Here’s some of the festivities planned around Weaverville this Saturday for Independence Day:

Kiwanis Firecracker 5k Race
8:30 a.m., NBHS
More info…

Beech Community’s 125th Independence Day Celebration
10 a.m.-early afternoon, Beech Community Center
More info…

MPAC July 4th Block Party
10 a.m.-10 p.m., NBHS Soccer Fields.
More info…

If you’re wondering why there’s nothing listed for Main Street or Lake Louise, read this.

No fireworks in Weaverville this year. If you’re looking for fireworks, try Barnardsville. Their July 4th celebration starts at 2 p.m. at the Big Ivy Community Center and includes a parade, food, and music. Fireworks begin after dark. For other celebrations and fireworks displays options in the area, check out this list from Mountain Xpress.

Valorie Miller and Mike Holstein will be performing Thursday, June 4 at Well-Bred Bakery (26 North Main Street ) in the second of a series of MPAC Benefit Concerts.  The show starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are $25. To purchase tickets, contact Leigh Lewis at Leighran@gmail.com or 808-0760.

Got an update this morning from Randy Bassham about the MPAC 4th of July Block Party, scheduled for July 4 (of course) at the Soccer Fields behind North Buncombe High School (890 Clark’s Chapel Road ):

The MPAC Block Party starts at 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Band Schedule

• 10 am-Noon: Tennessee Jed
• Noon-2 pm: Firecracker Jazz Band
• 2-4 pm: Skinny Legs and All
• 4-6 pm: Buddy Davis Band
• 6-8 pm: Locomotive Pie
• 8-9:30 pm: Jen and the Juice

Vendors
The North Buncombe High School Band Boosters and several churches will be selling food.

Other Events

• A Revolutionary War Reenactment Group will be camped at the site doing reenactments and education.
• The Asheville Puppetry Alliance will be walking around with their life size puppets and doing puppet shows.
• The National Guard will be there with a Humvee and other equipment.
• Asheville Hula Hoops will be dancing throughout in their hula hoops.
• Clowns, Mimes, Magicians, etc. will meander throughout the crowd.
• Sports demonstrations will be held all throughout the day.
• Organizers are also working on a fly over from Pope Air Force Base.

Fireworks
Organizers are still raising money so the day can end with fireworks.  A couple local publications have listed recently that fireworks are on the agenda for the MPAC July 4 Block Party. Organizer Randy Bassham told me this morning (July 1) there will NOT be fireworks. Permits could not be secured from Buncombe County.

The effort to bring a Multi-Purpose Athletic Center (MPAC) to North Buncombe took one big step forward this past week when they signed a contract to purchase 2.5 acres for the project. Seen here is their Coming Soon sign at the corner of Murphy Hill Road and Old Mars Hill Highway (). Director Randy Bassham says they’ll be spending the next 97 days raising the funds for escrow.  More information about the project can be found at www.mympac.com.  Initial plans include building outdoor multi-use playing fields, while later stages include an indoor structure housing additional fields, courts, pools, a fitness area and more.

Asheville Aerial Arts performer and the 96.5 House Band at last week’s Cirque du MPAC at the Orange Peel. The event was a benefit concert for the Multi-Purpose Athletic Complex (MPAC) local organizers are hoping to bring to Weaverville. Executive Director Randy Bassham says they will hold another Cirque du MPAC event in November.

There will be a Benefit Concert for MPAC (Multi Purpose Athletic Complex) 8 p.m.-Midnight on Friday, May 23 at The Orange Peel. The concert features 6 bands, food, drinks and a silent auction. Tickets are $25 and are available to purchase online at www.theorangepeel.net. More information about MPAC is available at www.ncmaysa.com.

Here’s a short video “fly-by” of the indoor section of the Multi-Purpose Athletic Center (MPAC) initiative:

If you haven’t heard of MPAC before now, it’s a non-profit initiative of the North Carolina Mountain Youth Soccer Association, but it’s not just about soccer. The plans being proposed could bring to Weaverville indoor and outdoor multi-use atheltic fields, tennis courts, a walking/running track, playground, basketball and racquetball courts, therapetutic and olympic pools, and a fitness center, all in one complex. You can read the Weaverville Tribune article (it’s on pages 12-13) or the recent opinion piece in the Mountain Xpress for more information. You can also contact Executive Director Randy Bassham at 645-2030 or executivedirector@ncmaysa.com for information, to join the mailing list to stay updated on MPAC’s progress, or to find out how you can help make this athletic complex a reality in Weaverville.

The latest edition of the Mountain Xpress (Vol 14, Issue 25) contained an interesting commentary from Weaverville resident Randy Bassham. Bassham has announced an initiative to “bring to Weaverville and north Buncombe a multipurpose athletic complex/community center”. Plans are already in place and a location has been chosen (the property at Murphy Hill Road, instead of the proposed concrete plant). Now it’s time to gather more community support. You can read the entire commentary here, http://www.mountainx.com/opinion/2008/011608bassham. For more information or to get on board, e-mail executivedirector@ncmaysa.com or call 645-2030.