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.

Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Lights Before Christmas at Riverbanks Zoo
Dec 19 @ 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Riverbanks Zoo
Bring the kids and the camera and see why Lights Before Christmas has continued as a family tradition for 30 years!

  • Nearly one million twinkling lights
  • Countless decorative images
  • Holly Jolly Christmas Parade
  • Animated Story Tree
  • Animal Characters
  • Nightly visits with Santa (start at 6:00PM through December 23)
  • Warm memories and holiday cheer around the Jingle Bell Bonfire
  • Hot cocoa, s’mores and other festive foods available for purchase

While you may spot a few night owls during Lights, most of our residents will be off-exhibit to catch some zzz’s.

Tweetsie Christmas
Dec 19 @ 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Tweetsie Railroad

Open 5:00 – 10:00 p.m. Advance Tickets Required. Enjoy the wonder of the park dazzlingly lit for the holidays, with a nighttime train and more.

Candlelight Christmas Evenings (December)
Dec 19 @ 5:30 pm – 11:00 pm
Biltmore

Candlelight Christmas Evenings*
Saturday, November 3, 2018 – Saturday, January 5, 2019 (Select Dates)

*Check website for availability/dates
*By reservation only.
*Pricing varies by date.

Candlelight, firelight, and live music bring holiday warmth to the extravagant holiday décor of Biltmore House, creating an evening to remember. Evening guests can also take advantage of Antler Hill Village & Winery to enjoy free wine tastings. Advance reservations are required for evening visits.

Learn more about #ChristmasAtBiltmore or plan your visit: biltmore.com/Christmas

https://www.facebook.com/events/1524627331014393/?event_time_id=1524627341014392

Ben and Jerry’s FUNdraiser for Youth OUTright!
Dec 19 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

School is out and we want to celebrate by having a social and fundraiser with our good friends Ben and Jerry! Come and eat ice cream from 6:30-8:30 and 20% of the profits go towards YO! What?! So come out and support your favorite local LGBT+ youth non-profit and eat your favorite ice cream!!

https://www.facebook.com/events/343699019782124/

Fourmata Fundraiser at Blue Ghost Brewing, Fletcher NC
Dec 19 @ 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Blue Ghost Brewing Company

The Fourmata quartet will be competing with 14 other (Jr Varsity quartet contest) at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in January! Enjoy an evening of singing, group-singing and fun, sponsored by Asheville a cappella groups.
#BHSOPRY

https://www.facebook.com/events/342353493016555/

Thursday, December 20, 2018
A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas
Dec 20 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

All new! In 2017, we broke box office records with A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas. In 2018, come join us for a brand new version of this holiday tradition.

Matinees: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00PM

Evenings: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30PM. Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00PM

Flat Rock Playhouse Mainstage
2661 Greenville Highway Flat Rock, NC 28731

THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride
Dec 20 all-day

All Aboard THE POLAR EXPRESS! This memorable journey will take you on an incredible journey! Believe the magic this Holiday season!

Over 88,000 guests rode THE POLAR EXPRESS with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in 2017 and we hope to see you in 2018! 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 9, 2018, and operates through December 31, 2018.

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

Christmas at Biltmore Daytime Celebration*
Saturday, November 3, 2018 – Sunday, January 6, 2019 (daily)

*Included with estate admission.
*Does not include “Candlelight Christmas Evenings”

Experience the holidays wreathed with the wonder of Biltmore. Our celebration presents Christmas on a grand scale with more than 55 trees decorated by our talented staff, accented with miles of ribbon, garlands, and lights. Festive menus in our restaurants and holiday wine tastings make for a memorable visit.

Learn more about #ChristmasAtBiltmore or plan your visit: biltmore.com/Christmas

https://www.facebook.com/events/104655743803303/?event_time_id=104655807136630

Lights Before Christmas at Riverbanks Zoo
Dec 20 @ 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Riverbanks Zoo
Bring the kids and the camera and see why Lights Before Christmas has continued as a family tradition for 30 years!

