Fall Color Report for September 29th

Early Fall in Asheville

Early fall has arrived in Western North Carolina as we enter October. Many species of trees have turned at higher elevations above 4500’, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg for now. The spectacular foliage that is just getting started at the highest peaks will soon roll down the mountainsides.

Everywhere you look there are signs of fall. In waterfall country on Highway 276 near Brevard, Cindy Carpenter of the US Forest Service reports that greens are getting yellower. Tulip trees and sycamores are showing lots of yellow-browns. Some branches of sweet birches are anxious and already golden while the rest of the trees still show green. Across from the Sliding Rock entrance on 276 is a cluster of bright red young sourwood trees. All along the way the fall wildflowers are gorgeous: the pinks of joepye weed, tall yellow crownbeard, tiny oranges of spotted jewelweed. Pink turtleheads near some streams are putting on quite a show this year.

Up by the Cradle of Forestry in America some scarlet oaks are showing the lovely mosaics of burgundy and green, maples and sassafras reds and oranges. Sourwoods are also deep maroon. Along the paved Biltmore Campus Trail at the Cradle of Forestry, perfect for wheelchairs and strollers, some trees are already putting on a lovely show of reds and yellows. Turtleheads can be seen along the way, along with jewelweed, goldenrod, and white snakeroot. While green shades still prevail, some individual trees and shrubs are already peaking. Visitors this time of year can enjoy a fall flavor before the crowds of peak season.

Continue reading this fall color report here, and don't forget to bookmark FallintheMountain.com and follow @FallColorHunter for weekly updates from Asheville and Western North Carolina.

Celebrate the kick-off of American Craft Week

American Craft Week is a celebration of craft happening October 1-10 all across the United States. Artists, galleries, museums, schools and individuals are celebrating in order to bring awareness to the many benefits of handmade craft to our economy and our way of life.

American Craft Week in WNC is leading the way as the largest regional celebration happening in the country. Festivals, open studios, exhibits, workshops, demonstrations and more are happening all around the WNC area. The Downtown Gallery Association is having its First Friday Gallery Stroll on October 1 from 5pm to 8pm. The Grove Arcade will be kicking off ACW right before the gallery stroll with a proclamation by Mayor Bellamy’s office, insights from HandMade in America and light refreshments at the Grove Arcade.

We invite you to join us and learn more about American Craft Week events happening all over WNC!

Kick-off Event: Grove Arcade downtown Asheville
Friday, October 1, 2010
4:30 to 5:00 p.m.
Artwalk 5:00 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Click here to learn more about the Kick-off Event or visit our American Craft Week page for additional information about the weekly-long celebration of craft.

Asheville Historic Trolley Tours Offers Expanded Tour

Asheville Historic Trolley Tours, Asheville’s original, locally owned trolley tour service, is pleased to announce that it is now offering an expanded version of its top rated trolley tour of the City of Asheville. This expanded tour will now incorporate several historically significant sites, including:

• A new stop at the Smith-McDowell House Museum, a site that tells the story of Asheville’s oldest brick home, circa 1840’s. Over the years it has been a home to a Major in the Confederate Army, a millionaire land developer, a Brigadier General who fought Indians beside General Custer, a Washington, D.C. socialite, a doctor who had a golf handicap of 4, a millionaire playboy, and students from the Catholic school Gibbons Hall.


• The AB Tech Campus is a two year community college with several nationally recognized programs of study.


• The Fernihurst home, the magnificent Italianate-style residence built by Colonel John Kerr Connally in 1875. This beautifully restored structure is now the home of AB Tech’s nationally recognized culinary arts program. The site of the home commands an amazing view of the Pisgah Mountains, a vista that was originally desired for the Biltmore House, but one that even George Vanderbilt couldn’t procure.


• The Sunnicrest structure is the last intact structure of five luxury residences originally built by George Vanderbilt in the 1890’s, and designed by Richard Sharp Smith (the supervising architect at Biltmore) for “overflow” guests from the Biltmore Estate.

The Smith-McDowell House, Fernihurst, and Sunnicrest are among the most historically significant buildings in the City of Asheville and are welcome additions to this historic trolley tour.

