World Peace is coming to Asheville!

On Wednesday May 4th, World Peace and Other Fourth Grade Achievements will be screened at the Diana Wortham Theater. Following the screening, there will be a Q&A session with the film’s star, John Hunter, followed by a regional education leadership dialogue.

WHEN: May 4, 2011 at 6:45 PM
WHERE: Diana Wortham Theatre

TICKETS: K-12 Educators: Free
Non-Educators: $16

To learn more about the film, as well as the screening, please visit WorldPeaceAvl.com.

Dickens in the Village this weekend in Asheville

This weekend in Asheville you can experience Dickens in the Village taking place in Historic Biltmore Village. There are special events planned each day starting this Friday, Dec. 3 and ending Sunday Dec. 5th. Here you will find strolling musicians and vocalists, horse drawn carriage rides and old fashioned holiday cheer.

Here are a few hightlights of what to expect:

Friday - From 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm - The Village comes alive with the annual holiday lighting display. Also, the Montford Park Players will present scenes from "A Christmas Carol".

Saturday - From 11:00 am - 7:00 pm you can enjoy entertainment from the Vance Chorus, Flat Rick Youtheatre and the Biltmore Brass Ensemble.

Sunday - From 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm check out the Men's Morris Dancers, N8 the Great (juggling and magic), and the Appalachian Folk Choir.

There is of course so much more planned. Visit the Biltmore Village site or click here for the full list of events.

Of course there are also many great places to eat and shop while visiting. We offer hotels in Biltmore Village if you are looking for Asheville accommodations.

Photo taken by Mark File with Romantic Asheville.

Halloween 2010 in Asheville

It's that time of year to find fun activities all geared towards spine tingling fun and eating candy. I'll opt for the eating candy part myself. There are a ton of activities going on in Asheville this weekend. The largest of the events is MoogFest which still has some day passes available. I'll be going to see Big Boi, Pretty Lights and the School of Seven Bells. Other big artists like Massive Attack and Thievery Corporation are on the list as well. You can visit here for more information on that.

For other options check out what ExploreAsheville.com has to say. They have a great list of kid friendly and adult only activities.

For those in the downtown Asheville area Sunday night around 8PM, you may be lucky enough to catch a Thriller flashmob which will be a true Halloween treat.

During the day you can still see a lot of great leaf looking as the trees are in full color. Be sure to check out the fall color report.

Hotels are booking up fast, but we still have some availability at our Biltmore Farms Hotels. Be sure to check us out if you're looking for a place to stay.

Warren Haynes Christmas Jam lineup announced

The holidays are fast approaching and nothing says Christmas in Asheville like the Warren Haynes Christmas Jam scheduled for Saturday, December 11th at the Asheville Civic Center. This week the preliminary lineup was released and there are a ton of great musicians that we be present this year.

This is the twenty second year that this festival has taken place and it is always a sellout show. You want to make sure you purchase your tickets early if you want to go. The London Times has called this "one of the top ten concerts in the United States." That's a pretty impressive statement, but then again check out the bands that are playing.

The featured list includes:

-Steve Miller Band
-The Warren Haynes Band
-Gregg Allman
-Widespread Panic's John Bell
-Widespread Panic's John "JoJo" Hermann
-Drive-By Truckers
-Umphreys McGee
-The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
and there's more to be announced in the next few months.

Tickets will go on sale on October 23rd through Ticketmaster and the Asheville Civic Center ticket office. There is a pre-sale planned starting this Thursday, October 14th through Friday the 15th (while supplies last). VIP passes are also available and include tickets to the pre-show at The Orange Peel and the main concert, early admission to the show, a special catered private party, a VIP viewing area close to the stage and lots of other goodies. For more information visit the official website.

If you're traveling out of town there are great deals available at these Asheville hotels.

Leaf lookers prepare for a colorful season in Asheville

This year promises to be a colorful leaf season in Asheville. Check out this information released by the Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau.

