Labor Day Weekend Event: 3rd Annual Transylvania Farm Fair

September 3  Transylvania Farm Fair  -  Celebrate the county's farmers and local growers with a taste of local produce, natural beef and more. Begin the day with breakfast made from local eggs and fresh sausage. Not only can you enjoy your breakfast and lunch at the Farm Fair, you can get your produce, meats, eggs, honey and more, all from local producers.

A Jam/Jelly Contest will be included, co-sponsored by the  Blue Ridge Bakery. Registration is not required -  just bring your jams and jellies, made from local products, to the event by 11 AM for the judging taking place at noon. There will be a sweet category and a hot category with each winner receiving a blue ribbon and a $25 gift certificate to the Blue Ridge Bakery.

There will also be educational sessions conducted by the Farm Bureau, County Extension, and our area 4-H and FFA to share information about their organizations local food production and farming.

The event will be held at the American Legion on East Jordan Street in Brevard NC.

Labor Day Weekend Events: Lodging Specials and events at Fontana Village Resort

September 3 - 5,    Fontana Village Resort  hosts "Lake Alooza": the First Annual Great Smoky Mountains Lake Party. The Event includes lots of tubing, parties, fireworks and live entertainment all weekend long.   Check rates and availability   

Lodging Specials for the Labor Day Weekend:
Take the Week off Special - Stay 3 or more nights at the Lodge, Sunday through Thursday, and receive the 4th night FREE.
The Weekend just got longer Special - Stay Firday and Saturday night and get your choice of Thursday or Sunday night FREE. Get details and an events schedule.

Fontana Village Resort is a year round destination resort with a wide range of accommodations, including rooms in The Lodge, suites, cabins, as well as RV & tentcamping on the beautiful Cheoah Lake. Resort facilities include conference space, complimentary wi-fi service, restaurants, General Store, gift shops, outfitters, pools, marina, bike shop, horseback riding, miles of on-site trails suitable for biking and hiking. Fontana Village is located in Fontana Dam North Carolina, in between Bryson City and Robbinsville in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Labor Day Weekend Event: 40th Annual Smoky Mountain Folk Festival

On September 2 and 3 enjoy two evenings and 100s of some of the best mountain music and dance performers at this year's Annual Smoky Mountain Folk Festival.  The Festival begins each evening with the "Open tent" begins at 5 PM followed by  the Main Stage Show follows at 5:30 PM.

The event features a huge variety of mountain music and dance including fiddlers, banjo players, string bands, ballad singers, buck dancers, square dance teams as well as the wondrous sounds of dulcimer, harmonica, jew's harp, bagpipes, spoons, saws, and folk ensembles of all sorts. Get a schedule here.

Tickets available at the Junaluska Administrative Office, Haywood County Arts Council & at the door. Stuart Auditorium, Lake Junaluska. The Smoky Mountain Folk Festival is held annually Labor Weekend in Stuart Auditorium at Lake Junaluska, NC.

Labor Day Weekend Event: Heritage Walk and Festival in Murphy

September 3    11th Annual Heritage Walk and Festival   Enjoy a step back in time with this celebration of Cherokee County- North Carolina's first, last and finest place to be. Enjoy all-day historic walking tours and a heritage festival celebrating area artists, crafters, growers, food, live stage entertainment, and more. All events are free and open to the public. Located in Murphy NC.

Murphy NC Cabins available for Labor Day Weekend:

Murphy Cabin August and September Special -  $85 night, $600 week. 3 bedrooms 2 baths, sleeps up to 8.  Wonderful mountain views, game room with air hockey, fireplace, lots of deck. On 2 acres in gated community with easy access.  Get details

Log Cabin peaceful getaway - 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, sleeps 6. Mountain views, Fireplace, grill, FREE WIFI, Pet Friendly, jetted tub in master. Fully equipped kitchen including ice cream maker. $100 night, $550 week, $1800 month.         Get details

Murphy mountain chalet with stream and pond - 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, sleeps 6. Stream, pond and gazebo in a park-like setting. Wrap around deck, gas grill, gas log fireplace, WIFI. $85 night, $550 - $595 week.              See photos and more

Find more Murphy NC Cabin Rentals here

Labor Day Weekend Events: Canton Labor Day Celebration

September 1 - 5  Canton Labor Day Celebration - Crafters and lots of food vendors, rides, and live entertainment  all Labor Day weekend from Thursday through Monday. The Labor Day Parade is on Monday at 10:00 AM. Click here to download the PDF flyer.

The Celebration kicks off Thursday evening with live music by "Rewind Blues". On Friday there's Pickin' in the Park from 5 PM - 10 PM. Enjoy the Car Show, Gypsy and The Band of OZ on Saturday. Sunday a variety of groups perform Gospel singing and more. Monday activities include local entertainment, clogging groups and headliner Jason Sturgeon. Vendors and food booths and rides for the kids will be open during the entire celebration.

The events take place at Canton Recreational Park in Canton NC, just east of Maggie Valley and Waynesville in Haywood County.

Labor Day Weekend Events: North Carolina Apple Festival

September 2-5   North Carolina Apple Festival  The Hendersonville-based festival features a street fair on Historic Main Street including entertainment, arts & crafts, apple products, childrens & youth activities, special exhibits, food and the King Apple Parade on Labor Day.

The Annual Apple Festival has been a Labor Day Tradition for 65 years. Henderson County is home to more than 200 apple growers and the state of North Carolina is the 7th largest apple producing state in the Union. The festival kicks off North Carolina's Apple season with breakfasts, a street fair and a parade celebrating "all things apple".  Download the North Carolina Apple Festival brochure with details of all events here.

The festivals includes a variety of special events hosted by community partners including pancake breakfasts, car shows, apple recipe contests and a gem and mineral spectacular. Children will be delighted with Rides, Inflatables and more in the Family Fun Zone.

