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.

Monday, September 2, 2024
New Moon Sound Bath
Sep 2 @ 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm
The Restoration Asheville

Come join us for a relaxing evening as the sun sets at The Restoration Hotel in Asheville. Immerse yourself in the soothing sounds of a wide variety of instruments including crystal bowls, gongs, didgeridoo, handpans, flutes, chimes, and so much more! Feel the vibrations wash away any stress or tension and enjoy this opportunity to clear your mind and renew.

This month, we’ll enjoy the music of Billy Zanski of Skinny Beats.

QUIZZO PUB TRIVIA Hosted by Jason Mencer
Sep 2 @ 7:30 pm
Jack of the Wood


Hosted by the witty & sagacious Jason Mencer, our epic pub trivia night runs every Monday from 7:30-9:30pm! Plus $5.00 well drinks all night!

Come test your brain power with tasty pub fare, an adult beverage or two — and a team of your smartest friends! Win prizes each round and crow a little about what a smarty-pants you are!

Monday Night Dance: Community contra dance
Sep 2 @ 8:15 pm – 10:30 pm
St. George's Center for Art and Spirit

Welcome to our weekly community contra dance in West Asheville!  The Monday Night Dance has been around for decades, and we are carrying the torch forward! We are a loving, kind, and safe dance community and highly encourage masking during the dance. No derogatory comments in relation to masking will be tolerated! We encourage non-maskers to mask while partnering with a dancer wearing a mask, or to at least ask if the person would like them to mask while they dance with them.

Practicalities

Time: Contra dancing 8:15–10:30pm, with a beginner lesson starting at 7:45 and a waltz session ending the evening.

Location: St. George’s Center for Art and Spirit, 1 School Rd., Asheville, NC 28806

Cost: $12–$45 sliding scale, CASH ONLY. Please pay as much as you can afford to cover the cost of the wonderful live music, the caller, sound person, rent, and other expenses! ATMs are available at banks on Patton Ave., as well as cash back options at local gas stations and grocery stores.

Requirements: Face masks and sign-in agreeing to the dance’s Safety Guidelines.

Please enter through the front red doors to the sanctuary. Extra parking available in the lots between Moore’s Foot and Ankle and St. George’s (please avoid parking in front of their practice.) This is a scent-free dance. Please bring your own water and water bottle. Beginners are encouraged to attend! Beginner-friendly dances start the contra dancing in lieu of a lesson.

Community Focus

The Monday Night Dance is more than just a dance; the community is deeply rooted. Folks are welcome to sell their wares, like jewelry, dance shoes, dance clothes, pottery, etc. They are also welcome to leave business cards and help wanted or work needed ads. Additionally, the Take Some Leave Some Closet is a new feature of the MND. You can take any clothes, food, produce, feminine products or first aid supplies that we have, and as you are able you can also leave some to replenish. Private times to receive from the closet can also be arranged during the week depending on to the dance organizer’s availability.

Safety

We emphasize safety here at the MND. Mask wearing is strongly encouraged, and courtesy to those choosing to mask is required. No discrimination to those wearing masks will be tolerated! In addition, this is a family and LGBTQ-friendly dance and a safe event for ALL races, ethnicities, genders, ages, shapes, and sizes. Accordingly, no discrimination, inappropriate sexually predatory behavior, racist or discriminatory comments, bullying, or verbal or physical abuse of ANY kind will be tolerated. See our Safety Guidelines for more info.

Volunteers and Donations

Ours is a dance built on volunteerism, and we need your help to survive! Please consider volunteering or becoming a patron by giving a monetary gift. Opening, door and closing help are some of the volunteer jobs available. Those completing their entire shift dance free! Email [email protected] for more info and to sign up. 

Finally, please follow, like and join us on Facebook!

Thanks so much and see you on the dance floor!

Tuesday, September 3, 2024
Arts Discounts Page
Sep 3 all-day
online w/ ArtsAVL
Hey Asheville: City Comedy Tour • Ages 13+ Only
Sep 3 all-day
LaZoom Room Bar & Gorilla

Come enjoy our most popular Asheville tour!

Duration

1 hour and 30 minutes

About

Bachelorette/Bachelor Parties are not permitted on this tour. The Fender Bender Bus is bachelorette/bachelor friendly!

