Asheville Art Museum Shop Sale Extended

Dec 31, Asheville Art Museum, 2 South Pack Square, Asheville NC. The end-of-the-year sale has now been extended through the first week of January! For one week only select holiday merchandise is 50% off! Stock up on MOMA holiday greeting cards for next year or glass Eva Zeisel ornaments that are beautifully unique enough to be hung anywhere, any time of the year! Anyone on your list you missed? Now is the time to get them that special something- 50% OFF! As always, Museum Members receive a 10% discount on everything in the shop every time they visit!

Funny Business on New Year's Eve

Dec 31, Funny Business Comedy Club, 56 Patton Ave, Asheville NC. (21+ Show) Come celebrate New Year's Eve with hilarious Michael Kosta at Funny Business Comedy Club. Michael has appeared on Comedy Central, Fox Sports, TBS and Showtime to name a few. Midnight Champagne Toast and party favors! Celebrate the New Year with Laughs!! With purchase of comedy tix- Pay $15 after the 10:30pm show for  "Mac Arnold and Plate full of Blues" show upstairs! http://www.ashevillecomedy.com/

Save with Asheville Vacation Rental Packages

ASHEVILLE  Vacation Rental Packages include: Biltmore Bed and Breakfast, All Girl Getaway, Honeymoon Package, Babyboomers Package, Spa Packages and 75th Anniversary Blueridge Parkway Package. Over 80 Asheville Luxury Vacation Rentals and Asheville Cabins available - ALL include  a FREE Mountain Discovery Pass for the length of your stay. CAROLINA MORNINGS

Asheville Art Museum Acquires Leaf Hands

The Asheville Art Museum Collectors' Circle held their sixth annual selection dinner on December 14, 2009. The Collectors' Circle is dedicated to increasing their own knowledge about art and collecting, while also growing the Museum's permanent collection through annual purchases.

The Circle voted to acquire Leaf Hands by Susan Weil, a five panel blueprint and collage. The work, from 2007, recalls Weil's earlier experiments with blueprint paper created during her time at Black Mountain College with her former husband Robert Rauschenberg. Individual Circle members also gifted several of the works up for selection to the Museum.

The Museum thanks the Circle for their continued commitment and dedication. For more information on joining the Collectors' Circle, contact Rebecca Lynch-Maass at 828.253.3227, ext. 114 or rlynchmaass@ashevilleart.org.   http://www.ashevilleart.org/

Swing Dance Workshops in Asheville

Dec 27 to Jan 01, 8:00 PM-12:30 AM, Crowne Plaza Resort, One Resort Drive, Asheville NC. Jitterbugs from around the globe converge yearly on Asheville for a five day swing dance party culminating in a New Year's Eve extravaganza. All week long international champion swing dancers teach workshops in the original American social dance-- The Lindy Hop -- to hundreds of would-be swingers from every walk of life. The workshops and the event celebrate under the moniker Lindy Focus and every year, the top artists in the swing dance field spend one week focusing on what many consider to be the true golden age of American pop culture: the Swing Era. The entire event is open to the public and come New Year's Eve, you will find the happiest feet in town tearing up the dance floor in Asheville's Crowne Plaza Resort, host of the event. http://www.lindyfocus.com/

Become a Friend

In this season of giving, give the community and yourself a gift by becoming a FRIEND of the Diana Wortham Theatre. As a Diana Wortham Theatre patron, you have an insider's view of the magic on this stage. You know firsthand the unique intimacy of the theatre, the wide array of performing arts presented and the leading role the Diana Wortham Theatre plays in the community. You can help keep that magic alive in this time of giving by providing valuable support and joining the FRIENDS.
Learn more...

Great Deals on Last Minute Asheville Getaways!

Valid for new RESERVATIONS arriving December 18, 2009-December 26, 2009   Carolina Mornings  is offering unbelievable  last minute deals. Choose 1 of the 3 options below and as a bonus, get FREE early check-in and a late check-out. This package has up to $160 in savings! You choose:

$100 Dinner Gift Certificate at Zambra  OR $50 off your reservation  OR a Free Candle Light Tour tix at Biltmore Estate   -  The choice is yours!  Reservations made online will not show the discounts-We will adjust the reservation the following business day! Our Promise!
Choose ANY of our available vacation rentals - find your getaway now!  

The Grinch Steals the Visitor Center!

December 16, 2009 - Breaking news from Asheville North Carolina. In an apparent attempt to take over control of all Asheville tourism, the Grinch Who Stole Christmas has successfully invaded the city's visitor center at 36 Monford Avenue. Accompanied his two nefarious henchman the Grinch set up a bulwark in the main lobby where he remains holed up. All visitors in the city are asked to report to the center immediately. Authorities believe the smirking hoodlum  is actually a clone, the result of a fiendish plot by the gang known only as "Gingerbread Men". The gang is said to have a hideout somewhere in the Asheville hills easily identified by an odd orange roof. The public is asked to be on the look out and report any suspicious activities. More news when it occurs...

Green Man and Lusty Monk

Dec 18, 5PM-7PM, Hops and Vines, 797 Hatwood Road, Asheville NC. Beer and pretzels - life is good!  This week's tasting includes three brews from Green Man Brewing, we now proudly carry their line of flagship beers in growlers. At the tasting this Friday, when you buy any Green Man growler you'll get a free Green Man Brewing pint glass! We will also be serving Lusty Monk mustard and pretzels with the beer. Hops and Vines will be carrying Lusty Monk Mustard for retail sale, come taste what all the buzz is about!
India Pale Ale - English in style, this beer is “monster-hopped,” with English malts plus a special honey malt from Canada, Target and Kent Goldings hops added five times during the brewing process.
E.S.B (Extra Special Bitter) - This richly flavored, full-bodied bitter is copper colored, with a slight fruity aroma and a balanced malt/hop character.
Porter - English style brown porter. A dark brown beer with a red tint, it offers mocha, carob, and chocolate flavors and coffee aromas with a slightly smoky and warming alcohol finish.

Christmas at Biltmore a Family Tradition

Start a new tradition this year with a family visit to Christmas at Biltmore. Buy tickets online and save up to $8 off regular adult daytime admission for Sunday-Friday visits now through December 25. December 20-24, daytime admission is free for youth 10-16. For kids 9 and under, admission is free daily. Children love the thousands of ornaments and twinkling lights throughout Biltmore House, and the majestic, exquisitely trimmed 35-foot Fraser fir in the Banquet Hall. And on weekends, Santa makes appearances at River Bend Farm —a fun place for kids to visit any time of year to learn about life on the estate in the 1890s through demonstrations, craft activities, farmyard tours, and more.

Christmas at the Grove Park

December 23 - 27  ASHEVILLE  NC. A Grove Park Christmas  Christmas buffets, live holiday music, festive decorations, the National Gingerbread House Competition display and our historic ambiance (think roaring fires and carols) combine to make a wonderful family Christmas. Activities include visits from Major Bear and Santa Claus, history tours, a scavenger hunt, caroling around the fireplace, a yule log lighting ceremony and much more! http://www.groveparkinn.com/Leisure/

Downtown Sizzle Ends with a Bang

Dec 19, Downtown Asheville NC. The 19 days of Asheville Seasonal Sizzle conclude this Saturday. Attending Merrymakers will enjoy free fireworks, live entertainment, Seasonal Sizzle specials at local restaurants and extended hours of evening shopping in downtown Asheville’s eclectic boutiques and craft galleries. Saturday's schedule includes:
Asheville City Market Holiday Bash              10am-2pm    Pack Square
North Asheville Tailgate Market                     8am-12pm   UNCA
French Broad Food Coop Holiday Bazaar     11am 4pm     FB Food Coop
Seasonal Sizzle at Seven Fireworks FREE    7pm-8pm      Downtown Asheville
Seasonal Sizzle After Party FREE (21+)       8pm-1am      Elaine's Piano Bar

Ballet Conservatory of Asheville presents The Nutcracker

Dec 18, 4:30 and 8PMPM, Dianne Wortham Theatre, Asheville NC. Asheville’s new Conservatory makes it’s debut performance with a beautiful rendition of the timeless holiday classic, The Nutcracker. The 8PM performance is already sold out, but the 4:30 show still have tickets available. For more information about the Conservancy visit: http://www.balletconservatoryofasheville.com/

"THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HIVE" tonight

Dec 12, 5PM - 8PM, A Slow Food Event hosted by The West End Bakery on West Asheville Day  - A benefit for the bees. Enjoy an evening of art work, food, and drink celebrating the important role of bees in the production of our food. Please bring a finger food potluck item made with local honey to share. If you are a Mead Maker please bring a bottle (or two!) of your Mead for us to taste! The successful production of food crops relies on pollination by bees, but worldwide bee populations have disappeared due to an unknown cause referred to as Colony Collapse Disorder. If you can't make it to this event please consider donating - by clicking the donate button Click & Pledge    http://www.slowfoodasheville.org/

Give the Gift of Knowledge and a Healthy Environment

What better gift to give students than FREE RiverLink lessons this Winter? One of the best gifts that we can give our future generations is a clean, healthy environment, and RiverLink offers tons of interactive lessons focusing on the French Broad River watershed, delivered straight to your school by experienced environmental educators. Your students will build their own watershed, create river-inspired artwork, learn about the water cycle or create their own rainsticks! We have lessons for all ages! Don't hesitate, sign up today! Help us empower the next generation of watershed stewards!

