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.

Thursday, March 28, 2024
“Making Changes” Exhibition
Mar 28 – May 13 all-day
Red House Gallery & Studios

Our first show in our new location, 101 Cherry Street, will emphasize how we have adapted to “Making Changes”. Growth occurs when we make changes. When something is deconstructed and recreated with new energy and life, it’s an opportunity to evolve and transform. In this process, some aspects are left behind while new concepts take their place. Growth is universal and can be planned or spontaneous, inclusive or exclusive, material, spiritual, or social. Take this challenge to break from old constructs and explore the previously unknown – the unawakened. “If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living.” — Gail Sheehy. All mediums are welcome.

“Get Lucky” Hotel Package at The Radical
Mar 28 – Mar 31 all-day
The Radical

The Radical has the pieces in place for an unforgettable night away, or a full weekend escape this March. When guests check into their room at The Radical, they’ll be welcomed with:
-A New Indulgences Temptation II Adult Intimacy Kit featuring modern extras
-Four-pack of seasonal craft beer from an Asheville brewery and a local snack, hand-picked by The Radical team
-$50 food & beverage credit
-Noon late checkout

Guests must be 21+ to book, and packages are subject to availability. Blackout dates apply.

Affordable Parking Program: 60 Spots Still Available
Mar 28 all-day
online

Do you work in downtown Asheville? If so, Buncombe County’s expanded affordable parking program could save you hundreds of your hard-earned dollars. The Affordable Parking Program includes 200 parking spaces at two locations in downtown Asheville. Of those 200, the County currently has 57 openings with 30 spots available at Coxe Avenue and 27 at College Street.

Parking spaces are located at the Coxe Avenue parking deck (located at 11 Sears Alley) and the College Street parking deck (located at 164 College Street, across from the judicial complex) for a discounted price of $40 per month. This initiative, focused on service industry and retail workers, is now taking applications for the remaining spots.

To be eligible, you need to work in Downtown Asheville and make 80% area median income (AMI), which is less than $22.88 per hour or $3,967 per month. Applications are now open for the program. If you think you’re eligible, then please go ahead and apply.

Apply here

BRING ON SPRING w/ Nantahala Outdoor Center
Mar 28 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center

 

Buncombe Extension Master GardenerSM Helpline Opens for 2024 Gardening Season
Mar 28 all-day
NC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener

Have your garden and plant questions answered. There are three ways to contact the Master Gardener Helpline:

Call 828-255-5522

Email questions and photos to [email protected] or stop by the extension office hours:

Mondays – 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Tuesdays – 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Thursdays – 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Caroline Renée Woolard Art Exhibition
Mar 28 – May 24 all-day
The Village Potters Clay Center 

 

 

The Village Potters Clay Center is pleased to announce our first Featured Artist Exhibit for 2024 will be for Caroline Renée Woolard. The exhibit opened March 20 and runs through the end of May in the Feature Gallery at The Village Potters Clay Center.

 

Caroline Renée Woolard creates functional pottery with the intention of nurturing those who use it in their daily rituals, uplifting their spirits and homes as it invites them to find gratitude in the present moment. Her work explores movement through various textures on the surface with slip and carving, while finding stability and structure within the form. Each surface design is a unique expression of the energy of the moment that she creates it, and as she works with clay, she finds it to be a grounding process that reminds her of the importance of being centered and present.

 

The exhibit will include some of Caroline’s most popular forms like her mushroom mugs and vessels, her curvaceous lady forms, and her slipped vessels adorned with horsehair. She will also be creating new, larger pieces as she continues to explore the new directions her forms and textures are leading her, and we are all very excited to be along on her journey!

 

Caroline will also be taking part in the annual Multi-Kiln Opening Celebration at The Village Potters Clay Center on Saturday, May 4, where she will be demonstrating some of her surface design techniques and available throughout the day for questions and discussion about her work.

Easter Escapade: A Springtime Celebration
Mar 28 – Apr 3 all-day
The Omni Grove Park Inn 

Join us for an enchanting Easter celebration at The Omni Grove Park Inn, where the beauty of spring meets the charm of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Purchase the Easter Bunny Bliss package and indulge in a memorable getaway featuring delectable dishes, family-friendly activities, and cherished moments that will last a lifetime. With a generous $150 food and beverage credit, complimentary parking, and a keepsake item to treasure, your extended escape awaits. Delight in our lavish Easter brunch, partake in craft and cookie decorating parties, and be sure to catch a glimpse of Major Bunny himself as he spreads joy throughout the resort. Spring into the season with us and create unforgettable memories this Easter!

