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.

Thursday, March 17, 2022
2022 RiverLink Annual Fund
Mar 17 all-day
online w/ River Link

What makes a place idyllic?

Start with an emerald river that flows from ancient mountains. Add an abundance of living creatures that co-evolved over millennia. Bring in humans who honor their place in the interconnected web. And rebuild a vital stream that supports us all.

Your support and engagement helps ensure the health of this watershed for the ages! We can’t do it without you.

Asheville Parks + Recreation’s city-wide free Fit 50 Challenge
Mar 17 all-day
City of Asheville
Fit 50 Challenge

Ashevillians looking for motivation to get moving during colder months can join friends, neighbors, and other community members as the city runs, walks, and rolls during the free Fit 50 Challenge. Back for its second year, Asheville Parks & Recreation’s challenge allows participants to track their progress as they complete 50 miles between February 1-April 1.

“Taking a brisk 30 minute walk, hike, ride, or stroll each day has tremendous benefits,” according to Alic Wynn, Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center Facility Supervisor and Certified Personal Trainer. “The Fit 50 Challenge offers a great opportunity to improve or maintain overall health and wellness goals. The challenge builds on the encouragement and spirit of our community in a way that shows we all want to see each other succeed.”

Running, walking, and rolling around Asheville allow residents to explore, connect, and discover. These benefits are great on their own, but Fit 50 Challenge participants can also win prizes. All registrants receive an exclusive sticker to display as a badge of honor on a favorite water bottle, bike, or notebook. The five challengers who record the top five mileage totals win prize packs.  Of those, the two with the most total miles win an Apple Watch (first place) and AirPods (second place).

Miles can be completed anywhere by running, walking, jogging, skating, cycling, or whichever way challengers choose. With numerous natural surface trails in parks and neighborhoods, treadmills and tracks at community centers, self-guided tours such as the Urban Trail, and 8 miles of paved greenways, the City of Asheville offers a variety of ways to enjoy the city at no cost.

Find out more information and register for the challenge.

In addition to the Fit 50 Challenge, Asheville Parks & Recreation hosts regular walking clubs, hikes, adaptive recreation, races and relays, and story trails throughout the city. Download the AVL Rec app for iPhone, search programs online, or browse Asheville Park & Recreation’s programming guide for the latest opportunities.

Asheville Fit 50 Challenge

City wide community challenge
Challenge starts: February 1st
Challenges ends: April 1st
Sign up: FREE

Rules:
-Every participant must register for the challenge

-Obtain 50 miles by running, walking or rolling by April 1st, 2022 (60days)

-You can track miles through your daily steps. 2500 steps equals one mile

-Upload proof of miles/steps on our bi weekly Facebook post about the challenge(you can do this by uploading a picture of the tracking form we provide to everyone or a screenshot of your mileage from smartwatch or in phone health app)

-Forms of tracking include Smart watch/step watch, phone app, or pedometer(will be provided if needed)

-You are more than welcome to go over the 50 mile challenge and you are also encouraged to do so.

Participants:
-The first 75 registered participant will receive a free 2022 “Asheville FIT 50 t-shirt”

-The top 5 mileage participants will also receive an Asheville Parks & Rec goodie bag prize!

-1st and 2nd place winners for total mileage will receive a grand prize

Manna Foodbank VIRTUAL FRESH FOOD DRIVE
Mar 17 all-day
online

Join Our Fresh Food Drive!

In these late winter months, fresh fruits and vegetables are hard to come by, especially with the increased cost of groceries we are all seeing. For our neighbors who are struggling to afford groceries, fresh produce is vital for health and wellbeing, but can feel like an out-of-reach luxury. MANNA FoodBank is committed to providing all families with healthy plates of nutritiously dense fresh food, all year round, all across these mountains.

To help MANNA meet this challenge of limited access to fresh produce in the winter months, we are pleased to announce our first virtual Fresh Food Drive. You can make a direct impact in the health of Western North Carolina families by helping MANNA purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, and create those healthy, colorful plates that everyone deserves.

And, thanks to an extremely generous matching gift challenge from the Rakay Family Foundation, your support of the Fresh Food Drive will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $100,000, from March 1st through April 1st! MANNA is deeply grateful to the Rakay Family Foundation for this very special gift matching opportunity to provide nutritious foods to the people we serve across WNC.

“Regardless of economic status, everyone deserves access to healthy foods, and healthy eating benefits the entire community, as our neighbors enjoy improved health outcomes,” said Bruce Rakay of the Rakay Family Foundation. “The Rakay Family is honored in helping to achieve this goal.”

This matching gift will help nourish families in need with a colorful bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables on their plate, and will enable MANNA to meet the challenges of limited access to local, fresh produce in the winter months and the increased costs of sourcing outside of the region.

