• 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.

The Council on Aging for Henderson County (COAHC) wants to make sure all seniors receive a gift this holiday season, and they need your help. For the 25th year, the COAHC will be collecting shoebox gifts filled by community members, then deliver those gifts to Henderson County seniors. Last year they delivered more than 350 boxes to COAHC clients. This year all additional boxes will be donated to clients of Henderson County Department of Social Services Adult Services.
Participants fill a shoe box with small, useful items and gifts, such as hygiene items, gloves, large-print books and puzzles, notepads, calendars, flashlights, and any other small gifts a senior would appreciate. Then bring the wrapped shoebox to the Council on Aging office (105 King Creek Boulevard) during their business hours: Mon-Fri, between 9am and 4pm. Please mark if the box is for a male, female or either. Gift collection ends on Friday, December 8th.
This gift drive is in conjunction with a Meals on Wheels gift drive for requested items from their clients. Participants can choose a client, shop for their requested items, then bring the wrapped gift to the Council on Aging office, where volunteers will distribute the gifts to clients in late December.

Living in Western North Carolina means there is always something to do in the garden, from preparing soil and pruning to fertilizing and transplanting. But when and how? You’ll find the answers in A Gardening Guide for Our Mountains.

Created by NC State Extension Master Gardener^SM volunteers of Buncombe County (BCEMG), the guide provides a complete month-by-month description of what to do (and not to do), along with tips on invasive species, mulching, composting, and creating bird- and pollinator-friendly habitats.

This quick reference makes the perfect holiday gift for the gardeners in your life, whether they are old hands, new to gardening, or new to gardening in the mountains. A Gardening Guide for Our Mountains will get them off to the right start and keep their gardens growing all year long. Plus, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that funds raised through this publication go to support the many educational and outreach programs provided by BCEMG volunteers.

How to order: Send $13 (checks payable to Buncombe County Extension Master Gardener) to N.C. Cooperative Extension, Buncombe County Center, 49 Mount Carmel Road, Asheville, N.C. 28806, ATTN:  Buncombe County Master Gardeners. Include mailing address for shipping and a phone number, in case we have a question about your order.

Copies are available for pick up at the office for $10.  Please call in advance. 828-255-5522.

To learn more about the NC State Extension Master Gardener Program in Buncombe County, go to: https://www.buncombemastergardener.org/

Whether you start decorating for the holidays before Thanksgiving or well into December, now is the best time to get into the holiday spirit by sponsoring a gift for kids or adults.

Being an adult without a support network, an adult with a disability, or a kid in foster care can be tough over the holidays; this is a great opportunity to let them know that the community cares for them.

Every year, Buncombe County hosts an Adult Wish Tree and a Foster Care Wish Tree that allows members of the community to sponsor a gift for someone this holiday.

Foster Care Wish Tree

Each year, children in foster care in Buncombe County submit a list of wishes they would like for the holidays.

To sign up to sponsor a child, click this link and select the person you would like to sponsor. You will receive an email confirmation that provides a copy of the wish list and all the instructions for drop-off.

A note from Health and Human Services:

Hello and thank you for your generosity this holiday season. We are grateful for your unwavering support for our foster youth. Here at Buncombe County Health and Human Services, we are dedicated to meeting the needs of our foster youth, and having your support means so much to us and our kids. You are not just providing gifts this holiday season; you are telling someone that they matter and that they are important! That is something to celebrate! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!

If you have any questions about your sponsorship, please call Amber Cook at 828-772-5553 or email [email protected] during business hours of 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday.

Adult Wish Tree

When you can’t drive a car or don’t have someone to bring you the things you might need, like a new nightgown or socks, it can be tough. The Adult Wish Tree is a Buncombe County program that works with agencies throughout the county to identify adults and adults with disabilities who don’t have access to a support network to help with these basic needs. The program also identifies young adults in our extended foster care program who will likely not receive a gift this year. Please consider selecting an adult to sponsor this holiday season.