The King Apple Parade begins at 2:30 PM on September 5 and is one of the highlights of the North Carolina Apple Festival. At the parade there will be professional floats, bands, youth groups, antique cars, fire trucks and many others participating in this event that is expected to draw over 60,000 individuals. The parade is a “spectacular finale” to the annual North Carolina Apple Festival. 

Click here to find Hendersonville area Cabins, Cottages, Lodging

Poetry Reading Today at City Lights

With his first poetry book in nearly ten years, Ron Rash will visit City Lights Bookstore to read from his new collection, Waking, Sunday, August 28th at 1 PM. This is a book  full of sorrow and redemption, sparseness and the beauty of a single stark detail--the muskellunge at first light, a barn choked with curing tobacco, a porch full of men and the rockers that move them over the same spot until they carve their names into the ground, deeper, even into the roots where myths start, into the very marrow of the world.

City Lights Bookstore is located at 3 East Jackson Street, Sylva NC.

Riverlink's WaterRICH program has good beginnings

 

RiverLink's new water management program, WaterRICH, is off to a good start. RiverLink officials report an initial 45 residences and 2 planned communities have signed up  to participate.

WaterRICH is a program designed to assist individuals in stormwater management for residential homes focused on small scale and less technical, residential means of dealing with water. See how RiverLink can help your home become WaterRICH by signing up before the pilot project is full!

August 31st, 11:30 AM or 5:30 PM at the RiverLink offices. Please RSVP to  by calling (828) 252-8474, ext. 14 or via e-mail at nancy@riverlink.org

WaterRICH: Water Recycling, Infiltration, and Conservation for the Home 

How many times have you heard, "Oh, basements just get wet here" or "How can I figure out the drainage issue on my property"?  There are numerous resources available via the web to learn how to manage the water on your property, yet many of them require special expensive expertise to understand the process.  RiverLink has developed specifically designed WaterRICH, to assist homeowners in understanding rainwater management and conservation techniques that will help recycle and infiltrate water right in their own yards. WaterRICH is a unique RiverLink initiative to assist homeowners understand rainwater management and runoff.  Through our new program, RiverLink will provide an on-line resource designed specifically for smaller sites and private individuals, a Guide to Stormwater Management for Residential Homes.  This program focuses on residential means of dealing with water issues, thanks to a grant from the Pigeon River Fund.

The program will begin with 75 homeowners. RiverLink will provide resources designed specifically for smaller sites and private individuals. Along with developing an online guidebook, RiverLink is developing a certification program available for homeowners. There will be assistance for the first 75 residential property owners who sign up, through the process either with training or review, and/or as funds are available,  to implement stormwater features at their homes with some help from our over 600 volunteers.

Mountain Spirits: Wine and Beer this week, August 25

August 26,  4 Pm - 7 PM  Hops and Vines, 797 Haywood Rd, Ste 100 in Asheville NC- Highland Pro-Am winner Black Ace IPA release tasting. The Black IPA was this year's Highland Pro-Am winner. Highland Brewing scaled up a 5 gallon homebrew recipe to a 3 barrel (90 gallon) batch. This year's release will be draft only at Hops & Vines and Highland's Tasting room. August 27 3 PM - 6 PM Free Wine Tasting: Single Varietal Wines including Le Paradou Viognier 2008, Jelu Malbec 2008, Wine Guerrilla Sonoma County Zinfandel 2009.

August 26, 5 PM - 7 PM at Table Wine, 1550 Hendersonville Road, Suite 102, AAA Travel Center in Asheville. What's Josh Drinking Wine Down - Five wines that make Josh all warm and fuzzy: 2010 Domaine Plouzeau Touraine Blanc, France Tangy, Citrus Zest, Minerally Perfume; 2009 I Stefanini Soave "Il Selese", Italy Dry, But Intense and Perfumed; 2009 Montesecondo Rosso di Toscana, Italy A True Taste of Tuscany; 2010 Domaine du Cros Marcillac, France Pinot Noir meets Cab Franc; 2006 Izadi Rioja Reserva, Spain. $ 5 per person, free to Grape Nuts. August 27 - Free wine tasting PLUS fresh organic veggies at Table Wine every Saturday.

August 26, 7 PM - 10 PM at The Classic Wineseller, 30 church Street, Waynesville NC. Friday Night Live, tonight with Lorraine Connard, Chris Minnick. Waynesville's new outdoor music venue.

August 26, 6 PM - 8 PM, at   Divine Wine, 1011 Tunnel Road East Asheville NC. Friday Wine Tastings - complimentary tastes of special wines and beer, along with an assortment of hors d’oeuvres. Each week we celebrate with a different theme and a few surprises.

August 27, 3 PM - 7 PM at  Appalachian Vintner, 2-B Huntsman Place in Asheville NC - This Saturday Appalachian Vintner plans to offer a sort of double header, two sets of mammoth wine contenders locked in mortal combat: Round One- California vs Oregon - David Hill Winery Estate Reserve Chardonnay -VS- Santa Barbara Winery Santa Barbara County Chardonnay. Round Two- Battle of the Argentine Malbce Heavy Weights - Viña Amalia Finca la Amalia Malbec Reserva - VS- Marchiori & Barraud Perdriel Malbec.

August 27  RagApple Lassie, 3724 Ragapple Lassie Lane Boonville NC   - Something Acoustic - a renowned band that loves playing the hits of the last forty years. Their music will speak to your soul and your feet - so come, taste, relax, and enjoy all things RagApple Lassie!! Noon until Six.. Lunch is available from the The Back Door Café.  Eat in or take outside for picnicking.

August 27  5 PM - 8 PM at Round Peak Vineyard,   765 Round Peak Church Road, Mount Airy NC.  EVERY Saturday from June through August, Round Peak is open until sunset and will have live music. Bring a picnic and your own meat; our grills will always be fired up. Stay and relax with a bottle of wine and watch the sunset over the Blue Ridge Mountains.

