Here’s how you can give back on National Public Lands Day. | Photo via National Park Service
We’ve all been enjoying the newly reopened sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and next weekend, the National Park Service is giving you the opportunity to give back. Saturday, Sept. 27 marks both the one-year anniversary of Helene as well as National Public Lands Day, the country’s largest single-day volunteer event supporting public lands.
There will be various volunteer opportunities across the parkway, including the Parkway Citizen Science Bioblitz events from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Head to one of the locations below to use the iNaturalist app to document plants, animals, and fungi to support post-Helene ecological recovery.
Asheville Media Group’s “Year of Revival Auction” is now open. Bid on items like guitars signed by Joan Jett and Tyler Childers or in-person experiences with some of Asheville’s radio show hosts — the auction closes Thursday, Sept. 25 at 5 p.m. Proceeds benefit the Marshall Relief Alliance.
Featured
Using reader nominations, Southern Living named Whist one of The 20 Friendliest Places in the South. The Haywood Road gift shop is filled with cute and quirky greeting cards, books, puzzles, and knick-knacks. “Even if you leave there empty-handed, you’ll be in a good mood,” the magazine wrote — and we couldn’t agree more.
Sports
Batter up. The Big South Conference Baseball Championship will be played at Asheville’s McCormick Field in 2026 and 2027. The six-team double-elimination tournament determines the Big South’s automatic bid recipient to the NCAA Championship. The stadium’s centennial renovation project will be completed by the time the May 20-23 tournament arrives.
Coming Soon
Wedge Brewing is seeking food trucks for its Foundy Street taproom as the brewery prepares for a fall reopening. In the meantime, you can visit Wedge’s Grove Arcade and Wedge Studios locations.
Posting on AVLtoday’s local job board is like using GPS for hiring. It gets you to the right talent without the scenic detours. Ready to find your dream candidate? Post your job today. It’s 100% free.
Try This
Sign ups are currently open for Leaders Club, a free YMCA teen leadership program. As part of the Y’s Togetherhood initiative, teens will engage in projects that make a real difference in our community, and score a free YMCA Teen Membership. Use code LC25/26 when you sign up.*
Featured Apartment
Active living and convenience converge at Chorus Asheville — a vibrant 55+ community just minutes from downtown. Choose from stylish studio to two-bedroom apartments, and enjoy wellness-focused amenities with plenty of ways to connect (think: pickleball, yoga, social events, and more). Take a tour.*
Featured Deal
Hair loss can feel isolating, but you’re not alone. Happy Head’s board-certified dermatologists prescribe a personalized treatment based on your hair goals. Try it for 45% off with code 6AM.*
Category
History
“Say, do you remember?”
People were exploring the new Battery Park Hotel. | Photo via Buncombe County Special Collections, A717-8, A717-4
Earth, Wind & Fire once asked: “Do you remember the 21st night of September?” and it’s been stuck in our heads ever since.
We dug through the archives to find some Asheville moments in time from some 21st nights (and days) of September.
1919
A 20-minute rain shower helped bring Asheville back from the brink of its “most serious water shortage in its history,” lifting restrictions that closed laundromats and soda fountains.
1924
Folks were dining on the rooftop of the new 14-story Battery Park Hotel. E.W. Grove had razed the original hotel and its hill in 1922 to build the Grove Arcade, then constructed the new version nearby.
1994
Work was completed on French Broad River Park, which served as the prototype for river park development throughout the watershed. RiverLink had planned the park since the 1980s, and the nonprofit’s executive director, Karen Cragnolin, was instrumental in making it a reality.
2008
Singer-songwriter, filmmaker, and frontman of the iconic rock band Talking Heads, David Byrne, took the stage at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium for his “Everything That Happens Will Happen Today” tour. Check out the setlist.
A great way to get a sparkling clean toilet: Splash Foam Cleaner. Clean stains, toilet rings, and more without forceful scrubbing thanks to Splash Foam’s revolutionary cleaning formula. Just pour, let it foam, and flush. Bonus: It leaves your bathroom smelling clean.*
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
Now, back to Beradu. If you have the perfect homemade apple pie recipe, now’s the time to show it off. The Black Mountain market and restaurant is hosting its inaugural Apple Pie Bake Off next Saturday, Sept. 27 at 4 p.m. There’s only one rule — you must use local apples purchased from Beradu. Customers will taste the confections, and a winner will be announced later that evening. How bout them apples?
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