Mountain Xpress 03.20.24

STAFF

FEATURES PAGE 30 KIDS ISSUE, PART 2

8

What does the future hold for the

12

Downtown mulls 2024 business

district proposal

23

dugout

56 BODY MOVIN’

Experts say adults can promote positive body image in kids

What do local kids and teens dream about? Find out in this week’s Kids Issue, Part 2, which is full of creative and engaging art, essays, poems and short fiction. Plus, check out our annual Summer Camp Guide, which includes information from more than 150 camps organized by nearly 60 organizations. This week’s cover photo was taken at Camp Grier in Old Fort.

COVER PHOTO

Courtesy of Camp Grier; by Bren Dendy

COVER DESIGN Scott Southwick

4 LETTERS

4 CARTOON: MOLTON

5

6

BRENT BROWN

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City Council should not bend to threats

I am writing to address and highlight what was said by one of the leaders of the cease-fire movement Feb. 27 — as it left me feeling quite unsettled and concerned. The leader threatened City Council during her speech.

She said: “We don’t want to keep coming here. Those are our demands, is that we need a response from you. We can keep coming here, but we need something back, or we’re just going to start disrupting and moving into different ways to make our voices heard because we do not feel heard.”

It’s not entirely clear what she meant when she said “moving into different ways”; however, it’s clear that it is something more than simply disrupting. The bottom line is that any threats should be taken extremely seriously by the city.

I must also point out that by allowing this group to speak, the city was, in fact, already allowing their voices to be heard. However, being heard does not entail forcing agreement to their demands for action. Demanding action goes beyond being heard. And clearly, in no way should City Council bend to any group that is making threats.

This brings to mind another thing that the leader said in her speech to City Council. She said: “I’m happy to sit across the table, and I’m sure a lot of us are, with Zionist folks of the community to find where we can align and pass a cease-fire resolution, so let’s do that.” This is clearly a red herring.

First of all, they don’t have any intention of talking with anyone with opposing views. Second, their so-called discussion already has a predetermined conclusion. Again, that’s not how compromise works. Her words were just a ruse to make

her group seem accommodating and open to discussions, which they are not.

Finally, their call for cease-fire is purely performative and based on hatred and not really based on the care for Palestinian civilian lives.

You may ask how I know that?

Simple logic. If they truly cared about civilian life, they would be open to the surrender by Hamas and the release of all the hostages. If they are truly concerned about the 2 million Gazan civilians, then the surrender of a few thousand Hamas soldiers would be an inconsequential concession in order to save the millions that they claim are at risk. And yet they are dead set against the surrender by Hamas.

The war will undoubtedly be lost by Hamas, and so by not surrendering now, they are just prolonging the misery of the Gazan people. If Hamas surrendered today and released all

occupation; the right to return home; equal human rights.

No, the Council was just being asked to take a stance, largely symbolic, for an end to the killing.

Here is what it was being asked to state as a resolution: “That the City of Asheville declares its support for an immediate and durable cease-fire, the immediate delivery of ample and lifesaving humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians, for freeing of all hostages and for an end to antisemitic, anti-Palestinian, Islamophobic and all xenophobic rhetoric and attacks across our country.”

Council members weren’t being asked to take a side. They were just being asked to express some humanity on behalf of our community.

But this they could not do.

What an abdication of civic leadership. Pathetic.

— Ken Jones Swannanoa

the hostages, the danger to the civilians would immediately cease. If this group truly cared about the lives of civilians, they should not care about the details of how the war ends as long as civilian lives are out of danger as soon as possible.

— David Moritz Asheville

Council choice fails to show humanity

Shame on the Asheville City Council for refusing to even consider a cease-fire resolution for Gaza. In the midst of a genocide, it could not muster the moral courage to simply issue a call for peace.

It wasn’t like it was being asked for the full measure of justice for Palestinians: an end to the siege; an end to the brutal apartheid and

Haw Creek development raises many concerns

I live in Haw Creek and am not for the proposed Meadows development. The reasons are listed below.

I have lost five close friends who moved away due to rent increases that were not within their budgets; four went out of state. Another was able to move in with a good friend but passed away before we were able to get him into VA.

Also the issue of affordable housing due to the above should be addressed. Increasing rent and unaffordable house prices are making it almost impossible for locals to remain in our area.

I have pictures that I made of the 2014 flooding in the Asheville area where the creeks and rivers flooded. In the Haw Creek proposed area of development, the top of the lower bridge was underwater at the entrance to Happy Valley on the east side of New Haw Creek Road. I don’t know how you would be able to get insurance or have a city agree to rezoning or develop roads or homesites in any of the low areas due to the possibility of flooding.

If they remove old trees, I doubt we’ll see much from any new trees for a few decades. But we wish that the City Council condition any approval on significant tree preservation. What will happen to the trees that because of size and age will never be replaced? Our area is considered tree-friendly, and our local area is conservative.

In the last few years, we in Haw Creek have had a great increase

CARTOON BY BRENT BROWN

in animals, including bears, turkeys, coyotes, foxes and a variety of other wildlife. If this development is approved, their habitat will be lost forever.

We hope the Council will be committed to balancing new development with improvements to maintain and enhance the Haw Creek community. This development is very large, exceeding the development criteria, requiring Council approval.

Having been a resident of Haw Creek since 1988, the experience of my children attending school here just reinforces my concern about the safety of being able to drive on the two main roads, with two only entrances to the valley. The estimated increase in traffic without a plan or improvement is unacceptable and a serious safety concern. Obviously, we will see a lot more traffic and more pollutants, and being a small valley, we will lose the air quality we have enjoyed.

According to the Haw Creek Community Association: “At present, NCDOT reports 6,300 cars a day use New Haw Creek Road. The addition of 95 homes is expected to add 847 trips per day, a 13% increase. There are already significant backups associated with drop-offs and pickups at the two schools located on this road. The developer nor the city nor NCDOT have any plans to

make improvements to New Haw Creek Road.”

— Martin Beckman Haw Creek Asheville

Ask Edwards what fiscal commission would target

A recent letter to the editor criticized Congressman Chuck Edwards of not supporting the needs and values of his constituents, mentioning culture war issues of immigration and abortion [“Rep. Edwards Fails to Represent Us,” Jan. 31, Xpress].

But largely out of view of corporate and social media, he voted to advance HR 5779 out of the House Budget Committee. If the Fiscal Commission Act of 2023 makes it into law, it creates a way to cut the federal budget, including Medicare and Social Security, largely behind closed doors and without allowing Congress to modify the text of any bill advanced by only seven voting members of the commission.

The devil is in the details, but some highlights are:

• The committee’s bills are made public 24 hours after being issued.

• The House and Senate then have two-11 days (it’s complicated) to vote on the bills, without amendment, not allowing points

of order or procedural issues to be raised.

• Two hours (you read that right) of debate are allowed in the Senate and House.

• If the president vetoes it, then 10 hours of debate are allowed during an override attempt. Follow this closely and ask Rep. Edwards what spending will be targeted by this commission.

— David Dixon Asheville

Repair Malvern Hills pool in time for summer

As a resident of Haines, Alaska, where our citizens recently succeeded in convincing our government to make the investment for necessary repairs to reopen our public pool, I urge the Asheville government to do the right thing and listen to the people’s request to repair the Malvern Hills pool and have it open for swim classes and recreation this coming summer.

Swimming pools, trails and bicycle paths are among the most important public recreational infrastructure. These facilities attract visitors and people interested in relocating and pursuing a healthy lifestyle.

The growth Asheville is experiencing is the best reason to upgrade public infrastructure, including

swimming pools! These investments are significant secondary economic drivers for Asheville.

I recently visited my daughter and her family who are Malvern Hills pool users and supporters of the work necessary to repair and reopen the pool.

It’s inspiring to see that Asheville visitors and residents are graced with a thriving city of generous green spaces, parks, recreational opportunities and so many other public facilities. These publicly supported facilities are a big reason why people are flocking to Asheville.

In exploring Asheville with my daughter, I was impressed by the dozens of city workers cleaning up and maintaining city parks throughout the city. In one small corner pocket park alone, I counted eight workers and two equipment/materials trucks cleaning up, mulching and grooming the grounds.

This dedication and investment in public spaces is to be applauded. It should not detract from the all-important upgrading and maintenance of public facilities that provide exercise, recreation and skill-building for people of all ages.

Please listen to the people and get the Malvern Hills pool reopened for summer 2024.

— Carol Tuynman Haines, Alaska X

In defense of challenge

How tackling hard things benefits us all

BY TRICIA CHAN

It’s spring in the mountains, an especially exciting moment for those of us who enjoy spending as much time as possible outdoors. As the girls program director at the French Broad River Academy in Asheville, the season presents a rich, new opportunity for learning for both me and my students. As the weather warms, we haul our boats out of storage and head for the river, eager to refine our rusty paddling skills and challenge ourselves to learn new ones.

It’s not always easy to leave the warmth of a cozy classroom on a drizzly March morning to load up dozens of boats, paddles and personal flotation devices for a day on the water. The trails and riverbanks are often muddy and slippery, and the rapids are cold. The challenges are worth it, though, because the lessons of hard work, practice and determination that my students learn as they navigate the river return with them to the classroom. They are better prepared to tackle that math problem they’ve been struggling with, to stand up in front of an audience for a presentation or to play a musical instrument or to have a tough conversation with a friend.

One of my greatest hopes as an educator is that this mindset of challenge and growth spreads into all areas of my students’ lives — since one of the most important things we can do to be healthy and happy is to regularly do things that are hard for us.

BUILDING OUR ‘CHALLENGE MUSCLE’

Sometimes we get mixed up in what “success” actually means. Are we being truly successful if we remove all obstacles and find the easiest way forward in our pursuits? On the contrary: Success is more about navigating obstacles well and being good at learning and improving. In the same way that a paddler learns to catch small eddies, navigate a strong current or hit a wave head-on, so is dealing with life’s challenges, and it’s a skill that is more important now than ever. Being good at challenges is something we must work at — we have to be willing to participate in regular, appropriate doses of doing hard things in order to build our “challenge muscle.”

As advancements in technology continue to make life more convenient and comfortable, I believe that we unwittingly weaken those important learning moments that come from discomfort in our daily lives. Why should I intentionally place myself in a position of discomfort or difficulty if a more comfortable, easier option exists? Some challenges can be harmful, yes, but some challenges lead to growth.

I love the topic of “the right kind of challenge.” It’s my entire job as an educator and why I believe in the transformative nature of the experiential education models that I use daily. We know that engaging in regular, small experiences of challenge — both physically and cognitively — leads to many benefits for our body and mind. Much like building physical muscle and fitness,

“Success is more about navigating obstacles well and being good at learning and improving.”

our brains also need to stretch and exercise to stimulate growth.

When my students are on the river and encounter a rapid, they have to work through so many important moments to paddle through it successfully. They have to be able to look at the rapid with a critical eye to find the best route, to talk and work with their canoe partner to communicate the plan, to push through some nerves to paddle strongly and to make decisions in the moment in case things don’t go according to plan. Evaluation and assessment, communication, conflict management, resilience and judgment: These are the

skills we build bit by bit when we regularly do hard things.

EMBRACING DISCOMFORT

As I think about building a better community and educating students for the future, I believe the health of our world and the happiness of our lives depend on all of us building strong “challenge muscles.” Being able and willing to do hard things leads to so many good things. It means that our brains start to get the message that “I can do hard things.” It means that we can be more willing to do things for others, like service and acts of kindness. It means that we can be more compassionate toward others who are also experiencing hard things. And it means that when we encounter failure — a very unavoidable part of life — we know how to pick ourselves up, ask for help and try again.

So here’s my challenge: Let’s find ways to regularly challenge ourselves in good ways and let’s encourage others around us to do the same. In so many ways, we can embrace discomfort to our benefit. In these moments, let’s learn to be solution-oriented and positive, to support others and to discover just how amazing and capable we can be.

Tricia Chan is the program director for girls at the French Broad River Academy, an independent middle school in Asheville. She has more than 15 years of experience working in education and curriculum design, and integrating nontraditional instruction with student development and transformational field experiences. X

TRICIA CHAN

Whiplash

BY JESSICA WAKEMAN

There’s a new sign on the front door of the Swannanoa Library amid the flyers for Tiny Tots yoga on Wednesdays and the Anime Club on Saturday afternoons.

“It’s official,” the sign reads. “The library is staying.”

For the past month, members of the Swannanoa community believed their library branch would close at the end of June, as per a Feb. 13 Buncombe County press release. The impending closure galvanized the small township. Residents placed bright red “Speak up for Swannanoa Library” signs on their lawns, and, according to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, sent a fusillade of correspondence to the county.

On March 7, the commissioners voted to temporarily suspend the closure. “I’m sure lots of folks who we’ve heard from and talked to who love the current library are also aware of its limitations and challenges,” Board of Commissioners Chair Brownie Newman said at the meeting. “What we’re looking for is a good discussion about what can best serve this part of Buncombe County for the long term.”

Lifelong Swannanoa resident Rose Willis says she’s grateful that the commissioners took action. “I felt like they didn’t think ... as many people would stand up for the library as ... ended up doing so,” Willis says from a playground bench at Grovemont Park, where she sat watching her granddaughter play. “Even though it’s a small town, it still needs [a library].”

After she learned of the vote, Yve Mitchell, a local poet, says she called her husband “overjoyed” and in tears. “I definitely was shocked by the decision to keep it open,” Mitchell notes. “We’d already started grieving, just because I didn’t know how much power the community would have. We were hopeful, but we wanted to be realistic.”

Autumn Mitchell (no relation to Yve Mitchell), a senior at Charles D. Owen High School, says the Swannanoa Library is important for Black Mountain and Swannanoa youths. “There’s not really much that teenagers or even kids can do in the area — not very many different parks or attractions you can go to,” she points out, citing the 2016 closure of Tarwheels Skateway, a longtime

What does the future hold for the Swannanoa Library?

roller rink in Black Mountain. “But then, there’s always a library.”

People who spoke with Xpress were relieved that the Swannanoa Library has been saved for now. But many questions remain about its future as well as who will be involved in the decision-making process moving forward.

AN UNWELCOME SURPRISE

Resident George Scott currently serves as the treasurer of the Swannanoa Community Council, which owns and leases the library building to the county. Scott says the Feb. 13 closure announcement surprised the entire community and the SCC as well as the Library Advisory Board.

Sadie Simpson, secretary of the SCC, echoes this sentiment, noting the shock she felt on discovering the decision via Facebook. “As a resident

of the neighborhood and a patron of the library, I was very, very surprised to see that announcement all over the internet.”

Part of the confusion, notes Scott, is that prior communication with the county concerning the library’s future had been open and collaborative. Beginning in summer 2022, Scott says, members of SCC and the county met multiple times and discussed recommended facility improvements as well as a conveyance of the parcels SCC owns — meaning, the SCC would convey the parcels to the county if certain stipulations, such as continuing to provide library services, were met.

Over the previous two years, Scott continues, SCC members held at least three meetings with several county employees, including Assistant County Manager DK Wesley and former Buncombe County Libraries Director Jim Blanton, and engaged in numerous phone calls.

Within these discussions, the county never broached the possibility of closing the Swannanoa branch, Scott asserts. However, in a March 15 email, Buncombe County spokesperson Lillian Govus writes, “During a meeting with SCC and county staff, the question was posed that if the County were to no longer operate a library, would SCC continue to utilize the space, and the SCC indicated the affirmative.”

Community members believed they might receive additional library services. In a Feb. 20 letter to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, Carol Groben , the vice chair of the Friends of the Swannanoa Library, wrote that the community was “operating under the justifiable belief that the county had made a public commitment to finally address the inadequacy

READING IS FUNDAMENTAL: A cardboard cutout of Imagination Library founder Dolly Parton holds court in the Swannanoa Library’s cozy seating area. Photo by Jessica Wakeman

of library services in Swannanoa, and was moving forward with that plan.”

Groben continued, “Instead, we learned, out of the blue and with no prior warning whatsoever, that the county has now decided to address the problem of inadequate library services in Swannanoa by removing those services from our community altogether.”

Govus confirms that the county did not consult the Library Advisory Board before the Feb. 13 announcement. “It was an operational decision [made by] the county manager’s office,” she says.

REAL ESTATE AND REPAIRS

The SCC owns the parcel that houses the library as well as two adjacent parcels that include an unpaved parking lot and Grovemont Park.

On Oct. 13, 2022, Buncombe County Attorney Brandon Freeman emailed Jeri Legeay, the attorney representing the SCC, with a conditional offer stating the county’s “intention to build a new library” on the current parcel and potentially extend it into the adjacent parking

area. The email also said the county would maintain the park.

But the SCC was unwilling to concede the park; instead, it offered the county a long-term lease. “That space is the center for the community. It has historic meaning and high historic value,” Scott says.

The SCC’s counteroffer also stipulated the county would “complete construction of a new or renovated library ... with a Certificate of Occupancy issued within three years after the conveyance,” according to a Jan. 5, 2023, email from Legeay to the county.

According to a March 17, 2023, email, Buncombe County Attorney Michael Frue declined SCC’s proposal, noting the county had discussed the counteroffer with the Board of Commissioners. Frue suggested the county and SCC “begin discussions and negotiations as soon as possible on future uses and lease terms. It might also be helpful to engage in further discussion regarding the property, beyond the scope of just the recommended lease discussion.”

Frue’s email also stated the county was “committed to exploring options for enhancing services

and providing greater access to library resources for Buncombe County residents.”

In June 2023, representatives from SCC met with Buncombe County. “They didn’t say why they were declining [the offer in their March email], and so [we wanted to know], ‘OK, what’s the issue?’” Scott says. He believed a direct conversation with county employees might be more fruitful than communicating through lawyers. At that point, the county had renewed its lease on the Swannanoa Library building through June 2024.

As recently as this fall, Scott has had regular check-in phone calls with current Buncombe County Libraries Director Jason Hyatt Based on these talks — and despite the county’s declining of SCC’s counteroffer — Scott says he was under the impression that the county was still considering it.

The county maintains that structural needs totaling $635,000 led to the lease’s nonrenewal. “There are some things that need to happen to meet [building] code and there are other things that need to happen in order to be able to have a responsible level of efficiency in the building,” Govus explained in a Feb. 4 interview with Xpress.

According to Govus, the building’s HVAC air distribution ductwork needs to be replaced, as do the roof, windows and oil furnace. She says the building also lacks sufficient insulation, and the incandescent lighting needs to be upgraded to meet updated federal Department of Energy regulations.

The SCC disputes the county’s $635,000 estimate for the building’s repairs. “Some of the items included in the county estimate have been addressed and taken care of by the SCC, so we feel that the county’s cost estimates are overstated,” reads the SCC website.

Scott also provided invoices showing SCC paid to replace an electric water heater in 2023 and shared invoices for other work, such as circuitry for the HVAC. (SCC finances the building repairs it does through its outdoor summer concert series, Groovin’ on Grovemont.) Furthermore, he says, the SCC replaced the roof in 2015: “It’s in great shape. It’s probably going to be good for another 20 years.”

Govus did not provide comments on Scott’s claims about the meetings. Board of Commissioners Chair Newman did not respond to multiple requests for an interview, and Hyatt declined to speak with Xpress for this article.

system,” according to a county press release.

Many residents who spoke with Xpress said they believed the commissioners’ 2021 vote meant closing the Swannanoa Library was no longer an option.

However, Govus says the November 2021 vote did not factor into the county’s recent decisions on the Swannanoa Library’s future. Buncombe County does not need to obtain approval from the Board of Commissioners to end a lease on a building that provides a public service, Govus states.

Based on their recent experiences, community members now worry other library facilities could be in jeopardy.

“There are not any discussions [about changing] library service other than to expand hours to increase access at other locations,” Govus tells Xpress

“We directed [Buncombe County staff] to keep the current location open, and so that is definitely a win for the community and for the greater Swannanoa area,” says Buncombe County Commissioner Terri Wells. “It is a growing area of our county, and there are a lot of services that are tied around our libraries that benefit people in our community. And so I’m excited that we’re going to be looking at how we can improve those services for that area.”

THE FATE OF OTHER LIBRARIES

This is not the first time Swannanoa residents have been concerned for the fate of their library. However, previous discussions about potential changes to library services were linked to a past proposal, which Buncombe County is no longer pursuing.

In May 2021, the Board of Commissioners reviewed the Library Master Plan. Among its many recommendations, the plan called for consolidating the Black Mountain and Swannanoa libraries and closing the Oakley/South Asheville Library.

In June 2021, following objections from community members, the county announced that staff was “pressing pause” on the Library Master Plan. And in November 2021, the Board of Commissioners voted to maintain the current library system by keeping all existing libraries in their current locations and “to explore enhancements to the library

She also notes Buncombe County leases the Black Mountain Library and the Oakley Library buildings. “It’s hard to make a commitment on properties the county doesn’t own,” she says.

When asked if the county would consider purchasing either of those buildings, Govus replied, “I have not been part of any of that conversation, so I can’t speak anything to that.”

WHAT’S NEXT?

Swannanoa residents are cautiously optimistic despite the library’s unclear future. Scott, the treasurer for the SCC, is pleased with the March 7 vote to keep the library open. “The community [is] grateful the commissioners demonstrated leadership in making this decision to allow the library services to continue for the people of Swannanoa,” he says. “We look forward to a fully transparent process with ample community input as a robust and

improved library services model is developed.”

A new building at the current site and a new site for the library are both possibilities, Govus told Xpress in a March 12 interview. Any potential real estate acquisition would be discussed by the Board of Commissioners in a closed session, she adds. Commissioners would then direct the staff about whether to pursue a proposed location.

What’s off the table — for now at least — is purchasing the Swannanoa Library building. Says Govus, “That is not anything that we’re discussing.”

Meanwhile, the SCC is working to assure residents of continuity in ownership. “The important thing to know right now is that there are no plans to sell the building or use it for any purpose other than to benefit the Swannanoa community,” the group states on its website. X

TAKEN ABACK: According to Swannanoa Community Council Treasurer George Scott, the community had no idea ending library services in Swannanoa was under consideration by Buncombe County. “They dropped it as a surprise on the community,” Scott says. Photo by Jessica Wakeman

SOCIAL MEDIA SHOCK: Sadie Simpson, secretary of the Swannanoa Community Council, learned of Buncombe County’s initial decision to close the library on Facebook.

Photo by Jessica Wakeman

Second coming

BY JESSICA WAKEMAN

In 2012, Randy Talley wasn’t particularly alarmed by safety or cleanliness issues in downtown Asheville. Or rather, he trusted the City of Asheville to handle those things. The owner of two Green Sage restaurants had survived the 2008 financial crisis, and “by 2012, it looked like all ships were rising in downtown Asheville,” he says.

So the restaurateur didn’t see a pressing need for a business improvement district downtown, despite Asheville City Council’s 2009 Master Plan that included plans to establish one. A business improvement district, or BID, is an independent nonprofit that collects an assessment from eligible property owners within a geographical area. Owners are assessed via their property taxes, and an appointed board allocates funds to provide supplemental services — like increased cleanliness and hiring street “guides” to assist tourists with directions — to those provided by municipal government.

Of the 2012 BID, “what I heard was ‘we want to raise taxes,’” Talley tells Xpress. “I’m already paying taxes to be downtown. ... I don’t need someone to take graffiti off my building.” He did that himself.

Though the City Council approved the BID proposal in 2012, it never funded it. And in the decade-plus since, a lot has changed in downtown Asheville. Talley notes that in January and February 2019, his businesses were profitable, despite winter being a slower time for local tourism. But “that hasn’t happened since,” he explains, citing the COVID-19 pandemic as the biggest turning point. He’s seen his profits decline and cleanliness in downtown Asheville deteriorate. He notes he

Downtown mulls 2024 business improvement district proposal

MAPPED OUT: Daniel Mekela,

has less competition, due to nearby restaurant closures, too.

On Feb. 6, consultants hired by the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce held three public presentations about another proposal for a BID in downtown Asheville. The plan would assess 11 cents per $100 of value in a property for property owners and residents to provide enhanced safety, hospitality and cleaning services.

Talley is all in on supporting a BID this time around. “It’s a business

Downtown Asheville Business Improvement District at a Glance

ASSESSMENT:

• 11 cents per $100 of taxable value

• Example: A $500,000 property will be assessed $550

• Will appear as a line item on annual property tax bills

• Approximately 1,500 properties within the BID.

• Both business and residential properties assessed

• City, county, nonprofit and religious institutions are exempt

• Recommended 10-year term

decision on my part,” he explains. “We’ve got to do something radical. We have to do something completely different.”

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DOWNTOWN?

Not every downtown property owner is enthusiastic, however. Among those who are skeptical, the point of contention is whether a BID overburdens downtown taxpayers

ESTIMATED ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET:

• Safety and hospitality services: $700,000

• Enhanced cleaning services: $300,000

• Special projects: $300,000

• BID management and administration: $200,000

Total: $1.5 million per year

for basic services that should be provided by the City of Asheville and Buncombe County.

The purpose of a BID is to provide supplemental services within a business district, says former property manager Karen Ramshaw, who attended the Feb. 6 presentation. But she doesn’t see the city and county as able to accomplish that. “My biggest concern now is that the BID is going to be a way for the city and the county to pass on more of the costs to downtown property owners than we should be asked to carry,” she says.

Ramshaw believes local government has consistently decreased attention to downtown’s needs. She was particularly frustrated by the 60-day “downtown safety initiative” that the City of Asheville instituted last summer. At a July 14 meeting of the Downtown Commission, which she attended, city employees updated the commission on progress. The initiative resolved dozens of street lighting issues, removed graffiti and performed “hot-spot” cleaning areas where litter accumulates.

senior vice president of Progressive Urban Management Associates, highlights the boundary of a proposed business improvement district in downtown Asheville during a stakeholder engagement meeting on Feb. 6. PUMA is a Colorado-based consultancy hired by the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce to develop a BID proposal.

Photo by Jessica Wakeman

“Most of the things they were bringing up were delayed maintenance,” Ramshaw says of the 60-day initiative. For example, during the initiative the city “removed over 4,000 graffiti tags in 60 days,” she continues. “How do we have over 4,000 graffiti tags in our little downtown? … I saw it as proof of city neglect.”

Ramshaw oversaw property for three decades for Public Interest Projects, a real estate developer behind Rabbit Rabbit, The Orange Peel and numerous residential apartment buildings. “As downtown property owners, as downtown business owners and friends of mine who are downtown residents … we are willing to put in a little more to get more,” she says. “What we’re not willing to do is to pay even more for less [attentiveness to downtown’s needs], which is how it has felt for quite some time.”

DOWNTOWN’S DESTINY

In 2012, detractors of the Asheville BID opposed the collection of taxes from an unelected board that had the authority to determine how to spend it.

But for some business owners in 2024, that’s precisely the appeal.

“I think the biggest thing it could offer is a chance for downtown to take its destiny in its own hands,” says Eva-Michelle Spicer, co-owner of Spicer Greene Jewelers and a member of the BID Steering Committee. “We’re kind of at the mercy of what the mayor and City Council decide for us.”

“If I pay a nickel and I also have a seat at the table and help leverage $1 of benefit … then I’m all for it,” says Talley, the owner of Green Sage. (He noted that he doesn’t own the property at his 5 Broadway restaurant, but his rent pays for the property taxes.)

Another perceived asset of BIDs is the ability to be nimble in a way that is not always possible for the government. Downtown residential property owner Kim MacQueen referenced break-ins that occurred in downtown businesses in 2022 and 2023. “A BID could decide, ‘Let’s take this pocket of money that we’re not spending and hire a security guard, from midnight till 3,’” says MacQueen, who was co-chair of the committee that proposed how to implement the 2012 BID. “A city can’t do that because everything’s budgeted for the year. That’s the beauty of a rapid response institution.”

Talley also agrees, “We need to have an expeditious way to solve the problems.” He envisions employees working for the BID

would have more direct access to relevant city and county agencies, as well as more time to see those problems be addressed than property owners do.

Adds Spicer, “The BID’s not going to have policy enforcement [responsibilities], but it’ll have enough money behind it to actually get something done.”

A successful tourism economy and the livelihood of downtown workers are other reasons supporters like Spicer want a BID. She called the 60-day safety initiative that the City of Asheville announced in April “fantastic,” and sees a BID as a mechanism to increase “comfortability” downtown. “We have to have a clean and safe downtown, period,” she says.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 14

Services provided

ENHANCED SAFETY AND HOSPITALITY:

• 4-6 safety/hospitality ambassadors; two shifts 7 a.m.-11:30 p.m. daily; 300-400 hours of average weekly service

• 1 outreach ambassador; 40 hours of average weekly service; schedule to be determined

• 1 outreach social worker; 40 hours of average weekly service; schedule to be determined

ENHANCED CLEANING:

• Litter removal, pressure washing, street furniture cleanup

• 1-3 cleaning ambassadors; two shifts 7 a.m.-11:30 p.m. daily; 200-250 average hours of weekly services

BEAUTIFICATION:

• 1-3 project/landscape ambassadors; 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m., 80 average hours of weekly services; variable based on season/events

MANAGEMENT:

• 1 evening team leader/supervisor; 3:30-11:30 p.m.; 40 hours of average weekly service

• 1 operations manager; variable shifts; 40 hours of average weekly service

Source: Feb. 6, 2024, BID presentation by PUMA, model proposed by Block by Block

Spicer wants to see increased pressure-washing in parking garages downtown. “The Wall Street garage, the stairs right there?” She shuddered, gesturing to the City of Asheville-maintained parking facility near her store. “We need to improve the perception of a clean and safe downtown and for folks to know that downtown is a safe place,” she explains. “Because if nobody’s coming downtown, that hurts us all.”

Andrew Celwyn, co-owner of the herb shop Herbiary, has been part of two BIDs in Philadelphia, where his store has another location. Based on those experiences, Celwyn believes a BID in Asheville would be beneficial. “Downtown is different than the rest of the city or the county,” he tells Xpress. “With so much more foot and vehicular traffic, it has much greater needs for services to maintain it. Having a BID is one way to keep up with a part of the city that works on a different pace.”

‘A PROVEN IDEA’

The BID would be self-governed by an appointed board. Brad Segal, president of Progressive Urban Management Associates in Denver,

a consultancy hired by the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, said at a Feb. 6 meeting of BID stakeholders, that the board’s initial slate would be developed with the steering committee and partners like the Asheville Downtown Association.

( Zach Wallace, Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce vice president of policy, did not respond to multiple requests for a list of members of the BID Steering Committee.)

Board members would have term limits; as vacancies occur, the BID board would submit options to City Council for approval.

Multiple downtown property owners who spoke to Xpress said they were heartened that so many other communities have BIDs. The United States has over 1,000 BIDs nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Some cities even have several BIDs apiece.