August 27  2 PM - 5 PM  The Wine Guy, 555 Merimon Ave and 1200 Hendersonville Rd., Asheville NC. FREE Saturday tastings are a great way to sample new favorites in a casual setting. Every week we sample 4 to 6 new wines. Light hors d’ oeuvres will be served and all wines poured will be specially priced.

August 27  12 PM - 5 PM at  Vino Vino Wine Market, 178 Weaverville Rd., Asheville NC
Every Saturday anytime between 12:00 and 5:00pm enjoy a sampling of wines from around the world. A 10% discount on each of the wines we are featuring.

August 26  6 PM - 8:30 PM  The Wine Studio of Asheville,  169 Charlotte St  Asheville NC. How to pair Wine with Seafood - examples of major seafood on hand to sample with some great wine selections. RSVP required, $20.   Winesday is a wine tasting event every Wednesday and a chance for the wine lovers of Asheville to get together, socialize, and try new and exciting wines from around the world.  Each week a portion or our proceeds benefit a local non-profit.

Tasting Rooms:

Old North State Winery, 308 North Main Street, Mount Airy NC. Hours of operation are: Monday-Wednesday 11am-6pm, Thursday-Saturday 11am-9pm, and Sunday 12pm-6pm. Sample  wines and browse the gift shop featuring wine related and gourmet gift items.

Calaboose Cellars, 565 Aquone Road, Andrews NC. Tasting room summer hours: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from Noon to 5:00. This week check out the "Warden's White".

Daily Tastings at Wedge Brewing Company, 125 B Roberts St. Asheville NC. Micro-brewery regular Tasting room hours: Monday - Thursday 4 PM - 10+ PM; Friday 3 PM - 10+ PM; Saturday and Sunday 2 PM - 10+ PM.

Daily Tastings at Greenman Brewery, 23 Buxton Ave., Asheville NC.  The tasting room is open seven days a week at 4 o'clock, or maybe earlier

7th Annual Hickory Nut Olympiad begins tonight

August 25 - 28   Hickory Nut Gorge Olympiad   is a 3-day family sports festival. Opening Night events include Lighting of the torch, water ski show, fireworks, family run, food, ice cream and much more at Lake Lure. Events for both hard core athletes and fun-seeking weekend warriors.

Three races in three days include 10K Dam Run, Lake Lure Sprint Triathlon and Race to the Rock. Each race provides gold, silver and bronze medals to winners and a 2011 Commemorative Olympiad T-shirt to the first 100 athletes registered. The Trathlon includes the 500m lake swim, a challenging 16.9 mile bike course and concludes with the 5k run, a steady but reasonable uphill that winds up a beautiful valley paralleling Bald Mountain Golf Courseto finish downhill at the beach at Lake Lure.
Additional events include the Open lake Swim, a Junior Olympiad, Kayak and swim sprints, and Team tournaments for Golf, Pickle Ball, Tennis, Dragon Boat Races, Corn Hole Toss and Horseshoe.

August 28    5th Annual Race to the Rock   Take the challenge - the 5th Annual Race to the Rock, part of the 7th Annual Hickory Nut Gorge Olympiad in Chimney Rock and Lake Lure, NC. The Park's winding entrance road averages a 7% grade uphill climb for the 5K run and the end of the 25-mile bike race, but the views from the finish line are well worth the effort! This is the ONLY TIME you can run or bike up to Chimney Rock. Medals for top finishers are awarded in all age groups. Registration is $35 in advance online or $40 walk-up.

Membership Drive for Asheville Slow Food

Get  involved and connected with the Slow Food movement in the Asheville community. One of the easiest and most powerful ways to do that is through membership. Join Slow Food USA during the September campaign, when your donation -- in any amount -- will make you a member. Your membership helps benefit  on-going programs in the community.  Click here to join now.

There are a variety of membership benefits, but the best part is knowing your contribution plays a critical role in bringing the community together to support local farmers and local food traditions, teaching the next generation about good food, and transforming laws to make a healthy meal as affordable as a Happy Meal.


This September 17, you're invited to help take back the 'value meal' by getting together with family, friends and neighbors for a slow food meal that costs no more than $5 per person. Host a dinner or have a potluck, and then post it on the Asheville Slow Food facebook page along with your recipe if you wish.

Recently, Slow Food Asheville members got together with the Farmer's Film Project and had a $5 Challenge dinner....look for the video on the website soon!

To learn more about the $5 challenge and what you can do to get involved, visit the Asheville Slow Food website

Youth Contestants sought for Talent Contest at Great Smoky Mountains Railroad’s Railfest

To showcase the musical and vocal talents of our children, 4-H in association with Catch the Spirit of Appalachia will again produce a Youth Talent Contest at the GSMR Railfesst, September 17, 2011. The contest will run from 10:45 until 12 noon, and will give opportunity to youth to share their talents up to the age of 18. Participants in this contest must exhibit a talent that will reflect heritage and old Appalachian ways of our region and adhere to the contest Qualifications and Rules. Deadline for Applications— September 1, 2011.
This competition will be held on the main stage and will be part of the “heritage” entertainment provided during the festival. Categories of the contest include:
Poetry/Storytelling (writings about heritage, items of historical significance, old timey ways)
Vocal Performance – Individual or Group (old timey songs, old gospel songs, bluegrass, heritage tunes from the turn of the century)
Instrumentalists – Individual or Group (feature instruments such as banjo, fiddle, guitar, dulcimer, mandolin playing old timey songs, old gospel songs, bluegrass, heritage tunes)
Dance – Individual or Group (Clogging, Square Dance, Irish Folk Dance, Native American Dance)

Trophies are offered for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. First Place Best of Show winner will have the opportunity of playing on the Heritage Stage at Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Day on Saturday, September 24th, 2011.


To register, download an application from www.spirirofappalachia.org, fill out the application form by September 1 and mail to Jackson County 4-H, 538 Scotts Creek Road, Sutie 205, Sylva, NC 28779, or send to kerri_rayburn@ncsu.edu, or fax to 828-586-5009. For more information or request an application form by mail, contact Heather Gordon, Jackson County 4-H at 828-586-4009 or heather_gordon@ncsu.edu.

