Editor Laura here. It’s that time of the year where you could close your eyes, spin around, place your finger randomly on a map of Asheville — and most likely — there would be a holiday market happening. This weekend, that includes the Show & Tell Pop-Up, Festivus-for-the-Rest-of-us Holiday Market, and several others listed below.
Sick of shopping? Practice self-care at Alchemy’s Community Acupuncture event this Saturday or Sunday’s Winter Flow yoga class at One World Brewing. Try your hand at Scrabble at this weekly Sunday meet-up.
Or: you could always stuff your face with some of the city’s best chili at Dissolvr’s Holly Jolly Industry Chili Smackdown — quite honestly, that’s where I’m leaning. In addition to chili, this Sunday event also features tunes from DJ Lil Meow Meow, chocolate slushees, and Chef J Chong as a celebrity guest.
Friday, Dec. 16
Thunderstruck Retirement Party | Friday, Dec. 16 | 12-10 p.m. | Highland Brewing Company, 12 Old Charlotte Hwy., Asheville | Free | The beloved Thunderstruck Coffee Porter is retiring — send it off with a bang at this taproom party.
Real People, Great Radio | Friday, Dec. 16 | 5-7 p.m. | Citizen Vinyl, 14 O’Henry Ave., Asheville | Free | This vinyl launch party celebrates the release of a compilation record featuring Asheville artists.
Fireside Friday | Friday, Dec. 16 | 5:30-9 p.m. | Wrong Way River Lodge & Cabins, 9 Midnight Dr., Asheville | Free | Enjoy a campfire, s’mores, and variety of beverages — and bring your own instrument for an open jam session.
Saturday, Dec. 17
Swannanoa Winterfest 2022 | Saturday, Dec. 17 | 3-8 p.m. | Grovemont Park, 101 West Charleston Ave, Swannanoa | Free | This joyful, cozy, and festive outdoor event has holiday items, food + drink vendors, kids activities, music, and other cheerful details.
MADE HERE Local Makers Bazaar | Saturday, Dec. 17 | 12-7 p.m. | Wedge at Foundation, 5 Foundy St., Asheville | Free | Find unusual and artisanal wares from WNC creators at this curated shopping pop up.
Community Acupuncture | Saturday, Dec. 17 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Alchemy, 62 Clayton St., Asheville | $30 | Swing by for a quick and convenient treatment with acupuncturist Dr. Wesley Braden — available on a sliding scale.
Asheville (Evening) Drag Brunch | Saturday, Dec. 17 | 7 p.m. | Biscuit Head South, 1994 Hendersonville Rd., Asheville | $25 | A ticket for this family-friendly, interactive drag show includes brunch, one drink, and a donation to Sunrise Community for Recovery & Wellness.
Sunday, Dec. 18
Chabad House: Chanukah on Fire! | Sunday, Dec. 18 | 4:30-5:30 p.m. | Pack Square Park, 80 Court Plaza, Asheville | Free | Celebration the first night of Chanukah with latke, lights, live music, and traveling menorah gift kits.
Holly Jolly Industry Chili Smackdown | Sunday, Dec. 18 | 6-9 p.m. | DSSOLVR, 63 N Lexington avenue, Asheville | Free | Prepare your gut for this chili cook-off — plus celebrate the release of Dissolvr’s Hot Chocolate Snowball slushee.
Weekly Sunday Scrabble Club | Sunday, Dec. 18 | 12:15-4:30 p.m. | Stephens-Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave., Asheville | Free | Come by to play your favorite word game — it’s okay to come late or leave early.
Sip and Shop Local Makers Market | Sunday, Dec. 18 | 2-6 p.m. | The Rhu, 10 S. Lexington Ave., Asheville | Free | The Rhu will expand its hours to host local vendors that offer everything from vintage clothing and pottery to handmade jewelry.
The historic Princess Anne Hotel is hosting two days of Golden Girls-themed events from Monday, Jan. 16- Wednesday, Jan. 18. Highlights include performances by NYC’s premier Golden Girls Drag troupe The Golden Gays — plus swag bags, a Lazoom Comedy tour, themed dinners and brunch, and scavenger hunts. Call (828) 258-0986 to make reservations.
Seasonal
From light displays and holidayperformances to festive parties, winter is where AVL thrives. Check out this guide, featuring 30 winter events happening between December and February.
Eat
‘Tis the season to indulge in warm, flaky, artisan baked goods — but here in Asheville, you can’t find a superb bagel, babka, or challah loaf just anywhere. Never schmear, though: we’ve put together a guide featuring 11 stand-out bakeries and pop-ups that specialize in Jewish baked goods.
GREAT ESCAPES
Our guide to Harrisonburg, VA
Great Escapes: Our guide to Harrisonburg, VA
Raise a glass to the mountains at CrossKeys Vineyards. | Photo by 6AM City
Planning a getaway? Check out Harrisonburg, VA, a mountain town with a lot of spirit, sports, and so many snacks.
Why go? Harrisonburg is a smaller city within driving distance of hiking, caving, winery exploring + world-class collegiate sports. It’s always buzzing with action, which means every season brings a new restaurant, new place to stay, and festival.
Act like a local: Catch dinner, drinks + a show at the Golden Pony, a downtown spot which hosts local live music nearly every night. The baked pimento cheese dip goes well with just about every genre.
Where to stay: Hotel Madison is right on James Madison University campus, within walking distance of downtown and Bridgeforth Stadium.
Bonus message from our partner: If you’re looking to book this trip, Scott’s Cheap Flights offers all the affordable flight hacks from your home airport. Sign up here.*
You haven’t seen turquoise until you’ve seen this Turks and Caicos oceanfront pool. Top it offwith walks on the beach, horseback riding, locally-caught seafood, and a five-star review for the property, and you’ve got yourself a dream Vrbo vacation. 🐬*
Shop
Give the gift of a quality shave month after month with a Harry’s trial set and blade subscription. Choose your handle color, refill frequency, and let the good shave days roll in for as little as $5on sign-up (yes, you heard that right). 🪒*
Hey, how did you like this email?AVLweekend is a new offering from AVLtoday, and we want to make sure we’re getting it just right.
Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.
Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.
