Field Guide to Asheville (2022-2023)

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FIELD GUIDE TO ASHEVILLE

2022-2023

For 18 Years

The Heart of Weaverville Considered by many to be one of the best places to experience western North Carolina.

Great food, great live local music, good times.

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55 N Main St, Weaverville, NC 28787 828-658-8778 M O U N TA I N X P R E S S

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me e elhceo W To As vill Take time to get to know us The Southern Appalachians have for centuries attracted rugged individualists who settled in coves far from the East Coast’s burgeoning cities, entrenched politics and booming industry. Others came to escape the lowlands’ seemingly endless summers, seeking a health-giving retreat. Crafters and artists moved here to work on George Vanderbilt’s Biltmore Estate. Land developers and entrepreneurs joined the fray. When the railroad made it up the mountain, it brought passengers daily: the ailing, the hopeful, the curious and the adventurous.

What has evolved over the decades is a town with more than its share of spirited and colorful people — who champion local causes, cherish the land and serve the community.

As a result, this is a place where everyone has a point of view, where almost everyone has a big idea — and a sizable number of us are trying to make them happen.

Asheville offers so much to everyone: rivers, mountain trails, and oodles of outdoor adventures; breweries, eateries and a vibrant music scene; a long history of mountain crafts; an eclectic array of healing modalities; LGBTQ connections; and stores with whimsical names.

And it’s beckoning you to take part.

Publisher & Guide Editor: Jeff Fobes Writers: Able Allen, Edwin Arnaudin, Thomas Calder, Jeff Fobes, Andy Hall, Justine McGuire, Jessica Wakeman Guide Design: Scott Southwick Designers: Scott Southwick, Olivia Urban Photo Coordinators: Able Allen, Jennifer Castillo Photographers: Jennifer Castillo, artists, community members, local businesses and visitors (see individual photo credits) Copyeditor: Rob Mikulak Advertising Manager: Susan Hutchinson Ad Sales: Sara Brecht, Vicki Catalano, David Furr, Tiffany Wagner IT & Web: Able Allen Front Office/Accounting: Able Allen, Jennifer Castillo, Amie Fowler-Tanner Distribution: Susan Hutchinson, Cindy Kunst and a fantastic team of devoted drivers Cover photo: 180 Degree Photography Cover design: Scott Southwick The Asheville Field Guide is published annually by Mountain Xpress P.O. Box 114 Asheville, NC 28802 828.251.1333 © 2022 Mountain Xpress. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without expressed permission of Mountain Xpress.

We have taken great care to ensure the accuracy of information contained this guide.

However, we are human and businesses change their services from time to time.

Please check websites and businesses prior to making plans.

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Contents

GETTING SETTLED 10 12 18 20

Tours FAQs What could go wrong?

Timeline

THINGS TO DO 27 32 40 42 45

Get Outside Shopping Arts & Crafts Museums Live Music

48 52 54 58

Performing Arts Other Entertainment Wellness Kids Central

COMMUNITY 62 66 68

Community Spotlights Rainbow Connections Festivals

FOOD & DRINK 74 78 84

Food Beer, Cider, Distilled Beverages WNC’s Top Eats & Drinks

MAPS 92–97

Photo by HD

@resting.bark.face

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Tour

Hire Me An Expert

Photo courtesy of Gray Line Trolley Tours

One of the best ways to explore Asheville is to take a tour led by someone in the know. Your point of entry can be history, the arts, beer, food, culture, lifestyle or even humor. The options are many and diverse. What else would you expect from Asheville?

ARTS TOURS • Asheville Art Studio Tours • Appalachian Mural Trail (Asheville is featured in this multistate self-guided tour) • Asheville Photo Tours • AVL Literary Tour BARS & BREWERIES TOURS • • • •

Asheville Rooftop Bar Tours Asheville Brewery Tours (walking and mobile tours) Asheville Brews Crews And ... some individual breweries offer tours of their own facilities

FOOD & COFFEE TOURS • • • • • •

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Asheville Coffee Tours Asheville Food Tours Creative Mountain Food Tours Eating Asheville Tours No Taste Like Home Foraging Tours Taste Carolina Gourmet Tours FIELD GUIDE TO ASHEVILLE

2022-2023

TOURS HISTORY AND NEIGHBORHOOD TOURS • • • • • • • • •

Asheville by Foot Walking Tours Asheville Music History Walking Tour Asheville’s Urban Trail (self-guided downtown walking tour) AVL Lit Tours BREW-ed Brewery and History Walking Tours Gray Line Trolley Tours History at Hand (five walking tours led by Sharon Fahrer) Hood Huggers (black history & art tour) Moving Sidewalk Segway Downtown Tour

OUTDOORS TOURS • • • • • • • • •

Asheville Camino Trail Asheville Hiking Tours Asheville Adventures Asheville Wellness Tours (yoga, hikes, massage & tarot) Blue Ridge Hiking Co. Hike Bike Kayak Asheville Pisgah Mountain Bike Adventures Pisgah Climbing and Outdoor Guides Walk with Me Tours

VARIOUS & HUMOR TOURS • • • • • • •

Asheville Terrors (walking ghost tours) Downtown Asheville LGBTQ+ Walking Tour LaZoom (comedic approaches to history, ghosts, beer, etc.)

Leapfrog Tours (a dozen different categories) Haunted Asheville (walking ghost tours) The Flying Bike (electric bike tours) WNC Photo Tours

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FAQ s HOW’S THE WEATHER UP THERE? The old saying around here goes: “If you don’t like the weather in the mountains, wait 15 minutes.” Asheville’s higher elevation (2,000-2,500 feet above sea level, with nearby mountain peaks topping 6,500 feet) affects our daily temperatures, resulting in cooler days and nights than in eastern parts of North Carolina and adjacent states. Our hottest month is typically July with highs often in the 80s, though temperatures will regularly dip to the 50s and 60s at night. And the coldest is January, when it gets down to the teens and 20s at night and usually is above freezing in the daytime.

Pack a rain jacket and a water bottle, because WNC is also home to some of the wettest and driest places in North Carolina.

Some of our temperate forests average 80-plus inches of rain each year, feeding waterfalls and nurturing lush greenery. Meanwhile, Downtown Asheville usually doesn’t exceed 40 inches in a year, and along with other parts of the French Broad River basin is one of the driest places in the state.

BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT? Based on hotel occupancy, that would be from MarchNovember, with the peak in October for the fall color season, which, thanks to our biodiversity and elevation range, is one of the most colorful and longest in the country. Fall comes earlier at higher elevations. The first hints typically arrive in September, with the peak color explosion the last two weeks of October and fading out in early November. Hotel rates rise with the color. If you’re looking for a less pricey and less crowded getaway, JanuaryMarch offers the best bet. Also consider the spring bloom season in April, which packs its own color punch. Check out our guide’s Festivals section, because events take place year-round.

WHERE CAN I PARK? Downtown Asheville, where demand for parking is greatest, has thousands of parking spaces, consisting of on-street parking (mostly metered, some free), surface lots and garages (or decks). Parking can also be challenging in West Asheville and Biltmore Village.

• For a map of downtown deck locations, pricing info and links to a mobile-phone app that lets you know where the vacancies are, visit Buncombe County government’s webpage at avl.mx/6si, or the city of asheville’s page at avl.mx/b8t

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FAQs Catawba Falls

Remember:

Waterfalls are risky for humans and pets Photo by Mackenzie Furman & Michael Fieser

@ thatpitskykoda

HOT BUNS & TASTY MEAT 48 College St., Downtown, Asheville 828-505-8455 • zellasdeli.com

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CONTINUED • Street meters must be fed via coin, credit card or PassportParking Mobile Pay between 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Mon.-Sat. ($1.50/hour).

Metered parking is free after 6 p.m., as well as on Sundays and holidays.

• Most meters and all garages accept credit cards.

• Public and private surface-lot rates vary (typically $1.50/hr or $3 per session).

• City parking decks are free for the first hour and $2 each subsequent hour or portion thereof.

• County decks are $2 for the first hour and $1 for each additional hour.

• Visit the city of Asheville’s Parking Services website at avl. mx/6sj for lots of additional info, including how to pay fines and recover a towed vehicle.

WHERE CAN I FIND A PUBLIC RESTROOM? When you’ve got to go, you can find relief at Buncombe County’s public libraries and at several downtown public facilities, including the Grove Arcade (1 Page Ave.); Pack Square Park Visitor Center; the Asheville Rides Transit (ART) bus station (49 Coxe Ave.) Near downtown, public bathrooms are open at the Asheville Visitor Center (36 Montford Ave.).

HOW DOG-FRIENDLY IS ASHEVILLE? In our canine-captivated culture, dogs, who must be leashed by law, are everywhere — hiking trails, hardware stores, breweries, the Biltmore Estate (on the grounds, not in the house), dog parks (where they can be unleashed in certain designated, gated portions), The Dog Door’s “official” Dog Welcome Center (1 Battle Square, across from the Grove Arcade), dog-treat bakeries and dog-friendly restaurants. Festivals and special events, where dogs may be prohibited altogether due to crowd size, are typically the exception, so it’s better to leave your pampered pooch in your dog-friendly hotel or to check out one of Asheville’s doggie day care centers. Not to be overlooked, cats get their due on the Asheville Cat Weirdos Facebook page (you must be a member to view/participate), the Asheville Cat Weirdos Emergency Fund FB page (public) and at The American Museum of the House Cat in Sylva, about an hour’s drive west of Asheville.

WHERE AND WHEN CAN I BUY BEER, CIDER, WINE AND LIQUOR? Packaged liquor is sold only in state-run ABC stores, MondaySaturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. (Some stores have different hours.) Beer, cider and wine are sold in grocery, convenience, bottle and bigbox stores (but not before 10 a.m on Sundays). The state’s Sunday brunch law allows restaurants to start selling alcoholic drinks on Sunday at 10 a.m. Closing time at bars is 2 a.m. Restaurant, bar and brewery customers may buy two beers, ciders or glasses of wine at one time, but only one mixed drink. Distilleries may sell mixed drinks and bottles of liquor on premises, but only their own products, and in limited quantity.

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FAQs WHAT ARE N.C.’S LAWS REGARDING TOBACCO, VAPING AND MARIJUANA? State law prohibits smoking inside bars and restaurants. The city of Asheville has banned smoking and e-cigarettes on city buses; in city-owned parks and greenways; and in buildings owned, leased, occupied, managed and/or controlled by the city, including the Asheville Regional Airport — except in areas that have been designated for smoking or vaping. Medical and recreational marijuana use remains against the law in North Carolina whereas Delta 8 is legal and readily available; possession of less than one-half ounce of marijuana is a misdemeanor.

IS THERE A DISCOUNT CARD/BOOK FOR AREA ATTRACTIONS AND DINING? Go Local Asheville offers a discount card ($20, golocalasheville. com, Apple Store, Google Play) that entitles cardholders to deals and discounts from 600-plus locally owned shops and businesses, including more than 100 restaurants, food trucks and bars. The Asheville Independent Restaurant Association sells a Passport ($65) with BOGO deals good at 50-plus participating member restaurants.

WHERE IS THE VISITOR CENTER? The main Asheville visitor center (36 Montford Ave.) has humans on duty to assist with questions, plus brochures, maps and coupons pertaining to area attractions. The center is open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

IS ASHEVILLE ADA COMPLIANT? Asheville aims to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, but the city has to contend with older infrastructure, hilly terrain and numerous conflicting demands. There are many individual buildings and businesses with exemptions. Everyone who visits Asheville should keep in mind that downtown sidewalks are often narrow with obstacles, and some have steep inclines.

HOW DO I GET A TABLE AT ASHEVILLE’S MOST POPULAR RESTAURANTS? Unless you reserve well in advance — in extreme cases, two months out — odds can be slim. Try calling rather than just looking online. Go for an early or late lunch instead of dinner, or belly up to the bar rather than wait for a table. But by all means, don’t despair! Asheville has scores of less famous but amazing and unique places to eat. Pick up a copy of the Mountain Xpress Asheville Eats & Drinks directory for lots of leads.

FIND OUT

What’s Happening 16

Live Music, Tours, Festivals, Spirituality and more!

avlcalendar.com

FIELD GUIDE TO ASHEVILLE

2022-2023

CONTINUED HOW CAN I GET AROUND WITHOUT MY CAR? Most of downtown is walkable but hilly. To venture farther out, there are taxis, ride apps and public buses run by the city of Asheville (ART). There are various rental services for bikes and cars, and some hotels offer shuttle service. Tickets for a hop-on, hop-off trolley tour can be acquired at the Asheville visitor center.

