The cams are still a bit blurry this morning with all the fog, but that should clear up later this morning.  Even with the fog, though, we are being treated to some wonderful scenery as the first of an expected 2 days of snow falls over Asheville. 

Snow days are always huge days for AshevilleLiveCam.com's web traffic, as native Ashevillians, expatriots and fans check in from all over the world to see the mountains and the downtown  area blanketed in white.  So if you're trying to see the cams and can't get them to come up, just keep trying (refresh the page).  Eventually you'll get through, and it will be well worth it.

While you're here, it wouldn't hurt to have a look at some of our sponsors and help us pay for the bandwidth, so be sure to have a look around the site and click some links.

 

HAPPY SNOW DAY!

Comment (1)

July 24th will mark the start of Asheville's 31st annual 'Bele Chere' Music and Art Festival and the influx of 350,000 estimated  festival-goers. According to their website, "The festival features four stages of free- live music and an impressive array of arts and crafts; as well as entertainment and activities for children. Surrounded by the natural beauty of the mountains of Western North Carolina- come join us for one of the Southeast's largest free outdoor street festivals."

Though still a couple of months away, here at AshevilleLive we are keeping this festival on our radar and plan on bringing you a series of reports ranging from exciting events to see and participate in, to some of the changes being made for 2009. One of the additions to this year's festival will be a "battle of the bands-style contest" conducted in conjunction with WNC Magazine and the Asheville Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts Department called "Last Band Standing: Road to Bele Chere 2009".

Other events we'll be keeping an eye on include the 30th Annual Bele Chere 5k, the Lexington Avenue Drumming Tent, and Rashad McCant's "Shoot for the Cure", in which one lucky festival-goer will have a chance to win $10,000 with proceeds benefiting breast cancer research. 

 So stay tuned to AshevilleLive for upcoming reports with more information on how to maximize your fun at the largest street festival in the southeastern United States.

Comment (0)

Just around the corner and its time for the Montford Music & Arts Festival. Come out and witness Montford come to life. Bring the kids, comfy shoes and be ready to enjoy some great music and good times. There are  going to be some great performers at this year’s event, including; Snake Oil Medicine Show, Pure Fiyah Reggae Band, the Good Ole Boys, Westsound and more, so do not miss it!

You will also find incredible local pottery, jewelry, fabric arts, hand carved wood, and amazing paintings. Have some fun and help paint the community mural, get a massage, and buy some fresh plants for your garden. Do not forget to bring your appetite, you’ll discover Jamaican Pasta, Greek Cuisine, and a sampling of Thai Foods as well.

Visit the Montford Festival website for more details:

This street festival, including musical acts and a juried art show, highlight the artistic strength of one of Asheville’s oldest neighborhoods.  Celebrating its sixth anniversary, this festival is free to the public, and sponsored by the Montford Neighborhood Association. For more information, call or email Sharon Fahrer at 828-777-1014 or Ben Scales at 828-225-4840 for directions or more info. 

Montford Music & Arts Festival Schedule:
10:00 Tater Diggers
11:00 Kon Tiki12:00 Ira Bernstein & John Herrmann
1:00   Vollie McKenzie & the Lead-Foot Vipers
2:00    WestSound
3:15   Good Old Boyz
4:45   Snake Oil Medicine Show
6:15   Pure Fiyah Reggae Band

Plus, the Mountain Dragon Lion Dance Troupe will perform complete with gongs, drums, and a spectacular display of martial arts; Hoop dancing; and Morris Dance by Asheville Morris Men and Ash Grove Garland, featuring a Maypole celebration at around 1:00p.m.

Comment (0)

The 2009 Fins and Gills Classic is a fishing tournament to raise money for RiverLink and to promote the fun of Western North Carolina’s most under used asset, the French Broad River. Come on out Saturday May 9th for a fun time fishing in this tournament fundraiser.

This tournament will take place from 8am – 2pm. All participants must launch by 9am and return to the Asheville Outdoor center by 2pm for the final weigh in and tournament awards ceremony. It’s going to be a blast, bring the kids and have a few laughs. Prizes will be awarded for the biggest stringer, biggest fish and other categories.  Lunch meal including hot dog, chips and drink will be available for just $2 which all goes to support RiverLink.

