Currently picking: Gala, Golden Delicious, Early Fuji, Mutsu, and a few Honeycrisp

Sky Top Orchard has been a family-owned & operated farm since 1967 when father and son duo Everette and David Butler planted the first trees on Mt. McAlpine, in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. For almost 60 years, Apple Dave and his wife Lindsey grew Sky Top from a small roadside tent into what it is today.

Built with love, sweat, and a lot of hard work, Sky Top has grown to include our hayride and bee train, the apple cannon, and of course, our famous apple cider doughnuts. But throughout the years, one thing stays the same: tradition. At Sky Top, we believe family and creating long-lasting memories is the most important part. We look forward to being a place for you to bring your families for years to come.

The Asheville Quilt Guild hopes to perpetuate the art of quilt making, 1) by exhibiting beautiful handmade quilts and 2) through educational demonstrations. We hope to introduce younger generations to the quilt making process through hands-on experience.

A silent auction, product auction, gallery and gift shop will provide handmade purchasing opportunities. There will be over twenty vendors offering a wide variety of supplies.

Take a 90-plus minute walk along Historic Main Street to learn about Hendersonville’s history and architecture and hear fascinating stories of the past. Be charmed and informed by Hendersonville’s history, architecture, and colorful stories.  Learn how the town got its name, who donated the land, bordellos, the oldest block of buildings, amazing fires, trolley lines … and more. All walks begin at 10am and begin at Hendersonville City Hall, front steps (corner of 5th Ave. East and King Street).

Eliada’s Annual Corn Maze and Fall Festival is the agency’s single largest fundraiser. Through your volunteer support, you are directly impacting the lives of vulnerable children in our community.

Group Volunteer Opportunities If you are a part of a community or church group and are interested in volunteering as a team, we’d love to have you! Contact our Resource Development Officer Rebecca Boline, at [email protected] or (828) 254-5356 x306 to get your volunteer group signed up today! Restrictions We ask that volunteers be 18+ years of age. Besides that, we have no other requirements for volunteering-just your commitment to lending two helping hands and a great attitude during your shift!

“LIFE ART LIFE William Bernstein 50 year retrospective” exhibition August 6-October 9, 2022 at the Toe River Arts’ Kokol Gallery, Spruce Pine, NC, features the paintings and glass of this artist who has been on the forefront of the studio glass movement.

Graduating 1968 from the Philadelphia College of Arts and just married, Bernstein moved to Penland School of Crafts to be their second glass resident artist from 1968-70. He was a co-founder of the Glass Arts Society (GAS) that formed to bring together the glass community so people could work together and learn from each other. Receiving numerous awards, fellowships and grants, he has exhibited internationally and has artwork in many private and public collections. Bernstein has lived most of his professional life in the rural Celo community of Yancey, North Carolina along with his family and artist wife, Katherine Bernstin. This retrospective provides a great opportunity for one to imagine a life surrounded by art.

This has been not only been a year-long process of curating pieces for an exhibit, but a lifetime of making art that connects with all things about one’s life. Bernstein’s work in glass and paint showcases just that: his family, his pets, friends, his environs, his moods and so much more. A life well-lived in creating art. More on Bernstein Glass www.bernsteinglass.com

William Warmus (A Fellow and former curator of Modern Glass at the Corning Museum), writes for the exhibition catalog, “Bernstein is a minimalist whose style is based upon the dedication to the concepts of honesty, modesty, and humility. It has a feel of its surroundings and of the people of the region.”

The Toe River Arts Kokol Gallery is located at 269 Oak Avenue, Spruce Pine, NC 28777. The exhibition dates: August 6 – October 9, 2022. Hours: Tuesdays-Saturdays from 10:30 – 5:00 pm. 828-765-0520, www.toeriverarts.org

Public receptions on Fridays: August 12 and October 7, both 5:00-7:00 PM. Artist gallery talk Friday, August 12, 4:00 pm. The exhibition travels to Cary Arts Center November 30 – January 21, 2023.

Coinciding with the United Nations’ Year 2022 as the Year of Glass and the 60th Anniversary of the Studio Glass Movement, this has been made possible by Toe River Arts, the North Carolina Arts Council, the Cary Art Center, Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass, the Blumenthal Foundation, and Mountain Electronics in Micaville, NC.

Carolina Shine Moonshine Experience

TAKE A TRAIN RIDE ALONG SIDE THE BEAUTIFUL NANTAHALA RIVER ON OUR NANTAHALA GORGE EXCURSION! DEPARTING FROM BRYSON CITY, THIS 4½ HOUR ROUNDTRIP EXCURSION CARRIES YOU 44 MILES TO THE NANTAHALA GORGE AND BACK AGAIN ARRIVING AT OUR BRYSON CITY DEPOT.

Ride this excursion via Steam or Diesel locomotive power!