WHAT ARE ASHEVILLE’S SISTER CITIES? Asheville has an active Sister Cities program with seven partners: Vladikavkaz (Russia), San Cristóbal de las Casas (Mexico), Saumur (France), Karpenisi (Greece), Valladolid (Mexico), Osogbo (Nigeria), and Dunkeld-Birnam (Scotland).

WHERE CAN I FIND A CALENDAR OF EVENTS? There’s a lot going on in Asheville — festivals, concerts, retreats, celebrations, author appearances, sports competitions, dances, you name it. To be in the know each week, visit Mountain Xpress’ avlcalendar.com for a comprehensive listing of events of every stripe and type. And for a quick look at some of the year’s biggest events, check out the Festivals section in this guide.

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What could go Just In Case

Wrong?

Photo by Sara Lap

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BEARS! Seriously, WNC is wild country. Whether camping, staying at a romantic cabin or even just Airbndb-ing it in a quiet cove, animals may pay you a visit. From raccoons to opossums to bears, our wild mammals love food (including garbage), so if you are leaving your car unattended with food inside, close the windows; if you generate trash, stow it safely. If an animal is causing significant problems, you can call animal control at 828-250-6670.

HEALTH AND INJURIES Chipped a tooth? Rolled an ankle on WNC’s hilly terrain?

Need to refill a prescription? For emergencies, always dial 911, but for daytime problems that aren’t immediately life-threatening, Buncombe County also has many urgent care clinics: Sisters of Mercy Urgent Care in the west, east and south areas of Asheville, as well as in Weaverville; Range Urgent Care in North Asheville (includes dental care) and Black Mountain; FastMed Urgent Care in South Asheville and just west of town; and Pardee urgent care south of Asheville. Pharmacies abound, including in many area grocery stores.

MISSING THINGS OR NONEMERGENCY CRIMES For lost and stolen items, use the nonemergency number to contact the appropriate law enforcement department. In Asheville, call 828-252-1110; in Buncombe County, but outside the city, call 828-250-6670. If your luggage didn’t make it with you, you’ll find thrift and consignment stores all over town that can set you up with some awesome, budget threads to tide you over.

LEGAL TROUBLE It may be fun to drive fast on curvy roads, but the fuzz doesn’t like it. Also remember this is Beer City, and where the liquor flows,

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WHAT COULD GO WRONG? the problems sometimes pool beside the fun. Whether you broke the rules or it was all a misunderstanding, you don’t have to face the system alone. Asheville is chockablock full of lawyers with various specialties, and there is a 24-hour bail-bond service a block from the jail.

CAR PROBLEMS Towing: It can save the day or ruin it. If you need a tow company, there are many local options in various parts of town, and some of them offer repairs as well. But if you discover your car TO W- AW AY missing in the central business district or Biltmore Village parking lot that has “Towing Enforced” warning signs clearly ZO NE posted (which are required if a tow service may take your vehicle), you’ll need to consult those signs for the phone number to call to recover your vehicle. If it is not apparent to you why your car was towed, try calling Asheville Parking Services at 828-259-5792 or the police.

SICK, HURT OR MISSING PET If your pet needs medical care during regular business hours, Asheville has many vets all over town. If it’s after hours, Regional Emergency Animal Care Hospital (REACH) is open 24/7. Phone: 828-665-4399.

If your pet goes missing, contact the Buncombe County Animal Shelter at 828-250-6431 (and/or animal control at 828-250-6670); there are also several local web-based missing pet pages, including the Asheville Humane Society at ashevillehumane.org.

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ASHEVILLE-AREA

T imeline

FROM THEN TO NOW

1800s In th e be gin nin g

and The Cherokee people t the their ancestors inhabi rs region for 10,000 yea t prior to the arrival of firs s in tler set ite wh t nen perma the 1780s.

1800s Throughout the first half of the 1800s, “drovers” from Kentucky and Tennessee boost the local economy, driving livestock through the region using a primitive pathway along the French Broad River.

1791 Buncombe County is established. The county is named in honor of Revolutionary War hero Edward Buncombe. The county seat is Morristown, which is renamed Asheville in 1795, in honor of the state’s governor, Samuel Ashe. The town is incorporated in 1797.

1820s 1828 The Buncombe Turnpike

is completed. The 75-mile road came up through the Saluda Gap by way of Flat Rock.

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TIMELINE 1850 Stately homes begin to appear in Asheville. The county’s second brick county courthouse is also built.

1850s

1871 The first tuberculosis 1870s sanitarium in the country, The Villa, opens in Asheville. A marketing pamphlet describes the town as “The Switzerland of America.”

“Running water, electricity, 1890s telephones, street cars and paved roads were marvels to be seen in town,” writes historian Mitzi Schaden Tessier. “[B]ut in the country, oxen still pulled the homemade plows.”

1892 Black community leaders, Edward S. Stephens and Isaac Dickson, approach George Vanderbilt about financing the construction of the Young Men’s Institute, a place for the Biltmore Estate’s Black construction workers to meet, located on South Market and Eagle streets. The building still stands in Asheville’s former African American business district.

1895 Vanderbilt’s Biltmore Estate is completed.

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1860 Census records show 1,907 enslaved people in Buncombe County, with a total of 283 slave owners. The county’s total population was 12,654 with 111 free Blacks. Among slave owners, lawyer and legislator, Nicholas Washington Woodfin, topped the 1860s county’s list, owning 122 people.

The first train pulls into Asheville, connecting the town with Salisbury and points east, marking the start of a progressive decade.

1880s 1889 A local newspaper reports that George Vanderbilt, “the young railroad millionaire,” is in the early process of acquiring land in the area.

1912 “A man is never too old to build castles and dream dreams,” declares E.W. Grove at the opening ceremony of the Grove Park Inn. 1914 “Government buys Pisgah Forest; will welcome great National Park,” a headline from the Asheville Citizen declares. The land had been acquired from the Vanderbilt family, 1910s following George Vanderbilt’s untimely death.

1916 Six people perish in Asheville during The Great Flood of 1916.

Estimated property damage is 1920s between $1 million and $3 million.

1929 Asheville native Thomas Wolfe publishes his debut novel, Look Homeward, Angel. Though a work of fiction, the book borrows much from the author’s life growing up in his mother’s boardinghouse, the Old Kentucky Home. The property is now part of the Thomas Wolfe Memorial in downtown Asheville.

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TIMELINE “11 banks in W.N.C. are now closed,”

1930s the Asheville Times declares on Oct.

1940s 1948 Artist Zelda Fitzgerald (wife of writer F. Scott Fitzgerald) is one of nine patients who die in a fire at Highland Hospital, a mental health facility that had opened in Asheville in 1904.

1950 s – 1980 s

Urban renewal projects launch, targeting predominately African American neighborhoods. In several cases, entire communities were razed.

1969 Roughly 200 African American 1960s students walk out of the recently integrated Asheville High School after airing a list of grievances concerning school curriculum and the treatment of Black students.

21, 1930. To help boost the local economy, the Vanderbilt family agrees to open the mansion as a tourist attraction.

1931 Asheville Mayor Gallatin Roberts commits suicide in response to his legal troubles in connection with the city’s financial ruin.

1935 Construction begins on the Blue Ridge Parkway. combe 1937 Sarah Gudger, a Bun ery in County native born into slav le by a evil 1816, is interviewed in Ash l Writer’s representative of the Federa rk Projects Wo Project of the United States [William Administration. “Old Master did anything we Hemphill] strop us good if interviewer. he didn’t like,” she told the r body and you ore bef d han r “He tie you a mule.” whup you, just like you’re

1976 Asheville finally completes paying off its Depression-era debt, celebrating the event with a 1970s ceremonial bond burning.

1960 – 1975 A new approach to retail sales — malls — arrives in Asheville and within a decade and a half sucks the life out of downtown, rendering it a mercantile wasteland for nearly two decades, according to historian Nan Chase.

1980s

1980 Asheville City Council plans to turn downtown into a mall by razing 85 downtown buildings on 17 acres, but this idea is defeated by a grassroots citizen effort.

1983 State legislators authorize 1990s 1994 Artists in the River Arts a 2% room hotel-occupancy tax District host their first studio stroll. and establish the Buncombe 1997 City of Asheville County Tourism Development signs a 198-year Authority to spend the lease with the Grove revenue.

Arcade Public Market 1988 City Councilman Foundation. By 2002, Walt Boland champions the historic structure is the idea that Asheville’s reopened to the public. industrial riverfront 19 8 0 – 2 0 0 0 1999 The drum could one day be a Despite Ashe circle gets its start ville tourist destination. moribund do ’s mostly at the former Vance wntown, 1988 Warren Haynes entrepreneurs Monument. The , ar organizes his first philanthropist tists, group relocates to s, Christmas Jam. community gr activists and Pritchard Park after oups gradually br ea the life back in complaints. to the area and begin rent in the River Arts g spaces in District.

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TIMELINE 2001 The hotel-occupancy tax 2000s is raised to 4% and the Tourism Product Development Fund is established.

2009 Asheville wins Beer City USA title, tying with Portland, Ore.

2010s 2010-14 Moogfest, a multiday

music, art and technology festival gets its start in Asheville.

2015 The hotel-occupancy tax is raised to 6%.

2020 More than 800 new hotel 2020s rooms are scheduled to become available in Buncombe County — a 10% increase in room inventory.

be County Special Photos courtesy of Buncom ren Haynes by Nick King; Collections; photo of War . Division of Tourism; beer photo courtesy of N.C Simchock Moogfest photo by David

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The Kress Building Asheville

BU ILDIN G S

Photo by Jennifer Castillo

A 1926 debate over traffic jams nearly caused a roadblock in the construction of the Kress building at 19 Patton Ave. According to the Sept. 29 issue of The Asheville Citizen, the Kress organization had plans to raze the former Bon Marché building, which occupied the site, in order to erect “one of the finest, if not the finest, building in their chain of stores.”

A major obstacle, however, presented itself in the form of cramped thoroughfares. That day’s paper continued: “Lexington avenue between College street and Patton avenue is rather narrow, and it has been suggested that the city build an underpass at this point running under Patton avenue. If the city should decide, however, to condemn some of the old Bon Marche building so as to widen Lexington that might not leave room enough for the spacious store the Kress establishment contemplates building.”

That October a heated debate broke out between The Citizens Committee (a group of downtown business owners), who favored wider roads, and Mayor John H. Cathey, who opposed the notion.

The Oct. 13, paper claimed “blows were almost struck” during the meeting. The mayor — described as “belligerent and sometimes incoherent,” throughout the session — took umbrage when one opposing member accused him of being “bull-headed.”

Things escalated when another unidentified member in the group insisted that Cathey shut up. According to the paper, the mayor demanded the individual show himself. “If he is a man, he will stand up,” the mayor is reported to have stated. No one stood. When the mayor offered to adjourn the meeting in order to “step down to the street and settle this matter,” all parties remained seated.

Despite ongoing petitions and debate, the former Bon Marché property was razed in November 1926.

On June 24, 1927, Kress 5-10-25 Cent Store officially opened its new downtown Asheville location. The following day’s paper reported that thousands had celebrated its grand opening, including the city’s recently elected mayor, Gallatin Roberts, who congratulated “the Kress management on the completion of one of the finest stores in its chain of 183.”

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Things

To Do

✓

✓

✓ Pisgah Forest

Photo courtesy of Pisgah Climbing School

@ pisgahclimbingschool

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Get

Outside

Zoom out on a map of Asheville, and you’ll notice colossal swaths of green. (No, we’re not talking about the hemp grow-ops.)

Our city perches sweetly in a valley that’s surrounded by three lush and mountainous national forests: Pisgah, Nantahala and Cherokee.

And due west is the vastly biodiverse Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Cutting through its center is the storied Appalachian Trail — a legendary 2,189-mile trek reaching from Georgia to Maine.

Within an hour’s drive of downtown Asheville, no matter what direction you head, you’ll find scores of hiking trails, picnic spots, waterfalls and pristine mountain streams. It’s no surprise that nicknames like “river rat” and “hiker trash” are taken in stride by our outdoorsy residents.

In search of a view worthy enough for your Instagram feed?

The most casual go-to spot just outside of town is Craggy Gardens, a dramatic, rhododendron-laced, 1.4-mile round-trip hike that leads to a stunning panoramic view of the Pisgah mountain range.

Another nearby and well-traveled path is Catawba Falls: a gentle 2.7-mile round-trip trail that rewards visitors with a towering, mossy waterfall. The treeless and expansive views of Black Balsam Knob are on another bucket-list hike for both locals and visitors.

