In February, Angie Fornof began selling toys, art, jewelry, candy and DVDs in a vending machine located outside of her North Asheville home. But in April, the City of Asheville notified Fornof that her setup was in violation of city ordinances. Despite Fornof’s best efforts to keep it running, the machine’s future remains in limbo. Featured on this week’s cover is Karley Haddock and her daughter, Louise.
PUBLISHER & EDITOR: Jeff Fobes
ASSISTANT PUBLISHER: Susan Hutchinson
MANAGING EDITOR: Thomas Calder
EDITORS: Lisa Allen, Gina Smith
OPINION EDITOR: Tracy Rose
STAFF REPORTERS: Lisa Allen, Thomas Calder, Brionna Dallara, Justin McGuire, Greg Parlier, Brooke Randle, Gina Smith Intern: Amrit Brown
COMMUNITY CALENDAR & CLUBLAND: Braulio Pescador-Martinez
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Jon Elliston, Mindi Meltz Friedwald, Peter Gregutt, Rob Mikulak
REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS:
Christopher Arbor, Edwin Arnaudin, Danielle Arostegui, Mark Barrett, Eric Brown, Carmela Caruso, Cayla Clark, Molly Devane, Ashley English, Tessa Fontaine, Mindi Meltz Friedwald, Troy Jackson, Carol Kaufman, Bill Kopp, Chloe Leiberman, Morgan L. Sykes, Jessica Wakeman, Kay West, Clark Wilson, Jamie Zane
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Caleb Johnson Intern: Chad Truitt
ADVERTISING, ART & DESIGN MANAGER: Susan Hutchinson
LEAD DESIGNER: Scott Southwick
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Tina Gaafary, Caleb Johnson, Olivia Urban
MARKETING ASSOCIATES: Emily Baughman, Sara Brecht, Dave Gayler
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES: Jeff Fobes, Mark Murphy, Scott Southwick
WEB: Brandon Tilley
BOOKKEEPER: Amie Fowler
OFFICE MANAGER: Mark Murphy
FRONT OFFICE: Caitlin Donovan, Lisa Watters
DISTRIBUTION: Susan Hutchinson, Kyle Ramser
DISTRIBUTION DRIVERS: Cass Kunst, Cindy Kunst, Henry Mitchell, Courtney Israel Nash, Joey Nash, Carl & Debbie Schweiger, Gary Selnick, Noah Tanner, Mark Woodyard
What type of city do we want?
Eight months ago, Hurricane Helene destroyed many of the things that made Asheville beautiful. Helene has not been the only destroyer. Private equity forced a few of our stores to close through bankruptcy, laying off workers. We have lost some of our favorite local hangouts to shortsighted profiteering. Some of our otherwise beautiful mountain roads are turning into traffic nightmares due to poorly planned real estate developments. Rather than creating affordable housing, all this has driven up rents beyond what local workers can afford to pay. Our county and state will likely raise our taxes to cover the costs of fixing those traffic snarls.
While we cannot prevent hurricane damage, we can do better than this. If we value our quality of life, we must do better than this.
Tragically, those who have worked to promote sensible development have been denigrated as NIMBYs. Now that the woods on Richmond Hill have been preserved, we will all have a park. We will all have scenery along the river. We won’t have to deal with worse traffic congestion on both Louisiana Avenue and Riverside Drive. City taxpayers will not have to pay to upgrade those roads and intersections due to the massive increase in traffic the development would have created. This is just one example of doing better.
For all new proposed development, we need to ask: What type of city do we want? How will this proposal alter our quality of life and our environment, and what will be the long-term impact on tax rates? Poorly planned development burdens infrastructure, resulting in increased tax rates.
“If we build for cars and traffic, we will get cars and traffic. If we build for people, we will get people” (reference: strongtowns.org).
Consider the UNC Asheville woods. If we keep it as an urban forest, it will continue to provide a park for locals, along with habitat for wildlife and pollinators.
If we hand that land over to chains and big-box stores, we create traffic jams, drive up infrastructure costs, throw our resources at businesses that extract wealth from our community while driving wages down, and subject ourselves to the whims of private equity.
If we develop part of the land for affordable housing, people who live on Asheville wages can afford to live in Asheville, while getting to work and shopping by foot, bicycle or bus.
Of course, there are other options. Some will have real long-term costs
I do admire its tenacity! It'll still be there when I’m gone.
So last month, you published a letter from Tom Burnet, hydrologist, addressing that very bamboo! [ “River Cane’s Promise for Stream Protection,” May 7 , Xpress] I took some cuttings down to the river and was overwhelmed with the immensity of what needs to be done. I would be interested in helping to organize the planting of river cane.
— Mary Soyenova Black Mountain
Editor’s note : The nonprofit RiverLink is hosting a workday Tuesday, June 24, to remove nonnative species from a patch of native river cane in the River Arts District. Details can be found at avl.mx/evo.
Kudos for Gentile’s work at Nature Center
that outweigh the short-term benefits. Some will have real long-term benefits that outweigh the apparent short-term sacrifice. If we value our quality of life long term, we must choose wisely.
— Karl Kuhn Asheville
Editor’s note : UNC Asheville announced its plans on June 13 to develop the property, after this letter was submitted. More information can be found at avl.mx/evv.
Though maligned, river cane can help
The story about people who planted bamboo tickled me. Thirty years ago, despite people warning, “Don't plant that damn cane!” I planted bamboo in my backyard. It’s so beautiful, so graceful, so green in winter … and relentless in spreading its roots!
I've been battling the bamboo ever since and will never eradicate it. It’s all I can do to keep it from overrunning the garden. However,
Word of the week
ecumenical (adj.)
• 1a: of, relating to, or representing the whole of a body of churches
• 1b: promoting or tending toward worldwide Christian unity or cooperation
• 2: worldwide or general in extent, influence or application
This week’s word comes courtesy of last week’s letter writer Ed Sacco,
Thank you for featuring the WNC Nature Center’s centennial in the June 4 Mountain Xpress [ “Animal House: The WNC Nature Center Celebrates Its Centennial” ]. The early history was interesting to read as I had only heard bits and pieces of it.
I was disappointed, however, that Chris Gentile’s remarkable transformation of the WNC Nature Center during his tenure was not highlighted. Under his guidance and his excellent staff, the habitats were immensely improved to their present natural appearing states. When I volunteered there, it was not unusual to see Chris actually doing the construction of several of the habitats.
The state of the WNC Nature Center, I believe, is the result of Chris’ vision and hard work achieving that vision and on into the future. He and the staff are to be commended for this remarkable facility in Asheville.
— Sandra Houts Des Moines, Iowa Formerly of Asheville X
who wrote on the importance of being informed by politics while also focusing on one’s inner life and embracing lifelong learning. In his piece, Sacco writes of his time spent facilitating Faith Formation at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Swannanoa and joining “other Christian ecumenical denominations in Asheville and Black Mountain” as part of his personal journey. You can read his letter at avl.mx/evr. X
CARTOON BY RANDY MOLTON
Best paddle forward
Despite major disruptions, river outfitters gear up for the summer
BY BRIONNA DALLARA
bdallara@mountainx.com
The smell of sunscreen hangs thick in the warm air at Zen Tubing’s Brevard Road location. Walking up from the water, Camryn and Tegan Wilson are all smiles after their 3.5-mile float down the French Broad River.
The newlyweds from Florida traveled to Asheville for their honeymoon. Living in the Sunshine State, they note, means they’re familiar with posthurricane recovery efforts. Still, they were surprised by the river's clear conditions in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene.
“There’s really no debris in the water other than a log here and there," says Tegan. "But I mean, that's to be expected with water constantly moving and eroding away the shores.”
A group of teenagers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints echoes the young couple's observations and enthusiasm. Visiting from Greenville, S.C., the congregants highlight their favorite parts of the trip, from rope swings to rapids.
“It was really pretty,” says Sophie Thornal, a 15-year-old. “But you could still see that Helene had been through. There were some trees we had to dodge, some rocks that looked like they had moved around and stuff.”
But, “it’s worth it even if you do run into a tree,” adds 13-year-old Mara Ashton, who shows off two rocks she collected on the float. She's named them "Jeff" and "Bezos."
Aubrey Anderson, who owns Zen Tubing with her husband, Douglas Hollifield, says they’ve been working steadily since the last river season to get operations back up and running.
“It's been quite a large investment, but we wanted to do this. We wanted to continue being a part of the community, offering this to people,” Anderson says. “We're happy to invest and go ahead and keep moving — keep floating forward, so to speak.” And the couple are not alone.
After more than eight months of river cleanup, charting new rapids and resupplying lost equipment and outposts, river recreational facilities across the region have put their best paddle forward to open the season. But convincing the usual summer crowds that the river is good to go has presented some challenges.
RETURNING TO THE RAPIDS: Despite a drop in bookings, Blue Heron Whitewater, featured, and other recreational river operations across the region are optimistic about this summer’s rapids. Photo courtesy of Blue Heron Whitewater
NEW APPROACHES
Among the outfitters who spoke with Xpress, Zen Tubing was the hardest hit, losing its location on Riverside Drive after Tropical Storm Helene ravaged the River Arts District.
Since then, the company has channeled its energy into upgrading its second location in South Asheville with new inventory and office supplies, including two large ship containers that function as the company's portable open-air offices for staff and guests alike. Both containers are 20-feet long and are positioned on trailers for easier mobility in case of future storms.
In addition to these new amenities, the company has also updated its website, which now includes the “Local Connections We Love” section, spotlighting other WNC businesses.
Anderson estimates the business's recovery costs have totaled hundreds of thousands of dollars. And outside of a $15,000 grant from the AshevilleBuncombe Rebuilding Together Grant Fund, all expenses have been paid for out of pocket.
“Having one location that's closed, I feel like we're doing the best we can really,” Anderson says.
And while she remains optimistic about the season, she notes that total
booking is down 30% compared with this time last year.
Thirty miles up the road in Marshall, Blue Heron Whitewater rafting has seen a 50% decline in bookings in March and April compared with last year.
The rafting company operates on sections 8 and 9 of the French Broad River. Section 8 starts below Redmon Dam and flows 5 miles to Barnard, which is where section 9 begins. Section 9 stretches 8 miles to a takeout point in Hot Springs; however rafters have the option of getting out at Stackhouse Boat Launch for a shorter run.
The business's part-time raft guide and former co-owner, Sandy Melton, says that while raft routes are intact and navigable, the scenery has shifted quite a bit.
“The banks are denuded. That is the striking thing, because there's always been so much vegetation on the banks of the French Broad, and now it's rocky,” Melton says.
While channels were largely clear of debris after the storm, trash had piled up along the banks as a result of the receding waters. Loads of materials from Silver-Line Plastics in Woodfin unfurled near the access point at Stackhouse, which is hard to traverse without a boat, Melton says.
“Directly after the storm, there was so much plastic on the banks,
and that's being mitigated with very tedious efforts,” Melton says.
Early on, Blue Heron co-owner and founder Fritz Johnson organized a group of experienced raft and fishing guides, as well as a handful of folks from other outdoor outfitters, to haul trash out of section 9 using Blue Heron’s vans, boats and drivers.
“The focus was definitely on ... trying to consolidate the trash so that hopefully more flooding doesn't spread more stuff around, and then ... just trying to make it look better, which we have definitely done,” says Johnson.
The big question now, Melton says, is whether people will come.
WADING FOR TOURISTS
“It's never been a question of whether we reopen,” Melton continues.
“[But] we're so dependent on people coming to the area. So even though the river is delightful … we're dependent on people looking for things to do once they get to Asheville.”
That sentiment is shared across the industry, from smaller outfitters such as Smoky Mountain River Adventures in Jackson County, which only operates on the Tuckasegee River, to the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC), a large commercial outdoor guide service that does trips on section 9 of the French Broad in addition to the Nantahala, Ocoee, Pigeon and Chattahoochee rivers.
“We really didn't get impacted and are trying to get that message out to everybody that we are open for business. The [Kampground of America] campgrounds are open, and everybody's ready to take customers back in,” says Tee Davis, owner of Smoky Mountain River Adventures.
Davis' company operates a 5.2-mile run from Dillsboro to the rafting center in Whittier and offers self-guided and guided trips, along with kayaking and tubing. That section of the Tuckasegee is dam-controlled and operates off water releases from Lake Glenville and Cedar Cliff Lake.
Davis had anticipated spending the spring season unpinning logs and digging out debris, but the river fared surprisingly well.
“The flood really did clean up the river. Typically, I'll go out in April and cut trees, logs that are jammed on rocks out of the river. But that was not necessary this year, probably for the first time in a couple of years,” says Davis, who watched everything from propane tanks to beds float down the river during the storm.
Steven Foy, director of outpost operations at NOC, says he thinks this entire market is down because of the perception that the river is closed.
“We feel like there's a prevailing narrative ... that Western North Carolina is
either closed or inaccessible, or that it's been damaged and it's gone, something along those lines,” Foy says.
Helene did impact NOC's internal operations in Hot Springs, where a staff housing facility for rafters who operate on the French Broad was wiped out. To pivot, the outfitter combined staff for the Pigeon and the French Broad into one operation at the Pigeon River outpost in Hartford, Tenn.
This also meant staff decreased from 50 people across the two operations to 35.
“My French Broad and Pigeon managers are basically co-managing one big operation,” Foy says. “So pretty much every day, those two managers are looking at the schedule, they're looking at the number of guides that are available, they're looking at what bookings are looking like, and they're kind of adjusting our trip availability on both rivers to maximize where the demand is and to maximize our opportunity. We're just trying to facilitate getting as many people in the water as we possibly can.”
The center facilitates around 110,000 rafting guests per year, Foy, says, emphasizing that the number is solely based on guided rafters and does not represent the center's total visitation for features such as zip lining, mountain biking or the paddling school.
Since NOC is such a large contributor to the outdoor economy, Foy represents it on the board for both the national trade association of outfitters, America Outdoors Association, as well as the N.C. Outdoor Recreation Coalition.
In the aftermath of Helene, he’s been in ongoing communication with federal and state legislators in both North Carolina and Tennessee to keep them aware of what the circumstances are, making sure they know what’s needed to reopen access points for both commercial and private use and raising awareness of the economic impacts and benefits of tourism.
“The commercial impact of bringing folks into these rural economies is substantial. And a lot of these rural economies rely on rafting as one piece of outdoor recreation tourism that brings folks into Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina. And so, without the key legislator, folks and our key representatives at the state and federal level, we would not be open,” Foy says. “There's lots of river enthusiasts. They're out there making sure that these rivers are open for the public — some of them just happen to wear a suit and tie and sit at a desk somewhere in a capitol building, but they're out there doing the work.” X
Parks and restoration
BY JUSTIN M c GUIRE
At Charles D. Owen Park in Swannanoa, Tropical Storm Helene’s destruction remains vivid.
The fishing pier is gone. The walking paths vanished under silt and flood debris. What were once two peaceful ponds are now part of the Swannanoa River.
Helene flooded all three Owen ballfields and left the concession stand, playgrounds, shelters and restrooms unusable.
“Restoring Owen Park will probably be our largest post-Helene project as a county government,” says Allison Dains, Buncombe County’s parks and recreation director. “There was so much damage, it’s going to entail a great deal of resources and time to bring it back.”
Nearly nine months after Helene swept through Western North Carolina, Buncombe County and City of Asheville officials are reopening parks and greenways that were shut down in the storm’s wake. Particularly hard hit were riverside parks like Owen and the city’s Carrier Park.
Several of those riverside parks have reopened, though many remain only partially accessible.
“The journey since the storm has been challenging, but today, the excitement is palpable,” says Asheville Parks Recreation Director D. Tyrell McGirt, whose department announced several French Broad riverside park reopenings in May. “Every reopened greenway, every restored park is a testament to collective hard work.”
And some damaged riverside spots, like the city’s French Broad River Park and the county’s Alexander River Park, remain closed or are being used for storm recovery operations.
Buncombe and Asheville chip away at green space repairs
PARK WRECKAGE: Charles D. Owen Park in Swannanoa sustained catastrophic damage from Tropical Storm Helene. It could take more than three years for the park to fully reopen. Photo courtesy of Buncombe County
BUNCOMBE COUNTY: SEEKING SUSTAINABILITY
Owen Park was one of the most popular green spaces operated by the county, drawing more than 175,000 visitors in fiscal year 2023-24, which ended about three months before Helene hit.
Now, the county is reviewing 11 bids submitted by engineering and design firms for reconstruction work. Dains estimates that firm selection, community outreach, engineering and construction could take more than three years.
“The space has drastically changed,” she says. “We want to revegetate the creek and riverbanks
Park plans
Here is the status of parks and greenways operated by the City of Asheville and Buncombe County:
OPEN PARKS
City of Asheville French Broad River parks:
• Amboy Riverfront Park
• Craven Street Trailhead Park
• Craven Street Bridge Boating Access Area
• Jean Webb Park
• Wilma Dykeman Greenway
Buncombe County:
• Lake Julian Park (some disc golf holes remain closed)
• Hominy Valley Park
• North Buncombe Fields
• Buncombe County Sports Park
• Corcoran Paige River Park
PARTIALLY OPENED PARKS
City of Asheville:
• Carrier Park
to make them as stable and resilient as possible.”
How much all of the work will cost is still unknown. Multiple Buncombe parks were damaged or made unsafe during Helene. County staff began with arborist-led tree assessments to identify and remove hazards, followed by debris removal and damage documentation for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement.
“The whole time, our priority has been ensuring that each park is safe for public use,” Dains says. “That involves a detailed inspection and cleanup process that still is underway in several areas.”
