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.
PERFORMANCE: Johnny Loves Johann – Music and Dance
With violinist Johnny Gandelsman and choreographers Melissa Toogood and John Heginbotham
Monday, December 15, 2025 at 7PM
Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center {120 College Street}
TICKETS – $15 General Admission / $10 for BMCM+AC members + Students w/ID
Join us Monday, December 15 at BMCM+AC for a one-night-only performance featuring world-renowned violinist Johnny Gandelsman and internationally acclaimed choreographer/dancers John Heginbotham and Melissa Toogood.
In this intimate, museum-scale version of Johnny Loves Johann, Gandelsman will perform Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 with new choreography by Melissa Toogood and Cello Suite No. 4 with new choreography by John Heginbotham. This unique program offers a powerful glimpse into the larger evening-length work, bringing together music and dance in fresh, unexpected ways. With Gandelsman’s folk- and dance-inspired interpretation at its core, Toogood and Heginbotham infuse Bach’s timeless compositions with humanity, curiosity, and contemporary movement—transforming them into a vibrant celebration of connection and community.
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About the Program
At its heart, Johnny Loves Johann is a tribute to community – both among the artists themselves and with the audience members who join them on this journey. By inviting these remarkable choreographers to bring their personal and cultural narratives to Bach’s music, the project creates a tapestry of voices and perspectives that reflect the shared human experience.
Bach’s music is often put in the context of order and notions of perfection. While we can enjoy hearing it this way, it can also limit our experience of this music as the celebration of humanity and beautiful opportunity for connection that it is.
Gandelsman’s interpretation of Bach’s Cello Suites is special in its folk music- and dance-like qualities. Building upon that, the Johnny Loves Johann collaborators—each known for visceral, big-hearted art-making—re-visit the suites by leading with their humanity and curiosity.
Grovewood Gallery proudly presents Artful Living: The Spirit of the Craftsman Style, a group exhibition celebrating the enduring influence of the American Arts and Crafts movement. On view from October 18 through December 31, 2025, this curated showcase brings together the work of four contemporary makers who honor traditional craftsmanship while offering fresh perspectives on timeless forms.
Featured artists include ceramicist Leslie Green Guilbault, a Roycroft Artisan whose pottery blends nature, myth, and metallic luster; blacksmith Paul Garrett, known for his handcrafted metalwork and luminous mica lamps inspired by early 20th-century design; furniture maker Timothy Livingston, whose heirloom-quality pieces reflect a deep reverence for honest materials and joinery; and painter Shawn Krueger, a Roycroft Master Artisan whose landscapes echo the quiet mood and tonal beauty of historic plein air work.
10:30 am weekdays only at 3346 Haywood Rd., Hendersonville
Guided tours of the decorated 1880 farmhouse, one of the oldest brick structures in Henderson County. Experience what Christmastime was like in the late 1800s and early 1900s at this restored farm owned and operated by the local school system.
This is a ticketed event and reservations are recommended. Drop-ins accommodated if space allows. Self-guided tours are available from 1-3 p.m. weekdays.
Grovewood Gallery proudly presents Artful Living: The Spirit of the Craftsman Style, a group exhibition celebrating the enduring influence of the American Arts and Crafts movement. On view from October 18 through December 31, 2025, this curated showcase brings together the work of four contemporary makers who honor traditional craftsmanship while offering fresh perspectives on timeless forms.
Featured artists include ceramicist Leslie Green Guilbault, a Roycroft Artisan whose pottery blends nature, myth, and metallic luster; blacksmith Paul Garrett, known for his handcrafted metalwork and luminous mica lamps inspired by early 20th-century design; furniture maker Timothy Livingston, whose heirloom-quality pieces reflect a deep reverence for honest materials and joinery; and painter Shawn Krueger, a Roycroft Master Artisan whose landscapes echo the quiet mood and tonal beauty of historic plein air work.
10:30 am weekdays only at 3346 Haywood Rd., Hendersonville
Guided tours of the decorated 1880 farmhouse, one of the oldest brick structures in Henderson County. Experience what Christmastime was like in the late 1800s and early 1900s at this restored farm owned and operated by the local school system.
This is a ticketed event and reservations are recommended. Drop-ins accommodated if space allows. Self-guided tours are available from 1-3 p.m. weekdays.
