All community members are invited to celebrate older athletes and artists during the opening ceremony for this year’s Asheville-Buncombe Senior Games and SilverArts (ABSGSA) on Thursday, March 30, from 2-5 p.m. at Carrier Park. There will be music, refreshments, brief remarks, and giveaways throughout the day.
The ceremony is free and allows people of all ages to play cornhole, lawn bowling, croquet, disc golf, and other sports while mingling and igniting a flame of friendship that blazes throughout the community during the weeks-long festival. It is truly a celebration of the principles of ABSGSA to foster mountain spirit, health, and active living.
Locals ages 50 and better can also register in-person during the event or online at ncseniorgames.org through March 31 for a variety of sports and arts categories. This year’s schedule includes competitions and demonstrations to exercise the mind and body during April and May at a variety of locations. Interested community members can print a schedule or pick one up at any APR community center. All events are free for spectators.
ABSGSA is one of 53 local games officially-sanctioned by North Carolina Senior Games, the state affiliate for the largest senior Olympic program in the nation. Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) hosts ABSGSA with Black Mountain Parks & Recreation, Buncombe County Parks & Recreation, and Henderson County Parks & Recreation.
To search APR’s ongoing activities and opportunities for older adults, check out the current program guide.
ABSGSA Sports and Arts
Sports include bowling, croquet, golf, mini golf, track and field (including race walk and power walking), cycling, archery, swimming, billiards, badminton, cornhole, horseshoes, pickleball, basketball shooting, shuffleboard, and tennis. Age categories start at 50 and increase at five year intervals.
SilverArts categories are classified as Heritage (quilting, woodwork, crochet, basket weaving, jewelry, needlework, tole/decorative painting, weaving, knitting, pottery, stained glass, woodcarving, woodworking, and woodturning), Visual (acrylics, drawing, mixed media, oil, pastels, film photography, digital photography, sculpture, and watercolor), Performing (comedy/drama, dance, vocal, instrumental, and line dance), Literary (poetry, short story, essay, and life experiences), and Cheerleading. Art pieces will be displayed at Pack Memorial Library.
Schedule at a Glance
- Through March 31: Register
- March 30: Opening Ceremonies at Carrier Park
- April 1: Archery at Tempie Avery Montford Community Center
- April 12-13: Billiards at Harvest House Community Center
- April 15: Swimming at BCS Indoor Aquatics Center
- April 18: Badminton at Tempie Avery Montford Community Center
- April 19: Basketball Shooting and Horseshoes at Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center
- April 20: Cornhole at Stephens-Lee Community Center
- April 21: SilverArts Performances at Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center
- April 24: Mini Golf at Lakeview Putt and Play
- April 25: Table Tennis at Tempie Avery Montford Community Center
- April 27: Golf at Asheville Municipal Golf Course
- April 29: Tennis and Track and Field at Clyde A. Erwin High School
- May 1: SiverArts Gallery Opening Reception at Pack Memorial Library (works showcased through May 19)
- May 2: Bowling at Sky Lanes
- May 9: Cycling at 887 NC-251 in Marshall
- May 10: Croquet at Black Mountain Golf Course
- May 13: Pickleball at Murphy-Oakley Park
- May 18: Shuffleboard at Harvest House Community Center
- May 27: Closing Ceremonies at Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center
For questions or more information, please contact Colt Miller at (828) 707-2376 or cmiller@ashevillenc.gov.