Permanent microgrids are key to preparing for the next natural
Buncombe, Asheville educators discuss funding concerns for
Multiple factors, including a shared ZIP code with Asheville and no post office, keep outsiders and new residents confused about Woodfin’s boundaries. But Town Manager Shannon Tuch says the completion of several outdoor projects, including Taylor’s Wave, will contribute to a stronger sense of community in Woodfin’s future.
Asheville
Andrea Clark, photographer who preserved Asheville’s Black history,
The Orange Peel plans new venue
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Asheville and WNC should divorce HCA
HCA Mission Hospital has been placed in immediate jeopardy for a third time [“Mission Hospital Placed in Immediate Jeopardy; Sanction Is Third Since Sale to HCA,” Oct. 24, Asheville Watchdog via Xpress]. Once again, there are multiple documentations of HCA not meeting the standards of quality medical care. In my opinion, corporate management is either incapable of consistently meeting benchmarks of standard of care, or they are consistently demonstrating that profits are more important than patient care.
HCA generates over $4 billion of profit on an annual basis, where Mission Hospital is one of its most profitable properties. The message couldn’t be clearer in terms of the bottom line. I think HCA is a hazard to the health of anyone who walks through its doors. They cannot be trusted. In baseball, the rule is three strikes and you’re out. The same adage should apply to HCA. Because of irreconcilable differences, Asheville and Western North Carolina should divorce this for-profit entity. HCA should be forced by whatever means necessary to leave this community, where they clearly are not a good fit. The mission of Mission must return to a focus on patient care over profit. Quality medical care means returning to a not-for-profit hospital system. That model works well for other hospitals in our immediate area and throughout the state. For the benefit of all, it can work well again at Mission.
— Richard Boyum Candler
City should consider parking program for downtown workers
I’m writing as a local resident of 35 years and downtown worker who, like many others, contributes daily to the heart of Asheville’s economy and com-
munity. We take pride in creating the welcoming, vibrant experience that keeps visitors returning to our beautiful city. However, many of us are struggling with the growing difficulty and cost of simply being able to park near our workplaces. Downtown parking is already limited, and while paid garages and meters serve a purpose, they are not financially sustainable for those of us working downtown full time. Paying $15 a day for parking quickly becomes an unsustainable burden on workers — many of whom earn wages that do not reflect the rising cost of living in Asheville. On top of that, the few free parking areas available are located at a considerable distance, forcing long walks that are not always safe or practical, especially late at night.
It also doesn’t help that all the permitted parking options are on long waiting lists and are effectively unavailable to the people who need them most — those who work downtown every day. We simply don’t have realistic, affordable options left.
exemptions for expired meters during working hours.
This would be a fair, straightforward solution that acknowledges the essential role local workers play in maintaining Asheville’s downtown vitality. Many of us cannot simply leave our jobs midshift to feed a meter — we are the servers, clerks, cooks, artists and shop workers who are actively catering to the tourists the city invests in attracting here. Supporting us with a realistic parking option is not only fair — it strengthens the very workforce that sustains our tourism economy and keeps Asheville’s downtown lively and welcoming.
We’re not asking for special treatment — just a workable, compassionate solution that reflects the realities of living and working here. Supporting local workers through accessible parking is an investment in the city’s long-term vitality, both economically and culturally.
— Kerbie Berggren Front of house manager at Botiwalla Downtown, a locally owned family restaurant Asheville
This isn’t just my story. My adult daughter — born and raised here in Asheville — also works downtown and faces the same daily challenges with parking. I raised her here as a single mother, and we’ve both contributed to this community in different ways. It’s disheartening to see that even those who grew up here and now serve the city’s core economy are struggling just to find a place to park for work.
It feels discouraging to receive tickets for expired meters or for simply doing what’s necessary to show up for work in the downtown area that we help keep alive. We respectfully ask the City of Asheville to consider implementing a locals or downtown employee parking program — for example, a system in which employees who work downtown could show a recent pay stub to a city department once every quarter to confirm their employment. In return, the city could issue a “Downtown Employee” parking decal that provides limited
Pickeball offers support and community
[Regarding “Sound and Fury: Weaverville Struggles to Balance Pickleball and Neighborhood Noise Concerns,” Oct. 8, Xpress:]
I believe that the noise claims are exaggerated. The town has taken steps to minimize the sound. Those people purchased homes in an area zoned for recreational use. Just because there was a break in time with no structure there doesn’t mean anything.
I can also say that pickleball is saving lives in a way. It has provided me with community, friends and emotional support during the ending of a 20-plus year relationship. I don’t know where I would be without it.
It is ridiculous to ask the town to shut down or move the courts after it spent
CARTOON BY RANDY MOLTON
so much money building them. Maybe the people so opposed should try out the sport and have fun with the rest of us.
— Benjamin Gifford Weaverville
I’d trade construction for pickleball
[Regarding “Sound and Fury: Weaverville Struggles to Balance Pickleball and Neighborhood Noise Concerns,” Oct. 8, Xpress:]
I have played pickleball in Weaverville, which may have the best courts in the county. But I also live adjacent to two large housing construction projects, so I know how annoying consistent noise is. I think the houses are mostly uphill from the courts, so maybe a tall barrier like a climbing wall could be constructed to mitigate the noise.
Personally, I wish I had courts within walking distance of my house instead of massive apartment buildings.
— Bill Curtis Candler
Animal Haven emerges stronger after Helene
As we mark one year since Hurricane Helene, Western North Carolina continues to reflect on the lives lost and the landscapes forever changed. At Animal
Haven of Asheville, we also remember the countless sentient beings who perished while celebrating those who survived against all odds.
Our small nonprofit sanctuary and thrift store in East Asheville sustained significant damage and had to temporarily close, but thanks to our dedicated caregivers, every one of our 70-plus rescued animals remained safe. With the support of animal advocacy groups and compassionate community members, the animals recovered, our property was repaired, and hope was restored. Like much of Asheville, our sanctuary has emerged stronger than before.
We are deeply grateful to our volunteers, donors and friends who make our rescue work possible and to the animals who inspire us every day with their courage, resilience and love. This year, we’re especially thrilled to be open again, celebrating 25 years of providing safety, healing and care for hundreds of neglected and abandoned animals.
Looking ahead, we’re beginning construction on a new barn in honor of our late co-founder, Barbara Bellows. This project will expand our capacity to rescue and care for more animals in need while preserving her spirit of compassion that still guides us today.
We invite you to join us for an upcoming “barn raiser” celebration: our ThanksLiving Celebration on Saturday, Nov. 8, 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m., featuring a vegan potluck and keynote speaker Gene Baur,
co-founder of Farm Sanctuary, whose lifelong work reflects our shared mission of compassion for farmed animals.
The best part? Meeting the rescued pigs, goats, chickens, sheep, cows and others who call Animal Haven home. Together, let’s celebrate resilience, build a stronger future and remember the animals who remain part of Helene’s story.
Yours for the animals, — Andrea Cermele and Trina Hudson Animal Haven of Asheville
The bitter taste of India pale ale’s history
Regarding Christopher Arbor’s observation that India pale ales (IPAs) “were so named because when the English occupied India, the beer they brewed back home spoiled by the time that it was shipped overseas … [and] upping the alcohol content and adding more hops acted as a natural preservative” for its journey from Britain to India [“The Long Way: A Quick Ph.D. in IPAs at Appalachian Mountain Brewery Taproom and Kitchen” Oct. 15, Xpress].
Correction
Caleb Johnson should have been credited as the photographer of last week’s cover. X
All true, but it doesn’t explain how the export trade worked in the 18th century. The British East India Co. had a monopoly on exports to India, which was largely focused on the market of British settlers and officials who purchased large volumes of furniture, clothes, food and wine from back home. Hence, this new IPA, brewed and bottled by companies like Hodgson’s in East London, was developed expressly to survive the long trip overseas for the British colonists abroad — and its hoppy flavor made the product very popular.
Maybe some brewery today will develop a Karmic IPA to celebrate the fact that we love the taste of these ales without knowledge or guilt that it was developed as a tool of colonial expansion.
— James Quilligan Arden X
Word of the week privation
(n.) the state of being deprived
The ongoing federal government shutdown has resutled in cuts to critical food assistance benefits, impacting thousands of WNC residents. Amid such privation, local officials and nonprofits are working together to address community needs. Read more about these efforts on Page 9. X
CARTOON BY BRENT BROWN
Survival of the smartest
BY MATT ABELE
In the year-plus since Tropical Storm Helene carved a path of devastation across Western North Carolina, there has understandably been much focus on rebuilding roads and homes and delivering critical supplies such as food and water. That work is ongoing, and it will likely take years, if not decades, for the area to fully recover. But a key aspect of preparing for the next such emergency is ensuring access to the electricity that’s needed to power telecommunications, water supplies, and refrigeration for foods and medicines. This community’s experience post-Helene has underscored how difficult recovery can be when there’s no cell service or even clean water.
Distributed energy resources, including both solar power and battery storage, are essential for strengthening the resilience of North Carolina’s electrical grid, particularly in high-risk, rural areas. These technologies can provide cost-effective, reliable backup power, especially in hard-to-reach areas of the state.
In the immediate aftermath of Helene, residents across the region lost electrical power as more than 20 inches of rain dismantled the large network of distribution lines served by Duke Energy and electric cooperatives. Whole hillsides, and the distribution poles that previously served them, were completely washed away. The destruction of an intricate network of service lines built by utilities over decades highlighted the vulnerabilities of a centralized distribution grid, leaving
residents without access to power, cell service and water for weeks.
EMERGENCY RELIEF
The Footprint Project, a New Orleansbased nonprofit, stepped up to provide multiple towable trailers equipped with solar modules, inverters and backup battery systems, along with smaller mobile equipment that could be lent out to individuals and organizations in need — a model of recovery and resilience that has proved successful in places like Maui, Puerto Rico, New Orleans, Los Angeles and, most recently, Texas.
In partnership with the N.C. Sustainable Energy Association, Greentech Renewables and the Land of Sky Regional Council, the Footprint Project established a disaster relief fund that has supported more than 70 sites with portable solar generators, mobile solar microgrids, atmospheric water generators (which extract potable water from the air) and satellite communication hubs. These technologies powered refrigeration for medications as well as lifesaving devices like oxygen machines while ensuring critical access to clean water, transportation and communications.
Footprint coordinated with local emergency responders, the National Guard and other nonprofits to deliver these systems via helicopter, truck and offroad vehicles such as electric dirt bikes.
The units’ placement was determined in consultation with emergency response
“A combination of mobile equipment and permanent infrastructure is what seems to work best.”
operations and direct requests from the affected communities, serving critical supply-distribution centers, churches, fire stations and assisted-living facilities, as well as vulnerable residents dependent on medical devices. The group also established a Community Free Store (think Habitat for Humanity ReStores) where displaced residents and local organizations could obtain surplus donated equipment such as solar modules, inverters and electrical components that might otherwise have just gone to waste or rotted in a warehouse somewhere. These efforts have made Western North Carolina a national example of effective, forward-looking disaster response.
A MULTIPRONGED APPROACH
But the story doesn’t end with the mobile microgrids that, a year later, are still supporting some area residents and community organizations. While these units are incredibly dynamic and cost-effective and definitely have a role to
play, they tend to be significantly smaller than permanent installations and therefore can provide only limited amounts of power. So a combination of mobile equipment and permanent infrastructure is what seems to work best. And the good news is, more help is on the way. In partnership with the same coalition that has spearheaded those emergency efforts, the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s State Energy Office has allocated $5 million to construct up to 24 stationary microgrids at assorted locations in six counties impacted by Helene, as well as two mobile units that can assist affected areas across North Carolina. The permanent installations will be sited at nonprofit or local government facilities from which they can serve as Community Resilience Hubs in the aftermath of a storm or other natural disaster. Each will be equipped with a commercial solar array, battery storage, one or more atmospheric water generators, Starlink access and other essential services.
During a crisis, these outposts will give community members safe places to come together and access essential resources. But the benefits won’t be limited to emergencies. In more normal times, the commercial photovoltaic systems will also lower the host facilities’ utility bills, enabling them to reallocate funds to other important community services. This helps offset the significant cost differential: Although the mobile units are much cheaper to build, they don’t provide that ongoing benefit, since they’re not connected to the grid.
PREPPING FOR THE FUTURE
The state allocation is a great start, yet so much more is needed, both to strengthen the state’s power grid and prepare for future disasters. Gov. Josh Stein acknowledged this when, as part of a larger request for emergency relief, he recently asked the federal government for $1 billion to fund microgrid construction.
But it remains to be seen how the feds will respond, and in any case, government funding can go only so far. To really get us where we need to go, individuals and community organizations alike must also step up by supporting events like the N.C. Sustainable Energy Association’s July 31 AMPLIFY Appalachia concert, which raised funds for additional microgrid construction.
Working together, we can continue to invest in scalable, resilient, lifesaving technologies that will help keep the lights on the next time a major storm hammers the region — while also pointing the way toward a safer and more sustainable future.
Matt Abele is executive director of the nonprofit N.C. Sustainable Energy Association, which advocates for public policies and market development in support of clean energy. X
MATT ABELE
NEWS Hunger pains
BY GINA SMITH
gsmith@mountainx.com
With the federal government shutdown dragging on since Oct. 1, Buncombe County representatives gathered with nonprofits MANNA FoodBank and Bounty & Soul on Oct. 30 to address the looming suspension of critical food assistance benefits.
The pause of federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments was set to begin on Saturday, Nov. 1. The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program could face interruption as well, starting Sunday, Nov. 16, if the shutdown continues. On Oct. 31 two federal judges ordered the government to continue funding SNAP, whether by tapping its $5 billion emergency reserve or by other means. At press time, The New York Times was reporting that the Trump administration will only make partial SNAP payments this month.
According to the N.C. Department of Health & Human Services, 29,551 individuals representing more than 16,000 Buncombe County households rely on SNAP to buy food. Across the state one in eight people receive SNAP.