ASHEVILLE, NC (September 14, 2010) – In the tricky business that is forecasting the whims of Mother Nature, it is rare that experts agree as they make fall color predictions. This year, biologists and naturalists in Western North Carolina and the Asheville area are singing the same tune: Seasonal weather patterns and early climate indicators may trigger the most colorful leaf season in years.

Good News for Colorful Fall Vacations

As the last week of summer arrives, travelers can look to fall foliage experts to learn what is in store for autumn travel in 2010:

Expert Forecast Quotes

“A long spell of dry weather during the spring and summer could provide some of the most brilliant colors seen in several years for leaf-lookers headed to the mountains of Western North Carolina this autumn,” reported Katherine Mathews, Western Carolina University’s assistant professor of biology specializing in plant systematics.

“While there were periods of low rainfall with some higher than normal temperatures, the mountains around Asheville have had plenty of rain toward the end of the summer. With cooler, clear weather moving in this September, fall seems to be setting up nicely,” said Parker Andes, director of horticulture at Biltmore in Asheville.

“A few weeks ago the weather transitioned to clear, sunny days–the ideal combination for a really beautiful fall,” said Dr. Howie Neufeld, professor of plant physiology at Appalachian State University.

“When people remember a good color season, it is usually because they got those brilliant reds contrasting against the rest of the fall color spectrum. The bi-product of photosynthesis is sugar, and sugar triggers red pigment production. So, these bright sunny days we’re seeing will build up that intense red pigment in the leaves. We’re on course for a colorful fall season,” continued Dr. Neufeld.

Fall Color Wars: Scientifically Substantiated Bias

Extreme elevation variations and biologically diverse microclimates combine to give the Southern Appalachian Mountains one of the longest and most colorful leaf seasons in the country. Regional experts weigh-in on who has the best fall color:

“New England’s color comes primarily from birch, beech and maple–a beautiful, bright autumn display with big blotches of color. But, the South has more than 100 species of deciduous trees. The combination of topography and color diversity here can make our fall colors spectacular. Out West you see more evergreens and yellow, but you don’t get a lot of that vibrant red that makes up the eastern fall patchwork. I’ve lived in the Northeast and the West, and I think North Carolina has some of the best fall color in the country,” said Dr. Neufeld.

“The mountains of Western NC have the most forest diversity of anywhere in the country, which gives us a uniquely broad range of fall color and a longer season. From the yellows of cucumber magnolias around Balsam Mountain to the burgundy of black gums along the Davidson River, there is a rainbow of colors to be seen here. And, because of the different altitudes, microclimates and mild weather, visitors can always find good color and lots of activities throughout the region,” said Andes.

Timing Your Fall Vacation

“We’re already starting to see signs of color at the highest elevations here at the end of September. Our American ash trees are beginning to tinge with purple and the bright red berries on the mountain ashe are putting on a good show. Leaf peepers should look for high elevation habitats to color-up first, such as heath balds on mountain ridges,” said Jesse Pope, chief naturalist at Grandfather Mountain.

“I’m very optimistic about the intensity of color we could see this year. However, the duration and timing of fall greatly depends on these last couple of weeks in September. Rapid changes in temperature could start the color action early, and we want to avoid wind events that would stress and prematurely down the leaves,” continued Pope.

Weekly Fall Color Reports:

To help visitors locate where the autumn color is peaking from week-to-week, the Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau is working with park officials, attractions and biologists around the region to compile weekly fall color reports for the mountains of Western North Carolina at FallintheMountains.com. Asheville’s fall color experts will also be tweeting up-to-the-minute color updates, travel tips and deals at @FallColorHunter on Twitter.

With the fall season fast approaching now is a great time to book your room reservation as hotels in the Asheville area will start selling out. Check out these great hotels and plan your getaway today.

