Plus, a cheesy comedy debut.
 
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Local government 101: The basics of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority
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The RAD Greenway received a BCTDA grant. | Photo by Emily Chaplin
Class is in session, Asheville. We’re teaching AVL GOV 101, where we break down different aspects of our local government so we can become engaged citizens who create healthier (and more effective) communities.

Since we’re nearing the holidays, when we’ll be inviting friends and family to visit, today’s lesson will discuss the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA) + Explore Asheville — the work, the purpose, the opportunities, and the tax.

The history + fundamentals

Let’s start from the beginning. The BCTDA was established in 1983 when the NC General Assembly ratified House Bill 426, enacting a 2% occupancy tax for five NC counties. This tax, which was raised incrementally and is now at 6%, is levied on rentals of rooms and lodging — think hotels, short-term rentals like Airbnbs, or bed + breakfasts. The occupancy tax is what funds the work of the BCTDA, including its grants, projects, and sponsorships.

Governed by a board of City- and County-appointed members of the hospitality industry, as well as two ex-officio members, the BCTDA oversees the work of nonprofit Explore Asheville, which promotes Buncombe County to leisure and business visitors to get them to, well, come visit. The BCTDA and Explore Asheville are also in charge of three grant funds for local businesses (we’ll get to those in a second).

The partnerships + funding

Marketing Asheville would be kind of hard if there was nothing here to market, so the work actually starts here at home. Explore Asheville has partnerships with about 1,900 local, tourism-related businesses and organizations — from artists to restaurants, hotels to retail — to provide them with free promotion like web + guide listings.

In addition to the outward-facing promotion, the BCTDA manages the Tourism Product Development Fund, which has invested $80 million in more than 40 local projects, like the Asheville Museum of Science’s beautification project and the RAD Greenway. Its Festival and Cultural Event Support Fund provides grants and sponsorship to events and festivals, like Symphony in the Park and Beer City Comic Con. The new Legacy Investment From Tourism Fund focuses on smaller scale tourism-related capital projects — that application is open until Friday, Dec. 1.

So, how was that for a civic lesson? Let us know what other areas of our local government you’d like us to explore next.
 
Events
Wednesday, Nov. 8
  • Apples to Apples: Preserving the Harvest | Wednesday, Nov. 8 | 6-7:30 p.m. | WNC FoodWorks, 570 Brevard Rd., Unit 9, Asheville | $30 | Ashley English will show you how versatile of a fruit apples can truly be.
  • Venardos Circus | Wednesday, Nov. 8-Sunday, Nov. 19 | Times vary | Asheville Outlets, 800 Brevard Rd., Asheville | $16.95-$27.95 | The Broadway-style, animal-free circus invites you under the big top for a dazzling experience.
Thursday, Nov. 9
  • Virtual Reality Experiences | Thursday, Nov. 9 | 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St., Asheville | Free | Dive into a virtual world during a personalized experiential session geared toward adult first-timers — registration is required.
  • Spontaneous Play: An Improvised Living Room Drama | Thursday, Nov. 9-Saturday, Nov. 11 | 7:30-9 p.m. | Be Be Theatre, 20 Commerce St., Asheville | $18 | Nothing is planned during this living room drama entirely made up from audience suggestions.
Friday, Nov. 10
  • November Community Farm Tour | Friday, Nov. 10 | 2-4:30 p.m. | SAHC Community Farm, 180 Mag Sluder Rd., Alexander | $0-$10 | Join this moderate hike to explore the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservatory educational + working farm — registration is required.
  • Tis the Dang Season: A Taylor Swift Dance Party | Friday, Nov. 10 | 8 p.m. | The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave., Asheville | $20 | Grab your cardigans and gather your champagne problems for deep cuts, photo ops, and a costume contest.
Saturday, Nov. 11
  • Holiday Market | Saturday, Nov. 11-Sunday, Nov. 12 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Enka-Candler Tailgate Market at A-B Tech Enka, 1459 Sand Hill Rd., Candler | Get a head start on your holiday shopping at this annual market — local art, food, clothing, gifts, and lots more.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
Arts

“Hamilton” star performs with Asheville Symphony
Bryan Terrell Clark poses for a headshot against a brown background.
An accomplished actor and singer-songwriter, Bryan Terrell Clark has played major roles in highly successful Broadway shows. | Photo courtesy of Bryan Terrell Clark
Attention, “Hamilton” fans: Asheville Symphony’s “Masterworks 3: American Portraits,” Saturday, Nov. 18 at 2 and 8 p.m., will be unforgettable.

Bryan Terrell Clark, aka George Washington in Broadway’s “Hamilton,” will be the narrator and vocalist for this program, which also features Aaron Copland’s “Lincoln Portrait” and the North Carolina debut of Pulitzer Prize- and three-time Grammy-winning composer Jennifer Higdon’s, “Cold Mountain Suite” (based on the NC-set novel).