The average SNAP payment in Buncombe County — which has one of the highest costs of living in the state — is $171 per person per month, said David Sweat, director of the county’s Department of Health & Human Services (BCDHHS), at the Oct. 30 press conference.
SNAP and WIC disbursements combined, he continued, contribute about $13 million per month to the county’s economy. “So that means Buncombe County’s local food economy is about to experience a $13 million decrease headed into November, unless something changes,” said Sweat.
SNAP benefits are issued on a rolling schedule until the 21st of each month, he explained. About 1,500 families will be impacted on Monday, Nov. 3, with all 16,000 households affected Friday, Nov. 21.
STILL SERVING RESIDENTS
With the shutdown, Buncombe County has lost $838,000 per week in federal revenue to pay its staff, Sweat pointed out. Yet Health & Human Services continues to serve residents, adding staff to handle increased calls to economic services and the One Buncombe hotline, and updating SNAP and WIC recipients via text and telephone.
Buncombe County seeks collaborative solutions to SNAP suspension
The county also continues to distribute free boxes of food through its Community Engagement Markets (avl.mx/f6g), and several county library locations host YMCA Western North Carolina mobile markets (visit avl.mx/f6h for details).
Buncombe County Schools continues to offer free meals to students during the shutdown, he added.
The county launched a food drive on Friday, Oct. 31, to support MANNA FoodBank, collecting boxed and canned —no glass — nonperishable foods at all 12 county libraries (find a full list of needed items at avl.mx/f6i). And the Buncombe County Register of Deeds office is hosting a food bank with free diapers and formula at its office at 205 College St., open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Sweat said county governments across Western North Carolina are urging residents to contact their own county departments of health and human services for aid. Statewide, residents can dial 211 or visit nc211.org to find resources.
“All of us in the region are working to bolster the local safety support system and to support our recipients as best we can during this time of disruption,” he said. “We are going to stay committed to continuing to find other ways to mitigate the impacts of this disruption to our community.”
Sweat stressed that the county is collaborating with the City of Asheville and as many other entities as possible to seek solutions, including local food-distribution nonprofits such as MANNA FoodBank and Bounty & Soul.
THE ROLE OF LOCAL NONPROFITS
Bounty & Soul Deputy Director Paula Sellers said the Black Mountainbased organization, which buys and distributes fresh food from local farms, serves 26,000 individuals per month across its 10 community markets — twice the number it was serving before Tropical Storm Helene. She estimates that the SNAP suspension could double that number again.
Bounty & Soul is working with Buncombe County to identify gaps in services and share infrastructure and assets. The organization is also trying to engage new financial and retail partnerships to increase its distribution. “Although fresh produce is our commitment, we will be sourcing much more shelf-stable, healthy foods to get more food out into the community,” she said.
Micah Chrisman, director of marketing and communications for MANNA FoodBank, said his organization’s 220 partner food pantries across 16 WNC counties are now seeing more than 195,000 visits per month, up from
135,000 before Helene. In response to the SNAP interruption, MANNA is deploying $1.5 million from its reserves to buy food for its partners, expanding staffing for its Food Helpline and launching a virtual food drive, among other measures.
MANNA can provide four meals for each dollar it receives in donations, Chrisman said, so cash donations are the best way to support its work. Those seeking assistance can locate pantries through MANNA’s online Food Finder tool (avl.mx/ejb) or by calling the Food Helpline at 828-290-9749.
On Oct. 30, N.C. Gov. Josh Stein announced that the state, joined by AmeriHealth Caritis, the David & Nicole Tepper Foundation and other donors, will contribute a total of $18 million to North Carolina food banks, including MANNA, as short-term emergency support.
Buncombe County Board of Commissioners Chair Amanda Edwards closed the meeting with a call to residents to contact their federal representatives to unlock funding for SNAP and WIC.
“This is not a natural disaster, it’s manmade,” she said. “People’s livelihood and right to have food on the table is not and should never be political, and in Buncombe County, we’re committed to taking care of our neighbors.” X
FEEDING WNC: Buncombe County Department of Health & Human Services Director David Sweat spoke to the media at an Oct. 30 press conference about the impacts of the impending suspension of SNAP benefits. Also pictured, from left, are Buncombe County Register of Deeds Drew Reisinger, Buncombe County Commissioner Drew Ball and Buncombe County Board of Commissioners Chair Amanda Edwards. Photo by Chelsea Gillespie
Lessons learned
Buncombe, Asheville educators discuss funding concerns for public schools
BY BRIONNA DALLARA
bdallara@mountainx.com
When Eula Shaw first started teaching in Asheville City Schools (ACS) in the early-1970s, schools had been integrated, but the Black students were still given inadequate resources. Beyond classroom supplies, these pupils also lacked sufficient support from faculty and staff. Shaw took it upon herself to meet her students’ needs and provide a positive role model for them in the classroom.
Now, over 50 years later, many of the demands that teachers faced when Shaw first started in the profession remain prevalent today, as do the responsibilities of educators.
“You need someone in that classroom who will embrace those students, because we’re not just talking about academics — we’re talking about development, personal development, who they will become, and that was my thing,” Shaw recalled during the Oct. 22 State of Education event organized by Leadership Asheville.
Shaw worries that, due to the lack of state funding for public schools, fewer people will choose the classroom as a profession, leaving students without valued role models and resources for development.
“Teacher salary is very, very important,” Shaw said. “I think we’re going backward right now. People are now saying, ‘I don’t see that teaching is going to become a profession that’s valued, so I’m going to go in another direction.’”
This year, North Carolina ranked 48th out of the 50 states for funding levels, according to a presentation from N.C. State Board of Education and the Department of Public Instruction (DPI). Speakers from the DPI, Buncombe County Schools (BCS) and ACS joined Shaw at the forum to discuss everything from public policy to classroom challenges.
‘THE EDUCATION THAT THEY DESERVE’
“Public education is freedom,” said Maggie Fehrman, superintendent for ACS. “Public education, whether it’s through public school or charter school, is where every student has the opportunity, regardless of who they are or what beliefs they have, to get the education that they deserve.”
During her presentation, Fehrman outlined the state’s decline in public school spending. In the mid-2000s, there was a substantial increase in student development, and the state received
LET’S TALK SCHOOLS: Speakers from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, Buncombe County Schools and Asheville City Schools presented at a recent Leadership Asheville forum. Topics ranged from public policy to the threat private school vouchers pose to public education funds. Photo by Brionna Dallara
national recognition as a leader in public education innovation and effectiveness.
But after 2010, North Carolina’s public school funding began its precipitous, and mostly uninterrupted, drop. By 2022, the state’s effort to raise funding was 33% below the national average.
But while public education funds are declining, the funding pool for opportunity scholarships is steadily growing, Fehrman said.
Last year, in Buncombe County alone, over $11 million was given toward opportunity school vouchers, which allow students to attend private schools. At the same time, the income requirement for families to obtain vouchers was lifted. According to an Oct. 28 article in The Carolina Journal, “As of Oct. 6, state data show 98,917 students were using Opportunity Scholarships — a 204% increase from two years ago and a 23% jump since last school year.” In the same article, it notes that funding per student ranges between $3,458 and $7,686, depending on family income.
The three BCS schools that received the most in Opportunity Scholarship funds were Asheville Christian Academy in Swannanoa ($2.57 million), Temple
Baptist School in Asheville ($1.07 million) and Reynolds Mountain Christian Academy in Woodfin ($1.04 million), according to Fehrman’s presentation.
“I’m not dissing private schools or what they do, but what you’ll see on this list is there are so many private schools that are also faith-based schools,” Fehrman said. “So we’re sending public funds to faith-based organizations.”
Some who support the initiative claim it gives parents the ability to choose “the best education ... regardless of race, ZIP code or income,” according to the Parents for Educational Freedom in NC website, a nonprofit organization that advocates for school choice.
But despite the jump in the overall number of vouchers, more than 90% of the state’s 80,000-plus students who received financial assistance through the expanded program last year were already previously enrolled in private schools, noted Geoff Coltrane, senior director of government affairs and strategy at DPI, during the event.
There is also a big difference in the state requirements for private schools versus public schools, Fehrman added. Unlike public schools, private institu-
tions do not have to share their curriculum. Furthermore, with the recent passage of House Bill 805, public school libraries now must list all books available to students.
“That difference to me is striking,” Fehrman said.
During her presentation, Fehrman also touted the combined 93% graduation rate for the 2024-25 school year for Asheville High and the School for Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville (SILSA), which is 5% higher than the state average. ACS’ third graders are also reading above the state level, Fehrman reported.
FINDING SUCCESS AFTER THE STORM
Buncombe County Schools currently ranks as the 15th-largest school system in the state with 45 schools and 21,489 students. The two public school districts join Mission Health and Biltmore Farms as some of the top employers in the county, said BCS Superintendent Rob Jackson during his presentation.
Jackson highlighted the district’s successes amid both Tropical Storm Helene recovery, which led to nearly a month of missed instructional time, and subsequent county budget cuts that eliminated BCS’ summer learning programs. Funding for the latter was later secured through a combination of state and federal grants as well as donations.
“Our kids only get to be in first grade one time; we need to make sure they’ve got those foundational reading skills. Our kids only get to be in chemistry one time, and we have to make sure they’re ready for what comes next,” Jackson said.
Jackson also shared highlights from the state assessment for BCS, including a 91.4% cohort graduation rate, the second-highest in BCS history. (You can read more from the report in Xpress’ Sept. 4 coverage of the Buncombe County Board of Education meeting.
Jackson said additional funding from county, state and federal sources is essential for the school system to continue its success.
THE ROLE OF FEDERAL DOLLARS
During the forum, Coltrane reported that within the state, there are:
• 2,467 public schools.
• 208 charter schools.
• 930 private schools.
• 101,880 home schools.
Over the past 10 years, Coltrane said, there’s been a slight decline in public school enrollment and a rise in the number of students attending charter schools, which are public schools operated by a private board.
Meanwhile, private schools have received a significant increase in funding. Since lifting income restrictions on
“I think the thing that will help our students the most is advocating to our state legislators to protect public education”
— Maggie Fehrman, superintendent for ACS
the voucher program, the state has granted over $430 million for Opportunity Scholarship awards in the 2024-25 school year. When the program first launched in 2014-15 with income restrictions in place, the total amount awarded was a little more than $4.6 million.
According to Coltrane’s presentation, the state receives nearly $1.1 billion in federal education funding that provides services for students with disabilities, supports students from low-income families and assists with career and technical education programs. Additionally, the state’s public schools receive more than $525 million a year in federal funding to provide school breakfast and lunch to students.
The Trump administration’s proposed cuts to the Department of Education could severely impact the services at public schools, Coltrane told the audience.
WAYS TO HELP
At the end of the forum, a Q&A was held, and speakers were asked how residents could make a difference in public teacher pay and classroom resources.
One questioner asked: What do you need that could make the most difference for your student outcomes?
“For me, I think the thing that will help our students the most is advocating to our state legislators to protect public education,” Fehrman said. “That $11 million that was used for private schools didn’t just come from education. It got cut off the top of all North Carolina budgets.”
Another questioner asked: What can an ordinary citizen do to help improve public teacher pay?
“One, tell our stories. Just about every single person in this room, if I asked you to tell me about a teacher, you would have a huge smile on your face and you would begin to talk about Ms. Smith or Mr. Jenkins and talk about the difference they made in your life, just like we heard Ms. Shaw talk about the students who have written her letters because she made such an incredible difference in their lives,” Jackson said. “Telling that story helps us all remember how important it is to have those amazing teachers.
“Advocating for our teachers and staff,” Jackson continued, “is advocating for our children.” X
Council approves temporary changes to downtown noise ordinance
SOUND QUALIFICATIONS:
Mark Matheny, the City of Asheville’s director of development services, answered questions from Asheville City Council about the type of permit venues would need to qualify for the new sound ordinance. Screen grab from the City of Asheville’s YouTube channel
Over the next year, downtown Asheville could get a little louder.
At Asheville City Council’s Oct. 28 meeting, members voted, 4-3, in favor of an amendment permitting performance centers to increase the time they could exceed maximum decibel levels from 30 days of events per year to 50, with a sunset of Dec. 31, 2026. Currently, Asheville Yards is the only venue that qualifies for the required Type 3 permit. To learn more about the permit, visit avl.mx/f6e.
Mayor Esther Manheimer said she received feedback from concerned residents after Council first discussed the proposal at its Oct. 14 meeting. According to Manheimer, some constituents are worried that additional venues will apply. But because of the permitting requirements, she continued, it’s unlikely that venues would qualify.
Kim Miller, a communication specialist for the city, offered additional clarity in an email exchange with Xpress after the meeting. “Given that the amendment is a pilot and only viable for the next year — and the requirements and process time needed to become a qualified venue (performance center) — it would not apply to other current or proposed venues,” she wrote. “Any adaptation of the pilot
program beyond this one-year trial would require Council consideration.”
Council members Kim Roney, Sheneika Smith and Vice Mayor Antanette Mosley voted against the amendment.
Infrastructure update
Walter Ear, the city’s public facilities division manager, updated Council on the status of the city’s 2025-26 capital projects. These longterm investments include repairs to buildings, streets and other infrastructure, financed through internal city resources as well as external funds from grants and partnerships. Ear also provided updates on infrastructure recovery projects funded by the federal government.
Projects completed this quarter include: parking garage repairs at Rankin Avenue and Wall Street; a new roof on a municipal building; and a new playground and sports court at the Burton Street Community Center.
Projects under construction include: McCormick Field, the WNC Nature Center’s Gateway to the Southern Appalachians Enhancement project and Weaver Park and playground, as well as sidewalk improvements on
Johnston Boulevard, New Haw Creek Road and Patton Avenue.
Additional capital projects include replacing downtown light signals, repairs at the intersection of College Street and Patton Avenue and ongoing upgrades to parking garages. The city will continue its community outreach for input on these initiatives throughout next year, Ear said. For additional information, visit avl.mx/f66.
