Stories & Strangers: True Stories + Real Conversation — Biltmore Village

Three true stories. Then a room full of people you haven't met yet.
This is a joint event between Asheville Transplants and Third Place AVL. Members of both groups are invited, so expect a bigger mix of new faces.
Three members from the two groups each tell a five-minute true story. This round's theme is "A Fresh Start." It could be the move that changed everything, the job you walked away from, or the first night you knew nobody in Asheville. There are no slides and no polish, just a real thing that happened to you.
Then we turn the room over to Stranger Rounds, short table conversations with people you didn't come in with. Each table gets a prompt card, so nobody has to invent small talk.
The Plan:
• 6:30 PM — Arrive at Hi-Wire Brewing Biltmore Village, grab a drink, and find the Third Place AVL sign.
• 6:45 PM — Three stories, five minutes each, with a timer.
• 7:05 PM — Stranger Rounds: three 15-minute rounds at small tables, with a new table and a new prompt each round. The one rule: sit with someone you didn't know before tonight.
• 8:00 PM — Open hangout. Find the storyteller you want to ask a follow-up question.
• 8:30 PM — Officially done.
Want to Tell a Story?
• Three storyteller spots. Message the host on Meetup to claim one. First three get them.
• Five minutes, true, and yours. Funny, tender, or just odd all count. Keep it friendly and not a sales pitch.
• Rather just listen? That's most of the room, and it's the best seat in the house.
What to Know:
• Free to attend. Food and drinks are on you.
• Spots are capped so every conversation can be a real one. If your plans change, please free up your spot.
• Drinking is completely optional. Nobody will notice what's in your glass.
• Hi-Wire Biltmore Village is at 2A Huntsman Pl, about ten minutes from downtown, with an on-site lot.
• Be decent. Anyone who makes someone uncomfortable will be asked to leave. The host handles that, not the person on the receiving end.
Why This Event:
Hearing someone tell a real story is the fastest way past "so what do you do?" You'll walk into Stranger Rounds already knowing what to ask. Then the rounds make sure you leave knowing at least a few names.
Come solo — most of us do.