Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
- Hop on board the Holly Jolly Christmas Trolley for a fun and festive celebration of the season featuring the sights and soundsof the holidays!
- This seasonal favorite features an entertaining blend of holiday storytelling and traditional Christmas caroling. Enjoy stories of local lore and holiday traditions, then join-in with our on-board musician singing classic carols and songs of Christmas. And all the while the Holly Jolly Trolley is rolling past festive holiday decorations in downtown Asheville, Biltmore Village and the Montford and Grove Park neighborhoods.
Named for two years by Explore Asheville as one of the top 5 events in the Swannanoa Valley at Christmas, you are invited to come experience 25 Christmas trees that bring joy to the whole community. The public is invited to view the trees and then vote with money for their favorite tree. Every cent raised through Deck The Trees goes to the Fuel Fund for Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry. Be a part of creating something beautiful that also gives back to the community. Prizes are awarded for the tree that raises the most money and for the tree that most represents the theme.
Calendar of Events:
Dec. 6, 2019 – Jan. 6, 2020
Visit Deck The Trees from 10 AM to 9 PM
Dec. 9, 4:30 – 7:00 PM
Photos and a Visit with Santa Claus
$15.00 per photo
Dec. 10, 2:00 to 4:00 PM
Deck The Tree Christmas Tea with Highland Farms
January 6, 2020 6:00 to 8:00
A Final Celebration
-Which tree most represents the theme?
-Which tree raised the most money for the Fuel Fund for Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry?
Experience Asheville’s BRIGHTEST holiday tradition at Winter Lights at The North Carolina Arboretum. Open nightly November 22, 2019 – January 4, 2020, from 6 to 10 p.m. Walk through an outdoor winter wonderland and see the Arboretum’s gardens and landscapes dressed in more than half-a-million holiday lights. Listen to the sounds of your favorite holiday tunes or enjoy a cup of holiday-inspired cocoa, cider or beer.
$18-$8. See website for tickets and specials.
Specials
Friends & Family Discount Night – Tuesdays
Tickets are reduced to $15 for adults and $10 for children. Arboretum members receive an additional $2 off each ticket. (Excludes Christmas Eve & New Year’s Eve.)
Available on Thursdays through Saturdays only, this special ticketed event offers visitors the chance to enjoy a holly, jolly ride from downtown Asheville or Biltmore Village to Winter Lights courtesy of The Trolley Company. Upon arrival, guests will receive a complimentary cup of hot chocolate and access to the Winter Lights. Pick-up is at 6:00 p.m. from the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Asheville and 6:15 p.m. from the DoubleTree Hotel in Biltmore Village. Guests will be dropped back off at 9:00 p.m. Tickets are $29.50 per person (children 4 & under are free) and can be purchased through The Trolley Company’s website here. (Note: Arboretum member discounts do not apply for this tour). For additional questions, please call Eva Ritchey at The Trolley Company at 828.606.8606.
There are sunrises, and then there are Grandfather Mountain sunrises. And then there are Grandfather Mountain New Year’s Day sunrises.
Ring in an epic New Year on Wednesday, Jan. 1, for the first sunrise of 2020 — atop Grandfather Mountain.
This special event will allow guests the rare opportunity to visit Grandfather Mountain outside of regular operating hours.
Sunrise is at 7:38 a.m. Jan. 1, 2020, and Grandfather’s gates will open at 6:30 a.m. Due to safety regulations, participants may only visit the Mile High Swinging Bridge area, including the Top Shop, during the event.
To help warm up on a likely cold winter’s morning, the mountain will offer complimentary coffee, cocoa and bearclaws for sunrise guests.
Participants are encouraged to bring a flashlight and to wear heavy winter jackets, hats, gloves and rubber-soled shoes, as there may be slick surfaces on the mountain. The event may be cancelled upon short notice in case of inclement weather.
Admission to the New Year’s sunrise event costs $15, in addition to general admission, meaning $35 for adults and $24 for children. Guests are free to remain in the park all day, but those who leave before 9:30 a.m. will have their general admission charge refunded. Bridge Club members, who receive free admission to the mountain, will only pay $10 for the sunrise event.