  • Nearly one million twinkling lights
  • Countless decorative images
  • Holly Jolly Christmas Parade
  • Animated Story Tree
  • Animal Characters
  • Nightly visits with Santa (start at 6:00PM through December 23)
  • Warm memories and holiday cheer around the Jingle Bell Bonfire
  • Hot cocoa, s’mores and other festive foods available for purchase

While you may spot a few night owls during Lights, most of our residents will be off-exhibit to catch some zzz’s.

Tweetsie Christmas
Dec 20 @ 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Tweetsie Railroad

Open 5:00 – 10:00 p.m. Advance Tickets Required. Enjoy the wonder of the park dazzlingly lit for the holidays, with a nighttime train and more.

Candlelight Christmas Evenings (December)
Dec 20 @ 5:30 pm – 11:00 pm
Biltmore

Candlelight Christmas Evenings*
Saturday, November 3, 2018 – Saturday, January 5, 2019 (Select Dates)

*Check website for availability/dates
*By reservation only.
*Pricing varies by date.

Candlelight, firelight, and live music bring holiday warmth to the extravagant holiday décor of Biltmore House, creating an evening to remember. Evening guests can also take advantage of Antler Hill Village & Winery to enjoy free wine tastings. Advance reservations are required for evening visits.

Learn more about #ChristmasAtBiltmore or plan your visit: biltmore.com/Christmas

https://www.facebook.com/events/1524627331014393/?event_time_id=1524627417681051

8th Annual Get Vocal Charity Formal
Dec 20 @ 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
The Social

Wear your finest threads and join us for a night of holiday cheer for a great cause!! Bring a $10 donation or an unwrapped toy for the kids at Black Mountain Home For Children. UPDATE: if you haven’t already purchased a gift, the top requests are Nerf Guns, Slime kits, and Adidas or Nike Hoodies and Joggers

https://www.facebook.com/events/491445551372439/

The Weepies – Holiday Acoustic Duo Tour
Dec 20 @ 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
The Orange Peel

The Weepies
Holiday Acoustic Duo Tour
Show: 8pm
Doors: 7pm
$25 – $30
SEATED SHOW
Ages 18+

Tickets & Info: www.theorangepeel.net/event/the-weepies-holiday-acoustic-duo-tour/

Singer-songwriters Deb Talan & Steve Tannen began writing together the night they met, and soon formed indie band The Weepies. On the strength of their simple yet insightful songwriting and distinctive harmonies, they quietly sold more than 1.5 million records with over 54 million streams on Spotify, 25+ million views on YouTube, and over 110k social media followers. They married and had three children, rarely touring but continuing to release their music; five records over seven years.

Just before Christmas 2013, when their youngest son was 17 months old, Deb Talan was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. She was in chemo by New Year’s Eve.

In 2014, Deb beat cancer, and The Weepies recorded the best album of their career. Coming back from the edge sharpened their skills and focus. At 16 songs and almost an hour long, SIRENS shows a band at the height of its powers.

The couple was unable to travel while Deb was in treatment, so they worked at home, inviting guest musicians to record remotely wherever each musician happened to be, resulting in an unlikely superstar backing band. Players from across the spectrum jumped in, including: Pete Thomas and Steve Nieve (Elvis Costello), Gerry Leonard (David Bowie), Rami Jaffee (Foo Fighters), Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel), Oliver Kraus (Sia) and Matt Chamberlain (Pearl Jam), as well as veteran Weepies compatriots Frank Lenz, Eli Thomson, Jon Flaugher, Meg Toohey, and Whynot Jansveld, plus a horn section from New Orleans.

The prophetic “No Trouble” was written prior to learning Deb’s diagnosis. “I don’t need no trouble, but sometimes trouble needs me,” sings Steve; Deb’s vocals were recorded during her first weeks of chemo. The couple continued to write and record throughout treatment, with Deb providing several key vocals far into the year, including title track “Sirens,” captured in one take on a day where Deb really only had one take in her; her vulnerability is tangible. “We just kept going,” says Deb. “We also have 3 small children, and were homeschooling, and the effects of chemo blew whole days out of the water.”