Learn more by visiting our Asheville Historic Trolley Tours page.

Asheville Ballet’s New Season

Opening Production Combines Classical with Rock ‘n Roll
The Asheville Ballet opens its 2010-2011 Season with a double bill: the pure white classical ballet “Les Sylphides” set to Chopin’s beautiful music, and “Free Fall,” a world premier set to the music of the Chapel Hill Post-Rock band, Kangaroo, who will perform live on stage. Performances are at Diana Wortham Theatre, with curtain times of 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct 2 and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 3.

“Les Sylphides,” choreographed by Michael Fokine for the impresario Dhiagilev, premiered in 1908. The ballet is a lyrical contemplation on the essence of ballet itself – separated from story. There is no plot, just twenty-five minutes of breathtaking beauty. The version, in the tradition of evolutionary performance art, celebrates the original choreography while highlighting the strengths of The Asheville Ballet’s own soloists: Lyle Laney, Allison Hertzberg, Fleming Lomax and Lisa Leithman. Featured roles also go to senior teens Conner Hall and Athaya Sriskul, our exchange student from Thailand.

“Free Fall.” What to say? You will be out of your seat. Your children will love it. This is dance that never stops, but also engages all your emotions along the way. The band Kangaroo is live on stage (violin, drums/percussion, guitar, bass). They are part of the choreography. An octet, a solo, a trio, a quintet, a pas des deux, and a nonet – all set to the driving, intricate, sometimes-romantic, sometimes, heart-pounding music of Kangaroo. This is original choreography set to original music by a stunning young band.

Visit our Asheville arts section of our travel guide for more fun cultural activities.

Asheville’s Newest Cookbook

Tupelo Honey Café - Spirited Recipes from Asheville’s New South Kitchen

The Tupelo Honey Café, located in downtown Asheville, is now taking pre-orders for their upcoming cookbook, Tupelo Honey Café: Spirited Recipes from Asheville’s New South Kitchen.

Authored by local writer Elizabeth Sims with collaboration from Executive Chef Brian Sonoskus, the book will be published in the Spring of 2011 as a full-color, hardbound edition of 240 pages, featuring over 125 recipes and 75 photographs.

Both the downtown and south Asheville location are taking pre-orders, as well as the Tupelo Honey Café website. All pre-orders receive a copy signed by the author and chef at a 10% discount off the cover price.

Benefits to Local Non-profits
For each book purchased in store or on the Tupelo Honey Cafe website, $1.00 will be donated to the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) and the MANNA Foodbank.

Other Asheville Cookbooks
The Tupelo Honey Café Cookbook is not the first cookbook inspired by Asheville’s vibrant Foodtopian Society. Other area cookbooks include Mountain Elegance by the Junior League of Asheville, the Bounty of Biltmore Cookbook by Whitney Wheeler Pickering for the Biltmore Estate, and Elsie’s Biscuits by Laurey Masterton of Laurey’s Catering and Gourmet to Go.

Learn more about Asheville’s Foodtopian Society in our extensive restaurant guide.

Unique Fall Adventures in Asheville

Asheville attracts fall travelers for obvious reasons including stunning fall color, fabulous dining, and an impressive array of cultural attractions. Fall travelers who dig a little bit deeper will realize that Asheville has a lot more to offer. Unique adventures abound in the mountains around Asheville and those who seek out these activities will find exceptional experiences.

Get an Up Close and Personal with the Mountains
Asheville is home to an impressive diversity of outdoor adventures. Hiking trails, waterfalls, whitewater rafting, and horseback riding are just a few of the outdoor activities available in the mountains around Asheville.

For a truly unique fall foliage experience, consider a zip line canopy tour with Navitat, one of Asheville’s newest extreme outdoor outfitters.

If zipping through the trees is not your cup of tea, then check out these other eco-friendly fall activities.

Stunning Scenic Driving Opportunities

2010 marks the 75th Anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway. This scenic highway passes through Asheville, and offers a birds eye view of fall foliage with numerous overlooks, hikes, picnic areas, camping spots and other outdoor activities.

