Kings Return’s tagline is simple: “We sing in stairwells.” The unique, harmonizing group turned internet sensation captures the essence of an old-school a cappella quartet with sounds inspired by gospel and R&B, and has a reputation for performing diverse arrangements from Ave Maria to How Deep is Your Love and God Bless America. Kings Return has been featured on NPR and has performed on stages (and stairwells) nationwide.
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.
– STANDING ROOM ONLY
THE BLUE RAGS
The Blue Rags are a revivalist, ragtime boogie-woogie band from Asheville, North Carolina. The band released two albums on the trendsetting Sub Pop label – 1997’s Rag-N-Roll and 1999’s Eat at Joe’s – and toured extensively in the late 90’s. The band’s sound, sometimes described as “punk ragtime,” was an early influence on artists such as The Avett Brothers and Old Crow Medicine Show.
Great Scott! We’re taking it back to the 80s with a time-bending New Year’s Eve Party at The Draftsman. Don a neon fit or come dressed like the Brat Pack and get ready to rock out to 80s anthems and current hits with our live DJ and food and drink specials until the clock strikes 12.
No reservation needed. $10 cover fee at the door.
Join us for a night of masked mystique as we count down to a new year on the Observatory Rooftop. Dress to the nines and stay till the clock strikes twelve in a star-lit ballroom complete with a full band, passed hors d’oeuvres, and a champagne toast at midnight.
Adam Chase & Friends presents an All Star 80s tribute to ring in the 2024 new year
Start Your NEW YEAR off right, while rejuvenating and relaxing in the EESystem. Only $197! 9:00 PM – 8:00 AM
SPOTS ARE LIMITED!
Please call 828-671-6237
THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS
$105 Three Night Pass
From now until January 2, more than 40 beautiful Christmas trees will be on display at shops and businesses throughout the Swannanoa Valley, as part of the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry (SVCM) ‘Deck the Trees’ fundraiser. The largest display will be at the Monte Vista Hotel, 308 West State Street, in Black Mountain. The trees have been creatively decorated by individuals, organizations and businesses in the community, around this year’s theme, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” Each tree has a collection box beside it, and you can “vote” for your favorite trees by placing money or a check in the box.
All proceeds from Deck the Trees benefit the SVCM Fuel Fund. With the rising cost of electricity, oil, natural gas, propane and wood, many of our neighbors can’t afford to heat their homes during the cold winter months, and the Fuel Fund is there to help. Since its inception in 2011, Deck the Trees has raised more than $250,000 for the fuel fund. Participating in this annual fundraiser is a way to give back to the community, while enjoying a beautiful holiday display.
To visit the trees in person, look for a Deck the Trees logo in the windows of participating stores and businesses. You can also download a list of tree locations, or see photos of the trees and vote online, at svcmblackmountain.org/deckthetrees.
Immerse Yourself in the Magic
Experience Christmas at Biltmore, when America’s Largest Home®, Antler Hill Village, and the entire estate are beautifully bedecked for the holidays.
NEW THIS YEAR: all Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access. Because more time to explore means more memories made. Select ticket types also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Antler Hill Village Illumination
Included with admission—Bask in the glow of a glittering cascade of lights illuminating trees, buildings, and the pathways that connect the unique shops, restaurants, and Winery in Antler Hill Village. Experience this must-see part of the Christmas at Biltmore tradition, which includes festive displays adorning Ciao! From Italy and our relaxing Winery, where complimentary tastings await.
Christmas Daytime Celebration
November 3, 2023–January 7, 2024
A daytime visit to Biltmore is a feast for the senses, featuring fragrant wreaths, glittering garland, and the sparkle of thousands of ornaments from Biltmore House to Antler Hill Village! Wrap yourself in the magic of this most beloved of holiday traditions: Christmas at Biltmore.
NEW THIS YEAR:
All Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access!
Select ticket options also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Plan now for Christmas at Biltmore 2024! View Ticket Options.
Candlelight Christmas Evenings
An Unforgettable Holiday Evening
November 3, 2023–January 6, 2024
A majestic Norway spruce and pathway luminaries welcome you to America’s Largest Home®. Inside, thousands of ornaments reflect the soft glow of candles, fireplaces, and twinkle lights. The magic continues in Antler Hill Village, which is festooned with glittering lights, ornaments, and displays.
NEW THIS YEAR:
All Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access!
