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.

Tuesday, January 24, 2023
LEGO Builders Club
Jan 24 @ 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Pack Memorial Library

LEGO Builders Club

Come down the Pack Memorial Library and play with LEGOs!
Show off your building skills and make new friends with other LEGO maniacs.

Please leave your personal LEGOs at home, because we’ve got plenty.

Drum Lessons with Ary’an Graham
Jan 24 @ 4:30 pm – 5:00 pm
LEAF Global Arts

Learn how to rock out to your favorite songs on the drums! There will be a 30 minute, once-a-week private lesson where you’ll start with the basics and work your way up to playing along to your favorite songs. Pre-registration required and lessons are filled on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Hybrid | Local Book Club Fair at Pack Memorial Library
Jan 24 @ 6:00 pm
Pack Memorial Library - Lord Auditorium

Interested in joining a book club (or two) in the new year? This evening is for you!

This program will feature short presentations from representatives from a dozen local book clubs and some time to chat. Find the book club that best fits your interests and schedule.

Attend in-person at Pack Library or participate in an online viewing! No registration is required for the in-person session. To sign up for the online session, click here to register to receive the live stream link.

Featuring representatives from:
Asheville Art Museum
Buncombe County Public Libraries
Buncombe County Special Collections
Firestorm Bookstore & Cafe
Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe
North Carolina Arboretum
Thomas Wolfe House
Wilma Dykeman Legacy
and more!

WHITE HORSE OPEN MIC
Jan 24 @ 7:00 pm
White Horse Black Mountain

altText

White Horse’s legendary Open Mic takes place each and every Tuesday at 7pm.

You’ll hear a variety of wonderfully talented folks on their way up. You never know what you’ll hear… original songs, covers, guitar, piano….. and often something quite surprising.

The signup sheet is placed on the bar at 6:30 and the first ten to sign in are the performers for the evening. Each gets 15 minutes or three songs.

It’s a lot of fun… especially since it’s FREE !!!!!

Wednesday, January 25, 2023
SAHC 3rd Annual Winter Hiking Challenge: January 1 to March 1, 2023 – 60 miles in 60 days!
Jan 25 all-day
outside:)
Hikers in winter
January 1 to March 1, 2023 – 60 miles in 60 days!

Do you need a little inspiration to get moving after the holiday season? Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is starting off 2023 with a challenge to get folks out and about – hiking or walking to enjoy the great outdoors!

The SAHC Winter Hiking Challenge sets a goal of 60 miles in 60 days, to be completed in your own time and at your own speed. Those can be miles you’ve walked, run or hiked – in your neighborhood, on a flat walking track, up a rugged mountain trail, or meandering in fields and forests. Whatever works for your comfort and skill level – just make it 60 miles within the 60-day challenge time period (January 1 to March 1, 2023). Sign up early to have more time to complete the Challenge. Registration ends on February 1.

All participants will receive informative emails with suggestions for some of our favorite places to hike across the mountains of NC and TN. This special email series will include recommendations to enjoy places that SAHC has protected as well other favorite trails and excursions. We all know that some of our favorite hiking places are experiencing overuse and suffering impacts from their popularity. We will try to share tidbits about some of the lesser-known trails and places to enjoy the great outdoors, so you can help alleviate stress on fragile trail ecosystems. Those who complete the Winter Hiking Challenge will receive a commemorative SAHC patch after the end of the challenge (after March 1).  Proceeds from the Challenge sign-ups support conservation work in the Southern Appalachians.

Time spent outdoors and in nature can help with both mental and physical health. We hope this Challenge will make it interesting for folks to explore places you may not have hiked before, and/or to rediscover the joy of nature in your own backyard. Please note, the Challenge signup fee is a fundraiser to help support conservation efforts; you DO NOT have to pay to hike public trails.

