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What Happens When Your Hometown Gets Hot?

NPR is coming to Asheville!  On February 7th, NPR's Michel Martin will host "Going There - When Your Hometown Gets Hot" at the Diana Wortham Theater.  Tickets for the event have already sold out, but you can add yourself to the wait list for any returned tickets here.  There are also a very limited number of dual tickets for both the event and a breakfast the following morning with Michel that can be purchased by calling WCQS at 828-210-4813.  Those are $50 each.  For those unable to attend, there will be a live stream of the event on both the NPR website as well as on Facebook.  You can also join the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #HotHometown and at @NPRMichel.  Michel Martin spoke with WCQS news director Matt Bush about why "Going There" is making Asheville its latest stop, why this topic is not just a local but national one, what listeners can expect from the discussion, and what previous "Going There" events have focused on.  A full list of panelists and performers for the Asheville "Going There" event will be released shortly.  

More from NPR - 

Those who live there already know this: Western North Carolina has become "hot." 

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 amid the benefits can come a downside: affordable housing is now becoming more scarce, especially for workers in the growing tourism industry. Even longtime residents have begun to fear being displaced or priced out. As more newcomers arrive, are their expectations coming into conflict with those who have called the area home for generations? 

Join NPR's Michel Martin and WCQS for a unique live event, an evening of conversation, storytelling and performance, to talk about the benefits and tensions that emerge when an area becomes a popular place to live. Who is writing the future of Western North Carolina? Join us and find out. 

It's the latest in the NPR event series, Michel Martin: Going There, and will be produced in partnership with WCQS | Western North Carolina Public Radio. Join the conversation on Twitter with #HotHometown and at @NPRMichel