Bear Activity on the Rise in Western North Carolina

As summer slips into fall, bear sighting are on the rise in the Asheville-area. A fellow Asheville Chamber of Commerce employee discovered this first-hand when he left his car parked with the windows down this week. He came back to a black bear sitting in the driver’s seat!

The rise in bear activity has even caused Parkway officials to temporarily close the Craggy Gardens Picnic Area at Milepost 367.6 until Labor Day weekend. One reason for the increased sightings is that bears are foraging for food.

Get Lost in Asheville’s Corn Maze

Looking for some fall fun? Bring the family and get lost in a 10-acre corn maze at the Elida Home for Children. The maze features three different trails ranging from over 2 miles to half a mile. Other festivities include a hay-bale maze for little ones, pumpkin patch, hayrides and face-painting.

The maze is open Friday-Sunday, September 25-October 31. Cost is $8 for adults, $5 for ages 11 and younger and free for ages 4 and younger.

Hours of operation are:

• Friday: 4 p.m.-9 p.m.
• Saturday: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
• Sunday: 12 noon-6 p.m.

WNC Golf Goes Wild with Llama Caddies

Leave it to the Asheville-area to make the polite game of golf a little wacky and unusual. Llamacaddy.com in neighboring Brevard, NC, is working with local golf courses to provide four-footed caddy services.

Llamas are pack animals and a perfect fit for golf greens with their soft, padded feet. A llama caddy carries two sets of golf clubs and is tended by a handler throughout the course.

Currently, you can tee off with a furry llama by your side at the Maggie Valley Club, located just a short drive from Asheville.

Oktoberfest Comes to Asheville

Enjoy a taste of old Europe and Asheville’s fabulous beer scene with the city’s first Oktoberfest on Saturday, October 10. Wall Street in downtown Asheville will host the fun from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

“Our Oktoberfest will mix Bavarian traditions with Asheville’s eclectic vibe,” says Adrian Vassallo, event organizer. He adds, “With Asheville’s recent recognition as ‘Beer City USA,’ the timing couldn’t be more perfect to celebrate our local beer scene. Plus, Wall Street is an ideal venue for this event with its old world feel and original cobblestones.”

Old World Fun Meets Asheville Funk
The event will feature beer tastings from local breweries including Highland Brewing, Asheville Brewing Company, Pisgah Brewing, Green Man Brewery and French Broad Brewing Company. Many brewers will offer seasonal ales for Oktoberfest and will be on hand to discuss their beers. Food will include authentic German cuisine—paired with local mustard from the Lusty Monk—from Cucina 24, Jack of the Wood and The Market Place.

Entertainment will range from traditional to modern. The Stratton Mountain Boys will bring a taste of Germany to the Blue Ridge Mountains with alphorns, yodeling songs, polka music and shoe slapping dances. The Goodies will also take the stage with their gypsy-style eclectic hard rock and funk. Yodeling contests, costume contests and stein races round out the fun. Tickets are $25 and include beer samples and a commemorative Oktoberfest glass.

Buy Tickets Early
Tickets go on sale August 31 at ashevilledowntown.org. Space is limited, so buy early!

Green Hotel Arrives in Asheville

Looking to give back to mother nature when you vacation in Asheville? Look no further than the city’s newest hotel: the Hilton Asheville. Scheduled to open up on August 27, the hotel was designed to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification standards from the Green Building Council.

Its green practices include:

• One of the nation’s first hotel solar water heating systems, which will eliminate 25 tons of carbon dioxide per year
• Low-flow toilets, showerheads, and sink fixtures, which will reduce water usage by 30%
• Energy Star-qualified CFL light bulbs, which will require 75% less energy than traditional bulbs
• Onsite recycling for guests and employees
• Staff uniforms made out of regenerated plastic bottles
• Onsite spa offering organic skin care products
• Hotel restaurant featuring local food
• Green meeting policies that avoid the use of linens when possible
• Alternative fuel shuttle for hotel guests, preferred parking for hybrid vehicles and bicycles for guests

Asheville Named as Favorite City for Business Travel

USA Today’s Road Warrior panel (a panel of 1,000+ travelers who voluntary provide travel information) named Asheville as one of their top cities for business trips. Today’s business travelers say they try to mix business and pleasure by taking in the city’s culture.

Asheville got high marks from the panel for its “great arts and music scene; a community mix of mountain folk, bohemians, business people and highly educated locals; wonderful outdoors lifestyle and fly-fishing; and organic Caribbean-Cuban-Mexican-Jamaican food at Salsa Mexican Caribbean Restaurant.”

Read the complete story here.

Menu Details for Tomato Walk on Aug. 20

Our contacts in the food scene have provided us with a sneak peek of downtown Asheville’s Tomato Walk!

Participating Restaurants

• Bistro 1896
• Bouchon
• Early Girl Eatery
• ED Boudreaux’s Bayou Bar-B-Que
• Laurey’s Catering and Gourmet to Go
• The Lobster Trap
• The Market Place
• Posana Café
• Rosetta’s Kitchen
• Zambra

Secret Menu Details
Laurey’s and Bouchon will offer tomato samples on the street. At the Lobster Trap, choose from dishes featuring local tomatoes including warm tomato tart, lobster gazpacho and a Sangrita cocktail. Lobster Trap guests who order entrees get complimentary shrimp with cocktail sauce made from local tomatoes and peppers. Early Girl Eatery will offer dishes such as spinach potato cakes with tomato gravy. Other restaurants, such as Rosetta’s, will offer a variety of samples too.

Celebrate Organic Food at Organicfest

Organicfest, one of the nation’s largest regional organic festivals, celebrates National Organic Harvest Month on September 13 in Asheville. Enjoy family fun from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for free on Batttery Park Avenue, Otis Street and O’Henry Street by the Grove Arcade. Offerings include over 75 organic and green vendors offering organic food, beer, coffee and more. Learn how to live an organic life from community experts, then immerse yourself in Asheville’s carefree spirit by enjoying live music, dancing, door prizes and a kids parade.

Feast on Downtown Tomato Walk

Tempt your taste buds on Thursday, August 20, with the Downtown Tomato Walk from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. This celebratory evening commemorates Western North Carolina’s bounty of tomatoes with special menu items, tomato-themed cocktails and special fresh-from-the-garden touches.

All the featured menu items for this evening include locally grown tomatoes from area farmers. This promises to be a spectacular celebration of flavorful nuances, as most local farmers grow heirloom tomatoes. Plus, soil composition and weather affects the flavor of tomatoes, so tomatoes grown in this region have a special tang and sweetness. At the evening’s end, you’ll have a new appreciation for this humble fruit.

Participating restaurants include:

• Bouchon
• Bistro 1896
• Early Girl Eatery
• ED Boudreaux’s Bayou Bar-B-Que
• Laurey’s Catering and Gourmet to Go
• Posana Cafe
• Rosetta’s Kitchen
• The Lobster Trap
• The Market Place

Check back for a complete list of restaurants prior to the event.