The event is open to no more than 100 participants, and registration is required. To register, please contact Judi Sawyer at [email protected] or 828-733-2013.
Named for two years by Explore Asheville as one of the top 5 events in the Swannanoa Valley at Christmas, you are invited to come experience 25 Christmas trees that bring joy to the whole community. The public is invited to view the trees and then vote with money for their favorite tree. Every cent raised through Deck The Trees goes to the Fuel Fund for Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry. Be a part of creating something beautiful that also gives back to the community. Prizes are awarded for the tree that raises the most money and for the tree that most represents the theme.
Calendar of Events:
Dec. 6, 2019 – Jan. 6, 2020
Visit Deck The Trees from 10 AM to 9 PM
Dec. 9, 4:30 – 7:00 PM
Photos and a Visit with Santa Claus
$15.00 per photo
Dec. 10, 2:00 to 4:00 PM
Deck The Tree Christmas Tea with Highland Farms
January 6, 2020 6:00 to 8:00
A Final Celebration
-Which tree most represents the theme?
-Which tree raised the most money for the Fuel Fund for Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry?
The 5th Annual New Year’s Resolution Run is a great way to get your new year off to the right start! Choose from a 5k Run/Walk or 10 Mile Run, both of which go through the heart of Downtown Asheville. The race starts at a reasonable 10am, so there’s no excuse not to ‘run into’ 2020!
Experience Asheville’s BRIGHTEST holiday tradition at Winter Lights at The North Carolina Arboretum. Open nightly November 22, 2019 – January 4, 2020, from 6 to 10 p.m. Walk through an outdoor winter wonderland and see the Arboretum’s gardens and landscapes dressed in more than half-a-million holiday lights. Listen to the sounds of your favorite holiday tunes or enjoy a cup of holiday-inspired cocoa, cider or beer.
$18-$8. See website for tickets and specials.
Specials
Friends & Family Discount Night – Tuesdays
Tickets are reduced to $15 for adults and $10 for children. Arboretum members receive an additional $2 off each ticket. (Excludes Christmas Eve & New Year’s Eve.)
Available on Thursdays through Saturdays only, this special ticketed event offers visitors the chance to enjoy a holly, jolly ride from downtown Asheville or Biltmore Village to Winter Lights courtesy of The Trolley Company. Upon arrival, guests will receive a complimentary cup of hot chocolate and access to the Winter Lights. Pick-up is at 6:00 p.m. from the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Asheville and 6:15 p.m. from the DoubleTree Hotel in Biltmore Village. Guests will be dropped back off at 9:00 p.m. Tickets are $29.50 per person (children 4 & under are free) and can be purchased through The Trolley Company’s website here. (Note: Arboretum member discounts do not apply for this tour). For additional questions, please call Eva Ritchey at The Trolley Company at 828.606.8606.
Named for two years by Explore Asheville as one of the top 5 events in the Swannanoa Valley at Christmas, you are invited to come experience 25 Christmas trees that bring joy to the whole community. The public is invited to view the trees and then vote with money for their favorite tree. Every cent raised through Deck The Trees goes to the Fuel Fund for Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry. Be a part of creating something beautiful that also gives back to the community. Prizes are awarded for the tree that raises the most money and for the tree that most represents the theme.
Calendar of Events:
Dec. 6, 2019 – Jan. 6, 2020
Visit Deck The Trees from 10 AM to 9 PM
Dec. 9, 4:30 – 7:00 PM
Photos and a Visit with Santa Claus
$15.00 per photo
Dec. 10, 2:00 to 4:00 PM
Deck The Tree Christmas Tea with Highland Farms
January 6, 2020 6:00 to 8:00
A Final Celebration
-Which tree most represents the theme?
-Which tree raised the most money for the Fuel Fund for Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry?
Experience Asheville’s BRIGHTEST holiday tradition at Winter Lights at The North Carolina Arboretum. Open nightly November 22, 2019 – January 4, 2020, from 6 to 10 p.m. Walk through an outdoor winter wonderland and see the Arboretum’s gardens and landscapes dressed in more than half-a-million holiday lights. Listen to the sounds of your favorite holiday tunes or enjoy a cup of holiday-inspired cocoa, cider or beer.
$18-$8. See website for tickets and specials.