RiverLink's Watershed Education program aims to educate and empower the citizens to protect their watershed. We offer FREE K-12 in-class and field trip programs! Visit our website to learn more

Holiday Season Shopping in West Asheville

Dec 12, noon - 8PM, Downtown West Asheville NC. Over 50 West Asheville businesses will be participating in great deals for holiday shoppers. The event includes sales and specials, music, demonstrations, craft booths, artists' market, gift basket raffle, carrolling and more. Website: http://www.shopwestasheville.com

Art Museum Announces Expansion Plans

The Asheville Art Museum,  located at 2 South Pack Sqaure in Asheville North Carolina, has announced expansion plans. The  Museum will keep its location in Pack Place while expanding the current facility and absorbing the space currently occupied by Health Adventure, scheduled to relocate in 2011.

The capital campaign, with an estimated cost of $24 million, would double the size of the museum to nearly 51,000 square feet  allowing more of the permanent collection to be shown and larger and more diverse traveling exhibits. The already extensive education programs will also benefit. The project is predicted to begin construction in 2011 and have a tentative completion in 2013. Photo courtesy of The Citizen Times.com.

Wouldn't this be a great time to support the Museum? Until December 31, 2009, people age 70 ½ and older, may transfer up to $100,000 directly from a traditional or Roth IRA to the Asheville Art Museum - some restrictions apply contact Scott Bunn or Rebecca Lynch-Maass at (828) 253-3227 for details.

Website: http://www.ashevilleart.org

North Carolina Symphony Holiday Concert

Dec 10, 8PM-9:30PM, UNC Asheville - Lipinsky Auditorium, One University Heights, Asheville NC. Make your season bright with this festive Holiday Pops concert! The North Carolina Symphony ushers in a joyful time of year with favorite carols and a sing-along. Founded in 1932, the North Carolina Symphony is a vital and honored component of our state’s cultural life, presenting 175 concerts annually. This  Holiday Pops Concert  features soprano Rozlyn Sorrell. For details and tickets:  http://www.unca.edu/culturalarts/NCSymphony/index.htm

14th Annual Christmas Guitar Concert

Dec 11, 8PM-10:30PM, Jubliee! 46 Wall Street, Asheville NC. Guitarists Ed Gerhard and Bill Mize join together for their Fourteenth Annual Christmas Guitar Concert.  Tickets are $18.00 and are available at Malaprops and Jubilee!  Ed Gerhard's music has touched concert audiences all over the world, from sold out tours of Japan to festivals in Italy, and venues across the US. Acoustic Guitar Magazine writes "...his recordings and live performances have established him as one of the most exciting of the guitarist-composers." Call (828) 252-5335 for info or visit: http://www.jubileecommunity.org/

North Asheville Tailgate Market - Holiday Edition

Dec 12, 8:00 AM-12:00 PM,  UNC Asheville, One University Heights, Asheville NC. Get your Christmas Tree and Wreathes at Tailgate, the area's oldest farmers' market in it's 29th year of operation with over 40 vendors selling locally produced goods. Gift baskets with Tailgate Goodies Available:  vegetables, fruits, greens, baked goods, local meats, herbs, honey, relishes, crafts and more. http://www.northashevilletailgatemarket.org/

21st Christmas Jam By Day

Dec 11 - 12, Downtown Asheville and the Asheville Civic Center, 87 Haywood Street, Asheville NC.  Performances, film screenings, and an art show are going on during the day on Friday 12/11 & Saturday 12/12 in downtown Asheville all within walking distance to the Civic Center. In addition to Friday & Saturday day activities, those of you in town Thursday night should head to The Funny Business Comedy Club on Patton Avenue, as that evenings performance of Pat Godwin & Special Guests will be part of the Christmas Jam By Day line-up with all door receipts going to Habitat For Humanity.  For the Saturday night Jam there will be some incredible pairings and ensemble. For tickets or info: http://www.xmasjam.com/2009/

Ring in the Holidays

Dec 13, 4PM-6PM, Central United Methodist Church, Church Street, Asheville NC. The powerful voices and remarkable music of The Asheville Choral Society presents "Ring in the Holidays!" at Central United Methodist Church, led by music director Lenora Thom. The choir will be accompanied by an orchestra, with songs to include all the beloved carols of the season with a candlelight procession.For more info ro tickets: http://www.ashevillechoralsociety.org/

Last Save the French Broad River Raffle

Win up to $1200 -  an ENO DoubleNest Hammock, MSR Elbow Room 2 Tent, Osprey Kestrel Technical Backpack, pair of Ahnu Tilden Sandals, Watershed ZipDry Largo Tote, pair of La Sportiva Mountain Running Shoes and more! Save the French Broad River raffle tickets make great holiday gifts - one size fits all! Last drawing will be on January 15th.  For information and tickets...

The Trainwreks in Asheville

Dec 12, 8PM, Grey Eagle Music Hall, Asheville NC. The Trainwreks are a five piece "Dirty-Tonk" band that formed in 2004 in Asheville, NC. Going through many personnel changes over the following years, the strongest collective to date came together in the winter of 2007 consisting of some of the most versatile musicians in Asheville's burgeoning music scene. Dirty-Tonk consists of many of the members collective influences, ranging from gypsy jazz, outlaw country, western swing, reggae, to blues, funk, and rock. We have something for the whole family! For tickets or additional information: http://greyeagle.musictoday.com

Free beer tasting at Hops and Vines

Dec 4, 5-7PM, Hops adn Vines, Asheville NC. This week we will feature three mega IPAs from three different breweries, some of the best examples of American IPA. These beers are fresh and just hit the shelves in the last week:
Hopsecutioner - Here ye, here ye…All hopheads shall herewith rejoice! Terrapin has recruited ye old HOPSECUTIONER to execute the exact hop profile for this killer IPA! 7.2%
Ska Modus Hoperandi - A mix of citrus and pine that will remind you of the time you went on a vision quest with your native american cousin and woke up in a pine-grove full of grapefruit trees.
Pisgah Vortex I - The hoppiest beer in Buncombe County is back and hoppier than ever. Brewed with over 3.5 grams of four distinct varieties of super high alpha hops per glass, lupulin lovers rejoice. Treat Tourself while it’s fresh!  Website: http://www.hopsandvines.net

"THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HIVE"

Dec 12, from 5-8PM,  West End Bakery, 757 Haywood Road, West Asheville NC will host an evening of art work, food, and drink celebrating the important role of bees in the production of our food. Please bring a finger food potluck item made with local honey to share. If you are a Mead Maker please bring a bottle (or two!) of your Mead for us to taste! The successful production of food crops relies on pollination by bees, but worldwide bee populations have disappeared due to an unknown cause referred to as Colony Collapse Disorder. If you can't make it to this event please consider donating - by clicking the donate button Click & Pledge 

French Broad Food Coop Holiday Bazaar

Dec 5, 12,19, 10AM-4PM, French Broad Food Co-op, 90 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville NC. The Holiday Bazaar at French Broad Food Coop brings local food and gifts to the heart of downtown Asheville. The event, now in its seventh year, allows shoppers to support local farmers and artisans as they celebrate the holidays. Website: http://www.asapconnections.org/

Folk Art Center Guild Artists' Holiday Sale

Dec 5 and Dec 12,  10AM-4PM, Folk Art Center, Milepost 382 Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville NC. Members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild are on hand to sell their discontinued styles, seconds and overstocks, 10-50% off retail prices-all just in time for holiday shopping.

Wesite: http://southernhighlandguild.org/

"Major Bear's Holiday Party" at Grove Park Inn

Dec 6, 2PM-4PM, Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa, 290 Macon Ave., Asheville NC. Share some holiday cheer with friends and family as Major Bear hosts a party! Create an ornament for your tree, get your face painted, and do the hokey-pokey with the bear himself. And don't forget about the food! Holiday stations will provide themed food sure to satisfy both kids and adults. Read more...

