Share your thoughts on the Pack Square Plaza Visioning project

How to take part in Asheville’s Pack Square Plaza Visioning project

Officials want you to chime in on the future Pack Square Plaza | Photo via City of Asheville

The Pack Square Plaza Visioning project kicked off earlier this month, and the City of Asheville and Buncombe County want to hear from the community about the changes you’d like to see take place in the area, which includes the former site of the Vance Monument.

To gather input, the City and County have launched a 24/7 online engagement hub. Responses will help create the Pack Square Plaza Vision, a guidebook for a more inclusive + equitable space downtown. Temporary installations from the Art in the Heart program have also gone up to help spark community conversations.

The community’s vision will be used to address five focus areas:

How to re-purpose the former Vance Monument area
How to advance equity + inclusion at Pack Square Plaza
Recommendations on future design processes for capital improvements to Pack Square
Suggestions for public + private partnerships to support future area improvements
Ways to better connect Pack Square to The Block, both physically and mentally

The City and County are partnering with Mitchell Silver of McAdams Company to document + synthesize this info into a first draft which will then be made public for the community to review and comment on. The project is expected to be complete by April 30, 2023.

Ready to chime in? Share your ideas on all things Pack Square Plaza.

Share this with family + friends and spark a conversation about the future of Pack Square Plaza.

Click here to have your event featured.

Today

10 Year Anniversary Mini Wellness Retreat | Thurs., Sept. 22 | 3-7 p.m. | Asheville Salt Cave, 16 N. Liberty St. | $48 | Relax and recharge with 15 minute massages, herbal foot soaks, and salt cave immersions, plus enjoy swag bags and complimentary bites + sips.
Pups & Pints | Thurs., Sept. 22 | 5-7 p.m. | Pack Square Parking Garage Rooftop, 26 Biltmore Ave. | Free entry | This pooch-friendly fundraiser for Asheville Humane Society features live bluegrass music, local brews, complimentary pet portraits, and canine massages. 🐾
We Built This: Profiles of Black Architects and Builders in NC | Thurs., Sept. 22-Mon., Oct. 10 | 10 a.m. | Pack Memorial Library | Free | Explore the legacy of Black builders in NC with this multi-faceted + educational exhibit. 🖼️

Friday

Skate Night | Fri., Sept. 23 | 6-11 p.m. | Carrier Park, 220 Amboy Rd. | Free | Bring your skates and roll bounce the night away. 🛼
Paella Cooking Class | Fri., Sept. 23 | 6-9 p.m. | Asheville Mountain Kitchen, 332 East Sondley Dr. | $85 for one, $170 for two | Learn to make Spain’s national dish with either fish or veggies. 🥘
Jane Kramer and The Rough and Tumble | Fri., Sept. 23 | 6-8 p.m. | The Barn at Odonata Farm, Mars Hill| Free | Enjoy soulful tunes from this local songstress amidst a stunning, bucolic backdrop. 🎤

Saturday

Haywood Road Clean Up Day | Sat., Sept. 24 | 10 a.m. | New Belgium Brewing, 21 Craven St. | Free | Wear comfy gear + bring along your water bottle to this community clean up, which includes breakfast treats from Biscuit Head and Sunny Point Cafe.

Last Minute Deal

Shakey Graves | Thurs., Sept. 22 | 6:30 p.m. | Salvage Station | Prices vary*

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

For tickets to local and regional events, check out our 6AM Tickets resale marketplace.*

100+ MORE EVENTS

Your guide to surviving Asheville allergy season

A collection of three bottles of allergy medications sitting in a field of ragweed and grass.

This 3-minute online allergy quiz was designed by allergists to give you the best recommendation for treating your unique allergy symptoms. | Photo provided by Picnic

At AVLtoday, we love everything about fall. Almost everything — cozy sweaters are great, but we could do without the inevitable spike in allergies. (And no, it’s not just you — allergies are much worse these days.)

But you don’t have to suffer in sneezy, itchy silence. Picnic is a one-stop shop for allergy treatment, with individually customized plans that combine over-the-counter and prescription med solutions so you can live your best Asheville life unbothered.

