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.

Sunday, December 3, 2023
96th Annual Holiday Greens Market
Dec 3 @ 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
French Broad River Garden Club

The French Broad River Garden Club’s Annual Holiday Greens Market has been a tradition in Western North Carolina for nearly 100 years. This one-of-a-kind event features unique, handmade goods that are hand-crafted by regional artists — perfect for holiday gift-giving and home decorating. All of the greenery sold at the market has been harvested using accepted conservation principles.

This year, we are excited to host 35 vendors offering a wide variety of items including pottery, paintings and prints, jewelry, turned wood, soaps and botanical oils, blacksmith artistry, hand-crafted nutcrackers, greenery, flowers and bulbs, wreaths, garland, table centerpieces, ornaments, planters, letterpress greeting cards, cutting boards, nuts and jellies, honey, vinegars and dressings, homemade baked goods, and chocolate!

Influenced by the Club’s mission of environmental and horticultural education and practices, the Greens Market fulfills its mission by promoting conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in Western North Carolina. Proceeds from the Holiday Greens Market support local scholarships in horticultural and environmental studies. Please join us on Dec 2nd and 3rd in supporting a great cause!

URLs:
Facebook: https://go.evvnt.com/2092346-2?pid=10412
Instagram: https://go.evvnt.com/2092346-3?pid=10412

American Art in the Atomic Age: 1940-1960
Dec 3 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum
Images: Left: Minna Wright Citron, Squid Under Pier, 1948, color etching, soft-ground, and engraving on paper, edition 42/50, 15 x 17 7/8 inches, 2010 Collections Circle purchase, Asheville Art Museum. © Estate of Minna Citron/Licensed by VAGA at ARS, New York. Right: Dorothy Dehner, Woman #2, 1954, watercolor and ink on paper, 22 3/4 x 18”, courtesy of Dolan Maxwell.

The Asheville Art Museum is pleased to announce the upcoming exhibition American Art in the Atomic Age: 1940–1960, which explores the groundbreaking contributions of artists who worked at the experimental printmaking studio Atelier 17 in the wake of World War II. Co-curated by Marilyn Laufer and Tom Butler, American Art in the Atomic Age which draws from the holdings of Dolan/Maxwell, the Asheville Art Museum Collection, and private collections will be on view from November 10, 2023–April 29, 2024.

Atelier 17 operated in New York for fifteen years, between 1940 and 1955. The studio’s founder, Stanley William Hayter (1901–1988) established the workshop in Paris but relocated to New York just as the Nazi occupation of Paris began in 1940. Hayter’s new studio attracted European emigrants like André Masson, Yves Tanguy, and Joan Miró, as well as American artists like Dorothy Dehner, Judith Rothschild, and Karl Schrag, allowing for an exchange of artistic ideas and processes between European and American artists.

The Asheville Art Museum will present over 100 works that exemplify the cross-cultural exchange and profound social and political impact of Atelier 17 on American art. Prints made at Atelier 17—including those by Stanley William Hayter, Louise Nevelson, and Perle Fine—will be in conversation with works by European Surrealists who were working at the studio in the 1940s and 1950s. The exhibition will also feature a selection of domestic mid-century objects that exemplify how the ideas and aesthetics of post-war abstraction became a part of everyday life.

Beyond the Lens: Photorealist Perspectives on Looking, Seeing, and Painting
Dec 3 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Throughout the history of painting from the mid-19th century forward, artists have used an

endless variety of approaches to record their world. Beyond the Lens: Photorealist Perspectives on Looking, Seeing, and Painting continues this thread, offering an opportunity to explore a singular and still forceful aspect of American art. Photorealism shares many of the approaches of historical and modernist realism, with a twist. The use of the camera as a basic tool for organizing visual information in advance of painterly expression is now quite common, but Photorealists embraced the camera as the focal point in their creative process.