The band was able to use their limited studio time as an escape, leading to some of their most joyful tracks ever, including the genre-bending “Fancy Things” and the upbeat “Early Morning Riser,” aided mightily by a fantastic rhythm section and horns. There’s plenty of heart and comfort for long time Weepies fans too – the deceptively simple “My Little Love,” the gorgeous “Brand New Pair of Wings” and the straight ahead poetry of “River From the Sky.”

After The Weepies had officially finished the album, and Deb was in recovery, they continued to record remotely with their phenomenal backing musicians for fun, eventually adding a cover of Tom Petty’s “Learning to Fly” and a version of Irish balladeer Mark Geary’s “Volunteer” to the final album.

“No one song could capture that year,” says Steve. “16 seems like a lot to release at once, but each song reflects a different angle of that long, suspended moment. They hang together like a bunch of photographs from a certain time. It was intense, but there was beauty and inspiration, too. Deb made it back. And we’re still here.”

www.theweepies.com

https://www.facebook.com/events/1072542762913143/

Friday, December 21, 2018
A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas
Dec 21 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

All new! In 2017, we broke box office records with A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas. In 2018, come join us for a brand new version of this holiday tradition.

Matinees: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00PM

Evenings: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30PM. Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00PM

Flat Rock Playhouse Mainstage
2661 Greenville Highway Flat Rock, NC 28731

THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride
Dec 21 all-day

All Aboard THE POLAR EXPRESS! This memorable journey will take you on an incredible journey! Believe the magic this Holiday season!

Over 88,000 guests rode THE POLAR EXPRESS with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in 2017 and we hope to see you in 2018! 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 9, 2018, and operates through December 31, 2018.

Christmas at Biltmore Daytime Celebration (December)
Dec 21 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Biltmore

Christmas at Biltmore Daytime Celebration*
Saturday, November 3, 2018 – Sunday, January 6, 2019 (daily)

*Included with estate admission.
*Does not include “Candlelight Christmas Evenings”

Experience the holidays wreathed with the wonder of Biltmore. Our celebration presents Christmas on a grand scale with more than 55 trees decorated by our talented staff, accented with miles of ribbon, garlands, and lights. Festive menus in our restaurants and holiday wine tastings make for a memorable visit.

Learn more about #ChristmasAtBiltmore or plan your visit: biltmore.com/Christmas

https://www.facebook.com/events/104655743803303/?event_time_id=104655837136627

Resilience IPA Release
Dec 21 @ 12:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Catawba Brewing Company

Catawba Brewing is proud to participate in the Resilience IPA fundraiser project in partnership with over 1000 craft breweries across the country.

Giving back to our local communities has always been at the top of the Catawba mission statement, and we’re happy to help Sierra Nevada give back to theirs by donating 100% of our Resilience IPA sales to the Camp Fire Relief Fund.

Look for our Resilience IPA to start pouring in Catawba tasting rooms on Friday, December 21. Please come out and join us as we raise a glass to our friends and fellow craft beer lovers on the West Coast.

https://www.facebook.com/events/360380184720183/

Resilience IPA Release
Dec 21 @ 2:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Catawba Brewing Company

Catawba Brewing is proud to participate in the Resilience IPA fundraiser project in partnership with over 1000 craft breweries across the country.

Giving back to our local communities has always been at the top of the Catawba mission statement, and we’re happy to help Sierra Nevada give back to theirs by donating 100% of our Resilience IPA sales to the Camp Fire Relief Fund.

Look for our Resilience IPA to start pouring in Catawba tasting rooms on Friday, December 21. Please come out and join us as we raise a glass to our friends and fellow craft beer lovers on the West Coast.

https://www.facebook.com/events/270031890362947/

Beer Release: Resilience IPA (Both Locations)
Dec 21 @ 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm
UpCountry Brewing Company

We’re so excited to be part of the campaign for Sierra Nevada’s Resilience IPA.

