Today

• When the Ghosts Come Home book launch | Tues., Sept. 21 | 7-8 p.m. | Sherrill Center, Kimmel Arena | Free | UNC Asheville's Visiting Writers Series continues with a book launch for alumnus and writer-in-residence Wiley Cash, ft. music and conversation by Graham Sharp of the Grammy Award-winning Steep Canyon Rangers. Masks required; livestream available. Ⓟ

Wednesday

• Son Volt | Wed., Sept. 22 | 8 p.m. | The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave. | $20 | Folk-inspired alt-rock. 🎸
• Reclaiming Our Spaces: Black Existence in the Public Sphere | Wed., Sept, 22 | 4 p.m. | Virtual | Free | Join Dr. Daleah Goodwin’s overview of how Black people navigate their presence in public spaces.
• Good Vibes Summer Tour 2021 | Wed., Sept. 22 | 5-10 p.m. | Salvage Station, 468 Riverside Dr. | $36+ | Rebelution and special guests Kabaka Pyramid, Keznamdi, and DJ Mackle will be performing live. 🎵

Thursday

• Red Wanting Blue | Thurs., Sept. 23 | 8 p.m. | The Grey Eagle, 195 Clingman Ave. | $15+ | Midwestern rock heroes.
• Houndmouth | Thurs., Sept. 23 | 8 p.m. | The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave. | $22+ | Alt-blues indie rock.
• Minka, Daydream Creatures, Her Pilots | Thurs., Sept. 23 | 7-11 p.m. | The Odditorium, 1045 Haywood Rd. | $10 | Come enjoy some live music. 🎤
• DIY Sausage and Beer | Thurs., Sept. 23 | 6-8 p.m. | The Chop Shop Butchery, 100 Charlotte St. | $90+ | Learn how to make homemade sausage in a range of styles + try out house-made charcuterie.

Plan Ahead

• NC Stage 2021 fall season | Oct. 6-Dec. 19 | Showtimes vary | $25+ | NC Stage, 15 Stage Ln. | NC Stage presents 4 exciting shows this fall, and tickets are on sale now with hybrid audience viewing: limited in-person seating at the theatre + a virtual option via Zoom. Ⓟ

Weather

• Weather 69º | Light showers | 80% chance of rain

Civic

• The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will have its monthly meeting today, Sept. 21 at 5 p.m. The agenda includes: a public hearing on a $500,000 allocation to the One Buncombe Fund, a vote on a mask mandate extension, and a budget amendment to receive 2 grants. Tune in. (Mountain Xpress)

Announced

• The LEAF Festival, which takes place Oct. 14-17, has announced its fall lineup. Headliners include Las Cafeteras, HuDost, Ethno Camp USA, Tito Puente JR, Sierra Hull, CimaFunk, and Beny Esguerra. Get tickets.

Edu

• NC’s Bus Ridership Week runs from Sept. 20-24. Buncombe County Schools have announced that this time is crucial for its future bus ridership because it determines the amount of transportation funding it will receive for the year. (Mountain Xpress) 

Trending

• The former home of George Henry Vanderbilt Cecil has sold for $9.5 million, setting a new record for highest price of a home sale. The 6,000 sqft historical home is located in Biltmore Forest and, up until this point, has been owned by the Vanderbilt family since the 1890s. It has 5 bedrooms, 4 baths, and a pool. (Asheville Citizen-Times)

Event

• The 2021 Asheville Greek Festival will take place on Fri., Sept. 24- Sat. 25 from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. While the fest won’t keep its traditional format due to public health concerns, it will serve up classic dishes like Moussaka, Baklava, Pastichio (think Greek lasagna), and Spanakopita through a drive-thru system.

Arts

• The Black Mountain Center for the Arts will host Chalk the Walk in Black Mountain on Sat., Sept. 25. Area artists ages 5-105 are invited to create their own 3’ by 3’ chalk masterpiece, which will be voted on by judges and eligible for cash prizes. Register by Wed., Sept. 22.

Holiday

• The 9th annual Haunted Trail will kick off Fri., Oct. 8 at the Adventure Center of Asheville. The family-friendly Halloween event, ideal for children ages 3-12, will run every weekend through October. There will be an aerial glow trail, live entertainment, a life-sized pirate ship escape room, a kids play wall, crafts, and plenty of food.

Coronavirus

• As of Monday afternoon, 160,889 people (up 974 from Thursday) in Buncombe County are fully vaccinated for a total of 62% of the population. There have been 717 cases per 100,000 residents in the last 14 days (down 36 from Thursday), and 379 total deaths. Book a vaccine appointment here, and see more Buncombe County-specific info here.

Volunteer

• Hammer & Heart is a nonprofit which provides urgent home repairs to residents in the Swannanoa Valley. Founded in 2019, the organization aims to address urgent needs quickly + locally. Want to get involved? H&H is looking for volunteers to do everything from cleaning gutters to spreading the word on social media. 💜

Outdoors

• The Mountain Trail Outdoor School at Kanuga has a new “Nature Explorers” series that offers ecology classes for children ages 4-12. Classes run on Tuesday afternoons from 12:30-4 p.m., and will take place on a weekly basis starting Sept. 21 and running though Oct. 26. Find more info + register.

Feel Good

• The Love Group in Black Mountain will celebrate its 3rd anniversary on Wed., Sept. 22. For the last 3 years, the group has stood at the corner of State and Montreat Rd. every Wednesday from 5-6 p.m., sharing signs that aim to spread love in the community. Thanks for your dedication, lovely people.

The Buy

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