Learn about the initiative to combat light pollution.
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71º | Sunny | 0% chance of precipitation | Sunrise 6:53 a.m. | Sunset 8:05 p.m.
 

🌟 Dim the lights

Celebrate International Dark Sky Week
The night sky with visible bands of the Milky Way.
There’s more colors out there than navy. | Photo by Jeremy Thomas via Unsplash
Saturday, April 15 kicks off International Dark Sky Week, an initiative to combat light pollution in cities all over the world. Do you want to see stars over our city — even downtown? Follow these recommendations from the International Dark Sky Association.

Find local stargazing events. Consider supporting the Astronomy Club of Asheville, and visit the 2023 North Carolina Statewide Star Party. Or, plan a trip to your nearest Dark Site and tag us on Instagram (@AVLtoday) with your view of the night sky. Bonus: The Lyrid meteor shower peaks April 19-April 22.

Help measure night sky brightness as a “citizen-scientist” with Globe at Night.

Inventory your home lighting by following the IDA checklist — it could be as easy as pointing an upward-facing light towards the ground.

Join the IDSW scavenger hunt. You’ll start by downloading the free hunt card. Record your progress, send the completed card to IDA, and claim some free Dark Sky stickers.

Contact a local government representative and request an official proclamation of IDSW. Awareness matters: Locals like you initiated 23 successful proclamations nationwide in 2022.

Write a letter to the editor of your (second) favorite newsletter, paper, or magazine. No debate skills necessary — just follow the playbook and make a case for dark skies.

Become a Dark Sky Advocate. Want more star parties, dark city walks, and collaboration with local organizations? Help protect the night as a local point of contact for IDA.
HomeTrust Bank
 
Events
Tuesday, April 18
  • Wild Child & Próxima Parada | Tuesday, Apr. 18 | 7 p.m. | The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave., Asheville | $20 | American band Próxima Parada will open for this acclaimed singer-songwriter duo.
  • Book Launch: Appalachia on the Table | Tuesday, Apr. 18 | 6 p.m. | Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe, 55 Haywood St., Asheville — Virtual option | Free | Erica Abrams Locklear, author of “Appalachia on the Table,” discusses her new book with Rhubarb owner and chef John Fleer.
Wednesday, April 19
Thursday, April 20
Friday, April 21
  • Spring Student Art and Ceramics Sale | Friday, Apr. 21-Saturday, Apr. 22 | Times vary | UNC Asheville, 1 University Hts., Asheville | Free | A wide variety of functional and decorative pottery, prints, and other artwork created by UNC Asheville students will be on sale.
  • Beer Flight | Friday, Apr. 21 | 4:30-6:30 p.m. | S&W Market - Highland Brewing Downtown, 56 Patton Ave., Asheville | $45-$55 | Enjoy fine brews from multiple downtown breweries and the company of a hilarious drag queen wannabe-flight attendant on this two-hour first-class “beer flight.”
  • Community Tea Night | Friday, Apr. 21 | 5-7 p.m. | Asheville Elixir & Tea Bar, 919 Haywood Rd., Asheville | Free | Visit the elixir bar for a relaxed Gong Fu Cha tea service, featuring a variety of Chinese + herbal teas.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
Western North Carolina State Farmers Market
 
Try This

Experience Biltmore as an Annual Passholder

Try This: Experience Biltmore as an Annual Passholder
Presented by an AVLtoday Partner
Slideshow of Biltmore exhibits in the spring.
Imagine being able to take this in for free, any time you want. | Photo by AVLtoday
For WNC natives like me, it isn’t officially spring in the mountains until Biltmore Estate is drenched in brilliant, blossoming flowers. City Editor Brook here, and I recently tiptoed through the tulips and explored the benefits of being an Annual Passholder, which includes unlimited daytime visits to Biltmore year-round. (Pro tip: Passes are on sale now until April 30.) Read along to discover how you can Try This.

What we tried:

We took a complimentary-for-Passholders daytime tour of Biltmore. While it’s always awe-inspiring, it’s currently resplendent with dazzling greenery + blooms galore.

What not to miss:

The gardens and the Conservatory. Featuring thousands of colorful tulips and home to the estate’s annual Biltmore Blooms display, the gardens are simply stunning.