To sign up to sponsor an adult, click this link and select the person you would like to sponsor. You will receive an email confirmation that provides a copy of the wish list and all the instructions for drop-off.

A note from Health and Human Services:

This holiday season we hope you will choose one of the many names that are submitted by Health and Human Services and our partner agencies for adults and adults with disabilities.  It is such a joy to see the smiles on the faces of adults who have their wishes fulfilled, as these are adults who are not expected to have anyone else to provide them with a gift this year.

If you have questions, please email us at [email protected].

Happy Holidays and thank you for supporting those who need a little extra care this upcoming season.

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Give the gift of holiday joy in the form of a unique, beautiful, locally made ornament! Handcrafted ornaments made by local artists will be for sale in our lobby on our Christmas tree through the middle of December. Gift the gift of art this year and support local artists in the process!

The Peppermint Bear Scavenger Hunt will take you on a fun-filled bear hunt through downtown Hendersonville looking for Peppermint Bear’s lost bear cubs, who are hiding out in the shops, Get your map at the Visitor Center, then head out to find all of the cubs and get a stamp at each location after you’ve found the bear, return completed entry forms to the Visitor Center to be eligible for great prizes!

Guided tours will be at 10:30 AM each day.

$15 adults, $10 students, $10 seniors (65+), free 4 and under

Self-guided tours will be from 1-3 PM each day with a volunteer in the house to answer questions.

$8 adults, $5 students, $5 seniors (65+), free 4 and under

All tours include hot chocolate and cookies and a visit with the Heritage Weavers & Fiber Artists.

Tours will start at 5:00, 5:45, 6:30, and 7:15 PM each evening. Registration and advance payment is required. Tickets will go on sale November 1.

$20 adults, $15 students, $15 seniors (65+), free for 4 and under. Children are more than welcome, but please know the tour is about an hour of listening to guides talk about farm history before ending with hot chocolate and cookies.

Music upon arrival provided by local school groups. All tours will end with a visit to the Heritage Weavers & Fiber Artists.

6-8:30 p.m., The Loft (McConnell Hall)
Support our local championship clogging team and shop some incredible holiday gifts while enjoying a great Christmas clogging show for the whole family. $5 donation at the door; free for MHU students. Auction begins at 6 p.m., show begins at 7 p.m.

FREE | All ages

Take a stroll under festive lights and enjoy a movie on the big screen with light refreshments.

FREE | Ages 18-39

Do you know your holiday facts? Bring a team of friends or come solo for friendly competition!

Festival of Lights offers two different experiences for attendees: a drive-thru and a walk-thru. The walk-thru dates will take place on Dec. 2 and Dec. 3 from 6-8 p.m. and the drive-thru will be taking place nightly from Dec. 4 – Dec. 23 from 6-9 p.m.

The walk-thru nights (Dec. 2 and 3) will consist of fun holiday crafts, kettlecorn, hot chocolate and the spectacular light show. Admission to the walk-thru nights is only $5 for adults, and children 16 and under get in free, making it an affordable and joyful outing for families to celebrate the holiday season together. Please note that parking for the walk-thru nights will be available at Charles T. Koontz Intermediate School. This is only a short walk from Lake Julian Park. Cars will not be permitted to enter the park unless they have a need for ADA accessible parking. Guests are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes and to dress warmly.

The drive-thru nights (Dec. 4 – Dec. 23) allow you to stay in the comfort of your own car while oooh-ing and ah-ing at the beautiful lights around Lake Julian Park. As participants drive throughout the park, they can tune into their favorite seasonal music on the radio. Admission is $10 per car for personal vehicles, $25 for sprinter vans, trailblazers, and conversion vans, and $50 for busses and motorcoaches. Purchased tickets will be valid for one-time use on any night of the festival; tickets are not date specific.

