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.
Have a pint and express yourself to creating works of art in the beer-themed coloring books! Adult Coloring will be held every 2nd Wednesday of the month. Bring in your own coloring gear or pick through our many gel pens and themed coloring books.
Art
https://www.facebook.com/events/320830388762640/?event_time_id=320830465429299
The French Broad Valley Music Association: FBVMA jam session is focused on regional fiddle tunes and songs. Carol Rifkin and John Mitchell cohost weekly, bring an instrument to play or just enjoy the music, its free, kid friendly, donations encouraged. Key Players are intermediate to advanced but beginners are most welcome and encouraged to attend to listen, learn/quietly play along. More experienced players sit in the inner circle and take turns choosing fiddle tunes or songs. Guests, families and kids are invited to listen and often sing along. This style of community play has been used to entertain and pass down music to kids for generations.
The French Broad Valley Music Association is a 501c3 non-profit organization formed to celebrate local musical heritage. “Our community. Our music. Our sense of place.”
https://www.facebook.com/events/231970501048591/?event_time_id=231970664381908
Come enjoy the holiday lights at Lake Julian Park.
Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland presented by Ingles
Tryon Resort is thrilled to be the newest location on the Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland circuit. This two-mile journey weaves through hundreds of thousands of animated Christmas lights coordinated to music for an estimated 30 minutes of holiday enchantment. The Wonderland also features giant, custom-built displays of Santa and his pals on vacation in the mountains, hang gliding, rock climbing, ice fishing, lounging around the campfire, and more. This playful portion of the show is sure to please everyone, young to old.
The tour finishes in Tryon Resort’s Winterfest Village filled with more fun for the whole family. The tour is $25 per carload with additional pricing for group vans and buses available. Tickets are available online in advance or at the exhibit entrance, and discount tickets are available at any Ingles location. Tours are self-driven and open from 6pm-10pm seven days a week beginning November 15, 2019 and ending on January 5, 2020.
Experience Asheville’s BRIGHTEST holiday tradition at Winter Lights at The North Carolina Arboretum. Open nightly November 22, 2019 – January 4, 2020, from 6 to 10 p.m. Walk through an outdoor winter wonderland and see the Arboretum’s gardens and landscapes dressed in more than half-a-million holiday lights. Listen to the sounds of your favorite holiday tunes or enjoy a cup of holiday-inspired cocoa, cider or beer.
$18-$8. See website for tickets and specials.
Specials
Friends & Family Discount Night – Tuesdays
Tickets are reduced to $15 for adults and $10 for children. Arboretum members receive an additional $2 off each ticket. (Excludes Christmas Eve & New Year’s Eve.)
Available on Thursdays through Saturdays only, this special ticketed event offers visitors the chance to enjoy a holly, jolly ride from downtown Asheville or Biltmore Village to Winter Lights courtesy of The Trolley Company. Upon arrival, guests will receive a complimentary cup of hot chocolate and access to the Winter Lights. Pick-up is at 6:00 p.m. from the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Asheville and 6:15 p.m. from the DoubleTree Hotel in Biltmore Village. Guests will be dropped back off at 9:00 p.m. Tickets are $29.50 per person (children 4 & under are free) and can be purchased through The Trolley Company’s website here. (Note: Arboretum member discounts do not apply for this tour). For additional questions, please call Eva Ritchey at The Trolley Company at 828.606.8606.
Join us every Wednesday at 6:30PM at One World Brewing (520 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC) in West Asheville for a community run around West AVL. https://www.facebook.com/groups/988486641322045/ Hang around and grab a drink afterwards. All paces welcome. Well behaved, leashed furry friends welcome.
We will begin with one 4-ish mile route (https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/2424498334) through West Asheville, though will expand to include various options in the future.
Food options nearby, including on-site food trucks during warmer weather.
https://www.facebook.com/events/516081612251742/?event_time_id=516081778918392
About This Trip
Over 90,000 guests rode THE POLAR EXPRESS™ with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in 2018 and we hope to see you in 2019! 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 8, 2019, and operates through December 31, 2019.
