Beach Babes Standup Comedy Show
The Orange Peel
July 11, 8p-9:30pm
$18
Beach vibes in the mountain! Standup Comedy of Roman Fraden, featuring Cayla Clark, Zandra Johnson & Makenzie Manent. Guest spot by the Leah Garth. Hosted by Hilliary Begley

Beach Babes Standup Comedy Show brings the vibes to the mountains in the heart of downtown Asheville! Roman Fraden his not for the faint of heart. 18+
Roman is a Los Angeles-based comedian and a regular performer at classic Hollywood venues including The Comedy Store, The Laugh Factory, and The Hollywood Improv. He has trained with Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) Theatre, performed in various ensemble casts in film and on stage, and has opened for Mark Normand, Margaret Cho, and Patton Oswald. His one man show ‘Back In The Closet’ made it’s world premiere at Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2018. He currently is living in Asheville while still performing everywhere.
Host Hilliary Begley from NETFLIX & AMAZON PRIME, this beach babe will keep you laughing.
Featuring Cayla Clark from BLIND DATELIVE, who is very pregnant on this show but still one of the funniest people around (check out her famous instagram).
Also featuring comedy favorites Zandra Johnson & Makenzie Manent, with a guest spot by the always zany Leah Garth.

Shift into your parasympathetic nervous system with a healing Sound Bath! This shift helps the body lower your heart rate, relax muscles, and initiate healing processes.

Join your host Kristin Hillegas, for a one-hour Serenity Sound Bath and experience a deeply immersive, full-body sound and vibrational experience. A sound bath can cleanse your soul, restore your balance, surround you with peace and tranquility and stimulate healing.

Note: Please bring a yoga mat/pillow/blanket since you will be lying on the floor. Wear warm, comfortable, and flexible clothing.

The Sound Bath will take place upstairs in the Education Building. Choose your space starting at 12:45 PM, doors close promptly at 1:00 PM.

This service is being offered on a sliding scale of $10-20.

Accessible parking is available in the Center for Spiritual Living Asheville upper parking lot. The entrance to the upper parking lot is off of S. Bear Creek Rd between Science of Mind Way and Sand Hill Rd.
There is a boardwalk walk-way from the upper parking lot to the building entrance.

Elon Green presents The Man Nobody Killed, in conversation with Carrie Frye

THURSDAY JULY 31, 7:30Pm at The Orange Peel PULP
ENJOY standup comedy in a whole new way with picture and videos to go along with the fun in a bourbon bar comedy club! Hosted by Hilliary Begley from Netflix & Prime Video. Headliner Jordan Julius, winner of Slice Standup Comedy Contest. Featuring hot regional comics Sarah Love, Jason Reel & Lois Adjevi
FREE SNACKS, outside food ok!
Get you tix now, these shows sell out!

Standup Comedy Picture Show

In a world of noise, give yourself the gift of stillness. Realign your nervous system and rest in the sanctuary of peace.

Join your host Kristin Hillegas, for a one-hour Serenity Sound Bath and experience a deeply immersive, full-body sound and vibrational experience. A sound bath can cleanse your soul, restore your balance, surround you with peace and tranquility and stimulate healing.

Note: Please bring a yoga mat/pillow/blanket since you will be lying on the floor. Wear warm, comfortable, and flexible clothing.

The Sound Bath will take place upstairs in the Education Building. Choose your space starting at 1:00 PM, doors close promptly at 1:15 PM.

This Sound Bath is offered on a sliding scale of $10-20

Accessible parking is available in the Center for Spiritual Living Asheville upper parking lot. The entrance to the upper parking lot is off of S. Bear Creek Rd between Science of Mind Way and Sand Hill Rd.
There is a boardwalk from the upper parking lot to the building entrance.

Poet Quartet: Chris Arvidson, Andy Young, Caroline M. Mar, Paul Jones

We have another standup comedy contest, coming up on Thursday August 21! Come out for the fun as you pick your favorite comic of the night!! Audiences love these shows and tickets go fast!
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The Slice of Life Comedy Asheville Fall/Winter Standup Contest Series: ROUND 1
Thursday August 21, 7:30p-9:30p, doors at 6:30p
The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge
103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $17 (available at door or The Orange Peel website)
These shows sellout!
Hosted by Hilliary Begley from Netflix & Amazon Prime!
Cocktails available while you laugh the night away to some of the area’s best Stand Up Comics in a ridiculously fun adult environment!!
Free snacks while availability lasts! You may bring your own food in (no drinks)!
How it Works:
Comics on the show will do approximately 3-1/2m of comedy. This show’s 3 top comics will be brought back with other show winners to compete in our pageant finale, date TBD. Audience votes through paper ballots to be picked up and counted at end of show, winner will be announced.
Want to compete?
These spots go fast! There is no cost to performing comics. Comics should have 3-5m of material and be prepared for additional material in the event of a tie-breaker performance. Winners will be compensated for the night and move on to the finale.

