Getting to Asheville Is Easy with New Flights

Making a great escape to Asheville via air is now easier and more affordable thanks to new flights from AirTran Airways. The airline announced new summer routes that include nonstop service from Asheville Regional Airport between Tampa and an additional nonstop flight to Orlando.

Direct Flights from Tampa
Nonstop flights between Asheville and Tampa will be available beginning May 4. Flights from Asheville to Tampa will depart at 2:09 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and at 1:27 p.m. on Sunday. Flights from Tampa to Asheville will depart at 11:49 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and at 11:07 a.m. on Sunday. UPDATE (July 2012): The Tampa flight is no longer in existence. However, a direct flight from Orlando is still in place.

More Direct Flights from Orlando
While AirTran already operates three nonstop direct flights to Orlando, the airline will add a fourth flight beginning May 4. Flights from Asheville to Orlando will depart at 12:15 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Flights from Orlando to Asheville will depart at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday.

Truffle Festival Arrives in Asheville

Love truffles, those elusive tasty little fungi that make foodies go weak in the knees? Then mark your calendars for the National Truffle Festival February 25-27 in Asheville. Held at the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Biltmore Village, this three-day event features pays homage to truffles in grand style.

Truffle Festival Offerings
Attendees get immersed in all things truffle-related with an array of fun activities designed to entertain and educate. Offerings include a reception featuring truffle experts, truffle growers’ forum, truffle and wine culinary forum, cooking competition featuring Asheville chefs and a black tie gala.

Purchase Tickets Now
There’s still time to sign up for this culinary event. Visit the event web site to purchase tickets.

New Nonstop Flights between Asheville and Dallas/Fort Worth

Getting to Asheville from the Lone Star State is easier than ever thanks to nonstop jet service between Asheville Regional Airport and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport beginning April 6.

American Eagle Airlines, the regional affiliate of American Airlines, will operate the flights. Flights will run through the fall, with service ending temporarily on October 31.

Scheduled flights from Asheville to Dallas/Forth Worth will depart at 9:40 a.m. and arrive in Dallas 11:15 a.m. Flights from Dallas/Forth Worth to Asheville will depart at 5:35 p.m. and arrive at 8:45 p.m.

Discover the Magic of Making Maple Syrup

Ah…maple syrup. It casts a spell of delicious sweetness over pancakes, waffles, French toast and myriad of other breakfast treats. Find out where the enchantment starts at Maple Creek Farm’s annual Maple Syrup Tour on March 6 and 7.

Explore the farm’s 106 acres to see first-hand how they harvest the sap from a complex maze of taps and tubing, then boil the syrup down to the sticky goodness we all know and love. Tours are offered hourly from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with samples of syrup, mini-pancakes and maple pork sausage.

Maple Creek Farm is the only producer of maple syrup in North Carolina and the southern-most commercial producer of syrup in the country.

Get Your Freak on at Asheville Pageant

Asheville puts its nutty side on display at the Freaks of Asheville Pageant on Saturday, February 13. Watch and show your Asheville love at the Crystal Room at 11 Grove Street from 8 p.m.-10 p.m. for just $10.

The evening includes a talent, costume and interview portion to ensure that only the most unique contestants are awarded a spot in the Freaks of Asheville 2011 calendar.

And because it’s Asheville, our good fun has a good cause attached to it. The Freaks of Asheville calendar and pageant is a fundraiser for Arts 2 People, a local non-profit that promotes the arts in the community through arts outreach.

Image: Michael Traister, Copyright 2009

Asheville Celebrates Groundhog’s Day

Is spring on the way or is there more snow in the forecast? Nibbles, the Western North Carolina Nature Center’s groundhog, makes her prediction on Tuesday at 3 p.m.

Nibbles came to the Nature Center in 2007 thanks to a local family who raised her by hand. Her tame upbringing resulted in an intense love for free meals and indoor carpet, so the Nature Center became her permanent home.

While Asheville is home to several wild groundhogs, we believe Nibbles is the cutest groundhog we have ever seen.