What a BID could do

At a Feb. 6 morning gathering Brad Segal, president of Progressive Urban Management Associates in Denver, a consultancy hired by the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, led a presentation about the BID proposal. The consultants recommended a 10-year term on an Asheville BID.

Daniel Mekela, the group’s senior vice president, shared results of a survey distributed by the chamber in which respondents said enhanced safety and hospitality and more cleaning, beautification and maintenance would be what they want to see from a BID.

The draft boundary of the BID’s footprint is similar to the one proposed for a 2012 BID but extends farther to the northeast, Mekala said. “We’re evaluating right now some adjustments to some of the edges,” he said. “We’re looking at, should the Asheland Avenue cor-

ridor be included? Should some of the Charlotte Street corridor come out of the bid?” The locations were being analyzed from both a service and revenue-generating perspective, he said.

PUMA senior strategist Yvette Freeman presented the proposed model for the BID structure. It would include enhanced safety and hospitality, enhanced cleaning and beautification services. Block By Block, a private security and events management company that works on BIDs nationwide, provided information for the proposed model, Freeman said.

The proposed annual budget is $1.5 million, with the majority of funding going to safety and hospitality services. The proposed assessment is 11 cents per $100 of taxable property. City of Asheville and Buncombe County properties, nonprofits and religious institutions

“I think the BID is a good idea because it’s a proven idea,” Talley says. He also touches on a topic that PUMA discussed in its presentation: the lack of trust that many citizens have in their government.

“The biggest problem that Asheville faces right now is that the stakeholders don’t trust each other,” Talley says. “If you don’t trust the city, why would you make the city fix the problem that you can fix? … They clearly need help.” X

are exempt. Seventy percent of the real estate within the proposed boundary, or 1,500 business and residential properties, are taxable.

“If there’s support for this, we are proposing that there be evidence of that support through a petition” from property owners, Segal told the audience. He noted that North Carolina does not require property owners to petition their local municipality to start a BID. However, “our feeling is if we’re talking about an assessment of tax, you should be demonstrating that this is [wanted],” he said.

PUMA recommended presenting the BID to Asheville City Council in the spring for a proposed July 1 start date. Assessment for the BID would appear as a line item on annual property taxes.

The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce funded the consultants and expects to be repaid from the assessment within the first two years of the BID, Segal said.

BOARD ROOM: At a Feb. 6 meeting of downtown stakeholders, Brad Segal, president of Progressive Urban Management Associates, says a BID would be self-governed by an appointed board. Photo by Jessica Wakeman

Hot takes

New Asheville Fire Chief Cayse focuses on training, diversity

BY CHASE DAVIS

news@mountainx.com

With over 34 years of experience in fire safety, few people understand the inner workings of a fire department quite like Asheville’s recently hired chief, Michael Cayse

“Regardless of what community you are in or the size of your department, the mission of a fire department is always the same,” Cayse says. “Every community may have different interests and goals, but in the end, our job is to help citizens in their times of need, whether that need be a medical issue, a fire or a rescue. I am excited to lead the Asheville Fire Department with integrity while also continuing to further the outstanding reputation that makes us a leader within emergency response and fire service.”

As the new chief, Cayse plans to focus on the professional development of his staff, increase diversity within the department and advocate for more modern equipment, fire stations and technology.

“The Asheville Fire Department has always been really aggressive and responsive in their ability to put out fires,” Cayse says. “My goal for the department is for us to continue to deliver high-quality fire service while also ensuring that our people are best equipped for the future.”

Cayse officially started in his new role on Jan. 2, taking over from Deputy Fire Chief Chris Budzinski, who had been filling in on an interim basis. The previous fire chief, Scott Burnette, retired last June after serving 28 years with the Fire Department, the last 14 as fire chief.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

An Ohio native, Cayse attended the University of Cincinnati, where he received a bachelor’s degree in fire safety engineering, as well as an associate degree in fire science technology. He also has a master’s degree in public administration from Northern Kentucky University.

Cayse says he got started in fire safety in 1986, serving as a volunteer firefighter for the Cincinnati area while in college.

“I initially got involved in volunteer firefighting because of another orga-

nization I was a part of, the Civil Air Patrol,” he recalls. “That organization asked me to get my EMT certification for the state of Ohio, and after I received the certification, I wanted to make sure that I could continue to use it. I went to one of the volunteer fire departments in the area and asked if I could run their volunteer ambulance to keep my certification active, and they agreed. At the time, I didn’t really have any intention of becoming a firefighter, but I loved the job and started taking on additional roles, which eventually led me to pursue firefighting as a career.”

Following his time as a volunteer, Cayse went on to attend the Cincinnati Fire Department’s recruit academy and began working as a full-time firefighter in 1990. During his career, Cayse served in various departments, including the paramedic unit, fire suppression and human resources, and as an instructor at the training academy. Most recently, Cayse served as the district chief of special operations, where he oversaw specialized search-and-rescue units.

Cayse says his experiences across the different roles within CFD helped make the transition to becoming Asheville’s fire chief easier.

“I think it is really important for employees of any organization to grow and see the different aspects of what the organization does,” he says. “My time with the Cincinnati Fire Department not only gave me experience, it showed me the challenges that the individuals I led were facing on a day-to-day basis. I think that knowledge will be very helpful as chief here in Asheville.”

Cayse also received several awards during his time at CFD, including a heroism award from the State of Ohio in 2001, the key to the city from Cincinnati in 2001 and a heroism award from the Syrian Shrine Firefighters in 2006.

SUPPORTING THE DEPARTMENT

For Cayse, one of the most important traits of a good fire chief is the ability to support the department’s staff and understand its needs.

“I really see the role of fire chief as the enabler of the department,” Cayse says. “I think one of the best ways to do that is to ask questions. I want to know the biggest issues and roadblocks that the staff are facing, as well as what I can do to support them. They’ve lived in this community, they

LOOKING AHEAD: Fire Chief Michael Cayse began in his new position Jan. 2 and says he plans to focus on the professional development of his staff. Photo courtesy of the Asheville Fire Department

work in this community. All I need to do is enable them to do their job.”

Additionally, Cayse notes the importance of showing empathy to his staff, especially given the stressful nature of firefighting.

“This is a hard, stressful job, so I think it is important to remember that the firefighters are more than just employees,” Cayse says. “They all have families and lives outside of the department, so it is critical that we treat them with respect and have the awareness that they most likely have a lot going on in their world as well.”

Cayse says morale within the AFD is high, and it is his intention to keep it that way.

“One of the things that continuously amazes me about this Fire Department is how proud [the staff] is to serve and how much they believe in this Fire Department and its community. Right now, I do not see any signs of burnout or anything like that,” Cayse says. “In fact, I see the exact opposite. I see these firefighters very proud to come to work, very proud to put the uniform on and very proud to represent our city.”

While the AFD is operating at its full staff level of 292 employees, Cayse says there is still room to grow.

“We are at our authorized staffing level, but that doesn’t mean that we

have everything that we want to grow,” Cayse says. “Like any organization, as we begin to recognize new goals and objectives, we could use a larger staff. For example, our community responder program is currently filled with people who are detailed out of their normal position on firetrucks. That then puts a vacancy into operations that we have to backfill over time.”

Cayse says he is actively working with Asheville City Council and the city manager’s office to fill the positions within the community responder program with full-time staff.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

As he gets settled into his role, Cayse says he’ll place a large focus on the professional development of his department’s staff.

“Professional development and training are a big priority of mine because I know from previous experience that individuals who are trained and supported are not only better employees, but also better supervisors and better responders,” he says.

Cayse also emphasizes the importance of diversity and plans to ensure that AFD is a “safe place to work for everyone.”

“Diversity, equity and inclusion are very important to me, and I really want to make sure that the department is a safe space that accepts and respects everyone’s backgrounds, beliefs and values,” Cayse says. “I believe that that department is already pretty intentional about equity and inclusion, so I really just want to keep that as a priority and hopefully continue to grow and evolve.”

Additionally, Cayse says he intends to further develop the department’s relationship with City Council and local law enforcement.

“Public safety isn’t one department or another; it takes all of us working together to achieve our goals,” he says. “You never see the Fire Department at a car accident without the police involved, just as you would never see police at a house fire without the Fire Department involved. It is very important that we all work together, and I think the city did a great job of fostering that environment prior to my arrival. I am just here to encourage that communication and collaboration to continue.” X

99-room hotel approved for Biltmore Village; Council responds to Gaza protests

WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD: The newly approved 99-room hotel was designed to complement Biltmore Village’s historic architecture, including features such as dormers that match the style of the adjacent All Souls Cathedral. Rendering courtesy of the City of Asheville

A newly approved hotel slated for Biltmore Village received mostly praise from members of the public and Asheville City Council at the council’s March 12 meeting. But it also generated concern over whether some developers are keeping commitments designed to benefit the community.

The 99-room hotel was approved through a conditional zoning with Council members Sage Turner and Kim Roney opposed. Council member Sandra Kilgore was absent.

Owned by Kessler Asheville LLC and presented by city urban planner Clay Mitchell, the hotel will contain 4,250 square feet of retail and amenity space, as well as a 100-seat restaurant and bar. The project also includes 186 under-grade parking spaces, 10 off-street parking spaces, 10 bike racks and the installation of a signalized crosswalk on Hendersonville Road connecting transit routes to the site and to each other at Boston Way. The building was also designed to complement Biltmore Village’s historic architecture, including features such as dormers that match the style of the adjacent All Souls Cathedral.

The project is within both the city’s hotel overlay zone and the Biltmore Village Historic District. Under city hotel regulations established in 2021,

a new project in the hotel overlay district with fewer than 115 rooms could avoid a Council vote if it meets a series of design requirements and contributes to equity-related public benefits, such as donations to the city’s Reparations Fund or offering employees a living wage.

But Mitchell explained that due to site limitations and since the project was also located in the Biltmore Village Historic District, that historic designation would take precedence over the hotel overlay requirements. The historic designation required the project to come before Council for a vote on the conditional zoning.

Christian Sottile, an architect representing the project, noted that even though the developers were not required to contribute to the city’s community benefits table, they intended to voluntarily donate $6,000 per room to the city’s affordable housing or reparations fund and $300 per room to the city’s Public Art Fund, among other investments. Those donations would total roughly $629,000 for the city.

While the developer’s ability to work with neighbors and offer benefits to the community was mostly well received, Council member Turner wasn’t convinced by the promis-

es of voluntary benefits alone. She expressed concern that, as the motion was written, the city had no way of enforcing the voluntary commitments after the conditional zoning was approved. She also questioned whether other hotel projects that included voluntary commitments had maintained those agreements.

City Attorney Brad Branham noted that including the voluntary conditions in the city’s conditional zoning motion could open the city to a lawsuit since it cannot require the developer to include them, but also that when Council approved similar motions in the past, no legal action had been taken.

“As your legal counsel, my job is not to look out for the best-case scenario but for the worst-case scenario, and I do believe that by extending ourselves in a position where we are including conditions without legal authorization … you’re potentially jeopardizing the integrity of your decision,” Branham explained.

Responding to Turner, attorney John Noor said that the developer had no issue including the contributions in the motion, thus making them binding. Turner then made an amended motion to include the commitments, but that motion failed after it was not supported by any other

members of Council. A second motion without the voluntary commitments passed without support from Turner.

Speaking with Xpress after the meeting, Turner said she has requested a full report on the status of all hotel projects with similar promises to fund various city programs and initiatives.

“My motion did not receive any support from other councilwomen; I stand alone in this concern apparently,” Turner wrote in a March 12 email. “I want us to be doing everything we can to ensure these hotels are fulfilling their commitments. In years past, we included this language and to date, there have been no issues, rules challenged or lawsuits filed that I am aware of.

“If we were to be sued, the suit would most likely come from the developer/ applicant, the very same group that made the promise and volunteered the contributions in the first place,” she continued. “That doesn’t seem likely to me.”

Council addresses calls for cease-fire

After weeks of protests and hours of public comment both for and against a Gaza cease-fire resolution, Mayor Esther Manheimer addressed the issue at the March 12 meeting. Currently, the mayor explained, Council did not have plans to consider such a resolution, which other cities have passed to protest Israel’s war in Gaza.

“I find it difficult to speak on this issue myself; it’s very personal to me,” she said. “And I know, it’s actually very personal to everyone on Council. We care very deeply about this issue, about our community and about our world and all the people that live in it. So please don’t take our lack of considering a resolution to mean that we don’t care deeply about this issue. I know this is not satisfying for many of you that I can see that on your faces, and I appreciate that. It is not satisfying for me and it is not satisfying for this Council, I promise.” Manheimer also emphasized that Council members could individually express their opinions on the issue. For her part, Council member Roney said that she had signed on to a national cease-fire resolution.

— Brooke Randle  X

Montford North Star Academy to close, consolidate with Asheville Middle

Anger, fear and tears came spilling out of a tense Asheville City Board of Education meeting March 11 after the school board voted 5-2 to close Montford North Star Academy and send its students to Asheville Middle School next school year. Board members Liza Kelly and James Carter dissented.

“This is a sham and a disgrace,” one parent yelled at the board once the vote was complete. “I’m out of here, you don’t have to escort me out. This is disgusting. Bunch of liars.”

The board sat somberly as parents slowly filtered out of the three-plushour meeting, some crying, some yelling frustrations as board Chair George Sieburg banged his gavel. Sieburg stood up for the board in closing comments.

“As board chair, I’ve spoken with all my fellow board members and have heard them wrestling with the ramifications of this decision,” he said. “[The claims] on social media claiming that this was a foregone conclusion is 100% false. The claim also that the folks in the central office … were deliberately manipulating or misrepresenting data is also patently false. In fact, a lot of what gets shared on social media in regards to this district, the misinformation that gets amplified, the false narratives that take on a life of their own is dangerous to the well-being of this district. And it is not innocent of creating instability in our district. Trust, after all, is a two-way street. Anytime a district chooses to consolidate schools, there’s deep sadness, and family, staff and students will be given time to grieve the decision.”

The vote comes after two months of community meetings, listening sessions and board meetings where first-year Superintendent Maggie Fehrman and the board discussed the district’s options for addressing a projected $4.5 million budget shortfall next year and declining enrollment. The future of the Education and Career Academy, an alternative program currently housed in the Housing Authority of the City of Asheville’s Arthur R. Edington Education and Career Center, was also central to the board’s decision.

Fehrman projects the middle school merger will save the district $1.8 million to $2.3 million per year, largely from staff reductions through attri-

tion. It’s not yet clear if all MNSA staff will be moved to the AMS campus.

According to the reconfiguration study provided by Asheville City Schools, the district hopes merging the middle schools will enhance educational opportunities for all students and improve its use of campus space, in addition to addressing budget concerns.

Fehrman hopes to expand the ECA’s alternative programming to include all grades K-12, which the Montford Avenue facility will now be open to hosting.

Additionally, staff determined there would be “minimal impact” on the district’s overall middle-schoolage enrollment, citing the study’s findings that only 13 students were lost after the closure of Asheville Primary School in 2021.

SUCCESS AT MNSA

As board members made clear during their comments before the vote, the decision to close MNSA had little to do with the middle school’s success since it was founded in 2017. In fact, MNSA has given much for the district to be proud of, includ-

ing being named a 2024 “School to Watch” by the N.C. Middle Level Educators Association.

Among other special programs, Principal Shannon Baggett has highlighted the school’s Science Olympiad team, slated to compete in a state competition in April, as an example of the school’s STEAMfocused approach to education. (STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and math.)

More than 80 residents spoke to the school’s value across two February listening sessions, highlighting its unique project-based approach, small size and real-world focus. That sentiment carried over to the public comment section of the March 11 meeting.

Angelica Benevides said her family has struggled to find stability, including being homeless during the pandemic, and MNSA gave her son a chance to succeed after so much upheaval.

“Montford North Star has been a home for him,” she told the board. “It has made him feel included, equal. He has had one-on-one help whenever he needs it. This school has given him so much stability.”

Stacie Saunders said she pays extra to send her kids to ACS schools

even though she doesn’t live in the district because she values the choice provided at each of the elementary, middle and high school levels, including MNSA.

Parent Sandy Newes said she was concerned about the mental health impact school consolidation will have on kids who were in elementary school when COVID shut in-person learning down in 2020.

A Change.org petition asking the district to delay its consolidation decision garnered more than 975 signatures March 11.

For her part, Kelly said removing the district’s middle school of choice perpetuates harm to the ACS community.

“I agree with the notion that we need to slow down this process and think creatively. We can find the right home for ECA,” she said. “There’s no question that those kids deserve it and need it. … I want to be sure that we do this right. Because our school district has a history of being reactionary and not giving things time and performing our due diligence in making thoughtful decisions that impact our kids for a very long time.”

Kelly later made a motion to put a moratorium on closing schools. That motion was not seconded.

Ultimately, a majority of board members said that the district’s financial limitations and promise to serve all students — including its Black students, whom the district has a well-documented poor track record in educating — outweigh the benefits of maintaining a middle school of choice.

“I’ve been in [Montford’s] building. I got to … see the impact of how valuable project-based learning is for our students,” Siebrug said. “And then I think about how valuable that could be across our entire district. I applaud the educators of Montford North Star. I applaud that vision of making education real for our students, and I want that to be the case for all of our students across this district.”

ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMMING

At the school board’s March 4 work session, former teachers at the Randolph Learning Center — a Black-majority, project-based school of choice formerly housed on the current MNSA campus — reminded the board of its painful removal from 90 Montford Ave. in 2015.

After 10 years, the district moved the RLC to trailers on the city’s south side to give Isaac Dickson Elementary a temporary home on Montford Avenue while its own campus was being renovated, according to multiple former RLC teachers. Those

HARD DECISIONS: Board member Jesse Warren, far right, acknowledged the palpable pain in the room ahead of the Asheville City Board of Education’s vote to close Montford North Star Academy next school year. Photo by Greg Parlier

trailers turned out to be leaky and moldy, according to former teacher and current Asheville High School Principal Derek Edwards, forcing the school to quickly be moved to spare space at AHS and AMS and subsequently disbanded.

“In my nearly 20 years in the district, moving the school into trailers was the worst thing we’ve done,” Edwards told the board March 4.

The district made other efforts to establish an alternative program in the intervening years, but no version of the program has had a dedicated home since 2015.

The current ECA has 30 students, four teachers, one administrator and no school nurse, and is limited by the constraints that come with renting a space not designed to house a school, said Randall Johnson, the program’s director.

“They do not have the parent support that other students have in our district. We want to talk about equity, now is the time for equity. Our students need a place to learn, a place to call home,” Johnson told the board March 4. “Please board, consider these students to be your personal students. To be the students of North Asheville, to be the students of Montford North

“Montford North Star is excellent. This was never about it not being excellent.”

— Sarah Thornburg, member of Asheville City Board of Education

Star. These students come from southside Asheville, and we do not get the same treatment as other students in our district. We are in a great place, but we need a home and staff.”

According to Johnson, the ECA recently earned nationwide recognition for how it addresses mental and behavioral health issues for students with difficult home situations and will host school administrators from across the state in April to showcase its work. (The program does not have a website or any apparent online presence, however.)

Referencing the board’s working definition of equity, Fehrman challenged the board to consider if the district is practicing what it preaches. Equity “removes structural barriers to opportunity and resources, and results in the erasure of bias and disproportionate student outcomes based on race,” she said at the March 4 meeting.

“This is not an easy decision,” she added. “But when I started reflecting, I thought about the structural barriers in place. Is this an opportunity to remove some of these barriers?

Hearing the story of Randolph, we have not centered what the students need [in past decisions].”

FINAL DECISION

After two failed motions by Kelly and Carter on March 11, board member Sarah Thornburg made a motion to close MNSA next year.

“Montford North Star is excellent. This was never about it not being excellent. But it is about making sure that all 3,800 kids in our system also get something excellent,” she said.

Carter, who moved for the board to slow things down by transitioning MNSA to the Asheville Middle campus in 2025-26 after a year of sharing

space with ECA on Montford Avenue, said he was concerned with the district’s lack of a strategic plan. He acknowledged that frequent superintendent turnover contributed to the district’s lack of holistic planning.

“We are between a rock and another rock and another rock, and we have done our best to address calls for increasing staff salaries. We’ve done our best to make sure that our kids are getting what they need. But at the end of the day, unfortunately, there’s not a pot of money out there that’s never-ending that can continue to fund the things that we have,” he said.

After the vote and a few emotional outbursts from parents on their way out, parent Patricia Simpson, who had previously advocated to keep MNSA open, stood to express her own change of opinion in front of the board.

“I really appreciate this board for making the decision to put those kids [from ECA] back into a school that was promised to them,” she said. “Although my son will not be at Montford North Star next year, which I was hoping he would be, those kids deserve to have what they were promised. So thank you.”

— Greg Parlier  X

Looking ahead

BY CHASE DAVIS

news@mountainx.com

Vic Isley is well aware of the local criticisms that tourism is overpromoted, bringing too many visitors and pushing Asheville’s cost of living out of reach for many.

“Asheville is a community with a wide variety of opinions and viewpoints, and there is a lot to like about that,” says Isley, president of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority and CEO of Explore Asheville. “I grew up outside of Greensboro in the Piedmont, so I’ve been a student of Asheville and Buncombe County from afar for years, and as a resident for three years now, what I’ve found is that narratives around tourism have been perpetuated that are not rooted in data but are rooted more in emotion.”

Since Isley arrived as president of the TDA in 2020, she says that she has been intentional about being “a continuing student of Asheville and Buncombe County” and has hosted several listening sessions in the community.

Throughout the first quarter of 2024, Xpress has connected with local leaders about their organization’s plans for the new year. In our latest feature, we speak with Isley, who says that in 2024, the TDA will stick to its four strategic imperatives that guide the organization’s decisions and planning: delivering balanced and sustainable growth; encouraging safe and responsible travel; engaging and inviting more diverse audiences; and promoting and supporting Asheville’s creative spirit.

’CHALLENGES OF SUCCESS’

According to Isley, “Tourism has been baked into this community and

this part of the world for over 200 years, and it’s been a part of revitalizing or restarting this community at least two or three times. There are natives of Asheville and Buncombe County who I have listened to in these sessions who have said, ‘We know what it was like back then, we don’t want to go back.’ Then there are some folks who have lived here five or 10 years who just want Asheville to stay exactly how it was when they got here.”

Isley says the community is dealing with the “challenges of success,” and local organizations and governmental bodies, including the TDA, should be working together to address these issues.

“As a community, we really are in this together, and each entity and organization has specific roles to play in our collective success,” Isley says. “The TDA is legally structured in North Carolina to play a specific role, which is a supporting role in a healthy economy. And we do that through promotion that brings net new dollars in the front door of businesses.”

According to data from Tourism Economics, a Pennsylvania-based economic consulting company, $238 million in state and local taxes were generated by the visitor economy in 2021, accounting for about 20% of city and county revenue. Additionally, the report found that Buncombe County households would need to pay an additional $2,261 in taxes annually to replace the visitor-generated taxes received by state and local governments.

“Going back to the listening sessions, one person said, ‘There is a lot of emotion tied up in this because intellectually we get that tourism is important for our community, but emotionally we don’t want to.’ I think that is a pretty interesting way to sum it up,” Isley says. “That is not to

TDA President Vic Isley plans to go full speed ahead in promoting tourism

NEW STRATEGIES: Vic Isley, Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority president and CEO of Explore Asheville, says the TDA is implementing several new strategies to bring in more tourism, including a new destination app. Photo courtesy of BCTDA

say we are perfect, and we really are working on how we can be community partners and how we can have those longer-ranging conversations with our other government partners, with our business partners and with our nonprofit partners.”

A SHIFT IN STRATEGY

One notable strategy Explore Asheville and the TDA plan to implement is attracting business-oriented visitors throughout the week, rather than focusing primarily on weekend leisure vacations.

“Our business development team is working on bringing groups and

conferences here that focus more on Sunday to Thursday trips, and [those visitors] spend differently than a leisure visitor.”

Several business conferences are already set to come to Asheville in 2024, Isley says. The N.C. Athletic Directors Association state conference took place March 16-18. Adventure Elevate, an annual three-day conference for leaders in the adventure travel business sector, is Friday, July 12-Thursday, July 18. The Model A Ford Club of America will also have its national meeting in Asheville from Monday, July 15-Thursday, July 18. It is estimated these events will generate more than $2.5 million in visitor spending and nearly 4,500 room nights.

Additionally, the TDA is partnering with the Asheville Regional Airport to establish new flight routes. Allegiant Air, one of six of the airport’s airlines, is adding a new route to Orlando, Fla., International Airport in May. Isley says the new route will generate more tourism in Asheville, while also providing locals with outbound travel opportunities.

“Explore Asheville has also been building its relationship with the U.S. Tennis Association to be the official destination sponsor for the Billie Jean King Cup tie. [The competition] is going to take place in Orlando in [April], just one month before nonstop service starts from [Orlando International Airport] to here,” Isley says. “That partnership will include event signage, television exposure and digital marketing, which is important when we are talking about strategies because we know from data that visitors who arrive here by air generally stay longer and spend more on entertainment throughout their stay.”

Isley also mentions Explore Asheville’s new app. Designed in partnership with Austin, Texas-based Visit Widget, the app is a compilation of all of Explore Asheville’s partner listings and includes information on lodging, restaurants, tours and events. The app, which soft-launched in October, has had over 500 downloads.

“I think what we’re seeing with early adoption and by doing one email outreach and having 500 downloads, is that an in-market app can really help with our strategy of dispersal and can get visitors not only downtown, but also into other neighborhoods, districts and towns throughout Buncombe County,” Isley says. “We’re excited about what the app could mean in terms of being a great in-market tool for visitor movement.” X

Bases covered

Batboy shares his experiences inside the Asheville Tourists dugout

BY LISA ALLEN

lallen@mountainx.com

It didn’t take but a minute for Houston Mashburn to agree with his dad, Michael, that he should apply to be a batboy with the Asheville Tourists.

“Right before baseball season, my dad saw a thing on Facebook asking if anybody wanted to come work as a batboy,” Houston Mashburn remembers. “He asked me, and I immediately said yes because it’s something I’ve watched people do since I was young, and I always thought it would be cool.”

That was two years ago. Mashburn, now a 10th grader at Charles D. Owen High School, is still at it. “You get to meet new people and meet the team and see what it’s like for them.”

When he’s not retrieving bats, Mashburn alternates between shortstop and second base for Owen High, where he plays on both the JV and varsity teams. “Baseball has been my biggest sport my whole life,” Mashburn says. “My dad got me into it.”

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Xpress: What’s it like working for the Tourists?

Mashburn: It’s been a lot of fun. I’ve built up a lot of friendships with a lot of the players until they get called up. And one time, the Hickory Crawdads came up, and I got invited to come down and work out with their team. They were great guys.

Was it a hard job to learn?

No, it’s pretty simple when you get the hang of it. Really, you watch it once and you know what to do.

How many times have you been nearly hit by a bat?

Never by a bat, but I’ve been nearly hit by three or four baseballs on foul tips.

What do you get to see that fans don’t?

How the players act in the dugout. I’ve seen some funny things. There was one game, and it absolutely poured, and the dugout flooded. That canceled the game. Another thing that fans don’t get to see is how much fun they truly do have in the locker room and how they work as a team. Like, they’ll sit there and analyze stuff and go over their game plans and plan out their days. I’ve met some players that are now in the majors, including one who just won the World Series, playing for the Texas Rangers.

Have you picked up tips?

Oh, yeah. There are a couple of [players] that I’ve talked to who have told me things I can work on. It’s

IN UNIFORM: Houston Mashburn plays for Owen High when not a batboy for the Asheville Tourists. Photo

a great experience for people my age. It shows you a lot more from being in the dugout versus being in the stands. … You get to watch the coaches and how they set things up. There are all these drills that you can learn from.

Which baseball team do you root for, besides the Tourists, of course?

The Atlanta Braves. It’s a team I grew up watching over the years and because of all of the great players that they’ve had.

What else do you do outside of school?

Football, basketball — I work for my cousin doing landscaping. I love to be busy.

Where do you see baseball taking you?

I think it will take me far, but I have to put the work in and do everything that it’s going to take. It takes hustle, a heart for the game. You gotta be on top of it — grades, showing up at school, being at practice, being consistent, being a leader. Baseball is something I want to go onto in college. I would love that. X

BAT CHASER: Houston Mashburn works as a batboy for the Asheville Tourists. Photo courtesy of Mashburn

courtesy of Mashburn

Ballot Categories

In 2024, Xpress is marking its 30th year of reporting on all things local. Help us celebrate by voting in the Best of WNC poll. What better way to recognize all the wonderful people, businesses and attractions that make our region such a special place to live!

Don’t get your party hats and streamers out just yet! Before we toast to 30 years, we’ve all got to do our part and vote. Each year, thousands of residents and visitors alike partake in our annual Best of WNC survey to evaluate what stands out and shines in this wonderful place — Western North Carolina.

Arts & Entertainment

Music Events & Venues

• Local Music Festival

• Indoor Music Venue

• Outdoor Music Venue

• Intimate Music Venue/ Listening Room

• Open-Mic-Night Venue

Musicians & Bands

• All-Round Favorite Band

• Acoustic/Folk

• Americana/Country

• Blues

• Funk

• Jazz

• Old-Time/Bluegrass

• R&B/Soul

• Hip-Hop

• Rock

• Punk/Metal/Garage

• Busker/Street Group

• Lyricist (Songwriter)

• Vocalist (Singer)

• Guitarist

* Bass Guitarist

• Percussionist-Drummer

• Keyboardist/Pianist

• DJ (Nonradio)

Music Services

• Recording Studio

• Musical Instrument Repair Company

• Music-Related Nonprofit Arts & Crafts

• Arts/Crafts Fair or Event

• Studio Stroll/Driving Tour

• Craft School or Place to Learn a Craft

• Local Art Gallery

• Craft-Oriented Gallery

• Nonprofit (Not Music) That Serves the Arts

* = New Category

Artists, Crafters

• Fiber Artist

• Jewelry Artist/Designer

• Glass Artist

• Woodworker

• Metal Artist or Blacksmith

• Mural Artist

• Painter/Illustrator

• Wedding/Event Photographer

• Portrait/Headshot Photographer

• Still Life/Nature Photographer

• Potter/Ceramic Artist Film, Stage, Dance & Writing

• Movie Theater

• Local Filmmaker

• Theater Company

• Actor (any gender)

• Performance Dance Company

• Place to Take Dance Classes or Lessons

• Improv Group/Comedy Troupe or Series

• Drag Performer/Group

• Local Comedy Show/ Night/Event

* Karaoke Night

• Comedian

• Trivia Night Emcee

• Local Author

• Local Poet

* Local Literary Event Drinks Bars

• Bar That Best Represents the Spirit of Asheville

• Neighborhood BarDowntown (including South Slope)

• Neighborhood BarRiver Arts District

• Neighborhood Bar - West

Celebrate your local passions and knowledge today. We’ve got hundreds of topics and issues to consider, but don’t worry — you can skip categories that you’re either unfamiliar with or uninterested in. Of course, we do ask that all participants complete at least 30 questions.

