01.12.2024

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Today’s Forecast

47º | Afternoon showers | 100% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:39 a.m. | Sunset 5:37 p.m.

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Commemorating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Asheville

MLK statue in Martin Luther King Jr. Park

Meet here at the Peace Gardens to volunteer for the MLK Jr. Day of Service. | Photo by AVLtoday

Each year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed as a federal holiday on the third Monday of January — this year on Monday, Jan. 15. According to The King Center — a nonprofit founded by MLK, Jr.'s wife, Coretta Scott King, to continue Dr. King’s legacy — the strategic theme for this year is “Shifting the Cultural Climate through the Study and Practice of Kingian Nonviolence.”

If you’re looking to commemorate the day, here are five local events + volunteer opportunities:

Candlelight Service | Sunday, Jan. 14 | 5:30 p.m. | Trinity Episcopal Church, 60 Church St., Asheville | The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Association will honor community leaders and organizations paving the way for social justice.

Peace March and Rally | Monday, Jan. 15 | 11:30 a.m. | Various locations | The Association is hosting a service at St. James AME Church at 11:30 a.m. — at 12:30 p.m., attendees will march from the church to Pack Square Park.

MLK Jr. Day of Service | Monday, Jan. 15 | 11 a.m. | Peace Gardens, 47 Bryant St., Asheville | Work on various community projects in and around the Burton Street Neighborhood at this event hosted by Hood Huggers International + other local organizations— register to volunteer.

14th Annual Kenilworth Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. | Monday, Jan. 15 | 6:30 p.m. | Kenilworth Presbyterian Church, 123 Kenilworth Rd., Asheville | The topic of the event is “A Capital for Black Capitalism: Soul City, N.C. and its Unique Connection to Asheville,” with Floyd B. McKissick, Jr. Esq. delivering the keynote speech.

Note: Tickets for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Association’s Annual Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, Jan. 13 are sold out, but you can subscribe to the Association’s YouTube channel to be alerted when a taping of the event gets posted.

Events

Friday, Jan. 12

Southside Family Game Night | Friday, Jan. 12 | 6-8 p.m. | Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St., Asheville | Free | Enjoy some friendly competition playing the center’s board + card games, or bring your own.
Todd Barry | Friday, Jan. 12 | 8 p.m. | The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave., Asheville | $30 | Catch the comedian on his Half Joking Tour — a show that’s half jokes, half crowd work.

Saturday, Jan. 13

Honky Tonk Saturdays | Saturday, Jan. 13 | 8 p.m.-12 a.m. | Eda’s Hide-a-Way, 1098 New Stock Rd., Weaverville | $10 | Put your boots on and get groovin’ with tunes from Hearts Gone South.

Sunday, Jan. 14

Winter Flow | Sunday, Jan. 14 | 10:30-11:30 a.m. | One World Brewing - West Asheville, 520 Haywood Rd., Asheville | $16 | Build heat in your body for strength, fitness, and wellness during the chilly season.
Robert’s Totally Rad Trivia | Sunday, Jan. 14 | 4-6 p.m. | plēb urban winery, 289 Lyman St., Asheville | Free | Forget the Sunday scaries — grab a glass of wine, grub from Mean Pies Pizza, and your most pop-culture-savvy friends to test your knowledge.

Monday, Jan. 15

Baking Class: Scones and Biscuits | Monday, Jan. 15 | 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Conjure Craft Chocolate, 16 Glenn Willow Dr., Unit 36, Arden | $90 | The Crunchy Baker will guide you in crafting flaky biscuits and soft-on-the-inside scones.

Tuesday, Jan. 16

Spanish Language Conversation Group | Tuesday, Jan. 16 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St., Asheville | Free | Join this practice group geared toward intermediate-level Spanish speakers, and practice your skills with discussion prompts, icebreakers, and guest speakers.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Active

Find your fitness family at the YMCA

Studies show exercising with others creates accountability + social support. | Photos provided by YMCA of Western North Carolina

Don’t treat your 2024 fitness resolutions as a solo struggle. Jumpstart those January fitness goals with a supportive community at the YMCA.