Wine Tasting Tomorrow

Nov 28, 3PM-5PM, Hops and Vines, Asheville NC. An adventure to South America to explore three different styles of wine from Argentina. South American wines are some of the best value wines on the market today. Vida Organica Sparkling Chardonnay - Golden-yellow colours with green hues, with delicate and persistent bubbles. Trapiche "Broquel" Malbec - Boysenberry, blackberry, plum and pumpkin bread aromas are effusive. Colonia Las Liebres, Bonarda, Mendoza, Argentina, 2008. A massive wine from Argentina, the Bonarda grape is nearly exclusive to South America, where it excels at the high elevations of Mendoza Valley.

Holiday Bash at Asheville City Market

Now 28, 10AM-2PM, Pack Square Park, Pack Square, Asheville NC. This week featuring live music from Woody Pines & the Delta Blues Trio - enjoy the downtown festivities as the Asheville City Market continues into the holiday season. Find local Christmas trees, wreaths and arrangements, baked goods, farmstead and artisan goat cheeses, handmade jewelry, candles, quilts, knitware and woodworking, local produce, trout, meat and eggs, gift soaps, preserves, handmade pasta, local honey and spicy mustards.

Website: http://www.asapconnections.org/citymarket.html

Gobblin' Good Thanksgiving Tour of Asheville

NOV 24-28 ASHVEILLE NC   LaZoom Thanksgiving Tour of Asheville Stuff your family on the LaZoom Bus for our Gobblin' Good Thanksgiving Tour! A sweet and savory two hour family adventure, with all the fixin's! Come along on a hysterical tour of Asheville complete with a costumed tour guide, LIVE local music and surprise characters. Get all the facts with all the fun! All ages welcome. $22 per ticket. $15 for kids 5-12 and children 4 and under ride for free. Beer and wine allowed on board for passengers 21 years and up. Group seating sells out fast! Reserve your tickets online

Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt Showing in Asheville

Nov 28,10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (continuous showings) , Pack Place Community Gallery, Asheville NC.  The Asheville Art Museum will screen Rob Epstein's Oscar-winning documentary which profiles six people who subsequently died of AIDS. Using the AIDS Memorial Quilt as his starting point, this film humanizes the disease and illustrates its carnage, showing how it devastates families and communities.Narrated by Dustin Hoffman. The film will screen continuously throughout the day and is free to Museum Members and the public. Western North Carolina AIDS Project will be displaying portions of the AIDS Memorial Quilt  in Pack Place through Dec 2. Website: http://www.ashevilleart.org

Holiday Bash at the Asheville City Market

Nov 28, 10:00 AM-02:00 PM, Pack Square Park, Pack Square, Asheville NC. This week featuring live music from Woody Pines & the Delta Blues Trio.  Find local Christmas trees, wreaths and arrangements, baked goods, farmstead and artisan goat cheeses, handmade jewelry, candles, quilts, knitware and woodworking, local produce, trout, meat and eggs, gift soaps, preserves, handmade pasta, local honey and spicy mustards. Website: http://www.asapconnections.org/citymarket.html

It's a Wonderful Life in Asheville

Nov 27- Dec 20, 7:30 PM, North Carolina Stage Company, 15 Stage Lane, Asheville NC. A team of intrepid radio actors brings you the perfect holiday antidote to rampant cynicism and commercialism. Rediscover this classic story of friendship, love and sacrifice in times of financial struggle. Since 2006, North Carolina Stage Company and Immediate Theatre Project have produced a delightful radio play version of It's a Wonderful Life. The show has been a hit in Asheville every year, earning raves from critics and audiences. Website: http://www.livewireasheville.com/calendar/details.php?event=6

Stories of Gingerbread Tour

Nov 23 - Jan 3, 10:00 AM-04:00 PM, Monday-Thursday, The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, 290 Macon Avenue, Asheville  NC.  "Stories of Gingerbread" Guided Tours begin. Go behind the scenes and to the front of the lines with our newest addition to the world of gingerbread!  Guides will share stories about the artists and their houses, details about the construction of unusual entries, and a behind-the-scenes look at the workings of the judging, competition and display itself.  These specialty tours are available Monday-Saturday throughout the display period.  $10 Adults; $5 Children (12 & under).  For more information or to reserve a tour space, please call 800-438-0050, ext. #4094.  Website: http://www.groveparkinn.com/Leisure/

Holiday Shopping at the Nature Center

Wild about animals but not so wild about shopping? Try alternative holiday gifts at the WNC Nature Center. Here are a few ideas:
*Give a Gift Membership
*Adopt a Favorite Animal
*Buy A Permanent Brick for Family, Friends, Corporate Partners
*Join Our Food Chain in Honor or In Memory of Friends or Family

Learn more and purchase your Holiday gifts...

Wines to pair with your Thanksgiving Meal

Nov 21, 3-6PM, Hops and Vines, 797 Haywood Rd. Ste 100, West Asheville NC. Free wine tasting includes:
Villa Wolf Gewurztraminer - Villa Wolf Gewürztraminer is clean, fruity and wonderfully light on its feet. It shows off the aromatic charm of the variety without becoming heavy or ponderous. A perfect accompaniment to turkey, cranberry sauce, and mixed nuts to name a few.
Domaine Antagnauc Pinot Noir 2008 Languedoc Roussillon, France Amazing value for an Estate Pinot Noir. Expressive nose of black cherry and spice.

"Les Perruches" - Domaine de la Cotelleraie is fully biodynamic and organic in all principals of viticulture.  This 100% Cabernet Franc wine shows the grape in it's fully glory, with earthy tobacco-scented dark berry fruit.  ITs a big mouthful of wine that deserves a big meal of turkey and stuffing with gravy, a perfect Thanksgiving match.  

Website: http://www.hopsandvines.net

This Weekend at the Grove Arcade

The Grove Arcade, One Page Avenue. Asheville NC. This weekend's schedule:
Friday: Raeph – Acoustic Guitar & Vocals; 11AM-1PM., James Rogers – Piano; 1AM-3PM
Saturday: Gardner Hathway – Guitar & Vocals; 11AM-PM, Jon Cooley – Cardboard Dulcimer 1AM- 3PM, James Rogers - Piano; AM- 4PM., Marcus Chatfield & Duke – Harmonica, Guitar & Vocals; 4PM- 6PM
Sunday: James Rogers - Piano; noon-2PM., Raeph – Acoustic Guitar & Vocals; 2PM-4PM

As a part of the National Gingerbread House Competition 35 of the whimsical entries will be displayed in a winter-wonderland style setting in Suite 115 on the O. Henry side of the building. The public is invited to view the houses Monday through Saturday from 10AM-6PM. and Sunday from noon - 5PM.

The restored Grove Arcade opened in late 2002 and includes shops, restaurants, offices and 42 luxury apartments. The Arcade remains Western North Carolina’s largest commercial building and has become a wonderful new downtown resource for residents and visitors.

Website: http://www.grovearcade.com/

Homebrew Tasting in Asheville

Nov 20, 5PM-7PM, Hops and Vines, 797 Haywood Rd. Ste 100, West Asheville NC. This week were going to keep it simple and have a homebrew tasting. Homebrewers, bring in your beer to share with others! I will be bringing a homebrew clone brew of my favorite IPA (Pliny the Elder. This is a casual tasting and usually a lot of fun. You do not have to bring homebrew to attend. Homebrew is not for sale, free samples only, we do encourage everyone to start homebrewing.Website: http://www.hopsandvines.net

Disney on Ice in Asheville

Nov 25-29, Asheville Civic Center,87 Haywood Street, Asheville  NC. Join the ocean-sized adventure of the curious clownfish Nemo, his overprotective father Marlin and their absent-minded yet lovable pal Dory as Disney On Ice immerses you in a vibrant aquatic world in Disney On Ice presents Disney/Pixar's Finding Nemo. Website: http://disney.go.com/disneyonice/

Peggy Tabor Millin at Malaprops

Nov 22, 3PM-4:15PM, Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe, 55 Haywood St., Asheville  NC.  Asheville author, speaker, and teacher Peggy Tabor Millin will present her book, Women, Writing, and Soul-Making: Creativity and the Sacred Feminine. Millin’s book explores writing as a spiritual process and, though it focuses on the unique challenges to creativity that women face in the modern world, Women, Writing, and Soul-Making offers techniques and encouragement to anyone seeking to unlock their creative inner selves.Website: http://www.malaprops.com

