Calendar of Events

(This event is currently FULL. Please email Judi at [email protected] with your name, phone number and number of seats you want, to be placed on the waiting list.)

The focus of this 10-hour workshop is to prepare participants from a variety of educational backgrounds and experiences in both the formal and non-formal sectors to use exemplary Environmental Education teaching methods. Participants will learn about a variety of teaching techniques, methods and instructional strategies, and the workshop will include multiple interactive components. This is a required workshop for all N.C. Environmental Education Certification candidates who enrolled in the program after Jan. 1, 2009, as Criteria I credit. This course may also count as credit for Continuing Education for those educators who are already certified.

The course, hosted by Amy Renfranz, director of education for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, will run Nov. 9-10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.

NOTE: The Basics of Environmental Education Independent Study is a prerequisite to the Methods of Teaching Environmental Education course for those wishing to earn their Environmental Educator Certification. The necessary course materials can be found here: https://www.eenorthcarolina.org/certification/program-requirements/basics-environmental-education.

About Our Environmental Educator Certification Programs
Join the staff of the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission for the opportunity to learn more and have fun, while earning your certification as an environmental education in North Carolina. We offer Criteria I, II and III programs.

These adult programs are free of charge, and admission to Grandfather Mountain is complimentary for those attending the course. The workshops will take place at high elevation (4,500+ feet) and will include some walking, so please bring appropriate footwear and be prepared for inclement weather. Participants are asked to bring their own lunch, but there is a restaurant on site in the park’s Nature Museum.

The participant limit for each workshop is 25 individuals. Upon registration, you will be sent detailed information on course meeting location and expectations.

https://www.facebook.com/events/2584767731561915/

Capture photos of your friends and family members enjoying the vivid hues of fall and enter them into our photo contest. We’ll use the winning entries on our website and Facebook album, and you’ll win some fun prizes. Photos must be taken within the Chimney Rock section of the Park.

No additional costs to enter.

The first-place winner will receive an overnight getaway to Hickory Nut Gorge with a stay at the Historic 1927 Lake Lure Inn & Spa, two passes to the Park, brunch for two at the Historic 1927 Lake Lure Inn & Spa and two tickets for a tour with Lake Lure Boat Tours.

The contest’s second-place winner will receive two passes to the Park, lunch for two at the Old Rock Cafe and two tickets for a tour with Lake Lure Boat Tours.

Chimney Rock’s Facebook followers will select the People’s Choice Award winner. Followers will have a week to like and share their favorite photo from an album of Winter Photo Contest entries posted on the Park’s Facebook page at facebook.com/chimneyrockparknc. The People’s Choice Award Winner will receive two passes to the Park, lunch for two at Old Rock Cafe and their photo will be featured on the Park’s Facebook page.

Shutterbugs interested in capturing Mother Nature’s wintry beauty can do so by entering Friday through Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the Park’s winter hours.

All entries must be submitted to [email protected] or to the Parks’ Facebook page through Facebook messenger.

https://www.facebook.com/events/453143675217439/?event_time_id=453143868550753

You adult child won’t speak to you? Find support through our weekly meetings, every Saturday, Sept. 7 – Nov. 9, 2019, 8:30 am to 9:45 am, at First Congregational Church Library, 1735 Fifth Avenue West.  It’s not about who’s right or wrong.  It’s about getting on with life.

Forty-five crafters of handmade arts come together to help you get started on your holiday shopping. Wide variety of crafts and gifts in all price ranges. Lunch and refreshments will be available.

