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.
Enter the Advent Season with this 24-hour retreat facilitated by Jeannie Dubose. Whether you are in the midst of a sunny stretch or a blue patch, come explore how “Making Room for Joy” can draw you closer to God. We will reflect on the theological context for this topic, as well as addressing how part of accessing our delight includes a willingness to acknowledge our losses. In addition, we will engage music, images, poetry, scripture, and interactive questions — all as portals for awakening, as John O’Donohue says, “to what your heart would love to say.”
Jeannie DuBose is an award-winning author, illustrator, and spiritual director. As an experienced facilitator and retreat leader, Jeannie works with a variety of institutions and groups, including churches, schools, prisons, and wellness centers. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, she received a masters in counseling psychology from Georgia State University, a certificate in spiritual formation from Columbia Theological Seminary, and is an ordained elder in the Presbyterian Church, USA.
Jeannie and her husband raised their three children in Atlanta where she worked at Trinity Presbyterian Church as the Director of Spiritual Formation; they currently make their home in Montreat, NC. Jeannie has written and illustrated two memoirs: The Mother Daughter Dance and Tending the Fire: The Story of a Marriage. To learn more about Jeannie’s work, visit www.jeanniedubose.org.
https://www.facebook.com/events/457262801772838/
The Holidays have never felt so magical! Get on Asheville’s homegrown purple bus tour and experience a sightseeing history tour injected with enough seasonal cheer to make your belly laugh like a bowl full of jelly. We explore Downtown, the South Slope, Historic Montford, and the River Arts District. This 90 minute holiday extravaganza only happens in December. Get your tickets now!
A minimum $25 parking charge will be in effect for all overnight and drive on guests (one charge per standard sized vehicle, based on availability.)
The winning creations will be on display Wednesday, November 20, 2019 – January 4, 2020. As a means to preserve the overall guest experience, The Omni Grove Park Inn invites guests that are not staying overnight at the resort to view the display after 3:00 pm on Sundays or anytime Monday through Thursday, based on parking availability and excluding holidays and the following dates: November 27, 28, December 23, 24, 25, 29, 30, 31 and January 1, 2020. Public viewing on December 26 will open at 1:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays are reserved exclusively for guests staying overnight at the resort. Display access is subject to hotel capacity, including pedestrian traffic. Please note that only registered resort pets are permitted on property. No outside pets will be allowed.
Friday, December 6th stop by anytime from 5-8pm…
Boojum Brewing Company will be at XYZ Spirits!
NO Charge and OPEN to the PUBLIC MUST BE 21!
https://www.facebook.com/events/2241966175834440/
FREE DEAD FRIDAYS @ The One Stop
– feat. members of Phuncle Sam acoustic
Join us at The One Stop at Asheville Music Hall every Friday at 5:30PM for our FREE Acoustic Grateful Dead series Featuring members of Phuncle Sam and great drink and food specials.
https://www.facebook.com/events/244820139590703/?event_time_id=244820302924020
Shop local this holiday season! Come support the Refinery’s many artists at this year’s Holiday Market. 
Art MoB Studios & Marketplace will be participating in Hendersonville’s Olde Fashioned Christmas celebration on Friday, December 6, from 5 pm to 8 pm. Stores and galleries In the village stay open late for holiday shopping and entertainment. Dressed as vintage-inspired Christmas characters from the 1800s, Art MoB members will stroll Main Street and pass out candy canes and invitations to come in from the winter chill.
Art MoB will display a tree decorated exclusively with ornaments handmade by artists, and there will also be an array of gingerbread houses designed and created by children ages 5–12. For those who want to come in from the cold, Art MoB will also host demonstrations during Olde Fashioned Christmas and serving up delicious hot cocoa and offering holiday treats.
Art MoB is located at 124 4th Avenue East in Hendersonville. Winter hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 1–4 p.m. on Sunday.
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.
Join us for hot cider, homemade cookies and heartwarming music as we remember departed loved ones through the Tree of Lights and Luminary Memorial Ceremony, Free, The ceremony will take place at First Citizens Bank (the corner of 6th and Main Streets), and then the Tree of Lights will be moved to and remain on display at the Hospice Home Store (215 North Main Street) through the holidays.
Celebrate the holiday season as Tweetsie Railroad transforms into a winter wonderland for Tweetsie Christmas! Enjoy a nighttime train ride among thousands of dazzling lights, meet Santa in his Gingerbread House, larger than life snowglobes to play in, a live Christmas show, and more!
