Culture

Rows of plants at a booth from Bluff Mountain Nursery as people walk around tables.
Culture
Growing a community at the 34th Annual Asheville Herb Festival
For decades, this annual festival has celebrated the farmers and gardeners and growers who call WNC home.
April 19, 2024 03:46 PM
 · 
Molly Wilson
shelves of colorful books at malaprop's books and cafe
Culture
Read the finalist poems from our 2024 poetry contest
We’ve narrowed down our poetry contest to these finalists: read and vote for your favorite poem.
April 16, 2024
 · 
Brianna Williams
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Culture
19 local gift ideas to celebrate motherhood
April 16, 2024
 · 
Staff
Biltmore from above, with the grounds and estate visible. Four cyclists view the Biltmore estate from the edge of a lake. Abstract glass statues in Biltmore. A walkway with purple flowers.
Sponsored
Try This: Experience Biltmore® as an Annual Passholder
Soak up all four glorious seasons + enjoy year-round special activities as a Biltmore Annual Passholder.
Sponsored by
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Arts
Second Saturday Art Stroll joins a new creative journey
Participants in the event will now explore individual and collective identity through a monthly prompt.
April 11, 2024
 · 
Molly Wilson
A wicker picnic basket sits on top of a blue plaid blanket on grass.
Entertainment
10 spots for the perfect picnic
It’s time to dust off the checkered picnic basket + blanket and take advantage of the fresh air.
April 9, 2024
 · 
Grace Powers
East Asheville Library
Culture
10 cool resources from Buncombe County Public Libraries
Buncombe County’s 13 library branches boast way more than just books.
April 8, 2024
 · 
Brook Bolen
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Culture
Where to play pickleball in Asheville
Relish a challenge? Show off your swing at these local pickleball courts.
April 4, 2024
 · 
Grace Powers
A bike rider on a paved trail in Carrier park with two people in the background and a bright sun
Play
Head outside with a guide to Asheville’s parks
We’re highlighting the 23 best parks that Asheville has to offer — complete with dog parks, sports facilities, and nature trails.
April 3, 2024
 · 
Emily Shea-Owen
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Culture
Where to make spring cleaning donations in Asheville
Don’t just throw it all away — give your old clothing, furniture, and miscellaneous items a second life at one of these donation sites.
March 27, 2024
 · 
Grace Powers
Three framed works of art showcasing variations of a photographic image featuring a girl wearing a coat and holding a stuffed animal, her face obscured
Sponsored
Try This: Two moving exhibitions exploring history and identity at the CMA
Join us as we recap our experience touring “Interior Lives: Modern American Spaces, 1890-1945" and “Darrel Ellis: Regeneration” at the Columbia Museum of Art.
Sponsored by
AVLFest
Festivals
Get a first look at the lineup for this year’s AVLFest
Find out which artists you’ll be movin’ and groovin’ with this August.
March 22, 2024
 · 
Grace Powers
A young girl stands in front of an exhibit at the International African American Museum, observing the display
Sponsored
March is the month of perks at the International African American Museum
Sponsored by
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Education
How to submit to our 2024 poetry contest
It’s National Poetry Month, and our readers are invited to submit original poems in a special AVLtoday contest.
March 14, 2024
 · 
Sarah Leonhardt
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Festivals
Art outside the box at the 2024 Asheville Fringe Arts Festival
Dedicated to the strange + wonderful world that lies just beyond the mainstream, the festival is transforming the city into an experimental artwork.
March 8, 2024
 · 
Molly Wilson
Painting of The Shattered Rose by Robert Williams on display at the Asheville Art Museum's "The New Salon: A Contemporary View" exhibition
Arts
The Asheville Art Museum unveils “The New Salon: A Contemporary View” exhibition
The exhibit, featuring both local and nationally renowned artists, is on display through mid-August.
March 7, 2024
 · 
Grace Powers
Two bone-in chops of meat are being grilled over a fire.
Culture
Vote in AVLtoday’s barbecue bracket
We want to know: Where is the best barbecue in Asheville? Vote for your favorite to help determine a champion.
March 4, 2024
 · 
Brianna Williams
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Entertainment
How Melvin AC Howell is working to make dance lessons accessible to Asheville and beyond
His online platform HASdance is here to help you boost your self-confidence (and your dancing skills) in a judgment-free zone.
March 1, 2024
 · 
Grace Powers
woman smiling putting a red beaded prom dress on a rack of other dresses
Culture
Donate your formal wear to local students going to prom
The Prom Dress Exchange and Eblen Charities’ Prom Dress Express are outfitting students with dreamy dresses for their big night.
March 1, 2024
 · 
Grace Powers
A pair of violinists against a black background with motion blur around their arms and violin bows. The same violinists standing next to one another.
Sponsored
The violin like you’ve never heard it before
Sponsored by
Hemingway Cuba's Bistec a Cabello
Play
25+ great brunch restaurants to try in Asheville
Asheville restaurants, cafes, and diners serving up all the eggs, pancakes, shakshuka, mimosas, and other brunch favorites that will start your day off right.
February 22, 2024
 · 
Brook Bolen
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Sponsored
Violin royalty returns home for inaugural Artist Residency
World-renowned violinists Noah Bendix-Balgley and Shanshan Yao headline this week-long artistic celebration.
Sponsored by
A crowd of people gathered standing in front of a large screen to view a film. String lights are hanging in the space.
Arts
Indie music and film come together for the Mythic Monsters Music Video Showcase
See how songs from local musicians come to life.
February 20, 2024
 · 
Grace Powers
A brown, brindled, adoptable dog is the focal point of the photo, with its right ear pointed down and left ear pointed up. The dog has a white patch of fur around its nose going up between its eyes.
Culture
Adoptable pets around Asheville
Find your forever best friend at a local shelter.
February 19, 2024
 · 
Brook Bolen
View of the outside of the aquarium with an ocean blue overhang that has two clown fish.
Culture
Meet the celebrity stingray living just outside the Land of the Sky
Charlotte the round stingray has been making international headlines for her rare pregnancy — and she’s living down the road in Hendersonville.
February 16, 2024
 · 
Grace Powers
The exterior of the Martin Center at ETSU.
Sponsored
Two must-see authors at the Festival of Ideas
Sponsored by
Asheville skyline from a distance with white and purple clouds above it.
Culture
7 random acts of kindness to spread the love in Asheville
From simple gestures to volunteering your time, put a smile on your neighbor’s face and celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Week.
February 15, 2024
 · 
Molly Wilson
The Asheville skyline with a sunset behind it and heart location markers over various buildings.
Culture
Our readers’ local love stories
You put our city on the map with your sweet, charming, hilarious love stories.
February 13, 2024
 · 
Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto
malaprop's bookstore exterior
Arts
Join the new countywide book club, One Book, One Buncombe
Join the community in diving into “The Violin Conspiracy” by Brendan Slocumb this spring in the inaugural book club.
February 12, 2024
 · 
Grace Powers
Sign outside of Chow Chow Festival
Festivals
Chow Chow Food + Culture Festival and nonprofit announce shut down
The organization made the announcement through a message posted to its website on Friday, Feb. 9.
February 9, 2024
 · 
Grace Powers
Four dishes of different dumplings, one glass of beer, and two red lanterns sit on a wooden table.
Events
Celebrate Lunar New Year 2024 in Asheville
Ring in the Year of the Dragon with a few events around the city.
February 5, 2024
 · 
Molly Wilson
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