Beyond the Lens presents key works from the collection of Louis K. and Susan Pear Meisel,

bringing together paintings and works on paper dating from the 1970s to the present to focus on this profoundly influential art movement. The exhibition includes work by highly acclaimed formative artists of the movement such as Charles Bell, Robert Bechtle, Tom Blackwell, Richard Estes, Audrey Flack, and Ralph Goings as well as paintings by the successive generations of Photorealist artists Anthony Brunelli, Davis Cone, Bertrand Meniel, Rod Penner, and Raphaella Spence. Featured artworks in the exhibition include diverse subject matters, but the primary focus is on the common and every day: urban scenes, “portraits” of cars, trucks, and motorcycles, still life compositions using toys, food, candy wrappers, and salt and pepper shakers. All provide opportunities for virtuoso studies in how light, reflection, and the camera as intermediary shapes our perception of the material world.

This multigenerational survey demonstrates how the 35-mm camera, and later technological

advances in digital image-making, informed and impacted the painterly gesture. Taken together, the paintings and works on paper in Beyond the Lens show how simply spellbinding these virtuosic works of art can be.

Beyond the Lens offers a fascinating look into the Photorealism movement and delves into the profound connection between the artists’ observation and creative process,” says Pamela L. Myers, Executive Director of Asheville Art Museum. “We are delighted to present this curated collection of artworks encapsulating the creative vision and technical precision that defines this artistic genre.”

Photorealism found its roots in the late 1960s in California and New York, coexisting with an explosion of new ideas in art-making that included Conceptual, Pop, Minimalism, Land and Performance Art. At first, representational realism coexisted with the thematic and conceptual explosion but was eventually relegated to the margins regarding critical and curatorial attention. Often misunderstood and sometimes negatively criticized or lampooned as a betrayal of modernism’s commitment to abstraction, the artists involved in Photorealism remained committed explorers of the trail they had blazed. In the decades of the late twentieth century and early twenty-first century, realistic and symbolic painting experienced a renaissance, as contemporary artists are increasingly drawn to narrative and storytelling. Concurrently, using a camera as a preparatory tool equally legitimate and valuable as pencils and pens has made the rubric of Photorealism increasingly relevant.

This exhibition is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and guest curated by Terrie Sultan.

This exhibition is sponsored in part by Jim and Julia Calkins Peterson.

Reckoning: Adornment as Narrative
Dec 3 @ 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Tyger Tyger Gallery

Tyger Tyger Gallery is pleased to present Reckoning: Adornment as Narrative, a group exhibition curated by Asheville-based artist and curator Erika Diamond.

Reckoning: Adornment as Narrative is an exhibition of diverse practices, anchored at three points: methods of reckoning; the function of adornment; and the fusing of personal and cultural narrative. It features acts of glitz, embellishment, and homage by Shae Bishop, David Harper Clemons, Kashif Dennis, Annie Evelyn, Margaret Jacobs, Julia Kwon, Katrina Majkut, Heather Mackenzie, and Luis Sahagun. Through material language, each artist tells the story of their identity. Inherent to these stories are contradictions—between labor and value, feminine and masculine, natural and fabricated.

Romare Bearden: Ways of Working Exhibition
Dec 3 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Romare Bearden (Charlotte, NC 1911–1988 New York, NY), African American writer and artist, is renowned for his collages. He constantly experimented with various techniques to achieve his artistic goals throughout his career. This exhibition highlights works on paper and explores his most frequently used mediums, including screen-printing, lithography, hand-colored etching, collagraph, monotype, relief print, photomontage, and collage.

 

Bearden’s work reflects his improvisational approach to his practice. He considered his process akin to that of jazz and blues composers. Starting with an open mind, he would let an idea evolve spontaneously.

 

Romare Bearden: Ways of Working highlights Bearden’s unique artistic practice and masterful storytelling through art,” says Pamela L. Myers, Executive Director of the Asheville Art Museum. “We are thrilled to collaborate with Jerald Melberg Gallery to present these extraordinary works on paper in conversation with Bearden’s collage Sunset Express, 1984 in the Museum Collection (on view in the Museum’s SECU Collection Hall). This exhibition will also provide a glimpse into the cultural histories and personal interests that influenced his art-making practice, and we hope it encourages introspection and dialogue with our visitors.”

