Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
Directed by Clay Hopper
HOLIDAY | ORIGINAL MUSIC | FRESH TAKE ON A CLASSIC
This two man adaptation is a fast-paced and imaginative production that combines Dickens’ brilliant original text with both traditional and unexpected Christmas music, along with old-fashioned Foley-style sound effects. These dynamic performers beautifully impart this epic, timeless story of discovery of the heart, appealing to both adults and children in a fresh way.
Performances of A Christmas Carol: A Play with Music will be held on the days and times listed below. The lobby and concessions area will open one hour prior to showtime. Concessions may be taken into the theatre for your enjoyment during the performance.
December 11 – December 21, 2025
Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 7:30pm
Friday December 12 at 7:30pm
Friday December 19, 2pm AND 7:30pm
Sundays at 2pm
November 28 – December 21
It’s like a big, warm holiday HUG! The tradition everyone loves continues with the same great holiday cheer to put you in the Christmas spirit. All new renditions of your holiday favorites will help you get those sleigh bells jinglin,’ and chestnuts roasting! There is truly no better way to kick off your holiday season. So, hurry on over with your family, friends, and loved ones to share in the joy and excitement of this seasonal spectacular that will have you feeling merry and bright!
Event Times: 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM
Ticket Prices: $60 / $70 / $80
Child Pricing Available (17 & under)

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical
December 5 – 21, 2025
Thursdays, Fridays, & Select Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Saturdays & Sundays at 2:30 PM
December 5 – 21, 2025
Thursdays & Fridays at 7:30 PM and Saturdays & Sundays at 2:30 PM
Based on the animated television special – Adapted by Robert Penola, Music & Lyrics by Johnny Marks
Sponsored by: Mast General Store
The beloved TV classic soars off the screen and onto the stage! Join Rudolph, Hermey the Elf, Yukon Cornelius, and all your favorite characters as they come to life in this heartwarming holiday musical. Featuring iconic songs like “Holly Jolly Christmas” and “The Most Wonderful Day of the Year,” this show celebrates the 61st anniversary of the cherished Christmas special. Perfect for the whole family!
Run Time: 90 minutes with one 15-minute intermission.
Accessibility: Accessible wheelchair/scooter seating and Listening Devices are available for all Mainstage performances.
Content Awareness: This show is suitable for all audiences.
🎄 Second Annual Christmas Spectacular! 🎄
Step into a Winter Wonderland and experience the magic of the season at our Second Annual Christmas Spectacular— a joyful holiday showcase filled with music, dance, and festive fun for the whole family!
This year’s show features an Enchanted Forest theme, complete with festive holiday songs, tap and jazz dancing, and breathtaking aerial silks performances. You’ll also enjoy reimagined Christmas classics and a show-stopping hip-hop Nutcracker number that’s sure to bring the house down!
Enjoy performances by our 1-Year Choir students, Chamber Choir, and Performance Media Crew (dance troupe), plus a special preview number from our upcoming production of The Lion King Jr. at Wortham Center for the Arts (Jan. 10 & 11).
✨ 3 Showtimes:
Friday, December 12 – 5:00 PM & 7:00 PM
Saturday, December 13 – 2:00 PM
📍 Location:
174 Bradley Branch, Unit 4/5, 28704
(Please enter from the front side of the building.)
☕ Refreshments will be available for sale, with all proceeds benefiting AJT.
❄️ Expect an indoor snowstorm and plenty of sparkle and surprises along the way!
🎫 Seating is general admission (first come, first served).
🌟 Tickets will sell out quickly! Last year’s two shows completely sold out — so this year we’ve added a third performance to make room for everyone. Don’t wait — grab your tickets early and join us for this heartwarming, high-energy holiday celebration!
🎟️ Purchase your seats today for a truly spectacular Christmas experience!
Directed by Clay Hopper
HOLIDAY | ORIGINAL MUSIC | FRESH TAKE ON A CLASSIC
This two man adaptation is a fast-paced and imaginative production that combines Dickens’ brilliant original text with both traditional and unexpected Christmas music, along with old-fashioned Foley-style sound effects. These dynamic performers beautifully impart this epic, timeless story of discovery of the heart, appealing to both adults and children in a fresh way.
Performances of A Christmas Carol: A Play with Music will be held on the days and times listed below. The lobby and concessions area will open one hour prior to showtime. Concessions may be taken into the theatre for your enjoyment during the performance.
