This weekend on a shoestring

Thursday, Aug. 15

• “An orphaned underground boxer, Tommy (Tom Stadnicki) seems destined to relive his family’s violent and tragic pattern, until he becomes a father,” begins a synopsis for Ringside Rosary, a locally-produced film set to premiere at the Fine Arts Theatre, 36 Biltmore Ave. “In a desperate attempt to save his deaf son (Jakob English) from the curse, Tommy and his wife Lizzy (Mara Breindel) decide to abandon their criminal lives. Despite their determination, Lizzy’s addiction and debt drag the past closely behind them.” Premiere includes refreshments, live music, film screening and Q&A with the actors and director, along with an afterparty at Adam Dalton Distillery, 251 Biltmore Ave. 7 and 10 p.m. $7.

• Ever wondered what it’d be like to test the limits of your physical and mental strength, spending weeks, even months alone in the wilderness? Local storyteller Nancy Reeder will share her experiences thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail during an interactive presentation at Feed and Seed, 3715 Hendersonville Road, Fletcher. 7 p.m. Free; donations welcome.

• Anam Cara Theatre Company hosts its monthly Anam Caraoke karaoke night at 203 Haywood Road. 8 p.m. Free; cash bar available.

• From a feature in this week’s issue, “The return of DIG (Downtown Independent Groove) Festival is not so much a reoccurrence as a comeback. The local music fest was first produced in 2009 with a focus on area Americana and roots bands. It was envisioned as a summer counterpart to the Pop Asheville festival, which at the time happened in January. But, right after the inaugural DIG, ‘Life got very busy for all of us,’ says festival organizer Justin Ferraby. It took four years to bring it back, ‘like the Olympics and the World Cup of soccer and all great things,’ Ferraby jokes. … The two-day extravaganza takes place the week college students return. It runs Thursday and Friday night, straddling Downtown After Five and, according to Santiago, taking into account the weekend schedules of Asheville’s service industry workers. Thirty-six acts (plus one jam session) will fill five stages (The Orange Peel, Emerald Lounge, The LAB, Asheville Music Hall and One Stop).” Performers include Total War, John Wilkes Boothe and the Black Toothe, The Go Devils, Free Radio, Empire Strikes Brass, Zombie Queen, Lyric and many more. See website for schedule. $5 per venue per night/$10 for single day, multi-venue pass/$15 for two-day, multi-venue pass.
Story by Alli Marshall

Friday, Aug. 16

• “The Dirty Dancing Festival was founded in 2010 in the beautiful town of Lake Lure, North Carolina, where much of the classic film Dirty Dancing was filmed,” explains a website for the annual celebration. Most activities are ticketed, but the festival also includes a free Friday night screening of the movie at Morse Park Meadows, Lake Lure. Donations for the screening welcome. 7 p.m.

• “The Asheville Downtown Association presents the penultimate Downtown After Five of 2013, held on N. Lexington Avenue in front of the I-240 overpass, with New Orleans-based rock outfit The Revivalists and local soul/funk/pop songwriter Lyric.  5 p.m. Free.

Saturday, Aug. 17

• Summer’s rapidly drawing to a close, but there’s still time to capitalize on the heat. Float for a Cause, to benefit the Western North Carolina Alliance, will feature a floating barge with music by The Mad Tea, followed by a party at The Bywater, 796 Riverside Drive, featuring live music and raffles. The event departs from beneath the Haywood Road bridge near Wedge Brewery at noon. $5 suggested donation.

• From a website for the upcoming five-day event, “The largest non-competitive comedy festival in the southeast, Laugh Your Asheville Off was founded by stand-up comedian Greg Brown and executive producer Charlie Gerencer. The festival hosts comics, industry professionals and talent producers during a multi-day, multi-venue event in Asheville, North Carolina. Previous talent has gone on to appear on network sitcoms, half-hour Comedy Central specials and late night flagship shows like The Late Show with David Letterman, Conan and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.” The festival runs Tuesday, Aug. 13 through Saturday, Aug. 17 at The Altamont Theatre, Diana Wortham Theatre and Highland Brewing Company. Most events range from $10-$18, with a low-cost $5 comedy film screening at The Altamont on Saturday at 4 p.m. See website for details.

• ” … Come on out and support the darkroom’s Indiegogo campaign with a night of music, art, raffles and a silent auction at The Odditorium in West Asheville,” invites The Asheville Darkroom‘s website. “$5 at the door helps us keep our doors open to the community!” The fundraiser features music by Wes Tirey, Claypool and Option Anxiety, along with a late night dance party, raffles and a silent auction. 1045 Haywood Road. 8 p.m.

• The Emerald Lounge, 112 N. Lexington Ave., shines a spotlight on the local hip-hop scene with “Subarus and Box Chevys,” an Asheville showcase featuring Free Radio, Alpha Lee, Martin Snoddy, Tripsta Trip and more. 9 p.m. $7.

• From the band’s bio, “Heaven is a collaboration from New Yorkers Matt Sumrow (The Comas, Dean and Britta), Mikey Jones (The Big Sleep, Swervedriver) and Ryan Lee Dunlap (Fan-Tan). They have put their own stamp on psychedelia and new wave, giving a nod to the artists they have respected and played with, while also creating something modern and unique.” The band visits Asheville for a show at The LAB, 39 N. Lexington Ave., with Knives and Daggers. 9:30 p.m. $5.