Great Smokies Writing Program | Utilizing the Visual Arts in Writing and Revising Personal Narrative
Mar 28 – Apr 17 all-day
Story Parlor

Wednesdays, starting March 20 | Offered through the Great Smokies Writing Program, this five-week class will investigate the ways in which paintings, drawings, photographs, and sculpture inspire, collaborate with, and complement our writing process.

Help Buncombe County Vote: Become a Poll Worker
Mar 28 all-day
Buncombe County NC

Are you interested in earning money while helping support the democratic process? If so, Buncombe County Election Services is looking for poll workers to help with the 2024 Primary and General Elections. It’s a rewarding way to help our community while supplementing your income. If this sounds interesting, read on to learn more about the perks of working the polls, eligibility requirements, pay rates, and more.

Perks of working the polls:

  • Meaningful work
  • No prior experience needed
  • Option to work one full day or shifts for two weeks
  • Earn extra money
  • Great team atmosphere
  • Build highly transferrable skills
  • Doesn’t impact unemployment benefits (Per Session Law 2020-71, any person that is receiving unemployment may work as a poll worker without any effect on their unemployment benefits)
  • Opportunities for students, people looking for supplemental incomes, and retirees with flexible schedules

Representation from both parties is an important part of the process and is statutorily required. “Our poll workers are the backbone of safe and fair elections,” said Election Services Director Corinne Duncan. “Without them, we wouldn’t be able to offer our Buncombe County voters the best experience at the polls, regardless of if they vote early or on Election Day.”

Election Services is staffed up for Early Voting during the primary, but we are currently hiring for the Primary Election Day, especially registered Republicans, and creating a roster of people interested in working the general election in November.

To be eligible you must:

  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Be a registered voter of Buncombe County (Unaffiliated voters are welcome to apply)
  • Be comfortable and confident using a laptop
  • Be able to sit or stand for long periods of time while working with voters
  • Be able to put aside all political activity and conversation on social media and in person for a two-week period over Early Voting and Election Day
  • Be able to lift 25 lbs.

Through the Student Assistant Program, students who will be at least 17 years old by Election Day (March 5, 2024) can work as assistants. Student Assistant 101.

Early Voting 
During Early Voting (Oct. 17-Nov. 2) each location is staffed with a Captain and a team of workers. Captains earn $16/hour and workers earn $14/hour. Working during Early Voting requires a minimum commitment of 15 of 17 days, including weekend shifts and mandatory paid training. The captain carries the most responsibility with duties including voting location access, task delegation, reconciliation, equipment troubleshooting, and voting process/election law familiarity.

For more information about working Early Voting, contact Karen Rae at (828) 250-4224.

Election Day
On Election Day (March 5), each of our 80 precincts is staffed with three judges and several assistants. Election Day workers receive a lump sum payment (see below) which includes payment to attend the mandatory four-hour training session. Everyone is required to work the entirety of Election Day on March 5, 2024, which typically runs from 6 a.m-9 p.m. Precincts are located throughout the county, and we do our best to assign you to a precinct near your home.

Chief Judge – $300

Party Judge – $225

Assistant – $200

The Chief Judge carries the most responsibility with duties including collecting precinct supplies, officially opening, and closing the polls, voting location access, task delegation, close of polls audit processes, and voting process/election law familiarity. Party Judges are also required to participate in the official work of opening, and closing the polls, as well as the close of polls audit process.

For more information about working Buncombe County elections, contact Karen Rae at (828) 250-4224 or visit buncombecounty.org/pollworker.

Learn + Grow ADULT + CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Mar 28 all-day
NC Arboretum

Plants Connect Us in Place

Throughout Southern Appalachia this month, the first spring ephemerals — floral harbingers of the colorful season to come — begin their journey toward the light. Trillium, Trout Lily, Bloodroot, Dicentra: All appear the most delicate of flowers, yet they are mighty enough to push through heavy layers of damp leaf duff to reach the sun’s rays. Usher in the brightening days like these first flowers with courses that extend the Arboretum’s mission to connect people with plants and learn more about what roots us in our special place in nature.