Our Parents Morning Out program provides a safe nurturing environment for children to participate in a variety of organized activities, while giving parents a break. Each Parents Morning Out has a different theme. Open to children 12 months to 12 years, and occurs the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month. Sign up at the front desk.

https://www.facebook.com/events/640690433075829/?event_time_id=640690459742493

Looking to launch or expand your farming business?
Join this 200+ hour Farm Beginnings® Farmer Training Program!
www.organicgrowersschool.org/farm-beginnings

Many skills are required to start a successful farm: passion, clear goals, production experience, financial and marketing know-how, and more. The Farm Beginnings® class is a 12-month training session that helps beginning farmers clarify their goals and strengths, establish a strong enterprise plan and start building their operation. The course uses a mix of farmer-led classroom sessions, on-farm tours, and an extensive farmer network. Farm Beginnings® is designed for new and prospective farmers who want to plan a profitable farm business. Students do not need to currently own land, but some farming or production experience is helpful to get the most out of the class.

2019-2020 Farm Beginnings® Farmer Training is 200+ Hours including:
— Winter Whole-Farm Business Planning Courses – 60 hours (October – March)**
— ASAP’s Business of Farming Conference (February) – 8 hours
— OGS Conferences – 40+ hours
— Mentorship with an experienced Farmer Mentor (March – September) – 15 hours
— Production Training – 45 hours (April – October): WNC CRAFT tours on sustainable farms around WNC & Field Days at the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Incubator Farm and Living Web Farms
— One year WNC CRAFT Farmer Network membership – Membership and mentoring in a regional farmer network
**Location of Winter Sessions: Creekside Farm and Education Center at Walnut Cove at 339 Avery Creek Rd, Arden, NC 28704

https://www.facebook.com/events/624408214665085/?event_time_id=624408237998416

The Buncombe County Public Library system is supporting Asheville writers during National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) by offering quiet writing spaces, raffle prizes, and a NaNoWriMo NoMo’ party in early December.

NaNoWriMo is a writing challenge to write 50,000 words of a novel during the thirty days of November. It began in 1999 and is supported by an international nonprofit organization of the same name.

The Black Mountain Library, Leicester Library, Pack Library, North Asheville Library, South Buncombe Library, and West Asheville Library will all be offering quiet spaces for writers to work on their 50,000 word count goal throughout the month. Some branches will offer tea, coffee and snacks as well. The Pack Library Youth Services department will host a Teen Writer’s Café every Friday afternoon. “We wanted to have a space at a library in the county every day where a writer could come plug in their laptop or pull out their notebook and chip away at their word count with no interruptions,” Anna Booraem, Branch Manager of the South Buncombe Library, says.

Each time a writer comes to one of the library writing spaces to work on their novel in November, they will be entered into a raffle for prizes to be given away at the NanoWrimo NoMo’ party. The raffle prizes will include treats from local businesses, including Dynamite Coffee, as well as some official NaNoWriMo swag.

The NaNoWriMo NoMo’ party will be held at the Lord Auditorium in the Pack Library on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 2-3:30 pm. The party is for any writer who participated in NaNoWriMo. There will be food, activities and opportunities to meet other writers, as well as a “micro mic” that will give each writer a chance to read one paragraph from their novel to the group.

Qigong (alternatively spelled chi gung or chi kung) is a form of gentle exercise composed of movements that are repeated a number of times, often stretching the body, increasing fluid movement (blood, synovial and lymph) and building awareness of how the body moves through space.

The classes and the introduction to Qigong will be taught by Dr. John Akers.

Dr. Akers is a recently retired Wofford language professor and classical guitarist who has taught wellness classes at Wofford, the Spartanburg YMCA, and Zen Garden. Dr. Akers played and coached collegiate soccer, has practiced meditation over 40 years, and teaches a daily routine of yoga and core strengthening enhanced by Qigong energy play. Dr. Akers is also an avid golfer committed to carrying his own clubs, without a cart.

https://www.facebook.com/events/414684999313998/?event_time_id=414685095980655

Veterans, reservists, retired and active military personnel are our American heroes, and Chimney Rock would like to honor your service with a free visit to Chimney Rock State Park during November 9-11, 2019. Must present military ID or proof of service. Offer valid for veteran or active military member only not entire party.

https://www.facebook.com/events/363388437781260/

The community is invited to attend Voter ID Public Seminars. Beginning in 2020, voters will be required to provide photo identification before they vote. This includes both in-person and by-mail voting, with some exceptions. The Buncombe County Board of Elections is teaming up with the libraries to hold educational seminars about voter photo identification requirements. The seminars are free and open to the public.

