Plus, more road closures on the weekend horizon.
 
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Today’s Forecast

87º | 60% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:39 a.m. | Sunset 8:32 p.m.
 

A Message From Our Team
Are you a local business owner? It’s time to brag on yourself. We want you to nominate your biz for AVLtoday’s Best. If you’re feeling extra generous, nominate your fellow movers and shakers. Nominations are due Friday, August 16 and voting begins Monday, September 2.
 

🎤 Tom Segura makes a stop in Asheville

Tom Segura’s “Come Together” tour makes a stop at the Asheville Comedy Festival
Tom Segura performing on stage
Tom Segura boasts four Netflix specials (plus, one upcoming). | Photo by Shaun Nix
The Asheville Comedy Festival has been commanding local stages for 15 years. Nearly 700 comedians have stepped into its spotlight to offer their hilarious anecdotes, witty yarns, and amusing musings to eager audiences. And as the festival enters its 16th year, it’s called on a comedy colossus to lead the lineup. Tom Segura is at the festival helm.

The seasoned stand-up comic, author, actor, and podcast host is stopping by Harrah’s Cherokee Center on Wednesday, Aug. 7 as part of his “Come Together” tour. After a year and a half of working on this set, Segura will certainly deliver on the charismatic, likable dark comedy he’s known for. But following a world tour in 2022 that included 300+ cities, he’s scaled back the numbers.

“We’re doing really big shows,” said Segura, “but we’re doing it with enthusiastic crowds. Then my energy is way up, because I’m not burned out from touring too aggressively.”

Even with fewer cities to see, the time to explore on these tours is limited. But Segura is no stranger to Asheville. Not only has he visited several times for previous tours, the comedian attended college at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, NC — which inevitably brought him here.

“If you’re in college in Carolina, at some point you’re like, ‘We got to go to Asheville,” he said. “And I enjoyed the past tour experiences there. It has its own vibe.”

But just don’t ask him where he likes to go in the city — with so much touring, that’s a hard thing to remember. “I believe I recall going on some trail to a waterfall. And I had a good breakfast. Those are my two memories.”

Whatever that waterfall hike was (we might have some ideas) or wherever that good breakfast was made (we’ve got opinions on that, too), Segura is ready to return. “I can’t wait to come. I think it’s gonna be a lot of fun.”
Don't miss the rest of the talent
Asked

If Tom Segura could choose the panel of his own Comedy Central Roast, which of these comedians would he book?
We asked him this question, so Google won’t help you now.

A. Shane Gillis
B. Nikki Glaser
C. Ali Wong
D. Bill Burr
Pick the Roastmaster
 
Events
Friday, Aug. 2
  • Brent Terhune | Friday, Aug. 2 | 7 p.m. | Catawba Brewing Company, 32 Banks Ave., Asheville | $18 | See the funny side of the news with a comedian who’s been described as a “blue-collar Colbert Report.”
  • FitVerse Montford | Friday, Aug. 2, Friday, Aug. 16 | 7-8 p.m. | Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Dr., Asheville | $15 | Take your exercise routine into the future with two virtual reality fitness sessions.
  • “Henry V” | Friday, Aug. 2-Sunday, Aug. 25 | 7:30 p.m. | Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, 92 Gay St., Asheville | Free | Take a seat for thrilling battles, international struggle, and regal transformation in one of Shakespeare’s most beloved histories.
Saturday, Aug. 3
  • Adult Water Aerobics | Saturday, Aug. 3 | 10-11 a.m. | Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St., Asheville | $0-$3 | Test the waters of wellness and work on your cardio, strength, and mood — folks who are 60+ can attend for free.
  • Yala Cultural Tour | Saturday, Aug. 3 | 12-2 p.m. | LEAF Global Arts, 19 Eagle St., Asheville | Free | Learn about the Ivory Coast from LEAF Ambassador Adama Dembele and a show of drumming, dancing, and stories.
  • Botticelli Babes | Saturday, Aug. 3 | 7-9 p.m. | Story Parlor, 227 Haywood Rd., Asheville | $15-$18 | Experience an interactive comedy about the untold stories of women whose names are known but whose voices were buried.
Sunday, Aug. 4
  • Steve Lapointe | Sunday, Aug. 4 | 2-4 p.m. | Asheville Art Museum, 2 S. Pack Square, Asheville | Free with admission | Bask in the beautiful music of the American songbook while you enjoy the art.
  • Best of Carolina Wedding Show: Asheville | Sunday, Aug. 4 | 1-4 p.m. | Highland Brewing Company, 12 Old Charlotte Hwy., Ste. 200, Asheville | Free | This one-of-a-kind wedding planning event is packed with interactive experiences, 1:1 vendor connections, samples, swag, photo stations, and more.*
Monday, Aug. 5
  • Improvise & Thrive | Monday, Aug. 5 | 6-8 p.m. | Hatch Coworking, 45 S. French Broad Ave., Ste. 170, Asheville | $15 | Drive your innovation and agility with improv’s outside-the-box thinking, challenge navigation, and disruptive questions.
Everybody's working for the weekend
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Pets