Thank you for sharing in our commitment to providing healthy, balanced plates of food to our neighbors in need through MANNA’s Fresh Food Drive.

VIRTUAL FRESH FOOD DRIVE

Support Mothers Experiencing Homelessness
Mar 17 all-day
online

 

 

A gift match was created by a group of women who are committed to helping women who struggle with the trauma of homelessness. The $8,000 match was introduced last week at the HomeTrust Bank Open Your Heart for Women and Homelessness Luncheon and ends this Friday. We are almost there!

 

This year’s theme was mothers and families experiencing homelessness.

 

Research shows that the number of mothers experiencing homelessness is growing. Your support can mean the difference between a home and life on the street for a family in need. Double your impact by supporting the Open Your Heart Gift Match today.

Friday, March 18, 2022
Asheville Parks + Recreation’s city-wide free Fit 50 Challenge
Mar 18 all-day
City of Asheville
Fit 50 Challenge

Ashevillians looking for motivation to get moving during colder months can join friends, neighbors, and other community members as the city runs, walks, and rolls during the free Fit 50 Challenge. Back for its second year, Asheville Parks & Recreation’s challenge allows participants to track their progress as they complete 50 miles between February 1-April 1.

“Taking a brisk 30 minute walk, hike, ride, or stroll each day has tremendous benefits,” according to Alic Wynn, Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center Facility Supervisor and Certified Personal Trainer. “The Fit 50 Challenge offers a great opportunity to improve or maintain overall health and wellness goals. The challenge builds on the encouragement and spirit of our community in a way that shows we all want to see each other succeed.”

Running, walking, and rolling around Asheville allow residents to explore, connect, and discover. These benefits are great on their own, but Fit 50 Challenge participants can also win prizes. All registrants receive an exclusive sticker to display as a badge of honor on a favorite water bottle, bike, or notebook. The five challengers who record the top five mileage totals win prize packs.  Of those, the two with the most total miles win an Apple Watch (first place) and AirPods (second place).

Miles can be completed anywhere by running, walking, jogging, skating, cycling, or whichever way challengers choose. With numerous natural surface trails in parks and neighborhoods, treadmills and tracks at community centers, self-guided tours such as the Urban Trail, and 8 miles of paved greenways, the City of Asheville offers a variety of ways to enjoy the city at no cost.

Find out more information and register for the challenge.

In addition to the Fit 50 Challenge, Asheville Parks & Recreation hosts regular walking clubs, hikes, adaptive recreation, races and relays, and story trails throughout the city. Download the AVL Rec app for iPhone, search programs online, or browse Asheville Park & Recreation’s programming guide for the latest opportunities.

Asheville Fit 50 Challenge

City wide community challenge
Challenge starts: February 1st
Challenges ends: April 1st
Sign up: FREE

Rules:
-Every participant must register for the challenge

-Obtain 50 miles by running, walking or rolling by April 1st, 2022 (60days)

-You can track miles through your daily steps. 2500 steps equals one mile

-Upload proof of miles/steps on our bi weekly Facebook post about the challenge(you can do this by uploading a picture of the tracking form we provide to everyone or a screenshot of your mileage from smartwatch or in phone health app)

-Forms of tracking include Smart watch/step watch, phone app, or pedometer(will be provided if needed)

-You are more than welcome to go over the 50 mile challenge and you are also encouraged to do so.

Participants:
-The first 75 registered participant will receive a free 2022 “Asheville FIT 50 t-shirt”

-The top 5 mileage participants will also receive an Asheville Parks & Rec goodie bag prize!

-1st and 2nd place winners for total mileage will receive a grand prize

Can you donate Food or Supplies?
Mar 18 all-day
Various Food Pantries
Manna Foodbank VIRTUAL FRESH FOOD DRIVE
Mar 18 all-day
online

Join Our Fresh Food Drive!

In these late winter months, fresh fruits and vegetables are hard to come by, especially with the increased cost of groceries we are all seeing. For our neighbors who are struggling to afford groceries, fresh produce is vital for health and wellbeing, but can feel like an out-of-reach luxury. MANNA FoodBank is committed to providing all families with healthy plates of nutritiously dense fresh food, all year round, all across these mountains.

To help MANNA meet this challenge of limited access to fresh produce in the winter months, we are pleased to announce our first virtual Fresh Food Drive. You can make a direct impact in the health of Western North Carolina families by helping MANNA purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, and create those healthy, colorful plates that everyone deserves.

And, thanks to an extremely generous matching gift challenge from the Rakay Family Foundation, your support of the Fresh Food Drive will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $100,000, from March 1st through April 1st! MANNA is deeply grateful to the Rakay Family Foundation for this very special gift matching opportunity to provide nutritious foods to the people we serve across WNC.