Ear also touched on larger, federally funded recovery projects such as work on riverfront parks, the North Fork Water Treatment Plant and the Municipal Golf Course.
For more project updates and information visit avl.mx/f6b.
Changes to recovery action plan
In May, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approved the city’s 2025 Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG –DR) action plan, which outlines the city’s intended use of $225 million provided for disaster recovery. At the Oct. 28 Council meeting, James Shelton, the city’s community division manager, reiterated that the plan will need to be adjusted throughout the recovery process to accommodate new information.
Council authorized a public hearing period as part of the submission process to HUD for current changes to the action plan. Proposed changes include increasing the maximum
amount for the RenewNC program to better reflect the costs of its projects. The program provides funding for housing rehabilitation, reconstruction or replacement for low- to moderate-income families impacted by Tropical Storm Helene. Other proposed changes include adjustments to the eligibility for the Housing and Economic Security Support Services program as well as updates to the current language in the action plan’s Affordable Multifamily Housing Construction program.
Public comment can be submitted through Thursday, Nov. 6, at avl.mx/f6d.
In other news
• Council approved maintenance and repairs to the city’s water treatment facilities. City Manager Debra Campbell is now authorized to enter into a contract to continue Phase 1 of Bee Tree repairs. The total amount cannot exceed $278,500 from the Water Capital Projects Fund. Campbell can also apply for funding from the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality State Revolving Fund and Environmental Protection Agency Grant Program for water system resilience improvements. If awarded, the grant initially funds up to $10 million for drinking water projects and $5 million for wastewater projects.
• Council approved the Legacy Investment from Tourism Grant, which totals nearly $3 million, for the Coxe Avenue Complete Street project. The street improvement project will include the demolition and reconstruction of an urban streetscape on Coxe Avenue between Patton and Southside avenues. The project will begin in mid-2026 and will take around 15 months to complete, said Assistant City Manager Ben Woody during Council’s Oct. 23 agenda briefing.
• Council approved 44 appointees to its four recovery boards, which are focused on people and environment, housing, infrastructure and economy. To read more about these boards, see Xpress’ previous reporting at avl.mx/f6a. To view the lists of appointees, go to avl.mx/f67.
• Council ratified the city’s five-year agreement with Homeward Bound of WNC’s outreach services and separately authorized entering an agreement with Trinity United Methodist Church for $250,000 to provide nightly winter shelter during the 2025-26 Code Purple season. This story was supported by the Fund for Investigative Reporting and Editing.
— Brionna Dallara X
Asheville tourism slowly rebounds after Helene; hotels outpace vacation rentals
Asheville’s tourism sector is slowly finding its footing after Tropical Storm Helene, with hotels bouncing back faster than vacation rentals and local businesses still grappling with staffing shortages.
Buncombe County hotel occupancy reached 66% in September, up 3 percentage points from September 2024 but still 13 points below prepandemic 2019 levels, according to data presented at the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority’s (TDA) Oct. 29 meeting.
Vacation rentals, meanwhile, have cooled significantly. Occupancy dropped to 49% in September, down 5 points from last year and 10 points from 2019. Analysts attribute this decline partly to oversaturation in the market and the lingering impact of Helene, which reduced available rental inventory by nearly 30% immediately after the storm. While inventory has since recovered somewhat — it’s now down 14% — vacation rental demand remains weak, with room nights down 23% year-over-year.
In contrast, hotel demand rose 2% from 2024, reaching roughly 187,600 occupied rooms, essentially matching 2019 levels. However, revenue tells a more nuanced story: Hotel revenue fell 5% in September compared with 2024, while vacation rental revenue plunged 25%.
“Hotels were quicker to stabilize after Helene, partly due to FEMA contracts housing displaced residents,” said Vic Isley, president and CEO of Explore Asheville and the Buncombe
County TDA. “We’re seeing encouraging signs of recovery, but the storm amplified existing challenges, especially in the short-term rental market.”
Employment remains another concern. The hospitality sector continues to lag behind other industries, accounting for most of the region’s job losses over the past year, Isley said. Staffing shortages have limited service capacity even as visitor demand returns.
Still, local leaders are expressing cautious optimism. Domestic leisure travel is projected to grow 1.8% nationally this year, Isley said, and Explore Asheville reports stronger advance bookings through the end of 2025. Despite temporary declines in air travel — Asheville Regional Airport traffic was down 8% through August — hoteliers are noting improving booking pace and group-travel interest heading into 2026, she said.
“I think for our community, we’re seeing — in the last four weeks particularly — some positive indicators,” Isley said.
In other business
• Explore Asheville is launching a regional market assessment to guide tourism projects and venue development. “The purpose … is to evaluate market demand and emerging trends, identify and prioritize high-potential projects, and provide guidance on financial implementation,” Isley said. The organization will
TALKING TOURISM: Vic Isley, president and CEO of Explore Asheville, addresses the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority board during an Oct. 29 meeting. Board Chair Matthew Lehman is at right. Photo by Justin McGuire
issue a request for proposal (RFP) next week to hire a firm for the study, with results expected by March. She said Explore Asheville is coordinating with city and Buncombe County staff to align with planned capital projects, including potential new entertainment and arts venues, and explore funding through federal grants and public-private partnerships.
• Asheville Vice Mayor Antanette Mosley, an ex-officio board member, said work will begin next month on repairing the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium’s roof. On Oct. 14, City Council authorized spending $538,460 in federal funds to contract with AAR of North Carolina Inc. for the repairs.
— Justin McGuire X
‘Where is Woodfin?’
BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN
It really shouldn’t be such a big deal — and apologies in advance to any and all residents who find the very premise of this article ludicrous — but let’s be honest: There is a fair bit of confusion about the Town of Woodfin’s exact boundaries.
Yes, there are clearly marked maps, readily available on local government websites, that show official lines. And yet multiple factors keep new residents, as well as those who live on its fringes, somewhat in the dark regarding the whole damn thing.
Combining Occam’s razor with 17th-century French philosopher René Descartes’ famous existential thought, “I think, therefore I am,” one can solve this riddle by determining if they align with this statement: “I pay property taxes to the Town of Woodfin, therefore I live in Woodfin.”
But is it really that simple?
‘YES! GIVE UP THIS SILLY IDEA.’
Well, then explain the mail situation. Woodfin has no post office and no official ZIP code. Someone can write “Woodfin” on a piece of outgoing mail, and postal carriers will deliver it to the right place, but it’s more of a symbolic gesture. According to UnitedStatesZipCodes.org, 28804’s primary/preferred city is Asheville. Woodfin is listed as “acceptable” — great news for the 7,957 residents that 2023 U.S. census data places in the town limits.
As Salt Face Mule Brewing Co. principal owner Anthony Randolph told Xpress in 2023, “We are actually in Woodfin, with an Asheville address,
FISH OUT OF WATER: Multiple factors, including a shared ZIP code with Asheville and no post office, keep outsiders and new residents confused about Woodfin’s boundaries. Town Manager Shannon Tuch says the completion of several outdoor projects, including Taylor’s Wave, will contribute to a stronger sense of community
on Weaverville Highway.” How does anyone keep it straight?
“There’s constant confusion on mail/shipping … but in reality, either [Woodfin or Asheville] will work,” says Woodfin resident Jeremy Chassner, co-owner of Zillicoah Beer Co., whose southern property line marks one beginning of the town. “Though I’ve never really looked at the municipality’s northern boundary line on a map, Woodfin ‘feels’ like it goes up a bit past Taqueria Fast [at 175 Weaverville Road] into the Salt Face Mule area. Beyond that, it starts to feel like Weaverville’s territory.”
According to Woodfin Town Manager Shannon Tuch, the postal situation isn’t likely to change anytime soon. Citing the uncertain “future of snail mail,” she doubts that a post office will be added
but still finds the good ol’ United States Postal Service useful for town business.
“We do a biannual newsletter, and a lot of times that newsletter also includes [recent town] information,” Tuch says. “That goes to Woodfin residents. So, we hope that that kind of reinforces that you’re in Woodfin if you receive one of these.”
Tuch’s office is in Woodfin Town Hall, which, like the Woodfin Police Department, is situated at 90 Elk Mountain Road. As one might expect, both entities list “Woodfin” as their location on their respective local government websites. While the SimpliCity search tool on the City of Asheville’s website confirms that this command post is not in the Asheville city limits (*phew*), the 28804 ZIP code still technically places it in Asheville.
“We’re trying to examine how we can help create a stronger sense of community, not just because it’s nice to have festivals, but we learned from [Tropical Storm Helene] that the stronger the community bonds, the more resilient the community is,” Tuch says. “So we want to give people the opportunity to create those bonds.”
She adds that the town is working hard on the Woodfin greenway and blueway initiatives — a big outdoor recreation project along the river composed of two riverfront parks, Taylor’s Wave whitewater wave and 5 miles of greenway.
“That linear string of outdoor recreation opportunities sort of defines the southern and the northern ends — not exactly, but it kind of runs through the middle of Woodfin,” Tuch says.
‘OK,
THE MAIL STUFF IS A LITTLE WEIRD. WHAT ELSE YA GOT?’
“Woodfin is a little bit atypical in that we don’t have a downtown or a Main Street like a lot of communities do. And a lot of times, your identity and your hub come out of there,” Tuch continues. “Woodfin, historically, was a manufac turing community, and so a lot of that was concentrated on the river. It’s a different kind of development pattern.” In 2007, for Woodfin’s creation of “an entire downtown from scratch” on Reynolds Mountain. While the mixed-use Reynolds Village resulted from this development, it hasn’t become the town center it was envisioned as, and plans for a downtown never materialized.
“Another thing that probably con tributes to the confusion is we have multiple fire stations that serve Woodfin,” Tuch says. “Woodfin Fire [Department] is the closest and serves
in Woodfin. Photo by Eula Rivest Calder
the largest portion of Woodfin. But then [Asheville Fire Station 7] and West Buncombe [Fire Dept. Station No. 2] also serve the area. And I think there’s even a tiny piece somewhere else that’s served by even another fire station.”
Just north up U.S. 19 Business, the Town of Weaverville and its 4,618 residents have no such issues. In addition to a small but vibrant Main Street that includes its own combination Town Hall/Police Department building, this fellow Buncombe County spot has its own ZIP code (28787) and post office.
John Brute, who lived in Woodfin from 2006-20 on Buckshot Ridge Drive, just off Old Marshall Highway, didn’t move away because of these missing community components. But now that he’s a resident of Weaverville, the presence of such “expected” town details contributes to a stronger sense of place. And he notes that having even one or two of these pieces — as is the case with other semiundefined parts of the county — can make a big difference.
“The ambiguity does have its charm, but I question whether ‘Woodfin’ has the name strength as ‘Arden,’” he says. “Maybe it’s just my experience, but it seems that people seem to know the whereabouts of Arden better than they do Woodfin.”
That lack of definition is especially palpable for Asheville resident (and occasional Xpress contributor) Adam Rosen, who lives close to the word “Woodfin” that Google Maps has placed just outside the Elk Mountain Road exit off Interstate 26. Though he pays taxes to the City of Asheville and his son goes to a city school, he gets water from the Woodfin utility, and school zoning in his neighborhood varies house to house.
“Our next-door neighbors are zoned for Woodfin Elementary,” Rosen says. “I feel like I live in Woodville.”
‘FINE, YOU’VE MADE SOME HALF-DECENT
POINTS. WHAT OF IT?’
Thankfully, the above muddying factors haven’t had an impact on voting. According to Buncombe County Election Services, Woodfin includes parts of seven different voting precincts. As of July 27, there are a total of 5,693 registered voters — down from the 5,805 reported on Nov. 27, 2024. Of those voters, 4,170 (or 72%) cast ballots in the November 2024 general election. Roughly 60% (or 3,479, according to the November 2024 data) live in Precinct 70.1, which comprises the bulk of Woodfin east of the French Broad River and a small portion of North Asheville near UNC Asheville. Within this subset of voters, 2,432 (or 70%) cast their ballots in the November 2024 general election. Turnout was even better for Woodfin’s second-larg-
“Woodfin is a little bit atypical in that we don’t have a downtown or a Main Street like a lot of communities do.”
— Shannon Tuch, town manager
est precinct, 71.1, which resides to the north. Of its 1,232 registered voters in November 2024, a whopping 74% (or 916) cast ballots.
This civic engagement is a byproduct of what Debbie Giezentanner’s parents, Doris and John, envisioned when they helped incorporate Woodfin in 1971. She says the core tenets were keeping taxes lower than the rising rates in Asheville, which the Giezentanners and other organizers hoped would help retain a small-town feel and keep it appealing for families long term.
“Woodfin was always more rural. We’ve always had more woods, less developed properties and smaller neighborhoods, which also lends to people talking to each other, helping each other out and communicating,” Giezentanner says. “We would’ve enjoyed having a post office, but it didn’t change the way people felt. If they lived in Woodfin, they lived in Woodfin.”
She adds that since Woodfin was incorporated without having a downtown, residents found community elsewhere — at Woodfin Elementary, in the town’s numerous neighborhoods and at the Woodfin Community Center, which she says “everyone participated” in building. And while she doesn’t remember why her parents and the original Woodfin organizers drew the town’s initial property lines as they did, she recalls their promise to first pave “a million streets” — which she says “were hard dirt and gravel” — and add streetlights.
With such humble beginnings, Giezentanner says there has never been a need or desire to, say, put up a bunch of markers that clearly show the town’s boundaries.
“When you come off Lakeshore Drive and come right into Woodfin there, there’s a little sign there,” she says. “But nobody wants these gigantic signs at the corner of their neighborhoods. There were a bunch of regulations or recommendations on signage, so [local officials] try to keep it tasteful. They probably wouldn’t want any big, blaring LED signs [saying,] ‘You are coming into Woodfin,’ because I don’t really think it’s that big of a deal.”
