Greenfest is a semi-annual series held on the campus of UNC Asheville in September and March/April that celebrates sustainability, students, and community. If you are interested in helping with the planning and development of Greenfest projects and events, please contact us! We are always excited to meet old and new friends happy to lend a hand.
All events are free unless otherwise noted. Greenfest is brought to you by the Office of Sustainability, the Student Environmental Center, and the many co-sponsors listed below.
Greenfest events will be following the most up-to-date COVID guidelines for UNC Asheville which can be found at coronavirus.unca.edu.
Fall 2022 Greenfest
September 20th – September 29th, Theme: Nourishing Connections
All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Keep checking back as we add more events!
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Tuesday, September 20th
Sustainability Fair 11:00am – 1:00pm @ Reed Plaza
Join us in collaboration with the Career Center for a Free Store Fashion shoot! Tabling, music, and more will kick off this semester’s weeklong Greenfest event series.
Wednesday, September 21st
On Campus Workday 10:00am – 5:00pm (1 hour shifts) @ Reed Plaza, Registration Required*
University faculty, staff, and students, along with our community neighbors, will roll up their sleeves to work in the campus gardens! Duties will be assigned when you report for your shift. Please bring appropriate work clothes, closed-toe shoes, a refillable water bottle, and if you have them, work gloves. This is part of our ongoing efforts to develop and beautify campus. Work will be continuous from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Please report for your shift at Reed Plaza (near the front of Brown Hall).
*Register here for this event.
Ramsey Seed Library 12:00 – 1:00pm @ Front Doors of Ramsey Library
Ramsey Seed Library will host a tabling event, Wednesday, September 21st. We will be giving away plantable seed cards and bee swag. We will have a micro book display on bees, and have available a free stream of PBS “My Garden of a Thousand Bees”.
BYOBB with the Key Center and Asheville Poverty Initiative
2:00 pm – 3:00pm @ AC Reynolds Green
API’s Cafe Program Coordinator and a Realities of Poverty Educator will be joining us to discuss the realities of living in poverty, the importance of food rescue, and the importance of social abundance and how it relates to food abundance in our communities. This is also a great opportunity to learn about ways you can get involved with API, their mission of community and what you can do in your community to work against stigmas surrounding community and food. This event will be BYOBB (Bring your own brown bag lunch) (or to-go lunch from Brown) where we will eat together, talk together, and learn together. Check the Key Center IG (@unca_keycenter) for more information & RSVP on Rocky Connect.
Thursday, September 22nd
Environmental Studies and Biology Department Speaker Series:
“Weapons to Disease, why insect ecophysiology is important” by Robert Zinna
12:00 – 1:00 pm in Rhodes Robinson 125 or register here to attend virtually.
Friday, September 23rd
Reuter Center Solar Project: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony 3:30 – 5:00pm @ Reuter Center Patio
Join us in celebration of UNC Asheville’s second solar installation as we honor those who supported the project. Activities include light refreshments, a solar oven demo, live music, an informational table on the project, recognition of donors and project partners, and the ribbon-cutting ceremony!
Saturday, September 24th
Learn to Whitewater Kayak with Outdoor Programs 9:00 am – 5:00pm @ SRC / Lower Green River, *Ticket Purchase Required
Learn how to whitewater kayak with Campus Recreation Outdoor Programs. No experience necessary! Life long memories included. Getting wet guaranteed. Since it’s Greenfest week, be ready to discuss environmental stewardship, river ecology, leave no trace, and more!
*Register here for this event. Ticket purchase is $40.
Sunday, September 25th
Drive Electric Asheville 12:00 – 4:00 pm @ the Asheville Outlets
Come out to Asheville’s 9th Fall Drive Electric Event presented by the Asheville Outlets and Blue Ridge EV Club. On display will be a variety of EVs, e-bikes, electric mopeds, scooters, solar, and more… The popularity of electric cars is growing exponentially. You can discover the driving behind this amazing movement and talk to owners about their diverse experiences. You will be able to take a ride in an EV, or ride an e-Bike. Witness sustainability in action with the Beast – a portable solar workstation, courtesy of the Microgrid Team!
Monday, September 26th
Leave No Trace Workshop 1:00 – 2:00pm, virtual program
Leave No Trace is a non profit organization dedicated to the responsible enjoyment and active stewardship of the outdoors. This workshop is intended to educate participants about how we can minimize our impact on natural spaces. We will explore the seven principles for minimizing impact and participate in activities to understand how we can use them in any recreational setting, whether it be in your backyard, at the park, or in the backcountry. We will also invite participants to wonder why these principles matter and we hope to answer that question by the end of the workshop.
Click here to attend.
Tuesday, September 27th
Memorial Tree Planting to Honor Karen Cragnolin, Founder of RiverLink and McCullough Institute Board Member. 10:00 – 11:00 am @ UNC Asheville entrance at the WT Weaver roundabout
Join us for a memorial tree planting dedication in memory of Karen Cragnolin. Karen was a nationally recognized leader and visionary whose regional non-profit, RiverLink, saved and conserved watershed properties so Asheville could have a River Arts District, greenways and parks, and learn, work, and play along a vibrant and clean French Broad River.
Nature Mindfulness Gentle Flow Yoga 12:00 – 1:00pm @ Mini Quad
This gentle yoga class is dedicated to relaxing and stretching your muscles while releasing mental and physical stress. During this class, you will be guided through a meditation to clear any negative inner chatter so as a class we can flow through a range of poses accessible for everyone with an open mind and soul. Join for a calming judgment free night. This is a class where you will grow over time, nourishing your mind-body connection through yoga. For this special GreenFest edition, the class will start with a brief Leave No Trace discussion, and the guided meditation will be nature-based.
*Rain Location: SHE 306
Wednesday, September 28th
Farm to Table Dinner 5:30 – 8:00pm @ Main Quad, Ticket Purchase Required*
The Farm to Table Dinner, an annual UNC Asheville fall harvest ritual around food, started in 2015. The dinner celebrates the efforts of our student gardeners, faculty and staff partners, and community collaborators while advancing our collaborative efforts for a sustainable, local food system. This year’s theme is Nourishing Connections. Special guest Marcie Cohen Ferris, a professor emeritus and author specializing in southern foodways and the southern Jewish experience, will give brief remarks at the dinner that will inspire informal discussions among attendees. With guests all seated at one long table outside on the main quad, the intention is to “nourish connections” among those in attendance.
The dinner will feature live klezmer music, educational outreach tables with community partner organizations, and thoughtful menu planning that reflect the southern Jewish experience and foodways. Food served at the dinner will be sourced locally, grown sustainably, and feature ingredients grown on campus.
Ticket sales have now closed.
Thursday, September 29th
Environmental Studies and Biology Department Speaker Series:
“Lights Out! Asheville: Addressing light pollution to benefit birds and the environment” by Andrea Carver and Paulina Jones
12:00 – 1:00 pm in Rhodes Robinson 125 or register here to attend virtually.
Dr. Marcie Cohen Ferris: Lecture
“The Edible – JEWISH – South: The Power of Food and the Making of Jewish Southerners”
6:00 – 7:00 pm in Mullen & James Hall
In this exploration of historical moments in southern and Jewish history examined via the language of food, Marcie Cohen Ferris takes us on a journey—both bitter and sweet—through the fascinating story of Jewish life in the American South.
This event is free and open to the public. Click here if you would like to attend this event virtually.