Hoops and Flow Arts Jam | Tuesday, July 16 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Pritchard Park, 67 Patton Ave., Asheville | Free | Dance, spin, groove, and show off your hula hooping skills as a live DJ pumps up the jams.
Heroes and Villains Dance Party | Tuesday, July 16 | 7-11 p.m. | Fleetwood’s, 496 Haywood Rd., Asheville | $5-$10 | Dress up like a hero or villain to tear up the dance floor to music from the Heavenly Vipers — get a lesson on the fundamentals of six-count swing before the dance begins.
“The Spontaneous Play” | Tuesday, July 16-Tuesday, Aug. 6 | 7:30-9 p.m. | NC Stage Theatre, 15 Stage Ln., Asheville | $10-$15 | The company of actors will perform an entirely new play for four nights, guided by audience suggestions.
Wednesday, July 17
Pop-Up Yoga and Coffee | Wednesday, July 17 | 9:30-10:30 a.m. | Cooperative Coffee Roasters, 210 Haywood Rd., Asheville | $10-$20 | Enjoy a morning flow on the deck and stick around after for a coffee.
Four Feet to Hell | Wednesday, July 17 | 6 p.m. | DSSOLVR, 63 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville | $5 | Competitors will see how many four-foot-long hotdogs they can take down in a matter of minutes, with ticket proceeds benefiting MANNA FoodBank — Night Dogs will be selling regular and vegan hotdogs.
Thursday, July 18
Blue Ridge Pride Open Mic | Thursday, July 18 | 6-8 p.m. | Ginger’s Revenge, 829 Riverside Dr., Ste. 100, Asheville | Free | Folks 21+ can share jokes, poems, stories, and more, or just sit back and mingle.
Fish Cult Supper Club | Thursday, July 18 | 6-8 p.m. | Botanist & Barrel Tasting Bar + Bottle Shop, 32 Broadway St., Ste. 110, Asheville | $37 | Sip on Spanish vermouth or natural cider while you savor three tinned fish dishes.
Andrew Bird and Nickel Creek | Thursday, July 18 | 7 p.m. | Rabbit Rabbit, 75 Coxe Ave., Asheville | $56-$61 | See a show from the indie singer-songwriter, violinist, and whistling wonder with support from bluegrass band Nickel Creek.
Friday, July 19
Simply Charmed | Friday, July 19 | 1:30-2:30 p.m. | Ignite Jewelry Studios, 191 Lyman St., Ste. 262, Asheville | $25 | Choose from more than 50 styles of stamps and hammer your own charm.
Downtown After 5 | Friday, July 19 | 5-9 p.m. | North Lexington Avenue, Asheville | Free | Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast and The Greenliners will rock the stage as the official kickoff to AVLFest.
If the idea of a walk with your dog in the park (local coffee in-hand) no longer sparks joy, keep reading. | Photo via Pexels
If the thought of grabbing a treat from Summit or taking a stroll in Carrier Park still can’t get you out of bed, you might need some support.
While Asheville has many excellent, local mental health counselors, therapists, and resources, if you’re looking for a therapy option completely online — available in as little as 24 hours, and at a 25% off discount — BetterHelp can, well, help.
Character Study, a new bar from the owners of Little Jumbo that will offer literature-themed libations, is set to open at 797 Haywood Rd. by the end of August. Look forward to sliding into one of the bar’s reading nooks with a book provided by Bagatelle Books and a daily classic cocktail special. (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Opening
Asheville Sandwich Company announced that it will reopen in early August at a new location near the airport at 330 Rockwood Rd., Ste. 103. Beyond the scrumptious, scratch-made sandwiches, it will include an ice cream shop with sweets and milkshakes.
Number
976. That’s how many Buncombe County households and businesses will receive access to high-speed internet thanks to the NC Department of Information Technology’s recent allocation of an additional $112 million for Completing Access to Broadband projects. Check out the proposal map.
Drink
A few local breweries took home hardware at the US Open Beer Championships. Hendersonville’s Oklawaha Brewing Co. earned a gold medal for its Weekend Joe imperial stout, Whistle Hop Brewing took home bronze for its Banana Wheat, and Wicked Weed scored multiple medals for its fruit IPA and barrel-aged fruited sours.
Sports
The 2024 USA Cycling Gravity Mountain Bike National Championships are returning to Ride Rock Creek, a downhill bike park near Hendersonville. From Wednesday, July 31 to Sunday, Aug. 4, watch pro + amateur mountain bikers compete in downhill, dual slalom, and enduro events, enjoy food vendors, and catch the Red Bull jump contest. Admission is free.
Learn
Old Fort’s Mountain Gateway Museum is hosting the traveling exhibit, “Douglas Ellington: Asheville’s Boomtown Architect,” through late January. Originally from the Asheville Museum of History, the exhibit guides you through Ellington’s art deco masterpieces in Asheville and beyond.
State
Do you have a vision for NC state parks? Let your voice be heard by taking a quick survey to inform a draft of the 2025-2030 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, which will guide state departments in addressing recreation needs for the next five years. The survey closes Friday, Aug. 30.
Biz
This local company recently earned the prestigious “Million Hour Award” from The North Carolina Department of Labor for one million hours worked without a lost-time incident. Can you guess the biz? (Hint: they’re employee-owned.)*
Being in the newsletter biz, we read a lot of emails.One we especially enjoy: The Daily Upside. It’s all about the latest stock market news, with no bull, so you can be smarter about your investments. Give it a try (for free).*
Finance
Have outstanding credit card debt? A new 0% intro APR credit card could help ease the pressure while you pay down your balances. Credit card experts identified this top credit card for anyone looking to pay down debt. (Plus, earn up to 20,000 miles after spending $500 in three months.)*
Patten on the court at the 2023 Cary Challenger. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons
From the Land of the Sky to London. A former UNC Asheville athlete is making headlines after winning at Wimbledon this past weekend. Henry Patten and his partner Harri Heliovaara defeated the Australian team of Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson 6-7 (7), 7-6 (8), 7-6 (11-9)in a nail-biting men’s doubles match.
What makes this win even sweeter is that Patten and Heliovaara were unseeded — which means they weren’t ranked in the top 16 teams by the organizers — making this the first unseeded team win since 2014. Watch the highlights to see the duo emerge victorious.
The 28-year-old Brit began playing for UNC Asheville in 2016, where he picked up three Big South Player of the Year titles and was the NCAA’s No. 1 ranked doubles player, before going pro in 2020. This has been a banner year for Patten, racking up some of his career’s biggest titles, including at the Grand Prix Hassan II and Lyon Open alongside Heliovaara.
A Blackstone flat top gas griddle that’s $55 off for Prime Day. Ditch the grill grates and whip up meals like eggs, pancakes, and smash burgers for the whole family using this outdoor griddle’s 28-inch flat cooking top.
I’m hoping my years of practice on Mario Kart Wii will transfer to Mario Kart 64, because this Sunday, July 21, at 7 p.m., The Golden Pineapple is hosting its first Mario Kart 64 Tournament. The stakes are high, with an Orbit DVD gift card (and bragging rights) on the line. I call Yoshi.
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