Eco Gardening: Principles in Practice | In Person Version – ONSITE, Three Sessions: Wednesdays, March 6, 20 & April 3, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Or  Asynchronous Version – Open March 6 through May 31.


Emergence: Spring Wildflower Walk | ONSITE | Saturday, March 9, 1 – 3 p.m. or Saturday, March 16, 1 – 3 p.m.


Lifelong Gardening | ONSITE | Wednesday, March 13, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.


Free! Lunch & Learn: Previewing the Cullowhee Native Plants Conference | ONSITE | Thursday, March 14, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.


Native Plants for the Vegetable Garden | ONSITE | Thursday, March 14, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.


Botany Basics | In Person Version – ONSITE, Six Sessions: Tuesdays & Thursdays, March 19 – April 4, 1 – 3 p.m. Or Asynchronous Version – Open April 4 through June 30.


Soil Health Check Up | ONSITE | Wednesday, March 27, 1:30 – 4 p.m.


Free! Arboretum Reads Nature’s Best Hope by Doug Tallamy | ONSITE | Two Sessions: Thursday, April 4 & 18, 3:30 – 5 p.m.


Registration is also open for our signature plant-based core classes in April. Join us for Spring Native Flora ID (field and blended field/online sections), Spring Native Tree ID (online, field and intensive versions). Plan ahead in April to learn about exotics at the Orchid Festival, April 12 – 14, held at the Arboretum, then return to learn about our native azaleas at the Native Azalea Day, April 27. 

Registration for Tanglewood Youth Theatre Classes
Mar 28 all-day
online w/ Asheville Community Theatre

Tanglewood Summer has long been a successful and inspirational part of children’s creative education in Western North Carolina. Our theatre camp has been extremely popular and is well-suited for any young person interested in exploring the exciting world of theatre. Our faculty represents some of the finest talent in the area, and we are thrilled to have them at Tanglewood Summer.

We have something for every kid this summer – whether it’s your first or one-hundred-and-first time trying theatre, Tanglewood Summer is the place for YOU!

Spring REI Classes to Get You Outside
Mar 28 all-day
REI Asheville
3/27: How to Pack a Backpack Workshop
4/3: Hiking the Pilgrim’s Way: A Presentation with the WNC Camino Group
4/6: Backpacking Basics Presentation
4/11: Trailside Bike Maintenace Workshop
4/24: In-Store Map and Compass Workshop
5/1: Hiking the Camino de Santiago: An Introduction
Tag Sale
Mar 28 – Apr 4 all-day
Atelier Maison & Co.

Atelier Maison & Co. is having their Tag Sale from March 22nd through April 4th. Items throughout the showroom will be tagged for discounts up to 75% off. Visit their website to shop the sale, or visit their locations in Cashiers and Asheville.
Atelier Maison & Co. is the elevated home furnishings destination offering healthy, design-forward furniture, accessories, and an exclusive line of green, envy-worthy pieces. With roots in the Asheville Design District, they host a variety of events including markets, design education, trade networking, and more. They believe living green is not only better for the environment but essential in building a happier, healthier home.

Women Celebrating Women
Mar 28 – Mar 31 all-day
Asheville Gallery of Art

“WOMEN CELEBRATING WOMEN” Friday, March 1st 5 – 8 pm at the Asheville Gallery of Art. This will be a powerfully beautiful showcase featuring the works of
three remarkable local women artists –Kathy Edwards, Kelly Saunders and Marilyn
Place. Come join us for Hors d’oeuvre’s and wine at 82 Patton Avenue, Asheville .

Witch: a dark comedy at NC Stage
Mar 28 @ 12:00 am – Apr 7 @ 2:00 pm
North Carolina Stage Company

A charming devil arrives in the quiet village of Edmonton to bargain for the souls of its residents in exchange for their darkest wishes. Elizabeth should be his easiest target, having been labeled a witch and cast out by the town, but her soul is not so readily bought. As the devil returns –and returns again– to convince her, unexpected passions flare, alliances are formed, and the village is forever changed.