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Now selling and accepting gear at 99 Riverside Drive in Asheville’s River Arts District Second Gear is a consignment shop specializing in outdoor adventure gear, apparel, footwear & accessories – used & new, including a large selection of dealer samples 99 Riverside Drive, Asheville, NC 28801 | secondgearwnc.com

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GET OUTSIDE Take note that the more popular trails sometimes overflow on busy weekends in the summer and fall. If you’re chasing sweet, sweet solitude, consider hiking the lush, streamside Haywood Gap Trail in the Middle Prong Wilderness or the historic Rattlesnake Lodge Trail. Impressive, more isolated hikes beckon, such as Linville Gorge, rugged and teeming with quartz crystals, known by its admirers as the “Grand Canyon of the East.” For a daylong ass-kicking adventure, attempt a summit of the 6,684-foot Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River. While there are easy trails that start within a mile of the summit, try starting down low at Mount Mitchell Trailhead and tackling that gnarly, inspiring 3,600 feet of elevation gain over 5.5 miles. The reward? Besides an amazing workout, you’ll encounter idyllic, grassy balds, rushing streams and at least four varieties of forest, including native Fraser firs and old-growth spruce.

The Bent Creek Experimental Forest in southwest Buncombe County functions as Asheville’s nearest mountain biking getaway.

Farther afield is DuPont State Recreational Forest, renowned for its

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FLOATING THE F RENCH BROAD? Before you go check weekly wa , safety reports ter theswimguide.orat g/ beach/7160

sten Stanise

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GET OUTSIDE exciting singletrack. Be sure to check conditions before you go, as both trail systems are sometimes closed due to weather.

Climbers can keep occupied at area indoor climbing gyms or venture off to natural sites such as Hawksbill Mountain (Linville Gorge) or Rumbling Bald (Chimney Rock State Park).

Whitewater adventure, from class I to V, beckons in almost every Western North Carolina county, with the Nantahala and French Broad rivers offering easy spots to drop in a tube, raft or kayak.

Online search engines are your friends when it comes to renting equipment and signing up for guided excursions. There’s also an abundance of retailers nearby. Mountain Xpress readers voted REI, Second Gear and Black Dome M o u n t a i n Sports as the top outdoor gear and apparel shops in the 2021 Best of WNC Guide.

During the steamy months, a few go-to swimming holes include Skinny Dip Falls, Sliding Rock and Midnight Hole.

There’s also a slew of other outdoor activities around, such as fly-fishing, zip lining, paddleboarding and even Bellyaking (WNC is the birthplace of the Bellyak, after all!)

serve Photo courtesy of Pre

Communities

crossing @ frenchbroad

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Bringing world-class chamber music to Western North Carolina for 70 years ashevillechambermusic.org support@ashevillechambermusic.org

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Shopping e to be r a p e r P d

Amaze

!

Even if you think you’ve seen it all, Asheville may awaken your sense of wonder. You’ll find makers, crafters and artists, importers, designers and passionate devotees here — where “shop local” is the mantra and independent entrepreneurship is a way of life.

You’ll also find nationally known outlets. But take note: Even our malls are peppered with local, independent shops.

When considering how best to channel your inner shopper, consider these approaches: • By neighborhood or area: Check out downtown Asheville, West Asheville (especially Haywood Road), Biltmore Village, River Arts District, Biltmore Park Town Square — or explore neighboring towns like Black Mountain and Weaverville.

• By special interest: Consider your personal passions and do an online search to see what Asheville has to offer. Whether you’re a musician or crafter, outdoor enthusiast, clotheshorse, gardener or vegan, Asheville has one or more specialty shops to draw you in. If you’re looking for the right record or comic book or the latest shoe style, hard-to-find book or the perfect gift for an eccentric friend, chances are good you’ll discover it here.

10 COLLEGE ST. • DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE • 828-254-8374

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Grove Arcade

Photo courtesy of the Grove Arcade

@ dolodigital

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SHOPPING • By thrift, vintage, antique and upcycled: You’ll find treasures, steals and great deals. Intrepid bargain hunters can find unique treasures, sometimes going for a song.

• By locally owned: Shop like a local. Pick up a Go Local Directory and check out its more than 500 listings of locally owned businesses. The 2022 red-white-and-black directory is available in selected stores and many downtown Mountain Xpress newspaper boxes. Or ask your hotel or B&B host where you can find one. You also can get the full directory by downloading the Go Local Asheville app. When you shop local, you help preserve the town’s unique culture. Consider buying a Go Local card, which entitles you to special discounts. You’ll be shopping like a local while you save a lot of money. Check out golocalasheville.com.

• By emporium stores with mini-galleries and booths, such as Regeneration Station, Woolworth Walk, Screen Door, Kress Emporium, Asheville Emporium and Antique Tobacco Barn.

• By special event: Check area calendars for local events, such as The Big Crafty, Southern Highland Craft Guild fairs, studio strolls, farmers markets and the annual Outdoor Gear Festival.

North Asheville

Tailgate Market

Photo courtesy of Samm Coffin

@ sammssimplelife

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SHOPPING • By locally made goods: Asheville’s cottage industries and farms produce a wide range of goods. These “crafted production centers” are part of a new movement that’s bypassing overseas sweatshops to offer quality over quantity in the following areas: • clothing, including fashion lines, T-shirts, regionally produced yarn and cloth • food, including meats, cheeses, jams and condiments, drinks and sodas • jewelry • furniture, glassware, pottery and home décor items • herbal tinctures, CBD products, perfumes and cosmetics • camping gear, hammocks, kayaks, hiking packs • bicycles • musical instruments, including banjos, dulcimers and drums • vinyl records and CDs • crafts, including knives and tools • leather goods, including shoes • pet supplies • kids stuff, including clothing Happy shopping! Asheville is a place of discovery.

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Vance Monument comes down M A K IN G

Asheville

Photo by Virginia Daffron

In March 2021, Asheville’s City Council voted 6-1 to remove the Vance Monument, a 75-foot obelisk that previously stood at Park Square, the heart of downtown. The local decision came in response to a national reckoning on race in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd.

Constructed in 1898, the monument honored Buncombe County native Zebulon Baird Vance, who served as North Carolina governor and U.S. senator. A slave owner and adamant supporter of the Confederacy, Vance denounced Northern abolitionists prior to the Civil War and continued efforts to limit civil rights to African Americans following emancipation.

In an 1860 speech addressing the U.S. House of Representatives, Vance decried emancipation as both “utterly absurd” and a threat to the purity of the white race. “Amalgamation is so odious that even the mind of a fanatic [abolitionist] recoils in disgust and loathing from the prospect of intermingling the quick and jealous blood of the European with the putrid stream of African barbarism.”

Nearly a decade after the Confederate army’s defeat, Vance delivered a Jan. 10, 1874, speech arguing against a bill introduced

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MAKING ASHEVILLE

by Sen. Charles Sumner of Massachusetts, which sought to outlaw racial discrimination in juries, schools, transportation and public accommodations.

In 1877, Vance returned to the governor’s mansion for a third time, having previously served two consecutive terms beginning in 1862. By 1878, Vance left the governor’s mansion to serve in the U.S. Senate, an office he held until his death on April 14, 1894.

“I’ve come to realize that the Vance Monument no longer reflects, and probably never reflected, the values of our community,” said Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer during Council’s March 23, 2021, meeting when members voted to remove the obelisk.

“I’m looking forward to the day when we can have a centerpiece in our city that reflects Asheville today.”

HOW TO

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World Class

Handmade Creations

Working artists have been setting up shop in Asheville and calling it home for more than a century. As a result, the area has come to be recognized as a national center for arts and crafts.

To see a lot of local crafts in a short time try these hot spots: • Kress Emporium and Woolworth Walk are each packed with booths presenting the works of different artists.

• The River Arts District is home to more than 200 artists with working studios in 23 former industrial buildings.

• The Refinery Creator Space comprises thirteen artists, three collectives and exhibitions in three galleries.

• The Folk Art Center houses a historical archive of regional craft and maintains a rotating set of exhibits and demonstrations.

• The Center for Craft contains two galleries and the National Craft Innovation Hub. • North Carolina Glass Center, The Village Potters, Odyssey ClayWorks and Plays in Mud Pottery offer classes, demos and open galleries.

• Or, if you catch the right weekend and want to go for a drive through the country, various nearby locales host self-guided craft studio tours (Weaverville Art Safari, Leicester Studio Tour and Kenilworth Artists Association Studio Tour among them). Or take a daytrip to Penland School of Crafts or John C. Campbell Folk School; both are nationally renowned institutions located within a couple of hours’ drive of Asheville.

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What’s Happening 40

Art Galleries, Fairs Studios, Tours, and more!

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Photo co

urtesy o

@ odyssf Odyssey Clayworks eyclayw orks

Photo by Carmen & Clay Nations

@ claynationsphotography

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Museums From Pioneer Life To 20Th Century

If you’re visiting Asheville, certain museums and historical sites are hard to miss: The Asheville Art Museum and the Center for Craft completed multimillion-dollar makeovers in 2019 and are reveling in their recent reveals; meanwhile, the Biltmore Estate and Asheville Museum of Science are anything but hidden.

Other locations require a little digging, though. If you want to go small, niche or quirky, and your passion is pinball, radios, antique cars, Moog synthesizers or cats, we’ve got a museum for you.

Unless specified otherwise, the following sites are located in Asheville.

HOUSE MUSEUMS • Smith-McDowell House Museum: Built in 1840, the home is believed to be the oldest surviving house in Asheville and the oldest brick structure in Buncombe County.

• Thomas Wolfe Memorial: Tour the childhood home of writer Thomas Wolfe and learn how the property inspired his scandalous 1929 novel, Look Homeward, Angel.

• Vance Birthplace: Located in Weaverville, the tour focuses on what pioneer life was like for both free and enslaved people in Western North Carolina.

INSTRUMENTS AND SOUND • The Asheville Radio Museum: This small museum has an impressive collection of radio equipment, advertisements and other memorabilia. Hours vary.

• LEAF Cultural Arts center: The multicultural, interactive, family-friendly center offers sights and sounds from around the globe, as well as local crafts.

Photo courtesy of the Bob

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Moog Foundation

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Moogseum: • The This interactive museum celebrates Robert “Bob” Moog’s legacy and the science of sound.

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Black Mountsaeinum College Mu nter & Arts Ce

Photo by Kate Anderson, courtesy of Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center

@ bmcmuseum

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MUSEUMS HISTORY CENTERS • Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center: Learn the history and legacy of Black Mountain College, a freewheeling, multidisciplinary hub of artistic innovation that operated from 1933-57.

• Southern Highland Craft Guild Folk Art Center: Situated at milepost 382 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Guild represents over 900 makers.

• Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center: Located in Black Mountain, the nonprofit offers permanent and temporary exhibits about the history of Buncombe County.

• YMI Cultural Center: Opened in 1893, the center is located in the heart of Asheville’s former African American business district.

Today the site offers cultural, economic and leadership development activities. Prior to visiting, check its calendar for upcoming events.

• Presbyterian Heritage Center: Located in Montreat, the center launched in 2008. Its collection, preserved records and materials include all Presbyterian and Reformed Church denominations.

• Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society: Focuses on the multicounty area created by the General Assembly of North Carolina in 179192. Library & bookstore are open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

TRANSPORTATION MUSEUMS • Antique Car Museum: See rare automobiles like the 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham. The museum is closed January-March.

• Western North Carolina Air Museum: Located in Hendersonville, the site offers a unique collection celebrating the Golden Age of Aviation, 1918-39. Limited hours. Closed December-February.

ECCENTRIC SPOTS • American Museum of the House Cat: Located in Sylva, this quirky museum features a collection of house cat memorabilia — from vintage advertisements to a mummified feline.

• Asheville Pinball Museum: Pay to play 80-plus classic pinball and video games.

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Live Music

So Many Genres, So Much Talent

Photo by James Ramsey

@ jimmy_ray_portraits

While Asheville has long been regarded as a hotbed of Americana and bluegrass, the fact is you’ll find a wealth of other genres equally represented. Music aficionados are in luck in Asheville.

While you’re getting to know our town, we encourage you to check out its local bands and explore beyond your sonic comfort zone: A new favorite artist is likely just around the corner.

Consider organizing your musical odyssey around one of the following: • Music genres — You’ll find experimental, hip-hop, jazz, funk, soul, blues, electronic, singer-songwriter, world music plus others. And, yes, there’s Americana and bluegrass, too.