Are you a little unsure about hiking in winter? We will share helpful Winter Hiking Tips, for those who haven’t hiked during the winter months. Feel free to enter miles at any date during the 60 days, as long as they are all entered before March 1. You can even enter your miles at the end of a certain time period (e.g, entering your miles for the week on Friday, all under one entry).

Take the Challenge by yourself, or with friends and family. Please just be safe while doing so!

RACE CONTACT INFO
If you have any questions about this race, please contact the race director at [email protected]
Intro to Rhythm and Drumming with TRAP of Asheville
Jan 25 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Pack Memorial Library

Intro to Rhythm and Drumming with TRAP of Asheville

PacJAM Registration Open for Winter Session
Jan 25 @ 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center
Building Community One Tune at a Time
Pacolet Junior Appalachian Musicians (PacJAM) provides an opportunity for area youth and adults to experience community through the joy of participating in traditional music.
PacJAM offers sessions each fall and winter/spring semester, as well as an intensive day camp one week each summer for youth.
Students of all skill levels ages 6-late teens and adults are invited to join us for instruction in traditional music. Click here to learn more.
Our winter program will run every Wednesday from January 18 – March 22 from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM for Beginner & Intermediate students, & 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM for advanced students.
Proud recipients of the South Arts 2022
In These Mountains Projects Grant
Live Stream | De’Shawn Charles Winslow presents Decent People in conversation with Jonathan Parks-Ramage
Jan 25 @ 6:00 pm
online

This live streamed virtual event is free but registration is required. Please click here to register. The link required to attend will be emailed to registrants prior to the event.

If you decide to attend and to purchase books, we ask that you purchase from Malaprop’s. When you do this you make it possible for us to continue hosting author events and you keep more dollars in our community. You may also support our work by purchasing a gift card or making a donation of any amount below. Thank you!


Decent People
In the still-segregated town of West Mills, North Carolina in 1976, enigmatic siblings Marian, Marva, and Lazarus Harmon are found shot to death in their home. The people of West Mills – on both sides of the canal that serves as the town’s color line – become swept up in gossip and accusations that have them taking a deeper look at their neighbors and loved ones. The crime is the first reported murder in the area in decades, but the white authorities don’t seem to have any interest in solving the case. As the case continues to go unsolved, questions swirl around the town: Why were the Harmons murdered? Was it about drugs, money or a romantic dispute? And most importantly, who killed them?

Ms. Jo Wright has just moved back to West Mills from New York City to retire and marry a childhood sweetheart, Olympus “Lymp” Seymore. When she discovers that the murder victims are Lymp’s half-siblings, and that Lymp is one of West Mills’ leading culprits, she sets out on a transformative mission to prove his innocence. As Jo begins to investigate those who might know the most about the Harmons’ deaths, she starts to discover darker secrets than she’d ever imagined, and a pattern of cover-ups of racism, homophobia, and medical misuse that could upend the reputations of many. With Decent People, Winslow has written another novel with the makings of a classic, crafting a remarkable story that covers difficult themes of shame, race, and money with compassion, insight, and grace, and making the community of West Mills come alive from the first page.

De’Shawn Charles Winslow’s first novel, In West Mills, was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Lambda Literary Award, Publishing Triangle Award, and Willie Morris Award for Southern Writing. He has been featured as a “Writer to Watch” in The New York Times and one of the “Black Male Writers of Our Time” in T, The New York Times Style Magazine. He was born and raised in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, graduated from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and now lives in Atlanta, GA.

Jonathan Parks-Ramage is a Los Angeles based novelist, screenwriter and journalist. His critically acclaimed debut novel, YES, DADDY, was named as one of the best queer books of 2021 by Entertainment Weekly, NBC News, The Advocate, Bustle, Lambda Literary, Goodreads, and more. The book is currently being adapted for television. His writing has been widely published in such outlets as VICE, Slate, OUT Magazine, W Magazine, Lit Hub, Atlas Obscura, Elle, Electric Literature and more. He is also an alumnus of the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference.