Dates & locations:
Saturday, Nov. 9 at 10:30 am (Weaverville Library)
Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 2:00 pm (Black Mountain Library)
Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 6:30 pm (Leicester Library)
Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 6 pm (South Buncombe Library)

Since 2010 master scientific glass blower, Jason Probstein has been presenting live glassblowing demonstrations here at our art gallery.

And once again we are proud to announce that Jason will be blowing his unique Christmas ornaments and glass artworks here at Mountain Made gallery from now to December 23rd, 2019.

Jason will be demonstrating Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. He will also be blowing glass every Sunday from Noon to 2:00 PM.

We invite you come by Mountain Made for a fun, family-friendly event

This event at the Salvage Station celebrates art and craft from 30+ local makers. Come enjoy live music, food and beverages – and you can buy locally made, beautiful handcrafts from vendors that include community members as well as staff, students and ACS families! Parent and family teams from Asheville Primary, Claxton Elementary, Hall Fletcher Elementary, Ira B. Jones Elementary, Vance Elementary, Isaac Dickson Elementary, North Star, and Asheville Middle are joining in this year to make this a great community event that.

This event at the Salvage Station celebrates art and craft from local makers. Come enjoy live music, food and beverages – and you can buy locally made, beautiful handcrafts from vendors that include community members as well as staff, students and ACS families!

Parent and family teams from Claxton Elementary, Asheville Primary, Hall Fletcher Elementary, Ira B. Jones Elementary, Vance Elementary, Isaac Dickson Elementary, North Star and Asheville Middle are joining in this year to make this a great community event that supports our city’s public schools.

Our Vintner’s Table Food Truck is here for the season! Buy salads, cheese boards, our BRAND NEW lobster rolls and more to enjoy with Burntshirt Vineyards wine!

Saturday Hours: 12pm to 6pm
Sunday Hours: 12pm to 5pm

https://www.facebook.com/events/2430723993715642/?event_time_id=2430724077048967

The North Carolina Room at Pack Memorial Library and the Buncombe County Community Engagement Team will host two “History Harvests” as part of the Black Asheville History Project, a community led project to gather and preserve the stories and artifacts of Asheville and Buncombe County’s African American history.

Bring your personal collections for on-the-spot preservation and digitization. Materials such as scrapbooks, photos, letters, diaries, business papers and more will be scanned or photographed by library staff or volunteers and returned to you. History Harvests are a way to celebrate, share, and preserve African American community history for generations to come.

Please join us on Saturday November 9 or Saturday November 23 from 1-5pm. The events will be held on the lower floor of Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood Street in downtown Asheville, next to the Civic Center. Light refreshments will be served.

Join other community members to share stories in an “Ask your Elders” round table from 1-2 pm. Scanning will be done 2-5pm. Participants will leave with all of their items, plus a flash drive with digital copies of the material they donated to the harvest.

Have questions or want more information?  Visit or call the librarians at the North Carolina Room 828-250-4740.

Have you ever wondered what happens behind the “STAFF ONLY” doors at the Nature Center?

Now’s your chance to find out! Areas visited on the Wild Walk may* include the Small Mammal habitat, the Predator area, and the Animal Kitchen. Don’t miss out on this amazing up-close encounter with some of your favorite wildlife!

Part of the 2019 – 2020 Broadway Season. Learn more about subscribing: http://bit.ly/2J6KMcs.

“What a delight it is to enter the world of Once on This Island” raves The New York Times.

Winner of the 2018 Tony Award® for Best Revival Of A Musical, Once on This Island is the sweeping, universal tale of Ti Moune, a fearless peasant girl in search of her place in the world, and ready to risk it all for love. Guided by the mighty island gods, Ti Moune sets out on a remarkable journey to reunite with the man who has captured her heart.