December 11 – December 21, 2025
Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 7:30pm
Friday December 12 at 7:30pm
Friday December 19, 2pm AND 7:30pm
Sundays at 2pm
November 28 – December 21
It’s like a big, warm holiday HUG! The tradition everyone loves continues with the same great holiday cheer to put you in the Christmas spirit. All new renditions of your holiday favorites will help you get those sleigh bells jinglin,’ and chestnuts roasting! There is truly no better way to kick off your holiday season. So, hurry on over with your family, friends, and loved ones to share in the joy and excitement of this seasonal spectacular that will have you feeling merry and bright!
Event Times: 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM
Ticket Prices: $60 / $70 / $80
Child Pricing Available (17 & under)

Parents – enjoy a night out downtown while treating your kid to a special after-hours event just for them – dinner and a movie at AMOS!
This fun-filled night includes pizza from a local vendor, free exhibit play, custom scavenger hunts for special prizes, and an optional kid-friendly movie. Parent drop-off begins at 5:30 with a pickup time between 8:30-9:00, plenty of time to enjoy a meal at any of Asheville’s downtown restaurants.
Dinner Under Dinos is for children 5+. All children must be able to use the restroom independently. Children may also bring a water bottle, snacks or an alternative meal, a cozy blanket. For more info contact [email protected].
Includes:
3 Hours of Museum Play
A G-rated movie in the STEAM Lab
Cheese pizza, water
Date: December 13
Time: 5:30pm – 8:30pm Child(ren) must be picked up no later than 9:00pm; fees apply after 9:00.
Age: 5+ * All children must be able to use the restroom independently to participate.
Fees:
Per Child = $35.00
Additional Sibling = $30.00
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical
December 5 – 21, 2025
Thursdays, Fridays, & Select Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Saturdays & Sundays at 2:30 PM
December 5 – 21, 2025
Thursdays & Fridays at 7:30 PM and Saturdays & Sundays at 2:30 PM
Based on the animated television special – Adapted by Robert Penola, Music & Lyrics by Johnny Marks
Sponsored by: Mast General Store
The beloved TV classic soars off the screen and onto the stage! Join Rudolph, Hermey the Elf, Yukon Cornelius, and all your favorite characters as they come to life in this heartwarming holiday musical. Featuring iconic songs like “Holly Jolly Christmas” and “The Most Wonderful Day of the Year,” this show celebrates the 61st anniversary of the cherished Christmas special. Perfect for the whole family!
Run Time: 90 minutes with one 15-minute intermission.
Accessibility: Accessible wheelchair/scooter seating and Listening Devices are available for all Mainstage performances.
Content Awareness: This show is suitable for all audiences.
Curated and presented by Grammy Award-winning vocalist, songwriter, producer and revered guitarist Warren Haynes, the Christmas Jam is a one-of-a-kind music marathon. Since its inception in 1988, the concert has provided an opportunity for the performing artists, audience, and the local community to give back during the holiday season as Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity’s largest annual contributor. For more than 20 years, Haynes – an Asheville native – has worked closely with Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity. To date, 50+ houses have been built with proceeds from the Jam and more than 2.8 million dollars has been raised, including a record-breaking half-million dollars marking one of the largest-ever contributions to the organization. In addition to supporting the construction of new energy-efficient homes, proceeds also go towards purchasing and developing land to build entire Habitat neighborhoods – such as the 25-house Hudson Hills neighborhood in West Asheville (named in honor of Warren and his wife Stefani’s son Hudson), a 21-house community in Arden (South Asheville), a 12-family neighborhood in Candler, and phase 1 (38 homes) of New Heights in West Asheville.
Christmas Jam’s rich history continues to grow year after year and has seen unforgettable musical moments from past performers including The Allman Brothers Band, Ann Wilson, The Avett Brothers, Blackberry Smoke, Blues Traveler, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Bob Weir, Branford Marsalis, Brothers Osborne, Coheed & Cambria, Counting Crows, Dave Grohl, Dave Matthews, Dinosaur Jr., The Doobie Brothers, Eric Church, Gov’t Mule, Grace Potter, Hiss Golden Messenger, Hot Tuna, Jackson Browne, James Johnson, Jason Isbell, Joe Bonamassa, John Paul Jones, John Scofield, Johnny Winter, Marco Benevento, Michael Franti, Michael McDonald, moe., O.A.R., Peter Frampton, Phil Lesh, Ray LaMontagne, Sheryl Crow, Steve Miller Band, The String Cheese Incident, Taj Mahal Trio, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Trey Anastasio, Tyler Childers, Umphrey’s McGee, Widespread Panic and many more.
