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.

Are you curious about how paper is made? Wondering what you would do with a stack of handmade paper after you create the sheets? Register for this two-day workshop and learn how to make paper and make your own book. The workshop includes a tour of the exhibition Pulp Potential to discuss creative concepts and be inspired by the works on view. Participants will take home handmade paper and books, a reference hand-out, and the skills to continue on with the craft.

About the Instructor

Alyssa Sacora (she/her) is a crafts person exploring paper making, book arts, basketry, and natural dyes with locally available plants. She encourages reciprocal relationships between people and plants through teaching hands-on workshops at her studio, The Patchwork Underground, in Fairview, North Carolina. Guided by tradition and curiosity, Alyssa is finding ways to create a sustainable art practice that takes care of the soil, minimizes resource use, and inspires others to do the same in their own way.

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.

The “One Singular Sensation,” A Chorus Line, is coming to Flat Rock Playhouse for the first time and we are thrilled to share this award-winning musical with everyone! A Chorus Line is a celebration of those unsung heroes of the American Musical Theatre: the chorus dancers. The show follows 17 would-be dancers in their quest to make the cut for a new Broadway Musical. One by one, the dancers come forward to share the stories of their lives, giving it their all and putting themselves on the line to make the cut. Only eight will remain. Capturing the spirit, tension, and hope of an audition, A Chorus Line is the musical for everyone who’s ever had a dream and put it all out there to make it come true!

A Chorus Line once held the record as the longest running show on Broadway with over 6000 performances, and heralds nine Tony® Awards including Best Musical, Best Director and Best Choreographer, as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Conceived and Originally Directed and Choreographed by Michael Bennett. Book by James Kirkwood & Nicholas Dante, Music by Marvin Hamlisch, Lyrics by Edward Kleban. Co-Choreographed by Bob Avian. Original Broadway production produced by the New York Shakespeare Festival, Joseph Papp, Producer, in association with Plum Productions, Inc.

Mark your calendars for August 5th from 3-8pm. Come taste, learn, play, and help us cultivate a thriving community rooted in love for the land. Together, let’s celebrate the bountiful harvest of life and the magic that happens when we all Take Root.

Join us for a delightful day of family-friendly fun and a celebration of all things farm-tastic at the Take Root Festival! Come immerse yourself in the vibrant world of gardens and community as we gather at the picturesque Root Cause Farm. With rolling green pastures, blooming flowers, and a thriving community, this is an event you won’t want to miss! We’ll have food trucks, live music, local business representatives, flower bouquets, farm tours, beer and cider, and more!

As a fundraiser, your participation directly supports our farm’s mission to promote sustainable agriculture, community engagement, and feed our community at no-cost. By attending the Take Root Festival, you’re helping us grow a brighter, healthier future for generations to come!

PAN HARMONIA is Asheville, NC’s award-winning chamber music repertory company. Created and directed by flutist Kate Steinbeck, it has been nationally recognized for its artistic excellence and creative vision for over two decades.

Luminous ensembles of winds, strings, voice, guitar, harp, harpsichord, piano and percussion perform a wide range of repertoire from iconic masterpieces to beautiful new works, spanning the world from the Renaissance to the Now.

PAN HARMONIA shares its world-class music widely. Its musicians love playing for diverse audiences of all ages throughout the community – in art galleries, historic churches, prisons, homeless shelters and front porches. We believe social justice and arts access go hand-in-hand.