 

Jerald Melberg states, “Romare Bearden’s groundbreaking artistic practice continues to captivate audiences worldwide. With an unparalleled legacy of creativity and innovation, Bearden’s contributions to art remain deeply influential years beyond his life.” We have enjoyed organizing this exhibition with the Asheville Art Museum to showcase his artistic genius and inspire visitors from the Western North Carolina region and beyond.”

 

This exhibition is made possible in part by the Judy Appleton Fund. Many thanks to the Jerald Melberg Gallery for the loan of these important artworks and to Mary and Jerald Melberg for their long-standing support of the arts, artists, and the Asheville Art Museum.

Western North Carolina Glass: Selections from the Collection
Dec 3 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Western North Carolina is important in the history of American glass art. Several artists of the Studio Glass Movement came to the region, including its founder Harvey K. Littleton. Begun in 1962 in Wisconsin, it was a student of Littleton’s that first came to the area in 1965 and set up a glass studio at the Penland School of Craft in Penland, North Carolina. By 1967, Mark Peiser was the first glass artist resident at the school and taught many notable artists, like Jak Brewer in 1968 and Richard Ritter who came to study in 1971. By 1977, Littleton retired from teaching and moved to nearby Spruce Pine, North Carolina and set up a glass studio at his home.

Since that time, glass artists like Ken Carder, Rick and Valerie Beck, Shane Fero, and Yaffa Sikorsky and Jeff Todd—to name only a few—have flocked to the area to reside, collaborate, and teach, making it a significant place for experimentation and education in glass. The next generation of artists like Hayden Wilson and Alex Bernstein continue to create here. The Museum is dedicated to collecting American studio glass and within that umbrella, explores the work of Artists connected to Western North Carolina. Exhibitions, including Intersections of American Art, explore glass art in the context of American Art of the 20th and 21st centuries. A variety of techniques and a willingness to push boundaries of the medium can be seen in this selection of works from the Museum’s Collection.

Food Scraps Drop Off: Stephens-Lee Recreation Center
Dec 3 @ 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Stephens-Lee Recreation Center

Food Scraps Drop Off

The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is offering a FREE Food Scrap Drop-Off program in

two locations for all Buncombe County residents.  This organic matter will be collected and turned into good clean compost, keeping it OUT of our landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Register for Food Scraps Drop Off

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Need a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin?  Let us know on the registration form! We’ll be having bin giveaways at city and county facilities and would love to give you one.

 

Locations

Stephens-Lee Recreation Center “Food Scrap Shed” next to the Community Garden on the North side of the parking lot

30 Washington Carver Avenue, Asheville

    • Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
    • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
    • Sunday, 12 – 4 p.m.

Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the east side of the parking lot

749 Fairview Road, Asheville

    • Dawn – Dusk

West Asheville Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the south side of the building

942 Haywood Road, Asheville

Library open hours

 

Buncombe County Landfill – Convenience Center85 Panther Branch Road, Alexander

        • Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
        • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm
The Big Crafty
Dec 3 @ 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville

The Big Crafty is a hand-to-heart celebration of creative exuberance at the heart of Asheville, NC. We believe in supporting creative venturers by crafting warm communities of creative practice.

Join us at Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville, December 2 and 3, Noon to 6PM, for 2 floors of beautiful art and community. Saturday is $10, Sunday is free

We extend warm welcome to the rich pageant of basement and backyard artists, juried prize-winners, and those who delight in them. And we’re so grateful to have been voted Best Arts/Crafts Fair every year since we began in 2008. We’re proud to boost our creative communities in all their go-for-broke, full-of-heart, boundary-pushing, human-scale, all-in, full-tilt glory.

The Big Crafty was founded in 2008 by Brandy Bourne & Justin Rabuck. First held at The Grey Eagle, the event moved into its longtime home at the Asheville Art Museum before moving again to its current alternating homes at Pack Square Park and Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville.

The Big Crafty
Dec 3 @ 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Harrah's Cherokee Center- Asheville

The Big Crafty is a hand-to-heart celebration of creative exuberance at the heart of Asheville, NC. We believe in supporting creative venturers by crafting warm communities of creative practice.

We extend warm welcome to the rich pageant of basement and backyard artists, juried prize-winners, and those who delight in them. And we’re so grateful to have been voted Best Arts/Crafts Fair (Thx, Mountain Xpress!) every year since we began in 2008. We’re proud to boost our creative communities in all their go-for-broke, full-of-heart, boundary-pushing, human-scale, all-in, full-tilt glory.