Go to SliceofLifeComedy.com for more information. Contact Michele with any questions, or to sign up at [email protected]

Immerse yourself in the healing power of sound. This restorative Sound Bath is designed to clear energetic blocks, uplift your spirit, and elevate your vibration. Let the soothing frequencies of crystal bowls and sacred tones guide you into deep relaxation, alignment, and renewal. Step into your highest frequency—peace, clarity, and inner radiance await.

Join your host Kristin Hillegas, for a one-hour Serenity Sound Bath and experience a deeply immersive, full-body sound and vibrational experience.

Note: Please bring a yoga mat/pillow/blanket since you will be lying on the floor. Wear warm, comfortable, and flexible clothing.

The Sound Bath will take place upstairs in the Education Building. Choose your space starting at 6:15 PM, doors close promptly at 6:30 PM.

This service is on a sliding scale of $10-20

Accessible parking is available in the Center for Spiritual Living Asheville upper parking lot. The entrance to the upper parking lot is off of S. Bear Creek Rd between Science of Mind Way and Sand Hill Rd.
There is a boardwalk from the upper parking lot to the building entrance.

Join us for The Black Experience Book Club, a monthly gathering held every fourth Thursday at either the YMI Cultural Center’s Art Gallery or just around the corner at Noir Collective AVL. This community-centered series is hosted by alexandria ravenel, YMI’s Director of Community Engagement, and is designed to explore literature that centers the voices, histories, and futures of the African Diaspora.

For location details or to RSVP, please contact alexandria ravenel directly at [email protected].

Dig into Bullington Gardens’ Fall Plant Sale! Grab trees, shrubs, perennials, natives, and seasonal plants to spruce up your yard. Don’t let your garden be the only one on the block still growing last year’s weeds—join us this fall September 12-13, 9am-4pm.

Planning for the future can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Join us for a FREE WORKSHOP designed to help seniors and their families navigate the often-complex process of downsizing, relocating, and preparing for what’s next.

This event, held at the East Asheville Public Library, will provide guidance from professionals on a variety of topics to help make your next transition smooth and stress-free.

Refreshments will be provided!

Workshop Highlights
Financial Guidance from a Lender: Learn how lenders utilize a combination of your retirement income and assets to qualify you for a mortgage.

Legal Planning with an Estate Attorney: Get expert advice on key legal issues, including how to organize assets, taxes, and your beneficiary structure, as well as ensure the instructions for your death or medical circumstance are followed.

Practical Moving Tips from a Realtor: You are not alone! See how a Realtor can act as your personal “project manager” to make the transition stress-free.

Don’t miss this opportunity to get your questions answered by experts in the field. There will be a time for Q & A at the end! If you have questions that you would like addressed, include them in the appropriate area as your register.

This event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. Register to secure your spot.

Retreat leader, educator and Jungian psychotherapist Diana McKendree leads a discussion exploring the world of dreamwork and how we might better understand our dreams. Part of Kanuga’s Lunch & Learn series. The Thursday, September 18 event begins with a forest bathing nature walk (weather permitting) at 10 a.m. McKendree’s “What Did You Dream Last Night?” discussion begins at 11 a.m., followed by a buffet lunch in Kanuga’s dining hall. Bring a recent dream, notebook and pen. Registration and more info at kanuga.org/events.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, we saw the heart of the mountains. Neighbors became lifelines, and communities across the region rose together.

One year later, journalists from across the state are coming together to honor that resilience through the power of story.

Join us for an evening of stories and conversations about how we’ve helped one another, what we’ve lost, and what we’ve learned as our region continues to recover.

NC Local, in partnership with UNC Asheville and newsrooms across the state, is hosting this evening of connection and storytelling as part of UNC Asheville’s Post-Helene Symposium: “Remembering, Rebuilding and Reimagining.”

This free event is open to the public, but we ask you to register.