The groundbreaking vision of two-time Tony Award® nominated director Michael Arden (Spring Awakening revival) and acclaimed choreographer Camille A. Brown (NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live) conjures up “a place where magic is possible and beauty is apparent for all to see!” (The Huffington Post). With a score that bursts with life from Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the Tony Award-winning songwriters of Anastasia and Ragtime, Once on This Island is a timeless testament to theater’s unlimited possibilities.

https://www.facebook.com/events/798832990478098/?event_time_id=798833003811430

Journey with us to Narnia, the iconic land of mystery and magic as we present The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The classic coming-of-age story by C.S. Lewis begins on a rainy afternoon when four children discover a wardrobe that transports them to this magical world. With every step they take into this new, fantastical land, the children must learn the difference between good and evil and how to stand up for what is right. Will the strength of goodness prevail in the face of cold, heartless evil? Find out in this fantasy adventure for the whole family!

The matinee performance will feature an all-American program including Sousa marches, ragtime, favorites from the Great American Songbook, American folk music, Copland’s Appalachian Spring and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.

Weiser has a Doctorate in Piano/Chamber Music from the Peabody Conservatory, where he studied with Samuel Sanders and Robert MacDonald and won the Richard Franko Goldman prize for outstanding contribution to musical and education life. He has performed on many great stages, including the Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and on the Dame Myra Hess Concert Series in Chicago.

Tickets go on sale:
08/07/2019
9:00 AM

Community Box Partner

Each month, we are honored to be a community partner to a local non-profit that is working to make Asheville a better place. Over the past year we have supported the following non-profits who are making a difference in our community: Pisgah Legal Services, Mountain Child Advocacy Center, Asheville City Schools Foundation, Helpmate, The Montford Players, Asheville Choral Society, Asheville Symphony, BeLoved, Food Connection, The Montford Neighborhood Association, Immediate Theatre Project, The Asheville Humane Society, Western North Carolina Aids Project, and Big Brothers, Big Sisters.

Great food in Montford and when diners leave donations for the Literacy Council, Chiesa will match up to $500!

Chiesa (Italian for church) is a quaint Italian restaurant featuring generations of family recipes, house-made pasta, and local ingredients. Located in the historic Montford neighborhood, Chiesa (pronounced kee-ay-sa) is housed in a building that has been at the center of the community for over one hundred years, serving as the local grocery store, then as a church, and since 2014, the neighborhood Italian restaurant. Our friendly staff welcomes all guests as family, providing a warm and comfortable atmosphere for both inside and patio dining (when weather permits).

About This Trip

Over 90,000 guests rode THE POLAR EXPRESS™ with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in 2018 and we hope to see you in 2019! The 1¼ hour round-trip excursion comes to life as the train departs the Bryson City depot for a journey through the quiet wilderness for a special visit at the North Pole. Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, guests on board will enjoy warm cocoa and a treat while listening and reading along with the magical story. Children’s faces show the magic of the season when the train arrives at the North Pole to find Santa Claus waiting. Santa will board THE POLAR EXPRESS™, greeting each child and presenting them with a special gift as in the story, their own silver sleigh bell. Christmas carols will be sung as they return back to the Bryson City Depot.

THE POLAR EXPRESS™ begins November 8, 2019, and operates through December 31, 2019.

Vanessa Collier received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Philadelphia Blues Society in July at the Briggs Farm Blues Festival.

Collier recently returned from a tour of Spain and Switzerland throughout the first part of October, after performing at the huge, three-day Big Blues Bender in Las Vegas this past September.

The young musician has risen quickly in the eyes of her peers, winning “Best Horn – Instrumentalist” at the 2019 (40th Annual) Blues Music Awards, the equivalent of the ‘Blues Grammys,’ this past May.