Kids Activities at the Asheville Outdoor Center from 11am – 3pm include kayak & raft rides, a casting contest, awesome play ground, horse shoes, volleyball, a gem mine, and some beginners fishing classes. I will see you there, and just wait till you see the fishzilla that I’m going to catch!

If you are wanting to fish this tournament, it is highly recommended that you reserve a boat before Sat May 9th. *After May 7th boat rental $15/person or $30/canoe. 

Fishing Derby Entry Fees - All proceeds will go to RiverLink
Early Registration ends Thursday May 7th
Adults $10 (13 and older) Kids $5 (12 and under)
*Boat Rental $10 per person or $20 for canoe
Please contact Asheville Outdoor Center for boat rentals 828-232-1970.

Comment (0)

Here’s a great way to act locally and have a global impact. One of our local ABYSA families is planning a trip to Uganda.  Supporting Community Development through Sports, they will be distributing soccer equipment in many rural villages. WOW - Just like that your used soccer equipment will be sent around the world to other children & adults who will appreciate them. Here’s your chance to get involved.

Bring any gently used and new soccer gear from your collection to donate for this exciting trip to Africa.  Join this exciting adventure; Stop by  Saturday, May 2nd from 9am to 5pm at the Buncombe County Sports Park or John B Lewis Soccer Complex.


So, clean out your closet! They'll take gently worn or new: Cleats, Shin Guards, Uniforms, Socks, Balls, Pennies, Ball bags, Small cones, etc. All sizes.  Questions? Contact Bob Wagner 828-296-0149.

Comment (0)

Come on out to Hot Springs this weekend for the 12th annual French Broad River Festival. Three days of absolute magic. The line up is going to make for a great festival. Reverend Horton Heat, Acoustic Syndicate, Larry Keel and the Natural Bridge, Snake Oil Medicine Show, Josh Phillips and the Folk Festival and Jen and the Juice are just a few of the musicians performing. And with this weather, is there any place better to be than in Hot Springs.

You will also be able to shop for some really good outdoor gear at the Silent Auction or with the vendors. There will also be a raffle so bring some cash for the Live Auction too.  And if you are up for it, join one of the races. The “Paddle with the Pros,” the 12th Annual French Broad River Raft Race or the 5th Annual FBRF Mountain Bike Race. If you are not up for the race, you can enjoy the excitement as a spectator.

The festival crew is requesting everyone carpool to cut down on waste as well as save as much room for camping.  There will be a $10 charge for all vehicles that you will get back if you park at the farther lot once you unload your car. The weekend is sure to be a great time, I hope to see you there.

Comment (0)

Great news for the Blue Ridge Parkway, and all of us who enjoy scenic cruises around Asheville and throughout WNC. This 13.3 million dollar stimulus is part of the larger American Recovery & Investment Act of 2009, these funds are slated to help with repairs and needed maintenance. 

Explore Asheville has more details:

The Blue Ridge Parkway, portions of which run through Asheville, was awarded $13.3 million in federal stimulus money. The Blue Ridge Parkway will use the funds for repairs including reconstructing historic stone guard walls, removing vegetation and hazardous trees and repairing trails.

The money is part of the $750 million allocated to more than 750 projects at national parks across the United States as part of the American Recovery and Investment Act of 2009.

Ken Salazar, secretary of the interior, said in a statement that the investment in the national park system would create "a new legacy of stewardship for our national park system while helping our economy stand up again."

Although our economy sure seems to be shrinking, these funds are certainly going to help the Blue Ridge Parkway continue being a beautifully maintained stretch of gorgeous roadway for the adventurous. Its another happy day for WNC, get out there and enjoy it… Head north… I’ll see you at 417.

Comment (0)

Chicken Coops in the city? But of course, where else would we be able to find delicious fresh local eggs in such abundance.

On first thought you may not envision Urban Chickens, however in Asheville it’s becoming a popular hobby. Especially with the help of Asheville City Chickens, and their proposed changes to Asheville’s Animal Control Ordinance, these fresh local eggs may be right next door or in your own backyard before you know it. 

Asheville City Chickens is a diverse group of Asheville residents dedicated to awareness, advocacy, and education concerning urban chickens in Asheville. We believe that responsible urban chicken ownership can be part of sustainable urban agriculture and can lend Asheville residents more control over their food sources.

On April 28th the Asheville City Council meeting will discuss the Animal Control Ordinance. With any luck it will soon be easier for people to keep backyard chickens. Asheville City Chickens helps teach Asheville residents responsible practices for raising these animals in an urban setting, complete with an emphasis on positive neighbor and community relations.