Some parks, like Lake Julian in Arden and Buncombe County
• French Broad River Greenway
• Masters Park
Buncombe County:
• Collier Cove Nature Preserve
• Cane Creek Playground
• Hominy Creek River Park
CLOSED PARKS
City of Asheville:
• Azalea Park, including John B. Lewis Soccer Complex
• French Broad River Park
• Pearson Bridge River Access Area
• Recreation Park
SportsPark, have reopened. Others opened partially, including Arden’s Collier Cove Nature Preserve, which experienced two major landslides, and Fairview’s Cane Creek Playground, where the field is currently used as a debris site.
“Lake Julian Park is a high-use park, and that's why we were superexcited to be able to get it open as quickly as we were able to do [in January],” Dains says.
Several riverside parks, such as Walnut Island and Alexander River Park, are still closed while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers uses them for storm debris collection.
Once those sites are cleared, the county will assess them for additional repairs.
“We’re stewards of these parks and the river,” Dains explains. “We want to make sure we’re doing our best to keep them sustainable.”
CITY: PHASED-IN REOPENINGS
For the City of Asheville, the situation is similar: patchwork reopenings, extensive infrastructure repair and a long road ahead.
"City staff have been picking up extra work assignments and working around the clock to document damages and assess temporary measures to not only get these spaces accessible to our community but to ensure FEMA understands the depth and breadth of the impact from Helene on our public lands,"” says Bridget Herring, Asheville’s recovery coordinator.
The city has been doing a phased reopening of several French Broad riverfront parks and greenways. Amboy Riverfront Park, Jean Webb Park, the Wilma Dykeman Greenway, Craven Street Trailhead Park and the
• Richmond Hill Park
Buncombe County:
• Charles D. Owen Park
• Karpen Soccer Field
• Alexander River Park
• Walnut Island River Park
• Bent Creek River Park
• Glen Bridge River Park
• Ledges Whitewater Park
Note: All city parks not listed here are open. For more information, go to avl.mx/euw.
Sources: City of Asheville, Buncombe County X
Craven Street Bridge Boating Access Area are now open to the public.
At Carrier Park, the picnic shelter, adjacent wetlands educational area, rolling lawn and east parking lot are open, but the west side is closed to the public with the exception of the greenway that runs through it.
The French Broad River Greenway is open in two segments: from Hominy Creek River Park to Amboy Riverfront Park and from Craven Street to French Broad River Park. But the portion connecting French Broad River Park to Amboy Riverfront Park remains closed.
Two popular destinations — French Broad River Park and the Pearson Bridge River Access Area — remain entirely closed, with no timeline announced for reopening.
The city is soliciting bids from planning and design firms to lead reconstruction efforts, particularly along the French Broad River corridor and in the Azalea Road area. The city doesn’t have a timeline for full restoration, officials say.
Additionally, three city parks that are not on the French Broad remain closed: Azalea Park, which includes the John B. Lewis Soccer Complex; Recreation Park; and Richmond Hill Park.
Storm debris removal operations kicked off last week at Richmond Hill. The city will focus first on removing large tree limbs and branches. The initial phase will target only storm-related materials deemed eligible under state cleanup guidelines.
After that, local nonprofits will join forces with the city in a secondary cleanup aimed at collecting smaller debris as officials work to get the park reopened.
WORK CONTINUES
FEMA is expected to reimburse a significant portion of repair costs after thorough documentation. Buncombe
County submitted damage inventories site by site, down to the dimensions of washouts and infrastructure failure. Officials hope FEMA will reimburse the county for projects that have been completed, including fencing repairs, if insurance doesn’t cover the work.
For city properties damaged during Helene, including parks, officials are in phase two of a multistep process within the FEMA Public Assistance program, says city spokesperson Kim Miller. Once contracts solicited under the requests for qualifications (RFQ) are implemented, the city will move into phase three.
County and city officials do not know how much FEMA will provide for park repairs.
While physical rebuilding is underway, both the city and county are focused on meeting immediate community needs. Buncombe’s community outreach recreation experience (CORE) mobile van has been a key outreach tool, especially in hardhit areas like Swannanoa. The van offers crafts and recreational activities for residents who lost access to local parks.
“We’re very much out in the community, bringing programming where we can,” Dains says. “We had between 35 and 50 youth and adults showing up weekly in Grovemont (Park).”
All five county pools opened on time this summer. At the sports park, four fields are being prepared for turf installation, and new events like fishing tournaments and bike rodeos are being rolled out.
Still, recovery remains a longterm mission.
“We are still very much in response mode at some locations,” Dains explains. “But I feel really good that we were able to get some of those highly utilized parks open as quickly as we did. We’re being cautious, but we’re moving forward as fast as we can with the resources we have.” X
No Kings
Thousands gather in downtown Asheville
The chant began around 11 a.m. on Charlotte Street: “Hey-hey, ho-ho — Donald Trump has got to go!”
Soon thereafter, the crowd of thousands marched from Martin Luther King Jr. Park to Pack Square, continuing the rally cry while hoisting protest signs and American flags.
The June 14 event in downtown Asheville was one of thousands of No Kings rallies held across the country. According to a press release from the nonprofit Indivisible, the demonstrations were a rebuke of the Trump administration’s “authoritarian excess, corruption and attack on personal freedoms.” The events coincided with a military parade held in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary on the same day as Trump’s 79th birthday.
Reporting from NPR estimates 2,000 No Kings rallies took place across all 50 states with an estimated 5 million participants.
In addition to Indivisible, national organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union and 50501 helped plan the day’s events with assistance from local groups and chapters. In Western North Carolina, Indivisible Asheville/ WNC, Women’s March and Good Trouble WNC were among the lead organizers.
The No Kings Rally ended at Pack Square at 12:30 p.m. A second rally, No Clowns, No Kings, ran from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the same location. That evening, an additional protest was held at Pritchard Park at 5 p.m.
— Thomas Calder X
City passes budget for next year
FINAL BUDGET: Lindsay Spangler, budget and performance manager for the City of Asheville, presented the city’s budget for fiscal year 2025-26 at Asheville City Council's June 10 meeting. The approved budget includes a property tax increase and employee raises, and taps into one-time funds.
At its June 10 meeting, Asheville City Council approved, 7-0, the fiscal year 2025-26 budget totaling $256.1 million, a 2.1% increase from the 2024-25 budget. The budget includes a 3.26-cent property tax increase that allows the city to continue current operations, provide raises for employees and maintain its fund balance, which ensures a strong credit rating.
The property tax rate increase is a 7.9% hike from last year and will cost an owner of a $350,000 property $114 more per year.
Compensation adjustments include a 3% pay raise for city employees making $58,000 or more and a $1,740 flat increase for those earning less. The budget also marks $1.1 million for a new pay structure for the Asheville Police Department (APD) and a 3% increase for the Fire Department. For the full report, visit avl.mx/evs.
After months of uncertainty, student-facing positions at
Asheville City Schools (ACS) may be safe from funding cuts for fiscal year 2025-26.
During their meeting June 9, members of the Asheville City Board of Education heard a spending plan from Superintendent Maggie Fehrman that would implement a “no reduction in force” budget despite a $2.82 million shortfall.
“What I can say very strongly is I do not have plans to reduce force in any way,” Fehrman said. “No staff will be let go. Everyone has a position. We’re just trying to figure out where all the pieces fit.”
The board did not take action on the spending proposal. Fehrman said she doesn’t anticipate the state education budget to be finalized until later this fall — possibly as late as September — meaning that school board members will not vote on their final budget until several months from now. But, on Tuesday, June 24, Fehrman will bring a spending resolution that will include the current proposal that the board would need to vote to approve. For the full report, visit avl.mx/evt.
— Brooke Randle X
Photo by Amrit Brown
by Lisa Allen | lallen@mountainx.com
NEST launch
Welcome return
Chimney Rock State Park will reopen to visitors on Friday, June 27, exactly nine months after Tropical Storm Helene devastated the region. “Chimney Rock is a Western North Carolina jewel,” said Gov. Josh Stein in a press release. “Reopening the state park will draw tourists back to this area.” Access to the park has been limited since Helene wiped out the park entrance bridge. The N.C. Department of Transportation recently completed a temporary bridge and other road repairs. Reservations are required as capacity is limited amid ongoing rebuilding efforts. Go to avl.mx/ev6 for reservations and info. X
New beginnings
FIND Outdoors, which manages access to public lands, is hosting a launch event from 5-8 p.m., Thursday, June 26, for The NEST, a collaborative space located at the organization’s headquarters in Pisgah Forest. The event includes a presentation by Appalachian Wildlife Refuge. The NEST, which stands for Nature, Education, Stewardship and Teaching, is a 1,400-square-foot space available at little to no cost to nonprofits focused on conservation, education, outdoor access and community engagement. “We created The NEST to be a place where ideas can take root and grow into real change,” Carolyn Ashworth, CEO for FIND Outdoors, said in a press release. Attendees can tour the new space, explore potential partnership opportunities and learn more about reserving The NEST. The event is free, but registration is requested. Go to avl.mx/ev5 X
Summit CrossFit has reopened at a new location at 51 Southside Ave. in Asheville’s South Slope neighborhood. The site’s previous location was destroyed by Tropical Storm Helene. “It was heartbreaking to lose our gym to the floodwaters and the mud, but CrossFit is about more than just workouts — it’s about community, perseverance and strength in adversity,” said Leslie Cardix, owner of Summit CrossFit, in a press release. “The storm tested us but it also reminded us of the power of support and unity. We’re not just reopening — we’re rebuilding stronger.” To find out more, go to avl.mx/ev3. X
The Asheville Bridge Room, which meets for bridge games and tournaments at Congregation Beth Israel, 229 Murdock Ave., is hosting an open house beginning at 1 p.m., Sunday, June 22. Bridge players at any level are invited to participate in sanctioned play as well as rubber and social bridge. It is part of The Longest Day, an annual fundraising effort to support the fight against Alzheimer’s disease by the Alzheimer’s Association. Bridge clubs across the country will host tournaments, teach lessons and play multiple sessions to advance the cause from sunrise to sunset the week of June 15-22. Learn more at avl.mx/evw. X
A LOT OF BRIDGE
Climate summit
Warren Wilson College is hosting Collaboration for Climate Action FridaySunday, June 20-22. The free climate summit will feature community members, climate leaders, artists, educators and organization members engaging in workshops, demonstrations, panel discussions, guided walks, performances and art installations. Topics will include decarbonization, resilience, stormwater management, land stewardship, microgrids and climate justice. To learn more and register, visit avl.mx/ev1. X
FLEA MARKET
The Five Points Neighborhood Association is hosting an outdoor flea market on Mount Clare Avenue between Woodrow Avenue and Hillside Street from 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, June 21. Local businesses, neighbors, artists, food trucks and handcrafters will be selling an array of goods. Activities include a chalk-art contest and silent auction. X
Power up
Asheville Art Supply to open in RAD
Philip and Tina DeAngelo will be opening Asheville Art Supply at 829 Riverside Drive, Suite No. 120 — the current location of Cheap Joe’s Art, which is closing this month. “It’s still the city’s only dedicated art supply shop, so be sure to swing by and show your support,” ArtsAVL notes in a recent newsletter. Asheville Art Supply is set to open Tuesday, July 1. X
Fuel Goods Inc., an e-commerce endurance sport nutrition firm, is investing $1.7 million and adding 47 jobs in the next five years via a new Buncombe County headquarters and distribution center. The company has twice been recognized as one of the region’s fastest-growing start-ups for its subscription box businesses, The RunnerBox and The RiderBox. Former professional cyclists Laura Jorgensen and Courteney Lowe launched Fuel Goods Inc. last year and it’s already outgrown its warehouse space. “We believe this city has the potential to be a leader in the endurance space, and we’re ready to build a company that proves it. We’re not just fueling athletes — we’re fueling Asheville’s future,” Jorgensen said in a press release. For job opportunities, go to avl.mx/ev4. X
Artists
The Mad Phone Booth
City shuts down unique North Asheville vending machine
BY GREG PARLIER
gparlier@mountainx.com
It may not be Superman flying forth, but what does come out of a homemade phone booth in a North Asheville neighborhood still brings a smile to people’s faces. Since February, Angie Fornof has been offering toys, art, jewelry, candy and DVDs in the vending machine that she’s enclosed in a wooden phone booth replica outside her home on Madison Avenue.
“I like how happy it makes everyone who comes by,” she notes. The machine also offers contraceptives and Naloxone, a medication used to reverse the effects of opioids, for free.
But in April, the City of Asheville notified Fornof that The Mad Phone Booth was in violation of city ordinances. Fornof had to shut it down to avoid fines. As of June 5, the machine offers all its contents for free, with an option to donate to offset the costs. The move to a donation basis circumvents the rules for now, Fornof notes, but the model is unsustainable.
West Asheville resident Karley Haddock is no stranger to The Mad Phone Booth. She says she's stopped by the machine on more than one occasion while visiting a friend in North Asheville. On her most recent trip, she and her 3-yearold daughter, Louise, donated to the cause in exchange for some candy. On a previous visit, she purchased a phone charger.
“Little conveniences like that are everything,” she says. “That’s why I donated. Bring joy back!”
THE BLING KING RISES
This is not Fornof’s first foray into vending machines. She operated The Bling King, a claw machine previously located in Hi-Wire Brewing Co.’s River Arts District Beer Garden, before it — and much of the district — was ravaged by Tropical Storm Helene. Around November, Fornof began toying with the idea of putting a vending machine in front of her house. But she knew she would need something to protect it from the elements. Fornof racked her brain for something “neutral and nostalgic,” eventually landing on the phone booth design. She built the booth out of wood in her living room, ran a heavy-duty extension
cord from her house out to the curb, and The Mad Phone Booth was born.
Because the western-facing machine receives a lot of afternoon sun, Fornof runs an insulated tube from her basement where a fan blows cold air into the back of the machine. This helps regulate the temperature for most things, although it’s still too hot to sell chocolate, she notes.
Similar to The Bling King, Fornof gets creative with what she stocks in the machine. Some of its more unique items include handmade jewelry, local visual art and artistic photos of various dog paws, which she sold for $2 each, she says. She’s tried photographing all kinds of things that might spark interest, including chicken feet, she adds.
YOU CAN’T SELL HERE
In early spring, the City of Asheville's Water Resources Department stopped by Madison Avenue to check water meters. According to Fornof, the crew borrowed the extension cord that was charging her machine. Soon thereafter, she received a certified letter from the city, notifying her that The Mad Phone Booth violated an ordinance that limits what can be in the public right of way — a strip of land on the edge of city streets typically reserved for utilities or sidewalks.
After filing an encroachment permit, noting the machine did not block any sidewalks or utilities, Fornof assumed the issue had been resolved.
Later, another city representative informed her that she wasn’t allowed to run a retail commercial business in a residentially zoned neighborhood and she could be fined $100 each day that her machine did business. Fornof says she never heard back from the city about her encroachment permit and that messaging from city officials on how she could get into compliance was confusing. On one hand, she wasn’t supposed to conduct business on her parcel; but on the other hand, it sounded as if the main issue was its location in the right of way.
City spokesperson Kim Miller says there are two issues at play here. One, Fornof needs an encroachment permit to put anything in the right of way, something Fornof says she did more than a month ago. Two, selling goods in
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a residential area is illegal and does not qualify for limited exceptions to that rule.
“In this case, the operation of a vending machine does not meet the criteria … as the goods are visible from the outside of the dwelling and are characterized as retail sales. Outside of the home occupation requirements, retail sales are not an allowed land use within the city’s residential zoning districts,” Miller says. “Allowing commercial areas, even small ones in this case, begins to transform the character and physical conditions of a neighborhood.”
Miller says some very limited commercial uses such as lemonade stands are allowed because they are “aligned with neighborhood character.” But in the end, “the city has the obligation to apply the laws consistently in all circumstances regardless of the magnitude of an individual case or situation.”
Fornof says she wasn’t making a profit off the machine and just wanted to spread some cheer during a difficult period of Asheville’s history.
NEW OPPORTUNITIES
Fortunately for Fornof, a recent Facebook post on the West Asheville Exchange group has gone viral, resulting in a slew of opportunities for the entrepreneur. Everyone from the Asheville Mall to Burger Bar to the Buncombe County Democratic Party has asked her to put a machine in their establishment. During the inter view with the Asheville Chamber of Commerce drove by, asking Fornof to meet about putting one in the chamber building.
She hopes she can keep the spirit of The Mad Phone Booth going some where, but part of the fun was being able to see people’s excitement when they came across it on Madison Avenue.
“If I could keep selling things [here], I would keep it,” she says. “It was fun. It was a way to be creative. I didn’t know if it would work, but it makes everyone so happy.”
GONE MAD: Angie Fornof built The Mad Phone Booth this spring to house a unique vending machine in front of her North Asheville home. Photo by Chad Truitt
Before you go
BY HANNAH EPPERSON
On the second Sunday of every August, the bell above the century-old Palmer Chapel rings throughout Cataloochee Valley, about an hour’s drive west of Asheville. It’s a time of celebration, an annual reunion organized by Asheville resident Steve Woody to bring together the descendants of those who lived in Cataloochee before it became part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the 1930s.
This year, the bell will ring again, and people will gather, despite the destruction wrought by Tropical Storm Helene, which closed the valley to visitors for months.
“It’s a special place, especially to the people who are from there,” says Woody, who remembers visiting his grandfather’s 100-year-old house in the valley — a house still standing after Helene. “That’s why the reunions keep going on. People love to bring their children and their grandchildren; my grandchildren love to come back.”