From the bounty shores of England comes the Styckes-Upon-Thump Repertory Theatre Company, a stuffy old traveling troupe embarking on their fifteenth annual farewell tour of Dickens’ tale. The company includes Sir Selsdon Piddick, the consummate actor, in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, with Mrs. Bettina Salisbury, Dame Rowena Middleton-Lewis, Mrs. Cordelia ffoliet-ffolkes ffortescue Woods, Teddy Shub, and Elyot Crummels in multiple supporting roles. On this fateful Christmas Eve night, various forms of mayhem ensue as this professional company scrambles to keep the show going and everything that could go possibly wrong does, with hilarious, ridiculous results!

SART Presents “Christmas Time’s A Comin’, An Appalachian Christmas Revue”
7:30 p.m., Owen Theatre
Join us for a heartwarming Christmas revue like no other! This holiday season, we’re spreading the joy by offering pay-what-you-wish tickets. It’s our way of giving back to the community and ensuring that everyone can experience the magic of the season. Don’t miss out on this special opportunity to create lasting memories with your loved ones. Get your tickets today at sartplays.com and celebrate the spirit of giving this Christmas!

It’s beginning to look a lot like…you got it! Keep the family tradition going. Same great quality, all new show! Come celebrate the season here on ‘The Rock’ with the always popular A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas! Join in and sing along to some of your favorite holiday tunes like, “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “Jingle Bells,” “O Holy Night,” and many more. With an incredible cast

featuring dancers from Pat’s School of Dance and the Flat Rock Playhouse Chorus, there is truly no better way to kick off your holiday season!

Get ready to embrace the spirit of Christmas with Elf: The Musical, a heartwarming and hilarious adaptation of the beloved 2003 holiday film. This enchanting musical follows the journey of Buddy, a human raised by elves at the North Pole who embarks on a journey to New York City to find his real father. Through catchy, uplifting songs and zany comedic antics, Elf: The Musical serves a healthy dose of holiday cheer, laughter, and life lessons about identity, family, and the true meaning of Christmas. It’s a magical, festive spectacle guaranteed to light up the holiday season for all ages!

A talkback with the cast & crew of Elf: The Musical will be held following the performances on December 3rd and 10th.

Join International Ballet and Artistic Director Vlada Kysselova as the beloved holiday classic returns to the Peace Center stage. Enjoy Tchaikovsky’s timeless score performed live by the Greenville Symphony Orchestra and be dazzled as the angelic voices of the Greenville Youth Chorale are featured as snow falls on the Concert Hall stage. No holiday season is complete without joining Clara and her Nutcracker prince as they encounter dancing snowflakes, spirited sword fights and a visit to the Kingdom of Sweets. With glittering costumes and exquisite sets, this incredible performance is not to be missed.

NEW QUEER’S EVE
Developed by a Collaboration of Queer Writers
Directed by Dwight Chiles

Maybe it’s much too early in the game, but I thought I’d ask you just the same, what are you doing New Year’s? Join us for a look at this holiday through a new lens. New Queer’s Eve takes place in one location over multiple New Year’s Eve celebrations and provides a glimpse into the LGBTQIA+ experience through time. Through interconnected stories told by a collaboration of queer writers, New Queer’s Eve invites audiences to share in the joys and struggles of queer life through the decades.

North Carolina’s oldest professional non-profit ballet company presents the full-length classical holiday tradition, with stars, story, and sugarplums. Clara’s magical journey to the Lands of Snow and Sweets featuring the traditional Tchaikovsky score has become a favorite holiday family tradition.

ROND has been playing their brand of humorous Rock n Roll in one incarnation or another around Asheville for the last 20 years.
The ROND live show aims to be chock full of danceable, knee-slapping anthems about some of life’s most embarrassing, human-type-situations.
Their high energy, self-deprecating original songs often end in rousing audience sing-a-longs, leaving their fans both sweaty and smiling.
ROND is looking forward to their annual holiday show at Fleetwoods complete with a local neighborhood feel and several special guest performances.
8pm doors $10 cover

Free Photos with Santa and The Grinch, Best Christmas Character and Tacky Sweater Contest Win Prizes