Specials
Friends & Family Discount Night – Tuesdays
Tickets are reduced to $15 for adults and $10 for children. Arboretum members receive an additional $2 off each ticket. (Excludes Christmas Eve & New Year’s Eve.)
Available on Thursdays through Saturdays only, this special ticketed event offers visitors the chance to enjoy a holly, jolly ride from downtown Asheville or Biltmore Village to Winter Lights courtesy of The Trolley Company. Upon arrival, guests will receive a complimentary cup of hot chocolate and access to the Winter Lights. Pick-up is at 6:00 p.m. from the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Asheville and 6:15 p.m. from the DoubleTree Hotel in Biltmore Village. Guests will be dropped back off at 9:00 p.m. Tickets are $29.50 per person (children 4 & under are free) and can be purchased through The Trolley Company’s website here. (Note: Arboretum member discounts do not apply for this tour). For additional questions, please call Eva Ritchey at The Trolley Company at 828.606.8606.
Named for two years by Explore Asheville as one of the top 5 events in the Swannanoa Valley at Christmas, you are invited to come experience 25 Christmas trees that bring joy to the whole community. The public is invited to view the trees and then vote with money for their favorite tree. Every cent raised through Deck The Trees goes to the Fuel Fund for Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry. Be a part of creating something beautiful that also gives back to the community. Prizes are awarded for the tree that raises the most money and for the tree that most represents the theme.
Calendar of Events:
Dec. 6, 2019 – Jan. 6, 2020
Visit Deck The Trees from 10 AM to 9 PM
Dec. 9, 4:30 – 7:00 PM
Photos and a Visit with Santa Claus
$15.00 per photo
Dec. 10, 2:00 to 4:00 PM
Deck The Tree Christmas Tea with Highland Farms
January 6, 2020 6:00 to 8:00
A Final Celebration
-Which tree most represents the theme?
-Which tree raised the most money for the Fuel Fund for Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry?
All items in Bookends Used Book Store will be half-price for this one day sale. Proceeds benefit the Friends of the Library.
Ready to go WILD? Join us for a trip “off the eaten path.” You’ll learn how to safely gather edible wild plants, mushrooms, and other “extreme cuisine.” Stay for a stunning view of the sunset and enjoy dinner at Vue 1913 featuring a free appetizer with the edibles you met on your tour. Suitable for all ages and abilities. To register or for more info, see here. Three-hour foraging tours also available, year-round, by arrangement.
Wild food is the ultimate natural food: ultra-local, fresher, more flavorful, 10 to 100 times more nutritious than its garden-variety descendants, AND it’s free! With over 300 wild edibles, Western North Carolina is the richest temperate ecosystem on Earth. For a taste of the wild life, forage ahead and experience the life of a modern hunter-gather firsthand. It’s a unique experience in self-catering, a memorable lesson in high-class survival.
Experience Asheville’s BRIGHTEST holiday tradition at Winter Lights at The North Carolina Arboretum. Open nightly November 22, 2019 – January 4, 2020, from 6 to 10 p.m. Walk through an outdoor winter wonderland and see the Arboretum’s gardens and landscapes dressed in more than half-a-million holiday lights. Listen to the sounds of your favorite holiday tunes or enjoy a cup of holiday-inspired cocoa, cider or beer.
$18-$8. See website for tickets and specials.
Specials
Friends & Family Discount Night – Tuesdays
Tickets are reduced to $15 for adults and $10 for children. Arboretum members receive an additional $2 off each ticket. (Excludes Christmas Eve & New Year’s Eve.)
Available on Thursdays through Saturdays only, this special ticketed event offers visitors the chance to enjoy a holly, jolly ride from downtown Asheville or Biltmore Village to Winter Lights courtesy of The Trolley Company. Upon arrival, guests will receive a complimentary cup of hot chocolate and access to the Winter Lights. Pick-up is at 6:00 p.m. from the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Asheville and 6:15 p.m. from the DoubleTree Hotel in Biltmore Village. Guests will be dropped back off at 9:00 p.m. Tickets are $29.50 per person (children 4 & under are free) and can be purchased through The Trolley Company’s website here. (Note: Arboretum member discounts do not apply for this tour). For additional questions, please call Eva Ritchey at The Trolley Company at 828.606.8606.
