Asheville Winter Warmth: Shelters, Art Exhibits, and Troll Hunting

Good morning, this is your Asheville Local Frequency for Sunday, January 11. As you step out this morning, plan for classic mountain winter chill. With Code Purple activated in Buncombe County, local shelters and partner organizations are expanding access and hours to get unsheltered neighbors inside and warm, so if you see someone in need, this is a good day to share information about local shelters and hotlines. If you are looking for something outdoors but still magical, the North Carolina Arboretum is serving up one of the most unusual winter experiences around with Trolls: A Field Study. Twelve towering troll sculptures are scattered through the grounds, turning a simple walk into a kind of storybook scavenger hunt and giving families a way to get outside without it feeling like just another cold hike. Art lovers have plenty to explore today as well. Several local galleries are in the middle of winter exhibitions, from contemporary painting and sculpture to finely crafted ceramics and metalwork, showcasing both local and regional artists. Many of these shows run through February, but Sundays tend to be quieter, which means more time to talk with gallery staff and really dig into the work on the walls. Live music is on tap beyond downtown too. In Black Mountain, Old Sap brings a rootsy, storytelling style set to Lookout Brewing Company late this afternoon, a good excuse to warm up with a local beer and support regional touring musicians without committing to a late night out. On the community front, Indivisible Asheville is hosting a May Day: No Ice, No War event at 4 p.m., part of a broader wave of local activism responding to national immigration enforcement and foreign policy debates. Organizers say it is meant as both a protest and a teach-in, a place where people can plug into ongoing campaigns rather than just react to headlines. In sports, UNC Asheville’s women’s basketball team is coming off a hard-fought home loss to Longwood, but sophomore guard Nia Green turned heads with her second straight double-double. That kind of performance is building momentum ahead of their next home date at Kimmel Arena later this week, a reminder that you do not have to leave town to catch high-level college hoops. On the roads, transportation crews are still watching the stretch of I-26 near Long Shoals Road after yesterday’s pair of tractor-trailer crashes and a fuel spill closed all westbound lanes for much of the day. The highway has reopened, but drivers should expect lingering congestion and keep an eye out for any work crews finishing repairs to the median and shoulder. Looking ahead to late morning, the Asheville Chamber’s calendar has Mara Johnson and the Carolina Tumbleweed Band playing a set that blends country, folk, and mountain swing, a good soundtrack if you are easing into Sunday brunch. Whether you are gallery-hopping, marching, or just hunting trolls at the Arboretum, Asheville is busy even in the cold. Thi This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.