Foodie Book Club
Jan 25 @ 7:00 pm
online

Foodie Book Club

A book club for home cooks, foodies, industry folks, and anyone in-between.  We will be focusing on all sorts of food writing. Somethemes will be (but not limited to): food critics, chef memoirs, wine, food history, and food politics.

The Foodie group meets virtually on the last Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. (EST), beginning in June 2022.  Please email [email protected] for the Zoom meeting info.

Greenville Swamp Rabbits vs. Atlanta Gladiators
Jan 25 @ 7:05 pm
Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Greenville Swamp Rabbits  vs.  Atlanta Gladiators

 

The Greenville Swamp Rabbits are much more than a professional hockey franchise playing in Upstate South Carolina; it is truly Greenville’s hockey team. Formerly known as the Road Warriors, the club rebranded to the Swamp Rabbits on August 26, 2015 in an effort to really ingrain itself in the fabric of the community. The name is inherently Greenville – specific to the city and unique in the sports world.

It’s the electrifying energy and unstoppable passion of Swamp Rabbits fans inside The Well combined with the award-winning game presentation that make attending a Swamp Rabbits game the BEST fan experience in the ECHL! From the moment you step inside the arena, you’ll find FREE concourse activities for the whole family, including sign-making, temporary tattoos, interactive games, music and there’s always a good chance you’ll run into the Swamp Rabbits mascot Stomper! Throughout the season, fans can also expect a lineup of special theme nights and exciting giveaways.

Thursday, January 26, 2023
SAHC 3rd Annual Winter Hiking Challenge: January 1 to March 1, 2023 – 60 miles in 60 days!
Jan 26 all-day
outside:)
Hikers in winter
January 1 to March 1, 2023 – 60 miles in 60 days!

Do you need a little inspiration to get moving after the holiday season? Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is starting off 2023 with a challenge to get folks out and about – hiking or walking to enjoy the great outdoors!

The SAHC Winter Hiking Challenge sets a goal of 60 miles in 60 days, to be completed in your own time and at your own speed. Those can be miles you’ve walked, run or hiked – in your neighborhood, on a flat walking track, up a rugged mountain trail, or meandering in fields and forests. Whatever works for your comfort and skill level – just make it 60 miles within the 60-day challenge time period (January 1 to March 1, 2023). Sign up early to have more time to complete the Challenge. Registration ends on February 1.

All participants will receive informative emails with suggestions for some of our favorite places to hike across the mountains of NC and TN. This special email series will include recommendations to enjoy places that SAHC has protected as well other favorite trails and excursions. We all know that some of our favorite hiking places are experiencing overuse and suffering impacts from their popularity. We will try to share tidbits about some of the lesser-known trails and places to enjoy the great outdoors, so you can help alleviate stress on fragile trail ecosystems. Those who complete the Winter Hiking Challenge will receive a commemorative SAHC patch after the end of the challenge (after March 1).  Proceeds from the Challenge sign-ups support conservation work in the Southern Appalachians.

Time spent outdoors and in nature can help with both mental and physical health. We hope this Challenge will make it interesting for folks to explore places you may not have hiked before, and/or to rediscover the joy of nature in your own backyard. Please note, the Challenge signup fee is a fundraiser to help support conservation efforts; you DO NOT have to pay to hike public trails.

Are you a little unsure about hiking in winter? We will share helpful Winter Hiking Tips, for those who haven’t hiked during the winter months. Feel free to enter miles at any date during the 60 days, as long as they are all entered before March 1. You can even enter your miles at the end of a certain time period (e.g, entering your miles for the week on Friday, all under one entry).

Take the Challenge by yourself, or with friends and family. Please just be safe while doing so!

RACE CONTACT INFO
If you have any questions about this race, please contact the race director at [email protected]
Sklyand Library LEGO HOUR
Jan 26 @ 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Skyland/South Buncombe Library

Join us for free-form LEGO building every other Thursday afternoon, at 3:30pm!  All ages 5 and up are welcome, but anyone under 10 years old will need to be accompanied by a caregiver.

