Jack Greig was traded from the BC Icemen to the Smoke in the 99-00 season. | Photo via @jackgreighockey
The NHL draft was this weekend — and you might be thinking, “ok, but what does this have to do with Asheville?” Or you might be reminiscing on the days of the Asheville Smoke, our city’s professional (albeit minor league) ice hockey team. The Asheville Smoke played in the United Hockey League from 1998 to 2002 and garnered a fan base that’s still active today.
Before relocating to Asheville in 1998, the team was known as the Brantford Smoke and played in Brantford, Ontario, from 1991–92 until 1997–98. Once the team relocated, home games were played on the ice skating rink (RIP) at what’s now known as Harrah’s Cherokee Center - Asheville.
So what happened to the Smoke? Despite starting off strong — averaging over 3,000 fans during its first two seasons and having Wayne Gretzky’s brother, Keith, as their coach from 1998 to 2000 — the team was active here for less than five years.
Tarot Club | 7-9 p.m. | The Well | $20 | Tarot practitioner, author, deck creator, and artist Rebecca leads this monthly meetup, where folks of all levels and interests in tarot reading are invited to study new methods and practices.
Wednesday, July 2
Ukulele Lessons | Wednesday, July 2, Wednesday, July 16 | 5-8 p.m. | East Asheville Library | Free, RSVP | Sign up to learn to strum the four-string instrument with the Asheville Ukulele Society — lessons are from 5-5:45 p.m. with a jam session afterwards.
“The Last Wide Open” | Wednesday, July 2-Saturday, July 12 | Times vary | North Carolina Stage Company | $24+ | The musical is described as the love child of “Sliding Doors” and “When Harry Met Sally,” guiding you through three alternate realities of this romance.
Thursday, July 3
Double Trouble: Great Works for Two Violins and Piano | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Asheville Art Museum | $25 | Explore the museum before the concert, then sit back and take in the intricate interplay between the two violinists and the pianist.
Friday, July 4
Monster Wave: 4th of GHOUL-Y Bash | 7-10 p.m. | Fitz and the Wolfe | Free | It’s a haunted holiday show with the eerie surf rock band.
Saturday, July 5
Tomato Pop-Up with Chefs Brooke and Mal | 2-7 p.m. | Addison Farms Vineyard, Leicester | Price of purchase | Chefs Brooke Adams and Mallory Foster are serving up a southern, scratch-made menu that’s all about the heirlooms, with classics like tomato sandwiches.
Shindig on the Green | Saturday, July 5-Saturday, Aug. 23 | 7-10 p.m. | Pack Square Park | Free | “Along about sundown,” friends, family, and instruments will come together for weekly jam sessions and a show in Pack Square Park for the Shindig’s 59th season.
Mission Pizza, the Roman-style pizzeria inside Terra Nova Brewing Co., will serve its last slice on Saturday, July 12. The brewery will stay open downtown — its Swannanoa location recently brought Root Down on as the on-site food partner.
Concert
The outdoor concert series Groovin’ on Grovemont is movin’ and groovin’ back to Grovemont Park this summer. Grab your lawn chairs for the first show on Tuesday, July 8 at 6 p.m. — Hearts Gone South will turn the park into a classic country honky tonk. The shows are free, but donations will support community nonprofits.
Opening
Retro Coffee is hosting a soft reopening this Friday, July 4 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., showing off its brand new look and celebrating with plenty of caffeine and treats from Back Porch Baking Co. The South Asheville shop has been closed for about a month for its glow-up.
Read
The Asheville Museum of History is now accepting nominations for the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award. The award was not given in 2024 due to Helene, so this year, works published between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2025 are eligible. David Joy’s “Those We Thought We Knew” won in 2023.
Biz
July is all about shopping local. The City of Asheville proclaimed July as Independent Retailer Month, and Go Local, the Merchants of Downtown Asheville, Explore Asheville, and more partners are encouraging you to shift 10% of what you’d normally spend at big box stores to local shops.
Active
Thinking about taking a dip this holiday weekend? Before you wade into any local waters, check The Swim Guide and French Broad Water Quality to see daily and weekly E. Coli test results from various areas along the French Broad River.
Arts
Registration for Asheville Zine Fest opens today, July 1. If you’re an interested independent artist or publisher, read up on how you can be a part of the Saturday, Sept. 27 festival.
Job
Southside Community Farm is hiring a Financial Administrator and Funding Director to oversee the nonprofit’s finances and funding strategies. Learn more and apply. Bonus: You can find more opportunities (or list open roles) on AVLtoday’s Jobs Board.
Sitting on a double lot in East Asheville (yes, the backyard is enormous), this creek-adjacent ranch-style gem is ready to become someone’s dream home.*
Plan Ahead
Hosting an event? Spread the word with AVLtoday. Explore our self-service ad portal to find the perfect fit for your budget — from standout banner ads to scroll-stopping social content. Promoting your event has never been easier.
Stat
100%. That’s Homebuddy’s no-clog guarantee on their premium, top-rated gutter guards. Get a free quote and join 410,000+ other homeowners who trust the maintenance-free gutter solution.*
Correction
Oops, the link we included for Wednesday’s Arbor Evenings performance at the NC Arboretum didn’t hit the right note. Here’s the correct lineup, featuring music from Chris Wilhelm and Holler & Crow.
Post of the Day
We’ve been saving up our beer money for this. After nine months rebuilding the beloved brewery, Zillicoah has announced its first post-Helene beer, available for drive-thru pick-up this weekend. Get all the deets on when and how to pick up the peachy IPA. Plus, as the post says, keep your mid-August calendars clear to be there for the brewery’s full reopening.
A ZlumberLock secure sheet holder. Say goodbye to tangled + bunched up sheets with this easy-to-install, patented product. It fits all sheet types and boasts a sleek, discreet design.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
Throughout the entire month of July, East Fork is hosting its Employee Makers Market, allowing the friendly faces of the shop to sell their gorgeous textiles, ceramics, and other artworks. Plus, artists get to keep 100% of the profits. Shop the market at East Fork’s downtown store.
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