he Hendersonville Merchants and Business Association is proud to sponsor this year’s parade, which guarantees to be a highlight of the summer season.

The 4^th of July parade will kick off at 10:30 AM, with parade entries lining up at 9:00 – 9:30 AM on Main Street, south of Caswell. We encourage all participants to visit the Hendersonville Merchants and Business Association website for additional information and parade entry applications at www.nchmba.com.

To ensure a smooth event experience, no parking will be allowed along the parade route on Main Street after 6:00 AM. Main Street will be closed at approximately 9:00 AM, with the avenues remaining open until 15 minutes before the parade begins. We appreciate the community’s cooperation in adhering to these closures, which will help create a safe and fun environment for all attendees. Nearby paid parking is available in the City’s parking deck at the corner of 5th Avenue and Church with more information available at www.hvlnc.gov/parking.

While normally we understand Downtown is pet friendly, we kindly ask that parade attendees leave their furry friends safely and comfortably at home. This will ensure the well-being and comfort of all participants during the parade. The same request applies to the July 4^th Celebration Concert and festivities, which take place later in the day.

To view a map with street closures, please see the Independence Day Parade Map.

“Shine and Dine” on the railway! We cordially invite you to hop on board The Carolina Shine, GSMR’s All-Adult First Class Moonshine Car! We will be proudly serving hand crafted, triple-distilled, craft moonshine. Some of the smoothest tasting moonshine in the Carolinas! Offered on the Nantahala Gorge excursion, this shine and dine experience begins in a renovated First Class train fleet car, The Carolina Shine. The interior features copper lined walls filled with the history of moonshining in North Carolina. Learn about the proud tradition that the Appalachians established when bootlegging was an acceptable way of life and local home brews were the best in town. Read about Swain County’s very own Major Redmond, the most famous mountain moonshine outlaw of the 19th century. Once your appetite for knowledge is satisfied, enjoy sample tastings of flavors like Apple Pie, Blackberry, Blueberry, Cherry, Peach, and Strawberry moonshine. If the samples are not enough, there will be plenty of Moonshine infused cocktails like Copper Cola or Moonshiner’s Mimosa available for purchase. GSMR is excited to feature multiple craft NC based distilleries to serve our guests only the best! Each jar is handcrafted and authentically infused with real fruit, the way moonshine was meant to be made. Passengers will also enjoy a full service All-Adult First Class ride with an attendant and our popular Cajun seasoned Pulled Pork BBQ with Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce cooked in our special spices and slow roasted to perfection! During the month of October, 9am departures will feature the option of a delicious Cheesy Shrimp & Grits or Cheesy Ham Hash Brown Casserole while 2pm departures will be served the popular BBQ meal.

Black Mountain College and Mexico (BMC/MX): Exhibition, Publication, and Public Programming

Black Mountain College (1933–1957), a small but remarkably influential liberal arts school in rural North Carolina, had important links to Mexico that until now have been little investigated. A crucible of twentieth-century creativity, BMC galvanized and inspired artists and intellectuals from around the world, while Mexico’s innovations and age-old traditions—in fine and applied arts, architecture, poetry, music, performance, and more—dovetailed with, and indeed drove, global impulses toward modernism and beyond. Among the many key BMC figures whose lives were importantly touched by experiences in Mexico were Anni and Josef Albers, Ruth Asawa, John Cage, Jean Charlot, Elaine de Kooning, Buckminster Fuller, Carlos Mérida, Robert Motherwell, Charles Olson, Clara Porset, M.C. Richards, and Aaron Siskind. In turn, engagements with BMC and its legacy have played a significant role in shaping contemporary approaches to art in Mexico, evident in the works of Jorge Méndez Blake, Iñaki Bonillas, Abraham Cruzvillegas, Jose Dávila, Gerda Gruber, Lake Verea, Gabriel Orozco, and Damián Ortega, among others.

The exhibition BMC/MX features works by these and other prominent contemporary Mexican artists alongside a selection of historic works by BMC artists, highlighting the ways in which ideas and modalities are translated across materials, space, and time.

Related programming, planned in collaboration with Mexican artists, features a series of public events, including a performance by artist (and BMC/MX co-curator) David Miranda to take place at Different Wrld; an exhibition visit (in Spanish and English) with BMC/MX Project Director Eric Baden; and a series of experiential art events in the BMCM+AC library.

The exhibition is accompanied by the book Black Mountain College and Mexico (forthcoming late summer 2023), which investigates the people, ideas, and practices linking BMC and Mexico during the life of the school, as well as resonances between BMC and the work of contemporary Mexican artists. With contributions by BMC/MX’s curators, as well as by artist Abraham Cruzvillegas, design scholar Ana Elena Mallet, and author and activist Margaret Randall, this fully illustrated volume brings new light to this complex and underexplored subject.

BMC/MX is an investigation into modes of communication—the arenas in which new ideas and alliances may come to be—between Black Mountain College and Mexico, between past and present, between form and idea.

About the Curators

BMC/MX’s Project Director Eric Baden is a photographer and from 1994 to 2022 was professor of photography at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, North Carolina. He is the founding director of photo+, a multidisciplinary arts event held in Asheville, North Carolina.