• Neighborhood Bar - South

• Neighborhood Bar - East

• Neighborhood Bar - North

• Bartender

• Bar for Live Music

• Bar With a View

• Bar With Games

• LGBTQ+ Friendly Bar

• Hotel Bar

• Dive Bar

• Sports Bar

• Bar: Local Beer Selection (excluding breweries)

• Bar: Unusual Beer Selection (excluding breweries)

• Upscale Bar

• Bar or Brewery That Gives Back to the Community

• Family-Friendly Bar or Brewery

Cocktails, Spirits & Wine

• Wine Bar

• Local Winery

• Wine Store

• Distillery

• Cocktails

• Bloody Mary

• Margarita

• Mocktails or Nonalcoholic Options

Beer, Cider & Breweries

• Cidery

• Local Cider

• Local All-Round Brewery (for its beers)

• Brewery (for its taproom & atmosphere)

• Creative, Experimental Brewery

• Local Beer (Any Style)

• Local Dark Beer

• Local Lager

• Local Sour Beer

• Local IPA

• Seasonal Beer

• Brewmaster

• Favorite Local Beer Event

• Beer Store

Coffee, Tea & Healthy Drinks

• Coffeehouse for Its Vibe

• Establishment With the Best Coffee

• Barista

• Coffee Roaster

• Place to Drink Tea

• Smoothies/Juices

• CBD Drinks/Health Elixirs

• Local Nonalcoholic Drink Product

• Kava Bar

Eats

• Restaurant That Best Represents the Spirit of Asheville

• Favorite Restaurant

• Restaurant to Take Out-of-Towners to

• Green/SustainabilityFriendly Restaurant

• New Restaurant (Opened in the Last 12 Months)

• Restaurant Still Needed in Asheville

Restaurant Type

• Restaurant With a View

• People-Watching Restaurant

• Outdoor Dining

• Romantic Dining

• Fine Dining/Upscale

• Kid-Friendly Restaurant

• Diner/Homestyle

• Late-Night Eats

• Food Truck

• Catering Company

Neighborhoods

• Restaurant in Downtown (including South Slope)

• Restaurant in the River Arts District

• Restaurant in West Asheville

• Restaurant in South Asheville

Once you’ve completed your vote, be sure to keep an eye out for this year’s winners. We’ll announce them in August. We’ll also be hosting our annual Best of WNC party then as well. That is when the celebrations truly begins!

• Restaurant in East Asheville

• Restaurant in North Asheville

Restaurant Offerings

• Breakfast

• Brunch

• Lunch

• Quick Meal

• Restaurant Wine Selection

• Restaurant Cocktail Selection

• Pub Grub

• Takeout

• Local Meal Delivery Service

• Best Value

• Best Service

• Barbecue

• Ribs

• Burger

• Veggie Burger

• Biscuits

• Wings

• French Fries

• Fried Chicken

• Hot Bar/Buffet

• Hot Dogs

• Pasta

• Pizza

• Sub Shop

• Sandwich Shop

• Taco

• Burrito

• Sushi

• Ramen

• Salad

• Seafood

• Special Diet Options (Gluten-Free, LactoseFree, etc.)

• Vegan

• Vegetarian

• Locally Made CBD Treats

• Local-Food Emphasis

• Healthiest Food Cuisine

• French

• Italian

• Greek

• Middle Eastern

• Mexican

• Latin American

• Japanese

• Thai

• Indian

• Chinese

• Southern

• Restaurant Comfort Food Desserts & Sweets

• Desserts

• Ice Cream

• Frozen Treats Other Than Ice Cream

• Chocolate Bakeries

• Doughnuts

* Cookies

• Bakery (Sweets/Desserts)

• Bakery (Bread)

• Bagels

Miscellaneous

• Fresh Meat Seller

• Fresh Fish Seller

• Cheesemaker/Cheese Dairy

• Local Food Product

• Chef

• Pastry Chef

* Server

• Local Food Festival or Event

• Nonprofit Helping With Hunger Issues

Farm, Yard & Garden

• Tailgate/Farmers Market

• Roadside Farm Stand

• Farm to Visit

• Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Farm

• Orchard

• Community Garden

• Garden Supply Store

• Mulch Supplier

• Tree Service

• Nursery (Trees, Shrubs)

• Landscaping Service (Other Than Lawn Care)

• Lawn/Yard Care

• Excavator or Heavy Equipment Services

• Nonprofit Supporting Farms/Farmland

Preservation

Health & Wellness

• Physician (General Practice)

• Physician (Specialist)

• Pediatrician

• Family Medical Practice

• Women’s Health Center

• Maternity Care/Service

• Therapist or Counseling Center

• Psychologist or Psychiatrist

• Health & WellnessFocused Nonprofit

• Hospital

• Urgent Care/Walk-In Clinic

* Emergency Room

• Place to Get Medical Care

When Under- or Uninsured

* Membership Health Care Provider

• Place to Center Yourself

• Dental Practice

• Dentist

• Orthodontist

* Nutritionist

• Eye Care Specialist/Service

• Assisted-Living Community

• Hospice

• Mortuary/Funeral Services

Alternative

• Holistic Medical Practice

• Chiropractor

• Acupuncturist

• Acupuncture Clinic

Physical Therapy

• Physical Therapist

• Massage Therapist

• Physical Therapy Clinic

Fitness

• Gym or Place to Work Out

• Fitness Studio With Classes

• Physical Trainer

• Yoga Teacher

• Yoga Studio

• Martial Arts Studio

Stores

• Pharmacy/Drugstore

• Place to Buy Supplements, Vitamins & Herbs

• Place to Buy CBD Products

Kids

Schools & Classes

• School (Precollege)

• After-school Program

• Preschool

• Child Care or Day Care Service

• Art Education Program

• Music Teacher Places

• Daytrip for Kids

• Kid-Friendly Hike

• Overnight Camp

• Day Camp

• Place for Indoor Fun

• Place for Outdoor Fun

• Playground

• Museum

• Place for Birthday Parties

• Bakery for Birthday Cakes

• Place to Make Art

• Parents Night Out Program

Skill-Building

• Dance Studio

• Gymnastics Program

• Martial Arts Program

• Team-Sports Program Shopping

• Kids Clothes

• Toy Store Medical

• Pediatric PracticeGeneral Medicine

• Pediatric Practice - Dentistry

Media

• Local Radio Station (commercial)

• Local Radio Station (noncommercial)

• Local Radio Personality/ Announcer

• Local TV Personality/ Announcer

• Local Print Publication Other Than Xpress

• Local Print Reporter

• Local News Source

• Local Events Information Source

• Local Social Media Page to Follow for Local News, Events and Local Happenings

• Favorite Feature in Xpress

• Local News Website

• Local Podcast

• Most Important Local News Story (in the Last 12 Months)

• Most Overreported Story (in the Last 12 Months)

• Most Underreported Story (in the Last 12 Months)

Outdoors

Hiking

• Backpacking Trail/ Overnight Hike

• Day Hike Trail

• Easy Hike Trail (For Kids, Elders, Limited Mobility)

• Hiking Club or Group

• Picnic Spot

• Waterfall

• Walk - In or Near Asheville

Biking

• Mountain Bike Trail

Running

• Running Event/Race - Road or Trail

Camping

• Camping Spot

Water & Rivers

• Place to Relax on the Water

• Rafting Company

• Swimming Hole

Other

• Recreational Sports League/ Club/Group for Adults

• Canopy Tour/Zip Line

When does voting start and end?

Voting officially begins April 1 and continues through April 30.

mountainx.com/bestofwnc

• Place to Roller Skate or Skateboard

• Ski Resort

• Outdoor Gear and Apparel Shop

• Environmental or Conservation Nonprofit

Personal Services

Cosmetic

• Hair Salon

• Barbershop

• Hairstylist

* Barber

* Eyebrow Shaping

• Esthetician

• Nail Salon

• Nail Technician

Tattoo & Piercing

• Piercing Studio

• Tattoo Parlor/Studio

• Tattoo Artist

Other

• Spa

• Local Body-Products Maker

Pets

Medical

• Veterinary Services

• Veterinarian

• Alternative Pet Health Care Provider

Services

• Animal Shelter/Rescue Organization

• Grooming Service

• Trainer/Training Center

• Pet Kennel

• Pet Day Care Facility

• Pet Sitting/Dog Walking Service

Places & Shops

• Outdoor Place to Take Your Pet

• Pet Supply Store

• Pet-Friendly Bar or Brewery

• Pet-Friendly Restaurant

Professional &

Home Services

Financial

• Accountant/CPA Firm

• Place to Have Your Taxes Prepared

• Financial Advisor

• Bookkeeping Services

Law

• Law Firm

* Estate Planning Attorney

• Family Law Attorney

In how many categories must I vote in order for my ballot to be counted?

Each ballot must have votes for at least 30 categories to be counted.

Why do voters have to vote for 30 categories?

We want meaningful results from people who are invested in and knowledgeable about the Asheville/ WNC area.

• Real Estate Attorney

• Criminal Law Attorney

Home

• Real Estate Agent

• Real Estate Company

• Insurance Agent

General

• Architect or Architectural Firm

• Web Development Firm

• Computer Repair

• Car Repair

• Place To Get Your Oil Changed

• Bike Repair

• Construction Firm (Design and/or Build)

• Green Builder

• Alternative Energy Sales and Installation

• Plumbing Company

• Electrical/Electrician Company

• Heating/Cooling Company

• Home Inspection Service

• Pest Control Service

• Moving Company

• House Painters

• Roofing Company

• Flooring, Carpet or Tile Company

* Home Restoration/ Improvement/Renovation

• Junk Removal Service

• Handyperson

• Equipment Rental Services

• Cellphone Service Provider for the WNC Mountains

• Print Shop

• Home Cleaning Service

• Dry Cleaner

Shopping

Fashion

• Clothing: Used or Vintage (for-profit store)

• Clothing: Used or Vintage (nonprofit store)

• Asheville-Style Clothes

• Shoe Store

• Jewelry Store

• Clothing: Dress-Up/Stylin’

Food

• All-Round Grocery Store

• Budget-Friendly Grocery Store

• Health Food Store

• International/Specialty Food Store

• Convenience/Corner Store

• Local Grocery Delivery or Curbside Pickup

Home

• New Furniture Store

• Used Furniture Store (for-profit store)

• Used Furniture Store (nonprofit store)

• Bed and Mattress Store

• Picture Framer

• Antique Store

• Refurbished Or Upcycled Goods

General & Miscellaneous

• Store That Best Represents the Spirit of Asheville

• Mall-Style Market

• Pawn Shop

• Florist/Plant Shop

• Bookstore - New

• Bookstore - Used

• Comics & Collectibles Store

• Game Store

• Record/CD Store

• Musical Instrument Store

• Gift Shop

• Head Shop

• Adult Toys, Lingerie & Naughty Things Store

• Bike Shop

• Automobile Tire Store

• Auto Dealer - New and/or Used

Uniquely Asheville

• Neighborhood

• Street for a Stroll

• Local Asheville Attraction

• Local Fundraising Event

• Place to Take Your Eccentric Friends

• Place to Connect With Nature Within Asheville City Limits

• Historic/Interesting Building

• Holiday Event - Summer/Fall

• Holiday EventWinter/Spring

• Local Hero

• Place to Pretend

You’re a Tourist

• Local Villain

• Local Politician

• Bumper Sticker or Slogan About Asheville

• Thing Downtown Asheville Needs

• Thing the River Arts District Needs

• Thing West Asheville Needs

• Thing South Asheville Needs

• Thing East Asheville Needs

• Thing North Asheville Needs

• Worst Thing to Happen to Asheville in the Last 12 Months

• Best Thing to Happen to Asheville in the Last 12 Months

• Project You’d Like to See Local Government Do

• Biggest Threat to Asheville’s Uniqueness

• Biggest Opportunity for Asheville’s Uniqueness

How do I get a category added or changed?

The categories are set for this year, but to suggest a change for next year, email: bestofwnc@mountainx.com

How are the votes counted?

Mountain Xpress tallies the votes by hand, taking great care to understand each voter’s intent. We reserve the right to reject any ballot with inappropriate responses.

Nonprofits

• Nonprofit That Improves Asheville

• Nonprofit That Serves the Underprivileged

• Activist Group for Civic/ Political Action Hospitality

• Local City Tour

• Guided Tour of Area Breweries/Distilleries

• Venue to Book for a Party or Event

• Event/Wedding Planner

• Place to Get Married

• Hotel

• B&B or Small Boutique Hotel

Work & Business

• Business That Best Represents the Spirit of Asheville

• Employment Sector to Work in

• Business That Gives Back to the Community

• Co-Op/Employeeowned Business

• Bank

• Credit Union

• Bank/Financial Services for Small Business

• Support Organization for Entrepreneurs and New Businesses

• Business With EarthFriendly Practices

Regional

Questions for the following regions: Brevard

Burnsville

Hendersonville/ Flat Rock/Mills River Hot Springs

Marshall/Mars Hill Swannanoa/ Black Mountain Cullowhee/Sylva Waynesville/Maggie Valley/Canton

Weaverville/Woodfin

• Business That Best Represents the Spirit of Your Town

• Breakfast Restaurant

• Lunch Restaurant

• Dinner Restaurant

• Coffee & Sweets

• Local Bar/Brewery/ Watering Hole

• Music/Entertainment Venue

• Retail Store

• Art Gallery

• Cultural or Historical Landmark

• Cultural or Arts Event

• Local Place to Enjoy the Outdoors

• Local Cause to Support

• Best Thing to Happen to Your Town in the Last 12 Months

How do you prevent voter fraud? Ballots are examined for telltale signs of voter fraud or ballot stuffing. We disqualify all ballots that appear to be fraudulent.

I hope my business wins. How do I get voting promotional materials? Call us at 828-251-1333. We can provide you with printable and digital materials, or contact your sales representative for information.

MARCH. 20 - MARCH. 28, 2024

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 70-71

 More info, page 73

WELLNESS

Tai Chi for Balance

A gentle Tai Chi exercise class to help improve balance, mobility, and quality of life. All ages are welcome.

WE (3/20, 27), 11:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Free Zumba Gold

Fitness program that involves cardio and Latin-inspired dance. Free, but donations for the instructor are appreciated. For more information please call (828) 350-2058.

WE (3/20, 27), noon, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Tai Chi Fan

This class helps build balance and whole body awareness. All ages and ability levels welcome. Fans will be provided.

WE (3/20, 27), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Therapeutic Recreation

Adult Morning Movement

Active games, physical activities, and sports for individuals with disabilities ages 17 and over. Advanced registration at avlrec. com required.

WE (3/20, 27), 10am, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Ave

Nia Dance Fitness

A sensory-based movement practice that draws from martial arts, dance arts and healing arts.

TH (3/21,28), 9:30am, TU (3/26), 10:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Tai Chi for Beginners

A class for anyone interested in Tai Chi and building balance, whole body awareness and other health benefits.

TH (3/21, 28), MO (3/25), 11:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Qigong for Health

A part of traditional Chinese medicine that involves using exercises to optimize energy within the body, mind and spirit.

FR (3/22), TU (3/26), 9am, SA (3/23), 11am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Yoga for Everyone

A free-in person yoga class for all ages and abilities that is led by alternating teachers. Bring your own mat and water bottle.

Registration required.

SA (3/23), 9:30am, Black Mountain Presbyterian, 117 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Magnetic Minds:

Depression & Bipolar Support Group

A free peer-led meeting for those living with depression, bipolar, and related mental health challenges. Email depressionbipolarasheville@gmail.com or call or text (828) 367-7660 for more info.

SA (3/23), 2pm, 1316

Ste C Parkwood Rd

Yoga Nidra & Reiki

A soothing yogic sleep and Reiki practice that induces a dream that will soothe your nervous system and heals your conscious, subconscious, and unconscious mind.

SA (3/23), 4pm, Black

Mountain Yoga, 116 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Spring Flow w/Jamie

Knox

Prepare your body for warmer weather with a yoga practice designed to release toxins and heaviness left over from winter. Walk ins welcome. No need to pre-register, but bring a mat.

SU (3/24), 10:30am, One World Brewing W, 520 Haywood Rd

Mettā Meditation

In-person guided meditation focused on benevolence & loving-kindness. Free and open to beginners and experienced practitioners are welcome.

MO (3/25), 7pm, Quietude Micro-retreat Center, 1130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Community Yoga & Mindfulness

Free monthly event with Inspired Change Yoga that will lead you into a morning of breathwork, meditation and yoga. Bring your own mat.

WE (3/27), 11:30am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Kitten Yoga

Bring your yoga mat and recharge your energy while being assaulted by adorable,

HOPE, EQUITY AND ACTION: Haywood Community College hosts the WNC Environmental Summit on Saturday, March 23, starting at 9 a.m. This free program includes experts speaking about backyard forestry, wildlife corridors, sustainable development and more. Photo courtesy of Travis Bumgardner

adoptable kittens. WE (3/27), 6pm, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd

Asheville Women's Breathwork Circle

A transformative and empowering women's circle where the power of our breath meets the strength and healing of sisterhood.

TH (3/28), 6pm, WellSpring Wellness Center

ART

Sov·er·eign·ty: Expressions in Sovereignty of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

This exhibition educates visitors about the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ autonomy, its relationship with the federal government, and how the tribe has defined its own rela-

tionship with its land, people, and culture. Gallery open daily, 9am. Exhibition through Feb. 28, 2025.

Museum of the Cherokee People, 589 Tsali Blvd., Cherokee Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts Exhibition

Featured in this exhibit are Arrowmont’s nationally and internationally recognized practicing artists and university workshop instructors. Open daily, 10am. Exhibition through May 1, 2024.

Folk Art Center, 382 Blue Ridge Pkwy

American Art in the Atomic Age: 1940–1960

This exhibition features works created during the 1940s–1960s. Much of the art during this time expressed the uncertainty of the era, often relying on automatism and biomorphic forms. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed Tuesday. Exhibition through April 29, 2024.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Counter/Balance: Gifts of John & Robyn Horn

A presentation of important examples of contemporary American craft, including woodworking, metalsmithing, fiber and pottery by renowned American artists. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed Tuesday. Exhibition through July. 29, 2024.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

The New Salon: A Contemporary View

A modern take on the prestigious tradition

of the Parisian Salon with the diversity and innovation of today’s art world. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed Tuesday. Exhibition through Aug. 19.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Western North Carolina Glass: Selections from the Collection Western North Carolina is important in the history of American glass art. A variety of techniques and a willingness to push boundaries of the medium can be seen in this selection of works. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed Tuesday. Exhibition through April 15, 2024.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Mandala Madness III

A third biannual showcase of Mandala artwork that features collections of hypnotizing, meditative and geometric pieces. Open daily, noon. Exhibition through May 5.

Foundation Studios, 27 Foundy St

Chris Jehly: The Soil's Gaze

An exhibition of pleinair watercolor paintings by Chris Jehly, unveils the artist’s serendipitous moments painting outdoors where nothing ever stands completely still. Gallery open Tuesday through Saturday, 10am, and Sunday, 11am. Exhibition through April 14.

Tyger Tyger Gallery, 191 Lyman St, Ste 144

Emerging Artists

View a display of the work of award-winning artist and instructor Bob Travers and his

students in this annual Emerging Artists exhibit. Gallery open Monday through Friday, 10am. Exhibition through March 22. Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain

Vera B. Williams:

Stories

This retrospective will showcase the complete range of award-winning author and illustrator Vera B. Williams. It will highlight her time at Black Mountain College, her political activism in addition to her work as an author and illustrator. Gallery open Monday through Saturday, 11am. Exhibition through May.

11, 2024.

Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, 120 College St

Evan Kafka: Trophies & Billboards Opening Exhibition

This exhibit features the Trophies series, in which he creates portraits of live animals, ingeniously captured so that they appear as taxidermy heads, and his Billboard Selfies series, where takes images of himself in the vicinity of “Shot on iPhone” billboard ads he created for Apple.

TH (3/21), 5pm, Ramsey Library, 1 University Heights,

Third Thursday: Open Studio Social

Third Thursdays are opportunities for artists to network, share ideas, and create together with extended gallery hours.

TH (3/21), 5pm, Foundation Studios, 27 Foundy St

Public Tour: Discovering Art in Asheville

A volunteer educator led tour of the Museum's Collection through the featured exhibition Intersections in American Art. No reservations are required.

TH (3/21), 6pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

56th Annual Juried Undergraduate Exhibition

An opportunity for WCU undergraduate students to share their artwork with a larger public and to enhance their skills in presenting artwork in a professional gallery setting. Gallery open Tuesday through Friday, 10am. Exhibition through March 22, 2024.

WCU Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Dr, Cullowhee

2024 Western North Carolina Scholastic Art Awards

The Museum works to facilitate regional judging of student artwork and to recognize our community’s burgeoning artistic talent. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed Tuesday. Exhibition through March 25. Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Asheville’s Naturalist: Watercolors by Sallie Middleton

This exhibition features a selection of botanical and wildlife prints by renowned watercolor artist Sallie Middleton. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed Tuesday. Exhibition through June 10.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Rob Yamabushi

Presents: The Chimera

Art Show

The show will feature never before seen originals, custom canvas prints, and much more. The Chimera is a reference to the multi-headed poly-crisis reality of our modern world. Gallery open Monday through Sunday, noon. Exhibition through March 31.

Push Skate Shop & Gallery, 25 Patton Ave

Focus Gallery Exhibit: Art of Detailing

The Southern Highland Craft Guild opens its first focus gallery exhibition of 2024 with Art of Detailing, featuring both traditional and contemporary craft by five members of the Guild. Open daily, 10am. Exhibition through May 20, 2024.

Folk Art Center, 382 Blue Ridge Pkwy

Making Changes

Exhibition

Making Changes, echoes the sentiment that growth is universal, whether planned or spontaneous, material or spiritual. Red House Studios invite all mediums to contribute to a collective exploration of the unawakened and unknown. Open daily, 10am. Exhibition through May 13.

Red House Gallery & Studios, 101 Cherry St, Black Mountain

Agony & Ecstasy: Images of Conscience by Janette Hopper

These linoleum prints show the agony and ecstasy of human life. The love, sorrow, conflict, beauty, enjoyment of nature, contemplation of what is, was and could be and political commentary. Gallery open Monday through Saturday, 11am and Sunday, 1 pm. Exhibition through May 31.

Flood Gallery Fine Art Center, 850 Blue Ridge Rd, Black Mountain Daily Craft Demonstrations

Two artists of different media will explain and

demonstrate their craft with informative materials displayed at their booths, daily. These free and educational opportunities are open to the public. Open daily, 10am. Demonstrations run through Dec. 31. Folk Art Center, MP 382, Blue Ridge Pkwy

Julieta Fumberg: Of Chaos & Peace, Beauty in Both Fumberg's most recent exhibit portrays darkness to see the light and the contrast of things. Gallery open Monday through Saturday, 10am, and Sunday, noon. Exhibition runs through May 5.

Pink Dog Gallery, 348 Depot St

Spark of the Eagle

Dancer: The Collecting Legacy of Lambert Wilson

This exhibition celebrates the legacy of Lambert Wilson, a passionate collector of contemporary Native American art. Gallery open Tuesday through Friday, 10am. Exhibition through June 28, 2024

WCU Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Dr, Cullowhee

In Conversation: Ann Shafer

An exciting In Conversation with Ann Shafer in conjunction with our current exhibition American Art in the Atomic Age: 1940–1960

TH (3/28), 6pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

WNC Bonefire Studio

Paniting

Bonfire brings all the supplies and handles the clean-up. The goal is to guide participants through pictures so that everyone creates something exceptional no matter the skill level.

TH (3/28), 6pm, Ginger's Revenge Craft Brewery & Tasting Room, 829 Riverside Dr

COMMUNITY MUSIC

The Songwriter

Sessions w/Mare

Carmody, Brian Claflin & Michael Lille

An evening of original songs in a natural acoustic listening room.

WE (3/20), 7pm, The Brandy Bar, 504 7th Ave E, Hendersonville

Pianist Brian Turner

A renowned composer playing from Bach to Beyonce, Sinatra to Swift.

FR (3/22), 7pm, The Omni Grove Park Inn, 290 Macon Ave

Asheville Cello Kids

A group of local budding musicians showcasing their newfound skills.

SA (3/23), 4:30pm, Ginger's Revenge Craft Brewery & Tasting Room, 829 Riverside Dr

Fiddle Tasting w/ Natalya Zoe Weinstein

Natalya will showcase a number of tunes in different styles, from bluegrass to Irish, klezmer to classical.

SU (3/24), 4pm, Turgua Brewing Co, 3131 Cane Creek Rd, Fairview

Tredici Bacci w/Sham & Cooling Prongs

New York-based large ensemble that performs technically demanding and cinematic music.

TU (3/26), 8pm, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave

Citizen Swing w/ Connor Law & Eli Kahn

The fun starts with some cool, old jazz vinyl, and then continues with live sets by Connor Law and Eli Kahn.

WE (3/27), 6pm, Citizen Vinyl, 14 O Henry Ave

LITERARY

Asheville Storyslam:

Dazzled

Prepare a five-minute story of a time you sparkled. Share your shiniest, knock out memories that no

one believes or the moments that prove that all that glitters is gold.

TH (3/21), 7:30pm, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave

The Literary Ecosystem Reunion & Reading

A get-together to celebrate those who have been part of our Great Smokies Writing Program Class, The Literary Ecosystem. SU (3/24), 4:30pm, Little Jumbo, 241 Broadway

Book Swap

A free community event for all book worms. Bring one wrapped book to swap with other.

SU (3/24), 2pm, Temple Chiropractic, 10 B E Market St, Black Mountain

Tween Book Club

Fourth to sixth graders are welcome to this book club featuring juvenile fiction chapter books and graphic novels. This month, the club is reading and discussing Braver: A Wombat’s Tale by Suzanne Selfors.

TH (3/28), 4pm, Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St

THEATER & FILM

Asheville Fringe Arts Festival: Poetry

Cabaret

A troupe of poets, dancers, and musicians creating wild and intelligent shows that challenge norms and enlighten minds.

TH (3/21), 7pm, Citizen Vinyl, 14 O Henry Ave

Asheville Fringe Arts Festival: Toybox

Theatre

This weird play follows a duo of used door knob salesmen as they go door to door to peddle their wares.

TH (3/21), 9pm, Citizen Vinyl, 14 O Henry Ave

Stroke of Genius: Pantomine Masturbation Throughout Performing Arts History

An award-winning satire

of academia and art tours that is coming to Asheville Fringe Fest.

TH (3/21), 9pm, Story Parlor, 227 Haywood Rd

Jen Silverman: Witch A charming devil arrives in the quiet village of Edmonton to bargain for the souls of its residents in exchange for their darkest wishes.

WE (3/20, 27), TH (3/21, 28), SA (3/23), 7:30pm, FR (3/22), SU (3/24), 2pm, NC Stage Co., 15 Stage Ln

Pilobolus: Student Series

featuring mythical creatures, gods, demi-gods, and a thrilling quest.

FR (3/22), SA (3/23), 7:30pm, SU (3/24), 2pm, Hart Theatre, 250 Pigeon St, Waynesville

Asheville Fringe Fest: Strange Daughters Butoh

A three hour experimental, improvised, intimate dance piece.

FR (3/22), 7pm, Fleetwood's, 496 Haywood Rd

What I've Learned So

kid to professional out of work actress while swiping her way through a galaxy far, far away.

FR (3/22), 9pm, SU (3/24), 6pm, Story Parlor, 227 Haywood Rd

Asheville Fringe

Festival: Meowderous Intent

or their caretakers. Our featured host is Change Your Palate's very own Shaniqua Simuel.

WE (3/20), noon, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Eightfold Path Study Group

The Student Series is open to school groups, homeschoolers, community groups and families.

FR (3/22), 10am, Wortham Center For The Performing Arts, 18 Biltmore Ave

Shakespeare & Friends: The Ides

The Ides is a rippedfrom-the-headlines reimagining of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar

FR (3/22), SA (3/23), 8pm, The Hideaway, 49 Broadway St

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical

The best-selling book series comes to life in this electrifying musical

Far: Stories with Tim Lowry & Lee Lyons Award-winning storyteller Tim Lowry will be joined by special guest Lee Lyons in a show about love, life, and lunacy. See p73

FR (3/22), 7pm, Weaverville Community Center, 60 Lakeshore Dr, Weaverville

Pilobolus, Re: Creation Featuring fresh works with new collaborators, these talented dancers create an experience both timely and timeless.

FR (3/22), SA (3/23), 8pm, Wortham Center For The Performing Arts, 18 Biltmore Ave

The Princess Strikes Back Watch Victoria Montalbano grow from awkward theatre

Two zoology interns engage in a deadly game of cat and mouse with various animals involved in fateful cross-species interactions such as a baseball-vaporized pigeon and a man-eating tiger.

SA (3/23), 9pm, LEAF

Global Arts, 19 Eagle St

Tragi-Comic Musical

Memoir: TransMasculine Cabaret w/Vulva Va-Voom

A tragic-comic transgender confessional and obscene, maniacal burlesque.

SU (3/24), 4pm, BeBe Theatre, 20 Commerce St

Reasonably Priced

Babies

Experience this short form improv where the audience feeds suggestions and RPB turns them into hilarious scenes, stories, and songs.

SU (3/24), 6:30pm, Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co., 675 Merrimon Ave

360 Allstars

Feel the exhilarating energy of phenomenal physical performance with this international cast of world champion and world record-holding athletes and artists. WE (3/27), 7pm, Wortham Center For The Performing Arts, 18 Biltmore Ave

MEETINGS & PROGRAMS

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/

A group will gather to study the Eightfold Path Program. Kris Kramer will host the group as a fellow participant and student.

WE (3/20, 27), 3pm, Quietude Micro-retreat Center, 1130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Aerial Silks Foundations

Learn how to properly ascend, descend, and create stunning shapes on the silks while emphasizing safety and proper form. Participants of all ages and all abilities are welcome.

WE (3/20, 27), 4pm and 5:30pm, Amethyst Realm, 244 Short Coxe Ave

The Great Bird Adventure

An expertly guided educational tour that gently leads you through five magnificent exhibits, showcasing rare and endangered birds from every continent of the world.

WE (3/20, 27), FR (3/22), SA (3/23), MO (3/25),11am, Carolina Avian Research and Education, 109 Olivia Trace Dr, Fletcher

Youth Beginner

Climbing

A three-week instructional climbing class designed for beginners. Advanced registration is required for participants.

WE (3/20), 12:30pm, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Ave

Greenway Walking Club

All ages, sizes, and cultural backgrounds welcome to connect neighbors while walking as a group to better health. Advance

registration required.