Content advisory: strong language, staged violence

Growing Minds Farm to School Mini-Grant
Mar 28 @ 6:30 am
online
ASAP’s Growing Minds mini-grants help early childhood education (ECE) centers and K-12 schools throughout the 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina provide children positive experiences with healthy local foods through these components of farm to school: school gardens, farm field trips and farmer classroom visits, and local foods served in meals, snacks, and/or taste tests.

Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding. 

Applications due by:

  • November 30, 2023
  • January 30, 2024
  • March 30, 2024

If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year. Learn more and apply here!

Recreate Asheville Community Workshop
Mar 28 @ 7:00 am – 11:00 am
Stephens-Lee Community Center

Following multiple in-person and online engagement opportunities last summer and fall, Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) announced additional feedback workshops and a survey for Recreate Asheville: Shaping Our City’s Parks, a community-driven comprehensive plan to guide the City of Asheville’s parks and recreation decisions for the next 10-15 years.

Upcoming Feedback Opportunities

March 27-April 15: Online survey available on the City of Asheville’s virtual engagement hub. Use this direct link at that time: https://publicinput.com/recreateasheville.

March 27 at 6pm: Virtual community meeting with a presentation followed by town hall-style comment period. Use this direct link at that time: https://publicinput.com/recreateasheville.

March 28 from 7-11am: Stephens-Lee Community Center on 30 George Washington Carver Avenue

March 28 from 1:30-6pm: Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center on 121 Shiloh Road

April 6 from 10am-2pm: Carrier Park (along French Broad River Greenway in front of the restroom building) on 220 Amboy Road

Recreate Asheville: Shaping Our City’s Parks
Mar 28 @ 7:00 am
online

Following multiple in-person and online engagement opportunities last summer and fall, Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) announced additional feedback workshops and a survey for Recreate Asheville: Shaping Our City’s Parks, a community-driven comprehensive plan to guide the City of Asheville’s parks and recreation decisions for the next 10-15 years.

During the City of Asheville’s Environment and Safety Committee meeting on February 27, APR shared an update on the months-long planning process and a summary of information learned during a community needs assessment period that included a statistically valid survey mailed to homes throughout the city, an online survey, in-person workshops and engagement events, focus group meetings, and stakeholder discussions.

 

Upcoming Feedback Opportunities

  • March 27-April 15
  • March 27 at 6 p.m.
  • March 28 from 7-11 a.m.
    • Stephens-Lee Community Center on 30 George Washington Carver Avenue
    • Drop-in open house community meeting with the opportunity to stay as little or as long as your schedule allows to participate in hands-on budgeting activities and speak directly with City of Asheville staff
  • Additional opportunities in April will be announced on the Recreate Asheville website as they are confirmed.
  • APR team members are also happy to attend virtual or in-person meetings of Asheville’s neighborhood organizations to discuss the plan in greater detail.

bar chart calendar showing milestones in development of plan

What happens next?

Feedback during this phase will be incorporated with feedback from the previous community needs assessment period to develop a strategic action plan. Community members then have an additional period (tentatively scheduled from May 20-June 2) to review and comment on the drafted plan.

 

What is Recreate Asheville: Shaping Our City’s Parks?

Recreate Asheville: Shaping Our City’s Parks is a community-built comprehensive plan to guide long-range planning, address service gaps, and identify opportunities for improvements. It is a visionary document that sets the values and goals for systemwide investments and a framework to guide future investments in recreation programs and spaces.

It is not an operations model or financial budget, though it is a method to inform capital expenditures. The Recreate Asheville plan does not contain detailed design proposals for specific neighborhoods, parks, or facilities.

 

 

Asheville Parks & Recreation

With its oldest parks dating to the 1890s, Asheville Parks & Recreation manages a unique collection of more than 65 public parks, playgrounds, and open spaces throughout the city in a system that also includes full-complex recreation centers, swimming pools, Riverside Cemetery, sports fields and courts, and community centers that offer a variety of wellness-, education-, and culture-related programs for Ashevillians of all ages. With 10 miles of paved greenways and numerous natural surface trails, its complete portfolio acts as the foundation of a vibrant hub for the people of Asheville to connect with their neighbors and explore the natural beauty of a livable and walkable city.