• Music venues — Many of these are situated in downtown and West Asheville. They range from raging nightclubs to quiet listening rooms. There are also plenty of open-mic and jamsession opportunities.

• Buskers galore — They play for tips on bustling downtown streets.

• Outdoors and by the river — WNC’s ample fair weather lends itself to music al fresco. Depending on the season, you’ll find many outdoor concerts, from festivals to porch shows.

And being Beer City, many of our breweries feature concerts on their own outdoor stages.

FIND OUT

What’s Happening M O U N TA I N X P R E S S

Concerts, Shows, Festivals, Beer Events and more!

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The River Arts District before & after M A K IN G

Asheville

1 94 8

ions

l Collect Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Specia

Whether you’re a fan of art, local breweries, barbecue, fine dining or skate parks — there are a number of reasons to visit the River Arts District. But as you explore its many studios and snap selfies before the area’s endless murals, it’s worth noting what you see today is a far cry from what it once was.

Many of the repurposed industrial buildings that make up the district have stood for over a century. Some operated as textile mills and feed companies, while others served as cold storage warehouses and tanneries.

By the mid-1980s, after many of the buildings sat empty for decades, the River Arts District became a haven for local artists seeking cheap studio space. “For 300 bucks a month we probably had 15,000 square feet,” artist Kevin Hogan told Mountain Xpress in 2016.

In 1995, after a fire destroyed the Chesterfield Mill where Hogan worked, the printmaker left the district, opting to transform his nearby Montford home into his workspace.

When Hogan spoke with Xpress in 2016, he expressed ambivalence about the changes underway in the River Arts District. “Sometimes I feel like Dr. Frankenstein up on the battlements looking down at my monster terrorizing the village,” he said. “I have mixed emotions about what the RAD and Asheville are becoming.”

Today, there are over 250 artists working out of 19 buildings.

Meanwhile, the River Arts District Transportation Improvement Project (aka RADTIP), which launched in 2018, added sidewalks,

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Photo by 180 Degree Photography

2 01 9

@ overasheville

new roads, 2 miles of greenway, protected bike lanes, nearly 200 new parking spaces, 9 acres of open spaces, trash cans, swings and over 3,000 trees.

“Thanks to the greenways, visitors can walk throughout the RAD, to see probably every kind of art imaginable — paintings in every style and medium, glass, photography, clay and ceramics, metal sculpture, wood working, printmaking, and more,” says Julie Bell, president of the River Arts District Association.

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Performing tains r u C s Art up

Photo by Rose Pillmore courtesy of The Asheville Ballet

Plenty of nationally touring acts make their way to the Asheville area — but don’t overlook Asheville’s unique gems: Our local talent regularly fills stages (and nontraditional spaces) with a remarkable variety of engaging performances and sometimes boundary-pushing productions.

From drama and comedy to fringe and circus arts, you’ll find lots to explore.

• A dozen local theater companies keep area stages active all year long.

• Homegrown dance troupes present modern, ballet, butoh and edgy acts.

• Spoken-word and literary offerings fill bookstores, club stages and listening rooms.

• Pop-up acts add unexpected surprises to downtown’s already vibrant scene.

• And at least four arthouse film theaters give moviegoers options that are on par with those of major markets.

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Busking in downtown

M A K IN G

Asheville

On sidewalks across downtown, you’ll likely encounter an assortment of buskers filling the streets with a variety of musical tunes. Some perform in key, while others might fall a few notes flat; but no matter the skill set, the collective group creates a soundtrack for the city’s bustling downtown.

(Along with sirens from emergency services, chants from occasional protesters, raucous laughter from bachelorette parties and @ pachito_bonito the horns from local drivers warning visiting drivers that they’re about to turn down a one-way street.)

For decades, these musicians have set up shop outside iconic locations, including Mast General Store on Biltmore Avenue, the Iron Sculpture on Wall Street and Woolworth Walk on Haywood Street, as well as several key spots in and around Pack Square.

But in more recent years, as the city’s popularity has continued to attract more tourists, the buskers have encountered several challenges, ultimately resulting in city guidelines that prevent the sale of merchandise, limit volume levels and prohibit performers from obstructing sidewalks — among other restrictions.

For some musicians, Asheville no longer represents a buskerfriendly city, especially as construction projects continue to change downtown’s urban landscape. “We’ve run out of spots to perform,” busker Lyle Rickards told Xpress in September 2021. “We want to grow with the city, but we’re being marginalized.”

Despite such concerns, new talents continue to hit the street corners each week. In addition to musicians, visitors will likely encounter dancers, freestyle rappers, jugglers and the occasional return of the Silver Drummer Girl.

FIND OUT

What’s Happening M O U N TA I N X P R E S S

Live Music, Theater, Film Nights, Lectures and more!

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SHOP

SAVOR

STAY

Village Shops: Mon-Sat, 10am - 6pm | Sun, 12pm - 5pm National Retailers: Mon-Sat, 10am - 7pm | Sun, 12pm - 5pm Our restaurants stay open later, as do our breweries.

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• Bellagio Art To Wear

• Porter & Prince

• Estate Jewelry Limited

• Soft Surroundings

• Chico’s

• Fjallraven

• Joseph A. Bank Clothiers

• Palm Village - A Lilly Pulitzer

Signature Store • lululemon • Mountain Merch • New Morning Gallery • Nest Boutique • Olde World Christmas Shoppe

• Catawba Valley Brewing

Company • Casablanca Cigar Bar • Corner Kitchen • Fig Bistro • Hillman Beer • Hi-Wire Brewing • Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse

• Baymont Inn

• Biltmore Village Inn

• Clarion Inn Biltmore Village

• Courtyard by Marriott Biltmore

Village

• DoubleTree Biltmore Hotel

historicbiltmorevillage.com

• Scout Boutique

• Soma Intimates

• Southern Highland Craft Guild • Spa at Biltmore Village • Spartina 449 • Talbots

• The Gardner’s Cottage

• Village Antiques & Interiors, Inc. • Williams-Sonoma

• Zen Skincare and Waxing Studio

• Margaret & Maxwell • Red Stag Grill

• Rezaz Pan Mediterranean • Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse • TGI Friday’s

• The Cantina Biltmore

• Village Wayside Bar & Grille

• Grand Bohemian Hotel

• Hampton Inn & Suites Biltmore

Village

• Posh Boutique Hotel

• Residence Inn Biltmore

@historicbiltmorevillage

Unlike many popular destinations in Asheville, parking is available on the streets of Historic Biltmore Village, for FREE. We also have 3 trolley stops located throughout the village.

M O U N TA I N X P R E S S

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Photo by Heather Burditt Photography, courtesy of The Odditorium

@ theodditorium

Still looking for more excitement? Here are a few leads.

• Burlesque and sideshow acts — You may not be able to set your watch by these, but such unorthodox performances crop up frequently enough to hold a place in many Ashevillleans’ hearts.

• Drag shows — O.Henry’s, Asheville’s oldest gay bar, features weekly performances by drag queens and kings. Other events, including drag brunches, are held sporadically around town.

• Puppet, poetry and story slams — You can observe or participate.

• Dance — For those who want to get in on the act, there are numerous opportunities to cut a rug and get a good workout with salsa, swing, contra and more. Some events feature live music and lessons at the beginning.

• Trivia nights — Trivia teams gather at a number of area bars and taprooms for weekly competitions.

• Sports — Asheville’s Minor League Baseball team, the Tourists, hosts 70-plus home games between April and September. Over at UNC Asheville, the Asheville City Soccer Club offers up preprofessional-level excitement with men’s and women’s teams.

The city hosts the Southern Conference men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments in March, is home to a women’s flat track roller derby team and is a repeat host for the Billie Jean King Cup tennis matches.

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YMI Cultural Center

Asheville

BU ILDIN G S Photo by Jennifer Castillo

Originally named the Young Men’s Institute, today’s YMI Cultural Center, located on the corner of Eagle and South Market streets, was completed in 1893. Following the recommendation of two prominent African American residents — Isaac Dickson and Edward S. Stephens — George Vanderbilt financed the structure for the benefit of Asheville’s Black community.

In 1906, Asheville’s African American community raised the necessary $10,000 (roughly $309,000 in today’s currency) to purchase the building from Vanderbilt. For decades after, the YMI was home to a number of Black-owned businesses and organizations, including restaurants, a pharmacy and the city’s first Black public library.

In his 2011 book, Asheville’s Historic Architecture, author Richard Hansley writes that the Great Depression marked the start of an extended period of diminished participation at the YMI. By 1946, however, the Market Street Branch of the YMCA purchased the property and operated out of it until 1976.

According to the YMI Cultural Center website, in 1980, a coalition of nine Black churches, “with the support of both the Black and white communities,” purchased and restored the building, rebranding it the YMI Cultural Center.

Asheville’s favorite people, places, goods & services

Best of WNC awards guide Pick up a free copy today!

M O U N TA I N X P R E S S

The Definitive Guide 2021 - 2022

Asheville’s Favorites

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Wellness

A place to heal

Where else can you see a world-class cardiologist at the crack of dawn, indulge in a color-light wrap with aura imaging mid-morning, take a hike in the mountains with a yoga instructor in the afternoon and then chill out surrounded by 15 tons of salt in the evening?

For centuries, the Cherokee Indians considered nearby Hot Springs, just 40 minutes from Asheville, a healing place. Asheville’s renown as a wellness destination grew in the 1870s, when publicity about its climate and fresh mountain air began to draw people seeking treatment of tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases. In 1871, the country’s first sanitarium, The Villa, was established in what is now the Kenilworth neighborhood. With the arrival of the railroad in 1880, thousands of health-seekers flocked to the city. Boardinghouses catered to visitors who reclined on sleeping porches to take “the cure.”

Doctors at the beginning of the 20th century proclaimed the Asheville plateau as the great sanitarium of the eastern United States, helping to establish the town as a health care mecca.

Today, the local health care industry continues to thrive. In 2019, health services ranked as the second-largest job creator, surpassed only by manufacturing.

WNC is also home to an impressive variety of services, whether you come to attune your galactic Earth coordinates with the synchronicities of your soul signature, to breathe the “clean” mountain air (unless it’s a Code Yellow day), to undergo any number of alternative medical treatments offered in Asheville or to take advantage of our everexpanding conventional, award-winning medical infrastructure.

Here for all your HEMP & HEALTH needs

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Local news you can count on

Try us online each day.

Essential updates.

Original reporting.

Everyday, Mon.–Fri.

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WELLNESS A wide variety of acupuncture and massage styles are available from local practitioners. For a more far-out experience, try the sensory deprivation tank at Still Point Wellness. Yoga is available at traditional walk-in classes, in a hot room, or offered aerial-style or as part of a hiking tour. In addition to health centers like the YMCA, YWCA and the Jewish Community Center, we’re also home to a thriving CrossFit community, a rowhouse and several spin studios, among other boutique fitness destinations.

If your wellness interests transcend the traditional, then consider your chakras — we have an abundance of reiki healers and holistic practitioners. There’s also forest bathing with the Om Sanctuary, psychic readings at Raven and Crone or sound therapy from Skinny Beats. Or find your cannabidiniol fix — CBD, that is — at a multitude of dispensaries, grocery stores and boutiques. In 2021, our readers selected Franny’s Farmacy as the best place to buy CBD oil, with Asheville Dispensary. and Trinity Farms Hemp snagging second and third, respectively.

WELLNESS ADVENTURES The mountains — their sheer age, solitude, silence and vistas — offer their healing energies and perspectives. In town, healing propensities and modalities abound. Whether you want a simple pickme-up, an entree into an entirely new way of being or simply an hour of silence, there is something for you. We offer a sampling:

tice Healing Arts

Photo courtesy of Letha Zaracki at Souls

@ soulstice_healingarts

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WELLNESS YOGA • • • •

Asheville Community Yoga Asheville Yoga Center Hot Yoga Asheville Namaste in Nature (for something different: hiking and yoga in one experience)

BOOKS & SUPPLIES

• Asheville Salt Cave • Earth Majick • OM Sanctuary Holistic Retreat • Skinny Beats Sound Shop FOOD, HERBS • French Broad Food Co-op • West Village Market SCHOOLS, CLINICS

• Alchemy • Raven and Crone • Herbiary DAY SPAS • The Spa at Omni Grove Park Inn • Sensibilities Day Spa • Shoji Spa & Retreat • Spa Theology • Hot Springs Resort & Spa SOMETHING DIFFERENT • Still Point Wellness

FIND OUT

What’s Happening

• Daoist Traditions College • Center For Massage & Natural Health • Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine MEDITATION • Urban Dharma • Inner Light Journeys • Asheville Insight Meditation • Basilica of St. Lawrence

Meditation, Spirituality, Classes, Clinics and more!

avlcalendar.com

Asheville's Best Cannabis Shop & Dispensary

Sunfroot offers a wide selection of THC, CBD, CBG & CBN medicinals & personal care products.

