Working like a dog

Puppy love

• Let’s Wrestle! | Thursday, Sept. 5 | 4:30-6 p.m. | Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center | $15 | Bring your kids ages 6-12 to learn the fundamentals of wrestling or build their skills + techniques.
• AVL Meetup’s Funding Your Next Deal | Thursday, Sept. 5 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | The Mule at Devil’s Foot Beverage | Free | Hear from financial + real estate experts on the ins and outs of traditional lending, private money, and funding strategies.
• Eulogy Movie Night | Thursday, Sept. 5 | 7 p.m. | Eulogy | Free | Nosh on popcorn, candy, and special cocktails while you watch a 1988 movie that will make your millennium.

• Afrolachia Comedy | Friday, Sept. 6 | 7-9 p.m. | Catawba Brewing Company | $18-$23 | Laugh along to stories and sets from the unique comic voices of Black Appalachia.
• “Henry VI” | Friday, Sept. 6-Sunday, Sept. 22 | 7:30 p.m. | Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre | Free | Pull up a camp chair or spread your blanket for part two of the play whose history inspired “Game of Thrones.”

• River Snorkeling | Saturday, Sept. 7, Wednesday, Sept. 11 | Times vary | Recreation Park | $10-$20 | Experience the world under the surface of our mountain rivers — advance registration is required.
• Boyband Ballet Class | Saturday, Sept. 7 | 6:30-7:30 p.m. | In His Steps | $10 | Learn simple ballet moves and stretches from Wildflower Movement while jamming to throwback hits from the Backstreet Boys, One Direction, and other favorites.

• Frock of Ages Drag Show | Sunday, Sept. 8 | 1 p.m. | New Belgium Brewing | Free entry | Get ready to rock with classic jams and electrifying drag performers — proceeds benefit Asheville Poverty Initiative.
• Group Reiki + Acupuncture Healing | Sunday, Sept. 8 | 4:30-6 p.m. | Haw Creek Commons | $40 | Connect with community as you search for healing and relaxation — bring a yoga mat, blanket, or anything that will keep you comfortable on the floor.

• Violin Recital with Alexi Kenney | Tuesday, Sept. 17 | 7 p.m. | See Kenney perform his groundbreaking recital, Shifting Ground, solo.
• Masterworks 1: Echoes | Saturday, Sept. 21 | 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. | Kick off the Masterworks Series with Kenney and the full might of the Asheville Symphony Orchestra featuring works by Bacewicz, Sibelius, and Dvořák.

• Provisions Mercantile announced that it will be closing its Biltmore Village shop and moving the inventory to the West Asheville location on Haywood Road. The last day of business for the Biltmore Village location is this Saturday, Sept. 7.

• Rad Run Club is up and running. In August, the River Arts District group launched its weekly dog-friendly runs on Thursdays at 6 p.m. at The Radical Hotel’s After/Glow. Pro tip: If this time and place doesn’t suit your regimen, these other groups will help you go the distance.

• Applications are now open for the remaining five representative seats in the Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care, which develops + oversees local services to support unhoused residents and resolve occurrences of homelessness. See which seats need filling, and apply by Friday, Sept. 20.

• The Pigs & a Blanket Fest is back for its second year on Saturday, Sept. 21. Hosted by Misfit Mountain, the event will feature pig yoga, pig pen tours, art, food trucks, vendors, camping — and, of course, support for the rescue’s animal residents. RSVP before you go hog wild.

• We won’t beat around the bush (or tree, maybe) — the City of Asheville is beginning a comprehensive tree inventory as part of the Urban Forest Master Plan. Arborists will examine certain trees to record their species, size, and condition to help maintain tree health and inform decisionmaking.

• At its Tuesday, Sept. 3 meeting, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approved a funding match allocation of $411,408 for NC’s Completing Access to Broadband program. The funds, which were reallocated from ARPA and Medicaid Hold-Harmless funds, will support broadband infrastructure expansion.

• Making the arts as easy as ABC. ArtsAVL announced the 20 recipients of the Arts Build Community (ABC) grants, which support community-based arts programs. The awardees, including Hood Huggers Foundation and Asheville Puppetry Alliance, work to build connections and empower communities through the arts.

• The Board of Commissioners approved the adoption of the 2025 Schedule of Values, which informs the methods and procedures used to value property until the next countywide reappraisal. The schedule establishes rules, terminology, categories, and classifications for county property appraisal. The public can appeal through Thursday, Oct. 3.

• On Tuesday, Sept. 17, the Buncombe County Commission will vote on a $3.6 million funding request to maintain current capacity in local homeless shelters and bring in 18 new beds. The projects include new and preserved beds for Safe Shelter and Haywood Street Respite and preserved space for the Salvation Army. (Asheville Citizen-Times)

• We crunched the numbers and compiled your official AVLtoday’s Best nominees. Now comes the fun part: voting. Now through Friday, Sept. 20, you can vote for your favorites in each category. Winners will be announced Friday, October 4.

• It’s official — McCormick Field broke ground last Wednesday for a major $38.5 renovation project that will transform the site into an upgraded baseball stadium + year-round, multipurpose facility. Get the deets on the upgrades to be excited about.*

• Only you can learn about forest fires (at least, we think that was the catchphrase). Buncombe County Libraries are celebrating Smokey Bear’s 80th birthday with a reading challenge for the little ones. Beginning Tuesday, Sept. 17 and running through Saturday, Nov. 16, pick up an activity sheet to earn badges + get prizes.*

• Not going to lie; we’ve always wanted a sunroom to curl up in. That’s why we’re loving this adorable 2-bed, 2-bath Black Creek condo that includes a detached garage + retro wood fireplace. Check out all 20+ photos.*

• Women Entrepreneurs Panels | Monday, Sept. 9-Friday, Sept. 13 | 4-6 p.m. | Mad Genius Studios | Free | There’s a special panel (and happy hour) each evening of the week, covering everything from leadership to financial resources.
• Corporate Innovation Summit | Thursday, Sept. 12 | 8:30- 11 a.m. | Sherrill Center at UNC Asheville | $65 | The headlining event will feature expert insight from John Lowe, managing director of Amok Consumer Growth Fund and former CEO of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, and Jordan LaFlure, executive editor of The Onion.
• High School Pitch Competition | Saturday, Sept. 14 | 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. | Mars Hill University | Free | Support budding entrepreneurs as they pitch their plans to an expert panel and get community feedback (that’s you).