Asheville Grit

Cotton Mill Studios
This weekend, check out the official RAD Fall Studio Stroll, then head to the After-Party at the Cotton Mill! Plus a whole lot more. Presented by Grail Moviehouse.

Eclipse Screenshot
Ok, so it's technically not happening on the weekend, but we'd be remiss not to dedicate this weekend update to the Great American Solar Eclipse of 2017.

We checked out the local modular synthesizer company Make Noise, who will be presenting their new instrument and performing this Friday at the BMCM+AC.

Grandma
In the spirit of Mother’s Day, I’ve asked some of my favorite Asheville locals to share the best advice their mother ever gave them, and here is the beauty that unfolded.

NYC People's Climate March (2014). Photo: Alejandro Alvarez
The Dogwood Alliance and Asheville Grit invite you to Artists in Resistance, an event that will create a forest-themed banner for the National Climate March. Artists in Resistance happens on April 5th from 4-8 p.m. at the BLOCK off Biltmore in downtown Asheville.

Ali McGhee on Forest Friday
Dogwood Alliance spends some time outside, at Pisgah National Forest's Moore Cove Falls, with Asheville Grit editor Ali McGhee.

Fire Forest. Photo: Cameron Strandberg
Equal parts heartbreak and hope, Brad Kelly's "Morchella Eximia" is the Grand Prize Winner of our inaugural Asheville Grit/Dogwood Alliance Flash Writing Competition.

Suwanee River Live Oaks. Photo: Stewart Tomlinson
A testament to memory, longing, love, and identity, Audrey Amir's powerful "Etymology" is the first runner-up for our Asheville Grit/Dogwood Alliance Flash Writing Competition.

Corvallis and Eastern Railroad Logging Car. Source: Wiki Commons
Ryn Bradford Hayes shared her wonderful "Forests by Owl-Light" with us, and we chose is as the second runner-up for our Asheville Grit/Dogwood Alliance flash writing competition.

Snake Mountain at Sunset. Photo: Justin Lonas (2005)
Kathryn Keeper's gorgeous "Hypermetropia" is the third runner-up for our Asheville Grit/Dogwood Alliance flash writing competition.

Woods & Wilds. Source: Dogwood Alliance
Announcing this year's Dogwood Alliance + Asheville Grit Flash Writing Competition Winners and finalists! We'll publish one winning story a day, ending with our Grand Prize Winner!

The line-up. Pictured: Julie Hruska, Jeff Mason, Sean Illgen, Photo: Erin Fowler.
Asheville Grit and friends sampled six seasonal beers from stores around town. Which beer won our taste-off?

Lauryn Higgins
These are facts. Not thoughts and ideas conjured up in a liberal arts college classroom, but the harsh reality and wake-up call that our current food culture is destroying our planet and our bodies. And it's these facts and figures that made me rethink everything. So....guys. I am officially a vegan.

GritVegas Weekend Update October 10-13
Are you going out on the town this weekend? We have a few Asheville events to recommend!

The Elephant Hotel. Source: Daniel Case @ the English Language Wikipedia
Want to know how to shake off your tourist status in Asheville? Follow along with our helpful list!

The Mayor of Brewgrass and Entourage!
Were you at Brewgrass 2016? Did you stop by the photo booth? Check out our gallery of favorite shots!

Underground Sound
We have extended the submission deadline for our Underground Sound: The Path to Music Video Asheville contest until 11/15

Brewgrass
We've got a pair of tickets for Brewgrass 2016, happening Saturday, 9/17 at Memorial Stadium! To enter, like our page on Facebook and leave a comment on the story tagging the friend you'd want to bring!

Huzzah!
We've got your weekend on tap! Check out what Asheville has to offer in this edition of the Asheville GritVegas Weekend Update!

AVL Grit logo
Asheville Grit + Ashvegas are hiring! We're looking for an sales executive with a love for all things Asheville.

Underground Sound
Announcing the launch of our music video competition! Underground Sound: The Path to Music Video Asheville gives area musicians the chance to win $2500 towards a professionally-produced music video that will be automatically entered into the 2017 Music Video Asheville event! Open for entries now through September 15th.

GritVegas Weekend Update June 7-10
This weekend, beat the heat with these awesome events. Live music, benefits, fundraisers, and fashion shows are just a few of the options. What are you going to do?

Oh golly Miss Molly, did we ever have some fun at Beer City Festival this year! Asheville Grit + Ashvegas paired with Massive Photobooth to offer ridiculous amounts of fun. Here are the results!

Do you love all things about craft brews? Do you know the difference between Pale Ale and IPA? Are you ready for the beer adventure of a lifetime? Then you just might have what it takes to be Mayor Of Brewgrass!

From July 17-31, the LEAF Funky Cocktail Crawl is bringing the groove back to Asheville. Each participating restaurant or bar is competing to create the most far-out cocktail this side of funky town - and YOU get to determine who wins.

Domino
You heard me checking in and shouted that you followed me on Twitter and it was A Sweet Moment and made me feel like less of a sophomore at a senior dance, which is exactly what I acted like, not introducing myself.

Last Thursday Mother Nature came through with a beautiful evening as we celebrated a great year of Asheville Grit with fabulous people, food, music, and drinks at one of the coolest new spots in town - the Smoky Park Supper Club. Asheville sure knows how to party.

The Dave Rawlings Machine will be performing at The Orange Peel on April 24 with Gillian Welch, his partner in life and music for 20 years. They have played sold-out shows to appreciative audiences in Asheville over the past few years and return this week.

Ten Asheville bars created Icelandic-themed drinks to compete in the 2nd Annual Bar Wars AVL - a friendly cocktail competition that also benefits local nonprofits. There's still time to bop around and sample some, vote, and help determine who wins.

Looks like Asheville is finally starting to shake off the worst of the winter (hopefully?!) and it's time to get out and enjoy the first weekend in March. Here is a small list of suggestions of what to do in and around town.

We hope you all are having fun with friends and family. Be safe and enjoy!

Some of our bloggers + friends agreed to get crafty(?) and send in some lists of things they are most thankful for. Enjoy.

Pick up a book of poems and try....try to find even one line that speaks to a tombed part of yourself.

Asheville Grit had a small gathering Tuesday night as a thank you to all of our talented bloggers and loyal supporters. We ate, we drank, we celebrated. And it was a lot of fun.

Mostly, I'm not a shy person. I'm boisterous and full of life and well, loud. But certain social situations tug at the shy part of me.

Last evening, Asheville Grit went live and had its launch party on the rooftop deck of downtown Asheville's Social Lounge, and it truly could not have been a lovelier night.