Music on the Mountaintop Festival - good music for a good earth

August 26 - 27 at Grandfather Mountain Campgrounds, Foscoe NC. The 4th Annual Music on the Mountaintop will feature Sam Bush, Railroad Earth, 7 Walkers, the Infamous Stringdusters, Acoustic Syndicate, Possum Jenkins, The Lazybirds and many other fine Folk. Sponsored by Appalachian Voices and The Mountain Alliance, Sam Bush and the Music on the Mountaintop Festival Team-Up for more "Good Times, Good Music, and Good Works:.

Music on the Mountaintop is a one of a kind, sustainability minded music festival, offering first class entertainment as well as educational awareness on current environmental and social justice issues. As part of a commitment to our region, Music on the Moutaintop is donating a portion of the proceeds from this year’s festival to Appalachian Voices and the Mountain Alliance, to sustain our work to protect the land, air, water, and people of Appalachia.

Watch the video below by Sam Bush, made  to personally invite you to the festival and to let you know why he and the band LOVE playing Music on the Mountaintop and why he’s working to end mountaintop removal coal mining in his home state of Kentucky.

New Poll Confirms Public Opinion Supports Conservation

I Love Mountains.org  has just released the  results of a public opinion poll commissioned by Appalachian Mountain Advocates, Earthjustice and the Sierra Club. The poll confirms that voters in Appalachia overwhelmingly want to end mountaintop removal and strengthen protections provided by the Clean Water Act.

Conducted by two bipartisan firms, the poll has revealed that 57% of informed voters oppose the practice, versus 20% approving. And even more astoundingly, when asked about increasing Clean Water protections on mountaintop removal, 78% of respondents supported increasing Clean Water Act protections, with just 9% opposing.

This announcement comes on the heels of a national poll released by CNN last week, showing that Americans across the country oppose mountaintop removal 57% to 36%. It has been clear for a long time that the majority of citizens in the U.S. oppose mountaintop removal. This poll puts to rest out-of-date perceptions that Appalachians support mountaintop removal.

These two pollsprovide leverage to demand that our elected officials follow their moral compass, follow the science, and follow regional and national public opinion by ending mountaintop removal. Please take a moment to write your congressperson about this poll to make sure that they see these figures :www.iLoveMountains.org/we-dont-want-MTR

Mountain Books and Literature: Sara Doolittle Reading

August 20th at 11:00 AM at City Lights Bookstore, 3 E. Jackson St. in Sylva NC -  Special Story Time with Sara Doolittle   Sara Doolittle, a current resident of Franklin, will be joining us for story time at City Lights! She will be reading from her first picture book, Lillie's Smile, which was inspired by memories of her maternal grandmother. It was written in hope of preserving Lillie's story and her heritage.

The watercolor illustrations by Margo Locke beautifully capture Lillie's sweet spirit and her appreciation of family while growing up in the Appalachian Mountains. Sara Doolittle was born and raised in Western North Carolina and graduated from Western Carolina University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education. 

For more information about this event, or to reserve a copy of the book, please call City Lights at 586-9499.

Mountain Spirits: Wine and Beer this week, August 18

August 19, 6 PM - 8 PM at Table Wine, 1550 Hendersonville Road, Suite 102, AAA Travel Center in Asheville. ***One Year Anniversary Party! ***Join the fun - FREE for all. As with all of the large tastings at Table Wine, there will be 30 wines to sample, food catered in from Earth Fare and literally a hundred or more people with ear to ear smiles on their faces. We hope you can make it!  August 20 - Free wine tasting PLUS fresh organic veggies at Table Wine every Saturday.


August 19,  4 Pm - 8 PM  Hops and Vines, 797 Haywood Rd, Ste 100 in Asheville NC- Customer Appreciation Sale and Party. Free beer from Olde Hickory Brewing and Bordeaux wine by the glass as well as appeizers and much more. We'll also be raffling off two Brewgrass tickets to benefit Mars Hill cycling team, tickets are $5 or five for $20, you can stop by or call the store to purchase your tickets. The sale will run Friday through Sunday till 5pm. This is a great opportunity to stock up on some great wines at unbeatable prices, up to 20% a bottle! Brewing supplies and Belgian beers 10% off! Thanks for your patronage over the last 4 years!

August 19, 6 PM - 8 PM, at   Divine Wine, 1011 Tunnel Road East Asheville NC. Friday Wine Tastings - complimentary tastes of special wines and beer, along with an assortment of hors d’oeuvres. Each week we celebrate with a different theme and a few surprises.

August 20, 3 PM - 7 PM at  Appalachian Vintner, 2-B Huntsman Place in Asheville NC - Patrick Dickinson from Dionysus Distributing back to the tasting bar this Saturday. Patrick will be pouring a delightful selection of Eco-conscious and environmentally friendly wines, some in “alternative” packaging. These wines are fun and delicious, so be sure not to miss this weekends sensational sipping party at Asheville's best kept secret, Appalachian Vintner

August 20   RagApple Lassie, 3724 Ragapple Lassie Lane Boonville NC   -Mood SwingZ - playing everything from the old vocal Jazz classics to the always popular beach tunes to classic pop – Noon to Six. Lunch is available from the The Back Door Café.  Eat in or take outside for picnicking.

August 20  5 PM - 8 PM at Round Peak Vineyard,   765 Round Peak Church Road, Mount Airy NC.  EVERY Saturday from June through August, Round Peak is open until sunset and will have live music. Bring a picnic and your own meat; our grills will always be fired up. Stay and relax with a bottle of wine and watch the sunset over the Blue Ridge Mountains.

August 20  1 PM - 4 PM  Asheville Wine Market, 65 Biltmore Ave, Asheville NC.   Free Saturday Tasting: Join Mike Tiano for a great tasting featuring four very affordable wines from the Italian peninsula; home of some fabulous wines suited for summer cuisine. These four wines are ideally suited for the summer weather we are experiencing and the fare it inspires.