Biltmore Park Holiday Market
Dec 3 @ 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Biltmore Park Town Square
Holiday Happynings abound at Biltmore Park Town Square. From festive finds, indulgent bites, and enchanting lights, here you’ll savor all the joys of the season. Don’t miss our annual Town Square Tree Lighting and new Holiday Market, where you’ll find local foods, handmade crafts, and even fresh-cut trees! Bring your family and friends and join us for some holiday magic at The Park!
Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred
Dec 3 @ 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Sigal Music Museum

Sigal Music Museum’s current special exhibition, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred, highlights items from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, which hails from all over the world. Showing November 2023 – May 2024, Worlds Apart uses a diverse range of historical instruments, objects, and visuals to bring together musical narratives from seemingly disparate parts of the globe.

 

Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred aims to increase public access to historical instruments from around the world and improve visitors’ understanding of musical traditions at the global level. Expanding beyond the typical parameters of the Western musical canon, Worlds Apart seeks to expose audiences to musical instruments and customs that are often overlooked or exotified. The instruments and other exhibit materials will offer visitors new perspectives on global music and a chance to consider how music is used for prayer and leisure in cultures around the world. By celebrating these stories, the museum intends to further its mission to collect and preserve historical musical instruments, objects, and information, which engage and enrich people of all ages through exhibits, performances, and experiential programs.

 

Displaying various objects from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred focuses on international musical instruments and cultures, celebrating rites and traditions with ancient histories and contemporary legacies. Frank Edwinn, a successful basso in the mid-20th century, studied and toured internationally, eventually settling in North Carolina, where he taught music at the University of North Carolina Asheville. Throughout his life, he purchased various objects from around the world, aiming to expose students, and himself, to the wide and wonderful world of musical instruments. This impressive collection occupies a unique position for educating audiences unfamiliar with the vast scope of global music.

And, UNCA’s Ramsey Library Special Collections is now processing the Edwinn’s papers and a few recordings that will be accessible next semester!

A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas
Dec 3 @ 2:00 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse

It’s beginning to look a lot like…you got it! Keep the family tradition going. Same great quality, all new show! Come celebrate the season here on ‘The Rock’ with the always popular A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas! Join in and sing along to some of your favorite holiday tunes like, “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “Jingle Bells,” “O Holy Night,” and many more. With an incredible cast

featuring dancers from Pat’s School of Dance and the Flat Rock Playhouse Chorus, there is truly no better way to kick off your holiday season!

Downtown Asheville Treasure Hunt – Walking Team Scavenger Hunt!
Dec 3 @ 2:00 pm
Dssolvr Asheville

Guests will meet at Dssolvr Asheville (63 N. Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC 28801) and then depart with their treasure map on a walking team scavenger hunt where they will use their minds and feet to follow clues, solve puzzles, and crack codes to find and unlock the treasure chest for a grand prize!

The hunt involves walking a distance of up to 2.0 miles in total and will take place rain or shine, so long as the weather does not become dangerous. The hunt typically takes about 60 minutes to complete.

Children under 10 years old are welcome to participate for free with the purchase of an Adult ticket.

FREE Pet Photos with Santa
Dec 3 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Asheville Outlets

On Sundays, December 3, and December 17, 2023, visit Asheville Outlets from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for FREE pet photos with Santa by TapSnap Phototainment. Located in the Food Court. Visitors receive one FREE 4” by 6” photo and digital download of a single image (while supplies last). For more information, visit ShopAshevilleOutlets.com.

Jeeves Takes a Bow
Dec 3 @ 2:00 pm
NC Stage Co.

Written by Margaret Raether

based on the writings of P.G. Wodehouse

 

*Please note, this performance is NOT included in the 2023-24 Season Pass*

tickets are, however, available at a 10% discount with the purchase of a season pass

Join us for an holiday presentation of Jeeves Takes a Bow! The British upper crust meets the New York mob in this witty play. Everyone’s favorite hapless hero, Bertie Wooster, embarks on an American adventure armed only with his handsome fortune, his talent for trouble, and his remarkable manservant, Jeeves. In less than a New York minute, they’re knee-deep in trouble with vengeful gangsters, chorus girls, and a new Broadway musical. 

