Conference Venue and Surroundings

Conference Venue:

The site of the conference is the Blue Ridge Assembly. "Nestled in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains near Asheville, North Carolina, YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly is a full-service conference center situated on 1,200 acres of woodland beautified by mountain streams, wildflowers, ridges, valleys and spectacular views, located in Black Mountain, North Carolina, USA. See  www.blueridgeassembly.org for pictures and more information on this lovely facility, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Nearby Asheville:

Just 20 minutes west of the conference venue, Asheville, North Carolina holds the 8th spot on Sperlings list of the 10 best places to live in the USA! A lovely western North Carolina city, situated at the foot of the Great Smokies Mountains, the highest part of the Appalachian Range, Asheville was settled in the1850's as a slow-paced health retreat. Asheville now boasts a population of about 80,000, and continues to enjoy it's reputation as the place to come for beautiful surroundings and an abundance of healthy, recreational opportunities.

In addition to the sidewalk cafes that reflect it's nickname "The Paris of the South", Asheville boasts the Biltmore House, The Grove Park Inn and a multitude of restaurants, coffeeshops, art galleries and theatres, all within easy transit distance of the conference venue (20 minutes or so). Weather in October is usually mild with sunny days, cooler nights and occasional showers.

We invite you to stay on a little longer and enjoy this beautiful area. See www.asheville.com  and   www.blackmountain.com  for additional information on the local area.