• $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.

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

Over 90,000 guests rode THE POLAR EXPRESS™ with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in 2019 and we hope to see you in 2020! The 1¼ hour round-trip excursion comes to life as the train departs the Bryson City depot for a journey through the quiet wilderness for a special visit at the North Pole. Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, guests on board will enjoy warm cocoa and a treat while listening and reading along with the magical story. Children’s faces show the magic of the season when the train arrives at the North Pole to find Santa Claus waiting. Santa will board THE POLAR EXPRESS™, greeting each child and presenting them with a special gift as in the story, their own silver sleigh bell. Christmas carols will be sung as they return back to the Bryson City Depot.

THE POLAR EXPRESS™ begins November 13, 2020, and operates through December 31, 2020.

Seated Concert with Dinner – reservations highly recommended. Please call the venue for tickets and reservations. 828-575-2737

John​ ​Doyle‘s​ ​remarkable​ ​guitar​ ​talents​ ​are​ ​legendary​ ​but​ ​in​ ​recent​ ​years​ ​his songwriting​ ​has​ ​been​ ​getting​ ​a​ ​growing​ ​share​ ​of​ ​attention.​ ​​​His​ ​articulate, colorful​ ​and​ ​evocative​ ​songs​ ​of​ ​emigration,​ ​war,​ ​oppression​ ​and​ ​loss​ ​rival​ ​the greatest​ ​traditional​ ​songs​ ​ever​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Irish​ ​canon.​ ​An​ ​evening​ ​of​ ​top​ ​class musicianship​ ​and​ ​songs​ ​by​ ​an​ ​original​ ​heavyweight​ ​in​ ​celtic​ ​music.

*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.

Over 90,000 guests rode THE POLAR EXPRESS™ with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in 2019 and we hope to see you in 2020! The 1¼ hour round-trip excursion comes to life as the train departs the Bryson City depot for a journey through the quiet wilderness for a special visit at the North Pole. Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, guests on board will enjoy warm cocoa and a treat while listening and reading along with the magical story. Children’s faces show the magic of the season when the train arrives at the North Pole to find Santa Claus waiting. Santa will board THE POLAR EXPRESS™, greeting each child and presenting them with a special gift as in the story, their own silver sleigh bell. Christmas carols will be sung as they return back to the Bryson City Depot.

THE POLAR EXPRESS™ begins November 13, 2020, and operates through December 31, 2020.

Smart Start Partnership for Children will be hosting a virtual book sale the weekend
of December 11th through December 13th, with a special live stream event happening on
December 12th. Santa Clause and a special Holiday Elf will be hosting the live event which
will happen via Face Book live at 10AM. Most books are priced between $2 and $5.
“We are excited to spread the holiday cheer and hopefully help parents and
guardians get last minute gifts.” said Carrie Ann Chandler Communications and
Development Director.
Smart Start has the mission to support, educate, and advocate to build a strong
foundation for young children in our community. With a variety of programs including early
literacy, kindergarten transition, parent support, and quality early childhood education,
Smart Start has been serving the Henderson County community for over twenty years.
Last year Smart Start was able to give $465,390 away in scholarships for young children
to attend quality early childcare. Proceeds from the virtual sale will go to promote all the
work Smart Start does.
To access the live stream and shop the virtual sale visit
www.faceboook.com/SmartStartPFC or www.smartstartpfc.org .
To donate or learn more about this event or the work of Smart Start Partnership
for Children call 828-693-1580. Sponsors for the event include Hunter Subaru, Bryan Byrd
Keller Williams Mountain Partners, Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More, Mail Box and Pack,
Associated Land Surveyors and Planers, PC. , Judy Stroud with State Farm, First Bank,
Carolina Blue Design Group, Lakeview Putt and Play, Southern Elite Coatings, and WNC
Bridge Foundation.

Buncombe County Libraries have teamed up with local attractions and museums to offer free admission for library card holders with a ZOOM pass!

How does it work?

• Have your library card handy and log into the Tixkeeper database.
• You can make 1 reservation per library card. Check the pass details to see how many adults and children gain entry with each pass. Reservations can be made up to 30 days in advance and you may visit each attraction once every 30 days. Reservations are made online only.
• You will get an email confirmation of your reservation and a reminder email the day before your visit.
• Pick up your tickets at any library anytime the week before your visit. Please bring the library card used for reservations with you.
• The pass will be good for YOUR RESERVATION DAY ONLY. The pass will have your name on it and cannot be used by anyone else. ZOOM passes cannot be renewed.
• Take your ZOOM pass to the museum for admission. You are responsible for knowing the schedule of the museum with regards to opening and closing times. Admission guidelines may vary and pass users must follow the rules of the museum

Kimpton Hotel Arras and local artists today unveiled, “Ode to Buskers & Asheville Music,” a locally created, life-size stainless steel sculpture located outdoors on the corner of Lexington and Patton at Kimpton Hotel Arras. Inspired by the city’s vibrant street musicians and their lively drum circles, artists Chukk Bruursema and Ash Knight sought to bring the unique rhythms of Asheville to life through this striking, collaborative piece, which was commissioned by the hotel.

