Support SAHC on Land Trust Day! Shop and Dine for Conservation

On Land Trust Day – June 3 – local businesses have pledged to donate a portion of sales to support Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy’s ongoing land and water conservation efforts.

Land Trust Day coincides with National Trails Day and is celebrated each year on the first Saturday of June to recognize the incredible land protection accomplishments of land trusts in our region.

Join us for this 5K Run for Life event hosted by Open Arms Pregnancy Center to help support women and teens facing unplanned pregnancies. This will be a run/walk-timed event to be held at The Park at Flat Rock located at 55 Highland Golf Drive, Flat Rock, NC US 28731 June 3,2023 with a start time of 8:30 AM.
Runners should register by May 14 to secure a T-shirt for the race.
Sign up at https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/FlatRock/Run4for5k
Those interested in sponsoring the event should contact Open Arms Pregnancy Center by May 15th to learn more. (Marlies Zerressen at [email protected] or Lydia Bright at 864-921-5770)
Open Arms’ ministry is love, our aim: to support and guide, our purpose: to serve God and preserve life. We provide a safe and supportive place for pregnancy related needs with ultrasounds, material and emotional support for those facing difficult circumstances or perhaps the loss of a child.
All are services are Free and Confidential.

Included with admission

Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.

Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.

Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!

Presented by Bee City USA- Hendersonville and Bullington Gardens

For educators: teachers, camp counselors, home-school parents, childcare professionals, summer program leaders, and more, the Pollinator Exploration Kit provides excellent tools. Bee City USA – Hendersonville is eager to help you share the wonder of pollinators with children you teach. The kit includes sets of 12 sturdy child-size insect nets, special bug capture bubbles, bug boxes with magnifying lids, and magnifying glasses. Two pop-up insect habitats and two sets of laminated fold-out field guides (NC Trees & Wildflowers, NC Butterflies & Moths, Bees & Other Pollinators) are also included. The kit can be loaned for up to a week (as available) and may be picked up and returned weekdays 9am-4pm.

Pick-up location:

Bullington Gardens, 95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville.

Cost: no charge

Reservation needed: contact [email protected] to check availability and reserve the dates to borrow the Pollinator Exploration Kit.

No matter your age, background, or abilities, reading and learning together is a great way to build community, kindness, and compassion. This year’s Summer Learning Program theme encourages us all to come together to discover stories that spark our imagination. And there’s no better place to do that than at your public library!

On June 3, celebrate the start of summer with a carnival-inspired Summer Library Fest! Enjoy fun activities for the whole family, including a magician, balloon twisting, face painting, lawn games, bubbles, a live DJ, special activities led by community partners, and so much more! Popcorn and drinks will be served. This free event will be Saturday, June 3 from 10 a.m.-noon at the East Asheville Library.

The 2023 Summer Learning Program runs June 1-August 31 and is open to everyone ages birth-18 years. To join the fun, visit any library location after June 1 to pick up an activity sheet or download one (attached below as a PDF). Complete four activities and return your sheet to the library to get a free book! For a complete list of summer program, check our calendar.

We can’t wait to see you at the library this summer!

Coming around again after a two-year breather: the 2023 Historic Montford Garden Tour, a favorite community fundraiser. The date is Saturday, June 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. No rain date is scheduled, and organizers trust that the garden gods will produce fair weather.

Featuring eight wonderful gardens here and there around Montford, the Historic Montford Garden Tour makes a great day’s outing for residents plus their friends and families. Proceeds from this year’s event will go toward improvements to Montford Garden, located at the corner of Montford Avenue and East Wanetta Street.

Tickets may also be purchased at the Asheville Shop, Asheville Visitors Center, 36 Montford Avenue, Asheville, from May 21, 2023, through June 3, 2023, with cash or check only. Children under 12 are admitted free when accompanied by a ticketed adult.

On the day of the tour (Saturday, June 3, 2023), bring confirmation of purchase to the Asheville Visitors Center, 36 Montford Avenue, to pick up the tour guide that will also serve as your ticket to enter the gardens. Check-in at the Visitors Center will begin at 9:30 a.m.

Pets are not allowed in the gardens.

Kids’ Comedy Tour: Wildly funny, this educational and entertaining tour features the perfect blend of Asheville’s history and kid-centric comedy. Geared specifically toward the 5–12 year old crowd, you’ll explore the town with our famously outlandish tour guides leading the way.

• Perfect for birthday parties
• Makes for memorable school field trips
• Tickets are $27 per person
• Beverages available for purchase at the LaZoom Room
• Departs from 76 Biltmore Avenue

Gather bathing suits and sunscreen, Buncombe County’s outdoor pools are getting ready to open. The County’s five outdoor pools will open for the 2023 season on May 27. This includes the pools at Cane Creek, Erwin, Hominy Valley, North Buncombe, and Owen.

Outdoor pools will be open on weekends only until area schools are out for the summer. Starting on June 10, Pools will be open seven days a week.

Pool hours are Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Cost for pool entry is $3 per person.

Private lessons at the outdoor pools are available for different age groups from 3-year-olds and up. For more information on lessons or to register for a class, click here.

The pools can also be booked for private parties 14 days in advance and must have a minimum of 50 patrons. Pool bookings are available Monday through Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 6:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Click here for more information on booking pools.

Buncombe County Pool Locations:

• Cane Creek Pool – 590 Lower Brush Creek Road, Fletcher
• Erwin Pool – 58 Lees Creek Road, Asheville
• Hominy Valley Pool – 25 Twin Lakes Road, Candler
• North Buncombe Pool – 734 Clarks Chapel Road, Weaverville
• Owen Pool – 117 Stone Drive, Swannanoa

In addition, lap swimming is available year-round at the Buncombe County Schools Aquatics Center, a 10-lane pool managed by the YMCA of Western North Carolina and Buncombe County Schools.

