• Watercolor 101 | Saturday, Aug. 24 | 3:30-5:30 p.m. | Art Garden AVL | $100 | Learn the foundational techniques, composition, and color selection to create your own Blue Ridge Mountain painting.
• Don’t Tell Comedy | Saturday, Aug. 24 | 7 p.m. | South Slope, TBA | $25 | Settle in for a show of hilarious unknowns — location and lineup will be revealed on the day of.
• Blind Date Live | Saturday, Aug. 24 | 8 p.m. | The Grey Eagle | $28 | Join this steamy summer show, where real local singles look for love — sight unseen.
• Junk-O-Rama Vintage Flea Market | Sunday, Aug. 25 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Fleetwood’s | Free | Find vintage clothing, crafts, antiques, and more from local vendors.
• Board Game Swap Meet | Sunday, Aug. 25 | 2-4 p.m. | Well Played Board Game Cafe | Free | Refresh your game collection and discover new favorites.
• Midway to Mardi Gras | Sunday, Aug. 25 | 2-5 p.m. | One World Brewing - West Asheville | $20 | Don your carnival gear for an afternoon of jazzy, bluesy music, Creole cuisine from Po’ Wagon food truck, and support for Asheville Mardi Gras.

• Taking Our Words Seriously | Wednesday, Aug. 28 | 6:30-9 p.m. | Story Parlor | $7-$20 | Write, share, and learn the value of producing work within a community.
• Queer Open Mic | Thursday, Aug. 29 | 6-8 p.m. | Ginger’s Revenge | Free | Share your voice and talent for poetry, music, comedy, or performance art at this event hosted by Blue Ridge Pride.
• River Snorkeling | Friday, Aug. 30 | 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. | Outdoor Recreation Building in Recreation Park | $10-$20 | Experience the world under the surface of our mountain rivers — advance registration is required.

• Put a spin on your weekend with the 103.3 Asheville FM Record Fair. Enjoy music, food, and more than 30 vendors of vinyl records + collectible CDs at Harrah’s Cherokee Center tomorrow, Aug. 25. Pro tip: If you want to enter at 10 a.m., snag an early bird ticket.

• On Thursday, Sept. 12, the teams behind Chai Pani and Cúrate are coming together for Nourish & Nest, a ticketed dinner raising funds for the Haywood Street Community Development. The Haywood Street Congregation’s sister nonprofit plans to add 41 affordable apartments at 339 W. Haywood St.

• Get your pup working like a dog. K9 Workout, the mobile dog gym, is now rolling around Asheville. The climate-controlled van lets your dog run on slatmills as fast or as slow as they like so that they can have dedicated exercise time and build good habits. Bonus: The van comes directly to you.

• Reminder: Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. To keep up with important information like dates and deadlines, sample ballots, polling locations, and voter ID laws, check out this comprehensive guide from Buncombe County Election Services.

• Seize the day — DayTrip and Boy Howdy are now serving drinks and slinging burgers at 219 Amboy Rd. The coffee shop and bodega are still to come. Want to keep up with all the most recent restaurants and bars that are opening or closing in our area? Read more on our website.

• At AVLtoday, we love that we get to make the whole city of Asheville our office. If you’re looking for your next dream job, check out our guide to top employers and industries, or explore more places to work.

• It takes a village, as they say. As proud Ashevillians, we’re inspired by the contributions of our most tenured community members. Please join us in celebrating the legacies of those who have recently died. (Asheville Citizen-Times)

• Looking for a fab place (with all the amenities) to host your next event, party, retreat, or corporate gathering? Look no further. The Venue’s modern-rustic setting brings all the good vibes — plus a stress-free approach to planning with an on-site event coordinator, catering, in-house rentals + more. Make it happen.*

• We’re suckers for a good built-in bookshelf, and this 1920s West Asheville bungalow has not one but two floor-to-ceiling shelves on either side of the fireplace. Plus, back + front covered porches for curling up with your fave fall read.*

For the ones who want a night out on the town

• Get an elegant espresso martini at the cozy Times Bar & Coffee Shop, then catch an indie film at Fine Arts Theatre. Pro tip: If RAD is more your speed, opt instead for cocktails at Crucible and a film at Grail Moviehouse.
• Ya like jazz? 🐝 Mondays and Tuesdays are jazz night at Little Jumbo, and Asheville Jazz Collective plays at the Foundry Hotel every Wednesday night.

For the ones who like to play games (just not with your heart)

• Get to know each other over a drink, snack, and board game of your choice at Well Played Board Game Cafe.