We’ll be releasing this brew at both locations on Friday, 12/21, to support Sierra Nevada’s efforts to rebuild following the California fires.

About Resilience IPA:

ALCOHOL CONTENT 6.8% by volume
BEGINNING GRAVITY 16.0° plato
ENDING GRAVITY 4.0° plato
BITTERNESS UNITS 65

YEAST Ale yeast
BITTERING HOPS Chinook, Centennial
FINISHING HOPS Cascade, Centennial
MALTS Two-row Pale, Caramel

From Sierra Nevada:

When the Camp Fire started in the hills above our Chico brewery on November 8, 2018, it soon became the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history. The fire burned more than 153,000 acres, killed at least 85 people, and destroyed more than 13,000 homes. Many of our employees and community members were severely impacted by this tragic event.

In the days following the fire, we announced plans to brew Resilience Butte County Proud IPA, a fundraiser beer for Camp Fire relief. We committed to brewing the beer and donating 100% of the sales to the Sierra Nevada Camp Fire Relief Fund, aimed at long-term community rebuilding support. And we asked every brewery in the country to do it with us.

We sent out the “bat signal” calling our friends in the industry, asking our suppliers to donate ingredients, asking other breweries (our competitors) to donate their time and labor costs, and asking our wholesalers and retailers to carry the beer for free. It was a big ask, and we never could have anticipated the response.

More than 1,400 breweries signed up to brew Resilience. Our suppliers donated ingredients to every brewery nationwide. Wholesalers and retailers agreed to carry the beer and donate every dollar they received. All of them agreed to do this for free to benefit people they had never met.

In all, Resilience Butte County Proud IPA should hit the market in mid-late December more than 17,000 barrels—or 4.2 million pints—strong. Every dollar Sierra Nevada receives will go to those impacted by the Camp Fire.

Thank you to the brewing community. Thank you to our suppliers. Thank you to our wholesalers and retailers. And thank you to every single customer who is helping us rebuild our Butte County community—one pint at a time.

https://www.facebook.com/events/722658004775027/

Lights Before Christmas at Riverbanks Zoo
Dec 21 @ 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Riverbanks Zoo
Bring the kids and the camera and see why Lights Before Christmas has continued as a family tradition for 30 years!

  • Nearly one million twinkling lights
  • Countless decorative images
  • Holly Jolly Christmas Parade
  • Animated Story Tree
  • Animal Characters
  • Nightly visits with Santa (start at 6:00PM through December 23)
  • Warm memories and holiday cheer around the Jingle Bell Bonfire
  • Hot cocoa, s’mores and other festive foods available for purchase

While you may spot a few night owls during Lights, most of our residents will be off-exhibit to catch some zzz’s.

Tweetsie Christmas
Dec 21 @ 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Tweetsie Railroad

Open 5:00 – 10:00 p.m. Advance Tickets Required. Enjoy the wonder of the park dazzlingly lit for the holidays, with a nighttime train and more.

Candlelight Christmas Evenings (December)
Dec 21 @ 5:30 pm – 11:00 pm
Biltmore

Candlelight Christmas Evenings*
Saturday, November 3, 2018 – Saturday, January 5, 2019 (Select Dates)

*Check website for availability/dates
*By reservation only.
*Pricing varies by date.

Candlelight, firelight, and live music bring holiday warmth to the extravagant holiday décor of Biltmore House, creating an evening to remember. Evening guests can also take advantage of Antler Hill Village & Winery to enjoy free wine tastings. Advance reservations are required for evening visits.

Learn more about #ChristmasAtBiltmore or plan your visit: biltmore.com/Christmas

https://www.facebook.com/events/1524627331014393/?event_time_id=1524627411014385

Ol’ Timey Christmas Gospel Music Sing Along
Dec 21 @ 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Leicester Community Center

Every third Friday

We will be singing mostly ol’ timey hymns along with a few new ones.