Artist and educator David Miranda is curator at the Museo Experimental El Eco (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM), and teaches at the Escuela Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado “La Esmeralda” in Mexico City.

Diana Stoll is an editor, writer and curator who works with institutions such as The Museum of Modern Art and the J. Paul Getty Museum. She has served as an editor at Aperture and Artforum magazines, and contributes writings to prominent arts publications.

Included with admission

Back by popular demand, The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad exhibition offers guests:

• An opportunity to view rarely-seen treasures from the Biltmore collection
• A first-hand look at the Vanderbilts’ lifestyle
• Deeper insights into George, Edith, and Cornelia’s personalities, both at home and on their extensive travels

Access to exhibitions at The Biltmore Legacy is included with Biltmore daytime admission.

Downtown Waynesville will have the traditional Kids Parade at 11:00am and conclude with a patriotic concert by the Haywood Community Band at 2:00PM. Registration for the parade begins at 10:00AM Kids are invited to the Court House lawn to decorate bicycles, roller skates, scooters, skateboards , wagons and strollers for the patriotic parade along Main Street that ends with an ice cream social at the First Baptist Church. Face painting, special characters, kids activities, live music and entertainment.

No fireworks in downtown Waynesville, but see them nearby in Maggie Valley and Lake Junaluska.

Gather bathing suits and sunscreen, Buncombe County’s outdoor pools are getting ready to open. The County’s five outdoor pools will open for the 2023 season on May 27. This includes the pools at Cane Creek, Erwin, Hominy Valley, North Buncombe, and Owen.

Outdoor pools will be open on weekends only until area schools are out for the summer. Starting on June 10, Pools will be open seven days a week.

Pool hours are Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Cost for pool entry is $3 per person.

Private lessons at the outdoor pools are available for different age groups from 3-year-olds and up. For more information on lessons or to register for a class, click here.

The pools can also be booked for private parties 14 days in advance and must have a minimum of 50 patrons. Pool bookings are available Monday through Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 6:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Click here for more information on booking pools.

Buncombe County Pool Locations:

• Cane Creek Pool – 590 Lower Brush Creek Road, Fletcher
• Erwin Pool – 58 Lees Creek Road, Asheville
• Hominy Valley Pool – 25 Twin Lakes Road, Candler
• North Buncombe Pool – 734 Clarks Chapel Road, Weaverville
• Owen Pool – 117 Stone Drive, Swannanoa

In addition, lap swimming is available year-round at the Buncombe County Schools Aquatics Center, a 10-lane pool managed by the YMCA of Western North Carolina and Buncombe County Schools.

For more information on outdoor pools, visit the County’s pool website or call (828) 348-4770.

🇺🇸 Tomorrow is the day! 🇺🇸

Join us on the mountain for some delicious wines, jams from The Showboat Band, and grilled hamburgers and hot dogs! 🍔🌭🍷
Entry and parking are free – come ready to enjoy the day and celebrate with us!

OPEN 12-9pm
Music from 2:30-5:30pm

#pointlookoutvineyards #ncwines #hendersonvillenc #livemusicnc #fourthofjulync

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

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

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

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

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

Know Before You Go

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

Free ice cream and watermelon, ducky derby-$3 for a duck, music by Possum Creek 2-4 p.m., parade 4 p.m., Ruritan Club serving hamburgers and hot dogs as a fundraiser. 

Join us for a relaxing ride through quiet countryside on your way to small town life in western North Carolina on the Tuckasegee River Excursion. Departing from Bryson City, this 4 hour excursion travels 32 miles round-trip to Dillsboro and back to the Bryson City Depot. Pass by the famous movie set of The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford!

The Tuckasegee (tuck-uh-SEE-jee) River Excursion includes an 1 hour and 20 minute layover in the historic town of Dillsboro, where you’ll find more than 50 shops, restaurants, a brewery, and country inns. There is time to shop, snack, and visit the many unique shops before returning to Bryson City.

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

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

Come out toaka ‘The Orchard’ to watch the
Hendersonville Honeycrisps defend their 2022 Western Division title in The Old North State League. You are bound to see great
plays & big hits while you and your family make memories and are entertained at the ball park! $10, Season runs through July 30th,
Click here for the full schedule: https://www.hendersonvillehoneycrisps.com/schedule

Celebrate Independence Day with Patriotic Pops at Brevard Music Center. Hear the Brevard Symphonic Winds joined by the Seraph Brass as they perform inspirational American music, traditional Sousa marches, and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture complete with the sounds of live cannon!

PERFORMANCE & ARTIST DETAILS
Brevard Symphonic Winds
Kraig Alan Williams, conductor
Seraph Brass

PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY 1812 Overture
Program to include traditional patriotic favorites

Auditorium seating is reserved.  Lawn seating is general admission.

Mars Hill July 4th Celebration: 3 p.m. on Athletic Street, in and around football stadium. Music, food trucks, inflatables, trackless train ride. Fireworks 9:30 p.m.

