First Asheville Art Walk of the 2016 Season this Weekend

April 1, 2016   Asheville Downtown Gallery Association Art Walk   Enjoy the fine art and craft of the Asheville Downtown Gallery Association. Within a half-mile radius of Pack Square and the city's center, you'll find unparalleled diversity from fine studio crafts, to glass, photography, folk art and contemporary painting, metalwork, textiles, jewelry and more by local, regional, national and international artists.  

20+ downtown venues participate with a complete Downtown Gallery Guide and a map available at any participating downtown gallery, the Asheville Visitors' Center or Pack Place. The Walks take place each first Friday from 5-8PM, April through December. 

Rhythmic Circus Performs at Asheville's Diana Wortham Theatre

March 31 and April 1, 2016, 8:00 PM at Diana Wortham Theatre, 2 South Park Square in downtown Asheville NC -  Rhythmic Circus. One of the biggest shows at the theatre this season: amazing percussive dance with a big brass band. Fun for all ages.

From a percussive chair routine (think STOMP) to the stripped down “Dream Song,” Rhythmic Circus's awarding-winning show Feet Don’t Fail Me Now! is a genre-hopping hour-and-a-half of rock, blues, soul and funk.

The rapid-fire tap, the funky styling and original lyrics of a six-piece band with a big, brassy sound, and a vocal percussionist all come together in this show that will have you tapping your feet and dancing in your seat. Don't miss it!

Adding to the fun is the annual Y.E.S. (Youth Education Scholarship) Fund Raffle during both evenings of the Rhythmic Circus performances. Win art, jewelry, travel packages, and more while supporting children through DWT's Y.E.S. Fund. 6:30 p.m. through intermission each evening. $5 per ticket, 5 tickets for $20. Bring your cash and win.

photo courtesy Diana Wortham Theatre

Funny Business at the Millroom Announces FOUR Big Shows for Spring

Funny Business at the Millroom,  66 Asheland Avenue in Asheville NC is ready to welcome spring with big shows and big laughs.  Get tickets NOW, before they sell out.

April 15, 2016 - CLUB FAVORITE GRANT LYON (LAUGHING SKULL FEST WINNER).

TICKETS

May 5, 2016 - *SPECIAL SHOW* JON REEP (LAST COMIC STANDING WINNER)

TICKETS

May 21, 2016 -  SHANE MAUSS: THE GOOD TRIP

TICKETS

June 25, 2016 -  SICK OF STUPID COMEDY TOUR CLIFF CASH, TOM SIMMONS, STEWART HUFF

TICKETS

Asheville Central Business District Meeting

March 23, 2016 from 4 PM - 7 PM in Lord Auditorium in Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St - The City of Asheville will hold a drop-in meeting about development issues in downtown Asheville NC.  City Council is interested in making changes to development rules for the Central Business District. These rules were last written in 2010, after the adoption of the Downtown Master Plan in 2009.

The recent surge in downtown development has caused some reconsideration of how projects are reviewed. At the meeting, three main topics will be discussed:

• Levels of review
• The process for Level III projects
• The hotel development process 

Council has indicated that they would like to review more projects in the Central Business District. Currently projects have to be larger than 175,000 square feet or 145 feet tall before they are heard by City Council. Below this level, Level II projects (above 20,000 square feet and under 145 feet tall) are heard by the Planning and Zoning Commission for final approval.

The second issue is about Level III projects in the Central Business District. Currently, there is an area called the Traditional Downtown Core. Large projects within this boundary are reviewed as Conditional Zonings, outside of this area, large projects are reviewed as Conditional Use Permits. The difference between these two processes are technical, but have an impact on both how City Council receives information about the project, and how the project is reviewed.

The third issue centers on hotel development. City Council and some citizens have expressed concerns about hotels in downtown. Hotels could be reviewed under a Conditional Use Permit or Conditional Zoning as a category. One possibility is that hotels over a certain size or number of rooms could be considered either Conditional Use or Conditional Zoning. No thresholds have been determined yet.

Staff will give a short presentation at 4:15 PM and then again at 5:45 PM, which will give attendees background and an understanding of the issues under consideration. After each staff presentation, participants can visit any or all of the stations for each of these topics.

For more information contact The Asheville Downtown Association.

7th Annual Easter on the Green in Asheville

March 26, 2016    Easter on the Green    Enjoy the 7th annual Easter on the Green Saturday,  from 2-5 PM in Pack Square Park presented by Ingles Markets. There will be Easter fun for children of all ages including age-specific Easter egg hunts, Kids Karaoke, free arts and crafts provided by Asheville Macaroni Kid and the LEAF Easel Rider, giant inflatable slides and obstacle courses, a mini-bounce for toddlers and much more. 

photo courtesy Citizen-Times

Get info and egg hunt schedule online. Children will have a chance to meet the Easter Bunny and Icon Media Asheville will be on hand all day to take pictures of kids with the Easter Bunny which parents can download for free or purchase a print.

