Spartanburg Events Calendar

Named by USA Today as one of the Top Twenty Festivals in North Carolina, Folkmoot is a ten-day event, held across the mountains of Western North Carolina in Waynesville, Clyde, Lake Junaluska, Maggie Valley, Canton, Cherokee, Franklin, Hickory, Asheville, and Hendersonville. The 2018 festival dates are July 19 – 29 and feature cultural ambassadors/dance performing groups from Ghana, Italy, Czech Republic, Mexico, Venezuela and Northern Cyprus, Thailand and local Appalachian and Cherokee dancers and musicians.

Tickets are now on sale for all performances and can be purchased at Folkmoot.org, in person at the Folkmoot Friendship Center, or by calling 828-452-2997.

For the seventh consecutive year, the Asheville Habitat
ReStore at 31 Meadow Road near Biltmore Village is encouraging residents to show off their
creativity and talent for a chance to win in the ReStore ReUse Contest. Garden shed, artist
studio, chicken coop…tree house, playhouse, tiny house…if you recently built a structure like
this using predominantly reused building materials, Habitat wants to know. The contest runs
July 1-August 31 and submissions must be sent electronically. Information and entry form will
be available on ashevillehabitat.org starting July 1 st .
The purpose of the contest is to showcase innovative building projects constructed
predominantly of used building materials. “Our customers often tell us about the projects they
make using materials purchased at the ReStore. This contest is a great way to showcase their
projects and inspire others to reuse, recycle and repurpose usable materials,” said Scott
Stetson, ReStore General Manager.  Five judges will select winners in the following categories: Furniture, Homesteading, Live
and/or Work Space, Home Décor, Youth (age 16 and under), and Best in Show. Winners will
be announced in
mid-September.

While having school supplies may simply be an item on the ‘to-do’ list for many parents and guardians, for others, the calculator that their child needs, or a backpack without last year’s broken zippers, may not be in the cards. These parents—and especially their children—should not have to worry about heading into school without the necessary supplies. This is why the United Way has this drive and, by contributing the supplies our students need to succeed, we’re investing in the future of our community. Together we are stronger. United, we make a difference. #BackpacktotheFuture.   

This year’s 2018 school supply drive will be July 9^th trough July 27^th.  If you visit www.handsonasheville.org/schoolsupplydrive, you will see that there are links for that online shopping avenue, a downloadable supply list for going to the store yourself, a downloadable “toolkit” should you decide to hold your own drive, and if you would simply like to donate, in general, to the School Supply Drive’s efforts, there is an option for that as well. Any and all options and the donations we receive help us invest in our future!

Students at the Visual Arts Preschool at Roots + Wings School of Art and Design engage with pre-K education fundamentals through a dynamic, arts based curriculum. Literacy, numeracy, social skills, community building, cultural and environmental studies are approached through an art and design thinking lens, as students explore learning concepts experientially across multiple platforms.

The Roots + Wings Visual Arts Preschool ‘Best of 2018’ collection is a cross section of the diverse pre-K education program and includes investigations into art movements, community and culture, storytelling, and creative play.

Matinees: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00PM

Evenings: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30PM. Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00PM

Flat Rock Playhouse Mainstage
2661 Greenville Highway Flat Rock, NC 28731

The Biltmore Estate has been planning the largest exhibition in its historic gardens for almost a decade. And finally, last week, Chihuly at Biltmore opened with a mega installation of glass sculptures from the famous artist Dale Chihuly. Tens of thousands of glass pieces from all around the world reside in 14 locations around the Estate (which is the very first large-scale N.C. Chihuly installation).

The exhibition is up from now until Oct. 7th, free admission with a Biltmore day pass (and free for annual pass holders). Chihuly at Nightis a special, ongoing event where the glass sculptures are lit up, plus live music in the gardens + a wine bar. Tickets are $37.50 for kids + range from $65 – 75 for adults ($10 discount for pass holders).

Three new works were blown just for Biltmore, and 6 new compositions were put together.

The Asheville Area Arts Council is excited to announce Contemplative Art in an Age of Distraction, a new exhibit curated by local photographer Susanna Euston.

Contemplative Art in an Age of Distraction will consist of large, fine art photographs paired with three-dimensional works to create a unified whole—an artistic gestalt.  Euston aims to provide a meditative and contemplative atmosphere to transport the viewer from today’s turmoil to a place of peace. Seating will be made available in the large gallery to allow viewers to sit and meditate on the scenes before them.

Participating artists include four photographers—Susanna Euston, Matthew Kraus, Bonnie Cooper and Rick Daley—joined by potter, Steven Forbes-deSoule; Ikebana artist Lynn Forbes; glass artist, Rob Levin; and fiber artist, Paige Houghton.
Join them on Friday, July 6, 2018, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Asheville Area Arts Council’s Thom Robinson and Ray Griffin Exhibition Space to celebrate the opening of the exhibit. Artist talk will begin at 6:30 pm.

arth Skin is based upon the forms and textures of the earth using inspiration from aerial photography of Western North Carolina and topographical maps of local areas, including Pisgah National Forest and Balsam Range. Created by ceramic artists Trish Salmon and Crystal Allen, Earth Skin includes wall structures and pieces designed for mantles, shelves and tables. All works are available for purchase and a portion of the sales will be donated to The North Carolina Arboretum Society.