Black Keys change date of Asheville performance

Due to a death of a family member, The Black Keys are rescheduling their September 14th show at The Orange Peel in Asheville, NC to Thursday, September 16th. All previously purchased tickets will be honored for the rescheduled date. All show details will remain the same - the show will start at 9pm with doors at 8pm on Thursday. If you are unable to attend the new date, refunds will be available at the Orange Peel box office until Thursday, September 16th at 5:30pm. For questions, contact the Orange Peel at (828) 225-5851 or by email, info@theorangepeel.net before Thursday at 5:30pm. No refunds will be offered past this deadline. The band and the Orange Peel apologize for any inconvenience to our fans. We'll see you at the show on Thursday, September 16th

TEDx Asheville coming soon

For the second year in a row, Asheville will host a TEDx conference providing a forum for people who believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately the world. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design, however the scope of TED presentations extend far beyond those categories. TED conferences offer knowledge and inspiration from the world's most inspired thinkers, and a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other.

On August 29, 2010 TedX Asheville will come alive at the Orange Peel located in Downtown Asheville. Seven speakers are planned including Doc Hendley (2009 CNN Hero) and "The Last American Man" Eustace Conway. Once the Orange Peel has filled to capacity people will be directed to offsite LiveStream events. One offsite event planned is at the Doubletree Biltmore Hotel in their Burghley Ballroom. Directions to this hotel can be found here.

For more information about this event please visit the TedX Asheville website. If you are traveling out of town the following hotels have special rates established for this event. Reference the TedX rate when making a reservation. Please note that there are a limited amount of rooms available with this special rate so please book early.

Doubletree Biltmore Hotel - reservations 828.274.1800
Residence Inn Biltmore - reservations 828.281.3361

MoogFest line up announced

This year Asheville is going to get a special treat during the Halloween weekend. MoogFest is a three day musical event celebrating the life and accomplishments of Robert Moog who was a longtime resident of Asheville. AC Entertainment (creators of Bonnaroo) is organizing this event and they have just released their lineup for this year's festival.

With major artists such as Big Boi, Thievery Corporation, Massive Attack, MGMT and more on the schedule, tickets will sell quickly for this multi-venue event. Tickets go on sale this Friday, August 13th.

More information, as provided by the official MoogFest website, is provided below.


Moogfest – the annual event honoring the remarkable vision of Robert Moog and his amazing musical inventions that changed the course of music – is reinventing itself. This year, moogfest 2010 will move from New York City to Asheville, NC – the place Bob Moog called home for the last 30 years of his life – and will expand to a 3-day, multi-venue event during the weekend of October 29 -31, 2010. During the festival, moogfest 2010 will host artists and audiences from throughout the world in different venues throughout Asheville’s beautiful, historic downtown.

Moogfest 2010 will celebrate Bob Moog’s legacy as a sonic pioneer, which will be the thread that unites the festival’s rich array of musical offerings. While the wide range of Moog instruments – the Minimoog Voyager, the Little Phatty, the Etherwave Theremin, Moogerfoogers, and the new Moog Guitar – will play prominent roles throughout the festival’s events, the artists performing will certainly not be limited to those who create their work on Moog instruments. Instead, artists will be chosen for their role in creating unique and groundbreaking musical experiences that embody the essence of Bob Moog’s visionary and creative spirit.

In addition to fantastic concerts by renowned performers of all kinds, moogfest 2010 will also offer opportunities to engage with the artists in panel discussions, question and answer sessions, and workshops. There will also be interactive experiences for the audience to explore their own musical creativity with a variety of Moog instruments. The festival will also offer visual art exhibitions, installations, and film screenings throughout the weekend.

Asheville hotels will book quickly for this event. If you would like to reserve a room please visit here.

Anticipation builds for the WNC Wine & Food Festival

Well known for being a culinary destination, Asheville will be celebrating its local “foodie” community with a weekend filled with delicious activities.