‘SEE?’ Yes, we suppose so. X
NOV. 5 - NOV. 13, 2025
For a full list of community calendar guidelines, please visit mountainx.com/calendar. For questions about free listings, call 828-251-1333, opt. 4. For questions about paid calendar listings, please call 828-251-1333, opt. 1.
Online-only events
More info, page 26
More info, page 27
WELLNESS
Gentle Tai Chi for Balance
This class works on improving our balance through exercises that help you to think with your feet while strengthening your balance muscles.
WE (11/5, 12), 11:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109 Nia Dance
A sensory-based movement practice that draws from martial arts, dance arts and healing arts.
TH (11/6), 9:30am, TU (11/11), 10:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109
Thursday Evening Sound Bath
These sessions focus on nervous system regulation, energetic balance, and seasonal, lunar, and solar alignment.
TH (11/6), 7pm, Ritual Skin and Wellness, 802 Fairview Rd building 3000 Ste 11
Intermediate Tai Chi Yang 24
Slow, gentle movements that promote good health.
FR (11/7), 10:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave
Synthesizer Sound Bath
Come experience the power of analog synthesizers in immersive, quadraphonic sound.
FR (11/7), 7pm, The Well, 3 Louisiana Ave
The Professor's Tai Chi
This class is a step up from the Beginners Class and is a great class for those who have studied Yang 37.
SA (11/8), 8:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109
Yoga Hike
Enjoy a moderate one mile hike up to the summit of a scenic mountain top plus an hour of yoga for all levels.
SA (11/8), SU (11/9), 10am, Bearwallow Mountain Trail, 4899 Bearwallow Mountain Rd, Hendersonville Himalayan Sound Bath Meditation
Immerse yourself in a somatic journey of sound and relaxation, where ancient wisdom meets modern
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Baguazhang Level 1
It is considered a very advanced style of Kung Fu with its complex use of geometry and physics.
TU (11/11), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109 Training w/Tre for Teens
This teen exercise program will help you begin your fitness journey.
TU (11/11), 6:15pm, Stephens-Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave
Community Yoga & Mindfulness w/Inspired Change Yoga
well-being.
SA (11/8), 11am, Somatic Sounds, 157 S Lexington Ave B1
Rooted & Radiant: Mobility & Myofascial Release
A 6-month series to explore movement practices that support strength, resilience, and holistic well being.
SA (11/8), 11am, YWCA of Asheville, 185 S French Broad Ave
Barn Yoga
Community Yoga class with Fairview-based yogi Mary Beth, who teaches a gentle and vinyasa flow.
SU (11/9), 10am, Hickory Nut Gap Farm, 57 Sugar Hollow Rd, Fairview
Sunday Morning Meditation Group
The Sunday Morning Meditation Group will gather for a combination of silent sitting and walking meditation.
SU (11/9), 10am, The Lodge at Quietude, 1130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain Metal Yoga w/ Quantum Mystic Where metal heads and misfits alike get to transform. Plan to sweat, stretch, growl and reset.
SU (11/9), 11am, Eulogy, 10 Buxton Ave
Sunday Sound Bath Meditation
Imagine the soothing tones of Himalayan singing bowls washing over you, calming your mind, and rejuvenating your spirit.
SU (11/9), 11am, Somatic Sounds, 157 S Lexington Ave B1
Qigong for Health & Resilience
This class is an opportunity for people of all ages and abilities to learn traditional Qigong exercises.
TU (11/11), 9am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109
Chair Aerobics
Workout
A well rounded workout that helps reduce the risk of falling, alleviates joint pain, increases flexibility and range of motion.
TU (11/11), noon, Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Rd
Free monthly event with Inspired Change Yoga that will lead you into a morning of breathwork, meditation and yoga.
WE (11/12), 10:30am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave
Tai Chi Fan
The Fan forms include movements from Yang, Chen and Sun styles of Tai Chi.
WE (11/12), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109
Chen Tai Chi
Chen style is known for its spiral movements and fajin, or issuing power. It is considered a very high level of Tai Chi.
This free virtual listening circle offers a judgement-free, trauma-informed spaced to gather, reset and reflect-together. Register at avl.mx/f29.
WE (11/5, 12),noon, Online
Disordered Eating & Eating Disorders
This support group is peer-led and facilitated by licensed therapists & dietitians specializing in eating disorders. Regiser at avl.mx/es6.
WE (11/5, 12), 6pm, Online
Reconnecting Through Hard Times
In this 1-hour virtual training you’ll gain an understanding of how hard times affect us all, and what to do or say for others when it matters most. Register at avl.mx/f0s.
TH (11/6), noon, Online
Nicotine Anonymous
People share their experience, strength and hope to stop using nicotine. You don’t need to be stopped, just have a desire to attend.
PUPPET PROJECT EXPERIENCE: The Paperhand Puppet Project celebrates its 25th year with The Gift, set to original live music at Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, starting Friday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m. The show features the magic of giant puppets, masks, stilts, painted cardboard and cloth, illuminated puppets and more, running through Sunday, Nov 9. Photo courtesy of Paperhand Puppet Project
encounters with visual, tactile, sensational, or fringe experiences with life and the interaction of energy.
Empowering stroke survivors and their caregivers through shared experiences, fostering a vibrant community that inspires healing, resilience, and hope on the journey to recovery.
Whether you’re exploring sobriety, new to recovery, or have been on this path for a while, you are welcome here.
TH (11/6, 13), 6:30pm, American Legion Post #2, 851 Haywood Rd
Magnetic Minds: Depression & Bipolar Support Group
A free weekly peer-led meeting for those living with depression, bipolar, and related mental health challenges. For more information contact (828) 367-7660.
SA (11/8), 2pm, First Congregational UCC of Asheville, 20 Oak St Community Narcan Training
An important training led by Sunrise Recovery and hosted by AmeriHealth Caritas. Learn how to use Naloxone,
an introduction into harm reduction, what’s going on in our community and more.
TU (11/11), noon, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave Caregiver Support Group w/Stronger Together Wellness
Empowering stroke survivors and their caregivers through shared experiences, a vibrant community that inspires healing, resilience, and hope on the journey to recovery.
Featuring beginner and advanced classes that’s open to everyone. This event is hosted by Kristey.
WE (11/5, 12), 6pm, Eda’s Hide-a-Way, 1098 New Stock Rd, Weaverville
Latin Night Wednesday w/DJ Mtn Vibez
A Latin dance social featuring salsa, bachata, merengue, cumbia, and reggaeton with dance lessons for all skill levels.
WE (11/5), 8pm, One World Brewing West, 520 Haywood Rd
Open-Level Adult Contemporary Dance (Ages 16+)
Rediscover your love of movement in this dropin Adult Contemporary class. Blend modern,
lyrical, and jazz elements in a supportive, body-positive environment.
WE (11/5, 12), 5:30pm, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain Open-Level Adult Ballet Class (Ages 16+)
Whether you’re a first-timer or returning to the barre, this class offers physical and emotional benefits through timeless technique.
WE (11/5, 12), 6:30pm, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain We Line Dance
Instructor Brenda Mills leads an all-inclusive exercise class using line dancing to get your body moving.
TH (11/6, 13), 6:15pm, Stephens-Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave
BMCA Dance: Contemporary 3 (Ages 13 - 16)
This class fuses contemporary, modern, lyrical, and jazz styles for diverse dance knowledge.
TH (11/6, 13), 6:45pm, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain Honky Tonk Dance Hall
An evening of line dancing and two stepping with line dancing lessons available. Food truck and local beer sold on site.
FR (11/7), 6pm, Foothills Watershed, 655 Catawba River Rd, Old Fort
Monday Night Contra Dance Contra dancing is a fun, social dance for everyone. Follow a lesson at 7 p.m. and then dance to a live band and caller at 7:30 p.m.
MO (11/10), 7:30pm, A-B Tech, 340 Victoria Rd
Live Band Latin Night Wednesday w/LA Sonora Carolina
A special edition live band latin night with La Sonora Carolina, a high-energy salsa orchestra bringing salsa dura classics. Dance lesson start at 8:30 p.m. and dance social is for all ages.
WE (11/12), 8pm, One World Brewing West, 520 Haywood Rd
BMCA Dance: Kids in Motion 2
This class focuses on growing the foundations needed for many dance techniques, including contemporary, ballet, jazz, and lyrical.
TH (11/13), 3:45pm, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain
ART
North Carolina Glass 2025
A landmark exhibition that will spotlight the work of both established and emerging artists pushing the boundaries of glass as a contemporary art form. Gallery open Tuesday through
Friday, 10am. Exhibition through Dec. 12
WCU Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Dr, Cullowhee
Modern Bestiary: Creatures from the Collection This exhibition explores the artistic legacy of the medieval bestiary through a selection of animals and fantastic beasts from the Museum’s Collection. Gallery open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am. Exhibition through March 15, 2026. Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Points in Space: Performance This exhibition will feature visual and time-based artworks that echo BMC’s innovative spirit from 1933 to 1957. BMC was a nexus of avant-garde activity, fostering innovation through collaboration and experiential learning. Gallery open Tuesday through Saturday, 11am. Exhibition through Jan. 10, 2026. Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, 120 College St
Artful Living: The Spirit of the Craftsman Style Through clay, canvas, wood, and metal, Artful Living explores the soul of the Craftsman ethos—simplicity, utility, and harmony with the natural world. Gallery open Monday through
Using bold, vibrant colors, each person will create their own unique abstract artwork-no prior experience or artistic skill required.
FR (11/7), 10am, Red House Gallery & Studios, 101 Cherry St, Black Mountain
Lasting Legacies: Architecture in Asheville by Richard Sharp Smith, Albert Heath Carrier & Douglas D. Ellington
Lasting Legacies shines a spotlight on the contributions of two of the city’s most prominent architectural firms to Asheville’s built environment and artistic spirit in the early decades of the 20th century. Gallery open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am. Exhibition through Jan. 18, 2026.
Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square
Downtown Asheville Gallery Walk
Each first Friday, galleries and studios across downtown open their doors for an evening of art, conversation, and community.
FR (11/7), 5pm, Downtown Asheville, Biltmore Ave/College St
First Fridays
This event showcases open studios and exhibition of over 60 artists. It will also feature local musicians, beer and wine.
FR (11/7), 5pm, Resurrection Studios Collective, 160 Broadway St
Art As Resistance Coloring Pages
Introduction of featured artists and why and what they created, discussion and exchange of Ideas, coloring pages.
SA (11/8), 1pm, Hatchery Studios, 1 Roberts St
COMMUNITY MUSIC
UNCA Jazz Night w/ Dr. William Bares
A night of incredible jazz with pianist, composer, scholar and educator William Bares, a professor or music and co-director of jazz studies at UNC Asheville.
WE (11/5), 7pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Rd, Black Mountain Soluna in Concert
The Soluna String Quartet is a dynamic new ensemble composed of violinists Mariya Potapova, Jonathan Urizar, violist Cameron Rehberg, and cellist Ashlee Booth.
FR (11/7), 7:30pm, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 West State St, Black Mountain
Brevard Philharmonic Presents: Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1
Brevard Philharmonic welcomes pianist Chaeyoung Park, a rising star whose artistry has already captured attention on some of the world’s great stages.
SU (11/9), 3pm, Porter Center for Performing Arts at Brevard College, Brevard
Carolina Celtic Presents: Clive Carroll Clive Carroll’s unique tone, versatility, and unmistakable voice as a composer have seen him become one of the world’s premier acoustic guitar players.
MO (11/10), 7:30pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain
Chopin: Master of the Modern Piano Award-winning pianist William Yang, 2025 National Chopin Competition winner, performs an intimate all-Chopin recital.
TH (11/13), 7:30pm, Parker Concert Hall at Brevard Music Center, 349 Andante Ln, Brevard
LITERARY
Harm Reduction
Reading Group
During this three part reading group we will discuss Shira Hassan's book, Saving Our Own Lives, and its applications locally.
WE (11/5), 6:30pm, Firestorm Books, 1022 Haywood Rd
Poetry Open Mic
This open mic welcomes any form of artistic expression from poetry to improv theatre to music to dance.
WE (11/5, 12), 8:30pm, Sovereign Kava, 268 Biltmore Ave
Denise Cline Presents: The Resettlement of Vest Blonik Set during the Great Depression, The Resettlement of Vesta Blonik is the story of two strong-hearted strangers, bent but not destroyed by grief and financial destitution.
SA (11/8), 3pm, City Lights Bookstore, 3 E Jackson St, Sylva
Meet & Greet/Book
Signing W/Refashioned Hippie
Meet Maggie Webber — author, voice actor, and the hilarious mind behind Stupid Rich People Fashion — as we celebrate sustainable, body-inclusive fashion with snacks, good company, and lots of fun.
SA (11/8), 4pm, More To Love, Plus-Size Consignment, 606 New Leicester Hwy
Flooded Poetry
Mondays A poetry-specific open mic that stars you plus weekly featured
readers.
MO (11/10), 6:30pm, Flood Gallery, 802 Fairview Rd Ste 1200
COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS
Change Your Palate Cooking Demo
This free lunchtime food demonstration is open to all but tailored towards those with type 2 diabetes or hypertension and/or their caretakers.
From Field to File: Boosting Farm Success Through Better Recordkeeping
This workshop will guide you through simple steps to track your farm activities, finances, and yields—putting you in control of your farm’s success.
TH (11/6), 5:30pm, Online Training Events at SCC, 447 College Dr, Sylva
Adulting 101
Teens gain confidence and learn the basics of navigating the real world independently including practical skills like cooking, interviewing for a job, and more.
FR (11/7), 6pm, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Ave
Enamel a Silver Charm
You’ll sift the enamel onto the silver charm then fire it in a kiln to flow the glass enamel onto the silver, and repeat until your piece is complete.