Wednesdays and Thursdays 2:00PM and 7:30PM
Fridays 8:00PM
Saturdays 2:00PM and 8:00PM
Sundays 2:00PM
A family tradition has come home for the holidays. An all-new production. Sure to delight and entertain. Join us for the celebration
Wednesdays and Thursdays 2:00PM and 7:30PM
Fridays 8:00PM
Saturdays 2:00PM and 8:00PM
Sundays 2:00PM
A family tradition has come home for the holidays. An all-new production. Sure to delight and entertain. Join us for the celebration
“In this bilingual romantic comedy, circumstances both hilarious and tragic bring together a young Israeli woman, who has little command of English, and a young American man, who has little command of romance. Is their inevitable love an accident … or is it destiny, generations in the making?”
“a hilarious and heartwarming romantic comedy” – The New York Times
VIP Front Row Seating available!
Join Studio Zahiya as we celebrate the end of the year with a Dance Spectacular! Performances include Studio Zahiya instructors, student dance troupes, our kids and teen groups, and special guests!VIP Front Row Seating available!
When an out of work slacker takes a job as an elf in Macy’s Santaland, his hilarious observations of the shoppers and employees are much more naughty than nice. This one-man-act can only be described one way: crazy funny. It’s the 18th year in a row for this show at ACT! Starring Tom Chalmers.
Dry Falls Village has been isolated for as long as anyone can remember. Her inhabitants grow weary and thirst for adventure. Now, they decide, is the time to venture into the wilderness and explore!
Do you have what it takes to brave the dangers of the unknown? Will you steel yourself and venture to uncover sights unseen? Can you handle what lies beyond the borders of the village?
This is West Marches!
The Bearded Dragons Inn hosts their weekly West Marches game. This is a drop in game for all to join. If you have never played before come and join us. Our amazing community will teach you all you need to know. If you have years, or even decades of experience stop on by as well as you’ll experience a whole new style of play. For more information check out our website: https://sites.google.com/view/west-marches-at-dry-falls/home
Please note that this game is family friendly but anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times.
https://www.facebook.com/events/401870287020606/?event_time_id=401870450353923
Come join us for an amazing night of music, prizes, and drink specials. It’s Music Bingo at Banks Ave.. Test your music knowledge and compete against your friends and other patrons. It’s easy to play, and everyone is welcome! We’ll see you there!
https://www.facebook.com/events/391468795015437/?event_time_id=391468921682091
Come join us for an amazing night of music, prizes, and drink specials. It’s Music Bingo at Banks Ave. Test your music knowledge and compete against your friends and other patrons. It’s easy to play, and everyone is welcome! We’ll see you there!
https://www.facebook.com/events/962585360596619/?event_time_id=962585530596602
isclaimer Stand-up Lounge is the longest running comedy open mic in Asheville happening every Wednesday night. The show starts at 9:00, and there is no cover. Anyone wanting to perform needs to sign up by 9pm, and will get five minutes on stage. Local and not-so-local, professional and not-so-professional comics perform or just anyone wanting to get up in front of people and try to make them laugh. Always fun. Always free.
November 29
Downtown Street Lighting & Santa’s Arrival
5:00pm
The lighting of downtown holiday lights and Santa’s arrival kick off the holiday season in Downtown Hendersonville. The evening features entertainment, sing-along, hot chocolate and a visit from Santa Claus at the Historic Courthouse on Main Street. Click for more information Downtown Hendersonville
November 8 – 17
Flat Rock Playhouse presents: “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”
Four kids travel through a wardrobe to the land of Narnia and learn of their destiny to free it with the guidance of a mystical lion! The play was based on the novel by C. S. Lewis. 828-693-0731 Click for tickets Flat Rock Playhouse
November 29 – December 23
Peppermint the Bear Scavenger Hunt
Free
Peppermint Bear will take you on a fun-filled bear hunt through downtown Hendersonville looking for her cubs. As you search for the cubs, visit at least 12 of the 22 downtown participating businesses to be eligible for prizes. Complete the entry form in the brochure and drop it in Peppermint’s mailbox, located in front of the Visitor Center, by December 23rd. For more details about the Scavenger Hunt, stop by the Visitor Center at 201 South Main Street.