Named for two years by Explore Asheville as one of the top 5 events in the Swannanoa Valley at Christmas, you are invited to come experience 25 Christmas trees that bring joy to the whole community. The public is invited to view the trees and then vote with money for their favorite tree. Every cent raised through Deck The Trees goes to the Fuel Fund for Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry. Be a part of creating something beautiful that also gives back to the community. Prizes are awarded for the tree that raises the most money and for the tree that most represents the theme.
Calendar of Events:
Dec. 6, 2019 – Jan. 6, 2020
Visit Deck The Trees from 10 AM to 9 PM
Dec. 9, 4:30 – 7:00 PM
Photos and a Visit with Santa Claus
$15.00 per photo
Dec. 10, 2:00 to 4:00 PM
Deck The Tree Christmas Tea with Highland Farms
January 6, 2020 6:00 to 8:00
A Final Celebration
-Which tree most represents the theme?
-Which tree raised the most money for the Fuel Fund for Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry?
Join Integrative Physician, Cynthia Libert, M.D. to learn body, mind and soul care practices for vibrant emotional health and resilience during times of stress.
Dr. Libert is a board certified Family Physician and diplomate of the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine.
She specializes in Functional Medicine, with an emphasis on nutrition, the gut-brain connection, hormone balance, mood disorders, and the prevention of memory loss and cognitive decline.
Please let us know if you are planning to attend. Contact us via e-mail at [email protected] or by calling the office at 828.490.1545. Let us know your name, phone number, e-mail address and if you are bringing any friends so that we can plan ahead and contact you in case the event is cancelled due to inclement weather.
Experience Asheville’s BRIGHTEST holiday tradition at Winter Lights at The North Carolina Arboretum. Open nightly November 22, 2019 – January 4, 2020, from 6 to 10 p.m. Walk through an outdoor winter wonderland and see the Arboretum’s gardens and landscapes dressed in more than half-a-million holiday lights. Listen to the sounds of your favorite holiday tunes or enjoy a cup of holiday-inspired cocoa, cider or beer.
$18-$8. See website for tickets and specials.
Specials
Friends & Family Discount Night – Tuesdays
Tickets are reduced to $15 for adults and $10 for children. Arboretum members receive an additional $2 off each ticket. (Excludes Christmas Eve & New Year’s Eve.)
Available on Thursdays through Saturdays only, this special ticketed event offers visitors the chance to enjoy a holly, jolly ride from downtown Asheville or Biltmore Village to Winter Lights courtesy of The Trolley Company. Upon arrival, guests will receive a complimentary cup of hot chocolate and access to the Winter Lights. Pick-up is at 6:00 p.m. from the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Asheville and 6:15 p.m. from the DoubleTree Hotel in Biltmore Village. Guests will be dropped back off at 9:00 p.m. Tickets are $29.50 per person (children 4 & under are free) and can be purchased through The Trolley Company’s website here. (Note: Arboretum member discounts do not apply for this tour). For additional questions, please call Eva Ritchey at The Trolley Company at 828.606.8606.
Named for two years by Explore Asheville as one of the top 5 events in the Swannanoa Valley at Christmas, you are invited to come experience 25 Christmas trees that bring joy to the whole community. The public is invited to view the trees and then vote with money for their favorite tree. Every cent raised through Deck The Trees goes to the Fuel Fund for Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry. Be a part of creating something beautiful that also gives back to the community. Prizes are awarded for the tree that raises the most money and for the tree that most represents the theme.
Calendar of Events:
Dec. 6, 2019 – Jan. 6, 2020
Visit Deck The Trees from 10 AM to 9 PM
Dec. 9, 4:30 – 7:00 PM
Photos and a Visit with Santa Claus
$15.00 per photo
Dec. 10, 2:00 to 4:00 PM
Deck The Tree Christmas Tea with Highland Farms
January 6, 2020 6:00 to 8:00
A Final Celebration
-Which tree most represents the theme?
-Which tree raised the most money for the Fuel Fund for Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry?