The valley is also well-loved by hikers, horseback riders, campers and visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of elk grazing in the fields.
When Helene hit the Western North Carolina mountains, it flooded the creeks in Cataloochee Valley and destroyed parts of several roads, forcing its closure for nearly seven months.
“Cataloochee Valley saw the worst damage in the park from Helene,” says Katie Liming, spokesperson for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In April, the park partially opened
Cataloochee Valley to visitors after major repair work had been done on roads, buildings and trails.
The Palmer Chapel, along with other historic structures like the Jarvis Palmer House and the Messer Barn, all made it through the storm relatively unscathed. But parts of the road, many miles of trails and several historic buildings still need repair.
“Our team is developing plans to complete this work,” says Liming. “We expect this work will cost between $25 million and $35 million.”
STRUCTURES BRING THE STORY TO LIFE
The buildings in Cataloochee Valley are the last remnants of the community that once thrived there. Long used by the Cherokee for hunting and fishing, the first permanent settlers of the valley most likely made their home there starting around 1840. They cleared fields, farmed and raised livestock and families. For nearly a century, they made their lives there, in many ways isolated from the outside world. “If you go in on the old road and you get to [Palmer] church, that is 27 miles back to Waynesville,” says Woody. “Before automobiles, when you’re on horseback or a wagon and that was your very closest town, that’s a full day’s ride.”
And getting a sense of that life is easier with houses, barns, a church and a schoolhouse.
“These structures bring that story to life,” says Dana Soehn, president and CEO of Friends of the Smokies,
FILLING GAPS: A National Park Service employee approaches a washout that narrowly missed a historic building in Cataloochee Valley. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service
a nonprofit supporting Great Smoky Mountains National Park. “It’s an opportunity for people who are visiting Cataloochee Valley to step back in time and envision what it was like to live on an Appalachian Mountain farm and carve your life in these mountains.”
More than 1,000 people lived in the valley in the early 1900s, although by 1920 the population started to wane as people moved elsewhere in search of work and a less isolated life, according to Woody.
Most of the remaining residents of Cataloochee Valley were forced to move when Great Smoky Mountains National Park was created in 1934 — although a few holdouts, like Woody’s grandfather, made an agreement with the park that allowed them to remain in their homes for the duration of their lives. Now, nearly 100 years later, preserved corn cribs, spring houses and even outhouses provide a glimpse of what life was once like.
PRESERVING THE PAST
But even before Helene wreaked havoc on the valley, preserving the houses and barns in Cataloochee presented challenges for the park.
Funding and staff shortages have been an issue for the park for years, preventing the ability to have a crew solely dedicated to preserving historic structures, Soehn says. Regular maintenance work, like replacing authentic wooden roof shingles, slipped.
“If you miss that maintenance cycle when you should be replacing a roof, then you start to get water damage, then beams are compromised, then that leads to foundational problems, and it calls for a much more complex skill set to be able to address all of those challenges,” Soehn says. “And working with historic tools and historic materials requires a different level of apprenticeship.”
Forever Places, a Friends of the Smokies initiative, helps fund a permanent crew that focuses specifically on maintaining historic structures. After Helene hit, that crew put all its effort into the urgent repairs needed in Cataloochee.
“At the Hiram Caldwell Barn, there was a ton of erosion, and there was a part of the structure that wasn't as stable as it needed to be,” Liming says. “So they addressed that quickly following the storm, but we need to go back in and complete other work there.”
The Beech Grove Schoolhouse, built in 1901, will need repairs to its foundation. “That’s going to be a very complex project because we’ll have to jack up the schoolhouse and redo the stone masonry,” says Soehn. Several other buildings need roof repairs.
It’s specialized work that involves a combination of modern power tools and historic artistry.
“The finish work is done in a historic manner so that it keeps with the authenticity of the craftsmanship of the historic structure itself,” Soehn says.
GETTING THERE
Those traveling to Cataloochee Valley should keep in mind that vehicles can only go part way into the valley. Visitors may park near Beech Grove School and walk the last mile of Upper Cataloochee Valley Entrance Road on foot but are urged to be cautious because the road was badly damaged.
Visitors can walk around the Caldwell Barn area but can’t go inside.
As for hiking, many of the trails in the valley are open, but hikers should still be careful of damage caused by the storm.
“We’ve completed assessments of trail conditions and some trail restoration. There's still a lot of trail restoration to do,” Liming cautions. “Most of the trails are open with heavy caution that there may still be downed trees, rutted or damaged sections of trail, or potential landslides that we haven't addressed. We also have many foot logs and bridges down throughout the valley.”
Before you head out, check avl.mx/eux for the latest updates on trail conditions and closures.
As for this year’s reunion, Sunday, Aug. 10, Woody says everyone is invited, especially descendants of the Cataloochee Valley settlers. The event, which is free to attend, begins with a service at 11 a.m. in Palmer Chapel, followed by a shared potluck meal.
“Everyone is welcome,” Woody says. X
Free throw Mentors make youth sports leagues accessible to all
BY AMRIT BROWN
Reilly Howard sprints around the top of the key on the basketball court at Reid Memorial Recreation Center. Coach Antonio Smith follows, a step behind her. Howard cuts to the basket, catches a bounce pass, and, using her track speed, sprints ahead and lays the ball in the hoop.
Howard is a player on the Lady Legends. The squad was originally formed by A.C. Reynolds Middle School players who participated in open-gym practices. In March, parents asked the players if they wanted to start an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team. The students agreed, and the group added athletes from other schools.
Typically, an AAU team pays between $100 and $700 to enter into a single tournament. But the Lady Legends operates at no cost to its players on account of their sponsor, KL Training Solutions, a nonprofit created and run by Keynon Lake that oversees various programs dedicated to mentoring Asheville youths. Along with girls basketball, the nonprofit sponsors a track team and is planning to launch a midnight basketball league this summer. For players, parents and coaches alike, the chance to participate in youth sports without the high costs is a game changer.
Lake's passion for sports, he notes, predates his role as a sponsor. His father was a member of the Harlem Globetrotters, and Lake played basketball both in college and overseas. “What you learn in sports is invaluable,” he says. “It teaches you discipline. It teaches you how to work within a group setting.”
NATIONAL COMPETITIONS
KL Training Solutions’ two core programs, My Daddy Taught Me That and My Sistah Taught Me That, are dedicated to mentoring middle school and high school students.
The My Daddy Taught Me That track team began its season on May 24 with a meet in Taylors, S.C. Registration fees for meets, vans, gas and the athletes’ meals are all provided by KL Training Solutions.
Jorge Redmond, an assistant coach for the team, estimates that the cost is between $1,200 and $1,500 per meet. The team will run 10 meets this year, including a July trip to the AAU Junior Olympics in Houston, a trip that Lake will also help fund along with other sponsors.
Recardo Howard, who is head coach of the My Daddy Taught Me That track team and athletic director for KL Training Solutions, originally launched the team with 13 participants. In the beginning, he combined his team with a club team, the Garner Heat, in order to compete with larger teams. With the aid of KL Training Solutions, which has been the team’s majority sponsor for the past four years, the program has grown to nearly 30 participants and is entering its seventh year of competition.
“We’ve been blessed with Keynon,” says Howard.
The program has found success, including taking athletes to the AAU Junior Olympics in Iowa in 2023 and Greensboro in 2024. This year Howard anticipates similar accomplishments.
“I predict we take seven to nationals,” he says.
'DOING SOMETHING THAT WE LOVE'
Parents and coaches involved with the program all highlight just how important accessible youth sports are.
Diane Osborne, a parent attending the Lady Legends practice, says that this is her daughter, Walela Osborne’s, first year playing sports.
“It's hard to get her in sports that you have to pay for,” says Osborne. Not only does her daughter play basketball, but she is also on the My Daddy Taught Me That track team. In her first season with A.C. Reynolds Middle School, she broke school records in the shot put and discus.
Osborne believes in the importance of sports. She says that if her daughter’s not active, then she is not happy. “Having programs that are accessible to the community are an amazing thing. It keeps kids out of trouble, it keeps them active, and it makes them happier kids,” says Osborne. Smith and fellow basketball coach Trevian Laster share Osborne's perspective. The coaches work for free, leading the team on Friday and Saturday and running an open gym on Sunday. “It's not all about money — it's all about the kids; it's all about doing something that we love,” says Smith.
WHEN THE CLOCK STRIKES MIDNIGHT
The Lady Legends will continue to play this summer with the goal to expand and play more games next season. The team, however, isn’t Lake's and KL Training Solutions’ only new basketball pursuit this year.
Lake plans to introduce the Midnight Basketball League this summer. His goal is to host two late-night sessions with players from the Asheville Parks Recreation basketball league. Dates have not been set, but the events aim to run 4 p.m.-midnight and include basketball games, music and food.
Lake hopes these gatherings will build momentum for an official league kickoff this fall. He also wants to make sure that the event is fun, safe and family-friendly. His focus, he says, is to give kids something to do on the weekends. X
B-BALL: The Lady Legends are a new girls basketball Amateur Athletic Union team. Pictured, from back row left, are Trevian Laster, Lamariea Blair, Reilly Howard, Ca'Leigh Patton, Karleigh McCoy, Scotland Fisher and Antonio Smith.
Front row, from left, are Chareesh Murdock, Addison Ledford, Virginia Hazelton, Walela Osborne and Mia Ray. Also pictured is Lady Legends mascot Blu. Photo courtesy of Smith
For a full list of community calendar guidelines, please visit mountainx.com/calendar. For questions about free listings, call 828-251-1333, opt. 4. For questions about paid calendar listings, please call 828-251-1333, opt. 1.
Online-only events
More info, page 38
More info, page 40-41
WELLNESS
Free Community
Functional Fitness
Build muscular endurance through exercises that focus on multiple repetitions with lower weights while moving in all planes of motion.
WE (6/18, 25), 10:15am, YWCA of Asheville, 185 S French Broad Ave
Free Community
Zumba Gold
This class introduces easy-to-follow zumba choreography that focuses on balance, range of motion, and coordination.
TH (6/19, 26), 10am, YWCA of Asheville, 185 S French Broad Ave
Yoga in the Park All-level friendly yoga classes based on Hatha & Vinyasa traditions.
SA (6/21), SU (6/22), 10am, W Asheville Park, 198 Vermont Ave
Wild Souls Authentic Movement w/Renee Trudeau
An expressive movement class designed to help you get unstuck, enjoy cardio movement, boost immune health, dissolve anxiety and stress while celebrating community.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
and walking meditation, facilitated by Worth Bodie.
SU (6/22), 10am, The Lodge at Quietude, 1130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain
Candlelight Flow Yoga
This breath-centered practice blends gentle movement and mindfulness to release tension, restore balance, and leave you feeling grounded and renewed.
All are welcome in this new curriculum course, regardless of the style of internal martial arts you practice, your skill development or age level.
SU (6/22), 7pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109
Yoga & Coffee
Practice on the outdoor deck, get the body and mind balanced, and then you can hang out after for some coffee, tea and pastries.
TU (6/24), 9:30am, Cooperative Coffee Shop, 210 Haywood Rd
Community Yoga & Mindfulness
SKYDIVING GRANNIES AND SERIOUS BETS: On Friday, June 20, Hart Theatre in Waynesville kicks off its newest production, Ripcord, starting at 7:30 p.m. The sharp-witted comedy features two senior roommates whose escalating prank war reveals deeper truths about friendship, loss and resilience. Photo courtesy of Hart Theatre JUNE. 18 - JUNE 26, 2025
Active Breathwork
A dynamic class designed to awaken your body, release stored emotions, and bring clarity to your mind.
SU (6/22), 9:30am, Dunn's Rock Community Center, 461 Connestee Rd, Brevard Barn Yoga Community Yoga class with Fairview-based yogi Mary Beth, who teaches a gentle and vinyasa flow.
SU (6/22), 10am, Hickory Nut Gap Farm, 57 Sugar Hollow Rd, Fairview
Sunday Morning Meditation Group
Gathering for a combination of silent sitting
Water Aerobics
• Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center
• 285 Livingston St
• Saturday, June 21, 10 a.m.
A water-based workout perfect for anyone looking to stay active and socialize in a relaxed environment. This class is free for seniors ages 60+ and $3 for all 18 years and older.
“I recently discovered that my house is within walking distance of the Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, which features not only a basketball court but also a public community pool. With the heat already kicking in, I have a feeling I’ll be spending plenty of time cooling off in the water or taking advantage of some affordable classes.”
— Braulio Martinez X
Free monthly event with Inspired Change Yoga that will lead you into a morning of breathwork, meditation and yoga.
WE (6/25), 10:30am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave
New Moon Sound Bath
A relaxing evening as the new moon rises and immerse in the soothing sounds of crystal bowls, gongs, didgeridoo, handpans, and more.
WE (6/25), 7:30pm, The Restoration Hotel Asheville, 68 Patton Ave
SUPPORT GROUPS
Al-Anon
Are you concerned about someone’s drinking? This support group meets on a weekly basis. For more information on Al-anon, visit www.alanon.org.
This support group is peer-led and facilitated by licensed therapists & dietitians specializing in eating disorders. Register at avl.mx/es6.
WE (6/18, 25), 6pm, Online
Garden Helpline
You may send an email or leave a voicemail at any time and an Extension Master Gardener volunteer will respond during Garden Helpline hours. When emailing,
please include a photo if it helps describe your gardening question.
TH (6/19, 26), MO (6/23), TU (6/24), 10am, Buncombe County Cooperative Extension Center, 49 Mount Carmel Rd, Ste 102
Nicotine Anonymous
People share their experience, strength and hope to stop using nicotine. You don’t need to be stopped, just have a desire to attend.
A group collective that gathers to talk about encounters with visual, tactile, sensational, or fringe experiences with life and the interaction of energy.
Trained peer facilitators guide you in learning how to empower yourself in a place that offers respect, understanding, encouragement, and hope.
SA (6/21), 10am, NAMI - WNC, 356 Biltmore Ave
Magnetic Minds: Depression & Bipolar Support Group A free weekly peer-led
at 7:30 p.m.
MO (6/23), 7:30pm, A-B Tech, 340 Victoria Rd
ART
Coatlicue & Las Meninas: The Stanford Edition
The focal point of the exhibition is Lasch’s newest addition, a tenfoot black mirror merging Diego Velázquez’s iconic painting Las Meninas (1656) and the monumental sculpture of the Mexica deity Coatlicue (1400s). Gallery open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am. Exhibition through July 13.
Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square
Iron & Ink Exhibition
This exhibition focuses on a dynamic era in American history—the Machine Age—when industrialization and advances in technology transformed urban landscapes and redefined the nature of work and leisure nationwide. Gallery open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am. Exhibition through Sept. 27.
Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square
Viewshed Exhibition
meeting for those living with depression, bipolar, and related mental health challenges. For more information contact (828) 367-7660.
SA (6/21), 2pm, First Congregational UCC of Asheville, 20 Oak St Connecting Conversations
Explore conversations built around curiosity, understanding, and openness to develop stronger connections, to be heard, and to empathize with different viewpoints.
MO (6/23), 12:45pm, Peri Social House, 406 W State St, Black Mountain
Dementia Support Group
This free community group meets every month on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday at the Woodfin YMCA and 1st and 3rd Monday at the Asheville YMCA.
MO (6/23), 6pm, Woodfin YMCA, 40 N. Merrimon Ave, Ste 101 Families Anonymous Meeting
Gain support from others who have had lived experiences with a family member or friends substance abuse and related behavioral health challenges.
TU (6/24), 6pm, Love and Respect Community for Recovery and Wellness, 350 Chadwick Ave Ste 300, Hendersonville
Gallery open Monday through Saturday, 10am, and Sunday, noon. Exhibition runs through July 13.
Pink Dog Gallery, 348 Depot St
Against the Grain: Landscape & Sculpture
This intensely collaborative show features lathe turned wood sculptures by Jim Brandon alongside pastel paintings by Mike Wurman. Gallery open Wednesday through Sunday, 10am. Exhibition through June 22.
Mars Landing Galleries, 37 Library St, Mars Hill
Flora Symbolica: The Art of Flowers
The exhibition features the work of celebrated photographer and artist Edward Steichen, whose life-long infatuation with flowers deeply affected his artistic vision. Gallery open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am. Exhibition through July 28. 11am, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square
Member Night
Latin Night Wednesday w/DJ Mtn Vibez
A Latin dance social featuring salsa, bachata, merengue, cumbia, and reggaeton with dance lessons for all skill levels.
WE (6/18, 25), 8pm, One World Brewing W, 520 Haywood Rd
Dance Jam
Get ready to move and groove with professional musicians David Washington and Paul McIntire.
FR (6/20), 6:30pm, Center for Spiritual Living Asheville, 2 Science Mind Way
Community Groove
The Groove is a simple and fun, guided dance experience with easy moves and incredible music from all genres.
SA (6/21), 10:15am, Haw Creek Commons, 315 Old Haw Creek Rd
Sunday Salsa on the Rooftop
Salsa lessons at 6 p.m., followed by a dance social curated by DJ MTN Vibes at 7 p.m.
SU (6/22), 6pm, Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Hwym Ste 200
Monday Night Contra Dance
Contra dancing is a fun, social dance for everyone. Follow a lesson at 7 p.m. and then dance to a live band and caller
The exhibition highlights works that span painting, textile, sound, and performance, inviting viewers to consider the ways in which artistic methodologies evolve and reverberate across time. Gallery open Tuesday through Saturday, 11am. Exhibition through August, 16, 2025.
Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, 120 College St
Enchanted Garden Art Show
Discover a magical blend of art and nature in this outdoor sculpture invitational featuring works by eight artists from North Carolina and beyond. Gallery open Monday through Sunday, 10am. Exhibition through Sept. 21.
Grovewood Gallery, 111 Grovewood Rd
Ursula Gullow: Nightbloom
Gullow’s artwork embraces the decorative arts while reframing the female presence in Western art and rescuing historical imagery from its patriarchal forebears. Gallery open Wednesday through Saturday, 11am. Exhibition through June 21.
Tracey Morgan Gallery, 22 London Rd
Constance Ensner: Withheld
In this exhibition, Constance explores painted and collaged works that delve into the inner world of emotions, and her potent memories of a childhood disrupted.
Enjoy behind-thescenes experiences guided by Museum leadership, wine and charcuterie, and fellowship with the museum team and your fellow members.
TH (6/26), 4:30pm, Museum of the Cherokee People, 589 Tsali Blvd., Cherokee Arts Build Community Exhibition
A powerful display of work by our incredible artists, made possible through the support of Arts Asheville and Buncombe County. Come celebrate art that truly brings people together.
TH (6/26), 5pm, Open Hearts Art Center, 217 Coxe Ave
COMMUNITY MUSIC
Upstream Rebellion
A high-energy bluegrass band from WNC, blending the rich traditions of Appalachian music with a modern, innovative edge, yielding an unforgettable sound.
TH (6/19), 7pm, Folkmoot Friendship Center, 112 Virginia Ave, Waynesville Concerts on the Creek: Mission Accomplished Free concert series for the community with American rock band Mission Accomplished providing the tunes this week. There will be food trucks available on most nights.
FR (6/20), 7pm, Bridge Park Gazebo, 76 Railroad Ave, Sylva Summer Tracks w/ Anya Hinkle & Members of Free Planet Radio
DANCE
Summer Tracks, Tryon’s most popular music series continues this week with Anya Hinkle and members of Free Planet Radio providing the tunes. There will also be food vendors and alcohol beverages are allowed but will not be sold.
FR (6/20), 7pm, Rogers Park, 55 W. Howard St, Tryon
American Tune: Simon, Croce & Taylor
This performance takes you on a magical trip back to the 1970s to experience the timeless music and prolific songwriting of Paul Simon, Jim Croce and James Taylor.
FR (6/20), 7:30pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Rd, Black Mountain
Rock Academy Give to the Music 2025
A year-round rock Band performance program that take their bands out of the classrooms and into Asheville’s music scene.
SA (6/21), 7pm, The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave
70s Kids: Solid Gold
Tribute Band
Get ready to boogie back in time with the 70’s Kids, the high-energy, power-packed six-piece dance band that brings the iconic music of the 1970s to life.
SA (6/21), 7:30pm, Hendersonville Theatre, 229 South Washington St, Hendersonville
Nest of Singing Birds: Bawdy Ballads
They are funny as heck, filthy as sin, and absolutely not for anyone under the age of 18 or the faint of heart. You may even be required to sign a waiver to hear these songs.
SA (6/21), 7:30pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Rd, Black Mountain
Asheville Jazz Orchestra Big Band Night
The AJO’s repertoire ranges from swing era dance classics to original charts by band members and other contemporary composers.
SU (6/22), 7:30pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Rd, Black Mountain
Creative Strings Faculty All-Star Concert
A mix of folk, jazz, and eclectic string music will be presented by incredibly talented musicians.
MO (6/23), 7pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Rd, Black Mountain
Performance & Artist
Talk w/Richard Garet
Richard Garet is a contemporary artist whose work spans sound art, experimental
music, visual art, and multimedia installation.
WE (6/25), 7pm, Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, 120 College St
Park Rhythms Concert Series w/Sluice & Fust
This week features music from alt-country players, Sluice & Fust.
TH (6/26), 6pm, Black Mountain Town Square, Black Mountain
Creatuve Strings Showcase
This showcase will feature over 25 musicians on violin, viola, cello, showcasing solos and ensembles.
TH (6/26), 8pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Rd, Black Mountain
COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS
Crafting Your Business Plan: Marketing (Part 2)
Attendees will learn how to understand the market for your business—from your customer to your competition, to your own unique value proposition. Register at avl.mx/euz.
WE (6/18), 10am, Online
Change Your Palate Cooking Demo
This free lunchtime food demonstration is open to all but tailored towards those with type 2 diabetes or hypertension and/or their caretakers.
WE (6/18), noon, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave
Simply Charmed Jewelry Workshop
This hands on workshop is drop in friendly and who are interested in jewelry making. After a quick demo by the instructor you can take up to 45 minutes to complete your masterpiece.
WE (6/18, 25), TU (6/24), 11am, Ignite Jewelry Studios, 191 Lyman St, Ste 262
Building Resilience: 3 Part Workshop
Review the importance of rest and recovery in building resilience. Identify practical strategies for new ways to rest and learn how to set boundaries to prioritize and protect your wellbeing.
WE (6/18), 5:30pm, YWCA of Asheville, 185 S French Broad Ave
Crafting Your Business Plan: Financials (Part 3)
Learn why businesses borrow money, what lenders are looking for when reviewing your application, and the importance of having cash flow projections. Register at avl.mx/ev0.
TH (6/19), 10am, Online
Gardening in the Mountains Presents: Invasive Plant Control
This class will explore key strategies through an Integrated Pest Management approach, spotlight invasive plants found in WNC, and offer practical tactics to help you identify, manage, and prevent their spread. Register at avl.mx/evq.
TH (6/19), 10am, Online
Farm-to-Table Cooking Class
Whether you’re a beginner in the kitchen or an experienced cook, this course is designed to inspire you to create vibrant, flavorful dishes.
TH (6/19), 5:30pm, N Carolina Cooperative Extension-Madison County Center, 258 Carolina Ln, Marshall
Couch to 5K Training
Learn techniques, habits, and helpful tips each week to improve pace and form so you can run happy and healthy.
TH (6/19, 26), 5:30pm, YWCA of Asheville, 185 S French Broad Ave
Tech Time w/Becca
This week learn how to manage your privacy online and avoid scams.
TU (6/24), 3pm, Harvest House, 205 Kenilworth Rd
Building Resilience: 3 Part Workshop
Explore energy and how to access and increase it to fuel activities to live your best life. Learn exercises to help you feel and balance your energy, and protect it from negativity.
WE (6/25), 5:30pm, YWCA of Asheville, 185 S French Broad Ave
Weathering the Storm(s): Emotional Regulation Workshops
Explore techniques to learn how to stay calm, focused, and active in difficult times. This workshop will improve your emotional resilience to our changing climate and related
challenges.
TH (6/26), 10:30am, N Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave
Access to Capital
Whether you’re a start-up or interested in growing your business, this workshop is here to guide you through the process to secure a business loan. Register at avl.mx/evx.
TH (6/26), 11am, Online
Free Discover Bellydance Class
This class is meant to give attendees a taste of this beautiful art form in a supportive judgement-free class taught by Melanya Zerpa.
TH (6/26), noon, World Dance Asheville, 1269 Tunnel Rd, Ste F
LITERARY
Books on the Boundary: The Art Thieves by Andrea L. Rogers Museum of the Cherokee People's book club highlights the best Native-authored fiction, nonfiction and more.
WE (6/18), 5:30pm, Museum of the Cherokee People, 589 Tsali Blvd., Cherokee
Chestfeeding for Queer & Trans Parents
Author Jacob Engelsman shares his new book Lactation for the Rest of Us, a guide for trans parents, queer parents, adoptive parents, and others who are often left out of conversations about chestfeeding.
TH (6/19), 6pm, Firestorm Books, 1022 Haywood Rd
Asheville Storyslam: Hospitality
Cook up a five-minute story about the beauty and occasional chaos of saying, “Come on in.” Early mornings, late nights, clopening, or back-to-back doubles.
TH (6/19), 7:30pm, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave
Summer Storytime
Families with young children can enjoy stories themed around Juneteenth and the Fourth of July in the Vance house. Try out some fun crafts in the visitor center as well.
SA (6/21), 10am, Vance Birthplace, 911 Reems Creek Rd, Weaverville Book Launch: My Joourney Beyong the Summit by Andrew Patterson
This laid-back event will feature real conversation, good beer, and connection, all centered around Andrew’s powerful story of transformation, resilience, and stepping into the unknown.
SA (6/21), 3pm, Oklawaha Brewing Co., 147 1st Ave E, Hendersonville
Flooded Poetry
Each poet will be able to share 2-3 poems, and occasionally we will have local celebrity poets close out our night with a featured reading.
MO (6/23), 6:30pm, Flood Gallery, 802 Fairview Rd Ste 1200
Meter & Melody: Poetry Night
Poetry open mic hosted by Dill every last Wednesday of the month.
WE (6/25), 7pm, Static Age Loft, 116 N Lexington Ave
Poetry Open Mic Asheville
This open mic welcomes any form of artistic expression from poetry to improv theatre to music to dance. 5 and 10 minute slots available.
WE (6/25), 8:30pm, Sovereign Kava, 268 Biltmore Ave
Abolish Rent Reading Group
A four week reading group exploring local tenant organizing in conversation with the book Abolish Rent: How Tenants Can End the Housing Crisis by Tracy Rosenthal and
This extraordinary musical tells the incredible true story of Carole King, whose journey from a young songwriter to an iconic star will captivate audiences of all ages.
WE (6/18, 25), TH (6/19, 26), FR (6/20), SA (6/21), 7:30pm, SU (6/22), 2pm, Flat Rock Playhouse, 2661 Greenville Hwy, Flat Rock
Foreign Film Fridays
Every Friday visitors can enjoy a cozy movie night in the gallery featuring some amazing foreign films curated by film-buff Carlos Steward.
When the overzealous John Falstaff attempts to woo two wealthy wives for financial gain, the clever women join forces to outsmart him with a series of hilarious pranks.
FR (6/20), SA (6/21), SU (6/22), 7:30pm, Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, 92 Gay St Disney's The Little Mermaid Ariel, King Triton’s youngest daughter, wishes to pursue the human Prince Eric in the world above, bargaining with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to trade her tail for legs. But, the bargain is not what it seems.
FR (6/20), SA (6/21), 7:30pm, SU (6/22), Asheville Community Theatre, 35 E Walnut St Ripcord
A sharp-witted comedy about two senior roommates whose escalating prank war reveals deeper truths
about friendship, loss, and resilience.
FR (6/20), SA (6/21), 7:30pm, SU (6/22), Hart Theatre, 250 Pigeon St, Waynesville
Blind Date Live
Get ready for a night where love is unscripted, unfiltered, and more than a little unpredictable. Whether you’re single and ready to mingle or just there to see sparks fly, this is your chance to witness true love unfold in real time.
FR (6/20), 8pm, The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave
Color Beyond the Lines: A New Local Documentary Film Hendersonville commemorates the 60th anniversary of the integration of its schools with a new film documenting the black community’s thirst for education.
SA (6/21), 7pm, Bo Thomas Auditorium, Blue Ridge Community College, 180 W Campus Dr, Flat Rock
Reel Obscura Mondays
A free weekly movie night that will be serving up a curated mix of cult classics, hidden indie gems and unforgettable films.
MO (6/23), 7pm, Eda's Hide-a-Way, 1098 New Stock Rd, Weaverville Southside Movie Nights
Enjoy the classic combo of delicious fresh popcorn, refreshing drinks, and a family film.
TH (6/26), 6pm, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St
MEETINGS & PROGRAMS
Strolling Strikers:
Relaxed Pace Soccer for Older Adults
This isn't a typical high-octane match, it's a chance to stay active, boost well-being, and connect with fellow enthusiasts in a supportive atmosphere.
WE (6/18), 11am, Memorial Stadium, 32 Buchanan Pl
Southside Cyber Wednesday
Dive into the exciting world of e-sports and gaming with friends and neighbors with two powerful PlayStation 5 consoles ready for action.
WE (6/18, 25), 6pm, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St
Tarot Community Circle
Each week will cover different topics. Please bring a deck based on the system of the Rider Waite Smith tarot.
WE (6/18), 6pm, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd
Tarot w/Cats
This 1-hour workshop will include a brief history of the tarot, and how to incorporate a one- and three-card pull for daily guidance.
FR (6/20), 5:30pm, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd
Summer Solstice
Family Paint Night
Enjoy summer solstice with your family by painting depictions of summer on various size canvases that you take home at the end.
FR (6/20), 6pm, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St
Flowing With Flowers
Through guided visualization, we will focus on being present in the moment. The sequence aims to improve our strength and flexibility, allowing us to bloom into our best selves.
SA (6/21), 8am, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain Summit: Collaboration for Climate Action
A gathering to connect, learn, build skills, and take action on climate resilience, recovery, rebuilding, decarbonization, and more. It will feature workshops, demonstrations, art installations and panel discussions. Visit avl.mx/ev1 to register and the full schedule of events.
SA (6/21), 9am, Warren Wilson College, 701 Warren Wilson Rd, Swannanoa
Water Aerobics
This water-based workout is perfect for anyone looking to stay active and socialize in a supportive and enjoyable environment.
SA (6/21), 10am, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St
Tours of St. John in the Wilderness
The guided tours of the church and churchyard cemetery are led by church docents. Learn about their history with lead docent Polly Morrice.
SA (6/21), 11am, The Episcopal Church of St John in the Wilderness, 1895 Greenville Hwy, Flat Rock
Community Reiki Share
This is a welcoming and safe space for anyone interested in learning about Reiki and experiencing its healing benefits, as well as those looking to strengthen their practice.
event that will feature black kittens galore of all shapes, sizes, and ages.
SA (6/21), noon,House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd
North Carolina in the Revolutionary War Dr. Ellen Pearson will discuss the role played by North Carolina in the Revolution and the history of North Carolina in the 1770s. Visit avl.mx/evi to register for the program.
SA (6/21), 2pm, Online
Summit: Collaboration for Climate Action
A gathering to connect, learn, build skills, and take action on climate resilience, recovery, rebuilding, decarbonization, and more. It will feature workshops, demonstrations, art installations and panel discussions. Visit avl.mx/ev1 to register and the full schedule of events.
SU (6/22), 9am, Warren Wilson College, 701 Warren Wilson Rd, Swannanoa
Coloring w/Cats
Take 50 minutes for yourself and cuddle with the panthers, meet other cat-lovers, and color a beautiful picture of a cat from our adult coloring books.
SU (6/22), 2pm, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd
Youth Mental Health First Aid For Adults Program designed to teach adults how to help an adolescent who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis.
MO (6/23), TU (6/24), 10am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave
Lunch & Learn: Self Defense 101
Participants will learn foundational techniques, tips for increasing awareness, and how to respond effectively in uncomfortable or dangerous situations.
MO (6/23), noon, Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center, 72 Leroy George Dr, Clyde Black Men Monday
A local group that has stepped up in the community to advocate for and mentor students through academic intervention.
MO (6/23), 5:30pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave
Samatha-Vipassana Two Complementary Meditation Practices
During this evening we will have a guided meditation that helps us to find our still center and to rest in it.
MO (6/23), 6:30pm, The Lodge at Quietude, 1130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain
IBN Biz Lunch: West Asheville
All are invited to attend and promote their business, products, and services, and meet new referral contacts.
WE (6/25), noon, Yao, 153 Smoky Park Hwy
Shamanic Journey Circle
Bring a blanket and eye pillow for journeying, a journal to capture insights, and a water bottle. You're welcome to bring a drum or any portable instrument and a crystal to charge or clear.
WE (6/25), 6:30pm, The Well, 3 Louisiana Ave
NSA-WNC Meeting
Professional keynote speakers, coaches, trainers, facilitators, and consultants who cover a broad range of topics, skills and knowledge.
The meeting will consist of introductions by every guest, a discussion of future networking opportunities, a roundtable business needs and solutions segment, a time for gratitude and testimonials and more.
TH (6/26), noon, The Village Porch, 51 N Merrimon Ave
Postmarked Memories: Exploring History of the Swannanoa Valley Through Postcards Swannanoa Valley resident and local historian Mary Standaert will lead an engaging illustrated lecture exploring the history of the Swannanoa Valley through the lens of postcards.
TH (6/26), 6pm, Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center, 223 West State St, Black Mountain
GAMES & CLUBS
Level 256 Weekly
Pinball Tournament
This is a weekly group knockout pinball tournament. Food will be provided to players. All ages and skill levels are welcome.
SU (6/22), 5:30pm, Level 256 Classic Arcade Bar, 79 Coxe Ave
Ping Pong Tournament
Come by and shoot your shot against some of the best ping pong players in town. Free to enter and $50 bar tab to the winner.
MO (6/23), 6pm, Sovereign Kava, 268 Biltmore Ave
Bingo! Weekly bingo raises funds to place service dogs with people affected by Helene. Hosted by Paws and Effect, a Black Mountain-based service
dog organization. TU (6/24), 6pm, Wild Wing Cafe South, 65 Long Shoals Rd, Arden BINGO Night w/ Asheville Rotary Club
You can’t beat a night of free bingo, fun prizes, great bbq, and delicious brews.
Featuring 3 different themes of upbeat, family friendly music. It’s first come first serve, no tickets required and free to play.
WE (6/25), 5:30pm, New Belgium Brewing Co., 21 Craven St
KID-FRIENDLY PROGRAMS
Coloring w/Cats: Kiddie Edition
An artistic session with coloring books and markers for children ages 13 and under to relax by coloring as they pet cats to reduce stress and anxiety.
SA (6/21), 1pm, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd
Family Story Time
A fun and interactive story time designed for children ages 18 months to 3 years.