December 7
Hendersonville Christmas Parade
10:00am
A traditional hometown Christmas parade travels along Main Street from Five
Points to Caswell Street. Sponsored by the Hendersonville Merchants & Business Association. This year’s theme is the “The Magic of Christmas”. Visit the Hendersonville Merchants & Business Association web site to download a Parade application. 828-692-4179
November 29 – December 22
Flat Rock Playhouse Mainstage presents: “A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas”
An all-new Christmas production follows up last year’s smash holiday hit. This original musical revue performed by your favorite Flat Rock Playhouse singers and dancers is filled with holiday cheer. Celebrate the holidays Vagabonds style! Click for tickets Flat Rock Playhouse
December 6
Olde Fashioned Hendersonville Christmas
Main Street / 5pm – 8pm
The Downtown merchants open their doors and invite holiday shoppers in with a festive window displays, decorations, caroling, music, and refreshments. 828-697-2232.
December 8
Holiday Tour of Historic Inns and Cookie Caper
1pm-4pm
$20
The Holiday Tour of Historic Inns and Cookie Caper is a self-guided tour of several inns and the Cookie Caper part of the tour is a delicious Christmas treat at each inn. The inns on tour include the 1898 Waverly Inn, Charleston Inn, Mill House Lodge, Echo Mountain Inn and Brightwaters Guesthouse. 828-697-3010
December 18 – January 1
Iceless Skating Rink
Regular Hours 11am-6pm, EXCEPT Christmas Eve 11am-3pm, Christmas Day Closed, New Year’s Eve 11am-3pm, and New Year’s Day from 1pm-6pm
Admission: $10, Children 10 & under $5 (payment by cash or check only)
Enjoy ice-skating in Downtown Hendersonville this holiday season. The iceless rink is located at the Visitor Center on South Main Street. The synthetic surface is made from special polymers that does not require liquid, so it can be enjoyed year-round in any temperature. A curling lane is also available. Curling involves players sliding stones on the ice towards a target. Play a variety of free games while you wait your turn on the ice. Skate rental included in admission price. Admission: $10, Children $5 for ages 10 & under, with group rates available for groups of 10 or more, but must call to reserve a time for groups, $5 for for 30 minutes of curling. Regular Hours 11am-6pm, EXCEPT Christmas Eve 11am-3pm, Christmas Day Closed, New Year’s Eve 11am-3pm, and New Year’s Day from 1pm-6pm. Operates weather permitting. Benefits the Henderson County America In Bloom Program, 828-768-4413 To learn more go to: Henderson County America in Bloom
December 20 – 22
Main Street Holiday Hayrides
5pm – 8pm
Free
Take a magical hayride through Historic Downtown Hendersonville among its twinkling lights and festive decorations. Board the tractor-drawn wagon ride at the Visitor Center, located at 201 South Main Street. Reservations are not accepted, first-come, first-served basis.
Happy Holidays LEAFers!
We’re celebrating this special time of year by thanking our LEAF Members with the opportunity to book your lodging and purchase your tickets for our 50th Festival, May 14-17, 2020 NOW!!! Give us a call Monday to Thursday 9-5 and Friday 9-2 to take advantage of early-bird pricing. Not only will you be able to lock in your upcoming LEAF experience but you’ll also receive the LEAF 2020 calendar and a 50th Festival commemorative gift!
This opportunity ends Friday, December 13th at 5:00 pm.
Not currently a member? Call and join today to take advantage of this unique opportunity!
Peppermint the Bear is a special friend of Santa and she needs your help finding her missing cubs! They were sent out to get holiday decorations and a tree, and have not come home. Find Peppermint at the Visitor Center, and then head out to shops along Main Street to look for her cubs. If you help her find 12 of her cubs, you will be eligible to win a prize. The scavenger hunt is available from 11/29-12/23, so that the bears will be home in time for Christmas!
More information can be found at the Visitor Center.
Many things make a good neighborhood: sidewalks, shady trees and manageable car traffic come to mind. But most of all, it’s the people who take time to know each other, who care about the health, safety and rights of their neighbors, who help and look out for children, elders and others in need. These are the neighbors who show they care by maintaining their homes, gardens and public spaces, who participate and are connected to organizations that focus on neighborhoods.