Upcoming Events at The Diana Wortham Theatre

March 18, 2016 - Color Me Goodwill. A fast-paced, head-turning show fusing fashion, food and art for a mission. Cocktail reception at 6 PM prior to the 7 PM show.

March 20, 2016 - An Evening with Travis Tritt presented by NS Productions, Inc.   Enjoy a special evening with the CMA and Grammy award-winning country artist.

March 25, 2016 - Dervish    One of the most popular returning Celtic artists, Dervish has established itself as a forerunner in the traditional music world for more than two decades.

The Diana Wortham Theatre offers a variety of professional and award-winning performances year around. The Theatre is located at 2 South Pack Square in downtown Asheville NC.

Asheville Wine and Food Presents Special Dinner Series

March 22 beginning at 6:00 PM at Chestnut Restaurant, 48 Biltmore Avenue in Asheville NC:  Four-course Beer Dinner featuring Highland Brewing Company. Greet Spring with Chef Joe Mitchell's locally focused menu, featuring Hickory Nut Gap meats and the latest beer and ale creations from Highland Brewing Company: New Highland IPA, Kinsman Mocha Stout infused with Cinnamon, Chipotle, Vanilla and Cacao Nibs, Saw Whet Saison and their staple Gaelic Ale.


Reception begins at 6:00 PM with a four-course dinner to follow. $70.00 ($73.44 w/service fee) Price is Per Person: Dinner, Beer, Tax and Gratuity Included. GET TICKETS HERE. 

Biltmore Special Exhibit - Fashionable Romance: Wedding Gowns in Film

Now through July 4, 2016     Biltmore Special Exhibit - Fashionable Romance: Wedding Gowns in Film    Biltmore will share mementos from Vanderbilt and Cecil family weddings and special occasions in a new exhibit at The Biltmore Legacy in Antler Hill Village.

Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil, photo courtesy Biltmore

Displayed throughout Biltmore House, the award-winning costumes span 300 years of wedding fashion from films set in the years 1645 to 1935. The exhibition features 19 classic films, including the iconic Jane Austen romances of “Sense and Sensibility,” “Emma,” and “Pride and Prejudice.”

For each costume display, Biltmore’s renowned floral design team will create elaborate arrangements complementing each film’s era.

Admission: Admission to “Fashionable Romance: Wedding Gowns in Film” is included in the general admission ticket price.

Altan Performs Celtic Music at The Diana Wortham Theatre

March 10, 2016 at The Diana Wortham Theatre, 2 South Pack Square in downtown Asheville NC: Our Celtic Connection this week features Altan. 

The group is back in Asheville with a new project that explores the ancient musical bond between our beloved region and Ireland. The Widening Gyre reveals the similarities between the traditional Irish music that Altan is known for, namely Donegal fiddling and Gaelic singing traditions, and American and bluegrass roots music, especially that of the Appalachian bluegrass fiddle.

Don't miss this evening of hard-hitting reels and jigs, touching old Irish songs, and some of the band's original hits as they continue to break new ground in traditional music.

Altan performance begins at 8 PM - BUY TICKETS HERE 

Biltmore Estate Marathons this Weekend

March 12 - 13, 2016  Asheville full and Half Marathon on Biltmore Estate   The 2016 Asheville Marathon takes place on the scenic grounds of the Biltmore Estate. It will cover both the east (paved) and west (dirt roads) sides of the Estate. 

photo courtesy www.chirunning.com

The course will be USATF certified and bib chip timing will be used for the event. Runners will explore 26.2 miles of America’s largest backyard,  winding through a hardwood forest, meadows, gardens and extraordinary views of the Biltmore House and estate. 

Asheville Hosts Southern Conference Basketball Tournament

March 3 - 7, 2016 - The City of Asheville NC is once again the host for the Southern Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball, and Wrestling Tournaments. This year, all of the men’s and women’s games will be played at the U.S. Cellular Center, while Kimmel Arena at UNC Asheville will host the Conference Wrestling Championship.

Asheville welcomed the Southern Conference Basketball Championships back to the area in 2012 for the first time since 1995, when the city’s run as tournament host ended after 12 years. The League extended its hosting agreement with Asheville through 2021, which will also be the Southern Conference’s 100-year celebration.

Visit the tournament web site for all the events surrounding the 2016 Southern Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships, schedules, special events and ticket sales.