The 5k Shopping Cart Race: An Idiotarod

Nov 22, 11AM-2PM, River Arts District (Riverside St., Roberts St., Lyman St.,Craven St & Clingman Ave), Asheville  NC. The Idiotarod is a lot like the legendary Alaskan Sled Dog Race called the IdiDarod, which is a dog sled competition that spans over 1150 miles of Alaska’s roughest, most beautiful terrain that Mother Nature has to offer. The Idiotarod is essentially the same thing except we’ll cover 5 kilometers and instead of dogs we use people (idiots) and instead of sleds we use shopping carts (super pods of wonder). Participants usually adopt a theme for their team and decorate themselves and their cart accordingly. Fun trickery also comes into play as participants compete for one of six awards including. Live music by Levi Douglas and Zach Blew at the Wedge After Bash! Website: http://www.ashevilleidiotarod.com/

Lucero "Ramblin' Roadshow & Memphis Revue" in Asheville

Nov 20, 8PM-11PM, The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville NC. Playing between 150-200 live shows a year, Lucero has come to be known as much for their hard-touring work ethic as for their critically acclaimed records. In addition to his work with the band, lead singer Ben Nichols also released a solo record in early 2009 and co-stars in MTV’s $5 Cover, a series about the Memphis music scene.Website: http://theorangepeel.net/

Christmas Concert in Asheville

Nov 20, 7:30PM-9:30PM, Diana Wortham Theatre, 2 S. Pack Square, Asheville  NC.  Music for the Holiday Season performed by stars of the Asheville Lyric Opera and some of western North Carolina's finest musicians. The Downtown Association and the City of Asheville are proud to present the first ever Christmas Concert by The Asheville Lyric Opera to kick off the holiday season. On the eve of the holiday parade, the Christmas Concert will start at 8pm at the Diana Wortham Theater. Featuring the most beloved Christmas solos and choral arrangements, the concert will be sure to lift your holiday spirits. Performers will include the Mars Hill College Jazz Band, Bervard College Chamber Choir, Celebration Children's Singers, Soundings High School Ensemble, and featured soloists from Asheville Lyric Opera. The concert benefits Hearts with Hands charity organization and their campaign for disadvantaged youth in our community.Website: http://www.ashevillelyric.org/

Art Break, Ruth Asawa: Drawing in Space

Nov 20, 12PM-1PM, Asheville Art Museum, 2 So. Pack Square, Asheville  NC. Join a member of the Asheville Art Museum's Curatorial Staff on a guided tour of the exciting exhibition Ruth Asawa: Drawing in Space. This exhibition celebrates the unique career of Ruth Asawa (1926 - ), an artist whose looped-wire sculptures and richly detailed drawings defied traditional conventions.Website: http://www.ashevilleart.org/

Main Course Dining in Asheville

Nov 19th at the Venue on Market Street, Asheville NC. AIR’s (Asheville Independent Restaurant Association) Main Course Dining is back with buy one get one free deals all over the city! Join us for the Taste of Asheville launch party. The Taste of Asheville will feature culinary delights from the restaurants in the 2010 Main Course Dining Program.The evening includes food from each of the 18 restaurants participating in the Main Course Dining program and complimentary beer and wine. A cash bar for liquor drinks will also be available. For more info or tickets: http://airasheville.org/

Drivin' N Cryin' at Grey Eagle

Nov 19, 8PM, Grey Eagle Music Hall, Asheville NC. Drivin N Cryin will put out their first record in twelve years. Great American Bubble Factory wil be released on September 29, 2009 on Vintage Earth Music with marketing and distribution provided by Thirty Tigers/RED. "This record is the perfect crescendo to a long twenty-plus year career of the band. I think we've found the true essence of what we started to build back in 1985," says Kevn Kinney. Website: http://greyeagle.musictoday.com

63rd Asheville Holiday Parade.

Nov 21, 11AM. This year's Parade theme is "Our Appalachian Holidays" with singer/songwriters/storytellers David Holt and Laura Boosinger as co-Grand Marshals. The Express Personnel Clydesdale horses will headlining the Parade this year as well. Co-sponsored by The City of Asheville and the Asheville Merchants Corporation.

Website: http://www.ashevilleparade.org/

(If you can't be at the parade, watch it Thanksgiving or Christmas morning on WLOS-Channel 13)

Gingerbread House Competition and Display in Asheville

Nov 18 - Jan 3, The Grove Park Inn, Asheville NC.   National Gingerbread House Competition and Display  Experience the enchantment of gingerbread. Contestants from across the country will bring their culinary masterpieces this holiday season for display. The Competition and judging will take place on Nov. 16, 2009 and the gingerbread houses will be on display afterward. Community Viewing is Monday-Thursday only.
Resort Guests may view the display at anytime. Stories of Gingerbread" Guided Tours go behind the scenes and to the front of the lines with our newest addition to the world of gingerbread! These specialty tours are available Monday-Saturday throughout the display period. $10 Adults; $5 Children (12 & under).

Christmas Victorian Style in Asheville

Now through Jan 3, Smith-McDowell House Museum, Asheville NC. Celebrate Christmas the old-fashioned way. The Smith-McDowell House Museum's time-line of authentically decorated period rooms showcase the evolution of Christmas celebrations and decorations.

Friday the 13th Beery, not Scarey

Nov 13, 5PM-7PM, Hops and Vines, Asheville NC. A tasting of some of our favorite beer from Belgium.  Brasserie d'Achouffe has been at it since 1982 staring out as a small artisian brewery.  Today, with high demand for this beer all over the world, it is now brewed by Duvel Moortgat Brewery. This week's tastings:
LA CHOUFFE is an unfiltered blonde beer, which is re-fermented in the bottle as well as in the keg.
HOUBLON CHOUFFE was brewed for the first time in 2006.  It is an ‘Indian Pale ale’ type of beer.
Mc CHOUFFE is an unfiltered dark beer, which is re-fermented in the bottle as well as in the keg.

Webstie: http://www.hopsandvines.net

Michelle Malone Live Concert

Nov 12, 9PM, The Garage at Biltmore, 101 Fairview Road, Suite B, Asheville NC. Michele Malone offers a high-spirited stripped down blend of rootsy acoustic slide, gritty electric blues and explosive vocals that harkens back to the lost recordings of Bonnie Raitt, Lucinda Williams and The Rolling Stones.   The Garage at Biltmore is a 300 person capacity live music venue, art gallery, beer bar and in house coffee shop (Caffiend) with recording studio on site (Tribe Studios). Website: http://www.livewireasheville.com/

Visualizing Human Rights Anti-Conference

Nov 14, 9:00AM. - 5:00 PM,  UNC Asheville. The Asheville Art Museum is pleased to partner with UNC Asheville to present an anti-conference on human rights. The anti-conference will feature dance, theatre and musical performances scheduled throughout the day and evening on the UNCA campus. There will be a reception at the Highsmith Student Union in honor of Luzene Hill's installation art exhibition. Hill is a Cherokee artist and is the program outreach director of the Oconoluftee Institute for Cultural Arts. Website: http://www.ashevilleart.org

Zambra's Hosts Wine Dinner

Nov 12, 7PM-10PM, Zambra's, 85 W Walnut Street, Asheville NC. Enjoy a delicious Mediterranean wine dinner with five courses of Zambra's wonderful dishes accompanied by wines from the Weinhaus. Zambra offers a feat for the senses with contemporary twists on the food of Spain and North Africa paired with 100s of wines from the "Land of the Sun", the Liberias Peninsula. Website: http://www.zambratapas.com/

Booksigning for "The Knowing"

Nov 12, 7PM-8PM, Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe, 55 Haywood St.,Asheville NC. Novelist Jennifer Elizabeth Daigle conducts a reading of her debut book “The Knowing”. A brief Review: It's hard to find such a unique read as Daigle’s, “The Knowing,” with characters that you truly miss when you finish the book, a plot that is extremely intelligent without being exhausting, and writing that feels like actual literature. The sensual descriptions, from deep forest night to the landscape of a mafia-type underground, pull you in, and the heroine stands out with a vibrant, unique wit that evokes the author’s Southern roots. Website: http://www.malaprops.com

Howl at the moon in Asheville

Nov 10, 6:00PM - 8:00PM, WNC Nature Center, ASHEVILLE NC.  Wolf Howl -  Cry out to the moon with our Red and Grey Wolves at our Wolf Howl from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Trek with the staff to our on-site wolf habitats for a howling session with our experts. Hear the legends and lore of these top predators and then discover for yourself the real "truths" of these elusive creatures. $10 per person and are sold in advance only. Website: http://www.wildwnc.org/