Historical and hysterical, The Hey Asheville tour features outrageously entertaining tour guides, outlandish comedy skits complete with special appearances and loads of Asheville information. You’ll get to see the best of downtown Asheville and the rarely seen but stunningly beautiful Montford neighborhood, not to mention the burgeoning River Arts District! You’ve never had a ride like this. It’s like a vaudeville show on wheels!

Find out what makes Asheville so unique on LaZoom’s City Comedy Tour. It’s the perfect mix of history, comedy, and entertainment. Our guides are trained professional actors working with an original script. It’s like a theatre on wheels! The tour highlights downtown Asheville, historic neighborhoods, the South Slope, and the River Arts District.

Age Restrictions

13 and up. No exceptions.

Stops

10 minute beer & bathroom break at Green Man Brewery

What’s Included

Guided tour of Asheville on a Purple Bus
Funny actors, fun bits
Actual History about Asheville
Green Man Brewery Stop

What’s Not Included

Beer/Wine (Must be purchased from LaZoom or the Brewery Stop)
Cash! You’ll want to tip the guides for changing your life for the better.

Mile High Swinging Bridge
Sep 3 all-day
Grandfather Mountain

One of the top highlights and memories of visits to Grandfather Mountain nature park is walking across the famous Mile High Swinging Bridge. Since 1952, visitors have “oohed” and “aahed” at the bridge’s 360-degree panoramic views. America’s highest suspension footbridge gives easy access to the spectacular views atop Grandfather Mountain’s Linville Peak, elevation 5,305 feet.

The 228-foot suspension bridge spans an 80-foot chasm at more than one mile in elevation (hence the name!). To reach the Mile High Swinging Bridge, drive the two-mile, winding scenic road up the mountain to the summit parking area by the Top Shop. Climb 50 stairs adjacent to the parking area or inside the Top Shop to reach the short pathway to the bridge. Also, an elevator in the Top Shop takes you to the third floor for a level walk to the bridge.

Top Shop

Located adjacent to the Bridge, the Top Shop features a gift shop, snacks, restrooms, elevator and second-floor exhibition area. Also get the latest park information and trail maps. Read more.

Accessibility

Inside the Top Shop, an elevator makes the Mile High Swinging Bridge accessible to people with mobility challenges, including those in wheelchairs. From the Top Shop, there is a paved 50-yard path to the bridge. Read more about our accessibility.

Tickets & Hours

Walking across the Mile High Swinging Bridge is included in your Grandfather Mountain admission ticket that includes many other things to do in our nature park. Buy tickets online and book a reservation time to enter the park. You do not need a separate reservation for the bridge. It’s open, weather permitting, every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. See hours.

More to Explore

Before or after visiting the Mile High Swinging Bridge, allow time to enjoy other parts of the mountain: wildlife habitats, Wilson Center for Nature Discovery, restaurant, hiking trails, roadside overlooks, picnic areas and more. See more Things to Do.

Nearby Hiking Trails

Trailheads to many of the Grandfather Mountain hiking trails are located near the Swinging Bridge. In fact, the 0.4 mile Bridge Trail takes you beneath the bridge, starting from the Black Rock parking area just below the summit. For details on our nearby trails, go to our Hiking Guide.

Bridge Tips & Tidbits

  • Does it really swing? Very little — unlike the original one. Today’s bridge is made of steel and reinforced with cables and springs. It has railings on the sides to ensure safety.
  • We suggest you wear rubber-soled shoes and walk with care when crossing the rocks on the far side of the bridge.
  • If heights give you pause, you can still enjoy Blue Ridge Mountain views from the ground before you reach the bridge and even from the parking area.
  • Due to periodic extreme weather conditions at the bridge, it closes when there is area lightning, high wind or icy conditions.
  • The official U.S. Weather Service Reporting Station atop the Mile High Swinging Bridge has provided daily weather observations since 1955. The temperature is usually 10 to 20 degrees cooler than in the flatlands you see below. It’s also one of the windiest locations in North Carolina, with a 124-mph record set in winter 2019. Learn more about our weather.
  • Pets are allowed on the bridge if well behaved and on a leash.
  • Photographs and videos to remember your visit are encouraged. Be mindful of sharp drop-offs along the Linville Peak ridge. Drones are not allowed. See our photography policies.
  • The Singing Bridge? When the wind blows, the Mile High Swinging Bridge “sings” in the same way as a harmonica.
  • In April through October, join Grandfather’s expert naturalists by the Bridge for Interpretive Talks about the our unique weather, climate, flora and fauna. Read more.
  • Need driving directions? The address for Grandfather Mountain’s entrance gate is 2050 Blowing Rock Highway, Linville, NC 28646 (click link for Google Maps). There are no shuttles, so you must have your own vehicle to explore our nature park. No RVs longer than 28 feet in length or hinged vehicles are allowed through the Entrance Gate. See detailed directions.
  • To see much more info, see our Plan Your Visit section.