Check out these photos of a wonderful Urban Chicken residence in Oakley.

Take a moment to view the proposed changes to the Animal Control Ordinance, and sign the petition.

Comment (2)

Just as I was looking at our tomato starts in the kitchen this morning, I realized I had very little seeds in the herb department. I really want to plant a medicine herb garden and culinary herb garden. Then I realized it’s almost time for the Asheville Herb Festival. What a great way to celebrate spring and her wonders.

“Our 20th annual festival will take place May 1-3, 2009 at the WNC Farmers Market in Asheville, offering by far the best selection of herb plants in the southeast.

The WNC Chapter of the NC Herb Association represents the incredibly wide variety of herbalists and herb businesses in North Carolina: herb growers and vendors, natural gardening and landscaping specialists, and makers of herbal ointments, balms, soaps, teas, medicines, and other products. We hope you’ll join us and more than 25,000 other herb lovers when we celebrate the 20th annual Asheville Herb Festival May 1, 2, & 3, 2009, at the WNC Farmers Market.

This year, herb lovers from across the Southeast took advantage of some of the best herbs, plants, products, literature, and herb talk in the southeast. Many visitors were excited to learn that many of the most popular herbs, having developed around the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, are drought-tolerant.”

Come on out and share in the green plants. Get your garden hooked up with all the best from this year’s herb festival. We’ll see you there.

Comment (0)

Come one come all; have some healthy, family fun at Martin Luther King Park today, Saturday April 18th

Join us for the Second Annual AED: Asheville’s Earth Day Celebration! Just Announced: the fabulous musical line up; Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Laura Reed & Deep Pocket, Zach Deputy, Jen and the Juice! It’s going to be a great day!

Asheville Earth Day: 

This FREE, all day event is focused on providing a fun, entertaining setting to educate and promote conscious awareness and green living for the families and individuals of the Asheville community. The mission of Asheville Earth Day is to provide a FREE activity for people of all ages and backgrounds of the Asheville community, gathering to educate and celebrate that every person can make a difference for environmental change. And together we can make a difference globally. Asheville has long been known for its music and beautiful scenery…BUT more importantly, for its eclectic, environmentally conscious, health oriented citizens and community.

Earth Day Event Overview:
Fun full day celebration, of environmentally conscious individuals and families gathering together in support of healthy living and community collaboration of effective “green practices. The Eco-Village will highlight Asheville’s numerous Earth Friendly businesses and local non-profit organizations. A Kids-Village will be encouraging environmental awareness for children and young adults, including fun activities and games that focus on “Living Green”

 "AED is fun for children and their parents at the 2nd Annual Earth Day Celebration!! While wonderful music fills our ears and moves our feet let's play and celebrate our planet. Activities include face painting, clay sculpture, field day games, and arts and crafts out of recycled materials. The showcase "re-creation" will be a big sized bug to help us catch the bug of less human impact on the Earth and will be in a skit the children create with adult help. So bring recyclables from your home. For instance if you have alot of tupperware lids with no container bring those? Got alot of empty egg cartons? You get the drift. Come out and ENJOY!"   --- Kids Area Management

You will not want to miss this fun family event, starting at 10:00am today, Saturday April 18th at Martin Luther King Park. Also check out Asheville’s Earth Day after party at Stella Blue. I look forward to see lots of you there this year!
 

Comment (0)

Asheville is host to many exciting outdoor activities. One such activity your friends and family are sure to enjoy is Disk Golf.

Disc golf got started in the 1970s, combining the basic elements of ball golf and Frisbee. The game is played on a nine- or 18-hole course by throwing a weighted disc, slightly smaller than a Frisbee, over fairways with the object of sinking it into special metal baskets in the fewest number of throws. Courses are usually in forested areas and use the trees, hills and other natural terrain to make the game more challenging.

Disc golf is played much like traditional golf. Instead of a ball and clubs, however, players use a flying disc, or Frisbee. The sport shares with "ball golf" the object of completing each hole in the fewest number of strokes (or, in the case of disc golf, fewest number of throws).

A golf disc is thrown from a tee area to a target which is the "hole." The hole can be one of a number of disc golf targets; the most common is called a Pole Hole, an elevated metal basket. As a player progresses down the fairway, he or she must make each consecutive shot from the spot where the previous throw has landed.