If four-wheel transportation is not your preferred mode of scenic fall driving then check out our list of featured fall motorcycle rides. Don’t have a motorcycle; don’t fret, this page also lists where you can rent one for the day.

Fall Fun for the Whole Family

Many of the outdoor adventures listed above are family friendly; however for a truly unique family-centric fall adventure check out our list of fall harvest activities. The fall harvest brings corn mazes, farmers markets, and much more.

To keep up to date with the fall color as it progresses down the mountains into Asheville, please check out FallintheMountains.com and follow @FallColorHunter on Twitter.

September 23 Fall Color Report

Autumnal Equinox

• Suggested Drives
• Scenic Hikes
• Upcoming Events

A full moon greets this year’s autumnal equinox as summer officially gives way to fall. Here in the mountains of Western North Carolina, the fall color is just getting started. The landscapes remain predominantly green, but many species have begun to turn, especially at higher elevations above 5000’.

Jesse Pope, Chief Naturalist at Grandfather Mountain, reports that American ash, Red and Sugar maples, and some birches are starting to show yellow, orange and burgundy-red at higher elevations. Dogwoods and sourwoods are beginning to display crimson red leaves at Craggy Gardens, just north of Asheville. Look for the orange and red of Virginia creeper along tree trunks. This is the perfect time of year to hiking, while it’s still warm enough for shorts and a t-shirt during the day, yet cool enough to spur more fall color each night.

Spectacular foliage is without a doubt on its way, as the first species begin to transform all over the region. While we’re waiting for fall color to hit full swing, wildflowers continue to bloom in meadows and forests in the mountains. Black-eyed Susans, coreopsis, goldenrods, woodland sunflowers and ox-eye daisies offer different shades of yellow, complimented by varying purples hues from New York ironweed, purple-headed coneflowers and Joe-pie weed flowers.

Continue reading this fall color report and don't forget to bookmark FallintheMountains.com and follow @FallColorHunter on Twitter to the latest updates.

Local Farm to Table and Art Inspired Dinner in Asheville

Grove Park Inn, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP), River Arts District and UNCA come together to create a unique event highlighting local farmers and artists

Asheville has fully embraced the farm to table movement and the Local Showcase Dinner at the Grove Park Inn’s Blue Ridge Dining Room takes the local-centric movement to a new level by combining area farms, arts exhibits, and beer and wine all originating in the Asheville area.

Monthly Showcase Kicks off Sept. 30
The Local Showcase Dinner, a recurring event taking place on the last Thursday of each month, kicks off on Sept. 30 with a dinner featuring food from Hickory Nut Gap and Jolley Farms, and art from River District Artists John McKah and Mark Henry, as well as a student exhibit from the UNCA Art Department.

The reception begins at 5:30 pm and is followed by an optional dinner seating in the Blue Ridge Dining Room. There is no entry fee and the locally inspired menu will feature entrees ranging from $12 - $31.

Learn more about the Blue Ridge Dining Room or other Asheville Dining opportunities.

Win Elusive Brewgrass Tickets!!!

Asheville’s Brewgrass has been sold out for months, but we have 4 tickets to give away. Follow these simple steps to enter to win:

Weekly fall color reports have begun for the 2010 leaf season on FallintheMountains.com. Not only does the color report help you locate the best color in Western NC from week-to-week throughout the autumn season, but it is also your key to WIN Brewgrass tickets!

How to Enter the Giveaway

1. Visit the Fall Color Report on FallintheMountains.com to discover which byproduct of photosynthesis is responsible for brilliant fall color?
2. Visit our Facebook Page and post the answer as a comment to our status from this morning.
3. Become a fan of the page to be eligible to win.

We will randomly select 2 winners from all correct answers received by 4 pm on Thursday, Sept. 16. Each winner will receive 2 tickets for Brewgrass, taking place on Saturday, Sept. 18 from 12 – 7 pm. Winners will be notified via Facebook message that they have won. Tickets can be claimed at the Asheville Visitor Center during regular business hours on Friday or Saturday.