And these are the extraordinary people the City of Asheville wants to honor as the Neighborhood Advisory Committee seeks submissions to recognize individuals or groups who have made a difference in their neighborhood during 2019. The recipient or recipients will be recognized at an Asheville City Council meeting and be featured in the neighborhood news throughout the year.
So help us find that outstanding person or group and nominate them for Asheville’s Neighborhood Hero Award
Share with us the good work going on in your neighborhood! Nominate a deserving recipient. The deadline is Jan. 31, 2020.
’Tis the season — to recycle!
Seriously, between now and the end of the year… Asheville, we love you, and you are going to generate a lot of….STUFF. You know, all those boxes and bags, tinsel and tags.
As part of the City’s sustainability and trash-reduction goals, we certainly want to keep as much of these materials out of the landfill as possible.
Stay on Santa’s nice list with these holiday recycling tips.
What can go in the Big Blue Cart?
YES
- Wrapping paper (except foil wrapping paper)
- Gift boxes
- Cardboard
- Paper gift bags (remove strings)
- Holiday cards and envelopes
- Catalogs, newspaper, and junk mail
NO
- Tissue paper
- Ribbons and bows
- Plastic gift bags
- Bubble wrap and Styrofoam
- Puffy mailing envelopes
- Used paper plates and cups
- Napkins and paper towels
- Christmas lights or electronics (Residents can take Christmas lights to Biltmore Iron & Metal for recycling.)
Disposing of your Christmas tree
The City of Asheville Sanitation Division will collect natural Christmas trees on their regular brush collection routes. Christmas trees must be free of all lights, ornaments, tinsel, stands, and other materials. Place trees at the curb by 7 a.m. on the Monday of your regular brush collection week. The trees will be taken to Riverside Stump Dump and recycled into mulch.
Residents can also drop off Christmas trees for recycling at the following locations:
- Buncombe County Landfill (81 Panther Branch Road)
- Private yard waste facilities
Artificial trees in reusable condition can be donated to Goodwill or other reuse organization. Artificial trees that can’t be donated should be called in for bulky trash collection to 828-251-1122.
The AIR Passport is your buy-one-get-one (BOGO)* ticket to some of Buncombe County’s highly acclaimed independent restaurants. Visit an old favorite or try a new member of the area’s vibrant independent restaurant community. AIR Passports make great gifts, but they go fast.
The AIR Passport offers BOGO from 60 area eateries with discounts up to $15 per participating restaurants. All proceeds from the AIR Passport go to benefit the ongoing efforts of AIR to keep Asheville’s food scene eclectic and authentic.
“It is one of our largest fundraisers of the year,” Anderson said. “We are able to use these funds throughout the year for educational classes, events and other opportunities for our members and their staff.”
Participating restaurants in the 2020 AIR Passport:
| 828 Pizzeria North | Ducker Tea Room | Rosabees |
| 828 Pizzeria South | Early Girl DT | Rosetta’s |
| AUX Bar | Early Girl West | Roux |
| Baked Pie North | Early Girl North | Rustic Grape |
| Baked Pie South | Farm Burger | Sante |
| The Barrelhouse | French Broad Choc | Sawhorse |
| Bhramari | The Glass Onion | The Social Lounge |
| The Bier Garden | The Grey Eagle | Strada |
| Black Bear BBQ | Hemingway’s Cuba | Sunny Point |
| The Blackbird | Isa’s Bistro | Tupelo Honey DT |
| Blue Dream Curry | Jack of the Wood | Tupelo Honey South |
| Bouchon | Karen Donatelli | Daphne-Twisted Laurel |
| Button & Co Bagels | The Laughing Seed | Twisted Laurel West |
| Buxton Hall | Little Jumbo | Ultimate Ice Cream N |
| The Cantina | The Lobster Trap | Ultimate Ice Cream E |
| Chai Pani | Luella’s North | Vinnie’s Italian |
| Chestnut | Luella’s South | Well Played |
| Chupacabra | The Native Social | White Labs |
| Collaboratory | Pack’s Tavern | White Duck Taco DT |
| Copper Crown | The Oysterhouse | White Duck Taco RAD |
| The Corner Kitchen | The Red Stag Grill | White Duck Taco South |
| Creekside Taphouse | RendezVous |
¡TriskaTrivia! is Evolving!
