April 5, 2024

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Today’s Forecast

50º | 6% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:10 a.m. | Sunset 7:55 p.m.

You just got served

It’s time to put your game face on. | Photo via City of Asheville

By now you may know that pickleball is kind of a big dill. It’s the fastest-growing sport in America, so we’re here to help you get in on the action with a roundup of places to play around Asheville.

Public courts

You can play for free at five outdoor public courts:

Kenilworth Park
Malvern Hills Park (rollaway nets available)
Montford Park
Murphy-Oakley Park (rollaway nets available)
Weaver Park (rollaway nets available)

You can also rent a net from Asheville Parks and Recreation for up to seven days.

Note: Outdoor public tennis courts are dual-lined for pickleball play, so there is a shared-use schedule to accommodate all players. If the courts aren’t in use, anybody can play. But if there isn’t enough space for both sports, the schedule denotes which sport has priority use.

Pay to play

Asheville Sports Club, 137 Coxe Ave. | Grab a drink from the bar, and let the friendly competition ensue. Courts can be reserved for $10 per hour with a maximum time of two hours (paddles and balls are included in your rental).

Asheville Racquet Club South, 200 Racquet Club Rd. | This facility offers four indoor and eight outdoor courts, along with plenty of opportunities for private lessons, clinics, and events to meet other pickleballers. Nonmembers can purchase $15 guest passes, up to three times per year, to access the courts.

Asheville YMCA and Reuter Family YMCA, 30 Woodfin St. + 3 Town Square Blvd. | Each center has three courts for you to work on your game. Members can access them for free, but nonmembers can purchase a day pass for $15 — check each center’s pickleball schedule.

Linwood Crump Shiloh and Stephens-Lee Community Center, 121 Shiloh Rd. + 30 George Washington Carver Ave. | Each boasts three wooden pickleball courts with portable nets available. You’ll need a pickleball pass to play — passes are $10 for 10 visits and $20 for 25 visits and can be used at either community center.

Events

Friday, April 5

Book Sale | Friday, April 5-Saturday, April 6 | Times vary | Skyland/South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Rd., Asheville | $0.50-$10 | Browse thousands of fiction and nonfiction titles in addition to DVDs, CDs, and puzzles — your purchases benefit the South Buncombe Library.
Tourists vs. Winston-Salem Dash | Friday, April 5 | 6:35 p.m. | McCormick Field, 30 Buchanan Pl., Asheville | $13-$16 | Cheer on the Asheville Tourists during the opening day of the 2024 season.

Saturday, April 6

Let’s Plant Trees Workshop | Saturday, April 6 | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | Botanical Gardens at Asheville Visitor Center, 151 WT Weaver Blvd., Asheville | $35 | Arborist T.J. Dutton will walk you through the process of planting trees with a classroom info session and hands-on demonstration.
Spring Pop-Up Craft Market | Saturday, April 6 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Reems Creek Pottery, 181 Reems Creek Rd., Weaverville | Free | See the creative works of 20 crafters and studio potters — plus, Chapters Bookstop will be parked on site so you can pick up your next read.
Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band | Saturday, April 6 | 7-11 p.m. | Salvage Station, 468 Riverside Dr., Asheville | $20-$25 | Dance along to high-energy tunes from the beloved funk band with support from Abby Bryant & The Echoes.

Sunday, April 7

April Pop-Up Shop + Open Studio | Sunday, April 7 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | LOOM Imports Studio, 115 Elk Mountain Rd., Woodfin | Free | Shop from LOOM Imports’ selection of handmade home goods, with Garden Party, Playdate Goods, Genny Pop Vintage, and Townes & Birdie joining the party.
Introduction to Mountain Biking 101 Clinic | Sunday, April 7 | 1-3 p.m. | Adventure Center of Asheville, 85 Expo Dr., Asheville | $75-$100 | Folks ages 15 and up will learn the fundamentals of mountain biking — from braking to basic positioning.
Low Country Boil | Sunday, April 7 | 3-7 p.m. | Hickory Nut Gap Farm, 57 Sugar Hollow Rd., Fairview | $85 | Celebrate this Southern tradition with wine pairings from plēb urban winery and live music from the Jones Boy Trio.
The Asheville Progressive Wine Tasting | Sunday, April 7 | 4-6 p.m. | Botanist & Barrel Tasting Bar + Bottle Shop, 32 Broadway St., Ste. 110, Asheville | $75 | Stroll between Botanist & Barrel and Marked Tree for four curated bites at each location, paired with pours from two local wineries.

Monday, April 8

Stay & Play Mondays | Monday, April 8 | 2-4 p.m. | ArtPlay Creativity Studio, 372 Depot St., Ste. 44, Asheville | $35 | Let your creative juices flow and experiment with different art mediums like watercolor, collage, and alcohol inks.

Events calendar here

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News Notes

Outdoors

Don’t forget that Monday, April 8 is the total solar eclipse. While Asheville isn’t in the path of totality, we’re expecting to see ~87% coverage. Gather friends and family for a local viewing party.

Open

Itching for some new ink? Mothership Tattoo Co. recently opened its doors at 1269 Tunnel Rd., Ste. C. Explore the artists’ work, and get ready for its first flash sale tomorrow, April 6, starting at 12 p.m.

Civic

Since no candidate secured at least 30% of the vote, a second NC primary for Republican nominations of lieutenant governor and state auditor will take place on Tuesday, May 14. Find info on voting eligibility, what’s on the ballot, and important dates for the election.

Plan Ahead

Bloom with a View is returning to the North Carolina Arboretum from Saturday, May 4 to Sunday, May 19 — and this isn’t your garden variety floral display. Immerse yourself in the carefully curated installation and take a “flower selfie” with displays showcasing the long history of self-portraits in gardens.

Asked

How do you best enjoy spending time in our beautiful local parks? Whether it’s taking your pup for a stroll or fitting in a quick workout, we want to know.

Featured Home

Here’s your chance to own a slice of history. This historic Black Mountain Inn sits on 2+ acres and once hosted iconic figures like Helen Keller, John Steinbeck, and Norman Rockwell. See photos + imagine the possibilities.*

Wellness

BetterHelp creates a safe, stigma-free space where you can be your authentic self and explore your concerns. Get 25% off your first month of therapy.*

Read

Enjoy scenic reading time at Pages in the Parks

Turn some pages in the gorgeous Lake Julian Park. | Photo by @chop_sooey

Have you made a dent in “The Violin Conspiracy,” the novel chosen for the countywide book club One Book, One Buncombe? If you haven’t, fear not. There’s a chance for you to turn some pages this weekend.

Throughout April, Buncombe County Public Libraries is hosting Pages in the Parks, a chance for you to gather with other bookworms to connect over some relaxing reading time. Think D.E.A.R. time from your school days.

The first event is tomorrow, April 6 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Lake Julian Park. Just bring a book and whatever you need to get comfortable, like a chair or snack. Bonus: Library staff will be on site to sign you up for a library card if you don’t have one already.

If you can’t make it tomorrow, mark your calendars for the next Pages in the Parks events.

Upcoming dates

The Buy

Eco-friendly self-care options. Parrotfish has shampoo, conditioner, soap bars, and shower steamers that will level up your night in.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Grace

From the editor

If you’re looking for another way to get in on some solar eclipse fun, The Hop is serving up a solar eclipse ice cream starting today until supplies lasts. Head to the Merrimon Avenue location to get a scoop of the coconut, activated charcoal, and mango-flavored treat.

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