Women of the Pacific Northwest celebrates the voices, visions and material mastery of female artists working today, with roots from this rich and progressive region. Through the execution of disparate media from bronze, steel, glass, tin, plaster, mylar, printmaking, hair nets, cloth, rubber, wax to paint, these artists have achieved inventive, creative practices originating from critical, generative, inquisition of natural, social or subliminal forces. This exhibition highlights a group of female artists working in diverse media creating art that explores connections to place, whether sociological, environmental or spiritual, in a region supportive of equality, ecology and enterprise. These artists are among today’s pioneers, interpreting universality through personal observation and inventing poetic, transcendent works inspiring greater, pluralistic understanding, connecting us to one another and to the world around us.
Featured artists:
Victoria Adams, Drie Chapek, Jaq Chartier, Susan Dory, Betsy Ebys, Ann Gardner, Emily Gherard, Estuko Ichikawa, Lisa Jarrett, Brenda Mallory, Wendy Red Star, Katy Stone, Susan Zoccola, Marie Watt, and Julie Speidel.
Included with admission
Capture that classic Christmas moment you and your children will never outgrow. Afterward, explore all that Antler Hill Village has to offer: ice cream at The Creamery, friendly animals at our Farmyard, plus Pisgah Playground, shops, restaurants, and an award-winning Winery.
Dates available:
November 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 28-30
December 6-7, 13-14, 17-24
Grovewood Gallery proudly presents Artful Living: The Spirit of the Craftsman Style, a group exhibition celebrating the enduring influence of the American Arts and Crafts movement. On view from October 18 through December 31, 2025, this curated showcase brings together the work of four contemporary makers who honor traditional craftsmanship while offering fresh perspectives on timeless forms.
Featured artists include ceramicist Leslie Green Guilbault, a Roycroft Artisan whose pottery blends nature, myth, and metallic luster; blacksmith Paul Garrett, known for his handcrafted metalwork and luminous mica lamps inspired by early 20th-century design; furniture maker Timothy Livingston, whose heirloom-quality pieces reflect a deep reverence for honest materials and joinery; and painter Shawn Krueger, a Roycroft Master Artisan whose landscapes echo the quiet mood and tonal beauty of historic plein air work.
10:30 am weekdays only at 3346 Haywood Rd., Hendersonville
Guided tours of the decorated 1880 farmhouse, one of the oldest brick structures in Henderson County. Experience what Christmastime was like in the late 1800s and early 1900s at this restored farm owned and operated by the local school system.
This is a ticketed event and reservations are recommended. Drop-ins accommodated if space allows. Self-guided tours are available from 1-3 p.m. weekdays.
**Show up at Ignite Jewelry Studios anytime between 11am and 3pm to make your charms!
This is the perfect way to spend a part of your day while visiting our downtown Asheville metalsmithing studio and gallery. Come stamp and hammer a charm to your liking! Choose from more than 60 styles of metal stamps and a variety of jewelers hammers to complete your charm. You will start with a rectangular brass base, (or upgrade to sterling silver in a variety of shapes and styles) then choose your silver accent piece, and finally a gemstone of choice. After a quick demo by the instructor you can spend the next 45 minutes to complete your masterpiece.
You can also choose a copper ornament to stamp on this day!
Our magnetic tumbler will polish your piece to perfection and you have an option of some finishing patinas as well. Upgrade to earrings, make additional pendants for friends etc.
$45 Base Price includes a brass charm and base metal chain or 1 copper ornament with thread loop. (Some silver upgrades available for additional cost and additional pieces may be purchased to make gifts, extras, etc!)
This is family friendly, kid friendly ages 5 and up (but the littles will need help with the hammering), and a great rainy day or indoor activity in downtown Asheville!
Women of the Pacific Northwest celebrates the voices, visions and material mastery of female artists working today, with roots from this rich and progressive region. Through the execution of disparate media from bronze, steel, glass, tin, plaster, mylar, printmaking, hair nets, cloth, rubber, wax to paint, these artists have achieved inventive, creative practices originating from critical, generative, inquisition of natural, social or subliminal forces. This exhibition highlights a group of female artists working in diverse media creating art that explores connections to place, whether sociological, environmental or spiritual, in a region supportive of equality, ecology and enterprise. These artists are among today’s pioneers, interpreting universality through personal observation and inventing poetic, transcendent works inspiring greater, pluralistic understanding, connecting us to one another and to the world around us.