“Regardless of economic status, everyone deserves access to healthy foods, and healthy eating benefits the entire community, as our neighbors enjoy improved health outcomes,” said Bruce Rakay of the Rakay Family Foundation. “The Rakay Family is honored in helping to achieve this goal.”

This matching gift will help nourish families in need with a colorful bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables on their plate, and will enable MANNA to meet the challenges of limited access to local, fresh produce in the winter months and the increased costs of sourcing outside of the region.

Thank you for sharing in our commitment to providing healthy, balanced plates of food to our neighbors in need through MANNA’s Fresh Food Drive.

VIRTUAL FRESH FOOD DRIVE

Spring Conference & Market
Mar 18 all-day
Mars Hill University

Organic Growers School is partnering with Mother Earth News to jointly produce the OGS 29th Spring Conference March 18-20, 2022 at Mars Hill University. Attendees will enjoy the usual favorite array of robust workshops, with an added bonus of new speakers and vendors joining the community.

Friday’s pre-conference workshops consist of four deep-dive, all-day opportunities. Choose between “Carbon Farming and Agroforestry,” “Build It, Plumb It, Hack It: The Basics of Fix, Mend, and Make for the Farm and Garden,” “Mushrooms, Mold, and Mycorrhizae,” and “Water Resilience and Mitigation: Practical Adaptations for Farm and Home.”

Saturday and Sunday’s conference programming consist of a wide variety of short sessions and nine half-day workshops. Choose tracks that most align with your interests, such as Cooking, Forest Farming, Herbs, Living on the Land, Permaculture, and more. Presenters include Sandor Katz, Tyson Sampson, Angie Lavezzo, and more.

OGS and Mother Earth News, both organizations with deep roots in the region, are similar in mission, values, and both have deep roots in the region. This conference and partnership allows them to leverage our relationships for the benefit of their audiences.

Learn more and purchase tickets at organicgrowersschool.org/conferences/spring.

Support Mothers Experiencing Homelessness
Mar 18 all-day
online

 

 

A gift match was created by a group of women who are committed to helping women who struggle with the trauma of homelessness. The $8,000 match was introduced last week at the HomeTrust Bank Open Your Heart for Women and Homelessness Luncheon and ends this Friday. We are almost there!

 

This year’s theme was mothers and families experiencing homelessness.

 

Research shows that the number of mothers experiencing homelessness is growing. Your support can mean the difference between a home and life on the street for a family in need. Double your impact by supporting the Open Your Heart Gift Match today.

Movement + Mobility Workout
Mar 18 @ 7:00 am – 10:00 am
Carrier Park
Join the tribe for some movement and mobility work. Trainer Preston will give you a good workout and then open up your muscles.

		Movement & Mobility Workout image

Join the Asheville Fit Tribe Family for a 30 minute MIX workout & 30 min Mobility. You will get amazing personalized training with the power of the group to positively motivate you. Get ready for a full body workout for all fitness levels, so you can go at your own pace. No matter where you are currently at with your fitness level Trainer Preston will make sure you get a wonderful workout. We hope you give us a shot and see what we are all about!! For any question shoot Preston a text/call (984)204-0591.

Mobile Blood Drive at 10 Newbridge Apartments
Mar 18 @ 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm
10 Newbridge Apartments

Your blood is going to someone who really needs it. To get it there is a process. It takes a team; our phlebotomists collect the blood, our couriers bring it to our headquarters for processing, our lab techs process it, and our couriers then deliver the products to our hospitals. Once they’re there, lives are saved.

Saturday, March 19, 2022
Asheville Parks + Recreation’s city-wide free Fit 50 Challenge
Mar 19 all-day
City of Asheville
Fit 50 Challenge

Ashevillians looking for motivation to get moving during colder months can join friends, neighbors, and other community members as the city runs, walks, and rolls during the free Fit 50 Challenge. Back for its second year, Asheville Parks & Recreation’s challenge allows participants to track their progress as they complete 50 miles between February 1-April 1.

“Taking a brisk 30 minute walk, hike, ride, or stroll each day has tremendous benefits,” according to Alic Wynn, Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center Facility Supervisor and Certified Personal Trainer. “The Fit 50 Challenge offers a great opportunity to improve or maintain overall health and wellness goals. The challenge builds on the encouragement and spirit of our community in a way that shows we all want to see each other succeed.”

Running, walking, and rolling around Asheville allow residents to explore, connect, and discover. These benefits are great on their own, but Fit 50 Challenge participants can also win prizes. All registrants receive an exclusive sticker to display as a badge of honor on a favorite water bottle, bike, or notebook. The five challengers who record the top five mileage totals win prize packs.  Of those, the two with the most total miles win an Apple Watch (first place) and AirPods (second place).

