AdventHealth Turtle Creek is hosting an Open House on September 29 from 5:30–7 p.m. at 15 Turtle Creek Drive, Asheville, NC 28803. Attendees can enjoy refreshments, network with other guests, tour the facility and learn about AdventHealth’s commitment to serving the community. The gathering will also celebrate this milestone for the organization and provide an opportunity for neighbors and partners to become familiar with the new facility and its work.
AmeriHealth Caritas NC is hosting a facilitated workshop on reflection, inquiry and organizational learning on October 20th from 5:30PM–7PM at the AmeriHealth Caritas Wellness & Opportunity Center, 216 Asheland Avenue, Asheville. Robert V. Sylvester, founder of OMLIGN, will lead dialogue examining how assumptions and differing perspectives influence problem-solving and organizational performance. Participants will explore how reflection can expand understanding and reveal possibilities that may be missed when moving directly from problem to solution. Learn more and register here.
Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity is accepting submissions for its 15th annual ReStore ReUse Contest through midnight on September 30. Category winners will receive $200 ReStore gift cards, and the Best in Show winner will receive a $500 gift card. Community voting will take place in October for Art, Furniture & Home Décor, and Dwelling categories, with judges selecting Best in Show. Learn more.
The Asheville Independent Restaurant Association announced a week of restaurant deals while the PGA TOUR is in town. More than 20 AIR network restaurants will participate, offering promotions ranging from free appetizers to prix fixe brunch specials. Participating businesses include Gemelli, Curate, Chestnut, Luella’s BBQ, The Twisted Laurel, the Wicked Weed Funkatorium and others, giving tournament visitors and local diners multiple options across Asheville during the event week. Learn more and see the deals here.
Asheville Oktoberfest returns Saturday, October 3, from 1–5 p.m. on Coxe Avenue in downtown Asheville’s South Slope Brewery District. Presented by Fields Automotive, the event will feature local breweries, traditional Oktoberfest games, live entertainment, food, and beer samples. The new location places the festival within a neighborhood known for breweries, restaurants, and independent businesses. Attendees are encouraged to explore South Slope before, during, and after the afternoon celebration. Learn more and purchase tickets here.
Asheville Poverty Initiative (API) is hiring an Executive Director to lead the organization into its second decade. Based at State Street and Haywood Road, API builds community through 12 Baskets Café and Realities of Poverty Education, sharing meals and stories across socioeconomic differences. Candidates should bring successful leadership experience, integrity, empathy, and the ability to oversee fundraising, programs, and operations while collaborating with staff, volunteers, the board, and community constituencies. Learn more and apply here.
The Asheville Tourists have announced the inaugural Downtown Diamond Dash 5K at HomeTrust Park on Saturday, October 17, 2026. Race-day check-in begins at 7 a.m.; advance pickup is available at the Tourists Box Office from 3–6 p.m. Friday, October 16. Registration includes an official timed bib and a post-race craft beer or Powerade. Registrations completed by September 18, 2026, also include an event T-shirt. Spectators may attend free, with select concessions available. Learn more and register here.
Buncombe County is recruiting paid poll workers to support safe, secure, and accessible elections for more than 216,000 registered voters. Nearly 200 workers are needed for 13 early voting sites from Oct. 15-31, 2026. Applicants must be available throughout the early voting period and will receive training before serving morning or afternoon shifts of at least seven hours. Pay ranges from $15 to $17 per hour, depending on role. Learn more and apply here.
The Caldwell Chamber is hosting its annual Fall Golf Classic, featuring golf, networking, contests, prizes and opportunities to connect with business and community leaders, on Friday, October 2. The schedule begins with registration at 10:00 AM, followed by lunch at 11:30 AM, the Hole in One Competition at 12:45 PM and a shotgun start at 1:00 PM. Participants may compete or play casually while promoting their businesses and spending the day on the course. Learn more and register here.
The Center for Craft opens Crafting Variance on Friday, October 9. Guest curator Lola Ben-Alon of Columbia University brings together nine U.S. and international artists working with natural, living, discarded, and changing materials. Sculpture, film, objects, and experiments use sand, clay, maize, plant fibers, fungi, bacteria, recycled plastics, and more. A microscope station and the Center’s Materials Collection let visitors examine and handle samples while exploring connections among craft, science, ecology, history, and diasporic traditions. Learn more.
