Calendar of Events

Enjoy a guided tour on our beautiful Community Farm and see all the terrific projects we have in the works. Participants will hike The Discovery Trail in a 2-mile loop, returning to our education and event center. You are welcome to bring a packed lunch to enjoy there while overlooking the entire farm and surrounding mountains

With climate change, automobile dependency, and rising costs for housing and transportation, America needs to reverse suburban sprawl and focus again on our cities and small towns now more than ever. This won’t happen to any meaningful extent without small scale development, and lots of it. Zoning reform and incremental development education will be key to making it happen.

In this session, you’ll learn about how Buffalo’s 2017 zoning overhaul made a walkable, transit friendly development legal again. We will talk about how it is helping enable small scale projects, create wealth for working people, and rebuild a legacy Great Lakes city that despite losing half of its population from 1950 to 2010, is now America’s fastest growing Rust Belt city.

Doors open at 5:30pm and the session begins at 6pm.

Building Our City is presented by The Grove Arcade Public Market Foundation with support from Kimpton Hotel Arras. The series is produced by the Asheville Downtown Association Foundaiton and Urban3

The WomanUP celebration on Nov. 3rd is the event of the year for women in business.

Connect with hundreds of Asheville/Buncombe women in business.

Celebrate outstanding women in our business community. Over 50 women have been nominated for this year’s WomanUP awards. Together, we’ll honor these amazing WomanUP award nominees and celebrate this year’s winners.

Be inspired by Caroline Wanga’s keynote. You’ll see why her witty “real-talk” style and insights make her a highly sought-after keynote speaker, equity strategist, thought leader, and community influencer.

Wanga is the Chief Executive Officer of ESSENCE, the number one media, technology and commerce company dedicated to Black women and communities. She joined ESSENCE after serving as former Chief Culture, Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Target.

Her keynote promises to inspire us to live into our authentic selves and create work environments that embrace the authenticity of all.

Join America’s top leading real estate producers to learn about what it takes to get your business and listings to the next level!

Held in Downtown Asheville’s Renaissance Hotel, this jam-packed real estate seminar features a distinguished panel of national top producers. Join Rowena Patton (#1 Team in Western, NC), Marti Hampton (#1 Raleigh Resale Team for 8 Years) & Amy Wienands (#1 Team in Iowa) as they detail the concrete steps to launch your real estate career to new heights.

Learn how to:
• Master strategies and outperform your competitors during a shifting market
• Overcome objectives and gain more listings
• Turn a fixed mindset into a growth mindset
• Apply habits to increase your production

Exclusive offer TODAY!
Use our promo code to get 85% off your ticket price!
Check out with Promo Code: ELEVATE

John Muir didn’t like the word ‘hike’. “We ought to saunter through them reverently, not ‘hike’ through them.”
I am going to Little Bradley Falls near Saluda; A few of you are welcome to join me.
Distance: 2 miles round trip; Accum Ascent: 300 ft
Pace: 1.5mph – because I’m an ol’ Codger.
Difficulty: Moderate; W/ two (2) KNEE DEEP WET CREEK CROSSINGS (if water is up); PLUS a narrow slope-traversing trail. One short section of 6”wide rock traverse.
The number of participants will be limited by the number of drivers (4 bodies/car).
WAITLISTED PEOPLE WILL BE ADDED AS DRIVERS SIGN ON.
Drive time: ½ hr 1-way
Apprx return time: 3 pm
Carpool contributions appreciated. $2.00 suggested
If you have been exposed, directly or indirectly, to a confirmed case of a viral bug within 7 days of event day, please un-RSVP your attendance.
Please bring an extra pair of shoes to avoid bringing your muddy shoes into the driver’s car at the end of the hike.
This event is NOT for beginners or those with health or balance issues.
This is a dog-participant hike. This event is NOT for those who are uncomfortable with the antics of fun-loving dogs. Dogs are welcome (IF their masters are well trained). Well trained dogs can be ‘off-leash’. ‘On leash’ during the lunch stop.
Incessant prattlers will be assumed to be having an affair.
Obstreperous raucous yawping is discouraged.
DESCRIPTION;
Remember – hikes led by ‘the Curmudgeon’ tend to have challenging surprises.
Trail Condition: Slope traverse; roots; some very short steep sections; One short section of 6”wide rock traverse with root handholds. 1 short section of boulder hopping; 2 Knee-Deep water Xings. (BRING WATER SHOES).
HikeType: Out and Back
One of my ‘Top Ten’ destinations. All hikes are at your own risk. You are responsible for your OWN safety and adequate equipment.
Waiver: There are certain risks inherent in any outdoor activity. Each participant, by signing up to attend this event, agrees to release from liability the leader(s), Hendo Fun Friends, its Partners, Affiliates, and members for any accident, injury, illness, or personal loss which might occur while participating in this activity or while traveling in any vehicle during this trip. Each participant further agrees to abide by the rules and regulations concerning safety, to follow instructions of the leader(s), and not to become intentionally separated from the group. The leader(s) also has the right to use any images collected on this trip for recording on website photo collections.
gordie’s contact: [email protected]
(on day of hike): 828.393.0297 (talk & text)

Speaker(s): Candy Williams

Chris Larsen
Christopher Larsen is the founder and Managing Partner of Next-Level Income. Since “retiring” after 18 years in the medical device industry, he dedicates his time to helping others become financially independent through education and investment opportunities. Chris has been investing in and managing real estate for over 20 years. While completing his degree in Biomechanical Engineering and M.B.A. in Finance at Virginia Tech, he bought his first single-family rental at age 21. Chris expanded into development, private lending, buying distressed debt and commercial office, and ultimately syndicating commercial properties. He began syndicating deals in 2016 and has been actively involved in over $500M of real estate acquisitions. In addition to real estate, Chris has invested in equities, oil & gas, and small business lending, as well as being active in Venture South, one of the nation’s Top 10 Angel Investing groups. Chris lives with his wife and two boys (and Viszla, Lucy!) in Asheville, NC, where he loves spending time with them outdoors and enjoying the food and culture the region offers.