WE (6/18, 25), 10:30am, Black Mountain Library, Black Mountain
Baby Storytime
A lively language enrichment story time designed for children ages 4 to 18 months.
TH (6/19, 26), 10:30am, Black Mountain Library, Black Mountain
Preschool Storytime
Miss Jennifer will lead children ages 3 to 6 in engaging activities such as stories, songs, and other hands-on activities designed for children.
WE (6/25), 2pm, Hickory Nut Gap Farm, 57 Sugar Hollow Rd, Fairview
Toddler Sip & Splash Dive into fun and exploration with this drop-in program that combines the joy of water play with a social and sensory-rich environment.
TH (6/26), 3:30pm, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center
Black Cat Tales: Story Time w/Cats
A special after-school workshop where families with children age 7 and under can relax and foster a love of reading while also socializing with the cats in the lounge.
TH (6/26), 4pm, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd
LOCAL MARKETS
Leicester Farmers Market
A community-led farmers market local produce, cheese, meats, honey, strawberries, asparagus, rhubarb, ramps, a variety of plants and more. Every Wednesday through October.
WE (6/18, 25), 3pm, Leicester Community Center, 2979 New Leicester Hwy, Leicester
RAD Farmers Market
Asheville’s only year-round weekly market, featuring 30+ vendors offering fresh produce, baked goods, handcrafted items, beverages, grab-and-go meals, and more. EBT and SNAP accepted.
WE (6/18, 25), 3pm, New Belgium Brewing Co., 21 Craven St
Weaverville Tailgate Market
This market features a selection of fresh, locally grown produce, grass fed beef, pork, chicken, eggs, cheese, baked goods, artisan bread, eclectic handmade goodies, garden and landscaping plants. Open year-round.
WE (6/18, 25), 3pm, 60 Lake Shore Dr Weaverville
Biltmore Park Farmers Market
This market features fresh seasonal produce, delicious homemade pastries, premium meats and seafood, beautiful vibrant flowers, and more.
TH (6/19, 26), 3pm, Biltmore Park Town Square, Town Square Blvd.
Enka-Candler Farmer's Market
A grand selection of local foods and crafts, everything from produce to pickles, baked goods to body care, and even educational resources. Every Thursday through October 31.
TH (6/19, 26), 3:30pm, A-B Tech Small Business Center, 1465 Sand Hill Rd, Candler
East Asheville Tailgate Market
Featuring over 25 vendors selling meat, seafood, produce, flowers, bread, eggs, baked goods, fruit, herbs, sweet treats, tamales, and more. Every Friday through Nov. 21.
FR (6/20), 3pm, Groce United Methodist Church, 954 Tunnel Rd
5 Points Flea Market
Sell or come browse vintage finds, handmade goods, art, antiques—whatever you’ve got. Plus, enjoy tasty eats from local food trucks.
SA (6/21), 8am, Mt Clare Ave, Mt Clare Ave
Green River Community Yard Sale
Find hidden treasures, vintage goods, clothes, toys, furniture, and more. Bring your friends, family, and your best shopping bags.
SA (6/21), 8am, Tuxedo Park, 1299 Old US Hwy 25, Zirconia
Mills River Farm Market
This market offers local food, live music, kids' activities, cooking demos, and a welcoming community. Browse fresh produce and pasture-raised meats to homemade breads, fresh flowers, and artisan goods.
SA (6/21), 8am, Mills River Elementary School, 94 Schoolhouse Rd, Mills River
North Asheville Tailgate Market
Browse from over 70 vendors that will be offering sustainably produced produce, meats, eggs, cheeses, breads, honey, plants, prepared foods, crafts and more.
SA (6/21), 8am, UNC Asheville Lot P28
Asheville City Market
A producer-only market featuring local food products, including fresh produce, meat, cheese, bread, pastries, and other artisan products. Every Saturday through December.
SA (6/21), 9am, 52 N Market St
Black Mountain Tailgate Market
A seasonal community event featuring organic and sustainably grown produce, plants, cut flowers, herbs, local raised meats, seafood, breads, pastries, cheeses, eggs and locally handcrafted items. Every Saturday through Nov. 22.
SA (6/21), 9am, 130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain
Mars Hill Farmers & Artisans Market
A producer-only tailgate market located on the campus of Mars Hill University on College Street. Offering fresh local produce, herbs, cheeses, meats, eggs, baked goods, honey, body care and more. Every Saturday through Oct. 26.
SA (6/21), 10am, College St, Mars Hill
WNC Farmers Market
This year-round market features locally grown produce, fruits and vegetables, mountain crafts, plants, shops, arts and crafts, sourwood honey, and other farm fresh items. Open daily, 8am. 570 Brevard Rd
Junk-O-Rama Vintage Market
Browse vintage clothing vendors, local crafters, antiques and more.
SU (6/22), 12pm, Fleetwood's, 496 Haywood Rd
Meadow Market
This vibrant outdoor market features a curated selection of local makers and artisans.
Browse a delightful array of one-of-a-kind textiles, handcrafted jewelry, beautiful pottery, and more.
SU (6/22), 1pm, The Meadow at Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Hwy, Ste 200 West Asheville Tailgate Market
This market features an array of goods including fruits, vegetables, baked goods, bread, eggs, cheese, plants, specialty items, locally made art and crafts and more. Every Tuesday through November.
TU (6/24), 3:30pm, 718 Haywood Rd
FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS
Art in Bloom 2025
This multifaceted event, celebrating nature and art, combines two gallery exhibits, live floral arrangements, and a local garden tour featuring working artists.
TH (6/19), 7pm, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain Visuals Solstice Celebration w/Sleep Number
Enjoy a free wine tasting and live performances by Sleep Number, Cerulean Moth, Superflower and DJ Sets between performances by Forestfloor.
TH (6/19), 7pm, Eulogy, 10 Buxton Ave
Incredible Business Speed: Hendersonville Meet new faces and make important contacts as you participate in a structured business networking event with a system designed to ensure you meet a large number of business professionals face to face.
FR (6/20), 9am, Blue Ridge Community College Conference Hall, 49 E Campus Dr, Flat Rock
Downtown After 5 w/ Southern Ave
Each event will include performances from local artists, dance groups, food options, live art and more. This week will feature a Juneteenth celebration with Southern Avenue.
FR (6/20), 5pm, Pack Square Park, 80 Court Plaza
Summer Solstice Fest
A special Summer Solstice festival celebrating the release of New Belgium's new beer, The High Priestess. It will feature a hand-picked curated market, vendors, and live music from Holler and Crow as well as DJ's Grimmjoi and
Divine Thud.
FR (6/20), 5pm, New Belgium Brewing, 21 Craven St
M.A.G.M.A: Land of Sky Gem Show
This gem show will feature 35 indoor and outdoor vendors with everything from affordable treasures to the finest gems, minerals, fossils, artifacts and jewelry in the Southeast.
FR (6/20), SA (6/21), 9am, SU (6/22), 10am, 39 Spring Cove Rd, Swannanoa
One World West's 7th Anniversary Party w/ Davis & The Love & JLloyd Mashup
A 7 year anniversary party with music from Davis & the Love and JLloyd Mashup. Dress in your favorite club attire.
FR (6/20), 9pm, One World Brewing W, 520 Haywood Rd
Papadosio’s Summer Sequence
This special 2-day event features music from Papadosio, a band that navigates the confluence of prog rock, livetronica, jazz and jam. It will also feature support from Moon Hooch, Resonant Language, Cpt. HyperDrive, DJ Bowie
and The Snozzberries.
FR (6/20), SA (6/21), 6pm, Pisgah Brewing Co., 2948 US Hwy 70 W, Black Mountain Pride Festival
A free family-friendly event celebrating pride month in Hickory Nut Gorge with live music all day long, resource tables, special performers, crafts, a glitter station, food & drink options and more.
See p40
SA (6/21), 10am, Grey Hawk Bar & Gardens, 111 Resort Ln, Lake Lure
Summer Solstice Wellness Retreat
Enjoy complimentary yoga classes with Camilla Fay. Afterwards, taste juices and vegan bites from Pulp and Sprout and New Belgium’s newest hard refresher, Lightstrike. SA (6/21), 10am, The Wyre River Arts, 146 Roberts St
Take Root Festival
Visitors will be welcomed into the vibrant world of the farm with live music, local beer, ice cream, and an array of hands-on workshops and educational booths.
SA (6/21), 11am, Root Cause Farm, 26 Joe Jenkins Rd, Fairview
2025 MountainTrue
BioBlitz
Help identify and catalog organisms using the online app iNaturalist. Volunteers will hike with experts in reptiles, amphibians, mammals, birds, plants and mushrooms.
SA (6/21), 12:30pm, Hickory Nut Gap Farm, 57 Sugar Hollow Rd, Fairview
Botanist & Barrel 8 Year Anniversary Party
Come celebrate 8 years of natty wine, real cider, and unshakable community with tastings, live music, and tinned fish that'll make you rethink what belongs on a cracker.
SA (6/21), 1pm, Botanist & Barrel Tasting Bar + Bottle Shop, 32 Broadway St, Ste 110
RAD Solstice
This is a celebration of the Summer Solstice and the ongoing renewal of Asheville’s River Arts District. Les Amis will bring the dance party to Solstice, with hot Ivory Coast rhythms and songs, featuring special guests, the Screamin' Stevens.
SA (6/21), 2pm, The RAD Brew Co., 13 Mystery St
The Official Pride Bar Crawl
Gather your crew, rock your rainbow, and get ready for a day of colorful drinks, good vibes, and epic bar-hopping fun.
SA (6/21), 4pm, Catawba Brewing Co.
S Slope Asheville, 32 Banks Ave
Westvilleminster Dog Show
A special celebration of all dogs with all proceeds going to the Asheville Human Society. You can enter your dog into up to 3 categories, but must pre-register. Winners in each category will receive a prize and a trophy.
SA (6/21), 4pm, One World Brewing W, 520 Haywood Rd
Cosmic Solstice
An intentional live-electronic music experience guided by incredible multi-faceted DJs featuring Reality, Hypnocat and ionSound, each bringing their unique electronic sound palette.
SA (6/21), 9pm, One World Brewing W, 520 Haywood Rd
Asheville Veganfest Spring
A special festival where you can eat and support the local vegan community. It will feature food trucks, a DJ, vendors, free face painting, a 360 photobooth and more.
See p38
SU (6/22), noon, Pack Square Park, 1 South Pack Square Park
Mr. & Miss Midsummer Drag Pageant
A sacred rite of transformation, radiance, and divine queerness. Contestants will channel the theme of Midsummer Magic, with variations including: Sun gods & goddesses, faeries, fire elementals and more.
SU (6/22), 8pm, Eulogy, 10 Buxton Ave
2025 Yetzirah Jewish Poetry Conference
A cohort of 36 poets from across the world will gather in Asheville for writing workshops, discussion panels, readings, and a shared celebration of Shabbat. Visit avl.mx/ev9 for the full schedule of events.
MO (6/23), TU (6/24), WE (6/25), TH (6/26), UNC Asheville, 1 University Heights
Sapphic Songbook Karaoke & Costume Contest
A Pride-season celebration of queer joy, powerhouse performances, and unapologetic Big Dyke Energy. Whether you’re taking the mic or cheering from the crowd, this is your night to show up, sing out, and support the queer community.
A blues and soul celebration benefiting Habitat for Humanity and Leaf Global Arts. It will feature music from Mama, Melissa McKinney, Mad Dog Blues Band, and Eric Freeman.
WE (6/18), 7pm, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave
Low-Cost Community Neuter Clinic
Please schedule and pay for your appointment prior to showing up. Appointments and additional services can be scheduled at
avl.mx/dlq.
TH (6/19), 9am, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd
Katarina’s Saturday Cabaret: Pride Brunch to Benefit Blue Ridge Pride
This love-filled event will feature a cast of dazzling drag performers in a colorful celebration of Pride month. BiscuitHead South will provide a mouthwatering brunch, and proceeds from the event will benefit Blue Ridge Pride. See p41 SA (6/21), 11am, Banks Ave., 32 Banks Ave
Hurricane Helene Recovery Benefit Concert
This benefit will feature food, drinks, live music and a silent auction with all donations benefiting United Way's Hurricane Helene relief efforts. See p41 SA (6/21), 2pm, The Odd, 1045 Haywood Rd
ReSister Bingo
A fun drag bingo fundraiser for the Campaign for Southern Equality.
Enjoy a wonderful evening, win prizes and raise money for a great cause all at the same time.
SA (6/21), 6pm, Haywood Famous, 508 Haywood Rd
The Longest Day: Bridge Open House & Fundraiser
The Asheville Bridge Room (ABR), which meets for bridge games and tournaments is hosting an open house for all bridge players at any level. This event is also an annual fundraising event held to support the fight against Alzheimer's disease.
SU (6/22), 1pm, Congregation Beth Israel, 229 Murdock Ave
Skylaranna Resort Artist ReLEAF Concert Series
A concert series that benefits artists impacted by Hurricane Helene with local music, vendors, food, drinks, and more.
WE (6/25), 6pm, Skylaranna Hotel & Resort, 2075 N Rugby Rd, Hendersonville
Ways to rekindle a romantic partnership
The importance of date nights and the value of sex shops
BY JAMIE ZANE
Dear Readers,
This month, I am looking at some of the barriers that I have seen many people face when it comes to spicing up their relationship, offering some suggestions (or reminders) for how to go about doing this and why it’s important to center joyful experiences in our most intimate relationships.
WE HAVE COMMUNICATION ISSUES
Here’s the thing: Everyone has communication issues. It’s the No. 1 thing I see written down on a therapy intake form. I’m convinced that
we have an entire society reared on emotional immaturity and shame. We are all learning how to be human and simultaneously trying to cast out a lot of things that make us human.
When people in partnership have a lack of empathy or accountability skills, it’s much more difficult to get to a place of actual repair, and this erodes trust over time. It is not reasonable to expect that your partner will read your mind, but that is a very common desire and expectation. Partners are supposed to get to the point of anticipating our needs so much that we don’t have to ask for what we want. (I call bullsh*t on that.)
My best advice for addressing communication issues is to learn as much as you can about what you are doing on your end. Read books, listen to
podcasts, talk with a therapist and explore communication styles, attachment theory and all kinds of fun things about relationships. My agenda is to get everyone interested in becoming their own relationship expert.
Talking about sex is far more difficult in a relationship that doesn’t feel like it has the emotional backbone to handle such a vulnerable topic. You will need a baseline of safety with communication in your relationship before you can start openly exploring this topic.
WE DON’T SPEND TIME TOGETHER
I am deeply worried about our modern world for many reasons. One thing that I see happening is that we are more connected with our phones than with human interaction. It pains me to see an entire family at dinner with their respective faces glued to their devices.
Most of us are in some sort of hustle culture. There is a lot expected for one person. Life is stressful and busy and often completely unpredictable. This takes a toll on a relationship, and it’s very easy to collapse at the end of each day and feel lucky if we can manage a Netflix show together. And if there are kids involved or other partners (if we are polyamorous/open), that complicates calendars even further.
I am a big fan of having a scheduled date night every week. If it has
BREAKING BARRIERS: Sex therapist Jamie Zane looks at solutions to the barriers many people face when it comes to spicing up their relationship. Photo by Ryan Brazell
to be biweekly or monthly, so be it. That’s far better than nothing at all. Consistency is key because it helps regulate our nervous systems. We may start off feeling anxious, but with time and repetition, our bodies learn how to relax, and we start anticipating the positive feelings from the experience. Schedule a date night with consistency and try to alternate who gets to pick the activity each week.
I advocated for so many relationships to do this for years before I
water + shiatsu = watsu
Enjoy a therapeutic aquatic practice that combines gentle movement and support in warm water, fostering deep relaxation and emotional healing.
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started taking my own advice with my primary partnership. And what’s funny is that I had the same excuses (or sometimes genuine barriers) that a lot of people have expressed to me. Time, money, lack of child care, etc. The thing is that I was missing the point about what date night actually is versus what I thought it should be. It became less and less about the activity and more about the intentional, focused time that we were putting aside just for our relationship each week. And it didn’t matter if our kid was home and we had to wait until he went to sleep or not.
Some fun date night ideas:
• Vino & Vulvas (three Thursday night shows — June 26, July 24 and Aug. 21 at The Mule): a sex edutainment event in which a panel of sexual health experts delights an audience.
• Asheville Mind Reading at Story Parlor with Jonathan Pritchard — it’s absolutely amazing and unique.
• Picnic at The N.C. Arboretum, Asheville Botanical Gardens or the Blue Ridge Parkway.
• Explore Sylva, Black Mountain, Tryon, Saluda, Marion,
Rutherfordton, Hendersonville — I could go on and on.
• Classic dinner and a movie at the Fine Arts Theatre.
• Our region has plenty of ax-throwing venues.
• The Asheville Pinball Museum offers a unique experience.
• Walk around downtown, a greenway or a waterfall.
• Make a spreadsheet of activities of your own and break them down by season or weather, indoor or outdoor.
OUR SEX LIFE HAS BEEN ROUTINE
Sometimes I’m surprised by how many people out there are afraid to tell their partners what they want. I’ve known lots of people from my work and from my personal life who have wanted to rekindle a sexual connection with a partner but didn’t know where to start. Sending them to a local sex shop feels like the kind of harmful exposure therapy that was once popularized in the '90s on sensational afternoon talk shows. I’m not a fan of causing harm or discomfort in anyone; therefore I tend to suggest a more gradual approach to building up courage to do something challenging.