Requirements

1. You must be available to pick up your tickets at the Asheville Visitors Center on Friday between 8:30 am – 5:30 pm or Saturday between 9 am and 12 pm.
2. Eligibility: Employees of the Asheville Chamber of Commerce and Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau are not eligible.

About Brewgrass

Brewgrass is Asheville’s largest annual beer festival! Each year in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina, over 40 American breweries gather in Asheville to showcase over 120 different beers. Enjoy live music by bluegrass musicians ranging from national acts to local heroes.

September 15 Fall Color Report

It's Officially the Last Week of Summer

With the autumnal equinox and official first day of fall just one week away, it already feels like fall here in Western North Carolina. Crisp cool nights and sunny bluebird days are setting up our leaves for another brilliant fall color season. “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.

Suggested Drives | Scenic Hikes | Upcoming Events

Most of the trees are still nice and green, but a few leaves have started to turn here and there, especially up at higher elevations such as Grandfather Mountain. “We’re already starting to see signs of color at the highest elevations here at the end of September,” said Jesse Pope, chief naturalist at Grandfather Mountain. “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.”

Continue reading the weekly fall color report on FallintheMountains.com.

Fall Travel Packages for Asheville, NC

Fall is just around the corner in Asheville and we have some really exciting seasonal travel packages to share. Asheville can be enjoyed on any budget, but for those looking for a truly unique travel experience these packages will take your vacation to the next level.

BMW Blue Ridge Driving Package
The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa
Available: August 22 - November 11, 2010

Take the ultimate road trip

Summer winds down, but your heart continues to race. For a limited time, take your turn behind the wheel of the Ultimate Driving Machine®, while staying at the ultimate mountain retreat. The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa has teamed up with BMW to offer our BMW Blue Ridge Driving Package. Spend an afternoon cruising the Blue Ridge Parkway in a brand new BMW with a full tank of gas – think of it as the ultimate test drive.
Learn more…

Nature's Majesty: Blue Ridge Parkway 75th Anniversary Package
Grand Bohemian Hotel Asheville
Available: through December 2010

Let the Grand Bohemian Hotel restore you to the beauty of the great outdoors as you discover for the first time or become re-acquainted with the magnificent surroundings of Asheville’s Blue Ridge Mountains. With a selection of special amenities to help you enjoy nature at its finest, the Blue Ridge Parkway Package lets you explore “America’s Favorite Drive” as it celebrates its 75th anniversary.
Learn more…

Adventure Road Waterfall Package

Inn on Main Street
Available: through December 2010

Package includes: two nights in the room of your choice, a picnic lunch for two, a take-home guide to North Carolina waterfall, and a personalized itinerary for a full-day driving tour of Western North Carolina's most magnificent waterfalls on or near the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Learn more…

Other Asheville Travel Packages

Visit our seasonal travel packages page for a full list of travel packages including an Asheville Art Retreat, Family Adventure Package, and holiday packages for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Pets Now Welcome at Asheville Restaurants

Asheville is for pet lovers! Thanks to a rule change at the state level pet lovers can now bring their cats or dogs when dining at restaurants with outdoor seating.

The new rule states that restaurant owners can now choose to allow pets into their outdoor areas as long as the animal is physically restrained and does not come into contact with food or food service items. The new rule went into effect on September 1 and downtown restaurants are already embracing this new customer base. Mellow Mushroom, located on Broadway Street in downtown Asheville, was one of the first to get on board by opening up a portion of their large outdoor seating areas to pets and their hungry owners.

Allowing Pets is Old News for Some Asheville Restaurants
Sunny Point Café and West End Bakery, both located on Haywood Road in West Asheville, have been allowing pets into their outdoor seating areas for several years. These restaurants report that they have had very few issues with pets, and the new rule gives them official sanction to allow pets. Other restaurants are sure to follow!

Browse our sidewalk cafes or visit the dining guide on ExploreAsheville.com to find the perfect Asheville restaurant for your next culinary adventure.

