Dig Local Asheville, NC

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Weekly Scoop (January 6-12) - 10 things we're digging in 2020 đź‘Ť Plus lots to do this week!


10 Things We're Digging in 2020

 

From new breweries to upcoming events, we've got the DL in the AVL for the new year!

We’re already a week into the new decade, and Asheville has big things on the horizon for the year! Whether you’re a local, planning a day trip, or a weekend stay, here are 10 of our picks of what to do and where to go in Asheville in 2020:

1.) We live in a Mecca for music, and one thing that has us really excited is the opening of “75 Cox Avenue.” When this hot spot of real estate came up for sale it could have been swept up by a developer, but instead local hero Mike Rangel, owner of  Asheville Brewing Company, grabbed it with visions of making it an outdoor downtown venue that local people could enjoy. He’s now formed an official partnership with The Orange Peel and they’ll be collaborating to bring Asheville it’s largest outdoor music venue appropriately named 75 Coxe Avenue. The former 1.25 acre Wells Fargo lot is slated to begin operations this spring. The venue will host not just concerts, but also movies, kid and family-friendly programs, and community and local non-profit events. Stay tuned for more details!

2.) Speaking of music… We know where we’ll be on Valentine’s 2020: catching New Orleans legends the Dirty Dozen Brass Band at The Grey Eagle! And another show that Russ and T.G.E. crew will be bringing in that we’re digging is Dan Deacon on February 29th.

3.) Nature loving friends, did you hear the good news that Buncombe County will get its first State Park? Governor Roy Cooper signed into law SB 535 on July 19th, which allows the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to create the park in Candler. Named Pisgah View State Park, the 1,600 acre landscape will play an important role in wildlife conservation, and will also offer trails and other recreational opportunities. It will be the 40th park added in North Carolina, and the sixth in Western North Carolina, but the very first in our county.

4.) If art deco, great food and local brews is your jam, you’ll be equally as excited as us about the revamp of the historical S&W Cafeteria which will be welcoming Highland Brewing Company for a brand new taproom and dining hall with multiple restaurant partners! Scheduled for opening in March or April, the main floor of the building will have space for four restaurant stations, and the upper floor will host the taproom. There are also plans for an outdoor seating area in the works.

5.) If you haven’t been to the newly renovated Asheville Art Museum yet, you need to put it at the top of your Asheville bucket list in 2020. Heads up that the first Wednesday of each month admission is sliding scale/donation-based for WNC residents from 4-6pm (art for all!). The next one is happening on February 5th.

6.) We dig that Asheville is full of greenways, and the River to Ridge Greenway and Trail Network will be a brand new addition to the network! These 10.25 miles of handicap-accessible connected greenways and trails will expand in the downtown area to the River Arts District and French Broad River greenways, the South Slope Greenway Connector, Beaucatcher Greenway and the Urban Trail. It will also include a section of the greenway behind New Belgium Brewing Company, and will allow easier access for locals and tourists alike to the French Broad River and Blue Ridge Mountains.

7.) So y’all might know that Dig Local was an official launch partner of the 501(c)3 Food Connection. On April 16th, Food Connection will be having a celebration of 5 years and 250,000 fresh meals rescued and delivered to feed our less fortunate neighbors in WNC. This year’s “Chefs In Action” event will take place at Packs Tavern, where it all began and will be featuring 6 chefs who regularly donate their surplus food to feed those in need. Other events to put on your calendar include Asheville Restaurant Week (January 21-26), and Blue Horizons Beerfest (February 29).

8.) New breweries and brew launches are looked forward to just as much as new restaurants. The brand new Dssolvr brewery just recently opened its doors on North Lexington Avenue. Likewise, local favorite Green Man Brewery opened its new taproom below Polanco: The Dweller. Mountain Madre is also launching their own brand of tequila on January 15th, and Cultivated Cocktails has released H&H Distillery’s Steel Horse Whiskey, which is created with a rotating barrel-aging process on the wheels of a motorcycle skeleton. The distillery will also be releasing Crème De Cacao, which is made with French Broad Chocolate. Craft beverage lovers, rejoice!

9.) Y’all know we’re in the midst of a housing crisis, but we’ve got some positive news! Our friends at BeLoved Asheville are thinking outside the box with their newest project: the BeLoved Micro Home Village. The property located in East Asheville will offer deeply affordable housing in the form of twelve 440 square-foot micro homes. The project is entirely community-funded, and donations can be made on the BeLoved Village’s GoFundMe. The first home will be finished soon. Stay tuned as Dig Local announces a collaboration with local businesses to sponsor a house build in 2020! Details to come…

10.) And last but not least, in 2020 we’re looking forward to the return of Warren Haynes Christmas Jam. Please!

Be sure to keep an eye on Dig Local for further details on all of the fun upcoming events and other happenings in Asheville for the whole year. Cheers, friends!

Below you will find one locally curated Scoop chosen for each day this week — but make sure to check out all the Scoops this week on our Dig Local Scoop Calendar.

Monday, January 6

Veggie Monday's
at Mela Indian Restaurant
Going vegan or vegetarian for the new year? Check out some yummy plant-based dinner options for only $10!
More details.
More to do Monday
Tuesday, January 7
Live Piano Night with James Posedel and Guests
at Antidote
Enjoy jazz/ragtime performances on the mezzanine every Tuesday night by the incredibly talented James Posedel and occasional guests.
More details.
More to do Tuesday

Wednesday, January 8

Tequila Wednesdays
at The Malvern
$1 off all tequilas, all day and night!
More details.

More to do Wednesday

Thursday, January 9

DIY Sausage and Beer
at Chop Shop Butchery

Join the butchers and their friends from a local brewery for a two-hour, hands-on educational evening of beer and sausage-making.
Tickets and more details.

More to do Thursday

Friday, January 10

Allman Brothers Tribute Band
at The Grey Eagle

One of the country's premier Allman Brothers tribute bands makes their Asheville debut! All ages, doors at 8pm, show at 9pm.
Tickets and more details.
More to do Friday

Saturday, January 11

3rd Annual Women in Music Series
at Isis Music Hall
This special two-night show will feature local artists such as Amanda Anne Platt, Aubrey Eisenman, Jane Kramer, Nina Simone and more!
Tickets and more details.
More to do Saturday

Sunday, January 12

Gentle Waves 5Rhythms
at Veda Studios
There is nothing like moving in the darkness and watching it turn into daylight to jump-start your day! Movement awakens the awareness of subtle changes, so gather in the early morning hours to move with ease and grace to awaken the body, empty the mind and open yourself to new pathways of self-growth through the 5Rhythms!
More details.
More to do Sunday
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For all of this week’s Scoops and more, visit DigLocal.com or download the Dig Local App. Keep digging local!