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News Notes
Regional
  • After opening for medical marijuana sales back in April, the Great Smoky Cannabis Co. in Cherokee announced that it will begin adult-use recreational marijuana sales to the public on Saturday, Sept. 7. Recreational use was legalized on the Qualla Boundary by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in June. (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Traffic
  • We’ve officially run out of traffic puns for all these I-40 closures. But nevertheless, there’s another on its way this weekend. From 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 2 to 6 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 5, I-40 East will be closed from Exit 46B to Exit 50. Scout out the detours.
Civic
  • Submissions are in for Buncombe County’s “I Voted” sticker design contest, and now it’s time to visit the virtual polls. There are 69 entries to choose from, all created by local kids + teens. We’ll see what sticks when the winner is announced on Tuesday, Aug. 20. Cast your vote.
Traffic
  • Beep, beep — speaking of closures. Beginning this Monday, Aug. 5, three lanes of Patton Avenue will be closed from South Ann Street to North French Broad, reducing the road to one eastbound lane. The lanes will be closed 24 hours a day, but no end date was shared.
Eat
  • It’s a recipe for success. On Monday, Aug. 26 in Durham, Chef Terri Terrell, representing The Utopian Seed Project, and Chef Jill Wasilewski, owner of Ivory Road, will advance to the finals of the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association Chef Showdown in the Savory Chef and Pastry Chef categories, respectively. (Asheville Citizen-Times)
History
  • The Blue Ridge Music Center and North Carolina Arts Foundation will host an information session on the Historic Asheville Sessions project that celebrates recordings made by OKeh General Phonograph Corporation in WNC’s summer of 1925. Learn about the project on Thursday, Aug. 15 at Citizen Vinyl.
Plan Ahead
  • Erin Brockovich, who was instrumental in building the famous groundwater contamination case against PG&E (and for being played by Julia Roberts), will headline the AIA Aspire Conference, taking place Sunday, Sept. 15-Tuesday, Sept. 17. The conference will also include sessions, tours + events about climate science and sustainability.
 
Civic

🥬 Bountiful Cities takes food policy action

Bountiful Cities joins the City of Asheville’s Food Policy Action Plan
Four children garden vegetables with nonprofit Bountiful Cities
The nonprofit’s programs aid communities’ food sovereignty. | Photo via Bountiful Cities
The City of Asheville’s Food Policy Action Plan just keeps on growing. At the Tuesday, July 23 meeting, the Asheville City Council approved an agreement with food security nonprofit Bountiful Cities for the organization to administer programs and activities to support the plan.

But since the Food Policy Action Plan was re-established back in 2017, we figured it’s a good time to reintroduce you and plant the seeds of future steps.

The plan establishes seven focus areas, like community food education, emergency preparedness, and food production, centered on increasing residents’ access to nutritious food. The plan also included Asheville’s Bee City, USA designation, to support healthy ecosystems.
    Although information has not yet been shared about which initiatives Bountiful Cities will be responsible for, it has aligned programs like the Community Garden Network and FEAST Cooking and Garden Education. It will join the Asheville Buncombe Food Policy Council and Asheville GreenWorks, which are already involved with the plan. In the meantime, you can get involved too.
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    The Wrap
     
    Molly Wilson.jpeg

    Today’s edition by:
    Molly
    From the editor
    The Olympics may be nearly half way over, but if you’re still feeling the competitive spirit, you’ve got another chance to go for gold. The Whale is hosting its own games — with an Asheville-appropriate twist. There’s no swimming, running, or pole vaulting involved (luckily, because I have exactly no athletic talent to speak of). Instead, the Beer Pong Olympics will test your aiming and drinking skills. So grab a partner and compete for a chance to join the pantheon of WNC Olympians (or at least an alcohol-fueled version of it) on Sunday, Aug. 11.
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