The WNC magazine Asheville Wine & Food Festival will be held indoors on August 14, 2010, in the new expo facility at the WNC Agricultural Center across from the Asheville Regional Airport and adjacent to Interstate 26 with easy connections from Interstate 40. With more than 60 regional, national, and international wineries already committed to this year’s festival, along with regional restaurants and local food producers, this event will allow attendees to experience the diverse culinary offerings of Western North Carolina. (More information about the festival can be found at WNC Magazine's official site.

In conjunction with this event, the Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park is providing you a special package that includes:

- Deluxe overnight room with King Bed or Two Queen Beds
- Complimentary Hilton Shuttle service to and from the event
- (2) Tickets to the Asheville Wine & Food Festival
- Champagne Sunday Brunch for Two

Total cost of this package is $189 per night, plus tax. To book, call the Hilton directly at 828-209-2700 or click here to book on-line.

Little Shop of Horrors starts this weekend in Asheville.

Starting this weekend and running each weekend through May 16th, the Asheville Community Theatre will be presenting Little Shop of Horrors.

The musical is centered around a shy man named Seymour who is trying to get the girl of his dreams, Audrey. That is if the alien plant Audrey II doesn't eat her first. The stage musical first premiered in 1982 in an off-Broadway production and was an adaptation of a low budget 1960's film by the same title. Audiences were again treated to another film adaptation in 1986.

Due to it never going On Broadway it was unable to receive a Tony Award, however the musical did receive many other awards and was one of the longest running and highest grossing Off-Broadway productions ever. Many songs are well known in pop culture including Skid Row, Dentist! and Suddenly Seymour.

For tickets and show times please visit the ACT site. If you are planning a trip to Asheville and need a place to stay then check into one of these great hotels.

Here is a behind the scenes interview with Director Mark Jones.

Interview with "Little Shop" director Mark Jones from William Tiernan on Vimeo.

David Sedaris in Asheville April 16, 2010

Celebrated author and humorist David Sedaris will be speaking in Asheville at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium on Friday, April 16 2010 starting at 8:00pm. David's writing style is best explained by his publicist (see below).

David Sedaris may well be the closest thing the literary world has these days to a rock star. His speaking engagements are now consistently standing-room-only, a far cry from his early days as a housecleaner in New York City. Sedaris made his comic debut recounting his strange-but-true experiences of his job as a Macys elf clad in green tights, reading his SantaLand Diaries on National Public Radios Morning Edition. His sardonic wit and incisive social critique have since made him one of Americas pre-eminent humor writers. The great skill with which Sedaris slices through cultural euphemisms and political correctness proves that he is a master of satire and one of the most observant writers addressing the human condition today. David Sedaris is the author of the bestsellers Barrel Fever and Holidays on Ice, as well as collections of personal essays, Naked and Me Talk Pretty One Day, both of which became immediate bestsellers. Sedaris and his sister, Amy Sedaris, have collaborated under the name The Talent Family and have written several plays which have been produced at La Mama, Lincoln Center, and The Drama Department in New York City. These plays include Stump the Host, Stitches, One Woman Shoe, which received an Obie Award, Incident at Cobblers Knob, and The Book of Liz, which was published in book form by Dramatists Play Service. His essays appear regularly in Esquire and The New Yorker. Sedaris original radio pieces can often be heard on This American Life, distributed nationally by Public Radio International and produced by WBEZ in Chicago. In 2001, David Sedaris became the third recipient of the Thurber Prize for American Humor. He was named by Time magazine as Humorist of the Year in 2001. His book Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim was published in June 2004, and an anthology of stories, Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules: An Anthology of Outstanding Stories, edited by David Sedaris, was published in April 2005. In 2005, David Sedaris was nominated for two Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word Album ("Dress Your Family in Corduroy & Denim") and Best Comedy Album ("David Sedaris: Live at Carnegie Hall").

Tickets for this show start at $32.50. You can purchase them through the Civic Center Box Office by calling (828) 259-5736.

If you are traveling from out of town to see the show and need a place to stay for the night, please check out one of these fine hotels.