Select ticket options also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Plan now for Candlelight Christmas Evenings 2024! View Ticket Options.
To support local nonprofits during this holiday season, United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County has compiled a list of volunteer and donation opportunities happening in our community in November and December.
If you are searching for ways to give to folks in need, by making a donation or giving some of your time to help out, please visit: 2023 Holiday Volunteer & Donation Opportunities for Buncombe County | Hands On Asheville-Buncombe, and we will get back to you with more information. Our response email will include a link which will give you access to a list with a variety of options you can choose from. Since new opportunities are being added every day, we encourage you to frequently check the list, especially if you did not find what you are looking for at the time.
We appreciate you and all that you do for our community. Please keep it up, especially for this holiday season.
Participating Organizations:
- ABCCM South
- Asheville High School/SILSA
- Big Brothers Big Sisters
- Erwin Middle School
- Montmorenci United Methodist Church
- United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County
*Note, this list will grow as new opportunities come in!
In order to receive details about these opportunities, simply
- Click the blue “respond” button above. visit this site: 2023 Holiday Volunteer & Donation Opportunities for Buncombe County | Hands On Asheville-Buncombe
- After responding, you will receive a confirmation email with more information and a link to access the list of opportunities.
- Remember, this list will be updated frequently, so make sure to check back frequently!
The Omni Grove Park Inn offers multiple options for celebrating the New Year, including a plated five-course dinner with live jazz in the Heritage Ballroom and dinner at the Blue Ridge Buffet with a comedy show.
Daily | November 17-January 1
Load up your vehicle with friends and family and take a cruise through the fan-favorite Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland Drive-Thru Light Show! Featuring hundreds of thousands of dazzling lights dancing to the tune of holiday classics on your car radio, this immersive experience has become a holiday tradition for many. Tickets are per carload, available online or at the gate.
-
WNC Farmers Market, 570 Brevard Rd., Farmers Truck Shed #1, daily, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Even though it’s getting colder, you can still find fresh, local food at area farmers markets. Nine markets in Buncombe County will offer extended seasons or special holiday dates in November and December. In addition to seasonal produce, meats, cheeses, eggs, and bread, these markets will feature local artists and handmade goods, such as wreaths, pottery, jewelry, and more.
- ASAP’s Double SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables and Farm Fresh Produce Prescription. Both programs offer participants free market tokens that can be spent on fresh fruits and vegetables. That includes in-season fall produce such as root veggies (including carrots, beets, radishes, and turnips), tubers (potatoes and sweet potatoes), brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage), winter squash, greens, and fruits like apples and persimmons.
| School Age – (grades K-5), Teen – (grades 6-12), Family – (children of all ages), Adult | |
|
From the work songs of the fields of people who were enduring the bonds of slavery, to Ragtime, Jazz, R&B, and the inspired spirituals of the Civil Rights movement, this play follows the compelling story of the role that music played in the history of Black Americans. Meet incredible Americans like Scott Joplin, Billie Holiday, Little Richard and more in a tale that is sure to intrigue audiences of all ages! Space is limited. Registration is required. All ages are welcome but this program is ideal for Grade 4 – Adult. Please stop by the Weaverville Library or call 250-6482 to reserve your space! |
The official 2023 Gingerbread display begins on Monday, November 27, 2023 and will continue through Tuesday, January 2, 2024. Explore an array of exquisite gingerbread houses meticulously crafted by talented competitors from across the nation in the grandest gingerbread house competition of all.
Guests not staying at the Resort are invited to view the display after 4:00 p.m. on Sundays or anytime Monday through Thursday, based on parking availability and excluding holidays and the following dates: December 23, 24, 25, 30, 31 and January 1. All Fridays and Saturdays are reserved for registered resort guests and those that have confirmed dining reservations. Display access is subject to hotel capacity, including pedestrian traffic. Please note that only Registered Resort Pets will be permitted. No outside pets will be allowed. Before travelling to the property, visit our Facebook page to verify display access is open for public viewing. CLICK FOR LIVE PROPERTY UPDATES
HOLIDAY PARKING PROGRAM
Since the inception of the Holiday Parking Partner program in 2013, we have been honored to contribute over $923,000 to not-for-profit partners in Buncombe County, North Carolina. During the Fall & Holiday season, there is no complimentary parking on property. From October 1, 2023 – January 2, 2024, parking rates are as follows:
- Valet Parking: $35 for day parking & overnight guests
- Self-Parking: $25 for day parking & overnight guests
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
It all began with a small group of gingerbread houses built by community members in 1992 as another way to celebrate the holiday season with no plans to continue the following year. There was no possible way to know that more than two decades later The Omni Grove Park Inn National Gingerbread House Competition™ would be one of the nation’s most celebrated and competitive holiday events.