Miles can be completed anywhere by running, walking, jogging, skating, cycling, or whichever way challengers choose. With numerous natural surface trails in parks and neighborhoods, treadmills and tracks at community centers, self-guided tours such as the Urban Trail, and 8 miles of paved greenways, the City of Asheville offers a variety of ways to enjoy the city at no cost.

Find out more information and register for the challenge.

In addition to the Fit 50 Challenge, Asheville Parks & Recreation hosts regular walking clubs, hikes, adaptive recreation, races and relays, and story trails throughout the city. Download the AVL Rec app for iPhone, search programs online, or browse Asheville Park & Recreation’s programming guide for the latest opportunities.

Asheville Fit 50 Challenge

City wide community challenge
Challenge starts: February 1st
Challenges ends: April 1st
Sign up: FREE

Rules:
-Every participant must register for the challenge

-Obtain 50 miles by running, walking or rolling by April 1st, 2022 (60days)

-You can track miles through your daily steps. 2500 steps equals one mile

-Upload proof of miles/steps on our bi weekly Facebook post about the challenge(you can do this by uploading a picture of the tracking form we provide to everyone or a screenshot of your mileage from smartwatch or in phone health app)

-Forms of tracking include Smart watch/step watch, phone app, or pedometer(will be provided if needed)

-You are more than welcome to go over the 50 mile challenge and you are also encouraged to do so.

Participants:
-The first 75 registered participant will receive a free 2022 “Asheville FIT 50 t-shirt”

-The top 5 mileage participants will also receive an Asheville Parks & Rec goodie bag prize!

-1st and 2nd place winners for total mileage will receive a grand prize

Manna Foodbank VIRTUAL FRESH FOOD DRIVE
Mar 19 all-day
online

Join Our Fresh Food Drive!

In these late winter months, fresh fruits and vegetables are hard to come by, especially with the increased cost of groceries we are all seeing. For our neighbors who are struggling to afford groceries, fresh produce is vital for health and wellbeing, but can feel like an out-of-reach luxury. MANNA FoodBank is committed to providing all families with healthy plates of nutritiously dense fresh food, all year round, all across these mountains.

To help MANNA meet this challenge of limited access to fresh produce in the winter months, we are pleased to announce our first virtual Fresh Food Drive. You can make a direct impact in the health of Western North Carolina families by helping MANNA purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, and create those healthy, colorful plates that everyone deserves.

And, thanks to an extremely generous matching gift challenge from the Rakay Family Foundation, your support of the Fresh Food Drive will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $100,000, from March 1st through April 1st! MANNA is deeply grateful to the Rakay Family Foundation for this very special gift matching opportunity to provide nutritious foods to the people we serve across WNC.

“Regardless of economic status, everyone deserves access to healthy foods, and healthy eating benefits the entire community, as our neighbors enjoy improved health outcomes,” said Bruce Rakay of the Rakay Family Foundation. “The Rakay Family is honored in helping to achieve this goal.”

This matching gift will help nourish families in need with a colorful bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables on their plate, and will enable MANNA to meet the challenges of limited access to local, fresh produce in the winter months and the increased costs of sourcing outside of the region.

Thank you for sharing in our commitment to providing healthy, balanced plates of food to our neighbors in need through MANNA’s Fresh Food Drive.

VIRTUAL FRESH FOOD DRIVE

Spring Conference & Market
Mar 19 all-day
Mars Hill University

Organic Growers School is partnering with Mother Earth News to jointly produce the OGS 29th Spring Conference March 18-20, 2022 at Mars Hill University. Attendees will enjoy the usual favorite array of robust workshops, with an added bonus of new speakers and vendors joining the community.

Friday’s pre-conference workshops consist of four deep-dive, all-day opportunities. Choose between “Carbon Farming and Agroforestry,” “Build It, Plumb It, Hack It: The Basics of Fix, Mend, and Make for the Farm and Garden,” “Mushrooms, Mold, and Mycorrhizae,” and “Water Resilience and Mitigation: Practical Adaptations for Farm and Home.”

Saturday and Sunday’s conference programming consist of a wide variety of short sessions and nine half-day workshops. Choose tracks that most align with your interests, such as Cooking, Forest Farming, Herbs, Living on the Land, Permaculture, and more. Presenters include Sandor Katz, Tyson Sampson, Angie Lavezzo, and more.

OGS and Mother Earth News, both organizations with deep roots in the region, are similar in mission, values, and both have deep roots in the region. This conference and partnership allows them to leverage our relationships for the benefit of their audiences.

Learn more and purchase tickets at organicgrowersschool.org/conferences/spring.