I am a fan of figuring out things on your own first before inviting another human along for the ride. I know that this might not work for everyone, so if you need a buddy who is a highly trusted, nonjudgmental ally, that works, too.
VaVaVooom is at 57 Broadway in downtown Asheville. If you are too embarrassed to go into a sex shop, this might be your best option because you can just stumble in there about as easily as you can the fantastic L.O.F.T. of Asheville store just a couple of doors down (which is not a sex shop, but it is a delightful place to buy gifts, novelties and maybe even some other things that will brighten your mood — and so technically speaking, that can help with sex, too). At VaVaVooom there are body-safe toys that you can actually see out of their box, lingerie, books, games and incredible staff members who are well-informed about their products.
Boutique Royal is at 117 Sweeten Creek Road, suite 30, and farther south in Arden, BedTyme Stories is at 2334 Hendersonville Road. Both shops have their own parking lots — making it easier and more accessible. I am not as familiar with either location. It’s important to know that if you see something on a product box that says, “For novelty use only,” it’s likely not meant to be used on your body. I don’t think you will see anything like that in these stores.
Once you have explored one or all of these shops and figured out what you like, take your partner with you after you have given a positive report of what you liked and why. And speaking of that: What do you like? What does your body respond well to? What does your body NOT respond well to? What are you not sure about yet but curious about?
This can all be summed up by completing an inventory list. One of my favorites can be found at avl.mx/euv. You can take this on your own or you can take it with a partner and share. Either way, it’s helpful to identify these things and create a common, shared language with anyone you are going to be sexually intimate with. And remember that sometimes that intimacy can fall off for all sorts of reasons, but with good communication skills, quality time together and the ability to have vulnerable conversations, there’s hope for deepening or rekindling your connection.
You can submit sex or relationship questions to jamie@ outofthewoodstherapy.com for potential inclusion in a future "Love & Sex in WNC" column. All submissions will remain anonymous. Please include “Xpress” in the subject line. Happy Pride, y’all. X
Business in bloom
Local hemp innovator Franny Tacy is growing a greener Asheville through policy advocacy
BY GINA SMITH
Asheville farmer and entrepreneur Franny Tacy has long been considered a North Carolina hemp pioneer. Working from her farm in Leicester, she broke ground as the state’s first female hemp grower in 2017, then blazed a trail as one of the first women in the Southeast to operate a cannabis dispensary with the launch of Franny’s Farmacy in downtown Asheville in 2018.
Today, having opened the third corporate Franny’s Farmacy location in West Asheville in March (and with franchises in Hickory, Cary and Augusta, Ga.), Tacy has moved beyond the local scene to focus on hemp education and policy change at the state, national and global levels.
In the past few months alone, she has presented at multiple events around the country. In late December, she spoke about cannabis retail and education and MJ BizCon in Las Vegas. In March, she spoke at the five-day immersive event, Sustain Me, in Mills Spring in Polk County, covering hemp and how it can contribute to wellness for a healthier planet.
Sustainable hemp farming and seed-toshelf transparency were her topics at the NoCo Hemp Expo in Estes Park, Colo., in April. And already this month, she’s talked about delta-8 and delta-9 drink laws at the Cannabis Means Business Conference & Expo in New York City and about cannabis drinks at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago. Next on her agenda, says Tacy, are speaking engagements about global
hemp policies in Germany and Colombia. “I’m pushing for clear rules and safe products,” she explains.
At the state level, she says, she’s testifying at hearings and collaborating with the N.C. Industrial Hemp Association to support expanded access to medical cannabis through the N.C. Compassionate Care Act. Tacy is also advocating for N.C. resolution 1007, which is aimed at creating safety and quality-control regulations around hemp products, including a 21-and-older age restriction on sales, licensing and labeling requirements and mandatory third-party testing.
Delta-8 and delta-9 drinks are an area of particular interest. “There’s no age limit or standardized testing, which is a problem,” she says. “I’m advocating for dosage caps — think 25 mg per serving for liquid hemp products like drinks — and mandatory lab testing for contaminants like heavy metals.”
At the new West Asheville Franny’s Farmacy at 645 Haywood Road, delta-9 seltzers are among the most popular products, Tacy says, along with THCa prerolls. Customers tend to migrate to the store’s smoking patio to relax with THCa and CBD smokables.
The space is available to rent for parties and other events. “Happy hour drink specials and movie nights are coming,” says Tacy.
The business is working to spread the cannabis love by pursuing expansion in other communities through franchises. “We’re eyeing new spots where cannabis thrives,” she says.
For cooling down in the summer heat, Tacy offers a simple, all-natural, alcohol-free drink recipe to make at home. “This elegant spritzer is easy
to prepare, supports relaxation and reflects my commitment to accessible, health-conscious living,” she says.
In a glass, muddle cucumber slices, mint leaves and honey. Add ice, then pour in sparkling water. Stir in one dropper of CBD tincture. Garnish with a mint sprig and cucumber slice. Enjoy the calming, crisp flavors! X
N.C. governor creates state cannabis advisory council
N.C. Gov. Josh Stein signed an executive order on June 4 establishing the new N.C. Advisory Council on Cannabis. The 24-person group will research and recommend a comprehensive approach to regulating cannabis sales in the state, Stein said in a statement about the order.
“They will study best practices and learn from other states to develop a system that protects youth, allows adult sales, ensures public safety, promotes public health, supports North Carolina agriculture, expunges past convictions of simple THC possession, and invests the revenues in resources for addiction, mental health, and drugged driving detection,” Stein said.
In the statement, Stein noted North Carolina’s current availability of unregulated products, lack of a legal mini-
mum age for purchasing and absence of labeling requirements. “Our state’s unregulated cannabis market is the wild west and is crying for order,” he said. “Let’s get this right and create a safe, legal market for adults that protects kids.”
Co-chairs for the N.C. Advisory Council on Cannabis are N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Health Director and Chief Medical Officer Lawrence Greenblatt and Matt Scott, district attorney for Prosecutorial District 20 in Robeson County. The group begins meeting in July with the goal of submitting preliminary recommendations for a comprehensive policy by March 15, 2026.
To read Stein’s full statement and the executive order, visit avl.mx/evp. X
GREEN GODDESS: A mural of the Greek goddess Athena by local artist Ian Wilkinson helps draw people to the newest Franny's Farmacy location in West Asheville, says owner Franny Tacy, pictured. Photo courtesy of Franny's Farmacy
‘The
ARTS & CULTURE
defining 6 months’
Craft shops reopen post-Helene with cautious optimism
BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN
earnaudin@mountainx.com
When Tropical Storm Helene rolled through Western North Carolina last September, Biltmore Village and the River Arts District were among the areas of Asheville most significantly impacted by flooding from the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers. Home to numerous artist studios and galleries, these sectors experienced significant losses for local business owners, many of whom were caught by surprise and either didn’t prepare for the magnitude of destruction or could only rescue so much inventory — if they could even reach their building. But in keeping with the durability of mountain people and the craft community in particular, many businesses have persevered and bounced back. Less than nine months after the natural disaster hit, the Southern Highland Craft Guild (SHCG) and Ignite Jewelry Studios relocated downtown, while New Morning Gallery reopened in Biltmore Village. Xpress spoke with representatives from each shop about getting back on track and the challenges that lie ahead.
BACK TO THE ROOTS
“I still can't drive in Biltmore Village without tearing up,” says Judy Dillingham, longtime shop manager of SHCG’s store in that location.
In preparation for Helene, SHCG employees and eventually Dillingham’s own family members moved items above the waterline from the 2004 floods. Tarps and sandbags were also put in front of the doors — measures
that had proved effective in the past — but floodwaters breached these barriers and rose upstairs. The only things that Dillingham and her staff could salvage were items on the high shelves, which made up only a small percentage of the inventory.
“It was heartbreaking. Knowing the person who made these [crafts], you feel so connected to them. And [the SHCG
staff feels] so connected because we have such a passion for what we do,” Dillingham says. “So we didn't just lose what was in the shop — we lost all of that. But so many beautiful things are coming from that heartache and that devastation, and I'm amazed every day by the resilience of this community and the guild itself.”
While restoration efforts remain underway at the Biltmore Village location, one of those proverbial concrete roses grew when SHCG learned that the Mountain Made art gallery was vacating its spot at Suite 123 in the Grove Arcade. SHCG Executive Director Tom Bailey and others secured the lease, reconnecting the guild with its long-standing history downtown. Those links date to 1908, when SHCG founding member Frances Goodrich opened her Allanstand Cottage Industries shop in the district, and it continued once the guild officially formed in 1930.
“They were here until 1981, when they went to the Folk Art Center. So, for us to be a part of bringing the guild back to downtown Asheville is just so exciting,” Dillingham says. “It just feels full circle.”
The new location gives SHCG staffers an opportunity to tell people about the long-running Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands, which is held twice a year, mere blocks away at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville. And despite limited space, Dillingham plans to regularly offer artist demonstrations in the shop, particularly on the weekends.
SPARKING INSPIRATION
Ignite Jewelry Studios owner Jessica Blissett spent 11 years at Riverview Station in the RAD, occupying three different spaces over that time. The most recent spot for her business was on the second floor. It included room for a gallery as well as classes and workshops, plus it housed 15 residents who used it for their own art businesses or as a creative space.
As soon as floodwaters from Helene receded, Blissett ventured over to trudge through the mud-caked building and rescue her clients’ jewelry as well as some of her more expensive tools. However, furniture and other large
RETURN TO DOWNTOWN: The Southern Highland Craft Guild operated out of downtown Asheville from its 1930 launch until 1981. In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene, the organization has returned to the business district, launching inside the Grove Arcade. Featured is Allison McLamb, assistant manager. Photo by Chad Truitt
items were lost to mold and mildew that grew quickly in the damp environment.
“But in the grand scheme of things, I was able to put my business back into a new place in six weeks' time with a lot of work and grants and my GoFundMe [campaign],” she says.
A surge of orders for her jewelry-making business, Bluebird Designs, also helped keep her financially afloat as she searched for a suitable new home for Ignite.
“It can be noisy," she says of her business. "You've got lots of people hammering on things during classes, and you've got torches going on. There are so many places that didn't make sense.”
She eventually found the cement floor, walls and ceiling she desired at 84 Walnut St., Unit A, next to The Local Barber and Tap. The new space allows for a larger gallery than she had at Riverview Station and, as she continues to build it out, will be able to house more residents. Ignite had its soft opening in late May and will have a grand reopening celebration on Saturday, June 21, 4-8 p.m.
Blissett has also noticed multiple former RAD artists who’ve likewise relocated their businesses downtown. Though she misses the built-in camaraderie of her former home, she feels that having more working studios in the city center benefits the local arts scene overall and will only get stronger as the RAD rebuilds.
SUNRISE
A Biltmore Village fixture since 1972, New Morning Gallery has occupied its current second-floor location in the McGeachy Building since 1978. The elevation meant damage from Helene was limited to the ground floor on Boston Way, which Neal Reed, director of operations at parent company New Morning Ltd., says consisted of the lobby, elevator, shipping, storage and some back stock. But its adjacent sister store, Bellagio Art to Wear, experienced a 100% loss.
Water crested a few feet below New Morning Gallery’s floor, which protected its inventory but necessitated replacing wallboard, plywood behind the walls and the entire electrical infrastructure, which Reed says proved the most expensive repairs. Through it all, a core group of five employees has worked every day since safe building access became possible. The shop had its soft reopening on May 14, and an official reopening celebration is set for Friday, June 20, 5-8 p.m.
“When people come in and say, ‘We're glad you're back,’ I tell them, ‘We've been here. I'm glad you're back because you are the recovery workers at this point,’” Reed says.
Kara Irani, director of public relations with the Historic Biltmore Village
Association, notes that businesses like New Morning Gallery “have a real ripple effect in our community” because the shop represents numerous local craftspeople.
“It's very important for places like this to be available for artists to show and to sell their products and their goods, and also keeping people employed,” Irani says. “Especially with looking at the economic piece being the next large recovery piece, that's really vital for everyone to keep moving forward and progress with.”
Attracting sufficient visitors to town, however, remains an issue. Though
Gov. Josh Stein recently went on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" to let the nation know that WNC is ready for its usual influx of summer tourism, Reed calls the second half of 2025 “the defining six months” in terms of true recovery for Asheville.
“We're looking at quite a few [Biltmore Village] businesses opening in the next two months,” Reed says. “Our message is that of optimism. We really want people to know that Asheville is open for business. There are great places to go and eat and there are plenty of places to stay. There's lots to do.”
BACK UP AND RUNNING: Jessica Blissett, right, instructs student Lindsey Turner inside her business, Ignite Jewelry Studios, 82 Walnut St., Unit A. The space celebrates its grand reopening Saturday, June 21, 4-8 p.m. Photo by Chad Truitt
NOW OPEN: Neal Reed, left, director of operations at New Morning Ltd., poses with Sarah Marshall, New Morning Gallery manager. The shop celebrates its reopening Friday, June 20, 5-8 p.m. Photo by Chad Truitt
Hidden truth
Film explores legacy of Hendersonville's all-Black Ninth Avenue School
BY JUSTIN M c GUIRE
jmcguire@mountainx.com
When Edward King walked into his first integrated classroom in 1965, the white students assumed he and his Black classmates would struggle to keep up.
But King, who was entering the eighth grade that fall, already had been tackling college-level math and science at allBlack Ninth Avenue School and found the newly rechristened Hendersonville Junior High to be less academically challenging than what he was used to.
“They thought they were going to have to dumb it down for us,” recalls King, who lives in Hendersonville. “Truth is, we thought the material was weak.”
That “hidden truth,” as King calls it, is at the heart of Color Beyond the
Lines, a documentary premiering on Saturday, June 21, in Hendersonville. The film, directed by David Weintraub, explores the history of Ninth Avenue School and its lasting impact on Black students in Henderson, Transylvania and Polk counties from 1951-65.
LIFE LESSONS
For King, the documentary tells a necessary and overlooked story: Students at Ninth Avenue were often better prepared than their white peers.
“Our teachers were rough because they had to make up for what we didn’t have in materials,” he says.
Students were handed worn-out textbooks discarded from white schools, often falling apart and held together with glue and tape. But educators overcame such obstacles and pushed
students with advanced textbooks, hands-on labs and rigorous instruction.
“We learned how to use the slide rule when we were in the fourth grade,” King says. “Some of the English textbooks we used in third or fourth grade weren’t used in white schools until high school.”
When King returned to Ninth Avenue, rebranded as Hendersonville Junior High (and now known as Hendersonville Middle School) for eighth grade, the building was integrated, but attitudes had not changed much.
“Yes, there was some bullying,” King recalls. “The teachers looked down on us. We went from being nurtured to being dismissed.”
Even guidance counselors discouraged students like King from attending college. But he persevered, earning a psychology degree from UNC Asheville and accumulating numerous professional certifications over a long career. Many of his classmates went on to become educators, executives and professionals across the country.
King believes the documentary is a chance to correct the record and to inspire. “If we had been treated equally, if we had the same funding, what would Hendersonville be like now?” he asks. “It’s not just about the past. It’s about the opportunity that was lost for an entire community.”
King will attend the documentary’s premiere, eager to see not just how his story was told but how the broader story of Ninth Avenue will finally be seen.
BLACK VOICES
While the 60th anniversary of school desegregation in the Henderson, Polk and Transylvania counties served as a
catalyst for the film, it covers a broader history of Black education and community life from the 1870s to the present, says Weintraub, who began his filmmaking career in 1999 after stints as a civil rights attorney and environmental activist.
Color Beyond the Lines may be his last feature, he says. Having directed more than 50 films, many of them aired on public television, he is ready to focus on writing and mentoring younger filmmakers.
“This was a film I knew I had to make,” explains Weintraub, executive director of the Center for Cultural Preservation. “There are so many myths about Black history in this region, like there was no slavery here or no real discrimination, and I wanted to challenge those myths with the truth, told directly by the people who lived it.”
In partnership with the Henderson County Black History Research Group, revived in recent years and led by community storyteller Ronnie Pepper, Weintraub conducted more than two dozen interviews, mostly with Black elders like King.
“I wanted this to be their story, not mine,” Weintraub says. “Too often, white storytellers shape Black narratives to fit a comfortable mold. My job was to step back and let these voices be heard.”
Weintraub also drew on resources like Betty Jamerson Reed's book School Segregation in Western North Carolina and longtime Henderson County historian Jennifer “Jennie” Jones Giles
The Ninth Avenue School was a “union school” that operated from 195165. Union schools, a common model during segregation, provided education from first through 12th grades under
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: Students at Hendersonville's Ninth Avenue School work on the school yearbook in this photo from the 1960s. Photo courtesy of Center for Cultural Preservation
one roof. Ninth Avenue became the educational cornerstone of the Black community, absorbing students from a network of smaller schools that closed down, including Edneyville Colored School, East Flat Rock Colored School and Brickton Colored School in Fletcher.
Ninth Avenue's physical structure was modest, just two floors, each with a single large room divided into subject corners. Resources were scarce. Textbooks arrived battered and outdated, often handed down through multiple white schools first.
Pepper, who was key to finding former students for Weintraub to interview, attended the Ninth Avenue School from first through third grades before transferring to Rosa Edwards School (in the Fourth Avenue building that now serves as the central office for Henderson County Public Schools). What stood out most about Pepper’s early education wasn’t just the academics, but the larger lessons taught by Black educators who understood the challenges their students would face.
“They were also teaching you life skills so that we could maneuver and be proud of who we were,” Pepper explains.
