#MUSTDO

Trivia

• Totally Rad Monday Night Trivia | Mon., June 14 | 6-8 p.m. | Highland Brewing Co. Taproom, 12 Old Charlotte Hwy., Suite 200 | Free | Round up to 6 of your friends for a night of brews + trivia. 🍻

Film

• Bicycle Film Festival Asheville #2 | Mon., June 14 | Available until 11:59 p.m. | Virtual | $10-20 | Support Asheville on Bikes + enjoy short films from the comfort of your own home. 🎥

TryThis

• Open Mic Night | Mon., June 14 | 7-9 p.m. | Oklawaha Brewing Co., 147 1st Ave. E. Hendersonville| Free | Calling all singers, songwriters, stand up comics, poets + more. 🎤 

Community

• Ben’s Friends Support Group |  Mon., June 14, | 10 a.m. | AB-Tech’s Culinary Arts & Hospitality School,  Magnolia Building, 30 Tech Dr. | Free | For those working in the food + beverage industry who are struggling with substance abuse + addiction. 

Edu

• Introduction to Grant Writing for Educators and Librarians | Mon., June 14, | 9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Virtual | $599 | Sharpen your grant writing skills + learn about the common components of the grant proposal process. 

PlanAhead

• $17 per Hour and Beyond Job Fair | Tues., June 15 | 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. | WNC Ag Center’s Virginia Boone Building, 761 Boylston Hwy | Free | Featuring jobs from employers from across WNC. 👔

FeaturedEvent

• A Midsummer Night’s Dream | Wed., June 16 | 7:70-9:45 p.m. | Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, 92 Gay Street | Suggested donation of $10-$15/person | The “LIVE! An Asheville Arts Benefit Series” presented by Asheville Area Arts Council kicks off with a performance of Montford Park Players’ A Midsummer Night's Dream. See the full series line-up. Ⓟ

Find more of the week’s local events in our June PlanAhead.

#AVLTODAY

NEWS NOTES

Weather

• 85º | Partly cloudy | 11% chance of rain

Civic

• Wanna get involved with the future of our city? The City of Asheville has vacancies for various Boards & Commissions that include the African-American Heritage Commission, Board of Electrical Examiners, Planning & Zoning Commission + more. Applications are open through Mon., July 12. 

State

• Gov. Cooper signed an executive order Friday extending the COVID-19 State of Emergency for NC — as well as state eviction prohibitions, some face covering requirements + unemployment insurance flexibility until July 30.

Holiday

• In honor of July 4, Lake Julian Park will offer fireworks, free fishing + family-friendly festivities throughout the day, along with a performance by local bluegrass band Supper Break. The park opens at 8 a.m. and the fireworks ceremony will begin at 9:15 p.m. 🎇

DYK

• While the Appalachian Trail has maintained much of what its originator, Benton McKaye, hoped it would hold, other aspects (like farm camps + communities along the trail) never came to fruition. Explore the nearly 2,200-mile footpath’s history here. ⛰️ (Smoky Mountain News)

Arts 

• Tomorrow is the last day for artists + designers to submit their Asheville-focused works in our Rep Your City Design Contest. The winning design (chosen by our readers) will be featured on products sold in The AVLtoday Shop, and the designer will take home up to $1,500. See details + submit your design.

Community 

• Are you having trouble paying your rent? Do you earn less than or equal to 50% of the area median income? If so, you may qualify for the NC HOPE program, which helps assist folks with rent payments for up to a year. Learn more about eligibility.  

Biz

• Cigar wrapper tobacco may be a promising replacement crop for regional tobacco farms, which have seen a 97% decline between 1997 and 2012. This premium tobacco commands up to $6 per pound — roughly triple the rate of traditional burley — and is increasingly being grown in WNC. (Mountain Xpress) 

Active

• The 14th Asheville Brewing Super Hero 5K/Super Villain 10K will take place September 11. To celebrate the local heroes who helped get us through the pandemic, agencies, orgs, and bizzes in Buncombe + nearby counties can take 20% off entry fees. Register through Thurs., Sept. 9. 👟

Legacy

• Former Asheville NAACP President and WRES radio founder Elder John Hayes has passed away. Hayes was known as a key leader in Asheville’s Black community, and is responsible for the creation of the Hillcrest Enrichment Program in the 1970s. (WLOS)

Coronavirus

• Check out the latest COVID-19 stats for NC from the Department of Health and Human Services here. As of day afternoon, 18,014 cases and 324 deaths have been reported in Buncombe County. See more Buncombe County-specific info here. 
• The Hola Asheville celebration will offer both COVID testing and vaccination clinics on Sat., June 19 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. in Pack Square Park. The walk up clinic will be free and will offer both the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. (Mountain Xpress) 

Job

• Calling all marketing gurus — we want you. 6AM City is hiring a Performance Marketing Specialist who has a proven track record of driving significant growth through the execution of paid digital marketing campaigns. Must be a self-starter and innovative problem-solver. Details + apply. 
• Sona Pharmacy is hiring a Pharmacy Associate to develop patient relationships, perform essential tasks, and be a valued member of their pharmacy team. See details and apply. Ⓟ

THE WRAP

A special shout out to Helen H., who wrote in and said this about her pickleball experience: "I have met so many new friends. Tons of fun events, lunches, pot lucks, and cocktails." Talk about a glowing endorsement.

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