August 20  2 PM - 5 PM  The Wine Guy, 555 Merimon Ave and 1200 Hendersonville Rd., Asheville NC. FREE Saturday tastings are a great way to sample new favorites in a casual setting. Every week we sample 4 to 6 new wines. Light hors d’ oeuvres will be served and all wines poured will be specially priced.

August 20  12 PM - 5 PM at  Vino Vino Wine Market, 178 Weaverville Rd., Asheville NC
Every Saturday anytime between 12:00 and 5:00pm enjoy a sampling of wines from around the world. A 10% discount on each of the wines we are featuring.

August 24  5 PM - 8 PM  The Wine Studio of Asheville,  169 Charlotte St  Asheville NC.  Winesday is a wine tasting event every Wednesday and a chance for the wine lovers of Asheville to get together, socialize, and try new and exciting wines from around the world.  Each week a portion or our proceeds benefit a local non-profit.

August 20  5 PM - 8 PM at Shelton Vineyards, 286 Cabernet Lane, Dobson NC. Summer Concert Series: The Entertainers.  Advance tickets may be picked up at the winery until the Friday before the concert until 6pm for $25. Tickets will be available at the gate for $30 on the day of concert. Food will be available for sale, or you may bring your own. Regular tour and tasting is offered daily departing every half hour. This includes a guided tour of our 33,000 square-foot winery with an overview of our winemaking process, a tasting of five wines, and a souvenir wine glass.  $5 per person

Tasting Rooms:

Old North State Winery, 308 North Main Street, Mount Airy NC. Hours of operation are: Monday-Wednesday 11am-6pm, Thursday-Saturday 11am-9pm, and Sunday 12pm-6pm. Sample  wines and browse the gift shop featuring wine related and gourmet gift items.

Calaboose Cellars, 565 Aquone Road, Andrews NC. Tasting room summer hours: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from Noon to 5:00.

Daily Tastings at Wedge Brewing Company, 125 B Roberts St. Asheville NC. Micro-brewery regular Tasting room hours: Monday - Thursday 4 PM - 10+ PM; Friday 3 PM - 10+ PM; Saturday and Sunday 2 PM - 10+ PM.

Daily Tastings at Greenman Brewery, 23 Buxton Ave., Asheville NC.  The tasting room is open seven days a week at 4 o'clock, or maybe earlier

Gardening for Wildlife Series

August 22, 6 PM to 8 PM at the Rickman Store. The Gardening for Wildlife Series continues with "Roll Out The Barrel, We'll Have A Barrel Of Fun!" Doug Johnson of Macon County Soil and Water Conservation District will explain how to construct a rain garden (stormwater wetland) and potential financial assistance to homeowners and businesses. Debbie and Frank Leslie will then demonstrate how to make a simple rain barrel from a plastic garbage can. Bring your own if you wish to make one on the spot. Click here for more information on this event & upcoming events


Gardening for Wildlife Series is sponsored by the Friends of the Rickman Store, for more information and reservations, please call 349-5201 or 369-5595. Participation is on a donation basis.
The Little Tennessee Land Trust:  A land trust is a non-profit organization that works in partnership with private landowners to help protect the natural or historic character of their property. By working closely with the landowner, a land trust can offer insight and expertise on planning for future usage of the property to help insure that it remains a part of the family’s heritage.

Riverlink Launches WaterRICH

Water - Recycling, Infiltration, and Conservation for the Home - WaterRICH

How many times have you heard, "oh, basements just get wet here" or "how can I figure out the drainage issue on my property"? There are numerous resources available via the web to learn how to manage the water on your property, yet many of them require special expensive expertise to understand the process.

RiverLink has developed specifically designed WaterRICH, to assist homeowners in understanding rainwater management and conservation techniques that will help recycle and infiltrate water right in their own yards. WaterRICH is a unique RiverLink initiative to assist homeowners understand rainwater management and runoff. Through our new program, RiverLink will provide an on-line resource designed specifically for smaller sites and private individuals, a Guide to Stormwater Management for Residential Homes. This program focuses on residential means of dealing with water issues, thanks to a grant from the Pigeon River Fund.

We are looking for 75 homeowners to help us kick start the program. RiverLink will provide resources designed specifically for smaller sites and private individuals. Along with developing an online guidebook, RiverLink is developing a certification program available for homeowners. We will assist the first 75 residential property owners who sign up, through the process either with training or review, and/or as funds are available, assist homeowners to implement stormwater features at their homes with some help from our over 600 volunteers. Ultimately we would like WaterRICH to evolve into something similar to the healthy built home certification program. We will be also be working with the Realtors, green builders and associated groups to identify and certify a minimum of 75 homes in the first year of the program and help spread the word about this new program.

Would you like to be one of the first in your neighborhood to be WaterRICH certified? Call RiverLink's Watershed Resources Manager, Nancy Hodges. She is a Registered Landscape Architect who can be reached at 252-8474, ext. 14 or by email at nancy@riverlink.org.

RiverLink will be kicking off the program with a presentation at our offices at 170 Lyman Street at 11:30 a.m. and 5p.m. on Thursday, August 25. Come join us to learn about the WaterRICHprogram and what it can do for you. Signing up for the program will give you preferred access to specific WaterRICH trainings and an hour of individual consulting for free!  Please RSVP to Nancy by calling (828) 252-8474, ext. 14 or via e-mail at nancy@riverlink.org

Asheville' Oktoberfest Tickets go on sale today

Oktoberfest, Asheville's salute to German beer, bratwurst and lederhosen, will begin selling tickets for their 2011 event today. This popular street festival is slated for Saturday October 8 in downtown Asheville. If you want to attend, then don't delay in buying tickets. This is a limited occupancy event and it is expected to sell out. Here are the details from the event's facebook page:

Internationally-renowned “oompah” band, The Stratton Mountain Boys, returns to the stage with happy yodeling songs, shoe-slapping dances and lively spirited Polka music sure to incite dancing in the street and rousing cheers of “ein Prosit!”

