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.
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.
Friday, December
18, 2020
A Brevard Music Center Gift Certificate!
Give your loved ones a gift that will last all summer long –
Christmas at Biltmore Daytime Celebration
Christmas at Connemara Thanksgiving to January 6
Donate at The Blood Connection
Flat Rock Playhouse 2021 calendar!
UNC Asheville’s Gift Guide
Gardener’s Cottage 12 Days Of Christmas | 5% Of Sales Donated to Eblen Charities
Jus’ Running Holiday Gift Guide + Sale
Monte Vista Hotel: Deck The Trees
Live Glassblowing Demos – Handcrafted Christmas Ornaments
Gallerie Bazaar: a gift show
In person or Virtual: Visit Santa at the Asheville Mall
Santa Claus visits
Asheville Proper’s Cookies for Charity
Hickory Nut Gap Farm Holiday Sale
Candlelight Christmas Evenings at Biltmore
Winter Lights at The N.C. Arboretum
Christmas Lights in Asheville Area
Celebrate the holidays with Gretchen Peters :: Live Stream
Drive thru Christmas Lights with the Town of Fletcher
Lake Julian Festival of Lights
Shadrack’s Christmas lights show
Holidosio Streaming Celebration
Holiday at Peace
Holiday at Peace Greenville Symphony Orchestra!
It’s A Wonderful Life
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!
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!
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.
We’re proud to call Western North Carolina home. Our dedicated staff work and live in the area, just like you. Whether you’re here for the breath-taking mountain views or the cooler weather, we’re glad you’re here to help us save the lives of your neighbors.
Our centers are the perfect places to give back and kick back. Open every day, yes weekends too, makes it easy to fit donating into your schedule.
You could probably use a little peace, and every Blood Connection center offers that. Clean, spacious, and comfortable, a center getaway may be exactly what you need…it’s exactly what 3 blood recipients need too.
Every donation has the power to save up to 3 lives. Every 2 seconds, someone in the U.S. is in need of a life-saving blood transfusion. You’re 1 person who can make a difference!
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.
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.
Shop Local To Give Local
Shop with us on December 15th and 5% of total sales will go to Eblen Charities.
About Our Annual 12 Days Of Christmas Event
It’s time for our annual 12 Days of Christmas Give Back event! Help us support our community from December 13-24th. Each day we will contribute 5% of our sales to a designated charity.
This year more than ever, we’re grateful for the support of our community and eager to show our support as well.
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.
A Wonderful Family Holiday Tradition … Handcrafted Christmas ornaments by Master Scientific Glassblower Jason Probstein.
Since 2010, the Mountain Made art gallery, in downtown Asheville, has been proud to host live glassblowing demonstrations by scientific glass blower, Jason Probstein.
This year Probstein will be demonstrating from 10:30 AM – 4:00 PM on these 3 days: Fridays, Saturdays & Mondays … starting November 20 to December 21, 2020 … Or until his gas tanks run dry!
He will be creating his unique handcrafted Christmas tree ornaments – while you watch. We invite you to bring the entire family and come by Mountain Made to watch this master scientific glassblower at work!
To learn more this and other holiday events, visit our website for more information. Or if you are in downtown Asheville, we invite you to just come by Mountain Made gallery, located at 1 Page Ave – Inside the Grove Arcade (Suite #123) to see for yourself just how great Jason and his ornaments are.
We’re turning the gallery into a bazaar for the holidays! The gallery will be filled with affordable and giftable original art and prints from a wide array of local artist and craftspeople. We’ll be donating 10% of gallery bazaar sales to MANNA food bank in Asheville. It’s been a rough year; come find a sweet little piece of art to brighten someone’s holiday, and support local artists when you do.
Show Dates: Nov 14 – Jan 4.
Gallery Hours: 11-5 pm.
(closed Wednesdays)
Gallery Hours: 11-5 pm.
