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Asheville FM anniversary party

The main thing to know about Asheville FM's anniversary party is that garage-rock outfit Reigning Sound is headlining. The Greg Cartwright-led quartet cranks out tightly crafted songs with just enough retro to make them seem like classics from the first listen. Soft Opening shares the bill at the Grey Eagle on Sunday, Sept. 19, 8 p.m. The show celebrates the first(ish) birthday of local grassroots, volunteer-run community radio/netcasting station Asheville Free Media, whose fabulously irreverent lineup includes programs like The Spycey Buzz, Worst Case Scenario and The Doctor Awesome Show. Tickets for the party are $10. ashevillefm.org.

Dirty Dancing festival

The whole world had the time of their lives in 1987 when Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze jitterbugged and jived across the setting of N.C.-based Lake Lure. Now dancers and fans of the film can relive every grind and triumphant lift at the Dirty Dancing Festival, held Friday and Saturday, Sept. 17 and 18 at — you guessed it — Lake Lure. The schedule includes dance lessons, a watermelon-carrying contest, log dancing, a cast lookalike contest and more. Franke Previte (who wrote "I've Had the Time of My Life") and original film dancers Patt & Tom Rocks also take part. Tickets are $20 adults, $10 kids ages 6-17. dirtydancingfestival.com.

Equinox at Deerfields

It's an interesting juxtaposition: A weekend of wilderness camping combined with an electronic music festival. But local collective T.O.U.C.H. Samadhi strikes a balance with its seventh-annual music and arts festival, which runs Friday, Sept. 17 through Sunday, Sept. 19, at Deerfields. "This date also coincides with that of one of the oldest celebrations in human history, the birth of the deity Ganesh," says a press release. "The Equinox community, in Ganesh’s honor, will be mirroring this energy
from across the world." Performers include Kri, Axis Mundi, In Plain Sight, Silver Machine and dozens more, as well as Psychedelic Visual Artistry and holistic workshops. $65 at gate plus $10 to park. Complete details at touchsamadhi.com.

who: Marni Nixon
what: “The Voice of Hollywood” cabaret show and benefit for the Asheville Lyric Opera
where: Diana Wortham Theatre
when: Sunday, Aug. 29 (3 p.m. $35/$40/$50. Purchase tickets at 257-4530. www.ashevillelyric.org or 236-0670)

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