Named for two years by Explore Asheville as one of the top 5 events in the Swannanoa Valley at Christmas, you are invited to come experience 25 Christmas trees that bring joy to the whole community. The public is invited to view the trees and then vote with money for their favorite tree. Every cent raised through Deck The Trees goes to the Fuel Fund for Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry. Be a part of creating something beautiful that also gives back to the community. Prizes are awarded for the tree that raises the most money and for the tree that most represents the theme.
Calendar of Events:
Dec. 6, 2019 – Jan. 6, 2020
Visit Deck The Trees from 10 AM to 9 PM
Dec. 9, 4:30 – 7:00 PM
Photos and a Visit with Santa Claus
$15.00 per photo
Dec. 10, 2:00 to 4:00 PM
Deck The Tree Christmas Tea with Highland Farms
January 6, 2020 6:00 to 8:00
A Final Celebration
-Which tree most represents the theme?
-Which tree raised the most money for the Fuel Fund for Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry?
| Asheville Mardi Gras Parade February 23 |
 The 13th annual Asheville Mardi Gras parade will take place on February 23 in South Slope and we’re looking for parade day volunteers. The Asheville Mardi Gras parade is an all-inclusive, family friendly, full-color spectacle that is fun, entertaining, full of music, floats, dancing and celebrating. Spectators receive beads and candy and the photo opportunities are always amazing.
Details include: * About 20-25 volunteers needed for this rain or shine event. There will be 2 shifts, estimated to be from approx. 11a to 2/3p, and 2p to 5/6p.
*Setting up, manning and breaking down street barricades
*Assisting with krewe and float line up and timing as the parade begins
*Identifying parked cars that might need to be towed and checking for obstacles to smooth crowd control along the parade route.
*Coordinating with the Parade Logistics manager and city police
*Carrying 1 or 2 parade banners (Costumes optional but always encouraged!)
*Assisting with end of parade float disbursement
*Trash pick up following the parade set up and marching route. This is mostly paper trash and beads. It’s rarely more than a few bags total.
Returning barricades, cones, etc. to the post-parade collection point
Confirmed Volunteer perks include $10 gift card to Vortex Donuts & Coffee and a free beer at Catawba. Possibly more perks to come!
Email Dane if you’re interested in helping out, [email protected]
AMG is also seeking a Parade Day Logistics Manager as a PAID POSITION for Sunday, Feb. 23. Ideal person should have outdoor event coordination experience, flexibility and a good sense of humor. Duties include coordinating volunteers, ensuring cones and barricades are in place at all check points, answering any traffic/parked car/pedestrian concerns, acting as parade day primary contact for police and security and Mardi Gras leadership, coordinating compliance with City parade permit requirements, and helping ensure a timely start and finish to the parade. Candidate could plan to cover the parade route via bicycle or scooter or use walkie talkies to accomplish oversight of the .5 mile parade route. This position pays $125 for the day. More details available to any interested candidate. Email Dane if you’re interested in the position, [email protected]
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Ready to go WILD? Join us for a trip “off the eaten path.” You’ll learn how to safely gather edible wild plants, mushrooms, and other “extreme cuisine.” Stay for a stunning view of the sunset and enjoy dinner at Vue 1913 featuring a free appetizer with the edibles you met on your tour. Suitable for all ages and abilities. To register or for more info, see here. Three-hour foraging tours also available, year-round, by arrangement.
Wild food is the ultimate natural food: ultra-local, fresher, more flavorful, 10 to 100 times more nutritious than its garden-variety descendants, AND it’s free! With over 300 wild edibles, Western North Carolina is the richest temperate ecosystem on Earth. For a taste of the wild life, forage ahead and experience the life of a modern hunter-gather firsthand. It’s a unique experience in self-catering, a memorable lesson in high-class survival.
| Asheville Mardi Gras Parade February 23 |
| The 13th annual Asheville Mardi Gras parade will take place on February 23 in South Slope and we’re looking for parade day volunteers. The Asheville Mardi Gras parade is an all-inclusive, family friendly, full-color spectacle that is fun, entertaining, full of music, floats, dancing and celebrating. Spectators receive beads and candy and the photo opportunities are always amazing.
Details include: * About 20-25 volunteers needed for this rain or shine event. There will be 2 shifts, estimated to be from approx. 11a to 2/3p, and 2p to 5/6p.