Make 'em laugh

The latest edition to downtown Asheville's nightlife is a new comedy club, Funny Business Comedy Club. Loccated in the S&W building at 56 Patton Avenue the Club offers performances Friday & Saturday at 8:00PM and 10:30PM. The Grand Opening is tonight with Lachlan Patterson, from Comedy Central and Montreal's Just for Laughs. Tickets may be purchased online. Website: http://www.ashevillecomedy.com

Meet the Maker

Nov 12, 06:00 PM-08:00 PM, UNC Asheville, One University Heights, Asheville NC. The UNC-A Craft Campus welcomes Suzanne Ramljak, a writer, art historian, and curator, and current editor of Metalsmith magazine. Ramljak will speak about the UNC Center for Craft Creativity and Design exhibition Different Tempers: Jewelry & Blacksmithing, curated by Ramljak. Lecture will be held in the Owen Conference Center, 3rd floor of Owen Hall, UNC Asheville. Website: http://www.unca.edu/craftcampus/

Cold Mountain Verticle Tasting

Nov 6, 5PM-7PM, Hops and Vines, Asheville NC. The tasting includes three vintages of Highland's Cold Mountain Winter ale!  The 2009 Cold Mtn. arrived last Tuesday and is a big hit as usual. The new beer will be tasted alongside bottles that have been aged for a year or two, when the spices and flavors have married. Website: http://hopsandvines.net

5K Superhero Race in Asheville

Nov 7, 04:30 PM-07:30 PM, Asheville Brewing Company, 77 Coxe Ave., Asheville  NC. Superheroes from all corners of the universeconvene in an epic clash of titans. Can you outrun The Flash, or keep up with Wonder Woman? Show the world who the fastest superhero really is! This event benefits the local heroes of the Asheville/Buncombe Fire, police and rescue departments. Website: http://www.superhero5k.com/

WNC Fly Fishing Expo

Nov 7-8, WNC Agricultural Center, 1301 Fanning Bridge Rd., Fletcher  NC. The WNC Fly Fishing Expo is the region's first event devoted to fly fishing in the Southeast. In addition to instruction and presentations by the sport's top experts, the event will feature an exhibitors' hall with all major fly fishing vendors, area fly shops and guide services, and much more.Website: http://www.wncflyfishingexpo.com/

Hansel and Gretel in the mountains

Nov 6, North Buncombe High School, 890 Clarks Chapel Rd, Weaverville  NC. Asheville Lyric Opera presents the children’s story come to life in an educational performance of Humperdinck’s timeless “Hansel and Gretel.” Website: http://www.ashevillelyric.org/

Art Break at the Asheville Art Museum

Nov 6, 12-1PM, Asheville Art Museum, 2 So. Pack Square, Asheville  NC. The Museum presents lunchtime Art Breaks, a series of gallery talks and presentations designed to inform and engage you in dialogue with members of our curatorial and education departments, docents and special guests. Join an informative member of the Asheville Art Museum's Docents on a guided tour of the exciting exhibitions Looking Forward and Looking Back.Website: http://www.ashevilleart.org/

MOMIX: ReMIX in Asheville

Nov 17-18, 8PM, Dianne Wortham Theatre, Asheville NC. Audiences the world over, including Asheville several times in the past decade, take absolute delight in this highly unusual, incredibly talented, and gleefully entertaining dance company. Presenting works of exceptional inventiveness and physical beauty, MOMIX's dancer-illusionists conjure up a world of surrealistic images using  Read more...

Meet the Maker at Grovewood

Nov 7-8, 11AM-3PM, The Grovewood Gallery, Asheville NC. Meet the Maker: Doll Maker Charlie Patricolo.  Long time doll maker, Charlie Patricolo, will be demonstrating her techniques on dolls in various stages of completion. Have a chance to meet Charlie, ask questions about her work, and be inspired by her wonderful creations.Website: http://www.grovewood.com/

Save the French Broad River Raffle

This is your chance to save the planet and win some great outdoor gear and other prizes valued at over $4000. Buy a $10 raffle ticket and be entered to WIN ONE OF EIGHT prize packages. The winners will be selected monthly starting in May and ending in December. Step up, do your part. 

Proceeds benefit RiverLink, a regional non-profit spearheading the economic and environmental revitalization of the French Broad River and its tributaries as a place to work, live and play.

"Undaunted Heart" at Malaprop's

Nov 6, 7PM-8:15PM, Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe, 55 Haywood St., Asheville  NC. Author Suzy Barile will present her book, Undaunted Heart: The True Story of a Southern Belle and a Yankee General. Barile’s work chronicles the true and controversial affair between Ella Swain, daughter of then UNC-Chapel Hill President David Swain, and Union General Smith Atkins. Barile’s impeccable research separates fact from myth and balances her narrative with Ella’s personal and revealing letters to her parents. Website: http://www.malaprops.com

LINT (Ladies in New Textiles) Exhibit

Nov 3 - Dec 31, Groovewood Gallery, 111 Grovewood Road, Asheville  NC. The downstairs Spotlight Gallery at the Groovewood will feature fiber-art wall hangings by LINT (Ladies in New Textiles)through the end of the year. An artists’ reception will be held in the gallery on Saturday, November 7 from 11am - 3pm. Light refreshment will be served. The exhibition and reception are free of charge and open to the public. Website: http://www.grovewood.com

First Wednesday Free afternoons at the Art Museum

The Asheville Art Museum has announced its "Free First Wednesdays" offer. The first Wednesday of each month form 3PM-5PM the Museum will be free to the public. 2 So. Pack Square, Asheville NC. Website: http://www.ashevilleart.org/

7th Annual Asheville Film Festival

Nov 12-15. Independent films from across the world will compete for awards and recognition in this year's event. The winning filmmaker in each category - Feature Fiction, Short Fiction, Documentary, Student and Animation - will receive $500. There will also mbe a screenplay competition! Up-and-coming writers across the country are competing for a chance to win $500. Read more...

The Autumn Players present: An Inspector Calls

Oct 30- Nov 1st. The Autumn players presents a Reader's Theatre Showcase, in memory of Bernie Hauserman. The Autumn Players is a troupe of seasoned actors dedicated to taking the theatre experience into the community.
Time: 2:30pm
Where: Friday and Saturday at ACT's 35below; Sunday at the Reuter Center at UNCA.
Tickets: ACT Box Office: 828-254-1320 or at the door. $5

10th annual Harvest Gathering Music Festival This Weekend

The 10th annual Harvest Gathering Music Festival Free event Celebrates music, art and alternative energy. Live music from 20 bands: FR (10/30), 6-10pm, SA (10/31), Noon-10pm & SU (11/1), 1-10pm
Location: Pack Square

Sound Tribe Sector 9 Performs

Oct 29, 08:00 PM-11:45 PM, Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, 87 Haywood St., Asheville  NC. Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9) is known for their unique genre-blending sound, weaving electronic, funk, jazz, psychedelia and hip-hop together to form what they call "post-rock dance music." $25 advance, $30 at the door. Read more...

Circo Aereo at Diane Wortham Theatre

Oct 27-28, 8:00 PM-10:00 PM, Diana Wortham Theatre, 2 S. Pack Square, Asheville NC. On its first U.S. tour, Finland's smart, imaginative, and inventive Circo Aereo brings its contemporary "New Circus" genre to Asheville with its latest and most famous work, Espresso. A Finnish-French co-production where the different styles of circus fuse into a free flow, Espresso is a combination of traditional circus arts such as juggling and aerial work with sidewalk performance and contemporary circus, all based on movement.
Website: http://www.dwtheatre.com

Malaprop's hosts Self-Publishing Panel

Oct 27, 7:00 PM-08:15 PM, Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe, 55 Haywood St., Asheville NC. Malaprop's presents an informative evening about publishing your writings. Featured panelists include local book editor Elana Kann, designer Kasey Gruen, self-published author Brian Lee Knopp, and Malaprop’s owner and published poet Emoke B'Racz. The four have extensive experience in the field and will discuss the dos and don'ts of successfully self-publishing.Website: www.malaprops.com

UNC Asheville Meet the Maker Series

Oct 27, 12:30 PM-01:30 PM, UNC Asheville, One University Heights, Asheville NC. UNC Asheville’s Craft Campus welcomes Carl Powell, stained glass artist, for the Meet the Maker lecture series. The goal of the series is to link the conversations of the “Maker” to the life of the viewer/user of contemporary craft. Owen Hall, room 237. This year-long workshop/lecture series focuses on meaningful conversations with individual craftspeople, artists and designers. Read more...

