6AM City In-house

Meet AVL’s newest indie literary luminaries

Indie magazine The Rumpus relocates to Asheville
avl the rumpus
The Rumpus’ publisher Alyson Sinclair, right, and Editor in Chief Alysia Sawchyn. | Photo provided.
Lovers of literature may recognize the name “The Rumpus.” Founded in San Francisco in 2009, it’s one of the country’s longest-running indie online literary + culture magazines — and it’s now based right here in Asheville.

Publisher Alyson Sinclair and Editor in Chief Alysia Sawchyn have relocated to the mountains and plan to introduce themselves to the local literary community Wednesday, Feb. 8 from 7-9 p.m. at Story Parlor (227 Haywood Rd.) with The Rumpus IRL. The event marks the duo’s first in-person event in their new hometown and features authors Morgan Thomas and Alysia Sawchyn reading from their debut story and essay collections, respectively.

Curious how these literary luminaries wound up here? Alyson grew up visiting the Asheville as a kid, and shares that she moved here “most recently from Minneapolis to be closer to family and nature.” She continues, “It felt time to come back to a part of the South that I love the most.” As for Alysia, she says her move “was a moment of perfect synchronicity: A year after Aly arrived, I accepted a job teaching at Warren Wilson College.”

What most excites Alyson about our local literary scene is “our independent booksellers, including Malaprop’s (which is helping sell books at the event), Firestorm, and Hub City down in Spartanburg.” She’s also pumped “about the reading series happening around town like Punch Bucket Lit and spaces like Story Parlor which bring the literary community together.”

Interested in working with The Rumpus? “We regularly have open reading periods for all genres,” says Alyson. “The best way to submit to us is via Submittable.” And according to Alysia, they’re in the process of adding to their poetry reading team.” Interested parties should email Alysia with “AVL Today” in the subject line for more info.
Mission Health

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Wednesday, Feb. 1
  • Food Is Love Donation Drive for MANNA FoodBank | Wednesday, Feb. 1-Tuesday, Feb. 28 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | Asheville Outlets, 800 Brevard Rd., Asheville | Free | Help collect healthy, nonperishable foods for distribution to folks in WNC.
  • Bright Star Touring Theatre Presents: African Folktales | Wednesday, Feb. 1 | 4-5 p.m. | Weaverville Library, 41 N. Main St., Weaverville | Free | Immerse yourself in a variety of characters and cultures that celebrate the folk tale traditions of Africa.
  • MANNA FoodBank’s Key 100 | Wednesday, Feb. 1 | 5-6:30 p.m. | Cambria Hotel, 15 Page Ave., Asheville | $500 | Buy a ticket for this fundraiser and help provide 2,000 meals for neighbors in WNC.
Thursday, Feb. 2
  • Pop-Up at The Trashy Vegan | Thursday, Feb. 2 | 2-6 p.m. | The Trashy Vegan, 697 Haywood Rd., Asheville | Free | Shop from handmade and vintage gifts, get a donation-based haircut by Mountain Dews, and treat yourself to a vegan meal.
  • Poultry Butchery and Wood Fired Cooking Class | Thursday, Feb. 2 | 6-8 p.m. | The Chop Shop Butchery, 100 Charlotte St., Asheville | $90-$130 | Watch a professional butcher break down a local chicken and discuss cooking techniques over a wood fire.
Friday, Feb. 3
Saturday, Feb. 4
  • Assembly Required: The Asheville Designer Toy Expo | Saturday, Feb. 4-Sunday, Feb. 5 | Times vary | The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave., Asheville | $5-$10 | Celebrating a true to form turn-of-the-century art movement, *Assembly Required is the premiere destination for independent designer, bootleg, and art toy artists and collectors.
  • Cellarest Dog Adoption Event | Saturday, Feb. 4, Saturday, Mar. 4 | 1-4 p.m. | Cellarest beer project, 395 Haywood Rd., Asheville | Free | Meet a crew of adoptable dogs at this monthly event.
  • Black History Month Celebration | Saturday, Feb. 4 | 5-8 p.m. | Burton Street Community Center, 134 Burton St., Asheville | Free | Join Burton Street friends and neighbors for dinner and a movie highlighting the accomplishments of Black Americans.
  • Orange Moon | Saturday, Feb. 4 | 9 p.m. | One World Brewing West, 520 Haywood Rd., Asheville | $5 | Orange Moon performs the music of Erykah Badu and pays homage to the queen of neo-soul.
Sunday, Feb. 5
  • AFBU Fundraising Dinner | Sunday, Feb. 5 | 5-7 p.m. | Blue Dream Curry House, 81 Patton Ave., Asheville | $50 | Help raise money for the Asheville Food and Beverage United at Chef Jen Hampton’s four course, veganized South Texan dinner with an optional cocktail and beer pairing.
  • Asheville Pizza Slice Comedy & Open Mic | Sunday, Feb. 5 | 6:30 p.m. | Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co., 675 Merrimon Ave., Asheville | $14 | Enjoy an evening of pizza, drinks, and comedy at this open mic event where performing comics enjoy free entry and slices.
We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
100+ MORE EVENTS
Greybeard Realty