WE (3/20), 5:30pm, Weaver Park, 200 Murdock Ave

Brew & Taste w/ Local Roasts Coffee Experience

Learn coffee brewing science using only locally roasted coffees with a Specialty Coffee Association certified Pro Brewer.

TH (3/21,28), FR (3/22), SA (3/23), SU (3/24), 9:30am, Coffee Curious Workshops, 45 S French Broad Ave

Intro To Belly Dance w/Diana Stone

This intro class is intended to help us connect deeply with and love our bodies and to find freedom of movement and improved health. It is for all ages, abilities and bodies.

TH (3/21), noon, The Well, 3 Louisiana Kids & Teens Kung Fu Learn fighting skills as well as conflict resolution and mindfulness. First class is free to see if it’s a good fit for you.

TH (3/21, 28), MO (3/25), TU (3/26), 4pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

The Foxy Chef: A Night of Vegan Cooking

Two local chefs create a night of delicious vegan cooking. This class is open for anyone and everyone.

TH (3/21), 5:30pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Empowerment

Collective Presents: Kahlani Jackson & Trina Gragg-Jackson Connect with like-minded women and engage in empowering conversations that will leave you feeling inspired and uplifted.

TH (3/21), 6pm, Ginger's Revenge Craft Brewery & Tasting Room, 829 Riverside Dr

WNC Past & Present: Eastern Cherokee Women in Resistance & Activism; Challenges Met

Dr. Susan Abram's compelling presentation is set to delve into the formidable hurdles encountered by Eastern Cherokee women.

TH (3/21), 6pm, Black Mountain Public Library, 105 Dougherty St, Black Mountain

Dharma Talk: Michael Scardaville

Michael will give a Dharma Talk, a teaching on Buddhist based wisdom. After the talk, there will be time to share and ask questions.

TH (3/21), 6:30pm, Quietude Micro-retreat Center, 1130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain Spring Equinox Movement Ritual

Inviting the wisdom of our own bodies, we will set the intention to

break out of old habits that are holding us back from moving forward.

TH (3/21), 6:30pm, Asia House, 119 Coxe Ave

Transcend w/Tarot

A three-part series to learn about the world of tarot from a professional teacher.

TH (3/21, 28), 7pm, Harvest House, 205 Kenilworth Rd

Parent's Night Out: XP League Asheville

Enjoy a relaxing night out and let the kid's game. Pizza dinner is included, registration is required.

FR (3/22), 5pm, XP League Asheville, 15 Loop Rd, Ste 2B, Arden

Skate Jam Clinics

Bring your own skates or rent a pair as instructors spread the love of roller skating to beginners.

FR (3/22), 5pm, Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Rd

Montford Teen Fun

Night

Activities range from gym games to outdoor activities to e-gaming nights. Advance registration required.

FR (3/22), 6:30pm, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Ave

Family Wellness Series

Improve family communications with this free, interactive, 45-minute zoom session. Parents, grandparents and caregivers are invited with registration at avl.mx/dha.

SA (3/23), 10am, Online

Popcorn Creation Bar

Start with freshly-made traditional popcorn and then make every kernel a work of art. Craft your own popcorn delicacy with an array of gourmet toppings and seasonings.

SA (3/23), SU (3/24), 11am, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Light the Night Bike Ride

Earn some spoke lights and glow-in-the-dark accessories and finish the night with a group glow cycle.

SA (3/23), 5:30pm, Carrier Park, 220 Amboy Rd

Pearl Jewelry Workshop

Rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and charms will be available to set your pearl in, so that you can leave with a beautiful piece of jewelry.

SU (3/24), 1pm, Oklawaha Brewing Co., 147 1st Ave E, Hendersonville

Weekly Sunday Scrabble Club

Weekly scrabble play. All scrabble gear provided.

SU (3/24), 1:30pm, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Mary Magdalene Circle of Sacred Connection

Embark on a transformative journey to empower your sacred self-leadership and receive sacred blessings.

SU (3/24), 3pm, Weaverville Yoga, 3 Florida Ave, Weaverville

Black Men Monday

A local group that has stepped up in the community to advocate for and mentor students through academic intervention. Kids, ages 7 and up, are welcome to join.

MO (3/25), 5:30pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Naturalist Hikes

Enjoy short, slow-paced hikes led by experienced naturalists to identify plants, animal tracks, bird songs, and other phenomena of Southern Appalachia.

TU (3/26), 10am, Asheville Recreation Park, 65 Gashes Creek Rd

Therapeutic Recreation

Adult Crafting & Cooking

A variety of cooking and crafts for individuals with disabilities ages 17 and over each week. Advance registration at avlrec.com is required.

TU (3/26), 10am, Oakley Community Center, 749 Fairview Rd

Toddler Discovery Time

Crafts, games, and playtime for youngsters. Advance registration at avlrec. com is required.

TU (3/26), 10am, Stephens-Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Toddler Egg Hunt

Enjoy a fun a day of hunting eggs on the playground. For ages 4 and under with the supervision of an adult WE (3/27), 11:30am, Stephens-Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Comales & Cornbread: Exploring the New-Southern Latino Table in Appalachia

A roundtable discussion about Latin American and Appalachian foodways in North Carolina, highlighting the state’s wide-reaching culinary diversity. See p70

WE (3/27), 6pm, Highsmith Student Union, 1 University Heights

Every Black Voice: AVL's Racial Justice Coalition Lunch & Learn

This event will be discussing reparations and the history of black Asheville. Housing, health and wellness along with community building and education will also be hot topics of conversation.

WE (3/27), 12:30pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Nature Lovers Craft Time

Get crafty and create wonderful pieces of art using natural materials.

WE (3/27), 12:30pm, Asheville Recreation Park, 65 Gashes Creek Rd

Scattergories Challenge Night

A classic fast-thinking word game. Prizes will be awarded to the topthree scoring players.

WE (3/27), 5:30pm, Beradu--Specialty Market, Kitchen & Bar, 2 E Market St, Black Mountain Gardens 101

Learn what plants need to grow and discover ideas for making a garden without a huge plot.

WE (3/27), 6pm, Stephens-Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Recreate Asheville: Virtual Feedback Session

A community-built comprehensive plan to guide the City of Asheville’s parks and recreation decisions for the next 10-15 years. Register to participate at avl.mx/dhf.

WE (3/27), 6pm, Online

NSA-WNC Meeting

Professional keynote speakers, coaches, trainers, facilitators, and consultants who cover a broad range of topics, skills and knowledge.

TH (3/28), 10:30am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Recreate Asheville: Open House

This drop-in open house community meeting features the opportunity to participate in hands-on budgeting activities and speak directly with City of Asheville staff.

TH (3/28), 1:30pm, Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Rd

Business In Color

An inspiring night dedicated to fostering inclusivity, diversity, and community in Asheville's business landscape. Whether you're starting up, scaling up, seeking professional growth, or eager to diversify your network, this gathering is where your journey intensifies.

TH (3/28), 6pm, Different Wrld, 701 Haywood Rd, Ste 101

Lifestyle Choices

A group discussion for 14 to 19 year-olds that offers an opportunity for young males to engage in open discussion regarding their behaviors and community involvement.

TH (3/28), 6pm, Dr Wesley Grant, Sr. Southside Center, 285 Livingston St

Dharma Talk w/John Orr

John will give Dharma talk and lead discussion on various topics related to meditation and Buddhist teachings.

TH (3/28), 6:30pm, Quietude Micro-retreat Center, 1130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

LOCAL MARKETS

RAD Farmers Market

Winter Season

Browse 30+ local vendors all winter long with fresh produce, pastured meats, baked goods, honey, and more. Safely accessible by bike or foot on the greenway, plus free public parking along Riverside Drive.

WE (3/20, 27), 3pm, Smoky Park Supper Club, 350 Riverside Dr

Mountain Artisan

Collective Market

Featuring a great lineup of local artisans, live music by Appalachian Sky Bluegrass and food from Nom Sense & Mount Patisseri.

SA (3/23), noon, Turgua Brewing Co, 3131 Cane Creek Rd, Fairview

Vintage Pop-up

A vintage clothing popup with Soft Cowboy Trading Co. and Valley Lore as well as tasty brews from Dssolvr.

SA (3/23), 1pm, Dssolvr, 63 N Lexington Ave

Magical Market

A congregation of local makers and practitioners of all things magical and feline. SU (3/24), noon, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd

Carolina Ground’s

March Pop-Up

There will be an array of baked goods: breads, pastry, pie, cornmeal, polenta as well as grits, eggs, honey, sorghum, botanical dyed yarns, books and more. See p70-71

SU (3/24), 11am, Carolina Ground, 1237 Shipp St, Hendersonville

FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS

Asheville Fringe Arts

Festival Preview Party

The 22nd year for Asheville Fringe, who returns again to present a hand-picked selection of strange and wonderful work that lies outside the mainstream.

WE (3/20), 6pm, Citizen Vinyl, 14 O Henry Ave

Asheville Fringe Arts Festival

Featuring more than 60 performances, including dance, theater, puppetry, music, film, and things that defy definition.

TH (3/21), 7pm, One World Brewing W, 520 Haywood Rd

WNC Environmental Summit

A special environmental program that provides educational opportunities for regional groups to come together, share ideas, encourage each other, and take action to make a difference.

SA (3/23), 9am, Haywood Community College, 185 Freedlander Dr, Clyde

The Prom Dress Exchange

The 3rd annual Prom Dress Exchange will

feature free prom dresses, shoes, hand bags and jewelry. Bring non-perishable food donations for the Welcome Table.

SA (3/23), 10am, Groce

United Methodist Church, 954 Tunnel Rd

2024 Easter Egg Hunt

Annual Easter Egg Hunt with food, fun games, local crafters and inflatables.

SA (3/23), 3pm, Oasis Church of Asheville, 150 Westwood Place

March Madness

Festival

Watch the basketball tournament and join friendly basketball challenges including three-point shootouts, around the world, two-on-two, and more for prizes.

SA (3/23), 11am,

SU (3/24), 1pm, Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Rd

Dogg Eggstravaganza

This event will offer some springtime fun for our four-legged friends, and will consist of an egg hunt for small and large dog divisions.

SA (3/23), noon, Buncombe County Sports Park, 58 Apac Circle

International Uranium Film Festival

This year's International Uranium Film Festival is dedicated to films about nuclear power and weapons; nuclear victims and environmental justice; and the risks of radioactivity, from uranium mining to nuclear waste. For more information regarding the films visit avl.mx/dgz.

SA (3/23), SU (3/24), 2pm, OLLI/Reuter Center, UNCA, 300 Campus View Rd

First Annual Adult Spelling Bee

An adult spelling bee contest to test your wits and spark a bit of nostalgia. Register at avl.mx/dh8 to participate.

TH (3/28), 7pm, Leveller Brewing Co., 25 N Main St, Weaverville

BENEFITS & VOLUNTEERING

This is Lit: Trivia Fundraiser

Come ready to face off in 5 rounds of book-focused trivia across a variety of literary genres. This toughbut-fun trivia challenge also raises money to send books to readers behind bars.

WE (3/20), 6:45pm, Different Wrld, 701 Haywood Rd, Ste 101

SPARC After Dark

An annual fundraiser party that helps bring into focus a shared vision of a healthier, safer, and stronger community.

TH (3/21), 6pm, The Mule, 131 Sweeten Creek Rd Ste 10

The Junior League of Asheville Presents: 6th Annual Volunteer Expo This free event connects attendees with local nonprofits in health, poverty, legal aid, and more, to find volunteer opportunities. Open to all ages.

SA (3/23), noon, Crowne Plaza Expo Center, 1 Resort Dr

Kids Issue2024

What do you dream about?

Welcome back for Part 2 of this year’s Kids Issue, our annual feature showcasing the creative talents of local K-12 students. This year, we asked kids and teens to submit art and writing around the theme of “What do you dream about?” We received more than 400 entries from students around the region who attend area public, charter, private, parochial and home schools. These young artists and writers described dreams about pets, grandparents, UFOs and even chicken nuggets. Through their imaginations, we travel to Paris, encounter a frightening wolf and learn about compassion for the less fortunate. Though space limitations prevent us from sharing all the work we received, we hope you enjoy the engaging collection of colorful art, poems, essays and short fiction on the following pages. And be sure to check out our summer camp guide, starting on page 31.

— Xpress Staff X

Dreams of Grammy

My grammy was very nice and sweet. She gave me pinky shakes and hugs. And she always gave me happy smiles. I will never forget this. My grammy never let me and my sister jump on the furniture.

Sometimes I dream about my grammy. She is always smiling in my dreams. And she always gives me pinky shakes and big hugs. I am always smiling and laughing with her in my dreams. I know that my grammy is in heaven and she is pain free, but I still miss her.

— Sally Rose Falk, third grade, Fairview Elementary School

Dreams and hopes

Frenchies and American Bulldogs. I had a Frenchie, but my mom sent it back to my sister’s dad’s house. I loved my dog, her name was Dior. She was bad sometimes because she is a dog. Her eyes are blue and pretty, and in sunlight, they are a pretty sky blue, that’s why I love and miss my dog so much. Dior brought me and my family happiness. She was just like a friend, a person to me. I used to love to come home to see my dog! She was just a perfect little dog and she would brighten up my day, especially after school. School is stressful, but I am gaining knowledge and education.

DREAMS OF NATURE: Working with artist Eric Carroll, Hillary Murphy’s fourth grade class at Lucy S. Herring Elementary School used a variety of plant and botanical objects to express their feelings and dreams toward nature. The compositions were laid on top of cyanotype paper, a historical photographic process, and framed via silhouettes of the students.

cool beauty things. I want to own my own salon.

— Camerian Blair, fifth grade, Isaac Dickson Elementary School

I cannot dream of you

i do not dream of you dear i do not need to i know you are safe and my heart has simply decided that any further explanation would prove inconceivable i will not dream of you dear i know you are safe and though i wish i could be different, my dreams a mere escape i cannot dream of you my dear, i know you have to be safe

— Hope Hales, 11th grade, The Franklin School of Innovation

My Paris dream

decided to go up the Eiffel Tower. I spent hours exploring and had some cake. I made some friends, too, but they had to leave eventually.

The other guests slowly started to leave, until it was just me and the band. I decided to sit and watch them until they left. I spent the rest of the night on the top of the Eiffel Tower. The stars were glowing so bright and Paris, the city of lights, was glowing almost as brightly as the stars. Too quickly the night was ending. The bodyguard called me down because the clock was about to strike … two o’clock.

I came down, but then GONG GONG. The clock had struck two and instantly I fell asleep. When I woke up I was in my bed, in my pj’s, in my room, in my house. My mom called me down for breakfast. As I ate, I told her all about my Paris dream.

— Quinn Gillett-Hockman, eighth grade, Evergreen Community Charter School

My dream and fear

AROUND THE REGION

I love dogs. If I could choose my dreams every night, I would dream about dogs. My favorite dogs are

When I get older I want to travel the state and have fun with my friend, Soriah. We have been friends for five years, and we always see each other. We call, we text and have so much fun together.

When I’m older I want to be a hairstylist and do nails and more

Do you run a business in a local town outside of Asheville? Advertise in Xpress’ once-a-month recurring feature!

I peeked through the curtains. There was a limo outside with a bodyguard. I went out and the bodyguard handed me a black dress to wear. We walked to the car and got in. It was fancy, black and sleek.

The car started moving, and a woman with a curling iron got in the back seat. She told me to turn around so she could curl my hair. Once she finished, the car stopped and she got out. Soon, the car stopped again. When I got out and took in my surroundings, I was no longer in the USA.

I was in Paris, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. There were other men and women there all wearing black dresses and suits. It looked very elegant. The bodyguard told me to enjoy myself and, with that, he left. I

I dream of writing a poem even though I never have I try but it never works

Now I realize that anything can be a poem ~ a story, a song, a word ~ My only problem is that I don’t know how to write a story and I fear I never will.

— Grace Hynes, sixth grade, Odyssey School

SUMMER CAMP GUIDE

Though it’s still March, the warm, sunny days of summer are just around the (French Broad) river bend. When the schools close, a whole new season of magic opens up as kids come together from near and far to electrify Asheville’s camps. After a long winter and promising spring, kids and adults alike will be ready to make the most of summer 2024.

Campers will have the opportunity to climb rocks and heft backpacks, ride horses and gaze at wildlife, build campfires and swim in lakes and rivers. Even more exciting, kids will play together and make new lifelong friends in the timehonored camp fashion.

But summer isn’t only about the great outdoors. It’s also a time to sharpen skills in the arts and sciences beyond the classroom. Campers will take the stage for theater productions and concerts, work in STEAM labs or try their hands at a new craft, maybe even getting dirty in a forge.

With over 150 camp listings representing nearly 60 organizations, your family is sure to find the perfect fit to keep your child active and engaged.

—

Xpress Staff X

where children love to learn

DAY CAMP WEEKS:

June 3, June 10

June 17, June 24

July 1, July 8

July 15, July 22

With outdoor activities and games, arts and crafts, and water activities, come have fun with us!

K-5th graders. $300 / week

SPRING CAMPS

PUSH SKATE CAMP — SPRING BREAK SESSIONS

Ages 5-15 • All gender

March 30, April 1-4, May 11

$165/session

Asheville Skatepark, 50 N. Cherry St., Asheville 828-225-5509 pushskatecamp.com

SUMMER CAMPS

ACADEMY FOR THE ARTS — SUMMER

INTENSIVES: CLASSICAL

Rising grades 2-12 • All gender

July 8-12

Early early bird: $375 (through April 1) Early registration: $410 (through May 17) Final registration: $450 (through June 21)

5 Oak Street, Asheville 828-254-7841 • avl.mx/6y9

ACADEMY FOR THE ARTS — SUMMER INTENSIVES: PIANO

Rising grades 2-12 • All gender

July 8-12

Early early bird: $375 (through April 1) Early registration: $410 (through May 17) Final registration: $450 (through June 21)

5 Oak Street, Asheville 828-254-7841 • avl.mx/6y9

ACADEMY FOR THE ARTS — SUMMER INTENSIVES: TRADITIONAL v r

Rising grades 2-12 • All gender

July 8-12

Early early bird: $375 (through April 1) Early registration: $410 (through May 17) Final registration: $450 (through June 21)

5 Oak Street, Asheville 828-254-7841 • avl.mx/6y9

LEGEND Athletic Camp

ADVENTURE CENTER OF ASHEVILLE — ADVENTURE CAMP DISCOVERY PROGRAM m r

Ages 8-10 • All gender June 10 - Aug. 5 (weekly)

$439/session

85 Expo Drive, Asheville 828-225-2921 • avl.mx/93i

ADVENTURE CENTER OF ASHEVILLE — ADVENTURE CAMP EXPLORATION PROGRAM m r

Ages 11-13 • All gender June 10 - Aug. 5 (weekly) $439/session

85 Expo Drive, Asheville 828-225-2921 • avl.mx/93i

ADVENTURE CENTER OF ASHEVILLE — KOLO BIKE PARK SUMMER CAMP m r

Ages 8-15 • All gender June 10 - Aug. 5 (weekly) $419/session

85 Expo Drive, Asheville 828-225-2921 • avl.mx/93i

SUMMER ACADEMY:

Two Weeks: June 22-July 4

Math Camp: July 29-Aug. 2

Join us for two weeks of learning and fun! Our Summer Academy reinforces writing and reading skills through structured literacy lessons designed to both review and reinforce skills as well get a jump start on the school year. Morning academics and afternoon art classes, swimming, and woods play!

MATH CAMP: Morning lessons + STEAM activities with afternoon art, swimming, and woods play

• Two Weeks: June 22-July 4 $1,100

• Math Camp: July 29-Aug. 2 $350

Dreaming big!

When I grow up, I want to be a cop because I can help all the people, my family and my community. If I do good, I can be an FBI agent to see if aliens are real. And I can tell my family if aliens are real or not.

—

Austin

Penley, fourth grade, Fairview Elementary School

Stagger

When I close my eyes and drift away I see my mother, father, brother sit I have a recurring dream of the sister I never had Laying there innocently in a deep slumber.

With her rosy cheeks, tiny hands and nutmeg brown hair, she is awoken by me peering over her. As her eyes flutter open and my mother Holds her I am stunned because my mother shouldn’t be able to have Her own tyke anymore, as I stand there emotional and grateful but

something feels wrong. suddenly I fall, come back to reality and wish it was all true.

— Sophie Wilson, sixth grade, Polk County Middle School

Link’s journey

Hello, my name is Link. I am well trying to save the world from a dark lord and a princess. Through my journey, I faced many monsters. Finally, I have arrived. I have to meet the dark lord. I fought the monsters! I found the sword. I am fighting! I won! Now, I have to save Zelda. Let’s go! Thank you, Link, we have to go, the Dark Lord’s forces will be coming. Let’s go! Ha ha, I won! “Ready, Karl?” said my dad. That was a good dream.

— Karl McGee, second grade, The Learning Community

Safety

I want to be able to walk on the street and be safe.

Guns and hate are not the answer. The world was safe but now it is NOT.

Back to safety.

Kids should be able to play outside and be safe. People should work things out so nobody gets killed.

Some kids are scared to go outside. We should STOP killing people and start hugging each other Today, give somebody a smile.

— Sariah Littles, fourth grade, ArtSpace Charter School

Scary, sad and weird

When I was younger, I had dreams mainly about monsters. For example, I vividly remember a dream where I was in my preschool, and I was playing with a jack-in-the-box.

I activated the jack-in-the-box, and a large monster popped out. I hid under the table, but he was just waiting for me to come out. Everyone was sitting at an oval-shaped table, calmly. The monster wasn’t going for them so I tried acting casual and sitting at the table, but the monster ate me. I woke up, but I wasn’t even hot or sweaty.

I had another dream where I was at my old house (It’s another monster dream). I don’t remember how the monster appeared, but it was chasing me. It kind of resembled a Tom & Jerry episode. I hid under a glass table, and then I woke up. I didn’t even get an ending to that one.

The last dream I want to mention was not a monster one. I was sitting

CONTINUES ON PAGE 34

THE DREAM OF CARS: Nathan LeCompte, a seventh grader at Polk County Middle School, drew this picture.

PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE: Sophia Oliver, an 11th grader at The Franklin School of Innovation, created this dreamlike image.

ADVENTURE CENTER

OF ASHEVILLE — KOLO BIKE PARK SUMMER

KIDDIE CAMP m r

Ages 6-8 • All gender

June 10 - Aug. 5 (weekly)

$419/session

85 Expo Drive, Asheville 828-225-2921 • avl.mx/93i

APPALACHIAN INSTITUTE FOR CREATIVE LEARNING — ENRICHMENT CAMP m vq r t

Rising grades 3-12 • All gender

July 7-13, July 14-20

$899/session

100 Athletic St., Mars Hill 828-782-3299 • avl.mx/b8h

ARTEMIS ARCHERY — ADVENTURE KIDS CAMP m p r

Ages 8-11 • All gender

June 24-28, July

2-5, July 22-26

$360/session

Survival Campsite making - Protect against abuse, bullying, grooming, abduction. N.C. in 10 worst states for human trafficking! We don’t scare, we prepare!

Fun, digital free nature immersion. Sibling Discount. Survive and Thrive in the streets and out in the Wild!

80 Cowan Cove Road, Asheville 828-318-9518 • avl.mx/de0

ARTEMIS ARCHERY — TEEN CAMP m p r

Ages 12-15 • All gender

July 8-12

$360/session

80 Cowan Cove Road, Asheville 828-318-9518 • avl.mx/de0

ASHEVILLE ARCHERY TRAINING CENTER

— 1/2 DAY ARCHERY SUMMER CAMP

Ages 8-13 • All gender

June 17-21, June 2428, July 29 - Aug. 2 $250/session

1426 Brevard Road, Asheville 828-333-0606 ashevillearchery.org

ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY

THEATRE — SUMMER MUSICAL: FINDING NEMO JR. v r

Ages 8-18 • All gender

July 29 - Aug. 10

$600/session

35 E. Walnut St., Asheville 828-254-1320 • avl.mx/ddt

ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY

THEATRE — TANGLEWOOD SUMMER MASTER CLASS SESSIONS

vAges 10-18 • All gender

June 17-28

$150/session

35 E. Walnut St., Asheville 828-254-1320 • avl.mx/ddt

ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY

THEATRE — TANGLEWOOD SUMMER SAMPLERS

vAges 4-9 • All gender

June 17-28

$200/session

35 E. Walnut St., Asheville 828-254-1320 • avl.mx/ddt

ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY

THEATRE — TANGLEWOOD SUMMER STAGES

vAges 4-12 • All gender

July 8-26

$300/session

35 E. Walnut St., Asheville 828-254-1320 • avl.mx/ddt

ASHEVILLE DANCE

THEATER — MERMAIDS & PIRATES

vAges 3-10 • All gender

Aug. 5-8

$150/session

802 Fairview Road, Asheville 828-298-0258 • avl.mx/dcz

ASHEVILLE DANCE THEATER — TROLLS v r

Ages 3-10 • All gender

June 17-20, July 22-25

$150/session

802 Fairview Road, Asheville 828-298-0258 • avl.mx/dcz

ASHEVILLE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE (AMOS) — ANIMAL EXPERTS & THE SECRET SOCIETY OF ANIMALS

q r

Rising grades K-5 • All gender

July 8-12

$375/week or $85/day

43 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-254-7162 • avl.mx/dh6

ASHEVILLE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE (AMOS) — EARTH EXPLORERS & WARRIORS

q r

Rising grades K-5 • All gender

July 22-26

$375/week or $85/day

43 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-254-7162 • avl.mx/dh6

ASHEVILLE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE (AMOS) — ENGINEERING CAMP q r

Rising grades K-5 • All gender

July 15-19

$375/week or $85/day

43 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-254-7162 • avl.mx/dh6

ASHEVILLE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE (AMOS) — SPACE EXPLORERS

q r

Rising grades K-5 • All gender

June 24-28, Aug. 5-9

$375/week or $85/day

43 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-254-7162 • avl.mx/dh6

ASHEVILLE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE (AMOS) — THE ART OF SCIENCE

q r

Rising grades K-5 • All gender

June 17-21, Aug. 12-16

$375/week or $85/day

43 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-254-7162 • avl.mx/dh6

ASHEVILLE MUSIC SCHOOL — APPALACHIAN MUSIC CAMP

v r

Ages 8-15 • All gender June 17-21

$200/session

10 Ridgelawn Road, Asheville 828-252-6244 • avl.mx/bb2

MY DREAM: “I wish I was an alicorn,” writes Inez Gray, a first grader at Francine Delany New School for Children.

on the couch in my old house again, and a stormtrooper barged in the door. I ran to mine and my sister’s bedroom to hide in the closet, but on my way, I looked at the supply drawer. I pulled out a piece of black construction paper, and put it on my head. I walked out the door, facing the stormtrooper, and said, “I am your father.” It worked. He turned away and walked out the door.

Some dreams are sad, some dreams are scary, most (of my) dreams are weird, but all of them mean something.

— Gabriel Chase, fifth grade, Charles C. Bell Elementary School

Dreaming of life

I dream of continuing to dream of keeping hopes and dreams alive the look and smell of worn pages, that have been ripped from past love leaving their marks of creating my own stories that might one day touch the souls of others, the way mine was once touched of beautiful skies of darkness that swallow the day and yet still show that even the smallest things from lightyears away can shine through the feeling of warmth that comes with simply doing the things I love in a way that will make me look back and realize I was making memories and that these are the moments that truly matter I dream of continuing to dream

I dream of life.

— Ana Montesdeoca, 10th grade, The Franklin School of Innovation

It came from outer space

Once upon a dream, I was walking and I blinked. I noticed a UFO, then I blinked again. I saw something else, and I didn’t know what it was. Then I went outside, and all I could see was yellow. After that, I was floating and I noticed I was in a ray of light! Then, I thought I was in the UFO or something. That was the last thing I saw.

— Miko Blair, third grade, The Learning Community

Peace in the world

What I dream of is not world peace

But rather peace in the world

A world where we don’t fight over differences or religion or politics or race or gender

But a world where we agree to disagree

And where we fight for a common goal

A goal of advancement

That benefits us all

Finn McMillan, a third grader at Evergreen Community Charter School, drew this picture.

