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.

Saturday, December 19, 2020
Free Outdoor Film The Nutcracker and The Mouse King
Dec 19 @ 12:00 pm
Rabbit Rabbit

This Saturday, join us for a fun, free, community event that your ballet fans young and old will love. So much has been cancelled because of the pandemic, but we are proud to our offer our community and families a safe, spacious outdoor site to enjoy socially distanced festive traditions. This Saturday, we are partnering with Asheville Community Dance Theater to host a screening of their 2019 performance of the beloved holiday ballet, The Nutcracker. Entry is free. As a special surprise, some of the cast favorites in costume will be on site as special guests. Masks and social distancing are required at all times, as always.
Hickory Nut Gap Farm Holiday Special Get a Box, Give a Pound to MANNA
Dec 19 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Hickory Nut Gap Farm

Get a Box, Give a Pound
From now until Dec. 31st, when you shop our new shippable curated sampler boxes, we’ll donate a pound of grassfed beef or pastured pork to MANNA foodbank to support a family in need.

*Order by Sunday, December 20 to ensure Christmas delivery!

NEW Holiday Hours
While the Farm Store is still closed to the general public, you can shop HNG products online and pick them up at the Farm Store.

PICKUP HOURS EXTENDED
Open: Friday (12/18) – Wednesday (12/23) 1-4 PM
Closed: Thursday (12/24) – Wednesday (12/30)
Open: Thursday (12/31)
Closed: Friday (1/1)
Open: Saturday (1/2) – Sunday (1/3) 1-4 PM

Youth Studio at Asheville Art Museum: Winter Wonderland (Grades K–5) 
Dec 19 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

It’s beginning to look a lot like… winter! Instead of staying bundled up under the covers, be inspired by the season to create snowy landscape cards and Model Magic decorations. Held indoors in the Museum’s John & Robyn Horn Education Center during cold weather. Space is limited to small groups of up to eight students; face coverings and social distancing are required.

Hickory Nut Gap Farm Holiday Sale
Dec 19 @ 4:04 pm – 5:04 pm
Hickory Nut Gap Farm

HICKORY NUT GAP WILL DONATE A POUND OF OUR PASTURE RAISED MEATS TO FAMILIES IN NEED FOR EVERY SAMPLER BOX PURCHASED BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 2020.

Candlelight Christmas Evenings at Biltmore
Dec 19 @ 5:00 pm
Biltmore

Candlelight, firelight and live music bring holiday warmth to Biltmore House’s extravagant holiday décor during these nighttime tours. Candlelight Christmas Evenings include a self-guided candlelight tour of Biltmore House, next-day visit to the gardens, Antler Hill Village and Biltmore Winery. Evening guests can also take advantage of Antler Hill Village & Winery to enjoy free wine tastings.

Tickets may be purchased at www.biltmore.com or by phone (800-411-3812).

Winter Lights at The N.C. Arboretum
Dec 19 @ 5:30 pm – 10:30 pm
The N.C. Arboretum

Winter Lights at The N.C. Arboretum

November 20, 2020 – January 10, 2021

5:30 – 10:30 p.m. Nightly

Experience Asheville’s BRIGHTEST holiday tradition at Winter Lights at The North Carolina Arboretum. This year, guests are invited to take a dreamy ride through the Arboretum’s enchanted forest and attend Winter Lights safely within their own vehicles. In light of COVID-19, the Arboretum has converted its popular event into a drive-thru show, allowing guests to navigate through a one-mile stretch of the Arboretum’s campus and see unique exhibits covered in thousands of holiday lights. As the Arboretum’s largest fundraising event of the year, proceeds generated from Winter Lights will directly support the Arboretum’s mission-driven programming.

Designed with an artistic aesthetic, Winter Lights features beautifully lit displays and glowing landscapes nestled along the Arboretum’s woodland edge and garden areas. As part of the show’s redesign, visitors will enjoy several new nature-themed displays, including winter wildlife, colorful butterflies, a special insect lantern exhibit and a giant daisy “garden.” Celebrate the holiday season with the entire family at Winter Lights.

