Laid-back + low-key

Active + outdoorsy

• Bite Me AVL | Wednesday, Aug. 14-Sunday, Aug. 18 | Times vary | Various venues | $0-$149 | Experience the inaugural food festival with cooking classes, dinners, conversations, and workshops all over town.
• Pop-Up Yoga + Coffee | Wednesday, Aug. 14 | 9:30-10:30 a.m. | Cooperative Coffee Shop | $10-$20 | Enjoy a morning flow on the deck and stick around after for a coffee.
• Dungeons and Drafts | Wednesday, Aug. 14 | 6-9 p.m. | Ginger’s Revenge- Riverside Tasting Room | $20 | Embark on a quest with a company of adventurers and a drink in hand — premade characters will be available.

• Talewise Science Heroes | Thursday, Aug. 15 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Murphy-Oakley Community Center | Free, RSVP | Hunt for treasure deep in the jungle as the interactive performance fuses science and stories.
• Funky As Hell | Thursday, Aug. 15 | 8 p.m.-1 a.m. | Asheville Music Hall | $20-$25 | Celebrate the sounds of the original innovators of funk, like James Brown, Prince, PFunk, and Sly + The Family Stone.
• Cultivated Community Dinner Series ft. Chef Lay Alston | Thursday, Aug. 15 | 6 p.m. | Cultura | $125 | Enjoy a six-course tasting menu + beverage pairing at the latest Cultivated Community Dinner, featuring celebrated chef Lay Alston and hosted in partnership with the Bite Me Food Festival.*

• Sound of Life Storytelling Workshop | Friday, Aug. 16-Saturday, Aug. 17 | 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | The Event Space at Hi-Wire Brewing | $29-$79 | Ignite a passion for visual storytelling in this two-day workshop for journalists, students, digital producers, and investigators.
• Haunted History Tour | Friday, Aug. 16 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center, Black Mountain | $25-$30 | Travel the town’s storied streets to learn about the haunting and harrowing history of the Swannanoa Valley.

• Antique and Collectible Sale | Saturday, Aug. 17 | 9 a.m.-6 p.m. | Monte Vista Hotel Banquet Room, Black Mountain | Free | Explore an array of unique treasures, vintage finds, and hidden gems while you support the Swannanoa Valley Museum.
• Disney-Themed Drag Brunch | Saturday, Aug. 17 | 1 p.m. | Banks Ave. Bar | $25-$60 | Wish upon a star and step into a whole new world where Disney, dreams, and drag collide — proceeds benefit Pisgah Legal Services.

• Multiple downtown roads, on-street parking locations, and Pack Memorial Library are closed through tonight, Aug. 14, at 10 p.m. due to former President Donald Trump’s campaign event at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. ART Bus routes N3 and N4 will be detoured until midnight, missing several stops. See the closures.

• The Hop on Merrimon is temporarily closed after extensive water damage from a backed-up drain. The closure is expected to last around two weeks while repairs are made — but here’s the scoop. The other Hop locations and Pop Bubble Tea will still be open during that time.

• Gov. Roy Cooper announced all of North Carolina’s 99 eligible hospitals have agreed to participate in the state’s plan to relieve medical debt for millions of people. This first-in-the-nation program is set to impact families across the state. (WCNC)

• This local league has the championship in the pocket. This week, Arden-based Fat Cat’s Billiards sent 50 WNC pool players to the APA World Pool Championships in Las Vegas to aim for their big break. The players will compete among 16,000 other players from around the world. (WLOS)

• The Asheville City Council’s vote for phase one of AVL Unpaved, the plan to build natural surface multi-use trails around the city, has been postponed until November. If approved, the project will move forward with the French Broad River West and East Asheville/Azalea Park trails.

• Won’t you be my neighbor? The annual Festival of Neighborhoods is seeking volunteers for this year’s event on Saturday, Sept. 14. Sign up to lend a hand with supervising the kids’ inflatables, greeting attendees, or assisting with questions + directions. Then have some fun with food, games, and community.

• We’re shedding light on an energy assistance program. Through the Share the Light Fund, Duke Energy is offering more than $4.6 million in financial aid to eligible customers to help reduce their energy expenses. Learn more about getting or giving help through the program.

• Four Buncombe County organizations were among the recipients of the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina’s $40,000 in Cultural Resources grants. North Carolina Glass Center, Center for Craft, Local Cloth, and Open Hearts Art Center all received unrestricted $5,000 grants.

• Good news: Rates are expected to go down soon. Compare fixed-rate loans and HELOCs to find your best way to borrow — calculate your payment.*

• These THC gummies tap into the body’s endocannabinoid system and get you feeling right within five minutes. Get 20% off with code FIRST20.*^†

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