ASHEVILLE MUSIC SCHOOL — BEGINNER HARRY POTTER THEMED STRINGS CAMP

Ages 4-8 • All gender

Aug. 5-9

$200/session 10 Ridgelawn Road, Asheville 828-252-6244 • avl.mx/bb2

ASHEVILLE MUSIC SCHOOL — MUSIC EXPLORATIONS

Ages 4-6 • All gender

July 22-26

$200/session 10 Ridgelawn Road, Asheville 828-252-6244 • avl.mx/bb2

ASHEVILLE MUSIC SCHOOL — OPEN JAM CAMP

vAges 9-16 • All gender

Aug. 12-16

$200/session 10 Ridgelawn Road, Asheville 828-252-6244 • avl.mx/bb2

ASHEVILLE MUSIC SCHOOL — PRE-TEEN POP ROCK CAMP

Ages 9-13 • All gender

June 24-28

$375/session 10 Ridgelawn Road, Asheville 828-252-6244 • avl.mx/bb2

ASHEVILLE MUSIC SCHOOL — ROCK CAMP

Ages 10-18 • All gender

July 15-19

$375/session 10 Ridgelawn Road, Asheville 828-252-6244 • avl.mx/bb2

ASHEVILLE MUSIC SCHOOL — SONG CIRCLE VOICE CAMP

vAges 8-11 • All gender

July 8-12

$200/session 10 Ridgelawn Road, Asheville 828-252-6244 • avl.mx/bb2

ASHEVILLE MUSIC SCHOOL — STRING ENSEMBLE CAMP

Ages 10-15 • All gender

Aug. 5-9

$200/session

10 Ridgelawn Road, Asheville 828-252-6244 • avl.mx/bb2

ASHEVILLE MUSIC SCHOOL — HARRY POTTER THEMED STRINGS CAMP

Ages 5-12 • All gender

July 29 - Aug. 2

$375/session

10 Ridgelawn Road, Asheville 828-252-6244 • avl.mx/bb2

ASHEVILLE MUSIC SCHOOL — UKULELE CAMP

Ages 7-10 • All gender

July 22-26

$200/session

10 Ridgelawn Road, Asheville 828-252-6244 • avl.mx/bb2

ASHEVILLE SCHOOL OF FILM — TEEN FILM PROJECT COURSE

Ages 15-18 • All gender

July 29 - Aug. 2

$495/session

12 Old Charlotte Hwy, Suite 80, Asheville 844-285-3456 • avl.mx/ddu

ASHEVILLE SCHOOL OF FILM — YOUTH FILM FUN CAMP

Ages 12-14 • All gender

June 17-21, June 24-28

$195/session

12 Old Charlotte Hwy, Suite 80, Asheville 844-285-3456 • avl.mx/ddu

ASHEVILLE SUN SOO MARTIAL ARTS — KIDS SUMMER CAMP m r

Rising grades K-5 • All gender

June 10-14

$375/session

800 Fairview Road, Suite D2, Asheville 828-505-4309 • avl.mx/det

BLACK MOUNTAIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS — ELEMENTARY DANCE, SING, & PLAY m

Rising grades 1-3 • All gender

June 17-21, July 8-12, July 22-26, Aug. 5-9

$175/session

225 W. State St., Black Mountain 828-669-0930 • avl.mx/xmasjbc

BLACK MOUNTAIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS — FAIRYTALES, FABLES, & FOLKLORE, OH MY! (THEATER CAMP)

Ages 7-13 • All gender

June 24-28

$300/session

225 W. State St., Black Mountain 828-669-0930 • avl.mx/xmasjbc

BLACK MOUNTAIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS — HEROES & MONSTERS m v r

Ages 8-12 • All gender July 29 - Aug.2 $300/session

225 W. State St., Black Mountain 828-669-0930 • avl.mx/xmasjbc

BLACK MOUNTAIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS — PRESCHOOL DANCE, SING, & PLAY v r

Ages 3-5 • All gender

June 17-21, July 8-12, July 22-26, Aug. 5-9

$175/session

225 W. State St., Black Mountain 828-669-0930 • avl.mx/xmasjbc

BLACK MOUNTAIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS — TROLL-TASTIC v r

Ages 3-6 • All gender

July 15-19

$275/session

225 W. State St., Black Mountain 828-669-0930 • avl.mx/xmasjbc

CAMP HENRY — LEADERSHIP, ADVENTURE MISSION PROGRAM m p u

t

Rising grades 1012 • All gender

June 23 - July 6,

July 14-27

$1275/session

25 Wormy Chestnut Lane, Canton 828-646-0095 • avl.mx/ddh

CAMP HENRY — OUTDOOR SCHOOL m p u t

Rising grades 6-12 • All gender

June 23-29, June 30 - July

6, July 14-20, July 21-27

$765/session

25 Wormy Chestnut Lane, Canton

828-646-0095 • avl.mx/ddh

CAMP HENRY — TRADITIONAL CAMP ELEMENTARY m p u t

Rising grades 2-5 • All gender

June 30 - July 6, July 21-27

$705/session

25 Wormy Chestnut Lane, Canton 828-646-0095 • avl.mx/ddh

CAMP HENRY — TRADITIONAL CAMP MIDDLE SCHOOL m p u t

Rising grades 6-8 • All gender

June 23-29, July 14-20

$705/session

25 Wormy Chestnut Lane, Canton 828-646-0095 • avl.mx/ddh

CAMP HENRY — TTADITIONAL CAMP HIGH SCHOOL m p v t

Rising grades 9-12 • All gender

June 16-22

$705/session

25 Wormy Chestnut Lane, Canton

828-646-0095 • avl.mx/ddh

FIRED UP! CREATIVE LOUNGE — ART ADVENTURES CAMP v r

Ages 6-12 • All gender

June 24-28, July 1519, July 22-26

$225/session

26 Wall St., Asheville 828-253-8181 • avl.mx/4q3

FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE — ACTING CAMP (RISING 3-5)

vr

Rising grades 3-5 • All gender

July 8-12

$205/session

1855 Little River Road, Flat Rock 828-693-0403 • avl.mx/de1

FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE — ACTING CAMP (RISING 6-8) v r

Rising grades 6-8 • All gender

June 24-28

$205/session

1855 Little River Road, Flat Rock 828-693-0403 • avl.mx/de1

FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE — ACTING CAMP (RISING K-2) v r

Rising grades K-2 • All gender July 29 - Aug. 2

$205/session

1855 Little River Road, Flat Rock 828-693-0403 • avl.mx/de1

FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE — CONSERVATORY MUSICAL THEATRE CAMP v r

Rising grades 9-12 • All gender July 22-26

$260/session

1855 Little River Road, Flat Rock 828-693-0403 • avl.mx/de1

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF: Will Bartsch, a fourth grader at Charles C. Bell Elementary School, demonstrates his dreams in this clever drawing.

FLEETING THOUGHT: “I made this piece using the primary colors and put encaustic wax on top,” writes Chloe Butler, an Asheville School 11th grader. “It represents how I find dreams and ideas: Starting simple, then getting a flutter of inspiration all at once.”

And benefits from all

One that we create

Working as one force

All together

In a world that hasn’t world peace

But rather peace in the world

A world of peace

That we must create

— Quinn Schilling, sixth grade, Polk County Middle School

Dog’s life

One day, I switched bodies with my dog for 24 hours. That day, I woke up feeling smaller and shorter, but then I quickly realized that I was in my dog’s body. Good thing that my dog sleeps all day, or this would be a whole different story. When I went downstairs to tell my dad, he just took me outside. “Go potty!” he said to me. Once I was outside, I decided to go explore. I started running very fast, and once I got tired, I went

inside a museum. The first place I visited was the dinosaur section, but mostly because I really wanted dino nuggets. I learned that they died from a meteorite. That made me go check out the space section. After learning about space, that made me want to go to space. So I left the museum, went to the space station, and took off in a spaceship. I became the first dog in space. It was the best day of my life ... until I woke up and realized it was all a dream.

— Nico Santander, fourth grade, Evergreen Community Charter School

Some of my dreams

These are the dreams I have time through time. Some dreams are fun,

FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE — MUSICAL MANIA CAMP

vRising grades 6-8 • All gender

July 15-19

$260/session

1855 Little River Road, Flat Rock 828-693-0403 • avl.mx/de1

FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE — MUSICAL THEATRE CAMP (RISING 3-5)

Rising grades 3-5 • All gender

June 17-21

$205/session

1855 Little River Road, Flat Rock 828-693-0403 • avl.mx/de1

FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE — MUSICAL THEATRE CAMP (RISING K-2)

Rising grades K-2 • All gender

June 10-14

$205/session

1855 Little River Road, Flat Rock 828-693-0403 • avl.mx/de1

FOREST FLOOR WILDERNESS PROGRAMS — ARCHERY RANGE m p

Ages 7-8 • All gender

June 3-7, July 8-12

$360/session

Learn to use bow & arrow, participate in mock hunts, and learn to move silently with natural camouflage.

315 Old Haw Creek Road, Asheville 828-338-9787 • avl.mx/b9x

FOREST FLOOR WILDERNESS PROGRAMS — BLACKSMITHING p

Ages 12-16 • All gender

June 3-7, June 17-21, June 24-28, July 22-26, Aug. 5-9, Aug. 12-16

$440/session

This next level teen class uses traditional anvil and forge techniques to craft a variety of useful handmade items.

315 Old Haw Creek Road, Asheville 828-338-9787 • avl.mx/b9x

FOREST FLOOR WILDERNESS PROGRAMS — BRAMBLEHURST SCHOOL OF BUSCHCRAFT & WIZARDRY p r

Ages 9-12 • All gender

June 3-7, June 24-28

$360/session

Campers attend our outdoor academy learning a variety survival skills and playing fun magical games.

315 Old Haw Creek Road, Asheville 828-338-9787 • avl.mx/b9x

FOREST FLOOR

WILDERNESS PROGRAMS — CRAFTY CRITTERS p v r

Ages 7-8 • All gender

June 10-14, August 5-9

$360/session

Campers will work on a variety of fun craft projects from gathered & natural materials.

315 Old Haw Creek Road, Asheville 828-338-9787 • avl.mx/b9x

FOREST FLOOR WILDERNESS PROGRAMS — FOREST NINJA m p r

Ages 9-12 • All gender

June 10-14, July 29 - August 2

$360/session

Develop your forest awareness, move silently, with stalking & marital arts navigating a variety of fun challenges.

315 Old Haw Creek Road, Asheville 828-338-9787 • avl.mx/b9x

FOREST FLOOR WILDERNESS PROGRAMS — KNIFEMAKING p v r

Ages 12-16 • All gender

June 10-14, July 1-5, July 29 - Aug. 2

$440/session

Craft a useful functional tool that can serve for generations using blacksmithing and metal shop techniques.

315 Old Haw Creek Road, Asheville 828-338-9787 • avl.mx/b9x

FOREST FLOOR

WILDERNESS PROGRAMS — LEGEND OF THE GNOMES p v r

Ages 6-7 • All gender

June 3-7, July 8-12

$360/session

Campers will create a gnome village in the forest building huts, foraging, cooking and sharing fantasy adventures.

315 Old Haw Creek Road, Asheville 828-338-9787 • avl.mx/b9x

FOREST FLOOR WILDERNESS PROGRAMS — MYSTERIOUS ANIMALS OF THE FOREST p r

Ages 6-7 • All gender

June 24-28, July 1519, July 29 - Aug. 2

$360/session

Campers will search for and track animals, while playing fun animal themed games and crafting an animal persona.

315 Old Haw Creek Road, Asheville 828-338-9787 • avl.mx/b9x

KIDS ISSUE

FOREST FLOOR

WILDERNESS PROGRAMS — NATURE’S KITCHEN: FIRECRAFT & COOKING p r

Ages 7-8 • All gender

June 17-21, July 15-19

$360/session

This camp is focused on the fire making & safety, gathering wild edibles, water purification, and crafting meals.

315 Old Haw Creek Road, Asheville 828-338-9787 • avl.mx/b9x

FOREST FLOOR

WILDERNESS PROGRAMS — RUN WILD! — REIMAGINING SPORTS m p r

Ages 8-12 • All gender

June 10-14, July 1-5, July 15-19, July 29Aug. 2, Aug. 12-16

$360/session

An inclusive and gender/age neutral camp that reimagines sports with athletic games including Gaga Ball.

315 Old Haw Creek Road, Asheville 828-338-9787 • avl.mx/b9x

FOREST FLOOR

WILDERNESS PROGRAMS — SECRETS OF THE JEDI p v r

Ages 9-12 • All gender

June 17-21, July 8-12

$360/session

Students will learn to deepen their connection with the natural world at our fabled training center for physical skills and self confidence.

315 Old Haw Creek Road, Asheville 828-338-9787 • avl.mx/b9x

FOREST FLOOR

WILDERNESS PROGRAMS — SHADOW SCOUTS: ADVANCED FOREST NINJA OVERNIGHT m p t

Ages 13-16 • All gender July 13-16

$1160/session

An overnight adventure including tracking, teamwork, survival skills, trail craft, stealth and epic night games.

315 Old Haw Creek Road, Asheville 828-338-9787 • avl.mx/b9x

GIRLS ON THE RUN OF WNC — CAMP GOTR / CAMP BROOKE m r

Rising grades 3-5 • Girls

July 22-26

$225/session

222 Fern Way, Black Mountain 828-713-4290 gotrwnc.org

BUILDING MY DREAMS: “As an architect, I dream of seeing my art come to life,” writes Rowan Stewart, a fifth grader at Mountain Sun Community School.

Some dreams are scary, Some dreams are weird, And some dreams are peculiar. But the best dream I have had yet is Living at the beach and being a surfer and Writing books.

— Khyalee Dixon, fifth grade, Charles C. Bell Elementary

Finding my dreamer

I am born of the power of want and the will of hope. I wriggle from my shell of wishes, and yawn as I come into being. I drift from the stars that incubated me on a phan-

tom breeze, born aloft on a question which I ponder as I sail along. What do you dream about? A dream. That’s what I am. And I must find my Dreamer.

So I wonder to the world, What do you dream about? The hills answer kind weather. The stones long for the mountain hearts they came from. The trees covet travel, wanting to listen to the waves and the sea. But none are my Dreamer.

I continue on. The wolves desire family and bountiful prey. The birds dream of diving through sunlit waters. The fish fantasize about sprawling on sun-warmed rocks. I am wrong for them all.

WOBBLE DREAM: Penelope Weldon, a fourth grader at Fairview Elementary School, created this colorful image.

I find myself searching a strange world of metal and glass, where the people have flashier dreams. A man craves to start his own restaurant. A woman wishes to be elected ruler of a nation. A child wants a tiara.

The current ripples towards a building, more insistent, and I’m pulled through a window, down a hall. What do you dream about? Tugging, pulling, guiding. I am ushered into a room full of students, a question written on the whiteboard. My question.

I pull towards a girl in the back of the room. We match. I am her dream, and she is my Dreamer. I transform, molding into an image of a book, the girl’s name scrawled across the cover, No. 1 New York Times Bestseller along the top.

The girl wants to be an author. As I settle around the girl, she

smiles, raises her hand, and answers the question.

What do you dream about?

— Juniper Finneron, eighth grade, Francine Delany New School for Children

Dreams

Dreams come and go, Dreams we all know

There are the good and there is the bad dreams,

But some last longer than others

These dreams are personal dreams We dedicate and strive to achieve these

Just follow your path and make these everlasting dreams come true

GROWING WILD FOREST SCHOOL — BEAUTIFUL BIRDS CAMP p v r

Ages 3-6 • All gender

July 1-5

$350/session

West Asheville 828-761-1497 growingwildforestschool.org/camp

GROWING WILD FOREST SCHOOL — BUGS & SPIDERS CAMP p v r

Ages 3-6 • All gender

July 22-26

$350/session

West Asheville 828-761-1497 growingwildforestschool.org/camp

GROWING WILD FOREST SCHOOL — PLANTS & HERBS CAMP p v r

Ages 3-6 • All gender

June 17-21

$350/session West Asheville 828-761-1497 growingwildforestschool.org/camp

GROWING WILD FOREST SCHOOL — WILD WEATHER CAMP p

Ages 3-6 • All gender

July 29 - Aug. 2

$350/session

West Asheville 828-761-1497 growingwildforestschool.org/camp

HANGER HALL — ARTY PARTY! p v

Rising grades 1-4 • Girls

July 22-26

$320/session

64 W.T. Weaver Boulevard, Asheville 828-258-3600 hangerhall.org

HANGER HALL — COMICS CAMP v

Rising grades 5-8 • Girls

June 10-14

$325/session

64 W.T. Weaver Boulevard, Asheville 828-258-3600 hangerhall.org

HANGER HALL — CRAFTY HOOPLA p v r

Rising grades 5-8 • Girls

Aug. 5-9

$350/session

64 W.T. Weaver Boulevard, Asheville 828-258-3600 hangerhall.org

HANGER HALL — DANCE & PERFORMANCE m v r

Rising grades 5-9 • Girls

July 29 - Aug. 2

$350/session

64 W.T. Weaver Boulevard, Asheville 828-258-3600 hangerhall.org

HANGER HALL — ELEMENTARY SPANISH q r

Rising grades 1-4 • Girls

July 8-12

$275/session

64 W.T. Weaver Boulevard, Asheville 828-258-3600 hangerhall.org

HANGER HALL — FASHION STUDIO

Rising grades 5-8 • Girls

June 24-28

$350/session

64 W.T. Weaver Boulevard, Asheville 828-258-3600 hangerhall.org

HANGER HALL — GIRL BOSS 101

Rising grades 5-8 • Girls

July 8-12

$320/session

64 W.T. Weaver Boulevard, Asheville 828-258-3600 hangerhall.org

JAN’S ART ACADEMY — CONSTRUCTION v r

Ages 8-13 • All gender

Aug. 5-9

$165/session

3 Homewood Drive, Asheville 828-301-6116 • avl.mx/de7

JAN’S ART ACADEMY — DRAWING v r

Ages 9-14 • All gender

June 24-28

$165/session

3 Homewood Drive, Asheville 828-301-6116 • avl.mx/de7

JAN’S ART ACADEMY — GIRLS GALORE

Ages 7-13 • Girls

July 8-12

$165/session

3 Homewood Drive, Asheville 828-301-6116 • avl.mx/de7

JAN’S ART ACADEMY — PAINTING MADNESS

Ages 7-13 • All gender

June 10-14

$165/session

3 Homewood Drive, Asheville 828-301-6116 • avl.mx/de7

KIDS GARDEN — AFTERNOON ART LAB & STUDIO CAMP p v r

Ages 3-12 • All gender

June 10 - Aug. 16 (weekly)

$280/session

MINDSTRETCH TRAVEL ADVENTURES — CHEROKEE & THE NC MOUNTAINS

Rising grades 9-12 • Boys June 16-23

$3125/session

3124 Landrum Road, Columbus 828-863-4235 • avl.mx/b7c

MINDSTRETCH TRAVEL ADVENTURES — COLORADO ROCKIES ADVENTURE

Rising grades 5-8 • Boys

July 21-25

$1625/session 3124 Landrum Road, Columbus 828-863-4235 • avl.mx/b7c

MONTFORD MOPPETS — MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Ages 10-17 • All gender

July 15 - Aug. 11 $375/session

90 Gay St., Asheville 828-719-8296 themontfordmoppets.org

MONTFORD MOPPETS — THE WINTER’S TALE

Ages 10-17 • All gender

June 17 - July 14

$375/session

90 Gay St., Asheville 828-719-8296 themontfordmoppets.org

ODYSSEY CLAYWORKS — CLAY CAMPS 2024

Ages 6-16 • All gender

June 10 - Aug. 16 (ongoing)

$285/session

236 Clingman Ave., Asheville 828-285-0210 odysseyclayworks.com

ODYSSEY SCHOOL — BANGIN’ & SANGIN’! WITH BILLY JONAS q✈

Rising grades K-1 • All gender

June 24-28, July 8-12, July 22-26 $350/session

90 Zillicoa St., Asheville 828-259-3653 • avl.mx/ddv

ODYSSEY SCHOOL — BOBCATS DAY CAMP

m p v r

Rising grades 2-3 • All gender

June 11 - Aug. 2 (weekly)

$390/session

90 Zillicoa St., Asheville 828-259-3653 • avl.mx/ddv

ODYSSEY SCHOOL — FLYING SQUIRRELS DAY CAMP m

p v r

Rising grades K-1 • All gender

June 11 - Aug. 2 (weekly)

$390/session

90 Zillicoa St., Asheville 828-259-3653 • avl.mx/ddv

ODYSSEY SCHOOL — GRAY SQUIRRELS DAY CAMP m

p v r

Rising grades K-1 • All gender

June 11 - Aug. 2 (weekly)

$390/session

90 Zillicoa St., Asheville 828-259-3653 • avl.mx/ddv

4 S. Tunnel Road, Unit 700, Asheville 828-417-7310

• avl.mx/ddx

KIDS GARDEN — MORNING SUMMER CAMPS p v r

Ages 3-12 • All gender

June 10 - Aug. 16 (weekly)

$310/session

4 S. Tunnel Road, Unit 700, Asheville 828-417-7310 • avl.mx/ddx

LAKEVIEW PUTT AND PLAY — LAKEVIEW SUMMER CAMP p v r

Ages 7-12 • All gender

June 17-21, June 24-28, July 8-12, July 15-19

$250/session

2245 Hendersonville Road, Arden 828-676-1746

lakeviewputtandplay.com

NOW THAT’S A DREAM: “Every single day, I dream of chicken nuggets raining from the sky. Chickens are walking on the ground,” says Johnny Wilberding, a second grader at Francine Delany New School for Children.

Dreams come and go, Dreams we all know

— Reece Turner, sixth grade, Polk County Middle School

Helping the homeless

My dream is to help homeless people who have no money and food. I’m going to get a job and go to the store and get food. I’m going to use food and money to help because they need it. I’m going to help the homeless people when I’m an adult. It makes me feel happy to give homeless people money.

— Susannah, second grade, Odyssey School

We dream

We wake up to darkness and cold harshness of fall turning to winter We wake up to grass crunching beneath our feet

We wake up to the dead silence before the birds wake up

We work till there is no more work to be done

We work to reach higher than where we are

We work to accomplish what no one said we could We work because that is all we know to do

We work sunrise to sunset

We work to reach our dreams

— Rennie M. Tyler, seventh grade, The Learning Community

Ki d s Cooking C a m p s

VISIONING: “This artwork was based off a dream I had recently where all girls are transferred to the galaxy and are required to have metal party-hat devices on their heads to read each other’s minds,” writes Ellen Swann, an Owen High School 10th grader.

Making clothes

My dream is to start my own business. My business is making clothes with all of my friends. The clothes go on the models, and then I put makeup on the models. Maylee makes the sketches for the outfits. Bristol gets the fabric to make the clothes. I will make the women’s clothes and I will design and sew the clothes. I’m the boss of my company. Bristol is trustworthy up for anything and that is why she is my assistant. Maylee is honest, respectful and has humor and that is why she is my manager. I like making clothes for disabled people or decorating wheelchairs and casts to make them happy. I will love my job. Seeing people smile and laughing it is like I’m in heaven, with the angels singing lullabies to the children. Would you like to work for me? I’m nice, funny, respectful, kind, trustworthy, helpful, caring and smart.

Schedule: 9:30 I get the sketches from Maylee, and Bristol gets me the fabrics for the clothes; 11:15 lunch break; 12:15 more sketches and sewing; 1:45 go outside; 2:15 come inside; 2:25 go home; 3:30 me and my friends meet up. My job is a dream!!!!!!!!!!!!

— Alexis Hurt, fourth grade, Fairview Elementary School

My dreams

My dreams are weird, but I have heard that dreams tell you things about yourself. In my dreams, I often die by falling to my death. I have heard that dreams can sometimes highlight a person’s fears. It’s strange because I do not have a fear of heights.

Sometimes I dream about happy places and things. I only remem-

CONTINUES ON PAGE 42

Camp Dates: 6/10-6/14

6/24-6/6/28

7/22-7/26

8/5-8/9

Week-long camps take place in downtown Asheville and combine excursions to various food destinations that are a short walk from our venue on 19 Eagle Street 9:30am - 2:00pm | Ages 9 to 14 ashevillemountainkitchen.com/events/cooking-camp-2024-06-10/

ODYSSEY SCHOOL — GREAT HORNED OWLS / JUNIOR CAMP COUNSELORS m

p v r

Rising grades 8-12 • All gender

June 11 - Aug. 2 (weekly)

$390/session

90 Zillicoa St., Asheville 828-259-3653 • avl.mx/ddv

ODYSSEY SCHOOL — MAGIC: THE GATHERING (CARD GAME) CAMP

vAges 10-14 • All gender

June 24-28

$450/session

90 Zillicoa St., Asheville 828-259-3653 • avl.mx/ddv

ODYSSEY SCHOOL — OTTERS DAY CAMP m p v r

Rising grades 6-7 • All gender

June 11 - Aug. 2 (weekly)

$390/session

90 Zillicoa St., Asheville 828-259-3653 • avl.mx/ddv

ODYSSEY SCHOOL — RED WOLVES DAY CAMP

m p v u q r

Rising grades 4-5 • All gender

June 11 - Aug. 2 (weekly)

$390/session

90 Zillicoa St., Asheville 828-259-3653 • avl.mx/ddv

PARI — 3D PLANETSCLEMSON EDITION q t

Ages 11-15 • All gender

June 16-21

$1700/session

1 PARI Drive, Rosman 828-862-5554 • avl.mx/b9r

PARI — 3D PLANETS - PARI EDITION q t

Ages 11-15 • All gender

June 30 - July 5

$1700/session

1 PARI Drive, Rosman 828-862-5554 • avl.mx/b9r

PARI — ABOVE & BEYOND q t

Rising grades 9-12 • All gender

July 7-18

$3960/session

1 PARI Drive, Rosman 828-862-5554 • avl.mx/b9r

PARI — ADVANCED 3D PLANETSCLEMSON EDITION q t

Ages 14-17 • All gender

June 23-28

$1700/session

1 PARI Drive, Rosman 828-862-5554 • avl.mx/b9r

PARI — MARTIAN FRONTIER q t

Rising grades 7-12 • All gender

July 7-18

$3960/session 1 PARI Drive, Rosman 828-862-5554 • avl.mx/b9r

PARKWAY PLAYHOUSE — ARISTOCATS: KIDS PRODUCTION CAMP v r

Ages 5-9 • All gender

June 10-21 $200/session

202 Green Mountain Drive, Burnsville 828-682-4285 • avl.mx/b83

PARKWAY PLAYHOUSE — DINOSAUR DISCOVERY

Ages 5-9 • All gender

July 22-26

$120/session

202 Green Mountain Drive, Burnsville 828-682-4285 • avl.mx/b83

PARKWAY PLAYHOUSE — FROZEN: JR. PRODUCTION CAMP

Ages 10-18 • All gender

July 8-19

$300/session

202 Green Mountain Drive, Burnsville 828-682-4285 • avl.mx/b83

PARKWAY PLAYHOUSE — LIGHTS UP ON LITERACY!

Ages 5-9 • All gender

July 29 - Aug. 2

$120/session

202 Green Mountain Drive, Burnsville 828-682-4285 • avl.mx/b83

PARKWAY PLAYHOUSE — MUSICAL THEATRE INTENSIVE v r

Ages 12-18 • All gender

June 3-7

$200/session

202 Green Mountain Drive, Burnsville 828-682-4285 • avl.mx/b83

PLAYGROUND STAGE — MUSICAL SUMMER CAMP (4 SESSIONS)

Rising grades 1-6 • All gender

June 11-21, June 24 - July 3, July 8-19, July 22 - Aug. 2

$575 for sessions 1-2; $600 for sessions 3-4 899 Glenn Bridge Road SE, Asheville 828-537-5050 • avl.mx/de6

PUSH SKATE CAMP — SUMMER SESSIONS m v r

Ages 5-15 • All gender

June 17-20, June 24-27, July 15-18, July 22-25, Aug. 12-15, Aug. 19-22

$165/session

Asheville Skatepark, 50 N. Cherry St., Asheville 828-225-5509

pushskatecamp.com

RAINBOW COMMUNITY SCHOOL — BOTS & BYTES q r

Rising grades 4-7 • All gender

July 8-12

$245/session

574 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-318-2838 • avl.mx/6wh

RAINBOW COMMUNITY SCHOOL — SURF & TURF p r

Rising grades 4-7 • All gender

June 17-21, June 2428, July 22-26

$350/session

574 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-318-2838 • avl.mx/6wh

RAINBOW COMMUNITY SCHOOL — THEATER CAMP

Rising grades 4-7

• All gender

June 17-28

$700/session

574 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-318-2838 • avl.mx/6wh

RAINBOW COMMUNITY SCHOOL — WING DINGS & WHIRLIGIGS

Rising grades 4-7

• All gender

July 22-26

$225/session

574 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-318-2838 • avl.mx/6wh

RAINBOW COMMUNITY SCHOOL — YARN ARTS

Rising grades 4-7

• All gender

June 10-14

$350/session

574 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-318-2838 • avl.mx/6wh

RIVERLINK — FRENCH BROAD RIVERCAMP p r

Rising grades 3-8

• All gender

June 10-14, June 1721, June 24-28, July 8-12, July 15-19

$375/session

508 Riverview Dr., Asheville 828-252-8474 • avl.mx/5o3

SPEAK* — SPEAK*TEENS 2024 v r

Ages 12-18 • All gender

July 15-26

$700/session

60 Lakeshore Dr., Weaverville 202-486-8311 speakfor.org/programs

SWIFT APP SCHOOL — APP DEVELOPMENT SUMMER CAMP q r

Ages 13-18 • All gender

June 24-28

$650/session

Hatch Innovation Hub, 45 S. French Broad Ave., Asheville 828-367-9523 swiftappschool.com

THE CENTER FOR INSPIRED EDUCATION — CAMP HONEY HIVE DAY CAMP (SPECIAL NEEDS CAMP) p r

Ages 18+ • All gender

Aug. 26-28

$50/session

Asheville

828-989-3227 • avl.mx/ddy

THE CENTER FOR INSPIRED EDUCATION — CAMP SUMMER HAVEN BACKPACKING CAMP p r

Ages 12-16 • All gender

Aug. 5-9

$485/session

The best of leadership and communication skills training, wilderness deepening, backpacking cooking and fun memory making.

Asheville

828-989-3227 • avl.mx/ddy

THE CENTER FOR INSPIRED EDUCATION — CAMP SUMMER HAVEN DAY CAMP (AGE 5-12) p r

Ages 5-12 • All gender

Aug. 12-16, Aug. 19-23

$385/session

We create the feeling of a summer haven with nature-time, art, cooking, games, creek walks, conscious and loving counselors, and daily field trips to hikes, the Arboretum, a community act of kindness, an artist studio, and a surprise treat. “My child didn’t even want to go to camp, and now he doesn’t want to miss a day of this camp! Thank

Programs: Gymnastics

you for making him feel so safe, and for making it so fun!” Mom of 10 and 6 year olds.

Asheville

828-989-3227 • avl.mx/ddy

THE CENTER FOR INSPIRED EDUCATION — SUMMER HAVEN DAY CAMP (AGE 2-6) p v r

Ages 2-6 • All gender

July 29 - Aug. 2

$385/session

Asheville

828-989-3227 • avl.mx/ddy

THE LEARNING COMMUNITY — ADVENTURE CAMP p r

Rising grades 6-9 • All gender

July 17-21

$400/session

1220 Bee Tree Road, Swannanoa 828-686-3080

thelearningcommunity.org/camps

PLANTING TREES: Lennon Kasten, an ArtSpace Charter School fourth grader, dreams of an environmentally sound future.

ber my dreams about 25% of the time. But I have heard that a person dreams every night, but we do not always remember.

One of my most memorable dreams was when I was a detective. I was investigating a scene that had a winding staircase. A person in my dream told me, “It’s not just the detective who can figure things out, sometimes you have to ask for help.” Suddenly a statue and an ugly dog appeared in front of the staircase. The dog transformed into a werewolf and ate me.

I wish I knew exactly what my dreams meant. But for now, I will just enjoy the show and the fun adventures of my dreams.

— Fain Burgess, fifth grade, Isaac Dickson Elementary School

Hold on tight

When dreams come They come in droves Some with plot

Others filler episodes

Teaser airs at 10 o’clock

The cast announced at 2

What comes next could be a shock

Or something not too new

Sometimes a sequel

Of something good

Or a brand new character

Later misunderstood

When I wake up

They go so fast

Up in the air like Friends

So when dreams come I hold on tight

For when the nighttime ends

— John Robert Riddell, eighth grade, The Learning Community

The future

In the future, but not too long from now, maybe a year or two, I want the world to be a calm, equal, peaceful and safe place for everyone. I know that’s a very high standard, but I would work very hard for a world even close to that. If the world were like that, then it would feel so much safer, and more comfortable. I see myself in the future making life easier for everyone by helping in protests and giving everyone equal rights. I know that this is very hard and might take a while, but I also know that it’s not impossible, and that if we all work together we can slowly but surely move our world and our community closer to my dream of a calm, war-free and equal home for everybody, from people that I don’t know at all to my best friend. This is my dream, and I want to work toward it but to do that I need everyone’s help, including yours, so please when you can, help me to make our world a calm and peaceful world for everyone.