Christmas Lights in Asheville Area
Dec 19 @ 5:45 pm – 9:30 pm
Asheville NC

Gas up the car and heat up your hot chocolate – here are our readers’ recommendations for the best spots to catch Christmas Lights! Holiday Lights (2020) – Google My Maps provided by Avl Today

Drive thru Christmas Lights with the Town of Fletcher
Dec 19 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Bill Moore Community Park
Lake Julian Festival of Lights
Dec 19 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Lake Julian Park

Ranger Station holiday light display

  • $10 for personal vehicles (standard cars/vans)
  • $25 for sprinter vans, trailblazers, and conversion vans
  • $50 for buses and motorcoaches
  • 20% of the proceeds benefit Special Olympics Buncombe County

Lake Julian Festival of Lights has become a tradition for many mountain families and visitors. Visitors are invited to watch the lights twinkle over the lake and to turn on Rewind 100.3, the local station playing holiday hits from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

Lake Julian Festival of Lights takes place nightly from December 1-23 from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Please check our Facebook page for information on closings due to winter weather.

Shadrack’s Christmas lights show
Dec 19 @ 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Tryon Resort

The light show is also synchronized to music that plays on the radio station indicated at the entrance to the show.

The drive-thru light show is about 30 minutes long, and there are two ticket options for purchase which covers vehicles of up to eight people

  • Dec. 10-13: Rudolph
  • Dec. 17-20: The Grinch
  • Dec. 21-24: The Nativity
Holidosio Streaming Celebration
Dec 19 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Live Stream

Papadosio has announced “Holidosio” a three-day streaming celebration on December 17th, 18th & 19th, 2020 hosted on the online streaming platform Stageit. These streams will be available as a “pay what you want” model with a suggested donation of $10 per night & added perks for fans who tip the band! Limited edition holiday merch for this event this available in the Papadosio Store.
The second annual Holidosio celebration will feature three unique sets from the 5 piece quintet based in Asheville, NC. On December 17th the band will play an all-original set featuring songs from their expansive catalog including their newest release Microdosio. Which dropped in July of 2020. Night 2 will feature a 100% all improvised set & the third and final night will feature a rare acoustic set. Each night will offer something unique and special for fans & is free to anybody who wants to watch & participate in the celebration. “It’s a small semblance of normalcy that we get to indulge in, which is nice. We really want make this a tradition here in Asheville, so even though we can’t physically be in the same room as our audience, at least we get to keep the tradition alive in a different format.” Say keyboard player Billy Brouse. “Expect an intimate, albeit from afar, round of sets. Excited about the acoustic set, which feels right at home in Asheville around the holidays. Obviously, improv sets are a crazy time, all of us have been in our houses being weirdos for an entire year so that’ll be a different one for sure. Should be interesting…”
For more information on Holidosio head over to Stageit.com/Papadosio and follow Papadosio for the celebration. Or visit Papadosio.com/Holidosio.
Holiday at Peace
Dec 19 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Peace Concert Hall

Celebrate the Christmas season with the Upstate’s premier holiday pops performance, Holiday at Peace. For nearly thirty years,  Holiday at peace has been entertaining the entire family with dazzling performances that feature classic standards with modern-day favorites. Making her Greenville Debut, is America’s Songbird,  Myrna Clayton. You and your family will be swept into the seasonal spirit and mesmerized by Myrna’s heartfelt vocals. Returning to the stage with the GSO is International Ballet! Music and merriment abound in our holiday pops concert, perfect for the entire family. What better way to get into the holiday spirit than with the GSO’s annual, musical Christmas present to Greenville.

It’s A Wonderful Life
Dec 19 @ 7:30 pm
Online with North Carolina Stage Company

*Ticket sales will end at 12 pm on the day of each performance*

What if Immediate Theatre Project had to present their annual broadcast of It’s A Wonderful Life in the middle of a pandemic that prevented the actors from getting together to rehearse? The lines between real life and live theater blur in this virtual version of this classic holiday offering. In a year unlike any other, join us for a reminder that when we believe in each other nothing is impossible.