The Magnetic Theatre presents its 4th Annual One Act
Festival. The festival will take place over two weekends with a Best of the Fest closing show
chosen entirely by the audience.
The process began with an open call for plays. A team of readers poured through hundreds of
submissions to select a group of plays that varied in theme, subject matter, and style. The result?
A two-weekend extravaganza featuring 24 playwrights, 17 directors, and 70+ actors, all working
to bring a kaleidoscope of stories to Asheville!
The featured playwrights are as varied and wonderful as the pieces they submitted, and the group
includes local authors and writers from around the country – and Japan! But that’s not all…for
the first time this year, The Magnetic is partnering with The Moppets (a local company focused
on teen performance and writing) to produce one of this year’s short plays.
One act plays present a unique opportunity and a clear path for developing playwrights to hone
their craft and get their work seen by a larger audience. Past One Act Play Festival participants
have since been inducted into The Magnetic Theatre’s New Play Development Program and/or
taken part in our Main Stage Season.
The Festival will run August 4-13, 2023: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 4pm
and 7:30pm, and Sundays at 4pm. There will be two shows, a Show A and a Show B, which will
run from August 4-12, 2023, with the August 13th performance being a Best of the Fest show
featuring audience voted favorites from both Show A and B! Be sure to come out and vote for
your favorites.
To purchase tickets, visit: https://themagnetictheatre.org/2023-mainstage-season. All sales
directly benefit the production and continuation of local theatre and the local artists that make it
possible.

Bender Gallery is honored to present My Soul: Mexican Surrealism with a Japanese Heart, the first solo exhibition in the US of Japanese Mexican artist, Yui Sakamoto. Sakamoto paints large colorful and highly detailed dream-like works, carrying forward the rich history of Surrealism in Mexico. With his unique dual heritage, Sakamoto seamlessly blends themes and iconography from Japanese culture, Mexican folk art, pre-Columbian artifacts, and current cultural references. Sakamoto’s work is nothing short of amazing and Bender Gallery is proud to showcase it in the US. The exhibition runs from Saturday August 5 through August 26. There will be an opening reception on August 5 from 5-8 PM. We hope you will be able to attend!

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

The Montford Moppets Youth Shakespeare Company presents William Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth” at Hazel Robinson Amphitheater.
* 5pm Thursday, August 3
* 5pm Friday, August 4
* 11am & 5pm Saturday, August 5
* 11am & 5pm Sunday, August 6
Experience Shakespeare’s classic tragedy like never before! Our talented young actors bring the story of power, ambition, and betrayal to life with passion and energy in a beautiful outdoor amphitheater. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this unforgettable theatrical event!

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

The Embers helped define beach music for generations. Join us on the mountain for a taste of the beach this August! Be sure to wear your dancing shoes!
For more information, visit: https://theembersband.net/
NO COOLERS
NO OUTSIDE ALCOHOL
SEATING IS AVAILABLE, BUT YOU MAY BRING YOUR OWN CHAIR. SPACE FOR PERSONAL CHAIRS IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE.
GATES OPEN AT 5:00PM

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

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

Saturday, August 5: Cherokee language concert featuring Cherokee Nation musicians who contributed to the groundbreaking 2022 compilation album Anvdvnelisgi (ᎠᏅᏛᏁᎵᏍᎩ). Doors open at 6pm, concert begins at 7pm.

Performers:

• Aaron Hale (Psychedelic Singer/Songwriter)
• Agalisiga Mackey (Country)
• Austin Markham (Pop)
• Colby Luper (Metal)
• Desi & Cody (Rock)
• IIA (Pop)
• Kalyn Fay (Folk/Americana)
• Medicine Horse (Metal)
• Monica Taylor (Folk/Americana)
• Ken Pomeroy (Alternative Folk)
• Travis Fite (Reggae)
• Zebadiah Nofire (Hip-Hop)

Join us at Appalachian Mountain Brewery Taproom and Kitchen for live music with J.J Hipps and The Hideaway.
J.J Hipps and The Hideaway is a three-piece electric blues band out of Lenoir, North Carolina. With a rock steady rhythm section, J.J. Hipps’s lead guitar soars into the stratosphere with sonic influences from Stevie Ray Vaughan and Freddie King, and vocals ranging from the howls of a hurt man, to the love struck crooning of Elvis.

Bascom Lamar Lunsford founded the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival as a means for people to share and understand the beauty and dignity of the Southern Appalachian music, dance and storytelling traditions that have been handed down through generations in Western North Carolina.  He saw the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival grow to be the oldest gathering of its kind in the nation and it continues in this way, a platform for the talented of the high country lying between the Great Smoky and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Come celebrate the 96th Anniversary of the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival! Doors open each night at 6:00pm with performances starting promptly at 7:00pm. Bonus!  Youth Talent Celebration, August 5, 2023, 2-4:00pm

2023 TICKET PRICES

Advanced Purchase through August 4, 2023:

Adults $20.00, Students & Children (12 years & Under) $5.00, 3-night package $50.00, Group (10 or more) $15.00/person.

