Zelda’s legacy will be commemorated all week. | Photo courtesy of Smithsonian Institute
Get jazzed up to celebrate a 1920s icon and her connection to our community.
The 10th Annual Zelda Fitzgerald Week, presented by boutique hotel Zelda Dearest, will honor the writer + artist while diving into the creative world of Fitzgerald and her contemporaries.
Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald embodied the Jazz Age zeitgeist and became a symbol both in her own right and through her fictional depictions in the novels of her husband, F. Scott Fitzgerald.
From Monday, May 5 to Sunday, May 11, you can explore the life and work of a woman whose persona still enchants to this day.
Zelda’s Life in the South | Monday, May 5 | 6-8 p.m. | Free | Scholar and Executive Director of The Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald Museum, Alaina Dotten, will host the evening of storytelling, sharing tales of Zelda’s adventures across the South during her rebellious youth years.
Unraveling Zelda’s True Asheville Story | Tuesday, May 6 | 6-8 p.m. | Free | Author Maire Martello will defy and dissect the caricatures of Zelda that history has painted and dive deeply into overlooked stories of her life in Asheville.
Cheap and Trashy Comedy | 8 p.m. | VOWL Bar | $5 | Grab some grub from Boy Howdy and sip on a cheap drink special for this self-described “low brow” comedy show.
Thursday, May 1
“Death Comes To Play (A High-Stakes Comic Gothic)” | Thursday, May 1-Saturday, May 3 | 7:30-9 p.m. | The BeBe Theatre | $20 | An unexpected guest takes an intimate birthday party to unforeseen places in this over-the-top performance.
Funkatorium Grand Re-opening | 12-10 p.m. | The Funkatorium | Free | Celebrate the grand re-opening of The Funkatorium with beers, food, friends, and fun.*
Friday, May 2
Art Fashion Show + First Friday Art Celebration | 5-9 p.m. | Resurrection Studios Collective | Free | Artist and designer Kira Bursky will unveil her latest threads in a wearable art fashion show — be sure to check out her All Around Artsy pop-up shop after the show.
Art After Dark Market | 7-9 p.m. | rEvolve buy-sell-trade | Free | Shop funky jewelry and vibrant stained glass art at this night market, complete with music, drinks, tarot readings, and a photo booth.
Blue Ridge Orchestra’s 25th Anniversary Season Finale | Friday, May 2, Sunday, May 4 | Times vary | UNC Asheville, Lipinsky Auditorium | $20 | The Blue Ridge Orchestra will dazzle you with jazz and classical tunes — after all, they’ve been doing it for a quarter of a century.
Saturday, May 3
Dog Day Afternoon | 12-3 p.m. | Lake Julian Park, Arden | Free | Bring your pup to spoil them with treats from local dog-friendly vendors — or adopt your new best friend from a local pet rescue group.
Asheville Community Square Dance | 7-10 p.m. | Haw Creek Commons | $10 | Grab the fam for an evening of old-time square dancing and good eats from a local food truck.
Friday, May 9
Artisphere presented by Prisma Health | Friday, May 9-Sunday, May 11 | Hours vary | Main Street, Greenville, SC | Free | Enjoy a weekend in Greenville, SC, filled with live music, demos, street performers, hands-on workshops, local eats, and art from 140 vendors.*
“How Do We See Ourselves In Each Other?” is an evening of art + conversation at Asheville Art Museum that explores how long-established generational residents merge with newcomers to shape the future of our community, and our country.
Rite Rite, formerly known as Trade and Lore, will be closing its Wall Street location after nine years. Owners Essy and Logan Hatchett shared the news on Instagram, citing challenges surviving COVID and Helene’s aftermath. Show them some love before the final day of service this Sunday, May 4. The North Asheville location will stay open.
Announced
Creperie Bouchon will close temporarily. Owner Michel Baudouin shared that he’d been approached by a serious buyer to bring a new concept to the downtown spot. Stay tuned for more details, but in the meantime, sister restaurant RendezVous will remain open in East Asheville. (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Transit
Freight trains are arriving in Asheville once again. Seven months after Helene struck, the first freight train made its way from Knoxville to the Asheville rail yard last Friday — a major recovery milestone after railroad track construction wrapped up in late March. (Blue Ridge Public Radio)
Regional
Following months of recovery from Helene’s impact, Marshall and Hot Springs are eager to welcome visitors for their grand reopening. This weekend, from Thursday, May 1 through Sunday, May 4, show up and support local businesses with four jam-packed days of activities. Plus, get the lowdown on Hot Springs’ Town and Trail Fest.
Cause
This May, Asheville Habitat for Humanity volunteers will begin work on the 21st Women Build House in Arden’s Glenn Bridge neighborhood. Sign up to help build the affordable home with volunteer shifts available Tuesday-Saturday — no experience required. Plus, you can support the build by attending the nonprofit’s Saturday, May 17, fundraiser at The Mule.
Environment
Asheville GreenWorks wants your old books, batteries, appliances, and Styrofoam containers. Drop them off at AC Reynolds High School this Saturday, May 3, for the nonprofit’s Hard 2 Recycle event to keep the items out of the landfill. There’s even a handy guide for all accepted items and how to recycle them outside of the events.
Active
The Flying Bike has found a new home inside the Asheville Visitor Center. Its RAD shop was lost to Helene, but the e-bike tour company recently began rides once again. Book a tour to explore our city on two wheels.
Community
Buncombe County’s last remaining community care station at Owen Pool will close tonight, April 30, at 9 p.m. Following the closure, laundry and shower services will still be available. Find out how to access them.
Number
500+. That’s how many volunteers helped beautify the Pisgah Ranger District last weekend during Pisgah Project Day. The Pisgah Conservancy’s annual service opportunity is the largest volunteer day in the district — trails were rehabilitated, trees were planted, and Helene-damaged structures were replaced. Looking for more outdoorsy volunteer opportunities? Check out our guide.
Mapping out your summer travel plans? Perfect timing: Snag this travel credit card’s rare, limited-time welcome bonus to fuel your adventures — whether it’s luxuriating at a resort that could be seen in “The White Lotus,” or city-hopping to visit friends + fam.*
Featured Home
Filled with too many high-end features to list here (hardwood floors, electric fireplace, and quartz countertops, to name a few), this modern retreat near West Asheville is ready to become a forever home. See all 20+ pics.*
Pro Tip
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Biz
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Category
Pets
🦴 Bone appétit
Cheese and boiled chicken tacos make a delicious snack. | Photo by AVLtoday
You’re hungry as a hound, but you want to bring your pooch to the party. Go fetch a meal from one of these restaurants, which have dog menus or easy-to-order treats for your furry friend.
Twisted Laurel
Both the downtown and Weaverville locations offer pet-friendly patio seating. For a special doggie menu — including dishes like burgers, Brussels sprouts, scrambled eggs, trout, and ice cream — head downtown.
Taco Billy
Enjoy the shade of the covered patio, and let your furry friend join you at a picnic table. Order a build-your-own taco with boiled chicken and cheese for a special treat for your pup.
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It’s gonna be May. There’s plenty on the horizon, and we’re here to help you plan the month ahead with our full roundup of some of the biggest events happening in May. Make sure to bookmark the page for monthly updates.
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