As the event grew, so did the caliber of judges and competitors. Our panel of judges represents nationally renowned food and media professionals and the level of competition has attracted the highest quality of design, artistry and pastry expertise. The competition has merited broadcast coverage by NBC’s TODAY Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, the Travel Channel, and the Food Network.
The Gingerbread Display has grown in more than just entries; it has become a true family holiday tradition. From the very young to the very young at heart, the reaction to this magical experience is the same – one of wonder, awe and delight.
From now until January 2, more than 40 beautiful Christmas trees will be on display at shops and businesses throughout the Swannanoa Valley, as part of the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry (SVCM) ‘Deck the Trees’ fundraiser. The largest display will be at the Monte Vista Hotel, 308 West State Street, in Black Mountain. The trees have been creatively decorated by individuals, organizations and businesses in the community, around this year’s theme, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” Each tree has a collection box beside it, and you can “vote” for your favorite trees by placing money or a check in the box.
All proceeds from Deck the Trees benefit the SVCM Fuel Fund. With the rising cost of electricity, oil, natural gas, propane and wood, many of our neighbors can’t afford to heat their homes during the cold winter months, and the Fuel Fund is there to help. Since its inception in 2011, Deck the Trees has raised more than $250,000 for the fuel fund. Participating in this annual fundraiser is a way to give back to the community, while enjoying a beautiful holiday display.
To visit the trees in person, look for a Deck the Trees logo in the windows of participating stores and businesses. You can also download a list of tree locations, or see photos of the trees and vote online, at svcmblackmountain.org/deckthetrees.
Immerse Yourself in the Magic
Experience Christmas at Biltmore, when America’s Largest Home®, Antler Hill Village, and the entire estate are beautifully bedecked for the holidays.
NEW THIS YEAR: all Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access. Because more time to explore means more memories made. Select ticket types also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Antler Hill Village Illumination
Included with admission—Bask in the glow of a glittering cascade of lights illuminating trees, buildings, and the pathways that connect the unique shops, restaurants, and Winery in Antler Hill Village. Experience this must-see part of the Christmas at Biltmore tradition, which includes festive displays adorning Ciao! From Italy and our relaxing Winery, where complimentary tastings await.
Christmas Daytime Celebration
November 3, 2023–January 7, 2024
A daytime visit to Biltmore is a feast for the senses, featuring fragrant wreaths, glittering garland, and the sparkle of thousands of ornaments from Biltmore House to Antler Hill Village! Wrap yourself in the magic of this most beloved of holiday traditions: Christmas at Biltmore.
NEW THIS YEAR:
All Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access!
Select ticket options also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Plan now for Christmas at Biltmore 2024! View Ticket Options.
Candlelight Christmas Evenings
An Unforgettable Holiday Evening
November 3, 2023–January 6, 2024
A majestic Norway spruce and pathway luminaries welcome you to America’s Largest Home®. Inside, thousands of ornaments reflect the soft glow of candles, fireplaces, and twinkle lights. The magic continues in Antler Hill Village, which is festooned with glittering lights, ornaments, and displays.
NEW THIS YEAR:
All Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access!
Select ticket options also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Plan now for Candlelight Christmas Evenings 2024! View Ticket Options.
Sigal Music Museum’s current special exhibition, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred, highlights items from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, which hails from all over the world. Showing November 2023 – May 2024, Worlds Apart uses a diverse range of historical instruments, objects, and visuals to bring together musical narratives from seemingly disparate parts of the globe.
Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred aims to increase public access to historical instruments from around the world and improve visitors’ understanding of musical traditions at the global level. Expanding beyond the typical parameters of the Western musical canon, Worlds Apart seeks to expose audiences to musical instruments and customs that are often overlooked or exotified. The instruments and other exhibit materials will offer visitors new perspectives on global music and a chance to consider how music is used for prayer and leisure in cultures around the world. By celebrating these stories, the museum intends to further its mission to collect and preserve historical musical instruments, objects, and information, which engage and enrich people of all ages through exhibits, performances, and experiential programs.