LEGO is provided.  Please leave your personal bricks at home.

Vine and Verse: Book for January is ‘Bewilderment’ by Richard Powers
Jan 26 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Citizen Vinyl

The Book for January is ‘Bewilderment’ by Richard Powers
The astrobiologist Theo Byrne searches for life throughout the cosmos while single-handedly raising his unusual nine-year-old, Robin, following the death of his wife. Robin is a warm, kind boy who spends hours painting elaborate pictures of endangered animals. He’s also about to be expelled from third grade for smashing his friend in the face. As his son grows more troubled, Theo hopes to keep him off psychoactive drugs. He learns of an experimental neurofeedback treatment to bolster Robin’s emotional control, one that involves training the boy on the recorded patterns of his mother’s brain…

With its soaring descriptions of the natural world, its tantalizing vision of life beyond, and its account of a father and son’s ferocious love, Bewilderment marks Richard Powers’s most intimate and moving novel. At its heart lies the question: How can we tell our children the truth about this beautiful, imperiled planet?

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/15/books/review-bewilderment-richard-powers.html

Hybrid | Mimi Herman presents The Kudzu Queen in conversation with Heather Newton
Jan 26 @ 6:00 pm
Malaprop's Bookstore and Virtual

This is a hybrid event, meaning there is an option to attend virtually and a limited number of seats are available to attend the event in-store. The event is free but registration is required for both in-person and virtual attendance. 

Please click here to register for the VIRTUAL event. The link required to attend will be emailed to registrants prior to the event.

Please click here to register for the IN-PERSON event. Note the important event details on the RSVP form.

This event includes a book signing. If you would like a signed book but can’t attend in person, use the order comments field when you order below to request a signed copy and tell us to whom the book should be personalized.

If you decide to attend and to purchase books, we ask that you purchase from Malaprop’s. When you do this you make it possible for us to continue hosting author events and you keep more dollars in our community. You may also support our work by purchasing a gift card or making a donation of any amount below. Thank you!


The Kudzu Queen
Fifteen-year-old Mattie Lee Watson dreams of men, not boys. So when James T. Cullowee, the Kudzu King, arrives in Cooper County, North Carolina in 1941 to spread the gospel of kudzu–claiming that it will improve the soil, feed cattle at almost no cost, even cure headaches–Mattie is ready. Mr. Cullowee is determined to sell the entire county on the future of kudzu, and organizes a kudzu festival, complete with a beauty pageant. Mattie is determined to be crowned Kudzu Queen and capture the attentions of the Kudzu King. As she learns more about Cullowee, however, she discovers that he, like the kudzu he promotes, has a dark and predatory side. When she finds she is not the only one threatened, she devises a plan to bring him down. Based on historical facts, The Kudzu Queen unravels a tangle of sexuality, power, race, and kudzu through the voice of an irresistibly delightful (and mostly honest) narrator.

Mimi Herman is the author of The Kudzu QueenLogophilia and A Field Guide to Human Emotions. Her fiction and poetry have appeared in Michigan Quarterly Review, Shenandoah, Crab Orchard Review, The Hollins Critic, Prime Number, and other journals. She has performed her fiction and poetry at Why There are Words, Symphony Space, and Raleigh Memorial Auditorium. Mimi is a member of the AWP Board of Directors, a Warren Wilson MFA alumna, a Kennedy Center Teaching Artist and a Hermitage Artist Retreat Fellow. She co-directs Writeaways writing workshops in France, Italy, Ireland and New Mexico.

Heather Newton’s short story collection McMullen Circle (Regal House 2022) was the finalist for the W.S. Porter prize. Her novel The Puppeteer’s Daughters was released by Turner Publishing in July 2022 and has been optioned by Sony Pictures Television. Her novel Under The Mercy Trees (HarperCollins 2011) won the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award, was chosen by the Women’s National Book Association as a Great Group Reads Selection and named an “Okra Pick” by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance. A practicing attorney, she teaches creative writing for UNC-Asheville’s Great Smokies Writing Program and is co-founder and Program Manager for the Flatiron Writers Room  writers’ center in Asheville.