All Hallows’ Eve is a new Asheville children’s book about kids who dress in costume on Halloween and visit Riverside Cemetery to tell ghost stories and visit the graves of Asheville’s most prominent residents, including Thomas Wolfe, Isaac Dickson, George Masa, and O. Henry. Up in the clouds, they see the ghosts of Zelda Fitzgerald and the Pink Lady. Please join Dana and Chris at 3 pm, with special guest and main character: Adelaide the Witch, for a special reading of the story. Also, Constance Lombardo will be presenting her new children’s monster book, itty bitty Betty Blob Makes a Splash!
Kids love stories that are a little spooky. Come with us on an eerie adventure through Riverside Cemetery… if you dare!

Dark City LIT! A Literary Festival at the Black Mountain Public Library
105 N. Dougherty St. Black Mountain NC 28711

Saturday, November 8

Join us for the inaugural Dark City LIT! Literary Festival!

Write Local, Read Local Author Fair is back for its fourth year! 20 local authors will be handselling books from 9-11 a.m. and reading from their works from Noon to 1 p.m.

Free Workshops Follow:
1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
The Fun, Fascinating, and Fabulous World of Research with Dr. Susan Eischeid
In this engaging workshop, you’ll learn practical strategies for harnessing research—whether historical, personal, or primary sources—to elevate your fiction and non-fiction writing with vivid detail and universal resonance.

3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Publishing as Collective Practice with Andrew Mack of Loblolly Press
Discover how vibrant communities and collaborative efforts—from writers’ groups to small presses—are reviving literature today and leave with your own personalized “community map” to sustain your creative journey.

Followed by An Evening with Tessa Fontaine!
5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Author of The Electric Woman: A Memoir in Death-Defying Acts and The Red Grove, longlisted for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize. Tessa will be reading from her work and signing copies of her books.

The North Carolina Writers Network and The Brandy Bar + Cocktails present VIVIAN I BIKULEDGE & MICHAEL HETTICH as next in their series “In the Company of Writers”
The program offers a series of personal and conversational dialogues featuring guest writers/poets followed by an open mic forum. These inspirational gatherings will elucidate and entertain those attending. The guest authors speak from 7-8 PM with an open mic from 8 -9 PM. The original music of Bob Sherrill welcomes you, continues during intermission, and closes the evening. Sign-ups for the open mic sheet are posted at the entry.
Vivian I. Bikulege is a poet and essayist. Her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and has appeared in the North Carolina Literary Review, The Fourth River, and Broad River Review. A semi-finalist for the 2023 James Applewhite Prize, she also earned honorable mention in the 2022 Randall Jarrell Poetry Competition. Vivian was the 2022 Gilbert-Chappell emerging adult poet for western North Carolina under the mentorship of Ken Chamlee.

Carolina Memorial Sanctuary leads a conversation about death preparation, home funerals, and the cathartic act of participating in a loved one’s burial, Thurs. October 16 at Kanuga. Part of Kanuga’s Lunch & Learn series, the event begins with a forest bathing nature walk (weather permitting) at 10 a.m. followed by the Carolina Memorial Sanctuary presentation at 11 a.m. Enjoy a buffet lunch in Kanuga’s dining hall after the presentation. Cost: $20 (plus tax and fees). 471 Kanuga Chapel Dr. in Hendersonville. Registration and more info at kanuga.org/events.

Vote for your favorite comic of the night!!
The Slice of Life Comedy Asheville Fall/Winter Standup Contest – round 2
Thursday October 16, 7:30p-9:30p, doors at 6:30p
The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge
103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $17 (available at door or The Orange Peel website)
These shows sellout!
Hosted by Hilliary Begley from Netflix & Amazon Prime!
Cocktails available while you laugh the night away to some of the area’s best Stand Up Comics in a ridiculously fun adult environment!!
Free snacks while availability lasts! You may bring your own food in (no drinks)!
How it Works:
Audience votes thru ballot. Comics on the show will do 4 minutes of comedy. This show’s 3 top comics will be brought back with winners from round one to compete in our pageant finale, date TBA.
Want to compete? These limited spots go fast. Free to signup if room is still available. Contact Michele at [email protected]!

Pumpkin Fest is a fun, family friendly and fantastic artistic event or great date night with 18 beautiful artist-designed lighted carved pumpkin displays on a newly-paved short walking trail. The event includes talented local musicians, food trucks and coffee house, games, storytelling, face painting, white squirrel scavenger hunt, games, dress ups, and the Silvermont historic mansion and second floor museum open for tours.

Admission $7 per person (ages 13 and over), $5 ages 3-12, and 2 and under free. We accept cards, cash or check with ID.

Onsite parking cost is $5 per car (cash preferred). Free parking is available offsite on nearby streets and Comporium and church parking lots 1 block away. Handicap sticker- free parking onsite.