Mile High Swinging Bridge History

Former North Carolina Tourism Director Charles J. Parker coined the name “Mile High Swinging Bridge” at the Bridge’s dedication in 1952. The term “mile high” refers to the structure’s elevation above sea level (5,280 feet). The term “swinging” refers to the fact that suspension bridges are free to sway.

The original 1952 bridge was designed by Charles Hartmann Jr. of Greensboro, N.C. It was fabricated in Greensboro and then reassembled on top of the Mountain. Erecting the bridge took three weeks, a process slowed by inclement weather created by a hurricane off the North Carolina coast. Cost was $15,000. It was dedicated on Sept. 2, 1952 by North Carolina Gov. William B. Umstead.

The bridge was rebuilt in 1999 using the original towers. The cables, floor boards and side rails were all replaced using galvanized steel. One of the main advantages of the modern building materials is that they do not have to be painted. Now, Grandfather Mountain employees will not have to hang out over the gorge to paint the span. It was redesigned by Sutton, Kennerly & Associates Engineering of Asheville, N.C., and rebuilt by Taylor & Murphy Construction Company of Asheville. The cost of rebuilding was $300,000.

The Grassroots Arts Program
Sep 3 all-day
online

The Grassroots Arts Program provides programmatic and operating support for nonprofit arts organizations across all 100 counties in North Carolina through partnerships with local arts councils. Special consideration is given to multicultural programs and organizations outside of the City of Asheville. Grants range from $2,500-$7,50. Applications open August 15 and close September 16.

Windmill Bicycle Tour raffle
Sep 3 all-day
online

Blue Ridge Bicycle Club Celebrates 50 years!

To celebrate their anniversary, the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club is encouraging you to invest in AoB’s Youth Cycling Program by hosting the Windmill Bicycle Tour raffle!

You have a chance to win a European bicycle tour for two to any of the destinations hosted by Windmill Bicycle Tours. With only 500 tickets available, your chances of winning are maximized.

100% of proceeds support AoB’s youth cycling program.

Raffle Details

  • Tickets are on sale now and available online and at Blue Ridge Bicycle Club events.
  • The raffle drawing will be at the Pumpkin Pedaller on Saturday, October 26th at 7pm.
  • The winner does not have to be present to win.
  • The winner can select any tour offered by Windmill Bicycle Tours between 2024–2025.
Purchase Tickets!
Play Youth Inline Hockey @ Carrier Park
Sep 3 @ 12:00 am
Carrier Park

Registration is OPEN for Youth Inline Hockey. Coed – Non Contact. Ages 6 – 16. First year player may rent most gear free. Scholarships available for registration fee ($120 plus fees), and equipment.
9/3 – Evals
9/9 – First week of practice starts.
10 weeks long
1 practice, 1 game per week
$120 registration plus fees

Meditative Morning
Sep 3 @ 8:00 am – 10:00 am
NC Arboretum

We’ve heard your valuable feedback, and now you don’t have to hear us! Beginning May 4, 2021, the period between 8 and 10 a.m. on the first Tuesday morning of every month will be reserved for “Meditative Mornings,” a pause for quiet time in our gardens and on our trails. During this time, our working garden crew will abstain from using leaf blowers, mowers and other equipment so you can be sure to enjoy the sounds of birds and the wind in the trees.

Take advantage of half-price parking on the first Tuesday of every month and come out to the Arboretum to enjoy a Meditative Morning!