*Setting up, manning and breaking down street barricades
*Assisting with krewe and float line up and timing as the parade begins
*Identifying parked cars that might need to be towed and checking for obstacles to smooth crowd control along the parade route.
*Coordinating with the Parade Logistics manager and city police
*Carrying 1 or 2 parade banners (Costumes optional but always encouraged!)
*Assisting with end of parade float disbursement
*Trash pick up following the parade set up and marching route. This is mostly paper trash and beads. It’s rarely more than a few bags total.
Returning barricades, cones, etc. to the post-parade collection point
Confirmed Volunteer perks include $10 gift card to Vortex Donuts & Coffee and a free beer at Catawba. Possibly more perks to come!
Email Dane if you’re interested in helping out, [email protected]
AMG is also seeking a Parade Day Logistics Manager as a PAID POSITION for Sunday, Feb. 23. Ideal person should have outdoor event coordination experience, flexibility and a good sense of humor. Duties include coordinating volunteers, ensuring cones and barricades are in place at all check points, answering any traffic/parked car/pedestrian concerns, acting as parade day primary contact for police and security and Mardi Gras leadership, coordinating compliance with City parade permit requirements, and helping ensure a timely start and finish to the parade. Candidate could plan to cover the parade route via bicycle or scooter or use walkie talkies to accomplish oversight of the .5 mile parade route. This position pays $125 for the day. More details available to any interested candidate. Email Dane if you’re interested in the position, [email protected]
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| Asheville Mardi Gras Parade February 23 |
| The 13th annual Asheville Mardi Gras parade will take place on February 23 in South Slope and we’re looking for parade day volunteers. The Asheville Mardi Gras parade is an all-inclusive, family friendly, full-color spectacle that is fun, entertaining, full of music, floats, dancing and celebrating. Spectators receive beads and candy and the photo opportunities are always amazing.
Details include: * About 20-25 volunteers needed for this rain or shine event. There will be 2 shifts, estimated to be from approx. 11a to 2/3p, and 2p to 5/6p.
*Setting up, manning and breaking down street barricades
*Assisting with krewe and float line up and timing as the parade begins
*Identifying parked cars that might need to be towed and checking for obstacles to smooth crowd control along the parade route.
*Coordinating with the Parade Logistics manager and city police
*Carrying 1 or 2 parade banners (Costumes optional but always encouraged!)
*Assisting with end of parade float disbursement
*Trash pick up following the parade set up and marching route. This is mostly paper trash and beads. It’s rarely more than a few bags total.
Returning barricades, cones, etc. to the post-parade collection point
Confirmed Volunteer perks include $10 gift card to Vortex Donuts & Coffee and a free beer at Catawba. Possibly more perks to come!
Email Dane if you’re interested in helping out, [email protected]
AMG is also seeking a Parade Day Logistics Manager as a PAID POSITION for Sunday, Feb. 23. Ideal person should have outdoor event coordination experience, flexibility and a good sense of humor. Duties include coordinating volunteers, ensuring cones and barricades are in place at all check points, answering any traffic/parked car/pedestrian concerns, acting as parade day primary contact for police and security and Mardi Gras leadership, coordinating compliance with City parade permit requirements, and helping ensure a timely start and finish to the parade. Candidate could plan to cover the parade route via bicycle or scooter or use walkie talkies to accomplish oversight of the .5 mile parade route. This position pays $125 for the day. More details available to any interested candidate. Email Dane if you’re interested in the position, [email protected]
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Ready to go WILD? Join us for a trip “off the eaten path.” You’ll learn how to safely gather edible wild plants, mushrooms, and other “extreme cuisine.” Stay for a stunning view of the sunset and enjoy dinner at Vue 1913 featuring a free appetizer with the edibles you met on your tour. Suitable for all ages and abilities. To register or for more info, see here. Three-hour foraging tours also available, year-round, by arrangement.
Wild food is the ultimate natural food: ultra-local, fresher, more flavorful, 10 to 100 times more nutritious than its garden-variety descendants, AND it’s free! With over 300 wild edibles, Western North Carolina is the richest temperate ecosystem on Earth. For a taste of the wild life, forage ahead and experience the life of a modern hunter-gather firsthand. It’s a unique experience in self-catering, a memorable lesson in high-class survival.