Bryce Robertson
A native of Australia, Bryce dropped out of high school with no knowledge of business or entrepreneurship at the time. After a few years in the underground gold mines and 6 years of world travel, Bryce met the love of his life, and planted his feet firmly in the USA.

From there, Bryce turned a negative net worth, $2,000 and unseasoned credit into financial freedom in 2.5 years. During the process he created order, peace and prosperity in his life and in the lives of those around him.

Through his respect for the power of money, Bryce leads the Cultiv8 Collective Inner Circle by investing in creating FREEDOM!
With a strong desire to enhance physical and mental toughness, Bryce enjoys challenging himself in outdoor adventure sports and athletic endurance competitions. Bryce loves traveling and adventuring with his wife and their dogs, and expresses his creativity through drumming.
Bryce along with industry leading experts, inspire and empower “Freedom Hackers” to live in true fulfillment, living their soul’s purpose, and expressing their FREEDOM through the videocast and podcast Freedom Hack Radio.
Bryce is host to the life-altering 2-day live and virtual Financial Freedom Mastery, where participants create their own fully-customized Financial Freedom action-plan in order to create Financial Freedom in their lives as soon as possible.

The NC Farmers of the Foothills, initiated in 2020, is an alliance of farmers looking to pool resources and market their goods to the community.  There are opportunities to sell with an online marketplace, multi-farm Community Supported Agriculture, and other local food purchasing programs.  The alliance also looks to share in costs of production and other expenses.

Join us to learn and have input on this alliance for 2023.

Dinner will be served.

Join WNC Medicinal Herb Growers for an afternoon of networking with fellow growers, wholesale buyers and other professionals working with medicinal herbs. Highlights include:

• Buyer presentations and “most wanted” lists
• Opportunities for growers to share product samples of available herbs and planting stock
• Small group roundtables with local and domestic buyers
• Networking and celebrating medicinal herbs grown in North Carolina

Speaker(s): Vanessa Garcia

The French Broad River is an economic driver for our region supplying drinking water, providing recreational opportunities, and ecology diversity as recently highlighted by an economic impact study commissioned by the French Broad River Partnership.

Join us for Policy on Tap to hear from business and nonprofit leaders working to ensure that the French Broad River will continue to be an asset for us all and how you can get involved.

Policy on Tap is the Chamber’s quarterly discussion series highlighting topics that matter to our business community with insights shared by key leaders and experts.

Black Balsam Knob and Tennent Mountain feature expansive views of Shining Rock Wilderness. With sunset at 5:20p, we will begin the hike at 4p to reach the summit of Tennent Mountain in time to watch the sun dip below the horizon.
We will be doing this loop counterclockwise, which is the more challenging way. This is for safety – the latter portion of the hike will be in the dark, so going this direction means we will only have to navigate Ivestor Gap, an old Jeep road, after the sun goes down, rather than more technical trails.
This hike is 4.3 mi with just under 700 ft elevation gain. We will be doing most of the climbing in the first half. We will only have one hour to hike about 2 miles to Tennent Mountain summit. This is an easy pace on flat ground, but not with the elevation. If you are not accustomed to hiking like this, please join for a different hike (more will be planned).
I’m normally not a stickler for rules, but for this event, there are a few :-/

1. We will depart the trailhead at 4pm sharp. If you are not there, we will be leaving without you. I can’t guarantee phone service, so I may not see messages letting me know you’ll be late. And since the sunset is the goal, we don’t want the group to miss it by waiting for someone who is late. The trailhead is about an hour from Asheville, so please account for that, traffic, and time to find a parking spot. I’ll be there around 3:45.
2. Bring enough water for you (and your dog if you are bringing one).
3. Dogs are welcome if they are leashed (6 ft or shorter), well behaved, and socialized with other dogs and humans. I will be bringing my pup.
4. Bring a headlamp! We will be hiking in the dark.
5. Wear appropriate/supportive shoes – the trail is rocky.
6. Bring layers. It will be very windy at the summit, and up to 20 degrees colder than in Asheville.
7. Feel free to bring snacks. The goal is to chill and watch the sunset so we will have some time to rest.
8. You are responsible for you (and your dog, if applicable). I am not a trained guide and I am not trained in wilderness first aid. By RSVPing “yes” to this event, you are acknowledging that I will not be held responsible for any injuries you may sustain on this hike.

Okay, now that that unpleasant part is done, I’ve got some fun links below! I have not done this hike yet, but the links below are where I gathered my info! Please read :-)

Thanks! Can’t wait to see you there!

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/north-carolina/ivestor-gap-trail-to-tennent-mountain-and-black-balsam-knob-trail

Black Balsam Knob and Tennent Mountain Loop

Enjoy a guided tour on our beautiful Community Farm and see all the terrific projects we have in the works. Participants will hike The Discovery Trail in a 2-mile loop, returning to our education and event center. You are welcome to bring a packed lunch to enjoy there while overlooking the entire farm and surrounding mountains