Enjoy the sights and sounds of the Great Smoky Mountains while traveling along the Tennessee and Nantahala (nan-tuh-HAY-luh) River. The historic trellis bridge Fontana Trestle takes you across Fontana Lake and into the beautiful Nantahala Gorge. Onboard dining is available in First Class Seating and selecting from our  First Class Dinning menu options OR you can pre-purchase a box lunch option to make this an amazing unique moving dining experience. Arrive at our layover destination in the heart of the Nantahala Gorge for a one-hour layover where you can relax by the river or enjoy sightseeing!

Asheville Gallery of Art presents Judy Rentner’s rich, colorful paintings, during the month of October, in an exhibition titled ‘Nature’s Gems’. The opening reception will be held on Friday, October 7th from 5:00-8:00pm.

Of all of the seasons of the year, fall is the crescendo, the last burst of beauty before nature’s tones soften and become quiet in the winter months. Autumn colors are like precious gems: topaz, sapphires, emeralds, rubies…, an endless sparkling array of brilliance. Although an artist cannot compete with God’s creations, she can capture the awe-inspiring essence of a moment in time to share with her viewers. Judy is such an artist.

Judy Rentner has been painting the landscapes of Western North Carolina for 23 years and they continue to inspire her. Having lived in 10 different states from coast to coast, she still considers North Carolina one of the most beautiful. Although she has been painting most of her adult life, it was here that she found her creative style. Painting in oils, with a palette knife, enabled her to achieve the essence of a scene in light and color. Everything about the creative process is personal and many viewers find themselves drawn to Judy’s unique, inviting style.

A graduate of Ohio University, Judy Rentner did not pursue art until years later when she took workshops, in watercolor, from various artists. This was a pivotal time of discovery as she learned the skills needed to express her ideas in paint. She then experimented with different mediums producing work that was both realistic and abstract. Moving to North Carolina, she placed her work in galleries and taught classes in watercolor, acrylic, and oil. Currently, her passion lies in painting landscapes, with a palette knife, in oils. This technique has given her freedom of expression, using color to its fullest extent.

Judy’s work is represented in several galleries. Check out her website at www.judyrentner.com and be sure to drop by Asheville Gallery of Art this October to view her outstanding autumn paintings. The gallery is open from 11:00am until 6:00pm Monday through Sunday.

Her Painting Titles and writeup:

1. “Crossing into light”….My daughter, a photographer, went to Duke Gardens to “chase the light”. Normally I paint from my own sketches and photos, but this was so striking a scene, that it inspired me to capture it in oil.

2. “Sun Rise in the Mountains” was a combination of many scenes I have painted in our beautiful Smokey Mountains.

3 “Fall Treasure” This is a scene I captured in the Smokey Mountain National Park. Almost every fall I drive through the mountains of Western North Carolina searching for the right landscape. I do not have to go far as this is a painter’s paradise.

Come join your fellow Francophiles and speak French with us! All levels are welcome but we do speak only French so come, enjoy and practice your speaking!

Wednesday through Monday from 11am to 6pm

Rebel/Re-Belle: Exploring Gender, Agency, and Identity | Selections from the Asheville Art Museum and Rubell Museum combines works, primarily created by women, from two significant collections of contemporary art to explore how artists have innovated, influenced, interrogated, and inspired visual culture in the past 100 years.

Useful and Beautiful: Silvercraft by William Waldo Dodge features a selection of functional silver works by Dodge drawn from the Museum’s Collection. Organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Whitney Richardson, associate curator, this exhibition will be on view in the Debra McClinton Gallery at the Museum from February 23 through October 17, 2022.

William Waldo Dodge Jr. (Washington, DC 1895–1971 Asheville, NC) moved to Asheville in 1924 as a trained architect and a newly skilled silversmith. When he opened for business promoting his handwrought silver tableware, including plates, candlesticks, flatware (spoons, forks, and knives), and serving dishes, he did so in a true Arts and Crafts tradition. The aesthetics of the style were dictated by its philosophy: an artist’s handmade creation should reflect their hard work and skill, and the resulting artwork should highlight the material from which it was made. Dodge’s silver often displayed his hammer marks and inventive techniques, revealing the beauty of these useful household goods.

The Arts and Crafts style of England became popular in the United States in the early 1900s. Asheville was an early adopter of the movement because of the popularity and abundance of Arts and Crafts architecture in neighborhoods like Biltmore Forest, Biltmore Village, and the area around The Grove Park Inn. The title of this exhibition was taken from the famous quotation by one of the founding members of the English Arts and Crafts Movement, William Morris, who said, “have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” Not only did Dodge follow this suggestion; he contributed to American Arts and Crafts silver’s relevancy persisting almost halfway into the 20th century.