Featured artists:
Victoria Adams, Drie Chapek, Jaq Chartier, Susan Dory, Betsy Ebys, Ann Gardner, Emily Gherard, Estuko Ichikawa, Lisa Jarrett, Brenda Mallory, Wendy Red Star, Katy Stone, Susan Zoccola, Marie Watt, and Julie Speidel.
Included with admission
Capture that classic Christmas moment you and your children will never outgrow. Afterward, explore all that Antler Hill Village has to offer: ice cream at The Creamery, friendly animals at our Farmyard, plus Pisgah Playground, shops, restaurants, and an award-winning Winery.
Dates available:
November 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 28-30
December 6-7, 13-14, 17-24
2 South Pack Square
Asheville, NC 28801
Every Third Thursday, the Museum comes alive with an evening filled with music, tours, art making, special cocktails in their rooftop café, and more!
This month features music in the Atrium with the Altamont Jazz Ensemble, a tour of the Lasting Legacies exhibition with Asheville architect Bruce Johnson, and a special, seasonal Makerspace creating unique holiday cards and journals.
The Altamont Jazz Group is Asheville-based quintet playing timeless jazz standards with a twist—featuring Steve Johnson on keyboards, John Reaume on double bass, Jeremy Ward on tenor saxophone, Glenn Brothers on violin, and Mike Figura on drums.
Thursday, December 18, 2025
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Cost: Free for Members or included with Museum admission
2025 THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride (GSMR)
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, Bryson City, NC
Mark your calendars — December 5, 2025, through January 5, 2026 — the beloved Deck the Trees holiday tradition is back, bigger and brighter than ever!
Now celebrating 15 years, Deck the Trees will once again bring holiday wonder to Black Mountain and Swannanoa, all for a great cause. This cherished fundraiser benefits the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry (SVCM) Fuel Fund, which helps neighbors in need to keep their homes warm during winter.
This year’s theme, “Christmas in Music & Song,” will inspire more than 50 beautifully decorated trees across town. You’ll find many of them at Peri Social House, Tyson Furniture Company, and White Horse Black Mountain, plus dozens of other local businesses decked out for the season.
How It Works:
From December 5 to January 5, you can vote for your favorite tree(s) by donating $1 per vote. Vote as many times as you’d like. Every dollar goes directly to the SVCM Fuel Fund. Voting is easy:
-Scan the QR code at each tree to donate online
-Or drop cash or checks in the donation box next to the tree
(Online donations encouraged.)
Can’t Visit in Person?
A full list of locations — plus photos of every tree — will be posted soon on the SVCM Deck the Trees website so you can vote from anywhere.
Follow the Festivities:
Stay updated on this year’s dazzling displays and special moments by following SVCM on Facebook (facebook.com/svcmcares) and Instagram (@svcmwnc).
This holiday season, let your heart and your votes warm homes across our valley!
Step into the magic of the season at the Holiday Ice Rink at Asheville Yards – the destination for ice skating in Asheville, NC. Glide across our real, outdoor ice rink, surrounded by twinkling lights, festive music and holiday vibes.
Whether you’re planning a family outing, a festive date night or a weekend adventure, we have something for everyone to enjoy including holiday-inspired craft cocktails and hot chocolate, festive photo ops, a winter market and weekly theme nights.
Don’t miss your chance to create unforgettable memories this holiday season.
Admission to Asheville Yards is FREE to all non-skaters, all season long.
Magic of Lights is a dazzling, drive-through holiday lights experience featuring favorite holiday scenes and characters of the season using the latest LED technology and digital animations. Experience Magic of Lights from the comfort and safety of your own car as you wind through the sparkling path of Greenville’s best holiday tradition. Be sure to stop by Santa’s Village and the Enchanted Deer Forest for extra holiday magic! Kids 2 and under are free!
Step into the magic of Santa’s Village, where holiday cheer meets hands-on fun for the whole family. Feed and interact with gentle miniature horses, camels, Watusi cattle, pigs, sheep, alpacas, goats, waterfowl, antelope, and more—and don’t forget to purchase animal food to treat the many residents. Cuddle with bunnies, have your photo taken with a baby kangaroo, snap pictures with Santa in his animal barn, and visit the Grinch at his festive Grinch House.