SA (11/8), 11am, Ignite Jewelry Studios, 84 Walnut St Unit A
Therapeutic Recreation
Adaptive Tennis
Teaches the basics of the game for adults and kids with intellectual disabilities ages 8 and above.
SA (11/8), 1pm, The Omni Grove Park Inn, 290 Macon Ave
Dahlia Dividing & Storing Workshop
Come out to the farm in your comfy work clothes and learn how to successfully dig, divide, and store Dahlia tubers.
SU (11/9), 11am, Bloom WNC Flower Farm, 806 North Fork Rd, Black Mountain
Mushroom Log Plugging Workshop
This workshop show a low-tech, no waste, regenerative way to grow mushrooms and easy enough to do at home.
SU (11/9), 11am, The Forest Farmacy, 24 Davis Ln, Marshall
The Foxy Chef: A Night of Vegan Cooking Chefs will take us on a culinary journey, explaining health benefits of nature’s herbs and spices. This class is open for anyone
and everyone.
MO (11/10), 5:30pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave
Therapeutic Recreation
Adaptive Archery
Lessons are offered at a slower pace during a three-week non competitive introductory archery program for persons with different abilities.
MO (11/10), 6pm, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Ave
Simply Charmed: Drop In Workshop
Choose from more than 60 styles of metal stamps and a variety of jewelers hammers to complete your charm.
TU (11/11), 11am, Ignite Jewelry Studios, 84 Walnut St Unit A, QuickBooks Online:
Bookkeeping for Your Small Business
Participants will learn account set up and customization, invoicing, bill entry and reconciliation, monthly reports, financial reviews, and tips for audit-ready books.
TH (11/13), 10am, A-B Tech Small Business Center, 1465 Sand Hill Rd, Candler
Pyrography Art Class
This workshop will teach you the basic safety and techniques to begin your journey with pyrography. After some practice, you will create a piece of art on a piece of bass wood.
TH (11/13), 4pm, Trackside Studios, 375 Depot St
Watercolor Collage Blind Tiger Miranda will bring all of the supplies and share her techniques for creating abstract landscapes.
TH (11/13), 5pm, Blind Tiger Asheville, 173 East Chestnut St
THEATER & FILM
Weekday Movie
Matinee
Take a midday break and unwind with classic public-domain films in the cozy, living-room style basement of the Local Collective. WE (11/5,12), FR (11/7), MO (11/10), noon, The Local Collective, 52 S Main St, Weaverville
The Thanksgiving Play Good intentions collide with absurd assumptions as a troupe of terminally woke teaching artists scrambles to create a pageant that somehow manages to celebrate both Turkey Day and Native American Heritage Month. See p27 FR (11/7), SA (11/8), 7:30pm, SU (11/9), 2:30pm, The Local Collective, 52 S Main St, Weaverville Forks After Dark: Twilight Saga Viewing Party Grab some snacks, get
Blending folk music and social change, the Sarah Arthur Project emerges as a powerful voice for social consciousness wrapped in the soothing textures of folk storytelling. Sarah Arthur, the Spiritual Journey of an American Jewish Woman is a timely exploration of identity, justice, and the pursuit of peace.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
comfy, and watch the saga unfold with friends. Vampires, werewolves, and all the drama make for the perfect Friday night hangout.
FR (11/7), 5:30pm, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St
Paperhand Puppet Project: The Gift Honor the rare gift that is life on earth and celebrate Paperhand’s 25th year. Come and experience the magic of giant puppets, masks, stilts, painted cardboard and cloth, illuminated puppets and shadows all set to original live music.
FR (11/7), SA (11/8), 7:30pm, SU (11/9), 3pm, Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, 18 Biltmore Ave
Living Female Respondent or 53 Yakshi
A dance performance created with Devika Wickremesinghe and Hannah Heller that draws from Merce Cunningham’s use of chance operations.
SA (11/8), 7pm, Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, 120 College St
When We Were Queen: Murielle Elizéon & Shana Tucker
Acclaimed Durhambased cellist Shana Tucker and Saxapahaw-based French choreographer Murielle Elizéon present When We were Queens, a powerful multidisciplinary performance presented as a diptych. TH (11/13), 7pm, Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, 120 College St
Wuthering Heights: The Musical Set in the mysterious Yorkshire moors, the story revolves around the passionate and tumultuous romance between Heathcliff, an enigmatic outsider, and Catherine Earnshaw, a spirited and headstrong young woman.
TH (11/13), 7:30pm, Bebe Theater, 20 Commerce St
MEETINGS & PROGRAMS
IBN Breakfast Club: Mills River All are invited to attend and promote their business, products, and services, and meet new referral contacts.
WE (11/5), 8am, Mills River Restaurant, 4467 Boylston Hwy, Mills River
We are the Ones
This is a space for real talk, deep connection, and conscious spiritual practice. When we gather with intention and love, anything is possible.
WE (11/5), 3:30pm, Community Commons at CSL Asheville, 3 Science of Mind Way
First Wednesday w/Big Asheville Science Salon
Each month, a bona fide expert takes attendees on a thrill ride of science awesomeness with a lively Q&A afterwards.
WE (11/5), 6pm, The Mule, 131 Sweeten Creek Rd Ste 10
Southside Cyber Wednesday
Dive into the exciting world of e-sports and gaming with two powerful PlayStation 5 consoles.
WE (11/5, 12), 6pm, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St
Universal Art of Manifestation: Exploring Creation Across Spiritual Traditions
An enlightening evening exploring how diverse wisdom traditions describe the same timeless process: how thought becomes form and how we consciously direct our own experiences.
WE (11/5), 6:30pm, Community Commons at CSL Asheville, 3 Science of Mind Way
Life in the Floodplain: Post-Helene Recovery
consultants who cover a broad range of topics, skills, & knowledge.
All are invited to attend and promote their business, products, and services, and meet new referral contacts.
TH (11/6), noon, Thai Spice, 220 S King St, Hendersonville
Gen V: Voices That Vote
The Gen V launch event serves as both a focus group and a fundraiser to build the program’s framework across WNC. Funds raised will support facilitation, youth stipends, and training initiatives that promote informed civic engagement.
TH (11/6), 5pm, Hilton Garden Inn Asheville Downtown, 309 College St
Facing Our History
This program focuses on the 1927 lynching of Broadus Miller near Marion, North Carolina, and the local 1897 lynching of Bob Brackett along Reems Creek in the Weaverville area.
TH (11/6), 7pm, Weaverville Community Center, 60 Lakeshore Dr, Weaverville
Reconnect for Better Days
WNC Sierra Club will host Lisa Raleigh, RiverLink’s Executive Director, one year post-Helene for an engaging discussion about the French Broad River watershed. Register at avl.mx/f5p.
WE (11/5), 7pm, Online NSA-WNC Meeting Professional keynote speakers, coaches, trainers, facilitators, and
In this 1-hour virtual training you’ll gain an understanding of how hard times affect us all, and what to do or say for others when it matters most. Register at avl.mx/f0s.
FR (11/7), noon, Online
Swannanoa Valley Museum Haunted History Tour of Downtown Black Mountain Visitors will learn about the humorous, haunting and harrowing history of the Swannanoa Valley while being visited by some of its
most famous spirits.
FR (11/7), 7pm, Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center, 223 West State St, Black Mountain
Appalachian Foodways Tour
Get in the spirit of Thanksgiving by learning more about WNC’s food history and culture with snacks and cooking demonstrations along the way.
SA (11/8), 10am, Vance Birthplace, 911 Reems Creek Rd, Weaverville Forest Bathing Retreat: Gratitude & Reciprocity
This program helps cultivate our awareness and appreciation for the many gifts of the Earth – the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat.
SA (11/8), 2pm, NC Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way
NC State CALS
Wolfpack Harvest
Rooted in the spirit of gathering and gratitude, Wolfpack Harvest brings alumni, students, families, and friends together to celebrate the NC State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
SA (11/8), 2pm, Twisted Laurel, 130 College St
Anchoring Trust, Surrender & Faith: A Ceremony of Cacao & Sound
This ceremony is an invitation to be supported, witnessed, and held in sacred space as we journey with cacao, sound, and the wisdom of the stars.
SA (11/8), 6pm, The Well, 3 Louisiana Ave Live Fire: Utopian Seed Project
These events are casual and relaxed with a strong focus on food that supports regional sustainability and resilience. Your ticket allows you to sample all the fantastic dishes, beverages, and educational activities.
SU (11/9), 1pm, Hickory Nut Gap Farm, 57 Sugar Hollow Rd, Fairview
Coloring w/Cats
Take 50 minutes for yourself and cuddle with the panthers, meet other cat-lovers, and color a beautiful picture of a cat from our adult coloring books.
SU (11/9), 2pm, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd, Monday Marketing Meetup
A collaborative marketing meetup where entrepreneurs and creatives share what they’re working on, exchange ideas, and support each other’s next steps.
MO (11/10), 1pm, The Local Collective, 52 S Main St, Weavervilles
Self Defense w/Freya Freya wants to empower women, girls, and all marginalized genders with practical self defense skills, so they can take on their next adventure with confidence.
TU (11/11), 5:30pm, All Bodies Movement and Wellness, 211 Merrimon Ave
Creating a Sustainable Native Landscape Plant ecologist Lisa K. Wagner presents images and information to power your winter dreams of a native plant garden. Learn how to work with plant communities for a beautiful and manageable display.
TU (11/11), 7pm, OLLI/ Reuter Center, UNCA, 300 Campus View Rd
The In's & Out's of Having a NC Food Business
Whether you are farm hoping to expand your products or an established business wanting to add new products or maybe a food truck, this program might be for you.
WE (11/12), 9am, A-B Tech Small Business Center, 1465 Sand Hill Rd, Candler
Men's Garden Club of Asheville Master Gardener Phil Roudebush is our guest speaker for this program featuring gardening myths and misconceptions.
WE (11/12), 11:30am, East Asheville Library, 902 Tunnel Rd
IBN Biz Lunch: Brevard/Pisgah Incredible Towns of WNC invites you to WNC's largest free and independent Business Networking group.
A mentor group that offers an opportunity for young men ages 14-19 to engage in open discussion regarding the problems they encounter and more.
TH (11/13), 6pm, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St
GAMES & CLUBS
Asheville Board Game Club Meet-Up
Featuring a wide variety of tabletop games—from light party games to deep strategy favorites. WE (11/5), 5:30pm, Well Played, 162 Coxe Ave, Ste 101
Senior Games Track & Field Club Practice sprints, starts, and jumps or just get some exercise around the city’s brand new
track. TH (11/6), 1pm, Memorial Stadium, 32 Buchanan Pl
NCAA Football Gaming Night
Compete in a PlayStation 5 NCAA college football tournament for a chance to win a gift card.
TH (11/6), 6pm, Burton Street Community Center, 134 Burton St 3v3 Basketball Tournament
Form your team to play in a double elimination basketball tournament.
SA (11/8), 1pm, Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Rd
Bid Whist
Make bids, call trumps, and win the tricks every Saturday with your community.
SA (11/8), 1pm, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St
Weekly Sunday Scrabble!
If you like Wordle, Boggle, Words with Friends or Scrabble online, this club may be a good fit for you. All of the games are provided.
SU (11/9), 1:30pm, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave
Ping Pong Tournament
Come by and shoot your shot against some of the best ping pong players in town. Free to enter and $50 bar tab to the winner.
MO (11/10), 6pm, Sovereign Kava, 268 Biltmore Ave
Pool Night
Pool night, every Monday night with a $5 buy in. Must be signed up by 7 p.m.
MO (11/10), 6:30pm, Eda’s Hide-a-Way, 1098 New Stock Rd, Weaverville
Music Bingo w/ Spencer
Bring your friends to Taproom Tuesdays featuring Music Bingo with Spencer and rotating food trucks.
TU (11/11), 6pm, Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Hwy Ste 200
KID-FRIENDLY PROGRAMS
Tiny Tykes Play Dates
Open play for toddlers to explore bikes, balls, inflatables, and climbing structures.
WE (11/5), 10am, Stephens-Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave
Family Story Time
A fun and interactive story time designed for children ages 18 months to 3 years.
WE (11/5, 12), 10:30am, Black Mountain Library, Black Mountain
Little Monkeys
A mix of fun games and activities for little adventurers who love to climb and scramble their way around the house.
TH (11/6, 13), 10am, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Ave
Baby Storytime
A lively language enrichment story time designed for children ages 4 to 18 months.
TH (11/6, 13), 10:30am, Black Mountain Library, Black Mountain
Parents Night Out
Let your child work off extra energy with a fun filled night of themed games, crafts, and special activities.
FR (11/7), 6pm, Stephens-Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave Coloring w/Cats: Kiddie Edition
An artistic session with coloring books and markers for children ages 13 and under to relax by coloring as they pet cats to reduce stress and anxiety.
SA (11/8), 1pm, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd,
Growing in Motion Through playful activities, music, and exploration, we encourage the development of essential gross motor skills such as crawling, walking, running and more.
MO (11/10), 10am, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St
Dr. Grant Gym Rats
A fun and active P.E. program specifically for homeschooled students that offers a variety of physical activities, games, and sports. MO (11/10), 11:45am, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St
Black Cat Tales: Story Time w/Cats Foster a love of reading in your kiddos while also socializing the cats in the lounge.
TH (11/13), 4pm, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd Kids & Teens Xing Yi Learn complete systems of Xing Yi, Baguazhang, and Taiji, including weapons and sparring as optional classes.
RAD Farmers Market Asheville’s only year-round weekly market, featuring 30+ vendors offering fresh produce,
and more.
and SNAP accepted.
WE (11/5), 3pm, New Belgium Brewing Co., 21 Craven St
Weaverville Tailgate Market
This market features a selection of fresh, locally grown produce, grass fed beef, pork, chicken, eggs, cheese, baked goods, artisan bread, eclectic handmade goodies, garden and landscaping plants. Open year-round.
WE (11/5, 12), 3pm, 60 Lake Shore Dr Weaverville
Handcrafted Holiday Market Reception
Regional artists will fill the TACS Gallery with fine and handcrafted goods, rotating their inventory with each week.