The Downtown Asheville Express will provide free Gray Line Trolley service between The Grove Arcade and The Cliffs at Walnut Cove during the PGA’s Biltmore Championship, Thursday–Saturday, September 17–19. Round trips will operate approximately hourly, beginning with pickup at The Cliffs each day. Riders can visit downtown restaurants, shops, and attractions before or after the tournament. Seating is first-come, first-served, and guests are encouraged to arrive early.
Greenway eBike Rentals announced expanded guided electric-bike experiences, including authorization for tours and rentals in Pisgah National Forest, an upgraded concierge delivery service, and new business and hospitality partnerships. Forest tours combine eBike assistance with commentary on ecology, conservation and regional heritage. The company is expanding partnerships in Brevard, Transylvania County, and Charlotte and works with Hilton Tapestry’s The Radical Hotel in Asheville. Learn more.
The Hop Ice Cream is partnering with Bridge Meals for Community Scoops Day on Sunday, September 27, at all four locations. The Asheville shop, operated by Ashley and Greg Garrison since 2008, began offering free Community Scoops after Helene with support from the business, customers and donors worldwide. On 9/27, visitors may receive a free kiddie scoop, and 100% of every donated dollar goes directly to the Hop to help them cover the free scoops. Learn more.
The Laura Jane Musser Fund is offering Rural Initiative and Environmental Initiative grants. Rural Initiative applications are accepted September 1 through October 1, 2026, for communities of 10,000 or fewer, with planning grants up to $5,000 and implementation grants up to $25,000. Environmental Initiative applications are accepted September 8 through October 8, 2026, with planning grants up to $8,000 and implementation grants up to $35,000. Learn more and apply here.
The Marquee will host a live Queer Dating Game Show on Thursday, September 24, from 6:00–9:00 PM. Blind Date Live’s Cayla Clark will lead the show, with Asheville drag queen Ganymede serving as DJ and emcee. The evening will feature playful matchmaking, entertainment, and a celebration of queer connection and community. Guests can purchase nonalcoholic beverages from Devil’s Foot Brewing Company and sample THCA-infused slushies from WLX Asheville.
Mountain BizWorks is accepting applications for its seventh Catalyst Cohort from August 24 through September 25, 2026. The no-cost business growth program serves under-resourced entrepreneurs across Western North Carolina whose companies show potential for growth and job creation. Participants receive peer advisory support, one-on-one coaching, resource connections, and guidance in strategy, finance, leadership, operations, and marketing. The program prioritizes owners navigating barriers such as geographic isolation, economic hardship, language access, or educational gaps. Learn more and apply here.
Read 2 Succeed Asheville/Buncombe is hosting the free, all-ages Reading Opens the World Book Drive & Family Literacy Fair on Sunday, September 27, from 12–4 p.m. at Martin L. Nesbitt Jr. Discovery Academy in Asheville. More than 30,000 English- and Spanish-language books, from birth through high school, will be available. Educators may select up to 50 books; families may select up to 10 per student, with a 30-book family maximum. Activities include food, music, games, a costume swap and LEGO boxes while supplies last. Learn more.
Resources for Resilience is offering WNC residents a free training and support session marking two years since Helene. The evening will provide conversation, connection, reflection, and practical ways to navigate post-storm trauma and stress. Participants will learn how challenges affect people differently, identify tools for overwhelm and anxiety, share difficulties, and practice strategies for supporting themselves and others. The program costs about $75 per person but is pay-what-you-can. Advance registration is requested. Learn more and sign up here.
Tourists Signature Events will host a free BOO Ridge Halloween Movie Night on Friday, October 23, 2026, at HomeTrust Park. Gates open at 6 p.m. for the BOO Ridge Trail, with local businesses distributing candy until 7 p.m. An on-field screening of Disney’s 1993 Hocus Pocus begins at 6:30 p.m. and runs 96 minutes. Select concessions will remain available for purchase through 7:45 p.m. Learn more.