Weather
  • 47º | Cloudy | 24% chance of rain
Volunteer
  • Tomorrow, Feb. 2, is the last day to sign up for the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy’s Virtual Hiking Challenge. The goal is to hike 60 miles by Friday, March 31. Folks who complete it will win a commemorative patch. Registration fees go towards local land conservation efforts. Register. 🥾
Seasonal
Active
  • Lace up your kicks. Black Mountain’s Valentine’s 5K returns Saturday, Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. and brings with it a new local race: the inaugural Valentine Greenway Challenge. The races will benefit the Black Mountain Greenways and Trails Committee. Register here. 👟 (The Valley Echo)
Outdoors
  • DYK winter is an ideal time to see two of WNC’s native orchid species? The common puttyroot’s lovely gray-green oval leaves and the cranefly orchis’ bumpy, dark green and purple leaves are standouts in the winter. Learn how to identify and locate them. 🌿 (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Eat
  • Looking for a luscious meal pastability? Chef Katie Button has shared her take on the classic spaghetti carbonara. Made with spinach, lemon, and bacon, it’s an easily customizable dish suitable with nearly any leftover cooked vegetables you have on hand. Dig in. 🍝
Kids
  • Tutoring business Asheville Math (856 Sweeten Creek Rd.) holds Kids Game Nights every Friday from 6-8 p.m. Designed for kids ages 8+, they can come with games that include chess, Battleship, Wingspan, and many more for $10. Sign up. ♟️
Ashevillian
  • Happy birthday, AVLtoday member Diana S. We hope your special day is filled with all of your favorite things in Asheville! Did you know when you become an AVLtoday member, you’ll get a birthday shoutout, too? Join today. 🎉
Featured Job
  • Blue Ion is hiring a full-time Paid Media Manager. Their dream candidate has three-five years of experience and can contribute immediately. The position’s focus will be on optimizing paid media campaigns across ad networks (search, display, shopping, social, video, audio, etc.), and they expect candidates to demonstrate their expertise during the interview process. Learn more + apply.*
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Play like a girl on National Girls and Women in Sports Day

Embrace girl power on National Girls and Women in Sports Day
avl girls and women in sports
Breaking gender stereotypes in sports is fun. | Photo via City of Asheville
Calling all athletically-inclined girls and women. National Girls and Women in Sports Day takes place today, Feb. 1, and Asheville Parks and Recreation invites the community to celebrate on Saturday, Feb. 4 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Carrier Park (220 Amboy Rd.) by trying new sports, fitness activities, and clinics.

First observed in 1987, the day is designed to connect women and girls to a variety of physical activities, commemorate the athletic achievements of women, and help them develop confidence, strength, and character.

Open to women and girls ages six and up, this free day of learning offers attendees the chance to try their hands at activities including softball, volleyball, lacrosse, hockey, and rugby. Clinics are divided into Grades K-3, Grades 4-8, and Grade 9-Adult.

Want more information? Contact Colt Miller at (828) 707-2376 or cmiller@ashevillenc.gov.
6AM City In-house
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Brook.

Editor’s pick: I have loved The Rumpus for a minute and, in fact, and came to find two of my fave writers there: Roxane Gay and Cheryl Strayed.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Learn how to make Chef Luis Martinez’s crowd-pleasing pozole.
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