By MATT BUSH • JAN 24, 2017
NPR’s Michel Martin, weekend host of All Things Considered,will be at Diana Wortham Theatre at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7 to host Going There: When Your Hometown Gets Hot as part of the national touring series NPR Presents Michel Martin: Going There. NPR and NPR Member station WCQS are collaborating on this unique live event to talk about what happens when the place you live suddenly becomes fashionable.
Chefs, brewers, artists and outdoor enthusiasts are flocking to Asheville, putting the city on the map as a food and craft-beer paradise. Affluent retirees are drawn by the state’s low taxes and rich amenities: deep-rooted Appalachian culture, abundant recreation and mild climate. But “hotness” can have a downside: affordable housing becomes scarcer, especially for workers in the growing tourism industry. Longtime residents have begun to fear being displaced or priced out as more newcomers arrive.
The musical guest for the evening is River Whyless. Panelists for the event include:
- Ron Rash – Award winning author and professor at Western Carolina University
- Chris Cooper – Professor and head of the Department of Political Science and Public Affairs at Western Carolina University
- Oscar Wong and his daughter Leah Wong Ashburn – Highland Brewing Co.
- Julie Mayfield – Co Director of Mountain True
- Scott Dedman – Executive Director of Mountain Housing Opportunities
- Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle – Writer, English teacher at Swain County High School, and enrolled member of Eastern Band of the Cherokee.
Tickets for the event have sold out, but you can put yourself on the wait list for any returned tickets here. The event will be live streamed. Check back with this page closer to the event for the link to the live stream. You can also follow along on Twitter @NPRMichel and @WCQS with the hashtag #HotHometown
This is the link to the story on WCQS: http://wcqs.org/post/npr-presents-asheville-what-happens-when-your-hometown-gets-hot