For more information on outdoor pools, visit the County’s pool website or call (828) 348-4770.

June 3rd, from 2 to 5 pm, the baseball field at the Cashiers/Glenville Recreation Center will be transformed into festival grounds, complete with music, games, dancing, water activities and Latin street foods.  A Mexican holiday generally celebrated at the end of April, “Día del Niño”, or day of the children, is returning to Cashiers in June. 

In Mexico, the holiday is as big as Mother’s Day or Father’s Day; shopping malls host special events, museums and zoos give special children’s discounts, and people hand out small, traditional toys to children they encounter throughout the day. Dia del Nino celebrates the contribution to a community that children bring, and is an opportunity to shower our kiddos with love.

The June 3rd event will feature games and activities for children and families, such as piñatas, traditional Mexican dancing, tug-o-war, foam party, sack races, water balloons, face painting, Zumba lesson, and musical chairs. Each child who attends will receive a free event t-shirt this year. There will also be refreshments, including tamales, popcorn, beverages, elotes, and….CHURROS! El Dia del Niño is completely free for all attendees and with so much fun planned, there’s bound to be endless smiles, laughter, new friends and memories!

Just Brew It is a homebrew competition and tasting in Asheville benefiting the work of Just Economics. The festival features 75+ different beers and 30+ amazing homebrewers. The competing homebrewers are some of the finest specialty homebrewers in the region with classic brews from traditional IPAs, lagers, sours, and stouts to unique beers brewed with specialty items like coffee, chocolate, spices, and fruit.

To attend, you must be a current member of Just Economics. This event is not ticketed, so you must purchase a membership prior to the event. Then, all Just Economics members can sample the homebrews and vote for their favorites!

Purchase your membership here: https://www.justeconomicswnc.org/donate/

Memberships are $30, which grants you entry to the event.
Memberships with a VIP package are $50, which grant you entry to the event an hour early (1:00pm) plus a souvenir glass, gourmet pretzel, and more.

This is a local festival you won’t want to miss and your membership supports the work of Just Economics to advance living wages, affordable housing and better transit! Hope to see you there!

With live music, by the Blushin’ Roulettes, a tea sommelier serving delicious teas made from herbs from the garden, food donations from local restaurants and our gardeners, and numerous activities for all attendees, this year’s EmpTea Bowls event has something fun for everyone!  Admission is $25.00 for 15 and over, $10 14 – 4, and 3 and under are free. Proceeds from EmpTea Bowls funds the Community Garden internship program as well as educational special events.

Empty Bowls is an international fundraising model. If it is new to you, you are in for a treat! Local potters donate handmade tea bowls for the event. You will get to choose a bowl, enjoy drinking tea from it, and then take it home as a reminder of folks whose bowls are often empty. Taking part becomes your opportunity to keep our community’s bowls filled.

Providing food for hundreds of local families, the Dr. John Wilson Community garden is a vital resource for reducing food insecurity in the Swannanoa Valley. Each year, a community of over a hundred local residents and hundreds of volunteers come together to grow fresh produce that is distributed to families in need through Bounty and Soul. The garden relies heavily on the work of its seasonal interns to assist in the growing process and to educate the public on sustainable growing techniques.

The annual EmpTea Bowls fundraiser is an outstanding opportunity to learn about the purpose and benefits of the Dr. John Wilson Community Garden. This event is also one of the best ways to support the community garden and keep it thriving for years to come.  This year’s goal is to raise $12,000 through ticket sales, donations and the silent auction.

The Dr. John Wilson Community Garden, located at 99 White Pine Drive in Black Mountain, is a program of Black Mountain Recreation and Parks.  EmpTea Bowls is organized by Black Mountain Recreation and Parks, and the Friends of the Community Garden under the auspices of the Black Mountain Parks and Greenways Foundation, a 501(c)(3). The garden is currently accepting monetary donations as well as art, products, and services for our silent auction, and private and corporate sponsorship.

Promotion: Jade Jersey Giveaway

Historically, this black tie affair is the community’s most anticipated signature event, and this year will be no exception. Enjoy a glamorous evening featuring a gourmet dinner, live entertainment, dancing and silent auction.

In addition, the Foundation honors the Philanthropist and Physician of the Year, as well as celebrating your contributions in support of UNC Health Pardee.

Tickets are $200 each and are available here. We’re excited to announce that proceeds from the event will help support Pardee’s growing Cardiology program.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 3 for this year’s Pardee Hospital Foundation Gala! Proceeds will help Pardee UNC Healthcare’s growing cardiology program.

This black tie affair is an elegant and exclusive evening, featuring:

• a gourmet dinner
• dancing
• live entertainment
• a silent auction

Plus, join us as we celebrate the Philanthropist and Physician of the Year!

All shows will be at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheater in the Montford District of Asheville, and all will be presented absolutely FREE of charge!
Written and Directed by Skyler Goff
This World Premiere was penned by local playwright Skyler Goff and tells of the continuing adventures of our favorite Lost Boy. A fantastical way to kick off our season!

All shows will run Fridays through Sundays and all will be presented at 7:30pm and prime seats can be reserved.

Montford Park Players has been bringing some of theater’s greatest works to Western North Carolina for over 50 years. Montford Park Players continues its mission of bring free theater to the community. The summer season allows everyone to come spend an evening under the stars, seeing some of the best live performances presented in Asheville.

Montford Park Players allows patrons to bring their favorite food and beverages to their shows and sells beer, wine and concessions at the shows. If you’ve never been to the Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre for a Montford show, there’s no better season than this one. If you have been, you know why you should come back and catch everything we have to offer!