Keeping spirits up

Late-night gems

• Back to School Splash | Friday, Aug. 18 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Recreation Park, 65 Gashes Creek Rd., Asheville | Free | Join the Asheville Parks & Recreation Department to celebrate the last lazy days of summer with a splash.
• Patriot | Friday, Aug. 18 | 7:30 p.m. | Diana Wortham Theatre, 18 Biltmore Ave., Asheville | $10-$22 | This multimedia dance project explores issues faced by the military and those who serve.

• Forest Bathing | Saturday, Aug. 19 | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | The North Carolina Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville | $45-$55 | Practice mindfulness and deepen your connection with nature through this guided forest stroll, inspired by Shinrin-Yoku, the Japanese art of forest immersion.
• Intro to On-Camera Auditions | Saturday, Aug. 19 | 2-3:30 p.m. | Misfit Improv and Acting School, 573 Fairview Rd. Unit 21A, Asheville | Free | If you’re ready make your big screen dreams a reality, learn about submitting for TV, film, and commercials.
• Shindig on the Green | Saturday, Aug. 19 | 7-10 p.m. | Pack Square Park, 80 Court Pl., Asheville | Free | Bring your instruments, friends, and lawn chairs to experience music and dance traditions of Southern Appalachia on a summer evening.

• Motown, Funk, and Soul Flow | Sunday, Aug. 20 | 1:30-2:45 p.m. | Asheville Yoga Center, 211 South Liberty St., Asheville | Get into your restorative flow with the help of artists like Otis Redding, Curtis Mayfield, and Aretha Franklin.
• Divine’s Karaoke Kiki | Sunday, Aug. 20 | 7-10 p.m. | Green Man Brewery, 27 Buxton Ave., Asheville | Join in for karaoke and sing-alongs with a comedy drag queen twist.

• Thomas Wolfe Auditorium Town Hall | Monday, Aug. 21 | 3-4:30 p.m. | Harrah’s Cherokee Center - Asheville, 87 Haywood St., Asheville | Free | ArtsAVL hosts this panel + discussion on the current state and potential future of the auditorium — registration is required.
• Clothing Exchange | Monday, Aug. 21 | 5-7:30 p.m. | Atlas Beauty, 257 Broadway St. Ste. 301, Asheville | $12 | Don’t just throw your old clothes to the side — bring them in and exchange them for something new while you enjoy food, drinks, and fun.
• Mountain Music Jam | Monday, Aug. 21 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Asheville Jewish Community Center, 236 Charlotte St., Asheville | Free | Bring your fiddle, mandolin, banjo, and heartfelt vocal for some old-time musical celebration.

• Tony Kiss, longtime Asheville Citizen-Times reporter, has passed away at age 68. Tony worked for the newspaper from 1984 to 2016 and became known for his beloved Beer Guy column that ran for 14 years. Friends will be planning a celebration of life for a later date. (Asheville Citizen-Times)

• Grush’s Cajun Dino Grill food truck will be hosting its grand opening tomorrow, Saturday, Aug. 19, from 1 to 8 p.m. at Blue Ghost Brewing. Local chef Matt Grush aims to give his own modern spin to class Cajun dishes — think boudin balls, gumbo + po-boys. Stop by for music, magic, and of course, good food.

• Stephanie Monson Dahl is the City of Asheville’s new Planning and Urban Design Director. Over 18 years working with the City, Stephanie has gained experience in a variety of disciplines — including economic development, parks + public spaces, housing, and transportation.

• Buncombe County Schools and the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office are joining together for a back-to-school supply drive this weekend. They’ll be collecting school supplies like book bags, lunchboxes, pencils + binders on Saturday, Aug. 19, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 20, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at Walmart (1636 Hendersonville Rd.).

• Kickstart your business creativity at Black Wall Street AVL’s Vibe Wednesdays, starting Aug. 23. The co-working sessions will inspire your entrepreneurial spirit while you network + build camaraderie, listen to motivating music, and enjoy on-site food trucks. The sessions will run Aug. 23 to Sept. 13 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Register now.

• Spooky season is right around the corner (yes, we know it’s August), and Cat Fly Film Fest is in a Halloween mood. The festival is now accepting film submissions for its Halloween Mini-Fest, now until Thursday, Sept. 14. Bring your best monster, sci-fi, horror shorts + music videos.

• 1923. That’s the year Asheville native Harry Blomberg started servicing cars — so Harry’s on the Hill is ready to celebrate its 100th anniversary. Tomorrow, Saturday, Aug. 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., you can join for ice cream, BBQ, a car show, raffle, teacher supply drive, and more.

• Solar energy actually reduces air pollution — fact or fiction? See the answer.*

• Fall in love with this gorgeous 2 BD, 3 BA log cabin in Grants Mountain Estates. Situated ~10 minutes from Marion and 35 minutes from Asheville, this home offers convenience + privacy. Bonus: It’s currently in a VR program, and could make an easy turnkey rental property, primary residence, or second home.*

• One card, all the perks. A $200 welcome bonus, unlimited cash back, and 0% interest into 2024 all with no annual fee almost sounds too good to be true — but this card has it all.*

• Bountiful Cities is not rewriting the crowd-sourced information for the Asheville Edibles Map, but it is consolidating and editing the contributions. That means the project still needs you. If you would like to contribute new sites or information to the map, fill out this form.