Driven by the promise that Asheville is a better and safer place when everyone from infants to retirees has the opportunity to be supported, healthy, and successful, Asheville Parks & Recreation was the first nationally-accredited municipal recreation department in the United States. For latest updates, sign up for Asheville Parks & Recreation’s monthly newsletter, follow the department on Facebook (@aprca) and Instagram (@ashevilleparksandrecreation), or visit  www.ashevillenc.gov/parks.

Nature’s Blueprints: Biomimicry in Art and Design
Mar 28 @ 8:00 am – 7:00 pm
NC Arboretum

Baker Exhibit Center

In an age of complex environmental challenges, why not look to the ingenuity of nature for solutions? The forms, patterns, and processes found in the natural world—refined by 3.8 billion years of evolution—can inspire our design of everything from clothing to skyscrapers. This approach to innovation, called biomimicry, is becoming increasingly popular.

Nature’s Blueprints is supported in part by The North Carolina Arboretum Society, The Laurel of Asheville, RomanticAsheville.com Travel Guide, and Smoky Mountain Living Magazine.

New Park Pavilion Reservation Software
Mar 28 @ 8:00 am
online

Buncombe County Parks & Recreation is announcing the launch of its new online reservation system for park pavilions.

ACTIVENet, the new online reservation system, allows for a hassle-free user experience for Buncombe County park visitors. With just a few clicks, visitors can make and cancel reservations from the comfort of their home, in addition to checking real-time availability of the pavilions. Park pavilions are located at Lake Jullian, Charles D. Owen, and the Buncombe County Sports Park. Field rental is also available through this new portal.

Key takeaways of the new reservation system include: 

Seamless Interface: The user-friendly layout of the reservation system allows for hassle-free bookings and cancelations.

Real-time Park Pavilion Availability: Users are able to check the availability of the park pavilions at their favorite park, and on their preferred date and time.

Secure Payment: ACTIVENet’s secure payment portal ensures data protection and encryption with Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant technology.

Email confirmations: Once a reservation is made or canceled, users will receive a confirmation email with the details of their booking.

Click here to view a tutorial on how to book a park pavilion. 

To access the new park pavilion reservation system, please visit www.buncombecounty.org/parks. There is a “Reserve & Register” button that will take users directly to the reservation portal. Please note that users must create an account prior to booking a park pavilion. For any inquiries or additional information, please contact [email protected] or call (828) 250-4260.

WomanUP Workshop: Seeking Work-Life Harmony
Mar 28 @ 8:00 am – 10:30 am
A-B Tech
WomanUP Workshop: Seeking Work-Life Harmony
Embrace the transformative power of harmonizing your professional and personal life at our WomanUP Workshop on Thursday, March 28 from 8 to 10:30 AM at A-B Tech.

Our speaker, Meredith Ellison, co-founder of Quility, as she shares insights on moving beyond the traditional concept of work-life balance towards a more integrated and fulfilling approach – work-life harmony. The traditional idea of work-life balance often imposes a rigid separation, but Meredith will guide us toward a more fluid, integrated approach. Discover how aligning your professional and personal pursuits can lead to a richer, more satisfying life.

Meredith Ellison - Quility

About Meredith: Meredith Ellison, a key figure in the founding of Symmetry Financial Group and Quility, now leads in organizational well-being. Quility, an innovator in the insurance industry, empowers agents with cutting-edge tools and digital products. Meredith’s leadership, including initiatives like Ripple Model™, supports the success and personal development of both agents and employees.

Join us for a morning of insight, connection, and empowerment! 

Connie Bostic To Be An Artist Means To Never Avert Your Eyes
Mar 28 @ 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Owen Hall at UNC Asheville.

“Connie Bostic is one of North Carolina’s most prolific, most important, and most enduring artists,” said Arnold Wengrow, professor emeritus of drama. “Since 1970 she has produced over 600 paintings, drawings, and mixed-media works of great originality.”

Wengrow, alongside Carrie Tomberlin, senior lecturer of art and art history, curated “To Be An Artist Means to Never Avert Your Eyes” for the S. Tucker Cooke gallery in Owen Hall at UNC Asheville.

The exhibit will run from February 23 to March 29, with panel discussion on Connie’s work on February 23 at 5 p.m., followed by an opening reception from 6-8 p.m.