Support Mothers Experiencing Homelessness
Mar 19 all-day
online

 

 

A gift match was created by a group of women who are committed to helping women who struggle with the trauma of homelessness. The $8,000 match was introduced last week at the HomeTrust Bank Open Your Heart for Women and Homelessness Luncheon and ends this Friday. We are almost there!

 

This year’s theme was mothers and families experiencing homelessness.

 

Research shows that the number of mothers experiencing homelessness is growing. Your support can mean the difference between a home and life on the street for a family in need. Double your impact by supporting the Open Your Heart Gift Match today.

Mobile Blood Drive at Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts In Honor of Tammy Durand
Mar 19 @ 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts

Your blood is going to someone who really needs it. To get it there is a process. It takes a team; our phlebotomists collect the blood, our couriers bring it to our headquarters for processing, our lab techs process it, and our couriers then deliver the products to our hospitals. Once they’re there, lives are saved.

Sunday, March 20, 2022
2022 RiverLink Annual Fund
Mar 20 all-day
online w/ River Link

What makes a place idyllic?

Start with an emerald river that flows from ancient mountains. Add an abundance of living creatures that co-evolved over millennia. Bring in humans who honor their place in the interconnected web. And rebuild a vital stream that supports us all.

Your support and engagement helps ensure the health of this watershed for the ages! We can’t do it without you.

Asheville Parks + Recreation’s city-wide free Fit 50 Challenge
Mar 20 all-day
City of Asheville
Fit 50 Challenge

Ashevillians looking for motivation to get moving during colder months can join friends, neighbors, and other community members as the city runs, walks, and rolls during the free Fit 50 Challenge. Back for its second year, Asheville Parks & Recreation’s challenge allows participants to track their progress as they complete 50 miles between February 1-April 1.

“Taking a brisk 30 minute walk, hike, ride, or stroll each day has tremendous benefits,” according to Alic Wynn, Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center Facility Supervisor and Certified Personal Trainer. “The Fit 50 Challenge offers a great opportunity to improve or maintain overall health and wellness goals. The challenge builds on the encouragement and spirit of our community in a way that shows we all want to see each other succeed.”

Running, walking, and rolling around Asheville allow residents to explore, connect, and discover. These benefits are great on their own, but Fit 50 Challenge participants can also win prizes. All registrants receive an exclusive sticker to display as a badge of honor on a favorite water bottle, bike, or notebook. The five challengers who record the top five mileage totals win prize packs.  Of those, the two with the most total miles win an Apple Watch (first place) and AirPods (second place).

Miles can be completed anywhere by running, walking, jogging, skating, cycling, or whichever way challengers choose. With numerous natural surface trails in parks and neighborhoods, treadmills and tracks at community centers, self-guided tours such as the Urban Trail, and 8 miles of paved greenways, the City of Asheville offers a variety of ways to enjoy the city at no cost.

Find out more information and register for the challenge.

In addition to the Fit 50 Challenge, Asheville Parks & Recreation hosts regular walking clubs, hikes, adaptive recreation, races and relays, and story trails throughout the city. Download the AVL Rec app for iPhone, search programs online, or browse Asheville Park & Recreation’s programming guide for the latest opportunities.

Asheville Fit 50 Challenge

City wide community challenge
Challenge starts: February 1st
Challenges ends: April 1st
Sign up: FREE

Rules:
-Every participant must register for the challenge

-Obtain 50 miles by running, walking or rolling by April 1st, 2022 (60days)

-You can track miles through your daily steps. 2500 steps equals one mile

-Upload proof of miles/steps on our bi weekly Facebook post about the challenge(you can do this by uploading a picture of the tracking form we provide to everyone or a screenshot of your mileage from smartwatch or in phone health app)

-Forms of tracking include Smart watch/step watch, phone app, or pedometer(will be provided if needed)

-You are more than welcome to go over the 50 mile challenge and you are also encouraged to do so.

Participants:
-The first 75 registered participant will receive a free 2022 “Asheville FIT 50 t-shirt”

-The top 5 mileage participants will also receive an Asheville Parks & Rec goodie bag prize!

-1st and 2nd place winners for total mileage will receive a grand prize

Manna Foodbank VIRTUAL FRESH FOOD DRIVE
Mar 20 all-day
online

Join Our Fresh Food Drive!

In these late winter months, fresh fruits and vegetables are hard to come by, especially with the increased cost of groceries we are all seeing. For our neighbors who are struggling to afford groceries, fresh produce is vital for health and wellbeing, but can feel like an out-of-reach luxury. MANNA FoodBank is committed to providing all families with healthy plates of nutritiously dense fresh food, all year round, all across these mountains.

To help MANNA meet this challenge of limited access to fresh produce in the winter months, we are pleased to announce our first virtual Fresh Food Drive. You can make a direct impact in the health of Western North Carolina families by helping MANNA purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, and create those healthy, colorful plates that everyone deserves.

