Calendar of Events

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!

3-Day Whisked Away Weekend.

Friday-Sunday, December 4-6, 2020. 9am-5pm each day. 

Be prepared to get swept up in a new fiber weaving direction: historic Broom Making with Mark Hendry of Blue Ridge, GA. 

You’ll be whisked away for a wonderful 3-day weekend, learning to craft various styles of stunning handmade whisk brooms with Mark Hendry of Mountain Heritage Craft.

You will learn the historic handcraft of making brooms sans machinery, as it was done in the 18th century.

Each day students will explore fun, functional & highly decorative whisk designs, plaiting techniques, ways of adding color and at least 4 different construction methods and styles, culminating in a hearty cache of whisks to take home, along with the know-how to create more on your own.

These highly useful beautiful gems of the sweeper world make fantastic gifts, as well as being very fun and satisfying to make.

All levels welcome. Some hand strength required.

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.

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 second Santa’s Showdown will take place on Saturday, December 5 at Recreation Park in East Asheville. This unique 5K will pit runners representing Elves and Reindeer against each other to establish North Pole supremacy for the coming year.

On Saturday November 28, December 5, 12 and 19, music or storytelling will be offered from 10:30 am – 12:00 pm with craft-making from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

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.

Even though it’s getting colder, you can still find fresh, local food at area farmers tailgate markets. Several markets in Buncombe County will offer holiday markets or extended seasons in November and December. In addition to seasonal produce, meats, cheeses, and bread, these markets feature local artists and handmade goods, such as wreaths, pottery, jewelry, and more.

Uncommon Market is excited to host their Uncommon Holiday on December 5th & 6th @ the Foundation in the River Arts District (RAD), 1 Foundy Street, Building 36.

Uncommon Market is Asheville’s largest market of the Old, the Bold, the Creative and Unexpected in it’s 6th season of gathering quality curators of antiques, vintage décor, art, jewelry and home furnishings.

This is an INDOOR market with 75 vendors from 10 am to 4 pm both days.

Admission is $3 for adults (good for both days)/kids are free. Service dogs only.

Coffee, beer and food will be available.

While you’re in the area check out the over 240 artists in the 22 buildings that comprise the RAD.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, please adhere to the 3 Ws: Where a mask, Wait 6 feet apart and Wash your hands frequently.

On Saturday November 28, December 5, 12 and 19, music or storytelling will be offered from 10:30 am – 12:00 pm with craft-making from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

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.

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.

The Asheville Art Museum presents Fantastical Forms: Ceramics as Sculpture on view at the Museum November 4, 2020 through April 5, 2021. The 25 works in this exhibition—curated by associate curator Whitney Richardson—highlight the Museum’s Collection of sculptural ceramics from the last two decades of the 20th century to the present. Each work illustrates the artist’s ability to push beyond the utilitarian and transition ceramics into the world of sculpture.

North and South Carolina artists featured include Elma McBride Johnson, Neil Noland, Norm Schulman, Virginia Scotchie, Cynthia Bringle, Jane Palmer, Michael Sherrill, and Akira Satake. Works by American artists Don Reitz, Robert Chapman Turner, Karen Karnes, Toshiko Takaezu, Bill Griffith, and Xavier Toubes are also featured in the exhibition.

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.

Best of all, Porch Portraits by Suzanne will donate $15 of every session to our great friends at Flat Rock Playhouse. My goal is to raise $15,000 for the Playhouse by the end of the year so any money over and above the price of $65 will go straight to them.

Perhaps most exciting, an extremely generous Playhouse donor has agreed to a MATCHING GIFT CAMPAIGN up to $36,000.18! This incredibly generous donation draws on the magic of Chai, the Jewish belief that multiples of 18 bring good luck. Meaning that every session booked will result in at least $30 for the wonderful folks at Flat Rock Playhouse.

For decades, Flat Rock Playhouse has been opening their collective hearts and sharing their fabulous talents to bring joy and entertainment to western North Carolina. This is an opportunity to show our gratitude at a time when they really need our support.

Together, let’s make magic happen! Help us kick off this campaign by contributing today.

Asheville Gallery of Art’s December show, “#ArtSquared,” is amulti-artist show featuring a variety of original square paintings by gallery members. The show runs December 3-29 during gallery hours, 12-5 p.m. Thursday thru Sunday. You can also make arrangements for a private tour by emailing a request to [email protected].

Grab your tools and get ready to build! Using downtown Asheville’s architecture and Museum artworks as our inspiration, create a cityscape of three-dimensional buildings using Model Magic, cardboard, foam, paint, fabric, wire, and more. 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.

In an effort to meet an increased need due to COVID-19, Archetype will be a prime location for Angel Tree adoptions and Angel Tree gift deliveries.  The proximity of The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs and Archetype brewing, both nestled on Haywood Road in the heart of West Asheville, creates ease for locals wanting to pour into their communities this holiday season.

This year, in light of the challenges posed by COVID-19, quarantine, and social-distance measures, the needs are greater than ever, and we can only meet this challenge with support from our community.

Our goal is to meet essential needs for our families that do not have the means to provide for themselves or for their children.

In order to #RescueChristmas we must stand in the gap of need and create resources for these children so they do not go cold, hungry, or without hope.

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).

Luminaries are $5.00 each but to attend the lighting each night is free.

Memorial Christmas luminaries are available for purchase from the Friends of the Mountain Gateway Museum as a fundraiser for the museum’s Education Programs Fund. Luminaries are $5.00 each and may be ordered from Friends’ members at the museum (24 Water St., Old Fort) or by downloading and filling out the order form on the museum’s website www.mgmnc.org and mailing it to Mountain Gateway Museum, P.O. Box 1286, Old Fort, NC, 28762. Payment can be made by cash or check (made payable to FOTMGM) or by credit card if ordering at the museum or by phone.

The deadline is December 2nd.

You may choose to memorialize a deceased friend, family member, co-worker or pet, or honor a living person or pet. The name(s) of those being memorialized or honored will be affixed to the luminary bags which will be placed on the museum’s front porch, gazebo, and sidewalks, and atop the rock wall along Mill Creek on Friday, Dec. 4, and Saturday, Dec. 5.

Lighting will begin at 5 p.m., and the luminaries will remain lighted until 7:30 p.m. each evening.

Buyers can pick up their luminary bags either at the close of the event’s second day or, by prior arrangement, at the museum until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9.

Ten Asheville area art galleries. A new gallery experience online daily from 5-6 pm each weekday beginning December 2nd through December 15th.

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.

• $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.

*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.