About the Artists

Trish Salmon

Trish has been studying clay for many years through the various classes available to her when she lived in the Atlanta area. Taking classes at Penland was a life changing experience and a turning point in her desire to become a studio ceramicist. She and her husband moved to Western North Carolina in 2007, and she has pursued her claywork full time after her career as a kitchen designer. Immediately after retirement, she enrolled in Haywood Community College’s Professional Crafts Program in clay where she received her Associate’s Degree in 2014. She currently is a member of the Odyssey Coop Gallery in the River Arts District in Asheville, NC. She is also a founding member of Artisans on Main in downtown Weaverville where her studio is and where her work is primarily displayed.

Crystal Allen

Before discovering ceramics, Crystal earned a degree in Graphic Art and Design. She has also taught calligraphy, dabbled in watercolors and and learned how to felt, dye and spin natural fibers from her own llamas and sheep. Most recently, Crystal completed the Professional Crafts: Clay Associates degree at Haywood Community College.  Her pottery is primarily functional, with altered or hand built additions. Her pieces are produced in her studio, one of her favorite places on earth!

Momentum Gallery in downtown Asheville is pleased to
participate in the Summer of Glass, a WNC celebration of glass art in conjunction
with the Dale Chihuly exhibition at the Biltmore Estate, May-October 2018. The
gallery exhibition, Reflections (July 1-August 25) nods to the Gilded Age, a period
during the late 19th Century when the Biltmore Estate was conceived and
constructed by railway tycoon George Vanderbilt. This curated exhibition features
recent work by some of the country’s top contemporary glass artists with many of
the works in the collection speaking to Vanderbilt’s aesthetic of opulence,
grandeur, and beauty.

Asheville, NC—Momentum Gallery in downtown Asheville is pleased to participate in the Summer of Glass, a WNC celebration of glass art in conjunction with the Dale Chihuly exhibition at the Biltmore Estate, May-October 2018. The gallery exhibition, Reflections (July 1-August 25) nods to the Gilded Age, a period during the late 19th Century when the Biltmore Estate was conceived and constructed by railway tycoon George Vanderbilt. This curated exhibition features recent work by some of the country’s top contemporary glass artists with many of the works in the collection speaking to Vanderbilt’s aesthetic of opulence, grandeur, and beauty. Other conceptual pieces examine concepts of memory and history, referencing the “downstairs” or “behind the scenes” of the palatial mansion as well. Sophisticated sculptures and stylish wall pieces incorporate a variety of glass techniques and explore the intricate detailing, ornamentation, and drama indicative of the Gilded Age. This Exhibit is free and open to the public.

Reflections includes works by: Thor & Jennifer Bueno, Amber Cowan, Jennifer Halvorson, Alli Hoag, Joanna Manousis, Andy Paiko, Kit Paulson, Pablo Soto, and Tim Tate.

Throughout the month of July, you can enjoy a great local craft beverage and help support MANNA’s mission to provide food to families across WNC.

Many of us are busy planning summer vacations, gatherings, and picnics ahead of July. But for over 100,000 Western North Carolina residents busy trying to make ends meet to provide for their most basic needs, that kind of celebration is out of the question.

That is why the nationally recognized WNC beer scene is collaborating again, and raising the stakes, to bring awareness to the issue of hunger in Western North Carolina. Over twenty local breweries are joining forces to help support MANNA FoodBank’s mission to end hunger for thousands of families across WNC through the 2nd annual Hops for Hunger campaign, July 1st – 31st.

Hops for Hunger is made possible through support from Asheville Ale Trail, and MANNA’s annual sponsors: Preserve Communities, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, Anurja Interactive, The Cantina at Historic Biltmore Village, Mast General Store, and Lamar Advertising.

This exquisite, interactive exhibit is designed to inspire and educate visitors about the storied history and evocative power of scent while taking them on a full sensory journey, literally! Blending flora, fashion and science, Making Scents showcases some of Mother Nature’s most fragrant botanicals and unveils the plants and flowers behind some of the world’s most iconic perfumes. Visitors will explore the mysterious power of the sense of smell, learn about the artistry and science behind the fragrance industry and even compose their own basic fragrance.

From traditional harvest and extraction methods to chemical combinations of synthetic fragrances, Making Scents uncovers the technical processes behind fragrance creation through an immersive, multisensory experience. Art, passion and craft come together inside the exhibit’s iconic bottle display, which showcases the unique designs of more than 100 perfume bottles, some dating back to ancient the Greek and Roman eras. By integrating horticulture, history and pop culture, Making Scents is sure to enlighten the senses and engage the minds of visitors about the fragrance industry and the living world in a fun, dynamic way.

Meals on Wheels of Greenville is pleased to announce the inception of its Summer Foodservice Program. From June 11 to August 3, 2018, Meals on Wheels will provide daily nutritious meals to three local nonprofits: Poe Mill Achievement Center, YouthBASE and the Meyer Center for Special Children. Snacks will also be provided for YouthBASE and the Meyer Center.

Meals on Wheels enhances the quality of life of homebound individuals and seniors by providing nutritious meals, personal interaction and independence. Each day, caring volunteers deliver nearly 1,500 hot, nutritious meals to homebound individuals throughout Greenville County. In 2018, Meals on Wheels is celebrating 50 years of delivering hope to the community and 12 million meals delivered. Meals on Wheels is a proud partner of United Way of Greenville County. For more information call 864-233-6565 or visit www.MealsonWheelsGreenville.org.