Sunday, December 20, 2020
A Ghost of Christmas Past Radio Drama
Dec 20 all-day
Online w/ WCU

Join the School of Stage and Screen for a unique radio drama experience of “A Ghost of Christmas Past” where Fan – Scrooge’s often forgotten younger sister – takes center stage as the feminine and ethereal guide to restore balance in the unbalanced world and heart of Ebenezer Scrooge.

The radio drama was written and adapted for the stage by assistant professor Ashlee Wasmund with original music and lyrics by assistant professor Kristen Hedberg.

Asheville Independent Restaurant Holiday Hours
Dec 20 all-day
Online

Make your holidays merry, bright and a culinary delight with the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association. Before you go out or order in for your special holiday evenings, make sure that your favorite restaurant is open for business! Check the AIR Holiday Hours – a complete list of AIR restaurant’s special holiday hours from Thanksgiving to ringing in the New Year! These will be updated often, so please check in throughout the season! View Holiday Hours here –

Asheville Regional Airport: Special “virtual” surprise with Santa Selfie Station
Dec 20 all-day
Asheville Regional Airport
Asheville Regional Airport — Art Gallery (Media is invited at any time to visit the display – the Art Gallery is located in the main lobby of the public area of the terminal.)
A “magic” TV, in the Art Gallery window, brings passengers special messages (and safety reminders) from Santa and an invitation to come into the gallery to take a selfie. Travelers are able to stand with a virtual Santa who poses for pictures in a “COVID-friendly” way.
The holidays look much different this year because of COVID-19, especially during air travel. The airport team wanted to offer some holiday cheer and something unique for its guests. This festive, virtual display is a way to bring a smile to passengers’ faces (behind their masks) to help brighten their travel experience, in a safe and responsible manner.
VISUALS:
  • Virtual Santa, asking travelers to pose for a “selfie”
  • Virtual Santa, offering different poses: Masked Santa; Santa in sunglasses; Santa with arms outstretched; Santa posing for a back-to-back photo
  • Travelers interacting with the display
Blue Ridge Orchestra Revels 2020
Dec 20 all-day
Online

BRO REVELS! 2020

String Orchestra in the Diana Wortham Theatre (Wortham Center for the Performing Arts)

The holidays are a precious time of connection: a time to share joy among friends, family, and community. Where the coronavirus pandemic imposes barriers to physical reunion, music allows us to gather in spirit wherever we are. In October 2020, a small subset of musicians from the Blue Ridge Orchestra spaced out their stands, put on their masks, and gathered at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts to record holiday favorites for a concert that can unite loved ones near and far.

Programmed by John Gordon Ross, this unique concert will feature secular and sacred favorites performed by a variety of musical ensembles: a woodwind quintet, a brass octet, a 13-piece string orchestra, a solo soprano with piano, and a string quartet.

The final recording will be available here from December 11-31!

Buy a brick or granite brick Be part of the Swannanoa Valley’s geography and history!
Dec 20 all-day
Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center

Buy a brick or granite paver to honor a friend or family member, and make their name a part of the Swannanoa Valley’s geography and history! The pavers will form a mosaic which will show the north and south ridgelines of the Swannanoa Valley and the locations within the Valley which trace the settlement and the evolution of the Valley to the vibrant community it is today.

The Valley in the Alley exhibit is located, fittingly, in the alley owned by the Museum between the Museum and the Dripolator Coffee House, just off West State Street in Black Mountain.

The exhibit is based on the sale of engraved brick pavers, but with an approach distinct from the usual random placement of pavers. Purchasers of all engraved bricks within the alley will have the same opportunity to honor or memorialize friends and recognize special achievements as in other paver programs. However, through the purchase of a variety of special granite pavers, individuals, families and businesses will be owning “a piece of history” by forming the geographic outline of the Valley and locating major points of special interest in the Valley, such as communities, dwellings, or landscape features.

The result will be a mosaic which will show the north and south ridgelines of the Swannanoa Valley, the major geographic features on, and within, the ridgelines and the locations within the Valley which trace the settlement and the evolution of the Valley to the vibrant community it is today.