And, thanks to an extremely generous matching gift challenge from the Rakay Family Foundation, your support of the Fresh Food Drive will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $100,000, from March 1st through April 1st! MANNA is deeply grateful to the Rakay Family Foundation for this very special gift matching opportunity to provide nutritious foods to the people we serve across WNC.

“Regardless of economic status, everyone deserves access to healthy foods, and healthy eating benefits the entire community, as our neighbors enjoy improved health outcomes,” said Bruce Rakay of the Rakay Family Foundation. “The Rakay Family is honored in helping to achieve this goal.”

This matching gift will help nourish families in need with a colorful bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables on their plate, and will enable MANNA to meet the challenges of limited access to local, fresh produce in the winter months and the increased costs of sourcing outside of the region.

Thank you for sharing in our commitment to providing healthy, balanced plates of food to our neighbors in need through MANNA’s Fresh Food Drive.

VIRTUAL FRESH FOOD DRIVE

Spring Conference & Market
Mar 20 all-day
Mars Hill University

Organic Growers School is partnering with Mother Earth News to jointly produce the OGS 29th Spring Conference March 18-20, 2022 at Mars Hill University. Attendees will enjoy the usual favorite array of robust workshops, with an added bonus of new speakers and vendors joining the community.

Friday’s pre-conference workshops consist of four deep-dive, all-day opportunities. Choose between “Carbon Farming and Agroforestry,” “Build It, Plumb It, Hack It: The Basics of Fix, Mend, and Make for the Farm and Garden,” “Mushrooms, Mold, and Mycorrhizae,” and “Water Resilience and Mitigation: Practical Adaptations for Farm and Home.”

Saturday and Sunday’s conference programming consist of a wide variety of short sessions and nine half-day workshops. Choose tracks that most align with your interests, such as Cooking, Forest Farming, Herbs, Living on the Land, Permaculture, and more. Presenters include Sandor Katz, Tyson Sampson, Angie Lavezzo, and more.

OGS and Mother Earth News, both organizations with deep roots in the region, are similar in mission, values, and both have deep roots in the region. This conference and partnership allows them to leverage our relationships for the benefit of their audiences.

Learn more and purchase tickets at organicgrowersschool.org/conferences/spring.

Support Mothers Experiencing Homelessness
Mar 20 all-day
online

 

 

A gift match was created by a group of women who are committed to helping women who struggle with the trauma of homelessness. The $8,000 match was introduced last week at the HomeTrust Bank Open Your Heart for Women and Homelessness Luncheon and ends this Friday. We are almost there!

 

This year’s theme was mothers and families experiencing homelessness.

 

Research shows that the number of mothers experiencing homelessness is growing. Your support can mean the difference between a home and life on the street for a family in need. Double your impact by supporting the Open Your Heart Gift Match today.

Monday, March 21, 2022
Asheville Parks + Recreation’s city-wide free Fit 50 Challenge
Mar 21 all-day
City of Asheville
Fit 50 Challenge

Ashevillians looking for motivation to get moving during colder months can join friends, neighbors, and other community members as the city runs, walks, and rolls during the free Fit 50 Challenge. Back for its second year, Asheville Parks & Recreation’s challenge allows participants to track their progress as they complete 50 miles between February 1-April 1.

“Taking a brisk 30 minute walk, hike, ride, or stroll each day has tremendous benefits,” according to Alic Wynn, Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center Facility Supervisor and Certified Personal Trainer. “The Fit 50 Challenge offers a great opportunity to improve or maintain overall health and wellness goals. The challenge builds on the encouragement and spirit of our community in a way that shows we all want to see each other succeed.”

Running, walking, and rolling around Asheville allow residents to explore, connect, and discover. These benefits are great on their own, but Fit 50 Challenge participants can also win prizes. All registrants receive an exclusive sticker to display as a badge of honor on a favorite water bottle, bike, or notebook. The five challengers who record the top five mileage totals win prize packs.  Of those, the two with the most total miles win an Apple Watch (first place) and AirPods (second place).

Miles can be completed anywhere by running, walking, jogging, skating, cycling, or whichever way challengers choose. With numerous natural surface trails in parks and neighborhoods, treadmills and tracks at community centers, self-guided tours such as the Urban Trail, and 8 miles of paved greenways, the City of Asheville offers a variety of ways to enjoy the city at no cost.

Find out more information and register for the challenge.

In addition to the Fit 50 Challenge, Asheville Parks & Recreation hosts regular walking clubs, hikes, adaptive recreation, races and relays, and story trails throughout the city. Download the AVL Rec app for iPhone, search programs online, or browse Asheville Park & Recreation’s programming guide for the latest opportunities.