HOWL-O-WEEN in Asheville

To do: Have a Howling good time with Creepy Crawlers and Creatures of the Night
When/Where: Oct 24, 1PM-8PM, WNC Nature Center, Asheville NC. Slide your way through our Creepy Crawler Cabin where creatures of darkness will be on display. The Southern Appalachian Herpetological Society members will have pythons, boas, lizards and other hair-raising animals for you to enjoy, and presentations on bats, skulls and nocturnal creatures will take place on the hour starting at 2:00 p.m.
Arts & crafts, hot dogs, soda, hot cider and chocolate, baked goods, and treats for the kids will be available, as well as two performances by the Mountain Marionettes at 7:00 and 7:40 p.m. Our costume contest for all ages will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the barn, so come dressed for the occasion! Admission: $6 per person - Members of the Friends of the WNC Nature Center receive $1.00 off
Website: http://www.wildwnc.org/

LA Theatre Works in Asheville- 2 nights only

To do: live theatre double-feature sci-fi performances
When/Where: Oct 20-21, 8PM, Dianne Wortham Theatre, Asheville NC. Tonight and tomorrow night only, L.A. Theatre Works returns to Asheville with an outstanding cast to present two Sci-Fi thrillers: The War of the Worlds and The Lost World. The cast for this double-feature includes well-known faces from television, movie, and stage. To enhance patrons' understanding and enjoyment of L.A. Theatre Works' Asheville performances, informal conversations with members of the L.A. Theatreworks cast are held in The Forum at Pack Place, 7:20pm - 7:40pm each evening prior to the performances. Seating is limited. Doors will close at 7:25pm; latecomers cannot be permitted. Admission is free for ticket holders. Wine and beer will be available for purchase in the lobby from the New French Bar.
Website: http://www.dwtheatre.com/

Asheville Women's Expo Oct 23-24th

Two days catering to every aspect of a woman's life. The Asheville Women's Expo features exhibits, health screenings, fashion shows, beauty makeovers and more.
Visit: GirlsOnlyWeekend.Com
Time: 3-6pm
Cost: $5.00
Asheville Civic Center
87 Haywood Street

Birding Lecture: The Truth About Bird Feeding

Oct 20th Join The NC Arboretum for this special presentation at 1 p.m. by Simon Thompson of Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop of Asheville.
Time: 1-2pm
Cost: Free with parking fee - just $6 per personal vehicle!
The North Carolina Arboretum
100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way

Blues Traveler Band

Oct 19th Blues Traveler's large and widely loved body of work, demonstrating the enduring strengths of the band’s songwriting while capturing the spontaneous spirit of their legendary live shows. The aforementioned body of work encompasses eight studio albums and four live discs, six of them certified Gold or Platinum, with combined worldwide sales of more than ten million units. The band's best-known single, “Run-Around,” was the longest-charting radio single in Billboard history.
Time 7pm- 11pm
The Orange Peel
101 Biltmore Avenue

THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE OCTOBER 21st

NORTH CAROLINA STAGE COMPANY PRESENTS: THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE OCTOBER 21 TO NOVEMBER 8 Maureen and her elderly mother spend their days in a vicious and funny game of one-upmanship in this bleak comedy the New York Times calls “dizzying” and “both comic and ineffably sinister.” Their insular world is upset when the return of an old flame offers Maureen a glimpse of escape.
828.239.0263
WWW.NCSTAGE.ORG

Wine Tasting at Hops & Vines Oct. 17th

Event: Wine Tasting of Spanish Wines
Time/Place: Oct 17, 3PM-6PM Hops & Vines, Asheville NC. New arrivals from Spain under $12! Spanish wines are some of the best value and best tasting wines on the market. The Tasting includes:
2006 Sierra Cantabria Rioja – 100% Tempranillo. Spicy red currant and strawberry on the nose, with subtle spiciness and floral notes. 2006 Vega Sindoa Cabernet-Tempranillo – Dried rose, tobacco and smokey notes on the nose. 2007 Vina Borgia Campo de Borja 100% Granacha. Bright purple in color. Jammy blackberry, blueberry and gentle spice aromas are impressively fresh for the price.
Website: http://www.hopsandvines.net/

October 16th The Blue Ridge Orchestra's Fall Masterwork Concert

The orchestra’s 10th season conducted by Ron Clearfield, features some of classical music’s most beloved programmatic pieces, including Mozart’s Overture to “The Marriage of Figaro” and Dvorak’s Slavonic Dance no. 8. and two of Debussy’s Nocturnes: Nuages and Fetes .
Time: 8:00 PM-10:00 PM
15.00 for adults, $10.00 for students & groups of five or more, free for children under five.
Diana Wortham Theatre
2 S. Pack Square

Poetry on the Porch

October 16th Join poet and writer, Laura Hope Gill, for reading and discussion of her works. Presented on the front porch of the Thomas Wolfe Memorial.
Time: 12:00 PM-02:00 PM
Thomas Wolfe Memorial State Historic Site
52 North Market Street

Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands .

The Asheville Civic Center comes alive with fine traditional and contemporary crafts made by members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. The Fair also features craft demonstrations, regional music and entertainment.
Time: 10:00 AM-05:00 PM
Cost: $7.00, children under 12 free with adult
828-298-7928
http://southernhighlandguild.org

Bonnie Raitt with Randall Bramblett Band October 13th

Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer Bonnie Raitt will finally make her way to the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in Asheville, NC Tuesday, Oct 13, after having to cancel her March 17 date due to a dire family health emergency. Don't miss your chance to catch this nine-time Grammy award-winning legend as she performs the hits that made her famous along with openers the Randall Bramblett Band.
Tinme: 8pm-11:45pm
Tickets are $52.50 and $42.50 Advance/Door plus applicable service fees, available now at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at concertwire.com or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

14th Annual Carolina Bonsai Expo October 10-11th

This two-day horticultural extravaganza, situated in the midst of the colorful mountains, features a display of bonsai from enthusiasts in a six-state region, live demonstrations, workshops, and a popular bonsai marketplace. It’s also the perfect occasion to explore the Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden, which offers a world-class display that innovatively establishes bonsai in the context of the Southern Appalachians.
Time: 8am- 5pm
Cost: Free with parking fee admission ($6 per vehicle)

Benji Hughes with The Houston Brothers October 16th

News Event: NC Native Benji Hughes Concert
Time/Place: Oct 16, 8PM, Grey Eagle Music Hall, Asheville NC
Hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina, Benji Hughes spends much of his time masterminding his blend of inventive rock and ballads. At times earnest, at others whimsical, Benji is equally adept at keyboards and guitar. His music collection - spanning everything from The Crystals, Merle Haggard, and Kinky Friedman to Talking Heads, The Cars, and Slayer - is as wild as his gracious exterior.
Contact: 828-232-5800
Website: http://greyeagle.musictoday.com/GreyEagleTavernandMusicHall/calendar.aspx

Mountain Living Log & Timber Frame Home Show

October 9-11 at the Asheville Civic Center, 87 Haywood Street.   Meet builders and manufacturer's reps and find the perfect floor plan design for your dream home. Shop a vast selection of log and rustic furniture, decorative accessories and lighting. Attend free seminars...read more

Jazzy Giraffe updates Fall and Winter Inventory

The Jazzy Giraffe is daily receiving its new fall and winter inventory.  This season the shop is introducing six new lines, all beautiful quality and great styles in a range of sizes, with shirts priced under $100, fabulous jackets under $175 and winter coats under $200. We think these lines will be very popular.  We also have new silk cocktail and wedding pieces with skirts under $200 and coordinating silk jackets at $175.The Jazzy Giraffe is a true "boutique" for those who want something more.
        Website: http://www.thejazzygiraffe.com/

Cycling: Century Ride October 4th

With a total of 8529' of climbing, the full century will wind around the beautiful Lake Lure area and the apple tree countryside of Western NC. Metric Century: The rolling hills and pastures with a little dip into Bat Cave, will make for a scenic metric with only 5475' of climbing. Fee $45. Ict 4, 7:45- 10:30, Fletcher Valley Health Food Store, 1151 Naples Rd., Hendersonville NC