Friday, January 27, 2023
Nantahala Outdoor Center 2023 Adventure travel trips
Jan 27 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center

Adventure is what we do.

Nantahala Outdoor Center has a long history of venturing where many haven’t, pioneering new adventures, and bringing opportunities to experience the outdoors to millions of guests over five decades. Our International Adventure Tours offer unique destinations, exciting adventures and activities, experienced guides, and world-class hospitality. These all-inclusive, small group excursions will redefine how you travel. Experience some of the most breathtaking places in the world without feeling like a tourist.

If your idea of fun is a rafting trip on the Chilko, a quiet lake paddle in Argentina, surf lessons in Ecuador, or trekking in Iceland, our trips have something for every adventure and skill level. Enjoy kayaking, hiking, fishing, horseback riding, yoga, surfing, ziplining, wine tastings, or cultural experiences, along with the flexibility to customize your own adventure. Settle in after your travels in some of the most unique accommodations in the world; from cozy lodges and five star resorts, with local cuisine and tastings, every detail is meticulously planned so you can soak up every moment.

We hope these guided, off-the-beaten-path expeditions will foster the same spirit of adventure we encourage in our Southeastern locations, while giving you the opportunity to explore beyond your own backyard.

 

We have officially announced our new 2023 Adventure travel trips for you to explore new destinations, try new adventures, and experience new cultures! Our trips are small groups, offer world-class hospitality, unique lodging and the most diverse activity options for you to try! We’re giving “revenge travel” new meaning.

SAHC 3rd Annual Winter Hiking Challenge: January 1 to March 1, 2023 – 60 miles in 60 days!
Jan 27 all-day
outside:)
Hikers in winter
January 1 to March 1, 2023 – 60 miles in 60 days!

Do you need a little inspiration to get moving after the holiday season? Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is starting off 2023 with a challenge to get folks out and about – hiking or walking to enjoy the great outdoors!

The SAHC Winter Hiking Challenge sets a goal of 60 miles in 60 days, to be completed in your own time and at your own speed. Those can be miles you’ve walked, run or hiked – in your neighborhood, on a flat walking track, up a rugged mountain trail, or meandering in fields and forests. Whatever works for your comfort and skill level – just make it 60 miles within the 60-day challenge time period (January 1 to March 1, 2023). Sign up early to have more time to complete the Challenge. Registration ends on February 1.

All participants will receive informative emails with suggestions for some of our favorite places to hike across the mountains of NC and TN. This special email series will include recommendations to enjoy places that SAHC has protected as well other favorite trails and excursions. We all know that some of our favorite hiking places are experiencing overuse and suffering impacts from their popularity. We will try to share tidbits about some of the lesser-known trails and places to enjoy the great outdoors, so you can help alleviate stress on fragile trail ecosystems. Those who complete the Winter Hiking Challenge will receive a commemorative SAHC patch after the end of the challenge (after March 1).  Proceeds from the Challenge sign-ups support conservation work in the Southern Appalachians.

Time spent outdoors and in nature can help with both mental and physical health. We hope this Challenge will make it interesting for folks to explore places you may not have hiked before, and/or to rediscover the joy of nature in your own backyard. Please note, the Challenge signup fee is a fundraiser to help support conservation efforts; you DO NOT have to pay to hike public trails.

Are you a little unsure about hiking in winter? We will share helpful Winter Hiking Tips, for those who haven’t hiked during the winter months. Feel free to enter miles at any date during the 60 days, as long as they are all entered before March 1. You can even enter your miles at the end of a certain time period (e.g, entering your miles for the week on Friday, all under one entry).

Take the Challenge by yourself, or with friends and family. Please just be safe while doing so!

