Back in 2016, The History Channel's "Forged in Fire" show was in its second year and was gaining popularity, as contestants showed their blacksmith skills by forging metal.

One of the show's champions headlines this week's edition of "Around Town."

Redick to appear at Fighter Within's open house

At the end of Season 2, the champion was crowned and he was someone locals knew very well: Transylvania County's own Jason Redick. On July 16 at the Fighter Within Mixed Martial Arts' open house at 115 Four Seasons Blvd., people will get to see Redick in action.

The open house and barbecue benefit will be held from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., according to a news release.

The barbecue will be smoked pulled pork with a variety of sauces. Other items on the menu include baked beans, slaw and bottled water. Soft drinks will also be available for purchase.

Fighter Within will also be giving away gun safety locks to those in attendance.

Local band Crimson Moon will also be performing.

According to the release, there will be classic cars, cornhole, a dunk tank and a snow cone machine.

Prepaid meal tickets are available for purchase both in store at Fighter Within Mixed Martial Arts and Thin Line Suppliers. Meal proceeds will go to a local veteran struggling with health conditions and medical bills.

Brevard Music Center announces concerts for the weekend

Brevard Music Center announced concerts for July 16-17 in a recent news release. Three programs scheduled for these dates include the second performance of the opera The Barber Of Seville at 2 p.m. July 16 in the Porter Center at Brevard College,  and two Symphony Series programs, including Scheherazade at 7:30 p.m. July 16 and Mozart Violin Concerto at 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 17.

Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade will be performed at 7:30 p.m. July 16 in Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium. International piano sensation Zee Zee wil make her long-awaited Brevard debut on this program with a performance of Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 1, the release said. 

2021 Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient Geneva Lewis will perform Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5, nicknamed the "Turkish" at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 17 in Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium. 

Ticket holders are invited to pre-concert lectures with Siegwart Reichwald beginning one hour prior to each opera and symphony series concert. Lectures for opera performances at the Porter Center are held in Scott Commons, and lectures for orchestra concerts are held in Thomas Hall, directly behind Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium. 

For tickets, call 828-862-2105 or visit brevardmusic.org/tickets. 

Brandy Bar to feature Benedict, Smith and Thomas

Hendersonville's Brandy Bar, located at 504 Seventh Ave. E., will feature musicians Jeff Benedict, Chris Smith and Kate Thomas for its July 20 program.

The program will be held from 7-9 p.m.

Benedict is a songwriter from Rutherfordton and fronts the band My New Favorites, an award-winning acoustic band with myriad musical styles, according to a release.

Smith is a singer songwriter from WNC who "conjures the ghosts of Townes Van Zandt and Gram Parsons in his raw, honest lyrics of life and home, between lost love, and the luxury of hell-bent solitude," the release said.

Kate Thomas is an Asheville-based songwriter and lead singer for the Dirty French Broads, with a new EP out called Phoenix.

Hosts of the program are Mare Carmody, John Longbottom and Charlie Wilkinson

There is a one-time, $1 membership fee for the Brandy Bar. For more information, send an email to WNCsongwritersessions@gmail.com or call 828-513-1336.