ASAP Consumer Survey
Sep 3 @ 8:30 am
online

ASAP is conducting research on why people in our community choose the food they do. We want to know where you shop, what you value most when purchasing food, and what factors motivate or discourage you from purchasing locally grown food. Whether you buy locally grown food or not, you can help farmers understand and connect with consumers—which creates a stronger local food system!

The survey can be completed online or by calling ASAP at 828-236-1282. It should take 8–12 minutes to complete and will be open until Oct. 31, 2024. You must be over the age of 18 and a resident of Western North Carolina.

Please share with families, friends, and co-workers!

NC Arboretum Hiking Trails
Sep 3 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

Located within the wildly-popular and botanically beautiful Southern Appalachian Mountains, The North Carolina Arboretum offers more than 10 miles of hiking trails that connect to many other area attractions such as Lake Powhatan, the Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Visitors of all ages and abilities can enjoy their hiking experience at the Arboretum as trail options include easy, moderate, and difficult challenge levels. All trails are dog-friendly and visitors are asked to adhere to the proper waste disposing procedures for pets.

Part of a running group that would like to use the Arboretum as a starting point or parking location? Please review our Running Group Guidance and email [email protected] with any questions.

ON EXHIBIT—- Bugs: Outside the Box
Sep 3 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

Baker Exhibit Center

Where can you see a butterfly with a five foot wingspan, or a longhorn beetle with antennae more than twelve feet across? The answers can be found amongst the enormous sculptures on display in BUGS: Outside the Box!

Scientifically exact, with a keen attention to detail, the exhibit features a virtual army of giant bugs with one aim in mind – educating the public and shining a light on museum collections, taxonomy, and the power of magnification.

Among the highlights of the exhibit is a rarely seen long-arm beetle more than ten feet in height, a collection of heavily armored stag beetles with impressive jaws and horns as long as your arm, and an insight into the amazing intricacy of the physiology of each insect on display. Alongside these impressive works of art is the insect in question represented at life size,  and detailed information on the life habits, location, and other facts unique to each insect and its family.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden
Sep 3 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is a challenging and rewarding horticultural activity, in which ordinary plants are grown in an extraordinary way. Through rigorously applied cultivation techniques, trees, shrubs, vines and even herbaceous plants are kept in a miniaturized state, developed into artistic shapes and then displayed in special containers.

What makes the Arboretum’s bonsai endeavor unique among all other public collections in the United States? Regional Interpretation. Visitors will find the Arboretum’s bonsai collection of more than 100 specimens carefully cultivated with a Southern Appalachian accent. The collection draws inspiration from the traditional roots of bonsai, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. Plantings in the landscape include species and cultivars of American, European and Asian origin.

 

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Interpretive signage throughout the garden conveys information about the art and history of bonsai, and the Arboretum’s own creative approach to it.

 

Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden

  • Bonsai on Display Mid May – November; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • Garden Open Year Round
  • Parking Fees
    • Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
    • Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
    • Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125
    • Members: Free

    Apart from the parking fee, there is no other admission charge to enter the Arboretum or our facilities, except in the case of advertised ticketed events.

The Art League of Henderson County announces: “Red, White and Blue”
Sep 3 @ 9:00 am
Henderson County Library

Artists are invited to create artworks with the theme of “Red, White and Blue.“  Apply these patriotic colors at the center of your subjects, however there are no limits to your creativity, your artworks don’t need to be primarily patriotic theme, but viewers should be able to spot the use of recognizable amount of red, white and blue colors.

Latin Chair Dance
Sep 3 @ 9:30 am – 10:30 am
Asheville YMCA

Join us for a fun event exploring a variety of different Latin dances. This is a version of our Latin rhythm for those who need some support.

This is a free event open to everyone.

Exhibition on Display: Class of 2024 – Haywood Community College’s Professional Crafts Program
Sep 3 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Folk Art Center

Located on the second floor until September 18th, the show continues the historical relationship between the Southern Highland Craft Guild and Haywood, an educational center of the Guild. This new generation of craft is led by instructors Amy Putansu in fiber, Brian Wurst in wood, Emily Reason in clay, and Robert Blanton in metals & jewelry. Students of the Haywood program come from all over, with or without prior experience of craft, and sometimes pursuing it as a second or third career. The course of study is challenging, combining craft concentrations with supplemental classes in design, drawing, craft history, business, marketing and photography.