Sundays Traditional Game Day
Dec 3 @ 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

The Perspective Café is kicking off 2023 with a classic bang! Grab your friends and join us each Sunday from 2pm to 5pm in the Perspective Café to play an assortment of board and card games. You can even bring your own favorite games from home to share with new friends.

The Perspective Café will be offering special snacks and cocktails to savor while you play and make a memorable afternoon! Enjoy the galleries and then head up to the rooftop.

THE NUTCRACKER: ONCE UPON A TIME IN GREENVILLE
Dec 3 @ 2:00 pm
Peace Concert Hall

It is Christmas Eve and Clara and her brother, Fritz, are excited for the evening’s festivities to begin.  Family and friends arrive in Greenville by train and admire the sights and sounds of beautiful Main Street.  Clara’s magician Godfather, Herr Drosselmeyer, arrives and brings gifts for everyone.  For Clara, he has a very special nutcracker.  The celebration continues as all enjoy an evening of laughter and dancing.  As one of the maids joins in on the dancing, she bonks Herr Drosselmeyer on the head in her excitement and he is knocked unconscious.

A magical star enters to guide Herr Drosselmeyer on a beautiful journey of Clara’s future.  After all the guests have left, a lonely maid tidies up the room.  She screams in fright as mice invade from every direction.  The nutcracker doll, now life-sized, comes to save the day with an army of soldiers.  A fierce battle between the mice and soldiers ensues.  The Mouse King has The Nutcracker cornered, but Clara strikes the rodent and saves her Nutcracker who is transformed into a handsome prince. Herr Drosselmeyer’s journey continues with visions of beautiful angels and the well known Mice on Main in downtown Greenville.  The city’s rich culture appears through Spanish, Arabian, Chinese, and Candy dancers as well.

Herr Dosselmeyer’s glimpse into Clara’s future happens upon her Debutante Ball complete with elegant waltzing dancers. The loving Godfather has watched his precious Clara’s coming of age and finds himself on her wedding day.  The grown-up Clara is a beautiful bride and marries her dashing Nutcracker Cavalier.  The magical wedding is one only dreams are made of.  Or is it just a dream?


Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky(1840-1893)

The libretto is adapted from E.T.A Hoffmann’s story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. Choreography by Hernan Justo is based on the original Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. Additional choreography by Anita Pacylowski Justo

Elf: The Musical
Dec 3 @ 2:30 pm
Asheville Community Theatre

Get ready to embrace the spirit of Christmas with Elf: The Musical, a heartwarming and hilarious adaptation of the beloved 2003 holiday film. This enchanting musical follows the journey of Buddy, a human raised by elves at the North Pole who embarks on a journey to New York City to find his real father. Through catchy, uplifting songs and zany comedic antics, Elf: The Musical serves a healthy dose of holiday cheer, laughter, and life lessons about identity, family, and the true meaning of Christmas. It’s a magical, festive spectacle guaranteed to light up the holiday season for all ages!

A talkback with the cast & crew of Elf: The Musical will be held following the performances on December 3rd and 10th.

Jack of the Wood : Sunday-Irish Session
Dec 3 @ 3:00 pm
Jack of the Wood

 

Jack of the Wood : Sunday-Irish Session 

Sundays

1 till who knows when?

Traditional Irish music is kept alive at Jack of the Wood with our unplugged Sunday session.

Jack of the Wood

95 Patton ave

Asheville, NC 28801

(828) 252.5445

http://www.jackofthewood.com/

The Screwtape Letters
Dec 3 @ 3:00 pm
Gunter Theatre

A battle for your soul is being waged from an office in hell! Recommended for ages 13+. Children under age 4 are not admitted.

Don’t miss The Screwtape Letters, the provocative, faithful, and wickedly funny theatrical adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ classic novel about spiritual warfare from a demon’s point of view.