TH (11/6), 5:30pm, Tryon Arts and Crafts School, 373 Harmon Field Rd, Tryon
East Asheville Tailgate Market
Featuring over 25 vendors selling meat, seafood, produce, flowers, bread, eggs, baked goods, fruit, herbs, sweet treats, tamales, and more. Every Friday through Nov. 21.
FR (11/7), 3pm, Groce United Methodist Church, 954 Tunnel Rd
North Asheville Tailgate Market
Browse from over 70 vendors that will be offering sustainably produced produce, meats, eggs, cheeses, breads, honey, plants, prepared foods, crafts and more.
SA (11/8), 8am, 275 Edgewood Rd Rummage Sale
This rummage sale offers household items, sports equipment, toys, furniture, holiday items, artwork and more.
SA (11/8), 8am, Grace Episcopal Church, 871 Merrimon Ave
Asheville City Market
A producer-only market featuring local food products, including fresh produce, meat, cheese, bread, pastries, and other artisan products. Every Saturday through December.
SA (11/8), 9am, 52 N Market St
Black Mountain Tailgate Market
A seasonal community event featuring organic and sustainably grown produce, plants, cut flowers, herbs, local raised meats, seafood, breads, pastries, cheeses, eggs and locally handcrafted items. Every Saturday
through Nov. 22.
SA (11/8), 9am, Black 130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain
Holiday Bulb Market
This market will feature several different types of big amaryllis bulbs, two kinds of paperwhite bulbs, potted plants, assorted greens, holiday bouquets and more.
SA (11/8), 9am, Bloom WNC Flower Farm, 806 North Fork Rd, Black Mountain
WNC Farmers Market
This year-round market features locally grown produce, fruits and vegetables, mountain crafts, plants, shops, arts and crafts, sourwood honey, and other farm fresh items. Open daily, 8am. 570 Brevard Rd
FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS
Ghostbusters in Black Mountain
Featuring a meet and greet from the The Southern Belle Ghostbusters in full uniform and gear, themed drinks and specials, and make sure to bring your Ghostbusters knowledge for trivia.
WE (11/5), noon, Foothills Grange, 120 Broadway Ave, Black Mountain
Mars Hill First Fridays Celebrate First Fridays with live music, a vendor village, a kids corner, art, food, gifts and more.
FR (11/7), 5pm, Downtown Mars Hill, Mars Hill
Christmas Jam Ale Release Party
This free event will celebrate the tapping of Christmas Jam Ale with live music by New Dawn Starkestra and Habitat for Humanity will be onsite taking donation to sign the annual Habitat Wall.
FR (11/7), 6:30pm, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., 100 Sierra Nevada Way, Mills River
Day Trip to Carolina Renaissance Festival
Take an autumn stroll through the wooded Village of Fairhaven where history comes alive with nonstop, immersive, and interactive entertainment including games and rides, valiant jousting knights on horseback, majestic falconry and more.
SA (11/8), 8am, Harvest House, 205 Kenilworth Rd
Chili & Beer Festival
Chow on a wide ranger of chilis, taste brews and celebrate fall. This family-friendly event will also feature 15+ craft and artisan vendors, live music all day, raffle baskets and more. See p26
SA (11/8), 10am, Grey Hawk Bar & Gardens, 111 Resort Lane, Lake Lure
Dark City Lit: Literary Festival
Write Local, Read Local Author Fair is back for its fourth year. 20 local authors will be handselling books and reading from their works. See p27
SA (11/8), 9am, Black Mountain Library, Black Mountain
Write Local Read Local Author & Illustrator Fair
This beloved community event brings together authors, illustrators, and book lovers for a morning of conversation, connection, and creativity.
SA (11/8), 9am, Black Mountain Library, Black Mountain
RADFest 2025
A two-day festival featuring live music and DJs, art demonstrations, open studios, local food trucks, and
family-friendly activities throughout Asheville’s River Arts District.
SA (11/8), SU (11/8) 10am, River Arts District
Fall Festivities
Celebrate the fall season with hayrides, pumpkins, fresh-pressed apple cider, and the unbeatable scenic landscape.
SA (11/8), 11am, Hickory Nut Gap Farm, 57 Sugar Hollow Rd, Fairview
ThanksLiving Potluck w/Gene Baur
Bring a vegan dish to share, enjoy a peaceful afternoon with our 70+ rescued animals, and hear from special guest Gene Baur, cofounder of Farm Sanctuary. SA (11/8), 11am, Animal Haven of Asheville, 65 Lower Grassy Branch Rd
CPC's Masquerade Ball
A masquerade in the mountains that celebrates 25 years of participatory change. It will feature music, dancing and legacy.
SA (11/8), 6pm, APIPA, Commercial Park, 220 Continuum Dr, Fletcher
Saturday Skate Jams
Lace up your skates and hit the floor as the DJ spins funky beats and smooth sounds that'll take you back to the
golden age of roller rinks. Costumes are encouraged.
SA (11/8), 6:30pm, Harrah's Cherokee Center - Asheville, 87 Haywood St
Veterans Day Luncheon
This special Veterans Day luncheon honors the courage, sacrifice and service of our nation's heroes.
MO (11/10), 11:30am, Trinity Presbyterian Church, 17 Shawnee Trail
NC Medicinal Herb Grower & Buyer Event
The not-to-miss event for medicinal herb growers wanting to connect to potential buyers. It's also an opportunity for growers to share product samples of available herbs and planting stock.
TH (11/13), 2pm, Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center, 455 Research Dr, Mills River
BENEFITS & VOLUNTEERING
Bluegrass & BBQ Fundraiser
Bluegrass & BBQ fundraiser for the Academy for the Arts, a local non-profit focused on traditional Appalachian
and classical music instruction.
SA (11/8), 3pm, Academy for the Arts, 5 Oak St
A Blue Ridge Music Trails Celebration w/Darin & Brooke Aldridge
This concert features acclaimed, Grammy-nominated bluegrass duo Darin and Brooke Aldridge. Proceeds from the show will directly support the organization’s Blue Ridge Music Trails, which preserves and promotes the traditional music of WNC.
SA (11/8), 7pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain Oakley Community Closet
A cost-free opportunity to donated shop clothes, shoes, and toys. WE (11/12), 1pm, Murphy-Oakley Community Center, 749 Fairview Rd
Low-Cost Community Neuter Clinic
Please schedule and pay for your appointment prior to showing up. Appointments and additional services can be scheduled at avl.mx/dlq.
TH (11/13), 9am, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd
ARTS & CULTURE
Legacy lives on
Andrea Clark,
photographer
who preserved Asheville’s Black history, dies
BY JUSTIN M c GUIRE
jmcguire@mountainx.com
Photographer and community historian Andrea Clark, who spent decades working to ensure Asheville’s Black history would not be forgotten, has died, according to multiple Oct. 29 social media posts.
Through her photography of Asheville’s East End neighborhood and her efforts to honor her grandfather, master brickmason James Vester Miller, Clark helped document stories that might otherwise be lost.
“Her photos captured everyday people, community gatherings, storefronts and the beauty of a neighborhood that was later devastated by urban renewal,” local writer and speaker Aisha Adams wrote in a Facebook post honoring Clark’s legacy. “Her archive is one of the few remaining
records of a Black community that once thrived here.”
Born in 1945, Clark grew up in Massachusetts and moved to Asheville in the 1960s to connect with her father’s family. She soon learned that her grandfather, a formerly enslaved man, helped build many of the city’s most recognizable structures, including the Young Men’s Institute (YMI), St. Matthias Episcopal Church and the Asheville Masonic Temple. Despite his major contributions, Miller’s name was largely missing from the city’s historical record.
“You’ve got Thomas Wolfe, Thomas Wolfe, Thomas Wolfe. But you don’t have any statues of James Vester Miller,” Clark told Xpress in 2021. “They should have taken [the Vance Monument] and put him on that obelisk. He may have built it anyway.”
In response, Clark created the James Vester Miller Historic Walking Trail,
FIRM FOUNDATION: Andrea Clark outside Varick Chapel AME Zion Church, one of many Asheville structures built by her grandfather James Vester Miller.
which launched on Juneteenth 2021. The self-guided tour highlights several of Miller’s surviving works and tells the story of his career and legacy in Asheville’s development.
Clark is also known for her photographs of the East End neighborhood, once a center of Black community life. Before the area was demolished during urban renewal projects, she captured more than 200 images showing its homes, churches and residents, mostly taken around 1968-71. These photos were featured in the exhibit The Photography of
Andrea Clark: Remembering Asheville’s East End Community at the Asheville Museum of History earlier this year.
In 2020, the Historic Resources Commission of Asheville & Buncombe County named Clark the recipient of its annual Sondley Award for helping spur interest in local history.
“You have touched the hearts of more people than can possibly imagine,” the James Vester Miller Historic Walking Trail wrote in an Instagram post honoring Clark’s life. “Your legacy will live on.” X
Photo by Will Hornaday
‘Strategic,
flexible outdoor use’
The Orange Peel plans new venue
The Orange Peel is getting back in the outdoor concert game.
Less than a year after the downtown music club’s partnership with Asheville Brewing Co. for Rabbit Rabbit (now known as Asheville Yards) dissolved, the company announced plans for a new openair venue on Thompson Street. The property was formerly home to Brouwerïj Cursus Kĕmē, which was destroyed by floodwaters from the Swannanoa River during Tropical Storm Helene.
According to a statement from marketing and special events director Liz Tallent, the move is the first major decision by Big Picture Concert Group, the new LLC established by the seven longtime managers of The Orange Peel. The company recently purchased the Peel from founding investment group Public Interest Projects.
“Forming this company together marks the next chapter in our 18-plus years of devotion to Asheville’s live music scene,” Tallent says. “Together, the seven of us have overseen every aspect of The Orange Peel’s operations and all its related projects and venues since 2006, and for the last six months, our focus has been creating a new home for the Peel’s outdoor shows.”
In the wake of Helene, Tallent continues, the project “supports the city’s recovery and future growth” and seeks to reactivate the property “in a sustainable and flood-conscious way.”
Plans include prereserved, staffed parking in nearby surface lots for concertgoers and a shuttle service from large retail centers with sufficient overflow parking, designated rideshare zones and coordination with law enforcement to help direct show traffic away from residential streets. The Big Picture team also looks forward to the forthcoming Swannanoa River Greenway, which pedestrians and cyclists will be able to use for access, cutting down on show congestion.
“We’re well aware of the flood history of this area, and our process has been very thoughtful about planning with the flood plain in mind,” Tallent says. “We’re carefully considering the impact of future flooding, and our vision for this site relies upon strategic, flexible outdoor use. … We’ll be implementing movable infrastructure and strategic design for things like our stage. Prioritizing flood resilience and sustainability is central to our long-term design and plans, and we want folks to know this is top of mind for our team.”
With the project still in the development phase, Tallent says further
details and an anticipated opening date are not yet available.
White Horse Black Mountain plans expansion
Also in music venue news, White Horse Black Mountain was awarded $736,537 from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority’s Tourism Product Development Fund (TPDF) to expand the nonprofit with a 3,972-square-foot, four-season covered patio and an upper deck.
According to a press release, the patio will include a small stage and provide covered performance and gathering space for music, markets and community meetings. The 18-foot-high deck will offer panoramic mountain views, and a reconstructed ticket lobby will additionally strengthen accessibility by exceeding requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and providing expanded points of egress.
“We see this expanded patio project as an opportunity to attract many new visitors and, as a by-product, provide sustainable support to the local nonprofits that we support,”
TAKE ME TO THE RIVER: An early rendering of The Orange Peel’s forthcoming outdoor music venue on Thompson Street. Photo courtesy of Big Picture Concert Group, LLC
says Justice Rogers, White Horse board member. “And we view this as an opportunity to significantly impact the overall economy of Black Mountain specifically and Buncombe County in general.”
To learn more, visit avl.mx/ew1.
Magnetic Theatre relaunches as Phantom Lamp
Staff members of the now-defunct Magnetic Theatre have formed a new production house, Phantom Lamp Theatre Company. According to a press release, the new endeavor by Abby Auman, Jessica Johnson, Katie Jones, Jason Phillips and Quinn Terry “is dedicated to collaborative storytelling and fostering new work by local artists.”
On Saturday, Nov. 8, 2-5 p.m., at a private residence, the Phantom Lamp team will host a launch party and fundraiser, described as “a joint funeral and baby shower full of food, fun, music and a floor show celebrating what is past and looking forward to the new.” Attendees are invited to “dress in your funerary best.” Tickets are $10, and all funds will support the new company.
To learn more, visit avl.mx/f68.
Permanent Cherokee exhibition at Bardo Arts Center
In late October, Western Carolina University’s (WCU) Bardo Arts Center opened the Cherokee Language and Culture Exhibition. According to a press release, the project is supported in part by the Cherokee Preservation Foundation and is a permanent interpretive exhibition, installed throughout the art center’s lobby and Star Atrium.
The exhibition “prompts visitors to learn more about the Cherokeeinspired design elements throughout the building, recognize this campus as a Cherokee place and leave with a fuller understanding of the vibrant, living culture of Cherokee people.”
The bilingual exhibition is a collaboration between WCU and the citizens of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, featuring text in the Cherokee syllabary and English, highlighting “the vitality of the Cherokee language and the creativity of artists and knowledge keepers shaping its future.”
To learn more, visit avl.mx/f69.
— Edwin Arnaudin X
English lessons
A crash course in Appalachian idioms at Salt Face Mule Brewing Co. in Woodfin
BY CHRISTOPHER ARBOR
yearinbeerasheville@gmail.com
On Jan. 1, Christopher Arbor and his friends pledged to visit one Asheville brewery each week for all of 2025 in the order that they opened, then share the experience with Mountain Xpress readers. To read about their trip to River Arts District Brewing Co. visit avl.mx/f6c. Dagnabbit. I’d been hanging like a loose tooth, just waiting for Wednesday to roll around when the crew would gather at Salt Face Mule Brewing Co. But time was moving as slow as molasses rolling uphill on an iceberg in January.
