Appalachian Regional Commission has opened applications for the Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities Initiative in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, the Delta Regional Authority, and the Northern Border Regional Commission. WORC supports community-led workforce and economic development projects in rural Appalachia and other regions. Projects should address employer needs, help residents secure family-sustaining employment, and support long-term economic growth. Applications are due July 23. Learn more and apply here.
ArtsAVL is accepting applications for the 2026-27 Arts Build Community grant cycle from June 22 through July 20, 2026. Since 2018, the grant has supported public art projects that encourage civic engagement and community participation. Eligible projects must be free, open to the public, accessible, and include community engagement. Public art may include murals, sculpture, digital media, performances, festivals, and other artist-led work. Learn more and apply here.
The Asheville Museum of History is accepting nominations for the 2026 Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award through July 30, 2026. The award, presented since 1955 and carrying a $1,000 prize, recognizes eligible works of fiction, nonfiction, drama, or poetry. Nominated works must be first editions published between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026, and meet Western North Carolina author or subject criteria. Learn more and apply here.
The Big Crafty returns to Harrah’s Cherokee Center on July 11 and 12 with 185 juried and emerging artists. The event, voted Western North Carolina’s favorite art event for 17 years, highlights handmade work and a community-focused creative economy. Food and drink vendors include Harrah’s, Cooperative Coffee Roasters, Folk Saints, beeswax and butter, and The Hop Handcrafted Ice Cream. Saturday tickets are available online or at the door, and children attend free. Learn more.
The Biltmore Championship Asheville is now selling grounds tickets for the tournament at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove, marking the return of professional golf to Western North Carolina for the first time since 1942. Grounds tickets include access to tournament grounds and public venues, with up to six tickets available per day per account. The Youth Ticket Program admits up to two children ages 15 and under free with each ticketed adult. Buy tickets here.
Burial Beer Co. has opened ticket sales for Burnpile, its annual beer and music festival at Forestry Camp. Now in its 14th year, the event features a full-day concert and tastings from more than 60 breweries. The lineup includes first-time guest brewers such as Blindhouse, Inner Voice, Keepsake, Offset, and Varietal. Lucero will headline, with support from Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band and additional acts to be announced. Buy tickets here.
The Folk Heritage Committee is producing Shindig on the Green for its 60th season in 2026 at Pack Square Park. The free summer tradition features a stage show and informal jam sessions with Southern Appalachian music and dance. Events begin around sundown, or 7:00 p.m., and continue until 10:00 p.m. Performers include The Stoney Creek Boys, string bands, dancers, ballad singers, and storytellers. Learn more.
The Independence Day Block Party presented by Ingles returns to Asheville’s South Slope on Saturday, July 4, with family-friendly activities, live entertainment, food, beverages, and fireworks. The event includes Ultimate Air Dogs dock-diving demonstrations, music on the Asheville Yards Stage, World Cup viewing at participating locations, the Buxton Avenue KidZone, and a street car show on South Coxe Avenue. Fireworks begin at 9:30 p.m. Learn more.
The North Carolina Arboretum is seeking corporate partners for Winter Lights 2026, its 13th annual holiday light show. Sponsorships connect businesses with an audience of more than 100,000 visitors and support a major regional tourism event. Partner tiers include yearlong recognition and incentives. Community support also helps fund education programs, exhibits, signature events, 65 acres of gardens, and more than 10 miles of trails. Learn more.
New & Noteworthy
Aeroflow Health has acquired Canopie, Inc., a digital health company focused on preventative care for expecting and new mothers. Canopie offers virtual programs supporting mental health and physical wellness, while Aeroflow Breastpumps provides lactation supplies, feeding support, and perinatal education. The acquisition expands Aeroflow’s maternal health services and follows a partnership that began in 2022, when Aeroflow invested in Canopie after an earlier collaboration. Learn more.
Ballcrank Pickleball Club plans to open later this summer at 115 Reems Creek Road with 12 professional-grade indoor courts inside more than 30,000 square feet of the former Balcrank Corporation headquarters. The club will anchor the Ballcrank Arcade & Fairgrounds redevelopment, which is transforming the 132,000-square-foot building into a hub for recreation, food and beverage, art, and retail. Memberships will offer priority booking. Learn more.
EatingWell named Asheville its 2026 Best Wellness Town, citing the city’s Blue Ridge Mountain setting, outdoor recreation, arts district, locally owned restaurants, and live music venues. The publication highlighted Asheville as a year-round destination, with fall foliage, spring wildflowers, summer paddling on the French Broad River, and winter activities including holiday displays at Biltmore Estate contributing to its wellness appeal. Learn more.
