Eclectic eats

A nice slice

• Regional Artists Gallery | Monday, June 3-Wednesday, June 12 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W. State St., Black Mountain | Free | Get a peek at the art pieces that will become the inspiration for the floral arrangements at the 18th Annual Art in Bloom.
• Pickin’ In The Park | Monday, June 3 | 5:30-8 p.m. | Pritchard Park, 67 Patton Ave., Asheville | Free | Take a seat under the trees for intimate, relaxed performances with local singer-songwriters.

• Building Community in Asheville | Tuesday, June 4 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | The Mule at Devil’s Foot Beverage, 131 Sweeten Creek Rd., Ste 10, Asheville | Free | Expand your professional network, gain expert insight, and connect with like-minded locals at AVLmeetup’s June event.
• Dark City Poets Society | Tuesday, June 4 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Black Mountain Public Library, 105 N. Dougherty St., Black Mountain | Free | Get feedback on your creative work at this monthly meetup for poets of all ages + experience levels.

• Learn about Polymer Clay | Wednesday, June 5 | 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. | Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Rd., Leicester | Free | The Blue Ridge Polymer Clay Guild will guide interested artists through the polymer clay process — no supplies needed.
• The History of Harm Reduction in WNC | Wednesday, June 5 | 4:30-5:30 p.m. | Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St., Asheville | Free | Learn about the history of the WNC AIDS Project, the Needle Exchange Program of Asheville, and how those programs shaped public health efforts today.

• Blueprint Breakfast for Dinner | Thursday, June 6 | 6-9 p.m. | plēb urban winery, 289 Lyman St., Asheville | $100-$125 | Support Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity with breakfast-inspired dishes from seven local chefs.

• Charlotte the stingray, who received international attention for her unique pregnancy, has developed a rare reproductive disease. Team ECCO, the Hendersonville aquarium and shark lab where Charlotte lives, shared the unexpected update on social media and later confirmed to WLOS that Charlotte was no longer pregnant. (WLOS)

• These streets were made for walking. The City of Asheville is putting the final touches on the New Leicester Highway sidewalk project. The road now has 2.3 miles of seamless sidewalks between Patton Avenue and Old County Home Road.

• The play’s the thing. Buncombe County Parks and Recreation is bringing back its Community Outreach and Recreation Experiences (CORE) program starting Tuesday, June 11 at Leicester Community Center. CORE travels around the county to offer games, puzzles, and other recreational activities. Check out the season’s schedule.

• The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority voted to add the town of Woodfin as a party on the greenway and blueway contract, allowing it to directly receive funding. The change comes as a result of movement on the Whitewater Wave project, which is now expected to be completed in September. (Asheville Citizen-Times)

• $125,000. That’s how much Mountain Housing Opportunities (MHO) received in grant funds from the Women for Women Giving Circle. The grant — the largest that Women for Women has ever awarded — is part of a collective $288,000 given to six WNC nonprofits and will support MHO’s work in equitable homeownership.

• The early bird gets the worm discount. LEAF Global Arts Festival tickets are on sale now. The festival, which will take place Thursday, Oct. 17-Sunday, Oct. 20, brings together community, culture, craft, music, nature, and more under the year-long theme of World Changers.

• Apply on the Fly Day. Today only, recent community college graduates can get their UNC Asheville transfer application fee waived when they attend the event at the university’s Brown Dining Hall. Bonus: Lunch or dinner are also provided. See event times + what to bring.*

• A butterfly with a five-foot wingspan. A beetle with 12-foot antennae. No, it’s not attack of the mutated insects. It’s Bugs: Outside the Box — an informative, family-friendly exhibit at the NC Arboretum’s Baker Exhibit Center featuring larger-than-life bug sculptures. See what the buzz is about.*