“It has been over 15 years since the Museum exhibited its collection of William Waldo Dodge silver and I am looking forward to displaying it in the new space with some new acquisitions added,” said Whitney Richardson, associate curator. Learn more at ashevilleart.org.

On the first Sunday of every month, Sideways Farm & Brewery hosts the Sunday Market farmers market where a large selection of local vendors sell produce, baked goods, handcrafted and artisanal products, foods trucks are on site, enjoy live music, and try the beer and hard jun from Sideways.

Vendors** include:
• 31 Summers Jewelry
• Ashley Apothecary & Dispensary
• Batholution
• Bee Masters Farm Honey
• Deep Woods Mushrooms
• Diggity Doughnuts
• Dunmoving Jewelry
• Ecusta Creative
• Homemade Pasta Noodles
• Nothing Bundt Cakes
• Pig in a Basket BBQ
• ReVive Yourself
• Smart Start
• Sonne Studios
• The Wild Ginkgo
• Urban Peasants
• Woodlife NC

**Vendors are subject to change each month

Jazz Sunday at One World Brewing West is a modern jazz jam held every Sunday afternoon from 1-4pm. Previously known as Jazz Monday, the jam has been running non stop since July, 2018 at the West Asheville brewery and is hosted weekly by The Fully Vaccinated Jazz Trio, consisting of Ray Ring on guitar, Jason DeCristofaro on drums, piano and vibraphone, and Connor Law on bass. Jazz Sunday typically features a guest artist for a short set and then welcomes jazz musicians of all levels to sit in for the remainder of the afternoon on One World’s spacious outdoor stage.

Directed by Mark Jones

In this multiple Tony Award-winning theatrical tour-de-force, Assassins explores the lives of nine men and women who either killed (or tried to kill) one of the Presidents of the United States. Stephen Sondheim’s intelligently, stunning lyrics and beautiful music effortlessly combine with a bold, disturbing and alarmingly funny book by John Wiedman. Assassins is a journey into the dark side of the American Dream, looking at our nation’s culture of celebrity and the violent means some will use to obtain it. 

Mature audiences only, not suitable for all ages.

Introducing: The Black Box Series

You’ve never experienced a play on The Rock like this before! Join us for an exciting new series where the audience and artists share the stage together for an intimate and immersive theatre experience. The Black Box Series will feature contemporary works, classics, and stories and playwrights from around the globe.  Be among the first to join us on this new and exciting theatrical journey!

*Both shows contain adult language and content.

Described by Newsday as “brutally entertaining,” God of Carnage is a comedy of manners… without the manners. Don’t miss the triple-Tony-Award-winning Broadway sensation by Yasmina Reza. The New Yorker calls this laugh-out-loud hilarity “ninety minutes of sustained mayhem.”  A playground altercation between eleven-year-old boys brings together two sets of Brooklyn parents for a meeting to resolve the matter. At first, diplomatic niceties are observed, but as the meeting progresses and the rum flows, tensions emerge and the gloves come off, leaving the couples with more than just their principals in tatters.

*Adult language and content.

“A streamlined anatomy of the human animal… delivers the cathartic release of watching other people’s marriages go boom. This play is itself a satisfyingly primitive entertainment.” –The New York Times

In this multiple Tony Award-winning theatrical tour-de-force, Assassins explores the lives of nine men and women who either killed (or tried to kill) one of the Presidents of the United States. Stephen Sondheim’s intelligently, stunning lyrics and beautiful music effortlessly combine with a bold, disturbing and alarmingly funny book by John Wiedman. Assassins is a journey into the dark side of the American Dream, looking at our nation’s culture of celebrity and the violent means some will use to obtain it. 

Mature audiences only, not suitable for all ages

The heroine in this actor’s tour-de-force is an ordinary middle class English housewife. As she prepares chips and egg for dinner, she ruminates on her life and tells the wall about her husband, her children, her past, and an invitation from a girlfriend to join her on holiday in Greece to search for romance and adventure.

We require proof of vaccination for indoor performances for everyone over the age of 12. We are not accepting negative Covid tests for entry in lieu of vaccinations. Proof may be presented via a digital photo or physical copy of your vaccination card, and must be accompanied with a photo ID. Proof of vaccination is not required for children ages 0-11.

We are selling tickets at reduced capacity. We will continue to require masks to be worn by audience members. The performers are vaccinated and will be performing on stage unmasked.

Come Join in for an afternoon of fun with the MOUNTAIN TOP POLKA BAND (MTP).

Dressed in traditional Bavarian lederhosen and dirndls, the MTP plays all the favorite Oktoberfest songs like the Chicken Dance, Hofbrauhaus, Beer Barrel Polka, Happy Wanderer, Pennsylvania Polka, Ein Prosit, along with some German Rock and Oktoberfest Classics. With lots of energy and dancing, this will be a good afternoon! Bring a friend for this once-a-year German delight on the mountain!