The panel, moderated by Wengrow, includes Margaret Curtis, renowned painter and recipient of the 2021-2016 Joan Mitchell Foundation Fellowship; Alice Sebrell, photographer and director of preservation at Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center; and Kyle Sherard ’10, former visual arts columnist for the Mountain Xpress and assistant district attorney of Buncombe County.

Bostic grew up in Spindale, North Carolina but relocated to Fairview, just outside of Asheville, in 1970. She passed away early in the morning of January 14, 2024 in her beloved Fairview home, “Mayhem Manor.”

“Much of her work is autobiographical: what it means to grow up — specifically to grow up female — in a small town in North Carolina,” Wengrow wrote about her, “Her two most compelling series, “The Bostic Girls” and the 240-panel “In the Chicken Yard,” capture girlhood in rural Spindale, North Carolina. In both series, full-length figures emerge from a ground of indeterminate space. They are fragile, yet firmly planted. This contradiction—fragility and sturdiness—gives these works tension.”

She had always had a love of art and drawing, and began pursuing it seriously when she enrolled at UNC Asheville, graduating with a bachelor’s in studio art in 1989 before receiving a masters in painting from Western Carolina University in 1990, according to Wengrow’s biography of the artist.

Bostic has been described as the “grandmother of the Asheville art scene,” according to her obituary. In the mid-to-late eighties she established her first studio off Biltmore Avenue, helped administer WCU’s World Gallery, and brought the first contemporary art gallery to Asheville when she established Zone One Contemporary. She worked with the Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center for over 30 years. She would later establish a studio in Fairview where she taught students.

Bostic committed herself to building community and frequently tackled sociopolitical issues, such a racial injustice, poverty and gun violence in her works.

“I avoid confrontation whenever possible, but I do tend to speak my mind when I think it matters. As for the paintings, they just come. Here’s a quote that I love—and I don’t know who said it—“To be an artist is never to avert your eyes.” I believe that,” Bostic said in an interview with Robert Godfrey. “I tend to think of painting as a form of communication, a way of expressing things that are important to me.”

Indoor Tropical Bonsai Display
Mar 28 @ 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.

Less Plastic Asheville Challenge
Mar 28 @ 9:00 am
Asheville Area
 

This City of Asheville is launching the Less Plastic Asheville Challenge to encourage residents to reduce their consumption of single-use plastics. The campaign has two key features, a social media challenge called Less Plastic Bingo and a Pass on Plastic Pledge. The City will provide information on the impacts of single-use plastic on our community and tips for how our residents can understand and reduce their consumption of single-use plastics at tabling events around town and on our social media platforms. Those participating in the social media challenge can post photos and videos of themselves taking action to reduce single-use plastic consumption.

Those who take the pledge will make commitments to sustainable lifestyle choices such as using reusable grocery bags and refusing single-use plastics. Residents who participate in either the Less Plastic Bingo Challenge or Pass on Plastic Pledge will win great prizes!  The Less Plastic Asheville Challenge will begin in February 14, 2024 and end May 31, 2024. Follow the link at the top of the page to learn more about how you can participate and win these great sustainable items.

 


Background

In October 2022, Asheville City Council directed the Sustainability Department to take a phased approach to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic.

The first phase included an update to Chapter 15 of the City Code to prohibit the use of plastic bags in curbside brush and leaf collection. This ordinance change was approved by City Council on January 10, 2023 and was implemented August 1, 2023. For more information about this change and resources available check out this sanitation webpage.

The second phase included further analysis and stakeholder engagement with area businesses, residents and city staff to inform a recommendation on additional single-use plastic reduction strategies surrounding plastic bags at point of sale and expanded polystyrene (StyrofoamTM) disposable foodware products. To see the results of this engagement read this blog post.

On September 22, 2023 the North Carolina General Assembly approved the state budget that included a law prohibiting local governments from banning single-use plastic products. Due to this regulation, the City cannot adopt an ordinance banning plastic bags or expanded polystyrene (StyrofoamTM) takeout containers. Instead, the City is providing information and resources to residents and businesses to reduce single-use plastic consumption voluntarily through the Less Plastic Asheville Challenge. For more information on the previous plastic-reduction projects go to this webpage.