“Asheville Music,” the large steel djembe drum sculpted by Chukk Bruursema, has West African roots, where the djembe is traditionally played as part of an ensemble, invoking feelings of community and togetherness. Adorning the drum is “Asheville Music,” Ash Knight’s five musical buskers depicted playing the spoons, the string washtub, jug, washboard, and the fiddle, with a dog observing from the ground below.

“We are pleased to officially introduce the “Ode to Buskers & Asheville Music” sculpture, a defining art piece that truly represents the spirit of our city, to the Asheville community,” said Kimpton Hotel Arras General Manager David McCartney. “This piece is an exciting addition to the hotel and expands our local artwork program, which works to highlight and supporting the work of local artists and purveyors.”

Following the unveiling, tours of the additional local artwork displayed throughout the hotel were offered with the artists in attendance to speak to their pieces, including John Wayne Jackson and Peter Roux. Kimpton Hotel Arras commissioned more than a dozen pieces of local artwork curated by local art consultant Liz Barr of Art Resouces.

Click HERE to view photos of “Ode to Buskers & Asheville Music” from the unveiling.

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 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!

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.

Desserts handmade to order and without preservatives!

Order online only.

Start the year off right with a Flat Rock Playhouse 2021 calendar! This beautiful image of our Mainstage was taken by longtime Vagabond and Flat Rock Playhouse favorite, Scott Treadway. Enjoy the view of the Rock all year round in your office, on the kitchen wall, or above your desk. This quality printed calendar is 20″x16″ and supports the arts in North Carolina.

Wake, Mel Chin’s giant animatronic sculpture, installed in New York City’s Times Square last summer, will be on view in Asheville through March 15, 2021, at 44 Collier Avenue. Chin, a WNC based conceptual artist, was named a MacArthur Fellow in September 2019.

Wake was commissioned as part of Mel Chin: All Over the Place, a multi-site survey of his works from across many decades that took place in several New York City locations. A collaborative group, led by UNC Asheville’s STEAM Studio and The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, formed to plan and raise funds for the sculpture to be seen locally.

Wake – 60 feet long, 34 feet wide and 24 feet high, conceived and designed by the artist – was engineered, sculpted and fabricated by an interdisciplinary team of UNC Asheville students, faculty, staff and community artists led by Chin. The sculpture is interactive and features decks and places to sit and contemplate.

Wake evokes the hull of a shipwreck crossed with the skeletal remains of a marine mammal. The structure is linked with a carved, 21-foot-tall animatronic sculpture, accurately derived from a figurehead of the opera star Jenny Lind that was once mounted on the 19th century clipper ship, USS Nightingale. Jenny Lind moves subtly as she breathes and scans the sky.

Visitors can experience Wake daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 44 Collier Avenue. For more details and a schedule of programming, visit ashevillearts.com.

The holiday season is upon us, so we wanted to share a few suggestions for gift giving this year, with ways to stay cozy, look forward to summer and cheer on the Bulldogs, wherever you are.

Pickup is Tuesday 2-8 p.m., Friday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and Saturday 12-6 p.m.

Sundays, 10am – 12:30pm
October 18th – December 13th
No Class November 29th
Want to learn how to throw on the potter’s wheel? No experience? No problem! In this class, students will learn the foundations of wheel throwing. Starting with the basics and building upon them, students will gain the necessary skills to create mugs, bowls, vases, and more! There will be plenty of instruction as well as independent time to explore the mud and the studio. Join Lauren this fall for a playful and clay-full journey!

Level: All Levels
Tuition: Tuition: $310 + $55 Lab Fee

Join us for a holiday Sale and Celebration here at Odyssey ClayWorks! We will have an outdoor Seconds Sale- so bundle up, wear a mask, and come shop with us! Seconds sale, special deals, surprises and more! See you soon

Deck The Trees is a fun and festive December Holiday Happening in Black Mountain. This event is a fundraiser for the Fuel Fund of the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministries. Trees decorated in the theme And A Star Appeared will be displayed in the Monte Vista Hotel and many businesses throughout Black Mountain. Trees may be voted on by placing cash/check in the box corresponding to your favorite tree. All money collected goes directly to the Fuel Fund. For more information about Deck The Trees and to support your favorite tree(s) contact svcmblackmountain.org.

Bluegrass Brunch
hosted by Aaron Woody Wood & The Sufi Brothers

Pickin’ on the Porch w/ Chicken Coop Willaye 1030AM
Bald Mountain Boys 11AM – 12:30PM
Sufi Brothers 12:45PM – 3PM

Be sure to check out our Bloody Mary Bar, the BEST selection of pickled products and other additions in Asheville. The MOJO Kitchen will be serving a special Brunch menu until 3PM as well.

Food & music start at 10:30am
ADULT beverages at Noon.

Beginning October 7, the three-hour documentary-styled art installation Question Bridge: Black Males will be on view at the Asheville Art Museum. This innovative transmedia project facilitates a dialogue between Black men from diverse and contending backgrounds, and creates a platform for them to represent and redefine Black male identity in America. The work will be on view during regular public hours from October 7, 2020 through March 15, 2021.

Question Bridge: Black Males is a project that explores critically challenging issues within the African American male community by instigating a transmedia conversation among Black men across geographic, economic, generational, educational, and social strata of American society. Question Bridge provides a safe setting for necessary, honest expression and healing dialogue on themes that divide, unite, and puzzle Black males today in the United States.