Open 7 days 10am-9pm

Expert Guidance Available

THC: Delta-8 THC, Delta-9 THC*, Delta-10 THC & THCV. Medicinals: CBD Oils, Cannabis Flower, Topicals, Edibles,

Supplements, Vapes & Smokes.

Cannabis Goods: Hemp Bags, Purses, Totes, Paper, Envelopes, Candles & Homegoods.

SUNFROOT

sunfroot.com

828-545-7970 30 Battery Park Ave., Asheville, NC 28801 *All products sold at SunFroot contain less than 0.3% Delta-9 THC by dry weight and are federally compliant.

M O U N TA I N X P R E S S

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Kid Central

N.C. Arboretum Photo courtesy of the N.C. Arboretum

@ thencarboretum

Congratulations, you’ve made it to Asheville — with the kids! With these tips below, you’ll have a bevy of ideas up your sleeve to keep everyone engaged and entertained for your entire stay.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS There are plenty of opportunities to get the kids outside and have some fun — whether they’re the adventurous sort or take a more mellow approach to outdoor activities.

The intrepid may be intrigued by our nearby zip line courses: In town, Adventure Center of Asheville offers fun for younger kids (ages 4-10) through adults, while Navitat Canopy Adventures in nearby Barnardsville offers tours that are likely more appropriate for older kids and teens (along with adults) who meet the weight requirements.

Asheville boasts two climbing gyms with indoor and outdoor options: the downtown and River Arts District Climbmax locations.

And in Fletcher, you’ll find The Riveter.

If you have a skateboarder in tow, you may want to check out the Asheville Skate Park, a public outdoor skate park at the edge of downtown, or the River Arts District’s two parks.

You’ll find playgrounds in town and the surrounding area, although some spots offer more elaborate structures than others: • Weaverville’s Lake Louise Park • West Asheville’s Carrier Park • Arden’s Jake Rusher Park • In the Black Mountain area, Montreat’s Robert Lake Park • If the kids are hankering for a round of mini-golf, the Asheville area has you covered, too, with two outdoor venues to choose from: Lakeview Putt and Play and Tropical Gardens Mini Golf. A third, Play Station in Woodfin, may reopen this year.

In the warmer months, water fun can include dashing through the fountains at Splasheville downtown or a dip in the area’s public pools.

(More info on playgrounds and pools can be found on the Asheville Parks and Recreation and Buncombe County Recreation Services websites.)

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Still Independent.

Still Local.

Still Free.

•Mini Golf •Virtual Reality •Outdoor Laser Tag The Hop Ice Cream

Summer Hours Sun.-Thu.: 10am-9pm Fri.-Sat.: 10am-10pm

Reservations Required for Laser Tag

2245 Hendersonville Rd, Arden, NC LakeviewPuttandPlay.com • 828-676-1746 M O U N TA I N X P R E S S

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KIDS For some in-town and nearby hikes, check out: • The N.C. Arboretum • The Botanical Gardens at Asheville • The Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary • the Blue Ridge Parkway’s Asheville Visitor Center TRACK Trail (milepost 384) All these places offer manageable trails for families. The TRACK Trail is part of the Kids in Parks program (kidsinparks.com), which includes info, maps and incentives to get children excited about outdoor recreation.

You can also combine a nature stroll with some up-close encounters with wild animals native to our region at the WNC Nature Center, a multiyear winner of best Daytrip for Kids, as voted by Mountain Xpress readers.

Depending on the season, your children also may be able to visit a local farm, pick berries or apples at a U-pick establishment or challenge their sense of direction at a local corn maze.

FUN AND GAMES The Asheville area also has plenty of indoor options for fun as well, including the Launch trampoline park in Arden, two bowling alleys in East and West Asheville (AMF Star Lanes and Sky Lanes), the Mountain Play Lodge in Arden, pinball at the Asheville Pinball Museum and the state’s first board game café, Well Played, both downtown.

Kids who get jazzed about science will likely be interested in the Asheville Museum of Science downtown, a regular winner of best Museum for Kids as voted by Mountain Xpress readers.

Meanwhile, art lovers might enjoy the hands-on activities offered at the Asheville Art Museum or a paint-your-own pottery session at local studios Claying Around or Fired Up! Creative Lounge.

If you’re looking for some adults-only time in the evenings, many local organizations host regular parents’ nights out at settings ranging from gyms to martial arts studios and more.

Then, too, this being Beer City USA, you might want to bring your kids along to a family-friendly brewery (which may include outdoor space and lawn games).

In fact, the options for family fun are so numerous that you just might have to start planning your next trip.

WNC Nature Center

Photo by AE Silver

@ a.e.silver

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Stay informed on

Local Matters

Sign up for Xpress’ free weekly e-newsletter at mountainx.com/ newsletters Fresh to your inbox everyday, Monday-Friday

paint your own pottery canvas painting glass fusing pottery wheels

the best place for kids to make art walk-ins welcome 1378 Hendersonville Road, Suite D • Asheville, NC 277-0042 • clayingaround.com M O U N TA I N X P R E S S

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Community Spotlights

West Asheville

Reminiscent of how downtown Asheville felt 15 years ago and evoking the notion that this would be a cool place to live, visitors will enjoy discovering the neighborhood’s funky shops and tasty delights down the length of Haywood Road.

Photo by 180 Degree Photography

@overasheville

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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHTS Montford

Three hundred acres of stately homes and lovely streets to enjoy beneath a shady tree canopy — just a stroll north of downtown.

Biltmore Village

If your favorite park were also a historic shopping district where even quick-service restaurants have Tudor style architecture, you’d be right at home in this southern outpost of Asheville’s central business district.

Biltmore Park Town Square

A hop, skip and a jump from the airport, this upscale planned village is on target for those seeking a walkable shopping experience with a local flair, away from the crowds of downtown.

Upper: Photo by Cindy Kunst • Middle: Photo by Morito Suzuki mo_suzuki Lower: Photo by 180 Degree Photography @overasheville

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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHTS Weaverville

Just north of Asheville, you’ll find this quiet mountain town, with local crafters, quality eats and drinks and friendly charm lining its old-timey downtown main street.

Black mountain

For travelers headed back east, Black Mountain is a must stop, known for its thriving downtown, choice shops and restaurants, as well its breathtaking setting at the foot of the Black Mountains.

River Arts District

Asheville’s RAD aims to pack about as many artists imaginable into an area small enough to walk around in, and you won’t have to leave for lunch, dinner or a great beer.

Upper, lower: Photos by Cindy Kunst Middle: Photo by 180 Degree Photography @overasheville

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Rainbow Connections

Taking pride in diversity

Photo by Carr Elliott, Captivating the Mind Photography

It’s official: Asheville is LGBT+-friendly — • ...and has been for years. Back in 2010, Asheville was ranked

by The Advocate as one of America’s top 15 gayest cities. “With its thriving art scene and adorable homes, Asheville is a prime example of the new gay South,” The Advocate opined.

• The city was ranked one of the 20 best places for LGBTQ retirement in 2019 by senioradvice.com.

• In 2013, Buncombe County Register of Deeds Drew Reisinger made national news by accepting gay marriage applications, despite North Carolina’s constitutional ban on gay marriage.

The ban was later overturned, in 2014, by a U.S. District Court decision. The day of the court decision, same-sex couples in Asheville became among the first in the state to wed.

• In 2015, Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer penned an open invitation, welcoming LGBTQ visitors.

• Buncombe County voters elected their first openly lesbian county commissioner in 2016, Jasmine Beach-Ferrara.

• In another milestone, openly lesbian Tammy Hooper became Asheville’s first female police chief, serving from 2015-19.

• Asheville City Council unanimously voted in 2016 to call for the repeal of North Carolina’s controversial “bathroom bill,” HB2.

“Asheville is different in that there is no ‘gayborhood,’ or a gay mecca,” Jerry Conner, a longtime Ashevillean who operates GayAshevilleNC.com, told livability.com. “We’ve really always

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RAINBOW CONNECTIONS been very diverse and open, and a gay environment even back in the [nineteen-]thirties.”

In 2019, the North Carolina Room at Pack Memorial Library hosted an LGBTQ history pop-up that featured archival material from its collection, including photographs and written documents, telling the story of the city’s queer community from 1972-2002.

The North Carolina Room has an extensive archival website and is open to the public, Tuesday-Saturday.

Currently, UNC Asheville English professor Amanda Wray, in partnership with Blue Ridge Pride Center, is creating Western North Carolina’s first LGBTQ oral history archive.

Interviews will be stored at UNC Asheville Ramsey Library’s Special Collections.

ENTERTAINING OPTIONS: • O. Henry’s The oldest gay bar in North Carolina, established 1976; drag show every Saturday at midnight

ORGANIZATIONS AND WEBSITES OF INTEREST: • The Campaign for Southern Equality is headquartered in Asheville • Blue Ridge Pride Promotes equality, safety, and quality of life in WNC, hosts community events, including annual pride festival • Tranzmission Advocacy and support for nonbinary, transgender and gender nonconforming people • LGBTQ Elder Advocates of Western North Carolina Gay men’s book club, LGBTQ social lunch, community calendar & directory • YouthOUTright.org Youth advocacy and leadership for LGBTQIA+ youth • Two online resources: Asheville.gaycities.com and authenticavl.com/ lgbtq/

• The Underground Industrial dance bar in the back of O.Henry’s • Grove House Entertainment Complex With three venues: Club Eleven, Scandals Nightclub, Boiler Room – Scandals often hosts drag shows • Also check out these venues for regular drag shows: Asheville Beauty Academy, Getaway River Bar, The Odditorium, Highland Brewing and Banks Avenue Bar. • The Grey Eagle Hosts Youth OUTright’s monthly drag brunches.

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ivals FesANDtEXPOS Mountain Dance and Folk Festival Photo by Spencer Black, courtesy of the Folk Heritage Committee

No matter what month you get here, you can take part in Asheville’s eclectic spirit of celebration. Below is a sampling of what to expect each month.

For a complete look at what’s happening when you’re here, consult Mountain Xpress’ online calendar of events at avlcalendar. com, the area’s most comprehensive guide to what’s going on in Asheville — from city hall to music hall.

JANUARY

• Big Band Swing Dance Weekend

Mars Hill University

Omni Grove Park Inn

• Celebrate Zelda (Fitzgerald)

Downtown Asheville

• Asheville Amadeus Festival

Asheville area

• NC Ginseng Association Gathering & Auction

• Asheville Fringe Arts Festival • Asheville Restaurant Week FEBRUARY

• Asheville Designer Toy Expo Funkatorium

• Arts & Crafts Conference Omni Grove Park Inn

• Asheville Mardis Gras Downtown Asheville

• Bluegrass First Class Festival Crowne Plaza Resort

MARCH

• Southern Conference Basketball Tournament Harrah’s Cherokee Center

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• Organic Growers Conference

Various locations

Downtown Asheville

Warren Wilson College

APRIL

• Weaverville Art Safari Studio Tour Weaverville area

• Asheville Hemp fest Downtown Asheville

• Asheville Wordfest Downtown Asheville

• Asheville Orchid Festival N.C. Arboretum

• Carolina Cheese Fest Oak and Grist Distilling

• Mini Maker Faire A-B Tech

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FESTIVALS, EXPOS

Asheville Mardi Gras

Photo by Brandon Ore

@winston_360

MAY

• Asheville Bread Festival Various locations

JULY • Big Crafty

Pack Square Park

• Waynesville Ramp Festival

• Folkmoot International Dance & Culture Festival

• Mountain Acoustics Luthier Invitational

• Shindig on the Green

• LEAF Spring Festival Black Mountain

• Southern Highland Craft Guild Fair

Various locations

• Love Shine Play Festival

Folk Art Center

• Anything That Floats Parade

American Legion Burnsville

• Asheville Beer Week • Fiber Weekend • RAD Studio Tours River Arts District

• Hard Lox Jewish Festival Downtown Asheville

JUNE

• Mermaid Parade and Festival Marshall

Waynesville

Pack Square Park

Harrah’s Cherokee Center Downtown Asheville

River Arts District

• Cherokee World Games Cherokee Tribal Fairgrounds

AUGUST • Sourwood Festival Black Mountain

Downtown Brevard

• East End Valley Street Community Heritage Festival

N.C. Arboretum

• LEAF Downtown

Pack Square Park

• ASAP Farm Tour

• Mountain Dance and Folk Festival

• Chow Chow Asheville Food Festival

• Come to Leicester Studio Tour

• White Squirrel Festival • Carolina Bonsai Expo • HolaAshevilleCelebration Various local farms Various locations

