AVL Biz Weekly | Oct 1: October Puzzles, Pumpkins & Packed Rooms

Welcome to AVL BIZ Weekly—your local cheat sheet for what’s happening in Asheville’s small business + creative scenes.

Each week: hand-picked events, marketing ideas that actually work, and a little local flavor to keep things fun.

My name's Jason and I'm writing this (connect with me here).

Hey friends,

October’s here, which means Halloween is creeping up (stock up on candy — and please don’t be that “healthy candy” house 🤢). It also means Asheville’s events calendar just went into overdrive.

Last week’s Asheville Business Summit packed 300+ people into one room, and I shared some behind-the-scenes lessons on LinkedIn. Seeing that much energy in the local business scene is exactly why I keep showing up.

This week is stacked, so let’s get to it:

📋 On Deck

• Business Events: From a low-pressure coder hangout to a real estate + mental health convo, plus a teen career course and a WNC pitch party.

• Fun Around Town: Evening art walks, puzzle competitions for a cause, moms taking over the farmers market, pumpkin patches, and a mountain trail hike.

• Bands & Shows: Wheatus unplugged, Mipso’s folk magic, Peach Pit indie grooves, and a whole lot more live music across town.

• Marketing Quickies: Lessons from the chaos (and wins) of pulling off the Asheville Business Summit.

🙋 Want your biz featured in front of a few really smart AVL business owners? Email me for details

📅 Business Events

• 🗓️ Coders League Low-Pressure Social Get-Together – Wed, Oct 1 · 6:30–8:30 PM (Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co, 675 Merrimon Ave, AVL)

  A relaxed meetup for devs, tech fans, hobbyists, and curious minds. No pressure, just connection, conversation, and good vibes (plus pizza + brews).

• 🗓️ Navigating Mental Health & The Real Estate Industry – Thu, Oct 2 · 10:00–11:30 AM (Online)

  My friend Kimi McBurney is hosting a candid conversation on stress, balance, and resilience in real estate. Hear from a mental health pro, an industry coach, and peers who get the hustle. Walk away with tools to protect both your business and your wellbeing.

• 🗓️ Career Exploration for Teens (6-Week Course) – Thu, Oct 2 · 3:30–5:30 PM (XP League Asheville, 15 Loop Rd, Arden)

  A hands-on course for high schoolers diving into the world of work. From career vocab to real-world skill building, Dr. Lori Brown leads teens through six weeks of discovery, direction, and “aha” moments.

• 🗓️ Asheville Data Professionals Meetup – Sun, Oct 5 · 3:00–4:30 PM (Hi-Wire RAD Beer Garden, 284 Lyman St, AVL)

  Data analysts, scientists, engineers, and number-crunchers of all stripes, this casual hang is for you. Swap stories, share insights, and connect with fellow data folks over a pint in the RAD Beer Garden.

• 🗓️ WNC Digital Opportunity Pitch Party – Tue, Oct 7 · 10:00 AM–12:00 PM (Devil's Foot Beverage, 131 Sweeten Creek Rd, AVL)

  A high-energy pitch fest spotlighting digital literacy + navigation projects in WNC. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez and Benton Institute’s Gigi Sohn join the lineup. And expect big ideas, bold voices, and a front-row seat to innovation in action.

• 🗓️ AI Hacks & Hops: Deepfakes Decoded – Wed, Oct 8 · 5:30–7:30 PM (One World West, 520 Haywood Rd, AVL)

  Ever see a video and wonder, “Is that real?” Dive deep into the world of deepfakes with cloud engineer David Hawthorne. Live demo, real talk, and smart tips to help you stay ahead of AI tricks. All while sipping a beer and bouncing ideas with curious minds.

Hosting something cool?

📬 Hit reply and tell me what you think. Or share an event!

💡 Marketing Quickies

Last week’s Asheville Business Summit was a crash course in what actually works (and what blows up in your face) when you’re running a big event. Out of the chaos came a few lessons worth sharing and not just for event planners.

1. Relationships > Ads — A personal invite from someone who knows you beats a thousand cold impressions.

2. Borrow Audiences — Partner with chambers, groups, and orgs that already have the crowd you want.

3. Plan for Chaos (💩🪭) — Things will go sideways, so count on a strong team to keep it smooth.

4. Document the Journey — Turn wins, glitches, and backstage moments into content for next time.

👉 Read my full post on LinkedIn

🎉 Fun Stuff Around AVL

• 🗓️ Friday Evening Art Studio Walking Tour – Fri, Oct 3 · 6:00–8:00 PM (Downtown Asheville)

  Three galleries, fresh exhibits, live music, and post-tour drinks if the vibe is right! An easy downtown stroll that doubles as an art fix and a social night ou

• 🗓️ Pieces of Hope Puzzle Competition – Fri, Oct 4 · 2:00–4:00 PM (GracePoint, Woodfin)

  Round up your puzzle-savvy crew and race to complete a jigsaw before the clock runs out. Bragging rights + a good cause (supporting survivors of human trafficking).