Asheville Fit 50 Challenge

City wide community challenge
Challenge starts: February 1st
Challenges ends: April 1st
Sign up: FREE

Rules:
-Every participant must register for the challenge

-Obtain 50 miles by running, walking or rolling by April 1st, 2022 (60days)

-You can track miles through your daily steps. 2500 steps equals one mile

-Upload proof of miles/steps on our bi weekly Facebook post about the challenge(you can do this by uploading a picture of the tracking form we provide to everyone or a screenshot of your mileage from smartwatch or in phone health app)

-Forms of tracking include Smart watch/step watch, phone app, or pedometer(will be provided if needed)

-You are more than welcome to go over the 50 mile challenge and you are also encouraged to do so.

Participants:
-The first 75 registered participant will receive a free 2022 “Asheville FIT 50 t-shirt”

-The top 5 mileage participants will also receive an Asheville Parks & Rec goodie bag prize!

-1st and 2nd place winners for total mileage will receive a grand prize

Can you donate Food or Supplies?
Mar 21 all-day
Various Food Pantries
Manna Foodbank VIRTUAL FRESH FOOD DRIVE
Mar 21 all-day
online

Join Our Fresh Food Drive!

In these late winter months, fresh fruits and vegetables are hard to come by, especially with the increased cost of groceries we are all seeing. For our neighbors who are struggling to afford groceries, fresh produce is vital for health and wellbeing, but can feel like an out-of-reach luxury. MANNA FoodBank is committed to providing all families with healthy plates of nutritiously dense fresh food, all year round, all across these mountains.

To help MANNA meet this challenge of limited access to fresh produce in the winter months, we are pleased to announce our first virtual Fresh Food Drive. You can make a direct impact in the health of Western North Carolina families by helping MANNA purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, and create those healthy, colorful plates that everyone deserves.

And, thanks to an extremely generous matching gift challenge from the Rakay Family Foundation, your support of the Fresh Food Drive will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $100,000, from March 1st through April 1st! MANNA is deeply grateful to the Rakay Family Foundation for this very special gift matching opportunity to provide nutritious foods to the people we serve across WNC.

“Regardless of economic status, everyone deserves access to healthy foods, and healthy eating benefits the entire community, as our neighbors enjoy improved health outcomes,” said Bruce Rakay of the Rakay Family Foundation. “The Rakay Family is honored in helping to achieve this goal.”

This matching gift will help nourish families in need with a colorful bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables on their plate, and will enable MANNA to meet the challenges of limited access to local, fresh produce in the winter months and the increased costs of sourcing outside of the region.

Thank you for sharing in our commitment to providing healthy, balanced plates of food to our neighbors in need through MANNA’s Fresh Food Drive.

VIRTUAL FRESH FOOD DRIVE

Support Mothers Experiencing Homelessness
Mar 21 all-day
online

 

 

A gift match was created by a group of women who are committed to helping women who struggle with the trauma of homelessness. The $8,000 match was introduced last week at the HomeTrust Bank Open Your Heart for Women and Homelessness Luncheon and ends this Friday. We are almost there!

 

This year’s theme was mothers and families experiencing homelessness.

 

Research shows that the number of mothers experiencing homelessness is growing. Your support can mean the difference between a home and life on the street for a family in need. Double your impact by supporting the Open Your Heart Gift Match today.

Tuesday, March 22, 2022
Asheville Parks + Recreation’s city-wide free Fit 50 Challenge
Mar 22 all-day
City of Asheville
Fit 50 Challenge

Ashevillians looking for motivation to get moving during colder months can join friends, neighbors, and other community members as the city runs, walks, and rolls during the free Fit 50 Challenge. Back for its second year, Asheville Parks & Recreation’s challenge allows participants to track their progress as they complete 50 miles between February 1-April 1.

“Taking a brisk 30 minute walk, hike, ride, or stroll each day has tremendous benefits,” according to Alic Wynn, Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center Facility Supervisor and Certified Personal Trainer. “The Fit 50 Challenge offers a great opportunity to improve or maintain overall health and wellness goals. The challenge builds on the encouragement and spirit of our community in a way that shows we all want to see each other succeed.”

Running, walking, and rolling around Asheville allow residents to explore, connect, and discover. These benefits are great on their own, but Fit 50 Challenge participants can also win prizes. All registrants receive an exclusive sticker to display as a badge of honor on a favorite water bottle, bike, or notebook. The five challengers who record the top five mileage totals win prize packs.  Of those, the two with the most total miles win an Apple Watch (first place) and AirPods (second place).