Bonus: AVLtoday readers get 20% off.*

BANISH ALLERGIES FROM YOUR LIFE

Weather

83º | Mostly sunny | 24% chance of rain

Cause

The Carolina Mountain Club needs volunteers to assist with its trail building event at Max Patch on Sat., Sept. 24 from 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Want to participate? Register.
Local nonprofit Appalachian Wildlife Refuge is in need of native nuts — including hickory, acorn, buckeyes, and pecan — to feed the animals in its care this fall. Do you have nuts to spare? Email the organization for more info. 🌰

Pets

Looking for a furever love? Brother Wolf Animal Rescue has waived adoption fees for all adult animals over six months old through 6 p.m. on Sat., Oct. 1. See adoptable pets. 🐾

Arts

Calling all horror fans. Local artist Amar Stewart is accepting commissions for horror-centric 2”x4” mini oil paintings with a display easel. Reach out to him via Instagram Direct Messages to discuss. 🖼️

Featured

NC’s Lake Chatuge (~2 hours southwest of Asheville) has been featured in the latest issue of Travel +Leisure magazine. Located along the Georgia-NC state line, the lake offers opportunities for outdoor recreation along its 132 miles of shoreline, serene beauty + delectable eats.

Outdoors

The Black Mountain Recreation and Parks Department’s Fall Peaks Hiking Series is returning next month. This year’s series highlights hikes that follow peak leaf season and runs Wed., Oct. 5-Fri., Nov. 4. Email recreation coordinator Clint Bowman for more info. 🥾 (The Valley Echo)

Biz

Looking to expand your food truck business? The inaugural Food Truck Boot Camp will take place Mon., Nov 7-Thurs., Nov. 10 at 876 Acquoni Rd. in Cherokee from 9 a.m-6 p.m. The event will include training on regulations, marketing, menu creation + financing. Get tickets.
Can we take you behind the scenes? This little blurb is called a Text Ad, and it’s one of the many ways that brands local to AVL (and beyond) can reach you through advertising in AVLtoday. Learn more about how advertising (which helps keep this newsletter free to you) works here.

Trending

Amazon’s “Thursday Night Football” broke records for new Prime memberships last week, with more sign-ups over a three hour period to view the Chiefs-Chargers game than on Prime Day, Black Friday, or Cyber Monday. Tonight’s game? Steelers vs. Browns. Join the party with a 30-day free Prime Video trial. 🏈 (CNBC)*

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Botany plants lately? 🪴

Seven places to buy indoor plants in Asheville, NC

Talk about a dreamy oasis. | Photo via @floraasheville

Let’s not beat around the bush — it’s National Indoor Plant Week.

Studies have shown filling your home with plants can lower stress, improve mental health, and boost productivity.

Whether you have a green thumb or you’re ready to turn over a new leaf, here are five standout spots to shop from.

Flora, 428 B Haywood Rd. | This full-service floral design studio is a veritable oasis of plants. We especially like its fresh flower subscription service.
Rosarina Plant Shop | What began as a mobile plant shop in 2019 has grown into five locations downtown. Bonus: A portion of its sales are donated monthly to Asheville’s Racial Justice Coalition.
Palm and Pine, 178-B Westwood Pl. | Find an impressive array of plants and accessories at this West Asheville spot, which ships nationwide and also offers a plant club subscription service.
BB Barnes, 3377 Sweeten Creek Rd., Arden | Whether you want plants, flowers, trees, or gardening products, there’s a great chance you’ll find it at this 4-acre gardening super center.
Rose’s Garden Shop, 211 Charlotte St. | Find an assortment of unusual plants and vintage and antique accessories at this welcoming spot.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Brook.

Editor’s pick: Oh, and about the Pack Square Plaza Visioning Project: Art in the Heart will feature eleven free concurrent installations + activities through March of next year. How cool is that?

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Check out our guide to the River Arts District, aka The Rad.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Laura Hackett, Brook Bolen, Sarah Leonhardt, Erin McPherson, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea| Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Helen Purnell| Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

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