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Martin Luther King Jr. Park Pack Square Park

UNC Asheville

Various studios

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FESTIVALS, EXPOS

LEAF Downtown

Photo by Asheville Elevated Photography

@asheville.elevated.photography

• Chow Chow Asheville Food Festival Various locations

SEPTEMBER

• N.C. Mountain State Fair WNC Agricultural Center

• Chow Chow Asheville Food Festival Various locations

• Tour de Fat

New Belgium Brewery

• Blue Ridge Pride Pack Square Park

• Goombay Festival Downtown Asheville

• N.C. Apple Festival

Downtown Hendersonville

OCTOBER

• Asheville Oktoberfest Downtown Asheville

• VeganFest

Pack Square Park

• French Broad River Festival Hot Springs

• Beaverdam Studio Tour Various locations

NOVEMBER • Asheville Holiday Parade Downtown Asheville

• Weaverville Art Safari Studio Tour Weaverville area

• River Arts District Studio Stroll River Arts District

• Asheville Tattoo Arts Festival

Harrah’s Cherokee CenterAsheville

DECEMBER • Festival of Lights

Lake Julian Park and Marina

• Bascom Lamar Lunsford Festival

• Winter Lights

• WNC Garlic Fest

• Christmas at Connemara

• N.C. Ceramic Arts Festival

• The Big Crafty

• LEAF Fall Festival Black Mountain

• Christmas at Biltmore

Carrier Park

• Lindy Focus

Mars Hill University Sow True Seed

Downtown Asheville

• Ciderfest

• Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands Harrah’s Cherokee Center

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N.C. Arboretum

Carl Sandburg Home NHS Harrah’s Cherokee Center Biltmore Estate

Crowne Plaza Resort

• Victorian Christmas Smith-McDowell House

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CONTINUED

Asheville Holiday Parade

Photo by Morito Suzuki

@ mo_suzuki

...FOLK HERITAGE COMMITTEE presents...

95th Annual Mountain Dance and Folk Festival®

Celebrating Appalachian music, dance, and storytelling August 4, 5, 6, 2022 • 7pm UNC Asheville’s Lipinsky Hall

folkheritage.org • Tickets at eventbrite.com

56th Shindig on the Green®

Seven free celebrations of Appalachian culture June 25, July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, August 13, 2022 • 7pm Pack Square Park’s Bascom Lamar Lunsford Stage on Asheville’s front porch

M O U N TA I N X P R E S S

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Asheville City Hall and Buncombe County Courthouse

Asheville

BU ILDIN G S

Photo by Jennifer Castillo

Both the Asheville City Hall and the Buncombe County Courthouse were completed in 1928. Initial proposals called for a unified civic center with the two new buildings constructed in the same style. But the city, led by Mayor John H. Cathey, grew impatient with the county’s more deliberate approach to its building plans. By July 1926, Cathey & Co. withdrew from the initial proposal.

Responding to the mayor’s move, the Chamber of Commerce formed a committee imploring Cathey to reconsider. According to newspaper reports at the time, the committee lamented that without a unified approach the civic center project would fall to “utter ruin.”

The plea fell on deaf ears. “I have no intention of quitting the City Hall work which has already been started or of delaying one damned second for anybody,” Mayor Cathey told The Asheville Citizen on Aug. 27, 1926.

Cathey concluded his talk with the paper by declaring: “[C]ity hall is going up, — going up if we have to lay the foundations so deep that they will hinge on hell. … I intend to see it go up if I lose every friend I have in the city and forfeit forever the chance of making any more.”

City Hall, designed by Douglas Ellington, combines Art Deco with classical motifs. Meanwhile, the Buncombe County Courthouse, designed by the firm of Milburn and Heister, stands in the Neoclassical style.

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NC‘s Oldest

Pawn Shop

Est. 1903

Specializing in Musical Instruments, Estate Jewelry, Unique Collectibles & More!

21 BROADWAY • DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE Open 7 Days • 253-7731 • FinkelsteinsPawn.com

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Food

THE MULTITUDINOUS JOYS OF EATING …

IN ASHEVILLE Photo by Pat Barcas

Whether you eat to live or live to eat, Asheville is a city like no other when it comes to food and drink. Sure, it delivers the goods with a smorgasbord of nationally acclaimed restaurants, a thriving community of growers and makers and the second-highest number of craft breweries per capita in the nation. But Asheville also takes things up a notch, leveraging its quirky and creative culture to make dining and imbibing an adventure. This is the city for: BIRD’S-EYE VIEWS Fancy imbibing a craft cocktail or local brew against a panoramic view of the Western North Carolina mountains? Make your way to one of Asheville’s numerous rooftop bars, offering everything from mojitos at Hemingway’s Cuba atop the downtown Cambria Hotel to beer under the stars at East Asheville’s Highland Brewing Co. EVENT HORIZONS Asheville celebrates its food and drink throughout the year with a constantly changing roster of events, including food truck roundups, burger battles, mac ’n’ cheese challenges, cocktail competitions, fermentation festivals and a host of others.

Chow Chow, which debuted September 2019, is Asheville’s newest annual extravaganza, featuring a mix of big-name chefs (José Andrés and Vivian Howard were among the 2019 stars), local talent and Appalachian flavors. It paused in 2020 and pivoted in 2021 with a series of dinners, demonstrations and workshops from June through September.

For the dish on WNC’s

independent restaurants, craft breweries, cideries, distilleries and more pick up a free copy of the Mountain Xpress Eats & Drinks Guide.

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Photo by Carrie Turner Photography, courtesy of Plant Loving Humans

@ plantlovinghumans

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FOOD OFFBEAT PERSPECTIVES From an upscale, wood-fired dinner in a riverfront shipping container to food trucks proffering everything from vegan burgers to lobster rolls, Asheville prides itself on offering captivatingly unconventional dining experiences.

HIT THE TRAIL In Asheville, being an aficionado of food or drink doesn’t always mean bellying up to a table or bar. The city is the jumping-off point for exploring the area’s vibrant and innovative farming community and multitude of craft industries: The Farm Heritage Trail, WNC Cheese Trail and WNC Wine Trail are just a few options for active outings that connect visitors to local makers and products.

@ hopicecreamnc

Dip into our rience e p x e g in in d l ia soc gether over

e to where we com tails & curated bites. ck o whimsical c

Open for brunch, lunch, dinner, & late night.

Live music Fridays & Saturdays.

74 Patton Ave. * Downtown Asheville * 828-377-6358 meltingpotsocial.com

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black mountain

candler

Reservations can be made through Opentable OR thelobstertrap.biz

35 Patton Ave. Downtown Asheville Open at 5pm every night

LUNCH, DINNER & BRUNCH! OPEN 7 DAYS ============ vegan/vegetarian options ============ Reservations Recommended 47 Biltmore Ave. Downtown Asheville

============== 828.254.2502==============

THEBLACKBIRDRESTURANT.COM M O U N TA I N X P R E S S

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BEER Cider, Distilled Beverages

Adventures From Micro To Macro

Photo by Katy Luquire courtesy of Urban Orchard Cider

@urbanorchardciderco The Asheville beer industry receives plenty of attention on a national scale, to the point that you may feel a bit daunted by the challenge of navigating the scene once you’re here. With nearly 30 breweries within city limits — and a handful of them operating multiple taprooms — visitors looking to get the most out of their trip should consider trying one of the following approaches: MAXIMIZE YOUR TIME Downtown Asheville sports seven breweries within a few blocks of each other, and you’ll find 10 more in the highly lauded South Slope brewing district just a few blocks away. And while the six breweries in West Asheville aren’t quite as close to one another, the neighborhood sights seen while walking between them are fine consolation prizes.

TOUR THE MAJOR PLAYERS Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in nearby Mills River and New Belgium Brewing Co. in Asheville’s River Arts District are warranted destinations for beer tourists from across the country.

Once you’ve locked down your vacation dates, go ahead and reserve your spots for a free tour at these nationally distributed breweries’ East Coast facilities. They fill up fast.

GO ROGUE Not into crowds? Interested in brews that are all but unavailable at downtown bars and taprooms? Weaverville, Fairview and Black Mountain are all short drives away and feature their own distinct brewing scenes. If you want to see what the true microbreweries are up to, enlist a designated driver or ride-share service and go the extra mile — 9-to-16 miles per outing, to be precise. It’s well worth the effort.

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BEER, CIDER, DISTILLED BEVERAGES INVESTIGATE LOCAL SPIRITS Distilling is a craft intrinsic to Appalachian culture, and modern Asheville honors that heritage with a flourishing artisan spirits industry. From classic moonshine to small-batch gin, vodka and whiskeys — and even a locally sourced fernet — local distillery tasting rooms offer a broad range of experiences. Though long hampered by North Carolina’s outmoded liquor laws, recent legislation has enabled many local artisans to expand their businesses to include full cocktail bars.

SIP THE CIDERS Whether due to personal health or a desire to try something new, odds are good that not everyone in your crew will want to stick solely to beer. Fortunately, neighboring Henderson County is an apple-growing paradise, and the dedication by area beveragemakers to utilize local ingredients has resulted in a robust cider industry. Offerings range from downtown cidery taprooms to at least one cider option at practically every Asheville brewery — including a few house-made varieties by brewers who’ve embraced the fruit.

VISIT A BOTTLE SHOP Asheville is home to several well-curated stores where you can stock up on your favorite beverages from the weekend and try out intriguing new options. Best of all, you can sip on a pint while browsing — and, if you get home and want some more, most of the businesses will be happy to mail you additional bottles and cans.

Photo by Carrie Turner Photography, courtesy of Rankin Vault Lounge

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Come in & experience

25 years

of Coffee Crafting

Have you tried Bean Werks Coffee?

We are not only just about coffee Bulk Tea • Coffee & Tea Equipment • Service 753 Haywood Road, Asheville, NC 28806

828-254-7766 • Beanwerks.com

We’re Back, Baby!

• Full Bar Service • Dogs = Oh Yes • Ping Pong • Weekend

♫

•Open Mic rated “Best of WNC” wednesdays @ 8pm • Kava, Kratom, CBD, D8

OPEN DAILY 12 to Late 268 Biltmore Ave. ASHEVILLEKAVA.COM M O U N TA I N X P R E S S

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Jackson Building Asheville

BU ILDIN G S

Photo by Jennifer Castillo

Situated on the southeast corner of Pack Square, the Jackson Building holds the honor of being Western North Carolina’s first skyscraper. Completed in 1924 , the 13-story, neo-Gothic style structure occupies a small 25-by-62 foot lot.

Visitors will likely notice a sculpture outside the building, paying homage to the location’s former business, W.O. Wolfe’s tombstone and monument shop. The stonecutter was immortalized in his son Thomas Wolfe’s 1929 novel, Look Homeward, Angel.

In the book, Thomas describes his father’s shop as a “fantastical brick shack … sagging with gravestones,” and lined with shelves “filled with chisels, frills, mallets, [and] a pedaled emery wheel[.]”

W.O.’s failing health led the family to sell the property in 1918. It changed hands multiple times until real estate developer Lynwood Baldwin Jackson purchased the site to construct today’s skyscraper.

According to author Richard Hansley’s 2011 book, Asheville’s Historic Architecture, the building was fully rented prior to its completion, but high costs during construction resulted in Jackson only breaking even on his investment.