At the Door:

Adults $25.00, Students $10.00, Children (6-12 years) $5.00, 3-night package $50.00, Group (10 or more) $20.00/person

Bat Boy: The Musical

Book by: Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming; Music and Lyrics by: Laurence O’Keefe

A rock musical, Bat Boy: The Musical expands on a June 23, 1992 Weekly World News tabloid story about a bat boy – half-boy, half-bat – found in a cave and forced into society. The musical – at turns both haunting and hilarious – deals with themes of racism and revenge, hypocrisy and forgiveness. This darkly quirky, compelling musical is not to be missed!

Content Warning: Bat Boy: the Musical contains violence, drug use, and sexual references. Viewer discretion is advised.

Accessibility:

All performances: Accessible wheelchair/scooter seating available.

Saturday, Aug 5, 2023: ASL-Interpreted Performance

World-renowned violist, Brevard alumnus, and President of the Curtis Institute Roberto Díaz joins Maestro Ken Lam in a performance of Bright Sheng’s brand new viola concerto written exclusively for Mr. Díaz. The program continues with two orchestral showpieces that feature every member of the orchestra in this rousing season finale for the Brevard Sinfonia.

PERFORMANCE & ARTIST DETAILS
Brevard Sinfonia
Ken Lam, conductor
Roberto Diaz, viola

BRIGHT SHENG Of Time and Love – Concerto for Viola and Orchestra
FRANZ LISZT Les Préludes
RICHARD STRAUSS Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks

Auditorium seating is reserved.  Lawn seating is general admission.

Written by Honor Moor
Directed by David Doersch
The second World Premiere of the season, Treasure Island is a new take on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of buccaneers and buried gold, from local playwright Honor Moor. Fun for the whole family!

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

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

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

The Magnetic Theatre presents its 4th Annual One Act
Festival. The festival will take place over two weekends with a Best of the Fest closing show
chosen entirely by the audience.
The process began with an open call for plays. A team of readers poured through hundreds of
submissions to select a group of plays that varied in theme, subject matter, and style. The result?
A two-weekend extravaganza featuring 24 playwrights, 17 directors, and 70+ actors, all working
to bring a kaleidoscope of stories to Asheville!
The featured playwrights are as varied and wonderful as the pieces they submitted, and the group
includes local authors and writers from around the country – and Japan! But that’s not all…for
the first time this year, The Magnetic is partnering with The Moppets (a local company focused
on teen performance and writing) to produce one of this year’s short plays.
One act plays present a unique opportunity and a clear path for developing playwrights to hone
their craft and get their work seen by a larger audience. Past One Act Play Festival participants
have since been inducted into The Magnetic Theatre’s New Play Development Program and/or
taken part in our Main Stage Season.
The Festival will run August 4-13, 2023: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 4pm
and 7:30pm, and Sundays at 4pm. There will be two shows, a Show A and a Show B, which will
run from August 4-12, 2023, with the August 13th performance being a Best of the Fest show
featuring audience voted favorites from both Show A and B! Be sure to come out and vote for
your favorites.
To purchase tickets, visit: https://themagnetictheatre.org/2023-mainstage-season. All sales
directly benefit the production and continuation of local theatre and the local artists that make it
possible.

Featuring 80z Nation, Rubik’s Cubes, 80s photo props, raffle prizes and silent auction-proceeds donated to Greenville Shriners Hospital.

The “One Singular Sensation,” A Chorus Line, is coming to Flat Rock Playhouse for the first time and we are thrilled to share this award-winning musical with everyone! A Chorus Line is a celebration of those unsung heroes of the American Musical Theatre: the chorus dancers. The show follows 17 would-be dancers in their quest to make the cut for a new Broadway Musical. One by one, the dancers come forward to share the stories of their lives, giving it their all and putting themselves on the line to make the cut. Only eight will remain. Capturing the spirit, tension, and hope of an audition, A Chorus Line is the musical for everyone who’s ever had a dream and put it all out there to make it come true!