Displaying various objects from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred focuses on international musical instruments and cultures, celebrating rites and traditions with ancient histories and contemporary legacies. Frank Edwinn, a successful basso in the mid-20th century, studied and toured internationally, eventually settling in North Carolina, where he taught music at the University of North Carolina Asheville. Throughout his life, he purchased various objects from around the world, aiming to expose students, and himself, to the wide and wonderful world of musical instruments. This impressive collection occupies a unique position for educating audiences unfamiliar with the vast scope of global music.
And, UNCA’s Ramsey Library Special Collections is now processing the Edwinn’s papers and a few recordings that will be accessible next semester!
Immerse Yourself in the Magic
Experience Christmas at Biltmore, when America’s Largest Home®, Antler Hill Village, and the entire estate are beautifully bedecked for the holidays.
NEW THIS YEAR: all Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access. Because more time to explore means more memories made. Select ticket types also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Antler Hill Village Illumination
Included with admission—Bask in the glow of a glittering cascade of lights illuminating trees, buildings, and the pathways that connect the unique shops, restaurants, and Winery in Antler Hill Village. Experience this must-see part of the Christmas at Biltmore tradition, which includes festive displays adorning Ciao! From Italy and our relaxing Winery, where complimentary tastings await.
Christmas Daytime Celebration
November 3, 2023–January 7, 2024
A daytime visit to Biltmore is a feast for the senses, featuring fragrant wreaths, glittering garland, and the sparkle of thousands of ornaments from Biltmore House to Antler Hill Village! Wrap yourself in the magic of this most beloved of holiday traditions: Christmas at Biltmore.
NEW THIS YEAR:
All Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access!
Select ticket options also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Plan now for Christmas at Biltmore 2024! View Ticket Options.
Candlelight Christmas Evenings
An Unforgettable Holiday Evening
November 3, 2023–January 6, 2024
A majestic Norway spruce and pathway luminaries welcome you to America’s Largest Home®. Inside, thousands of ornaments reflect the soft glow of candles, fireplaces, and twinkle lights. The magic continues in Antler Hill Village, which is festooned with glittering lights, ornaments, and displays.
NEW THIS YEAR:
All Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access!
Select ticket options also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Plan now for Candlelight Christmas Evenings 2024! View Ticket Options.
Sigal Music Museum’s current special exhibition, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred, highlights items from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, which hails from all over the world. Showing November 2023 – May 2024, Worlds Apart uses a diverse range of historical instruments, objects, and visuals to bring together musical narratives from seemingly disparate parts of the globe.
Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred aims to increase public access to historical instruments from around the world and improve visitors’ understanding of musical traditions at the global level. Expanding beyond the typical parameters of the Western musical canon, Worlds Apart seeks to expose audiences to musical instruments and customs that are often overlooked or exotified. The instruments and other exhibit materials will offer visitors new perspectives on global music and a chance to consider how music is used for prayer and leisure in cultures around the world. By celebrating these stories, the museum intends to further its mission to collect and preserve historical musical instruments, objects, and information, which engage and enrich people of all ages through exhibits, performances, and experiential programs.
Displaying various objects from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred focuses on international musical instruments and cultures, celebrating rites and traditions with ancient histories and contemporary legacies. Frank Edwinn, a successful basso in the mid-20th century, studied and toured internationally, eventually settling in North Carolina, where he taught music at the University of North Carolina Asheville. Throughout his life, he purchased various objects from around the world, aiming to expose students, and himself, to the wide and wonderful world of musical instruments. This impressive collection occupies a unique position for educating audiences unfamiliar with the vast scope of global music.
And, UNCA’s Ramsey Library Special Collections is now processing the Edwinn’s papers and a few recordings that will be accessible next semester!
Sing with our Choir at a progressive church
Come join us! Contact Mark Acker for more information ([email protected]).
Rehearsals on Wednesday’s, 3:30-4:45
Weekly mountain music JAM with
players in a round, where the session is focused on regional fiddle tunes and songs, You are welcome to come and listen or to
learn and join in. This event supports the Henderson County Junior Appalachian Musician (JAM) Kids Program, Free but
donations are accepted.
Join us at Keynote Speechcrafters and
Discover the
Joy of
Public Speaking!
It’s natural to enjoy things you do well,
and you will get good at this.