Haywood Community College and the Southern Highland Craft Guild share a history that documents the role of craft education in preserving traditional culture, creating economic opportunity and fostering professional practice. All of the artists represent the vitality and creativity of craft practice today, which is the ultimate purpose of both institutions. Many Haywood graduates have become individual members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild and have served the Guild in various capacities.

Instructor Brian Wurst of the Professional Crafts Wood program says, “Our programs have thrived for nearly five decades, and our relationship with the Craft Guild has been a key part of that. We’re always thrilled to have work showcased at the Folk Art Center, and in turn scores of our alumni have gone on to become active Guild members. The Graduate Show is the capstone of two hard years by these students, and it’s a delight to share it in this beautiful space.”

Haywood Community College is located in Clyde, North Carolina, just west of Asheville. The college’s Professional Crafts Program began in recognition of the region’s strong craft heritage. It was envisioned that students would learn the basics of craft media and how to transform that craft into a business. The clay studio was the first to open in 1974. With the addition of jewelry, wood and fiber studios, a comprehensive curriculum was in place by 1977.

Anyone interested in taking courses at Haywood Community College can contact the success coach, Farrah Rodriguez [email protected] 828.627.4505.

The Haywood Community College Professional Crafts Program, Graduate Show, Class of 2024 is a free exhibit at the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway in East Asheville. For more information, visit www.craftguild.org or call 828-523-4110. For more information about the Professional Crafts Program, call 828-627-4674 or visit creativearts.haywood.edu.

Max Adrian: RIPSTOP
Sep 3 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Center for Craft
The Center for Craft is thrilled to announce the opening of Max Adrian: RIPSTOP. Adrian (he/they), a textile artist who was awarded a Windgate-Lamar Fellowship by the Center in 2015 and a Career Advancement Fellowship in 2022, will bring the playful, experiential, and provocative solo exhibition of textiles and inflatable sculptures to the Bresler Family Gallery beginning July 26, 2024 through March 29, 2025.

Pieces made from nylon fabric ripstop, which keeps tears from spreading, invite viewers into created, fantastical worlds, only to highlight the complex—even impossible—architectures of their construction. Before the pandemic, Adrian primarily focused on personal experiences and interrogations of queerness, identity, and sexuality. Since then, the work has zoomed out in its scope, still centering identity but placed in larger infrastructure and surveillance systems that mediate, manipulate, and control desire.

Adrian counts queer fiber art, BDSM and kink culture, theatre, camp horror, puppetry, and drag among his many influences. Works in RIPSTOP, like the modernist bounce house sculpture A Fallible Complex (2021), evoke spaces for play, beckoning visitors in through their alluring aesthetic and then blocking their entrance or revealing structural instabilities, like missing floors. Others, like The Sensational Inflatable Furry Divines (2017-19), use sensual materials, like faux fur, spandex, and pleather, which connect to theatrical performance and counterculture. The materials “play on people’s initial associations and serve as a gateway into greater conversations about identity construction, performance, desire, and technology,” he shares.Pieces also nod to the history of quilting, including the AIDS Memorial Quilt, another influence on Adrian’s work. “Even when pieces aren’t explicitly making quilt references, I want the history of quilting and sewing-based craft to be part of the conversation of the work,” he says. “Craft is so much about the processes and histories behind materials. It’s about connecting with communities of people who practice those techniques. It’s about material and technique being a doorway into a greater relationship with an object.”

Themes of transformation—of structures, identities, and bodies—run throughout the show. “What I love about drag and puppetry is the sense of transformation and play, specifically with bodies,” Adrian says. “Within these art forms, a body can become mutable and capable of performing and becoming in unexpected states.” The sculptures also transform throughout viewers’ experiences, going through stages of inflation and deflation and existing in many different states.

RIPSTOP’s constant interplay between surface and depth, assumption and reality, are all a part of what Adrian describes as “looking behind the curtain,” which they trace back to the theatre. “When I’m thinking about systems, and the systems desire fits into, I’m thinking of stage construction, the backstage, the things that go on behind the show, and performance of our desires,” they explain.