This class will explain how Medicare works, the enrollment process, how to avoid penalties, and ways to save money. People who are new to Medicare, caregivers, and others who help senior citizens with their Medicare insurance should consider attending this informative class. The information presented is unbiased and accurate. No products are sold, recommended, or endorsed.
| Asheville Mardi Gras Parade February 23 |
| The 13th annual Asheville Mardi Gras parade will take place on February 23 in South Slope and we’re looking for parade day volunteers. The Asheville Mardi Gras parade is an all-inclusive, family friendly, full-color spectacle that is fun, entertaining, full of music, floats, dancing and celebrating. Spectators receive beads and candy and the photo opportunities are always amazing.
Details include: * About 20-25 volunteers needed for this rain or shine event. There will be 2 shifts, estimated to be from approx. 11a to 2/3p, and 2p to 5/6p.
*Setting up, manning and breaking down street barricades
*Assisting with krewe and float line up and timing as the parade begins
*Identifying parked cars that might need to be towed and checking for obstacles to smooth crowd control along the parade route.
*Coordinating with the Parade Logistics manager and city police
*Carrying 1 or 2 parade banners (Costumes optional but always encouraged!)
*Assisting with end of parade float disbursement
*Trash pick up following the parade set up and marching route. This is mostly paper trash and beads. It’s rarely more than a few bags total.
Returning barricades, cones, etc. to the post-parade collection point
Confirmed Volunteer perks include $10 gift card to Vortex Donuts & Coffee and a free beer at Catawba. Possibly more perks to come!
Email Dane if you’re interested in helping out, [email protected]
AMG is also seeking a Parade Day Logistics Manager as a PAID POSITION for Sunday, Feb. 23. Ideal person should have outdoor event coordination experience, flexibility and a good sense of humor. Duties include coordinating volunteers, ensuring cones and barricades are in place at all check points, answering any traffic/parked car/pedestrian concerns, acting as parade day primary contact for police and security and Mardi Gras leadership, coordinating compliance with City parade permit requirements, and helping ensure a timely start and finish to the parade. Candidate could plan to cover the parade route via bicycle or scooter or use walkie talkies to accomplish oversight of the .5 mile parade route. This position pays $125 for the day. More details available to any interested candidate. Email Dane if you’re interested in the position, [email protected]
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Approximately 4.4 miles on this Shuttle Hike. Level of difficulty is Mod to Medium. Meet at 10:30 a.m; return around 4:30 p.m. There will be an opportunity to view a Chestnut Sapling with Blight. This hike is often sheltered from winds, and offers a variety of trees/shrubs to identify, including Hornbeam, Spice bush, Sourwood, and Ash. NOTE: This section of the Blue Ridge Parkway is usually open in winter, but if not, we can try starting from closer to the Folk Art Center.
| Asheville Mardi Gras Parade February 23 |
| The 13th annual Asheville Mardi Gras parade will take place on February 23 in South Slope and we’re looking for parade day volunteers. The Asheville Mardi Gras parade is an all-inclusive, family friendly, full-color spectacle that is fun, entertaining, full of music, floats, dancing and celebrating. Spectators receive beads and candy and the photo opportunities are always amazing.
Details include: * About 20-25 volunteers needed for this rain or shine event. There will be 2 shifts, estimated to be from approx. 11a to 2/3p, and 2p to 5/6p.
*Setting up, manning and breaking down street barricades
*Assisting with krewe and float line up and timing as the parade begins
*Identifying parked cars that might need to be towed and checking for obstacles to smooth crowd control along the parade route.
*Coordinating with the Parade Logistics manager and city police
*Carrying 1 or 2 parade banners (Costumes optional but always encouraged!)
*Assisting with end of parade float disbursement
*Trash pick up following the parade set up and marching route. This is mostly paper trash and beads. It’s rarely more than a few bags total.
Returning barricades, cones, etc. to the post-parade collection point
Confirmed Volunteer perks include $10 gift card to Vortex Donuts & Coffee and a free beer at Catawba. Possibly more perks to come!