When the Valley in the Alley is complete, it will be a primer for children, acquainting them with the geography and history of the Swannanoa Valley; it will quickly orient visitors to what they are seeing around them; it will allow generations of families to recall and tell of their place in the Valley’s history; and it will be an aesthetically pleasing walkway, complimenting both the Museum building and Black Mountain’s Historic Downtown. The Museum will also provide permanent seating in the alleyway for use by the community.


Pricing

Regular 4″x8″ brick pavers holding three lines of text are $100. Engraved granite pavers will form the special features of the mosaic. They start at $200 for one 4″x8″ paver with three lines of text and increase in cost and available text depending on the size of paver chosen. Approximately 4,000 pavers make up the Alley, of which nearly 600 will form the outline of the Valley. Along the outline and within the Valley, over 100 sites are available for special recognitions or dedications.

Once the initial cost for acquiring and placing pavers is recovered, all proceeds from the Valley in the Alley purchases will be devoted to completion of the renovation and the operations of the Swannanoa Valley Museum including exhibits, on-and off-site programming, outreach to schools, preservation, and research.

Participants in the Valley in the Alley program will be contributing their own piece of history to our community.
For more information:

Brick Locations

Buy friends and family a tile to our Wall of History at the Swannanoa Valley Museum!
Dec 20 all-day
Online with Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center
Buy friends and family a tile to our Wall of History at the Swannanoa Valley Museum! This special exhibit is comprised of 4 x 4 inch tiles with photographs of families, homes, fond memories, and other heritage images from the Swannanoa Valley. You can contribute your own photograph, or choose one from our museum’s extensive archives. Cost for the tiles is $100 for the first one, $75 for others placed in the same order.
Ella Fitzgerald: Frosty the Snowman
Dec 20 all-day
Online w/ Brevard Music Center

Brevard Music Center Staff Picks From Around the Web

Ella Fitzgerald:
Frosty the Snowman

Enjoy this animated retelling of Frosty the Snowman, sung by the incomparable Ella Fitzgerald.

Homemade Holiday A Gift Guild from Asheville Makers
Dec 20 all-day
Online

Handmade Holidays

Spread some mountain magic and holiday cheer with these unique gifts from Asheville’s artisans and makers. Shop from over 50 local vendors or share your love of Asheville by giving the gift of travel this holiday season.

Keep the Cheer Contest Shop and Dine
Dec 20 all-day
Hendersonville

 COC Shop and Dine

Enter the KEEP THE CHEER HERE Contest hosted with WTZQ!

WTZQ ShopDine Slider

 

What is Shop & Dine HC?

Shop & Dine HC is a collaborative movement designed to remind the public of the benefits and importance of spending their dollars with our local businesses. Local businesses lay the framework for a strong community and we want Henderson County to shop local, spend local, save local.

Why does shopping locally matter?

When you shop locally:

  • $0.02 of every $1 stays in the community through the Sales Tax. These dollars support county and municipal budgets for schools, law enforcement, infrastructure, and more.
  • you help create and retain jobs for existing businesses as they succeed and grow, and create a successful business community that attracts other businesses and entrepreneurs.
  • those same businesses you are supporting will give back to our community through donations to non-profits, civic clubs, youth programs, and more.

Simply put – our local businesses make our community better.

Want to get involved?

Be part of the conversation!

Join the Shop & Dine Facebook Group

join button3

Businesses – Take the #SafeHendo Pledge! 

We celebrate businesses that are committed to the safety of our community in these extraordinary times. Check out the #SafeHendo pledge and let your customers know their safety is your focus.

pledge button2

Shop Local: Consider what it means to shop Amazon
Dec 20 all-day
Online

Consider what it means to shop Amazon
Did you know that Amazon’s net sales for Q4 are expected to be $121 Billion and to grow 38% compared with fourth quarter 2019 numbers? Clearly in this pandemic, they are the big winner. Y’all… there has NEVER been a more critical year to SHOP LOCAL! Please show your love and support of our amazing local business community which truly has all you could ever need- a vintage dress, wall tapestry, piece of pottery, growler of beer or endless gift cards to your favorite Asheville restaurants. Get some ideas here:  shops , restaurants , breweries , and more.
Show and Tell Holiday Pop Up Shop
Dec 20 all-day
Online

WELCOME TO OUR ONLINE POP UP SHOP

The Big Crafty Online
Dec 20 all-day
Online

Our weekend.

