• Halloween Spooktacular | Fri., Oct. 28 | 5-9 p.m. | Asheville Racquet Club South, 200 Racquet Club Dr. | Free entry | Don’t forget your costume at this health-oriented event, which includes pumpkin decorating, a chili contest, a pickleball social, and a screening of “Hocus Pocus 2" on the lawn.
• Grogtober | Fri., Oct. 28 | 7-11 p.m. | Sly Grog Lounge, 271 Haywood St. | $15 donation | This fundraiser to help the fire-ravaged dive bar recover features live music, a costume contest, a photo booth, and bites from Chef Matt Grush of Grush’s Cajun Dino Grill.

• Catawba White Zombie 5K | Sat., Oct. 29 | 9-10 a.m. | Catawba Brewing Company South Slope, 32 Banks Ave. | $45 | Dodge zombies at this third annual event benefiting local nonprofit BeLoved Asheville. 👟
• CAMP SLASHER: Costume Party & Show | Sat., Oct. 29 | 8 p.m.- 2 a.m. | The Getaway River Bar, 790 Riverside Dr. | $10 | Dress to slay at this event, where the winner of the “Scream Queen” contest will win a $200 bar tab.
• Art & Craft Workshop: Creepy Curiosity Cabinet | Sat., Oct. 29 | 1-4 p.m. | Purple Crayon, 50 N. Merrimon Ave, Ste. 111 | $74 for members, $80 for non-members | Live out your eerie artistic fantasies by creating a creepy curiosity cabinet — all materials are included.

• Sunday Morning Trivia Brunch with Bloody Mary Bar | Sun., Oct. 30 | 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. | Well Played Board Game Cafe, 162 Coxe Ave. | Free entry | Wear your costume for extra trivia points at this Halloween-inspired event.
• Howl-O-Ween | Sun., Oct. 30 | 1-5 p.m. | Aloft Asheville, 51 Biltmore Ave. | $5 | This fundraiser for Charlie’s Angels Animal Rescue includes costume contests, raffles, dog portraits, vendors, cocktails, puptails, and a DJ.

• Omega Middle School Open House and Alumni Panel | Thu., Nov. 3 | 4-6 p.m. | Rainbow Community Center, 60 State Street, Asheville | Free | Omega Middle School is the middle grades program of Rainbow Community School, serving a total of 60 students in its 6th-8th grade holistic private school.*
• At Home with Miss Mary’s Meatloaf | Thu., Nov. 10 | 3-6 p.m. | Haywood Street Congregation, 297 Haywood Street, Asheville | $25.00 - $225.00 | Enjoy the all-time favorite Downtown Welcome Table Meal with Miss Mary’s meatloaf, plus biscuits and dessert from some of Asheville’s top local chefs (read: an easy “comfort food” dinner party).*

• Hunter-Gatherer: Columbia’s very first microbrewery is still going strong, known for elevated American dishes and house-brewed beers.
• Coa Agaveria y Cocina: Columbia’s upscale Mexican destination for bold flavors and tasty cocktails.
• Ratio: Ratio puts a twist on authentic Peruvian cuisine with seasonal plates and hand-crafted drinks.*

• 62º | Partly cloudy | 6% chance of rain

• This is sew cool. Custom fabric shop Over the Selvage, which specializes in “magical fabrics off the deep end,” will hold its grand opening today, Oct. 28 at 217 Coxe Ave. from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Pro tip: wear your Halloween best for 10% off. 🪡
• Just in time for cozy and gift-giving seasons, Wild Ashe - Candle Collective has opened at the historic Grove Arcade. The spot offers an array of scented candles and other home accessories. Hours are limited, so check out the business’ social media for updates. 🕯️

• Waynesville native Natalie Migliarini is competing on the new original series, “Drink Masters,” which premieres today on Netflix. In addition to being a home bartender, Natalie has launched Beautiful Booze, a social media workshop for the hospitality industry. She’s also the co-author of “Beautiful Booze: Stylish Cocktails to Make at Home.” 🍸 (Asheville Citizen-Times)

• Six million. That’s the amount Asheville City Council unanimously approved to allocate to the Housing Trust Fund, which will help create affordable housing in the city. Next steps include Housing Trust Fund staff bringing guidelines to update its existing policies to Council by the end of the year. 💸 (WLOS)

• The North Carolina Glass Center has received a $330,000 grant from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority for a new public glass studio and school in downtown Black Mountain. The second location will include a hot shop, flame shop, and gallery and is expected to be complete in early 2024.

• Local nonprofit Green Built Alliance’s Energy Savers Network is expanding its free services. The program now offers electric HVAC repair and installations of new mini splits and heat pumps that replace old heating systems. These new services will help keep low-income residents safe + warm and help reduce energy costs and carbon emissions.

• The fifth episode of the award-winning podcast “Sepia Tones: Exploring Black Appalachian Music” is now available on Great Smoky Mountains Association’s podcast “Smoky Mountain Air.” Featuring Grammy-nominated roots songstress Amythyst Kiah, the episode explores the multicultural and multiracial origins of many Appalachian music genres. 🎧

• The Our Air program — a new pilot project between WCU, Cherokee Central Schools, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Department of Natural Resources — is teaching students about the intersection of science + culture in order to learn more about air quality on the Qualla Boundary. (Smoky Mountain News)

• Did you know we want to share your Black Friday deals with our AVLtoday readers? Promote your business with us by submitting a deal to be included in our Fri., Nov. 25 newsletter. Pricing varies by market + must be submitted by Wed., Nov. 16.

• For 60 years, The Blood Connection has been committed to supporting our community’s healthcare partners with a steady blood supply. To say “thank you” to the blood donors who make that mission possible, TBC is giving a $20 eGift card and a commemorative pin to all who donate now through Sun., Nov. 6. 🩸 *

• Real talk: You’re an adult, and it’s time to say goodbye to those sad, flat pillows and invest in bedding that supports your neck and back. Marlow designed a pillow specifically for side sleepers with customizable firmness, three angles to support your neck, and cooling technology — code 6AM saves you 10%, plus buy-more, save-more discounts up to 40%. ☁️ *

The basics of WNC bats

• There are at least 13 species in WNC.
• Their function is pest control, and they save the corn industry in NC over $1 billion annually in pest control.

Want to create a bat-friendly home without inviting them inside?

• Install a bat box, an artificial roost that offers bats a safe environment while protecting your yard from pests.
• Provide a water source, like a bird bath or container, for bats to drink and for insects to reproduce.
• Remove weeds from bat habitat to help bats + insects thrive.