The Screwtape Letters creates a topsy-turvy, morally inverted universe, set in an eerily stylish office in hell, where God is called the “Enemy,” and the devil is referred to as “Our Father Below.” The play follows His Abysmal Sublimity, Screwtape, as he strives to ruin the life and damn the soul of an unsuspecting human on earth.

Based on the book by the creator of The Chronicles of NarniaThe Wall Street Journal called it, “One hell of a good show!” Newsweek ranked it among the best productions of the year in New York City. The New York Times found it, “Clever and satirical,” and Christianity Today said it is a “Profound experience.”

The Screwtape Letters has played to capacity audiences in major cities across the U.S., including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Boston, Salt Lake City, Orlando, Seattle, Dallas, and in London. Over 500,000 people have seen the production, which continues to attract a national following.

Starring Brent Harris as Screwtape (Scar in The Lion King national tour), it is directed by Fellowship for Performing Arts Founder and Artistic Director Max McLean.

2023 Gingerbread display
Dec 3 @ 4:00 pm
Omni Grove Park Inn

The official 2023 Gingerbread display begins on Monday, November 27, 2023 and will continue through Tuesday, January 2, 2024. Explore an array of exquisite gingerbread houses meticulously crafted by talented competitors from across the nation in the grandest gingerbread house competition of all.

Guests not staying at the Resort are invited to view the display after 4:00 p.m. on Sundays or anytime Monday through Thursday, based on parking availability and excluding holidays and the following dates: December 23, 24, 25, 30, 31 and January 1. All Fridays and Saturdays are reserved for registered resort guests and those that have confirmed dining reservations. Display access is subject to hotel capacity, including pedestrian traffic. Please note that only Registered Resort Pets will be permitted. No outside pets will be allowed. Before travelling to the property, visit our Facebook page to verify display access is open for public viewing. CLICK FOR LIVE PROPERTY UPDATES

HOLIDAY PARKING PROGRAM

Since the inception of the Holiday Parking Partner program in 2013, we have been honored to contribute over $923,000 to not-for-profit partners in Buncombe County, North Carolina. During the Fall & Holiday season, there is no complimentary parking on property. From October 1, 2023 – January 2, 2024, parking rates are as follows:

  • Valet Parking: $35 for day parking & overnight guests
  • Self-Parking: $25 for day parking & overnight guests

 

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

It all began with a small group of gingerbread houses built by community members in 1992 as another way to celebrate the holiday season with no plans to continue the following year. There was no possible way to know that more than two decades later The Omni Grove Park Inn National Gingerbread House Competition™ would be one of the nation’s most celebrated and competitive holiday events.

As the event grew, so did the caliber of judges and competitors. Our panel of judges represents nationally renowned food and media professionals and the level of competition has attracted the highest quality of design, artistry and pastry expertise. The competition has merited broadcast coverage by NBC’s TODAY Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, the Travel Channel, and the Food Network.

The Gingerbread Display has grown in more than just entries; it has become a true family holiday tradition. From the very young to the very young at heart, the reaction to this magical experience is the same – one of wonder, awe and delight.

Christmas Program: Featuring Music Club Members and Friends
Dec 3 @ 4:00 pm
First Baptist Church, Weaverville

Christmas Program: Featuring Music Club Members and Friends

The Weaverville Music Study Club is now organized under the direction of a Board with a niece of the late Mrs. Clark, Harriet Holcombe Burnette serving as President. The Music Study Club along with area businesses and organizations sponsor music programs throughout the year. Offerings received at these programs provide scholarships for area high school students who wish to pursue music studies.

New Queer’s Eve
Dec 3 @ 4:00 pm
Magnetic Theatre

A world premiere! Written by Jason Phillips, Abby Auman, Eli Hamilton, and Mickey Poandl and directed by Dwight Chiles.

Maybe it’s much too early in the game, but I thought I’d ask you just the same, what are you doing New Year’s? New Queer’s Eve provides a glimpse into the struggle, absurdity, camaraderie, and joy around this holiday from a LGBTQIA+ lens. The show takes place in one location, and spans several decades of New Year’s Eve celebrations. Through interconnected stories told by a collaboration of queer writers, New Queer’s Eve invites audiences to share in the joys and struggles of queer life through the decades.