For the first time in more than a decade, we won’t be sharing hugs with you all, and we’re really missing it.
But we’ll still be admiring the year’s creative harvest and we hope you will, too!
Our artists have responded to the extraordinary circumstances of this year with creative zeal, and we hope you’ll enjoy checking in with them via our list of artists.
We will also be sharing some of our favorite work and gift ideas via Instagram and Facebook this weekend and throughout the holidays.
Treat yourself. Treat your fam. Know that your support is needed and appreciated.
Also…know that next year we will be hugging you extra tight.
Til then, stay well, keep your fires burning, and take extra good care of one another ❉❊❤❊❉

Winter Wonderland at Grove Arcade
Dec 20 @ 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Grove Arcade

Grove Arcade is thrilled to announce the return of its annual Winter Wonderland holiday celebration.

The Arcade has transformed into a wreath-bedecked showcase for Asheville’s finest local craftspeople and retailers. Smells of pine and holly will greet visitors as they tour—at a proper social distance!—Asheville’s stunning art deco gem to discover one-of-a-kind, handcrafted local gifts, enjoy holiday-themed beverages and dining specials, and winter-y feels within the warm Grove Arcade halls. Specially curated Christmas standards and the most extravagant holiday decorations in town will transport visitors to a truly unforgettable winter paradise.

We will be hosting a local MANNA Food Bank Drive! Drop-off barrels will be placed around several areas of the Arcade to be collected and distributed by MANNA to help during these uncertain times.

For the enjoyment and safety of everyone, Grove Arcade will be taking appropriate COVID-19 precautions during Winter Wonderland. All visitors and employees will be required to follow the CDC’s health recommendations, including social distancing and mask wearing.

Enjoy a safe and jolly visit to Grove Arcade’s Winter Wonderland! And from all of us at Grove Arcade, Happy Holidays!

Give the Gift of Literacy
Dec 20 @ 8:30 am – 8:15 pm
Online

Your support makes it happen!

Give the Gift of Literacy to create lasting change this holiday season and beyond.

A Brevard Music Center Gift Certificate!
Dec 20 @ 9:00 am – 10:00 pm
Online w/ A Brevard Music Center

Give your loved ones a gift that will last all summer long –
A Brevard Music Center Gift Certificate!

Gift certificates can be purchased for a minimum of $25 and applied toward subscriptions or tickets to any event, any season. It’s a hassle-free, printable gift solution that will introduce your friends and family to one of the country’s premier summer music festivals, and a very special way to support the next generation of classical musicians.

Brevard Music Center’s 2021 Summer Music Festival will be held from June 25 through August 8. Details will be announced after the first of the year, and we plan for another captivating season of symphony, opera, chamber, pops, bluegrass, and jazz performances.

Purchase your gift certificate online at
brevardmusic.org/giftcertificates
or call (828) 862-2131 to order yours today!

Important Note: At this time, all gift certificates are delivered digitally as PDFs
and are attached to your confirmation emails. Gift certificates are not
actual concert tickets and must be redeemed for individual performances
through the box office once single tickets go on sale. All guest artists,
programs, and dates are subject to change. Give the gift of music today!

Christmas at Biltmore Daytime Celebration
Dec 20 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Biltmore

Buy tickets online to save up to $8 per admission. Check website for hours of operation.
Treat yourself to the beloved estate tradition known as Christmas at Biltmore, when America’s Largest Home®, Antler Hill Village, and the entire estate are at their most enchanting.
A daytime visit to Biltmore is a feast for the senses, featuring wreaths, garlands, and the sparkle of thousands of ornaments, from Biltmore House to Antler Hill Village!
Christmas at Connemara Thanksgiving to January 6
Dec 20 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Carl Sandburg House

The house will be decorated in the simple style of the Sandburg’s with poinsettias and a traditionally decorated Christmas tree throughout December until January 6th, 2021.