About This Trip

Over 90,000 guests rode THE POLAR EXPRESS™ with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in 2018 and we hope to see you in 2019! The 1¼ hour round-trip excursion comes to life as the train departs the Bryson City depot for a journey through the quiet wilderness for a special visit at the North Pole. Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, guests on board will enjoy warm cocoa and a treat while listening and reading along with the magical story. Children’s faces show the magic of the season when the train arrives at the North Pole to find Santa Claus waiting. Santa will board THE POLAR EXPRESS™, greeting each child and presenting them with a special gift as in the story, their own silver sleigh bell. Christmas carols will be sung as they return back to the Bryson City Depot.

THE POLAR EXPRESS™ begins November 8, 2019, and operates through December 31, 2019.

Join us at the final event in our year-long celebration of Fairview Library’s 20th Anniversary year. This special evening will be filled with performances by David Holt and Zoe & Cloyd, and MC-d by Fairview’s own Becky and Pat Stone. Memories will be shared, fun stories will be told, and community will be had. This event is free, but tickets are required due to limited seating! While all tickets have been claimed, some are being returned. To inquire about ticket availability, contaact Fairview Library at  (828) 250-6484.

Hailing from opposite ends of the Appalachian mountains, Zoe & Cloyd is renowned fiddler and vocalist Natalya Zoe Weinstein and award-winning songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist John Cloyd Miller. Their show is as diverse as their upbringing: coming from a lineage of klezmer and jazz musicians, Natalya trained classically in her home state of Massachusetts before moving south in 2004. John, a twelfth generation North Carolinian and grandson of pioneering bluegrass fiddler, Jim Shumate, is a 1st place winner of the prestigious Chris Austin Songwriting Contest as well as an Artist Fellowship recipient for songwriting from the North Carolina Arts Council.

Four-time Grammy Award winner David Holt is a musician, storyteller, historian, television host and entertainer, dedicated to performing and preserving traditional American music and stories. Holt plays ten acoustic instruments and has released numerous award winning recordings of traditional mountain music and southern folktales.

Sit back if you dare as we illuminate Asheville’s darkest history with astonishing stories of spirits & spies, ghosts & goblins, hauntings & hoodlums and mountain-made murder & mayhem.

Hear stories of . . .

The legendary PINK LADY at the Grove Park Inn
The GHOST of Church Street
The 1936 UNSOLVED MURDER that shook Asheville
The CHILD SPIRITS at the haunted hospital
The architect walled into his own church!
The KILLING SPREE of 1906
NAZI AGENTS based in Asheville
ARSON at hospital that claimed Zelda Fitzgerald

Tour Duration: Approximately 75 minutes

Departure Point: Pack’s Tavern,  20 South Spruce Street in Downtown Asheville

Parking: Free first-come-first served parking is available after 5PM at a City of Asheville parking lot located 1/2 block south of Pack’s Tavern on Marjorie Street.  Paid parking is available approximately 1 block north of Pack’s Tavern at  164 College Street.

RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED!  “Walk-ups” without reservations will be accommodated on a space available basis.

We Hope you’ll be possessed to join us!

orn and raised in Brooklyn, NY, King Princess is a vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter. The product of a musical family, she spent much of her childhood tinkering on the vintage Neve board in her father’s Brooklyn studio, learning guitar and piano along the way. Her 2018 debut single, an ode to untold queer histories titled “1950,” became an overnight smash hit with over 200 million streams to date. The song has achieved Gold status in the United States, Canada and Norway and is Platinum in Australia. Her debut EP, Make My Bed, marked the first release for Mark Ronson’s Zelig Records and was released to critical acclaim from Rolling Stone, Complex, Refinery29, Billboard, Highsnobiety, Interview and Vogue among others. Since, King Princess has graced the covers of V Magazine, The Ingenue, Jalouse and The Travel Almanac. She’s played sold out shows across North America and Europe with festival debuts at Coachella, Glastonbury, Governors Ball, Bonnaroo, Boston Calling and many more. King Princess’ debut album, Cheap Queen, is set for release this year.