(closed Wednesdays)
Featured artists tba very soon ~ there’s still time to participate if you’d like to submit some artwork~ send us a message!
cover art: “Earth Rhythm” by @Annie Kyla Bennett Art
We are excited to continue the tradition of hosting Santa to meet and greet all kids and kids-at-heart. Santa is doing many things differently this year, and because of that we are providing multiple options for you and your loved ones to see Santa.
In person visits will still be available, but you will have to reserve a special time to see Santa. Click here to reserve your spot now. These visits will be contactless, and hand sanitizing stations will also be available. Scroll further down the page to learn more about available dates, times, photo package pricing and more. Face masks are required to visit Santa for children age 2 and up as well as adults, so remember to bring your festive holiday mask or face covering.
For those unable to see Santa in person or who want additional memorable experiences, we are now offering several online options. You can continue to Create Holiday Magic from the comfort of your home, and celebrate Christmas throughout the season with things like Story Time with Santa, Photos with Santa (including pets), a live zoom call and more! Click here to learn more.
The Asheville Mall is now offering Santa Claus visits for children this year, but it will look a bit different as the staff follows strict guidance to keep families safe. “Santa’s Workshop” is located in the traditional center of the mall, but the visits will be contactless. Instead of children sitting on Santa’s lap, families will sit 6 feet in front of Santa for photos. (Photo credit: WLOS Staff)
Sweeten up this holiday season and give back with Asheville Proper’s Cookies for Charity kits launching on National Cookie Day, December 4 and running through Friday, December 18. The decorating kit includes four cookies, three icing bags and sprinkles all prepared by Asheville Proper’s pastry chef, Hilary Lamont, and is available for a $10 donation. All proceeds will go to Asheville-Buncombe Community Christian Ministry, a non-profit organization addressing poverty, hunger, homelessness and access to health care for the under-served in Buncombe County.
Cookies for Charity kits will be available during regular dinner reservations or can be pre-ordered by emailing the restaurant at [email protected] with your name, phone number, number of kits you’d like to purchase and date and time for pick-up. The kits will be available to pick-up in the restaurant Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 4 to 10 p.m.
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, 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
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.
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
This show is by donation and will be live streamed on ZOOM.
Register in advance for this meeting at: Gretchen Peters Live Stream
“…songs that manage, with deft use of language, to cram a whole epic into three minutes. It’s astonishingly good writing.” – Pop Matters
“Stunning” – Rolling Stone Country
- $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
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.
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.
Celebrate the holidays with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra! Hosted by local television personality Megan Heidlberg, the annual “Holiday at Peace” program will feature special guests including Greenville native and superstar soprano Karen Parks and all your yuletide favorites. Tickets will be sold in sets of 4 for these socially distanced performances.
*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.
Saturday, December
19, 2020
A Ghost of Christmas Past Radio Drama
Asheville Holiday Parade Canceled for 2020
Asheville Independent Restaurant Holiday Hours
Asheville Regional Airport: Special “virtual” surprise with Santa Selfie Station
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.
The decision to cancel the parade was based on North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s September 30th announcement moving North Carolina into Phase 3. Phase 3 continues to limit outdoor gatherings to 50 people and provides capacity limits for outdoor spaces. The uncertainty of COVID-19 conditions and public safety protocols in effect at the time of the parade drove the decision.
There are thousands of people in the parade and as many as 20,000 have come to watch in previous years, so it’s just not responsible to move forward in the midst of a public health crisis.
The Asheville Downtown Association took over production of the Asheville Holiday Parade in 2008. The parade first marched, danced and rolled through downtown Asheville in 1946, meaning 2020 would have marked the 74th annual parade.
The Asheville Downtown Association is planning to host free photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus on Saturday, November 21 at Rabbit Rabbit in downtown Asheville. Families will register for a time slot to maintain social distancing, and children and families will also remain distanced from Santa and Mrs. Claus for photos.
The Asheville Downtown Association will also continue to host its annual Downtown Holiday Windows Contest. More information on both of the above opportunities to come.
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 –
- 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