The event features beer tastings from local breweries and many brewers are featuring seasonal ales for Oktoberfest. The brewers will also be on hand to discuss their beers.

The popular Oktoberfest Games are back as well with some old favorites like the “dizzy gnome” and “keg-rolling” contests as well as some new. Plus, there will be a festival-wide costume contest, so don your lederhosen and represent.

Satisfy your craving for Oktoberfest cuisine with German staples like bratwurst, pretzels and traditional sides from Cucina 24, Jack of the Wood and The Market Place served with local favorite Lusty Monk Mustard.

Saluda's Annual Pig-Out calls for vlounteers

Plans are underway for the annual Charlie Ward Memorial Pig Out scheduled for September 10, 2011 from 4 to 7.  Donations and volunteers are needed.  If you are interested in being part of the planning or want to contribute, please contact Judy Ward at 828-749-1349 or   judyward@charter.net.

This town BBQ was started by Charlie Ward many years ago to thank the residents of Saluda for patronizing his store.  Charlie passed away August 1, 2008. This event has become a town tradition organized and funded by Saluda citizens for Saluda citizens.  It truly has become a symbol of Charlie's gift of giving.

News from the Grove Arcade

Four Corners Annual Upholstery Sale - Now through August 31, Four Corners Home is hosting its annual upholstery event, which means 20% off all upholstered furniture! Choose from hundreds of styles available in fabric and leather.  Opened in 2004, Four Corners Home has grown from it’s original 450 square feet location to now operating two Asheville locations with over 10,000 square feet offering a hand-selected collection unlike any other.  In mid 2009, Four Corners acquired Mobilia, a popular contemporary furniture store in downtown Asheville. The addition of Mobilia, offers customers an even greater selection of furniture, accessories and gifts. The small, friendly team provides knowledgeable and creative insight into projects both large and small.


Burger WorX is open in the former Cats and Dawgs space.  At Burger WorX, you select your patty (beef, chicken, portobello or cheese), choose your bun (old-fashioned or whole wheat), add your favorite cheese (from Classic American to Bleu Cheese Sauce) and finish it all off with as many of our 30-plus toppings as you like. Get creative - get what you want!

The Arcade is pleased to announce that Sintra Designs is open in Suite 148.  Sintra specializes in tiles from around the world including Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Turkish, World Designs, custom painted traditional decorative tiles Azulejos and murals from their factory in Portugal. Sintra Designs prides themselves for bringing this very exquisite european tradition clients in North America. For additional information and to view galleries, visit their website.
The Grove Arcade is located at One Page Avenue at the heart of the Battery Hill neighborhood in downtown Asheville and offers unique shopping and exciting dining in one of Asheville's architectural jewels. A downloadable building tour and new video podcast are available on the website.  Parking is available in the Wall Street, Rankin and Civic Center garages as well as on the street. Directions to the garages and the Grove Arcade can be accessed here. For additional information, call 828.252.7799.

2011-2012 Diana Wortham Mainstage Series Tickets

Beginning August 18th tickets for the 2011-2012 Mainstage Concert Series go on sale. Enjoy music, dance, theatre and comedy at Asheville's intimate Diana Wortham Theatre at Pack Place. Build your own package and save - the more shows the larger the discount.

The Mainstage Series presents a wide range of top touring artists in music, theater, dance and other performing arts. View the season preview videos for a taste of the artists in the exciting new 2011/2012 season. This year's series categories include: LOL, Special Attractions, Dance, Music, Theatre, Celtic and Young Audiences. See a sample of each -  CLICK HERE to go to the videos.

Mountain Spirits: Wine and Beer this week, August 11

August 12, 4 PM - 7 PM at Table Wine, 1550 Hendersonville Road, Suite 102, AAA Travel Center in Asheville.  Friday Winedown - Goin' Down South. Join Dan Davidsen of Fine Wine Trading Company on a journey to three of the Southern Hemisphere's top wine producing countries. Dan will also have a couple of special treats in the bag, but you'll have to come by to see what they are. We'll provide light palate cleansers and the perfect start to your week end. $5/person..........Free For Grape Nuts.

August 12, 7 PM - 10 PM at Classic Wineseller, 20 Church Street, Waynesville NC. Friday Night Live: Hear Wendy-Biller Wright and Helena Hunt perform at the new Wineseller Bandstand. Enjoy your favorite wine with live local music and a casual atmosphere.

August 13, Appalachian Vintner, 2-B Huntsman Place in Asheville NC - Olde Europe Summer Sampler - FREE tasting.  Don Conde Brut Cava- Macabeo blend from the Penedès, a historical wine region within community of Catalonia, in Northwestern Spain. Seigneurs de Bergerac Blanc- 50% Sauvignon, 10% Muscadelle, 40% Semillon from Bergerac, East of Bordeaux along the Dordogne river in the Southwest of France. Sociedade dos Vinhos Borges Meia Encosta Dão- The Meia Encosta Dão tinto is made with the traditional Portuguese grapes, Touriga-Nacional, Jaen, Alfrocheiro and Tinta-Roriz (Tempranillo) from older vines. Cantina Enrico Serafino Nebbiolo di Roero- 100% Nebbiolo from the Piedmont's outstanding Roero wine zone, which is a seamless succession of hills on the left bank of the Tanaro River, between Monferrato and Langhe below the towering Alps. 

August 13   RagApple Lassie, 3724 Ragapple Lassie Lane Boonville NC   - RagApple Lassie regular, Bill Mann’s smooth jazz on his famous tenor, alto, or soprano saxophones – Noon to Six. Lunch is available from the The Back Door Café.  Eat in or take outside for picnicking.