The glass-enclosed Conservatory boasts an array of exotic, tropical, and rare plants — including the breathtaking Orchid Room featuring more than 500 orchids — and is so lovely it’s nearly impossible to tear your eyes away. That is, until you find you’ve worked up an appetite and need sustenance, which you can find at Antler Hill Village.

Pro tip: Annual Passholders enjoy discounts on shopping, dining, and lodging, plus discounted tickets for their friends + family and free entry for kids 16 and under.*
What we're still talking about
News Notes
Closing
  • Down Dog announced it will close permanently, with its last day planned for Sunday, May 28. The yoga studio, dog park, and bar thanked the community in a Facebook post, explaining that the decision to close is in the best interest of the owners’ family. (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Civic
  • Interested in joining a city board? Check out openings on City of Asheville Boards & Commissions for the summer cycle, including spots on the Public Art and Cultural Commissions and the African American Heritage Committee. Apply by Sunday, April 30.
Edu
  • Buncombe County Schools’ classifed staff (read: workers without teaching certifications, such as those providing transportation or technical services) may get an expedited raise. If approved by the school board + Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, staff would receive 17.4% higher wages on average than they did in 2019. (Mountain Xpress)
  • ICYMI — starting tonight at midnight, UNC Asheville is hosting its Give UNC Asheville event, a 24-hour community-wide day of giving to support the university, its programs + its students. Happening midnight to midnight tomorrow, Wednesday, April 19, Ashevillians can give small or give big (everything helps).*
Active
  • The next Ville to Ville Craft Brew Relay — a 72-mile running event from Asheville to Greenville, SC through craft breweries and the Appalachian Mountain foothills — takes place Saturday, April 13, 2024. While the race is currently sold out, you can secure a spot for you and your team on the waitlist.
Plan Ahead
  • The 2023 schedule has been released for the BIPOC Farmers Market at Southside Community Farm (133 Livingston St.). Through October, shop fresh produce + goods to support local BIPOC vendors one day a month from 12-3 p.m. — the first date is Sunday, May 7.
Pets
  • It’s kitten season, and Asheville Humane Society has put out an urgent call for foster parents. Needed for cats, dogs, and other small animals, fosters will provide a temporary home and companionship (Asheville Humane provides all necessary supplies). Learn more + sign up.
Trending
Shop
  • This wedding season make sure to shower the happy couple with the perfect gift. Our online store (Six & Main) features presents such as dinner napkins by Willow Ship and celebratory cards by Joy Paper Co. Start shopping.
University of North Carolina Asheville
 
Drink

Rebel Rabbit, the first federally legal cannabis seltzer, is celebrating two years of business
Presented by an AVLtoday Partner
A frothy can of seltzer being opened.
Crack open a good time. | Photo by Rebel Rabbit
A relaxing, tasty sipping experience with none of the hangover? We’re in. This spring, we’re sipping on Rebel Rabbit’s cannabis-infused seltzer.

Founded in 2021 in Greenville, SC (hey, GVLtoday), Rebel Rabbit’s mission is to create products that lead to a more balanced life. Their all-natural, high-quality seltzer is designed for anyone looking to cut back on alcohol (and all its negative effects) while still maintaining that elevated experience you get from sipping on an exquisitely crafted drink.

So, what’s on the menu? Rebel Rabbit’s seltzers are available in:
  • Varying concentrations: Wild Hare (10 mg) and Mild Hare (5 mg)
  • Fun flavors: Grapefruit, Mandarin Orange, and Lemon Lime
Bonus: Shop online or find Rebel Rabbit locally at Botanist and Barrel, Static Age Records, ELDR Restaurant, All Souls Grotto, Black Mountain Brewing + more.*
Add to cart
Please note: Rebel Rabbit advises consumers to read the company’s terms & conditions, consult a physician before trying products, start only with small amounts, and to not consume Delta-8 or Delta-9 before driving or before a drug test. The information about providers and services contained in this newsletter does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by AVLtoday.
Wortham Center
 
The Wrap
 
Sarah Leonhardt in a grey sweater

Today’s edition by:
Sarah Leonhardt
From the editor
The Hop Ice Cream is celebrating a Vegan Ice Cream Week in honor of Earth Day. Check out their daily 10% discount on vegan items and special vegan flavors (like Chocolate Sundae Oat Milk).
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