Pickleball courts are being constructed in the current parking lot area. | Photo by AVLtoday
Incoming:Ace & Eagle is here to help you with your swing and your serve. The new sports club has partnered with Hi-Wire’s RAD Beer Garden to bring four to six golf and multi-sport simulators and three full-size outdoor pickleball courts to the taproom.
The virtual reality gear should be ready for play by mid-September, with the potential for the pickleball courts to open up even sooner, according to co-owner Nick Hinton.
Beyond playing a casual game of pickleball with friends or working on your drive solo, Ace & Eagle plans to offer leagues and challenges — think: closest to the pin or longest drive. The sports club will also serve as a place to catch a weekend football or basketball game and sip on a cold beer.
Memberships to the club will be dropping soon, including deals from Hi-Wire, guaranteed simulator or court time, and even access to a real-life Ace & Eagle golf tournament at the Country Club of Asheville. There will also be hourly play available.
Sauna and Sound Bath | 7-9 p.m. | Sauna House | $55+ | This immersive sound journey invites you to unwind, restore balance, and sink into deep relaxation during your two-hour bathhouse visit.
Thursday, July 31
Statem!nt Asheville | Thursday, July 31-Sunday, Aug. 3 | Times vary | WNC Ag Center - Boone Building | Free | Shop hundreds of fashionistas’ closets all in one place during this four-day consignment event.
Asheville Tourists Blood Drive | 11 a.m. | McCormick Field | Free | Donate blood with the Tourists to save lives + receive an Appalachia Strong T-shirt and two tickets to a home game.*
Friday, Aug. 1
STS9 | Friday, Aug. 1-Saturday, Aug. 2 | 5:30 p.m. | Asheville Yards | $66+ | The instrumental band bridges rock and electronic genres with influences spanning from funk and jazz, drum to psychedelia and hip hop.
Push Skateshop x Horse + Hero | 7-10 p.m. | Push Skateshop Gallery | Free | The two local favs are coming together to exhibit the imaginative art of 20+ creatives, including Kaleb Duggan, Kyndra Sweep, and Julie Armbruster.
Saturday, Aug. 2
Leo Pool Party | 1 p.m. | Aloft Asheville Downtown | $20 | The hotel is teaming up with One World Brewing for this 21+ summer bash with poolside cocktails, astrology readings, and live DJs.
High August Swashbuckle | 2-8 p.m. | The Mule | Free | Ahoy, mateys — get in costume and set sail for an afternoon of sea shanties, water games, rum cocktails, and photos with the life-sized pirate ship.
Sunday, Aug. 3
All Arts Open Mic | 5:30-9 p.m. | Story Parlor | Free | The first Sunday of each month, prepare to perform a five-minute original piece in the medium of your choosing — or sit back and enjoy the art.
Marquee has welcomed “Wire Man” to the RAD. The big, aluminum-wrapped statue made the move from its former home outside a gallery on Hendersonville’s Church Street. Go see him posted up outside the soon-to-reopen art market. (828 News Now)
Eat
A group of Asheville chefs is popularizing an uncommon yet abundant protein source — cicadas. On Sunday, Aug. 24, chefs from Taqueria Rosita, Luminosa, The Rhu, and more will serve a six-course dinner made with the six-legged insects. Dig into the story of how this dinner came to be. (Mountain Xpress)
Development
In late June, property near the East Asheville Walmart was sold to an Atlanta-based firm for nearly $22 million. The strip mall currently contains a PetSmart, Great Clips, Kohl’s, and a nail salon. While plans for the buildings’ future haven’t been shared, the land is “rezoned for future redevelopment by the city.” (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Try This
Utopian Seed Project’s Trial to Table series returns to The Mule on Saturday, Aug. 16. Local chefs from Sand Hill Kitchen, Paperhouse Pizza, Chai Pani, and more will create delicious dishes using the trial crops grown by the Project. If you can’t make it, don’t fret — it’s only the first of three events.
Award
The Land of Sky Regional Council (LOSRC) earned three National Association of Development Organizations awards for three of its initiatives: The Remembrance Project, Energy and Communications After A Storm, and Senior Companion Program Caregiver Project. The LOSRC is a multi-county planning org that consults local government to administer projects.
Number
$268,000. That’s the amount of grant funds Mountain Housing Opportunities received from the Soulshine benefit concert that was held in November of last year. Funds will support MHO’s Essential Home Repair program, which has already served more than 140 families in 2025.
Featured Apartment
Want to live where nature meets convenience? Enter: The Hominy Apartments, a new community featuring a private disc golf course + nearby spots for fishing, tubing, and hiking. Psst… It’s just a short drive to downtown Asheville, so you get the best of both worlds. Take a peek.*
Job
Are you the one we’re looking for? We’re on the hunt for a sales-driven leader to help us land significant brand partnerships at a national scale as a Sales Executive. From a competitive benefits package to 401k matching, we’re a pretty amazing company to work for. Join our team + apply today.
Biz
Connect with our 76,800+ Instagram followers by partnering with AVLtoday for a sponsored social post. Choose between our feed or story placements — or why not both? Explore even more advertising opportunities with us + elevate your brand’s reach.
Travel
Psst — You’re making flying too complicated. Sign up for Going and get emailed when flights to your dream destination are up to 90% off.*
Trending
Just dropped: limited edition colors of Bissell’s viral carpet cleaner, the Little Green Machine. Get all the stain-removing, deep-cleaning action in purple or in blue.*
Category
City
Three nights of jamming amount to...
The Southern rock jam band lit up the stage. | Photo by Steve Atkins
$8 million. That’s how much direct spending Widespread Panic brought to the Asheville area during their three-night run at Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville.
According to Explore Asheville, the band brought in 19,000 attendees, with 81% of concert-goers coming from out of town — and apparently, not all from close by. Attendees traveled from 49 states, six Canadian provinces, and three different countries to see Widespread Panic.
Furthermore, the shows raised more than $32,000 for local nonprofits through the venue’s Community Give Back program.
If you didn’t get to see the band in action, you can get in on the hype by watching some of their electric tributes to Ozzy Osbourne, which they performed each night, closing out the weekend with a rendition of “War Pigs.”
The next residency at Harrah’s Cherokee Center comes from viral comic LeAnne Morgan, who will perform four sets the weekend of Saturday, Aug. 23.
Games
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.
The Whale’s South Slope location is turning one this weekend, so a big beach bash is in order. Head to the beer bar this Saturday, Aug. 2 for tropical brews and cocktails, surf rock from The Yard Sails, and Ono poke bowls.
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