August 12  Hops and Vines, 797 Haywood Rd, Ste 100 in AshevilleNC  - Select Kolsch Offering: a refreshing beer to beat the heat. Kolsch is a German style of beer, something of a hybrid between lagers and ales. It is known for being easily quaffable, crisp, and well-balanced. Reissdorf Kolsch, Gaffel Kolsch, French Broad Gateway Kolsch-style. August 13 FREE wine tasting: Great Spanish Wines! Rueda and Jumilla.  Basa Blanca 2009- This lovely blend of Verdejo, Viura, and Sauvignon Blanc comes from the Rueda region, northwest of Madrid. Altos del Cuco 2009 - This blend of Monastrell, Syrah, and Temrpanillo has been named a "Best Value" wine by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Juan Gil Monastrell 2007- This excellent wine from Jumilla, Spain is 100% Monstrell from 45 year old vines.

Southcliff Announces Leasback Program

Lease Back Program Townhome Lodges at Hawk's Branch

At an elevation of 2,650 feet, the Townhome Lodges at Hawk's Branch offer captivating mountain views just minutes from downtown Asheville. Handsome architectural design and rich interiors accentuate these upscale mountain retreats.
Through a builder leaseback agreement, a buyer can purchase the builder's model home and lease it back to the builder, allowing the builder to use the townhome as a marketing tool for the sale of future homes in the development. This leaseback agreement has an added benefit. With our leaseback program the new owner is able to enjoy limited use of the home during the term of the leaseback period. So, under mutually acceptable terms, you can enjoy the home now, while benefitting from a traditional leaseback agreement.

Contact Southcliff sales staff for more information.

Music Lineup for 2011 RiverFest is Announced

August 13, 1 PM - 7 PM at the French Broad River Park, Asheville NC - The band lineup is set for RiverFest 2011, co-sponsored by Prestige Subaru and Southeastern Sports Medicine.   The festival will include live music from headlining act Josh Phillips Folk Festival as well as acts chosen  the RiverFest Music Showcase competition. Winners in this year's Music Showcase were local acts The River Rats, The Big Hungry, Polar Eye and Pick Your Switch. 

In addition to a great musical lineup, RiverFest offers local beer from Craggie Brewing, and food from such local favorites as Luella's BBQ, Jason's Deli, and Blue Daisy Café. Asheville's own Ultimate Ice Cream is providing cool dessert treats.

Returning to the festivities will be the "Anything that Floats Parade." Groups from all around WNC will put together watercraft of all kinds to float the French Broad from Hominy Creek to the festival. The only rules are that the vessels must float and be removed from the festival grounds upon completion of the race. A registration form is now available at www.riverlink.org, with a deadline for "yachts" of Wednesday, August 10.

Asheville Aerial Arts will perform their gravity-defying stunts and local hula-hoopist extraordinaire MelMac Pink will return to dazzle the crowd between musical acts.

RiverFest offers lots of fun for kids, too, with face-painters, art supplies, and animals from the Western North Carolina Nature Center to touch and learn about.  Kids can also ride, skate, walk, run, and skip in costume in the Kids Parade.

Proceeds from RiverFest benefit RiverLink, the local environmental non-profit working to revitalize the French Broad River as a place for everyone to live, work and play.    

  

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
1:00 PM - Festival Opens

1:15 PM - Kids & Dogs on Parade

1:30 PM - Hula Hooping with MelMac Pink

2:00 PM - Music Showcase: River Rats

2:30 PM - Belly Dancing Demo

3:00 PM - Music Showcase: Big Hungry

3:00 PM - Cornhole Tournament Begins

3:30 PM - Sun Soo Tai Kwondo

4:00 PM - Music Showcase: Polar Eye

4:30 PM - Asheville Aerial Arts

5:00 PM - Music: Pick Your Switch

5:30 PM - Raft Race Awards

5:30 PM - Music Showcase Award

6:00 PM - Music: Josh Phillips Folk Festival

7:00 PM - Festival Concludes

Is Asheville the most beautiful place in America?

Those of us who live in or grew up in Asheville would, of course, say an unqualified "YES!"  And it's a fact that being able to participate in the online polls and harvest the accolades  (click to see a list)  they bring is important.  Each time Asheville is  honored to have the vibrant mountain city featured alongside some major names in U.S. Destinations. These polls provide an outlet to express enthusiasm and now you can share in that spirit by voting in Good Morning America's feature, The Most Beautiful Place in America.

Photo by Alan Ostmann

Thanks to the photo submission of mountain resident Alan Ostmann, the Asheville area is now featured in the top ten and GMA wants to see who American thinks is number one.

"I live just outside of Asheville, N.C., bordering the Pisgah National Forest in possibly the oldest mountains on the planet," Ostmann wrote in his submission. "Four miles from my home is the Blue Ridge Parkway. The forest and parkway allow some of the most spectacular views I have seen anywhere in the world. I hike and bike the area daily and am always amazed at the beauty nature can reveal to us."

Have some fun and Help Asheville by joining the online survey - it only takes a minute.

Vote here!

City Lights Bookstore hosts Robert Shook Reading

August 13 at 2 PM at City Lights Bookstore - Robert L. Shook, current Franklin NC resident, will visit City Lights to read from his novel A Journey in Courage. This historical fiction piece captures the legacy of the Shook family and spins a riveting story of faith, God, and the unshakable love that connects a family.

America was calling Carsten Shuck, but little did he know of the hardships and endeavors that he would encounter. With his family by his side and God in their hearts, together they would reestablish themselves and help forge the way to creating a new country. Following the reading there will be refreshments and a book signing. 

City Lights Book Store is located at 3 E. Jackson Street in Sylva, NC

WNC Magazine Asheville Wine & Food Festival this weekend

August 12 - 13   WNC Magazine Asheville Wine & Food Festival    The largest celebration of wines and local delicacies that the Asheville area has ever seen. This year, the festival weekend kicks off with Sweet, a culinary adventure in to the decadent world of desserts, champagnes, dessert wines, specialty cocktails, and spirits. Sweet will be held at the historic Grove Arcade in downtown Asheville.

