In our eyes, Asheville always tops the charts. | Photo via @steen_jones
Asheville is No. 1 in our hearts — but a little external validation never hurts.
Last year may have been a challenging year for the 828, but over the course of 2024, many aspects of Asheville life were praised on a national level. Let’s check out some of the lists that showed Asheville love last year.
Life in Asheville
Living in Asheville is great for people, but it might be even better for dogs. According to LawnStarter the city ranked as the No. 2 most dog-friendly city in the US — and we can see why.
People love living in Asheville too. U.S. News & World Report placed the city at No. 17 on its ranking of the best cities to live in the US. The publication also listed Asheville as a great place to retire, naming it the No. 4 city in North Carolina for retirees.
Climate Resilience Workshop | 6-7 p.m. | Pack Memorial Library | Free | Learn to find awe in nature and put it into words at this nature-based writing session led by environmental educator Ellie Huber.
Trivia Tuesdays | 7-9 p.m. | Voodoo Brewing Co., Arden | Gather your group and play for prizes as you answer questions and sip pints.
Poetry Open Mic | 8-11 p.m. | Sovereign Kava | Free | Try your hand at poetry or listen to the words of other locals at this weekly event.
Wine Wednesday at Wicked Weed Brewpub | Wednesday, Jan. 15-Wednesday, March 12 | Times vary | Wicked Weed Brewing | Free | Celebrate Wine Wednesday at the brewpub with half-off VIDL wines all day.*
Thursday, Jan. 16
AVLGBTQueer Comedy | 7 p.m. | LaZoom Room | $16 | Eyes Up Here Comedy presents a night of laughs showcasing local transgender + nonbinary comedians.
Alma Russ | 8-11 p.m. | One World Brewing Downtown | Free | This WNC country and folk singer shows off her Appalachian roots at the “Thursday Local Live Music” series.
Order up. Finest Deli is coming to West Asheville. The restaurant plans to open this spring at the former home of Asheville Sandwich Company, where it will initially focus on affordable breakfast + lunch items. Later, it hopes to offer dinner and themed events.
Closed
North Asheville’s Eldr Restaurant announced it’s closing after 2.5 years. The American + Appalachian eatery attributes the closure to the impacts of Helene. Co-owners Eric Burleson and Carson Lucci hope to continue serving Asheville through catering and pop-up restaurants. (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Outdoors
Four planets in one view. Every night this month, look for Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars all in alignment. Pull out a telescope, and you’ll also be able to spot Uranus and Neptune. (NASA)
Sports
UNC Asheville track + field athlete Nkosi Jeju has landed in the university’s record books, setting the men’s long jump record at a meet on Saturday, Jan. 11. Jeju’s jump measured 7.34 meters, surpassing the prior record of 7.08 meters set in 2018.
Legacy
The WNC Nature Center’s female red panda, Leefa, has died after months of declining health. Leefa was born in 2009 and arrived at the Nature Center in 2018 with her male counterpart, Phoenix, becoming the first red pandas in WNC.
Concert
“If You Asked For A Tour,” Blondshell is coming to Asheville to answer that question. The indie rocker will roll to The Orange Peel on Thursday, June 26. Tickets go on sale this Friday, Jan. 17, starting at 10 a.m.
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Did anyone build a snowman this past weekend? According to experts, you need 4 inches of wet, heavy snow to make one — but I have faith in Ashevillians, even though the city just got ~1 inch of snow. Feel free to send us any pictures of snowmen you made, we might share them in a newsletter or on social media.
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