Jabil plans to expand its Henderson County operations with an investment of more than $102 million and the creation of more than 148 jobs with average annual wages above $62,000. The 180,000-square-foot facility will be built at Jabil’s existing Garrison Industrial Park site in East Flat Rock. The company manufactures precision injection-molded healthcare components assembled on automated lines for healthcare customers. Learn more.
The Madison County Arts Council has reopened its Main Street home in Marshall after Helene flooding and restarted a capital campaign to address long-standing accessibility and facility needs. The $1.2 million renovation adds an elevator, wheelchair lift, four ADA-compliant bathrooms, and a full HVAC system. A group exhibit of new works by regional artists, along with photographs by Chris Aluka Berry, is on view through July 25.
MAHEC has opened a new mobile pharmacy that will bring medications to underserved areas in Transylvania, Macon, Jackson, Polk, and Buncombe counties. The service will operate outside existing MAHEC clinics Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a rotating daily schedule still to be finalized. The pharmacy will offer generic and brand-name medications for chronic disease management, substance use disorder, and mental health needs. Learn more.
MANNA FoodBank and Ingles Markets reported that the 2026 Summer Milk Drive collected more than 2,500 gallons of milk for children, families, seniors and individuals served through MANNA’s regional partner network. With support from The Dairy Alliance, Kellanova, and iHeart Radio, the drive also included a 1,500-gallon match from Ingles’ milk processing plant, bringing the total contribution to more than 4,000 gallons.
ServisFirst Bank has named Tina Ketterer vice president and commercial banking officer in Asheville. She will focus on business development, client relationship management, customer acquisition, and account growth. Ketterer brings nearly three decades of banking experience, including commercial lending, portfolio management, business development, credit analysis, and relationship management. She previously held commercial banking leadership roles with financial institutions across Western North Carolina.
South College Asheville held its commencement ceremony June 19 at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, celebrating nearly 200 graduates. Victoria Dunkle, former Asheville news anchor and current communications director for AdventHealth, delivered remarks. AdventHealth serves as a clinical partner for South College Asheville, supporting hands-on student training. The campus opened in 2012 at 140 Sweeten Creek Road and offers programs in business, healthcare, legal studies, technology, and more.
UNC Health has applied to open a 92-bed hospital near downtown Asheville through North Carolina’s Certificate of Need process. The June 15 application seeks approval for beds made available this year, separate from UNC’s appeal of a March decision awarding beds to Mission Hospital and Novant Health. The proposed facility would include emergency care, intensive care, labor and delivery, cardiology, psychiatry, rehabilitation, and other services. Learn more.
United Way of Henderson County announced $352,000 in grant awards to support 42 programs at 25 local nonprofit agencies during the coming year. The funding comes through the Community Investment Fund, which supports education, financial stability, health, and basic needs. The awards conclude the third year of 2024-2027 funding, with recommendations made after a volunteer review process involving more than 20 local reviewers in 2024.
Valley River Apartments was recognized as Development of the Year at an awards ceremony in Raleigh. Murphy Mayor Tim Radford and Property Manager Susie Graham joined the Western North Carolina Housing Partnership to accept the honor. The award highlights the 56-unit affordable housing community in Cherokee County, which opened in 2025 and offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes for working families meeting income guidelines.
Wine Spectator presented 2026 Awards of Excellence to nine Asheville restaurants for thoughtfully curated wine lists. The honorees are The Dining Room at Biltmore Estate, Bargello, Posana, Curate Bar de Tapas, The Blackbird, The Market Place, Red Stag Grill, The Corner Kitchen, and Jargon. The awards are part of Wine Spectator’s annual Restaurant Awards program, which recognized 4,012 dining destinations worldwide this year. Learn more.
Community Input
Best of AVL voting opens Wednesday, June 17, 2026, and runs through Wednesday, July 1, 2026. Winners will be selected across 268 categories based on daily vote totals. Businesses are encouraged to promote voting to customers and community members, with free marketing assets available for use on social media, websites, email and text messages to help boost visibility and customer engagement. Cast your votes here.
Buncombe County is seeking public input for its FY28-30 Opioid Settlement Funding Strategic Plan through an online survey. The county is expected to receive more than $30 million through 2038 to support prevention and long-term recovery. Since 2024, funding has expanded treatment access, recovery navigation, Naloxone distribution, housing and economic stability supports, job readiness pathways, community training and anti-stigma awareness efforts. Give your feedback here.