— Ben Sprinkle, fourth grade, Mountain Sun Community School

Tomorrow will be a better day I played, I played but now I’m walking home barefoot alone. I’m home and now I’m free.

WOMAN AND THE WOLF: Asheville School 12th grader Margaret Harris conjured up this nightmare scenario.

THE LEARNING COMMUNITY — MATH CAMP q r

Rising grades 3-8 • All gender

July 29 - Aug. 2

$350/session

1220 Bee Tree Road, Swannanoa 828-686-3080

thelearningcommunity.org/camps

THE LEARNING COMMUNITY — NATURE CAMP p v r

Rising grades K-5 • All gender

June 3 - July 26 (weekly)

$300/session

1220 Bee Tree Road, Swannanoa 828-686-3080

thelearningcommunity.org/camps

THE LEARNING COMMUNITY — SUMMER ACADEMY q r

Rising grades 1-9 • All gender

July 22 - Aug. 2

$110/session

1220 Bee Tree Road, Swannanoa 828-686-3080

thelearningcommunity.org/camps

THE LITTLE GYM — SUPER HEROES UNITE m

Ages 3-9 • All gender

June 3 - Aug. 16

$220/session or $50/day 10 Crispin Court, Suite 104, Asheville 828-747-2239 • avl.mx/dd1

THE MUSIC ACADEMY ASHEVILLE — OPENING ACT CAMP (GRADES 1-3)

Rising grades 1-3 • All gender Aug. 5-9

$250/session

1408 Patton Ave., Suite F, Asheville 828-252-1888 • avl.mx/de5

THE MUSIC ACADEMY ASHEVILLE — OPENING ACT CAMP (GRADES 4-6)

Rising grades 4-6 • All gender

June 24-28, July 29 - Aug. 2

$250/session

1408 Patton Ave., Suite F, Asheville 828-252-1888 • avl.mx/de5

THE MUSIC ACADEMY ASHEVILLE — ROCK ACADEMY CAMP

Ages 12-17 • All gender

June 17-12, July 8-12, July 22-25

$250/session

1408 Patton Ave., Suite F, Asheville 828-252-1888 • avl.mx/de5

ULTIMATE FRISBEE SUMMER CAMP m r

Ages 8-14 • All gender

June 17-21

$175/session

220 Amboy Road, Asheville 828-225-6986 • avl.mx/b6a

ULTIMATE FRISBEE SUMMER CAMP — HIGH SCHOOL m r

Rising grades 8-12 • All gender July 22-26

$175/session

220 Amboy Road, Asheville 828-225-6986 • avl.mx/b6a

UNC ASHEVILLE — ILLUMINATIONS! CIRCUITS, ELECTRICITY, AND LIGHTING! vq r

Ages 12+ • Girls

July 29 - Aug. 2

$595/session

821 Riverside Drive, Suite 140, Asheville 828-258-7957 • skillset.tools

UNC ASHEVILLE — JUNIOR WOODWORKING DESIGN CHALLENGE vq r

Ages 8-11 • Girls

June 17-21, July 22-26

$595/session

821 Riverside Drive, Suite 140, Asheville 828-258-7957 • skillset.tools

UNC ASHEVILLE — MAKE YOUR OWN CUSTOM ELECTRIC GUITAR vq r

Ages 13+ • Girls

June 24-28

$695/session

821 Riverside Drive, Suite 140, Asheville 828-258-7957 • skillset.tools

KIDS ISSUE

UNC ASHEVILLE — STOP MOTION ANIMATION vq r

Ages 10+ • Girls

June 17-21

$595/session

821 Riverside Drive, Suite 140, Asheville 828-258-7957 • skillset.tools

UNC ASHEVILLE — WOODTURNING vq r

Ages 12+ • Girls

July 22-26

$595/session

821 Riverside Drive, Suite 140, Asheville 828-258-7957 • skillset.tools

WARREN WILSON — BASKETBALL CAMP m r

Ages 6-14

Aug. 5-9

• All gender

$200/session

701 Warren Wilson Road, Swannanoa 828-771-3001 • avl.mx/b93

WARREN WILSON — YOUTH BASKETBALL CAMP m r

Ages 6-14 • All gender July 22-26

$200/session

701 Warren Wilson Road, Swannanoa 828-771-3001 • avl.mx/ddg

WOODSON BRANCH NATURE SCHOOL — EARTH, WATER, FIRE SUMMER CAMP p r

Rising grades 1-6

• All gender

June 10-14

$450/session

14555 US Hwy 25/70, Marshall 828-206-5296

madisoncclc.org/earthwaterfirecamp

WOODSON BRANCH NATURE SCHOOL — FARM TO TABLE CAMP p r

Rising grades 1-6

• All gender

June 12-16

$450/session

14555 US Hwy 25/70, Marshall 828-206-5296

madisoncclc.org/earthwaterfirecamp

DREAMING IN PINK: Amanda Surrett, a 10th grade digital photography student at IC Imagine Charter School, created this photo using different types of lights and light wands to create light movement.

THE WEIRDEST DREAM I EVER HAD: “Yes, there were ankylosauruses underwater,” writes Asheville Middle School seventh grader Elias Ritter. “Don’t ask about it.”

As I slip into bed I wonder “Tomorrow will be a better day.” My mother comes into my room and sits down on my bed. She repeats my words.

“Tomorrow will be a better day.”

She kisses my forehead and then leaves my room as I drift off to sleep. I wonder “Tomorrow will be a better day.”

— Eve Rollins, fourth grade, The Learning Community

Small town dream

I close my eyes, the clock begins to tick to a beat.

The air conditioner sounds like a waterfall, it joins in.

As I began to listen, a dream begins to start.

A picture forms in my head of a small cottage in a small town.

Birds chirp as I walk through the market.

No roads, just paths and small farms.

I hope my dream becomes my future and I hope the same for you.

— Ember Wheeler, fifth grade, Mountain Sun Community School

Charlie the Rafter Man

When I was a little kid, I would have dreams about a distinguished individual who called himself Charlie the Rafter Man. He would hang from the rafters and swing and coil around things. Despite his creepy appearance, he is actually quite a nice fellow. In this particular dream, I was trudging through an old hotel trying to get to the light as Charlie swung from the rafters telling tales of Christmas whimsy.

— Jack Weikel, eighth grade, Francine Delany New School for Children

WOODSON BRANCH

NATURE SCHOOL — OUTDOOR THEATER CAMP

Rising grades 1-6 • All gender

July 8-12

$450/session

14555 US Hwy 25/70, Marshall 828-206-5296 madisoncclc.org/earthwaterfirecamp

WOODSON BRANCH

NATURE SCHOOL — STEAM MEETS NATURE CAMP

Rising grades 1-6 • All gender

July 22-26

$450/session

14555 US Hwy 25/70, Marshall 828-206-5296 madisoncclc.org/earthwaterfirecamp

WOODSON BRANCH

NATURE SCHOOL — WILDERNESS SURVIVAL CAMP

Rising grades 1-6 • All gender

July 15-19

$450/session

14555 US Hwy 25/70, Marshall 828-206-5296 madisoncclc.org/earthwaterfirecamp

WORTHAM CENTER

— CREATIVE ARTS

CAMP (GRADES 1-2)

vRising Grades 1-2 • All gender June 24-28

$205/session

Perfect for little kids with BIG imaginations!

18 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-257-4530 • avl.mx/dhg

WORTHAM CENTER

— CREATIVE ARTS

CAMP (GRADES 3-5)

vRising Grades 3-5 • All gender July 8-12

$310/session

Express yourself through acting, movement, music, and design.

18 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-257-4530 • avl.mx/dhg

WORTHAM CENTER

— PERFORMING ARTS

CAMP (GRADES 1-2)

vRising Grades 1-2 • All gender July 15-19

$205/session

Explore the fundamentals of acting, music, and dance.

18 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-257-4530 • avl.mx/dhg

WORTHAM CENTER

— PERFORMING ARTS CAMP (GRADES 3-5)

vRising Grades 3-5 • All gender July 22-29

$310/session

Write, rehearse, and perform in an original show!

18 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-257-4530 • avl.mx/dhg

YMCA OF WNC — ADVENTURE CAMP p r

Ages 9-15 • All gender

June 17 - Aug. 16

$375/session

40 N. Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-251-5910 • avl.mx/dec

YMCA OF WNC — CAMP WATIA p t

Ages 7-16 • All gender

June 9 - Aug. 9 (weekly)

$950/session

5030 Watia Road, Bryson City 828-251-5910 ymcacampwatia.org

YMCA OF WNC — CAMPERS IN LEADERSHIP TRAINING (CILT) p v✈

Ages 12-15 • All gender

June 17 - Aug. 16

$300/session

40 N. Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-251-5910 • avl.mx/deb

YMCA OF WNC — DISCOVERY CAMP p v✈ r

Rising grades 1-6 • All gender

June 17 - Aug. 16

$250/session

40 N. Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-251-5910 • avl.mx/de9

YMCA OF WNC — HORIZONS SUMMER OF SERVICE

p v✈ r t

Ages 13-17 • All gender

June 17-21, June 24-28, July 8-12, July 14-21

$1348/session

40 N. Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-251-5910 • avl.mx/dea

YMCA OF WNC — PRE-K DISCOVERY DAY CAMP

p v r

Ages 4-5 • All gender

June 17 - Aug. 9

$250/session

40 N. Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-251-5910 • avl.mx/de9

ZANIAC ASHEVILLE — WEEKLY STEM CAMPS

q r

Rising grades K-9 • All gender

June 12 - Aug. 25 (weekly)

$499/session

1 Town Square Blvd., Suite 120, Asheville 828-575.0355 • avl.mx/de8

ZANIAC ASHEVILLE — ZANIAC STEM CAMPS AT BLUE RIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE q

r

Rising grades 1-8 • All gender

June 24-28, July 8-12, July 15-19, July 22-26

$499/session

1 Town Square Blvd., Suite 120, Asheville 828-575.0355 • avl.mx/de8

ZANIAC ASHEVILLE

— ZANIAC SUMMER CAMPS AT UNCA

q r

Rising grades 1-8 • All gender

June 24-28, July 8-12, July 15-19, July 22-26

$449/session

1 Town Square Blvd., Suite 120, Asheville 828-575.0355 • avl.mx/de8

A good day to dream

Never give up on your dreams, As hard as they seem.

Look at your chances, No backward glances.

Don’t listen to Tilly or Billy, Your dreams are not silly. You’re not wrong, So stay strong.

Dreams are hope and laughter, Saying what you’re after.

Dreams are glorious things, They’re like flying on wings.

Don’t let them go, They’re things to show.

Dreams are meant to achieve, Not to leave.

Stay until the path is clear, Dreams are something to hold dear. Watch the sun rise up, Yup.

It’s a pretty good day to dream.

— Liv Longway, fifth grade, home-schooled

My dream

My dream is a world with no pollution, so what would that look like? Electric cars, no gas or smoke. My dream is to stop global warming and bring back those cold, winter, snowy days.

My dream would be for people to stop killing animals just for one part of their body. Only take wild animals if they are injured or it is an animal that is supposed to be a pet. Stop putting wild animals in zoos. Only do it if they are injured and the zoo is helping the animals, then release it back to the wild.

Another dream is to actually stop racists because there are still people doing it.

Women are always worrying about how they look and not how they are as in their personality.

— Marley

Wilander,

fourth grade, Mountain Sun Community School

Fickle dreams

You can’t schedule dreams, They come when they want and leave when they want

They take from you

What they want

Leaving you empty

They can be kind

Leaving you with a Glimpse, something worth staying for

Listen to what they

Tell you, stay cautious

When they try to bargain

Keep what’s yours

Take what they give you

Without them you would be shipwrecked.

Left to live your life in barren wastelands.

Dreams can save you.

Don’t auction away

That short time you

Have with them

Do and say

Without fear.

Live that life in hand

With them.

Keep your dreams close

When you leave that world

SOLAR POWER: “I want to help the world realize that we need to look to nature to solve our problems like climate change,” writes Bryce Baron, a sixth grader at Mountain Sun Community School.

BATS! Asheville School 10th grader Oli Centeno-Oxford created this colorful, creepy nightmare scenario.

DOGGIE DREAMS: Francine Delany New School for Chidren second grader Maddie writes: “My dream is that I want there to be dogs that are like this with different colors like pink.”

Behind, when entering yours

Keep their memory

With you.

— Zinnia Ahlgren, eighth grade, The Learning Community

LaMar’s Comfort Kitchen

I have many dreams and ambitions for when I grow up. I am going to be a chef. I will work hard so that I will have a good home for my wife and kids. I want to live in Los Angeles.

When I open up my own restaurant, the theme will be Southernstyle comfort food. I will call my restaurant “Lamar’s Comfort Kitchen.” I would like the customers to feel welcome and relaxed. The customers can dress up, or they can be casual. I will have a combination of booths and tables for the custom-

ers. I will have pillows at the booths for people to really relax. I want the people to have happy memories in my restaurant. I am really good at cooking biscuits, gravy, chicken and mashed potatoes, so that will be the specialty of my restaurant.

I would like to donate food and money to feed the homeless. I will choose one day a week to feed homeless people. Everyone deserves to eat dinner in a restaurant, even if they don’t have money.

— LaMar Greenlee, fifth grade, Isaac Dickson Elementary School

Quite a tail

Bunny York City is a place of wonder. It’s a New York for bunnies! There are bunny apartments and hotels, the statue of liber-bunn-ty, the skyscrapers, Bunny Stroll Park

SELF-PORTRAIT: Belle Brown, an 11th grader at Asheville School, writes: “When creating this painting, I wanted to display my inner self that sometimes can be hard to show to the world. The stars represent the opportunities that I have had in order to bring me to where I am today.”

and so much more! It’s all amazing! You should try the muffins and lemonade at the restaurants. The food and drinks are so good! Bunny York City is so great!

— Cecilia Cramer, third grade, The Learning Community

Sometimes scary, sometimes exciting

Dreams are something that every person experiences.

Romance and love,

Dreams up above!

Nightmares or not, we give it

Much thought.

Yes, they can be scary

But sometimes exciting. But everyone dreams

Of very big things!

— Lucia Simonetti, fifth grade, Charles C. Bell Elementary School

No more plastic

I dream of a future with less plastic, and I will tell you why. Plastic is one of the main problems our generation is struggling with. The problem is affecting more than you think.

Once marine wildlife, clean water or even the air around us is exposed to plastic, it begins its hurtful pollution. Many animals are being left in serious health conditions, and this is unacceptable. Leaving plants and animals nearly helpless and struggling for simply wrapping foods and products by the ton is a terrible thing, but it’s so common we don’t think of it that way on a daily basis.

I like to think of caring for our ecosystem like we care for our

DREAMING OF THE DIAMOND: Haw Creek Elementary School fourth grader Milo Neinast wants to be a professional baseball player.

family and community, kind and sensible. And here’s something good for keeping in mind regardless: Everything helps. One less scrap of trash is one less throbbing headache for the world. It’s difficult for everyone, but I’m encouraging you to become one of those people who is looked up to for helping our world and the plants and animals in it. Carelessly treating the planet like an unimportant existence is my example of cruelty, while caring equally for every living creature and nourishing the plants is my example of the opposite.

The amount of plastic piled up over time is sickening if you’re aware of the cost for a simple plastic-wrapped snack. Every once in a while, we need to step back, take awareness of our surroundings and see how our actions have affected, hurt, or benefited others. My hope is that after reading this, you will be encouraged to use less plastic!

— Sally Svendsen, fourth grade, Woodson Branch Nature School

Dreamers

The stars messily splatter

The sun’s recurrent fate arrives

The moon burgeons

Your mind’s glow is slayed as the shine of your dreams is born Many paradise overlapping only comprehensible to a dreamer

Many fantasize, dreamers aspire

Every night you can buy a ticket

The train awaits for your thoughts

You ride and you contemplate and you choose your destination on the go

You are all alone in the dark of the train.

The destination is reached and the dream is acquired

A vile cancer attacks the dark

The light floods you out to yourself.

Think for a moment and then dream

— Sebastian Young, eighth grade, The Learning Community

My dream

My dream is to help kids that can’t help themselves, because if I don’t,

who will? I will donate food and toys to kids that can’t get them for themselves. I will donate money to Asheville. My biggest dream is to be a professional sports player and with the money I would make, I would open schools and help kids have good education. And this wouldn’t just be in North Carolina, it would also be in Africa and all over America and that is my dream.

— Judson Langerman, fifth grade, Mountain Sun Community School

No rules

Every night, when the final light says goodnight

Why I support

You are swept, swept into a land, your land

Only you are allowed here, but you always try to invite others You make this land, every time you visit, it is changed

In this land, there are no rules

You take a bite out of the candy trees

And have a conversation with a squirrel

The possibilities are endless, for what you can do next

You can live in an underwater city

Take a dolphin for a ride

You can fly, go have a race with an eagle Stumble into a cave, follow a bat

CONTINUES ON PAGE 52

“Xpress represents the heart of Asheville and I want it to always be here.”

PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE: Sarah Williams, a Franklin School of Innovation 12th grader, painted this creative image.

Asheville field guide to New Edition

THE LAND OF THE GNOMES: Alice Lane, a fifth grader at Isaac Dickson Elementary School, drew this colorful picture.

This is the place where you are free So seize your chance, don’t let it slip away Go lay for rest, tired and content And get ready to dream

— Graham Clegg, eighth grade, The Learning Community

Artist and video gamer

My dream is to be an artist and a video gamer. I want to make amazing art and to inspire people. When I was a little kid, I always played video games at home, and I suck at video games. But I got better, so that is why I want to be a video gamer. I want to travel to all the places in the world, and I want to win video games and be the best gamer. I will give homeless people money. And that is why I want to have both jobs. I want to challenge people to tough video games. And I want to show people my art. And I hope I will be an artist. My first dream was to be a YouTuber, but my mom said no. And then I got a new dream to be an artist. How I got inspired was by art from an amazing artist. His art looks like real life, and so I had a new dream

— Aidan Kovalsky, fourth grade, Fairview Elementary School

In the moment

The past is a wave in the sea, Knocking you down Yet the future is the hot sun

Burning your dream

If you are present, you have a surfboard, Riding the past, Able to survive the waves, And prepared to block the sun rays And weather that may come As all that has passed is a nightmare, You now are in a present dream

— Emma Reese, fifth grade, Odyssey School

My dreams

One day people will stop having wars and will finally just find peace in their hearts … I hope that people finally stop getting in fights and stop hating each other …

Finally ...

Love someone in their life … I hope that schools will start providing for their students and actually give them good things to teach with ...

I’m not saying all schools are like this …

But most schools do not have enough money to provide good materials for students …

All wars should stop so soldiers can stay home and take care of their young children …

Pollution should stop because it’s destroying the polar ice caps and our vision …

We just need to stop.

— Oliver Cherry, fifth grade, Isaac Dickson Elementary School

DEAR THEO: Asheville School 11th grader Ariya Jensen writes: “I dream about recovery and the grief that comes from leaving part of yourself — no matter how unhealthy — behind.”

Lucid

Eyes open and breathes in, as her consciousness slips away. Reality runs away, as her mind grasps for her dreams. Soon she reaches her destination. A pleasant place, which she desired. For once she was in control, for once she was free. Free of her pains, free of her problems, Free of pretending.

The new reality sinks in, everything becomes real. Soon light soaks in, air flows, rushing behind.

The light bathing in her reality, her reality vanishes in the light. No longer being in control, no longer being free. Her pains bounced back, Her problems swell into her brain.

Her eyes sore from the light. Her eyes close and breathes in, letting the darkness drag her down. All reality starts to crumble, but she doesn’t fight it. She only had one thought as she sinks into her rest.

PEACE.

As waves of darkness wash her consciousness away.

— Genevieve Ard, seventh grade, Polk County Middle School

Being a daughter of two immigrants

I’m the daughter of two immigrants who are also amazing people. Being a daughter of immigrants is great, like being able to speak three languages. But there are also bad

parts, like not being able to go to Florida because of anti-immigrant laws. But my life at school is different because I remember people used to ask me how to say bad things in Spanish or Portuguese and I bet when I tell people I’ve been to Mexico people think of poor places and stray dogs and it sucks, but in reality it really doesn’t.

Sometimes our dad tells us people don’t pay him exactly when they are supposed to and my mom has a cleaning business and she has a hard time finding people to work with her. And all the mean jokes like whitewashed Mexican or ranchero or when other Mexican people call you gringo and when movies always have that Mexican man abusing his kid and is an alcoholic like it’s not always Mexican people it may be other people too. And when

I’m speaking Spanish to my friend that can speak Spanish too, people always think I’m talking about them in a bad way and when i’m walking with my dad people stare at me or give me a look and when my dad picks me up in his white van people ask is your dad a kidnapper as a joke but it’s not funny. This was my story and together let’s make all this change

— Melissa Tadeo, fourth grade, ArtSpace Charter School

A haiku for the world

A HAIKU for the world … I have a dream for The world to be free of slaves Life will be peaceful …

— Nina Rose Dirito, fifth grade, Mountain Sun Community School

BONFIRE: Amy Zhu, a 10th grader at Asheville School, drew this colorful picture.

SOCCER GOAL: Fairview Elementary School fourth grader Annette Schembri dreams of playing for the U.S. Women’s National Team.

Body movin’

Experts say adults can promote positive body image in kids

BY JESSICA WAKEMAN

There are plenty of reasons why children and young adults may be underactive: cars as the dominant mode of transportation, for example, or the lure of seven streaming services and 400 high-definition channels. But one reason might be a bit surprising: Adolescents may avoid playing youth sports not because of their skill level but because of their body image.

Increased body size can become a deterrent to playing sports as early as 6 years old, according to a 2021 review of studies in the medical journal Cureus. And after 12 years old, gender identification issues — such as stereotypes about some sports being unfeminine and others being unmasculine — can cause adolescents to drop out.

Experts who work with young people in Asheville are all too aware of the impact that body image can have on self-esteem. They spoke with Xpress about how to encourage movement, how to talk about bodies and food, and how to direct compliments.

KIDS ARE LISTENING

How adults talk about their own bodies matters.

Many adults have unintentionally normalized insults or self-deprecation about their own appearances, says Tabitha Pack, clinical director for Asheville Academy for Growth, a therapeutic boarding school in Black Mountain for female-identifying students ages 10-15. Hearing an adult make comments like “My hair is a mess” or “My skin looks awful today,” she says, is “planting seeds of self-doubt for the youth we’re role modeling for.”

But caregivers don’t need to constantly police how they speak, notes Danielle Jacoby, a licensed clinical mental health counselor at Asheville Academy for Growth. “Even if we mess up, we can come back and talk about it,” she explains. “We can say, ‘Remember yesterday when I talked about that other person’s body looking this way? I shouldn’t have said that.’ It’s about having accountability. You don’t avoid it, and you accept that you make mistakes.”

Another way to model self-acceptance for kids is to show that some-

times we just don’t feel good in our bodies, says licensed clinical social worker Betsy Archer, owner and head personal trainer at All Bodies Movement and Wellness. It’s important to recognize that “all the feelings are valid. Everybody has bad body days — everybody.”

GIVING GREAT COMPLIMENTS

One way to take focus off bodies and appearance is to give compliments to kids “that have nothing to do with the way that somebody looks,” Archer says, giving examples like “I noticed you being a great friend today.”

Compliments about clothing or style can keep the focus on the subject’s self-expression and creativity “rather than the superficial ‘how it looks,’” Jacoby says.

And when it comes to accomplishments, praise doesn’t always have to be about scoring a goal or winning a game. Paul Buckley, who teaches physical education for kindergarten through fourth grade at Glen Arden Elementary, explains that he cheers “in the past tense.” He compliments what a kid has done correctly rather than putting pressure on how well they perform.

“I say a positive phrase like, ‘I like the way that you pass the ball with the inside of your foot,’” Buckley explains. “The ball may not have

gone where they wanted it to go, but they did the technique right.”

HOW PARENTS TALK ABOUT FOOD

Caregivers may be coming from a good place when they talk about healthy eating, but that guidance can misfire for kids when the focus is on restriction.

“We see it a lot in Asheville — ‘I’m going to raise my kid with no sugar, we’re going to have no food dyes, everything has to be organic,’” explains Archer.

Overemphasizing what they shouldn’t eat or drink “can really isolate kids,” she continues. “Maybe they’re not able to participate in some of the rituals like birthday parties or gatherings like classroom parties or things where we might eat something that we don’t normally eat.”

Archer thinks framing some foods as “bad” only makes them more appealing when a child inevitably encounters, say, potato chips at a friend’s house. She says there can be room in anyone’s diet for occasional exceptions, including foods that aren’t nutritionally dense. “Sometimes we eat at a celebration, and sometimes celebration foods are different than foods that we would have in our normal, everyday world,” she explains.

NICE PLAY: Paul Buckley, who teaches physical education for kindergarten through fourth grade at Glen Arden Elementary, encourages movement in kids by cheering “in the past tense.” He compliments what a child has done correctly rather than putting pressure on how well they perform. Photo by Timothy Reaves

PAT ON THE BACK: Give compliments to kids “that have nothing to do with the way that somebody looks,” says Betsy Archer, owner and lead personal trainer for All Bodies Movement and Wellness. One example is “I noticed you being a great friend today.” Photo courtesy of All Bodies Movement and Wellness

jwakeman@mountainx.com

Buckley, the physical education teacher, says he discusses nutrition with his students in age-appropriate ways, like describing how food works as fuel for their bodies. And some foods are not so good as fuel.

“If you’re drinking more water than juice or sodas and you’re eating vegetables and fruits, you’re going to feel the benefits of that when you’re exercising,” he explains. Discussing nutrition with kids can be as simple as explaining how protein builds muscular strength and might make it easier to climb the jungle gym.

Archer also recommends teaching kids to heed their own hunger cues, eat when they’re hungry and stop eating when they feel full. The directive “clean your plate” may be as old as parenting itself, “but what it actually ends up doing is teaching kids to not trust their body signals,” she says. Learning the body cues for hunger and satiation is essential for recognizing when our bodies need to be nourished.

Another way to keep the focus on food as nourishment is to make meals and eat together and find connection and enjoyment through food, Pack says.

ENCOURAGING MOVEMENT

Experts emphasize that making body movement fun can keep kids interested and prevent physical activity from just being about weight loss or punishment.

Archer gives an example of how she spoke with her family about a recent hike. “It was so great to be in nature and to see these beautiful sights,” she says. “[I talked about that] instead of, like, ‘Man, I really worked really hard to burn a lot of calories.’”

Buckley has three children and says he encourages his family to do physical activities together. “I could tell them to go practice soccer or ride a bike, but their favorite thing is if I ride the bike with them,” he says. The family spending time together is one positive. But he’s also modeling that even if he may not be skilled at an activity, it can be fun to do anyway.

Asheville Academy for Growth therapist Zachary Champion points out that unstructured play is totally OK. “Some parents are really nervous about not having a plan,” he says. But he’s had success just bringing students to the park and keeping an eye on them while they figure out for themselves how to play.

“I go out to a field and I don’t give them any parameters on what they can do — I just want them to do something. They end up, like, running around and playing the entire time.” X

A taste of medicine

Student volunteer makes the rounds at Mission

BY LISA ALLEN

Each summer, a group of students, ages 14-18, spend four weeks shadowing staff at Mission Hospital to learn what goes on behind the building’s many sliding glass doors.

The Junior Volunteer Program lets students rotate through different departments and offers them a chance to get first-aid/CPR certified.

Owen McHattie, 17, of Clyde and a student at Haywood Early College, heard about the volunteer program through his dad, who works in compliance at Mission. McHattie was admitted into last summer’s program, where he volunteered two days per week for the four-week session in July.

Though McHattie intends to major in finance, he says he now realizes his future degree could encompass health care.

Xpress spoke with McHattie about his experience at Mission and why other students should consider applying to the program.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Xpress: What did you do as a volunteer?

McHattie: I spent time in administration and got to shadow the CFO, which was the highlight for me. My favorite classes have been statistics, English and biology, and I plan to major in finance when I attend college in the fall. Ultimately, I would like a career in financial management or accounting. I also worked

with patients in the spinal care unit. I did paperwork in administration and helped organize RN Daisy Award applications for the selection committee. It was very hands-on, and everyone that hosted me took the time to explain what they did and answered all my questions.

Was there something about a hospital setting that you especially liked? If so, what was it and why?

It was interesting to see the different functions of a hospital. It is very complex. There are many more career options beyond medicine. I liked the administrative part of my experience — the need for organization, meeting deadlines, teamwork and doing things accurately.

Would you recommend this program to your friends? Why or why not?

I would definitely recommend the program! I don’t know of any other opportunity that would have given me

access to the inner workings of a hospital. It’s a good experience to get an idea of what you want to do careerwise.

Have you volunteered with other local organizations?

I’ve volunteered as a junior camp counselor for a local summer youth program and registered pets for spay/ neuter and vaccinations through an animal rescue organization in my hometown. I’ve also spent time through school collecting for food and clothing drives and volunteering with senior citizens.

What was the most surprising thing you learned or saw at the hospital?

It was surprising how fast all the rooms filled up. As soon as a patient was discharged from the room, it was quickly prepared for the next patient being admitted. I just never realized how much demand there was for health care. X

MEDICAL EXPLORER: Volunteer Owen McHattie got to see some inner workings at Mission Hospital during his July stint as a member of the Junior Volunteer Program. Photo courtesy of Mission Health

Daydream believers

Country Brunch series builds community (at a reasonable hour)

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN

On the afternoon of Mother’s Day 2019, local singer-songwriters Julia Sanders and Tricia Tripp had an epiphany. Along with fellow musical mom, Anya Hinkle, the friends hosted a daytime show at the now closed UpCountry Brewing Co. in West Asheville. And the trio was shocked by the audience response.

“The turnout was amazing,” Sanders says. “And the feedback that we got from everyone that was there — which was a lot of parents, basically — was that they wish this happened all the time because they just don’t get to go see shows with their kids, or sometimes at all.”

Soon thereafter, Sanders envisioned organizing a regular recurring event. The COVID-19 pandemic put those plans on pause, but in early 2023, Tripp used her connections

with The Grey Eagle to line up a six-month partnership, and Country Brunch was born.

One year later, the series has the full support of the venue, which plays host to the event on the second Sunday of each month, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Kids get in free, music lovers of all ages get to see local artists at a reasonable hour, and performers get to share a fuller extent of their craft with their children without risking someone calling protective services on them.

A PERFECT FIT

Country Brunch started last April on The Grey Eagle’s patio stage, and subsequent months featured Sanders, Tripp’s band Hearts Gone South, Underhill Rose, Jessie & the Jinx, Heavenly Vipers and Erika Lewis. The organizers knew most of the acts from attending Double Crown’s Western Wednesday series and other country-centric programming around town.