The trees, shrubs and terrain changes in and around the fairways provide challenging obstacles for the golfer. Finally, the "putt" lands in the basket and the hole is completed. Disc golf shares the same joys and frustrations of traditional golf, whether it's sinking a long putt or hitting a tree halfway down the fairway. There are few differences, though. Disc golf rarely requires a greens fee, you probably won't need to rent a cart, and you never get stuck with a bad "tee time." It is designed to be enjoyed by people of all ages, male and female, regardless of economic status.

The sport is also one that is played year-round, in rain or shine, snow or ice. When it comes to Disk Golf; the more natural hazards to contend with, the better. With at least 6 courses nearby, you can conveniently enjoy one of these wonderful locations:

For full details and directions see WNC Disk Golf

Richmond Hill Disc Golf Course, Asheville, NC is a heavily wooded course with elevation changes in abundance. A full 18 holes are available for play. Installed in 2001, this course was designed with the serious player in mind. The primary tee box placement is set for the advanced/professional player, although many holes contain alternate/amateur tee box placements.

Mars Hill College Disc Golf Course
-An 18-hole course in and around the Mars Hill College Campus. Check kiosk for details.

Black Mountain Recreation Park Disc Golf Course, Black Mountain, NC is a 9-hole course that caters to the recreational player. This course contains a mix of wooded and open shots. A river comes into play for many holes. Black Mountain technically challenges even the advanced player with tight skill shots.


Crookston Disc Golf Course, Fletcher, NC is a professional caliber 9-hole course installed in 2001. The course is located at the Fletcher Community Park and contains many open shots as it meanders around a pond. There are professional as well as amateur tee boxes at every hole. Out-of-bounds comes into play throughout the course.

Western Carolina University Disc Golf Course
9 holes - Disc Catcher

Vance Street Disc Golf Course (Waynesville)
18 holes with 2 pin locations for each hole and a mixed bag of tee surfaces including grass, asphalt and concrete. The long pin total distance is 6692 and the short pin is 5010. The course is an open course with a few choice tree shots to give all who play it a good challenge!! Lots of O.B. to make it interesting including streams and creeks for plastic swimming!! The course offers some great views of the Southern Appalachians!!

Comment (0)

Spring is here, Perseophone is home and Demeter is basking in love and gifts of blossoms and warm breezy days. If you are looking for a new place to take the kids, Kelby Carr gives her list of reasons why the arboretum is a great place to take the kids.

From Kelby Carr's Full Article: NC Arboretum with Kids

 “It’s cheap. It costs $6 for the whole family (as long as they fit in one vehicle, since the only charge is for parking). Better yet, it’s free on Tuesdays.

It’s a semi-contained area to let the kids run free. There are a few places, like the bonsai garden, where it’s a series of walkways and bridges with railings, so for those of you with multiple kids like us, you don’t have to worry as much about each kid sprinting a different direction. In fact, the Arboretum was the first outing where we took the kids and let the twins go stroller-free when they started walking.

They have kid-friendly hiking trails as short as a half-mile tound-trip.

It’s one of the few attractions I’ve seen that actually caters to toddlers and preschoolers. They have a Wee Naturalist program for kids age 2-4 to encourage parents and kids to explore.

They always have a cool, hands-on or personal experience type of exhibit that kids love. Currently, it’s an exhibit on bats. One of the coolest was a greenhouse filled with real live butterflies that the kids could walk into and experience.”

Here's a link to the NC Arboretum's 2009 Youth Camp Schedule.

Well I’m convinced. We will definitely  have to check this out soon. Look no further for your next family outing; The NC Arboretum has it all, not to mention the fabulous lineup of Spring and Summer Camps right around the corner.

Comment (0)

Wow, check out this great directory of local parks and green ways around Asheville. You’ll find many local hotspots.  From Vance Birthplace, NC Arboretum, Buncombe County’s 44 Acre Sports Park & the Folk Art Center to many Local Pools, Golf Courses, and the Western NC Nature center. Have some time to enjoy outdoors? Try exploring North Asheville’s  Beaver Lake, tour the famous Biltmore Estate, take a cruise on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Thrash Skate Parks, Enjoy Local Hiking trails and much more.