Fall is In the Air, Corn Mazes in Western NC

Like clockwork, the first week of September has delivered crisp, cool mornings and fresh afternoon breezes. These are the first signs of fall in Asheville, to be followed shortly by the stunning fall foliage, pumpkin patches, corn mazes and a variety of other fun seasonal entertainment.

Corn Mazes – Fun for the Whole Family
Western North Carolina is home to a variety of farm based family fun. The best known, and closest to Asheville, is Eliada’s Fields of Fun Corn Maze and Fall Festival. This year Eliada has crafted 3 twisting corn maze trails on 12 acres of land. The festival also includes other family friendly activities, including corn cannons, a hay bale maze, slackline challenge, cow train, and a giant sandbox filled with corn kernels.

Visit the corn mazes page on ExploreAsheville.com for more information about Fields of Fun and other area corn mazes and fall activities.

City of 1000 Easels – Immersive Arts Experience in Downtown Asheville

Receiving national recognition is nothing new for Asheville, North Carolina. In recent years Asheville has been awarded a wide variety of accolades from Beer City U.S.A. to #1 Most Popular Retirement Town.

In May of 2010, Asheville added #1 Small Art City to the list, after two consecutive second place finishes in the readers poll conducted by AmericanStyle Magazine.

Immerse Yourself in Asheville’s Vibrant Art Scene
On September 12, 2010 Asheville’s art scene will be on full display when area artists saturate downtown Asheville with over 200 easels to showcase their creative process for the public. The 200 art “spots” will be mapped out for a unique self-guided walking tour. Come out and experience first hand the vast scope of Asheville’s creative sector.

Click here for more details from the ExploreAsheville.com calendar.

Final Shindig on the Green of 2010 on September 4

Bring your instruments, families, friends, lawn chairs and blankets to Pack Square Park in downtown Asheville for the final Shindig on the Green of the 2010 season. Enjoy unique music and dance performances on stage, and informal jam sessions. Come celebrate the treasured cultural heritage of the Southern Appalachian Mountains.

This is a free event, taking place along about sundown, or 7:00 p.m. for those who wear a watch.

Shindig Returns to Pack Square Park
After a four-year relocation to make way for renovations, Shindig on the Green returns to its original location in the heart of downtown Asheville at the new Pack Square Park's Roger McGuire Green. The stage shows take place on the new Bascom Lamar Lunsford stage, named for the founder of the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival, the nation's longest running folk festival.

Can’t make it to Shindig? Check out Asheville Symphony in the Park!
After 13 years, members of the Asheville Symphony will be performing once again at Pack Square Park! Join them on Labor Day, September 6 at 7:00 p.m. for a Labor Day concert in the Park!

Asheville Area Fall Color Report

Fall Color Forecast
Happy September! If you’re as excited as we are about fall, you might be wondering when and where the fall color will be the best and brightest this leaf season. The tourism office is working with biologists and fall foliage experts around Western North Carolina for our weekly color reports, starting September 15. Bookmark this page and check back soon for a complete leaf color forecast for the mountains. Here’s a taste of what to expect -- Biltmore’s Director of Horticulture Parker Andes gave us his expert insight on the upcoming autumn in Asheville.

One indicator of a strong leaf season to come is healthy trees with lots of leaves. The mountains of Western North Carolina received plenty of rain towards the end of the summer. “With cooler weather moving in this first week of September and with clear weather,” Parker notes, “the fall seems to be setting up nicely.” Dogwood and Hawthorn berries should be more colorful this year, after the great spring bloom we had. Red oaks in particular seem quite full in Asheville, especially around Biltmore Estate where they will be among the last leaves to turn around late October through early November.

Fall Color Begins Soon at Highest Elevations
Of course you don’t have to wait that long to see fall color with the highest peaks east of the Mississippi River just outside of town. Fall’s spectacular color show will begin in just a few weeks at Mount Mitchell, Grandfather Mountain and Craggy Gardens. In early October, look for brilliant foliage at Mount Pisgah, Graveyard Fields, Black Balsam Knob, Waterrock Knob and the Devil’s Courthouse.

Continue reading this fall color forecast on ExploreAsheville.com.