“I was trying to think of people who usually play late nights all the time that people would be excited about to come see in the daytime,” Tripp says. “I know there’s a lot of people who are like, ‘I am not going out at 11 o’clock at night to a show on a weekday.’”

She adds, “We’re trying to also concentrate on people who are playing original music. Because with country music, it’s such a wide songbook and you could easily have cover bands the whole time. But I think it’s superimportant with the amount of talent and the amount of incred-

ible original music that’s coming out in our area to highlight that and make sure that that’s celebrated.”

In choosing a home for the series, The Grey Eagle fit the organizers’ rubrics. Along with a quality sound system, the venue offers food and has a contained space where kids can safely run around.

“That outdoor space just has such a nice feel when it’s warm,” Sanders says. “And then they gave us the go-ahead for fall and winter, and shifted it inside.”

She and Tripp have attempted to bring as much of the patio stage’s feel to the indoor space. On Country Brunch days, the music hall has tables, dimmed lights and a dancing space so that attendees can spread

out and be as relaxed or active as they choose.

With warmer temperatures returning, the series will head back outdoors. But in the event of bad weather, the early-ish time frame allows for moving inside without disrupting load-in and sound check for the evening’s acts.

“It’s kind of amazing too that we have a crap ton of female-led country bands in this area,” Tripp says. “I take it for granted, but it is kind of rare in some way for that to be the majority. And they’re all incredible — I’m really impressed with how much each person’s style and songwriting comes out and shines so prevalently in what they’re doing.”

HONKY-TONK HISTORY: Julia Sanders, left, and Tricia Tripp seek to make their monthly Country Brunch series an institution. Sanders photo by Joe Gill; Tripp photo by Emily Aderman

ALL TOGETHER NOW

While the caliber of music has been central to Country Brunch’s success, the family-friendly environment gives local parents another option where kids and adults can have fun together.

“Instead of taking your kids to a kid thing that you don’t want to go to all day, bring them to a space where everybody can enjoy some music and they can do their thing and you can do your thing and share that with them,” says Sanders.

For Sanders, the series has allowed her to more fully connect with her 5-year-old daughter through music — a rare opportunity since most of her gigs are late at night.

“It’s really fun for her to get to see what I do because, otherwise, I’m in stay-at-home mom world during the day, so it’s sort of like a mysterious other job that I have,” Sanders says. “I want her to experience live music and all that and be able to see my friends’ bands and share that experience.”

Country Brunch’s early start time also means Sanders’ and Tripp’s service industry friends can partake. And the same goes for fellow musicians. Sanders notes that many of her peers perform around town at the same general evening times and that the Sunday afternoon slot has consistently drawn a healthy number of fellow players, including those who were out late for gigs the night before.

“Musicians make great audience members because they get real loud and there’s a lot of interaction,” Tripp says. “It’s fun. It keeps it lively.”

SIMILAR WAVELENGTHS

Though the communal respite of Country Brunch only happens once a month, Sanders and Tripp agree that daily life as a musical parent has

gradually become easier. Somewhat out of necessity, Sanders finds herself pulled to work with fellow moms and dads in the industry because they’re operating on a similar wavelength.

“They understand what my life is,” Sanders says. “I’m recording a new record with my friend John James, and he has two older kids. It just makes it so much easier to have that recording schedule because he has to go get the kids at 3 o’clock from school, and so do I. So, I can just go over there at 9 [a.m.] and do some vocals, and then we both have to break.”

Now that Tripp’s son is almost 18, she doesn’t have to figure out child care during her gigs. But not too long ago, that wasn’t the case.

“Sometimes my load-in would be like a little bit after he was getting off school. So I’d bring him to the venue, and there’s all these pictures of him really young playing pool,” she says with a laugh. “He used to tell his teachers sometimes, ‘I was at the bar last night playing pool, so I couldn’t do my homework.’ And I’m like, ‘No, you played pool and then our friend came and picked you up and took you home. You didn’t stay at the bar — you were in bed.’”

While kids will continue to say the darnedest things, those who attend Country Brunch likely won’t have as many excuses for missed assignments the following day. And if the series becomes “an institution,” which Tripp says she and The Grey Eagle’s management team envision, even more area youths (and parents and teachers) stand to benefit.

“This is what you do on the second Sunday of the month: time to go to Country Brunch,” she says. “I’m really excited to see this continue to build and also be something that not only the locals know about, but when people are, like, ‘What should we do when we go to Asheville?’ people will be like, ‘Country Brunch! You should go to Country Brunch.’”

To learn more, visit avl.mx/dh7. X

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The humor is out there

Upcoming comedy show channels ‘The X-Files’

BY STORMS REBACK

Local comedian Petey SmithMcDowell would like to set the record straight: Asheville is not a normal place.

“At certain times in this town, you feel like you’re on an NBC show,” says the 33-year-old. “You’re like, ‘This can’t be real. It’s all scripted.’”

But the best analogy, he continues, comes from the big screen.

“Asheville is The Truman Show, and we’re all Truman,” he says. In this scenario, Smith-McDowell believes COVID wasn’t a pandemic but a mandated timeout forced upon us by the movie’s creators. “That’s

when they had to fix the set,” he says. “So they had to put us in our houses.”

When it comes to life in Asheville, Smith-McDowell, who has opened shows for Trevor Noah and Hannibal Buress, is overflowing with conspiracy theories. And when he’s not talking about them onstage, he’s posting about them on his Instagram page (@peteysmithmcdowell), which recently experienced a surge of more than 7,000 new followers thanks to his Asheville-specific memes.

Michele Scheve, owner of Slice of Life Comedy, was among those impressed by Smith-McDowell’s online presence. Based on his memes, Scheve suggested he create a comedy show about his Asheville-focused subject matter. On Friday, March 22, 7-9 p.m., at plēb urban winery, The Asheville Files will debut.

PLASTIC TOMATOES

Smith-McDowell was introduced to the local comedy scene at age 19, while taking an acting class at A-B Tech. His teacher mentioned Tomato Tuesday, an open mic at the former New French Bar (now White Duck Taco in downtown Asheville). SmithMcDowell decided to give it a try.

“It was basically ‘The Gong Show,’” says Smith-McDowell, who has an extensive knowledge of and a deep appreciation for 1970s television shows. “The crowd had plastic tomatoes, and you would do two minutes of stand-up. It was crazy. I think we’ve grown as a society, as far as our emotional standards go, to not jump on an open knife like that.”

Since Tomato Tuesday ended its run in the mid-2010s, Smith McDowell says Asheville’s open mic comedy scene has bounced around “from bar to bar to bar to bar.” In the process, the city’s local talent has morphed into a tightknit community. This factored into Smith-McDowell’s vision for The Asheville Files, which he describes as an ensemble production.

Local improv teacher and standup comedian Marlene Thompson will co-host the show with SmithMcDowell. “Me and her always bounce off each other at comedy shows,” he

says. “We’re always making each other laugh. We have a fun chemistry.”

Together, the pair will channel their inner FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, as they investigate the city’s many mysteries and conspiracy theories.

“At the end of the show, you should have a good sense of what this town really is,” says Smith-McDowell. “We’re trying to give a brief history lesson. That’s why I like ‘The X-Files’ theme. We take you through a portal. We’re like, ‘What’s this about? This doesn’t make sense.’ You can never connect the dots here because everyone’s not in the same room. This is the moment where everyone can be in the same room.”

THE WEIRDOS AND THE WOODS

Along with inspiration from “The X-Files,” The Asheville Files also pulls from the popular 1970s variety show format — including games, audience participation and videos, as well as what Smith-McDowell describes as a surprise guest from “a local legend.”

But the heart of the show will be three 10- to 15-minute sets reserved for local comedians. One of them, 53-yearold Cary Goff, began his comedy career in 2004 as a writer for Asheville

Disclaimer, a former satirical newspaper that Smith-McDowell also contributed to (and which Xpress featured). A few years later, Goff started doing stand-up. He loved the immediate feedback his jokes received, which stood in stark contrast to the hoops he jumped through to gauge the public’s interest in the articles he wrote for Asheville Disclaimer. Goff recalls being out with his wife and craning his neck whenever he spotted someone reading the paper, desperate to see if they’d laugh.

He’s been an integral part of Asheville’s open mic circuit ever since. “Each year, the scene seems to be growing,” Goff says. “I don’t really pay attention [to a new comedian] until they’ve been at it for three months or so. And then I’m like, ‘OK, I guess they’re staying.’”

When Goff isn’t working as a web developer in Ingles’ IT department, he manages and is a regular performer every Wednesday at the Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge at the Asheville Music Hall. “I’ve got a lot of Ashevillespecific jokes,” says Goff. “So Petey was like, ‘You should come do some of your Asheville stuff [for The Asheville Files].”

The two comedians share a similar sense of humor, one that’s mostly lighthearted and observational. Since Goff moved here from Atlanta, he’s noticed how much Asheville has changed.

HOMETOWN HUMORIST: Except for a brief stint in New York City, comedian Petey Smith-McDowell has lived in Asheville his entire life. This fact, he says, gives him license to poke fun at his hometown. Photo courtesy of Smith-McDowell

“Downtown’s still weird though,” he says. “Sometimes in a nonfun way. You see a lot of crazy stuff. Like dudes standing in the middle of the road screaming. A lot of people having very intense conversations with themselves. All mixed in with the tourists.”

There are also a handful of local celebrities. “I love the guy [Josh Foster] who has a PlayStation guitar and ... music blaring through the headphones, and he has a supermetal voice,” Goff says. “That’s the old Asheville that’s still alive. A lot of that’s gone away, but that’s why I moved up here. I like the weirdos and the woods.”

Smith-McDowell takes Goff’s fondness for such characters one step further by using them as navigational landmarks when giving directions. “I’ll be like, ‘If you see the guy playing the guitar that’s not connected to anything, turn left at him.’”

WAKANDA FOR WHITE PEOPLE

Fellow comedians Blaine Perry and James Harrod round out The Asheville Files’ lineup. Like Goff, Perry is a regular at the Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge and has been a fixture on Asheville’s open mic circuit for years. Goff recalls a story about an unusual moment several years ago at a show he and Perry once did at The Southern (now Crave Dessert Bar). “Blaine was onstage, and all of a sudden this guy jumped up there and started wrestling Blaine, and I was like, ‘I don’t remember this being a part of the show,’” Goff remembers. “And then I looked at Blaine’s face and I realized it was not a part of the show.”

According to Goff, a bouncer ended the unexpected brawl, removing the attacker from the venue.

Meanwhile, Harrod is best known for running the Tuesday night Open Mic Comedy Freakshow at The Odd. Smith-McDowell describes Harrod’s personality as a mix between the two main characters from the 1986 film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. “He’s Ferris and Ferris’ friend [Cameron Frye played by Alan Ruck]. He’s cool and anxious at the same time. He has a very good energy.”

Smith-McDowell didn’t go so far as to dedicate The Asheville Files show to Harrod, but he came awfully close. “He’s about to move to Denver, so it’s kind of like my goodbye to James,” says Smith-McDowell. “The city can say goodbye to him.”

Except for a brief stint in New York City, Smith-McDowell has lived in Asheville his entire life, which he says gives him license to poke fun at his hometown. According to the comedian, Asheville has gone through a series of phases he likens to intense love affairs:

“At the end of the show, you should have a good sense of what this town really is.”

— Petey Smith-McDowell, local comedian and show co-host

Everyone wholeheartedly embraces them at first before jettisoning them in disgust. He mentions Asheville’s former street festival phase, its hookah phase and its kava bar phase.

Currently, he continues, the city is in its Billy Strings phase, which both amuses and frightens him.

“You need to hide,” SmithMcDowell recently told a friend who

was heading downtown on a night Billy Strings was playing. “There’s going to be so many hippie white people down there.”

When pressed about what Asheville means to him, Smith-McDowell returns to his love of conspiracy theories. “It’s this weird little portal,” he says. “It’s like Wakanda [the fictional African kingdom from Black Panther] for white people. It’s where you come to your mother source and figure stuff out.” X

Just joking

BY LISA ALLEN

Seventh grader Carson Coan is known as a class clown by his teachers and fellow classmates at Brevard Academy. Yet, despite the recognition, it took him nearly a year and a half to join the school’s comedy club.

“This year, one of my friends recommended me ... and I decided to go through with it,” Coan says.

The Brevard Academy Comedy Club is led by faculty member Tim Arem, who is also the founder and chief humor officer of the Asheville School of Comedy, a local organization offering after-school classes and weeklong summer camps for students ages 11-15.

Every Thursday after school, Coan and about a half-dozen fellow club members convene to practice new routines.

“Every once in a while you get to go perform for people,” Coan

Class clown takes his show on the road

says. “That’s really cool. We performed at Halloweenfest in Brevard in October.”

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Xpress: How do you get inspired for jokes?

Carson: [It’s] my personal interests or a topic I find funny. I like to tell jokes about something that’s happened to me.

Do you do more one-liners or story jokes?

I tend more toward story jokes.

What are you learning in comedy club?

One good thing that [the club] teaches you is to be more social — how to get over stage fright. The teacher also helps you write jokes. First of all, you want to think about a main topic and then you want to figure out more of a punchline and then you refine it before you tell it. You look over it and look for things that could be more funny in a

way. We practice our delivery before a show.

Was it hard to get in front of a group?

Yes, especially when we would go in a class to talk because those were people I knew. If it’s random people, I don’t really care. But if it’s people I know that could judge me or something, [that’s different].

Are you the funniest in the comedy club?

I wouldn’t consider myself that, but it would be cool to be the funniest.

What’s your favorite subject in school?

History. Because it’s the easiest. It’s just memorization. Napoleonic wars and World War II are interesting.

How does comedy help you in school?

The main part is presenting a project. I’m not nervous or stuttering as much.

What do you see yourself doing in the future with comedy?

Maybe join the comedy club in high school. I don’t think it would be a career path, though. I think there are people that are funnier than I am. I really don’t think comedy is a reliable source of income.  X

LAUGH RIOT: Seventh grader Carson Coan uses comedy club to refine his humor and improve his confidence in public speaking. Photo courtesy of Coan

THANK

BEER

Paint it black

TRVE Brewing opens in former Eurisko location

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Mere months after Eurisko Beer Co. poured its last pint, TRVE Brewing Co. has moved into the South Slope brewery’s vacated space and is fully operational.

Launched in Denver in 2012, TRVE (pronounced “true”) has become familiar to certain Ashevillearea craft beer drinkers over the past decade through multiple collaborations with Burial Beer Co. and via pouring at Wicked Weed Brewing’s Funk Invitational sour beer festival.

Owners of the heavy metal-themed brewery say the turnkey situation at 255 Short Coxe Ave. has been critical in allowing for an opening date of March 15.

“My ongoing joke is all we needed is black paint,” says co-owner/ CEO Nick Nunns, who moved to Asheville with his wife, co-owner/ COO EJ Nunns, in August. Head brewer Zach Coleman followed in December, less than a month after Eurisko left its home of six years.

METAL ATTRACTIONS

But first thing’s first: What’s up with that name?

A longtime heavy metal fan, Nick pulled the spelling from popular internet lingo that pokes fun at people who take metal culture too seriously. But the moniker felt appropriate in other ways as well.

“I always thought that there were a lot of parallels between the beer community and the metal community in that regard,” Nick says. “It’s a communal beverage that should not be the most hoity-toity, highbrow kind of experience all of the time, and traditionally is not that.”

In theming TRVE as a metal brewery and making light of both industries’ less admirable elements, Nick sought to “home in on the parts of the culture that we think are positive and bring positivity.”

Coleman, who joined the TRVE team shortly after the Denver taproom opened, also plays drums in doom rock band Khemmis, black/ death group Black Curse and the punk/metal outfit Go Ahead and Die. He and Nick started the brewery with exclusively clean beers, then became known for their sour and

mixed culture beers — as well as the metal ambiance, complete with choice tunes.

Meanwhile, EJ (aka Erin Jones) helped open Wicked Weed Brewing in 2012 as its brand manager, then became Burial Beer Co.’s marketing director from 2016-18. During her time at Wicked Weed, she met the TRVE team at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver and invited them to pour at Funk Invitational.

“Then I was like, ‘He’s handsome,’” EJ says Nick. “And then eventually Nick and I started dating and did long distance for a while. And it became clear that I was going to marry this guy, so I moved out to Colorado.”

Adds Nick, “Honestly, a lot of that dating is why I think Burial and TRVE have always been in the same circle. We would literally try to make sure that we were both invited to the same festivals.”

“It’s a love story,” EJ says, earning a laugh from Nick.

DOUBLE TROUBLE

EJ describes Colorado and the greater Denver area as “one of the cradles of craft beer.” The state, she notes, is home to industry innovators such as New Belgium Brewing, Left Hand Brewing and Odell Brewing Co. Having now lived in both regions, she says that Asheville is leading the Southeast’s “craft beer charge” in many regards.

“They’re incredibly different [craft beer traditions], but the love and the appreciation for it is there,” she says. “That made it seem like a natural expansion step for us: Let’s go someplace where we know people are super into beer and educated on it and will appreciate what we’re doing.”

She adds that Asheville consumers are also looking for something a little different within craft beer and that TRVE fits the bill. Were it not for the COVID-19 pandemic, that synthesis would have happened a lot sooner.

In 2019, the TRVE team had a letter of intent to lease 99 Riverside Drive, just across the French Broad River from New Belgium’s Asheville location. But in Nick’s words, the global health crisis “cratered those plans.” The building is now home to Second Gear sports consignment shop.

After several other options fell through, TRVE made plans in February

2023 to move into the former Biltmore Body & Paint shop at 97 Thompson St. But it wasn’t meant to be, either.

“The short story is that the floodplain destroyed that plan and its feasibility. So, we navigated our way out of that right about the same time that this opportunity presented itself,” Nick says. “It really was weirdly serendipitous in terms of getting bad news from the city basically saying, ‘There’s no way you’re going to be able to pull this project off.’ And then this kind of fell in our lap, literally the day after we got that news.”

Once they learned that Eurisko owner/brewer Zac Harris was looking to sell his brewery, the TRVE team found what Nick calls “the best possible scenario.” EJ says her longtime pal Harris has great respect for TRVE and its reputation, which made the transaction an especially smooth one.

“It was also nice to just see a friend and reassure him that we’re going to honor the space and continue making good beers out of here,” EJ says. “So I think all that stuff culminated into finding Asheville to already feel like

“It’s got a lot more process controls than what we have in Denver,” Coleman says. “It’s definitely a step up and it’s going to let us dial in beers further.”

He notes that brewing with local ingredients has been a longtime focus for TRVE, and he’s committed to using 100% North Carolina-grown barley. While TRVE will make specific new clean and mixed culture beers for its Asheville taproom, some of the core lineup will also be brewed. But as is already evident from tastings of the first batch of Tunnel of Trees, its flagship West Coast IPA, flavors will vary from location to location.

“I feel like beer should be an expression of the place where it’s made,” Coleman says. “It’s really exciting to be able to do that here and to explore that ingredient base. [The Asheville area doesn’t provide] everything as far as the ingredient side, but it [has] a big chunk of it.”

Another ingredient the area provides is heavy metal, and TRVE hopes to help grow that community. In early January, the brewery collaborated on a show featuring Harsh Realm and Cave Grave at Eulogy, Burial’s new music venue. And on Saturday, May 11, the band Wayfarer — featuring TRVE events coordinator Shane McCarthy on vocals and guitar — will perform there.

home. It certainly feels like home to me but for TRVE as a brewery as well.”

BACK IN BLACK

TRVE’s Asheville expansion continues the tradition of breweries moving into spots recently vacated by industry peers. The trend dates to 2013 when Hi-Wire Brewing took over the former Craggie Brewing Co. location on Hilliard Avenue. And the latest entry has Coleman elated to be brewing on the system that Harris included in the deal.

At the taproom itself, EJ says the metal focus is primarily intended to signal inclusivity. “The metal community kind of tends to be full of some outcasts, and I think [Nick, Zach and I] know what that is and feels like. So just offering people a space that looks a little different, but it’s also a safe space that we work really hard to vanguard and don’t put up with sh*t from people who are just straight full of hate,” she says.

“This is a city that highly values [inclusivity]. We’re happy to be part of a company that is already excelling in that and just making it clear that we’re another space that is welcoming and here for everybody.”

To learn more, visit avl.mx/de4. X

HELLO, DARKNESS: In theming TRVE Brewing Co. as a metal brewery and making light of both industries’ less admirable elements, co-owner Nick Nunns, left, sought to “home in on the parts of the culture that we think are positive and bring positivity.” Also pictured, from left, co-owners EJ Nunns and Zach Coleman. Photo courtesy of TRVE Brewing Co.

March

March Herb:

3/20:

Magical Book Club 6-7

3/21:

3/23:

3/24:

Ostara

3/25:

BY LISA ALLEN

Growing up in the theater is an understatement for 9-year-old Josephine Monastero. Bitten by the acting bug years ago, she’s already performed in Seussical Jr. and Elf Jr. Currently, she is preparing for the lead in Matilda: The Musical, which runs Friday, April 12-Sunday, May 5, at Asheville Community Theatre.

Monastero says there is nowhere else she’d rather be than at the theater. But when she must, she attends third grade at ArtSpace Charter School.

Just speaking is a full-body experience for the exuberant actor. She gesticulates, emotes, fidgets and bounces. She commands the stage, even when it’s just a chair in a theater lobby where she sits to speak with a local reporter.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Xpress: How did you get into acting?

Monastero: My dad was in clown classes here [at Asheville Community Theatre], and one day I went there with him, and I liked it and started doing the summer camps. My parents were in a TV show, “Benders.” It’s for adults, so I haven’t seen it yet. My dad works for LaZoom, and my mom paints.

What do you think of acting?

I love it! It’s my second home. You can become a different character. You get to be that character, and it’s so amazing to feel like you can be, like, anything. I don’t care what play I’m in, just because I like being in it so much. Even if you don’t have any words, you, like, get to be that character.

What does it feel like when you become a character?

It feels kind of incredible because you learn so much of it. You feel like you are that character. You feel like you’re in a new world. From day one, I prepare to be that character. I think, “What is that character supposed to be?” I make up my version of it.

What do you think of wearing costumes?

I love wearing costumes. It’s something new you get to wear. Even if you don’t like it, once you get into it, you start liking it more.

Why does the theater feel like a second home?

We do work, but it doesn’t feel like work for me. It feels fun. I enjoy doing it. I don’t want to be anywhere else. I just want to be here.

What do you like to do other than act?

I like to read and write. I like to write stories and poems.

Do you think you’d ever write a play?

Maybe. I wrote a book, and I thought this could be a fun play to do. I wrote it around Christmas time and I’m still writing it. [Plot summary: A brother and sister are read a bedtime story, have dreams that involve the other, and in the morning, it becomes real].

What do you think about being Matilda?

I’m really excited! I feel like I can relate to Matilda. Sometimes I’m a little crazy at school and a little different. I’m, like, going nuts, and the people around me are just playing, and I’m going crazy singing “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” I think kids should have more rights.

What rights should kids have?

They should be able to do what they want. Sometimes. Not all of the time. Because sometimes, it’s dangerous to do what you want because you could get hurt.

How do you memorize all those words?

I write it down a couple times, and I read through it a lot and I sleep with it. And I do it again and over and over again until I’ve memorized it. Writing it down really helps. You just write it

down as many times as you want, and it gets stuck. And it helps to say it a lot, and you pretend you’re that character while you’re saying it. Or to sing it.

Have you encouraged some of your friends to act?

Not really. I said, “You should audition,” but they were too shy. Then I told them to go to the summer camps here, and maybe they will.

Do you get scared up on the stage?

No, I do not have stage fright. I like people watching me. If I ever get scared, I just pretend I’m in an ice castle. I don’t know why. I just do it.

Do you worry you’ll get scared and forget your lines?

No. If you practice them every day and get them in you, you just can’t. They’ll just get out of you.

Is there anything you don’t like about the theater?

No.

Do you feel like you’re missing out on what your friends are doing?

No, because I’m doing the best thing. I would not rather go to the swimming pool or the beach. I just want to be here. I like being on stage and learning all the dances and all the songs. Like in Elf Jr. — it was done, and I was like, “We’re having another show!” And my mom said, “No, it’s over.” I just want to do it over and over and over again.

ALL APPLAUSE: Josephine Monastero plays Max the dog in Seussical Jr. at Asheville Community Theatre last summer. Photo by Eli Cunningham

What’s new in food

Comales and Cornbread: Exploring the New-Southern Latino Table in Appalachia, a roundtable discussion with foodways scholar Marcie Cohen Ferris and cookbook authors Sandra Gutierrez and Ronni Lundy, will be held in the Blue Ridge Room of UNC Asheville’s Highsmith Student Union on Wednesday, March 27, 6 p.m.

The free event will explore the culinary diversity of North Carolina as it relates to Latin American and Appalachian foodways. Ferris, professor emerita in the department of American studies at UNC Chapel Hill, is an editor for the quarterly journal Southern Cultures. Both cookbook authors are also food historians. Gutierrez is the former food editor for The Cary News, and Lundy is a James Beard Book of the Year awardee who runs Plott Hound Books in Burnsville.

“I am looking forward to hearing from the top experts in Appalachian and Latin American foodways,” says Ferris. “We have such a large Latin population, and it’s always interesting to see how cultures influence each other — historically and in modern day.”

This is the fourth in the Thomas Howerton lecture series, Diverse Roots at the Common Table: Culinary Conversations in the American South, which began in February 2023.

Registration is required; the event will also be livestreamed.

The Highsmith Student Union is at 1 University Heights. For more information and to register, visit avl.mx/dgq.

Cheese and cider pop-up

Barn Door Ciderworks in Fletcher will host Fairview neighbor Blue Ridge

Mountain Creamery for its Raclette Pop-Up on Sunday, March 24, 3-7 p.m. The event will pair the creamery’s alpine-style Raclette cheese, named The Richard, with barrel-aged ciders.

Cheesemaker Victor Chiarizia will talk about the creamery, where a natural rock wall cave is used for aging cheese. The wheel of cheese will be melted under a flame, then scraped onto boiled potatoes and served with pickles. Four ciders will be offered during the event, along with local beers on tap, wine and nonalcoholic beverages.

“Cheese and cider go hand in hand,” says Chiarizia in a press release.

“We’re excited to do this pairing with our neighbors.”

Barn Door Ciderworks is at 23 Lytle Road, Fletcher. For information, visit avl.mx/9ni. For information on Blue Ridge Mountain Creamery, visit avl.mx/dgr.

And a bread-based pop-up

Carolina Ground, a flour mill in Hendersonville, is hosting its March pop-up on Sunday, March 24, 11 a.m.2 p.m.

Verdant Bread will bring baked goods from Charlotte, and Farm and Sparrow — a Mars Hill mill — will sell corn products, outlier grains and pulses. Pop-up “regular” partners include: beeswax and butter, an Asheville microbakery; homestead and bakery Hominy Farm; West First Wood-Fired restaurant; Bryson Homestead goat farm; Swannanoa’s Stonewall Bakery; and Independent Bean Roasters of Hendersonville. Featured products will include flours, breads, pastries, eggs, honey, sorghum, coffee, chai, botanically dyed yarns, goat milk soaps, books and proofing baskets.

BREAKING BREAD: Authors Ronni Lundy, left, and Sandra Gutierrez, center, will participate in a roundatable discussion with foodways scholar Marcie Cohen Ferris, right, at UNC Asheville on March 27. Photo courtesy of UNCA

Carolina Ground is at 1237 Shipp St., Hendersonville. For more information, visit avl.mx/dgv.

Beverages inspired by music venues

Devil’s Foot Beverage Co. is launching the Soundwave Series, a series of nonalcoholic craft sodas inspired by four Asheville music venues.

On Saturday, March 16, 5-9 p.m., the release of Orange Peel Sparkling Orange will be celebrated with live music from Orange Moon, a local Erykah Badu tribute act, at the beverage company’s bar and events venue, The Mule. The soda consists of navel and blood oranges, organic limes, cane sugar and South Carolina honey.

Rabbit Rabbit Sparkling CranLime, brewed with cranberries, organic limes, cane sugar and South Carolina honey, will debut Monday, March 25.

Monday, April 1 is the release date for Salvage Station Sparkling Mango, made with mangos, organic lemons, cane sugar and South Carolina honey.

Don’t Call Me Shirley Cherry Ginger Beer, with organic ginger root, freshpressed sour cherries, organic cane sugar and South Carolina honey, will be available starting Monday, April 15, in partnership with The Grey Eagle.

“Our roots go deep with music — both personally and professionally,” says Jacob Baumann, vice president, lead designer and co-founder of Devil’s Foot Beverage Co., in a press release. “We have always partnered with breweries and venues to make sure customers have craft-brewed options in addition to alcohol. With the Soundwave Series, it feels like it’s coming full circle to be the headlining [nonalcoholic] provider for those same venues.”

Devil’s Foot Beverage Co. is at 131 Sweeten Creek Road. For more information, visit avl.mx/ajm.

Celebrating Women’s History Month

The Blackbird Restaurant and Metro Wines will host a spring celebration dinner made by local female chefs, using ingredients from local, female-led farms on Monday, March 25, 6:30 p.m.

The event will begin with a welcome pour of sparkling wine paired with an amuse-bouche. The remaining four-course meal includes a cream of asparagus soup, honey-lemon shredded Brussels sprout salad, seared snapper, braised rabbit and dessert — all paired with wine from certified sustainable, female-led wineries. Juniper Cooper, wine sales representative with Johnson Brothers/Mutual Distributing of North Carolina, will be on hand to speak about the wines.

Several representatives from participating local farms will discuss their farming experiences during the courses that feature their products: Bette Bradford of Bradford Farms, Lauri Newman-Waters of FarmGirl Homestead Gardens and Carole Miller of The Blackbird, who will create the dessert.

Additional local, women-led producers are Fermenti, Asheville Bee Charmer and Goat Lady Dairy.

The event is $125 per person, not including tax or gratuity.

The Blackbird is at 47 Biltmore Ave. To make a reservation, call 828-254-2502 or email wine@imperialbirds.com. Visit avl.mx/dgw for more information.

New Thai restaurant opens downtown

Earlier this month, Thanaphon Theerarat took over the space formerly occupied by Little Bee Thai, which closed in February.

The new counter service restaurant, Bee Thai Kitchen, features Thai

and fusion dishes such as papaya salad, pineapple fried rice, several curries and pad thai.

Theerarat, who worked in restaurants in his home state of Virginia but visited family in Western North Carolina, says he thinks there isn’t enough Thai food in the area.

“I want to bring the flavors of my upbringing to Asheville,” he says.

Bee Thai Kitchen is at 45 S. French Broad Ave. For more information, visit avl.mx/dgs.

Late-night hot dogs

Late-night revelers have the option of grabbing hot dogs from new food truck Night Dogs, parked next to the Off the Wagon Dueling Piano Bar in downtown Thursday-Saturday, 10 p.m.-2 a.m.