SHARING STORIES
Pepper was interviewed for the film, but his focus was encouraging others to share their stories. “These are people that I’ve known most of my life and were willing [to talk],” he says. “I know my story and I don’t think my story's important, but David always said, ‘No, we got to get your story.’”
Pepper would have liked to include more stories from students from Transylvania and Polk counties who had to take long bus rides to and from Hendersonville, all the while passing all-white schools closer to home.
One such person was a former student who lived in Brevard and, at age 16, served as a bus driver transporting students to Ninth Avenue School. The
student later moved to California and opened a pharmaceutical company.
“He told me, ‘Ron, there’s times now I’ll wake up and I’ll think about when I was 16 and all the responsibility I had to drive that bus and those individuals that were older than me,’” Pepper recalls.
But the former bus driver died before the documentary was started. Similarly, Pepper points out, most of the teachers from Ninth Avenue are now gone.
“Me and David realized how important it was to go ahead and try to get as many interviews done as possible because people are aging out, and they are passing away,” he says.
One moment of pride and complexity captured in the film is the 1972 state basketball championship, won by Hendersonville High just a few years after desegregation.
“Sports played a real role in showing people the value of integration,” Weintraub explains. “I interviewed four players from that team, and they didn’t think they were making history — but they were.”
The film acknowledges the bittersweet nature of such progress. Integration, while a major step forward, often came at the expense of Black-led institutions. The Ninth Avenue School was shut down in 1965, its students scattered across formerly all-white schools.
“The Black communities throughout Western North Carolina had thriving cultural legacies that were severely impacted by discrimination ... and then decimated by efforts to ‘integrate,’ which further obliterated their precious institutions,” Weintraub says. “What I hope that people will take from this film is that the Black community was rich in many ways that count even if they never had much money to speak of.”
The premiere of Color Beyond the Lines will be at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 21, in the Thomas Auditorium at Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock. To get tickets, go to avl.mx/eus. X
Hands in the mud
BY EMILY KLINGER ANTOLIC
The landscape of Bat Cave resembles a distant planet being terra-formed by humans. Everywhere you look machinery is moving rock and dirt, remaking roads and bridges. The unincorporated town, population 175, sits where a trio of scenic, twolane highways merge along the Rocky Broad River. Nearly nine months ago, that river flushed ambulance-sized boulders down the Hickory Nut Gorge, paying no regard to any lives or structures in its path.
For the Sherrill family, that included three buildings where they operated Mudtools, which made clay-working tools for potters and sculptors for 28 years. Mudtools founder and artist Michael Sherrill stands at the cracked and teetering foundation where the office and production buildings once stood. One of his sons, Micah, had been sleeping in an apartment above the office when Tropical Storm Helene hit. He escaped upon hearing the sound of boulders shifting upstream.
Now, a forklift they’d bought a year ago is covered with debris and boulders on the banks of the Rocky Broad River. The Sherrills have found some of their products — polymer ribs, wire clay cutters, sponges and trimming tools — washed up covered in silt, some still in shipping bags. Everything else? All the custom jigs, molds, plastic injection machines, raw materials, recordkeeping and equipment required to run the business — gone.
“It went down with the ship,” Michael says and points downstream. His hands have clay and blacksmithing residue embedded in the creases, his blue eyes are attuned and present, and he carries an air of peaceful optimism despite the defeats.
Later, next to a crackling fire in his professional art studio about a mile away, Michael amends that statement. “The important stuff we’ve kept. The very important stuff.” He smiles at his son, Avery, Mudtools general manager, and daughter-in-law, Destiny, office manager.
“The first three weeks were serious personal triage. The company was not on the docket,” Avery says. When they began assessing the state of Mudtools, Avery realized, “We were at a death point.” Having lost so much, “We didn’t know if we could put it all back together.”
The clay community rebuilds and rebounds
CLAY DELAY
Mudtools and the Sherrills weren’t alone in feeling that way initially. Helene gut-punched the expansive craft industry in Western North Carolina.
For generations, artists of all trades came to this area to learn at one of the many traditional craft schools, apprentice under experts or sell at galleries and festivals. Because of the abundance of talent, the local art scene grew. Michael knows why that environment appeals to both makers and patrons: “We want something that’s genuine and real, homegrown and funky.”
The craft economy in the 26-county region accounted for 17,500 jobs and $1.2 billion in revenue in 2022, according to ArtsAVL. The Southern Highland Craft Guild reports that the storm impacted 600 of its juried artisans residing in WNC.
In addition to the expansive and devastating loss of gallery and studio space, clay artists also found that the supply chain that supported their craft and livelihood was upended. Mudtools couldn’t make tools. The demand for replacement wheels and kilns overwhelmed distributors. And Highwater Clays on Riverside Drive, an affordable and convenient
clay supplier to the community, was destroyed and remains closed.
Beyond the seasoned and professional potters, students also felt the impact. Trista Hudzik teaches pottery classes at A-B Tech and says that when classes resumed after the storm, a lot of beginners didn’t come back. “We had to cancel the following session because we couldn’t get clay. When we finally did get a source of clay, we didn’t realize it was going to take six weeks to get here.” She also had to find a new source for glazing ingredients. “Those early days were really scary. There was a lot of panic.”
KEEPING AFLOAT
While potters and ceramic artists dealt with loss after loss, the larger pottery community worked in the background, networking and fundraising on their behalf.
“Before we even had the ability to have internet down here or have reliable cell signal or contact of any kind, somebody had already set up a GoFundMe for us,” Michael says. It raised $164,000, with many of the top contributors being ceramic supply shops, art studios and even other tool manufacturers.
post-Helene
“The clay world is incredibly collegiate,” he adds. “It’s kind of a connective tissue.”
Fans got creative with fundraising. Some crafted and sold cookbooks and others organized pottery-centric auctions to raise funds. Avery says that support from Mudtools supporters and customers left him shocked and humbled. “We didn’t ask for it at all, and they did it anyway. That was so helpful.”
While loading a kiln of student work at A-B Tech, Hudzik recounts strangers offering to buy salvaged pieces. Unexpected wheels, kilns and supplies arrived from donors. “Then there were all kinds of arts and cultural organizations reaching out and offering grants,” she says. “When the holidays came around, every craft show that I went to was insane. People showed up wanting to help, whether that was just hugs or telling stories or buying pieces of pottery. People showed up and knew we were going to have a long-term struggle. The compassion, empathy, concern and great leaps that people took to take care of each other was unparalleled. I’d never seen anything like that.”
Ceramic suppliers and vendors also jumped in to support recovery efforts. California-based Laguna Clay Co. distributed free bags of clay out of a temporary warehouse being used by The Village Potters, a studio and gallery space flooded by the French Broad River.
Mudtools moved its entire operation into Michael’s professional art studio, where they (luckily) had a small amount of inventory stored and could rebuild the business. Once ready to restart production, Avery sent purchase orders to vendors for the first time since Helene. “And the bill never came,” he says. “When we asked, they said, ‘No, that’s on us.’”
TENACIOUS CLAY
Outside help has been instrumental in helping artists find footing temporarily, but there are still many concerns about the long-term sustainability of WNC’s creative economy. “I think in a lot of ways the community was already pushing out into the surrounding areas before the storm,” Avery says, citing affordability. With the destruction the River Arts District experienced, Helene’s aftermath might exacerbate that outward migration.
LOST AND FOUND: In May, Mudtools' 28-year-old flagship tool-making machine was unearthed from the riverbanks in Bat Cave. Photo by Chad Truitt
Michael says that should concern tourism boards, city planners and WNC at large.
“People need to realize what an important asset creative people are to the community and what they add to it. It’s why people come to visit here,” he notes. Faced with the monumental need to rebuild affordable studios, he hopes public officials, developers and artists work together to solve formidable problems and, hopefully, prevent an exodus of talent.
Although many reconstruction projects and timelines are out of their hands, the clay community has continued to show its tenacity. Potters are sharing studio space. They’re helping each other build online shops to replace lost revenue. Mudtools is reclaiming wood from ash trees toppled by Helene and using it for products. Entrepreneurs are rethinking the economics of the industry, how to keep supply chains local and finding new ways forward.
Pottery classes at A-B Tech are back, fully enrolled. “I think that people will always want to take pottery classes. It’s such an amazing thing,” Hudzik says.
At Mudtools, the team aggressively pushed to restore its product line despite having less space and fewer
employees. It already has core products back, and new ones are dropping soon.
“I think there’s a general stubbornness in people who are creative. … Those people are determined. They built themselves up from nothing, and they’re going to do it again,” Avery says.
He’s reminded of that stubbornness every day when he drives past Mudtools’ former location.
“One of the most concrete things in my life was completely wiped clean,” Avery points out. “My dad did a lifetime of work to get to the point where I came in, and we went through five years of vigorous growth and improvement there. And it got wiped clean. Not even a pile to look at. … Permanent things aren’t permanent.”
Michael nods and says, “I have some pretty old pots in my little tiny collection. … Clay stays around, which means we’re making something that’s pretty permanent and able to withstand a lot of abuse. Although, it can break.”
But seeing the pottery community come together after Helene reminds Michael that fragile things can still survive. “Hopefully we’ll retain a lot of that connection and still help each other,” he adds. “We’re still trying to put body and soul together.” X
Beer Scout Remembering Oscar Wong
BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN
Asheville has lost one of its giants.
On May 25, Highland Brewing founder Oscar Wong passed away from cancer at age 84. The retired engineer launched the brewery in 1994, producing and hand-bottling beer in a rented basement space below Barley’s Taproom Pizzeria in downtown Asheville. The success of the city’s first craft brewery inspired others to join the scene, and along with resurgent arts, culinary and outdoors industries, helped build Asheville into the vibrant community it is today. Since 2006, Highland has operated out of the former Blue Ridge Motion Picture Studios site, gradually developing the 40-acre property to its current impressive state, which includes a rooftop bar, events center and outdoor spaces that feature numerous sand volleyball courts and a disc golf course. This testament to Wong’s vision will host a celebration of life for its found-
Magical Offerings
6/18: Reader: Jessica 12-5 Women’s Circle 5-6
6/20: Reader: Krysta 12-6
6/21: Reader: Ed 12-6 Summer Solstice Vendor Faire 12-6
6/22: Reader: Andrea 12-4 Tarot Collage 6-8
er on Sunday, June 29, at noon. In advance of the event, Xpress spoke with some of the people who knew him best.
HONORING OSCAR’S LEGACY
After Highland announced Wong’s death on May 27, remembrances and tributes began pouring in from community members and industry peers, both local and across the country. Wong’s daughter and Highland President/CEO Leah Wong Ashburn says all expressions of support are helpful and that she and her mother, Anna, feel “surrounded by them.”
“I am, as Dad was, filled with gratitude,” she says. “The stories of how Dad made a difference are the ones he treasured most. I choose to believe he is aware of each one.”
Wong Ashburn adds that the response from the community “is healing beyond measure” and she wishes she could respond to every tribute and message of condolence. Some particularly touching public sentiments were shared, she says, at an Asheville Tourists game, during the Asheville Symphony's June 2 performance at Highland and, that same night, during the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting at Omni Grove Park Inn, where she says the standing ovation for Wong was "overwhelming."
For such a public figure, Wong naturally had a private side, and one detail in his obituary that may surprise many people is his passion for handball. Wong Ashburn says her father played the sport for as long as she can remember and that its primary allure was the opportunity to commune with his close friends in their regular group.
“He didn’t love the gym, refused to run and didn’t play other sports — not even golf,” Wong Ashburn says. “The competition, cardio, quickness and skill of handball all appealed to him. He also loved that the game demands use of your left and right hands, which to him it was a way to achieve balance. It was so important, Dad had a weekly reminder on his phone to make a court reservation the very minute it was available.”
Individuals who didn’t get the chance to meet Wong also wouldn’t have known how humble he was — a quality that Wong Ashburn says was grounded in his value of people.
“He would ask questions and make notes about birthdays, children’s names, health issues, anniversaries, [etc.],” she says. “The interest was not reserved for people in any group or sphere of influence. Equality was
applied to his approach. He told me, ‘I respect everyone but I’m not in awe of anyone. We’re all just people.’”
In the days following Wong’s passing, his absence was already being felt by the Highland team. Wong Ashburn and six of her colleagues share a work space and walk by his office frequently.
“The light is motion-sensitive and turns on when someone passes, so it’s often on, making it appear he might be there,” she says. “I wish I could stop in and chat with him.”
While the mourning endures, Wong Ashburn remains focused on the future. She notes that losing its founder makes Highland officially and fully a second-generation, family-owned business — a designation she doesn’t take lightly.
“We will continue to make high-quality beer and complement Asheville,” Wong Ashburn says. “He always said, ‘We are proud of Asheville. We want Asheville to be proud of us.’”
TORCHBEARERS
Among the longest-running stewards of Wong’s ethos are John Lyda and Mike Rangel
Highland’s first employee, Lyda began working alongside Oscar on July 5, 1994. He spent his first three months with the company as an unpaid intern whose initial task was polishing the inside of old dairy tanks to bring them up to brewing standards and helping upfit the basement of Barley’s to make it into a beer production facility.
“It was a wild experience, especially in earlier years trying to establish a brand,” Lyda says. “To this day, I appreciate the opportunity to formulate recipes that were out of the average consumer’s comfort zone, some of which are still in
production today and some that won national awards.”
Lyda worked his way up to vice president and brewmaster. And he credits Wong’s philosophy of helping others and passing on knowledge with ultimately leading to Lyda’s second calling — teaching future industry leaders and entrepreneurs at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. He’s been the program’s brewing, distillation and fermentation instructor since March 2016.
“I appreciated his guidance, his friendship and the opportunity to pursue my dream,” Lyda says. “During those 22 years, I learned a lot from him and cherish the memories of good times. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, the Highland family and the brewing community that has lost a kind, smart and innovative man.”
Wong made a similar lasting impact on Rangel, who first met him in 1999, a few months after buying Two Moons BrewN-View and rebranding it as Asheville Brewing Co. With original brewer Doug Riley off on a well-deserved first vacation, the Merrimon Avenue brewery experienced a significant electrical issue and was at risk of losing its beer inventory.
“I reached out to John Lyda, who I met maybe three weeks before at Highland. And within about 30 or 40 minutes, he and Oscar and their electrician showed up, figured it out and saved the day,” Rangel says.
Grateful yet surprised by the speed with which these “competitors” arrived to help, Rangel was soon treated to Wong’s philosophies of “a rising tide lifts all boats” and “own your business — don’t let your business own you.” The two men became fast friends and began hanging out each Friday night at Highland with a tight-knit group that included legendary local beer reporter (and former Xpress contributor) Tony Kiss, who died in 2023.
Over the years, Rangel often sought Wong’s advice — particularly on big business decisions — and says Wong is the only person whom he would truly call his mentor. In turn, Rangel notes that Wong’s “gentleman brewer philosophy” of everyone helping everyone became not just Highland’s reputation but trickled down to each new brewery that followed and is the basis of Asheville’s unusually supportive craft beverage industry. Without Wong’s example, Rangel thinks the city may have remained at only a handful of breweries and almost certainly wouldn’t have attracted Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., New Belgium Brewing or Oskar Blues Brewery to the area.
“He went out of his way to welcome new breweries and create connections,” Rangel says. “[Highland has] always remained true to their model and true to their leader. And bringing in Leah and having a family tradition, it's like a fairy tale.” X
THANK YOU, OSCAR: Highland Brewing Co. founder Oscar Wong made a lasting impact on the local craft brewing scene and Asheville overall.
Photo courtesy of Highland Brewing
Something enduring about April
Multi-instrumentalist Adrian Younge completes his mind-movie trilogy with Brazilian flavor
BY BILL KOPP
One of the most creative and prolific artists in today’s music scene, composer-musician-arranger Adrian Younge recently completed and released Something About April III. The concluding entry in a trilogy of soundtrack albums for movies that don’t exist, the record — which he created mostly on his own — seamlessly combines hip-hop textures, psychedelic soul and jazz instrumentation, all with a Brazilian feel. Younge brings these to The Grey Eagle on Monday, June 23.
'FROM THE SAMPLER TO THE SYMPHONY'
The “one-artist-does-it-all” era arguably began with Paul McCartney’s 1970 solo debut.
Others followed; Emitt Rhodes, Todd Rundgren, Stevie Wonder and Prince upended ideas about what the term solo album meant. Today —– with the widespread availability of low-cost recording tools — true solo projects are commonplace.
Yet even against that backdrop, Younge is remarkable. A wholly selftrained musician, he started out as a hip-hop beatmaker. Fascinated by Italian horror film soundtracks, the Los Angeles-based musician drew upon those records for sampling. But he soon found that approach wanting.
Still working solo, he taught himself a myriad of instruments, studied composition and honed his production skills. And in the course of a quarter-century, he pushed the boundaries even further. “I went from the sampler to the symphony,” he says with a smile.
His early records leveraged his creativity and well-defined musical vision. Younge’s 2009 score for Michael Jai White’s blaxploitation homage Black Dynamite demonstrated his facility for creating evocative music that enhanced on-screen visuals. But Younge wanted to focus on music that got the vibe across even without a big screen. His 2011 release, Adrian Younge Presents Venice Dawn: Something About April, did just that, and it served as a notice that Younge had truly arrived as an artist.