As a craft artist, Adrian’s philosophy “comes down to having an intentional relationship with material, process, and technique,” he says. “Those aspects of art making are just as – if not more – important than an intellectualized concept being illustrated by an artwork.”

“Broadened definitions of craft that highlight communities of practice are foundational for the Center for Craft’s new strategic direction,” explains Executive Director Stephanie Moore. “Max Adrian’s work in RIPSTOP exemplifies the expansive and meaningful forms craft can take.” The Center for Craft is an institution Adrian credits for their professional growth. “The Center for Craft has felt like such a supporting institution for me specifically and for so many other craft artists I know,” they note. “To be able to bring this amount of work to Asheville is pretty cool.”

See Max Adrian: RIPSTOP at the Center for Craft Beginning July 26. A reception will be held on August 15. RIPSTOP is organized by Houston Center for Contemporary Craft and curated by Sarah Darro.

# # #
ABOUT CENTER FOR CRAFT Founded in 1996, the Center for Craft’s mission is to resource, catalyze, and amplify how and why craft matters. As a 501(c)3 national nonprofit that increases access to craft by empowering and resourcing artists, organizations, and communities through grants, fellowships and programs that bring people together. The Center is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential organizations working on behalf of craft in the United States. For more information, visit www.centerforcraft.org.
Parkinson’s Support Group of Asheville
Sep 3 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Groce United Methodist Church

Jocelyn Kakavas will speak at the Asheville Parkinson’s Support Group meeting on September 3. Kakavas, a Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) ambassador for the Southeast and a member of the Foundation’s advancement team, will give a brief overview of MJFF’s role in the Parkinson’s community accompanied by a research update covering biomarker breakthroughs, current drugs up for regulatory approval, and drugs in the pipeline.
Kakavas will highlight the MJFF’s Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI). Launched in 2010, PPMI aims to validate biomarkers of Parkinson’s onset and progression. It expanded in 2020 to include more participants and sites. The initiative follows people with and without PD over time to understand disease progression, leading to better diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. The Foundation shares its extensive data set and bio-sample library to support other studies and accelerate breakthroughs. The study has grown to over fifty international clinical sites and aims to increase participant numbers significantly.
Kakavas will talk about recent drug research advances, including drugs to improve mitochondrial function and targets surrounding alpha-synuclein aggregation which could slow or stop Parkinson’s progression.
She will share how members of the Asheville Parkinson’s Support Group can become involved in MJFF’s drug and therapy trials across the nation.
The Fox Foundation was founded in 2000 by actor Michael J. Fox. It is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease through an aggressive research agenda and ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with the condition. The Foundation funds promising research opportunities worldwide, focusing on innovative projects that have the potential to make significant advancements in understanding and treating Parkinson’s disease. A portion of the presentation will allow for allotted time for attendees to ask questions of clarity or information not covered in this presentation.

Date and Time: On Tue, 03 Sep 2024 at 10:00 – Tue, 03 Sep 2024 at 12:00

Venue details: Groce United Methodist Church, 954 Tunnel Road, Asheville, North Carolina, 28805, United States

Category: Community | Local / Community

Parkinsons Support Group of Asheville
Sep 3 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Groce United Methodist Church

Jocelyn Kakavas will speak at the Asheville Parkinson’s Support Group meeting on September 3. Kakavas, a Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) ambassador for the Southeast and a member of the Foundation’s advancement team, will give a brief overview of MJFF’s role in the Parkinson’s community accompanied by a research update covering biomarker breakthroughs, current drugs up for regulatory approval, and drugs in the pipeline.
Kakavas will highlight the MJFF’s Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI). Launched in 2010, PPMI aims to validate biomarkers of Parkinson’s onset and progression. It expanded in 2020 to include more participants and sites. The initiative follows people with and without PD over time to understand disease progression, leading to better diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. The Foundation shares its extensive data set and bio-sample library to support other studies and accelerate breakthroughs. The study has grown to over fifty international clinical sites and aims to increase participant numbers significantly.
Kakavas will talk about recent drug research advances, including drugs to improve mitochondrial function and targets surrounding alpha-synuclein aggregation which could slow or stop Parkinson’s progression.
She will share how members of the Asheville Parkinson’s Support Group can become involved in MJFF’s drug and therapy trials across the nation.
The Fox Foundation was founded in 2000 by actor Michael J. Fox. It is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease through an aggressive research agenda and ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with the condition. The Foundation funds promising research opportunities worldwide, focusing on innovative projects that have the potential to make significant advancements in understanding and treating Parkinson’s disease. A portion of the presentation will allow for allotted time for attendees to ask questions of clarity or information not covered in this presentation.