*Content notification: language; sensitive subject matter; talk of death; brief burlesque scene (no full nudity.)

December 1 – 16, 2023
Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays at 7:30pm
Sundays at 4pm

NEW QUEER’S EVE
Dec 3 @ 4:00 pm
The Magnetic Theatre

NEW QUEER’S EVE
Developed by a Collaboration of Queer Writers
Directed by Dwight Chiles

Maybe it’s much too early in the game, but I thought I’d ask you just the same, what are you doing New Year’s? Join us for a look at this holiday through a new lens. New Queer’s Eve takes place in one location over multiple New Year’s Eve celebrations and provides a glimpse into the LGBTQIA+ experience through time. Through interconnected stories told by a collaboration of queer writers, New Queer’s Eve invites audiences to share in the joys and struggles of queer life through the decades.

Winterfest Village Entertainment + Performances
Dec 3 @ 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Tryon International Equestrian Center

Fridays-Sundays 5-9pm
Dec 1-17 & 19-23

The biggest holiday icons await you in the Winterfest Village! People of all ages can snap a photo, share a laugh, and make memories with famous Christmas characters. From live music to yummy treats, carousel rides to shops and more, Winterfest Village holds magic around every corner, for all ages. Parents do NOT need a wristband to accompany their children!

Kids’ Wristbands: $10 Fridays & Sundays, $12 Saturdays

Wristbands grant access to:

Smile with Santa presented by Nth Degree Orthodontics
Santa Meet-and-Greet & Photo Booth
Home with the Whos presented by Highland Design & Construction
Meet-and-Greet experience
Little Elves Playground presented by St. Luke’s Hospital
Bounce Houses – including a bouncy obstacle course!
Tryon Minis Reindeer Training Stable presented by Tryon Horse & Home
Meet-and-Greet experience
Carousel Rides presented by Tryon Cares

FREE to Access:

Holly Jolly Stage presented by Marthaler Jewelers
Live Music – Legends Plaza
Rockin’ Around the Ring with WTZQ
Live Music – Tryon Stadium Stage
Light up the Night presented by Duke Energy
Giant Ornament Photo Op in Tryon Stadium
Coffee & Cocoa presented by Van Winkle Law Firm
Concession Trailer in Tryon Stadium
Tryon Legends Christmas Tree presented by Pavillon
Photo Op in Legends Plaza
Unwrap the Holidays presented by Tryon International Promenade
Giant Present Photo Op in Tryon Stadium
Hobby Horse Play Area presented by Young Rider
Christmas Bar in Tryon Stadium
Strolling Character Performances
Shopping Booths

North Buncombe Seasonal Celebration
Dec 3 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Reems Creek Golf Club

It’s that time of year when coming together as friends, neighbors, and community nourishes our connections and reminds us why we work to sustain and uplift democracy.

We look forward to seeing you, Democrats, and left-leaning independents from eight North Buncombe precincts at our North Buncombe Democrats Seasonal Celebration on Sun., Dec. 3rd at the Reems Creek Golf Resort. The celebration runs from 5:30 – 7:30 pm.

You’ll meet our NC House, Senate, and County Commissioner representatives, learn about the new district maps, and learn about some of the most challenging legislation our state faces going into 2024.

The Reems Creek Golf Resort will provide a delicious array of vegetarian and hearty appetizers, a cash bar and non-alcoholic beverages. To help us cover the cost of rental and food, we are asking for a $12 donation.

Click below to make a $12 donation: https://secure.ngpvan.com/0wEc1TGfOUapg7uZjDH3bg2

Let’s live our values! Bring a can of food to donate to Weaverville’s ABCCM Food Pantry.

Lake Julian Festival of Lights WALK Through
Dec 3 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Lake Julian Park

Festival of Lights offers two different experiences for attendees: a drive-thru and a walk-thru. The walk-thru dates will take place on Dec. 2 and Dec. 3 from 6-8 p.m. and the drive-thru will be taking place nightly from Dec. 4 – Dec. 23 from 6-9 p.m.

