notice. Recognizing the importance of staying well, we will STILL provide healthy recipes, helpful tips, resources and education (including how to manage stress in a crisis) through printed materials, social media and on our website. Hope-filled messages and affirmations will also go into boxes.
  • We have hand sanitizer, gloves, masks and constant messaging on washing hands set up at our volunteer shifts and at the distribution sites as well as ask everyone to take the following steps and precautions:

(1) Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer immediately upon entering new spaces.

(2) Avoid shaking hands, touching your face, nose and eyes and other personal contact.

(3) Cough or sneeze into your elbow, not hands. If your cough/sneeze is persistent, consider using a mask if available. 

(4) If you have a fever, respiratory symptoms or feel unwell please stay home.

(5) If you have traveled internationally or flown recently please refrain from activities at this time.

Thank you for your commitment and support in ensuring that Bounty & Soul continues to get Produce to The People during this time of uncertainty. Now, more than ever we must come together as a community, as a nation, as a world to be there for one another, support and love each other. It’s the Bounty & Soul way…

In solidarity, health and love,

Ali, Abbie, Adam, Karla, Linda, Fitz and the Board of Bounty & Soul

HOW YOU CAN HELP
(1) Donate Funds to Help Us Purchase Bulk Grains and Other Shelf-Stable Items
(2) Donate Food/Organize a Food Drive/Write hope-filled messages of encouragement to go into boxes
(3) Deliver Benevolent Boxes to Seniors and other Vulnerable Populations

Contact Karla at [email protected] to learn more about any of these opportunities.

Bounty & Soul is also in need of small boxes from Ingles and/or reusable bags. These can be dropped off at our office located at 999 Old US Hwy 70 W, behind the Swannanoa Valley Medical Center.

Read more
Categories: Community Health & Wellness
Coffee + Conversation: Evidence Based Treatment for Back Pain
May 26 @ 2:15 pm – 3:00 pm
Online

Image may contain: coffee cup

Join Specialized Physical Therapy and Ferguson Family YMCA for a Facebook Live interactive conversation on Back Pain & Evidence Based Treatment. The talk will be co-hosted by Specialized Physical Therapy Clinic Director, Jim Gregory and Ferguson Executive Director, LK Paden.
Don’t miss this chance to chat with Jim and LK, ask questions, and find out how physical therapy can work for you.

Read more
Categories: Health & Wellness