The Bailey Mountain Cloggers, Mars Hill University’s precision dancing team, won its 29th national title at the America’s Clogging Hall of Fame National Championships in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, over the weekend of October 22-23. The national title came in the Open Contemporary category for the Willy Wonka Show routine. The team won three Grand Championships, in the Traditional Line, Show, and Southern Appalachian categories. The cloggers scored six first-place team dances, four second-place team dances, and one third-place team dance. Learn more here.
James Landry Phillips of Spruce Pine, North Carolina, is the fall 2021 recipient of the Arthur Everett Wood Endowed Nursing Scholarship at Mars Hill University. Phillips is a senior in the pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in the university’s Judge-McRae School of Nursing, and is president of the senior nursing class. He has worked with several community outreach programs, including COVID-19 shot clinics, and has worked with Hospice and Palliative Care of the Blue Ridge, in Spruce Pine. Phillips earned his associate degree from Mayland Community College before enrolling at Mars Hill. The Wood Scholarship is awarded to a student with demonstrated need who maintains high grades overall and within science classes, who demonstrates leadership qualities, is passionate and compassionate, is invested in and committed to the calling of nursing, and who demonstrates caring and community service. Learn more here.
Happenings:
Where else can you reconnect with old friends, meet new people, AND enjoy some New Orleans funk with a little mountain sauce? At United Way’s NEXT 100 Event! FUNK’N AROUND One of Asheville’s newest bands, FUNK’N AROUND will provide the live entertainment for this event at Rabbit Rabbit. Plus, food, drink and cash prizes! Registration is required. Learn more and register here.
The Asheville Holiday Parade, presented by Bojangles of WNC, returns to Downtown Asheville on Saturday, November 20 beginning at 11 am. The main parade route is Biltmore Avenue between Charlotte Street and Patton Avenue, and Patton Avenue from Biltmore to South French Broad. The parade is free and open to the public. Parade entries include a little something for everyone with decorated floats, adoptable pets from area rescue organizations, our Honored Veterans float sponsored by Deerfield, performances, and of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus, brought to you by the NC Arboretum’s Winter Lights. The parade will also honor local essential workers with a Hometown Heroes float through a partnership with iHeartAsheville. Residents can nominate an essential worker who has gone above and beyond during the pandemic. Visit 99kisscountry.iheart.com to submit a nomination.
The Outsider, a wonderful comedy by Paul Slade Smith, is scheduled for three theatre performances by The Autumn Players of Asheville Community Theatre (ACT). The first two, Friday and Saturday, November 19th and 20th on the Mainstage at ACT and Sunday, November 21st at UNC Asheville’s Reuter Center. Curtain is at 2:30 pm for all three performances. All tickets are $8.00 and are available online at www.ashevilletheatre.org, by phone at 828-254-1320 or in person at the Asheville Community Theatre box office through Friday, November 19. Any remaining tickets will be sold by cash only at the door beginning at 2:00 pm prior to each performance.
The Magnetic Theatre has announced its brand new holiday- themed play, running December 3rd through December 18th. The Magnetic Theatre is shaking things up with an all-new entertainment entitled It’s the Most _____ Time of the Year: Oil on Canvas. Written by local author Erin McCarson, directed by Jessica Johnson, starring Jane Hallstrom, David Mycoff, Clara Burrus, Dillon Giles, Petey Smith-McDowell, and Strother Stingley. It’s the Most _____ Time of the Year: Oil on Canvas runs December 3rd through December 18th, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 4 pm. Tickets are $25, with member discounts available. Masks and proof of vaccination are required to attend. For tickets or more information, visit www.themagnetictheatre.org.
Opportunity:
Rabbit Rabbit has announced a new addition to Asheville’s selection of local festive holiday events: the first annual Winter Tree Carnival. Inspired by similar walk-through events, displaying locally decorated holiday trees, that have historically taken place both indoors and out, across the winter season, Rabbit Rabbit partner Mike Rangel is bringing this favorite family tradition to Asheville for the first time. A portion of the proceeds from tree sponsors will benefit Manna Foodbank, and visitors are invited to bring in shelf-stable food items for donation at Rabbit Rabbit throughout the winter season. It’s $300 to adopt a tree to decorate (one tree allowed per business/organization) or $600 to adopt a tree to decorate AND adopt an additional tree for a non-profit organization. Learn more here.