Discover amazing family fun outdoor opportunities around Asheville with this handy online resource:  Year of the Park (via Google Maps)

This is a fabulous online resource that everyone should bookmark.

Comment (0)

Luckily for those of us in Asheville there are ample opportunities for the kids to join in some Easter Egg Fun! From community park egg hunts to Train Rides with Snoopy you can have a blast this weekend, joining the fun of Traditional Easter Egg hunts.

One year our family visited the Biltmore Estate for our Easter egg extravaganza, and I have to admit it was pretty fun. Although the organized egg hunt proved to be only somewhat entertaining, we had a blast hiding and rediscovering our own eggs hidden strategically throughout the beautiful tulip gardens that are blooming this time of year!

Asheville Citizen Times: Guide to WNC Easter egg hunts:

April 11, 2009
Community Easter egg hunt, 10 a.m.-noon, St. Paul's Church, 32 Rosscraggon Road, Building B, Skyland. Inflatables, activities, refreshments, more. Third grade and younger. Call 277-7730.

Fletcher Easter egg hunt and parade of hats. 12:15 p.m., Fletcher Community Park. Visit www.fletcherparks.org. The fields will be covered with over 8,000 eggs full of prizes and candy for everyone participating, and the Easter Bunny will be there to officially start the Easter Egg Hunt!

Grovewood Gallery and Café Easter egg hunt, 11 a.m., 111 Grovewood Road. Ages 2-9. $10; RSVP by April 6. Activities, Easter Bunny. Call 253-7651 or visit www.grovewood.com.

Lake Junaluska Easter egg hunt, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Stuart Auditorium/Harrell Center, Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center. Many more Easter events scheduled for April 11-12.

Malvern Hills Park Easter egg hunt, 1-3 p.m., ages 2-10, hosted by Malvern Hills Presbyterian Church. Call 258-8624

Dillsboro's Easter Hat Parade, 2 p.m., Dillsboro. Participants and pets of all ages. Prizes, Easter Bunny, more. Hat-making in advance at Dogwood Crafters. Call 800-962-1911

April 11-12, 2009
Train ride with Snoopy, the Easter Beagle, 10:30 a.m., the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, departing Bryson City. Children 2-12, $29; adults, $49. Refreshments, egg hunt, photos with Snoopy. Call 800-872-4681 or visit .

April 12, 2009
Biltmore Easter egg hunts, 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. Biltmore Estate admission required for age 6 and older.

Chimney Rock Park sunrise service. Gates open 5-6 a.m.; service at 6:30 a.m. Arrive early, dress warm and bring a flashlight.

Comment (1)

No matter what else you have going on, take some time this week to dye a few Easter Eggs.

Thanks to the numerous farmers nearby and the Asheville City Chicken movement, it should be easy to find some inexpensive fresh local eggs.

Keeping with the healthy theme this Easter, here are some great organic Easter Egg coloring recipes:


Crush ingredients and Boil in water for ~5 minutes:
(the longer eggs remain in dye the brighter the colors will be)

Orange: Paprika
Dark Orange: Chili Powder
Yellow: Orange/Lemon Peels, Shredded Carrots, Onion Skins, Cumin, Curry Powder, Turmeric
Blue: Blue Berries, Blackberries, Grape Juice
Green: Try spinach, Kale
Red: Organic Rose Hips Tea or Pomegranate Juice
Brown: Organic Coffee grounds or Used Tea Bags
Pink: Fresh Organic Beets or Cranberries
Lavender: grape juice + lemon juice + red onion skins

For the regular food coloring method, try these Easter Recipes for more exotic coloring. Following each color listed below, add the number of drops of each food coloring to about 2 - 4 ounces of vinegar for dipping:

Lime - 24 yellow, 4 green
Purple - 15 blue, 5 red
Cantaloupe - 24 yellow, 2 red
Jade - 17 green, 3 blue
Plum - 10 red, 4 blue
Spearmint - 12 green, 6 yellow, 2 blue
Raspberry - 14 red, 6 blue
Maize - 24 yellow, 1 red
Watermelon - 25 red, 2 blue
Teal - 15 green, 5 blue
Grape - 17 blue, 3 red
Fuchsia - 18 red, 2 blue
Orange Sunset - 17 yellow, 3 red
Jungle Green - 14 green, 6 yellow  

Have fun and snap a few photos of your Easter Egg Masterpiece!
I'd love to see how they turn out.

Comment (0)