Savor fresh coffee and pastries at Santa’s Sweet Delights, or enjoy hot cocoa, drinks, snacks, and food from our concession stand. Visit the souvenir shop for fun, colorful, and festive items, and leave your mark on the “feel good” graffiti board. Warm up by a crackling fire pit or the grand bonfire, roast marshmallows and s’mores, and steal a kiss under the mistletoe tree. Pose inside the giant lighted present, then find a picnic table to relax and take it all in.
Santa’s Village is more than a visit, it’s a memory in the making.
PAN HARMONIA: Yuletide!
Now an annual tradition, Kate Steinbeck and Jessica Schaeffer bring the soothing, light-filled sounds of flute and harp to the darkest days of the year. Enjoy a blend of traditional carols and lesser-known works; we also celebrate founder Kate Steinbeck’s birthday this day!
with Kate Steinbeck Flute and Jessica Schaeffer Harp
Friday, December 19, 12 pm · St. Matthias Church, Asheville
Friday, December 19, 4 pm · East Asheville Library
As ever, PAN HARMONIA offers Donation-based, Pay-as-You-Can Community
Concerts. All are welcome!
panharmonia.org
828.242.1077
Nov. 28-Dec. 23 • Peppermint Bear Scavenger Hunt
Downtown Hendersonville
Peppermint Bear takes you on a fun-filled bear hunt in downtown Hendersonville in search of her lost cubs. Hint: the cubs are hiding in downtown businesses.
Once you have found a lost cub in at least 12 of 28 participating businesses and the shopkeeper has punched your brochure, you are eligible to win scavenger hunt prizes. To enter, submit an image of your brochure via our online entry form by scanning the provided QR code by Dec. 23. Find out how it works here.
Peppermint Bear Scavenger Hunt brochures will be available at the Hendersonville Welcome Center, located at 201 South Main Street, starting Nov. 28
Grovewood Gallery proudly presents Artful Living: The Spirit of the Craftsman Style, a group exhibition celebrating the enduring influence of the American Arts and Crafts movement. On view from October 18 through December 31, 2025, this curated showcase brings together the work of four contemporary makers who honor traditional craftsmanship while offering fresh perspectives on timeless forms.
Featured artists include ceramicist Leslie Green Guilbault, a Roycroft Artisan whose pottery blends nature, myth, and metallic luster; blacksmith Paul Garrett, known for his handcrafted metalwork and luminous mica lamps inspired by early 20th-century design; furniture maker Timothy Livingston, whose heirloom-quality pieces reflect a deep reverence for honest materials and joinery; and painter Shawn Krueger, a Roycroft Master Artisan whose landscapes echo the quiet mood and tonal beauty of historic plein air work.
10:30 am weekdays only at 3346 Haywood Rd., Hendersonville
Guided tours of the decorated 1880 farmhouse, one of the oldest brick structures in Henderson County. Experience what Christmastime was like in the late 1800s and early 1900s at this restored farm owned and operated by the local school system.
This is a ticketed event and reservations are recommended. Drop-ins accommodated if space allows. Self-guided tours are available from 1-3 p.m. weekdays.
Lasting Legacies shines a spotlight on the architectural work of Richard Sharp Smith, Albert Heath Carrier, and Douglas D. Ellington, highlighting the contributions of two of the city’s most prominent architectural firms to Asheville’s built environment and artistic spirit in the early decades of the 20th century. Alongside the featured architectural materials, the exhibition showcases the parallel revival of craft and decorative arts in Western North Carolina, showing how artistic dialogues crossed genres and found expression in everyday life. This exhibition has received major support from The Ellington Family, with additional support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and Leigh Ann Hamon & Bruce Johnson.
Closed Monday and Tuesday.
In medieval Europe, a bestiary—or “book of beasts”—was a popular type of handwritten, illustrated manuscript whose stories and images taught Christian lessons. Animals in the bestiary were associated with particular human traits and behaviors, making abstract moral lessons easier to communicate to a mostly illiterate public. While the books themselves were rare and precious, their thought-provoking tales and vivid imagery were a familiar part of everyday life in the Middle Ages (500–1500 CE). Tapestries, metalwork, jewelry, sculptures, sermons, and popular storytelling all incorporated motifs from the bestiary.
Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Women of the Pacific Northwest celebrates the voices, visions and material mastery of female artists working today, with roots from this rich and progressive region. Through the execution of disparate media from bronze, steel, glass, tin, plaster, mylar, printmaking, hair nets, cloth, rubber, wax to paint, these artists have achieved inventive, creative practices originating from critical, generative, inquisition of natural, social or subliminal forces. This exhibition highlights a group of female artists working in diverse media creating art that explores connections to place, whether sociological, environmental or spiritual, in a region supportive of equality, ecology and enterprise. These artists are among today’s pioneers, interpreting universality through personal observation and inventing poetic, transcendent works inspiring greater, pluralistic understanding, connecting us to one another and to the world around us.
Featured artists:
Victoria Adams, Drie Chapek, Jaq Chartier, Susan Dory, Betsy Ebys, Ann Gardner, Emily Gherard, Estuko Ichikawa, Lisa Jarrett, Brenda Mallory, Wendy Red Star, Katy Stone, Susan Zoccola, Marie Watt, and Julie Speidel.
Flood Gallery Fine Art Center revives its visual art program after Helene with this second in open exhibition series, featuring 25+ local artists showing multiple perspectives & styles. Art media for this show may include ceramic, stained glass, painting, drawing, photography, collage, printmaking, ceramic, enamel, fiber arts, digital media, and mixed media.
Show runs Dec. 13, 2025 – Feb. 20, 2026
Open daily 12-4pm, or by appointment.
802 Fairview Rd. Suite 1200, Asheville, NC 28803
(Located off I-240 Exit 8, River Ridge Business Center, behind Sun Soo Martial Arts,
next to Hot Yoga Asheville & Asheville Dance Theater)
Follow us on Facebook for updates!
Included with admission
Capture that classic Christmas moment you and your children will never outgrow. Afterward, explore all that Antler Hill Village has to offer: ice cream at The Creamery, friendly animals at our Farmyard, plus Pisgah Playground, shops, restaurants, and an award-winning Winery.
Dates available:
November 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 28-30
December 6-7, 13-14, 17-24
December 19th, Vienna Light Orchestra Christmas Tour 2025 is coming to The Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in Asheville, NC! Born from the spirit of Vienna, the birthplace of orchestral music and home to some of the most celebrated Christmas concerts in the world, The Vienna Light Orchestra Christmas Tour 2025 is a global concert experience that blends sweeping symphonic sound with theatrical beauty. Join us for this magical holiday experience, over 2,000 flickering candlelights illuminate world-class musicians & vocalists, and a few Christmas surprises along the way—creating a nostalgic atmosphere with the most treasured Christmas Classics. A holiday evening with your loved ones you’ll never forget! (Limited Seating – Best Seats Won’t Last!)
** Two shows**3pm and 7pm**
PAN HARMONIA: Yuletide!
Now an annual tradition, Kate Steinbeck and Jessica Schaeffer bring the soothing, light-filled sounds of flute and harp to the darkest days of the year. Enjoy a blend of traditional carols and lesser-known works; we also celebrate founder Kate Steinbeck’s birthday this day!
with Kate Steinbeck Flute and Jessica Schaeffer Harp
Friday, December 19, 12 pm · St. Matthias Church, Asheville
Friday, December 19, 4 pm · East Asheville Library
As ever, PAN HARMONIA offers Donation-based, Pay-as-You-Can Community
Concerts. All are welcome!
panharmonia.org
828.242.1077
Winter Lights is excited to provide an all-new premium trolley experience, in partnership with Biltmore Park Town Square and Gray Line Trolley Tours! Skip the lines and ride the Winter Lights Trolley!
Enjoy dinner and shopping at Biltmore Park Town Square before hopping on the Winter Lights Trolley to experience Winter Lights!
Ride the Winter Lights Trolley Friday November 28 and select Fridays and Saturdays in December. Trolleys depart from Biltmore Park Town Square every half hour, beginning at 5:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $50 per-person and available select dates only.
The Omni Grove Park Inn invites guests to experience the 33rd Annual National Gingerbread House Competition, showcasing over 45 extraordinary edible creations from bakers of all ages. Entries will be displayed throughout the resort from November 18, 2025, to January 4, 2026. The competition, held on November 17, offers more than $40,000 in cash and prizes. While judging is closed to the public, the public is welcome to view the displays after 6 p.m. on Sundays and anytime Monday through Thursday, excluding certain holidays and dates. Free but there is a parking fee.