Our members are committed to meeting each week because
steady progress
requires
steady practice.
Our motto:
When you show up
You speak
Every meeting
Every week
So come join us at the South Buncombe Library on Wednesday evenings and prepare to become a better you.
Please Click here to let us know you are coming.
Guests are always welcome. We look forward to speaking with you!
– ALL AGES
– SEATED SHOW
– LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE
EMERALD RAE
Emerald Rae is an American Fiddler & Folksinger based in Nashville. Hailing from the seaside town of Gloucester, Massachusetts, Rae began her musical journey deep in the world of traditional Celtic music. With her 2018 self-titled release, Rae broke the boundaries of fiddle-singing with a wide palate of experimental techniques. With her powerhouse vocals, groovy percussive fiddle and eclectic songwriting style, she has delighted audiences at legacy folk festivals and concert stages across North America.
Immerse Yourself in the Magic
Experience Christmas at Biltmore, when America’s Largest Home®, Antler Hill Village, and the entire estate are beautifully bedecked for the holidays.
NEW THIS YEAR: all Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access. Because more time to explore means more memories made. Select ticket types also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Antler Hill Village Illumination
Included with admission—Bask in the glow of a glittering cascade of lights illuminating trees, buildings, and the pathways that connect the unique shops, restaurants, and Winery in Antler Hill Village. Experience this must-see part of the Christmas at Biltmore tradition, which includes festive displays adorning Ciao! From Italy and our relaxing Winery, where complimentary tastings await.
Christmas Daytime Celebration
November 3, 2023–January 7, 2024
A daytime visit to Biltmore is a feast for the senses, featuring fragrant wreaths, glittering garland, and the sparkle of thousands of ornaments from Biltmore House to Antler Hill Village! Wrap yourself in the magic of this most beloved of holiday traditions: Christmas at Biltmore.
NEW THIS YEAR:
All Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access!
Select ticket options also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Plan now for Christmas at Biltmore 2024! View Ticket Options.
Candlelight Christmas Evenings
An Unforgettable Holiday Evening
November 3, 2023–January 6, 2024
A majestic Norway spruce and pathway luminaries welcome you to America’s Largest Home®. Inside, thousands of ornaments reflect the soft glow of candles, fireplaces, and twinkle lights. The magic continues in Antler Hill Village, which is festooned with glittering lights, ornaments, and displays.
NEW THIS YEAR:
All Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access!
Select ticket options also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Plan now for Candlelight Christmas Evenings 2024! View Ticket Options.
We have three opportunities for you to help Connect Beyond AND see some music! We need volunteers to assist with wristbands for three shows this summer at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville in Downtown Asheville, N.C. Shifts are roughly (3) hours and all participating volunteers will also receive (1) free ticket to stay after and watch the show. The following dates and shows are available:
- February 16-18: Billy Strings
- May 16: Amon Amarth
- May 20 & 22: Noah Kahan
- August 30: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Sigal Music Museum’s current special exhibition, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred, highlights items from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, which hails from all over the world. Showing November 2023 – May 2024, Worlds Apart uses a diverse range of historical instruments, objects, and visuals to bring together musical narratives from seemingly disparate parts of the globe.
Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred aims to increase public access to historical instruments from around the world and improve visitors’ understanding of musical traditions at the global level. Expanding beyond the typical parameters of the Western musical canon, Worlds Apart seeks to expose audiences to musical instruments and customs that are often overlooked or exotified. The instruments and other exhibit materials will offer visitors new perspectives on global music and a chance to consider how music is used for prayer and leisure in cultures around the world. By celebrating these stories, the museum intends to further its mission to collect and preserve historical musical instruments, objects, and information, which engage and enrich people of all ages through exhibits, performances, and experiential programs.
Displaying various objects from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred focuses on international musical instruments and cultures, celebrating rites and traditions with ancient histories and contemporary legacies. Frank Edwinn, a successful basso in the mid-20th century, studied and toured internationally, eventually settling in North Carolina, where he taught music at the University of North Carolina Asheville. Throughout his life, he purchased various objects from around the world, aiming to expose students, and himself, to the wide and wonderful world of musical instruments. This impressive collection occupies a unique position for educating audiences unfamiliar with the vast scope of global music.
And, UNCA’s Ramsey Library Special Collections is now processing the Edwinn’s papers and a few recordings that will be accessible next semester!