The Womyn Rising Celebration will take place Saturday, Oct. 17, from 2–7 p.m. at Hellbender, featuring more than 40 womyn-led artisan vendors, local food and beverages, children’s activities, and an Arete relaxation area. Soul-roots artist Abby Bryant and her band will perform two sets, with Sunnie Rae opening. Community groups will participate, and a limited merchandise collection by local artist Erika Busse will benefit Our VOICE, an Asheville nonprofit serving survivors in Buncombe County. Learn more.
The YMCA of Western North Carolina will host Healthy Aging Day on Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. at the Reuter Family YMCA in Biltmore Park. The free community event connects older adults with healthy-living resources and opportunities. Featured activities include “Understanding the Journey of Aging” at 11 a.m., the “Change Your Palate” cooking demonstration at 11:30 a.m., and a Tai Chi class demonstration at 12:30 p.m.
New & Noteworthy
ArtsAVL awarded Arts Build Community grants to 21 Buncombe County organizations and individuals for 2026–27. The $37,997 in funding will support free community arts programs spanning public murals, live music, youth storytelling, and hurricane recovery. Now in its ninth year, the program promotes accessible arts experiences across the county. One project from Burton Street Community Association will pair youth with elders to preserve neighborhood stories, traditions, and history. Learn more.
Asheville High School is nearing completion of a culinary classroom renovation designed to meet professional kitchen standards. The space will give culinary arts students professional-kitchen experience. The Culinary Arts pathway is among the district’s highest-earning pathways for industry-recognized credentials and one of Asheville City Schools’ six CTE Signature Pathways within the Hospitality and Tourism career cluster. Learn more.
The Asheville Recovers Together Small Business Grants Program received 771 applications before its Tuesday, July 14, noon deadline, with businesses requesting more than $42.4 million in recovery funding. Grants of $5,000–$75,000 will support Hurricane Helene recovery. The City of Asheville funds the program through HUD Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery funding. ArtsAVL, Eagle Market Streets Development Corporation, and Mountain BizWorks administer it under the City’s CDBG-DR Action Plan. Learn more.
Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) President and CEO Lew Bleiweis received the American Association of Airport Executives Distinguished Service Award, one of AAAE’s highest honors. AAAE Chair Marshall Stevens, A.A.E., presented it during the Greater Asheville Regional Airport Authority Board meeting on August 14, 2026. Bleiweis joined the authority in 2008 and became its leader in 2009. During his tenure, AVL became a small hub and launched more than $750 million in capital expansion projects. Learn more.
The Bascom Lamar Lunsford Mountain Music Festival at Mars Hill University is honoring Rodney Sutton with the Bascom Lamar Lunsford Award. Established in 1980, the award recognizes significant contributions to Southern Appalachian folk, music, or dance traditions; Sutton’s work spans all three. He has spent decades learning from tradition bearers and preserving their dance steps, stories, and songs. His friend Bobby McMillon’s ballad recordings are now housed in Mars Hill’s Southern Appalachian Archives. Learn more.
The Caldwell County Public Library recently reported major growth in circulation and programming. Checkouts rose from 300,000 in 2023 to 349,000 in 2025, and teen circulation achieved four straight years of double-digit growth. This year, three branches offered 42 teen programs, up 425% from eight in summer 2018. Summer Reading drew 1,191 children who accounted for a total of 651,195 reading minutes.
Chemist Spirits has announced a sister location in Biltmore Village after restoring the neighborhood’s historic post office, vacant since 2022. The new bar will preserve the building’s character through carefully selected antiques, furnishings, and details while giving the space new life. Designed for visits from morning through evening, it will serve coffee, Chemist Spirits, and cocktails in a setting reflecting generations of Biltmore Village craftsmanship, architecture, and community. Learn more.
Eda Rhyne Distillery was featured on the YouTube show “Local Legends.” In the episode, YouTube content creator Brad Leone explores Appalachian botanicals, wild plants, amaro and botanical spirits. The program examines traditional plant knowledge, local ecology, and the distilling practices behind Eda Rhyne’s approach. It also highlights how Appalachia’s landscape and traditions continue to influence Asheville’s craft beverage culture. Watch it here.
Explore Asheville offers a Fall Color Report Email with weekly updates on autumn hikes, scenic drives, travel deals, peak color, and the best viewing elevations. Its Fall Color Hunters provide real-time guidance, photography, and tips on where foliage is changing, including along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Subscribers receive reports from late September through early November, helping them follow Asheville’s long leaf season and choose locations as color moves down the mountains. Learn more and sign up here.
Friends of Downtown Hendersonville received a $25,000 Duke Energy Foundation grant for its Downtown Business Improvement Grant Program. The funding will help businesses in Hendersonville’s Main Street and 7th Avenue Municipal Service Districts improve their operations and downtown appearance. Individual awards generally will be up to $1,500, with possible additional support for larger façade and mural projects. Applications open September 15, 2026, and are due October 26, 2026. Learn more.
The Good Neighbor Authority secured nearly $65 million for Helene recovery services in Western North Carolina forests. The North Carolina Forest Service agreement will accelerate restoration, reduce hazardous fuels, create regional jobs, and develop strategies for invasive and non-native species. Helene affected an estimated 800,000-plus acres in September 2024, including large areas of Nantahala National Forest and Pisgah National Forest. Removing downed trees may also reduce wildfire risk. Learn more.
Guajiro, a family-run Cuban-American comfort food restaurant displaced by Helene, has opened a new brick-and-mortar location at Asheville Cotton Mill Studios. The restaurant serves authentic Cuban cuisine at reasonable prices, based on recipes the owners’ grandparents brought from Cuba and the traditions of “abuela’s” home cooking. Regular hours are Monday–Saturday, 8 a.m.–9 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Learn more.
HCA Healthcare is investing more than $32 million in Mission Health facilities across Western North Carolina. The total includes nearly $15 million for imaging and diagnostic technology and more than $13 million for surgical, cardiovascular, and procedural care. More than $30 million will go to Mission Hospital, including $12 million for surgical and cardiovascular equipment. HCA also will invest $820,000 in two specialized Type I ambulances, plus endoscopy equipment, infrastructure, and other patient-care resources. Learn more.
Hole Doughnuts was featured in a profile in Southern Living magazine. Author Tara Massouleh McCay noted that the shop’s robin’s-egg-blue food truck, open kitchen, original shiplap walls, exposed rafters, limited tables and six-seat fryer bar define the experience. Learn more.
Holt Orchards owner Todd Kirmss was named Apple Farmer of the Year during the 80th N.C. Apple Festival in downtown Hendersonville. Kirmss assumed responsibility for the farm after his stepfather, Mark Holt, died during the 2009 apple season and later continued after his mother, Viginia Holt, died. He is the 17th farmer honored by United Community Bank, which established the award in 2009 with the NC Apple Festival. Holt Orchards is at 17 Holt Pond Drive, Flat Rock. Learn more.
Partner Community Capital (PCAP), a mission-driven community development financial institution serving West Virginia, North Carolina, and communities across Appalachia, announced new support from First Citizens Bank. First Citizens completed a $2.5 million Equity Equivalent Investment and approved a $100,000 Community Reinvestment Act grant. The funding will expand PCAP’s flexible lending capital and resources for small businesses, nonprofits, community organizations, and projects advancing economic opportunity and community revitalization beyond traditional financing.
Pillar Rooftop Bar is remodeling this fall to mark 10 years in the Asheville community. The refreshed rooftop will introduce an elevated, approachable atmosphere and a garden-to-glass cocktail concept featuring seasonal botanicals, fresh produce, herbs and drinks inspired by Western North Carolina. Its mountain-view setting will accommodate leisurely afternoons, golden-hour drinks, weddings, private celebrations, corporate gatherings, and special events, while giving the rooftop the feel of a lush garden. Learn more.
Community Input
The East Asheville Public Library is collecting redesigned covers of banned books through September 26. Then selected designs will then be printed onto trading cards to be distributed during Banned Books Week (October 4-10). Created in 2025, this community art project drew 40 artist submissions last year. Learn more and submit designs here.