Tickets are for a specific date and train ride time. A limited number of guests are admitted nightly, so advance tickets are strongly recommended. Adults: $44, Children (age 3-12): $38, Children 2 and under: Free
Stop by and enjoy a holiday treat with the Visitor Center’s friendly staff and volunteers. The Visitor Center is open in conjunction with Olde Fashioned Hendersonville Christmas.
Tickets are $1 each. Tickets are non-refundable.
Bouncy House: 1 ticket per session
Bucking Horse: 3 tickets per ride
Carriage Rides: 5 tickets/child (15 or younger) or 10 tickets per adult
Carousel Rides: FREE!
Face Painting: 3 tickets per painting
Petting Zoo Admission: 1 ticket; Pet Food: 2 tickets
Pony Rides: 5 tickets per ride
S’mores: 4 tickets per kit
The Grinch’s Whoville Village: 1 ticket per person
SANTA’S HOUSE: Free Admission
5 tickets/digital photo or 10 tickets/print framed photo
(cash/debit/credit also accepted at Santa House)
ALL ACCESS NIGHT PASS: $20 per person
Good for unlimited ticketed activities from 5pm-10pm good for one Winterfest night; does not include Santa’s House photo
Click here to see EVERYTHING happening at Tryon Resort this holiday season!
Come join the Henderson County Historic Courthouse staff and volunteers for Ye Olde Cashioned Christmas on Friday, December 6 from 5-8pm! There will be a large selection of local books, Henderson County-opoly games and local brass ornaments, including Hendersonville High School, Historic Stepp Mill, the Historic Depot and Historic Courthouse all for sale. Get into the Christmas spirit by listening to carols performed by the Hendersonville High School Bearcat Brass, and enjoy refreshments and hot apple cider!
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.
Choir and orchestra concert of popular carols and new Christmas songs.
Showtimes: Friday & Sunday at 6pm, Saturday at 3pm
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.
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.
- Hop on board the Holly Jolly Christmas Trolley for a fun and festive celebration of the season featuring the sights and soundsof the holidays!
- This seasonal favorite features an entertaining blend of holiday storytelling and traditional Christmas caroling. Enjoy stories of local lore and holiday traditions, then join-in with our on-board musician singing classic carols and songs of Christmas. And all the while the Holly Jolly Trolley is rolling past festive holiday decorations in downtown Asheville, Biltmore Village and the Montford and Grove Park neighborhoods.
Tiny perfect present sized paintings. Can be made to hang on a tree as an ornament or sit on a desk or hang on a wall etc. All paintings must be smaller that 5″x5″
Listen to the music of the iconic 60’s band Creedence Clearwater Revival, who had such hits as “Heard It On The Grapevine,” Have You Ever Seen The Rain” and “Born on the Bayou,” as performed by the Ross Osteen Band.
RESCHEDULED Performance. Originally Nov. 9 now Dec. 6. Tickets still available.
“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
All proceeds benefit Eliada Homes, a local non-profit supporting the children of WNC.
Experience this contemporary rendition of the beloved Nativity story beautifully told through the gospel according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, George and Ringo. Travel with Mary and Joseph down the “Long and Winding Road” to Bethlehem while savoring dozens of classic Beatles hits. This entertaining Christmas event profoundly reminds us – “All you need is Love”.
- Fri Dec 6th 7:30pm Opening night / Reception following
Kris Kringle, an old man living in a retirement home, gets a job working as Santa for Macy’s where he surprises employees and customers by claiming to be the real Santa Claus. Seen as deluded by Macy’s vocational counselor, he’s thrown into a court case to determine his mental health and, more importantly, his authenticity. Especially at stake is one little girl’s belief in Santa. The whole family will enjoy this funny, poignant and faithful adaptation of the classic 1947 film.
An Asheville Holiday staple!
Special Event – Join the Bernsteins for their final year of the raucous holiday fun.
The Bernsteins have thrilled and cracked up Asheville audiences with their antics for a decade. With an all-star cast of local acting talent, the show features Best of WNC Award Winner Tracey Johnston-Crum, well-known Lazoom personality Glenn Reed, Erik Moellering, Sarah Felmet, and Darren Marshall, who has played both Santa Claus and Baby Jesus for all ten years of the Spectacular. Directed by Lucia Del Vecchio, the show is sure to be a rollicking comedy romp, that is most certainly not suitable for all audiences.
December 5 – 21, 2019
Thursdays & Fridays at 7:30 p.m.
Saturdays at 7:30pm & 10 p.m.
Note: Groupons are not accepted for The 10th Annual Bernstein Family Christmas Spectacular.
Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre presents
The Nutcracker and the Mouse King
ACDT’s Website
A new unique version of a seasonal delight. The Nutcracker and the Mouse King is a story full of adventure, courage and loyalty all performed in a colorful fast-paced dance theatre production.