A Chorus Line once held the record as the longest running show on Broadway with over 6000 performances, and heralds nine Tony® Awards including Best Musical, Best Director and Best Choreographer, as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Conceived and Originally Directed and Choreographed by Michael Bennett. Book by James Kirkwood & Nicholas Dante, Music by Marvin Hamlisch, Lyrics by Edward Kleban. Co-Choreographed by Bob Avian. Original Broadway production produced by the New York Shakespeare Festival, Joseph Papp, Producer, in association with Plum Productions, Inc.

“You all are just spreading the Love when it’s so needed… sublime, classic acoustic marimba music at its best! Dumi would be so proud of you guys.”

— Jan Maraire (wife of the late Dumi Maraire, founder of Zimbabwean marimba music in North America)

“I think what makes Polyphony Marimba music addictive, beautiful and unique is the care, the love and time that was invested in making the music. But, the most important ingredient that they added is innovation!”

—Ignatius Mabasa, Zimbabwe Herald

Peter & Karyna Swing formed Polyphony Marimba in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2010, in the spirit of the original format transmitted to Peter from Zimbabwean master musician Dumi Maraire. Peter studied with Dumi in the late 1980’s and has worked full time since then teaching marimba ensembles, building marimbas, and founding several bands playing this joyous and deep music from Zimbabwe. Polyphony Marimba is the apex and fulfillment of that experience.

Polyphony Marimba recruits the finest marimba players in the nation; young people who have grown up playing Zimbabwean music, and who have the energy and talent to play six nights a week during their summer tours. The nine-piece ensemble includes Peter and Karyna, Jesse Larson and David Onstott from Santa Fe, Adam Halpin of Spokane, DeeDee and Tessa Wells of Joplin, Missouri, Branson Seamons from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and Conrad Rice from Eugene, Oregon.

Polyphony Marimba is devoted to being authentic to its Zimbabwean roots, presenting beloved traditional songs with passion and precision. And they add unique branches of their own, creating new songs stemming from their own powerful music backgrounds. Now embarking on their seventh national tour, this vision is carefully honed and deepened by playing every day in many different contexts, from New York City parks to Chicago farmer’s markets, from St Louis clubs to busking in Washington DC and performing on the main stage at the annual Zimbabwean Music Festival.

Polyphony Marimba further polishes their sound through first-rate studio recordings. They are currently at work on their fourth album, which includes guest vocalists recorded in Zimbabwe. They have sold thousands of CDs and have many fans around the world, including Zimbabwe itself. Their debut recording was reviewed in the main newspaper there by Ignatius Mabasa, who was pleasantly surprised when, as he says, “it knocked my socks off”!

• Visit the POLYPHONY MARIMBA Website

• Listen to the music of POLYPHONY MARIMBA

• View Videos

Back by popular demand, we’re hosting a late Summer Stargazing event with our friend and astronomer Stephan Martin here on the farm!

Bring your blanket or camp chair, come grab a bottle of wine at the Farm Store, break out the ‘nocs and sit back and stare at the glory of the night sky surrounded by our gorgeous grounds cradled in the mountains of WNC.

Constellations like Sagittarius, Aquila or Corona Australis will be visible at this time of year, as well as the Perseids Meteor Shower! If the light is just right, y’all may catch a falling star.

Notes for attendees: 

• Bring picnic blankets, camp chairs or sit-upons for your comfort.
• This activity will be outside under the night sky- make sure you have comfortable shoes to move from one area to the other, and you’ve dressed for the temperature.
• If you don’t have a flashlight on your phone, bring one to be sure of your footing.
• You’re welcome to bring a spyglass or telescope if you have one.
• Some stargazing maps and references will be provided.
• Outside alcohol is not permitted, but our Farm Store will be open during this event if you want to get beer, wine, sodas, sweets or savory snacks to enjoy!

Featured Speakers & Guides:

Stephan Martin

Cost: $10/person OR 4 for $35

6 years and under are free, providing the late hour is not past their bedtime!