Instead of just twiddling my thumbs for a spell, I figured I’d go ahead and do some reading to find out what the heck “salt face mule” means — I’d been wondering about that since dirt was new. Maybe it was a cocktail, like a cross
between a margarita and a Moscow mule? Or maybe it was a joke? I’ve heard a mule is just a half-assed horse.
Eventually, I found myself on the brewery’s website, and it learned me good. Turns out, the name derives from a mountain saying, “thirstier than a white-faced mule.” After a long day of working in the sun, a mule’s face would be white from salt left behind when its sweat evaporated.
Well, butter my buns and call me a biscuit. That makes all the sense in the world.
By the time Wednesday finally arrived, I was as ready as a possum on trash night. I showed up at the brewery in Woodfin eager for my people and a pint or two, and there were more hugs and high-fives than stars in the sky.
The beer names have almost as much flavor as the beers themselves: Can I Pet That Dawg Czech dark lager,
Holler Atcha West Coast IPA and Sure is Nice Kolsch-style ale, to name a few. And — I’ll be! — there were cocktails on the menu too, including a pumpkin pie mule. Maybe my earlier guess hadn’t missed the mark after all.
But I reckoned I needed to fish or cut bait, so I hooked myself the Mosey on Over pilsner.
The food was every bit as inviting as the beverages. My pals and I could’ve hunkered down and eaten that brisket mac ‘n’ cheese for a month of Sundays, and the chicken-fried cauliflower could’ve put a smile on a taxidermied bear.
Let me tell you something you already know: These days, community can be about as rare as a fresh ribeye in the shade. You want it? You’ve got to build it. So, how about coming out and joining us one of these next few
Wednesdays? The year’s getting short as a gnome on his knees. If you don’t join us soon, you’ll miss your chance. We gather over yonder at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays. You can email me at yearinbeerasheville@gmail.com or just show up.
P.S. Folks: Appalachian idioms are as colorful as a Bob Ross painting of a technicolor rainbow on the Fourth of July. To my ears, they’re wiser than Solomon’s sayings and finer than the hair on a frog. In this article, I’ve included some of my favorites and even spun a few of my own. How many of them have you heard before? Drop me a line and let me know.
Bless your heart and raise a glass, y’all.
• Nov. 5: Ben’s American Sake at Ben’s Tune Up
• Nov. 12: Ginger’s Revenge X
JUST AN EXPRESSION: Pictured from left, John Cline, Jim Booth and Mark Stevenson joined the Year in Beer gang for its recent gathering at Salt Face Mule Brewing Co. in Woodfin, where they learned the meaning of the brewery’s intriguing name. Photo by Christopher Arbor
Appalachian soul
BY BILL KOPP
bill@musoscribe.com
Gospel, soul, folk, blues, funk and show tunes are just some of the styles in which Asheville native Datrian Johnson is immersed. A star at home and a first-call vocalist for some of music’s most accomplished artists, the singer’s body of work — both live performances and recordings — spans those genres and beyond.
On the eve of releasing his first solo album, The Medicine Cabinet, Johnson is sharing a bill with one of his favorite bands, English funkjazz group the New Mastersounds, as the group bows out of public performance. Johnson will join the New Mastersounds for four dates on the Ta Ta for Now farewell tour, including a Tuesday, Nov. 11, stop at Asheville Music Hall.
GOSPEL ROOTS
“I’ve been going to see them for years,” says Johnson of the New Mastersounds. When he told friends his plans to tour with the band, he adds, “They were like, ‘No flippin’ way!’” Known locally as an expressive and authentic vocalist, Johnson is a key member of a number of regional acts, including The Fritz, Free Radio and more. With his own band, the Family Tree, Johnson has opened Ashevillearea shows for big names like Eric Gales. But those accomplishments only scratch the surface of his artistry.
Johnson’s launching pad was a performance at the age of 12 on the long-running BET network program “Bobby Jones Gospel.” From there, he began touring with gospel musician Fred Hammond and the group Men of Standard.
But even then, his musical interests were broad. “I was really into musicals like Les Miserables, Rent and Bye Bye Birdie,” he explains. “I realized I want to be on Broadway.”
Johnson went on to attend Eastern Tennessee State University, earning a degree in vocal performance. He was determined that Broadway would be his next stop, but first, he returned home to Asheville.
Outside his home, he was the victim of a firearms attack, shot multiple times by an assailant with an AK-47. He underwent several surgeries to repair the damage to his foot and thigh. Soon thereafter, the death of his brother was yet another blow.
ME AND MYSELF: On his solo debut album, Asheville vocalist Datrian Johnson combines a range of musical influences into what he dubs “Appalachian soul.” With his band the Family Tree, Johnson opens for the New Mastersounds at Asheville Music Hall on Nov. 11. Photo by Jason Melino
“That slowed me down a lot,” says Johnson. “But music is what carried me through.”
In 2019, a prominent spot performing at the Los Angeles premiere of the Aretha Franklin documentary Amazing Grace brought Johnson’s talents to a wider audience and connected him with jazz keyboardist and composer John Medeski. After being eliminated from TV competition “The Voice” — a near miss with fame he tartly characterizes as “a blessing in disguise” — Johnson joined Medeski’s new soul project, Saint Disruption.
“We did a few albums together; John really took me under his wing,” he says.
Other major projects followed, including work with Warren Haynes, tours with Luther Dickinson’s North Mississippi All Stars and the recent release with Dickinson of Dead Blues, a reimagining of traditional folk and blues songs that found their way into the Grateful Dead’s playlists.
LETTERS TO HIMSELF
Earlier this year, Johnson signed a management contract with New Mastersounds guitarist Eddie Roberts and began work on The Medicine Cabinet, an all-original collection of songs set for release in March on Roberts’ Color Red label.
Johnson first met Roberts in 2023 when both men were part of a one-
Johnson and the Family Tree opening for the New Mastersounds
Music Hall, 31 Patton Ave., ashevillemusichall.com
off ensemble that Medeski assembled to headline the Bajaja Music Fest in Mexico. “I was like, ‘Yo, huge fan; you’re so awesome!’ He was like, ‘Nice to meet you, too,’” says Johnson, who likens Roberts’ guitar style to what Bob Ross of television’s “The Joy of Painting” did with paint. “He’s going to put a pretty little butterfly over here,” he adds with a laugh.
In creating The Medicine Cabinet, Johnson explains, he wrote letters to himself and made them into songs. Each track chronicles a healing experience.
“Every song has an Rx number,” he says. “It’ll tell you what I was going through at that time and what healed me.”
Sessions for the album took place at Echo Mountain Studios with Roberts and Galactic bassist Rob Mercurio producing. “We rented [the studio] for a day,” Johnson recalls. “We didn’t have anything prepared, but we left with five new songs recorded.”
A succession of five singles will be released well ahead of the album’s street date. The first of those, “Me and Myself,” debuted on Oct. 24. Johnson’s album features fellow Asheville-based players Dwayne Simpson, Isaac Hayden, Nik Hope, Josh Blake and others. In addition to Roberts, the album also showcases musical heavyweights from beyond Asheville — Johnson mentions Medeski, Dickinson, Vernon Reid, Terence Higgins and more. “The album is filled with really good [musicians] who are also really good friends of mine,” he says. Though myriad influences and styles inform his new album — and his overall musical worldview — Johnson believes it all comes together cohesively. “Acoustic elements with a lot of soul and church” is how he characterizes The Medicine Cabinet. “We’re creating a sound called Appalachian soul,” Johnson says. X
One more cup of coffee
Rite Rite to close in December
On Oct. 21, Rite Rite owners Essy and Logan Hatchett announced on their Instagram page that the coffee shop will close in mid-December. Formerly known as Trade and Lore Coffee, the business opened on Wall Street in 2016 and remained there until May 2025. The Woodfin location on Weaverville Highway opened in January 2024 and doubled as a rentable event space.
“It has not been an easy decision, but we have decided not to renew our lease at the end of this year,” the Hatchetts wrote.
The post cites multiple reasons for closing, including the “skill, time, people and resources” necessary to operate, plus tariffs, rising rent prices and a commitment to paying employees a living wage.
“To our customers, some of whom we have been making coffee for over a decade, thank you,” the Hatchetts wrote. “Your kindness, support and conversations have meant everything to us. We will miss you deeply.”
To learn more, visit avl.mx/f61.
Chili & Beer Festival in Lake Lure
Grey Hawk Bar Gardens in Lake Lure hosts its Chili Beer Festival on Saturday, Nov. 8, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. According to event organizers, the centerpiece of this festival is a beer-tasting event, where guests will sample pours from an array of Asheville-area brewery partners, including Wicked Weed Brewing, Hi-Wire Brewing, Whistle Hop Brewing Co. and Fonta Flora
Mountain Madre expands to North Asheville
Mountain Madre opened its new North Asheville location at 791 Merrimon Ave., on Oct. 23. According to a press release, the Mexican kitchen and agave bar’s owners Paige and Danny Scully, executive chef Alejandra Vidal Tenorio and general manager Jasmine Clark form the leadership team “dedicated to delivering the same warm hospitality, vibrant flavors and community-centered experience that Asheville locals have come to love.”
“Mountain Madre North is about bringing our love for fresh food and good company to another corner of Asheville,” says Danny Scully. “We’ve poured our hearts into creating a space that feels like home — where friends, family, and neighbors can gather for great food, drinks, and conversation.”
The restaurant’s flagship location on 13 W. Walnut St. remains active.
To learn more, visit avl.mx/f5z.
Brewery as well as Charlotte-based Birdsong Brewing Co. and others.
There will also be a community chili cook-off, a live wood-turning demonstration and craft vendors. The event is free to attend but RSVPs are preferred to help organizers plan.
To learn more, visit avl.mx/f5v.
Star Taco opens brick-and-mortar location
“Finally! No more one-day-only popups!” say Star Taco owners Kate and Brian Sonoskus on the restaurant’s
website. After losing their previous Marshall restaurant, Star Diner, to flooding from Tropical Storm Helene, the Sonoskuses opened the brick-andmortar location for their new taco concept at 18 N. Main St. in Marshall on Nov. 1. Regular business hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
“I assure you — there will be at least two items for almost any food-restrictive diet, and it’ll all be amazing,” the Sonoskuses say.
To learn more, visit avl.mx/f5x.
LA Pizza Party opens in South Slope
L(ower) A(sheville) Pizza Party opened Oct. 31 at 39 Banks Ave. in Archetype Brewing’s former South Slope location. According to recent posts on the To Asheville and Beyond blog and Ay Caramba North Asheville’s Instagram page, the restaurant will offer pizza, smash burgers, salads and cocktails during the day, then transform into “the hottest new nightclub downtown” at night.
LA Pizza Party is the latest undertaking from the ownership team behind El Chapala Mexican Restaurant, Andale Way Mexican Grill, Ay Caramba’s Merrimon Avenue location, La Cabana Mexican Grill and Saluda Mexican Grill.
To learn more, visit avl.mx/f5y.
Full Moon Tea Co. receives NC IDEA grant
Asheville-based Full Moon Tea Co. was awarded a $10,000 grant from NC IDEA, which describes itself as “a private foundation committed to supporting entrepreneurial ambition and economic empowerment in North Carolina.”
“This grant is both a celebration and an investment in what we’re building here in Asheville,” says company founder Katie McDonald. “It’s a reminder that creative, woman-owned businesses in Western North Carolina are not only thriving but helping shape the future of food and beverage in our region.”
The chef-crafted, loose-leaf tea brand operates out of The Stir, the shared kitchen and workspace McDonald co-founded with fellow women-owned businesses Matcha Nude and Spice Witch — both of which are previous NC IDEA grant recipients.
McDonald plans to use the NC IDEA funding to further scale production, audit Full Moon Tea’s branding and packaging as well as invest in marketing and retail partnerships to expand the company’s presence across North Carolina and beyond.
Asheville-based transportation company Shuttlebee Solutions was the only other WNC business to receive an NC IDEA grant.
To learn more, visit avl.mx/f60.
— Edwin Arnaudin X
LAST CALL: Rite Rite’s Woodfin location operated for nearly two years. Photo courtesy of Rite Rite
by Edwin Arnaudin
Ketch Secor Dark City LIT
Best known as the frontman for Old Crow Medicine Show, Ketch Secor released his debut solo album, Story the Crow Told Me, this summer to widespread critical acclaim. Featuring collaborations with Molly Tuttle, Marty Stuart and Old Crow alumni Critter Fuqua and Willie Watson, the 12-track collection finds the singer-songwriter in full command of his talents and keeping Americana music sounding as fresh as ever.
Secor brings these and other tunes to The Grey Eagle on Friday, Nov. 7,
at 8 p.m. Also on the bill are Madison County-based Nest of Singing Birds (featuring ballad singers Sheila Kay Adams and Donna Ray Norton) and Piedmont-based folk artist Jesse Smathers. The event is part of the weekendlong centennial celebration of the historic Asheville Sessions, Appalachia’s first commercial recordings, which preceded the 1927 Bristol Sessions — aka “the big bang of country music” — by two years.
To learn more, visit avl.mx/f62. X
The Thanksgiving Play
The Black Mountain Public Library has been home to the Dark City Poets Society’s monthly critique meetings from the get-go. And on Saturday, Nov. 8, it plays host to a new free literary festival, Dark City LIT.
The day begins with a drop-in Author Fair event (9-11 a.m.), where attendees can meet local writers and connect with fellow readers, followed by readings by local authors (noon-1 p.m.). After that, Susan Eischeid leads a workshop on research (1:30-2:30 p.m.), and Andrew Mack of Loblolly Press discusses the current state of writers groups and small presses. The day concludes with a presentation by Asheville-based author Tessa Fontaine, who will read from her works The Electric Woman: A Memoir in Death-Defying Acts and The Red Grove
To learn more, visit avl.mx/f65. X
Great Smokies Writing Program workshops
Somehow, it’s already November again, and with it comes the fast approach of one of our most problematic yet widely celebrated holidays.