 


Less Plastic Asheville Challenge

To reduce single-use plastic consumption and litter in our community it will take all of us! We invite you to join us, have a little fun and earn some prizes in the process!

There are two ways to participate in the Less Plastic Asheville Challenge. You can take the Pass on Plastic Pledge and/or play Less Plastic Asheville Bingo. The pledge asks for you to commit to changes in your life to reduce your own plastic footprint, and the Bingo Challenge asks you to spread the word and help educate and inspire others about the issue through social media.

The Pass on Plastic Pledge

The Pass on Plastic Pledge asks you to look at your own habits regarding single-use plastics and commit to practices that cut down your consumption, simple acts that improve our community and the environment. By taking this pledge, you are taking the charge to reduce your own plastic consumption. You can do this in a number of ways and the City of Asheville is here to inspire, support and cheer you on!

When you commit to any one of the sustainable practices in the pledge, you will win plastic reducing prizes from the City.  Your actions alone can reduce hundreds of pounds of plastic waste every year! By taking this pledge, you are showing that you care about the health, cleanliness, and pristine environment of our home in Asheville. It’s a big deal, and the City of Asheville thanks you.

Take the Pass on Plastic Pledge

 

 

Less Plastic Asheville Bingo

This bingo game is a social media challenge. It’s a fun way for you to help spread the word about single-use plastics, and to inspire the people around you to make changes and support sustainable businesses and habits. When you sign up, you will be emailed a bingo card. Once you have your card, follow the steps below in order to earn your swag.

  1. Take videos or pictures to create social media content that matches the descriptions on the bingo card. You can choose any five pieces of content that form a complete bingo row. Content that does not form a straight line bingo will not count.
  2. Post this content on your own social media page (Facebook or Instagram Only) and include the hashtag #LessPlasticAsheville and tag @CityofAsheville.
  3. Copy the links from all five of your posts and send them in a single email to [email protected]. After we check out your great posts we will send you an email with our appreciation letting you know how you can collect your prizes!
  4. If you chose to take the Less Plastic Pledge as one of your bingo items (the center square) please include the email you used to take the pledge as one of your five email items.

Sign up below to receive your Less Plastic Bingo Card.

NC Arboretum Hiking Trails
Mar 28 @ 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.

Adult Beginner Tap 1: Intro to Tap
Mar 28 @ 10:00 am – Mar 30 @ 11:00 am
Hendersonville Theatre

Teacher: Allison Starling

Class Cost: $150

Min Students: 5

Max Students: 10

Class Dates: Saturdays, February 3 – March 30 (8 weeks)

Time: 10 am to 11 am

Location: Hendersonville Theatre’s Auditorium

Must be 18+ to attend

Refund Policy: The last day to receive a full refund* is January 12, 2024. After this date, no refund will be issued.

*Be advised: Refunds are for tuition only and are at the discretion of the Class Teacher and Education Director. All taxes and fees are final and cannot be refunded.

Class Description:
Does Tap dancing seem a little daunting? Is it something you always wanted to try but didn’t have the time to commit to months of classes at a time? Whether you are preparing for a show with tap involved or just interested in a new skill for fun, this class is for you. Allison Starling will break down the basics of Tap into easy-to-catch moves that build the foundation of any Tap number. This 8-week class is a comprehensive basics course that you don’t want to miss!

*Tap shoes required and not provided.

For more information and to register, please visit https://hendersonvilletheatre….

Art Exhibition: Hammer and Hope
Mar 28 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Center for Craft

Historians estimate that skilled Black artisans outnumbered their white counterparts in the antebellum South by a margin of five to one. However, despite their presence and prevalence in all corners of the pre-industrial trade and craft fields, the stories of these skilled workers go largely unacknowledged.

Borrowing its title from a Black culture and politics magazine of the same name, Hammer and Hope celebrates the life and labor of Black chairmakers in early America. Featuring the work of two contemporary furniture makers – Robell Awake and Charlie Ryland – the pieces in this exhibition are based on the artists’ research into ladderback chairs created by the Poynors, a multigenerational family of free and enslaved craftspeople working in central Tennessee between the early nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Through the objects featured in Hammer and Hope, Awake and Ryland explore, reinterpret, and reimagine what the field of furniture-making today would look like had the history and legacy of the Poynors – and countless others that have been subject to a similar pattern of erasure – been celebrated rather than hidden. Hammer and Hope represents Awake and Ryland’s attempts, in their own words,  “at fighting erasure by making objects that engage with these long-suppressed stories.”