The walk-thru nights (Dec. 2 and 3) will consist of fun holiday crafts, kettlecorn, hot chocolate and the spectacular light show. Admission to the walk-thru nights is only $5 for adults, and children 16 and under get in free, making it an affordable and joyful outing for families to celebrate the holiday season together. Please note that parking for the walk-thru nights will be available at Charles T. Koontz Intermediate School. This is only a short walk from Lake Julian Park. Cars will not be permitted to enter the park unless they have a need for ADA accessible parking. Guests are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes and to dress warmly.

The drive-thru nights (Dec. 4 – Dec. 23) allow you to stay in the comfort of your own car while oooh-ing and ah-ing at the beautiful lights around Lake Julian Park. As participants drive throughout the park, they can tune into their favorite seasonal music on the radio. Admission is $10 per car for personal vehicles, $25 for sprinter vans, trailblazers, and conversion vans, and $50 for busses and motorcoaches. Purchased tickets will be valid for one-time use on any night of the festival; tickets are not date specific.

Winter Lights
Dec 3 @ 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
NC Arboretum

 

Join us in celebrating 10 Years of Winter Lights ❅

❅ November 17 through December 31!

 

Winter Lights is a spectacular open-air walk-through light show made from over one million lights! Located at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina, this year’s event features favorites like the famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden, along with enchanting new details designed to delight and surprise.

Please leave your furry friends at home!

To keep both visitors and pets safe, pets are not permitted at Winter Lights at the Arboretum. Service animals are always welcome.

Winter Lights is The North Carolina Arboretum’s largest annual fundraiser and supports many parts of its mission driven programming.

Presented by:

The Screwtape Letters
Dec 3 @ 7:00 pm
Gunter Theatre

A battle for your soul is being waged from an office in hell! Recommended for ages 13+. Children under age 4 are not admitted.

Don’t miss The Screwtape Letters, the provocative, faithful, and wickedly funny theatrical adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ classic novel about spiritual warfare from a demon’s point of view.

The Screwtape Letters creates a topsy-turvy, morally inverted universe, set in an eerily stylish office in hell, where God is called the “Enemy,” and the devil is referred to as “Our Father Below.” The play follows His Abysmal Sublimity, Screwtape, as he strives to ruin the life and damn the soul of an unsuspecting human on earth.

Based on the book by the creator of The Chronicles of NarniaThe Wall Street Journal called it, “One hell of a good show!” Newsweek ranked it among the best productions of the year in New York City. The New York Times found it, “Clever and satirical,” and Christianity Today said it is a “Profound experience.”

The Screwtape Letters has played to capacity audiences in major cities across the U.S., including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Boston, Salt Lake City, Orlando, Seattle, Dallas, and in London. Over 500,000 people have seen the production, which continues to attract a national following.

Starring Brent Harris as Screwtape (Scar in The Lion King national tour), it is directed by Fellowship for Performing Arts Founder and Artistic Director Max McLean.

SUNN O)))
Dec 3 @ 8:00 pm
The Orange Peel

Jesse Sykes w/ Phil Wandscher

Ages 18+

Sunn O)))) formed in March 1998 in Los Angeles. A synthesis of diverse: drone, ur, noise, metal, minimalism/maximalism; supported by a cast of collaborators, O))) has two core members: Stephen O’Malley and Greg Anderson. For twenty years, Sunn O))) have been challenging the way we think about music. From 1999’s The Grimmrobe Demos to 2015’s Kannon, core members Stephen O’Malley and Greg Anderson have forged connections between the worlds of Metal, Drone, Contemporary Composition, Jazz and Minimalism with startling results while remaining true to the eternal principles of volume, density and weight. Recently, Sunn O))) released their first full-length LP in six years, Kannon (2015), with its roots in recent collaborations with Norway’s Ulver (Terrestrials) and Scott Walker (Soused). The current live line-up, consisting of Stephen O’Malley, Greg Anderson, Attila Csihar, Stephen Moore and Tos Nieuwenhuizen continue live activities with dates across North America, Australia and Europe with remarkable performances at some of their favourite venues, as well as performing in new cultural spaces such as Italy’s impressive cultural complex Labrinto Della Masone, Germany’s Ruhrtriennale Festival of Arts, at The Barbican, London and Manchester International Festival being a few fine examples. All hail.