RACE CONTACT INFO
If you have any questions about this race, please contact the race director at [email protected]
Black Mountain Library Fri-Yay! With Bounty + Soul Kids: Fun with Food (+ Picky Eaters)
Jan 27 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Black Mountain Library

Free Family Education classes from Bounty & Soul. Each month, Bounty & Soul educators share practical information with parents and caregivers to support your child’s health and development.

Classes are FREE, but please register on the Bounty & Soul site under the Schedule tab. Quick access HERE.

Hora del Cuento/ bilingual story time Oakley Library
Jan 27 @ 10:30 am – 11:30 am
Oakley Library

Buncombe County Public Libraries offers 16 story times a week at library locations all across the County. Did you know there are two bilingual story times included in our story time schedule?

Parents can find Hora del Cuento at the Skyland/South Buncombe Library every Friday at 10:30 a.m. and at the Oakley Library every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. We’ll share books, rhymes, and songs in Spanish and English–fun for the whole family. Speakers of all languages and children of all ages are welcome to attend.

Let us know if you have any questions and we look forward to seeing you at the Library!

Hora del Cuento bilingual en la Biblioteca

Buncombe County Public Libraries ofrecen 16 story times a la semana en las bibliotecas de todo el Condado.  ¿Sepa que hay dos Horas del Cuento bilinguales que están incluidos en nuestro horario de story time?

Puede encontrar Hora del Cuento en la biblioteca de Skyland/South Buncombe cada Viernes a las 10:30am y en la biblioteca de Oakley cada Martes a las 10:30am.   Vamos a compartir libros, ritmos, y canciones en Espanol y Ingles.  ¡Diversión para toda la familia!  Hablantes de todas las lenguas y niños de todas las edades son bienvenidos.

Nos avisan de cualquier pregunta, y nos vemos en la Biblioteca!

Hora del Cuento/ bilingual story time at Skyland/South Buncombe Library
Jan 27 @ 10:30 am – 11:30 am
Skyland/South Buncombe Library

Buncombe County Public Libraries offers 16 story times a week at library locations all across the County. Did you know there are two bilingual story times included in our story time schedule?

Parents can find Hora del Cuento at the Skyland/South Buncombe Library every Friday at 10:30 a.m. and at the Oakley Library every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. We’ll share books, rhymes, and songs in Spanish and English–fun for the whole family. Speakers of all languages and children of all ages are welcome to attend.

Let us know if you have any questions and we look forward to seeing you at the Library!

Hora del Cuento bilingual en la Biblioteca

Buncombe County Public Libraries ofrecen 16 story times a la semana en las bibliotecas de todo el Condado.  ¿Sepa que hay dos Horas del Cuento bilinguales que están incluidos en nuestro horario de story time?

Puede encontrar Hora del Cuento en la biblioteca de Skyland/South Buncombe cada Viernes a las 10:30am y en la biblioteca de Oakley cada Martes a las 10:30am.   Vamos a compartir libros, ritmos, y canciones en Espanol y Ingles.  ¡Diversión para toda la familia!  Hablantes de todas las lenguas y niños de todas las edades son bienvenidos.

Nos avisan de cualquier pregunta, y nos vemos en la Biblioteca!

Tuckasegee River Excursion
Jan 27 @ 11:00 am
Great Smoky Mountain Railroad

Join us for a relaxing ride through quiet countryside on your way to small town life in western North Carolina on the Tuckasegee River Excursion. Departing from Bryson City, this 4 hour excursion travels 32 miles round-trip to Dillsboro and back to the Bryson City Depot. Pass by the famous movie set of The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford!

LEGO club Fairview Library
Jan 27 @ 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Fairview Library

Lego Club resumes in January at the Fairview Public Library. The library provides the Legos and you provide the creativity!

Perfect for ages 6 and up.

Lego Club is on the last Friday of every month through May.

Lego Time at Leicester Library
Jan 27 @ 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Leicester Library

Drop in or stay for the entire time. Build and share ideas! LEGOS + snacks are provided. This program is FREE and no registration is needed.

