We know there are some wordsmiths out there from our October storytelling event. | Photo by AVLtoday
In honor of National Poetry Month, we’re bringing back our AVLtoday poetry contest. This contest is open to all, and the rules couldn’t be more simple: Turn today’s newsletter into a poem.
Here’s how it works: Using only the words that appear in this newsletter, craft an original poem of up to 75 words. Unlike an erasure poem, the words do not have to appear in the order they’re found — mix and match how you please. Any word appearing anywhere in today’s newsletter is fair game, including the ones you’re reading right now (we’ll throw some fun ones at you: Pink. Gusto. Enchilada.). If a word appears once, you can only use it once.
The rules:
Submit your poem here by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, April 16.
Include a title + author’s name in your submission. Titles are an exception to the rule and do not need to pull words from the newsletter.
Poems, excluding title and author’s name, must be 75 words or less.
The fun stuff:
While we’ve placed a pretty big limitation on your poem’s words, the form + direction are up to you — and we can’t wait to see what you all come up with.
The Editorial team behind AVLtoday will narrow submissions down to a group of finalists based on style, originality, artistic quality, and creativity. Finalists will be announced in our Friday, April 21 newsletter and we’ll ask our readers to vote for their favorite poem. The winner’s poem will be featured in our Wednesday, April 26 newsletter.
Pro tip: To make the process easier, we recommend printing out today’s issue, highlighting the words you find most interesting, and crossing them out as you include them in your poem.
Don’t forget to keep track of your articles (words like “the” or “and”).
Game Night | Wednesday, Apr. 5 | 6:30-9 p.m. | RAD Beer Garden, 284 Lyman St., Asheville | Free | Stop by the Hi-Wire beer garden for an evening of board games.
Killer Party (1986) | Wednesday, April 5 | 8 p.m. | The Odd, 1045 Haywood Rd. | Free | This Toronto-shot film is a party mix of sorority horror, comedy, and slasher.
Candlelight Restorative Yin and Gong Bath | Wednesday, April 5 | 7-8 p.m. | Black Mountain Yoga, 116 Montreat Rd., Black Mountain | $9-$18 | Reset your nervous system with a gentle, candle-lit flow.
369 Short Play and Monologue Festival | Thursday, April 6-Saturday, April 22 | Times vary | Tina McGuire Theatre, 18 Biltmore Ave., Asheville | $50 | See nine heartwarming, dramatic, funny, and provocative original works from emerging Black Playwrights over the course of three weekends.
Friday, April 7
Community Tea Night | Friday, Apr. 7| 5-7 p.m. | Asheville Elixir & Tea Bar, 919 Haywood Rd., Asheville | Free | Visit the elixir bar for a relaxed Gong Fu Cha tea service, featuring a variety of Chinese + herbal teas.
The Get Right Band | Friday, Apr. 7 | 7 p.m. | Salvage Station, 468 Riverside Dr., Asheville | $12-$15 | Jam out to this psychedelic indie rock power trio.
2023 Spring Fibershed Market | Saturday, Apr. 8 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Local Cloth, 408 Depot St., Asheville | Free | Shop for fun fabrics and meet alpacas at this annual market.
Sunday, April 9
Easter Brunch | Sunday, Apr. 9 | 12 p.m. | Bear’s Smokehouse, 135 Coxe Ave., Asheville | Free | Enjoy all day drink specials and live music from DJ Audio.
NOAA has selected Asheville GreenWorks to lead a heat mapping study of the greater Asheville area this summer. Our local nonprofit is one of 18 organizations nationwide tasked with this project. The goal is to identify urban heat islands + better understand how to reduce the health impacts of extreme heat.
Development
Buncombe County is considering three county-owned sites as future affordable housing developments on Valley Street, Coxe Avenue, and Erwin Hills Road. Chime in at one of three community meetings, starting Wednesday, April 12. (WLOS)
Community
Many area farmers markets have reopened or switched to regular season hours. Check out this list of updated hours for markets located in Buncombe County, including Asheville City Market, Black Mountain Tailgate Market, and the WNC Farmers Market. (Mountain Xpress)
Cause
Local hikers Micah and Keeka Grant-Tomlinson are hoping to raise $40,000 for MANNA FoodBank while hiking the Pacific Crest Trail as part of their latest Hiking For Hunger initiative. Learn more at their kick-off meeting at Mount Inspiration Apparel on Friday, April 7 at 6 p.m. (Mountain Xpress)
Number
3%. That’s the average unemployment rate in Asheville, according to a new quarterly report from DMJPS. Asheville tied with Durham-Chapel Hill as having the lowest unemployment rate among the state’s fifteen metros. Dig into more of the data.
Biz
Applications for the BCTDA’s Tourism Product Development Fund open Wednesday, April 12. The fund provides financial assistance to major tourism capital projects such as greenways, parks, public art, and cultural heritage institutions. Learn more about the program guidelines — applications close Wednesday, May 17.
Holiday
Passover (or Pesach) begins at sundown today, starting with Passover Seder.The feast usually includes matzah, brisket or chicken, and potato kugel.
Eat
Evening meals feeling drab? Take a break from cooking and head to The Lobster Trap for fresh, sustainably-sourced seafood like Maine lobsters, oysters, steamed clams, seafood bisques, chowders + more. Read: You’re sure to have a shuckin’ good time. Make a reservation.*
Travel
Trying to talk someone into an April vacation? Just show them these hotel deals on Expedia. We love:The Islander Resort that’s on a private beach in the Florida Keys.
Want a taste of Neng Jr.'s without having to make a reservation? Tomorrow, April 6, the James Beard-nominated spot will be serving up its Bon Appetit-famous barbecue pork as part of a walk-in “NENG JRS BAR & GRILLE” special. Also on the menu: Filipino smoked spaghetti with milk bread and sinigang wings.
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