Brick Oven Pizzeria- Family Fun Night- Special Event

Beech Mountain Resort- Fourth of July Celebration with Live Music from Sam Collie & The Roustabouts

The Ingles Independence Day Celebration returns to Downtown Asheville’s Pack Square Park on Tuesday, July 4. This event is produced by the Asheville Downtown Association (ADA) in partnership with the City of Asheville. The free event features The Ultimate Air Dogs, live music, local food and craft beverages, and a fireworks extravaganza.

ULTIMATE AIR DOGS
The fun-filled day starts off with crowd favorite The Ultimate Air Dogs. Watch as the talented pups fly off the dock in a competition to see who can jump the furthest. Competitions take place at 1pm and 3pm. Think your dog has what it takes? No experience is necessary and your dog can jump too. Pre-registration is required to jump. Find more information here.

**Pets are only allowed in the Air Dogs area and not throughout the rest of the event. This is a City of Asheville ordinance.

LIVE MUSIC
4:30-5:15 Phantom Panton
5:30-6:15 Hit Dogs
7:00-9:00 Red Clay Revival

EATS & DRINKS
Food and beverage sales open at 5pm. Brews from locals Sierra Nevada, French Broad Brewing, Flat Rock Cider Company, as well as brews from Lagunitas, Sam Adams, Foothills Brewing, and wine from Noble Vines will be available for purchase. Water and other drinks will also be available for purchase.

Sylva July 4: 5-10 p.m. in downtown Sylva. Music at 6:30 p.m. in Bridge Park, fireworks about 9:45 p.m.

Great news for poets and poetry lovers: Dark City Poet’s Society is returning to the Black Mountain Library. DCPS is a completely free poetry group that is open to poets of all ages and experience levels. Join us at the Black Mountain Library from 6-7:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month for our (respectful) critique group. DCPS will meet at BAD Craft from 6-7 p.m. on the third Tuesday for our monthly open mic Poetry Night. Find out more on Instagram @darkcitypoetssociety or contact the Black Mountain Library.

Anything That Rolls’ parade—skaters, bicycles, skateboards welcome and not required to pre-register. Fox and Company performs at 6:30 p.m. Fireworks 9:30 p.m.

We are honored to host the Asheville Community Hoop and Flow Arts Jam in Pritchard Park, located in the heart of our beloved city. This event began in 2008 and we are honored and thrilled to bring you this FREE event open to all ages and all levels of experience! Asheville Hoops provides jammin’ tunes, demo props for all to use and a positive event that promotes movement, creativity, dance and FUN!

This year, celebrate Independence Day with your family, friends, guests, and the Swannanoa Valley Museum on a 1.5-mile, moderate hike to the peak of Sunset Mountain. Here, Museum guests will enjoy an old-fashioned watermelon cutting, and then stay to watch the sun set and the fireworks explode over the town of Black Mountain. Over snacks, hike leaders will share the history and vintage photographs of this most historic place.

Difficulty Rating: Moderate, 3 miles

Meet: Black Mountain Savings Bank, 200 East State Street, Black Mountain, NC 28711
Meet Time: 7:00 PM
Estimated Return Time: 11:00 PM

Bring: A flash light or headlamp (required), dinner or snacks, water for the hike, drinks, poncho or rain gear (just in case), camera, bug spray, and warm clothes or blankets (it can get chilly after dark even in July) in a pack to keep your hands free while hiking. You are also welcome to bring small coolers and folding chairs. Be sure to wear hiking boots or closed toe walking shoes. The Museum’s team will transport coolers and chairs up the mountain and will provide watermelon.

Please Note: Only ages 10 and up are allowed to attend this event. Babies and toddlers may not attend due to the difficulty of the hike. We have special permission to hike on private property and cannot allow pets. Also, there are no bathrooms on the mountain – just the surrounding woods.

Few Independence Day images are as iconically American as a community band playing on the village green. From the legendary Sousa Band to talented amateur ensembles, symphonic bands have tackled instrumental repertoire ranging from stirring marches to orchestral transcriptions to celebrate our national holiday.

Located right across the street from Black Mountain’s picturesque Town Square, the patio of the White Horse Black Mountain is a prime vantage point for viewing the town’s firework display following a rafter-raising, soul-stirring concert by the Land of the Sky Symphonic Band on Tuesday, July 4.

Founded in 1990 as a way of reuniting Enka High School alumni with their band director, the community band is the result of the high level of interest area residents had in being part of a wind ensemble like they played in in college and high school.

Through many changes of membership and directors, a core group persevered, raising standards by remaining small and choosing members by invitation or audition. Today, the Land of the Sky Symphonic Band is a 43-piece ensemble made up of skilled amateur and professional musicians.

David Wilken, the current musical director, is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University. He earned his master of music in jazz studies from DePaul University and his doctor of arts in trombone performance from Ball State University. He’s held teaching positions at several colleges and universities and is currently an instructor of music at Western Carolina University.

Food trucks and music throughout evening. Park at Estes Elementary School, 275 Overlook Road, across from lake. Free. Daytime shuttle 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Leave pets at home.