ICONS OF JAZZ
Today — nearly 60 albums later — Younge is as groundbreaking as ever. He has continued pushing forward, expanding the horizons of his artistry. His 2018 project, The Midnight Hour, was a jazz excursion with A Tribe Called Quest’s Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A synthesis of post-bop and soul jazz, The Midnight Hour was — like Younge’s music for Ghostface Killah’s 2013 horror concept album Twelve Reasons to Die — completely organic, wholly void of sampling. Younge’s onstage use of primarily acoustic instrumentation drew a direct line back to classic jazz of the 1950s, ‘60s and '70s, with a deft balance of through-composed and improvisational work. Live shows — like one he played at Asheville Music Hall in August 2019 — were breathtaking, a fact underscored by
THERE’S SOMETHING
ABOUT
ADRIAN: Adrian Younge is touring in support of his latest album, a Brazilian-influenced jazz-meets-hip-hop soundtrack to a nonexistent movie.
Photo courtesy Linear Labs
the quick release of a live set (The Midnight Hour: Live at Linear Labs) mere months after the project’s studio debut.
In 2020, Younge again teamed up with Muhammad to launch the Jazz Is Dead album series. The ironically named project draws upon icons of jazz (and iconic jazz textures) as it breathes new life into the form, serving up hard bop and other substyles for a new audience, one that often knows jazz only for its use as sampling fodder.
As of 2023, the Jazz Is Dead series comprised some 20 titles, featuring new work and collaborations with important artists, including Gary Bartz, Lonnie Liston Smith, Brazilian funk fusioneers Azymuth, vibraphone legend Roy Ayers and many more.
Both projects continue, after a fashion. “In many ways, The Midnight Hour turned into Jazz Is Dead,” Younge explains. “We have a whole album’s worth of The Midnight Hour stuff that we’ve finished but haven’t even released,” he says. “I’m like, ‘Yo, Ali, we need to release this sh*t!’” Younge says that he has a great deal of completed work featuring a full orchestra, plus a number of soundtrack projects.
UNEXPECTED TURNS
Though he’s always moving forward, for his latest project Younge picked up where a previous endeavor
left off. 2016’s Something About April II continued with the “mind movie” aesthetic of its predecessor, but the project still left Younge feeling he had unfinished business. The newest entry in the series takes some turns that are unexpected, even from an artist such as Younge.
To begin with, the vocals on Something About April III are all in Portuguese. After a series of visits to Brazil, Younge fell in love with the people, their culture and their musical heritage. He wanted to apply that focus to this new album, but rather than hire a Brazilian lyricist, Younge taught himself Portuguese and composed the music and lyrics himself. With vocals recorded in São Paulo, Something About April III evokes the ‘60s bossa nova craze, crossed with ‘70s film soundtracks, all delivered with a modern sensibility.
The album balances Younge’s oneman-band proclivities with deft use of his band, Venice Dawn, and those Brazilian singers. He views his work in the larger context. “I’m continuing those [musical] conversations of yesterday for tomorrow,” he says. “I’m not the type of person that wants to rehash. I extract those classic elements and try to create something for today.”
With all of his studio projects, Younge hasn’t always prioritized live dates. “I haven't toured as just Adrian Younge in over 10 years,” he notes. But that’s changing now, with a series of concerts, some featuring a 35-piece orchestra.
Even for scaled-down shows in smaller venues like The Grey Eagle, Younge — on upright bass, the latest instrument he’s taught himself — dazzles. “I’m playing bass and I’m conducting the orchestra at the same time,” he enthuses. “And this stuff makes me superhappy.” X
WHAT Adrian Younge WHERE Grey Eagle Music Hall, 185 Clingman Ave., thegreyeagle.com WHEN Monday, June 23, 8 p.m. $30.75
Mixing it up
Chemistry and alchemy at Archetype Brewing
BY CHRISTOPHER ARBOR
yearinbeerasheville@gmail.com
On Jan. 1, Christopher Arbor and his friends pledged to visit one Asheville brewery each week for all of 2025 in the order that they opened, then share the experience with Mountain Xpress readers. To read about their recent visit to New Belgium Brewing, visit avl.mx/evc.
Let’s talk chemistry — and maybe alchemy.
Consider hydrogen and oxygen, two of the most common and combustible gases in the universe. Mix them together in the right proportions, and you get dihydrogen monoxide — an extraordinarily rare, inert and life-giving liquid more frequently referred to simply as water. The whole is nothing like its parts.
What if we look past chemistry into brewing? How about water, grain, yeast and hops? Put them together in the right proportions, and you get a crisp lager (like Archetype Brewing’s Cowboy Poet), a double IPA (like its Shoulder Devil) or a rich, dark porter (like Archetype’s Unruly Mystic) — all three of which are very different from one another and far better than consuming their ingredients separately.
What if we look past brewing into local businesses? Archetype Brewing opened in 2016, the same year as its neighbors OWL Bakery and Pizza Mind, followed the next year by Gan Shan — all four located on Haywood Road at Beacham’s Curve. Together they augment each other in beautiful ways.
It’s not uncommon, the bartender tells me, for employees from one to grab meals from another or for them all to end their shifts at Archetype for a brew. Customers cross-pollinate, too, showing up at one business and patronizing another — you can order your dinner from Gan Shan, for exam-
ple, and they’ll bring it to you at Archetype.
Individually, they’re unique businesses. Synthesized, however, they form the foundation of a neighborhood
What if we look past economics and into the interpersonal? Just as Earth’s 92 naturally occurring elements combine to form infinite variety, so too does the Year in Beer gang mix and remix into new and different dynamics.
As humans, we tend to think of ourselves in rather individualistic and static terms. However, when I’m eating my barbecue Pizza Mind pizza at Archetype with Alan and Craig, I play the role of music dilettante. When I see the local running group finishing up a workout, I shift to the aging athlete whining about my Achilles tendon. When someone mentions Dungeons and Dragons, I transform into a nerd spouting terms like THACO and NPC.
As Walt Whitman said, “I contradict myself … I contain multitudes.” We all do. We form and re-form into different Protean versions of ourselves when we join with others. It leads me to the question, who would YOU be if you showed up to one of our meetups? And who would we all become in your presence?
At this point in the year, about half of the people who come to our brewery gatherings each week are people just like you, dear reader, who have read these silly articles and bravely joined the fold. Cheers to mixes and remixes.
Come join us on another adventure. Seriously. We gather at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays. You can email me at yearinbeerasheville@gmail. com or just show up.
• June 18: Hillman Beer on Sweeten Creek Road
• June 25: Noble Cider on New Leicester Highway X
BREWS AND BITES: Nathaniel Johnson, left, and John Gregory support multiple local businesses while socializing at Archetype Brewing. Photo by Christopher Arbor
Bountiful Cities Birdhouse Auction
Local art and food share the spotlight at Asheville urban agriculture nonprofit Bountiful Cities’ free Birdhouse Auction Benefit event noon-3 p.m. Saturday, June 28, at Burial Beer’s Eulogy. Birdhouses handmade by locals will be offered in live and silent auctions. They can be viewed this month at participating Go Local businesses, including East Fork Pottery, Sow True Seed, Whist and many more. Local food- and garden-focused experiences will also be auctioned and raffled off, including a flower arranging class with Carolina Flowers, a chance to create your own ice cream flavor with The Hop Ice Creamery and a private, locally sourced Italian dinner for up to 15 people prepared by chef Mike Bean of Finest Deli. Free tastings from local restaurants and businesses, such as OWL Bakery, Sunny Point Café and Devil’s Foot Beverage Co., will be available throughout the afternoon. Eulogy is at 10 Buxton Ave. The event is free, but guests should preregister at avl.mx/evf. X
by Gina Smith | gsmith@mountainx.com
Popping up
• Forage and Grace Mediterranean Dinner: Local event specialist Jason Derevitzky of Forage and Grace will host a Mediterranean Dinner Experience pop-up 6-9 p.m. Sunday, June 29. Forage and Grace pop-ups are held at various venues around Asheville, with locations disclosed upon purchase of tickets. Cost is $80 per person. Visit avl.mx/evj for more information.
• Sunday Sauce Dinner: Finest Deli, slated to launch this summer at 794 Haywood Road, will host a family-style Italian dinner pop-up with wine pairings 5-7 p.m. Sunday, June 29, at Bebop Bottle Shop, 723 Haywood Road. Cost is $70 per person. Visit avl.mx/evk for tickets and more information.
• J Chong dinner with plēb: After Tropical Storm Helene washed away its River Arts District home, plēb urban winery will serve some of the last of its wine with Cantonese dishes from chef J Chong at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 24, at Wicked Weed’s Funkatorium, 147 Coxe Ave. “We are honored to pair what remains of our wine with Chef J Chong who has been a great collaborator, community partner and friend,” reads the online event announcement. “This may be the last plēb dinner but it’s not the last of plēb.” Tickets are $125. Learn more at avl.mx/evl.
Manicomio to close, Birdie’s set to open
Manicomio Pizza announced on June 9 that it will close at the end of this month. A new business, Birdie’s Pizza, will open in the space at Mike Napelitano and Jon Leibowitz launched Manicomio in August 2017 serving New York-style slices, sandwiches and pasta. Napelitano retired in 2020. Leibowitz says the stress of running the business alone post-COVID caused him to begin seeking potential buyers in 2023. “[It] was impacting me physically and mentally,” he says. “I finally did find the right people. They’re getting in for the right reasons, and I think it will be a great fit.” Birdie’s will retain the Manicomio staff and concept. Leibowitz plans to take a break from business ownership and spend time with family. Learn more about Birdie’s Pizza in a future issue. Read Manicomio’s full announcement at avl.mx/evu. X
ASHEVILLE VEGANFEST
VeganFest returns to Pack Square Park downtown noon-5 p.m. Sunday, June 22. A celebration of plant-based living, the festival will feature a marketplace with more than 50 vendors, including local businesses Dare Vegan Cheese, Soul’s Kitchen and Sweet Squeeze Lemonade. There will also be apparel and wellness vendors, music
of $10. Guests are encouraged to bring their own reusable bags and water bottles. For more information, visit avl.mx/evh. X
The Harris Teeter at Southside Square Plaza in Hendersonville celebrated the grand reopening of its rebuilt store on June 10 after months of closure due to damage from Tropical Storm Helene. The location provided prescriptions to the community through a mobile unit in the wake of the storm before reopening its pharmacy in January, according to a press release. The company also donated more than $1 million in food and money to support community recovery efforts. The store is at 636 Spartanburg Highway, Hendersonville. X
Olivia Maddix, left, and Demontå Blunt are pictured at East Fork Pottery with a birdhouse made by artist Susan Bailey.
Photo by Sherree Lucas, courtesy of Bountiful Cities
Photo courtesy of Harris Teeter
Trail marker
A new cafe opens at Ecusta Market in Hendersonville
BY KAY WEST
kwest@mountainx.com
Emily and Robert Gunn have a family motto: Leap, and the net will appear.
That positive thinking powered them through the uncertain years it took to open Ecusta Market & Café in Hendersonville, just 12 feet from the nearly complete 6-mile section of the Ecusta Trail connecting Hendersonville and Horse Shoe.
In early June, the day before their eighth wedding anniversary, the couple were driving to Greenville, S.C., to pick up coffee directly from their source, Methodical Coffee. “We need a lot more than we anticipated,” Emily says. “We are twice as busy as we expected to be at this point.”
“This point” was just over two weeks since the caf é side of the business started service on May 23, six months since the market opened just before Thanksgiving 2024.
The big, bold, beautiful dream began in Greenville at the Swamp Rabbit Café & Grocery, a go-to stop for them beside the Swamp Rabbit Trail. “We were there one afternoon and had the thought we could do something similar,” Robert recalls. “We were at the point in our careers we wanted to do something on our own.”
Emily spent 10 years in marketing at Wicked Weed Brewing, and Robert had worked a decade in management for the Chai Pani Restaurant Group. They had already relocated with their family (then one daughter, now three) from Arden to 2 acres in Hendersonville, where they had space to garden and raise chickens and goats.
As they settled into the community, they learned of the plan to turn a former rail corridor to a greenway between Hendersonville and Brevard and decided to seek commercial property on the Ecusta Trail.
They identified a commercial building at Lennox Station as the spot for their future market. On April 3, 2022, while in the hospital having their second daughter, they signed the lease, despite having no
secure financing. (Cue the family motto.)
“It was a big risk, “Emily says. “We were still in the loan process, but we just believed it would work out.”
Soon after, another space became available, and the Gunns took that for the caf é . They constructed a 1,000-square-foot vestibule with seating and restrooms to connect the market and café
The market stocks about 3,500 products, many of them from local and regional businesses. “People can do all their grocery shopping here,” Robert points out. “We have a full produce section, meat, dairy, pantry staples, paper products.” The market also carries locally made stationery, jewelry, candles and soaps.
Woven into the net that appeared as they pushed toward opening are Robert’s former Chai Pani colleague James Grogan — whom Emily describes as the “everything man” behind both businesses — and chefs Erin O’Keefe and David Toporek, the culinary power behind the soon-to-open Finest Deli in West Asheville.
“Erin and David had moved to Hendersonville from Chicago, and we caught them when they had time,” Robert says. “They really built the menu and then spent two weeks executing and training our staff to cook it.”
The breakout hit from the morning menu — served 8 a.m.-3 p.m. — is the breakfast burrito. At lunch, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., it’s the Ecusta Smash Burger, which uses Hickory Nut Gap Farms’ smashburger meat blend.
Four beers, prosecco and Independent Beans cold brew — all on draft — are served until closing at 8 p.m. Plans are underway to slowly roll out evening food.
A ribbon-cutting and parade for the trail is scheduled for Friday, July 18, and Ecusta Market & Café will be there for the party. “The reception has been so much more than we could have imagined,” says Robert. “When you open a place, you have no idea if it will work. But our customers get us, and we love them for it.”
Ecusta Market & Café is at 877 Lennox Park Drive, Hendersonville. Learn more at avl.mx/ev8. X
ALL IN THE FAMILY: Ecusta Market & Café owners Emily and Robert Gunn took a leap of faith in starting their business. They are pictured with the youngest of their three daughters, Goldie. Photo courtesy of Ecusta Market & Café
Mon - Sat: 11am -6pm Sunday: 12pm - 5pm
by Edwin Arnaudin |
The Red Egg
Longtime Asheville residents know the Surreal Sirkus as a trusted source of the weird and magical since its 1996 founding. After nearly a decade of wonder, the creative troupe went on hiatus from 2005-21 and is currently halfway through a yearlong project called The Tale of the Cosmic Eggs
According to a press release, this “elaborate science fiction epic in eight chapters tells of a dying world that sent its hopes out into the universe in an egg-shaped vessel, and
of the various alien civilizations that responded to their call.”
The series continues FridaySunday, June 20-22, with The Red Egg: A Summer Solstice Soirée, featuring live music, fire performances and circus arts at Fallout ArtSpace in Alexander. Headliners include Asheville-based bands Chilltonic and Polly Panic, plus Toybox, aka America’s favorite cartoon witch.
Tickets are $20-$75. To learn more, visit avl.mx/evg. X
Hickory Nut Gorge Pride Festival at Grey Hawk
Happy Pride Month! And a huge sigh of relief that the town of Lake Lure is gradually recovering after being decimated by floodwaters stemming from Tropical Storm Helene.
As a means of celebrating all of the above and more, Grey Hawk Bar & Gardens will host the Hickory Nut Gorge Pride Festival on Saturday, June 21, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Offerings include live music from Reggie Headen, The Otter Dogs and Songbird Collective (composed of Laura Brino, Meg Murray, Madisun Bailey, Carly Winter and other area singer-song-
writers). There will also be a burlesque variety show featuring The Scarab Sisters, a drag artist and additional performers, plus speeches from the Campaign for Southern Equality representatives and local advocates.
“I think it will be really special and sweet,” says Grey Hawk co-owner Adam Polaski. “I can't say for 100% certain but I believe this may be the first large-scale Pride event in Rutherford County — or at least is one of the first.”
Free to attend. To learn more, visit avl.mx/eve. X
Surreal Sirkus. Photo by Hannah Combs
Hickory Nut Gorge Pride Festival performers the Scarab Sisters. Photo courtesy of Grey Hawk Bar & Gardens
Benefit Concert for Helene Recovery
Nearly nine months after Tropical Storm Helene inflicted widespread destruction on Western North Carolina, recovery remains a major need for many people. To help raise funds to aid her community, local resident Olivia Senor is organizing a benefit concert on Saturday, June 21, 2-5 p.m., at The Odd.
The event features performances by mentalism magician Brent Senor, guitarist Barry Markovsky and
Asheville-based band Rock While Rome Burns. There will also be a silent auction for items donated by Breakout Games, Navitat Canopy Adventures and other local businesses.
Attendees are invited to donate whatever they can for admission. All proceeds will go to United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County’s Helene recovery efforts. Food and beverages will also be available to purchase. To learn more, visit avl.mx/evd X
Katarina’s Saturday Cabaret
“Katarina’s Saturday Cabaret: Pride Brunch is more than a performance,” says a press release from Asheville Drag Brunch. “It’s a tribute to love in all its forms and a powerful show of support for the LGBTQ+ community.”
Hosted by Katarina SynClaire at Banks Ave. Bar on Saturday, June 21, the showcase of talented drag performers offers showtimes at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Guests are encouraged to dress in “their most fabulous, rainbow-inspired attire and come ready
to celebrate authenticity, joy and resilience.” Beverages will be available to purchase from the host bar, and Biscuit Head South will cater the brunch.
Tickets are $25-$60, and proceeds will be donated to Blue Ridge Pride and its ongoing work “to foster an informed, engaged and supportive LGBTQIA2S+ community through intersectional belonging, equity, liberation and joy work.” To learn more, visit avl.mx/epw. X
Photo courtesy of Asheville Drag Brunch
Rock While Rome Burns. Photo courtesy of the artists