This is a family event. People of all ages and from all denominations are welcome!

https://www.facebook.com/events/701615543570465/

A Bluegrass Christmas with Sierra Hull
Dec 21 @ 7:00 pm
Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts
A Bluegrass Christmas with Sierra Hull @ Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts |  |  |

Sierra Hull is a singer, mandolinist and former child prodigy who signed with Rounder at age 13 and distinguished herself by becoming the first bluegrass musician to receive a Presidential Scholarship to the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Though she is best known for her work as a mandolin player, Hull is also respected as a composer and lyricist, having worked closely with 15-time Grammy Award-Winner, Bela Fleck. And now, Sierra invites everyone to enjoy the musical sounds of a Bluegrass Christmas celebration.

A Rocky Mountain Christmas by Jim Curry featuring the Music of John Denver
Dec 21 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts
A Rocky Mountain Christmas by Jim Curry featuring the Music of John Denver @ Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts

A family holiday tradition comes to life in “A Rocky Mountain Christmas” as Jim Curry performs the music from John Denver’s many Christmas Television specials and Christmas Music collections. Memorable melodies that speak to the heart of the holidays like “Silver Bells,” “Silent Night,” and “O Holy Night,” along with John’s own “Christmas for Cowboys,” “Noel, Christmas Eve,” “Aspenglow,” and “The Peace Carol.” Enjoy these songs along with John’s all-time hits like “Rocky Mountain High,” “Sunshine On My Shoulders,” and “Back Home Again,” as Jim Curry and his band “fill up your senses” in this heart-felt seasonal show.

Saturday, December 22, 2018
A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas
Dec 22 all-day
Flat Rock Playhouse

All new! In 2017, we broke box office records with A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas. In 2018, come join us for a brand new version of this holiday tradition.

Matinees: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00PM

Evenings: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30PM. Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00PM

Flat Rock Playhouse Mainstage
2661 Greenville Highway Flat Rock, NC 28731

THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride
Dec 22 all-day

All Aboard THE POLAR EXPRESS! This memorable journey will take you on an incredible journey! Believe the magic this Holiday season!

Over 88,000 guests rode THE POLAR EXPRESS with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in 2017 and we hope to see you in 2018! 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 9, 2018, and operates through December 31, 2018.

Christmas at Biltmore Daytime Celebration (December)
Dec 22 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Biltmore

Christmas at Biltmore Daytime Celebration*
Saturday, November 3, 2018 – Sunday, January 6, 2019 (daily)

*Included with estate admission.
*Does not include “Candlelight Christmas Evenings”

Experience the holidays wreathed with the wonder of Biltmore. Our celebration presents Christmas on a grand scale with more than 55 trees decorated by our talented staff, accented with miles of ribbon, garlands, and lights. Festive menus in our restaurants and holiday wine tastings make for a memorable visit.

Learn more about #ChristmasAtBiltmore or plan your visit: biltmore.com/Christmas

https://www.facebook.com/events/104655743803303/?event_time_id=104655830469961

Holiday Craft Pop-up Series!
Dec 22 @ 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Firestorm Books & Coffee

A three part pop-up series featuring local artists, this event is both a great opportunity to grab something unique for the folks you love (and yourself!) and a fundraiser for the Firestorm Community Sustainers Program. A portion of each sale will help to underwrite social movement space and grassroots community programming at our co-op.

Different artists will be featured on each date, so plan to attend all three! Hours will be 11am to 4pm.

Saturday, Dec. 15th
Including Talia Scarpelli, MKR Fiber Arts, and Retool

Sunday, Dec. 16th
Including Bear Dog Designs, Sticks & Stones Craft Collective, and Madeline Owen

Saturday, Dec. 22nd
Including Abacus Corvus Artwork, HTV Jewelry, Ceramic Song, and Emily Eagan Art

https://www.facebook.com/events/1203847526432598/

TAAG Christmas Bake Sale!
Dec 22 @ 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
PetSmart

Come support TAAG at our Christmas bake sale! This will be our last fundraiser of the year! We will have last-minute stocking stuffers for your loved ones!

https://www.facebook.com/events/364001831041991/