Join us for Jazz Jam Thursday every Thursday from 7-10. There is a suggested donation of $10 and local craft beer and wine for sale. Come as you are or bring an instrument! Open jam starts at 8 after a House Band set guaranteed to fill your soul with groove and joy.
Public parking is available at Marjorie Street, across from Packs Tavern.
– ALL AGES
– SEATED SHOW
– LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE
Hannah Kaminer makes modern American roots music that blurs the boundaries between genre and generation. As a songwriter, storyteller, and producer, she nods to the Appalachian traditions of her native North Carolina while creating a contemporary sound that’s woozy, wistful, and evocative of the landscape where it was created.
She turns a new page with her third record, Heavy On The Vine. Written and recorded in Kaminer’s adopted hometown of Asheville, it’s a reflective, resilient album that finds the artist making sense of her new world—a place where boutique hotels block the view of the Blue Ridge Mountains, childhood habits have given way to adulthood realities, and the Christian faith that once offered easy answers to life’s big questions has lost its magic. Heavy On The Vine isn’t just a soundtrack for Kaminer’s loss of faith; it’s a battle cry of hope and defiance, delivered by a songwriter who’s learned to live with uncertainty.
“The idea of estrangement shows up everywhere,” says Kaminer, who kickstarted her career with 2015’s Acre By Acre and expanded her sound with 2018’s Heavy Magnolias. “These songs are about estrangement from myself, from family and old friends, from the Christian faith of my childhood, and from the world as I used to know it.”
Kaminer’s world began taking shape in the small towns of western North Carolina, where she grew up singing hymns in church. Later, while living in central Texas as a college student, she heard a bluegrass song on the radio and found herself pining for the home she’d left behind. “I heard the banjo and thought, ‘That’s the sound of home!’” she remembers. “It took me moving halfway across the country to realize how much I gravitated toward those sounds.”
Those sounds took her back to North Carolina, where Kaminer settled in Asheville and found a supportive musical community that prioritized collaboration over competition. “It was a great place to try something different,” she says. Inspired by Gillian Welch, Iris DeMent, and Patty Griffin—three artists who nodded to the old-school folk singers who came before them, yet still made modern music that balanced gorgeous melodies with grit, hard truths, and haunting arrangements—she started writing her own songs. The Grammy-winning audio engineer Julian Dreyer became one of her earliest champions, engineering her 2015 debut album and co-producing its 2018 follow-up. By the time Kaminer began writing material for Heavy On The Vine, though, she’d become more than a sharp songwriter. She’d started to think like a producer, too.
THOMAS KOZAK
Thomas Kozak’s writing pulls myth and religion through the split-open skull of an obsessive-compulsive, anchoring the past to a new body and giving it voice through and beyond the conventions of folk and Americana.
Immerse Yourself in the Magic
Experience Christmas at Biltmore, when America’s Largest Home®, Antler Hill Village, and the entire estate are beautifully bedecked for the holidays.
NEW THIS YEAR: all Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access. Because more time to explore means more memories made. Select ticket types also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Antler Hill Village Illumination
Included with admission—Bask in the glow of a glittering cascade of lights illuminating trees, buildings, and the pathways that connect the unique shops, restaurants, and Winery in Antler Hill Village. Experience this must-see part of the Christmas at Biltmore tradition, which includes festive displays adorning Ciao! From Italy and our relaxing Winery, where complimentary tastings await.
Christmas Daytime Celebration
November 3, 2023–January 7, 2024
A daytime visit to Biltmore is a feast for the senses, featuring fragrant wreaths, glittering garland, and the sparkle of thousands of ornaments from Biltmore House to Antler Hill Village! Wrap yourself in the magic of this most beloved of holiday traditions: Christmas at Biltmore.
NEW THIS YEAR:
All Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access!
Select ticket options also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Plan now for Christmas at Biltmore 2024! View Ticket Options.
Candlelight Christmas Evenings
An Unforgettable Holiday Evening
November 3, 2023–January 6, 2024
A majestic Norway spruce and pathway luminaries welcome you to America’s Largest Home®. Inside, thousands of ornaments reflect the soft glow of candles, fireplaces, and twinkle lights. The magic continues in Antler Hill Village, which is festooned with glittering lights, ornaments, and displays.
NEW THIS YEAR:
All Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access!
Select ticket options also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Plan now for Candlelight Christmas Evenings 2024! View Ticket Options.