Sand Hill Nursery Workday
Sep 3 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Sand Hill Nursery at the Buncombe County Sports Park

Join us for weekly workdays in the Sand Hill native tree nursery. Tasks vary and often include repotting, weeding, mulching, and other special projects to improve infrastructure and function.

Need to know

Please come dressed in work clothes with close toed shoes. Bring water and sun protection. All other gear and supplies are provided.

Robert Chapman Turner: Artist, Teacher, Explorer
Sep 3 @ 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center

Robert Turner (1913-2005) arrived at Black Mountain College in 1949 to establish the first studio pottery program at the College. He worked with student architect Paul Williams to design the Potshop and stayed until 1951 as a teacher and potter. There he formed lifelong friendships with M.C. Richards, Joe Fiore, and Natasha Goldowski Renner, and was part of the lively mix of art and ideas generated by Clement Greenberg, Katherine Litz, Kenneth Noland, Theodoros Stamos, and many others. Turner’s education prior to his arrival at Black Mountain included Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, The Barnes Foundation, Penland School of Crafts, and Alfred University.

After Black Mountain, Turner and his family moved to Alfred Station, NY where they bought a farm, and he established a successful studio pottery practice and actively exhibited his work in galleries across the U.S. In 1958 he began teaching pottery and sculpture at Alfred University where he would lead the ceramics program until his retirement in 1979. In addition to his influential teaching position at Alfred, Turner taught at Penland, Haystack, and Anderson Ranch helping a new generation of artists and potters develop their work and establishing his own reputation as a gifted teacher.

Robert Turner’s travels to Africa and to the American Southwest proved to be important life experiences and important to his growth as an artist. Over his lifetime he received many awards for his work, but his humble, gentle demeanor and Quaker background helped keep him centered while also remaining open to exploration and discovery in nature and life.

The exhibition will include work by some of Turner’s students and colleagues at BMC, Alfred University, and Penland as well as work by contemporary ceramic artists whose work fits within the context of the show. Artists include: Meredith Brickell, Cynthia Bringle, Marjorie Dial, Cynthia Homire, Bill C. Jones, Bobby Kaddis, Karen Karnes, Eric Knoche, Jeannine Marchand, Neil Noland, Daniel Rhodes, M.C. Richards, Gay Smith, Tom Spleth, Adele Suska, Lydia C. Thompson, Xavier Toubes, Jerilyn Virden, Peter Voulkos, David Weinrib, and Kensuke Yamáda.

I wanted to work with clay so that the way it moved, the vitality of clay, is not meeting something that’s been on the drawing board. It’s using clay with abstraction to start with and then seeing what it’s going to do, how it will move and change, and always surprise you.

Curated by Alice Sebrell, Director of Preservation

Guided Trail Walk
Sep 3 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
NC Arboretum

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.
THANK YOU NIGHT service industry friends
Sep 3 @ 3:00 pm – 10:00 pm
DSSOLVR

Join us every Tuesday for some sweet sweet deals as a way for us to thank you and all of our fellow service industry friends!

Baby Story Time
Sep 3 @ 3:30 pm – 4:15 pm
Weaverville Public Library

Join us for a lively language enrichment story time designed for children ages 4 to 18 months.

Dark City Poets Society Workshop Circle
Sep 3 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Black Mountain Library

Dark City Poets Society is a completely free poetry group that is open to writers of all ages and experience levels.
Join us at the Black Mountain Library from 6:00-7:30 pm on the first Tuesday of every month for our (respectful) feedback group.
FREE. Meets in the garden weather permitting.