Something extraordinary is coming to Asheville this winter! The North Carolina Arboretum and Explore Asheville are elated to announce the arrival of Trolls: A Field Study. Visiting on their first North American excursion, these twelve interactive troll sculptures will explore the Arboretum, embarking on a curious journey to learn about humankind.
Produced by Imagine in collaboration with Danish artist Thomas Dambo, these friendly and fanciful sculptures evoke a sense of wonder and intrigue as they study our small, intricate and inventive ways of life in Western North Carolina. Standing seven to nine feet tall and lovingly described by the artist as “Baby Trolls”, the creatures are crafted from materials like fallen branches, wooden pallets and twigs.
Through their observations, the trolls reveal a fresh perspective on what makes us human, sparking curiosity and laughter in visitors of all ages.
Only cost is the parking fee. No other admission fees.
Grovewood Gallery proudly presents Artful Living: The Spirit of the Craftsman Style, a group exhibition celebrating the enduring influence of the American Arts and Crafts movement. On view from October 18 through December 31, 2025, this curated showcase brings together the work of four contemporary makers who honor traditional craftsmanship while offering fresh perspectives on timeless forms.
Featured artists include ceramicist Leslie Green Guilbault, a Roycroft Artisan whose pottery blends nature, myth, and metallic luster; blacksmith Paul Garrett, known for his handcrafted metalwork and luminous mica lamps inspired by early 20th-century design; furniture maker Timothy Livingston, whose heirloom-quality pieces reflect a deep reverence for honest materials and joinery; and painter Shawn Krueger, a Roycroft Master Artisan whose landscapes echo the quiet mood and tonal beauty of historic plein air work.
A festive morning for the whole family! Enjoy a breakfast buffet from 10AM–12PM, live holiday music, craft activities, and cookie decorating — plus a special visit from Santa himself. The bar will be serving hot chocolate, mulled wine, and eggnog for a cozy seasonal touch. $65 for adults, $45 for children.
28th Annual Santa on the Chimney
Santa has a big job climbing down all the chimneys in the world on Christmas Eve. But where better to practice than one of the world’s largest natural chimneys? Santa will be back in the park this year for his Christmas trial run rappelling down Chimney Rock. Attendees can watch Santa rappel, pose for photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, hike with an elf, make holiday crafts, listen to live music, meet some of our live animal ambassadors, and more.
Spend an hour +/- in the studio making a sterling silver and enamel charm.
Choose your charm shape and your favorite color(s) of enamel. You’ll sift the enamel onto the silver charm then fire it in a kiln to flow the glass enamel onto the silver, and repeat until your piece is complete!
Leave class with a finished charm you made yourself! Optional chain available for in-class purchase.
Level: Beginner Friendly
Wear comfortable clothing and arrive about 15 minutes ahead to sign a waiver and get settled. Our study is in downtown Asheville and there are 2 parking garages close by: Harrah’s and Rankin
Firestorm Books on Haywood Road is rebooting its annual holiday craft pop-up series, now in its sixth year! Featuring the work of 16+ local artists, this event will be a fundraiser for the Gaza Soup Kitchen and highlights affordable, giftable items that can only be found in Asheville.
This year’s craft pop-up will include two dates: Saturday, December 13th and Sunday, December 14th (the start of Hanukkah, ten days before Xmas Eve). Beginning at 11am and ending at 4pm, each date will have a different selection of artists showcasing baked goods, fiber arts, ceramics, art prints, jewelry, and more. The pop-up will take place outdoors at 1022 Haywood Road in West Asheville, or inside the bookstore at the same address in case of inclement weather.
Participating artists have committed to donate 25% of at least the first $250 in sales made to the Gaza Soup Kitchen, a grassroots NGO feeding thousands daily in Gaza. Attendees will have additional opportunities to support the lifesaving work of the humanitarian aid organization. More information on the Gaza Soup Kitchen can be found at https://gazasoupkitchen.org.