Carolina Hurricanes vs. San Jose Sharks
Jan 27 @ 7:00 pm
PNC Arena

See the source image

Saturday, January 28, 2023
Nantahala Outdoor Center 2023 Adventure travel trips
Jan 28 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center

Adventure is what we do.

Nantahala Outdoor Center has a long history of venturing where many haven’t, pioneering new adventures, and bringing opportunities to experience the outdoors to millions of guests over five decades. Our International Adventure Tours offer unique destinations, exciting adventures and activities, experienced guides, and world-class hospitality. These all-inclusive, small group excursions will redefine how you travel. Experience some of the most breathtaking places in the world without feeling like a tourist.

If your idea of fun is a rafting trip on the Chilko, a quiet lake paddle in Argentina, surf lessons in Ecuador, or trekking in Iceland, our trips have something for every adventure and skill level. Enjoy kayaking, hiking, fishing, horseback riding, yoga, surfing, ziplining, wine tastings, or cultural experiences, along with the flexibility to customize your own adventure. Settle in after your travels in some of the most unique accommodations in the world; from cozy lodges and five star resorts, with local cuisine and tastings, every detail is meticulously planned so you can soak up every moment.

We hope these guided, off-the-beaten-path expeditions will foster the same spirit of adventure we encourage in our Southeastern locations, while giving you the opportunity to explore beyond your own backyard.

 

We have officially announced our new 2023 Adventure travel trips for you to explore new destinations, try new adventures, and experience new cultures! Our trips are small groups, offer world-class hospitality, unique lodging and the most diverse activity options for you to try! We’re giving “revenge travel” new meaning.

SAHC 3rd Annual Winter Hiking Challenge: January 1 to March 1, 2023 – 60 miles in 60 days!
Jan 28 all-day
outside:)
Hikers in winter
January 1 to March 1, 2023 – 60 miles in 60 days!

Do you need a little inspiration to get moving after the holiday season? Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is starting off 2023 with a challenge to get folks out and about – hiking or walking to enjoy the great outdoors!

The SAHC Winter Hiking Challenge sets a goal of 60 miles in 60 days, to be completed in your own time and at your own speed. Those can be miles you’ve walked, run or hiked – in your neighborhood, on a flat walking track, up a rugged mountain trail, or meandering in fields and forests. Whatever works for your comfort and skill level – just make it 60 miles within the 60-day challenge time period (January 1 to March 1, 2023). Sign up early to have more time to complete the Challenge. Registration ends on February 1.

All participants will receive informative emails with suggestions for some of our favorite places to hike across the mountains of NC and TN. This special email series will include recommendations to enjoy places that SAHC has protected as well other favorite trails and excursions. We all know that some of our favorite hiking places are experiencing overuse and suffering impacts from their popularity. We will try to share tidbits about some of the lesser-known trails and places to enjoy the great outdoors, so you can help alleviate stress on fragile trail ecosystems. Those who complete the Winter Hiking Challenge will receive a commemorative SAHC patch after the end of the challenge (after March 1).  Proceeds from the Challenge sign-ups support conservation work in the Southern Appalachians.

Time spent outdoors and in nature can help with both mental and physical health. We hope this Challenge will make it interesting for folks to explore places you may not have hiked before, and/or to rediscover the joy of nature in your own backyard. Please note, the Challenge signup fee is a fundraiser to help support conservation efforts; you DO NOT have to pay to hike public trails.

Are you a little unsure about hiking in winter? We will share helpful Winter Hiking Tips, for those who haven’t hiked during the winter months. Feel free to enter miles at any date during the 60 days, as long as they are all entered before March 1. You can even enter your miles at the end of a certain time period (e.g, entering your miles for the week on Friday, all under one entry).

Take the Challenge by yourself, or with friends and family. Please just be safe while doing so!