Higdon will accompany Asheville Symphony Music Director Darko Butorac for insightful pre-concert talks before each show.
Learn more and reserve your tickets
News Notes
Civic
  • Did you vote? Election day for Woodfin and Weaverville was Tuesday, Nov. 7, and now you’re probably wondering about the results. Don’t fret — it’s easy to follow along. The NC State Board of Elections has an unofficial general election results tracker that will be updated in real time as in-person and mail-in votes are counted. A meeting to certify election results will be held on Friday, Nov. 17.
Closed
  • 10th Muse Comfort Food is temporarily closed, pending unexpected repairs to its building at 1475 Patton Ave. Keep an eye on social media for updates on a reopening date when you can get your fill of coffee, donuts, and ice cream.
Open
  • Safe Shelter, a new year-round homeless shelter, opened Monday, Nov. 6 in AHOPE Day Center. A collaboration between three local churches and Counterflow Asheville, the shelter will specifically target underserved communities, offering 20 beds. Find info on referrals and how to donate + volunteer. (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Cause
  • Get your hands dirty for a good cause. Southside Community Farm is hosting its Fall Harvest Volunteer Day this Sunday, Nov. 12 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dig around for sweet potatoes, and help get the farm ready for the winter season during this last volunteer day of the year.
Environment
  • Nothing will go to waste. Asheville GreenWorks is helping out with those pesky items — think food-grade styrofoam, small appliances, even batteries — that you don’t want to toss in the trash, but also don’t know how to recycle. Stop by TC Roberson High School on Saturday, Nov. 18 to keep them out of the landfill.
Theater
  • TheatreUNCA is diving into the world of improv with the debut show “Nacho Mama’s Comedy Improv Show: It Might Get a Little Cheesy.” Contemporary dance students will kick off the night then hand the stage over to the improv troupe for audience-suggested laughs. Get your tickets for Thursday, Nov. 16 and Friday, Nov. 17.
Seasonal
  • Are you ready for a holiday ride? Asheville on Bikes is recruiting volunteer bike marshalls for the Asheville Holiday Parade on Saturday, Nov. 18. Volunteers can sign up for two different time slots and a variety of roles helping with the flow and organization of the event. Put your name down, then join the volunteer orientation on Monday, Nov. 13.
Biz
  • Small Business Saturday is just around the corner — Nov. 25, to be exact. What local businesses will you be supporting + which local deals should we check out? Let us know and we may feature your recommendation in an upcoming newsletter.
Talk
  • Join Wiley Cash for a conversation with NBA All-Star and Georgetown Hoya Eric “Sleepy” Floyd on Thursday, Nov. 16 at UNC Asheville. The discussion is part of the university’s Common Word Community Read series — get to know the vision behind the series and register for the Nov. 16 event.*
Job
  • Looking for a career in healthcare? Mission Health is hiring. Offering exceptional career opportunities in all clinical specialties, the health system has several job openings at the Carolina Spine and Neurosurgery Center + multiple practices across Asheville. See jobs + apply.*
 
Holiday

Honoring veterans at local events

Commemorating Veterans Day in and around Asheville
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Stop by downtown Black Mountain for the Veterans Day Parade. | Photo via Black Mountain Salutes
Veterans Day, taking place on Saturday, Nov. 11, was established to honor and celebrate our country’s veterans. You can join in the commemoration and celebration of the holiday and of local service members at one of these Veterans Day events around Asheville.
  • Veterans Day Observance | Friday, Nov. 10 | 11 a.m. | Weaverville Community Center, 60 Lakeshore Dr., Weaverville | Free | Listen to a word from Lt. Col. David Thorneloe and music from Howard and Kirsten Dusenbery as well as “Taps” and a rifle salute during this ceremony hosted by the Town of Weaverville.
  • 6th Annual Western North Carolina Veterans Day Parade | Saturday, Nov. 11 | 2 p.m. | Along State Street, Black Mountain | Free | Hosted by Black Mountain Salutes, the annual parade will feature groups like the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, plus marching bands + bagpipes.
More events + resources
The Buy

The Buy 11.08.23 (Affiliate + Six & Main)
One of these gifts. All under $25, all adorable.
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The Wrap
 
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Today’s edition by:
Molly
From the editor
As the host of Thanksgiving this year, I’m keeping a repository of topics that (probably) won’t start a dinner table argument. So you better believe I’ll be at Nerd Nite this Thursday, Nov. 9 to take notes on hilarious emergency department admissions statistics, a musical instrument I’ve never heard of, and an icon of Berlin’s post-Soviet nightlife.
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