Firestorm Books on Haywood Road is rebooting its annual holiday craft pop-up series, now in its sixth year! Featuring the work of 16+ local artists, this event will be a fundraiser for the Gaza Soup Kitchen and highlights affordable, giftable items that can only be found in Asheville.
This year’s craft pop-up will include two dates: Saturday, December 13th and Sunday, December 14th (the start of Hanukkah, ten days before Xmas Eve). Beginning at 11am and ending at 4pm, each date will have a different selection of artists showcasing baked goods, fiber arts, ceramics, art prints, jewelry, and more. The pop-up will take place outdoors at 1022 Haywood Road in West Asheville, or inside the bookstore at the same address in case of inclement weather.
Participating artists have committed to donate 25% of at least the first $250 in sales made to the Gaza Soup Kitchen, a grassroots NGO feeding thousands daily in Gaza. Attendees will have additional opportunities to support the lifesaving work of the humanitarian aid organization. More information on the Gaza Soup Kitchen can be found at https://gazasoupkitchen.org.
Firestorm Books on Haywood Road is rebooting its annual holiday craft pop-up series, now in its sixth year! Featuring the work of 16+ local artists, this event will be a fundraiser for the Gaza Soup Kitchen and highlights affordable, giftable items that can only be found in Asheville.
This year’s craft pop-up will include two dates: Saturday, December 13th and Sunday, December 14th (the start of Hanukkah, ten days before Xmas Eve). Beginning at 11am and ending at 4pm, each date will have a different selection of artists showcasing baked goods, fiber arts, ceramics, art prints, jewelry, and more. The pop-up will take place outdoors at 1022 Haywood Road in West Asheville, or inside the bookstore at the same address in case of inclement weather.
Participating artists have committed to donate 25% of at least the first $250 in sales made to the Gaza Soup Kitchen, a grassroots NGO feeding thousands daily in Gaza. Attendees will have additional opportunities to support the lifesaving work of the humanitarian aid organization. More information on the Gaza Soup Kitchen can be found at https://gazasoupkitchen.org.
Women of the Pacific Northwest celebrates the voices, visions and material mastery of female artists working today, with roots from this rich and progressive region. Through the execution of disparate media from bronze, steel, glass, tin, plaster, mylar, printmaking, hair nets, cloth, rubber, wax to paint, these artists have achieved inventive, creative practices originating from critical, generative, inquisition of natural, social or subliminal forces. This exhibition highlights a group of female artists working in diverse media creating art that explores connections to place, whether sociological, environmental or spiritual, in a region supportive of equality, ecology and enterprise. These artists are among today’s pioneers, interpreting universality through personal observation and inventing poetic, transcendent works inspiring greater, pluralistic understanding, connecting us to one another and to the world around us.
Featured artists:
Victoria Adams, Drie Chapek, Jaq Chartier, Susan Dory, Betsy Ebys, Ann Gardner, Emily Gherard, Estuko Ichikawa, Lisa Jarrett, Brenda Mallory, Wendy Red Star, Katy Stone, Susan Zoccola, Marie Watt, and Julie Speidel.
So excited for Asheville Phoenix Fire Nonprofit’s 1st Annual – YULE TIDE PRIDE – Holiday Market Convention! We are bringing Pride into the festive season! Come get your holiday gifts, enjoy some local live music, coffee shop treats, connect with resources, take a holiday photo, sink in with community and more!
Included with admission
Capture that classic Christmas moment you and your children will never outgrow. Afterward, explore all that Antler Hill Village has to offer: ice cream at The Creamery, friendly animals at our Farmyard, plus Pisgah Playground, shops, restaurants, and an award-winning Winery.
Dates available:
November 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 28-30
December 6-7, 13-14, 17-24
Flood Gallery Fine Art Center revives its visual art program after Helene with this second in open exhibition series, featuring 25+ local artists showing multiple perspectives & styles. Art media for this show may include ceramic, stained glass, painting, drawing, photography, collage, printmaking, ceramic, enamel, fiber arts, digital media, and mixed media.
Light refreshments available, live music TBD.
Show runs Dec. 13, 2025 – Feb. 20, 2026
If interested in submitting, see Submission Guidelines:
• No entry fee!
• Artists of all perspectives, styles, & media
• Theme for inspiration & own interpretation: “The Power of Voice”
• Limit 2 works per Artist
• ~25 Artist limit; first come, first hung!
