• What’s Shaking? Music + Dance Party | Saturday, Sept. 7 | 3-4 p.m. | Sweeten Creek Brewing | Free | Let the little ones dance, play, and jam out to Mr. Ryan’s original poems, songs, and classic covers.
• Symphony in the Park | Saturday, Sept. 7 | 7 p.m. | Pack Square Park | Free | Spread your blanket or pull up a camp chair for everything from classical compositions to pop hits.
• Pierogi House | Sunday, Sept. 8 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Botanist & Barrel Tasting Bar + Bottle Shop | $5 reservation | Dine on a special brunch of pierogis from Chefs Erin and David of Friends and Neighbors.
• Bearly Hanging On | Sunday, Sept. 8 | 6:30 p.m. | Catawba Brewing | $15-$18 | Enjoy an evening of laughs while you support local folks who were recently displaced by a family of bears.

• “Caddyshack” Party and Mini Golf Tournament | Wednesday, Sept. 11 | 4-9 p.m. | Salt Face Mule Brewing Co. | $0-$40 | Step back in time to the 1980s with movies, music, a record shop pop-up, and themed mini golf.
• The Campfireball: JOY! | Thursday, Sept. 12 | 7-9:30 p.m. | Story Parlor | $10-$15 | Immerse yourself in this part game show, part storytelling, part theater experience that’s built around the audience.
• Estate Beer Dinner | Friday, Sept. 13 | 6-9 p.m. | High Gravity | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | $125 | Celebrate flavor and sustainability with a five-course dinner showcasing food grown on the estate.

• 40+ carnival rides
• Craft, gardening + dance competitions
• Local food trucks and vendors
• Livestock shows
• Regional music from the Mountain Music Festival
• Pig races, both running and swimming (oh yes, swimming pigs)
• Acrobatics and magic shows

• This week’s Labor Day holiday was the unofficial end of summer, so we think it’s time to start planning ahead for spooky season with our guide to some of the must-do fall events happening around Asheville.

• Beginning Friday, Sept. 13, Mother Ocean Seafood Market is rocking the boat by expanding its hours to include Friday and Saturday night dinners. The full menu (plus the seafood counter) will be available from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• Good neighbors become good friends (at least according to the theme song of a 1980s Australian soap opera). Next Saturday, Sept. 14, the Festival of Neighborhoods will take over Martin Luther King Jr. Park with games, food, music, and info about local government services + neighborhood organizations.

• The Asheville Butterfly Trail has officially spread its wings. Bee City USA Asheville and the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony last week, with two of the eventual 15+ butterfly stations taking flight. ICYMI, we hit the trail to meet the eastern tiger swallowtail.

• We’re in the mood for noods. Noodle Hole opened its doors in at 133 S. Main St. in Marshall, serving up donuts in the morning and noodles at night. 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)

• Literally carved out of the mountain, this solar-powered, off-grid home sits on 31+ acres bordering the Pisgah National Forest and is outfitted with ultra-sustainable features throughout. See inside.*

• The hardest conversations are often the most important. The YMCA is now offering free Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid training, a groundbreaking skills-based course that provides tools to help identify, understand, and respond to someone who might be struggling with mental health or substance abuse. Register for free.*

Finer fare

Rooftop views