• 🗓️ Moms Take the Farmers Market – Sat, Oct 4 · 9:30–10:30 AM (French Broad River Greenway, Asheville)

  Strollers, slings, and even dog leashes are welcome. Join other moms (and tots) for a social walk through the market and riverside paths.

• 🗓️ Fall Festival, Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze – Sun, Oct 5 · 10:00 AM–12:00 PM (Grandad’s Apples, Hendersonville)

  Apples, cider donuts, corn maze adventures, and a pumpkin patch bursting with every size gourd. The perfect fall outing on a 120-acre orchard just outside Asheville.

• 🗓️ Mountains-to-Sea Trail Morning Hike – Mon, Oct 6 · 9:00–11:00 AM (Meet at Fresh Market, 1378 Hendersonville Rd, Asheville)

  A brisk-paced 5-mile out-and-back with friendly hikers (and leashed pups) on one of Asheville’s most scenic trail sections, perfect for fitness and conversation.

• 🗓️ Laid and Level: Tile Like a Pro Workshop – Tue, Oct 7 · 10:00 AM–5:00 PM (Asheville Tool Library)

  From backsplash dreams to bathroom upgrades, this hands-on class walks you through the tiling process step by step and you’ll even make your own tile hotpad to take home.

• 🗓️ Botanical Drawing for Beginners – Tue, Oct 7 · 11:00 AM–1:00 PM (NC Arboretum, Asheville)

  Sharpen your pencils and your eye because this guided workshop introduces the art of botanical drawing in a relaxed, beginner-friendly setting surrounded by fall blooms.

🎧 Bands on the Horizon

• Glare with Cloakroom, Jivebomb & Destiny Bond — Wed, Oct 1 @ The Grey Eagle

• JCE & The End — Wed, Oct 1 · 10:00 PM @ The One Stop at Asheville Music Hall

• Wheatus (Acoustic) — Thu, Oct 2 @ The Grey Eagle

• Ashley Gavin: Hype Man (with music) — Thu, Oct 2 @ The Orange Peel

• 65 North Pickers — Thu, Oct 2 @ The One Stop at Asheville Music Hall

• Echo Chamber — Fri, Oct 3 · 5:30 PM @ The Grey Eagle Patio

• Dirty Dead — Fri, Oct 3 · 10:00 PM @ Asheville Music Hall

• Mipso — Fri, Oct 3 @ The Orange Peel

• Pachyman & MNDSGN (with Gabriel da Rosa) — Fri, Oct 3 @ The Grey Eagle

• Pile — Sat, Oct 4 @ The Grey Eagle

• Gabe Quinn — Sat, Oct 4 · 5:30 PM @ The Grey Eagle Patio

• Riyen Roots — Sat, Oct 4 · 10:00 PM @ The One Stop at Asheville Music Hall

• Yoga + Taco Mosa 33 (with live music) — Sun, Oct 5 · 10:30 AM @ The Grey Eagle Music Hall

• Peach Pit — Sun, Oct 5 @ The Orange Peel

• Songwriters Roller Derby Showcase — Sun, Oct 5 · 7:00 PM @ The Grey Eagle Music Hall

• Vision Video w/ Treasvre — Tue, Oct 7 · 8:00 PM @ The Grey Eagle Music Hall

• Melvins — Tue, Oct 7 @ The Orange Peel

• TOPS: Bury the Key Tour — Wed, Oct 8 · 8:00 PM @ The Grey Eagle Music Hall

• Neko Case — Wed, Oct 8 @ The Orange Peel

• Congress (The Band) — Thu, Oct 9 @ The Orange Peel

• Aaron Lewis & the Stateliners — Thu, Oct 9 @ Harrah’s Cherokee Center

• Justin Heter & Pan — Thu, Oct 9 · 10:00 PM @ The One Stop at Asheville Music Hall

• Dark Moon Hollow — Thu, Oct 9 · 9:00 PM @ The One Stop at Asheville Music Hall

• Dallas Wax — Fri, Oct 10 @ The One Stop at Asheville Music Hall

• Ben Folds with The Asheville Symphony — Fri, Oct 10 @ Harrah’s Cherokee Center (Thomas Wolfe Auditorium)

• The Emo Night Tour — Sat, Oct 11 @ The Orange Peel

• Three Fourteen — Sat, Oct 11 · 10:00 PM @ The One Stop at Asheville Music Hall

That’s a wrap for this week. What are you checking out — puzzles, pumpkins, or punk rock? Reply and let me know, I love hearing from you.

Until next week,

Jason De Los Santos
Pixelated Stories Digital Marketing
(828) 585-4293

P.S. Update your Google Business Profile with a fresh photo today. It takes 60 seconds and helps a ton.