Miles can be completed anywhere by running, walking, jogging, skating, cycling, or whichever way challengers choose. With numerous natural surface trails in parks and neighborhoods, treadmills and tracks at community centers, self-guided tours such as the Urban Trail, and 8 miles of paved greenways, the City of Asheville offers a variety of ways to enjoy the city at no cost.

Find out more information and register for the challenge.

In addition to the Fit 50 Challenge, Asheville Parks & Recreation hosts regular walking clubs, hikes, adaptive recreation, races and relays, and story trails throughout the city. Download the AVL Rec app for iPhone, search programs online, or browse Asheville Park & Recreation’s programming guide for the latest opportunities.

Asheville Fit 50 Challenge

City wide community challenge
Challenge starts: February 1st
Challenges ends: April 1st
Sign up: FREE

Rules:
-Every participant must register for the challenge

-Obtain 50 miles by running, walking or rolling by April 1st, 2022 (60days)

-You can track miles through your daily steps. 2500 steps equals one mile

-Upload proof of miles/steps on our bi weekly Facebook post about the challenge(you can do this by uploading a picture of the tracking form we provide to everyone or a screenshot of your mileage from smartwatch or in phone health app)

-Forms of tracking include Smart watch/step watch, phone app, or pedometer(will be provided if needed)

-You are more than welcome to go over the 50 mile challenge and you are also encouraged to do so.

Participants:
-The first 75 registered participant will receive a free 2022 “Asheville FIT 50 t-shirt”

-The top 5 mileage participants will also receive an Asheville Parks & Rec goodie bag prize!

-1st and 2nd place winners for total mileage will receive a grand prize

Manna Foodbank VIRTUAL FRESH FOOD DRIVE
Mar 22 all-day
online

Join Our Fresh Food Drive!

In these late winter months, fresh fruits and vegetables are hard to come by, especially with the increased cost of groceries we are all seeing. For our neighbors who are struggling to afford groceries, fresh produce is vital for health and wellbeing, but can feel like an out-of-reach luxury. MANNA FoodBank is committed to providing all families with healthy plates of nutritiously dense fresh food, all year round, all across these mountains.

To help MANNA meet this challenge of limited access to fresh produce in the winter months, we are pleased to announce our first virtual Fresh Food Drive. You can make a direct impact in the health of Western North Carolina families by helping MANNA purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, and create those healthy, colorful plates that everyone deserves.

And, thanks to an extremely generous matching gift challenge from the Rakay Family Foundation, your support of the Fresh Food Drive will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $100,000, from March 1st through April 1st! MANNA is deeply grateful to the Rakay Family Foundation for this very special gift matching opportunity to provide nutritious foods to the people we serve across WNC.

“Regardless of economic status, everyone deserves access to healthy foods, and healthy eating benefits the entire community, as our neighbors enjoy improved health outcomes,” said Bruce Rakay of the Rakay Family Foundation. “The Rakay Family is honored in helping to achieve this goal.”

This matching gift will help nourish families in need with a colorful bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables on their plate, and will enable MANNA to meet the challenges of limited access to local, fresh produce in the winter months and the increased costs of sourcing outside of the region.

Thank you for sharing in our commitment to providing healthy, balanced plates of food to our neighbors in need through MANNA’s Fresh Food Drive.

VIRTUAL FRESH FOOD DRIVE

Support Mothers Experiencing Homelessness
Mar 22 all-day
online

 

 

A gift match was created by a group of women who are committed to helping women who struggle with the trauma of homelessness. The $8,000 match was introduced last week at the HomeTrust Bank Open Your Heart for Women and Homelessness Luncheon and ends this Friday. We are almost there!

 

This year’s theme was mothers and families experiencing homelessness.

 

Research shows that the number of mothers experiencing homelessness is growing. Your support can mean the difference between a home and life on the street for a family in need. Double your impact by supporting the Open Your Heart Gift Match today.

Well Walkers
Mar 22 @ 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Join us in the temperature-controlled Arena to walk on most Tuesdays and Thursdays! Admission is free, masks are required and social distancing will be practiced.

Each lap around the concourse is 1/4 mile and strollers are welcome. Representatives from St. Francis Sports Medicine will be on hand for each event and other health professionals- like dietitians- are frequently scheduled to attend. Free parking is available in the VIP lot off of Church Street.

Walk your way to wellness!

Community Blood Drive hosted by Asheville Chamber and Dominion Energy
Mar 22 @ 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Chamber Boardroom (2nd floor)

Join the Asheville Chamber, Dominion Energy and The Blood Connection for a community blood drive!

The Blood Connection is the sole blood provider for Mission Hospital, AdventHealth and Pardee UNC Health Care, along with many others across the region.

Blood donors will receive a $20 e-Gift card PLUS be entered to win a $500 Ingles gift card.

Make your appointment here.

Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins also welcome!