The food truck, which is actually a hot dog cart, serves gluten-free, all-beef hot dogs with classic topping options such as chili, cheese, slaw, relish and more. Other items include nachos, chips and sweet treats.

Off the Wagon Dueling Piano Bar is at 22 N. Market St. For more information on Night Dogs, visit avl.mx/dgt.

— Andy Hall  X

Around Town

Driving tour of a ‘lost’ community

North of Asheville along the Blue Ridge Parkway, as travelers approach Mount Mitchell, they may notice an especially brilliant blue body of water in the valley below. They are seeing the North Fork Reservoir, historically named the Burnett Reservoir, one of two lakes that provide water to the city. On Saturday, March 23, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m., the Swannanoa Valley Museum and History Center will host a driving tour of the historic community that once thrived there before it was flooded to accommodate the reservoir.

The tour will follow a route within the 22,000-acre, public-use-restricted watershed, featuring several historic sites on the basin’s east side. Participants will be able to walk through the ruins of the settlement, as historic interpreters and descendants of settlers share stories. Highlights include a stop at the moss-covered stone walls of Sunnalee Lodge and the home of sawmill operator, schoolmaster and justice of the peace William Henry “Champ” Burnett — who got his nickname from wrangling bears. Guides will also discuss the watershed’s use as a filming location for the Hunger Games series.

Much of the community’s history was lost when residents were forced to leave in the early 1900s when the City of Asheville flooded the valley to create the reservoir.

The tour costs $130 for museum members and $175 for nonmembers, and advance registration is required. Attendees may drive their own vehi-

cles if they have four-wheel drive, a transmission with extra low gears and proper ground clearance. To ride in a museum-provided vehicle, the cost is $50 for museum members and $75 for nonmembers.

For more information and to register, visit avl.mx/dh0.

Remembering Malcolm

On March 9, local singer-songwriter Malcolm Holcombe died of respiratory failure after a battle with cancer. Born in Weaverville on Sept. 2, 1955, Holcombe grew up in Swannanoa. His influential career began with stints in The Hilltoppers and Redwing. He later pursued a solo career, composing raw folk and country tunes that earned him praise from fellow musicians such as Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams and Darrell Scott

In the early 1990s, Holcombe relocated to Nashville for a short stint before returning to Western North Carolina where he continued to pen songs and perform. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2022.

On Feb. 29, a week before his death, Holcombe posted a live performance on his Facebook page. The 30-minute concert began with “Mama Told Me So” — a song with the lyrics, “born into this world for a little while, one day I’m gonna lay down and leave you with a smile.”

“There was no figure more brilliant, memorable, authentic or selfless than Malcolm,” says Martin Anderson, WNCW radio host. “He was always eager to perform live at our station, and he would always leave us on the edge of our seats with his songs and his between-song banter of wisdom and wit; nuggets of further brilliance we refer to as ‘Malcolmisms.’”

Asheville’s uncensored Barbie

Barbie Angell — local playwright, poet and fashion designer — will perform Barbie Angell Uncensored: An Unfiltered, Uninhibited and Unapologetic Event on Wednesday, March 27, 8 p.m., at the LaZoom Room. The 90-minute “stand-up comedy, poetry slam and public confession booth” is a collection of works from Angell’s career, including poetry, selections from her

biographical play, Death by Sparkle, and excerpts from her children’s book, Roasting Questions

Angell discovered her gift for writing poetry while growing up in a children’s home in Aurora, Ill. She says she turned to her journal as a rare place of privacy in the home, transforming her thoughts into poems.

Voted “Best of WNC” poet by Xpress readers for several years, Angell also hosts local festivals and large events such as Planned Parenthood’s Condom Couture and the Reproductive Rights Rally. She is currently creating and selling upcycled clothing, some of which will be available for sale at the event along with her original artwork and prints.

Tickets are available for a suggested donation of $20.

The LaZoom Room is at 76 N. Biltmore Ave. For more information and tickets, visit avl.mx/dh1.

Storytelling in Weaverville

The Storytelling Concert Series at the Weaverville Center for Creative and Healthy Living continues, with the next performance on Friday, March 22, at 7 p.m.

Storyteller Tim Lowry of Summerville, S.C., and Highlands

author and actress Lee Lyons will perform What I’ve Learned So Far, a collection of stories about “love, life and lunacy” that reflect the wit and wisdom of their mountain, South Carolina Lowcountry and ScotsIrish backgrounds.

Other upcoming events include a storytelling workshop student showcase on Thursday, June 13; a performance of local amateur storytellers on Thursday, Aug. 15; and Native storytelling on Monday, Nov. 11, sponsored by the Wilma Dykeman Legacy — a nonprofit dedicated to honoring the life and social justice values of the Western North Carolina author and activist.

The Weaverville Center for Creative and Healthy Living is at 60 Lakeshore Drive, Weaverville. For more information, visit avl.mx/dh3.

A cult classic at Hendersonville Theatre

Sordid Lives, a black comedy cult classic, opens at the Hendersonville Theatre on Thursday, March 21, at 7:30 p.m, with a pay-what-you-can night starting at $5 per ticket.

A legless Vietnam vet, an oversexed therapist and an ex-convict bar singer are some of the characters whose “sordid lives” get exposed

when a family reconvenes in a small Texas town after the matriarch’s sudden, accidental death.

“Though Sordid Lives is a side-splitting comedy, it is at its core a heartwarming play about accepting our loved ones for who they are,” says Victoria Lamberth, the theater’s artistic director, in a press release. “In a time when LGBTQIA+ individuals are increasingly under attack throughout our country, Sordid Lives is as relevant now as when it was first produced.”

Written by stage, film and television writer and director Del Shores in 1996, the play later inspired a

film starring Olivia Newton-John, Delta Burke, Beau Bridges and Leslie Jordan.

Additional showtimes are Fridays, March 22 and 29, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 23, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, March 24, 3 p.m., and Saturday, March 30, 3 p.m. The March 22 performance will be followed by a reception hosted by Wine Sage and Gourmet, and the March 30 event will include a Hendersonville Pride Party.

Hendersonville Theatre is at 229 S. Washington St. For more information and tickets, visit avl.mx/dgg.

Voices of the River contest seeks entries

RiverLink, an Asheville-based nonprofit with the mission of protecting the French Broad River and its watershed, is accepting submissions for its annual Voices of the River Art and Poetry Contest.

Children grades K-12 in the French Broad watershed are invited to submit “original and creative works that reflect their personal experiences, observations and/or feelings regarding the French Broad River,” according to a press release.

This year’s theme is “What is your favorite memory from beside the river or in the water?” with categories in 2D art, 3D art and poetry. The deadline for submission is Friday, April 19. Winners will receive prizes from local businesses that support the preservation of the French Broad River. Submissions will be displayed at Black Wall Street AVL, kicking off with a special gallery event open to the public on Saturday, May 11, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Black Wall Street AVL is at 8 River Arts Place. For more on RiverLink, contest guidelines and submission information, visit avl.mx/dh4.

— Andy Hall  X

DOWN IN THE VALLEY: Bascombe Burnett, whose home was in the North Fork Valley, was one of many forced to move so a reservoir could be built. Burnett’s grandfather Frederick Thomas Burnett Sr. and his wife, known as “Granny Else,” settled this area in the 1800s. Photo courtesy of Swannanoa Valley Museum and History Center

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20

12 BONES BREWERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Stand-Up Comedy Open Mic, 8pm

ASHEVILLE PIZZA & BREWING CO.

Trivia Night, 6:30pm

BARLEY'S TAPROOM & PIZZERIA

Trivia Night w/ PartyGrampa, 7pm

EDA'S HIDEAWAY

Meschiya Lake & the Mood Swingers (jazz), 8pm

EULOGY

Bitchin Bajas (alt-indie, electronic), 8pm

FLEETWOOD'S Friend & Impending Joy (punk, psych), 9pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Saylor Brothers & Friends (jamgrass), 6pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

Well-Crafted Music w/ Matt Smith, 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Old Time Jam, 5pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Bluegrass Jam w/Derek McCoy & Friends, 6pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

SuperBassic (funk, bass, soul), 10:30pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Latin Night w/DJ Mtn Vibez, 8:30pm

PULP

Rich Nelson Band (rock), 8pm

RIVERSIDE RHAPSODY BEER CO.

Acoustic Jam, 5:30pm

SHAKEY'S Sexy Service Industry Night, 10pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Poetry Open Mic, 8pm

THE DRAFTSMAN

BAR + LOUNGE

Trivia Nights, 7pm

THE GREY EAGLE

The Minks, Future Crib & The Medium (psychblues, rock, pop), 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

Rod Sphere (soul, rock), 6:30pm

THE ODD

This, That & The Third: Yeah, We Noticed (rap), 9pm

THE RAILYARD BLACK

MOUNTAIN

Dan's Jam (bluegrass), 7pm

URBAN ORCHARD

CIDER CO. SOUTH SLOPE Trivia, 6:30pm

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

12 BONES BREWING

Tobey Walker (blues), 6pm

27 CLUB

Cyberdelics, Hit Dogs & Second Wind (alt-rock, stoner-rock, Southern-rock), 8pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR

BAR

The MGBs (acoustic), 7:30pm

BLK MTN PIZZA & ALE HOUSE

Billy Presnell (folk, Americana), 6pm

CROW & QUILL

Ramona & the Holy Smokes (country, honky-tonk), 8pm

DIFFERENT WRLD

Underwear Comedy Party, 8pm

EULOGY

Charlie Parr (folk), 8pm

FLEETWOOD'S DD Island, Charlie Boss & Sean O'Hara (shoegaze, psych, pop), 9pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Jerry's Dead (Grateful Dead & JGB Tribute), 6pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

Tammy Pescatelli, 7pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich, 7pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Billy Litz (Americana, blues, indie-folk), 7pm

SOUTHERN STAR: On Sunday, March 24, Grammy-nominated songwriter Brent Cobb brings his “Southern eclectic” sound to The Grey Eagle, starting at 8 p.m. The Georgia artist specializes in country-soul songwriting, laid-back grooves and classic storytelling. Photo by Jace Kartye

ONE WORLD BREWING

Ash Chambliss & Laura Blackley (blues, Americana, rock), 8pm

OUTSIDER BREWING

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

SHAKEY'S Comedy Showcase, 8pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Karaoke Night, 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

Bill Altman (blues), 7pm

THE ODD

High Crime, Crystal Spiders & Sunbearer (stoner-metal, psych), 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Sold Out: Hermanos Gutierrez w/DJ Malinalli (Latin, folk), 8pm

THE RAILYARD BLACK MOUNTAIN

The Dark City Kings (garage-rock, country, indie), 7pm

THE RIVER ARTS DISTRICT BREWING CO.

Peggy Ratusz & Kelly Jones (blues), 6pm

THE STATION BLACK MOUNTAIN Mr Jimmy (blues), 6:30pm

URBAN ORCHARD CIDER CO. SOUTH SLOPE

Bachata Thursdays, 8:30pm

FRIDAY, MARCH 22

27 CLUB

Bombay Gasoline, Bag of Baby Doll Heads & Colossal Human Failure (electro-rock, jazz, doom-core), 8pm

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY

ACADEMY

P*rn Star Karaoke, 8pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR

BAR

Mr Jimmy's Friday Night Blues, 7:30pm

CATAWBA BREWING CO. SOUTH SLOPE

ASHEVILLE

• Comedy at Catawba: Jasmine Ellis, 7pm

• Freaky Friday StandUp Comedy, 9pm

CITIZEN VINYL

The Cheeksters & Steven Brett (indiepop), 7pm

CORK & KEG

The Uptown Hillbillies (honky-tonk, country), 8pm

CROW & QUILL Sparrow & Her Wingmen (jazz, swing), 8pm

EDA'S HIDEAWAY

Drunken Prayer & Ramona Martinez (Americana, country), 9pm

EULOGY

Bar Italia (alt-indie, rock, pop), 8pm

GINGER'S REVENGE CRAFT BREWERY & TASTING ROOM

Life Like Water (Americana, indie, folk), 6pm

HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

The Fixins (rock), 7pm

HIGHLAND BREWING DOWNTOWN TAPROOM

Rocky Collin (country, R&B), 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Peach Ice Cream Bluegrass, 9pm

LA TAPA LOUNGE

Open mic w/Hamza, 8pm

LEVELLER BREWING CO.

Lyle de Vitry (jazz, Appalachian), 7pm

MAD CO. BREW HOUSE

The Salty Moondogs (Southern-rock, jazz, country), 6pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

High Flying Criminals (funk, soul), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

It’s Happening: Stand Up Comedy, 8pm

SALVAGE STATION

Yonder Mountain String Band (bluegrass, rock), 8pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Sister Ivy (neo-soul, jazz, R&B), 9pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Fresh Locals (jazz, pop, soul), 9pm

THE GREY EAGLE

Eliza McLamb (alt-indie, rock), 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT

DOOR

The Loudes (multigenre), 7pm

THE ODD

Supercollider, Codapen, Puppy Chain & Jest (jazz, rock), 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Sold Out: Ari Shaffir, 9:30pm

THE STATION BLACK MOUNTAIN

Vaden Landers (country), 6pm

THE WHITE RABBIT AT WATER STREET

Neon Dreams (disco, synth-pop, electro), 9pm

PLĒB URBAN WINERY

The Asheville Files (comedy show), 7pm

SATURDAY, MARCH 23

27 CLUB

The Red Mountain, And I Become Death, Hightower & Valar Morghulis (metal, death-thrash, hardrock), 9pm

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY

In Plain Sight (electronic, house), 9pm

ASHEVILLE CLUB

Mr Jimmy (blues), 6pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR

The Tallboys (rock, reggae), 7:30pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Random Rab, Cpt. HyperDrive. Mikaya, & Spirit Animal (electronic, dance, experimental), 9pm

BATTERY PARK BOOK

EXCHANGE

Dinah's Daydream (jazz), 6pm

CORK & KEG

Zydeco Ya Ya (Cajun, Zydeco), 8pm

CROW & QUILL

Hearts Gone South (country, honky tonk), 8pm

DSSOLVR

Spring Break: Chill Vibes Comedy Show, 10:30pm

EDA'S HIDEAWAY

Julia Sanders (honkytonk, Americana), 8pm

EULOGY

Seismic Sutra w/Rugg & Socialist Anxiety (alt-indie, rock, psych), 8pm

FLEETWOOD'S

Our Last Daze, Tough on Fridays & Nepolitan (punk), 9pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

The Get Right Band (psych, alt-rock), 7pm

JACK OF THE WOOD

PUB

• Bluegrass Brunch w/ Paper Wings, 12pm

• Nobody’s Darling String Band, 4pm

• Six Time Losers (Americana, alt-country, rock), 9pm

LA TAPA LOUNGE

Karaoke, 9pm

LAZOOM ROOM

Karaoke, 9pm

OKLAWAHA

BREWING CO.

Billingsley (rock), 8pm

ONE STOP AT

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Joe May's Month of Mondays (pop, soul, rock), 10pm

SUN: Cosmic Appalachian Soul Sundays, 7pm

MON: Ping-Pong Tournament, 6pm

TUE: Open Jam w/ house band the Lactones, 8pm WED: Poetry Open Mic AVL, 8:30pm/8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

• His & Hers (Americana, folk), 4pm

• Las Montañitas & DJ Mtn Vibes (cumbia, afro-colombian, psych), 8pm

SALVAGE STATION

Yonder Mountain String Band (bluegrass, rock), 8pm

SHAKEY'S

• Friday Late Nights w/ DJ Ek Balam, 12am

• Partyland Sessions w/ DJ GrimmJoi, 10pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Caged Affair (alt-rock), 9pm

SILVERADOS

Boosie Bad Azz (rap, hip-hop), 7pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Lo Wolf w/Savannah Hatfield & Eggshell Emily (folk, experimental, Appalachian), 9pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Secret Agent 23 Skidoo w/Street Creature Puppet Collective (funk, hip-hop, soul), 12pm

• Bendigo Fletcher (folk, indie-rock), 9pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

Kindred Company (alt-rock), 7pm

THE ODD

Party Foul Drag: Saturday Night Tease, 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Shot Thru The Heart (Bon Jovi tribute), 8pm

THE STATION BLACK MOUNTAIN

Live Music Saturday Nights, 7pm

SUNDAY, MARCH 24

27 CLUB

Curbside Loveseat, Hard Left Turn & Collateral (rock), 8pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

The World of Drum & Bass, 8pm

CATAWBA BREWING

CO. SOUTH SLOPE

ASHEVILLE

Comedy at Catawba: Jono Zalay, 6:30pm

EDA'S HIDEAWAY

Brian Ashley Jones & Melanie Jean (country, blues), 7pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY

Reggae Sunday w/ Chalwa, 3pm

GINGER'S REVENGE

CRAFT BREWERY & TASTING ROOM

Jazz Sunday's, 2pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

• Canon Tyler (bluegrass, folk), 2pm

• Sunday Salsa, 5pm

JACK OF THE WOOD

PUB

• Bluegrass Brunch w/ Bluegrass Brunch Boys, 12pm

• Traditional Irish Jam, 3:30pm

OKLAWAHA

BREWING CO.

Collin Cheek (Americana, rock), 3pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING WEST

Osunlade (dance, electronic, house), 3pm

S&W MARKET

Mr Jimmy (blues), 1pm

SALVAGE STATION

Thrown-Out Bones w/ Melissa & McKinney (blues, funk, rock), 7pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Cosmic Appalachian Soul Sundays, 7pm

THE DRAFTSMAN BAR + LOUNGE

Karaoke Nights, 7pm

THE GREY EAGLE

Brent Cobb (country, Americana), 8pm

THE OUTPOST

The Grateful Family (Grateful Dead tribute), 2pm

PLĒB URBAN WINERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 4pm

MONDAY, MARCH 25

27 CLUB Karaoke Monday, 9pm

5 WALNUT WINE BAR CaroMia, Rahm, Iannuci & Jaze Uries (dreampop, soul, R&B), 8pm

DSSOLVR

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

EULOGY Wolves in the Taproom: Black Metal Night, 7pm

FLEETWOOD'S

• The Hot Seat (comedy), 7pm

• Best Ever Karaoke, 8pm

HIGHLAND BREWING CO. Geeks Who Drink Trivia, 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Quizzo! Pub Trivia w/ Jason Mencer, 7:30pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Takes All Kinds Open Mic Nights, 7pm ONE WORLD BREWING

Open Mic Night, 7:30pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING WEST

Mashup Mondays w/ The JLloyd Mashup Band, 8pm

PULP

Tennessee Love Connection w/Big Fur (psyc-rock), 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

Mr Jimmy & Friends, 7pm

THE RIVER ARTS

DISTRICT BREWING CO.

Trivia w/Billy, 7pm

TUESDAY, MARCH 26

27 CLUB

O'Callah, Blissful Thoughts, John Kirby Jr & The New Seniors (rock'n'roll, alt-rock), 9pm

ARCHETYPE BREWING

Trivia Tuesday, 6:30pm

EULOGY

The Wake: Hip Hop Showcase, 8pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

MAD CO. BREW

HOUSE

Team Trivia Tuesday's, 6pm

NEW ORIGIN

Trivia, 7pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Team Trivia, 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

The Grateful Family Band Tuesdays (Grateful Dead tribute), 6pm

RIVERSIDE RHAPSODY BEER CO.

Drinkin' N Thinkin' Trivia, 7pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Open Mic, 7pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Tuesday Night Open Jam, 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

The Lads (rock, blues), 6pm

TURGUA BREWING CO

Open Jam: Django Jazz Jam w/Fatty, 5:30pm

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27

12 BONES BREWERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

27 CLUB

Kazha, Offensive, Bloodhone & Ametropia (metal, heavy-thrash), 8pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Stand-Up Comedy

Open Mic, 8pm

ASHEVILLE PIZZA & BREWING CO.

Trivia Night, 6:30pm

BARLEY'S TAPROOM & PIZZERIA

Trivia Night w/ PartyGrampa, 7pm

DIFFERENT WRLD

Everybody But You Bro

Open Mic, 6pm

EULOGY

The Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis (jazz, punk, noise), 8pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Saylor Brothers & Friends (jamgrass), 6:30pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

Well-Crafted Music w/ Matt Smith, 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD

PUB

Old Time Jam, 5pm

OKLAWAHA

BREWING CO.

Bluegrass Jam w/Derek McCoy & Friends, 6pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING WEST

Latin Night w/DJ Mtn

Vibez, 8:30pm

PULP

Slow Pony Magic Show, 8pm

RIVERSIDE

RHAPSODY BEER CO.

Acoustic Jam, 5:30pm

SHAKEY'S

Sexy Service Industry Night, 10pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Poetry Open Mic, 8pm

THE DRAFTSMAN BAR + LOUNGE

Trivia Nights, 7pm

THE GREY EAGLE

Bearly Dead (Grateful Dead tribute), 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

Circus Mutt (folk, Americana, bluegrass), 7pm

THE ODD

Discoveries, Snake Father, Divisive, Detest the Throne & Darkhand (metal), 9pm

THE RAILYARD BLACK MOUNTAIN

Dan's Jam (bluegrass), 7pm

URBAN ORCHARD

CIDER CO. SOUTH SLOPE

Trivia, 6:30pm

THURSDAY, MARCH 28

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR

Santiago y Los Gatos (indie-rock, pop, soul), 7:30pm

BATTERY PARK BOOK

EXCHANGE

Mike Kenton & Jim Tanner (jazz), 5:30pm

BLK MTN PIZZA & ALE HOUSE

Billy Presnell (folk, Americana), 6pm

CULTURA

Vinyl Night w/DJ Lil Meow Meow, 8pm

CROW & QUILL

Para Gozar (Cuban), 8pm

EULOGY

Pink Beds w/Slow Packer (indie-rock, psych-folk, pop), 8pm

FLEETWOOD'S Search & Destroy Punk Karaoke, 9pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY

Jerry's Dead (Grateful Dead & JGB Tribute), 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich, 7pm

LAZOOM ROOM BAR & GORILLA

LaZoom Room Comedy w/Courtney Maginnis, 7pm

MAD CO. BREW HOUSE

Karaoke w/Banjo Mitch, 6pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Seth & Sarah (country), 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

Eli Lev (alt-country, Americana), 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

TreeHouse w/Kaya’s Embrace (reggae, rock, hip-hop), 8pm

OUTSIDER BREWING

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

SALVAGE STATION

Katie Pruitt (country), 8pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Karaoke Night, 8pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Stand Up Comedy for Your Health, 8pm

THE GREY EAGLE

Wayne Hancock (country, blues, rock), 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

Anything Goes (jazz, pop), 7pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Inzo w/Black Carl, Daggz & Lhasa Petik (electronic, dance, bass), 8pm

THE STATION BLACK MOUNTAIN

Mr Jimmy (blues), 6:30pm

URBAN ORCHARD CIDER CO. SOUTH SLOPE

Bachata Thursdays, 8:30pm

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY BY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): I suspect you will soon have far more beginners’ luck than you ever thought possible. For best results — to generate even more wildly abundant torrents of good luck — you could adopt what Zen Buddhists called “beginner’s mind.” That means gazing upon everyone and everything as if encountering it for the first time. Here are other qualities I expect to be flowing freely through you in the coming weeks: spontaneity, curiosity, innocence, candor and unpredictability. To the degree that you cultivate these states, you will invite even more beginner’s luck into your life.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus artist Salvador Dali was prone to exaggerate for dramatic effect. We should remember that as we read his quote: “Mistakes are almost always of a sacred nature. Never try to correct them. On the contrary: Rationalize them; understand them thoroughly.” While that eccentric advice may not always be 100% accurate or useful, I think it will be true and helpful for you in the coming weeks. Have maximum fun making sacred mistakes, Taurus! Learn all you can from them. Use them to improve your life.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The professional fun advisors here at Free Will Astrology International Headquarters have concluded that your Party Hardy Potential Rating for the coming weeks is 9.8 (out of 10). In fact, this may be the Party Hardy Phase of the Year for you. You could gather the benefits of maximum revelry and conviviality with minimal side effects. Here’s a meditation to get you in the right mood: Imagine mixing business and pleasure with such panache that they blend into a gleeful, fruitful synergy.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian author and psychotherapist Virginia Satir (1916–1988) was renowned as the “Mother of Family Therapy.” Her research led her to conclude, “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.” That 12-hug recommendation seems daunting to achieve, but I hope you will strive for it in the coming weeks. You are in a phase when maximum growth is possible — and pushing to the frontiers of hugging will help you activate the full potential. (P.S.: Don’t force anyone to hug you. Make sure it’s consensual.)

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Have you been genuinely amazed anytime recently? Have you done something truly amazing? If not, it’s time to play catch-up. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you need and deserve exciting adventures that boggle your soul in all the best ways. You should be wandering out on the frontiers and tracking down provocative mysteries. You could grow even smarter than you already are if you expose yourself to challenges that will amaze you and inspire you to be amazing.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I invite you to perform a magic spell that will help prepare you for the rich, slippery soul work you have ahead of you. I’ll offer a suggestion, but feel free to compose your own ritual. First, go outside where it’s raining or misting, or find a waterfall. Stand with your legs apart and arms spread out as you turn your face up toward the falling moisture. As you drink it in, tell yourself you will be extra fluid and flowing in the coming weeks. Promise yourself you will stimulate and treasure succulent feelings. You will cultivate the sensation that everything you need is streaming in your direction.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You are gliding into the climax of your re-education about togetherness, intimacy, and collaboration. The lessons you’ve been learning have deepened your reservoir of wisdom about the nature of love. And in the coming weeks, even further teachings will arrive; even more openings and invitations will be available. You will be

ROB BREZSNY

offered the chance to earn what could in effect be a master’s degree in relationships. It’ll be challenging work, but rewarding and interesting. Do as best as you can. Don’t demand perfection from yourself or anyone else.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Now is not a favorable phase to gamble on unknown entities. Nor should you allow seemingly well-meaning people to transgress your boundaries. Another Big No: Don’t heed the advice of fear-mongers or nagging scolds, whether they’re inside or outside your head. On the other hand, dear Scorpio, the coming weeks will be an excellent time for the following actions. 1. Phase out attachments to alliances and love interests that have exhausted their possibilities. 2. Seek the necessary resources to transform or outgrow a frustrating fact about your life. 3. Name truths that other people seem intent on ignoring and avoiding. 4. Conjure simple, small, slow, practical magic to make simple, small, slow, practical progress.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Falling in love is fun! It’s also exciting, enriching, inspiring, transformative, world-shaking, and educational. Wouldn’t it be fabulous if we could keep falling in love anew three or four times a year for as long as we live? We might always be our best selves, showing our most creative and generous sides, continually expanding our power to express our soulful intelligence. Alas, it’s not practical or realistic to always be falling in love with another new person. Here’s a possible alternative: What if we enlarged our understanding of what we could fall in love with? Maybe we would become perpetually infatuated with brilliant teachings, magical places, high adventures and great art and music. The coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to cultivate this skill.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I’m perplexed by spiritual teachers who fanatically preach the doctrine that we should BE HERE NOW as much as possible. Living with full enjoyment in the present moment is a valuable practice, but dismissing or demeaning the past is shortsighted. Our lives are forged from our histories. We should revere the stories we are made of, visit them regularly, and keep learning from them. Keep this in mind, Capricorn. It’s an excellent time to heal your memories and to be healed by them. Cultivate deep gratitude for your past as you give the old days all your love. Enjoy this quote from novelist Gregory Maguire: “Memory is part of the present. It builds us up inside; it knits our bones to our muscles and keeps our heart pumping. It is memory that reminds our bodies to work, and memory that reminds our spirits to work, too: it keeps us who we are.”

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Controversial author William S. Burroughs was a rough, tough troublemaker. But he had some wisdom that will soon be extra useful for you. He said that love is the best natural painkiller available. I bring this to your attention not because I believe you will experience more pain than the rest of us in the coming months. Rather, I am predicting you will have extra power to alleviate your pain — especially when you raise your capacity to give and receive love.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The planet Saturn entered Pisces in March 2023 and won’t depart for good until February 2026. Is that a bad thing or good thing for you Pisceans? Some astrologers might say you are in a challenging time when you must make cutbacks and take on increased responsibility. I have a different perspective. I believe this is a phase when you can get closer than ever before to knowing exactly what you want and how to accomplish what you want. In my view, you are being called to shed secondary wishes that distract you from your life’s central goals. I see this period as a homecoming — your invitation to glide into robust alignment with your soul’s code.

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edited by Will Shortz

ACROSS

1 Confidence

7 In the same quantity

13 Snake on a limb

14 Bubbles on a beach

16 Members of the genus Vespa

17 “Answer the simple question!”

18 Genre associated with guyliner and black nail polish

19 Sword go-withs

21 Word with sock or duck

22 Oklahoma’s ___ Air Force Base

24 Alma mater for Martin Scorsese and Lady Gaga, in brief

25 Word used when making a choice, maybe

27 Where the five most widely practiced religions originated

28 “I can help!”

30 Controls

31 Comforting touch

33 French holy title: Abbr.

35 Valentine’s Day exchanges … or what this puzzle’s shaded areas are?

40 Witch

42 Actress Wong

43 Achievements for Andrew Lloyd Webber and Elton John, colloquially

46 Yammered

47 Like the blue side, in brief

48 Audacity

49 ___ training (requirement for H.S. graduation in most states)

50 “Have you heard back yet?”

53 Did a marathon, say

54 Puddle producer

56 21, say

57 Bench press muscles, informally

58 Connected, as a bathroom

60 Used a little of, as someone else’s speaking time

62 Role in a game of Taboo

63 Final watcher?

64 Dog tag wearers, in brief

65 Sister channel of QVC

66 Part of GPS: Abbr.

67 Hosp. locales

DOWN

1 Chamomile and cedarwood, for two

2 Popular Italian beer

3 ___ Cariou, Broadway’s original Sweeney Todd

4 Like many bodybuilders, according to B.M.I. alone

5 Fan of the flame?

6 Sink components

7 ___ seeker 8 Pit, e.g.

9 Fancy billiards shot

10 Sci-fi sky sighting

11 Popular Mexican beer

12 Submit

13 Resource for service members, colloquially

15 Styles

20 Potato part

23 “Scarface”

26 Come into view

28 Salt Lake City athlete

29 Playful suffix for “best”

32 Vegan salon brand

34 High schoolers, typically

35 Walk-ups, often

36 Feathery perennial

37 Kagan on the Court

38 Intervals

39 Italian city known for its limoncello

40 Allison Janney’s role on “The West Wing”

41 Easter Island

44 Serial performer

45 Self-driving cars have lots of these

51 Post-its, e.g.

52 “Glad you noticed our hard work”

55 Some Greek letters

57 Insta post

59 Kinda sorta

61 Sister of Helios