Swannanoa Winterfest Returns to Grovemont Square on December 17

Take a break from holiday preparations and enjoy the spirit of the season at Swannanoa Winterfest, a unique community celebration that brings a taste of Old Europe to the Swannanoa Valley. This free event takes place in Grovemont Square (adjacent to the Swannanoa Library, 101 West Charleston Ave.), on Sunday, December 17, from 2 – 6:30 pm.  

Modeled on traditional European holiday markets, Swannanoa Winterfest will feature 40 artisans and vendors selling a variety of unique gift items under tents decked with festive lights. Festivalgoers can stroll through the vendor tents; enjoy musical entertainment and jugglers; warm their hands and roast marshmallows over a fire pit; and choose from a wide array of delicious food, holiday treats, and hot drinks that will be available for purchase. New for 2023 – hop on board the Holiday Trolley for a guided tour of the historic Grovemont neighborhood, celebrating its 100^th anniversary as America’s first planned community ($3 donation per person; hot chocolate included!).

There will be games and activities for the kids, too, including a visit from Olaf the Snowman, and a booth for writing and mailing letters to Santa at the North Pole. Bring the whole family and enjoy the sights and sounds of the season with your friends and neighbors!

Please join in the spirit of the holiday by bringing non-perishables or monetary donations to support the Healthy Food & Fund Drive sponsored by local nonprofit Bounty & Soul.

Swannanoa Winterfest is a gift to the community, brought to you by the Swannanoa Community Council, Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa (FANS), and the Friends of the Swannanoa Library. The library’s huge used book sale, located in the building’s basement, will be open throughout the event.

For more information about Swannanoa Winterfest, or to sign up as a volunteer, please call the Event Coordinator, Marco Rozenbroek, at 305-495-2666.

Beer, Burgers, and New Beginnings in the Former Native Kitchen Space

When the popular Swannanoa restaurant, Native Kitchen, closed in 2020 after a successful 8-year run, it was many residents' fervent hope that the space at 204 Whitson Avenue — which had become a much-loved gathering spot for locals and visitors alike — would someday reopen. That hope became a reality in November, when the doors of the former Native Kitchen swung open once again. The new venture is a collaboration between Loott House (a Swannanoa eatery that moved from its location on U.S. 70), and Terra Nova Beer Co. (a recent entry in the Asheville brewery scene that will open its main taproom next year in the South Slope brewing district).

Throngs of people packed the Swannanoa tap room and restaurant at its Grand Opening on November 12. A celebratory atmosphere filled the space as patrons enjoyed the delicious food and sampled the Terra Nova craft beers, including the new "Beacon Lager."

The collaboration between Loott House and Terra Nova allows both businesses to focus on what they do best. “It’s a perfect partnership,” said Sarah Watkins. a Terra Nova partner and former co-owner of Native Kitchen, who owns the Whitson Avenue building. “We’re excited to bring something back to this area, because people have been waiting for this space to come back to life.”

For the owners of the Loott House, the partnership with Terra Nova is "a match made in heaven." And for Loott House chef and co-owner, Jake Whitman, returning to the Native Kitchen space is also a homecoming. Whitman, who's head chef of the Pure & Proper in Black Mountain, ran the kitchen at Native for nearly four years.

Maintaining the feel of a community gathering place for Swannanoa is an important goal for the owners of both businesses. With indoor dining spaces and a bar area, a large enclosed patio, and a beautiful fenced-in outdoor space, the location offers the owners plenty of opportunities to bring people together. Spring plans include adding a music stage in the large outdoor area, and restoring the garden, where food will be grown for the restaurant.

Jake Whitman's wife, Ali, who's a Loott House co-owner, hopes the new business can help fuel a revitalization of the area around the former site of the Beacon Mill. "I was in high school when the mill burned down, and it was devastating for this area, so we hope that with fresh life in this building, others will join and we’ll have a thriving village again.”

The Loott House menu features burgers, rice bowls, a variety of salads and sandwiches ("Swannanoa Cheesesteak", anyone?), kids' meals, some great sides and appetizers, and special Sunday brunch selections. Additionally, the restaurant will soon begin offering "theme nights," with dishes ranging from prime rib to gumbo. Hours are Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Some story content courtesy of The Valley Echo, www.thevalleyecho.com.

Sidewalks for Swannanoa Campaign Takes First Steps Forward

The Sidewalks for Swannanoa campaign was launched in late summer by Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa (FANS) to advocate for increased walkability and pedestrian safety in Swannanoa, Including safe routes to schools for our kids. Over the past several months, organizers have been working to gather information from the community, and increase awareness of the campaign among local officials.

One thing we're learning is that sidewalk projects aren't easy, and have notoriously long timelines. If there are ever going to be sidewalks serving our schools and other locations in our community, now is the time to begin the advocacy process. One of the critical first steps in that process is getting Swannanoa on the radar of the key players and decisionmakers. With that goal in mind, we've begun meeting with leadership at the local, regional and state level, including the Buncombe County Planning Department, the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization, and several of our Buncombe County Commissioners.

Through these meetings, we learned some specifics of potential pedestrian projects in the works for eastern Buncombe County, and discussed methods and points of contact for our advocacy efforts. And although it's still very early in the process, the County Commissioners we met with expressed support for the campaign and an interest in being kept informed of our progress, and also provided specific suggestions on ways to move the campaign forward. Next steps include reaching out to staff members at NCDOT and the state transportation board.

The second critical component of the sidewalks campaign is getting input and involvement from the community. So far, that component is coming largely from our Instagram, @sidewalksforswannanoa, and the Sidewalks for Swannanoa Facebook group, which has grown to around 650 members. We also got some great ideas at our first Sidewalks for Swannanoa committee meeting in late October, which brought organizers together with some of the community members who had expressed interest in the campaign.

One of the great benefits of folks seeing the Sidewalks for Swannanoa signs around town, and engaging with the campaign on social media, is that we've connected with many local residents, some with specific experience in the sidewalk world, who have come forward to help out. Their energy and expertise will be of great benefit as the campaign progresses.

Additional opportunities for community engagement will be announced in the coming months, but in the meantime, please follow us on Instagram, and join the Sidewalks for Swannanoa Facebook group. You can message us through the social media platforms, or email us at SwannanoaFANS@gmail.com, with your questions, concerns, or ideas. And please let us know if you'd like to get involved!

New Indoor Sports Facility Opens in Swannanoa

Swannanoa is now home to Warehouse Sports, a new 4,000 square foot indoor sports facility, focusing on development of young baseball and softball players. The well-lit, heated space has 20' ceilings, three indoor batting cages, pitching machines, a pitching mound, and plenty of space for players to move around. Warehouse Sports offers private and group lessons, cage rental, and facility rental for special events or team training. Memberships are also available.

The new business is run by coaches Brad Guengerich and Brandon Rader. Both are Swannanoa residents who played high school and college baseball (Brad was a two-time all-conference player of the year at Asheville Christian Academy in Swannanoa), and have been coaching youth baseball for a number of years.

On the Warehouse Sports website, the coaches offer the following description of their new business: "Through comprehensive training, mentorship, and a supportive team environment, we strive to instill core values of discipline, dedication, sportsmanship, and teamwork. By fostering a love for the game and emphasizing personal development, we are equipped with the experience and knowledge to help young baseball and softball players grow."

Warehouse Sports is located at 850 Warren Wilson Road. Hours are Monday through Friday, 3-8 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m.-8 p.m. For more info, call 828-581-4942, or visit www.warehousesportsnc.com.

Photo courtesy of Warehouse Sports.