Email Dane if you’re interested in helping out, [email protected]
AMG is also seeking a Parade Day Logistics Manager as a PAID POSITION for Sunday, Feb. 23. Ideal person should have outdoor event coordination experience, flexibility and a good sense of humor. Duties include coordinating volunteers, ensuring cones and barricades are in place at all check points, answering any traffic/parked car/pedestrian concerns, acting as parade day primary contact for police and security and Mardi Gras leadership, coordinating compliance with City parade permit requirements, and helping ensure a timely start and finish to the parade. Candidate could plan to cover the parade route via bicycle or scooter or use walkie talkies to accomplish oversight of the .5 mile parade route. This position pays $125 for the day. More details available to any interested candidate. Email Dane if you’re interested in the position, [email protected]
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Retreatants will be invited to pause, to stop running, to stop ‘doing’, to calm minds and bodies and be at ease. During this retreat, the focus is on reconciliation, transformation, healing and how to bring quantitative change in one’s life by the mindfulness practices of walking, eating and sitting meditation, connecting with ancestors, deep listening, loving speech and the practice of touching the earth. A retreat is an opportunity to let go of worry and anxiety about the past and the future, rest, and begin to be present for what is happening in the present moment.
The retreat is being led by Sister True Moon of Clear Grace, a resident nun at Heartwood who received her novice ordination in the Plum Village Vietnamese Zen tradition headed by the Venerable Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. Sister Clear Grace shares that, “the practice of mindfulness has been the greatest source of insight and transformation to heal from injustices of all kinds. It has helped me to learn truths and unlearn deeply embedded beliefs that have kept me away from the liberation of such sufferings in my daily life.”
This retreat is suitable for both beginning and experienced mindfulness practitioners. Participants may register to stay at Heartwood or sign up for the commuter option. More information, registration and other retreats at www.heartwoodrefuge.org.
Sister Clear Grace is a member of the Care Taking Council for the Earth Holder Community, a mindful Earth/Social justice initiative in the Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism. She is a Core member for ARISE Sangha (Awakening through Race, Intersectionality, and Social Equity), a community of mindfulness practitioners and monastics who come together to heal the wounds of racial injustice and social inequity, beginning with looking deeply within oneself and using energy of compassion, understanding, and love in action.
Heartwood Refuge and Retreat Center, located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, provides interfaith meditation and wellness retreat. Heartwood is neither defined by a single lineage, nor confined by any single sect or practice. Heartwood hosts teachers from all faiths and wisdom traditions to share teachings and activities that promote compassion and clarity, whether through traditional wisdom or new thought.
Forest Floor is offering sixteen different week-long camp options for ages ranging from K-10. Camps begin with the first week June 15-19 and end with the week of August 10-14. The program is structured to get kids out in the forest, exercising and playing, sharing stories and songs, solving challenges, and learning traditional crafts, wilderness skills, survival skills, and martial arts. Forest Floor programs are unique in the Asheville area because of the focus on Nature Connection Mentoring and helping children reach and exceed their potential.
Parents can drop their children off at Haw Creek Commons in Asheville between 8:30 – 9:00 AM daily, and then pick them up there between 3:00 – 3:30 PM. Camp staff will transport the children via passenger van to the forest location and back each day. An “After Camp” option with games and nature activities is available for parents who choose to pickup as late as 5:30 PM. After Camp can be reserved for specific days or the entire camp week.
The standard pricing for the camps is $295 per week including transportation. The Blacksmithing and Knife-making camps for Grades 6-10 only are priced at $384 per week. After Camp adds $15-30 per afternoon depending on the specific reservations. A payment plan and sibling discount are offered as well. A limited number of partial scholarships are also available. Registrations are taken online in advance at the company website www.OnTheForestFloor.org.
About Forest Floor Wilderness Programs – Forest Floor Wilderness Programs (FFWP) is a unique Asheville provider of Nature-Connection Mentoring programs. FFWP was founded in 2011 by Executive Director Clint Corley to bring a nationally-proven youth mentoring model to the Asheville area. The group offers summer camps, and a wide variety of other programs including weekly programs for homeschool families, bi-weekly programs for teens & public school children, Saturday programs, family campouts, and workshops for adults.