Food Fund-raiser for Schools Oct 3rd at the Weinhaus

News Event: TIME FOR LUNCH Fund-raiser
Time/Place: Oct 3, 5Pm-7PM, the Weinhaus, downtown Asheville NC
Meet the Wine Geek - Dan Kravits of Hand Picked Selections will join us for a tasting. Local producers will be providing food to pair with the wines including West End Bakery breads, Three Graces Creamery cheeses, Sunburst Trout, Hickory Nut Gap meats, and Flying Cloud Farm Veggies. The fund-raiser supports the Time For Lunch Campaign and FEAST cooking program. Slow Food Asheville's Time For Lunch is working help get more fresh local food into schools. $10 (or more) donation.
Website: http://slowfoodasheville.org/Committies.htm

First Friday Presents Retro Rock at the Grove Arcade

Time/Place: Oct 2, 5PM-8PM, The Grove Arcade, Asheville NC
This popular evening event features fun music and fabulous food and drinks with this month's entertainment The Rockefellers, a retro rock revue band. This Friday, the Arcade partners withThe Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar to provide hors d'oeuvres including cheese wedges, spiced nut cups and Sunburst trout dip with crackers. The Sante' Wine Bar will be serving wine and beer and you may even spot a hot dog cart rolling through the historic halls. A $1 donation per person is suggested.
Website: http://www.grovearcade.com

Nagata Shachu Percussion Ensemble September 30th

Sept 30th Nagata Shachu: Authentic Japanese taiko percussion ensemble (taiko translates as “great or wide drum” in Japanese)
Time: 8:00PM -09:30 PM
Cost: $6 students, $18 general
UNC Asheville - Lipinsky Auditorium, One University Heights
For more info call Tracie Pouliot 828.251.6991

Red Wolf Habitat Opens in October- WNC Nature Center

Grand Opening of the New Red Wolf Run Habitat
Time/Place: Oct 3, 10:15AM, WNC Nature Center, Asheville NC
With the opening of the Nature Center's Red Wolf Habitat it becomes one of only 40 red wolf captive breeding sites nationwide. Members only Special event from 9AM-10AM, requires RSVP.
Contact: josie@wildwnc.org
Website: http://www.wildwnc.org/

Sept 26th Meet Award-Winning Metal Sculptor Dale Rogers

News Event: Sculptor Dale Rogers at Grovewood
Sept 26, 3PM-6PM, The Grovewood Gallery, Asheville NC
Spend the afternoon surrounded by art and learn about Dale Roger's creative process and inspiration. New outdoor sculptures by Dale will be on display and available for sale. Dale works with a variety of metals which include stainless steel, rusted steel, aluminum and stone. Each piece is designed and handcrafted in his studio in Massachusetts.
Contact: 828-253-7651
Website: http://grovewood.com/

Oktoberfest at Hops & Vines

Sept 25, 4PM-7PM, Hops & Vines in Asheville

Taste some of the best craft Oktoberfest beer made in the U.S. Why Oktoberfest beer in the middle of September? Most of the craft breweries release their Oktoberfest beers in late August, early September. Some of our best selling Oktoberfest beers this year are already out of stock for the year.

Contact: 828-252-5275

Website: http://www.hopsandvines.net/

Salute to Great American Writer F. Scott Fitzgerald

Sept 25-27th A Salute to F Scott Fitzgerald.

In 1935 and 1936, Fitzgerald came to The Grove Park Inn for rest and relaxation while his wife, Zelda, was treated in a nearby hospital. Each year, we salute Fitzgerald, his accomplishments and his association with The Grove Park Inn near the anniversary of his birth in September. On this special tribute weekend, we invite you to step back in time with us, as we experience the music, history and literature of a great American writer – and one of our favorite guests – F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa, 290 Macon Ave., Asheville NC

Celebrate Southern Appalachian Traditions and Crafts

September 26-27 at The North Carolina Arboretum, Asheville NC

The North Carolina Arboretum celebrates Southern Appalachian traditions during Heritage Crafts Weekend. The event, now in its fourth year, features craft demonstrations, plant sales and musical performances in the Heritage Garden, Baker Exhibit Center and Education Center.

Contact: (828) 665-2492

Website: http://www.ncarboretum.org/

Honda Goldwing Rally at the WNC Agricultural Center- Fletcher

September 24-26 at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center in Fletcher NC on the outskirts of Asheville. The North Carolina District Gold Wing Riders Association's renowned "Wings Over the Smokies - Honda Gold Wing Rally draws over 5,000 people and more than 100 vendors that cater to motorcyclists. The event draws riders and exhibitors from across the country. Come for the Gold Wing fellowship and also experience some of the best and most beautiful scenic rides you'll ever find.
Contact: (336) 254-2542
Website: http://www.gwrranc.org/

9th Annual Benefit Concert

September 27 at the Diana Wortham Theatre in downtown Asheville NC. The Asheville Area Piano Forem presents an Extravaganza Celebrating the Piano with 26 top performers playing classical music and jazz. Including music by Gershwin, Chopin, Rachmaninoff and other classics. Proceeds benefit the educational and charitable activities of the Asheville Area Piano Forum (501C3), including Student Assistance Awards.

Contact: 828-257-4530

Website: http://www.dwtheatre.com

UNC Asheville's Craft Campus offers Meet the Maker Series

"Meet the Maker: Conversations of Meaning with Craftspeople" is a year-long series focusing on meaningful conversations with individual craftspeople, artists and designers. The goal of the series is to link the conversations with the "Makers" to the life of the viewer/user of contemporary craft. September schedule includes:
Sept. 29 William Schaaf, painter/sculptor, 12:30pm in Owen Hall 237, UNC Asheville campus (FREE)
Sept. 30 Craft In America pre-screening with NC potter Mark Hewitt, 7pm at the Fine Arts Theatre, Asheville ($10/adults; $3/students; children under 12 free)

Contact: 828-250-2392

Website: http://www.unca.edu/craftcampus/mtm.htm

Vounteers needed for Hey Day

The annual Hey Day Program will be held this year on October 10. The Friends of the WNC Nature Center are calling for volunteers for the following: baked goods donations the day before, volunteers to run the cake walk and volunteers to hand out flyers at the soccer field that morning. A wonderful way to to spend the day and help the Western North Carolina Nature Center!

Contact: A.Mainhart at  298-5600, ext 319 or by email membership@wildwnc.org
Website: http://www.wildwnc.org

Asheville Wine Consulting presents: Wine 101

September 27 from 5-7:30pm at Hops & Vines in Asheville NC. This class is the answer to all the boring 101 wine classes out there! Discover a new way to experience wine! Tickets are $25/person and includes tasting of 8 wines, light nibbles, maps, tasting sheets and more!

Website: http://www.AshevilleWineConsulting.com

Discounts at Enter the Earth in Asheville's Grove Arcade

Asheville Shopping News: Enter The Earth is a rock, mineral, and fossil lover's dream come true! Located in Suite 125 of The Grove Arcade in Asheville NC, the shop specializes in museum and first-rate quality gems, minerals, fossils, jewelry and unique gifts from around the world. Enter The Earth is currently having a sale on select items. Visit the store to take advantage of clear Quartz at 20% off, obelisk-shaped salt lamps at 25% off, all vases at 10% off and "framed" ammonites at 25% off.

Numerous other fascinating specimens, functional earthy home decor and pieces for collectors create a unique shopping and learning experience.

Website: http:// www.entertheearth.com.

News from the Grove Arcade- Birdwatcher Alert

They're back... The annual migration of the Chimney Swifts has begun. Each year the birds migrate during September and October and stop by Asheville to enjoy their preferred temperature range, 50-70 degrees. Attracted to the large chimney on the fifth floor of the Grove Arcade. Last weekend between 500 and 1,000 were spotted on the Arcade's roof at sunset making their dive into the chimney. They circle the chimney before coming to roost creating quite a show for sidewalk spectators.
Website: http://www.grovearcade.com/

Week-long "Food toTable Festival" at The Biltmore

September 20-27 at the Biltmore in Asheville NC. Biltmore's Field to Table Festival explores the combination of culinary sophistication with the goodness of the estate's farm everyday bounty providing an environment of creativity and discovery using daily fresh produce. This year's Festival also highlights Mr. Vanderbilt's love of wine and collecting wine during his travels. Guest chefs and speakers will demonstrate how, with a little imagination and common ingredients, an everyday meal can become something truly extraordinary. Free with Admission to the Estate.

Contact:  (828) 225-1333
Website: http://www.biltmore.com/

Square Dance and Potluck at The Lord's Acre Community Faith Garden

September 19 from 5:00PM-10:30PM at Hickory Nut Gap Farm, 74A, Fairview NC enjoy an evening of fun and frolic while raising money for The Lord's Acre Community Faith Garden. The Lord's Acre is a community garden in Fairview North Carolina that raises organic produce to supply local food banks. The mission is to provide free, healthy and organic produce to those who may not be able to afford to purchase these items. Suggested donation is 20.00/family and 10.00/single. Please bring a dish to share at the potluck. And wear your dancing shoes!!!!