Attic Salt Theatre Company faces these controversies head-on with the regional premiere of Larissa FastHorse’s The Thanksgiving Play, about an attempt by all-white educators to craft a respectful and politically correct Thanksgiving production for students that incorporates Native American themes. Through humor and satire, the drama critiques
the historical and ongoing misrepresentation of Native Americans by referencing past portrayals involving redface and other inaccurate presentations of indigenous culture.
The show is directed by local Indigenous person Gabrielle Bailey and stars Christy Montesdeoca, Jon Stockdale, Alan Steele and Emily Greene. Performances run Nov. 7-23, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $20.
To learn more, visit avl.mx/a1a. X
The Great Smokies Writing Program offers a pair of workshops this month at UNC Asheville, led by locally based authors.
On Saturday, Nov. 8, 1-4 p.m., in Karpen Hall room 139, TV and film veteran Linda Barsi presents “Screenwriting: Writing Vivid Scenes.” Designed for writers of all levels, the workshop will cover the basics of screenwriting — with help from a few scenes from the movie Legally Blonde — and culminate in a writer’sroom-style collaborative exercise.
And on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 6-8 p.m., in room 206 at the Reuter Center, Denise Kiernan hosts “Worldbuilding With Archives: Research Techniques for Writers of All Kinds.” The session centers on using archival and other nonfiction resources to ground a character or story in a particular time or place, including methods that The Last Castle author uses to craft her own books.
Each workshop costs $75.
To learn more, visit avl.mx/f64. X
Photo of Ketch Secor by Brooke Stevens
Photo of Dark City LIT featured speaker Tessa Fontaine by Max Cooper
From left, John Stockdale, Emily Greene and Christy Montesdeoca star in Attic Salt Theatre Company’s production of ‘The Thanksgiving Play.’ Photo courtesy of Attic Salt
Linda Barsi, left, and Denise Kiernan. Barsi photo courtesy of the artist. Kiernan photo by Mallory Cash
WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Nothin But the Blues Jam, 7:30pm
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12
12 BONES
SMOKEHOUSE & BREWING
Trivia w/King Trivia, 7pm
ASHEVILLE MUSIC
HALL
Shwayze (hip-hop), 8pm
CAMDEN'S COFFEE HOUSE
Open Mic Night, 7pm
EULOGY
Militarie Gun w/Liquid Mike & Public Opinion (hardcore, pop, punk), 8pm
FOOTHILLS GRANGE Trivia Night, 6:30pm
FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY
Saylor Brothers Jamgrass Wednesdays, 6:30pm
GALACTIC PIZZA
Fast Eddie's Trivia, 6:30pm
HIGHLAND BREWING CO.
Well-Crafted Music Series: The Nature Boys, 6pm
JACK OF THE WOOD PUB
Old Time Jam, 5pm
LEVELLER BREWING CO.
Folk Club: Folk Music Showcase, 6pm
PISGAH BREWING CO.
Innocent Mischief (folk), 6pm
SHAKEY'S
SSIN w/DJ Ragga Massive, 10pm
SLY GROG LOUNGE Weird Wednesday Open Jam, 7pm
THE MULE
Jazz Trio & Wine Wednesdays, 6pm
THE ODD
Terraoke Karaoke Takeover, 9pm
THE ORANGE PEEL
Durand Jones & the Indications (R&B, soul, funk), 8pm
URBAN ORCHARD Wayward Trivia, 6:30pm
WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN
• Irish Session, 5pm
• Open Mic Night, 7pm
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13
ANTIDOTE COCKTAIL
LOUNGE AT CHEMIST
Antidote Comedy w/ Trey Galyon, 7pm
CROW & QUILL
Drayton & The Dreamboats (jazz, rock'n'roll), 8:30pm
EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY
Bless Your Heart Trivia w/Harmon, 7pm
EULOGY
Sydney Sprague w/Gabrielle Grace & Superflower (alt-pop, indie-rock), 8pm
FITZ AND THE WOLFE
Fancy the 45s (honkytonk, swing, jazz), 7pm
FLEETWOOD'S
Step Mom, Paper Pills & Puppy & the Dogs (punk, indie), 9pm
FLOOD GALLERY
True Home Open Mic, 6pm
FRENCH BROAD
RIVER BREWERY
Jerry's Dead Thursdays (Grateful Dead & JGB tribute), 6pm
HI-WIRE BREWING
South Slope Open Mic w/Stephen Evans, 5:30pm
HIGHLAND BREWING CO.
Vaden Landers (country), 6pm
JACK OF THE WOOD PUB
Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich, 7pm
OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.
Andrew Thelston & Izzi
Hughes (multi-genre), 6pm
PISGAH BREWING CO.
The Late Shifters (Southern-rock, Americana), 7pm
SHAKEY'S Karaoke w/DJ Franco Nino, 9pm
SIERRA NEVADA BREWING CO.
The Altons & thee Sinseers (R&B, soul, indie), 6pm
SLY GROG LOUNGE
Dauzat St. Marie (Americana), 7pm
SOVEREIGN KAVA
Django Jazz Jam, 7pm
STATIC AGE LOFT
Auto-Tune Karaoke w/ Who Gave This B*tch A Mic, 10pm
THE JOINT NEXT DOOR
All Female Singer-Songwriter Night, 7pm
THE ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL
Ajeva (funk, rock), 9pm
THE ORANGE PEEL
I Don't Know How
But They Found Me (alt-indie), 8pm
FREEWILL ASTROLOGY
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In 1995, wolves were reintroduced to the American wildlife area known as Yellowstone Park after a 70-year absence. They hunted elk, which changed elk behavior, which changed vegetation patterns, which stabilized riverbanks, which altered the course of the Lamar River and its tributaries. The wolves changed the rivers! This phenomenon is called a trophic cascade: one species reorganizing an entire ecosystem through a web of indirect effects. For the foreseeable future, Aries, you will be a trophic cascade, too. Your choices will create many ripples beyond your personal sphere. I hope you wield your influence with maximum integrity.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I authorize you to explore the mysteries of sacred laziness. It’s your right and duty to engage in intense relaxing, unwinding, and detoxifying. Proceed on the theory that rest is not the absence of productivity but a different kind of production— the cultivation of dreams, the composting of experience, and the slow fermentation of insight. What if your worth isn’t always measured by your output? What if being less active for a while is essential to your beautiful success in the future?
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You are not yet who you will become. Your current struggle has not yet generated its full wisdom. Your confusion hasn’t fully clarified into purpose. The mess hasn’t composted into soil. The ending that looms hasn’t revealed the beginning it portends. In sum, Gemini, you are far from done. The story isn’t over. The verdict isn’t in. You haven’t met everyone who will love you and help you. You haven’t become delightfully impossible in all the ways you will eventually become delightfully impossible.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): By the time he became an elder, Cancerian artist David Hockney had enjoyed a long and brilliant career as a painter, primarily applying paint to canvases. Then, at age 72, he made a radical departure, generating artworks using iPhones and iPads. He loved how these digital media allowed him to instantly capture fleeting moments of beauty. His success with this alternate form of expression has been as great as his previous work. I encourage you to be as daring and innovative as Hockney. Your imaginative energy and creative powers are peaking. Take full advantage!
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Black activist Martin Luther King Jr. wrote, “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” He was proclaiming a universal truth: Real courage is never just about personal glory. It’s about using your fire to help and illuminate others. You Leos are made to do this: to be bold not just for your own sake, but as a source of strength for your community. Your charisma and creativity can be precious resources for all those whose lives you touch. In the coming weeks, how will you wield them for mutual uplift?
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Who would have predicted that the first woman to climb Mount Everest would have three planets in Virgo? Japanese mountaineer Junko Tabei did it in 1975. To what did she attribute her success? She described herself not as fearless, but as “a person who never gives up.” I will note another key character trait: rebellious willfulness. In her time, women were discouraged from the sport. They were regarded as too fragile and impractical for rugged ascents. She defied all that. Let’s make her your inspirational role model, Virgo. Be persistent, resolute, indefatigable, and, if necessary, renegade.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Among the Mbuti people of the Congo, there’s no word for “thank you.” Gratitude is so foundational to their culture that it requires no special acknowledgment. It’s not singled out in moments of politeness;
BY ROB BREZSNY
it’s a sweet ambent presence in the daily flux. I invite you to live like that for now, Libra. Practice feeling reverence and respect for every little thing that makes your life such an amazing gift. Feel your appreciation humming through ordinary moments like background music. I guarantee you that this experiment will boost the flow of gratitude-worthy experiences in your direction.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Martin Luther King Jr. said that harnessing our pain and transforming it into wise love can change the world for the better. More than any other sign, Scorpio, you understand this mystery: how descent can lead to renewal, how darkness can awaken brilliance. It's one of your birthrights to embody King’s militant tenderness: to take what has wounded you, alchemize it, and make it into a force that heals others as well as yourself. You have the natural power to demonstrate that vulnerability and ferocity can coexist, that forgiveness can live alongside uncompromising truth. When you transmute your shadows into offerings of power, you confirm King’s conviction that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): *Apophenia* is the tendency to perceive meaningful patterns in seemingly random data. On the downside, it may cause a belief in delusional conspiracy theories. But it can also be a generator of life’s poetry, leading us to see faces in clouds, hear fateful messages in static, and find key revelations in a horoscope. Psychologist C.G. Jung articulated another positive variation of the phenomenon. His concept of synchronicity refers to the occurrence of meaningful coincidences between internal psychological states and external events that feel deeply significant and even astounding to the person experiencing them. Synchronicities suggest there’s a mysterious underlying order in the universe, linking mind and matter in nonrational ways. In the coming weeks, Sagittarius, I suspect you will experience a slew of synchronicities and the good kind of apophenia.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Philosopher Alfred Korzybski coined the phrase "the map is not the territory.” In other words, your concepts about reality are not reality itself. Your idea of love is not love. Your theory about who you are is not who you are. It’s true that many maps are useful fictions. But when you forget they’re fiction, you're lost even when you think you know where you are. Here’s the good news, Capricorn: In the weeks ahead, you are poised to see and understand the world exactly as it is—maybe more than ever before. Lean into this awesome opportunity.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Babies are born with about 300 bones, but adults have 206. Many of our first bones fuse with others. From one perspective, then, we begin our lives abundant with possibility and rich with redundancy. Then we solidify, becoming structurally sound but less flexible. Aging is a process of strategic sacrifice, necessary but not without loss. Please meditate on these facts as a metaphor for the decisions you face. The question isn't whether to ripen and mature—that’s a given—but which growth will serve you and which will diminish you.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Beneath every thriving forest lies a lacework of mycelium. Through it, tree roots trade nourishment, warn each other of drought or illness, and make sure that young shoots benefit from elders’ reserves. Scientists call it the “wood-wide web.” Indigenous traditions have long understood the principle: Life flourishes when a vast communication network operates below the surface to foster care and collaboration. Take your cues from these themes, Pisces. Tend creatively to the web of connections that joins you to friends, collaborators, and kindred spirits. Proceed with the faith that generosity multiplies pathways and invites good fortune to circulate freely. Offer what you can, knowing that the cycle of giving will find its way back to you.
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ART/WRITING
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HOME IMPROVEMENT
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WE BUY VINTAGE GUITARS! Looking for 1920-1980 Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D'Angelico, Stromberg. And Gibson Mandolins / Banjos. These brands only! Call for a quote: 1-833-641-6577. (NC Press)
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edited by Will Shortz
ACROSS
1 Sits up and asks for table scraps, say
5 Reason for a school closing
10 Shopper’s reminder
14 Kind of vaccine
15 What Stan Lee has in many a Marvel movie
16 From the beginning
17 Elite soldier from GERMANY
19 Sister brand of Slush Puppie
20 It’s famously sealed with red wax
21 Shipping route
23 Monastery head
25 Vessel for cooking rice from NEPAL
27 Rugged rock face
28 Attics often have lots of them
29 A schooner has at least two of them
30 Reef lurker
31 Its roles include the kings of both Egypt and Ethiopia
32 Note above fa
33 Sci-fi attack from SLOVENIA
38 ___ Robinson (role in “The Graduate”)
39 Nimble-fingered
40 Go-ahead
42 Japanese beer brand
45 Shower affection (on)
46 School supply that might come in stick form
47 Fighting style from OMAN
49 Gillian ___, author of “Sharp Objects”
50 Chinese monastery known for its style of kung fu
51 Greeting from Bowser
52 Bulletin board sticker
53 Seasonal precipitation from SURINAME
58 Toledo’s lake
59 Receded
60 FAQ page contents
61 Finish a flight
62 Looks at a Nook, say
63 #2: Abbr. DOWN
1 Stole from a show?
2 Screw up
3 Keepsake after a rookie’s first touchdown
4 Sneaky so-and-so
5 An “I.R.S. agent” asking you to buy gift cards, e.g.
6 M&M’s color replaced by blue in 1995
7 “Whoa!”
8 Candy brand with a Big Cup variety
9 Fungus with a pitted cap
10 Boxer who retired undefeated (24-0) in 2007
11 With an implication of shouting, say
12 Spotted attending
13 Most middle schoolers
18 Splinter in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” e.g. 22 Just about
23 Blackjack half 24 Spanish for “tar”
25 Spa treatment, familiarly 26 Desert
28 Takes gold
31 Move in which a skier leaves the ground
32 Still on, in a way
34 “Can’t wait for the next episode!”
35 Power to remove a nomination for eviction on “Big Brother”
36 Online subscription service since 2016
Paper or plastic, say 41 Part of a Cub Scout pack 42 Dutch beer brand
43 Desert whose name comes from the Arabic for “desert”
44 Painkiller brand that sponsored the first TV sitcom