Join AVL Clay for a day of creativity, connection, and clay!
AVL Clay, Asheville’s new membership-based pottery studio, invites the community to its Grand Opening Open House on Sunday, October 26, 10 AM–1 PM at 4 Mulvaney St, Asheville.
Explore the beautifully restored 1920s studio along the Swannanoa River, meet founder Arleen Ferrara, and enjoy live pottery demos, guided tours, raffles, one-day-only class specials, and refreshments.
AVL Clay was founded to rebuild creative space lost after Hurricane Helene and to foster meaningful community through clay.
Free and open to all! Family-friendly, drop in anytime, and pets are welcome.

Asheville Vaudeville and special guest, Danbert Nobacon of the legendary anarcho-punk band, Chumbawamba, will collaborate in the upcoming installment of Asheville Vaudeville’s seasonal brunch time entertainment. The performance will feature Danbert Nobacon’s original acoustic music whilst a ragtag group of clowns and freaks come together to create an amusing array of mayhem and maybe even rescue democracy from the threat of a nefarious fascist regime by using their superpowers of comedy, comradery, common sense, sensuality, and an earnest exercising of their collective free-speech muscles. This is an 18+ show.

Jimmy X & Nan K. Chase launch How I Got You Your Ounce, with Marilyn Ball

The Black Mountain Public Library is excited to announce that registration is now open for the fourth annual “Write Local Read Local Author & Illustrator Fair” taking place Saturday, November 8, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
This beloved community event brings together authors, illustrators, and book lovers from across the Swannanoa Valley for a morning of conversation, connection, and creativity. Participants will have the opportunity to meet the public face-to-face, hand-sell their books, and share their stories in a welcoming, literary atmosphere.
The fair is more than just a book signing—it’s a celebration of the incredible talent in our valley and an invitation for our neighbors to discover and support it.
Each registered participant will receive table space for the drop-in event at no cost. Whether you’re an emerging author, an established illustrator, or somewhere in between, this is your chance to be part of the vibrant Swannanoa Valley literary community. (If you participated in the 2024 event, we ask you to wait until next year unless you have published work since 11/2024. We appreciate your understanding.)

Alabama Poets Garrett Ashley & Salaam Green to Headline Asheville Poetry Reading & Book Signing with Holiday Artisan Market

• Garrett Ashley – Author of A Field Guide to North American Trees (Good Printed Things / Loblolly Press, 2025) and Habitats (Loblolly Press, 2026). His limited-run chapbook features poems named after Southeastern trees, weaving ecological awareness with human transformation.
• Salaam Green – Birmingham’s first Poet Laureate (2024–2026), storyteller, and teaching artist. Her forthcoming collection The Other Revival (Pulley Press, Juneteenth 2025) excavates generational memory from the Wallace Plantation, uniting descendants of enslaved people and slaveholders through poetry as a tool for racial healing.

Tuesday, Nov. 18 @ 6pm ET

Join us in person at MALAPROP’S BOOKSTORE or streaming live online when Asheville-based writer Bill Kopp presents his new book, What’s the Big Idea: 30 Great Concept Albums, in conversation with Malaprop’s bookseller Patricia Furnish.

This is a free hybrid event with the option to attend in-store or online.
Copies of What’s the Big Idea will be available for purchase, and Bill Kopp will be on hand to sign them.

Join naturalist and educator, Jessie Wilder, for a thoughtful conversation on the benefits of living a place-based life, Thurs. November 20 at Kanuga. Part of Kanuga’s Lunch & Learn series, the event begins with a forest bathing nature walk (weather permitting) at 10 a.m. followed by the conversation with Jessie Wilder at 11 a.m. Enjoy a buffet lunch in Kanuga’s dining hall after the presentation. Cost: $20 (plus tax and fees=$24.74). KANUGA, 471 Kanuga Chapel Dr. in Hendersonville. Registration and more info at kanuga.org/events.

Event registration link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lunch-and-learn-discovering-a-sense-of-place-with-jessie-wilder-tickets-1849253971409

Details:
10–11AM, Forest Bathing with Aimee Bostwick: Join Aimee for a time to ground ourselves by engaging our senses and tuning into our relationship with Nature. Dress comfortably for the weather and be sure to wear comfortable shoes. We will end this time with a cup of tea and sharing.
11AM–12PM, Jessie Wilder on Sense of Place: Join us for a conversation with naturalist Jessie Wilder as she shares with us about our deep connection to place and how it forms us. Consider where you currently live and ask yourself this: I live here, but how much do I really know, love, and inhabit this place as home?
12–1:30PM, Lunch and Discussion in the Dining Hall