From group classes to personalized wellness plans, the Y’s inclusive environment has something to offer for all ages and abilities. By emphasizing growth and guidance, their top-notch staff can help you transform start-of-year sweats into a fun + rewarding collective challenge.

Bonus: Save big on income-based memberships when you join by Monday, Jan. 15.

See “Y” you should join

News Notes

Closed

On Monday, Jan. 15, City and County offices will be closed to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Find info on selected services (like EMS and Waste Pro) that will continue operating on a normal schedule.

Cause

MANNA FoodBank has introduced a new resource to help serve people facing food insecurity in WNC. The Food Finder tool allows users to input their location and shows the organization’s partner food pantries + providers as well as nearby nonprofit resources. Learn how you can support MANNA’s mission through volunteering.

Network

Young Professionals of Asheville is partnering with AVL Digital Nomads for the first-ever LEGO Coworking day on Tuesday, Jan. 30 at Ernest Co-Warehousing — but don’t expect plastic building blocks. The Limitless Engagement Growth and Opportunity day includes Biscuit Head breakfast, lunch, a post-work beer, and plenty of networking. Register to attend.

Award

The Museum of the Cherokee People received $375,000 in grants from the Henry Luce Foundation and the Duke Energy Foundation to support the creation of a new main exhibit and to create an off-site collections facility. The new exhibit will tell the story of the Cherokee people from a Cherokee perspective. (Mountain Xpress)

Arts

To the drawing board. Tyger Tyger Gallery has an open call for works on paper to be featured two ways — either in a spring exhibition or included in its new prints/works on paper/books/crafts shop. Check out the details and submit your work by Thursday, Feb. 1.

State

Need help accessing funds for home and community energy projects? Organizations across the Carolinas collaborated to create Energy Funds for All, a collection of resources dedicated to guiding homeowners, renters, nonprofits, and even local governments in accessing Inflation Reduction Act funding.

Real Estate

This home is twice as nice. A Swannanoa duplex recently hit the market, offering two spacious units on a large property in Grovemont and a flexible basement brimming with potential. Live in one side + rent the other, or combine the two into a forever home. See pricing + pics.*

Finance

2024’s “it card” is here. Not only does it offer a $200 bonus, but also unlimited 1.5% cash back and 0% intro APR until 2025. (Oh, and did we mention the annual fee? No — because there isn’t one.) Learn more + apply.*

Asked

💭 Let’s play 24 questions

24 reader questions for 2024 in Asheville

View of an orange Asheville sunset with cars driving in the foreground.

What will be on the horizon this year? | Photo via @honeybadgerimages

Every year brings a whole slew of reasons to have Asheville pride. Who knows what new restaurants might open, what new local initiatives we’ll see, and what art exhibits will come into town? One thing is certain: We want to write about what matters to you the most.

That’s why we’re polling the crowd for questions you want answered in 2024 — any piece of Asheville life you’ve always wanted to read into with your morning cup of coffee in hand. Want to know where to get the best nachos? Stories of local legends? Highlights of small businesses? The lowdown on construction happenings?

Submit your burning questions to influence the stories you’ll read next year. It’s our resolution to answer 24 of them. Stay tuned as we bring you the answers you want most + watch the rest of the year unfold.

The Buy

The Buy 1.12.23 (Affiliate + Six & Main)

Workout gear from Aesthetic Built’s collection, which features durable, cutting-edge fabric technologies without compromising aesthetic appeal. We love this scuba oversized hoodie.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Grace

From the editor

This weekend I’ll be in the kitchen cooking up tteokbokki with the ingredients I picked up from the newly opened Asiana Market. Does anyone have a good recipe? Or better yet, does anyone have a rec for a local restaurant that serves it? Let me know.

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