From a symphony concert and a brass band party to more contemplative gatherings, Xpress offers a round-up of New Year’s Eve celebrations.
arts
Xpress writers pick top stories of 2017
Asking a writer to pick a favorite story for the year is a bit like asking them to name a favorite child. The choices, however, are revealing. They shed light…Asheville’s nonwhite literary scene, past and present, Part 2
“Anybody can write, but to choose it as a profession? That’s a hard economic choice,” poet Glenis Redmond muses. “I think people were making those choices, no matter what, but…Where to be when the clock strikes 2018
Here are some suggested philosophical states in which to dwell (with appropriately corresponding entertainment) when the clock strikes midnight.Ellington Underground kicks off 2018 from the S&W Cafeteria building
On Sunday, Dec. 31, the venue will ring in 2018 with performances from soulful blues group The Broadcast and jazz-funk opener Window Cat.Smart Bets: Kurtis Blow
The hip-hop pioneer plays The Grey Eagle on Dec. 29.Smart Bets: Jamie Laval’s Celtic Christmas
The Tryon-based fiddler's annual Winter Solstice-oriented program of music, dance, poetry and stories takes place Dec. 29 at Asheville Community Theatre.Conscious Party: Jazz-n-Justice
Swing Asheville's Community Jazz Jam takes place Jan. 2 at THE BLOCK Off Biltmore and benefits the Hawthorn Community Herb Collective.food
Could Beer City kill Foodtopia?
Lower margins on Asheville's craft brews could negatively impact local restaurants.Greens in the bank: New Year’s in WNC calls for collards
Southern tradition brings winter greens to Asheville's New Year's tables, but other cultures also embrace this abundant cold-weather food source.Small bites: Dining out on New Year’s Eve
Throughout Western North Carolina, restaurants will celebrate New Year's Eve with parties and special dinners. Where will you ring in 2018?living
End-of-life activists ponder how to die in a death-averse culture
Local end-of-life activist Greg Lathrop questions whether we cheat ourselves of the chance for a more meaningful life if we spend our days running from the inevitability of death.movies
Screen scene: Local film news
Rock Eblen launches a crowdsourcing campaign to fund his film "Amy's Alien," a musical with a sci-fi twist that centers on school bullying.news
Asheville Archives: A cloud of war welcomes 1918
On the eve of 1918, wartime efforts overshadowed revelry.2017 year in review
Looking back on 2017, Xpress highlights some of the hundreds of stories we covered in our print editions and online over the year.Christmas Bird Count volunteers inform conservation efforts
Every Christmas season since 1900, birders across North and Latin America have braved wintry conditions to participate in the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count. On Monday, Jan. 1, Asheville’s…opinion
Letter: Brokenhearted about Duke’s tree-cutting plans
"How is Duke Energy able to cut all the trees to the ground in my front yard? Some are still small from the last cutting!"Letter: Apartment complex approval highlights need for land-use planning
"The ordinances, as they stand today, are written in such a way that any developer can easily take advantage and get approved with guidelines that are shortsighted for today's standards…Letter: What does Asheville have to offer the homeless?
"Why are we expecting people to be in some other circumstance without considering the system that fails them? Where’s the rope and toehold?"Letter: Inconsiderate humans are ruining the bird sanctuary
"Yesterday alone, I saw birds that should be conserving their energy in the colder winter months flushed by a person loudly listening to talk radio on an observation platform, another…The post-wonderful time of the year
ASHEVILLELetter: Read to Succeed volunteers improve kids’ futures
"Please join us in helping our students rewrite their futures. Join our next reading coach training, which begins the week of Jan. 15 ... or the reading buddy training that…Letter: Thanks to commissioners for renewable energy vote
"Brownie Newman, Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, Al Whitesides and Ellen Frost voted in favor, and the three Republicans made speeches about how they support the environment before voting no."