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🏆 The RAD takes the top spot
We always knew Asheville has a world-class arts scene, but this confirms it. | Photo via RADA
The best arts district in the country is in our backyard. The River Arts District has been voted Best Arts District in USA TODAY’s 10BEST contest. The national nod is especially meaningful as the district continues to diligently rebuild and restore Asheville’s creative spirit after Helene washed out about 80% of artist spaces.
To celebrate the award, show some love to the neighborhood and its hundreds of working artists. Gallery hop til you drop, lend a hand during tomorrow’s litter cleanup with Asheville GreenWorks, or bring your pup for the Paws & Portraits pet stroll on Saturday, March 14.
The RAD is on a hot streak of exciting announcements, as the River Arts District Artists Foundation shared plans earlier this month to bring “a permanent, flood-safe cultural anchor” dubbed the “RAD Creative Campus” to Lyman Street.
🏡 Spring home hunting? Start with these 5 unique spaces
Presented by Greybeard Realty
Photos courtesy Greybeard Realty
These aren’t your average AVL listings.
This roundup of five out-of-the-box homes is all about sparking inspiration ahead of spring (or scrolling just for fun — we do it too). Pause and peek inside:
Foundation Woodworks has moved back into its Foundy Street home and is celebrating with a grand reopening party tomorrow, Feb. 28, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Stop by to admire new artwork, see live demos, take a shop tour, and enter an exciting raffle.
Show
Ahead of the annual August festivities, the Asheville Comedy Festival is bringing the Spring Laugh Invasion to the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, April 3-4. The lineup of 18 comics will leave you in stitches — grab tickets for one or both shows.
Arts
ArtsAVL has launched a $1.2 million Nonprofit Arts Recovery Grant Program to support WNC arts groups impacted by Helene. Funded by the NC Community Foundation and Dogwood Health Trust, grants ranging from $2,500 to $20,000 will roll out in spring 2026 and 2027, with applications for the first cycle opening March 9.
Travel
The Asheville Regional Airport is bringing its Art in the Airport program to the new North Concourse. Regional artists can apply by March 22 to have their work featured in the upcoming exhibit, running April through August.
Announced
“Fashion is art.” That’s the dress code for the 2026 Met Gala, which is set for Monday, May 4. Want to join in on the fun? Try this: Turn your favorite painting into couture with the help of Sugarcane Studios, a local shop creating custom designs by appointment only. (Vogue)
Home
From small projects to extreme renovations, get expert tips at the WNC Build & Remodel Expo, Saturday March 21-Sunday, March 22. Grab tickets for seminars, demos, local builder exhibits, and hands-on activities.*
There’s nothing quite like a custom-built mountain home. This 2022 contemporary design soars with a two-story great room lined with windows that leads directly out to a handcrafted stone patio. See 30+ pics.*
Beauty
See fewer grays on your hair and beard with a simple spray designed specifically for men: Particle Anti-Gray Serum. It’s effective without dye, coloring, or harsh chemicals. Save 20% off and get free shipping with discount code CITY20.*
Event Spotlight
🎷 Award-winning Asheville blues
See MAMA light up the stage at The Grey Eagle. | Photo by Mark Adams
And the awards just keep coming. Asheville’s own MAMA, fronted by powerhouse vocalist Melissa McKinney and band leader Jonathan Lloyd, is bringing the blues home after winning Second Place at January’s International Blues Challenge in Memphis.
The International Blues Challenge is the world’s largest gathering of blues musicians and has been giving blues bands their big break on Beale Street since 1984. The honor also comes after MAMA’s 2025 MerleFest Band Competition win.
It’s almost March — yay. But also, what should you wear? Here’s one complete outfit that can carry you through the sometimes chilly, sometimes temperate days of late winter, all under $150 while sales last:
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