Robell Awake and Charlie Ryland are recipients of the Center for Craft’s 2022 Craft Research Fund Artist Fellowship. This substantial mid-career grant is awarded to two artists to support research projects that advance, expand, and support the creation of new research and knowledge through craft practice.

Massage
Mar 28 @ 10:00 am – Mar 29 @ 6:00 pm
Happy Body

Craving a massage? Explore the rejuvenating world of our cozy Asheville wellness studio! Nestled just outside downtown, our small local studios provide a serene haven for massage, pilates, yoga, and workshops.
Indulge in integrative, restorative, and therapeutic massages available Monday through Saturday. Say goodbye to parking hassles downtown as our peaceful space offers a tranquil escape.
Book your next massage with us online. Can’t find your preferred time slot? Reach out, and we’ll do our best to accommodate you. Experience the bliss of wellness in the heart of Asheville – your relaxation journey begins here!

NC State Extension Master Gardeners Helpline
Mar 28 @ 10:00 am – Oct 31 @ 2:00 pm
NC Cooperative Extension , Buncombe County Center
  • Get all your gardening questions answered by NC State Extension Master Gardeners.
    Your questions can be answered via the phone, email, or a visit to the extension center. You can also pick up your free soil testing kit from the extension center.
  • Mar 11 at 10:00AM – Oct 31 at 2:00PM
Preservers, Innovators, and Rescuers of Culture in Chiapas
Mar 28 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Center for Craft

Preservers, Innovators, and Rescuers of Culture in Chiapas features eleven textiles by acclaimed Indigenous artisanas  (artists) from Chiapas, Mexico commissioned by US-based fiber artists and activist Aram Han Sifuentes. As part of their 2022 Craft Research Fund Artist Fellowship, Han Sifuentes traveled to Chiapas to understand the function of garments and textiles within the social and cultural context of the area and to learn the traditional practice of backstrap weaving. Through the works on view, combined with a series of interviews Han Sifuentes conducted during her research, visitors learn about the artisanas and their role as preservers, rescuers, and innovators of culture and as protectors of Mayan ancestral knowledge. Together, these works present an approach to connecting and learning about culture through craft practices

Han Sifuentes is interested in backstrap weaving because it is one of the oldest forms used across cultures. The vibrant hues and elaborate designs of each textile express the artisanas identities and medium to tell their stories. To understand how these values manifested in textiles made in Chiapas, Han Sifuentes invited the artisanas to create whatever weaving they desired over the course of three months.  This is unique because most textiles in the area are created to meet tourist-driven and marketplace demands. Incorporating traditional backstrap weaving and natural dye techniques, some artisans created textiles to rescue or reintroduce weaving practices that are almost or completely lost in their communities, while others were created through material and conceptual experimentation. This range of approaches reflects how artistanas are constantly innovating while at the same time honoring and keeping to tradition.

Preservers, Innovators, and Rescuers of Culture in Chiapas is on view from November 17, 2023 to July 13, 2024.

Aram Han Sifuentes is a recipient of the Center for Craft’s 2022 Craft Research Fund Artist Fellowship. This substantial mid-career grant is awarded to two artists to support research projects that advance, expand, and support the creation of new research and knowledge through craft practice.

The featured artisanas include: Juana Victoria Hernandez Gomez from San Juan Cancuc, Maria Josefina Gómez Sanchez and Maria de Jesus Gómez Sanchez from Oxchujk (Oxchuc), Marcela Gómez Diaz and Cecilia Gómez Diaz from San Andrés Larráinzar, Rosa Margarita Enríquez Bolóm from Huixtán, Cristina García Pérez from Chalchihuitán, Susana Maria Gómez Gonzalez, Maria Gonzalez Guillén, and Anastacia Juana Gómez Gonzalez from Zinacantán, Angelica Leticia Gómez Santiz from Pantelhó, and Susana Guadalupe Méndez Santiz from Aldama