RACE CONTACT INFO
If you have any questions about this race, please contact the race director at [email protected]
2023 Hunter Subaru Polar Bear 5k
Jan 28 @ 10:00 am
Bill Moore Community Park

2023 Hunter Subaru Polar Bear 5k run on Saturday, January 28th at 10am on the greenway trails in Bill Moore Community Park. Registration is only $25.00 and includes a winter running cap for the first 100 runners to sign up. You can register at Fletcher Parks & Recreation web site via Rec Desk. Age Groups awards are
being sponsored by Borg Warner & First Citizens ( hot cocoa mugs) and Rinehart Racing, Foot Rx Running & Fleet Feet Sports are all event sponsors. The course is flat and fast, and a great race to start your 2023 running year with! All proceeds will go to the Fletcher Park Development fund for future park improvements.

Tuckasegee River Excursion
Jan 28 @ 11:00 am
Great Smoky Mountain Railroad

Join us for a relaxing ride through quiet countryside on your way to small town life in western North Carolina on the Tuckasegee River Excursion. Departing from Bryson City, this 4 hour excursion travels 32 miles round-trip to Dillsboro and back to the Bryson City Depot. Pass by the famous movie set of The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford!

2023 WNC Regional Scholastic Art Awards Ceremony – VIRTUAL
Jan 28 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
online

Astrid Salinger, Enigmatic Berry, Painting, Silsa-Asheville High School, Grade 10, Gold Key winner.

The Museum, with the assistance of its volunteer docents and support from the Asheville Area Section of the American Institute of Architects, is proud to be a regional affiliate partner sponsoring the WNC Regional Scholastic Art Awards each year. Students in grades 7–12 from all across Western North Carolina  are invited to submit work for this special juried competition. The Museum works with the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers to facilitate regional judging of student artwork and to recognize our community’s burgeoning artistic talent.

Each year, award winners are featured in an exhibition and are honored at a ceremony. All regional award recipients for 2022 will be honored at a ceremony on Saturday, January 28, 2pm on YouTube Premieres.

Regional Gold Key recipients’ work is sent to the national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards competition hosted by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers.

For more information on the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, visit artandwriting.orgemail Susan Hendley, School and Teacher Programs Manager; or call 828.253.3227 x133.

Blue Ridge Roller Derby’s New Year’s Retribution
Jan 28 @ 4:00 pm
Smoky Mountain Event Center

Join us for our first home team game of 2023 on Saturday, January 28th at 4pm at the Smoky Mountain Event Center. We’re so excited to kick off this year with our “New Year’s Retribution” home team bout. Come on out to the Smoky Mountain Event Center for a lil retribution rumble on the track. We can’t wait to see you all there! Get your tickets at the door. Fun games and prizes to be won. BYOB. All ages welcome. Bring all the new year energy with you! Doors open at 4pm, first whistle at 5pm. Adult tickets are $10; ages 18-12 $5; 11 and under are FREE. SEE YOU ON SATURDAY THE 28TH!!!

Greenville Swamp Rabbits vs. Orlando Solar Bears
Jan 28 @ 7:05 pm
Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Greenville Swamp Rabbits  vs.  Orlando Solar Bears

 

The Greenville Swamp Rabbits are much more than a professional hockey franchise playing in Upstate South Carolina; it is truly Greenville’s hockey team. Formerly known as the Road Warriors, the club rebranded to the Swamp Rabbits on August 26, 2015 in an effort to really ingrain itself in the fabric of the community. The name is inherently Greenville – specific to the city and unique in the sports world.

It’s the electrifying energy and unstoppable passion of Swamp Rabbits fans inside The Well combined with the award-winning game presentation that make attending a Swamp Rabbits game the BEST fan experience in the ECHL! From the moment you step inside the arena, you’ll find FREE concourse activities for the whole family, including sign-making, temporary tattoos, interactive games, music and there’s always a good chance you’ll run into the Swamp Rabbits mascot Stomper! Throughout the season, fans can also expect a lineup of special theme nights and exciting giveaways.