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WNC’s TOP FROM THE 2021

XPRESS READERS’ POLL

Eats RESTAURANT THAT BEST REPRESENTS THE SPIRIT OF ASHEVILLE 1 Nine Mile 2 Sunny Point Café 3 Cúrate

FAVORITE RESTAURANT 1 Nine Mile 2 Cúrate 3 Vinnie’s Neighborhood

Italian

RESTAURANT IN DOWNTOWN (INCLUDING SOUTH SLOPE) 1 Cúrate 2 Buxton Hall Barbecue 3 Chai Pani

RESTAURANT IN THE RIVER ARTS DISTRICT 1 Vivian 2 White Duck Taco Shop 3 12 Bones Smokehouse

RESTAURANT IN WEST ASHEVILLE 1 Nine Mile 2 Sunny Point Café 3 Jargon

RESTAURANT IN NORTH ASHEVILLE 1 Vinnie’s Neighborhood

Italian 2 Avenue M 3 Nine Mile

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RESTAURANT IN EAST ASHEVILLE 1 Copper Crown 2 East Village Grille 3 RendezVous

RESTAURANT IN SOUTH ASHEVILLE 1 Wild Ginger Pho

Noodle Bar 2 Tupelo Honey 3 12 Bones Smokehouse

RESTAURANT THAT ADAPTED TO COVID RESTRICTIONS

1 Zia Taqueria 2 Vinnie’s Neighborhood

QUICK MEAL

1 White Duck Taco Shop 2 Appalachian Java

Cafe & Desserts

3 Mamacitas

RESTAURANT TO TAKE OUT-OFTOWNERS TO

1 Cúrate 2 Nine Mile 3 12 Bones Smokehouse

PEOPLEWATCHING RESTAURANT

1 Mellow Mushroom 2 Carmel’s Kitchen

& Bar

3 Appalachian Java

Cafe & Desserts

Italian 3 Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack

RESTAURANT WITH A VIEW

RESTAURANT THAT CLOSED PERMANENTLY DUE TO COVID

2 Sunset Terrace 3 Pisgah Inn

1 Native Kitchen

+ Social Pub 2 Over Easy Café 3 Rezaz Restaurant

BREAKFAST

1 Sunny Point Café 2 Biscuit Head 3 Early Girl Eatery

BRUNCH

1 Sunny Point Café 2 Biscuit Head 3 Early Girl Eatery

LUNCH

1 Appalachian Java

Cafe & Desserts

2 White Duck Taco Shop 3 Roman’s Deli

FIELD GUIDE TO ASHEVILLE

1 Hemingway’s Cuba

Restaurant & Bar

OUTDOOR DINING

1 White Duck Taco Shop 2 Smoky Park

Supper Club

2 Zia Taqueria 3 RendezVous

NEW RESTAURANT (OPENED IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS) 1 Jettie Rae’s

Oyster House

2 Thai Pearl 3 The Madness Sushi,

Burger & Bar

ROMANTIC DINING

1 Zambra 2 Cúrate 3 Sunset Terrace

2022-2023

TOP EATS & DRINKS FINE DINING/ UPSCALE 1 Cúrate 2 Ruth’s Chris

Steak House 3 Red Stag Grill

RESTAURANT WINE SELECTION

PUB GRUB

1 Jack of the Wood 2 Westville Pub 3 Foggy Mountain

BARBECUE 1 12 Bones Smokehouse 2 Luella’s Bar-B-Que 3 Moe’s Original BBQ

Brew Pub

TAKEOUT

RIBS

1 Rocky’s Hot

Chicken Shack 2 Appalachian Java Cafe & Desserts 3 Chai Pani

1 12 Bones Smokehouse 2 Moe’s Original BBQ 3 Luella’s Bar-B-Que

LATE-NIGHT EATS 1 Rankin Vault

1 Farm Burger 2 Rankin Vault

2 Waffle House 3 PIE.ZAA

3 Juicy Lucy’s Burger

KID-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT

BEST VALUE

WINGS

& Brewing Co. 2 Mellow Mushroom 3 Appalachian Java Cafe & Desserts

3 Nine Mile

1 Zambra 2 Cúrate 3 Leo’s House of Thirst

RESTAURANT COCKTAIL SELECTION

1 Sovereign Remedies 2 Jettie Rae’s

Oyster House

1 Asheville Pizza

DINER/ HOMESTYLE

1 HomeGrown 2 Tastee Diner 3 Five Points Restaurant

Cocktail Lounge

BURGER Cocktail Lounge Bar and Grill

1 White Duck Taco Shop 2 Appalachian Java

Cafe & Desserts

1 Wild Wing Café 2 Rocky’s Hot

Chicken Shack

3 Moe’s Original BBQ

BEST SERVICE

1 Vinnie’s Neighborhood

Italian 2 Appalachian Java Cafe & Desserts 3 Cúrate

FRENCH FRIES 1 Bouchon 2 Five Guys Burger

and Fries

3 Farm Burger

Over 500 Categories of

Asheville’s Favorites

The Definitive Guide 2021 - 2022

• Shopping • Entertainment • Music • Crafts • & more!

Asheville’s Favorites

People, Places , Goods & Servic es

For the full listings, pick up a guide boxes everywhere in M O U N TA I N X P R E S S

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TOP EATS & DRINKS FRIED CHICKEN 1 Rocky’s Hot

Chicken Shack 2 HomeGrown 3 Buxton Hall Barbecue

HOT BAR/BUFFET 1 Mela Indian

Restaurant 2 Asiana Grand Buffet 3 Blue Ridge Artisanal Buffet

HOT DOGS

1 Celebrity’s Hotdogs 2 Hot Dog World 3 The Barksdale

FRENCH

1 Bouchon 2 RendezVous 3 Vivian

ITALIAN

1 Vinnie’s Neighborhood

Italian

BURRITO

SALAD

MEXICAN

1 Laughing Seed Café 2 Nine Mile 3 Apollo Flame Bistro

1 Mamacitas 2 Neo Burrito 3 Urban Burrito 1 Papa’s & Beer

1 Appalachian

Java Cafe & Desserts

Authentic Mexican Family Restaurant 2 Zia Taqueria 3 El Que Pasa 3 Papa’s & Beer Mexican Restaurant

SEAFOOD

LATIN AMERICAN

SOUTHERN

1 Salsa’s 2 Limones 3 Hemingway’s Cuba

Restaurant & Bar

RAMEN

1 Itto Ramen Bar

& Tapas

2 Gan Shan 3 Heiwa Shokudo

1 Jettie Rae’s

Oyster House

2 The Lobster Trap 3 Oyster House

Brewing Co.

1 Tupelo Honey 2 HomeGrown 3 Rocky’s Hot

Chicken Shack

SPECIAL DIET OPTIONS (GLUTEN-FREE, LACTOSE-FREE, ETC.)

2 Strada Italiano 3 Chiesa

SUSHI

1 Green Tea Sushi

PASTA

1 Posana 2 BimBeriBon 3 Plant

2 Zen Sushi 3 Wasabi Japanese

VEGAN/ VEGETARIAN

1 Vinnie’s Neighborhood

Italian

2 Strada Italiano 3 Chiesa

PIZZA

1 828 Family Pizzeria 2 Asheville Pizza

& Brewing Co.

3 Pizza Mind

SUB SHOP

1 Jersey Mike’s Subs 2 Silverball Subs 3 Firehouse Subs

SANDWICH SHOP 1 Asheville

Sandwich Co. 2 Roman’s Deli 3 Loretta’s Café

GREEK

1 Apollo Flame Bistro 2 Stoney Knob Cafe 3 Pomodoros Greek

and Italian Café

MIDDLE EASTERN 1 Gypsy Queen Cuisine 2 Jerusalem

Garden Café

3 Baba Nahm

TACO

1 White Duck Taco Shop 2 Taco Temple 3 Taco Billy

86

Restaurant

Restaurant & Sushi Bar

JAPANESE

1 Green Tea Sushi

Restaurant

2 Ichiban Steakhouse

& Sushi Bar 3 Wasabi Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar

THAI

1 Little Bee Thai 2 Thai Pearl 3 Suwana’s Thai

Orchid Restaurant

INDIAN

1 Chai Pani 1 Mela Indian

Restaurant 2 Cinnamon Kitchen Indian Cuisine 3 India Garden

CHINESE

1 Red Ginger

1 Plant 2 Laughing Seed Café 3 Rosetta’s Kitchen

VEGGIE BURGER

1 Farm Burger 2 Laughing Seed Café 3 The Trashy Vegan

GREEN/ SUSTAINABILITYFRIENDLY RESTAURANT 1 Green Sage Café 2 Plant 3 HomeGrown

LOCAL-FOOD EMPHASIS

1 HomeGrown 2 Rhubarb 3 Appalachian Java

Cafe & Desserts

3 Sunny Point Café

HEALTHIEST FOOD

2 Oriental Pavilion 3 China Taste

1 Green Sage Café 2 Laughing Seed Café 3 Plant

KOREAN

ICE CREAM

Restaurant 2 Korean House [Closed] 2 Koreana [Closed]

2 Ultimate Ice Cream 3 Sunshine Sammies

Dimsum & Tapas

1 Stonebowl Korean

FIELD GUIDE TO ASHEVILLE

1 The Hop Ice

Cream Café

2022-2023

M O U N TA I N X P R E S S

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TOP EATS & DRINKS FROZEN TREATS OTHER THAN ICE CREAM

1 Whit’s Frozen Custard 2 Pelican’s Snoballs 3 YoLo Frozen Yogurt

CHOCOLATE 1 French Broad

Chocolates

2 The Chocolate Fetish 3 Asheville Chocolate

DOUGHNUTS

1 Hole Doughnuts 2 Vortex Doughnuts 3 Duck Donuts

BISCUITS

1 Biscuit Head 2 Blue Ridge Biscuit Co. 3 Sunny Point Café

BAGELS

1 Bruegger’s Bagels 2 Joey’s New

York Bagels 3 Ziggy’s Bakery and Deli

BAKERY (SWEETS/ DESSERTS) 1 Well-Bred Bakery

CHEESEMAKER/ CHEESE DAIRY 1 Looking Glass

Creamery 2 Three Graces Dairy 3 Darë Vegan Cheese

LOCAL FOOD/ DRINK PRODUCT 1 Buchi Kombucha Asheville 2 Shanti Elixirs 3 Roots Hummus

LOCALLY MADE CBD TREATS 1 Franny’s Farmacy

CHEF 1 Katie Button (Cúrate) 2 Jason Sellers (Plant)

PASTRY CHEF 1 Logan Pollard

(Liberty House Coffee and café) 2 Karen Donatelli Cake Designs

& Café 2 Old Europe Pastries 3 Old World Levain (OWL) Bakery

LOCAL FOOD FESTIVAL OR EVENT

BAKERY (BREAD)

An Asheville Culinary Event 2 Asheville Greek Festival (Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church)

1 City Bakery Café 2 Old World Levain

(OWL) Bakery 3 West End Bakery

FOOD TRUCK

1 Melt Your Heart 2 El Kimchi 2 The Trashy Vegan 3 Bun Intended 3 Gypsy Queen Cuisine

BUTCHER SHOP 1 The Chop Shop

Butchery 2 Foothills 3 New York Butcher Shoppe

LOCAL MEAL DELIVERY

1 Kickback AVL 2 Takeout Central AVL

CATERING COMPANY

1 Celine & Company

Catering

2 The Red Radish 3 67 Biltmore

Downtown Eatery & Catering

88

1 Chow Chow:

RESTAURANT THAT GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY 1 Rosetta’s Kitchen 2 Appalachian Java

Cafe & Desserts

3 Blue Mountain Pizza

NONPROFIT HELPING WITH HUNGER ISSUES 1 MANNA FoodBank 2 BeLoved Asheville 3 Bounty & Soul

RESTAURANT STILL NEEDED IN ASHEVILLE 1 Traditional Chinese 2 Authentic Jewish Deli 3 The Cheesecake

Factory

FIELD GUIDE TO ASHEVILLE

Drinks BAR THAT BEST REPRESENTS THE SPIRIT OF ASHEVILLE 1 The Odditorium 2 Sovereign Remedies 3 Wicked Weed

Brewing

NEIGHBORHOOD BAR - DOWNTOWN (INCLUDING SOUTH SLOPE) 1 Burial Beer Co. 2 Rankin Vault

Cocktail Lounge

3 Foggy Mountain

Brew Pub

NEIGHBORHOOD BAR - RIVER ARTS DISTRICT 1 Wedge Brewing Co. 2 Crucible 3 Bottle Riot 3 Burger Bar

NEIGHBORHOOD BAR - SOUTH 1 Thirsty Monk Brewery 2 Hillman Beer 3 Village Wayside

Bar and Grille

NEIGHBORHOOD BAR - WEST 1 Westville Pub 2 The Odditorium 3 The Whale :: A Craft

Beer Collective

NEIGHBORHOOD BAR - NORTH 1 Little Jumbo 2 Avenue M 3 Frazier’s Tavern

NEIGHBORHOOD BAR - EAST 1 The Social 2 Creekside Taphouse 3 East Village Grille

BAR THAT CLOSED PERMANENTLY DUE TO COVID 1 The Mothlight 2 AUX Bar 3 En La Calle 3 THE BLOCK off

biltmore

2022-2023

CONTINUED BARTENDER

HOTEL BAR

1 Jennie Lou Nelson

(The Odditorium) 2 Josh March (Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian) 3 Jackson Zoeller (The Bier Garden)