Wednesday, September 4, 2024
ASAP: How Does Western North Carolina Shop for Food SURVEY
Sep 4 all-day
online

ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) has released a survey to learn more about how people in Western North Carolina shop for food and why they choose the food they do. The survey, part of a three-year project by ASAP’s Local Food Research Center, is for any resident of Western North Carolina over the age of 18, no matter where or how they shop for food. It can be completed online at surveymonkey.com/r/WNCFoodASAP or over the phone by calling ASAP at 828-236-1282. It should take approximately 8 to 12 minutes to complete and will be open through Oct. 31, 2024. Respondents are encouraged to share the survey widely with families, friends, and co-workers.

 

“By completing this survey, you are helping local farmers understand and connect with consumers,” said Amy Marion, ASAP Associate Director and lead researcher. “The challenges of our food system are constantly evolving. Improving it requires active participation from all community members. With this research we can better understand consumer values and the barriers they face, and help farmers and food producers improve communications with their customers and their communities.”

 

The survey is part of a three-year research project, “Connections in Direct Markets: Assessing the feedback loop between consumer values and farmers’ marketing strategies,” which will examine and improve communication and alignment between farmers and consumers in Western North Carolina. The research phase will also employ consumer focus groups, farmer interviews and case studies, and more targeted surveying. The broad consumer survey provides an update to the last consumer survey conducted by the Local Food Research Center in 2014. Results from the current research project will be shared in 2025.

 

ASAP founded the Local Food Research Center in 2011 to study the economic, environmental, and social impacts of localizing food systems. From its inception, ASAP’s programs and services have been grounded in research and evaluation, adjusting based on a strong feedback loop and observation of current conditions in the food system.

 

This project is supported in part by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2022-38640-37488 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under subaward number LS23-382. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider.

BREWERY TOURS
Sep 4 all-day
Sierra Nevada Brewing

Whether you’re just getting into craft beer or we’re on your brewery bucket list, a Mills River tour is for you — so we recommend you reserve a spot! Our interactive tours offer everything from hop handling to nature hikes to — what you really came for — beer sampling.

Space on each tour is limited, and reservations are strongly encouraged. Make yours below. Looking to book a private tour? Fill out the private tour form, and we’ll get it organized. See you soon!

DIY River + Road Cleanups
Sep 4 all-day
Asheville Area

Whenever you want!

 

Supplies available at

2 Sulphur Springs Road

If you need to request supplies for the same or next day, please call 828-254-1776.

Organizing a litter cleanup with your friends, neighbors, co-workers, or other community members is easier than you may think! Asheville GreenWorks provides cleanup supplies and safety information, and will coordinate trash pick up as needed. Available supplies include safety vests, gloves, trash grabbers, trash bags, and SHARPs containers (upon request).

Review the attached guides for instructions and safety information.

Need to know

Please review the attached documents and contact [email protected] with any questions. Your supplies will be available for pickup on the date you’ve requested at Asheville GreenWorks’ office at 2 Sulphur Springs Road, Asheville, NC 28806.

All cleanups should be reported using the online form and supplies should be returned after your cleanup.

Hey Asheville: City Comedy Tour • Ages 13+ Only
Sep 4 all-day
LaZoom Room Bar & Gorilla

Come enjoy our most popular Asheville tour!

Duration

1 hour and 30 minutes

About

Bachelorette/Bachelor Parties are not permitted on this tour. The Fender Bender Bus is bachelorette/bachelor friendly!

Historical and hysterical, The Hey Asheville tour features outrageously entertaining tour guides, outlandish comedy skits complete with special appearances and loads of Asheville information. You’ll get to see the best of downtown Asheville and the rarely seen but stunningly beautiful Montford neighborhood, not to mention the burgeoning River Arts District! You’ve never had a ride like this. It’s like a vaudeville show on wheels!

Find out what makes Asheville so unique on LaZoom’s City Comedy Tour. It’s the perfect mix of history, comedy, and entertainment. Our guides are trained professional actors working with an original script. It’s like a theatre on wheels! The tour highlights downtown Asheville, historic neighborhoods, the South Slope, and the River Arts District.

Age Restrictions

13 and up. No exceptions.

Stops

10 minute beer & bathroom break at Green Man Brewery

What’s Included

Guided tour of Asheville on a Purple Bus
Funny actors, fun bits
Actual History about Asheville
Green Man Brewery Stop

What’s Not Included

Beer/Wine (Must be purchased from LaZoom or the Brewery Stop)
Cash! You’ll want to tip the guides for changing your life for the better.