Contact:  828-628-2329
Website:  http://www.thelordsacre.org/

Take the Headaches out of Sculpting the Head

September 19 from 10AM-1:00PM at the Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts, 238 Clingman Ave. Asheville NC. Come see figurative sculptor Melisa Cadell demo her techniques for modeling a lifesize head focusing on proportion and features that convey emotion. Surface design and metal inlay will be discussed. Cost: $40

Contact: 828.285.0210
Website:  http://www.highwaterclays.com/

Western NC Run/Walk for Autism in Asheville

September 19 from 9AM-noon at Carrier Park, Asheville NC. Proceeds from this community wide Run/Walk go to the Autism Society of North Carolina, which provides support and promotes opportunities for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families all across our state. This event will be timed and will include competitive and non-competitive 5k, as well as a 1 mile run/walk.

Contact: 1-800-442-2762, ext.32
Website: http://www.autismsociety-nc.org

Downtown After 5 September 18th

September 18th Downtown after 5. Lineup Vertigo Jazz Project The Bridge Big Sam’s Funky Nation. Music from 5:15pm till 9pm.
www.AshevilleDowntown.org
828-251-9973

Third Annual Art in Autumn in Weaverville

September 19 from 10AM-5PM on Main Street in Weaverville NC. Over one hundred juried artists and craftspeople will participate in the 3rd Annual Art in Autumn. The music stage will feature old-time and bluegrass music. In addition to festival food vendors, area restaurants such as Blue Mountain Pizza, Well-Bred Bakery, Mike's Main Street Grill, and Sunnyside Cafe will be open during the festival.

Website: http://www.artinautumn.com

Annual Brewgrass Festival This Weekend

September 19 from noon to 7PM at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive Asheville NC. The Festival features over 30 American breweries to showcase more than 100 different beers and a great lineup of national and regional bluegrass musicians. Also included are a variety of area food vendors and plenty of water. Put all these things together and you have the ingredients for the perfect beer day.

Website: http://www.Brewgrassfestival.com

Last 2009 Downtown After Five in Asheville

September 18 from 5:15 PM-9:00 PM in downtown Asheville. Produced by the Asheville Downtown Association, Downtown After 5 is celebrating its 21st year. The concert series is the 3rd Friday of the month May through September on North Lexington Avenue in downtown Asheville. Downtown After 5 is committed to reducing its carbon footprint featuring biodegradable food and beverage containers, compost and recycling stations, a solar-powered stage and complimentary bike corral.

Contact:  828-251-9973
Website:http://www.ashevilledowntown.org/

"Paws & Effect" at Malaprop's

September 17 from 7PM-8:15PM at Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe, 55 Haywood St., Asheville NC. Author Sharon Sakson will read from and sign copies of her book, Paws & Effect, which explores the healing power of dogs and the powerful bonds between human and canine. Thoroughly researched and well-presented, Paws & Effect presents moving stories of astonishing dogs from around the world, from cancer-sniffing canines to the brave service dogs in Iraq.

Contact:  828-254-6734
Website:  http://www.malaprops.com

Heritage Weekend at the Folk Art Center

September 19-20 from 10AM-5PM at The Folk Art Center, Milepost 382 of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville NC. The 29th Annual Heritage Weekend at the Folk Art Center is a two-day celebration of traditional crafts, music and storytelling featuring the World Gee Haw Whimmy Diddle Competition at 2pm on Saturday. Learn from area experts about beekeeping, canning and preserving, coopering, heritage toy making, blacksmithing, natural dyeing, spinning, quilting, whittling, basket weaving and folk pottery. Musical entertainment will include the polished sounds of Buncombe Turnpike as well as Blue Eyed Girl. The Apple Chill Cloggers will thrill the audience with traditional mountain dancing.
Contact: 828-298-7928
Website: http://southernhighlandguild.org/

Apple Pickin' Time and Apple Cookin' Time

September 14 from 6:30 PM-8:00 PM at Earth Fare, 1856 Hendersonville Road, Asheville NC . Join Certified Health Counselors, Wendy Tran and Penina Bareket and learn how to make those beautiful local apples a healthy showstopper at your next dinner party. On the menu: pork tenderloin medallions with apple–raisin chutney, wilted greens, vegan cornbread, and an apple walnut crisp for dessert. Classes are approximately 90 minutes and include hearty samplings. Seats are limited, to reserve your spot call Janice at 828-210-0100.

Contact: 828-335-0509
Website:  http://www.wendytran.com/

Biltmore's Field to Table Festival

September 20-27 at The Biltmore in Asheville. Biltmore's Field to Table Festival explores the transformation of humble Appalachian ingredients into fare fit for the Vanderbilts' table. The mingling of sophistication and the goodness of estate farms everyday bounty would have created an environment of culinary creativity and discovery, using fresh produce brought in that day. This year's also highlights Mr. Vanderbilt's love of wine and collecting wine during his travels. Guest chefs and speakers will demonstrate how, with a little imagination and common ingredients, an everyday meal can become something truly extraordinary.

Contact:  (828) 225-1333
Website: http://www.biltmore.com

Sit and Knit Fridays at Asheville NC Homecrafts

Asheville NC Homecrafts is currently offering 40% off selected yarns. Owners Judy and Marie stock beautiful handmade objects created by local artists as well as hand-dyed yarns is a rainbow of colors. The store functions as a hub of activity for a thriving community of gifted fiber artists who live in the mountains around Asheville. When you visit the shop, you may very well see some of them at work - especially if you time your visit to coincide with the weekly Sit & Knit that takes place Fridays from 5:30 to 7:00. You can choose from the handiwork of over 70 local artisans or buy supplies to create fiber arts yourself! Homecrafts is located in Suite 134 in the Grove Arcade.

Contact: 828-350-7556

Website: Http://www.ashevillehomecrafts.com.

Carolinas Dahlia Society Annual Show and Garden Harvest Festival

September 12-13 at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville NC. Hundreds of dahlia blooms in magnificent colors and multi-bloom varieties bouquets are on display at the NC Arboretum. Enjoy demonstrations, walks and family activities.
Contact: 828) 665-2492
Website: http://www.ncarboretum.org/

Organicfest on Battery Park Avenue in Asheville

September 13 from 10:00 AM-06:00 PM in downtown Asheville NC. Free and Fun - what could be better than that? Celebrating everything organic! Live Music, Organic Food & Fun, 80+ Vendors, Arts & Crafts, Kids Garden Parade.

Contact:  828-253-2267
Website:  http://www.organicfest.org/

Wine Tasting this Saturday at Hops & Vines

September 12 from 3PM-6PM at Hops & Vines, 797 Haywood Rd. Ste 100, West Asheville NC. Sample wines from the "old World":
Domaine du Couron Viognier, Cotes du Rhone, France -Perfumed aromatics, ripe fruit and firm acidity are perfectly balanced in this delightful end of summer white!Campos de Luz Old Vine
Garnacha, Carinena, Spain - The garnacha grape, much like its tempranillo counterpart, can be expressed in a myriad different ways. Delightful wine for 10 bucks!
Vecchia Torre Primitivo, Salento, Italy - One of our favorite wines in the shop, this primitivo is sure to please every red wine lover!

Contact: 828-252-5275

Website: http://www.hopsandvines.net

Hopping Good Family Fun on the Parkway

September 12 from 1:00 PM-04:00 PM at the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center, Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 384, Asheville  NC bring the kids for an afternoon of Park fun. Read-a-Roo, UNC-TVs book-loving marsupial, will be on hand to greet children and their families. The afternoon will include story time at 1 pm; screening of the new Ken Burns' film "The National Parks: America's Best Idea" at 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30 pm; and short Ranger-led hikes at 1:30, 2:00, 2:30, and 3:00 pm.

Contact: 298-5330, ext. 304

Garden Stroll in West Asheville Includes 18 Gardens

September 12 from 11Am-4PM take a stroll in the much loved gardens of West Asheville.  These gardens will emphasize sustainability in urban gardening, networking among neighbors, and are an inspiration for those who join us on the stroll. Among the 18 gardens are the Burton Community Center garden, the Vance School garden, as well as the gardens West Asheville businesses. These gardens include neighborhoods across the length of Haywood Road and will be offered as four distinct, walkable areas, each with its own centralized parking.The event is free.

Contact: 828 665-2492
Website:  http://www.NCarboretum.org