It is now ¡InterActive TriskaTrivia!
Instead of one theme for the entire night, each round will have it’s own topic/theme… and you get to decide what it is!!!
In between each round, we will vote on a selection of topics, and the next round will be based on the one with the most votes! So… that means, the more people on your team, the more votes you get… and you’ll steer what direction the questions take.
Don’t like sports? Vote for Classic Movies… Don’t like movies? Vote for Comic Books or World Geography…
Top two teams still get Triskelion Gift Certificates (ie Glorious Prizes)…
You can still only have up to 6 people on your team…
There are still six rounds with ten questions each, and there is still a Very Hard Questions round… the only difference is that you get to decide what the topics are…
We start at 7pm promplty and proceed to rapid fire questions that usually last until 8:30…
Come on out and test yer brainz!!!
https://www.facebook.com/events/2020001851418998/?event_time_id=2020002014752315
Music, poetry, comedy – we’d love for you to share or just come be entertained and sip some great brews, while supporting your local scene. See you at 7 pm tonight! Sign up starts at 6:30 pm
https://www.facebook.com/events/402200357200372/?event_time_id=402200507200357
Stand-Up Comedy Open Mic every Wednesday 9:(ish)pm at The One Stop at Asheville Music Hall.
Fun and free show of hit-or-miss comedy where comics stop by to work on their material or try out new stuff. Anyone wanting to perform needs to sign up by 9pm, and will get five minutes on stage. The order of sign-up is not necessarily the order of the show.
https://www.facebook.com/events/3174166542609086/?event_time_id=3174166652609075
This year’s Christmas display theme is “Winter Wonderland.” Come take your family photos at this magical display. Santa will be available on special dates, contact store for more details! Display also open when Santa is not there.
Winter can be the most beautiful time of the year at Chimney Rock. Leafless trees make for expansive views of Lake Lure and the Hickory Nut Gorge. The sky is clear; you’re likely to find a quiet spot to sit and enjoy the peacefulness. You may even see a critter scamper by you in the forest. Capture that special moment or scene on your camera, enter it in our Winter Wonders Photo Contest and tell us about it. We’ll use the winning entries on our website and Facebook album, and you’ll win some fun prizes. Photos must be taken within the Chimney Rock section of the Park.
Cost: No additional cost to enter.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1883673098397455/?event_time_id=1883673138397451
“Dressing for the Occasion” offers visitors a window into the style, culture, and feel of mid-century America. The family’s clothing and accessories weave together the roles of Carl Sandburg as a prominent writer, celebrity, father, and husband. This temporary exhibit offers an exciting opportunity for the public to view objects that are normally in storage or in the possession of Sandburg family members. Tours of the Sandburg Home are offered daily from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Tickets are available first come, first served, each day from the visitor information area in the ground level of the Sandburg Home.
Nearly every room in the historically furnished house museum will be included in the exhibit. Visitors will see the characteristic scarves Carl Sandburg wore as he played his guitar and sang folk songs to entertain his family and guests, the dress Lilian Sandburg wore to meet President Lyndon B. Johnson, and many other mid-century pieces worn by the Sandburgs and their daughters. Historic photographs, paired with the clothing, will provide context.
Named for two years by Explore Asheville as one of the top 5 events in the Swannanoa Valley at Christmas, you are invited to come experience 25 Christmas trees that bring joy to the whole community. The public is invited to view the trees and then vote with money for their favorite tree. Every cent raised through Deck The Trees goes to the Fuel Fund for Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry. Be a part of creating something beautiful that also gives back to the community. Prizes are awarded for the tree that raises the most money and for the tree that most represents the theme.
Calendar of Events:
Dec. 6, 2019 – Jan. 6, 2020
Visit Deck The Trees from 10 AM to 9 PM
Dec. 9, 4:30 – 7:00 PM
Photos and a Visit with Santa Claus
$15.00 per photo
Dec. 10, 2:00 to 4:00 PM
Deck The Tree Christmas Tea with Highland Farms
January 6, 2020 6:00 to 8:00
A Final Celebration
-Which tree most represents the theme?
-Which tree raised the most money for the Fuel Fund for Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry?