Business Buzz: 4/12/23

April 12, 2023

Happenings:

  • Experience musical creativity with no bounds. Blind since birth, renowned singer-songwriter Raul Midón lives in a world of sound, singing with the passion of the best classic soul singers and playing guitar with the instrumental chops of history’s most accomplished jazz musicians. Saturday, April 15, 2023 at 8 p.m. at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets: Regular $48; Student $43; Child $20; Student Rush day-of-show (with valid I.D.) $10. Box office: 828-257-4530 or worthamarts.org.
  • HCA Healthcare is hosting a Healthcare Career Expo for High School Seniors on Tuesday, April 18th from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the Galen College of Nursing campus. This is an opportunity for students to explore healthcare professions such as nursing, trauma services, respiratory therapy, radiology and more! During this expo, you can tour the campus, see a fully equipped Student Sim Lab, visit a MAMA ambulance and talk to people in your field of interest. Snacks, drinks & more! Free to attend, but registration is required. Click here to register.
  • Western North Carolina University is hosting The Cullowhee Native Plant Conference this July 19 – 22. The conference aims to increase interest in and knowledge of propagating and preserving native southeastern plant species in the landscape. Past participants of the conference have included landscape architects, commercial nursery operators, garden club members, botanists, and horticulturists from state highway departments, universities, native plant societies, botanical gardens, and arboretums. Both professionals and laypersons will gain valuable knowledge from the informative field trips, lectures, and workshops. The program schedule allows for informal sessions where participants can exchange ideas. Learn more & register.
  • Montford North Star Academy is hosting its annual plan sale on Saturday, April 29 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. – Herb & veggie starts, bedding plants, hanging flowers, perennials and more! Grown by the residential recovery program at First Step Farm of WNC, LLC, in Candler, NC Asheville Go Local Cards will be available for $20 and offer discounts at over 500 local businesses. In case of inclement weather, we may reschedule for Sunday, April 30, or Saturday, May 6, 2023. Photo Courtesy of First Step Farm of WNC, LLC.
  • Asheville Outlets is hosting Drive Electric Earth Day on Sunday, April 30, 2023, from 12 noon to 4 p.m. Spectators will be able to view and ride in a wide range of electric vehicles including the Ford Lightning and Rivian Electric Trucks, the VW ID4, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, and the Kia EV 6, Bolt EVs and EUVs, plus there will be a “Vintage EVs” section and much more. Visitors will also get a chance to test the latest electric bikes and scooters and learn about solar and the expanded solar tax credit. Attendees will meet Blue Ridge EV Club members and Tesla Owners of Western North Carolina groups and learn how to get involved. Tesla and EVgo Electric Vehicle Charging Stations are on the property. Read more.
  • The North Carolina Association of Volunteer Administration (NCAVA) announced its 2023 Statewide Conference on Volunteer Management will be held in Asheville this May. Volunteer leaders from across the state are invited to register for one to three days of professional development opportunities, including in-person workshops, roundtable discussions, and keynote presentations. The conference is happening May 17 – 19, 2023 at the Crowne Plaza Resort. Learn more & register here.
  • ABCLT, one of our newest Chamber members, is throwing its first ever members appreciation soiree! They are currently working to reverse the effects of urban renewal and further gentrification in Buncombe County. The ABCLT Vision Statement is: To build diverse and equitable communities where everyone, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, has opportunities to thrive, build wealth, and use their collective voice to create a more prosperous, just future. Join them at Crave Dessert Bar on April 18th from 5:30pm-7:30pm! RSVP via Eventbrite HERE! If you are receiving this invite and have not yet had the chance to join the movement, don’t fret! Click here to become a member or to renew your membership today! It is a low-commitment membership – $25 dollars annually and you choose your level of involvement! And if that’s not easy enough, we will also have an option to join at check-in. So come, relax, enjoy some tunes, a bite, a drink, or all 3 – their treat! If you have questions about membership, please contact Kate at info@abclt.org. For all event-related questions, you can email Crystal Sherriff at crystal@abclt.org.
  • Asheville Outlets will host a Kid’s Day and Summer Camp Expo benefitting Give to the Music on Saturday, May 6, 2023, from 10:30 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. The family friendly event will feature strolling magic, a face painter, live music and more. The Expo provides parents and campers the opportunity to meet representatives and view booths and displays from a variety of area camps, including traditional overnight, sports, arts, day, academic and more. The event is free and open to the public. Booths and displays will be located throughout the center. Event benefits Give to the Music, a local non-profit funding music lessons for kids in need. Camps or organizations that would like to have a booth at the Expo may contact Dena Clark at dena@givetothemusic.org. Registration is now open, and space is limited. For more information, visit ShopAshevilleOutlets.com.

Opportunity: 

  • The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA) is inviting Buncombe County-based non-profit and government organizations to submit applications to this year’s Tourism Product Development Fund (TPDF) cycle opening on April 12. TPDF was created to provide financial assistance through grants, loan guarantees, or pledges of debt service to major tourism capital projects that will increase patronage of lodging properties and further economic development in Buncombe County. Since the fund’s inception, the BCTDA has invested nearly $60 million of lodging tax revenue to support 46 community projects. Funded projects have included greenways, parks, public art, sports and recreation facilities, cultural heritage institutions, and other family attractions. A list of all TPDF investments can be found here.

Partnership:

  • Maximus and IFB Solutions, a non-profit organization that provides employment, training, and services for people who are blind or visually impaired, recently announced the successful launch of a new joint program that integrates employees who are blind or visually impaired into the workforce. Seventy percent of working-age adults who are blind or visually impaired face sustained periods of unemployment throughout their lifetimes. This program will help address that challenge through an inclusive workplace that supports the needs and experiences of our sight-impaired colleagues. Six people completed the initial pilot training in Texas and are now supporting Maximus as Customer Service Representatives on contracts that deliver government services and share information with the general public. The training program lasted six weeks and was managed jointly by IFB Solutions and the Maximus Texas Project Team. The preparations focused on developing the skills needed for the employees to meet the job requirements, with an emphasis on learning the unique technologies developed to assist them. Read more.

Promotion:

  • Designed for locals, Amazing Pubcycle Tours is now offering weekday trivia tours! The new Trivia Tours allow even the most seasoned pub cycling vets to engage in a completely new experience. The hour-and-a-half tour will consist of three rounds of team trivia and a bar stop, all the while catching a much-needed stroll downtown in a fun and different light! If you are looking for a stimulating and engaging way to explore downtown, bring your friends and family out on the 15-person pedal powered – motor-assisted bikes (minimum of 6 riders needed). All tours are BYOB so bring your brains and beverages (beer and wine only) to experience Asheville through this one-of-a-kind trivia-pedaling adventure! Trivia tours are available Sunday through Thursday all year long. Book your trivia tour today by calling  (828) 214-5010. To see available tour times, go online to amazingpubcycle.com and Click Book Now and select Downtown Pub Tour – Single Tickets for up-to-date availability, and call to book so theyu can make sure you get the trivia package.