BAR FOR LIVE MUSIC

1 The Grey Eagle 2 Jack of the Wood 3 Salvage Station

BAR WITH A VIEW 1 The Montford

Rooftop Bar 3 Hemingway’s Cuba Restaurant & Bar

DIVE BAR

LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY BAR

LOCAL WINERY

WINE STORE

1 The Bier Garden 2 Olde London Road

1 Sovereign Remedies 2 Antidote 3 Capella on 9

& Pizzeria

Wine Bar

2 Bottle Riot 3 Pl ē b Urban Winery

SPORTS BAR

UPSCALE BAR

1 Asheville Retrocade 2 Barley’s Taproom

1 5 Walnut

1 Biltmore Winery 2 Pl ē b Urban Winery 3 Burntshirt Vineyards

3 Wild Wing Café

BAR WITH BAR GAMES

WINE BAR

1 Burger Bar 2 The Double Crown 3 The Odditorium

English Pub

Rooftop Bar 2 Hemingway’s Cuba Restaurant & Bar 3 Capella on 9

1 The Odditorium 2 Banks Ave 3 O.Henry’s

1 Capella on 9 2 The Montford

BAR OR BREWERY THAT GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY 1 Highland Brewing Co. 2 Wicked Weed

Brewing

3 New Belgium Brewing

1 Metro Wines 2 Appalachian Vintner 3 Asheville Wine

Market

COCKTAILS 1 Sovereign Remedies 2 Little Jumbo 3 Antidote

TO-GO COCKTAILS/ COCKTAIL KITS 1 Little Jumbo 2 Cultivated Cocktails 2 The Golden Pineapple 3 Zia Taqueria

2 , 500’ AB OVE S TR E S S LE VE L

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MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

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TOP EATS & DRINKS DISTILLERY 2 Cultivated Cocktails

BAR: LOCAL BEER SELECTION (EXCLUDING BREWERIES)

3 Dalton Distillery

1 The Whale :: A Craft

1 Burial Beer Co. 2 Wicked Weed

BLOODY MARY

2 Barley’s Taproom

3 DSSOLVR

2 Sunny Point Café

3 The Bier Garden

LOCAL BEER (ANY STYLE)

3 Rankin Vault

BAR: UNUSUAL BEER SELECTION (EXCLUDING BREWERIES)

1 Chemist Spirits

1 The Odditorium

Cocktail Lounge

MARGARITA 1 Zia Taqueria

Beer Collective & Pizzeria

1 The Whale ::

2 Limones 3 Mountain Madre

Mexican Kitchen & Agave Bar

CIDERY 1 Bold Rock Hard Cider 1 Urban Orchard

Cider Co.

A Craft Beer Collective 2 Thirsty Monk Brewery

LOCAL ALLROUND BREWERY (FOR ITS BEERS) 1 Highland Brewing Co. 2 Burial Beer Co. 3 Hillman Beer

3 Black Mountain

BREWERY (FOR ITS TAPROOM & ATMOSPHERE)

LOCAL CIDER

1 Highland Brewing Co. 2 Sierra Nevada

2 Noble Cider

Cider + Mead

1 The Village Tart

Cherry Cider (Noble Cider) 2 The Spice Merchant Hard Cider with Chai (Noble Cider) 3 Ginger Campaign (Urban Orchard Cider Co.)

Brewing Co. 3 Burial Beer Co.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY BAR OR BREWERY 1 Highland Brewing Co. 2 New Belgium Brewing 3 Sierra Nevada

Brewing Co.

GET ASHEVILLE’S “BUY LOCAL” CARD

CREATIVE, EXPERIMENTAL BREWERY Brewing

1 Gaelic Ale (Highland

Brewing Co.)

2 Surf Wax IPA

(Burial Beer Co.)

3 Iron Rail IPA (Wedge

Brewing Co.)

LOCAL DARK BEER 1 Oatmeal Porter

(Highland Brewing Co.) 2 Green Man Porter (Green Man Brewery) 2 Ninja Porter (Asheville Brewing Co.) 3 Bed of Nails Brown Ale (Hi-Wire Brewing)

LOCAL LAGER 1 Hi-Wire Lager

(Hi-Wire Brewing)

2 Highland Pilsner

(Highland Brewing Co.) 3 Cowboy Poet (Archetype Brewing)

LOCAL SOUR BEER

1 Black Angel (Wicked

Weed Brewing)

$

20 PLUS TAX

DISCOUNTS & PERKS AT MORE THAN 500 LOCALLY OWNED, INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES

PROCEEDS HELP SCHOOLS

LOOK FOR THE “GO LOCAL CARD HONORED HERE” DECAL IN PARTICIPATING STORES

PURCHASE A CARD & LEARN MORE AT G O L OCAL A SHEVILLE.COM OR GET THE APP, NOW AVAILABLE ON APPLE STORE & GOOGLE PLAY.

90

FIELD GUIDE TO ASHEVILLE

2022-2023

CONTINUED LOCAL IPA

1 AVL IPA (Highland

Brewing Co.)

2 Iron Rail IPA (Wedge

HOMEBREWING/ WINEMAKING SUPPLIES 1 Asheville

SEASONAL BEER

Brewers Supply & Winemaking Shop 2 Fifth Season Gardening Co.

(Highland Brewing Co.) 2 Ninjabread Man (Asheville Brewing Co.)

1 BattleCat Coffee Bar 2 Odd’s Cafe 3 Grind 3 High Five Coffee

Brewing Co.) 3 Surf Wax IPA (Burial Beer Co.) 1 Cold Mountain

BREWMASTER 1 Brad Hillman

(Hillman Beer)

COFFEEHOUSE FOR ITS VIBE

ESTABLISHMENT WITH THE BEST COFFEE

FAVORITE LOCAL BEER EVENT

1 High Five Coffee 2 Dynamite

Release (Highland Brewing Co.) 2 Brewgrass Festival

3 Pennycup Coffee Co.

1 Cold Mountain

BEER STORE

1 Appalachian Vintner 2 Ingles Markets 3 Local 604 Bottle Shop

Roasting Co.

COFFEE ROASTER 1 Dynamite

Roasting Co.

2 Pennycup Coffee Co. 3 Cooperative

Coffee Roasters

PLACE TO DRINK TEA

1 Dobra Tea 2 Dobra Tea 3 High Climate Tea Co.

SMOOTHIES/ JUICES 1 Simple Cafe &

Juice Bar 2 Pulp + Sprout Juice

Bar and Vegan Cafe 3 Green Sage Café

MOCKTAILS OR NONALCOHOLIC OPTIONS 1 The Odditorium

CBD DRINKS/ HEALTH ELIXIRS

1 Asheville Dispensary 2 Shanti Elixirs 3 Franny’s Farmacy

KAVA BAR

1 Sovereign Kava 2 Vintage Kava

For news and happenings, arts and opinions, don’t forget to pick up

Mountain Xpress.

FREE EVERY WEEK M O U N TA I N X P R E S S

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

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26

240

3

2

Dr rside Rive

Depot St

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FIELD GUIDE TO ASHEVILLE

Rd Amboy

1 2 3 4

South Asheville

Asheville Custom eBikes p. 25 River Arts District Artists p. 65 Second Gear p. 27 Trackside Studios p. 23

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Candler

ue

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ay

w rk Pa

40

WEST 26

RIVER ARTS DISTRICT

r

4

1

Downtown Rive

West Asheville

NORTH

Clin gm an A ve

92 road

Ha y w oo dR d

ch B 26

240

26

Woodfin

h nc

Fre

rkway

Arden/Skyland

SOUTH

240

Asheville

DOWNTOWN

Fletcher

NORTH

Weaverville

e Pa Ridg

Fren Blue

Ave Patton

EAST

Swannanoa

Fairview

40

Black Mountain

NORTH

ASHEVILLE

Bro ad Riv er

RIVER ARTS DISTRICT

2022-2023

M O U N TA I N X P R E S S

West Asheville

26

River Arts District

1 AdLib Clothing p. 37 2 Asheville Art Museum p. 44 3 Farm Burger p. 87 4 Farm Dogs p. 87 5 Finkelstein’s p. 73 6 Fired Up! Creative Lounge p. 36 7 Franny’s Farmacy p. 54 8 Friends of Buncombe County Library p. 20 9 Highland Brewing Co. p. 79 10 Hip Replacements p. 37 11 Malaprop’s Bookstore/ Cafe p. 39

12 Pack’s Tavern p. 79 13 Shindig on the Green p. 71 14 Sovereign Kava p. 81 15 SunFroot Hemp & CBD Dispensary p. 57 16 Ten Thousand Villages p. 32 17 The Blackbird Restaurant p. 77 18 The Lobster Trap p. 77 19 The Melting Pot p. 76 20 Wehrloom Honey and Meadery p. 81 21 Zella’s Deli p. 14

Ave Patton

8 11

10

240

20

21 1 18 15 16 6 19 4 9

Grove Arcade Public Market

North Asheville

3

5

7

13 12

St ege Coll

ve ore A Biltm

14

17

2

way Broad

Cl i n gm an Ave

NORTH

DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

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94

FIELD GUIDE TO ASHEVILLE

West Asheville

26

67

4

Bro ad wa y

2 5

Chestnut St

3

1

Asheville Chamber Music p. 31 Asheville Raven & Crone p. 47 Franny’s Farmacy p. 54 Gray Line Trolley Tours of Asheville p. 9 5 Mother Ocean Seafood Market p. 98 6 Mountain Dance and Folk Festival p. 71

1 2 3 4

Downtown

Charlotte St

Blue Mountain Pizza p. 3 Europa p. 23 French Broad Adventures p. 28 Navitat Canopy Adventures p. 31 Yancey County Chamber of Commerce p. 17

(Outlying Areas)

7 UNCA Communication and Marketing p. 99

NORTH

NORTH ASHEVILLE

ve mon A Merri

Ave ord ntf o M

2022-2023

M O U N TA I N X P R E S S

d ow R Mead

NORTH

3

4

Biltmore Village

25

1

Swe eten Cree k Rd

Meadow Rd

40

1 Antique Tobacco Barn p. 35 2 Historic Biltmore Village p. 50-51 3 AB Tech College p. 65 4 Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse p. 83 5 The Cantina at Historic Biltmore Village p. 100 6 The Regeneration Station p. 35

6

Barkwells p. 13 Camp Ton-A-Wandah p. 59 Claying Around p. 61 Farm Burger p. 87 Franny’s Farm p. 54 Goodwill p. 73 Lakeview Putt and Play p. 59 Shoji Spa & Retreat p. 89

(Outlying Areas)

240

SOUTH ASHEVILLE

Rd ille onv s r de Hen

e ore Av Biltm

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

95

4

NORTH

6

Haywood Rd

96

Rd ill dH n Sa

1

83

2 7

Patton Ave

Haywood Rd

5

26 240

9

Ha y w oo dR d 1 103.3 Asheville FM p. 13 2 Asheville Goods p. 35 3 Bean Werks Coffee & Tea p. 81 4 Goodwill p. 73 5 KidCycle Club p. 61 6 Plays in Mud Pottery p. 39 7 WAXON Batik & Dye Studio p. 5 8 West Village Market p. 77

FIELD GUIDE TO ASHEVILLE

Adventure Center of Asheville p. 2 Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society & Library p. 23 The Dripolator Coffeehouse p. 77 The N.C. Arboretum p. 29

(Outlying Areas)

9 Whist p. 35

River Arts District

WEST ASHEVILLE

St te Sta

ve iana A Louis

Brevard Rd

2022-2023

M O U N TA I N X P R E S S

1

240

Tunnel Rd

South Asheville

NORTH

Black Mountain Recreation & Parks p. 65 Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails p. 83 Monte Vista Hotel p. 83 The Dripolator Coffeehouse p. 77

3

Swannanoa/ Black Mountain

el Rd Tunn

1 Goodwill p. 73 2 Highland Brewing Co. p. 79 3 Kids Garden p. 59

Downtown Asheville

Swann anoa R iver Rd

2

Swannanoa/ Black Mountain

EAST ASHEVILLE

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

97

Best

Seafood Lunch in town

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FIELD GUIDE TO ASHEVILLE

2022-2023

M O U N TA I N X P R E S S

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

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Lunch • Dinner • Brunch

Fresh Mex with a Twist of Asheville • Dog Friendly Outdoor Seating • • Gluten Friendly • • Vegan Options • • Off Site Catering • Historic Biltmore Village 10 Biltmore Plaza cantinabiltmore.com