The Asheville Wine and Food Festival is a celebration of the culinary experiences found in Ahseville as well as a showcase of the area’s chefs, wineries, farmers, and food producers. In addition to the excellent food the  region’s wealth of wineries have made viticulture a contributing industry in North Carolina's economy.

A portion of the proceeds of the Festival benefit local area nonprofits that support and promote sustainable and ecologically-sound food production and education.

The Asheville Reef Continues to Grow at the Center for Craft Creativity and Design

The Asheville Reef, a satellite of the worldwide Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef, is currently growing in the CCCD Gallery with the help of crochet groups from around the Western North Carolina region. The Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef is the brainchild of two sisters from Australia, Christine and Margaret Wertheim, co-founders of the Institute for Figuring in Los Angeles. The Wertheim sisters are interested in raising awareness of the threat’s to the world’s coral reef by uniting non-Euclidean hyperbolic geometry with crochet craft techniques. Communities are working to create beautiful and lifelike models that will raise awareness of threats to the world's coral.

The Asheville Reef is on display through August 12 at 1181 Broyles Road in Hendersonville. Gallery hours are 12 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.  If you missed seeing The Asheville Reef in the CCCD gallery, it will be on display in the lobby of UNC Asheville's Karpen Hall Sept. 5 - Oct. 5, 2011.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Telethon and Fundraising

Submitted by Holly Scott, Friends of the Smokies Every year in August, we hold the only telethon (that we know about) to help preserve and protect a national park. Even if you're not in the viewing area of Asheville's WLOS-TV or WBIR-TV in Knoxville, your support for the 17th Annual Friends Across the Mountains Telethon can make a big difference in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  Click here to give today via our secure website. Because you love the Smokies, we know you'll enjoy reading these stories of generosity toward the Park that's meant so much to all of us.

We Know the Smokies Are Unforgettable- And Here's How! Angela and Doug I wanted to share with you three messages that I recently received. "Dear Friends -- This morning, I logged on to Friends of the Smokies and purchased an annual membership at the $100.00 level. My partner and I spent a wonderful week in the park June 17-24 and are still talking about how beautiful it was!  The first experience for both of us. Each day brought a new adventure: a sunset drive through Cades Cove; walking through a thick and mysterious fog to reach the summit at Clingman's Dome; a silent and primieval-feeling hike out to Andrew's Bald to see the flame azaleas; seeing a bear (from a safe distance!) at Laurel Falls; synchronous fireflies (who knew?!) at Chimney Tops; owl and deer along the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail; the decaying beauty of the once vibrant cottage community at Elkmont; and MORE! It seemed, however, that each and every time we passed a donation box...neither of us had any bills to contribute!  I did feel awful about that, and wanted to make it right, as I know now that GSMNP will be a place we return to again and again. It is a special place, and what a joy and gift to be able to experience it up-close. We also watched on with fascination and untold appreciation as a VERY hard-working crew were chiselling rock and laying BY HAND a new section of trail from the Clingman's Dome parking lot out to Andrew's Bald. And here I'd just thought all of those wonderful stone steps had popped up naturally from the earth, carved by Mother Nature!  To see these men and women out there in the mud and muck and hot sun working so hard, but also clearly LOVING what they do.....wow.  That, alone, is more than worth $100.00!! Thank you so much for all you are doing to help protect and preserve this amazing space so that generations can continue to enjoy it! Jay Aldrich in 201 -Angela Holton & Doug Smith And from Trails Forever volunteer Jay Aldrich- "Being part of the Friends of the Smokies has been one of the most rewarding associations we have been involved in throughout our lifetime.  We have already worked with Trails Forever in 2010 and then in 2011 we have so far spent 6 days on the Forney Ridge Trail near Clingman's Dome. One must walk this trail to see the amazing work and effort that has gone into getting this trail into the condition it is today.  It is mind boggling as one hikes down the trail and doesn't even realize that the steps with the enormous rocks have not been there forever. The Trails Forever Project is one way each of us can be absolutely be sure that our trails in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park will be here for generations to come.  Why would anyone who uses these trails not want to see them exist for their children and their children's children.  We all have a responsibility to see that the Great Smoky Mountain National Park be the most pristine park in the NPS system. The FOTS does just that by helping the park with a crew and allowing volunteers to be part of the future. Thank you, FOTS for everything you do and we are proud to be part of this association. You know that you can always count on us to help this great national treasure!" And finally, from JBThomasWalker - "The only reason I ever wanted to be rich was to be able to give to others. I wish I had ten million dollars to give to GSMNP! I could never repay the joy and serenity the Park has given me on my many, many trips there.   The first time I ever visited the Smokies at age almost eight, I hid in the woods behind our rental cabin in Gatlinburg in hopes that my family would leave me there to live.   When my Dad finally found me, he was sweet and understanding, not angry at all. He asked how I intended to live, what would I do when winter came and it got cold? `The mountains will take care of me,' I said.   And though I've never lived there, indeed the mountains have "taken care" of me in both joyous (including my honeymoon) and sad times since that trip back in the early 1950's. I wish I could watch the telethon, but I live in the Nashville area. (Have you ever thought of broadcasting it in Nashville also...almost everyone in Middle TN visits the Smokies often, and we consider them "our" mountains, too. I'm sure many people here would contribute.)  I hope you raise tons and tons of money for the Smokies!"  - Jane" People from all parts of the country, and all walks of life cherish the memories they've made in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  The August 11th Friends Telethon at 7:00 p.m. on WBIR-TV and WLOS-TV will tell you about even more fantastic Smoky Mountain memories.  Tune in Thursday night if you can, but please consider a gift of support today!

Thank you for caring about Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and helping us to care for it, too. And while you're at it, enjoy this fabulous story that aired on WBIR about a 100-year-old camper who just thrills at the chance to spend time with her family in Smokemont Campground!  http://www.wbir.com/news/article/178787/8/Even-at-100-years-old-Ottie-Roberson-is-a-happy-camper Ottie Roberson's profile on WBIR-TV