• Artwork must be framed and ready to hang/display.
• Artwork should be for sale. Flood Gallery retains 35%, so price accordingly.
• Label each artwork with name, title, medium, price, and artist bio/statement.
• Labels can be downloaded from our Facebook page, or filled out during art submission.
• Labeled artwork must be hand-delivered to Flood Gallery on Sat-Sun, Dec. 6-7, 11am – 5pm.
Join us at AVL Clay for our first Winter Wonderland Pottery Sale and Manna FoodBank fundraiser.
Shop local this season at AVL Clay! We’re excited to share the latest handmade pieces from our talented members. Support Manna Food Bank, enjoy live music, and discover a lovely assortment of ceramic gifts. And be sure to swing by our neighbor, Altamont Vintage!
By Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooten
Presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection. (www.dramatists.com)
December 11-21, 2025
Thursday, 12/11 at 7:30 (pay what you can available 11/27)
Fridays at 7:30
Saturday at 3 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
Director: Abigail Dover Thomas
Approximate Run Time: 2 hours, 35 minutes
Rating: PG due to adult content and mild language.
Four days before Christmas in Tinsel, Texas, a colorful parade of eccentric guests arrive at the Snowflake Inn and deck the halls with holiday hilarity. Trina, the harried yet upbeat innkeeper of this B&B, has more than she can handle coping with these nuttier-than-a-fruitcake lodgers. Hoyt and his sister, Donna Jo, make the mistake of trying to end a thirty-year feud between their curmudgeonly aunts, Ennis and Della, with sidesplitting results. Ainsley and Lenora, self-involved actors from a lower-than-low-budget touring production of A Christmas Carol, descend on the Inn to fulfill a promise, leaving comedic chaos in their wake. Add to this Yuletide mayhem an ill-advised romantic rendezvous between Mrs. Claus and one of Santa’s elves. This demanding guest refuses to leave, not to mention a tipsy housekeeper, and it will take more than a kiss under the mistletoe to keep Trina’s spirits merry and bright. But a spur-of-the-moment Christmas Eve wedding that brings together the fabulous Futrelle sisters—Honey Raye, Twink, Frankie, and Rhonda Lynn—and their best friend, Raynerd, takes a surprising and delightful turn that leads to a laugh-’till-your-sides-ache climax, changing all their lives forever.
5:00, 5:45, 6:30 & 7:15 pm
at 3346 Haywood Rd., Hendersonville
The Historic Johnson Farm, one of the oldest brick structures in Henderson County, hosts candlelight tours of the decorated 1880 farmhouse. Experience what Christmas was like in the 19th Century, visit with the Heritage Weavers and Fiber Artists, listen to live music by local students, and enjoy hot cocoa and cookies.
The farm is owned and operated by the local school system. Advance tickets are required as space is limited. Call 828-891-6585 or email [email protected] to make your reservation.
Step into History This Holiday Season
Join us for the “Home for the Holidays: A Victorian Holiday Open House of the Old Kentucky Home.” Experience the warmth and charm of Holiday traditions in Thomas Wolfe’s world. Come see the home all dressed up in its Christmas finest! Guests will walk through the boardinghouse at their leisure to view this pop-up Holiday Traditions exhibit.
Enjoy holiday crafts, our exhibit hall, Christmas cookies, and warm apple cider in the Memorial’s Visitor Center. Last admittance into the house is 6:45pm.
Tickets are $10/person and can be purchased on at: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/home-for-the-holidays-a-victorian-holiday-open-house-of-the-old-kentucky-home
This event supports the Thomas Wolfe Memorial in Asheville, North Carolina, championing education, enrichment, and Thomas Wolfe’s legacy. Your presence helps sustain a space where literature, history, and community come together
Winter Lights is excited to provide an all-new premium trolley experience, in partnership with Biltmore Park Town Square and Gray Line Trolley Tours! Skip the lines and ride the Winter Lights Trolley!
Enjoy dinner and shopping at Biltmore Park Town Square before hopping on the Winter Lights Trolley to experience Winter Lights!
Ride the Winter Lights Trolley Friday November 28 and select Fridays and Saturdays in December. Trolleys depart from Biltmore Park Town Square every half hour, beginning at 5:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $50 per-person and available select dates only.

